Shwaaak! Boom! Papapat!
In that instant, the hundred-odd Yin-Soul Killing Men struck, clawed, and tore at Bu Eunseol’s sturdy body as though trying to shatter it. Though wounds multiplied across his flesh, his eyes instead began to gleam with radiant light.
‘I had forgotten all this time.’
Bu Eunseol bared his fangs in a grin.
Sharp fangs and claws piercing tough flesh. Instinctive movements.
Every action of the Yin-Soul Killing Men overlapped perfectly with the mysterious martial arts of the foreign beasts he already knew.
‘The Beast Martial Arts!’
The movements of these demonic creatures aligned exactly with the pinnacle of Beast Martial Arts.
‘Restrain Madness and Unleash Force, Tame Ferocity and Explode Momentum.’
The profound principle of the Power of the Wild—to explode the latent strength within the body and produce power akin to internal energy—required suppressing instinct while simultaneously harnessing it.
Long ago, Bu Eunseol had realized that the Beast Martial Arts of the Wild Beast Palace shared the same root as the sensory martial arts of Nangyang Pavilion and the Beast Way.
He had combined them and achieved a certain level of mastery.
But because the martial arts he had already attained were so advanced and overwhelmingly powerful, thereafter he had little occasion to employ the Power of the Wild or deliberately refine Beast Martial Arts.
Yet now, the perfect Yin-Soul Killing Men created by the Heavenly Mechanism Star displayed movements that resonated deeply with Beast Martial Arts. At this very moment, Bu Eunseol found himself in a situation where he could use neither internal energy nor the Three Divine Energies.
The Power of the Wild, however, was a technique that exploded the body’s innate strength to its utmost limit, free from any restriction whatsoever.
Now, the golden opportunity to fully master it in actual combat lay right before him.
Kwaaang!
At that moment, a Yin-Soul Killing Man closed the distance in a flash and raked Bu Eunseol’s side with razor-sharp, tiger-like claws.
Though simple in motion, the attack was so impossibly agile and swift that blocking it was utterly impossible.
Swish.
In an instant, a long streak of blood appeared on Bu Eunseol’s flank.
The raw strength of the Yin-Soul Killing Men surpassed human limits by dozens of times.
Drip, drip.
Yet only blood flowed—no deep wound had been carved.
As he raised the Power of the Wild in accordance with the principles of Beast Martial Arts, his muscles became taut and resilient like hardened rubber.
‘Humans are not weak.’
Glancing at the bleeding side, Bu Eunseol’s gaze sharpened.
Of course animals are strong.
They can exert power several times greater than a human’s and possess reflexes beyond compare.
But humans are stronger still.
Because humans can gather the advantages of countless beasts and embody them through technique.
The Power of the Wild, in particular, stood at the apex of that art.
It did not merely turn muscles into those of a beast—it fully optimized the very way human muscles could be used.
‘Unlike beasts, humans can deliberately channel far more power into their muscles.’
For example, humans can amplify strength through emotion.
In extreme excitement, chemical changes in the body enhance muscular power.
Through breathing methods and various techniques, one can also intentionally direct greater blood flow to the muscles.
The Power of the Wild maximized these principles.
It was a secret art that allowed the human body—without internal energy—to become more powerful than any ferocious beast… maximizing physical strength to its absolute limit.
Shiiiiik!
The moment Bu Eunseol fully grasped the ultimate meaning of Beast Martial Arts and unleashed the Power of the Wild, his movements accelerated as though internal energy had returned, soon reaching ultra-high speed.
Flash! Crunch!
The attacks that, until just moments ago, even the principles of martial arts could not reach now struck the bodies of the Yin-Soul Killing Men with perfect leisure.
Shwaaaak!
Bu Eunseol’s legs spun like high-speed pinwheels as he dashed forward, matching—and then overtaking—the blinding speed of the Yin-Soul Killing Men that had been impossible to follow with the eye.
In response, sinister light flared in the eyes of the Yin-Soul Killing Men, and their bodies moved even faster.
Splash! Thwack!
As the distance widened again, Bu Eunseol dropped to all fours and ran like a beast.
His movements now surpassed even the agility of the Yin-Soul Killing Men.
Bam! Thud thud thud!
Before long, he was attacking them purely on instinct, moving like a wild animal.
“Kaaah!”
At times he even let out beast-like growls, murderous aura radiating from his entire body.
