In fact, Bu Eunseol had known that truth for a very long time.
That his grandfather had been an absolute swordsman who even surpassed the Demon Emperor.
If that had not been the case…
The Demon Emperor would never have let Grandfather live.
A grandfather like that…
A grandfather who yielded to no one…
Had willingly offered his body to the vicious beast in order to protect him.
And that beast used it to gouge out Grandfather’s eyes, sever his arms, and pour poison into him.
What Bu Eunseol could not endure was this:
The reason that beast had come looking.
The reason Grandfather’s true identity had been exposed.
It was all because of him and guilt was born from that fact.
Yet Ak Muryeong pointed out that Bu Eunseol’s guilt was, in turn, an insult to Bu Zhanyang, who had once been the greatest man under heaven.
Because daring to call the choice made by that peerless grandmaster “wrong” was no different from insulting him.
‘So it wasn’t solely because of me.’
Through Ak Muryeong’s words, Bu Eunseol came to realize one even greater truth.
—This old man thought… he’d leave this world without forming any attachments…
Grandfather had not simply offered his life to the beast merely to protect him.
There must surely have been some profound, hidden reason.
Otherwise…
Even if the Eight Human Heavens and the Righteous and Demonic Twin Heavenly Emperors attacked together, Grandfather would not have blinked an eye.
He would never have surrendered his life merely because of threats from a mere beast.
‘But…’
Even in agony so terrible that he could only desperately wish for death to come…
Even in that wretched state…
—Seol-ah… this is your grandfather’s final wish.
Until the very moment of death, Grandfather prayed only for his happiness and wished for him to live an ordinary life. Which meant that, no matter how complicated the circumstances behind Grandfather’s choice might have been…
The fact that he ultimately died to protect him remained unchanged.
‘But… I must no longer insult Grandfather’s death.’
“Master. I have realized my mistake.”
Bu Eunseol bowed his head.
Though Ak Muryeong’s words and demeanor were fierce, in the end every sentence and action had been meant to comfort him.
Just as those words implied, he must not insult Grandfather’s death.
“Pavilion Lord. There is one more thing I wish to ask.”
Lifting his head, Bu Eunseol spoke again.
“The Heavenly Deity of the Infinite Realm called me the Heaven-Dark Star. And once, when I entered the secret palace of the Divine Maiden Palace, it was a place only those born under the Heavenly-Mandate Star could enter.” Bu Eunseol gazed straight into Ak Muryeong’s eyes. “I pondered for a long time why such things were happening, yet I could never fathom the reason.”
Ak Muryeong fell silent for a moment before speaking again.
“The Baekri Clan is a mysterious family that has existed since the beginning of time. Perhaps they deliberately infused you with such energy.”
“To make me appear as a true descendant of the Baekri bloodline… is that what you mean?”
Ak Muryeong did not reply.
He, too, knew little about the Baekri clan and truthfully had little interest.
But if the child Bu Zhanyang had taken in had not become one of the Ten Demon Warriors and chosen Nangyang Pavilion… Given his personality, he would never have involved himself in such matters for the rest of his life.
“I see.”
Seeing Ak Muryeong’s indifferent attitude toward his own origins, Bu Eunseol paradoxically felt his heart lighten.
What did any of it matter now? Even if he had been bait, what importance did that hold at this moment?
“Perhaps Baekri Muha already knew from the beginning that I could accept such energy.”
The one who sealed the True Demon and created the Three Realms.
If it was Baekri Muha of the Baekri bloodline…
Considering even the innate abilities or latent potential he was born with, finding and preparing a thorough bait to preserve the Baekri bloodline would not have been particularly difficult.
“A meticulous plan would have been necessary to revive the true bloodline.”
Having realized every truth, Bu Eunseol’s expression paradoxically became calm.
In the end, all he wanted was revenge for Grandfather.
The fact that Baekri Muha and his wife were his parents had merely been a treasure-like stroke of luck he stumbled upon during his journey through the martial world.
‘A treasure-like stroke of luck…’
The memories of parents that others took for granted had been nothing more than a fleeting, beautiful dream for him.
Deputy Pavilion Lord Dan Cheong had known that fact well which was why he had tried to prevent Bu Eunseol from meeting Ak Muryeong.
‘So what of it?’
If his parents were not Baekri Muha and his wife, so be it.
