Episode 159: Return to the Demonic Sect
“Just as arrogant as the rumors say…”
The man with narrow eyes watched Sabikang with a smirk.
“Heh, I wonder if you’ll still be talking like that when you’re flat on the ground. If it comes to that, I’ll take responsibility even if the Lord himself steps in to stop me.”
It seemed the man was eager to test Sabikang’s martial skills firsthand.
But Sabikang just gave a cold smile and replied, “I assure you, there’s no need for me to step in.”
“Such confidence,” the man chuckled, clenching his fists tightly, his teeth grinding in frustration.
Unfazed, Sabikang crossed his arms, a faint smile playing on his lips, making it clear he had no intention of intervening.
“Don’t regret it later!” the man shouted, and with a thunderous crash, the ground beneath him caved in.
In an instant, he lunged at Yeon Woo-kyung, his palm striking out with force.
Boom!
Yeon Woo-kyung’s sword clashed with the man’s attack, creating a deafening sound.
“He blocked it?”
The white-haired man furrowed his brow, unable to believe a mere student at the peak of his training could withstand his power.
Before he could process this, a sharp cry came from behind, and another attack was launched.
“Hah!”
Turning swiftly, he saw Mok Dan-hwa slicing through the air, her sword aimed at him.
Swish!
The sword danced like a serpent, targeting his chest.
“Not a chance.”
The man lowered his body and struck out again.
Bang!
But once more, his attack failed to hit its mark. Mok Dan-hwa’s sword twisted like an eel, veering towards his neck.
“Impressive!”
The man grimaced, bringing his hands together.
Boom!
A wave of energy radiated from him, pushing Yeon Woo-kyung and Mok Dan-hwa back, sliding across the ground.
Swoosh!
The area around the white-haired man was left with a deep crater, steam rising from his body.
“Remarkable. How did you create such monsters?” he asked, but Sabikang only shrugged with a faint smile.
“I just gave them a little nudge.”
“Hahaha! Truly astonishing.”
The white-haired man laughed heartily, then turned a serious gaze back to Yeon Woo-kyung and Mok Dan-hwa, who had managed to withstand and evade his attacks.
Initially, he thought their skills were unexpectedly high. But now he understood.
“It’s those swords they wield.”
He had never seen such weapons before, but it was clear they were no ordinary blades.
Rumor had it that Instructor Sabikang had gifted special weapons to the elite students. He hadn’t believed it—such weapons were rare and their origins mysterious.
Yet now, he had to admit there was some truth to it. Yeon Woo-kyung’s blue blade was certainly extraordinary, and Mok Dan-hwa’s sword was far from a mere decorative piece.
In fact, these swords had been acquired from the dungeons of the Jade Sect’s branch. Sabikang had named Yeon Woo-kyung’s sword the “Blue Ice Blade” and Mok Dan-hwa’s the “Serpent’s Tongue.”
And as the white-haired man suspected, these were no ordinary weapons.
“Still… relying solely on superior weapons won’t get you far.”
A sly smile crept onto the white-haired man’s lips.
**
“Wow! The student was knocked down by the Sect Master’s strike! Oh, but wait, a female student is already moving in with her sword… Ah, sorry! It’s hard to keep up with their speed!”
The commentator, watching the scene unfold through a telescope, struggled to keep up with the rapid exchange.
One thing was clear.
“At this rate, it seems difficult for the students to subdue the Sect Master! Can they prove their worth as inspectors? I’m skeptical! It looks tough! As I speak, the male and female students are struck down again. They seem unable to rise! Meanwhile, the other students are busy dealing with the guards, unable to attack the Sect Master! How will this test end?”
Listening to the commentary, the onlookers clenched their fists, swallowing nervously. The tension was so high that the drinks they ordered remained untouched.
Perhaps the test was too harsh from the start?
Yet, as the students managed to draw the Sect Master into the fray, a strange sense of satisfaction spread among the crowd—a kind of vicarious thrill.
“Go, Inspection Team!”
Someone shouted unexpectedly.
“Do you think they can hear the cheers for the Inspection Team?” the commentator wondered aloud, prompting the crowd to raise their fists and shout.
“Go, Inspection Team!”
“Bring justice!”
“Don’t give up, get up!”
The martial artists began to shout, their voices not just encouragement but a form of resistance against the corruption that had festered within the righteous alliance.
“Inspection Team, win!”
**
“Huff, huff, huff!”
“Pant, pant!”
Yeon Woo-kyung and Mok Dan-hwa stood with their swords, breathing heavily. Their clothes were torn and tattered, barely holding together.
In contrast, the white-haired man facing them exuded an air of calm confidence.
“Come now, admit defeat. Knowing when to retreat is also a form of courage,” he said with a smile.
