At the Exile Evil Conference, convened to decisively drive out the foreign forces, a stunning announcement was made regarding the outcome of the meeting.
—The Martial Soul Society has been born.
The mercenary market in Shaanxi, Red Sky Veil, had transformed into a united alliance between the righteous and demonic factions, now known as the Martial Soul Society.
Both the Martial Alliance and the Black Path had officially recognized them.
—The Martial Soul Command Lord has pulled off another feat.
The Red Sky Veil was a place subordinate to Majeon, and the foreign forces stationed there had also been invited by Bu Eunseol.
Since a new alliance had been formed there, the martial world naturally assumed that the society leader was Bu Eunseol.
—Yet the leader was Dae Guhwi from the Wild Beast Palace, while the Lord of the Northern Sea Ice Palace has instead entered under his command.
Astonishingly, the Martial Soul Society declared that all the foreign forces who had come to the Central Plains at Bu Eunseol’s invitation had abandoned their original identities.
They proclaimed it a new alliance created to protect the martial world and Martial Soul Command Lord Bu Eunseol officially stated that he had no connection whatsoever to the Martial Soul Society.
The name “Martial Soul Society,” he clarified, simply meant “a gathering of martial artists who revere martial arts.”
—This society shall now be formally established.
In the end, the Martial Soul Society based in Red Sky Veil held its founding ceremony.
Dae Guhwi, the youngest son of Wild Beast Palace Lord Dae Gon, became the society leader and Do Cheonlin, who had left the Blood Flame Blade Clan to live as a mercenary, became the Mercenary Corps Leader.
Dam Yuyeon, the former head of the Crystal Hall in Red Sky Veil, took the role of Chief Strategist. And Bing Hanpung, once Lord of the Northern Sea Ice Palace, assumed leadership of the Glacial Corps.
The fact that Red Sky Veil, once part of Majeon, had suddenly become an alliance of righteous and demonic factions led by foreign powers was simply too shocking.
—It must be a joke.
The martial artists refused to believe it.
No—they could not believe it.
The very term “Martial Soul” had come to signify Bu Eunseol himself.
How could a Martial Soul Society be born without Bu Eunseol?
When the joint petition detailing the decisions made at the Exile Evil Conference was made public, the martial world was stunned.
Every rumor that had circulated until now had been true.
—According to the petition, the Martial Soul Society’s role was limited to passing information about the murderous demons known as “Ghost Children” active in the Central Plains to the Martial Alliance and the Black Path.
They had promised never to engage in martial activities unless aid was requested.
The martial artists felt such absurdity that laughter nearly burst forth.
After painstakingly building foreign forces, they were reduced to merely relaying information without proper martial involvement?
And the Martial Soul Society had agreed to such a petition?
Who on earth would believe this outrageous truth?
—This society has recently identified the murderous demons known as Ghost Children—young boys who threaten the martial world—and formed a pursuit unit. However, due to fierce opposition from the Martial Alliance and the Black Path factions, we have decided to provide information only.
When the Martial Soul Society officially announced this, the martial artists stood with mouths agape.
In the end, the Martial Soul Society admitted it was unrelated to the Martial Soul Command Lord and had been reduced to a mere intelligence organization relaying news of the Ghost Children.
—So the Martial Soul Society is not a failed attempt by the Martial Soul Command Lord to seize another purse… but truly an alliance formed to protect the Central Plains martial world.
Though puzzled, the martial artists had no choice but to accept it.
A force combining two foreign vanguards with Red Sky Veil—capable of growing considerably large—had willingly accepted demotion to a simple intelligence organization for detecting Ghost Children.
They had even agreed to the absurd condition of undertaking no activity until the Martial Alliance or Black Path sects requested help.
—The murder demons have begun moving again.
After the founding of the Martial Soul Society, the martial world once more plunged into chaos.
The Ghost Children—murderous demons who slaughtered commoners and vagrants—had reappeared.
As promised, the Martial Alliance and Black Path factions mobilized to deal with them.
But soon a shocking result emerged.
The second-grade corps dispatched by the Martial Alliance and the experts sent by the Black Path factions were instead massacred.
—As the Martial Soul Society boldly claimed, they were no ordinary murder demons!
People had assumed they were the usual slaughter stars common in the martial world but in truth, they possessed terrifying strength comparable to peak experts.
—To track and eliminate them, more elite forces must be deployed!
They were strong, cunning, skilled at evading pursuit, and adept at hiding.
