The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 103

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 103.
Cheol Jung Pavilion.
The residence of the young master of the Sichuan Dang Family and the heir who would one day become the patriarch.
A soft rustling sound.
Dang Gon sat sipping tea in a pavilion overlooking a beautiful flower garden.
Across from him sat Bu Eunseol, dressed in black martial robes.
“I haven’t seen you in days—you’ve been so busy.”
After half a day of fierce combat, Dang Gon had defeated Dang Ryeong by the narrowest of margins.
Afterward, he officially became the young master of the Dang Family and relocated his residence to Cheol Jung Pavilion, the heart of the Inner Quarters, directly across from Gunkon Pavilion where Dang Pae resided.
Upon becoming young master, I received authority over the household servants, the Dang Family’s finest guard brigade, and the right to master all eight secret techniques of the Dang Family.
“But why do you look so troubled?”
Bu Eunseol gazed at Dang Gon, who sat with a listless expression.
Though he had finally achieved all his desired goals, his face showed no brightness.
“I’m not sure. This wasn’t the ending I wanted.”
Dang Ryeong, unfortunately, had quietly passed away three days after the Combat Stage tournament concluded.
His meridians had been partially severed by the internal force he received from Dang Bi’s strikes, and then he had fought Dang Gon to the brink of collapse for half a day.
Moreover, after recovering from his injuries, Dang Bi had departed for Gwan Oe.
He carried the guilt that his own palm strike had caused Dang Ryeong’s death, and he lacked the resolve to serve under Dang Gon with unwavering loyalty.
“Do not speak as though you have accomplished everything.”
Bu Eunseol regarded Dang Gon and spoke with conviction.
“Your life is only beginning now.”
I must perfect the eight secret techniques and grow strong enough to lose to no one, while earning the trust of the Dang Family’s blood relatives.
Beyond that, I must expand my connections and solidify cooperative relationships with the heirs of various factions and great families—there are mountains of tasks ahead.
“Your words are always right.”
Dang Gon let out a soft laugh.
“And they always make me feel ashamed of myself.”
This young man, who appeared only a year or two younger than me, possessed the insight and values of an elder who had lived to twilight.
“Do not think such things. You too are wise and capable. Believe in yourself.”
As Bu Eunseol rose from her seat, Dang Gon spoke with reluctance.
“Are you leaving?”
Dang Gon knew.
He knew that Bu Eunseol had already prepared to depart with Heuk Pyo. Yet he could not bear to let her go like this.
“Could you not stay a little longer? There is much I must do ahead.”
“The tasks ahead require you to unite with the blood relatives within the Dang Family. There is nothing more I can offer.”
“That’s just what you say. Stay a few more days. Now that I’ve become young master, I can open the Main House’s wine stores generously—”
“That’s enough. Let us do it next time.”
Bu Eunseol smiled softly and spoke.
“A little longing makes for a warmer reunion next time, does it not?”
“True enough.”
Dang Gon drew a deep breath and wore a faint smile. Then he withdrew a small token from his breast.
It was the Deputy Clan Leader’s token—a seal that granted authority to command every member of the Dang Family except the Clan Leader himself, Dang Pae.
“You, I, and the Main House will share your fate, for better or worse.”
Dang Gon spoke with fervent conviction.
“Accept it.”
“A poor bargain.”
“Hmm?”
Bu Eunseol laughed in a way uncharacteristic of her.
“I shall live somewhat longer than you. If we share the same fate, wouldn’t that be a loss for me?”
At those words, Dang Gon’s eyes widened with emotion.
He understood that this small jest was Bu Eunseol’s way of conveying her heart to him.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, a delicate voice accompanied the sound of knocking at the door.
“Deputy Clan Leader. Wi Sa of the Gunkon Guard has come seeking Bu Xiaohe.”
“The Gunkon Guard?”
The Gunkon Guard was the direct Personal Guard Brigade that protected Clan Leader Dang Pae.
Why would a warrior from the most formidable Personal Guard Brigade in the Dang Family seek Bu Eunseol instead of him?
“Show them in.”
At Dang Gon’s command, the door opened and a muscular middle-aged man bowed respectfully.
“Woo Myeong of the Gunkon Guard greets the Deputy Clan Leader.”
“What brings you here?”
“The Clan Leader seeks Bu Xiaohe.”
“This one? For what reason?”
“He merely commanded that she come to the Gunkon Pavilion.”
“Very well. Lead the way.”
