Growl.
A strange noise echoed from the cracked earth, and a red light began to seep out.
Growl, growl, growl.
The sound grew louder, soon shaking the entire forest.
Shake, shake.
Suddenly, an overwhelming killing intent darkened the surroundings, and the ground around the forest began to quake.
Bu Eunseol’s heightened senses triggered a subtle alarm.
Boom.
At that moment, dark shadows began to emerge from the crevices in the ground.
They were puppets, their eyes glowing red.
‘So that’s it,’ Bu Eunseol realized. He now understood why the strange smell persisted even after the mystical techniques were broken.
The puppets had been buried underground throughout the forest, lying dormant.
Unlike ordinary humans, puppets exhibited no biological responses.
By remaining still, they could completely conceal their presence, as if using a ghost-like stealth technique.
Boom!
At that moment, a loud explosion accompanied a flash of transparent light in the distance.
The old woman from the Divine Water Palace, who had gone ahead, had begun dealing with the puppets that appeared in the forest.
―Kaa!
The puppets at Gukok Mountain were slightly different from those he had seen before. Not only their eyes but their skin also glowed with a reddish hue, and they had grotesque, elongated claws split into two.
Their movements were unpredictable, fast, and beast-like in their agility.
But the old woman’s martial arts were on a level that prevented the puppets from even getting close. Her body was surrounded by a tangible aura of water droplets, forming a protective barrier.
Pop! Pop!
She fired water droplets from the gourd at her waist like cannonballs.
At times, she unleashed them in a swirling vortex, knocking the puppets down.
‘She’s not on the level of the Divine Water Palace Master,’ Bu Eunseol observed.
The Water God, Neung Kyung, one of the Seven Divine Kings, was said to be able to wield martial arts using the moisture in the air without relying on external water. Though the old woman’s skills were impressive, she didn’t seem to possess a Water Spirit Body, as she continued to rely on the water in her gourd.
‘Still, it’s practically without limitations,’ Bu Eunseol thought.
Water was easy to obtain anywhere.
Thus, disciples of the Divine Water Palace, even without a Water Spirit Body, could wield Water God Energy almost without restriction. This was why the Divine Water Palace was considered to have the greatest combat strength among the seven great secret palaces.
Whoosh!
Having swiftly dispatched the puppets, the old woman looked at Bu Eunseol, who had followed her, and sneered. “No heads for you to take.”
The heads of the fallen puppets had all vanished.
It seemed she had deliberately used her Water God Energy to destroy their heads, ensuring Bu Eunseol couldn’t collect them for bounties.
‘She looks about ninety, yet her behavior is as childish as a child’s,’ Bu Eunseol thought, suppressing a chuckle.
Ignoring her, he crouched down to closely examine the puppets' corpses.
The four gods rarely appeared in the martial world, and opportunities to observe their martial arts were equally rare.
He took this chance to study the characteristics of the Divine Water Palace’s techniques.
“Hmph,” the old woman snorted, assuming Bu Eunseol was looking for intact heads to collect. With a cold smile, she turned and left.
‘So this is Water God Energy,’ Bu Eunseol thought, carefully inspecting the wounds left on the puppets.
He had thought it was merely a technique of firing water to kill enemies. But the Water God Energy had completely altered the nature of the water droplets.
They weren’t light droplets but left marks as if heavy water had been fired.
The shapes of the wounds varied, not just as droplets but in various forms.
‘Not only can it make ordinary water as heavy as heavy water, but it can also shape it into various forms,’ Bu Eunseol thought, unable to hide his admiration.
For generations, the four gods had demonstrated immense power in the martial world, wielding unique abilities that transcended ordinary martial arts. Like the techniques of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars, their martial arts surpassed the boundaries of martial mastery.
‘The martial world is vast,’ Bu Eunseol reflected.
The martial world was broad, filled with strange and wondrous people.
Some sought fame and glory, while others hid their abilities, living quietly.
Some with great reputations were unimpressive in reality, while others with no fame possessed remarkable skills.
‘The martial arts of the Divine Water Palace are far greater than what’s known,’ Bu Eunseol concluded.
He preferred to trust what he saw with his own eyes over rumors.
