The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 487
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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 487.
Bu Eunseol and Gong Son Dan Gyeong carefully stepped into the formation.
A low, eerie whisper filled the air.
The interior of Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin was shrouded in a thick, ashen mist—so dense that one couldn’t see even a hand’s breadth ahead.
This mist possessed the insidious property of dulling not only vision but also the body’s internal senses.
Even those of exceptional martial prowess found themselves unable to display their true strength, and detecting an enemy brushing past in the darkness proved nearly impossible.
A sharp clash echoed, followed by a whistling blade.
Yet despite the suffocating darkness and sensory chaos, Bu Eunseol and Gong Son Dan Gyeong navigated with perfect precision.
They methodically eliminated the assassins that crossed their path one by one.
Since Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin was layered in complexity, they needed to unravel six hundred variations.
Only then could they escape completely or reach their desired destination.
Gong Son Dan Gyeong had memorized the first three hundred variations, so she took the lead.
But once she exhausted her knowledge, she could no longer calculate the directional shifts.
From that point on, she stayed pressed close to Bu Eunseol, moving cautiously forward.
“Huff… huff…”
Both women breathed heavily.
They had now unraveled roughly four hundred variations and slain nearly three hundred assassins.
Gong Son Dan Gyeong possessed exceptional intellect and strategic brilliance, yet her martial ability fell short of her mental faculties.
As a strategist who calculated everything through reason, she had never experienced combat that required navigating the razor’s edge between life and death.
“I’m… growing weary.”
Finally, Gong Son Dan Gyeong cast aside her mask of composure.
Her entire body bore countless wounds, large and small, from processing the assassins trapped within the formation alongside Bu Eunseol.
Fortunately, she carried exceptional medicines worthy of being called elixirs, which allowed her to endure.
The true problem was mental exhaustion.
She, who had never experienced genuine combat, now found herself trapped within the formation, continuously cutting down assassins without respite.
This was a harsh ordeal even for seasoned warriors accustomed to real battle.
Her body maintained relentless tension, while her fighting spirit gradually weakened.
Cutting down a person was not the same as slicing meat.
Throughout her life, Gong Son Dan Gyeong had never driven a sharp blade into another’s flesh, severing muscle and bone, piercing organs.
For her to now engage in what amounted to mass slaughter within the formation… her killing intent diminished steadily, and her resolve crumbled.
As her mind grew exhausted first, her body lost vitality, refusing to obey her will.
“Seon Woo Dae Ju is truly remarkable.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong shook her head with an expression of disbelief.
“Even someone accustomed to combat should be exhausted in such circumstances.”
Bu Eunseol, despite having cut down more than twice the assassins, showed no sign of fatigue, and her killing intent remained undiminished.
It seemed she could slay a thousand, ten thousand, without blinking an eye.
“Seon Woo Dae Ju is young yet possesses abundant combat experience.”
“It’s likely because I’ve primarily faced bandit gangs.”
Bu Eunseol answered matter-of-factly.
“Bandit gangs number at least three hundred core members, and easily exceed five hundred when including their families.”
“Household members? Then you’re saying you completely wiped out the entire bandit gang?”
“That’s correct. We did so for a time.”
Whatever exceptional abilities Seon Woo Jin displayed, there was always a corresponding reason behind them.
This was because he was a fictional persona meticulously crafted by the brilliant master Shin San Ja over twenty years, employing vast resources and manpower.
“Bandit gangs are like weeds—no matter how many times you eliminate them, they simply grow back.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with unwavering conviction.
“Unless you completely eradicate them when you strike, they’ll sprout anew in no time.”
Even her voice carried the stench of blood.
Gong Son Dan Gyeong felt dizzy and shook her head.
“Running a merchant guild is no simple matter, it seems.”
After resting for a while, the two resumed their journey.
When she reached out her hand, she felt the wall. She then leaned against it, breathing heavily.
“Let’s rest a bit longer.”
“Understood.”
Bu Eunseol nodded and moved closer to her side, keeping watch over their surroundings.
