The demonic sword that devours demonic swords.
This iron sword was none other than the Demon-Killer Sword, forged solely to consume demonic blades.
“Demon-Killer Sword…” Bu Eunseol stared silently at the sword gripped in his hand.
He had never even heard rumors of a blade whose patterns etched into the sword body could appear and vanish like this.
“Moreover.”
Thanks to the power emanating from this sword, Bu Eunseol’s blocked meridians had been cleared, and he had been able to wield his inner energy to eliminate Cheon Hwain.
In other words, this Demon-Killer Sword, like the Divine Sword and the Thousand Souls Blood Blade, possessed a special ability.
“Is it asking me to take it with me?”
Feeling the low vibration transmitted from the sword’s hilt, Bu Eunseol shook his head.
He had never intended to use a demonic sword in the first place, and once everything was over, he planned to completely destroy the Sword Tomb and shatter all the demonic blades within. The Demon-Killer Sword, being a demonic artifact closer to a demonic sword than a divine one, naturally had to be destroyed as well.
Yet it had saved him in a moment of crisis… so he could not bring himself to shatter it.
Uwoong.
The Demon-Killer Sword sent another low vibration.
Suddenly, a certain fact flashed through his mind.
The Four Gods’ Energy originated from the forces of the great natural world. It inherently contained the aura of destruction and annihilation.
In other words, a sword capable of containing the Four Gods’ Energy… could not be a demonic weapon that harmed humans.
“Fine.” Bu Eunseol spoke while gazing at the iron sword.
“For now, we’ll travel together. But,” His eyes turned cold as he declared solemnly. “If you ever crave blood or demand anything else, I will shatter you without hesitation.”
Uwoong!
The Demon-Killer Sword rang out with a vigorous sword cry, as if replying, ‘My prey is demonic swords alone.’
Bu Eunseol emerged from Mount Taiping.
Not only the Sword Tomb built by the Heaven-Human Cult but also the mid-slopes of Mount Taiping connected to it had nearly collapsed.
Moreover, no trace of the Heaven-Human Cult’s members could be found.
They had likely fled while the mechanisms crumbled, and those who remained had probably been devoured by Cheon Hwain after being possessed by the Heaven-Human Blood.
“What a ridiculous outcome.”
The Heaven-Human Cult’s Taiping Branch had awakened the demonic swords they collected, only to bring ruin upon themselves. But why had they given a terrifying demonic sword like the Heaven-Human Blood to Cheon Hwain, a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect?
They could not possibly have been unaware that he was a righteous faction figure. And where were all the demonic swords they had awakened until now?
Various questions arose, but no matter how much he pondered, no answers came.
“I still have a long way to go.” Bu Eunseol sighed as he gazed at the ruined landscape of Mount Taiping. “I nearly died this time, for real.”
Until now, he had steadily raised his martial realm and prided himself on having no equal except masters of the Infinite Realm.
Yet Bu Eunseol still had a fundamental problem.
Powerful energies that could neither mix nor coexist peacefully slumbered within his body all at once.
Each was a masterpiece in its own field…
But cramming them all onto a single canvas meant they could no longer be called masterpieces.
—...to suppress or harmonize the energies within you, you’ll need the power of all Four Divine Gods.
Gongsun Dana’s advice brushed through his mind.
And her words had proven true.
Upon obtaining the Crystal Divine Energy and Thunder Divine Energy, he had been able to cloak himself in the power of harmony and save his life. In the end, the only way to resolve this issue was to acquire all the Four Gods’ Energy.
“First, let’s head back.” What mattered now was reporting everything about the Heaven-Human Cult branch and earning Gongsun Dankyung’s trust.
‘She’ll probably entrust me with a major task.’
Bu Eunseol could sense it instinctively.
By resolving the Heaven-Human Cult branch incident, he had gained the opportunity to become one of Gongsun Dankyung’s close aides.
Swish.
After collecting the shattered fragments of the Heaven-Human Blood, Bu Eunseol
Tap.
Immediately unleashed his qinggong toward the north, where the Martial Alliance lay.
But the truly critical fact was something he could not even dream of.
Because of this incident.
Because he had obtained the strange Demon-Killer Sword.
He had become the candidate for the most terrifying heir of the Three Realms… one who had never revealed himself until now.
***
Martial Alliance, Silver Moon Pavilion. Gongsun Dankyung’s office.
Bu Eunseol reported every detail of his investigation inside the Sword Tomb without omission.
Except, of course, for a few facts: that he had obtained the iron sword that shattered demonic blades, that he had killed the Ghost-Masked Envoy, and so on.
