The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign - Chapter 9

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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 9
It was impossible.
To freely alter the foundational techniques of a sword art passed down through generations—only the sect founders of old could accomplish such a feat.
If Bu Eunseol, who had only just begun learning the sword art, had deliberately modified it, she would be a sword genius rivaling Jeok Hwa Woon, the founding ancestor of the Hwawoo Sword Sect.
‘Surely she hasn’t mastered the Beast Path in such a short time.’
Jin Gak, who had been entertaining this peculiar thought, shook his head.
‘That’s absurd.’
Even a prodigy of the highest caliber could never master the Beast Path within a fortnight.
He was unaware that Bu Eunseol possessed not only an extraordinary understanding of human anatomy, but also a terrifying level of determination.
Whoosh.
In that moment, Bu Eunseol’s sword techniques grew even more refined.
Spin.
Even in the technique of withdrawing the blade, the sword’s edge bent once more, and despite being a foundational move, it carried the lethal force of a killing strike.
‘My word.’
Jin Gak’s mouth fell open as he watched.
‘Such brutal methods—one would only employ them against a mortal enemy, a teacher’s killer, or a parent’s murderer.’
With each rotation of Bu Eunseol’s wrist, the techniques grew more vicious and merciless.
‘Our sect’s sword art is called the righteous path within the Demonic Path.’
If the foundational techniques of Hwawoo were truly so ruthless, it might be called the supreme sword art of the Demonic Path, but it would never have been included among the Ten Demonic Gates, which are called the heavens of the Demonic Path.
Yet the Hwawoo Thirteen Forms that Bu Eunseol was unleashing resembled a killing blade dripping with blood far more closely.
‘Hmm.’
Bu Eunseol herself was equally bewildered.
‘My senses are transforming the techniques of their own accord.’
Though she was clearly executing the Hwawoo Thirteen Forms correctly, her hands naturally altered the sword’s trajectory.
‘It’s the Beast Path.’
The more she repeated the Hwawoo Thirteen Forms, the clearer the Beast Path’s sensations became.
It was as though a wolf that once fought instinctively with only fangs and claws had been trained by humans and now unleashed refined, calculated tactics.
‘The Beast Path’s instinctive senses align with the Hwawoo sword’s trajectory?’
Bu Eunseol felt a strange sensation.
What if she were to infuse this primal instinct of the Beast Path into the measured sword lines of Hwawoo?
‘I would be disqualified.’
They would never tolerate altering the foundational techniques passed down through generations.
Bu Eunseol was forced to suppress the Beast Path’s sensations as much as possible and continue executing the techniques.
But as the sixth move drew to a close,
―Hehehehe.
A black shadow appeared before Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
It was the vicious beast that had killed her grandfather.
As the imaginary enemy materialized before her, a crimson gleam erupted from Bu Eunseol’s gaze.
Simultaneously, she unleashed the seventh move of the Hwawoo Thirteen Forms—Turning Child, Four Seas.
Screech.
The initial stance that should have unfolded smoothly erupted with lightning, tearing through the empty air.
Yet the shadow effortlessly evaded the techniques of the Hwawoo Sword Sect.
‘Formidable.’
I had prepared countless corpses of martial artists for burial, beyond all counting.
But never once had I encountered someone who left the severed edges as smooth as glass.
‘They’re wielding a swift sword technique grounded in extraordinary flexibility.’
Whoosh!
At that moment, the black shadow before my eyes unleashed a devastating blade strike.
‘Tch!’
Though I threw my full strength into dodging, the blade pursued the space between my brows like a living creature.
I spun my body like a spinning top while lying horizontally.
Whoosh.
As the blade grazed my forehead and passed, I attempted to unfold the eighth technique of the Hwawoo Thirteen Forms—Piercing Heaven’s Three Thunderbolts.
‘This won’t suffice!’
The techniques of Piercing Heaven’s Three Thunderbolts were far too curved and gentle to serve as an appropriate counter-strike.
In that instant, without conscious thought, I rotated my wrist and deployed Piercing Heaven’s Three Thunderbolts.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
The blade’s tip spun with violent intensity, then pierced the shadow’s ribs like lightning.
―Heh heh.
The black shadow chuckled softly, then lightly rotated the blade to dissolve the techniques of Piercing Heaven’s Three Thunderbolts.
Then, lowering the blade’s tip, it swept upward from the ground.
It was the very same technique that had so brutally severed my grandfather’s arms.