“I simply cannot fathom which faction would orchestrate such an act.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with genuine bewilderment in her voice.
“No matter how much money the assassins received, targeting the leadership of the Murim Alliance makes no sense, does it?”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong shook her head.
“There are many assassin groups in Murim who conceal their true identities. If they were absolutely certain they wouldn’t be discovered, they might accept such a contract.”
‘She’s playing ignorant.’
Bu Eunseol smiled bitterly.
A figure of Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s rank as Chief Inspector could not possibly be unaware of Sam Gye’s existence.
She seemed to be making excuses, likely believing Bu Eunseol was merely a low-ranking operative.
“In any case, once we escape safely, I’ll make sure those responsible pay the appropriate price.”
Whoosh!
At that moment, an assassin’s blade suddenly erupted from nowhere, aimed at her throat.
“Watch out!”
Shing!
Bu Eunseol instantly drew her sword and blocked the path before her.
She swiftly unleashed her blade technique, severing the assassin’s neck.
Splurt!
The moment Bu Eunseol severed the assassin’s neck,
Slash!
A sharp blade suddenly pierced through from behind Gong Son Dan Gyeong, who had stepped back.
“Ah!”
She moved with lightning speed to evade the strike and swung her sword in response.
Thud!
Though she managed to subdue the assassin, she herself suffered a blade wound to her shoulder.
“This is troublesome. I have no effective remedy left.”
Bu Eunseol quickly pressed the Blood Sealing Point to stop the bleeding, then tore her sleeve to wrap the wound.
“From now on, please stay close beside me as we move.”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Gong Son Dan Gyeong nodded and pressed herself against her body.
Seeing the woman’s face caked with blood and sweat, Bu Eunseol felt an unexpected pang of guilt.
Seon Woo Jin was not a master of the Extreme Heaven Realm, so she couldn’t extend a single moment into an eternity.
That’s why she could see the ambush unfolding clearly, yet couldn’t stop it.
“Let’s rest a moment longer.”
Muttering softly, she closed her eyes as fatigue washed over her.
“I simply can’t walk anymore. I’ll rest here for just half an hour.”
“Understood.”
The moment the response came, she fell into deep sleep.
Bu Eunseol stared intently at the sleeping woman’s face, then hesitated briefly.
‘Should I just kill them all?’
With her abilities, it wouldn’t be difficult to strike down all the assassins gathered here in a single blow.
‘I wouldn’t even need to use the Maiden’s Sealing Formation—if I use the Glacial River Technique, it would leave no trace.’
After a moment’s consideration, she shook her head.
‘No, traces aren’t the real problem.’
Gong Son Dan Gyeong wasn’t merely a talented woman—she was the Chief Inspector of the Murim Alliance itself.
If assassins suddenly began dying in an incomprehensible manner, what then?
She would certainly investigate until she understood what had happened.
‘Besides…’
Recalling something, Bu Eunseol shook her head.
In any case, given the current situation,
having Seon Woo Jin descend underground with Gong Son Dan Gyeong was the best course of action.
‘Hmm.’
Bu Eunseol gazed at Gong Son Dan Gyeong, whose long lashes cast shadows as her eyes remained closed.
Now that she looked closely, the woman had a slender face with slightly full cheeks, making her appear far younger than her actual years.
‘The sisters have completely different presences.’
If Gong Son Dan Ah were a peony, then Gong Son Dan Gyeong was like a magnolia bearing a serene fragrance.
Unlike her younger sister, she lacked flamboyance, yet her composed and elegant aura created a subtle, distinctive beauty.
“When I see Seon Woo Dae Ju, it reminds me of my younger sister.”
Just then, Gong Son Dan Gyeong murmured softly, her eyes still closed.
“From childhood, she displayed genius-level talent in everything. She was faster than me at whatever she did, and her appearance was incomparably beautiful.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong was not the type to reveal her inner thoughts to others.
But with her body and mind exhausted, and having been trapped in the Absolute Formation for so long, her heart suddenly grew weak.
