The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 184

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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 184.
He was one of the young group who had yielded their food at the inn before boarding the vessel.
Though a sword hung at his waist, his gaunt frame and delicate features gave him the unmistakable air of a scholar rather than a warrior.
“Thanks to your kindness, I was able to satisfy my hunger quickly back then.”
“Think nothing of it.”
As Bu Eunseol turned to leave without ceremony, the young scholar spoke carefully.
“Since fate has brought us together, would you not join us for a meal?”
When Bu Eunseol and Hyuk So Jin exchanged puzzled glances, the young scholar continued without hesitation.
“If you would not mind, I wished to introduce you to my companions.”
In that instant, Hyuk So Jin’s brow furrowed.
It was not merely his status as successor to the Ten Demonic Gates, but rather that cultivating connections in Gangho felt tedious to him.
‘I came to traverse Gangho, not to expand my network of acquaintances.’
Yet Bu Eunseol, who had been listening quietly, nodded readily.
“Very well.”
“Excellent, then please follow me.”
As the young scholar led the way with a bright smile, Hyuk So Jin transmitted his annoyance through a whispered message.
「Why would you cultivate connections with such drifters?」
「They are no drifters—they are masters of the Jegal Family.」
「The Jegal Family?」
The Jegal Family.
Not only were they versed in scholarship, calligraphy, painting, and mechanical artifice, but they also possessed the Six Harmony Fan Technique of the Thirty-Six Paths.
And they were a martial clan that held the legendary “Heavenly Mechanism Foresight”—a supreme technique of Murim.
The Jegal Family was precisely what the Seo Mun Family, which pursued only formation arts, so desperately desired: a clan that achieved perfect mastery of both culture and martial prowess.
「What does that have to do with anything?」
「These people have clearly descended to Gangho with a specific purpose. There is no harm in discovering what it is.」
「Could it be related to the appearance of the Deranged Soul Wanderer?」
Bu Eunseol answered with only a faint smile.
She had already surmised that their descent to Gangho was not unrelated to the emergence of the Deranged Soul Wanderer.
「This is tiresome. If you wish to go, then go, Bu Hyung.」
“Why will you not come?”
The young scholar turned and looked at Hyuk So Jin.
Bu Eunseol then shrugged and gestured toward Hyuk So Jin’s face.
“He is quite shy. Moreover, when he receives the attention of many people, his hands tremble with palsy….”
“What are you saying about me—!”
As Hyuk So Jin bristled, the young scholar laughed good-naturedly and extended his hand.
“You jest quite well. Come now, please join us.”
Unable to resist the young scholar’s warm invitation, Hyuk So Jin reluctantly followed Bu Eunseol.
The young scholar, who had led Bu Eunseol’s party to the cabin, clasped his hands together.
“I am Jegal Seowoon. This is my younger sister, Jegal Seorin.”
‘So this was the one known as the Ailing Sage among the Seven Heroes and Three Wits….’
Hyuk So Jin swallowed his astonishment.
He had assumed the man was merely a branch-line descendant of the Jegal Family.
Yet this gaunt, seemingly frail young scholar was none other than the eldest son of the Jegal Family,
and Jegal Seowoon—one of the Three Bridges and Seven Sects, representing the Eight Great Families’ most brilliant rising talent?
“And these are my dear friends, Hwangbo Cheongyeong and Hwangbo Jegyeong. In Murim, they are known as the Twin Heavenly Fists.”
The sturdy twin youths were the third and youngest sons of the Hwangbo Family.
Bu Eunseol clasped her hands together with perfect composure.
“I am Bu Eunseol.”
In that instant, Jegal Seowoon and his companions exchanged bewildered glances.
There were only two people known by that name: the champion of the Donghyo Seorang Jeong Mu Dae Hoe and the mysterious figure who slew Yang Myeong, the lord of Hell Blood Castle.
And the terrifying Demonic Path master who had cut down numerous Great Experts—the Ten Demon Immortals of Nangya Pavilion.
―She could be neither.
With the Face-Changing Bone Technique deployed, Bu Eunseol’s current appearance seemed somewhat aged.
Moreover, her frame appeared lean, and even her complexion lacked vitality. There was no trace of formidable inner energy cultivation anywhere upon her.
And was that not a crudely stitched scabbard on her blade—the kind a child might have made?
By such evidence alone, she could not possibly be the Jeong Mu Dae Hoe champion or a Ten Demon Immortal.
―Merely a coincidence of names, it seemed.
