Episode 323: Return to the Demonic Sect

“Does the Asudaehwan Pill have any other functions?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

Chu Hee-ryong shook his head with a bitter smile.

Sa Bi-gang frowned.

“Then?”

“The Asudaehwan Pill is merely an excellent elixir for martial artists who have mastered their skills. However…”

“Did they mix it with something else?”

“That’s highly likely.”

“But we haven’t heard anything about that from the Red Instructor.”

Jeok Mu-rin had clearly stated he was only taking the Asudaehwan Pill to meet Hongmyo. His expression at the time didn’t suggest he was lying.

“Perhaps even the Red Instructor was unaware.”

“How could the person delivering it not know? How is that possible…?”

Sa Bi-gang trailed off, a thought suddenly crossing his mind.

Chu Hee-ryong watched him intently and nodded.

“Exactly. Something was mixed into the Asudaehwan Pill. It’s a concoction developed by Myungri-gak, so it’s not impossible that they tampered with it.”

“But it doesn’t make sense. Mixing other ingredients into a carefully developed elixir could ruin it.”

“I don’t know the details either. But judging by the reactions of Commander Ryu and the others, it’s the only explanation. If Hongmyo manages to eliminate the leader of the Justice Alliance, and our forces wipe out their power during a joint operation…”

“The Justice Alliance would crumble in an instant.”

“Indeed. This must be a strategy devised by Commander Ryu. I’ve heard they’ve already sent Black Dog to negotiate with the Demon Sect.”

“Would the Demon Sect agree so easily?”

“From their perspective, there’s nothing to lose. Commander Ryu is enticing them with the idea of ‘dividing the martial world.’ If things go as he plans, the Demon Sect stands to gain as well.”

That was true. If Ryu Yeo-jung’s scheme succeeded in dismantling the Justice Alliance, the biggest beneficiary would be the Demon Sect. Of course, in terms of sheer power, the Blood Sect would become the strongest. But the Demon Sect, which had been relatively obscure, would suddenly rise to prominence.

Chu Hee-ryong spoke with determination.

“We can’t let such people wreak havoc in the martial world. We must stop them!”

Sa Bi-gang sneered coldly.

“You don’t need to justify it to me.”

“W-what do you mean?”

Chu Hee-ryong asked, slightly flustered, as Sa Bi-gang continued with his characteristic smirk.

“If Commander Ryu’s plan succeeds, the power of the Alliance will grow even stronger. It will be even harder to rebel then. Isn’t that what you’re most worried about?”

Caught off guard, Chu Hee-ryong couldn’t respond immediately. Sa Bi-gang chuckled at his discomfort.

Chu Hee-ryong was that kind of person. He pretended to take a moderate stance towards the Justice Alliance, acting as if he cared about the order of the martial world, but in reality, he was hiding his true ambitions. In that sense, he was no different from Heo Mu-geuk.

But from Sa Bi-gang’s perspective, it was still better to make Chu Hee-ryong the leader of the Blood Sect. It would make future plans easier to execute.

‘Better a loyal dog than a wild beast.’

Recalling his thoughts, Sa Bi-gang looked up at Myungri-gak. The other ingredient mixed into the Asudaehwan Pill could potentially kill the leader of the Justice Alliance, Chu Hee-ryong was convinced. He had even asked Dang Yi-hyeop through Hongyeom, but without seeing the pill himself, Dang Yi-hyeop couldn’t be sure.

Ultimately, Sa Bi-gang decided to infiltrate Myungri-gak himself and take whatever suspicious ingredients he could find. Not knowing exactly what he was looking for made the task daunting. It was a crude method, but there was no other plan.

‘When you can’t see the path, you just have to keep walking.’

Fortunately, he had Ragel’s pouch, which meant carrying out as many ingredients as needed wouldn’t be a problem. There was also something else. Chu Hee-ryong mentioned that Myungri-gak had an item that might interest Sa Bi-gang. It was something Chu Hee-ryong had acquired while tracking a merchant, but not knowing its use, he had handed it over to Myungri-gak, hoping they might discover something through their experiments.

Chu Hee-ryong dismissed it as just another magical tool from the Demonic Sect, so it was worth checking out.

With his resolve firm, Sa Bi-gang leaped into the air, landing gracefully on a large tree next to Myungri-gak.

There were thirty guards on duty, all highly skilled. The most challenging part was that Myungri-gak was equipped with various mechanisms. The first room inside Myungri-gak had a floor that detected weight. If the combined weight on the roof exceeded that of the guards, an alarm would sound immediately. Therefore, the guards at Myungri-gak were meticulous about their weight. Even a slight difference of two geun could trigger the alarm.

Moreover, Myungri-gak had no windows. While it had ventilation systems for brewing medicines and conducting experiments, the vents were not large enough for a person to enter. They were covered with dense iron mesh, and toxic fumes often flowed through them, making entry through them a death sentence.

In the end, the only way in and out was through the main entrance. Entering was the problem, as the door could only be opened from the inside. Since its construction, Myungri-gak had never been left empty. If it were, the mechanisms would have to be dismantled, a process that could take over a month due to their complexity.

