The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 108
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 108.
Bu Eunseol’s expression was equally dumbfounded as she watched Wang Jeong breathe his last with a look of despair.
A master on the same level as Wang Jeong was instantly killed by a lightly extended Gwonma Chilsik?
‘Perhaps it was because he struck the Mingmen point.’
The Mingmen point—the Gate of Life.
Literally, it meant the gateway to existence itself.
The most critical acupoint along the Governing Vessel, which oversees all Yang meridians, it regulated every vital current within the body and governed the state of the kidneys and spirit.
In reality, the power of the Kwon Ma Chil Sik was so overwhelming that his inner energy was simply transmitted even to the opponent’s meridians.
Yet Bu Eunseol mistakenly attributed his death to an unlucky strike against the Mingmen point.
“Is he… dead?”
At Heuk Pyo’s words, Bu Eunseol nodded.
“The matter is resolved. We should depart.”
“Ugh! Ugh!”
At that moment, Nam Goong Woon—the masked man whose vital points had been sealed—cried out loudly.
“Uuugh!”
Bu Eunseol, who had been watching him thrash about, flicked her finger.
Snap, snap, snap!
The moment she released his acupoints, Nam Goong Woon, who had been sprawled on the ground, rose to his feet, wiping cold sweat from his brow.
“My gratitude. Thanks to you…”
He clasped his hands together, but Bu Eunseol was already slipping away through the Gorge.
“Wait, wait just a moment!”
Nam Goong Woon rushed after Bu Eunseol, gasping for breath. “Brother, let’s talk for a moment.”
When Bu Eunseol offered no response, he tried again.
“Where do you hail from, brother?”
“…”
Since Bu Eunseol wouldn’t answer, Nam Goong Woon turned his attention to Heuk Pyo, approaching with a disarming smile.
“So there’s a young hero among you as well! I am Nam Goong Woon of the Nangung Family. If you don’t mind, I’d like to exchange names.”
Heuk Pyo scratched his head.
Regardless, this man was a member of the Nangung household. Since he was clinging to them like Jeomsoi hawking his services, Heuk Pyo decided to respond with proper courtesy.
“I am merely a servant of my master.”
“Ah, I see. And where does that gentleman hail from?”
“My master is… a wanderer from Jeok Cheon Mak Ji.”
“A wanderer?”
“Yes. He only registered yesterday, though.”
Nam Goong Woon blinked in surprise.
Such a young and exceptional master had become a wanderer, peddling his martial prowess?
“A wanderer from Jeok Cheon Mak Ji, you say… Are you heading back there now?”
As Nam Goong Woon pressed with persistent questions, Bu Eunseol, clearly annoyed, suddenly unleashed a movement technique.
“M-Master!”
“Ball, Master Kong!”
As Bu Eunseol swiftly deployed her movement technique, Heuk Pyo dashed after her with equal speed.
Though some commotion echoed behind them, Heuk Pyo ignored it and kept pace with Bu Eunseol.
Third floor of Su Gyeong Jeon, the office of Su Gyeong Jeon’s master.
When Bu Eunseol returned, Dam Yoo Yeon couldn’t hide her surprise.
Wang Jeong, who had made countless wanderers and masters taste defeat until now—she had disposed of him in a single errand?
“I thought you were a novice to Gangho… but it seems you have considerable experience.”
Dam Yoo Yeon had known this well.
Wang Jeong was difficult to capture not only because he was exceptionally perceptive and cunning, but because he was a master with extensive experience in Gangho.
She had assumed Bu Eunseol was merely a wanderer with powerful martial arts, so she had arranged for her to face Wang Jeong, who employed countless schemes and traps.
But at the unexpected swift resolution, her expression had stiffened in bewilderment.
“It was nothing special.”
“You are truly remarkable.”
Swallowing a bitter smile, she picked up a purple silk badge from the table and extended it toward Bu Eunseol’s waist.
“What is this?”
“It’s a silk badge proving that you are a high-grade wanderer of this establishment. Go to the counter downstairs and you’ll receive your compensation for handling Wang Jeong.”
“Understood.”
Bu Eunseol nodded, fastening the silk badge to her waist.
“Then give me the next assignment.”
“You wish to handle the next assignment immediately?”
“Yes.”
“You certainly are impatient.”
Dam Yoo Yeon wore a mysterious smile.
But as if she had been waiting, she pointed to one of the envelopes stacked on the table.
