The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 432

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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 432.
The Southern Barbarian Jungle, with its densely packed trees, resembled a dark green sea.
The forests of Nam Man harbored countless dangers—venomous serpents, toxic insects, and scorching heat scattered throughout.
Even the vegetation and fruits often carried poison, demanding utmost caution.
Should an untrained person attempt to traverse the jungle, they would need provisions, insect repellents, jungle maps, and countless other supplies.
An overwhelming array of equipment would be essential.
Yet those who had mastered exceptional martial arts were different.
With mere threads of inner energy, they could leap across several zhang in a single bound, using grass and branches as stepping stones to propel themselves with effortless grace.
Whoosh!
A shadow cut swiftly through the jungle, accompanied by the whisper of leaves brushing against the wind.
It was Bu Eunseol, currently disguised as Seon Woo Jin.
The deep jungle I had reached showed no trace of any path suitable for human passage.
Beneath the scorching sun, broad-leafed plants and vines—unseen in Zhong Yuan—sprawled everywhere, with venomous insects occasionally visible.
I traversed this terrain that ordinary people would have long abandoned, moving with remarkable speed.
The path I ran was so treacherous that even swift beasts could not traverse it.
Yet a martial artist with superior movement techniques was incomparable to any four-legged creature.
We possessed far greater agility and endurance.
In half a day, I emerged from the dense jungle in one continuous push.
And finally, a small village appeared before my eyes.
There were well-maintained roads, an inn where travelers could rest, and a market street selling various goods.
“Sigh.”
As I surveyed the village, I deliberately produced sweat.
Though I had already reached the realm of Han Seo Bu Chim, transcending the effects of heat and cold, I deliberately displayed signs of exhaustion.
Having entered the sphere of influence of Yeol Ha Sung Palace, I could not know from where or by whom I might be observed.
When assuming the disguise of Seon Woo Jin, I had to move in accordance with that identity’s established parameters.
“I should rest here tonight.”
During my journey to Yeol Ha Sung Palace, I had traversed countless jungles and encountered various tribes.
Each time, I deliberately lingered in villages to gather information about Yeol Ha Sung Palace.
Of course, most intelligence had already been obtained through Sa Hon Dae beforehand.
Yet there existed information that could only be gleaned on location.
Precisely like now.
Upon entering an inn with dried fruits laid out, an elderly innkeeper was conducting business alone.
The interior was cramped, with the kitchen and tables nearly adjoining one another.
Yet I took a seat without concern.
“What will you have?”
The darkly tanned old man spoke fluent Han language.
He seemed to have immediately recognized me as a martial artist from Zhong Yuan, noting the steel sword at my waist.
“Water and something light to eat would be most welcome.”
The old man then brought a pitcher of clear water and something resembling rice flour cakes.
“Might I ask you a few questions?”
Bu Eunseol spoke in a measured tone.
“I wished to learn news regarding Yeol Ha Sung Palace.”
“Welcome. Since this place lies near Chuk Yung Island, warriors from there often sell us information over drinks.”
In other words, he knew the affairs of that place quite well.
Yet the old innkeeper’s eyes blinked even as he finished speaking.
Nothing in this world came free.
Especially for an old man running an inn alone in such a barren place—he would understand this truth better than anyone.
Bu Eunseol smiled and extended a small silver coin to the innkeeper.
Only after accepting the silver did the old innkeeper speak in a hushed voice.
“Since the previous Palace Lord, Jeok Sa, passed away, the atmosphere has grown ominous.”
Bu Eunseol sipped her water and listened intently to the innkeeper’s tale.
“The new Palace Lord, Hwa Jeong, is a stepmother, and her relationship with So Gung Ju Jeok Mu Mi is poor. A year ago, there was even an incident where the warriors of Yeol Ha Sung Palace nearly came to blows among themselves.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes glimmered faintly.
The previous Palace Lord, Jeok Sa, had taken Hwa Jeong—the leader of the Chung Hwa Party—as his second wife after his first wife’s death.
