Bu Eunseol, lost in thought, soon shook his head.
“I refuse.”
[If you go in, you’ll be able to find those memories you’ve been craving so desperately, won’t you?]
Even at Baekri Geomha’s subtle words, Bu Eunseol’s expression did not change.
Because if he entered that deep abyss, he might permanently lose his body to the personality that called itself Baekri Geomha.
[Then there’s no longer any room for choice.]
“I agree.”
The gaze with which Bu Eunseol looked down at Baekri Geomha grew infinitely solemn.
That existence. That personality.
If he kept it inside his soul any longer… it would eventually steal his body.
[What’s this? That confident look on your face.]
Baekri Geomha snorted.
[It seems you think you can erase me.]
“That’s right.”
[You’re dreaming.]
Shuuu.
Baekri Geomha extended his hand.
Light began to gather in his palm, and soon a pure white treasured sword started to form.
[Go ahead and try if you want.]
The attack he was unleashing could not possibly be swordsmanship.
However, Baekri Geomha had deliberately created a sword dyed pure white, as if to oppose the existence known as the Silent Tiger Soul Sword.
Saaaaah.
From the white treasured sword created in Baekri Geomha’s hand, a radiance that shook the soul spread out.
Sreung.
Bu Eunseol also drew the Silent Tiger Soul Sword.
Then, including the Supreme Heavenly Flow, he unleashed every ability he possessed to confront Baekri Geomha.
This was a space within the mind; attacking each other was nothing more than a clash of wills. The profundity of martial arts or the swiftness of superior techniques held little meaning here.
But that was Bu Eunseol’s misconception.
Pat! Pat!
The attacks Baekri Geomha poured out easily blocked every sword technique Bu Eunseol displayed, and as time passed, blood sprayed from his body.
Just like fighting in reality.
The clear difference in power was being reflected perfectly.
[Is that all you can do?]
Baekri Geomha wore a mocking smile.
Not a single one of the attacks Bu Eunseol unleashed even touched his body.
No—in fact, the power Baekri Geomha displayed had completely transcended the boundaries of martial arts.
It was an absolute, innate power. It contained a mighty authority that a human body could not possibly contain.
[You must have felt it by now.]
Baekri Geomha looked at the blood-soaked Bu Eunseol and sneered.
[That the time has come when your abilities can no longer handle this.]
It was not an unreasonable statement.
From now on, the enemies who would appear could not be expected to be completely defeated with the martial arts Bu Eunseol had learned so far. Even the subordinates of the Dark God Heavenly Lord whom he had encountered before—the Black Gods and the Ink-Black Troops—had possessed tremendous abilities, hadn’t they?
Although Harmony approaching the level of the Limitless Realm could still work, the problem was that they wielded sorcery unaffected by ordinary martial arts.
If it hadn’t been for Seoryeong’s help?
Or if the Dark God Heavenly Lord had broken the seal and appeared before him?
It might have been Bu Eunseol himself lying buried in the cold ground by now.
[You’re not denying it.]
When Bu Eunseol still did not answer, Baekri Geomha stopped his attacks and spoke coldly.
[It means you know they cannot be stopped by the power of martial arts.]
“Then what makes you any different?”
[You saw it, didn’t you? The power I possessed. The power that could instantly defeat even the Martial God Heavenly Lord.]
“The Martial God Heavenly Lord only had one-tenth of his power left.”
[And even that one-tenth you couldn’t withstand.]
Baekri Geomha crossed his arms and said,
[If it were me, I could win even if the Martial God Heavenly Lord had his full power. So a useless bastard like you should just quietly step aside.]
“No, you cannot win.”
[What?]
“Power obtained too easily collapses just as easily.”
Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
“Power that cannot be perfectly controlled will inevitably reveal its weaknesses.”
Not power and ability gained through endless training and research, but something like talent granted from heaven, or the innate power of the One Hundred and Eight Stars—such things always carried a fatal weakness that could destroy them.
And Bu Eunseol had always seized victory by catching exactly that point.
[Isn’t martial arts the same?]
Baekri Geomha scoffed.
[Martial arts also finds openings, finds compatibilities, finds weaknesses, and attacks.]
“…….”
[Rather, you think every power except martial arts is sorcery that must not be accepted, don’t you?]
Baekri Geomha lifted the corner of his mouth.
[It’s like a child who can’t eat spicy food claiming he simply dislikes spicy food.]
At that moment, Bu Eunseol froze.
‘Thinking of every power except martial arts as sorcery…’
Those words pointed to a biased preconception that had taken root deep in his heart without him ever realizing it.
Perhaps it was a fixed idea that had formed unconsciously because he valued martial techniques and had developed the foundation of Nangyang Pavilion’s martial arts, which sought to complete the ultimate path of martial arts through real combat.
