The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 418

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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 418.
Yuk Jang Cheon’s expression betrayed surprise.
“Truly? Without even resting?”
“After all, isn’t the Deng Wu Jeon Ju the place where we handle all matters great and small throughout Gangho? Even if we gain no direct results, we should be able to gather considerable intelligence.”
“Hehehehe.”
Yuk Jang Cheon smiled.
“Do as you wish. However.”
And he drove home a subtle point to this young man brimming with such fervent ambition.
“Do not forget that it was the Deng Wu Jeon Ju who granted this mission, not the Seongwi Dan.”
“Of course.”
“Should you require support, speak freely at any time.”
“Thank you.”
As Bu Eunseol departed, silence settled over the office.
After gazing into empty space for some time, Yuk Jang Cheon spoke in a low voice.
“So then, what is your assessment?”
A soft sound.
With that, a concealed door hidden behind the bookshelves swung open, and a woman in azure robes emerged. It was Yuk Cheong Ah.
“This old man certainly wishes to keep her close.”
“I must admit she is a figure who transcends common sense. The way she actively seeks out missions and carries them through suggests that beneath her appearance lies genuine ambition. However…”
Yuk Cheong Ah spoke in a hushed tone.
“I believe we need to verify her once more. The Dang Family matter included. It troubles me that someone of her caliber has remained hidden in the upper echelons until now.”
“Has not the Mangyeong Jeon already conducted hundreds of investigations?”
“The Mangyeong Jeon’s intelligence network is formidable, but much of their information relies solely on documentation. That is why there are always matters requiring real verification.”
“Hmm.”
“At this rate, he will soon become a second-rank Lord, and will formally claim an affiliation. If not now, there may come a time when investigation becomes impossible regardless of our desire.”
“In your judgment, does this person warrant investigation?”
Yuk Cheong Ah answered with conviction.
“Yes.”
After a moment’s consideration, Yuk Jang Cheon nodded.
“I must find the right person for this.”
“I have already selected someone.”
Yuk Cheong Ah produced a small dossier.
“There is a Jip Beop So Ryeong who tenaciously exposed that the former deputy head of the Jip Beop Dang and the Hwa Mil Won Ju were traitors. She now belongs to the Inspection Bureau.”
Opening the dossier revealed detailed records of Jong Jeong Yak—an ambitious and zealous Jip Beop So Ryeong who had once hunted down the Sa Hon Dae alongside Bu Eunseol, disguised as Seol So.
Her comprehensive history was documented within.
* * *
Bu Eunseol convened a meeting with the members of the Elite Division.
She announced that she would venture into Gangho to ascertain the identities of the forces behind San Dok Mun.
The members were ordered to continue investigating information related to this matter.
Furthermore, to maintain constant communication, they would utilize the Mangyeong Jeon’s network of contacts spread throughout Gangho.
I created a secret language unique to the Elite Division so that outsiders couldn’t decipher its contents.
With such a system in place, while I was away from the Gangho,
the Elite Division would become excellent eyes and ears for the Orthodox Sects to grasp the movements of the Murim.
The only regret was that I couldn’t discuss the forces of the Three Realms that had infiltrated within the Murim Alliance.
Clop, clop, clop.
The carriage carrying Bu Eunseol was slowly leaving Hanam.
Now it was time to return as the successor of the Demon Palace.
For that, contact with Sa Hon Dae was necessary.
To maintain my position as a Lord of the Murim Alliance, I had to create separate activities for Seon Woo Jin.
‘But this is merely a temporary measure.’
A flash of light gleamed in Bu Eunseol’s eyes as I gazed toward the distant sky.
‘I’ll return to the Demon Palace and devise a plan to create a Shadow.’
From now on, I would have to handle various matters while traveling between the Demon Palace and the Murim Alliance.
For that, rather than Sa Hon Dae, I needed to create a Shadow—one who would become my perfect alter ego.
Upon entering Seong Do, Bu Eunseol stopped at an Inn to rest briefly.
Until now, I had handled many affairs in the Murim Alliance under the identity of Seon Woo Jin.
And scheming, as it turned out, consumed far more mental energy than expected, and the physical exhaustion was severe.
