Chapter 130
"The one who slays the most Great Righteous Experts shall become a successor candidate to inherit the mantle of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor!"
Most of the Ten Demonic Heirs gathered below the altar erupted in shock and disbelief.
Though they had mastered the Divine Arts and Supreme Techniques of the Demonic Path Ten Gates, the Ten Demonic Heirs had always been ostracized by the entrenched factions and successors of each sect.
Yet now, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's successor would be chosen from among them?
"As you all know," Deung Ryun continued in a low voice, "His Majesty the Demonic Heavenly Emperor has yet to designate an heir."
"That is precisely why he initiated the Ten Demonic Heirs Plan."
Another staggering revelation spilled from Deung Ryun's lips.
"His Majesty desires a successor who possesses the martial arts of the Ten Gates yet remains free from their influence."
The Demon Hall was a coalition formed by the Demonic Path Ten Gates as its core.
Traditionally, its ruler had always been selected from among the orthodox successors of those very sects.
But the current Demonic Heavenly Emperor was a man with no ties whatsoever to the Ten Gates.
Thus, even as the undisputed Number One of the Demonic Path, he could not entirely disregard their influence.
"Each of you has mastered the Divine Arts and Supreme Techniques of the Ten Gates, yet none of you are formal disciples of those sects. This means you remain unbound by—and unswayed by—the factions deeply rooted within them."
Deung Ryun's gaze flickered briefly toward Bu Eun-seol, who stood silent at the rear.
"Of course, exceptions to that constraint do exist."
'Exceptions...' A fleeting glint flashed through Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
Deung Ryun's words implied others besides himself had secured positions as successors within the Ten Gates.
'That would make sense.'
It also explained why the number of attending Ten Demonic Heirs had dwindled so noticeably.
"You stated earlier," Yeong Mun-ho stepped forward to ask, "that slaying the most Great Righteous Experts would make one a successor candidate to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor."
"Does this mean there are other candidates besides us?"
"Naturally."
Deung Ryun's explanation remained measured.
"The orthodox successors of the Ten Gates automatically qualify as successor candidates to lead the Demon Hall. One may also become a candidate through recommendation by the Elders' Hall. And—"
After a deliberate pause, he continued:
"—should His Majesty deem an individual worthy to lead the Demon Hall, they too may become a successor candidate."
In essence, even the top executioner of Righteous Experts would only earn candidate status—not guaranteed succession.
Yet fiery ambition ignited in the eyes of several young men present.
To be a successor candidate to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—
Such a position existed on an entirely different plane from their current standing.
"Any further questions?"
As Deung Ryun prepared to conclude, Bu Eun-seol's voice cut through the hall:
"If the method is unrestricted, does that mean the timeline is equally flexible?"
His question struck at the heart of the matter more precisely than any prior inquiry.
If time wasn't a constraint, there'd be no need to forcibly engage the Righteous Experts.
"Of course not."
Deung Ryun's chilling smile never reached his eyes as he regarded Bu Eun-seol.
"You have four months at most to survive without slaying a Great Righteous Expert."
After a deliberate breath, he added:
"Fail to battle one within that period, and the Crime of Disobedience will be applied. Our veteran Masters will personally cripple your martial arts."
"If we fight a Great Righteous Expert within four months," Bu Eun-seol pressed, "do we earn another four-month grace period?"
"Correct."
The ghost of a smile touched Deung Ryun's lips.
"But should you defeat one, such leniency will evaporate."
Every Ten Demonic Heir present, including Bu Eun-seol, nodded in understanding.
Once a Heir slew a Righteous Expert under their title, no further four-month reprieves would follow.
Ten Demonic Heir versus Great Righteous Expert—
Their inevitable clashes would spiral into an unstoppable tide of bloodshed.
"Any final questions?"
Silence lingered until Deung Ryun declared in solemn tones:
"His Majesty's decree takes effect immediately. You have four months. Within that time, each of you must eliminate at least one Great Righteous Expert."
His sweeping gaze across the assembly ended with a terse farewell:
"I bid you fortune in battle."
Then he turned and vanished into the darkness beyond the hall.
...
Even after Deung Ryun's departure, a deathly hush clung to the Grand Hall.
Though the martial world was famously unpredictable, this development surpassed all expectations.
"At least this time our enemies lie elsewhere."
Yu Un-ryong's arrogant voice shattered the silence.
"No need for the blood-soaked infighting of Hell Island, eh?"
Seok U-haeng's lips curled at the remark.
"How naive."
"What did you say?"
"Killing Righteous Experts is difficult. Eliminating competitors is simple."
"Explain yourself!" Yu Un-ryong's eyes blazed as Seok U-haeng languidly blinked.
"What if, starting today, I begin assassinating you all one by one? I'd become a successor candidate without lifting a finger."
Had anyone else uttered such words, the assembly might have dismissed it as dark humor.
But Seok U-haeng was the Ten Demonic Heir of the Extreme Killing Secret Pavilion.
A master of the Bizarre and Wicked Assassin Secret Arts—techniques perfected solely for slaughter.
"Assassinating a master above one's own level isn't entirely impossible."
"Seok U-haeng. Do you truly believe you can become the Heir of the Demon Hall after pulling such a stunt?"
"Such a stunt?"