As Bu Eunseol rose from her seat, Dang Gon stood as well.
“I shall accompany you.”
“I apologize, but the Clan Leader commanded that I bring only Bu Xiaohe.”
“Hmm.”
As Dang Gon’s expression grew uncertain, Bu Eunseol waved her hand.
“I shall go.”
* * *
The Gunkon Pavilion.
This was where the Clan Leader of the Sichuan Dang Family resided.
It bore the same name as the Palace Hall where the Murim Alliance Lord dwelt, a testament to the fact that the first Murim Alliance Lord had once been the Clan Leader of the Sichuan Dang Family.
“Please wait here for a moment.”
Following Si Bi’s guidance, I entered a banquet hall adorned with exquisite furnishings.
As I took my seat, the inner door opened and a middle-aged man in formal robes walked out slowly.
It was Dang Pae himself.
“Clan Leader.”
I rose from my seat and bowed respectfully.
It wasn’t because he was the patriarch of the Sichuan Dang Family, whose name resounded across Tianxia, but because he was the father of a dear friend.
“I heard you’re leaving today.”
“Yes, that’s correct. But I’m curious about the reason you summoned me.”
“Haha. How could I simply let go of a benefactor to our Main House?”
Dang Pae was a master of the Extreme Heaven Realm—standing equal to the leaders of the Nine Sects One Alliance and the Eight Great Families.
Having transcended even the Transcendent Realm, he would normally radiate an aura so intense it would steal one’s breath, yet now he emanated the warmth of spring breeze, like a man reunited with a lost love.
And for good reason—Bu Eunseol was nothing short of a gift from heaven itself to Dang Pae.
She had awakened all of Dang Gon’s latent abilities, which had long frustrated him, and she had eliminated Sim Dok, the deputy master of Blood Poison Valley.
Through her deeds, the Dang Family’s renown had spread far beyond Sichuan into Ho Nam and Hubei, and as a result, countless young talents now sought to enter the Dang Family’s Outer Quarters.
“Thanks to you, Gon has awakened to his duties as a junior patriarch, and our Main House’s reputation grows with each passing day.”
A smile played across Dang Pae’s lips as he gazed upon Bu Eunseol.
“The young masters of the Poison Arrow Party have even requested to serve under Gon. When I asked why, they said it was because of you and the boy you brought with you.”
Dang Pae paused briefly, then nodded as he spoke.
“Thanks to you, the two matters that have troubled this patriarch most have both been resolved.”
“I merely offered modest assistance from the sidelines.”
“Hehe. Humble as well, I see.”
Dang Pae gazed warmly at Bu Eunseol’s elegant features before asking carefully.
“Might I inquire which sect you belong to?”
“That is—”
“Don’t worry. It matters not whether you hail from the Orthodox Sects or the Demonic Path.”
Dang Pae spoke matter-of-factly.
“Our Main House maintains connections with several Demonic Path factions. Though our paths differ, there’s no need for us to deny one another.”
In truth, all the blood relatives of the Dang Family had already surmised that Bu Eunseol was no master of a renowned Orthodox Sect.
If she were, they could not have failed to recognize her.
Yet Dang Pae’s inquiry into her origins stemmed from ulterior motives.
“I’ve been given strict orders not to reveal my sect as I travel through Gangho.”
“I see.”
Dang Pae’s expression grew wistful as he spoke in measured tones.
“Do you have a destination in mind after leaving our Main House?”
“I do not.”
“I see. Then perhaps—”
Dang Pae cleared his throat once more before speaking in a low voice.
“I hear you’ve met Cheong.”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“And what did you make of her?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Well, that is to say—”
Dang Pae fixed his gaze intently upon Bu Eunseol’s face.
Beyond her martial prowess, her appearance, her aura, and her very presence—nothing was lacking.
As Dang Pae gazed into Bu Eunseol’s eyes, clear and still as an autumn sky, he finally broached the true subject.
“Have you no interest in becoming a son-in-law to the Main House?”
“A son-in-law, you say.”
“If you’re willing, I’d personally arrange matters between you and Dang Cheong.”
Had anyone overheard these words, they would have gasped in disbelief at Dang Pae’s sanity.
This was the same Dang Pae who had publicly declared she would never permit a man in her presence unless he were the successor of the Nine Sects One Alliance or the son of the Murim Alliance Lord.
Yet now she was proposing that Bu Eunseol—a wanderer of the Gangho by choice—become Dang Cheong’s son-in-law?
