The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 54

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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 54
I had expected him to be quite skilled.
Yet the resistance that traveled through my fingertips from Bu Eunseol’s pulse gate was far weaker than I could have imagined.
‘How disappointing. The atmosphere seemed so convincing.’
Bu Eunseol’s eyes were cast downward, and her entire being radiated an air of composure.
It was the bearing one might expect from a martial artist of exceptional skill, yet upon closer observation, it appeared to be nothing more than a personality devoid of warmth.
‘Whether her martial prowess is high or low matters little to me. All I need do is secure some wine and make my escape. Heh heh.’
As it turned out, the Young Scholar’s true intention was to dazzle Bu Eunseol with his presence, obtain some wine, and flee.
“Hahaha.”
As an awkward silence settled between them, the Young Scholar let out a forced laugh.
“Truth be told, I entered this path at a tender age. Because of that, I’ve endured considerable hardship.”
Though he joked, there was no particular response.
The Young Scholar scratched his head with an embarrassed expression.
“You certainly don’t speak much, do you? I hope my sudden joining you hasn’t caused you great inconvenience?”
Bu Eunseol regarded him quietly for a moment, then shook her head without a word.
“Ah, what a relief.”
The Young Scholar patted his chest with an expression of gratitude.
“I’ve been anxious ever since whether you might cast me out. Hahahaha!”
The Young Scholar’s manner was somewhat impertinent, yet surprisingly not unpleasant.
To be more truthful, I found this spirited young man rather likable.
He was not only a peer I had encountered for the first time since entering Gangho, but he also carried a bright and luminous presence.
‘Perhaps it is because I chose the Demonic Path.’
Gazing upon this radiant youth, I felt as though the world around me had been consumed by darkness.
‘Or is it because I chose vengeance?’
The reason remained unknown.
As a sense of suffocation gripped my throat, I reached for my wine cup once more.
My manner of drinking was peculiar.
Strong spirits like yellow wine are typically drained in a single gulp.
Yet I drank as though savoring tea, allowing each small sip to flow slowly down my throat.
“You….”
The Young Scholar, who had been gazing at me with rapt attention as I drank, spoke.
“It seems you have endured much hardship.”
“…?”
“Because you drink strong spirits as though they were sweet.”
The Young Scholar spoke with a sheepish expression.
“My master once told me that those who drink strong spirits sweetly have already tasted all the bitterness life has to offer.”
The Young Scholar’s words seemed like nonsense, yet they carried a subtle wit.
“Hehe.”
I found myself smiling without realizing it.
That smile was as elegant and pure as a plum blossom blooming amid the depths of winter snow.
‘How can a man’s smile be so beautiful?’
The Young Scholar, who had been mesmerized by Bu Eunseol’s smile, snapped back to reality and shook his head.
“Ah, that’s right. We haven’t even exchanged names yet. I’m….”
“Myeong Woon, you reckless fool!”
At that moment, with a thunderous clatter, nine martial artists dressed in dark blue robes ascended the stairs to this floor.
“You, you bastard….”
The largest of the five martial artists, with thick eyebrows, spotted the Young Scholar and bellowed.
“This wretch! Are you sneaking away again to guzzle wine at a pleasure house?”
“Senior Brother.”
“Senior Brother? What Senior Brother, you troublemaking pest?”
The burly martial artist strode forward and seized the Young Scholar by the ear.
“You reckless fool! I won’t forgive you today!”
“Ah? Wait. Ow! Ow! Let go of….”
Regardless of the Young Scholar’s cries, the martial artist gripped his neck with a hand like a pot lid and dragged him downward.
“Brother! It’s been a pleasure!”
Even as he was dragged away like a puppy held by the scruff, the Young Scholar waved toward Bu Eunseol.
“Let’s share another drink next time we meet!”
After the Young Scholar departed, one of the remaining eight martial artists—small-eyed and gaunt—clasped his hands respectfully toward Bu Eunseol.
“We apologize for the disturbance.”
He cleared his throat and spoke again.
“No doubt that fool spouted nonsense and ordered wine without thinking. Am I right?”
Bu Eunseol nodded, and the martial artist’s expression darkened.
“If we hadn’t arrived when we did, that wretch would have drunk his fill and disappeared.”
He then withdrew a large silver ingot from his pocket and placed it on the table.
“Since our youngest disciple made a mistake, we shall settle the bill ourselves.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“Don’t be troubled. Then….”
As the martial artist turned to leave, Jeomsoi, who had been watching from a distance, came scurrying over.
“Great Hero, this amount cannot settle the account.”
“What do you mean?”
“This yellow wine costs ten taels per bottle.”
“Ten taels? Why is a bottle of yellow wine so expensive?”
“This is no ordinary yellow wine—it’s our tavern’s premium vintage, aged for thirty years.”
“What!”
The martial artist jumped to his feet.
There were at least ten wine vessels on the table. The bill for the wine alone exceeded one hundred taels.
“Myeong Woon… this senseless fool!”
As the gaunt martial artist trembled, Bu Eunseol withdrew two hundred-tael notes from her pocket and placed them on the table.
“It was delicious.”
She then rose from her seat and gently patted Jeomsoi’s head.
“What remains is yours to keep.”
“Really? Truly? Thank you so much!”
As Jeomsoi bounced excitedly, a gaunt martial artist approached Bu Eunseol and offered a money pouch.
“Please accept at least half of it.”
Then a man with protruding front teeth from the group spoke up.
“Senior Brother. That’s our travel expenses to get home….”
“Silence.”
However, Bu Eunseol simply passed by the gaunt martial artist without acknowledgment and headed toward the stairs.
“Wait!”
The gaunt martial artist, feeling ignored, quickly blocked Bu Eunseol’s path.
