Episode 319: Return of the Demon Sect Leader
“This is…”
Seoraehyang’s voice trembled as she gazed at the pill nestled within the wooden box.
”…Asudaehwandan…!”
Inside the box that Jeokmurin handed her was indeed the legendary Asudaehwandan.
The most potent elixir crafted by the Blood Lotus Sect.
A miraculous pill said to yield extraordinary effects when consumed with the right breathing techniques, using the rarest of ingredients.
Seoraehyang had only ever heard of it, never seen it with her own eyes.
Yet, its unique hue—a blend of blue and red—made it unmistakably recognizable.
“Is this… for me…?”
She asked in a daze, and Jeokmurin nodded in response.
“Yes, it is. And here is a letter…”
With trembling hands, Seoraehyang accepted the letter.
It had already been opened, likely due to security checks.
A slight bitterness crept into her heart, but she understood.
After all, she was essentially a hostage of the Justice Alliance.
From their perspective, such measures were necessary to maintain security and minimize risks.
“You must have had a hard time, Jeok.”
“Not at all. It’s just a standard procedure.”
Though he spoke bluntly, the process was rigorous enough to be considered humiliating by most warriors.
Anyone visiting from the Blood Lotus Sect had to undergo thorough inspections.
Every belonging, even their clothes, was scrutinized to ensure no explosives or secret messages were smuggled in.
“At least they didn’t make an issue of this.”
“This elixir is a gift from the Lotus Lord to Hongmyo. No one would dare question it.”
Despite his words, it was clear that the Blood Lotus Sect was treading carefully around the Justice Alliance.
The Lotus Lord had even prepared a separate gift for the Alliance Leader, likely to smooth over any potential issues with the elixir intended for Hongmyo.
Hongmyo unfolded the letter.
‘It’s his handwriting.’
Each character seemed to be written with care.
The letter mostly expressed concern for her well-being and encouragement for her hardships in a foreign land.
Though it might have seemed like a formal message to encourage a subordinate, to Seoraehyang, it felt special.
As she read the final words, her heart warmed, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Was it the exhaustion from her long stay abroad?
Or was it the sudden receipt of a cherished person’s heartfelt message?
Tears threatened to spill over uncontrollably.
Jeokmurin silently turned his gaze to the window.
Being further north than the Heavenly Palace, the winter winds felt even harsher.
After a moment of composing herself, Seoraehyang smiled brightly.
“I’m relieved. Knowing he’s well, I should take this chance to strengthen myself and be of more help.”
“Do you know how to take it?”
“The instructions are in the letter, so there shouldn’t be any problem.”
Jeokmurin watched her intently as she answered.
‘Is she really that happy?’
Watching her, it was clear how overjoyed she was.
Seoraehyang furrowed her brow and asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment…”
“More importantly, Jeok…”
“Please, just call me Murin.”
“Alright then, Murin, how long do you plan to stay?”
“I’ll be here for a while. I’ve been assigned to assist Hongmyo for the time being. The new organization is settling in nicely.”
“That’s good. Winter can be quite lonely, so your presence is welcome.”
Jeokmurin gave a faint smile at her words.
“Is that really true?”
The one who asked, more surprised than anyone, was Baekhodangju Chuhiryong.
Heomugeuk nodded.
“It is.”
“Then… the plan to subdue the Demon Sect is…”
“That’s just the official pretext.”
At Heomugeuk’s words, Ryuyojung stepped forward and spoke.
“So, everyone here must keep this information strictly confidential. We must appear to be fully engaged in the campaign against the Demon Sect.”
“Then, are we just going to leave the Demon Sect alone?”
Chuhiryong asked, sounding accusatory, and Ryuyojung turned to him with a response.
“Of course, when the time is right, we’ll deal with them. But for now, they’re quiet, so we need to watch them a bit longer.”
Dokgojin, who had been listening, nodded vigorously in agreement.
“That’s right. It’s time for us to act! We’ve been lying low for too long. It’s time to make our move.”
“But if this operation fails, the consequences will be irreversible.”
Dokgojin scoffed at this.
“Hmph! Every operation carries that risk. There’s no such thing as a safe operation. The greater the risk, the greater the reward, isn’t that the law of nature?”
“But the criticism that the Lotus Lord used her subordinates…”
Ryuyojung cut him off.
“It’s not using them; they volunteered. Don’t you understand the significance?”
His gaze was colder than ever.
Chuhiryong flinched and fell silent.
‘Indeed, Ryuyojung is a formidable man.’
His quiet, low voice, combined with his expression and demeanor, left no room for argument.
Moreover, the plan had already been approved by the Lotus Lord.
Few would dare oppose it.
Many of the warriors soon expressed their agreement, like Dokgojin.
Ryuyojung nodded with satisfaction and said,
“Everyone here is privy to this plan. Please adhere strictly to the confidentiality order.”
“Understood!”
“Then please prepare. The time to act will come soon.”