Especially since Nangyang Pavilion learned, interpreted, and researched all martial techniques and principles through actual combat, they had from the beginning viewed anything outside martial arts as unorthodox, unjust, and improper means.
Abilities and sorcery were branded as the Demonic Outer Path—forces that deviated from the proper way and were utterly evil.
“Looking back, abilities have also been passed down through the martial world for generations.”
Things called shamanic arts or sorcery were ultimately the result of continuous research and development.
The Four Divine Energies were powers granted by heaven, yet the Four Gods had developed them into martial arts through endless effort.
Even the origin of the martial world—Baekri Clan or True Demon—originally possessed abilities in the form of law or sorcery.
[Those are very good words.]
Baekri Geomha clapped and pointed at Bu Eunseol.
[Now I won’t have to watch the ugly sight of you struggling with your rotten martial arts any longer. It’s time to change.]
“I merely acknowledged that it was a fixed idea.”
White light burst from Bu Eunseol’s eyes as he slowly raised his internal energy.
“However, the fact that they are powers that cannot be perfectly controlled remains unchanged.”
He was not trying to accept abilities to pour out overwhelming strength and take the easy path. He had simply changed his mind: if a power already existed within his body, he should find a way to control it and be able to use it when necessary.
Broad-minded.
An attitude of accepting everything.
That was precisely the mindset a disciple of Nangyang Pavilion should possess.
“And I also possess abilities.”
[What?]
“I obtained it when I visited the Ancient Sword Forest this time.”
Jiiing.
The light that burst from his eyes soon began to rise from his entire body.
At the same time, black mist started to form in his palm.
Although this was only an appearance within the soul, the moment he decided to accept the foreign power existing in his body, the pattern immediately appeared.
Kurrr.
Once the pattern was revealed, inside his body—besides internal energy and the Three Divine Energies—an endlessly destructive, despairing, desolate, and dangerous aura began to whirl.
Huuuiiing.
At the same time, an endlessly dark and viscous light began to whirl around Bu Eunseol’s fist.
In that instant, he felt an unprecedented colossal force capable of destroying the world swirling within his grasp.
With this power, there was no need to find the enemy’s weakness.
There was no need to ponder the complex principles of martial arts.
Merely harboring killing intent would be enough to deal with the enemy in a single blow.
‘This is not the way.’
However, Bu Eunseol did not unleash the power all at once.
If he used such overwhelming power recklessly, it would eventually collapse all the martial scriptures he had built up until now and turn him into a slave to sorcery.
Kkdeuk kkdeuk.
As he held that intense power in his hand, it felt as if the nerves throughout his body were being torn apart and his skin was burning.
Nevertheless, he did not release it easily and struggled to control it.
‘Have I ever risen by taking the easy path even once?’
He had never once sought an easy path.
He had only pursued victory by staking his life in deadly battles where blood evaporated and flesh was crushed, within trials that brushed against death itself.
He had only pursued the martial path of training body and soul to reach boundless realms.
Jiiing, jiiing.
The power gathered in Bu Eunseol’s fist soon merged with his original true energy and began to transform into an aura he could control.
Kwa-rung!
When he raised the Seven Fist Demon Forms in that state,
Kurrrung.
The surroundings began to distort, and the abyssal world started to shake with his fist at the center.
At the same time, a demonic figure began to form behind his back.
Eyes like deep black holes that seemed to swallow all emotions of the world and sharp teeth revealed at the torn mouth shook the soul of anyone who saw it.
[Eh?]
Seeing it, Baekri Geomha rounded his mouth in a dumbfounded expression and pointed with his finger.
[That’s my power, isn’t it?]
Kwaaang!
Instead of answering, Bu Eunseol thrust out his fist.
Huuuk!
Black wings seemed to spread across both shoulders, and a vortex that devoured everything surged forth.
Kwaaaaaarrr!
Baekri Geomha’s body, caught in the black storm, repeatedly swelled greatly and then contracted.
[You thieving bastard!]
Baekri Geomha shouted with a face full of rage.
[That’s my power!]
But because his body kept stretching and shrinking while caught in the black storm, his words could not be heard clearly.
Shuuk!
The moment the black storm compressed Baekri Geomha into a single distorted point, the wind stopped and the entire world fell silent.
[…I will definitely return!]
At that moment, Baekri Geomha’s enraged cry spread out,
Paa!
The single point turned into hundreds of light fragments and scattered like dust.
Once Baekri Geomha’s form completely disappeared, the space within the abyss also slowly began to melt away.
Flash!
At that instant, the eyes of the real Bu Eunseol—who had been sitting in a lotus position, deeply immersed in meditation—snapped open.
By defeating Baekri Geomha, the consciousness that had been submerged in the abyss had returned.
“That was dangerous.”
Bu Eunseol unconsciously stroked his chest.
