“You are saying something I cannot understand. It is hard enough to lead a single organization like the Martial Alliance, yet you ask whether I covet the Heavenly Alliance? I came only because I was worried. If the Heavenly Alliance, already shaken once, is shaken again, then the hundreds of sects within the Heavenly Alliance’s territory will also be shaken.”

“……”

“That would mean the order of the martial world, the principles of martial artists, and countless other values will be thrown into chaos. That is why I came.”

Unhwi let out a quiet snort of laughter and asked as if tossing the words away.

“Did you prepare that speech in advance?”

Gun Mugyeol’s brow furrowed slightly, and he answered at once.

“Those who wait for an opportunity prepare every moment.”

It was a vague answer, but in that moment Gun Mugyeol’s eyes held killing intent, and Unhwi’s eyes, strangely enough, gleamed with enjoyment.

“I knew you had guts, but this… seeing you again, it is not simple guts.”

“Is that how it looks to you.”

“You seem to know more about me than I expected. Where did that information come from?”

Unhwi’s answer was very simple.

“The Snow Palace knows more than you think.”

“……”

“You know well that there are no eternal secrets in this world. More than that, no matter how much the Snow Palace lies beyond the borders, it is still the same martial world as this place. Senior.”

“……You are a strange one.”

The mask had not been completely torn away. It had only been lifted a little. Even that was enough for Gun Mugyeol to rate Unhwi highly.

Unhwi shifted his gaze and looked down over the cliff.

Because of the fierce battle between the Flame King and Shin Jueon, Flame Demon Mountain was being laid to waste.

“The fight will not take long.”

“……”

“One of the two will certainly die, and the one who survives… will suffer a smaller wound than you would expect.”

“From what I can see, the Flame King went into seclusion without abandoning life as a martial artist.”

Just as Unhwi in his previous life had not known of the Mukse Society’s existence, Gun Mugyeol also did not know of the Mukse Society’s existence.

“Everyone has their own life.”

“True.”

“At this point, I would like to propose a deal to you, Alliance Lord.”

“A deal?”

“I will give you what you need. In exchange, for at least five years, withdraw your hand from all affairs of the Heavenly Alliance.”

Gun Mugyeol looked at Unhwi as if he found it interesting.

Setting aside the demand that he withdraw his hand from their affairs, what could someone holding the title of Heavenly Arbiter—and a genius whose name was resounding through the martial world—possibly give him?

“Something I need… That makes me curious. Humans are creatures of desire, so I too have what I want and what I need. But there are priorities among them. No matter what you give me, if it is pushed down the list, it will be nothing more than something to talk about—”

“The method to reach No-Extremes Incarnation.”

Even for someone like Gun Mugyeol, words did not often cut off midstream.

Who would dare commit such rudeness before a man like Gun Mugyeol?

That rudeness meant death, yet in this moment Gun Mugyeol could not even think of such a thing.

His expression hardened, his mouth fell slightly open.

He was shaken to the core.

Unhwi had clearly said it.

That he would give him what he needed most.

That was correct.

For Gun Mugyeol, the highest priority in life was not whether his mask might be torn away, nor whether the Martial Alliance would be protected, nor any such thing.

The Martial Alliance’s benefit? Frankly, he did not care much about that either.

There was only one thing that mattered to him.

His own realm.

For the past several years, an enlightenment that seemed within reach yet never quite graspable had continued to torment him, and Unhwi’s words were enough to halt every action Gun Mugyeol might have taken.

“……I was not expecting it, but you have drawn my interest.”

“Then may I continue?”

“Go on.”

“You are planning to reach No-Extremes Incarnation within three years. But there is a faster way.”

Certainty filled Unhwi’s voice.

“Within half a year, I will raise you to No-Extremes Incarnation.”

Gun Mugyeol’s eyes opened wide.

If anyone other than someone of Unhwi’s caliber had said this, he would have snorted, ignored it outright, or killed them without hesitation.

Because it was nonsense of the highest order.

But if it was Unhwi, it was different.

“A strange rumor has been going around.”

“What rumor?”

“The rumor that the Snow Palace’s Palace Lord has reached No-Extremes Incarnation.”

Unhwi nodded.

“It is not a rumor.”

“……”

“The Snow Palace’s Palace Lord has already stepped into the highest level of the Realm of Martial Divinity, a realm worthy of being called a Martial World’s Supreme without lacking anything.”

That Seol Jungcheon had reached No-Extremes Incarnation was not a secret.

There was no particular intent to hide it, but neither was there any intent to boast of it.

Seol Jungcheon was busy, and he had no interest in that sort of thing, yet rumors had no feet and still struck the entire martial world at frightening speed.

The supreme of the Snow Palace had reached a level at which he could contend for the title of Martial World’s Supreme.

And yet the martial artists of the Central Plains, by habit, looked down on everything beyond the borders.

That was their nature, and it was not easily changed.

So most of them denied it.

How could a martial artist beyond the borders reach a realm that even the Alliance Lords of the Martial Alliance and the Sichuan Alliance of this generation had not reached?

It sounded impossible, and that was how it spread.

That was why Gun Mugyeol called it a “rumor.”

And now that rumor, which had been merely a rumor, was confirmed: Seol Jungcheon was a monster who had reached No-Extremes Incarnation, and had stepped into the realm of a martial god who could contend for the highest seat of the Central Plains.

It was only natural that Gun Mugyeol would be shaken, and the next question followed.

