The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 496

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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 496.
“Palace Lord.”
Dae Gu Hwi bowed his head, suppressing the frantic beating of his heart.
Once favored, but after losing his beast powers, Dae Gon had severed all interest in him as though he were a different person entirely.
And though Dae Gu Hwi knew he suffered greatly from the jealousy and envy of his brothers, Dae Gon had never once offered aid.
Yet now, with the help of these two, he had claimed victory in the Beast Tournament—something that might well displease the Palace Lord.
“These two individuals—”
Just as Dae Gu Hwi began to stammer out his words,
“Silence.”
Dae Gon’s low, solemn voice cut through the air.
Dae Gu Hwi immediately retreated, cold sweat beading on his brow.
“Return to your quarters at once.”
“Yes?”
Dae Gu Hwi’s head snapped up in bewilderment.
Dae Gon’s expression had hardened like stone, his fierce eyes blazing with the intensity of the sun itself.
‘Is the Palace Lord angered?’
Was it because these two outsiders had been invited so abruptly? Or was it because I had produced a champion?
Dae Gu Hwi suppressed his turbulent thoughts and gathered his courage to speak once more.
“Palace Lord, I—”
“I said return.”
At Dae Gon’s stern command, Dae Gu Hwi bit his lip.
He lowered his head and fled from the camp like a hunted animal.
The moment Dae Gu Hwi departed, Dae Gon’s tiger-like eyes flashed as he fixed his gaze upon Neung Bi Hon.
“So.”
A snort escaped him as his thick brows twitched and he spoke.
“Why has the Thunder God, who dominates the martial world of Zhong Yuan, come to my palace under a false identity?”
It became clear he had already discerned Neung Bi Hon’s true identity.
“You had best answer well.”
An aura as immense as Mount Tai radiated from Dae Gon’s body.
“Unless you believed my palace to be a place anyone could enter and disrupt at will.”
The Beast Tournament was a stage to measure the capabilities of successors.
It seemed Dae Gon believed Neung Bi Hon had infiltrated Ya Soo Gung arbitrarily and sabotaged the tournament.
“Allow my sister to explain.”
Since Bu Eunseol had orchestrated everything, it was only fitting that she provide the explanation.
At Neung Bi Hon’s words, Bu Eunseol nodded and stepped forward.
“Palace Lord, to speak frankly, my brother has lost both his strength and his memories.”
Dae Gon’s eyes widened.
The Thunder God, one of the Four Messengers whose fame shone like the sun in the heavens, had lost both his power and his memories?
Moreover, this was the very heart of Ya Soo Gung.
If Dae Gon harbored ill intent, he could instantly gain the tremendous renown of having slain a Messenger.
But Bu Eunseol continued speaking with an unbothered expression.
“And to restore Thunder God’s power, we require the Palace Lord’s assistance.”
“Remarkable.”
Dae Gon stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“The Thunder God of Tianxia has lost his strength. Thus, I require the Palace Lord’s aid…is that it?”
Dae Gon continued stroking his chin, his voice dropping to an almost whisper.
“Why do you reveal all your cards so honestly to me?”
In any negotiation, the gravest mistake was exposing one’s entire hand.
“When have you ever seen me trust the Palace Lord in such a manner?”
“I am not trusting the Palace Lord.”
“Then what?”
Bu Eunseol answered without hesitation, her voice steady with conviction.
“Because this is Ya Soo Gung.”
Those words carried profound meaning.
Ya Soo Gung was a place where schemes and cunning held no sway.
The successive Palace Lords of Ya Soo Gung had always led the sect by trusting in instincts and senses as sharp as beasts themselves.
Bu Eunseol understood this well, and thus she had laid bare everything with complete honesty.
“So you trusted not me, but Ya Soo Gung itself…I see.”
Dae Gon found himself smiling warmly without realizing it.
As the Palace Lord leading Ya Soo Gung and as a disciple of the sect, it was the highest praise imaginable.
“If you speak such words, then you must have already discerned my nature beforehand.”
“That is correct.”
Through Sa Hon Dae, Bu Eunseol had learned that
Dae Gon took immense pride in being Ya Soo Gung’s Palace Lord and held schemers who solved everything through calculation in utter contempt.
Had Neung Bi Hon or Bu Eunseol revealed their identities openly and made their approach, or had they attempted to meet him through schemes,
he would never have acknowledged them.
