The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 605
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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 605.
Eun Wol Gak, Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s office.
Gong Son Dan Gyeong, who had summoned Bu Eunseol, nodded with a faint smile.
“Indeed, you’ve turned crisis into opportunity.”
She continued, her expression tinged with genuine surprise.
“Though I must confess, I never anticipated your connection with Beok Goong Ryung.”
Bu Eunseol sat in silence, listening intently to Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s explanation.
Everything that had unfolded before her until now.
The circumstances suggesting that Seon Woo Jin might be a spy for the Demon Palace—how the Lord of Byeok Yu Dang had managed to uncover this.
It had all been information leaked by Gong Son Dan Gyeong through the Elder Council.
And through this incident, Bu Eunseol would gain the means to pursue the forces of Sam Gye lurking within the Murim Alliance, while simultaneously.
Rising to a position so flawless that she would never again face suspicion of being a spy.
‘Was it truly this simple?’
Bu Eunseol had recognized her own misstep early on Youling Island and had preemptively mobilized Sa Hon Dae to fabricate evidence and traces.
Yet the Lord of Byeok Yu Dang, who had been Sam Gye’s puppet, had anticipated such a probability and brought forth Beok Goong Ryung as a witness.
This was something even Bu Eunseol had not foreseen.
What if Beok Goong Ryung had not recognized her?
What if, with that quick wit and cunning, she had failed to construct a narrative that perfectly matched the circumstances on Youling Island at that time?
A commotion would have erupted, and Bu Eunseol would have had to flee the Murim Alliance immediately.
Yet Gong Son Dan Gyeong had trusted her without a shred of doubt?
“It’s difficult to believe.”
Bu Eunseol spoke her honest thoughts.
“That the Chief anticipated every situation and leaked information to the Elder Council… it’s hard to fathom.”
“You needn’t believe it.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong smiled faintly.
“After all, the results speak for themselves.”
Had Gong Son Dan Gyeong doubted her upon seeing that evidence?
She would not have leaked information to the Elder Council, but rather sought more perfect proof to ensnare her.
Yet she had believed.
And that belief had manifested in precisely the right outcome.
“Haven’t you always refrained from suspecting me, Chief?”
Bu Eunseol’s expression betrayed her incomprehension.
“Why do you trust me to such an extent?”
“Trust Seon Woo Dae Ju? That’s hardly the case.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong laughed, her white teeth gleaming like pearls.
“I’m fundamentally someone who doesn’t trust others.”
“I don’t follow.”
“I simply believed this was the only method to make Seon Woo Dae Ju truly mine.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong spoke with measured calm.
“You must be exhausted, Seon Woo Dae Ju. If you continued to face suspicion from me, you could no longer remain on the same ship, could you?”
Bu Eunseol was taken aback.
“That is indeed the case.”
“It’s refreshing to hear such candid admission.”
She smiled with satisfaction and reached for the tome resting upon the table.
“Now then, let me hear Seon Woo Dae Ju’s truthful account.”
And she extended it toward Bu Eunseol.
“How you discovered the secret passages of Yeongak Dojeon… and how you came to master the Geom So Heon Won Sik.”
As she opened the tome, the exact moment Bu Eunseol had appeared in the Supplies Warehouse was recorded within.
“Chief.”
“From this point forward, you must choose your words carefully. As I’ve said, I fundamentally trust no one.”
With those words, the formidable auras of masters positioned around Eun Wol Gak became palpable.
They were not merely Wi Sa affiliated with Eun Wol Gak, but rather exceptional masters directly under Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s command.
“Then, Chief, what is it that you do trust?”
“Capability.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong explained with measured calm.
“I do not trust Seon Woo Dae Ju himself—I trust only in Seon Woo Dae Ju’s abilities.”
“It seems I must explain this with utmost precision.”
Bu Eunseol drew a deep breath and murmured.
“Without the slightest falsehood.”
“I shall listen with undivided attention.”
To listen with undivided attention was a phrase a subordinate would use toward a superior.
Though Gong Son Dan Gyeong had offered what amounted to a friendly jest, Bu Eunseol’s expression remained unchanged.
“I discovered the Geom So Heon Won Sik after resolving the Cheon In Sect incident, when I ascended to this level of Yeongak Dojeon.”
I calmly explained the circumstances of obtaining half a fragment of a secret manual from the bookshelves of this floor.
Gong Son Dan Gyeong, who had been listening in silence, let her eyes gleam.
“You memorized the transformations in your mind over three days because the secret manual lacked the final synthesis?”
“That is correct.”
“Then you should be able to transcribe each of those transformations precisely.”
She made a snorting sound and gestured toward the brush, ink, and paper.
“Prove it.”
