The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 464

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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 464.
Meanwhile, after visiting the Jongri Estate, Yuk Cheong Ah consulted with Jong Ri Sa Hyeon on several matters.
Then she climbed Geum Wang Mountain once more to persuade Beok Goong Ryung.
But when she reached the area where she had met Beok Goong Ryung, a massive stone stood erected before her.
As she drew closer, she found characters carved into the great stone.
―Murim does not depart. Yet neither shall the Murim Alliance.
Beok Goong Ryung had known Yuk Cheong Ah would return, and using his inner energy, he had inscribed these words upon the rock before departing.
She gazed at the characters carved in bold strokes across the solid stone, her eyes suddenly gleaming.
“It seems you’ve changed your mind about abandoning Murim after all.”
The light in Beok Goong Ryung’s eyes yesterday had been like burnt ash.
No emotion stirred within them, and not a trace of attachment lingered.
Yet the words carved into this stone overflowed with vitality and vigor.
In other words, in merely a single day.
He had completely transformed his resolve and recovered his spirit.
“What could have happened in a single night?”
Bu Eunseol, recalling the night she had spent in discourse with Beok Goong Ryung, smiled faintly and spoke.
“Perhaps after wandering Murim and enduring much hardship all this time, he finally attained enlightenment.”
“Do you think so?”
“It is not uncommon for masters of his age to experience such sudden changes of heart.”
“Well… that could be the case.”
Yuk Cheong Ah shook her head.
“Enlightenment always arrives unexpectedly, after all.”
Gazing toward the distant sky, she sighed deeply and continued.
“I knew inviting Tan Wang to the Alliance would not be easy… but I never expected him to depart so suddenly.”
Yet her expression did not convey great disappointment.
“Then, shall we return?”
As Yuk Cheong Ah turned to leave, something occurred to her, and she looked at Bu Eunseol.
“Are you not disappointed about Lord Seon Woo?”
“Disappointed about what?”
“This is the first failure among all the missions you’ve undertaken.”
“That cannot be.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with a serious expression.
“Had I considered this my mission, I would never have accepted it in the first place.”
Grasping the meaning behind her words, Yuk Cheong Ah smiled knowingly.
“So from Lord Seon Woo’s perspective as well, this was a mission that could never succeed.”
“Precisely. A man who has stood alone and unrivaled in Murim his entire life would not change his mind simply because we persuaded him. That would be far stranger.”
Bu Eunseol added one more thought.
“Of course, the Lord must have had a contingency plan in mind.”
Yuk Cheong Ah asked with a slightly surprised expression.
“A contingency plan?”
“While summoning Tan Wang himself is impossible, haven’t I arranged a way for you to achieve merit equivalent to that?”
Bu Eunseol smiled.
“Perhaps it is not unrelated to the Jongli Clan.”
Yuk Cheong Ah could not hide her admiration and nodded.
“Indeed, there is no deceiving the eyes of Lord Seon Woo.”
And she spoke candidly.
“The Jongli Clan has been conducting research for generations to restore demons like Inhwa and Shil Hoon In to their original forms.”
Yuk Cheong Ah smiled with composure.
“And finally, that research has borne considerable fruit. They have managed to partially detoxify Inhwa’s poison, allowing those Shil Hoon In who were poisoned not long ago to be restored to their original state.”
Bu Eunseol was greatly startled.
Though I held the information network of Jeongsayang-do in my grasp, I had never heard such news until now.
In other words, the Jongli Clan’s research had not been revealed to Murim.
This meant either Yuk Cheong Ah had placed an informant capable of accessing information about the Jongli Clan,
or she possessed a special intelligence network unknown to me.
‘An information network that even Sa Hon Dae and the Elite Division cannot obtain…’
In short, Yuk Cheong Ah possessed the intelligence capability to acquire facts unknown to me.
‘Of course, she could have independently placed an informant within the Jongli Clan, or there could be a new intelligence network known only to the upper echelons of the Murim Alliance. But…’
There was an extremely slim possibility that she could be a figure from the Three Realms.
“I see. I was unaware of this.”
When Bu Eunseol answered with an unbothered expression, Yuk Cheong Ah laughed and spoke.
“If the Ben Maeng were to support and cooperate with the Jongli Clan’s research together, it would become a great advantage.”
“Indeed, that is so.”
As Bu Eunseol expressed admiration, Yuk Cheong Ah shrugged her shoulders.
