Feeling his blatant stare, Yangseol Rin’s large eyes sparkled as she tilted her head.
“Hm? What is it?”
Bu Eunseol immediately shook his head.
“Nothing.”
‘Is it just my imagination?’
It could be that the matter with the Executioner had made him overly sensitive.
Shaking his head again, he quickly brought up the main topic.
“The ones who captured and experimented on the One Hundred and Eight Stars… were not some vague organization. It was a single individual named Chu So.”
He then recounted in detail everything that had happened with Shin Do-unhwi, the young sect leader of the Annihilation Palace.
“…In the end, the young sect leader of the Annihilation Palace was seduced by that Heavenly Mechanism Star and subjected to an extremely wicked great art—one that only the villains of the Infinite Realm would perform—human body modification.”
Finishing the story, Bu Eunseol looked straight into Yangseol Rin’s eyes.
“And that Chu So is said to be the one among the One Hundred and Eight Stars who was born with the Heavenly Mechanism Star talent. He was also one of the children abducted by the Jungson family in the past.”
Yangseol Rin listened in complete silence with an extremely grave expression.
Watching her, Bu Eunseol asked softly, “Do you perhaps know anything about this person named Chu So?”
According to what Gongsun Dankyung had said, Yangseol Rin had been one of the children abducted by the Jungson family at that time and had used the name Hwa Su back then.
Yet Yangseol Rin remembered absolutely nothing of that period.
She had said that she had no recollection whatsoever of her life between the ages of roughly six and seven.
“Not at all. This is the first I’m hearing of it.”
Yangseol Rin shook her head.
Her expression was not forced; she genuinely seemed to know nothing.
“Moreover, the Heavenly Mechanism Star? One of the Hundred and Eight Stars that hadn’t appeared in five hundred years suddenly shows up now?”
“That’s right.”
Bu Eunseol asked in a low voice, “Is it still true that some parts of your childhood memories refuse to surface?”
“Yes.”
As he gazed at Yangseol Rin’s innocent expression, Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed to thin slits.
Something was definitely wrong.
She had not been placed under any seal like he had been, nor had she experienced any particularly traumatic event. For part of her childhood memories to simply vanish despite that… was something that could not be rationally explained.
‘Someone definitely tampered with her.’
The martial world was filled with countless great arts and mysterious sorceries. Even though he had not yet detected any trace of a Soul-Seizing Technique in her body right now, that did not prove no one had ever interfered.
While Bu Eunseol sank deep into thought,
Sparkle.
A mysterious radiance swirled in Yangseol Rin’s eyes.
At the same time—though so subtle that no one could possibly notice—an overwhelmingly destructive power capable of annihilating the entire world began surging into both of her hands.
But at that moment,
Whooo.
With an enormous tearing sound through the air, a hazy shadow rushed toward them from the distance.
“Brother Bu!”
A clear, resonant voice rang out from midair, and soon a stalwart man appeared right in front of Bu Eunseol.
It was Hyeok Sojin.
“How long has it been?”
Hyeok Sojin grabbed both of Bu Eunseol’s hands and beamed brightly.
In the meantime he had grown a little taller; now his eye level was almost the same as Bu Eunseol’s.
“Did you bring it?”
“Of course.”
Hyeok Sojin rummaged through his robes.
“But I’m not entirely sure if this will definitely work. Soul-Seizing Techniques are so varied, each with different functions.”
He took out a small wooden box.
Click.
When he opened it, a small bead emitting a dark, subdued light came into view.
“Who’s that?”
At that moment, Yangseol Rin shot a wary glance.
She and Bu Eunseol had kept this meeting strictly secret so why had another person appeared here?
If Hyeok Sojin’s eyes hadn’t been gentle and his expression bright, she would have immediately assumed he was an enemy and acted.
“Ah? Hello!”
Hyeok Sojin spotted Yangseol Rin, broke into a wide grin, and clasped his hands.
“I’m Hyeok Sojin. Should I say I’m Brother Bu’s one and only sworn younger brother? Hahaha.”
Then, with his usual easygoing charm, he stepped closer and spoke to Yangseol Rin in a friendly tone.
“I was wondering why Brother Bu sent me on such an errand… turns out it was a gift for his sweetheart—mmph.”
Bu Eunseol swiftly covered Hyeok Sojin’s mouth to shut him up, then handed the wooden box in his hand to Yangseol Rin.
“I always felt like I hadn’t properly repaid you… I thought this might help.”
What Hyeok Sojin had brought was called the Pure Heart Pearl.
If one carried it on their person at all times, it was a mystical treasure said to possess the power to shatter not only the afflictions of the mind, but even Soul-Seizing Techniques that shook the spirit.