Had Bu Eunseol obtained a legitimate sword manual and memorized the synthesis, there would have been no need to memorize each transformation individually.
She was determined to thoroughly verify whether Bu Eunseol’s words were truth or deception.
“Understood.”
Taking up the brush, I began without hesitation to sketch each transformation of the Geom So Heon Won.
Finally, I presented the paper bearing all three hundred ninety-five transformations to Gong Son Dan Gyeong.
“However, Chief, can you truly verify the authenticity? I could have simply drawn random sword forms and merely matched the numbers.”
At that, Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s lips curved into a smile.
She then opened a drawer and withdrew another thin tome.
Remarkably, it was—
the secret manual of the Geom So Heon Won that I had discovered atop the bookshelves of this level in Yeongak Dojeon.
“How did the Chief discover that?”
“I investigated it beforehand.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong wore a composed smile.
“If Seon Woo Dae Ju happened to learn the Geom So Heon Won Style swordsmanship, I considered where it might be hidden.”
She shrugged her shoulders.
“So the answer came easily.”
If Bu Eunseol wasn’t an external spy?
Then where would she have learned the Geom So Heon Won Style? That was the question I pondered.
In the end, I discovered the secret manual of Geom So Heon Won hidden within this level of Yeongak Dojeon.
“It seems the Chief also knows the origins of this secret manual.”
“Of course. Otherwise, how could I have known about the secret passage connected to the Supplies Warehouse?”
Bu Eunseol furrowed her brow.
Then was her discovery of the Geom So Heon Won secret manual also arranged by her?
“Did the Chief secretly leave that manual in Yeongak Dojeon?”
“That couldn’t be.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong shook her head.
“I simply know that the techniques written in this swordsmanship contain the method to find the secret passages hidden within Yeongak Dojeon.”
She continued her explanation calmly.
“Originally, this secret manual was lost when an intruder invaded Yeongak Dojeon during the time when the previous Alliance Leader, Lord Cheol, was managing the Alliance.”
“….”
“But I’m puzzled as to why this manual was found split apart in the library on this level of Yeongak Dojeon.”
“I don’t know either.”
“Hmm.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong shook her head and continued speaking.
“In any case, Seon Woo Dae Ju happened to learn this secret manual, and thanks to that, discovered the secret passages of Yeongak Dojeon.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong exhaled a sigh and shook her head.
“Should I believe such a story?”
“If I were in the Chief’s position, I wouldn’t have believed it either. But….”
Bu Eunseol stared directly into Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s eyes.
“It’s all true.”
It was truth without a single lie.
Bu Eunseol truly had obtained the secret manual of Geom So Heon Won by chance and learned it.
“I already knew that what you said was the truth.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong said something unexpected.
“If it weren’t, this meeting with Seon Woo Dae Ju would have taken place not here, but in the cold Underground Prison.”
“You believe me?”
“I told you. I fundamentally don’t trust people.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong spoke matter-of-factly.
“If Seon Woo Dae Ju had learned the Geom So Heon Won secret manual from the beginning… when entering Yeongak Dojeon as a reward for exterminating the Cheon In Sect, she would have already used it then.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong had already predicted everything.
The fact that Bu Eunseol had only now discovered the secrets of the mechanisms installed within Yeongak Dojeon was itself revealing.
After the subjugation of the Cheon In Sect, Bu Eunseol had naturally possessed opportunities to enter Yeongak Dojeon.
There would have been no need to request Yuk Jang Cheon’s assistance and struggle through such difficult entry as she was doing now.
“You knew everything all along, yet why did you ask me?”
“I told you. The Chief fundamentally does not trust people.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong wore a subtle smile.
“Moreover, the truly crucial link was missing.”
“A link, you say?”
“How you suddenly discovered the mechanisms installed within Yeongak Dojeon at this particular moment, and came to the decision to investigate that place.”
‘Hmm.’
I drew a deep breath.
In the end, Gong Son Dan Gyeong did not trust me deeply.
She had merely grasped and predicted every situation with terrifying precision.
Yet because she could not find the “link” that would make sense of the entire chain of events, she had summoned me to verify the facts.
“Yong Ban Jeon Ju, who was underground at Gang Ok Ji at that time, told me.”
I had no choice but to speak the truth.
“As Yong Ban Jeon Ju was dying, he told me to search for the underground facility beneath Yeongak Dojeon.”
“Yong Ban Jeon Ju….”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s eyes gleamed as she murmured softly.
“Then why did you not convey those words to the Chief at that time?”
“First, I had to verify whether Yong Ban Jeon Ju had spoken the truth. Reporting to the Chief was a secondary matter. However….”
I spoke honestly.
“Even if I had uncovered all the secrets, I would not have reported them to the Chief.”
“Why?”
“For the same reason as the Chief.”
