Chapter 1275
The Empress Dowager was confined to the Cold Palace.
From now on, all contact with the outside world would be thoroughly severed.
Her political influence had completely vanished, and even her food and daily necessities would be meticulously inspected before being delivered.
Even those provisions would be strictly limited, ensuring she would suffer prolonged hardship.
'This is only the beginning.'
Bu Eun-seol's gaze deepened as he slowly walked out.
The Empress Dowager's true stronghold was the True Demon Palace.
If she had truly intended to kill the Emperor?
No matter how much the imperial palace was protected by the Heavenly Emperor Command, she could have easily seized control or assassinated the Emperor without a trace.
Yet she had refused the True Demon Palace's aid, choosing instead to confront the Emperor for so long, desiring to seize imperial authority through her own power.
In other words, the Empress Dowager must have had her own reasons for wanting to take control of the imperial palace by herself.
'As long as the True Demon Palace doesn't intervene, there should be no further issues.'
The Empress Dowager had been deposed, and all her loyalists had been executed.
The fact that the True Demon Palace had not reacted immediately meant they were unlikely to make a move in the future.
For now, the imperial palace would remain safe.
The twilight light seeped between the vermilion pillars of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The Emperor, clad in golden dragon robes, leaned slightly against the throne, his gaze descending.
At the end of that gaze knelt a man as unyielding as solid rock—Bu Eun-seol.
"You deceived even Us."
A faint smile touched the Emperor's lips as he looked down at him.
"Flawlessly."
Bu Eun-seol lowered his head.
"It was an unavoidable decision to mislead the Empress Dowager's eyes and ears."
To deceive the enemy, one must first deceive their allies.
He had meticulously concealed the plan from everyone except Han Sang-ja and Gongson Dan-gyeong, perfectly feigning the role of a crippled person.
Because of this, not only the Empress Dowager but even the Emperor himself had been thoroughly fooled.
Only when the Nine Nether Demon Army began to descend upon the imperial palace did Bu Eun-seol secretly seek out the Emperor.
There, he revealed that everything up to that point had been part of a scheme to capture the Empress Dowager and received an imperial edict bearing the Emperor's command.
"Deceiving Us is a grave crime..."
The Emperor's voice was gentle, yet it carried an undeniable authority.
"But without Commander Bu, this matter could never have been resolved."
After a brief pause, the Emperor made an unprecedented proposal.
"Thus, We intend to appoint you as the Great General of Heaven and Earth. Will you wield the military authority of the realm and become Our blade?"
His expression was solemn as he spoke to Bu Eun-seol.
"A military title personally bestowed by Us, reserved only for those who wield the sword in place of Heaven and Earth."
"......"
"A position separate from the ranks of civil and military officials—one that entrusts the military power of the realm. To become Our one and only blade."
"This humble subject is undeserving."
Bu Eun-seol replied calmly.
"Such a position is far beyond my station."
"If such a title weighs too heavily upon you, We shall instead grant you the position of Supreme Commander of Divine Martial Forces to lead the armies."
Even when offered the highest rank a military officer could attain, not a flicker of emotion crossed Bu Eun-seol's face.
"Your Majesty."
He bowed deeply and answered composedly.
"This humble subject is content merely to remain as the Commander of the Dragon Scale Guard."
At Bu Eun-seol's refusal, the Emperor's eyes narrowed slightly.
Was he truly free from the thirst for power, or was he aiming for something greater?
A fleeting silence passed before the Emperor suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
"Our judgment was not mistaken. Such loyalty, untainted by ambition for authority."
Leaning forward, the Emperor added in a hushed tone:
"Yet there is no need for refusal. Soon enough, you will become a member of the imperial family regardless."
"Though it is an immeasurable honor, this subject still has much to accomplish in the Martial World."
It was a firm rejection.
The Emperor studied Bu Eun-seol for a moment before finally nodding with a satisfied smile.
"Very well. We may have been too hasty. You may withdraw."
"I obey Your Majesty's command."
With a final bow, Bu Eun-seol exited the Qianqing Palace.
As the heavy doors closed behind him—
The benevolent smile on the Emperor's face vanished in an instant, as if evaporated.
