Baek Yeon continued, his expression grave. “I speak of the fundamental reason why the war between the Masters of the Great Righteousness and the Ten Demonic Successors began.”

“I do not understand what you mean.”

Baek Yeon paused, his gaze fixed on the distant sky. “The Ten Demonic Successors and the Masters of the Great Righteousness. On the surface, it appears to be nothing more than a clash between young experts, but in reality… the Orthodox and Demonic factions are once again engaging in a contest of strength.”

“A contest of strength… you say?”

Bu Eunseol, who had been lost in silent contemplation, shook his head. He could not agree with that assessment.

“If this battle were truly a contest of power between the Demonic and Orthodox paths, the Demonic Palace should have invested ample time to properly counter the Masters of the Great Righteousness.” Bu Eunseol bit his lip, recalling those who had perished in the slaughter on Hell Island. “Instead, they forced us into the world prematurely, claiming we were obstacles to the battle for succession. The Ten Demonic Successors are merely discarded pawns.”

“Yes, as ‘discarded pawns’. That is correct.” Baek Yeon’s eyes deepened. “That is precisely why a contest of strength is possible.”

His eyes, long and sharp like those of a phoenix, narrowed.

“As you said, the successors of the Ten Demonic Sects remain hale and hearty. Thus, the Demonic Palace intends to use the Ten Demonic Successors as a vanguard to eliminate the Masters of the Great Righteousness…” He paused briefly before speaking again, his voice heavy. “And the Orthodox faction is doing the same.”

In that instant, Bu Eunseol realized a terrifying truth.

The reason Seong Ryun had tried so desperately to kill him—was that situation not identical to that of the Ten Demonic Successors?

“Then, are you saying the Masters of the Great Righteousness face the same predicament?”

“Precisely.”

Baek Yeon gave a faint nod.

“To select talents with outstanding potential regardless of their sect, teach them martial arts without reservation, and mold them into the pillars of the Orthodox Faction. That was the plan for the Masters of the Great Righteousness.” Baek Yeon sighed deeply, ”And the plan seemed to be succeeding. However, an unforeseen problem emerged.”

Bu Eunseol responded immediately. “Just like the Ten Demonic Successors, the established heirs of the Orthodox sects felt threatened.”

“Correct.”

A bitter smile touched Baek Yeon’s lips.

“All sects, including the Nine Great Sects and One Faction, already had their own designated successors. But when these exceptional beings called the Masters of the Great Righteousness appeared, it caused division instead of unity.”

In massive factions, simply having superior martial aptitude did not guarantee succession. It was useless without the support of the forces sustaining the sect. Tang Gon had been in that position, and Seong Ryun was no different.

“But aren’t Zhongnan and Kongtong sects desperately searching for the Ten Demonic Successors who killed their members?”

“True. They are searching for the Ten Demonic Successors. Only the Ten Demonic Successors.”

Baek Yeon smiled coldly.

“If they truly sought revenge? They would have first identified the sect that sent the killer and demanded due retribution. That would be far faster.”

“I see.”

Bu Eunseol finally grasped the full picture.

The Ten Demonic Successors and the Masters of the Great Righteousness. These individuals, who had mastered the essence of Demonic and Orthodox martial arts, were merely… chess pieces on a board, fighting a proxy war for the two factions.

So that is why the Masters of the Great Righteousness did not stay within their respective sects.

Once, their reputations had shone brilliantly. Yet, they no longer stepped forward in the Murim, remaining in seclusion. They had been forced to leave their sects quietly to avoid disrupting the power dynamics of the established heirs.

“But you are different.”

Baek Yeon looked straight into Bu Eunseol’s thoughtful eyes.

“You are the successor of the Wolf Fang Pavilion. You have been from the start, and you remain so now.” Taking a deep breath, Baek Yeon spoke with conviction. “If you wish, I can free you from the shackles of the Ten Demonic Successors right now.”

Bu Eunseol’s gaze was fixed on the empty air, not on Baek Yeon. What he wanted was not the position of Wolf Fang Pavilion’s heir, nor a seat as the successor of the Demonic Palace. What he wanted was…

To become infinitely strong.

He simply wanted to become strong enough to find the culprit who had twisted his fate and exact revenge.

I must not avoid trials.

To become strong, one must never shun hardship. If one starts avoiding danger and difficulty, one eventually becomes accustomed to flight. One cannot become a powerhouse who looks down upon the Murim that way.

“I will…” Bu Eunseol inhaled deeply and spoke with force. “I will continue to face the Masters of the Great Righteousness.”

Baek Yeon nodded at the unhesitating answer. “I knew you would say that.” Wearing a dry smile, Baek Yeon retrieved an envelope from his bosom. “Read this. Since I cannot stay here long, I have put all the information I need to convey to you inside.”

Bu Eunseol took out the letters contained within the envelope, his eyes widening as he read them.

