Episode 358: Return to the Demon Sect
“Huff, huff, huff…!”
Mook Yang-je bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for air.
Maintaining a protective aura is far more taxing than summoning a sword’s energy.
He had pushed himself to the limit, using every ounce of strength to fend off the Black Demon Soldier’s blade, leaving his body utterly exhausted.
Finally, he managed to lift his head and saw the Black Demon Soldier, who had been sent flying through the wall of the main hall.
The soldier had met his end at the hands of Sabi-gang’s Fire Cannon spell, dying instantly.
“Damn it…!”
Mook Yang-je pressed a hand to his bleeding left shoulder, staunching the flow before straightening up.
In the end, he had to ask for help.
When Sabi-gang’s voice had reached him telepathically, he hesitated.
He didn’t want to rely on him, not if he could help it.
But his life was hanging by a thread.
The Black Demon Soldier’s blade was tearing through his protective aura, and his energy was rapidly depleting.
In that moment, Sabi-gang reached out again.
[Just say the word. I’ll help you.]
[Shut up! I… I want to make a noble… sacrifice…!]
[Do you really want that? Is dying to a monster like that truly a noble sacrifice? Or just a pointless death?]
[Ugh!]
He wanted to argue, but no words came to mind.
To think he might lose his life to such a creature.
Sabi-gang’s voice came again.
[In the end, it’s a pointless death. If you die here, someone will clean up your body. The floor of the main hall will be spotless again. Sure, they’ll hold a funeral, but soon enough, people will forget you.]
[Shut up…!]
[But if you ask for my help now, you’ll live to seize any opportunity that comes your way.]
[Argh…!]
[Just say the word. No one will know you asked for my help.]
[…!]
That last promise was a powerful temptation.
If he could preserve both his pride and his life, what did he have to lose?
The blade was nearly upon him, slicing through his protective aura.
A moment’s lapse in concentration, and the Black Demon Soldier’s blade would pierce his forehead.
Then Sabi-gang’s voice came once more.
[Again, I’ll keep your honor intact. No one will know you asked for help.]
“Damn it…!”
[Well, if you don’t want it, I can’t…]
[Help me!]
[What was that?]
[You bastard! Don’t play games now! I said help me!]
[Alright, then listen to me carefully.]
That was the last straw.
Mook Yang-je lost his concentration, and his protective aura shattered like glass.
As the Black Demon Soldier’s blade closed in on his forehead,
Swoooosh!
Sabi-gang’s fiery beam obliterated the Black Demon Soldier in an instant.
Boom!
The soldier was flung back, crashing through the main hall wall and landing lifeless in the courtyard.
He was dead on the spot.
His body was charred black, never to move again.
“Phew.”
Mook Yang-je adjusted his stance and took a deep breath.
Meanwhile, the leaders who had been watching the battle with bated breath turned to Sabi-gang, mouths agape.
They were astonished for two reasons.
First, they hadn’t realized Sabi-gang’s magic was this powerful. They knew of it, but witnessing it firsthand was beyond their imagination.
Second, they hadn’t expected Sabi-gang to step in and save Mook Yang-je.
Some among the leaders had deliberately refrained from helping Mook Yang-je. If he died, they could use it as leverage to hold Sabi-gang accountable.
To them, Mook Yang-je’s life was just another tool for maintaining power.
In this unexpected turn of events, Sabi-gang, aware of the eyes on him, smiled and spoke.
“Apologies for the sudden intervention. I feared Mook Dangju might be in danger, so I had no choice but to step in. It seems I misunderstood his noble intentions. There are more talkers than doers, after all.”
Sabi-gang ended with a meaningful smile directed at Mook Yang-je.
Mook Yang-je felt a twinge of shame but maintained his composure, offering a respectful gesture.
“Having experienced it firsthand, I understand Sa Dae-hyup’s words better now. These creatures can’t be dealt with using ordinary martial arts. It was my mistake to dismiss the martial arts you learned in the Demon Realm as mere dark arts. If my words offended you, I ask for your understanding.”
“Think nothing of it.”
Sabi-gang smiled, satisfied, as he looked around at the gathered leaders.
With the situation taking an unexpected turn, the leaders found it difficult to voice any complaints.
Mook Yang-je, who had been the most vocal opponent, suddenly aligned with Sabi-gang, and with Uk Cheong-pung and Jo Jeok-sang still in a deep sleep, there was little room for dissent.
Sabi-gang opened his palm.
Fwoosh!
A ball of fire appeared in his hand.
The leaders flinched, wary of what he might do next.
Sabi-gang surveyed the room once more before speaking.
“This is the magic you call the dark arts of the Demon Realm.”
”…”
Some looked on with curiosity, others with fear, and some with disdain.
“Tell me, where is the evil in this?”
”…”
“Answer me. What is evil? If I were to use this fireball to kill an innocent child, that would be evil, wouldn’t it? But if I use it to kill a demon soldier? Is that justice? Or injustice?”
“Uhm…”
Several leaders shifted uncomfortably, unable to refute his logic.
Sabi-gang continued undeterred.
“Conversely, if someone trained in righteous martial arts kills an innocent child, is that justice? Or injustice? True righteousness and evil aren’t in the martial arts but in the heart of the person wielding them. Those who haven’t learned properly tend to cling to form over substance.”
