Bu Eunseol shook his head.
“I know nothing of the Limitless Realm. Nor do I wish to know.”
“What?”
“There is only growth.”
“Growth? If one has transcended the Supreme Heavenly Realm, isn’t the next stage naturally the Limitless Realm?”
"Old man.”
Bu Eunseol calmly explained to the stunned Bukgung Ryeong.
“The Limitless Realm is nothing but an illusion. That is why the former supreme experts who once ruled the martial world… have long struggled desperately to break through that so-called Limitless Realm.”
Then he added indifferently, “In the end, they succeeded. That is precisely why I chose a different path—to catch up to them.”
“Wh-what?”
Bukgung Ryeong was completely dazed.
He couldn’t even comprehend half of what Bu Eunseol had said.
“Then… does that mean they have already reached Heaven's Will Realm?”
“No. If we must give it a name… it would be more accurate to call it the true Limitless Realm that the martial world itself has created.”
“The true Limitless Realm?”
“Yes. The conventional Limitless Realm was too fixated on a single power called Infinite Reversal Power.”
Bu Eunseol had no choice but to explain in detail what the Fist Man had once told him about the limitations of the Limitless Realm. However, he deliberately omitted any mention of having defeated the Fist Man or the Spear-Wielder.
There was no need to crush the spirit of this elder—who still had plenty of room to grow—from this point onward.
“So the Infinite Ascension Steps was actually akin to a heart demon…”
Bukgung Ryeong’s eyes widened like a country boy seeing the imperial capital for the first time.
“Then this old man must raise his martial prowess even higher…”
Muttering lowly, he clenched his fist tightly.
His Inner Bullet Technique had possessed a power no one could block, and at some point he had grown satisfied with his own level. But after hearing Bu Eunseol’s words, the long-extinguished flame of a martial artist’s soul had reignited within him once more.
‘Good.’
Bu Eunseol wore a meaningful smile.
He had deliberately revealed his aura at the very end.
So that Bukgung Ryeong could grow even further.
So that he could become the true leader capable of guiding the orthodox martial world.
“That’s all for now.”
Bu Eunseol waved his hand dismissively and turned away.
“Then until next time.”
As he started to leave, he turned his head once more and said, “In the meantime, keep working diligently as you have been—build up your support base well.”
“Bu Eunseol.”
At that moment, Bukgung Ryeong spoke with utmost firmness and a grave expression.
“I don’t know about anything else… but I will not leave the Martial Alliance.”
“…”
“From the moment I entered this place, I had already made up my mind. Not because of you—but to once again raise the righteous banner of the orthodox path that has been passed down through the generations.”
After taking a deep breath, he declared once more with perfect clarity,
“I believe that cleansing the Martial Alliance is the final mission of my life.”
The Bullet King Bukgung Ryeong.
One of the most renowned righteous heroes of the orthodox sects.
He had not come to the Martial Alliance lightly, nor merely to preserve his health. He had come resolved to devote the rest of his life here—to make the Martial Alliance clean and transparent.
“A fine resolve.” Bu Eunseol nodded. “That is precisely why I wish to entrust the position of Alliance Leader to you. Because you are truly capable of accomplishing such a thing.”
Then, as if receiving a divine oracle and prophesying like a shaman, he spoke solemnly, “Soon, old man, you will walk out of the Martial Alliance of your own volition.”
“Why would I?”
“Because you will come to realize that the Martial Alliance is not merely a clean place tainted by corruption… but a place that has been rotten from the very beginning.”
“…”
“And before long, you yourself will publicly announce it—the founding of the Azure Sky Alliance.”
Bukgung Ryeong, who had been listening blankly, suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
“Now you’re spouting fortune-teller nonsense.”
“You don’t believe me?”
Snap.
When Bu Eunseol’s expression turned deadly serious, Bukgung Ryeong stopped laughing and nodded.
“That will never happen. I will absolutely never leave the Martial Alliance.”
“I see.” Bu Eunseol gave a faint smile. “But if your heart ever changes, come to the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
“The Sichuan Tang Clan? Why?”
“To create the Azure Sky Alliance after leaving the Martial Alliance, won’t you need a stronghold?”
“You’re going to build it in Sichuan?”
“I already have. A long time ago.”
“Already built? How?”
Bu Eunseol did not answer. With only a smile lingering, he turned and left.
“Hey, you brat! At least finish what you were saying!”
But he paid no attention and walked straight out of the sealed room.
Bukgung Ryeong stared blankly at the door and sighed.
“That guy… I have no idea what kind of monstrous scheme he’s cooking up now.”
Then he shook his head.
