The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 646

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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 646.
Murmurs filled the air.
The Lords gathered in the secret chamber installed within Bu Eunseol’s office exchanged endless whispers as they glanced around the space.
None of them had ever dreamed such a concealed chamber existed within Jamma Pavilion.
―To think such a secret chamber lay hidden in the office of the Ryeong Ju, whom we visited day and night.
Within Jamma Pavilion, which we frequented constantly, such an exquisitely engineered mechanism had been installed without our notice—it was enough to send shivers down one’s spine.
“There is something I must say first.”
Once all the Lords had gathered, I spoke in a solemn voice.
“The Sam Gye faction has taken root in Ben Jeon. Because they can easily recruit people whenever necessary, we have always been forced to remain vigilant.”
All the Lords nodded in agreement.
Even Myo Cheon Woo, who could be called my closest confidant, though not recruited by Sam Gye—
Had fallen victim to Wi Ji Hye Sang’s schemes and become a traitor, leaking information from the Sayoung Battle Division.
“Of course, Sam Gye will continue to approach you whenever they wish. But I have decided to stop worrying about such things.”
I spoke calmly.
“You are my people.”
“My people” is a phrase superiors commonly use with their subordinates.
But when I spoke those words, something warm and binding seemed to well up in their chests.
Because that phrase was simply another way of saying family.
―We are the Ryeong Ju’s family.
Whether disappointed or disheartened.
Family offers unconditional support in any circumstance.
Though we share no blood, I have accepted my subordinates as family.
Therefore, even if they become traitors.
Even if they make poor judgments and cause me harm.
I have resolved not to blame them, but to bear it.
Because they are family.
“There is no need for such expressions.”
Observing the moved faces of the Lords, I sighed deeply and spoke.
“It is not you who should ask for forgiveness, but I.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Won Se Moon’s eyes widened.
The Ryeong Ju who had always handled everything flawlessly.
Who cherished subordinates like children—why would she ask them for forgiveness?
‘Moreover….’
Unlike usual, she was referring to herself as “I”.
Did that not mean she was speaking as a person, transcending rank and position?
“I infiltrated the Murim Alliance long ago and have been active there.”
I opened my mouth calmly, looking at the Lords.
“Seon Woo Jin, the Elite Division Lord who rose to the rank of Pavilion Master in the Murim Alliance this time, is me.”
Yu Woon Ryong and So Yo, who already knew such facts, remained composed.
The lords of the Sayoung Battle Division, unaware of this, opened their eyes so wide they seemed ready to split.
“What are you saying? The Ryeong Ju is the patriarch of the Murim Alliance?”
When Won Se Moon asked, Jo Nam Cheon continued.
“Seon Woo Jin… isn’t he the Murim Alliance figure who dealt with Gwon Wang this time, ascended to the position of advisor to the Four Gods Seven Kings, and became a candidate for the new Mu Cheon Danjoo?”
“That’s correct.”
“Hahahaha.”
Won Se Moon burst into laughter as if he had lost his mind.
“Come now, how can that be? It’s not as if the Ryeong Ju uses some sort of body-splitting technique.”
Jo Nam Cheon added his voice.
“Exactly. It makes no sense from the start. When Seon Woo Jin was actively moving about, the Ryeong Ju was here with us.”
“No body-splitting technique was necessary.”
Bu Eunseol nodded toward Seo Jin Ha, who sat to one side.
Crack.
Immediately, Seo Jin Ha transformed into the appearance of Bu Eunseol.
In that instant, the eyes of the lords grew even wider.
The Illusion Face Bone Technique involved artificially adjusting muscles and skeletal structure to change one’s face.
Therefore, while one could change their face,
creating an identical face and identical aura to match another person was an extraordinarily difficult feat.
Especially since the lords of the Sayoung Battle Division had spent a long time together with Bu Eunseol through thick and thin, they could not help but sense something amiss no matter how well the transformation was executed.
