The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 407

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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 407.
“Phew.”
Bu Eunseol emerged from Seongwi-gak and drew a deep breath.
Until now, he had encountered masters who had reached the pinnacle of Murim, and he could feel the weight of their martial prowess firsthand.
The Holy Sword, Baek Ri Mu Jo.
Yet he was different from any of the strong ones I had met before.
It was not because of overwhelming martial power or phenomena, but rather due to the very nature of the man himself.
The Aura of Harmonious Equilibrium.
It signified the harmonized energy between heaven and earth.
It was an aura that only appeared in those who had achieved enlightenment through long ascetic practice and attained a dharma body like the Buddha.
Yet Baek Ri Mu Jo possessed no flaws that any human should naturally carry.
He possessed the perfect aura that harmonized between heaven and earth—the Aura of Harmonious Equilibrium itself.
‘It’s unlikely that he, the Lord of the Murim Alliance, would undergo such ascetic practices. Then does that mean he has never experienced a single failure or setback in his entire life?’
Bu Eunseol shook his head.
My grandfather, Bu Chanyang, once said that humans are incomplete beings, and precisely because of this incompleteness, they are capable of growth.
―But what if an exceptionally talented person appeared who had never failed since birth?
When Bu Eunseol asked this, his grandfather answered thus.
―If someone had never experienced a single failure or setback since birth, then truly they would be a divine being sent by heaven. In that case, they would naturally be enveloped by the harmonized energy between heaven and earth.
But Bu Chanyang had been adamant.
―However, that cannot be. Because a perfect human cannot exist.
Bu Eunseol took a deep breath.
What if grandfather’s words were accurate? Then Baek Ri Mu Jo was either a divine being sent by heaven… or he was manifesting a false Aura of Harmonious Equilibrium.
“Regardless, Gangho is vast indeed.”
When I had consecutively defeated Geol Wang, Hwan Wang, the descendant of Yeom Hwang, and No Bong, the descendant of Hyeol Hwang.
I had been confident that I could engage in a decisive battle against any master of Gangho.
But upon meeting Wi Ji Moo Ah and Shin San Ja, I realized that I still had a long path ahead of me.
And upon meeting Baek Ri Mu Jo…
I came to understand that the masters of Murim possessed something that could not be expressed merely through the level of martial arts.
“What is fortunate is that the power displayed by Lord Baek Ri Mu Jo was not a ‘phenomenon’ that manifests from the Wuji Realm.”
Baek Ri Mu Jo likely arranged not only the Guest Hall but all the furnishings within the Palace Hall himself.
Perhaps even the Palace Hall itself was constructed under his direction.
Every trace contained within and without the Palace Hall revealed the harmony-seeking nature and martial philosophy of Baek Ri Mu Jo in meticulous detail.
And that ‘harmony’ was not a ‘phenomenon’ manifesting from reaching the Wuji Realm… but rather stemmed from the refined and nearly flawless nature characteristic of the Holy Sword.
―There are still many supreme masters in Murim that you do not know of. Furthermore, there exist martial arts that even transcend the stages one must necessarily pass through.
The words Cheon Woon Gwang had spoken when transmitting the Nine Dragons Island Thunder technique came back to mind.
At the time, I had thought it was merely a reference to the descendants of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars… but upon reflection, it seemed he was describing the characteristics of hidden supreme masters in Murim.
‘Martial arts that transcend even the stages one must necessarily pass through.’
Perhaps Baek Ri Mu Jo had also mastered such martial arts.
If that were true.
Then Baek Ri Mu Jo must also be placed among the suspects who killed my grandfather, and I would need to investigate him thoroughly the moment I seized power.
“I’m reluctant, but…”
Bu Eunseol smiled bitterly.
I couldn’t fathom what kind of person Baek Ri Mu Jo was, yet I felt no hostility from him.
More precisely, he was someone who stirred an inexplicable sense of affinity.
Much like So Yo.
“What am I thinking?”
Bu Eunseol shook her head.
The one who killed my grandfather could be wearing any mask imaginable. I must never judge a person based on such vague feelings of familiarity.
