‘How could she make such an expression!’
Watching from afar, Sim Wol’s eyes glinted with jealousy.
In front of him, Jin Seol had always worn an indifferent expression, speaking only what was necessary, and very briefly at that.
Even during their engagement ceremony, her expression had not changed.
Yet, just by meeting his gaze, she was showing a face so shaken she couldn’t control her emotions?
‘Just until I obtain the Heavenly Demon Emperor’s martial arts!’
Sim Wol bit his lip.
He was a disciple of Jeok Bung from the start and had strategically entered the Manbak Party to become the next successor of the Demon Palace.
The Manbak Party was a place that had more contact with the high command than any other, and it oversaw various events within the Demon Palace.
If he handled various tasks here and made a good impression on the leadership, he would gain a very advantageous position in the future struggle for succession.
—We will begin the Ten Demon Successors Plan.
But from here, things went awry.
The Heavenly Demon Emperor had suddenly initiated the Ten Demon Successors Plan.
And weren't the individuals selected from there being made to compete against Great Righteous Masters, and then again against the rivals from the Ten Demonic Gates?
—The Heavenly Demon Emperor intends to choose a successor from the Ten Demonic Gates and the Ten Demon Successors.
Elder Lord Jeok Bung finally reached a conclusion.
—Originally, I planned to recommend you as a successor candidate… and make you the master of the Demon Palace, but that has become impossible.
The Heavenly Demon Emperor and the Elder Lord each had the authority to designate a successor candidate.
Jeok Bung had intended to pit Sim Wol against the rivals from the Ten Demonic Gates later, but he changed his plan.
Bu Eunseol.
The outcome was too obvious if he made Sim Wol clash with that unfathomably Peerless Talent.
—From now on, you shall practice winning the heart of Jin Sanghwa.
Jeok Bung told him a great secret.
He delivered the astonishing information that marrying Jin Seol would allow him to inherit the Heavenly Demon Emperor’s Unique Demonic Arts.
—Are you telling me to become the Greatest Demonic Master by stealing a mere woman’s heart?
When Sim Wol refused, Jeok Bung spoke coldly.
—We do not know how things will turn out now, but that Disciple of Nangya Pavilion will surely become the successor.
His talents are not limited to just his martial arts.
Jeok Bung could see at a glance that Bu Eunseol was an outstanding individual.
Not only was he a Martial Talent with an ordinary physique but gifted with innate senses, but he also possessed outstanding intelligence, and wisdom and insight that rivaled his own, despite being over a hundred years old.
And in the end, just as he had prophesied, Bu Eunseol rose to the position of successor.
Moreover, despite not receiving any support from the Ten Demonic Gates, wasn't he gradually building a stable line of succession?
—These are all records of Jin Sanghwa’s personality and tendencies.
Jeok Bung eventually handed Sim Wol a box filled with scrolls.
Inside were written all the things Jin Seol liked, her food preferences, her favored tone of speech and actions… literally all information related to her.
‘Is he telling me to sell my body like a courtesan?’
Sim Wol clenched his teeth.
Wasn't the task Jeok Bung was giving him exactly what a male prostitute would do?
‘No, I must do it.’
But when he recalled Bu Eunseol’s face, his heart turned cold.
No matter how hard he tried, he could not match his martial arts and intelligence.
In the end, he had to obtain the Heavenly Demon Emperor’s martial arts in this way to ascend to the position of the Greatest Demonic Master.
—I… understand.
In the end, Sim Wol took the scrolls.
After that, Sim Wol memorized the information in the box hundreds, thousands of times.
And after painstaking practice, he created a tone of voice, a demeanor, and an atmosphere that Jin Seol would like.
And though he finally won her heart and even got engaged…
That greedy successor was now making advances on a woman who was to be another’s wife.
“Bu Eunseol.”
A dark resentment flowed from Sim Wol’s eyes.
He clenched his teeth.
“If you insist on this, then I have no choice but to be a petty man myself.”
In reality, Bu Eunseol had only greeted Jin Seol.
But in the eyes of Sim Wol, blinded by jealousy, he appeared as a lecher stealing another’s lover.
“From now on, I will use every method to provoke you!”
Sim Wol’s eyes, consumed by jealousy, burned like a volcano.
*
The Blood Demon, Jeok Bung.
