Kwaoooong!
The collision between the astral energy and the meteor caused a distortion that seemed to warp space itself. Eventually, a mighty shockwave spread outward from the center, drawing a deep abyss in its wake.
At that moment, the sky cracked like glass, and the clouds seemed to vanish without a trace.
Paaaaa!
The meteor-like radiance did not dissipate; instead, it pressed down upon the head of Bu Eunseol, who was pouring out his own astral energy to resist.
Chi-chi-chi-chik-pang!
Ultimately, by utilizing the subtle principles of Half Above, Half Below and Shifting Heaven’s Force, he materialized the force of the radiance. He then executed the technique of Grafting Flowers onto Jade, turning that radiance into a massive sphere and parrying it away at an angle.
Kureureureu.
The sphere, knocked off its trajectory, swallowed a distant mountain peak whole, causing it to collapse. At that tremendous impact, the earth wailed as if screaming, and clouds of pulverized rock and dust billowed out.
Flash.
In that instant, a single streak of brilliant light leaked from the distant sky. A shadow imbued with a gentle yet mysterious aura slowly descended to the ground. It was a young man clad in a pure white robe without a speck of dust, his silver hair shimmering with a faint light as it hung down. Finally, he descended as if his feet were about to touch the ground, yet not a single sound could be heard.
Bu Eunseol’s sharp eyes saw through it. The young man’s feet did not actually touch the earth; he remained floating in the air with a thread-thin, microscopic gap between him and the ground. His features shone like pale moonlight, and his deep, transparent eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky as he looked at Bu Eunseol.
Sapak, sapak.
The man in white walked slowly toward Bu Eunseol.
With every step he took in the air, a sacred and serene energy spread out calmly, as if invisible lotuses were blooming in his wake.
He possessed a mysterious and transcendental atmosphere, like a sage who knew everything in the world.
[I have kept you waiting a long time.]
Surprisingly, the man in white had seen through the fact that Bu Eunseol had been stalling for time and waiting for him.
[I did not expect you to defeat a True Demon kin in a single blow.]
The young man’s voice was filled with a strange resonance, similar to the Transmission of the Six Harmonies.
‘Baekri Family.’
Looking into the young man’s deep eyes, Bu Eunseol took a deep breath.
‘It is certain.’
Previously, the Wood Buddha had said that because of the Heavenly Secret, he could not reveal several secrets of the martial world, including the identity of the culprit who killed his grandfather.
But the Baekri Family could be considered the Heavenly Secret itself. Perhaps they could tell him about the culprit behind his grandfather’s death—and furthermore, the forces that caused the bloodbath at Saha Manor and the culprit who killed his parents.
‘If I can unravel all these secrets, I am willing to throw away everything I have.’
If that happened, he would no longer have to operate an information network to find the killer of his grandfather or the truth behind the Saha Manor bloodbath. He would no longer need to push his subordinates into danger.
“Are you an individual from the Baekri Family?”
[That is correct.]
“Why did you attack me?”
In truth, Bu Eunseol already had a faint inkling of the reason. The fierce skirmish just now—it was an intentional probe to determine in an instant if he, too, was a True Demon kin, what path he walked, what realm he had reached, and what kind of martial arts he used.
“……”
However, despite Bu Eunseol’s question, the man in white merely smiled faintly, his eyes curving like half-moons. No answer came.
‘I see.’
Reading that expression and gaze, Bu Eunseol could not hide his deep disappointment. Having constantly observed the psychological state of the Eight Human Heaven Lord through his biological reactions, his insight and intuition were currently at their peak. Because of this, he was able to see through the essence of the man in white at once.
‘He is looking down on me.’
The man’s attitude was perfectly polite, and his gaze and tone were elegant. However... he was looking down on all humans, including Bu Eunseol himself. It was as if he were dealing with a pet he had to look after or a weak being that needed protection.
[You intentionally leaked information that traces of the New Bloodline remain in the Martial Soul Society.]
The man in white spoke calmly with a smile.
[Furthermore, though you are unrelated to the Covenant, you are very well-informed about our Baekri Family and the True Demon.]
“……”
[I have heard that in the past, there were often such martial artists. Those with outstanding resourcefulness and martial arts who tried to dig up the secrets of our family or the True Demon.]
Having said that much, the man in white suddenly fell silent and smiled broadly. Bu Eunseol immediately understood the meaning of that smile.
—No matter how much you struggle, it is useless. Whatever you are plotting... in the end, you won’t be able to change anything.
That was what the man in white was saying.
[...Now, please tell me.]
He spoke again. His tone remained impeccably polite.