In the space now filled with a chilling silence—
"Commander Na."
At the Emperor's low call, a shadow seeped out from the darkness behind a pillar.
It was Na Baek-hu, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Emperor's trusted confidant.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"What do you make of him?"
"He is certainly different from the Demonic Heavenly Emperor."
"Different how?"
The Emperor fiddled with a teacup, murmuring coldly. Na Baek-hu spoke again.
"He is far more dangerous."
"Dangerous? Him?"
"Indeed."
Awe tinged Na Baek-hu's voice.
"Not only his Soul-Demon Magic Energy, but even the Dragon Qi Your Majesty subtly emanated just now had no discernible effect on him."
Clink.
At those words, the Emperor set down the teacup he had been holding.
The Emperor was the Son of Heaven, and Dragon Qi was nothing less than the Mandate of Heaven bestowed from above.
No matter how exceptional a martial artist might be—
Before the Emperor, one should instinctively feel an oppressive weight that dampens their spirit.
Yet if Dragon Qi had no effect whatsoever, it not only meant imperial authority couldn't restrain him—
It meant he was a figure so dangerous that, if he so desired, he could strike at the Emperor's throat at any moment.
"But he is not one who covets power."
"Where there is a treasured blade, those who lust after its sharpness will inevitably gather."
Na Baek-hu's eyes narrowed.
"Even if he remains indifferent to power, those around him—or circumstances themselves—may not leave him be."
"Hmm."
"And what is even more fearsome is his intellect and stratagems."
Na Baek-hu spoke in a hushed voice.
"The Empress Dowager possessed not only unparalleled martial prowess but also a brilliance second to none. Yet when she attempted to strike at Deputy Leader Bu, she ultimately faced deposition."
The Emperor gave a slow nod.
The Empress Dowager had been a figure so formidable one might have believed she had no equal in this world.
Yet she had fallen to Bu Eun-seol's schemes, cast into an abyss from which she could never return.
"He is akin to an untamed beast. Keeping him close would be unwise."
The Emperor's gaze cooled. Lifting his teacup once more, he issued a command to Na Baek-hu.
"Keep a close watch on him."
The Emperor's eyes drifted to the darkened window as he spoke again.
"And if you deem him a threat..."
His voice lowered to a whisper, fading until it lingered only in Na Baek-hu's ears.
"Does he have another plan?"
Bu Eun-seol turned as he stepped out of Qianqing Palace.
"Or is he afraid of the True Demon Palace?"
From the Emperor's perspective, even if it meant moving mountains, this was the moment to eliminate the Empress Dowager.
He had assumed deposition was merely the first step in dealing with her.
Yet the Emperor had truly concluded everything with her removal alone.
"If he refrained out of fear for the True Demon Palace behind her, he should have consulted me."
Earlier, he and Heuk-pyo had eavesdropped on the Emperor's conversation with Na Baek-hu.
During that exchange, he had discerned that the Dragon-Phoenix Ring—given to him by the princess—was the Heavenly Emperor Command, capable of directing the Heavenly Emperor Secret Guard.
And yet, the Emperor—
Rather than revealing that Bu Eun-seol, as the bearer of the Dragon-Phoenix Ring, was the Heavenly Emperor Command's rightful master tasked with safeguarding the imperial household—
Had instead sought to bestow upon him the military title of Grand Marshal of Heaven and Earth, granting control over all imperial forces.
"He means to bind me."
Becoming a Grand Marshal wielding the empire's military authority might seem like a position from which he could scour the Imperial Palace at will.
In truth, it would become shackles, rendering him unable to act freely.
Moreover, the moment he assumed that role, he could no longer be considered a martial world figure.
"In the end, even if it means taking risks, there is something he must obtain from the Empress Dowager."
Bu Eun-seol's eyes narrowed to slits.
"I must uncover why the Empress Dowager sought to seize control of the Imperial Palace."
Drawing a slow breath, he murmured under his breath.
"Once this storm passes."
The Empress Dowager had just been deposed, and the purge of those implicated in her rebellion was underway.
The Emperor was on edge, and the palace's atmosphere was like thin ice.
