Bu Eunseol stared at Gongsun Dankyung, lost in deep thought.
‘Then… does that mean the Martial Venerable is the Divine Mountain Sage?’
Whether the Heavenly Emperor was alive or dead was information weighty enough to overturn the entire martial world’s balance, yet to Bu Eunseol it was hardly the most pressing matter.
What truly mattered was this: were the Martial Venerable and the Divine Mountain Sage the same person?
‘This explanation actually feels more plausible.’
The Divine Mountain Sage had known Bu Eunseol was the successor of Majeon, yet still granted him the identity of Seon Woojin.
That had only been possible because the man was not the Heavenly Emperor, but the Martial Venerable.
After all, he had no foundation within the Martial Alliance.
Rather than bind himself to the Alliance, he would instead pull in someone like Bu Eunseol—who stood in open hostility toward the Three Realms—and use the strategy of “fighting poison with poison” to purge the internal enemies.
‘So that’s why he tested me so thoroughly.’
The Divine Mountain Sage had planted various mechanisms within Shaolin and tested Bu Eunseol’s temperament and character again and again.
‘Even if I were accepted into the Alliance, no harm must come to the orthodox martial world.’
That was the best deduction Bu Eunseol could make at present.
In the end, the likelihood that the Divine Mountain Sage was simply another identity of the Martial Venerable was extremely high.
“Chief Inspector.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Bu Eunseol opened his mouth, about to ask, ‘Is the Martial Venerable the Divine Mountain Sage?’
But there are truths one must never learn from another’s lips.
That was one of the things the Demon Emperor had left him.
Moreover, asking whether the Divine Mountain Sage and the Martial Venerable were the same person might needlessly arouse her suspicion, or even give her the opening to realize that “Seon Woojin” was Bu Eunseol.
“Does Elder Martial Venerable perhaps possess another identity besides that of Alliance Leader?”
In the end, Bu Eunseol posed the question indirectly.
‘The fact that Elder Martial Venerable is acting in the Leader’s place is supposed to be top secret.’
He calmly continued while gazing into Gongsun Dankyung’s eyes.
“Since Elder Martial Venerable has no real power base inside the Alliance, he would need… another identity to handle certain matters.”
Gongsun Dankyung’s eyes flickered for an instant, but she soon shook her head.
“All those various matters are already being handled by this Chief Inspector.” She added, “Besides myself, no one knows that Elder Martial Venerable is standing in for the Leader.”
A glint of disbelief appeared in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
A figure like the Martial Venerable would never have planned something of this scale with only Gongsun Dankyung and her people.
“Of course, Elder Martial Venerable may privately consult someone or receive help from them.”
She spoke calmly, as though she had read his inner thoughts.
“But even I do not know that much.”
“Then the ones who ambushed the Heavenly Emperor inside the Alliance must be forces of the Infinite Realm.”
Bu Eunseol threw out another question.
“And that is why you, Chief Inspector, have been trying all this time to deal with the Infinite Realm?”
“Well now…”
Gongsun Dankyung answered serenely.
“I don’t particularly feel the need to explain that far to Captain Seon.”
“No—you must explain.”
“…Pardon?”
“Depending on your answer, I may decide whether or not to ride the same boat as you, Chief Inspector.”
Gongsun Dankyung’s eyes turned cold, as if startled by Bu Eunseol’s sudden shift in attitude.
‘He keeps accepting my conversation, and now he thinks he can treat me lightly?’
“The situation has changed.”
Bu Eunseol replied indifferently.
“I now know the Alliance’s greatest secret… and haven’t I also gained a backer equal to yours, Chief Inspector?”
That backer was none other than the Bullet King, who had become his sworn brother.
In truth, the Bullet King wielded authority comparable to the Alliance’s Chief Inspector, and it was widely known that Seon Woojin had inherited a portion of his martial transmission.
Having his name engraved on the Hero’s Monument while still alive, he was a figure even the Alliance Leader or Vice-Leader could not treat carelessly—arguably an even stronger patron than Gongsun Dankyung herself.
“Heh heh… I like that answer.”
The icy expression on Gongsun Dankyung’s face suddenly melted into a broad smile.
“If, after learning all this, Captain Seon had blindly sworn loyalty ‘for the sake of the Alliance,’ I would have grown even more suspicious.”
Every person harbors their own desires.
If Seon Woojin had risen to a position equal to hers yet shown not the slightest trace of ambition, she would have felt deep misgivings about the man called Seon Woojin all over again.
