Chapter 168
Chapter 168
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: The Seven Star Plank
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When the unexpected and shocking answer came back, Hyeok Gong-baek’s eyebrows shot up.
“A mess?”
“That is correct.”
*Woooong.*
In that moment, the faint killing intent that had been leaking from Hyeok Gong-baek’s body grew uncontrollably intense.
“The reason?”
“Because you're treated terribly for a place that's supposed to be one of the Ten Demonic Sects.”
Even as Hyeok Gong-baek radiated a terrifying aura, Bu Eun-seol wore a relaxed expression.
“It's called a sanctuary for demonic masters, but that's just a nice way of putting it. In reality, it's no different from being left completely abandoned.”
Hyeok Gong-baek stared blankly for a long moment, then suddenly his eyes curved into crescents.
“Huhu. Hahahaha.”
Hyeok Gong-baek let out a low laugh and nodded.
“You’ve got guts. Just as a disciple of Nang-ya-gak should.”
As if pleased by Bu Eun-seol’s answer, the killing intent vanished like snow melting in the sun.
“If you had only told me what I wanted to hear, I would have had to express my displeasure.”
Spoken like a true Great Demonic Master, his idea of ‘expressing displeasure’ was nearly killing a man.
A faint smile touched Hyeok Gong-baek’s lips as he spoke again.
“But you spoke honestly about what you saw. You saw correctly.”
He then let out a deep sigh.
“The men here were all Great Demonic Masters who once looked down upon the Murim. No matter how close to the pinnacle of the demonic path they are… they're like ticking time bombs, ready to go off at any moment.”
Hyeok Gong-baek spoke as they walked past the village and onto a small path covered in fallen leaves.
“That’s why the Demonic Alliance created this branch to manage the Great Demonic Masters… but in reality, it’s no different from a place of exile. They just take your secret manuals and then leave you here to rot.”
“Have you tried to formally protest?”
“Protest? We should be grateful they even made a place like this. This isn’t the Orthodox Faction, where they thoroughly serve all their elders and maintain the master-disciple relationship.”
He took a deep breath of the clear forest air before continuing.
“But when the Demonic Alliance is selecting candidates for the succession, the heirs of the Ten Demonic Sects suddenly decide to visit our branch.”
Only then did Bu Eun-seol understand why the young man at the entrance and the old men playing Go had reacted so poorly.
They were completely ignored on a daily basis, but as soon as a succession battle began, everyone feigned interest as if that had never been the case.
Worse still, since Jeokcheonmakji was created to manage the Great Demonic Masters, its own successor was never even considered in the Demonic Alliance’s line of succession…
They had no reason to welcome a candidate for the Demonic Alliance’s succession.
“Are you also here to gain the branch’s support?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll give you a direct answer. To gain the support of this branch, you must first gain the support of the old men staying in Do-won-hyang.”
Before they knew it, Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok Gong-baek were standing on a hill overlooking Do-won-hyang.
“There are about eighty old men staying here. They may seem gentle, but every single one of them is a demonic master who once turned the world upside down.”
Hyeok Gong-baek looked down at Do-won-hyang for a long time before speaking again.
“For your reference, the successor of Ji-ok-hyeol-seong was here before you.”
“I see.”
“He brought in laborers to rebuild the old pavilions within the branch, and for a while… he even assigned young maids to attend to the old men in Do-won-hyang.”
Finally, Bu Eun-seol understood why the interior of the palace was so clean compared to its old and shabby exterior.
“So that’s why the inner pavilions were newly built.”
At Bu Eun-seol’s words, Hyeok Gong-baek gave a strange smile.
“He promised that if he became the successor of the Demonic Alliance, he would rebuild the exterior of the branch even more grandly and station many young men and maids here for life.”
Hyeok Gong-baek said in a low voice.
“Thanks to that, more than half of the old men decided to back the successor of Ji-ok-hyeol-seong.”
“…”
“To be honest, this will be difficult for you.”
Hyeok Gong-baek, who knew Nang-ya-gak’s situation well, gave a bitter smile.
“Even if you emptied Nang-ya-gak’s coffers, you wouldn’t be able to do this much. Am I wrong?”
Bu Eun-seol could only nod.
Despite its immense power, Nang-ya-gak had no vassal forces and was entirely self-sufficient.
In other words, no matter how much of Nang-ya-gak’s funds he gathered, he had nothing that would satisfy the Great Demonic Masters.
Moreover, Ji-ok-hyeol-seong had already given them a taste of being served by young maids…
Even if Bu Eun-seol cooked and waited on them himself, the demonic masters here wouldn’t bat an eye.
“Allow me to ask one more time.”
Bu Eun-seol, who had been deep in thought, slowly opened his mouth.
“Even if I gain the support of the elders in Do-won-hyang, I don’t think that means I’ll have the support of Jeokcheonmakji.”