“Since Lord Tan Wang has departed anyway, I intend to remain at the Jongli Clan and obtain their cooperation on this matter.”
She spoke kindly with a gentle smile.
“There is nothing left for you to do here, so please return to the Alliance first.”
“Understood.”
Bu Eunseol parted ways with Yuk Cheong Ah and immediately headed toward the Murim Alliance.
Yet my expression was heavy.
Yuk Cheong Ah.
I had thought her merely an ambitious talented woman.
But now I could see there were many aspects of her to be wary of.
‘I must be careful.’
While existing as Seon Woo Jin, I could not afford to relax my vigilance for even a moment.
Newly realizing that the Murim Alliance was a den of dragons and tigers, Bu Eunseol took a deep breath and deployed his lightness technique.
* * *
The next day.
Bu Eunseol transmitted an order through Sa Hon Dae to Seo Jin Ha to exchange identities.
In other words, the situation where Seo Jin Ha enters the Murim Alliance for the first time.
Fortunately, with Yuk Cheong Ah away in Gangho, there were no particular complications, but out of caution, I sent So Yo to Seo Jin Ha’s side.
It was a precaution against unforeseen contingencies.
Especially now that I understood how formidable Yuk Cheong Ah’s intelligence network was, it seemed wise to exercise absolute caution when acting as Seon Woo Jin.
Having restored my true identity, Bu Eunseol immediately set out toward Gugok Mountain.
I needed to find the Black-Robed Man who wielded the Chilji Demonic Sect’s techniques, as Beok Goong Ryung had mentioned.
‘The fact that he’s staying in Gugok Mountain troubles me.’
Gugok Mountain was also called Moshan, the former seat of the Moshan Sect.
Recently, Shil Hoon In had been appearing frequently in the vicinity of Gugok Mountain, and it had apparently become a cursed place where people no longer dared to tread.
Despite all my efforts to eradicate Shil Hoon In, remnants still lingered throughout Murim.
This suggested that Sam Gye was still covertly manufacturing Inhwa.
‘Was Dae Woon Rim merely a fragment?’
I had believed that by destroying Dae Woon Rim, which colluded with Hell Blood Sect, I had eliminated all Shil Hoon In.
Yet Shil Hoon In continued to appear throughout Murim.
Moreover, their numbers seemed to be increasing, suggesting that Dae Woon Rim was only a portion of a larger whole.
‘Then the Black-Robed Man’s presence in Gugok Mountain, where Shil Hoon In emerge, cannot be mere coincidence.’
Regardless of other considerations, a practitioner of Chilji Demonic Sect techniques was dwelling in Gugok Mountain?
That could not possibly be coincidence.
‘Of course, he might be cultivating his martial arts against Shil Hoon In. But.’
The power of Blood Slaughter Seven Techniques was too formidable to practice against living martial artists.
‘One cannot advance in technique that way.’
The strength of Shil Hoon In lay not in martial prowess, but in their tenacious vitality.
Therefore, unleashing crude brute force was more effective than displaying subtle techniques.
Shil Hoon In were hardly suitable targets for cultivating exquisite supreme techniques like Blood Slaughter Seven Techniques.
This meant he was certainly connected to Sam Gye.
‘I’ll discover the truth when I arrive.’
Bu Eunseol launched myself forward with explosive speed.
I would find this man wielding Chilji Demonic Sect techniques and uncover his secrets.
Before long, I arrived at Guyong County in Jiangsu.
Gugok Mountain, also called Moshan, was nestled in the heart of the Yeongjin Mountain Range—a place of treacherous terrain where few dared venture.
‘Even martial artists no longer appear here.’
Until recently, Gugok Mountain had been frequented by warriors seeking to collect the heads of Shil Hoon In for bounties.
But whether they had simply caught all they could, Shil Hoon In no longer emerged, and the surroundings reeked of blood and rotting corpses.
No matter how often the area was cleaned, the stench persisted and Shil Hoon In never appeared, so martial artists ceased coming. Even the administrators of Geun Dong seemed to have abandoned cleanup efforts.
“Hmm.”
After surveying the area, I retrieved a cloth mask from my robes—one that could block both subtle toxins and foul odors.
While it could shield against poison, the stench was so overwhelming that wearing the mask seemed almost necessary.
Inhwa, artificial inner cores, Shil Hoon In.
Sam Gye still refused to relinquish these tools.
This meant Sam Gye continued to struggle and harbored ambitions.
Yet the suffering fell entirely upon innocent civilians and martial artists.
