The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 715

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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 715.
After receiving the orb from Dang Pae, Bu Eunseol
sought information about it through multiple intelligence organizations, including Sa Hon Dae,
and various other channels, but all attempts ended in failure.
No one could possibly discern what the orb Dang Pae had given her truly was.
Given that Cheonghae Gye had desperately sought to obtain it, it must be an object of immense value.
‘Perhaps only Master Ma Geom Ja would know.’
If anyone in this world possessed such knowledge,
it would be the most exceptional artificer in Murim, one capable of repairing ancient weapons and forging divine blades through demonic arts,
one who could decipher the secret records of the Three Families and distinguish even the obscure black divine artifacts unknown to most of Murim—Ma Geom Ja alone.
At Geommi Mountain, in Nangya Pavilion,
“An orb that absorbs light,” he said.
Ma Geom Ja, who had been studying the sphere intently in his quarters for some time, opened his mouth with evident astonishment.
“If my conjecture is correct, this is what they call the Gyeongseong Jade.”
“Gyeongseong Jade.”
Bu Eunseol murmured softly.
Gyeongseong Jade—wasn’t that what Yang Seol Rin, who had emerged from the Yang Seol Family in ages past, had spoken of?
“What is it used for?”
“According to the secret records of the Three Families, it is used to alter the mandate of heaven.”
“The mandate of heaven, you say?”
“Indeed.”
Ma Geom Ja gazed at the translucent sphere, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
“It can store the forces of nature, and through this, it can completely transform the inherent essence of all things under heaven.”
“The essence of all things under heaven, you mean.”
“Yes.”
In that instant, Bu Eunseol recalled what Dang Gon had said.
After carrying this orb, he had felt something strange about her,
—Bu Eunseol, are you… truly yourself?
He must have questioned it with such urgency for good reason.
And now she understood—it was because of this Gyeongseong Jade.
“Thank you.”
Upon leaving Nangya Pavilion, Bu Eunseol conducted multifaceted tests with the Gyeongseong Jade at Sayoung Hall.
Remarkably, even the subordinates of Sayoung Hall, who knew Bu Eunseol better than anyone,
said that her very ‘aura’ was completely different when she held the orb and when she did not.
It was as though she had become an entirely different person.
‘A truly wondrous artifact.’
After confirming the Gyeongseong Jade’s function, Bu Eunseol returned to the Murim Alliance and conducted business through Seon Woo Jin.
With the assistance of Beok Goong Ryung, she conducted numerous experiments,
and discovered that the Gyeongseong Jade could completely transform even a person’s temperament and nature.
Not long after, she heard that Ma Cheon Je had summoned her.
―I’ll test it with the Gyeongseong Jade.
If escape is impossible regardless,
I wagered on the path where even a slim chance offered perfect survival.
And finally, that gamble succeeded.
* * *
Bu Eunseol emerged from her reverie, her expression composed as she spoke.
“If you doubt me, you’re welcome to trace my movements from that time.”
“Hmm.”
Each time Ma Cheon Je opened his mouth, the sensation of my skin being flayed persisted.
Yet I no longer feared his scrutiny.
The Gyeongseong Jade not only concealed my nature perfectly,
but I could distinctly feel it repelling the mysterious power Ma Cheon Je unleashed.
“Very well.”
After contemplating something deeply for a moment, Ma Cheon Je nodded.
“In the name of Ben Jeon, I offer an official apology and pledge to prevent recurrence.”
“Thank you.”
Zing.
Was it the release of tension?
The aura of the Gyeongseong Jade, which emanated strange heat from my chest, seemed to weaken slightly.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
As Bu Eunseol rose, Ma Cheon Je’s gaze shifted.
“However, there is a condition.”
“A condition, you say?”
As Bu Eunseol turned, Ma Cheon Je spoke.
“You must prove to me that you possess such worth.”
Was it a misperception?
Ma Cheon Je’s gaze seemed fixed upon Bu Eunseol’s chest.
“Prove, you mean….”
“Demonstrate once more to all under heaven that you possess the ability to stand as an aide to the Four Gods Seven Kings.”
In other words, defeat a formidable master in combat
and properly reestablish Seon Woo Jin’s martial prowess throughout the Murim.
“The deadline is one month.”
Ma Cheon Je’s eyes gleamed with an enigmatic luminescence.
“Should you fail to prove yourself within that time,
Ma Cheon Je’s pupils darkened to a black deeper than shadow itself.