“Please take it.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“Please take it. Disciples of the Hyungsan Sect do not owe debts to others.”
‘The Hyungsan Sect?’
Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened as I recalled the booklet that Cheol Master Wang Gyeol had given me.
The Hyungsan Sect.
In the past, it held a proud place among the Nine Sects One Alliance, but two hundred years ago, Neung Ryeong, the sect leader of the Hyungsan Sect, mysteriously vanished.
Because of this, the inner cultivation secrets known as the “Twin Absolutes” of the Hyungsan Sect—the Pipa Sword and the Painting Line Secret Technique—were lost, and the sect had been in decline ever since.
Clang.
The gaunt martial artist placed a sword from his possession onto the table.
“This is a Yong Cheon Sword forged from genuine refined iron from Jeol Gang Yong Cheon. Even if pawned, it should fetch at least five hundred taels.”
The Yong Cheon region of Jeol Gang was famous for producing high-quality metal.
In particular, swords named Yong Cheon Swords could easily cut through iron and were treated as treasured weapons. Yet he was trying to pawn one for the cost of drinks?
“Senior Brother Yi!”
The other three martial artists cried out loudly, and the gaunt man waved his hand dismissively.
“Don’t worry. I’ll retrieve it later. Until then….”
‘Hmm.’
Bu Eunseol silently sighed inwardly.
These disciples of the Hyungsan Sect possessed the pure and clean disposition befitting disciples of an Orthodox Sect. Yet because their sect had fallen into decline, their inferiority complex was equally profound.
‘There’s no helping it.’
With an inward sigh, I subtly adjusted the muscles of my face.
I had thought of a way to escape this situation more quickly.
“So you’re from the Hyungsan Sect.”
Bu Eunseol approached the gaunt martial artist and spoke with a slightly surprised expression.
“Why didn’t you mention it earlier?”
“What do you mean?”
“Had I known you were from the Hyungsan Sect, I would have asked to treat you to drinks instead.”
As the gaunt martial artist looked surprised, Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
“Since I grew up in a remote mountain village, I’ve always longed to see even once the heroes of the great Orthodox Sects.”
Then I turned my gaze toward the window outside.
“That’s why I came to Ayang for sightseeing, but I regretted not having the fortune to meet anyone. Now that I’ve had the chance to meet the heroes of Hyungsan Sect in person, some of that regret has faded.”
As Bu Eunseol, who had appeared rigid until now, began to praise them, a smile bloomed at the corners of the gaunt martial artist’s mouth.
“Heroes? That’s far too generous a word.”
“Not at all. If you don’t mind, I’d be delighted to treat you. How about sharing a drink with me?”
In the past, I could never have managed such casual banter.
But ever since mastering the Art of Calculated Deception, I could shift my atmosphere and tone of voice whenever I wished.
“I’m afraid not! We’ll be leaving Ayang shortly. Please don’t trouble yourself.”
“What a shame.”
Bu Eunseol feigned disappointment and clasped her hands together respectfully.
“Then I’ll take my leave now.”
“Ah, yes. Well then….”
As the gaunt martial artist clasped his hands, the senior disciples behind him bowed to Bu Eunseol in unison.
With just a few words, I had left a favorable impression on the Hyungsan Sect members and departed immediately.
‘Inferiority complex… it is like drinking poison into one’s heart.’
Inferiority complex.
Such vicious self-doubt not only degraded oneself but was ultimately a poison that ravaged both body and spirit.
Several days later.
After resting thoroughly at my hideout, I returned to Hoehyeon Old Book Store.
“Welcome.”
Sang Ryang’s face brightened as he saw Bu Eunseol enter through the door.
“What brings you here today?”
“I’d like to purchase a book I didn’t see last time.”
“I see. It seems our honored guest is becoming quite the regular at our humble bookstore. Hehehehe.”
Sang Ryang broke into a hearty laugh, tilting his head as he observed Bu Eunseol in her white robes.
‘Yet something seems odd. Her appearance changes slightly each time I see her.’
When Bu Eunseol first arrived, she had looked like an ordinary tourist passing through.
But now she resembled a wandering scholar who had spent years drifting through libraries and studies.
‘Perhaps it’s just different clothing?’
He didn’t realize it was because Bu Eunseol was freely employing both the Art of Calculated Deception and the Bone-Shifting Technique.
“You’ve come again, honored guest.”
Just then, Ma Woon, who had been organizing the shelves, noticed Bu Eunseol and bowed his head respectfully.
Sang Ryang then came to his senses and waved his hand.
“Ma Woon, this guest wishes to purchase another book. Guide them to the inner shelves.”
“Understood.”
Upon entering the secret inner shelves, Bu Eunseol’s expression grew puzzled.
Last time there had been only five or six books, yet now dozens of volumes lined the shelves.
“There are quite a few books now.”
Ma Woon replied matter-of-factly to Bu Eunseol’s remark.
“Since resolving the matter with the Nine Heavens Sect, business has increased somewhat.”
Half of that was a lie.
Sang Ryang intuited that Bu Eunseol possessed exceptional abilities, so he had meticulously gathered every difficult commission available in Ayang.
“All the tasks here are Ocheopjae rank or higher bounties. Well, since you’re quite skilled, I’m sure you’ll handle them well enough…”
Bu Eunseol ignored Ma Woon’s sarcastic remark and began examining the ledger.
‘Hmm.’
Though they were listed as Ocheopjae rank or above, many involved infiltrating martial sects to extract information or steal items.
After rummaging through the shelves for some time, she picked up a book titled Baobozhi.
Whoosh. Thud.
Bu Eunseol’s hands froze as she opened the book.
―Bounty, First Tier. Seven hundred silver taels.
Eliminate all assassins of Nam Sa Gok operating in Ayang.

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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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