The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 322

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

Chapter 322.
The entire Murim was in an uproar over the duel between Bu Eunseol and Cheon Geom.
The late-stage powerhouse representing the Demonic Path facing off against the disciple of the Orthodox Sects’ greatest swordmaster?
There had been no such thrilling confrontation in Murim for the past decade.
The area near Tae Jeong San was already teeming with countless martial artists and merchants who had set up their stalls,
and masters who had retired from Murim long ago were even flocking to Seok Gwang Pyeong just to witness this battle.
Before the great duel, Ma Jeon opened the Secret Library for Bu Eunseol and provided various forms of support.
However, Cheon Geom had hurled insulting words at the Inspection Bureau’s chief and left the Murim Alliance of his own accord.
Because of this, he received no support whatsoever, and even his master, Geom Joon, was not stepping forward.
―He’s brought such shame upon himself that even the Murim Alliance offers no assistance.
―Indeed. Even his master Geom Joon refuses to come forward.
―Most people are just going to watch how he gets defeated.
Normally, such a duel would be a matter of pride for both the Demonic Path and the Orthodox Sects.
But Cheon Geom was preparing for the duel alone, receiving neither support nor encouragement.
Even if Wi Sa of the Murim Alliance were to duel a third-rate master of the Evil Sect, he would not be treated this way.
―He’s reaped what he sowed.
Everyone clicked their tongues in disapproval.
Cheon Geom had made far too many mistakes. Especially in turning his back on common folk and using them for his own purposes—such acts were unforgivable.
Because of this, no one supported him, and even those of the Orthodox Sects were shunning him…
This duel was as good as decided before it even began.
But another problem erupted before the duel.
Seok Gwang Pyeong was so packed with people that there was barely room to stand, threatening to disrupt the duel itself.
Then Bu Eunseol stepped forward first and conveyed her intentions to the Murim Alliance.
―Would it not be appropriate to divide the visiting spectators between the Demonic Path and the Orthodox Sects, limiting each to three hundred people?
And she added one more thing.
―If the leadership of the Murim Alliance is permitted to observe regardless of the lottery, I believe there will be no complaints.
If too many people gather, accidents could occur, and unforeseen incidents might happen during the duel itself.
The Murim Alliance could not hide their bewilderment.
Having been humiliated multiple times because of Cheon Geom’s actions, they had turned a blind eye to this duel entirely.
And now the heir of the Demonic Path was stepping forward out of concern for the safety of Murim’s people?
―Truly… worthy of the Demonic Path’s heir.
As this rumor spread, the people of Murim praised Bu Eunseol once again.
In the end, the Murim Alliance immediately sent representatives to work with the Demon Hall to devise a method for controlling the crowd at Seok Gwang Pyeong.
It was partly because Bu Eunseol had presented her proposal respectfully with clear reasoning… but if they had refused and something unfortunate had occurred?
The blame would have fallen on the Murim Alliance.
―Our Alliance and the Demon Hall shall jointly conduct a fair lottery to select three hundred spectators from each faction!
The people of Murim were disappointed but could not object.
If tens of thousands of people were to gather at Seok Gwang Pyeong like this, the duel might not even take place.
The Murim Alliance and the Demon Hall each selected three hundred spectators through lottery.
―One observation certificate for one hundred thousand nyang! Witness a duel between unparalleled masters that will never come again!
Yet something unexpected occurred.
Some of those fortunate enough to obtain observation permits were reselling them at absurd prices.
―Hand over your observation permit!
Moreover, several masters from the Evil Sect and the Black Path attacked those rumored to possess permits and seized them by force.
As such incidents repeated, the Demon Hall and the Murim Alliance finally issued stern warnings.
―We shall reissue observation permits through a fresh drawing. Each permit will bear a precise signature, and we shall forbid theft and resale.
Those who violate this shall face the wrath of both the Demon Hall and the Murim Alliance!
In the end, the drawing proceeded anew, with three hundred individuals selected once more from each faction.
As this century’s great confrontation drew near, the Demon Hall and the Murim Alliance began strictly monitoring Seok Gwang Pyeong.
They could not risk unforeseen calamity from someone sneaking in uninvited.
After all these twists and turns, the night before the great confrontation had finally arrived.
Thump, thump.
Beneath the brilliant moonlight, the first to arrive was Bu Eunseol.