After examining the traces of the old woman’s techniques, he realized the Divine Water Palace’s martial arts were far more formidable and powerful than the martial world knew.
Growl.
Despite the old woman having dealt with many puppets, more continued to emerge from the ground.
“Quite a lot of them,” Bu Eunseol remarked.
Watching the puppets rise slowly, he lightly threw a punch.
Boom!
With a low vibration, a puppet collapsed.
But it quickly got back up and moved again.
Though he hadn’t infused much power, the punch was strong enough to shatter a boulder.
Even for a puppets, with a body of flesh and blood, to withstand such a strike was remarkable.
“Kaa!” the puppets roared, charging at Bu Eunseol as they surrounded the forest.
‘Hm,’ he thought.
This time, he unleashed a series of punches infused with inner energy.
Boom! Boom!
With explosive sounds, the puppets were reduced to bloody masses, flying in all directions.
―Kaa! Kee!
Yet, thirty paces ahead, the roars of more puppets echoed relentlessly. Judging by the continuous sounds, the old woman was facing far more puppets than he was.
‘She’s in danger,’ Bu Eunseol thought.
Zing!
At that moment, dozens of energy strands shot out from his body like a spider’s web.
Boom, boom, boom.
The necks of the charging puppets were instantly severed, and they collapsed to the ground.
In a single move, he had unleashed the Wishful True Binding, eliminating the puppets.
Whoosh.
Employing his movement technique, Bu Eunseol rushed forward, climbing the mountain.
Finally, he reached Daemoryeong, the former site of the Mosan Sect, where he saw the old woman surrounded by puppets in a wide clearing.
Their numbers were roughly a hundred.
Despite being surrounded by such a force, the old woman remained unfazed.
Pop! Whoosh!
Each time she fired water droplets infused with Water God Energy, the puppets flew back like broken kites.
But there were too many.
Even after a quarter of an hour, the number of puppets surrounding the forest didn’t decrease.
Their bodies were as tough as steel.
Even the water droplets fired with Water God Energy couldn’t kill them instantly, putting her increasingly on the defensive.
‘No choice, then,’ Bu Eunseol thought.
As he drew his sword to assist the surrounded old woman, she shouted, “I don’t need help!”
Spotting Bu Eunseol approaching, she snorted coldly. Raising her hand, a whirlwind of water surged from the gourd, turning a deep blue.
Roar!
The swirling water formed a circular shape and then radiated outward.
Whoosh!
The transparent streams she unleashed spun endlessly, tinged with blue, creating the illusion of a blue dragon tearing through the air and devouring the puppets.
Boom, boom.
The last of the charging puppets collapsed, their heads severed.
The old woman had single-handedly defeated over a hundred steel-like puppets.
‘The martial arts of the Divine Water Palace are diverse,’ Bu Eunseol thought, impressed.
Water has no fixed form.
The Divine Water Palace’s techniques allowed the wielder to emit Water God Energy in various ways, adapting to any opponent by transforming it freely, like wielding an ever-changing weapon.
“Are you fearless or just reckless?” the old woman asked, glaring at Bu Eunseol with irritation. “You got lucky and survived—why do you keep following me?”
“Your martial arts are impressive,” Bu Eunseol said, his voice tinged with admiration. “Thanks to you, I’ve gained some insight.”
At his compliment, the old woman, who had been frowning, flinched slightly.
“Well, that’s just how our palace’s martial arts are,” she said, though her eyes gleamed with pride.
‘She has a childlike innocence,’ Bu Eunseol thought. Despite appearing to be around ninety, her attitude and the gleam in her eyes were as pure as a child’s, which he found oddly endearing.
“I’m not following you—I’m just doing what I came here for,” he said calmly, addressing her prickly demeanor.
“Are you here to deal with the puppets?” he asked.
“Yes,” she replied, looking around with a hint of pride. “When I heard puppets were appearing at Gukok Mountain, killing not only civilians but also martial artists like you chasing a few coins, I came to wipe them out myself.”
“I see. But why come alone?” Bu Eunseol asked.
Given her martial prowess and age, she was undoubtedly a high-ranking figure in the Divine Water Palace.
Why would someone of her stature come alone to this desolate mountain to deal with puppets?
