Episode 224: Return of the Demon Instructor
“I just don’t get it.”
Churyang, still in his horse-riding stance while channeling his energy, tilted his head in confusion.
On the first day, he could barely last half a day, but now he could hold a conversation while maintaining the posture.
Across from him, Sabigang, who was meditating in a lotus position, opened his eyes and asked, “What don’t you get?”
“Why did you act like you owed Jang Hu-gyeom a favor? Even if you just handed him ten million nyang, he’d be groveling in gratitude.”
“Well, I had two reasons.”
“Two reasons?”
“One, to make him feel indebted to me. The other, to exploit his guilt.”
“What do you mean…?”
“Right now, he probably thinks I’m under some grand delusion.”
“That makes sense. He never sent anyone to spy on you, after all.”
“Exactly. It’s all a fabricated story. But from his perspective, he thinks he’s gained a huge advantage from my supposed misunderstanding. After all, I’ve supposedly cleared a debt of ten million nyang for him. He won’t want to lose this opportunity.”
“True.”
“Humans tend to fear the unknown. And when they realize the cause of their fear is a mistake, it only intensifies. He’ll be worried sick that I might discover the truth someday.”
“Ah…”
“In the end, Jang will have no choice but to be more cautious around me, hoping my misunderstanding never gets cleared up.”
“So that’s what you were aiming for!”
“If I had just handed over ten million nyang without any reason, he would have been suspicious of my intentions. But knowing it stemmed from a misunderstanding, he’s probably walking on eggshells now. And in that state, he’s easier to handle.”
“Wow! I’m impressed, Master! Your strategy is truly remarkable!”
“Well, I’ve lived long enough to learn a few tricks.”
Sabigang grinned.
Churyang saw Sabigang in a new light.
Come to think of it, Sabigang’s age was incomparable to most elders.
Especially since time in the demon realm flows more slowly…
Yet, his occasional reckless actions and quirky speech sometimes made one forget that fact.
Well, it had only been a few days since he’d heard about the demon realm, after all.
Just then, a bell rang softly from one side of the underground training room.
Someone had entered the office.
It wasn’t the barrier activating, but an alarm indicating a normal entry.
“Keep holding your stance. I’ll be back.”
Sabigang stood up and left.
**
“A warrior from the Baekho Clan?”
Sabigang asked as he turned around.
Hongyeom bowed his head and replied, “Yes, according to our investigation, it’s definitely a warrior from the Baekho Clan.”
“Are you sure they were following the merchant?”
“Yes, but the Baekho warrior seemed to catch on and disappeared…”
Hongyeom bowed his head again.
It was truly a mystery.
They confirmed the merchant had entered Songak-hyeon.
They thoroughly searched the area around Songak-hyeon.
There were no signs of escape.
Yet, the merchant’s whereabouts remained unknown.
The backing force was unknown, but it was clear they were highly organized.
Perhaps the Baekho Clan was behind it.
Sabigang shared the same thought.
‘The Baekho Clan…’
He recalled the image of Chu Hee-ryong, the leader of the Baekho Clan, whom he had met before.
A warrior who took the most moderate stance in the Justice Alliance.
But even Sabigang didn’t know much about him.
He had died before the demon realm’s invasion.
Especially since the reason for his death was unclear.
The one who killed him was the Blood Demon Lord.
Perhaps it was due to a clash of ideals, or maybe it was to check his growing power.
Just like how Sabigang was killed by the Demon King.
In any case, he didn’t know much about Chu Hee-ryong.
Of course, he had instructed Hongyeom to investigate.
But aside from what was publicly known, nothing stood out.
Just one thing, he had a gut feeling that Chu Hee-ryong wouldn’t be an easy opponent.
If he was connected to the merchant…
‘I need to pay more attention.’
Sabigang dismissed his thoughts and said, “Search every corner of Songak-hyeon and find that merchant.”
“Understood.”
Hongyeom’s presence faded away.
Sabigang walked to the window and looked outside.
In the distance, he could see the Baekho Clan.
And…
‘What’s that guy doing over there?’
He saw Yusongryeong practicing swordplay in the open space below.
**
Swoosh! Swish!
The giant sword sliced through the air with rapid speed.
The massive blade, which seemed to crash down like a tidal wave, suddenly swirled like a water spout.
Swish, swish, swish!
The small waves gathered, transforming into a seemingly chaotic flurry of sword strikes.
The swirling waves reached the ground and then surged upward again.
Whoosh!
The sword wind sliced through the air.
A falling leaf, caught in the sword’s gust, split into three and fluttered to the ground.
Yusongryeong followed the flow.
Clang!
Finally, the giant sword struck a large rock.
Only then did her movements cease.
A bead of sweat dripped from her chin.
At the same time,
Boom. Crash!
The large rock groaned and split in half.
Despite the noisy sword dance, Seoktanggang, sitting on a nearby rock with his eyes closed, didn’t flinch.
Yusongryeong felt something welling up inside her.
‘I’ve changed!’
