The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 86

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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 86.
After laughing for a while, he looked at Woo Hak and spoke with confidence.
“The Cheon Geom Hoe’s intelligence network is disappointing.”
“What did you say?”
“Well, I won’t fault you for not knowing his true nature. But your intelligence organization needs a proper overhaul.”
Bu Eunseol looked down at Woo Hak with cold eyes.
“His true nature and crimes have already been exposed to the entire world. When exactly are you talking about?”
“This fool is spouting nonsense indiscriminately.”
“Look into it again.”
“Hmph, there’s no need to look into anything. From the way you speak….”
Bu Eunseol cut off Woo Hak’s words coldly.
“Don’t you know that if you strike down someone without proper investigation, you become an evil person who has killed the innocent?”
At those words, Woo Hak had nothing to say and closed his mouth.
“You….”
“Fine.”
At that moment, Seok Song, standing on the Platform, laughed as if it were absurd.
“If you’re going to say such things, you must be prepared for the consequences, yes?”
“No preparation is necessary.”
Bu Eunseol spoke calmly.
“Send people right now to investigate again. If the Cheon Geom Hoe possesses anything worthy of being called an intelligence organization, you will be able to find evidence of his crimes recorded in detail.”
“What?”
At that moment, a middle-aged man without a mask rushed in through the entrance of the Platform.
He appeared to be someone affiliated with the Cheon Geom Hoe.
“What he says is true.”
“What?”
As Seok Song and Woo Hak were greatly startled, the middle-aged man scratched his head and spoke.
“As of yesterday, ‘his’ crimes have spread throughout the intelligence networks of the entire Murim.”
The middle-aged man continued to speak in a low voice to Seok Song and Woo Hak about something.
Bu Eunseol, observing this scene, wore a faint smile beneath his mask.
―I have a request.
Before leaving Donghyo Seorang, he had made one request to Rang Ju, Do Myeong.
It was to find evidence that could prove Yeop Hwa’s crimes and spread it to intelligence organizations throughout the land.
I would need to continue my journey through Gangho in the future.
But if I continued to bear the false accusation of having killed a righteous sect’s renowned hero, it would cause significant obstacles to my path.
“Hmm.”
After listening to the middle-aged man’s words for a while, Seok Song and Woo Hak looked at each other.
―Even if this were false, we cannot deal with that bastard now.
It was because of Bu Eunseol’s words.
What if they killed someone without proper investigation? What if his innocence were then revealed?
Then they would truly become the ‘evil people’ they themselves had spoken of—those who killed innocent commoners.
“The truth of this matter will be revealed in due time.”
As Woo Hak fell silent, he narrowed his eyes and spoke.
“For now, I will refrain from passing judgment on you.”
“Please set your mind at ease.”
Bu Eunseol replied calmly.
“Soon enough, rumors of his crimes and depravities will spread not just through intelligence networks, but across the entire Murim.”
For an organization like Donghyo Seorang—which accepted payment to handle dangerous tasks—information was the lifeblood and the very means of survival.
Since the information came with the guarantee of Donghyo Seorang’s master, the rumors would spread swiftly.
“If this proves to be false, there will be no place left for you to stand.”
“That will not happen.”
At Bu Eunseol’s resolute words, Woo Hak spoke again.
“Then let us begin the test now.”
Thud.
With that, a square-shaped wall rose from one side of the open ground.
And carved into the wall’s surface was a picture.
“The first test is to discern the hidden martial technique concealed within this image.”
The picture carved into the wall was peculiar, and it had been painted with colors.
Before a cliff in a snow-covered mountain, a woman wielding a short blade fought against a tiger.
The tiger lunged forward with sharp claws and fangs bared, while the woman held three short blades in one hand, piercing the tiger’s neck, chest, and lower abdomen.
“Once you have discerned the hidden technique, proceed through the door behind this platform. Seok Song there will judge whether you have passed.”
Woo Hak spoke again.
“You have one hour. Should you fail to uncover the martial technique hidden within the image in that time, you are disqualified.”
At Seok Song’s proclamation, the martial artists in the open ground rushed toward the wall in a frenzy.
‘Twin blades are common in Murim, but there is no one who wields three blades.’
Standing at a distance, Bu Eunseol studied the carved image and furrowed her brow.
There was another peculiarity.
The tiger’s fierce face was depicted, but the woman’s face was left blank.
Given how clearly the facial lines were drawn, it was evident that this had been intentionally omitted.
‘No matter how swift and fierce a tiger may be, it cannot overcome a martial master wielding a blade. Yet….’
Though the face was not drawn, the woman’s posture suggested she was greatly alarmed and pressed into a defensive position.
“Nothing remarkable.”
At that moment, someone observing the image simply turned and moved toward the location of the next stone chamber.
It was Dang Gon, wearing a fox mask.
―Has he already discovered the hidden martial technique in the image?
Leaving the murmuring crowd behind, he entered the door on the platform.
A brief silence fell, and then Seok Song’s deep voice resonated from within.
“You have passed.”
At this, most of the martial artists in the open ground were greatly startled, and several even stomped their feet in shock.
“Ah, I understand now!”
The Rat-Masked Man, too, seemed to have grasped something and quickly climbed into the door behind the platform.
But shortly after, Seok Song’s solemn voice rang out.
“That’s incorrect.”
The door opened again, and the Rat-Masked Man emerged, scratching his head.
Woo Hak, observing this, extended his hand toward the exit.
“You’re disqualified.”
“What?”
The Rat-Masked Man’s voice rose sharply in confusion.
“Didn’t you say to figure it out within one shichen? I never heard that getting it wrong meant disqualification.”
“When fighting an enemy, if the initial move fails, doesn’t that end everything?”
