Episode 193: Return to the Demonic Sect
Deng Wangpa’s face turned ashen.
“He knew all along!”
And yet, he came here alone? Such audacity!
No, this was sheer arrogance.
Yes, that’s what it must be.
And he would use that arrogance to eliminate Seol Baek.
Deng Wangpa’s expression hardened as he took a few steps back.
“You came here knowing everything?”
His tone, his demeanor, everything about him had changed.
But Seol Baek remained as calm as ever, only the aura of menace around him had shifted.
Seol Baek smiled gently. “I raised you. Did you think I wouldn’t know you?”
Deng Wangpa bit his lower lip hard.
“Damn it! This old fox!”
He realized there was no retreat.
There was no point in wearing a mask any longer.
“You pushed me too far.”
“No, no. You ran down this path yourself.”
“That’s nonsense! You just used me, didn’t you?”
“Hmm. Let me ask you this.”
“What?”
“Didn’t you use me? My position, my power, my influence.”
“That was…”
“I’m not blaming you. This world is a place where using and being used is the norm. No one sacrifices for others here. Haven’t you realized that after all these years?”
“Even so, you shouldn’t have done that to me!”
“And why not?”
”…!”
“That’s the way of the world. A dull sword is discarded, a sick beast is buried. Defying this order makes survival difficult. It’s nature’s law.”
“So you intended to discard me?”
“Hahaha! What are you saying? As I said, you chose this path yourself. You chose to be discarded.”
“That’s ridiculous!”
With a swift motion, Deng Wangpa drew his sword, its blade gleaming with a deadly aura.
At that signal,
Masked warriors appeared behind him, seemingly out of nowhere.
Seol Baek nodded approvingly. “Impressive. Their aura is exceptional. It’s hard to believe you trained them.”
He was genuinely impressed, yet he remained unruffled, which only made Deng Wangpa more uneasy.
Seol Baek continued, hands clasped behind his back. “When you grow fond of something, even an old, dull sword, you tend to sharpen it again. I intended to refine you, but you refused.”
“If you’re just making excuses to save your skin…”
“Deng Master.”
Seol Baek called softly, yet his voice carried a profound power.
Deng Wangpa swallowed his words and met Seol Baek’s gaze.
Seol Baek sighed lightly. “Do you think you’re clever?”
“Hmph! There’s nothing more to hear. Elder Seol, your treachery has led us to this moment. Attack!”
Deng Wangpa shouted.
As the masked warriors prepared to charge,
“Stop if you value your lives!”
A thunderous voice echoed through the air, so loud that flocks of birds took flight in the distance.
The masked warriors hesitated.
“Deng Master. Haven’t I always told you? Trust only yourself.”
“What nonsense are you spouting…?”
At that moment,
A faint tremor began at their feet, soon escalating into a violent shaking of the ground.
And then,
A dark, armored cavalry appeared from all directions.
They swiftly surrounded Deng Wangpa and his masked warriors.
Deng Wangpa’s expression hardened visibly.
“How… how did they…?”
The armored warriors were the Iron Horse Brigade.
A force of three hundred, they were a unit Seol Baek had personally formed in preparation for this conflict.
They were, in essence, his elite troops.
But how had they appeared here so timely?
Seol Baek, more relaxed than ever, spoke up. “Surprised?”
Deng Wangpa struggled to find words, his insides boiling with rage.
“This cunning old snake!”
Deng Wangpa trembled as he asked, “Was this your plan all along?”
“I don’t keep dogs that bite their masters.”
“When did you plan this?”
“Haha. Didn’t you make the plan? I merely prepared.”
“You…!”
“You crossed a line you shouldn’t have. I considered watching a bit longer, but when you killed the Northern Star Sect leader, I was certain.”
Deng Wangpa’s eyes widened in shock.
To be publicly accused of something he hadn’t done!
Just as Isaheum had warned.
“Silence! You killed the Northern Star Sect leader! You embezzled funds from the Eastern Family and tried to pin it on me!”
“Predictable. Did you think I wouldn’t know? That you stole the gold and planned to betray me? I heard it directly from the Northern Star Sect leader.”
“Heh. Laughable. Did you hear that from him as you killed him?”
“Tsk tsk. Denying it to the end. Even with all the evidence and witnesses?”
“Hmph! Those were fabricated by you! I didn’t kill him!”
“Amusing. Weren’t you the one who fabricated things? The secret letter from the Blood Alliance leader, indeed. Hahaha!”
Seol Baek laughed heartily, while Deng Wangpa ground his teeth.
The sky, rumbling softly, seemed to echo his turmoil.
How did he know the letter was fake?
Seol Baek stopped laughing and looked intently at Deng Wangpa.
“You seem curious, so let me enlighten you. Show yourself.”
Seol Baek turned his head and spoke casually.
From within the Iron Horse Brigade, a figure on horseback emerged.
Deng Wangpa’s brow furrowed with a sense of foreboding.
Finally, the rider removed his helmet.
Deng Wangpa’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
“You… you bastard…!”
“Mind your language, Master Deng.”
The calm voice belonged to none other than Isaheum, the leader of the Heavenly Eye Pavilion.
At this point, Deng Wangpa was on the verge of collapse.
Seol Baek spoke with a steady expression. “Listen well. All information is monopolized by those with power.”
In a fit of rage, Deng Wangpa shouted, “You…! What are you waiting for? Attack that cunning old man!”
As the masked warriors moved again, Seol Baek’s voice, imbued with inner strength, rang out.
“Stop! Anyone who opposes me will die a dog’s death, but those who surrender will be spared!”
The masked warriors hesitated, unsure of what to do.
Deng Wangpa screamed in frustration. “You fools! Attack now!”
But his urging only backfired.
Clang.
