The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 428

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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 428.
Four days had passed without notice.
Yet Yu Su Ryeon remained confined within the secret manor provided by the Infinite Realm.
‘How much longer must I endure this waiting?’
Typically, pursuit requires a trail to follow.
But the fact that four days had elapsed and the Nangya Sect continued hunting her without leaving Bu Zhong suggested something far more sinister.
They clearly knew she was somewhere within Bu Zhong and were conducting a methodical search.
‘I should have hidden in a different region altogether.’
Yu Su Ryeon’s frustration ran deep.
Had she anticipated the Nangya Sect’s movements properly, she should have relocated to a place beyond their reach.
Instead, she remained trapped in this manor, unable to shake off their pursuit.
―The most crucial element in evading pursuit is to remain in a location your enemies cannot anticipate.
Each time Yu Su Ryeon voiced her discontent, the Infinite Realm’s martial artists guarding the manor offered this same response.
It was sound reasoning, certainly.
But at this rate, she might find herself confined not for four days, but for over a month.
“Something feels wrong about this.”
She shook her head, lost in thought as she sat at a table in her quarters.
Remaining here indefinitely filled her with unease.
The manor held no attendants loyal to her—only unfamiliar martial artists from the Infinite Realm and their servants.
“Hmm.”
Yu Su Ryeon bit her lip.
The Sam Gye faction itself could not be fully trusted. She could be devoured while sitting idle.
‘I must investigate.’
She was, after all, a senior member overseeing an intelligence organization of considerable standing.
Recognizing that the current situation was far from normal, she began exploring the manor’s surroundings.
Though the manor’s interior was vast, few people occupied it, and none moved to stop her wanderings.
‘Should I check that place?’
On the western side of the manor stood a dilapidated structure resembling a warehouse—the only area explicitly forbidden to her.
Yu Su Ryeon suspected something secret lay hidden there.
“…That seems to be the case.”
Upon entering the decrepit building, a low voice reached her ears.
It belonged to one of the martial artists stationed at the manor.
“Increase the dosage.”
“But if we do, she may regain awareness when she wakes.”
“It matters not. Confined within this manor, her senses will inevitably dull.”
The voices that drifted to her were utterly sinister.
“Eventually, she will reveal everything.”
In that instant, her complexion turned ashen.
‘So that was it.’
Yu Su Ryeon reeled from the revelation.
In truth, every morning when she woke, her head felt slightly heavy and her body sluggish.
She had attributed it to being confined within the manor for so long.
But it was now clear that the Infinite Realm had locked her away here while continuously administering Soul-Binding Elixir to extract the location of the Black Book.
‘Men are all the same, in the end.’
Yu Su Ryeon bit her lip.
The Yeoin Mun Pa had always been trampled beneath the heels of men. Sam Gye proved no different.
‘I trusted them far too much.’
Yu Su Ryeon felt the weight of regret.
No matter how much faith she placed in Sam Gye, she should never have remained in such a place alone.
Without a single disciple to aid her, imprisoned in isolation within this manor cut off from the world—she was utterly powerless.
‘If I continue taking the Soul-Binding Elixir, eventually I will unconsciously reveal the Black Book’s location.’
Yu Su Ryeon bit her lip.
‘I must first assess the situation outside.’
As Yu Su Ryeon attempted to leave the manor, the guards stationed there blocked her path.
“Is something the matter?”
“A matter has arisen. I must step outside for a moment.”
The guards shook their heads.
“That is impossible. We have been instructed that you must not leave under any circumstances, as many masters from the Nangya Sect lurk beyond these walls.”
‘So that is how it is.’
Her suspicions swelled like a rolling snowball, yet she revealed nothing, merely nodding in acknowledgment.
“I understand.”
Now only one choice remained.
To escape this manor in secret.
She could not remain here any longer.
The food provided by the manor, the bedding—all of it was surely part of their scheme to locate the Black Book.
‘I must seize an opportunity to escape, then hide within the secret residence.’
