The Supreme Branch, having swiftly departed Yeokyung, quickly left Guizhou and reached Hong River, located at the border of Hunan.
Though they were returning without tangible gains, the steps of the Supreme Branch were light. Through this Yeokyung incident, they had once again demonstrated their intelligence-gathering prowess and foresight to the Martial Alliance’s leadership. Moreover, they felt a premonition that, as an intelligence unit, they would be heavily relied upon in the future.
Whoosh.
With light hearts, the Supreme Branch members moved in perfect unison, swiftly executing their qinggong. No matter how much they were the Martial Alliance’s elite unit, this was Guizhou territory—a region dominated by demonic factions, including the Hell's Blood Fortress.
They needed to escape quickly.
“…!” But Bu Eunseol, leading the charge, suddenly halted his qinggong.
With a grave expression, he scanned the surroundings and spoke to his corps.
“Form the Heavenly Star Sword Defense Formation.”
The Heavenly Star Sword Defense Formation was a defensive sword formation of the Martial Alliance, used when facing a vastly superior number of enemies. Without a moment’s hesitation, the corps members drew their swords and immediately arranged themselves into the formation.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
At that moment, a rain of hidden weapons poured from all directions.
However, the formation was already perfectly set. The barrage of hidden weapons was effortlessly deflected as the Supreme Branch members lightly swung their swords.
Rustle, rustle, rustle.
When the hidden weapons proved ineffective, black shadows emerged from the bushes, encircling the Supreme Branch in a ring.
Wearing masks, their yellowish, gleaming eyes were visible even from a distance.
They were the poison masters of the Hell's Blood Fortress’s Ghost Dawn Party.
“The Ghost Dawn Party of the Hell's Blood Fortress,” Bu Eunseol said, addressing the leader among the poison masters. “Our corps has no particular enmity with the Hell's Blood Fortress.”
The leader of the Ghost Dawn Party, Ak Gucheon, glared with dark eyes and replied, “Because of your meddling with Guizhou’s factions, our fortress’s influence has weakened further.”
Though Dan So-ok had claimed the Jeoksu River area as her territory, strictly speaking, it belonged to Majeon. The Hell's Blood Fortress, trusting Majeon’s negotiations, had waited, only to have their influence in Yeokyung stripped away before their eyes.
For the Hell's Blood Fortress, this was an utterly humiliating situation.
Having detected a lone second-tier Martial Alliance unit returning, the Ghost Dawn Party intended to unleash all their pent-up rage.
“Reckless. Acting this way will put Majeon in a difficult position,” Bu Eunseol said.
“We’ll handle it cleanly, leaving no trace, as always,” Ak Gucheon replied.
“As always…” Bu Eunseol murmured, realization dawning. “So, it was the Ghost Dawn Party that killed Iron Captain Noh Dokcheong.”
“Heh heh heh. You’re quick,” Ak Gucheon said, looking up at the distant sky with a resentful expression. “Since our fortress lord stepped down, our influence has dwindled endlessly.”
The Hell's Blood Fortress, one of the ten demonic sects that once dominated Guizhou, had seen its power diminish due to Majeon’s successor, sliding further down a relentless decline.
Unable to bear it, Ak Gucheon could not strike at the rising sun that was the Martial Soul Command Lord. Instead, to vent their accumulated frustration, they had secretly killed righteous faction members roaming Guizhou.
Among them was Iron Captain Noh Dokcheong.
“As soon as our influence weakened, the Martial Alliance sent spies one by one, as if to taunt us,” Ak Gucheon said, grinding his teeth. “So we killed them, one by one, as we found them.”
His eyes gleamed with dark murderous intent as he continued. “Last time, we couldn’t dispose of the bodies perfectly due to interruptions, but this time…”
His expression grew strange.
The second-tier captain, who should have been trembling in fear, was instead smiling faintly.
“What’s so funny?” Ak Gucheon asked.
“Nothing. I just caught a bigger fish than expected,” Bu Eunseol replied.
His final plan had been to have Soyo deliberately leak the Supreme Branch’s return route to the Hell's Blood Fortress’s intelligence network.
Commander Gongsun Dankyung, known as the Star of Wisdom, was exceptionally astute.
To completely dispel her suspicions, a simple method wouldn’t suffice. The Supreme Branch had to be attacked by the Hell's Blood Fortress. Only that way could he fully clear himself of suspicions of being a demonic spy.
