Chapter 275

Yoo Woon-ryong and his subordinate inspection agents tore through the archives of the Poison Secret Hall, leaving no scroll unturned. Simultaneously, Myo Cheon-woo led his own unit to scour the Infernal Blood Fortress’s spiritual elixir and poison warehouses.

In the guest office provided by the Fortress, Bu Eunseol waited for the results with the stillness of a deep lake.

Sitting opposite him was Jeok Ya-hon.

The Deputy Fortress Master had made his intentions clear: he would remain until the investigation concluded. If the search yielded nothing, he would take Bu Eunseol’s finger as payment for the insult.

Silence stretched thin in the room. The first day bled into the second.

Creak.

The door groaned open. Yoo Woon-ryong entered, clutching a booklet. He flinched visibly upon spotting Jeok Ya-hon, then immediately switched to a secret telepathic transmission.

[There are definitely traces of a massive poison leak.]

“Hmph.” Jeok Ya-hon snorted, his eyes narrowing.

[The discrepancy lies in the intake of spiritual elixirs. Judging by the seized ledgers, they manufactured something using a combination of elixirs and lethal poisons, then smuggled it outside.]

Jeok Ya-hon was a veteran master who had survived the treacherous currents of the Murim for decades. Noticing the subtle shift in air pressure around Yoo Woon-ryong, he spoke, his voice dropping an octave.

“Anyone can manipulate the flow of ink on paper. What matters is clear evidence, does it not?”

Bu Eunseol nodded slowly. Documentary evidence could always be dismissed as clerical incompetence.

Thud. Thud.

Heavy footsteps announced Myo Cheon-woo. Having finished his sweep of the Poison Secret Hall’s warehouse, he stepped into the office. His expression was calm, but the turbulent look in his eyes betrayed his frustration; he had found no smoking gun.

“How was it? Did you find evidence of collusion with the government?” Jeok Ya-hon asked, a smirk curling his lips as he read Myo Cheon-woo’s darkened face.

Myo Cheon-woo’s expression shifted. He grinned. “Of course.”

“Hmm?”

“Decree Master. I believe we need to visit the warehouse together.”

[I haven’t found it yet,] Myo Cheon-woo projected his thoughts, his gaze locking with Bu Eunseol’s, full of conviction. [But there is definitely something rotting in that poison warehouse.]

[You will surely find it.]

An ordinary leader might have lashed out or ordered a frantic reinvestigation. But Bu Eunseol trusted the intuition of Myo Cheon-woo, a man who had crawled his way out of countless Asura battlefields.

“Good.”

Bu Eunseol rose from his seat smoothly. “I will take a look.”

As he stood, Jeok Ya-hon, who had been listening like a viper in the grass, stood up as well.

“Then this old man will accompany you.” He cast a murderous smile toward Bu Eunseol. “Because if there is nothing there, I might have to use some force.”

His gaze fixed on Bu Eunseol’s hand, looking at the fingers as if they were a delicacy plated for his consumption. If the warehouse proved empty, he would sever the digit immediately.

Bu Eunseol met the gaze with indifferent eyes.

“Then let us go together.”

***

Poison Secret Hall.

A large signboard proclaimed the identity of the building, the most secretive pavilion located at the western edge of the fortress.

Grind.

A hidden mechanism groaned, and a section of the floor fell away to reveal a passage leading into the earth. Descending the stairs, they entered an underground cavern spanning over a thousand pyeong.

Countless earthenware jars lined the walls, and to one side lay a breeding ground for venomous creatures. Scattered stone chambers suggested ongoing research into lethal toxins.

“Huhu. How is it? Does it look like there is anything amiss?”

Bu Eunseol ignored Jeok Ya-hon’s taunt. His eyes, sweeping the dim space, were already dyed with a mysterious radiance.

Spirit Communion with the Empty Mind.

He expanded his senses to their absolute limit, utilizing the Way of the Beast to scour the molecular reality of the warehouse.

Hum.

His pupils tracked invisible threads of light, the faint residue of old traces that the Spirit Communion allowed him to see. After sweeping the underground expanse, his gaze locked onto a single point.

