The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 139

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

Chapter 139.
Jinyang possessed a vast lake known as Unmong Lake.
Poets and scholars who came to indulge in refined pleasures, as well as sightseers, would set boats adrift upon its waters and enjoy wine within them.
Bu Eunseol too had ventured out from Jinhyang Pavilion for the first time in a while, and now sat alone composing poetry upon a small boat floating on Unmong Lake.
To her ears came the rhythmic splash of the boatman’s oar, the boisterous laughter of wine-drinkers, and the melodies and songs of courtesans aboard nearby vessels.
I savored the mingled sounds that drifted to my ears, and from time to time, I admired the moonlight reflected upon the lake’s surface.
Though I had emptied an entire jar of wine, not a trace of intoxication touched me, and my gaze grew ever deeper.
‘The purpose of Demonic Path martial arts lies in severing an enemy’s life swiftly and decisively. Perhaps the flaw in Demonic Path martial arts stems from precisely that point?’
Whether eating, drinking wine, or even sleeping—
Bu Eunseol had devoted herself without rest to studying the principles of martial arts, and her martial prowess was advancing at a staggering pace.
Yet, ever since entering the Murim, had I not relentlessly driven myself through harsh training?
Even when savoring delicious food, or indulging in such leisurely pleasures as I did now with ample coin—I could feel neither joy nor happiness.
‘Yeo Hwan Jin’s Hundred Severing Continuous Ring technique too could not escape such limitations.’
Contemplating even the flaws of Demonic Path martial arts left my mind turbulent.
‘My current objective remains clear: the Great Masters.’
Having chosen to walk the path of the Ten Demon Experts, confrontation with the Great Masters was inevitable.
Should I allow my focus to scatter on trivial matters, I might well fall to them.
‘The remaining Great Masters number sixteen… or perhaps seventeen.’
Young Ji Wi, who fell to me at the Jeong Mu Dae Hoe.
He possessed a genius-level intuition, yet had grown negligent in cultivating his martial prowess.
But humans, upon achieving enlightenment, can advance with dazzling speed.
If that defeat had granted Young Ji Wi such enlightenment, then perhaps another formidable master had been born into the Murim.
Splash, splash.
At that moment, a lavishly decorated boat began to slowly approach, cutting through the water toward my vessel.
“Oh my?”
Upon the boat stood a woman whose face was strikingly familiar.
She was the same woman I had seen at Jinhyang Pavilion.
“What a remarkable coincidence to meet you here!”
The woman, her smile brighter than moonlight itself, cast a warm gaze toward Bu Eunseol.
“Surely this is fate—won’t you share a drink with me?”
‘She’s changed her approach.’
Bu Eunseol offered a wry smile.
Her nature was relentless; it seemed she now intended to build rapport so that she might ask to borrow Seogang Pavilion.
“I have plenty of wine here.”
Bu Eunseol was naturally inclined to refuse.
“…!”
Yet in the distance, a large boat cutting across Unmong Lake came into view.
Upon it stood martial artists clad in azure robes, their eyes sharp and vigilant as they surveyed their surroundings.
They were none other than masters of the Jongnam Sect.
‘They’ve come this far.’
Bu Eunseol’s eyes gleamed with sudden awareness.
Among all the boats moored at the lakeside, only Bu Eunseol sat alone, drinking by herself.
If I remained here motionless, the keen eyes of the Jongnam Sect’s masters might very well take notice.
“This isn’t ordinary wine.”
At that moment, the woman’s eyes widened with wonder.
“This is the Hundred Herb Wine that’s said to be nearly impossible to obtain even for a thousand gold pieces. And furthermore….”
“Splendid.”
“Pardon?”
“Let’s share a drink.”
Without hesitation, Bu Eunseol boarded the large boat the woman was on.
“I knew you were someone who appreciated fine things!”
She broke into a radiant smile, revealing her neat teeth.