Sending a small unit of twenty or thirty would only result in annihilation.
To deal with the Ghost Children, at least five or six corps were needed.
In the end, the Martial Alliance and Black Path coalition reluctantly formed large-scale pursuit forces to hunt them down.
—We thought they had exaggerated the demons’ strength to deliberately entrench foreign forces in the Central Plains martial world!
Yet when they actually tracked and captured the Ghost Children, the demons truly possessed monstrous power that required full pursuit-unit deployment.
—Damn it all!
Only then did the Martial Alliance and Black Path coalition realize they had been deceived by the Martial Soul Society—no, by Bu Eunseol.
They had desperately restricted the foreign forces’ martial activities, fearing their entrenchment in the Central Plains.
Bu Eunseol had exploited the martial world’s rejection and fear of foreign invasion, and without lifting a finger himself, he had maneuvered them into issuing orders to eliminate the murderous demons harming the martial world.
—How long must we keep chasing these cockroach-like murder demons that keep springing up?
Exhausted by the enormous operational costs, the Black Path factions finally began to falter.
The Martial Alliance might endure, but the Black Path was a group that risked lives for profit.
To spend vast sums and sacrifice subordinates’ lives dealing with murderous demons that slaughtered unrelated commoners and vagrants?
—Is it difficult?
As soon as such grumbling surfaced, the Martial Soul Society responded immediately, as if waiting.
—If you cannot continue, please say so. We stand ready to assist at any time.
At those words, the Black Path could only swallow their complaints in silence.
Breaking the terms carved into the joint petition would invite attack from both sides or demand enormous compensation but if they borrowed the Martial Soul Society’s strength?
They would effectively acknowledge the society’s full activity in the Central Plains…
That was the one thing they had to prevent at all costs.
—How on earth did the Martial Soul Society know these beings would appear?
Until now, no such entities as Ghost Children had existed in the martial world.
Yet somehow the Martial Soul Society had known of their existence and capabilities, preparing countermeasures accordingly.
They had arranged for the righteous and demonic factions to combine forces against them.
Of course, a few high-ranking figures in the martial world who knew the inner workings of the Three Realms were not greatly surprised but the vast majority, ignorant of such matters, could only wonder.
***
Shaanxi, Red Sky Veil—Martial Soul Hall.
Unending laughter erupted from the third-floor grand conference chamber.
“HAHAHAHAHAHA!”
It came from Bing Hanpung, Nae Bihon, Do Cheonlin, and Dae Guhwi, who had just heard news of the Martial Alliance and Black Path coalition.
Thanks to Bu Eunseol’s scheme, the Ghost Children they had long dealt with in the Infinite Realm were now being desperately hunted by the Martial Alliance and Black Path coalition.
Though only a small number of Ghost Children had appeared in the current martial world, in the Infinite Realm they had been powerful enough to require the creation of Human Flowers, artificial inner cores, puppets and Bound Asuras to counter them.
Yet because of the petition created to restrain the Martial Soul Society, whenever the society detected them, the coalition threw their lives into eliminating them as if obeying a sacred command…
From their perspective, it was enough to bring tears of mirth and rage.
“This is only the beginning,”
Bu Eunseol said calmly.
“The Infinite Realm has dealt with them generation after generation. No matter how many were eliminated, they kept appearing endlessly.”
At those words, everyone’s expressions grew solemn.
For hundreds of years, the Infinite Realm had eliminated Ghost Children who killed the weak without reason.
That meant they had tried everything to stop their outbreaks.
Yet failing to do so, they had created Human Flowers and Bound Asuras.
“Do you perhaps regret destroying the Infinite Realm?” Dae Guhwi asked cautiously, noticing the shadow on Bu Eunseol’s face.
“Of course not.” Bu Eunseol shook his head. “What the Infinite Realm did was no different from the Ghost Children. Claiming to protect the majority, they repeatedly harmed the innocent in the end.”
He gazed out the window.
“Perhaps their true purpose was something else entirely.”
“True purpose?”
“For example… not to defeat the Ghost Children, but to obtain bodies like theirs. Or perhaps they desired power like the Inbiin.”
They had created Human Flowers and artificial inner cores, birthing powerful puppets called Bound Asuras and had even tried to artificially create the Four Divine Energies.
In the end, their goal was power.
Perhaps the Infinite Realm had wanted to create beings like the Ghost Children.
“Maybe it wasn’t like that at first,” Nae Bihon said. “Perhaps they began with pure intent to protect the martial world, only to become corrupted later. That is usually how sects fall.”
