The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 38

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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 38.
Hyuk Ryeon Eung—who had commanded “kill each other” not once, but twice.
He had taught her that the only way to survive in Gangho was to step over the corpses of others and rise.
So why would such a man endure severe punishment to save someone he’d never even met?
“I couldn’t say….”
Baek Jeon Cheon exhaled a long sigh and shook his head gently.
“I’ve asked the Sect Leader that very question many times, but each time he simply said, ‘You will come to understand the reason soon enough.'”
“You will come to understand the reason soon enough, he said?”
“Indeed.”
Gangho was merciless, yet the hearts of those who wandered it burned with boundless fervor.
But Bu Eunseol, who was dedicating herself entirely to martial arts for the sake of revenge, could never comprehend Hyuk Ryeon Eung’s heart—not now.
As silence settled between them, Baek Jeon Cheon clapped his hands lightly.
“I would like to speak with you at length, Bu Eunseol, but time is pressing. Let us move to the matter at hand.”
He moved to the table and spoke, looking at her.
“As a result of this affair, both the Hwawoo Sword Sect and the White Horse Sect have granted you a privilege.”
“A privilege, you say….”
“They have requested that the Demon Palace grant you access to the Manma Yujin Pavilion for twelve hours—one full day.”
From his robes, he produced a gleaming crimson token and set it upon the table.
“This is the Golden Ape Token—the credential required to enter the Manma Yujin Pavilion.”
“What exactly is the Manma Yujin Pavilion?”
“It is a martial arts library established within the main hall. It consists of three levels in total, and with the Golden Ape Token, you may access the first level.”
“The first level out of three would be the lowest rank, then.”
“That is true, but in your current position, such rankings hold little meaning.”
Baek Jeon Cheon gazed at the Golden Ape Token resting on the table.
“Even the first level contains over twenty-five thousand volumes of exceptional demonic supplementary techniques.”
“Twenty-five thousand secret arts?”
“Precisely. For this reason, only the most accomplished masters of our sect—those who have achieved great merit—are permitted entry to the Manma Yujin Pavilion.”
“I see.”
“In other words, the probability of you passing this trial is virtually nonexistent.”
Baek Jeon Cheon spoke with a grave expression.
“That is why they are showing such generosity—to ensure there can be no future complaints.”
Only then did Bu Eunseol realize he had not yet mentioned the crucial matter.
“What exactly is this trial they are demanding?”
“Ah, forgive me. My mind was scattered. I keep forgetting to mention the most important part….”
Baek Jeon Cheon sighed and continued with an unprecedented gravity.
“You must withstand five strikes.”
“Five strikes… you say?”
“Yes.”
Baek Jeon Cheon’s eyes gleamed as he spoke.
“To receive and endure five strikes from a master selected by the White Horse Sect. That is the trial they have demanded.”
* * *
Manma Yujin Pavilion.
The library vault of the Demon Hall, where all the secret martial arts scattered throughout the Demonic Path were said to be stored.
Bu Eunseol had initially imagined that Manma Yujin Pavilion would boast the grandeur of a towering skyscraper piercing the heavens.
“So this is Manma Yujin Pavilion….”
Yet the place where Baek Jeon Cheon had guided her was a colossal stone mountain carved artificially from the earth.
“Since this is a secret vault storing martial techniques of the highest order, it requires intricate mechanical mechanisms, you see.”
Baek Jeon Cheon spoke in hushed tones, glancing at Bu Eunseol’s expression.
“I can only accompany you this far. Present your token at the entrance ahead, and you should be able to proceed inside.”
“I am grateful for your kindness.”
Bu Eunseol bowed deeply once more.
Yet Baek Jeon Cheon, who had been observing her intently, released a profound sigh.
“Bu Eunseol. Would you permit me to offer you a word of counsel?”
“Of course.”
“The Gangho is a treacherous realm. And virtuous people are exceedingly rare.”
“I’m not certain what you mean.”
