Forcibly suppressing a surge of emotion, Bukgungryeong shouted loudly.
“Hmph, do you think this old man would accept help from the likes of you?”
He refused coldly, but his voice trembled slightly.
“It’s not help, it’s mutual aid.”
Bu Eunseol chuckled and said nonchalantly.
“Unless I return to the Main Palace, the attacks on me will continue. If I join forces with you, old man, wouldn’t my journey in the Martial World be a little easier?”
In truth, that was just an excuse.
If he wasn’t going to face Bukgungryeong, he could simply return to the Demon Palace.
“Join forces…”
The corner of Bukgungryeong’s eye twitched.
If he joined forces with that outstanding Late Stage Prodigy of the Demonic Path? It would create a truly unstoppable duo.
“Hmph, far from being easy, it’s a journey where we must risk our necks.”
Bukgungryeong snorted, suppressing his rising emotions.
“Because they will try to stop me from finding the Ten Weapons of the Realm until the very end.”
“Isn’t that what a journey in the Martial World is all about?”
“Very well.”
As if he had decided something, Bukgungryeong nodded.
“After we solve this, I’ll give you a proper match. One so thorough it will blow away any hesitation in your spirit.”
“I agree.”
A smile bloomed on Bu Eunseol’s lips.
In the end, the two men, transcending age and sect, had temporarily become companions.
“Where are these Ten Weapons of the Realm?”
At Bu Eunseol’s question, Bukgungryeong looked up at the hazy sky and spoke in a grim voice.
“Ghost Island.”
*
On an uninhabited island not far from Deungju Prefecture, a sect called the Shineum Gate Sect once stood.
The disciples of the Shineum Gate Sect were all masters of Mechanisms and the Strange Formation Art.
It was said they could hide themselves with just a small pebble.
They had installed mechanisms and formations throughout the island where they resided, making it appear completely empty to outsiders.
For this reason, the island where the Shineum Gate Sect was located came to be called Ghost Island.
However, the Shineum Gate Sect, which had made a name for itself with its mysterious mechanisms, vanished from the Martial World forty years ago.
They had been annihilated by the Great Killing Star of the Demonic Path, the Seven-Finger Demon Blade, Bu Janyang.
The reason was that they had collaborated with the Killing Sect, which had been constantly trying to assassinate the Seven-Finger Demon Blade.
In fact, most of the traps set by the Killing Sect to kill Bu Janyang were made by the Shineum Gate Sect.
Upon discovering this fact, the Seven-Finger Demon Blade came to Ghost Island alone and annihilated the Shineum Gate Sect.
Swoosh.
The massive sail swelled taut, embracing the wind.
A single boat, riding a favorable wind, cut through the waves, heading towards Ghost Island.
On the deck, an old man in white robes and a man in grayish-black martial robes stood side by side.
It was Bukgungryeong and Bu Eunseol.
“I don’t know when I’ve last had such a vicious fight.”
Looking down at his hands, Bukgungryeong shook his head.
The journey to get on the boat and come to Ghost Island was truly a Path of Blood.
Every step of the journey was stained with red blood.
Wherever they went, assassins swarmed them endlessly.
If they went to an inn, the food was poisoned; if they took lodging, it was filled with hidden weapons and traps.
A merchant with a stall in the marketplace would attack them, and a woman holding a child would throw explosive projectiles.
Due to the ceaseless onslaught of assassins, the two eventually had to avoid capital cities and travel only on remote paths, sleeping outdoors and finding their own food.
“If it weren’t for your help, I still wouldn’t have been able to get on this boat.”
Bukgungryeong offered his first sincere words of praise.
“You are young, yet you seem to have more experience in the Martial World than this old man.”
What if Bu Eunseol’s help hadn’t been there?
No matter how outstanding his skills were, he would still be struggling to deal with the swarming assassins.
“The same goes for you.”
Bu Eunseol said calmly.
“If it weren’t for you, old man, I would have had to give up on this journey in the Martial World and return long ago.”
Bu Eunseol, too, if not for Bukgungryeong’s help, would have had to abandon his journey for martial improvement.
