The identity of Seon Woojin wasn’t created overnight.
It was a meticulously arranged identity, flawless even under the scrutiny of the Three Realms.
How did the Divine Mountain Sage intend to use the identity of Seon Woojin?
Why had he abruptly given it to Bu Eunseol?
A flurry of thoughts raced through Bu Eunseol’s mind, but he quickly shook his head.
The priority now was Ak Gucheon.
If he didn’t deal with him quickly, the Supreme Corps would be annihilated.
‘With this counterattack, I can kill Ak Gucheon as Seon Woojin,’ Bu Eunseol thought, raising his iron sword.
“Let’s end this,” he said. As he lifted his sword skyward, Ak Gucheon sneered.
“That swordplay won’t work.”
Though redirecting the Poison Essence by altering its nature was clever, it wasn’t lethal enough to deliver a fatal blow. Ak Gucheon, cloaked in the Poison Steel Demon Art, charged forward.
Bu Eunseol unleashed the fourth form of the Thirteen Iron Sword Forms, One Sword Against a Thousand.
Ak Gucheon crossed his arms, closing the distance.
Even if Bu Eunseol’s sword pierced him, he intended to kill him in one blow.
“Die!” Ak Gucheon shouted, reaching striking range and unleashing the Ghost Flame Soul-Seizing Technique, imbued with the Poison Steel Demon Art.
Sharp energy surged toward Bu Eunseol’s forehead and lower abdomen.
Tremble!
But an astonishing thing happened.
The One Sword Against a Thousand form, which had been deflected, traced a semicircle in the air. Suddenly, it wrapped around the energy of the Ghost Flame Soul-Seizing Technique with the sword’s tip.
Whoosh!
The energy, coiled around the sword, traced a larger circle and surged back toward Ak Gucheon.
‘What!’ Ak Gucheon’s eyes widened as he saw the returning energy. ‘Not just the Poison Essence, but energy too?’
Though countless sword techniques existed in the martial world, none could redirect energy with a sword.
‘I can’t dodge!’ Ak Gucheon quickly crossed his hands, countering with the Ghost Flame Soul-Seizing Technique.
Boom!
A loud explosion rang out, and Ak Gucheon’s body soared into the air like a broken kite, crashing to the ground. The energy, redirected after being coiled by Bu Eunseol’s sword, was several times more powerful than what Ak Gucheon had unleashed.
Thud.
Ak Gucheon, sprawled on the ground, quickly stood up.
“Blech!”
But he soon vomited dark blood.
The Ghost Flame Soul-Seizing Technique, returned with amplified force, had inflicted severe internal injuries.
“What kind of swordplay…” Ak Gucheon muttered, eyes wide.
Before he could finish, Bu Eunseol, who had been far away, crouched low and was now right in front of him.
Flash!
A sharp hidden blade from his left hand pierced Ak Gucheon’s chest.
Thud.
But it couldn’t penetrate the Poison Steel Demon Art, only grazing the skin.
“No matter what you do with a hidden blade…” Ak Gucheon began, but his words stopped.
Bu Eunseol’s iron sword had been thrust into his mouth.
“You talk too much,” Bu Eunseol said.
Ak Gucheon tried to speak, but the sharp sword in his mouth allowed only a gurgling sound.
Drip. Thud.
With his mouth pierced, Ak Gucheon died instantly.
Whoosh!
Retrieving his sword, Bu Eunseol stood with a dazed expression.
The Thirteen Iron Sword Forms combined with the Grafting Flowers onto Jade. Blending these techniques created a unique swordplay capable of countering any move.
Its power was so captivating that it enthralled Bu Eunseol.
‘What an extraordinary sword art,’ he thought, gazing at his sword with slight excitement.
The Thirteen Iron Sword Forms, fused with the Grafting Flowers onto Jade, had the defensive prowess of the Cloud-Shaped Sword Form and the counterattacking power of the Heavenly Bullet, capable of facing even stronger opponents.
‘With this sword art, as Seon Woojin, I can handle numerous formidable foes,’ he thought.
Which meant he mustn’t use it except in dire situations. This sword art had to remain Seon Woojin’s trump card, revealed as little as possible.
Clank.
Sheathing his sword, Bu Eunseol turned to observe the battle between the Supreme Corps and the Ghost Dawn Party.
The Ghost Dawn Party was on the verge of overwhelming and slaughtering the Supreme Corps. But with Ak Gucheon dead and Bu Eunseol glaring at them, they looked visibly shaken.
‘Did you think I couldn’t kill the Hell's Blood Fortress because I’m a demonic spy, Commander Gongsun?’ Bu Eunseol thought, his eyes gleaming sharply as he stared at the rattled poison masters. ‘Not at all. I’m someone who wouldn’t hesitate to crush the Hell's Blood Fortress with my own hands!’
