Sharp rays of light burst from Dam Jeung’s eyes.
At last, the past deeds of the supreme demonic swordsman, the demonic path’s master who had achieved all glory as Majeon’s vice-lord.
The great slayer who had plunged the martial world into terror, the invincible swordsman’s history, was being revealed.
“At that time, this poor monk was a lecture-monk managing Blood Shaolin’s Scripture Pavilion and teaching scriptures.” Dam Jeung’s eyes darkened as if recalling long-ago events. “Then one day, masked strangers and numerous boys came to Blood Shaolin.”
It was utterly incomprehensible.
Non-Shaolin disciples swarming in to be taught not only Shaolin’s ultimate arts but the demonic arts stored in Blood Shaolin?
He asked the abbot for reasons multiple times but received no answer.
Yet Dam Jeung was not only highly curious but possessed a brilliant mind and keen insight. Sensing something amiss in Blood Shaolin, he began a secret investigation. And eventually learned the full truth.
—A calamity that would end the martial world, unstoppable by anyone, would arise from the demonic path.
Dharma Seeker Moryun, master of the previous Martial Alliance Lord Cheol Muhon, was said to comprehend heavenly secrets.
He had prophesied the approach of a calamity that would destroy the martial world.
—What must we do?
Cheol Muhon asked Moryun, but the only reply was “It cannot be stopped.”
He even said it was unknown whether this was the resurgence of the Three Realms that had long dominated the martial world or the birth of a new great demon.
—We must mobilize all power to raise a figure on our side who can control the demonic path!
If the reason was unknown…
The plan was to dominate the demonic path from the start and suppress any such sprout from emerging.
Cheol Muhon consulted Hong Yeop, who was Shaolin’s abbot at the time.
Ultimately, those who swayed the era gathered in secret to discuss the matter.
And the result.
Select the world’s prodigies, produce the demonic path’s supreme master from the orthodox martial world, and block the origin of the calamity arising from the demonic path at its source.
A bold yet perilously dangerous plan.
—Create an invincible swordsman no one can oppose, let him dominate the demonic path, and simultaneously cut the sprout of annihilation.
That was the Absolute Demonic Blade Project.
The idea was to forge an invincible swordsman mastering the pinnacle of demonic arts, infiltrate the demonic path. Discover and eliminate in advance the force or individual that would bring the martial world’s end.
For the Absolute Demonic Blade Project to succeed, a prodigy unmatched in martial talent, physique, insight—every aspect—was needed.
But the early project failed.
Even with the world’s greatest talent, the most crucial factor was disposition.
They must master demonic secrets yet never succumb to demonic nature.
Ultimately, Cheol Muhon found the answer in Blood Shaolin.
—We will raise the supreme prodigies in Blood Shaolin!
Blood Shaolin monk-warriors could learn demonic arts yet maintain minds clear as still water and Buddhist faith.
This was due to Blood Shaolin’s unique mind-sealing secrets and the Silent Ground for training them.
Once the solution was set the world’s greatest prodigies and instructors gathered once more in Blood Shaolin.
—We must not select just one outstanding prodigy. We need prodigies who can rise to key positions in orthodox and evil sects. And assistants to support the Absolute Demonic Blade.
Two more conditions were required for success.
Shadows to perfectly craft the identity and history of the one who would become the demonic path’s absolute swordsman.
And allies in key orthodox and evil positions to aid and support him.
“In the end, all the world’s prodigies gathered in Blood Shaolin and learned not only orthodox arts but the demonic arts scattered throughout Blood Shaolin, according to their talents and temperaments.”
From Dam Jeung’s mouth, recalling the past, flowed secrets unknown to the martial world.
“Among them were those who became shadows of the Absolute Demonic Blade, and those who became elders of mysterious sects whose origins were unknown.”
“Then you also taught them Shaolin’s ultimate arts?”
“Yes. To master demonic arts without being tainted by the demonic path and maintain spiritual firmness, they had to first learn this temple’s arts.”
“Then secret arts like the Muscle-Changing Sutra as well?”
“That, this poor monk cannot know. However…” Dam Jeung’s eyes deepened as if recalling the time. “Since it was a plan with the martial world’s survival at stake, if needed… the abbot would have permitted transmission.”
Only then did one of Bu Eunseol’s long-held questions resolve.
Why the Sahyang Master had used Prajna Great Power.
He too must have been a Blood Shaolin figure sent to Sahyang under the Absolute Demonic Blade Project.
“Who exactly are those who would end the martial world?”
“I don’t know.”
“If the great master doesn’t know, who would?”
“All this is what this poor monk learned through secret, prolonged investigation. No one expected a mere lecture-monk to obsessively spy. And…” Pausing, he sighed deeply.
