The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 198

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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 198.
Go Ryong Poong cried out with an arrogant expression.
“What in the world is all this?”
Whoosh!
At that moment, the sound of splitting air echoed from the heavens as roughly forty martial artists dressed in blue robes ascended onto Man Gyeong Dae.
They were the second-generation disciples of the Hua Shan Sect that Bang Wook had brought to repay the humiliation.
“Senior Brother.”
Nam Jin Gun, the youngest of the second-generation disciples, pointed to the Hua Shan sword placed before Go Ryong Poong.
Then Bang Wook bit his lip and muttered.
“So that’s what it was…!”
Whoosh.
At that moment, the sound of splitting air rang out once more as dozens of martial artists dressed in white robes descended from the void.
They were Yang Yeo Ryong, a disciple of the Jongnam Sect’s Shadow Preservation Hall Master, and his second-generation disciples under his command.
“Indeed.”
The disciples of the Jongnam Sect also nodded upon seeing the wooden chest placed before Go Ryong Poong.
“Those fools from the Maban Sect have grown bold. We gave them a foothold in Seomseong, and they dare insult our sect?”
At Yang Yeo Ryong’s cry, Go Ryong Poong’s eyes widened.
Only then did he realize he had fallen into a trap.
“We merely took payment and did the work.”
At that moment, Jo Nam Cheon cried out to Go Ryong Poong with an aggrieved expression.
“Sect Master! Didn’t you say if we simply brought the items, the Maban Sect would handle the rest?”
“What nonsense is this….”
Before Go Ryong Poong could even respond, Bu Eunseol shouted in a loud voice.
“There’s no other way. We’ll carve a path through!”
As if waiting for this signal, a roar erupted as Hyuk So Jin and the Mubon Squad members charged at the masters of Hua Shan and Jongnam.
Boom!
Leading the charge, Hyuk So Jin subtly drew upon the Demonic Flame Technique, barely raising it before dispersing it with exquisite control.
In an instant, the formation of Hua Shan Sect disciples surrounding the front collapsed into disarray.
“A strange Demonic Path martial art. Deploy the formation!”
Just as Bang Wook shouted loudly,
Screech!
The sound of air being torn rang out in succession as flying blades rained down from all directions.
Bu Eunseol unleashed flying blade techniques in rapid succession, blocking the movements of the Hua Shan and Jongnam disciples so they could not form their formations.
Rumble.
Using that opening, the Mubon Squad members broke through the encirclement and began descending from Man Gyeong Dae one by one.
“Now is the moment! Sect Master, please escape this place at once!”
Though they shouted such words, Hyuk So Jin and the Mubon Squad turned not even a glance backward as they scrambled to flee.
In the meantime, Bu Eunseol, who had been throwing flying blades, deployed a wind-like movement technique and escaped from Man Gyeong Dae.
….
In an instant, Man Gyeong Dae fell into an eerie silence.
As the disciples of the Maban Sect watched Bu Eunseol’s group flee in a daze,
‘What is this?’
Go Ryong Poong, having regained his senses, furrowed his brow.
The disciples of both Hua Shan Sect and Jongnam Sect were glaring at him with terrifying intensity.
And for good reason—beneath his feet lay a wooden chest containing a Go board and a Hua Shan sword.
‘These mad bastards…!’
Go Ryong Poong attempted to retreat hastily, but a shadow materialized before him like a phantom.
It was Yang Yeo Ryong, a disciple of Jongnam Sect.
“Kneel at once!”
Upon seeing the disciples of Jongnam and Hua Shan radiating killing intent, Go Ryong Poong ground his teeth.
‘Even if I deny it, they won’t believe me in this situation.’
Go Ryong Poong bit his lip.
He was a master who had long ago reached the pinnacle of perfection and had since entered the transcendent realm.
He had not yet avenged the humiliation of losing the Maban Sect’s Golden Horse Ring, and now he was expected to grovel and make excuses to the second disciples of Hua Shan and Jongnam?
He would sooner bite down on his own blade and perish than make such a choice.
“Get out of my way, whelps!”
Go Ryong Poong drew the great sword from his waist.
Thus began a bloody clash between the Maban Sect disciples and those of Hua Shan and Jongnam.
* * *
At the same moment, near a mountain pass connecting Jang Hyeon to Yurim.
Thud, thud.
Thirty martial artists clad in black robes moved silently through the area.
They were masters of the An Seong Dae, an elite unit that operated throughout the Gangho performing various missions.
Their current task was to verify the treasures and valuables sent from the Maban Sect’s sphere of influence to the Merchant Guild and Pawn Shop, then return to the Maban Sect.
―Do not provoke the sensibilities of Hua Shan and Jongnam!
The goods bound for the Maban Sect bore the sect’s insignia.
Following the sect master’s orders, they were personally transporting the treasures and valuables entrusted to the Merchant Guild and Pawn Shop back to the Maban Sect.
Under normal circumstances, they would have worn the blood mask and ghost face mask symbolizing the Maban Sect and passed through villages openly.
