The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 566
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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 566.
“My lady.”
Bu Eunseol asked with earnest longing and hopeful anticipation in her expression.
“Is it certain that the Baek Ri Family has vanished?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m asking whether they might be secretly continuing their Gangho activities across generations, like the Yang Seol Family.”
“Well, I believe the Baek Ri Family definitely destroyed itself.”
Bu Eunseol furrowed her brow.
“Then, is there a way to immediately distinguish this Cheon Am Seong?”
Yang Seol Rin shook her head.
“No. Cheon Am Seong doesn’t emit light from the start. The only time it emits light is when wielding power, or when one awakens to their destiny, they say.”
“When wielding power and… when awakening to one’s destiny.”
“That’s right.”
She continued speaking calmly.
“But Jisalseong will be easy to find. The more slaughter it commits, the more vigorous its energy becomes. Of course, it will grow stronger accordingly.”
“I see.”
The explanation about Jisalseong was unimportant.
Bu Eunseol showed interest only in Cheon Am Seong.
Because that person might be the one who killed her grandfather.
“Then Cheon Am Seong, if it doesn’t use its power or doesn’t awaken to its destiny… could it remain undiscovered forever?”
“No, that’s not the case.”
“Why not?”
“Because it bears the destiny of Cheon Am Seong.”
Yang Seol Rin spoke with resolute conviction.
“No one can ever escape their destiny.”
Bu Eunseol stared into the void with a darkened gaze.
All the supreme masters and factions she had encountered thus far believed in fatalism.
Was destiny truly inescapable?
‘Even if Baek Ri Danjoo were Cheon Am Seong….’
Bu Eunseol shook her head.
Even if the Baek Ri Family had secretly continued across generations, and Baek Ri Mu Jo were Cheon Am Seong.
There was no way to verify or distinguish it right now.
Moreover, if Baek Ri Mu Jo truly belonged to the legendary Baek Ri Family, would he really have kept the surname “Baek Ri” as it was?
That perfectionist?
The probability of that was extremely low.
‘In the end, going round and round, the answer is singular.’
The movements of the Seven Great Unit Lords were being perfectly concealed by Man Gyeong Jeon.
Even Shin San Ja, presumed to be the Alliance Lord, couldn’t locate Hyung Su…
In the end, I myself must ascend to Danjoo, and with that tremendous power, combine Man Gyeong Jeon’s highest intelligence with Sa Hon Dae.
And from an equal position with them, there was no choice but to root out the culprit.
‘But.’
Baek Ri Mu Jo had treated Bu Eunseol with great kindness, and she was a person who naturally inspired goodwill.
I could never believe he was the culprit who had brutally murdered my grandfather.
‘In a situation where I might become the Lord at any moment, I must set aside personal feelings.’
Bu Eunseol took a deep breath.
After handling all the complex matters scattered before me, I resolved to investigate Baek Ri Mu Jo as my top priority.
“I see.”
Bu Eunseol, her thoughts cleared, spoke with a composed expression.
“Take this road to Seo An and plant a black flag at the Da An Guest House. It is the largest inn in Bu Zhong, so it should not be difficult to find. If you do that…”
She explained to Yang Seol Rin in detail how to make contact with her operatives.
Then, as something occurred to her, she spoke again.
“However, if you employ your own intelligence network, the fact that you are pursuing Jisalseong could be exposed to the outside world. So…”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s not as though I came out in secret anyway.”
A flash of light gleamed in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
Her words essentially admitted that the Yang Seol Family was not merely a reclusive clan.
Rather, they had been conducting Murim activities in secret all along.
“Even if the forces of Jeongsayang-do pursue Jisalseong, it matters not.”
Yang Seol Rin spoke with confidence.
“After all, only I will be able to find him.”
Though nothing was certain,
finding Jisalseong did not seem to be something that could be accomplished merely by mobilizing an intelligence organization.
“What if someone else kills him? Would that also be acceptable?”
“Of course, capturing and imprisoning him would be best. Jisalseong was born with an exceptionally long lifespan. But…”
Yang Seol Rin, recalling something, shrugged her shoulders.
“Even if he is killed, it matters not. It will take thirty years or so before Jisalseong appears again.”
“I see.”
Bu Eunseol nodded, yet her words did not resonate with me.
The notion that a being possessed of such ferocious nature and bizarre power would endlessly cycle through death and rebirth seemed scarcely believable.
“I sincerely hope all matters resolve well.”
Bu Eunseol, swallowing various thoughts, clasped her hands respectfully, and Yang Seol smiled brightly.
