The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 665

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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 665.
When Bu Eunseol had dealt with the Black-White Witch, she had ventured into Gangho under the identity of Seol So, accompanied by So Ok Rim.
This was precisely why Yu Cheong Rim had been able to recognize at a glance that Seol So was Bu Eunseol.
Zing.
Bu Eunseol swiftly erected an energy barrier to block the sound.
If her true identity were exposed?
Rather than investigate this place, the forces concealed behind So Hwa Ru would immediately sever their ties and vanish.
“It is fine, Ryeong Ju.”
Yu Cheong Rim waved his hand dismissively.
“No one will come here for at least a quarter hour.”
“What in the world has happened? Why are you here, Brother Yu?”
At Bu Eunseol’s gentle and affectionate inquiry,
Yu Cheong Rim’s eyes welled with thick tears once more.
“Sob… sob…”
After weeping sorrowfully for some time, Yu Cheong Rim wiped his eyes and spoke.
“Who else in this world would compel such vicious and absurd deeds, save that witch?”
Bu Eunseol grasped the implication immediately.
“Could it be that the Witch forced you to infiltrate this place?”
“Indeed.”
Yu Cheong Rim bit his lip and gazed into the void with a look of bitter resentment.
“Truly, she is a witch as venomous as a serpent’s hiss.”
When Bu Eunseol’s expression grew blank, Yu Cheong Rim, swallowing his indignation, spoke with an aggrieved tone.
“Three months ago, that witch suddenly appeared and declared So Hwa Ru suspicious, forcing me to infiltrate this place.”
“Three months ago…”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes dimmed.
So Ok Rim had detected something amiss with So Hwa Ru three months prior and initiated an investigation?
Did this not mean So Ok Rim possessed an intelligence organization rivaling even Sa Hon Dae or the Elite Division?
“It must have been difficult to infiltrate such a place disguised as a courtesan.”
“Indeed, but there is no one else capable of accomplishing such a task.”
Yu Cheong Rim possessed not only the art of a thousand transformations, but could also freely alter the very aura that emanated from a person.
Moreover, with a lean and diminutive frame resembling that of a woman, he could easily change his apparent gender.
He possessed exceptional lightness of movement and the keen instincts of a thief.
In truth, he was capable of infiltrating anywhere and responding flawlessly to any circumstance—
a person who possessed all the qualities necessary to become the finest of spies.
“As fortune would have it, a girl named Yak Hong at So Hwa Ru had just completed her training and was about to enter service.”
Yu Cheong Rim wiped his tears and continued.
“I immediately approached Yak Hong to learn what skills she had been taught…”
To summarize his account most briefly:
Yu Cheong Rim had discovered that a new courtesan was entering So Hwa Ru at an opportune moment,
and by assuming her identity, he had been able to infiltrate the place with ease.
“So, have you discovered anything?”
“Ah, well….”
Just then, I sensed footsteps approaching from a distance.
“If the sound of the zither ceases in this place, Chong Gwan will grow suspicious and come to investigate immediately.”
“The sound of the zither?”
“Indeed.”
Placing a courtesan skilled in the musical arts here and having her perform was not merely to enhance the pleasure of the patrons.
It seemed to be one of their methods of surveillance.
Crack.
Yu Cheong Rim, who had once again deployed the Thousand Face Transformation technique, spoke while playing the ajaeng.
“The witch is at the Anpyeong Guest House.”
“The Anpyeong Guest House.”
“Yes. She has rented the entire Separate Annex of the Anpyeong Guest House. First, please persuade that witch.”
Footsteps echoed.
At that moment, the door opened and a middle-aged man with sharp eyes entered.
It was Bang Juk, the Chong Gwan himself.
“Forgive me for interrupting your pleasure, Master Seol.”
“What brings you here?”
“I wondered if it might please you to have a new girl brought in.”
Just as Yu Cheong Rim had said, when the sound of the musical instrument ceased, Bang Juk came to this place at once.
Bu Eunseol shook her head.
“This girl is quite shy, and her manner of speech flows as calmly as water—I find her pleasant company. That is why I was conversing with her.”
“I see.”
As suspicion filled Bang Juk’s gaze, Bu Eunseol produced a voucher.
“You labor greatly, Chong Gwan.”
Bang Juk stared intently at the voucher Bu Eunseol offered, then shook his head.
“It is not necessary. This is my duty, after all.”
And he bowed respectfully.
“Then.”
Bu Eunseol watched Bang Juk as he withdrew.
