The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 857

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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 857.
Hyuk So Jin, brimming with excitement, began to speak with animated gestures, spraying saliva as he gestured wildly.
“So you’ve finally decided to settle down in one place, I see.”
He spread both hands wide to either side and shook his head.
“To be honest, I’ve been slightly worried for quite some time now—whether Bu Brother perhaps didn’t care for women at all.”
“….”
“But now I can finally set my mind at ease. In fact, within the Demonic Path, three wives and four concubines are….”
As Hyuk So Jin continued speaking, he spread all ten fingers wide open.
Staring intently at his fingers.
He shook his head with an expression suggesting something was lacking.
“A thousand imperial consorts and ten thousand concubines—surely that’s not excessive, is it?”
“Am I Shi Hu?”
Shi Hu was an emperor of the Later Zhao dynasty.
It is said that he indiscriminately took beautiful palace maidens as imperial concubines, and their number reached forty thousand.
“What is Shi Hu compared to you? Aren’t you destined to become the emperor of Murim?”
Hyuk So Jin began spouting endless nonsense.
“Since the Yang Seol Family is one of the Three Legendary Martial Families, they must have accumulated considerable wealth, and they certainly have solid connections with various powers—all of which will be of great benefit to Bu Brother.”
He spread both hands wide and laughed brightly.
“Moreover, she seems to have a kind heart and a beauty as lovely as a flower—truly a match made in heaven with Bu Brother.”
Hyuk So Jin’s lips continued their ceaseless chatter. Left alone, he would ramble on for three days and nights without pause.
Bu Eunseol knew his nature all too well, so with a serious expression, he changed the subject.
“In any case… from the situation, it seems the time has come for Murim to make a decisive move.”
And he spoke with an even graver tone.
“All three of the legendary families have appeared, and Bul Jon, called the divine monk of the Buddhist Order, has been nurturing such bizarre individuals.”
Bizarre individuals.
That term was more than sufficient to describe someone like Seop Jeong-ung.
Though he possessed a passionate martial spirit.
He was excessively destructive, self-centered, and obsessed with power alone.
Perhaps that was because, under the grand cause of protecting Murim.
Bul Jon had run amok without distinguishing between purpose and means, and this influence had shaped him.
“What do you mean? All three families have appeared?”
Hyuk So Jin also received information through Sa Hon Dae, but the contents were all merely the most basic facts.
Bu Eunseol had no choice but to.
Tell him everything that had happened, including his meeting with Jeong Cheon Je, who had become Shil Hoon In.
However, he did not speak of the Executor.
This was ultimately a problem he alone had to resolve.
“This is maddening.”
Hyuk So Jin pressed his forehead.
“Just the events that have occurred so far are already overwhelming….”
A long silence fell between them.
In truth, he had always believed that Bu Eunseol could resolve any crisis that arose.
But the current state of the Murim was such that even Ma Cheon Je himself could not possibly manage it.
“I apologize, Bu Brother.”
Hyuk So Jin lowered his head with an embarrassed expression.
“I have been far too negligent.”
Bu Eunseol shook her head.
“It is not your fault. You must be overwhelmed simply assisting the Lord in managing Jeol Cheon Myul Ji.”
“But it seems that managing Bon Gak is not the priority right now.”
I could understand Hyuk So Jin’s sentiment.
Nothing in the current Murim remained normal—the future was utterly unpredictable.
“Then you must grow stronger.”
In the end, that was all I could say.
More formidable masters would emerge in the days ahead. Soon enough, Hyuk So Jin would face battles where his very life hung in the balance.
“That is what must be done now.”
“Yes.”
Hyuk So Jin understood my meaning and drew a deep breath.
“I shall continue my relentless training. Please summon me again when needed.”
“Very well.”
“Then I shall take my leave.”
As I nodded, Hyuk So Jin bowed respectfully and departed in a flash.
His heart must be troubled as well.
Originally, he harbored no grand ambitions regarding the Murim and was content merely protecting Jeol Cheon Myul Ji.
Yet the current state of the Murim was shrouded in oppressive darkness.
What must be done now was to grow stronger and cultivate formidable forces.
To confront and eliminate the powerful enemies that would inevitably come.
As Hyuk So Jin departed, I took a deep breath.
“Now everything is settled.”
What Man Wol had urged me to do—
I had taken time alone and resolved the matters weighing on my heart.
Now what remained was to journey to Cheop Chae Mountain, gather information about the Executor, and deal with that threat.
* * *
Before heading to Cheop Chae Mountain, I made my way to Nangya Pavilion.