But he too had suddenly died three years ago, and according to Jeok Sa’s final wishes, instead of So Gung Ju Jeok Mu Mi.
Hwa Jeong became the Palace Lord.
Of course, Bu Eunseol had learned of these matters through her intelligence network.
But on the surface, Palace Lord Hwa Jeong and So Gung Ju Jeok Mu Mi were known to have no particular conflict.
Yet in reality, their relationship was extremely poor.
“Moreover, Gwang Yang Ja, a loyal retainer of the previous Palace Lord, went to Zhong Yuan and died there….”
‘Gwang Yang Ja, who had slaughtered the vagrants, was a loyal retainer of Palace Lord Jeok Sa?’
As Bu Eunseol furrowed her brow at this unexpected revelation,
a murmur arose.
A group of people was entering the inn.
The old innkeeper glanced nervously, and Bu Eunseol nodded with a smile.
“I see. Thank you for the information.”
Bu Eunseol took a sip of water and gazed toward the distant sky.
‘Despite the unfavorable circumstances, they invite a third-rank Lord of the Murim Alliance…’
Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed.
Despite the internal strife between the current Palace Lord Hwa Jeong and So Gung Ju Jeok Mu Mi—hardly a favorable situation—they extend an invitation to a Lord of the Murim Alliance?
Such an action was certainly not normal. There must be some hidden scheme at work.
Bu Eunseol quickened her pace as she left the inn.
And at last, she reached the coastal region where Chuk Yung Island, upon which Yeol Ha Sung Palace stood, met the sea.
“Are you Seon Woo So Hyeop from the Murim Alliance?”
Upon arriving at the dock, a dark-skinned girl approached Bu Eunseol and clasped her hands respectfully.
She possessed striking features, a toned physique, and emanated a sharp martial aura.
At first glance, she appeared to have cultivated considerable martial skill.
“Indeed.”
“I am Jo Ha, a disciple of the Namhyeon Party.”
The girl, Jo Ha, gestured politely toward the boat.
“Please board the vessel.”
Despite its name suggesting a palace, Yeol Ha Sung Palace was actually situated on Chuk Yung Island, a remote and isolated expanse.
Moreover, to enter that place, one had to travel by boat bearing the insignia of Yeol Ha Sung Palace.
Thus, no matter how formidable a master’s martial prowess, without Yeol Ha Sung Palace dispatching a vessel, entry remained impossible.
Whoooosh.
As the sixteen massive sails drank deeply of the wind, the heavy warship cut through the waters with impressive speed.
Bu Eunseol stood at the bow, gazing upon the landscape unfolding before her.
‘A major faction like Yeol Ha Sung Palace would have no need for a third-rank Lord of the Murim Alliance.’
With Yeol Ha Sung Palace now within sight, I sank once more into profound contemplation.
‘What is certain is that if I were to bring Yeol Ha Sung Palace into the Murim Alliance… I could ascend to second-rank Lord immediately.’
As this thought crystallized, a hollow laugh escaped my lips unbidden.
If I harbored ambitions of becoming the supreme master of the Demonic Path who would one day rule the Demon Palace, I could never incorporate Yeol Ha Sung Palace into the Murim Alliance.
The stronger the Murim Alliance’s influence grew, the more the Demonic Path and Demon Palace would be constrained.
Yet Bu Eunseol cared not one whit for such distinctions between Righteous and Demonic.
She even regarded the very status and honor she possessed as garments she could discard at any moment.
My sole desire was vengeance against Hyung Su, who had laid hands upon my grandfather and parents.
And to achieve that vengeance, I needed to penetrate the very core of the Murim Alliance’s power—the only path that would grant me access to the heart of Sam Gye.
Perhaps I could even recruit directly from Sam Gye itself.
As the heir to the Demon Palace, such a thing would be impossible… but as a member of the Murim Alliance, I could infiltrate Sam Gye as I wished.
Before long, a fortress bathed in crimson light appeared on the opposite shore.
