The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 14

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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 14.
“From now on, continue your diligent training in this place.”
“Thank you.”
“Starting tomorrow, you must learn the Hwawoo Sword Sect’s first technique, Hyeonji Wuhyeon. Come to the Training Grounds by dawn.”
Bu Eunseol bowed and turned to leave.
As I made my way slowly out of the Training Grounds, my eyes met those of five disciples waiting outside.
“….”
A chilling coldness emanated from their five pairs of eyes.
I understood what that gaze meant, but I said nothing and simply returned to my quarters.
The entrance to the cave where I stayed was extremely narrow and low.
I had to crawl on my belly just to squeeze through.
Beyond the entrance lay a murky, swampy area reeking of decay, but past that stretched a spacious, level chamber.
Thump.
I lay down on a makeshift bed I had constructed from piled grass and vegetation.
How much time had passed?
Lying peacefully with my eyes shut, I suddenly opened them and exhaled a long sigh.
“So it comes to this.”
I rose slowly and picked up the iron sword I had left beside me.
Then I ventured deep into the dark cave and pushed against a large boulder wedged in the corner.
Rumble.
The massive stone, which seemed immovable, shifted with surprising ease under my hands.
Upon closer inspection, it was not a real boulder at all, but an expertly crafted fake.
Clunk.
As I lowered it with a hollow sound, a hollow space large enough for a person to lie in was revealed beneath the floor.
‘Never did I think that playing with grandfather while making coffins would prove useful here.’
To construct a coffin, one must cut wood into various shapes to form curved surfaces.
I had cut wood from various places on Hell Island and shaped it into curved fake boulders, then plastered them thickly with soil.
Admittedly, in bright light it would appear crude, but in the darkness of the cave, it was nearly indistinguishable.
“Hmm.”
Lying beneath the floor, I lifted the fake boulder back into place.
Not long after,
Whoosh.
Five dark shadows began seeping silently into the cave.
“…She’s not here?”
One of the shadows, scanning the dark interior intently, spoke with irritation.
“You said you saw her come in.”
The shadow across from him shook his head.
“Byeok Yeon Ha said that scrawny girl definitely came in here.”
“But she’s not here.”
“Damn it.”
Beneath the rock, Bu Eunseol’s eyebrows twitched.
One of their voices was hauntingly familiar.
“Isn’t that similar in meaning to sword-body unity or divine-sword unity?”
It was the voice of one of the five trainees who had taken the test alongside her at the Training Grounds.
“That bastard. I really wanted to teach him a lesson!”
“Right? I’ve had a bad feeling about him ever since he showed up in those weird martial robes at first.”
“He hid his strength from the Intermediate Hall onwards and even committed murder.”
“And because that bastard suddenly appeared and showed off, we ended up failing at the Advanced Hall!”
‘So it was you lot after all.’
The five shadows that had invaded the cave were the trainees who had taken the test with her at the Advanced Hall.
They had all failed the examination that Dan Cheon Yang had administered, and they harbored resentment toward Bu Eunseol.
‘Perhaps it would have been better if they had merely looked at me with contempt.’
Bu Eunseol, concealed beneath the rock, wore a bitter smile.
When she had left the Training Grounds today, she had sensed something unusual in the gazes of the five trainees.
As expected, they had come to her cave with the intent to ambush her.
‘There’s no need to kill them, it seems.’
From the way they spoke, it appeared they had come not to end her life, but to beat her thoroughly and vent their frustrations.
‘There’s no guarantee I would win either.’
Though they had failed the Advanced Hall, they were disciples of the Demonic Path Sect who had trained in swordplay for years.
Despite having mastered Beast Path, I lacked experience in multi-opponent combat, making victory uncertain.
“Tch, let’s go.”
Fortunately, they left the cave shortly after.
Once Bu Eunseol sensed their presence had completely vanished, she moved the false rock aside and rose from the ground.
“I’ll need to stay in the Advanced Hall for a while.”
