Martial Alliance, Supreme Pavilion. Conference Room.
Even though Bu Eunseol had become the head of the Intelligence Bureau, the Supreme Pavilion located in the northern gate bamboo grove remained unchanged.
What had once been a second-grade intelligence unit had now become something like a superior agency within the Intelligence Bureau.
Inside the conference room, Tae Muryong and all the members sat with grave expressions.
They had convened an emergency meeting the moment they received Majeon’s letter.
Bu Eunseol sat with his lips firmly pressed together, lost in thought.
The Demon Emperor was absolutely not the type of person to offer an apology over something like this nor was he the sort to personally meet with someone like the Martial Alliance’s Intelligence and Secret Affairs Division Lord.
‘In that case.’
Bu Eunseol’s pupils trembled greatly.
‘Is the Demon Emperor suspecting that I am Seon Woojin?’
The reason the Demon Emperor was summoning Seon Woojin might be… precisely to test Seon Woojin’s identity.
If he truly intended to apologize and resolve the matter, he could have arranged an unofficial meeting at any time.
Yet he had deliberately made the request in such an official manner.
It was clearly a move to ensure Bu Eunseol could not possibly refuse the invitation.
“My Lord.”
Tae Muryong, who had been silent until now, spoke.
“You must absolutely not accept that proposal.”
He continued with a serious expression.
“It cannot possibly be with good intentions. In the worst case, they might try to pin everything on you.”
Jeong Jongdo nodded in agreement with Tae Muryong’s words. “Didn’t they say the Demon Emperor can manipulate a person’s spirit without even lifting a finger? We must first find a way to counter that technique.”
“That is impossible.” Bu Eunseol, who had been listening quietly, shook his head. “He has publicly named me… There is no justification for refusal.”
After taking a deep breath, he continued. “The Grand Council has already decided to grant full discretion on this matter and instructed me to meet the Demon Emperor directly and resolve it.”
“But—”
“If I refuse this proposal now, the ongoing standoff between righteous and demonic forces could all be blamed on me.”
No matter how one looked at it, outwardly the Demon Emperor had extended an offer of reconciliation and summoned Seon Woojin.
Moreover, the Martial Alliance had entrusted Seon Woojin with full negotiation authority.
If he refused such a request?
All subsequent blame would fall squarely on Seon Woojin—or rather, on Bu Eunseol.
“It was inevitable anyway.” Bu Eunseol spoke firmly. “The higher one rises in position, the more inevitably one clashes with the leaders on both sides.”
Then he added calmly, “I will go.”
“You intend to go alone? We will accompany you.”
“The Demon Emperor can pierce even the walls of the spirit in an instant. Even I cannot be fully certain.” Bu Eunseol shook his head. “If any of you come along, my true identity will be exposed immediately.”
The members all nodded.
If even Bu Eunseol could not be certain…
Their presence would guarantee everything would be revealed.
“Still, you must not go.” Jeong Jongdo spoke again. “Even if refusing the reconciliation offer makes the entire righteous-demonic standoff your fault, at least your life would be preserved.”
Even if the blame for the confrontation fell entirely on him, he could at least keep his life.
But if his identity were exposed before the Demon Emperor?
His survival could no longer be guaranteed.
“Do not worry. I am not going unprepared.” Bu Eunseol smiled. “I have prepared a secret measure capable of breaking the Demon Emperor’s schemes. You may rest assured on that point.”
“Truly?”
Only then did the hardened expressions of his subordinates soften.
Bu Eunseol’s resourcefulness was truly the greatest under heaven. If he said he had prepared a countermeasure, nine times out of ten it would succeed with certainty.
“Yes.” Bu Eunseol nodded firmly.
There was indeed a countermeasure.
But the probability of success was not particularly high.
Because in the presence of the Demon Emperor, any preparation became meaningless.
And secondly, he could not be certain whether the precious item he possessed would truly serve as an effective countermeasure.
“So there is no need to worry.”
Hiding his true feelings, Bu Eunseol rose from his seat.