It was none other than Yeol Ha Sung Palace.
“Seon Woo So Hyeop.”
At that moment, Jo Ha approached and spoke in a hushed voice.
“When you enter the Palace, the Palace Lord will likely present you with a rather peculiar proposal.”
Wondering what she meant, I turned to see Jo Ha’s expression had become utterly grave.
“Refuse it.”
“….”
“If you do not refuse the proposal, the Lord will perish.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Jo Ha shook her head and spoke in a low voice.
“It is the plea of the Young Palace Lord.”
I wished to press further, but the moment passed.
The boat gradually slowed its pace and drew alongside the shore where the encampment had been established.
Upon disembarking, I found stern-faced warriors arrayed in solemn formation, with a commanding figure who appeared to be their leader standing prominently before a carriage.
“You have traveled far and endured much hardship. I am O Gae, Master of the Namhwa Party.”
As O Gae clasped his hands in salute, I reciprocated with equal courtesy.
“I am Seon Woo Jin.”
“Please, board. I shall escort you to the Palace.”
I climbed into the carriage that O Gae had prepared.
How much distance had we covered?
The carriage wound its way up the mountain path, carved into the stone itself, until it finally crossed through the gates of a colossal palace that evoked the image of roaring flames.
“We have arrived.”
As Bu Eunseol descended from the carriage, an astonishing vista revealed itself before her.
The interior of Yeol Ha Sung Palace was as magnificent and vast as if the great spirit god Pangu himself had carved the mountain with his cosmic axe.
Every structure was constructed from stone that glowed with a subtle crimson hue, creating the unmistakable impression of stepping into the palace of a fire spirit.
“This way.”
O Gae guided Bu Eunseol toward the central palace of Yeol Ha Sung Palace.
The interior was extraordinarily ornate, with walls adorned throughout by intricate patterns of blazing flames.
The aesthetic reflected both the sect’s reliance on Extreme Yang martial arts and their reverence for the power of fire.
Upon reaching the heart of the palace, a vast great hall came into view, and upon a raised platform sat a middle-aged beauty dressed in resplendent robes.
She was none other than Hwa Jeong, the new Palace Lord of Yeol Ha Sung Palace.
“Welcome to our palace, Lord Seon Woo.”
Hwa Jeong’s visage was beautiful as a crimson rose, yet her slender frame and eyes that sparkled with constant vitality gave her an entirely different presence.
Rather than projecting the dignity befitting a Palace Lord, she instead evoked a protective instinct with her enchanting grace.
Had her subordinates not stood in solemn formation below, her authority as Palace Lord would have been utterly undermined.
“The Elite Division Lord, Seon Woo Jin, offers her respects to the Palace Lord.”
As Bu Eunseol clasped her hands respectfully, Hwa Jeong smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.
“I must express my gratitude for answering our invitation and traveling such a distance to grace us with your presence.”
Bu Eunseol clasped her hands once more and responded with equal courtesy.
“It is a great honor to be invited to Yeol Ha Sung Palace, known as the Forbidden Sanctuary.”
“The Flame Wheel Orb is a treasure beyond price to our palace. Since you recovered it for us, it is only natural that I offer my personal gratitude.”
Hwa Jeong spoke with a smile.
“You must be weary from your long journey. We have prepared comfortable quarters for you to rest. This evening, we have arranged a grand banquet in your honor.”
“Thank you.”
Bu Eunseol rested thoroughly in the accommodations prepared by Yeol Ha Sung Palace.
As evening fell, she followed Si Bi’s guidance to the grand banquet hall.
Exquisite delicacies were laid out, and the palace’s most prominent figures were in attendance.
They approached Bu Eunseol warmly and spoke with her, each one praising her achievement in recovering the Flame Wheel Orb.
Had Bu Eunseol been merely an ordinary third-rank Lord of the Murim Alliance,
she would have been overwhelmed by such lavish hospitality.
‘They want something.’