“These are…”

“The decision is yours to make. Whatever choice you make, this Captain… and the Pavilion will trust you.”

“Captain.”

Baek Yeon grinned and patted Bu Eunseol on the shoulder once more. “Take care of yourself.”

With a warm gaze toward Bu Eunseol, Baek Yeon slowly turned and vanished like mist. Bu Eunseol stared in the direction where he had disappeared, gathered his hands together, and bowed deeply.

“More…”

Muttering low, Bu Eunseol bit his lip hard.

“I will become even stronger.”

Fwoosh.

Thick paper burned in the campfire he had built. It was the envelope Baek Yeon had given him.

Bu Eunseol’s eyes were empty as he watched the paper turn to white smoke and ash. He looked as if he were deep in thought, yet also as if he were thinking of nothing at all.

“I must choose.”

The envelope contained two pieces of information.

First, the movements of the Ten Demonic Successors who had entered the Murim.

Seok Woo-haeng, the successor of the Extreme Assassination Pavilion, had reportedly eliminated another Master of the Great Righteousness. And Myo Cheon-woo of the Annihilating Seals Palace had belatedly killed a Master of the Great Righteousness to escape pursuit.

Myo Cheon-woo survived, just like Yoo Woon-ryong.

To summarize, four of the seven Ten Demonic Successors who had entered the Murim had survived.

The second piece of information was that the Divine Demonic Emperor, who had entered closed-door training, would break his seclusion and return to the Demonic Palace within a month.

This meant the situation regarding the Ten Demonic Successors could change again in a month’s time. Baek Yeon also predicted that the fighting between the Ten Demonic Successors and the Masters of the Great Righteousness would cease then.

“A candidate for the Demonic Palace successor.”

Bu Eunseol had absolutely no intention of killing many Masters of the Great Righteousness to become a candidate for succession. However, after the incident with the Beggar King, he had made one resolution.

He would cast off the shackles of the Ten Demonic Successors with his own hands.

“If I cannot even achieve that, I have no qualification to be the successor of this Pavilion.”

If only for the sake of the Wind and Cloud Squad members who had sacrificed themselves for him, Bu Eunseol had to become stronger.

“I have barely a month left anyway.”

To achieve his goal, Bu Eunseol had to surpass Seok Woo-haeng. In other words, he had to kill two Masters of the Great Righteousness within the next month.

***

Long Sword Manor.

A deep mountain villa constructed along the rugged natural terrain of Mount Biryong. Though it could not compare to the Nine Great Sects and One Faction or the Eight Great Families, it was a historic Orthodox sword sect that had long held fame in the Zhengzhou region.

Since Han Seong, the Young Lord of Long Sword Manor, was selected as a Master of the Great Righteousness eight years ago, the manor’s reputation had spread beyond Zhengzhou to echo throughout the Henan region.

Clang, clang, clang.

Loud music rang out from within Long Sword Manor as people gathered like clouds. Today was the day Han Yeong-baek, the Lord of Long Sword Manor, would perform the Golden Basin Hand Washing ceremony.

Golden Basin Hand Washing.

A ritual of washing one’s hands in a golden basin filled with water, signifying the settlement of all grudges gained in the Gangho and retirement from the Murim. It was a unique ceremony reserved only for the renowned heroes of the Orthodox Faction.

Blood debts are washed with blood.

In truth, even if one held a Golden Basin ceremony a hundred or a thousand times, those holding grudges would hardly stop their revenge. Therefore, only heroes who had done many good deeds in the Murim or renowned figures of the Orthodox Faction could successfully hold such a ceremony.

Buzz, buzz.

An immense crowd flocked to Long Sword Manor to celebrate Han Yeong-baek’s retirement. Although it was a small sword sect in Zhengzhou, various factions and local influential figures sent gifts out of respect for Han Seong, a Master of the Great Righteousness.

Just then, accompanied by the gentle tolling of a bell, the martial artists of Long Sword Manor brought out a large table. Atop it sat a golden basin, gleaming brilliantly and filled with clear water.

“Thank you, fellow Daoists!”

An old man wearing a silk robe stepped out toward the gathering of guests. It was Han Yeong-baek, the Lord of Long Sword Manor. Beside him stood a young man of imposing build—Han Seong, the Young Lord and Master of the Great Righteousness.

The Murim warriors, who had been clustered together eating and drinking, stopped their movements and looked at the father and son as they appeared.

“I did not expect so many of you to come for this humble old man’s Golden Basin Hand Washing.”

Han Yeong-baek’s voice was low, but infused with internal energy, it rang clearly in the ears of the more than three hundred Murim warriors present.

“As of today, I, Han Yeong-baek, shall wash my hands and interfere no more in the affairs of the Murim. And from now on, all matters of the manor…”

Han Yeong-baek’s speech did not continue.

Suddenly, the water in the golden basin erupted like fireworks.

“Father!”

Han Seong instinctively blocked Han Yeong-baek’s front.

Sizzle!