“Then I will be off.”
Srrk.
Tae Muryong and all his subordinates stood and bowed deeply in respect.
But Bu Eunseol had already vanished.
***
The Eight Steeds Carriage for long-distance travel—reserved exclusively for the highest leadership and drawn by the Snow Hoof Horse said to be capable of covering thousands of li in a single day—departed from the Martial Alliance.
It had been prepared by the Martial Alliance for Bu Eunseol’s journey to Majeon to negotiate directly with the Demon Emperor.
Clack, clack.
Sitting inside the carriage, Bu Eunseol gazed out the window, lost in endless thought.
‘This is a gamble.’
Stroking the object kept inside his robes, he took a deep breath.
‘Yet I have no choice but to bet on this slim chance.’
Planning lies with man; success lies with heaven.
No matter how meticulously one schemes, in the end, heaven decides whether it succeeds.
No matter how brilliant one’s resourcefulness, the future cannot be perfectly predicted, and events do not always unfold as intended.
Therefore, to accomplish anything truly significant, one must sometimes make a reckless challenge.
Just like now.
Clop clop. Clop clop.
After several days of relentless travel, the carriage finally arrived before Majeon’s gates in Jangsa Province.
Passing unhindered through the wide-open gates, it entered deep into Majeon and came to a stop.
Click.
When the carriage door opened, a somewhat thin man with an ordinary face stepped out.
He wore white martial robes embroidered with two flying phoenixes on the sleeves, a waist belt studded with diamond fragments, and expensive deer-leather boots.
He was none other than the heir of the Sunflower Merchant Guild, who, at a young age, had risen to become one among the Seven Kings and Four Gods, and who, with the Alliance Leader’s trust, had become the Martial Alliance Intelligence and Secret Affairs Division Lord—Seon Woojin.
‘So the day has finally come.’
Bu Eunseol felt a strange sensation.
He had anticipated that someday he would enter Majeon under Seon Woojin’s identity but he had never imagined that the moment he became Intelligence and Secret Affairs Division Lord, he would be facing a private audience with the Demon Emperor.
“Welcome.”
As he stepped down from the carriage, numerous high-ranking members of Majeon stood in formation, and at their forefront was the Chief Instructor, Yeop Hyocheon.
‘Unexpected.’
No matter how high the position of Intelligence and Secret Affairs Division Lord might be, to the high-ranking members of Majeon, Seon Woojin was still an immature fledgling.
Yet astonishingly, Majeon’s second-in-command—Yeop Hyocheon—had come out to greet him personally.
“I am Seon Woojin, head of the Intelligence Bureau.”
When Bu Eunseol greeted first, “I heard you consecutively defeated the Fist King and Palm King before rising to the Seven Kings and Four Gods. Indeed, you possess the aura of a dragon among men.”
Yeop Hyocheon nodded with a benevolent smile.
“I thought the Martial Soul Command Lord, our sect’s successor, was the greatest genius under heaven… But today this Chief Instructor’s perspective has been greatly broadened.”
Though far younger in years, Seon Woojin had come as an official envoy of the Martial Alliance.
Moreover, holding the high office of Intelligence and Secret Affairs Division Lord, the Chief Instructor extended appropriate courtesy.
“How could I possibly compare to the Martial Soul Command Lord?”
“Hahaha. Had he not been absent, it would have been a fine meeting. What a pity.”
There seemed to be a hidden edge in his words.
But Bu Eunseol smiled and replied, “Indeed a pity. I, too, have long wished to meet the Martial Soul Command Lord, who is called Righteous Within Demonic.”
The moniker “Righteous Within Demonic” was among the words most hated by demonic cultivators who revered Bu Eunseol.
Yet Yeop Hyocheon showed no particular reaction and simply nodded.
“You are humble as well.”
With a calm smile, Yeop Hyocheon extended his hand.
“The Lord is waiting.”
He led Bu Eunseol toward the Sacred Demon Hall.
The path to the Sacred Demon Hall was one Bu Eunseol had walked many times before.
