The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 174

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

Chapter 174.
A sharp metallic ring!
As the offensive intensified, the dark sword finally revealed itself.
Hyuk So Jin’s martial arts grew more formidable with each technique deployed, making it impossible to evade using only extreme speed shadow techniques.
Ching! Clang clang clang!
The dark sword and treasure blade collided repeatedly with metallic resonance.
Bu Eunseol methodically neutralized each of Hyuk So Jin’s endless initial moves.
“Haah. Haah.”
No matter how frantically he unleashed his attacks, they proved futile.
The more he attacked, the more exhausted Hyuk So Jin became, while Bu Eunseol stood towering like the heavens themselves, responding with unshakeable composure.
“Are you boasting about how many martial arts you’ve mastered?”
A sharp whistling sound.
Each time Bu Eunseol spun the dark sword with ferocity, Hyuk So Jin’s sword techniques were helplessly deflected.
“Rather than dazzling others with a flashy display of numerous techniques, it’s better to transform a single martial art that you can execute with true mastery.”
Upon hearing those words, Hyuk So Jin ceased the palm technique he’d been developing with his left hand, instead alternating solely between the Ten Thousand Thunder Blood Sword and the True Dragon Demon Sword forms.
Though the power wasn’t as overwhelming as when using both hands, his techniques became far more refined and stable.
‘Impressive.’
Bu Eunseol nodded as she observed him.
‘It’s no wonder he’s called a genius.’
With just a single remark, Hyuk So Jin grasped the meaning immediately and responded.
Once he had a clear objective and began his efforts, his innate talent invariably manifested without fail.
“Your immediate adaptation is commendable, but it lacks depth.”
Bu Eunseol swung the dark sword lightly, as if holding a willow branch, deflecting Hyuk So Jin’s attacks.
“If you cannot synthesize the martial knowledge in your mind, then remember only what’s useful. I can see you’re selecting techniques in your head before executing them.”
Ching!
As Bu Eunseol poured her full strength into a powerful swing of the dark sword, Hyuk So Jin was sent flying backward three paces.
“Ugh.”
As Hyuk So Jin staggered, releasing a heavy groan, Bu Eunseol spoke in a low voice.
“That’s enough for today.”
“Just… a little more, please.”
“In that condition with your legs?”
Hyuk So Jin’s legs, as he gasped for breath, had gone completely limp.
Because he’d neglected martial training for so long, he couldn’t even maintain basic physical stamina.
“Just one more round!”
Stubbornness ignited within Hyuk So Jin as he raised his sword again and charged forward.
In that instant, a cold cyan light burst forth from Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
A brilliant flash!
Simultaneously, lightning in the shape of the character for “之” flickered, and before he could react, the dark sword was pressed against Hyuk So Jin’s throat.
She had deployed the Unparalleled Thunder Lightning technique.
A soft gulp.
Even though the blade’s tip hadn’t made contact with his neck, Hyuk So Jin’s skin split open and blood poured forth.
“Let me teach you one final thing.”
Bu Eunseol, her sword held against Hyuk So Jin’s throat, spoke in an icy voice.
“Equanimity.”
Bu Eunseol’s expression grew solemn as she continued.
“In a battle where life and death hang by a thread’s breadth, losing your composure is no different than fighting with both hands bound.”
“….”
“Remember this: no matter how exquisite your martial techniques, without a calm mind, you can never claim victory in combat.”
Clang.
Bu Eunseol sheathed her sword and turned away coldly without a backward glance.
Hyuk So Jin exhaled deeply, struck simultaneously by enlightenment and shame.
“Why did I squander so much time….”
He shook his head, his murmur trailing off.
“I don’t even have time for regrets.”
Now, even the moment to lament felt like a waste.
Whether by cutting sleep or sacrificing meal times—I had to reclaim the years I’d lost to nothing.
* * *
After that, the battles between Bu Eunseol and Hyuk So Jin continued without pause.
As the fierce exchanges wore on, Hyuk So Jin maintained composure and clarity. His techniques grew increasingly refined, unnecessary movements gradually falling away.
―If you cannot synthesize all martial arts, then remember only what is useful!
Accepting Bu Eunseol’s counsel, Hyuk So Jin began categorizing the three hundred-odd demonic techniques stored in his mind.
Synthesizing the strengths of multiple martial disciplines remained a difficult task for him.
After careful deliberation, I selected several techniques suited to my temperament and began studying them in depth.
Thus was born the Ten Demonic Arts.
Hyun Hyo Ma Ji.
Dark Heaven Demon Dragon Palm.
Maha Ming Jade Fist.
Ten Thousand Thunder Blood Sword.
Dark Blood Flame Palm.
True Dragon Demon Sword Form.
Jeol Hon Myul Soo.
Myeol Hon Sword Method.
Pipa Seom Soo.
Ice Soul Annihilation Sword.
These were demonic techniques that even those of ordinary talent would struggle to master in a lifetime of cultivation.
