The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 278

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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 278.
“How on earth did you manage that?”
Jong Jeong Yak approached in shock and asked, to which Bu Eunseol replied calmly.
“I infused my inner energy to temporarily neutralize the toxin.”
After finishing her words, she injected the Reverse Extreme True Qi once more.
Whoosh.
As two streams of scorching heat spread through the Mingmen acupoint, color gradually returned to Sal Soo’s pallid complexion, which had resembled that of a corpse.
The Reverse Extreme True Qi, which encompassed both yin and yang energies, stood in direct opposition to toxic qi.
Bu Eunseol’s resistance to most poisons stemmed not only from her profound inner energy but also from the Reverse Extreme True Qi within her body naturally expelling toxins.
“That’s impossible.”
Jong Jeong Yak could not believe what she had witnessed with her own eyes.
While the Murim possessed various inner energy cultivation methods, there existed no technique capable of neutralizing poison that had spread throughout the entire body through the mere infusion of inner energy.
“You’re spouting nonsense.”
Neung Jo Woon likewise appeared skeptical, letting out a scoff as he approached Jong Jeong Yak and whispered.
“She likely administered a potent antidote in secret.”
Wanderers, never knowing when or how they might be forced into combat, invariably carried antidotes with them.
Upon hearing this, Jong Jeong Yak nodded faintly in agreement.
“Wanderers who roam the Murim undertaking all manner of perilous tasks would naturally possess such cunning methods.”
“Indeed. This woman is far too boastful.”
As the two whispered among themselves,
‘The poison has already spread to the internal organs.’
Bu Eunseol, paying no heed to their reactions whatsoever, furrowed her brow as she examined Sal Soo.
The extreme poison consumed had been so virulent that even after infusing the Reverse Extreme True Qi for half an hour, she could do little more than grant him temporary consciousness.
“Whose orders were you following?”
“I… I don’t know…”
Sal Soo shook his head, appearing to be of lowly rank.
“I truly… don’t know.”
Then Jong Jeong Yak rushed forward and cried out urgently.
“Then where is the stolen Jaso Dan?”
Sal Soo merely shook his head without answering. Observing silently, Bu Eunseol doubled the intensity of the Reverse Extreme True Qi she was infusing.
Sal Soo’s entire body flushed crimson, and thick veins bulged across his forehead.
As the toxic qi absorbed into his organs collided violently with the Reverse Extreme True Qi Bu Eunseol was ferociously infusing, he experienced indescribable agony.
“Mil Mil… Market.”
With those final words, Sal Soo breathed his last.
The extreme poison had already melted his organs and solidified his blood beyond recovery. Even the greatest immortal could not save him now.
“Mil Mil Market?”
Focus drained from Jong Jeong Yak’s eyes.
Mil Mil Market was a collective term for the black markets that operated in various locations.
Neung Jo Woon, standing with a vacant expression, nodded.
“Since they cannot openly distribute secret manuals like the Jaso Dan, it seems they intend to dispose of it all at once through the Mil Mil Market.”
No matter how powerful a faction might be, they couldn’t openly dispose of the Hwasan Sect’s sacred elixirs—those were meant for the Murim Alliance.
But in the black market of Mil Mil Market, even the Great Restoration Pill of Shaolin could be handled discreetly, let alone something from a minor sect.
‘Mil Mil Market opens once every month… they likely haven’t disposed of it yet.’
Jong Jeong Yak, finally grasping at a thread of hope, spoke to the two martial artists standing at the front.
“Woo Myeong, Jeong Hak. You two help the wounded return to the Alliance.”
Then, looking at Neung Jo Woon and the uninjured fighters, she commanded forcefully.
“The rest of you will follow me as the Chief Enforcer and continue pursuing the Ja So Dan’s trail.”
The expressions of all the martial artists except Neung Jo Woon looked equally exhausted and grim.
Continuing to pursue the Ja So Dan was far too dangerous and reckless.
But how could they refuse the stern command of the Chief Enforcer?
“Understood.”
The martial artists reluctantly clasped their fists in salute.
* * *
In the past, black markets were typically operated under the leadership of Ha O Gate, where the forces of the lower classes gathered.
But as Ha O Gate gradually became powerless and lost its influence, the Black Gang factions that dominated various regions slowly took control of the underground markets.
Mil Mil Market.
The Black Gang members stationed throughout the village, operating under the name Mil Mil Market, traded not only in stolen goods but also in hidden weapons, explosives, forbidden medicines, and deadly poisons…
They dealt in contraband that was either forbidden or impossible to distribute openly in the Murim world.