“We shall meet again.”
Her gaze was directed not at Bu Eunseol’s face, but toward the sky above.
In that moment, Bu Eunseol felt a peculiar sensation.
“Could it be that I too possess some sort of constellation?”
“Who knows.”
She held a mysterious smile.
Her eyes, reflected in the moonlight, were pure yet captivating, as though they could entrance one’s soul.
And they seemed to harbor secrets deeper than darkness itself.
Whoosh.
At that moment, a gentle breeze brushed through her hair.
By then, Yang Seol Rin had already vanished without a trace.
* * *
After resolving matters at the Hyun Cheon Sword Sect, Bu Eunseol immediately returned to the Demon Palace.
However, upon entering the Sichuan region, I received an urgent message from Sa Hon Dae.
It was an emergency summons sent by Seo Jin Ha.
“Baek Mu Sung has already become a first-rank Lord.”
Seo Jin Ha’s expression, whom I met at a secret hideout in Sichuan, was somewhat grave.
“Perhaps because of this, Deung Mu Jeon ordered me to return to the Murim Alliance immediately. He’s likely furious.”
Seo Jin Ha had been traveling throughout Gangho as Seon Woo Jin, gathering various intelligence.
But in the meantime, Baek Mu Sung had accomplished great deeds and become a first-rank Lord.
At this pace, it was only a matter of time before he rose to the rank of Lord.
As Yuk Jang Cheon, there was no way to avoid being furious.
“What should we do?”
Seo Jin Ha wore a troubled expression.
“If I return this time without significant accomplishments, he could use it as grounds to restrict my travels through Gangho in the future.”
Until now, Bu Eunseol had been earning merits well on her own.
So Yuk Jang Cheon hadn’t paid much attention to Seon Woo Jin’s information-gathering activities wandering through Gangho.
But in a situation like this, he could certainly impose restrictions on such travels.
‘Fortune favors me.’
Bu Eunseol’s eyes sparkled as something occurred to me.
“Don’t worry. That won’t happen.”
“How?”
“There’s a way. Leave it to me.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with resolve.
“I will go to the Murim Alliance. You return to the Demon Palace and settle matters regarding the Hyun Cheon Sword Sect.”
“Ah, I’ve heard rumors, but what exactly happened?”
Bu Eunseol explained in detail what had transpired at the Hyun Cheon Sword Sect.
And I also told him about Yang Seol Rin.
“This is troublesome.”
Seo Jin Ha also seemed shocked, clicking his tongue.
“If all of that is true, aren’t we currently running about blindly, knowing nothing?”
And he furrowed his brow.
“And it’s far too coincidental.”
“What do you mean?”
“No matter how much the Hyun Cheon Sword Sect Lord’s Dongshin White Bone Technique caused the misunderstanding about Jisalseong… what if she truly is a member of the Yang Seol Family? Could it be that she knew everything and deliberately lured you in?”
Seo Jin Ha’s gaze deepened.
“It’s also strange that she would so readily reveal such secrets to a complete stranger.”
“I don’t believe everything she said either. Even if our meeting was orchestrated under careful planning, or if there’s another force behind it….”
Bu Eunseol drew a deep breath and shook my head.
“I didn’t get the impression that it was merely vague deception.”
“Hmm.”
I let out a small sound.
At first, I thought this was simply an act of revenge.
I believed all I needed to do was help Bu Eunseol and identify the true nature of the forces that had turned Gangho upside down.
But as time passed, it felt as though an enormous monster—one whose size I couldn’t even fathom—was slowly approaching before my eyes.
“Well, there’s bound to be an ending regardless.”
I shook my head and forced a bright expression onto my face.
Bu Eunseol was the type to unravel a thousand thoughts and weave ten thousand plans.
There was no need for me to speak of dark matters as well.
“Let’s resolve the Murim Alliance matter first.”
*Crack.*
I immediately shifted into Bu Eunseol’s form.
“I’ll go ahead. Take care of things.”
And with a bright expression, I left An Ga first.
“….”
Bu Eunseol, left alone in An Ga, stood motionless with an empty gaze for a long while.
“The tip of the iceberg, they say.”
Even if what I’m seeing is merely the tip of the iceberg, it matters not. I have no curiosity about what secrets lie hidden in the depths below.
But… fate seems to desire that I descend further down into those depths.
“Fate itself… I shall shatter it.”
*Crack.*
Having shifted into Seon Woo Jin’s form, I immediately headed toward the Murim Alliance.
The moment I returned to the Murim Alliance.
Just as Seo Jin Ha had anticipated, Yuk Jang Cheon immediately summoned me.
