Episode 26: Return to the Demonic Sect
“This is absurd!” Wei Deok-cheon shouted, his voice echoing with disbelief.
“It’s a setup! There’s no way that item could be here!”
Sa Bi-gang fixed him with a cold stare. “Didn’t you say you’d accept it if evidence was found?”
“I’m telling you, it can’t be here!”
“But it is, isn’t it?”
“Damn it…!” Wei Deok-cheon clenched his fists tightly. The money pouch was indeed the one he had stolen. But how had it ended up here?
‘I made sure to get rid of it! And that money…!’
He rushed over to his father, Wei Sang-tak, and whispered urgently, explaining that he had disposed of the pouch and squandered all the money in just two days.
Wei Sang-tak looked into his son’s eyes, seeking confirmation. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Absolutely!’
Wei Sang-tak furrowed his brow deeply and turned to Sa Bi-gang. “Instructor Sa, are you certain you found it here?”
“Of course. Are you planning to deny it even with the evidence in front of you?”
“But my son claims he’s never seen such a pouch.”
“Tsk, tsk. This is what happens when you spoil your child, listening only to his words. He turns into a brat.”
“What, what did you say?”
“If you wish to be a true gentleman, you should reprimand your son and guide him onto the right path. Unless, of course, you two conspired together?”
“What, what nonsense! How dare you speak so carelessly!”
Wei Sang-tak finally erupted in anger, his voice booming. “I refuse to accept this evidence!”
“Tsk, tsk. So that’s how it is. No wonder people call you remnants of the demonic sect.”
“What, what? Remnants…?”
“So what do you propose? You refuse to acknowledge the evidence, yet you want to be recognized as a righteous sect?”
“Silence! And what proof do you have that this evidence isn’t fabricated?”
“Ha!” Sa Bi-gang laughed. “Listen, Sect Leader. The burden of proof lies with the accuser. I’ve proven you took the funds. If you claim this evidence is fake, then it’s up to you to prove it.”
His words were irrefutable. Wei Sang-tak, at a loss for words, trembled with frustration. He couldn’t very well shout that the evidence was fake because his son had squandered all the money.
‘What a damned situation…!’
At that moment, Wei Deok-cheon could no longer hold back. “I can’t listen to your nonsense any longer!”
He launched himself forward, his sword aimed at Sa Bi-gang. Wei Sang-tak had no time to intervene.
Just as Wei Deok-cheon’s blade was about to strike, a flash of light intercepted it with a clang.
Go Jeok-san had appeared out of nowhere, drawing his sword to deflect the attack. He followed up with a swift punch, sending Wei Deok-cheon flying with a scream.
“Argh!”
Wei Deok-cheon skidded across the ground, struggling to get up as he coughed up blood.
“Deok-cheon! Are you alright?” Wei Sang-tak rushed to his son’s side, alarmed.
“What is the meaning of this? Using martial arts!”
“He attacked first,” Go Jeok-san replied nonchalantly.
But seeing his son’s blood, Wei Sang-tak found it hard to maintain his composure. “You scoundrel! This calls for a duel! The outcome will be the evidence and the truth!”
“You’re being unreasonable,” Sa Bi-gang replied coldly.
“Silence! With no other way to determine the truth, this is the only conclusion! Instructor Deung, what do you think?”
Deung Bu-hyeong pondered for a moment before nodding. “Since there’s no way to resolve the misunderstanding, settling it through a martial duel isn’t a bad idea.”
In truth, he was quite pleased with the suggestion. Wei Sang-tak, after all, was the leader of a sect. Underestimating his martial skills could be a grave mistake.
Wei Sang-tak shouted at Sa Bi-gang, “I challenge you to a life-and-death duel! If you refuse, I’ll take it as an admission of our innocence!”
A life-and-death duel meant no one would be held accountable if someone died during the fight.
Yeom Ja-ryang, who had been watching, suddenly interjected. “Isn’t that a bit much? Deciding right and wrong through a duel…?”
Sa Bi-gang raised a hand to silence Yeom Ja-ryang, then looked at Wei Sang-tak with a smirk. “Fine. But the terms will change.”
His tone and gaze shifted. “Terms?”
“I came to collect money, and now I’m risking my life. If I win, you’ll pay double the amount we discussed earlier. That’s four times the original sum.”
“Hmph! Four times, five times, take whatever you want if you can!”
Sa Bi-gang grinned and turned to Deung Bu-hyeong. “Will you be our witness, Instructor Deung?”
“Hmm. Yes, I will.”
“Good. Let’s begin.”
Sa Bi-gang stepped aside, allowing Go Jeok-san to retreat. Wei Sang-tak drew his sword and assumed a fighting stance.
‘You won’t walk out of here on your own two feet today!’
The blade hummed with a blue aura as it vibrated.
In the next instant, Wei Sang-tak launched himself forward.
Swoosh!
His sword sliced through the air, aiming directly for Sa Bi-gang’s neck.
The Giant Blade Wave.
It was one of the techniques from his unique martial art, the Giant Blade Technique. The horizontal slash was as fierce as a tidal wave, the blade’s energy swirling like a storm, capable of shattering rocks.
But then.
Swish.
‘Huh?’
Sa Bi-gang vanished before his eyes.
Swoosh!
Wei Sang-tak turned quickly, only to find Sa Bi-gang grinning right in front of him.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
Wei Sang-tak staggered back, blood streaming from his nose after taking a punch.
“You scoundrel! Stop with the tricks!”
A chilling aura emanated from his entire body.
Swoosh!
