The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 157
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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 157.
―The Ten Demon Immortals of Nangya Sect, Bu Eunseol, had overwhelmed master cultivators!
An incident where three master cultivators were defeated by a single Ten Demon Immortal.
Following the so-called Jang Geom Mountain Lodge incident, tremendous waves rippled through the Murim.
Until then, the Murim’s consensus had been that the Ten Demon Immortals were a tier below master cultivators.
Yet Nangya Sect’s Ten Demon Immortal had defeated Gwan Seok Cheon, a master cultivator from Jeomchang, at Jang Geom Mountain Lodge.
Moreover, she had crushed the combined assault of Han Sung and Cheong Cho Hyeon, master cultivators from Jang Geom Mountain Lodge and the Ami Sect.
―How could that be possible? It must be mere rumor.
Most Murim practitioners who first heard the tale refused to believe it.
No matter how formidable the Ten Demon Immortals’ martial prowess, master cultivators were uniformly late-stage experts who had reached the pinnacle realm.
It was impossible for one person to face two opponents alone.
―To find Nangya Sect’s Ten Demon Immortal, Shaolin’s Eighteen Arhats and Wudang’s Seven Prodigies mobilized.
But
the leading masters of Shaolin and Wudang descended into Gangho, searching for Nangya Sect’s Ten Demon Immortal.
This movement by Shaolin and Wudang ultimately corroborated that all events at Jang Geom Mountain Lodge were truth.
―They seek to restore the tarnished prestige of the Nine Sects One Alliance!
Nangya Sect’s Ten Demon Immortal had achieved victory against the majority of the Nine Sects One Alliance’s masters.
Unable to bear this sight, Shaolin and Wudang moved to seek revenge.
Yet since the Jang Geom Mountain Lodge incident, Nangya Sect’s Ten Demon Immortal had not shown herself in the Murim.
* * *
Nangya Sect, Cheol Jang Peak.
At the edge of a sheer cliff stood a man seated with dignified composure.
Between lustrous black hair, a prominent nose bridge and smooth jawline were visible.
Had it not been for those dark brows, one might have mistaken her for a peerless beauty. It was Bu Eunseol.
“You are like an immortal.”
At that moment, a scholarly figure in flowing azure robes approached from behind.
A middle-aged man with an ethereal bearing and languid eyes.
His clear gaze suggested someone untouched by worldly cares, like a carefree wanderer.
Yet in truth, he was a terrifying figure capable of overturning the entire Murim. He was Dan Cheong, the Pavilion Master of Nangya Sect.
“Pavilion Master.”
Bu Eunseol rose and bowed her head, and Dan Cheong smiled softly.
“Were you cultivating?”
“No.”
In the eyes of Bu Eunseol, who had straightened, a hazy veil of delusion lingered.
Dan Cheong, who had been gazing intently at that look, spoke matter-of-factly.
“You were reminiscing about him, weren’t you.”
“No.”
Though she spoke thus, the haze in Bu Eunseol’s eyes continued to spread.
“Has your body fully recovered now?”
“Yes.”
After Bu Eunseol slew the Grand Master, she returned immediately to Nangya Pavilion.
Part of her intention was to safely recover and nurture her body, which had sustained severe internal injuries.
But more than anything, there was that anomalous symptom that appeared each time.
She had returned to question Hyul Geum Gang about the bizarre phenomenon where her inner power actually grew stronger with each wound she sustained.
However, when Bu Eunseol arrived, Hyul Geum Gang had already departed from Nangya Pavilion.
When she inquired about his whereabouts, even the Fengyun Corps claimed to have no knowledge of where he had gone.
“I had not yet repaid his kindness, and I never expected him to leave so swiftly.”
Until now, Bu Eunseol had studied martial arts from several masters.
But the ones she truly regarded as her teachers in her heart were Sa Woo and Hyul Geum Gang. Because of this, whenever she returned to Nangya Pavilion, she never failed to ascend Cheol Jang Peak.
The foundational cultivation technique.
It was the very foundation of a martial artist and could be called a lighthouse guiding one through an endless sea.
In the Murim, even if one had multiple teachers, the one who transmitted the foundational cultivation technique was revered as the highest master.