“Seon Woo Dae Ju, what on earth are you doing right now!”
Deungmu Hall, Yuk Jang Cheon’s office.
Yuk Jang Cheon was shouting with unprecedented fury.
“Why do you keep going out into Gangho unnecessarily at such a critical time? Even if you continuously received and completed missions, it wouldn’t be enough!”
His expression was twisted.
I had thought I was steadily widening the gap with my longtime rival, Yong Ban Jeon Ju.
But the situation had reversed with Baek Mu Sung’s appearance.
Moreover, while I had been away from my post, Baek Mu Sung had been steadily accumulating merit under Yong Ban Jeon Ju and rising rapidly in rank, so anxiety was inevitable.
“While you’ve been spending time in Gangho, that man Baek Mu Sung has been steadily building merit under Yong Ban Jeon Ju and has already become a First-Class Dae Ju!”
“….”
“Rumors are even spreading that he’ll soon be promoted to the rank of Dang Ju. What exactly are you planning?”
Bu Eunseol, who had been listening silently, slowly opened her mouth.
“Please don’t worry. The reason I’ve been traveling through Gangho is precisely because of such matters.”
“Such matters?”
“How could I possibly strip away Baek Dae Ju’s original identity, status, connections, and reputation all at once?”
“Well, that’s true.”
“I expected from the start that even doing the same work, my promotions would be far slower than yours.”
As Bu Eunseol’s eyes sparkled with clarity, Yuk Jang Cheon nodded with a noticeably softened expression.
Every time he had accumulated merit until now, it wasn’t just his exceptional martial prowess.
He had handled various matters through his subtle strategic thinking.
“Then… you went out into Gangho to resolve that?”
“Precisely so.”
“How exactly?”
“While pondering whether there might be a way to surpass Baek Ri’s accomplishments in one fell swoop, I happened to obtain new information.”
Bu Eunseol glanced around before speaking in a hushed voice.
“A great killing force will soon emerge in Gangho, triggering a massive bloodbath.”
“A great killing force?”
“Yes.”
Bu Eunseol’s expression grew exceedingly grave.
“A figure from the Yang Seol Family has appeared.”
She explained how the Yang Seol Family, once called a legend of Murim, had emerged, and that they had been imprisoning Jisalseong all along.
And how that Jisalseong had broken free and was secretly committing massacres.
‘They have been active in Murim for a very long time.’
Until meeting Yang Seol Rin.
Even I, the successor of the Demon Palace, did not know of this.
If the senior figures of the Murim Alliance knew of such things? I would have to revise everything I had planned so far.
That is why Bu Eunseol intended to test it through Yuk Jang Cheon.
“Hah, does that even make sense?”
Yuk Jang Cheon furrowed his brow.
“I have heard legends about the Yang Seol Family, but…”
He paused for a moment, tilting his head.
“The story that they suddenly appeared, claiming to perceive the will of heaven, and imprisoned Jisalseong for the sake of Murim—it sounds rather far-fetched.”
“I didn’t believe it either. But a person presumed to be from the Yang Seol Family actually sealed one of the sword sects of Cheong Hae.”
“One of the sword sects of Cheong Hae?”
“Yes.”
“Are you certain?”
“It is reliable information that leaked from the Demonic Path side.”
Bu Eunseol disclosed all the information without reservation.
It was partly to ensure there would be no repercussions even if an investigation were launched.
But above all, it was to observe Yuk Jang Cheon’s genuine reaction.
“Hmm.”
After hearing the entire account, a flicker of displeasure crossed Yuk Jang Cheon’s eyes.
As a senior figure of the Murim Alliance, he too operated an excellent intelligence organization in secret.
But not just the Murim Alliance.
Even his own intelligence organization had never detected anything similar.
Which meant that Seon Woo Jin had constructed his own independent intelligence network of sorts.
Yuk Jang Cheon was not pleased by his subordinate’s exceptional skill—rather, he was wary of it.
“Seon Woo Dae Ju must have endured considerable hardship all this time. And so?”
‘He does not know.’
I could be certain of it.
Yuk Jang Cheon was not a man who had glimpsed the abyss of Murim.
Had he been, he would never have reacted this way upon hearing the tale of the Yang Seol Family.
Seon Woo Jin was a man who could never peer into that abyss, nor could he ever approach it.
‘Perhaps it is for the best.’
Bu Eunseol exhaled a silent breath of relief.
What if Yuk Jang Cheon had been someone who knew of the Yang Seol Family or the Baek Pal Seong?