It was definitely different.
She felt a realization that was hard to put into words.
“Don’t feel the weight, feel the flow!”
That one piece of advice from Sabigang had brought about many changes.
Until now, she had felt the weight of the giant sword.
She had wielded it as if it were a mountain.
But now she realized the giant sword wasn’t a mountain.
It was the sea!
Despite its size, it was ever-changing, fierce, and a blend of strength and flexibility.
Even when channeling her energy, she approached it with more ease and flexibility than before.
And everything changed.
Of course, it was awkward and difficult at first.
There were even ridiculous moments when she dropped the sword.
She almost dismissed Sabigang’s advice.
But it kept nagging at her.
Then she remembered something her father had once said.
One day, while sharpening the giant sword, he had muttered to himself, “The giant sword is like a strong yet gentle breeze.”
In some ways, it resonated with Sabigang’s advice.
From then on, she practiced her swordsmanship differently.
Even after dropping the sword several times, she didn’t give up.
And now, she felt like she was on the verge of grasping something.
Yusongryeong glanced to the side.
Seoktanggang, who had been sitting cross-legged on a large rock with his eyes closed, was deep in thought, displaying immense concentration.
She felt a twinge of guilt, wondering if she had disturbed him.
Yusongryeong waited.
Unaware of her thoughts, Seoktanggang remained still for quite some time.
The wind blew, and leaves rolled by.
Yusongryeong repeatedly recalled the sensation she had felt earlier, trying not to forget it.
Finally, Seoktanggang opened his eyes slightly.
He looked at Yusongryeong.
The moment their eyes met,
“Hey…”
“Hey…!”
They both spoke at the same time.
Without knowing who started first, they both let out a small laugh.
As always, Seoktanggang yielded.
“Go ahead.”
“Want to spar for a bit?”
Seoktanggang smiled warmly.
“I’d love to.”
He stood up and faced Yusongryeong.
Swoosh.
The long, gently curved scimitar smoothly slid out of its sheath.
Yusongryeong also slowly assumed her stance.
At that moment, both of them had the same thought.
‘You’ve changed. You’ve gotten stronger!’
Having sparred countless times over the years, they could immediately sense any change in each other just by assuming their stances.
Ha!
Warnings were unnecessary.
They always sparred as if it were a real battle.
Yusongryeong was the first to move.
Swoosh!
Like a massive wave, the giant sword swept towards Seoktanggang’s side.
Seoktanggang didn’t dodge hastily but waited.
And just as the blade was about to reach him,
Tap!
He kicked off the ground and swiftly retreated.
Still fast.
But Yusongryeong didn’t retract her sword.
Normally, she would quickly channel her energy, retract the blade, and follow up with another move or feint.
It was what she thought she should do, and it had become a habit.
But this time, she followed the flow.
Swoosh!
The giant sword created a massive gust as it sliced through the air.
Seoktanggang took advantage of the opening to swing his scimitar.
Swoosh!
Unlike before, he didn’t hold his breath.
He focused but let his breathing remain natural.
He felt the flow of energy becoming smoother.
‘It’s definitely different!’
Clang!
He thought for sure he would cut Yusongryeong’s shoulder.
It felt that different from usual.
Of course, he would have stopped the blade before it hit her shoulder.
But before he could, Yusongryeong’s giant sword blocked his path.
Their eyes met in mid-air.
‘You’ve improved! Definitely!’
It was a thought directed at himself and also what he felt about his opponent.
“Ha!”
Yoo Song-ryeong let out a spirited shout as she swung her massive sword with ease.
It felt light.
Once she got into the rhythm, the weight of the giant blade seemed to vanish entirely.
It was as if her arm had simply extended.
She moved with complete freedom!
“It’s so light, it’s almost exhilarating!”
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Though the sword narrowly missed Seok Tan-gang each time, Yoo Song-ryeong was thoroughly enjoying herself.
Meanwhile, Seok Tan-gang also found pleasure in wielding his sword against her.
“There’s no blockage in my energy flow! It’s become so much more fluid! The sword’s movements are no longer stifled!”
His heart raced.
The two of them danced wildly, their swords clashing in a frenzied rhythm.
They forgot their hunger, lost track of time.
All their worries were swept away by the wind of their blades.
They danced with their swords for what seemed like an eternity.
Clang!
Finally, sparks flew as their swords collided, and they stepped back from each other.
“Huff, huff, huff!”
“Gasp, gasp, gasp!”
As they caught their breath, their eyes met, and they couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Hahaha!”
Without knowing who started it, they both burst into laughter.
It felt as if their hearts had been refreshed.
Yoo Song-ryeong glanced around and remarked, “The sun’s already setting.”
They had started their duel in the morning.
They had been lost in their swordplay for the entire day.
Suddenly, Yoo Song-ryeong’s gaze drifted toward the distant lodging by the Sabigang River.
“That man… maybe he wasn’t all talk after all.”
Seok Tan-gang nodded silently.
Just then, someone came running toward them from the bottom of the hill.