Whoosh.
With a sharp sound slicing through the air, a figure in white robes descended from the sky, moving with a cloud-like movement technique.
“Hahaha! What keen senses you have!” The figure revealed himself to be a man in white, with an ancient sword hanging at his waist. “I happened to witness the duel while passing by, but I couldn’t intervene mid-fight.”
His eyes were strikingly clear, and his white teeth gleamed with every smile, leaving a strong impression. His amiable appearance would charm most, but Bu Eunseol wore an expression as if suppressing a yawn.
“I see,” he said, turning away with disinterest.
The man followed Bu Eunseol as he walked, speaking again. “Did you take down all these Blood Demons?”
No response came, but the man persisted. From the situation, it seemed he had arrived just as Bu Eunseol faced Yang Myeong in their final clash.
“To kill the Venomous Hand Flying Demon Yang Myeong with a single strike… the martial world will be turned upside down soon.”
Bu Eunseol didn’t look back, but the man kept following and talking. “With such skill, why didn’t you show your full strength at the Jeongmu Tournament?”
“Do you know me?” Bu Eunseol finally spoke.
The man chuckled softly and stepped closer. “I’ve been watching you closely since the tournament.”
“A spectator, then,” Bu Eunseol said, turning away again with disinterest.
The man shrugged, as if resigned, and said, “I’m a disciple of the Thousand Swords Society.”
“The Thousand Swords Society?” Black Leopard’s eyes widened as he overheard.
The Thousand Swords Society.
It was a legendary sword sect passed down through generations in the martial world.
For ages, the orthodox factions were dominated by the Nine Great Sects or the Eight Great Families, while the demonic factions were led by Majeon and the Ten Demonic Sects.
Their refined martial arts, systematic training methods, and numerous disciples ensured a deep pool of masters.
Realizing this, the unparalleled swordsmen who roamed the martial world independently, unbound by orthodox or demonic affiliations, came together with a shared purpose.
“Why not gather independent masters, share the secrets of swordsmanship, and advance together?”
If they belonged to major factions, sharing their secret techniques would be unthinkable. But the swordsmen of the Thousand Swords Society, unbound by any faction and self-taught, had no qualms about sharing their supreme techniques.
Thus, ten peerless swordsmen, renowned for their obsession with the sword, formed a small sword sect—the Thousand Swords Society.
“You’re a swordsman of the Thousand Swords Society?” Black Leopard asked, astonished.
Rumors of the sect abounded, but like divine dragons in the clouds, they rarely showed themselves. And now, one of their swordsmen stood before them?
“Hahaha, don’t misunderstand. I’m merely a disciple of the Seventh Seat, Master Woo Hak,” the man clarified.
“A disciple?” Black Leopard asked.
“Yes,” the man said, clasping his hands toward Bu Eunseol and Black Leopard. “I am Yoo Hwaryeong, disciple of Master Woo Hak, the Seventh Seat of the Thousand Swords Society.”
Woo Hak, a master from the previous generation, was renowned for his terrifyingly swift swordsmanship.
At this, Bu Eunseol, who had been standing silently, let a glint flash in his eyes. “So, you’re here to challenge me?”
“Hahaha, not at all!” Yoo Hwaryeong laughed, shaking his head. “I’m too inept to have mastered even half of my master’s sword techniques. Against you, I’d lose a hundred times over.”
“Then what’s your purpose?” Bu Eunseol asked.
“Hahaha! Must there always be a purpose to strike up a conversation in the martial world…?” Yoo Hwaryeong began, but as Bu Eunseol turned away, he quickly waved his hand.
“You’re impatient, aren’t you? Fine, I’ll get to the point.”
Having grasped Bu Eunseol’s cold demeanor, Yoo Hwaryeong glanced around and lowered his voice. “I’ve been observing you since the Martial Tournament.”
Bu Eunseol remained silent.
“Your swordsmanship is unique, and your killing intent runs deep, so I wondered if you might be a wicked person. Yang Myeong’s suspicious forfeit in the finals only deepened that thought.” Looking at Bu Eunseol, Yoo Hwaryeong spoke firmly. “But this incident made it clear. You’re not a villain—you’re a man of the orthodox path.”
Black Leopard, standing beside Bu Eunseol, had to suppress a bewildered expression.
Well, it would look that way.
Bu Eunseol had unhesitatingly cut down a leader of Hell's Blood Fortress. Even if he vehemently denied being orthodox, the situation would lead others to assume he was.
“You didn’t gain much fame at the tournament, but don’t be disappointed. After defeating the leader of Hell's Blood Fortress, your name will soon spread far and wide,” Yoo Hwaryeong continued.