Then she would have needed to proceed with far greater caution in all her future plans.
“Furthermore, Jisalseong grows stronger with each person he kills. If that is true, then soon events shall unfold that will shake Murim to its very foundations.”
“Grows stronger with each person he kills…”
Yuk Jang Cheon nodded faintly.
Among those of Murim, many possessed peculiar constitutions, severed meridians, or innate energies and abilities.
Were there not the Four Divine Beings who possessed the forces of nature within their bodies from birth?
It did not sound so far-fetched that one would grow stronger through repeated slaughter.
“Then would it not be unnecessary for the Main Force to intervene?”
If this being called Jisalseong truly appeared in Gangho, and grew stronger by ceaselessly killing?
The matter would spiral beyond control, growing ever larger.
The Murim Alliance would declare him a Murim Gongjuk, and then it would be the Seven Great Units who would step forward, not Deng Wu Dian.
“Precisely. To prepare for that, you must have your Intelligence Organization move to ascertain the movements of the suspected Jisalseong in advance.”
“Hmm.”
“Then, once matters have grown to a certain extent, convene a Grand Council.”
“A Grand Council?”
“Yes. It is to inform them that the Main Force has sensed something amiss all this while and has grasped all such information.”
“A Grand Council does not convene easily. Unless it is held under the Alliance Lord’s auspices, it takes roughly a month.”
Bu Eunseol nodded.
“That is precisely what we shall exploit.”
“Hmm?”
“When you request a private audience with the Vice Alliance Lord regarding the agenda for the Grand Council, it will seem like nothing of consequence. But by the time the Grand Council is held… Gangho will already be engulfed in a catastrophic calamity.”
“Ho.”
Yuk Jang Cheon let out an exclamation of admiration.
Yet soon his brow furrowed as a thought occurred to him.
“If matters unfold as you say… by then Jisalseong will have become an extraordinarily formidable master. Can the Elite Division contend with him?”
“This time, it will not be me.”
“Hmm?”
A flash of light crossed Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
“You yourself shall descend into Gangho and suppress him.”
“Oho, indeed!”
Yuk Jang Cheon slapped his knee.
If a great killer appeared to overturn the Murim and incite a blood calamity, and I personally suppressed it?
Even if the Murim Alliance didn’t recognize it, the people of Gangho would acknowledge it as a tremendous achievement.
Then I could certainly leave my mark as the next Lord.
“You’ve worked hard. And I apologize.”
Yuk Jang Cheon approached and grasped Bu Eunseol’s shoulders with both hands.
“I didn’t realize you were laboring so tirelessly day and night, and the Lord of the Main Force spoke harsh words in his impatience.”
“Not at all.”
Bu Eunseol replied respectfully.
“I simply do my best to the extent that you trust me, Lord.”
“Hehehehe.”
Yuk Jang Cheon nodded with a smile spreading across his face.
“Report to me in detail the information you’ve learned about the Yang Seol Family and Jisalseong. And report immediately what the Elite Division has discovered.”
Yuk Jang Cheon spoke calmly.
“The Lord of the Main Force will compile those and immediately search for someone matching Jisalseong. And when matters escalate, I’ll visit the Deputy Alliance Leader and make my report.”
“Understood. I’ll return to the Main Force immediately and submit the detailed information.”
“Yes, work hard.”
Bu Eunseol immediately turned and left the office.
‘Still a cunning fox.’
A cold smile played at the corners of Bu Eunseol’s lips.
If Yuk Jang Cheon truly trusted me completely, he wouldn’t need to compile the information himself.
He would have revealed all the intelligence organizations he operated and entrusted their command and management to me.
But Yuk Jang Cheon only asked me to report what I discovered.
That meant in a corner of his heart,
he didn’t completely trust me and harbored anxiety.
‘All the better.’
If there had been no secret pact with Gong Son Dan Gyeong,
I would have struggled and strived to build Yuk Jang Cheon’s trust.
But now it doesn’t matter.
To become Lord, he too is a rival I must eliminate.
‘This opportunity to strike down Lord Yuk’s trusted subordinates isn’t bad either.’
Bu Eunseol turned Yuk Jang Cheon’s lack of complete trust to her advantage,
planning to sow distrust among his information network and trusted men.
And there was a perfect person to execute such a plan.
None other than the Chief, Gong Son Dan Gyeong.
* * *
Just as butchers slaughter beasts and cut meat every day,
the Murim is a place where people cross blades with one another daily.
Life and death are decided by the edge of a blade, and today’s victor may become tomorrow’s defeated.
There are neither eternal victors nor eternal vanquished.
