There are three stages to the process of Rebirth.
In the first stage, the body expels accumulated impurities, revealing new skin as soft as a child’s. In the second, teeth fall out only to regrow, and the internal organs are fundamentally reconstructed. Upon reaching the third stage, it is said that even the skeletal structure shifts, granting the practitioner a physical form that transcends human limitations.
As Bu Eun-seol continuously unleashed his formidable True Qi within the crushing pressure of the Boundless Heavenly King’s Water, the phenomenon of the first stage of Rebirth suddenly manifested.
Why is this happening now?
Bu Eun-seol came to a halt. Within the transparent depths of the water, he stared at the fragments of skin drifting away from him. After a moment of quiet contemplation, the realization struck him.
A portion of my latent acupoints has been activated once more…
Deep within his body lay the pure True Qi accumulated since childhood through health-preserving secrets, along with the Polarity Reversal True Energy injected by the Blood Vajra. Though he had reached the fifth level of the Polarity Reversal Cultivation Art and converted a portion into internal cultivation, a vast reservoir of unconverted energy still remained dormant in his latent acupoints.
Under the uniform, crushing weight of the Boundless Heavenly King’s Water, the pressure had forced another portion of this latent energy to transmute into active internal power.
Rumble.
As he stirred his cultivation once more, it felt as though thunder was crashing inside his chest. His internal power, which had previously sat at three cycles of sixty years, suddenly surged to four.
Flutter.
Standing within the clear water, his new skin shimmering with a transcendent luster, Bu Eun-seol looked like an ancient celestial god descending upon the earth—mysterious and breathtakingly beautiful.
A blessing in disguise.
As Bu Eun-seol remained still, absorbing the change, a strange vibration reached him from behind. He turned to see Hyeok So-jin shouting desperately against the barrier of the Boundless Heavenly King’s Water.
—I thought you were dead! What on earth happened?
When the old skin had shed, a brilliant aura of golden light and rushing currents had enveloped Bu Eun-seol, preventing Hyeok So-jin and Du Yak-rang from witnessing the actual Rebirth. Seeing him stop moving, Hyeok So-jin had assumed he had drawn his final breath.
Bu Eun-seol gave a small nod toward Hyeok So-jin, signaling him not to worry. He turned back and began to walk forward with effortless grace. He reached the transparent wall at the end of the passage, but as he prepared to exit, his eyes sharpened.
He had realized a new problem.
I cannot get out.
The mystical stones that pinned the immense weight of the water within the corridor were still active. As long as their power remained engaged, the exit remained sealed.
“Old woman! He reached the end! Why aren’t you draining the water?” Hyeok So-jin protested, but his voice was swallowed by the water-filled passage before it could reach Du Yak-rang’s ears. Even if she had wanted to save him, the mystical stones were embedded deep within the water; there was no way to intervene.
She has used this trap to stop many powerful enemies.
Bu Eun-seol folded his arms, lost in thought. Though his vast internal power was currently neutralizing the crushing pressure, he could not maintain this state forever. If he did not escape within fifteen minutes, the weight would eventually claim his life.
“Heh heh heh.”
Beyond the transparent wall, Du Yak-rang watched with a triumphant smirk. Seeing her expression, a chilling frost settled in Bu Eun-seol’s eyes.
I’ll break through.
Taking a deep breath, he retracted half of the internal power he had been using to shield his body. Immediately, the protective veil of True Qi thinned, and he felt as though his very bones were being compressed.
Standard martial arts won’t work here.
Within the Taishan-like weight of the Boundless Heavenly King’s Water, sword techniques or palm strikes would lose their lethal velocity and power.
In that case…
Whirrrr.
His eyes flashed as a vortex began to swirl around his right fist. Simultaneously, the Boundless Heavenly King’s Water—which had been as still and heavy as a solid block—began to churn violently within its transparent cage.
The Seven Forms of the Demonic Fist, Third Form.
He was about to unleash the essence of Absolute Violent Fist Arts: a technique that focused immense destructive power into a single point through fierce rotation.
Roar!
The water, which had been rising like a stormy sea, was suddenly sucked toward Bu Eun-seol’s right fist, coiling around it in a tight, spinning sphere.
Self-Forgotten Shattering as One!
Kwah-aaaaah!
Bu Eun-seol lunged forward. A terrifying pillar of rotating water, propelled by his fist, slammed into the front of the corridor.
Vrummm! Vruuuummm!
