The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 672

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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 672.
“What in the world is he saying?”
Bu Eunseol found herself drowning in confusion.
At this point, Mu Jon’s true intentions and what he planned to accomplish under Shin San Ja’s identity no longer mattered.
“Jeong Cheon Je is alive….”
Then what was the corpse of Jeong Cheon Je that lay in the Eternal Ice Pavilion?
Could it be a fake corpse that Mu Jon had prepared in advance?
Or had Jeong Cheon Je deliberately feigned death to deceive Mu Jon?
‘That can’t be it.’
Though he fell short of the foremost master of the Righteous Path, Mu Jon was himself a supreme expert who had reached the Wuji Realm.
It would be nearly impossible to fool such a person with a counterfeit corpse.
‘Then could Mu Jon, knowing all the circumstances, have mimicked Jeong Cheon Je to deceive Dam Jeung?’
Bu Eunseol shook her head once more.
Dam Jeung was the abbot of Blood Shaolin.
His discerning eye, honed by the martial and demonic arts of every sect under heaven, would not be easily deceived.
‘Then it’s highly probable that Mu Jon knows the truth and is deliberately concealing it.’
In fact, embedded within Jeong Cheon Je’s corpse was the Kyeongseong Jade—a stone capable of altering the nature of all things in existence.
Mu Jon had discovered it, obtained information about the Kyeongseong Jade through Mok Bul, and confirmed the possibility that Jeong Cheon Je might still be alive.
But Bu Eunseol, ignorant of these facts, could only remain bewildered.
‘If Jeong Cheon Je is alive, then only Mu Jon knows his location.’
Which meant Bu Eunseol absolutely had to meet with Mu Jon and discover where Jeong Cheon Je was hidden.
“So this isn’t the time to leave the Murim Alliance after all.”
Bu Eunseol stared into the void with unfocused eyes.
If I left the Murim Alliance now?
Finding Jeong Cheon Je might become impossible.
I must endure within the Murim Alliance somehow, become a Lord, or create an opportunity for a private audience with Mu Jon—only then can I find Jeong Cheon Je.
“And the fact that I suspected I might be Cheon Am Seong….”
Dam Jeung had said that my father, Baek Ri Mu Ha, was falsely accused of being Cheon Am Seong and was killed by someone.
And Shin San Ja, despite knowing this fact perfectly well,
had persuaded Dam Jeung to install a strange trial gate in Blood Shaolin to test me.
‘Did he suspect my true nature?’
I harbored no intention of destroying Murim; I was even extremely cautious about causing harm to others.
Moreover, despite being of the Demonic Path, I had consistently eliminated the vicious forces that plagued Murim.
Yet the fact that Shin San Ja sought to test me meant…
Perhaps Cheon Am Seong doesn’t manifest suddenly, but rather flows through bloodlines across generations.
After all, even Cheon Joon called me Cheon Am Seong when he approached death.
“Then Mu Jon deliberately created the embodiment of a true martial artist.”
Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed to slits.
The fact that he had known all of this from the beginning meant
that every anecdote and symbol of Mu Jon known to Murim was nothing but a lie.
Contrary to what was known, Mu Jon was not a true martial artist who had wandered the Murim alone pursuing the way of the blade.
It was far more likely that he possessed an enormous intelligence organization, or was the head of a terrifying force.
“Abbot.”
Coming to her senses, I bowed respectfully before Dam Jeung’s corpse.
Though our paths diverged, he had shown me kindness, revealed the circumstances of how my grandfather became a member of the Demonic Path,
and told me of the Absolute Demon Blade Plan.
Not only that, but he had also given me the scriptures bearing my grandfather’s handwriting.
And when he drew his final breath, he shared with me the story of my father…
Dam Jeung was a great benefactor to me.
“I do not know what Shaolin hides,
but I did not believe that Dam Jeung’s punishment occurred solely because of me.
Clearly, it was a sin committed by Shaolin,
or I sensed it was to atone for sins related to Shaolin.
“However, as the abbot of Blood Shaolin, he sacrificed his life to conceal the sin and punish himself….”
I spoke to Dam Jeung’s corpse with a solemn expression.