Having reached the realm of Returning to Simplicity, they assumed her martial prowess would be equally unremarkable.
“What brings you to these parts?”
To Hwangbo Cheongyeong’s question, Bu Eunseol replied with measured indifference.
“I am touring the mountains and rivers with my sworn brother.”
As her terse responses continued, Hwangbo Cheongyeong’s brow furrowed slightly.
Whenever someone revealed themselves as direct descendants of the Eight Great Families, they invariably displayed courteous deference, whether young or old.
Yet because Bu Eunseol appeared older than they were, he refrained from pressing the matter.
“And your sworn brother is…?”
A flicker of anticipation gleamed in Jegal Seowoon’s eyes.
For even if Bu Eunseol was unremarkable, Hyuk So Jin’s appearance and bearing clearly marked him as a disciple of a major sect or the descendant of a renowned family.
“I am Hyuk So Jin.”
Again, an unfamiliar name.
A brief silence fell, and the Hwangbo brothers nodded perfunctorily, their interest visibly waning.
“Well then, we are fatigued. My brother and I shall retire to rest.”
As the Hwangbo brothers turned to leave, they cast a sidelong glance at Jegal Seowoon and exhaled.
Though they spoke no words, their eyes conveyed their meaning clearly.
―There is no need to cultivate relations with such drifters.
‘Hmph, they are of no consequence whatsoever.’
Witnessing this, Hyuk So Jin felt a subtle smirk rise within him.
Bu Eunseol and Hyuk So Jin were the legitimate successors of the Ten Demonic Gates—positioned to associate with the highest echelons of the Righteous Path.
Yet here were the Hwangbo brothers, not even the family heads but merely direct descendants, putting on airs. It was laughable.
“Ahem.”
Jegal Seowoon, embarrassed by the awkward silence, cleared his throat.
“My sister and I obtained some fine wine from Wuha on our way here. Would you care to join us for a drink?”
“Wine?”
Hyuk So Jin, who had worn a bored expression throughout, suddenly widened his eyes with interest.
“Excellent. Let us have a drink at once.”
But Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed sharply, and her brow furrowed.
Her expression grew so grave that Hyuk So Jin regarded her with confusion.
“Do you not wish to drink?”
「Enemies approach.」
Bu Eunseol suddenly transmitted her voice, and Hyuk So Jin tilted his head in bewilderment.
「What do you mean?」
「You have not sensed it yet?」
At her words, Hyuk So Jin immediately drew upon his Empty Sky Clarity technique.
A subtle tremor rippled through the air.
Then he heard the sound of wind-torn sails—the distinctive noise of canvas gorged with wind.
‘Water bandits?’
Hyuk So Jin blinked.
Beyond the mist, he sensed two enormous vessels pursuing their merchant ship at tremendous speed.
“Blast.”
Even as he registered this, a colossal sailing ship burst through the fog like a predator that had caught the scent of prey, bearing down upon them with savage intent.
“Those… those are…”
A sailor who spotted the black blade emblem fluttering from the main mast cried out in alarm.
“The Gyoryong Bang!”
―The Gyoryong Bang? Such water bandits exist?
―Unregistered brigands… we are all doomed!
Those who heard the name could not suppress their terror, for it was a band of water pirates they had never encountered before.
Generally, water bandits maintained cordial relations with government officials, sharing their plunder with them.
This was why the Yangtze Water Route Eighteen Strongholds, which controlled the waters of the Yangtze and demanded passage fees from merchant vessels, were recognized as legitimate forces within Murim.
But among water bandits, there existed gangs that cared nothing for the code of thieves.
The worst of them plundered not only cargo but engaged in human trafficking as well.
And the Gyoryong Bang belonged to precisely such a gang.
“Increase speed!”
The merchant ship pushed itself to its limits, attempting to outrun the pursuing vessels.
But the two ships chasing them had their sails fully billowed with wind, straining against the canvas with tremendous force.
A merchant vessel laden with cargo and passengers could never hope to escape swift warships cutting through the waves with such ferocity.
“The Gyoryong Bang? The name certainly sounds impressive.”
Hwangbo Jegyeong, observing the approaching ships from a distance, wore a relaxed expression.
All those present were masters of Murim. Water bandits held no terror for them.
“This is strange.”
Yet Jegal Seowoon tilted his head thoughtfully, murmuring to himself.
“How do unregistered water bandits come to command vessels of such magnitude?”
The approaching sail ship could easily accommodate three to four hundred combat personnel.