But in the process, he had unexpectedly uncovered the true culprits behind Iron Captain Noh Dokcheong’s murder.
For Bu Eunseol, it was as if he had yawned and a delicious persimmon had fallen into his mouth.
“You’re insane,” Ak Gucheon sneered, looking at him. “Do you think we killed Noh Dokcheong as a group?”
“Judging by how you act independently without regard for your superiors, you must be highly trusted and possess considerable skill,” Bu Eunseol said, nodding nonchalantly. “You were confident you could wipe out our corps without letting a single one escape, weren’t you?”
“Exactly,” Ak Gucheon said, his smile laced with killing intent. “To me, you’re nothing but corpses with some warmth left.”
Without hesitation, he ordered his men, “Kill them.”
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
At once, a barrage of poisoned hidden weapons rained down on Bu Eunseol and the Supreme Branch. These poison masters, skilled in formidable poison arts, were deliberately unleashing a continuous stream of hidden weapons.
They couldn’t let a single one escape.
By encircling them and bombarding them with hidden weapons, they planned to ensure poisoning before delivering a fatal blow with their powerful poison arts.
“What’s that?” Ak Gucheon’s expression twisted.
All the Supreme Branch members, maintaining their formation, had wrapped dark cloths around their faces. These were face masks, commonly used by mercenaries to protect their noses and mouths from poison.
Moreover, as if they had taken a potent antidote in advance, they were unaffected even when grazed by the hidden weapons.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Bu Eunseol’s eyes grew cold as he swung his iron sword, deflecting the incoming hidden weapons.
‘This battle will cause significant injuries to the corps. But through it, they’ll grow stronger.’ What Bu Eunseol had prepared for his corps was none other than powerful antidotes and face masks to protect against poison.
‘If they survive this ambush…’
Bu Eunseol planned to not only dispel Gongsun Dankyung’s suspicions but also significantly advance the Supreme Branch.
The Supreme Branch aimed to be more than just an intelligence unit—it was to become a versatile unit capable of combat as well. To truly grow strong, they needed to develop through life-and-death battles, constantly pushing forward.
“Ugh.” As the relentless barrage of poisoned hidden weapons continued, groans began to escape the Supreme Branch members.
Despite taking potent antidotes and wearing face masks, they couldn’t fully fend off the Ghost Dawn Party’s poisoned weapons.
“They’ll start collapsing soon,” Ak Gucheon said, noticing the corps’s movements slowing. He ordered his men, “They’re already poisoned. Keep firing for another quarter-hour, then, when their movements falter, take their heads and dispose of the bodies.”
The Supreme Branch members, each wielding their weapons, attacked the encircling poison masters of the Ghost Dawn Party. But the poison masters moved swiftly, keeping their distance while continuously launching hidden weapons.
If this continued, not a single member of the Supreme Branch would survive.
Clank. Shing!
At that moment, Bu Eunseol sheathed his iron sword and drew it out forcefully.
Slash!
A brilliant flash erupted, slicing through the incoming hidden weapons like paper.
The Thirteen Iron Sword Forms.
A sword technique infused with the lifelong insights of the Boundless Master, each move imbued with profound sword principles. Though the Boundless Master was renowned as a master of hidden weapon techniques and the Grafting Flowers onto Jade, his true specialty was swordsmanship. However, his hidden weapon skills were so exceptional that he could defeat enemies easily, rarely needing to use the Thirteen Iron Sword Forms.
Bu Eunseol planned to use this opportunity to wield the Thirteen Iron Sword Forms, elevating Seon Woojin’s martial reputation to some extent.
“I’ll carve a path, so maintain the formation and follow!” he shouted.
Slash!
As he executed the second form of the Thirteen Iron Sword Forms, Dragon-Wrapping Heavenly Horn, the hidden weapons launched by the Ghost Dawn Party were sliced apart like paper.
Seizing the moment, Bu Eunseol closed in on the poison masters, unleashing a continuous barrage of sword techniques.
Flash! Swoosh!
Though the Thirteen Iron Sword Forms weren’t particularly powerful, their precision was exquisite, accurately targeting the vital points of the charging poison masters. As Bu Eunseol’s efforts broke one side of the encirclement, the corps could more easily fend off the incoming hidden weapons.
“Not bad for a second-tier corps,” Ak Gucheon remarked, nodding with surprise as he observed the battle. “An intelligence unit, yet their skill rivals that of a decent sword corps.”