The world was full of countless beggars and orphans.
In fact, among all orphans, he had obtained by far the greatest fortune. He had been raised by the strongest and kindest person in the world.
“You seem to have realized it now.”
As Bu Eunseol’s mind gradually regained calm, Ak Muryeong nodded.
“Whoever’s blood flows in your veins is unimportant.”
Bu Eunseol smiled.
But at Ak Muryeong’s next words, the corners of his eyes trembled.
“You need only remember that you are a disciple of this hall.”
—You need only remember that you are a disciple of this hall.
Drip.
In that instant, without realizing it, Bu Eunseol shed a single tear.
Those calm words overlapped perfectly with what Grandfather had always said:
—Seol-ah. No matter what anyone says, you are this old man’s grandson.
That single sentence from Ak Muryeong pierced deeper into Bu Eunseol’s heart than hundreds of comforting words ever could.
“Pathetic brat.”
When he saw Bu Eunseol crying, Ak Muryeong glared with extreme fury.
Yet unlike before, he did not strike him.
“You’ve wallowed in self-pity enough.”
Kuuung.
Suddenly, the interior of Iron Staff Peak trembled.
“Now show this Pavilion Lord the skill you used against the Fist Man.”
For the first time, Ak Muryeong raised his aura before attacking, meaning he was truly intending to attack Bu Eunseol using the Limitless Power.
Kwaaang.
Another explosive roar rang out.
Bu Eunseol felt as though his skull were splitting, and the entire world appeared to quiver faintly.
“Survive.”
Ak Muryeong bared his long fangs in a grin.
“As the successor of this hall.”
—Survive.
Those words were not spoken in jest.
Since Ak Muryeong knew Bu Eunseol had fought the Fist Man, he intended to measure the level of the Eight Human Heavens once more through him.
In other words, because he was using his full strength in earnest, Bu Eunseol could very well die.
Rumble.
Abruptly the light dimmed as though the sun were setting.
Once Bu Eunseol’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, demonic silhouettes towered before him.
Kuuung.
With each step the ground cracked, and the demons rose into the sky.
Grrrr.
Red mist rose from the bodies of the demons floating in midair, and thick saliva dripped from their sharp fangs.
‘I see.’
Seeing forms that could not exist in the world, Bu Eunseol understood.
Ak Muryeong had already clashed with the Fist Man.
He must know that the Fist Man unfolded a mental realm to destroy the enemy’s mind first.
Thus he was using a similar method against Bu Eunseol.
By using a comparable technique… he could compare their martial prowess even more clearly.
‘I was thinking too sentimentally.’
The fact that Ak Muryeong had stimulated the dormant Prajna Great Power within Bu Eunseol’s acupoints to fully restore his body had not been out of care for his well-being, but to accurately compare him with the Fist Man.
Flash!
At that moment, the red eyes of the countless demons floating in the sky simultaneously locked onto Bu Eunseol standing on the ground.
In the same instant, millions of unavoidable points of light poured toward his body.
Swiik! Swiik!
In response, nine razor-sharp streams of energy surged around Bu Eunseol’s body.
He had raised the Martial Emperor's Tranquil Awakening to defend against the assault of the mental realm.
‘I have to endure.’
Bu Eunseol poured every ounce of focus into raising the Martial Emperor's Tranquil Awakening. Ak Muryeong would surely unleash Illusion Upon Illusion without holding back.
Hwaaaaak!
As the red light fired by the sky-bound demons rained down, Bu Eunseol felt as though his very soul were melting.
Wuuuung.
Yet he stubbornly erected a barrier around his spirit and endured.
His Martial Emperor's Tranquil Awakening was far stronger and more solid than before.
This was because, through his conversation with Ak Muryeong, the guilt he had carried over Grandfather’s death had somewhat faded, and the happy memories with Grandfather had become clearer than ever.
Kuuuung.
Finally realizing he could not destroy Bu Eunseol’s spirit, Ak Muryeong withdrew the Illusion Upon Illusion.
Once again, Ak Muryeong’s figure stood tall atop Iron Staff Peak.
“Haaap!”
Seizing the opening, Bu Eunseol let out a battle cry.
It was the fifth form of the Seven Fist Demon Forms he had comprehended from the Fist Man’s techniques.
He unfolded the Infinite Beginning, Infinite End.
Kwaaaaa!