However, since they couldn’t openly display and sell these items, and never knew when the authorities might raid them,
the Black Gang would move their location to remote and secretive places, opening Mil Mil Market irregularly—roughly once every month.
And not only did they pocket a portion of the profits from Mil Mil Market, but they also shrewdly sold information about when and where the market would open, charging a fee for such intelligence.
Deep within the mountains, near the Communal Cemetery.
Lanterns hung there, and vendor stalls were spread throughout.
Everyone wore masks as they moved about, and the merchants running the stalls had their faces concealed as well.
This region’s Mil Mil Market was being held at the Communal Cemetery, far removed from any village.
Crunch, crunch.
A woman wearing a loose windbreaker with her face hidden, accompanied by what appeared to be her servant, climbed the mountain path.
Upon finally reaching the Communal Cemetery where Mil Mil Market was open, the woman paused to catch her breath.
“Phew.”
The woman, who had been walking along the winding narrow path lit by lanterns, stopped and began surveying her surroundings.
Then she spotted a group of rough-looking Black Gang members gathered beneath a large tree.
And in front of them were large boxes filled with various items.
She could see glass bottles containing a thick, blood-red liquid, and wooden boxes carved with antique patterns.
“How much are all of these?”
At the woman’s question, the Black Gang member guarding the goods let out a scornful laugh.
“These aren’t for sale.”
“They’re not?”
“They’re items to be put up for auction soon.”
“An auction?”
As the woman blinked in surprise, the man chuckled softly.
“This is your first time at Mil Mil Market, I take it.”
He extended his finger, pointing toward the open ground deeper within.
“High-value items can be purchased through auction. This place temporarily stores items awaiting the auction block.”
“I see.”
“You seem to have considerable means—why not take a look? Quite exceptional pieces come through here.”
“Very well.”
The Woman’s eyes gleamed with intrigue as she unhesitatingly ascended in the direction he indicated.
A vast open ground lay before her, with lanterns hung throughout, casting ample light across the space.
A grand curtain was erected at the center, with a table for displaying items and a Platform where the auctioneer could stand positioned in front of it.
Upon the Platform stood a figure wearing a monkey mask—evidently the one presiding over the auction.
“Then let us proceed to the next item.”
The masked man gestured toward a small wooden box resting on the table.
“This item is Corpse Blood Venom.”
Corpse Blood Venom.
One of the deadliest poisons absolutely forbidden for use throughout the Murim.
This is because those poisoned by Corpse Blood Venom have all their blood transformed into the venom itself.
In other words, poisoning merely four or five robust adults could yield approximately eighteen liters of this supreme toxin.
Due to such terrifying properties, merely possessing Corpse Blood Venom marks one as an enemy of the entire Murim.
Yet here this forbidden abomination was, openly displayed for auction?
“We shall commence at thirty thousand taels.”
At the masked man’s words, those gathered began calling out bids one after another.
“Thirty thousand taels.”
“Thirty-five thousand taels.”
The price climbed ever higher.
Ultimately, the Corpse Blood Venom sold to an elderly woman whose face was concealed behind purple cloth for the staggering sum of two hundred thousand taels.
After that, numerous rare treasures were brought to the auction block.
Authentic hidden weapons that had flowed into the Sichuan Dang Family, or even living spiritual creatures once thought to be extinct, were sold.
Perhaps an hour had passed in this manner?
Thud.
This time, a large wooden chest gilded with gold leaf was placed upon the table.
Without even opening its lid, a sweet and subtle fragrance emanated in all directions.
It was the very same chest that had rested upon the old man’s display earlier.
“This item is the Spiritual Elixir known as Ja So Dan, crafted by the Hua Shan Sect over generations through the collection of rare herbs.”
The masked man’s eyes flashed as he surveyed the crowd.
“There are fifty of them—an extraordinarily precious elixir. We shall begin at one hundred thousand taels.”
At this, the masked Woman who had been observing the auction raised her hand.
“One hundred thousand taels.”
Then a portly masked figure on the opposite side raised his hand.
“Two hundred thousand taels.”
The Woman watching also raised her bid.
“240,000 taels.”
“300,000 taels.”
As time passed, the price of the Ja So Dan continued to skyrocket.
“500,000 taels.”
When the portly man shouted out the price, the masked woman who had been eagerly calling out bids fell silent.
“500,000 taels. Does anyone bid higher?”
At the masked man’s cry, the woman lowered her head in resignation.
“Fifty Ja So Dan units are sold for 500,000 taels.”
The moment the gavel fell, the portly man nodded to the sturdy servants standing behind him.
They promptly carried forward a large wooden chest and set it down before the masked man.
