The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 789
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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 789.
The Poison Dragon’s venom was so virulent because its inner core had concentrated the essence of spiritual energy and toxic force accumulated over thousands of years.
‘Could I obtain a poison comparable to that?’
For decades now, throughout Joong Won Murim,
as if the seeds had run dry, spiritual creatures and spiritual herbs had scarcely been discovered.
The only places where spiritual herbs still existed were in regions like Sae Oe, such as the Yunhai Biyeok Palace, and only in sects that had long withdrawn from the Murim’s sight.
But could any poison comparable to that of the Poison Dragon, which had lived for thousands of years, still exist in the Murim?
“Is there a poison in all of Tianxia more virulent than the Poison Dragon’s inner core?”
“I cannot say it is more virulent, but there exists a poison that can rival it.”
Bu Eunseol harbored no particular desire to become a master of poisons; she simply wished to cure the three-corpse worms afflicting the Jeoljeong Dae Won members.
‘So to achieve the cure, I need only obtain one more poison comparable to the Poison Dragon’s inner core.’
“Where is it located?”
“Even this sect leader cannot know that.”
Jo Baek San drew a deep breath before speaking.
“However, since you have absorbed the Poison Dragon’s inner core, you will surely be able to find that other poison.”
“I see.”
Bu Eunseol spoke as if she had grasped something.
“Since I killed the Poison Dragon, Sam Gye will surely come seeking me.”
Jo Baek San shook his head at Bu Eunseol’s words.
“That is not it. Now that the Poison Dragon’s venom has appeared, a poison of equal standing will naturally emerge. It is the way of things, the natural order.”
It was a somewhat fortune-teller-like remark.
Experts in their respective fields sometimes utter words of inexplicable wisdom.
Yet because such utterances often proved accurate, Bu Eunseol could not dismiss his words as mere fancy.
‘It matters not. If Sam Gye comes, that would be all the better.’
Should they come to her seeking to reclaim their inner core, that too would not be an unwelcome development.
Surely poison experts would arrive.
It could become an opportunity to obtain one more formidable poison.
“Depart now.”
Jo Baek San gazed toward the distant sky as he spoke.
“From this moment forward, this island shall become a realm of death where not a single blade of grass, nor any living thing, can survive.”
“Sect Leader.”
“This too is merely the natural order.”
Jo Baek San spoke with calm resignation.
“Indeed, since you have absorbed the Poison Dragon’s inner core, this sect’s poisons will no longer affect you.”
He turned his gaze from Bu Eunseol and wheeled around, kneeling before the corpse of his son, whose breath had ceased.
“Seung Ji. Why did you not heed your father’s words?”
Jo Baek San clutched the grotesquely melted remains of his son and wept.
Though he had chosen a path of darkness, this was a son he had loved so dearly that even placing him in his own eyes would cause no pain.
A deep, resonant hum.
From his weeping form, black mist began to pour forth.
The leader of the Cheon Dok Mun and his son both met tragic ends, so he sought to end his own life using the poison techniques he had perfected over a lifetime.
“Now I shall go to your side.”
Whoooosh.
Jo Baek San’s body transformed into black smoke in an instant.
The surrounding grass withered and twisted to death, and gradually the earth itself began to turn black.
As his breath ceased, the poison techniques he had cultivated for decades spread across the entire Uninhabited Island.
“Rest in peace.”
After paying her respects to Jo Baek San’s remains, Bu Eunseol calmly surveyed her surroundings.
The toxic miasma flowing from Jo Baek San’s body had transformed the Uninhabited Island into an island of death in mere moments.
However, having obtained the inner core of the Poison Dragon, Bu Eunseol had transcended immunity to all poisons.
She had reached the Myriad Poison Convergence—the ability to store every poison in the world within her body.
Thus, she remained unaffected by that toxin.
“Could it be the Gwi Il Gye after all?”
The Infinite Realm, with its headquarters destroyed, had not shown itself in the Gangho.
Based on their actions thus far,
it seemed more likely that the Gwi Il Gye, which sought to resurrect masters of old, rather than the Cheonghae Gye, which controlled minds,
had attempted something with the Poison Dragon.
