The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 392
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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 392.
But Bu Eunseol’s shock stemmed from something else entirely.
‘A member of the Murim Alliance using Demonic Sword Technique?’
The swordplay the Masked Assassin employed to shake off So Yo was fierce and tyrannical—unmistakably the Demonic Sword Technique.
‘Hmm.’
An old rumor surfaced in Bu Eunseol’s mind.
That within the Murim Alliance, there existed a mysterious master versed not only in Orthodox methods but also in Demonic martial arts, one who even understood the principles of countering such techniques.
“Get out of the way!”
Upon spotting Bu Eunseol, the Masked Assassin let out an urgent shout and unleashed a barrage of sword strikes to drive So Yo back, clearly intent on seizing the chance to escape.
But such an attempt was futile.
Whoosh!
So Yo’s movement technique was like an island unto itself.
She sensed the direction the Masked Assassin intended to move and clung to him like a phantom, sealing off every escape route.
“Ugh.”
A groan escaped the Masked Assassin’s lips as he continued to wield his blade.
He already bore a deep sword wound near his right shoulder from Bu Eunseol’s strike.
But the physical wound was not the true problem.
The formidable inner force channeled through Bu Eunseol’s Silent Sword had inflicted severe internal injuries, leaving his meridians in complete disarray.
As So Yo circled relentlessly around him, his body grew heavier and his internal injuries worsened with each passing moment.
There was simply no way for him to escape.
“Drop your sword.”
Shing.
Bu Eunseol, who had been observing the entire time, drew her Silent Sword in one fluid motion and unleashed the Meteor Chasing Moon technique.
“Hmph!”
As the swift blade pierced toward his throat, the Masked Assassin scoffed as if he still had reserves of strength, deploying his footwork erratically.
Screech!
But when the blade suddenly shifted direction and drove toward his left shoulder instead, he had no choice but to raise his sword in defense.
Clang!
With a clear metallic ring, the Masked Assassin’s blade was sent flying skyward from his grip.
Unable to withstand the reverse force embedded in the Meteor Chasing Moon technique, his hand was torn open.
Thud!
In that instant, So Yo unleashed a lightning-fast finger strike, striking the Liangqiu point above his knee.
Thump.
The Masked Assassin’s legs stiffened, and he collapsed to his knees.
She then struck again with another finger technique, hitting his shoulder well point and paralyzing both his arms.
Whoosh.
So Yo approached with swift movements and tore away his mask in one motion.
Rip.
Beneath the mask lay the refined features of a blue-eyed man with golden hair.
His inner cultivation had advanced further—the light radiating from his upper dantian was even brighter than what she had witnessed in the Underground Fortress.
Yet due to the profuse blood loss and severe internal injuries, her fair complexion was gradually taking on a grayish pallor.
“…So you belonged to the Murim Alliance.”
Only then could Bu Eunseol discern who had been sending assassins from the Murim Alliance all this time.
This Blue-Eyed Man had been relentlessly dispatching assassins until his confrontation with Jo Cheon Wang.
“To orchestrate this ambush, you prevented passage through Seong Do and the village. You were trying to lure me to my hiding place.”
“Huff.”
The Blue-Eyed Man exhaled a deep sigh that seemed to be one of tacit admission.
“To think I’d survive beneath Jo Dan Ju’s blade.”
The Seven Lords of the Murim Alliance.
The Alliance Master was elected from among these Seven Lords.
In other words, they were supreme masters who had cultivated transcendent martial arts early on to attain their lordly status, and were candidates for the position of Alliance Master.
However, the selection of Alliance Master prioritized achievements within the Murim Alliance over reputation in the Gangho.
For this reason, after becoming a Lord, they typically refrained from ventures into the Gangho that might accumulate enmities.
What if they had remained solely within the Murim Alliance, commanding their divisions without venturing out?
They would have wielded tremendous influence throughout the Gangho, or accumulated immense renown through martial contests with warriors, and…
The composition of the Four Gods Seven Kings would have been entirely different.
Because the Seven Lords are already assessed to have reached the level of the Four Gods Seven Kings long ago, merely by not engaging in Gangho activities.
Yet Bu Eunseol had only defeated Geol Wang, who held the lowest rank among the Four Gods Seven Kings, and was known to have trained in martial arts for an exceptionally short period.
