The riverside shrouded in mist felt so utterly still and desolate that it seemed like a landscape from another world where no humans lived at all.
An old man wearing a deep bamboo hat pressed low was sitting motionlessly, staring at the river with his fishing rod dangling.
Through the gaps in the bamboo hat, his deeply sunken eyes flickered like stars twinkling in the night sky.
Though his appearance seemed somewhat ordinary, his mental strength, spirit, magnanimity, and above all, his wisdom and martial attainment were so profoundly deep and toweringly high that no one, no matter who, could possibly stand against him.
He was none other than the supreme figure of the Demonic Path, called the Heaven of the Demonic Path and the Lord of Majeon.
Demon Emperor, Sado Muryeong.
He remained crouched by the riverside, sitting like Mount Tai without the slightest movement, as though he knew neither joy nor worry nor anxiety, and was fishing with an expressionless face.
Saaaaah—
But then something strange happened.
In this quiet, deserted riverside, the sudden roar of fierce waves suddenly spread.
Saaaaah!
Before long the sound of waves grew even clearer, as though ringing right beside his ears, and then millions of points of light began to appear around the spot where the Demon Emperor was fishing.
Shuuuuu—
The countless points of light finally took on human form, gradually turning into blue shadows.
Jiiiing.
The blue shadow rippled like water on its surface with a low vibration, then soon transformed into the perfect shape of a person.
It was an old man dressed in blue robes, with the bearing of a sage and calm, ripple-like eyes.
This was precisely the same blue-robed old man who had once come to the fishing Demon Emperor and delivered the will of the Three Realms that they would kill Bu Eunseol.
“Hmm.”
The blue-robed elder let out a low hum, then looked at the man who was fishing.
The sight of him peacefully fishing blended so perfectly with nature that if one closed their eyes, one would never sense that someone was fishing on the riverbank.
‘Indeed.’
The blue-robed elder had not only mastered martial arts evaluated as having reached the utmost peak, but had also learned sorcery that transcended the limits of martial arts.
Yet even so, he still could not fathom the depth of the Demon Emperor’s martial realm.
Truly, it was a level so distant that ordinary people could not even imagine how high he had climbed.
“You have gone beyond the realm of a mere martial artist and become a new existence called the Demon Emperor.”
That was the highest praise and awe one could express toward the realm the Demon Emperor had reached.
But the Demon Emperor sat there indifferently, as though he heard nothing.
“Why did you break the promise?”
But the blue-robed elder’s voice instantly turned ice-cold, as though the earlier praise had never existed.
“I told you not to touch the Heavenly Mechanism.”
Even though he spoke with a murderous glare and voice, the Demon Emperor continued fishing calmly, as if some random dog was barking somewhere.
“Is it because it was a personal promise and not part of the covenant?”
Even when the blue-robed elder asked again, the Demon Emperor still sat there with an innocent, natural attitude.
“Do you not realize that because of the Heavenly Mechanism, all our plans could collapse?”
“After staying so long in the Martial Alliance, it seems your liver has shrunk.”
For an instant, a silence as heavy as death fell.
The blue-robed elder’s eyes, staring straight at the Demon Emperor, had already turned into a pair of fiery lanterns.
“In this world, there are lines that must never be crossed.”
Whoooosh.
A breeze passed by, and a taut tension instantly filled the entire riverside.
The blue-robed elder was clearly ready to attack at any moment and, in contrast, the Demon Emperor was still leisurely enjoying his fishing with a carefree expression.
‘The longer the night, the longer the dream.’
No matter how closely he looked, he could not find the slightest opening in the Demon Emperor’s posture.
Eventually, the blue-robed elder began to radiate a mysterious energy throughout his body.
Since he could not match him in pure martial arts, he had no choice but to use sorcery that surpassed the realm of martial skill.
“No more.”
Muttering quietly, the blue-robed elder extended his hand.
Kuuong!
The calm, flowing river that the Demon Emperor had been watching vanished entirely.
At the same time, the scenery around the riverbank began to scatter in all directions like torn pieces of paper.
Kurrrrrr—
Suddenly, with the sound of heaven and earth shaking, fragments of the sky began to pour down like falling shards.
Whenever those fragments touched the ground, they exploded violently and scattered as shards of light in every direction.
