The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 67

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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 67.
Donghyo Seorang. Originally, it meant wandering without a fixed destination.
But in the Gangho, it referred to the vagrant market of Guizhou, where martial artists sold their skills for coin.
One’s origin mattered not, nor which sect one belonged to. With sufficient skill, anyone could enter Donghyo Seorang and take on work. Should they wish, they could even become a vagrant of Donghyo Seorang itself.
“Donghyo Seorang will soon host the Martial Excellence Tournament.”
“The Martial Excellence Tournament? You mean a martial competition?”
“Well, yes. But their true purpose in holding it is closer to a promotional venture—gathering exceptional vagrants and drumming up work from the various sects.”
At Dan Cheong’s words, Baek Yeon’s face grew pale.
“Sect Leader. Donghyo Seorang is not a place this child should venture to.”
“Why not?”
“Donghyo Seorang flourishes with each passing day. The Martial Excellence Tournament now draws not only masters from the Orthodox Sects, but also elite warriors dispatched by the Murim Alliance itself.”
“Well, isn’t venturing into the Gangho inherently dangerous?”
Dan Cheong dismissed Baek Yeon’s concerns lightly.
“It may not be the place to earn great renown, but it is an excellent opportunity to gain experience. Especially this tournament—I hear they’ve offered such magnificent prizes that masters of tremendous caliber are flocking to it.”
“What prize?”
“The Spiritbound Divine Sword.”
“The Spiritbound Divine Sword.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes gleamed as I repeated the blade’s name.
‘With the character for divine in its name, it shouldn’t shatter easily.’
I had never cared much for weapons before.
But my newly devised sword technique had a troublesome habit of shattering blades, so I needed a worthy weapon.
“I will go to Donghyo Seorang.”
“Bu Eunseol.”
Baek Yeon could not hide his regretful expression.
“This decision you make now will determine your standing for the next decade. Choose carefully.”
“Thank you, Sect Leader.”
I bowed deeply.
“I am grateful for your concern and consideration. But I am a disciple of Nangya Sect.”
“Of course, the highest ideal of the Root Sect is to pursue the martial way. Yet you must become a great figure capable of leading Nangya Sect in the future.”
“I understand. It is precisely because I understand this that I have decided to venture into the Gangho.”
Recognizing my resolve, Baek Yeon released a deep sigh.
“So be it. If that is your conviction, there is nothing more to be said.”
He shook his head, his face creased with worry.
“Do as you wish.”
“Thank you. May I depart immediately?”
At my question, Dan Cheong nodded.
“Of course. Still, stop by Cheol Master’s forge and procure a weapon before you go.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
I clasped my hands together once more and bowed deeply.
“Then I shall see you again in one year.”
Without hesitation, she turned and departed.
Swift and decisive—that was Bu Eunseol’s nature. Once her mind was set, she executed without wavering.
“Ugh.”
Like a grandfather who had sent his reckless grandson into Market Street, Baek Yeon exhaled a sigh so deep the earth seemed to crack beneath him.
“Sect Leader Bu. This matter truly needed to be stopped.”
“Who could stop that girl’s stubbornness?”
“Still, it should have been stopped. There is no one but you and I to properly guide that child, is there not?”
Baek Yeon’s expression grew uncharacteristically gloomy.
“That child could elevate the Root Sect to the pinnacle of the Ten Demonic Gates. She could even aspire to the successor’s seat in one of the three great factions. If she cultivates bonds with the successors of the Ten Demonic Gates from now on, it would be entirely possible… yet.”
Baek Yeon muttered on for so long, his regret was palpable.
Rising to the heights required more than martial prowess alone.
Bu Eunseol was a talent without peer. If she merely unified the factions, she could stand supreme in the Demonic Path… yet.
Like one obsessed with martial arts, she pursued only the Way of the Warrior, blind to all else.
“If that child possessed even a modicum of ambition, she would stand supreme in the Demonic Path and Gangho alike.”
“She will stand supreme. Only the place where she wishes to stand is somewhat different.”
Dan Cheong spoke in a low voice.
“So even if that path is thorned, even if it is a blazing hellfire, she walks it. Because only then… will she grow stronger, faster.”
“What is she so desperate to grow stronger for?”
“Ah, you did not know? Her heart?”
When Baek Yeon’s expression showed incomprehension, Dan Cheong gazed at him with a faint smile.
“That child wishes to lose to no one.”
“To lose to no one…”
Baek Yeon could not continue.
Bu Eunseol sought invincibility—something even the Absolute Elders did not dare dream of.
