The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 359

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

Chapter 359.
The Hwawoo Sword Sect.
Known as the foremost sect of the Demonic Path, it was situated near the Jinryeong Mountain Range at Seok Moon.
The Jinryeong Mountain Range served as a formidable natural barrier, and the valleys and streams formed by the mountains provided abundant resources for sustenance.
It was a place that lacked nothing for a great demonic faction to establish its foundation.
Rumble, rumble, rumble.
A carriage bearing the twin-dragon banner that symbolized the Demon Palace raced along the official road.
After traveling for some time, the carriage gradually slowed its pace as an enormous fortress atop a great hill came into view.
That was none other than the Hwawoo Sword Sect, known as the foremost sect of the Demonic Path.
However, several li before reaching the entrance of the Hwawoo Sword Sect, sword-bearing martial artists stood blocking the path.
They were the gatekeepers of the Hwawoo Sword Sect.
“Halt!”
The gatekeepers blocking the path intercepted the carriage carrying Bu Eunseol.
The carriage came to a stop.
As the carriage halted, the gatekeeper standing at the front spoke with a solemn expression.
“From this point onward, you must proceed on foot.”
“What nonsense is this?”
A bearded man sitting on the driver’s seat frowned.
With a sturdy build and twin swords strapped across his back, his eyes blazed with the fierce aura of a tyrant.
It was Won Se Moon.
“This carriage carries the heir of the Demon Palace, the Lord of Muhonjung.”
“It matters not who rides within. All who enter this sect must dismount here and proceed on foot.”
“You want us to abandon a perfectly good carriage and walk?”
“Such is the law of this sect. Have you not heard of it until now?”
As if to prove the gatekeeper’s words, countless demonic cultivators visiting the Hwawoo Sword Sect formed a great procession ascending the hill.
“Insane. Is this Wudang Mountain?”
An ordinary person would naturally have dismounted from the carriage, but the man in question was Won Se Moon, the foremost ruffian of the Demon Palace.
To him, the solemn rules of the foremost sect of the Demonic Path were nothing but the prattle of a small gang.
“What do you mean by that?”
As the gatekeeper’s expression hardened, Won Se Moon let out a scoff.
“Why not establish a Weapon-Surrendering Pool and demand that people leave their weapons behind as well?”
“Are you now disregarding the rules of this sect?”
“Rules should be applied differently depending on the person, shouldn’t they?”
As the gatekeepers’ eyes grew stern, Won Se Moon bared his fangs and spoke.
“Would you demand that even Ma Cheon Je or the lords of the Ten Demonic Gates walk?”
In that instant, the gatekeepers were left speechless.
No matter how strict the rules of the foremost sword sect of the Demonic Path, they could not be applied to the supreme lord of the hundred thousand demonic cultivators or the lords of the Ten Demonic Gates.
“However, the Lord of Muhonjung is neither Ma Cheon Je nor a lord of the Ten Demonic Gates.”
As the gatekeeper stammered, Won Se Moon bellowed.
“What is the difference? Setting aside the title of heir, is the Lord not ranked within the top ten in the entire ceremonial hierarchy of this sect?”
When Won Se Moon shouted at the top of his lungs, the gatekeepers exchanged nervous glances.
‘This isn’t how it was supposed to go.’
In truth, the gatekeepers had received explicit instructions that when the carriage of Bu Eunseol, the Lord of Muhonjung, arrived, they were to demand she descend and walk.
―He possesses a dignified nature, so he will surely comply. And let the martial artists ascending to the gate witness this spectacle.
Yet contrary to expectations, some lunatic ruffian had emerged to sabotage the entire affair.
“If your eyes are crooked, shouldn’t you at least have your ears properly pierced? How dare you demand the Lord step down and walk? Do you wish to die?”
As crude insults poured forth without restraint, killing intent suddenly blazed from the gatekeepers’ eyes.
“What did you just say?”
Regardless of their station as gatekeepers, these were warriors of the Hwawoo Sword Sect, the foremost demonic sect.