But his admiration was merely mild surprise; it wouldn’t change the outcome.
The number of poison masters in his Ghost Dawn Party was more than three times that of the Supreme Branch, which had only about twenty members. Moreover, the poison masters had bodies as hard as steel and dulled pain senses.
Even if their vital points were struck or limbs severed, they could continue attacking with poison arts or hidden weapons.
A second-tier corps could never withstand them.
Flash! Flash!
Amidst this, Bu Eunseol was the only one shining. Each swing of his sword sent flashes of light, cutting down poison masters left and right.
“Take him down first,” Ak Gucheon ordered, pointing at Bu Eunseol, who was weaving through the battlefield, unaffected by hidden weapons or poison, breaking the encirclement.
He realized that Bu Eunseol’s efforts were what kept the Supreme Branch holding on.
‘Perfect,’ Bu Eunseol thought, smiling faintly.
As all attacks focused on him, the pressure on the Supreme Branch lessened. This allowed the struggling corps members to catch their breath.
‘This guy?’ Ak Gucheon’s eyes gleamed as he watched.
Wasn’t this young man’s martial prowess far beyond that of a second-tier captain?
‘I need to take him down quickly,’ Ak Gucheon thought, stealthily using his movement technique to approach Bu Eunseol’s back while he was engrossed in his swordplay.
Crunch.
At the same time, his hands turned black, brimming with potent poison arts, ready to strike.
“Die!” Ak Gucheon shouted, swinging his poison-laden palms at Bu Eunseol’s back.
Boom!
“Ugh.” But a strange thing happened. Instead of Bu Eunseol, who was struck in the back, it was Ak Gucheon who let out a groan.
“Such a sturdy body,” he muttered.
His Poison Flame Hand Technique, capable of shattering rocks in a single blow, had struck Bu Eunseol’s back, yet his own palms were now swollen.
‘He must have mastered an external technique like Iron Cloth,’ Ak Gucheon assumed, unaware that Bu Eunseol’s body was enveloped in a powerful protective energy.
“Fine!” Ak Gucheon spread his hands, channeling his energy.
Buzz!
A low hum resonated as black poison qi rose from his palms, soon forming a spherical Poison Essence.
Once the Poison Essence took a complete spherical form, Ak Gucheon hurled it at Bu Eunseol.
Whoosh!
Bu Eunseol twisted his body to dodge the Poison Essence and extended his left hand.
Flash!
A sharp hidden blade, gleaming with brilliant light, shot toward Ak Gucheon’s throat—or so it should have.
Clang!
The blade struck his throat but fell to the ground with a metallic sound.
At the same time, the skin where the blade had hit turned black.
‘He’s mastered the Poison Steel Demon Art,’ Bu Eunseol observed, recognizing that Ak Gucheon had used the same technique as Blood Ghost Commander Yang Myeong in a past martial tournament.
“Heh heh heh. Comparing me to the likes of Yang Myeong?” Ak Gucheon sneered, creating another Poison Essence and throwing it at Bu Eunseol.
Not only could he harden his body with the Poison Steel Demon Art, but he could also materialize its poison qi into a Poison Essence to use as a projectile.
Whoosh! Hiss!
As the two exchanged blows, the Ghost Dawn Party’s poison masters, without interfering in their fight, attacked the Supreme Branch members holding their formation.
‘Truly the Hell's Blood Fortress,’ Bu Eunseol thought, inwardly marveling as Ak Gucheon relentlessly launched Poison Essences like hidden weapons. It wasn’t just Ak Gucheon’s prowess but the Hell's Blood Fortress’s poison arts that impressed him.
‘To think a single poison art can produce such varied applications.’
Until now, Bu Eunseol had clashed with the Hell's Blood Fortress’s masters several times. But their poison arts hadn’t seemed particularly formidable, as his overwhelming internal energy prevented any poison from affecting him.
However, by deliberately suppressing his prowess and internal energy to mimic Seon Woojin, he could now appreciate the brilliance of the Hell's Blood Fortress’s poison arts and why they were proudly among the ten demonic sects.
Their poison arts were not only versatile but could be adapted into unique forms based on the individual’s disposition. Unless one reached a level like Bu Eunseol, unafraid of poison, the Hell's Blood Fortress’s poison arts would always hold an advantage over martial artists.
Slash! Boom! Boom! Boom!