Yet Seo Jin Ha, as if he had practiced hundreds or thousands of times,
was now indistinguishable from Bu Eunseol.
“So you trained Director Seo for a long time, and the two of you alternated between roles.”
At Wi Cheon Gyeong’s words, Bu Eunseol nodded.
“Yes.”
In that moment, the air in the secret chamber’s conference room became heavy as lead.
Those gathered here were true practitioners of the Demonic Path.
And what the practitioners of the Demonic Path despised most were spies, like bats in the darkness.
A superior from the Nangya Sect, whom they had believed to be a genuine Demonic Path practitioner, one they had served with their very lives,
had been going back and forth to the Murim Alliance all this time, conducting espionage. It was incomprehensible.
A heavy silence fell.
Half a quarter of an hour passed, yet no one dared to speak hastily.
From their perspective, it mattered not whether Bu Eunseol was a vicious Grand Demon Immortal.
But the fact that Bu Eunseol had infiltrated the Murim Alliance, received orders from the Murim Alliance, and carried out tasks at their command—
This was something they could simply not tolerate.
“Why did you do this?”
After the long silence, Wi Cheon Gyeong spoke with a strained voice.
“The Ryeong Ju would have no reason to covet power. There must have been a reason.”
“I was searching for my grandfather’s enemy.”
Bu Eunseol explained everything.
That her grandfather, who had taken her in as an orphan, was Bu Chanyang of the Chil Ji Ma Do, and that she had spent her childhood working with him in the Yeomsa organization.
However, I did not mention the part about my grandfather’s death at the hands of an unknown Hyung Su, nor how I became one of the Ten Demon Immortals for revenge.
I simply did not speak of my father Baek Ri Mu Ha or anything concerning Cheon Am Seong.
After all, nothing had been definitively clarified yet.
“Then, what becomes of us?”
Jo Nam Cheon spoke in a low voice.
“If we are considered people of Ryeong Ju, then ultimately we are neither of the Demonic Path nor the Righteous Path, are we?”
Unlike the Elite Division members who offered unconditional absolute loyalty,
the Lords of the Sayoung Battle Division were hot-blooded and spirited Demonic Path cultivators.
No matter how much they had sought to find Hyung Su,
it was difficult to comprehend Bu Eunseol’s actions in moving between both orthodox and demonic factions.
“I did not reveal this to constrain you.”
Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
“First, I wished to reveal the truth, and second, I wanted to give you the choice.”
Silence fell once more.
Only then did the Lords understand why Bu Eunseol had spoken in such a manner.
“If we do not wish to serve Ryeong Ju, what becomes of us?”
Wi Cheon Gyeong’s question was answered by Bu Eunseol.
“Your freedom. If you wish to go to another organization, I will send you immediately. If you dislike being in the Demon Palace, I will compensate you generously for your past hardships.”
She continued,
“Or you may venture into Gangho and establish yourselves as regional lords. With your strength and reputation, you would be well-received wherever you go.”
Though her offer was extraordinary, the expressions of the Sayoung Battle Division Lords grew extremely dark.
Yu Woon Ryong and Seo Jin Ha, observing their faces, wore worried expressions.
―No matter how loyal to Bu Eunseol, perhaps it was impossible after all?
It made sense.
Regardless of their devotion to Bu Eunseol,
they would not wish to walk the precarious tightrope between both factions.
Even after half a quarter hour passed, the Lords remained silent with heavy expressions.
“Damn these bastards!”
Then Won Se Moon pointed accusingly at Jo Nam Cheon and Wi Cheon Gyeong.
“Get out! You are not worthy of serving Ryeong Ju.”
He looked around and shouted loudly.
“Is Ryeong Ju not Ryeong Ju? Did Ryeong Ju go to the Murim Alliance for personal gain? You said she went for revenge. So what? Why do you all look like you’ve eaten shit?”