Flash!
By instinct, I deployed all five remaining techniques of the Hwawoo Heart Thirteen Forms.
Whoooosh!
The cascading blade techniques merged into one torrent, colliding with the shadow’s descending strike.
Screech!
Yet the two strands of sword energy that erupted from the ground moved like intertwined dragons, tearing through my techniques and coiling around my forearms.
Clang.
With both arms severed, I dropped the iron sword I held.
Simultaneously, the black shadow before my eyes vanished like mist.
“….”
Silence hung heavy within the Martial Hall.
After observing me for some time, Jin Gak made no effort to hide his expression of admiration.
“Your concentration is quite remarkable.”
Jin Gak could discern it clearly.
That I had fought fiercely against an imaginary opponent and ultimately suffered defeat.
“You pass.”
“Pass…you say?”
Looking down at the iron sword I had dropped, I shook my head in disbelief.
“I lost.”
“You were bound to. The Hwawoo Thirteen Forms are fundamental sword techniques, not easy to employ in actual combat.”
Jin Gak’s lips curved into a thin, parched smile.
“What we judge in this Basic Hall is whether you possess a fundamental understanding of swordplay, and whether you can execute the Hwawoo Thirteen Forms in real combat.”
Clink.
He picked up Bu Eunseol’s iron sword from where it had fallen.
“And you performed both of those things flawlessly.”
Clink.
Jin Gak sheathed the iron sword and patted Bu Eunseol’s shoulder.
“Truly magnificent execution of the Hwawoo Thirteen Forms. If you wish, you may advance to the Intermediate Hall immediately.”
Jin Gak, much like Sa Woo, had provided thorough instruction.
Had he neglected to explain the principles out of laziness, or failed to demonstrate each technique individually?
Bu Eunseol would never have mastered the Hwawoo Thirteen Forms in those four days.
“What you can learn here on Hell Island is merely the foundation of this sect’s swordplay. Once you become one of the Ten Demon Experts, you will be able to learn all the remaining profound mysteries.”
Jin Gak nodded to Bu Eunseol.
“I hope you achieve excellent results.”
“Thank you.”
Bu Eunseol pressed her palms together and bowed deeply.
Without hesitation, she opened the door and proceeded to the Intermediate Hall on the other side.
Jin Gak’s eyes narrowed as he watched her departing figure.
‘It seems she mastered the Beast Path in just half a month.’
As a master swordsman of the highest caliber, he had immediately discerned from her combat sword technique that she had awakened to the Beast Path of the Nangya Sect.
‘Her bone structure seemed ordinary, yet she possesses heavenly martial bones.’
In truth, Bu Eunseol’s ability to perfect the Beast Path stemmed from her intense obsession with martial arts and her exceptional understanding of the human body.
But Jin Gak, unaware of these facts, believed only that Bu Eunseol possessed extraordinary bone quality and natural talent.
‘This will be interesting.’
Among the boys and girls crowding the Basic Hall, there were many with talent rivaling Bu Eunseol’s.
Jin Gak found himself deeply anticipating what would unfold.
* * *
Upon leaving the Basic Hall, Bu Eunseol moved directly to the Intermediate Hall.
The Intermediate Hall stood in an open space some distance from the Basic Hall. As it led to the final Advanced Hall, the martial training grounds were built larger and more expansively than any other facility.
“Pardon my intrusion.”
Bu Eunseol gazed up at the towering entrance of the martial hall, then calmly opened the door.
Immediately, dozens of pairs of gleaming eyes entered her field of vision.
“….”
Inside the martial hall, all the candidates for the Ten Demon Experts appeared to have just finished their training and were taking a rest.
“What brings you here?”
A middle-aged man standing at the very front of the martial hall, arms crossed, spoke.
He wore blue robes and carried a sword across his back as wide as an adult’s forearm.
He was Cheon Woon Gwang, the instructor of the Intermediate Hall.
“She just completed the Basic Hall. Her name is Bu Eunseol.”
“The Basic Hall?”
Cheon Woon Gwang’s expression turned bewildered.
Most of the trainees here were prodigies who had advanced to the Intermediate Hall within a day or two.
Not only that, they had just completed all their training and were prepared for the test to advance to the Advanced Hall.
Yet now there was a trainee who had only just finished the Basic Hall?
“A dull talent, it seems.”
Cheon Woon Gwang muttered under his breath.
