The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 177

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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 177.
Bu Eunseol nodded with a serene expression.
“Do not worry. I am certain my proposal will please you.”
“Have you lost your mind?”
As Bu Eunseol responded with measured coldness, fury ignited in Geuk Hye Ryeong’s eyes.
“Or have you suddenly gone blind, forgetting whose presence you stand before as you wag your tongue?”
“I am proposing a negotiation to the Lord of Jeongju.”
Bu Eunseol answered with unwavering composure.
“I understand that negotiation requires both parties to stand on equal footing.”
“How absurd. Do you truly believe you possess equal standing with the Lord of Jeongju?”
“Of course.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with confidence.
“Should you wish to impose unfavorable terms by force, simply say so. I shall immediately address you with the utmost deference.”
“Hehehehe.”
A peculiar glimmer flickered across Geuk Hye Ryeong’s eyes.
She had discerned that Bu Eunseol possessed not only a distinctive character but an absolute absence of fear.
“Quite the calculated mind. You intended to leave a profound impression while simultaneously provoking the Lord of Jeongju into negotiation?”
Geuk Hye Ryeong, who had conducted countless negotiations with formidable powers, swiftly grasped Bu Eunseol’s true intentions.
“Very well. I shall temporarily acknowledge it—that you possess the qualifications to negotiate as an equal with the Lord of Jeongju.”
A chilling radiance bloomed from Geuk Hye Ryeong’s eyes as she smiled softly.
“However, should that proposal displease me… you must concern yourself with how to escape from the Lord of Jeongju’s grasp.”
“Do not worry.”
“Then speak. Present your finest proposal.”
Bu Eunseol met Geuk Hye Ryeong’s gaze directly and spoke with steady calm.
“I shall grant Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong the power to stand alone.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong, who had been listening in silence, let out a derisive snort.
“A youth without even the worth of negotiation.”
“Then why cover this place from entrance to interior with mechanical traps?”
“What did you say?”
“Just now, the Lord of Jeongju also emphasized quite strongly the importance of connections with powerful figures.”
“Meaningless drivel.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong spoke coldly.
“The Lord of Jeongju has continually faced invasions from external forces, so such safeguards were merely necessary precautions.”
“With all respect, that is not so.”
Bu Eunseol met the blazing intensity of Geuk Hye Ryeong’s eyes head-on.
“Is Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong not in a situation where it cannot withstand the assault of marauding strongmen without maintaining connections with powerful allies?”
Rumble!
In that instant, a colossal tempest of true energy erupted behind Geuk Hye Ryeong, tearing through the Palace Hall’s roof and surging toward the heavens.
“Say that once more.”
With her hair lifted skyward, Geuk Hye Ryeong had transformed into the visage of a sorceress commanding the darkness itself.
“What did you just say?”
Despite that terrifying display, I folded my arms and repeated myself once more.
“I said we cannot stop the bandits without borrowing the strength of the powerful.”
Whoooosh!
In that instant, a tempest of pristine vital energy erupted,
Slash!
and halted mere inches from my forehead, gleaming with razor-sharp light.
Yet I remained standing upright, my gaze fixed solely upon Geuk Hye Ryeong.
“….”
Geuk Hye Ryeong, who had been studying my cold, motionless eyes, suddenly swept her sleeve.
“I’ll give you credit for that audacity.”
Whoosh.
In an instant, she withdrew the tempest of vital energy and spoke in an ominous tone.
“So how exactly do you plan to strengthen Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong?”
“Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong is considered the grand master of feminine secret arts, yet I understand it possesses no martial techniques that could be called a unique secret method.”
“And?”
“I will provide it. The strength for Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong to repel external threats on its own, without cultivating connections with the powerful.”
For a moment, a leaden silence filled the Palace Hall.
Geuk Hye Ryeong, contemplating my words with penetrating eyes, sighed and shook her head.
“No matter how I think about it, you speak only nonsense.”
And moving her parched lips, she spoke in a sharp voice.
“You claim to give them the strength to repel external threats through their own power? Are the masters of Nangya Sect to teach the disciples of Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong?”
“Such a thing is impossible.”
“Then by what means do you plan to strengthen Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong?”
At this, I pointed to myself.
“Support me as the successor to the Demon Hall.”
“What?”
“If I become the successor to the Demon Hall, I will open the Manma Yujin Pavilion for you.”
“Hahahaha!”
A brilliant gleam flashed in Geuk Hye Ryeong’s eyes.
“So you are mad after all. Do you expect Jeongju to believe such a promise?”
“First, I will provide the demonic arts of Jeol Cheon Myul Ji immediately.”
“Jeol Cheon Myul Ji?”
I nodded.
“You are well aware that the majority of demonic technique scriptures scattered throughout the Manma Yujin Pavilion originate from Jeol Cheon Myul Ji.”
And pointing to Hyuk So Jin, who stood dazed beside me, I continued.