“Of course, there is a second condition…”
Hyeok Gong-baek’s eyes clouded over as he continued.
“I’ll tell you that after you’ve fulfilled the condition of gaining the full support of the old men here.”
Looking at Bu Eun-seol with pity, Hyeok Gong-baek shook his head.
“After all, even the first condition may be impossible for you.”
Bu Eun-seol finally understood the situation.
“Then the successor from Ji-ok-hyeol-seong must have failed to fulfill the second condition and left.”
“Sharp. You are correct.”
After thinking deeply about something again, Bu Eun-seol slowly spoke.
“In that case, may I stay in this Do-won-hyang for a while?”
“Of course. They’ll like having a young man like you around. Young people don’t come here.”
Hyeok Gong-baek smiled bitterly, as if remembering something, and shook his head.
“Do you remember the small thatched hut built at the foot of the mountain, before you entered this forest?”
“I remember.”
“It’s empty and unused. If you’d like, you can stay there.”
“Thank you.”
Hyeok Gong-baek nodded, gave a calm smile, and turned away.
“Well then, do your best.”
***
From that day on, Bu Eun-seol lived in the old thatched hut at the foot of the mountain, a short distance from Do-won-hyang.
And Bu Eun-seol’s every move became the talk of the demonic masters staying in Do-won-hyang.
—Just what is that Nang-ya-gak brat going to do to win our favor?
Every demonic practitioner knew that Nang-ya-gak’s finances were tight.
—He decided to stay in Do-won-hyang? Hmph, just the kind of thing a penniless disciple would think of.
—Indeed. He’ll probably stay for a while, trying to suck up to us and wait on us hand and foot!
But most of the demonic masters were skeptical of Bu Eun-seol’s attitude.
The successors of the Ten Demonic Sects usually never gave this place a second thought. But when the succession battle began, they always came seeking support.
The demonic masters of Do-won-hyang did not like that one bit.
—That Ji-ok-hyeol-seong bastard at least spent his money freely. This one seems to think he can pay with his body… Don’t even give him the time of day!
—Right. Let’s not even flinch, no matter how he tries to flatter us.
The eighty or so old men staying in Do-won-hyang were all of one mind.
How dare he come here penniless and seek the support of the great masters who once rebuked the Murim?
They resolved not to give Bu Eun-seol any attention, no matter what he did.
But their predictions were completely wrong.
One day passed, then two… but Bu Eun-seol remained in his hut. He didn’t even come near Do-won-hyang, where the demonic masters stayed.
—What in the world is that kid doing?
After three days had passed without so much as a shadow of him, let alone any flattery, the demonic masters grew curious.
Finally, one of the masters who couldn’t stand the curiosity any longer, Hyeol-su-gwi-ma, Bang Gak, went to Bu Eun-seol’s hut.
“Ahem.”
He cleared his throat loudly and loitered around the hut, but there was no response.
*Scrape. Scraaaape.*
Instead, the continuous sound of wood being scraped echoed from inside, as if someone was making something.
‘What on earth is he doing?’
Unable to contain his curiosity, Hyeol-su-gwi-ma stealthily entered the hut.
“Huh?”
Upon entering the hut, his eyes widened.
Piles of wood were stacked in the front yard, and in front of them, Bu Eun-seol was trimming a plank with a saw.
All sorts of tools, like hammers and axes, were scattered in front of the hut, likely borrowed from the warriors of Jeokcheonmakji.
“What are you doing here?”
Even at Hyeol-su-gwi-ma’s question, Bu Eun-seol didn’t spare him a glance, continuing to silently saw the plank.
“Are you deaf?”
*Clack.*
At that, Bu Eun-seol put down the hammer he was holding and looked at Hyeol-su-gwi-ma.
‘What kind of eyes are those…?’
He had merely put down his hammer and met his gaze, but a chill ran down Hyeol-su-gwi-ma’s spine.
‘Does this young whelp’s internal energy surpass my own?’
He shook his head.
No matter how talented the successor of one of the Ten Demonic Sects was, there was a limit to the internal energy one could attain at such a young age.
Thinking he must have been mistaken, he cleared his throat and spoke again.
“I asked what you are doing.”
“I’m making something.”
“What?”
Bu Eun-seol pointed to a pile of wooden planks on one side.
Hyeol-su-gwi-ma frowned and looked closely at the planks Bu Eun-seol was pointing to.
“Th-That is?”
Hyeol-su-gwi-ma’s eyes widened as if they would tear as he stared intently at the plank for a long time.
It was a plank about one and a half *ja* (approx. 40 cm) wide and six *ja* (approx. 180 cm) long.
And on one side, holes were carved in the shape of the Big Dipper.
A flat plank with seven holes drilled into it…
Wasn’t there only one such object in this world?