[Where is the New Bloodline?]
Bu Eunseol closed his eyes tightly.
Even if he never learned the identity of his grandfather’s enemy or the truth behind the Saha Manor bloodbath, it didn't matter. Just meeting someone from the family that shared the same blood... he could have been satisfied with just that. He had wanted to see for himself the image of that great family, the glorious guardians who had fought against pure evil for ages.
But that was merely Bu Eunseol’s own hollow expectation. The Baekri Family, who had fought pure evil for so long... in the end, they were no different from another True Demon.
[Of course, the main family will provide a corresponding reward. We do not recklessly take what belongs to others like the True Demon kin.]
The man in white smiled brightly.
[Leaking such information from the Martial Soul Society was done to negotiate with the main family, was it not?]
It was an accurate analysis. Although he couldn't reveal his true identity, he had intended to gain much information from them through dialogue with a figure from the Baekri Family. His grandfather’s enemy, the truth of Saha Manor, and information about his grandfather’s bloodline... there were too many things to uncover. Even if the man in white were arrogant or boasted like the son of a high official, he would have engaged in free dialogue and exchanged information without hesitation.
But he gave up on that. One cannot have any exchange with those who consider everyone but themselves to be weak, insignificant beings.
‘Perhaps my father...’
Tighten.
Bu Eunseol clenched his fist with a pained expression.
‘He might have left that place because the Baekri Family was acting wrongly.’
[May I have an answer?]
At that moment, the man in white showed a smile as bright as the morning sun.
[If you are someone who knows the True Demon well and can defeat them... then you must know the main family even better.]
He continued.
[In the past, the True Demon was truly dangerous. Furthermore, if people with similar abilities are continuously born... the current human race will be annihilated.]
‘I know.’
The man in white. No, the Baekri Family knew it too. They knew that the chain of reincarnation possessed by the True Demon had been broken. Because of that, they considered the New Bloodline—the woman who would conceive his body—to be their only hope.
‘Is that why he was so relaxed?’
Once they knew the chain of reincarnation was broken, from the Baekri Family’s perspective, it was like catching a rat in a jar. They could simply kill him whenever he was found. Before the Three Attendants found the True Demon... they just had to find him first. The mere fact that he had lost his memory and neglected the New Bloodline meant their victory was as good as settled.
“There is no such person in this Society. You should have confirmed that already.”
Having finally organized his thoughts, Bu Eunseol spoke firmly.
“I merely learned about the New Bloodline by chance while visiting the Ajanta Caves in Cheonchuk, and I happened to clash with the Holy One.”
He then explained in detail the process of discovering the New Bloodline in the Ajanta Caves and clashing with the Holy One.
He always prepared for the worst-case scenario.
In case this plan put Seong-ah or the members of the Martial Soul Society in danger, he had pre-emptively created false information, traces, and evidence regarding the New Bloodline in Cheonchuk.
“...If you go there, you will be able to confirm if my words are true.”
The man in white’s eyes sparkled.
[This is truly regrettable.]
The man in white stared blankly at Bu Eunseol for a long time, then finally let out a deep sigh.
[To think you intentionally leaked information about the New Bloodline to lure the True Demon kin and our Baekri Family. You should not have attempted to negotiate in this manner.]
He shook his head.
[Since you leaked the information without knowing the exact location of the New Bloodline... is there any choice for me but to wipe out every suspicious place?]
In a way, it was a natural conclusion.
The New Bloodline was a spark of danger that could burn the entire world. If there was even a slight possibility that the spark was hidden somewhere, that place had to be eradicated.
—I meant that negotiation itself would not take place.
Suddenly, Bu Eunseol remembered what he had said to Bing Hanpung during their meeting.
—If an infant is holding a gold nugget in their hand, one simply takes it. There is no reason to enter into negotiations.
In the end, his prediction was correct. The Baekri Family had no intention of negotiating with him from the start.
“Is that something the Baekri Family, who has supposedly protected the martial world for generations, should say?”
When Bu Eunseol snapped at him with a look of contempt, the man in white folded his hands as if in apology.
[It is a tragic decision that must be made because it is our family that must protect the martial world and the world. Even the smallest mistake or lapse in vigilance can lead to an irreversible catastrophe.]
Hyeok Ryeon-eung had used similar logic when pointing out the misdeeds of the Three Realms in the past. And Bu Eunseol had replied:
—If the world can only be protected by sacrificing someone, it is better that it ceases to exist.
And even now, that thought remained unchanged.
“I see.”
In Bu Eunseol’s pupils, a flame mixing ice-like cold and forge-like heat began to burn.