Bu Eunseol nodded.
“That could be. Everyone in the Infinite Realm prided themselves on doing good.”
“What will you do with the captured Ghost Children?” Dae Guhwi asked.
Bu Eunseol sighed.
“I have already prepared facilities in the main sect and the Heaven and Earth Severing Sect where they can be treated.”
After a deep breath, he continued.
“First, we must determine whether it is simple brainwashing or the result of some great method or training process.”
If even the Infinite Realm had given up on them, restoring them to normal boys would be nearly impossible.
Yet Bu Eunseol had no intention of abandoning them.
“Then what should this society do now?” Do Cheonlin asked.
Bu Eunseol answered, “If the Supreme Emperor’s words are true, the Ghost Children outbreaks will continue for some time. The Martial Alliance may endure, but the Black Path will eventually have no choice but to request aid.”
Looking toward the distant sky, Bu Eunseol continued, “In preparation for that moment, we must train to demonstrate the true worth of the Martial Soul Society. And when extermination operations begin, we must maintain strict military discipline to avoid troubling the common people.”
Everyone nodded at Bu Eunseol’s words.
Soon the Ghost Children would erupt across the martial world.
Even if the Martial Alliance held out, the Black Path would eventually raise the white flag.
They needed to train in preparation, steadily building toward the day the Martial Soul Society could officially operate in the martial world.
***
Dam Yuyeon’s contribution was immense in transforming Red Sky Veil into the Martial Soul Society.
She oversaw all internal construction, maintained the existing mercenary market system, reorganized the elite vanguards of the Northern Sea Ice Palace and Wild Beast Palace into regular forces, and remolded the Mercenary Corps as a direct subordinate unit.
‘You’ve worked hard.’
Do Cheonlin had constantly assisted her.
His body, tempered by martial arts, was unaffected, but Dam Yuyeon possessed neither high martial skill nor great stamina.
Directing the transformation of Red Sky Veil into the Martial Soul Society must have been exhausting work.
Even after the society’s founding began, she continued handling endless duties.
Until the experts of the Death Shadow Corps joined, or until various sects were absorbed and new administrators recruited, there was no one to replace her.
‘Maybe I should do something to make her happy.’
After much thought, Do Cheonlin visited the Gyeongseong Bokseo Family in the capital and bought silk clothes suited to her.
Though Dam Yuyeon managed vast sums of money, she herself lived frugally.
She owned only one formal outfit for official occasions and possessed none of the common luxuries women usually enjoyed.
‘A norigae would be nice too.’
Since he was already out, Do Cheonlin visited several shops and purchased a few ornamental pendants that would suit her.
‘Who would have thought I’d change like this.’
From childhood, a great ambition had burned in Do Cheonlin’s heart.
He had vowed one day to stand at the pinnacle of the Demonic martial world, but facing the wall named Bu Eunseol, he realized it was an unattainable dream.
Yet there was no pain or suffering.
Thanks to his bond with Bu Eunseol, he lived a life happier than achieving that ambition.
He had met the woman he loved—Dam Yuyeon.
And rewriting the history of the martial world was just as thrilling as his childhood ambition.
Accomplishing great deeds step by step alongside Bu Eunseol was as difficult and arduous as standing supreme in the demonic world.
Click-clack, click-clack.
A smile played on Do Cheonlin’s lips as he rode the carriage home.
He pictured Dam Yuyeon’s beautiful face welcoming him upon returning to Red Sky Veil.
‘Is this what happiness feels like?’
Even sitting still, a smile came naturally.
There were many beautiful women in the world but none were so lovable, and none had seized his heart like her.
Stoic yet easily embarrassed.
Capable of commanding tens of thousands with courage and resolve, yet showing a shy smile before her lover.
‘Bu Eunseol… I hope you feel this happiness too.’
Suddenly, he pitied Bu Eunseol, who wore out his shoes traveling between righteous and demonic worlds while gauging the martial situation.
‘It would be good if he threw it all away and started a family.’
Do Cheonlin chuckled at the thought.
Once everything was accomplished, would that block of wood actually settle down, marry, and raise children?
Woooong.
At that moment, a strange vibration rang out.
The Dreaming Illusory Demon Sword.
Perfectly suppressing its demonic energy through the sheath of the Demonic Sword Master, the Dreaming Illusory Demon Sword suddenly spread demonic aura and cried out.
This happened only in one circumstance.
When its owner was in danger.
KWA-BOOM!