One had to remain at their side every day except when sleeping, assisting with inner power cultivation, and only through lengthy explanations of the secret formulas—until one’s breath reeked—could the basics barely be mastered.
In short, transmitting a foundational cultivation technique was equivalent to carefully raising a complete stranger’s newborn child.
Such a level of commitment.
And Hyul Geum Gang had raised that child into a young man possessing the highest caliber of inner power in the entire Murim.
“He promised to transmit the Extreme Reversal technique to this Pavilion’s disciples. It was merely an exchange of conditions, so you owe no debt.”
“That is not so.”
“Not so?”
Bu Eunseol shook her head firmly.
“You did not merely transmit only the foundational cultivation technique to me.”
“What do you mean by that?”
After pondering briefly, Bu Eunseol pointed to the area beneath the cliff where she had been sitting.
There, characters had been carved by a sharp wind blade.
―By the time you find Bin Seung again, you will have begun to sense anomalies in your body.
But do not worry. This phenomenon occurs as the Primordial True Qi I previously infused merges with your own True Qi.
“Primordial True Qi?”
Dan Cheong blinked as he read through the carved characters.
There lay the explanation for why Bu Eunseol’s martial power had surged so dramatically.
And detailed reasons for why her inner power had grown stronger each time she sustained injury.
“Hyul Geum Gang—he infused you with Primordial True Qi?”
“Yes. When my True Qi ran rampant while cultivating the Extreme Reversal technique, he generously infused me with his own to heal me.”
“Hmm….”
Dan Cheong spoke with a very grave expression.
“Might this Pavilion Master take your pulse?”
“Of course.”
As Bu Eunseol extended her arm, Dan Cheong attempted to press two fingers against her pulse point.
Thwip.
But the moment his fingers touched the pulse point, a spring-like rebound force erupted, violently flinging his fingers away.
‘What?’
Dan Cheong stared intently at Bu Eunseol, sensing something amiss.
“I’m merely taking your pulse. There’s no need to be so guarded.”
“What do you mean, sir?”
Yet something felt distinctly wrong.
Bu Eunseol seemed to feel nothing at all, merely blinking her eyes—she hadn’t deliberately resisted his probing at all?
‘Could it be… she didn’t intentionally create that counter-force?’
Flustered, Dan Cheong pressed harder with his two fingers, forcefully grasping Bu Eunseol’s pulse point.
‘This is…’
As Dan Cheong assessed Bu Eunseol’s true energy circulation and cultivation level, his eyes lost all focus.
‘Her inner strength has reached such a level…’
Dan Cheong’s clenched teeth involuntarily parted.
Bu Eunseol’s cultivation level had far surpassed three heavenly cycles—
she was already beyond that threshold.
‘Three heavenly cycles… three heavenly cycles?’
Though martial contests weren’t decided by inner strength alone,
at this level, she could match the greatest masters of the age in a direct contest of power.
‘Hyul Geum Gang has created a monster!’
“What’s wrong?” Bu Eunseol asked.
Dan Cheong, whose eyes had widened and mouth hung agape, cleared his throat and composed his expression at her question.
“Nothing at all. Your inner strength is quite formidable.”
“Thank you.”
Dan Cheong withdrew his hand from her pulse point and muttered in a low voice.
“Indeed, throughout all of Tianxia and the Murim, only the Reverse Extreme Heart Method can transfer inner force to another.”
After glancing around Cheol Jang Peak for a moment, he spoke again.
“Hyul Geum Gang has left you as his alter ego.”
Dan Cheong was mistaken.
He believed that all of Bu Eunseol’s cultivation came from the primordial true energy that Hyul Geum Gang had infused into her.
Had he known that half of the primordial true energy Hyul Geum Gang had transferred lay dormant deep within Bu Eunseol’s eight extraordinary meridians?
He would have leaped up from Cheol Jang Peak in shock.
“However, this is not entirely fortunate,” Dan Cheong said with a worried expression.
Dan Cheong continued with concern.
“When cultivation power increases rapidly through elixirs or external aid, certain problems can arise.”
“What problems, sir?”
“If you give a sharp blade to one just beginning to learn swordplay, what happens?”
Dan Cheong explained methodically.
“The same applies to inner strength cultivation. If one cannot control suddenly increased power, it can actually harm the body.”