The great demon who destroyed everything that displeased him had suddenly aged greatly.
He then stopped interfering in the affairs of the Martial World and entered the Demon Palace, a collective of demonic martial power, as its highest Elder Lord.
And there, he wielded immense power.
Power.
It is more addictive and craved than opium.
Jeok Bung had enjoyed a powerful position in the Demon Palace by exploiting the subtle friction between the Ten Demonic Gates, which held great influence in the Demonic Faction, and the supreme master, the Heavenly Demon Emperor.
But now, circumstances had changed.
The successor of the Demon Palace, Bu Eunseol.
With his appearance, the power that seemed like an iron fortress began to shake.
Originally, Jeok Bung had maintained close relationships with the leaders of the Ten Demonic Gates, acting as a mediator between them and the Heavenly Demon Emperor.
But with Bu Eunseol’s appearance, the Heavenly Demon Emperor, as if his work was done, handed over the duties of the Demon Palace to the Chief Inspector and entered Closed-Door Cultivation.
And isn’t Bu Eunseol, without yielding to the pressure from the Ten Demonic Gates, engaging in a power struggle with them and subduing them one by one?
This left Jeok Bung with nothing to do.
And he instinctively knew that if Bu Eunseol became the master of the Demon Palace, he himself would become an old man in the back room.
“I took in the wrong disciple.”
A bloody light flickered in the eyes of Jeok Bung, who was sitting at a table drinking tea.
He already had three disciples, all of whom had risen to the positions he desired and were supporting his power.
And finally, to crown it all, he had taken his youngest disciple, Sim Wol.
But contrary to his expectations, Sim Wol had not achieved any significant merit.
All because of the wall named Bu Eunseol.
“In the end, he must obtain the Heavenly Demon Emperor’s martial arts.”
In the past, Jeok Bung had been confident that he would not lose to anyone, and at one time, he had even prided himself as the greatest under the heavens.
But upon meeting the Heavenly Demon Emperor, that pride had crumbled.
He was a being like primal chaos, an individual unaffected by the ‘phenomena’ he manifested.
In other words, he realized that as long as the Heavenly Demon Emperor existed, he was nothing more than second-in-command.
“I’ve spoon-fed him this much, so he should do well from now on.”
But if Sim Wol marries Jin Seol, the story changes.
What if he inherits the martial arts legacy of the Greatest Demonic Master who surpasses even himself?
Sim Wol’s martial arts would become equal to or even surpass Bu Eunseol’s.
The position of successor could change at any time.
Besides, hadn’t Bu Eunseol publicly declared that he would accept a challenge from anyone?
If Sim Wol’s martial arts surpassed his, and if he were given the power to oppose the Martial Soul Lord?
Sim Wol would be able to snatch the position of successor from Bu Eunseol in an instant, and he himself would be able to grasp even greater power.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, a knock on the door was heard, followed by a low voice.
“Master, it is I.”
It was Sim Wol’s voice.
A visit from his disciple, which was not scheduled.
Sim Wol had always addressed Jeok Bung as ‘Elder’.
But recently, upon receiving his Supreme Secret Art, he was now confidently calling him Master.
‘He’s grown up.’
“Enter.”
Normally, he would not have dared to permit an unscheduled visit.
But now, he willingly accepted.
He would soon inherit the legacy of the Heavenly Demon Emperor and become a treasure that would bring him immense power.
“Yes.”
Jeok Bung asked as he lightly flicked the lid of his teacup.
“So, are the preparations going well?”
His voice seemed feignedly kind.
But as his voice echoed inside, Sim Wol felt his stomach burn and his bones seem to shrivel.
The Blood Demon, Jeok Bung.
This great demon, whose killing intent and martial skill had reached the ends of the heavens, was imbuing even a single utterance with immense internal energy.
“About that.”
Seeing Sim Wol’s unhappy expression, Jeok Bung’s eyes widened.
“Is something the matter?”
Clatter.
At the motion of Jeok Bung flicking the teacup lid, Sim Wol swallowed dryly and said.
“Bu Eunseol. It is about him.”
“Bu Eunseol?”
Jeok Bung showed a displeased expression at the mention of Bu Eunseol’s name from Sim Wol’s mouth.
“Why him.”
“It seems he is after the woman who will become my wife.”
Jeok Bung narrowed his eyes.
“What do you mean by that?”
