“Hahaha! Truly delicious, so very delicious.”
When Bu Eunseol began imitating his footwork to evade the attacks, Myeong Myeol instead stopped attacking and laughed brightly.
“This is the most delicious response this old one has seen since stepping into the martial world!”
Despite his words, he stopped his footwork. He had already sensed that Bu Eunseol had reached the pinnacle of the Nangyang Pavilion’s martial arts and had mastered the principles of Seizing Essence to Transform Origin and Returning Enemy Techniques to Myself almost as well as he had. Continuing the footwork would risk exposing his own foundations in an instant.
“Shouldn’t the Blood God Heaven use Mixed Demonic Magic Energy like a proper Blood God Heaven?”
“Hahaha. If you could force this old one to use Mixed Demonic Magic Energy, I would be so happy I wouldn’t know what to do.”
Myeong Myeol spoke with a regretful expression.
“But unfortunately, it is hard to find anyone in the martial world capable of breaking this old one’s martial arts.”
He clicked his tongue after stopping his attack.
“After all, this old one has already absorbed the martial principles and ultimate powers of countless strong experts for a long time.”
It was a shocking statement. If true, it meant Myeong Myeol could essentially master invincible martial arts.
“Then it should be called the Fraud Divine Heaven, not the Blood God Heaven.”
Bu Eunseol looked at him with contempt.
“Do you dream that I would fall for your words or be greatly shocked and afraid?”
“Hahaha, you truly are good at reading others’ inner thoughts.”
Myeong Myeol laughed loudly.
“That’s right. This old one’s Mixed Demonic Magic Energy absorbs fear and despair.”
He made a regretful face.
“But you have seen through not only despair and fear, but even this old one’s lies.”
“If I had met you a year later, the result might have been different.”
Myeong Myeol bared his teeth in a chilling smile.
“However, there are no ‘what ifs’ in the affairs of the world. That is why this old one wins, and you lose.”
Every matter had its timing and fortune.
Among martial world people, there were those who only ever faced opponents they could handle or avoid, surviving and growing strong. But when they encountered an overwhelmingly powerful expert they could not handle, that was the end. No further growth, no tomorrow—only a cruel end to their life.
Myeong Myeol, unaware of what kind of opponents Bu Eunseol had fought until now, simply assumed he had good fortune.
“I had fun playing with you.”
Myeong Myeol extended his hand. With just one step, he could unleash mountain-crushing pressure.
Kwaaang!
Yet when he reached out, a destructive wave on a completely different level from before poured forth.
“Farewell!”
‘Now.’
At that moment, a faint light rose from Bu Eunseol’s body.
From the moment the Valley of Immortals Lord had appeared, he had sensed the possibility of an overwhelming opponent like the Blood God Heaven Lord emerging. He had been holding back his decisive strike the entire time—the Seven Blood Tear Forms infused with the ‘emotion’ of death that he had realized while facing Gakyung.
‘This is the only way.’
The Seven Blood Tear Forms could incorporate any kind of power or martial principle depending on the user’s ability. Until now, Bu Eunseol had combined various forces with it to display mysterious power. But now he was attempting to unleash the Seven Blood Tear Forms itself infused with the abstract emotion of death.
‘What was the death that Grandfather harbored?’
Uuuung.
The eyes of Bu Eunseol, who held the Demon-Killer Sword, became transparent, and his body began to grow faint.
Silence.
Thinking of death made everything disappear, leaving only endless stillness and emptiness. Soon, a deep and cold sorrow created by the weight of death was felt.
Pain.
Finally realizing that death was slowly approaching, excruciating pain spread throughout his body.
Grief.
Finally realizing that the journey of life had reached its end, a deep and profound resonance spread out.
The moment he reached the death he had created himself, Bu Eunseol’s skin split open and five-colored radiance poured out from within.
Shiiiik!
At the same time, from his entire body, massive sword energies capable of cleaving heaven and earth began rising endlessly.
‘Is this death?’
A sudden doubt rose in his mind. Was this truly the death that Grandfather had harbored in his heart? Was the death he felt while cutting down countless enemies truly like this?
“No.”
Bu Eunseol answered his own question.
‘I have not yet reached his realm.’
Bang!
With a loud explosion, the sword energies rising from Bu Eunseol’s body detonated, and his body floated into the air. Before Myeong Myeol could pour out his pressure, he had self-destructed from the sword energy he himself had created.
