“Kha-ha-ha-ha!”
The bandaged man burst into mad laughter, clearly delighted that Bu Eunseol dared not meet him head-on and kept dodging left and right.
Yet Bu Eunseol’s eyes, as he evaded, remained perfectly calm.
He had already seen through the weakness of the Scarlet Blood Demon Finger the man was unleashing.
Shhhhk.
Bu Eunseol’s movement art grew faster with every step, until only faint afterimages remained.
Shaaaa—!
Soon even those afterimages vanished and he was moving at absolute extreme speed.
Because of it, the Scarlet Blood Demon Finger could find no target and merely carved empty air again and again.
Bu Eunseol’s footwork had surpassed the speed of the incoming finger force.
Shhk.
Having circled the man at blinding speed, Bu Eunseol suddenly appeared behind him, the Moon Shadow Demonic Sword raised high.
“KRAAA!”
Yet the instant the man sensed him, he spun like lightning and unleashed another torrent of Scarlet Blood Demon Finger.
Shiiing.
Unfortunately for him, the crimson sparks pouring from the Moon Shadow Demonic Sword were several times faster than his finger force.
The ultimate swift-kill sword: Meteor Chasing the Moon Form had been unleashed—the strike that defeats the eyes before the blade even arrives.
Rumble…
For a single heartbeat, the man felt as though the entire world had frozen.
He could see the Scarlet Blood Demon Finger slowly streaming from his own fingertips… and the crimson sparks from that sword tip advancing even more slowly.
“……!” His eyes widened in shock.
The crimson light pouring from Bu Eunseol’s sword tip—wasn’t it at least twice as fast as his own Scarlet Blood Demon Finger?
Flash!
When the crimson sparks finally vanished, the man’s movements stopped completely.
“If your mind had been whole, this would not have been an easy fight.” Bu Eunseol looked at the dazed man with pity and spoke. “You never fully utilized the profound mysteries of the Scarlet Blood Demon Finger and simply tried to overwhelm me with brute force. That was your downfall.”
Click.
He sheathed the demon sword and turned away.
“Rest in peace.”
Spurt!
At the same instant, a fountain of blood erupted from the man’s throat.
The Scarlet Blood Demon Finger possessed power enough to shatter even a demonic sword, and its bizarre, unique properties could seal every escape route of someone whose movement art was unmatched.
Had the man been in his right mind, he would have used those properties to unleash ingenious, profound techniques, and the battle would have dragged on fiercely. But because his mind was broken, he had only mindlessly poured raw Scarlet Blood Finger force at Bu Eunseol’s body.
Thus Bu Eunseol had simply used swift footwork to draw out openings, then ended it instantly with the Meteor Chasing the Moon Form.
Rumble…
A low vibration suddenly rolled in from outside—like something enormous collapsing.
‘The destruction mechanism has been triggered.’
Now that the place had been exposed to an outsider, there was no longer any reason for Cold Moon Island to maintain the facility.
They must have activated the device that would raze everything without regret as they departed.
Rumble…
The shaking grew more violent. Even the ground beneath Bu Eunseol’s feet began to sway, and the underground citadel’s structures were collapsing one by one.
‘They’ve already sealed the exits.’
Realizing there was no way out, Bu Eunseol used the falling boulders as stepping stones and leapt toward the ceiling.
Whoosh!
Emerging atop the ruined citadel, he landed once more on the cliff where the stone jade had been installed.
Rumble…
Because of the collapsing underground fortress, most of the cliff had already crumbled away like a landslide.
Unleashing Swift Beyond Shadow in a single burst, he raced toward the nearby village.
“They’re fast.” By the time he arrived, the village was empty as a ghost town, and most of the ships that had been moored at the shore were gone.
‘So people are their only resource.’
The Realm of Returning to One relied primarily on the great method so they needed nothing else—only human beings mattered. After bringing down the underground citadel, they had abandoned Cold Moon Island without hesitation.
‘That boy’s shell must belong to at least a Special Divine Rank of Returning to One—if not higher.’
The boy’s flesh was merely a puppet; his true body was elsewhere, and his martial prowess would be extraordinary.
Since a mere shell could not hope to face Bu Eunseol, he had fled at once.
Shhh.
Yet not everyone had left.
Hundreds of villagers—their faces melted and grotesque—suddenly appeared in front of Bu Eunseol, surrounding him.
“Of course.” Bu Eunseol muttered coldly.
From their perspective, a single bedbug had burned down their thatched house. They would never let that bedbug live.