It had once been counted among the most renowned treasures in the martial world, but after passing through countless hands, it had eventually ended up in the possession of the old madman Destroyer of Orthodoxy in the Heaven and Earth Severing Sect.
“It looks precious. Are you really giving this to me?”
Yangseol Rin smiled brightly as she took the Pure Heart Pearl in her hand.
Ziiing.
The moment she accepted it, the intense affection in her gaze softened somewhat, and her complexion seemed to improve as well.
‘There really is something.’
Swallowing the thought inwardly, Bu Eunseol nodded.
“Yes. They say carrying it with you brings good fortune, so keep it close at all times.”
“Thank you!”
She grasped both of Bu Eunseol’s hands.
“I’ll carry it with me always.”
The gesture was so pure and childlike that Bu Eunseol did not pull away and simply let her hold his hands.
Grin grin.
Hyeok Sojin stood between the two of them with his eyes curved into crescents, wearing a silly, beaming smile.
In truth, when he heard that Bu Eunseol was looking for a treasure like the Pure Heart Pearl, he had assumed someone from the Death Shadow Corps had fallen victim to a serious Soul-Seizing Technique.
But to think the target was such a stunning beauty?
And when Bu Eunseol—who had always been utterly indifferent to women—handed over such a treasure without hesitation…
Not knowing the full story, Hyeok Sojin was simply overjoyed, convinced that his sworn brother had finally found his match.
BOOM.
But then a strange vibration that shook the surroundings rang out.
Flap flap flap.
The tremor was so powerful that the birds perched in the nearby trees hurriedly took flight into the sky.
“Does it feel like someone else is coming?”
Yangseol Rin blinked and looked at Bu Eunseol.
She assumed he had called yet another person.
“No. I didn’t call anyone else.”
Bu Eunseol’s face had stiffened slightly.
This meeting had been kept in the strictest secrecy; no intelligence organization should have been able to detect it.
An uninvited guest was never good.
Yet someone had suddenly appeared at this clandestine gathering, and that could only mean ill intent.
Thud.
The shadow that had been slicing swiftly through the air landed on the ground about ten zhang away from where Bu Eunseol and the others stood.
Thud. Thud.
Then it slowly began walking toward them.
It was a man of Hui descent carrying a massive great sword on his back.
‘I know that man.’
Bu Eunseol recognized the Hui man approaching from afar.
Wasn’t he the very one who had stood behind the Buddha Venerable during the previous incident—the one said to be included in the new Absolute Demonic Blade Project?
“To think you really are colluding with someone from the Three Families.”
The Hui man alternated his gaze between Bu Eunseol and Yangseol Rin, clicking his tongue.
“You were fated to be killed anyway.”
“Who are you?” Hyeok Sojin glared sharply at the man.
Hearing him speak of killing Bu Eunseol so casually, it was clear he had not come with good intentions.
BOOM.
Instead of answering, the man drew his great sword.
Another tremor rang out.
“Seop Jeongwoong.”
The Hui man, Seop Jeongwoong, held his great sword horizontally and spoke indifferently.
“That is the name of the one who will send you all to hell.”
Hyeok Sojin’s face hardened.
He had fought countless fierce battles and trained relentlessly, greatly increasing his martial prowess yet he had never heard the name Seop Jeongwoong. Even so, the man’s aura was so formidable that he could not be taken lightly… he was clearly someone affiliated with an abyssal faction.
“How did you get here?”
At that moment, Bu Eunseol stepped forward.
Though an unwelcome intruder, since the man had some connection to the Buddha Venerable, Bu Eunseol refrained from immediately turning hostile and asked politely.
“I happened to obtain information.”
Seop Jeongwoong’s sharp eyes raked over Bu Eunseol and Yangseol Rin.
“Martial Soul Command Lord. The information that you would meet with a lackey of the Three Families here.”
“What? Lackey?”
When Yangseol Rin shouted in outrage, Bu Eunseol waved his hand.
“It sounds like you came here to kill both her and me.”
“Correct.” Seop Jeongwoong spoke coldly. “In the martial world, the Three Families—and everyone connected to them—must all be eliminated.”
“Let’s hear the reason.” Bu Eunseol asked without much surprise. “Why the Three Families and their associates must be dealt with.”
Staring straight at Bu Eunseol, Seop Jeongwoong answered icily.
“You can ask King Yama. He will tell you.”
“How amusing.”
At that point Hyeok Sojin stepped forward. “Brother Bu, are you really going to keep listening to this arrogant bastard?”
Rolling up his sleeves, he continued. “I’ll take care of this lunatic myself.”
