The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 381

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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 381.
‘How could she make such an expression!’
Jealousy flickered in Sim Wol’s eyes as he watched from a distance.
Jin Seol had always maintained an indifferent face before him, speaking only when necessary and in the briefest manner.
Even during their betrothal ceremony, her expression had remained unchanged.
Yet merely meeting his gaze had caused her to lose composure and waver?
‘It will only be until I obtain Ma Cheon Je’s martial arts.’
Sim Wol clenched his teeth.
From the beginning, he was Jeok Bung’s disciple, and he had strategically infiltrated Man Bak Dang to become the next successor of the Demon Palace.
Man Bak Dang was a place that maintained more contact with the leadership than anywhere else, overseeing various events that occurred within the Demon Palace.
If he handled various matters here and made an impression on the leadership, he would secure a highly advantageous position in the succession struggle ahead.
―The Ten Demon Immortals plan begins.
But from this point, things went awry.
Ma Cheon Je suddenly initiated the Ten Demon Immortals plan.
And wasn’t he having the individuals selected there compete not just against the Great Righteous Masters, but also against the competitors of the Ten Demonic Gates?
―Ma Cheon Je intends to choose his successor from among the Ten Demonic Gates and the Ten Demon Immortals.
Elder Council Master Jeok Bung ultimately reached his conclusion.
―Originally, I had recommended you as a successor candidate and planned to make you the master of the Demon Palace, but that has become impossible.
Both Ma Cheon Je and the Elder Council Master possessed the authority to designate successor candidates.
Jeok Bung had initially planned to pit Sim Wol against the competitors of the Ten Demonic Gates, but he changed his strategy.
Bu Eunseol.
The outcome was too obvious if he were to clash with this unfathomable prodigy.
―From now on, you will practice winning the heart of Jin Sang Hwa.
Jeok Bung shared a great secret with him.
He conveyed the astounding information that if he married Jin Seol, he could inherit Ma Cheon Je’s exclusive martial techniques.
―You mean I should become the foremost master of the Demonic Path merely by stealing a woman’s heart?
When Sim Wol refused, Jeok Bung spoke coldly.
―Uncertain as things may be now, that Nangya Pavilion disciple will certainly become the successor. His qualities extend far beyond mere martial prowess.
Jeok Bung could discern at a glance that Bu Eunseol was an exceptional individual.
Though her bone structure was ordinary, she possessed not only an innate sense and martial talent, but also outstanding strategic wisdom.
And wisdom and insight that rivaled his own, despite his hundred-plus years of life.
And indeed, just as his prophecy foretold, Bu Eunseol ascended to the position of successor.
Even without the support of the Ten Demonic Gates, wasn’t she gradually establishing a stable succession structure?
―Everything about Jin Sang Hwa’s personality and preferences is written here.
Jeok Bung finally thrust a box filled with scrolls toward Sim Wol.
It contained everything related to her—the things Jin Seol liked, her food preferences, her favorite manner of speech and behavior.
‘Is he telling me to sell my body like a courtesan.’
Sim Wol clenched his teeth hard.
The tasks Jeok Bung assigned him were no different from what male courtesans did, were they?
‘No, I must do this.’
But the moment Sim Wol recalled Bu Eunseol’s face, his chest grew cold.
No matter how hard he strived, he could never match her martial prowess and cunning.
In the end, the only way to ascend to the position of supreme master of the Demonic Path was to obtain Ma Cheon Je’s martial arts.
―I understand.
In the end, Sim Wol grasped the scroll.
After that, Sim Wol memorized the information contained in the box hundreds and thousands of times.
Through grueling practice, he crafted the speech patterns, bearing, and aura that would please Jin Seol.
And at last, he had won her heart and even became engaged to her…
Yet now this greedy successor was casting flirtatious glances at a woman who would soon become another man’s wife.
“Bu Eunseol.”
Black resentment flowed from Sim Wol’s eyes, and he clenched his teeth.
“If this is how it’s going to be, then I have no choice but to become a petty man.”
In truth, Bu Eunseol had merely greeted Jin Seol.
But to Sim Wol’s jealousy-blinded eyes, it appeared as though she were seducing another man’s lover.
“From now on, I’ll use every method at my disposal to make you pay!”
Sim Wol’s eyes, consumed by jealousy, burned like an active volcano.
* * *
The Blood Demon, Jeok Bung.