From the cracked gaps in the earth, bubbling lava flowed out as though it would devour everything around it.
Before long the sky was dyed a burning red, and searing heat and ash began to whirl everywhere.
It truly looked like the end of the world had arrived.
“Still the same, huh.”
Even in the face of such a terrifying sight, the Demon Emperor clicked his tongue as though he had lost interest.
“After all this time, couldn’t you have prepared something a little more creative?”
“I’ll give you a creative death.”
KWAANG!
With a thunderclap that tore at the eardrums, the sky split open and brilliant light poured down onto the Demon Emperor’s head.
This was no illusion.
It was a real, colossal explosion of power capable of erasing a human body without even leaving a trace.
“Hmph.”
As the Demon Emperor let out a low snort,
Kwaaaaang!
The earth shook violently, and the pouring power vanished in an instant.
Seeing this, the blue-robed elder actually smiled.
“Using such an outdated wave-breaking technique… I was underestimating you.”
As a smile formed on his lips, his red-gleaming eyes curved into crescents, and the corners of his mouth rose all the way to his eyes.
It almost looked as though he were transforming from human form into something monstrous that should not exist.
Saaaaah—
Light began to shine from both hands of the blue-robed elder.
Countless points of light floated there, as though innumerable galaxies were sparkling within them.
Guuuung.
A pitch-black orb began to swirl violently in the palm of the Demon Emperor’s hand that was held behind his back.
It was darkness and chaos itself.
With every rotation, clear waves spread outward and space itself began to distort.
“Farewell.”
Flash!
The moment the blue-robed elder extended his hand, millions of stars were born in a dazzling explosion, and began to surge toward the Demon Emperor.
Paaaaaah!
The entire world turned into brilliant flame, embroidering every space where the Demon Emperor stood with light.
“You’ve improved quite a bit.”
As the Demon Emperor muttered quietly, the black orb in his hand behind his back shot forward on its own.
The instant it collided with the light the blue-robed elder had unleashed,
KUUUONG!
A vibration as though the entire universe were trembling erupted.
Not only space, but time itself began to twist.
The Demon Emperor who came to fish.
The Demon Emperor who left without fishing.
The Demon Emperor who left without encountering the blue-robed elder.
The Demon Emperor who calmly conversed with the blue-robed elder…
Countless timelines unfolded.
When the power of transcendent masters clashed, time distorted and worlds of infinite possibility opened.
Goooooo—
The clash of power continued.
The stars pouring from the blue-robed elder carried white light, resembling the creative force that could regenerate the entire world.
In contrast, the power of the Demon Emperor was ultimate chaos—a destructive wave that devoured and exploded everything in existence.
Paaaaah!
Finally, when the clash of power reached its peak, every light in the world began to be sucked into a single point where the two stood facing each other.
Flash!
A colossal explosion that devoured everything erupted.
In that instant, the forms of both men shattered into fragments too fine to be divided further, and the entire world reached a state of perfect nothingness.
Bzzzt— bzzzt—
How much time had passed?
Somewhere, the sound of grasshoppers could be heard.
When the light that had swallowed the world disappeared, the peaceful riverside scenery returned once more.
The Demon Emperor was still dangling his fishing rod.
The blue-robed elder was looking at the distant sky.
The blue-robed elder had unfolded a “Phase” and created a power and world that did not exist in reality.
The Demon Emperor had displayed terrifying Infinite Power and neutralized it.
A draw.
The power of the Demon Emperor and the blue-robed elder could not invade each other’s domain, and eventually returned to the point before the fight began, remaining exactly as they were at the beginning.
“You keep calling me Demon Emperor… I suppose you really thought I had broken through the level of Heaven’s Will.”
The blue-robed elder looked at the Demon Emperor who was still dangling his fishing rod and raised the corner of his mouth.
“This is my final warning.”
Looking at the man who was still fishing, the blue-robed elder spoke in an extremely grave voice.
“If you touch the Heavenly Mechanism again… then I will take your life without fail.”
The Demon Emperor merely gazed at the river, as though he heard nothing.
Watching him, the blue-robed elder snorted, and vanished into the distant sky as millions of points of light.
Shuuuuu!
Whether it was sorcery or he had truly displayed such divine movement was impossible to tell.
