Song Ok was greatly startled.
The power emanating from this Black Divine Artifact could barely be affected by martial arts strength.
Yet here was a young man—not Cheong Sung or Yeong Cheongja—who had shattered this space and forced his way in?
Thud.
Bu Eunseol approached Song Ok and raised the corner of his mouth.
“What an impressive Black Divine Artifact. Where on earth did you get that?”
In an instant, Song Ok’s eyes narrowed.
“Where did you hear those words?”
“You don’t need to know.”
Bu Eunseol glared at Song Ok with sharp eyes. “Reveal your affiliation and identity.”
“Hmph. Do you really think you’ve subdued me just because you entered this place?” Song Ok extended his finger.
The transparent ring on his thumb had already multiplied into two on his index finger.
Kwaaang!
At the same time, an invisible, colossal force poured toward Bu Eunseol.
It was a power comparable to the internal explosive energy unleashed by the Bullet King.
Slash!
But Song Ok soon opened his mouth in disbelief.
A seemingly insignificant black iron sword had cleaved the invisible colossal force in two with a single stroke?
“How…?”
“Hmm.” Bu Eunseol glanced around the divided space and spoke. “There’s nowhere to run anyway, so give up.”
Song Ok bit his lip.
Only now did he realize that Bu Eunseol was a master of martial arts far beyond what he could hope to challenge.
“What is your purpose in coming to Wudang?”
“Do you think I’d tell you?”
“Yeah, I figured as much.”
He hadn’t expected anything from the start.
Anyone who could wield a Black Divine Artifact was no mere small fry.
In the end, he would have to subdue him—or kill him.
Whoooosh.
At that moment, mystical patterns began to swirl with golden and crimson light around the sheath of the Silent Tiger Soul Sword.
He had poured the full power of the Crystal Divine Energy into it to shatter Song Ok’s ring.
“That is…”
In that instant, Song Ok’s eyes widened in shock.
The pattern engraved on the sword carried by this young wanderer.
It was none other than the legendary pattern said to have been created by the most mysterious and powerful figure in the world!
“Die!”
Terrified, Song Ok thrust out his finger.
Light began to radiate from all ten of his fingers.
He was unleashing the full power of the Flawless Ten-Finger Ring.
“Ughhh.”
As the Flawless Ring activated, purple veins bulged violently across the fake Song Ok’s face.
Unfortunately, he had not fully drained the essence of Wudang’s elders, so he could not awaken the Flawless Ten-Finger Ring’s power completely.
“Fine.”
With no choice, he sacrificed his own essence to forcibly activate it.
“Aaahhh!”
With a scream, ten circular lights began to envelop the entire world.
‘So this is its power.’ Bu Eunseol widened his eyes at the ten rings that blanketed the world.
Ziiing!
Five-colored radiance flowed naturally from Bu Eunseol’s body, forming a circular protective qi barrier.
As an overwhelmingly powerful force—impossible to block with mere martial arts—pressed down on him, all the energy swirling within his body aligned perfectly.
Harmony manifested on its own.
Ziiiiing!
The ten rings instantly enveloped Bu Eunseol’s body.
Each ring felt as heavy as the weight of the entire world, suffocatingly crushing his entire being.
‘Impressive.’
Crack crack.
As the protective qi of harmony finally began to fracture, Song Ok—now covered in purple veins—burst into a bright laugh.
“The power of the Flawless Ten-Finger Ring cannot be stopped by anyone!”
Uuuung!
At that moment, brilliant light flashed from the sheath of Bu Eunseol’s Silent Tiger Soul Sword.
It was as though the sword was ready to shatter the Black Divine Artifact.
“How am I supposed to unleash it under this pressure?”
Before Bu Eunseol’s low mutter finished,
Thud.
A strange sound echoed near the sheath, and suddenly his body felt light.
One of the engraved patterns had shattered—but Bu Eunseol didn’t yet know.
Swoosh!
Freed from the pressure, Bu Eunseol immediately unleashed the Meteor Chasing the Moon Technique.
His target was the Flawless Ten-Finger Ring on Song Ok’s thumb.
Ziiiiing.
As the tip of the Silent Tiger Soul Sword touched the Flawless Ten-Finger Ring, five-colored radiance spread in all directions.
—Kiiii!
A grotesque sound like a witch’s scream erupted from the transparent ring,
Crack crack.