Another attack came, this time from below, rising upward.
The Giant Blade Extinguishes Heaven.
Clang!
The blade’s energy split the air with a sound like thunder.
But once again, his attack only sliced through empty space.
Sa Bi-gang had disappeared again, reappearing right beside him.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
This time, an elbow strike sent Wei Sang-tak reeling backward, barely maintaining his balance.
He spat, blood mixed with saliva.
“You bastard! Fight properly!”
“If I did, you’d die.”
Sa Bi-gang’s eyes glinted with a deadly intent, causing Wei Sang-tak to flinch involuntarily.
“Hmph! Arrogant fool!”
Swoosh!
Wei Sang-tak used the Golden Lightning Step technique to close the distance in an instant, slashing diagonally with his sword.
In a flash, Sa Bi-gang stepped back, spinning to kick the sword’s hilt.
Thud!
“What?”
Swoosh!
The sword slipped from Wei Sang-tak’s grasp, flying through the air.
It headed straight for Wei Deok-cheon, who was anxiously watching the duel.
“No!”
Wei Sang-tak shouted, but it all happened so quickly that Wei Deok-cheon couldn’t even think to dodge.
As the sword flew toward him, his eyes widened.
Swish!
A hot sensation grazed his ear.
Thud! Rattle.
The sword narrowly missed his face, embedding itself in a wooden pillar, quivering.
“Uh…?”
Only then did Wei Deok-cheon realize his earlobe had been nicked, a burning sensation spreading.
Had the sword’s trajectory been slightly different, it would have struck his face.
Meanwhile, Deung Bu-hyeong, who had been watching, trembled slightly.
‘Could it be…? It must be a coincidence, right?’
But Sa Bi-gang’s expression was too consistent for it to be mere chance.
“You scoundrel!”
Enraged, Wei Sang-tak charged at Sa Bi-gang with his fists, but his punches either sliced through air or were blocked.
As time passed, Wei Sang-tak found himself increasingly on the receiving end of Sa Bi-gang’s strikes, his injuries worsening.
‘Father…!’
Wei Deok-cheon gritted his teeth, watching intently, then noticed the Dragon Slayer Sword in Deung Bu-hyeong’s hand.
‘With that…!’
Surely, his father had given it to him as a gift.
First, he needed to ensure his father could use the sword.
His father’s main martial art was the Giant Blade Technique, so he needed a sword to win.
Wei Deok-cheon quickly approached Deung Bu-hyeong. “Instructor Deung! May I borrow the Dragon Slayer Sword?”
“Hmm? Ah, well…”
Caught off guard, Deung Bu-hyeong handed over the sword.
“Father! Use this!”
Wei Deok-cheon swiftly tossed the Dragon Slayer Sword.
Just as Sa Bi-gang’s palm struck, sending Wei Sang-tak stumbling back, he leaped to catch the sword.
“Let’s see you block this!”
Drawing the Dragon Slayer Sword mid-air, he brought it down with all his might.
Another technique from the Giant Blade Technique, the Giant Blade Splits the Mountain!
The sword descended like a comet, as if to cleave a mountain in two.
In that fleeting moment, Sa Bi-gang’s eyes gleamed.
Clang!
Finally, Sabikang drew his sword, Veritas, and met the descending blade of the Seungnyongdo with a resounding clash.
“Ha! Got you! It’s over!”
To think he would take on the full force of the Geodopasan technique head-on.
He should have dodged this attack, no matter how well he had defended against the previous ones. This strike was unmatched in sheer power.
The Geodopasan, infused with immense energy, was strong enough to cleave through solid rock.
Yet, instead of continuing to evade, the fool had finally drawn his sword.
“This is why those loud-mouthed instructors are useless in real combat!”
Though the thought was long, the moment itself was fleeting.
“Die!”
With a fierce shout, Wisangtak landed on the ground.
Slash!
The sensation of cutting through something was electrifying, sending a thrill through his fingertips.
“I got him!”
He raised his head in triumph, only to be met with a shocking sight.
“What?”
Sabikang stood there, calmly meeting his gaze. By now, he should have been collapsing in a spray of blood.
It was then that Wisangtak realized his Seungnyongdo was half its original length.
“The, the Seungnyongdo…?”
Meanwhile, Deungbuyung, who had been watching, nearly collapsed as his legs gave way.
“Damn it! The Seungnyongdo…!”
His face was a picture of despair, as if he might burst into tears at any moment.
After all, the Seungnyongdo was supposed to be his once this fight was over.
He had handed it over in hopes of gaining even a slight advantage for his side, albeit reluctantly.
But to not only lose but also break the Seungnyongdo in half!
“My, my precious sword…!”
Sabikang pointed Veritas at Wisangtak.
“Want to continue? Heh.”
“You…!”
“If you admit all your wrongdoings and beg for forgiveness, I’ll stop here. Of course, I’ll be taking four times the money.”
“You bastard!”
With a curse, Wisangtak lunged forward, wielding the shortened Seungnyongdo and unleashing a flurry of Geodogong techniques.
Swish! Slash! Swoosh!
But his mind was in disarray, and with the Seungnyongdo broken, his martial arts were a mess.
As Sabikang continued to evade, Wisangtak screamed in frustration.
“How long are you going to keep dodging? Fight me, you miserable wretch!”
“Pathetic.”
With a cold remark, Sabikang flicked his fingers against the blade of the Seungnyongdo.
“Gah!”
As the sword flew into the air, Sabikang caught it effortlessly and drove it into Wisangtak’s shoulder without hesitation.
Thud!
“Aaargh!”