* * *
The Murim Alliance held numerous conferences befitting its vast scale.
The Grand Council Meeting, where the Alliance Leader presided over the heads of the Elder Council, the Deng Wu Dian Lords, and other supreme leadership.
The Longevity Council, attended only by elders and senior members.
The All Lords Conference, convened by the Deng Wu Dian Lord or the Chief Commander, where all faction leaders gathered.
And the Regional Lords Conference, where department heads and faction leaders discussed major and minor matters under the direction of division-level officials.
The Murim Alliance, Deng Wu Dian.
A Regional Lords Conference was being held here under the direction of Deng Wu Dian Lord Yuk Jang Cheon.
Yet the atmosphere in the conference hall felt peculiar.
The attending faction lords repeatedly frowned, their gazes drifting toward one corner of the room.
There sat Seon Woo Jin, a newly appointed division commander of the Murim Alliance and a third-tier commander under the Star Guard, now leading the Elite Division.
―No matter how one looked at it, having the lord of a newly established third-tier division attend a Regional Lords Conference was unprecedented.
Of course, they all understood that the Elite Division had lost its backing.
While this was sympathetic, they nonetheless regarded him with disdain. They disapproved of someone from a merchant background becoming the Elite Division Lord.
By any measure, he hardly appeared to be a master of exceptional skill, let alone someone capable of rivaling the renowned expert Cheon Hwa In.
The faction lords had only heard stories of how he came to be selected as division lord.
Moreover, the energy emanating from his body was ordinary, and his frame was far too slender.
―Could he have bought his position with money?
Because the temporary camp that had stood in the Bamboo Forest near the North Gate was now transformed into a magnificent manor, such suspicions gained credibility.
And the second reason.
Despite belonging under the Star Guard Lord, he had to attend the Deng Wu Dian’s Regional Lords Conference and receive task assignments—this abnormal situation itself was distasteful.
A third-tier commander of the Star Guard attending a Regional Lords Conference where only faction lords under the Deng Wu Dian participated… there was no way it could be viewed favorably.
“Ahem.”
Several faction lords made uncomfortable, discontented coughs without hiding their displeasure.
Yet Bu Eunseol sat calmly, as though she noticed nothing.
In truth, this was not her first such conference.
Until now, Bu Eunseol had attended three Regional Lords Conferences, and all three times she had simply sat like a sack of grain placed in storage.
‘This is proving more difficult than expected.’
Bu Eunseol held a bitter smile.
The Murim Alliance was a place where background and connections mattered above all else, and where subtle power struggles between old and new generations unfolded.
In the eyes of younger officials, the Elite Division was a division established by the elderly, and they harbored no warmth toward nurturing it.
“This is the final agenda item.”
At that moment, Yuk Cheong Ah, the Lord of Yeonseong Hall, spoke in a low voice.
“Currently, a series of thefts are occurring continuously at the Seoha Branch and Hoehyeon Branch of our Alliance, among other locations.”
“Thefts, you say.”
Then Yang Baek Moon, the Lord of the Eighth Hall seated across from her, furrowed his brow.
“Is it not that Cheon Myeon Shin Tu again, causing trouble?”
Until now, the only audacious thief to have ransacked the branches of the Murim Alliance was Yu Cheong Rim, known as Cheon Myeon Shin Tu.
Rumors spread far and wide that he had plundered not only the Murim Alliance but even the Imperial Palace’s treasury with his ability to transform his appearance in an instant.
“That is unlikely, I believe.”
Yuk Cheong Ah spoke with certainty.
“What was stolen from the weapon storage of each branch was Fire Spirit Stone.”
“Fire Spirit Stone?”
The Lords furrowed their brows with bewildered expressions.
Fire Spirit Stone was used to produce powerful flames in an instant—employed either when cremating bodies or when strategically generating large-scale fire.
Yet someone had infiltrated the Murim Alliance branches with great difficulty only to steal Fire Spirit Stone?
“Why on earth would they steal Fire Spirit Stone?”
In response to Yang Baek Moon’s question, Yuk Cheong Ah spoke in a low voice.
“It seems likely connected to the recent murders of vagrants.”
