The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 336

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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 336.
Bu Eunseol and her companions decided to lodge at Dong Bing Gak, not far from where the Palace Lord of Buk Hae Bing Gung resided.
This place was ideal for pooling their thoughts together, as it boasted multiple rooms along with a spacious library and conference hall.
“First, with the Palace Lord’s assistance, we’ve gathered information on the family heads of five clans, excluding the Bing Family.”
Yu Woon Ryong had completed his investigation of all five families over the past few days with help from Bing Han Poong’s trusted subordinates.
“First, there’s Eom Woo Jung. The Eom family head is greedy and covetous by nature. He’s been cultivating connections with various factions for quite some time. Statistically speaking, he has the highest probability of being the traitor.”
“Hmm.”
“Then Dong Yu Gak. The Dong family head harbors no particular ambitions and is a moderate man. Even as the five families fracture, he maintains a distance and observes from the sidelines.”
Yu Woon Ryong continued his explanation.
“Seol Se Geuk, the Seol family head, is currently afflicted with illness. Apparently, during the past succession battle for the Palace Lord position, he misused his inner energy. That injury has recently resurfaced, or so I’ve heard… though it’s uncertain. We should keep him under suspicion.”
His voice dropped as he paused briefly.
“Han Woo Sang. The Han family head has the worst relationship with the Palace Lord. The fragmentation of Buk Hae Bing Gung is essentially connected to the Han family head.”
Originally, Han Woo Sang’s eldest son, Han Ja Wook, had been the most promising candidate for the next Palace Lord.
Yet the day before the martial competition, he was suddenly ambushed. As a result, the position of next Palace Lord fell to Bing Han Poong’s son, Bing Yu Rin.
“When the Palace Lord’s son was selected as the next Palace Lord, the five families refused to acknowledge it. Because of this, Buk Hae Bing Gung still hasn’t been able to appoint a successor.”
“A rift formed simply because the Palace Lord’s son was selected as the successor?”
At Bu Eunseol’s question, Yu Woon Ryong’s expression turned bitter.
“No—it’s because the culprit was identified as a single person.”
“Who?”
When So Ok Rim, who had been listening, asked, Yu Woon Ryong shook his head.
“The Palace Lord.”
Yu Woon Ryong spoke gravely.
“Han Ja Wook was wounded by the Bing Han Orae Jang—a technique only the Palace Lord can master. All the family heads questioned the Palace Lord about it… but without conclusive evidence, the matter was ultimately left unresolved.”
Bu Eunseol nodded in understanding.
As a result of this incident, Buk Hae Bing Gung failed to select a successor, and the Palace Lord’s authority itself had been weakened.
Yu Woon Ryong furrowed his brow.
“Because of this, the Han family head harbors intense hatred toward the Palace Lord. He’s the most suspicious candidate for being the traitor. His motivation to align with the descendants of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars is the strongest.”
Bu Eunseol nodded.
“What about Baek Jin Yu, the Baek family head?”
“The Baek family head is excluded. He pretends to support the weakened Palace Lord while manipulating him to secretly govern Buk Hae Bing Gung. In fact, he hopes the current situation continues indefinitely.”
After hearing Yu Woon Ryong’s clear explanation, Bu Eunseol and So Ok Rim fell into deep contemplation.
To summarize briefly:
The Eom family head is full of ambition,
The Dong family head has no particular thoughts,
The Seol family head is afflicted with illness,
The Han family head harbors a profound grudge against the Palace Lord.
Furthermore, the Baek family head is seizing this opportunity to govern Buk Hae Bing Gung from behind the Palace Lord.
“Ugh. This is a headache.”
So Ok Rim scratched her head upon grasping the unexpectedly complex situation at Buk Hae Bing Gung.
“Damn it, where do we even start?”
Yu Woon Ryong also furrowed his brow.
“And on top of that, each of us meets them only once.”
So Ok Rim held no expectations.
However, since Bu Eunseol possessed exceptional strategic brilliance, it would be better for him to meet all three family heads himself—that would increase the probability of catching the traitor.
But Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
“It’s fine. We only need to verify. It doesn’t matter who meets whom.”
“So then. How will you choose among the five?”
At So Ok Rim’s question, Bu Eunseol began to unfold his prepared plan.
“First, you will meet the Seol Family Head.”
“Huh? Me?”
“Seong Hwang’s martial knowledge would make him well-versed in the human body.”
Bu Eunseol spoke matter-of-factly.
“Especially if he’s suffering from an ailment caused by misusing his cultivation, he would be vulnerable to heart fire. Since you excel at turning people’s insides out, you can verify whether the Seol Family Head’s illness is genuine.”
Though he spoke thus, Bu Eunseol knew that So Ok Rim possessed profound depth of heart and exceptional martial prowess.
If the Seol Family Head’s ailment were false, her eyes would not be deceived.
“Hmm. If the illness were feigned, then he’d certainly have a high probability of being the traitor.”
As So Ok Rim nodded, Bu Eunseol spoke to Yu Woon Ryong.
“You will meet the Dong Family Head. And through conversation, discern his true nature.”
“Why? Wouldn’t the ambitious Eom Family Head be a better choice?”
“The Buk Hae Bing Gung is no minor faction. If he has maintained an ambitious demeanor for so long, he would have devised meticulous plans as well.”
Bu Eunseol spoke decisively.
“There is no probability that the Eom Family Head is the traitor.”
“But will it be alright if I seek him out?”
“There’s no need to worry. Simply observe whether his publicly known nature matches his actual character.”
“Then what about you?”
“I will listen to your accounts and make my decision.”
Bu Eunseol smiled faintly.
“For the final determination.”
“Mm.”
Yu Woon Ryong fell silent.
Though his own depth of heart was considerable, he could not fathom Bu Eunseol’s plan.
Yet he would certainly uncover the traitor who conspired with external forces through divine strategy.
“Understood. I’ll do as you say.”
Afterward, Yu Woon Ryong sought out the Dong Family Head.
But naturally, he was turned away at the gate.
He could not even enter the Dong Family compound, let alone have a conversation.
“There’s no help for it.”
Yu Woon Ryong withdrew a white jade token from his robes.
“I had hoped not to use this.”
It was a spirit token bearing the Bing Family crest, given to him by Bing Han Poong to use when the family heads refused to meet him.
“If I use this, I can only meet them once, and that’s it.”
To truly understand a person, one needs to meet them at least three times.
Yu Woon Ryong had planned to cultivate personal connections and visit the Dong Family multiple times.
But if he forced a meeting using this token, he would only get that single encounter.
“There’s no helping it.”
In the end, Yu Woon Ryong had to present the token before he could meet the Dong Family Lord.
And So Ok Rim met with the Seol Family Lord as well.
She too had been turned away at the gate, and ultimately presented her token.
During their private audience, her unrestrained demeanor and sharp tongue provoked the Seol Family Lord’s displeasure.
In the end, the Seol Family Lord, forgetting even his own illness in his fury, was driven to mobilize his inner energy.
The next day. Dong Bing Gak, Conference Hall.
“That man is genuinely ill. Despite his rage burning so intensely, he couldn’t properly control his martial power.”
So Ok Rim explained to Bu Eunseol in detail what she had witnessed during her meeting with the Seol Family Lord.
According to her account, the Seol Family Lord was truly suffering from illness, and there was something amiss with his martial power.
“The Dong Family Lord seemed like someone without particular ambitions.”
Yet Yu Woon Ryong spoke with a troubled expression.
“However, his scheming appeared deeper than expected. Whether he was deliberately concealing his true nature or if that was genuinely his disposition—I couldn’t determine.”
After hearing the entire account, Bu Eunseol nodded.
“Then I should meet with the Han Family Lord.”
“Why? Is the Han Family Lord the traitor?”
At Yu Woon Ryong’s question, Bu Eunseol shook her head.
