The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 664

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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 664.
Above there is Heaven, below there is Suzhou and Hang Ju.
In the heavens lies paradise, and on earth lie Suzhou and Hang Ju.
Suzhou, in particular, renowned for its fine silks, was home to numerous merchants and silk shops.
Moreover, the mystical and beautiful canal that transformed its appearance with each passing moment was equally celebrated as a marvel.
Thus, Suzhou drew countless visitors, and Seong Do and Market Street perpetually bustled with activity.
Clop-clop, clop-clop.
A single carriage raced along Gwan Do.
The carriage, drawn by four snow-white steeds, gleamed with golden brilliance across its surface and was adorned with elaborate decorations throughout.
Whoa.
The carriage came to a halt before Geum Ryong Do Bang, one of Suzhou’s most renowned gambling establishments.
Click.
As the carriage door opened, a man clad in silk robes emerged.
Though his frame was gaunt and unremarkable, his eyes gleamed like torches.
Every finger bore glittering rings, and he wore a grand robe of heavenly silk over a belt studded with massive jewels.
“Ahem.”
At the man’s feigned cough, the servants before the gambling house bowed their heads.
“Welcome, sir.”
“How are the patrons?”
“Packed to capacity, sir.”
“Good.”
The man strutted inside with exaggerated pomposity.
He owned three gambling establishments in Suzhou and was a wealthy merchant who also possessed a silk shop and an inn.
Thus, his daily routine consisted of:
Visiting pleasure houses to drink heavily with courtesans, and by midday, inspecting his various establishments.
“The profits are not bad. Before long, I might even surpass Ha Hong Geum.”
Ha Hong Geum was Suzhou’s largest and oldest gambling house, incomparable in scale to Geum Ryong Do Bang.
The servants exchanged knowing glances as they listened to the man’s boasting.
“Work hard. Never abandon your dreams.”
As the man left Geum Ryong Do Bang, he patted the servants’ shoulders while departing.
“If you risk your lives to save the world, you too shall achieve success! Hahahaha!”
The man laughed heartily as he gazed toward the distant sky.
He was none other than one who followed Bu Eunseol.
He had investigated the headquarters of the Infinite Realm within Cheon Hae Yak Rim, where vicious Shil Hoon In were being created, and exposed their conspiracy.
He was Yu Cheong Rim, the Thousand-Faced Divine Thief.
“In doing so, wealth and glory shall naturally fall into my hands!”
Under Bu Eunseol’s orders, he had discovered all the hidden mechanisms within Cheon Hae Yak Rim.
Not only had he uncovered evidence exposing the Infinite Realm’s crimes in detail, but…
He had also discovered the secret vault they had concealed, and brought away a generous portion of the treasures stored within.
Moreover, thanks to Bu Eunseol’s generosity, he now possessed ten of the Ten-Thousand-Year Flower Elixir Pills from that place…
Yu Cheong Rim had become a sudden windfall millionaire, now a wealthy magnate commanding multiple enterprises across the expensive lands of Suzhou.
“Then work hard.”
―Petty bastard. If you’re going to brag, at least hand over money while you’re at it.
The servants were brimming with discontent, yet they bowed obsequiously as they saw him off.
“Ahem.”
As Yu Cheong Rim, chest thrust proudly forward, accepted their farewells and strode back toward his carriage with commanding presence,
“Wow.”
A massive shadow crouched before his carriage, gasping in amazement.
“Is this really gold?”
The shadow, dressed in shabby clothes, appeared to be a provincial from the remote countryside.
With soot-stained hands, it caressed the gleaming carriage, exclaiming in wonder.
“It’s so incredibly shiny?”
“How dare you! Who permits such insolence toward this honored one’s carriage!”
Yu Cheong Rim tensed his lower abdomen and spoke sternly to the crouching figure.
“Do you have any idea how expensive that carriage is….”
But his words never reached their conclusion.
The shadow crouching before him slowly rose to its feet.
Whoooosh.
Then a head ascended skyward, rising for what seemed an eternity.
The figure was so tall that its height nearly matched that of the carriage beside it.
Moreover, the frame was massive as a pagoda-bearing deity, with lustrous long hair flowing freely.
Swish.
As the seven-foot-tall shadow turned its body,
the face of a beautiful woman emerged—surprisingly large eyes and delicate, charming features.
Yet Yu Cheong Rim began backing away as though confronted by a malevolent demon.
For she was none other than the one who had used him as bait for the Black-White Witch, leaving him half-dead before resurrection.
So Ok Rim, master of the Heaven-Shattering Palm.