Thud.
Bu Eunseol, floating in the air, fell clumsily to the ground.
“As expected, the ending is always like this.”
Myeong Myeol licked his lips with regret. It was always the same. Opponents would overexert themselves trying to resist his overwhelming power or force something and end up destroying themselves.
“When will I be able to enjoy such a wonderful feast again?”
He smiled sinisterly and opened his mouth wide. He truly looked as if he would chew and eat Bu Eunseol alive.
‘I waited.’
At that moment, a flash of light burst from the eyes of the fallen Bu Eunseol. At the same time, another explosion erupted from his body.
It was a massive explosion incomparable to the previous one.
‘Only this method.’
Bu Eunseol had just realized that he could not yet reach the realm of ‘death’ that his grandfather had achieved. At the same time, he instinctively knew the sword energy created throughout his body would soon explode.
So he had deliberately caused a small explosion first and pretended to collapse. Then he waited for Myeong Myeol to let his guard down and approach before unleashing the full explosive power.
Myeong Myeol’s body was dyed black.
Even if imperfect, it was the energy of death containing the essence of the greatest swordsman of all time. Having taken the aftermath directly with his body, even someone who had reached the Steel Body realm could not possibly endure it.
“You bastard!”
Sure enough, the relaxed expression on his face had vanished, and his eyes were wide open as if they would tear apart.
“How does the taste of a failed technique feel?”
Bu Eunseol staggered to his feet.
Until now, his own power had often become a rebound that invaded his body. But it was different this time. His martial arts had greatly advanced, and above all, he had achieved the unity of the Three Divine Energies, so his internal power did not become blocked nor did he become crippled like before.
At that moment, one of Myeong Myeol’s forearms fell to the ground. Unable to withstand the explosion, his left forearm had melted from the elbow down.
“I will chew and eat your heart right now.”
Kwaaang!
A brilliant light soaring to the end of the night sky erupted from Myeong Myeol’s body. He was trying to use the Mixed Demonic Magic Energy within him to instantly cut off Bu Eunseol’s breath.
Ziiing.
But from somewhere came an unpleasant vibration and grotesque sound. It was like an unknown creature drifting aimlessly through the universe descending to the ground.
Uuuung.
At the same time, a massive sphere formed at the center of the Valley of Immortals, and from it emerged a black shadow. It wore a massive, pitch-black armored suit. Every time it took a step, the red blood cloak draped behind it fluttered. The eyes behind the iron mask covering its face emitted a golden flame-like radiance.
A sharp light and merciless aura capable of piercing and killing all weak beings in the world flowed out. At its waist hung a massive greatsword over three feet wide, gleaming with a black luster.
The moment the iron-masked monster revealed itself, a vibration as if the world itself was shaking could be heard. It was the very image of a living disaster that sought to conquer all things—a reigning king.
—Kiiiieee!
A desperate ghostly wail echoed inside the Valley of Immortals. The iron-masked monster had drawn its greatsword.
“You…”
Myeong Myeol’s eyes widened at the sight, and he began unleashing his footwork with all his strength.
Boom, boom.
Wherever Myeong Myeol’s steps landed, space screamed. It was not life perishing, but existence itself being erased.
Thud.
But with a single thrust of the greatsword, a pressure that shook heaven and earth spread out, and an energy that extinguished all breathing beings poured toward Myeong Myeol once more.
At that moment, Myeong Myeol’s body shook violently, and the Mixed Demonic Magic Energy he had released vanished instantly.
—Kyaaaaaaa!
The ghostly wail had already become the sorrowful cry of a witch shaking heaven and earth. The iron-masked monster had merely extended a single strike, yet the space where Myeong Myeol stood cracked open, and ink-black sword energy like despair poured out from the gaps. Every time it grazed him, Myeong Myeol did not simply face death. His very existence flickered as if being erased, repeatedly disappearing and reappearing.
“Kill it!”
Unable to endure the pain, Myeong Myeol shouted loudly. Hundreds of martial artists suddenly appeared behind him. It was as if he had a magic box on his back that instantly deployed hundreds of troops.
But in the blink of an eye, hundreds of corpses lay scattered before the iron-masked monster. A deathly silence fell over the Valley of Immortals. The earth fell quiet, and even time seemed to stop flowing. The iron-masked monster was not a martial artist, but the avatar of death that crawled out of darkness. No—it was the terrifying Death God that erased all existence.
