The Great Heavenly Demon Sovereign – Chapter 875

Ghost King Gal Hu-seung.

He had not newly acquired the title of Ghost King.

Like the Four Gods, it was the name given to the leader who possessed the power to rule over Ghost King Valley, where extreme malevolent energy flowed.

While the Four Gods wielded pure forces derived from nature, the Ghost King could unleash evil curses beyond what any human should be capable of.

It was said that, much like the Taoists of the past Mosan Sect, he could harm people without so much as lifting a finger.

For that reason, no one in the martial world—no sect or individual—dared to provoke Ghost King Valley or make an enemy of the Ghost King.

And yet… to kill the Ghost King?

“Ghost King Valley sustains itself because he can freely wield the malevolent energy of that land. Unlike the Four Gods, who can draw upon their power at any time, the Ghost King becomes nothing the moment he steps outside Ghost King Valley.”

The Ghost King was not born with overwhelming innate power.

He was a superhuman who could only exist because he was capable of accepting and channeling the power that flowed from Ghost King Valley.

“If the Ghost King is one of the Heavenly Mechanism Star’s subordinates, wouldn’t it be better to locate the Heavenly Mechanism Star through him?”

Han Sangja shook his head.

“He is an exceedingly thorough individual. Not only would he never reveal his location to subordinates, but he would certainly have imposed strict prohibitions to prevent any secrets from leaking.”

Bu Eunseol nodded.

Secret organizations like the Three Realms used techniques such as the Mind-Sealing Great Prohibition on their underlings to ensure that their locations and information could never be exposed. How much more so for someone as meticulous and brilliant as the Heavenly Mechanism Star? 

He would surely have put every possible safeguard in place.

“If his useful limbs are cut off one by one, he will have no choice but to reveal himself.” Han Sangja continued. “When capable subordinates die off, from the Heavenly Mechanism Star’s perspective he will inevitably need to create new puppets to replace them.”

He spoke evenly.

“When gaps appear because his subordinates vanish, he will either have to act personally or move to fill those gaps. And in that moment—when he issues new orders—there may be an opportunity to trace his movements.”

The Heavenly Mechanism Star’s whereabouts were perfectly concealed.

But if his capable subordinates were systematically eliminated?

Eventually he would either act himself or give new instructions to whatever remained.

No matter how secretive his information network or communication methods, vulnerabilities would inevitably arise. 

By exploiting those cracks, Han Sangja was convinced they could finally locate the Heavenly Mechanism Star.

“I intend to kill the Ghost King as the first step toward finding him.” 

Bu Eunseol nodded.

True to his nature as a sage, Han Sangja planned his revenge with cold, meticulous precision. He was slowly severing the Heavenly Mechanism Star’s hands and feet so that the man could not endure remaining hidden any longer.

“Is it enough to simply assassinate the Ghost King?”

“Yes.”

Han Sangja spoke gravely.

“However, it would be best if the Lord went personally rather than sending subordinates.”

“Because within Ghost King Valley, he is an invincible existence?”

“Correct. But what is even more terrifying is…”

He continued with a somber expression.

“…inside Ghost King Valley, no power whatsoever can be exerted—not even internal energy.”

The powerful malevolent energy flowing through Ghost King Valley was linked to the Ghost King himself. Because of that energy, no matter how great a martial artist, one could not display proper strength there.

“No power can be used at all?”

“Exactly as I said.”

Han Sangja spoke in a low voice.

“Within Ghost King Valley, not only internal energy but sorcery, great arts, and any form of supernatural power become unusable.”

It was a shocking statement.

Even the Demon Heaven Emperor himself would become no more than an ordinary human inside Ghost King Valley?

“Is that also why the Ghost King never leaves Ghost King Valley?”

Han Sangja shook his head.

“That much is unknown… but inside Ghost King Valley, the Ghost King is truly invincible. This will not be an easy task.”

Though the martial world was filled with countless masters, finding someone capable of killing the Ghost King bare-handed, with no power at all, would be exceedingly difficult. Bu Eunseol—who had mastered the profound mysteries of supreme martial arts, broken through to the Supreme Heavenly Realm using only pure martial scripture, and entered a new stage—was perhaps the individual with the highest chance of success.

“Just in case, I prepared one human-skin mask.”

Han Sangja’s personality was thorough to the extreme.

Knowing that Bu Eunseol would be reluctant to expose his identity, he had prepared an exquisitely crafted human-skin mask.

“This is acceptable.”

Ordinary human-skin masks could not fully evade reverse-face or reverse-bone techniques; even when worn, subtle awkwardness would often remain visible. But the mask Han Sangja had brought was so finely made that even Bu Eunseol’s sharp eyes could detect no flaw.

“Hmm.”

As Bu Eunseol gazed at the mask, a brief gleam flashed in his eyes.