“Not necessarily. But regardless of the traitor’s identity, the rifts that have formed need to be mended as quickly as possible.”
She then immediately departed Dong Bing Gak and headed toward the South Gate.
Spanning fifty thousand square feet, the Buk Hae Bing Gung was composed of six families, with the Bing Family at its center and the Baek Family positioned alongside it.
The remaining four families were distributed to the east, west, south, and north, guarding the Buk Hae Bing Gung.
After walking along a road as broad as Gwan Do for some distance, a massive palace bathed in solemn blue light came into view—the seat of the Han Family.
Thump, thump.
As Bu Eunseol approached, Wi Sa dressed in white robes like snowflakes blocked her path.
“Who are you?”
Bu Eunseol wasted no words and displayed the Bing Gung Lord’s token.
“I wish to meet the Han Family Lord.”
The Wi Sa exchanged glances with one another, then nodded.
“The Family Lord instructed us beforehand that he would not meet any emissary of the Bing Gung Lord.”
News had already spread that three guests from the Demon Palace had come seeking Bing Han Poong and were visiting the fractured families one by one.
Han Woo Sang, having heard everything, had preemptively ordered the Wi Sa not to receive them should they arrive.
“Tell him I will reveal the truth behind the So Family Lord’s assassination attempt.”
“The truth?”
As the Wi Sa’s eyes widened in surprise, Bu Eunseol smiled calmly.
“Simply convey that message.”
Following the Wi Sa’s guidance, Bu Eunseol arrived at a secret chamber deep within the Han Family’s palace.
The interior was made of a transparent material, as if entirely composed of glass.
As I stepped inside, a middle-aged man with eyes as cold as ice gazed down at me.
It was Han Woo Sang, the patriarch of the Han Family in the Northern Sea.
“You claim to know the truth behind our son’s assassination attempt?”
“I do.”
“Then speak.”
“First, I wish to examine your son’s condition directly.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
I spoke with quiet confidence and measured courtesy.
“Only by examining your son’s condition can I properly explain the truth to you.”
As the successor to the Demon Palace, my standing was arguably higher than the patriarchs of Buk Hae Bing Gung.
Yet by maintaining unwavering politeness and referring to his son as “your son”—the proper term for an elder’s child—Han Woo Sang’s expression softened slightly.
“What will examining his condition reveal?”
“Will you allow me to see him?”
Han Woo Sang bit his lip before speaking.
“The Palace Lord isn’t scheming something pointless, is she?”
“How could that be possible?”
“Very well. But if you speak falsehoods… even as the successor to the Demon Palace, this patriarch will not remain idle.”
It was no mere threat.
Over a decade had passed since his son suffered that grievous wound. Yet the body had not recovered, and the truth remained unknown…
Han Woo Sang’s resentment ran deep enough to freeze the heavens themselves.
“Such a thing will not occur.”
“Good.”
He led me to a place marked Sa Bing Go.
Despite its name, the interior blazed with heat like a furnace.
Upon closer inspection, fires burned ceaselessly from outside, keeping the chamber intensely hot. At the center of a bed lay a man with a pallid face.
It was Han Ja Wook, Han Woo Sang’s eldest son.
“A hallmark of the Extreme Yin Lightning Palm. If one cannot repel that yin energy, the blood vessels freeze solid.”
I examined Han Ja Wook intently as he lay with his ashen complexion.
His face bore thick, dark brows and a prominent nose—the visage of a hero.
Yet the blood vessels were constantly freezing under the extreme yin force, causing him to grimace in agony from time to time.
“Forgive my intrusion.”
I carefully examined his back.
Only faint traces of extreme yin force damage remained there. No marks that could identify the perpetrator were left behind.
The extreme yin energy was potent enough to freeze blood vessels, so the martial arts of Buk Hae Bing Gung seemed certain.
A sharp light flickered.
My eyes had already turned white with power.
Void Heart Penetrating Vision.
I had drawn upon my most extreme senses—capable of detecting traces even decades old.
‘So… it was indeed that.’