“Jeol Cheon Myul Ji contains countless diverse demonic arts. If those are taught to the disciples according to their individual characteristics, Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong’s martial strength will rise dramatically in a short time.”
“You speak nonsense. Hwan Ma would never permit such a thing.”
“He will.”
I pointed to Hyuk So Jin and spoke.
“Because that is what the future Lord demands.”
Hyuk So Jin regarded Bu Eunseol with a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
As he gazed into her unwavering gaze, a thought brushed across his mind.
‘If I refuse, that demon woman might have another fit.’
By accompanying Bu Eunseol, Hyuk So Jin had become entangled in the succession struggle himself.
In a succession war, the status of Jeol Cheon Myul Ji’s heir could serve as no shield whatsoever.
‘After all, didn’t I decide to become a force supporting Bu’s faction? I’ll see this through to the end.’
“Indeed. I will guarantee it.”
“Well, it’s not an unreasonable proposal, but it is unfortunate.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong’s eyes gleamed with murderous intent as she spoke.
“Even if the demonic martial arts secrets of Manma Yujin Pavilion are coveted, there is no need to bear such risk by supporting a master of Nangya Sect.”
She shook her head.
“I must decline the proposal.”
“I said ‘first.'”
“What do you mean?”
“There is something more I wish to offer.”
“Speak.”
Bu Eunseol continued with unhurried composure.
“Did you not say that Jeongju summoned me here as an investment in the future?”
“And?”
“I too shall invest in the future of Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong.”
Bu Eunseol spoke without hesitation, her voice solemn and resolute.
“When I become the heir of the Demon Hall, I will lift the seal so that the heir of Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong may also become the heir of the Demon Hall.”
Thump.
It was a shocking proposal beyond all expectation. Geuk Hye Ryeong’s eyes widened as though struck from behind.
Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong, a female-dominated sect for generations, had never possessed the qualifications to become the heir of the Demon Hall.
But if they were to obtain powerful demonic martial arts masters? And if they could challenge the position of the Demon Hall’s heir?
Then Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong would stand alone in dominion over the Murim, and would no longer fear invasion from external forces.
The proposal Bu Eunseol had presented was one that would fulfill the long-held resentment of Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong, which had harbored dissatisfaction with the Demon Hall’s methods of governance.
“Hahahaha!”
Geuk Hye Ryeong’s strange laughter echoed through Hyeol Wol Dong.
The eerie laugh, mingling the voices of man and woman, grew more chilling with each resonance.
“Hye Seon!”
At Geuk Hye Ryeong’s call, a middle-aged woman approached from the side and bowed her head.
“You called for me, Lord?”
She, who had been staring intently at Bu Eunseol, now spoke in a gentleness unlike before.
“Escort these two to Cheon Wol Pavilion.”
* * *
The moon hung luminous in the sky, casting the earth below in pristine white light.
Bu Eunseol and Hyuk So Jin sat facing each other in a lofty pavilion where the moonlight could be beheld.
The pavilion opened to all sides, offering a beautiful view of the surrounding landscape. In the center of the pavilion sat a modest table laden with fruit and rice cakes, along with wine.
While I sipped my wine quietly, Hyuk So Jin kept smacking his lips as if something were amiss.
“This is rather unexpected.”
He spoke in a low voice while surveying the scenery around the pavilion.
“I thought that with all this talk of Cheon Wol Pavilion, you’d be hosting a grand banquet with exotic delicacies, beautiful women dancing, and songs flowing throughout.”
The wine served at the pavilion was decent enough, but the appetizers were of the sort that would suit women with delicate palates.
“We weren’t brought here merely to drink wine.”
“Then why have you seated us at such a gathering?”
“Jeongju has not yet fully accepted my proposal.”
I spoke in a low voice.
“She is likely conducting a thorough investigation of my past actions and temperament. And she will be weighing whether my proposal is feasible and how effective it truly is.”
“How meticulous. Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong is.”
“It is no different from Jeol Cheon Myeol Ji.”
“Pardon?”
I tossed back my wine and spoke.
“Did the Master not impose two conditions upon me?”
“Even so, Grandfather didn’t nitpick over every little thing, did he?”
“He scrutinized quite thoroughly.”
Tock.
I set down my cup with a solemn expression.
“I remained at Jeol Cheon Myeol Ji for two months to earn the Master’s support. Even if I had completed every task, had he deemed me unworthy of his backing, he would have….”
I spoke with unwavering conviction.
“The Master would never have kept his promise.”
Hyuk So Jin protested.
“Our Grandfather is not one to manipulate circumstances or betray his word.”
“Faith is merely a concept that applies between individuals. A sect master must calculate gains and losses with far greater coldness than anyone else.”
Hyuk So Jin could offer no further rebuttal.
Hyuk Gong Baek was a kind grandfather, yet to others he was nothing but a fearsome and ruthless Demon Expert.
A sect master’s position demands the maintenance of an utterly frigid detachment.
“By that logic, you were born to lead.”
Hyuk So Jin drained another cup of wine and smiled wryly.