“Kindness given without reason does not exist. And if it does, there is invariably some hidden agenda behind it.”
Baek Jeon Cheon spoke in a low voice, his gaze lifted toward Manma Yujin Pavilion.
“In fact, the same applies to the permission granted for entry into this place.”
He fixed his eyes directly upon hers.
“Yet from what I have observed, there is surely a way within those walls to transform crisis into opportunity.”
“Transform crisis into opportunity….”
“Indeed. For stems ultimately spring forth from roots, after all.”
His words were enigmatic.
Though I could not immediately grasp their meaning, I sensed the genuine concern woven within them.
“Thank you for your counsel.”
As Bu Eunseol bowed deeply once more, Baek Jeon Cheon withdrew a transparent porcelain vial from his robes.
“These are Fasting Pills crafted by Suhwa Hall. A single one will sustain you for days without hunger, allowing you to read the secret texts in comfort.”
As Bu Eunseol accepted the vial, Baek Jeon Cheon smiled gently.
“I sincerely hope for a favorable outcome.”
* * *
The most critical conditions for preserving books are humidity and light.
Moisture degrades the stability and integrity of paper, so a dry environment is essential for proper preservation.
Moreover, prolonged exposure to light inevitably causes paper to discolor.
From this perspective, the interior of Manma Yujin Pavilion possessed ideal conditions for book storage.
‘This is no ordinary library.’
Bu Eunseol nodded as she surveyed her surroundings.
The interior of Manma Yujin Pavilion was profoundly dark, with only small oil lamps scattered throughout faintly dispelling the shadows.
Yet the air was remarkably pure and fresh, and large chunks of charcoal were stacked in various places.
‘Quite a number of people frequent this place.’
Shadows of disciples reading secret manuals flickered between the towering bookshelves crammed with volumes.
From young practitioners to white-bearded elders, not a single soul spared a glance toward Bu Eunseol.
‘Even these masters strive ceaselessly to advance their martial arts, even by the smallest increment.’
The dedication of those within the Manma Yujin Pavilion rivaled that of any master in Gangho.
‘Let me see what lies here.’
Bu Eunseol steadied her mind and began scanning the shelves.
“…!”
How much time had elapsed?
As I examined the shelves, the meaning behind Baek Jeon Cheon’s words suddenly crystallized.
“It truly was a trap.”
A bitter laugh escaped unbidden.
“To study a new secret manual on the eve of a life-or-death duel is nothing but scattering one’s focus.”
Twenty-five thousand secret manuals—mastering even a single one could bring renown throughout Gangho.
But to spend a day reading new techniques out of greed for advancement?
My mind would retain only fragments of those manuals, and ultimately, I would fail to properly execute the martial arts I had already cultivated.
“The Hwawoo Sword Sect and the White Horse Sect employed an extraordinarily subtle method to scatter my concentration.”
Shaking my head, I turned without hesitation and walked toward the exit.
But as I reached the door, Baek Jeon Cheon’s words suddenly surfaced in my mind.
―Branches spring forth from roots, after all.
I froze.
My footsteps halted abruptly as I was about to step outside.
‘Why would the Patriarch say such a thing?’
Had someone else spoken those words, I might have dismissed them without thought.
But I sensed that Baek Jeon Cheon genuinely wished to help me, and his words were certainly not uttered carelessly.
‘Branches spring from roots….’
As I turned the cryptic words over in my mind, my eyes gradually widened.
In that instant, grasping something crucial, I spun around and began searching the shelves with renewed purpose.
Twenty-five thousand volumes resided in this place.
Merely examining each book one by one could consume an entire day.
‘It must be here.’
But rather than removing books to study them, I rapidly scanned only the titles inscribed on the spines of the manuals.
Then, upon reaching the innermost section of the shelves,
A flash.
My eyes gleamed with sudden brilliance.
There, a manual bore the title “Nangya Singular Turn.”
‘So the martial arts of the Nangya Sect were here as well.’