The Murim Alliance had many masters who surpassed me. And the figure of Seon Woo Jin wasn’t perfectly trusted either.
Completely concealing my identity as the successor of the Demon Palace while acting as a Lord of the Murim Alliance.
It was never an easy task for me.
Fortunately, Seon Woo Jin, created by Shin San Ja, was not only exceptionally capable but also a figure from the Upper Realm.
Because of this, even when I achieved unexpected accomplishments or displayed superior abilities, I could fabricate reasons by invoking matters of the ‘Upper Realm.’
And there was no need to feel suspicious glances or anxiety about commanding information networks with wealth.
Moreover, just as now, I could rent the entire Star Courtyard of the Inn without hesitation—something impossible even with a third-rank Lord’s salary.
“Phew.”
After resting for a full day and night, I had completely recovered my exhausted body and mind.
Then I left the Star Courtyard and came to this floor of the Inn for a meal.
‘How did I end up becoming a schemer?’
As I sipped tea while gazing out the window, I suddenly felt the precariousness of my situation.
Was this also fate?
Until now, I had clashed with and eliminated schemers of the Three Realms who had infiltrated various factions.
Yet now I myself had become a schemer traveling between the Demon Palace and the Murim Alliance….
「Lord. It’s Seong Gok of Sa Hon Dae.」
At that moment, a low voice transmission from a Sa Hon Dae member reached my ears.
「Lord Sang Hak has requested that you come to a safe house nearby.」
‘Yu Woon Ryong is here?’
A glimmer of surprise flashed across my eyes.
I was about to return to the Demon Palace anyway. Yet he specifically came out and summoned me in secret.
Didn’t that mean something significant had occurred?
「Guide me.」
Bu Eunseol emerged from the Inn and, guided by Seong Gok, made her way toward a manor situated on the outskirts of Seong Do.
Song Family Estate.
This place was known as a manor where a retired official resided.
But in reality, it was a secret residence created by the Demon Palace.
Knock, knock, knock.
Guided by Seong Gok, Bu Eunseol rapped upon the gates of Song Family Estate.
As the door opened, Si Bi naturally led her inside.
Upon entering the Guest Hall within the manor, Si Bi reached out and adjusted a hanging scroll positioned along one wall.
With a grinding sound.
A concealed secret passage hidden within the Guest Hall revealed itself.
As Bu Eunseol calmly stepped through, a Secret Chamber with a sturdy Iron Gate came into view at the passage’s end.
Upon opening the door, bright lantern light illuminated the space, and within stood familiar faces—two of them, no less.
“Bu Eunseol!”
Seo Jin Ha, seated at a table alongside Yu Woon Ryong, spotted Bu Eunseol and rushed forward, clasping both her hands.
“How long has it been!”
He let out a cheer, then examined Bu Eunseol from every angle before breaking into admiration.
“You’ve grown even stronger in the meantime.”
“Have you fully recovered your inner strength?”
“Of course!”
Seo Jin Ha shrugged his shoulders and drew forth his inner power.
With his upper dantian perfectly opened, a cyan-green radiance flowed not merely from his brow, but from his entire body.
“It’s far more formidable than I anticipated.”
Bu Eunseol could not conceal her astonishment.
“How is this even possible?”
The fluctuation of true qi emanating from Seo Jin Ha’s body far exceeded the level of four heavenly stems.
It represented more than double his previous power level.
“The Palace Lord showed me great care. Not only did he transmit the Eternal Wheel Technique, but he also healed my lower dantian with many precious elixirs.”
At Yun Hae Byeok Ryeong Gung, they had devoted themselves entirely to teaching Seo Jin Ha inner cultivation methods and healing his damaged qi channels.
With his upper dantian opened and his existing dantian partially recovered, his inner strength had grown exponentially.
“But why have you come here?”
Bu Eunseol asked.
“If your body has recovered, you should return to the Demon Palace.”
Yu Woon Ryong provided the answer.
“Seo Jin Ha will not enter the Demon Palace. Rather, he must not.”
Yu Woon Ryong approached Bu Eunseol and spoke with conviction.