Could he truly defeat the Ghost King using only martial arts, without internal energy or the Three Divine Energies?

What kind of abilities did the Ghost King possess that allowed him to reign invincible within Ghost King Valley?

And that gleam was not fear.

Though this was a life-risking venture… his heart pounded instead with excitement.

“But I heard that no one can enter Ghost King Valley unless entry is permitted from within.”

“That aspect has already been prepared, so do not worry.”

“Very well. Let us try it.”

Bu Eunseol nodded.

He would head to Ghost King Valley—one of the martial world’s forbidden lands—and slay Gal Hu-seung, the Ghost King, the ruler of the ghost spirits who commanded malevolent energy among the Seven Kings and Four Gods.

***

From the very entrance of the valley, thick fog blanketed everything.

This mist did not easily dissipate even in daylight; it was so dense that one could not see a single step ahead.

Within the fog lingered a bizarre power that erased all sense of direction, ensuring that anyone who entered could never leave.

Ghost King Valley.

Bu Eunseol was stealthily infiltrating this forbidden place of the martial world.

—One of the reasons no one can enter Ghost King Valley is the Humanoid Trees—grotesquely twisted figures in human shape.

Wearing the human-skin mask provided by Han Sangja, Bu Eunseol passed through the fog. Just as Han Sangja had described, a dense forest of strangely contorted trees appeared before him.

Saaaaah.

Upon entering the forest, a sound like a woman’s whisper constantly wormed its way into his ears.

—That place is already saturated with malevolent energy from Ghost King Valley, so no power can be exerted there at all.

Moreover, the Humanoid Trees acted like living formations, exuding a grotesque force that prevented anyone from advancing deeper into the woods. Just as he had been told, the moment he stepped into the forest, all internal energy and even the Three Divine Energies vanished from his body.

Only the beast-like senses of the Beast Way remained somewhat intact.

—With the Immeasurable Light Secret, you should be able to find the path inward.

Bu Eunseol took out a transparent orb from his robes.

A treasure of the Sage Forest.

The Immeasurable Light Pearl, said to be capable of measuring the quantity of anything the user perceived. When he had come to Majeon to deliver the reply, he had secretly placed the Immeasurable Light Pearl inside the letter instead.

‘He predicted that I would accept his request and included the Immeasurable Light Pearl.’

Ziiing.

The moment he held up the Immeasurable Light Pearl, a mysterious light spread outward.

At the same time, thin lines of light appeared before Bu Eunseol’s eyes.

They were measuring the distance to the hidden entrance of Ghost King Valley concealed within the forest.

Ignoring the eerie aura of the Humanoid Trees and the ceaseless whispering, Bu Eunseol followed the light and walked onward without pause. When he finally emerged from the forest, the once-clear sky had turned blood-red, as though stained. 

Because of it, he could no longer gauge the passage of time, and from somewhere came echoes like cries of agony.

True to its name—Ghost King Valley—the lingering wails of vengeful spirits, as though left behind by ghosts, spread through the air like fading incense.

—If you listen to the ghostly wails echoing from the forest for too long, your mind will grow hazy, and eventually you will lose consciousness. If one cannot overcome it, madness follows—or in the end, one takes one’s own life.

“Huuuk… Heuk…”

As though proving Han Sangja’s words, the pained cries grew steadily worse.

Eventually they became so intense that even the sound of his own footsteps was drowned out.

Yet Bu Eunseol walked on with an expression that seemed to say, “Whose dog is barking?”

Any fear that might have arisen in his heart had already been completely overcome in childhood through the game of playing corpse inside coffins. In effect, he had deeply mastered what was perhaps the most outstanding Cold Heart Technique in the martial world from a very young age.

Moreover, after beginning martial cultivation, he had focused especially on building mental barriers.

There was no person or technique in the world capable of attacking or dominating his mind.

Swoosh.

Finally, after passing through the path beneath the crimson sky, an unexpected sight appeared.

“…!” Bu Eunseol’s eyes widened.

In the midst of a space teeming with ghosts and steeped in terror… a peaceful, serene village landscape?

Ordinary houses stood in neat rows, and in the center of the village was a large well.

Children played everywhere, and elderly people could be seen.

“It has been a long time since an outsider visited.”

At that moment, an old man standing at the village entrance noticed Bu Eunseol and gave a warm smile.

“What brings you to our village?”

Bu Eunseol felt somewhat embarrassed.

He had passed through the path of ghostly wails without time to hide, and the village had appeared right in front of him.

“This place is…”

“It is called Ghost King Village.”

The old man answered without hesitation.

“Since it lies within Ghost King Valley, we simply call it Ghost King Village.”

“And you, sir…?”

“No need for such formality. I am simply the village chief who leads this place—Jang Pyeong.”