He would wait for this frigid tension to subside before combing through the Imperial Palace once more.
Upon returning to the Demon Hall, Bu Eun-seol was met with a chilling hostility from all sides.
News of his role in thwarting the Empress Dowager's rebellion had spread, transforming the reverence in others' gazes into scorn.
The mere fact that the Heir of the Demon Hall had interfered in imperial affairs was enough to draw condemnation.
Now, rumors that he had even been offered an official position by the Emperor ensured those gazes would only grow colder.
Even if the Demonic Heavenly Emperor chose not to reprimand him, should the Demon Hall's senior figures rise in protest—
He would be stripped of his heirship without room for argument.
'Perhaps it's time to leave.'
He had never been attached to the position of heir to begin with.
If this matter were formally raised as an issue?
He had already resolved to relinquish the title of Martial Soul Lord without hesitation and depart the Demon Hall with his subordinates.
'I will return to the Martial Soul Society as its true leader, and the name "Martial Soul Lord" will gradually fade from the martial world.'
Truthfully, leaving the Demon Hall had long been his desire.
Back then, the Martial Soul Society had lacked the strength to fully protect those dear to him from external threats.
But now, the Martial Soul Society had risen swiftly to become one of the Three Great Forces of the Central Plains.
With rigorously trained forces and an impregnable defensive system in place—
It had become a fortress even the Demon Hall and the Abyssal Forces dared not challenge lightly.
'Now, there is no one left to fear.'
Having settled his mind, he felt an unexpected ease settle over him.
"—The sole surviving descendant of the previous Heavenly Demon, Deung-gwang, has returned to the Demon Hall!"
But then, something utterly unforeseen occurred.
A figure no one had ever expected had made his return to the Demon Hall.
Forty years ago, the previous Heavenly Demon, Deung Ryeol, had lost his entire family to a plague.
Amid that tragedy, only one young grandson had survived.
Yet even that grandson had vanished without a trace one day, and since then, not even his life or death had been confirmed.
—He had returned, he said, to become the fifth Lord of the Main Hall.
And so, Deung-gwang, who had disappeared without a trace, abruptly reappeared in the Demon Hall.
Rumble, rumble.
At the news of the previous Heavenly Demon's grandson entering the hall, the Demon Hall's elite members swarmed toward him in unison.
'A stone statue?'
Bu Eun-seol, who had stopped by the Four Mirrors Hall to handle some business before returning to the Hidden Demon Pavilion,
happened to catch sight of Deung-gwang and widened his eyes.
Deung-gwang—his features bore an uncanny resemblance to the unfinished stone statue he had once seen in the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's Secret Vault...
Just like himself, wasn't he the spitting image of that incomplete sculpture?
"Hmm."
Deung-gwang observed the crowd of Demon Hall officials gathering like storm clouds, then smirked crookedly and muttered under his breath.
"Truly, a pack of rabid dogs. To think they'd stampede like this just to catch a glimpse of my face."
Instantly, the faces of the assembled elites stiffened.
Deung-gwang's voice hadn't been loud,
but it wasn't so quiet that martial artists with sharp ears would fail to hear it.
Moreover, most of those gathered here were Hall Master-rank figures—
there was no way they would let such words slide.
"Looks like some stray lunatic who crawled out of nowhere has lost his mind upon entering the Main Hall."
Unable to hold back, the Shadow-Seizing Hall Master, Wi Mu-dok, snorted derisively.
"Surely you don't still believe the previous Heavenly Demon is alive, do you?"
His voice wasn't particularly loud,
so even if Deung-gwang, walking away in the distance, had caught it, he could have easily ignored it.
Thud.
But Deung-gwang immediately halted his steps, turned around, and strode directly toward Wi Mu-dok.
"What did you just say?"
"I don't recall saying anything."
Wi Mu-dok averted his gaze with a sneer.
"You seem young, so why the disrespectful tone? You're not even an officially appointed Lord yet."
"Why the disrespectful tone, you ask?"
Deung-gwang grinned playfully as he pulled out a horn-shaped command plaque from his robes.
"Know what this is?"