Yet he acted as though it were his first visit, glancing around nervously with a tense expression.
In even the smallest gesture, he must never reveal that Bu Eunseol and Seon Woojin were the same person.
“Please enter.”
When Yeop Hyocheon gestured toward the great doors of the Sacred Demon Hall, Bu Eunseol clasped his hands together.
“Thank you.”
As he stepped inside the Sacred Demon Hall, a palace beauty with snow-white skin and cloud-like hair tied up appeared.
It was the Flower of Majeon—Jin Seol.
‘They are definitely suspicious.’
First Yeop Hyocheon, now Jin Seol.
The Demon Emperor was consecutively deploying people capable of seeing through Bu Eunseol’s true nature, seemingly intent on shaking his spirit.
“I am the Flower of Majeon, Jin Seol.”
“Intelligence and Secret Affairs Division Lord Seon Woojin.”
When Bu Eunseol politely clasped his hands, Jin Seol gave a light nod to her attendant.
A cup of tea with a refreshing, mind-clearing fragrance was promptly brought forward—West Lake Wulong Tea.
“Please have some tea first.”
When Jin Seol courteously offered the tea, Bu Eunseol gave a faint smile.
“Wulong is fine, but at this time of year, the Baekgye-gwan from Wuyi Mountain is particularly excellent.”
Glancing briefly at the Wulong, Bu Eunseol sighed.
“Baekgye-gwan in this season has a rich flavor, far-reaching aroma, and a smoothness that coats the tongue like oil.”
“You know your tea quite well.”
“I drink it often, so naturally I know.”
With a calm expression, Jin Seol nodded to her attendant.
The attendant immediately brought a fresh cup—this time the Wuyi Mountain Baekgye-gwan Bu Eunseol had mentioned.
“Did you truly test whether I could recognize tea flavors?”
At Bu Eunseol’s words tinged with displeasure, Jin Seol lowered her gaze.
“Many righteous cultivators blindly regard West Lake Wulong as the finest. Some even consider it rude if Wulong is not served.”
For a moment Bu Eunseol stared blankly, then burst into bright laughter.
“Hahaha.” Still smiling, he continued. “That’s not wrong. In truth, many high-ranking members of our Alliance will not touch anything but Wulong.”
Swallowing his laughter, Bu Eunseol lightly lifted the teacup.
Instead of downing it in one gulp, he sipped slowly—savoring the flavor deeply.
It was the natural manner of the Sunflower Merchant Guild heir, for whom tea was a luxury to be appreciated like fine wine, not guzzled like water.
Jin Seol waited until Bu Eunseol finished drinking, then extended her hand.
“Please follow me. The Demon Emperor is waiting.”
At that moment, Bu Eunseol showed an openly displeased expression.
“So serving the tea really was a test.”
“If the person did not know tea flavors…” Jin Seol spoke politely but firmly. “…they would not even qualify for a private audience and would be sent away.”
The Demon Emperor had clearly instructed Jin Seol to serve tea in order to confirm whether Seon Woojin possessed discerning taste in tea and whether he truly enjoyed it.
“Was it not Majeon who summoned this Division Lord?”
Bu Eunseol spoke with clear dissatisfaction.
“I do not know whether the Demon Emperor is praised as the foremost of the demonic path, but to this Division Lord, he is nothing more—and nothing less—than the Sect Leader of Majeon.”
To call the Demon Emperor—who ruled over a million Demon Cultivators—a mere Sect Leader, and to do so in front of Majeon’s Flower no less.
Yet Jin Seol merely gave a faint smile. Seon Woojin’s anger was perfectly natural.
“That is understandable. I apologize on his behalf for any offense caused.” She continued calmly. “This test was merely following the Demon Emperor’s opinion.”
“What do you mean?”
“If someone unqualified were to have a private audience with the Demon Emperor…their head would burst open immediately.”
Jin Seol’s gaze turned as cold as ice.
“I merely wished to prevent such an occurrence. After all, a rare visitor from the Martial Alliance has come to our sect.”