This hidden estate had been constructed with such secrecy that, save for the martial masters of Sam Gye, it was staffed entirely by ordinary servants.
Escaping at the right moment was hardly an impossible feat.
Then, suddenly, a troubling thought crossed her mind.
‘No—this very escape could be their trap, designed to lure me toward the Black Book’s location.’
The moment this realization struck her, she felt as though she had been struck on the back of the head, her senses sharpening instantly.
Since childhood, she had been sold into a pleasure house and became a courtesan, and after becoming a disciple of Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong, she had dealt exclusively in intelligence.
No matter how broken her spirit had become, she was not so careless as to act rashly.
‘Then there is only one path forward.’
Having formulated a meticulous plan in her mind, Yu Su Ryeon approached the martial masters guarding the manor and spoke.
“I have left Okryeonhyang vacant for so long that my subordinates must be growing anxious.”
She then produced a sealed envelope she had prepared beforehand.
“Without me, matters cannot proceed smoothly. I would be grateful if you could at least deliver this letter.”
The martial master withdrew the letter from the envelope and read through it without hesitation.
The letter contained only inquiries about Okryeonhyang’s circumstances and assurances of her safety.
The martial artist stared at the letter for a long while before nodding his head.
“Understood. I shall deliver your message.”
The next day, a reply arrived from Ok Cheong.
It contained a concise summary of the situation at Zhu Lu and a note that masters from the Nangya Sect still roamed Seong Do.
As I settled into my seat and read through the letter, I gently brushed the back of the parchment.
‘There it is.’
With a satisfied smile, I dipped my finger in the oil from the lamp and began rubbing it across the back.
Then, one by one, marks began appearing on the previously blank surface.
They were not words but childish, crooked drawings—small ducks and vases scrawled haphazardly.
The secret language of Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong.
‘So they haven’t deciphered all of Moo Ha Soo Yu Jeong’s secret code after all.’
In truth, I had written the secret message on the back of the letter I sent to Ok Cheong using a special solution.
‘If they had confirmed it in the Infinite Realm, they would have applied oil.’
But the back of Ok Cheong’s reply was clean, with no trace of oil whatsoever.
‘They believe that finding the Black Book will end everything.’
A sharp gleam flickered in Yu Su Ryeon’s eyes.
What the Three Realms desired was the Black Book. If time continued to pass like this, the location of the Black Book would inevitably be discovered.
‘Then there is a way.’
With the Black Book, I would know all the financial channels, intelligence networks, and where the dirty money of Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong flowed.
I could rule Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong comfortably even without my presence.
But what if the Black Book could never be found? Then the Three Realms could never release their grip on me.
Swish, swish.
Yu Su Ryeon picked up brush and ink, writing out an ordinary letter of inquiry.
Once the ink dried, I retrieved a small ceramic bottle from my sleeve and began drawing with the liquid inside, dipping my finger carefully.
―In brief… when you go there, you will see something wrapped in oiled paper. Do not open it—burn it immediately in fire. That is all you need do.
A smile played at my lips.
They would search endlessly for the Black Book I had hidden, but it did not exist.
If only Jeong Ju and I could move Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong, then they would never betray me.
* * *
Having sent the letter, Yu Su Ryeon felt considerably lighter.
With my worries about the Black Book gone, my mind became clear. I no longer needed to fear the Three Realms.
To survive in any organization or faction, one must become irreplaceable.
Now that I had burned the Black Book, the Three Realms could never abandon me.
Even without the Black Book, I could skillfully command the financial channels and intelligence networks of Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong.
Only I, besides Geuk Hye Ryeong, could subjugate all the disciples.
But how could I have known?
That the world does not bend to one’s will, and that everything I had taken pride in was merely delusion.
Rumble, rumble, rumble.
Suddenly, the sound of many people rushing outside the door echoed through the chamber.
Yu Su Ryeon, who had been sleeping in her quarters, snapped her eyes open. She instinctively sensed that something catastrophic had occurred.
‘Things have gone wrong!’