Yet his eyes remained coldly still.
Though he appeared to attack chaotically like a single beast, though he seemed consumed by bloodlust, in reality he blended the profound principles of fist martial arts, striking with utmost calm and precision.
Boom!
Each time Bu Eunseol’s fist grazed past, the heads of the Yin-Soul Killing Men—harder than steel—shattered like fragments.
By mixing the Power of the Wild with the principles of fist martial arts, he displayed destructive power that surpassed even what internal energy could achieve.
Kaaak! Swoosh!
At times Bu Eunseol let out beast-like roars as he poured out attacks.
These were not temporary excitement or battle cries, but natural breathing that arose from beast-like movements.
Animals do not laugh triumphantly like humans when they sense victory, nor do their emotions waver.
They show no unnecessary motion.
They simply unleash instinctive, lethal attacks aimed solely at felling the enemy.
Thud thud thud.
In less than half a quarter-hour, Bu Eunseol had crushed the entire army of charging Yin-Soul Killing Men.
When he finally ceased his assault,
Drip drip.
Blood trickled from Bu Eunseol’s own mouth as well.
The Power of the Wild maximized physical strength but placed extreme strain on the body in equal measure.
Had he not possessed a physique long tempered by martial arts?
The backlash from unleashing such the Power of the Wild would have shattered not only his muscles but his bones as well.
Tremble tremble.
The few surviving warriors of Ghost King Valley gazed at Bu Eunseol—his eyes blazing like twin demon lanterns, muscles swollen to bursting—and collapsed to the ground, shaking uncontrollably.
Overwhelmed by his absolute power and terrifying killing intent, they had completely lost the will to fight.
“Huu… Kaaah!”
With the Ghost King still unaddressed, Bu Eunseol once again exploded with the Power of the Wild, unleashing the instinct for slaughter.
His blood flow surged even faster, and like a bloodthirsty wolf, he began pursuing the traces of the fleeing Ghost King at terrifying speed.
Swish!
The Ghost King would soon neutralize all the poison. He might even summon every last warrior in Ghost King Valley.
Before that happened, Bu Eunseol had to catch up and end his life.
Tatata tak.
Racing through the passage and bursting out of Ghost King Valley, he spotted the Ghost King staggering away. Fortunately, the man was still focused on detoxifying the poison Bu Eunseol had inflicted and had not yet unleashed his movement techniques.
“You bastard!”
The Ghost King turned his head and saw Bu Eunseol charging toward him drenched in blood like a beast. His eyes widened in shock.
He had cultivated profound, mystical sorcery and various secret arts, yet he had always remained within the safety of Ghost King Valley, drawing invincibility from the malevolent energy that flowed there.
Never once had he experienced true combat where blood and flesh burned.
Even the extreme poison injected into him had only temporarily halted his body’s regenerative ability—it had not stripped him of the power to fight.
Yet despite still possessing strength, he chose flight over facing Bu Eunseol head-on.
Because he had only ever fought battles where victory was guaranteed.
Because within Ghost King Valley he had been invincible.
Ghost King.
The title was merely because he ruled Ghost King Valley.
The true face hidden behind that name was nothing more than a coward who never left his safe domain.
That was why he had so readily become the Heavenly Mechanism Star’s subordinate and gathered the Sealed Demon Fragments.
Because he would not have to risk his life fighting enemies.
Once he obtained them, he could become an invincible, undying existence—just like he had been inside Ghost King Valley.
“Get lost!”
The Ghost King shuddered at the sight of Bu Eunseol charging like a beast radiating killing intent.
For the first time, true terror flooded his entire body.
Swish!
Swallowing his fear, he unleashed a sorcery that condensed malevolent energy.
Crack.
In an instant, Bu Eunseol’s limbs turned rigid as stone.
The bizarre sorcery had paralyzed his arms and legs in the blink of an eye.
Swish!
Yet Bu Eunseol’s reflexes were faster than light.
The moment the Ghost King’s sorcery hardened his limbs, he exploded forward with full force.
Shwaaak!
In a single streak of light, Bu Eunseol pounced upon the Ghost King mid-sorcery.
“Kwaaaaah!”
A wretched scream echoed in all directions.
Just as his limbs stiffened, Bu Eunseol had leaped and torn into the Ghost King’s throat with his teeth.