“All I could take pride in was my composure and memory. So I memorized every book in the Main House, over and over. Since I couldn’t match her martial prowess or appearance, I had to surpass her with my mind.”
A hollow smile crossed her lips.
“When I was appointed Chief Inspector, I was proud for a while, thinking I had finally surpassed her. But now, looking at things, I’m still like this.”
The Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin not only diminished the senses and induced hallucinations, but also had the function of amplifying emotions.
After being trapped for more than two hours, she seemed suddenly unable to control her feelings.
“Looking back, I’ve never truly defeated that child even once.”
Her voice and gaze belonged not to the Chief who commanded the Murim Alliance, but merely to a beautiful woman.
Though her appearance shone brilliantly even in the darkness, Bu Eunseol’s eyes and expression remained composed.
“For the Chief to feel inadequate… does that mean something?”
“Of course. My younger sister possesses exceptional talent in martial arts, and she’s truly beautiful. When she’s around, I’m treated as though I don’t exist.”
“Hmm.”
“You don’t believe me?”
“No, I do.”
Now I could see that she harbored considerable inferiority toward her younger sister, Gong Son Dan Ah.
Bu Eunseol offered words of comfort to ease her feelings.
“Beauty is subjective, isn’t it? Different people have different tastes and perspectives. There are surely those who would rate the Chief more highly.”
“If you had met my younger sister, you would never say such things.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong spoke with self-deprecating irony.
“Seon Woo Dae Ju has been too occupied managing the merchant guild, traveling between Sae Oe and elsewhere, to encounter many beauties. Isn’t that so?”
Bu Eunseol fell silent.
In truth, he was the man most blessed by fortune in all of Murim.
He had knelt between Gong Son Dan Ah’s legs, gazing at her face at such close distance that he grew nauseated from the sweetness.
With Yeon So Ha, who rivaled her beauty, he had spent considerable time in Shenshui Palace and the Demon Palace.
He had seen Ah Yeon and Dan So Ok, who possessed beauty no less remarkable, and Jin Seol, called the Flower of Demon Palace, countless times there.
In the underground passages of Shaolin, he had been with Dang Cheong, known as the First Beauty of Sichuan.
Moreover, So Yo, a beauty possessing exotic and mysterious charm, constantly remained by his side.
He had also seen Yeol Hwa Sung Palace Master, who possessed the unique beauty distinctive to Nam Man, and Jeok Mu Mi.
Each of them radiated different allure, making it difficult to say who was more beautiful.
And Gong Son Dan Gyeong, in Bu Eunseol’s eyes, appeared scarcely different from them.
Perhaps this indifference to women’s beauty stemmed from his own nature.
“It’s not uncommon to overlook the magnolia while dazzled by the peony.”
Bu Eunseol offered honest comfort, delivered with composure.
“In truth, I don’t distinguish well between women’s appearances. However, everyone in the Alliance praises the Chief’s exceptional beauty.”
Bu Eunseol’s clear eyes harbored no deception.
For a moment, surprise and bewilderment flickered across Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s gaze.
But it lasted only briefly before her expression returned to its usual composure.
“Thank you.”
She rose to her feet as though renewed, speaking again.
“Then let’s go now.”
Standing once more, she took her place beside Bu Eunseol.
“I can wield a blade, so let’s fight together.”
“Chief.”
“It’s fine. Seon Woo Dae Ju has suffered many injuries as well.”
Indeed, Bu Eunseol had been forced to take the assassins’ blades multiple times.
Because I had no choice but to act entirely as Seon Woo Jin.
Gong Son Dan Gyeong understood that Bu Eunseol’s injuries were severe, and she wanted to fight alongside her.
She was an enterprising woman who refused to rely solely on others’ aid.
Perhaps this stemmed from always having accomplished everything alone.
But ultimately, disaster struck.
The moment she took her position beside me, the assassins—having discerned the shift in the formation to some degree—came pouring out.
Thwack, thwack!
Her body was instantly covered with multiple lacerations.
