The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 271
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 271.
Bu Eunseol could no longer contain the surge of emotion welling up inside her.
“Then does Ma Cheon Je possess the answer I seek?”
Her voice had grown too loud in her excitement. Bu Eunseol barely restrained herself and spoke again.
“Then why have you not revealed this answer to me?”
“Hehehehe.”
Ma Cheon Je’s laughter echoed in my ears.
Then something thin and transparent, like a thread, seemed to constrict my breathing passages.
“For the first time, you reveal your emotions to me.”
Only then could I understand.
Even if I were to kneel and beg, he would never grant me the answer. He had anticipated even this very reaction.
“The only answer I can offer you is this.”
Ma Cheon Je fixed his gaze upon me with eyes suffused in mysterious radiance.
“If you seek an answer, you must unravel it yourself.”
Ma Cheon Je ceased his laughter and spoke each word with crystalline clarity.
“An answer given by another may be false, and it may create yet another unpredictable destiny.”
As I pondered Ma Cheon Je’s words, my eyes widened.
‘An answer handed down by another may not be the truth….’
What if Ma Cheon Je had falsely revealed the enemy who slew my grandfather?
What if, believing his words, I killed that person? Would that not mean my destiny was manipulated by another’s mere utterance?
Ma Cheon Je desired that I find the answer myself for precisely this reason.
“Thank you.”
I bowed deeply and clasped my hands together.
I had learned two vital truths from Ma Cheon Je.
That the answers I desire must be discovered by my own hand.
And that one who stands at the apex of all people, like Ma Cheon Je, can easily manipulate another’s destiny with mere words.
‘I must remain vigilant against even this.’
For even the teaching of such truth might be an attempt to manipulate me in some direction.
“Thank you for your enlightenment.”
“The position of successor carries much burden, but it grants considerable power as well.”
Ma Cheon Je smiled calmly.
“Wield it once. That strength you have seized for yourself.”
With those words, he slowly turned away.
I clasped my hands deeply toward Ma Cheon Je as he departed.
I thought I had finally grasped the nature of Ma Cheon Je, yet… in the end, I had gained nothing.
The unknown. And chaos.
My abilities could not yet penetrate to the essence of Ma Cheon Je.
All I could dimly perceive was…
That Ma Cheon Je was an existence like primordial chaos itself, with good and evil hopelessly intertwined.
* * *
At last, the coronation ceremony began.
Upon the massive platform erected in the Holy Demon Pavilion sat the sect masters of the Ten Demonic Gates.
Below them gathered all the high-ranking officials and clan leaders of the Demon Hall.
They stood rigidly in formation, their tense expressions frozen, barely breathing.
This was because an overwhelming aura poured forth from Ma Cheon Je, who stood towering upon the platform.
The power he normally kept sealed away was now unleashed without restraint to welcome the next successor who would lead the Demon Hall.
—This was Ma Cheon Je.
As the suffocating pressure flowed endlessly, sweat began to bead upon their foreheads.
How could human strength ever suppress the air within a hall exceeding three thousand square feet?
Thump, thump.
Then, through the rows of assembled figures, a person clad in martial robes dyed deep black—as if woven from the hide of a black dragon—walked forward.
Her lustrous long hair shimmered as light passed through it, and between the strands gleamed eyes as transparent as crystal.
With each step, the embroidered decorations and jewels adorning her robes reflected brilliantly in the sunlight.
She appeared as though a shimmering black dragon had manifested in human form.
It was Bu Eunseol.
Step, step.
The aura flowing from Ma Cheon Je pressed down upon Bu Eunseol’s body like hundreds of stone pillars.
Yet Bu Eunseol ascended the steps with unwavering composure.
At last, having reached the platform, Bu Eunseol faced Ma Cheon Je.
And slowly, she knelt on one knee.
Then, from behind, Jin Seol and two martial masters carefully brought forth armor darkened to a deep black.
Click.
As Jin Seol carefully opened the armor, a blade gleaming white beneath the brilliant sun was revealed.
‘What sword is this?’
Every person in the hall wore an expression of bewilderment.