But Bu Eunseol and Neung Bi Hon had concealed their identities to the very end and willingly followed Ya Soo Gung’s laws.
Even in unfair circumstances, they had silently endured the Beast Tournament and finally stood here before him.
Seeing that, she had predicted that Dae Gon would acknowledge their efforts thus far.
“Is that so.”
Then Neung Bi Hon said something unexpected.
“I thought my younger brother trusted Gu Hwi.”
“Gu Hwi?”
Dae Gon furrowed his brow.
“Has even the Thunder God of Tianxia’s vision finally failed him?”
And he clicked his tongue before continuing.
“That child cannot even awaken the Beast Lord’s power and is shunned by his siblings. In short, he is nothing but a puppet heir with no real authority.”
“And yet you call yourself his father, knowing nothing.”
Neung Bi Hon spoke with unwavering confidence.
“I know not whether he possesses strength, but Gu Hwi has integrity and a righteous nature. If one cannot trust such a child in this world, then one’s eyes are merely ornaments or broken.”
“What did you just say?”
An indescribable surge of formidable power erupted from Dae Gon’s body.
The aura filled the entire massive camp and seemed to press down upon Neung Bi Hon.
“Did it go in through his ears?”
Neung Bi Hon’s expression, which had remained gentle until now, froze like permafrost.
“If you cannot trust such a child, then your eyes are merely ornaments or blind, as I said.”
Silence hung in the air for a moment.
If Dae Gon’s fury erupted here, Bu Eunseol would have to face all thirty thousand disciples of Ya Soo Gung.
“Hehehehe. Hahahaha!”
Suddenly, Dae Gon burst into wild laughter.
The laughter rang so loudly that the entire camp seemed to shake.
“Yes, that’s right. If you cannot trust such a child, then the eyes are mere ornaments.”
When his laughter ceased, his expression turned bitter.
“It is only that his mother died a terrible death, and having witnessed that gruesome end, his talents became sealed.”
Neung Bi Hon’s expression grew puzzled.
So it seemed he cherished Dae Gu Hwi greatly after all?
“If you knew that, why did you not help the child?”
“Before I am a father, I am the Palace Lord who leads Ya Soo Gung. I cannot devote special care to just one child.”
And he sighed in a low voice.
“And to become a warrior who leads this palace, one must overcome any hardship by oneself.”
Remarkably, Dae Gon had always believed in Dae Gu Hwi.
Because he had inherited outstanding talent.
He would surely overcome despair by himself and display that remarkable talent once more.
“So, Brother Neung, what is it you desire?”
In fact, Dae Gon had instantly discerned that the flash of light Neung Bi Hon used when destroying the mechanism of Ten Thousand Beasts Gate was the Thunder God’s Lightning Technique.
Yet he neither pointed it out nor questioned it.
Because the Thunder God, a great patriarch of Zhong Yuan, had deliberately lowered his status and body to serve beneath his own son.
Considering the name and position of the Thunder God, he could have demanded a private audience with Dae Gon at any moment without anyone objecting.
Yet he had instead served beneath his son and fought in the Beast War.
For that sincerity alone, Dae Gon could not help but harbor goodwill toward Neung Bi Hon.
When Neung Bi Hon glanced at Bu Eunseol, he immediately stepped forward.
“We need the Divine Spirit Ranch.”
“The Divine Spirit Ranch. I see.”
The Divine Spirit Ranch was a divine artifact capable of drawing down lightning that strikes from the heavens.
In the past, Ya Soo Gung had used this Divine Spirit Ranch to repel malevolent forces lingering near Ya Soo Gung and purify the land.
But since the power of heavenly lightning was no longer needed, it had been stored in the Secret Library.
“I shall lend it to you.”
Dae Gon answered readily without further words.
He did not ask what benefit it would bring, or what service would be rendered in return.
This young man and Neung Bi Hon.
She could sense that he was someone who always repaid any kindness he received.
‘Thank goodness.’
Bu Eunseol exhaled an inward sigh of relief.
She had chosen to enter Ya Soo Gung by leveraging Dae Gon’s affection for Dae Gu Hwi.
Perhaps Dae Gon had already anticipated this entire scheme and might have been displeased by it.
But the gamble had succeeded.
Dae Gon had understood their efforts and was subtly pleased that they had helped Dae Gu Hwi.