“Yu Cheong Rim.”
So Ok Rim approached him, speaking in a low voice.
“You and I need to work together on something.”
As she strode forward, Yu Cheong Rim erupted in a cry mingling terror and fury.
“You show up out of nowhere and torment me again!”
Boom!
Yet in that clear sky, the sound of thunder suddenly crackled.
And in that same instant, mere inches from Yu Cheong Rim’s cheek,
So Ok Rim’s fist halted, white smoke billowing from it.
“An insect in late autumn.”
Yu Cheong Rim stood frozen like a stone statue, eyes wide open.
Sizzzzle.
White smoke rose from the cauldron-lid-like fist.
Chatter-chatter-chatter-chatter.
Yu Cheong Rim nearly lost control of his bladder.
If that hand had made contact with his cheek?
The corn kernels in his mouth would have bid farewell to his gums forever, and from that day forward, he would have subsisted on tofu alone for the rest of his life.
“Ugh, how disgusting.”
So Ok Rim, her head bowed, watched Yu Cheong Rim drenched in cold sweat and frowned.
“Why do you always perspire so heavily whenever you see me?”
“It’s, it’s just so hot.”
The weather displayed the unmistakable signs of autumn—a cool breeze drifting through the air.
Yet Yu Cheong Rim stood as though positioned beside a roaring furnace.
Sweat cascaded from him like a waterfall.
‘Why in the world does this witch—!’
Yu Cheong Rim’s eyes had lost all focus.
He had abandoned his life of thievery and become a respectable businessman.
So why had this malevolent specter of a witch appeared before him?
“Miss So.”
Yu Cheong Rim, regaining his composure and wiping away the sweat, opened his mouth with utmost formality.
“I have now completely washed my hands clean—”
“Enough.”
So Ok Rim cut off his words abruptly.
“Let us go somewhere quiet and talk.”
Thump.
She seized Yu Cheong Rim by the scruff of his neck as one might grab a puppy, hoisting him into the golden carriage.
Then she climbed aboard herself.
* * *
Demon Palace, Jamma Pavilion. Bu Eunseol’s office.
Bu Eunseol was engaged in endless conferences with the Lords.
The Gwi Il Gye.
They had stolen the corpse of my grandfather Bu Chanyang.
Using the power of the One Hundred and Eight Stars, they had unfolded a grand technique to inherit the martial enlightenment of masters from previous generations.
And ultimately, they had even given birth to one who inherited the martial arts of Hyeol Hwang, one of the Eight Emperors and Three Stars.
Though this being cannot yet be called a perfect Hyeol Hwang, as time passes, the Gwi Il Gye will birth even more perfect masters.
If that comes to pass…
We might even be able to contend with masters such as the Sam Ma Sam Jon, whom we have never dared to touch.
The conspiracy of the Gwi Il Gye must be stopped at all costs.
“Since they have completed a figure comparable to Hyeol Hwang to a considerable degree, it will not be long before they begin their full-scale activities within Murim.”
Bu Eunseol relayed everything that had transpired at Seo Ryeong San to the Lords.
Having heard the entire account, the Lords turned ashen.
Thereafter, acting under Bu Eunseol’s command, they immediately mobilized all intelligence networks to track the movements of Hyeol Hwang, who had vanished from Seo Ryeong San.
They deployed every resource at their disposal.
A few days later,
“Ryeong Ju.”
Wi Cheon Gyeong entered the office and spoke carefully.
“I believe you should take a look at this.”
What he brought was a letter sent by Yu Hwa Ryeong, who served as the chief administrator of the Muhon Society.
The letter contained information that So Hwa Ru, one of the most renowned pleasure houses in Suzhou, appeared highly suspicious.
“Across all seven provinces, the largest concentration of funds flows through a single pleasure house…”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes gleamed as she read through the letter.
Operating a pleasure house was one of the most effective means to secure funds rapidly while conducting operations in complete secrecy.
For the Gwi Il Gye to launch full-scale activities in the Gangho, they would require substantial capital.
Though Yu Hwa Ryeong was a martial artist, he had long managed the Cheon Geom Hoe’s vast financial resources.
Upon learning that Bu Eunseol was actively searching to uncover the Gwi Il Gye’s trail,
he conducted a detailed investigation into the financial flows of pleasure houses and wine establishments, identifying locations with suspicious patterns.
“However, Administrator Yu detected the irregularities only through the flow of funds, so it appears a direct investigation will be necessary.”
At Wi Cheon Gyeong’s words, Bu Eunseol stroked her chin thoughtfully.
“So Hwa Ru.”