The sword bestowed upon the successor was the Crimson Thunder Sword, passed down through generations of the Demon Hall.
Yet here was a blade whose steel shone white—completely unexpected.
Whoosh.
She drew the sword and, with solemn and careful movements, presented it to Ma Cheon Je.
“The position of successor to this hall carries grave responsibility and immense authority.”
Ma Cheon Je, grasping the sword, spoke while gazing upon Bu Eunseol.
“And it is also a position of considerable danger.”
Ma Cheon Je, holding the sword, extended it toward Bu Eunseol, who knelt on one knee.
“Bu Eunseol, disciple of the Nangya Sect. I hereby appoint you as the head of this hall’s surveillance apparatus, the Master of the Muhonjung, and proclaim you as the next successor to this hall.”
Clink.
Bu Eunseol received the sword with both hands, her movements reverent and precise.
‘Bing Hun.’
Had the sword whispered to her?
Or had Bu Eunseol known this sword from long ago?
The moment her fingers closed around the hilt, the name Bing Hun surfaced in her mind.
“Display your abilities as a successor without reservation, leading this Demon Palace forward.”
Boom.
At that same moment, a tremendous gong installed on the Platform resonated through the air.
Bu Eunseol had finally ascended to the position of successor to the Demon Palace.
“Say a few words.”
Ma Cheon Je, wearing a faint smile, spoke while gazing at Bu Eunseol.
“As the successor.”
Bu Eunseol bowed respectfully and turned her body.
Then she looked down upon the countless people gathered below the Platform.
“There may be those who are dissatisfied that I, a lord who originated from the Ten Demon Immortals, have become the successor.”
“….”
“But you must understand this: I, who possessed neither faction nor foundation, could only reach this position because I cultivated my strength.”
Bu Eunseol cried out with an authoritative expression.
“And as long as I remain as lord, all who belong to this Demon Palace shall receive fair opportunities.”
Her voice, which shook the Holy Demon Pavilion itself, set the hearts of all the Demonic Path practitioners standing in formation ablaze.
“Cultivate your strength! Challenge yourselves and rise!”
Clang.
She raised the Icy Soul Sword above her head and spoke in a thunderous voice.
“To the place where I stand!”
Normally, when her words ended, all the Demonic Path practitioners below the Platform should have bowed their heads simultaneously in salute.
It was a gesture of submission acknowledging her as the next successor of the Demon Palace, and it marked the end of the enthronement ceremony.
―Roooaaarrr――――!
But instead of saluting, a thunderous cheer that seemed to tear the heavens asunder erupted.
―As long as I am the successor, strength shall be everything.
―All opportunities shall be distributed fairly.
―If you desire it, challenge the position where I stand. I shall accept you at any time.
Bu Eunseol had made this promise to the warriors of the Demon Palace and to a million Demonic Path practitioners.
And it was a promise that resolved in an instant the grievances of those who had been discriminated against not by strength, but by faction and origin…
The warriors belonging to the Demon Palace and the disciples of countless Demonic Path sects.
―Bu Eunseol! Bu Eunseol!
―Lord of the Muhonjung! Lord of the Muhonjung!
The Demonic Path practitioners, their hearts ablaze, cheered and called out Bu Eunseol’s name for a long time.
Whether it was dissatisfaction or not, as soon as the enthronement ceremony ended, the sect leaders and factions of the Ten Demonic Gates—excluding Nangya Sect, Jeol Cheon Myul Ji, and Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong—immediately departed from the Demon Palace.
* * *
As Ma Cheon Je had said, the position of successor to the Demon Palace was a seat that wielded considerable power.
Upon becoming the official successor, Bu Eunseol’s residence was immediately assigned to the Jamma Pavilion, which lay not far from the Holy Demon Pavilion.
The Jamma Pavilion.
It was comparable in scale to the Holy Demon Pavilion where Ma Cheon Je resided, with five hundred direct subordinate troops stationed across its vast grounds.
Ordinarily, a successor is assigned a separate Jammajedan unit that they can command independently.
Furthermore, Bu Eunseol must lead the warriors of the Muhonjung as their lord.