“Because no one knew I was aware of the Absolute Demonic Blade Project, I survived.”
“What do you mean?”
Dam Jeung said in an infinitely heavy voice, “Everyone involved in the project was assassinated or went missing.”
Thump.
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened.
Even while listening to Dam Jeung, one question had persisted.
No matter how thorough the secrecy, for such a massive project…
After so much time.
At least one or two more should know of the Absolute Demonic Blade Project. Yet not a single soul in the martial world knew?
That made no sense.
“You’re saying they all died?”
“The only related figures I knew were Alliance Lord Cheol and the grand abbot. But they’re probably all dead.” Anger flashed in Dam Jeung’s eyes.
“All the masters who swayed the martial world then, connected to the Absolute Demonic Blade Project, died or vanished. With no one left to command, the project failed.” Clenching his fist, he spat blood-like words.
“Even this Blood Shaolin’s blood brothers!”
Dam Jeung’s eyes were dyed in a light of desperate grudge.
A light no Buddhist should show.
Should never show.
“If this poor monk hadn’t been tasked with retrieving sutras from the Western Regions then. If they had known that a mere lecture-monk knew of the Absolute Demonic Blade Project…”
He said in an infinitely heavy voice,
“I would never have survived.”
‘So that’s how it was.’ Only then did Bu Eunseol understand why Dam Jeung sought to make Blood Shaolin strong, even by remodeling villains.
Though a Buddhist disciple, his heart too was filled with the same desperate vengeance as Bu Eunseol’s.
Moreover, Blood Shaolin’s existence could not be revealed.
Even if its disciples were massacred, there was nowhere to crow injustice, and the incident had to be quietly buried.
“Hmm.” Hearing Dam Jeung’s circumstances, Bu Eunseol felt solemn.
In the end, he was the sole survivor of Blood Shaolin.
And the only one who knew of the orthodox martial world’s secret Absolute Demonic Blade Project.
‘The reason so many orthodox masters of the previous generation suddenly vanished or died of unknown ailments… was this.’
Unusually, many orthodox masters of the previous generation had mysteriously disappeared like the Seven-Finger Demon Blade or vanished without trace.
And the reason was the Absolute Demonic Blade Project.
‘Then besides the Three Realms, there’s another hidden force in the martial world.’
Bu Eunseol’s eyes deepened.
Even for the Three Realms, quietly assassinating the Martial Alliance Lord, Shaolin abbot, and other orthodox leaders was no easy feat.
‘No, the Three Realms might have collaborated.’
If the Three Realms had not been divided as now. If they had united tightly for a specific goal…
Such deeds would have been possible.
“Have you investigated?”
‘In the past, a lecture-monk, but now the abbot of Blood Shaolin. Naturally, he would have sought the culprit who massacred Blood Shaolin.’
“Of course. I pursued it for decades but couldn’t even identify the culprit.”
“Then why not track down the prodigies who were trained? Finding them could have led to the culprit.”
“That was impossible.”
“They must have taken root in the demonic path. You couldn’t search openly.”
“That’s part of it. But there’s a greater reason.” Dam Jeung frowned. “What heavenly prodigy would risk life to learn orthodox and evil arts, live as a double agent forever?”
“No way.”
“Yes. They were all orphans, most deceived or forcibly taken.” Dam Jeung shook his head. “They learned martial arts in Blood Shaolin, but in truth, they lived like beasts in the harsher Silent Ground beyond even the Repentance Cave…”
“……”
“Most felt liberation when the leadership died en masse and the command structure vanished.”
Bu Eunseol let out a deep sigh.
Begun with the sole intent to save the martial world, it had become a plan akin to horrific atrocities.
“But there was hope. I found traces of a few who tried to carry out the Absolute Demonic Blade Project even after the leadership vanished.” Dam Jeung continued with astonishing revelations. “But when I found them, they had already been exposed and slain, or vanished without trace.”
“So there were traitors among them.”
“Yes. To escape the Absolute Demonic Blade Project, they had to kill comrades who knew their identities first.” Dam Jeung narrowed his eyes.
“And I always suspected one person.”
“Who?”
“The Seven-Finger Demon Blade, Bu Zhanyang.”
Blade-like light flashed in Dam Jeung’s eyes.
“His past was unclear; he appeared like a comet in the martial world, then vanished. After slaughtering orthodox and evil figures indiscriminately.”
“Hmm.”
“While investigating, a man claiming to be the Seven-Finger Demon Blade came to Blood Shaolin and entered the Repentance Cave himself.” Dam Jeung’s eyes deepened infinitely.