Should I fail to resolve the matter of the Executor, I might never return to Nangya Pavilion.
As a precaution,
I wished to see my martial siblings of Nangya Pavilion once more.
“Has Gak Ju entered seclusion again?”
Upon arriving at Nangya Pavilion,
Dan Cheong informed me that Ak Moo Ryung was in secret seclusion, and his location was unknown.
“Indeed. Given that he went to a place no one knows of to avoid any disturbance, it appears he is preparing to shake the Murim once more.”
Ak Moo Ryung had a habit of entering seclusion repeatedly.
Whenever I retreated into seclusion at places unknown to the world and emerged, I invariably stirred the heavens with some extraordinary deed.
“Or perhaps to face you properly in combat.”
Dan Cheong’s lips curved into an enigmatic smile.
Bu Eunseol’s rate of advancement and her martial prowess—
He could discern that these had ignited Ak Moo Ryung’s ambition once more.
“But tell me, what troubles you?”
Dan Cheong noticed the complexity swirling in Bu Eunseol’s eyes and posed the question.
“You may ask if there is something you wish to know.”
“No, I merely came to see Gak Ju and the members of Bon Gak.”
“Do not deceive a ghost.”
Dan Cheong spoke with a dismissive snort.
“It is premature for you to worry about Bon Gak.”
And he continued with evident pride.
“Bon Gak has maintained its position among the Ten Demonic Gates despite its modest numbers. It has never fallen before any adversary, and it has endured through every trial with unwavering resolve.”
Bu Eunseol nodded in acknowledgment.
Nangya Pavilion was Nangya Pavilion.
It was not a place I needed to worry about, but rather one I could always rely upon.
‘But that cannot be.’
My heart wavered for a moment, but I quickly steadied myself.
‘Even if the masters of Bon Gak could hold the line, does Nangya Pavilion not harbor many young disciples?’
Ak Moo Ryung had not merely glimpsed the abyss of Murim, but was a supreme warrior who had battled its denizens.
Dan Cheong lived at leisure within Nangya Pavilion, yet he was a master concealing formidable power.
Beyond them were So Jeon and Baek Yeon, among others.
The masters of Nangya Pavilion were undefeated against any foe and possessed martial techniques that ensured survival through any calamity.
Yet Nangya Pavilion was no longer a sanctuary for wolves burning with the warrior’s spirit.
In the present day, like any other sect—
It harbored countless young disciples and systematically imparted martial knowledge to them.
Should word of the Covenant or the Executor spread, it could bring misfortune upon all of Nangya Pavilion.
“No.”
Bu Eunseol shook her head.
“Once Gak Ju completes his seclusion, I shall return.”
“Do not attempt to bear everything alone.”
Dan Cheong, having pierced through Bu Eunseol’s intentions, spoke with firm authority.
“It is true that Bon Gak rarely involves itself in the affairs of Murim. But when it concerns the successor, the matter is entirely different. Do you understand what I am saying?”
“Thank you.”
After expressing her gratitude, Bu Eunseol immediately departed Nangya Pavilion and made her way toward the Demon Palace.
She had recalled that there was one more person who could provide answers.
Baek Jeon Cheon.
If the Demonic Path’s strategist, known to be ignorant of nothing under heaven—
Then surely he would possess knowledge of the Covenant as well.
“I apologize, but I have nothing to say regarding that matter.”
Baek Jeon Cheon spoke with firm resolve in the office of Man Bak Dang.
“If one is to unify the Demonic Path, they must naturally handle such matters themselves.”
Bu Eunseol could only nod in acknowledgment.
Baek Jeon Cheon’s cooperation stemmed not from personal favor toward her,
but from the promise he had made to crush even Ma Cheon Je and restore the pure Demonic Path.
“You speak wisely.”
I had no choice but to concede the point.
How could I hope to crush Ma Cheon Je and unify the Demonic Path and Murim if I could not resolve the matter of the Executor?
“Then.”
Having expressed my gratitude, I left Man Bak Dang.
‘It seems I have completed all my preparations.’
The matter of the Executor could not be discussed with my subordinates.
It was not something that could be resolved through wisdom or martial strength alone—only through my own power could I bring it to an end.
I would journey to Cheop Chae Mountain to overcome this trial.
‘Now there is nothing weighing on my mind.’
In that very moment of resolve,
[A message has arrived from Sa Hon Dae.]
So Yo delivered the cryptic news.
[It seems I must go there in person.]
* * *
The forest, shrouded in thick darkness, stood severed from the world, allowing no one passage.
The trees grew so densely that sunlight could not penetrate their canopy.
