The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 486

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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 486.
Gong Son Dan Gyeong brushed aside the doubts that had surfaced in her mind, offering her praise with a warm smile.
“Had Seon Woo Dae Ju remained with the merchant guild, he would have dominated the commercial circles of Zhong Yuan.”
Those in the martial arts world generally harbored a tendency to look down upon merchants.
Without the protection of Murim forces, it was difficult to maintain a foundation, and there existed a deep-rooted perception that merchants were a class overly sensitive to financial gain.
Yet seeing Bu Eunseol, who excelled in both martial prowess and strategy, such prejudices seemed to gradually fade away.
“You are too kind with your words.”
“Thanks to your insights, I’ve gained much. I shall improve the Man Hwa Antique Shop further based on what you’ve shared.”
Having received advice she had not anticipated, she wore an expression of satisfaction.
Yet the truly important matter was only beginning now.
“Then I must head to the warehouse in Sho Ho.”
One of the perpetual troubles plaguing merchants was the endless stream of thieves.
Thus, merchants either installed elaborate mechanical locks in their warehouses or established storage facilities in entirely secret locations.
But the Man Hwa Antique Shop operated differently.
They had constructed a massive common warehouse, constantly guarded by martial artists of the Murim Alliance, where goods could be stored safely.
Though storage fees were charged, it proved far cheaper than installing mechanical defenses or hiring guards.
For merchants, it was a favorable arrangement, and for the Murim Alliance, it became a lucrative source of income.
Now the two of them had to search through the entire common warehouse in Sho Ho to identify any problematic items.
“Impressive.”
Upon arriving in Sho Ho, Bu Eunseol surveyed the vast warehouse grounds and nodded appreciatively.
The common warehouse constructed by the Murim Alliance was like witnessing another Man Hwa Antique Shop itself.
Stepping inside the enormous rectangular building, I found it packed with goods entrusted by various shops.
From this moment forward, I had to identify all the forgeries that could cause problems.
As I gazed upon the mountain of merchandise stacked throughout the warehouse, I tilted my head in puzzlement.
“Yet I see no artworks here.”
At this, Gong Son Dan Gyeong offered a faint smile.
“The artworks are stored separately in an underground chamber equipped with strict security mechanisms.”
She then walked toward the far end of the warehouse and activated the mechanism leading down to the underground facility.
“Since there aren’t many artworks, it shouldn’t take long to verify them.”
With a grinding sound.
As the mechanism activated, a heavy iron door swung open, revealing stairs descending below.
Upon opening the warehouse door, beneath a high ceiling studded densely with night-luminous pearls, an astounding collection of artworks came into view.
Their value totaled several million silver taels.
Ordinarily, shop owners would never be able to entrust such genuine treasures to a single warehouse.
Yet because this was the Man Hwa Antique Shop operated by the Murim Alliance, merchants could deposit their goods with complete peace of mind.
“…Not many, you say?”
Bu Eunseol blinked in disbelief, and Gong Son Dan Gyeong stammered somewhat embarrassedly.
“More than I initially thought, that is…”
“Yet even with the Murim Alliance guards watching vigilantly, I wonder if it’s wise to gather such valuable artworks in one place like this.”
Bu Eunseol spoke as she surveyed the surroundings of the warehouse.
“Moreover, the warehouse is located quite far from Seong Do, in a remote place.”
“Just because Wi Sa guards it doesn’t mean thieves won’t attempt to steal from it.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong explained with a smile.
“First, the warehouse interior here in Sho Ho has multiple layers of mechanisms that even thieves called Shin Tu cannot easily tamper with. Most importantly, when the Ben Maeng built this warehouse, they made a certain promise.”
Her eyes sparkled beneath the radiance of the night-luminous pearls pouring down.
“If anyone steals items from this place, the Ben Maeng swears on their honor to pursue the thief relentlessly until they are captured.”
This common warehouse had approximately three squads of the Murim Alliance’s Second-Rank Sword Unit stationed within it.
Even an expert in sophisticated mechanism design would find it difficult to easily detect the subtle yet unique mechanisms installed here.
However, the most powerful security measure was the Ben Maeng’s promise never to overlook theft.
The moment someone laid hands on the warehouse, they would be hunted by the Murim Alliance for life.
No matter how bold a master swordsman might be, they would not dare to touch it.
“Shall we begin now?”
At Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s words, Bu Eunseol nodded.
Time was of the essence.
I needed to quickly search through all the items here to verify whether any forgeries existed.
* * *
How much time had passed?
Bu Eunseol blinked her weary eyes.
Though the night-luminous pearls illuminated brightly, continuously channeling her inner energy while examining the artworks
caused her eyes to gradually dry and fatigue to creep in.