As Ak Gucheon, impervious to swords, scattered poison qi in all directions, pressuring Bu Eunseol, groans began to escape the Supreme Branch.
“Ugh.” The prolonged battle between Bu Eunseol and Ak Gucheon left them unable to withstand the Ghost Dawn Party’s poison masters.
“Argh.” Finally, several corps members succumbed to the poison, collapsing with groans.
Though Tae Muryong and Jeong Jongdo, skilled in martial arts, stepped forward to deflect the poisoned hidden weapons and protect their comrades, they too seemed unable to hold out much longer.
‘I must endure,’ Bu Eunseol thought.
Instead of cutting down the poison masters to save his corps, he occasionally threw hidden blades to slow their assault. His corps hadn’t yet fused their bodies and spirits through the crucible of a life-and-death struggle.
“You’re holding up well!” Ak Gucheon shouted, continuing to pressure Bu Eunseol with poison-laden palm strikes.
Bu Eunseol targeted vital points and severed limbs with the Thirteen Iron Sword Forms, but Ak Gucheon, cloaked in the Poison Steel Demon Art, remained unfazed.
‘How to deal with him?’ Bu Eunseol pondered briefly.
Ak Gucheon’s Poison Steel Demon Art was like an impenetrable vajra, impervious to weapons. With overwhelming internal energy or a technique like the Ban-Geuk Method, he could easily cut through, but his current identity was Seon Woojin.
He couldn’t use inexplicable martial arts or internal energy, or he’d invite suspicion again.
‘Then I’ll have to elevate Seon Woojin’s fame and prowess a bit more than planned,’ he decided.
If Seon Woojin continued to be seen as weak, it would hinder future missions. Originally, Bu Eunseol planned for Seon Woojin to be perceived as having just crossed the threshold of the Supreme Heavenly Realm and narrowly defeated a Hell's Blood Fortress commander.
But he changed his mind.
He would use this opportunity to establish Seon Woojin as a master who had fully reached the Supreme Heavenly Realm, possessing exceptional prowess among the younger generation.
‘To do that, I’ll need to modify the Thirteen Iron Sword Forms,’ he thought.
The Boundless Master’s Thirteen Iron Sword Forms were precise but lacked powerful killing techniques. Since most opponents could be defeated with hidden blades, the Thirteen Iron Sword Forms were merely an expression of his insights, rarely used in actual combat.
Thus, they weren’t suited for the brutal, blood-soaked battles of life and death.
“Die!” Ak Gucheon shouted, hurling another Poison Essence at Bu Eunseol’s forehead.
The move was lightning-fast, but to Bu Eunseol, it looked like a slow-moving stone.
‘It’s like a round ball,’ he thought, gazing at the Poison Essence. Instinctively, he applied the principles of the Grafting Flowers onto Jade to his swordplay.
Whoosh!
The Poison Essence didn’t pierce Bu Eunseol but landed on his sword, spinning like a ball.
Whoosh.
Though the Poison Essence was only shaped as a sphere and not a solid object, Bu Eunseol’s application of the Grafting Flowers onto Jade kept it spinning atop his blade.
As it rotated ceaselessly, it transformed, as if imbued with the principles of the Art of Reverse Power.
Whoosh!
Bu Eunseol instinctively redirected the rapidly spinning Poison Essence back at Ak Gucheon.
Thud!
An astonishing thing happened.
The Poison Essence pierced Ak Gucheon’s body, which even the Thirteen Iron Sword Forms couldn’t penetrate.
“Argh.” Visibly pained, Ak Gucheon staggered back with a groan.
By spinning the Poison Essence at high speed, like the neutralizing force of Taichi, Bu Eunseol had not only hardened its nature but amplified its power several times over.
‘It can be used like this?’ Bu Eunseol thought, struck by the realization.
Combining the Thirteen Iron Sword Forms, infused with the Boundless Master’s insights, with the Grafting Flowers onto Jade, which could deflect any external force, created a natural yet powerful counterattack.
‘The Divine Mountain Sage,’ Bu Eunseol thought, biting his lip.
The manual the Divine Mountain Sage had given him wasn’t the Boundless Master’s original.
It was a newly crafted technique, blending the Boundless Master’s martial arts to create a seamless counterattack, designed to make Seon Woojin a renowned master capable of holding a high position in the Martial Alliance.
Why had the Divine Mountain Sage created the fictional identity of Seon Woojin to stand tall in the righteous martial world with such martial prowess and status?
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