Disbelief flooded Yu Hwa-ryeong’s eyes.
He had heard many groundless rumors dismissed as ghost stories in his life, but never had he encountered a tale as grotesque as this.
Whoosh!
Enraged, he tore away the large cloth, three jang high, that stood before him. Revealed beneath was a glass container filled to the brim with clear liquid, and floating suspended within it was a corpse.
“Ugh.”
Confronted with the bizarre and terrifying sight, Yu Hwa-ryeong stumbled back and sank to the ground.
“Why… why do they keep corpses in such a place?”
“It likely wasn’t a corpse when it went in, but a living person.”
“You mean… they drowned a living person on purpose?”
“Not drowned,” Jongri Sayu corrected, her voice grim. “Just as one steeps ingredients to make alcohol, they extracted all the essence-fluids from a human being.”
Crack.
Unable to contain his bursting rage, Yu Hwa-ryeong sprang to his feet, fists clenched tight enough to pop his knuckles. Injecting human essence-blood to create spiritual elixirs wasn’t enough; they were draining the very fluids from living people? Was this truly the work of human beings?
“Why commit such atrocities that would incur the wrath of heaven and man? Why on earth?”
Slowly picking up the fallen cloth, Jongri Sayu spoke. “If you look back at the history of the Murim, it isn’t so rare for Demonic Cults or Poison Clans to conduct experiments on human bodies.”
She leaped lightly into the air, draping the cloth over the glass coffin once more.
“However, such evil deeds were usually exposed quickly, leading to their extermination as public enemies of the Murim.”
“Are you saying they can do this freely because they are part of the Imperial Court?”
“More precisely, the military.” Jongri Sayu stared into the darkness with sunken eyes. “They have been researching drugs to modify the human body or enhance strength for a long time.”
At that moment, a single name surfaced in Yu Hwa-ryeong’s mind.
Eastern Depot.
It likely wasn’t the regular military. The only ones capable of boldly committing such cruel acts were the Eastern Depot, who wielded absolute power.
Rumble.
Suddenly, the heavy sound of an iron door opening echoed through the chamber, followed by the tread of footsteps. Exchanging sharp glances, the group hurriedly concealed themselves in the darkness.
Thud. Thud.
The footsteps drew closer until two figures appeared near the glass coffins.
One was an old man with hollow eyes and a gaunt frame, bearing the typical appearance of a wandering healer. Beside him stood a masked figure wrapped in a windbreaker embroidered with intricate designs. Though his face was hidden, his eyes shone with a fierce light that seemed to pierce through the gloom.
That man…
Bu Eunseol, watching from the shadows, narrowed his eyes like sharpened blades.
He had spotted faint indentations on the scabbard worn by the masked man. It was the trace of the Mastery Radiance Sword Control, left by Seok Song with his dying breath.
That is the man who annihilated the Heavenly Sword Society?
Something was strange. The massacre of the Society Master and the Ten Seats had occurred over twenty years ago. Even if the killer had been in his twenties then, he should be well over forty now. Yet, the skin and eyes visible through the mask belonged to a young man who seemed to have barely passed his coming-of-age ceremony.
At that moment, the gaunt old man pulled the cloth off a glass coffin.
“It is already about seventy percent complete.” Examining the interior with a satisfied smile, the old man continued, “I expect we can reach eighty percent within a month.”
“Perfection does not matter. Increase the quantity.”
The voice was desolate, yet unmistakably that of a young man.
“They will be contacting us soon.”
“Understood.”
After touring the interior and exchanging words, the two headed toward the iron door. Just as the old man was about to step out, the masked man halted and looked back.
“What is the matter?” the old man asked.
“I intend to inspect the mechanisms. You go ahead.”
“Understood.”
As the old man nodded and left, the masked man returned inside.
Boom.
With a heavy reverberation, the iron door shut firmly once more.
Thud. Thud.
Walking back in, the masked man scanned the interior before stopping abruptly.
Whoosh.
Suddenly, a faint breeze seemed to blow from his body, pouring into the darkness. In that instant, Bu Eunseol’s eyes snapped open. He realized the masked man was expanding his sensory field to scour the surroundings.