How could he possess strength capable of confronting Wu Tian Duan Lord Jo Cheon Wang directly?
“….”
The Blue-Eyed Man showed only a moment of surprise.
After that, he said nothing, merely staring at Bu Eunseol.
‘Either he infiltrated as a sleeper agent like No Bong, or he was bought off like Sim Wol.’
Bu Eunseol’s gaze deepened as she regarded him.
The Murim Alliance would never kill innocent people to manufacture discord.
Which meant he ultimately belonged to the forces that had been destabilizing the Murim all along.
“Should I…torture you?”
At that moment, So Yo looked at Bu Eunseol and asked naturally.
As an exceptional assassin, she surely possessed skilled torture techniques.
“Unnecessary.”
Bu Eunseol looked down at the Blue-Eyed Man and spoke calmly.
“The Dark Underworld Forces have controlled their pawns all this time by fulfilling their long-held desires and wishes.”
“….”
“Tell me everything you know. Then I’ll spare your life.”
Bu Eunseol’s voice was serene.
There was no need to resort to threats or torture.
Young people with much to gain have a strong attachment to life.
With the ability to shake the world, they wouldn’t want to die without even obtaining that opportunity.
The Blue-Eyed Man possessed striking features and formidable martial prowess. He would surely not wish to die meaninglessly in this forest.
“Hmm.”
Beads of sweat trickled down the Blue-Eyed Man’s forehead.
He had already mastered the exceptional martial techniques of the Orthodox Sects and Demonic Path that had been perfected in Murim. Though his training period had been brief, preventing him from fully refining them.
If he could refine them for merely three more years, he could reach the realm of seven or eight stars, and this arrogant wretch before him would be no match whatsoever.
But how could he simply accept death like this?
“Hmm.”
As if deliberating for a moment, an earnest voice escaped from the Blue-Eyed Man’s lips as he looked up at Bu Eunseol.
“Will you truly spare me?”
“If you speak truthfully.”
At Bu Eunseol’s resolute answer, the Blue-Eyed Man nodded.
“Then, unseal the Blood Sealing Point so I can receive treatment. I’ve sustained severe internal injuries.”
“Answer first.”
“You’ll keep your promise?”
The Blue-Eyed Man spoke after a moment of silence.
“It is well known throughout Murim that the word of Muk Hon Ryeong Ju, the successor to the Demon Palace, carries absolute weight.”
Bu Eunseol nodded.
Judging by the Blue-Eyed Man’s martial prowess and his conduct in the Underground Fortress, he was certainly no coward.
From my perspective, extracting information about the Dark Underworld Forces was far more important than killing this man.
“However.”
Bu Eunseol paused briefly, and a crimson blood-light gleamed in her eyes.
“Should you speak even a single false word, I will immediately cut off your breath.”
“Agreed.”
The Blue-Eyed Man spoke readily.
“I will tell you everything I know.”
Bu Eunseol remained silent for a moment before speaking.
“Who gave the order to kill me?”
“Tae Sa Hyeon, the Supreme Commander of the Murim Alliance.”
“For what reason?”
“He anticipated that you would face Jo Dan Ju in a decisive confrontation. And he desired that confrontation to come to pass.”
In that instant, I recalled the martial artists who had ambushed me during my time with the Ten Demon Immortals.
‘At that time, Lord Baek said those warriors seemed to be directly under the Supreme Commander of the Murim Alliance.’
There was not the slightest wavering in the Blue-Eyed Man’s eyes.
Sensing his honesty, Bu Eunseol questioned further.
“What is the name of the organization you belong to?”
“The Murim Alliance… would that not suffice?”
The Blue-Eyed Man, who had hesitated briefly, spoke without reservation.
“First Heaven.”
I had naturally expected the name Sam Gye to emerge.
When an unexpected name appeared instead, Bu Eunseol raised one eyebrow.
‘Then these people are not Sam Gye, but rather another secret organization within the Murim Alliance?’
However, at the Blue-Eyed Man’s subsequent words, my stern expression softened.
“Or it’s also called the Infinite Realm.”
Using two names interchangeably was common practice among secret societies.
Bu Eunseol nodded and asked again.
