The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 720

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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 720.
“Very well.”
Bu Eunseol agreed readily, and Yang Seol Rin nodded with great delight.
“Really?”
As she broke into a radiant smile like a child, Bu Eunseol found herself smiling in return.
“Of course.”
“I knew I had good judgment about people. You certainly have integrity.”
She kept giving thumbs up, then her expression turned serious.
“First, I need you to investigate Gong Son Dan Gyeong. Everything about her.”
The unexpected request made Bu Eunseol furrow her brow.
“Gong Son Dan Gyeong, you say…”
“Yes, the Chief of the Murim Alliance.”
“What exactly would you like me to look into?”
“Everything.”
Yang Seol Rin spoke with a grave expression.
“When I came to Gangho before, she tried to kill me.”
“The Chief attempted that?”
In that instant, Bu Eunseol realized her mistake.
Because she had always dealt with her as Seon Woo Jin.
The expression and tone when she spoke the word “Chief” had been far too natural and familiar.
“Hmm? It seems you know her quite well?”
Yang Seol Rin’s intuition was positively uncanny.
“I met her once when she visited Ben Jeon regarding matters between the Demon Palace and compensation.”
Bu Eunseol quickly offered an explanation.
“I suppose I developed a certain familiarity with her from the connection we made then.”
“Is that so?”
“Indeed.”
Bu Eunseol averted her gaze from Yang Seol Rin’s piercing stare and changed the subject.
“Then it would be best to focus on discovering why she tried to kill you.”
“I already know the reason. She told me herself.”
She placed both hands on her hips with an exasperated expression.
“She asked me where the Jung Sun Ga was located and demanded I tell her.”
‘The Jung Sun Ga, was it.’
Bu Eunseol’s expression became peculiar.
The reason she had not rejoiced much at the fall of the Infinite Realm, why the emotion of vengeance still lingered—
She had just realized that perhaps the Jung Sun Ga was her ultimate target.
“Yes, the way she acted so viciously suggests she harbors a deep grudge against them.”
“Does the young lady not interact with them? Are you not all part of the Three Families?”
“Why does she say the same thing as that woman? Just because we’re called the Three Families, does that mean we must interact with each other?”
Yang Seol Rin’s expression was so innocent that she did not appear to be deliberately concealing anything.
‘She doesn’t seem to be lying.’
Yet the Yang Seol Family, which had engaged in Murim activities all this time, could not possibly fail to detect the Jung Sun Family’s covert operations.
‘Then perhaps she isn’t a core member of the Yang Seol Family, which is why she lacks access to vital information?’
Reflecting on it, Yang Seol Rin was far too innocent for someone of the Yang Seol Family.
How could a member of the Yang Seol Family, who had continued their Murim activities without revealing their identity all this time, maintain such guileless innocence?
“You can do it, right?”
At that moment, Yang Seol Rin spoke with a worried expression.
“You’re the successor to the Demon Palace, after all.”
Seeing the concern in her eyes, all the suspicions that had bloomed in my mind seemed to vanish entirely.
‘I shouldn’t doubt her. Haven’t I already decided to trust her?’
In truth, it wasn’t easy for the successor of the Demon Palace to investigate the Chief of the Murim Alliance.
But with my identity as Seon Woo Jin, I could uncover as much information about Gong Son Dan Gyeong as I wished.
“Don’t worry. I’ll do it for you.”
Bu Eunseol smiled softly.
“I’ll bring you detailed information that will satisfy you.”
“Good. Then what’s your second request?”
She averted her gaze slightly as she spoke.
“I’d like you to give me something you always carry with you.”
“Something I always carry with me?”
“Yes, since we’ll have to meet again because of Gong Son Dan Gyeong anyway, it would be good to have some kind of token to verify instead of seeing your face.”
Though it was somewhat odd reasoning, Bu Eunseol nodded as if she understood.
“I don’t have any token right now, but… how about this?”
As Bu Eunseol extended her sleeve, a small hidden blade appeared between her index and middle fingers.
She had frequently used hidden blade techniques in the past, but at some point had stopped.
It was merely a hidden blade she carried for appearances’ sake.
“A hidden blade as your token?”
“Not exactly, but I’ve carried it for a long time. It’s made of white lotus steel with very uniform weight and density…”
“No, not that. I mean something unique in the world. Anyone could make another blade like that.”
