“No, no.”
Guessing her thoughts, Bu Eunseol hurriedly waved both hands.
“That’s not it. I came for another matter.”
“Another matter?”
“I happened to obtain something that could be of help to the Divine Maiden Palace.”
“I see.”
Though a touch disappointed, Yeon Soha broke into a bright smile and gestured him inside.
“Don’t just stand there—come in.”
As Bu Eunseol started to step forward, the soft sound of footsteps approached.
At the same time, from the far end of the path, a middle-aged woman appeared, accompanied by dozens of disciples.
Her features were beautiful, yet her gaze was razor-sharp, and an aura as stern as frost clung to her eyes.
It was none other than the Palace Master of the Divine Maiden Palace, Yeon Jami.
“Palace Master.”
Bu Eunseol clasped his hands and bowed respectfully. Yeon Jami responded in an icy voice.
“This palace is forbidden to men. Leave.”
“Mother.” Yeon Soha stepped forward. “The Lord has come such a long way—how can you treat him so coldly right at the gate?”
Yeon Jami spoke in a grave tone.
“You stay out of this.”
Then she turned her cold gaze back to Bu Eunseol.
“I heard Soha left the palace on her own and announced a betrothal with you. Is that true?”
“It is.”
“I will never acknowledge it.” Yeon Jami’s eyes glinted like sharpened blades. “Even if you are young, you are a grandmaster of the demonic path. If my daughter acted foolishly, it was your duty to stop her!”
“…”
“Or did you instead take advantage of her innocent heart?”
“How could I possibly dare covet the Young Palace Master? In truth, it was—”
Before Bu Eunseol could finish, she cut in again.
“And even supposing a betrothal took place, shouldn’t you have come to this palace at once to explain the situation?” Her expression was one of towering fury. “Why only now, are you swaggering in so casually?”
Yeon Jami was angry not only that Yeon Soha had gone to Bu Eunseol without permission, but even more so that he had accepted the betrothal without consulting the palace—and then never once visited afterward.
“I have nothing to say in my defense.”
Bu Eunseol bowed his head.
Yeon Jami’s anger was the natural response of a parent.
In truth, he was grateful she hadn’t stormed straight to Majeon to protest.
“Though there were circumstances, I sincerely apologize for proceeding without the Palace Master’s permission.”
“Hmph. Are you now going to claim it wasn’t a genuine betrothal?”
“Palace Master.”
“Answer me.”
“It is true.”
In that instant, greater fury flared in Yeon Jami’s eyes.
“You call that an answer?”
She seemed even angrier about the falsehood of the betrothal itself.
“To you it may have been a trivial game, but to Soha it is a matter of her entire life.”
Her voice trembled with rage.
“If word spreads through the martial world that the betrothal was a lie, Soha will become a laughingstock!”
“I—”
“Will any man still wish to form an engagement with her? A woman discarded by a demonic-path figure—her future will be ruined!”
Yeon Jami was an intelligent woman.
She wasn’t merely holding him accountable for the false betrothal; she was confronting him with the lifelong disadvantages Soha would suffer because of that lie.
“Mother, it wasn’t the Lord who forced it—it was my wish.”
“I told you to stay out of this!”
After sternly silencing her daughter, Yeon Jami fixed Bu Eunseol with an icy stare.
“Leave.”
After a long silence, she spoke coldly.
“I have nothing more to say to you.”
“I understand. However…” Bu Eunseol replied with perfect courtesy. “Before I go, I will open the Immortal Crane Annex for you.”
Yeon Jami’s eyes flashed.
“What did you just say?”
“I heard that because the divine artifact was lost, the secret chamber left by the founder has remained sealed all this time.”
From his robes, Bu Eunseol drew a small gourd that shimmered with jade light.
After a long search across the Xinjiang region by a former Nine Deaths Squad member,
listening to legends passed down among the elderly, they had finally located the Divine Maiden Palace’s lost divine artifact—the Wild Spirit Banner.