“Well, you could say I’m here to gain experience in the martial world,” she said.
Bu Eunseol furrowed his brow.
At her age, she must have had more than enough experience in the martial world.
To still feel lacking and seek more experience at such an age?
“No, that’s not it…” she trailed off, realizing her slip.
After a brief pause, she said calmly, “I’ve been in seclusion for a long time, so I haven’t been out in the world much.”
“I see,” Bu Eunseol replied.
“Well, it’s all done now, so I should head back,” she said.
“Then take care on your way,” he said.
Though her appearance was grotesque and her demeanor and speech were abrasive, Bu Eunseol had remained courteous from start to finish.
The old woman seemed slightly intrigued by this. “Why aren’t you leaving? Is it because the puppets have no heads left?”
Bu Eunseol smiled faintly and shook his head. “That’s not it. It’s just…”
At that moment, as he took a step forward, a glint flashed in his eyes.
He sensed a subtle mechanism underfoot.
‘Another one of these,’ he thought.
Taking a deep breath, he immediately employed the Thousand-Pound Fall technique.
Boom.
The ground where he stood sank into a square shape.
Clank, clank.
With the sound of chains moving, the ground collapsed, and a massive iron gate appeared on the opposite side.
Someone had secretly installed a mechanism around Daemoryeong.
Boom.
As the iron gate opened, a long passage yawned open, shrouded in darkness.
“What’s that?” the old woman gasped, staring at it.
To think such an astonishing mechanism was hidden in this desolate Daemoryeong? Meanwhile, Bu Eunseol’s eyes deepened as he gazed at the dark passage.
‘It’s similar,’ he thought.
The secret passage before him resembled the underground fortress in Sacheon he had investigated with Yoo Hwaryeong.
This meant it was likely another experimental site created by the Three Realms.
‘If so, does that mean the man with the great sword is also part of the Three Realms?’ he wondered, a chill running through him.
If that was true, it meant the Three Realms were aware of the Seven Blood Tear Forms and were studying the martial arts of the Seven-Finger Demon Blade.
Zing.
Bu Eunseol immediately employed the Void Heart Command.
Examining the area around the passage, he found clear traces of human activity. This suggested a high likelihood that the man with the great sword was here.
“What is this place?” the old woman asked. “Is this where they’re making the puppets?”
“Probably,” Bu Eunseol replied.
“Hmm,” she murmured.
“You should turn back,” he said seriously. “This isn’t a place ordinary martial artists can handle.”
Without hesitation, he stepped into the passage.
“You insolent brat!” the old woman shouted, following him. “You’ve been gawking this whole time, and now you talk about handling things?”
“If you want to come, bring the disciples of the Divine Water Palace,” Bu Eunseol said.
“You think finding one mechanism makes you qualified to lecture me?” she snapped.
“Old woman,” he said calmly.
“You’re the one who should turn back,” she retorted, her eyes shimmering with blue energy. “You could die recklessly poking around.”
With that, she strode past him into the passage.
“Hmph,” Bu Eunseol muttered, shaking his head as if he had no choice.
He followed slowly into the open passage.
The air inside was damp, and a stench similar to the one that had enveloped Gukok Mountain’s forest filled the space.
The old woman, walking ahead, seemed to recall something as she smelled it. “Looks like the remnants of Hell's Blood Fortress are here,” she said.
Bu Eunseol had destroyed Daeyun Forest, but most martial artists mistakenly believed Hell's Blood Fortress was behind the creation of the puppets.
Hell's Blood Fortress had only supplied various deadly poisons, but since most martial artists didn’t know the Three Realms were behind Daeyun Forest, they assumed Hell's Blood Fortress was responsible.
‘They brought it upon themselves,’ Bu Eunseol thought.
Silently, he examined the passage as he walked deeper inside. Reaching the end, he found a thick iron door.
The old woman didn’t try to open it herself but stared pointedly at Bu Eunseol.
‘She wants me to open it,’ he thought.
Without hesitation, he pushed the door open.
Creak.
As the door opened with a grinding sound, an unexpected sight greeted them.
“Another passage?” the old woman exclaimed, dumbfounded.