After all, he genuinely cherished the boy.
If she had not obtained such information from Sa Hon Dae, Bu Eunseol would never have acquired the Divine Spirit Ranch so easily.
“However.”
Dae Gon rose to his feet and spoke.
“There is a condition.”
Dae Gon took a deep breath before continuing.
“Gu Hwi—that boy possesses the caliber to master the Beast Way of this palace to its pinnacle. Yet despite his exceptional talent, he has failed to awaken it.”
As Dae Gon stood, his towering frame exuded an overwhelming presence reminiscent of a colossal elephant.
“Take him with you and expose him to various experiences. Allow him to manifest his Beast Way once more.”
“That is…”
Bu Eunseol hesitated to answer immediately.
This journey was less a perilous venture through treacherous lands and more a pilgrimage to visit hidden sects.
“The remaining journey is primarily about visiting sects to seek their cooperation, rather than navigating through dangerous territories.”
“It matters not. I shall be satisfied simply by having you take him along.”
Dae Gon smiled faintly.
“Have you not already demonstrated a remarkable talent for awakening the potential of young martial prodigies?”
In that instant, Bu Eunseol realized that Dae Gon had discerned her true identity.
‘It must be because of the Beast Way.’
Thanks to her mastery of the Beast Way, she had been able to absorb Ya Soo Gung’s Beast Martial Arts in a single stroke.
And there was only one person in the martial world who had perfected the Beast Way at such a young age—the successor of Nangya Sect, Bu Eunseol herself.
And the fact that Bu Eunseol, successor of Nangya Sect, had awakened the talent of Hyuk So Jin, successor of Jeol Cheon Myul Ji, was knowledge shared throughout the entire Murim.
“After all, once the Divine Spirit Ranch is fully utilized, someone will be needed to reclaim it. I ask this of you.”
Bu Eunseol exhaled a long breath.
With the Palace Lord of Ya Soo Gung speaking so earnestly, she had no further grounds to refuse.
“I understand. However, I cannot guarantee that he will master the Beast Way during this journey.”
“Of course. As I said, I shall be content merely with you taking him along.”
“Very well.”
As Bu Eunseol nodded, Dae Gon spoke with an unusually gentle expression.
“I entrust him to your care.”
It was a respectful gesture, as if sending one’s child to an esteemed teacher.
Dae Gon truly cherished Dae Gu Hwi and lamented only that the boy’s talent had not yet blossomed.
But now that a worthy mentor had appeared, he was filled with confidence that Dae Gu Hwi would surely master the Beast Way.
“Palace Lord!”
At that moment, Dae Gu Hwi burst into the camp with a cry that resembled a scream.
Wi Sa, who guarded the camp, rushed after him in alarm and pulled him back out.
“My apologies! I told him he couldn’t enter again, but he forced his way in regardless….”
“Never mind. Let him be.”
Dae Gon dismissed Wi Sa and the others.
“What brings you here?”
“Well, you see….”
Dae Gu Hwi’s gaze fell upon Bu Eunseol and Neung Bi Hon.
When the Palace Lord had burst into laughter, Dae Gu Hwi was certain something terrible had happened.
―The Palace Lord never wanted me to win.
Upon investigating the backgrounds of these two, he had surely discovered they were hastily assembled—not truly his subordinates.
He believed the enraged Palace Lord had moved against them.
―I couldn’t simply stand by and do nothing!
These two had entrusted him and participated in the Beast Tournament; he couldn’t allow them to perish at the Palace Lord’s hands. He had risked his life and squeezed desperately into the camp.
‘What is the meaning of this?’
Yet now, looking at them, there seemed to be nothing amiss—and wasn’t there a hint of laughter playing at the corners of their mouths?
“Why have you returned?”
At Dae Gon’s question, Dae Gu Hwi stammered his reply.
“I… thought the Palace Lord displeased with these two and had moved against them.”
“What are you saying?”
Dae Gu Hwi could not meet Dae Gon’s stern gaze directly and lowered his head.
“Because you would not wish for me to win.”
Dae Gon furrowed his brow.
Only now did he realize that Dae Gu Hwi harbored not only resentment toward him, but a profound misunderstanding.
It was a misunderstanding that taciturn fathers commonly received from their children.
“All I have done is bring these two here and have them participate in the Beast Tournament, thereby gaining the advantage of a third party.”
