Episode 284: Return of the Demon Instructor
Seol Seorin didn’t get angry. Instead, she giggled and asked Sabigang, “Oh my, Instructor, are you going to set me up with someone? If so, I wouldn’t choose someone as rustic as that.”
In that instant, Mok Danhwa’s eyes flared with a fiery intensity. The murderous aura was so palpable it seemed she might tear someone apart. Seol Seorin, feigning fear, clung even closer to Sabigang.
“Oh dear, Instructor. She seems a bit scary, doesn’t she? Such a temper…”
Finally, Mok Danhwa could no longer hold back and reached for her sword, but Sabigang intervened, pulling Seol Seorin away. “Enough, all of you. There will be plenty of time to bicker and fight after the mission. But until then, focus. This is your only warning.”
Though Sabigang was usually playful, his tone was now so stern that even Seol Seorin refrained from further provocation.
Sabigang surveyed the group. “You’ll move in pairs or trios as I’ve assigned. The northern infiltration team will follow Elder Maeng’s orders, and the southern team will follow Dan Lijeong’s. Anyone who disobeys them will be considered defying me, and I’ll deal with them personally. Any objections?”
“No, sir.”
In truth, there were plenty of objections. Half of the new recruits had to follow Dan Lijeong, and half of the Heavenly Destruction Squad had to follow Maeng Gasuk. But given the gravity of the situation, no one dared voice their displeasure.
Sabigang nodded. “Good. Take your positions. I’ll give the signal in one quarter of an hour.”
“Understood!”
The recruits and squad members responded in unison.
**
“Ugh…”
Maeseollan groaned softly as she slowly opened her eyes. A sharp pain, like dozens of needles stabbing her stomach, made her wince and groan again.
“Ahh…”
The waves of pain seemed to bring her consciousness back more quickly. Grimacing, Maeseollan took in her surroundings.
A cold stone floor. A musty smell assaulted her nose. Though the room had no windows, the light seeping through the barred door allowed her to make out her surroundings.
‘Where am I…?’
Judging by the dampness and darkness, she was likely in a cave or underground. Fully alert now, Maeseollan tried to stand, but…
Clang!
Heavy, cold metal shackled her wrists and ankles, connected by chains. She also realized she couldn’t fully access her internal energy.
‘Gongjin Iron…!’
Lying back down, she quickly converted her internal energy into mana using the Yin-Yang Conversion Mana Technique—a technique she had rigorously trained under Sabigang’s guidance over the past six years in the twisted time of the cave.
Fortunately, even bound by Gongjin Iron, she could still use the technique without much issue. Perhaps it was because the flow of her energy differed significantly from the usual methods of the Central Plains.
Feeling the mana accumulating in her heart, Maeseollan felt a sense of relief. ‘Good, there’s still a way out!’
What would happen if she circulated this mana through her meridians like internal energy? Would the Gongjin Iron suppress it? Or, since the energy was converted to mana, could she still project it outward?
She had never asked Sabigang about this. ‘I should’ve asked when I had the chance.’
But even if she had asked, it wouldn’t change the outcome. If it works, it works. If not, there’s no other way. She had to try.
The fortunate thing was that the Gongjin Iron didn’t seem to suppress the mana accumulating in her heart. This gave her hope.
Sabigang had mentioned a similar situation. When he was captured by the Blood Lotus Sect, he used magic despite being bound by Gongjin Iron. If magic could be used, then martial arts should be possible too. Gongjin Iron suppresses the nature of internal energy, not the martial arts techniques themselves.
However, there was one problem: the durability of the Gongjin Iron itself. Sabigang had said that even after using magic, the iron’s durability made escape difficult.
‘I need to wait for the right moment…’
As Maeseollan continued to gather mana using the Yin-Yang Conversion Mana Technique, she recalled the moments before she lost consciousness. After killing Eun Si, the branch leader, the Blue-Faced Man had appeared, breaking through the collapsed rubble.
And then…
‘I was defeated so easily.’
There was nothing she could do. She had been completely exhausted at the time. What surprised her was the unique way he fought.
‘He definitely…’
Yes, the Blue-Faced Man fought in a manner similar to Sabigang. He used magic.
‘How is that possible…?’
The only saving grace was that she had been wearing the Dragon Scale Armor, which had absorbed the brunt of his magic, leaving her merely unconscious. Without it, she might have suffered internal injuries, making it much harder to regain consciousness so quickly.
Lost in thought, she sensed a presence approaching.
