Meanwhile, Yuk Cheongah, who had come to seek the Jongri family, met with Jongri Sahyeon and discussed several matters.
Once again, she climbed Mount Geumwang to persuade Bukgung Ryeong. However, as she reached the area where she had previously met Bukgung Ryeong, she found a large stone erected.
Approaching it, she saw the following inscription carved into the massive rock:
―‘The martial world, I shall not abandon. But neither will I join the Martial Alliance.’
Bukgung Ryeong, knowing full well that Yuk Cheongah would return, had used his Mysterious Bullet technique to carve the words into the rock before departing. Staring blankly at the inscription, written with such bold and flowing strokes on the solid stone, her eyes suddenly sparkled.
“Well, it seems he’s at least turned away from the idea of abandoning the martial world,” she said.
The look in Bukgung Ryeong’s eyes the previous day had been like burnt ashes—devoid of emotion, showing no lingering attachment.
Yet, the words carved into the rock now brimmed with vitality and vigor.
In just a single day, he had completely changed his mind and regained his spirit.
“What could have happened in just one night?” she wondered aloud.
Recalling the memory of drinking through the night with Bukgung Ryeong, Bu Eunseol smiled faintly and said, “After wandering the martial world and enduring many hardships, perhaps he has finally attained enlightenment.”
“Is that so?” Yuk Cheongah asked.
“Well, isn’t it common for old martial heroes of his age to be a bit capricious?” Bu Eunseol replied.
“Hmm… that could be true,” Yuk Cheongah said, shaking her head. “Enlightenment always comes unexpectedly, after all.”
Gazing at the distant sky, she let out a deep sigh and continued, “I knew inviting Elder Bullet King to the Alliance wouldn’t be easy… but I didn’t expect him to leave so abruptly.”
Though she said this, her expression didn’t show much regret.
“Well then, shall we head back?” she said.
As she turned to leave, Yuk Cheongah suddenly looked at Bu Eunseol as if something had occurred to her. “Don’t you feel disappointed, Captain Seon?”
“About what?” Bu Eunseol asked.
“This is the first time you’ve failed a mission you’ve taken on.”
“No way,” Bu Eunseol said with a serious expression. “If I had truly considered it my mission, I would never have accepted it in the first place.”
Catching the meaning behind his words, Yuk Cheongah gave a gentle smile. “So, from the start, you saw this as a mission that could never succeed.”
“Exactly,” Bu Eunseol replied. “For someone who has roamed the martial world alone his entire life to change his mind just because we tried to persuade him—that would be the stranger thing.”
He added, “Of course, the Alliance Leader likely had a backup plan in mind.”
Yuk Cheongah, slightly surprised, asked, “A backup plan?”
“You knew inviting Elder Bullet King was impossible, but you prepared another way to achieve a comparable feat, didn’t you?” Bu Eunseol said with a smile. “And I suspect it has something to do with the Jongri family.”
Yuk Cheongah couldn’t hide her admiration and nodded. “As expected, I can’t fool Captain Seon’s eyes.”
She then spoke candidly, “For generations, the Jongri family has been researching ways to restore demonic beings like Bound Asuras and puppets to their original state.” With a calm smile, she continued, “And it seems they’ve finally made some progress. They’ve found a way to partially neutralize Bound Asuras’s effects, allowing those recently infected with puppets to be restored.”
Bu Eunseol was genuinely shocked. Despite having control over the intelligence network of both the righteous and unorthodox factions, he had heard no such news.
This meant the Jongri family’s research was unknown to the martial world.
It implied either that Yuk Cheongah had her own informant within the Jongri family or that she possessed a unique intelligence network unknown even to Bu Eunseol.
‘She has an intelligence network that neither the Death Spirit Corps nor the Supreme Branch can access…’ Bu Eunseol thought.
In other words, Yuk Cheongah had the ability to obtain information that even Bu Eunseol was unaware of.
‘Of course, she might have independently planted an informant in the Jongri family, or there could be a new intelligence network known only to the Alliance’s top leaders. But…’
There was a slim chance that she could be connected to the Three Realms.