This manor was a safe house provided by Sam Gye, frequented only by ordinary people.
There was no way such a massive gathering of individuals could move about without being heard.
‘I must escape.’
She quickly opened the door and slipped outside.
But already, roughly a hundred figures had surrounded her quarters in a tight encirclement.
“You…”
Yu Su Ryeon looked around in disbelief.
The figures surrounding the quarters were numerous women dressed in vibrant palace robes.
And standing before them was an elderly man radiating an imposing, granite-like dignity.
They were none other than the Disciples of Muha Suyujeong, Jeong Ju, and Geuk Hye Ryeong.
“Jeong Ju…”
“Yes. Was your scheming worth the effort?”
Yu Su Ryeon’s vision darkened.
But now more than ever, she had to keep her wits about her. She absolutely could not show weakness.
“It was not scheming, but righteous action.”
Yu Su Ryeon spoke with unwavering confidence.
“Moo Ha Soo Yu Jeong is a sect of women and has forbidden contact with men. Yet Jeong Ju unilaterally knelt before men simply because they healed her granddaughter, did she not?”
She swept her gaze across Geuk Hye Ryeong and the surrounding disciples as she spoke boldly.
“I sought not personal gain, but to restore the honor of Moo Ha Soo Yu Jeong.”
“Hah.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong released a hollow laugh accompanied by a deep sigh.
“You claim to have committed treason to sever our isolation from men, yet why were you cowering in a safe house provided by those very men?”
“That is…”
“Had you reached this point through your own strength, the sect leader would have deemed it the will of the times. She would have rightfully passed the position of sect leader to you.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong shook her head.
“But you colluded with forces that ravage not only Moo Ha Soo Yu Jeong but the entire Murim, and rode upon their power to gain the sect’s resources and your disciples’ support.”
“You speak nonsense.”
Yu Su Ryeon’s expression turned cold.
“Jeong Ju unleashed the disciples of Nangya Pavilion to hunt me down and suppress me by force. How dare you blame me with such words?”
“Do you truly believe the sect leader would have released Nangya Pavilion’s disciples to pursue you?”
“What do you mean?”
“There was never any great army from Nangya Pavilion. You simply grew fearful and locked yourself away here.”
“That is…”
Thud, thud.
At that moment, elderly servants who worked at the manor emerged from among the Disciples of Muha Suyujeong.
Rip.
As they tore away the masks covering their faces in one swift motion, familiar visages were revealed.
They were all sect leaders of Muha Suyujeong whom she had been recruiting.
“Then this place is… not a safe house of the Infinite Realm?”
As Geuk Hye Ryeong nodded, Yu Su Ryeon shook her head.
“That can’t be right. He was definitely a messenger of the Infinite Realm….”
As she continued speaking, her eyes widened as if she had realized something.
Geuk Hye Ryeong possessed exceptional martial prowess and discernment, yet she lacked the strategic brilliance to devise such an audacious and meticulous plan.
Moreover, the tremendous aura that emanated from the Third Messenger’s body.
There was only one person capable of mimicking such power, was there not?
The young Grand Master of the Demonic Path himself, the one who brought Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong to her knees—Bu Eunseol, Lord of the Muhonjung.
“So the one who vanished…has returned.”
Thinking back, I had been far too panicked since arriving at the Manor.
Under normal circumstances, I would have grown suspicious from the very beginning—voices carrying too clearly from a secretive building.
But the terror of the Infinite Realm.
Combined with years of isolated living, it had been nearly impossible to maintain clarity of mind.
And there was only one person capable of precisely grasping human psychology and crafting such a scheme—Bu Eunseol.
“Indeed.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong nodded faintly.
“He said there was no other way to make you surrender the Black Scripture. Because it was your only lifeline.”
Yu Su Ryeon bit her lip.
‘I was told he could never return alive.’
I had been able to participate in the plan to overthrow Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong because I trusted the information and power of the Three Realms.