“But you still don’t know me well enough.”
He truly had no intention of leaving the Martial Alliance. From the very beginning, he had resolved to devote the remainder of his life here.
No matter how brilliant Bu Eunseol might be, no matter how heaven-reaching his wisdom, the vow he had made—to never leave the Martial Alliance—would never waver.
***
‘Now it begins.’
Having left the Martial Alliance, Bu Eunseol immediately headed toward his safe house in the western region.
‘He will make an excellent Alliance Leader.’
Originally, Bukgung Ryeong was a man indifferent to fame and entirely without ambition.
Moreover, because he had wandered alone for far too long, he was unaccustomed to commanding others.
In short, while he could become a renowned hero, he was not the type suited to be the head of an organization or the leader of countless warriors.
Fortunately, however, Bukgung Ryeong had come here with the single-minded determination to purify the Martial Alliance—to change this place.
Because of that, he had naturally been helping numerous warriors.
As a result, more and more warriors began to follow him, and Bukgung Ryeong had no choice but to lead and command those followers.
Unbeknownst to himself… he had cultivated the qualities necessary to become a leader capable of guiding large groups of people.
And that was fortunate for Bu Eunseol as well.
Aside from Bukgung Ryeong, there was simply no other outstanding figure capable of leading a new orthodox coalition.
‘The orthodox path must be led by someone like him.’
For a long time, Bu Eunseol had keenly felt the need for a new leader in the orthodox martial world.
The Heavenly Emperor’s life or death was uncertain, and the Martial Venerable had fallen into corruption.
The current martial world desperately needed a new leader to once again raise the banner of the orthodox path. The only person capable of doing so was a noble man who had done what was right his entire life and stubbornly upheld the path of chivalry and justice.
There was no one but Bukgung Ryeong.
‘This is not for the sake of the martial world’s order.’
In truth, Bu Eunseol was not acting out of concern for the orthodox path or to protect martial justice.
Revenge.
Even if the culprit who killed his grandfather had acted alone, in the end, that person would belong to—or be backed by—one of the colossal hidden forces that controlled the martial world.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible to erase their traces so perfectly and vanish without a trace.
Ultimately, creating a coalition that remained untainted by external forces and upheld the proper banner was also part of the process of finding the culprit.
‘Though it is merely a second-best option.’
In truth, Bu Eunseol had never intended to suddenly launch the Azure Sky Alliance like this.
Creating a new orthodox coalition was, at best, only a fallback plan. But the current state of the martial world was far too dire.
Even the Hwa Wu Sword Sect—one of the ten strongest demonic sects—had shown signs of colluding with external forces.
That meant the same could be said of Majeon and the Martial Alliance.
He could no longer leave the supreme experts in the midst of such a dragon-tiger den.
Yet if he were to bring them into the Martial Soul Society right now?
Seon Woojin’s movements would be exposed, and the supreme experts would be unable to live openly and proudly.
To resolve that issue alone, a new orthodox coalition had to be created.
‘However.’
Bu Eunseol’s expression darkened slightly as he sank into thought.
‘I still haven’t obtained the final key to completing this plan.’
For Bu Eunseol to leave the Martial Alliance completely and perfectly as Seon Woojin, he needed leverage that could deliver a fatal counterblow to the Martial Venerable.
And that required the absolute trust and help of one person.
He had boldly declared to Bukgung Ryeong that he would walk out openly under the identity of Seon Woojin, but in reality, he had yet to find the decisive key—the one thing that could turn that person’s heart and complete the plan.
‘I must find it no matter what.’
Deep in such thoughts, as he was unleashing his movement technique at full speed,
Clang! Dang!
A metallic sound rang out together with a loud battle cry.
Because the noise echoed faintly from hundreds of zhang away, an ordinary martial expert would never have heard it. But thanks to the Wind-Cloud Divine Qi flowing within his body, Bu Eunseol could catch the faint metallic clangs and cries carried on the wind.
‘Hm.’
When Bu Eunseol paused his light-body skill and focused his ears, Soyo’s thousand-li transmission reached him.
[What is it?]
Even she, whose qinggong and super-senses were nearly on par with his, had not detected the faint metallic sound.
The Three Divine Energies.
Merely harboring these forces of nature had multiplied his senses several times over.
[I hear something.]
After replying briefly through transmission, Bu Eunseol suddenly had an odd thought.
The Four Divine Gods each boasted their own unique powers but that alone did not make them beings who could completely dominate the martial world or roam as supreme experts.
Yet when these powers were gathered together, they manifested entirely new and mystical abilities that transcended conventional martial arts.