Whoosh!
Bu Eunseol began launching hidden blades at the poison masters.
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
Though they too had mastered the Poison Steel Demon Art and unleashed poison arts, it was futile.
Poison didn’t affect Bu Eunseol, and their Poison Steel Demon Art wasn’t strong enough to block his blades. Moreover, having realized the new Thirteen Iron Sword Forms fused with the Grafting Flowers onto Jade, he could redirect external forces without even using his swordplay.
Thud. Thud thud thud.
In less than a quarter-hour, Bu Eunseol killed half the poison masters pressuring the Supreme Corps.
“Support the captain!” the Supreme Corps shouted, emboldened, and began attacking the poison masters.
Though only Tae Muryong and Jeong Jongdo had notable martial prowess, the momentum had shifted in their favor.
The surviving poison masters attempted to retreat.
But each time, Bu Eunseol launched hidden blades to block their escape, allowing the Supreme Corps to swarm and finish them off.
Thud.
As the last poison master fell, the Supreme Corps members, frantically swinging their swords, stopped.
“Ha… ha…”
The long, grueling battle was finally over.
The Supreme Corps had achieved victory against the Ghost Dawn Party, feared as the most terrifying unit of the Hell's Blood Fortress.
This was a great triumph even Bu Eunseol hadn’t anticipated. His team members were far more skilled than he’d expected, fighting relentlessly without giving up in a dire situation.
When Bu Eunseol defeated Ak Gucheon, their courage surged, overwhelming the poison masters with sheer spirit.
The team was soaked in blood, their bodies battered.
Yet they felt no pain, only a strange exhilaration coursing through them.
“Ugh…”
It was an indescribable emotion, felt only by those who survived a life-and-death struggle, transcending the limits of body and spirit.
“Rooaar!”
“Arghhh!”
Without prompting, the team members let out deafening shouts in unison.
They had fought their first chaotic battle and survived the brink of death.
Though many battles awaited, this first victory would remain unforgettable for a lifetime.
“Captain,” Tae Muryong, the first to regain composure, approached with a stunned expression. “Are you alright?”
“Of course,” Bu Eunseol replied, sheathing his sword with a clank and taking a deep breath.
He began assessing his team’s condition.
Five members showed signs of poisoning, and three had severe injuries.
But fortunately, no one had died.
Their rigorous training had paid off.
‘Good. As long as they survive,’ Bu Eunseol thought.
He hadn’t intended to teach them advanced martial arts from the start. Instead, he focused on honing techniques to tenaciously survive.
If they could overcome crises and live, they would surely grow stronger.
“There won’t be further pursuit. Let’s treat the injuries here for now,” he said.
Bu Eunseol had the team rest, administering another dose of potent antidote. For the severely injured, he infused them with internal energy to alleviate their symptoms.
Most captains would have sought a nearby physician, but Bu Eunseol generously poured out his internal energy to heal his subordinates. His internal energy was boundless, and treating such injuries didn’t affect his strength.
But to the team, it seemed as though Bu Eunseol was sacrificing his energy to hasten their recovery.
‘If the captain orders it, I’d dive into hellfire,’ they thought.
Bu Eunseol believed he was merely doing his duty as a captain, but his team silently swore unwavering loyalty in their hearts.
***
Martial Alliance, Silver Moon Pavilion
At the Silver Moon Pavilion, a beautiful woman in snow-white robes sat with a black shadow prostrated before her.
It was Commander Gongsun Dankyung and her trusted aide, Choi Myeong.
Reading a report on the table with a rigid posture, her eyes sparkled.
“It seems I misjudged,” she said.
The report detailed the actions of Supreme Corps Captain Seon Woojin during his return from Yeokyung.
“He persistently tried to warn of the Dragon Might Hall Lord’s mistakes, and when ignored, sent a letter to the Ascendant Martial Hall… On the return journey, he was ambushed by the Ghost Dawn Party but displayed exceptional prowess to defeat them.”
Closing the report, a strange light gleamed in Gongsun Dankyung’s eyes. She had always prided herself on never being wrong in her intuition.
But this time, she was completely off.
The report was written by Choi Myeong, her most trusted strategist leading the Martial Alliance’s investigation team.
“Not a demonic spy, but a dragon hidden in the upper ranks,” she said.
“Indeed,” Choi Myeong said calmly from his prostrated position. “He has perfectly mastered the Boundless Master’s martial insights, making him unmatched among the younger generation. He’s on par with those hailed as future masters.”
“Hmm.”
“Moreover, he uncovered that the Ghost Dawn Party killed Iron Captain Noh Dokcheong. Though the negotiations failed, this allows us to demand substantial compensation from Hell's Blood Fortress.”
Sent to assist the Dragon Might Hall at the advice of the Ascendant Martial Hall Lord, Seon Woojin and the Supreme Corps had achieved unexpected merits.