‘Someone’s coming…’
Two shadows stopped outside the barred door, their voices carrying through the air.
“Is this the place?”
“Yes, it is.”
“She really is something else.”
“But… is this really okay?”
“She’s just a sacrifice. Having a little fun before the ritual won’t change anything. It’s not like we need a virgin.”
“But the Blue-Faced Elder warned us to be careful…”
“It’s fine. She’s bound with Gongjin Iron. What can she do? Just keep an eye on her. Once I’m done, it’s your turn.”
”…Understood.”
Finally, the iron door creaked open, and one of the shadows entered. Maeseollan kept her eyes closed, feigning unconsciousness, while she began circulating mana according to the Soul-Absorbing Technique.
She wasn’t sure how effective it would be, given it wasn’t internal energy, but it seemed to have some effect.
“Wow, she’s stunning.”
The man who entered exhaled hotly, his voice dripping with suppressed desire.
‘The Soul-Absorbing Technique is working.’
This confirmed it. She could use the technique by circulating mana. However, whether due to the Gongjin Iron or the mana, its effect was much weaker than when she used internal energy. By now, he should have been entranced, rushing at her, only to have his energy drained upon contact.
Instead, he stood there, breathing heavily, admiring her. Her clothes were torn from the earlier magic attack, exposing her pale abdomen and smooth thighs.
“Heh, having such a beauty bound and helpless is even more exciting.”
Despite his lecherous words, Maeseollan remained still, continuing to use the Soul-Absorbing Technique. The sweet scent it produced filled the cell, and her skin glowed with an almost translucent allure, as if honey would drip from it at a touch.
No man could resist such temptation.
“Heh heh.”
The man chuckled foolishly, slowly approaching Maeseollan.
“Mmm…”
Maeseollan shifted slightly, letting out a faint moan. This small movement made the man’s heart race wildly. He was now completely ensnared by the Soul-Absorbing Technique. Anyone trying to stop him would have to risk their life.
The man, grinning, leaned over Maeseollan, his body hovering above hers. Her sweet scent overpowered the cell’s musty odor. He licked her neck.
“Ahh.”
Maeseollan exhaled a hot breath. At that moment, the man’s desire reached its peak, his body reacting uncontrollably. His hand roughly grabbed her chest.
“Heh heh! You’re amazing! Even if I die after this, I won’t have any regrets… huh?”
As he spoke, the man suddenly froze, staring at his hand. His skin darkened, veins bulging as his energy was rapidly drained. Panicking, he tried to pull away.
“What the…!”
But before he could retreat, Maeseollan opened her eyes, fixing him with a piercing gaze. “Already losing your nerve? Didn’t you say you’d have no regrets?”
“Gah!”
The man gasped, swallowing hard. But it wasn’t just her awakening that shocked him. Her voice was electrifying, making his heart skip a beat. Meeting her eyes, he found himself utterly captivated, unable to think of anything else.
Maeseollan smiled subtly.
“Gah! Gah! Gah…!”
The man groaned, his energy being drained completely, yet he was lost in a euphoric haze.
Finally, as he reached his peak alone, he convulsed once and collapsed heavily onto Maeseollan.
Clink.
Maeseollan dragged her chained arm over and retrieved the key hanging from the man’s waist.
After that, it wasn’t too difficult.
The chains allowed her some freedom of movement.
With the key she took from him, she easily unlocked Gong Jinchul.
Just as she freed herself and stood up, a voice echoed from outside the bars.
“Brother, are you done yet?”
Maeseollan stepped out with a cold, detached expression.
“It was over a while ago.”
“Gah!”
The man standing outside the door spun around in shock, but—
Crack!
Maeseollan seized his throat.
“Guh, guh!”
In an instant, his entire body turned black, and he crumbled to the ground, leaving only bones and skin.
Maeseollan surveyed her surroundings with a calm, steady gaze.
It was a square passageway.
Not a naturally formed cave.
Surprisingly, precious luminous pearls were embedded sporadically in the walls of the square passage.
‘What is this place?’
Just then—
”……!”
A shiver ran down Maeseollan’s spine.
‘I’m sure I just heard…!’
She whipped her head around to look toward the end of the passage.
A soft red glow seeped through the far end.
From there, a scream that seemed to tear through the air echoed out.
It wasn’t so much heard with her ears as it was felt deep in her soul.
The sheer agony of it etched itself vividly into her mind, sending chills across her body.
‘This is unsettling… What is this place?’
Furrowing her brow, Maeseollan sprinted toward the end of the passage.