I wore a dark gray martial robe with the Bing Hun Sword hanging at my waist.
―Ooh.
Exclamations of admiration rippled through the Murim warriors as they beheld my figure standing in the center of Seok Gwang Pyeong.
Illuminated by moonlight, my appearance was as though a celestial being had descended to earth.
Because I had always moved through the Gangho discreetly despite my renowned reputation throughout Murim, my visage was not widely known.
―Far more formidable than the rumors suggested.
Gasps of astonishment escaped the lips of several masters.
Having risen to the position of advisor to the Four Gods Seven Kings, I had scarcely revealed my martial prowess publicly until now.
Among some Murim circles, whispers persisted that my martial ability had been greatly exaggerated.
This may have been because, even after becoming the successor to the Demon Hall, I demonstrated more the facets of a strategist than overwhelming martial power.
Yet now, having witnessed my aura directly, these masters understood that my true martial prowess was more than sufficient to warrant a place among the Four Gods Seven Kings.
Thump, thump.
After roughly half an hour, a large built man ascended Seok Gwang Pyeong.
His eyes gleamed brilliantly, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
At first glance, he appeared as innocent as a young scholar, yet a strange madness flickered within his gaze.
It was Cheon Geom.
Though his aura was formidable, not a single Murim warrior cried out in admiration.
Instead, only murmurs of “He does seem a bit odd, just as the rumors say” could be heard.
For one known throughout Murim as the next generation prodigy bearing the name Jeong Geum Shin An, such a reaction was utterly pathetic.
“Hehehehe.”
Yet Cheon Geom, sensing this atmosphere, burst into laughter instead.
“Shall we begin?”
As he opened his mouth with gleaming eyes,
Shring.
I immediately drew the Bing Hun Sword.
As our gazes locked in the void, sparks erupted.
No words were necessary.
Whoosh!
The Icebound Blade, reflecting moonlight, emanated a biting chill that spread in all directions like a bone-piercing wind.
“A fine sword, isn’t it?”
Cheon Geom spoke with a smile.
“The one from before looked good too. Do you use several different blades?”
He spoke in a friendly manner, as if deliberately displaying his composure.
“Well, a brief conversation shouldn’t be a problem, right? After all, one of us will have to die soon anyway.”
“This lord,”
Bu Eunseol, raising the Icebound Blade, spoke coldly.
“Does not converse with the dead.”
In that instant, sparks ignited in Cheon Geom’s eyes, which swirled with madness.
“Very well.”
Clang.
Cheon Geom drew a greatsword from his back and split it into two halves, one in each hand.
“Then I shall face you with the Myriad Forms Eclipse.”
The Myriad Forms Eclipse.
This sword technique, innovated by Geom Joon in his later years, not only encompassed all Orthodox Sect sword methods,
but its power and variations changed completely depending on the practitioner’s enlightenment, cultivation, and the type of weapon used.
Cheon Geom intended to use the Myriad Forms Eclipse with two greatswords, amplifying its power to its maximum through his divine strength.
Swish!
As the greatsword in his left hand thrust toward Bu Eunseol’s throat, the one in his right hand curved in an arc, slashing diagonally across her torso.
However, the distance was too great for the technique to reach her.
This was the opening form of the Myriad Forms Eclipse.
Cheon Geom had displayed the demeanor of an Orthodox Sect practitioner before the many onlookers, observing proper etiquette.
‘Still scheming, I see.’
Watching Cheon Geom employ the opening form, the corners of Bu Eunseol’s mouth rose slightly.
Cheon Geom was not the type to use such formalities in actual combat.
He must have been conscious of the spectators’ gazes.
As if to prove this, madness burned in Cheon Geom’s eyes alongside an intense obsession with life itself.
‘As expected…’
Bu Eunseol could understand once more.
Cheon Geom was a madman with far too many desires, and the madness underlying it all was merely another name for arrogance.
Screech!
Bu Eunseol thrust the Icebound Blade swiftly toward Cheon Geom’s throat.
In that moment, heaven and earth seemed to cease their motion, and all movement around them appeared to freeze.
This resembled the technique of Shooting Star Chasing Moon, yet the transformation of the sword’s momentum could not be grasped.
No matter which direction one dodged or what stance one took, that sharp demonic blade seemed certain to pierce through Cheon Geom’s throat.