“I see. I wasn’t aware,” Bu Eunseol said, maintaining a neutral expression.
Yuk Cheongah smiled and said, “If the Alliance supports and collaborates with the Jongri family’s research, it would bring great benefits.”
“Indeed,” Bu Eunseol replied, his face showing admiration.
Yuk Cheongah shrugged and said, “Since Elder Bullet King has left, I plan to stay with the Jongri family for a while to secure their cooperation.” With a gentle smile, she added, “There’s nothing more for you to do here, Captain Seon, so please return to the Alliance first.”
“Understood,” Bu Eunseol replied.
He parted ways with Yuk Cheongah and immediately headed for the Martial Alliance.
However, his expression was heavy.
Yuk Cheongah.
He had thought of her as merely an ambitious and talented woman. But now, it was clear she was someone who required caution.
‘I need to be careful,’ he thought.
As long as he was acting as Seon Woojin, he couldn’t afford to let his guard down for a moment.
Realizing anew that the Martial Alliance was a den of tigers, Bu Eunseol took a deep breath and employed his qinggong.
***
The next day.
Through the Death Spirit Corps, Bu Eunseol sent a message to Seo Jinha, instructing him to switch identities.
This meant Seo Jinha would enter the Martial Alliance for the first time.
Fortunately, with Yuk Cheongah out in the martial world, there were no particular issues, but just to be safe, Bu Eunseol sent a message to Seo Jinha.
It was a precaution for any unforeseen circumstances.
Especially now that he knew Yuk Cheongah’s intelligence network was formidable, it was best to be meticulous while acting as Seon Woojin.
Having returned to his original identity, Bu Eunseol immediately headed for Gukok Mountain. His purpose was to find the black-clad man who, according to Bukgung Ryeong, used the sword techniques of the Seven-Finger Demon Blade.
‘It’s concerning that he’s staying at Gukok Mountain,’ Bu Eunseol thought.
Gukok Mountain, also known as Mosan, was once the home of the Mosan Sect.
Recently, puppets had frequently appeared around Gukok Mountain, and it had become a dangerous place where people avoided setting foot.
Despite all his efforts to eradicate the puppets, they still lingered throughout the martial world.
This meant the Three Realms were still secretly producing Bound Asuras.
‘Was Daeyun Forest just a small part of it?’ Bu Eunseol wondered.
He had believed that by destroying Daeyun Forest, which was in league with Hell's Blood Fortress, he had eliminated all the puppets.
But they continued to appear in the martial world.
And judging by their increasing numbers, it seemed Daeyun Forest was only a fraction of the larger operation.
‘If that’s the case, it’s no coincidence that the black-clad man is at Gukok Mountain, where the puppets are appearing,’ Bu Eunseol thought.
It couldn’t be a mere coincidence that someone wielding the sword techniques of the Seven-Finger Demon Blade was residing at Gukok Mountain.
‘Of course, he could be training his martial arts against the puppets. But…’
The power of the Seven Blood Tear Forms was so exceptional that practicing it against living martial artists was not ideal.
‘It wouldn’t improve his swordsmanship that way,’ Bu Eunseol reasoned.
The strength of puppets lay not in their martial prowess but in their tenacious vitality. Thus, it was more effective to use brute-force techniques against them rather than intricate martial arts. The Seven Blood Tear Forms, a refined and supreme technique, was not suited for training against such opponents. This meant the man was likely connected to the Three Realms.
‘I’ll find out when I get there,’ Bu Eunseol thought.
With a single leap, he launched himself forward.
His goal was to find the man wielding the Seven-Finger Demon Blade’s techniques and uncover the truth. Before long, Bu Eunseol arrived at Guyong County in Gangso, where Gukok Mountain stood as part of the Yeongjin Mountain Range. Its rugged terrain made it a place rarely visited by people.
‘Even martial artists are nowhere to be seen now,’ he noted.
Until recently, Gukok Mountain had been frequented by martial artists hoping to claim bounties by hunting puppets. But now, whether because they had been hunted to exhaustion or for some other reason, no more puppets appeared. The area was filled with bloodstains and the stench of rotting corpses.