One by one, the masked warriors began to lower their weapons.
Deng Wangpa was on the brink of losing his mind.
Realizing it was all because of Isaheum, his anger boiled over.
“You damned traitor…!”
Grinding his teeth, Deng Wangpa lunged forward.
His body shot towards Isaheum like an arrow.
At this moment, Isaheum was more detestable to him than Seol Baek.
“I’ll kill you!”
In an instant, a shadow flew in, striking at Deng Wangpa’s side.
“Stay out of this!”
Deng Wangpa twisted his body, blocking the attack.
Boom!
As energy exploded, both were pushed back.
Barely regaining his balance, Deng Wangpa glared at his opponent.
It was Seol Baek.
Seol Baek dusted off his hands and looked calmly at Deng Wangpa.
His martial prowess was indeed formidable.
“Even now, you can surrender.”
“Heh heh heh. And if I do? Will you spare me?”
“I’ll at least send you off without pain. Consider it a reward for eliminating the League Leader.”
“Hahaha! After using me thoroughly, you brand me a traitor and discard me?”
“Didn’t I tell you? That’s the way of the world.”
“No! I won’t be used by you even in my dying moments!”
With a swift movement, Deng Wangpa charged at Seol Baek.
“Foolish.”
Seol Baek clicked his tongue and extended his hands.
Boom!
As energy exploded from sword and hand, both were pushed back again.
But before Deng Wangpa could regain his footing,
“You don’t realize how pathetic it is to be discarded.”
A voice came from beside him,
Thud!
Seol Baek’s kick sent Deng Wangpa flying like a cannonball.
Crash!
The tree Deng Wangpa collided with shattered and fell.
“Ugh!”
Grinding his teeth, Deng Wangpa forced himself to stand.
“Seol Baek!”
This time, he gathered his energy and charged at Seol Baek.
Yet Seol Baek still hadn’t drawn his sword.
Instead, he watched Deng Wangpa with calm eyes, stepping lightly aside.
Whoosh!
Crash!
The energy Deng Wangpa unleashed flew past Seol Baek, smashing through the temple gate.
Seol Baek clicked his tongue again.
“You’re too hasty. How do you expect to face me like that?”
“Shut up, Seol Baek!”
Deng Wangpa spun around and charged after Seol Baek.
Swish, swish, swish!
His sword slashed through the air with dizzying speed, so fast that it was nearly impossible to follow with the naked eye. The afterimages left in the air made it seem as if there were multiple Deng Wangpas attacking at once. Truly, he was a master who had reached the pinnacle of martial arts, a level few could ever hope to witness.
Yet, even among those at the pinnacle, there were stark differences in skill. Like climbing a mountain, the higher you go, the steeper the ascent. In this metaphorical climb, the distance between Seol Baek and Deng Wangpa was only a few steps, but those steps represented a vast chasm in ability.
Despite the relentless barrage of Deng Wangpa’s blue sword energy, Seol Baek evaded every attack with a single, fluid movement. Part of this was due to Deng Wangpa’s growing frustration, which had caused him to lose his composure.
After dodging for some time, Seol Baek’s eyes narrowed.
In an instant—
Whoosh!
He twisted his body and closed the distance, striking Deng Wangpa squarely in the chest.
Boom!
“Ugh!”
Deng Wangpa spat blood as he was sent flying backward.
Crash!
He tumbled across the ground, finally coming to a stop against a shrine.
“You’ve grown complacent, and that’s why you haven’t improved,” Seol Baek said coldly, approaching the fallen Deng Wangpa.
Deng Wangpa made no attempt to rise. A crushing sense of despair weighed him down, the realization that victory was beyond his grasp reflected in his eyes.
“Pathetic,” Seol Baek sneered, looking down at him with disdain.
Deng Wangpa met his gaze, then slowly lowered his head, his hands pressing into the dirt.
“Please… spare me,” he begged.
“Are you pleading for your life now?”
“I was foolish. Give me another chance,” Deng Wangpa wept, tears streaming down his face.
Seol Baek sighed, his eyes half-closed. “Why did you persist in such folly when this was inevitable? Remember, never reach for a tree you cannot climb.”
Deng Wangpa bit his lip, his head bowed. He thought to himself, If I cannot climb the tree…
“Then I’ll cut it down!”
In a flash—
“Die!”
He shouted, mustering all his strength for a final, desperate strike.
Thud!
A chilling sound pierced the air, but his sword stopped short, hanging in the void. Instead, a sharp blade had found its mark in Deng Wangpa’s chest.
Seol Baek had already drawn his sword and struck.
“Seol… Baek…!” Deng Wangpa gasped, blood spilling from his mouth.
Squelch!
As Seol Baek withdrew his sword, Deng Wangpa staggered back, collapsing to his knees. He raised a trembling hand.
“Seol Baek… I will… I will…!”
But before he could finish, dozens of swords pierced him from all sides. Members of the Iron Horse Clan had descended, ensuring Deng Wangpa’s demise. As they pulled their swords free, blood gushed from his body like a fountain.
Thud!
Deng Wangpa fell, his eyes weeping tears of blood.
“Tsk, tsk. You should have known your place,” Seol Baek muttered, shaking his head.
Clap, clap, clap!
Suddenly, the sound of applause echoed through the air. Seol Baek frowned and turned to see one of the masked figures clapping.
The masked figure looked around and shouted, “Ladies and gentlemen, that’s all for now. Did you enjoy the show?”
As he finished speaking, he slowly removed his mask. Seol Baek’s eyes widened in shock.
“You… Sabikang?”
A familiar voice pierced Seol Baek’s ears. “It’s been a while, Elder Seol.”
Seol Baek’s head snapped around stiffly. There stood another unexpected figure, unmasking.
“Leader Neung…!”