Chapter 381
Chapter 381
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 381
Chapter Title: Seeds of Jealousy
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‘For her to make such an expression!’
From afar, Shim Wol watched, his eyes gleaming with jealousy.
In front of him, Jin Seol had always been indifferent, saying only what was necessary, and very briefly at that.
Even during their engagement ceremony, her expression hadn't changed.
Yet just from meeting his gaze, she was visibly shaken, unable to control her emotions?
‘It's only until I obtain the Heavenly Demon's martial arts!’
Shim Wol gritted his teeth.
He was, in fact, a disciple of Jeok Bung. He had entered the Manbakdang with a clear plan: to become the next successor of the Demonic Sanctum.
The Manbakdang was the department that had the most contact with the leadership and managed the various events within the Demonic Sanctum.
If he handled various tasks there and made a good impression on the leadership, he would gain a significant advantage in the future succession battle.
—The Ten Demonic Disciples project will now begin.
But that was where things went awry.
The Heavenly Demon had suddenly initiated the Ten Demonic Disciples project.
And weren't the individuals chosen from it made to compete with the Great Righteous Masters, and then again with the rivals from the Ten Demonic Sects?
—The Heavenly Demon intends to choose a successor from among the Ten Demonic Sects and the Ten Demonic Disciples.
The Elder of the Sanctum, Jeok Bung, finally came to a conclusion.
—I originally planned to recommend you as a successor candidate… and make you the master of the Demonic Sanctum, but that has become impossible.
The Heavenly Demon and the Elder of the Sanctum each had the authority to designate a successor candidate.
Jeok Bung had intended to pit Shim Wol against the rivals from the Ten Demonic Sects, but he changed his plans.
Bu Eun-seol.
The outcome of a clash between Shim Wol and that unfathomably peerless genius was all too obvious.
—From now on, you will practice winning Jin Sang-hwa's heart.
Jeok Bung shared a great secret with him.
He relayed the astonishing information that marrying Jin Seol would allow him to inherit the Heavenly Demon's unique martial arts.
—Are you telling me to become the greatest in the demonic path by stealing a mere woman's heart?
When Shim Wol refused, Jeok Bung spoke coldly.
—We don't know what will happen now, but that disciple from Nangya Pavilion will surely become the successor. His talents are not limited to martial arts.
Jeok Bung had seen at a glance that Bu Eun-seol was an exceptional individual.
Not only was he a martial talent with an average physique but innate senses.
He also possessed a brilliant mind, and wisdom and insight that rivaled his own, a man over a hundred years old.
And in the end, just as he had predicted, Bu Eun-seol rose to the position of successor.
Moreover, wasn't he gradually building a stable position as successor, even without the support of the Ten Demonic Sects?
—These contain everything about Jin Sang-hwa's personality and tendencies.
Jeok Bung eventually handed Shim Wol a box filled with scrolls.
Inside was every piece of information related to Jin Seol: her favorite things, her food preferences, her preferred tone of voice and actions...
‘Am I to sell my body like a courtesan?’
Shim Wol clenched his jaw.
Wasn't what Jeok Bung was asking him to do the work of a male prostitute?
‘No, I must do it.’
But the thought of Bu Eun-seol chilled his heart.
No matter how hard he tried, he could not match his martial arts or strategy.
In the end, this was the only way to obtain the Heavenly Demon's martial arts and ascend to the position of the greatest in the demonic path.
—I... understand.
Ultimately, Shim Wol took the scrolls.
From then on, Shim Wol memorized the information in the box hundreds, thousands of times.
After grueling practice, he crafted a manner of speech, demeanor, and atmosphere that Jin Seol would find appealing.
And though he had finally won her heart and even gotten engaged…
Now that greedy successor was making advances on a woman who was to be another man's wife.
“Bu Eun-seol.”
A dark resentment flowed from Shim Wol's eyes. He clenched his jaw.
“If you're going to act like this, then I have no choice but to be petty.”
In reality, Bu Eun-seol had merely greeted Jin Seol.
But to Shim Wol, blinded by jealousy, he appeared as a lecher stealing another man's lover.
“From now on, I will use every means possible to go after you!”
Consumed by jealousy, Shim Wol's eyes burned like an active volcano.