“You’re still buried in mere phases. No progress at all.”
The Demon Emperor, looking at the flowing river, had a mysterious glint in his eyes.
“If I put it in the number games you people love so much… this seat has already reached the Tenth Heaven.”
Tenth Heaven.
It was the absolute peak of phases, a level that could no longer be surpassed.
If the blue-robed elder had been a little more attentive, he would have carefully counted his own footprints left on the riverbank.
Because he had not moved at all.
From the moment he arrived at this riverbank, he had already been trapped inside the mental world created by the Demon Emperor.
But the blue-robed elder left, completely unaware of that fact, believing he had fought the Demon Emperor to a draw.
“Keep stirring things up like that. Only then can this seat complete my great undertaking.”
The eyes of the Demon Emperor, fixed on the riverside, flashed mysteriously once again.
“However… there is one thing that isn’t going according to plan.”
The Demon Emperor recalled Bu Eunseol’s face.
Previously, he had ordered Yin Binding Demonic Land and the Blood Cult to negotiate.
He had intended to strike a blow to Bu Eunseol’s spirit through the deaths of his Death Shadow Corps subordinates.
But Bu Eunseol had blocked the deaths of his subordinates in an unexpected way.
“…I need to cut off those attachments.”
After letting out a sigh, his eyes flickered again with a mysterious light as though he had realized something.
“That would be best. Since it’s become useless anyway…”
Standing by the riverbank, the Demon Emperor wore a subtle smile.
“I’ll kill him personally.”
At the same time, his body gradually became transparent, merging with the surrounding scenery.
His outline blurred, his form dispersed, and finally he turned into pure light and vanished in an instant.
Kurrrr—
As the Demon Emperor disappeared,
Kukung. Rumble—
The surrounding terrain completely changed, and even the river water began to evaporate.
This place was never a real river.
It was the mental world created by the Demon Emperor himself.
***
Majeon, Suppressed Demon Pavilion. Grand Conference Hall.
Bu Eunseol and all the captains were gathered there.
In truth, this meeting had been requested by Yoo Unryong.
The fact that he requested a meeting meant there had been a major change in Majeon or in the overall martial world situation.
However, before getting into the main topic, Bu Eunseol first began to share something far more important.
“The Three Families mainly use the power of the Hundred and Eight Stars. The Hundred and Eight Stars are like demonic entities that transcend the principles of martial arts, displaying their power within a certain domain.”
“The Inbiin mainly unfold something called a ‘Phase’—a mental world—and within it, each displays their own unique power.”
Bu Eunseol began to explain in detail the power of the Hundred and Eight Stars in the Three Families and the Phases of the Inbiin that he had personally encountered so far.
After hearing everything, the captains opened their mouths in disbelief.
Both types of power far transcended the mysteries and strength of martial arts, and there was almost no ordinary method that could block their power.
“In the end, both kinds of power have only one limitation: they are confined to a certain domain.” Wi Cheongyeong, who had been listening carefully, muttered with a pale face. “There is virtually no way to respond to them.”
“Correct.” Bu Eunseol spoke firmly and gravely. “If you ever encounter an enemy and judge that they are using the power of the Hundred and Eight Stars or are an Inbiin, flee immediately.”
Knowing well the fighting spirit of the captains, he emphasized once more.
“Even this Martial Soul Command Lord cannot guarantee victory in a one-on-one fight. Therefore, never think of facing them alone under any circumstances.”
Bu Eunseol looked around at everyone with solemn eyes and spoke decisively.
“This is an order.”
The captains nodded.
If even Bu Eunseol found it difficult to handle them, then no amount of guts would ever allow them to win.
“But… how are we supposed to tell whether it’s someone from the Hundred and Eight Stars or an Inbiin?”
At that moment, Jo Namcheon scratched his head.
“Good question.”
Bu Eunseol answered calmly.
“Both types of beings look down on martial artists extremely, and they use power of a completely different nature from the principles of martial arts. In simple terms, it feels like sorcery.”
Bu Eunseol explained in detail about the Hundred and Eight Stars and Inbiin he had faced so far.
“In short, if you see someone using power that deviates from the principles of martial arts… it’s definitely one of those two.”
“Probably.”