‘To stand against the Eight Immortals Heaven, perhaps…’
As Bu Eunseol pondered something deeply,
Screech!
A blade of black true energy extended forth, scraping across various parts of the poison-tainted Uninhabited Island.
She left traces of the Woman’s True Seal—evidence that it was she who had taken the inner core of the Poison Dragon.
“I can only hope Jo Baek San’s prophecy proves true.”
Even if the Sam Gye came seeking her, it remained uncertain whether they possessed poison comparable to his.
Bu Eunseol found herself in a situation where she absolutely had to cure the members of the Elite Division of their poison.
She had to find another poison to rival the Poison Dragon as soon as possible.
* * *
Upon returning to the Murim Alliance, Bu Eunseol immediately summoned Gong Son Dan Gyeong.
She wished to ask about information regarding Jin Ma and the Eight Immortals Heaven that she had not been able to inquire about during her confrontation with Gwon In.
“Welcome.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong greeted Bu Eunseol warmly, as if she had been waiting.
Her demeanor was softer than usual and her eyes were gentler, yet Bu Eunseol sensed an inexplicable discomfort.
It felt as though Gong Son Dan Gyeong was forcing a smile.
“You’ve come to ask about the secret records that contain information about Jin Ma, haven’t you?”
“Yes.”
At that time, Gong Son Dan Gyeong had been in a state of severe emotional shock, so she had not asked for detailed information accurately.
However, Jin Ma and the Eight Immortals Heaven were highly likely to become her future adversaries.
The Jung Sun Family’s secret records contained information about Jin Ma and his followers, and she had read them.
So she wished to inquire about those detailed contents.
“According to the records, at the beginning there was the Baek Ri Family and Jin Ma, and the two fought endlessly. But no victor emerged, and that battle continued across generations.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong calmly recounted to Bu Eunseol the contents of the secret records she had read at the Jung Son Family.
“After a prolonged battle, the Baek Ri Family was ultimately able to seal Jin Ma, or so the records claim.”
“A seal? Does that mean they are creatures akin to demons?”
“I cannot say for certain. However, given that they undergo repeated cycles of reincarnation while retaining their memories, they must possess power comparable to that of demons.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s eyes narrowed.
“But Jin Ma’s subordinates remained, so the Baek Ri Family created Sam Gye and commanded them to protect Murim. And that became the beginning of calamity.”
In truth, such a tale was
something I had already heard from the mysterious Pond of Park Yeon Chong Ji, which the Baek Ri Family had left behind.
Yet Bu Eunseol gave no sign of this and listened intently to her words in silence.
“Sam Gye, drawing upon the power left by the Baek Ri Family, secretly dominated Murim and cultivated tremendous strength. And eventually, they even turned on their master. To seize the power they possessed.”
“I see.”
“Due to Sam Gye’s rebellion, the Baek Ri Family was greatly disillusioned and vanished from Murim forever, or so the records say.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong, staring intently at Bu Eunseol, parted her lips slightly.
“That is all the secret records contain.”
Ultimately, what was written in the records
differed little from the information contained in Park Yeon Chong Ji, aside from the details concerning Jin Ma and her subordinates.
Having heard the entire account, Bu Eunseol asked carefully.
“Then, regarding the one who ensnared the Chief…”
“That, I believe, was my mistake.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong shook her head.
“It seems the Eight Immortals Heaven used traces of someone I once knew to throw me into confusion.”
The lie was transparent.
Yet Bu Eunseol did not press her on it. Her expression appeared utterly forlorn and tormented.
There was no need to pry if it did not directly concern her.
“Then why do those like the Eight Immortals Heaven target the Chief?”
“They seem to be mistaking me for one of the Baek Pal Sung.”
Gwon In had said that she was concealing the power of Baek Pal Sung through some special method.
But Gong Son Dan Gyeong once again drove home the point that she was not Baek Pal Sung.
“Much like when I was kidnapped as a child, mistaken for Cheon Ki Sung.”
“You truly are not Baek Pal Sung?”
“If I possessed power equal to Baek Pal Sung, would I have been kidnapped so absurdly?”
She spoke with a bitter expression.
“At the very least, I would have resisted Gwon In’s coercion.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong had been in genuine peril.