“Who is the Realm Master?”
“There is no Leader. We are simply divided into those who relay commands and those who execute them.”
“No organization exists without a leader. If one truly doesn’t exist, then there must be a core faction that moves the organization.”
“You speak truth.”
The Blue-Eyed Man nodded.
“From that perspective, I could be called a pawn at the top of the pyramid.”
He continued with a bitter expression.
“After all, I was never officially registered with the Murim Alliance. Knowing I could be discarded at any moment, I struggled to accumulate merit.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed.
He seemed to hold a fairly high position—high enough to command those cultivating Immortal Flowers in the Sichuan Underground Fortress.
Yet he didn’t know the core figures of the Infinite Realm?
“But I spoke honestly.”
The Blue-Eyed Man smiled faintly.
“I won’t break my promise, will I?”
Only then did Bu Eunseol understand why this Blue-Eyed Man had confidently claimed he would tell her everything.
He was merely a pawn without official standing in the Murim Alliance, a chess piece deployed to handle covert operations.
Ultimately, whatever he revealed wouldn’t constitute significant intelligence.
‘It doesn’t matter.’
Bu Eunseol had possessed almost no information about the Three Realms or the Infinite Realm.
Even if he was merely a pawn, he could still reveal many things to her.
“Then who is the commander that gives you orders?”
“The First Messenger.”
“The First Messenger?”
“All commands from this Realm are delivered directly by the Messengers. The one who gave me orders was the First Messenger.”
Suddenly, Bu Eunseol’s mind recalled the mysterious masked figures she had encountered during her past travels through the Gangho.
“Do these Messengers perhaps wear masks with an eerie, lustrous sheen?”
The Blue-Eyed Man nodded with a slightly startled expression.
“Yes. It seems you’ve encountered them before.”
Only then did the scattered fragments in Bu Eunseol’s mind click into place.
All the masked figures she had met throughout the Gangho.
They had all been Messengers of the Infinite Realm.
‘So that was it.’
Now Bu Eunseol could comprehend why those mysterious masked figures she had encountered in the Gangho possessed such formidable martial prowess.
“Why create Immortal Flowers and artificial internal cores?”
Bu Eunseol asked with an ice-cold gaze.
“With such overwhelming power and wealth at your disposal, why manufacture Immortal Flowers and artificial internal cores?”
“Hehehehe.”
The Blue-Eyed Man smiled faintly.
“You think our realm disturbs the Murim or acts for personal gain.”
“You two deliberately spread plague and manufactured discord. On top of that, you created artificial inner cores that turn people into murderers.”
“Great endeavors require small sacrifices. It is unavoidable.”
It was the exact same words No Bong, once a strategist of Gae Bang, had spoken.
“And do not misunderstand.”
The Blue-Eyed Man furrowed his brow slightly, as if his internal injuries were severe, and continued speaking.
“The artificial inner cores were never something beings like you should have concerned yourselves with.”
He looked directly at Bu Eunseol and spoke with deliberate precision.
“They were originally meant for our realm to use.”
It was a shocking statement.
I had naturally assumed the artificial inner cores were created to disturb or control the Murim.
But they were originally meant for the Three Realms—for their own use?
“Does the Three Realms also need artificial inner cores?”
At Bu Eunseol’s question, the Blue-Eyed Man drew a deep breath.
“The Three Realms, true to its name, is divided into three separate factions.”
Astonishing revelations continued to unfold.
So the artificial inner cores were ultimately…
Weapons created for the Three Realms’ factions to check one another, or perhaps to wage war against each other?
“Your words do not align.”
Bu Eunseol, lost in deep thought, furrowed her brow.
“You consistently distributed artificial inner cores to individuals unrelated to the Three Realms. You even gave them to a former disciple of Man Bak Dang.”
And with eyes sharp as blades, she spoke.
“Yet you claim they were originally meant for the Three Realms to use?”
“I already told you.”
The Blue-Eyed Man spoke with a contemptuous smile.
“Our realm is divided into three separate factions.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened as the meaning of his words became clear.
So the Three Realms, true to its name, was fractured into three factions, and they were in conflict with one another.
‘The forces that dominate the Murim are engaged in covert struggle against each other.’
It was incomprehensible by any rational standard.