“Because of you alone!” The youngest-looking among the hundreds shouted at Bu Eunseol. “One of our realm’s long-established strongholds has been completely destroyed!”
“This is only the beginning.” Bu Eunseol drew the Moon Shadow Demonic Sword.
Crimson true qi and white true qi spread from both his hands. At the same time, violet thunder spirit energy and transparent energy began intertwining and rising.
“I will hunt down every hidden stronghold of the Returning to One throughout the Central Plains and smash them all to dust.” As he spoke, five-colored radiance bloomed from his body.
These people had ruined their own bodies through the sect’s experiments and become man-eating monsters.
To make sure that not even a trace of their existence remained in this world, he would pour every ounce of power within him into a grand harmony.
“He’s trying something!”
Seeing the five-colored radiance thicken around Bu Eunseol, the villagers shouted.
“Everyone, attack!”
The moment they charged as one to overwhelm him—
Flash!
Brilliant light erupted, the villagers were swallowed by the five-colored radiance, and the entire world was instantly bathed in pure white.
***
Having escaped Cold Moon Island, Bu Eunseol immediately mobilized the Death Spirit Corps to search for any trace of Bukgung Ryeong.
But no news came.
It was only natural.
Bukgung Ryeong had always walked the martial world alone, evading every intelligence network. He was the man who had shaken off even the pursuit of the Three Realms as if it were nothing.
No matter how vast the intelligence web Bu Eunseol commanded through both orthodox and evil factions, finding him overnight was impossible.
‘I have to find him first.’
Anxiety gnawed at Bu Eunseol’s heart.
Though their paths, ages, and temperaments were complete opposites, fate had intertwined them again and again until they had become brothers who would bare their livers and gallbladders to each other.
He could not—would not—stand by and watch that man fall into the clutches of Returning to One and end up a mangled corpse.
Whoosh.
Soyo descended beside him with a gust of wind and shook her head.
“The Martial Alliance side is the same.”
Bu Eunseol had even used the elite squad to tap into the Mankyeong Hall’s intelligence network, yet still no sign of Bukgung Ryeong.
“I thought of using Gongsun Dankyung just in case, but… that won’t work either.”
If Gongsun Dankyung learned that Bu Eunseol was searching for Bukgung Ryeong, she would surely investigate their relationship—and that could prove fatal to the old man.
“You did well. Even if she has an impressive network, it would have been the same. The Returning to One Realm hasn’t found him either.”
His voice was calm, but his eyes burned with urgency.
Soyo, sensing how deeply worried he was, spoke carefully.
“Don’t worry too much. If we can’t find him, the Three Realms won’t be able to either.”
“Yes… I understand.”
Bu Eunseol smiled, yet his expression remained dark.
The Three Realms’ intelligence network surpassed even the combined might of the demonic and orthodox factions. They might already have located Bukgung Ryeong and launched their attack.
But knowing Soyo was only trying to comfort him, Bu Eunseol forced a bright smile.
“Keep watching. I’ll keep searching the martial world as I travel.”
“Alright.”
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Soyo added, “Isn’t it possible he’s preparing himself mentally for a fresh start?”
“What do you mean?”
“The Bullet King wandered the martial world before because his heart was troubled. But after meeting you at the Jongri family, he regained his spirit and began acting again.”
“Preparing himself…”
A flash sparked in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
As Soyo said, when they had met again on the back mountain of the Jongri family, Bukgung Ryeong had been disheartened by memories of the past. But Bu Eunseol had freed him from his heart demon, restoring his heroic wind, and the old man had resumed his activities in the martial world.
Before that new beginning, he would surely want to cast off the painful memories once and for all.
And there was only one such memory.
“Ghost Island.”
The place where righteous sect members had witnessed the horrific truth.
The place where countless famous heroes had lost their lives at once to their own greed.
If Bukgung Ryeong had resolved to walk the martial world once more…
He would surely return there—to comfort the souls of the dead and shake off the remnants in his heart.
“He’s on Ghost Island.”
Bu Eunseol shot to his feet and dashed outside. “No need to follow.”
“I’ll send the Death Spirit Corps just in case.”
“Fine.”
Leaving the safe house, Bu Eunseol immediately unleashed his movement art toward Ghost Island.
‘Please be safe, old man.’
Desperation filled his eyes as he tore through the sky at extreme speed.
A sudden intuition struck him—perhaps Returning to One had also thought of Ghost Island.
Bukgung Ryeong had walked the martial world alone all his life because his skill was unmatched. If Returning to One was truly determined to take him alive?