“You…”
The moment Myeong Myeol saw the eyes hidden behind the iron-masked monster’s mask, his eyes bulged wide open.
That became the last word he uttered inside the Valley of Immortals.
Swish.
Along with the sound of something fluttering in the wind, Myeong Myeol’s body convulsed several times before turning into millions of particles and disappearing. The iron-masked monster had erased with a single strike the body that even Bu Eunseol’s ultimate Seven Blood Tear Forms could not destroy.
The iron-masked monster, having sheathed its sword, stared directly at the staggering Bu Eunseol. Behind the iron mask, his eyes burned with black flames, containing an absolute power that seemed capable of melting the body just by meeting his gaze.
But Bu Eunseol glared at the iron-masked monster who had saved him with a face full of rage. Because the sword art he had used was the completed form of his grandfather’s absolute sword learning, the Seven Blood Tear Forms.
“Returning to One Realm Lord!”
At that moment, Bu Eunseol shouted loudly at the iron-masked monster.
“You bastard!”
He was already in a critically injured state from the death sword energy he had created himself.
Bang!
Yet brilliant five-colored radiance rose from his entire body once more. Due to uncontrollable rage, all the internal energy stored in his inner core and the latent energies within his body were unleashed.
[…]
As the iron-masked monster watched Bu Eunseol’s intense momentum, death rose from his body once again. From his eyes spread a destructive aura that surpassed mere madness.
Any expert in the martial world who witnessed such aura and gaze would forget even how to speak from the terror that erupted. But Bu Eunseol stared straight into the iron-masked monster’s eyes and shouted desperately.
“Where is Grandfather’s remains!”
His cry became a sorrowful echo that filled the Valley of Immortals.
That man was definitely the leader of the Ghost One Realm, the Returning to One Realm Lord. Because he had unfolded Grandfather’s sword learning more perfectly than Bu Eunseol himself. Only the one who had stolen Grandfather’s remains could possibly do such a thing.
[You…]
At that moment, the Returning to One Realm Lord, whose eyes flickered with strange light, looked at Bu Eunseol and spoke in an endlessly low voice.
[Do not have the qualification.]
“What did you say?”
Red killing intent like rays of light spread from Bu Eunseol’s eyes. Everything he had lived for was to find the enemy who had killed his grandfather. Breathing, eating, sleeping, and learning martial arts—all of it was solely for revenge against the one who killed his grandfather.
Yet now, the culprit who had taken his grandfather’s remains and disturbed his rest stood before him.
He could not hold back the exploding rage.
Zzzzt.
The energy flowing from Bu Eunseol’s body turned into flames of true qi and spread in all directions.
“Disturbing Grandfather’s eternal sleep…”
Creak.
Not only that, his muscles swelled to nearly twice their size and emitted a strange diamond-like luster. Even while suffering injuries so severe it was difficult to stand, he radiated power capable of splitting the sky.
“Stealing and learning Grandfather’s sword art…”
Bu Eunseol, pointing the Demon-Killer Sword at the Returning to One Realm Lord, shouted.
“How dare you spout such words!”
Kiiiieee!
The rage that erupted turned into ink-black sword energy and flew toward the Returning to One Realm Lord’s neck. He had reached a state where he was neither dead nor alive. Even while suffering fatal injuries, upon encountering a supreme expert, Bu Eunseol poured all the energy in his body into the Seven Blood Tear Forms Third Form—Half-Life, Half-Death.
Kaaaaa!
The sword energy of the Seven Blood Tear Forms that Bu Eunseol unleashed shot forward in a straight line unlike before.
It was not simple sword energy.
It was absolute death that swallowed even pitch-black darkness, an endless abyss that sucked in all life force into infinite space.
Fwoooooosh!
Then, from the Returning to One Realm Lord’s greatsword, the desperate cry of a witch rang out. Matching Bu Eunseol’s sword art, he too had unfolded the Half-Life, Half-Death Form.
Shuuuu.
The Seven Blood Tear Forms collided.
In the clashing space, even the air disappeared, leaving only nothingness. Complete death and annihilation with no trace spread out.
