The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 534

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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 534.
Bu Eunseol asked with an expression of bewilderment.
“Why did you order it to be made?”
“I don’t know either.”
“Then why did you make it?”
“To some extent.”
Ma Geom Ja shook his head.
“But their demands were endless. And one of the conditions for crafting any demonic weapon was that not a single trace of emotion could remain.”
Tears of blood streamed from Ma Geom Ja’s eyes.
“In the end, he murdered my entire family. I too struggled to escape from that demon-like creature, but instead, he turned everyone around me into puppets and kept me under surveillance.”
Bu Eunseol exhaled deeply.
Only then could she grasp the situation with perfect clarity.
“Dharma Protector Division Lord Hyuk Ryeon Eung. He’s the one who coerced you, isn’t he?”
“How did you know that?”
Ma Geom Ja’s mouth fell open in shock, and Bu Eunseol shook her head with a bitter expression.
“Because I’ve experienced his cruelty firsthand.”
“Experienced it? Didn’t you say you were the Lord of Moo Hon Ryeong?”
He had spent ten years in hiding and heard nothing of the Murim world.
Bu Eunseol sighed deeply and explained her situation in broad strokes.
How Hyuk Ryeon Eung’s identity had been exposed, how he vanished from both the Demon Palace and Wei Wang Residence, and how a bounty of a million silver taels had been placed on his capture.
“I see.”
Ma Geom Ja let out a profound sigh.
“To overcome his Heart Devouring Technique at such a young age… truly, you are worthy of being called the successor of the Demon Palace.”
Bu Eunseol felt a strange thought cross her mind.
“But why did you allow yourself to be coerced by him?”
Hyuk Ryeon Eung had mastered the Heart Devouring Technique to its pinnacle, capable of subduing a person’s spirit in an instant.
If he had wanted to control Ma Geom Ja, there would have been no need for coercion—he could simply have turned him into a puppet.
“Moreover, it seems he hasn’t even learned martial arts.”
“That’s what he said.”
Ma Geom Ja spoke with a bitter expression.
“Throughout my life, I’ve resisted the demonic energy that invades the spirit, crafting demonic weapons all the while. That’s why his Heart Devouring Technique doesn’t work on me.”
The temptation flowing from demonic weapons is comparable to the most vicious spirit-devouring arts.
Having endured it for so long while crafting demonic weapons, I could withstand Hyuk Ryeon Eung’s Heart Devouring Technique as well.
“I see.”
Bu Eunseol took a deep breath.
“It seems unwise to remain under the Murim Alliance’s protection. Will you leave with me?”
Ma Geom Ja’s expression twisted in anguish.
Though he had eventually left the Demon Palace and come to the Murim Alliance, they too did not trust him.
Under the guise of protection, they kept him at their training grounds, but it was merely surveillance.
When someone from the Demonic Path appeared, they had tried to kill him.
“Return to the Demon Palace? If Hyuk Ryeon Eung is a chess piece of the Three Realms, then there must be another chess piece as well?”
I understood Ma Geom Ja’s sentiment.
Having been tormented simultaneously by the chess piece of the Three Realms and Hyuk Ryeon Eung, the Demon Palace must feel like a den of malevolent spirits to him.
Even if Hyuk Ryeon Eung were gone.
From Ma Geom Ja’s perspective, there would be fear that another such figure might exist somewhere else.
“I would rather you kill me than take me to the Demon Palace.”
Ma Geom Ja spoke with resolve.
“Even if it costs me my life, I will never return to the Demon Palace.”
“I understand.”
I nodded as if there was nothing to be done about it.
What Chong Gyo Ryeong desired was Ma Geom Ja’s whereabouts. He had not ordered me to bring him back at any cost, so I had fulfilled my duty.
“Farewell then.”
“You’re just leaving like this?”
“Yes.”
Ma Geom Ja’s expression turned puzzled.
As the Moo Hon Ryeong Ju, I should have taken him back for the Demon Palace’s interests at the very least.
