The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 213

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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 213.
Ihwajang.
An ancient abandoned manor located at the outer edge of Gaebong.
Originally, this place had been the residence of a wealthy merchant from over a century ago, but a plague swept through and claimed everyone’s lives.
Because it was the site of that plague, and given its distance from Seong Do, Ihwajang had become a complete ruin untouched by human footsteps.
Yet at some point, dozens of men began converging on this abandoned manor.
Thunk, thunk, thunk.
They repaired the collapsed Palace Hall and laid blue stone tiles in the front courtyard’s Flower Garden.
After several days passed, the desolate interior of Ihwajang had transformed into a reasonably presentable place where people could actually dwell.
“Phew, I’m dying from exhaustion.”
Won Se Moon, who had been engaged in intense sparring with his team members on the blue stone-tiled Martial Arts Arena, collapsed to the ground.
“Take a brief rest!”
It was Bu Eunseol’s group and the Sa Yeong Dae members who had renovated Ihwajang.
Geol Wang, the Supreme Elder of Gae Bang, was not someone who could be killed merely through superior martial prowess.
Moreover, considerable preparation was necessary to eliminate the target, Geol Wang.
Bu Eunseol first established a base near Yeojoo, which bordered Gaebong where Gae Bang’s headquarters was located, to track his movements.
The area beneath the lamp is darkest.
While Gae Bang members swarmed throughout Gaebong, the borderland region of Yeojoo conversely had almost no Gae Bang members to be found.
“Damn it, how much longer must we train in martial arts? This seems sufficient already.”
As Won Se Moon grumbled, Han So Woong, who sat behind him, responded.
“Captain. Don’t you know our leader’s temperament? Just assume we’re dead and accept it.”
“Ugh.”
Won Se Moon gazed at the distant sky and smacked his lips.
Once the renovation of Ihwajang was complete, the first directive Bu Eunseol issued was the enhancement of her members’ martial abilities.
To deal with Geol Wang, they first had to confront Gae Bang itself.
While the Sa Yeong Dae members possessed strong personalities and martial prowess, they were not yet at a level where they could easily contend with Gae Bang’s frontline fighters.
“Damn it. Sparring would be easier!”
At that moment, ten members with drooping shoulders were trudging toward the Martial Arts Arena.
They were Jo Nam Cheon and the Third Squad members.
“We’re supposed to enter iron coffins. And ones filled with bizarre poisonous herbs at that.”
The Third Squad members were neither as powerful in martial arts as the First Squad nor as swift in movement techniques as the Second Squad.
Therefore, Bu Eunseol had the Third Squad members learn the Black Poison Demonic Art obtained from Jeol Cheon Myeol Ji to maximize their unique characteristics.
The Black Poison Demonic Art not only strengthened the body through inner energy but possessed power comparable to the Arhat Strength Technique.
Bu Eunseol intended to transform the Third Squad members into defensive specialists during combat.
“But why does our leader insist we cultivate our martial arts inside iron coffins anyway? We could do that anywhere.”
When Won Se Moon asked, Jo Nam Cheon sat down on the ground and spoke.
“Cultivating inner energy in an iron coffin offers many advantages, or so I’ve heard.”
“Advantages?”
“With thin air and the cold chill emanating from the iron, your mental fortitude becomes tougher through constant resistance, or so they say.”
Jo Nam Cheon spoke while exhaling a long sigh.
“Once you master the Black Poison Demonic Art, you’ll become a sword bearer… so you must cultivate an unwavering mind.”
“I see. That’s no easy task either.”
As Won Se Moon nodded and began to slump his shoulders,
“Please have some refreshments while you work.”
At that moment, a young scholar dressed in black robes with leather shin guards wrapped around his ankles distributed a wooden basket of snacks and water to the members.
Though his frame appeared lean, the elastic muscles glimpsed beneath possessed the sharpness of a finely honed blade. It was none other than Heuk Pyo.
“Heuk Pyo. Aren’t you exhausted?”
Won Se Moon gestured toward the thick iron shin guards fastened around Heuk Pyo’s ankles.
Though they appeared to be ordinary steel, they were actually crafted from Xuantie—a mystical metal from the Northern Sea that weighed dozens of times more than common iron.
The members of Hyuk So Jin’s unit, including Wi Cheon Gyeong, who possessed exceptional aptitude for lightness techniques, all wore shin guards fashioned from this same Xuantie metal.
“I’m fine with it.”
Heuk Pyo scratched his head sheepishly.
“It’s just a matter of wearing these heavy shin guards while moving about.”
“Right, now that I think about it—you were the Black Whirlwind who attacked Blood Poison Valley with the commander in the past, weren’t you?”