Recently, throughout Zhong Yuan, a series of incidents had occurred in which large numbers of vagrants were burned to death.
At first, it was thought to be merely coincidental accidents.
However, it was revealed that the vagrants burned to death had their Blood Sealing Points sealed, and they were burned by Fire Spirit Stone.
In other words, a serial killer had emerged who was deliberately burning vagrants to death.
Around the same time, Fire Spirit Stone was stolen from the Murim Alliance branches—thus, there was a high probability that the two incidents were closely connected, or were the work of the same person.
“Is that not a matter for the authorities to handle?”
At Yang Baek Moon’s words, Yuk Cheong Ah shook her head.
“If the person who stole the Fire Spirit Stone and the serial killer burning vagrants are the same individual, we cannot simply dismiss this as the authorities’ jurisdiction.”
“Hmm.”
Yang Baek Moon let out a sigh.
Regardless of other matters, the thief who had plundered the Murim Alliance’s warehouse had to be caught.
Not only would the Alliance’s prestige suffer, but audacious thieves might imitate similar crimes.
“This is troublesome.”
Yang Baek Moon rubbed his brow.
“Simply because Fire Spirit Stone was stolen from the branches, the elite martial artists of the Murim Alliance must now mobilize to catch a petty thief.”
The Lords all nodded in agreement.
The situation did not look favorable, and investigating the deaths of vagrants would yield neither profit nor prestige.
―It would be different if they were Demonic Sect members.
The evil deeds committed by Demonic Sect members incurred public outrage.
Thus, capturing them would earn corresponding prestige.
But catching a petty thief or an arsonist targeting vagrants would earn no recognition.
“Is there no hall willing to take on this case?”
At Yuk Cheong Ah’s question, silence fell over the hall.
I was troubled by the thought that stepping forward to catch a mere pickpocket might itself be a shameful act.
“There is someone well-suited for this, is there not?”
At that moment, Poong Joong Seon, the Lord of Jeongildang, gestured toward Bu Eunseol, who sat in a corner of the Conference Hall.
“Was the Elite Division not created precisely to handle such matters? I cannot imagine a more fitting task for them.”
The Lords then nodded in agreement, each wearing a smile.
“A perfectly suitable assignment indeed.”
“The purpose of its establishment aligns perfectly with the mission.”
Among the murmurs of the Lords, tinged with mockery, a low and solemn voice rang out.
“Elite Division Commander.”
It was Yuk Jang Cheon, the Lord of Deungmu Hall, who spoke.
“Will you undertake the task of finding the culprit behind this theft?”
“I will.”
Bu Eunseol stepped forward without hesitation, and the mockery playing at the corners of the Lords’ mouths deepened.
“A so-called Lord accepting such a task so readily—catching a mere pickpocket.”
“She must be quite desperate.”
Yuk Jang Cheon, deliberately ignoring the Lords’ whispered jeers, asked again.
“Are you certain?”
“I am.”
Yuk Jang Cheon nodded.
“Then the Elite Division shall take on this task.”
The Lords’ Council meeting was concluded.
Bu Eunseol rose from her seat only long after all the Lords had departed the Conference Hall.
Thud, thud.
As I stepped out of Deungmu Hall with measured composure, I saw two figures standing side by side before the Flower Garden, their heads bowed together.
They were Yuk Jang Cheon and Yuk Cheong Ah.
“Then.”
I offered them a light bow and turned to leave, when—
“Do not be too disheartened.”
Yuk Jang Cheon’s low voice resonated in my ears.
“There will be plenty of opportunities ahead for you to accomplish great deeds.”
In truth, such hopes were difficult to harbor.
If a task offered the chance for true merit, the Lords would never entrust it to the Elite Division.
Yet Yuk Jang Cheon recognized the depth of my martial prowess and wisdom, and believed I would become a great talent.
It was for this reason that he spoke to me, hoping I would not succumb to cynicism and discrimination.
“Thank you.”
I smiled faintly, sensing Yuk Jang Cheon’s goodwill, and clasped my hands together once more.
“Then.”
“Lord Seon Woo Jin. If there is anything where my assistance is needed, please let me know.”