He would have eventually returned to the Demon Palace after dealing with the endless assassins.
“Take this.”
As a faint island came into view in the distance, Bu Eunseol took a mask from his robes and handed it to Bukgungryeong.
“We don’t know what will happen from now on, so it would be best to wear a mask.”
“There’s no need. The people there are all Great Righteous Masters of the Righteous Faction.”
“Great Righteous Masters.”
Bu Eunseol looked at the distant sky and shook his head.
“If they were truly men worthy of being called Great Righteous Masters, they wouldn’t have come here in the first place.”
Bukgungryeong remained silent.
If they possessed the righteous values and transcendent mindset to be called Great Righteous Masters?
They would not have bothered coming all the way to Ghost Island to obtain the Ten Weapons of the Realm.
“You may be right.”
Bukgungryeong sighed deeply.
He was a veteran of the Martial World with deep insight, yet in front of Bu Eunseol, he felt like a child.
“I’ve said it before, but you feel like an old man who has lived longer than I have.”
He then shook his head with a bitter expression.
“Besides, it’s useless to wear a mask. My martial arts are recognizable even without seeing my face.”
The Alchemical King’s Internal Family's Qi Ejection Technique produced a sound like thunder.
Therefore, when he used his skills, any martial artist could recognize him from a hundred jang away.
“But, will it be alright?”
“What do you mean?”
“We were already delayed for many days dealing with the masked men.”
“Even if we were ten days late, it doesn’t matter.”
Bukgungryeong said confidently.
“A treasure hunt only ends when a powerful master with overwhelming martial force, or a coalition of powers like the Martial Alliance or the Demon Palace, appears.”
His eyes narrowed as he continued.
“The only thing that can subdue those blinded by greed is martial force so powerful they wouldn’t dare to challenge it.”
“That might be true if we were in the heart of the Central Plains. But this is a remote island, far from the mainland.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
Bu Eunseol looked at the distant sky with a meaningful gaze.
“They each came with a treasure map, but they must have realized by now that there are many people on the island. In that case, they would have already formed groups.”
“Groups?”
“That’s right.”
In a situation where an unspecified number of people are gathered and only a few can survive?
Humans instinctively rally those they feel a connection with and eliminate the rest.
That was why back on Hell Island, except for Bu Eunseol and a few others, the most outstanding individuals had formed groups early on.
“If they formed groups, the hunt would have ended quickly. Perhaps the victors have already claimed the weapons… or even left for the Central Plains.”
“If you knew that, why are you only telling me now?”
Bukgungryeong looked incredulous.
If what he said was true, hadn’t they come to Ghost Island for nothing?
Bu Eunseol looked at the distant sky and spoke with a calm expression.
“First, the timing is uncertain. I can only predict that it ended quickly.”
He continued calmly.
“Second, even if the hunt is over, we need to find clues about how the fight concluded and which weapons appeared… so we can track them.”
Bu Eunseol turned his head and looked at Bukgungryeong.
“Lastly, on a remote island with no one around, wouldn’t we be able to have a proper match without any interruptions? That’s why I came here.”
Bukgungryeong had a blank expression.
Looking at Bu Eunseol, he couldn't help but feel as if he had wasted his life.
‘Even if this kid had been on a journey in the Martial World since he was a baby, he couldn’t have more experience than me.’
It was because Bu Eunseol had learned deep insight and the ways of the world through Bu Janyang’s teachings, but…
Bukgungryeong, who had no idea of this fact, felt a sense of self-deprecation welling up inside him.
“But there is something I am curious about.”
Bu Eunseol spoke up as if something had occurred to him.
“The people who came here are already blinded by their desire for divine weapons.”
He continued with a puzzled expression.
“What method were you planning to use to stop them?”
Even an immortal couldn’t stop someone blinded by secret manuals and divine weapons.
Thinking about it, Bukgungryeong had come to Ghost Island under the pretext of saving them so naturally.
“Don’t tell me you need those weapons too, old man?”
At Bu Eunseol’s question, Bukgungryeong let out a laugh.
“Do I look like someone who needs divine weapons?”