A vessel of that caliber was the type operated by the Yangtze Water Route Eighteen Strongholds or the Yellow River Twelve Alliance.
“Hmm.”
At that moment, Bu Eunseol, who had been lost in deep thought, approached Jegal Seowoon.
“There’s something I wanted to ask you about.”
“What might that be….”
Jegal Seowoon’s expression shifted to one of bewilderment.
Bu Eunseol’s eyes, now drawn perilously close, blazed like flames.
* * *
The ship, racing at full speed, finally caught up to the merchant vessel.
Surrounded on both sides, an intense battle was now imminent.
Splash!
At that moment, dozens of swarthy pirates deployed their lightness technique from the ship on the port side, landing directly on the merchant vessel’s deck.
The pirates possessed lean, muscular frames clad in grotesque yellow garments, and the man standing at the forefront bore the most sinister countenance.
He appeared to be the leader of these pirates.
“Ho, quite a few martial artists aboard, I see.”
The apparent leader, surveying the passengers bearing weapons throughout the vessel, raised his left hand toward the sky.
Creak.
Simultaneously, hundreds of pirates on both flanking ships drew back their bowstrings, arrows slicked with oil nocked and ready.
It was a threat—any sign of resistance would result in the merchant ship being sent to the depths immediately.
“I am Maeng Joong Ak, master of the Gyoryong Bang.”
After sweeping his gaze across those aboard the merchant vessel, he spoke with a low chuckle.
“Those who wish to play the hero are welcome to step forward. That is, if you wish to see innocent civilians drowned in this river.”
At Maeng Joong Ak’s words, several martial artists clenched their fists, their movements frozen.
The lightness technique displayed by this pirate called Maeng Joong Ak was nothing short of a master of the highest caliber.
Moreover, hundreds of pirates now had their oil-soaked arrows trained upon the ship.
Any rash attack would result in the merchant vessel being engulfed in flames and the civilians perishing en masse.
“Good. You’ve thought this through very well.”
Seeing no sign of resistance from the martial artists, Maeng Joong Ak nodded with a satisfied expression.
But then,
“Just a moment.”
Six shadowy figures emerged from the cabin with an unhurried gait.
At the forefront were two gaunt-looking men. Behind them came a youth with an extremely pallid complexion and a Mysterious Woman. And further back stood Twin Youths with robust, muscular frames.
They were Bu Eunseol and Hyuk So Jin, along with the Jegal Family siblings and the Hwangbo Family twins.
“Who are you lot?”
Jegal Seowoon, dismissing Maeng Joong Ak’s question with ease, spoke in a low voice.
“I wondered if we’d even need to resort to such measures against a mere band of pirates… but seeing the scale of your force, it seems the civilians could indeed suffer considerable harm.”
“The civilians will come to no harm.”
As Bu Eunseol answered matter-of-factly, Maeng Joong Ak, observing her demeanor, sensed something amiss.
“You wretches. Do you intend to resist?”
Meeting Bu Eunseol’s cold gaze, Maeng Joong Ak sensed something ominous and immediately raised his hand.
It was a signal to fire the arrows.
Yet something was amiss.
The night sky had taken on a peculiar cyan hue.
But why did his subordinates beyond the vessel, drawing their bowstrings, maintain such composure as if they perceived nothing at all?
“You wretch! What have you done!”
“The Terminal Fate Celestial Extremity Deception Formation.”
Jegal Seowoon, who had been watching Maeng Joong Ak, let out a low chuckle.
“A formation technique of the Jegal Family.”
And he recalled the situation from moments before.
* * *
“Can you deploy the Terminal Fate Celestial Extremity Deception Formation right now?”
Bu Eunseol fixed Jegal Seowoon with eyes that burned like smoldering charcoal.
“Set it without the ship’s passengers knowing, but ensure the formation’s influence encompasses the entire vessel.”
At such an abrupt request, Jegal Seowoon’s mouth fell open.
“Suddenly, what is this….”
Then Hwangbo Cheongyeong, who had been silent until now, stepped forward with a faint smirk.
“Jegal, my friend. I suspect this lady was merely startled by the vessel’s size.”
With a hint of mockery in his tone, he continued.
“We’re merely facing some nameless band of river pirates that common merchant sailors would know of… why would we need to deploy any formation technique?”
“Not at all.”
Bu Eunseol’s lips curved into a cold smile.
“These are no ordinary river pirates.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Even if they managed to acquire such a vessel by fortune, ordinary river pirates could never operate it.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with absolute certainty.
“They are imposters masquerading as river pirates.”

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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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