The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 225

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 225.
Bu Eunseol’s complexion turned cold as she gazed down at the letter.
‘The Pavilion Master has completed his closed-door cultivation?’
By a strange coincidence, around the same time Bu Eunseol had dealt with Geol Wang, the Nangya Pavilion Master had also emerged from his seclusion.
And upon learning of all that had transpired, the Nangya Pavilion Master had immediately commanded her to return to Nangya Pavilion.
Ak Moo Ryung, the Human-Demon.
One of the Three Demons and Three Sovereigns, possessing martial prowess beyond imagination—capable of standing alone against Ma Cheon Je himself.
—Neither demon nor human, but a sinister and otherworldly existence.
This was how the Murim described Ak Moo Ryung, the Human-Demon.
He was born with power and a physique so inherently formidable that he could scarcely be called human.
And because his martial cultivation had long transcended the limits of humanity, he earned the title of Human-Demon.
‘I had longed to meet him, but not like this, not now.’
In truth, ever since Bu Eunseol had entered Nangya Pavilion, she had constantly hoped to see the Pavilion Master in person.
But with him in closed-door cultivation, she had temporarily forgotten of his existence.
To be summoned back to Nangya Pavilion at such a critical moment—just as she was completing her duties as a successor candidate and preparing to return to Demon Palace.
‘I have a terrible premonition about this.’
Bu Eunseol gazed toward the distant sky.
There was no choice in the matter. The Pavilion Master himself had commanded her return, so she had to depart for Nangya Pavilion at once.
Once Bu Eunseol left Seong Do, she immediately unleashed her movement technique, racing toward Geommi Mountain.
Her graceful form, which had been cutting through the sky, finally descended to earth as she reached the midpoint of Geommi Mountain.
At last, she had arrived at Nangya Pavilion.
Though it appeared outwardly like a peaceful village, Nangya Pavilion was where the most fearsome masters of the Demonic Path gathered.
‘What is this?’
Yet as Bu Eunseol entered the entrance of Nangya Pavilion, she could not hide her bewilderment.
A towering, thick wall had been erected at the entrance—one that had never existed before—and directly facing it stood an enormous iron gate three zhang in height.
By appearance alone, it looked scarcely different from the exterior of Demon Palace.
“They built such a massive fortress gate, yet didn’t station guards at it.”
Bu Eunseol, wearing a wry smile, stepped through the iron gate.
In that instant, her eyes widened progressively.
The shabby village-like landscape of Nangya Pavilion had vanished entirely.
Gleaming palace halls stood in all directions, and the uneven paths had been paved so that carriages could pass through.
It resembled the grand streets of a magnificent imperial capital.
‘Could it be that Bon Gak has relocated elsewhere, and another sect has moved in?’
There was not a single person passing by in the vicinity.
Wang Gyeol, the Blacksmith Master who had been crafting weapons near the entrance, and his Blacksmith Shop had also disappeared.
As Bu Eunseol, sensing something amiss, hurried inward,
“You’ve arrived.”
A middle-aged man dressed in scholarly robes slowly emerged from the opposite path.
It was Baek Yeon, the Fengyun Corps Master.
“Master.”
Bu Eunseol bowed deeply.
When she lifted her head, a visage appeared as cold as if carved from ice, seemingly incapable of shedding even a single drop of blood if pierced.
Yet in truth, he possessed profound warmth and was the one who cared for Bu Eunseol most meticulously.
“Have you been well all this time?”
“You’ve grown unrecognizable.”
As Baek Yeon nodded and smiled, his expression softened as if spring had arrived upon a frozen lake.
“You’ve now become a true successor to Bon Gak.”
Baek Yeon’s gaze upon Bu Eunseol burned with exhilaration.
A disciple who had entered Nangya Sect mere years ago had slain one of the Four Gods Seven Kings.
Such a rate of growth was unprecedented in the Murim.
“You’ve endured so much hardship.”
Baek Yeon shook Bu Eunseol’s shoulders with vigor.