A cold smile spread across Ryuyojung’s face.
In the courtyard, Seoraehyang sat cross-legged, focusing all her consciousness on the warm energy rising from her dantian.
A short distance away, Jeokmurin quietly observed her.
‘What incredible energy.’
Seoraehyang was experiencing a powerful vortex of energy unlike anything she had felt before.
She recited the breathing techniques the Lotus Lord had detailed in the letter, channeling her inner strength.
Finally, the energy swirling in her dantian began to flow through her meridians.
At first, it felt like an icy chill sweeping through her body.
It was as if she had plunged into freezing water, her entire body shivering.
Yet, contrary to what she felt, she was drenched in sweat.
The heat radiating from her was palpable, and Jeokmurin could feel it too.
This was the ultimate elixir, capable of rapidly enhancing one’s inner strength.
The method of consumption was anything but easy.
Even Jeokmurin, merely watching, felt tense, clenching his fists tightly.
Finally,
“Ugh!”
Seoraehyang coughed up blood, clenching her fists and gritting her teeth.
“Hongmyo!”
Jeokmurin instinctively flinched but quickly steadied himself.
Intervening during such a process was forbidden.
This was her battle, one she had to face alone.
Interfering could lead to disastrous side effects, even causing her to lose control.
‘It’s so cold!’
Despite the external heat, her insides felt frozen, her body stiffening.
The cold energy flowing through her meridians collided with the crown of her head.
Bang!
The icy flow, blocked at the crown, reversed direction, only to be pushed back up by the force rising from her dantian.
‘Ahhh!’
The pain was excruciating, as if her head would split open.
Seoraehyang screamed internally.
The cold energy, blocked at the crown, reversed direction, only to be pushed back up by the force rising from her dantian.
Bang!
Once more, a massive wave surged, striking the crown.
“Ugh!”
Seoraehyang coughed up blood again, her entire body trembling.
The pain was beyond imagination.
Was consuming the Asudaehwandan supposed to be this difficult?
Was she using the wrong technique?
Countless thoughts raced through her mind.
Meanwhile, Jeokmurin, watching her, began to feel uneasy.
‘Could it be…’
A foreboding thought crept in.
What if the instructions in the letter were false?
What if the breathing technique wasn’t meant to harness the Asudaehwandan, but to lead her to her death?
Was the Blood Lotus Sect planning to start a war by blaming her death on the Justice Alliance?
The thought was fleeting.
But he quickly dismissed it.
The risk was too great, wasn’t it?
And the cause of death would be too ambiguous.
‘No, that can’t be it!’
Jeokmurin clenched his teeth, watching Seoraehyang.
She was on the verge of losing consciousness.
The extreme cold striking her crown was so painful that her eyes threatened to roll back.
Her breathing became cautious.
But…
‘I can’t hold back forever. Either way, it’s do or die.’
As she reached the peak of her agony, a forgotten resolve resurfaced.
Finally, she gritted her teeth and made up her mind.
Focusing more intently on the technique, she resumed channeling her energy, intensifying the cold.
It felt as if her entire head would freeze solid.
Now, it wasn’t just icy water, but solid ice sliding through her meridians.
‘Let’s go!’
As the solid ice seemed to sharpen, she concentrated all her willpower on channeling her inner strength.
Whoosh!
A massive glacier slid through her meridians, surging towards the crown of her head.
In the past, she might have squeezed her eyes shut, but this time, she refused to shy away from any of her senses.
She had resolved to face her final moments head-on, even if it meant confronting death itself.
Crash!
At last, the sharply honed glacier collided with the thick barrier of her Baihui point.
“Aaaahhh!”
“Gah! Ugh!”
As the scream erupted from her heart, a dark, crimson clot of blood spewed from her mouth.
She could hear Jeok Murin’s urgent cries echoing in her ears.
Yet, she summoned her strength once more, sending a second glacier surging from her dantian to strike the Baihui point.
Crash!
Crack! Crackle!
The thick wall of the Baihui point began to fracture.
And finally,
Snap, crackle!
Boom!
The solid wall crumbled into pieces, and instead of blocking her, the energy flowed freely through her meridians.
The headache that had threatened to split her skull was now completely gone.
Moreover, the icy chill that had seemed to freeze her entire body melted away as it passed through the Baihui point, warming her like molten lava.
Whoosh!
It felt as if a pleasant breeze was swirling inside her.
Her entire body felt incredibly light.
Meanwhile, Jeok Murin, who had been anxiously watching from the sidelines, finally let out a sigh of relief.
He could see the serene expression on Seoraehyang’s face.
The aura emanating from her was enough to confirm her success.
She was undoubtedly a different person now.
At last, Seoraehyang opened her eyes.
Jeok Murin approached her.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you. I feel like I’ve been reborn.”
Seoraehyang said, gazing down at her palms.
With this sudden surge of power, she felt as if she could accomplish anything.