Then he went to Bu Eunseol’s side and pointed accusingly at the Lords again.
“Ryeong Ju, let us drive all of them out. They were never trustworthy to begin with.”
As Won Se Moon raged on,
“You be quiet for a moment.”
Jo Nam Cheon said irritably.
“You fool. Who said we won’t serve Ryeong Ju? That’s not what we’re troubled about.”
“Then what is it?”
“Someone as simple as you wouldn’t understand, so just go hide yourself somewhere. You’re being a nuisance.”
At that moment, Wi Cheon Gyeong, who had been maintaining his silence, finally spoke.
“Ryeong Ju. There is one thing I wish to ask.”
“Speak.”
“Are you of the Demonic Path, or of the Righteous Path?”
At that question, Bu Eunseol’s eyes grew distant.
Demonic Path? Righteous Path?
I had never truly felt a sense of belonging to either. I had entered Gangho for one purpose alone—vengeance.
“I am merely a wanderer.”
Bu Eunseol drew a deep breath and spoke with conviction.
“Neither the Demon Hall nor the Murim Alliance. They are merely places where I linger for a time.”
It was an honest sentiment, yet not words meant for the lords of the Sayoung Battle Division.
Yet Bu Eunseol had no desire to hold them here by force.
They were of the Demonic Path, with lives of their own.
My path is one of vengeance alone. I would never demand absolute loyalty simply because I am their superior.
“I see.”
Wi Cheon Gyeong and Jo Nam Cheon, having heard Bu Eunseol’s words. And Seo Jin Ha and Yu Woon Ryong, Mu Heun and So Yo. Even Tak Il Hon.
All wore expressions of anguish and bitterness.
They were not disappointed.
Because they understood Bu Eunseol’s heart.
Their hearts ached for her.
Why did she cherish her subordinates so? Why did she hold their lives in such regard?
She was simply walking a treacherous path of vengeance.
And somehow she had gained subordinates, treating them all with the same care as precious companions.
Yet she herself was neither of the Demonic Path nor the Righteous Path—merely a wanderer.
She would cause no harm to anyone, and once all was finished, she would depart without a trace.
“Then the Murim Alliance members under your command also know of this.”
At Wi Cheon Gyeong’s question, Bu Eunseol lowered her head.
“Yes. They nearly died protecting me despite knowing my true identity.”
Recalling how Tae Mu Ryong had nearly sacrificed himself for her, her eyes grew infinitely dark.
“So I told them everything about my circumstances. Before you.”
“Then the Soul Returning Divine Pill and the Azure Spirit Stone Jade from the Medicine King Hall were used for them.”
“Yes.”
Bu Eunseol answered calmly.
“They are the same to me as you all are.”
“Forgive us.”
Wi Cheon Gyeong, his eyes reddening, knelt down.
“We failed to understand your heart, Ryeong Ju, and spoke foolishly.”
Only now could they truly comprehend Bu Eunseol’s heart.
To subordinates who would not hesitate at a single command.
That she would share such truths with them was itself.
Afraid of being sacrificed without understanding why.
Terrified of being swept up in his revenge without reason… I was drowning in worry upon worry.
Thump.
Just as Jo Nam Cheon was about to kneel and speak,
“Ryeong Ju!”
Won Se Moon approached Bu Eunseol with tears and snot streaming down his face, grasping her legs as he wept.
“We never knew that Ryeong Ju walked such a lonely and desolate path! We have always lamented that we could not see Ryeong Ju’s noble countenance more often!”
“Rise.”
Bu Eunseol smiled serenely.
“How could this be your fault? It is my own lack of virtue.”
“Ryeong Ju! Ryeong Ju!”
Won Se Moon cried out loud like a child.
“Do not worry! Whether it is the Demonic Path or the Righteous Path, it matters not! We shall protect Ryeong Ju for all our lives!”
Tears glistened in the eyes of everyone in the conference hall.
Whether they were of the Demonic Path or the Righteous Path mattered not.
