The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign – Chapter 837

‘Dangerous.’

She immediately scanned her surroundings to break the formation but the Absolute Boundary, in terms of formations, consisted of dozens—no, more than a hundred—overlapping layers. There was no way she could unravel it in a short amount of time. Even if she ignited the signal flare hidden in her bosom, the spatial division would render it useless.

“I won’t just keep taking this anymore.”

Flash!

At that moment, an arrow of light pierced through the Yin-Soul Killing Man’s head.

It was an arrow of light fired using the power of Heavenly Hero Star.

Thud. Thud.

Yet the Yin-Soul Killing Man walked forward as if it were nothing.

Papapapa!

But only for a moment. When countless arrows of light poured down, his body was instantly reduced to crumbling fragments.

Rustle, rustle.

However, the fragmented Yin-Soul Killing Man gathered back into one place and reformed into a human shape once more. Only this time, the pieces had reassembled in a completely different order from before. Judging by the random way the body parts attached, ordinary attacks seemed ineffective.

Paaah!

She relentlessly fired arrows, grinding the Yin-Soul Killing Man’s body into powder. This time, he could no longer rise.

Boom. Boom.

Yet the sound of heavy footsteps continued to echo endlessly from within the fog.

Only now did she realize: the Yin-Soul Killing Man wasn’t alone.

They filled the fog to the brim, each one varying in size and shape.

Paaah!

Gongsun Dankyung unleashed hundreds of arrows but there were simply too many, and even when shattered, they rose again—so she couldn’t halt their advance.

“You already saw through my ability and prepared these demonic creatures, didn’t you?”

The power of the Heavenly Hero Star. 

Arrows of light that flew at the speed of light could stand against even the greatest masters who commanded the world. But against demonic creatures whose bodies regenerated endlessly no matter how many times they were destroyed, it was practically useless.

Chu So had seen through Gongsun Dankyung’s ability and laid an elaborate trap.

‘But something feels off.’

If Chu So had truly intended to use himself as bait to perfectly kill Seon Woojin, then no matter how great the martial arts of the one controlling the Yin-Soul Killing Man were, he wouldn’t have set such a sloppy trap. It would have been far more certain to restrain or kidnap her and lure Seon Woojin to a place from which he could never escape.

‘A chess piece.’

Having grasped Chu So’s intention, Gongsun Dankyung bit her lip.

‘He intends to use even a person like Seon Woojin as one of the chess pieces on his board.’

Most likely, the purpose of this incident wasn’t truly to kill Seon Woojin.

It was to test whether he was truly a usable piece.

Back when she was kidnapped by the Jungson family, hadn’t Chu So also tested her various abilities under the guise of helping her?

‘I have to handle this all myself.’

Thanks to surviving a near-death state induced by the poison of Poison Calamity Star, Gongsun Dankyung had awakened the power of the One Hundred and Eight Stars. But it had not yet fully bloomed—she could only fire arrows of light. She already knew well that such an ability alone could not allow her to survive against the strongest masters of the world.

That was why, in preparation for a life-or-death crisis, she had devised one additional method to protect her life.

Swish.

Gongsun Dankyung took out a small lantern from her bosom.

Enchanting Shadow Demon Lantern. A mysterious demonic treasure said to bewitch a person’s soul merely by looking at its light—and also a ritual tool for unfolding the Tao Manifestation needed to confront One Hundred and Eight Stars.

After the death of Blood Heaven and Fate Corps, she had vowed never to let anyone sacrifice themselves for her again, and to withstand any powerhouse. Through ceaseless research, she had created—albeit only temporarily—a formation using Enchanting Shadow Demon Lantern that could perfectly protect her body or completely seal an enemy.

“Even though I couldn’t trap Chu So… you lot will not escape!”

Hummm.

As radiant light bloomed from the Enchanting Shadow Demon Lantern and spread outward, crimson fog began to billow around her.

Just as she was about to unfold the formation using that power—

Flash!

Lightning struck from the distant sky.

Crackle, crackle.

Slowly, cracks began to form in the Absolute Boundary created by the overlapping of more than a hundred ancient formations.

Crack! Crack!

Finally, part of the transparent space shattered, and through the gap emerged a man wreathed in violet flames.