‘The Chong Gwan of the pleasure house refuses a voucher…’
Certainly, So Hwa Ru is concealing something.
Bu Eunseol lifted her cup once more, her expression grave.
The next day.
As soon as the sun rose, Bu Eunseol made her way directly to the Star Courtyard of the Anpyeong Guest House.
From the entrance of the Star Courtyard, servants were stationed to prevent ordinary guests from entering.
“Seol So Yo. An appointment has already been arranged.”
At Bu Eunseol’s words, the servant hurried inside to announce her arrival.
Then a young Si Bi came to greet her.
“Please follow me, Master.”
Si Bi guided him to the Study Room within the Star Courtyard’s buildings, where books lined the shelves.
Upon entering, a woman with a robust frame sat within—So Ok Rim herself.
Observing her, I allowed a serene smile to grace my lips.
‘People remain as they were, no matter what one might say.’
So Ok Rim’s temperament was fiery and reckless, preventing us from forging a deeper bond.
Yet we had weathered arduous trials together and shared countless experiences.
Thus, while not intimate companions, there lingered the warmth of long-standing colleagues upon reunion.
“It has been far too long.”
“Bu Eunseol!”
So Ok Rim’s face brightened at the sight of me, her smile radiant.
“It really has been ages!”
I was somewhat taken aback.
In times past, So Ok Rim would approach me with such enthusiasm upon each meeting, as though she might embrace me instantly.
Though she smiled now, her gaze remained remarkably composed.
Upon closer inspection, a faint sorrow and indignation flickered within her eyes, suggesting something grave weighed upon her.
“What troubles you?”
At my inquiry, So Ok Rim laughed softly and shook her head.
“Nothing troubles me. There is nothing amiss.”
She shifted the subject with an awkward expression.
“Yu Cheong Rim mentioned it—you came to investigate So Hwa Ru?”
So Ok Rim posed the question with utmost gravity.
“Why do you concern yourself with that place?”
“The flow of funds has grown peculiar.”
I explained the circumstances that had transpired thus far in abbreviated form.
And further, that So Hwa Ru might possess intimate connections with Sam Gye and Gui Il Gae, who have been active of late.
“I see.”
Though I broached the subject of Gui Il Gae—unfamiliar to most in Murim—So Ok Rim’s reaction remained unmoved.
It appeared she had already gathered sufficient intelligence regarding Sam Gye.
“It seems you possess considerable knowledge of Sam Gye as well.”
“To some degree.”
Reflecting upon it, So Ok Rim had infiltrated Yu Cheong Rim into So Hwa Ru three months prior to conduct investigations.
This meant So Ok Rim not only operated an intelligence organization rivaling my own, but also possessed deep knowledge of Sam Gye.
Considering that at our last meeting, she had not been particularly well-versed in Sam Gye’s affairs.
To comprehend Sam Gye and operate an intelligence network in such a brief span was quite remarkable.
“What exactly has transpired?”
Though So Ok Rim maintained her smile, I could discern her heart was not at ease.
It appeared, on the surface, as though she harbored personal grievance against So Hwa Ru.
“Do you hold a grudge against the Master of So Hwa Ru?”
At my question, So Ok Rim chuckled softly and shook her head.
“That is not the case.”
“Then why are you investigating?”
“There’s reason to believe something is amiss… though nothing is certain yet.”
She held back her words for reasons unclear to me.
“I see.”
I did not press her with further questions.
Her expression was far too troubled for that.
Curiosity grants no one the right to excavate another’s wounds.
Instead, I steered the conversation toward So Hwa Ru.
“What is the current situation there?”
“Decidedly peculiar.”
So Ok Rim stroked her chin with a grave expression.
“It is strange enough that such a massive Pleasure House was erected in Suzhou, but the interior is cluttered with far too many unnecessary structures.”
I nodded in acknowledgment.
So Hwa Ru received each guest in separate annexes.
Of course, given the exorbitant prices, operations remained viable, but the spatial waste was considerable.
No matter how abundant one’s wealth.
Constructing it in such a manner was an enormous loss.
“Moreover, the influx of high officials to So Hwa Ru is not merely due to the exceptional artistry of its courtesans.”
So Ok Rim revealed something far more shocking.
“Not only courtesans frequent this place—the wives of high officials also come and go in secret. Even patients.”
“Wives and patients, you say?”
“Yes. And as though their ailments had been cured, those who arrived infirm depart with vigorous countenances.”
My expression twisted in bewilderment.
So Hwa Ru is a place that sells wine, not one that treats the afflicted.