Bu Eunseol had built an exceptionally solid foundation through the breathing techniques Bu Chanyang taught her, accumulating tremendous inner power in her dantian.
Thus she had already reached a level where she could precisely control her three heavenly cycles of power—
yet Dan Cheong worried for her like a money changer instructing a nouveau riche on managing their sudden wealth.
“Please don’t worry. I will work even harder to prove myself.”
Even Hyul Geum Gang, who had transmitted the Inverse Extreme Heart Method, remained at the fifth stage.
Yet that alone was sufficient to face the masters of Tianxia without yielding an inch.
The stages beyond that were truly uncharted territory.
But Bu Eunseol sensed that her current realm was insufficient, and she vowed to achieve something greater.
“Yes.”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Dan Cheong smiled broadly.
“You have the capability to do it.”
“But what brings you here in person?”
Bu Eunseol had noticed the worry etched between Dan Cheong’s brows all along, and she asked carefully.
“Has word come from the Demon Palace?”
“Yes.”
Dan Cheong exhaled deeply before speaking.
“Ma Cheon Je has finally emerged from his seclusion.”
Bu Eunseol was not greatly surprised.
She had already received hints from the Fengyun Corps Master, and besides, it had nothing to do with her.
“It does not concern me. I have no intention of becoming a successor candidate for the Demon Palace anyway.”
“What did you say?”
Dan Cheong’s expression became peculiar.
“You have already killed three masters of the great stage.”
“That was not to become a successor candidate for the Demon Palace.”
“Hmm.”
Dan Cheong let out a curious exclamation.
Bu Eunseol, lacking ambition and treating Nangya Sect as her own home, was admirable in his eyes.
Yet on the other hand, it was utterly absurd.
“The position of successor to the Demon Palace is something every cultivator of the Demonic Path dreams of. Do you truly lack ambition?”
“I am a disciple of Nangya Sect. Is that not enough?”
“Hahaha.”
At Bu Eunseol’s answer, Dan Cheong burst into hearty laughter.
Like watching a grandchild at play, a warm smile bloomed across his face.
“Had the Pavilion Master heard those words, he would have been greatly pleased.”
Dan Cheong, who had worn a smile, soon shook his head with a grave expression.
“But to answer your question—it is not possible.”
“Why is that?”
“Because you must become the successor to the Demon Palace.”
It was an unexpected answer.
“Me?”
As Bu Eunseol wore a bewildered expression, Dan Cheong spoke with solemn gravity.
“Yes. And there are three reasons for this.”
Dan Cheong, who had gazed at the distant sky for a moment, opened his mouth with weight.
“First, though you are young, you have mastered the authentic martial techniques of our sect most thoroughly—to the point where further refinement of martial arts holds no meaning.”
He paused briefly before continuing in a low voice.
“Therefore, learning different martial arts from the masters of this Sect has become meaningless.”
It was an accurate assessment.
The Boundless Heavenly Stream that Bu Eunseol had mastered contained all the techniques of Tianxia’s sword arts.
There was only one reason for this.
In the past, Dan Cheong had transmitted all the variations of Tianxia’s sword arts to Bu Eunseol through a single sword form.
And Bu Eunseol had grasped all those variations in just one year. Moreover, based on those variations, she had continuously developed her sword arts through sparring with masters of the Murim.
Therefore, there was no longer any need to learn the martial arts of the Nangya Sect’s masters.
“What is the second reason?”
“Your goal is simply to become stronger, is it not? To achieve that, learning Ma Cheon Je’s martial arts would be a far more effective path to strength than training here in this Sect.”
“I have not yet fully mastered the martial arts I have already comprehended.”
Bu Eunseol shook her head.
“And I believe that the martial arts of this Sect alone will be sufficient for me to grow stronger.”
Dan Cheong nodded inwardly.
In truth, Nangya Sect had produced the greatest master under heaven multiple times.
It was simply that few possessed the capacity to perfectly digest its mysterious and unfathomable practical martial arts.
Should one fully master it, they could indeed reign as the greatest under heaven.
“Of course that is true. But is that not an extraordinarily difficult path?”
“I will accomplish it.”
“Well, perhaps. But it is this third reason that makes it absolutely necessary for you to go to the Demon Palace.”
Dan Cheong paused before speaking with a grave expression.
