Episode 32: Return to the Demon Sect
Sabikang sprinted across the rooftops with remarkable speed.
He cast a quick glance at the inferno raging in the heart of the village.
Devil Fire.
A creation from the demon realm.
When infused with mana or internal energy, it triggers a massive explosion.
It incinerates people in an instant, leaving no trace of their bodies.
The process involves converting mana into a fire attribute, then condensing it with specific chemicals into a transparent magic stone.
The destructive power of Devil Fire varies with the energy infused into it.
There were twenty Devil Fires stationed in the hidden cave of Angang.
Along with them were the Akan Potion and Hela’s Tears.
“I’ll take them all!”
Sabikang vanished for a moment, only to reappear further ahead, his movements a blend of martial arts and trace magic.
Anyone who saw him would be left speechless by his bizarre method of travel.
But no one was looking up at the rooftops; all eyes were fixed on the towering flames consuming one side of the village.
**
“Ha ha ha ha!”
Standing atop a building, Dangugi burst into laughter.
Watching the pillar of fire rise, he felt a sense of liberation.
With this, the Seungdo family was erased from existence.
“Only the Geumjeong Gate remains.”
By now, even Geumjeong Gate must have realized that these events were no coincidence.
They would surely strengthen their defenses and prepare for the worst.
But it would be futile.
With the Explosive Arrows, they could be obliterated in a single strike, no matter what they did.
Just as he was about to turn away—
“Hmm…?”
Dangugi blinked, staring at the distant rooftop.
For a moment, he thought he was seeing things.
But no, something was indeed coming his way.
And fast!
“What is that?”
It was definitely a person.
But…
“What kind of movement technique is that?”
The figure was hurtling toward him like an arrow, disappearing and reappearing closer each time.
It was more like a ghostly approach.
A martial artist coming at him at this time could hardly have good intentions.
In that case…
“I’ll have to eliminate them.”
Dangugi narrowed his eyes, drawing his bowstring.
“What a strange movement technique.”
Finally, he released the string.
Whoosh!
The arrow, imbued with energy, sliced through the night air like a beam of light.
Swish!
In an instant.
Clang!
The opponent drew a sword and deflected the arrow, sending it flying into the roof of a nearby building.
“Quick reflexes!”
Feeling threatened, Dangugi quickly pulled out an Explosive Arrow and fitted it to a specially crafted shaft.
Then, as he drew the string—
“Stop!”
The opponent flinched and halted.
The two stood facing each other, three buildings apart.
Dangugi kept the bowstring taut as he spoke.
“Who are you, and where do you come from?”
“I’m Sabikang, an instructor from Yongcheon Hall.”
“Yongcheon Hall…?”
Dangugi frowned slightly.
It was unexpected for students from Yongcheon Hall to appear here, and even more so for them to become an obstacle so quickly.
“Sabikang… I’ve never heard of you, but your skills are impressive.”
But his youthful appearance and abrupt manner of speaking were not particularly appealing.
Dangugi continued, still holding the bowstring.
“You approached aggressively, so I had to ask. I am—”
“I know. You’re Dangugi of the Blood Palace.”
“Oh, I’m honored you know my humble name.”
“Ha, it’s unforgettable.”
Sabikang smiled coldly.
Though Dangugi couldn’t decipher the meaning behind it, he remained cautious.
“What brings you to me, Instructor Sa?”
“I’ve come to collect something from you.”
“Collect something? What might that be? And your tone has been quite rude from the start…”
“Do you expect respect from a murderer?”
“Murderer?”
“Am I wrong? Haven’t two families already been wiped out by your arrows?”
Dangugi flinched.
“So he saw me shoot?”
At that moment, Sabikang took a step forward.
Dangugi shouted in alarm.
“Stop! If you come any closer, I can’t guarantee I won’t shoot you.”
Sabikang stared at him intently.
“If you shoot that, the area within a thirty-foot radius will be obliterated. Are you willing to kill dozens of innocent people?”
“What? He knows the power of the Explosive Arrow?”
Sabikang watched Dangugi’s shocked expression and crossed his arms.
“That thing you’re about to shoot. The red stone.”
“You know about this stone?”
“It’s called Devil Fire.”
“Devil… what?”
“Never mind the pronunciation. Anyway, you need to hand over what you call ‘Explosive Arrows.’ They weren’t left here for you to commit massacres.”
“Ridiculous! You just show up out of nowhere… Wait, how do you know I call them ‘Explosive Arrows’?”
“It’s a long story. Just hand over all of them. I see you’ve already consumed quite a bit of the Akan Potion, but you must have some left.”
“What are you talking about…?”
“Oh, don’t play dumb. The Akan Potion permanently boosts mana. It’s much rarer than a regular mana potion.”
“What is he saying?”
“Well, for ordinary martial artists, it usually has adverse effects, but you were lucky to have the help of your unique martial art.”
It was true.
His unique martial art, Sohajin Technique, was characterized by channeling internal energy against the natural flow.
This method had similarities with mana manipulation, leading to an increase in internal energy instead of mana.
However, it wasn’t a conventional method.
Consuming too much at once could cause problems.
But Dangugi couldn’t fully grasp Sabikang’s words.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but stop bothering me.”
“Just give me what you found. I’ll overlook what you’ve done so far.”
“Fine. But I can’t return it now. I’ll find you in two days and give it to you.”
Sabikang’s expression darkened.