No matter how much they cleaned, the smell persisted, and with no more puppets to hunt, martial artists stopped coming. Even local officials seemed to have given up on clearing the area.
“Hmm,” Bu Eunseol murmured.
Surveying his surroundings, he took out a cloth from his robes to block the faint poison and foul odor. While it could block the poison, the stench was so overpowering that wearing the cloth felt necessary.
Bound Asuras, artificial inner cores, puppets.
The Three Realms still clung to these things.
This meant they were still in conflict and had ambitions yet to be fulfilled. But the ones suffering the consequences were innocent civilians and martial artists.
‘I will crush them,’ Bu Eunseol vowed.
No matter how long it took, he would find and destroy every single organization of the Three Realms.
Step, step.
As he walked deeper into the mountain, a thick fog began to envelop the area.
Bu Eunseol realized that the fog spreading through the forest was not a natural phenomenon but the result of unique mystical techniques installed in the area.
‘These were set up by the Mosan Sect in the past,’ he thought.
Most of the techniques used by the Mosan Sect were derived from Taoist practices. But at some point, they began dabbling in demonic rituals and burial techniques as well. Moreover, their disciples had recklessly modified these secret techniques, making it impossible even for fellow sect members to dispel them.
As a result, the Mosan Sect had fallen into decline and ruin.
Consequently, many of the mystical techniques and spells set up around Gukok Mountain remained intact, unable to be undone.
“There was a reason for it,” Bu Eunseol said to himself.
He now understood why so many martial artists who came to Gukok Mountain to hunt puppets had met with disaster.
The secret techniques scattered throughout the mountain couldn’t be unraveled by mechanical formations. With mysterious spells set up everywhere, even the most skilled martial artists would have lost their way or fallen into confusion.
Exhausted and disoriented, they would have encountered the puppets, leading to severe injuries or death.
The deeper he went, the more the sticky, unpleasant smell invaded his senses.
‘It’s definitely different from a formation,’ he thought.
The fog rising from all directions not only obscured his vision but also confused his senses. If someone had tried to create such an effect with a formation, they would have had to tear down the entire forest.
‘Can I break it with force?’ Bu Eunseol wondered.
Though he was well-versed in both righteous and unorthodox martial arts from his travels, he knew little about mystical techniques.
After moving silently for a while, Bu Eunseol finally stopped.
The fog grew thicker, threatening to erode not only his physical senses but also the resilience of his mind.
Of course, having achieved the state of Spirit Regulation, no force could break his spirit.
‘No choice, then,’ he thought.
Whooosh.
A red aura swirled around Bu Eunseol’s left fist.
Since he didn’t know how to dispel mystical techniques, he intended to unleash the Seven Fist Demon Forms repeatedly, destroying the energy enveloping the forest with sheer force.
Swish.
At that moment, a low sound of air being cut reached his ears.
Simultaneously, a small shadow appeared before Bu Eunseol.
It was a rare sight in the martial world—a figure clad in blue martial robes with a large gourd tied to their waist.
Their hair was disheveled, and their skin was covered in scabby sores.
It was an extremely grotesque old woman.
“Why have you come to Gukok Mountain?” the old woman asked, her voice low and eerie, like the croak of a crow.
If she were an ordinary woman, Bu Eunseol wouldn’t have bothered responding.
But thanks to his grandfather Bu Zhanyang’s teachings, he held a deep respect for elders.
“I have business here,” he replied curtly.
The old woman frowned deeply at his blunt response. “Which sect’s disciple are you?”
“Just a wanderer,” Bu Eunseol answered.
Noticing the cloth covering his face, commonly used by mercenaries, the old woman nodded as if she understood. “A mercenary aiming to make a few coins by hunting the puppets roaming Gukok Mountain, huh?”
When Bu Eunseol remained silent, she continued, “Turn back. The puppets here aren’t something you can handle with mere bravado.”
A slight smile curled the corner of Bu Eunseol’s lips beneath the cloth. Though her words were harsh, there was a hint of concern for others in her tone.
“It’s not just about the puppets,” he said.
“Hmph,” the old woman snorted coldly and turned away. “If you don’t want to die, you’d better leave.”