A flash of light gleamed in Bu Eunseol’s eyes as she examined Han Ja Wook’s wound.
Her long-held suspicion had proven correct.
“I have seen enough.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
“In one hour, wait outside the Cultivation Chamber within Bing Ha Gung. Then you will understand.”
“What?”
At such an absurd response, Han Woo Sang’s expression darkened.
“Are you jesting with the head of the Han Family?”
“Is this not a truth that has remained unsolved for over a decade?”
Bu Eunseol spoke with even greater gravity.
“To confirm it beyond doubt, I ask that you trust me this once.”
Han Woo Sang’s expression grew complicated.
He could sense that Bu Eunseol was neither lying nor evading the matter.
Yet, to summon the head of the Han Family to a place only the Palace Lord could enter—did this not suggest the culprit was connected to the Palace Lord?
“Could it be that the Palace Lord is the culprit? Is that why you’re calling me to that place?”
“If you come in one hour, all will be revealed.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with utmost seriousness.
“I will see you in the Cultivation Chamber.”
And immediately she turned to leave.
Han Woo Sang moved to stop her, but something gave him pause and he lowered his hand.
He watched her departing figure with an expression of indescribable complexity.
As I left the Han Family Manor, my eyes narrowed in thought.
‘The head of the Han Family is not the culprit.’
Han Woo Sang was genuinely enraged, and his son Han Ja Wook’s martial power had severely deteriorated.
Naturally, he would have been capable of drawing in outside forces.
But with his straightforward nature, had he left Buk Hae Bing Gung, he would have simply departed—he was not the type to commit treason or invite external powers to interfere.
‘It was wise to arrange this beforehand with the Palace Lord.’
My mind spun at the speed of light.
Even before arriving here, I had already deduced the circumstances of Han Ja Wook’s ambush and predicted the culprit.
That is why I had made arrangements with Bing Han Poong beforehand and met with Han Woo Sang.
“Greetings.”
At that moment, an elderly figure stood prominently on the path leading to Bing Ha Gung.
With long, narrow eyes and a penetrating gaze, he appeared at first glance to be a man of profound wisdom.
“I am Baek Jin Yu, head of the Baek Family.”
“I am Bu Eunseol, Master of Muhonjung.”
As Bu Eunseol bowed respectfully, Baek Jin Yu offered a benign smile and spoke.
“To meet the Master of Muhonjung, who shakes the very foundations of Tianxia, in person—it confirms that the rumors of Murim have not been spread in vain.”
“You are too kind.”
“Might we walk together and converse for a while?”
Baek Jin Yu seemed to have chosen this feigned coincidence as a way to have a brief conversation with Bu Eunseol.
“Of course.”
As the response came, Baek Jin Yu unhesitatingly broached the main topic.
“I hear that the Lord of Muhonjung has come to mend the rifts within this palace, and that this is a condition for peace with the Demon Palace.”
Bu Eunseol spoke without reservation, her words flowing freely.
“That is correct.”
“There is no need for such a thing.”
Baek Jin Yu opened his mouth in a low voice.
“This palace can handle its own affairs. If an outsider meddles unnecessarily, it will only create greater discord.”
And with a sigh, he continued.
“The fractures within this palace must not be sealed by outsiders.”
“Why is that?”
“This palace has rejected external forces and risen on its own through generations. But if you were to help us, it would damage the very authority of the Palace Lord.”
Bu Eunseol smiled faintly as she spoke.
“Even though the fractures were caused by external forces?”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Baek Jin Yu’s expression hardened.
“External forces?”
“You will soon understand.”
“Can you guarantee those words?”
“Of course.”
Bu Eunseol wore a composed smile.
“If external forces had not been involved, even if Ma Cheon Je himself had come, he could never have interfered. Far less would the Lord of Muhonjung have even considered coming to Buk Hae Bing Gung.”
Seeing Bu Eunseol’s confident smile, Baek Jin Yu’s expression froze.