Those who live precarious lives are precisely the denizens of Murim.
Due to such unique circumstances, beings called Sal Gwi periodically emerge within Murim.
Sal Gwi.
Those who, through endless combat, become addicted to the ecstasy of slaughter.
That pleasure carries more addictive potency than opium itself.
Eventually, they suffer from Killing Madness—a condition where they descend into complete insanity if they do not commit murder periodically.
―A Sal Gwi has appeared!
As always, a new Sal Gwi had emerged this time.
The first location where this Sal Gwi was discovered was said to be a small region in Cheong Hae.
Night after night, the Sal Gwi visited small Martial Halls, slaughtering martial artists wholesale.
Thereafter, as if non-martial artists held no appeal, the creature killed only warriors.
As time passed, the Sal Gwi’s crimes grew bolder—seeking out renowned figures within Murim to ambush, and even razing entire large Martial Halls.
―Capture this monster!
As those slain by the Sal Gwi’s hand multiplied endlessly.
The families and friends of the victims hired martial artists and mercenaries to begin pursuit.
Yet this Sal Gwi possessed formidable martial prowess.
None succeeded in the pursuit; instead, they met their end in mass slaughter at the Sal Gwi’s hands.
Meanwhile, as rumors of this Sal Gwi circulated among Murim’s denizens, Yuk Jang Cheon exulted.
―So that is Jisalseong incarnate.
Those born with Jisalseong grow stronger with each slaughter, and their Killing Madness intensifies accordingly.
Soon, all of Murim will be thrown into upheaval.
I have continuously mobilized my intelligence organization to track the path of this Jisalseong’s movements.
Now I need only convene the Grand Council to reveal the intelligence gathered thus far, then venture into Murim and strike down this creature.
―The Sal Gwi has annihilated Ye Geom Mun.
By now, the Sal Gwi had moved as far as Sichuan, sweeping away even Ye Geom Mun, one of the Righteous Path sects.
Though it was a second-rate sect, it was registered with the Murim Alliance.
The interest of Murim’s denizens in the Sal Gwi had grown considerably, and now the Murim Alliance had legitimate grounds for intervention.
Once I request the Grand Council to discuss this matter, by the time I emerge into Murim, Jisalseong will be committing unstoppable slaughter.
If I, Yuk Jang Cheon, step forward to capture him?
I would become a hero who saved countless lives in one stroke—a Guseong.
The Murim Alliance, Jeong Ui Gak.
It was the residence where Vice-Leader Buk Ri Seung dwelled.
In his youth, he had served as a member of the Elimination Division, rooting out and destroying malevolent organizations that had secretly taken root in Gangho—those that threatened the Murim Alliance or the Righteous Path.
Through endless accumulation of merit, he had risen to the position of Vice-Leader through sheer capability.
Yet by now, his appearance had become indistinguishable from that of a civil official.
This was because the Alliance Leader, Jeong Cheon Je, was perpetually absent.
Acting in the Leader’s stead, managing the six division heads and lords of equivalent rank—excluding the Seven Great Units—he labored ceaselessly under crushing responsibility.
As testament to this overwhelming burden, Buk Ri Seung’s face was gaunt, and his eyes bore the shadow of exhaustion.
The one saving grace was this:
Gong Son Dan Gyeong, newly appointed as Chief, handled most matters competently within her purview.
I was holding on without collapsing from exhaustion.
“Hmm.”
Buk Ri Seung gazed at Yuk Jang Cheon, the Lord of Deungmu Hall who had summoned him, his eyes blinking heavily with fatigue.
“Truly, what a remarkable coincidence.”
After drawing a deep breath, Buk Ri Seung opened his mouth.
“This morning, the Yong Ban Jeon Lord came to visit and expressed the same opinion as you, Lord Yuk.”
Yuk Jang Cheon’s expression turned as if he’d been struck from behind.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly as I said. The Yong Ban Jeon Lord also stated that Sal Gwi is a great killing calamity capable of bringing catastrophic bloodshed upon the Murim.”
Buk Ri Seung stroked his chin as he spoke.
“Therefore, he said it must be dealt with before any great slaughter unfolds.”
“Did the Yong Ban Jeon Lord say this directly?”
At Yuk Jang Cheon’s urgent question, Buk Ri Seung shook his head with an utterly composed expression.
“That is not the case.”
‘Thank heavens.’
Just as Yuk Jang Cheon exhaled in relief, Buk Ri Seung dropped a bombshell.
“He is sending Baek Mu Sung, Lord Baek, into the Gangho.”
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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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