Episode 212: Return to the Demonic Academy
“The Iron Bridge Duel.”
Yoo Song-ryeong’s eyes gleamed as she pointed to a structure in the distance. It looked like a tall, narrow iron beam, and beneath it lay a scorching hot iron plate, riddled with holes the size of a child’s wrist.
Yoo Song-ryeong chuckled softly. “This is the most popular event in the Inferno Arena. That iron plate is always heated. Touch it, and you’ll be burned to a crisp.”
The intense heat of the place was partly due to that very plate. She shrugged and continued, “The rules are simple. You fight on the iron beam. If one of you admits defeat or falls off, you lose.”
With that, she grabbed a chicken leg from a nearby table and leapt gracefully onto the beam, her movements as light as a butterfly.
‘Impressive agility,’ Sa Bi-gang thought, admiring her skill. As she stood firmly on the beam, she let the chicken leg drop.
The moment it fell,
Shing! Shing! Shing!
Dozens of spikes shot up from the iron plate, skewering the chicken leg and incinerating it instantly. It was a terrifying sight. The spikes retracted just as quickly as they had appeared.
Chu Liang, watching from below, swallowed hard. “If you fall, you’ll end up like that chicken leg. So, are you up for it?”
Sa Bi-gang met Yoo Song-ryeong’s gaze and smiled. “I think I’ve already answered.”
“Haha, good. Then come on up.”
Without hesitation, Sa Bi-gang leapt onto the beam. Or rather, he seemed to appear there in an instant, using a blink spell to make a dramatic entrance. As expected, Yoo Song-ryeong and the surrounding martial artists were taken aback.
“Did you see that?”
“No, he just vanished and reappeared up there!”
“He’s fast. Faster than that Yoo girl, it seems.”
“Still, he’s just a righteous sect nobody.”
The martial artists were impressed but still looked down on Sa Bi-gang. Jeok Mu-rin, who had seen the blink spell before, wasn’t surprised. Instead, he smirked inwardly. Yoo Song-ryeong had essentially challenged Sa Bi-gang to a life-or-death duel, and he had accepted. He had walked right into her trap.
Sa Bi-gang’s goal was to get her to attend his class. But to win, he had to make her fall from the beam, which would mean certain death. The only way to achieve his goal without killing her was to make her surrender. But would Yoo Song-ryeong, knowing this, ever concede?
The conclusion was clear: ‘There’s no way for the instructor to take Yoo Song-ryeong with him.’
In this situation, Sa Bi-gang had two options. He could fight a few rounds and then claim he was withdrawing for the safety of his students, a common tactic among the righteous sects. Or he could fight with all his might and make her fall, justifying it as her own fault for proposing the duel.
Yoo Song-ryeong looked around the arena with a grin. “Place your bets, everyone. Who do you think will win?”
But the martial artists shook their heads. “No way. There’s no money in this. Who would bet?”
“Exactly. That righteous sect instructor doesn’t stand a chance.”
“Ha!”
Even if Sa Bi-gang had a chance, they would only bet on Yoo Song-ryeong. They despised the righteous sects too much to support one of their own.
Yoo Song-ryeong shrugged and turned to Sa Bi-gang. “Seems like no one here thinks you can win.”
It was a taunt, but Sa Bi-gang was unfazed. He shrugged back. “Too bad. If they’d bet on you, my student would have made a fortune.”
He was referring to Chu Liang, who was touched by the acknowledgment. ‘He called me his student…’
The mere thought filled him with joy. Meanwhile, Yoo Song-ryeong dismissed Sa Bi-gang’s attitude as bravado and smirked. She slowly drew her large sword, its blade gleaming with a cold, blue light.
Sa Bi-gang stood with his arms crossed, unmoved. Yoo Song-ryeong narrowed her eyes. “Why aren’t you drawing your weapon?”
“Why would I? It’s right there,” he replied, pointing at her sword.
“What?”
She blinked in confusion, then burst into laughter. “You’re quite the character. Just don’t regret it later.”