Their pride far exceeded that of the gatekeepers serving the Demon Palace itself.
“Are you challenging this sect?”
Murderous intent flickered in the gatekeeper’s gaze.
Then Won Se Moon unleashed a thunderous retort.
“If you’re a dog guarding the gate, then act like one! How dare you glare at a person?”
“Did you just call us… dogs?”
The gatekeepers’ faces flushed crimson.
In all their years serving as gatekeepers of the Hwawoo Sword Sect, had they ever encountered such a madman?
Creak.
At that moment, the carriage door opened and a tall silhouette emerged. It was Bu Eunseol.
“My Lord.”
As Bu Eunseol stepped out, Won Se Moon waved his hands to stop him.
“Please remain inside, my Lord. I shall extract every tooth from this arrogant fool and have us moving shortly.”
“Enough.”
Bu Eunseol lowered his hand and spoke.
“Is there not a saying: when entering a land, follow its customs? We have come to their territory, so we must respect their ways.”
“My Lord.”
“This is the Sect Master’s birthday celebration. Let us proceed without causing disturbance.”
In that instant, the gatekeepers’ expressions twisted.
As the madman escalated the situation, the Lord of Muhonjung seized the moment to demonstrate composure and dignity.
Thus, even descending from the carriage to walk, his prestige remained utterly untarnished.
‘How utterly petty.’
Bu Eunseol, looking down upon the gatekeepers, inwardly clicked his tongue.
The Hwawoo Sword Sect was the foremost demonic sect, and its Sect Master Hyun Ma belonged to Samma, a supreme master of the Wuji Scripture.
Yet they displayed such contemptible conduct?
Moreover, the Chief Instructor, Sword Demon Wi Hyuk Gun, had unleashed formless energy upon Bu Eunseol, who had only recently mastered martial arts on Hell Island.
And had he not attempted to forbid the use of the sword simply because Bu Eunseol had learned Cheon Woon Gwang’s Thunder Without Peer technique?
―The Hwawoo Sword Sect’s actions were perpetually contemptible. From the moment of arrival, they would attempt to diminish the dignity of the Lord of Muhonjung.
Yu Woon Ryong’s prediction had been accurate.
And the solution Bu Eunseol had prepared was precisely Won Se Moon.
Won Se Moon was a true ruffian who feared neither heaven nor earth.
Even if a blade were pressed to his throat, that stubborn disposition would not yield in the slightest.
He was precisely the right person to thwart the petty schemes of the Hwawoo Sword Sect.
‘And there is something only Won Se Moon can accomplish.’
As Bu Eunseol fell into thought with a faint smile,
“Since the Lord Commander speaks thus, know that you live!”
Won Se Moon was still driving the Wi Sa like a man hunting rats.
They had nothing to say and averted their gaze from him.
“Guard the previous carriage well!”
Displeased with their attitude, Won Se Moon unleashed another thunderous rebuke.
“If even a single scratch appears, I will extract teeth from each of you equal to the number of blemishes. Do you understand?”
Trembling.
The Wi Sa shook with rage but dared not resist.
“Yes, sir.”
It was not fear of Won Se Moon that silenced them, but rather the presence of the Muhonjung Lord Commander—he who shook all of Tianxia—standing behind him.
“Why do you stand idle? Hurry and guide the Lord Commander!”
At Won Se Moon’s command, the man on the left among the Wi Sa bit his lip and extended his hand.
“Please follow me.”
Bu Eunseol and Won Se Moon entered the Hwawoo Sword Sect, following the Wi Sa.
The Wi Sa led the way up the slope.
Broad paths reminiscent of Seong Do and ornately constructed palace halls came into view.
The Hwawoo Sword Sect, said to house ten thousand martial artists within its walls alone, appeared as though the Demon Palace had been miniaturized and placed here.
‘Indeed. The Hwawoo Sword Sect.’
Since the founding of Gae Bang, the Hwawoo Sword Sect had never relinquished its position as the foremost sect of the Demonic Path.
As if to prove this very fact, the interior of the sect exuded an atmosphere of grandeur and solemnity, and every martial artist who passed by radiated a keen, piercing aura.
