Thud, thud.
With every step he took, golden light surged upward, as though he were a heavenly deity descending from the skies.
Radiant, dazzling brilliance began to pour from Myo Cheonwoo’s body.
Having seized complete control of the Heart Mirror Technique—now a true Mind Realm—Myo Cheonwoo pondered how exactly to confront a master of the Limitless Realm.
‘Even in a Mind Realm, one cannot create things that defy comprehension or simply do not exist.’
Staring at the booklet Yoo Unryong had left behind, after much deliberation he arrived at a bold decision. He would create the Heavenly God’s Protective Armor—a defense capable of blocking any attack.
‘This is the best I can do.’
With confident strides, Myo Cheonwoo slowly advanced.
No such thing as Heavenly God’s Protective Armor existed in the world.
But surely, somewhere in the martial world, there existed a mysterious armor capable of withstanding any assault.
Myo Cheonwoo had simply manifested the finest defense he could possibly create within this Mind Realm.
Boom!
At that moment, with a deafening explosion, pale mist rose from Myo Cheonwoo’s body.
Once again, the bamboo-hat figure had unleashed an attack so swift it was invisible.
“Haha. Not bad at all.”
Rumble.
Slamming into the wall, Myo Cheonwoo rose with an utterly nonchalant expression.
Thanks to the Heavenly God’s Protective Armor he had conjured in the Mind Realm, even the bamboo-hat figure’s terrifying strike caused him no harm whatsoever.
Clack.
Sensing the mysterious aura enveloping Myo Cheonwoo’s body, the bamboo-hat figure finally assumed a proper stance for the first time.
Ziiing.
A faint point of light rose from the tip of his spear.
It was the Absolute Spear Form—an attack impossible to evade or block.
Kwaaaang!
Myo Cheonwoo was struck once more by the invisible spear strike and crashed into a massive wall.
Rumble.
Yet from the rubble of the collapsed wall, he rose again with an expression as calm as ever.
“Is that all you’ve got? How disappointing.”
At Myo Cheonwoo’s taunt, killing intent flashed in the bamboo-hat figure’s eyes.
Shuuuuu.
At the same time, the pitch-black Mind Realm began to tremble violently.
“Huh?”
The bamboo-hat figure was not attacking Myo Cheonwoo himself—he was unleashing overwhelming power to collapse the very space of the Heart Mirror Technique.
Shuuuuu.
Simultaneously, the form of Myo Cheonwoo’s golden armor began to fade.
When the space of the Heart Mirror Technique itself was invaded, the power of the Mind Realm naturally weakened.
‘Just by pouring out aura, he’s shaking the entire Heart Mirror Technique?’
“That won’t do!”
He had to endure until the bamboo-hat figure was forced to use Infinite Reversal Power.
With a fierce shout, Myo Cheonwoo unleashed his Silver Flame Palm Technique.
The palm technique he displayed within the Mind Realm was incomparably more powerful than anything he could perform in reality.
Kwaaang!
Each time he unleashed a palm strike, the bamboo-hat figure casually flicked his spear shaft.
With that single motion, the heaven-shaking Silver Flame Palm Technique melted away like snow in an instant.
Not only that—sharp energy pierced Myo Cheonwoo’s body from an utterly unavoidable angle.
Kwaaang!
Every clash produced explosive roars.
Myo Cheonwoo’s martial prowess stood at the pinnacle of the new generation, and this was the Mind Realm he dominated. Yet the bamboo-hat figure effortlessly parried his strikes and poured forth spear attacks from incomprehensible angles.
‘He can kill me without even using Infinite Reversal Power.’
Myo Cheonwoo gritted his teeth.
If this had been the real world, his heart would have been pierced in an instant.
But here, he possessed armor that instantly neutralized most attacks, and he could unleash palm techniques several times more powerful than in reality.
Even so, he could not overcome the bamboo-hat figure.
Kwaaang!
Another explosion rang out as Myo Cheonwoo was hurled into the wall once more.