***
The Blood Demon, Jeok Bung.
The great demon who once destroyed everything that displeased him had grown old before he knew it.
He no longer involved himself in the affairs of the martial world, instead taking up the position of the highest elder in the Demonic Sanctum, a collective of demonic martial power.
And from there, he wielded immense power.
Power.
It is more addictive than opium, making people crave it all the more.
Jeok Bung had enjoyed a powerful position in the Demonic Sanctum by exploiting the subtle discord between the influential Ten Demonic Sects and the supreme master, the Heavenly Demon.
But things were different now.
The successor of the Demonic Sanctum, Bu Eun-seol.
With his appearance, the once-impregnable fortress of power began to shake.
Originally, Jeok Bung maintained close ties with the leaders of the Ten Demonic Sects, acting as a mediator between them and the Heavenly Demon.
But with Bu Eun-seol's arrival, the Heavenly Demon, as if his work was done, handed over the duties of the Demonic Sanctum to the Commander-General and went into seclusion.
And wasn't Bu Eun-seol refusing to yield to the pressure of the Ten Demonic Sects, instead engaging them in a power struggle and subduing them one by one?
With this, Jeok Bung's role had vanished.
He intuitively knew that if Bu Eun-seol became the master of the Demonic Sanctum, he would be relegated to the status of a back-room old man.
“I chose the wrong disciple.”
As Jeok Bung sat at a table sipping tea, a bloody glint appeared in his eyes.
He already had three disciples, all of whom had risen to their desired positions and supported his power.
And finally, he had taken in his youngest disciple, Shim Wol, to be the pinnacle of his achievements.
But contrary to his expectations, Shim Wol had failed to accomplish anything of note, all because of the wall named Bu Eun-seol.
“In the end, he must obtain the Heavenly Demon's martial arts.”
In the past, Jeok Bung had been confident that he would never lose to anyone, and at one point, he had even considered himself the greatest under heaven.
But meeting the Heavenly Demon had shattered that pride.
He was a being like primordial chaos, unaffected by the 'phenomena' Jeok Bung could create.
In other words, he realized that as long as the Heavenly Demon existed, he would be nothing more than second best.
“I've spoon-fed him this much, so he'd better do well from now on.”
But if Shim Wol marries Jin Seol, the story changes.
If he inherits the martial arts of the greatest in the demonic path, surpassing even himself?
Shim Wol's martial arts could become equal to or even surpass Bu Eun-seol's.
The position of successor could change at any time. Hadn't Bu Eun-seol himself declared that he would accept any challenge?
If Shim Wol's martial arts surpassed his, and if he built a faction for him to oppose the Spirit Lord of Martial Arts?
Shim Wol would be able to snatch the successor's position from Bu Eun-seol in an instant, and he himself would be able to grasp even greater power.
*Knock, knock.*
A knock on the door was followed by a low voice.
“Master, it is I.”
It was Shim Wol's voice.
An unscheduled visit from his disciple.
Shim Wol had always addressed Jeok Bung as ‘Elder.’
But having recently been initiated into the true divine martial arts, he was now confidently calling him Master.
‘He's grown up.’
“Enter.”
Normally, he would never have permitted an unscheduled visit.
But he gladly allowed it now.
After all, he would soon become a treasure that would inherit the Heavenly Demon's legacy and bring him immense power.
“So.”
Jeok Bung lightly tapped the lid of his teacup as he asked.
“So, are the preparations going well?”
His voice sounded deceptively gentle.
But as his voice echoed through the room, Shim Wol felt his insides burn and his bones seem to shrink.
The Blood Demon, Jeok Bung.
This great demon, whose murderous intent and martial skill had reached the heavens, was infusing even a single word with immense power.
“About that.”
Seeing Shim Wol's troubled expression, Jeok Bung’s eyes narrowed.
“Is something the matter?”
*Clink.*
At the gesture of Jeok Bung tapping the teacup lid, Shim Wol swallowed dryly and spoke.
“Bu Eun-seol. It’s about him.”
“Bu Eun-seol?”
Jeok Bung’s expression soured at the mention of Bu Eun-seol’s name.
“What about him?”
“It seems he is targeting the woman who will become my wife.”
