Chapter 192
Being a candidate to succeed the Demon Hall meant embarking on a journey down a blood-soaked path, enduring endless battles with no certainty of when they might end.
Yet the moment one stepped into the Demon Hall, the status of a successor candidate commanded reverence surpassing all others.
For they held the qualification to potentially become the next ruler of the very institution that dominated the Demonic Martial World.
In other words, they received ceremonial honors so lavish that they would never diminish the dignity of being the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's heir.
"Please board."
Black-clad martial artists stood at attention before Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin.
Behind them stood an Eight Horse Carriage, its banners embroidered with the Twin Dragons Vying for the Pearl—the emblem of the Demon Hall.
As the two entered the Changsha Prefecture region where the Demon Hall was located, these envoys had come to escort them with utmost courtesy.
Click.
Once Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin boarded the carriage, the envoy respectfully closed the door.
Then, in a subdued voice, he announced:
"We depart."
Clatter clatter clatter—
Not only did mounted martial artists flank the galloping carriage as escorts, but there were also those who concealed their presence, secretly following the procession.
Hyeok So-jin, overwhelmed by the excessively solemn and reverent treatment, pressed his lips tightly together, as if his spirit had been cowed.
"We have arrived."
After passing straight through the Demon Hall's main gate, Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin disembarked.
Guided by the envoy, they proceeded all the way to the front of the Holy Demon Pavilion, where the Demonic Heavenly Emperor resided.
"You are both ordered to dine together."
"Understood."
As Bu Eun-seol nodded, the envoy bowed lightly and withdrew.
"..."
Bu Eun-seol's gaze deepened as he stared at the towering pavilion that seemed to pierce the heavens.
The Holy Demon Pavilion.
The dwelling place of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, who stood supreme above a million demonic martial artists.
Suddenly, a strange question arose in Bu Eun-seol's mind.
The word "Sacred" was typically used by the Righteous Faction or orthodox clans.
So why had this term—implying holiness—been affixed to the residence of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, the very symbol of the tyrannical rule that ruled all demons under heaven?
"Thanks to you, Brother Bu, I'm rising in status."
Hyeok So-jin gulped and wiped the sweat from his brow.
He was usually languid, devoid of even a speck of tension—except when fighting.
Yet even Hyeok So-jin couldn't conceal his nervousness standing before the Holy Demon Pavilion, where the Number One of the Demonic Path resided.
Groan—
At that moment, the massive doors of the Holy Demon Pavilion slowly opened.
Inside seemed filled with darkness, but in truth, the Seven-Colored Night Pearls cast a light as bright as midday.
As Bu Eun-seol and Hyeok So-jin stepped deeper into the pavilion, a vast great hall unfolded before them.
And at its far end, seated deeply upon the grand chair, was the giant who ruled the Demonic Martial World.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
When Bu Eun-seol had first encountered him, he had appeared as an indefinable existence, his form shifting through a Thousand Changes.
But now, it was different.
Here was the ruler of the Demonic Path, who had reached its pinnacle—a grandmaster of his era, exuding the majesty of one who had attained the profound and unfathomable extremes of Demonic Path Martial Arts.
'So that's how it was.'
Bu Eun-seol realized one thing.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor had deliberately stimulated his spirit by manifesting in various forms. That, too, had been part of the trial.
Thud—
Just then, Hyeok So-jin's body trembled violently, his fists clenching tight.
"Ugh..."
The whites of his eyes turned red, and thick veins bulged across his neck and forehead.
Unable to withstand the overwhelming energy radiating from the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, he was suffering internal injuries.
"Are you alright?"
"Of course."
Hyeok So-jin forced a smile.
But beads of sweat had formed on his cheeks, and his skin burned as if scorched by charcoal.
Having only just entered the Transcendent Realm, Hyeok So-jin couldn't endure the energy that filled the great hall.
"Step outside."
"Brother Bu..."
"It seems the Demonic Heavenly Emperor has changed his mind and wishes to speak with me alone."
Had the Emperor truly intended to exclude Hyeok So-jin from the start, he would have barred his entry into the Holy Demon Pavilion altogether.
It seemed the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, sensing the vast gap in Hyeok So-jin's martial prowess, had decided to send him away.
"...Understood."
In the end, Hyeok So-jin bowed deeply toward the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
Then, biting his lip, he turned and exited the Holy Demon Pavilion—departing without even laying eyes on the Emperor directly.
"This disciple, Bu Eun-seol, pays his respects to the Demonic Heavenly Emperor."
As Bu Eun-seol stood before the stone altar with hands clasped, the Emperor slowly rose from his seat.
"...!"
The moment their gazes met, Bu Eun-seol's eyes trembled violently.