Bu Eunseol looked at each of the captains’ faces once and said, “I’ll say it again. If you sense even the slightest sign of such power, do not engage—evacuate immediately. Relay this order to the Supreme Corps as well.”
“Understood.”
When Wi Cheongyeong answered,
“How is the training of the Silver Flame Division going?”
At Bu Eunseol’s question, Myo Cheonwoo nodded.
“About eighty percent complete.”
The Silver Flame Division.
It was the elite martial force that Myo Cheonwoo had poured his entire being into raising.
Unlike ordinary Death Shadow warriors, they were warriors whose combat ability had been dramatically enhanced and nothing else.
In particular, the members of the Silver Flame Division had received special elixirs and mental techniques directly from Bu Eunseol. They were taught not only demonic martial arts but also orthodox martial arts separately.
And Myo Cheonwoo—the master of Fist, Palm, and Finger techniques—was personally conducting extremely intense training.
As a result, every single member of the Silver Flame Division had been reborn as terrifying masters proficient in all kinds of orthodox and unorthodox martial arts, not just palm techniques.
“Then we will begin right away.”
There was only one reason for creating the Silver Flame Division.
It was to prepare for the possibility that Seo Jinha, who was currently operating in the shadows, might face a great crisis in his place. He intended to have the overwhelmingly powerful Silver Flame Division members serve as permanent escorts.
“Understood. We will begin immediately.”
At Myo Cheonwoo’s reply, Bu Eunseol turned to look at Yoo Unryong.
Yoo Unryong nodded, stood up, and opened his mouth with an extremely grave expression.
“The Chief Instructor has summoned the Nine Demon Heaven Lord of Hainan to the main headquarters. To appoint him as the vacant Blood Secret Command Lord.”
Instantly, silence fell over the meeting room.
The Blood Secret Command Lord was a position that wandered the martial world, identifying and annihilating various organizations that posed a threat to Majeon. In terms of the Martial Alliance, it was a position very similar to the Intelligence and Secret Affairs Division Lord that Bu Eunseol currently held.
The problem was that Majeon did not even have an organization called Nine Demon Heaven.
“So there really is a shadow organization within Majeon as well.”
When Bu Eunseol muttered quietly, Yoo Unryong nodded.
“Probably. Unless the Chief Instructor is the type to enjoy playing pranks.”
“Hmm.”
Bu Eunseol furrowed his brows.
He was the successor of Majeon.
Yet even now, he still could not move the Shadow Pavilion—the highest intelligence organization of Majeon.
That much was still acceptable.
But even though he was the next Lord of Majeon, he still did not clearly know about the secret organizations secretly operated by various high-ranking members inside Majeon.
And all of those organizations were under the control of the one called the Heaven of the Demonic Path—the supreme figure of the Demonic Path, the Demon Emperor.
Of course, the Demonic Path was power. Only those with power could possess everything, so he could understand that aspect to some degree.
The subtle problem was that the intention behind restricting this authority was not malicious.
It almost felt as though someone wanted him to grow without knowing about the forces and enemies lurking in the abyss for a certain period of time.
“Ultimately, they are deliberately revealing that a shadow organization exists.”
At that moment, Yoo Unryong spoke.
“Moreover, since the Chief Instructor does not have the authority to appoint a Command Lord…”
“It means it’s the will of the Demon Emperor.”
“Most likely.”
“But isn’t that going too far?” Won Semun, who had been quietly listening, pouted and said, “They publicly declared the Command Lord as the successor, but didn’t even transmit any martial arts, and only gave him internal inspection authority. Isn’t that just a fancy empty title?”
Yoo Unryong shook his head.
“Of course, in the past, Majeon raised successors. The successor of one of the Ten Demonic Sects always became the Lord.”
“…”
“But not anymore. The Demon Emperor rose to the position of Majeon Lord by himself and became the Heaven of the Demonic Path. He is not the type of person who raises or supports anyone.”
Yoo Unryong looked out the window toward the Solitary Light Pavilion.
“And he concentrated all authority in Majeon solely on himself. Look at the current Chief Instructor, the second-in-command of Majeon. Even his authority has been partially castrated, hasn’t it?”
“That’s why he doesn’t get along well with the Ten Demonic Sects either.”