Yet drinking here somehow cures illness and restores vitality?
Could the wine itself be laced with some miraculous elixir?
“Have you not conducted a thorough investigation of So Hwa Ru’s interior?”
“I have. But I uncovered nothing of consequence. They likely constructed some specialized mechanism imperceptible from outside.”
So Ok Rim shook her head with a bitter expression.
“Furthermore, mysterious masters lurk throughout, and mechanical devices and formation arrays are everywhere. It is like a miniature Murim Alliance.”
Her words stirred an odd thought within me.
It sounded as though she had once infiltrated the Murim Alliance itself.
Knock, knock.
A faint shadow appeared at the door, accompanied by knocking from outside.
It was Yu Cheong Rim.
“Ryeong Ju. Lady So.”
Disguised as Yak Hong, a courtesan of So Hwa Ru, he had slipped away to come here.
Given the nature of a courtesan’s profession, he could not venture out daily, but under the pretense of purchasing cosmetics and trinkets, he often left.
Thus he had been making contact with So Ok Rim.
Of course, true to the name Thousand-Face Divine Thief, he had completely concealed his tracks and altered his appearance to guard against pursuit.
“Is the matter progressing well?”
Yu Cheong Rim regarded Bu Eunseol with a glimmer of hope.
But his expectations crumbled to dust in an instant.
Was Bu Eunseol not gazing at him with those same burning eyes?
“Has there been any special news during the night?”
Only then, through Bu Eunseol’s question, could Yu Cheong Rim truly comprehend.
‘They’re identical….’
The two of them were the same.
Like twins.
The only difference was that one refrained from anger and threats.
‘Blast it….’
Looking back, even in the Black-White Witch incident.
Bu Eunseol had ultimately shared the same objective as So Ok Rim, and had she not used him as bait to sway him?
‘Sigh.’
Yu Cheong Rim’s expression grew melancholic.
In the end, he was nothing more than a fish caught in a net.
“Why are you so late?”
At that moment, So Ok Rim spoke with a furrowed brow.
“Can’t you infiltrate deeper inside?”
She crossed her arms and knitted her brow.
“Don’t we need evidence to crush those So Hwa Ru bastards?”
“You know all this already, yet you ask again, Lady So.”
Yu Cheong Rim spoke with an aggrieved expression.
“The interior of So Hwa Ru is truly bizarre. Day and night, there are strange mechanisms and grand formations laid throughout—one careless misstep and you’d die without a trace.”
And he added one more thing.
“Didn’t you yourself infiltrate secretly and ultimately return having tasted bitterness? How could someone like me freely roam that place?”
“Then what if three months pass with no significant gains? Will you really keep working as a courtesan there?”
“That’s precisely why I’ve come.”
Yu Cheong Rim exhaled a sigh as though the earth itself were collapsing.
“I alone cannot manage this. I need at least one accomplice inside—only then can I navigate while evading their surveillance.”
“An accomplice? Where in this world could there be another who can disguise themselves as a woman like you, possess lightness skills as swift as yours….”
So Ok Rim, mid-sentence, suddenly turned her head.
There stood someone with perfect feminine disguise.
Whose lightness skills surpassed Yu Cheong Rim’s.
And who possessed both keen intellect and exceptional observational prowess.
“That won’t work.”
“Why?”
Yu Cheong Rim spoke with resolve.
“Did I not tell you? So Hwa Ru applies a unique, colorless and odorless fragrance to all who have visited once.”
Bu Eunseol recalled the distinctive scent rising from the entrance of the Palace Hall.
I had thought it was merely a device to create a dreamlike and pleasant atmosphere.
But now it seemed they had mixed in a unique liquid that could distinguish those who entered So Hwa Ru.
“That scent won’t fade no matter what you do for three months.”
Bu Eunseol drew upon the extreme reaches of the Beast Path.
Ordinary superhuman martial arts could not amplify abilities like the sense of smell, but the Beast Path was different.
It could elevate all five senses that the human body naturally possessed.
‘Hmm.’
Bu Eunseol detected something extremely faint within her own body’s scent.
Something indescribable, subtle yet distinctly foreign, mixed within.
It was more accurate to call it ‘something’ rather than a ‘scent’.
“Are you talking nonsense? I’ve infiltrated So Hwa Ru countless times and never sensed anything like that.”
“This is a level of subtle perception that only a divine warrior who has reached the highest realm like myself can detect.”
“You sure love the term divine warrior. Then what does that make me, who caught you?”