“Just keep your promise.”
“You’re funnier than you look, and dumber too!”
With that, Yoo Song-ryeong kicked off the beam, launching herself at him. The beam wobbled, but Sa Bi-gang remained still, arms crossed.
“Enough with the bravado!”
She swung her sword, the air slicing with a sharp whistle.
In an instant,
Snap!
’…What?’
Yoo Song-ryeong’s eyes widened. Sa Bi-gang had vanished, and her sword cut through empty air.
“Tricks won’t save you!”
She spun around, slashing horizontally, but Sa Bi-gang had already retreated.
“Click!”
Yoo Song-ryeong clicked her tongue and charged again. “Fall!”
Her sword thrust forward like a spear. Sa Bi-gang kicked off the beam, landing on her sword with perfect balance.
The onlookers gasped in awe. Sa Bi-gang’s skill was beyond their imagination.
Realizing her opponent was stronger than expected, Yoo Song-ryeong was taken aback. ‘Who is this man? If that’s how it is, I’ll get serious too!’
She had intended to toy with him, but now she had to fight earnestly.
“Draw your sword,” she warned.
“If I do, you’ll die.”
“Haha, you righteous sect types are all talk. Or do you only stop boasting when you’re dead?”
Yoo Song-ryeong adjusted her stance. Sa Bi-gang uncrossed his arms.
“Finally taking this seriously?”
“Yes. I’m not the kind of instructor who finds it cute when a student tries to kill me.”
“Still joking, I see!”
Without warning,
Thud!
Yoo Song-ryeong kicked off the beam again, her attack faster, sharper, and more powerful than before.
Sa Bi-gang extended his hand, flicking his thumb.
Bang!
Her sword was deflected, and Yoo Song-ryeong staggered.
“Damn…!”
She regained her balance, spinning to strike at his side.
In a flash,
Snap!
Sa Bi-gang vanished once more.
“Think I’ll fall for that again?”
She spun, her sword singing as it targeted his thigh.
At the same time,
Whoosh!
The sword’s energy spread along the blade.
In that moment,
Sa Bi-gang extended his hand and murmured, “Air Wave!”
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Waves of wind surged toward Yoo Song-ryeong. It was a simple spell, but on the narrow beam, she had no way to dodge.
Thud, thud, thud!
“Ugh!”
The unexpected gusts pushed her back, making her stumble.
‘A wind technique?’
The thought crossed her mind. But something felt different.
Under normal circumstances, a single strike of a palm wind would have sufficed.
To unleash multiple waves of energy like this, one would typically need to swing their hand several times.
But to create such a powerful wave with just one motion?
“What kind of martial arts has he mastered?”
For Yusongryeong, who knew nothing about air wave magic, this was a natural question.
Regardless, the force of the wind pushed her back several steps, and the energy that had gathered on her blade dissipated.
In that moment,
Thud!
Sabigang kicked off the iron bar and charged forward with speed.
It was the first offensive move since the duel had begun.
“Ah!”
Yusongryeong let out a startled cry and quickly swung her sword down.
Whoosh!
But once again, she sliced through nothing but air, her blade striking the iron bar instead.
Clang!
The bar beneath her feet shook violently from the impact.
“Damn it!”
Meanwhile, Sabigang ran swiftly along the blade’s back.
Tap, tap, tap!
“Hey! Don’t mess with me!”
Yusongryeong, taken aback, swung her sword again.
Amazingly, Sabigang seemed to float effortlessly, maintaining his balance as if his feet were glued to the blade.
What was even more baffling was that she could hardly feel his weight, even as she swung her sword.
“This guy… he’s matching his movements to mine, using lightness skill in the same direction!”
It was truly an advanced martial art.
Finally, Sabigang tapped her shoulder lightly and landed behind her.
“Come on, try again. You were too slow in manifesting your energy earlier. You need to release it half a beat faster.”
“What… are you talking about…!”
Yusongryeong’s eyebrows twitched in irritation.
“Is he trying to teach me? Here, of all places?”