“Did you help him.”

“He is not someone who would need my help, but I did have a deep conversation with him.”

“……I heard you have raised a martial artist’s realm more than once. You even made a masterstroke that made our Vice Alliance Lord swallow his pride. But was it to that extent.”

Gun Mugyeol’s eyes flashed.

“To raise a martial artist of Supreme Void of Non-Being to No-Extremes Incarnation…?”

To that question, Unhwi answered with a seemingly unrelated one.

“Do you want to kill me.”

He stared at Unhwi in silence.

In this moment, Gun Mugyeol held a greater certainty than ever before.

The Seol Unhwi before him—

This one had to die.

Whether he killed him, used another’s hand, whatever it took, he had to erase him from this world.

If raising a martial artist’s realm applied only to those at the Heaven-Earth Apex, then perhaps it could be dismissed.

Even if it extended as high as Limitless Manifestation within the Realm of Martial Divinity, he could concede that Unhwi was a genius and let it pass.

But to raise a martial artist of Supreme Void of Non-Being to No-Extremes Incarnation?

To be able to give that enlightenment at such a young age?

That was not merely impossible—it was far too dangerous.

A martial artist’s realm was power.

Among martial artists of high realm, none lacked power.

Even if a person had no interest in power, once they rose beyond Supreme Void of Non-Being, followers gathered around them, and people desperate to earn favor from them overflowed.

The young man before him could mass-produce such people.

That meant true order in the martial world would be built around this man.

“Do not rush.”

“……Rush?”

“You should receive the benefit, should you not.”

Gun Mugyeol could not shake the thought that he was being played.

And yet.

This was poison he had no choice but to swallow.

“You will raise me? To No-Extremes Incarnation?”

“Yes. But not right now.”

“Then what am I supposed to trust in order to accept this deal?”

“Rather than trusting me, trust the path I have built.”

“……”

“I have produced results one way or another. And once I made a promise, I kept it no matter what.”

Gun Mugyeol’s gaze moved toward the Soul-Dao Demon Flame Palace, which was burning as if consumed.

“That, too, must be part of that promise.”

“Yes. I made a promise to Dong Murin, who is my man. That I would help him take revenge.”

“Then what about the Flame King?”

“My promise with the Flame King is not related to the Soul-Dao Demon Flame Palace. But broadly speaking, this revenge is also part of that promise.”

Gun Mugyeol spoke with a small laugh.

“Fine. You have proven well enough that you are a man who keeps his promises. I will deal with you. But.”

But the next part was what mattered.

“If you begin the work of raising me to No-Extremes Incarnation right now—”

Unhwi let out a quiet snort of laughter.

“Do I look like a fool.”

“Hm?”

“The day we begin is half a year from now.”

Gun Mugyeol’s brow creased sharply.

“……Half a year?”

“Yes. Half a year. In half a year, I will go to the Martial Alliance myself.”

Gun Mugyeol shook his head.

“With conditions like that, I should be the one to refuse—”

“As you said, the cliff is quite high.”

“……What?”

After gathering his entire inner strength under control, Unhwi walked toward the cliff.

Gun Mugyeol’s eyes trembled.

…What kind of bastard is this.

“Cautious people doubt more than ordinary people.”

“……”

“They doubt a great deal. They judge a person by rumors, gather information, establish a view, and still demand proof without end… Unfortunately, with such ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) people, you must show them directly.”

Standing at the edge, Unhwi looked at Gun Mugyeol.

“What do you think, Senior.”

“……What are you talking about.”

“If I fall from here. Will I use my inner strength, or will I not.”

“……”

“No answer. Then I will tell you. I will not raise my inner strength at all. I will fall as I am, and I will intend to die.”

“Someone who has built such achievements will die in a place like this? By suicide, no less?”

“What can I do. It is a promise I made, so I must keep it.”

“……”

“The decision is yours.”

Before Gun Mugyeol could say anything—

Unhwi threw himself off the cliff.

In that brief moment.

Gun Mugyeol felt it clearly.

That the young bastard had perfectly grasped him.

Unhwi had presented two facts.

One: that the Snow Palace’s Palace Lord, his father, had reached No-Extremes Incarnation.

Two: that in half a year, he would raise Gun Mugyeol to No-Extremes Incarnation.

Gun Mugyeol’s realm was Supreme Void of Non-Being. And who was Gun Mugyeol’s greatest enemy?

The Alliance Lord of the Sichuan Alliance, Kang Cheonu.

The reason he had not checked the Snow Palace until now was that they lay beyond the borders. Even if they had reached No-Extremes Incarnation, that did not change.

But he still had to prepare.

He had to reach No-Extremes Incarnation before Kang Cheonu. In the end, struggles between factions were decided by the realm of their leaders, and to break that balance he had to rise first.

Seol Unhwi, falling off the cliff—

It was unpleasant to put it this way, but to Gun Mugyeol, he was a golden lifeline.

He had to seize it.

Before killing him, he had to wring out everything he could.

In a time when every instant mattered, Gun Mugyeol’s thoughts formed in a flash, and his decision was made in a flash.

When he extended his hand, the falling Unhwi was pulled back up onto the cliff.

It was a perfect vacuum retrieval, and Unhwi, as if he had predicted this, landed on the ground with a calm expression.

Instead, it was Gun Mugyeol whose expression looked ugly.

“……You are not easy to deal with.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep