The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 204

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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 204.
Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed as she gazed up at the Sole Brightness Pavilion.
‘This is incomprehensible.’
The Demon Palace had always encouraged conflict among the successor candidates.
Yet now, to suddenly arrange for them all to gather in one place? Could it be that they were actually holding a martial tournament here at the Sole Brightness Pavilion?
“You’ve arrived already.”
Hyuk So Jin, standing before the Sole Brightness Pavilion, came to a halt.
He was not a successor candidate.
He had simply sensed that something momentous was about to unfold, and had accompanied me to the pavilion out of a desire to be of whatever help he could.
“Safe travels, Brother Bu.”
Understanding his sentiment, I nodded in acknowledgment.
“I will.”
As I stepped forward toward the entrance of the Sole Brightness Pavilion, one of the solemnly stationed guards stepped forward and clasped his hands respectfully.
“Please follow me.”
The warrior carefully led the way, guiding me forward.
Yet rather than toward the Great Hall at the center of the Sole Brightness Pavilion, he guided me toward the corridors of the Seo Moon wing.
Beyond the modestly appointed Flower Garden, a small detached residence came into view in the distance.
“Please enter here.”
I nodded and without hesitation opened the door to the residence.
Inside lay a humble interior, plain as earthenware. A broad table and bookshelves lined with volumes were arranged in neat rows.
It appeared to be a place where the senior figures summoned to the Sole Brightness Pavilion would gather for deliberation.
A soft rustling.
As I stepped through the threshold, the tranquil air within suddenly crystallized into bitter cold.
Upon the great table sat teacups with wisps of steam rising from them, and within the chamber sat four young men.
I had removed the robes of the Demon Palace’s master and dressed in ordinary clothes.
They, by contrast, wore martial garments so resplendent and refined that they commanded attention even from a distance.
The legitimate successors of the Ten Demonic Gates, recognized by the Demon Palace as successor candidates, had finally gathered in one place.
Four pairs of piercing eyes.
I regarded the four men with their gleaming gazes with perfect composure.
In that instant, a tension descended as though the heavens themselves were collapsing and the earth trembling.
‘They are formidable.’
I could not help but recognize a singular truth.
They were strong.
As strong as I had become through countless trials and endless growth.
‘So they truly are the legitimate successors of the Ten Demonic Gates.’
They had all inherited natural talent, and received superior education from childhood.
Moreover, they must have undergone relentless, bone-grinding cultivation to continuously refine their abilities.
And considering their status as officially designated legitimate successors from long ago…
They possessed far greater advantages than I did, not merely in martial prowess but in every conceivable way.
Footsteps echoed.
Bu Eunseol moved toward the table.
The atmosphere inside grew even more treacherous.
It felt as though a single gesture would ignite a bloodbath in an instant.
Whoosh.
Bu Eunseol sat down in the empty seat with an unruffled expression.
The precarious tension vanished in a heartbeat, and the suffocating air transformed into peaceful calm.
“So you’ve finally come.”
It was Do Cheon Rin, seated across from me, who broke the long silence.
“I had hoped you wouldn’t.”
Do Cheon Rin.
He had never directly revealed his power until now.
Yet from Hell Island onward, he had continuously manipulated people and orchestrated events from the shadows, always wearing a relaxed and composed expression.
Like a master controlling every situation to his will.
“It’s been a long time.”
Bu Eunseol offered a greeting with an enigmatic smile.
“I received the hospitality sent by the Blood-Dyed Sword School quite well.”
….
“Though it likely wasn’t sent by you.”
“That headstrong sister of mine is bringing shame upon her elder brother.”
Do Cheon Rin exhaled a sigh as if he had anticipated those words.
“That child’s actions have long since slipped from my grasp.”
From Do Cheon Rin’s perspective, this assault orchestrated by Do Chae Ryeong had actually damaged his own reputation.
Perhaps because of this, he was smiling, but much of the composure at the corners of his mouth had vanished.
“Nangya Sect, Bu Eunseol.”
At that moment, the man seated across from Do Cheon Rin looked directly at Bu Eunseol and spoke.
“I have long anticipated meeting you, and at last we meet.”
His features were remarkably refined, and with his clear eyes and crystalline voice, he appeared almost like an innocent child.
Seated opposite Do Cheon Rin, who possessed a decadent beauty, he created a peculiar impression.
It was as though the heavens had sculpted Do Cheon Rin, then crafted his perfect opposite.
“Who are you?”
At Bu Eunseol’s question, the man revealed his white teeth in a radiant smile, clasping his hands together.
“I am Wi Ji Hye Sang, successor of the Hwawoo Sword Sect.”
Remarkably, the successor of the foremost demonic sword sect was this delicate young man.
As our eyes met, Wi Ji Hye Sang narrowed his eyes into crescents.
“The Sword Demon has spoken of you quite often.”
Bu Eunseol narrowed my eyes.