“I will not pry further into Shaolin’s affairs.”
Whatever their sin may be,
thinking of the kindness Dam Jeung showed me, I could not expose Shaolin’s ugliness with my own hands.
“Shaolin will retrieve the remains….”
Bowing once more, I turned away.
In the end, whether I liked it or not, I had to return to the Murim Alliance.
And somehow I had to become a Lord and not only avenge my grandfather,
but also meet Mu Jon or find Jeong Cheon Je and uncover the truth about my father’s death.
* * *
I left Soshil Mountain and quietly returned to the Murim Alliance.
The fact that my father’s death was connected to the strongest master of the Righteous Path confused my heart,
yet all the turmoil I had been feeling from being in the Murim Alliance vanished.
Because I now had a clear reason to be in the Murim Alliance.
Jeong Cheon Je is alive and knows the truth of my father’s death.
And only Mu Jon would know Jeong Cheon Je’s whereabouts… so I had to endure no matter what.
Knock, knock.
“Lord.”
Then an urgent voice came from outside the door—Tae Mu Ryong’s.
“There is urgent news.”
“Come in.”
Tae Mu Ryong entered hurriedly and bowed before speaking.
“The Alliance Master has suddenly added a new candidate for the Wu Tian Duan Lord position.”
The Murim Alliance Master, Sin Do Mu Bi.
He had suddenly taken an unexpected personnel action.
Using his authority as Alliance Master, he had abruptly inserted a new candidate for the Wu Tian Duan Lord position.
“You’re telling me that even after the first test concluded, you’ve added new candidates?”
As Bu Eunseol’s brow furrowed, Tae Mu Ryong extended a letter.
“Indeed. I’ve obtained the personal records of the new Lord candidate who will soon be announced.”
Bu Eunseol accepted the letter and unfolded it, her eyes narrowing as she read.
“Mu Gyeol?”
Remarkably, the candidate recommended by Jeong Cheon Je was none other than Shin San Ja’s disciple, Mu Gyeol.
―Cheon Woo Rim Lord, Mu Gyeol. I shall appoint him as the Chief of the Cheong Myeong Unit under Man Gyeong Jeon and elevate him to an official Lord candidate.
‘So he was the Cheon Woo Rim Lord.’
The Cheon Woo Rim Lord was the Alliance Leader’s direct intelligence division, with all personnel records classified as strictly confidential.
‘That’s why his identity never leaked to the outside world.’
Yet this was still peculiar.
Why would Mu Jon expose the identity of Mu Gyeol, the head of a secret organization who had been the Cheon Woo Rim Lord, to the entire world?
To deliberately appoint him as a Chief under Man Gyeong Jeon and nominate him as a Wu Tian Duan Lord candidate, no less.
What could his true intentions possibly be?
“Isn’t this utterly unreasonable?”
Tae Mu Ryong spoke with an incredulous expression.
“Of course, the Alliance Leader can select Lord candidates regardless of the tests… but hasn’t one test already been conducted?”
The Seven Lords of the Murim Alliance were also candidates for the next Alliance Leader.
If the current Alliance Leader were to interfere in the appointment of Lords, it would create numerous problems.
In the history of the Murim Alliance, such a thing had never occurred even once.
“The first test was merely to verify the formation techniques of Wu Tian Duan… with the Alliance Leader’s authority, it’s certainly something that could be pushed through.”
A flash of light crossed Bu Eunseol’s eyes as she murmured softly.
“After all, the appointment of Lords requires multiple tests under the Vice Alliance Leader’s auspices, and final appointment demands the consent of two-thirds of the heads of each organization.”
In other words, even the Alliance Leader had no authority over Lord appointments.
Simply put, while candidates could be nominated, the selection of Lords could proceed fairly.
“That may be true… but still, adding a Lord candidate midway makes the intention obvious to anyone, doesn’t it?”
As Tae Mu Ryong spoke with bewilderment, Bu Eunseol shook her head.
“Regardless of the intention, there’s no need to concern ourselves. The Murim Alliance’s procedures have always been this way.”
The Murim Alliance was nothing but hierarchy and distribution.
