Swish.
Just as two shadows appeared on the collapsed roof, an old man and a middle-aged man with features like white jade stood tall before Bu Eunseol.
“M-My Lord!”
Discovering the two, Ok Ho-bang bowed his head in great surprise.
The middle-aged man wearing a blue robe and possessing an aura like an immortal. He was the Lord of the Wanderer’s Hall, Do Myeong, who had left for closed-door cultivation four years ago.
“Have you been well? Money Master Ok.”
“How did you suddenly come here…”
“It is not sudden.”
At that moment, the old man standing in attendance beside Do Myeong shook his head. He was the Old Servant Yang Sa, who had faithfully served Do Myeong for over twenty years.
“The Lord has already been back in East Drifter, West Wanderer since the start of the Elite Martial Arts Tournament.”
“Since the start of the tournament?”
As Ok Ho-bang opened his mouth, Yang Sa sighed, “Originally, His Lordship only wished for you to manage East Drifter, West Wanderer well. He did not desire to rise as a power in the Murim by borrowing the prestige of places like the Infernal Blood Fortress.”
“T-That is…”
As Ok Ho-bang sweated cold sweat, his dark ambitions exposed, Do Myeong waved his hand.
“Do not blame the Money Master. If not for him, how could I have leisurely engaged in closed-door cultivation for four years?”
He smiled brightly and looked at Ok Ho-bang.
“I heard that after I left, the Infernal Blood Fortress was eyeing our Hall covetously? If not for Money Master Ok, East Drifter, West Wanderer would have been in shambles. The wandering vagrant would have scattered, and those remaining would have been subjugated to the Infernal Blood Fortress.”
“M-My Lord…”
Ok Ho-bang shed tears of regret.
Although Do Myeong was a person of strong martial arts and outstanding character, he had no greed to grow East Drifter, West Wanderer significantly. Always dissatisfied with that, Ok Ho-bang had intended to grow his power by borrowing the strength of the Infernal Blood Fortress and push Do Myeong out over the past four years.
“My Lord, in truth, I have…”
“I know. It is fine.”
Do Myeong patted Ok Ho-bang’s shoulder.
“You merely did what you could. You suffered greatly while I was gone.”
At Do Myeong’s warm words, Ok Ho-bang shed hot tears once again.
“My Lord! My Lord!”
Ok Ho-bang was shedding tears of remorse while holding onto Do Myeong’s arm.
At that sight, Yang Sa, Black Leopard, and even Hwa Ran and Blood Awl were shedding tears of emotion. But one person alone, Bu Eunseol, stood with a bored expression.
“So…”
Finally, Bu Eunseol spoke in a low voice.
“Where is my sword?”
***
The Spiritual Profound Divine Sword was indeed in the Grand Armory.
Ok Ho-bang pointed to a large box at the entrance of the Grand Armory where old swords were piled up, scabbards and all.
“The Spiritual Profound Divine Sword is in here.”
At Ok Ho-bang’s words, Bu Eunseol looked inside the box.
“Hmm.”
Flashing a gleam in his eyes, Bu Eunseol abruptly lifted the box with one hand.
Click.
Then, a mechanism activated, revealing another space beneath the large box. But surprisingly, that space was filled with old swords just like the box above.
Clatter.
Bu Eunseol immediately reached out and picked up one of the oldest and rustiest swords among them. It had no decorations, and it was so rusty that the surface of the scabbard looked as if lumpy stones were attached to it.
“Good sword.”
Shing.
As he drew the sword in a single breath, rust fell away, revealing a blade flowing with pitch-black luster. This was the divine sword said to cut even the opponent’s soul, the Spritual Profound Divine Sword.
“Did you know about the Spiritual Profound Divine Sword?”
Ok Ho-bang wore a surprised expression as Bu Eunseol found the sword immediately.
“I do not.”
Rousing his internal energy to remove all the rust clinging to the surface, Bu Eunseol smiled calmly.
“This fellow just called out to me.”
