The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 224

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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 224.
Bu Eunseol gazed at Gu Hong Cheong, whose eyes remained wide open even in death.
Despite possessing exceptional martial aptitude, he had devoted his entire life to seizing dominion over Gae Bang rather than perfecting his craft.
Had he dedicated himself to martial excellence instead of Gae Bang’s supremacy, he would never have fallen to her.
*Cough.*
As I rose to my feet, blood spilled from my lips once more.
My body and spirit had never reached the heights that Geol Wang had attained.
I had merely orchestrated a meticulous strategy to frustrate Gu Hong Cheong, and through sudden enlightenment and the aid of the Jade Finger Seal, barely claimed victory.
*Crunch, crunch.*
At that moment, Hae Poong approached with the sunset at his back, the Green Tiger Gourd hanging from his waist.
Upon seeing me standing tall and Gu Hong Cheong lifeless against the stone, his eyes widened in profound shock.
“Supreme Elder!”
He had never believed I could defeat Gu Hong Cheong.
That was precisely why he had accepted my proposal.
Yet how could Gu Hong Cheong now be dead?
“This cannot be! How did this happen?”
I offered no answer. Instead, I turned and departed slowly.
“No! How could this be….”
Hae Poong examined Gu Hong Cheong’s corpse meticulously.
The fatal wound was a stab near the chest. There were no signs of outside interference.
Indeed, this Woo Hwa Platform was surrounded by nearly a thousand masters of Gae Bang. No one could have intervened without descending like an immortal from the heavens.
Bewildered, Hae Poong called out loudly to me as I departed.
“You have slain the Supreme Elder of our faction!”
“….”
“Our faction shall never forget this grievance!”
*Halt.*
I stopped in my tracks.
“Of course.”
And I spoke in a voice low yet resonant with power.
“Do not forget it. Not until death.”
Then I turned my head and smiled coldly, my lips curling upward just as Geol Wang’s had.
“For that was Geol Wang’s dying wish.”
“What do you mean?”
“He breathed his last while laughing, saying you would never become faction leader.”
My eyes were filled with contempt.
Meeting that gaze, Hae Poong finally grasped the terrible truth and bit his lip.
‘So that was it!’
Gae Bang had always been home to righteous individuals with what could be called the spirit of chivalry.
Though I had stood in opposition to Gu Hong Cheong, I had never harbored hatred deep enough to wish him dead.
I had only wanted to stop his hunger for power and restore Gae Bang to its proper state.
“After all, the Venerable Elder won’t lose to that girl.”
Hae Poong accepted Bu Eunseol’s proposal to hand over the Green Tiger Gourd.
He was confident that Gu Hong Cheong would emerge victorious regardless.
‘Ugh…’
But the outcome shattered all expectations.
Due to the transaction with Bu Eunseol, Geol Wang—the Venerable Elder who symbolized Gae Bang itself…
…and one of the Four Gods Seven Kings, had fallen.
‘Was it truly so unbearable, so infuriating to fail becoming the Patriarch? Did you curse me even in your final moments?’
Gu Hong Cheong’s rage at seeing his lifelong ambition crumble exceeded anything he could have imagined.
The moment Gu Hong Cheong realized that Hae Poong could never become Patriarch because of this incident, he was able to laugh even in the face of death.
‘Haaah…’
Hae Poong clutched at his hair, overwhelmed by the anguish pouring forth.
Bu Eunseol, watching his anguish, smiled coldly.
Even in death, Gu Hong Cheong had not been freed from his lust for power.
And Hae Poong would be no different.
He would spend his entire life regretting his choice to make a deal with Bu Eunseol. And he would grieve his failure to become Patriarch.
In the end, just like Geol Wang, who never abandoned his hunger for power even before death…
Hae Poong might one day become a second Geol Wang.
As Bu Eunseol descended from the Woo Hwa Platform, five hundred Gae Bang disciples stood with blazing eyes, forming their ranks.
They were not the core forces of Gae Bang, but rather the faction that had independently supported Geol Wang, including Younghwa Party Lord Moo Hong.
They had sworn their loyalty solely to Geol Wang.
And though they had yearned for him to become Patriarch… Geol Wang was dead, and all their plans had come to naught.