[Do not look at him.]
Bu Eunseol quickly sent a telepathic warning, but it was too late. The man’s keen senses had already swept over the spot where Yu Hwa-ryeong and Jongri Sayu were hiding.
“We have some rather large rats.”
Clank.
Simultaneously, the sound of metal grinding echoed loudly from all directions.
“Ugh!”
With short screams, the floor beneath Yu Hwa-ryeong and Jongri Sayu split open, and the two were swallowed into the black void.
Flash!
In that moment, a point of light bloomed in the darkness. Bu Eunseol, concealed in the shadows, unleashed a sword technique at the masked man.
Clang!
Steel clashed against steel in mid-air, sending a massive shockwave rippling outward. Light erupted in the dark as their blades locked together.
Sizzle.
As they contested strength with locked swords, sparks showered from the blades that clung to each other like magnets. A subtle light flowed from the brow of the masked man as he pushed back against the Dark Sword. Not only that, but Bu Eunseol noticed his pupils were tinged with a faint blue light.
That is not a cultivation method of the Central Plains.
When learning the Polarity Reversal Cultivation Art from the Hyeol Geum-gang, Bu Eunseol had learned the details of internal arts from all over the world. Unlike the orthodox internal arts of the Central Plains, foreign secret arts focused on cultivating the Upper Danjeon. Because of this, the speed of accumulating internal energy was slow, but once one reached the realm of ‘Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown’ or ‘Primordial Spirit Leaving the Embryo,’ they could display mysterious powers transcending human limits.
Recalling the Hyeol Geum-gang’s teachings, Bu Eunseol’s eyes flashed. Could it be that this masked man possessed heavenly talent, reaching the realm of Primordial Spirit Leaving the Embryo at such a young age?
No, he is using energy injected from the outside.
The internal energy pouring from the masked man was powerful, but its duration was extremely short. It was clear he had temporarily boosted his internal energy level by consuming spiritual elixirs or drugs.
“Kuh.”
Eventually, unable to withstand Bu Eunseol’s profound internal energy pouring down like an endless tide, the masked man began to be pushed back, step by step.
“Ugh!”
“Ack!”
But then, painful screams from Yu Hwa-ryeong and Jongri Sayu echoed from the pit.
Clang! Chang!
Metallic sounds rang out in succession. Clearly, a battle was taking place below.
Are there enemies beneath the mechanism as well?
As Bu Eunseol’s concentration wavered, disturbing his internal energy—
Ta-at!
The masked man didn’t miss the opening and leaped back with all his might.
“Deactivate the mechanism.”
At Bu Eunseol’s stern command, the masked man laughed low. “Say that after you subdue me!”
Click.
Instantly, a large hole opened where Bu Eunseol stood. But he had already retreated three jang. He had predicted the vibration rising from the floor and the sound of the mechanism.
“Hmph.”
Snorting, the masked man lightly swept the floor with his left foot. Again, with a click, a large hole appeared where Bu Eunseol had been standing.
It wasn’t the floor, but his shoes?
One could not install devices to activate mechanisms everywhere in this vast hall. The masked man had installed the activation device in his shoes, triggering them freely whenever he wished.
“Subdue, you say.”
Bu Eunseol looked down at the Dark Sword in his hand and nodded. “So be it.”
Zip!
With a sharp tearing sound, Bu Eunseol closed the distance to the masked man in an instant, lightly extending the Dark Sword.
At a glance, it appeared to be a simple, fast thrust. However, the faint light clinging to the blade expanded, instantly transforming into an ever-changing sword technique.
Swa-aack!
A swift sword strike shot forward like a beam of light, while simultaneously, a massive cross-shaped sword energy poured down from above. From his left and right, complex sword forms creating eighty-one variations flooded in.
Realizing the masked man’s swordsmanship was exquisite, Bu Eunseol had applied the techniques of the Qi of Thirteen Provocations to unleash three sword forms simultaneously with his fingers.
“Huh.”