The Spiritual Profound Divine Sword, cleared of rust, flowed with a dark luster even on its scabbard. Its appearance looked like a demonic sword, but in reality, it was an Evil-Crushing Divine Sword capable of driving out evil energy and cutting even evil spirits.
“I will now call you Dark Sword.”
Woonng.
At Bu Eunseol’s words, a low hum resonated from the blade of the Spiritual Profound Divine Sword—no, the Dark Sword.
“Originally, this sword was prepared for the Lord upon his return.”
The Spiritual Profound Divine Sword was a divine sword Ok Ho-bang had acquired by searching for wandering vagrant for a year. But when he harbored other thoughts, it became a gift to offer to the Infernal Blood Fortress Leader.
“But in the end, it seems the owner was someone else.”
Ok Ho-bang looked at Bu Eunseol’s profile and spoke.
“I have no face to ask… but I have a request.”
“Speak.”
“Sa-ha. Please take good care of that child.”
Ok Sa-ha.
That was Black Leopard’s real name.
“He is merely a wandering vagrant contracted out of necessity. You need not concern yourself.”
At the overly cold answer, Ok Ho-bang gulped and closed his mouth.
“I-I apologize.”
Then Bu Eunseol added a short remark.
“Though I will absolutely not let him die.”
Won’t let him die…
Savoring those words, Ok Ho-bang secretly wore a faint smile.
He had finally grasped Bu Eunseol’s true character.
Now I know. This man’s nature.
Outwardly, he was a cold-blooded and heartless figure, but he did not harm those who entered his embrace. And if someone tried to harm them, he would risk his life to protect them.
“Thank you.”
Ok Ho-bang bowed deeply.
And as if remembering something, he opened his eyes wide.
“Do you plan to leave immediately?”
When Bu Eunseol nodded, Ok Ho-bang spoke, ”The Lord requests to see Young Hero Bu separately.”
“The Lord?”
“Yes.”
When Bu Eunseol made a face as if it were a nuisance, Ok Ho-bang wore a faint smile.
“If you go see him, you will absolutely not regret it.”
Garden Forest Pavilion.
It was originally a place providing room and board for wandering vagrant with nowhere to go. But now, it had been changed into the residence of Do Myeong, the Lord of East Drifter, West Wanderer.
“Excuse me.”
As Bu Eunseol opened the door to the office, Do Myeong, who was writing a letter at the table, stopped his hand and smiled.
“Welcome.”
Rising from his seat, he pointed to the table opposite.
“Sit. Have a cup of tea first.”
The tea Do Myeong brought out was not Sun and Moon Tea or Longjing, but wild tea made by picking wild leaves.
Bu Eunseol, staring blankly at the tea served in a rustic bowl, took a sip.
“How is it? The taste of wild tea I picked and made myself?”
Bu Eunseol wore a bitter smile.
The supreme masters of the Murim he had met so far all enjoyed tea without exception. Not only that, but after feeding tea to others, they always asked how it tasted.
“I don’t know the taste of tea well… but it has a simple yet sturdy flavor.”
“Simple yet sturdy flavor.”
In that instant, Do Myeong wore a somewhat wistful yet satisfied smile.
“I was constantly agonizing over how to express this taste… and you have given a clear answer.”
“Is that so.”
“Hmm. Meeting a master, ten years of study have become Amitabha. Haha.”
Letting out a despondent laugh once, a thread-like gleam flashed in Do Myeong’s eyes.
“I heard you are a disciple of the Wolf Fang Pavilion.”
“Correct.”
“Strange. This Hall also has a considerable intelligence organization… but evidence that you are a disciple of the Wolf Fang Pavilion cannot be found no matter how hard one looks.”
Do Myeong stared intently at Bu Eunseol.
And looking at his eyes, infinitely clear and cool like the blue sky (Changcheon), he spoke.
“Is the Wind and Cloud Squad Captain blocking information?”
Smirking, Do Myeong muttered low as if talking to himself.
“Having obtained such an outstanding disciple… they must be trying to protect you with all their might.”
No hostility could be felt in Do Myeong’s eyes. Rather, while speaking, his eyes deepened as if recalling the past.
“Do you know the Pavilion well?”
“Hehehe.”