“Something unique in the world…”
At her words, Bu Eunseol pondered for a moment, then drew upon her inner energy.
Screech.
With her fingernail, she carved a wolf—the symbol of Nangya Pavilion—onto the blade’s surface.
“How about this? Now it’s a blade that exists nowhere else in the world.”
“Hmm. Well, that works.”
Yang Seol Rin laughed as she looked at the wolf drawing Bu Eunseol had carved into the blade.
“The wolf’s face looks a bit fierce, but… I like it.”
“Tell me the third request as well.”
“I’ll do that later.”
Yang Seol Rin smiled faintly.
“For now, I need to go back.”
“How should I find you? Shouldn’t I relay Gong Son Chong Sa’s message?”
“In half a month, how about we meet at the Seon In Guest House in Moo Chang? Around sunset.”
She smiled faintly.
“If you’re busy, I can send word through a messenger instead. I can dispatch someone there as well.”
“Understood.”
“Then I’ll take my leave. Oh, one more thing.”
She turned back as she was about to depart.
“Don’t tell anyone you possess the Gyeong Seong Jade. And don’t mention that I told you about it.”
“Understood.”
“And…”
Yang Seol Rin spoke with a meaningful gaze.
“Don’t exert too much power while possessing the Gyeong Seong Jade. I’ve only temporarily infused it with foreign energy.”
“You mean it could be exposed?”
“Well…”
Yang Seol Rin wore a playful smile,
“I’m leaving.”
With those words, she vanished in an instant with a whooshing sound.
“I can’t use too much power, then.”
My eyes dimmed.
Now only the confrontation with Sword Demon Wi Hyuk Gyun remained.
But Yang Seol Rin had made it clear that the Gyeong Seong Jade was not omnipotent.
As Seon Woo Jin, with my power restricted… could I face someone like the Sword Demon?
My fists clenched tightly.
I squeezed my hands into fists.
“I have to try.”
Simply because he had taught me, I had no intention of letting Wi Hyuk Gyun—who had crippled Jin Gak’s arms—go unpunished.
Moreover, I was still in no position to face Ma Cheon Je directly, neither in martial prowess nor in power.
But if this succeeds?
Ma Cheon Je never goes back on his word. He would absolutely never touch Seon Woo Jin.
Either way… the confrontation with the Sword Demon was inevitable.
* * *
The dock heading to Po Seok Island was packed with disciples of the Hwawoo Sword Sect and martial artists of the Murim Alliance.
This confrontation was a clash between the greatest swordsmen representing Jeong Sa Yang Do, with both sides’ pride at stake.
The senior members of the Murim Alliance viewed this confrontation with considerable concern.
Sword Demon Wi Hyuk Gyun was already a formidable master who had reached the Gyeong Cheon Ji Gyeong in his youth.
Had he wished, he could have ascended to the position of advisor to the Four Gods Seven Kings long ago.
Yet now Seon Woo Jin, who had only recently ascended to the Four Gods Seven Kings, was to face him in single combat?
Regardless of victory or defeat, from the Murim Alliance’s perspective,
a promising new talent with a bright future ahead and countless martial accomplishments to achieve could lose his life in an instant.
―The Hwawoo Sword Sect is the Ma Do Je Il Geom Mun, possessing the greatest military force among single sects of the Demonic Path.
But Seon Woo Jin remained resolute.
―If we shy away from the challenge, the Ben Maeng’s prestige will crumble, and the Hwawoo Sword Sect will seize this opportunity to flaunt their power.
The senior members were deeply impressed not only by Seon Woo Jin’s cold assessment of the situation, but also by his unwavering concern for the alliance’s honor.
He commanded Seo Muk, the deputy leader of the Sungwi Unit, to personally escort him.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
As the martial artists of the Hwawoo Sword Sect and the masters of the Sungwi Unit faced off, Po Seok Island’s dock became saturated with a suffocating, lethal atmosphere.
They had stationed themselves at the dock early on, systematically filtering out those who tried to enter.
Po Seok Island was not a particularly vast island.
If two masters were to use the entire island as their battleground?
The shockwaves from such a clash could sever the heads of countless martial artists.
―Even if it costs us our lives, we must witness this!
Yet the warlords refused to retreat quietly.
During the past confrontation between Bu Eunseol and Cheon Geom, the leadership of both the Murim Alliance and the Demon Hall had descended en masse.
The gathered martial artists had no choice but to obey their commands without uttering a single word of protest.