‘I will destroy them without fail.’
No matter how much time it took.
Bu Eunseol swore an oath—she would find and destroy every single organization of the Three Realms.
Thud, thud.
After walking through the mountains for a while, mist had gradually enveloped everything.
Bu Eunseol discerned that the fog spreading through the forest was no natural phenomenon, but rather the result of a peculiar arcane technique woven into this very woodland.
‘It must have been installed by the Moshan Sect in the past.’
Most of the techniques employed by the Moshan Sect derived from Taoism.
Yet at some point, they began dabbling not only in Taoist methods but also in various demonic arts and burial sorcery.
Moreover, their disciples had freely altered these secret techniques.
It was said that even disciples of the same lineage found it impossible to dispel one another’s modifications.
Ultimately, the Moshan Sect walked the path toward decline and destruction.
As a result, many of the arcane techniques and spells installed throughout Gugok Mountain remained unbroken.
“There was good reason for that.”
Bu Eunseol now understood why martial artists who had come to Gugok Mountain to capture members of Shil Hon In had suffered endless casualties.
The secret techniques scattered throughout Gugok Mountain could not be unraveled through mechanical means.
In other words, because mystical sorcery was installed everywhere, even the most formidable masters would lose their way or fall into confusion.
Exhausted and depleted in such a state, they would clash with the Shil Hon In members, sustaining grave injuries or losing their lives.
Moreover, the further one walked, the more a thick and unpleasant stench burrowed into the nostrils.
‘It’s certainly different from a formation.’
The mist rising from all directions not only obscured vision but also threw the senses into disarray.
Had one attempted to achieve such an effect through a formation? The entire forest would have needed to be torn asunder.
‘Could I break it with force?’
Though Bu Eunseol had become versed in countless orthodox martial techniques through years of wandering the Murim, she possessed no knowledge of sorcery.
After moving silently for a long while, Bu Eunseol finally came to a halt.
The mist grew thicker with each step, threatening to erode not only the senses of the body but even the fortitude of the spirit.
Of course, since Bu Eunseol had achieved spiritual unity through enlightenment, no force could shatter her mind.
‘There’s no other choice.’
Whoooosh.
A crimson aura swirled violently around Bu Eunseol’s left fist.
Ignorant of how to dispel sorcery, she unleashed the Seven Fists of the Fist King in succession, attempting to destroy the energies blanketing the forest through sheer force.
Crackle.
Then, a low sound of something cutting through the air reached her ears.
Simultaneously, a small figure appeared before Bu Eunseol.
Clad in a rare blue martial robe, with a large gourd suspended from her waist, the figure was striking.
Her hair was disheveled, and across the exposed skin were scabs and sores clinging thickly.
She was a hideously disfigured old woman.
“Why do you ascend this Gugok Mountain?”
The old woman’s voice was low and eerie, like the cry of a crow.
Had she been an ordinary woman, Bu Eunseol would not have deigned to answer.
But thanks to the education of her grandfather Bu Chanyang, Bu Eunseol held considerable respect for the elderly.
“I have business here.”
At Bu Eunseol’s blunt response, the Old Woman’s brow furrowed deeply.
“Which sect do you belong to?”
“I’m merely a wanderer.”
The Old Woman noticed Bu Eunseol wore the cloth mask commonly used by drifters and nodded as if she understood his identity.
“A wanderer trying to earn a few coins by hunting the Shil Hoon In roaming Gugok Mountain.”
When Bu Eunseol said nothing, the Old Woman spoke again.
“You should leave. The Shil Hoon In here are not something that can be dealt with by mere recklessness.”
Beneath the cloth mask, Bu Eunseol’s lips curved slightly upward.
Though her words were harsh, her voice carried a consideration born of genuine concern for others.
“It’s not only because of the Shil Hoon In.”
“Hmph.”
The Old Woman laughed coldly and turned away.
“If you don’t wish to die, you’d do well to leave.”
The Old Woman swiftly passed Bu Eunseol and moved forward.
Though her face was deeply lined, her frame was lean without an ounce of excess, and her steps were as light as those of a young person.
She was undoubtedly an old woman who had cultivated exceptional martial prowess.
Thump, thump.
Bu Eunseol moved forward at a leisurely pace.
My purpose was solely the blade master who wielded the Blood Slaughter Seven Techniques.
I had no interest in whatever the Old Woman was doing.
‘Hmm?’
As I ventured deeper into the forest, I halted my steps.