To leave him behind with such indifference?
“Why?”
Ma Geom Ja questioned me in return.
“There will be no one to manage the demonic soldiers in the Demon Palace, will there? You have always managed them.”
“What can be done about it.”
I spoke with an unconcerned expression.
“You must be sick of that wretched place. I cannot force you to stay.”
Ma Geom Ja’s expression went blank.
The successor to the Demon Palace was calling it a wretched place.
Something was fundamentally wrong here, wasn’t it?
“I hope you find happiness in your remaining years.”
I turned away from Ma Geom Ja.
It seemed I truly intended to leave just like this.
Ma Geom Ja took a deep breath and gazed at the sharp blade in the Blacksmith Shop.
I hated the Demon Palace.
But the Wu Tian Duan warriors who had been watching this place were dead… In the end, the Murim Alliance would consider me a chess piece of the Demon Palace.
In the end, no matter how vast the realm, there was nowhere left for me to belong.
“So the end of this long and bitter life is this Yeon Wol Valley.”
It had been a long and tedious existence.
Taking a deep breath, I grasped the sharp dagger in my hand.
“I only wished to become a skilled craftsman.”
In that moment, I, who was about to leave, sensed something amiss and turned back.
I had realized what Ma Geom Ja was about to do.
‘I was too careless.’
He is being pursued by the allied forces that divide the Murim in two.
Ma Geom Ja has become a man with nowhere to stand, nowhere to belong.
Twang!
Bu Eunseol immediately channeled her inner energy to flick Ma Geom Ja’s dagger far away.
“What are you doing?”
“Elder, come to Bon Gak instead.”
“Bon Gak?”
“Let us go to Nangya Pavilion.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with an utterly earnest gaze.
“If you come to Nangya Pavilion, you will not face interference from anyone and can live in comfort.”
“Hmph, so now you’re asking me to forge weapons for Nangya Pavilion?”
Ma Geom Ja, who had quickly snatched up the dagger from the ground, spoke coldly.
“In the end, you too are using this old man….”
“Bon Gak has no one who uses divine swords or demonic weapons.”
Bu Eunseol cut him off.
“To deeply master Bon Gak’s practical martial techniques, sharp weapons would only become a hindrance.”
Ma Geom Ja’s movements faltered.
Now that he thought about it, among the masters of Nangya Pavilion, there were scarcely any who wielded exceptional weapons.
Even Ak Moo Ryung, the Pavilion Master himself, said that only the weak used weapons, and he walked about empty-handed at all times, did he not?
“If you go there, you will never need to grip a hammer again in your lifetime.”
“You’re saying I don’t need to forge weapons?”
“That’s right. You’ve forged them until you’re sick of it—wouldn’t it be better to rest comfortably now?”
Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
“Now set down the hammer and spend your days drinking with the elders of Bon Gak. That wouldn’t be so bad, would it?”
Ma Geom Ja’s expression went blank.
In all his years of life, not a single person had ever told him to set down his hammer.
Weapons. Weapons. Weapons. Weapons.
Everyone who knew him had only ever asked him to forge weapons until he was sick of them.
But this man was telling him—
To stop forging weapons instead.
“Why do you make such a proposal to this old man?”
“My grandfather once said.”
Bu Eunseol gazed toward the distant sky as she spoke.
“Those who have walked a single path their entire lives without turning their eyes to anything else deserve to rest comfortably in their final years.”
He turned his head and looked at Ma Geom Ja, clasping his hands together.
“As the successor of the Demon Palace, for failing to distinguish between Hyuk Ryeon Eung and demonic beings like the Demon Palace’s schemers, and thus causing you suffering… I sincerely apologize.”
There was no need for this young man to feel responsible or apologize simply because he had not prevented Hyuk Ryeon Eung’s misdeeds.
One way or another, this taciturn successor of the Demon Palace was worried about whether he should end his own life or abandon another’s.
“Hehehehe.”
Ma Geom Ja showed a refreshed smile for the first time since meeting Bu Eunseol.