―The swordsmanship of the Muhonjung Lord is truly that formidable!
Exclamations burst from the lips of several martial artists at Seok Gwang Pyeong.
Bu Eunseol’s single move had transformed a simple sword technique into one that shook heaven and earth mid-execution.
In a state of chaos filled with darkness, it was as though Bu Eunseol had created the very separation of heaven and earth with a single move.
With this technique, I announced that my martial prowess had entered the Extreme Heavenly Realm.
Ching!
Surrounded by an icy chill, flames erupted from the Bing Hun Sword, whose blade had no fixed form.
Cheon Geom had already struck the tip of the Bing Hun Sword.
Crack.
In that instant, Cheon Geom furrowed his brow and retreated a step backward.
Though Bu Eunseol possessed superior inner strength cultivation, Cheon Geom possessed innate divine power.
That terrifying grip strength and recovery ability compensated somewhat for the disparity in inner strength levels.
“A unique blade, isn’t it?”
Cheon Geom smiled with ease.
“But the spectators must be disappointed. They won’t be able to easily discern the variations in technique.”
The Bing Hun, true to its name, not only emanated an icy chill but also became hazy like mist when reflected in moonlight, obscuring the blade’s form.
In other words, it was a demonic sword that made sword paths and techniques unpredictable.
“Quite the clever scheming!”
With a sharp cry, Cheon Geom unleashed the Myriad Forms Eclipse once more.
Whoosh!
With but a single slash through empty air, it transformed into thirty-two strands of sword qi that wrapped around Bu Eunseol’s body.
Cheon Geom had unfolded the Myriad Forms Eclipse using the mysteries of the Returning Wind Sword, channeling thirty-two sword techniques into the wind current and unleashing them all at once.
Clang clang clang!
The Bing Hun Sword and the massive greatsword collided dozens of times, producing clear metallic tones.
Each clash of techniques sent sparks flying through the air, and the distance between the two fighters steadily narrowed.
Ching ching ching!
At last, both their weapons drew so close they nearly touched their faces.
“Remarkable. You are truly remarkable.”
Cheon Geom gazed at Bu Eunseol with eyes ablaze with excitement.
Bu Eunseol, who remained unmoved even as I poured forth all my strength and innate divine power, regarding me with eyes as cold as ice.
The bearing of such an exceptional opponent filled Cheon Geom with rapture.
“Bring me more joy!”
Cheon Geom wielded the greatsword in his left hand with a peculiar flourish.
The blade then condensed to an extreme, tearing through Bu Eunseol’s entire body like a chaotic flurry unleashed at close range.
Bang bang bang bang!
As blade struck blade in rapid succession, a cacophony of metallic ringing echoed forth.
Cheon Geom’s Myriad Forms Eclipse transcended even the constraints of weapons, capable of channeling any sword technique he desired.
Boom! Boom!
Bu Eunseol swiftly deployed the Returning Wheel Initial Form technique with her left hand in succession, forcing Cheon Geom back.
Screech.
As Cheon Geom’s body was pushed back three steps, Bu Eunseol unleashed the Formless Heavenly Stream with the Bing Hun Sword once more.
Boom! Boom!
This time, the earth trembled with each collision of blades.
Bu Eunseol unfurled the Jungeom Technique, probing for weaknesses in Cheon Geom’s form.
Despite wielding the heavy sword that demanded formidable inner strength, her expression remained composed and unruffled.
There was no sign of her pouring her full power into the assault.
“Your inner strength is truly exceptional!”
This method of overwhelming through sheer force was actually Cheon Geom’s preferred approach.
Yet when Bu Eunseol pressed him with such tactics, Cheon Geom’s joy was so overwhelming that saliva nearly dripped from his lips.
“Excellent, absolutely excellent!”
As Bu Eunseol’s martial prowess proved even more formidable than anticipated, Cheon Geom’s momentum grew increasingly fierce.
Until now, throughout his training in swordsmanship, he had never fought at full strength except against his master, Geom Joon.
Yet with Bu Eunseol pressing him with such ease, he found himself overwhelmed with exhilaration, scarcely knowing what to do with himself.
“Now I’m going all out!”
Cheon Geom unleashed the Ten Thousand Forms Eclipse technique through the Scattered Sword method.
The massive greatsword split left and right, creating hundreds of shadows like the thousand hands of a celestial deity.