“That is exactly what I mean.”
Contrary to Gongsun Dankyung’s now-friendly gaze, Bu Eunseol’s expression grew colder.
“Right now, Chief Inspector, you are endlessly doubting me—again and again. You said not even a quarter-hour ago that we should end this tug-of-war of suspicion.” Bu Eunseol deliberately heightened his tone.
“Until now I have constantly tried to dispel the doubts you hold toward me.”
His voice was ice.
“Yet there are doubts that can never be fully dispelled. In the end, this cycle… will repeat forever.”
“Hmm.” Gongsun Dankyung let out a low groan.
Her family had been slaughtered by the Infinite Realm and the children she had shared joy and hardship with had been cruelly murdered by the Jungson Clan.
From the day she entered the Gongsun Family with Chu So’s help and finally learned the true power of the Infinite Realm and Jungson Clan, she had trusted only herself, planned everything alone, and manipulated every situation.
She had never once trusted another person.
No—she could not trust another person.
They were everywhere.
Having suffered devastating setbacks several times from trusting others too hastily, if Bu Eunseol now demanded trust, she could never give it.
“You’re right. I do not trust people. And I cannot suddenly start trusting Captain Seon either.”
Gongsun Dankyung admitted it readily.
Then she offered the most honest solution she could think of.
“But from now on, at least in your presence, I will not speak or act as though I suspect you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said. I will never again display such words or attitude in front of Captain Seon—unless clear evidence of betrayal emerges.”
She looked at him with sincere eyes and repeated,
“For now, isn’t this enough?”
In other words: I may still suspect you, but I will never voice those thoughts or show them on my face.
“Even if I harbor doubts, they will only circle inside my heart.”
It was a somewhat absurd proposal.
Yet her eyes were utterly serious. That was how desperately and genuinely she wished to be on the same boat as Bu Eunseol.
“…Very well.”
Bu Eunseol had no choice but to nod.
He could feel the sincerity in Gongsun Dankyung’s heart.
“I’m relieved.” She truly exhaled in relief.
If she failed to win him over today, everything she had planned until now might collapse.
“Then I suppose I should finish answering your earlier question.”
Since Bu Eunseol had demanded it, she would now speak openly.
“My grudge against the Infinite Realm is personal. It has nothing to do with the Heavenly Emperor’s injury or Elder Martial Venerable.”
“I see.”
From Bu Eunseol’s perspective, it was something he had long suspected. But there is a world of difference between suspicion and hearing it directly from her mouth.
“Then shall we finally have a real conversation?” Gongsun Dankyung took a deep breath. “About what we must do from now on—and what you, Captain Seon, must do to become a Hall Leader.”
At last, they reached the heart of the matter.
Bu Eunseol’s eyes gleamed, and Gongsun Dankyung continued.
“You must have wondered why Elder Martial Venerable does not stay in the Alliance but repeatedly enters closed-door training.”
“Of course. In the current climate, where even the Heavenly Emperor was ambushed, he cannot remain inside the Alliance, can he?” He added, “And there are many in the Alliance who served the Heavenly Emperor for decades. If Elder Martial Venerable stayed and handled affairs openly, his identity would eventually be exposed.”
“Correct.”
Gongsun Dankyung nodded.
“But there is an even graver problem. There may be more cases like Hall Leader Yong Myeong.”
Her gaze deepened.
“Elder Martial Venerable has already discovered that not only within the Alliance, but among the Nine Great Sects and various other factions, certain figures have been replaced by impostors.”
After a brief silence, she continued.
“Elder Martial Venerable even believes that the ambush on the Heavenly Emperor… may have been an attempt to plant another fake.”
Bu Eunseol nodded. “If the Heavenly Emperor fell, the Alliance could be annihilated by the Demonic Path. So instead of killing him, they tried to replace him with someone new.”
“No, it’s not that simple.”
Gongsun Dankyung unexpectedly shook her head.
“Elder Martial Venerable predicts that within the Three Realms there exist beings rivaling the Righteous and Demonic Twin Heavenly Emperors.”
“That’s impossible. If so—”
“Exactly. There is another power capable of opposing the Three Realms.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened.
In the end, what the Martial Venerable was saying was no different from the “tip of the iceberg” analogy Yangseol Rin had once used.
“It is not certain—only one of many possibilities Elder Martial Venerable is considering. It is even possible the ambush was not carried out by the Three Realms at all.”
“If the Heavenly Emperor was wounded yet still lives, why not simply ask him directly?”