The branches stretched forth in bizarre shapes, as though cursed.
In the heart of the forest,
there stood a shabby hermitage, woven from stone and tree roots, built small enough for only one person to dwell within.
Inside, upon a small chair, sat a beautiful woman dressed in crimson robes, her gaze fixed upon the void.
Like the night sky itself, countless stars gleamed within her dark pupils.
Yet her eyes were dim, shadowed by profound darkness, as though she held all the secrets of the world.
It was Man Wol.
―Kee-ee-ik.
Upon the table where she sat,
lay a mysterious treasure seal embedded with crystal, obsidian, and various precious gems.
At the center of the seal was set a pearl-like sphere, within which flickered flames of five-colored light.
―Kee-kee-rik.
The strange sound that had been emanating since earlier flowed from that very sphere.
“He must know now.”
Man Wol spoke in a low voice, her gaze fixed upon the eye of the treasure seal.
“But I cannot tell him.”
Even though I wished to share everything I knew with Bu Eunseol, I could not.
The heavens will never permit mortals to carelessly spread secrets that must remain eternally concealed.
“Mm.”
After gazing at the treasure seal for a long while, Man Wol’s eyes gleamed with sudden clarity.
“In the end, there is only one way.”
And she reached toward the treasure seal.
Whoosh!
Light erupted from the seal, piercing through the hermitage’s ceiling and soaring toward the distant sky.
“Once this is done, it will become the catalyst for her to gradually uncover the truth, piece by piece.”
She gazed into the future.
Sacrificing this treasure seal, as precious to her as her own life.
She was creating the opportunity for Bu Eunseol to discover the truth, one revelation at a time.
* * *
Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong, the predecessor of Hwan Hui Moon.
Had suffered countless invasions from external forces across generations.
The vast wealth flowing in from branches throughout Zhong Yuan, and an intelligence network of courtesans rivaling even Gae Bang.
These were precisely what any martial master seeking to dominate the realm must first seize.
Constantly plagued by invasions from hostile forces, Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong.
Developed martial techniques and expanded its power as a sect of women, yet.
Still found itself insufficient to withstand the mightiest powers and strongest warriors.
Ultimately, they relied not on martial prowess alone, but built extensive networks and connections with formidable figures to defend against enemy incursions.
And to block direct assaults from invaders, they constructed a specialized gate using mechanical engineering and mystical creatures.
The Muryangcheonsu Gwan.
And the Muryangcheonsu Gwan employed the Muryangcheonwangsoo—also known as heavy water.
A mysterious liquid creating elaborate traps.
Using this rare substance where a single droplet weighed more than a massive iron ingot, they fashioned an impenetrable gate.
However, to prevent Bu Eunseol’s entry when she came to receive acknowledgment as successor.
Duyakryang arbitrarily activated the mechanism.
As a result, Bu Eunseol completely shattered the Muryangcheonsu Gwan in a catastrophic incident.
Yet this calamity became a blessing in disguise.
Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong received the advanced martial techniques of the Demonic Path from Bu Eunseol and Hyuk So Jin.
And through exchanges with Nangya Pavilion, formidable forces were stationed permanently to maintain defenses, so.
The Muryangcheonsu Gwan’s gate was no longer necessary.
Yet before long, hidden powers and masters throughout Murim were emerging one after another.
If heavy water could be obtained again? If the Muryangcheonsu Gwan existed once more… it would provide incomparable security.
―A location containing heavy water has been discovered.
And it was then that Sa Hon Dae happened to uncover precious intelligence.
They had discovered a cave containing a mysterious pond where heavy water—a rare substance no longer found in Murim—accumulated.
―Auspicious energy was rising from the distant sky, and upon investigating the surrounding area, we found such a place.
Mu Heun, the lord of Sa Hon Dae, was overjoyed and personally sought out the location.
But when he returned to the cave with the team members.
A mysterious barrier had been erected, making it impossible to enter inside, or so it was said.
―It appears a special barrier has been set in place.
Sa Hon Dae mobilized every method to break through the cave’s barrier, but to no avail.
Even the miasma seeping outward had vanished.
Had the Team Members not confirmed the cave’s interior themselves, they would have mistaken it for an illusion.
‘An Absolute Boundary, perhaps.’
Bu Eunseol could sense it instinctively.
It was the same cave, yet the landscape differed, and one could not advance beyond a certain spatial threshold.
This was precisely the technique the Three Families employed with their Absolute Boundaries.
―I shall investigate it myself.
There is no telling what turmoil may unfold in Murim ahead.