“We sent the Sa Hon Dae to conduct their own investigation, but they obtained little of value.”
“Little of value?”
“Since it’s a place where high officials frequent, the security is reportedly more sophisticated than most intelligence organizations. There are also skilled masters of unknown identity stationed there.”
It was natural for a high-class pleasure house to take special care that information did not leak.
Yet for even the Sa Hon Dae—an intelligence organization renowned even among the Demonic Path—to be unable to penetrate its interior?
“There is definitely something there.”
“Indeed. Even for a high-class pleasure house, the level of security is excessive.”
Wi Cheon Gyeong’s eyes sparkled as he spoke.
“If you permit it, Ryeong Ju, I shall go and investigate directly.”
Wi Cheon Gyeong possessed exceptional strategic acumen and remarkable adaptability.
As a commander and strategist rivaling Yu Woon Ryong in capability, he possessed truly outstanding abilities.
“No, that won’t do.”
But Bu Eunseol shook her head.
So Hwa Ru was no ordinary pleasure house but a dangerous place suspected to be connected to the Sam Gye—particularly the terrifying Gwi Il Gye.
No matter how capable Wi Cheon Gyeong was, he could fall into grave danger.
“I shall go myself.”
“You speak of going yourself, Ryeong Ju?”
“The power of the Sam Gye transcends imagination. Even a small branch possesses such overwhelming might.”
Bu Eunseol would accept some risk and send her subordinates on missions if she believed it offered them opportunities to grow.
But the Sam Gye was different.
Even a small branch possessed such formidable military strength that only those who had reached the Choguk Dowon could possibly contend with it.
Therefore, Bu Eunseol had consistently borne the risk herself, systematically dismantling the Sam Gye’s branches one by one.
“Understood.”
Wi Cheon Gyeong, aware of such circumstances and understanding Bu Eunseol’s care for her subordinates,
I refrained from pushing forward and offered a respectful bow instead.
Yet in my heart, I made a solemn vow.
I would rapidly elevate my martial prowess.
I would surely lighten the burden upon Ryeong Ju.
* * *
As night descended upon Suzhou, which had become a city of eternal brilliance, the pleasure houses in the entertainment district hung lanterns beside their crimson-painted gates.
From a distance, the sight resembled brilliant stars descending upon the nighttime streets.
Clop clop.
At that moment, an ornately decorated carriage came to a halt before the entrance of So Hwa Ru.
Rumble.
The grand gates of So Hwa Ru swung wide open, and tall, gentle-featured Jeomsoi lined up on both sides.
Click.
As the carriage door opened, a tall man in blue robes emerged.
His appearance was utterly ordinary, bearing no distinctive features.
Yet adorned in azure-tinged silk garments with a large jeweled belt fastened at his waist,
one could discern at a glance that he was descended from a wealthy family.
Thump thump.
At that moment, a middle-aged man who appeared to be the manager emerged from among the servants and bowed respectfully.
“This humble Bang Juk offers his greetings.”
The managers of pleasure houses of such grand scale were typically either masters from the Dark Path or influential figures of considerable renown in their regions.
Yet Bang Juk was an orthodox master of the Demonic Path from the Cheol Sa Moon, a figure of considerable reputation throughout the Yang Gwang region.
Remarkably, he now served as the manager of a mere pleasure house.
“You know who I am?”
The man in blue asked, and Bang Juk lowered his head.
“How could I not know the name of the Great Master Seol So, whose reputation echoes across the Four Seas?”
And he added one more remark.
“As a special-class emissary of Jeok Cheon Mak Ji, you have handled various matters.”
He was none other than Bu Eunseol, disguised as Seol So.
‘Quite an impressive intelligence network.’
Bu Eunseol had made an early reservation at So Hwa Ru under the name Seol So.
Yet the So Hwa Ru establishment had thoroughly investigated who Seol So was,
and had already ascertained that Seol So was a special-class emissary.
“This way, please.”
Bang Juk guided Bu Eunseol with courteous precision.
Following him inside, a beautifully landscaped garden and small pond came into view.
The buildings within So Hwa Ru, designed like a grand manor, along with the flowers, plants, and trees, and the mountain-water formations,
were all constructed to suppress artificial aesthetics and exude natural beauty.
Surely a master craftsman had designed and built this place with his own hands.
“This way.”
Bang Juk led me to the third floor of a pavilion standing prominently across from the lake.
The floor inside was laid with Cold Water Stone, a material so precious that no amount of gold could procure it, and a pleasant fragrance wafted through the air.
Upon opening the door, women dressed in snow-white garments stood in serene attendance.