“You’ve worked hard to secure your position as a Lord of the Murim Alliance. To maintain it, you need not Sa Hon Dae, but a perfect shadow to take your place.”
And he gestured toward Seo Jin Ha.
“As fortune would have it, the ideal candidate has returned.”
Yu Woon Ryong, alongside the Sa Hon Dae Lord, was the only one who meticulously tracked Bu Eunseol’s every movement.
Like Bu Eunseol herself, he understood the necessity of maintaining a shadow to preserve this dual identity.
“You’re entrusting this task to Seo Jin Ha?”
“Yes.”
Yu Woon Ryong spoke with unwavering conviction.
“There is no one but Seo Jin Ha who can perfectly maintain your dual identity.”
When Yu Woon Ryong learned that Seo Jin Ha had returned from Yun Hae Byeok Ryeong Gung,
he summoned him not to the Demon Palace, but to a safe house near Seong Do where Bu Eunseol was staying.
This was because multiple signs had emerged suggesting that spies existed among the current Lords of the Sayoung Battle Division.
And Yu Woon Ryong had chosen Seo Jin Ha as the shadow who would perfectly maintain Bu Eunseol’s dual identity.
With him, she could become the perfect Bu Eunseol and Seon Woo Jin without arousing anyone’s suspicion.
“You’ve only just recovered your cultivation after all that hardship. Let me find someone else more suitable.”
When Bu Eunseol declined, Seo Jin Ha smiled calmly.
“My position in the Sayoung Battle Division is ambiguous anyway, isn’t it?”
“….”
“I think it would be far more interesting to become your shadow and wander through Murim than to be a Lord of the Sayoung Battle Division.”
The words came easily, but the path itself was extraordinarily arduous.
When Bu Eunseol was in the Demon Palace,
Seo Jin Ha would have to become Seon Woo Jin, either wandering the Gangho or remaining within the Martial Arts Alliance.
That meant mastering everything from beginning to end—Bu Eunseol and Seon Woo Jin’s demeanor and speech patterns,
their habits, their martial techniques, everything perfectly.
This path of espionage was a cruel choice for Seo Jin Ha, who had now reached the precipice of the Initial Absolute Realm.
“Seo Jin Ha.”
Bu Eunseol shook her head.
“This is my personal matter. No one will acknowledge such work, and you’ll gain no glory from it.”
“You’ve already achieved all the glory that comes with being a Late-Stage cultivator.”
Seo Jin Ha waved his hand dismissively.
“Then becoming your shadow and following in those footsteps would be quite entertaining.”
Seo Jin Ha possessed exceptional martial prowess, a brilliant mind, keen insight, and remarkable adaptability.
If he were to return to the Demon Palace?
He could accomplish much and rise to great heights.
Yet he was saying he would gladly live as Bu Eunseol’s shadow.
“Is it because I’m not enough?”
“That’s not it. It’s just….”
“Then that settles it.”
Seo Jin Ha laughed and flashed his white teeth.
“Leave it to me. That’s all there is to it.”
“We don’t know what dangerous situations might arise.”
“Haha. That’s what comes with eating a warrior’s rice, isn’t it? We didn’t draw our swords just to slice vegetables in an inn kitchen.”
Seo Jin Ha’s jest was meant to ease Bu Eunseol’s guilt and burden.
Knowing this, Bu Eunseol could no longer object.
“Thank you.”
Bu Eunseol thanked Seo Jin Ha for the first time.
No one in this world truly wishes to become another’s shadow. Yet he was willing to sacrifice himself without hesitation.
All for the sake of helping Bu Eunseol.
“I will handle everything as swiftly as possible so the road ahead is not long.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with conviction.
Becoming the Lord of the Murim Alliance was to understand its true nature.
I would complete every task quickly, shed this dual identity, and free Seo Jin Ha from this cruel burden.
“Ahem.”
As the light of fervent friendship gleamed in Bu Eunseol’s and Seo Jin Ha’s eyes, Yu Woon Ryong let out a deliberate cough.
“Then from now on, we must train Seo Jin Ha to become the perfect Bu Eunseol and Seon Woo Jin.”