It was a facility for mass-breeding poisonous spiritual creatures.

Step. Step.

Bu Eunseol walked toward it without hesitation.

Inside were White Crane Spirit Snakes, Thousand-Year Black Centipedes, Five Poison Spiders, Ten-Thousand-Year Black Scorpions… Spiritual creatures harboring toxins so potent a single drop could slaughter thousands were piled up like mountains.

Hiss—!

As Bu Eunseol entered their domain, the containment boxes began to convulse, emitting bizarre, chittering sounds.

Click.

Simultaneously, the locks disengaged. The boxes swung open, and the creatures poured out, blocking Bu Eunseol’s path. Someone had intentionally released the safety mechanisms.

‘Mere insects…’

As the horde of venomous beasts displayed their hostility, red points of light bloomed in Bu Eunseol’s irises.

Vwoom!

Killing intent exploded from him, coalescing into the phantom shape of an unidentifiable monster rising behind his back.

Skitter, hiss…

The creatures filling this place possessed spirituality. Realizing that the predator standing before them was a calamity they dared not touch, they recoiled, slinking away into the shadows on their own accord.

Thud-thud-thud.

As the tide of venomous life receded, a pristine blue stone slab on the floor was revealed. Bu Eunseol looked down at it and extended his hand.

Crack.

The powerful Void-Grasping Art unfolded. The blue stone slabs groaned and ripped free from the mortar, levitating into the air. Beneath them, transparent glass tanks, secretly embedded in the foundation, revealed themselves.

“……!”

Jeok Ya-hon’s eyes bulged as he looked down into the pit. The glass boxes contained a grotesque slurry of human organs and body fluids.

“This seems to require an explanation.”

Bu Eunseol turned slowly to face the Deputy Fortress Master.

“Was the Infernal Blood Fortress killing people to manufacture poison?”

“How could this…”

Jeok Ya-hon’s pupils trembled. How could such an atrocity exist beneath the Poison Secret Hall without his knowledge?

‘Does he truly not know?’

Just as Bu Eunseol narrowed his eyes at the flustered elder—

“Stop!”

A fierce shout echoed from the shadows. As the hidden tanks were exposed, the Poison Secret Hall Master, Yo Gwang, broke cover and attempted to flee.

Whish!

A long shadow flew from Yoo Woon-ryong’s hand, tearing through the air. It wasn’t a whip, but the Ten-Sectioned Staff he always carried.

Clatter-snap!

Moving like a living serpent, the staff wrapped tightly around Yo Gwang’s arm.

Splat!

Blood sprayed into the air. Yo Gwang had struck down his own forearm without a second of hesitation, severing his left arm to escape the bind.

Tap.

Ignoring the fountain of blood spurting from his stump, he re-engaged his movement technique as if he felt no pain.

Whoosh!

Yo Gwang’s speed was lightning-fast. He shot out of the Poison Secret Hall and bolted for the fortress exit.

“Catch him!”

At Yoo Woon-ryong’s roar, the guards of Infernal Blood Fortress encircled the fugitive. But recognizing the Poison Secret Hall Master, they hesitated, daring not to block his path.

Though the inspection agents gave chase, Yo Gwang was a streak of light, clearing the fortress walls with a single leap.

Zoom!

Two streaks of lightning soared into the air in pursuit. Bu Eunseol and Jeok Ya-hon had launched themselves simultaneously.

Whirrr.

Jeok Ya-hon moved like a Great Roc, leaping tens of jang in a single, explosive bound.

Zzt-zzt!

But Bu Eunseol, who had started a fraction of a second later, moved like a divine immortal. With hands clasped casually behind his back, he blurred through space, effortlessly overtaking the older master.

‘That guy?’

Watching from mid-air, Jeok Ya-hon’s eyes went wide.

‘They said he killed the Beggar King. His movement technique is truly exquisite.’

“Stop.”

Before the thought could finish, Bu Eunseol was already blocking Yo Gwang’s path.

“Get lost—!”

