The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 274

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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 274.
“Gratitude?”
Woon Sa Dok, who had opened his mouth in bewilderment, spoke with a cold expression.
“Why should this castle be receiving gratitude from the Lord?”
“Have you forgotten that I am the Lord of Muhonjung?”
Bu Eunseol spoke with gravity.
“A considerable portion of the poisons that should have entered the main hall are missing.”
And she pointed to the ledger placed on the table.
“If you doubt it, verify it yourself.”
“There is nothing to verify.”
Woon Sa Dok spoke without even glancing at the ledger.
“It is a custom that has been passed down for a long time.”
“A custom?”
As a cold chill flickered in Bu Eunseol’s eyes, Woon Sa Dok cleared his throat and spoke.
“Among the poisons entering the Demon Hall from this castle, a certain portion being omitted has been tolerated to some degree.”
“Whether tolerance was granted all this time or not, I cannot say.”
Bu Eunseol, looking down at Woon Sa Dok, spoke coldly.
“But the quantities recorded in the documents do not match the inventory actually surveyed. Is this not embezzlement of the main hall’s assets?”
“As I mentioned….”
“Just how many poisons have been diverted for profit? I shall verify this directly at Hell Blood Castle.”
“So… you truly intend to conduct an inspection?”
“Indeed.”
Bu Eunseol, as the Lord of Muhonjung, the inspection authority, does possess the right to audit the Ten Demonic Gates.
This is because the Ten Demonic Gates also belong to the Demon Hall.
But that right exists only in writing—it is as good as a dead law.
No matter how much authority the Lord of Muhonjung holds, who would dare enter the Ten Demonic Gates to conduct an inspection?
Yet Bu Eunseol was boldly declaring that she would enter Hell Blood Castle and conduct an audit.
“I understand that the Lord is eager to carry out her duties. However….”
A chilling omen flowed from Woon Sa Dok’s eyes.
“I believe the Lord is well aware that the Castle Master possesses a ruthless temperament.”
He paused for a moment, then looked directly at Bu Eunseol.
“If the Lord were to enter this castle under the pretense of an inspection, no one can predict what might occur within.”
“How amusing.”
Bu Eunseol let out a cold laugh.
“Hell Blood Castle always begins by threatening me.”
“Threatening?”
A dark flame ignited in Woon Sa Dok’s gaze.
“Lord, your words are excessive.”
“Excessive… indeed.”
Bu Eunseol revealed her white teeth in a radiant smile.
“From this moment forward, I shall demonstrate what it means for this Lord to be excessive.”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Woon Sa Dok felt a wave of contempt wash over him.
Yet given his station, he forcibly swallowed his rage and spoke in an icy tone.
“Muhonjung Lord. Your words grow increasingly severe.”
“Hell Blood Sect has continuously provoked this Lord until now. Relentlessly.”
Bu Eunseol cut off her words with cold precision, then smiled.
In truth, Hell Blood Sect and I shared a bitter enmity. The Blood Ghost Party’s master Yang Myeong had launched a cowardly ambush to steal the Silent Sword I obtained at the Jeong Mu Dae Hoe.
Later, when I journeyed to Demon Palace to receive approval as a successor candidate, Hell Blood Sect attacked once more, leading their forces against me.
Even Dok Ma Jeon’s master Yu Hyuk Shim had used Qinghua Jade as bait, threatening Hyuk Gong Baek and pressuring him to sever his ties with me.
―Convey this to your Fortress Master: Since you have obstructed my path at every turn, I shall no longer remain idle.
At that time, I drove Yu Hyuk Shim away with these very words.
In the end, Yu Hyuk Shim now suffers seven years of Poison Pool Punishment for diminishing Hell Blood Sect’s authority.
As these facts resurfaced in his mind, sweat began to pour down Woon Sa Dok’s forehead.
‘This woman intends to make good on that threat.’
He could sense it instinctively.
Bu Eunseol was determined to use Hell Blood Sect as an example, completely crushing the morale of the Ten Demonic Gates.
