In an instant, the leader’s face hardened like stone. Those were the exact words he had spoken moments ago after subduing Wi Ji-woon.

“Ugh…”

His body, having regained consciousness, trembled violently. An emotion he had never felt before—humiliation—wrapped around his entire body. And that humiliation soon turned into anger that seemed ready to burn his entire body.

“It’s too early to act arrogant!”

Losing his reason, the leader swung his double palms with all his might again. But in Bu Eunseol’s eyes, it merely looked like a child swinging his palms clumsily. Watching the leader’s palm technique with a bored expression, Bu Eunseol extended a single punch again.

Swish!

Just as a wind like a favorable breeze seemed to blow, a streak of fist power poured onto the leader’s face.

Bu Eunseol’s movement was very monotonous, and the extended punch looked as light as a feather. But in reality, it contained heavy internal energy like throwing a lump of iron as big as a house.

Boom.

The leader blocked the pouring fist power with his double palms. In that instant, the heavy fist power pierced through his double palms and shook his meridians and five viscera and six entrails all at once.

“Blergh.”

Eventually, the leader knelt on one knee and vomited blood. He had suffered severe internal injuries just by blocking a light punch.

Tremble.

Anger, despair, even fear… all vanished. Now, only one thought came to his mind. The authority of a superhuman that could absolutely never be defeated. From Bu Eunseol’s appearance, he felt the authority of a Grandmaster who had the world’s Murim under his feet.

“Ugh… ugh.”

The devilish person who had commanded to cut people’s tendons like a joke was suppressing the groans bursting out in front of Bu Eunseol.

“Hmm.”

At that, Bu Eunseol turned away, as if his interest had waned. As he turned, the martial artists of the Bloody Ocean, Fiendish Pit surrounding the area flinched and retreated.

Pa-pat!

Bu Eunseol unleashed finger wind at the collapsed young men of the Seven Sword Sects. The sealed acupoints were released instantly, but no one rose. They couldn’t move.

Shame.

Failing to protect the woman they admired would remain a lifelong disgrace, tormenting them as martial artists.

Awe of overwhelming martial power.

The pale-faced scholar who had silently endured insulting words was actually a master they dared not approach. The young men of the Seven Sword Sects couldn’t lift a single finger due to shame and awe toward Bu Eunseol.

Swish.

Turning back, Bu Eunseol scanned the martial artists of the Bloody Ocean, Fiendish Pit, including the leader. He spoke heavily once more.

“Get lost.”

This time, it wasn’t mercy or compassion. Just because you see a gnat doesn’t mean you have to crush it to death. Sometimes, even moving your hand feels bothersome. In Bu Eunseol’s eyes, they were nothing more and nothing less than insignificant gnats.

Tremble.

The leader trembled for a moment, bit his lip, and turned quietly. Truly, just as Bu Eunseol said, he intended to get lost quietly.

“That bastard is destroying the prestige of this Well.”

Thud.

At that moment, accompanied by a low voice, a black shadow fell from the air. The shadow revealed in the moonlight was a scrawny and very short middle-aged man. His body was wretchedly small, but his eyes flashing in the darkness gleamed like a beast.

“Hall Master Go?”

Discovering the scrawny middle-aged man, the leader gathered his hands with a flustered expression.

“What brings you here…”

“You always disappoint this old man.”

The middle-aged man referred to himself as ‘this old man’. That was proof that he was much older than he looked and possessed profound internal power.

“To think you would quietly get lost just because someone devilish told you, a person of this Well, to do so?”

“Hall Master Go. It’s not that…” Just as the leader was about to offer an excuse in response to the middle-aged man’s rebuke, a slash! Suddenly, blood sprayed into the air, and a severed head soared into the sky. In a single breath, the middle-aged man, striking like lightning, had blown off the leader’s head.

“I promoted you to Ten-Man Commander because your martial arts seemed somewhat useful… but you were a useless, servile bastard.” The middle-aged man wore an expression as if he had stepped on a passing insect. Slowly, he turned to look at Bu Eunseol. “This old man is called Go Geuk-sin. Have you heard of me?”

Poison Hand Nocturnal Soul, Go Geuk-sin.

He was the Third Hall Master of the Bloody Ocean, Fiendish Pit, a devilish person who had plunged the Murim into fear with a single Nocturnal Soul-Seizing Bone Claw that could crush a skull in an instant.

—We’re dead now!