The great demon who once destroyed everything that displeased him had grown old before he realized it.
So he withdrew from the affairs of Gangho and entered the Demon Palace as its highest elder, a bastion of demonic martial power.
And there he wielded tremendous authority.
Power.
It was more addictive and coveted than opium itself.
Jeok Bung exploited the subtle discord between the Ten Demonic Gates, who wielded formidable influence in the Demonic Path, and Ma Cheon Je, the supreme master, to maintain his dominant position in the Demon Palace.
But now circumstances had changed.
The successor to the Demon Palace, Bu Eunseol.
With her emergence, the iron fortress of his power began to crumble.
Originally, Jeok Bung had maintained close relations with the lords of the Ten Demonic Gates, positioning himself as a mediator between them and Ma Cheon Je.
But when Bu Eunseol appeared, Ma Cheon Je, as if his work was complete, handed the Demon Palace’s affairs to Chong Gyo Ryeong and entered seclusion.
And Bu Eunseol refused to yield to the pressure of the Ten Demonic Gates, instead matching their strength and subduing them one by one, did she not?
With this turn of events, Jeok Bung found himself with nothing to do.
And if Bu Eunseol became the master of the Demon Palace, he sensed he would become nothing more than a forgotten old man in a back room.
“I took the wrong disciple.”
Blood-red light flickered in Jeok Bung’s eyes as he sat at the table drinking tea.
He already had three disciples, all of whom had risen to positions he desired and supported his power.
And finally, he had taken on his youngest disciple, Sim Wol, to crown his achievement.
But contrary to his expectations, Sim Wol had made no significant accomplishments, blocked entirely by the wall that was Bu Eunseol.
“In the end, one must obtain Ma Cheon Je’s martial arts.”
In the past, Jeok Bung had confidence he would never lose to anyone, and once even prided himself as the supreme master of Tianxia.
But when he met Ma Cheon Je, that pride crumbled.
He was a being equivalent to the Wheel of Reincarnation itself—a person unaffected by the ‘phenomena’ that I wielded.
In other words, I realized that as long as Ma Cheon Je existed, I was nothing more than second-in-command.
“Since I’ve spoon-fed you this much, you’ll do well from now on.”
But if Sim Wol were to marry Jin Seol, the situation would change entirely.
If he inherited the martial advancement of the foremost master of the Demonic Path, who surpassed even me?
Sim Wol’s martial arts would become equal to Bu Eunseol’s, or perhaps even surpass hers.
The position of successor is a seat that can change at any moment. After all, hadn’t Bu Eunseol herself publicly declared that she accepts challenges from anyone?
If Sim Wol’s martial arts surpassed hers, and I provided him with the forces to oppose the Muhonjung?
Sim Wol could seize Bu Eunseol’s successor position in one swift motion, and I would grasp even greater power.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, the sound of knocking came from the door, followed by a low voice.
“Master, it is I.”
It was Sim Wol’s voice.
An unexpected visit from my disciple.
Originally, Sim Wol had always called Jeok Bung ‘Elder.’
But recently, after receiving instruction in the True Divine Martial Arts, he was confidently calling me Master.
‘How much he has grown.’
“Enter.”
Normally, I would never have permitted an unscheduled visit.
But now I readily accepted him.
Soon he would inherit Ma Cheon Je’s martial legacy and become a treasure that would grant me tremendous power.
“Well.”
Jeok Bung lightly brushed the lid of his teacup and asked.
“Tell me, are your preparations proceeding well?”
His tone seemed deliberately affectionate.
But as his voice resonated within the chamber, Sim Wol felt his belly grow hot and his bones shrivel.
The Blood Demon, Jeok Bung.
This great demon whose murderous intent and martial prowess reached the heavens was channeling immense power into even a single word.
“That is…”
Seeing Sim Wol’s displeased expression, Jeok Bung opened his eyes wide.
“What troubles you?”
Clink.
At Jeok Bung’s gesture of brushing away the teacup lid, Sim Wol swallowed dryly and spoke.
“Bu Eunseol. It concerns her.”
“Bu Eunseol?”
When Bu Eunseol’s name came from Sim Wol’s lips, Jeok Bung’s expression darkened with displeasure.
“What of her?”
“It appears she is targeting the woman who will become my wife.”
Jeok Bung narrowed his eyes.
“What do you mean by that?”
The torrent of pressure grew thinner in sound, yet fiercer in force.