Beyond the iron door was a wide, dark tunnel, resembling a mine shaft, stretching endlessly. It was spacious enough for a hundred people to walk comfortably without forming ranks.
After walking for a while, another iron door came into view.
Bu Eunseol approached and examined it closely.
Unlike the previous door, this one was exceptionally heavy and thick, as if designed to confine something ferocious.
‘This is eerie,’ he thought, his gaze sharpening as he surveyed the surroundings.
The tunnel was lined with seven-colored luminous pearls embedded in the walls, illuminating the area. No matter how wealthy the Three Realms were, there was no reason to place such valuable pearls in this rundown place.
This suggested the tunnel had a special purpose, likely one that prevented the use of ordinary torches.
“Old woman,” Bu Eunseol said calmly. “If you go any further, there may be no turning back.”
“You’re awfully talkative for a young man,” she replied irritably, reaching to open the door herself.
Click.
As she approached, a faint metallic sound echoed.
‘A mechanism?’ Bu Eunseol thought, extending his hand. “Be careful. There’s a mechanism ahead.”
“I wouldn’t have come if I was afraid of mechanisms,” she scoffed, moving to open the door.
Clank.
Suddenly, glowing orbs descended from the ceiling.
At the same time, an overwhelming pressure surged forth, as if it would crush their bodies. It was a pressure stone, like those installed in the Martial Emperor’s Vault.
“Hmph,” the old woman snorted, unfazed, and summoned her inner energy.
A round blue aura emanated from her, deflecting the pressure at an angle, using Water God Energy to create a slanted barrier.
‘A clever method,’ Bu Eunseol thought, inwardly impressed.
The Divine Water Palace’s Water God Energy could not only alter the form of water but also its properties, making it solid enough to easily deflect the pressure stone’s force, which had troubled even the great Bullet King.
“Crude,” the old woman muttered, moving to step forward.
Rustle, rustle.
A strange sound came from the opposite side, and shadows began to darken the floor.
They were a new type of puppets.
“What are those?” the old woman exclaimed.
Crawling across the floor, the puppets were covered in yellowish slime, with unnaturally long limbs.
From a distance, they looked like spiders with human heads approaching.
“Ugh,” the old woman groaned, visibly disturbed.
Though her own appearance was far from ordinary, the grotesque form of these puppets clearly unnerved her.
“I hate spiders!” she shouted, her mind half-gone, as she unleashed a torrent of Water God Energy.
Whoosh!
But with her focus disrupted and her technique faltering, the Water God Energy failed to exert its full power.
―Kaa!
The puppets, struck by the energy but still standing, roared with their slime-covered bodies and began climbing the walls with eerie movements, using their long limbs.
“Argh!” the old woman screamed, losing her composure as the yellowish slime splattered onto her. She began firing Water God Energy chaotically.
Under the influence of the pressure stone, her movements slowed, and the crawling puppets closed in on her.
Whoosh!
Seizing the moment, one puppets lunged at her face, its razor-sharp claws aiming for her throat.
Clang.
A clear sword cry echoed through the tunnel.
Swish!
A barrage of sword energy shot upward, shattering the pressure stones on the ceiling.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Countless swift sword strikes flashed like lightning, cutting through the crawling puppets.
Thud, thud. Keck!
In the blink of an eye, the pressure stones turned to dust, and the dozens of charging puppets were reduced to bloody heaps with a single scream.
Click.
Bu Eunseol sheathed his Ice Soul Sword.
“…”
The old woman stood there, dazed—not in awe, but in shock.
As Bu Eunseol’s lightning-fast swordsmanship dispatched the puppets, their yellowish slime had splattered all over her.
“Argh!” she screamed, jumping back and pouring the entire contents of her gourd over herself.
Splash.
The water in the gourd was her only weapon in this underground tunnel.
“Get a grip!” Bu Eunseol shouted, snatching the gourd from her.
She froze, eyes wide, but the gourd was already empty.
“Why are you so rattled?” he asked.
With a vacant expression, she shook her head. “I… I hate spiders.”
Shuddering for a while, she suddenly rolled her eyes back and collapsed.
Bu Eunseol was dumbfounded.
Her behavior was like that of a teenage girl, not a seasoned martial artist.
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