—…(omitted)… I secretly stole the Ghost-Masked Envoy’s key and infiltrated the hidden passage beneath the Sword Tomb.
There, I discovered a mechanism injecting the blood of martial artists and destroyed it, causing the Sword Tomb to begin collapsing… (continued)…
She nodded while reading the report Bu Eunseol had submitted.
It detailed precisely what they had been plotting and how cruel their actions had been.
“You’ve been through a lot.”Gongsun Dankyung smiled brightly and praised the merits of Bu Eunseol, who stood at attention across from her.
Until now, every capable intelligence agent she had infiltrated into the Taiping Branch had failed to return.
If not for Bu Eunseol, they would never have learned why the Heaven-Human Cult’s Taiping Branch had suddenly collapsed or what they had been doing behind the scenes.
“It was luck.”
Bu Eunseol took a deep breath and replied. “If things had gone wrong, I would have lost my life there as well.”
That was the truth.
If he had not obtained the Crystal Divine Energy and Thunder Divine Energy…
If he could not sustain the power of harmony in his body for long…
Even the ability to fly through the sky would have left him buried alive with the Sword Tomb.
“You’ve worked hard.” Gongsun Dankyung nodded in satisfaction.
“And now, we can finally have a truly candid conversation.”
Erasing her smile, she spoke with utmost seriousness.
“Let’s move to another room for a moment.”
Gongsun Dankyung led Bu Eunseol to a secret chamber installed within her office. It was a highly secluded secret room, much like the one Bu Eunseol had set up in the Suppressed Demon Pavilion.
She, like him, was clearly aware of ears everywhere and extremely wary of them.
“Captain Seon. From now on, everything I say is top secret.” Gongsun Dankyung spoke with a gravely solemn expression. “As a member of the Intelligence Division, you know full well what happens if you leak the Commander’s words to the outside. I trust you do.”
“Of course.”
When Bu Eunseol answered immediately, she took a deep breath and continued.
“There are extremely secretive forces in the martial world that only the highest leadership knows about. By now, Captain Seon, you must have some suspicions yourself.”
“What do you mean?”
“Isn’t there a force in the current martial world manipulating both righteous and evil factions? Aren’t there hidden figures controlling the leaders of each sect… that kind of suspicion.”
At her direct words, Bu Eunseol deliberately feigned surprise.
“Yes. Looking at several recent incidents in the martial world, I couldn’t shake that thought.”
“It’s true.” Gongsun Dankyung stated firmly.
“Such forces do exist in the current martial world. They are a secret society called the Infinite Realm.”
This time, Bu Eunseol showed genuine shock.
Someone of Gongsun Dankyung’s stature would surely have some grasp of the Three Realms. Yet why was she specifically mentioning the Infinite Realm instead of the Three Realms?
‘That means…’
A faint gleam lingered in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
Perhaps, despite rising to the position of Commander, Gongsun Dankyung still hadn’t obtained solid information about the Three Realms.
Or, knowing it, she was deliberately revealing only the name of the Infinite Realm.
‘Both are possible.’
Not every leader of the righteous and evil factions knew about the Three Realms. But someone of Gongsun Dankyung’s caliber couldn’t possibly be ignorant. The latter was more likely.
“The Infinite Realm. An unusual name.” Erasing the thoughts swirling in his mind, Bu Eunseol asked. “But why has such an organization remained unknown to the martial world?”
“Only an extremely limited number of people know about the Infinite Realm. Even most mid-level elders of the righteous and evil factions are unaware.”
Gongsun Dankyung explained calmly.
“Even if we wanted to crush the Infinite Realm, their influence is too vast. We don’t even know where or how to strike, so we’re struggling.”
An even more astonishing statement.
Gongsun Dankyung wanted to destroy the Infinite Realm?
If she knew about the Three Realms, this was not something she could declare lightly.
Even he, heir to the Nangyang Pavilion and the next Majeon Lord, did not dare speak of annihilation.
He only planned to dismantle them one by one over a long period. Yet she desired the Infinite Realm’s destruction?
‘Why on earth?’
Bu Eunseol had an absolute reason: revenge.
But Gongsun Dankyung had no such motive, did she?
Could she have set such a goal simply to uphold justice in the martial world?
“To speak of this in such a secret room means this is not an official move as Commander.” Bu Eunseol cut straight to the point, and Gongsun Dankyung nodded.
“Correct. Their influence is secretly spread across both righteous and evil factions, and even within our Alliance. Revealing open hostility toward them would be no different from suicide.”
“Hmm.”
“I have been searching for individuals of outstanding ability whose names are not yet known in the martial world. Only such people can oppose the Infinite Realm.” Gongsun Dankyung’s eyes sparkled.