“Then please handle this task.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened as she gazed at the envelope Dam Yoo Yeon offered.
“The Preservation Divine Pearl?”
During her time with the Guusal Unit, Bu Eunseol had become well-versed not only in Gangho’s political landscape but also in intelligence regarding various factions.
Yet the treasure known as the Preservation Divine Pearl was something she had never heard of in her life.
“The Preservation Divine Pearl is not a treasure widely known in Murim.”
Dam Yoo Yeon wore a faint smile.
“It is kept within Shin Nyeo Gung, one of the Murim Seven Great Secret Palaces.”
Shin Nyeo Gung.
One of the Murim Seven Great Secret Palaces, it was one of the mysterious sects composed entirely of women.
However, Shin Nyeo Gung was a place that absolutely forbade access to outsiders, making it somewhere Bu Eunseol could not even approach.
“Surely you’re not asking me to steal a treasure from Shin Nyeo Gung.”
Shin Nyeo Gung was not counted among the Murim Seven Great Secret Palaces for nothing.
Though called a sect of women, their martial arts were exceptionally superior, and the master of Shin Nyeo Gung was a formidable expert who had reached the Extreme Heaven Realm.
No matter how strong Bu Eunseol was, she could not breach Shin Nyeo Gung alone.
“Of course not.”
Dam Yoo Yeon spoke with a laugh.
“Obtaining the Orb of Original Essence is simple. You merely need to pass the examination provided by Shin Nyeo Gung.”
I furrowed my brow.
“You’re saying they simply hand over that object upon passing a test?”
“Of course. However, the examination itself is quite difficult, and opportunities to attempt it are rare. That’s why no one has ever obtained the Orb of Original Essence thus far.”
“Difficult or not, it’s merely acquiring a bead. How can that constitute a challenging commission?”
I spoke with an expression of newfound skepticism.
“The reward alone amounts to three hundred thousand silver taels. Even by that measure, you can discern the difficulty, can’t you?”
“I fail to comprehend. With three hundred thousand taels, one could have purchased any precious bead imaginable.”
“The Orb of Original Essence purifies the skin and smooths fine wrinkles merely by keeping it close. It possesses considerable beauty-enhancement properties.”
‘They’re spending three hundred thousand taels merely to eliminate a few wrinkles.’
As if perceiving my inner thoughts, Dam Yoo Yeon offered a saccharine smile.
“Those of high status and renown pay no mind to expense. If they deem something worthy, they spend without hesitation.”
Upon witnessing her melting smile, I grasped an unmistakable truth.
Dam Yoo Yeon harbored no desire whatsoever for my success.
‘Her intentions are transparent.’
Yet I revealed nothing, tucking the envelope away and responding with composure.
“Understood. I shall attend to it immediately.”
At the Dae So Gaek Jsan near Jeok Cheon Mak Ji.
Seated by the window on the second floor, I was taking lunch with Heuk Pyo.
As Heuk Pyo ate noodles with his chopsticks, he continually gauged my expression.
This was because my countenance had grown dark since receiving the envelope.
“Young Master.”
Heuk Pyo cautiously addressed me as I tilted my wine cup with a rigid expression.
“Does the cuisine perhaps not suit your palate?”
“It’s fine.”
“I see. That’s a relief.”
Yet Heuk Pyo observed me once more before speaking.
“Your expression appears troubled, Young Master. I wondered if something unfortunate had occurred.”
“Did it?”
For once, I turned my awareness inward rather than outward.
I yearned to grow ever stronger.
To achieve this, I required a worthy master—neither overwhelmingly superior nor inferior to myself—who could help me transcend my current limitations through an ultimate confrontation.
And by fate’s design, I encountered Jeong Cheon at the Wanderer Market. I sensed he possessed superior skill to my own.
Should I engage him in an ultimate battle, I would undoubtedly ascend to a higher realm.
‘I undertake these Wanderer Market commissions for the sake of fighting him…’
In truth, this course of action contradicted my nature.
Whether through scheming or brute force, I would have ordinarily pursued a confrontation with Jeong Cheon swiftly by any means.
Yet this time, I dutifully processed commissions to become a special-grade wanderer, as he had requested.
The problem was that I myself could not fathom why I was behaving this way.
“I was simply contemplating something.”
“What are you referring to?”
“Jeong Cheon, should I provoke that man into forcing a direct confrontation? Or should I continue handling these tasks instead?”