“You talk too much,” Bu Eunseol said, his expression bored.
Yoo Hwaryeong’s claim of being direct was undermined by his rambling.
“I don’t care about orthodox or demonic. Such things don’t concern me,” Bu Eunseol added.
Yoo Hwaryeong looked slightly surprised. A true orthodox martial artist would never say such a thing. Bu Eunseol was subtly revealing his demonic nature.
Clack.
As Black Leopard reached the carriage and opened the door, Yoo Hwaryeong hurriedly spoke. “Whether you’re orthodox, demonic, or somewhere in between, it doesn’t matter!”
With a resolute tone, he continued, “The Thousand Swords Society stands in the middle of orthodox and demonic. As long as you’re not a villain with an evil heart, it’s irrelevant.”
Finally, he got to the point. “Come with me to Sichuan.”
“Sichuan?” Bu Eunseol asked.
“Soon, a regular gathering hosted by my master and the Second Seat, Master Seok, will take place.”
Black Leopard turned, puzzled, and Yoo Hwaryeong nodded as if expecting the reaction. “The Society is seeking exceptional talents to inherit the newly created sword techniques.”
Stepping closer, he lowered his voice. “People like you.”
Black Leopard’s eyes sparkled. The Thousand Swords Society was founded by ten legendary swordsmen who roamed independently. If they had created new sword techniques, they would surely rival the supreme techniques of the Nine Great Sects and Eight Great Families.
But Bu Eunseol shook his head firmly. “I have a sect. I have no intention of taking another master.”
“Don’t worry. This isn’t about forming a master-disciple bond,” Yoo Hwaryeong clarified.
“What do you mean?” Bu Eunseol asked.
“The Society was founded to transcend orthodox and demonic boundaries, creating and passing down exceptional swordsmanship. While we take disciples to sustain the Society, that original mission remains.”
“Get to the point. If you dodge the question again, I’m done talking,” Bu Eunseol said coldly.
Yoo Hwaryeong sighed and answered, “We’ve created a new sword technique, but none of our disciples can master it.”
With a deep sigh and a hint of shame, he lowered his head. “So, the Second Seat ordered us to roam the martial world and find peerless talents capable of mastering it. That’s why I attended the Martial Tournament.”
“That makes no sense,” Bu Eunseol said with a cold laugh. “If talent is all that matters, regardless of background, why not spread word that the Thousand Swords Society is seeking prodigies? Countless martial artists would flock to you.”
He fixed Yoo Hwaryeong with a sharp gaze. “Instead, you have your disciples wander the martial world to find these talents? That sounds absurd.”
“A keen observation,” Yoo Hwaryeong said, nodding. “But I can only reveal the reason if you agree to join the Society—or rather, just before you enter our gathering.”
Bu Eunseol thought deeply for a moment, then nodded. “So, it’s not just about talent—there are specific conditions.”
“Sharp as expected! Exactly,” Yoo Hwaryeong said, slapping his knee. “I can’t reveal those conditions to someone who hasn’t joined, as such rumors would spread.”
“Hmm.” Though his doubts were resolved, Bu Eunseol didn’t answer immediately.
He hadn’t fully mastered Nangyang’s martial arts, and the Thousand Swords Society, a group of sword-obsessed independents standing between orthodox and demonic, made him question whether their techniques were necessary.
“For your information, I’m not the only one searching for talents,” Yoo Hwaryeong added in a subtle tone, noting Bu Eunseol’s hesitation.
“I hear my fellow disciples have already scouted masters from the Nine Great Sects and Eight Great Families. There’s even a rumor that my senior brother recruited a top master from the Huashan Sect.”
With a serious expression, he said to Bu Eunseol, “Going to the Society won’t be a loss for you. Why not come with me to Sichuan?”
Bu Eunseol had intended to refuse. But the moment he heard that masters from various orthodox factions would gather, his mind changed.
I might get to see masters from the Nine Great Sects and Eight Great Families.
From the perspective of orthodox masters, Dongpyoseorang was just a mercenaries market under Hell's Blood Fortress’s influence. As a result, renowned orthodox masters hadn’t attended the Jeongmu Tournament.
Bu Eunseol had long wanted to test himself against the famed orthodox masters.
Plus, it’s a rare chance to learn about the elusive Thousand Swords Society.
“Fine. I’ll go,” he said.
“Great choice!” Yoo Hwaryeong’s face lit up with a wide grin.
“You won’t regret joining the Society!”
“I doubt there’ll be anything to regret,” Bu Eunseol said, his lips curling into a cold smirk.
Now, he was headed to Sichuan to face off against the orthodox masters.
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