“Can you guess why I seek people with those conditions?”
“Probably because exceptional talents are highly likely to have already been recruited by them.”
“Exactly.” Gongsun Dankyung let out a small exclamation of admiration.
But Bu Eunseol deliberately opened his mouth with an embarrassed expression.
“As the Commander says, I certainly lack great fame or status, so there’s no chance they’ve recruited me.”
“Not at all.” Gongsun Dankyung stared at Bu Eunseol with razor-sharp eyes.
“From the very beginning until now, I have always suspected Captain Seon. It’s just that no matter how much I dug, no evidence surfaced.”
“What do you mean?”
“Captain Seon. I am saying there is a very high probability that you are a spy recruited by the Infinite Realm or some external force.”
Bu Eunseol momentarily opened his mouth as if at a loss for words.
“If you suspect me, why are you telling me these things?”
“The reason is simple.”
Gongsun Dankyung’s eyes gleamed like cold starlight.
“Even if you are a spy, you possess talent so outstanding… that I cannot help but use you.”
‘So that’s why she rose to Commander at such a young age.’
Bu Eunseol could not help but admire her bold judgment and confidence.
Even assuming Bu Eunseol was a spy, she was certain she could manipulate him to her advantage.
That meant Gongsun Dankyung, like him, was someone who would use anything to achieve her goals.
“It would be better if you weren’t, of course.” Gongsun Dankyung flashed a completely candid smile.
“If Captain Seon is not a spy, you can definitely become my person.”
Pausing briefly, she shook her head.
“I’ve gotten off track.”
Then, looking Bu Eunseol straight in the eye, she continued.
“I won’t ask if you’ll become my person. Someone of Captain Seon’s caliber would want a solid bond.”
“Even if I say I’m not a spy, you won’t believe me at all.”
“I won’t deny it.”
“Yet you’ll still make me an offer.”
Bu Eunseol met Gongsun Dankyung’s gaze directly and asked.
“An offer so sweet that even if I am a spy, I absolutely cannot refuse.”
Instead of answering, Gongsun Dankyung wore a faint smile.
She enjoyed conversing with highly intelligent people.
Because in a clever person’s words lay the effort to read the opponent’s intentions, and until the conversation ended, a tense atmosphere like walking on thin ice was maintained.
And Gongsun Dankyung was someone who enjoyed that tension more than anyone.
“Exactly.” Taking a deep breath, Gongsun Dankyung dropped a shocking statement. “I intend to appoint Captain Seon as the Martial Heaven Corps Leader, a position currently vacant.”
“…!”
“In place of the former Imperial Dragon Sword Lord.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened.
He had achieved many merits, but he was merely a second-grade captain in the Martial Alliance.
Moreover, not yet thirty years old—how could he possibly rise to Commander?
“Captain Seon is probably thinking this: In this rigid Alliance that values hierarchy and allocation so highly, how could such a thing be possible? Am I wrong?”
“At first, yes, but not now.”
“Why?”
Bu Eunseol smiled faintly.
“Because the person who broke that precedent is sitting right in front of me.”
Indeed.
Gongsun Dankyung had ascended to the position of Commander of the Martial Alliance in her thirties.
Considering the Alliance’s history, which valued allocation and hierarchy above all, that was absolutely impossible.
Yet she had done it.
That meant she had the power to make such a thing possible once more.
“It’s nice that Captain Seon doesn’t need things said twice.” Gongsun Dankyung grinned. “What do you think? With conditions like these, will you join hands with me?”
“Do you believe I have the ability for that?”
“Of course.” Gongsun Dankyung stared at him with eyes full of certainty. “I’ve felt it for a while, but this mission made it clear. Captain Seon, you are hiding considerable power.”
“…”
“If you join me, you won’t need to hide your strength any longer. Your ability will become my ability.”
Gongsun Dankyung reiterated her conclusion.
“I’d like a yes or no answer now.”
Bu Eunseol could not reply immediately.
Gongsun Dankyung’s proposal meant betraying Yuk Jangcheon, who had trusted him unwaveringly and tried to help him earn merits.
Gongsun Dankyung’s large eyes brimmed with confidence, and a smile played at her lips.
She was certain.
Bu Eunseol would definitely betray Yuk Jangcheon.
“You believe I have the ability to surpass former Lord Yuk.”
To become Martial Heaven Corps Leader, he would ultimately have to defeat even Yuk Jangcheon, the great master of martial learning called the ‘Palm King’ among the Seven Kings of the Four Gods.
And Gongsun Dankyung was betting on Bu Eunseol winning that fight.
Even knowing there was a chance he was a spy.
‘Amazing. Truly a frightening woman.’