“Hae Poong may have promised not to kill that girl, but we make no such oath!”
They waited below the Woo Hwa Platform, seeking vengeance for the Geol Wang they had served.
Thud, thud, thud.
Even as five hundred masters approached, Bu Eunseol showed little surprise.
In truth, this had been anticipated from the moment she decided to strike down Gu Hong Cheong.
Geol Wang had not integrated his followers into Gae Bang, but instead operated and commanded them as an independent faction.
Because of this, they could not even return to Gae Bang under Hae Poong’s command.
“You will die here!”
Just as Younghwa Party Lord Moo Hong raised his hand toward the disciples,
Whoosh.
Dozens of the five hundred disciples suddenly cast off their tattered robes and turned away.
They were none other than Heuk Pyo and the Sa Yeong Dae members.
“You wretches…!”
Moo Hong’s eyes widened in shock.
He had just realized that Bu Eunseol had anticipated even their attack.
“Just as the Young Lord predicted, sir.”
Heuk Pyo, approaching Bu Eunseol, revealed his face as he spoke.
“They plan to perish rather than join Gae Bang.”
Heuk Pyo, a former intelligence operative of Nangindae, was a master of concealment and infiltration.
After safely recovering the Green Tiger Gourd, he received Bu Eunseol’s orders and began tracking the movements of the forces under Geol Wang’s command.
Once he had located their whereabouts, he infiltrated Geol Wang’s faction on the day Bu Eunseol and the Sa Yeong Dae arrived at Woo Hwa Platform.
He then eliminated the sentries according to their numbers and remained hidden in position.
It was simple in theory, but this plan was impossibly dangerous and required absolute secrecy.
Without Heuk Pyo’s exceptional martial techniques, strategic brilliance, and intimate knowledge of every corner of Gae Bang, success would have been impossible.
And this was precisely…
why Bu Eunseol had to bring Heuk Pyo along in her plan to eliminate Geol Wang.
“Now comes the final act.”
Bu Eunseol gazed calmly toward the distant sky.
Under ordinary circumstances, victory against nearly five hundred sentries would be impossible.
But the Sa Yeong Dae members had undergone grueling training that danced with death itself in preparation for this day, and they had mastered new martial techniques.
The First Division had learned new sword and blade techniques, the Second Division had cultivated internal energy and movement arts…
The Third Division had mastered the Black Poison Demonic Art, hardening their bodies to steel.
Moreover, by observing the sparring between Hyuk So Jin and Heuk Pyo, they had gained experience that rivaled actual combat.
“Bu Eunseol.”
And finally, two figures appeared and cast off their tattered robes.
They were Myo Cheon Woo and Yu Woon Ryong.
They were among the Ten Demon Immortals—warriors of the highest caliber, their strength only slightly inferior to Bu Eunseol’s.
With Hyuk So Jin and Heuk Pyo present as well, five hundred Gae Bang disciples would be utterly unable to withstand them.
Thud, thud, thud.
Yet the Gae Bang disciples advanced fearlessly and without hesitation, their long staffs gripped firmly in hand.
There was no trace of fear of death in their eyes.
‘It is because they have nowhere left to return to.’
Bu Eunseol understood.
She knew why they advanced without hesitation, knowing they would be defeated, knowing they would die.
They had nowhere left to return to.
“Hyaaaaaah!”
Moo Hong, the master of Younghwa Party, charged forward with a battle cry.
At that same moment, nearly five hundred sentries began rushing forward with all their might.
* * *
Clatter, clatter.
An old carriage was passing through the quiet forest path.
The man sitting inside the carriage gazed out the window with an indifferent expression.
Between long strands of hair, a prominent nose ridge was visible. His eyes sparkled as if holding the light pouring down from the heavens.
In stark contrast were his dark, thick brows and tightly sealed lips.
And in his eyes dwelt an authority capable of subjugating ten thousand, creating an atmosphere both androgynous and mysterious.
It was Bu Eunseol.
Clatter, clatter.
She gazed out the window with an expressionless face throughout.
After dealing with Geol Wang, he chose to return to Demon Palace by carriage rather than employing his lightness technique.