However, they now carried the sect’s vital resources, and the sect master had commanded restraint.
Thus they had changed into plain robes, removed their masks, and were quietly making their way along remote mountain paths toward Yurim, where the Maban Sect lay.
Whoosh.
Suddenly, five or six shadows appeared at the end of the mountain pass.
They gazed down at the An Seong Dae masters with gleaming eyes.
‘Who are they?’
Yi Gwak, the An Seong Dae commander leading his disciples at the front,’s eyes flashed.
‘Could it be?’
As he heightened his perception with an ominous feeling, their forms became clear.
They all wore swords at their waists—blades that were either exceptionally thick or remarkably thin compared to ordinary longswords.
At a glance, they were clearly the distinctive blades wielded by disciples of Jongnam and Hua Shan.
Whoosh.
From behind, another half-dozen figures emerged to block the path.
They too wore identical long swords at their waists.
‘I must avoid combat at all costs.’
As they approached with heavy footfalls, Yi Gwak drew a deep breath and clasped his hands together.
“What is the matter, gentlemen?”
But they offered no reply, merely continuing their steady advance.
With each step they took, a subtle pressure emanated from them, and Yi Gwak’s lips tightened.
‘Have I been discovered?’
Just as he reached for the broadsword at his waist,
“We are disciples of Hua Shan and Jongnam Sect.”
A young man with a scraggly beard spoke to Yi Gwak in a low voice.
“We heard that disciples of the Maban Sect who attacked our sects have been passing through this area, so we are stationed here to intercept them.”
“Ah, I see.”
‘Fortunately, I was not discovered.’
“And who might you be?”
The man asked with a piercing gaze, and Yi Gwak exhaled softly before responding calmly.
“We are disciples of the Heuk Sa Mun. We are merely passing through on our way back to our sect after conducting some business.”
“Heuk Sa Mun, you say.”
The man swept his eyes over Yi Gwak and the An Seong Dae members, then nodded.
“I see.”
“Then you may pass.”
As the man nodded, Yi Gwak exhaled in relief and addressed his team.
“We move out.”
Whoosh.
But a sudden gust of wind swept past, and before he could react, a spinning long sword carved through the air toward Yi Gwak’s face.
‘The Jongnam Sect’s Spinning Wind Blade?’
Yi Gwak quickly drew his sword to block it.
But the spinning blade had already slashed across his shoulder.
“Ugh!”
As flesh tore away, Yi Gwak cried out and stumbled backward.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“What do you think? We’re eliminating the Demonic Path’s vermin who prey upon the common folk and monopolize commerce.”
“So you knew our identities all along!”
Yi Gwak bit his lip and shouted to his team.
“Quickly, eliminate them—”
But his words were cut short.
“Argh!”
The men who had encircled the An Seong Dae from both sides unleashed a torrent of vicious sword strikes simultaneously.
Whoosh!
From the front, thick long swords spun ferociously, unleashing the mysterious techniques of the Jongnam Sect’s Spinning Wind Blade and Drunken Immortal Sword,
Crack!
From behind, the Hua Shan Sect’s Falling Flower Linked Ring Sword descended like a swift hawk plucking prey, cascading down from above.
‘Are they all First Disciples?’
Yi Gwak’s eyes gleamed as he parried the relentless barrage of sword techniques.
Now that he faced them directly, he realized the sword path unfolded in a manner distinctly different from the Orthodox Sects’ methods.
Whoosh!
In the moment his attention wavered, a sharp blade bit into Yi Gwak’s shoulder once more.
The way they targeted his shoulders and forearms to sever them, rather than vital points, confirmed these were Jongnam Sect techniques.
Swish!
Then a gust of wind swept past, and a man with long bangs obscuring his eyes had already closed the distance to Yi Gwak’s face.
‘What kind of movement technique is this…’
Yi Gwak tried to adjust his stance in alarm, but it was already too late.
Flash!
A brilliant sword light erupted from the man’s hand, piercing straight through his heart.
Brilliant light.
That was the last thing Yi Gwak saw.
* * *
The Seomseong region was drenched in blood for some time.
It began with a surprise attack by the Maban Sect, or so it was said.
The Maban Sect had utterly destroyed the Martial Halls and branch training grounds established by Hua Shan and Jongnam, and ruthlessly slaughtered the disciples of the main sects stationed there.
Enraged, Hua Shan and Jongnam mobilized their First Disciples.
―We have turned a blind eye for far too long!
Rumors spread rapidly that the furious leaders of Hua Shan and Jongnam were assembling a punitive expedition composed of First Disciples.
The Maban Sect had always been a thorn in their side, but their rapidly expanding power had made them too delicate to touch.
Yet when the branch grounds and training halls came under attack, the two enraged sects joined forces to drive them out in one swift stroke.
―This is a conspiracy to sow discord between us and the main sect!
The Maban Sect immediately denied the accusations.
No matter how bold they were, would they truly kill disciples of Hua Shan and Jongnam while rooted in Seomseong itself?