Deep in thought, Gongsun Dankyung narrowed her long eyes. “Have you met the Sunflower Merchant Guild Lord?”
“Yes. I’ve been in contact through informants, and he said he’d visit the Alliance anytime if invited,” Choi Myeong replied in a low voice. “He also gave me three thousand taels as travel expenses and sent five Seven Gold Cat’s Eye Stones and ten Diamond Jade Pearls to the Alliance, asking us to take good care of Captain Seon.”
“I see,” Gongsun Dankyung said, narrowing her eyes and shaking her head.
From start to finish, there was nothing suspicious about him. Even a thorough investigation of the Sunflower Merchant Guild revealed no traces of deceit.
‘Was my intuition wrong?’ she wondered.
Her Divine Eye could instinctively discern truth from falsehood without conscious thought.
But with Seon Woojin, she saw nothing.
Her Divine Eye was ineffective against grandmasters who had reached the Limitless Realm, enlightened monks, or carefree Taoists and beggars who lived naturally without desire.
Could Seon Woojin be a pure, desireless person like a monk or Taoist?
“You’ve worked hard,” Gongsun Dankyung said, nodding. “You may leave.”
“Commander,” Choi Myeong said cautiously, bowing deeply. “He has appeared in the martial world again.”
“…”
“He’s not only exceptionally handsome but possesses flawless qualities. Perhaps you, Commander…”
“Enough,” Gongsun Dankyung said coldly. “I’ll handle that matter myself.”
“…Understood. My apologies,” Choi Myeong said, bowing deeply and turning to leave.
“Then.”
As Choi Myeong exited, Gongsun Dankyung let out a deep sigh.
“Seon Woojin, you’re an extraordinary figure who exceeded my expectations. I’ll have to rethink my approach.”
Looking at the report, her eyes narrowed.
If Seon Woojin was flawless and had hidden his abilities until now, she needed to keep him close.
***
Martial Alliance, Ascendant Martial Hall, Yuk Jangcheon’s Office
“Well done,” Yuk Jangcheon said, personally summoning Bu Eunseol for a private meeting upon his return.
He lavishly praised Bu Eunseol and the Supreme Corps’ achievements.
The Yeokyung negotiations were a humiliating failure for the Martial Alliance.
Especially since the blunder was caused by the greed of Dragon Might Hall Lord Yeon Jagang, under the Ascendant Martial Hall, Yuk Jangcheon couldn’t easily evade responsibility.
But Bu Eunseol had identified the killers of Iron Captain Noh Dokcheong, enabling the Alliance to demand substantial compensation from the Hell's Blood Fortress.
Had Bu Eunseol not been sent, Yuk Jangcheon would have faced significant consequences.
“I tried to work with Commander Gongsun, only to be humiliated,” Yuk Jangcheon said, sipping tea, his brow furrowed deeply. “Of course, the Commander said it was her mistake and not to worry, but how could I, as the Hall Lord, feel at ease?”
He was aiming for the vacant position of Martial Spring Division Commander. Even with his accumulated merits, such a blunder made him uneasy.
“If you hadn’t achieved such great merit, I would have faced a major setback this time,” he said.
Had Bu Eunseol not uncovered the true culprits behind Noh Dokcheong’s death and secured compensation and an apology from the Hell's Blood Fortress, Yuk Jangcheon might not only have missed the Martial Spring Division Commander position but faced demotion.
“How are the team members?” he asked.
“Thanks to the elixir you provided, they’re recovering well. Thank you,” Bu Eunseol replied.
At the general meeting, Yuk Jangcheon had emphasized Bu Eunseol’s achievement in identifying Noh Dokcheong’s killers, demanding substantial rewards.
As a result, elixirs were granted to Bu Eunseol and the injured team members.
Of course, this was partly Yuk Jangcheon’s effort to cover his own mistake.
“Good. Since this mission didn’t require much intelligence work, it’s fine as long as you’re unharmed,” Yuk Jangcheon said.
“What do you mean?” Bu Eunseol asked.
“There’s a task to undertake with the Lotus Hall Lord,” Yuk Jangcheon said, taking a deep breath and speaking candidly. “Thanks to your merit, I’ve avoided scrutiny, but Yeon Jagang’s blunder was too significant.”
Most people remember bad events over good ones.
Knowing this, Yuk Jangcheon aimed to achieve another major merit to erase the memory of the Dragon Might Hall’s failure from the leadership’s minds.
‘He’s that desperate,’ Bu Eunseol thought.
Yuk Jangcheon continued, “This task is practically impossible. All the Alliance’s leaders have failed.”
Shaking his head, he added, “But since you always return with unexpected merits, I’m sending you with a sliver of hope.”
Now Bu Eunseol was curious.
What mission had all the Alliance’s leaders failed at, yet he was being sent with hopes pinned on luck?