“Have no concerns. Those were merely words.”
Bu Eunseol smiled like a spring breeze, as if she had never said such things.
“I harbor no particular ill will, so I trust the Fortress Master will understand.”
Her coaxing and soothing manner had crossed into the realm of toying with people.
Only then could Woon Sa Dok truly grasp how terrifying and meticulous Bu Eunseol was.
‘This woman is truly mad.’
If he continued to provoke her, he would surely fall into greater peril.
Woon Sa Dok composed his expression, wiping away his sweat as he spoke.
“You are most gracious. Then I shall inform my Fortress that the Lord intends to begin the inspection.”
“There is no need for that.”
“No need, you say?”
Bu Eunseol spoke with leisurely amusement.
“This Lord shall depart together with you.”
“Together with me, my Lord?”
“All preparations for the inspection have already been completed.”
Woon Sa Dok’s face turned ashen.
‘So she had targeted our Fortress from the very beginning of this meeting.’
His throat went dry, and he swallowed hard.
A madwoman without restraint, a mad swordmaster they called her—it was now abundantly clear that she truly intended to overturn Hell Blood Sect entirely.
“Then let us conclude here.”
At that moment, Bu Eunseol rose from her seat and nodded.
“This Sect Destruction Conference shall end here.”
* * *
Hell Blood Sect was situated in the southeast of Gyeongwon Pyeongwol-bu in Guizhou, where the Moo Hyang River flowed.
All four directions were enclosed by mountains, and in that vicinity, mirror-faced cinnabar—a mineral found only in the deepest recesses of the earth—lay scattered everywhere like grains of sand.
From a distance, it appeared as though a colossal fortress had been erected upon a foundation of blood-red rocks stacked upon one another.
True to its name, it resembled a crimson castle forged in the very heart of hell itself.
Boom.
The gates of Hell Blood Castle, which had been sealed shut, swung wide open.
Immediately, three hundred soldiers clad in black martial robes advanced confidently into the fortress.
They were Bu Eunseol and the inspectors under her command from the Muhonjung, with Myo Cheon Woo and Yu Woon Ryong leading them.
Rumble.
At that moment, Yu Woon Ryong, dressed in civilian robes, led the inspectors carrying chests straight toward the heart of Hell Blood Castle.
When they rushed to the place marked as Dokbil Jeon, the warriors guarding it moved to block their path.
“This is a place outsiders cannot enter.”
“Outsiders, you say.”
Yu Woon Ryong muttered coldly and withdrew an official seal from his sleeve.
“We are the inspection unit acting under the orders of the Muhonjung Lord.”
“The inspection unit?”
“Stand aside.”
Yu Woon Ryong brushed past the guards lightly and entered Dokbil Jeon.
Surveying the personnel inside, he spoke in a loud voice.
“Everyone cease your work immediately!”
Then he addressed the inspectors who followed with the chests.
“Load every single book and record in this place. Not a single one is to be left behind.”
“What is the meaning of this!”
Yo Gwang, the master of Dokbil Jeon inside, erupted in fury.
“If you are an inspection unit from the Demon Palace, then conduct your inspection, but why are you taking all the books from this pavilion?”
As he raged, Yu Woon Ryong spoke coldly.
“We are conducting a lawful inspection procedure under the direct orders of the Lord. Therefore, do not interfere.”
“What? How dare a mere lackey of the Demon Palace—”
“If you obstruct the inspection unit’s procedures, we are authorized to skip formalities and take immediate action.”
Yu Woon Ryong spoke in an icy tone.
“This is your final warning. Do not interfere and step aside quietly.”
Simultaneously, a blade-like aura erupted from his body.
As a formidable wave of true qi emanated from Yu Woon Ryong’s frame—a man Yo Gwang had assumed to be merely a civil official—Yo Gwang’s expression shifted to one of alarm.
“This bastard—”
Thud thud.
At that moment, an elderly man entered Dokbil Jeon, accompanied by dozens of martial artists.