“Putting down the hammer… I suppose.”
It was something I had never once considered.
Yet living that way didn’t seem like it would be entirely unpleasant.
But then Ma Geom Ja pointed to Bu Eunseol’s blade.
“But do you intend to keep using that demonic sword?”
“I plan to use it for the time being.”
Ma Geom Ja smiled faintly.
“Then I’ll need to craft a scabbard for it. That way, not only will the demonic energy not leak out, but it won’t harm its master either.”
“A demonic sword harms its master?”
“You didn’t know? A demonic sword ultimately devours even its master’s fate. That’s why it’s called a demonic sword.”
“I see.”
Bu Eunseol, who had been pondering this, extended the Devouring Demonic Sword to Ma Geom Ja.
“Then, is it possible for other master craftsmen besides you to create a scabbard for this blade?”
Given that demonic swords possess such peculiar properties.
They reject anything but the original pair of scabbards they were forged with.
Especially this Devouring Demonic Sword, which possessed enough power to shatter any demonic blade.
Yet its exterior was crafted from a metal with such a unique luster that one would mistake it for an ordinary iron sword.
“Crafting a scabbard is easier than forging a demonic sword. You simply need to use the same material.”
Ma Geom Ja, who had been observing the Devouring Demonic Sword intently, blinked.
Only then did he realize that Bu Eunseol’s demonic sword was no ordinary blade.
“Wait, what exactly is this?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s not a simple demonic sword, is it? It’s as if a divine blade and a demonic sword were mixed together.”
Ma Geom Ja furrowed his brow and asked.
“Where on earth did you obtain such a blade?”
‘There’s no need to explain what happened at Geom Chong to the old master.’
Bu Eunseol gave a vague answer.
“I obtained it by chance while traveling through Gangho. But it turned out to be a Devouring Demonic Sword that consumes demonic blades.”
“Consumes demonic blades? You mean it destroys them?”
“Yes. All this sword demands is demonic blades.”
As I continued my explanation, I infused the Devouring Demonic Sword with divine energy.
A resonant hum emanated from it.
Then mysterious patterns were inscribed upon the blade, and golden and crimson light flowed forth.
“When I channel power into it, these patterns and light emerge.”
Ma Geom Ja, who knew nothing of martial arts, would be unfamiliar with divine energy.
So I expressed divine energy as “power” for easier understanding.
“This is…”
“So it is indeed a demonic sword, isn’t it?”
When Ma Geom Ja uttered something cryptic with a strange expression, Bu Eunseol tilted her head in confusion.
“It seems to be manifesting some hidden function… but I have no idea how such a thing is even possible.”
“Displaying the sword’s function?”
Ma Geom Ja sighed deeply and shook his head.
“That’s not displaying the sword’s function at all.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Those patterns appear because the sword has been sealed to prevent it from exerting its power.”
“Sealed? You’re saying the sword’s function was sealed?”
He nodded.
Ma Geom Ja nodded, his eyes gleaming as he spoke in an unusually low voice.
“That sword is a Dark Divine Artifact.”
“A Dark Divine Artifact?”
Bu Eunseol had begun her journey through Gangho starting from the Guusal Unit, and had learned metallurgy from Cheol Sa Bu Wang Gyeol, making her more knowledgeable about weapons than most.
“I’ve studied considerably and can recognize ancient weapons fairly well, but…”
Bu Eunseol furrowed her brow.
“I’ve never heard the term Dark Divine Artifact before.”
“It’s no wonder you haven’t.”
Ma Geom Ja took a deep breath before speaking.
“In the current Murim, only I have read the Weapon Codex of the Jung Sun Ga.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened.
“You mean the Jung Sun Ga from that legendary tale of the Three Houses?”
“That’s right.”
Jung Sun, Yang Seol, Baek Ri.
These were all mysterious clans that had astounded the world with their exceptional abilities.
However, because they appeared so suddenly and vanished just as quickly, leaving barely any records behind…
Most martial artists believed the stories of these three houses had been greatly exaggerated in their transmission.
