Trickle trickle trickle.
After walking for a long while, the sound of a river flowing finally reached his ears.
If he passed through the forest ahead, the riverbank would come into view.
Most likely, Gongsun Dankyung had intended to use that river to escape—or, failing that, to make a final stand.
Splash splash splash.
As soon as the forest came into sight, Bu Eunseol unfolded the Wishful True Binding once more and began cutting down the trees.
Float.
The felled trees rose into the air.
Then, razor-sharp blades of true qi began slicing the wood with exquisite precision, joining and fitting the pieces together into a single form.
It was a coffin.
Thud thud.
Bu Eunseol could have made a coffin quickly if he wished.
But now he was crafting it with utmost care—slowly, meticulously, with extreme precision.
All the while, she lay cradled in his arms as though merely sleeping.
In the past, he would have used the Heavenly Glacial Secret to lightly freeze her body.
But there was no need for that now.
With inner energy that had reached ten jia and the Three Divine Energies at his command, he could reach the Gongsun family in less than a single day.
“We’ll be home soon.”
Gazing at the coffin taking shape in midair, Bu Eunseol spoke to her softly.
“Rest comfortably there.”
Gongsun Dankyung wore only the peaceful expression of someone asleep.
The sunlight was bright, the breeze cool.
Even though she was dead, why did the world still look so beautiful and bountiful?
“You’ve carried far too heavy a burden all this time. It might be good for you to rest quietly by your parents’ side for a while.”
As he looked toward the distant sky, crimson light burned like flames in his eyes.
“While you rest there, I will deal with everyone who dared to harm you.”
His goal had changed.
His first priority was to deliver her body safely to the Gongsun family.
Then immediately leave the Martial Alliance.
Under the identity of Seon Woojin, he would track down everyone who had harmed Gongsun Dankyung and slaughter them all without mercy.
Screech.
Once the coffin was finally complete, Bu Eunseol carefully laid her inside.
Sssss.
At that moment, the entire world darkened, and pitch-black shadows swarmed densely around Bu Eunseol.
The experts of the Jungson family who had tracked down Gongsun Dankyung’s whereabouts had converged here.
Their numbers totaled roughly five hundred.
All of them were troops capable of wielding the power of the One Hundred and Eight Stars—either through the Boundary Prosperity Jade or the Yang Essence Grand Method.
In terms of the martial world’s martial artists, they were equivalent to five thousand elite fighters.
Creak.
Yet Bu Eunseol seemed not to notice them at all. He laid Gongsun Dankyung down and closed the coffin lid.
Clunk.
Then, shouldering the coffin, he began walking forward once more.
“Attack!”
Recognizing him as the disguised Seon Woojin, they unleashed a full onslaught.
Because of the power of the One Hundred and Eight Stars, the ground within a hundred zhang turned pitch black, and bizarre energies poured toward his body.
But the black energy rising from the earth, the power of the One Hundred and Eight Stars that blanketed dozens of zhang.
None of it touched Bu Eunseol’s body.
Psssh.
At the same instant, blood fountains erupted from the necks of the charging Jungson family experts.
Bu Eunseol’s super-senses had already enveloped the entire forest.
He did not miss a single breath or movement from any of the Jungson family warriors.
He had to kill them all.
Not a single one could be allowed to live.
Slaaaash!
As though responding to his will, the Wishful True Binding—blades of black true qi—transcended the constraints of space and distance, severing their necks.
Bu Eunseol had long ago reached the realm of Extreme Ultimate Blade Origin, and his inner energy had attained the utmost pinnacle.
Psssh! Slice!
Every time he walked forward carrying the coffin, the warriors who rushed at him could not even scream before blood sprayed from their necks.
“Ugh…”
The fiercely charging Jungson family warriors began to hesitate and falter at some point.
He was merely walking forward calmly, fluidly, like flowing water.
Yet heads kept falling endlessly.
There was no flash of light, no visible form.
They could not even sense what kind of attack was coming, or how their necks were being severed.
Demon Emperor.
The Wishful True Binding that Bu Eunseol unfolded was no different from the one wielded by the Demon Emperor.
Fused with erupting rage and the utility of the Wind-Cloud Divine Qi, the Wishful True Binding—freed from distance constraints—had become true demonic art, the very embodiment of terror.
Thud. Thud.
Regardless, Bu Eunseol gave them not even a glance, walking forward with empty eyes.
It was as though he had become severed from the world around him; his footsteps were irregular and slow.
He reacted to neither sound nor movement, as though stepping into his own isolated realm…
Psssh! Paaa!