Around Bu Eunseol’s body, hundreds of terrifying fist shadows—capable of obliterating mountains in an instant—formed.
Paaat!
Like the Thousand-Armed Buddha, Bu Eunseol, cloaked in fist shadows, charged toward Ak Muryeong.
At that moment Ak Muryeong casually extended a single fist.
BOOM!
With a heaven-shaking explosion, Bu Eunseol was hurled more than ten zhang away.
Yet the hundreds of fist shadows he had unleashed had already closed in around Ak Muryeong’s body.
Bang bang bang!
While Ak Muryeong dealt with the fist shadows, Bu Eunseol closed the distance again and launched another punch.
Through the fifth form—Infinite Beginning, Infinite End—he forced Ak Muryeong to move and engage in an exchange of techniques.
Flash!
With dazzling radiance, black energy blades containing every martial principle poured toward Ak Muryeong.
It was the form of the Emotion-Severing Secret from the Formless Demonic Path of the Wishful True Binding, which he had learned from Yu Seol—now part of the Martial Soul Society and the person who carried the bloodline of Hyeok Ryeon-eung, Yu Baek.
He unfolded each move by incorporating the profound principles he had learned from Tang Pae’s Ten Fingers Eternal Return.
Srrrung!
At the same time, Bu Eunseol drew the Silent Tiger Soul Sword and unleashed successive giant cross-shaped sword energies toward Ak Muryeong.
He had layered the Waning Moon, Dawn Star.
“Hmph.”
Watching Bu Eunseol unleash three completely different supreme martial arts in a single breath, Ak Muryeong snorted.
Flash!
Yellowish light flared in his pupils.
Kwaaaaa!
In an instant a gale arose, and the blades of the Wishful True Binding along with the sword energies vanished.
Swiik swiik!
But as though he had already anticipated it, Bu Eunseol instantly unleashed nine streams of energy toward Ak Muryeong.
He unfolded the Thirteen Guiding Energies.
Krrrang!
At the same moment, violet lightning pierced toward Ak Muryeong’s chest.
He had unleashed the Unmatched Thunderbolt Form accompanied by the Thunder Spirit Energy.
Paaa!
Then, with the sound of crashing waves, a tsunami-like stream of energy surged from behind Ak Muryeong, instantly annihilating both Bu Eunseol’s sword techniques and the Thirteen Guiding Energies.
Ziiing.
In that interval, a transparent hand extended from Bu Eunseol’s arm and penetrated Ak Muryeong’s body.
Using the Water Spirit Energy, he blocked the power Ak Muryeong was exerting.
Kwaang! Kurrrung.
As their exchange continued, Iron Staff Peak shook as though it would collapse.
Bu Eunseol and Ak Muryeong’s figures vanished within the dust cloud.
Only a pair of yellowish and red glowing eyes glared at each other.
‘This is the last one.’
He had blocked the Illusion Upon Illusion and shifted the formless battle into a physical one.
Unfortunately, Ak Muryeong suffered not the slightest damage from any attack.
Having reached the peak of the Nangyang Heart Eye, he could instantly see through and unravel every martial principle in the world. In short, no matter what art Bu Eunseol displayed, Ak Muryeong could instantly create and execute the perfect counter-art.
“You still have some tricks left, don’t you!”
Swish swish swish!
With a shout, Ak Muryeong’s fists spun like windmills, striking toward Bu Eunseol’s vital points.
Rumble! Flash!
In the end Bu Eunseol raised his energy and began defending with full power, alternating between orthodox and unorthodox martial arts.
From the perspective of martial theory, there was no way Bu Eunseol could block Ak Muryeong’s attacks that unraveled every secret of the world’s martial arts.
Yet with his immense inner energy and the mixed powers within his body, he somehow managed to fend them off.
“Hahaha!”
Suddenly Ak Muryeong burst into mad laughter.
Hearing it, Bu Eunseol felt nausea rise and his mind grow dazed.
Ak Muryeong’s Illusion Upon Illusion had already reached the divine level so it could even be unleashed through sound techniques.
Purrt! Whiiik!
With a wind that shattered the silence of empty space, Bu Eunseol’s body was enveloped by the power Ak Muryeong unleashed.
It contained superhuman strength capable of destroying every substance in the world.
‘This is the Pavilion Lord’s power.’