The Flawless Ten-Finger Ring on Song Ok’s finger became covered in cracks,
Paaah!
It shattered into thousands of light fragments that scattered everywhere.
Kuuung.
As the Flawless Ten-Finger Ring was destroyed, the black mist enveloping heaven and earth slowly dissipated.
“Ugh…”
With a groan, Song Ok collapsed to the ground.
The black space gradually vanished, and the sky filled with sunlight reappeared.
“This place…”
He had thought the Black Divine Artifact had transported them to some extraordinary realm. Yet the spot where Bu Eunseol and Song Ok stood was merely at the foot of Wudang Mountain.
“You…”
Song Ok, blood trickling from his mouth as he lay fallen, looked up at Bu Eunseol with a trembling voice.
“Is she… still alive?”
“She?”
“Don’t play dumb.”
The fake Song Ok’s gaze fixed on the mysterious pattern engraved on the sword sheath at Bu Eunseol’s waist.
“I see. So you’re another one who crawled out of Jijung Mountain.”
The young Song Ok’s skin turned sallow and wrinkled, revealing the face of an old man who looked decades older.
“Is she… still alive…?”
After uttering those strange words, the fake Song Ok
Snap.
Twisted his own neck and collapsed to the ground.
He died instantly.
“Jijung Mountain…”
Bu Eunseol urgently shook the old man who had once been Song Ok.
“What Jijung Mountain are you talking about? Who is this ‘she’…”
But the fake Song Ok had already died, his entire essence drained like a withered old tree.
‘Jijung Mountain.’
Wasn’t that the place A-Yeon had mentioned when speaking of the bizarre faction—or group—called Inbiin?
Rustle.
At that moment, dozens of figures descended from the mid-slope of the mountain.
They were Cheong Sung, Bukgung Ryeong, and members of Wudang.
“He’s been caught.”
Cheong Sung nodded as he saw the half-melted face of Song Ok overlaid with an old man’s visage.
“The ring he was wearing?” Sharp glints poured from Cheong Sung’s tiger-like eyes. “Where is that Black Divine Artifact?”
Surprisingly, Cheong Sung already knew that what the fake Song Ok had worn was a Black Divine Artifact.
“It’s destroyed.”
Regaining his composure, Bu Eunseol pointed to the fragments of the Flawless Ten-Finger Ring scattered around.
“How?”
As Cheong Sung asked in surprise, Bu Eunseol replied calmly. “It seems it wasn’t in perfect condition. It poured out those tremendous rings until it finally exploded and self-destructed.”
“Hmm.”
Yeong Hyeon, who had been closely examining Song Ok’s corpse, nodded to Cheong Sung.
He had clearly confirmed through the wounds that Bu Eunseol’s words had holes in them.
‘Wudang knew everything.’
A chill ran down one side of Bu Eunseol’s chest.
Wudang had already known all about the Black Divine Artifact.
Then why summon Bukgung Ryeong? They had more than enough power to counter the Black Divine Artifact and its wielder.
‘Indeed, Elder Bullet King's internal explosive energy could resist the Flawless Ten-Finger Ring’s power.’
Perhaps Wudang’s elders had suspected that the essence-draining artifact was a Black Divine Artifact.
They might have summoned Bukgung Ryeong precisely to counter it.
‘Wudang is Wudang, after all.’
On the surface, it appeared endlessly peaceful, but its potential surpassed even Shaolin.
Perhaps on the level of the Three Realms, or equivalent, deep forces plotting to overturn the martial world were cultivating forces capable of doing so.
They might have deliberately sent someone with a Black Divine Artifact, knowing Wudang’s hidden strength.
“You’ve worked hard.”
Cheong Sung looked at Bu Eunseol, nodded, and slowly turned away.
Then Yeong Cheongja approached Bu Eunseol and Bukgung Ryeong and bowed.
“You’ve worked hard.”
With a faint smile, Yeong Cheongja looked at Bukgung Ryeong.
“Lord Bukgung, you truly are Wudang’s friend and the guardian of the martial world.”
Bukgung Ryeong’s expression stiffened slightly.
Only now did he realize that all of this was not coincidence but a meticulously planned test.
“Was this old man so untrustworthy?” His eyes were filled with anger. “Or did you see me as a worthless fool who could be dragged into Wudang’s affairs without a second thought?”