Jeok Bung narrowed his eyes.
“What do you mean by that?”
His voice grew softer, but the pressure intensified.
Shim Wol barely managed to compose his shrinking body and said.
“He met Jin Sang-hwa just a moment ago. But whatever he did, she was greatly shaken in that short time.”
Shim Wol clenched his fists tightly.
“It's possible they exchanged words through telepathy.”
“Hah.”
Jeok Bung sighed with an expression of disappointment.
“That is why I told you to push for the marriage quickly. Why have you been dawdling all this time?”
At Jeok Bung’s scolding, Shim Wol forced a smile and said.
“Winning her heart was not an easy task.”
“…”
“You know as well as I do how cold her personality is, Master.”
“Hmph.”
Jeok Bung snorted with displeasure.
“That fellow, the Spirit Lord of Martial Arts, does nothing, yet women line up, their hearts stolen…”
He did not finish the sentence, but Shim Wol understood its meaning.
—While my own disciple had to use all sorts of tricks to win a woman's affection, and it still took time.
That is what Jeok Bung was implying.
Shim Wol suppressed his feeling of humiliation and lowered his head.
“I followed your orders and did everything I could to steal her heart, did I not? But…”
“I know. Let's stop talking about it.”
Jeok Bung cut him off coldly.
Anger flared in the eyes of the bowing Shim Wol.
The two had once had a very good relationship.
Shim Wol was young, but he possessed the qualities to inherit everything from Jeok Bung.
But everything changed after Bu Eun-seol appeared.
—Lacking fellow.
The disciple who had always been a source of pride suddenly began to seem inadequate and lacking.
Moreover, no matter how much time passed, he showed no sign of surpassing Bu Eun-seol, who was merely one of the Ten Demonic Disciples.
In the end, after much deliberation, Jeok Bung had devised a plan for him to become the Heavenly Demon 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 Shim Wol was not without his own complaints against Jeok Bung.
Jeok Bung had raised Shim Wol to be strong, but he had never taught him his ultimate secret techniques.
The reason given was that Shim Wol's internal energy was not yet sufficient to wield them.
But from his perspective, it seemed as if Jeok Bung was acting like a miser, hoarding his true secret arts.
‘If you had taught me the divine martial arts sooner, none of this would have happened, would it?’
Shim Wol forcefully swallowed the rising anger.
After all, he had recently been taught Jeok Bung's unique martial arts, on the grounds that his internal energy had increased while dealing with the matter of Jin Seol.
But it was an ultimate martial art that required at least ten years of arduous training to master. As such, Shim Wol held great resentment for having been taught it so late.
“Master. This is not a matter to be taken lightly.”
Shim Wol suppressed his burgeoning discontent and bowed his head once more.
“Bu Eun-seol, if he were to learn her secret, might he not try to sabotage this affair?”
“Sabotage?”
“The Heavenly Demon's martial arts. If he were to learn of this fact…”
“Hah.”
Jeok Bung looked down at Shim Wol with a pitying expression.
“You still don't know him.”
“Pardon?”
“If he were the type of person to obtain martial arts by taking a woman, he would have long ago accepted my offer to come under my wing.”
Jeok Bung looked down at Shim Wol with eyes as cold and still as an ancient glacier.
“That man is a true martial artist who seeks only the ultimate path of martial arts, looking nowhere else. Even if he knew the truth about the secret manual, he wouldn't bat an eye.”
Jeok Bung was a man stingy with praise.
Even when he saw Do Cheon-rin, said to have the greatest potential among the successors of the Ten Demonic Sects, had he not merely said, 'He's pretty good'?
Yet whenever Bu Eun-seol's name came up, he offered nothing but the highest praise.
Right in front of his disciple, who stood in opposition to him.
“Even if Bu Eun-seol knows Jin Seol's secret?”
“It's not a matter of 'if' he knows. He already knows.”
Jeok Bung snorted.
“He has already met the Commander-General. And he would have heard the entire story about Jin Sang-hwa.”
“You know him well. Better than your own disciple.”
As Shim Wol clenched his fist, Jeok Bung spoke coldly.
“Have I not always said? To face an enemy, you must first understand them.”