It was Bu Eunseol.

“You…”

Gongsun Dankyung’s eyes widened.

Bu Eunseol had left to meet the Dark King Yeop Hyocheon in order to minimize the damage from the clash between the Azure Sky Alliance and Majeon. So how could he have arrived here so quickly?

“I’m glad I wasn’t too late.”

Bu Eunseol looked at Gongsun Dankyung and let out a relieved sigh.

While returning from Majeon to the Azure Sky Alliance, he had received a report that Gongsun Dankyung had gone to the Sichuan provincial capital together with Seon Woojin. The moment he heard it, Bu Eunseol leaped from the carriage and unleashed his movement technique at full power.

The one who had targeted Gongsun Dankyung before had still not been caught.

If she wandered alone… they would never miss such an opportunity.

‘Why did she go alone with Seon Woojin even knowing that?’

As he madly raced forward with his movement art, Bu Eunseol finally realized.

The Heavenly Mechanism Star who saw through everything.

The one he had always targeted was none other than himself and Gongsun Dankyung could not possibly have been unaware of that fact.

Even though she had moved from the Martial Alliance to the Azure Sky Alliance, the Heavenly Mechanism Star would never give up and would one day bring disaster upon him again—she had predicted as much.

Even if it cost her life, Gongsun Dankyung had intended to meet him and resolve the problem herself.

‘All this time, I failed to understand her heart.’ Bu Eunseol bit his lip.

Gongsun Dankyung was an outstanding genius and, more than anyone, a cold and rational person. In the past, she would not have blinked even if countless warriors of the Martial Alliance died.

But she had changed.

She had genuinely come to love one man.

In trying to protect that deep affection, she had lost the Blood Heaven and Fate Corps she had painstakingly cultivated over many years.

After that, she must have resolved: Even if it meant dying, she would never let those around her suffer harm again.

Just like himself.

Boom!

Raising Thunder Spirit Energy to its maximum and unleashing Swift Beyond Shadow, a shockwave that shook heaven and earth exploded outward along with a deafening roar that tore the air.

‘That kind of thinking is wrong.’

Now nearing Sichuan, Bu Eunseol bit his lip again.

‘Because I used to be the same.’

Bu Eunseol too had once acted unilaterally to protect people.

But that had been the wrong way.

To protect people, one must face trials together with them.

Yet Gongsun Dankyung, who had only just begun to live for others, had not yet realized that truth.

Whoooosh!

Bu Eunseol shot forward like a meteor cutting through the sky and just two hours after receiving the report, he entered the provincial capital of Sichuan.

—She has disappeared.

But according to witnesses, Gongsun Dankyung had vanished abruptly in an alley.

Even after mobilizing all intelligence networks in Sichuan—not to mention the Supreme Corps—they could not find her.

Not only the Supreme Corps escorts protecting her, but even the Death Spirit Corps members had rushed in, yet they still wandered helplessly.

Bu Eunseol spread the Void Heart Command and searched the vicinity meticulously, but no trace of Gongsun Dankyung could be found.

Then, suddenly, one method came to mind.

Wind-Cloud Divine Qi.

Perhaps with that he could locate Gongsun Dankyung’s whereabouts.

Perhaps by vastly expanding his senses he could detect her aura.

The thought struck him like lightning.

Paaah!

Raising Wind-Cloud Divine Qi to the limit, Bu Eunseol floated into the air.

White light bloomed in both eyes.

Saaaah—

A mysterious wind spread in all directions.

Originally, the range of his super-senses extended only about a hundred jang but when he fully unleashed Wind-Cloud Divine Qi to expand his perception, the domain began to grow endlessly.

‘This is…’

At that moment, near the alley where she had last disappeared, Bu Eunseol sensed a very peculiar energy—the same kind he had felt inside the Martial Venerable’s secret vault.

No—it was far more solid than what had been created in the Martial Venerable’s secret vault.

‘No choice.’

Previously, when he had tried to break the Martial Venerable’s mysterious wall using the Three Divine Energies, his soul had nearly shattered.

Unlike Harmony, raising all three divine energies at once was tantamount to risking his life.

Hummm.

Yet without hesitation, he began raising the Three Divine Energies simultaneously.