“From what he said, the situation does not allow it… It seems he is barely clinging to life.”
“Then only Elder Martial Venerable knows the Heavenly Emperor’s whereabouts.”
“Correct. That is why even I can only accept this through his words.”
Thanks to her answer, Bu Eunseol finally understood why a woman like Gongsun Dankyung trusted only the Martial Venerable’s word and never demanded to see the Heavenly Emperor herself—and why the Lord had told her, who had helped him so greatly in assuming the Leader’s role, that he trusted no one.
If the Heavenly Emperor was truly only barely breathing, even a child could kill him.
The Martial Venerable could not reveal his location to anyone—not even to Gongsun Dankyung.
“The existence of beings rivaling the Righteous and Demonic Twin Heavenly Emperors is merely speculation, yes?”
Bu Eunseol groaned, then asked again.
“No matter how stealthy the ambush, the only ones capable of bringing down the greatest master of the orthodox world are the Demon Emperor, Three Demons or Three Venerables. Shouldn’t we investigate them first?”
“We already did. Elder Martial Venerable confirmed the whereabouts of the Demon Emperor and the Three Demons and Three Venerables at the time; none could be connected to the crime.”
She sighed.
“That is why he is considering the Three Realms—and even the possibility of yet another faction.”
Only then did Bu Eunseol grasp everything.
If it was not the Three Demons and Three Venerables, it might have been the Three Realms—which would mean the Three Realms were far stronger than expected.
And if it was not the Three Realms either, then a power capable of rivaling them truly existed.
From the Martial Venerable’s position, he had no choice but to keep every possibility open.
The victim was none other than the sky of the orthodox path, the unrivaled divine warrior of the righteous factions—the Heavenly Emperor.
“Have all your questions been answered?”
At Gongsun Dankyung’s words, Bu Eunseol lowered his head.
“Yes. Thank you for answering so honestly.”
“Then let us return to the main topic. In any case, Elder Martial Venerable is currently roaming the martial world, hunting the fakes who pretend to be the real ones.”
“You believe they are connected to the Heavenly Emperor’s ambush.”
“Correct. After investigating inside the Alliance for years with no results, he turned his eyes outward.”
She continued calmly.
“However, there are many situations where it is inappropriate for Elder Martial Venerable to act personally, so he is facing difficulties.”
Bu Eunseol gave a slight nod.
No matter how miraculous the Martial Venerable’s martial arts, if a warrior of his level roamed the entire martial world taking lives, his movements and methods would inevitably be exposed.
The man currently bearing the vital role of Martial Alliance Leader could never risk such danger.
“Then—”
“Exactly.”
Gongsun Dankyung spoke serenely.
“From now on, Captain Seon will handle those tasks. And if you faithfully carry them out, you will naturally rise to Hall Leader.”
Understanding her meaning, Bu Eunseol drew a deep breath.
Just as Gongsun Dankyung had done, if he guarded the Martial Venerable’s secret and obeyed his orders, he would naturally ascend to the position of Hall Leader.
Swish.
She took out a thin booklet and handed it to him.
“Let us begin with the Mount Hua Sect.”
“The Mount Hua Sect?”
Bu Eunseol opened the booklet with slight surprise.
Inside were detailed records about Mount Hua Elder Chae Ju-heung.
“You’re saying a Mount Hua elder is fake?”
“We have not found definitive proof.”
“So investigation is required.”
“Correct.”
Bu Eunseol once again carefully examined the booklet’s contents.
It stated that Mount Hua Elder Chae Ju-heung had secretly built a hidden manor where he indulged in private pleasures. However, the location of that manor remained unknown and they had not even discovered where it was built.
“We sent excellent covert agents repeatedly, but none returned.” Gongsun Dankyung continued explaining. “All that remains is the final message left by the last agent.”
When Bu Eunseol turned the page, he found a hastily scribbled note from a Martial Alliance agent pinned there.
—The martial arts he uses are extremely peculiar… The sword he wields surpasses even the abilities of the Divine Treasure Blade.
‘Black Divine Artifact?’
Reading the note, Bu Eunseol felt an odd premonition.
A weapon that surpassed the Divine Treasure Blade—it could only be the Black Divine Artifact.
“It’s incomprehensible.”
“Indeed. What is even stranger is how he has hidden his base and traces of evil deeds for so long.”
Gongsun Dankyung frowned.
“We still do not know the location, nor the cycle of his visits.”
Bu Eunseol stroked his chin.