The man who introduced himself as Jang Pyeong asked, “You came to enter Ghost King Valley, didn’t you?”

At Jang Pyeong’s frank words, Bu Eunseol nodded.

There was no point in lying anyway.

“Ghost King Valley lies beyond the village, past that mountain.”

Jang Pyeong shook his head.

“But you cannot enter. Around it hangs an eerie fog… and if you go in, you will be possessed by ghosts.”

“Even the villagers?”

“Yes.”

“Then does that mean Ghost King Village has no connection whatsoever to Ghost King Valley?”

“That is not the case.” Jang Pyeong answered calmly. “The warriors of Ghost King Valley visit our village frequently. Thanks to them, we are able to maintain peaceful daily lives.”

“Peaceful daily lives, you say.”

“There are many good herbs around here, but the yin energy is so strong that ghosts appear. Without Ghost King Valley, we would not have been able to keep the village.”

According to the old village chief’s explanation, the mountains surrounding the village were said to be inhabited by ghosts and evil spirits.

However, an invisible intangible barrier set up by Ghost King Valley prevented any danger from reaching them, allowing them to safely gather herbs.

“But to sell the herbs, wouldn’t you need to go outside?” 

Jang Pyeong smiled gently.

“Ghost King Valley buys them all. And they provide everything we need.”

He wore an expression of deep gratitude.

“Not only that—they constantly send us elixirs and spiritual medicines to keep our bodies healthy.”

At that moment, Bu Eunseol’s expression hardened.

It was an absurd story.

There was no sect in existence that would send spiritual medicines to nourish the bodies of ordinary commoners. It would be far better to give them to their own martial artists.

“In truth, a strange plague has afflicted our village for generations.”

The human-skin mask Han Sangja provided was so finely crafted that even Bu Eunseol’s skeptical expression showed through clearly.

Jang Pyeong looked at Bu Eunseol’s face and continued.

“Moreover, the plague mainly strikes the young. That is why Ghost King Valley frequently sends down elixirs and spiritual medicines to heal our bodies.”

It was an even more absurd claim.

Yet Bu Eunseol did not press the point and instead asked again.

“Then the villagers never leave at all?”

“No, that is not true. If something is necessary, we can go out as needed. But only with permission from Ghost King Valley.”

Bu Eunseol furrowed his brow.

Completely cut off from the outside world, able to leave the village only with the Ghost King’s permission?

In the end, were the villagers not essentially no different from slaves subordinated to Ghost King Valley?

“It is late now. Stay at my house for the night before you go.”

The distance from the village to Ghost King Valley was considerable.

Since internal energy could not be used here, it would take a long walk to reach it.

Jang Pyeong was offering kindness in his own way but Bu Eunseol politely declined with a respectful bow.

“I appreciate the offer, but I will go on.”

“Is that so? What a shame.”

“Thank you for your kindness. Farewell.”

Bu Eunseol bowed once more and slowly began passing through the center of the village.

The sky was heavily overcast, giving the surroundings an indistinct air of ghostly energy.

In contrast, the village scene was utterly peaceful.

Children ran and played everywhere, and adults bustled about.

From a distance, it looked like an entirely ordinary tranquil village.

Moreover—if Ghost King Valley truly fed the villagers spiritual medicines—both children and adults had good complexions and brimmed with vitality.

Yet strangely, the area beneath their eyes was dark and hollow.

Of course, lack of sunlight or a diet consisting only of vegetables could cause dark circles but Bu Eunseol could instantly discern that it was due to a severe deficiency or extreme depletion of essence and qi within their bodies.

‘How could such a condition appear in children barely in their teens?’

A grown adult might deplete their essence through debauchery but bright-eyed children… having their essence drained to the point of dark hollows beneath their eyes was impossible without an external cause.

‘Everything will become clear once I reach Ghost King Valley.’

If he found and killed the Ghost King anyway, he could uncover all the secrets between Ghost King Valley and this village.

No longer curious, he quickened his pace.

Finally leaving the village, he discovered the mountain path leading up to Ghost King Valley.

Ziiing.

But entry was blocked there by an unknown energy.

‘It is not an absolute boundary, but something like a formation.’

Standing still, Bu Eunseol began searching for the source of the power blocking the path.

‘If so, it cannot be a complex or difficult formation.’

The warriors of Ghost King Valley frequently came and went to the village.

There was no way they would memorize complicated unraveling methods and go through troublesome processes every time just to block outsiders.

“Then…”

A thought flashed through Bu Eunseol’s mind, and his eyes gleamed.

‘They must require some kind of special pass.’

Surely Ghost King Valley would have created special spirit plaques or keys—some form of token—so that their own warriors could pass freely.

‘I will have to return to the village and wait.’

Bu Eunseol glanced around.