“Meeting capable individuals such as them is itself a testament to your ability.”
Dae Gon spoke in a low voice.
“I have waited long for you to break through your limitations and forge fortuitous connections.”
Dae Gon was well aware that Dae Gu Hwi had been constantly checked by his brothers,
and that his subordinates had suffered grave injuries as a result when they participated in the Beast Tournament.
Yet heaven aids those who aid themselves.
Dae Gu Hwi had not despaired but persevered relentlessly, and through such fortuitous connections with these exceptional individuals, he had achieved victory in the Beast Tournament.
“Then why until now….”
Dae Gu Hwi bit his lip.
“Why have you treated me so coldly all this time?”
Unable to contain the sorrow bursting from his chest, Dae Gu Hwi spoke as if questioning him.
“Why did you allow my brothers to subject me to baseless jealousy and ostracism?”
“Ah.”
Dae Gon, as if struck by a torrent of emotions at once, exhaled a deep sigh with a complicated expression.
“To become a worthy successor to lead this palace, one must overcome trials through their own strength. A Palace Lord must never show favoritism toward someone simply because they possess exceptional talent.”
Shaking his head, he looked down at Dae Gu Hwi.
“However, since you’ve won this tournament, you’ll gradually gain subordinates who follow you within this palace. Work diligently from now on.”
Receiving such an unexpected answer, Dae Gu Hwi’s expression became utterly bewildered.
He had been resenting Dae Gon’s cold attitude all this time.
He had thought his father was a heartless man who couldn’t tolerate his son’s incompetence.
But the truth was… his father had believed in him, and trusted that he would overcome his trials on his own.
He had simply been waiting patiently.
“Go back.”
Dae Gon, thinking his words had been too lengthy, spoke coldly once more.
“My conversation is not finished yet. If you interrupt again, I will impose severe punishment.”
Stepping outside, Dae Gu Hwi gazed at the distant sky with an expression as if he were dreaming.
‘Was I truly such a foolish child?’
The next Palace Lord to lead Ya Soo Gung must never yield to any trial.
The father he had resented all this time had merely believed in him and waited. It was he himself who had misinterpreted and misunderstood that intention.
If that were so, then everything must change from now on.
‘I will… try again.’
Dae Gu Hwi clenched his fists tightly.
After losing the Beast’s Power, he had abandoned all thoughts of becoming Palace Lord.
He had merely wanted to be acknowledged as his father’s son, and so he wished to maintain his position as successor.
But his heart had changed.
He now intended to gather supporters once more and compete fairly with his brothers.
‘Mother, please watch over me.’
From now on, he would devote all his strength to manifesting the Beast’s Power once again.
And if he could awaken his talents anew… then Dae Gu Hwi would become worthy to be the successor who leads Ya Soo Gung.
* * *
The Divine Spirit Ranch, despite its name suggesting a wooden staff, was actually a sleek rod crafted from metal.
Moreover, it was equipped with a mechanism that allowed it to fold in layers, enabling adjustment of its length.
Dae Gu Hwi, under Dae Gon’s orders, was departing Ya Soo Gung alongside Bu Eunseol and the others, carrying the Divine Spirit Ranch.
“I am grateful for your assistance. Thunder Master, and Miss Bu.”
Dae Gu Hwi’s demeanor had become extremely cautious, having learned from Dae Gon that Neung Bi Hon was the Thunder God who overlooked the entire Murim.
“What’s there to be grateful for?”
Neung Bi Hon displayed a casual smile.
“You’ve already mastered excellent martial arts. All you need do is draw them forth again, so there’s no need to worry so much.”
“Thank you.”
The way the two conversed warmly resembled that of a father and son.
Bu Eunseol wore a faint smile and nodded gently.
“Then let us depart.”
After leaving Ya Soo Gung, Bu Eunseol’s group immediately headed toward Yunnan.
There existed a sect that possessed the second sacred artifact capable of reviving Neung Bi Hon’s Thunder Divine Power.
Mang Hon Valley.
Despite its ominous name—suggesting that even souls themselves are forgotten—this place had become a refuge where masters weary of the Murim came to live in seclusion.
It was also where those suffering from unbearable anguish sought solace.
This was because those who entered Mang Hon Valley could forget all their painful memories and live in peace.