Moreover, we find ourselves under the watchful eye of some mysterious faction.
For the sake of Mu Ha Soo Yu Jeong, who supports me, I must break through this barrier.
* * *
So O Dae Mountain, situated on the eastern slopes of the Tae Haeng Mountain Range, was a treacherous terrain of jagged peaks and sheer precipices.
Its steep ravines discouraged even herbalists from ascending its formidable heights.
Whoosh.
A shadow ascended the mountain path with swift, graceful movements and a faint sound of air displacement.
It was Bu Eunseol.
‘This should be the place.’
Bu Eunseol headed toward the location the Sa Hon Dae members had indicated.
Yet even now, no cave was visible.
Only the boundless expanse of landscape stretched beneath the towering cliff.
Zing.
Upon arrival, Bu Eunseol immediately deployed the Wind Cloud Divine Technique to probe for traces of the Absolute Boundary.
However, I could detect neither any foreign aura nor any sign of an Absolute Boundary unfolding.
Only an eerie silence, more profound than any ordinary mountain, lingered in the air.
“How peculiar.”
In truth, the Wind Cloud Divine Technique was not designed to detect Absolute Boundaries.
Yet until now—
I had been fortunate enough to locate the aura of Absolute Boundaries through it, and so I had relied upon this method to search.
‘Then could it be not an Absolute Boundary, but something else entirely?’
Zing.
But then something extraordinary occurred.
As I expanded my heightened senses, a strikingly familiar aura emanated from a great distance.
“Man Wol?”
A faint presence—
It was Man Wol’s aura, one I could sense from dozens of leagues away.
“What brings her to this place?”
Bu Eunseol dashed swiftly toward the source of the aura.
But something felt off.
As I drew closer, it wasn’t quite Man Wol’s aura.
It felt as though her energy was mixed with something alien—a sensation both similar and distinctly foreign.
“It vanished.”
While rushing toward the direction of the aura, the sensation I’d been tracking suddenly dissipated in an instant.
Then something extraordinary occurred.
A brilliant flash!
From the distant sky, an aura like flames erupted, and far ahead, a massive entrance to a cave was forming before my eyes.
It appeared to be a formation designed to conceal something.
Due to natural collapse, it flickered intermittently—appearing and vanishing in succession.
‘There’s something here.’
I quickly entered the cave.
The interior was extraordinarily deep and vast, with a faint light emanating from far within.
‘This is sorcery.’
The Absolute Boundary possessed the remarkable ability to divide space, yet it retained the properties of a formation.
But this cave’s interior held a peculiar force—as though it didn’t truly exist in this world.
It felt as if the cave itself wasn’t actually real, but rather an artificial space merely disguised as a cavern.
As proof, faint light seeped through the high ceiling.
It was as though daylight had been trapped somewhere, released gradually in measured amounts.
“Extraordinary sorcery indeed.”
Within lay hundreds of branching passages, with a force that disoriented one’s sense of direction spreading widely.
Yet I could navigate easily, guided by Man Wol’s aura that I sensed from somewhere.
After passing through the labyrinthine paths, a long, wide corridor appeared, bathed in brilliant light.
Along both sides of the corridor were staffs embedded with gems, crystal spheres that alternated between light and darkness in brilliant flashes.
And magical artifacts inscribed with strange characters, along with precious tokens, were arranged on either side.
Each time I walked past them, they emitted mystical light and waves.
“To display such treasures in a mere corridor.”
Throughout my travels in Gangho, I’d entered countless secret libraries.
Yet this was the first time I’d ever seen such rare treasures scattered along a passageway.
Finally reaching the corridor’s end, I discovered a massive door that seemed to conceal secrets.
Click.
Though the door appeared firmly sealed, as I approached, it opened of its own accord with a mechanical sound.
Upon entering, a strange space revealed itself.
The expansive stone chamber was completely covered in what resembled black marble.
Within, black magical artifacts that seemed to absorb darkness were densely arranged.
Judging by their form and appearance, they were treasures of incomparable value compared to the artifacts and tokens displayed outside.
After walking through the space where the artifacts were placed for some time, a large box caught my eye.
Its surface was inscribed with strange patterns and indecipherable characters.
Looking inside the box, I saw an image carved within—ghostly figures drifting as though suspended.
“This is…”
As I observed the box, a realization struck me, and my eyes widened in astonishment.
This enormous box.
It was none other than the one I had seen within the Sa Ha Chamber in my mental world.
The one I had mistaken for my mother all this time.
The very artifact that had transferred the power of that middle-aged beauty to the infant… could it be that very treasure?

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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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