‘So this is the true face of Majeon’s Flower.’
Jin Seol.
The woman called the Demonic Flower, a representative of the demonic path’s women.
Seen through righteous eyes, she showed an entirely different side from when viewed as the Martial Soul Command Lord.
Gulp.
Swallowing, Bu Eunseol wanted to protest but wore an expression as though he were biting back his words.
That was the appropriate response for Seon Woojin.
“This way.”
At last, Jin Seol guided him to where the Demon Emperor waited.
‘Not the western gate.’
The Demon Emperor had always summoned him to the western gate of the Sacred Demon Hall yet now he was being led to the office at the very top of the pavilion.
“Martial Alliance Intelligence and Secret Affairs Division Lord Seon Woojin has arrived.”
At Jin Seol’s words, the door creaked open on its own.
“Then.”
Jin Seol gave Bu Eunseol a light nod.
Taking a deep breath, Bu Eunseol stepped inside.
Step. Step.
Each time he advanced into the office,
Creak, creak.
Loud noises sounded from beneath the floorboards.
‘Another test.’
Bu Eunseol had already entered this office once before at the Demon Emperor’s command but back then, no such strange sounds had come from the wooden floor.
If in this situation even the slightest abnormality appeared in his gaze or physical reaction?
His true identity could be exposed instantly.
‘So this is how it works.’
As the tests continued one after another, Bu Eunseol came to a realization.
The Demon Emperor did not simply pierce into a person’s mind like a god and see everything at once.
Through such trivial devices and arrangements, he meticulously observed even the most subtle detectable reactions, shattering the walls of the spirit and peering into the depths of the mind.
‘Looking back, it has always been this way.’
Recalling their first meeting, Bu Eunseol had been unable to hide the shock and unfamiliarity in his eyes.
The foremost man of the demonic path—who dominated the world—having such an ordinary appearance had been shocking, and every word he spoke had amplified the chaos in Bu Eunseol’s mind.
In subsequent meetings, he had gritted his teeth and tried to overcome the confusion.
Even after erecting a wall around his spirit, he had constantly worried whether the Demon Emperor might still peer inside his head.
‘Even the Martial Venerable…’
The Martial Venerable had inferred vast amounts of information from a single sentence Bu Eunseol uttered.
Naturally, the Demon Emperor would possess even more advanced techniques or renowned methods.
‘No—the Demon Emperor’s ability is not limited to such things.’
Even if he arranged trivial details for observation, he was the foremost of the demonic path.
A terrifying figure capable of striking the spirit without lifting a finger would not rely solely on petty tricks.
“Hmm.”
Finally standing before the office, an ordinary elderly man in his middle years sat there.
There was nothing particularly remarkable about him; he even appeared somewhat benevolent.
He was none other than the foremost of the demonic path and ruler of all demonic cultivators—Sado Muryeong, the Demon Emperor.
Gulp.
Bu Eunseol swallowed once more.
Part of it was because he had perfectly transformed into the persona of Seon Woojin, but even with the spiritual wall fully erected around his mind, he still lacked complete confidence that he could fully deceive the Demon Emperor’s eyes.
“Martial Alliance Intelligence and Secret Affairs Division Lord Seon Woojin greets the Demon Emperor.”
Steeling himself, Bu Eunseol offered a polite yet confident greeting.
In that instant, a mysterious radiance flashed in the Demon Emperor’s eyes.
The surrounding air seemed to vanish, and the office felt transformed into another world.
“You have come a long way.”
The Demon Emperor’s voice and expression were so calm that he seemed to be greeting a long-absent disciple.
The old Bu Eunseol would have struggled to maintain an expression of surprise and unfamiliarity.
But now he went even further and said,
“Though it is our first meeting, somehow you seem familiar.”
Bu Eunseol showed an easygoing smile.
“As though we have met somewhere before.”
“I hear that often.”
The Demon Emperor laughed and played along.
The atmosphere felt like casual conversation with an old man at the village entrance.
Yet a chill ran down Bu Eunseol’s spine.