She dreamed of becoming an undefeated master under heaven.
* * *
Donghyo Seorang was situated in the barren lands of Guizhou.
Originally, it was merely one of countless mercenary organizations that accepted payment for work.
But some twenty years ago, after the master of Donghyo Seorang changed, it began to flourish rapidly.
The new master of Donghyo Seorang, veiled in mystery, established a command structure and operated an intelligence network within the once-chaotic organization.
With proper contracts, accurate intelligence, and prompt payment, skilled mercenaries began to flock. The organization gradually took shape, and before long, it had developed into a massive mercenary alliance.
Murmur, murmur.
The village where Donghyo Seorang was situated, normally quiet, now teemed with an enormous crowd.
The Martial Arts Grand Tournament.
Regardless of origin sect—Orthodox, Demonic, or Unorthodox—any martial artist could participate and claim the championship prize.
The champion was not required to join Donghyo Seorang.
The reason for holding such an unprecedented tournament was simple: talented mercenaries and martial artists from all regions gathered to participate.
Mercenaries would settle, martial artists would bring contracts, and word of Donghyo Seorang’s prestige would spread.
Through this alone, Donghyo Seorang reaped enormous benefits.
Slurp.
Bu Eunseol sat dining at an upscale inn not far from the Martial Arts Tournament grounds.
Cheap inns attracted a predictable clientele.
But high-end establishments drew a diverse crowd—not just martial artists, but merchants and others of varying stations.
Each possessed their own network of informants, so with fortune, one could glean valuable intelligence simply by sitting and listening.
‘Indeed. Quite the gathering.’
My years with the Guusal Unit had honed my perception to rival even seasoned wanderers of the Gangho.
Those who caught my eye were older martial artists moving in groups.
They were clearly not tournament participants, but rather individuals dispatched from their sects with specific purposes.
‘A veritable lesser martial world, one might say.’
I spotted representatives not only from Orthodox Sects, but also from the Murim Alliance and the Demon Hall.
A lesser martial world—this place was truly a microcosm of the greater Gangho itself.
“Pardon me, warrior. I beg your indulgence.”
A servant approached my table with cautious steps.
“Would you mind if we shared your table? All the other seats are taken, you see.”
Even upscale inns practiced table-sharing.
In fact, it was actively encouraged as an opportunity to forge unexpected connections.
I nodded, and the servant bowed respectfully.
“Thank you, warrior! Please, come this way.”
Following the servant’s guidance, a young man in resplendent silk robes approached with boisterous laughter.
“Haha! The courtesy of the Gangho remains undiminished.”
Expensive ornaments adorned his ears and neck, while a jeweled belt cinched his waist.
At a glance, he was clearly the scion of a wealthy household. He gazed at me intently and clasped his hands together.
“Greetings to you.”
I nodded lightly, and the young man settled into his seat, addressing the servant.
“Do you have fine spirits here?”
“Of course. We have premium baijiu distilled from quality sorghum.”
“Excellent. Three pots of baijiu then, and one fried fish. But mind you—scrape the scales thoroughly and remove the entrails through the gills.”
“Understood, sir.”
“And when frying, drizzle oil along the back to ensure the flesh cooks through while the skin turns crisp.”
The young man displayed the meticulous attention to cuisine befitting a wealthy heir.
“Haha. We don’t live merely to eat, do we? One must eat well when one eats.”
The young man smiled brightly at me.
But I kept my gaze fixed on my meal, eating in silence.
“Oh? That’s not how you eat lotus root and pork rib soup, you know!”
The young man called out to the servant in alarm.
“Bring me a plate of minced vegetables. Quickly!”
The bewildered servant hastily returned with the plate.
Without hesitation, the young man sprinkled the vegetables over the soup I was eating.
“There now, try it with these vegetables. The flavor will be far more refined.”
In my former self, I would not have tolerated such presumption.
Yet for some reason, he paid no mind to the Young Scholar’s rudeness and calmly sipped his soup.
“…!”
A flicker of surprise crossed Bu Eunseol’s eyes as I tasted the broth.
Though only a few damaged vegetables had been added, the soup’s flavor improved considerably when chewed together with the meat.
“How is it?”
When Bu Eunseol nodded in response, the Young Scholar burst into a bright laugh.
“Hahaha. How fortunate!”
Just then, the fried fish and wine the Young Scholar had ordered arrived.
After gulping down several cups of wine in succession, the Young Scholar exhaled a deep breath and turned to Bu Eunseol.
“This wine is better than expected. Would you care for a cup?”