‘Soon I shall be able to confirm it.’
Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed.
Through this visit, I would be able to discern the true circumstances of the Hwawoo Sword Sect, which had long remained veiled in shadow.
The pettiness that seemed unbecoming of the foremost sect of the Demonic Path.
Whether it stemmed from the directives of Hyun Ma, who belonged to Samma, or from the incompetent arrangements of Sword Demon Wi Hyuk Gun, who oversaw practical affairs.
“You need only ascend in that direction.”
The palace hall the Wi Sa indicated had its doors wide open, with a serpentine line of martial artists stretching long.
They were martial artists who had brought gifts to celebrate the seventieth birthday of Hyun Ma and Wi Ji Moo Ah.
The procession extended from beyond the main gate into the interior, with no end in sight.
Within, a grand banquet was underway, and even a cursory glance revealed high-ranking figures rarely seen even in the Demon Palace, packed densely together.
It was a moment that made the world’s saying—”the second Demon Palace”—feel entirely real.
‘Indeed.’
The saying that Ma Cheon Je rules the Demon Palace and the Hwawoo Sword Sect Master rules Murim was no empty rumor.
“Muhonjung Lord Commander.”
At that moment, a middle-aged man radiating a sharp aura stood behind Bu Eunseol, flanked by roughly a dozen disciples.
Wi Hyuk Gun.
A figure who inherited the alias Sword Demon Wi Hyuk Gun, signifying the greatest swordsman of the Demonic Path.
During the Hell Island days, he was also the petty man who poured endless resentment toward Bu Eunseol for refusing to enter the Hwawoo Sword Sect.
“It has been a long time, Sect Leader Wi.”
Bu Eunseol clasped her hands together with indifference, as if greeting a passing elder—addressing Sword Demon Wi Hyuk Gun, the Grand Sect Leader of the Hwawoo Sword Sect.
At that, Wi Hyuk Gun’s thick brows twitched slightly.
“I have long lamented hearing of the Spiritlord’s renown shaking the Murim. Particularly, losing you on Hell Island.”
His words were pleasant enough, but his eyes held no warmth whatsoever.
Rather than praise, they gleamed with contempt.
‘How could such a man ever become Sword Demon?’
A sigh escaped Bu Eunseol unbidden.
Throughout the ages, the Demonic Path bestowed the title Sword Demon upon exceptional swordsmen of extraordinary skill.
Once, the alias Sword Demon belonged to Wi Ji Moo Ah, the master of the Hwawoo Sword Sect, and it had now passed down to Wi Hyuk Gun.
Yet how could this petty, narrow-minded man have reached the supreme pinnacle of the sword to inherit that name?
Bu Eunseol found it utterly incomprehensible.
“It seems the Spiritlord has brought something as well. There was no need for that.”
Bu Eunseol’s gaze fell upon the wrapped bundle hanging from Won Se Moon, who stood attending her.
“How could I possibly arrive without a gift on the eve of the Sect Leader’s birthday?”
“Give it here. I shall personally deliver it to my Sect Leader.”
His words were courteous, yet his posture suggested he might tear open the wrapping at any moment.
Now it was clear—he had come specifically to inspect the gift Bu Eunseol had brought.
“Very well.”
Bu Eunseol, fully aware of his intentions, nonetheless commanded Won Se Moon.
“Present it to the Sect Leader.”
“Yes.”
Won Se Moon bowed and extended the wrapped bundle to Wi Hyuk Gun.
“Hmm.”
Wi Hyuk Gun’s eyes gleamed as he felt the texture of the object within the wrapping.
‘Surely not.’
He had recognized the distinctive form of a short blade.
‘From Chilji Demonic Sect…?’
Wi Hyuk Gun was a master of the blade.
From merely the shape and feel of the sword discernible through the wrapping, he could determine what manner of short blade it was,
and what materials comprised its construction.
“Escort the Spiritlord to the banquet hall at Sanho Pavilion.”