To enter from the outside, a signal had to be sent for someone inside to open the door.

‘So, there’s only one way…’

Even if he managed to infiltrate Myungri-gak, it wouldn’t be over. The interior was filled with traps for intruders, requiring extreme caution. Myungri-gak had a device called the “Detection Pearl,” which detected energy. If it sensed unfamiliar energy, the alarm would sound. Therefore, no internal energy could be used.

The key was not to be discovered. If he was caught, the Alliance and the Commander might change their plans. It would also give them a reason to attack the Justice Alliance.

He had considered sending Black Ghost, but given the gravity of the situation, he decided to go himself.

‘I won’t get caught!’

Sa Bi-gang hid among the branches, waiting for the right moment.

**

Three days later.

Woo Gwang, the deputy head of Myungri-gak, hurried along. The Blood Sect was preparing for war, and they needed more elixirs and poisons than ever. True to their nature, the Blood Sect prioritized poisons over elixirs in such times.

‘It’s going to be a tough time.’

During such periods, those entering Myungri-gak would stay for weeks, even months, living on the second floor. It was a busy and chaotic time. It had been the same during the Great War a year ago.

‘I hope it ends quickly this time…’

Lost in thought, he took out a detoxifying pill and swallowed it. It was his tenth and final pill. For the past ten days, he had taken one pill a day. After ten pills, he would have resistance to most poisons for about a month. Given the nature of Myungri-gak, handling various toxins, it was essential to follow this regimen during emergencies.

Just as he was about to leave the narrow path, a voice called out from behind.

“Deputy Head Woo.”

Woo Gwang stopped abruptly. In that brief moment, he thought to himself.

‘I didn’t sense any presence. This can’t be a friendly approach!’

With that thought, he quickly turned, drawing a dagger from his sleeve and swinging it.

“Who goes there!”

But the figure behind him was faster.

Tap, tap, tap.

‘Ugh!’

Woo Gwang felt his body stiffen as he dropped the dagger. He had been struck in vital points in an instant. Before he could even see his attacker’s face, his consciousness began to fade.

‘Damn it… who…’

As Woo Gwang collapsed, Sa Bi-gang caught him gently.

“Almost didn’t get a chance to mimic your voice. Where have you been dawdling? You’ve wasted more time than I expected.”

Muttering to himself, Sa Bi-gang quickly scanned the surroundings. He then hoisted Woo Gwang over his shoulder and leaped away.

**

“Hmm. This should do it.”

Sa Bi-gang nodded, examining his reflection in a mirror. In the corner, Woo Gwang lay bound and unconscious, stripped of his clothes.

The astonishing thing was that U-gwang’s face was exactly the same as Sabi-gang’s.

Conversely, Sabi-gang’s face was identical to U-gwang’s.

In other words, their faces had been seamlessly swapped.

This was because Sabi-gang had used a shape-switching spell on U-gwang.

For the spell to remain effective, the target had to stay alive.

That’s why Sabi-gang hadn’t disposed of U-gwang but instead tied him up in the storage room.

“It won’t take long, so get some rest.”

Once the job was done, Sabi-gang, now looking like U-gwang, planned to tell everyone he was going on a business trip to Myeongrigak.

Of course, the real U-gwang would mysteriously disappear after that.

Until then, no one would know the real U-gwang was here.

Not even Churyang.

The fewer people who know a secret, the better.

Naturally, the storage room door would be locked with magic, so there was no way to open it from the outside.

It could be opened from the inside, but it would take at least ten days for U-gwang to wake from his stupor, so there was no concern.

“Well, shall we get started?”

Sabi-gang turned and stepped out of the storage room, closing the door behind him.

**

As expected, the guards on duty didn’t suspect a thing when they saw Sabi-gang.

Having already reviewed the blueprints and received a rough layout from Chu Hee-ryong, Sabi-gang acted with calm confidence.

First, he approached the main gate of Myeongrigak and pulled a long cord.

He felt a slight ‘click.’

This would have sent a signal inside Myeongrigak.

Moments later,

Creak…!

The heavy door opened on its own.

Sabi-gang, just in case, swallowed a poison antidote and stepped inside.

The first thing he saw was a dim, short corridor.

At the end of the corridor was another iron door, seemingly installed with a double-lock mechanism.

It was likely to block the pervasive poison within Myeongrigak.

His eyes already stung from the toxic air.

An ordinary person would have coughed up blood and collapsed before even reaching the inner door.

‘The heat is already intense.’

Sabi-gang grasped the handle of the inner door and opened it.

A wave of heat rushed at him.

Rooms lined the long corridor, with people busily moving in and out.

Everyone wore hoods and had their faces covered with cloth.

It wasn’t for disguise, but to protect themselves from the poison.

Several guards bowed respectfully to Sabi-gang, mistaking him for U-gwang, the head of the organization.

‘Now, let’s see what secrets we can uncover.’

Sabi-gang’s eyes gleamed with determination.