But contrary to my expectations, Bu Eunseol not only returned alive…
He exploited my anxiety to weave his scheme, forcing me to burn the Black Scripture with my own hands.
“In the end, I’ve relied on that man’s help once again!”
As Yu Su Ryeon cried out in frustration, Geuk Hye Ryeong pointed to the disciples around her.
“Look.”
And her expression became gravely solemn.
“These are all disciples who followed you.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong spoke with unwavering conviction.
“You told them that Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong should stand alone, that women must not accept help from others.”
“….”
“Yet you clung absolutely to the information of the Infinite Realm and hid in the safe house they provided. And these disciples witnessed it with their own eyes.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong spoke with stern authority.
“That is why no one supports you.”
“I——”
Yu Su Ryeon bit her lip, about to shout in protest.
She had realized that no matter what she said, nothing would change.
“What right does a defeated general have to speak?”
“Come back now.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong spoke with solemn sincerity in her expression.
“Is Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong not a sect of women, as you yourself have said? We have lived together all this time, embracing each other’s shortcomings.”
“….”
“I harbor no ill will toward you simply because you’ve chosen a different path than the men. Su Ryeon.”
“Jeong Ju….”
Yu Su Ryeon gazed toward the distant sky with a devastated expression.
“It seems I am already far too late.”
As Yu Su Ryeon stared at Geuk Hye Ryeong, her eyes conveyed nothing but remorse.
Then she withdrew a short blade from her bosom and drew it.
Thud.
Without a moment’s hesitation, she drove the blade through her own heart and took her life.
“Su Ryeon.”
Geuk Hye Ryeong gazed down at Yu Su Ryeon’s cold corpse with an expression twisted in anguish.
“Who has done this to you….”
Those words carried both longing and resentment for Yu Su Ryeon, with whom she had spent so many years.
Yu Su Ryeon had joined hands with Sam Gye and attempted rebellion by seducing the financial resources and disciples of Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong.
Yet Geuk Hye Ryeong harbored no hatred toward her.
For Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong was a place where flawed people embraced one another.
She had always treated her disciples in such a manner.
“Was it the merciless Murim that wrought this? Or was it my own inadequacy as Jeong Ju?”
At Geuk Hye Ryeong’s bitter murmur, all her disciples wept bitterly.
Whoooosh.
Suddenly the sky darkened, and torrential rain began to pour down.
Yet Geuk Hye Ryeong and her disciples stood motionless, like stone monuments to longing.
* * *

Turmoil unlike any before was stirring within the Demon Hall.
―The disappearance of Muk Hon Ryeong Ju Bu Eunseol was real!
Bu Eunseol, the Muk Hon Ryeong Ju who had constantly traveled between the Demon Hall and Gangho, handling various matters.
News spread that he had suddenly vanished, and his fate remained shrouded in uncertainty.
As a result, for the first time since the Demon Hall’s establishment, a meeting was being held to discuss a successor replacement.
The Ma Jeong Council.
Ordinarily, Ma Cheon Je and the Ten Demonic Sect Lords, along with all figures ranking within the top ten of the Demon Hall’s ceremonial hierarchy, would gather.
It was a place where they would put their heads together and deliberate.
But now, only the Ten Demonic Sect Lords were assembled in the conference hall, presided over by Chong Gyo Ryeong.
This was because the successor, Muk Hon Ryeong Ju Bu Eunseol, was missing.
Since he could not possibly attend under these circumstances, there was no need for the Demon Hall’s leadership to convene.
Ultimately, this meeting would only deliberate on whether Bu Eunseol should retain his position as successor and his status as Muk Hon Ryeong Ju.
A simple vote of approval or rejection.
Whoosh.
As Chong Gyo Ryeong entered the conference hall, all seven of the Ten Demonic Sect Lords were present.
Nangya Sect and Jeol Cheon Myul Ji, which supported Bu Eunseol, had not attended, apparently due to his disappearance.
Nor had Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong sent representatives.
From Hwawoo Sword Sect, the successor Wi Ji Hye Sang came instead of Wi Ji Moo Ah.