Bu Eunseol silently shook his head.
“What a pity. It seems you don’t enjoy drinking.”
The Young Scholar spoke to Bu Eunseol without restraint, as if addressing a fellow disciple from the same sect.
“When drinking such fine wine, it’s best to down three cups in succession without appetizers. This is because when the belly is empty, one can truly appreciate the wine’s subtle flavors. Hahahaha.”
Bu Eunseol simply continued chewing his food in silence.
At this level of non-response, most would have stopped speaking. Yet the Young Scholar paid it no mind and continued his chatter.
“Have you come to participate in the Martial Arts Tournament as well?”
Glancing at the long sword hanging from Bu Eunseol’s waist, he rambled on.
“I hear that because the Eternal Sage Sword was offered as the grand prize, masters from all previous generations have flocked to this tournament. Indeed, those martial artists cannot resist the allure of a fine blade….”
As the Young Scholar’s endless prattle continued,
Crash!
A loud commotion erupted from the corner of the inn.
Turning my head, I saw two young martial artists surrounding a middle-aged man with a moon wheel strapped to his back.
“Sangsan Ghost! How dare you walk about in broad daylight!”
Sangsan Ghost Yi Gok.
He was a notorious bandit and murderer active throughout Hebei. Yet because he wandered the Gangho alone and possessed such elusive movement techniques, no one had been able to capture him.
“Disciples of the Buk Geom Mun, I see.”
Yi Gok chuckled upon seeing the swords the youths carried.
“Even the master of Buk Geom Mun couldn’t last thirty seconds against me before his head was severed. How dare mere fledglings challenge me.”
Yi Gok slowly rose from his seat, licking his lips.
“I shall sever your heads and use them as drinking cups.”
The disciples of Buk Geom Mun were taken aback.
The inn contained not only practitioners of the Demonic Path but also many masters of the Orthodox Sects.
They had surely expected that if they stepped forward, these experts would lend a hand in dealing with Sangsan Ghost….
Yet surprisingly, they merely watched without any response.
“Dear me. The disciples of Buk Geom Mun have miscalculated.”
The Young Scholar seated with Bu Eunseol sighed.
“They seem unfamiliar with the unwritten rules of Donghyo Seorang.”
Donghyo Seorang was a wanderer’s market where masters unaffiliated with any faction gathered.
The unwritten rule was that no one would interfere in others’ affairs here, regardless of Orthodox or Demonic allegiances.
“You’re prepared for this, aren’t you?”
Yi Gok bared his yellowed teeth in a savage smile. He was a killer who had never once spared anyone foolish enough to touch him.
As Yi Gok drew the crescent blade from his back, the disciples of Buk Geom Mun visibly paled.
A soft whisper of steel.
At that moment, Bu Eunseol rose from her seat after wiping her mouth. The Young Scholar’s eyes sparkled with surprise.
“Oh? You’re stepping forward?”
The Young Scholar tilted his head in bewilderment.
Bu Eunseol possessed striking features, yet her frame was lean, and her solar plexus lacked the telltale signs of cultivation. Though she carried a sword, by any measure she appeared to be a novice fresh to the Gangho.
“Brother. This is Donghyo Seorang. Even if you step forward, there’s no one here who would applaud you for it….”
Footsteps echoed steadily.
Bu Eunseol paid no heed and continued forward.
As she gradually approached the stairs, Yi Gok’s gaze naturally turned toward her.
“Who are you?”
Yi Gok’s brow furrowed as he watched Bu Eunseol draw near.
“Are you another stray dog from Buk Geom Mun?”
“Move aside.”
“What did you say?”
Without a word, Bu Eunseol pointed to the passage behind Yi Gok.
The gesture meant: ‘I must leave. Don’t block the way—step aside.’
“Hehehehe.”
Yi Gok laughed incredulously, stroking his forehead with amusement.
“So today is when these bloodstains decide to perform their little circus.”
A crimson killing intent flickered in Yi Gok’s eyes. He believed Bu Eunseol had deliberately provoked him.
“It seems I should carve you up first….”
Yi Gok’s words never finished.
Suddenly, his throat stung.
“Wh…?”
When he brought his hand to his neck, bright red blood came away in abundance.
“Why is there blood….”
In his panic, Yi Gok finally noticed the blade in Bu Eunseol’s hand.
In the blink of an eye, she had unleashed a lightning-swift strike, severing his carotid artery.
“You…!”
Yi Gok’s mouth fell open in shock.
And those were the last words he would ever speak in this life.

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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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