“you shall face the price for your presumption in demanding an apology before me.”
To exact a price meant immediate death at his hands.
As the foremost master of the Demonic Path invoked death, the sky darkened and the world seemed shrouded in black air.
Yet Bu Eunseol smiled serenely.
“So it shall be.”
Ma Cheon Je gazed quietly at Bu Eunseol before nodding.
“Go ahead.”
Upon leaving the Holy Demon Pavilion, Bu Eunseol immediately boarded a carriage and departed the Demon Palace.
Clop, clop, clop.
As the sound of the carriage wheels reached her ears, Bu Eunseol exhaled the breath she had been holding all this while.
“Ma Cheon Je.”
Drip, drip.
Cold sweat drenched her back thoroughly.
This encounter had taught me something once again.
That I had only witnessed an infinitesimal fraction of Ma Cheon Je’s true nature.
What made Ma Cheon Je terrifying was not
the achievement of the Demonic Path’s supreme martial scripture, nor the power to pierce through human consciousness.
“It is the authority of a transcendent being.”
He reigned over all things like a god rather than a human.
And he observed and manipulated everything except himself.
Summoning the figure known as Seon Woo Jin.
It was neither to observe nor to assess what manner of person he was.
It was merely to elevate him as a chess piece upon the board.
The moment one encounters Ma Cheon Je, no matter how formidable one’s abilities,
one cannot help but ascend the board he has arranged. Manipulated and controlled regardless of will.
“He must think he can easily manipulate me.”
I cannot discern Ma Cheon Je’s exact intention in summoning me.
But what is certain is this:
The moment I met Ma Cheon Je,
Seon Woo Jin as well
was forcibly placed upon the board Ma Cheon Je had constructed.
“In a life-or-death battle, one can never conceal one’s nature or disposition.”
He demanded I prove my abilities once more before all—ultimately, to fight publicly against an equally formidable master.
The problem is that in a life-or-death battle,
one cannot possibly hide the essence one possesses.
“Unless…”
Bu Eunseol withdrew the Gyeongseong Jade from her bosom.
Unlike before, it no longer absorbed light, and had somehow taken on a yellowish hue.
It seemed Ma Cheon Je’s overwhelming power had stripped it of its radiance.
“If I could restore this Gyeongseong Jade, it might be possible.”
But it was no simple task.
The Gyeongseong Jade that even the Cheonghae Realm desperately sought—where on earth could I find it?
‘Perhaps.’
Bu Eunseol’s eyes narrowed as a method suddenly occurred to me.
‘If I find her as quickly as possible… it might just be possible.’
But there was yet another obstacle to overcome.
No matter how much of a rising star Seon Woo Jin had become.
He was the predecessor of Mu Hwang and sat as an advisor to the Four Gods Seven Kings.
Without being an absolute powerhouse of considerable stature, Ma Cheon Je would never acknowledge him.
In the end, what I faced now was this:
Within a month, I had to find the mysterious Pearl of Gyeongseong while simultaneously
challenging an absolute master worthy of Ma Cheon Je’s recognition.
* * *
By the time I returned to the Murim Alliance, rumors had already spread like wildfire across Gangho.
―The Demon Palace had issued an official apology to the Murim Alliance.
Ma Cheon Je had kept his word.
He had sent a letter to the Murim Alliance containing an apology for the attack on Seon Woo Jin and a promise to prevent recurrence.
―The Chief of Cheop Mil Won had met with Ma Cheon Je alone and extracted the apology.
At such a result, not only the martial artists but also the senior figures of the Murim Alliance could not hide their astonishment.
Ma Cheon Je was a great demon who could not be read, and he had never apologized to anyone before.
Yet after a private meeting with the Chief of Seon Woo, the Demon Palace issued an official apology?
Was this not virtually the same as obtaining Ma Cheon Je’s apology himself?
―I shall accept your apology. I hope such incidents do not occur again.
The Murim Alliance, exhausted from the prolonged standoff,
immediately sent a letter expressing reconciliation to the Demon Palace.
As the atmosphere at Jeongsayang-do eased, the two allied forces lifted their standoff.
The murderous tension that had gripped Gangho returned to peace, and each sect breathed sighs of relief.
The longer the confrontation between the two alliances persisted,
the greater the suffering inflicted upon the powerless minor sects below.
―Truly, he is one worthy of becoming Chief of Cheop Mil Won at such a young age.
Through this incident, Seon Woo Jin’s name shook Gangho, and his standing within the Murim Alliance rose dramatically.