The horn-shaped command plaque was none other than
the Revered Spirit Command Token bestowed upon the grandson by the previous Heavenly Demon, Deung Ryeol.
Recognizing the plaque, Wi Mu-dok let out a hollow laugh.
"You must think this is the Righteous Faction."
In the Righteous Faction, hierarchy and seniority were paramount,
so a command plaque from the previous Heavenly Demon would hold greater authority than one issued by the current Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
But the Demonic Path was different.
The plaque of the previous Heavenly Demon, Deung Ryeol, could never surpass the authority of the current Heavenly Demon, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
Even if Deung Ryeol clawed his way out of the grave and returned to life, unless he possessed power rivaling the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's,
the plaque he left behind would hold no authority whatsoever.
"What do you plan to do with the previous Heavenly Demon's plaque? Beg the Demonic Heavenly Emperor for a Lord's seat with that thing?"
"Beg? Hahaha."
At Wi Mu-dok's mockery, Deung-gwang laughed brightly instead.
"Ah, right. Without my grandfather, the plaque holds no authority, does it?"
"At least you've realized that much now. Consider yourself fortunate."
"But there's one thing you don't know."
Deung-gwang's lips curled into a smile.
"It may lack authority, but it still carries a privilege."
"A privilege?"
Deung-gwang's eyes turned razor-sharp as he continued.
"The privilege to execute any guilty party within the Demon Hall on the spot."
Bang!
At the same instant, Wi Mu-dok's head went flying into the air.
Deung-gwang had drawn his blade like lightning and severed his neck in a single stroke.
Splurt!
Blood gushed like a fountain from Wi Mu-dok's headless body before his limbs were torn apart, his flesh reduced to scattered pieces.
He had unleashed the Annihilating Flash—the secret martial art of the former Hall Master, Deung Ryeol.
Thud, thud.
As the mutilated corpse collapsed to the ground, the surrounding figures froze, not even daring to breathe.
A mere upstart who had just set foot in the Demon Hall
had brutally slaughtered Wi Mu-dok, the South Road Hall Master—one of the most capable and powerful figures among the Hall Master-rank elites—
without even the slightest justification?
"Ah, the taste of blood after so long—delicious."
Deung-gwang grinned, baring his white teeth as he deliberately let the splattering blood stain him.
"Anyone else care to indulge me in my privilege?"
"What kind of madness is this?!"
Shing!
Just as the enraged Hall Masters reached for their weapons—
Whoosh.
Over thirty martial artists clad in black robes swiftly emerged from within.
They were the elite masters of the Holy Demon Pavilion, where the Demonic Heavenly Emperor resided.
"You've endured a long journey. Welcome back."
They bowed respectfully upon seeing Deung-gwang.
"Please follow us."
At those words, the gathered elders all gaped in disbelief.
The martial artists of the Holy Demon Pavilion, who served the Demonic Heavenly Emperor directly, held transcendent authority and supreme power.
Yet instead of reprimanding Deung-gwang for killing the Southern Camp Hall Master, they were treating him with utmost courtesy?
Did this mean the rumors were true—that he had been officially recognized as the fifth Lord of the Demon Hall?
"Very well."
Deung-gwang leisurely stepped forward.
Though surrounded by countless masters, not a single soul dared to stop him.
A flicker of movement—was it coincidence?
Just then, his gaze happened to meet Bu Eun-seol's from across the distance.
For a moment, he grinned as if spotting an old friend, flashing white teeth before winking with one eye.
—Was he provoking the Lord?
The Demon Hall's martial artists who witnessed this could barely contain their bewilderment, mouths hanging open.
To act so brazenly toward Bu Eun-seol—who stood as the Demon Hall's third-in-command, surpassing even the Elders' Hall Master Jeok Bung?
The warriors frowned, but Bu Eun-seol paid no mind, slowly turning away to head toward the Hidden Demon Pavilion.
"He'll soon lose his head before the Demonic Heavenly Emperor."
Someone muttered loudly just then.
"To kill a Hall Leader while exploiting the Revered Spirit Command Token's privilege, all while entering the Holy Demon Pavilion where His Majesty resides in seclusion..."