Had Bu Eunseol not come to rescue her at the cost of her own life, she would have been immediately executed by Gwon In.
Since she had not wielded the power of Baek Pal Sung even in that situation, her words could not be false.
‘Could it be that she is Baek Pal Sung but simply cannot manifest her power?’
Bu Eunseol still harbored doubts. Yet upon seeing the darkness in Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s eyes, she cast the thought aside.
Whether she was Baek Pal Sung or not was not particularly important at this juncture.
“Thank you. Your words have resolved all my questions.”
“Is there anything else you’d like to know?”
In truth, I had wanted to ask Gong Son Dan Gyeong in greater detail about the person who, along with Jin Ma, had ensnared her in that trap.
‘Had it been a matter she could discuss, she would have told me everything before I even asked.’
But Gong Son Dan Gyeong had said nothing.
Which meant that even if I asked, I would receive no answer.
Knowing her nature well, I abandoned the pursuit cleanly.
“That is all.”
“I see.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong offered a smile that seemed somehow parched.
“Then I shall attend to the accumulated duties awaiting me.”
“Thank you for making time for me.”
I bowed once more and stepped outside.
“Mm.”
Once outside, I suddenly halted and turned my gaze back toward the Eun Wol Gak.
‘Is she suffering?’
Gong Son Dan Gyeong was different from before.
She had adopted the same emotionless tone and demeanor she used when addressing the senior figures of the Murim Alliance.
Yet I could sense it.
The way she was forcibly suppressing the tempestuous emotions churning within her.
‘It would be understandable.’
This time, Gong Son Dan Gyeong had endured a grave trial and nearly lost her life.
Though she denied it, the circumstances made it clear that it was surely the work of someone she knew. The psychological shock must be considerable.
‘I hope she finds the strength to overcome this.’
With Gong Son Dan Gyeong, I had built a relationship of mutual trust—a good one.
Murmuring softly, I turned slowly and departed from the Eun Wol Gak.
“Seon Woo Dae Ju.”
Sitting in her office, staring blankly at the space where I had been, Gong Son Dan Gyeong murmured quietly.
“What exactly is your true identity?”
Her eyes narrowed.
Seon Woo Jin had always exceeded her expectations.
But Gwon In, who belonged to the Eight Immortals Heaven, was different.
His martial prowess had reached the Mujik Gyeong, and he was a figure whom even the supreme masters of the contemporary Murim could not easily contend with.
Seon Woo Jin had survived the hands of such a man.
And when Gwon In’s attack had momentarily scattered the energy within her body,
she had sensed Seon Woo Jin’s ability.
An infinite space.
It was a boundless expanse without borders themselves—a realm of infinite possibility.
Gong Son Dan Gyeong had felt such an aura only once before.
It was from Chu So, the Cheon Ki Sung.
“I opened my heart to you, yet you still conceal something from me.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s eyes wavered like ripples across water.
She could stake everything on it with absolute certainty.
That Seon Woo Jin did not belong to the Murim Alliance, but to some other faction.
That he was absolutely not someone who grew up in the Seon Hwa Trading Company before joining the Murim Alliance.
“His approach to me must have been for a reason—he wanted something from me. After all, I am quite useful to the Murim Alliance.”
At first, she had said it didn’t matter if Seon Woo Jin harbored ulterior motives or belonged to any faction.
But not anymore.
Over time, she had come to trust him with genuine sincerity, and now she feared the possibility of his betrayal.
“I am….”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong finally understood.
That she had changed.
No longer the farmer’s daughter consumed by vengeance, So Min…
But rather, she had become the eldest daughter of the Gong Sun Estate, Gong Son Dan Gyeong.
“Yes, that’s right. I have changed.”
She could no longer deny it.
She could no longer deceive her own heart.
“And I love him.”
The corners of Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s eyes trembled faintly as the words escaped her lips.
When had it begun?
This affection for Seon Woo Jin.
Like a gentle mist descending softly,
She had fallen deeply in love with him without even realizing it, as though unaware her clothes were being drenched.
Especially when he came to rescue her, risking his very life, nearly meeting death at Gwon In’s hands.
She had barely restrained herself from pulling him into an embrace and kissing him.
“But it can never be.”