Nod.
When Bu Eunseol nodded, Hyeok Sojin grinned and looked at Seop Jeongwoong.
“What now? Brother Bu says you’re not even worth his personal attention.”
“If you want to go to hell first, that works too.”
Whooo.
As Seop Jeongwoong swung his great sword once in a circle, blue mist spread out in all directions.
He had materialized his blade momentum, turning the surrounding area into his own domain.
It felt less like pure martial arts and more like a type of sorcery.
“You may all come at me together.”
Seop Jeongwoong’s confidence was immense.
He was saying that not only the world-renowned Bu Eunseol, but even Hyeok Sojin and Yangseol Rin attacking together would be acceptable.
“This guy is seriously ridiculous.”
Ziiing.
At the same time, violet radiance burst from Hyeok Sojin’s body.
He had raised the ultimate art of the Heaven and Earth Severing Sect—the Divine Rift Demon Energy.
Swirling.
His Divine Rift Demon Energy no longer carried only sharp killing intent as before; it now possessed a suction force capable of devouring everything in the world.
“You can spout that arrogant nonsense after I break you first.”
Seop Jeongwoong said nothing and simply extended his great sword.
Whooo.
In that instant, Hyeok Sojin felt as though his very soul were soaring into the heavens.
He had merely thrust the sword forward, yet a terrifying wave spread out, seeming to push the soul right out of the body.
“What the hell is this?”
Hyeok Sojin was greatly shocked and poured out even more Divine Rift Demon Energy.
Whoosh whoosh.
As Seop Jeongwoong swung his great sword like a windmill, the Divine Rift Demon Energy scattered like mist.
Iron-Blood Blade.
The supreme blade art once called the number one blade under heaven—belonging to the Iron-Blood Guest—had reappeared in the martial world after generations.
‘First strike wins.’
Realizing how formidable Seop Jeongwoong’s martial arts were, Hyeok Sojin immediately unleashed Divine Rift Demon Energy to attack all thirty-six of his major acupoints.
Paat!
As the energy pierced sharply, blood sprayed up a full foot.
But his protective true qi was so thick that it had only torn through the skin.
“Fine!”
Hyeok Sojin doubled his power and this time spread out a violet mist.
Divine Rift Demon Energy could not only condense qi into razor-sharp force, but also unleash wide waves capable of churning an opponent’s internal organs.
BOOM!
The formless energy Hyeok Sojin unleashed spread radially, sending Seop Jeongwoong’s hair flying upward.
He had deliberately chosen not to dodge the Divine Rift Demon Energy and instead countered with his protective true qi.
In truth, the terrifying aspect of the Iron-Blood Blade was not its fearsome blade techniques, but the unique Mysterious Qi and Iron-Blood Qi contained within its blade principles.
The Iron-Blood Qi grew stronger the more attacks it received and the more blood was shed—in other words, the longer the fight went on, the more it turned its wielder into an unstoppable monster that could shrug off any attack.
Uuuung.
Now clad in even thicker Iron-Blood Qi, Seop Jeongwoong closed the distance with Hyeok Sojin, who was spreading Divine Rift Demon Energy.
While Divine Rift Demon Energy excelled at long range, Hyeok Sojin did not retreat and instead charged in as well.
Pat pat!
Once they entered ultra-close combat, Divine Rift Demon Energy grew even sharper and more exquisite.
Seop Jeongwoong’s great sword was far too large and heavy to respond instantly to the agile Divine Rift Demon Energy.
The more wounds he suffered, the thicker his Mysterious Qi became, and the stronger his blade techniques grew with every drop of blood.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Like a mad boar charging headlong, Seop Jeongwoong swung his great sword wildly and rushed forward.
He had deliberately chosen close-quarters combat to maximize the power of the Iron-Blood Blade.
‘Tch.’
As the qi grew denser, Hyeok Sojin’s Divine Rift Demon Energy was being repelled.
Papapapa!
When Hyeok Sojin faltered for a moment, Seop Jeongwoong seized the opening and scattered dozens of chaotic blade energies, pressing him relentlessly.
“No chance!”
There was no need to fight according to the enemy’s strengths.
Hyeok Sojin precisely maneuvered Divine Rift Demon Energy to deflect the pouring blade tips and widened the distance again.
But the Iron-Blood Blade inherently contained a suction force capable of drawing in even massive boulders. No matter how much distance he created, he could not fully escape the range of the blade momentum.
‘Saying we could all come at once wasn’t just empty bravado.’
Hyeok Sojin bit his lip.
The Iron-Blood Blade was not only powerful—it dominated a fixed space.