Sword Demon Wi Hyuk Gun.
When I refused to enter the Hwawoo Sword Sect, he had grown angry and unleashed his formless power.
Had Uncle Dan Cheong not intervened, I would have suffered irreversible internal injuries.
And now this man dares mention Wi Hyuk Gun’s well-being before me with a cheerful expression?
“And Cheon Woon Gwang, the patriarch of his sect, is the sole inheritor of the Poison Gate Sword Technique and the Thunderous Unparalleled Style.”
“Sole?”
“Ah, it seems you didn’t know.”
Wi Ji Hye Sang spoke with a bright smile.
“The true essence of Patriarch Cheon’s Thunderous Unparalleled Style… he taught it only to Bu Eunseol.”
Only then did Bu Eunseol understand.
Why Sword Demon Wi Hyuk Gun had been so furious with him, and why Cheon Woon Gwang had received such severe punishment for transmitting the Thunderous Unparalleled Style.
‘So that’s what it was.’
As Bu Eunseol’s expression grew grave, Wi Ji Hye Sang continued speaking with an utterly innocent look.
“Ah, please don’t misunderstand. I was merely sharing what I’ve heard.”
“It’s fine.”
Bu Eunseol nodded with a smile.
“It’s all true anyway.”
Even if the words had been spoken with malice, Bu Eunseol could only laugh.
Not only Cheon Woon Gwang, but Jin Gak, who had been the instructor of the Basic Hall, had also taught me the fundamentals of sword technique.
Moreover, Dan Cheon Yang, an elder of the Hwawoo Sword Sect whom I met in the Advanced Hall, had taught me the principles of ascending sword technique.
Though it was all part of the process of selecting the Ten Demon Immortals…
I had incurred considerable debt to the Hwawoo Sword Sect.
“It’s amusing. Anyone watching would think this gathering was meant to foster goodwill among the Ten Demon Immortals.”
A man seated to the left of Wi Ji Hye Sang let out a scoff.
His eyes and bearing were sharp as blades, yet his clothing was the opposite—a generously cut robe.
Bu Eunseol could discern at once that he was the successor of Geuk Sal Mil Gak.
Assassins wear loose-fitting garments as everyday wear. They can create hidden pockets and conceal numerous concealed weapons within them.
“There’s no need to bare your fangs so soon, Yong Jeok Bi.”
The young man seated beside Yong Jeok Bi, the successor of Geuk Sal Mil Gak, chuckled softly.
He had long, tousled hair draped down, and his hands were exceptionally large.
He was Sin Do Woon Hui, the successor of the Destruction Spear Sect.
“After all, you won’t see him again anyway.”
A loaded statement.
As Bu Eunseol’s brow furrowed,
Thump, thump.
The sound of measured footsteps echoed, and the door to the inner chamber opened.
An elderly man with neatly combed hair entered.
Though he appeared to be an ordinary old man one might see anywhere, he was in fact a master who had cultivated terrifying demonic cultivation.
It was Yeop Hyo Cheon, the Supreme Instructor—one man below the Demon Palace, ten thousand men above.
“Everyone has gathered.”
Yeop Hyo Cheon swept his gentle gaze across the successor candidates and smiled softly.
“It feels novel to see the successors of the Ten Demonic Gates assembled in one place like this.”
His expression carried an indefinable wistfulness.
He had spent his entire life alongside Ma Cheon Je, so perhaps he was recalling the days when Ma Cheon Je himself had been a successor candidate.
“From now on, the future of the Demon Hall rests in your hands.”
Bu Eunseol suddenly sensed something amiss.
She had been told that not only the Ten Demonic Gates, but also the Elder Council and Ma Cheon Je could designate successors.
Then why had only the successors of the Ten Demonic Gates been summoned?
At that moment, Yeop Hyo Cheon spoke in a low voice.
“A successor to the Demon Hall requires the talent and qualifications to lead the entire Demonic Path. And you have all passed the trials that the Demon Hall has set before you.”
He paused briefly before continuing.
“Therefore, assuming you have now become successors to the Demon Hall, I intend to assess your abilities.”
The Dark King nodded toward his back.
A warrior carrying a large wooden chest approached carefully and placed it upon the table.
Click.
As Yeop Hyo Cheon opened the chest, it revealed numerous documents stacked within.
“These documents contain various tasks that the future successor of the Demon Hall must handle.”
He spoke in a voice barely audible as he gazed upon the documents in the chest.
“And all you need do is select one of these tasks and complete it.”
A standing warrior then began carefully unfolding the documents from the box one by one.
“Is there no time limit?”
Bu Eunseol asked, and Yeop Hyo Cheon nodded.
“None of these tasks can be completed in such a short time as to set a deadline. Even determining success or failure would take considerable time.”
He added one more thing.
“However, if you succeed faster than the others, that would provide its own advantage.”