“500,000 taels.”
“Correct. Take it with you.”
At the words of the man in the monkey mask, the portly man immediately tucked the wooden box into his robes and departed the auction house.
As if this were the final auction, two Black Gang men were already dismantling the platform at the front of the auction house.
The man in the monkey mask returned behind the curtain.
The woman watching this scene nodded slowly. Then she began to place her hand gradually upon the sword hanging at her waist.
That woman was Jong Jeong Yak.
‘The Black Gang thugs wouldn’t have stolen the Ja So Dan themselves. If I capture the organizer, I can learn who truly took it.’
After hearing Sal Soo’s account, she had immediately gathered intelligence about Mil Mil Market from Geun Dong and found her way here.
And at last, she had discovered the Black Gang members carrying the wooden chest containing the Ja So Dan.
But those selling the Ja So Dan could not be the culprits.
She intended first to recover the Ja So Dan and then return to the Murim Alliance.
Simply retrieving the lost Ja So Dan would make this investigation worthwhile.
Click.
Just as she began to draw the sword at her waist,
“Do not do this.”
A man who had been watching the auction stepped forward and transmitted his voice through internal energy.
It was Bu Eunseol.
“The probability that box contains fifty Ja So Dan is virtually nonexistent.”
“What do you mean? I clearly smelled the Ja So Dan’s fragrance from that chest just now.”
“For fifty Ja So Dan, the scent was far too faint. There are likely only two or three at most.”
“The quantity doesn’t matter.”
Jong Jeong Yak spoke with a grave expression.
“If I cannot capture the culprit, I must at least recover whatever Ja So Dan I can find.”
This investigation had been something Jong Jeong Yak had pushed forward against considerable pressure from above.
If she returned empty-handed, she might face disciplinary action merely for the loss of martial artists.
“If you truly wish to seize it, do so at the destination where that fat man arrives. This was never a legitimate auction anyway.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I heard the Ja So Dan was stolen quite some time ago. Yet what are the odds that a Ja So Dan auction would occur precisely when you arrive at Mil Mil Market?”
Jong Jeong Yak blinked.
Now that I think about it, something truly seems amiss.
The timing is far too precise to be mere coincidence.
「It’s possible they’re going through an additional complex process to prevent the item from being traced.」
「That’s certainly a possibility.」
Bu Eunseol nodded and sent a transmission through the air.
「Which is precisely why we must observe where that portly fellow takes the Jade Essence Pellet.」
Jong Jeong Yak, her large eyes gleaming, nodded in agreement.
「So the successful bidder could also be serving as a middleman.」
Her experience in the Gangho was limited, it was true.
But her mind was sharp and her situational awareness was keen.
Otherwise, she could never have been appointed as an Enforcement Officer among all those brilliant talents in the martial world.
「Or perhaps this man is the final buyer who completed the transaction. Failing that, this could be another trap.」
‘She grasps things quickly.’
Bu Eunseol nodded.
「Precisely so.」
「Good. We cannot afford to miss an opportunity to catch the culprit’s trail.」
Jong Jeong Yak spoke to Neung Jo Woon, who had been following behind them in the guise of a servant.
「Have all the personnel stationed below the mountain prepare themselves. Do not let that man’s movements escape your notice.」
Neung Jo Woon nodded and slowly slipped out of the auction house.
Jong Jeong Yak watched the portly man disappear with his servants, her fists clenching tightly.
If she could secretly track the successful bidder, she might just uncover the trail of those who stole the Jade Essence Pellet.
* * *
An ornately decorated carriage emerged from the Mil Mil Market and raced along the Gwan Do.
Inside that carriage rode the portly man who had won the bid for the Jade Essence Pellet.
And finally, it arrived before a grand manor situated beside a lake.
Song Family Estate.
This was the manor of a merchant located some distance from the village.
A faint question arose in Jong Jeong Yak’s eyes as she pursued them covertly.
Could it be that the one who desires the Jade Essence Pellet is the master of Song Family Estate or one of his closest confidants?
Tap, tap, tap.
Setting aside her complex thoughts, she immediately ascended to the manor’s roof and began observing its movements discreetly.
‘I must be cautious.’
Having tasted bitterness once at the Woo Gang Pyo Bureau, she examined the manor with great care.
She had learned that against those who sought her life, neither her position as an Enforcement Officer nor her authority badge held any power.
Thud, thud.
The portly man descended from the carriage and, rather than heading toward the main residence, made his way toward an old warehouse situated on the manor’s outskirts.
Carefully carrying the wooden box containing the Jade Essence Pellet, he entered the warehouse and emerged empty-handed moments later.