Sickly yellow light flooded Yo Gwang’s eyes. He thrust his remaining right arm forward, unleashing a pitch-black sphere of poison qi potent enough to melt the rock of Mount Tai.

Poison Aura.

‘Yo Gwang can use Poison Aura?’

Jeok Ya-hon’s jaw dropped. Yo Gwang had become a Hall Master solely for his encyclopedic knowledge of toxins; his martial prowess was barely at the Team Leader level. Yet here he was, manifesting a supreme technique.

“Hmph.”

Bu Eunseol dodged lightly, refusing to engage the corrosive energy head-on.

Sizzle!

The poison qi struck the earth like a tsunami. The vegetation where Bu Eunseol had stood withered, twisted, and died in an instant.

“You cannot avoid this!”

With a thunderous shout, Yo Gwang adopted a fierce stance and fired the Poison Aura again. This time, instead of projecting from his palm, the toxic energy erupted from the earth beneath Bu Eunseol’s feet.

“Hardened Blood Ancient Wooden Qi?”

Jeok Ya-hon gasped. The technique was an application of one of the Ten Great Poison Arts of the fortress.

“Was his internal energy high enough to unfold that?”

Just as Jeok Ya-hon rubbed his eyes in disbelief—

Shing.

Bu Eunseol, trapped within the rising geyser of poison, drew his sword.

A circular wave of sword energy bloomed, and the Hardened Blood Ancient Wooden Qi surrounding him evaporated instantly.

Supreme Heavenly Flow, Seventh Form: Body Reduced to Ashes.

He had burned the poison qi out of existence in a single breath.

Flash!

In the same motion, a single point of light—delicate, yin-soft, and deadly—flew toward Yo Gwang’s forehead.

Swish. Swish-shing!

As the light touched Yo Gwang’s skin, it transformed into a force that tore the very atmosphere. He had unleashed Meteor Chasing the Moon in rapid succession.

Clang!

With a metallic ring, Yo Gwang was thrown backward. His forehead should have been pierced, but having mastered the Hardened Blood Ancient Wooden Qi, his skin had become as hard as iron.

Drip.

Nevertheless, unable to fully negate the force of the Meteor Chasing the Moon, a deep gash opened on his forehead.

“Hehehe, I won’t die from this much.”

“So it is Human Flower.”

Bu Eunseol spoke, his voice low and dangerous.

“Did you obtain it by colluding with the government? Pickling your body in poison wasn’t enough, so you decided to augment your strength with human blood?”

“Hehehe. Take this before acting arrogant!”

Yo Gwang drew up the Hardened Blood Ancient Wooden Qi with everything he had. A black storm of toxins swirled around him, rushing toward Bu Eunseol.

“…”

But the eyes of Yo Gwang, currently channeling his supreme art, suddenly clouded over. A thin red line appeared, tracing a path from his forehead down to the base of his neck.

“How…”

Yo Gwang looked down at his own torso.

Split!

His body separated into a grotesque cross shape and scattered in four directions.

Bu Eunseol, having reached the Supreme Heavenly Realm, had long transcended the rigid forms of martial arts. At the exact moment he unleashed Meteor Chasing the Moon, he had superimposed Morning Star of the Waning Moon within the same movement. The meteor failed to pierce the iron skin, but the sharp, unseen energy of the morning star had bisected him.

Yo Gwang’s body, pickled in drugs, was so unnaturally sticky that it hadn’t separated instantly.

Sizzle.

Acrid smoke began to rise from the quartered corpse. Since he died while channeling the Hardened Blood Ancient Wooden Qi, the rampant poison qi remaining in his veins began to melt his flesh into sludge.

“A vicious poison art.”

As Bu Eunseol muttered his assessment, Jeok Ya-hon landed.

Thud. Thud.

He approached the burning remains.

“This is…”

Looking down at the liquefying corpse, Jeok Ya-hon bit his lip. Everything Bu Eunseol said had been true.