If not this way, he could not save Gongsun Dankyung.

Her power would never be enough to break this.

Whiiing.

Perhaps thanks to his single-minded determination to save her, he succeeded in harmonizing the Three Divine Energies more easily than expected.

Flash!

Pouring the unified power in one burst, five-colored radiance exploded outward and collided with the intangible barrier in front.

Drip.

At the same time, blood trickled from the corner of Bu Eunseol’s mouth.

This time the rebound did not strike his soul but his physical body.

‘Couldn’t break it?’

He doubted his eyes at the sight before him.

The formation here was so sturdy that even after unleashing the Three Divine Energies, he could not destroy it—only barely carve out a space large enough for his body to pass through.

‘Heavenly Mechanism Star. That bastard definitely created this.’

There was no time to think further.

Swish!

Bu Eunseol passed through in an instant and entered inside the formation.

“You…”

Only then did Gongsun Dankyung notice the blood at the corner of Bu Eunseol’s mouth.

It was the mark of having poured every ounce of strength into the dangerous harmonization of the Three Divine Energies.

In that instant, she felt three things.

First, that she had made the wrong choice.

Second, that loving someone meant experiencing not only joy, but also pain and sorrow.

And finally, third:

Even if her breath stopped and her heart stopped beating…

Even if her body turned to ash and her soul scattered into the distant winds…

She could not help but love him.

“Never again.”

Wiping the blood from his lips, Bu Eunseol looked at the approaching Yin-Soul Killing Men and spoke firmly.

“Do not try to protect everything alone.”

Boom!

At the same time, from his left hand, five strands of razor-sharp fist energy began pouring out infinitely.

He unleashed Seven Fist Demon Forms’ second form—Extreme Lightning Chaos—in succession.

Boom!

With an explosive sound, the cloud-like swarm of the Yin-Soul Killing Man turned to dust in an instant.

[It’s incomplete, so the bodies are too weak.]

At that moment, a gray-cloaked masked figure slowly emerged from the fog.

His frame was so emaciated that he looked like a scarecrow wearing gray clothes.

—I’ll warn you in advance—even if you gathered every martial artist in this entire Chengdu… you still couldn’t face the man who controls the Yin-Soul Killing Men.

Recalling Chu So’s words, Gongsun Dankyung spoke.

“Let’s fight together.” Gongsun Dankyung said, “This is his trap.”

“Trap?”

“Not to kill you—but to test your ability.”

In that instant, an enigmatic light flickered in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.

A subordinate of the Heavenly Mechanism Star.

What kind of martial art would he use?

How great was his prowess?

A pleasant curiosity arose within him.

“That sounds interesting.”

“Huh?”

“Trap or not—it doesn’t matter.”

Bu Eunseol cautioned Gongsun Dankyung.

“Step back and do not interfere under any circumstances.”

As he turned, yellowish light gleamed in his eyes.

He looked exactly like a battle ghost.

‘He…’

Gongsun Dankyung’s eyes widened.

When wearing Seon Woojin’s appearance, Bu Eunseol always exuded a gentle and warm aura but the true Bu Eunseol was a grand master of the demonic path who reveled in battles where flesh tore and blood sprayed.

A battle maniac who truly felt alive only on the battlefield between life and death.

“You’re a subordinate of the Heavenly Mechanism Star, right?”

[…]

“Let’s not talk too much.”

Bu Eunseol immediately unleashed Heaven Hand Void Break.

Boom!

With an explosion, crimson radiance turned into a blood dragon and swallowed the gray-cloaked man in one gulp.

Tap, tap.

From within the aftermath of true energy and dust, the gray-cloaked man brushed off his clothes.

Only the fabric near his chest was slightly torn—he appeared completely unharmed.

Creak, creak.

The gray-cloaked man looked at Bu Eunseol and wagged a single finger.

An obvious provocation.

“Good.”

Bu Eunseol let out an admiring sound.

Heaven Hand Void Break could reduce even a man made of iron to powder instantly.

Yet he hadn’t even felt the impact?

Moreover, there was no sign he had raised his internal energy at all.

Could it be… he had surpassed the realm of Indestructible Body and reached the legendary Heavenly Steel Physique?

“Unleash every technique you have.”