Sim Wol straightened his trembling body with difficulty and spoke.
“Just moments ago, he encountered Jin Sang Hwa. I’m not certain what he did, but in that brief span of time, I witnessed her being deeply shaken.”
Sim Wol clenched both fists tightly.
“Perhaps they exchanged words through sound transmission during that time.”
“Heh.”
Jeok Bung sighed with a look of contempt.
“Did I not tell you to accelerate the marriage proceedings? Why have you been dragging your feet all this time?”
At Jeok Bung’s rebuke, Sim Wol forced a laugh and replied.
“Winning her heart has proven far from simple.”
“….”
“You yourself know well how cold her temperament is, Master.”
“Hmph.”
Jeok Bung let out a dismissive snort.
“This Muhonjung does nothing, yet women line up to surrender their very souls to him….”
He left the rest unsaid, but Sim Wol understood his meaning perfectly.
―My disciple has deployed every stratagem to win her affection, yet still it takes time.
This was what Jeok Bung was saying.
Sim Wol suppressed the shame burning within him and lowered his head.
“Have I not exhausted every effort at your command to capture her heart? And yet….”
“Enough. Let us speak of this no further.”
Jeok Bung cut him off coldly.
Then, as Sim Wol kept his head bowed, fury ignited in his eyes.
Once, the two had been exceptionally close.
Though young, Sim Wol possessed the caliber to inherit everything Jeok Bung would leave behind.
But everything changed when Bu Eunseol appeared.
―Inadequate.
The disciple he had once taken such pride in suddenly seemed lacking, insufficient in every way.
Moreover, no matter how much time passed, there was not the slightest sign that he could surpass Bu Eunseol, who was merely one of the Ten Demon Immortals.
In the end, after much deliberation, Jeok Bung had devised a plan to use Jin Seol to make Sim Wol the Ma Cheon Je.
Yet even now, he was dragging his feet.
―Stingy old fool. Whose fault is all of this?
But Sim Wol harbored his own grievances toward Jeok Bung.
Jeok Bung had cultivated him into a formidable warrior, yet had never taught him the true secret arts.
The reason given was that his current cultivation base could not yet manifest them,
but from Sim Wol’s perspective, Jeok Bung seemed to guard the secret techniques jealously, acting like a miser.
‘If only he had taught me the true martial arts earlier, none of this would have happened.’
Sim Wol forcibly swallowed the rage threatening to burst forth.
Recently, having dealt with matters concerning Jin Seol and grown stronger in cultivation, he had finally received transmission of Jeok Bung’s unique martial techniques.
Yet these were supreme martial arts requiring at least a decade of rigorous refinement to master, so Sim Wol harbored deep resentment even at this belated transmission.
“Master, this is not a matter to be taken lightly.”
Sim Wol suppressed the frustration bursting forth and bowed his head once more.
“If Bu Eunseol—if he were to discover her secret, wouldn’t that jeopardize everything we’ve planned?”
“Jeopardize?”
“Ma Cheon Je’s martial arts, I mean. If he were to learn of this truth…”
“Hah.”
Jeok Bung looked down at Sim Wol with an expression of contempt.
“You still don’t understand him.”
“Sir?”
“If he were the sort to gain martial arts through women, he would have accepted my offer to join me long ago.”
Jeok Bung gazed down at Sim Wol with eyes frozen as cold as eternal ice.
“He is a true martial artist who focuses his gaze nowhere else, pursuing only the extreme pinnacle of combat. Even if he learned the truth about the secret techniques, he wouldn’t bat an eye.”
Jeok Bung was a man sparing with praise.
Even when he had seen Do Cheon Rin, the successor among the Ten Demonic Gates who possessed the finest qualities, had he not merely said “quite impressive”?
Yet whenever the subject turned to Bu Eunseol, he offered nothing but the highest commendation.
And he spoke thus before his own disciple, who stood in direct opposition to her.
“Bu Eunseol—even if he knows Jin Seol’s secret?”
“It’s not a matter of ‘even if’—he already knows.”
Jeok Bung snorted.
“He has already met with Chong Gyo Ryeong. He will have heard everything about Jin Sang Hwa.”
“You know him well. Better than I do, and I’m your disciple.”
As Sim Wol clenched his fists, Jeok Bung spoke coldly.
“Have I not always said it? To face an enemy, one must first understand them.”
Sim Wol bit his lip.
Swallowing the surging emotions within, he spoke.