He assumed that someone who had fallen behind among the Basic Hall trainees had only now made it to the Intermediate Hall.
“If you’ve only mastered the Hwawoo Thirteen Forms after twenty days, you should reconsider whether learning our sect’s sword techniques is right for you.”
“I came from the Nangya Sect.”
“The Nangya Sect?”
At Bu Eunseol’s answer, Cheon Woon Gwang’s eyes widened in shock.
Though they called it one of the Ten Demonic Gates, it was a doomed sect where disciples died carelessly due to their crude training methods.
And she had gone there specifically to learn martial arts from that Nangya Sect?
“How long were you there?”
“For two weeks.”
“Two weeks…”
Cheon Woon Gwang’s expression turned hollow.
Just as Sa Woo and Jin Gak had done before, he too believed that Bu Eunseol had merely wasted time.
“You’ll be taking the test to advance to the Advanced Hall shortly.”
Cheon Woon Gwang spoke again, a hollow smile playing at his lips.
“Since you’ve passed the Basic Hall, sit for now. Starting tomorrow, you may need to remain alone in the Martial Hall for training.”
At that, laughter erupted from all sides.
“Hahahaha.”
Several seated trainees mocked her openly.
“Isn’t that the one who was collapsed in formal robes inside the ship?”
“Right. It looks like she tried to learn the martial arts of the Nangya Sect and failed, then came here.”
“How pathetic. Such a person is a candidate for the Ten Demon Experts.”
Despite the torrent of ridicule, Bu Eunseol’s eyes remained unwavering.
Instead, she gazed at those pouring out their mockery with eyes full of pity.
―People who cannot prove themselves without tearing others down.
During my years as a salt merchant, I encountered countless people of this type.
There was only one reason they mocked her.
Simply because she had chosen something slightly different from others—just as my grandfather had chosen to become a salt merchant.
“Now we shall begin the test.”
Cheon Woon Gwang swept his piercing gaze across the trainees.
“When your name is called, step forward and designate your opponent.”
“Will we be sparring?”
At the question from a young boy standing at the front, Cheon Woon Gwang shook his head.
“I will evaluate how skillfully you wield the sword in actual combat. That is precisely why you have all learned the Hwawoo Thunderbolt Blade.”
Hwawoo Thunderbolt Blade
True to its name, it was a sword technique composed of lightning-fast strikes.
Therefore, if one failed to wield the sword with sufficient skill, the technique could instead harm one’s own body.
“As you all know, the Hwawoo Thirteen Forms and the Hwawoo Thunderbolt Blade are not techniques that can be used in life-or-death combat.”
Cheon Woon Gwang spoke in a low voice.
“They are merely a process for learning to wield the sword with proficiency.”
Cheon Woon Gwang paused briefly, then narrowed his eyes.
“Until now, you have all harbored the same question. How could a righteous and merciful sword technique become the greatest sword art of the Demonic Path?”
As silence fell, he continued.
“I say this again: what you have learned is only fundamental sword technique, never the true Hwawoo Blade.”
The trainees gathered in the Martial Hall were taken aback.
The Hwawoo Thunderbolt Blade, which was difficult to master even among the world’s most gifted talents assembled here.
It was merely training to enable better sword manipulation?
“Instructor. I have a question.”
A young boy standing in the front row asked carefully.
“I do not fully understand what you mean by wielding the sword skillfully. Most of us have trained in sword techniques since childhood….”
“You must reach a level where the sword and your arm become indistinguishable.”
Cheon Woon Gwang cut off the boy’s words coldly.
“To use the Hwawoo Blade, the arm hanging from your shoulder must become the sword itself. Do you understand what I mean?”
Silence fell once more within the Martial Hall.
To reach such a high level merely to master the fundamentals of sword technique.
“Again, this test is not about victory or defeat, but about how skillfully you can wield the sword.”
Only then did the boys grasp the true meaning of the test.
By clashing swords as in real combat, one’s level of proficiency could be measured.
“Byeok Han Sung. Come forward.”
At Cheon Woon Gwang’s words, a large boy with an arrogant bearing rose from his seat.
“Designate your opponent. Since victory or defeat is irrelevant, choose freely.”
“May I designate anyone?”
“Yes.”
Byeok Han Sung’s lips curled upward as he extended the wooden sword he held forward.
“Then I will designate that person.”
The wooden sword pointed to none other than Bu Eunseol, who stood alone in the corner.

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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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