The Old Woman, having reached the forest’s edge, stood motionless.
“What is it?”
I approached the Old Woman with quickened strides.
Before us, a subtle mist spread like a wall.
With each step, a formless flame seemed to sear the area around my legs with searing pain.
Sizzle.
As I took a step, white smoke began to rise.
That heat was not illusion or delusion—it was genuinely real.
‘A sorcerous technique.’
Mechanical formations generally possess the function of confusing the senses.
But sorcerous techniques inflict direct damage like this.
“Hmm.”
The Old Woman seemed to ponder something for a moment, then raised both hands to her waist.
Tap, tap, tap.
Then from the Old Woman’s body surged not the true qi waves of inner energy, but a transparent and crystalline force.
Whoooosh!
As the drawn power reached its zenith.
Suddenly, transparent droplets rose from a gourd hanging at the Old Woman’s waist into the empty air.
Whoooosh!
As she finally extended her palms, the droplets scattered throughout the surroundings, and the mist blanketing the area began to dissipate.
‘Water Divine Energy—she must be a master of Shenshui Palace.’
Watching the transparent energy pour forth, Bu Eunseol discerned that the Old Woman was indeed a master of Shenshui Palace.
Shenshui Palace.
One of the Murim Seven Great Secret Palaces, holding the position of water among the celestial forces.
A sect led by the Water Divine, one of the Four Celestials, who wielded Water Divine Energy with absolute mastery.
Moreover, Shenshui Palace differed from Lei Ling Men, where only those born with a thunder-attuned constitution could practice martial arts.
Since they could inject Water Divine Energy into another’s body, even those not born with a water-attuned constitution could wield it freely.
Just like the Old Woman before me.
Splash!
She converted the water in her gourd into Water Divine Energy, swiftly extinguishing the sorcerous aura permeating the forest.
‘A convenient power indeed.’
Bu Eunseol nodded in acknowledgment.
The power of the Four Celestials originated from nature itself.
Thus they possessed the energy of breaking evil—capable of naturally extinguishing corrupt and unrighteous forces.
“Hmph.”
Having finally driven all the mist from the forest, the Old Woman exhaled heavily.
Then, noticing Bu Eunseol who had followed her, she shot a sharp glance and let out a scoff.
“You’re fortunate. Normally, I would have turned back here.”
“….”
“By rights, I should drive you from Gugok Mountain, but I’m in a hurry, so I’ll let it pass.”
The Old Woman spat out her barbed words without reason and departed abruptly.
Yet Bu Eunseol’s lips curved into a smile.
For she understood the Old Woman’s heart well enough.
“Coming from Shenshui Palace, such a reaction is entirely understandable.”
The Old Woman’s harshness and arrogance were not born of mere temperament.
Those of Shenshui Palace held mercenaries—wanderers who sold themselves for coin—in utter contempt.
Twenty years prior, O Ja Myeong, the Drifting Sword who led Nangindae and accepted independent commissions, had stolen a treasure from Shenshui Palace.
Yet who had hired him to steal it, and into whose hands it had fallen, remained unknown.
After stealing Shenshui Palace’s treasure, O Ja Myeong vanished without trace, and the treasure’s whereabouts became shrouded in mystery.
Rumors circulated that O Ja Myeong had suffered a mortal wound while stealing the treasure and perished.
Others claimed he had profited greatly from Shenshui Palace’s treasure and secretly abandoned Murim.
Yet since O Ja Myeong never appeared again thereafter, the truth remained obscure.
In any case, owing to these circumstances, all members of Shenshui Palace trembled at the mere mention of mercenaries.
Step, step.
Bu Eunseol walked slowly, carefully observing the traces scattered about.
Though the mist had vanished, an unpleasant air still flowed through the surroundings, and a murderous intent rising from somewhere felt like a noose tightening around her throat.
‘How strange.’
Especially since entering the forest, that peculiar stench had persisted without relent.
Bu Eunseol attributed the odor to the sorcery that had blanketed Gugok Mountain in its entirety.
Yet even though all the sorcery had been shattered, the stench continued to rise from every direction—how could that be?
“Hmm.”
The moment Bu Eunseol sensed something and stepped forward,
Rumble, rumble.
The earth all around began to writhe like a living creature, splitting open.
Gurgle.
A hideous wail erupted from the fractured ground, and crimson light began seeping forth.
Gurgle. Gurgle. Gurgle.
The wail grew louder and louder, until it shook the entire forest itself.

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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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