The bamboo-hat figure’s spear art was not only exquisite but delivered with such faint initial force that it was impossible to detect—only transforming into world-shattering power the moment it connected. He was casually executing the most profound and mysterious martial principles that ordinary men could never comprehend even after a lifetime of training.
Papapapat!
Springing to his feet, Myo Cheonwoo once again exchanged desperate blows with the bamboo-hat figure.
As time passed, long gashes appeared across his body, and strands of internal energy from the spear relentlessly invaded his meridians, threatening to sever them.
The longer they fought, the more his organs seemed to shrivel and his blood vessels to swell.
“No way in hell!”
Yet Myo Cheonwoo continued the exchange as though he felt no pain at all.
Clack.
Seeing Myo Cheonwoo endure without cease, the bamboo-hat figure briefly withdrew his offense and simply stared at him.
In response, Myo Cheonwoo deliberately grinned and provoked him.
“What, is that all? Too weak.”
Within the Heart Mirror Technique, there was only one chance to reflect an enemy’s attack back at them.
Since masters who had reached the Limitless Realm could recover from nearly any injury in moments… he had to force the bamboo-hat figure to use Infinite Reversal Power.
“…”
Yet the bamboo-hat figure’s aura flowed calmly like water; he showed no sign whatsoever of deploying Infinite Reversal Power.
‘Damn it. I’ll just have to provoke him even more.’
At that moment, the bamboo-hat figure resumed his assault.
Myo Cheonwoo evaded with all his strength, but the spear shaft merely grazed his shoulder.
Boom!
Even a mere graze sent him flying more than thirty feet with an explosive sound.
Thud, thud.
The bamboo-hat figure approached the fallen Myo Cheonwoo.
His gaze was utterly emotionless—like looking at a wriggling insect that needed to be crushed.
To the bamboo-hat figure, Myo Cheonwoo was nothing more and nothing less than an insect to be squashed.
“I told you—this won’t kill me!”
Paang.
Silver radiance burst from Myo Cheonwoo’s body.
He had unleashed his signature Silver Flame Palm once again.
Shwaaaak!
The Silver Flame Palm force was razor-sharp—capable of cleaving through iron in a single strike—and its range extended a full thirty feet or more.
He had been born with an innate talent for fist and palm techniques. After mastering the Extinction Palace’s palm art, his martial prowess had surged dramatically, and his two hands could unleash power more fearsome than any weapon in the martial world.
But to the bamboo-hat figure, it was useless.
Each time he swung his spear, the silver flames of the Silver Flame Palm flickered out, and Myo Cheonwoo’s body was continually slammed into walls.
Yet he refused to give up until the very end.
Until not a single drop of blood remained in his body—until he had poured out every last ounce of strength.
He had to endure until the bamboo-hat figure used Infinite Reversal Power.
Because he had to be the one to deal with him and die in Yoo Unryong’s place.
Boom!
Another explosion rang out, sending Myo Cheonwoo flying more than sixty feet.
Stagger.
He rose again, but strength no longer flowed properly into his limbs.
The golden armor that had enveloped him had faded to near transparency, and thin threads of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
‘Is it impossible after all?’
Myo Cheonwoo’s gaze dimmed.
Because the difference in skill was so overwhelming, the bamboo-hat figure had no need to use Infinite Reversal Power.
No—he had no intention of using it at all.
Clack.
As though even dealing with Myo Cheonwoo had become tiresome, the bamboo-hat figure raised his spear shaft with a bored expression.
If that red spear cut through the air once more, it would pierce Myo Cheonwoo’s heart and end him instantly.
‘Then I have no choice but to use the final measure.’
Myo Cheonwoo bit his lip.
‘I can only hope it at least deals damage to his mind.’
Since he could neither defeat the bamboo-hat figure nor force him to use Infinite Reversal Power, he would end his own life, destabilizing the Mind Realm abnormally.