Shim Wol bit his lip.
He swallowed the various emotions welling up inside him and said.
“In any case, if he gets involved, everything will be ruined.”
“Do you even hear yourself?”
A red light blazed in Jeok Bung’s eyes.
“If you cannot overcome such a thing on your own, then even if you obtain the Heavenly Demon's martial arts... you will never become the master of the Demonic Sanctum.”
*Crack.*
A cracking sound came from Shim Wol’s spine.
The immense pressure pouring from Jeok Bung’s voice had caused the bones throughout his body to shrink.
“I... understand.”
Shim Wol lowered his head, biting the inside of his lip until it bled.
Humiliation.
Every single word from Jeok Bung was an unbearable insult to him.
It was not that he was wrong... but from his perspective, the words sounded utterly humiliating.
“I will take care of everything myself. Everything.”
*Creak.*
Shim Wol, who had been bent over, straightened his body in an instant and clasped his hands. Then he turned and respectfully exited.
Jeok Bung gazed after him and shook his head.
“He's wrong.”
Shim Wol’s strength had been his profound wisdom and strategic mind, more so than his martial talent.
But being thwarted by Bu Eun-seol had caused him to lose that brilliant mind and composure.
In the end, he was abandoning his own strengths and trying to emulate Bu Eun-seol.
“And yet... his internal energy has more than doubled.”
Normally, the man would have been prostrate, unable to even resist his pressure.
But now, he had endured without bending a knee and turned to leave?
“Judging by his eyes, it wasn't generated from his body but received from an external source.”
Jeok Bung clearly surmised that the increase in Shim Wol's internal energy was due to an elixir he had consumed from an external source.
After all, Shim Wol was a disciple he had personally raised.
“It's fortunate that he has shown such rapid progress, but…”
Jeok Bung furrowed his brow.
If he did not reach the Extreme Heaven Realm quickly, then even if he mastered the Heavenly Demon's martial arts, it would be useless.
The reason he hadn't taught Shim Wol his divine secret arts until now was that they were martial arts that could only be performed after reaching at least the Extreme Heaven Realm.
Yet Shim Wol had broken through the wall of the Transcendent Realm with power gained from an external source.
That was why he had belatedly passed on his divine secret arts... but even that was not perfect.
“He wouldn't have secretly consumed an elixir like the Extreme Spirit Fruit.”
As he stroked his chin, a light like an active volcano flared in Jeok Bung’s eyes.
A thought had struck him.
“...No matter how I think about it, I've raised one disciple wrong.”
Jeok Bung clicked his tongue, calmed his anger, and sat down again.
He slowly brought the now-cold tea to his lips.
A fragrant tea aroma certainly filled his mouth, but he did not know why the aftertaste was so bitter.
***
Bu Eun-seol, for a change, went out of the Demonic Sanctum with the commanders of the Hall of the Four Shadows and headed for a banquet room at the Yeonghwa Inn.
It was for the farewell party of the Commander of the Ninth Kill Unit, So Ja-myeong, and a chance for all the commanders to gather and dine together.
After the meal, Bu Eun-seol and the commanders left the Yeonghwa Inn, their faces full of lingering regret.
“My lord. A very good tavern recently opened in the area.”
Won Se-mun said with a wistful look.
“How about another drink there?”
“You must be talking about the House of Complete Joy.”
At Jo Nam-cheon’s words, Won Se-mun nodded his head.
“Yes. How about it? There’s no better place for a drink than the House of Complete Joy.”
The front of the House of Complete Joy was adorned with a beautiful flower garden and a small pond.
Pavilions were built around it, allowing one to drink while gazing at the moonlit scenery from a window.
“Sounds good.”
When Bu Eun-seol nodded, Won Se-mun led the way like a waiter and said.
“Alright then, please follow me.”
Upon arriving at the House of Complete Joy, a servant guided Bu Eun-seol’s party to the third floor.
It was not only the most scenic spot but also had a seating charge, making it a place that even the reasonably wealthy could not easily ascend.
But as Bu Eun-seol and his party climbed to the third floor, they saw a man who stood out like a crane among chickens and a beautiful woman sitting opposite each other at a window seat in the front.
It was Shim Wol and Jin Seol.