The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 63

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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 63
Silence descended upon the Bamboo Forest.
Whiiing.
Elegant and serene—the pristine bamboo swayed in the passing breeze, untouched and pure.
Yet the wind that swept toward the Pavilion carried with it a palpable killing intent, and the air hung heavy as lead.
“Has it been discovered?”
Sang Ryang spoke in a tone devoid of concern.
“What a pity.”
Sang Ryang gazed up at the night sky, his expression brimming with regret.
“I had so longed to return to the Demon Palace.”
They offered no excuses. Indeed, they could not.
They knew Bu Eunseol possessed an exceptionally cautious nature, and was meticulous to the point of obsession.
The fact that she had posed such a question meant she had already arrived at the truth.
“In truth, I had harbored vague suspicions all along.”
After a prolonged silence, Sang Ryang spoke once more.
“Perhaps the Demon Palace had already discerned our identities long ago.”
“If you harbored such suspicions, why did you not depart?”
“Well…”
Sang Ryang’s lips curved into a bitter smile.
“Perhaps I wished to prove that we still possessed value.”
“Value…”
“Indeed. Ayang is a region where the intelligence networks of the Orthodox Sects are hopelessly entangled. Having managed the Ayang branch without conflict, I thought perhaps the Demon Palace would simply leave us be.”
Sang Ryang took another sip of wine, his voice dropping low.
“When you killed the Black Reaper on your first assignment, I was overjoyed. At last, I thought, we could earn merit and return to the Demon Palace.”
Whoooosh.
Then the wind swept around the Pavilion.
“But that was merely our delusion.”
“…”
“You proved to be far more exceptional than we had anticipated.”
Sang Ryang paused, savoring the wind that brushed past, before continuing.
“You single-handedly resolved every assignment in Ayang. Among those assignments was the annihilation of the Orthodox Sects’ intelligence network.”
Within the span of six months, Bu Eunseol had systematically obliterated the Orthodox Sects’ organizations not only in Ayang but throughout Hunan Province.
“Thanks to you, the Orthodox Sects’ influence in Ho Nam has been utterly crushed. As a result, the Ayang branch can now be operated smoothly by anyone.”
Gongssi Ssangma had hoped for an exceptional agent to arrive and earn merit.
Yet paradoxically, the arrival of such an extraordinarily capable operative had rendered Gongssi Ssangma’s usefulness completely obsolete.
“A hunting hound whose usefulness has expired is boiled in a cauldron. This is an immutable truth.”
Bu Eunseol sat motionless, as though deaf to his words, her gaze unfocused.
Hesitation.
For the first time since entering the Gangho, I found myself hesitating.
These were the first people I had felt genuine affection for since entering this world. Yet now I must sever their necks.
The Gangho’s heartlessness, the Gangho’s heartlessness…!
The martial world, where one lived by the sword, was an inferno where one could neither feel nor give emotion.
“That’s how it always ends for those of the Demonic Path…”
Sang Ryang regarded Bu Eunseol with an impassive expression.
“Cast aside such sentiments. The ending is already written, after all.”
Bu Eunseol closed her eyes instead of answering.
How much time had passed?
When she slowly opened her eyes, they gleamed with sharp clarity rather than hesitation.
In that brief moment, she had severed every lingering attachment and emotion that had bound her heart.
“I spoke needlessly.”
Sang Ryang nodded, observing Bu Eunseol’s eyes now glinting with cold brilliance.
“Then, shall we begin?”
Saaht!
In that instant, something sharp split through the air with a peculiar whistle, cleaving toward Bu Eunseol’s back.
Swish.
Bu Eunseol twisted her body lightly, and a dark gleaming arc passed over her shoulder.
Ma Woon had appeared from nowhere, wielding a curved sickle in a lightning-fast ambush.
“Excellent—you never let your guard down!”
Ma Woon laughed heartily as he swung the sickle again,
Clang!
This time Sang Ryang, who had been standing before her, erupted forward with the speed of lightning.
“In the Gangho, one must always watch their back.”
From the front came Sang Ryang’s Judge’s Brush unleashing a torrent of brilliant light, while from behind came Ma Woon’s sickle, cold as winter frost, enveloping Bu Eunseol entirely.