This was an empty open field with nowhere to hide.

The best option, then, was to wait for a warrior from Ghost King Valley to enter the village and seize their token.

With no other choice, Bu Eunseol turned back.

He re-entered the village.

Rumble.

As the sun set, the villagers began moving in groups toward a single location. Sensing something strange, Bu Eunseol stealthily followed the procession.

Thud, thud.

Marching in orderly lines, they arrived at none other than a bizarre shrine located at the edge of the village.

Inside were arranged various talismans and dharma tools.

The villagers entered, removed their shoes, stepped onto a golden mat that glittered brightly, and offered solemn prayers.

‘It is no ordinary shrine.’

Peering cautiously inside, Bu Eunseol furrowed his brow.

The dharma tools and talismans installed within the building closely resembled the golden furnace he had once seen in the Wind God Palace—the one that absorbed Wind-Cloud Energy and internal energy.

Murmur, murmur.

Each time the villagers offered fervent prayers upon the mat, a faint light flowed from the talismans.

How much time passed?

One by one, the villagers who finished praying began to leave.

Yet their eyes looked even more clouded, and their complexions seemed somehow worse.

‘After praying, their essence was damaged even further?’

Watching from hiding, Bu Eunseol’s mind filled with questions.

Once all the villagers had exited the shrine, he slipped inside stealthily.

The interior of the shrine was surprisingly spacious.

The golden mat, gleaming unnaturally, stood out awkwardly.

“It is not a mat.”

Lifting the mat that shone with golden light, he wore a grave expression.

The mat was embedded with countless sharp golden needles.

Whenever someone stood barefoot to pray, the blood that flowed would drip down through the needle holes.

‘Even children were among them.’

The pain of needles piercing the soles must have been considerable yet not only adults but children as well had prayed without flinching?

‘They were absorbing essence.’

Only then did Bu Eunseol realize that the items displayed in the shrine were wicked dharma tools possessing the ability to absorb essence through the blood that flowed out.

‘Does the Ghost King desire eternal life?’

In simple terms, human essence could be seen as life force.

The only means of absorbing such essence were bizarre great arts or mystical dharma tools with special functions.

Each method had its advantages and disadvantages.

Techniques like the Essence-Absorbing Great Art could draw in vast amounts of essence with relative ease, but mastering the art itself was extremely difficult. Using dharma tools allowed only small amounts to be absorbed, but anyone could perform it stably and easily.

Throughout history, powerful rulers seeking longevity had researched ways to drain others’ essence. They eventually devised a method to effortlessly absorb massive quantities without mastering any great art: force-feeding the target large amounts of spiritual medicines and elixirs, then using a dharma tool.

When spiritual energy entered the body, the body would temporarily concentrate all its internal energy into the blood in order to absorb it. If blood was drawn at precisely that moment… one could obtain blood thick with human essence.

‘In other words, Ghost King Valley maintains this entire village for the sole purpose of extracting essence.’

Only now did Bu Eunseol understand why such a large village existed inside Ghost King Valley, and why they showed the villagers such apparent kindness.

Thump.

At that moment, a low vibration sounded.

Peering through a slightly open window, he saw a child walking among the villagers suddenly stagger and collapse.

“Hey, kid!”

A gaunt couple who appeared to be the parents hurriedly lifted the child.

“Mom, Dad… it hurts.”

“We’re sorry.”

The couple held the child with pained expressions.

“It’s because our prayers are still insufficient.”

Then, carrying the pale-faced child on his back, the man muttered,

“Honey, we should increase the prayer time from now on.”

At his wife’s words, the man nodded weakly and carried the child away.

‘The so-called plague circulating in this village was created by Ghost King Valley after all.’

The strange disease that Chief Jang Pyeong said afflicted mainly the young was a fabricated illness spread by Ghost King Valley to extract essence from the youth.

In the end, having been subjected to vicious brainwashing, they fervently prayed to cure the “illness,” all while their blood and essence was being drained.

‘These abominable bastards.’

Rage surged within Bu Eunseol as he drew the Silent Tiger Soul Sword.

‘I will summon you all a little more easily.’

He began smashing the talismans and the mat inside the shrine.

Crack! Bang!

The Silent Tiger Soul Sword was incomparably sharp and sturdy, easily shattering even the mystical metal talismans and dharma tools.

‘There is no way Ghost King Valley would simply leave such treasures stored in the village without any safeguard.’

They must have installed some mechanism.

If he destroyed them so recklessly, they would surely detect the situation and come rushing immediately.

Grrrr. Crackle.

Each time a treasure or dharma tool broke, grotesque mechanical sounds echoed from within.

Rumble rumble.

But something was strange.

Not even half a quarter-hour had passed since he began destroying the mechanisms, yet already the sound of people rushing toward him could be heard?