Episode 104: Return to the Demonic Sect
At the very moment Sa Bi-gang extinguished the flames with a gust of wind, a covert operation was unfolding outside.
A figure, cloaked in secrecy, watched the inn across the street with intense focus. This was Gal Cheon-seong, the leader of the Black Heaven Society.
With a slight narrowing of his eyes, he sent a telepathic message.
[Stand by.]
The thirty martial experts who received his message sharpened their senses, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
Gal Cheon-seong ground his teeth in fury.
“That bastard dared to harm my brother…!”
His brother had been instrumental in helping him rise to the position of leader, always anticipating his needs without a word.
And now, some unknown scoundrel had appeared out of nowhere…
“Damn it!”
Gal Cheon-seong clenched his fists, trembling with rage.
He vowed revenge.
He would reclaim the ten million nyang and snuff out the life of the one who dared cross him. He would dismember the body and feed it to wild dogs.
As for the sister, he planned to have his men violate her, then sell her as a high-priced commodity, condemning her to a life worse than death as a sex slave.
“Whoever you are, you’ve made the biggest mistake of your life today!”
Gal Cheon-seong took a deep breath, calming his mind.
He moved silently through the darkness, gliding across the rooftops like a shadow, and hung upside down from the edge like a bat.
The room’s lights had been out for some time.
“Hmm?”
Peering inside, he saw Ga Yeon-ok nestled in Ga Deuk-sam’s arms, her top draped over her shoulders.
“Are they… siblings? Or was that a lie from the start?”
His mind raced with confusion.
But what did it matter?
The important thing was that they had killed his brother and taken ten million nyang, even if it was a legitimate win from gambling. He refused to accept it.
Soon, Ga Deuk-sam and Ga Yeon-ok lay down together, bickering playfully. Ga Yeon-ok turned her back, feigning annoyance, while Ga Deuk-sam teased her.
Of course, this was all an act by Sa Bi-gang and Mae Seol-ran, but Gal Cheon-seong had no way of knowing that.
“Enjoy your sweet dreams now. Soon, you’ll realize it’s the entrance to hell!”
Gal Cheon-seong reached for the doorknob.
It was better to strike while they were distracted than when they were asleep.
He signaled, and ten martial experts moved to the inn’s roof where Sa Bi-gang was staying. The remaining twenty stayed on the opposite building, ready for anything.
Finally, Gal Cheon-seong opened the window and slipped inside.
Just as the ten experts were about to follow him in—
Boom!
An unexpected explosion sent Gal Cheon-seong flying.
The ten experts, caught in the blast, were also thrown back, crashing into the street below.
Crash! Bang!
“Ugh!”
Gal Cheon-seong landed in the middle of the street, his skin scorched and his mask torn to shreds.
Lights flickered on in the surrounding buildings as people awoke to the commotion.
“Damn it! What the hell…!”
Gal Cheon-seong gritted his teeth, bewildered by what had just happened.
He had been about to pounce on Ga Deuk-sam when the man suddenly thrust his hand toward him, triggering a massive explosion.
The room where Ga Deuk-sam had been staying was now missing an entire wall.
In truth, it was a magical explosion caused by a Burn Flare spell, but Gal Cheon-seong had no way of knowing that.
Panic set in. The noise would soon draw a crowd, and he needed to deal with Ga Deuk-sam before that happened.
This was a village near the Ho-tu Hall, frequented by martial artists. It wouldn’t do for their identities to be exposed.
He was about to leap up when—
“Who dares attack in the dead of night? I, Ga Deuk-sam of the Sea Heaven Sect, will not forgive this!”
Sa Bi-gang’s voice boomed as he approached the shattered wall.
Gal Cheon-seong quickly tore a piece of his sleeve to cover his face, replacing his mask.
Sa Bi-gang’s eyes locked onto his.
“Who are you? Reveal yourself!”
“Silence! Attack!”
At Gal Cheon-seong’s command, he and the ten experts lunged at Sa Bi-gang.