She likely assumed Bu Eunseol, being a wealthy idle nobleman, would recognize the true value of Hundred Herb Wine.
“Let’s begin.”
Having boarded without hesitation, Bu Eunseol settled before the wine table arranged on the boat.
The woman then offered her a large drinking cup.
“I’ve heard that Hundred Herb Wine reveals its true essence only when drunk from such a wide, generous cup.”
She poured the wine generously into the cup.
Hundred Herb Wine, crafted from a blend of a hundred medicinal herbs. Yet it carried no medicinal scent whatsoever—instead, it released a subtle fragrance reminiscent of rice wine.
Gulp, gulp.
Bu Eunseol drained the cup in one unbroken draught.
The woman clapped her hands and laughed as if witnessing something marvelous.
“You drink with such refreshing boldness! If your everyday temperament matched that directness and vigor, it would be perfect. For instance….”
As the woman chattered away, a boat carrying Jongnam Sect masters drew near.
“….”
The Jongnam Sect masters did not approach further, instead observing the two from a distance with fixed gazes.
To all appearances, it was simply a picturesque scene of a handsome man and beautiful woman seated across from each other, sharing wine in intimate conversation.
After watching the pair for a while from afar, they eventually passed by.
‘They’ve gone.’
Watching the boat carrying the Jongnam Sect masters disappear into the distance, I inwardly sensed the formidable strength of the Nine Sects One Alliance.
‘Their master tier runs deep.’
Judging by their bearing, which was far from ordinary, they appeared to be first-generation disciples of the same rank as Yeo Hwan Jin.
“Oh right, we haven’t even exchanged names yet.”
The woman extended her hand toward Bu Eunseol.
“My name is Gu… Gu Cheong Jeong.”
‘A lie.’
Her evasive gaze and hesitant speech made it abundantly clear she had given a false name.
But Bu Eunseol paid it no mind. There was neither interest nor need to know.
“Bu Eunseol.”
“Bu Eunseol….”
This time, it was Gu Cheong Jeong’s turn to wear a puzzled expression. She pondered for a long moment, but no one came to mind.
‘There’s no trace of martial training, and I don’t see any weapons either… So he’s just a wealthy scholar, I suppose.’
“I see.”
As she smiled brightly, Bu Eunseol rose from her seat and spoke.
“The wine was excellent. I’ll take my leave now.”
“You’re leaving already? You’ve only had one cup.”
“How could I squander such precious hundred-year-old liquor?”
“Are you returning to the Inn?”
“Yes.”
“Do you really need to use all five of the separate pavilions?”
Gu Cheong Jeong possessed a remarkably persistent and tenacious nature.
Bu Eunseol regarded her quietly for a moment before asking calmly.
“It’s surely not truly about Sam Muk’s calligraphy plaque. Why do you insist so desperately on the Seogang Pavilion? Are you meeting someone there?”
“How did you know?”
“It’s obvious, isn’t it?”
Bu Eunseol exhaled deeply.
“Unless you’re a calligraphy connoisseur, there’s no need to admire Sam Muk’s work for days on end, is there?”
If she merely wanted to view Sam Muk’s plaque in the Seogang Pavilion, there would be no reason to lodge there persistently.
“Fine. I’ll be honest with you.”
This time, Gu Cheong Jeong wore a bitter smile.
“I arranged to meet old friends from Gangho whom I’ve maintained relations with for a long time.”
“Friends?”
“Yes. I reserved the Seogang Pavilion—one of the separate pavilions at the Unrae Guest House that has Sam Muk’s calligraphy—so we could meet there.”
“Then why didn’t you arrive earlier?”
“Of course, I sent someone about a month ago. But they said it was fully booked even then.”
She shrugged her shoulders.
“The truth is, we came to Gangho against our parents’ wishes. We couldn’t afford to book leisurely.”
She was pouring out even unasked details, yet her tone and demeanor carried no malice—only genuine warmth.
She was undoubtedly a member of a relatively moderate and well-connected family within the Demonic Path.