Yet it was not entirely fortunate.
―Seon Woo Jin. This man will eventually need to be marked for assassination.
From the perspective of the Demonic Path,
Seon Woo Jin had destroyed one of the Demon Palace’s secret organizations and greatly tarnished the prestige of the First of the Demonic Path through this incident.
In the future, Seon Woo Jin would be recognized as a great enemy that must be eliminated for the sake of Demonic Path supremacy.
―It is merely temporary, after all.
But I did not worry.
Though the Demonic Path and the Righteous Path appeared to coexist, they had engaged in endless conflict.
Whenever there was even the slightest shift in the balance of power, whenever there was reason to fight,
they could not help but clash again.
Clatter, clatter.
Having left the Demon Palace and arrived near Seong Do in Hanam, I gazed toward the distant sky beyond the window.
‘This peace is merely temporary, after all.’
A cold smile played across my lips.
The more the Demonic Path antagonizes Seon Woo Jin, the better it serves their interests.
For the more they do, the more they can leverage the Murim Alliance’s strength to strike at the Demonic Path.
Ultimately, the Demon Hall and the Murim Alliance will clash endlessly, and…
Through those conflicts, the Muhon Society will grow ever stronger.
* * *
Sword Demon.
For generations, the Demonic Path had bestowed this title upon the greatest swordmaster of the era.
Thus, every swordmaster in the Demonic Path yearned desperately to earn such a name.
And the current greatest swordmaster of the Demonic Path had long since mastered the profound secrets of the Hwawoo Sword.
Wi Hyuk Gyun, who ascended to the position of Patriarch of the Hwawoo Sword Sect at thirty years of age, claimed this distinction.
Within the Hwawoo Sword Sect—the foremost sect of the Demonic Path and a singular force comparable to the Demon Hall itself—
Peerless swordmasters who had long cultivated the Hwawoo Sword gathered like clouds.
Moreover, diverse sword techniques rivaling the Hwawoo Sword were ceaselessly being created within its walls.
The disciples of the Hwawoo Sword Sect did not advance their martial prowess through wandering the Gangho.
Rather, they continuously sparred within the sect itself, comparing sword techniques,
And through establishing their own hierarchy, they developed their martial arts.
At first, those of the Gangho spoke thus:
“Internal sect competitions cannot replace wandering the Gangho.”
But the Hwawoo Sword Sect was different.
With over ten thousand disciples devoted to refining sword techniques, and beyond the Hwawoo Sword method itself, more than a hundred different sword arts
Could be mastered as primary disciplines according to talent and temperament.
Thus, contrary to the expectations of Gangho practitioners, through disciples fighting and fighting again to establish their ranks,
They could gain profound insights exceeding what one would obtain from intense martial competitions,
And could master or create diverse martial disciplines.
Among those exceptional swordmasters, Wi Hyuk Gyun possessed unquestionably the greatest skill, and finally ascended to the position of Sword Demon.
In his youth, he was selected as one of the ten greatest swordmasters of the Hwawoo Sword Sect.
Around thirty, he fought Gwon Wang Seok Chi Haeng, who wandered the Gangho, and achieved a draw, it is said.
That alone already proved he possessed strength sufficient to have claimed a position as advisor to the Four Gods Seven Kings long ago.
Thus, the honor of Sword Demon
Held meaning in the Demonic Path exceeding even that of the Four Gods Seven Kings.
And yet…
Recently, a peculiar rumor began to spread.
“Still, it cannot compare to Seon Woo Jin, who is called the Sword King.”
Wi Hyuk Gyun, who had acquired the epithet of Sword Demon in his youth,
Could not match Seon Woo Jin, the current master among the Four Gods Seven Kings—such was the rumor that circulated.
‘That young fool will do anything to gain fame.’
Upon hearing this rumor, Wi Hyuk Gyun laughed it off.
The intention behind the rumor was far too transparent. It was inconceivable that such a rumor would suddenly spread through the Murim without cause.
‘So they spread baseless rumors to elevate their standing.’
There are two ways for a Murim practitioner to gain renown.
Proving one’s strength by defeating an outstanding master in combat.
Or perhaps overturning the dominant evaluation that was widely acknowledged among numerous Gangho figures.
‘Now that he’s ascended to the position of one of the Four Gods Seven Kings, he’s trying to solidify his reputation through easier means.’
Wi Hyuk Gyun’s lips curled coldly.
‘Understanding the current state of our sect, no doubt.’