Despair appeared in the eyes of the Seven Sword Sects’ young men upon hearing Go Geuk-sin’s name.

He was a devilish person of the Transcendence Realm who had plunged the Murim into fear for twenty years. With such a person appearing, they judged it difficult to survive no matter how strong Bu Eunseol was.

“The name sounds plausible.”

But Bu Eunseol responded calmly with an expression as if he had discovered an old man out for a neighborhood stroll.

“You don’t know this old man’s name?”

As Go Geuk-sin’s eyebrows twitched, Bu Eunseol’s expression remained lukewarm. However, Bu Eunseol’s nonchalant demeanor only intensified Go Geuk-sin’s sharp killing intent, which glimmered in Go Geuk-sin’s eyes like a knife tip.

“Looking at your fist technique, you also seem to be a figure of the Demonic Path. Which sect do you belong to?”

“None of your business.”

“What?”

“Take this trash and leave. Because I need to rest now.”

At Bu Eunseol’s words, Go Geuk-sin’s face remained blank for a moment. “Ha ha ha. Bwahahahaha!” He had been laughing heartily with his head held high, but then he abruptly stopped laughing and spoke, “You’re a bastard with an arrogant attitude.” He looked at Bu Eunseol coldly and said, “You’re the first person in the last thirty years to utter such words to this old man’s face.”

As Bu Eunseol consistently maintained an uninterested expression, deep blue killing intent dripped from Go Geuk-sin’s eyes.

“I won’t kill you right away.”

As he spat out unexpected words, Bu Eunseol blinked as if slightly surprised.

“Why is that?”

“First, I will exterminate the sect you belong to. And after wiping out the Seven Sword Sects behind you, I will kill you.”

The young men of the Seven Sword Sects trembled. Those who were targeted by the Bloody Ocean, Fiendish Pit’s Pursuit and Kill Order inevitably met their demise. The Bloody Ocean, Fiendish Pit’s rise as a source of fear in the Murim was also due to its relentless and reckless pursuit.

“I will see if you can still act leisurely in front of this old man after that.”

Go Geuk-sin scanned him with sharp eyes and said, “As of today, I issue a Pursuit and Kill Order on you. Hiding your identity is useless. No matter where you flee, the devilish people of this Well will pursue you to the end.”

“Ugh.”

At those words, the young men of the Seven Sword Sects trembled violently. If they were pursued by the Bloody Ocean, Fiendish Pit, there would be no day they could sleep peacefully from now on.

“Are you senile?” Muttering to Go Geuk-sin, a chilling, bloody light flashed in Bu Eunseol’s eyes. “To think such unheard-of trash would dare to publicly declare they intend to wipe out my Pavilion.”

“Your Pavilion?” Go Geuk-sin, momentarily puzzled, flashed his eyes. “Where is your sect of origin?”

“Wolf Fang Pavilion,” Bu Eunseol replied.

In that instant, Go Geuk-sin’s breath hitched. “Wolf Fang Pavilion, you say?”

The Ten Demonic Sects, the ten pillars supporting the Demonic Path, held a supreme position that no ordinary person dared to approach. Their martial arts were at the pinnacle of the Demonic Path. Moreover, the Wolf Fang Pavilion stood out as the most unique and terrifying among them. Although rumors of its decline circulated, it was because disciples capable of inheriting such powerful martial arts were rare.

But to think this arrogant bastard was a disciple of the Wolf Fang Pavilion, where each individual possessed the martial power of an entire sect?

“W-Who the hell are you?”

“Bu Eunseol.”

“Bu Eunseol?”

As the Third Hall Master of the Bloody Ocean, Fiendish Pit, Go Geuk-sin was well-versed in Murim information. After a moment of calculation, he spoke with a heavy voice, “I heard that the Ten Demonic Successor of the Wolf Fang Pavilion had entered the Murim… but to think he was trapped here?”

Bu Eunseol, hearing Go Geuk-sin’s words, couldn’t help but smile faintly.

The nature of the Wolf Fang Pavilion’s martial arts, which develop through combat, meant that no distinct characteristics or scars remained. Moreover, Bu Eunseol’s Supreme Heavenly Flow, which wasn’t bound by fixed sword techniques, made him even more elusive. Throughout his life, he had handled various matters while concealing his identity, and those who encountered him invariably met their demise. This was because he wielded sword skills that took lives without leaving a trace, making his tracks virtually unknown.