“This is the Wild Spirit Banner.”
Bu Eunseol spoke carefully.
“With this, the Immortal Crane Annex can be opened.”
Yeon Jami shot a sharp glance at Yeon Soha.
The Immortal Crane Annex was one of the palace’s most guarded secrets; it was not something to be spoken of to outsiders.
“The Lord can hardly be called an outsider to our palace anymore, can he?”
When Yeon Soha boldly replied, Yeon Jami let out a sigh.
Seeing her daughter so utterly devoted made it impossible to keep directing her anger at Bu Eunseol.
“So you heard the story from Soha and have been searching for the Wild Spirit Banner all this time?”
“Yes.”
For the first time, Yeon Jami’s expression softened slightly.
Only now did she realize that Bu Eunseol had not treated her daughter carelessly or thoughtlessly.
‘He must have agonized over how to politely refuse her feelings while still honoring them.’
Yeon Jami saw through his intentions clearly.
If he opened the long-sealed secret chamber of the founder, he would naturally become a benefactor of the Divine Maiden Palace—and no one could pressure him into marriage afterward.
“Even if that truly is the Wild Spirit Banner, our palace’s annex cannot be opened.”
Yeon Jami sighed.
“The reason we eventually gave up the endless search was simple: even if we found it, there was no way to use it.”
Activating the Wild Spirit Banner required the sacrifice of a supreme master possessing more than five hundred years of profound energy.
In the current martial world, perhaps only figures like the Buddha Venerable, the Demon Emperor, or the Martial Venerable—those who stood at the pinnacle of the heavens—possessed such cultivation.
And even they would never willingly regress their cultivation just to open a chamber for the Divine Maiden Palace.
“We have come to regard the Immortal Crane Annex as little more than legend. No master with five hundred years of energy would ever sacrifice it for our sake.” Yeon Jami spoke coldly. “So take it and leave.”
“I will open it.”
“What?”
“I will use the Wild Spirit Banner to open the door to the Immortal Crane Annex.”
Yeon Jami stared at Bu Eunseol as though he had lost his mind.
“What nonsense are you speaking?”
“Fortunately, my inner energy has reached the required depth.”
Silence fell.
After staring at him wide-eyed for a long moment, Yeon Jami burst into sharp laughter.
“Hahaha!”
Shaking her head, she glared at him with blazing eyes.
“Martial Soul Command Lord. Are you mocking this Palace Master right now?”
Instead of answering, Bu Eunseol extended a single finger.
“What are you doing?”
When Yeon Jami frowned, Bu Eunseol scratched his head awkwardly.
“It’s… a little hard to control.”
“What?”
“This is the first time I’ve ever tried releasing my full power.”
“What are you—”
As Yeon Jami furrowed her brow, a low rumble sounded.
Rumble rumble rumble.
Suddenly, rocks began tumbling from a distant mountain peak dozens of zhang away.
Bu Eunseol had unleashed a finger-wind carrying his full energy toward that far-off summit.
“You did that?”
“Yes.”
Yeon Jami shook her head in disbelief.
Even the claim of five hundred years of cultivation was already hard to swallow—yet there had been no trace of true energy fluctuation when he released it?
“I felt absolutely nothing when you unleashed your energy.”
“When one reaches the extreme, it becomes ordinary instead. When I pushed my energy to the limit, strangely no powerful wave arose.”
At Bu Eunseol’s calm explanation, Yeon Jami was rendered speechless.
“If you were a rejuvenated ancient master, perhaps—but five hundred years is impossible…”
Whoosh.
Without any warning or aura, Bu Eunseol rose more than ten zhang into the air.
He had executed Terrestrial Flight—a movement technique that required at least four hundred years of profound energy to perform.
“Do you believe me now?”
Even after he landed, the disbelief did not fade from Yeon Jami’s face.