‘A person of such caliber with martial prowess must be extraordinary, regardless of lineage. It’s wise to secure such talent early.’
“I….”
“Don’t answer hastily.”
Dang Pae’s expression grew grave.
“To become Dang Cheong’s son-in-law means you would master all eight secret techniques of the Main House, and together with Dang Gon, you would lead the Dang Family and guide Tianxia itself.”
“….”
“And though it’s awkward for the family head to say so, Dang Cheong is not only accomplished in the four arts of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting—she is called the greatest beauty of Sichuan.”
“I am grateful for your kindness, but after my journey through the Gangho concludes, I have many matters requiring my attention.”
“I’m not asking for an immediate decision.”
At my resolute refusal, Dang Pae chuckled like a cunning fox and stepped back.
“Dang Cheong has her own thoughts on the matter, and besides, who knows how the threads of fate will weave themselves?”
Dang Pae gently patted my shoulder as she spoke.
“After all, aren’t you and Dang Gon companions who share life and death together? You’ll eventually establish your own household, so give some thought to what lies ahead.”
“I understand.”
“You’ve received the Young Clan Lord’s token from Dang Gon, I presume. Is there anything you desire from the family head? I shall grant whatever you ask.”
I fell silent for a moment, considering deeply, then shook my head.
“There is nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“That is correct.”
“Think it over carefully. There is still time.”
“There is nothing.”
At my unwavering reply, Dang Pae’s eyes widened in astonishment.
The family head of the Sichuan Dang Family—willing to grant anything under heaven—and yet this person flatly refused without hesitation?
“Ahem.”
Dang Pae cleared her throat softly and spoke in a low voice.
“The Main House possesses the finest craftsmen of hidden weapons in all of Tianxia. Do you know how to use such weapons?”
“I have never studied them.”
“Is that so? Then I shall have our craftsmen forge you an exquisite hidden weapon device. The mechanisms of the Main House are such that even masters of considerable skill cannot evade them with merely a flick of the wrist.”
Despite Dang Pae’s subtle persuasion, I shook my head once more.
“That is unnecessary.”
“Hmm. Then….”
Dang Pae paused in contemplation, her expression deepening in thought, before slowly withdrawing a thin booklet from her robes.
Its pristine cover, seemingly newly crafted, bore two characters in cursive script: “The Hidden Weapon Compendium.”
“As you well know, the foundation of the Main House’s hidden weapon arts lies in dagger techniques….”
Dang Pae’s eyes grew distant as he recalled Dang Ryeong, who had quietly perished after the Combat Stage tournament. A flicker of sorrow crossed his gaze.
Though his position as family head demanded an appearance of cold resolve and unwavering composure, the truth was far different—he was not a man devoid of sentiment.
“Take it. A gift from the family head himself.”
“I cannot accept.”
The Dang Family’s martial arts were forbidden knowledge—never to be transmitted beyond the clan’s walls.
“Surely you’re not afraid that accepting it might make you a member of the Main House?”
Dang Pae’s jest was accompanied by a gentle smile.
“It’s fine. This isn’t the Dang Family’s martial art—merely insights I’ve recorded from cultivating the Ilsu Tal Myeong technique.”
He pressed the secret manual into Bu Eunseol’s hands once more, his voice dropping to barely a whisper.
“Besides, Gon uses the sword, so this manual would be of no use to her.”
His voice was so faint it was nearly inaudible, yet it carried a profound weight of regret.
Bu Eunseol stood motionless for a moment before accepting the manual and bowing her head.
“I am grateful for your kindness.”
“Never forget that the Main House stands behind you should you face hardship.”
Dang Pae chuckled softly, his gaze following Bu Eunseol.
“Though I suspect your master is formidable in her own right.”
“Thank you.”
“I wish you fortune in your martial pursuits.”
“Farewell.”
Bu Eunseol turned slowly and began to depart.
Dang Pae watched her receding figure, his voice dropping to a murmur.
“I cannot fathom where such talent was cultivated.”
His tone was heavy with longing.
He had genuinely wished to welcome Bu Eunseol as his son-in-law.
“Perhaps an opportunity will arise someday.”
Dang Cheong was no passive flower waiting demurely for attention—she was a bee, a woman who sought out beautiful blossoms.
“A true dragon among men… that child will not remain idle either.”
Understanding Dang Cheong’s nature well, Dang Pae smiled with satisfaction and turned to leave.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————