Bu Eunseol faintly shook his head.
The Alchemical King’s Internal Family's Qi Ejection Technique was truly peerless in the Martial World.
It possessed a power stronger and more outstanding than any divine weapon.
“I have wandered the Martial World for a long time and met many Great Righteous Masters of the Righteous Faction.”
Taking a deep breath, he spoke again.
“And in the hearts of those called Great Righteous Masters, there was an unwavering righteousness. If I tell them that this treasure map is a trap to make them fight each other, they will surely not engage in a meaningless struggle.”
Bukgungryeong believed in the righteousness of the people of the Righteous Faction.
And that was likely the driving force behind his desire to protect the Martial World.
The reason he wanted to save the Great Righteous Masters tempted by this treasure map was his belief that they would one day become the pillars that would clear the dark clouds over the Martial World.
But from Bu Eunseol’s perspective, it was just a fairy tale filled with dreams and hopes.
‘There’s no need to pour cold water on it.’
Bu Eunseol didn’t want to shatter Bukgungryeong’s hopes and beliefs.
All humans live with hope and rely on their own beliefs.
No one has the right to shatter another’s beliefs.
“If you have something to say, say it.”
Bukgungryeong said, as if he had read Bu Eunseol’s mind.
“Your tongue may be sharp, but I know you don’t speak nonsense.”
Bu Eunseol spoke as if he had no choice.
“If this were the heart of the Central Plains, that plan might have worked. Whether they like it or not, they have a reputation to uphold.”
“Hmph.”
“As I said before, this is a remote island, far from the Central Plains.”
Bu Eunseol did not believe that humans were inherently good.
Moreover, having already experienced a similar situation, he couldn’t believe it even if he wanted to.
“Are you saying they ended up fighting a bloody battle?”
“Yes. They would have started without any hesitation.”
A moment of silence passed.
Bukgungryeong looked at the distant Ghost Island and spoke forcefully.
“They might form groups. But they are experienced in the Martial World… they will not make the wrong choice.”
Bu Eunseol said nothing.
Everyone has their own beliefs.
He just hoped that Bukgungryeong wouldn’t experience the same confusion or chaos as he had.
Chwaaa.
Finally arriving at Ghost Island, the boat began to dock.
After disembarking, the two immediately used their lightness skills to survey the island.
In the center of the island, covered with strangely shaped rocks, a high mountain and a deep forest spread out.
And to the west, a wide plain and green plants were blooming.
The peaceful scenery made a mockery of its name, Ghost Island.
But the atmosphere was desolate and grim, and there seemed to be a smell of blood in the air.
Bukgungryeong, along with the masked Bu Eunseol, used his movement technique to penetrate deep into the island.
They were looking for the secret cave marked on the treasure map.
But as they neared the cave, Bukgungryeong’s expression darkened.
Bu Eunseol’s prediction was correct.
A fight had already broken out, and numerous bodies were scattered everywhere.
If it had been a fair fight for the treasure, Bukgungryeong’s expression wouldn’t have been so grim.
A merciless slaughter.
A one-sided attack.
The wounds on the bodies showed that the groups had brutally massacred the weaker ones.
‘Ugh.’
Bu Eunseol groaned inwardly.
The pretense of being part of the Righteous Faction or a Great Righteous Master was useless on a remote island far from the mainland.
The mask of a gentle expression had not just been loosened; it had been torn off in an instant.
They had no hesitation in taking another’s life, all to kill their competitors and increase their chances of getting their hands on the Ten Weapons of the Realm.
“How could this happen?”
As Bukgungryeong looked at the corpses, his eyes were filled with fury.
He had experienced all sorts of things while roaming the Martial World.
He had also seen treasure maps appear in the Martial World more than once.
But this was different.
Martial artists who had discovered a treasure on a remote island that no one visits.
Upon arriving at a place where no one was watching, they had cast off their masks as Great Righteous Masters and freely revealed their cruel nature.
Clang! Paang!
Just then, the faint sound of weapons clashing could be heard from somewhere.
“……!”
“……!”
Bu Eunseol and Bukgungryeong looked at each other, then shot up into the sky like great rocs.
Rustle!
They quickly traversed the forest and finally arrived at a sheer cliff near the coast.
There, five martial artists, each holding a unique weapon, were attacking about thirty other martial artists.
No, it was a one-sided slaughter.
Every time they swung their weapons, sharp energy shot out in all directions, tearing through flesh and bone.
They even relentlessly hunted down those who couldn’t fight back and were running or hiding, stabbing them in the back and cutting off their heads.
“Stop!”
Unable to watch any longer, Bukgungryeong let out a great roar and landed in front of the group carrying out the slaughter.
“Five Heroes! You have the weapons, that should be enough! Why are you slaughtering people!”
The five men carrying out the slaughter were heroes who mainly operated in Shandong.
After becoming sworn brothers, they traveled together and did many good deeds, earning them the name, the Five Heroes of Shandong.
But to commit such a cruel slaughter after obtaining the Ten Weapons of the Realm?
“You are……”
Instantly recognizing Bukgungryeong’s face, the second of the Five Heroes of Shandong, Jeong Jung-won, flinched and stepped back.
“The Alchemical King?”
One of the Four Divine Beings and Seven Kings, who could shatter a house-sized rock with a flick of a finger.
Why had the master of the Heaven-Shattering Art appeared here?
“Alchemical King, did you also come here coveting the Ten Weapons of the Realm?”
Jeong Jung-won shouted with an arrogant expression, and Bukgungryeong’s eyes flashed.
“What nonsense are you spouting!”
He pointed to the piles of corpses around them.
“If you got the weapons, you should have just left! Why are you slaughtering people!”
At the sharp rebuke, the Five Heroes became as silent as mice.
The Five Heroes of Shandong were among the most skilled martial artists who came to Ghost Island, and they had no need to form a separate group.
Before the treasure hunt even began, they had eliminated their competitors one by one… and finally obtained the Ten Weapons of the Realm left in the secret cave.
Then, fearing their evil deeds would be known to the outside world, they had relentlessly tracked down and slaughtered the remaining groups on the island.
A thought flashed between them: He must be killed.
The eyes of the Five Heroes of Shandong glinted as if by a silent agreement.
If this evil deed were to become known in the Martial World?
Even if they obtained the Ten Weapons of the Realm, wouldn't they be unable to walk proudly through the Martial World?
“Has your reason been paralyzed by greed?”
Bukgungryeong said with a sorrowful face as he looked at them.
“Come to your senses now. You can’t throw away the reputation you’ve built your entire life for some mere weapons, can you?”
Despite his heartfelt plea, Jeong Jung-won shook his head.
“Alchemical King. You have been called a Grandmaster since you were young, so you wouldn’t have such regrets.”
He looked down at the Hero's Tyrant Saber in his left hand and sighed deeply.
“But through these weapons, we were able to overcome a wall we could never break in our entire lives. Do you understand what that means?”
The Five Heroes of Shandong were also martial artists who had dedicated their lives to the Martial Path.
But the wall of the Transcendent Realm was not something that could be broken simply by effort.
Yet, just by holding the Ten Weapons of the Realm, they were able to display a power that could leap over the wall of the Transcendent Realm in an instant.
It was as if they had entered the Extreme Heaven Realm in a single breath.
How could they let go of this dream-like opportunity?
“I see.”
Bukgungryeong nodded.
He could fully understand the suffering the Five Heroes of Shandong were experiencing.
He too had been frustrated by the wall of the Transcendent Realm in his youth and had broken through it after countless brushes with death and moments of enlightenment.
But that didn’t justify their greed.
“There’s no need for long words.”
Just then, the eldest, Gu Yeong-hwa, holding the Azure Sky Flute, a flute dyed in a blue light, stepped forward.
“Normally, we wouldn’t dare to defy Senior Bukgung. But not now.”
Killing intent flowed from Gu Yeong-hwa’s eyes.
To obtain the weapons, they had treacherously killed many Great Righteous Masters of the Righteous Faction.
And now, they intended to kill even Bukgungryeong to silence him.