Among them was Gal Cheon-seong’s left-hand man, the formidable Black Death Ghost.
As the eleven experts soared through the air—
“Gravity.”
Sa Bi-gang murmured the incantation.
In an instant—
Rumble!
“What the…!”
“Ugh!”
Gal Cheon-seong and his men were stunned.
Their bodies suddenly felt as heavy as lead, and they plummeted to the ground like hailstones.
Thud! Thud!
Pinned by an invisible force, the eleven experts gritted their teeth, unable to rise from their knees.
“What is this…!”
Gal Cheon-seong’s face twisted in confusion.
But Sa Bi-gang couldn’t maintain the Gravity spell for long. As he released it, he leaped toward Gal Cheon-seong, who stood at the center of the group.
By then, people had begun to gather, curious about the commotion.
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t know. I heard an explosion and came out to see…”
“Who are they? Did someone say it was an attack?”
Aware of the onlookers, Sa Bi-gang raised his voice.
“Attacking us siblings in the dead of night! Who are you?”
But Gal Cheon-seong, now free from the Gravity spell, wasn’t about to answer meekly.
“Shut up!”
He shouted, thrusting his sword forward.
To his surprise, Sa Bi-gang met the blade with his fist.
“Ha, insane! No matter how strong your martial arts, a fist against a sword?”
Gal Cheon-seong smirked inwardly.
That fist would be ruined.
But in the next moment, disbelief washed over him.
Boom!
When the sword and fist collided, it was Gal Cheon-seong’s sword that shattered.
Shards of the broken blade flew like shrapnel, striking the experts behind him.
Thud! Thud!
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
Some were hit in vital points and died instantly, others were severely injured, while a few, including the Black Death Ghost, escaped with minor wounds.
Gal Cheon-seong, who had taken the brunt of the explosion, was the worst off.
“Ugh! Cough!”
He spat blood like a fountain, having suffered severe internal injuries from the impact.
His sword, now just a hilt, clattered to the ground.
Clang.
His eyes were filled with disbelief.
“Who… who are you…!”
“Tsk, tsk. Shouldn’t you be the one answering that, masked man?”
Sa Bi-gang approached, reaching out.
Gal Cheon-seong couldn’t even lift a finger, the pain in his shattered organs making it hard to stand.
Finally, Sa Bi-gang tore away the makeshift mask, revealing Gal Cheon-seong’s face.
Feigning surprise, Sa Bi-gang shouted.
“Why, it’s the owner of the Ho-tu Hall!”
“You… you bastard…!”
“Did you attack me in disguise because I won some money at your hall? How disgraceful! Have you no honor?”
Sa Bi-gang’s words stirred the onlookers.
“What does he mean? Ho-tu Hall?”
“Where is this Ho-tu Hall?”
Most were confused, but those familiar with the gambling den understood.
They clicked their tongues in disapproval.
“Ho-tu Hall stooping to such low tactics.”
“Ho-tu Hall is finished.”
A gambling den attacking a winner was unforgivable. Even in this world, there were rules.
Such rumors would spread quickly, and Ho-tu Hall’s downfall was inevitable.
Gal Cheon-seong’s face contorted with rage as he screamed.
“Attack! Tear him apart!”
At his command, the twenty martial artists and the remaining experts, including the Black Death Ghost, charged at Sa Bi-gang.
At that moment, Sabikang shouted loudly and thrust his fist toward the ground.
“Thunderous Earth-Shattering Fist!”
CRACK!
The ground trembled as if an earthquake had struck, and cracks snaked across the paved road. Suddenly, shards of stone erupted in all directions, each fragment as deadly as a dagger.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
“Argh!”
“Ahhh!”
Just like before, those charging at Sabikang were struck by the stone shards and collapsed like puppets with their strings cut. It was an awe-inspiring display of martial prowess.
The onlookers murmured among themselves.
“Thunderous Earth-Shattering Fist… Have you ever heard of such a technique?”
“No, never. Who is that man?”
“Ah, that’s Gadeuksam of the Haechun Gate! I saw him at the arena earlier today!”