In other words, completing an assigned task faster than others would be advantageous in becoming the successor.
As the warrior placed the documents on the table,
“This one looks promising.”
Do Cheon Rin, who had been swiftly examining the documents, quickly seized one.
“There’s no better task for the Main House to handle.”
In the moment when all eyes were fixed on Bu Eunseol’s question, he had instantly grasped the contents of the document and taken the one most advantageous to him.
He had even manipulated the order of the documents so that no one could tell which one he had selected.
“Truly, you possess the swift hands befitting the young lord of the Blood-Dyed Sword School.”
Wi Ji Hye Sang offered praise and nodded.
“Since the order has not been determined, it is wise to quickly find and choose the most advantageous one.”
Then Yong Jeok Bi let out a scoff.
“Hmph. What does it matter what others choose? I only need to complete my own task.”
And he lifted one of the documents placed on the table.
―Eliminate all of the Twelve Earthly Branches.
The Twelve Earthly Branches.
They were a group of fixers who handled all manner of covert affairs between the upper and middle realms.
Since they would do anything for money, they were in essence similar in nature to the unscrupulous assassin sects that disregarded propriety.
And the Demon Hall had long sought to eliminate the Twelve Earthly Branches.
However, the Twelve Earthly Branches operated as a decentralized network deeply connected to the lowest dregs of the lower realm, making their eradication exceedingly difficult.
“Indeed! With Geuk Sal Mil Gak, the grand master of assassins, it would be advantageous for handling the sects lurking in the underground world, wouldn’t it?”
Wi Ji Hye Sang did not forget to exclaim in admiration each time the others selected a mission slip.
Sin Do Woon Hui, observing this, wore a subtle expression.
“Wouldn’t it be better to choose as quickly as possible? Aren’t you being too leisurely?”
“Well, I suppose.”
Wi Ji Hye Sang smiled faintly.
“If I’m not the first to choose, it’s not a bad strategy to confirm all the others’ selections before making my own choice.”
At this piercing response, Sin Do Woon Hui’s eyes gleamed.
Though Wi Ji Hye Sang appeared to be thinking of nothing in particular, he was making judgments with terrifying clarity.
“But such matters cannot be resolved through mere scheming.”
Sin Do Woon Hui withdrew his gaze from Wi Ji Hye Sang and carefully examined the mission slips before selecting one.
It contained a task regarding the resolution of small and medium sects that had been incorporated into the Demon Hall but failed to assimilate.
“You’ve chosen a truly difficult task.”
Wi Ji Hye Sang offered words of praise once more. And they were sincere.
Resolving the chronic problems each sect possessed and ensuring they could integrate smoothly into the Demon Hall as a unified body.
In other words, it was the work of managing sects and expanding influence.
And this was far more difficult than destroying a single faction.
“You’ve chosen something no easy feat.”
Even Yeop Hyo Cheon offered his admiration, and Sin Do Woon Hui bore a faint smile.
“I simply lack confidence in martial prowess, it seems.”
Yet he spoke falsely—he was the heir to the Destruction Spear Sect, capable of facing masters of Tianxia with confidence using only his six senses.
Sin Do Woon Hui was clearly a genius who appeared ordinary while concealing his true abilities beneath the surface.
At that moment, Bu Eunseol, who had been approaching the spread mission slips, suddenly turned her head to regard Wi Ji Hye Sang.
“Still planning to yield your turn?”
“Of course.”
Then Bu Eunseol smiled coldly.
“You don’t intend to choose today.”
“What do you mean?”
Bu Eunseol stared directly at Wi Ji Hye Sang.
“The Sect Leader said there was no time limit for this task… which means choosing a mission right now is unnecessary.”
At this, the complexions of Yong Jeok Bi and Sin Do Woon Hui changed, while Do Cheon Rin bore a threadlike smile.
He had already discerned both Wi Ji Hye Sang’s scheme and this blind spot.
Yet because he had chosen a mission slip first…
Do Cheon Rin had likely selected the most advantageous task among those presented, one he could easily handle.
“So Bu Xiao Xia won’t choose either.”
Wi Ji Hye Sang’s eyes gleamed.
Having discerned this blind spot, he believed Bu Eunseol would either select a mission again when no one was watching, or observe the situation before deciding.
“No, I will choose now.”
But Bu Eunseol shook her head.
“Because someone must not be allowed to take this mission.”
At those words, Wi Ji Hye Sang blinked.
No matter how carefully he examined them, there were no tasks that could be easily handled, nor any missions that would tempt another successor.
A soft rustling sound.
Bu Eunseol approached the stack of mission slips and without hesitation selected one.
In that instant, the atmosphere grew cold.
Even Yeop Hyo Cheon’s expression, which had been silently observing, hardened.
This was because the mission slip Bu Eunseol had chosen bore the following words.
―Eliminate one Orthodox Sect member belonging to the Four Gods Seven Kings.

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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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