But this time, only elite masters from the Hwawoo Sword Sect and a contingent of the Sungwi Unit had come.
They were woefully insufficient to control tens of thousands of enraged martial artists.
―Do as you wish.
In the end, both sides abandoned their attempt to control the martial artists.
Consequently, Po Seok Island’s interior flooded with martial artists.
Murmurs echoed across the island.
Those with keen perception and formidable martial prowess climbed to higher ground to survey the scene below.
Those with weaker martial skills and the soldiers of Jeong Sa Yang Do positioned themselves on the vast plains where the duel would take place.
A breeze swept across the island.
As the sun blazed intensely overhead, the formations of both the Hwawoo Sword Sect and the Sungwi Unit opened.
Footsteps echoed firmly.
From the Hwawoo Sword Sect’s side, a figure with lustrous black hair bound up walked into the open ground.
It was a middle-aged man with an imposing presence and razor-sharp sword energy.
His eyes were so piercing that one could discern the pupils from over thirty paces away.
An invisible aura emanated from his entire body, spreading outward for dozens of paces.
It was Sword Demon Wi Hyuk Gun.
―A sharp breath was drawn.
The moment Wi Hyuk Gun stepped into the open ground,
the crowd swallowed hard, their bodies trembling as they instinctively touched their necks.
The mere sight of him created the illusion that a keen blade had already grazed their throats.
Slow, deliberate steps sounded.
From the Sungwi Unit’s side emerged a young man.
His demeanor was unremarkable, and his gait was so leisurely and unhurried that it seemed almost tedious.
Though tall, his eyes were ordinary.
At his waist hung a dull iron sword—the kind one could purchase from any blacksmith for mere coin.
His relaxed expression, as though he were simply taking a casual stroll through the village, stood in stark contrast to the grim intensity of Wi Hyuk Gun.
It was none other than the Sword King, Seon Woo Jin.
―Indeed, a master worthy of facing the Sword Demon.
The martial artists with exceptional skills gasped in admiration as they watched Seon Woo Jin’s movements.
Wi Hyuk Gyun was currently spreading a terrifying aura mixed with sharp, formless energy across dozens of paces.
Yet to maintain such a composed demeanor while entering the range of that formless energy?
It was rare to encounter someone who had reached such heights at such a young age.
Whoosh.
Finally, the two masters stood close enough to meet each other’s gaze.
Wi Hyuk Gyun’s eyes were as sharp as a polished blade, seeming capable of piercing through all things in the world.
Seon Woo Jin’s eyes were infinitely deep, appearing to embrace all things in existence.
In truth, these supreme masters had no reason to face each other in combat.
There was no enmity between them, nor any point of contact that would warrant a clash.
Yet because Wi Hyuk Gyun had first taught Bu Eunseol the sword arts,
he had severed the nerve in the right arm of Oui Dang’s leader, Jin Gak.
On the surface, it was said to have occurred during a training session.
―This was the price of raising a tiger cub on Hell Island.
With the words Wi Hyuk Gyun had spoken,
the true reason for this incident became clear:
Jin Gak had taught Bu Eunseol, the great enemy of the Hwawoo Sword Sect, on Hell Island.
Upon hearing this news, Bu Eunseol fell into a great rage.
Jin Gak had recognized her talent early on, and in the First Hall where there had been no disciples,
he had taught her the fundamentals of swordsmanship in meticulous detail—he was Bu Eunseol’s first sword master
and a benefactor to whom she owed a great debt.
Yet for the mere reason of having taught her, he had crippled a swordsman’s arm?
No matter that it involved another sect, Bu Eunseol could not possibly endure such an affront.
―She had her intelligence organization investigate every detail of the Sword Demon Wi Hyuk Gyun’s movements, and provoked him under Seon Woo Jin’s name.
Bu Eunseol had mobilized her information network to provoke Wi Hyuk Gyun,
and at precisely that moment, Wi Hyuk Gyun too had been seeking an opportunity to reverse the stagnant atmosphere of the Hwawoo Sword Sect.
Thus the desires of both masters aligned, and finally this duel came to pass.
‘A strange fellow.’
Wi Hyuk Gyun furrowed his brow as he gazed into Seon Woo Jin’s blazing eyes.
It was Seon Woo Jin who had first provoked him.
Yet why did this man glare at him so fiercely, as if facing an irreconcilable enemy?