“I see.”
Only now did Heuk Pyo nod, as if grasping everything at last.
“So you’re troubled about whether to continue with this work, my lord?”
“That’s right.”
“Why not simply continue processing the tasks?”
Heuk Pyo spoke in a measured tone.
“With your skill and intellect, my lord, you could defeat the master of Hoengkongbu in a single exchange. Yet you haven’t chosen that path.”
“….”
“I believe it’s because you instinctively understand that you can grow stronger not merely through direct confrontation, but through many different approaches.”
“Grow stronger through various tasks?”
“Precisely.”
Heuk Pyo explained with eloquent clarity.
“I’ve lived as a wanderer since childhood. And what made me strong was not combat alone, but diverse experience.”
―Couldn’t you advance your martial arts through the enlightenment gained from many varied experiences?
This was what Heuk Pyo wished to convey to Bu Eunseol.
“That may well be true.”
Upon hearing Heuk Pyo’s words, my tangled thoughts crystallized with sudden clarity.
There was no need to insist on combat alone. By facing and resolving various tasks, I could advance my martial arts through the insights gained.
“Hehehehe.”
I chuckled softly and spoke.
“You sometimes speak like an old sage who has mastered all worldly affairs.”
“Is that so? Even when I was at Donghyo Seorang, people often called me an old soul. Hehe.”
Heuk Pyo, having made light of it, suddenly furrowed his brow as if remembering something.
“By the way, my premonition seems to have been correct.”
“What do you mean?”
“The master of Su Gyeong Jeon. She didn’t want to see you succeed.”
Heuk Pyo had already sensed it.
Su Gyeong Jeon’s master, Dam Yoo Yeon. She knew of my martial prowess and deliberately handed me tasks that couldn’t be solved by martial arts alone.
“I’m uneasy about all this talk of tests and trials. Why not slip carefully into Shin Nyeo Gung and become a gentleman thief instead?”
“Impossible.”
I shook my head.
“Shin Nyeo Gung houses masters not only skilled in martial arts but also versed in mechanisms. Searching blindly for treasure without knowing where it’s kept would only lead to discovery or being trapped.”
“Is that so?”
Heuk Pyo’s shoulders sagged helplessly.
“There’s another problem. Even if I wanted to take that test, Shin Nyeo Gung doesn’t accept outsiders at all, does it?”
Just then, a clear voice rang out from somewhere.
“Oh? Brother!”
Turning my head, I saw a man dressed in white, his face also concealed by white cloth, pointing directly at me.
It was Nam Goong Woon, whom I had seen just days ago.
“To think we’d meet again here? What a remarkable coincidence!”
“A coincidence you orchestrated yourself.”
I had sensed that he had been doggedly following me ever since Buljeongsan.
However, since he maintained a respectful distance and showed no apparent malice, I had simply allowed it and observed.
“You were aware of it.”
At my cold response, Nam Goong Woon cleared his throat and spoke.
“I never properly thanked you for your assistance back then. So….”
“I wasn’t helping you, so there’s no need to concern yourself.”
As I rose from my seat, Nam Goong Woon raised his hand to stop me.
“Wait.”
He then gestured to his waist and spoke.
“As of yesterday, I too have become a wanderer of Jeok Cheon Mak Ji.”
A purple silk cord hung from his waist.
Like mine, it was the mark of a high-ranking wanderer of Jeok Cheon Mak Ji.
“After passing several tests, they simply gave me this cord.”
The Nangung Family’s wayward son was indeed different—remarkably so.
To casually complete wanderer registration, something even servants of the Eight Great Families wouldn’t do?
Yet I rose without interest.
“Wait, brother. I still have something to say….”
“If you have something to say, speak plainly without hesitation. And remove that cloth from your face.”
Meeting my cold gaze, Nam Goong Woon lowered his head.
“Understood.”
With a sigh, he unwound the cloth concealing his face.
Barely past the threshold of manhood, a handsome young man’s visage emerged, having only recently shed his boyish features.
“Well, due to various circumstances, I’ve ventured into Gangho alone….”
Nam Goong Woon spoke with an embarrassed expression.
“Through this incident, I’ve come to understand something. That matters of Gangho cannot be resolved by martial prowess alone. Above all, one must accumulate experience in Gangho itself.”
Nam Goong Woon spoke to me with utmost sincerity.
“I wish to travel alongside you, brother.”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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