Moreover, now that the Alliance Leader had personally conducted the appointment and made it public,
Mu Gyeol becoming the fourth candidate after Yuk Jang Cheon, Baek Mu Sung, and Seon Woo Jin was as good as confirmed.
‘Was this his plan all along?’
Rather than anger at Mu Gyeol becoming a Wu Tian Duan Lord candidate, Bu Eunseol felt an intriguing stimulation instead.
From Shin San Ja’s—or rather, Mu Jon’s—perspective?
As a Demonic Path practitioner, Bu Eunseol would merely wish for him to shake the Murim Alliance, never desiring him to become a Lord.
And since he wouldn’t want Baek Mu Sung or Yuk Jang Cheon to become Lord either,
Perhaps he was putting forward a figure that suited his own preferences.
“Lord, it is Jeong Jong Do.”
At that moment, Jeong Jong Do’s voice was heard.
“Enter.”
Jeong Jong Do entered through the open door and bowed respectfully to Bu Eunseol.
“My Lord, the Chief has summoned you.”
“So even the Chief is making his move now.”
Tae Mu Ryong shook his head slowly.
“It seems the carefully laid plans are beginning to unravel.”
He drew a deep breath and spoke in a low voice.
“Perhaps it would be wise to first hear what the Chief has to say.”
“My Lord.”
At that moment, Jeong Jong Do spoke carefully.
“If this is because of us, there is no need to trouble yourself. You need not strain yourself on our account.”
“What are you saying?”
“You need not become the Lord. After all, we are your subordinates regardless.”
Bu Eunseol was not bound by factional politics and was accomplishing various tasks.
Through her vast intelligence network, she was unraveling the secrets of Murim.
In the process, the members of the Elite Division gradually came to realize something.
That the Murim Alliance was utterly corrupted.
A coalition created to protect Murim and do what is right?
It was all nonsense.
There was not a single person here working for justice.
Rather, it was Bu Eunseol alone, driven by vengeance, who moved forward.
Protecting the common people and eliminating the forces that destabilized Gangho.
“What are you talking about? After all the hardship the Lord has endured until now.”
Tae Mu Ryong spoke to Jeong Jong Do with an incredulous expression.
“Are you asking the Lord to give up when the destination is within reach?”
“You know that is not what I mean.”
Jeong Jong Do spoke with a bitter expression.
“The Lord always thinks of us first. The more urgent the situation becomes, the more we could all become a burden.”
In that moment, Tae Mu Ryong fell silent.
The Sam Gye and unknown forces that Bu Eunseol faced were so powerful that even masters of the Four Gods Seven Kings caliber could be slain.
No matter how hard the Elite Division members strived.
There was a lingering worry—what if they became a burden to Bu Eunseol?
“Never speak such words again.”
Bu Eunseol shook her head firmly and spoke with resolve.
“Because of you, my plans have been accelerated by several years.”
And she offered a gentle smile.
“I have been given wings, and with them comes the risk of falling from a greater height. Think of it that way.”
“My Lord.”
“I have no intention of straining myself to become the Lord.”
Bu Eunseol looked between Tae Mu Ryong and Jeong Jong Do in turn and spoke with conviction.
“Going forward, I will not place the team members in dangerous situations. So let us observe how events unfold at a measured pace.”
Tae Mu Ryong and Jeong Jong Do bowed deeply in response, their heads lowered in silent respect.
Bu Eunseol had always valued the lives of her subordinates above her own safety.
Therefore, there was only one path forward for them.
To grow stronger with each passing day, to become more refined instruments…
There was no other way to help their Lord reach the destination she desired.
At the same moment, in the office of Gong Son Dan Gyeong at Eun Wol Gak.
“I cannot fathom your intentions, Elder.”
Song Ryeong, her deputy, shook his head as he spoke.
Upon hearing the news of Mu Gyeol’s appointment as a candidate for Danjoo, she too had been discussing the matter with Song Ryeong in grave tones.
“Perhaps the Elder no longer intends to assign tasks to Seon Woo Dae Ju.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong listened to Song Ryeong’s words in silence.
Mu Jon had clearly promised to exert his influence to elevate Seon Woo Jin to the position of Mu Cheon Danjoo in exchange for his handling of multiple assignments.