“How could that be?” Yeong Cheongja looked greatly surprised and took Bukgung Ryeong’s hand. “Lord Bukgung, please calm your anger. I will explain everything in detail.”
Wudang Mountain, within Jinmu Hall’s guest chamber.
Yeong Cheongja brought Bukgung Ryeong and Bu Eunseol together to drink tea.
Originally, the two should have spoken privately but Bukgung Ryeong had insisted on bringing Bu Eunseol.
Yeong Cheongja reluctantly allowed it and began to explain.
“…And that is how it began.”
As the conversation continued, Bukgung Ryeong’s face grew increasingly rigid.
It turned out that Wudang had been in close contact with the Martial Alliance Leader.
They had already known that indistinguishable spies were embedded in every sect of the martial world.
They had even known that this bizarre incident had been caused by the Black Divine Artifact.
“If you knew all that, why bother summoning this old man separately?” Bukgung Ryeong suppressed his boiling anger and spoke. “A fool who wandered the martial world alone for decades… and I didn’t even know such a thing as the Black Divine Artifact existed.”
“What are you saying? That didn’t matter.”
“I don’t understand. If you knew everything, why not resolve it quickly? Why drag me into this and waste time?”
Yeong Cheongja looked somewhat apologetic.
“There is an underlying reason for this matter.”
“What underlying reason?”
“Not only I, but everyone in our sect could maintain a deep friendship with you precisely because you never chased fame or glory—you were always detached and pure.” Yeong Cheongja spoke calmly. “But then you suddenly joined the Martial Alliance. You engraved your name on the Hero’s Monument and rose to the position of Lord Bukgung.”
Bukgung Ryeong understood Yeong Cheongja’s words and let out a hollow laugh.
“You thought I was a fake?”
Yeong Cheongja nodded with an honest expression. “The Bukgung Ryeong I know would never enter the Martial Alliance, even if offered the position of Alliance Leader.”
Bukgung Ryeong closed his mouth, unable to argue.
Yeong Cheongja was right.
If he had never met Bu Eunseol—if the concepts of righteousness and evil hadn’t flown out of his heart?
Bukgung Ryeong would never have joined the Martial Alliance.
Even joining had been at Bu Eunseol’s urging.
He could no longer survive as a lone wolf in the martial world.
Without building a faction and operating an intelligence network, he couldn’t survive the Three Realms.
If he wasn’t going to take a position in Majeon, then—as Bu Eunseol advised—the only place left was the Martial Alliance.
But Wudang, unaware of the drastic change in his mindset caused by Bu Eunseol, naturally found him suspicious.
“So.” Bukgung Ryeong wore an utterly displeased expression. “You tested me?”
“It’s not quite a test. We’ve been good friends for many years, haven’t we?” Yeong Cheongja said with an awkward look. “If you had been a fake, your safety could have been compromised. We had to confirm it.”
Bukgung Ryeong sighed.
In the end, having Song Ak handle this matter was partly to resolve Wudang’s issue, but also to verify whether he was the real Bukgung Ryeong.
“If you truly worried for me, if you wanted to confirm I was real, there were many other ways.” Bukgung Ryeong stood up and spoke coldly. “If you considered me a true friend, you shouldn’t have confirmed it in this manner.”
He turned sharply and left Jinmu Hall.
“…”
A frigid silence filled the guest chamber.
Yeong Cheongja, sitting with a dazed expression, looked at Bu Eunseol with an awkward face.
“I have nothing to say.” He spoke toward Bu Eunseol. “He’s had a strong sense of pride since his youth. I forgot that and proceeded this way.”
“It’s not pride—it was loneliness.”
“Hmm? Loneliness?”
As Yeong Cheongja blinked, Bu Eunseol explained calmly.
“Master has always stood alone in the martial world, never giving anyone the slightest foothold to criticize, living with lofty dignity.”
“…”
“But the friend he trusted—the Sect Leader—carried out such a plan… It must feel like his entire life has been denied.”
“But it was done out of concern for Lord Bukgung, not suspicion.”
“Didn’t Master say it himself? If that was the only reason, there were many other methods.”
Yeong Cheongja let out an “Ah.”
Though he had carried out this plan with the intention of protecting Bukgung Ryeong, he had failed to truly understand his heart.
In the end, what Wudang had shown was a plan filled with obstinacy and self-righteousness.
“You’re right.” Yeong Cheongja bowed his head and sighed. “I truly have no face left for him. I’ve made a grave mistake.”