His countenance appeared benevolent, yet from his back emanated an aura as though a monster brimming with lethal poison had coiled itself.
He was the Vice Lord of Hell Blood Castle, the Venerable of Ten Thousand Poisons—Jeok Ya Hon.
“I confess I do not understand what is transpiring here.”
Jeok Ya Hon approached Yu Woon Ryong with a benevolent smile.
“Explain yourselves in a manner this Vice Lord can comprehend.”
Dark poison swirled in his hands. Jeok Ya Hon was a toxicologist who treated human lives as mere insects.
If Yu Woon Ryong’s answer proved unsatisfactory, he would unleash his poison without hesitation.
“The Sect Master has arrived.”
At that moment, Bu Eunseol stepped forward before Yu Woon Ryong and clasped her hands together.
“Your disciple, Bu Eunseol, pays respects to the Sect Master.”
Bu Eunseol did not invoke her status as the Lord of Muhonjung, instead identifying herself simply as a disciple.
It was her way of expressing that, regardless of rank, she held Jeok Ya Hon in considerable esteem.
“I sent word through the previous meeting. Did you not receive it?”
“I heard you intended to offer your gratitude. Do you truly mean to follow through?”
Jeok Ya Hon possessed a warm demeanor, yet he was in truth the most terrifying figure within Hell Blood Sect.
Nevertheless, Bu Eunseol showed no wariness and wore a faint smile.
“I do.”
“I hear that some of your subordinates have been skimming a portion of the elixirs and toxins sent to the Demon Hall.”
Jeok Ya Hon spoke with a smile as well.
“How much could those fools possibly pocket? Out of respect for you, I shall overlook it this time.”
“I wish I could accept that, but I cannot.”
“You cannot?”
Bu Eunseol spoke with grave seriousness.
“Because I have received intelligence that those diverted toxins are flowing into the Gwan Bu.”
“The Gwan Bu?”
“Yes.”
As Bu Eunseol gazed upon Jeok Ya Hon’s widened eyes, she recalled the conversation she had shared with So Ja Myeong not long ago.
* * *
The conference room of Jamma Pavilion.
Only dim lanterns illuminated the space, where Bu Eunseol and So Ja Myeong sat facing one another.
“The officials who burned Seonggacheoljang were indeed the Eastern Depot.”
So Ja Myeong’s voice resonated softly through the conference room.
“And they were also the ones who purchased vast quantities of elixirs and toxic substances.”
“Then you are saying all of this is the work of the Eastern Depot?”
“That is what troubles me.”
So Ja Myeong stroked his chin with a troubled expression.
“As I traced the flow of the massive quantities of elixirs purchased by the Eastern Depot, the trail split into two separate paths.”
“Two paths? Where does the other lead?”
So Ja Myeong drew a deep breath before speaking.
“The Murim Alliance.”
Thump.
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened in shock.
The location of the main headquarters had never been exposed, the mysterious assassin clan that manufactured fearsome poisons—Saixiang.
Could its true body be the Murim Alliance?
“Then you are saying Saixiang is the Murim Alliance?”
“It is not entirely without possibility. Even the most mysterious assassin organization cannot hide their main base for such an extended period.”
“In other words… because Saixiang never existed in the first place, they were able to remain hidden.”
“Precisely.”
So Ja Myeong stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“What is certain is that the information you seek, my lord, is connected to the Murim Alliance in some manner.”
“The Murim Alliance…”
Crack.
I clenched both fists tightly.
So that was why I could never grasp the thread.
“Then I must begin with the Murim Alliance.”
“That is absolutely impossible.”
So Ja Myeong shook his head firmly at my words.
“If you were to touch the Murim Alliance in your capacity as the successor to the Demon Palace, it would inevitably spark a great righteous-versus-demonic war.”
He continued urgently.
“The same applies to our Guusal Unit. If we were discovered sending spies in any form… it would unleash consequences beyond our control.”
What if my investigation of the Murim Alliance were exposed? What if they learned that the one behind it was the successor to the Demon Palace?