Woo Hak spoke with a grave expression.
“In real combat, a failed initial move can cost you your life. And you couldn’t sense that even after seeing this painting?”
The Rat-Masked Man stammered.
“I only thought there was a hidden martial technique…”
“This test is no different from actual combat. You cannot afford to make multiple mistakes.”
Woo Hak’s voice was stern.
When I thought about it, this was indeed a genuine competition—just without direct combat against other contestants.
Mistakes were unforgivable. The man had made an error in judgment, rushing due to the mention of one shichen.
“I understand.”
The Rat-Masked Man’s body trembled slightly before he swiftly exited.
‘Hmm.’
Bu Eunseol remained absorbed in contemplation, gazing at the painting within the wall.
‘Indeed, he was the first to notice it, as expected.’
Like Dang Gon, I had already discovered the hidden martial technique within the painting.
The painting did not depict a woman holding three daggers, but rather showed her throwing projectiles in three different directions simultaneously.
‘To throw three different types of projectile techniques with a single hand at once…’
While many techniques could unleash dozens of projectiles in one move, few practitioners could execute different techniques with a single hand.
‘The tiger’s posture must represent the subtlety of the projectile technique.’
The tiger’s head and lower body were bent in different directions.
Though it appeared to be a dynamic pounce, it actually depicted the method of throwing projectiles in different directions.
“You pass.”
In the meantime, about ten masters had advanced to the next Stone Chamber.
Bu Eunseol had already grasped the martial technique but had not stepped forward for the test. Something about it felt fundamentally wrong.
‘It feels like something is missing from the painting.’
An inexplicable sense of discord lingered.
Because that feeling persisted, I continued to study the painting. Before long, only four of us remained in the empty open ground.
The other three were sweating coldly, unable to even grasp a hint of understanding.
‘Perhaps not as talented as I thought.’
Woo Hak shook his head while observing Bu Eunseol.
Despite appearing to possess considerable aptitude at first glance, he was struggling even now.
“Only a quarter shichen remains.”
At Woo Hak’s words, the three challengers startled and rushed forward to climb onto the testing platform behind the altar.
But Bu Eunseol remained leisurely, her gaze fixed upon the painting.
‘Hmm.’
The more I studied the painting, the more I sensed something subtly amiss.
Encountering a tiger on a snow-capped mountain in the depths of winter—and on a sheer cliff no less—was statistically impossible.
‘Was it really?’
Beneath the woman’s feet as she evaded the tiger’s leap, a few snowflakes scattered in the air.
While this could be interpreted as an expression of dynamic movement, to my eyes it appeared as an exquisitely subtle directional footwork.
‘If one were to follow that directional footwork while executing a hidden blade technique….’
A technique that extends three hidden blades in a single second. And footwork that moves in perfect harmony with it.
I mentally unfolded both martial arts simultaneously.
‘This is….’
Upon this realization, I finally entered the testing chamber. Inside, torches were planted instead of lanterns, and Seok Song stood in a solemn posture.
“Can you discern what martial art is hidden in the painting?”
“A one-form fist technique, sir.”
“Fist technique?”
At this unexpected answer, light flashed across Seok Song’s eyes.
“Can you demonstrate which fist technique it is?”
Nodding, I simultaneously unfolded the hidden blade technique and footwork concealed within the painting.
Whoosh.
As I extended my fist, it split into three shadows that tore through the empty air.
By interweaving the hidden blade technique with the footwork, it transformed into a remarkably wondrous fist technique.
“I see.”
Seok Song nodded.
“You pass.”
I clasped my hands lightly and moved to exit the chamber.
“Wait.”
At that moment, Seok Song questioned me.
“How did you know there were two martial arts hidden in the painting?”
“What do you mean?”
“We gave you all a limited time of one hour. And we asked you to find the martial art within the painting.”
Seok Song narrowed his eyes.
“In a situation with competitors, when given a time limit to find something, anyone would naturally find the one thing they could discover fastest. That is human instinct.”
Pausing briefly, he asked in a low voice.
“Why did you search for two martial arts?”
“You never said there was only one martial art.”
“Weren’t you anxious about the time?”
“You said to solve it within the time limit, but you never mentioned it was first-come, first-served.”
I spoke with an unbothered expression.
“I simply found as much as I could within that timeframe.”
It was a simple answer, yet admiration gleamed in Seok Song’s eyes.
He had discerned that Bu Eunseol possessed the ability to pierce through to the essence of things.
“Most who have passed thus far grasped a single memory technique and proceeded with that alone.”
Seok Song wore a faint smile.
“A few exceptional talents even noticed the footwork technique. But none before you have combined those two martial arts into a single fist method.”
Seok Song nodded as he regarded Bu Eunseol.
“I look forward to seeing how you fare in the next trial.”
“Understood.”
Despite the intensity burning in Seok Song’s gaze, Bu Eunseol simply nodded without revealing much emotion and proceeded to the next trial.
“Her temperament is far too cold. Composure is admirable, but it tends to create many enemies in one’s surroundings.”
Seok Song clicked his tongue.
At a glance, he could discern that Bu Eunseol possessed the finest qualities among all the talents gathered here.
Yet her nature seemed emotionless and, in another sense, ruthless. Such a temperament often leads to solitude—individuals who stand alone in the Gangho, unable to harmonize with others.
“This organization itself was founded by masters who grew weary of standing solitary in the Gangho.”
The Murim is a place where one cannot survive alone. Holding such a perspective, Seok Song felt a twinge of regret regarding Bu Eunseol.
“Perhaps it is needless concern.”
Now is not the time to be selective about a talent’s character.
I must find a talent capable of mastering the sword technique created by the Cheon Geom Hoe and absolutely eliminate “him.”

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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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