However, instead of leading the Jammajedan, Bu Eunseol reinforced her forces by recruiting personnel from Sa Yeong Dae, thereby establishing the Sayeong Battalion.
She then elevated each squad leader to the rank of Third-Class Commander, assigning them appropriate titles and duties.
Furthermore, she promoted Myo Cheon Woo and Yu Woon Ryong to Second-Class Commander, appointing them as adjutants to serve her directly, and entrusted them with the management of the Sayeong Battalion and Muhonjung.
Myo Cheon Woo possessed exceptional insight and managed people with remarkable skill.
Yu Woon Ryong, being the eldest son of a family with generations of administrative service, excelled in various clerical duties.
With these two alone, I could completely free myself from the responsibilities of succession.
Thanks to this arrangement, I was able to spend a pleasant time in Demon Palace with the people from Nangya Sect, Jeol Cheon Myeol Ji, and Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong.
Jamma Pavilion, my office.
“All matters concerning the Cheong Hae Seven Sword Sects have been resolved.”
Yu Woon Ryong, seated at the table before me, extended a single document.
“And this is a comprehensive record of all the financial and human resources available to you as the successor of Demon Palace and Lord of Muhonjung, along with a complete accounting of your authority.”
Upon appointing Yu Woon Ryong as my adjutant, I had assigned him two tasks.
The first was to formally integrate the Cheong Hae Seven Sword Sects into Demon Palace.
And to bestow substantial rewards in the name of the Lord of Muhonjung upon the successors of the Seven Sword Sect who had distinguished themselves in the annihilation of Heuk Ryeon.
The second was to instruct him to create a document through which all the authority of the successor could be viewed at a glance.
‘It suits him well.’
As I picked up the document, I observed Yu Woon Ryong, now dressed in the robes of a civil official, with quiet amusement.
When I appointed Yu Woon Ryong as my adjutant to handle clerical matters, the Chu Mil Won immediately issued him official civil robes.
Initially dismissive of the garment, Yu Woon Ryong gradually began wearing the civil robes as his clerical workload increased.
When dressed in official robes rather than martial attire, no one questioned him about removing documents from the office.
“What’s wrong?”
Sensing my fixed gaze, Yu Woon Ryong furrowed his brow.
Even though I had risen to the position of successor, nothing had truly changed.
Myo Cheon Woo and Yu Woon Ryong had always treated me with ease, and I in turn never imposed rigid hierarchies upon them.
I chose a command style that remained relaxed in ordinary times, yet maintained strict discipline when necessary.
“Surely everything is properly organized?”
“No.”
Only then did I return my attention to the document.
It contained everything in meticulous detail—from the gifts received at my enthronement ceremony to all the human and financial resources I could command.
“You’ve organized this well.”
I nodded in acknowledgment.
Yu Woon Ryong had arranged the contents far more cleanly than I had anticipated.
‘Position truly shapes a person.’
During my time as one of the Ten Demon Immortals, Yu Woon Ryong’s nature had been exceedingly arrogant and simplistic.
Yet as he began engaging in earnest administrative work, the hidden talents of a strategist gradually manifested, and his temperament was becoming increasingly prudent.
I flipped through the pages rapidly.
My eyes gleamed as I scanned the contents recorded in the document.
“So that’s what it was.”
“What do you mean?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
A subtle smile played across Bu Eunseol’s lips as she scanned the list written in the ledger.
“Now I can repay the debt.”
* * *
Dan Wol Hon, seated in his office, carried a weight of sorrow in his eyes.
Only one thought occupied his mind.
‘The Extreme Spirit Fruit and….’
The Extreme Spirit Fruit that the Blood-Dyed Sword School had submitted to the Demon Palace.
It was among the greatest treasures in the Murim, capable of granting the internal power of whoever consumed it the moment it touched their lips.
Moreover, it was a peerless wonder that could cure all severed meridians.
―Could you not grant the Extreme Spirit Fruit to the Master?
At the Demon Palace’s council of elders, Dan Wol Hon had bowed his head before Ma Cheon Je and pleaded for the first time.
The Triple Yin Severed Meridian that Dan Seo Ok suffered from grew worse with age, and without swift treatment, it was a vicious condition that would claim her life around forty.