Bu Eunseol realized this was the genuine, full-powered strike Ak Muryeong had unleashed to destroy him.
‘Harmony won’t work.’
An attack like this could only be blocked with Harmony.
But there was no time for that… he had no choice.
‘After defending, I have to unfold the Martial Mist and Waves Form.’
Instead of avoiding the pouring power, Bu Eunseol received it with his body and then dispersed it outward in all directions.
Click.
At the same moment he held the Silent Tiger Soul Sword vertically at his center, white mist rose from his body.
After executing the variant of the Martial Emperor's Tranquil Awakening—Void Rebound Reflection—that absorbed and redirected all force, he used the opening to unleash the Martial Mist and Waves Form.
BOOM!
An earth-shattering, apocalyptic roar echoed.
Probably even the common folk hundreds of li away could hear it clearly.
Kwaaaa!
With a tremendous current of air, Bu Eunseol’s body floated more than ten zhang into the air.
Thud.
Then he crashed down in an unsightly heap.
In the end, he had been unable to perfectly block Ak Muryeong’s power.
Thump thump!
To dissipate the force, Bu Eunseol had to roll across the ground once more.
Considering his level of martial prowess, the fact that he floated and fell helplessly like someone without any martial arts was impossible.
It showed just how unfathomable Ak Muryeong’s martial level had become.
Thud.
Finally, after rolling another ten zhang or so, Bu Eunseol rose to his feet.
“Pfft.”
And he spat out a stream of blood.
His complexion was deathly pale, yet pride shone in his eyes.
The Human Demon Ak Muryeong.
The one who had so brutally defeated him was none other than the highest elder of his own sect.
And through this fight he had realized:
—The Pavilion Lord is stronger than the Fist Man.
By an incomparable margin, Ak Muryeong was far, far stronger than the Fist Man.
No matter how great the Eight Human Heavens were, they could not even touch a single hair on Ak Muryeong’s body.
“There’s no need to look so pleased.”
Ak Muryeong saw through Bu Eunseol’s thoughts and spoke indifferently.
“Those bastards are merely the lowest dregs among the True Demon’s kin—scum who crawl and whimper at the very bottom.”
Then, in a low voice, he warned, “Even among the same Human Heavens, there are vast gaps in martial prowess. the Fist Man was at the level of the Beggar King—the lowest seat among the Seven Kings.”
Instead of answering, Bu Eunseol simply smiled.
Ak Muryeong called them the bottom, yet they were experts of the Limitless Realm comparable to the Three Demons and Three Venerables of old.
In other words, Ak Muryeong had escaped the very “curse of the Limitless Realm” that the Fist Man had spoken of.
“But those fools have no idea.” Ak Muryeong grinned, baring his fangs. “They’ve long believed they could toy with the martial world as they pleased… unaware that the supreme experts of this era have already seen through their realm and surpassed it.”
Bu Eunseol nodded.
The Eight Human Heavens were similar to Un Hakbi, previously one of the Hundred and Eight Stars of the Jongsun Clan.
Because they were born with overwhelmingly powerful strength, they never needed to train diligently or learn anything.
But the supreme experts of the current era had madly advanced their martial arts and strived without cease. As a result, they now possessed unimaginable, overwhelming power.
“Pfft.”
At that moment Bu Eunseol spat out another arrow of blood.
Though he had survived, he had once again suffered severe internal injuries.
“Pavilion Leader. I have once again shown you an unsightly appearance.”
That the sect’s elder—Ak Muryeong—was stronger than the Fist Man was good news.
Yet at the same time, Bu Eunseol’s heart felt somewhat wretched and ashamed.
He had thought he could at least hold his own against a Limitless Realm expert to some extent but in the meantime Ak Muryeong had achieved monstrous progress, and he still could not block even a single strike.
“It seems I’ve been far too arrogant all this time.”
“Hmph. So now you realize?”
When Ak Muryeong snorted, Bu Eunseol bowed respectfully.
“This disciple will train even harder from now on.”
Bu Eunseol bent at the waist once more in salute.
“Then.”
With the hunched posture of a failed scholar, he descended Iron Staff Peak.
Ak Muryeong watched him go and shook his head.
‘There really isn’t anything.’
For the first time, emotion flickered in his eyes.
It was bewilderment—something utterly mismatched with the title of Human Demon.
‘The boundary of martial arts.’