Even if this method could not kill the bamboo-hat figure, setting foot in the Mind Realm would still inflict severe damage to his mind.
‘Best case, he becomes an idiot.’
Myo Cheonwoo took a deep breath.
And the moment he began gathering energy to sever his own heart veins—
Drip.
A drop of blood that had fallen from the tip of his hair entered his eye.
By cruel chance, the blood that had pooled at the edge of his brow bone dripped directly into his pupil.
Instinctively squinting in pain—
Shwaaaak!
The bamboo-hat figure’s spear sliced through the air.
In that instant, he had seized Myo Cheonwoo’s opening and unleashed a killing move aimed straight at his throat.
Clang!
At that moment, with a clear metallic ring, a stiff staff suddenly appeared before Myo Cheonwoo, blocking the spear strike.
Thwack.
Simultaneously, a large shadow descended from the air in front of Myo Cheonwoo.
It was Yoo Unryong.
“Yoo Unryong.”
Myo Cheonwoo shouted in disbelief.
“Are you insane?”
For Bu Eunseol’s sake. For the Death Shadow Corps’s sake.
He had told him to live, even if it meant sacrificing his own life.
So why had he come back and made this foolish choice?
“Alone, it’s impossible.”
Clack.
Retrieving the Ten-Section Staff embedded in the ground, Yoo Unryong spoke calmly.
“No matter how much this is a Mind Realm, did you really think you could corner someone like that by yourself?”
“You mad bastard. That was my job. Get out of here now.”
“I can’t do that.”
Yoo Unryong’s gaze as he looked at Myo Cheonwoo grew infinitely deep.
“Because in the end, it’s the same.”
“What?”
“Either way, it was going to break.”
Yoo Unryong gave a calm smile.
“If you die, so do I.”
Myo Cheonwoo was a friend as precious to him as Bu Eunseol.
He could not live an ordinary life after sacrificing him.
“You idiot. The strategist who’s supposed to stay cold-headed— is this all you amount to?”
“If I had truly possessed cold-headedness from the beginning…”
Yoo Unryong looked at Myo Cheonwoo with an enigmatic smile.
“I never would have followed after Bu Eunseol.”
Bu Eunseol appeared ruthless, yet possessed a stronger sense of friendship than anyone.
From the moment they came to know him, from the moment they were assimilated into his friendship, both of them had already become incapable of the cold, bloodless rationality they once might have had.
Clack.
Gripping the Ten-Section Staff tightly, Yoo Unryong assumed his stance.
“Now it’s the final journey.”
He gave Myo Cheonwoo a gentle smile.
The two of them had spent every day together in the Death Shadow Corps.
They could read each other’s thoughts with a single glance.
“Good.”
Myo Cheonwoo rose as well.
Kwaaaang!
A vortex-like wave of true energy surged from his body.
They no longer hoped for victory.
They intended only to unleash every last ounce of their power without regret and depart this world without lingering attachment.
Kwarrrrr!
As Myo Cheonwoo’s Silver Flame Palm dyed the entire world silver,
Shwaaaaak!
From the Ten-Section Staff—containing the harmony of ten transformations—a Thunderclap Myriad Extremes strike erupted.
Kwaaaang! Boom! Rumble rumble rumble!
The martial arts they unleashed with death in mind split the heavens and shook the earth, forming a flawless combination technique that even the bamboo-hat figure could not ignore.
[Ugh.]
For the first time, the bamboo-hat figure—who had not uttered a single word until now—emitted a strange, guttural sound.
Boom.
With a low vibration, the red spear slowly extended.
Crack. Crack.
The space around Yoo Unryong and Myo Cheonwoo began to warp.
It was an absolute attack—impossible to block or evade.
“Kuuuugh.”
Thick veins bulged across Yoo Unryong and Myo Cheonwoo’s bodies.
Since this was the space of the Heart Mirror Technique, ordinary force could be instantly neutralized.
Yet even so, their bodies were slowly bending.