At that moment, Jo Nam Cheon looked at Heuk Pyo and gave a thumbs up.
“For someone so young to possess lightness technique skills comparable to Wi Cheon Gyeong’s—that’s truly remarkable.”
Heuk Pyo’s lightness techniques were exceptionally superior, rivaling Wi Cheon Gyeong, who possessed the most outstanding lightness skills among Sa Yeong Dae members.
For this reason, he wore Xuantie shin guards of identical weight to Wi Cheon Gyeong’s.
“You’re too kind.”
Heuk Pyo smiled bashfully.
“Please eat at your leisure. I’ll organize all the weapons here.”
Then he turned and began methodically arranging the items the members had scattered about.
“Leave it. We’ll handle it later.”
Won Se Moon waved his hand, but Heuk Pyo wiped the sweat from his brow and didn’t stop working.
“No, sir. I have nothing else to do until the commander arrives anyway.”
“I’ll do it instead. I’ve already completed my sparring quota with the unit leader today.”
At that moment, Han So Woong, who had been drinking cool water, suddenly stood up and spoke.
“You should rest. You’ve been doing chores all day long.”
Then the Sa Yeong Dae members chimed in one after another.
“That’s right. Take a break.”
“We’ll organize everything in just a moment after we rest a bit.”
The Sa Yeong Dae members were always fond of sparring with others and possessed virtually no social grace.
Yet as they looked at Heuk Pyo, every one of their faces bore a gentle smile.
Heuk Pyo bore no trace of the roughness one might expect from a wanderer—his manners were impeccable and his mind sharp.
Moreover, he never shirked difficult tasks, possessed outstanding martial prowess, and demonstrated unwavering integrity.
For these reasons, even the rough members who comprised Hyuk So Jin’s unit cherished Heuk Pyo as they would a younger brother.
Creak.
At that moment, four men emerged from the center of the estate’s main hall.
It was Bu Eunseol, Hyuk So Jin, Myo Cheon Woo, and Yu Woon Ryong.
Myo Cheon Woo and Yu Woon Ryong, hailing from the Ten Demon Immortals, were treated not as Sa Yeong Dae members but as Bu Eunseol’s close companions and allies.
“Leader.”
Won Se Moon and the other members, seated on the ground, waved their hands in acknowledgment.
“So the Deputy Leader and her esteemed companions were here as well.”
Though there existed a hierarchy between us, I did not demand trivial courtesies beyond the orders I issued.
Because of this, my members conducted themselves freely and comfortably in my presence and in Hyuk So Jin’s.
“Is the martial training finished?”
At my question, Jo Nam Cheon nodded.
“We have completed it all.”
“Hmm.”
My eyes narrowed as I observed the scattered damage across the blue stone platform of the Martial Arts Arena.
Two months had already passed since we began cultivating our martial arts at Ihwajang. Time enough to matter, yet fleeting in its passage.
Yet my members had not shirked their efforts for even a single day, training their martial skills with fierce dedication.
And their inner energy had advanced so visibly that one could sense the tangible growth in their strength.
“I see.”
I observed my members radiating sharp auras and nodded in approval.
“Nearly everything is prepared.”
Then Won Se Moon spoke with evident excitement.
“Shall we begin soon?”
But I shook my head.
“There remains one crucial training yet.”
“Training?”
“Indeed.”
My members exchanged glances, their mouths falling open.
Until now, the training had been nothing short of life-or-death sparring that mimicked actual combat.
Several members had even sustained serious injuries in the process.
Yet there was still important training remaining?
“Gae Bang possesses the broadest influence among the Nine Sects One Alliance and employs the most diverse martial techniques. Moreover, their numbers are vast, and their ranks of masters are equally formidable.”
My expression grew increasingly solemn.
“You must become far stronger than you are now.”
“But what is this crucial training?”
At Jo Nam Cheon’s question, I spoke in a low voice.
“Observing combat.”
The Sa Yeong Dae members’ expressions became peculiar.
They had tensed considerably at the mention of crucial training, yet it amounted to merely watching fights?
Then Wi Cheon Gyeong calmly asked again.
“Are you instructing us to observe sparring matches, Leader?”
“Yes.”
I turned and looked down at my seated members.
“From now on, you shall observe one sparring match each day. The remaining time is yours to spend as you wish—either refining your martial arts with the insights you gain, or taking your rest.”
And I spoke with solemn gravity.
“However, if your strength hasn’t improved after a month, you won’t be able to remain as a Sa Yeong Dae member. You’ll likely have fallen in battle against Gae Bang by then.”