Wi Hyuk Gun’s expression shifted as he commanded a disciple standing nearby.
Then he clasped his hands lightly toward Bu Eunseol.
“Please enjoy the festivities.”
With those words, Wi Hyuk Gun turned and hurried inward without a backward glance.
Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed as she watched his retreating figure.
No doubt he was rushing to deliver the gift she had brought directly to the Hwawoo Sword Sect Master himself.
‘The die has been cast.’
Bu Eunseol turned her head and followed the guiding disciple into the Palace Hall alongside Won Se Moon.
Yet something felt amiss.
They were being led past the chamber where the masters of the Demonic Path gathered, into an entirely different banquet hall.
“Where are we going?”
Won Se Moon asked, and the guiding disciple replied.
“The Sect Leader instructed us to guide you to Sanho Pavilion.”
Soon enough, the disciple ushered Bu Eunseol into another banquet hall where festivities were in full swing.
Not a single prominent figure from the Demonic Path’s elite was visible here.
Instead, only middle-aged men with bellies sagging with excess fat were guzzling wine without restraint.
“Then.”
The Hwawoo Sword Sect disciple clasped his hands together and hurried away in panic.
The people inside the banquet hall blinked their eyes as Bu Eunseol and Won Se Moon appeared.
“Let us sit first.”
Bu Eunseol exchanged a light nod with them, then took a seat deeper within the hall.
The middle-aged men approached with goodwill, impressed by Bu Eunseol’s exceptional beauty and dignified bearing.
But when Won Se Moon, who looked like a mountain bandit, furrowed his brow and glared fiercely, they smacked their lips and retreated to their seats.
“This place appears to be where merchant figures are gathered.”
Those assembled here were all discussing matters such as imperial affairs, tea leaf prices, or fur valuations, were they not?
“My Lord. Please wait a moment.”
Won Se Moon furrowed his brow and rolled up his sleeves with determination.
“I shall overturn this arrangement and guide you to a proper banquet hall.”
“There is no need to concern yourself.”
“That will not do.”
Won Se Moon possessed a reckless temperament, but he was far from lacking in intellect.
He spoke with resolute conviction.
“The mere fact that you sat at a banquet table drinking with merchants would be ammunition for those who delight in spreading vicious rumors to tarnish your reputation.”
Bu Eunseol filled her wine cup to the brim and shook her head.
“That will not come to pass.”
“My Lord?”
“The Sect Leader will soon come requesting a private audience with me.”
“You mean the Hwawoo Sword Sect Leader?”
“Indeed.”
Won Se Moon could not comprehend this.
The Hwawoo Sword Sect was deliberately showing Bu Eunseol disrespect.
Yet Wi Ji Moo Ah, the Sect Leader who revealed himself neither throughout Gangho nor even within the sect itself.
Would request a private audience with Bu Eunseol?
“Drink. Your throat must be parched from the long journey.”
“My Lord?”
“You will drink regardless, will you not?”
Bu Eunseol’s smile caused Won Se Moon’s lips to twitch.
With his belt loosened, Won Se Moon plugged his mouth with the wine bottle.
Glug, glug, glug.
He was not one to complicate his thoughts, and he trusted Bu Eunseol’s wisdom as firmly as stone.
Besides, did he not also have a secret mission entrusted to him?
“The wine is empty!”
Having emptied all the wine bottles on the table, he called out to the servants in a loud voice.
“This elder has a great capacity for drink—bring at least twenty bottles!”
The servants, seeing Won Se Moon’s tiger-like visage, hurried to fetch more wine bottles in fear.
“Allow me to pour you a cup, Lord.”
Won Se Moon poured the wine for Bu Eunseol with utmost courtesy.
“There is no need to drink so hastily.”
Bu Eunseol spoke calmly, a faint smile playing at her lips.
“We have plenty of wine, after all.”
Though she spoke thus, few within the Hwawoo Sword Sect would possess the audacity to drink wine leisurely.
Yet Won Se Moon was a man who could drink heartily without blinking an eye, whether in the Hwawoo Sword Sect or even in Yeom Ra Jeon itself.