Baek Jin Yu. Was he, the head of the Baek Family, a traitor? Or was he a bystander who had turned a blind eye despite knowing the entire situation, all for the sake of regency?
“I see.”
Baek Jin Yu soon returned to his gentle expression.
“The family head spoke carelessly. Then, until we meet again.”
“Please take care.”
As Bu Eunseol bowed respectfully, Baek Jin Yu turned slowly with a smile.
As he turned, his eyes narrowed sharply with intensity.
The fractures must not be sealed.
If they were, his position—which he had long enjoyed in place of the Palace Lord’s duties—would be shaken.
* * *
Bing Ha Gung.
The place where the Palace Lord resided and handled all matters of Buk Hae Bing Gung, and here a vast Cultivation Chamber had been installed.
The principal martial arts of Buk Hae Bing Gung were transmitted through secret techniques.
This Cultivation Chamber was used when the Palace Lord transmitted martial arts to those who had rendered merit or to exceptional disciples.
Inside the Cultivation Chamber, a man in black martial robes and a middle-aged man in white stood facing each other.
It was Bu Eunseol and Bing Han Poong.
“Why did you request a private audience with this Palace Lord in this Palace Lord’s Cultivation Chamber?”
At Bing Han Poong’s question, Bu Eunseol brought her palms together.
“I wish to seek guidance from the Palace Lord on one matter.”
“Guidance?”
“Today I visited the residence of a family head and observed the wounds on his young heir.”
“I see.”
Bing Han Poong offered a melancholic smile.
“Yes. From what you observed, did it appear as though the Palace Lord had inflicted the poison?”
“It did.”
The Han Bing O Rui Zhang was a protective palace martial art that only the Palace Lord could master.
Since Bing Han Poong was the sole practitioner of this technique within Buk Hae Bing Gung, such suspicion was unavoidable.
Yet Bu Eunseol offered a peculiar response.
“Had I been a disciple of Buk Hae Bing Gung, I would have suspected the Palace Lord without question.”
“Had you been a disciple of Buk Hae Bing Gung…?”
“I wish to ask the Palace Lord something.”
Bu Eunseol brought her palms together as she spoke.
“Judging by the name Han Bing O Rui Zhang, it seems not purely devoted to true yin like yin-cold and mysterious-yin, but rather infused with the essence of wind-thunder or water-fire. Is that correct?”
Bu Eunseol, having examined the traces of Han Bing O Rui Zhang inscribed upon Han Ja Wook’s body,
had discerned that it was not a technique of the true-yin lineage.
Bing Han Poong made no attempt to hide his astonishment and nodded.
“Correct.”
“I wish to know precisely what those infused essences are.”
Only then did Bing Han Poong understand why Bu Eunseol had requested a private audience in the Cultivation Chamber—a place used only during closed-door cultivation.
“Are you asking me to reveal secrets of this sect’s supreme technique?”
“I am.”
Bing Han Poong’s brow furrowed.
No sect would expose even a single line of their true profound teachings to outsiders.
Yet here was Bu Eunseol, speaking with such confidence as though requesting something merely entrusted to him.
“I merely wish to understand what forces are contained within it.”
Not a trace of selfish intent gleamed in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
After a moment’s hesitation, Bing Han Poong relented and opened his mouth.
“The Han Bing O Rui Zhang is known as a true-yin martial art, but in truth it contains the diverse three-yin and three-yang, heavenly wind, and water-wind as one variation, with heaven and earth as the second variation, and….”
In the end, he revealed all the transformations contained within the Han Bing O Rui Zhang.
Bu Eunseol, listening intently to the teachings, nodded.
“The Han Bing O Rui Zhang is a technique of force that suppresses lightness through heaviness and subdues speed through slowness.”
“Precisely.”
Whoosh.
Yet Bu Eunseol folded her left palm inward toward her body.
Then, extending it once more into empty space,
Crack!
Pristine frigid energy and the shadows of tiny lightning bolts were etched across the void.
It was none other than Han Bing O Rui Zhang, the supreme master of Buk Hae Bing Gung.

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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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