Then he turned to Seo Jin Ha with a smile.
“Still, aren’t you envious? If you become that, wouldn’t you learn not only Seon Woo Jin’s martial arts but also Bu Eunseol’s inner energy cultivation?”
“Is it that simple?”
Seo Jin Ha smiled faintly.
Of course, mastering shadow techniques and techniques like the Flower-Connecting Jade Palm was necessary to imitate Seon Woo Jin.
But beyond that, to imitate Bu Eunseol, I had to learn her speech patterns, mannerisms, and even the inner energy cultivation I would need to display in emergencies.
“This will take some time.”
Seo Jin Ha shrugged as he spoke.
With my five-star talent and cultivation level, learning Bu Eunseol’s and Seon Woo Jin’s martial arts wouldn’t take long.
But unlike martial arts, mastering speech patterns, actions, and subtle mannerisms would require considerable time.
That would demand prolonged observation, for people cannot be fully aware of their own habits and behaviors.
“There’s no need to worry about that.”
Yu Woon Ryong withdrew a book from his robes and placed it on the table.
“I prepared all the information about Bu Eunseol in advance, knowing this would come.”
Then he smiled and spoke.
“Since the persona of Seon Woo Jin has already been established, there won’t be major habits to worry about. In other words, if you master this well, you can save considerable time.”
Bu Eunseol watched as Yu Woon Ryong opened the book on the table.
It contained detailed information about habits and speech patterns she herself had never noticed—truly comprehensive data.
“Wow, when did you write all this?”
Seo Jin Ha leaned forward to examine the book together and asked. Yu Woon Ryong scratched his nose.
“This is what I do at the Demon Palace.”
“I’ve heard the gist of it, but are you a fanatic about Bu Eunseol too?”
Seo Jin Ha laughed and patted Yu Woon Ryong’s shoulder.
“At this level, you’d need to observe her every single day.”
“Fanatic? What nonsense. I simply….”
“It’s fine. It’s fine. I was the same way at first.”
Seo Jin Ha pulled Yu Woon Ryong’s shoulder closer and whispered softly.
“I observed that fellow meticulously from every angle, thinking my martial arts would improve by imitating him.”
In that moment, Yu Woon Ryong fell silent, his expression embarrassed as if his true feelings had been exposed.
Bu Eunseol, watching the scene unfold, smiled quietly.
Seo Jin Ha treated Yu Woon Ryong with the same gentle, melancholic temperament and distinctive ease that he extended to Bu Eunseol.
These two men were the individuals Bu Eunseol trusted most.
If they joined forces, they could accomplish the unforeseen.
‘Soon, a perfect dual identity will be complete.’
Bu Eunseol smiled faintly.
As long as these two existed, she held the unwavering conviction that she could overcome any trial.
* * *
Seo Jin Ha did not return to the Demon Palace, instead beginning his training at the Song Family Estate.
He needed to master various martial arts—the Yeoin Jingyeol technique, concealment methods, and others—to a certain standard.
Moreover, to become the perfect shadow of Bu Eunseol and Seon Woo Jin,
he had to fill his mind with countless pieces of information and knowledge, and internalize them completely through his body.
He could not afford to reveal any flaw, no matter when or under what circumstances.
Additionally, Bu Eunseol shared with Yu Woon Ryong and Seo Jin Ha information about another faction within the Three Realms—
the Cheonghae Gye.
—So it was as I suspected.
From the moment Yu Woon Ryong learned that the Three Realms were divided into three factions, he had consistently suspected they existed in competition with one another.
If that were not the case?
No one in the Murim could have defied their will, and Bu Eunseol herself would have been annihilated by the Three Realms long ago.
—Actually, this works in our favor.
Seo Jin Ha spoke with a smile.
—The enemy of our enemy could become our ally.
Bu Eunseol did not believe the Three Realms operated under such a simple competitive structure.
However, she did not voice disagreement with Seo Jin Ha’s words. Since nothing had been properly clarified yet,
there was no harm in entertaining hopeful speculation.
Bu Eunseol departed the Song Family Estate and journeyed alone back to the Demon Palace.