The Hwawoo Sword Sect’s current situation was far from favorable.
Moreover, despite holding the position of Chief, Wi Hyuk Gyun bore responsibility for numerous sect affairs.
He had no involvement in Gangho matters.
This infuriating wretch, Seon Woo Jin, undoubtedly anticipated that even if rumors spread, Wi Hyuk Gyun would be unable to respond.
That’s precisely why he resorted to such a petty tactic.
‘How pathetic.’
Wi Hyuk Gyun, gazing toward the distant sky, exhaled sharply through his nose.
Such rumors wouldn’t last long anyway.
The people of Murim weren’t fools.
They were far too preoccupied to react to every baseless rumor that emerged without foundation.
Days later.
Wi Hyuk Gyun attended to business near Dongjeong Lake, then ascended to the private chamber of the renowned Ak Yang Tower.
Despite the elegant scenery and fine wine laid before him, his eyes burned with fury.
The people of Murim proved far more idle and foolish than he had anticipated.
The rumors persisted relentlessly.
The whisper that the Sword Demon was inferior to the Sword King followed him everywhere—no matter where he went, he heard talk of Seon Woo Jin.
Whether Wi Hyuk Gyun ate, drank wine, or did anything else anywhere.
Gossip reached his ears that the Sword Demon couldn’t compare to the Sword King.
Even here in Ak Yang Tower.
“Have you heard? They say the rising Sword King’s prowess was so overwhelming that the Sword Demon shrank like a turtle.”
“Keep your voice down. There are many from the Demonic Path in this area.”
“So what? Isn’t this something all Demonic Path practitioners already know?”
“Chief, pay it no mind.”
The hearing of Murim masters was beyond imagination.
Despite sitting in a sealed private chamber, the gossip from outside reached his ears with perfect clarity.
Bang Cheon Hoe, the youngest disciple who always attended Wi Hyuk Gyun and carried out his tasks, spoke cautiously.
“Gangho is always rife with baseless rumors like fleeting clouds, is it not? They will soon fade away.”
His words were reassuring, but Bang Cheon Hoe’s expression was equally troubled.
The rumors Seon Woo Jin had spread were growing increasingly severe.
Of course, this was actually Bu Eunseol, who had thoroughly tracked Wi Hyuk Gyun’s movements, spreading the rumors while following them, but they remained completely unaware of this reality.
They hadn’t the faintest idea of such circumstances.
“I am not concerned.”
Wi Hyuk Gyun, having drained the Hwang Ju in his cup, spoke with composure.
As a martial artist who had reached such transcendent heights, his spirit was as solid as stone.
He remained unmoved by ordinary external stimuli.
“As you say, rumors tend to die down on their own.”
Wi Hyuk Gyun set down his cup and waved his hand dismissively.
“Let us return now.”
But far from dying down, the rumors continued to pour in endlessly.
Whether I went to eat or to drink.
Ceaseless praise for Seon Woo Jin, the Sword King who had ascended to the Four Gods Seven Kings, reached my ears.
“These Righteous Path fellows know nothing of moderation.”
After about two weeks of this, Bang Cheon Hoe spoke as if he too had grown weary.
“At this rate, it seems the rumors have spread throughout the entire Gangho.”
Humans are truly peculiar creatures.
When one hears a certain story in their vicinity, it feels as though the entire world is gossiping about it.
“They are simply overjoyed at his ascension to the Four Gods Seven Kings.”
Though the warriors of Murim revere the Four Gods Seven Kings, those of exceptional skill like Wi Hyuk Gyun held a different view.
The same was true of Dan Cheong of the Nangya Sect.
The masters of the Ten Demonic Gates, those of such lofty status, gave no thought to a position among the Four Gods Seven Kings.
Above all, the disparity in strength among those grouped as the Four Gods Seven Kings was far too vast.
There were those like Geol Wang who had only recently entered the early stages of the Extreme Heavenly Realm, while there were masters like the Dark King Yeop Hyo Cheon, said to rival the Sammasamjon.
Especially Wi Hyuk Gyun, possessed of considerable pride and holding the Hwawoo Sword Sect in the highest esteem.
If he could not ascend to the position of Chief Master,
then belonging to any other place would diminish the prestige of the Sect itself, or so he believed.
“This time I shall ride in a carriage, but from the next city, I will unfold my lightness skill and return to the Sect.”
Having completed my business, I had originally intended to return at a leisurely pace.