She stared into the void with unfocused eyes.
“Because I must have my revenge.”
Revenge against the Jung Son Family.
She had prepared and planned so much until now, and the moment of execution drew near.
And above all else….
“I am not Gong Son Dan Gyeong.”
Not anymore.
She could not reduce everything to nothing and live as Gong Son Dan Gyeong.
“Chu So.”
Gong Son Dan Gyeong’s eyes grew infinitely darker.
One of the reasons she had pursued vengeance so desperately was because of Chu So, who had sacrificed his very life for her.
But what if he were still alive?
Would she still need to risk her life chasing the Jung Son Family?
Could she not simply forget the Jung Son Family’s affairs and live happily instead?
What was she supposed to do from this moment forward?
Thud.
She slumped into the chair without strength, her eyes growing hazy as though wandering through a dream.
Even amidst the chaos of her emotions, only one man’s face surfaced in her mind.
Somewhere along the way, she had transformed from the relentless embodiment of vengeance pursuing the Jung Son Family.
Into a woman tormented by love.
* * *
Since ancient times, the greatest sages have sought out places.
Secluded from the tumultuous world, where they could establish their sanctuaries.
By that measure, this place was undoubtedly a paradise untouched by the dust of the mortal realm.
The mountains rose without harshness, their peaks crowned with white clouds, and crystalline waters flowed along the slopes.
In the hushed forest, painted like a masterwork, rare flowers and exotic herbs bloomed between the trees.
Footsteps echoed softly.
The Mysterious Man entered the study room within the exquisitely constructed Palace Hall.
Upon stepping inside, a repository of ancient texts and scrolls came into view.
Before a table, Shadow knelt in formal prostration.
His face was completely concealed beneath cloth that gleamed with a lustrous sheen, rendering his features invisible, yet he emanated an aura capable of splitting heaven and earth.
The Mysterious Man passed by the kneeling Shadow and halted before a map displaying the detailed geography of Zhong Yuan.
“He survived Gwon In’s grasp.”
The Mysterious Man murmured with an expression of incomprehension.
Everything planned thus far had unfolded with perfect ease.
Not once had events deviated from expectation or prediction, and no failure had occurred.
Yet this time, something utterly inexplicable had transpired.
Namely, this figure called Seon Woo Jin.
A subordinate of the fearsome Jin Ma.
Surviving an attack from Gwon In, one of the Eight Immortals?
“And not even Baek Pal Sung at that….”
Within Murim exist beings who possess innate mystical abilities and power transcending the bounds of martial knowledge.
Among them, Baek Pal Sung.
Possesses such transcendent power that they are called monsters rather than human.
Yet despite not being Baek Pal Sung.
How could one surpass human limitations and survive the grasp of an Immortal, a supreme master beyond mortal bounds?
This was a situation entirely unforeseen.
“Could he have employed the Gyeong Seong Jade as he did during his duel with Geom Ma?”
The kneeling Subordinate spoke cautiously, and the Mysterious Man shook his head.
“There were no such traces. Had he used it covertly, the aura of the Gyeong Seong Jade would have prevented him from escaping Gwon In’s grasp.”
The Mysterious Man stroked his chin as he spoke.
“His identity?”
“His status as successor to the Seon Hwa Trading Company is so flawlessly established that no intelligence organization could refute it.”
“Flawless to the point where no weakness can be found….”
The Mysterious Man’s eyes gleamed with sudden intensity.
“That means someone with an exceptional intelligence organization is thoroughly cultivating and protecting her.”
The subordinate spoke cautiously.
“My only concern is that In Bi In still hasn’t revealed himself.”
“In Bi In. Though he belongs to the Eight Immortals Heaven, in reality he possesses power and authority rivaling that of the Sasin Heaven. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be orchestrating the seal-breaking operations.”
“Then is he also breaking the restrictions placed by the Sasin Heaven?”
“Likely.”
The man let out a bitter laugh.
“What’s amusing is that Sam Gye has actually benefited from this. They’ve recovered a considerable portion of the power they lost through those experiments.”
Thanks to In Bi In creating Gwi Ah and Evil Spirits long ago and sending them into Gangho.
Sam Gye too had succeeded in conducting numerous experiments and restoring lost ancient techniques.