Though Baek Yeon typically restrained his emotions, this time he laid bare his heartfelt joy without reservation.
Geol Wang, Gu Hong Cheong—he had brutally slaughtered eight of Baek Yeon’s personally cultivated members.
Blood debts are repaid in blood.
Yet because the false accusation that Bu Eunseol had conspired with him could not be refuted, Nangya Sect had been unable to strike down Geol Wang.
But Bu Eunseol, as if to prove something, had slain Geol Wang single-handedly.
Moreover, she had avenged the members and elevated Nangya Sect’s prestige in one stroke—
For Baek Yeon, joy could not adequately describe what he felt.
“How did this all come to pass?”
“What do you mean?”
“I thought you had gone to the capital.”
“Haha. That’s all thanks to you, isn’t it?”
Baek Yeon could not contain his laughter and burst into hearty chuckles.
“Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong invested such vast wealth into Bon Gak that we couldn’t spend it all.”
He continued with a shrug of his shoulders.
“Thanks to that, Bon Gak’s disciples no longer need to engage in economic activities and can devote themselves entirely to martial cultivation. And as our finances grew abundant…”
—Hah!
At that moment, the clear shouts of young boys echoed from afar.
As Bu Eunseol tilted her head in curiosity, Baek Yeon smiled brightly and spoke.
“Countless youths and young men have flocked here seeking to enter Bon Gak.”
Baek Yeon’s smile carried the warmth of spring breeze.
“Thanks to that, we’ve established ten Great Training Arenas in Bon Gak alone. And our masters are so occupied with teaching the new disciples that they’re overwhelmed.”
Only then did Bu Eunseol understand why she saw no Nangya Sect members about.
They were selecting those who had flocked to Nangya Sect, accepting them as disciples, and instructing them.
“Were you truly unaware of Bon Gak’s circumstances?”
“I apologize.”
Bu Eunseol lowered her head with an embarrassed expression.
“Because I could not properly manage my own affairs, I did not receive reports regarding Bon Gak’s situation.”
“You’ve been occupied with many matters. There’s no need to apologize for such things.”
Only then did Bu Eunseol speak, her expression turning serious as if she had just remembered something.
“I heard that Gak Ju has returned after completing his closed-door cultivation.”
At that moment, Baek Yeon’s eyes darkened.
“That’s right. You need to go see Gak Ju now.”
“It doesn’t seem like he’s calling for me for anything good.”
“Hmm.”
Baek Yeon nodded after a moment of silence.
“As you well know, Gak Ju harbors considerable competitive feelings toward the Demon Palace Master.”
Baek Yeon gazed toward the distant sky with a grave expression.
“And yet you, who could be called the finest talent of Bon Gak, are struggling to become the successor of the Demon Palace…”
I didn’t need to hear the rest to understand what he meant.
Nangya Pavilion Master Ak Moo Ryung believed that Ma Cheon Je had stolen away his disciple, and he was consumed with rage.
“Would it be alright to visit him now?”
“No, Bu Gak Ju will be arriving soon. You must go together with him without fail.”
Baek Yeon’s eyes were tense.
From that alone, one could discern the nature of Nangya Pavilion Master.
No—the temperament of Ak Moo Ryung himself.
“Where is Bu Gak Ju? I shall visit him directly.”
“So many disciples have been pouring in, and with Bon Gak’s scale expanding, he’s been overwhelmed. Moreover, this time Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong sent elite disciples to be divided between Bon Gak and Jeol Cheon Myul Ji.”
“From Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong?”
“Geuk Hye Ryeong—I’m not sure how he managed to win over that stubborn old woman, but she’s given Bon Gak her full support.”
Baek Yeon let out a sound that was neither sigh nor exclamation.
“In fact, she’s not only providing funds but also sharing Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong’s intelligence network with Bon Gak.”
“You mean Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong’s information network?”
Bu Eunseol couldn’t hide her astonishment.
An intelligence organization was truly the highest secret and core of any sect.
Yet they were providing their own information network? It was practically offering the entire sect itself.