“I hope you have an enjoyable evening.”
Bang Juk bowed respectfully and turned to leave.
Two attendants, who appeared somewhat young, guided me further into the inner chamber.
The room was filled with delicacies from mountains and seas, and a beautiful woman awaited.
“I am Jin So So, a courtesan of this establishment, and I greet you, Master Seol.”
She lowered her eyes slightly and offered a respectful bow.
Beneath eyebrows like a crescent moon, her large eyes gleamed like amethysts set into her face.
Her lips were crimson and her skin as white as fresh snow, lending her a provocative and enchanting beauty.
“From your attire and manner of speech, you don’t seem to be an ordinary courtesan.”
At my question, the beauty smiled softly.
“Though humble, I serve as the proprietress of this establishment.”
It was remarkable.
Seol So was practically unknown in the Murim.
Yet at the So Hwa Ru, where high officials frequented regularly, he was treated as the most distinguished guest.
And now the proprietress herself, who rarely showed her face, had come out to greet him personally?
“It is an honor to meet Master Seol, whose name shakes the Murim itself.”
“You flatter me. Such lavish hospitality is excessive for a mere wanderer.”
“How could I ever refer to someone of your stature as a mere wanderer?”
I looked past Jin So So.
“And who is that young woman?”
Behind her sat a woman without striking beauty, but whose presence carried a clarity and purity like morning dew, positioned before a twelve-stringed zither.
“That is Se Ha. She possesses the finest zither skills in our establishment.”
More so than Jin So So, who bloomed like a fully opened flower—
My gaze lingered longer on Se Ha, who sat with her head bowed before the zither, her demeanor refined and elegant.
When Se Ha’s eyes met mine, she lowered her head shyly.
“This appears to be the most scenic room in the So Hwa Ru…”
I scratched my head as I spoke.
“I merely asked for a quiet place where I could enjoy a cup of wine in peace.”
At my words, Jin So So smiled slightly.
“How could we do otherwise when someone of your caliber visits our establishment?”
She shrugged her shoulders.
“Upon hearing that you had made a reservation, we specially prepared this Seol Hyang Gak, which has been booked through next year, just for you.”
‘This is excessive. Far too much.’
I sensed something amiss.
Jin So So’s treatment of me was as if I possessed my true identity—
The level of hospitality one would receive as the Moo Hon Ryeong Ju?
No matter how exceptional a wanderer’s martial prowess, such treatment was far too lavish.
“Your hospitality is truly excessive.”
“That can’t be right.”
Jin So So approached like a butterfly, settling gently beside me as she spoke.
“You are far too modest, Master Seol So.”
“Modest?”
“Wasn’t your master, Tan Wang, one of the greatest heroes of his era, his name inscribed upon the Monument of Heroes during his lifetime?”
She continued in a soft, melodious voice.
“Having inherited his extraordinary techniques perfectly, it is only natural that you too shall soon ascend to such heights.”
In that instant, my eyebrows twitched beneath the guise of Seol So.
The premise that Seol So was Tan Wang’s disciple had been a temporary measure to resolve the Wudang Sect matter.
Only the disciples of Wudang Sect knew of this fact.
Yet So Hwa Ru had already gathered information about Seol So?
‘So even Wudang has ears in this place.’
Remarkably, the So Hwa Ru establishment had learned of events within Wudang and even discovered that Seol So was Tan Wang’s disciple.
“Such information has never been revealed to Gangho.”
When I expressed suspicion, Jin So So spoke.
“Our establishment receives many distinguished guests. Through them, we hear stories unknown to the broader Murim.”
“I see.”
As I nodded, Jin So So gently offered a wine bottle with a pungent aroma.
“Allow me to offer you a cup, Master Seol So.”
As she extended her jade-white arm, an indescribable sweet fragrance entered my nostrils.
I had inadvertently experienced the body scents of countless beautiful women until now.
But never before had I encountered a fragrance that stimulated the human nervous system as intensely as Jin So So’s.
I swallowed.
As the potent liquor went down, warmth spread through my belly and my mind became sharp and clear.
“Please, have another cup.”
Jin So So poured continuously.
I accepted without hesitation, emptying each cup as it was filled.
After all, my ostensible reason for being here was to drink wine.
Ting-dong-dong.
After several rounds, Se Ha began playing the ajaeng.
Beautiful melodies flowed through the pavilion, and fine wine continuously filled the cups.
I drank endlessly with Jin So So in that place for some time.
Having spent the entire night drinking heavily at So Hwa Ru, I returned to the Inn where I was staying.