But if he could only obtain the Extreme Spirit Fruit…
He could completely cure the meridian affliction that had tormented his daughter all these years, and she would finally be able to cultivate martial arts.
―The disposition of the Extreme Spirit Fruit shall be postponed.
Yet as time passed, the Extreme Spirit Fruit became a treasure that could not be given to anyone.
Not only Dan Wol Hon, but countless elders of the Demon Palace had compelling reasons to obtain the Extreme Spirit Fruit.
If he were to bestow it upon someone now, it would inevitably trigger an uncontrollable schism.
“Hmm.”
Even Dan Wol Hon, who commanded all the military forces of the Demon Palace, had no way to resolve this matter.
His heart was being torn to shreds because of it.
‘I am a worthless father, unable to properly care for So Yok.’
Dan Wol Hon’s wife had been frail from birth, which was why he had opposed her bearing children.
―But I so desperately wish to have a child who resembles you.
Yet his wife would not yield to his objections, and eventually Dan Wol Hon relented and she became pregnant.
But his fragile wife passed away giving birth to Dan Seo Ok.
Dan Wol Hon could not hide his grief. Contrary to his appearance, he was a man of the purest love.
Despair had nearly robbed him of the will to live, but seeing Dan Seo Ok, born so much like her mother, he found the strength to endure.
And he poured all the love he would have given his wife into his daughter, cherishing her with meticulous care.
Yet now, having raised her like a precious jewel…
He must worry that the flower will wither before it can bloom beautifully.
‘I will search. Surely there exists a spiritual treasure no less precious than the Extreme Spirit Fruit.’
But such transcendent treasures are gifts from heaven itself.
Despite his efforts, he could find no treasure comparable to the Extreme Spirit Fruit.
As he shook his head in anguish,
Knock, knock, knock.
“Master. It is Jung Moon.”
“Enter.”
As Ji Ma Bu Ju regained his composure and spoke, his trusted aide Jung Moon bowed and stepped inside.
“What is the matter?”
“That is….”
Jung Moon stammered and lowered his head.
“The successor is looking for the clan lord.”
“The Muhonjung Lord? Why?”
“…You’ll understand once you come and see.”
Flash!
In that instant, a chilling murderous intent blazed forth from Dan Wol Hon’s eyes.
“What did you just say.”
“That is….”
“You’ll understand once I come?”
Even if Bu Eunseol had been chosen as the next successor, her status remained that of the Muhonjung Lord.
She could not simply command Dan Wol Hon, the Jipma Clan Lord who ranked among the top five in the order of precedence, to come and go as she pleased.
“So she’s gotten a taste of power and wants to wield it once.”
Dan Wol Hon had witnessed countless times how those who seized great power at such a young age transformed.
And his mood was already foul enough to die from the matter involving Dan Seo Ok.
Now Bu Eunseol, barely recognized as the successor, dared summon him while disregarding all courtesy and protocol?
“I shall convey your refusal to the Muhonjung Lord.”
As Jung Moon lowered his head, Dan Wol Hon shook his head.
“Hehehehe.”
Dan Wol Hon let out a low laugh, his face turning cold as he spoke.
“I should go. After all, the successor of this clan has requested my presence.”
And without hesitation, he rose from his seat and spoke to Jung Moon.
“Assemble all Manmadang forces at the Jamma Pavilion.”
Manmadang was an elite battalion within the Jipma Clan, composed of the most exceptional martial artists.
“You mean all of Manmadang….”
Jung Moon, about to question further, caught sight of Dan Wol Hon’s gaze and hastily bowed his head.
“Yes, yes.”
After offering his respects, he quickly withdrew from the room.
Having served at Dan Wol Hon’s side for so long, he had immediately grasped just how furious his master truly was.
“This time, I’ll show her.”
A savage gleam flickered across Dan Wol Hon’s eyes as he stared into the void.
“Just what manner of man I am.”
His voice carried a thick, suffocating killing intent.
Why even Ma Cheon Je, the foremost figure of the Demonic Path itself, could not treat him carelessly…
He intended to show Bu Eunseol directly.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————