“The Master of the Demon Palace has summoned you directly.”
This time, even Bu Eunseol could not hide her surprise.
“You mean Ma Cheon Je?”
“Yes. The Supreme Leader of the Demon Palace told the Master about you.”
Dark King Yeop Hyo Cheon.
A master belonging to the Four Gods Seven Kings and the Supreme Leader of the Demon Palace, he had only exchanged a brief conversation with Bu Eunseol.
Yet why would he have told Ma Cheon Je about her?
“In truth, the Ten Demon Experts have already done enough to tolerate the schemes of the Ten Demonic Gates’ successors.”
Dan Cheong spoke as if to satisfy Bu Eunseol’s curiosity.
“But now that a talent has appeared who can boldly break through them, it seems they wish to prevent any further sordid machinations.”
Bu Eunseol recalled Yeop Hyo Cheon smiling faintly in the darkness.
Now that she thought about it, he seemed to have orchestrated all the major moves from the perspective of the Ten Demon Experts.
“Since the Master of the Demon Palace has made his move, the Pavilion Master will likely emerge soon as well. So it would be better to go to the Demon Palace before that happens.”
“Why is that?”
“Once the Pavilion Master emerges, he will absolutely never send you before the Master of the Demon Palace.”
Dan Cheong glanced at Bu Eunseol and smiled slyly.
“I, as Vice Pavilion Master, wish for you to meet Ma Cheon Je and undergo various trials so that you may leap forward faster and stronger. But the Pavilion Master… harbors a sense of rivalry toward Ma Cheon Je.”
“A sense of rivalry…”
Bu Eunseol, pondering Dan Cheong’s words, asked with a puzzled expression.
“Then the reason Master Ma Cheon Je and the Pavilion Master entered seclusion….”
“Yes. It is time you knew.”
Dan Cheong gazed at the distant sky for a moment before speaking in a hushed voice.
“The Pavilion Master and the Demon Hall Master entered seclusion together because… the two of them clashed so fiercely that heaven and earth themselves seemed to tear asunder.”
Thump.
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened as if struck from behind.
The Nangya Pavilion Master and Ma Cheon Je had fought each other?
The authority of the Two Righteous Heavens, who had reached the pinnacle of martial arts, was nothing short of absolute.
No matter how much the Nangya Pavilion Master belonged to the Three Demons Three Venerables as a world-shocking transcendent…
Compared to Ma Cheon Je, called the absolute ruler of the Demonic Path, the difference was as vast as heaven and earth.
“The Murim may not know this, but the Demon Hall Master and the Pavilion Master have been testing their martial arts against each other for a long time. Master Ma Cheon Je was able to ascend to that position precisely because he continually clashed with the Pavilion Master.”
In that instant, Bu Eunseol’s heart raced.
Did that mean the Nangya Pavilion Master was a master comparable to Ma Cheon Je?
“Then… has the Pavilion Master also reached the pinnacle of the Infinite Realm?”
“No one has ever witnessed the clash between those two. How could I possibly fathom the martial prowess of the Pavilion Master or the Demon Hall Master?”
In truth, Dan Cheong was a peerless master who had reached the very edge of the Extreme Heaven Realm and stood on the threshold of the Infinite Realm.
Yet even so, the martial realm of the Nangya Pavilion Master or Ma Cheon Je, who had attained the supreme pinnacle—the boundary of the Infinite Realm—was beyond his comprehension.
“Still, even within the Infinite Realm, there are differences according to one’s enlightenment. Moreover, beyond that lies the Heavenly Will Realm, a realm of mystery, does it not?”
Watching Bu Eunseol’s eyes sparkle with childlike wonder, Dan Cheong smiled faintly.
“In any case, I have nothing more to tell you. Baek Yeon, the Fengyun Corps Master, is also out in the Gangho attending to various matters….”
Baek Yeon of the Fengyun Corps was traversing the Gangho, directing intelligence networks upon hearing news of Ma Cheon Je’s return.
With such a figure capable of reshaping the landscape of the Righteous Path Murim reemerging, he sought to carefully grasp the currents and movements of the Gangho.
“Soon, the Demon Hall will send envoys.”
Dan Cheong patted Bu Eunseol’s shoulder.
“Now go forth and face this new destiny.”
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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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