Had they not long ago sworn to offer their lives to Bu Eunseol?
Drip.
Bu Eunseol’s own eyes reddened.
The boy who had left the funeral house alone for revenge.
Had wandered the Gangho with nothing to rely upon in this world, a single blade in hand.
But now there were subordinates worth dying for, and comrades beside me.
The Demonic Path, the Righteous Path, the Heretical Path… what did such divisions matter? What difference could they possibly make?
For a time, only Won Se Moon’s weeping echoed through the conference hall.
* * *
The turbulent atmosphere of the conference hall gradually settled.
Those who had composed themselves began the meeting.
“So then, what do you intend to do now?”
The first to speak was the Dharma Protector, Tak Il Hon.
“The atmosphere at Ben Jeon has been unusual of late. Some of the senior members seem to show an attitude of not recognizing Ryeong Ju’s authority.”
Sa Hon Dae’s master Mu Heun also nodded in agreement.
“Indeed. I suspect this may be because Ma Cheon Je, rather than the Chong Gyo Ryeong, maintains an attitude of neglecting Ryeong Ju.”
Bu Eunseol had already been attacked by external forces twice.
If such an incident were to befall the successor, even if Bu Eunseol remained still,
Ma Cheon Je should immediately step forward and take action.
But he always maintained an indifferent attitude as if nothing were amiss.
And because of this, the senior members of the Murim Alliance judged that Bu Eunseol did not receive Ma Cheon Je’s favor and could be replaced at any time.
“Moreover, this attack as well… was only possible because information was leaked from Ben Jeon again.”
As Bu Eunseol returned to the Demon Palace, this time she was attacked by Sang Je.
And according to Sa Hon Dae’s analysis,
The probability that Ma Cheon Je was the one who exposed her whereabouts was very high.
Otherwise, the Chong Gyo Ryeong would never have been able to entertain Bu Eunseol with such ease.
And the greatest problem of all was this.
The Biryeong Sect, Ma Cheon Je’s direct institution and the Demonic Path’s supreme intelligence agency,
still refused to disclose information to Bu Eunseol.
Which meant that Ma Cheon Je had merely elevated Bu Eunseol to the position of successor in name alone—he had effectively stripped away a portion of her authority.
Much like the Chong Gyo Ryeong, Yeop Hyo Cheon.
“That is why I have called this meeting.”
Bu Eunseol spoke calmly, her gaze sweeping across those assembled.
“You must have sensed it yourselves—Ma Cheon Je regards me merely as a puppet, not as a true successor.”
The moment Ma Cheon Je’s name was spoken, the atmosphere in the conference hall grew noticeably darker.
If such a supreme figure of the Demonic Path were to impose restrictions?
Then countless obstacles would lie ahead, and I could never truly rise within the Demonic Path.
“From this point forward, I intend to establish a new sanctuary.”
Bu Eunseol spoke with measured composure.
“I have named it the Muhon Society.”
In that instant, the conference hall was filled with a chilling silence.
The future Demon Hall Lord, currently belonging to the Demon Hall itself, would establish a new sect?
This was, in essence, treason.
If such words were to leak beyond these walls?
Bu Eunseol would be immediately stripped of power, and her very life could be endangered.
“You speak of establishing a sect?”
Mu Heun, the Sa Hon Dae Lord, spoke with careful hesitation, his expression betraying confusion.
“Is it not impossible to found a sect? Are you not a disciple of the Nangya Sect?”
“To be precise, it is not a sect but a confederation—like the Demon Hall itself.”
The air within the chamber grew even heavier.
If Bu Eunseol were to establish a confederation like the Demon Hall?
This would not be a matter confined to the Demon Hall alone, but something that both the Demonic Murim and the Orthodox Murim would oppose entirely.
“So that is why you met privately with the Chong Gyo Ryeong?”
It was Seo Jin Ha who asked this.