Yet irrespective of that, the necks of the Jungson family warriors continued to fall.
Plop plop plop.
In the end, fewer than a hundred remained of the original five hundred.
A massive force capable of toppling even a great sect in a single stroke.
It had been crushed—by one man—in less than the time it takes to burn one incense stick.
“He is the God of Death.”
Step by step, the remaining warriors, gripped by terror, unconsciously retreated.
“What is this?”
A low voice sounded, accompanied by a shadow that appeared behind the warriors.
He carried a large bundle on his back like a traveling peddler and wore a strange official hat. One glance was enough to know he was the commander who had led this great army of the Jungson family.
“The Sword King, Seon Woojin. How is a young luminary of the righteous path using demonic true qi martial arts?”
The middle-aged man had instantly recognized the technique Bu Eunseol used.
Invisible ultra-high-speed blades of true qi that was unmistakably demonic martial art.
“I don’t know what trick you used, but-”
The middle-aged man could not finish his sentence.
The sky turned black, and a blade dozens of zhang in size descended upon his head.
Heart Sword.
He had materialized it in the form of the Wishful True Binding and enlarged it to a colossal scale.
Boom.
A verdant-green aura surged from the middle-aged man’s body as he caught the Heart Sword with both hands.
Earth Strong Star.
He possessed the power of the Earth Strong Star—within his domain, no force could break his body.
“Hmph. No matter what you do, you cannot break this body-”
The middle-aged man’s words were cut off.
Crack crack crack.
Suddenly the ground beneath his feet split open, and his body was driven endlessly downward into the earth.
With all ten jia of inner energy poured into the strike, he had hammered the middle-aged man deep into the ground.
“Aaaaaah!”
From the bottomless black pit, the middle-aged man’s agonized scream echoed.
The earth continued to split, and the wretched cries gradually grew distant.
Even that unbreakable body of the Earth Strong Star was being driven relentlessly deeper underground.
“…”
Before long, no more screams could be heard.
How deep he had been driven—no one could even guess.
The warriors present trembled in terror.
They did not truly possess the power of the One Hundred and Eight Stars; it was only temporary.
They could never defeat Bu Eunseol, who had accumulated terrifying martial arts and inner energy.
No—a mere gesture from him would kill them.
Tremble tremble.
The warriors stood frozen like statues, bodies quivering faintly.
Even if they steeled themselves for death and made a final stand, they could not leave even a scratch on that man’s body.
The helplessness and terror had frozen them solid.
‘The Sword King Seon Woojin was such a monster…’
That thought became the last thing those warriors ever had in their lives.
Plop plop plop.
Before long, the necks of the remaining hundred-odd warriors fell like autumn leaves.
The Jungson Family’s five hundred warriors dispatched to crush the Blood Heaven and Fate Corps—had been completely annihilated by Bu Eunseol’s hand.
“For now, this will have to suffice.” Bu Eunseol murmured quietly. “After I settle all matters in the Martial Alliance, I will track down every single force that harmed the Chief Inspector and wipe them out without exception.”
Whoooosh.
A fierce wind rose around Bu Eunseol’s body.
He had unfolded the Land Flight Technique—combining his massive inner energy with the Wind-Cloud Divine Qi.
Saaaa.
Bu Eunseol rose straight and tall into the sky.
Ten zhang, thirty zhang, forty zhang…
Finally reaching a dizzying height where he could take in the entire landscape at a glance, he moved forward riding the clouds like an immortal.
Thanks to the Wind-Cloud Divine Qi, there was no sound of wind or air being torn.
He moved in utter silence, as though sitting quietly in meditation.
“I’ve felt truly sorry all this time. It must have seemed as though I was using you for my own purposes.”
Even on the way to the Gongsun family, Bu Eunseol continued speaking to Gongsun Dankyung as though she were still alive, talking endlessly to the coffin.
It is said that when a person dies, for a while they do not realize they are dead and linger near their departed body, able to hear the words of the living.
That was why Bu Eunseol kept speaking to Gongsun Dankyung, who had drawn her last breath in his arms, so that her soul would not depart for the afterlife in loneliness.
“In truth, I entered the Martial Alliance for revenge, just like you.”
Gazing at the scenery beyond the white clouds, Bu Eunseol spoke in a low voice.
“My grandfather took in the orphan that I was and raised me with love. But it turned out he was a retired martial artist… and he was murdered by an unknown culprit.”
Crossing the sky with the Earth-Flowing Immortal Technique that surpassed mere land flight, he continued.