"Do you think the Demonic Heavenly Emperor would ever condone such actions?"
Seok U-haeng, who had been staring at Yu Un-ryong's bloodshot eyes, curled his lips into a hollow smile.
"Yu Un-ryong. Now I see—you're not just foul-tempered, but also quite naive."
"What did you say?"
"The position of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, who gazes down upon the Demonic Martial World, is one that can only be reached by piling the corpses of not just enemies, but allies as well into mountains. Do you understand what I mean?"
—The Demonic Heavenly Emperor, too, climbed to that position by eliminating his competitors.
That was what Seok U-haeng was implying.
Yu Un-ryong, left speechless, bit his lip and fell silent. Yeong Mun-ho let out a sigh and spoke.
"Nothing surprising about it."
With a languid smile, he swept his gaze across the gathered warriors.
"After all, we've been bound by a karmic bond since Hell Island."
At those words, a trace of desolation flickered in the eyes of some of the Ten Demonic Heirs.
At first, it was to become one of the Ten Demonic Heirs...
And now, they must eye each other as rivals for the position of the Demon Hall's successor.
"It seems we were fated never to share the same sky."
With a deep sigh, Yeong Mun-ho turned and strode out of the Grand Hall.
One by one, the remaining Ten Demonic Heirs also began to leave.
Soon, only Yu Un-ryong and Bu Eun-seol remained in the vast hall.
"Bu Eun-seol."
"Planning to settle things here?"
Bu Eun-seol regarded Yu Un-ryong with an indifferent expression.
Ever since their encounter at the Demon Hall, the man had been glaring at him with undisguised killing intent.
"No... I won't."
Yu Un-ryong clenched his teeth.
"I originally intended to teach you a lesson... but I've realized I'm still lacking."
"..."
"I'll spend the next four months honing my skills. And then... I'll defeat both the Great Righteous Experts and you."
As Seok U-haeng had said, Yu Un-ryong was a simple man—hot-tempered, but straightforward in thought and action.
Bu Eun-seol couldn't help but smile faintly at that uncomplicated persistence.
"I'll look forward to it."
"Hmph."
With a cold snort, Yu Un-ryong, too, left the Grand Hall.
Though all the Ten Demonic Heirs had departed, Bu Eun-seol remained standing alone in the empty hall.
As if searching for something, his gaze lingered in the darkness where Deung Ryun had vanished.
After staring into the shadows for a long while, he suddenly spoke.
"I'll take my leave now."
Calmly, he clasped his hands and bowed toward the void.
Just as he turned to go—
"Heh heh heh..."
A hoarse chuckle echoed from the darkness as an inky silhouette slowly emerged, creeping toward Bu Eun-seol.
Ssshhhk—
The shadows pooled on the floor surged upward, coalescing into the form of a wizened old man.
"To have detected this old one's presence... Truly remarkable."
The man who had appeared as if by magic took a step closer to Bu Eun-seol.
Though barely five feet tall, his eyes crackled with ceaseless lightning, and his hunched back seemed to carry the weight of a raging storm.
'It's suffocating.'
This pressure—it was akin to what he had felt when facing the enraged Jeok Bung, Hall Master of the Elders' Hall... the aura of one who had reached the pinnacle of martial supremacy.
"Your name."
At the old man's question, Bu Eun-seol answered.
"Bu Eun-seol, Ten Demonic Heir of Langya Pavilion."
"Bu Eun-seol."
The old man's lips curled into a faint smile.
Yet his gaze remained razor-sharp, only intensifying the ferocious energy radiating from him.
"How did you detect this old one's presence?"
"I didn't."
Bu Eun-seol chose his words carefully.
"I merely deduced that the Lord of the Soul Annihilation Corps didn't plan this."
"This?"
"The fact that he summoned all Ten Demonic Heirs to the Demon Hall."
The old man nodded, seemingly intrigued.
"Go on."
"The Lord claimed he gathered us to assign targets among the Great Righteous Experts and discuss the succession... but I suspected another motive."
"Another motive, you say..."
"Yes."
Bu Eun-seol took a deep breath under the old man's piercing stare.
"If someone had ordered the Ten Demonic Heirs to face the Great Righteous Experts... they would surely have wanted to see us with their own eyes."
"So... you guessed this old one would be present?"
"That's correct."
The old man studied him intently.
His gaze was unfathomably deep and sharp—so much so that Bu Eun-seol nearly summoned his internal energy on instinct.
"Heh heh heh heh!"
Suddenly, the old man burst into booming laughter and nodded approvingly.
"Langya Pavilion has truly acquired an outstanding heir."
"My thanks."
"Yet you lied to this old one."
The mirth vanished from the old man's face as if a celestial being had morphed into a demon.
"That deduction alone couldn't have revealed my presence."
An icy chill seemed to emanate from his voice.
"I ask again—how did you detect me?"
In the end, Bu Eun-seol answered truthfully.
"Because you deliberately made a slight sound."
"Why? What makes you say this old one made noise?"
"Most likely... you intentionally let it slip to test whether any among the Ten Demonic Heirs could perceive such a presence."
"You claim this old one was testing you?"
A flash of light flickered in the old man's eyes.
Yet Bu Eun-seol remained composed, bowing his head under that gaze.
"Otherwise, how could someone like me possibly detect the traces of the Dark King?"