Though he had never directly taught Bu Eunseol, each time they met he could gauge the boy’s martial realm and impart insights.
But now, there was nothing.
He could no longer tell where Bu Eunseol’s martial prowess had reached. And even…
‘The limit itself.’
No matter how great a genius, once they reach a certain realm, a wall inevitably appears that must be broken through.
That is why martial artists who walk the path of the martial way dream day and night of breaking free from those walls and boundaries to leap to a higher stage.
Even the Righteous and Demonic Twin Heavenly Emperors have stages and limits…
Yet this boy had none at all.
He was not walking the path of martial arts; rather, he walked a pure natural path so unadulterated it almost looked like destruction.
Because of that, restrictions and limits simply did not exist for him.
‘Before long I was going to raise him personally…’
Ak Muryeong clenched his steel-like fist tightly.
He had ascended to the position of Nangyang Pavilion Lord long ago, yet he had never once raised a personal disciple.
Because no talent worthy of inheriting the true essence of his martial arts had ever appeared.
But then the Demon Emperor suddenly launched the Ten Demon Warriors plan and supposedly brought in one disciple from it.
—The legitimate successor who will inherit the true line of this hall has finally been found.
Even when Dan Cheong excitedly reported it, he felt no interest.
Even if the boy were the greatest martial talent under heaven, if he lacked the disposition to truly master practical combat arts, he could never reach the pinnacle of Nangyang Pavilion’s martial arts.
Moreover, the one Dan Cheong had brought carried an even greater constraint.
He was the child raised by Bu Zhanyang.
A candidate puppet the Demon Emperor had eyed as a chess piece on his board, someone to use in various schemes.
There was no way he could raise such a person as a disciple.
—What a pity.
When he heard that the Ten Demon Warrior boy Dan Cheong brought was learning the Ban-Geuk Method of Blood Vajra, Ak Muryeong felt a slight regret.
Being noticed by the Blood Vajra meant he was a talent capable of inheriting his own martial essence.
Yet he had still cut off interest—because he saw that the Demon Emperor was determined to use the boy as a chess piece.
Once the man called the Demon Emperor set his mind to something, the boy could never escape that fate.
—Strange fellow.
But something unexpected happened.
The boy who was supposed to be toyed with in the Demon Emperor’s palm began accomplishing one unforeseen feat after another, gradually slipping out of his control.
Moreover, when tested in person, he proved himself not only worthy of inheriting his own martial arts, but a heaven-sent genius capable of advancing Nangyang Pavilion even further.
And as time passed… he grew far beyond being the Demon Emperor’s chess piece—enough to overturn the very board the Demon Emperor had set up.
Now he had reached the level where he could proudly block a full-powered strike from Ak Muryeong himself.
‘To shock this Pavilion Lord to this degree and still wear that disappointed, drooping-shoulder expression?’
Ak Muryeong felt both anger and incredulity.
The reason he had effortlessly blocked all of Bu Eunseol’s attacks was not only because he had long sensed every power within the boy’s body, but also because each time the boy’s martial prowess grew, he had clashed with him in reality and instantly absorbed his arts.
Just as master and disciple share the same inner energy origin, both had mastered the Nangyang Heart Eye—the quintessence of Nangyang Pavilion.
Yet Bu Eunseol, unaware of that fact, was shocked solely by his own defeat?
“Bu Eunseol.”
In the end, Ak Muryeong called out to the boy who was turning away with hunched, powerless shoulders.
“Do you have any commands for me?”
When Bu Eunseol asked in a lifeless voice,
“Ten years.”
—Ten years. Within ten years you will rise as a Great Emperor who completely overturns the landscape of the world.
Originally that was what Ak Muryeong had intended to say.
But unable to bring himself to utter such embarrassingly grandiose words, he shortened it to:
“Survive for ten years.”
“…!”
At that, Bu Eunseol’s expression changed drastically; he bowed his head again.
“…Understood.”
Now, with even his back bent like an old man, he descended Iron Staff Peak.
Ten years.
From Bu Eunseol’s perspective, the meaning of “survive for ten years” sounded like he would need to train for ten full years just to gain the ability to survive in the present martial world.
—I am still far too lacking.
Misunderstanding Ak Muryeong’s words, Bu Eunseol descended Iron Staff Peak with lifeless steps, his lips trembling and shriveled.
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