The energy of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor—once ordinary yet ever-changing—had grown even more complex.
Outwardly, he bore the appearance of an ordinary old man, but the unknown existence lurking within had grown even more formidable.
"Hmm."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor seemed to sense that Bu Eun-seol's qi had changed from before, lightly nodding his head.
Swish.
As the Demonic Heavenly Emperor rose from the throne, he seemed to tower over Bu Eun-seol like a giant looking down.
"You handled things better than expected."
The moment he spoke, his voice resonated like a temple bell ringing from the heavens.
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor gazed at Bu Eun-seol, who still had his head bowed, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"They say you captured the demonkin of the Heaven-Severing, Earth-Ending Sanctuary in quite an ingenious manner."
"Thank you."
"But what's even more surprising is that the Fleeting Moment Boat, which had long refused to dirty its hands, voluntarily joined the battle."
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor described the Fleeting Moment Boat's direct participation in combat as soiling their hands.
It was almost as if he were reproaching them—after all, the Fleeting Moment Boat had long manipulated other sects and factions, fighting through proxies.
"Just what method did you use?"
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor fixed his gaze onto Bu Eun-seol's pupils.
In that instant, Bu Eun-seol felt as though a pair of eyes, crackling with lightning, were scrutinizing every inch of his body and spirit.
That gaze seemed to pierce through all external appearances, laying bare everything within.
"I merely gave them a choice."
"A choice."
It was an abrupt and brief answer.
Yet the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's eyes flashed as he stared at Bu Eun-seol before suddenly slapping his knee.
"Ah, I see. What they truly desired wasn't power—it was someone who could grant them the right to choose."
Though the Fleeting Moment Boat was a female-only sect, it had maintained its position among the Demonic Path Ten Gates through immense wealth, unique Mind Control Knowledge, and carefully cultivated connections across both the righteous and demonic factions.
But what they truly wanted was the power to make their own choices—the ability to decide their own fate.
Without power, one couldn't even choose.
Understanding this well, Bu Eun-seol had given them the strength to stand on their own.
And when he had staked his life to fight alone, they had chosen to protect him.
By their own will.
"You came with the successor of the Heaven-Severing, Earth-Ending Sanctuary."
This time, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's voice was low as he glanced toward Hyeok So-jin.
"Are you using him as a retainer?"
"The timing aligned, so we're traveling the martial world together."
"Traveling the martial world, hm?"
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor smiled faintly.
But the words that followed were sharp and ruthless.
"If you wish to become the successor who leads the Demon Hall, you'd do well to erase notions like comradeship or affection. Such things will soon become nothing more than cumbersome baggage, obstructing your path."
Bu Eun-seol could neither affirm nor deny it.
Originally, his values had aligned with the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's. But after everything he had experienced, he had unwittingly gained comrades—even close friends.
'But if I become the heir of the Demon Hall...'
He might still maintain ties with his retainer, Heuk-pyo, or even Hyeok So-jin, another heir of the Ten Gates. But what of Tang Gon or Namgung Un?
'Now is not the time for such thoughts.'
As if seeing through Bu Eun-seol's conflicted heart, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor spoke in a low voice.
"Well, such matters can be considered later."
Then, with a faint smile, he shifted the topic.
"At any rate, you've carried out your orders well. You deserve a reward."
Swish.
At that, the door on the left side of the Grand Hall opened, and a woman stepped forward cautiously, holding a wooden box in both hands.
Her skin was pale as snow, and her eyes were long and beautiful, like those of a phoenix.
It was Jin Seol—the same woman who had once taken the injured Bu Eun-seol to the Elders' Hall to meet Jeok Bung.
"It's been a while, Young Master."
She approached Bu Eun-seol without hesitation, offering a warm smile as she greeted him.
Her demeanor was so natural and at ease, as if she were the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's own granddaughter.
'So she wasn't just an attendant.'
No mere attendant would greet someone so casually in the presence of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
Only now did Bu Eun-seol realize how little he truly knew about the figures connected to the Demon Hall.
'Was she not from the Elders' Hall?'
She had personally escorted the injured Bu Eun-seol to Jeok Bung. But now, it seemed she was a direct subordinate of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
'Another matter to consider later.'
"It's good to see you."
Setting aside his tangled thoughts, Bu Eun-seol returned the greeting. Jin Seol smiled sweetly and opened the wooden box in her hands.
Then, atop the luxurious silk wrapping, a command plaque shimmering with five-colored radiance was placed.
"I bestow upon you the Qilin Token."
Bu Eun-seol instinctively recalled the 'Golden Ape Token' he had received in the past.
The Ten Thousand Demonic Secret Archive—a repository of scriptures and a treasure trove of martial manuals.