Yet Gong Son Dan Gyeong showed no alarm and fought the assassins with all her might.
“I will handle this.”
As Gong Son Dan Gyeong fell into danger, I swiftly unleashed a flying blade.
But among the assassins, there was one whose movements were exceptionally swift.
Using his fellow assassins’ bodies as shields, he evaded attacks with fluid speed while relentlessly targeting Gong Son Dan Gyeong.
‘He must be a squad leader.’
If a thousand assassins had surged forward, there would certainly be a separate squad leader commanding a portion of the forces.
This exceptional assassin almost certainly held the rank of squad leader.
Whoosh.
With the appearance of just one skilled squad leader, the assassins displayed movements entirely different from before.
I bit my lip.
‘There’s no choice.’
If I couldn’t escape this crisis, surviving alone would be meaningless.
I had no choice but to double my inner force and unleash the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms—Moo Ae Ja’s true secret technique.
Crash! Screech!
The assassins’ poisoned blades rained down upon me.
But the sword strikes they unleashed spun ferociously before cascading back toward their own bodies.
‘Disperse strong force, concentrate weak force and spin it.’
This was the ultimate technique of the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms—the move of Tong Wei Zhi Xuan.
“Ahhh!”
The assassins who had unleashed their attacks all at once were struck by the counterattack and collapsed to the ground.
‘The formation has been substantially compromised.’
With the mist dissipating and sensation returning, it was clear that part of the formation had been destroyed.
Then I had to move toward the underground passage as quickly as possible.
“Chief, this way!”
As I rushed forward and broke through the encirclement, she followed behind me.
She braced herself for injury and pushed the assassins back with all her strength.
The assassins unleashed their attacks, but she absorbed most with her body, and those she couldn’t evade, she deflected with the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms.
‘There it is.’
Finally spotting the mechanism leading underground, I pushed Gong Son Dan Gyeong through first and immediately entered after her.
Boom! Clang.
As the door finally closed, Gong Son Dan Gyeong and I gasped for breath.
“Huff. Huff.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong appeared to be in a daze.
Though she had endured countless trials, this was the first time she found herself in such a perilous situation where death hung by a thread.
“Truly remarkable.”
Even in this crisis, Gong Son Dan Gyeong praised Bu Eunseol’s swordsmanship.
“Was that the Iron Sword Thirteen Forms of Moo Ae Ja that you displayed earlier?”
“Yes, it was.”
“The form seemed to have been modified.”
When Bu Eunseol’s expression shifted to surprise, Gong Son Dan Gyeong let out a soft laugh.
“Would a Chief Inspector wield authority without even understanding her subordinates?”
Then she continued in a gentle voice.
“I didn’t choose Seon Woo Dae Ju merely because he could develop the Man Hwa Antique Shop and discern forgeries.”
“What do you mean?”
“This matter had to be kept in absolute secrecy. Therefore, I had to understand everything about Seon Woo Dae Ju beforehand—his martial prowess, his character, everything.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong continued her explanation with a faint smile.
Bu Eunseol, who had been listening intently, could not hide her astonishment.
If she could identify forgeries of Wol Ha Song Hui Do’s work—something even experts struggled to distinguish—
Then the time needed to identify all the forgeries in the Man Hwa Antique Shop would be roughly a single day.
And Bu Eunseol was a person of the sort who could absolutely keep secrets, and her hidden martial prowess was considerable enough that—
She could protect herself even in a crisis situation.
And that the attack would begin in this Sho Ho warehouse… she had predicted all of it.
‘A Chief Inspector is indeed a Chief Inspector.’
After hearing the full explanation, Bu Eunseol’s mind became crystal clear.
If she had underestimated Gong Son Dan Gyeong earlier, altered the formation, or covertly eliminated the assassins?
She would have been discovered immediately and fallen under suspicion.
“But you couldn’t have calculated that I could deploy the Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin formation.”
If Bu Eunseol had been unable to layer the formations?
She would have been unable to withstand the flood of assassins and would have been captured at once.