“Indeed. Bu Gak Ju repaid that deep favor and, to facilitate exchange between the two factions, sent Bon Gak’s disciples to Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong. In turn, Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong also sent disciples to Bon Gak.”
The masters of Nangya Pavilion were truly peerless experts capable of fighting a thousand alone.
With such individuals entering Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong for exchange, the prestige of both factions would rise in tandem.
“I see.”
Bu Eunseol wore a bewildered expression. Even she had not anticipated such circumstances.
Exchange between sects differs somewhat from personal relationships.
Simply by opening one’s heart to exchange, one can achieve brilliant development and expand one’s influence.
“However, Gak Ju dislikes such exchanges, so he was being persuaded. Then, upon hearing news of you, he issued orders for your return.”
“Bu Eunseol.”
At that moment, a tall middle-aged man appeared alongside a low voice.
His expression was utterly languid, yet flashes of brilliance occasionally gleamed in his eyes. It was Bu Gak Ju, Dan Cheong.
My, Dan Cheong’s martial prowess has advanced another level.
Dan Cheong’s bearing and aura had become far softer than before.
Yet beneath the surface lay a force more viscous and profound than before, permeating her entire being. Bu Eunseol could sense that his martial cultivation had ascended to a new tier.
“Pavilion Master Bu.”
As Bu Eunseol bowed deeply, Dan Cheong nodded with a faint smile.
“I nurtured you with meticulous care, and now you return like a swallow bearing treasures to its nest.”
Yet despite his words, Dan Cheong’s expression remained clouded.
“Thanks to you, Bon Gak has expanded considerably, and disciples have flocked here like clouds. Because of that, every soul in Bon Gak has barely had time to sleep these past months.”
An ordinary martial artist would have been overjoyed at such news.
But for Dan Cheong, who found everything tedious except martial cultivation, the expansion of Nangya Pavilion seemed far from welcome.
‘How similar we are.’
Bu Eunseol found herself smiling faintly without realizing it.
Only now did she recognize that Dan Cheong’s temperament bore a striking resemblance to Hyuk So Jin’s.
At that moment, Dan Cheong turned to Baek Yeon and spoke.
“The Pavilion Master awaits. Will you join us?”
“I must respectfully decline.”
“Hmm, has word of the Pavilion Master not yet reached you?”
“It has not.”
“Then I shall explain. You attend to your duties—you’re already occupied recruiting replacements for the Fengyun Corps members.”
Eight exceptional members of the Fengyun Corps had fallen vacant in the effort to rescue Bu Eunseol.
It seemed Baek Yeon was now devoting considerable effort to finding worthy successors.
“Understood.”
Baek Yeon gave Bu Eunseol’s shoulder a light pat and spoke once more.
“Bu Eunseol.”
“Yes.”
“Pavilion Master Bu will explain, but under no circumstances should you contradict the Pavilion Master’s words.”
Bu Eunseol did not fully grasp his meaning, but she answered respectfully.
“I understand.”
“Good. I trust you will handle this well.”
As Baek Yeon nodded and turned to leave, Dan Cheong spoke.
“Let us depart now.”
“Where does the Pavilion Master wait?”
When Bu Eunseol asked, Dan Cheong replied matter-of-factly.
“Cheol Jang Peak.”
Bu Eunseol walked alongside Dan Cheong through the heart of Nangya Pavilion.
Beyond the vast palace halls, disciples could be seen throughout the sprawling Training Grounds, engaged in sparring matches.
And beyond the forest, others were honing their movement techniques or drilling various martial arts.
As they finally passed through the pavilion’s center and approached the path ascending Cheol Jang Peak, Dan Cheong broke the silence.
“You’ve surely heard the rumors circulating through Murim—the Pavilion Master’s temperament is not particularly pleasant.”
Dan Cheong spoke in a low voice as they walked at a measured pace.
“And he views your ascension as successor to Demon Palace with considerable displeasure.”
“Is that why you summoned me?”
“If that were all, I would have persuaded the Pavilion Master.”