It was not intentional—it was the instinctive attack method of the Power of the Wild.
Gush gush.
A massive spray of blood erupted as flesh was ripped from the neck.
Fortunately the carotid artery was not severed, but the jugular vein tore open, pouring blood in torrents.
Ziiing.
Bu Eunseol did not miss the opening and unleashed more poison.
“Kuuh…”
The Ghost King staggered and collapsed to his knees.
As the deadly poison invaded his body, his muscles contracted, and even breathing became difficult.
He was the Ghost King—reputed to be invincible.
Yet facing Bu Eunseol’s death-or-glory fighting spirit, the Beast Martial Arts that substituted for internal energy, and the supreme poison of the Poison Saint, his mystical power crumbled, and he slowly began to die.
“Who… sent you…?”
The Ghost King wore an expression of incomprehension.
“How did you discern this valley lord’s weakness and send someone like you who wields poison arts?”
“Weakness?”
“The only poison art capable of collapsing the Essence-Absorbing Great Art… the Ten Thousand Poisons Black Death Heaven-Destroying Art that only the Poison Saint can perform.”
The Ghost King snorted.
“It disrupted the harmony of this valley lord’s body, rendering even the absorbed Sealed Demon Fragments unusable.”
‘So that was it.’
Only now did Bu Eunseol understand why the so-called King of Ghosts—who should have wielded near-invincible power—had been unable to resist and fallen so pathetically to poison.
The secret that allowed him to reign as the King of Ghosts was the Essence-Absorbing Great Art, which absorbed all energies.
Thanks to that special constitution, he could draw in the malevolent energy of Ghost King Valley and make it the source of his immortality.
But even that Essence-Absorbing Great Art had one fatal weakness: The Ten Thousand Poisons Black Death Heaven-Destroying Art—one of the poison arts of Poison Saint.
Once exposed to this poison art, the special qualities of the body would collapse instantly.
Unable to absorb malevolent energy and with sorcery sealed, he became no more than an ordinary mortal.
‘I was fortunate.’
Furrowing his brow, Bu Eunseol spoke.
“Then the Sealed Demon Fragments… do not merely represent the True Demon’s knowledge. They can be used in some way, can they not?”
At the question, the Ghost King’s expression subtly shifted.
Only now did he realize that Bu Eunseol had not been concealing the aura of Sealed Demon Fragments—he simply did not possess them at all.
He was an ordinary person.
“You… have no Sealed Demon Fragments, yet why are you so hell-bent on killing this valley lord?”
“I told you already. To find the Heavenly Mechanism Star.”
“Nonsense…!”
“In any case, your death was decided long ago.”
Bu Eunseol spoke solemnly.
“From the moment you began harming innocent commoners and exploiting their essence to artificially produce Boundary Prosperity Jade.”
The Ghost King opened his mouth as though to say something.
Gush.
But instead of words, clumps of black blood poured from his lips,
Thud.
In the end, without uttering a single word, his body collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
For one who had once dominated the martial world as the Ghost King, it was a vain and pitiful end.
“Huu.”
As the Ghost King drew his final breath, the effect of the sorcery he had cast gradually faded, and Bu Eunseol’s paralyzed limbs regained their freedom.
Drip drip.
Meanwhile, black blood poured from the seven orifices of the Ghost King’s corpse.
Unable to withstand the poison, his body began to melt with a sizzling sound.
“Among those who rose to become the Seven Kings, there was even such a fool.”
Bu Eunseol looked up at the distant landscape of Ghost King Valley.
Ghost King Gal Hu-seung.
Known as the ruler of Ghost King Valley and a sorcerer who wielded the most bizarre arts in the martial world, in truth he was merely a coward who had shut himself inside Ghost King Valley, relying on its boundless regenerative power.
That was why he had been obsessed with seizing Sealed Demon Fragments—to make himself truly invincible.
In the end, without ever properly using the abilities he possessed, he met his death at the hands of Bu Eunseol, who wielded neither internal energy nor power.
“Now, time to return.”
Having fulfilled Han Sangja’s request, there was no further business in Ghost King Valley.
Yet something strange occurred.
Gurgle gurgle.
From the half-melted body of the Ghost King, black mist began to rise little by little,
Shuuuuu.
Suddenly, it was drawn toward Bu Eunseol’s left arm as though being absorbed.
“What is this?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected phenomenon, Bu Eunseol hurriedly tried to push the black mist away.