An ordinary person would have collapsed from hunger and exhaustion, but Bu Eunseol and Gong Son Dan Gyeong were both masters of martial arts.
They could endure for two days or more without eating, let alone half a day.
“It appears we’re finished now.”
What Bu Eunseol had discovered were twelve forgeries.
In monetary terms, this represented a loss of over tens of thousands of taels.
However, financial loss was temporary.
Had these forgeries circulated, the Manhwa Antique Shop’s reputation would have plummeted, and Gong Son Dan Gyeong would have faced severe difficulties.
“By tracing the source of these forgeries, we should be able to identify who orchestrated this scheme.”
“Thank you. Thanks to you, this ended much faster than expected.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong wore a weary yet radiant smile.
Despite wearing a face mask, her bright smile made the dim warehouse interior feel luminous.
‘How alike they are.’
Though Gong Son Dan Ah was counted among the three most beautiful women in Tianxia, Gong Son Dan Gyeong was undoubtedly a great beauty herself.
Moreover, she appeared remarkably young.
A woman in her thirties, ten years older than Gong Son Dan Ah, would never appear so youthful.
“Shall we head back now?”
At Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s words, Bu Eunseol nodded with a satisfied smile.
I had successfully completed a covert mission alongside the Chief Inspector of the Murim Alliance, and had certainly demonstrated my competence to her.
In the future, whenever Gong Son Dan Gyeong faced difficult or challenging matters, she would surely think of Bu Eunseol at least once.
“Meeting with Seon Woo Dae Ju makes me think accepting Yuk Jang Cheon’s proposal was the right decision.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong murmured while fiddling with the mechanism that led outside.
“Even I, as Chief Inspector, cannot claim to have enjoyed particularly good fortune in recent times.”
‘So that’s how it was.’
She had ascended to the position of Chief Inspector at an remarkably young age.
Of course, she had demonstrated sufficient skill, accumulated merit, and earned recognition from the upper echelons.
Yet unfortunately, the Murim Alliance was not a place where one could survive on martial prowess alone.
Especially a position like Chief Inspector, which could be stripped away at any moment based on merit and demerit, inevitably forced one to cultivate supporting factions.
She had likely extended her hand to Yuk Jang Cheon, and he had surely grasped it without hesitation.
Their interests aligned perfectly.
If either of them failed to gather even more factions and influential figures,
they might find themselves wandering about seeking favor, only to be shamefully cast down before they could establish sufficient merit.
Creak.
As the thick door swung open, a corridor leading upward came into view.
Finally emerging from underground, Bu Eunseol
‘…!’
suddenly sensed something profoundly amiss.
The Murim Alliance soldiers guarding the building’s perimeter—their presence had vanished entirely.
Detecting this anomaly, I expanded my perception to its fullest extent, and my eyes widened.
Not only had the Murim Alliance forces protecting the warehouse disappeared, but an unidentified massive force now encircled it completely.
‘Sam Gye.’
Only those bold enough to strike at a Chief Inspector, one of the Murim Alliance’s highest leaders, could be them. Who else but Sam Gye?
‘It’s similar to the situation with Dan So Ok and the Ryeong Ju.’
The memory of first meeting Dan So Ok surfaced unbidden.
Back then too, unknown forces had surrounded an entire village to kill her.
‘Which means their target isn’t the warehouse—it’s the Chief Inspector.’
She who always traveled under the protection of the Sungwi Unit had ventured into Gangho alone.
Sam Gye clearly had no intention of letting this golden opportunity slip away.
‘But this detection ability exceeds what Seon Woo Jin should possess.’
Bu Eunseol paused to consider.
Gong Son Dan Gyeong was a key figure in the Murim Alliance with whom I needed to maintain close relations going forward.
If I set Seon Woo Jin’s abilities too high, she might grow suspicious.
Yet if I feigned belated detection of a situation like this, I might be forced to deploy all my abilities.
‘I’ll set Seon Woo Jin’s abilities slightly higher.’
“Chief Inspector.”
Having decided, Bu Eunseol surveyed the surroundings with an extremely grave expression.
“I believe it would be wise to return to the Underground Storage Chamber.”
“What do you mean?”
“All the soldiers stationed nearby have vanished.”
“That can’t be. I sensed no disturbance whatsoever.”
“I am certain. Every presence of the Ben Maeng’s sword guards has disappeared. They may be dead, or perhaps they’ve fallen for a stratagem like luring the tiger from the mountain.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong blinked her eyes.
If she could sense external forces from within this warehouse, her sensory range extended at least forty zhang or more.
Was Seon Woo Jin truly such an exceptional martial artist?
“If she subdued a hundred elite Murim Alliance warriors in a single breath… that means more than ten times that number have entered.”
Rumble.