Pushing one’s consciousness into the abyss was far more perilous than closing one’s eyes and crossing a single-log bridge over a cliff. If he had not fortunately gained enlightenment and defeated Baekri Geomha?
He would have been trapped forever in that endless darkness of the abyss.
“So that’s why the iron-minded sages of old warned against looking into one’s own mind and trying to control it.”
Bu Eunseol shook his head.
Chiiii.
At that moment, white smoke rose.
When he looked down, the floor of the iron-plate sealed room was melting because of the energy rising from his left hand.
While using power inside the soul during meditation, he had unconsciously used that power in reality as well.
“…….”
Bu Eunseol stared indifferently at the radiance gathered at his fingertips, then forcefully pushed his finger into the floor.
Uuuung.
With a pitch-black flash, a small black hole the size of a finger appeared instantly.
It was too dark to see clearly, but its depth appeared to be at least several zhang.
It was as if he had fired the power of Harmony with his finger without any preparatory movement.
“This is not the power the Ancient Sword Forest Lord gave me.”
Bu Eunseol wore a hollow expression.
“It was the power Baekri Geomha possessed…”
After hearing Baekri Geomha’s story, he realized that he had held extreme rejection and prejudice toward abilities until now. Thus, from now on, he decided not to reject that power but to slowly integrate it with martial arts and make it his own.
“I thought since the abilities surged up instantly, it must have been given by the Ancient Sword Forest Lord…”
Absurdly, the moment he decided to accept abilities, he had temporarily stolen none other than Baekri Geomha’s power.
“So that guy really is me.”
He had expected it to some degree.
There was no way a personality would suddenly pop out from within the soul.
But when it was confirmed that the personality called Baekri Geomha was truly a shared destiny with him, and that he could also use abilities that only that personality possessed… he could not hide his bewilderment and emptiness.
“Does this even make sense?”
It was already astonishing that a completely separate personality existed within one body, but to be able to use different abilities according to each personality?
Wasn’t this truly something impossible?
“Still, this power…”
Clenching his fist tightly, Bu Eunseol realized one fact he had forgotten.
Baekri Geomha possessed power strong enough to defeat the Martial God Heavenly Lord, whom he himself could not overcome.
At that time on Ghost Island, after clashing fiercely with the Martial God Heavenly Lord, he had eventually lost consciousness. When he opened his eyes again, the Dark God Heavenly Lord was lying dead in a miserable state.
Even though it was the Martial God Heavenly Lord with only one-tenth of his power, the fact that he was stronger than Bu Eunseol could not be denied.
“Then what is that pattern engraved in my soul…?”
The Ancient Sword Forest Lord had definitely given him power and the light he had seen at the edge of the abyss was almost identical in shape to the pattern engraved on the Silent Tiger Soul Sword.
But what he had met there was not the source of the power given by the Ancient Sword Forest Lord, but Baekri Geomha.
In the end, he had discovered that Baekri Geomha and he were not separate personalities but shared the same fate, and that Baekri Geomha possessed an innately destructive power of abilities.
“The Ancient Sword Forest Lord’s power is different from this.”
The ability he had displayed when fighting the Dark God Heavenly Lord had flowed from his eyes and allowed him to sense and destroy the attribute of the enemy’s power.
That meant…
“I definitely have a sealed power as well.”
The power that the founder of the Ancient Sword Forest had made usable was clearly a completely different power from what the personality called Baekri Geomha possessed.
He had to find it without fail.
“Could that be the power my mother gave me?”
Bu Eunseol recalled his mother’s longed-for face.
That face changed into the face of the Ancient Sword Forest Lord, then changed again into the appearance of Manwol.
Since the pattern of the Ancient Sword Forest and the pattern on the Silent Tiger Soul Sword his mother had given him were quite similar, perhaps the arrangement of the Ancient Sword Forest… was the power his mother had left behind.
“My parents must have clearly known my condition.”
His father, Baekri Muha, was of the Baekri Clan bloodline, and his mother was the Holy Maiden of the True Demon Clan.
There was no way those two would not have noticed the state of his soul.
Perhaps, in order to control the two divided personalities… they had sealed the Baihui acupoint with enormous energy.
“Then how can that power be manifested?”
Bu Eunseol tried once more to create the pattern engraved on his palm but no matter what he did, the pattern would not appear, and he felt nothing from his eyes either.
It was the same with Baekri Geomha’s power.
He had accidentally absorbed it within the soul; it was not yet a power subordinated to him.
“I will find it.”
The method to reveal the pattern on the palm. If he could find that method… he would also be able to freely wield Baekri Geomha’s power within the abyss.
“Without fail.”
There was no need to be impatient.
As the Small Forest Lord of Hyungsan’s Ancient Sword Forest had said that everything would be resolved one by one according to the natural order.