“There are indeed some young geniuses in the martial world who have reached four hundred years.” She spoke firmly. “But five hundred years is an entirely different matter. Unless one breaks through to the Supreme Heavenly Realm and reaches the state where the body becomes a golden immortal vessel, it cannot be contained within the body.”
Yeon Jami had noticed that Bu Eunseol lacked the divine radiance that appeared on masters of the Limitless Realm.
‘Explaining won’t work here.’
In truth, Bu Eunseol had not stepped into the Limitless Realm at all; he was walking an entirely new, uncharted path of martial cultivation.
The Martial Venerable had been a Limitless Realm master and recognized it instantly, but Yeon Jami—whose martial prowess was far below even Bu Eunseol’s—could not perceive it.
“In any case, wouldn’t it be worth at least trying?”
At Bu Eunseol’s resolute words, Yeon Jami knit her brows.
If the long-sealed Immortal Crane Annex could truly be opened, there would be no greater boon for the Divine Maiden Palace.
‘But if the legend is true…’
Recalling the tale of the Wild Spirit Banner, she refused.
“No outsider may enter that place.”
“Palace Master.”
“Even if your energy truly reaches five hundred years, using the banner will consume more than thirty percent of your cultivation. Do you understand what that means?”
Though he belonged to the demonic path, she could not bear to ruin the future of the man her daughter loved so deeply.
“The Young Palace Master gave up her spotless reputation to protect me when I was in trouble. How could I possibly begrudge the loss of some of my energy?”
Yeon Jami’s eyes wavered.
She realized his words were sincere.
She had thought him a heartless, cold man who kept her daughter waiting.
Yet now she saw that he had constantly monitored the palace’s situation from afar and was even willing to sacrifice energy that martial artists valued as dearly as life itself to break the palace’s ancient restriction.
“Mmm…” Yeon Jami let out a low hum.
The hatred she had felt toward Bu Eunseol quietly melted away.
If he truly could break the restriction?
The Divine Maiden Palace might gain an entirely new source of power.
“Is there something you want?”
No martial artist in the world would sacrifice their cultivation for nothing.
Yeon Jami suspected Bu Eunseol had an ulterior motive.
“I want nothing.”
Yet Bu Eunseol answered calmly.
“I will be satisfied simply with opening the Immortal Crane Annex.”
“Very well.” Suppressing the emotion rising within her, Yeon Jami nodded. “First, let us test whether this is truly the Wild Spirit Banner.”
Taking the gourd containing the banner, she ordered, “Have him wait in the Phoenix Moth Pavilion for now.”
Then she left with her disciples.
She likely intended to test the banner herself to verify its authenticity and confirm whether it truly demanded five hundred years of energy.
As she departed, Flower-Dissolving Hall Master Namgung Sea, who had been following her, gave a light nod and smiled.
She was the first person—along with her nephew Namgung Un—to witness Bu Eunseol’s true caliber, and she had always hoped for a good outcome between him and Yeon Soha.
“My Lord, don’t do it.”
At that moment, Yeon Soha grabbed Bu Eunseol’s sleeve.
“You could really lose your energy.”
Some legends in the martial world were fanciful, but many had proven true.
If this one was real, then thirty percent of Bu Eunseol’s cultivation would vanish in an instant.
“It’s fine.” Bu Eunseol gave her a gentle, reassuring smile. “This was something I had to do anyway.”
“Is it because you feel guilty?” Yeon Soha stared straight into his eyes. “Because you cannot return my feelings… are you trying to break the palace’s restriction so you won’t owe us anything?”
Sometimes the truth is cruel.
Women know this well and thus sometimes wish for a sweet lie instead.
But Bu Eunseol could not lie.
“Yes.”
“Then there’s no need.”
Yeon Soha was a strong woman.
She was not the passive type who simply wished to be loved.
“You don’t need to carry that sense of debt. I simply like you—that’s all.” She spoke firmly. “You said you still have so much left to do. Losing even a portion of your energy is absolutely unacceptable.”
Bu Eunseol felt a deep wave of emotion.
Even in this moment, Yeon Soha was thinking only of him.