At that moment, Yuk Cheong Ah spoke, her bright eyes narrowing into crescents.
“Anytime at all.”
“Understood.”
I clasped my hands together lightly once more before departing from Deng Wu Dian.
‘Even if I handle this mission properly, they won’t easily assign me another one.’
The Elite Division had been created in the first place to recruit Cheon Hwa In, with Gu In Jeong at its center.
Yet all the plans had fallen apart, and the position of Elite Division Commander had fallen to me instead.
Naturally, they would have no desire to nurture a Murim practitioner from the merchant class—not even a disciple of Hwasan.
From now on, and forevermore.
The missions assigned to the Elite Division would be nothing more than menial tasks.
‘Is this the difference between the Orthodox Path and the Demonic Path?’
Unlike the Demon Hall, which valued strength and ability, the Orthodox Path placed great emphasis on connections and patronage.
Especially in organizations like the Murim Alliance, where the leadership favored their own sects, one could never survive on individual strength alone.
If one wished to rise higher?
One had to forge connections with those who could guide you forward.
―Whenever you wish.
I understood why Yuk Cheong Ah had spoken those words with such confidence.
She was the youngest Lord, and had Yuk Jang Cheon as a powerful backer.
Moreover, having spent her entire childhood within the Murim Alliance, her network of connections was considerable.
If I were to reach out and grasp that rope she offered? I would gain a genuine foothold to climb higher.
Tap, tap, tap.
I quickened my pace, leaving Deng Wu Dian and heading toward the Bamboo Forest near the North Gate.
“A mission has been issued.”
In the Elite Division’s Conference Hall.
I gathered all the members and calmly explained the mission that had been handed down from the Lords’ Council.
At that, both Tae Mu Ryong and Jeong Jong Do’s expressions darkened.
They too had instantly grasped the situation facing the Elite Division and myself.
“If they’re throwing such a mission at us… it seems the leadership has no intention of keeping the Elite Division alive.”
Tae Mu Ryong furrowed his brow as he spoke.
“Even if we resolve this matter, the probability that they’ll assign us another mission afterward is quite low.”
That assessment aligned perfectly with my own thoughts.
Then Jeong Jong Do spoke in a measured tone.
“In that case, shouldn’t we seek out Yuk Dang Ju?”
“Why would the Commander seek out Yuk Dang Ju?” Tae Mu Ryong asked.
Jeong Jong Do sighed and, turning to me, opened his mouth.
“Yuk Dang Ju is a person of great ambition… she might very well nurture the Commander to greater heights.”
I fell silent for a moment upon hearing those words.
In truth, the position of Murim Alliance Lord was only a temporary status for me.
Then wouldn’t it be a reasonable choice to use Yuk Cheong Ah to secure proper missions while simultaneously rising quickly through the ranks?
‘No. I cannot do that.’
After careful consideration, I shook my head.
Climbing through connections alone, merely raising one’s position, was not the answer.
To become a core force within any organization, one’s abilities must be recognized broadly by many people.
Moreover, if I were to exploit Yuk Cheong Ah to take a faster, easier path? She would likewise seek to exploit me.
It would be difficult to refuse the demands of one who has helped me, and I could become her puppet.
“I need only slowly prove that I possess exceptional abilities.”
Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
“The opportunity simply hasn’t arrived yet. There’s no need to be so impatient.”
Her voice was gentle, yet her gaze held the power to sway hearts.
I had already led the Sayoung Hall through countless trials and tribulations.
Thus, an aura that commanded the admiration of all naturally emanated from me.
“I shall personally handle this matter by venturing into Gangho.”
Bu Eunseol stated matter-of-factly.
“Continue as instructed thus far—utilize the intelligence network of Mangyeong Jeon to gather information, and maintain a system through which we can communicate regularly.”
Mangyeong Jeon was the Murim Alliance’s supreme intelligence organization, comparable to the Biryeong Sect of the Demon Hall.
However, unlike the Biryeong Sect, which disclosed information only to select leadership, Mangyeong Jeon provided intelligence freely to any martial artist affiliated with the Murim Alliance.