“It’s simply that So Yok’s skin is rather thick….”
Yu Cheong Rim was speaking proudly when he noticed So Ok Rim’s expression darkening, so he hastily changed the subject.
“You can certainly block flying blades and weapons, so naturally you should be able to detect this scent as well.”
“Stop spouting nonsense. Does such a scent even exist in the Murim world?”
So Ok Rim opened his eyes wide in disbelief, and Bu Eunseol spoke.
“You’re right.”
“What?”
“Unknown substances are mixed into my body as well.”
So Ok Rim sniffed not only his own scent.
But also Bu Eunseol and Yu Cheong Rim’s scents like a dog, yet detected no particular fragrance.
“You’re lying. My nose is as good as any dog’s. There’s no scent.”
So Ok Rim also possessed exceptional superhuman senses and had the ability to amplify his sense of smell.
“This might be less a scent and more akin to a grand technique.”
“A grand technique?”
“It’s closer to intuition than scent. A feeling that something is mixed in.”
“Hmm.”
Bu Eunseol did not speak nonsense. So Ok Rim crossed his arms and wore an expression of frustration.
“So what do we do? Who enters So Hwa Ru again?”
“Hmm.”
Bu Eunseol, who had been pondering briefly, let out a sigh.
If I cannot find a way to remove this scent, my identity could be exposed later.
‘The Extreme Yang Righteous Qi would work.’
Whoosh.
As I drew upon the Extreme Yang Righteous Qi, intense heat surged from my body, burning away everything mixed with my natural scent.
“Fortunately, it does react to extreme yang force.”
“That worked?”
“Unfortunately, it won’t be enough.”
Yu Cheong Rim shook his head.
“To become a courtesan at So Hwa Ru, one must not only master the forbidden arts of calligraphy and painting, but also receive certain training, must one not?”
Then Yu Cheong Rim shook his head.
“So Hwa Ru does not recruit courtesans at will. That I was able to enter was merely because the timing happened to align by chance, was it not?”
“True enough, damn it.”
So Ok Rim struck her forehead.
So Hwa Ru did not carelessly admit new courtesans; they subjected all recruits to rigorous training over a set period.
Even if Bu Eunseol were to be employed as the most beautiful woman under heaven, she could not work at So Hwa Ru immediately.
“Hmm… Ah!”
Then Yu Cheong Rim exclaimed loudly as if struck by inspiration.
“Now that I think of it, So Hwa Ru is currently recruiting laborers for menial work.”
“Laborers?”
“Indeed. Those who cook, do laundry, and occasionally chop firewood—common servants, that is.”
He added one more thing.
“Moreover, those who perform menial labor are not subjected to any particular background investigations.”
“Ah, that works well.”
As So Ok Rim clapped her hands, Yu Cheong Rim shook his head.
“Ryeong Ju will not do. Your frame is not slender, is it?”
There were limits to how much one could enlarge the body using bone-shrinking techniques.
But if it were So Ok Rim, whose skeletal structure was naturally large and imposing, there would be no problem whatsoever.
“What So Hwa Ru seeks is a laborer to chop firewood and handle all manner of rough work—or rather, a servant.”
“Ha, then I absolutely cannot do it. How could I perform such labor with these delicate hands…?”
So Ok Rim averted her gaze, but Yu Cheong Rim’s eyes pursued her relentlessly.
“They seek a laborer to handle all the rough and dirty work.”
Flames of determination blazed in Yu Cheong Rim’s eyes.
“To handle all the rough and dirty…”
“Enough! How many times must you repeat the same words?”
But then Bu Eunseol asked, as if something had occurred to her.
“Why does So Hwa Ru treat martial artists with such lavish hospitality only at first?”
“It depends on the individual. They invest considerable effort in recruiting talented martial artists.”
Yu Cheong Rim explained calmly.
“Especially those with exceptional martial prowess—they will recruit them by any means necessary. Since Ryeong Ju arrived with an impressive identity this time, they will certainly make their approach.”
“But when I returned the next day, the treatment had become shabby.”
“If one feeds only sweets, does the palate not lose its appreciation? They alter the treatment gradually to cultivate the taste—such is the manner of So Hwa Ru’s hospitality to honored guests.”
“I see.”
“So Hwa Ru does not even accept reservations from those who do not satisfy their standards. Given how easily Ryeong Ju secured a reservation, they have certainly taken notice. If you visit frequently as a guest, eventually they will make their move.”