In the end, nothing concrete had been uncovered.
“Then I suppose we must place that Mount Hua elder under close surveillance.”
“No need.” Gongsun Dankyung handed him another thin booklet. “Thanks to the sacrifices of the female agents who infiltrated before, we already know how to get inside.”
“Female… agents?”
Bu Eunseol looked at the booklet.
His eyes widened.
The “private pleasure” that Mount Hua Elder Chae Ju-heung enjoyed in his secret manor was none other than the pleasures of the flesh—women.
***
Shaanxi Province, Fengshan Prefecture, Ban-Gye Temple.
This temple was famous for the miraculous energy of Buddha flowing through it and it was even was said that any wish offered here would be granted.
Because of that rumor, countless pilgrims formed long lines every day.
Rustle, rustle.
Just past noon, inside Ban-Gye Temple, a woman with her hair tied high was burning incense together with her maid.
She entered the main hall and removed her veil.
For a moment, the entire hall seemed to brighten.
Her eyes shone with a brilliant, mysterious light, like shattered jewels.
Her skin was deathly pale, her lips tinged red—she resembled a single crimson rose blooming on a snowy field.
The only unusual feature was the large scar faintly visible at her throat, dyed violet, which appeared to be an old wound from a severe injury.
Mumble, mumble.
She lowered her head before the Buddha statue, her expression solemn and devout as she earnestly made her wish.
Swish, swish.
Having finished her prayers, the woman beckoned to her maid.
“Shall we go now, my lady?”
The woman gave a small nod.
It seemed the injury to her throat had damaged her vocal cords; she could not speak.
Rustle, rustle.
The two left the hall, briefly walked the temple grounds, then soon departed Ban-Gye Temple.
Hooh.
A middle-aged man who had been watching the woman’s profile as she passed through the gate nodded.
‘Excellent.’
The man, Du Il-chung, had been observing her ever since she entered the main hall.
His task was to scout beautiful women among the temple’s pilgrims and secretly abduct those who suited the taste.
Having made up his mind, Du Il-chung quietly ordered the subordinate standing behind him.
“Follow her discreetly. First find out where she lives and carefully investigate her background.”
“Yes, sir.”
The subordinate silently began tailing the woman.
Whether she knew or not, the woman walked side by side with her maid along the mountain path.
Yet the moment she sensed the presence stealthily following her, a faint smile touched her lips.
‘Got him.’
The beauty was none other than Bu Eunseol in disguise.
According to the information Gongsun Dankyung had provided, a scouting group called Chaehongsa—tasked with finding women to Elder Chae Ju-heung’s exact taste—was permanently stationed at this very Ban-Gye Temple.
—He prefers slender, delicate auras. Skin pale as snow, nose high and refined, eyes large yet gentle.
From the agents’ investigations, Elder Chae Ju-heung’s preferred type of woman was remarkably specific.
Yet every outstanding agent sent until now had vanished without a trace.
Thus Bu Eunseol had no choice but to disguise himself as a woman and infiltrate the hidden manor the Mount Hua elder had built.
‘I had to hide my voice no matter what.’
He had perfectly mastered the Art of Deceptive Enlightenment and could mimic anyone from a child to an old woman, including women of every age.
But mimicry is only mimicry.
If someone listened for too long, the oddity would eventually be noticed.
That was why Bu Eunseol had chosen a mute woman whose vocal cords had been injured—and had completely swapped identities with her to perform the perfect act.
That night.
Du Il-chung received a densely written report from his subordinate and nodded with a beaming face.
“Perfect.”
The woman’s name was Yu Seol.
She was the only daughter of a merchant in Fujian.
While fleeing bandits, she had been slashed across the throat and lost her voice.
Yet hoping for the miracle of recovering it, she had come to Ban-Gye Temple to pray.
‘No loose ends—excellent.’
Her father, who ran a fabric shop, had no connections whatsoever to the martial world and was quite old.
Even if she were abducted, no trouble would follow.
‘I haven’t been able to touch any truly high-quality women lately.’
Most peerless beauties came from wealthy families and even a minor local notable would have ties to martial artists and connections in the government.
A beauty from such a house could never be taken, no matter how exquisite.
‘This one can be sent immediately.’
If he delayed and she returned to Fujian, it would only cause headaches.
The day to present women was fast approaching so it had to begin tonight at the latest.
“There’s no time. Carry it out tonight—immediately.”
At Du Il-chung’s command, the waiting subordinates bowed deeply, hands clasped.
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