Of course, the information one could obtain varied by rank and position.
“From now on, this unit becomes an intelligence division.”
Until now, I had been training the Elite Division not merely in martial prowess, but also in knowledge of Gangho’s political landscape.
And I had been teaching them the secrets of selecting and refining information.
The members had felt puzzled, yet they faithfully carried out my orders without question.
But now they realized all of this had been preparation to transform them into an intelligence division?
“But will that truly be acceptable?”
Tae Mu Ryong spoke with a worried expression.
He had grasped what Bu Eunseol intended to accomplish.
“You venture into Gangho and move about personally, while we remain here merely classifying information.”
“If martial force were needed, the Murim Alliance would have dispatched combat units long ago.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes gleamed with the light of wisdom.
“What the Alliance demands of me is precisely to handle the great and small affairs of Gangho. If I were to lead all of you along on such matters…”
Bu Eunseol paused briefly, her expression becoming resolute.
“We would appear utterly useless—a unit that drags everyone along on trivial matters, wasting manpower.”
Then, in a steady, commanding voice, I continued.
“But if this unit becomes an intelligence division, the story changes entirely.”
Taking a deep breath, I looked around at all the members and spoke.
“All members work together to analyze and refine the information obtained from Mangyeong Jeon to resolve missions. Witnessing this entire process, no one would dare say the Elite Division is useless.”
In the silent conference hall of the Elite Division, Bu Eunseol’s gentle yet commanding voice resonated once more.
“In other words, this unit becomes an intelligence agency—something that has never existed within the Murim Alliance before—dedicated to handling the great and small affairs of Gangho.”
The members all wore dazed expressions.
―An intelligence agency… I see.
Not long ago, when Gaebang sealed its gates, the Orthodox Sects, including the Murim Alliance, lost one of their finest intelligence organizations.
As an intelligence vacuum emerged across the entire Orthodox faction, the Murim Alliance recruited vast numbers of intelligence personnel to fill that gap.
Yet the situation remained such that they could not quickly make up for what was lacking.
In other words, I cannot even compete without connections in this world.
Within the brutal jungle that is the Murim Alliance, I have devised a way for the Elite Division to survive.
“I, I see.”
Tae Mu Ryong opened his mouth with a dazed expression, as though he had just awakened from sleep.
“After all, the Elite Division was not created out of necessity, but to resolve matters that cannot be handled through force alone.”
Jeong Jong Do nodded in agreement.
“So you have positioned the Elite Division as a direct intelligence agency connecting the Murim Alliance and yourself, my Lord… to process missions swiftly while simultaneously emphasizing that all members are engaged in meaningful work.”
Bu Eunseol smiled faintly as Tae Mu Ryong and Jeong Jong Do fully grasped her intentions.
“Precisely so.”
“Then would there be a need for such grueling training as we conduct now?”
Jeong Jong Do asked again at that moment.
The training thus far was not merely that of an intelligence unit, but rather training as rigorous as—or exceeding—that of a combat division.
“Of course, for now we are an intelligence unit. However, should the need for martial prowess arise, we must be capable of becoming a combat division.”
Bu Eunseol spoke without hesitation.
“That is to say, this unit must become versatile in all respects. Only by becoming an indispensable, irreplaceable division that the Murim Alliance truly needs can we survive without relying on connections.”
In the Murim Alliance, where connections and favoritism reign supreme, I am methodically preparing a plan to survive through skill alone.
Thump-thump.
The hearts of all the members raced.
Blood circulated wildly through their veins, and their hearts felt as though they would burst from their chests.
―The Lord is… genuine!
They could sense it instinctively.
With Bu Eunseol’s abilities and wisdom, she would surely rise to greater heights.
The Elite Division would not be a unit merely handling miscellaneous tasks and trivial matters of Gangho…
but rather a force capable of reshaping the landscape of Gangho itself and controlling its very fate.
“Can you do this?”
At my gentle question,
―We shall obey your command!
The members clasped their hands together simultaneously, their voices thundering in unison as though bound by oath.
Now the Elite Division stretches, poised to leap ever higher, expending every ounce of strength in the trials ahead.

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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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