Episode 291: Return of the Demon Instructor
“What… is this?”
“If you could pass this on to Lady Hongmyo, I’d appreciate it.”
Mae Seol-ran glanced at the obsidian stone in her hand, listening to Jeok Mu-rin’s gruff voice. The stone gleamed in the light, its dark surface catching her eye. It wasn’t a common stone, but it wasn’t particularly valuable either.
With a soft smile, she replied, “Alright, I’ll make sure she gets it.”
“Thank you.”
Jeok Mu-rin, with his usual impassive expression, turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing as he disappeared into the distance.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere around them was filled with a peculiar mix of farewells. Members of the Celestial Annihilation Squad and the Newborn Division exchanged parting words.
“Your martial arts are impressive, Brother Baek,” Gok Bo-ok extended his hand.
Baek Gong-bo chuckled, shaking it firmly. “Yours aren’t too shabby either, Brother Gok.”
“Ha! Next time we meet, let’s have a proper match.”
“Looking forward to it.”
The two men stood there, hands clasped, neither willing to let go. Watching them, Yeom Ja-ryang sighed and shook his head.
“Why don’t you two let go before your veins burst?”
Indeed, the veins on their hands were bulging, as if they might pop at any moment. Yet, both men wore awkward smiles, refusing to release their grip.
Yeom Ja-ryang shrugged and turned away, spotting Yoo Song-ryeong walking in the distance. He hurried over, bowing as he reached her.
“Your skills are remarkable, Miss Yoo. If we meet again—”
But before he could finish, Seok Tan-gang interrupted, pulling Yoo Song-ryeong away with a curt, “There won’t be a next time.”
Watching them walk off, Yeom Ja-ryang muttered to himself, “Well, that’s a bit much.”
Elsewhere, Jo Mun-tak and Do Bi-cheon were still exchanging sharp glares, as if they might tear down the wooden pillars around them. Meanwhile, Mok Dan-hwa and Seol Seo-rin exchanged bright smiles, their eyes filled with a playful menace.
Nung So-so approached Ong Gi-seung hesitantly. “Take care on your way back, Master Ong. I owe you a lot.”
”…”
“Well, if fate allows, let’s meet again.”
As Nung So-so turned away with an awkward smile, Ong Gi-seung suddenly opened his eyes and spoke.
“Yawn… Ah, Miss Nung, your martial arts are truly unique. I’ve learned a lot.”
“Oh! Thank you!”
Nung So-so clasped her hands together, beaming. But Ong Gi-seung had already drifted back to sleep.
With a resigned smile, Nung So-so turned away, only to hear a whisper in her ear.
‘What are you talking about all of a sudden?’
She responded calmly, unfazed by the voice. For Nung So-so, hearing the sylph’s voice was a common occurrence.
‘From Master Ong?’
‘That can’t be. He’s a good person, just a bit sleepy.’
Nung So-so shook her head, glancing back at Ong Gi-seung. He was still standing, nodding off, but now he seemed to be looking around for her.
She chuckled softly, while the sylph fluttered beside her, arms crossed and pouting.
‘Hmm. Maybe he just needs a bath? Anyway, it’s just a smell. And besides…’
Nung So-so waved her hand dismissively and turned away. She caught sight of Sa Bi-gang saying goodbye to Mae Seol-ran. Whatever they were discussing, Mae Seol-ran’s face was flushed, and Sa Bi-gang was grinning foolishly.
‘He’s under the instructor’s guidance.’
Nung So-so smiled gently at the sylph’s words.
‘If he’s the instructor’s student, he can’t go wrong.’
**
When Sa Bi-gang returned to the Heavenly Palace, his status had changed. His success in subduing the Celestial God Sect was part of it, but the support from influential figures like the White Tiger Lord and the Moon Island Lord, who had been working behind the scenes, also played a significant role.
As a result, Sa Bi-gang found himself attending numerous celebratory banquets, his days filled with endless congratulations.
Meanwhile, Chu-ryang remained in the underground training room, focused solely on hatching the Platan’s egg. Even without additional training, the process itself was a significant mana exercise, and his mana reserves were growing by the day.
Then, one day…
Crack…! Snap!
Chu-ryang, eyes closed, was channeling mana when he suddenly flinched and opened his eyes wide.
Vrrrr…!
The Platan’s egg was vibrating with an intensity it had never shown before. Cracks were forming visibly on its surface, and the mana emanating from it was distinctly different.
‘Oh no…! I might get hurt!’
Curiosity piqued, Chu-ryang closed his eyes again, focusing all his senses on controlling the mana. If he lost concentration, the mana flow could become erratic, causing internal injuries.
How long he continued to channel mana, he couldn’t say. The mana flowed like a mighty river, growing stronger with each cycle, until it became a massive wave.
And finally,
Whoooosh!
A surge of mana, more powerful than anything before, coursed through his palm.
Simultaneously,
Crack! Shatter!
The underground training room echoed with a resounding noise as a brilliant white light burst forth.
“Gasp!”
Realizing the mana he was channeling was no longer resonating, Chu-ryang’s eyes snapped open.
“The egg… it’s hatched!”
He stared in shock at the cracked Platan’s egg. What he had thought was a solid stone was now revealed to be hollow.
‘Then where is the beast…?’
As Chu-ryang looked around in confusion,
Whoosh!
“Ah! Whoa!”
Crash!
A dark shadow suddenly swooped over Chu-ryang’s face.