But instead of answering, Yeon Woo-kyung and Mok Dan-hwa exchanged a glance.
They were thinking the same thing.
“Is there no other way?”
Both recalled the special sword technique they had been training for the past six years.
**
It was about three years into their training together.
“The Blood Demon Sword Technique?”
Yeon Woo-kyung and Mok Dan-hwa asked in unison, looking up.
Sabikang nodded. “Yes, it’s a technique I developed. It will be very useful in real combat.”
“But why do we have to train together?” they asked.
“Because this technique is most effective when used by two people simultaneously.”
At Sabikang’s response, Yeon Woo-kyung and Mok Dan-hwa exchanged a brief look before averting their eyes.
Their relationship was complicated, especially after a sparring match they had in the past. They were rivals of sorts, making the idea of working together awkward.
Mok Dan-hwa asked hesitantly, “Do we really have to?”
“What do you mean?”
“Can’t we just learn the technique separately…?”
“No. If you don’t, you’ll only be using half the potential of your swords.”
Both sighed in unison.
In truth, the Blue Ice Blade and the Serpent’s Tongue were originally wielded by a single person in the demon realm—Shaiya, a legendary swordsman known for using dual blades.
Sabikang had adapted Shaiya’s sword technique to the ways of the central plains, creating a new technique for two people to wield separately.
That was the Blood Demon Sword Technique.
“If you two master this technique, I guarantee there will be few in the central plains who can stand against you.”
Yeon Woo-kyung and Mok Dan-hwa’s interest was piqued.
Sabikang, picking his ear, added, “Of course, to do that, you must wield the technique together. You must also be in sync with each other, or the technique will falter.”
“It’s not an easy technique, then.”
“Right, being in sync is easier said than done. But there is a simpler way.”
“What is it?”
Sabikang glanced at them with a mischievous glint in his eyes, then whispered so the other students wouldn’t hear.
“If you two were to… unite, you’d understand each other better than anyone…”
“Shut up!”
Swish!
Mok Dan-hwa’s sharp voice cut through the air as her sword lashed out.
“Whoa there. Anyway, it’s a technique worth mastering, so give it your best for the next three years.”
Sabikang retreated quickly, leaving them with those words.
**
Since then, the two had been practicing the Blood Demon Sword Technique whenever they could.
But they had never used it in real combat.
Yeon Woo-kyung looked at Mok Dan-hwa again.
She gave a barely perceptible nod.
Meanwhile, the white-haired man chuckled, “Still hesitating? Once you’ve seen the difference in our skills, you should know when to give up.”
Yeon Woo-kyung’s expression hardened.
He could hear the distant cheers from the tavern.
“Inhale… exhale!”
He took a deep breath, shifting the Blue Ice Blade to his left hand and adjusting his stance.
Simultaneously, Mok Dan-hwa began to move into position.
Their determination was clear in their expressions.
The white-haired man frowned.
“They can’t tell the difference between bravery and foolishness.”
His voice now carried a hint of anger as he took a step forward, gathering energy in his hands.
“No matter how much they struggle, they can’t overcome the gap… huh?”
Suddenly, the white-haired man narrowed his eyes.
There was something unusual about the energy emanating from Yeon Woo-kyung and Mok Dan-hwa.
It was hard to pinpoint exactly what it was, but it felt different from anything before.
In the next moment,
Whoosh!
Yeon Woo-kyung and Mok Dan-hwa launched themselves forward, their feet pounding against the ground in unison.
The white-haired man narrowed his eyes, straining to understand.
“Are they combining their attacks? No… this is… what on earth is this?”
His eyes widened in surprise.
The two students were charging at him. From Yeon Woo-kyung on the right, a bluish aura radiated, while from Mok Dan-hwa on the left, a reddish energy surged.
As the two forces converged, it was as if…
“One?” he thought, just as—
Whirrrrr!
Swoosh!
From the left, Mok Dan-hwa’s weapon curved through the air, while from the right, Yeon Woo-kyung’s heavy sword struck with force.
“Hah!”
For the first time, a shout escaped the white-haired man’s lips.
He extended both arms,
Crash!
With a thunderous sound, the white-haired man was sent flying backward.
Thud, thud, thud!
Two deep tracks were etched into the ground as he skidded back.
A faint energy began to rise from his outstretched hands.
The white-haired man glared, eyes wide.
“Did I… did I just get pushed back?”
Indeed.
Yeon Woo-kyung and Mok Dan-hwa, who had charged at him, stood their ground.
Instead, he had been pushed back several feet.
It should have been the other way around.
By now, the two who had faced his double strike should have been sent flying to the far end of the courtyard.
Yet…
“Did I get pushed back?”
His brow furrowed deeply.
Meanwhile, cheers erupted from the distant inn, echoing through the air.