The lowest-grade Golden Ape Token had granted access to the first floor of the Ten Thousand Demonic Secret Archive, which housed seventy-eight thousand types of martial arts manuals.
The Qilin Token was undoubtedly of a higher grade.
'What a pity.'
Before entering the Holy Demon Pavilion, Bu Eun-seol had harbored a peculiar expectation.
Perhaps, he had thought, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor might personally impart martial arts to him.
But only upon receiving the token did he realize that expectation had been futile.
'Well, of course he wouldn't impart them.'
The Demonic Heavenly Emperor's martial arts were said to far surpass the Extreme Heaven Realm, reaching the very pinnacle of the Martial Extreme Realm.
Considering that no one in martial history had ever attained the Heavenly Will Realm, he stood at the absolute limit of human potential.
To pass down the insights and martial arts of his Heaven-Shattering Form—not to a successor, but merely to a successor candidate—would be utterly unthinkable. At least, the Demonic Path Ten Gates would never permit it.
"Thank you."
As Bu Eun-seol bowed his head and respectfully accepted the token from the silk wrapping, Jin Seol spoke in a voice both soft and crystalline.
"The Qilin Token grants access to the second floor of the Ten Thousand Demonic Secret Archive."
Her voice was so beautiful that its resonance lingered in Bu Eun-seol's ears for a long while.
"You have ten days."
At that moment, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's deep voice instantly erased that lingering echo.
"Choose one martial art there and master it."
Bu Eun-seol couldn't conceal his bewilderment.
The first floor of the Ten Thousand Demonic Secret Archive, which he had entered with the Golden Ape Token, had contained over seventy-five thousand demonic martial manuals.
Of course, the number of Superior Martial Arts would be far fewer—but to master just one martial art in ten days?
"And then, return to me."
The moment he heard the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's command, a single thought flashed through Bu Eun-seol's mind.
'This, too, is a test...'
Bu Eun-seol was certain.
This, too, was a test by the Demonic Heavenly Emperor to screen the successor candidates.
If the martial art he learned in the Ten Thousand Demonic Secret Archive failed to meet expectations... it would mean the immediate revocation of his status as a successor candidate.
"I understand."
As Bu Eun-seol bowed his head, the Demonic Heavenly Emperor slowly turned away.
"Good luck."
Jin Seol smiled faintly and cautiously followed behind the Demonic Heavenly Emperor.
At that moment, the light of the Seven-Colored Luminous Pearls, which had brightly illuminated the grand hall, vanished.
And like shadows swallowed by darkness, the figures of the Demonic Heavenly Emperor and Jin Seol disappeared.
"Huff... Huff..."
Hyeok So-jin, now outside the Holy Demon Pavilion, was gasping for breath.
"Damn it."
After taking a long moment to steady his breathing, he bit his lip and shook his head.
'I thought I'd improved my skills exponentially while traveling the martial world with Brother Bu...'
But the reality was that he was nothing more than a half-baked disciple, unworthy even to stand before the Demonic Heavenly Emperor, the Number One of the Demonic Path.
And that truth tormented him relentlessly.
'I still have so far to go.'
Hyeok So-jin had completely abandoned martial training after the age of ten.
If he had continued training diligently all this time... even if he hadn't reached Bu Eun-seol's level, he would at least have attained a realm befitting a successor of the Demonic Path Ten Gates.
"You—the one who followed the inheritor of Langya Pavilion."
Just then, a low voice reached him.
Turning around, he saw an old man—towering at well over seven feet—looking down at him.
A long scar ran down his cheek, and his fierce, piercing eyes made his face utterly intimidating.
His extraordinary appearance and the aura radiating from his entire body made it clear he was no ordinary figure.
"Who are you?"
At Hyeok So-jin's question, the old man replied indifferently.
"Sang Hak, the keeper of the Eight Demons' Institute."
The Eight Demons' Institute was the weapon warehouse where the Demon Hall stored its collection of divine weapons and sharp blades.
And Sang Hak, the keeper of the Eight Demons' Institute, was once a Great Demon who dominated the martial world—a master of weaponry known as the Hundred-Weapon Demon Fiend.
"No, I didn't just follow him here—"
Hyeok So-jin waved his hands dismissively before suddenly realizing something and slumping his shoulders.
He had abandoned not just martial activities but even martial training itself, wasting his days in the Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying Sanctuary on gambling and drink.
Though Bu Eun-seol's help had allowed him to rapidly improve his skills, he still lacked the strength to truly claim the status of a successor of the Demonic Path Ten Gates.
"...I begged and pleaded to tag along."
Sang Hak stared at Hyeok So-jin's nonsense with a furrowed brow before speaking in a low voice.
"By the Demonic Heavenly Emperor's order, follow me."