Srrrng.

Instantly drawing the Silent Tiger Soul Sword, Bu Eunseol kicked off the ground and slashed at the masked man’s neck in a flash.

Sizzle.

But only sparks flew from the Silent Tiger Soul Sword—not a single scratch appeared, and the blade was repelled as if sliding off.

[…]

The masked man who received the attack slightly widened his eyes.

He realized that Bu Eunseol was not only an incredibly powerful master, but had deliberately chosen not to sever his head even though he easily could have.

“I told you.”

Looking down at the masked man, Bu Eunseol smiled.

“Unleash everything you’ve got.”

In that instant, the masked man’s pupils dilated to the point of tearing.

His eyes darted rapidly, scanning Bu Eunseol’s body thoroughly.

[To show such leisurely arrogance while injured…]

Boom!

This time an explosion rang out and Bu Eunseol was pushed back a step.

The masked man had struck him with an invisible force.

“Hm.”

A thread-thin line of blood trickled from the corner of Bu Eunseol’s mouth after retreating.

His body, containing power that had reached the ten jia level, could heal most martial arts or strikes instantly. But after breaking the Absolute Boundary with the Three Divine Energies, the terrifying rebound had inflicted severe internal injuries and his body was not recovering easily.

Srrrng.

The masked man drew the sword at his waist.

Yet he did not attack.

He continued to scrutinize Bu Eunseol’s body with eerie eyes, as though calculating something—hundreds of light points seemed to flash through his pupils.

‘Heavenly Origin.’

Bu Eunseol’s expression tensed.

It was a legendary supreme technique that considered not only movement, weather, humidity, ground hardness—every condition and situation—but even the opponent’s mental state, then unleashed an absolute first move.

‘Fitting for a subordinate of the Heavenly Mechanism Star.’

To use Heavenly Origin required truly genius-level intellect and lightning-fast calculation.

If the famous Grand Martial Method unraveled every motion into the principles of martial arts, then Heavenly Origin went beyond martial arts—encompassing astronomy, geography, yin-yang and five elements, and even the study of changes—mastering tens of thousands of disciplines to comprehend their principles and subdue the enemy.

A truly perfect supreme technique.

‘Certainly unique.’

A rare gleam of enjoyment shone in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.

In truth, he could have subdued the masked man instantly from the beginning.

He had only dragged it out because he was curious about the martial art used by Heavenly Mechanism Star’s subordinate.

It had been well worth it.

Click.

Setting the Silent Tiger Soul Sword at mid-level, Bu Eunseol’s eyes flashed.

‘Let’s see what’s more profound… the Heavenly Origin is more profound, or my Nangyang Heart Eye.’

Of course, while wearing Seon Woojin’s identity, he could not voice such words.

In that moment, yellowish light bloomed from his pupils.

Every piece of information perceivable by beastly senses began converting into martial principles and flooding his mind.

In response to the masked man’s Heavenly Origin, he unleashed Nangyang Heart Eye.

Ziiing.

The pair of eyes staring at each other continued to flash endlessly.

From afar, Gongsun Dankyung had originally intended to support Bu Eunseol’s victory by firing arrows of Heavenly Hero Star but after seeing the faint smile on his lips, she finally understood.

He was simply enjoying this fight.

He had never needed help to begin with.

Click.

As if finishing his calculations first, the masked man twisted his grip on the sword and began drawing a huge circle.

Hummm.

The moment the circle formed, tremendous pressure poured down.

Anticipating that Bu Eunseol might finish calculating faster, he used a power akin to sorcery rather than martial principle—sealing movement and blocking any attack from the start.

‘He can use not only martial arts… but also power like the One Hundred and Eight Stars…’

Flash!

In that instant, a streak of light shot from the masked man’s sword.

Seizing the moment Bu Eunseol could not move, he instantly unleashed the Swift Sword.

Pshuk.

With a dull sound, the sharp blade pierced Bu Eunseol’s body.

On closer look, however, it looked like it had struck not the heart, but the armpit.

“You’ve been fighting with your head only until now.”

Bu Eunseol smiled coldly.

“Unfortunately…”

[Impossible…]

The masked man, about to raise his energy again and exchange blows with Bu Eunseol, never finished the short cry.