“It’s fine.”
“Hmm?”
“He’ll forget it soon.” Bu Eunseol smiled. “His temperament is hasty and eccentric, but precisely because of that, he forgets bad things quickly and assesses situations coldly.”
In truth, he hadn’t known Bukgung Ryeong for long.
Yet like childhood friends who had spent years together… they understood each other deeply.
If not for that,
The two could never have become true friends who saw through each other’s hearts, transcending righteousness and hierarchy—friends who shared liver and gall.
“I wondered why he, who swore never to raise disciples, suddenly accepted one so dramatically.” Yeong Cheongja smiled faintly. “He must have met a disciple who truly understands his heart, like a friend.”
Bu Eunseol smiled.
Though he hadn’t fully grasped the depth this time, Yeong Cheongja was also a good friend to Bukgung Ryeong.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
As Bu Eunseol turned to go, Yeong Cheongja spoke.
“By any chance, did you already know about the Black Divine Artifact?”
A rather abrupt question.
Bu Eunseol tilted his head after a moment’s thought.
“What do you mean?”
“I know. This incident was essentially resolved by you alone.”
Though he appeared pure and benevolent, Yeong Cheongja was the head of Wudang, equal to Shaolin.
He had already seen through Bu Eunseol’s scheme, and figured out that he was the one had truly resolved the matter, and that he was a man who concealed excellence within ordinariness.
“I just happened to stumble upon the key to the solution by chance.”
“Hahaha. No need for humility. Lord Bukgung knows much but lacks sharp observation.”
Yeong Cheongja narrowed his eyes.
“He probably brought you here knowing he couldn’t resolve it himself.”
When Bu Eunseol fell silent, Yeong Cheongja nodded kindly.
“So, which sect’s young hero are you?”
“What do you mean?”
“From the Sword-Body Unity that shattered Song Ok’s barrier, you’ve reached the realm of True Emptiness, Wondrous Existence—the pinnacle of the highest.”
Yeong Cheongja continued calmly.
“No matter how exceptional your talent, at your age, you can’t yet stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Bullet King, your master.”
‘Indeed, Wudang is Wudang.’
Bu Eunseol had merely unleashed one Sword-Body Unity in a moment of crisis.
But Yeong Cheongja, from his movements and techniques alone, had instantly discerned the level of martial realm he had reached.
“In truth, I…”
With no choice, Bu Eunseol tried to deflect with a lie.
“If it’s difficult, there’s no need to explain.” Yeong Cheongja waved his hand and smiled. “Isn’t he the one you trust?”
Yeong Cheongja spoke calmly.
“If he trusts you, then I can trust you as well.”
Yeong Cheongja knew.
Bu Eunseol and Bukgung Ryeong had opened their hearts completely to each other.
Otherwise, even he—who had known him for decades—wouldn’t have fully grasped Bukgung Ryeong’s true nature.
A soft smile appeared on Bu Eunseol’s lips as well.
As long as a man like Yeong Cheongja led Wudang, the sect could overcome any crisis.
“Sect Leader, there is one thing I’m curious about.”
Recalling that Wudang was in close contact with the Martial Alliance Leader, the Martial Venerable, Bu Eunseol cautiously spoke.
“If the Martial Alliance knows about the moles, why aren’t they handling it on a large scale?”
“Our sect will thoroughly reinforce our internal structure to prevent external spies from infiltrating again.”
Yeong Cheongja gave a somewhat unexpected answer.
“So for the time being, we must halt all sect affairs and reorganize the system. That will take considerable time.”
But Bu Eunseol found the answer in those words.
There must be countless spies within the Martial Alliance as well.
But if they publicly announced this and launched a massive hunt for agents, they would have to completely halt the Alliance’s operations.
Even for a sect of Wudang’s size, it would take a long time.
For the Martial Alliance, which was ten or twenty times larger, the time and cost would be enormous.
Moreover, publicly carrying out such an action would cause great chaos in the martial world.
What the Martial Alliance could do was maintain secret contact with the major sects to track the Black Divine Artifact or eliminate those whose identities had been replaced.
Only then could they reorganize and normalize the Alliance internally.
“Has that answered your question?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Bu Eunseol wore a faint smile.
Wudang acknowledged its mistakes and weaknesses and was constantly evolving.
Therefore… Wudang would only grow stronger in the future.
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