She quickly moved past Bu Eunseol and continued forward.
Though her face was wrinkled, her body was lean without an ounce of excess fat, and her steps were as light as a young person’s.
She was undoubtedly a master of exceptional martial arts.
Step, step.
Bu Eunseol walked slowly, his focus solely on finding the swordsman wielding the Seven-Finger Demon Blade’s techniques.
He had no interest in whatever the old woman was doing.
‘Hm?’ he paused. As he ventured deeper into the forest, he stopped in his tracks.
The old woman, who had reached the edge of the forest, stood still, unmoving.
“What’s wrong?” Bu Eunseol asked, quickly approaching her side.
Before them, a strange fog spread like a wall. With every step, an intangible flame seemed to burn around his legs, causing a searing pain.
Hiss.
As Bu Eunseol moved forward, white smoke began to rise.
The heat was not an illusion but a real, tangible force.
‘It’s a mystical technique,’ he realized. While mechanical formations typically confused the senses, mystical techniques could cause direct harm like this.
“Hmm,” the old woman murmured, seeming to ponder something before raising both hands to her waist.
Tap, tap, tap.
Instead of the vibrations of inner energy, a transparent and clear aura surged from her body.
Swirl!
As the energy she summoned reached its peak, transparent water droplets suddenly rose into the air from the gourd at her waist.
Whoosh!
When she thrust out both palms, the water droplets shot out, dispersing the fog that had enveloped the area.
‘Water God Energy—she’s a master from the Divine Water Palace,’ Bu Eunseol realized, recognizing the transparent aura.
The Divine Water Palace.
One of the seven great secret palaces of the martial world, it held the highest position among them.
Led by the Water God, Neung Kyung, it was a sect that freely wielded the Water God Energy, one of the four divine energies.
Unlike the Nerve Spirit Sect, where only those born with a Nerve Spirit Body could use martial arts, the Divine Water Palace could infuse Water God Energy into others.
Thus, even those not born with a Water Spirit Body could wield Water God Energy, as the old woman before him was doing.
Swish!
She converted the water in her gourd into Water God Energy, swiftly dispelling the mystical energy in the forest.
‘A convenient power,’ Bu Eunseol thought, nodding.
The power of the four gods originated from nature.
Thus, it naturally had the ability to dispel impure or unrighteous forces, carrying the energy of purification.
“Hmph,” the old woman exhaled a rough breath after clearing the fog.
Noticing Bu Eunseol following her, she glared at him and sneered. “You’re lucky. Normally, you’d have had to turn back here.”
“…”
“If it were up to me, I’d drive you out of Gukok Mountain, but I’m busy, so I’ll let it slide.”
Without reason, she spat out sharp words and stormed off.
But Bu Eunseol’s lips curled into a smile.
He understood her attitude perfectly.
‘She’s from the Divine Water Palace, so it makes sense,’ he thought.
Her harsh demeanor wasn’t due to arrogance or a bad temper.
The people of the Divine Water Palace deeply despised mercenaries who worked for money.
Twenty years ago, a mercenaries leader named Oh Jamyeong, the Wandering Sword, had stolen a treasure from the Divine Water Palace while taking on independent contracts.
It was never revealed who had commissioned him to steal it or where the treasure ended up. After the theft, Oh Jamyeong mysteriously disappeared, and the treasure’s whereabouts became unknown.
Rumors circulated that he had died from severe injuries sustained during the theft, while others claimed he had quietly left the martial world after making a fortune.
Since he never reappeared, the truth remained a mystery.
Because of this incident, the Divine Water Palace harbored a deep resentment toward all mercenaries.
Step, step.
Bu Eunseol walked slowly, carefully observing his surroundings.
Though the fog had dissipated, an unsettling air still lingered, and a faint killing intent seemed to constrict his throat.
‘Strange,’ he thought.
The peculiar stench he had noticed upon entering the forest persisted.
He had initially thought it was due to the mystical techniques spread across Gukok Mountain. But even after the techniques were dispelled, the smell continued to rise from all directions.
“Hmm,” Bu Eunseol murmured.
As he took another step forward, the ground began to tremble as if alive, splitting apart.
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