My eyes, which had remained courteous and respectful throughout, turned extremely cold.
“I fundamentally do not trust people either.”
As Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s expression turned blank, I continued.
“The Chief appears to trust me, but in reality there is no trust whatsoever. You have endlessly suspected me all this time.”
“The Chief trusted you, which is why I leaked information to the Elder Council.”
“That was not trusting me, but merely trusting the Chief’s instinct and intellect, was it not?”
I spoke coldly.
“Had you trusted me even slightly, you would have consulted with me first on that matter.”
….
“You merely emphasize that we are in the same boat. Yet the Chief sails in a different vessel, aiming arrows at me. Ready to fire at any moment.”
My voice grew increasingly devoid of emotion.
“Why would I need to report secrets I barely managed to obtain to such a Chief?”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong had nothing to say.
Had their positions been reversed, she too would have made the same choice.
“Very well.”
In that instant, Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s eyes and expression—always gentle and composed—shifted to something far sharper.
She had cast aside the thin mask she had worn to conceal her true nature.
The warmth that had always characterized her voice now turned glacial.
“From this moment forward, I will speak with absolute clarity.”
“From today onward, I will acknowledge Seon Woo Dae Ju as truly one of my own.”
“Is this sudden?”
“No. I have been considering this all along. Seon Woo Dae Ju has always possessed abilities that far exceeded my expectations.”
In Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s long, striking eyes burned a solemn and piercing light unlike anything seen before.
“And since you have now examined the Gunkon Pavilion… you must already suspect the true identity of the current Alliance Leader.”
‘The Gunkon Pavilion?’
Sparks flashed in Bu Eunseol’s gaze.
The fact that Mu Jon was serving as the Murim Alliance Leader in Jeong Cheon Je’s stead was hardly a momentous revelation.
What truly mattered was the authenticity of Jeong Cheon Je’s corpse preserved within the Eternal Ice Pavilion, installed beneath Yeongak Dojeon—whether he lived or died.
If he had truly perished, the entire landscape of Murim would transform.
Yet she was only mentioning traces of Mu Jon in the Gunkon Pavilion, nothing more?
“Did you not venture into the underground levels beneath Yeongak Dojeon?”
“The underground of Yeongak Dojeon is nothing but branching passages within the secret corridors.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong frowned slightly, sensing something amiss.
“Is there something else you discovered?”
Bu Eunseol swiftly redirected the conversation.
“I noticed traces of scattered fragments—pieces of stone or similar debris.”
“Those would be remnants from the mechanisms installed in the secret passages. Several of the old defensive devices meant to repel intruders still remain.”
Bu Eunseol felt a profound shock reverberate through her.
‘She has not seen the Eternal Ice Pavilion stored beneath Yeongak Dojeon.’
She had assumed that since Gong Son Dan Gyeong knew of the secret passages, she would naturally have witnessed the ice pavilion containing Jeong Cheon Je’s remains.
Yet from Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s expression and eyes, it was clear she had not seen the pavilion holding the corpse.
“Then you are saying that because I discovered traces of Mu Jon in the Gunkon Pavilion, I can become your person?”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong responded to Bu Eunseol’s redirected question with firm conviction.
“Of course not.”
“Then what is it?”
“Because Seon Woo Dae Ju, despite knowing such secrets, has revealed them to no one until now.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong spoke with absolute certainty.
“If you were a spy planted by some faction, you would surely have reported this to your superiors.”
“Could I not have sent secret correspondence without the Chief’s knowledge?”
“Absolutely not.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong spoke with unwavering resolve.
“Seon Woo Dae Ju has contacted no one.”
Bu Eunseol tensed.
Could it be that Gong Son Dan Gyeong possessed both the masters and surveillance systems capable of monitoring even someone of the Twelve Hour Formation’s caliber?
Could it be that Gong Son Dan Gyeong actually possesses skilled masters capable of monitoring the Twelve Earthly Branches and has a surveillance system in place?
“How can you be so certain?”
Bu Eunseol, concealing her true thoughts, spoke with measured composure.
“Even if not now, you could reveal this to someone eventually.”
“If such information is to be effective, it must be disclosed immediately.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong spoke with confidence.
“If there’s even the slightest delay, the traces of Elder Mu Jon in the Gunkon Pavilion could be erased in an instant.”
‘So there wasn’t a surveillance system after all.’
Now I understood—Gong Son Dan Gyeong hadn’t been observing me continuously. Rather, she placed absolute faith in her own analysis and judgment.
“So, shall we end this tiresome tug-of-war of mutual suspicion from now on?”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s expression, as she regarded Bu Eunseol, grew noticeably softer.
“To be honest, regardless of what purpose Seon Woo Dae Ju harbors, as long as you mean no harm to the Ben Maeng, that’s sufficient.”