Infernal Blood Fortress was a grand master of poison, yes, but they did not cultivate spiritual herbs using human essence-blood. However, since the Hall Master had been stockpiling human fluids beneath the Poison Secret Hall to grow Human Flowers… the Fortress was now in an indefensible position.

“Kuhum.”

Just as Jeok Ya-hon cleared his throat to speak—

Whir.

Myo Cheon-woo and Yoo Woon-ryong landed behind them. Grasping the situation instantly, the two men stared intently not at Bu Eunseol, but at Jeok Ya-hon’s hand.

“What are you looking at?” Jeok Ya-hon asked, irritation spiking in his voice.

Yoo Woon-ryong pulled a sharp dagger from his robes.

“Use this.”

It was the treasured blade ‘Victory Over Evil’, bestowed upon him by Bu Eunseol.

“Indeed. The Victory Over Evil Blade is quite sharp; you can cut it cleanly without pain,” Bu Eunseol added, nodding.

Jeok Ya-hon’s eyebrow twitched violently.

“Are you saying you will cut off this Deputy Fortress Master’s finger now?”

“Did you not promise this Decree Master? To take responsibility.” Bu Eunseol looked at him with a nonchalant face. “Surely, Deputy Fortress Master, you didn’t extract that pledge thinking only you would be the one doing the cutting?”

Jeok Ya-hon laughed coldly. “So. You really mean to do it?”

Snatch.

Instead of answering, Bu Eunseol grabbed the dagger from Yoo Woon-ryong’s hand with lightning speed. He strode toward Jeok Ya-hon.

Thud. Thud.

Each step radiated an irresistible dignity. Staring into Bu Eunseol’s cold, halted eyes, Jeok Ya-hon felt a spike of genuine panic.

‘This guy?’

If it were anyone else, Jeok Ya-hon would have snorted or even boldly extended his hand in mockery. But who was Bu Eunseol? Was he not the madman who had stiffened his neck and rebelled against the Sword Demon Wi Hyeok-gun fresh out of Hell Island?

Everyone in the Demonic Path knew: he was a man who did exactly what he said he would do.

‘He really intends to cut it.’

In that split second, ten thousand thoughts flashed through Jeok Ya-hon’s mind.

‘If I lose a finger here, I cannot show my face in the Murim.’

For a poison master, the fingers were where the body’s poison qi was stored most densely. Losing one meant his martial arts would regress significantly. But if he killed Bu Eunseol to save his finger… he would face the wrath of the Wolf Fang Pavilion and sanctions from the Demonic Palace. The Infernal Blood Fortress would lose its status among the Ten Demonic Sects.

Swish.

Before he could decide, Bu Eunseol was already nose-to-nose with him, looking down at his hand with red-dyed eyes.

“…”

As that sharp gaze touched his skin, Jeok Ya-hon instinctively flinched, pulling his hand back and clenching his fist in a defensive stance.

Smirk.

A smile as calm as a moonlit lake spread across Bu Eunseol’s lips.

“How could I damage the finger of the Infernal Blood Fortress’s Deputy Fortress Master over such a trivial matter?”

Laughing soundlessly, he lowered the dagger.

“I will discuss this matter with Fortress Master Gong Ya-geuk directly. Please, return without worry.”

Bu Eunseol turned his back immediately, signaling Myo Cheon-woo and Yoo Woon-ryong to follow, and walked away.

In that moment, a wave of crushing regret washed over Jeok Ya-hon.

Even if the sky fell, he should have killed that bastard… or laughed heartily and thrust his hand forward, daring him to cut. But he had flinched. He had shown tension.

With that single clenched fist, he had lost all dignity as the Deputy Fortress Master of Infernal Blood Fortress.

***

Poison Sovereign Pavilion.

This was the residence of Gong Ya-geuk, the Fortress Master.

The Poison Sage, Gong Ya-geuk.

It was said he had reached the highest realm of a poison master—the Sage of Poisons—long ago. Though no toxin flowed in his veins, he wielded the Realm of Mind Poison, capable of manifesting lethal agents through will alone.