Yet Ma Geom Ja had actually seen the Jung Sun Ga’s Weapon Codex?
“According to the codex, there were several other clans beyond the Three Houses that remained hidden. The Dark Divine Artifact was mentioned while explaining those clans.”
“What exactly is a Dark Divine Artifact?”
“A Dark Divine Artifact refers to the most powerful among Divine Artifacts.”
Bu Eunseol asked as if she couldn’t understand.
“It possesses the greatest power among Divine Artifacts… so why is it called ‘Dark’?”
“Because its power is so overwhelming that it can actually summon darkness.”
Ma Geom Ja spoke in an ominous tone.
“With such tremendous power, not only the owner of the Divine Artifact but countless others can be brought calamity. That’s why the name Dark Divine Artifact was given to mark this danger.”
“Is it true such a weapon exists in this world?”
Bu Eunseol asked urgently.
“Then where is that Weapon Codex? Could I also read it?”
“Sam Gye already stole it when I was in the Demon Palace.”
Bu Eunseol, lost in thought, stroked her chin as she spoke.
“Then we cannot verify whether what you saw was truly the Jung Sun Ga’s text, nor can we confirm its authenticity.”
“….”
“I suspect those books of unknown origin are riddled with absurd tales, are they not?”
“This Dark Divine Technique actually exists.”
“How could you possibly know that?”
“Because I’ve seen more than just books.”
Ma Geom Ja spoke to Bu Eunseol with an intensity that burned in his eyes.
“I witnessed it myself—a person wielding the Dark Divine Technique.”
“Who was it?”
“Baek Ri Mu Ha.”
Ma Geom Ja’s pupils blazed like smoldering coals igniting into flame.
“That man, whom they called the First Secret of Murim, wielded such a Dark Divine Technique.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened with shock.
A mysterious master who had appeared as if dropped from the heavens themselves, swiftly defeating one Orthodox master after another in succession.
Then was his extraordinary martial prowess a result of wielding the Dark Divine Technique?
“He swung a single blade to hold back the flood, and in doing so, altered both the direction and depth of the river’s flow.”
Ma Geom Ja drew a deep breath.
“That is something no human strength could ever accomplish.”
To alter the direction and very depth of a flowing river with but a single stroke—it seemed impossible.
Then was Baek Ri Mu Ha not human at all, but a god?
‘No, that cannot be.’
Bu Eunseol shook her head.
She recalled that upon reaching the Limitless Realm, one could manifest ‘phenomena’ beyond human capability.
“The weapon he wielded may not have been the Dark Divine Technique at all.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with measured calm.
“You have not cultivated martial arts, Elder. You may have mistaken the power created by a supreme master wielding a divine blade for the Dark Divine Technique.”
“The weapon he used was certainly the Dark Divine Technique.”
“How can you be certain?”
“Because I heard him mention it directly, and I witnessed him seal it away.”
Ma Geom Ja’s gaze grew distant as he recalled those moments.
“After he altered the river’s flow, he gazed upon the blade and murmured, ‘This Dark Divine Technique is far too powerful.'”
“….”
“He then established a seal formation, poured forth white light to inscribe patterns upon the blade’s surface, and fed it his own blood from his fingertips.”
Bu Eunseol found the notion deeply unsettling.
She had heard Baek Ri Mu Ha possessed extraordinary martial prowess, yet from Ma Geom Ja’s account, he behaved like a sorcerer employing mystical arts.
“Then you’re saying he was a sorcerer?”
“I cannot say. However, since ancient times, inscribing patterns upon blades or using blood to suppress the power of demonic weapons has been nothing unusual.”
Ma Geom Ja took another deep breath and continued.
“Then he turned his head and smiled at me, hidden as I was in the shadows watching. And in an instant, he vanished.”
Bu Eunseol drew in a measured breath.
If everything Ma Geom Ja had said were true.