I would be trapped in an impossible situation.
“Then there is only one path.”
My eyes gleamed with resolve.
If I could neither command subordinates nor leverage the Demon Palace’s power… there was only one option.
I would have to investigate everything myself.
“What if we began with Hell Blood Sect?”
“Hell Blood Sect?”
“More than one-third of the poisons flowing to the Eastern Depot originate from Hell Blood Sect.”
Sparks flashed in my eyes at that moment.
Hell Blood Sect, one of the Ten Demonic Gates, was collaborating with the Eastern Depot?
“Are you certain of this?”
“Of course. To uncover this information, over a dozen members of our Guusal Unit scattered across Zhong Yuan lost their lives.”
I assumed a grave expression.
Extracting such information that controlled the shadows of Murim required not only vast resources but also the sacrifice of personnel.
Had not Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong also lost many informants in the matter of Seonggacheoljang?
“Send thirty thousand taels as condolence money to the families of the fallen.”
I spoke in a low voice.
“And that shall be the end of it. Do not delve any deeper.”
So Ja Myeong nodded in agreement.
If we continued to dig into such matters, the Guusal Unit would be decimated.
* * *
As I finished recalling those events, a brilliant gleam flashed across my eyes.
“I must confirm whether Hell Blood Sect colluded with the Gwan Bu to distribute those poisons.”
“How could that possibly be true?”
Jeok Ya Hon shook his head firmly.
“I will concede that my subordinates failed to properly manage the poisons that should have entered the Demon Palace. To be honest, it was an old practice.”
Then he fixed his gaze upon Bu Eunseol and spoke.
“However, the Gwan Bu and this castle have no connection whatsoever.”
“How can you be so certain?”
“If such a thing had occurred, I could not have remained ignorant of it.”
Jeok Ya Hon’s expression was confident.
He genuinely believed that Hell Blood Castle had no involvement in such matters.
“Then please wait. I will uncover the truth shortly.”
“You intend to search through this castle as though sifting through dirt?”
In that instant, Jeok Ya Hon’s expression and eyes transformed.
It was as though the warm, grandfatherly visage he had worn until now had been torn away in a single moment.
The enraged figure now bore the countenance of an ancient reptile devouring its prey.
“And if you search and find nothing amiss?”
From Jeok Ya Hon’s pupils, a cold light erupted like an explosion.
“Then who shall bear this responsibility?”
“I shall take full responsibility for everything.”
From Jeok Ya Hon’s narrowed pupils, it seemed as though dozens of blades were pouring forth.
“How exactly will you bear this responsibility? I do not favor imprecise expressions.”
“Speak what you desire.”
“I cannot take the successor’s neck.”
The piercing light flowing from Jeok Ya Hon’s small pupils seemed ready to pierce through Bu Eunseol’s very face.
“Instead, I shall take one finger as a lesson for such reckless judgment.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyebrows twitched.
In other words, he was saying that if she wished to investigate Hell Blood Castle, she must wager a finger of the Demon Palace’s successor.
“If you lack confidence, cease now.”
Jeok Ya Hon’s eyes snapped open with utmost gravity etched upon his face.
“I too wish to avoid creating unpleasant circumstances.”
If nothing were discovered, he would unhesitatingly sever Bu Eunseol’s finger without hesitation.
“Very well.”
“Are you sincere?”
From behind Jeok Ya Hon, who regarded Bu Eunseol with cold eyes, a black miasma flowed forth.
The form of that black poison resembled a malevolent spirit opening its jaws to devour a human head.
Though the sight was terrifying enough to make flesh crawl, Bu Eunseol nodded without hesitation.
“Would I have come here without such resolve?”
“Ho.”
Jeok Ya Hon’s gaze, having uttered an exclamation, fixed upon Bu Eunseol’s fingers.
As though deliberating which one would be best to sever.
“Good.”
At last, having decided which finger to take, Jeok Ya Hon nodded.
“Conduct an investigation.”

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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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