“He had certainly mastered the Seven Blood Tear Forms; he proved its authenticity before the abbot and this poor monk. Revealed as the Seven-Finger Demon Blade, he scattered his own energy and entered prison.”
Taking a deep breath, Dam Jeung stared straight at Bu Eunseol.
“But I knew. That he was not the real Seven-Finger Demon Blade.”
“How?”
“Because I had seen the real one.”
Swish.
Dam Jeung rolled up his robe to reveal his shoulder. The skin was darkly stained, as if all vitality had drained.
It was a scar grazed by the sword energy of the Seven Blood Tear Forms.
“You met him in person?”
“Yes. Though masked… I happened to witness him slaying the Three Swords of Yejung. Trying to stop him, I received this wound.”
Dam Jeung shook his head as if it were a needless memory.
“Anyway, only after the fake Seven-Finger Demon Blade entered the Repentance Cave did I realize. The real one was alive, and he might be the key figure in the Absolute Demonic Blade Project.”
“……”
“A demonic figure knowing Blood Shaolin’s exact location and coming here. Not to mention knowing the true ‘Repentance Cave’ that imprisons demons.”
A demonic figure aware of Blood Shaolin’s location.
There was a high chance he was a part of the Absolute Demonic Blade Project.
But the imprisoned man was willing to sacrifice his life for the Seven-Finger Demon Blade.
That led to the thought: perhaps the Seven-Finger Demon Blade was righteous and not the project’s core figure?
“You imprisoned him knowing he was fake?”
“A man of his caliber voluntarily scattered his energy and sacrificed his entire life.” Dam Jeung said regretfully with misty eyes. “How could I stop that?”
Hearing this, indescribable emotion surged in Bu Eunseol.
The nameless old man too was an outstanding figure who could have left great marks in the martial world.
But he sacrificed his life to protect grandfather.
Bu Eunseol too kept the outstanding Seo Jinha as a shadow, precariously navigating demonic and orthodox paths.
And Seo Jinha would sacrifice himself without hesitation if Bu Eunseol were in danger.
‘I must never create such a situation.’
Bu Eunseol resolved once more.
He would lose to no one, to no force. He would never sacrifice another’s life.
“You asked this poor monk about the Seven-Finger Demon Blade and Blood Shaolin’s connection.” Dam Jeung sighed deeply.
“This is all I know.”
Bu Eunseol drew a deep breath.
If Dam Jeung’s deduction was correct, the Seven-Finger Demon Blade was an orthodox spy artificially created by the Absolute Demonic Blade Project.
He must have slaughtered orthodox figures to gain demonic trust, then grown weary of life.
Ultimately, he vanished from the martial world, living quietly through the sacrifices of many, including the nameless old man.
‘But if grandfather was the Seven-Finger Demon Blade… he wouldn’t suddenly leave the martial world for such a reason.’
Grandfather Bu Zhanyang was a man of stronger responsibility and conviction than anyone.
Even if he had to die at the end of his mission, he would've finished everything… he would never abandon the sacred duty to save the martial world midway.
—The entire martial world owes him a debt. His sacrifice allowed it to survive…
The nameless old man had surely said the martial world survived thanks to the Seven-Finger Demon Blade’s sacrifice.
That meant…
Even if Dam Jeung’s deduction was entirely correct, there must be another reason the Seven-Finger Demon Blade left the martial world.
“So you colluded with the Martial Alliance Lord to test me.” Organizing his thoughts, Bu Eunseol subtly probed Dam Jeung.
“You would need a vast intelligence network like the Martial Alliance to pursue the culprit who harmed Blood Shaolin.”
Shaolin was called the orthodox pillar, but regrettably had no ears in the martial world or other sects. Thus, Dam Jeung, seeking the culprit who massacred Blood Shaolin, would desperately need a strong intelligence organization.
The Divine Mountain Sage.
He had no choice but to ride the same boat as the Heavenly Emperor.
“That’s not important.” Dam Jeung stared straight at Bu Eunseol. “Then, this poor monk will ask too.”
Dam Jeung said with an incomprehensible expression,
“Why do you seek the Seven-Finger Demon Blade?”
The question was unexpected.
At the time, the Divine Mountain Sage had seemed to know who Bu Eunseol was and why he sought grandfather.
Yet Dam Jeung asked this? Did that mean no information was shared by the Divine Mountain Sage?
“Don’t worry. Blood Shaolin cannot influence martial world affairs.” Dam Jeung said calmly, as if reading Bu Eunseol’s thoughts. “Our sole purpose is to protect Shaolin. The only ears this poor monk keeps open are those related to the culprit who attacked this temple.”
Bu Eunseol nodded.