The voice that poured out grew thinner, but the pressure intensified.
Sim Wol barely managed to compose his shrinking body and said.
“He just met with Jin Sanghwa. But I don’t know what he did, in that short time, she showed signs of being greatly shaken.”
Sim Wol clenched his fists.
“Perhaps they exchanged some words through voice transmission.”
“Hah.”
Jeok Bung sighed with a look of pity.
“That’s why I told you to push for the marriage quickly. Why have you been dawdling all this time?”
At Jeok Bung’s scolding, Sim Wol forced a smile and said.
“It was not an easy task to win her heart.”
“……”
“You know well how cold her personality is, Master.”
“Hmph.”
Jeok Bung snorted with a displeased voice.
“That fellow, the Martial Soul Lord, does nothing, yet women are lining up, having lost their souls to him….”
He didn’t finish the sentence, but Sim Wol understood its meaning.
—This disciple of mine has used all sorts of tricks to win a woman’s favor, yet it still takes time.
That is what Jeok Bung was saying.
Sim Wol suppressed his feeling of humiliation and bowed his head.
“Did I not make every effort to steal her heart under my Master’s command? But….”
“I understand. Let’s not speak of that anymore.”
Jeok Bung cut him off coldly.
At that, anger surged in the eyes of Sim Wol, who was bowing his head.
Originally, the two had a very good relationship.
Sim Wol was young, but he had the potential to inherit everything from Jeok Bung in the future.
But after Bu Eunseol appeared, everything changed.
—Incompetent fool.
The disciple who had always been a source of pride suddenly began to seem lacking and inadequate.
Moreover, no matter how much time passed, there was no sign that he could surpass Bu Eunseol, who was merely one of the Ten Demon Successors.
In the end, Jeok Bung, after much deliberation, had planned for him to become the Heavenly Demon Emperor by using Jin Seol.
And now, he was even dawdling with that.
—Miserly old man.
Whose fault is it that things turned out this way?
But from Sim Wol’s perspective, he was not without complaints against Jeok Bung either.
Jeok Bung had raised Sim Wol to be a strong man, but he had never taught him his Supreme Secret Art.
The reason given was that Sim Wol’s internal energy was not yet sufficient to wield it, but from his perspective, it seemed as if Jeok Bung was hoarding his Supreme Secret Art like a miser.
‘If you had taught me the True Martial Arts earlier, this wouldn’t have happened, would it?’
Sim Wol forcefully swallowed his rising anger.
After all, he had recently been taught Jeok Bung’s Unique Demonic Arts on the grounds that his internal energy had increased while handling matters concerning Jin Seol.
But since it was a supreme martial art that required at least ten years of hard training to master, Sim Wol held a great dissatisfaction even with being taught so late.
“Master. This is not a matter to be taken lightly.”
Sim Wol pressed down his surging dissatisfaction and bowed his head again.
“Bu Eunseol, if he were to find out her secret, might he not sabotage this whole affair?”
“Sabotage?”
“The Heavenly Demon Emperor’s martial arts. If he were to find out about this….”
“Hah.”
Jeok Bung looked down at Sim Wol with a pitiful expression.
“You still do not know him.”
“Pardon?”
“If he were the type of person to gain martial arts by taking a woman, he would have accepted my offer to come under me long ago.”
Jeok Bung looked down at Sim Wol with eyes as cold and still as a ten-thousand-year glacier.
“That man is a true martial artist who pursues only the extreme martial path, not looking elsewhere. Even if he knew the truth about the secret manual, he would not bat an eye.”
Jeok Bung was a man stingy with praise.
Even when he saw Do Cheon-rin, who was said to have the greatest talent among the successors of the Ten Demonic Gates, had he not just said, ‘Quite decent’?
But whenever the topic of Bu Eunseol came up, he gave him the highest praise.
Right in front of his disciple who stood in opposition to him.
“Even if Bu Eunseol knows Jin Seol’s secret?”
“It’s not a matter of ‘if’ he knows; he probably already knows.”
Jeok Bung snorted.
“He has already met with the Chief Inspector. And he would have heard everything about Jin Sanghwa.”
“You know him well. Better than I, your disciple.”
As Sim Wol clenched his fist, Jeok Bung said coldly.
“Have I not always said? To face an enemy, you must first understand the enemy.”