His mother must have made arrangements exactly that way.
“There is no need to become obsessed with that power right now.”
Abilities were extremely convenient and possessed immense power in itself, but it also had clear weaknesses.
Because it consumed extreme amounts of stamina and mental energy with each use, prolonged battles were difficult. If the power missed, a fatal counterattack could come. Moreover, while it was overwhelming in certain situations, once outside that range or against an incompatible opponent, it could become completely useless.
Above all, such overwhelming power inevitably produced an equally powerful backlash. If used in an unprepared state, it could cause the collapse of the body.
Just like when the backlash of Harmony returned.
“That is why it must be combined with martial arts.”
Originally, combining abilities with martial arts was impossible in itself, but Bu Eunseol had accomplished exactly that within the abyss.
And he could do it in reality as well.
After all, multiple powers were already mixed within his body.
“Instead of simply releasing power, I need to refine it precisely into the form of martial techniques.”
Bu Eunseol looked at the power at his fingertips, which had nearly disappeared.
Even though the light had completely faded, the moment he consciously recognized that power, he again felt his mental and physical strength being consumed in large chunks.
“It must have happened because the root could not be found.”
Since he did not accurately know the principle behind the power’s manifestation, he inevitably faced difficulties in applying or controlling it.
“If I can consciously draw out that power and combine it with martial arts…”
Bu Eunseol clenched his fist tightly.
If he could freely draw out that power at will and add martial arts to it… he would be able to defeat any strong enemy in the world and reach the realm he had longed for.
***
Meanwhile, disturbing rumors suddenly began to spread through the once-calm martial world.
—A slaughter star who specializes in assassinating special-grade mercenaries has appeared.
Special-grade mercenaries were the highest-skilled mercenaries guaranteed by each mercenary market.
In other words, they were strong individuals who had overcome countless life-and-death crises and possessed their own philosophy of combat and strategic insight.
Moreover, because special-grade mercenaries displayed the highest level of skill in every field—escort, information gathering, assassination, and so on—they were known to possess the survival ability to return alive from even the most dangerous missions.
Yet there was a slaughter star who specialized in assassinating them?
—How could a mere slaughter star assassinate special-grade mercenaries?
The people of the martial world who heard this rumor found it somewhat absurd.
A “slaughter star” referred to madmen who had fallen into a murder mania and felt infinite pleasure only in harming and killing people.
But how could such a being selectively kill special-grade mercenaries who excelled in every field?
—Then the only possibility is that a supreme expert who has already achieved great martial prowess has become a slaughter star.
Special-grade mercenaries, in other words, were those who had reached the pinnacle of survival. To selectively kill such people meant the perpetrator was either an individual of equally tremendous martial prowess or a super-expert pretending to be a slaughter star.
—Why would such a powerful figure become a slaughter star and target only special-grade mercenaries?
When one thought about it, it was truly strange.
As an incomprehensible situation unfolded, several mercenary markets and intelligence organizations began investigating the incident.
Especially because the Martial Soul Society, which still operated a mercenary market, was suffering significant damage from the appearance of this slaughter star, they too meticulously tracked the newly emerged killer.
However, because there was no trace or clue whatsoever, the pursuit was proving difficult.
—The slaughter star possesses martial prowess so great that no one can stop him.
But as investigations and tracking continued, a new fact was revealed.
The slaughter star who killed special-grade mercenaries was not merely highly skilled; he was a supreme expert who had reached the Limitless Realm, a level that ordinary martial artists could never face.
The Heavenly Vast Gate, which had received a request for this incident, happened to encounter the slaughter star and immediately surrounded him to kill him, but not a single person survived—instead, they were completely annihilated.
Eventually, as the damage caused by the mysterious slaughter star grew severe, the Martial Soul Society delivered this information to Bu Eunseol.
‘They took the bait.’
Reading the book that Wi Cheongyeong had handed him in the office, Bu Eunseol narrowed his eyes.
It was densely filled with information about the newly appeared slaughter star who was attacking mercenaries.
‘To catch the mercenary Seolso.’
Bu Eunseol immediately understood the situation.
Previously, after discovering the evil deeds of the Heavenly Mechanism Star, Bu Eunseol had annihilated all the orphanages—including the Graceful Benevolence Institute—together with the mercenaries of the Martial Soul Society, and had left behind traces of the mercenary Seolso.
Clearly, the Heavenly Mechanism Star had done this to lure him out.
“They say it’s a… crow.”
But then Wi Cheongyeong said something unexpected.
“If you look at the last page… there is information that the slaughter star who killed the special-grade mercenaries is a human in the form of a crow.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened.
‘Dark God Heavenly Lord?’
Surprisingly, this incident was not something orchestrated by the Heavenly Mechanism Star… but something carried out by the Dark God Heavenly Lord.
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