She had left the Sayoung Hall vacant for far too long while handling matters at the Murim Alliance.
No matter how perfectly Yu Woon Ryong and Myo Cheon Woo managed the duties, there were tasks only she could perform.
In particular, Bu Eunseol was the Sayoung Hall itself. If she did not periodically show her face, the morale of her officers would crumble.
‘Hmm.’
At the Station on her way to the Demon Palace, Bu Eunseol sensed something and let out a low breath.
She felt a gaze observing her from somewhere.
It was exceedingly subtle—a level of perception that an ordinary martial artist could never detect.
‘The Murim Alliance again?’
Bu Eunseol was still moving through the Gangho in Seon Woo Jin’s form, making no attempt to conceal her movements.
Therefore, only the Murim Alliance could be pursuing her.
‘This is not a good sign.’
It had been only days since Bu Eunseol left the Murim Alliance.
Yet despite having accomplished merit before her departure, a tracker had been attached to her immediately.
Was this not evidence that someone among the Murim Alliance’s leadership harbored suspicion of her?
‘I need to investigate first.’
Bu Eunseol slipped out of the Station and made her way slowly toward the Tea House.
Even as she walked, a bitter thought crossed her mind.
‘This world is certainly different from the Demon Palace.’
In the Demon Palace, if one accumulated merit, that was the end of it.
But in the Murim Alliance, even with merit, every procedure had to be transparent.
Furthermore, until one earned absolute trust, regardless of rank or affiliation, one could become a subject of surveillance.
‘It must be because of the banner of justice.’
In the Demon Palace, whether one was a traitor or anything else, strength alone was justice.
But the Murim Alliance would not tolerate even the most exceptional individuals, even those who had accumulated merit.
If they strayed from the righteous path or committed injustice, they would not be forgiven.
“Welcome.”
The place Bu Eunseol entered was a bustling Inn.
It was to confirm the presence of the covert tail following her.
‘If I had entered a quiet Tea House, they wouldn’t have followed.’
If she had entered a secluded Inn or Tea House under the pretense of checking for pursuers?
The tail would remain outside, waiting rather than entering.
Even with a perfect counter-surveillance technique, there remained a probability of arousing suspicion or being discovered.
But in a crowded Inn like this, they would have no choice but to follow.
In such chaos, there was a possibility of making a covert contact with someone.
‘Quite skilled.’
Though Bu Eunseol had entered the Inn, the tail’s gaze did not follow her inside.
Taking a deep breath and spreading her Beast Path senses, she could feel that gaze was fixed on the opposite Inn instead.
Considering the risk of being discovered, they were observing safely from the opposite Inn.
‘They understand espionage well. But their martial prowess isn’t exceptional enough to have learned what truly matters.’
An observer must also hide themselves in a crowded place.
No matter the distance, if one observes from such a quiet Inn?
A master with keen senses could detect that gaze.
Of course, this had occurred because they had never anticipated that Bu Eunseol was a master who had reached the Extreme Heaven Realm.
Had they known she was a master who looked down upon the entire Murim, they would never have assigned a surveillance operative of such mediocre skill.
‘Let me see.’
Bu Eunseol naturally turned her gaze toward the window.
In an instant, she spotted a figure awkwardly shifting their line of sight.
‘Jip Beop So Ryeong?’
Upon discovering the identity of the observer covertly following her, Bu Eunseol could not hide her shock.
Jong Jeong Yak.
The woman who had uncovered the corruption of the Law Enforcement Hall’s Deputy Lord and Hwa Mil Won Ju alongside her, becoming an Inspection Bureau operative, was the one pursuing her.
‘Either Deng Wu Jeon Ju or Yeonseong Hall Lord.’
Bu Eunseol’s eyes darkened.
Jong Jeong Yak was a specialist in rooting out traitors.
That they had sent her meant they were not merely monitoring her actions—they suspected her very identity.
Who would dare suspect a third-rank Lord of the Murim Alliance’s newly risen Elite Division, who had only just begun to accumulate merit through a couple of achievements?
Such a person could be none other than Yuk Jang Cheon or Yuk Cheong Ah.

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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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