The bamboo-hat figure was no longer attacking with martial technique—he was exerting an unknown, overwhelming power.
“This… this should be enough to use it now, right?”
At Myo Cheonwoo’s words, Yoo Unryong clenched his teeth.
“No. We can’t be sure this is Infinite Reversal Power.”
“R-really?”
Blood streamed from Myo Cheonwoo’s nose.
“If we wait any longer, we’ll die first.”
As the two poured out every ounce of their strength, a spherical wave of energy spread outward.
Yet it could not perfectly block the pouring force; their bodies continued to bend further.
“That’s… how it is, huh…?”
In the end, Yoo Unryong reached his limit as well.
If this continued, they would die without even a final groan.
Myo Cheonwoo and Yoo Unryong looked at each other and nodded.
At last—the final function of the Heart Mirror Technique.
They would activate the secret art that perfectly reflected the enemy’s unleashed power back at him, killing him.
“Haaap!”
With a fierce shout, Myo Cheonwoo stomped the ground.
The pitch-black labyrinth space vanished in an instant, and the real scenery and the Heart Mirror Technique landscape began flickering alternately.
Boom.
At the same time, with a low vibration, the bamboo-hat figure suddenly dropped to one knee.
The power that had been shaking the Mind Realm was reflected back like a mirror—and that very force now pierced into his own body.
It was the same principle as when Inbiin, the creator of that ancient Mind Realm, died: Bu Eunseol—who had been exerting immense power inside—suffered fatal internal injuries from the backlash of his own unleashed energy.
“Pfft.”
Yet it was Yoo Unryong and Myo Cheonwoo who spat blood.
Merely activating the reflection function of the Heart Mirror Technique had inflicted severe internal injuries on them as well.
‘Did we fail?’
Even amid the agony of twisted organs, the two gritted their teeth and glared at the bamboo-hat figure.
Drip, drip.
At that moment, blood began to trickle from the corner of the bamboo-hat figure’s mouth.
Yoo Unryong and Myo Cheonwoo watched with tense expressions.
Had the power he had just unleashed been Infinite Reversal Power? Had the bamboo-hat figure suffered a fatal wound?
“No. It’s no good.”
Watching quietly, Yoo Unryong shook his head.
Only now did they see—he had dropped to one knee not from injury, but to circulate his energy.
As proof, waves of internal energy rose across his entire body.
He was not suffering a fatal injury; he was simply regulating the backlash of the reflected force.
“Damn it.”
Their own injuries were far too severe.
Even seeing the bamboo-hat figure circulating energy, they could not muster the strength to attack.
“No helping it.”
Myo Cheonwoo sighed as well.
“We’ve never fought a Limitless Realm master before.”
There was no lingering regret on either face.
The martial prowess of one who had entered the Limitless Realm far exceeded imagination.
They had unleashed everything they had—and it had not worked.
Everything was heaven’s will.
“Whatever your final measure is, do it quickly—before that bastard attacks again.”
Myo Cheonwoo grinned at Yoo Unryong.
“Your last resort.”
Like Bu Eunseol, Yoo Unryong always prepared multiple contingencies in case of failure.
He would never have relied solely on the Heart Mirror Technique to face the enemy alone.
“You know me well.”
Yoo Unryong gave a wry smile.
In truth, in preparation for the worst, he had hidden tens of thousands of pounds of gunpowder here.
Whether it would work against the bamboo-hat figure was uncertain… but he had to try everything possible.
Swish.
Using his right foot, Myo Cheonwoo swiftly drew something on the ground.
The surrounding landscape began to melt and flow away like liquid.
He had completely released the Heart Mirror Technique space.
Thud.
At the same time, Myo Cheonwoo collapsed to his knees powerlessly.
“Myo Cheonwoo.”
“It’s fine.”
Wiping the blood from his mouth, Myo Cheonwoo shook his head.
“I was prepared from the start.”
Yoo Unryong’s eyes trembled.