White smoke rose from the splashed liquid. What was in the basin was not clear water, but a lethal poison.

“Ugh.”

As Han Seong swung his sleeve to push the liquid away…

Hiss…

This time, thick smoke suddenly billowed up from beneath the table, spreading in all directions.

“Aaaagh!”

A scream rang out from within the smoke-covered hall. The sound was so desperate, as if pouring out every ounce of life force, that it made the listeners’ blood run cold.

“The Young Lord is dead!”

Someone shouted as the smoke cleared.

There, the head of Han Seong, who had blocked the front of Han Yeong-baek, was separated from his body.

“Assassins!”

Chaos engulfed the venue as Han Seong, a Master of the Great Righteousness, was killed in an instant.

But something was strange. Even though his only son had died, Han Yeong-baek’s face was terribly calm. He even wore a peculiar smile on his lips.

Boom.

Suddenly, a dull sound echoed from the manor’s entrance. Simultaneously, with a clattering noise, dozens of martial artists poured out from the rear garden, blocking the exit with disciplined movements.

The guests looked at each other as the unexpected situation unfolded.

What on earth is happening?

“Calm down!”

At that moment, Han Yeong-baek looked around and shouted loudly.

“Fellow Daoists! I, Han Yeong-baek, offer my apologies first!”

Scanning the surroundings with a solemn expression, he spoke again.

”I have heard that a group of Demonic practitioners called the Ten Demonic Successors have been disturbing the Gangho recently.”

At those words, a few quick-witted Murim warriors nodded faintly. They realized this Golden Basin ceremony was a trap to lure in the Ten Demonic Successors.

“Correct. This ceremony was a desperate measure to draw them out.” Han Yeong-baek paused briefly before continuing, ”Of course, the Golden Basin Hand Washing will proceed as planned. Only after we deal with the Ten Demonic Successor who has infiltrated this place.”

Just then, an imposing young man stepped up from behind Han Yeong-baek’s back.

The crowd gasped. It was Han Seong, the Young Lord of Long Sword Manor. Did he have a twin brother?

“Woo-hak. I will never forget your sacrifice.”

With a pained expression, Han Seong touched the face of the young man who looked exactly like him—the corpse on the ground. A thin mask peeled away, revealing the face of a wide-eyed young man underneath.

To think such a mask exists!

The Murim warriors were dumbfounded. Human skin masks were not uncommon in the Murim. However, they were merely tools to hide one’s own face; creating a perfect copy of another person’s face was impossible.

“I apologize for startling you all.”

As the manor’s martial artists respectfully collected Woo-hak’s body, Han Seong stepped forward and clasped his hands together.

“Hearing intelligence that a Ten Demonic Successor from the Extreme Assassination Pavilion was targeting me, our manor made thorough preparations. We created a mask with the help of Elder Bang of the Skillful Hand Pavilion.”

Exclamations burst from the Murim warriors.

Bang Hoeng-hae, the Pavilion Master of the Skillful Hand Pavilion, was a master of mechanical traps and formations called the “Skillful Hand Son of Heaven”, a craftsman known to be able to make anything. Han Seong had requested him to create a mask identical to his own face and placed it on a warrior of the manor.

Having finished his explanation, Han Seong looked around with a triumphant smile.

“If you reveal yourself now and submit to capture, I will at least spare your life.”

Despite Han Seong’s shout, the guests only looked at each other; no one answered.

“It can’t be helped.”

When Han Seong nodded, the lined-up martial artists of Long Sword Manor sealed the entrance tight.

“I apologize, but I ask that all guests who visited our manor please move temporarily according to the guidance of our warriors.”

At this, complaints erupted among some of the Murim warriors.

“We only came to congratulate Lord Han on his retirement!”

“We decline to get involved in such troublesome matters!”

Han Seong, who had been listening silently, spoke in a solemn voice.

“This is a measure to ferret out the Ten Demonic Successor, so I ask for your generous understanding. If anyone refuses…” Light flashed from Han Seong’s eyes. “I will have no choice but to judge that person as an accomplice.”

True to his status as a Master of the Great Righteousness renowned throughout the world, a formidable energy rose from Han Seong’s body, overwhelming the crowd. Several warriors wore dissatisfied expressions but began to move as if they had no choice.

“…!”

Just as the movement of the warriors was nearing its end, Han Seong’s eyes flashed sharply. He had met the keen gaze of a middle-aged man moving sluggishly.

It was an extremely brief moment, but Han Seong did not miss that look.

“Wait.”

Tap!

Sensing he had been discovered, the middle-aged man suddenly turned and began to leap over the manor’s wall.

Paaah!

But in that instant, a spray of blood scattered in the air.

Simultaneously, the middle-aged man crossing the wall plummeted straight to the ground.

Thud.

In front of the fallen man, dozens of shadows wearing dark blue martial arts uniforms descended from the sky.

They were the Daoists of the Kongtong Sect.