From the Blood Flame Sect, Deputy Sect Leader Do Cheon Poong attended.
“The agenda for today’s meeting is to reconsider the retention of Muk Hon Ryeong Ju’s successor status.”
Yeop Hyo Cheon spoke, his gaze sweeping across those assembled.
“Let the esteemed Gong Ya Seong Ju, who proposed this agenda, speak.”
Then Gong Ya Geuk, stroking his bulbous chin like a toad’s, opened his mouth.
“The Muk Hon Ryeong Ju has already lost credibility as a successor. Currently, Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong is experiencing internal strife, with its funding and intelligence capabilities halved, and Jeol Cheon Myul Ji is said to be on the brink of annihilation from attacks by unknown forces.”
He paused briefly, then spoke with a sneer.
“Well, as for Nangya Sect, it’s always been a place without financial backing, so that’s expected.”
Those assembled could not hide their shock.
Even though Bu Eunseol was missing, his death had not been confirmed.
Moreover, he had always shown merciless retaliation against those who crossed him.
In particular, the White Horse Sect, which had suffered his ruthless audits, had lost all will to resist.
Had not the Hell Blood Sect, led by Gong Ya Geuk himself, also surrendered to his audits before?
Yet he dared criticize Bu Eunseol so harshly?
―He must have solid information.
That raccoon-like Gong Ya Geuk would never act so boldly without certainty.
He must have obtained definitive information regarding the Muk Hon Ryeong Ju’s fate.
“Is that sufficient grounds to discuss the downfall of the Muk Hon Ryeong Ju?”
At that moment, Wi Ji Hye Sang, who had come as the Hwawoo Sword Sect’s representative in place of its sect leader, spoke with a smile.
“I do not believe the conditions of Jeol Cheon Myul Ji and Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong represent his true capabilities.”
“The thoughts of the young can certainly differ.”
Gong Ya Geuk spoke calmly.
“But consider this point carefully. The position of successor to the Demon Palace….”
Creak.
At that moment, the door opened and two figures entered the conference hall.
One was an elderly man with a refined impression, and the other was an old woman whose face was covered with wrinkles like ancient tree bark.
They were none other than Hyuk Gong Baek and Geuk Hye Ryeong, the lords of Jeol Cheon Myul Ji.
“You two… how did you…?”
Gong Ya Geuk could not hide his astonishment, his eyes widening.
“Hmph.”
Hyuk Gong Baek, regarding Gong Ya Geuk with a cold snort, narrowed his eyes to slits.
“The Ma Jeong Council was convened so suddenly—surely you could not refuse to attend?”
As Hyuk Gong Baek took his seat, Geuk Hye Ryeong fixed Gong Ya Geuk with a terrifying glare.
She too proceeded to sit down.
‘Hmm. So they’ve come for one last desperate struggle.’
When Gong Ya Geuk met their piercing gazes, he merely smiled with contempt.
One faction had already lost its financial backing and intelligence network, while the other had been attacked by unknown forces and suffered such a loss of prestige that it was beyond recovery.
Even if they attended this council, they could exert no influence whatsoever on the greater tide of events.
‘They’re trying to prevent their downfall by any means. But it’s futile.’
Gong Ya Geuk spoke with a contemptuous laugh.
“But Nangya Sect did not attend. I thought at least Gak Ju would come.”
Then Yeop Hyo Cheon looked around the assembly and spoke.
“It seems there is nothing more to discuss. Have you all reached a decision on the vote?”
At this, everyone present, including Gong Ya Geuk, nodded their heads.
Yeop Hyo Cheon nodded.
“Then let us proceed with a show of hands for the vote….”
Creak.
At that moment, the conference hall door opened once more, and a man in formal robes slowly walked out.
Sunlight passed through his lustrous hair, and his visage was dazzlingly beautiful.
Yet an inviolable majesty emanated from his entire being, and his gait was as weighty as the shifting of mountains.
It was Bu Eunseol.

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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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