“However, Gwon In has begun openly walking through Murim.”
The subordinate spoke again.
“There’s a possibility that the remaining Immortals might appear because of this. We don’t have much Gyeongseong Jade left, and I’m concerned.”
“Gwon In is obsessed with eliminating Cheon Ki Sung, one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Generals.”
The man bared his white teeth in a smile.
“What if that Seon Woo Jin is Cheon Ki Sung?”
Understanding the implication, the subordinate spoke in a grave voice.
“You must be cautious. There isn’t much of it left, is there?”
“There’s nothing to regret. We can’t deceive them indefinitely just because we have this.”
“Please, leave it to me.”
An indescribable, unique energy emanated from the subordinate’s body.
“If you command it, I will eliminate that senile old man immediately.”
It was remarkable.
The man spoke of Gwon In, who dominated Tianxia, as if he were someone he could dispose of at any moment.
“Hehehehe. It’s not yet time for Cheon Sal Sung to appear.”
The man spoke calmly.
“Seon Woo Jin is a person of high wisdom and exceptional martial skill. Gwon In knows this well. And this time, he survived in Gwon In’s own hands.”
“….”
“If he shines as Cheon Ki Sung, Gwon In will stop at nothing to kill him.”
The man smiled faintly.
A mysterious pearl gleamed with an ethereal light.
* * *
Murim Alliance, Jeol Jeong Gak. Seon Woo Jin’s office.
Bu Eunseol, having finished her various duties, was lost in deep contemplation.
Beyond Jin Ma and his retinue.
Within Murim existed Abyss forces like Go Geom Rim, whose identities remained completely concealed.
‘Does that mean all the Abyss forces are connected to Jin Ma?’
According to legend, in the beginning, the Baek Ri Family and Jin Ma existed and constantly clashed.
Then wouldn’t the Abyss forces that haven’t revealed themselves in Murim also be connected to them? Such thoughts were inevitable.
‘The purpose of the Eight Immortals Heaven remains unclear as well.’
In particular, Gwon In appeared out of nowhere.
The Jung Sun Family, desperately searching for Cheon Ki Sung—the one they had kidnapped countless children and committed unspeakable atrocities against—
was now attempting to capture and kill him.
This meant that Cheon Ki Sung was, in the end,
a being who existed in this current era and stood in opposition to Jin Ma and his followers.
‘Perhaps it was only natural.’
Cheon Ki Sung possessed an intellect that transcended humanity, an ability to predict the future itself.
Such an existence would be troublesome to Jin Ma, who sought to dominate all things.
If Cheon Ki Sung were to align with the Baek Ri Family, a formidable adversary would be born.
‘Was Cheon Ki Sung truly so extraordinary? Or perhaps….’
Would Jin Ma, endlessly reincarnating while retaining memories of past lives, truly fear Cheon Ki Sung to such a degree?
Could there be another reason why Gwon In sought to kill Cheon Ki Sung?
‘For instance, perhaps Cheon Ki Sung’s very existence was an essential component—a crucial ingredient in some grand ritual to break a seal.’
Bu Eunseol’s eyes suddenly gleamed as she emerged from her deep contemplation.
An odd gaze had suddenly brushed against her from outside the window.
‘Is it Baek Hyung?’
Few within the Murim Alliance could secretly reach the Jeol Jeong Gak at the far end of the Bamboo Forest beyond the North Gate.
There was no one but Baek Mu Sung who would come here and direct such a furtive gaze toward her.
‘No, that’s not Baek Hyung’s gaze.’
The presence felt from outside was far too faint—not Baek Mu Sung, but rather
something that felt like a small child or even an animal.
As Bu Eunseol rose and peered outside the window, she saw a woman of small stature standing before the Bamboo Forest.
‘From the Needle Pavilion?’
A sharp glint flashed across Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
That woman was none other than the Needle Pavilion Attendant who managed and distributed the martial robes of the Murim Alliance.
Moreover, she did not avert her gaze from Bu Eunseol’s stare through the window.
Instead, she fixed her eyes directly upon her.
The sight was so grotesque
that even Bu Eunseol, who possessed considerable courage, could not help but stiffen her expression.
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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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