Seeing the puzzlement in Wi Hyuk Gyun’s eyes, Bu Eunseol became aware of her mistake and immediately suppressed her killing intent.
‘I must not lose composure. Right now, I am Seon Woo Jin.’
As Bu Eunseol walked forward toward Wi Hyuk Gyun step by step, she quickly calmed her mind.
Then a peculiar realization dawned upon her.
‘When I fought Cheon Geom, I was of the Demonic Path.’
But now she was of the Righteous Path, and her opponent was of the Demonic Path.
Moreover, during the duel with Cheon Geom, only hundreds of carefully selected martial artists had witnessed the confrontation.
But now on Po Seok Island,
at least tens of thousands of spectators surrounded the area.
‘So they are indeed here.’
Moreover, I could sense an extremely subtle gaze from somewhere.
Unlike the countless spectators, it felt as though this presence could pierce through the very depths of my being.
It was certain that either Ma Cheon Je himself had come in disguise, or one of his emissaries stood among them to serve as his eyes.
‘I must keep my wits sharp.’
If my identity were exposed during the duel, Murim would descend into chaos, and those connected to me would not survive.
‘No, wait.’
In that moment, a strange thought occurred to Bu Eunseol.
―What if Ma Cheon Je had already taken measures to ensure my identity remained hidden?
Ma Cheon Je already knows who I truly am.
Perhaps he orchestrated this public spectacle so that, to the powerful figures and factions watching from the shadows,
the person known as Seon Woo Jin would never come under suspicion? Such a peculiar thought it was.
Ma Cheon Je was a man who moved all humans like chess pieces.
Such a possibility was far from unlikely.
What was certain was that I could not achieve a complete victory over the Sword Demon in this battle.
I must return him with his body intact.
I must escape the suspicions of countless masters, including Ma Cheon Je.
A sharp sound rang out.
At last, the two supreme swordsmen stood face to face.
“Chief Wi.”
As Bu Eunseol cleared her thoughts and brought her hands together in salute, Wi Hyuk Gyun responded coldly in kind.
“Seon Woo Master.”
As their gazes locked in the empty space between them, sparks seemed to ignite.
Sharpness and gentleness.
From their contrasting auras alone, both could sense that they possessed opposing temperaments and martial philosophies.
―Why did you mobilize the intelligence organization to provoke me?
―Why did you choose me as your opponent when you clearly knew the gap in our abilities was vast?
Until the duel began,
Wi Hyuk Gyun’s mind was filled with countless questions.
But as the confrontation drew near, his spirit became infinitely serene.
His body and mind became one, focused solely on achieving victory in this fight.
“Shall we begin?”
The veins on Wi Hyuk Gyun’s hand gripping the sword hilt bulged prominently, and his pupils dilated widely.
As he entered the duel, blood rushed swiftly through his body, and his physical abilities reached their absolute peak.
A sharp metallic ring echoed.
Wi Hyuk Gyun drew his beloved sword, the Scarlet Edge, from its scabbard.
It was one of the ancient treasured blades passed down through generations of the Hwawoo Sword Sect, a demonic blade that had drunk the blood of countless masters.
“Very well.”
Bu Eunseol drew the Muk Hon Sword as well.
Watching the fluid and natural stance flow like water, Wi Hyuk Gyun’s eyes sharpened.
‘So it’s not mere luck.’
Swordmasters who had honed their blades throughout their lives could discern an opponent’s true skill from a single drawing motion.
Wi Hyuk Gyun perceived that Bu Eunseol possessed exceptional mastery.
Casting aside all contempt, he observed her with the caution one reserves for a mortal enemy.
“Strike first.”
Among swordmasters, the first strike determines victory.
In other words, the opening move was paramount.
Wi Hyuk Gyun naturally understood this principle well.
Yet his pride would not permit him to yield the first strike to an upstart of the Orthodox Sects.
“You’ll come to regret that.”
Even at Bu Eunseol’s provocation, Wi Hyuk Gyun merely smiled coldly.
Once a duel had commenced.
No words or actions could shake his resolve.
Clang.
Bu Eunseol carefully raised the Muk Hon Sword.
Most duels between swordmasters of Tianxia’s caliber ended in mere moments.
Once the most profound and devastating sword technique was countered, the rest would naturally crumble.
But fighting a master of the Hwa Woo Geom was an entirely different matter.
The Hwa Woo Geom, composed of ten forms, each resembled a completely different sword technique.