Then Baek Ri Mu Ha, called the First Secret of Murim, was either an absolute master who had reached the Limitless Realm, or—
Or perhaps it was a technique wielded by a sorcerer of mysterious and arcane hues—one forgotten even by the Murim.
“Then you’re saying this blade is the Dark Divine Weapon that Baek Ri Mu Ha once wielded?”
“I cannot say for certain. The rain was so heavy that what I observed clearly was only the mysterious pattern inscribed upon the blade itself.”
Bu Eunseol drew a deep breath.
What if this Killing Demon Blade was indeed the Dark Divine Weapon? Should she discard it?
Possessing such a weapon could hinder the development of her martial arts.
‘Needless arrogance.’
Yet she shook her head immediately.
I cultivated my martial prowess for one reason alone: vengeance.
If the blade possessed formidable power, I should welcome it with open arms, not regard it with caution.
“Well, do not worry yourself.”
But Ma Geom Ja’s next words rendered my resolve meaningless.
“Only the original creator can unseal it.”
“Even you, Elder?”
“Indeed. Unfortunately, the Jung Sun Ga’s weapon records contained no explanation of how to seal or unseal the Dark Divine Weapon.”
When Bu Eunseol’s expression turned blank, Ma Geom Ja let out a soft chuckle.
“Are you disappointed?”
“Not at all, Elder.”
Bu Eunseol shook her head.
“I chose this blade for only two reasons: a small debt of gratitude, and because it can destroy demonic weapons.”
“A debt?”
“It once cleared a blockage in my meridians.”
“I see. Granting power to its user is commonplace among divine demonic blades.”
Ma Geom Ja, who had been examining the Killing Demon Blade intently, drew a deep breath.
“In any case, if you intend to continue using that blade, it would be wise to have a scabbard crafted for it. All divine demonic blades require sheaths to strengthen their spiritual essence.”
Bu Eunseol pondered for a moment.
If this truly was that Dark Divine Weapon.
Then Ma Geom Ja would be the only person in the current Murim capable of crafting a scabbard for the Killing Demon Blade.
Bu Eunseol urged him to set down his hammer, and Ma Geom Ja accepted.
If I were to ask him to craft a scabbard again?
I would be no different from those who had long tormented Ma Geom Ja.
“Then I suppose I must touch the hammer one last time.”
At that moment, Ma Geom Ja spoke with a faint smile.
“Only I can craft that scabbard.”
“Elder.”
“You lack the cunning befitting a successor of the Demon Palace.”
Ma Geom Ja spoke with a faint smile.
“You thought it improper to ask me for a favor.”
…
“But seeing you struggle and resign yourself… I cannot turn away so coldly.”
“I wasn’t groaning about it.”
“Well, that’s how it appeared to these old eyes.”
Ma Geom Ja realized that despite her outward appearance, Bu Eunseol possessed a remarkably upright and pure character.
He picked up his hammer once more, intending to craft a scabbard for the blade.
“I offer you my sincere gratitude.”
Bu Eunseol pressed her palms together and bowed her head.
“And I apologize for causing you to reconsider your resolve.”
“The successor of the Demon Palace bowing her head over a mere scabbard? Hehehehe.”
Ma Geom Ja laughed, revealing yellowed teeth.
“However, merely crafting a scabbard won’t break the seal. At best, it will strengthen the spiritual essence and allow perfect control of the demonic energy.”
“That is sufficient.”
Bu Eunseol’s expression brightened.
When Ma Geom Ja recognized the Killing Demon Blade as a true demon blade, she had thought that under Seon Woo Jin’s identity, she could no longer wield this sword.
But if a scabbard could be crafted to control the demonic energy of this Killing Demon Blade?
Then she would possess an excellent weapon she could carry with confidence anywhere.
Especially since as a member of the Orthodox Sects, she would often face the Demonic Path and villains.
Seon Woo Jin’s identity would need the Killing Demon Blade far more than Bu Eunseol’s would.
“Then I entrust this to you.”
Ma Geom Ja nodded with a faint smile.
“This shall be my final work.”

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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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