Sss sss sss.
Unfolding the Extreme Speed Shadowless technique, Bu Eunseol shifted her position thirty-six times without moving from her spot.
Whoosh whoosh! Slash slash!
Yet the Judge’s Brush poured forth like hundreds of arrows, while the sickle carved curved arcs, severing every escape route.
Clang!
With a loud metallic ring, the movements of the Judge’s Brush and sickle halted.
Bu Eunseol’s longsword had slid silently forth, blocking their assault.
Shick shick.
As Bu Eunseol moved like a wisp of smoke and swung her blade, sharp sword energy expanded without end.
“Remarkable!”
Sang Ryang and Ma Woon gasped as they parried the cascading sword strikes.
Gongssi Ssangma were masters rich in combat experience. No matter how formidable an opponent, they could predict movements and attack angles to some degree.
Yet they could find no flaw in the sword energy Bu Eunseol unleashed, and were forced to retreat continuously.
“Lower your weapons.”
Bu Eunseol spoke coldly, pausing her assault for a moment.
“You cannot defeat me.”
“We shall see about that.”
Sang Ryang and Ma Woon exchanged a meaningful glance.
Whiiiish!
With a sound like a whistle, Sang Ryang’s Brush Judge technique suddenly transformed.
Brush Judge.
An exotic weapon—a metal rod with both ends sharpened like brush tips—used in conjunction with calligraphy-infused techniques to pierce vital points.
But wasn’t the transformed technique employing seal-script methods like strike (打), horizontal (橫), and collapse (崩)?
“Seal-script technique?”
Bu Eunseol realized that Sang Ryang’s altered method bore striking similarity to seal-script martial arts.
“Indeed. This is our sect’s pride—the Striking Seal Method.”
It turned out Sang Ryang hailed from Gae Bang and had concealed his true lineage by employing the Brush Judge technique.
‘An unpredictable form.’
Crack!
When the Striking Seal Method merged with the previously straightforward calligraphy-like Brush Judge, the technique became exquisite and mysterious.
“Ugh.”
Bu Eunseol nearly fell victim to the Brush Judge’s piercing strikes multiple times.
Without the Night Beast Blade’s ability to sense air currents, she would have suffered grievous wounds.
“Where is your focus wandering?”
At that moment, with a thunderous shout, Ma Woon’s chain scythe grazed past Bu Eunseol’s back.
Bu Eunseol quickly raised her blade to intercept Ma Woon’s relentless barrage of attacks.
Clang!
Yet the chain scythe, which had been swirling chaotically and spreading in all directions, suddenly flashed with light and drove toward Bu Eunseol’s throat.
Thwip!
Though she twisted her body swiftly, a thin line of blood appeared on Bu Eunseol’s neck.
‘This is…’
As Bu Eunseol’s eyes gleamed, Ma Woon grinned wickedly and retrieved his chain scythe.
“This is our sect’s pride—the Four-Silk Blade Method.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes flashed with recognition.
‘They were masters of the Nine Sects!’
Now it was clear—Gongssi Ssangma were masters hailing from the Nine Sects.
Moreover, as they revealed their true Orthodox Sect techniques rather than Demonic Path arts, their power surged and their movements grew more agile.
Clang! Clang clang clang!
Sword, Brush Judge, and chain scythe collided in rapid succession through the air.
From the front, the Brush Judge’s Striking Seal technique engulfed the space with its forms.
From behind, the chain scythe of the Four-Silk Blade Method flew freely without distance constraints.
When rare exotic weapons combined with the Nine Sects’ supreme techniques, the direction of attack became impossible to predict.
‘Excellent!’
Bu Eunseol, watching the Brush Judge and chain scythe fill the void, reversed her grip on her sword.
Thwip!
The single strike Bu Eunseol unleashed was not only slow but clumsy, as if delivered by someone intoxicated.
“What?”
But Sang Ryang and Ma Woon let out exclamations of bewilderment as they hastily retreated.
The overwhelming pressure that erupted from Bu Eunseol’s unfolded blade shattered their movements and the subtle shifts in their technique.
“What manner of swordsmanship is this?”
Sang Ryang stopped his assault, genuinely startled.
“It has no name.”