**
Having attended a celebratory banquet as part of his efforts to recruit key figures from the Blood Demon Sect, Sa Bi-gang hurried back to his quarters. He had received a message from Chu-ryang during the festivities.
The message was simple:
Even if someone else read it, they wouldn’t understand its meaning. But Sa Bi-gang knew it referred to the Platan’s egg, prompting him to leave the banquet in haste.
‘It’s finally awakened? What kind of creature will it be?’
It had been a long time since he had seen a magical beast. Even in the Demon Realm, Platan’s eggs were rare, and witnessing the birth of a magical beast was an uncommon event.
With a heart full of anticipation, Sa Bi-gang opened the door to the underground training room.
But…
“Master!”
Chu-ryang came barreling towards him, and Sa Bi-gang deftly sidestepped, causing Chu-ryang to stumble past and crash to the ground.
Thud!
“Ouch…!”
“What are you doing?”
Sa Bi-gang frowned, and Chu-ryang, scratching his head, sat down where he had fallen.
“What do you think? I was trying to catch the baby beast.”
“Baby beast?”
“Yes…”
“Where is it?”
“Well, it’s…”
Chu-ryang furrowed his brow, scanning the room.
“This little guy is surprisingly quick…”
Meanwhile, something peeked out from above Chu-ryang’s head.
“Uh… Is it on my head right now?”
Sa Bi-gang nodded, his expression twisted. “It is.”
“Ah, yes. That’s the one. It’s not as creepy as I feared, so that’s a relief.”
But Sa Bi-gang sighed deeply.
“It might have been better if it were creepy.”
“Excuse me?”
Sa Bi-gang looked at the baby beast with a complicated expression.
The creature perched on Chu-ryang’s head was about the size of a fist, resembling a kitten. The only difference was its white face and body, marked with bold black stripes. Its eyes were a luminous jade, giving it an otherworldly aura.
However…
‘I’ve never seen anything like it.’
That was the most disappointing part.
Back in the Demon Realm, Sa Bi-gang had taken an interest in Platan’s eggs and studied magical beasts extensively. He had memorized much of that knowledge.
Yet…
‘I’ve never seen a creature like this.’
It was entirely new to him.
Moreover, it was too small. Most magical beasts are born with considerable size, absorbing the earth’s energy and converting it into mana. Within half a day, they typically reach maturity.
But this creature…
The nameless baby beast yawned, its mouth wide open, looking every bit like a cute kitten.
“It seems we’ve drawn a blank.”
“What do you mean? Is this creature weak among magical beasts?”
“I don’t know.”
“What? I thought you knew all about magical beasts?”
“I guess not knowing means I’m just that pathetic.”
“That’s not…”
Churyang’s mouth hung open, his face a picture of disbelief.
Sabigang shrugged and turned away. “It’s a shame, but not everything goes as planned.”
“Then what about this little one?”
“That’s your problem. Either let it go or… kill it.”
“Kill it?”
Churyang looked aghast as he held up the kitten-like creature in his hand.
The fluffy little beast nuzzled against Churyang’s palm, purring contentedly.
‘Honestly, it’s hard to tell if it’s a beast or just a peculiar cat with its white fur and black stripes.’
“If it’s not that strong, it shouldn’t be dangerous. Why not just release it?”
“Hmm. That’s not an option. You either kill it or keep it.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because it already thinks you’re its mother.”
“What?!”
“Well, you did hatch the Platan egg. Whoever does that becomes the mother.”
“Why are you only telling me this now?!”
“I forgot. I figured you’d have guessed.”
“I didn’t! How could I have guessed that?”
“You’re slow.”
“Ugh.”
Churyang wanted to argue more but decided against it. There was no winning against Sabigang in a verbal spar.
‘Still, I got my hopes up for nothing… What do I do now?’
The little beast suddenly leapt into Churyang’s arms, snuggling in.
“Ugh…! What, what is this? Haha! It tickles! Stop it! Haha!”
After a struggle, Churyang managed to grab the creature by the scruff and lift it up.
“Damn it! I should just…!”
Seeing the little creature’s open mouth and plaintive cry, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
With a resigned sigh, Churyang muttered, “Well, at least it’s an animal. Maybe it can help with tracking.”
The creature licked Churyang’s cheek with a tongue as rough as sandpaper, unlike a puppy’s, making the experience less than pleasant.
‘Ugh… Definitely a predator of some sort.’
**
“I’m telling you, the Newborns wiped out the Celestial Cult this time.”
“Who would’ve thought? Those ruffians couldn’t even lift a finger at the Eungcheon branch, and now they’ve cleaned it up so neatly.”
“That Sabigang is something else, isn’t he? Leading those hooligans so well.”
The martial artists gathered at the inn were animatedly discussing the latest news.
Meanwhile, in a corner of the inn, a man quietly listened to their chatter while eating his noodles. A lightning-shaped scar marked one cheek. He quickly finished his broth and stood up.
As he donned his hat, a smirk played on his lips. “Sabigang, huh… Interesting.”
He tossed some money on the table and started to walk away, accidentally bumping shoulders with one of the men who was just getting up.
“Hey, watch it!”
As the man tried to pass, one of the group frowned and called out to him.
The man turned slowly.
Upon seeing the face beneath the hat, one of the group shivered and stammered, “N-nothing at all.”
The man in the hat turned back and walked away.
Watching his retreating figure, one of the men, as if in a daze, muttered to himself, “It’s him… It has to be!”