The elders all nodded in agreement.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor was not one to acknowledge privileges granted by a previous Hall Master.
Moreover, he valued capable individuals above all else—
Even if Deung-gwang was the former Hall Master's flesh and blood,
He would never forgive the arbitrary execution of someone as competent as Wi Mu-dok without just cause.
—Deung-gwang had indeed been formally recognized by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor as the fifth Lord of the Demon Hall.
But the announcement yielded an unexpected result.
—His position was that of the Venerable Spirit Lord,
And for him, a new elite force—the Extreme Demon Corps—was established, composed of over a thousand masters.
They had expected his head to roll for slaying Wi Mu-dok,
His corpse to be displayed at the Demon Hall's entrance as a warning.
Yet instead, he was officially instated as the Venerable Spirit Lord, becoming a full-fledged Lord of the Demon Hall?
—Investigations confirmed Wi Mu-dok's collusion with the Blood Cult, validating the Revered Spirit Command Token's authority.
The Demon Hall's elders were thrown into confusion.
—Just what in the world happened?
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor was someone who never acknowledged past authority.
Yet not only did he recognize Deung-gwang, but he even granted him the status of a Lord—this was utterly incomprehensible.
—Deung-gwang had long been the leader of the Holy Demon Pavilion's covert unit, the Extreme Demon Squad.
As if to quell the unrest, the Holy Demon Pavilion issued a series of astonishing revelations.
Deung-gwang, who had abruptly returned,
Had in fact been leading the assassination squad—the Extreme Demon Squad—suppressing the rise of forces from Beyond the Frontier at the front lines.
He had ceaselessly crushed factions eyeing the Central Plains.
In recognition of his merits, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor granted him a wish,
And Deung-gwang, instead of continuing to oversee the Extreme Demon Squad,
Requested an official position within the Demon Hall, declaring his ambition to assist the Demonic Heavenly Emperor in unifying the Demonic Martial World.
Considering his lineage as the former Hall Master's descendant and his possession of the Revered Spirit Command Token,
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor bestowed upon him the unprecedented title of Venerable Spirit Lord, commanding a new combat division within the Demon Hall.
—So that's how it was.
Only then did the Demon Hall's martial artists grasp the full picture.
—In the end, Hall Leader Wi had died a dog's death for failing to read the situation.
Had this been announced earlier,
Even someone as bold as Wi Mu-dok would never have dared provoke Deung-gwang.
—Shall we proceed with the Lords' Assembly now?
Deung-gwang, now the Venerable Spirit Lord, made a startling move.
Immediately after his appointment, he abruptly convened a Lords' Assembly, summoning all those of lower rank.
Even the Martial Soul Lord and the Secret Order Lord—despite their numerous great achievements—had never casually called such a meeting.
Yet Deung-gwang, freshly instated as a Lord, had done so without reason?
—This is absurd.
The Hall Leaders and Great Leaders gathered in the meeting hall were brimming with discontent.
Even with the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's approval, to the existing elders, he was little more than an outsider who had dropped from the sky.
And now he was boldly presiding over a meeting as a Lord of the Demon Hall?
They were practically biting their tongues to keep from spitting in disgust.
"With seven of the Demonic Path Ten Gates nearly Sealed, the Demon Hall's prestige is not what it once was."
Deung-gwang, arriving late, skipped even the most basic pleasantries and cut straight to the point.
"Why haven't the Demon Hall's elders done anything to resolve this?"
The elders were speechless.
That the Demonic Path Ten Gates had provoked the Martial Soul Lord only to be ruined—
This was common knowledge among any demonic faction member who understood the martial world's state.
But they had been the ones to challenge the Martial Soul Lord first,
And Bu Eun-seol, as the Demon Hall's supreme authority, had formed alliances with formidable factions, making retaliation impossible.
Yet here Deung-gwang was, needling them over it?
"I fail to see why no one answers."
As Deung-gwang's voice turned icy,
"What you're suggesting..."
Hall Leader Gwak No-un of the Barrier Demon Hall finally spoke up, unable to stay silent.
"...is that you intend to strike down the Martial Soul Lord."