That would be akin to biting their own blade and perishing.
―We shall clarify the truth!
The Maban Sect promptly dispatched four sect leaders and ten disciples skilled in their unique techniques to each of the two sects to explain themselves.
No matter how they tried to sow discord, the Maban Sect’s unique technique was a secret method created by Jeon Il Hon to teach his disciples.
They believed that by examining the wounds on the corpses, they could easily prove their innocence.
The Maban Sect’s emissaries confidently made contact with the masters of Hua Shan and Jongnam.
And they could clearly see with their own eyes.
The traces of the Maban Sect’s unique technique left on the corpses.
Moreover, the traces of attempts to conceal the technique’s marks with cunning deception.
Ten days later, fourteen severed heads arrived at the Maban Sect’s gates.
The enraged sect leaders of Hua Shan and Jongnam had personally cut off their heads.
―Sweep away all those demonic vermin without exception!
When the solemn decree of the sect leader fell, Hua Shan Sect and Jongnam Sect assembled punitive forces composed of their most exceptional disciples.
At last, Hua Shan Sect and Jongnam Sect had resolved to annihilate the Maban Sect entirely.
* * *
Rat-a-tat-tat.
Nearly two hundred figures surged through the Forest, their movements fluid with martial technique.
Every face among the frantically fleeing group was concealed beneath an eerie mask.
They were none other than Jeon Il Hon, the sect master of the Maban Sect, and his most trusted subordinates.
They had no choice in the matter.
Hua Shan Sect and Jongnam Sect—the twin pillars of the Nine Sects One Alliance—had resolved to crush them by force. What possible means could stand against such determination?
While the sect disciples held back the advancing masters of the Orthodox Sects, Jeon Il Hon and the other leaders of the Maban Sect began their escape from Seomseong.
Whoosh. Thud.
After racing swiftly through the Forest for some time, they discovered a concealed Cave and finally halted their flight.
“We rest here for a moment and assess the situation.”
Jeon Il Hon, breathing heavily, bit his lip.
The masters of Hua Shan Sect and Jongnam Sect had surely established encirclement networks throughout the region.
To escape Seomseong safely, they could not simply flee blindly—they must move with deliberation and stealth.
“What in blazes is happening!”
Upon entering the Cave, Jeon Il Hon cried out, his expression twisted with fury.
“Who dared steal our sect’s techniques and use them to slaughter the Orthodox Sect disciples!”
The Maban Sect’s techniques were not kept as absolute secrets.
Jeon Il Hon would transmit the techniques to those of leadership rank, who would then pass them down to the disciples.
Yet somehow, dozens of individuals—not merely one or two—had mastered techniques that should have been impossible for anyone outside the Maban Sect to learn?
It was a situation that defied all reason.
“What? You say this will pass if we simply exercise restraint?”
Jeon Il Hon’s erupting rage finally poured forth upon Go Ryong Poong, who stood nearby.
“Those who stole the Golden Horse Pill back then must be behind this! If you had captured them, none of this would have happened!”
“Their martial technique was simply too swift. Moreover, though I had severed their escape routes beforehand, they had cunningly prepared countermeasures in advance….”
“Then you should have reported this to me at that time!”
“That is… I believed we could apprehend them swiftly then.”
Crack.
As Go Ryong Poong continued his endless excuses, the sound of bone echoed from Jeon Il Hon’s clenched fist.
By temperament, I wished to draw my blade and sever his head from his shoulders.
Yet in such dire circumstances, even a single capable fighter was precious.
I could not afford to kill Go Ryong Poong, my trusted aide and formidable asset.
“Forgive me, sect master.”
As Go Ryong Poong lowered his head, Jeon Il Hon swallowed his rage.
“Enough.”
Having regained his composure, Jeon Il Hon gazed into the void and spoke.
“So long as Hua Shan Sect and Jongnam Sect maintain their position in Seomseong, this was inevitable.”
He bit his lip as he spoke.
“I established branches of the Maban Sect throughout these regions precisely for such contingencies. First, I shall build my strength there… and one day, I will repay this humiliation to Hua Shan and Jongnam Sect.”
The reason the Maban Sect expanded its influence without drawing the scrutiny of Hua Shan and Jongnam Sect was deliberate strategy.
By confining the primary power base to Yeonan Province while dispersing branches across Gam Suk and Nan Ju, they had quietly seized control of the commercial networks.
The cunning rabbit’s three burrows.
A clever rabbit digs three holes.
While Jeon Il Hon cultivated the Maban Sect’s influence in Seomseong, where Hua Shan and Jongnam Sect held their ground, he had established multiple footholds elsewhere as insurance against unforeseen circumstances.
“Ambitious dreams indeed.”
Yet a low voice echoed from the opposite side of the Cave.
“Who goes there!”
As Jeon Il Hon cried out, dozens of shadows descended to the ground one by one from across the way.
Bu Eunseol and Hyuk So Jin, along with every member of the Mubon Squad.

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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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