But Mu Jon had already broken a promise once before.
And now he was repeating such actions?
Was this not destroying all the trust that had been built up until now?
“Summon Seon Woo Dae Ju at once.”
Her tightly sealed lips slowly parted.
“Seon Woo Dae Ju must be feeling the deepest sense of betrayal. I need to speak with him.”
“Understood.”
Song Ryeong bowed and hurried from the office to summon Bu Eunseol.
Not long after, a knock sounded, followed by the low voice of a martial artist.
“Chief, the Lord overseeing the Cheong Myeong Unit requests your presence.”
“The Cheong Myeong Lord?”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s brow furrowed.
The moment this rumor spread, Mu Gyeol sought her out?
‘Perhaps this is fortuitous.’
She had been desperate to meet Mu Jon immediately.
Yet Mu Gyeol, acting on Mu Jon’s orders, had come to find her of his own accord—there could be no better circumstance than this.
She nodded and spoke in a low voice.
“Let him in.”
The door creaked open.
A man in azure robes walked in slowly.
He appeared to be in his thirties, with an elegant bearing and eyes that gleamed like a dragon’s.
It was Mu Gyeol, the disciple of Mu Jon and the newly appointed candidate for Danjoo from Cheon Woo Rim.
“It has been a long time, Chief.”
Mu Gyeol and Gong Son Dan Gyeong had known each other for years.
As Chief, she possessed detailed knowledge of the Murim Alliance’s hidden organizations.
Moreover, Mu Gyeol had once been Mu Jon’s messenger, and had rendered her considerable assistance in the past.
The relationship between the two was cordial.
“What exactly is the Elder thinking?”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s voice carried a note of agitation.
“Seon Woo Dae Ju has risked his life all this time to carry out your orders. Yet suddenly….”
“Do not worry.”
Mu Gyeol interrupted with a smile.
“You sent me precisely to remove Baek Danjoo.”
“Remove Baek Danjoo?”
“As you likely anticipated, the probability that he has become a puppet of external forces is extraordinarily high.”
Mu Gyeol continued calmly.
“You believe I am better suited than Seon Woo Dae Ju to bring about his downfall.”
“Do you think Seon Woo Dae Ju is inferior to Baek Danjoo?”
“Not at all. It is simply that Seon Woo Dae Ju….”
Mu Gyeol’s expression grew laden with meaning.
“He harbors friendship toward Baek Danjoo. Because of this, he will lack the ruthlessness required, and ultimately, he will compromise the greater strategy.”
The fact that Seon Woo Dae Ju and Baek Mu Sung maintained close relations was already widely known.
Yet Mu Jon, remarkably,
possessed a complete understanding of how Seon Woo Dae Ju truly regarded Baek Mu Sung and the depth of their friendship.
“I do not follow your meaning.”
“Surely you are aware of it yourself.”
Mu Gyeol’s expression grew pregnant with significance.
“That Seon Woo Dae Ju actually ceded the credit for eliminating Jisalseong to Baek Danjoo.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s eyes narrowed.
‘So you had already deduced it all.’
She too was aware that Seon Woo Jin and Baek Mu Sung shared an exceptional bond, and that he had yielded the merit for slaying Jisalseong.
“In other words, you have judged Seon Woo Dae Ju to be someone who cannot distinguish between public duty and private sentiment—a muddled man.”
“Not in the slightest. He is a perfect and brilliant individual. He naturally distinguishes between public and private matters with ease.”
Mu Gyeol shook his head.
“Seon Woo Dae Ju possesses a magnanimous spirit. That is precisely why he understands the value of such noble emotions as friendship.”
“….”
“And therein lies his singular weakness.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong felt a chill run through her.
She had always believed herself to be the only one who could perfectly discern Seon Woo Jin’s temperament and character.
Yet Mu Jon, without ever revealing himself, possessed a complete understanding of Seon Woo Jin as a person, did he not?
‘No—one cannot grasp someone’s temperament in such detail without ever seeing them.’
Gong Son Dan Gyeong was astute.
She possessed cunning beyond measure, and in discerning the temperament and character of others,
as well as their abilities, she had no equal.
A flash of light gleamed in Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s eyes as she regarded Mu Gyeol.
