Episode 350: Return of the Demon Instructor
With a swift motion, Sabikang’s robe fluttered dramatically as he shouted, “Blizzard!”
In an instant, a fierce, bone-chilling windstorm swept through the northwest region where the enemy cavalry was stationed. The cold was so intense it felt as if it could strip flesh from bone. The fields froze solid, and the ground cracked under the pressure of the freezing air.
Boom! Crash!
The demonic cavalry, caught in the storm, shattered into icy fragments, unable to withstand the onslaught. Those who couldn’t escape in time were frozen in place, while a few of the more skilled warriors managed to channel their inner energy to barely escape the deadly cold.
Thud!
A massive cavalryman, frozen solid, toppled over and shattered upon impact with the ground. The blizzard was so powerful that nothing could move within its grasp. The frozen grass crumbled underfoot, and the blood and sweat of the fallen scattered like snowflakes in the wind.
The warriors of the Justice Alliance, witnessing this unbelievable scene, stood with mouths agape, unable to find words.
“Incredible… What on earth is this?”
“Has Instructor Sabikang mastered some kind of extreme cold martial art?”
“I’ve never heard of such a technique!”
“Whatever it is, it means we can survive this!”
“Yeah!”
The warriors raised their hands in triumph, cheering. To them, Sabikang, floating in the air, was nothing short of a divine being.
Sabikang spoke, his voice carrying power despite its calmness. “Attack!”
The command was clear to the warriors of the Inspection Bureau and the new recruits. Maesulan drew her sword and shouted, “Sweep them away!”
“Yeah!”
The Iron Blood Brigade, led by Gojoksan, charged first. They were well-suited for large-scale battles and moved with unmatched agility. The frozen enemy cavalry was swept away like a dark cloud, creating a spectacular sight.
Following them, the warriors of the Inspection Bureau and the new recruits, including the Celestial Extermination Squad and the Shadow Squad, charged forward. Though their numbers were few, their ferocity was unstoppable.
Crack! Boom! Crash!
The frozen cavalry shattered helplessly under the assault. It was more like an explosion than a mere breaking. Yomjaryang swung his great sword, unleashing a ground wave that swept away the enemy cavalry in an instant. Nengsoso summoned Celestine, who unleashed a powerful wind to scatter the frozen enemies.
Danlijung’s arrows pierced through the enemy ranks with precision, while Seolsorin’s whip-like tail wreaked havoc among the frozen cavalry. It was a one-sided massacre, though “massacre” seemed an ill-fitting term. It was more like the warriors were smashing statues into pieces.
Even the Justice Alliance warriors, initially stunned, found their spirits rising and joined the fray with renewed vigor.
“The Inspection Bureau is here!”
“Yeah! Former Chief Sabikang has come to save us!”
“We can survive this!”
“Break them all!”
Crack! Boom! Crash!
The Justice Alliance warriors surged forward, shattering the frozen cavalry. The enemy, turned to ice, could do nothing but crumble under the relentless assault. As the ice shattered, white particles spread like mist.
Meanwhile, from a distance, Mukyangje and Ukcheongpung watched in disbelief.
“How is this possible?”
“What kind of martial art is that?”
Mukyangje turned to Ukcheongpung, who could only shake his head, muttering, “I have no idea. Could he have learned some dark magic while in the Blood Sect?”
“That might be it! How else could this be happening?”
Even so, they couldn’t fully comprehend the spectacle before them. Sabikang, hovering in the air, watched the scene unfold before descending onto the crumbling wall.
As the wall collapsed, raising a cloud of dust, Sabikang spread his arms wide and shouted, “Natas!”
A vivid green light burst from the crystal embedded in his collarbone. The beam shot into the sky before descending like a comet, coalescing into a mysterious figure beside Sabikang.
A skeletal knight draped in tattered black robes, its twisted face turned to Sabikang.
The voice resonated directly in Sabikang’s mind. Meanwhile, the fleeing Justice Alliance warriors froze in place, mouths agape at the sight of the skeletal knight.
“What in the world is that?”
“A monster… or a ghost?”
“What on earth is happening in the martial world?”
But the voice of Neungunpa snapped them back to reality.
“What are you waiting for? Secure the retreat and fall back!”
Even as he commanded the warriors, Neungunpa couldn’t ignore the presence of Natas beside Sabikang.
‘Master Sa! What is that?’
He had lived through many events, thinking he was prepared for anything. Yet, he realized his arrogance. He couldn’t comprehend the day’s events, and a vague fear stirred within him.