But Bu Eunseol held the exalted position of Muk Hon Ryeong Ju and was intimately familiar with the countless facets of human nature.
She could clearly perceive hidden intentions beneath their superficial courtesies.
‘How intriguing. I wonder what they truly desire.’
If they harbored ulterior motives, all the better.
Bu Eunseol could simply turn their own schemes to her advantage.
‘Besides, cultivating good relations is necessary for peace with the Murim Alliance.’
Achieving peace required convincing not just the leader of Il Mun, but all the key figures in the hierarchy.
Therefore, Bu Eunseol made a point of greeting each member of the leadership personally, leaving a favorable impression with each.
‘It appears the rumors about their strained relations are indeed true.’
After exchanging pleasantries with the leadership, Bu Eunseol returned to her corner seat and carefully surveyed the banquet hall.
Though I had met with the key figures thus far, So Gung Ju, the Secondary Palace Lord Jeok Mu Mi, had not made an appearance.
‘No matter how much she dislikes even being seen alongside the Palace Lord, to absent herself from such an occasion…’
Regardless of being a stepmother, the Palace Lord was the Palace Lord, and she was the Secondary Palace Lord.
To not appear at a banquet where all the leadership of Yeol Ha Sung Palace gathered?
This suggested either the rift between them ran far deeper than I had imagined, or there existed some grave reason preventing her attendance.
The grand banquet continued until dawn.
Bu Eunseol returned to her quarters thoroughly intoxicated.
To cultivate connections with the Palace Lord and the leadership, I had not refused a single cup they offered, matching them drink for drink.
“Mmm.”
As the alcohol took hold, fatigue crashed over me like a wave, and I collapsed onto the bed with a groan.
Though soft quilts were laid upon it, the bed itself was constructed of extraordinarily hard stone.
‘How peculiar.’
Moreover, the moment I lay down, a strange heat rose from the floor and burrowed into my back.
That heat carried the essence of extreme yang, scorching not merely my skin but my very bones.
Swish.
Sensing the anomaly, Bu Eunseol swept away all the bedding from the mattress.
Beneath lay an enormous stone block emanating a faint crimson aura.
“A bed fashioned from Yang Essence True Jade.”
A strange gleam flickered across Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
The bed in my quarters was carved entirely from Yang Essence True Jade, radiating heat as intense as pure yang qi.
‘They are testing me.’
They would hardly place such a bed in the quarters of a guest who had traveled so far from the Murim Alliance.
It seemed they had deliberately laid down the Yang Essence True Jade to test Bu Eunseol.
‘I should oblige them.’
Bu Eunseol unleashed the Glacial River Freezing Technique, instantly freezing the Yang Essence True Jade.
The scorching heat dissipated, allowing for a comfortable sleep.
“Snore.”
Bu Eunseol deliberately snored, feigning deep slumber.
Whoosh.
Suddenly, a black shadow drifted like a specter toward the bed where Bu Eunseol lay.
It was a Masked Assassin clad in a form-fitting assassin’s garb. He gazed down at the sleeping Bu Eunseol intently.
Then, extending his hand, he suddenly unleashed a finger wind strike at Bu Eunseol.
Crack crack crack!
As the razor-sharp wind pierced toward the major acupoint on my chest,
“Ugh!”
Bu Eunseol released a sharp gasp and sprang from the bed like a coiled spring.
Click.
The moment Bu Eunseol rose, the Masked Assassin, as if he had been waiting, pressed a keen blade against my throat and spoke coldly.
“Elite Division Lord Seon Woo Jin.”
“Who are you?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
The Masked Assassin had lowered her voice, but her clear tone could not conceal that she was a young woman.
“Tomorrow, the Palace Lord will ask you for something.”
“….”
“You must refuse that request.”
Bu Eunseol’s expression turned puzzled.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Whatever the Palace Lord asks of you, refuse and return immediately to the Murim Alliance.”
The Masked Assassin swept her sharp gaze across Bu Eunseol.