At that moment, the sound of the encircling forces gradually approaching into the warehouse echoed through the air.
“Chief Inspector, the forces that were surrounding the perimeter seem to be approaching this location.”
“I felt it too.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s martial prowess also seemed to have far surpassed its peak.
Yet that alone would not suffice.
Since Sam Gye had deliberately sent assassins, without reaching the transcendent realm like Bu Eunseol—
there was no way to withstand such overwhelming numbers.
“If she’s eliminated all the sword formations here, her strength must exceed the combined power of several formations. It would be best to retreat into the Underground Storage Chamber and hold our position.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong paused briefly in thought, then shook her head.
“With such a massive force, they could easily destroy the mechanical locks of the Underground Storage Chamber with brute strength. Instead, let’s deploy a formation across this entire warehouse.”
She was a brilliant talent, and her formation mastery was renowned throughout the Murim.
The warehouse interior was vast and cluttered with countless stacked items—any formation could be deployed with ease.
Rumble, rumble.
The sound, like a stampeding herd of cattle, grew ever closer.
The massive forces seemed about to breach the warehouse at any moment.
Whoosh.
Gong Son Dan Gyeong moved swiftly through the expansive warehouse, beginning to deploy a formation using the stacked items within.
“Seon Woo Dae Ju, are you familiar with the Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin?”
“I am not.”
“Then follow what I do and set up the same formation on the opposite side.”
Bu Eunseol furrowed her brow.
Setting up the same formation on the opposite side? That would no longer be a single formation, would it?
“Are you saying to layer the formations?”
“Exactly. Ordinary formations cannot be layered, but the Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin can.”
“Understood.”
Bu Eunseol asked no further questions.
Though her knowledge of formations was not deep, she possessed a memory that never forgot anything once seen.
As Gong Son Dan Gyeong created qi nodes through the surrounding objects, Bu Eunseol immediately followed suit, deploying the formation identically.
Boom.
At that moment, the building entrance burst open and a tremendous killing intent poured forth.
“Just a bit faster!”
At Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s cry, Bu Eunseol also rapidly completed the formation.
Finally, as their noses nearly touched,
Click!
Gong Son Dan Gyeong inserted the wooden figurine she had been holding into the position of the Heavenly Origin.
The surroundings darkened, and the Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin activated across the entire warehouse.
“Phew.”
Thick beads of sweat rolled down Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s forehead.
“That was cutting it close.”
If Bu Eunseol hadn’t possessed such exceptional memory, and hadn’t helped establish the formation from the opposite side—
I wouldn’t have been able to layer the Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin, and I couldn’t have stopped the assassins in such a confined space.
Whoosh! Crack!
Even with the formation activated, the sound of blade-like cutting through air echoed from all directions.
“It seems like nearly a thousand of them have rushed in.”
“A thousand, you say?”
“Yes. The Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin has the function of completely blocking ordinary sounds. But the fact that we can hear this much noise means… at least a thousand soldiers are pouring in and destroying the formation.”
Her eyes grew grave.
Those capable of wielding swords within the Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin were exceptionally skilled martial artists.
If a thousand such individuals had descended upon us—
These weren’t mere assassins, but rather forces comparable to an entire sect’s military strength.
“This is incomprehensible. My movements should have been completely concealed.”
Her expression turned extremely grave.
To handle the matter of the Man Hwa Antique Shop discreetly, I had come here alone with Bu Eunseol.
But I am the Chief Inspector, the head of the Murim Alliance.
To prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, I had stationed skilled martial artists at various points along my route.
Yet how could such a massive force have moved around the warehouse?
Could they have eliminated all of them?
“They knew beforehand.”
Bu Eunseol spoke decisively.
“They knew that the Chief Inspector would handle the final matter of the Man Hwa Antique Shop at this warehouse in Sho Ho, and they’ve been waiting in this area for a long time.”
“Then…”
“There’s a traitor within the Chief Inspector Division.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong bit her lip.
Finding the traitor could wait. Right now, I had to survive against those assassins.
“Can this formation withstand such a force?”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong shook her head at Bu Eunseol’s question.
“It’s impossible. No matter how powerful the Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin is, it cannot contain a thousand soldiers. Eventually, they will break through the formation.”
“Then what if we descend into the Underground Storage Chamber and establish another formation there? With the various mechanisms in place, we should be able to hold out longer.”
“That’s also impossible.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong pointed to the formation that had turned hazy before them.
“We are now at the Tian Yuan—the center, as if on a Go board. And inside the Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin, the gray mist obscures our vision, and more importantly, we’ve lost our sense of direction.”
“But surely you know how to dispel the formation since you activated it?”
Then she spoke with a look of despair.
“I had Seon Woo Dae Ju layer and activate the formation. I can track the changes in the formation I created, but the changes Seon Woo Dae Ju made… I cannot comprehend them.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong had layered and activated the Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin to hold back countless enemies.