‘Is this something only the Three Realms know?’
The Three Realms, who could be considered vassals of the Baekri Family, had long understood the importance of the Four Divine Energies.
The Infinite Realm… had they not attempted to artificially create the Four Divine Energies through demonic embryos and artificial inner cores?
‘Then could it be that the Baekri Family possesses something similar to the power of the Four Divines?’
The vassals of the True Demon made immense contributions to the creation of martial arts in the world and even placed restrictions on their realms.
And the Baekri Family stands in opposition to that True Demon.
If so, then the Baekri Family’s power would be something akin to the naturally occurring power of the Four Divines—or at least comparable. And perhaps the Three Realms, knowing well the power of the Baekri Family, had targeted the Four Divine Energies precisely because of that…
[Sound?]
At that moment, Soyo’s transmission came again.
[What kind of sound?]
Snapping back to the present, Bu Eunseol replied briefly.
[I hear the clash of weapons somewhere.]
This area was not under any sect’s sphere of influence, nor was it a place where factions or individuals would normally clash.
In the past he would have simply passed by, but the situation had changed.
‘I must pay even closer attention to the state of the martial world from now on.’
He had long been deeply involved in the affairs of the martial world, and soon he would have to create a new coalition.
It was only natural that he must have perfect knowledge of the movements of both orthodox and demonic sides.
No matter how trivial, he had to scrutinize every matter in the martial world.
[I’ll go see what’s happening.]
When Soyo spoke, Bu Eunseol shook his head.
[No. Let’s go together.]
Whoosh!
Using the Wind-Cloud Divine Qi to lift his body, Bu Eunseol crossed the air in an instant.
When employing the Wind-Cloud Divine Qi for qinggong, not only was almost no internal energy consumed, but no sonic boom was produced, and the aura of natural qi concealed his presence, allowing him to move as stealthily as if he were using shadow-walking techniques.
Clang! Dang dang!
Finally arriving near the source of the sound, the noise of clashing weapons rang out even more loudly.
Hiding his body secretly atop a massive tree, Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened.
‘What are these people?’
Down in the clearing in the forest below, ten black-clothed masked men were surrounded by forty-odd blue-faced individuals wearing blue face cloths, engaged in fierce combat.
Strangely, the masked men displayed a unique martial art that blended orthodox and demonic techniques, making it impossible to tell which sect they belonged to or what style they were using.
And the blue-faced ones’ martial skills were even more bizarre.
Aside from occasional bursts of swordsmanship, their techniques looked less like martial arts and more like some peculiar sorcery.
‘Fascinating.’
As Bu Eunseol carefully observed the fight, he suddenly realized one thing.
Although the blue-faced ones were using some strange, untraceable sorcery-like arts, the black-clothed masked men were, at any rate, employing orthodox Central Plains martial arts.
And not merely a mix of orthodox and demonic—their techniques had reached an almost perfect level of fusion.
‘Could it be…’
A brilliant light burst from Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
In the current martial world, the only person capable of perfectly fusing orthodox and demonic martial arts was one and only one individual.
“Ugh.”
Meanwhile, the battle had reached its climax.
The numerically superior blue-faced ones had already overwhelmed the black-clothed masked men, and now only one—the apparent leader—remained alive.
‘Hm.’
After thinking deeply for a moment, Bu Eunseol murmured to himself, “If I use old man’s identity, I can definitely confirm it.”
Having devised a plan, Bu Eunseol took out a face cloth from his robes and covered his face. Then, using Face and Bone Shifting Art, he made his build slightly thinner and wrinkled his entire skin.
Whoosh.
Hands clasped behind his back, he executed an immortal-like movement technique and quickly approached the area, making it appear as though he had suddenly discovered the battle and changed direction toward it.
“Hmm. Sorcery, is it?”
Watching from afar, he shouted in a thunderous, aged voice, “Stop right there! Which sect’s disciple dares to use sorcery forbidden in the martial world?”
What Bu Eunseol was imitating with his voice through the Art of Deceptive Enlightenment was none other than the Bullet King Bukgung Ryeong.
The blue-faced ones looked at Bu Eunseol’s eyes—disguised beneath the face cloth—and flinched.
“That person is…”
The apparent leader among the blue-faced widened his eyes.
“The Bullet King?”
Then he muttered something incomprehensible under his breath.
“How can some meddler appear while carrying out His command…?”
“What are you saying?”
When Bu Eunseol asked, the blue-faced man did not answer. Instead, he exchanged glances with his comrades.
Nod.
After sharing a look, they simultaneously extended both arms.
Wooong.