Shuu. Shuuuuu.
But the more violently he moved, the faster the black mist burrowed into his left arm.
So much poured in that some even entered through his nostrils.
Shuuuuuk.
In the end, before he could resist, the black smoke was completely absorbed into Bu Eunseol’s body.
“Sealed Demon Fragments.”
It was unmistakably the Sealed Demon Fragments the Ghost King had gathered until now.
“…”
Bu Eunseol wore a grave expression as he continuously inspected his body.
Sealed Demon Fragments.
Han Sangja had said they represented the knowledge the True Demon had accumulated through countless reincarnations.
Yet judging from the Ghost King’s words, they clearly held some form of power that could manifest abilities.
But no matter how much time passed, no matter how deeply he turned his senses inward to observe, he felt no particular change whatsoever.
“Is it because of the malevolent energy flowing through Ghost King Valley?”
The malevolent energy of Ghost King Valley blocked all power within the body.
Recalling that fact, Bu Eunseol quickly exited Ghost King Valley.
Only then did a rumbling vibration flow through his body, and the internal energies that had been sealed by the valley’s malevolent energy began to return.
“…”
Yet still, no unusual signs appeared.
His internal energy and Three Divine Energies circulated normally once more.
He felt no alien power, no demonic aura—nothing of the sort.
“Then…”
Bu Eunseol recalled the black mist that had entered through his nose.
“Does that mean it was not a Sealed Demon Fragment after all?”
After a moment of contemplation, he shook his head.
No, that could not be.
If it were not… then the energy flowing from a dead body would never have been absorbed into him so naturally.
Throughout the martial world, the only thing known to be absorbed from a dying enemy was the Sealed Demon Fragments Han Sangja had mentioned.
“So that was it.”
Bu Eunseol wore a dazed expression for a moment.
Only now did he understand why this had happened.
“This was not a curse… it was a blessing.”
He could stand on neither the side of the Baekri nor the True Demon.
Even the old man of the Sacred Realm had called it a curse.
But it was a blessing.
The Sealed Demon Fragments—shards of the True Demon’s torn soul—could exert no influence over him.
Which meant… the constraints that the Baekri and the True Demon had imposed upon the martial world, or forced upon martial artists… he could cast off without hesitation.
“Brother Han predicted all of this and made such a request.”
Han Sangja had instantly grasped the secret that no one else knew—that the Ghost King was the Heavenly Mechanism Star’s subordinate—and asked Bu Eunseol to assassinate him. There was no way such a man would be unaware that the Ghost King possessed Sealed Demon Fragments.
“Perhaps even back when the vow was lifted, Brother Han already guessed my bloodline.”
Perhaps he had made this request precisely because he knew Bu Eunseol was unbound by the vow.
The Sealed Demon Fragments were something neither the Baekri nor the True Demon’s people should possess.
“In the end, he played me.”
Yet all of this was still only Bu Eunseol’s conjecture.
The only one who could clearly answer these questions was Han Sangja himself.
In the end, he would have to seek him out once more.
***
Bu Eunseol immediately headed to Chengdu to summon Soyo and inquire about Han Sangja’s whereabouts.
The Sealed Demon Fragments had been absorbed into his body—he needed to unravel their secret.
Even if it meant fulfilling yet another of Han Sangja’s requests, there was no helping it.
[He is already waiting.]
But there was no need to search for him.
As though Han Sangja had predicted the exact timing of Bu Eunseol’s completion, Soyo had been stationed at an inn in Chengdu and astonishingly, Han Sangja had rented an entire nearby manor and was waiting there.
A sage.
In general, a sage referred to someone possessing outstanding wisdom, vast knowledge, and the ability to devise exceptional strategies.
But Han Sangja was different.
Like the Heavenly Mechanism Star, he possessed the ability to predict the future from the flow of the present.
‘Then perhaps the Martial Venerable is the same.’
From the time the sages of the Sage Forest vanished until now, he had been called the foremost sage of the martial world.
Which meant perhaps he possessed wisdom and predictive ability far surpassing even Han Sangja.
‘When I was in the Martial Alliance, he underestimated me too greatly.’
The Martial Venerable held the position of Alliance Leader, controlling the entire Martial Alliance.
Moreover, he never dreamed that Mu Gyeol would betray him, which allowed Bu Eunseol’s scheme to succeed to a degree.