The fiercer the battle within that domain, the stronger the opponent, the more powerful its blade techniques became.
‘I won’t let you escape!’
Hyeok Sojin transformed Divine Rift Demon Energy once more.
Whenever it contacted the blade tips, he changed its nature to explosive, inflicting constant damage on Seop Jeongwoong as he executed his techniques.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Each time explosions rang out, Seop Jeongwoong’s body shook violently.
No matter what technique the enemy used, Hyeok Sojin adapted his attacks into various forms, constantly seizing the initiative in the fight.
This was not due to superior martial arts, but because his combat sense and adaptability were extraordinarily high.
“Not bad.”
Even though he was covered in blood from the explosions, Seop Jeongwoong still wore a relaxed expression.
“The Iron-Blood Blade can shatter any martial art in a single stroke!”
With a thunderous shout, he closed the distance again and swung his great sword like a madman.
Seop Jeongwoong was confident.
With this blade art, he could stand shoulder-to-shoulder even with the Seven-Finger Demon Blade, once called the greatest blade master of the Demonic Path.
BOOM!
Suddenly, a bizarre wave burst from the spinning great sword and began melting away the pouring Divine Rift Demon Energy.
At the same time, pitch-black darkness surged around Hyeok Sojin, trapping him within a wall of blade energy that seemed capable of cleaving a mountain in half.
The ultimate technique of the Iron-Blood Blade—Prison Lock Destroy Enemy—had been unleashed, confining the enemy with blade energy and slaughtering them instantly.
Ziiing.
Hyeok Sojin scattered Divine Rift Demon Energy like spider webs to block Seop Jeongwoong’s blade art.
BOOOOM!
But Seop Jeongwoong unleashed a storm-like blade energy and charged at him again.
“You can never escape!”
At those words, azure killing intent flashed in Hyeok Sojin’s eyes.
“You think I’m trying to run?”
BAAANG!
Hyeok Sojin wrapped Divine Rift Demon Energy around himself in a defensive form and unleashed the Demon Twilight Hell Fist, neutralizing the incoming blade energy one by one.
But the terrifying thing about Prison Lock Destroy Enemy was that simply maintaining the stance allowed it to pour out endless blade energy.
A fishy smile played on Seop Jeongwoong’s lips as he swung his great sword like a lunatic.
Just as in chess or Go, martial arts could be observed more coldly and clearly by a spectator. While trapping Hyeok Sojin in a storm of blade energy, he was meticulously analyzing his martial arts and techniques.
‘So the blade storm was to uncover weaknesses.’
Even while pouring out the storm of blade energy, Hyeok Sojin coldly noticed Seop Jeongwoong observing him and bit his lip.
Amid the fierce exchange, the man was dissecting his martial arts in detail.
At some point, he no longer even needed to swing actively—simply holding the stance unleashed blade energy like a downpour.
Prison Lock Destroy Enemy.
This technique was a transcendent blade art capable of instantly confining any number of enemies and thoroughly dissecting their martial techniques.
‘He wasn’t just observing me—he was trying to analyze Brother Bu’s martial arts too.’
Papapap!
In the meantime, the Iron-Blood Blade art changed once again, re-confining Hyeok Sojin who had almost escaped the range of the blade wind.
‘So this is the level.’
Hyeok Sojin was inwardly shocked.
Excluding Bu Eunseol, he had believed no one among the younger generation could match him.
Yet Seop Jeongwoong’s Iron-Blood Blade art completely transcended common martial logic, displaying almost sorcerous abilities.
‘He can confine an enemy just by holding a stance....’
But Hyeok Sojin was not simply defending meaninglessly.
Divine Rift Demon Energy could completely block any attack or force the enemy unleashed, annihilate any incoming power, and even possess the hidden ability Dark Current Penetrating Acupoint—forming invisible threads that infiltrated the opponent’s meridians.
All this time, Hyeok Sojin had merely been waiting for the perfect moment to deliver a decisive blow that would melt Seop Jeongwoong’s meridians in one strike.
‘Come on, give me more.’
Hyeok Sojin deliberately acted flustered, pretending he could not fully block the blade wind.
While traveling the martial world with Bu Eunseol, he had realized one thing first:
In battle, victory did not depend on whose martial arts were higher or lower, but on adapting and responding perfectly to the opponent’s techniques.
‘Almost melted now. Hehehe.’
Dang dang dang!
The formless Divine Rift Demon Energy had already become so profound that it began to overpower the Iron-Blood Blade wind.
Yet Hyeok Sojin still deliberately maintained a defensive posture and retreated.
Seeing this, Seop Jeongwoong lowered his stance even while pouring out the blade wind.