He needed time to treat his internal injuries while slowly digesting the profound insights gained from his decisive battle with Geol Wang.
“Young master.”
At that moment, the elderly coachman guiding the horses gazed at the setting sun and spoke in a loud voice.
“It appears we shall have to camp nearby for the night.”
“Very well.”
Upon receiving the reply, the coachman brought the carriage to a halt near a wide, flat stretch of road and began preparing shelter from the night dew.
Crackle, crackle.
A campfire flickered to life in the quiet open ground.
The coachman slept beneath a thick cloth, while Bu Eunseol sat before the campfire, lost in thought.
‘I hope the members returned safely.’
The Sa Yeong Dae members had achieved a decisive victory against the five hundred bandits who followed Geol Wang.
Of course, more than half of the members had sustained serious injuries, and some were in critical condition.
Therefore, once the battle concluded, Bu Eunseol had immediately ordered Hyuk So Jin and the others to escort the members back to Demon Palace.
―Young master, I wish to spend some more time living as a wanderer alone.
Among them, Heuk Pyo made an unexpected proposal.
He said that once all matters concerning Gae Bang were settled, he would return to Donghyo Seorang.
―With my current level of martial prowess, I cannot yet remain at your side and be of service.
Bu Eunseol had stepped into the threshold of the Extreme Heaven Realm through her fierce battle with Geol Wang.
In short, she had reached the pinnacle among the new generation masters of the Murim.
Heuk Pyo, who had yet to achieve the Transcendent Realm, concluded that remaining by Bu Eunseol’s side would be of no assistance whatsoever.
―I shall return as a talent truly capable of aiding you, young master.
Heuk Pyo bowed his head with confidence.
Through handling this affair, he had gained tremendous experience.
Through sparring with Hyuk So Jin, he had mastered numerous demonic techniques and combat methods through his body, and learned how to fight against multiple forces.
―And should the opportunity arise in the future… I wish to gather like-minded individuals and establish a Nangindae of my own.
Most importantly, what Heuk Pyo had greatly learned from this expedition was Bu Eunseol’s military tactics.
Facing a larger force with a smaller one—he realized this required not merely martial prowess, but superior strategy and unity and coordination among the members.
―We shall depart as well.
Once everything was concluded, Myo Cheon Woo and Yu Woon Ryong also prepared to leave without burden.
But they could not leave.
Bu Eunseol spoke to them thus.
―This is merely the beginning.
Having slain one of the Four Gods Seven Kings, the trials that shall emerge henceforth, and the enemies…
will be incomparably stronger than before. And Bu Eunseol needed the strength of both of you.
―Register yourselves at Demon Palace for now. Only until I can establish myself stably in the succession.
The two understood the truth.
That Bu Eunseol was not holding them back out of need for help.
Though they had abandoned their status as Ten Demon Experts, the grievances with the Ten Demonic Gates remained unresolved.
If they wandered the Gangho in this state, they could face pursuit from them at any moment.
Bu Eunseol intended to create the strength necessary for those two to depart freely into the Gangho.
Through none other than the formidable alliance known as the Demon Palace.
―Well, shall we linger a bit longer?
When Myo Cheon Woo spoke as if he had no choice, Yu Woon Ryong replied coldly.
―Very well. But do not obstruct me when I wish to depart.
And so the two of them returned to the Demon Palace alongside the Sa Yeong Dae members.
Meanwhile, Bu Eunseol deliberately traveled by carriage at a leisurely pace back toward the Demon Palace.
The battle with Geol Wang.
From this fierce and perilous confrontation, I needed to immediately internalize the insights gained.
‘Once I return to the Demon Palace, there may be no time for respite. I must delay my return as long as possible and digest these insights.’
The current situation had narrowed the successor candidates down to four, creating an intensely competitive atmosphere.
Moreover, what tasks Do Cheon Rin and Wi Ji Hye Sang were handling remained entirely unknown.
Unable to predict what would unfold upon returning to the Demon Palace, Bu Eunseol was determined to arrive as slowly as possible.
‘In truth, considerable time is genuinely required for this.’
I had repeatedly reviewed the battle with Geol Wang, yet no matter how many times I recalled it, I could not grasp the subtlety of the Guhua Island Technique in a single moment.