Do Myeong let out a laugh that could be either a chuckle or a sigh.
“As well as you do.”
An answer leaving a strange lingering feeling.
But Bu Eunseol asked in a low voice as if he had no interest.
“What is your business?”
“Business…”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Do Myeong rose from his seat and headed to the window.
“If I had to say, perhaps it is ‘he who tied the knot must untie it’…”
Looking out the window, Do Myeong’s eyes contained deep regret and suffering.
“I heard you are a Ten Demonic Successor, the orthodox successor who will shoulder the Wolf Fang Pavilion in the future. Is that correct?”
“Correct.”
When Bu Eunseol nodded, Do Myeong slowly turned his body.
Then, a tremendous aura he had never seen before poured from his body.
“This Lord was also a disciple of the Wolf Fang Pavilion. In the past.”
Bu Eunseol blinked for a moment.
—Was a disciple of the Wolf Fang Pavilion in the past.
This statement did not make sense.
Once a disciple of the Wolf Fang Pavilion, always a disciple of the Wolf Fang Pavilion. If one could say they were a disciple in the past, it was only those who had died while training.
“I do not understand a single word. If you were a disciple of the Wolf Fang Pavilion, shouldn’t you still be a disciple?”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Do Myeong wore a bitter smile.
“Originally, I was a body that should have died in the Wolf Fang Pavilion. But surviving like this, I am in the midst of committing a sin.”
“I detest riddles. If you have something to say, say it directly without beating around the bush.”
“Understood.”
Do Myeong took out an old booklet from his bosom and held it out to Bu Eunseol.
“This is my request.”
Breathing deeply, he spoke again, ”Memorize this secret manual and destroy it. If that happens, it will be as if I have returned this martial art intact to the Wolf Fang Pavilion.”
As Bu Eunseol accepted the manual, the characters for Fist Demon were written on the cover.
“Fist Demon?”
Just as the title Sword Demon had been passed down for generations in the Murim, the title Fist Demon had also been continuously transmitted. But the Wolf Fang Pavilion, which prioritized practical martial arts, did not place much importance on fist arts. Because using a sword or saber was far more practical and powerful than facing an enemy with bare palms.
“Is what is written in this manual truly the martial art of the Pavilion?”
“Of course. It is the number one fist art of the Wolf Fang Pavilion.”
Bu Eunseol made a strange expression.
“I did not know there were secret manuals in the Pavilion.”
“Strictly speaking, manuals exist in the Wolf Fang Pavilion too. It is just that transmitting martial arts through manuals is extremely rare.”
“Then… did Your Lordship also learn this manual?”
Originally, Bu Eunseol intended to ask, ‘In what cases are martial arts learned through manuals?’
But seeing Do Myeong’s eyes filled with suffering, he changed the question. Since he wouldn’t answer anyway.
“Because my aptitude was insufficient, I could not learn this fist art properly. Even so, due to my greed, I could not return this manual to the Wolf Fang Pavilion.”
Do Myeong spoke with lonely eyes.
“Because I was a disciple who died, no, who should have died.”
It seemed Do Myeong had a deep story he couldn’t tell.
But Bu Eunseol did not ask.
People of the Gangho each have their stories. And they live burying them quietly in their hearts.
“I just need to read the manual and burn it immediately?”
“That is correct.”
Do Myeong said something incomprehensible.
“This manual is incomplete. No matter how profound the moves and martial principles included, the supreme highlight is missing.”
Bu Eunseol had no particular intention of learning fist arts. Therefore, nodding without much thought, he spoke.
“Understood.”
“Will you accept it?”
When Bu Eunseol nodded, Do Myeong wore a bright smile.
“Thank you.”
What on earth was he thankful for?
But Do Myeong showed a smile as if he had thrown off a heavy burden he had been carrying for a long time.
“Instead, I also have a request.”
“Speak.”
Bu Eunseol whispered in a low voice.
Hearing those words, Do Myeong narrowed his eyes and nodded.
“I understand what you mean. As soon as it is transmitted to all intelligence organizations, I will inform Black Leopard, that child.”