Because Prison Lock Destroy Enemy continuously unleashed blade energy while requiring the stance to be maintained, it consumed enormous internal energy. Once an opening was found, there was no need to prolong the fight—he should sever the head in one stroke.
BOOM!
When the razor-sharp blade energy collided head-on with Divine Rift Demon Energy, a heaven-shaking explosion rang out.
Swoosh!
A beam of light shot up from Seop Jeongwoong’s body, and suddenly razor-sharp energy spread out in an instant.
He had fired the Iron-Blood Qi flowing within him like hidden weapons.
Paa!
Because it was such an unexpected move, Hyeok Sojin could not dodge and instead spread his hands wide with full force.
His robes writhed like living serpents, and radiance burst forth as though a thousand whips were being cracked simultaneously.
Thousands of strands of Divine Rift Demon Energy shot out chaotically to block the Iron-Blood Qi.
Thud thud thud!
Yet Seop Jeongwoong advanced like a salmon swimming upstream, slicing through the chaotic strands of Divine Rift Demon Energy like straw and scattering countless razor-sharp blade energies.
His great sword moved not like a mere weapon, but like a living creature.
The blade energy emitted from the Iron-Blood Blade constantly targeted Hyeok Sojin’s vital acupoints like the tongue of a viper.
BOOM! Rumble rumble.
As transcendent arts clashed at close range without pause, violet and azure energies intertwined, spreading massive shockwaves like a storm.
Before long, both men’s breathing had grown ragged.
But the tide of battle had already tilted toward Seop Jeongwoong.
Hyeok Sojin continuously unleashed Divine Rift Demon Energy like thousands of poisoned needles, yet Seop Jeongwoong’s Iron-Blood Blade could effortlessly sever any attack that entered its momentum simply by tracing an arc.
Drip.
At that moment, sweat ran into Hyeok Sojin’s eyes, causing his pupils to waver for an instant.
In a situation where not even the slightest mistake could be afforded, it was a fatal error.
“Die!”
BOOM!
Finally, Seop Jeongwoong unleashed his decisive technique.
The Iron-Blood Blade seemed to melt into empty space before reappearing at Hyeok Sojin’s chest.
His blade art transcended spatial constraints, piercing the enemy’s vital points in the blink of an eye.
Thud.
But an unexpected turn occurred.
“Gahk.”
With a wretched scream, Seop Jeongwoong’s body tilted, and he suddenly dropped to one knee?
Divine Rift Demon Energy.
This supreme art of the Ten Demonic Sects did not merely exert formless power.
It also included the ability to retrieve or manipulate already manifested energy.
All this time, Hyeok Sojin had deliberately taken a defensive stance to secretly infiltrate Divine Rift Demon Energy into Seop Jeongwoong’s body.
Silently and persistently, it had ravaged his meridians and mercilessly destroyed his flesh.
Ziiing.
As Hyeok Sojin intensified the spread of Divine Rift Demon Energy even further,
Drip drip.
Blood began flowing from the eyes and ears of Seop Jeongwoong, who was kneeling on one knee.
Uuuung.
But soon, with a low vibration, the blood flowing from Seop Jeongwoong’s body slowly stopped.
The mighty Iron-Blood Qi inherited within him was protecting his heart veins and restoring his body.
Drip drip.
Nevertheless, blood flowed again from Seop Jeongwoong’s mouth.
The Divine Rift Demon Energy spreading in the form of Dark Current Penetrating Acupoint had finally begun to overwhelm the Iron-Blood Qi.
‘Hold out for one hour, two hours, whatever you can.’
Even if the Iron-Blood Qi prevented his heart veins from being severed immediately, the advantage ultimately lay with Hyeok Sojin.
By avoiding attacks like this and continuously spreading Divine Rift Demon Energy for one or two hours, victory would be his.
Sizzle.
With the sound of tearing flesh, Seop Jeongwoong’s skin gradually began to split.
Unable to expel the infiltrating Divine Rift Demon Energy, his body was swelling.
“Kuuh.”
Even amid excruciating pain, Seop Jeongwoong forced himself to stand upright.
Grip.
When he clutched his great sword and assumed an attacking stance once more, Hyeok Sojin’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets in shock.
“Are you a jiangshi?”
“Those who master the Iron-Blood Blade do not fall.”
Swoosh! Whish!
Closing the distance, Seop Jeongwoong swung the Iron-Blood Blade madly with an impassive face.
Once struck by Dark Current Penetrating Acupoint, one would experience pain ten times worse than the most infamous torture technique in the martial world—Bone-Crushing and Muscle-Rending.
Yet he could still move his body so freely?
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