‘The trial of affection is this hard to overcome.’
Yeon Soha was one of the most beautiful women in the world—resolute, wise, and kind-hearted.
Moreover, the Divine Maiden Palace possessed immense accumulated wealth; she would never need to beg favors from anyone her whole life.
She could easily have found a gentle, excellent partner and lived happily.
Yet she had poured unconditional love upon him, blinded by affection.
And that pure, supreme love only made Bu Eunseol’s heart feel heavier.
“I am not such a pure person.”
Bu Eunseol spoke honestly.
“It is true that I mobilized intelligence networks for a long time to find the Wild Spirit Banner so I could open the Immortal Crane Annex. But the reason I came so urgently today… is actually because I have one request to make of the Palace Master.”
“What request?”
Bu Eunseol hesitated for a moment, wondering where and how to begin.
“You can speak freely. No one else can enter this place but us.”
Yeon Soha turned and walked deeper inside.
She personally brought tea, then spoke calmly.
“Speak comfortably. Anything at all.”
‘Her character is truly noble.’
For the first time, Bu Eunseol realized just how many virtues Yeon Soha possessed—and what a good person she was.
After a brief pause, he spoke.
“I need an object capable of disturbing the heavenly signs.”
“Heavenly signs?”
The somewhat unexpected term made Yeon Soha blink her large eyes.
Bu Eunseol took out the Boundary Prosperity Jade from his robes.
“This is called Boundary Prosperity Jade. It is a precious object believed to have been created by the legendary Three Families.”
“Boundary Prosperity Jade?”
“Yes. And I am trying to repair or obtain another one. To do so, I need someone from the Three Families.”
Briefly, he recounted his past encounter with Yangseol Rin of the Yangseol family.
After listening to the entire story, Yeon Soha drew a deep breath.
“So the legendary Three Families actually exist, and they read the heavenly signs while secretly intervening in the affairs of the martial world.”
“Yes.”
“That’s… a little hard to believe. But I know you’re not the type to speak nonsense.”
Yeon Soha understood that Bu Eunseol would never fabricate such things.
Still, the Divine Maiden Palace had always kept itself aloof from worldly affairs, maintaining pure seclusion.
To her, his words sounded like tales from legend.
“Perhaps if we use some of the immortal artifacts, it might be possible.”
The Divine Maiden Palace was the legendary sect founded by the divine maiden Yohee. As such, its vaults contained various immortal artifacts imbued with mysterious power.
“I cannot guarantee it, though.”
Thud thud thud.
At that moment, the sound of several footsteps approached from outside.
It was Yeon Jami and Flower-Dissolving Hall Master Namgung Sea.
“Indeed, even when the banner was inserted, it did not open.”
Entering, Yeon Jami gazed at the gourd containing the Wild Spirit Banner.
“When I placed it on the pole, light flowed out and it seemed to absorb energy for a moment—then it simply stopped. It appears that only energy exceeding five hundred years can activate the mechanism.”
“I see.”
Without hesitation, Bu Eunseol rose from his seat.
“I will try it myself.”
“My Lord.”
When Yeon Soha tried to stop him again, Bu Eunseol smiled.
“It’s all right. Even if thirty percent of my energy is lost, it will not affect my martial prowess in the slightest.”
That was no lie.
Bu Eunseol had fought countless powerful enemies, and never once had the sheer quantity of energy decided the outcome.
His true arts all prioritized the profound subtleties of martial technique above all else. Especially after suppressing the manifestation of the Infinite Ascending Steps and walking a new path, the power of his techniques had grown stronger even without pouring out massive amounts of energy.
More often than not, it was his intent and spirit—not raw cultivation depth—that became the decisive factor.
Losing thirty percent would cause him no inconvenience whatsoever.
“There is a saying: ‘Without rendering merit, one cannot receive a salary.’ Shouldn’t I at least do something like this if I wish to receive even a little help from the Divine Maiden Palace?”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Yeon Jami frowned.