If he had truly regarded Bu Eunseol as a mortal enemy from the beginning, things would not have resolved so easily.
‘Martial Venerable.’
With the Martial Alliance’s movements so eerily quiet at present, Bu Eunseol suddenly felt uneasy about the Martial Venerable’s existence.
‘For now, focus on what is in front of me.’
Shaking his head, Bu Eunseol headed toward the manor Soyo had indicated.
Located on the outskirts of Chengdu, the manor was not particularly large but had been built with considerable elegance.
“Please come in.”
When he knocked on the main gate bearing the plaque “Clear Wind, Night Rain,” a maidservant opened the door as though she had been waiting and guided Bu Eunseol to the guest hall.
“My Lord.”
And there, waiting in the guest hall, was Han Sangja.
As though he had predicted even the exact moment of Bu Eunseol’s arrival, warm tea had already been prepared.
“Did you purchase this manor?”
At Bu Eunseol’s question, Han Sangja answered calmly.
“It is merely one of several discreet bases I prepared.”
“A base, you say.”
“As the saying goes, a cunning rabbit has three burrows.”
Han Sangja gave a faint smile.
“The enemy I must face is the Heavenly Mechanism Star. If I do not at least pretend to be cunning from now on, my head will roll before I can even take revenge.”
“I see.”
“In any case, you have worked hard.”
He bowed to Bu Eunseol with utmost respect.
“Thank you sincerely for keeping your promise.”
“It was merely a transaction.”
“Even so, how many great men in the world would risk their lives to honor a mere transaction?”
Han Sangja stared straight at Bu Eunseol with his scarred face.
Unlike before, his eyes no longer brimmed with sorrow and despair.
Through this ordeal—through Bu Eunseol—he had realized that revenge was possible.
“As expected, you already knew.”
After carefully observing Han Sangja’s expression, Bu Eunseol let out a sigh.
“That the Ghost King possessed Sealed Demon Fragments.”
“I considered it a possibility.” Han Sangja spoke evenly. “Otherwise, a man so cowardly and devoid of ambition would never have become the subordinate of an ambitious schemer like the Heavenly Mechanism Star.”
“You knew it would be absorbed by me?”
“I believed it would do no harm.”
Han Sangja said calmly.
“I thought the Lord would either wield that power freely without restriction or simply ignore it.”
He met Bu Eunseol’s gaze directly.
“If the people of the Sacred Domain were willing to withdraw the vow, then surely you possessed power sufficient to justify it.”
“How disappointing.”
Bu Eunseol spoke in an extremely low voice.
“Even if I knew Brother Han would survive falling into a wolf’s den, how would you feel if I pushed you into it without discussion?”
No matter how brilliant Han Sangja might be, deciding another’s fate based solely on uncertain “predictions” was as perilous and arrogant an act as anything the Heavenly Mechanism Star might do.
“It was not solely for that reason.”
Han Sangja continued calmly.
“I simply wished to help the Lord achieve your objective even one day sooner.”
“Objective?”
“Were you not seeking the True Demon and his kin?”
Sipping his tea, he spoke as though it were nothing.
“The only way to locate the True Demon’s true identity and main base is to obtain Sealed Demon Fragments.”
When he saw Bu Eunseol’s eyes freeze like a frozen lake, Han Sangja quickly continued his explanation.
“I told you before that Sealed Demon Fragments react when their possessors fight one another. Do you remember?”
When Bu Eunseol nodded, he went on.
“If the Lord were to obtain a Sealed Demon Fragment, you would be able to detect other fragment holders. In other words, you would gain a powerful means to track the True Demon.”
In that moment, a chill ran down Bu Eunseol’s spine.
Han Sangja could not only foresee the future—he could see straight through Bu Eunseol’s innermost thoughts.
At last, he truly understood.
Just how dangerous sages could be.
If they wished, they could manipulate countless people and weave endlessly perilous schemes.
A place where such sages gathered—the Sage Forest—had more than enough reason to be exterminated.
Ziiing.
A faint yet razor-sharp gleam flickered in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
It carried an extremely subtle but deadly killing intent.
That gaze resembled the way the Demon Heaven Emperor had once looked at Bu Eunseol in the past.
Through this conversation, Bu Eunseol had come to one clear realization.
And it changed his view of Han Sangja… and the thoughts he had long harbored.
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