“Don’t tell me… you’re making a Seven Star Plank?”
The Seven Star Plank.
A thin board placed at the bottom of a coffin to hold the body in place.
It was the very same Seven Star Plank mentioned in the saying, ‘to lay one’s body on the Seven Star Plank,’ which meant one’s time of death was near.
“That’s right.”
When the unbelievable answer came back, Hyeol-su-gwi-ma’s eyes bulged.
“Why are you making a Seven Star Plank here?”
But this time, no answer came.
“Answer me at once!”
“You’re being loud.”
“What?”
“I’m working, so please leave.”
“What did you say?”
Hyeol-su-gwi-ma, about to shout in disbelief, quickly shut his mouth.
Bu Eun-seol’s cold, still eyes as he carved the wood were… so solemn and serious that it inspired a sense of reverence.
“You… you madman.”
Feeling that further conversation was pointless, Hyeol-su-gwi-ma stormed off, fuming.
—He’s making a Seven Star Plank?
The rumor that Bu Eun-seol was making the plank that goes inside a coffin in his hut spread through Do-won-hyang in an instant.
—That can’t be right. Bang Gak, that crazy old coot, must be talking nonsense, right?
But then, something even more absurd happened.
Bu Eun-seol was discovered cutting down all the paulownia trees on the back mountain and making something like a rectangular box.
—That crazy bastard!
A long, rectangular box made of paulownia wood.
Even without seeing the finished product, it was obvious what it was, wasn’t it?
—He’s building coffins!
The eyes of the demonic masters in Do-won-hyang flipped when they learned the truth.
It turned out that crazy bastard from Nang-ya-gak was building coffins out of paulownia wood.
—Is he telling us it’s time to die, so we should just get in our coffins?
The rumor that Bu Eun-seol was making coffins spread throughout Jeokcheonmakji in an instant.
Some of the demonic masters were so angry that despite having reached the pinnacle of the demonic path, they couldn’t stop their killing intent from pouring out.
—Even for a successor of the Ten Demonic Sects, hasn’t he gone too far this time?
Eventually, several demonic masters took up their weapons and went to find Bu Eun-seol.
—Let’s kill that bastard before we die!
Just as the demonic masters’ ferocity was about to explode,
—We’ll go check it out first.
The Branch Master, Hyeok Gong-baek, and his close friend Gwang-sa, Pung Yeo-ryang, headed to Bu Eun-seol’s hut.
“I don’t know what to make of this.”
Hyeok Gong-baek shook his head as he walked down the mountain path toward the hut with Pung Yeo-ryang.
“Building coffins while staying at our branch? Surely not.”
“What do you mean, surely not?”
Pung Yeo-ryang said, grinding his teeth.
“If I hadn’t stopped that old geezer, Eum-goe-ma-gyeom, from running out with his scythe… something terrible would have happened for sure.”
“Hmm.”
Hyeok Gong-baek swallowed a groan.
The Bu Eun-seol he had met was a young man of clear mind and firm will.
He was definitely not the kind of madman who would build coffins within Do-won-hyang, where old men gathered.
*Creeak.*
As they opened the door to the hut, a curse flew from the mouth of Pung Yeo-ryang, who was standing next to Hyeok Gong-baek.
“That crazy bastard…”
It was true.
Just as the rumors said, the front yard of the hut was piled high with coffins made of paulownia wood.
“He doesn’t deserve to live! Where did this bastard go!”
Pung Yeo-ryang rolled up his sleeves and looked around, but Hyeok Gong-baek shook his head.
“Wait, calm down. This isn’t a problem we can solve like that.”
“What do you mean, not like that?”
“He is the legitimate successor of Nang-ya-gak. Not only that, he came to be officially recognized as a candidate for the succession by the Demonic Alliance Lord.”
“Urgh.”
“Let’s hear what he has to say first before we decide his fate.”
Though his words were calm, a purple mist was steadily rising from Hyeok Gong-baek’s eyes.
If Bu Eun-seol said anything foolish, he intended to cut off his head himself.
The Phantom Demon, Hyeok Gong-baek.
He was by no means a benevolent old man. He was, without a doubt, one of the world's Great Demonic Masters who ruled Jeokcheonmakji, one of the Ten Demonic Sects.
*Creeak.*
Just then, the hut’s door opened, and Bu Eun-seol, carrying a load of paulownia wood like a woodcutter, entered through the wicker gate.
“What brings you here?”
At Bu Eun-seol’s calm question, flames erupted in Pung Yeo-ryang’s eyes.
“What brings us here?”
Pung Yeo-ryang roared and approached Bu Eun-seol, who was setting down the wood.
“You bastard! What are you doing right now?”
Then he spoke in a voice dripping with killing intent.
“I’m asking why you’re building coffins here!”