“Regardless, if he interferes, everything will be ruined.”
“Do you call that reasoning?”
Red light flickered in Jeok Bung’s eyes.
“If you cannot overcome even such trials by yourself, then even if you obtain Ma Cheon Je’s martial arts, you will never become the master of the Demon Palace.”
Crack.
The sound of bones creaking emanated from Sim Wol’s spine.
The overwhelming pressure radiating from Jeok Bung’s voice had caused every bone in his body to contract.
“I… understand.”
Sim Wol bit the inside of his lip until blood flowed, bowing his head.
Humiliation.
Every word from Jeok Bung’s mouth was nothing but unbearable humiliation.
Though the words were not untrue, from his perspective they sounded infinitely insulting.
“I shall handle everything myself. All of it.”
Crack.
Sim Wol straightened his bent form in one motion, clasping his hands together, then turned and departed respectfully.
Jeok Bung, who had been staring at that sight, shook his head.
“That’s not it.”
Originally, Sim Wol was a man of profound wisdom and exceptional cunning rather than martial talent.
But as everything crumbled because of Bu Eunseol, he was losing that brilliant intellect and composure.
In the end, he was abandoning his own strengths and trying to become like Bu Eunseol.
“Yet… his inner power has more than doubled.”
Under normal circumstances, he should have been prostrate and unable to even resist my pressure.
But now he endures to the end without kneeling and turns to leave?
“Looking at his eyes, it’s not something generated from within his body, but something accepted from outside.”
Jeok Bung had already discerned that Sim Wol’s enhanced inner power came from spiritual elixirs consumed externally.
After all, Sim Wol was a disciple he had personally cultivated.
“At least it’s fortunate that he’s shown rapid progress…”
Jeok Bung furrowed his brow.
If he doesn’t reach the Extreme Heavenly Realm soon, even mastering Ma Cheon Je’s martial arts would be useless.
The reason he hadn’t transmitted the Divine Absolute Technique to Sim Wol until now was because it was a martial art that could only be wielded after reaching at least the Extreme Heavenly Realm.
Yet Sim Wol had ultimately broken through the wall of the Transcendent Realm using power obtained from outside.
That’s why he had belatedly transmitted his Divine Absolute Technique, but even that was incomplete.
“He couldn’t possibly be secretly consuming spiritual elixirs like Extreme Spirit Immortal Fruit.”
In Jeok Bung’s eyes as he stroked his chin, a light blazed like an active volcano.
His thoughts had gone wild.
“…No matter how I think about it, I’ve raised one disciple poorly.”
Jeok Bung clicked his tongue, suppressed his burning emotions, and sat back down.
Then he slowly brought the cold tea to his lips.
The fragrant aroma of tea certainly lingered in his mouth, yet he couldn’t understand why the aftertaste was so bitter.
* * *
Bu Eunseol, for a change, left the Demon Palace with the Lords of the Sayoung Battle Division and headed to the banquet hall of the Yung Hwa Guest Inn.
It was both a farewell gathering for So Ja Myeong, the Lord of the Guusal Unit, and a rare opportunity for all the Lords to dine together.
After the meal ended, Bu Eunseol and the Lords left the Yung Hwa Guest Inn. Yet their faces were full of reluctance.
“My Lord. Recently, a very fine tavern has opened in Geun Dong.”
At that moment, Won Se Moon spoke with a face full of regret.
“How about having another drink there?”
“You mean Jinwhanhru.”
At Jo Nam Cheon’s words, Won Se Moon nodded.
“Yes. What do you think of it? There’s no place quite like Jinwhanhru for a drink.”
The front of Jinwhanhru was adorned with a beautiful Flower Garden and a Small Pond.
And because pavilions were built around it, one could drink while viewing the scenery of the window lit by moonlight.
“That sounds fine.”
When Bu Eunseol nodded, Won Se Moon, like Jeomsoi, stepped forward and spoke.
“Well then, please follow me.”
Upon arriving at Jinwhanhru, a Tavern Servant guided Bu Eunseol’s party to the third floor.
That place was not only blessed with the most exquisite scenery but also commanded such exorbitant fees that even wealthy merchants could scarcely afford to ascend to its heights.
Yet when Bu Eunseol and her companions climbed to the third floor, seated before the window-side table facing them were a man of extraordinary presence and a strikingly beautiful woman.
It was none other than Sim Wol and Jin Seol.

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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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