They would send experts or forces that even the Bullet King alone could never withstand, even if heaven and earth collapsed.
Moreover, what Returning to One needed was Bukgung Ryeong’s corpse. They would not hesitate to use any cruel method.
‘Just hold on a little longer, old man!’
Racing like a madman, he soon reached the vicinity of Dongting Lake.
At the dock, he chartered an entire giant warship operated by the Water Dragon Clan that dominated the lake.
The massive vessel—sixteen masts, twice the size of ordinary ships, with far higher gunwales—hoisted every sail and raced forward at full speed until Ghost Island appeared on the distant horizon.
“Wait at the shore!”
Leaping from the stern into the air, Bu Eunseol shot toward the island.
Soaring thirty zhang in a single bound, just as he began to fall—
BOOM!
He slammed a powerful palm force into the water’s surface.
The reaction propelled him skyward again.
Splaaash!
Unsatisfied with even that speed, transparent currents poured from his body, forming a massive vortex behind him before hurling him forward like a storm.
He was using Crystal Spirit Energy to materialize the lake water and gain propulsion.
—Waaa…
The Water Dragon Clan warriors watching from the deck let out cries of awe.
The sight of Bu Eunseol flying like a bird toward the distant Ghost Island, trailing transparent currents, looked exactly like a heavenly god descending from the skies.
Tap.
Landing instantly on the island’s shore, Bu Eunseol spotted giant unmarked warships moored there.
No insignia—clearly the Returning to One Realm had sent troops.
‘Please let me not be too late!’
Leaping once more into the sky, he unleashed a continuous barrage of Heaven Hand Void Break toward the warships.
BOOM! CRASH!
The most destructive of the Seven Fist Demon Forms—Heaven Hand Void Break—struck again and again.
Warships eighty cheok long and fourteen cheok wide shattered in moments.
He made the noise deliberately, in case Bukgung Ryeong was in mortal danger.
KWABOOM!
After destroying every ship, Bu Eunseol used Swift Beyond Shadow once more.
‘Over there.’ With hawk-like vision he spotted movement in the forest northwest of the island.
CRACK—BOOM!
A thunderous explosion tore the sky as a streak of lightning shot toward it.
‘Old man!’
Joy spread across Bu Eunseol’s face.
Far within the forest, Bukgung Ryeong stood in formation, facing countless enemies.
“STOOOOOP!”
Roaring like a lion, Bu Eunseol cloaked himself in extreme Thunder Spirit Energy and landed.
KWABOOOOOM!
The impact sent violet thunder spirit energy exploding outward, hurling the warriors charging at Bukgung Ryeong thirty zhang away.
“Old man!” Bu Eunseol rushed to the center where Bukgung Ryeong stood.
The old man looked dreadful—clothes tattered, body covered in wounds large and small.
“How did you—”
Before Bukgung Ryeong could finish, blinking in shock—
WHOOOOSH!
A strange current slammed into Bu Eunseol’s face.
The Returning to One forces had already reformed and deployed a bizarre formation.
“It’s useless. Once that formation is active, we can’t use internal ener—”
But Bukgung Ryeong’s shout was cut short.
WHIRRRR!
Transparent currents soared from Bu Eunseol’s body to the heavens, then began pushing back the oppressive currents pouring in from all sides.
He was using Crystal Spirit Energy infused with the power of annihilation to dissolve the strange flow.
“What in the world…” Bukgung Ryeong’s jaw dropped.
He already knew Bu Eunseol’s martial arts were extraordinary. But to dispel in an instant a current that even his full-powered Bullet Qi could not touch?
What was that transparent yet viscous power?
“You…” Bukgung Ryeong could not hide his astonishment. “In such a short time, you learned sorcery like those bastards…?”
Muttering, he suddenly froze.
He realized the transparent energy flowing from Bu Eunseol was extremely similar to the Water God Energy of the Divine Water Palace.
“Did you learn martial arts from Palace Lord Neung?”
“Talk later.” Bu Eunseol replied coldly. “It’s not something I can use indefinitely.”
Though his body was filled with Crystal Spirit Energy, he had not learned the Divine Water Palace arts, so maintaining a constant outflow placed enormous strain on him.
“Got it.”
Bukgung Ryeong took a deep breath.
At once, the scattered stone fragments around them began floating into the air.
‘It works.’
Surrounded by the transparent currents, Bukgung Ryeong had been unable to circulate internal energy.
The Bullet King’s peerless art—Bullet Qi—had been sealed. But now that Bu Eunseol was pushing the currents away with Crystal Spirit Energy, powerful internal energy coursed through him once more.