At this, Dan Cheong gazed toward the distant sky and sighed.
“The Pavilion Master’s great anger stems from the fact that you yourself requested the position of Lord of the Demon Palace.”
Only then did Bu Eunseol let out a sound of realization.
To deal with Geol Wang, and to continue the succession struggle… I absolutely needed dozens of capable subordinates.
But choosing to become Lord of the Demon Palace myself seemed to have ultimately offended the Pavilion Master’s sensibilities.
“A disciple of Nangya Sect cannot become Lord of the Demon Palace, then?”
“The position of Lord of the Demon Palace is, after all, quite a political seat, is it not?”
Dan Cheong laughed bitterly.
“To have obtained a position where one wields the power of the Demon Palace while walking through the Murim means you’ve also taken on the obligation to preserve that power.”
The true purpose of Nangya Sect is to achieve the pinnacle of martial arts.
Yet you declared yourself a successor to the Demon Palace and requested the position of Lord of the Demon Palace…
From the Pavilion Master’s perspective, you might appear to be consumed by lust for power or fallen into the Demonic Path.
“I….”
“I know. If you had any lust for power, you would never have chosen Bon Gak in the first place.”
Dan Cheong, who had been gazing at the distant sky, sighed.
“I offered my own counsel to the Pavilion Master, but it was to no avail.”
Before long, the summit of Cheol Jang Peak came into view.
But suddenly, a voice like thunder echoed from the distant sky.
[I will meet with that child alone.]
That voice resonated across all directions of heaven and earth simultaneously, like the Six Harmonies Transmission Sound, and it also rose from the ground itself.
Moreover, the voice carried a strange demonic power, causing Bu Eunseol to feel a momentary dizziness.
“Pavilion Master. This child….”
[I said I will meet with her alone.]
As a cold reply came back, Dan Cheong bit his lip.
And as if resigned, he looked at Bu Eunseol and spoke.
“Bu Eunseol. It seems you must go up alone.”
And he spoke again through sound transmission.
「The Pavilion Master will likely tell you to abandon your candidacy as successor to the Demon Palace. Do not object under any circumstances—simply agree. I will handle everything that follows.」
[Dan Cheong!]
An angry voice came, as if the Pavilion Master had detected Dan Cheong’s use of sound transmission.
“Understood, Pavilion Master.”
Dan Cheong gave a wry smile and patted Bu Eunseol’s shoulder.
“Go on up.”
Bu Eunseol climbed calmly to the summit of Cheol Jang Peak.
‘Why is the Pavilion Master waiting at Cheol Jang Peak?’
This was the place where Hyul Geum Gang, who had taught me the Bangeuk Heart Method, resided. It held special significance for me.
But why had the Nangya Pavilion Master summoned me here instead of to the proper palace hall?
Whoosh.
As Bu Eunseol finally reached the summit, I could see the silhouette of a large-framed figure standing at the cliff’s edge, hands clasped behind his back.
His back was three times as broad as an adult man’s, and his forearms were thick as logs.
His hair was haphazardly twisted up with twigs, and he wore a tattered martial robe with both forearms exposed.
He resembled a warrior who had descended from solitary cultivation deep within the mountains.
[Hmm.]
With a low hum, the shadow finally turned his body.
Then the face of a middle-aged man appeared—one with leonine, dignified eyes and a sharply defined nose ridge.
In that instant, Bu Eunseol drew a deep breath.
Ma Cheon Je, Sa Do Moo Myung, the Blood Demon Jeok Bung, the Dark King Yeop Hyo Cheon…
Until now, those who had reached the pinnacle of the Murim—each of them a supreme master who shook the heavens—had worn the form of humans with blood and flesh flowing through their veins.
But the presence before me was not human.
It was as though a ruler of demons from another world had descended upon this land.
There was no other way such a terrifying and alien presence could manifest.
Flash.
At last, the piercing gaze of Ak Moo Ryung, the Nangya Pavilion Master, fell upon Bu Eunseol.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————