“What’s the mission?” he asked.
“Inviting Bullet King, Bukgung Ryeong, as an elder of the Alliance,” Yuk Jangcheon replied.
Bu Eunseol couldn’t hide his surprise.
Bullet King, Bukgung Ryeong.
Framed by the Three Realms’ schemes for killing righteous heroes, he had vanished from the martial world.
Yet the Martial Alliance wanted to invite him as an elder?
“From what I’ve heard, Bullet King brutally killed righteous heroes at Ghost Island and left the martial world,” Bu Eunseol said, feigning shock.
Yuk Jangcheon shook his head. “What’s known differs entirely from the truth. At the time, Ghost Island held some of the Ten Cosmic Weapons, and righteous faction members killed each other to claim them.”
Pausing briefly, he continued, “Bullet King deliberately left traces of his martial arts to conceal the ugly actions of those righteous members.”
‘How did they uncover that?’ Bu Eunseol thought.
Only he and Bullet King, in the isolated Ghost Island, knew the truth.
How had the Martial Alliance uncovered it?
“That’s astonishing. How could such a thing be known?” Bu Eunseol asked in a subtle tone.
Yuk Jangcheon stroked his chin. “There was a survivor from Ghost Island, and that’s how we learned the truth.”
‘A survivor?’ Bu Eunseol thought.
“The righteous members who arrived at Ghost Island were driven mad by the Ten Divine Weapons and killed each other early on. The Bullet King arrived late, saw it, and left his martial traces,” Yuk Jangcheon explained.
“I see,” Bu Eunseol nodded.
“The Bullet King has been wandering the martial world alone, doing good deeds. Through this incident, we learned of his true heart and righteousness,” Yuk Jangcheon said, sighing and looking out the window. “Fortunately, we found his whereabouts, and several Alliance leaders tried to persuade him. It’s a great loss for the martial world if such a figure remains in obscurity.”
“Hmm.”
“The Alliance sought to restore his honor and invite him as an honored guest, but he firmly refused,” Yuk Jangcheon said.
“So the Lotus Hall Lord is going this time,” Bu Eunseol said.
“Exactly. Cheongah is not only wise but has some past acquaintance with the Bullet King. So, as a final attempt, the Ascendant Martial Hall is sending her to persuade him,” Yuk Jangcheon said.
Bu Eunseol nodded.
If Lotus Hall Lord could succeed where all the Alliance’s leaders failed, it would be a major achievement.
“Of course, I don’t have high expectations,” Yuk Jangcheon added.
Even leaders with deep ties to the Bullet King had been coldly rejected.
There was no way the Lotus Hall Lord or Supreme Corps Commander could succeed.
Knock, knock.
A knock at the door was followed by a low voice. “Lotus Hall’s Lord Yuk requests an audience with the Hall Lord.”
“Let her in,” Yuk Jangcheon said.
With soft steps, Yuk Cheongah, dressed in blue, entered.
“Hall Lord,” she said, bowing.
Yuk Jangcheon nodded. “Good timing. I was just explaining the mission to Captain Seon.”
“I see,” Yuk Cheongah said, giving Bu Eunseol a languid smile. “What’s your opinion, Captain Seon? Are you confident?”
“To be honest, it feels utterly impossible,” Bu Eunseol said, shaking his head.
With his true identity, he might have a chance, but as Seon Woojin, persuading Bullet King was impossible.
“As expected,” Yuk Cheongah nodded. “I’m not expecting much either. Even leaders with ties to the Bullet King failed to persuade him.”
“Is that so?” Bu Eunseol asked.
“Still, the Ascendant Martial Hall can’t not go. With the Dragon Might Hall’s blunder so significant, we need something to shift attention,” she said.
In the end, Yuk Cheongah, like Yuk Jangcheon, wasn’t hopeful but was going to divert attention from the Dragon Might Hall’s failure.
“Even so, I’m going with you, Captain Seon, because you always return with unexpected merits,” she said with a candid expression. “Whether it’s luck or skill, I’d like to borrow some of yours.”
Bu Eunseol gave a wry smile.
If he could refuse, he’d turn back without hesitation. He knew all too well how stubborn Bullet King, Bukgung Ryeong, was.
“Then let’s depart,” Yuk Jangcheon said.
Yuk Cheongah took a deep breath and looked at Bu Eunseol. “Shall we go?”
“Where is Elder Bullet King staying?” Bu Eunseol asked.
Yuk Cheongah smiled faintly. “With the Jongri family.”
“The Jongri family…” Bu Eunseol repeated.
“Where Elder Needle King Jongri Sahyeon resides,” she replied.
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened in shock.
Of all places, the Bullet King was staying at the estate of Needle King Jongri Sahyeon, where Bu Eunseol had once infiltrated under a false identity.
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