The entire passage shuddered as if struck by an earthquake. The transparent stones set into the walls began to shift.
Crack. Cra-crack.
Unable to withstand the focused pressure of the spiraling water, the mystical stones began to spiderweb with fractures.
What is he doing?
Just as Du Yak-rang’s jaw dropped in disbelief—
Crash!
The stones finally gave way. The Boundless Heavenly King’s Water burst forth like a dam failing, roaring down the slanted passage toward the exit where Hyeok So-jin stood.
The power… has increased.
Bu Eun-seol stared at his own hand. Because of his newly augmented internal cultivation, the strike had carried far more weight than ever before, even though he hadn’t exerted his full strength.
Tap.
With a light leap, he kicked off the side of the corridor and landed gracefully beside Hyeok So-jin.
“Brother Bu, are you alright?”
Bu Eun-seol merely nodded. Because he had maintained a wall of True Qi until the very end, his clothes were barely damp.
“You were hiding your true power all along. And that fist technique just now…”
Before Hyeok So-jin could finish his praise, Bu Eun-seol spoke coldly to Du Yak-rang.
“Have I passed the test?”
Du Yak-rang stood as if struck dumb. This passage, the Immeasurable Water Pass, was meant to be the ultimate defense against invaders seeking to enter the Momentless Fleet. Even if an intruder had the cultivation to survive the pressure, they were supposed to be blocked by the Repelling Stones.
Yet, Bu Eun-seol had taken an absolute formation—one meant to be impossible to enter or exit—and shattered it in an instant by turning the very water into a weapon.
To think his martial arts reached such a level…
Du Yak-rang’s eyes trembled violently.
And with the Immeasurable Water Pass destroyed, what am I to do…
The cost of filling that hall had exceeded ten million taels. Moreover, the Boundless Heavenly King’s Water was a rare treasure nearly impossible to replace. The mystical defense that had guarded the Momentless Fleet was gone forever.
Now is not the time for such thoughts.
Du Yak-rang quickly regained her composure. This was no longer about financial loss; she had to find a way to turn these terrifying uninvited guests away.
I have no choice.
A poisonous glint flickered in her eyes as she bit her lip.
Given the level of his internal power, no one will be able to stop him once he starts fighting.
Just as she was about to step on a Hidden Shadow Stone to trigger another formation—
Shhh-shhh.
The sound of dozens of light footsteps echoed from behind her. A group of women emerged, led by an old crone with her hair meticulously combed. The old woman’s wrinkles were as deep and dry as withered tree bark; she looked well over a hundred years old. However, her eyes were deep and clear, filled with a piercing light that proved she was no ordinary senior.
“Fleet Master.”
Du Yak-rang bowed respectfully toward the old woman. This woman, looking like an ancient, gnarled tree, was the Master of the Momentless Fleet: Geuk Hye-ryeong.
“There is no further need for tests,” Geuk Hye-ryeong said, her deep gaze fixed on Bu Eun-seol. “With a level of internal power like that… any test would be meaningless.”
It seemed the passage was equipped with devices that had allowed her to witness the entire process.
“Bu Eun-seol, disciple of Wolf Fang Pavilion, greets the Fleet Master.”
As Bu Eun-seol gave a respectful bow, Hyeok So-jin also pressed his hands together.
“Hyeok So-jin of the Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying greets the Elder.”
Normally, a host would have offered a few words of praise. However, Geuk Hye-ryeong merely nodded without saying a word. Though they were all part of the Ten Demonic Sects, neither Wolf Fang Pavilion nor the Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying had any interaction with the Momentless Fleet.
Furthermore, having already decided to support another successor, she had no reason to be fond of Bu Eun-seol or Hyeok So-jin.
“Bring them to the Blood Moon Cave,” she said curtly to Du Yak-rang before turning away without a second glance.
Blood Moon Cave, is it?
Bu Eun-seol allowed a bitter smile to touch his lips. No matter how eccentric the Momentless Fleet was, they wouldn’t name a place for honored guests a “cave.” The Fleet Master still considered them nothing more than unwelcome intruders.
***
Following the lead of the handmaidens, Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin’s expressions turned strange as they moved deeper into the compound. The name “Blood Moon Cave” had conjured images of a demonic lair where monsters sought eternal life by drinking blood.
However, the interior of the Blood Moon Cave was warm and elegant, reminiscent of a palace where a princess might reside. In front of uniquely shaped pavilions that brought flowers to mind lay gardens filled with rare and exotic plants, while the center featured a tranquil pond and an ornate gazebo.