However, not just anyone could enter Mang Hon Valley.
Only those who could naturally pass through the Gwi Gok Gate, which Mang Hon Valley had established, could enter.
It was said that the Gwi Gok Gate did not harm people, but rather served to select those who had reason to enter Mang Hon Valley—those carrying unforgettable pain.
If one lacked the qualifications to enter Mang Hon Valley, they would simply wander in circles within the Gwi Gok Gate before naturally exiting outside.
Once, many in the Murim had desired to enter Mang Hon Valley.
This was due to rumors that those who set foot there could live so happily they would never wish to leave again.
Indeed, some Murim masters who had entered Mang Hon Valley had once left at the request of their families and sects.
―I despise the outside world. I shall return to Mang Hon Valley.
Yet without exception, those who had left Mang Hon Valley yearned to return.
It was a paradise like the Immortal Realm itself, where only happiness and beauty remained—incomparably more blissful than the outside world.
Eventually, those who had left at their families’ and sects’ insistence returned to Mang Hon Valley.
―Let us go to Mang Hon Valley as well!
As such rumors spread, countless people flocked to Mang Hon Valley.
―So there are conditions for entering Mang Hon Valley.
The Mang Hon Valley Master then spoke to the surging crowd.
―First, one must be a Murim master consumed by despair. Second, one must pass through the Gwi Gok Gate to enter.
Despite these conditions, multitudes continued to pour into Mang Hon Valley.
Yet contrary to expectations, all those who had rushed in returned with disappointed expressions.
For the life in Mang Hon Valley was far from prosperous by ordinary standards, and nowhere near the happiness they had imagined.
―The legend of Mang Hon Valley was merely hearsay.
As those who had entered directly spread word of their disappointment,
the fervent interest in Mang Hon Valley vanished in an instant, and now even the fact that such a place existed had been forgotten.
Halfway up Yunnan Cheon Pung Mountain stood an abandoned mountain lodge where no one lived.
Perhaps due to the desolate atmosphere created by mist swirling in all directions, the closed gates of the lodge resembled an entrance to Hell itself.
Footsteps echoed through the mist.
Three shadows emerged through the fog—Bu Eunseol and her companions.
“So this is the institution that tests those seeking to enter Mang Hon Valley.”
As Neung Bi Hon murmured while gazing up at the lodge, Dae Gu Hwi’s expression grew anxious.
“Will we be able to enter?”
His face betrayed uncertainty, as if he too knew the tales of Mang Hon Valley.
“According to the rumors at the time, only Murim masters burdened with worry and sorrow could enter.”
Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
“If we cannot enter, then we shall create the conditions to do so.”
I must enter Mang Hon Valley and obtain the Hyun Yeop Stone.
To find the Taoist Emperor’s Successor.
And to uncover the true form of Neung Bi Hon sealed away in oblivion.
Thud, thud.
Bu Eunseol walked toward the mountain lodge without hesitation.
Creak.
As I stepped inside, the weathered door swung open on its own.
The interior was consumed by darkness, as if a colossal beast had opened its maw wide, revealing a throat of shadow.
“Let’s go.”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Neung Bi Hon and Dae Gu Hwi followed behind.
Thud.
The lodge door closed.
In an instant, darkness engulfed everything.
It seemed a formation had been activated.
Whoosh.
Then, brilliant light suddenly bloomed before my eyes, and the surroundings began to turn white.
As the light gradually faded, an unbelievable landscape unfolded before me.
The pitch-black interior of the mountain lodge had transformed into a magnificent Flower Garden, where vibrant blossoms bloomed and their fragrant perfume filled the air.
Whisper.
A soft, warm breeze drifted from somewhere.
And each time that breeze brushed against my hair, faint memories began to flow into my mind.
They were the happiest moments of all my years alive—precious memories spent with Bu Chanyang.
‘Is such a thing possible through a formation?’
Bu Eunseol could not hide her astonishment.
Having reached the realm of Eternal Spiritual Mastery, I could defend against any intrusion into the spirit.
Yet merely by witnessing the surrounding scenery, merely by catching the fragrant scent of flowers… to be made to recall happy memories?
‘An illusion?’
A chill ran through my chest.
Could it be that whoever installed this Flower Garden within this mechanism had reached the realm of the Infinite?
Simply by entering this space, were they drawing forth memories buried deep within the heart?

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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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