On his path to becoming heir to the Majeon, he had experienced all manner of schemes and intrigue, engaging in life-or-death struggles.
Yet Gongsun Dankyung, who seemed as if she had lived like a flower in a greenhouse her whole life… was living a life not so different from his own.
“For someone of Captain Seon’s caliber, I imagine the calculations are already done. Am I wrong?”
At Gongsun Dankyung’s confident gaze, Bu Eunseol opened his mouth.
“There’s just one thing bothering me.”
“Speak.”
“What happens if I refuse?”
The moment Bu Eunseol refused, the critical secret that Gongsun Dankyung was opposing the Infinite Realm would be at risk of exposure.
And his good relationship with Yuk Jangcheon would immediately sour.
Someone like her would never lack countermeasures.
But an unexpected answer came.
“Nothing happens.”
“What do you mean?”
“It means such a thing will never occur.”
Gongsun Dankyung looked at Bu Eunseol with eyes full of certainty.
“Because Captain Seon will definitely accept my offer.”
Profound light flowed from her large eyes, reminiscent of the sea.
“You want to rise to the top of the Martial Alliance as quickly as possible. Desperately.”
“…”
“Otherwise, you would never have joined under the Ascendant Martial Hall Lord, rejecting the favor and attention of the Star Guard Division Lord.”
Perhaps this was only natural.
Bu Eunseol had kicked away the sturdy bridge of the Star Guard Division and stepped onto the unstable bridge of the Ascendant Martial Hall.
There was only one reason.
He was certain he could elevate Yuk Jangcheon to Commander and himself to Vice-Commander.
To others, it seemed a fanciful dream, but Bu Eunseol had the ability for it.
Gongsun Dankyung had not only seen through that plan but was also certain he possessed such capability.
‘A dangerous but alluring bridge.’
Elevating Yuk Jangcheon to Martial Heaven Corps Leader and becoming Vice-Commander was Bu Eunseol’s best-case scenario.
But it would still take considerable time.
Moreover, the authority of a Vice-Commander might not reach the core of the Martial Alliance.
But if he became one of the Seven Commanders?
He would never need to worry about such things.
‘No choice at all.’
Bu Eunseol clasped his hands together.
“I accept the Commander’s offer.”
Gongsun Dankyung nodded as if she had expected it.
“Good decision.” Taking a deep breath, she stared intently at Bu Eunseol, her eyes sparkling. “Then I suppose we should quickly promote Captain Seon to first-grade captain.”
In the past, Gongsun Dankyung’s authority as Commander alone could appoint a first-grade captain.
Those at Commander level or above had the power to appoint first-grade captains.
But when the Heavenly Sword, disciple of the Sword Venerable, became a first-grade captain that way, the Martial Alliance suffered irreversible criticism and humiliation. Afterward, appointments based solely on connections without merit became impossible.
To appoint a first-grade captain now required the approval of a majority of Commander-level figures.
A majority vote from Commander-level personages.
That meant accumulating merit so overwhelming that they had no choice but to appoint him.
“You don’t seem very surprised.”
“It’s not surprising.” Bu Eunseol did not doubt Gongsun Dankyung’s words.
Because she possessed the power and wisdom to make it happen.
“And I imagine it’s not unrelated to this Heaven-Human Cult incident.”
“You already guessed.”
Gongsun Dankyung showed genuine admiration.
The more she spoke with Bu Eunseol, the more she became certain he possessed intellect on par with her own.
And that pleased Gongsun Dankyung immensely.
If Bu Eunseol’s ability exceeded her expectations, he could handle even more complex and difficult tasks.
“With the incident caused by the Heaven-Human Cult’s Taiping Branch, the Alliance has gained justification to deal with them.”
“Then.”
“I plan to mobilize troops immediately and strike the Heaven-Human Cult’s main base.”
Bu Eunseol took a deep breath.
Though the Heaven-Human Cult’s history was not long, it had already grown into a major sect dominating the Yellow River region. Especially since it was not a pure martial force but included commoners as well, attacking such a place required considerable justification.
“Having justification doesn’t make it easy.”
The Yangmun Mountain area where the Heaven-Human Cult was based was a natural fortress. A thousand men could hold off ten thousand.
With only two paths to enter, once battle began, various strategies could prevent the army from advancing at all.
“The collapse of the Heaven-Human Cult is inevitable anyway.” Gongsun Dankyung’s eyes sparkled as she spoke. “The issue is how to ensure, during this expedition, that Captain Seon accumulates enough merit to be promoted to first-grade captain.”
Tap.
Spreading a map on the table, Gongsun Dankyung smiled at Bu Eunseol.
“Let’s discuss that now.”
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