Yet for Hyuk So Jin, these represented a careful selection from among three hundred-odd demonic martial arts.
―My basic physical strength is still lacking.
Moreover, to continue battling against masters like Bu Eunseol required the endurance and perseverance of a camel.
To build his strength, Hyuk So Jin increased his food intake and spent his spare moments running through the Forest. He cultivated energy instead of sleeping, and during meals, he studied the martial techniques stored in his mind.
Finally, on the tenth day.
Ching!
With a crystalline metallic ring, Bu Eunseol’s ink blade and Hyuk So Jin’s treasure sword collided in mid-air.
Simultaneously, their blades clung together like magnets, and a powerful wave of inner force rippled outward in concentric circles.
They had entered a contest of inner power.
Throb, throb.
Thick veins began to bulge across Hyuk So Jin’s forehead.
“Ugh…”
No matter how hard he pushed, Bu Eunseol’s formidable inner reserves remained unmoved, pressing down upon his body.
“Did you not anticipate that closing to melee range would trigger an inner power confrontation?”
“Gasp!”
The moment Bu Eunseol opened her mouth during the inner power clash, Hyuk So Jin was so startled that the inner force he had been pouring out became scattered.
At that same instant, just as a sharp strand of inner power was about to pierce into Hyuk So Jin’s meridians,
Whoosh.
With the sound of air deflating, his body suddenly felt lighter.
Bu Eunseol had instantly withdrawn her inner force while simultaneously absorbing the inner power that Hyuk So Jin was unleashing.
Hisss.
White vapor poured from Bu Eunseol’s body as she accepted Hyuk So Jin’s sharp inner force directly.
Yet she stood there as calmly as if she had merely felt a gentle breeze.
“Hah… hah…”
Hyuk So Jin’s expression twisted as he gasped for breath.
Ten days of grueling effort…
And yet he had failed to inflict even the slightest injury upon Bu Eunseol.
“I have lost.”
Hyuk So Jin’s expression was dark as he lowered his head.
For ten days he had devoted himself entirely to training his martial arts and physical endurance. Yet he could not land a single blow on Bu Eunseol’s body…
The despair he felt was beyond words.
“As promised, I will abandon my plans to venture into Gangho.”
Hyuk So Jin smiled, swallowing his desolate expression.
“Your martial prowess is the finest among the successors of the Ten Demonic Gates, so you will surely become the successor to the Demon Palace.”
As he turned away with a bitter smile, Bu Eunseol’s low voice reached his ears.
“I will permit you to accompany me.”
“What are you saying? I lost the wager.”
“It was never relevant to begin with. The outcome of the wager meant nothing.”
Hyuk So Jin’s eyebrows twitched as he turned back around.
“I do not need your pity.”
“It is not pity.”
Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
“I owe you a debt, and I am merely repaying it.”
“A debt?”
“Thanks to you, I have come to understand the practical applications of the Jeol Cheon Myul Ji demonic arts that I had not grasped clearly before. I am simply repaying that debt.”
“I have no idea what nonsense you’re talking about.”
“Perhaps you were too idle to hear me.”
As Hyuk So Jin’s brow furrowed deeply, Bu Eunseol continued.
“I too have mastered a considerable portion of Jeol Cheon Myeol Ji’s demonic arts. That is why I have been able to defend against your attacks so effortlessly until now.”
“The demonic arts of our sect…?”
“Indeed. During my time in Do Won Hyang, I received instruction in Jeol Cheon Myeol Ji’s demonic arts from the demons dwelling there.”
“Those elders taught you martial techniques?”
Instead of answering, a faint smile graced Bu Eunseol’s lips.
“However, I only learned through oral transmission and by observing demonstrations. I have not yet fully mastered them.”
Only then did Hyuk So Jin’s sharp, blade-like brows twitch as understanding dawned.
“So in other words, I have become the teacher who instructs you in those demonic arts.”
“Precisely.”
“Ha ha.”
Hyuk So Jin let out a hollow laugh, his expression deflated.
The reason Bu Eunseol had been able to defend against his attacks so easily was not due to a vast difference in martial prowess—but because she had seen through his techniques completely.
Moreover, all their battles thus far had been nothing more than practical instruction for her.
“I see now.”
Hyuk So Jin exhaled a deep sigh mixed with relief.
“I was ignorant of this and thought our martial abilities were separated by heaven and earth.”
He laughed freely, dusting off his hands as he spoke.
“Very well. Since you have already secured the sect’s support, it matters little whether you have learned some martial techniques from me.”
Hyuk So Jin’s brows drew tight as he spoke with utmost sincerity.
“I look forward to our journey through Gangho together.”
* * *
They had now reached a distance from which they could arrive at Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong within ten days if they employed their full speed in lightness martial arts.
However, Bu Eunseol and Hyuk So Jin did not hurry—they hired a carriage instead.