Reading and memorizing a new secret manual consumed considerable mental energy.
But examining a secret manual from the same lineage served merely as reference material and would not scatter one’s focus.
I had grasped Baek Jeon Cheon’s counsel—he was directing me not toward new secret manuals, but toward the techniques of the Nangya Sect.
“Nangya Singular Turn.”
Bu Eunseol reached for the book without hesitation.
Settling herself before the shelves, her eyes grew progressively wider as she absorbed the secret manual with intense focus.
‘What on earth is this…?’
Despite her nature to remain unshaken by most things, Bu Eunseol could not conceal her astonishment.
And with good reason—the manual was filled from its very first page with curses and invectives against Nangya Sect.
―These fools of Nangya Sect, under the pretense of practical martial arts, force disciples to stake their lives from the beginning.
This is no different than telling one who crawls to run. Above all else, preserve one’s life… [abridged].
‘Who in their right mind would attach Nangya Sect’s name to such a manual?’
Unable to suppress her bewilderment, Bu Eunseol continued reading.
―These idiots of Nangya Sect teach martial arts without regard for life and death from the foundation, as if they possessed ten lives. Particularly that fool Yasudo, whom they insist is a basic technique.
This wretched Yasudo’s secret method originally stems from the ascetic practices of the Geumgang Sect, known as Western Shaolin….
Remarkably, beneath the profanities lay a detailed account of the origins of Yasudo martial arts—a secret technique of Nangya Sect.
‘This is strange. Based on the content, it’s certainly written by a disciple of Nangya Sect.’
The manual was filled with information that none but a Nangya Sect disciple could possibly know.
‘There must be a reason for this.’
Merely because it was written by a senior of Nangya Sect, Bu Eunseol pressed forward with patience, reading through the manual.
―Suppose one is fortunate enough to master Yasudo. This grotesque and sinister martial art unnecessarily amplifies human senses, and even in stillness, it erodes one’s vitality and mental fortitude.
Moreover, it obstructs the path to higher martial arts. As for sensation itself…
As Bu Eunseol continued reading, her eyes grew increasingly peculiar.
Remarkably, the manual’s contents grew ever more precise in identifying the very weaknesses of Yasudo that Bu Eunseol had never known.
―Maintaining this bestial sensation is unwise. Just as one refines inner force through meditation, one must turn the mind’s gaze inward through inner observation, sensing external things through sensation. Upon reaching such a realm, one attains the state of Traceless Coming, where all traces of arrival and departure vanish….
As Bu Eunseol read on, her face filled with wonder like a provincial child newly arrived in the capital.
This section of the Nangya manual contained methods to utilize inner force meditation, allowing one to control Yasudo’s senses with far greater refinement and power.
‘If I deeply master this dharma, even without profound understanding of martial principles, I can discern my opponent’s movements.’
Only then did Bu Eunseol comprehend why the manual was filled with such profanities.
‘It was likely intended only for disciples of Nangya Sect to read.’
Because the strengths and weaknesses of Yasudo were documented, it was surely meant for the disciples of Nangya Sect to see.
Whoosh.
Bu Eunseol remained pressed against the shelves like a stone statue, continuing to read the book.
How much time had passed?
“Sigh.”
As Bu Eunseol exhaled a long breath upon finishing the manual, a resonant “dong” echoed through the air.
It was the bell announcing that a day had passed.
Rumble.
As she approached the exit, the heavy metal doors of Manma Yujin Pavilion slowly began to open.
“Mm.”
As brilliant sunlight streamed in, Bu Eunseol shielded her eyes slightly.
Footsteps.
At that moment, a young man slowly approached Bu Eunseol.
It was Sim Wol, who had guided Bu Eunseol to Man Bak Dang.
“Bu Eunseol.”
Sim Wol approached with an expression of utmost gravity.
“It is time.”
Understanding the weight of those words, I nodded.
At last, the trial of five techniques proposed by the White Horse Sect and the Hwawoo Sword Sect had begun.

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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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