Blood Shaolin possessed great power but did not stand in the light to exert massive influence on martial affairs. Even if Bu Eunseol were not the Martial Soul Command Lord but an immortal, it would not involve or change them.
They existed solely to protect Shaolin.
In other words, Blood Shaolin was a shadow guardian concerning only Shaolin matters, a secret weapon appearing only in crises.
“Well? You eagerly listened to Blood Shaolin’s secret history and this poor monk’s secrets. You wouldn’t hide your own circumstances, would you?”
“Hmm.” Bu Eunseol hummed and looked at Dam Jeung.
For a Shaolin monk, he was eccentric, frivolous, and unscrupulous in his means.
But he did not seem to lie or have a wicked character.
Moreover, doesn’t revealing the Absolute Demonic Blade Project mean he did not see Bu Eunseol as an enemy?
‘Different from first impression.’
Bu Eunseol found himself liking Dam Jeung, whom he had thought a vicious odd monk.
It was the camaraderie of eccentrics running toward a single goal.
‘However… there’s one absurd major error in his story.’
In truth, Bu Eunseol had spotted one critical flaw in Dam Jeung’s tale.
But he did not point it out.
If Dam Jeung spoke truthfully about what he knew… pointing out the error would yield no accurate answer.
‘I’ll investigate this myself the moment I leave Shaolin.’ Finishing his thoughts, Bu Eunseol spoke.
“Bu Zhanyang, who was a mortician in Hwangju, was my grandfather.”
After a brief silence, Bu Eunseol said honestly, “And he was killed by an unknown demonic master. I entered the martial world to pursue him.”
He candidly explained his situation up to now.
While chasing the enemy for grandfather’s revenge…
He had learned that the Seven-Finger Demon Blade and grandfather Bu Zhanyang’s paths overlapped significantly.
“Hah.” Dam Jeung sighed, his eyes deepening and narrowing more than ever.
Only then did he realize the madness constantly flowing from Bu Eunseol was vengeance.
“So that’s why.”
Majeon’s heir ignored orthodox-demonic distinctions. He wandered the bleak, cruel martial world solely to avenge his grandfather Bu Zhanyang’s brutal death.
“Karmic retribution. Karmic retribution.” Dam Jeung sighed deeply.
If he had entered the martial world through good karma, he could have become a renowned hero upholding martial righteousness. But entering driven by vengeance, this peerless genius flowed into the demonic path.
“The suddenly vanished Seven-Finger Demon Blade might be the mortician Bu Zhanyang.”
Nodding, Dam Jeung sighed. “But regrettably, there’s no way to confirm if they are the same person.”
Bu Eunseol nodded.
If grandfather was a peerless prodigy raised as a demonic figure by the orthodox…
The moment he entered the Absolute Demonic Blade Project, all related records would have been destroyed.
“I see.”
All along, his intuition had said grandfather was the Seven-Finger Demon Blade. And since grandfather was from Shaolin, speaking with Shaolin’s leadership would surely reveal the truth.
After the immense hardship he had gone through to reach Dam Jeung, he was still unable to learn the exact truth… Bu Eunseol was greatly disappointed.
“Hmm.”
Was it because of that regretful, poignant expression? Or because he knew Bu Eunseol’s words were all sincere?
Dam Jeung’s indifferent eyebrows twitched slightly. He pondered deeply for a moment, then nodded as if recalling something.
“Among the prodigies who entered Blood Shaolin then, one stood out exceptionally.”
Dam Jeung briefly left and came back with an old booklet, handing it to Bu Eunseol.
“While training martial arts, he constantly read sutras. Whether to temper his spirit or mere hobby, I don’t know.”
“What is this?”
“Once he completed training in the Silent Ground and gained status to enter Blood Shaolin’s Scripture Pavilion, he borrowed this book repeatedly.” Dam Jeung narrowed his deeply wrinkled eyes. “Then, perhaps frustrated, he added annotations like a commentary. I found it admirable and pretended not to notice…”
Bu Eunseol hurriedly opened the booklet.
The old booklet’s cover was in Sanskrit, unrecognizable to Bu Eunseol. But opening it, beside the Sanskrit text were neat regular-script annotations and interpretations.
“Ah.” Bu Eunseol trembled as he gazed at the small letters.
The handwriting interpreting the Sanskrit was none other than grandfather’s.
“Grandfather…” Bu Eunseol’s eyes reddened as he clutched the Sanskrit sutra tightly.
His prediction was correct.
Grandfather had been part of the Absolute Demonic Blade Project.
Recalling his skill and prowess, he was certainly the project’s protagonist.
He became the Seven-Finger Demon Blade to save the martial world but ultimately lost his life to the Three Realms… a peerless martial artist with a tragic fate.
That was his grandfather Bu Zhanyang.
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