“I have just inscribed the Flame Toxin Torment Seal upon your body. Should you break your promise, you will suffer the agony of reversed vital energy every night.”
“….”
“The moment you leave this palace, I will release you from the seal.”
“I simply cannot comprehend this.”
Bu Eunseol spoke leisurely, her arms crossed.
“You appear to be someone from Yeol Ha Sung Palace yourself—are you truly committing treason against the Palace Lord?”
“Make your decision. Yes or no.”
As the Masked Assassin issued her solemn command, Bu Eunseol smiled.
“I refuse.”
Crack!
In that same instant, a peculiar resonance echoed from Bu Eunseol’s body, and she rose effortlessly to her feet.
“How is this possible?”
“It seems you have not heard that I have mastered the Jade Butterfly Technique.”
“The Jade Butterfly Technique?”
Sal Soo’s mouth fell open.
Ordinarily, the Jade Butterfly Technique merely deflects external force.
But the Masked Assassin’s Flame Toxin Torment Seal was a Vital Suppression Punishment Technique—one that pours forth vital energy to subjugate the physical body.
How could such a technique possibly be deflected?
“Because the Murim Alliance Lord did not win this position by rolling dice.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with calm amusement.
“So Gung Ju Jeok Mu Mi.”
Bu Eunseol’s gaze and tone remained serene and without malice.
Sal Soo stared at her for a long moment, then sighed and removed her mask.
The beautiful visage of a woman with dark skin and thick, defined brows was revealed.
It was none other than So Gung Ju Jeok Mu Mi of Yeol Ha Sung Palace.
“This is not the strength of a third-rank Murim Alliance Lord.”
She gazed at Bu Eunseol with eyes that shimmered mysteriously.
The supreme beauties of Zhong Yuan all possessed pale, translucent skin and eyes with sharp contrast between black and white.
By that standard, Jeok Mu Mi, with her dark skin and eyes that gleamed with a blue luminescence, could not be called beautiful.
Yet she now displayed a fresh and vibrant beauty that Bu Eunseol had never witnessed before.
Moreover, she was known to be a martial master who had perfectly mastered the supreme martial techniques of Yeol Ha Sung Palace. Perhaps because of this, her deeply tanned skin seemed to radiate a subtle warmth.
“Not only martial prowess, but strategic wisdom as well.”
She had not only deflected Yeol Ha Sung Palace’s most formidable torture technique, the Flame Poison Extreme Form, using the methods of Ihua Jeop Ok, but had also deduced her identity in an instant.
Only now did Jeok Mu Mi realize that Bu Eunseol was no ordinary master.
“There is a maxim in the Murim of Zhong Yuan: ‘Reputation and ability do not always align.'”
Bu Eunseol smiled calmly.
“Much like the So Gung Ju, for instance.”
It was a compliment acknowledging that Jeok Mu Mi’s martial prowess
had reached a realm far beyond what the world knew of her abilities.
Since Yeol Ha Sung Palace did not operate in Zhong Yuan, their martial strength remained largely unknown to the outside world.
Jeok Mu Mi in particular, as So Gung Ju, had never distinguished herself prominently, yet she possessed exceptional martial skill in truth.
“How did you know I was the So Gung Ju?”
“Did you not have your subordinates convey the same message?”
“That alone?”
Bu Eunseol met Jeok Mu Mi’s arrogant gaze and shrugged her shoulders.
“I am a Lord of the Murim Alliance and came as an honored guest to Yeol Ha Sung Palace. How many individuals would be audacious enough to infiltrate that residence and attempt coercion?”
She drew a deep breath, then fixed Bu Eunseol with a sharp, penetrating stare.
“So you’re accepting the proposal?”
Jeok Mu Mi, the only daughter of the former Palace Lord Jeok Sa, wielded power comparable to Hwa Jeong’s.
If she refused, troublesome matters would surely persist.
Any person of sound mind would naturally be unable to reject such constraints.
Yet Bu Eunseol answered with unwavering resolve.
“I refuse.”

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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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