BOOM! BOOM!
The stones he repelled with Bullet Qi became cannonballs, shooting toward the encircling troops.
His martial power had clearly grown even stronger than before.
Direct hits caused bodies to burst like balloons and glancing blows tore flesh from bone.
Bullet Qi was a martial art that displayed its greatest might against multiple foes. The moment the currents vanished, he fired stone after stone, felling over a hundred enemies in the blink of an eye.
“You little punk, fire something bigger!”
Though they had cleared the immediate area, the encircling forces showed no sign of thinning. Moreover, the vanished currents were returning, slowly gnawing away at their internal energy again.
“I’ll try.”
Bu Eunseol poured forth Crystal Spirit Energy with all his strength once more.
Most of the currents filling the forest dissipated, revealing the surrounding troops clearly.
Hummm!
Golden rings shimmering with light began orbiting Bukgung Ryeong’s body.
The unique hidden weapon that had elevated him to the throne of the Four Gods and Seven Kings...
The Purple Lightning Golden Rings had appeared.
Shaaa—!
A piercing shriek that seemed to split the heavens rang out.
The golden rings shot forward, instantly slicing through the encircling warriors.
‘So that’s why they’re called Purple Lightning.’
The Purple Lightning Golden Rings Bukgung Ryeong wielded were infused with Purple Cloud Thunder Energy, extremely similar to Bu Eunseol’s Thunder Spirit Energy.
They displayed terrifying power and moved freely according to his will.
Crackle.
The rings returned to his hands, now coated in thick blood and gore.
Shaaaa—!
He spun them in the air to shake off the fluids, then tucked them away again.
Watching this, Bu Eunseol spoke in a low voice.
“It’s not over yet.”
[What an interesting fellow.]
At that moment, three masked figures in identical robes landed from the sky with low voices. All three wore the same long robes, bore the same expression, and stood in the exact same posture.
Bu Eunseol stared at them, then spoke coldly.
“Since none of you can master a single martial art to completion, the three of you divided it among yourselves.”
The three masked men looked at Bu Eunseol and nodded, clearly surprised. “Correct. We have all mastered the martial arts of the Three Severance Demon Lord.”
Bukgung Ryeong frowned in confusion.
Forty years ago, the Three Severance Demon Lord had been a great demonic master who swept the martial world, only to be slain when he challenged the young Heavenly Emperor alone.
“Those bastards inherited the martial arts and bodies of past supreme masters through a bizarre method.”
At Bu Eunseol’s explanation, not only Bukgung Ryeong but the masked men themselves looked shocked.
“Amazing. Someone actually knows our realm’s great method.”
“I also know you are from the Realm of Returning to One.”
Bu Eunseol drew the Silent Tiger Soul Sword.
Bukgung Ryeong had already expended massive energy firing the Purple Lightning Golden Rings repeatedly so Bu Eunseol intended to face them alone.
“Not wearing Emissary robes means you’re at least Special Divine Ranks of the Returning to One.”
“I’ll handle this.” Bukgung Ryeong stepped forward. “Since these lunatics claim to be successors of the Three Severance Demon Lord, I should test their skill myself.”
“No need. Just watch from there.”
“Watch? What nonsense.” Bukgung Ryeong spoke solemnly. “You’ll be fighting countless bastards like these from now on, won’t you?”
“What are you saying?”
“This old man has only been dealing with small fry while those dogs chased me to death. Now that I finally meet some big fish, don’t I get to have a proper fight?”
“You’ve already spent enough energy to fill a coffin—stay out of it and behave.”
“What? Coffin? Have you said everything you wish to say?”
As Bukgung Ryeong roared in fury, Bu Eunseol shot back without yielding.
“I haven’t. I stopped everything I was doing and ran here until my hair nearly fell out just to save one old man.”
“And?”
“And? After all that, you can’t even yield this one fight to me?”
“Who asked you to come save me?”
As Bu Eunseol and Bukgung Ryeong bickered like children, the pupils of the three masked men began spinning in opposite directions.
What they were witnessing…
It was as if two little kids were fighting over who got to eat the tasty snack first.
Even if the Three Severance Demon Lord had faced the Heavenly Emperor before the latter reached the Limitless Realm, the level of martial arts the Heavenly Emperor displayed back then was something the Four Gods and Seven Kings could not hope to match.
And here stood men who had perfectly mastered the Three Severance Arts capable of fighting the Heavenly Emperor one-on-one—Special Divine Ranks of the Returning to One Realm—yet these two were acting like this?
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