At those words, the members’ eyes gleamed like those of wild beasts.
They harbored no fear. Their only dread was wasting away, buried in the earth without ever taking flight.
Now that the moment had arrived to stretch their wings and soar, fear was the last thing they could afford.
“But whose sparring match are we supposed to observe?”
At Wi Cheon Gyeong’s question, Bu Eunseol’s gaze turned toward Hyuk So Jin.
“From now on, you’ll spar with Heuk Pyo once daily in front of all the members.”
Hyuk So Jin tilted his head in confusion.
“Sparring… you mean I should teach martial arts to Heuk Pyo?”
He had already served as a martial arts instructor at Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong.
Therefore, he knew better than anyone that teaching someone was equivalent to refining one’s own martial arts from the foundation up.
“I said sparring. Combat under real conditions.”
“But to spar with Heuk Pyo…”
Hyuk So Jin couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence.
Though Heuk Pyo possessed exceptional martial talent, his current strength still fell far short of matching his own.
“While Mu Wi may not surpass you, Heuk Pyo has experienced countless real battles during his wanderer years. He’s essentially lived the life of a Gangho traveler since childhood.”
Bu Eunseol explained calmly.
“Improving martial prowess at the Transcendent Realm is ultimately a matter of enlightenment. Sparring with Heuk Pyo, who employs diverse combat techniques, will surely yield valuable insights.”
“Understood.”
Hyuk So Jin nodded without further complaint.
Bu Eunseol’s words were always right. This sparring with Heuk Pyo would surely prove time well spent.
“Then what should I do?”
Myo Cheon Woo, who had been listening silently, asked, and Bu Eunseol answered immediately.
“Fight.”
“Fight? Continuously?”
Myo Cheon Woo’s shoulders sagged.
For two months, he had sparred with Yu Woon Ryong without a single day of rest.
Thanks to that, his strength had improved by leaps and bounds, but now they had reached a level where they could evade each other’s opening moves with their eyes closed.
And now she wanted him to continue sparring with him?
“From now on, you’ll fight me.”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Myo Cheon Woo’s face brightened.
“With you? That sounds good.”
“Both of you.”
“What?”
Bu Eunseol looked between Yu Woon Ryong and Myo Cheon Woo alternately as she spoke.
“Both of you attacking me at once.”
“What?”
Myo Cheon Woo jumped in shock, but Yu Woon Ryong spoke coldly.
“That’s generous of you.”
In the past, Yu Woon Ryong would have felt his pride wounded and either grown angry or rejected the proposal.
But now I understand.
Just how exceptional Bu Eunseol’s martial prowess truly is. And through sparring with Bu Eunseol, I can seize another opportunity to make a breakthrough.
“Oh ho, Yu Woon Ryong!”
When Yu Woon Ryong did not lose his temper, Myo Cheon Woo opened his mouth in great surprise.
“You’ve really changed.”
Myo Cheon Woo spoke while clapping his hands.
“A stubborn rock of a man, clinging only to pride, transforming like this? Truly, one lives long enough to see wonders.”
“Shut your mouth.”
After the two had bickered for some time, Won Se Moon raised his hand.
“Master. May I ask a question?”
“Go ahead.”
“Then are we only to observe the Vice Master’s sparring? Or may we also watch the Master’s sparring?”
Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
“It matters not. That is your choice.”
“Truly?”
“However, observing the Vice Master’s sparring would be more beneficial. My sparring will offer you no insight or enlightenment whatsoever.”
Won Se Moon nodded.
The members with lower martial cultivation would not yet possess the ability to appreciate the subtleties of Bu Eunseol’s techniques.
“Then let us begin at once.”
Bu Eunseol turned and walked toward the Back Garden.
Myo Cheon Woo and Yu Woon Ryong nodded and followed in her wake.
Then Hyuk So Jin and Heuk Pyo, along with the squad leaders, their eyes gleaming, followed after them. And even the members began to file forward in procession.
Even if one were to witness the greatest masters, they first wished to observe the sparring between Bu Eunseol and the Ten Demon Immortals.
Whoosh.
The Back Garden of Ihwajang held a dense Bamboo Forest.
However, since the members often conducted martial training here, roughly one-third of the bamboo grove had been cleared away.
Bu Eunseol, standing in the center of the open ground within the bamboo forest, spread both her hands wide.
“Let us begin.”
Then Myo Cheon Woo and Yu Woon Ryong simultaneously drew forth their vital energy.
Bu Eunseol against Myo Cheon Woo and Yu Woon Ryong.
Three who had once fought to the death as Ten Demon Immortals now prepared to engage in this decisive confrontation.

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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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