In other words, Gong Son Dan Gyeong must have prepared an alternative means to defend against the assassins even if the formations couldn’t be deployed.
“Of course, there was a contingency plan. But since Seon Woo Dae Ju successfully layered the formations, there’s no need to employ that method.”
“If you anticipated the attack, you must have had a way to eliminate them all at once.”
Bu Eunseol spoke as though relieved, but Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s expression grew serious.
“No. I have no such thing.”
“You don’t?”
“I, as Chief Inspector, am simply trusting that Sung Wi Dan Ju will surely come.”
Bu Eunseol’s mouth fell open in disbelief.
‘She thought it through to that extent, yet she’s acting as though she knows nothing.’
Gong Son Dan Gyeong, having seen through her thoughts, spoke calmly.
“Their power and influence are formidable. If they had stationed troops near this Sho Ho or prepared contingencies for a surprise assault…”
She shook her head with a dark expression.
“They would never have dared to launch an attack.”
“Those they speak of….”
“I cannot tell you that.”
When Gong Son Dan Gyeong spoke with such finality, Bu Eunseol shifted the conversation.
“Then you were planning to hold out with just me and wait for Sung Wi Dan Ju to arrive from the start?”
“How modest of you.”
She smiled as she continued.
“Though Seon Woo Dae Ju’s martial prowess isn’t widely known throughout Gangho, I’m well aware of how formidable he truly is. And more than that….”
After a brief pause, she went on.
“If he had been accompanied by a master of such caliber, they would never have dared launch a surprise attack. But Seon Woo Dae Ju, despite his considerable actual strength, lacks widespread renown—making him the perfect candidate for this operation.”
“I fail to understand.”
Bu Eunseol shook her head.
“What reason could justify taking such risks and allowing yourself to be attacked?”
“Because I needed absolute confirmation.”
“Of what?”
“Three things in total. First, whether the enemy’s intelligence network surpasses my own. Second, whether they would truly attempt to kill me if given the opportunity. And finally….”
A flash of brilliance ignited in Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s eyes.
“Whether there truly exists a traitor within the Chief Inspector Division, as Seon Woo Dae Ju claimed.”
A heavy silence, dense as lead, settled over the Underground Storage Chamber.
She, who had been staring blankly into the void, spoke once more.
“I have many matters to attend to in the future. Therefore, I had to confirm these three things without fail during this opportunity.”
Bu Eunseol swallowed hard.
Only now did she truly understand how Gong Son Dan Gyeong had become the youngest Chief Inspector.
Gong Son Dan Gyeong had
gambled with her life to discern the enemy’s intentions.
And to gauge the superiority of intelligence networks and identify traitors—she had wagered everything on this single hand.
In the end, all of this was her meticulous plan, and I was merely a puppet placed upon the board.
A puppet whose abilities and potential had been thoroughly calculated—a useful puppet indeed.
‘What a terrifying woman.’
Bu Eunseol exhaled an inward sigh.
‘Absolutely chilling.’
Everything she had displayed thus far must have been calculated.
The confusion she showed at Yeok Cheon Woon Ran Mi Ri Jin.
The inferiority complex she revealed when mentioning Gong Son Dan Ah.
All of it was deliberate action born from careful calculation.
To verify whether I was a trustworthy person.
To directly confirm whether I was susceptible to carnal desires or prone to rash impulses.
And had I shown even the slightest sign of deception or disrespect…
She would surely have deployed some decisive means to eliminate me.
‘Then I too must perform at this juncture.’
For Bu Eunseol, who had spent her days in the Demon Palace where schemes and conspiracies flourished, where plots and stratagems ran rampant—
Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s meticulously laid plans felt justified, even inevitable.
One had to gauge the enemy’s strength. One had to verify whether traitors existed. Only then could one survive.
But my current identity was Seon Woo Jin, the Elite Division Lord of the Murim Alliance.
Now that I had discovered the Murim Alliance’s Chief had deliberately executed such a scheme at the cost of his own life…
I had to respond in a manner befitting that revelation.
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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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