The leaders fell silent, unable to argue against his reasoning.
Then someone spoke up.
“So, what is it that Sa Dae-hyup wishes to say?”
“Now is not the time to divide into factions of righteousness and evil, nor to fight among ourselves. Especially not when blinded by power struggles within the alliance, which only leads to ruin.”
“Ahem.”
Feeling the sting of his words, Mook Yang-je and a few others cleared their throats, looking away.
Sabi-gang pointed to the broken wall and the corpse of the demon soldier beyond it.
“Soon, creatures worse than those will appear in this land. We can’t predict where or how they’ll emerge, but they’ll likely appear where dark energy is concentrated. We must prepare for that.”
“Wait. No matter what, we cannot forgive the Blood Demon Sect! They betrayed us, leading to the death of Eun-hwi Dangju and countless righteous warriors. If we overlook this, the martial world will mock our alliance!”
The interruption came from Bang Cheol, the Invincible Hall Master. Originally a moderate, his hatred for the Blood Demon Sect had turned him into a hardliner after the death of his close friend Eun-hwi.
Sabi-gang regarded him calmly before responding.
“You’re not wrong. But turning all the martial artists of the dark path into enemies is foolish. And I believe we’ve shown enough retribution for their betrayal in this war.”
“But those who survived…!”
“What do you want, Bang Dangju? To wage war until every last dark path martial artist is wiped out? A never-ending, wasteful war?”
“But…!”
“Are you willing to let personal grudges cloud the greater good?”
“Ugh!”
“The Blood Demon Sect’s leader, Heo Mu-geuk, is dead. And Baekho Hall’s Chu Hui-ryong betrayed the sect to aid our alliance. Thanks to him, So Bi-gwang was able to return alive.”
Sabi-gang’s gaze shifted to So Bi-gwang.
Receiving the attention, So Bi-gwang nodded.
“It’s true. Without Chu Hui-ryong, I would have died long ago.”
Sabi-gang continued.
“So I propose we entrust the Blood Demon Sect to Chu Hui-ryong.”
“That’s absurd! Do you think he helped out of loyalty to our alliance? He likely saw it as a chance to seize power! If he achieves his goal, what’s to stop him from betraying us again?”
Sabi-gang turned to the Heavenly Destruction Squad and gave an order.
“Bring him in.”
The leaders, startled, crowded toward the platform.
“What are you planning now…?”
“Just speak! Why keep bringing things in…?”
But the Heavenly Destruction Squad, seemingly prepared, soon entered the main hall.
Fortunately, what they brought wasn’t another monstrous creature.
The person bound in chains was a human, and some of the leaders recognized him.
“Th-that man…!”
“The leader of the Medical Faction… Gok Ja-gang!”
“He’s still alive?”
The leaders murmured among themselves.
Gok Ja-gang, the leader of the Medical Faction, had been living undercover as a member of the Righteous Alliance!
It was none other than Nokmyeonin.
His gaze at Gok Jagang was filled with more than just contempt—it was pure, unadulterated hatred.
Sabigang shrugged and spoke up. “I was planning to kill him anyway.”
“What are you talking about…?”
At Sabigang’s nod, Yeom Jaryang, who had brought Gok Jagang in, stepped forward and struck a pressure point on his back.
Thud, thud, thud.
“Ugh!”
Gok Jagang’s body convulsed, his mouth gaping open in shock.
Seizing the moment, Sabigang flicked something from his hand.
Whoosh!
A small red pill shot into Gok Jagang’s open mouth, sliding down his throat before he could react.
Yeom Jaryang released the pressure point, allowing Gok Jagang to regain control. He twisted his lips and demanded, “What did you make me swallow? No matter what you do, I won’t talk.”
“I know. You probably don’t have anything worth saying anyway.”
Sabigang replied with a dismissive shrug, causing Gok Jagang to furrow his brows in confusion.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Think about it. They wouldn’t have entrusted someone like you with any important information. If you were in a position to know anything crucial, you wouldn’t have been sent to the front lines in the first place.”
Gok Jagang’s face flushed with anger at the cutting remark.
“Hmph! If this is some kind of trick—”
“Trick? No, I’m just openly disregarding you.”
Sabigang’s mocking words twisted Gok Jagang’s expression further.
Meanwhile, the onlookers frowned, glancing between Sabigang and Gok Jagang.
Sabigang addressed the crowd, “What he just swallowed is called the ‘Hypocrite’s Tongue.’ It’s similar to the explosive poison used by the Blood Lotus Master with Hongmyo. If I wish, he can die no matter where he is or what he’s doing.”
With that, Sabigang calmly recited a short incantation.
In the next instant,
“Ah! Aaaah!”
Gok Jagang’s head snapped up as he screamed,
Bang!
His head exploded like a watermelon, leaving everyone in stunned silence.
Sabigang surveyed the room with his signature wicked smile. “I’ll make the Blood Lotus Master take it too. That should keep any thoughts of betrayal at bay.”
No one dared to argue with Sabigang’s words. Even Bangcheol remained silent.
Finally, Sabigang got to the point. “So, I plan to establish a new organization, one that doesn’t distinguish between right and wrong, to face the impending crisis.”