In other words, the variations of the formation had doubled, and no matter how brilliant she was, she couldn’t possibly calculate all the directional shifts.
“We can proceed.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes sparkled as she spoke.
“Let’s enter the underground now.”
“How would we manage that?”
Bu Eunseol replied calmly.
“I’ve memorized the formation’s directional patterns.”
“You memorized all those complex directional shifts?”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s eyes widened.
The Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin possessed twenty-five variations.
And with her genius intellect, she had layered and expanded the formation.
Theoretically, that meant six hundred and twenty-five variations were embedded within the formation.
Yet Bu Eunseol had grasped over six hundred variations in such a brief span? That was impossible, even for a genius.
“Didn’t I mirror the Chief Inspector’s formation from the outside?”
Bu Eunseol, having read Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s thoughts, spoke matter-of-factly.
“I observed and constructed the formation from a broad external perspective. That’s how I was able to discern the directional shifts the Chief Inspector taught me.”
“Then…”
“If the Chief Inspector can remember roughly three hundred variations, I should be able to solve the remaining three hundred.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong couldn’t hide her astonishment.
“Your memory is truly extraordinary.”
In that brief moment, while following and expanding the formation, she had retained all those directional patterns?
Didn’t that mean she possessed a memory rivaling her own?
“I honestly believed no one had better memory than I did.”
“For merchants, memory is wealth itself.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong nodded as if she finally understood.
“So that’s why Seon Woo Dae Ju could master martial arts so quickly despite being bound to the merchant world?”
The heirs of merchant families constantly grapple with numbers.
Moreover, managing a merchant guild requires learning organizational methods along with countless forms of knowledge and miscellaneous studies.
After such exhaustive studying, there simply isn’t enough time to cultivate martial prowess—which is why exceptional martial artists rarely emerge from merchant circles.
But Bu Eunseol possessed such a sharp mind that she likely had ample time to refine her martial skills.
So Seon Woo Dae Ju was truly a genius of this caliber.
Gong Son Dan Gyeong now understood why Baek Ri Mu Jo, the leader of the Star Guard, had called Seon Woo Jin “the dragon of the merchant world.”
“But even so, this remains difficult.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong shook her head faintly.
“Their numbers reach a thousand. Even with six hundred variations, we’d encounter enemies roughly every other passage.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong spoke with a look of despair.
“Even if we enter the Underground Storage Chamber, with their control over this entire region, we’d inevitably meet our end there.”
This Common Warehouse area was a desolate place where no one lived.
With such a force, it was clear we couldn’t hold out even for a single day.
“That’s not the case.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with firm resolve.
“The Sungwi Unit will come.”
“The Sungwi Unit?”
“Don’t all the VIPs of the Ben Maeng receive protection from the Sungwi Unit? The Chief Inspector is naturally among those under their guard.”
“If my movements were so easily exposed, I wouldn’t have come alone with Seon Woo Dae Ju.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong spoke weakly.
“I can assure you the Sungwi Unit knows nothing of my whereabouts. I’ve taken precautions to ensure it.”
“If the Chief Inspector assures us you’ve taken such precautions, then perhaps the Sungwi Unit truly remains ignorant.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with confidence.
“But Baek Ri Dae Ju will know.”
“Baek Ri Dae Ju?”
“Yes. And given this crisis, before dawn breaks—within two hours at most—he will arrive.”
Bu Eunseol had met Baek Ri Mu Jo, the commander of the Sungwi Unit, only once in private audience.
Yet that single encounter had revealed to her the nature of his character.
He was a perfectionist who never erred and tolerated no failure.
Therefore, he would not overlook one of the Sungwi Unit’s fundamental duties—monitoring the Chief Inspector’s movements.
And since she now faced peril, he would surely sense it and lead his forces here without delay.
“Do you know Baek Ri Dae Ju well?”
“I’ve met him only once in private audience.”
“That single meeting is all?”
“Yes. But you can trust my words.”
Bu Eunseol fixed her gaze upon Gong Son Dan Gyeong as she spoke.
“The Dae Ju will surely come.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong could sense it.
What Bu Eunseol trusted was not her own brilliant intellect, capable of foreseeing events yet to unfold.
It was solely in Baek Ri Mu Jo, the commander of the Sungwi Unit, and his abilities.
“Very well. Let us place our faith in the Dae Ju.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong drew a deep breath.
Shing.
She drew forth a short blade concealed at her waist.
“It seems this will be a long night.”
She exhaled deeply.
To buy time against such overwhelming forces,
she would have to venture into that Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin, defeat the assassins one by one, and then descend once more into the Underground Storage Chamber where the artifacts lay.

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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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