“Still, it matters little what Jeongju decides. We have a final recourse, after all.”
“What do you mean?”
“Jeongju is over a hundred years old, true enough, but the successor of Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong cannot be so advanced in years, can she?”
Hyuk So Jin spoke with utmost seriousness.
“If you were to wear a tender expression and make a request, what woman could possibly refuse….”
At that moment, a rustling sound accompanied two shadows approaching the pavilion.
The first to reveal herself was Jeongju, Geuk Hye Ryeong.
“Jeongju.”
Hyuk So Jin and I rose to our feet, clasping our hands in salute.
Yet following behind her, a very small shadow revealed itself beside Geuk Hye Ryeong.
She appeared to be around ten years old.
With baby fat still clinging to her slightly plump cheeks and large eyes darkened like obsidian, she was an adorable little girl.
“This is my granddaughter, Geuk Hye Bin. She is also the successor who will inherit the leadership of Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong.”
‘The successor to Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong was such a young girl!’
Hyuk So Jin’s face contorted as if he’d bitten into rotten fruit.
With matters standing thus, wouldn’t his last resort—the beauty stratagem—come to naught?
As Hyuk So Jin entertained these absurd thoughts, Bu Eunseol furrowed her brow, lost in deep contemplation.
‘The successor to Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong is such a young granddaughter… Why has no such rumor circulated through the Murim?’
At that moment, Geuk Hye Bin bowed her head toward Bu Eunseol and Hyuk So Jin.
Yet no voice emerged.
“….”
As Bu Eunseol gazed at Geuk Hye Bin, her eyes fixed upon the girl’s throat, and they gleamed with understanding.
“Your larynx has suffered severe trauma.”
“How could you possibly know that?”
Geuk Hye Ryeong’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Geuk Hye Bin’s throat was concealed by her garments and invisible. Yet she had discerned the injury at a glance?
“Where did you hear that Bin was injured? This fact has never been known in the Murim.”
Bu Eunseol explained calmly.
“Producing voice is equivalent to moving the muscles of the organs that generate sound.”
“And?”
“When those muscles move with appropriate pressure and force, air from the lungs causes the vocal cords to vibrate. When that vibration passes through the oral cavity and esophagus to create resonance, it emerges as voice through the mouth.”
Bu Eunseol gestured toward Geuk Hye Bin’s throat as she spoke.
“Yet this child moved her muscles diligently, and still no sound came forth. Therefore, I deduced that her larynx was damaged.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong’s mouth fell open.
It was already unbelievable that she could scrutinize the muscle movements concealed by the throat, but to possess such profound knowledge of human anatomy?
“I heard you were from Yeomsa.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong’s eyes brightened with a peculiar light, as if she had already investigated Bu Eunseol thoroughly.
“Were you perhaps originally from Haeng Rim?”
“I am indeed from Yeomsa.”
“Unbelievable. That those who merely prepare corpses from Yeomsa possess anatomical knowledge rivaling that of Haeng Rim.”
Bu Eunseol answered with a bitter expression.
“That is likely because I specialized in preparing those who died away from home or had no relatives.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Those who died away from home or had no relatives were mostly martial artists. Moreover, intact corpses were rare, and it was common for them to be torn apart by scavengers.”
Bu Eunseol’s gaze deepened as if recalling those times.
“Without intimate knowledge of human anatomy, I could not have restored them to their living appearance. That is how I came to know it well.”
“I see.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong nodded lightly, having absorbed this explanation.
It was already astonishing that one who had practiced the preparation of corpses for so long became one of the Ten Demon Immortals, yet to have cultivated such formidable inner power as well.
‘A mysterious figure indeed.’
Geuk Hye Ryeong shook her head and promptly shifted the conversation.
“Do you know why I summoned you here?”
“I have my suspicions.”
“How so?”
Bu Eunseol offered an uncharacteristic faint smile, gesturing toward Hyuk So Jin.
“We visited Jeol Cheon Myul Ji first.”
“Ah, so your journey with him was the result of solving the riddle that Jeol Cheon Myul Ji posed.”
“Indeed.”
As the conversation deepened, the furrow between Geuk Hye Ryeong’s brows gradually softened.
Bu Eunseol’s informal manner of speech proved far less disagreeable than she had anticipated.
Moreover, his low, measured voice possessed a peculiar magnetism.
“Speak plainly then.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong regarded Bu Eunseol as she spoke.
“I hold your abilities in high regard. And I trust that you are one who honors your promises without fail.”
“I am grateful for your confidence.”
“Yet the world rarely unfolds as we wish. Therefore, I propose a matter to you both.”
“Please, speak freely.”
“Hye Bin has mastered the profound secret arts of our sect thus far, yet she has not learned a single killing technique.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong gazed upon Geuk Hye Bin’s innocent face, her voice heavy with gravity.
“Teach this child one technique of the cruel and venomous demonic killing arts—enough that she may be called a Witch.”

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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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