Their purpose was to refine their martial arts through sparring matches during the journey to Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong.
During daylight, they traveled by carriage. When dusk fell, they would stop and camp under the stars.
In secluded places, they would spar through the night or study martial techniques.
By this time, Hyuk So Jin had absorbed every aspect of Bu Eunseol’s attitude and character.
He too researched martial techniques even while eating, and devoted himself to cultivation without sleep.
Every moment, including each breath, was devoted to advancing his martial arts.
After about a month had passed, Hyuk So Jin’s martial progress had become remarkable.
His Divine Flame Demonic Qi had broken through the sixth tier, and his sparring with Bu Eunseol had reached a level of relative equality.
“We have arrived at Gyerim.”
Hyuk So Jin descended from the carriage and nodded as he gazed upon the endless mountain ranges spread before him like a folding screen.
Gyerim’s mountains and waters are the finest under heaven.
The scenery of Gyerim is unparalleled in all the world.
Gyerim, a place where sweet osmanthus flowers bloom in profusion.
Here lay Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong, one of the Ten Demonic Gates.
In the past, Bu Eunseol had visited Gyerim once before—to investigate the true identity of Gong Sshi Ssang Ma, who oversaw the Ayang branch of the Guusal Unit.
“Hmm.”
As if to erase the bitter memories of that time, Bu Eunseol quickened her pace.
“Let us proceed.”
Following the river by boat, one could witness the magnificent landscape of Gyerim unfold—thousands upon thousands of jagged stone peaks stretching endlessly before the eye.
Limestone, being vulnerable to water, erodes easily and develops countless cavities. Thus, hidden within these mountains lay a labyrinth of wondrous caves.
Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong.
This place was originally home to the Cha Nyeo Pa, an organization where masters of the Soul Seizing Technique gathered.
Combined with the Hwan Hui Gung, which specialized in the Path of Essence Absorption—a technique to drain masculine vitality from men—a new sect was born.
Both organizations shared the common practice of employing secret feminine arts, and their martial techniques complemented each other’s deficiencies perfectly.
When the two sects merged, their secret methods ascended to unprecedented heights, eventually becoming one of the ten pillars that upheld the Demonic Path itself.
“Remarkable.”
Hyuk So Jin, having entered the massive cave entrance riddled with holes, let out an exclamation of wonder.
The entrance to Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong, situated in this hidden realm, was extraordinarily unique—one had to pass through a cave completely filled with water.
“Let us venture inside.”
Bu Eunseol took the lead.
The water-filled cave was adorned with stones that sparkled with an ethereal luminescence like night-pearls, creating an atmosphere of profound mystery.
‘Astounding. There exists a treasure capable of repelling water.’
Even Bu Eunseol could not hide her admiration.
Transparent stones positioned throughout the cave’s interior prevented water from encroaching into the passage.
Thus, despite the cave being completely submerged, both travelers passed through without a single drop touching them.
“Hmm.”
Upon reaching the cave’s end, countless Palace Halls came into view beyond the transparent water barrier.
Reflecting the sunlight, the exteriors of these structures gleamed with iridescent colors, evoking the image of a mystical palace from a fairy tale.
“Extravagant.”
Bu Eunseol clicked her tongue while gazing at the resplendent Palace Halls visible beyond the water.
“To cover everything with such expensive silver-jade stone…”
“There is nothing particularly extravagant about it.”
Hyuk So Jin replied with a composed smile.
“When it comes to wealth, this place surpasses all others in the Demonic Path.”
Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong was the predecessor of the Hwan Hui Gung, which once dominated all courtesans throughout Tianxia.
The Hwan Hui Gung accumulated immense wealth through operating pleasure houses and gathering intelligence from countless sources.
Their fortune was said to be enough to purchase half of Tianxia itself.
“I was referring not to the buildings themselves, but to the formation arrays.”
Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong was covered not only in elaborate architecture but also in every structure positioned before the palace—all designed as mechanisms to repel enemy intrusions.
“It seems excessive to invest such resources into defense.”
Even the flowers, trees, and rocks blooming and standing before the palace were ingeniously crafted devices to amplify the power of the formation arrays.
“Is that not only natural?”
Hyuk So Jin spoke.
“Though they are now called the Ten Demonic Gates with confidence, in the past, countless rival sects attempted to devour Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong.”
“Hmm.”
“Had Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong not maintained such defenses, the name would have long since vanished from the Murim.”
Bu Eunseol nodded in agreement with Hyuk So Jin’s words.
Unlike the Orthodox Sects’ female martial schools, the Demonic Path’s female martial schools had always served as stepping stones for the strong.
Yet Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong had become one of the ten pillars supporting the Demonic Path—its hidden strength must be immeasurable.
Creak.
As Bu Eunseol and Hyuk So Jin stood before the palace gates, stone rumbled and the massive doors swung open of their own accord.
Then an unexpected landscape unfolded before their eyes.

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