With a sudden explosion, the carriage Do Cheonlin rode shattered.
Someone had unleashed a massive sword energy.
Tap.
But Do Cheonlin had already burst through the carriage roof, somersaulted once in mid-air, and landed gracefully on the ground.
“I’ll have to buy them again.”
The gifts he had painstakingly chosen were ruined along with the carriage.
As Do Cheonlin muttered bitterly,
Whoosh—whoosh.
A whirlwind suddenly blew before his eyes.
Dust and leaves swirled, and in an instant a black-clothed figure wearing a mask appeared before him like a ghost.
Judging by the aura emitted, this was a formidable enemy unlike any Do Cheonlin had faced—one who had forged a unique and bizarre martial art.
“Are you Do Cheonlin?”
The parched voice of the black-clothed figure spoke.
Whoo.
A light breeze passed, scattering the hair that covered his face.
Beneath the mask, a sharp nose ridge and eyes were visible.
From the shape of the eyes, he appeared a couple of years younger than Do Cheonlin.
“The Three Realms… no, the Returning to One Realm.”
“You were expecting us.”
“Of course.”
Do Cheonlin glanced down at the Dreaming Illusory Demon Sword.
This sword was one of the demonic swords the Returning to One Realm had scattered throughout the martial world.
They had used those swords to hatch some conspiracy, but Bu Eunseol had thwarted their plans.
In the end, the Returning to One Realm quietly closed Cold Moon Island and Gang Okji and vanished.
Yet they could not possibly leave the demonic swords behind. It was obvious they would come to retrieve them.
“Hand over the demonic sword and take your own life.”
The black-clothed figure spoke in a hoarse voice.
“Then I will return your corpse intact.”
Arrogant words, yet the voice was calm and almost earnest.
He genuinely seemed to advise Do Cheonlin to commit suicide so his body could remain whole.
“Nonsense.”
“Then there is no choice.”
Without further persuasion, the black-clothed figure instantly drew his sword.
Shiiing.
The sword he wielded had an extremely long blade like a spear, while the hilt was unusually short.
Do Cheonlin’s brow twitched.
Seeing the malformed sword the figure held, he realized the man had mastered a sword art that was the polar opposite of his own Blood Flame Blade Art and Phantom Mirage Blade.
‘They sent a sure killer.’
Dispatching a lone assassin to retrieve the sword meant absolute confidence.
Any careless attack would result in his own head being severed instantly.
“Hmm.”
Do Cheonlin glanced briefly at his chest and let out a low grunt.
Near his heart was a signal flare that could alert the Death Spirit Corps of his danger at any moment.
If he used it and fled, reinforcements would arrive within an hour.
No matter how skilled the black-clothed figure, he could shake him off without issue.
‘No—the Returning to One Realm doesn’t know I’ve undergone metamorphosis.’
Bu Eunseol had written a martial manual for him, and Do Cheonlin had achieved transcendence by studying it.
That information had never reached the Returning to One Realm’s ears.
‘I am no longer the young master of the Blood Flame Blade Clan, nor a figure of the demonic path.’
While staying in Red Sky Veil, he had abandoned both the Blood Flame Blade Art and the Phantom Mirage Blade. He realized that without walking his own path like Bu Eunseol, without creating advanced swordsmanship, he could no longer survive in the martial world.
Thus, rather than avoiding this confrontation, he should risk his life and turn it into an opportunity to elevate his martial arts.
He was now a corps leader responsible for countless mercenaries.
“Let us begin.”
Do Cheonlin stepped forward with confident strides.
From childhood, he had longest trained in the Blood Flame Blade Art and striven to grasp the ultimate principles of blade arts but after mastering the Dreaming Illusory Demon Sword of the Illusory Demon Venerable, he realized his greater talent lay in swordsmanship.
And after meeting Bu Eunseol and beginning metamorphosis, through battle with the Black Flag Society he had found the key to perfectly fusing the Blood Flame Blade Art and Phantom Mirage Blade.
Finally, he had created his own unique swordsmanship.
With that sword art, he could defeat the black-clothed man without difficulty.
“Draw your sword.”
“When the time comes.”
“That arrogance…”
The black-clothed man sighed at Do Cheonlin’s words.
“…will be the death of you.”
The moment the word “you” left his lips, a chilling gleam exploded forth.
Riiip.
In an instant, the cloth near Do Cheonlin’s heart tore, and blood flowed.
An undetectable lightning-fast strike had slashed across his chest.
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