“To gauge whether he would refrain from restricting you as Ma Cheon Je does?”
“Precisely.”
As Seo Jin Ha immediately grasped her intention, Bu Eunseol allowed a faint smile to cross her lips.
“To establish a new sect going forward, I must undertake many things. But if the Chong Gyo Ryeong were to align with Ma Cheon Je and attempt to restrict me… it would become entirely impossible.”
In other words, if the Chong Gyo Ryeong did not ruthlessly suppress Bu Eunseol and instead treated her fairly according to the Demon Hall’s rules and principles,
then establishing a sect would not be impossible.
―This is…
At Bu Eunseol’s words, the Lords tilted their heads in bewilderment.
No matter how they considered it, such a thing seemed impossible.
“I fear the establishment itself would be impossible.”
Wi Cheon Gyeong spoke with careful deliberation.
“An alliance is fundamentally different from a sect. The existing powers of Murim must grant their approval before a new alliance can even be established, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Hmm.”
“Moreover, if a new alliance were to emerge in Murim… even if Ben Jeon doesn’t oppose it, the Murim Alliance and the Dark Path would certainly move heaven and earth to block it.”
Currently, the balance of power in Murim was precariously maintained.
But what if a new alliance were to form in Murim?
Even if the Demon Hall ignored it, the Orthodox Sects and Dark Path would never acknowledge it.
They would do everything in their power to prevent its very creation.
Because they were far more sensitive to shifts in power dynamics than the Demon Hall itself.
“I have already devised a method.”
Bu Eunseol spoke after drawing a deep breath.
“It will take time to establish ourselves in Murim, but gaining recognition as an alliance should be entirely feasible.”
“How so?”
“The one who attacked me as I was returning to Ben Jeon was Sang Je of the Infinite Realm.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes grew profoundly deep as she spoke.
“And within Murim exists an entity known as the Inbiyin. Their origins are suspected to trace back to the Ma Gyo, and they have operated under various names and forms until now…”
As her words continued, the mouths of everyone in the conference room fell open.
The revelations were far too shocking.
Only then could they dimly perceive the true reason Bu Eunseol sought to birth this new alliance.
Bu Eunseol continued speaking, and the atmosphere within the secret chamber grew increasingly tense.
Creak.
The hidden passage door in the Jamma Pavilion’s great conference hall swung open.
“Rest now.”
Bu Eunseol left with those calm words.
As the door opened wide, the lords within collapsed into their seats, their complexions ashen.
They had held continuous conferences within the secret chamber for four days and nights without rest.
Bu Eunseol’s plan was so vast in scope.
They had no choice but to stay awake throughout the nights, constantly researching and reviewing to ensure the plan could be realized.
“Ugh.”
Even Yu Woon Ryong, who had grown accustomed to lengthy conferences, had turned deathly pale.
A distant future.
Bu Eunseol was calculating matters so far into the future that it seemed almost incomprehensible.
He wanted nothing more than to collapse and sleep immediately.
But he had no choice but to sharpen his focus once more.
Now it was his turn to preside.
He had to reconvene the lords’ council to discuss the specific details necessary to realize Bu Eunseol’s plan.
“First, we integrate the intelligence networks of the Orthodox Sects.”
Yu Woon Ryong, now seated, spoke with eyes suddenly gleaming as though he had never been exhausted.
“The Murim Alliance Elite Force is small in scale, but it consists of the finest operatives personally trained by Ryeong Ju. Furthermore, they skillfully refine high-level intelligence from within the Murim Alliance.”
He looked between Mu Heun and Wi Cheon Gyeong in turn as he spoke.
“If both intelligence networks become one perfect whole…”
The meeting continued relentlessly.
Plans to establish the new alliance had already begun.
Now, all that remained was to push forward with full force, never looking back.
And in the distant future.
The Demon Hall, the Murim Alliance, and the Muhon Society would establish themselves as the three great powers of Murim.

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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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