‘What is happening in the martial world?’
Meanwhile, Sabikang surveyed the approaching Baold beyond the collapsed wall and spoke coldly.
“Can you handle them?”
“Prove that confidence now.”
Without a word, Natas soared into the air. As he spread his arms, a chilling aura of death spread in all directions. The retreating Justice Alliance warriors shuddered and glanced back at the eerie scene.
Moments later, the battlefield, already filled with death, witnessed another unbelievable event.
The fallen corpses began to rise, their eyes rolling back, one by one. The pace quickened, and soon the corpses were springing up like zombies.
Neungunpa, watching in horror, muttered, “Zombies…?”
But he quickly shook his head. No, it couldn’t be. Creating a single zombie required immense time, resources, and cost. Raising the dead on the spot was unheard of.
Yet, the impossible was happening.
Finally, Sabikang issued the command.
“Sweep them away.”
Natas extended an arm, and the risen corpses charged forward, wielding weapons with abandon.
The dance of the dead had begun.
Natas moved among the undead, swinging a massive scythe with reckless abandon. Wherever the scythe passed, decay and poison followed.
The advancing Baold couldn’t withstand the wave of death. Their tentacles rotted and fell, succumbing to the relentless assault of the undead.
Sabikang used levitation magic to rise into the sky again. From above, the battlefield looked like a vast wave of death engulfing the Baold horde.
He turned his gaze to Nokmyeonin and Dokgojin, who led the Salhon Squad, observing from a distance atop bamboo stalks. It was time to conserve mana. Summoning Natas came at a significant cost, consuming nearly half of his current mana. Summoning Natas twice in one day was impossible, but in large-scale battles like this, it was invaluable.
Sabikang issued orders through telepathy.
[Danli Leader, take the Celestial Extermination Squad and engage Nokmyeonin. Elder Maeng, lead the new recruits to eliminate Dokgojin.]
The warriors on the ground, hearing the command, split into two groups, charging toward their respective targets.
Standing atop a tall bamboo stalk, Nokmyeonin surveyed the battlefield, his mouth agape in disbelief.
“What on earth… is that?”
Was this how the warriors of the Justice Alliance felt when they first encountered Baold?
Nokmyeonin’s heart pounded so fiercely it felt like it might leap from his chest.
The dead, their eyes rolled back, exuded a thick, greenish aura as they moved with unsettling vigor. And at their center, commanding them, was a skeletal figure. What on earth was it?
A newly created jiangshi?
The idea of the Justice Alliance creating jiangshi was laughable, even to a passing dog.
It was one incomprehensible event after another.
He could accept that Sabigang had erected a massive barrier. Fine, he could even stretch his understanding to accept that Sabigang had conjured a blizzard to freeze the enemy troops. But how could he explain the resurrection of the dead and that skeletal warrior?
“Who is that person? Or is it even a person?”
Watching the wave of death surge towards Baold, even the usually fearless Nokmyeonin felt a chill in his heart.
Just then, a familiar voice broke through his thoughts.
“You’re having quite a time, aren’t you?”
Startled, Nokmyeonin turned to see an old woman standing below, hands clasped behind her back. It was Hwangmyeonin.
“When did she get here?”
It was surprising that she had approached so closely without him noticing, given that their martial skills were not so different.
Hwangmyeonin appeared unchanged, except for one thing: her eyes were entirely black, with no whites visible, as if darkness itself filled the space where her eyes should be.
Nokmyeonin leapt down and asked, “Have you mastered the Great Art…?”
He was referring to the Surabulgwe.
Hwangmyeonin’s lips curled into a slight smile. “You’ll see soon enough.”
In an instant, a mysterious energy radiated from Hwangmyeonin’s entire body. Nokmyeonin felt a shiver run through him, as if thousands of needles were pricking his skin.
“Amazing! If it’s like this…”
It wasn’t even a display of killing intent. She had merely opened her qi, yet Nokmyeonin found it hard to breathe.
“Incredible…”
He thought she could probably defeat the leader of the Justice Alliance in less than a hundred moves.
“She’s succeeded in mastering the Surabulgwe!”
As if reading his thoughts, Hwangmyeonin spoke. “There is no one left who can kill me now.”
It was an audacious claim, but Nokmyeonin couldn’t deny it. The energy emanating from her was truly extraordinary.
In the next moment, with a powerful kick off the ground, Hwangmyeonin shot through the air like a beam of light, heading towards Sabigang.