“So you plan to erase Geumjeong Gate as well?”
“You… How do you know that…?”
“Just one question. I’ve been curious for a long time.”
“What is it?”
“Why did you annihilate the three sects?”
Dangugi looked at Sabikang with a bewildered expression.
“How much does he know? And he’s been curious for a long time?”
His mind was in turmoil.
It was as if Sabikang was asking about future actions as if they were past events.
It felt like a dream.
Then—
Whoosh!
Sabikang suddenly vanished from sight.
And then reappeared, leaping over a building.
“What!”
Startled, Dangugi leaped back and released the string.
Whoosh!
Swish!
This time, Sabikang was also taken aback.
He actually shot it.
“This crazy…!”
Sabikang quickly reached out and shouted reflexively.
“Hold!”
In that instant, the arrow halted just in front of him.
In a split second, Sabikang spun his body and gracefully caught the arrow.
Whirl, thud!
Dangugi’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“He caught it? My arrow?”
The opponent was undoubtedly a master beyond the pinnacle.
And yet, he was an instructor at Yongcheon Hall.
Moreover, it was a name he’d never heard before.
“Wait, just now… Didn’t the arrow stop for a moment?”
Dangugi shook his head internally.
That couldn’t be possible, could it?
How could an arrow in flight stop in mid-air?
Dangugi dismissed the thought and began to run.
Leaving this place was the priority.
Originally, he planned to destroy Geumjeong Gate tomorrow.
But his plans had changed.
He had to do it today.
With someone like that interfering, he couldn’t afford to delay any longer.
Meanwhile, Sabikang, having caught the arrow, carefully extracted the Devil Fire and sighed in relief.
“Damn! That guy has no sense of caution!”
The village could have been engulfed in flames again.
The duration of the Hold spell wasn’t long.
Especially for fast-moving objects like arrows, the hold time was fleeting.
Moreover, if the arrow was imbued with strong energy, the Hold might not have worked at all.
If the Hold hadn’t worked, dozens of people nearby would have vanished without a trace overnight.
Sabikang watched Dangugi’s retreating figure in the distance.
“Chasing him recklessly would be problematic.”
If he got agitated and started firing Devil Fire everywhere, it would be a headache.
“I can’t let him waste precious Devil Fire like that.”
Having made up his mind, he quietly muttered.
“Invisibility.”
And with that, his body slowly faded into the darkness.
**
Thud.
Cheoldojeong, the head of Geumjeong Gate, staggered as his legs gave out.
His four bodyguards quickly rushed to support him.
With a dazed expression, he asked again.
“Is it true?”
“Yes, Gate Master. It’s definitely the Seungdo family.”
“The Seungdo family… annihilated…”
“Currently, the Black Rock Squad and the Golden Dragon Unit have been dispatched to the scene.”
“The Seongdojin family…”
Cheol Do-jeong kept repeating the same words, as if he couldn’t hear anything else. His eyes trembled violently.
Moments later, Cheol Jin-gi, the head of the household, rushed into the courtyard.
“Father! Have you heard?”
“I was informed just a moment ago.”
“It’s the Seongdojin family! The Seongdojin family! Didn’t I tell you? I said it was definitely that guy’s doing!”
”…”
“We’re next! That Dan Gugi will surely come for us too…”
“Silence!”
“Father…?”
“Do you feel no guilt at all? Who do you think is responsible for this mess?”
“But it wasn’t just me…”
“Fine. All those who caused trouble with you are dead now, so you might as well join them!”
“How can you say that, Father? You were once…”
“Enough! Get out of my sight. I can’t stand to look at you.”
Cheol Do-jeong pressed his temples and sighed deeply.
Cheol Jin-gi hesitated, looking at him, then turned sharply to leave.
“Master! Dan Daehyeop is here to see you!”
“What?”
Cheol Do-jeong stood up reflexively, his body trembling slightly.
Cheol Jin-gi, about to leave, shouted at the servant.
“Dan Daehyeop? Do you mean Dan Gugi of the Blood Palace?”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
“Where is he now?”
“Outside the main gate…”
Just then—
Whoosh!
Thud!
“Gah!”
An arrow pierced through the servant’s chest, and he collapsed.
Cheol Do-jeong’s four bodyguards hurriedly drew their swords.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Four arrows, gleaming like lightning, struck the vital points of the bodyguards simultaneously.
Before anyone could react, a familiar voice echoed from the middle gate.
“No need to come out and greet me.”
Cheol Do-jeong and Cheol Jin-gi turned their heads in unison.
Dan Gugi was already stepping into the courtyard.
Cheol Jin-gi, pale as a ghost, trembled uncontrollably.
“How could an outsider get this far past our defenses…?”
“Naturally, I took care of them.”
At Dan Gugi’s words, Cheol Jin-gi’s face turned ashen.
“T-took care of them…?”
“Killed them.”
”…!”
Dan Gugi looked at Cheol Do-jeong.
“My old friend, all I want is one life.”
“That… can’t be.”
Cheol Do-jeong shook his head, as if he already knew what Dan Gugi meant.
Ignoring him, Dan Gugi raised his arrow and pointed it at Cheol Jin-gi.
“You know, your son. If you let me take his life, no innocent person here will be harmed.”
Cheol Jin-gi’s face drained of all color.
Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows, someone watched the scene unfold.
“Well, well. What do we have here?”
Sa Bi-gang wore an intrigued expression.