This Heart Mirror Technique had been forcibly completed by Yoo Unryong to save his father, Yoo Jeongpung.
Because it was an imperfect dharma method, it had been incomplete from the beginning.
Merely containing such a flawed space within oneself… would inevitably cause both mind and body to collapse.
Drip, drip.
When he opened his mouth, bright red clots of blood poured from Myo Cheonwoo’s lips.
“Hurry. Before I stop breathing.”
“Myo Cheonwoo.”
With trembling hands, Yoo Unryong tightly grasped the hand of his fallen, bleeding friend.
Woooong.
As he raised his internal energy, the limp Ten-Section Staff stood rigid like a club once more.
“Yes… let’s meet again in hell.”
The instant Yoo Unryong drove the sharpened Ten-Section Staff into the ground—
“Huh? Wait.”
From the dying Myo Cheonwoo came a clear voice.
When Yoo Unryong turned, Myo Cheonwoo—lying there—was blinking with an extremely clear expression.
“What?”
“No, it’s just…”
Myo Cheonwoo touched his throat and tilted his head.
“I was sure I was about to die… but suddenly I feel refreshed? My body feels fine again.”
“What?”
Then something strange happened.
Yoo Unryong’s eyes briefly turned clear as well—then with a retch, he vomited a large clot of blood.
Thud.
Like Myo Cheonwoo, he collapsed, gasping and bleeding.
“What the- was I the one who was supposed to die?”
Lying on the ground, Yoo Unryong panted for a long while.
Yet he too did not die.
“So that’s how it was.”
Only then did Myo Cheonwoo nod as though he had realized something.
“You tried to create the Mind Realm alone, didn’t you?”
“That’s why—”
“That’s why what?”
Myo Cheonwoo smiled.
“But right now, there are two of us. And we’re united in our resolve to kill that bastard.”
From the beginning, the Heart Mirror Technique had been incomplete.
To unfold it, Yoo Unryong had used a method that staked his very life force.
Thus—whether he succeeded in dealing with the killer or not—the caster’s death had been predetermined.
But Yoo Unryong had entered the Mind Realm through the same path as Myo Cheonwoo and together they had united their hearts to repel the enemy.
In other words, the life force that should have been consumed to the point of death had been shared between the two of them.
That was why they had not died.
“So that’s it.”
Yoo Unryong slapped his forehead.
All this time, he had failed to realize such a simple principle.
“It was never meant to be unfolded alone.”
The reason unfolding the Heart Mirror Technique inevitably led to death was because, from the very beginning, the Heart Mirror Technique was a technique meant to be performed by multiple people combining their strength.
“Either way, we’re still just waiting to die again.”
At Myo Cheonwoo’s words, Yoo Unryong wore a regretful expression.
“It would have been nice if we could have passed on this realization before dying.”
Both of them had suffered fatal internal injuries; they could no longer fight.
“Then I’m going.”
Before the bamboo-hat figure finished regulating his energy, they had to detonate the buried gunpowder.
“Haaap!”
With a shout, Yoo Unryong gritted his teeth and drove the Ten-Section Staff into the ground.
“…”
There was no reaction.
“Ah.”
As though realizing something, Yoo Unryong slapped his forehead again.
“I made another mistake.”
“What—did it require a certain amount of internal energy to trigger?”
“Yes. If it wasn’t buried deeply enough, it could be discovered or misfire. I tuned it to react only to Cold Flame True Energy.”
“That’s not like you at all.”
Myo Cheonwoo gave a wry chuckle.
“Well, you must have been out of your mind. It was about saving your father, after all.”
This time, Yoo Unryong had tried to handle far too much alone.
He had manipulated the intelligence network to ensure no one could trace his movements. At the same time, he had left countless instructions for Mu Gwang so that the Death Shadow Corps would not fall into chaos in his absence.
He had desperately completed the unfinished Heart Mirror Technique to risk his life saving his father, and had even prepared elaborate traps for the final moment.