As countless sword forms besieged him from all directions, the masked man gasped. With one hand unleashing three techniques at once, it felt as if a storm was descending upon him. The sword paths and techniques were unpredictably fast and infinitely variable.
“Ha-ap!”
Realizing he could not possibly counter, the masked man swung his sword with full power, creating a transparent sword barrier around his body. He had deployed a life-saving ultimate technique capable of preserving his life in any situation.
But then, something strange happened.
Whoosh!
Like air being sucked into a vacuum, the pouring sword energies vanished instantly.
Click.
At the same time, the Dark Sword was leveled at the masked man’s throat.
The moment the sword forms disappeared, Bu Eunseol had closed the distance and held his blade to the man’s neck.
“It was all a feint.”
The masked man’s voice was filled with despondency.
In truth, Bu Eunseol had not yet reached the level where he could subdivide the Qi of Thirteen Provocations with his fingers to that extent. Although he had unleashed three sword forms simultaneously, they were merely sword shadows—illusions. Unaware of this, the masked man had used his full strength to deploy his life-saving defense. Bu Eunseol had feigned a massive attack to induce an opening, then seized the opportunity to subdue him instantly.
“I will not say it twice,” Bu Eunseol spoke coldly. “Deactivate the mechanism.”
One false move, and his head would be separated from his shoulders.
The masked man raised both hands and spoke carefully. “Understood. But I must move my foot.”
When Bu Eunseol nodded, the masked man cautiously moved his left foot.
Rumble.
A low vibration echoed, and the entire hall began to shake.
Thud. Thud.
Simultaneously, heavy vibrations emanated from the pit where Yu Hwa-ryeong and Jongri Sayu had fallen. It sounded as if an unknown creature of massive size was moving.
“What is this…”
As Bu Eunseol turned his head toward the black pit—
Shoo-wook.
The masked man’s body sank into the floor, then suddenly reappeared near the distant entrance. It turned out the mechanisms installed here could not only open the floor but also transport floor sections at will.
“Quite meticulous.”
Bu Eunseol let out a low exclamation of admiration. It wasn’t surprising that the masked man had moved tens of jang in the moment his attention was diverted. But to move instantly from beneath the mechanism to the entrance the moment the floor dropped—he must have practiced this situation countless times to escape under any circumstances.
“Hahaha!” Standing at the exit, the masked man laughed triumphantly. “No matter how great your skill, you will never defeat him.”
Him?
Clank.
Suddenly, the floor within a radius of tens of jang around Bu Eunseol turned into a black hole all at once.
“A pity. To think I won’t see the fun spectacle myself.”
Leaving behind cryptic words, the masked man laughed heartily and vanished.
Whir.
Meanwhile, Bu Eunseol was plummeting into the darkness-enveloped space below.
Pa-at.
But his body stopped in mid-air. He had instantly deployed Stepping on Air to float, then used the Wall Lizard Wall-Crawling Art to adhere to the stone surface. Traps like this posed no restriction to him.
“Hup.”
Adjusting his breathing, Bu Eunseol prepared to use Soaring with Qi to shoot back up to the ceiling.
“Ugh!”
But from below came Yu Hwa-ryeong’s urgent scream again. Staring indifferently into the black abyss for a moment, Bu Eunseol threw himself downward without hesitation. Saving Yu Hwa-ryeong’s life took precedence over catching the masked man; revenge would be meaningless if his companions died.
Thud.
Landing lightly on the floor, Bu Eunseol raised an eyebrow. The surroundings revealed a myriad of cave forks stretching out like a spiderweb. This was deep underground within a mountain—yet, deeper still, they had created such extensive caves?
This structure cannot be man-made.
It seemed this underground space existed naturally, and the government forces who discovered it had merely overlaid mechanisms upon it.
Swish.
Expanding his sensory field to scan the cave, Bu Eunseol pinpointed the source of the screams and unfolded his lightness art instantly.
GROOOAR!
Reaching the end of the cave, a massive figure stood tall before Bu Eunseol’s eyes. It was a monster he had never seen before in his life.
Standing over eight cheok tall, its entire body was covered in golden scales, and blade-like claws protruded from its hands. Its large eyes were dyed a gleaming black, creating a visage that looked like a cross between a giant bipedal mole and a turtle.