When Bu Eunseol remained silent, Go Geuk-sin bit his lip. “Even if I can’t touch you, I can annihilate those Seven Sword Sects.” Filled with malice, he flashed a vicious smile. “Even the Wolf Fang Pavilion wouldn’t carelessly intervene in a dispute between Demonic factions, would it?”

Bu Eunseol, maintaining a calm demeanor, nodded with an indifferent expression. “Stop talking nonsense and please keep your promise.”

“What?”

Bu Eunseol smiled coldly and said, “As promised, first exterminate my Pavilion with your skill, then attack the Seven Sword Sects.”

In that instant, Go Geuk-sin’s face hardened. He had publicly declared his intention to attack the Seven Sword Sects after eliminating the sect Bu Eunseol belonged to. In other words, he could not touch the Seven Sword Sects until he had exterminated the Wolf Fang Pavilion.

Grind.

Go Geuk-sin ground his molars.

No matter how much the Bloody Ocean, Fiendish Pit was called a terrifying ominous land of the Demonic Path, they didn’t have the guts to dare touch the Wolf Fang Pavilion. Dealing with Bu Eunseol without anyone knowing was also not an easy task.

What if Bu Eunseol tenaciously survived this duel?

Even if they won, the Bloody Ocean, Fiendish Pit would be completely exterminated by the Wolf Fang Pavilion.

Grind.

Swallowing his humiliation once more, Go Geuk-sin turned around. “We’re returning!”

At that, the martial artists who had been surrounding the area also retreated like an ebbing tide.

“……”

For a while, an eerie silence enveloped the Courtyard of Western Tranquilness. The young men of the Seven Sword Sects were frozen in their seats, unable to lift their faces. It was Ou Cheong-jeong who finally shattered that oppressive silence.

“Is it because of us?”

She stared intently at Bu Eunseol, who was turning away, and said, “You revealed your identity because of us, right?”

“What do you mean?”

When Bu Eunseol turned around, Ou Cheong-jeong’s large eyes twinkled.

“Young Master Bu was hiding his identity with all his might, wasn’t he? But you proudly revealed your identity to that devilish person of the Bloody Ocean, Fiendish Pit.”

She spoke with an expression full of conviction.

“To protect us.”

Ou Cheong-jeong spoke in a low voice, as if dreaming.

“Because the Bloody Ocean, Fiendish Pit targeted our Seven Sword Sects… you intentionally revealed your identity to block them.”

Bu Eunseol shook his head, saying, “It was just bothersome.” However, his true feelings were different. Unlike usual, he had repeatedly accepted Ou Cheong-jeong’s pestering, a stranger to him, as if he couldn’t win. Inwardly, Bu Eunseol had longed to observe these lively young people a little longer. After all, he knew that in the future, he would have to tread a path drenched in blood, the unforgiving fate of a Ten Demonic Successor.

Was it a momentary deviation?

Smiling bitterly, he turned again.

The direction Bu Eunseol was walking was not toward Courtyard of Primal Fragrance, but the path leading out of the inn. Now that his identity was revealed, he could no longer stay in Jinyang.

“Young Master Bu!”

At that moment, the six young men ran hurriedly in front of Bu Eunseol and gathered their hands.

“Please give the Seven Sword Sects a chance to repay your kindness, Young Master!”

They dared not look Bu Eunseol straight in the eye and lowered their heads slightly, but their eyes were earnest.

“Kindness, you say.”

Bu Eunseol, muttering to himself softly, looked at the distant sky with a bitter expression.

Kindness, grudges.

As long as one lives stepping in the Murim, one can never be free from favors and grudges.

“If you believe in such a thing, forget it.” Feeling the complexity, Bu Eunseol shook his head. “…Of the existence called ‘me’, as much as possible.”

“Young Master.”

“It was time to leave anyway, so I am just going.”

It had been over two months since he came to Jinyang. Since he had digested all the insights gained from the fierce battle, he now had to deal with a Master of Great Righteousness again.

Swish.

As Bu Eunseol unfolded his movement technique in a single breath and disappeared into the night sky, the young men of the Seven Sword Sects dropped their heads again in regret.

Only Ou Cheong-jeong looked at that figure with wistful eyes, her head held high.

“Please…”

In that moment, Ou Cheong-jeong prayed and prayed in her heart.

To become an outstanding person enough to hold onto him next time.

And to definitely meet again.