Bu Eunseol sat confidently in the lair of the King of Poisons. Opposite him, a bamboo blind was lowered, obscuring a pitch-black shadow with a dignified build.

“Why did you seek this Fortress Master?”

Gong Ya-geuk, sitting behind the blind, spoke. His voice was unique; to the ears, it was a whisper, but inside Bu Eunseol’s heart, it resonated like thunder.

“If you want something, you could have told Jeok Ya-hon.”

He was transmitting his voice directly into Bu Eunseol’s mind using the Realm of Mind Poison.

“The Deputy Fortress Master might not know, but there is no way the Fortress Master would be ignorant.”

Bu Eunseol gave an erratic answer.

—Doesn’t the Fortress Master know everything?

Silence flowed, thick and heavy.

Eventually, Bu Eunseol spoke again. “However, I do not think the Fortress Master colluded with the government to rebel against this Palace.”

Instantly, a chill dropped the room’s temperature. Gong Ya-geuk’s eyes flashed behind the bamboo blind.

“It is not a matter of yesterday or today that this Fortress distributes poison to the Murim,” Gong Ya-geuk finally said. “The Poison Secret Hall Master merely did what this Fortress has always done, out of habit.”

“Even distributing essence-blood to cultivate bizarre Human Flowers in collusion with the government?”

“I will admit this Fortress provided the poisons the government requested. However…” The voice rang inside Bu Eunseol’s skull. “Hiding the essence-blood was an act committed solely by the Hall Master to quickly augment his own martial arts.”

“Then you must also know that the poison distributed by Infernal Blood Fortress flowed all the way to the Martial Righteous Alliance.”

At Bu Eunseol’s accusation, Gong Ya-geuk chuckled.

“Whether Martial Righteous Alliance or government, it does not matter. This Fortress only needs to gain profit.”

Whether bizarre drugs were created, or if the Great War between Orthodox and Demonic factions reignited because of it, Infernal Blood Fortress did not care. In fact, they would welcome it. Poison was a commodity in high demand where death was prevalent.

“I see.”

Only then did Bu Eunseol understand the ideology of the Poison Sage. Infernal Blood Fortress pursued profit, pure and simple.

“I understand the Fortress Master’s will.”

As Bu Eunseol rose, Gong Ya-geuk’s mental voice stopped him.

“I will admit this Fortress has been defeated.”

“…”

“I apologize for the friction. From now on, this Fortress will support you both materially and spiritually.”

Gong Ya-geuk was indeed a terrifying figure. The position of a Sect Leader within the Ten Demonic Sects was second only to the Divine Demonic Emperor. Even with a blade at his throat, such a man would usually never bow to a subordinate. Yet, he discarded his pride instantly to secure the future.

“With conditions of this level, can you be satisfied?”

‘A treacherous hero of the age.’

Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed. The shadow behind the blind did not seem human, but a monster swallowed by greed. If Bu Eunseol ever became useless, Gong Ya-geuk would stab him in the back without hesitation.

“This audit ends here. There will be no more trouble for Infernal Blood Fortress.”

Bu Eunseol shook hands with the devil.

Now was not the time to purge the Fortress. He had to wait until he possessed the power to excise the rot in a single stroke. Until then, it was profitable to let a figure like Gong Ya-geuk exist.

Power and money. The more one grasped them, the emptier one felt; the more greedily one drank, the greater the thirst became. As long as there was profit to extract, Gong Ya-geuk would remain a loyal ally.

“Then.”

Bu Eunseol turned and walked away.

“Martial Soul Decree Master.”

Gong Ya-geuk muttered low, watching the receding back of the young master.

“Keep stirring things up like that. The more you stir… the deeper into despair you will fall. Huhu.”

Exiting the fortress, Bu Eunseol looked back.

The sky was dyed red, as if Gong Ya-geuk’s gloomy eyes were floating there, watching him from the heavens.

“You will know in the future. Fortress Master Gong Ya-geuk.”

Standing tall under the crimson sky, staring at the imposing walls of the Infernal Blood Fortress, Bu Eunseol whispered into the wind.

“What the price of touching me truly is.”