“It appears there is a secret storage chamber on the other side.”
Jong Jeong Yak nodded at Neung Jo Woon’s words.
There was no way such a treasure as the Jade Essence Pellet would be left in such a shabby warehouse. There must certainly be a hidden space within.
“It’s too early now. Let’s enter around the third watch.”
“Understood.”
As the night deepened, Jong Jeong Yak spoke while observing Bu Eunseol and the martial artists.
“While Neung Jo Woon and I investigate that place, you all must wait here in secret.”
“I’m coming too.”
When Bu Eunseol stepped forward, Jong Jeong Yak shook her head.
“This investigation is being conducted in my capacity as the Murim Alliance’s Enforcement Commander.”
In other words, Bu Eunseol was not a member of the Murim Alliance, so she could not enter the investigation site.
‘It must be because I’m a vagrant.’
Vagrants would never leave a treasure vault untouched.
She was clearly worried that Bu Eunseol might secretly steal treasures from the Song Family Estate’s vault.
But Bu Eunseol spoke firmly.
“That’s impossible.”
“What did you say?”
“Didn’t you agree to follow my word regarding protection matters?”
“We’re only investigating whether there’s a Ja So Dan. You’re not a member of our Alliance, so you cannot accompany us to the investigation site.”
“I’m simply doing what I was hired to do.”
Then Neung Jo Woon revealed his hostility and spoke.
“Listen here, if you’re a vagrant, act like one. Don’t poke your nose into everything.”
“I’m earning my pay as a vagrant, so you should just stay quiet.”
As Bu Eunseol’s attitude remained resolute, Jong Jeong Yak hesitated for a moment.
―No matter what happens, trust and rely on Eunseol. Understand?
At that moment, Dam Yoo Yeon’s words echoed in her mind.
‘Sister Dam would never say something meaningless.’
After a brief moment of hesitation, she finally nodded.
“Fine then. Come along with me.”
“Commander!”
“Are you going to give me three thousand taels? I spent every last coin of my personal funds to hire this person.”
‘…She bought me cheaply indeed.’
Dam Yoo Yeon had given her a hundred thousand taels as an advance payment alone.
If she safely protected her and returned to the Murim Alliance, she was scheduled to receive an additional hundred thousand taels.
But Jong Jeong Yak believed Bu Eunseol was a high-rank vagrant purchased for three thousand taels.
What if she discovered that Bu Eunseol wasn’t just a top-tier vagrant, but also the successor of the Demon Palace?
She would likely faint on the spot.
“However, as per our contract, you must not reveal anything you see or hear from this point forward. Understood?”
“Agreed.”
In the end, Bu Eunseol also entered the vault with Jong Jeong Yak.
Inside, various weapons were stacked, and on the shelves lay hidden projectiles and powerful crossbows.
“No matter how carefully I look, I don’t see any mechanism-like devices.”
Neung Jo Woon, who had been carefully examining the interior of the armory, furrowed his brow.
We searched every inch, but there was no sign of any mechanism anywhere. The real problem was that the wooden chest containing the Ja So Dan was nowhere to be found.
“Indeed.”
Jong Jeong Yak wiped beads of perspiration from her forehead.
Could it be that he had entered this warehouse and then left with the Ja So Dan?
“Over there.”
Bu Eunseol pointed toward the corner wall where the weapon storage cabinet stood, lined with rusted blades.
“There’s a mechanism installed in that area. There’s likely a hidden door there.”
Thanks to having experienced countless traps in Wu Huang’s Secret Vault, I could spot the traces of mechanical construction at a glance without needing to pull up the hollow copper bell.
“A hidden door?”
“Indeed.”
At that, Neung Jo Woon, standing beside Jong Jeong Yak, let out a hollow laugh.
“You don’t even know the basics of searching. The presence of cobwebs like that is proof that no human hand has touched it.”
“That’s true.”
Bu Eunseol nodded and walked toward the stacked storage cabinets where the weapons were kept.
After examining the interior, she unhesitatingly drew out a rusted sword.
Clank.
With a resonant vibration, one section of the wall opened smoothly, revealing a passage leading inward.
“Ahem.”
Neung Jo Woon cleared his throat, avoiding the piercing gazes of Jong Jeong Yak and Bu Eunseol.
“Impressive. The basics of searching mean investigating the places no one would suspect first.”
“….”
Jong Jeong Yak, her expression cold, swept past Neung Jo Woon and carefully examined the area around the passage.
“Wait? This….”
As she gazed at the cobwebs strung across the entrance, a flash of light gleamed in her eyes.

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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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