But Bu Eunseol’s real attack was not the Half-Life, Half-Death Form. It was the secret technique of the bare-handed Seven Blood Tear Forms, the death sword form that collapsed even the boundary between existence and non-existence—the Seven Blood Tear Forms Sixth Form, Death Without Regret.
Shiiiik!
At that moment, the sky split open, space distorted, and a massive vortex of sword energy opened a huge gate of annihilation. The rocks and grass touched by the sword energy turned gray. Due to the sword energy that brought death to all things, it became a domain of nothingness where even time and space had died.
Seven Blood Tear Forms.
Unleashing it with full power, a single sword strike was destroying the laws of nature.
But the Returning to One Realm Lord avoided the Death Without Regret Form with a mere tilt of his head. It was not simply dodging by tilting his head. The moment it touched the sword energy, he too disturbed his own existence and reversed space and time.
In other words, he had used Infinite Reversal Power in a simple evasive movement.
Flash!
Black light spread intensely from Bu Eunseol’s eyes. The terrifying aspect of the Death Without Regret Form was that, while emitting sword energy with bare hands, he could use the rebound force pouring from his body to unleash yet another perfect sword strike.
Flash!
The full-power force of chaos and destruction engulfed the Returning to One Realm Lord.
Kwaaang!
At that moment, a massive sword energy capable of tearing the sky poured out from the Returning to One Realm Lord’s finger. He too had unfolded the exact same Death Without Regret Form.
Shuik.
The Returning to One Realm Lord’s Death Without Regret Form had no shape. Moreover, it was not destructive power but tuning.
Kwaaang!
In an instant, it erased Bu Eunseol’s sword energy and redirected it in a different direction.
Bang!
At the same time, Bu Eunseol was sent flying more than ten zhang back.
The Returning to One Realm Lord had merely changed the power and direction of the sword art, yet Bu Eunseol could not withstand the rebound and was bounced away.
From within the dust cloud, Bu Eunseol, once again turned into a blood-red flash, charged at the Returning to One Realm Lord. He tore through space at a speed beyond super senses and attacked the Returning to One Realm Lord again.
“How dare you use Grandfather’s sword art!”
Roar!
Fierce flames like those rising from hell burned on the Demon-Killer Sword. His rage distorted even the air and created whirlwinds on the ground. Within Bu Eunseol’s eyes burned the madness of a beast that held no hesitation and craved only destruction.
But the Returning to One Realm Lord was blocking Bu Eunseol’s full-powered Seven Blood Tear Forms with merely a finger sword, not even his greatsword. Bu Eunseol had already consumed a great deal of stamina while facing Myeong Myeol and suffered serious injuries. Moreover, because he was consumed by rage and excitement, the original power of the Seven Blood Tear Forms was not coming out.
“Uwaaaah!”
Bu Eunseol let out a roar.
He knew it, yet he could not help it.
He had wandered the martial world for a long time for revenge.
And the Returning to One Realm Lord, who had taken his grandfather’s remains, was an enemy he had searched for just as long as the one who killed his grandfather.
In a state of fatal injury with stamina nearly depleted, he could only face such a powerful foe by borrowing the power of rage.
The Returning to One Realm Lord’s eyes, as he watched Bu Eunseol unleash his sword art like a madman, swirled with tens of thousands of emotions at once. But that lasted only a moment.
Shuik!
In the end, as if deeming it worthless, he flicked his finger and returned the sword energy to Bu Eunseol. Struck by the returned sword energy, Bu Eunseol was once again sent flying more than ten zhang away. Originally, his body should have been torn to pieces. But due to the erupting rage, a formless sword energy in the shape of protective energy had automatically wrapped around his entire body.
Sluuurp.
However, it had not completely neutralized the powerful rebound. His internal organs were displaced, his left shoulder was dislocated, and large and small sword wounds covered his entire body.
“Haaap!”
But Bu Eunseol paid it no mind and continued attacking endlessly. He grew stronger the more he fought. And the fighting spirit and rage that seemed ready to burst gave him the strength to move his body even through fatal injuries.
Kiiiieee!
As he continuously poured out ink-black sword energy along with ghostly wails, the Returning to One Realm Lord’s eyes changed.
Finally, he drew his greatsword once more.
[….]
Even if his limbs were cut off, as long as his breath was not cut, Bu Eunseol would never stop attacking.
Realizing this, he was now truly intent on severing his neck.