Whoosh! Whirrrring!
Remarkably, even as he unleashed hundreds of sword qi strands, the piercing sounds they created were all discordant.
Some spiraled like whirlwinds boring through the air, while others spread wide like nets.
Geom Joon’s swordsmanship is called a single form, but that is merely a name.
It encompasses every variation and technique of all sword arts, deployable endlessly without limit or constraint.
Clang! Crash!
Metal rang out in succession as the Bing Hun Sword and greatsword collided repeatedly in mid-air.
In battles between true masters, weapons rarely clash in such rapid succession.
But these two were engaged in close-quarters combat, unleashing their full killing intent at point-blank range, creating this phenomenon.
A true clash of dragons and tigers.
After more than a hundred exchanges, the fierce battle remained so evenly matched that no victor could be discerned.
Pap! Pap!
Yet the tide suddenly shifted.
As they entered the chaotic melee of extreme proximity, Cheon Geom’s greatsword suddenly condensed with tremendous power, beginning to pierce through Bu Eunseol’s sword defense.
The Nangya Sect’s practical swordsmanship is a technique that evolves to counter its opponent.
But the Ten Thousand Forms Eclipse is already a perfected sword form acknowledged by the Orthodox Sects.
The Muhonjung could not evolve in a single moment during battle to the level of overwhelming its opponent.
Thus, Cheon Geom’s swordsmanship was overpowering Bu Eunseol’s Muhonjung.
Flash!
Yet Bu Eunseol, as if she had been waiting, unleashed a brief flash of sword light into the void the moment Cheon Geom’s defense broke through.
Simultaneously, the Bing Hun Sword curved in at an angle from which there was no escape, driving toward Cheon Geom’s throat.
A counterattack from an angle that accounts for all of the enemy’s sword strikes and cannot be evaded—the Eighth Form of Muhonjung.
Heavenly Retribution unfolded.
“Huh!”
Yet something extraordinary occurred.
As the Bing Hun Sword thrust toward his throat, Cheon Geom suddenly spun his body with violent intensity, creating a massive sword defense.
The life-saving ultimate technique of the Ten Thousand Forms Eclipse, Turning Sword Returning Heaven, had been unleashed.
Clang!
With a metallic shriek that shook heaven and earth, Cheon Geom’s two great blades seized my Icy Soul Sword like chopsticks in an iron grip.
He had intercepted not just any counterattack, but my ultimate reversal technique—the Heavenly Strike of Transcendence.
“Hahaha!”
Cheon Geom bared his white teeth in a hearty laugh.
“What now? I’m sure you had high hopes for that one.”
Ching!
As Cheon Geom pushed me back, blade-like killing intent flowed from his eyes.
“What will you show me next?”
Whoosh!
Instead of answering, I drew upon my inner force.
Black mirage began to shimmer across my entire body.
Hiss!
Simultaneously, black true energy poured forth like a spider’s web, filling the gaps in my sword technique and burrowing into Cheon Geom’s body.
―Ohhh!
―Is that the ultimate technique of the Demon Hall’s successor?!
Gasps of awe erupted from the watching martial artists.
Materializing true energy through inner force was hardly remarkable.
But to wield it with such freedom, reflecting the will of one’s spirit and unleashing it like a living creature?
Such martial techniques and combat methods had never been witnessed in Murim before—this was an entirely new art.
‘Hehehehe. Now he’s showing his true hand.’
Cheon Geom felt like dancing with joy.
From their previous duel, he knew this technique was Bu Eunseol’s ultimate reversal skill, rooted in formidable inner force.
To deploy such a technique from the early stages of combat?
It demonstrated a resolve to kill him at any cost.
‘Well, there may be much more to see ahead… but it matters not.’
Cheon Geom’s eyes narrowed to crescent moons.
‘After all, this fight isn’t about determining victory or defeat.’
Bu Eunseol’s wisdom was certainly superior to his own.
His swordsmanship held some advantage, yet he anticipated that a complete victory was impossible.
Yet Cheon Geom wore an expression of supreme satisfaction.
‘Hehehehe. No matter how clever you are, you could never conceive of this.’
A smile of enlightenment played at his lips.
A madman fights in the way only a madman knows.
Cheon Geom—from the very beginning, he had never intended to claim victory over Bu Eunseol in this battle.

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