Moreover, that perilous Yeonwi Secret Art.
And the hunger for power, the rage, the desires that he could not release even as death approached….
Still, the intense battle with Geol Wang and its conclusion played endlessly in my mind.
‘Had I merely contended with him through martial prowess alone, I would not be here now.’
To defeat Geol Wang, whose martial skill was vastly superior, I had to shatter his unwavering spirit and create minute fractures within it.
Thus, Bu Eunseol deliberately handed the Green Tiger Gourd to Hae Poong before his eyes, frustrating him and striking a blow to his spirit.
What if I had not employed such a stratagem?
Even had I unfolded the Heavenly Absolute Technique flawlessly, I would not have brought Geol Wang to ruin.
‘Will I ultimately have to master the Sak Jeong Secret Art?’
Recalling the power of the Yeouui True Formation that I had unleashed during the heart demon tribulation, my eyes narrowed.
Had I been able to continuously deploy the Yeouui True Formation during combat, I would have yielded not an inch against Geol Wang.
‘The Sak Jeong Secret Art merely carves away emotion—it is not the method for falling into heart demons.’
The Sak Jeong Secret Art was simply a heart cultivation technique.
Yet Bu Eunseol possessed an unwitting will to preserve the myriad emotions within herself.
This inner conflict had collided with the Sak Jeong Secret Art, ultimately causing me to succumb to the heart demon.
‘If I cannot improve the Yeouui True Formation, I have no choice but to master the Sak Jeong Secret Art.’
Ahead lay battles against far mightier adversaries.
If I stubbornly clung to the incomplete Yeouui True Formation as I had done…
I would either fall into heart demons once more, or suffer an irreversible defeat.
Then, suddenly, the face of Hae Poong—with whom I had made a solemn vow—surfaced in my mind.
‘Gae Bang will surely mobilize its intelligence network to orchestrate something.’
The fact that Bu Eunseol had slain Geol Wang could not be changed.
Then, to silence the details of the transaction between Bu Eunseol and Gae Bang regarding the Green Tiger Gourd…
And to restore their reputation, which had plummeted to the depths, Gae Bang would deploy its intelligence apparatus to unleash every manner of slander and intrigue.
The Four Gods Seven Kings.
It was not merely a martial ranking, but a symbolic position of authority.
Because of this, only those masters who had reached the Extreme Heaven Realm and wielded tremendous influence over the Murim could ascend to such a station.
Yet Bu Eunseol, barely more than a girl, occupied one of the seats among the Four Gods Seven Kings?
They would surely move heaven and earth to prevent such a thing.
‘Since no one witnessed the duel, my deception will hold sway for the time being.’
Perhaps I would not be immediately recognized as holding the position of the Four Gods Seven Kings.
But Bu Eunseol cared not how Gae Bang might scheme and conspire.
Honor? Power? Such things were meaningless to me.
I had merely fulfilled the task entrusted to me by Chong Gyo Ryeong, while simultaneously…
avenging the Fengyun Corps members who had perished in agony.
Chirp, chirp, chirp.
As I sank deeper into contemplation, dawn broke upon the world.
With the rising sun, the carriage resumed its journey, and after relentless travel, we entered the Ho Nam region.
Upon arriving in Seong Do, the marketplace was alive with vendors from across the land, their stalls spread wide as if a festival had been declared.
Ma Bu halted the carriage at a nearby inn to rest and feed the horses.
The moment Bu Eunseol descended from the carriage, a gaunt man approached her.
“Do not proceed to the Demon Palace. The Master commands you to return immediately to Bon Gak.”
The man who transmitted his voice was a member of the Fengyun Corps.
He walked slowly, transmitting his message once more.
“I shall compensate Ma Bu for his return journey.”
As the man passed by Bu Eunseol, his hand moved with lightning speed, slipping a thin letter into her sleeve.
“The details are written within the letter.”
Then the man departed as if nothing had transpired, disappearing into Market Street.
Once in a deserted alley, I slowly unfolded the letter I held.
“….”
My eyes widened progressively as I read the message.
―Gak Ju has completed his seclusion and returned. Return to Bon Gak at once.

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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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