Sim Wol bit his lip.
And swallowing the various emotions welling up inside, he said.
“Anyway, if he gets involved, everything will be ruined.”
“Are you saying that as if it’s a valid point?”
A red light blazed in Jeok Bung’s eyes.
“If you cannot break through such a thing on your own, then even if you obtain the Heavenly Demon Emperor’s martial arts… you will never become the master of the Demon Palace.”
Crack.
A cracking sound came from Sim Wol’s spine.
His entire body’s bones had shriveled due to the immense pressure pouring from Jeok Bung’s voice.
“I… understand.”
Sim Wol bit the inside of his lip until it bled and bowed his head.
Humiliation.
Every single word from Jeok Bung was nothing but an unforgivable humiliation to him.
It wasn't that he was wrong… but from his perspective, it sounded like an unbearable insult.
“I will take care of everything myself. All of it.”
Crack.
Sim Wol, who had straightened his bent body in an instant, cupped his hands.
Then he turned and respectfully exited.
Jeok Bung, who was watching him, shook his head.
“He’s lost his way.”
Originally, Sim Wol was a person whose wisdom was deep and intelligence was outstanding, more so than his martial talent.
But after being frustrated by Bu Eunseol, he was losing that outstanding talent and composure.
In the end, he was abandoning his strengths and trying to resemble Bu Eunseol.
“But… his internal energy has more than doubled.”
Normally, he was a fellow who should have been prostrated, unable to even resist his pressure.
But now, he had endured to the end without kneeling and had left?
“Judging by his eyes, it wasn’t generated from his body but received from an external source.”
Jeok Bung clearly surmised that the reason for Sim Wol’s increased internal energy was thanks to an elixir consumed from an external source.
After all, Sim Wol was a disciple he had personally raised.
“It’s fortunate that he has shown rapid progress, but….”
Jeok Bung frowned.
If he didn’t reach the Extreme Heaven Realm as soon as possible, it would be useless even if he mastered the Heavenly Demon Emperor’s martial arts.
The reason he hadn’t taught Sim Wol his Supreme Secret Arts until now was because it was a martial art that could only be unleashed after reaching at least the Extreme Heaven Realm.
But Sim Wol had finally broken through the wall of the Transcendent Realm with power obtained from an external source.
That was why he had belatedly taught him his own Supreme Secret Arts, but… even that was not perfect.
“He wouldn’t have secretly consumed an elixir like the Extreme Spirit Fruit.”
A volcanic light flowed from the eyes of Jeok Bung as he stroked his chin.
A certain thought had struck him.
“……No matter how I think about it, I raised one disciple wrongly.”
Jeok Bung, clicking his tongue, calmed his Heart-fire and sat down again.
And he slowly drank the now-cold tea.
A fragrant tea aroma certainly filled his mouth, but he didn’t know why the aftertaste was so bitter.
*
For a change, Bu Eunseol went out of the Demon Palace with the leaders of the Death Shadow Division and headed to the Banquet Hall of the Yeonghwa Inn.
It was for the farewell party of the Leader of the Death-Seeking Squad, So Ja-myeong, and a chance for all the leaders to have a meal together.
After the meal, Bu Eunseol and the leaders left the Yeonghwa Inn, but their faces were full of regret.
“Lord. Recently, a very good tavern has opened up nearby.”
At that moment, Won Sae-mun said with a face full of disappointment.
“How about we have another drink there?”
“You must be talking about the Hall of Endless Joy.”
At Jo Nam-cheon’s words, Won Sae-mun nodded his head.
“Yes. How about it? There’s no better place for a drink than the Hall of Endless Joy.”
The front of the Hall of Endless Joy was adorned with a beautiful flower garden and a small pond.
And since a pavilion was built around it, one could drink while looking at the scenery from a window bathed in moonlight.
“That sounds fine.”
As Bu Eunseol nodded, Won Sae-mun stepped forward like a waiter and said.
“Alright, then please follow me.”
When they arrived at the Hall of Endless Joy, a servant guided Bu Eunseol’s party to the third floor.
It was a place not only with the best scenery but also with a seating charge, so even the wealthy could not easily ascend.
But as Bu Eunseol and his party went up to the third floor, a man who was a crane among chickens and a beautiful woman were sitting opposite each other at a window seat.
It was Sim Wol and Jin Seol.