“Indeed, that is so. Hahahaha!”
Won Se Moon laughed boisterously and began plugging his mouth with the wine bottle again.
Gulp, gulp.
Bu Eunseol’s permission had already been granted.
He drank without hesitation, continuously draining the wine.
The wine prepared by the Hwawoo Sword Sect was Baeksa Wine from the Dongbang Juga, the most famous establishment in Seok Moon, a premium wine worth over twenty silver taels per bottle.
Yet Won Se Moon emptied twenty bottles of Baeksa Wine in less than an hour, and the servants watching him grew visibly pale.
“Are there no drinkers in the Hwawoo Sword Sect? Forget these tiny bottles—bring me an entire cask!”
The servants’ faces grew troubled at Won Se Moon’s demand.
But when they met his fierce gaze, they had no choice but to bring him a large cask filled with Baeksa Wine.
Thud, thud.
Just then, two disciples of the Hwawoo Sword Sect in black robes hurried in and clasped their hands respectfully before Bu Eunseol.
“Lord. The Sect Master requests a private audience with you.”
Won Se Moon’s eyes widened as he was drinking.
‘Is this really happening?’
Bu Eunseol rose from her seat and sent a telepathic message to Won Se Moon.
「Drink your fill and follow the instructions. There is no need to act recklessly.」
「Rest assured.」
Bu Eunseol nodded toward the disciples.
“Lead the way.”
In the back garden of the Hwawoo Sword Sect stood a small hill.
Climbing the steep slope, a small house surrounded by a fence of stacked stones came into view.
In this small house bathed in the languid sunlight, a subtle fragrance of tea drifted.
From a distance, it felt like a small tea house where one could enjoy tea.
Yet the figure who actually dwelt here was the leader of the most formidable sect within the Demonic Path—an absolute powerhouse counted among the top five masters of that dark realm.
This was the residence of Wi Ji Moo Ah, the Sect Master of the Hwawoo Sword Sect.
‘Unexpected.’
The Sect Master who commanded the Hwawoo Sword Sect—the single most powerful force among all Demonic Path sects—lived alone in such an unassuming, modest dwelling?
And wasn’t he currently in the midst of his seventieth birthday celebration?
“Very well.”
The disciples who had guided Bu Eunseol to the door bowed respectfully and departed.
“Hmm.”
After surveying the surroundings, I took a deep breath and stepped slowly through the fence.
“…!”
My pupils dilated slightly in that instant.
The moment I crossed the threshold, I felt as though I had stepped into an entirely different world.
‘I merely entered within the fence, yet it feels as though I’ve been completely severed from the mundane world….’
I realized this was not the result of a formation or some esoteric technique.
It was a phenomenon born from the very presence of the person dwelling in that small house.
“Welcome.”
A low voice emerged from within the dwelling.
It was not the voice of an elderly man, but rather a clear, resonant tone—like a refined scholar reciting poetry.
“Come inside.”
As the gentle, measured voice continued, I responded with proper courtesy.
“Then I shall enter.”
I carefully opened the door and stepped within.
The interior, contrary to its modest exterior, proved quite spacious, and at its center stood a kettle and brazier for heating water.
Along one wall, porcelain vessels containing well-dried tea leaves were arranged in display.
‘He must be fond of tea.’
The Cool Dark Space was perfectly suited for tea storage.
Wi Ji Moo Ah, the Sect Master of the Hwawoo Sword Sect, had apparently constructed this dwelling specifically to indulge his passion for tea.
Slurp.
After inviting me in, the master sat with eyes closed, savoring his tea without so much as a glance in my direction.
‘So this is Hyun Ma.’
Hyun Ma, Wi Ji Moo Ah.
He wore a long robe extending to his knees, cinched at the waist with a deep blue sash.
Had he been holding a fan instead of a teacup, I would have mistaken him for the Chief Swordmaster of the Hwawoo Sword Sect.
The figure who seemed destined to embody the most demonic visage among the Samma instead exuded the refined atmosphere of a scholar.

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