“I thought the culprit was from the demonic path, so I entered Majeon and became one of the Ten Demon Warriors. But after untold hardships, I finally found a clue to the culprit—it was one of the Seven Great Division Commanders of the Martial Alliance.”
Bu Eunseol poured out the frustration of never having achieved his revenge until now.
“Righteous path or demonic path—it makes no difference to me. As long as I can take revenge on the culprit who brutally killed my grandfather… I will do anything.”
Rustle.
At that moment, a faint movement came from inside the coffin.
But Bu Eunseol was not particularly surprised.
Post-mortem muscle spasms causing the limbs of a corpse to move were quite common.
Perhaps her soul was listening to everything and ascending to the heavens.
Shwooo.
Even so, his body continued slicing through the sky.
No matter how outstanding one’s qinggong, carrying a heavy coffin and flying endlessly through the heavens was impossible.
Yet with unprecedented inner energy of ten jia and the aid of the Wind-Cloud Divine Qi, Bu Eunseol could glide through the sky as peacefully as a bird.
Shwooo.
Before long, the estate of the Gongsun family appeared far below like a tiny dot.
Saaaa.
Bu Eunseol descended not toward the main gate, but toward the inner courtyard where Gongsun Hwa-uk resided.
There was no need to show the servants Gongsun Dankyung’s death in advance.
Ziiing.
But something strange happened.
As he tried to descend into the Gongsun family estate, a bizarre power rose like a wall, blocking him from landing.
‘No helping it.’
Crackle crackle.
Purple lightning surged around Bu Eunseol’s body.
He was attempting to forcibly break through the formation covering the Gongsun family by unleashing Thunder Spirit Energy.
Flash! Crackle crackle.
Bu Eunseol poured Thunder Spirit Energy downward.
Yet astonishingly, the transparent wall did not break easily.
Clang clang clang.
Not only that—suddenly a bell tolled, and servants from inside the Gongsun estate began pouring out.
‘Even though it’s not a martial family, they’ve fortified security to this extent?’
While Bu Eunseol stood dumbfounded,
Rumble rumble.
The gathered servants lifted their heads and glared up at him floating in the air with fierce, piercing eyes.
‘No choice.’
Bu Eunseol had no alternative but to descend toward the main gate.
Creak.
The main gate swung wide open, and dozens of servants rushed out, surrounding him.
Judging by their movements and eyes, every single one was clearly a master of considerable skill.
“Hello.”
After setting the coffin down, Bu Eunseol politely greeted the servants.
“You are…?”
Spotting Bu Eunseol’s face disguised as Seon Woojin, the servants brightened and asked,
“Isn’t that Young Master Seon?”
Seon Woojin and Gongsun Dankyung were publicly acknowledged as a couple.
Even Gongsun Hwa-uk had accepted it.
In effect, he was no different from a son-in-law of the Gongsun family.
“But why did you come by qinggong instead of through the main gate…?”
“I’m sorry. I was in a hurry to see the family head and made a grave mistake.”
“But that is…”
The servants looked at the coffin Bu Eunseol had set down and turned pale with shock.
The man who was the husband-to-be of their eldest young miss and prospective son-in-law of the Gongsun family—why had he arrived carrying what looked like a freshly made coffin?
“This is…”
Just as Bu Eunseol lowered his head to speak,
“Who has come?”
A low, powerful voice rang out from inside, and a refined middle-aged man with jade-like features and an elegant middle-aged woman with noble grace walked out side by side.
It was none other than Gongsun Hwa-uk and his wife.
“Why, what brings you here so suddenly?”
Spotting Bu Eunseol, Gongsun Hwa-uk smiled warmly and started to approach.
But he halted mid-step.
Because Bu Eunseol’s eyes were endlessly dark, and above all—because he saw the coffin placed beside him.
“What is this coffin?”
As Gongsun Hwa-uk’s expression hardened, Bu Eunseol lowered his head once more.
All the way here, he had agonized countless times over what to say in this situation, trying to prepare the calmest possible explanation so the two would not be too shocked.
But now that he actually faced Gongsun Hwa-uk, the words would not come easily.
“Family Head.”
In the end, after much hesitation, Bu Eunseol bowed with utmost courtesy.
“I am deeply sorry.”
Stagger.
At that, the lady standing beside Gongsun Hwa-uk—Ok Jeongyeong—pressed her forehead and swayed.
Just from Bu Eunseol’s expression alone, she had realized who lay inside that coffin.
“What… are you saying right now…”
Ok Jeongyeong asked in a voice choked with grief.
Long ago, the couple had already lost one beloved daughter.
Though this one was adopted, they had believed heaven had given them another chance and raised her with even greater love.