Women in vibrant silks gave slight bows whenever they saw Du Yak-rang pass. Toward Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin, they cast looks of intense curiosity, some even flashing uninhibited smiles.
Even for a female-only sect, the atmosphere is quite different.
If the Divine Maiden Palace possessed an aura of mystery and solemnity, the Momentless Fleet radiated splendor and vitality.
“Wait in here. The Fleet Master will arrive shortly.”
They entered a large hall at the center of the Blood Moon Cave. The space resembled a banquet room in a high-end tavern. It was clean and well-kept, though the furniture showed signs of age, suggesting it wasn’t a room used frequently.
“Fortunately, it isn’t a literal cave,” Hyeok So-jin muttered with a dry smile as he looked around. “It feels just like when we arrived at the main gates. It seems you’re a step late again, Brother Bu.”
Instead of answering, Bu Eun-seol closed his eyes and sharpened his “Beast Path” senses. To him, the Blood Moon Cave did not feel like a space meant for a warm welcome.
“There’s no need to worry,” Hyeok So-jin said, noticing Bu Eun-seol’s heightened state. “The Fleet Master came out to meet us herself, didn’t she? If she had ill intentions, she wouldn’t have invited us this far inside.”
Geuk Hye-ryeong was a master who had reached the Supreme Heavenly Realm. If she had intended to kill them, she could have struck the moment they emerged.
“She’s likely weighing you against the others after seeing your martial arts—calculating which successor will be more useful.”
Bu Eun-seol opened his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips. “It will be negotiation… or death.”
“Are you saying she has hidden assassins?”
“Mechanical traps.” Bu Eun-seol scanned the room with interest. “I can hear the faint friction of metal throughout the walls. If the negotiations fail, she will trigger them instantly.”
Swish.
With the rustle of silk, Geuk Hye-ryeong entered, clad in a magnificent robe that shimmered like silver.
“Impressive,” she remarked, taking the seat of honor. She offered her first word of praise as she looked at Bu Eun-seol. “To be able to detect the mechanisms of the Blood Moon Cave… you at least possess the level required to speak with me.”
Hyeok So-jin’s mouth hung open. Bu Eun-seol had been right. Geuk Hye-ryeong was indeed prepared to draw her blade at a moment’s notice.
“Fleet Master, this seems a bit improper,” Hyeok So-jin said, meeting her gaze boldly. “Are you suggesting we negotiate with a blade at our throats?”
“Heh heh heh. Negotiate?” Geuk Hye-ryeong’s laughter sounded like metal scraping against stone. “I merely said you were at a level where we could speak.”
She moved her gnarled, bark-like lips. “Those who can negotiate with me are the titans who hold the martial world beneath their feet, not fledglings like yourselves.”
As the Momentless Fleet possessed the greatest financial power in the world, it was perhaps natural that she viewed even the successors of the Ten Houses as green youths who had yet to ripen.
“Consider it an honor that you can even speak with me,” Geuk Hye-ryeong added with a cold smile. “I have permitted you entrance into my pavilion solely as an investment in the future.”
An investment in the future. She was undoubtedly referring to the staggering potential Bu Eun-seol had displayed back in the Immeasurable Water Pass.
“Now, you speak,” she said, her voice dropping to a low rumble as she stared at Bu Eun-seol. “Tell me how you intend to please me.”
Geuk Hye-ryeong hadn’t come to offer a negotiation.
—What can you give me?
That was her unspoken demand. If he could not provide a proposal that moved her heart, they would be cast out immediately.
“My pavilion is not only the wealthiest in the world, but we also maintain ties with countless powerful masters,” she said, her eyes narrowing into thin crescents as Bu Eun-seol remained silent. “I find myself curious… what could a successor of Wolf Fang Pavilion possibly give me?”
Would this end in ruin, or a successful dialogue? It all depended on Bu Eun-seol’s next words. If his answer was even slightly unsatisfactory, they would be expelled—or worse, they would make an enemy of the Momentless Fleet.
“Especially since you are not yet the titans who hold the world beneath your feet.”
I see. That was the answer.
In that moment, the tension in Bu Eun-seol’s brow vanished. The answer lay in the very words Geuk Hye-ryeong had just spoken. In the Momentless Fleet, where everything was seemingly abundant, he had finally identified the one thing they lacked.