The opening move I had just displayed was a sword technique that distilled every skill I had mastered and the profound insights gained through actual combat.
“It is merely my own interpretation of everything I have felt thus far.”
At my words, Sang Ryang burst into admiration.
“Remarkable! To manifest such profound insight into technique at your age.”
Then Ma Woon laughed heartily.
“Brother, it seems we shall finally have a truly exhilarating battle!”
“Indeed.”
As Sang Ryang drew in a deep breath, lightning flashed across his eyes.
“Now let us see this through to its true end!”
It was a desperate struggle.
Gongssi Ssangma, who had merged the ultimate techniques of the ancient orthodox sects passed down through generations with the demonic path’s esoteric weaponry.
Bu Eunseol, a prodigy of martial arts who forged her own unique style by infusing practical combat techniques with the experiences of Gangho, creating something entirely her own.
The incompatible masters of the Orthodox Sects and the genius of the Demonic Path clashed endlessly, and at last, the end began to reveal itself.
‘Now is the moment!’
As the end of this blood-soaked battle finally came into view, I drew upon my inner power with everything I possessed.
Condensing the blade that had been sweeping through the air into a sharp focus, I became a single streak of light that pierced through the net of combined force that Gongssi Ssangma had woven.
“Excellent!”
Gongssi Ssangma, realizing this exchange would determine life and death.
They too unleashed their full power, sending forth two brilliant streaks of light.
Boom!
As the all-consuming strikes crashed against each other, a violent wind swept through and dust swirled in all directions.
Whoosh.
As the wind subsided and the dust cleared, the figures of blade-wielding Bu Eunseol and Gongssi Ssangma standing before and behind her came into view.
“Why….”
My voice trembled slightly as I gripped my blade.
Blood dripped steadily from the tip of my sword.
Yet the judge’s brush and chain scythe that touched my chest and back had failed to pierce my garments, remaining frozen in place.
In that final moment, Gongssi Ssangma had withdrawn their attack.
“There is nowhere for a conspirator whose identity has been exposed to return to….”
Blood trickled from the corners of Sang Ryang’s mouth as he wore a parched smile.
“I told you. The ending was already decided.”
Sang Ryang gazed with a pained expression at Ma Woon, who stood behind Bu Eunseol.
Ma Woon remained with his chain scythe extended, his eyes wide open. His heart had been pierced through, and he had already breathed his last.
“That fool Ma Woon… he took quite a liking to you. He said it felt like having a stubborn younger sibling.”
I said nothing.
No, I couldn’t even open my mouth.
Sang Ryang drew a deep breath and spoke in a low voice.
“Eighteen. Or rather, I suppose I can call you Bu Eunseol now?”
As Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened, Sang Ryang offered a faint smile.
“I’ve known for a long time that you were one of the Ten Demon Experts of Nangya Sect.”
Sang Ryang continued with difficulty, his gaze dimming.
“The Murim Alliance, and the Demon Palace as well… they’ve been watching you. You understand what I’m saying, don’t you?”
Not only the Murim Alliance, but the Demon Palace was also keeping watch over Bu Eunseol.
That meant they still harbored suspicions about her.
“The currents of Gangho run treacherous. Trust no one, and be careful.”
Sang Ryang placed a gentle hand upon Bu Eunseol’s shoulder.
And with those words, he quietly breathed his last.
* * *
Two nameless graves appeared on the Small Hill.
The graves belonged to Sang Ryang and Ma Woon, who had been spies of the Murim Alliance.
The Murim Alliance would never acknowledge the existence of Gongssi Ssangma. To do so would be to admit they had sent agents to spy on the Demon Palace.
The same would hold true for Gae Bang and Jeom Chang Sect.
―Exposed agents have nowhere to return to…
Just as Sang Ryang had said, they truly had nowhere left to go.
Bu Eunseol gathered the bodies of Gongssi Ssangma and gave them a proper burial. Then she buried them with her own hands in a sunlit place.
It was all I could do for them now.
“May it be that in the afterlife…”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes grew distant as she gazed at the graves.
“…you find a place to return to.”
With an empty gaze fixed upon the graves, Bu Eunseol slowly turned away.
She had resolved to return to Nangya Sect.

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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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