The fortunate thing was that the Advanced Hall was equipped with a cultivation chamber where trainees could practice martial arts day and night.
“…!”
Then Bu Eunseol’s eyes gleamed in the darkness.
A dark silhouette stood upright at the cave entrance where all presence had completely vanished.
“You’ve truly mastered Beast Path.”
The silhouette wore the loose martial robes issued from Hell Island.
However, with black cloth wound tightly around their face and androgynous features, it was difficult to discern whether they were male or female.
Click.
As Bu Eunseol suddenly placed her hand on her iron sword, the silhouette shook their head.
“There’s no need to draw your blade. I didn’t come to fight.”
“….”
“You’re not much of a talker. I like that.”
The silhouette’s voice was deliberately distorted, grinding like metal against metal.
As Bu Eunseol waited with her hand on the sword hilt for what would come next, the silhouette nodded again.
“As you’ve likely guessed, a storm of blood will soon sweep across Hell Island.”
Bu Eunseol’s expression shifted to one of surprise.
Most of the trainees here were unaware of the Second Gate, so they spent their days in leisurely comfort.
But how could this person have deduced such a fact?
“Hmph. Until now, you’ve merely been mingling among the rabble.”
The shadow laughed coldly upon seeing Bu Eunseol’s gaze.
“This place harbors many prodigies with insight and talent rivaling your own.”
“What are you trying to say?”
Bu Eunseol’s question prompted the shadow to speak in a low voice.
“Join our faction.”
“Faction?”
“The Demon Palace’s plan from the start is the Ten Demon Experts. In short, only ten of these countless applicants will be selected.”
Each time the shadow’s voice echoed through the cave, it felt as though ominous storm clouds were gathering.
“Why make such a proposal to me?”
Bu Eunseol spoke matter-of-factly, her expression unmoved.
“Didn’t you just say there are many warriors superior to me?”
“Yet you’re the only one who has mastered the Beast Path of Nangya Sect.”
‘So that’s what this is about.’
Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed slightly.
The shadow before me was likely one of the trainees from the Intermediate Hall of the Hwawoo Sword Sect.
“Moreover, to strike down Byeok Han Sung in a single blow despite wielding a sword for the first time… your chances of becoming one of the Ten Demon Experts are hardly negligible.”
A peculiar fervor emanated from the shadow’s voice.
“Our faction gathers exceptional talents. We share martial insights learned from each Martial Hall and deliberate on what lies ahead.”
“And so?”
“If we unite our strength, we can become the Ten Demon Experts regardless of what unfolds.”
Bu Eunseol nodded inwardly.
In a situation where the future remained uncertain, it was hardly foolish for exceptional warriors from various disciplines to combine their strength.
“You’re accepting?”
At the shadow’s question, Bu Eunseol shook her head firmly.
“I refuse.”
“Why?”
“First, there’s no guarantee that exactly ten will be selected for the Ten Demon Experts.”
“Hmm.”
“If fewer are chosen, I would only be increasing the number of people who know my weaknesses.”
Bu Eunseol’s voice was devoid of emotion.
“Nine enemies who know me well are far more terrifying than a hundred enemies who don’t.”
“Hehehehe. Bu Eunseol. You truly are timid.”
The shadow let out a scornful laugh, then nodded.
“You will later regret rejecting this offer, weeping with tears.”
Then, without hesitation, the shadow vanished into the darkness.
“Hmm.”
Once the shadow’s presence had completely faded, Bu Eunseol lay back down upon the pile of straw.
“Things are going to get harder from here on out.”
Bu Eunseol had survived in the Second Hall precisely because she had been scorned and belittled.
Being recognized as a powerhouse by so many people now was anything but a blessing.
* * *
“The reason our sect’s swordsmanship is acknowledged as supreme among the Demonic Path is because it opens diverse paths to reach enlightenment.”
Inside the Training Grounds of the Advanced Hall at Hwawoo Sword Sect.
Trainees sat at tables while Dan Cheon Yang instructed them in a low voice.