Suddenly, an invisible, tremendous pressure began crushing Bu Eunseol’s body, and hundreds of snakes rose from the ground and coiled around him.
It was not martial arts—it was bizarre sorcery.
“You dare use such wicked witchcraft!”
Imitating the Bullet King’s voice to the fullest, Bu Eunseol roared.
“In all my life, I have never forgiven those who practice sorcery.”
Bang!
As he raised his energy, waves of true qi spread in all directions.
A powerful whirlwind rose and blew away the snakes clinging to his body.
Seeing Bu Eunseol unleash true-qi waves and wind that seemed capable of sweeping away the entire world, the blue-faced ones realized the terrifying depth of his internal energy and hurriedly waved both hands.
Crack. Rumble rumble rumble.
As the blue-faced ones simultaneously formed strange hand seals, the ground around them split open and crimson light surged toward Bu Eunseol’s body.
The moment the light touched him, white smoke rose from his skin and thick, earthworm-like veins bulged.
“Child’s play.”
Bu Eunseol lightly flicked his finger.
BOOM!
With an explosive sound, compressed air shot toward the blue-faced ones like cannonballs.
“Scatter!”
Shocked that their sorcery had failed, the blue-faced ones hurriedly dispersed in all directions.
Their movement techniques were profound and their directional changes swift, allowing them to somehow evade the pouring Inner Bullet Techniques.
BOOM! BOOM!
But when he fired them continuously, they could no longer dodge.
Bang! BOOM!
Moreover, the speed of the Inner Bullet Techniques was several times faster than their own movement speed.
From the beginning, evasion itself was impossible.
Ziiing.
Eventually, the blue-faced ones gave up dodging. They formed a fixed battle formation and soon created a vivid blue qi membrane.
It was fused with sorcery, making it several times stronger than a normal manifested qi barrier.
KUUUONG!
The Inner Bullet Technique struck the qi membrane they created but could not penetrate; instead, a bell-like vibration spread outward.
But there was one thing they did not know.
Bu Eunseol’s internal energy had already reached the limit the human body could contain—ten Jiazi.
“Ugh.”
Blood arrows sprayed from the blue-faced ones’ mouths.
Although they had blocked the Inner Bullet Technique with their qi membrane, they could not block the terrifying shockwave generated by that immense force, resulting in severe internal injuries.
Tremble tremble.
All forty-odd blue-faced ones stood staggering, mortally wounded.
“I cannot understand it.”
One of them muttered while spitting out shattered pieces of internal organs.
“Until now, it had never once been wrong… Has the Heaven’s secret gone astray?”
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
Bu Eunseol approached the fallen blue-faced ones and demanded,
“What is your identity? Where did you learn such witchcraft?”
The blue-faced ones, bearing grievous wounds, glared at Bu Eunseol with determined eyes.
Then—
Thud, thud.
One by one, they collapsed to the ground like logs.
Realizing they could neither resist his attacks nor escape his grasp, they immediately severed their own heart veins and committed suicide.
“They kill themselves the moment I ask their identity?”
Looking down at the fallen blue-faced ones, Bu Eunseol let out a hollow exclamation.
“So they were mere pawns of some evil organization. Just where did such people come from?”
Then he turned to the panting black-clothed masked man who had survived.
“And what about you?”
The lone surviving black-clothed masked man struggled to his feet and shook his head.
“I cannot reveal my identity.”
“I saved you for nothing, then.”
“…”
When the masked man gave no reply, Bu Eunseol asked again.
“You don’t have to reveal your identity. Then who are those blue-faced cloth-wearing bastards? Which faction do they belong to?”
“I don’t know. They suddenly appeared and attacked us.”
“You’re lying. Do you think you can fool this old man’s eyes?”
When Bu Eunseol rebuked him sternly, the masked man proudly thrust out his chest.
“If you’re going to kill me, then kill me. But do it as quickly as possible.”
“What?”
“My comrades will arrive soon.”
“Hmm.”
Bu Eunseol stroked his chin and nodded with an admiring gaze.
“I see. You’ve got quite the spirit.”
Imitating the Bullet King’s mannerisms with hands behind his back, Bu Eunseol spoke coldly.
“No matter which faction you belong to, if you intend to commit evil deeds, you had best stop now.”
Then he emitted a terrifying radiance from both eyes.
“Because this old man will make sure to kill you without fail.”
The masked man gave no reply. He simply stood there with great effort.
Bu Eunseol snorted and instantly unleashed his movement technique.
KUUUONG!
An explosive wave of true qi spread in all directions, and his figure vanished in an instant.
Gush.
As soon as Bu Eunseol left, the masked man—who had been forcing himself to remain calm—spat blood from his mouth.