She was a person whose words and actions aligned.
It wasn’t that she trusted Bu Eunseol.
Rather, she had analyzed my objectives and conduct, concluding that I was someone who would not harm the Murim Alliance.
“And now, I shall tell you the truth.”
Click.
As she pressed something on the desk, a bookcase swung open, revealing a secret passage.
“All conversations between the Chief and myself from now on will take place here.”
Bu Eunseol followed her into the secret passage.
The interior of the sealed chamber was far more spacious than her official office, furnished with numerous books and furnishings.
The office in the Eun Wol Gak was merely a facade.
This secret chamber appeared to be where she truly conducted her affairs.
“As Seon Woo Dae Ju has surely confirmed, Elder Mu Jon is handling the duties of the Alliance Leader.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong spoke with grave weight.
“And only I know of this fact.”
Bu Eunseol’s expression became subtle.
From her expression and tone, it seemed that Jeong Cheon Je was very much alive.
‘It’s better to ask directly without beating around the bush.’
Having reached this conclusion, Bu Eunseol spoke immediately.
“Why is Elder Mu Jon serving as the Murim Alliance Leader in his stead?”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong blinked her large eyes as she answered.
“I’ve heard that the Elder reluctantly undertook this role at the Alliance Leader’s request.”
‘So he’s alive.’
As Bu Eunseol was inwardly astonished, she continued speaking calmly.
“Fortunately, the Ben Maeng possesses a secret passage connected to the Gunkon Pavilion. Using it, the Elder was able to perfectly fulfill the Alliance Leader’s duties.”
‘She’s merely relaying what she heard from Mu Jon. She hasn’t actually met Jeong Cheon Je.’
“It seems the Alliance Leader has encountered some misfortune.”
When Bu Eunseol posed this subtle question, Gong Son Dan Gyeong nodded.
“I’ve heard that while the Alliance Leader was attempting to enter a new realm of martial arts, he suffered a severe injury from an assassination attempt within the Alliance.”
“There was someone who attempted to assassinate the Alliance Leader?”
“Sam Gye, most likely.”
Bu Eunseol drew a deep breath.
“So the Alliance Leader is in seclusion to recover from his injuries, then.”
“I haven’t witnessed it myself, so I cannot claim certainty. I only know what Mu Jon told me.”
‘That’s a lie.’
If Jeong Cheon Je were secretly secluded to treat his wounds, then what need would there be to place a corpse in the Eternal Ice Pavilion?
It made no sense whatsoever.
At that moment, Gong Son Dan Gyeong added a remark.
“Mu Jon and Jeong Cheon Je were closer than blood brothers. And he always spoke of Jeong Cheon Je as his benefactor—the one who saved his life.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with evident concern.
“If it becomes known that even Mu Jon is acting as the Alliance Leader, the Murim will descend into chaos.”
“But if the Alliance Leader’s grave injuries are revealed, the chaos would be far worse.”
Her expression grew grave.
“In the worst case, the balance of the entire Murim could collapse in an instant. That’s why they made this choice.”
Jeong Cheon Je was the foremost pillar of the Orthodox Sects, no matter what anyone said.
If such a figure were mortally wounded, the Demonic Path would never miss such an opportunity.
The Orthodox Sects would plunge into chaos, and the Demonic Path would seize the moment to rise.
So they hid his injuries and entrusted the Alliance Leader’s position to Mu Jon.
“In the end, Mu Jon accepted the Alliance Leader’s request after much deliberation. And that’s why I was promoted to Chief.”
For Mu Jon, who had wandered aimlessly through Gangho, to suddenly become the Alliance Leader and govern Tianxia was no simple task.
After much consideration, Mu Jon selected someone who knew this truth and could assist and support him.
That person was Gong Son Dan Gyeong.
“So that’s the real reason the Chief could become the youngest Chief ever.”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, Gong Son Dan Gyeong nodded.
“Exactly.”
Her eyes gleamed as she continued.
“And it’s also why Seon Woo Dae Ju could become the youngest Lord.”
Bu Eunseol took a deep breath, as if everything had finally become clear.
“If there’s a Lord who knows this truth and can support Mu Jon, that would be ideal.”
She turned to look at Gong Son Dan Gyeong and spoke.
“Because the existing leadership of the Murim Alliance cannot be trusted at all.”
“Precisely.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong nodded readily.
“Especially the Lords—they likely had a hand in the Alliance Leader’s ambush.”
Bu Eunseol also nodded.
If someone within the Alliance had ambushed Jeong Cheon Je, then high-ranking officials of the Murim Alliance would inevitably be involved.
Mu Jon needed not only a new Chief who knew everything,
but also a Lord who would support him despite knowing he was a false Alliance Leader.
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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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