Handling all of this alone… he had failed to anticipate that his internal energy might be completely depleted at the very end.
“Still, it was a partial success.”
Myo Cheonwoo murmured while looking at the bamboo-hat figure, who was still recovering.
“To tie up a master of that level for at least half an incense stick’s time.”
Instead of answering, Yoo Unryong sank down beside Myo Cheonwoo.
There was nothing more they could do.
Thud, thud.
At that moment, light footsteps approached from behind them.
Someone was drawing very close.
‘Another ally?’
Even though they were exhausted from the fierce battle, for someone to approach this closely without any trace?
‘From the beginning, it was doomed to fail.’
To bring someone of that caliber and still call in reinforcements?
These two had layered meticulous plan upon meticulous plan, creating something truly perfect.
“…!”
Yet when Yoo Unryong turned his head, his eyes widened to the point of tearing.
The figure who approached was none other than Bu Eunseol—clad in gray martial robes.
“Bu Eunseol—how did you—”
Instead of answering, Bu Eunseol hurled a small wooden box with furious eyes.
Inside were pairs of Blue Spirit Stone Elixir—to heal all internal and external injuries—and Potential Demon Divine Pellet.
Suppressing the rage that threatened to explode, Bu Eunseol spoke in a choked voice.
“Eat them quickly. Before your wounds fester.”
“How did this happen?”
“Protector Tak told me. I wanted to pretend I didn’t know because it was such a touching display of friendship… but I simply couldn’t.”
Yoo Unryong and Myo Cheonwoo were his closest aides, yet unlike the others, they had no special safeguards.
Because their martial arts ranked at the very top among the younger generation.
But Bu Eunseol had not been reassured by that.
In preparation for any contingency, he had asked Tak Ilhon to ensure that—if the two ever left the Death Shadow Corps—their movements would always be reported to him.
Just like Soyo, who was always by his side, he had arranged for their whereabouts to be constantly monitored so that any danger could be prevented in advance.
“Was I not trustworthy enough?”
A low growl escaped Bu Eunseol; fury smoldered in his eyes.
He was extremely angry that Yoo Unryong and Myo Cheonwoo had tried to throw away their lives without consulting him at all.
“You know better than anyone that wasn’t our intention.”
Yoo Unryong sighed.
“You’re not alone. If something happens to you—what becomes of the subordinates who look only to you?”
“Have you forgotten why I came out to the martial world in the first place?”
A fierce light shone from Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
“If I lose the people closest to me in the name of revenge… then what meaning does that revenge have?”
Yoo Unryong’s eyes wavered like rippling water.
In truth, he had known for a long time.
To Bu Eunseol, all of them were family.
For the sake of avenging family… rather than sacrifice family, he would abandon such revenge.
“Yes… that’s right.”
Yoo Unryong bowed his head.
The world had collapsed with his grandfather’s death; he had wandered the martial world alone in search of the killer.
And now, to Bu Eunseol—who had already suffered the loss of family—he had nearly caused him to lose family once again.
“I’m sorry.”
Yoo Unryong bit his lip.
“This will never happen again.”
Then he looked at the bamboo-hat figure, who was still regulating his energy.
“But you have to understand Unryong too.”
Myo Cheonwoo pointed at the bamboo-hat figure.
“That man is a Limitless Realm master. Rather than sacrifice countless warriors… we had no choice but to end it among ourselves like this.”
“Why sacrifice anyone?”
“What?”
With a calm expression, Bu Eunseol walked toward the bamboo-hat figure.
“If I handle it alone, that’s the end of it.”
“W-wait—he’s…”
When Myo Cheonwoo waved his hand to stop him, Yoo Unryong grabbed his arm.
“Let him go.”
“Let him go? Didn’t you see that bastard’s strength?”
“He can win.”
“What?”
Looking at Bu Eunseol’s back as he advanced, Yoo Unryong wore a smile of utmost pride.
“That guy… has already entered the Limitless Realm.”
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