But now… even that daughter had returned as a corpse?
“D-Dankyung…”
Ok Jeongyeong staggered forward toward the coffin.
Carefully, she lifted the lid.
“Dankyung!”
There lay Gongsun Dankyung, eyes closed in a serene posture as though merely sleeping.
When the outer robe covering her body was pulled aside, her clothes were torn in many places, stained with black blood—as though she had suffered greatly.
“Dankyung-!”
Ok Jeongyeong’s wretched cry echoed through the Gongsun estate.
The wail of parents who have lost a child seemed to halt the time of the entire world and evaporate the very air.
“How could you-!”
Mid-sob, she fainted and collapsed.
“Madam.”
Supporting his wife, Gongsun Hwa-uk spoke to the maids.
“Take the madam inside.”
The maids hurried over and carried Ok Jeongyeong back indoors.
Gongsun Hwa-uk took a deep breath and slowly approached the coffin.
No matter how many times he rubbed his eyes and looked, the person inside was unmistakably his daughter, Gongsun Dankyung.
“What happened?”
At Gongsun Hwa-uk’s question, Bu Eunseol answered with a grief-stricken expression.
“The Chief Inspector was ambushed.”
“By whom?”
“By forces from the Jungson family—one of the legendary Three Great Families of the martial world.”
“The Jungson family?”
Gongsun Hwa-uk’s eyes flashed.
“Are you saying that one of the legendary Three Great Families attacked our Kyung-ah?”
“Yes.”
“Then they must have sent those who wield the power of the One Hundred and Eight Stars.”
“You already knew?”
It was astonishing.
The Gongsun family was not even a martial clan and paid no attention to martial world affairs, yet they knew about the Jungson family’s situation?
“This is…”
At that moment, as Gongsun Hwa-uk carefully examined Gongsun Dankyung’s body in the coffin, his eyes suddenly flashed.
“Is something wrong?”
Even when Bu Eunseol asked, Gongsun Hwa-uk remained deep in thought, as though contemplating something profound.
After standing motionless like a stone statue for a long while, he finally spoke while looking at Bu Eunseol.
“What do you plan to do from now on?”
“I intend to leave the Martial Alliance. And… I will track down everyone—including the Jungson family—who harmed the Chief Inspector and punish them all.”
“I see.”
Gongsun Hwa-uk nodded and said, “Understood.”
Float.
Then, using his inner energy, Gongsun Hwa-uk lifted the coffin containing his daughter’s body with utmost care.
“I will handle the rest myself. Go carefully.”
“Family Head.”
Bu Eunseol tried to offer words of comfort to Gongsun Hwa-uk, whose heart must be shattered.
But he could only falter.
Because the man wore an expression so utterly calm.
He did not look at all like someone who had just lost a beloved daughter.
‘His grief is so overwhelming that he cannot even express it.’
People who have received too great a shock sometimes become unable to feel pain at all.
During his days as a coroner, Bu Eunseol had seen countless such people.
Especially parents who lost children—overcome by such immense shock that they became eerily calm, and instead worried about the hardship and exhaustion of the coroners performing the rites.
Because in their hearts, even the capacity for sorrow had been completely erased.
“I am truly sorry.”
Bu Eunseol felt ashamed.
“After I settle all matters, I will return to pay my respects to the family head.”
Bu Eunseol clasped his hands and bowed deeply.
“Then.”
“Lord Seon.”
At that moment, Gongsun Hwa-uk’s voice rang out.
“Do not worry. Everything will turn out well.”
Bu Eunseol paused mid-step.
The one who needed comfort was Gongsun Hwa-uk himself—so why was he showing such consideration?
“Yes. I will do my utmost until the very end.”
After bowing once more with utmost respect, Bu Eunseol immediately turned and left the Gongsun estate.
His eyes, gazing at the distant sky, burned like the sun.
“Martial Venerable!”
The Jungson family was Gongsun Dankyung’s enemy—they had to be crushed.
And the Martial Venerable, who had instigated the Jungson family to attack Gongsun Dankyung, must also be dealt with without fail.
Whoosh.
At that moment, a single hawk flew in from the distant sky and began circling around Bu Eunseol.
It was the messenger hawk dispatched by the Death Spirit Corps to deliver urgent news.
Flap flap.
Removing a letter from the leg of the hawk that had landed on his forearm, Bu Eunseol’s eyes flashed.
The reply he had so desperately awaited until now was contained within.
The final piece of the plan he had prepared for so long had finally fallen perfectly into place.
From this moment on, it was time to launch the counterattack.
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