Bu Eunseol shook her confused head and asked.
“If you are the Infinite Realm, what are the names of the other two?”
“We call it the realm of profound emptiness and void…”
As the Blue-Eyed Man continued speaking, his eyes widened as he looked at Bu Eunseol.
It was an expression as if he had made a grave mistake, as if he had been caught by someone.
“Ugh!”
Suddenly he clutched his throat and began emitting a low groan.
Crack!
A sharp sound burst from his mouth, and simultaneously his eyes expanded grotesquely as thick veins began spreading across his entire body.
Thud. Thud.
His face began to swell like a balloon, gradually turning a deep crimson.
‘He cannot die!’
Bu Eunseol immediately channeled her Anti-Extreme True Qi into the Blue-Eyed Man’s Jujube Point.
Pure vital energy flowed through his meridians, pushing back the toxic force, yet his face continued to expand grotesquely.
“Aaaahhh!”
The Blue-Eyed Man let out a harrowing scream, and then—
Splorch!
His head burst apart, spraying viscera and fragments in all directions.
Patter. Patter.
So Yo, watching the debris fall, opened her mouth.
“Heart Exhaustion Ash Annihilation… Soul Severing Grand Technique.”
She pointed to the blackish shimmer among the scattered remains.
“They implanted the Black Prison Brain Worms that devour the brain, then achieved perfect control over both body and spirit.”
Heart Exhaustion Ash Annihilation Soul Severing Grand Technique.
It was an obscure forbidden art of Baijiao from ages past.
Since it could easily annihilate an entire sect or rebuild one, the lost supreme techniques of Baijiao could have been restored without difficulty.
“So this was their method.”
Only now could Bu Eunseol comprehend why Sam Gye, such a colossal organization, had remained unknown to the Murim.
They had maintained their secrecy meticulously through these bizarre and brutal techniques.
“Their roots run too deep—I cannot fathom how far they’ve spread, or where their tendrils have reached…”
Bu Eunseol exhaled deeply.
Sam Gye was no emerging upstart faction. They had dominated the Murim for generations while concealing their true nature.
Yet what purpose they harbored remained unclear.
Even why factions within their own ranks fought one another was beyond her understanding.
If only she could eliminate all their embedded agents scattered throughout and consolidate the strength of every available sect,
perhaps she could expose their true identity—or erase them entirely.
“Sigh.”
Bu Eunseol drew in a deep breath.
The Blue-Eyed Man had revealed far more information than she’d anticipated.
Since they had already extended their reach into the Murim, eventually their true nature would be laid bare.
“Let us depart.”
Bu Eunseol nodded, regarding So Yo.
Now she had to go to Myo Ga So and meet Shin San Ja to unravel the secrets surrounding her grandfather’s death.
* * *
Myo Ga So.
Originally, this place had been a small vagrant village in Guangdong.
Here, whenever food was obtained, it was shared among all. Consequently, elderly and infirm homeless people who could scarcely even beg flocked to Myo Ga So.
As this situation developed, young vagrants gradually departed one by one, until only the elderly remained.
As time passed, Myo Ga So transformed into a place where the aged, unable even to beg, gathered to await their final day.
The tomb of aged vagrants.
Myo Ga So had earned this epithet at some point.
Bu Eunseol and So Yo finally arrived at Myo Ga So.
As was typical of vagrant settlements, ramshackle hovels and crumbling abandoned houses were scattered about in disarray.
Elderly vagrants, their vitality completely drained, leaned against walls or lay sprawled about with lifeless expressions.
Despite Bu Eunseol and So Yo’s arrival, they showed no particular reaction.
Ordinary vagrants would have begged or cast hopeful glances for aid.
But these souls had lost even the will to live, their strength and spirit utterly extinguished.
“In a place like this, one could certainly remain undiscovered.”
Shin San Ja was indeed an extraordinary figure.
No matter how exceptional an intelligence organization might be, none would have anticipated that the greatest sage of Murim would be hidden away in such a vagrant’s den.
Crunch, crunch.
So Yo stepped forward as if to guide the way, entering deeper into Myo Ga So.
Her gaze frequently drifted downward. Shin San Ja would not be an aging vagrant like the others.