“Isn’t he the one who uses the Heaven and Earth Invincible Fist?”
“Yes! The one who killed a tyrant with a single gesture!”
The crowd buzzed with excitement, names like “arena,” “Gadeuksam,” “Haechun Gate,” and “Heaven and Earth Invincible Fist” echoing through the air.
In truth, what Sabikang had used was merely a Stone Blast spell, cleverly employing the surrounding stones as weapons. But the ignorant crowd, unfamiliar with magic, couldn’t possibly know that.
Meanwhile, Galcheonseong, who had been hit by the piercing stones at close range, was left in a state of utter ruin, his body barely holding together. Even his joints were shattered, leaving him struggling to remain upright.
Just then, a voice echoed in his mind.
[Heh heh. You should have stayed put. Why dig your own grave by following me?]
“Who… are you? Ugh! Cough!”
Enraged by Sabikang’s telepathic taunt, Galcheonseong coughed up another mouthful of blood. Sabikang continued, his voice cold and mocking.
[Shouldn’t you be hurrying to meet your brother? You’ve lived like trash, so I’ll incinerate you both like trash. Or perhaps it would be better for you to live out your days as a laughingstock, atoning for your sins.]
Mentioning his deceased brother, Sabikang’s taunt drove Galcheonseong into a frenzy.
“You bastard! I’ll kill you!”
With the last of his strength, he lunged forward, fist outstretched.
Thud!
But his punch was effortlessly caught in Sabikang’s palm.
“Hmph!”
Galcheonseong’s eyes widened as he tried to pull back, but his fist seemed glued to Sabikang’s hand.
“Ugh!”
Sabikang channeled his energy through Galcheonseong’s fist. It wasn’t much, but to Galcheonseong, whose body was already in tatters, it felt like a tidal wave. Sabikang’s energy surged through his meridians, wreaking havoc.
“Argh!”
Galcheonseong struggled to control the rampaging energy, but his injured body had reached its limit. Against his will, the energy surged toward his head.
Only then did Sabikang step back, a sly smile on his face. He raised his voice for all to hear.
“Though your actions warrant death, further bloodshed is pointless. Reflect on your deeds!”
He even assumed a respectful stance, as if offering a salute.
“What… what is this? You arrogant…! Ugh! This can’t be happening! Argh!”
Galcheonseong clutched his head, falling to his knees in agony. Unknown to the others, he was on the brink of a qi deviation, unable to control the energy raging within him.
Finally, the energy reached his crown and exploded.
BOOM!
Blood trickled from Galcheonseong’s nose. He remained motionless for a long moment.
Then, suddenly…
“Huh? Ah? Oh?”
Galcheonseong tilted his head, making strange noises. Abruptly, he sprang to his feet.
“Eek!”
A woman in the crowd screamed, covering her eyes. It was clear that something inappropriate was protruding from Galcheonseong’s lower half, as if it might burst through his pants.
And then…
“Hahaha! I feel so alive! I love men! I really do!”
Laughing maniacally, Galcheonseong grabbed the arm of a nearby martial artist.
“Hey there! How about spending the night with me? I quite fancy your firm backside! I’ll make it a night to remember!”
“What the… Are you insane?”
The martial artist recoiled in shock, prompting laughter from the onlookers. The unexpected turn of events led to a flurry of speculation.
“Has he gone mad from humiliation?”
“He’s injured and emotionally unstable. Looks like he’s had a qi deviation.”
“But why does he have to go crazy in such a disgraceful way… Tsk tsk.”
Meanwhile, the situation had become so bizarre that the Black Specters and martial artists who had been about to attack Sabikang hesitated and backed away.
Sabikang surveyed them with a gaze as cold as moonlight.
[So, are you all going to follow your leader into madness? A wild night with that old man might make for an unforgettable memory, don’t you think? Heh heh.]
“Damn it… It’s his doing!”
Feeling the suffocating killing intent, the Black Specter swallowed hard and gave the order.
[Retreat!]