“Help?”
Yeon Soha quickly answered in his place.
“He wishes to borrow some of our palace’s immortal artifacts for a moment.”
“Immortal artifacts?”
“Yes. He wants to test whether they can disturb the heavenly signs.”
Yeon Soha tactfully concealed part of Bu Eunseol’s true purpose.
That way, Yeon Jami would not refuse the use of the artifacts.
“Well… if he opens the Immortal Crane Annex, allowing the use of an immortal artifact is a small price.”
“I will do it.”
When Bu Eunseol spoke with firm resolve, Yeon Jami nodded.
“This Palace Master will accompany you.”
The Immortal Crane Annex was not located inside the main palace grounds.
It was secretly hidden atop the Ascending Peak—one of the twelve peaks of Wushan.
“Follow my movements exactly.”
Once they reached Ascending Peak, Yeon Jami began stepping swiftly through a unique footwork.
The Immortal Crane Annex was concealed by the palace’s greatest formation.
No matter how high one’s martial arts, an outsider entering was nearly impossible.
Saaa.
As Bu Eunseol followed Yeon Jami, wind brushed past his ears and rising fog obscured his vision.
It seemed multiple layers of bewildering formations were at work—disorienting the sense of direction and disturbing the mind.
“Here it is.”
Finally emerging from the formation’s influence, a massive cavern appeared before them.
Inside, a narrow, long bridge had been built.
At its far end stood an enormous door.
On either side of the bridge were erected the heads of twelve different animals, and in the center rose a wall imbued with ancient, solemn light.
Beside it stood a flagpole clearly meant for inserting a banner.
“I will do it.”
Bu Eunseol took the Wild Spirit Banner from the gourd Yeon Jami held.
Then he slowly advanced across the narrow bridge.
Rumble rumble.
As he crossed, the twelve animal statues turned their heads and fixed their gazes upon him.
“As expected, they are reacting to the Lord.”
From a distance, Namgung Sea spoke, and Yeon Jami nodded.
When they had approached earlier, the statues had shown no reaction whatsoever.
Yet the moment Bu Eunseol stepped forward, they responded, as though sensing that he was the one capable of opening the Immortal Crane Annex.
Swoosh.
Bu Eunseol drew out the Wild Spirit Banner and poured energy into it.
Wiiiing.
The flagpole sparkled, and he felt his original profound energy slowly draining through the meridians of his wrist.
‘It really is absorbing energy.’
Original profound energy, once lost, could never be recovered.
The legend that the Wild Spirit Banner devoured cultivation was true.
‘Take as much as you want.’
Without regret, Bu Eunseol willingly let his energy flow freely.
Then something strange occurred.
Whoooosh.
As the Wild Spirit Banner tried to absorb his original profound energy, crystalline divine energy spontaneously surged from within his body.
Shuuuuu.
At the same time, the banner began greedily drawing in not his original energy, but Bu Eunseol’s crystalline true energy.
After a while, the banner hungrily demanded still more power.
Crackle! Cracklecrackle!
Purple lightning began spontaneously crackling across Bu Eunseol’s entire body.
In response to the banner’s demand, even his Thunder Spirit Energy activated.
BOOM! Cracklecracklecrackle!
As transparent crystalline divine energy and fierce Thunder Spirit Energy alternately exploded outward from Bu Eunseol like a storm, an intense radiance burst from the Wild Spirit Banner.
“It changed form!”
Watching from afar, Yeon Jami let out an exclamation.
The Wild Spirit Banner, having absorbed Bu Eunseol’s spirit energy, no longer remained a simple flag.
It transformed into a round sphere of brilliant light that enveloped him entirely.
Click.
Bu Eunseol inserted the Wild Spirit Banner into the massive door blocking the bridge.
Saaa.
Then something astonishing happened.
The door slowly began to vanish and soon even the bridge on which he stood disappeared completely.
Bu Eunseol’s body, wrapped in light, descended downward.
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