Contrary to Bu Eunseol’s expectations, So Hwa Ru did not appear to have lost interest in the wanderer Seol So.
“If Ryeong Ju continues to frequent So Hwa Ru and builds connections, and if the lady enters as a laborer, I will be able to investigate the interior.”
“Will you do it?”
When So Ok Rim remained stubborn, Yu Cheong Rim opened his eyes wide and spoke.
“Do you intend to waste all the hardship you’ve endured thus far?”
Yu Cheong Rim spoke calmly.
“Did you not say you wished to console the vengeful spirit of a deceased child?”
In that instant, Bu Eunseol’s expression grew puzzled.
The vengeful spirit of a child?
Could it be that So Ok Rim had borne a child in the interim?
“What do you mean by that?”
At Bu Eunseol’s question, Yu Cheong Rim turned his gaze toward So Ok Rim.
“Have you not yet informed Ryeong Ju?”
“Enough.”
Then Yu Cheong Rim spoke.
“The children whom the Lady So had been supporting….”
“Speak no more of such matters!”
As So Ok Rim cried out, Yu Cheong Rim’s lips sealed shut.
“I shall go myself tomorrow. Say nothing more.”
“Lady So.”
“If you utter even a single word, I shall rip out your tongue!”
She shouted vehemently, then spun around and departed through the door.
A brief silence fell within the Study Room.
“What in heaven’s name has transpired?”
At Bu Eunseol’s inquiry, Yu Cheong Rim glanced about before whispering low.
“The orphanage she had been overseeing was utterly devastated.”
“An orphanage?”
“Indeed.”
Yu Cheong Rim sighed as he spoke.
“Despite her temperament, it appears she had been supporting the orphanage for quite some time. Yet the orphanage she cared for was suddenly laid to ruin, and the children vanished.”
“The orphanage….”
“Yes. In her fury, Lady So pursued the matter of the orphanage’s destruction relentlessly, and ultimately uncovered its connection to So Hwa Ru.”
Yu Cheong Rim furrowed his brow.
“However, she has been unable to locate the evidence, and thus remains frustrated. Even one of her caliber cannot topple a pleasure house with connections to high officials without proof.”
Bu Eunseol swallowed hard.
She had believed this to be merely a matter of Murim politics, yet So Ok Rim harbored such a burden.
“I see now.”
Bu Eunseol’s expression grew grave.
Only then did she understand why So Ok Rim had seemed less playful than usual, with a faint glimmer of indignation flickering in her eyes.
“Brother Yu, you have endured much hardship.”
Bu Eunseol gently patted Yu Cheong Rim’s shoulder.
Though he might appear ready to flee at any moment.
In truth, upon learning of the children’s disappearance, he was voluntarily aiding So Ok Rim.
No matter how fearsome her martial prowess might be.
With Yu Cheong Rim’s abilities, he could have withdrawn midway without issue.
Yet here he was, maintaining his infiltration for the span of three months—a considerable duration.
“It’s no hardship. Besides, I had nothing pressing to attend to lately anyway.”
“Nothing to attend to?”
Yu Cheong Rim laughed with a hint of embarrassment.
“I operate several establishments in Suzhou. I’ve since stepped away from that business.”
Bu Eunseol offered a faint smile.
Regardless of how little he had to occupy himself, no one would willingly venture into a place like Yongdam-ho Hyeol while backed by the most fearsome force in Tianxia.
Though a thief by trade, Yu Cheong Rim possessed his own code of honor and righteousness.
It was precisely because of this that he risked his life to aid So Ok Rim—though admittedly, he was far more than merely human; he possessed superhuman physical prowess and overwhelming combat strength, along with interrogation techniques that could make even the most hardened assassins weep and a terrifying tracking ability that inspired dread.
Yet these were merely facets of his formidable nature.
Still, such considerations were secondary to his resolve.
“Let us investigate,” Bu Eunseol said, drawing a deep breath.
“What So Hwa Ru is truly engaged in.”
If So Hwa Ru was indeed connected to Sam Gye?
They could not be suppressed through force or numbers alone—they would need to be dismantled piece by piece.
And in the current Murim, there existed only one person capable of openly opposing Sam Gye and single-handedly destroying their subordinate organizations.
That person was Bu Eunseol alone.
From this moment forward, he would work alongside So Ok Rim and Yu Cheong Rim to uncover the true purpose behind So Hwa Ru’s establishment, to lay bare all its secrets.
And once the forces behind it were revealed, he would reduce it to dust.
They’re trying to expose the forces behind it and smash everything to pieces.

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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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