“You have already made contact with him. Have you not?”
She could stake her life on it.
A man like Seon Woo Jin was far too complex to be understood at a glance.
That is to say, no matter how remarkable Mu Jon’s abilities might be, one could never truly know without witnessing it firsthand.
“Well, I suppose.”
Mu Gyeol spoke with a smile.
“I am merely someone who follows orders, am I not? I cannot claim to know how much Seon Woo Dae Ju is capable of.”
His tone was peculiar.
Though Mu Gyeol was Mu Jon’s disciple, he always spoke of his master as though he were a distant figure.
Just as Gong Son Dan Gyeong was about to speak again,
Knock, knock.
The sound of knocking at the door was followed by Song Ryeong’s voice.
“Seon Woo Dae Ju has arrived in response to your summons.”
“Tell him to enter.”
At Mu Gyeol’s words, Bu Eunseol, dressed in white robes, slowly entered the chamber.
Upon seeing Mu Gyeol and Gong Son Dan Gyeong together, I felt a flicker of surprise.
“It has been quite some time, Seon Woo Dae Ju.”
Mu Gyeol smiled broadly.
“Your bearing grows more refined with each passing day—it is a pleasure to behold.”
I felt something odd stirring within me.
To speak so familiarly before Gong Son Dan Gyeong? Had I truly exposed my real identity?
“So you two are acquainted.”
As Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s eyes gleamed, Mu Gyeol laughed casually.
“I have encountered Seon Woo Dae Ju several times throughout the Gangho.”
Mu Gyeol spoke with evident admiration as he gazed upon me.
“Not only possessed of exceptional ability, but also one who performs many righteous deeds. I confess I have come to hold you in great esteem.”
Mu Gyeol bowed respectfully to both Gong Son Dan Gyeong and myself.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
As I returned the bow, Mu Gyeol’s voice transmitted directly into my mind.
「Be cautious.」
Mu Gyeol spoke these cryptic words while observing my silence.
「The Elder is not one to release the pieces he holds in his grasp.」
“….”
「For now, do not venture beyond the board. At least for the time being.」
In that instant, my eyes flashed with sudden clarity.
That Mu Gyeol, disciple of Mu Jon, would speak such words to me—
Was this not a subtle suggestion that he was not acting according to Mu Jon’s will?
Then Mu Gyeol clasped his hands once more toward Gong Son Dan Gyeong.
“Farewell.”
And with that, he turned and departed.
I watched his retreating figure and drew a deep breath.
Mu Jon. What exactly does he desire?
What ultimate goal drives him to orchestrate all these machinations?
“It was to eliminate Lord Baek from contention.”
At that moment, Gong Son Dan Gyeong opened her mouth toward Bu Eunseol.
“Seon Woo Dae Ju feels friendship toward Lord Baek, so he was confident that you would ultimately bungle the task.”
Bu Eunseol took a deep breath.
That statement was half true.
I truly had been willing to yield the position of Lord to Baek Mu Sung.
But not anymore.
Only by ascending to a higher position within the Murim Alliance could I find Hyung Su, who killed my grandfather, of course.
And only then could I discover the whereabouts of Jeong Cheon Je and uncover the truth about my father’s death.
“It seems Mu Jon cannot read people well.”
Bu Eunseol spoke coldly.
“I have no intention of yielding the position of Lord.”
“Good.”
She, who had been gazing at Bu Eunseol’s resolute eyes, nodded and spoke.
“The Alliance Leader will conduct another test soon.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong spoke with utmost solemnity.
“However, in this test, I cannot assist you. So do your absolute best.”
Bu Eunseol brought her hands together.
“Understood.”
An unforeseen variable named Mu Gyeol had emerged as the second test to become Lord of Wu Tian Duan approached.
Bu Eunseol would have to break through every obstacle that lay ahead and account for this variable.
A single misstep could prevent me from claiming the position of Lord of Wu Tian Duan.
Yet my expression remained composed.
Divine Calculation and Wondrous Strategy.
The reason I had been able to defeat countless powerful foes until now was not merely superior martial prowess, but the deployment of mysterious schemes that ordinary people could never dare predict.

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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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