But hearing such absurd rumors wherever I went, I immediately departed the city
and hastened to return to the Hwawoo Sword Sect.
Just as I arrived at the station with Bang Cheon Hoe in tow,
“Did you hear about that?”
The voices of stable hands gossiping drifted from beyond the wall.
“A master called the Sword Demon of the age… they say he’s been fleeing in fear of a young man called the new generation Sword King.”
Another stable hand let out a scoff.
“How could that be? Would the Chief Master of the Hwawoo Sword Sect fear a mere rising talent?”
A smile played at the corners of my mouth as I listened quietly from outside.
‘Hmph, even the stable hands have their eyes and ears in the right places.’
Stable hands, traveling from place to place, were naturally well-informed about matters throughout the Gangho.
“Ah, you still don’t know?”
But at the next stable hand’s words, my expression hardened like stone.
“Isn’t the epithet ‘Sword Demon’ now a name passed around among the masters of the Hwawoo Sword Sect?”
“What do you mean, passed around?”
At his companion’s question, the stable hand chuckled and replied.
“Well, all the masters from the Demonic Path who are any good with the sword originate from the Hwawoo Sword Sect anyway… so it’s just a name they acquire among themselves, you see.”
Kwaaang!
In that instant, thunder and lightning crackled as the station’s wall crumbled, sending clouds of dust billowing in all directions.
Crackle, crackle, crackle.
Simultaneously, cyan flames erupted in waves, spreading outward in every direction.
As the pale dust settled, a figure emerged—eyes burning like a pair of ghostly lanterns, glowing a fierce crimson red.
Wi Hyuk Gyun, consumed by fury, unleashed his inner power.
The wall crumbled to dust in an instant.
“How dare you insult the Hwawoo Sword Sect…?”
I could tolerate insults directed at myself.
But to insult the Hwawoo Sword Sect was something I could never endure.
“Hrraaah.”
Through the rubble of the collapsed wall,
the Ma servants who witnessed Wi Hyuk Gyun, his vital energy blazing with power, trembled as if they had seen a demon in broad daylight and fled.
“M-Master.”
“It seems we need to teach this brat a proper lesson.”
Bang Cheon Hoe shook his head upon grasping the implication.
“This entire affair is a scheme orchestrated by that Murim Alliance whelp. Is there truly a need to play along with his provocation?”
“I’ve been searching for a way to revitalize the sect’s atmosphere, which has grown stagnant of late.”
Wi Hyuk Gyun’s resolve was unwavering.
“Come to think of it, the head of that arrogant fool who boasts of his position as an advisor to the Four Gods Seven Kings would be most fitting.”
The sect leader Wi Ji Moo Ah had long since withdrawn from sect affairs, living idly like a wastrel.
Moreover, Wi Ji Hye Sang, who had shared all responsibilities with me, had entered seclusion with no word since.
‘Bu Eunseol—losing to her must have been a shock.’
Though unknown to the Murim,
Wi Ji Hye Sang had faced Bu Eunseol, the successor of the Demon Palace, and suffered a crushing defeat.
Ever since that confrontation, he had even abandoned management of the Chil Seon Tea House Network, which he had operated in secret.
With the sect leader followed by Wi Ji Hye Sang both in seclusion, the atmosphere within the Hwawoo Sword Sect had grown deeply despondent.
Even the prestige of the Hwawoo Sword Sect, which once dominated Tianxia, had faded from its former glory.
But if I were to defeat Seon Woo Jin, who had newly risen to the position of advisor to the Four Gods Seven Kings?
The name of the Hwawoo Sword Sect would once again strike fear throughout the Murim, and the sect’s internal morale would be revitalized.
“Ah.”
Bang Cheon Hoe gazed at Wi Hyuk Gyun with an expression of admiration.
Now I understood—Wi Hyuk Gyun was not merely consumed by anger, but had assessed the situation with cold clarity.
He was turning Seon Woo Jin’s provocation to his advantage, planning to reestablish the Hwawoo Sword Sect’s dominance throughout the Murim.
“I failed to comprehend your profound strategy, Master, and spoke needlessly.”
Wi Hyuk Gyun’s eyes blazed with cyan brilliance as he responded to Bang Cheon Hoe.
“Send a flying eagle dispatch to the Murim Alliance at once.”
Crackle, crackle.
Though I had only drawn upon my inner power once, vital flames still erupted from my body.
“Let us see whose sword reigns supreme!”
At last, the Sword Demon and the Sword King.
The duel between two peerless swordmasters had been decided.

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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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