“There’s no helping it.”
Bu Eunseol sighed deeply and spoke.
“Use the Seogang Pavilion.”
“Really, truly?”
“Yes.”
After all, I had resolved to do this from the moment I shared that drink.
In Murim, if you accept something, you must repay its worth properly.
“However, only the Seogang Pavilion. Do not enter anywhere else under any circumstances. I dislike complications.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
As the matter resolved smoothly, Gu Cheong Jeong beamed and spoke.
“You’re not as rigid as I thought, after all.”
Bu Eunseol shook her head, a dry laugh caught in her throat.
“I’ll take my leave first.”
“Wait.”
Gu Cheong Jeong stepped in front of Bu Eunseol, her voice tinged with anxiety.
“A man’s word spoken at noon is worth its weight in gold. Never go back on it or regret it.”
“There’s no reason to.”
Bu Eunseol answered curtly and turned away with an empty gesture.
* * *
Bu Eunseol regretted her decision.
No matter how tightly I sealed away the Beast Path’s senses, my perception remained far sharper than any ordinary human’s.
Yet Gu Cheong Jeong’s friends, whom she had brought to the Seogang Pavilion, had spent the entire night chattering and drinking, preventing me from conducting proper cultivation.
―Hahahaha! That was truly exhilarating back then!
Even now, with dawn breaking, drunken voices still echoed from the Seogang Pavilion.
‘They’re planning to drink for a full day straight.’
The drinking session that had begun in the afternoon was stretching into the early morning hours.
By the look of things, they would continue until sunrise.
‘I shouldn’t even dream of cultivation until they leave.’
Cultivation requires all senses and consciousness to be directed inward.
A single mistake could result in internal injuries, or worse, a deviation into demonic cultivation.
―By the way, Master Sam Muk is truly remarkable!
At that moment, a voice drifted from the Seogang Pavilion.
―When he wrote this plaque, he drank eight measures of wine and still produced such exquisite calligraphy!
Sam Muk had a fondness for wine and possessed an extraordinary capacity for it.
Thus, the anecdote had been passed down that he had written the Seogang Pavilion’s plaque while having consumed eight measures of wine.
‘Eight measures of wine, and yet the plaque was written so flawlessly…’
As I listened to the idle chatter from the Seogang Pavilion, a sudden thought struck me.
‘The characters Sam Muk wrote on that plaque were remarkably precise.’
It was not merely a matter of having a strong constitution.
Even when intoxicated beyond reason, even in pain, even when the body was failing…
Masters of calligraphy practice until they can write correctly under any circumstance. And warriors must be no different.
‘If external disturbances impair one’s cultivation, how can one claim to have mastered the profound arts? What is called “the mind governs the generation of vital energy”—心馭造氣—is the essence of deep cultivation.
Thus, warriors seek only quietude during their practice.
But what if one considered the opposite? Should one not train to overcome any disturbance?
‘This is a perfect opportunity.’
Bu Eunseol changed her mind.
She would attempt cultivation amidst that endless chatter.
Endless refinement and challenge.
And just as one eats and breathes…I integrated martial arts into every aspect of life, constantly advancing through it.
This was precisely why I could grow stronger faster than anyone else, despite not possessing exceptional natural talent.
Despite his lack of exceptional natural talent, the reason he was able to become stronger faster than anyone else was precisely because of this.
A low hum resonated.
As I began circulating my inner energy, subtle points of light cascaded from my body.
Without dismissing the torrent of chatter around me, I maintained my focus and commenced the cultivation.
How much time had elapsed?
A low hum resonated.
With the vibration, Bu Eunseol opened her eyes, having completed her cultivation.
What was remarkable was that, unlike usual, no luminous points bloomed from her body, and the radiant light pouring from her eyes had grown noticeably fainter.
Return to Simplicity, Return to Truth.
The deeper one’s inner power grew, the more distinctive traits faded, gradually transforming into an ordinary appearance.

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