“There is no need for long talk. Make your move.”
[Could you not reconsider one more time?]
The man in white said with a bitter expression.
[I am certain you must have hidden some clues.]
“This Society Leader does not speak twice.”
[...How regrettable.]
Kwa-ung.
At that moment, from behind the man in white, the form of a pure white dragon soared into the sky. Its height reached hundreds of zhang, and with every movement, the surrounding ground cracked apart.
If such power were unleashed, it would be like the wrath of Mother Nature, something that could never be blocked.
[Please, forgive me.]
The man in white reached out his hand without hesitation. Then, the white dragon that had decorated the entire sky swallowed Bu Eunseol in an instant.
“……”
The entire world was filled with silence. Bu Eunseol, who had been standing opposite him, had vanished without a trace. It was as if even the fact that he had been alive was eradicated.
[I truly cannot understand why you did such a thing.]
He shook his head with a feigned voice of regret, but his eyes and expression looked as if he had casually brushed a speck of dust off his clothes. He then looked beyond the Absolute Boundary.
Now, the Martial Soul Society would no longer exist in the martial world; it would vanish as if evaporated. Just like the people of the Baekri Family’s Branch Family who were active in the martial world three hundred years ago.
Hu-du-duk.
But then, something strange happened. A lock of hair near the ear of the man in white, who was about to turn away, was suddenly severed.
Paaaaa!
Following that, a wind like a storm brushed past his body.
Tak.
Simultaneously, a shadow in gray martial robes landed on the ground from the air.
It was Bu Eunseol.
His body was cracked like parched earth, but as time passed, the pieces of flesh scattered around began to slowly reattach to his body. He was restoring the body that had been destroyed in the mental world by the attack of the man in white.
‘I benefited from the Endless Heavenly Light Art.’
Bu Eunseol has the power to control the mental world. However, while he could restore a destroyed body, it was difficult to neutralize the impact transmitted to the actual physical body.
But the Endless Heavenly Light Art was the unification of the Three Divine Energies.
By merely being shrouded in it, he could momentarily sever the connection between the mental world and the actual physical body, allowing him to protect his physical form from the man in white’s attack.
[This is surprising.]
The man in white let out a genuine exclamation of admiration. He had certainly pushed him into the mental world and then instantly destroyed that body, yet the man had the power to restore the mental world?
[Only those of our main family can do such a thing.]
A divine radiance erupted from the pupils of the man in white as he stared intently at Bu Eunseol. However, nowhere could he detect the traits or the power of techniques visible only to those of the Baekri Family, nor was there even a trace of a disguise.
[You have reached the Limitless Realm and refined the Phase.]
The man in white withdrew his gaze and nodded with an admiring expression.
[If you have mastered Great Natural Qi, which almost no one in the martial world has attained... it might be possible.]
However, even that admiring gaze was like that of a child watching a clever monkey perform a trick—not a look between one human and another.
“Are you done talking?”
A bright red blood-light rose in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
He didn't believe that this man’s thoughts represented the will of the entire Baekri Family. However, since he had come out into the martial world under the family name, his words and deeds represented the Baekri Family.
He could never tolerate this man in white, who tried to trample the Martial Soul Society so unhesitatingly under the pretext of merely snuffing out a dangerous spark.
[As I thought... I see.]
Looking at the radiance spreading from Bu Eunseol’s eyes, the man in white spoke.
[Do you know what the main family fears most?]
“……”
[It is the Shell of the True Demon.]
With sparkling eyes, the man in white shared something unexpected.
[He has the ability to steal the bodies of others and stay in them for a certain period. And a body that the True Demon has temporarily passed through is called the ‘Shell.’]
Bu Eunseol was not particularly surprised. For a True Demon who had existed since primordial times and used ancient secret arts, such a thing would be nothing.
[Those shells gain intelligence and strength beyond imagination thanks to the True Demon.]
The shocking words continued.
[Suddenly rising to the ranks of the ultra-powerful as if fallen from the sky, or showing transcendental abilities even at a young age…]
The man in white stopped smiling.
[Just like you.]
The smile had merely vanished, yet a chilling and bizarre light was spreading from his eyes, as if a celestial being had suddenly transformed into an evil spirit.
‘So that was it.’
Bu Eunseol realized one more surprising fact.
The purpose for which the Baekri Family had been secretly moving through the martial world all along—it was to find and annihilate those suspected of being the Shell of the True Demon. Even the Righteous and Demonic Twin Heavenly Emperors or the Three Demons and Three Venerables, who had reached unrivaled realms from their youth, must have had their true nature verified by the Baekri Family.