‘Something is definitely strange.’
Recalling the situation at So Hwa Ru, I furrowed my brow.
The proprietress Jin So So had not cultivated martial arts.
Nor had I detected any special mechanisms within the pavilion.
So Hwa Ru sold artistry, not bodies.
The guests here were mostly distinguished individuals of refined taste and propriety.
Yet I could discern that So Hwa Ru was no ordinary pleasure house.
Harmony of Mutual Resonance.
While conversing with Jin So So and sipping wine, I savored Se Ha’s zither performance.
The servants entered cautiously, and the furnishings, appetizers, wine—even the cups themselves—were gradually replaced.
As time passed, I realized something remarkable.
The interior of the Pavilion had been arranged as if constructed solely for me, perfectly attuned to my every preference.
It resembled the harmony that Baek Ri Mu Jo had pioneered, yet it was something else entirely—the supreme principle of martial arts.
They had clearly applied the technique of Harmony of Mutual Resonance.
Thanks to this, I could drink wine in perfect contentment, and the lingering sensation remained even now.
Had I not come here with a purpose to investigate,
I would have gladly remained at So Hwa Ru indefinitely, drinking without end.
‘This means there was a master of tremendous skill present.’
Only Jin So So and Se Ha had been in the Pavilion, with only young servants and attendants coming and going.
Yet they observed me with such keenness, grasped my tastes and temperament, and gradually transformed the interior accordingly.
This could only mean that somewhere, a supreme master was observing me and adjusting the atmosphere and furnishings to match my nature.
‘This exceeds my imagination.’
I could be certain of one thing.
So Hwa Ru was being operated by forces hidden from the Sam Gye and the broader Murim.
The problem was that without concrete evidence,
even if I summoned an army to surround and investigate So Hwa Ru, I could face a devastating counterattack.
Therefore, I could not rush in recklessly.
I had to conduct my investigation with meticulous planning.
‘Moreover, they seem to have already made their judgment.’
So Hwa Ru’s intelligence network was unfathomably vast, and their discernment was swift.
They had already known that Seol So was Tan Wang’s disciple,
and when they perceived through my conduct at the gathering that I harbored no interest in fame or wealth,
Jin So So’s demeanor shifted noticeably.
It was as if she had attempted recruitment but abandoned the effort.
‘I cannot do this alone.’
Given that So Hwa Ru possessed such an intelligence network and had elite masters stationed there beyond easy detection,
I could never investigate the place by myself.
‘Could the agents of Sa Hon Dae manage it?’
After brief deliberation, I shook my head.
This place was far too dangerous.
I could not allow even a single subordinate to die in vain. It was better not to pursue this matter at all than to sacrifice someone.
‘For now, I can only mark my presence there.’
There was only one thing I could do.
Visit So Hwa Ru repeatedly in the guise of a wanderer lost to wine, unable to stay away.
The next day, I headed toward So Hwa Ru once more.
This time, however, there was no lavish reception—an ordinary servant, not the Chong Gwan, came to guide me.
Moreover, instead of Seol Hyang Gak, a small separate annex some distance from the Flower Garden had been prepared with a dining table.
‘I had anticipated this, but it’s somewhat disconcerting.’
Just as Bu Eunseol had foreseen.
Once she discerned that the wanderer Seol So was someone who could not be brought into their fold, she grasped the situation early.
So Hwa Ru was treating him merely as an ordinary patron rather than extending lavish hospitality.
It mattered little to me.
I hadn’t truly come to drink, nor did I have any reason to require their warm reception.
‘In fact, it might work better.’
This Separate Annex saw few visitors, and no attendants were stationed here permanently.
Rather, it presented an opportunity to investigate the interior of So Hwa Ru.
“I am called Yak Hong.”
At that moment, a petite woman in crimson robes entered with a respectful bow.
She appeared unmistakably to be a courtesan who had come to perform on the ajaeng.
“Ah.”
Then something extraordinary occurred.
Upon meeting my gaze, Yak Hong suddenly sprang up, covering her mouth in shock.
Thump.
Yak Hong abruptly dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face.
“Now, see here.”
Just as Bu Eunseol was about to speak,
Crack, crack, crack.
Yak Hong’s face began to transform before my eyes.
The sound of bones shifting echoed forth, and from the serene visage of a beautiful woman emerged the rough features of a peculiar-looking man.
It was none other than Yu Cheong Rim, the Master of Thousand Faces.
“Ugh, sob, sob.”
Yu Cheong Rim grasped at my trouser leg, tears and mucus streaming down his face.
“Please, I beg you—save me.”

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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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