It became his last words in life.

Pssht.

The instant his mouth opened, Bu Eunseol unleashed a lightning-fast sword technique that pierced straight through it.

“Even if you’ve reached Heavenly Steel Physique, I doubt your mouth is Heavenly Steel Physique too.”

Click.

“Lacking real combat experience, I see.”

Retrieving his sword, Bu Eunseol spoke in a low voice.

“There are things you can only calculate through repeated actual combat—and actions you should never take.”

The masked man had tried to execute a perfect technique from the very first move.

When that failed, he sealed Bu Eunseol’s body and launched a killing strike in one go.

But that impatience had caused a fatal mistake.

In battle, perfection does not exist.

The situation can always change, and one must adapt on the fly.

Moreover, Bu Eunseol possessed Thunder Spirit Energy—a power that surpassed the masked man’s strength.

He instantly dispelled the paralysis in his body and caught the pouring sword strikes with his armpit.

It was a miraculous feat possible only because he had repeatedly caught blades with his shoulders and arms during countless extreme battles.

In contrast, the masked man—accustomed to finishing enemies instantly with perfect supreme techniques—could not respond to Bu Eunseol’s improvisation.

Worse, at close range, he committed the fatal error of opening his mouth to speak, declaring he still had leeway.

It was no different from beginner voluntarily revealing his vital acupoint.

Boom.

When the fountain of blood from his mouth finally stopped, the masked man breathed his last.

“You…”

Gongsun Dankyung rushed over quickly.

Though he had caught the sword with his armpit, the razor-sharp sword energy had turned the area into a bloody mess.

Riiip.

Tearing her sleeve, she tightly bandaged the wound.

“I’m sorry.” Gongsun Dankyung apologized once more with utmost sincerity. “For making you go through this again because of me.”

“Do not apologize.”

Bu Eunseol shook his head.

“Everything you did was for my sake.”

Gongsun Dankyung had lost a thousand subordinates trying to save him. She had even tried to take Heavenly Mechanism Star down with her in mutual destruction.

He could never blame her for something like this.

“In the future, discuss everything with people you can trust.”

Bu Eunseol gently comforted her.

“That is how you protect those around you.”

“I understand. Thank you.”

Bu Eunseol smiled.

As long as Gongsun Dankyung was alive, that was enough.

They just had to make sure nothing like this ever happened again.

“Have you met the Heavenly Mechanism Star?”

At Bu Eunseol’s question, she gave a lonely smile.

“Until now, my entire life has been nothing but a puppet dancing in his hands.”

“What do you mean?”

Taking a deep breath, Gongsun Dankyung relayed everything Chu So had told her.

Bu Eunseol listened silently, then let out a deep sigh and nodded.

“It’s similar.”

“What is?”

“Our situations.”

Bu Eunseol gave a wry smile.

“When I first entered the martial world, I was no different from a puppet of the strongest figures—including the Demon Emperor.”

“…”

“Through their arrangements I grew stronger and gained trials.”

He told her everything he had experienced after stepping into the martial world.

Gongsun Dankyung was astonished.

He, whose wisdom and quickness were in no way inferior to hers, had for so long had his fate manipulated by the strongest in the martial world. Even the many unilateral decisions he made for the sake of those he cherished—they were eerily similar.

“I still haven’t completely escaped them. Whenever an opportunity arises, they will try to put a leash around my neck again.”

“I see.”

“But there is one thing I still cannot understand.”

Bu Eunseol asked about the ‘law’ that Chu So had spoken of, which Gongsun Dankyung had told him.

“I too have heard the word ‘law’ many times. Each time, I simply thought it referred to the power of the supreme masters who control the martial world.”

He spoke calmly once more.

“But to say that dominating the law means erasing the Baekri Family and the True Demon? Could they be gods who created this world?”

“I don’t know that either. If there truly is some ‘law’ that can be enforced upon the martial world… it might be related to them.”

Gongsun Dankyung took a deep breath, her mind now completely clear.

“And not everything he said was correct.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was mistaken. He cannot perfectly predict the future.”

Gongsun Dankyung wore an utterly resolute expression.

“His calculations were always accurate, but…”

Then, with confident face, she said:

“You were the exception.”