“The Bullet King… to think he would appear here.”
After taking a deep breath, the masked man gazed at the distant sky.
He had already suffered irreparable internal injuries.
Moreover, although all the blue-faced ones were dead, new pursuers would soon arrive.
With such severe injuries, he could maintain his qinggong for roughly the time it takes to burn one incense stick.
He would never reach Chengdu, and he had no means left to erase his trail…
He was left with no choice but to wait for death.
“I’ll try to evade pursuit somehow.”
Muttering lowly, the masked man clenched his fist.
“I must survive no matter what.”
Then he raised what remained of his internal energy and unleashed his qinggong.
‘As I thought.’
Bu Eunseol—who had been watching the masked man while concealing himself—nodded.
‘Even when I appeared as the Bullet King, there was no reaction…’
In truth, he had already identified the black-clothed masked men.
‘Direct subordinates of the Martial Venerable.’
Though many in the martial world had mastered both orthodox and demonic arts, there was only one person capable of perfectly fusing two entirely different schools of martial arts.
The Martial Venerable alone—the man said to have gone mad for martial arts and studied every style in the world.
Having seen through the identity of the black-clothed masked men, Bu Eunseol pondered deeply and devised a plan.
He appeared in the form of the Bullet King, defeated the blue-faced ones, and spoke to the lone remaining black-clothed masked man.
Any orthodox martial artist might not trust the Martial Alliance Leader, but they would trust the Bullet King.
Because the Bullet King was known throughout the martial world as the most incorruptible and selfless figure.
Yet even in a situation where he could not last another incense stick of time, the man had kept his identity and secrets sealed to the very end.
‘Which means… he is carrying out a secret mission that absolutely must not be known to the martial world.’
When someone on a secret mission encounters an unexpected crisis and is about to die, the very first thing they must do is transmit the information they have obtained—or whatever contains that information—to someone else.
Bu Eunseol had deliberately disguised himself as the Bullet King—the most trusted figure in the orthodox martial world.
There was no one more trustworthy to entrust with a simple request to pass something along.
Yet despite that, the masked man neither revealed his identity nor made any request.
That could only mean… the information he carried was something the martial world must never know, and the black-clothed masked man had concluded that he could never trust any martial artist.
‘I thought it might be the case, but…’
Whoosh.
Bu Eunseol spun his body once.
In an instant, his clothes changed into those of an extremely ragged wanderer.
Thud.
He buried all his possessions and the Silent Tiger Soul Sword into the ground.
Crack crack.
Using Face and Bone Shifting Art, he altered his face into one that was utterly ordinary.
Hsss.
Not satisfied, he circulated the Yeolha Great True Energy to lightly scorch his clothes, making them look long-worn.
Swish swish.
He smeared dust all over his face and clothes and even rubbed filthy mud into his teeth.
In an extremely short time, Bu Eunseol had transformed into the appearance of a beggar who had not washed for years.
He picked up a large nearby stone.
Crack.
Then he smashed it against a boulder to create a sharp fragment.
Wooong.
Infusing it with internal energy, he turned it into a stone knife as sharp and smooth as one that had been honed for a very long time.
“This should do.”
He began scraping the bark off a nearby tree in neat squares with the stone knife.
When the white inner bark appeared, he peeled it off and began chewing without hesitation.
‘An ordinary beggar would definitely be allowed to approach.’
No matter how wary someone might be of martial artists, they would not be suspicious of a beggar peeling and eating tree bark.
‘If he received the secret arts created by the Martial Venerable, he must have been a fairly trusted subordinate.’
While chewing the bark, Bu Eunseol suddenly recalled the martial arts the black-clothed masked man had used.
Why was the Martial Venerable called the Martial Venerable?
From childhood until adulthood, he had studied the martial arts of every sect under heaven and mastered their principles, reaching new realms.
That was why the Martial Venerable’s martial arts could perfectly fuse even orthodox and demonic styles, and why—even for great experts—it was impossible to discern exactly which school’s profound principles he was using in any given technique.
And the martial arts used by the black-clothed masked men possessed every single characteristic of the martial arts employed by the Martial Venerable himself.
Munch munch.
Continuing to chew the tree bark, he began munching on the leaves and stems as well.
Biting down hard with his molars produced a bitter taste, but he kept chewing without stopping.
Then he smeared all the remnants onto his clothes.
Whoosh.
At that moment, the sound of labored movement technique approached from far away.
‘He’s here.’
Bu Eunseol wore a satisfied smile.
The shadow approaching from a distance was none other than the black-clothed masked man he had just saved.
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