When Myo Cheonwoo chimed in from the side, Won Semun shut his mouth.
When he thought about it, there was no one to blame.
In the Demonic Path, power was law and iron rule.
As long as the current supreme figure of the Demonic Path was the master, Majeon was no different from being completely within his grasp.
“But now that I think about it… it really is strange.” At that moment, Jo Namcheon stroked his chin. “The Chief Instructor is the head of the Seven Kings of the Four Gods, and in terms of pure martial prowess, he is evaluated to be on par with the Three Demons, isn’t he?”
He scratched his head as though finding it puzzling.
“No matter how loyal he is to the Demon Emperor, to endure such treatment for so many long years…”
He didn’t finish the sentence, but the meaning was clear.
—Isn’t it possible that the Chief Instructor also has some ulterior motive for enduring like that?
Bu Eunseol also thought that the reason the Demon Emperor was so blatantly reaching out toward Majeon was to make the Martial Soul Society grow even larger.
And seeing that the Chief Instructor, despite having castrated authority, still stubbornly remained in Majeon, it was highly likely that he too had another purpose.
“Aren’t you all misunderstanding something?”
At that moment, Myo Cheonwoo scolded them.
“This is not the Martial Alliance. It’s Majeon. Thinking that way is actually the normal thing here.”
He shrugged and looked at the captains.
“Isn’t this a place where one pledges absolute loyalty to the strong, but if the opportunity arises, one topples the strong and rises oneself? For someone at that level to give absolute loyalty to the Demon Emperor… there must be a plan behind it.”
Only then did the captains nod with dazed expressions.
Because they had been with the extremely upright Bu Eunseol for so long, at some point they had forgotten the laws of the Demonic Path’s way of domination.
The weak pledge loyalty, and the strong trample other strong ones and rise.
That was the Demonic Path.
“But who is this Nine Demon Heaven Lord? If he has been publicly named as a candidate for Blood Secret Command Lord, there should be some information.”
At Myo Cheonwoo’s words, Yoo Unryong nodded.
“His name is Yu Baek. They say he is now twenty years old.”
Yoo Unryong said with a sigh.
“If he is truly appointed as Blood Secret Command Lord, he could become the first Command Lord to move the Shadow Pavilion. Because the Blood Secret Command Lord is a position that grasps the overall situation of the martial world.”
“Then…”
“Yes. It is highly likely that this is to keep the Martial Soul Command Lord in check.”
At Yoo Unryong’s words, the atmosphere in the meeting room grew dark.
A young man barely in his twenties, being given the position of Command Lord that would allow him to move Shadow Pavilion—the organization that holds all information of the Demonic Path?
Of course, Bu Eunseol himself had also ascended to a Command Lord position at around twenty… but that had been possible because he started as one of the Ten Demon Warriors, achieved countless feats, and proved his ability.
Yet to place a young man in his twenties from a secret organization into such an important position was an absurd personnel decision.
“Is it possible they are trying to create a new successor structure?” Wi Cheongyeong cautiously said. “And the Blood Secret Command Lord position is the test.”
At those words, all the captains frowned.
If they placed someone in the Blood Secret Command Lord position as a test, and that person moved exactly as intended?
Then it was entirely possible that they would raise another figure comparable to Bu Eunseol and set up a new competition.
“It doesn’t matter.”
At that moment, Bu Eunseol spoke.
“I have no intention of being played by the Demon Emperor’s schemes any longer.”
Murderous intent surged in his eyes.
“From now on, I will show the Demon Emperor what true Demonic Path domination really is.”
“What do you mean?”
At Yoo Unryong’s question, Bu Eunseol snorted.
“The fact that news just came in saying he departed from Hainan means it will still take quite a while before he arrives.”
“Surely not—”
When Yoo Unryong opened his mouth in shock, Bu Eunseol nodded.
“Before he can even enter Majeon, I will quietly handle him.”
Instantly, the captains were greatly shocked.
So far, Bu Eunseol had thoroughly crushed anyone who dared to touch him.
But unless they were enemies, he had never launched a preemptive strike first.
Yet now, even though they didn’t even know who the Blood Secret Command Lord was or what he would do, he was saying he would handle the man first?
Didn’t that mean he was clearly declaring the Demon Emperor as an enemy?
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