Unlike the ordinary vagrants, she was following the traces of clear, deliberate footprints.
After walking for some time, a small wooden plank stood before the entrance of a hermitage on the verge of collapse.
And upon that wood, in crooked characters, were written the words “All things are known without exception.”
“All things are known without exception”—a phrase meaning there is nothing one does not understand.
It was a saying commonly inscribed instead of a placard at places where fortune-tellers offered their services.
But knowing that Shin San Ja dwelled here, the characters seemed to radiate tremendous power.
Bu Eunseol, who had been staring intently at the plank, entered the hermitage without hesitation.
Upon entering, there was a small space, and beyond it stood a wooden door sealed shut.
And beneath the door, a small hole large enough for a hand to pass through had been bored.
“I’ve come for a divination.”
As So Yo spoke, an aged voice emerged from behind the wooden door.
“The fortune-telling fee is paid in advance.”
So Yo hesitated briefly, then withdrew a Debt Repayment Coin from her bosom and pushed it through the hole.
Then the old man’s voice sounded once more.
“One question per coin.”
So Yo stared at the door, then spoke in a low voice.
“How can the Yin Meridian Severing be cured?”
According to all known records, there was no method to cure the Yin Meridian Severing.
But from within the hermitage came an unhesitating answer.
“Gather five masters whose inner energy exceeds three sixty-year cycles, and simultaneously inject their energy to expel all yin energy within the body in one breath.”
Thud.
Then a small slip of paper fell from the hole.
“Read it and burn it.”
As So Yo unfolded the paper, it contained the Six Qi—that is, the three yin corresponding to Jueyin, Shaoyin, and Taiyin, and
the three yang corresponding to Shaoyang, Taiyang, and Yangming, interpreted through the properties of the Five Elements, with detailed instructions on how to inject inner energy.
“Jueyin Wind Wood, Shaoyin Sovereign Fire, Taiyin Damp Earth, Shaoyang Minister Fire, Taiyang Cold Water, Yangming Dry Metal….”
So Yo began committing the dharmic teachings written on the paper to memory.
Soon after, she nodded and incinerated the paper in a single breath using Samadhi True Fire.
‘She knew beforehand.’
The paper Shin San Ja had presented contained at least a thousand characters.
Given that he produced it immediately upon my question, he must have already known that So Yo would ask about the secret method to treat Tae Eum Jeol Maek.
He had written the secret method on paper in advance.
‘He knew So Yo was coming, and he knew what she would ask beforehand.’
I swallowed hard.
My transcendent senses blanketed a hundred zhang, and through my Gongpa Divine Eye, I could perceive situations beyond a wall with my eyes closed.
Yet now I could not see through even a single wooden door of this hermitage.
‘Extraordinary martial arts, or perhaps a formation.’
This meant either Shin San Ja far surpassed my martial prowess,
Or he could deploy an astonishing formation capable of completely blocking my senses.
In other words, whether through martial arts or formation, he possessed abilities exceeding my own.
I stirred.
Emerging from deep contemplation, I withdrew the Debt Repayment Coin.
Just as I was about to insert it into the hole,
“….”
I stopped.
I had recalled the fact that one Debt Repayment Coin equaled one question.
‘What I truly want is the identity of Hyung Su, who killed my grandfather.’
―Who is Hyung Su, the one who killed Bu Chanyang, who was an Yeomsa of the Hwang Ju Bu Po Cheong?
What if, when I asked such a question, Shin San Ja claimed not to know Bu Chanyang, the Yeomsa of the Hwang Ju Bu Po Cheong?
No matter how exceptional my grandfather was, he had hidden his identity for decades.
Could even Shin San Ja know of a Yeomsa who buried vagrants in Hwangju?
Would it not be better to ask about the Chil Ji Ma Do instead?
“Aren’t you going to ask?”
At So Yo’s words, I came to my senses and tried to insert the Debt Repayment Coin again.
In that moment, another thought flashed through my mind.
‘Does Shin San Ja speak only the truth?’
What if he lies?
Would I not then be manipulated by Shin San Ja toward a false path?
‘Ma Cheon Je.’
I bit my lip.
Ma Cheon Je had awakened me to profound truths, yet simultaneously… made it impossible for me to trust anyone’s words.
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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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