There was no single most powerful form; victory came only by breaking all ten.
Moreover, the Hwawoo Sword Sect was where techniques rivaling the Hwa Woo Geom—such as the Jeonrae Musang Style—were created.
Wi Hyuk Gyun, as the sect leader, was the swordmaster in Murim who had mastered the most diverse techniques.
‘I stake everything on this single move.’
By contrast, the techniques Seon Woo Jin could deploy were limited.
And the only sword technique capable of facing the Sword Demon Wi Hyuk Gyun was the Geom So Heon Won Style.
Seon Woo Jin had defeated Gwon Wang Seok Chi Haeng with this singular technique and earned the title Sword King.
Now he sought to defeat Wi Hyuk Gyun once more and make the name Sword King resound throughout Murim.
Kwaaang!
Since Wi Hyuk Gyun had yielded the first strike, Bu Eunseol slowly drew upon her inner power to its fullest.
Seon Woo Jin’s inner power reserve spanned three hundred fifty years.
Yet channeling twelve-star cultivation during combat was impossible; she could only draw upon roughly three hundred years.
Whoosh.
As inner power flowed into the blade, the Muk Hon Sword created faint afterimages without even moving.
―That is….
Several martial artists who glimpsed the afterimages from Bu Eunseol’s Muk Hon Sword gasped in awe.
The supreme ancient sword technique preserved by the Murim Alliance and frequently wielded by the previous alliance leader Cheol Mu Hun.
They recognized that the Geom So Heon Won Style was being manifested anew.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
Muk Hon’s sword began to emit a low resonance, swirling with dark energy.
The Sword of Primordial Emptiness, which transcended the limits of swordsmanship and contained the principles of all existence,
could unfold diverse variations as complex as its transformations.
When dealing with Seok Chi Haeng, I had used a method that covered the enemy’s form with sword energy, leaving no room for evasion or defense.
Against Baek Mu Sung, I had created the Thousand Celestial Flying Immortal technique, pouring one hundred eighty variations of Orthodox swordsmanship into each form.
Wi Hyuk Gyun was a swordmaster proficient in every blade technique scattered throughout Murim.
Bu Eunseol had refined the method used against Seok Chi Haeng further,
calculating his height, his weight, and the length of his beloved sword, Jeok Ri.
The angle of sunlight pouring down, the firmness of the earth beneath their feet—every factor that could influence the outcome of the duel,
I was preparing to unfold the Sword of Primordial Emptiness in a form from which escape was absolutely impossible.
―….
Yet Wi Hyuk Gyun did not blink once, his piercing gaze fixed upon Bu Eunseol.
He was a grandmaster of the blade.
Sensing that the swordsmanship Bu Eunseol was unfolding was so flawless that counterattack would be impossible from the start,
he was calculating the means to break through it.
For a time, the standoff continued.
The interior of the island had grown so silent that one could hear a hair fall.
The sun that had burned so fiercely had transformed into a crimson sunset.
The warriors of Murim watched the two figures in standoff without drawing a single breath.
Saaaaaah.
From somewhere, the sound of waves filled the entire island.
Whoooosh!
In that same instant, the sound of water being cleaved rang out, and a sword light that seemed to imprison the entire world poured down upon Wi Hyuk Gyun.
Bu Eunseol, having completed all calculations, had unleashed the Sword of Primordial Emptiness at full power.
Yet the warlords could not properly see the swordsmanship due to the radiance of sword energy unleashed at ultra-high speed.
All that was visible were brilliant points of light.
And a piercing sound of wind-cutting that filled the ears.
Saaaaaah.
At last, as the swordsmanship fully unfolded,
the warlords wore expressions as though awakening from a dream.
Bu Eunseol’s swordsmanship had been so swift and unleashed in such an instant
that it felt as though they had fallen into a brief illusion with their eyes wide open.
―Ohhhhh!
The warlords, rubbing their eyes, suddenly cried out in admiration.
The Sword Demon Wi Hyuk Gyun stood in a defensive posture, his sword Jeok Ri held upright.
Yet was he not surrounded by sword energy darkened in the shape of his own form?
It was as though a painter had drawn a picture identical to Wi Hyuk Gyun’s posture with a brush.
The Sword of Primordial Emptiness.
An ancient secret art that enveloped the enemy’s movements and form with corresponding sword energy, making evasion and breaking through impossible, had been unleashed.

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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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