“Haa, haa.”
In front of the beast, Yu Hwa-ryeong and Jongri Sayu were bleeding and gasping for breath.
Shing.
Bu Eunseol drew his sword without hesitation and slashed at the monster’s neck.
Sizzle!
Sparks flew from where the Dark Sword struck. Surprisingly, the monster possessed a hide hard enough to deflect even the blade of a divine sword.
“Be careful! Blades don’t work on it at all!”
At Yu Hwa-ryeong’s shout, Bu Eunseol’s eyes flashed.
Whoosh.
A faint light gathered in his left fist. With a roaring sound, the surrounding air began to be sucked into his hand.
“It’s useless.” Realizing Bu Eunseol intended to use an internal energy palm strike like Hitting a Bull Across a Mountain, Jongri Sayu shouted loudly. “We tried many times, but the hide is too thick…”
Her words were cut short.
Hwa-aak!
From Bu Eunseol’s left hand, which had held a faint light, a red radiance like the sun poured forth.
Seven Forms of the Demonic Fist, Fourth Form: Heavenly Hand Shattering Void.
The pinnacle of annihilation fist arts, destroying everything that blocked its path, was unleashed.
Kieeeek!
Struck squarely in the stomach, the monster shrieked. The scream sounded closer to a human’s than an animal’s, making one’s skin crawl.
Kueeeek!
Trembling in agony, the monster eventually began to vomit thick fluids. Having taken a direct hit to the internal organs from a technique capable of destroying an entire pavilion, its insides must have been completely pulverized, regardless of its outer shell.
Thud.
Red blood began to gush from the mouth of the fallen monster.
“What a terrifying fist technique.”
As Bu Eunseol disposed of the monster in a single blow, the bleeding Yu Hwa-ryeong shouted with a mix of shock and relief. “Thanks to you, we survived.”
His body was soaked in blood and bruised all over, but fortunately, there were no fatal wounds.
“This monster…”
Hearing Bu Eunseol’s low mutter, Jongri Sayu spoke. “It seems they artificially created a Spiritual Beast using spiritual herbs and Golden Human-Shaped Rats.”
“You mean they can modify animals too?”
“If they use human essence-blood, it’s not entirely impossible.”
Yu Hwa-ryeong’s jaw dropped. He had always prided himself on his broad knowledge, but medicine and poison were entirely different fields.
Listening to their conversation, Bu Eunseol recalled the humans contained in the glass.
So with human essence-blood, they can create not only spiritual herbs but also spiritual beasts.
“By the way, your fist technique is truly amazing.” Jongri Sayu stared intently into Bu Eunseol’s eyes behind his mask. “Are you a fist master rather than a swordsman? That was a technique of hard nyang energy, rivaling the Beggar Sect’s Dragon Subduing Palm.”
Though skilled in medicine and martial arts, her knowledge of fist arts was not deep. Thus, while she guessed his prowess was extremely high, she failed to realize he had reached the threshold of the Supreme Heavenly Realm. Moreover, due to the traceless nature of Wolf Fang Pavilion’s martial arts, she never dreamed he was a master of the Demonic Path.
“Is the sword on your back just for show…”
Just as she was about to speak to him again—
Thud. Thud. Clank.
From deep within the dark tunnel came the sound of slow footsteps accompanied by the clashing of metal. As the sound drew closer, a gloomy and heavy atmosphere seemed to pierce the darkness and spread in all directions.
Tap.
Finally, the figure revealed itself: a strange man with disheveled hair, wearing grey martial attire stained with grime. His angular face bore sharp eyes, yet his pupils were empty, and his gait was incredibly slow.
At a glance, he did not appear to be a sane person. The clanking sound came from the iron chain connecting the dagger in his hand to the floor as he dragged it.
“You are…”
Staring at the strange man’s face, Yu Hwa-ryeong’s eyes widened. Not only because of the aura radiating from him, but because there was only one person in the Murim who used such a unique weapon connecting a chain and a sword.
“Blood-Chained Sword… Gu Ju-hon?”