Each time the Demon Emperor spoke aloud, it felt as though another layer of the skin enveloping his body was being peeled away.
“Sit.”
The Demon Emperor gestured.
It was a reception table that had not been present during Bu Eunseol’s previous visit.
As Bu Eunseol quietly took his seat, the Demon Emperor spoke.
“Speak.”
His voice shook the silent office.
“Tell me precisely what the Martial Alliance—and you—truly desire.”
“What I desire is…”
The moment Bu Eunseol opened his mouth, his voice nearly trembled.
Because this time it felt as though the skin of his scalp was being peeled away.
‘This is the Demon Emperor’s ability.’
Bu Eunseol’s senses rang with alarm.
This was no mere illusion.
Clearly, the Demon Emperor was exerting some power to peer into his inner self.
Concentrating his mind, Bu Eunseol spoke quickly.
“…an official apology from Majeon and a promise to prevent recurrence.”
Drip drip.
Cold sweat ran down his back.
If he had hesitated even slightly, lost in deep thought and unable to answer promptly?
The Demon Emperor’s suspicion would have turned to certainty, and he might have acted immediately—Bu Eunseol’s intuition screamed it.
“I heard you destroyed one of our sect’s secret organizations.”
As the Demon Emperor spoke again, Bu Eunseol felt as though not only his skin but his very muscles were slowly melting away.
“Division Lord Seon struck first against our sect. Yet why do you omit that part from your account?”
Fortunately, it was a question he had anticipated.
Composing himself, Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
“In the past, while wandering the martial world before entering the Martial Alliance… I once encountered martial artists besieging a village in Dongjeong.”
Each time he spoke, it now felt as though his hair was melting and his scalp peeling away.
Yet Bu Eunseol stared straight into the Demon Emperor’s eyes and continued.
“They surrounded the village and mercilessly slaughtered the common people.”
In the past, masters from the Chief Instructor’s secret organization, Blood Trace, had completely sealed off an entire village in the Dongjeong area to eliminate Dan So-ok.
Many innocent villagers had died or been injured in the process.
Now, Seon Woojin claimed he had been present at that time and witnessed the massacre.
“At the time, I did not know they were from Majeon. I simply thought they were a murderous sect indiscriminately killing civilians.” Bu Eunseol put strength into his eyes. “Later, after becoming Intelligence and Secret Affairs Division Lord and inspecting branches, I happened to discover them and dealt with them. Naturally, I did not know they were a secret organization of Majeon.”
Then, staring directly at the Demon Emperor, he asked, “Is that a crime?”
“Hahaha.”
When the Demon Emperor laughed, Bu Eunseol felt as though even his muscles were fully melting away.
‘It’s not working.’
Now, if the Demon Emperor spoke one more word or if Bu Eunseol answered again… it felt as though every wall of his spirit would shatter and his true self would be completely exposed.
“By chance… you say.”
As the Demon Emperor spoke, Bu Eunseol finally felt his muscles completely dissolve.
“There is no such thing as chance in this world.”
At last the hard shell cracked, and the sensation of his true form being revealed spread through him.
‘It’s over.’
Inwardly he cried out, but at that very moment,
Ziiing.
Something strange happened.
A very faint vibration arose near his chest, and suddenly a sensation exploded within him, as though everything inside his body was being jumbled and stirred at random.
‘Ugh.’
His internal organs moved on their own, his blood vessels shook, his bones stretched.
Even the brain inside his skull seemed to repeatedly shrink and expand.
It felt as though the very existence called Bu Eunseol was being forcibly transformed into something else.
‘It worked.’
Bu Eunseol cried out inwardly.
The gamble he had staked on that slim chance had succeeded.
‘Thank goodness!’
What lay within his chest was none other than the bead Tang Pae had given him.
‘Boundary Prosperity Jade.’
In that instant, a memory flashed through Bu Eunseol’s mind.
The conversation he had held with the Demonic Sword Master at Nangyang Pavilion immediately after parting with Tang Gon.
Comments