“There are many paths to reach Hwawoo Sword. In this Advanced Hall, you must transform the foundational techniques of Hyeon Ji Woo Hyeon that we have taught you into your own sword forms, creating what we call the Rain of Blades.”
Dan Cheon Yang, holding a wooden branch, extended his hand lightly.
In that instant, the light illuminating the world vanished, and a suffocating darkness seemed to descend upon the earth.
Whoosh.
As the branch danced through the air, a formidable sword energy grazed across the trainees’ cheeks.
‘So this is Hwawoo Sword.’
Bu Eunseol, watching Dan Cheon Yang’s demonstration, drew a deep breath.
In the blink of an eye, all she could see was a single streak of light—even with the heightened senses granted by mastering Beast Path, predicting the trajectory of Hwawoo Sword proved nearly impossible.
‘Without Master Cheon’s teachings, I would never have grasped the profundity of Hwawoo Sword.’
Advanced swordsmanship was like a scholarly discipline.
Without understanding and interpreting the sword principles, no amount of technique practice could lead to mastery of the secret arts.
While learning Lightning Without Equal, I had ceaselessly committed the mysteries and essentials of advanced swordsmanship to memory.
Thanks to that, I could appreciate and comprehend Dan Cheon Yang’s lectures and demonstrations to a considerable degree.
Swish.
Dan Cheon Yang, having fully displayed his sword techniques, calmly tucked the branch into his belt.
A breathless silence filled the Training Grounds—the lingering resonance of the sword forms Dan Cheon Yang had unveiled in that fleeting moment extended far beyond.
“I too merely demonstrated one path derived from countless branches.”
Dan Cheon Yang smiled, observing the trainees’ eyes brimming with reverence.
“As you know, if you can unfold Hyeon Ji Woo Hyeon with exquisite precision, you can break the edge of any sword technique scattered across the realm.”
The foundational techniques of Hyeon Ji Woo Hyeon, which contained the mysteries of Scattered Sword, were most suited for defending against sudden attacks.
Yet due to Dan Cheon Yang’s magnificent sword momentum and swift methods, the techniques appeared as mysteriously subtle as to be invisible.
“Now it seems it is your turn to demonstrate the Rain of Blades you have created.”
His gaze settled upon the eyes of the most ice-still boy among the trainees.
“Bu Eunseol.”
“Yes.”
“Unfold Hyeon Ji Woo Hyeon for me.”
When my eyes met Dan Cheon Yang’s, I let out an internal sigh.
It had already been two weeks since I began training swordsmanship in the Advanced Hall. Every time he taught the principles and sword techniques, Dan Cheon Yang asked me more questions than anyone else.
And now he was even having me demonstrate my first Hwawoo Sword.
‘There’s no helping it.’
As a student, I couldn’t very well complain about receiving attention.
Swallowing a bitter smile, I walked toward the center of the Martial Arts Arena and grasped the sword hilt.
Unsheathe.
As he drew the iron sword, Dan Cheon Yang and the trainees’ expressions grew peculiar.
Like the sun rising in the morning sky, he grasped the iron sword with both hands and held it high above his head.
“….”
A taut tension, as though a bowstring had been drawn taut, filled the air.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a fierce wind erupted.
At the same moment, Bu Eunseol’s iron sword—which had shown no sign of movement—began to cleave through the void.
Whirrrr.
Accompanied by the sound of wind howling, brilliant sword light scattered above Bu Eunseol’s head.
As the countless sword shadows filling the entire sky descended toward the ground, they dispersed in all directions like fireworks.
Slash, slash, slash, slash.
Simultaneously, sharp marks were carved into the ground surrounding where Bu Eunseol stood.
Sword scars as though dozens of massive beasts had clawed across the floor.
The first technique of the Hwawoo Sword—Hyeon Ji Woo Hyeon—unleashed from above like rain, had shredded three or four sections of the Training Grounds completely.
Click.
As Bu Eunseol sheathed her iron sword, a heavy silence descended once more upon the Training Grounds.

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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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