‘This, too, was destiny.’
Even if he hadn't leaked the information about the New Bloodline, the Baekri Family would have eventually verified whether Seolso, who had become the leader of the Martial Soul Society, was the Shell of the True Demon.
‘There is no more information I want to know.’
Now, only the fight remained.
At that moment, Bu Eunseol’s gaze suddenly moved to the feet of the man in white. His feet were still about an inch off the ground, and there was not a speck of dust on his pure white robes. It was as if the mysterious shockwaves constantly flowing from his body were preventing any filth from approaching.
For a split second, a thread-thin, faint smile crossed his lips.
It was the same smile the Demon Emperor had worn at Seungsa Island when he saw through the depths of the Sword Venerable’s heart and attempted to seize control of his soul.
“Since you’ve talked that much...”
Lifting his internal power, Bu Eunseol reached out his hand.
“Let’s begin.”
[Hahaha.]
The man in white let out a clear laugh. His expression was as if he were watching a rare and entertaining play.
[You really are…]
Kwa-ung!
At that moment, a wind like a cannonball blew past the side of the man in white’s face. Simultaneously, a thin red line was drawn across his cheek.
It was the sixth form of the Seven Heavenly Light Forms. He had intentionally unleashed Infinite Light Extension—the ultimate fist technique of Great Natural Qi that even the Eight Human Heaven Lord didn't realize he had been hit by until he died—to narrowly miss.
Drip.
Eventually, a bright red drop of blood flowed from the wound. With a surprised expression, the man in white took the drop of blood on his finger and brought it before his eyes. Seeing this, a cold smile hung on the corners of Bu Eunseol’s mouth.
“Does even the blood of a person from the Baekri Family—who commits blood calamities without hesitation under the pretext of protecting the martial world—run red?”
Crack.
The expression of the man in white, as he turned his head, became somewhat bizarre.
It was not anger or surprise; it was the expression of a child who had reached out to stroke a cat with a friendly hand, only to be scratched in return.
Regardless, Bu Eunseol snorted and spoke sarcastically.
“Seeing you now, it’s clear you’re no member of the Baekri Family, but merely a servant beneath them... and yet you act with such solemnity, as if you were the representative of a god.”
He poured out biting mockery, as if he were possessed by So Okrim.
“What are you staring at? You’re just a little rat who deployed a mental world even before the fight started because you were afraid your head would fly off if we fought directly.”
The man in white wore a dazed expression. Ever since he had appeared in the martial world, even the ultra-powerful of the world bowed their heads at the mention of the Baekri Family. And yet, this bratty little fellow was spewing venom without knowing his place?
[You are using a clumsy provocation technique. Even so…]
“Before you say such things, keep your mouth shut until you can dodge this Society Leader’s fist technique.”
The man in white flinched. Because Bu Eunseol’s Seven Heavenly Light Forms used Great Natural Qi combined with the Three Divine Energies, it was extremely difficult to detect the fist intent.
Hadn't his cheek just been grazed because he failed to detect that fist force?
“The True Demon kin all master and use martial arts, but a little rat of the Baekri Family only knows how to flap his mouth.”
Bu Eunseol had been with So Okrim, whose mouth was arguably the second-most foul in the world, for a long time. Therefore, it was not difficult for him to pour out venom once he set his mind to it.
“I was hoping a real figure of the Baekri Family would come.”
He then unleashed a most scathing sneer.
“Furthermore, if they employ a servant like you, then the Baekri Family itself must be a place devoid of discernment, no?”
In truth, this was also his sincere feeling.
He had thought that even if the servants of the Baekri Family did not appear righteous, they were at least people who protected the weak. But the man in white, despite his polite actions and tone, was no different from the Three Realms, who committed any means without hesitation for the sake of a ‘noble purpose.’
From the perspective of Bu Eunseol, who had looked forward to meeting a person of the Baekri Family until now, he could only feel a sense of contempt beyond disappointment.
Woong.
The man in white looked at Bu Eunseol without a word and waved his hand.
Jureureuk.
Then, the scenery in all directions began to flow down like water. He had completely withdrawn the mental world.
“The Phase was merely used to grant you a peaceful death.”
As the mental world was withdrawn, the voice of the man in white, which had resonated like the Transmission of the Six Harmonies, was heard as a natural voice.
“It was you who threw away my goodwill...”
As he continued to speak leisurely, he found himself unable to finish the sentence and gaped.
Before he knew it, a massive fist force that seemed capable of overturning the heavens was being fired right before his eyes.
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