Episode 389: The Return of the Demon Sect Leader
“Huimyeon has been defeated.”
At the report from Geummyeon, the sect leader, seated in his grand chair, furrowed his brow deeply and opened his eyes.
“Defeated, you say?”
“Yes, all the elite warriors who accompanied him were also taken down.”
“By whom?”
“It seems… it was Sabigang.”
“Explain in detail.”
“Sabigang broke out of the stone chamber. It appears Eunmyeon missed the opportunity.”
“What! How is that possible?”
The sect leader shot to his feet. Despite his meticulous nature, he had been certain that Sabigang would never escape the stone chamber alive. And yet, he had broken free!
“Could Sabigang be on par with Jonya? Impossible!”
The sect leader’s facial muscles twitched with tension. The room was heavy with silence. No one in the Demon Sect had believed Sabigang would survive.
After a long pause, the sect leader’s heavy voice finally broke the silence.
“Are you saying Sabigang discovered and eliminated Huimyeon?”
Even as he spoke, he found the situation hard to believe.
“What kind of place is that stone chamber, anyway?”
Geummyeon bowed his head deeply.
“I apologize.”
He, too, had not received a more detailed report. In fact, the report had only raised more questions for him, just as it had for the sect leader. But information was still limited. More details would come later from Eunmyeon.
With a serious expression, the sect leader listened as Geummyeon continued his report.
“While the exact circumstances are unclear, according to Eunmyeon’s information, it seems Sabigang might have fallen into a state of madness.”
“Madness?”
“Yes, right after destroying the stone chamber, Sabigang went on a rampage. He eliminated Huimyeon and then disappeared.”
“What about the other disciples who entered the summoning site?”
“There were casualties, but many of the disciples returned safely.”
It was another unbelievable report. Once inside the summoning site, especially that one, the disciples were thought to be as good as dead. Yet, against all odds, Sabigang not only survived but also most of the other disciples, including Eunmyeon.
And now Sabigang was missing.
Even Geummyeon, who delivered the report, found it hard to accept. He pondered silently.
“What on earth happened in that stone chamber?”
None of the three scenarios they had predicted had come to pass!
The sect leader remained silent, lost in thought—or perhaps in shock. Sabigang was supposed to die this time, without fail!
Geummyeon waited patiently for the sect leader to speak.
Finally, the sect leader broke the silence.
“If Sabigang has indeed gone mad and disappeared, then we still have a chance.”
Geummyeon was inwardly impressed. Even in this unbelievable situation, the sect leader was already thinking of the next steps.
Geummyeon nodded in agreement.
“I’ve already sent Dongmyeon and the Blood Hand Five Demons to track him down.”
“Well done.”
The sect leader nodded. The Blood Hand Five Demons were the elite among the elite in the Demon Sect. If they could find Sabigang, they would have no trouble dealing with him.
However…
“If Sabigang hasn’t gone mad…”
“We’ll need to hear more from Eunmyeon, but even if that’s the case, with Dongmyeon and the Blood Hand Five Demons working together, there shouldn’t be any major issues.”
“It’s not over until it’s over. He survived that stone chamber, after all. If they fail, you’ll have to step in personally.”
“I understand.”
Geummyeon bowed deeply.
**
“It’s been twelve hours already.”
“Indeed. I’m worried he might collapse.”
“Someone said it’s a kind of rain-calling ritual.”
“A rain-calling ritual? Why would they do that when the sect leader is missing?”
“Who knows.”
“Shh. Be quiet, everyone. We might disturb him.”
A student hushed the others who were whispering. They were all students learning sorcery at the Murang Hall of the Demon Sect. Among the new students, those with a talent for sorcery were specially selected to be taught by Murang himself.
But with the recent disappearance of Sect Leader Sabigang, Murang had erected an altar in the courtyard of Murang Hall. As soon as the altar was completed, he placed a large bowl there and began a ritual.
Even after a full day, Murang did not stop bowing before the bowl. Watching him bow at regular intervals, the students were inwardly amazed.
How much time had passed? As the students gradually left and the sun began to set, it happened.
Drip, drip…!
Raindrops began to fall from the sky.
One of the remaining students exclaimed softly.
“Look! It’s raining!”
“Indeed. It seemed like it would never rain, but here it is.”
Before the words were even finished,
Whoosh!
A refreshing downpour began, as if by magic.
“The rain-calling ritual worked.”
“Master Murang is truly remarkable.”
The students were excitedly chattering. But they didn’t realize the true extent of the ritual’s power. The rain wasn’t just falling in Wuhuan; it was pouring across the entire central plains. If they had known, they would have been even more astonished.
The rain was connecting heaven and earth, bridging spaces.
It had been sixteen hours since Murang began the ritual.
As he completed the final bow and stood up, Murang staggered in the rain.
“Oh! Master!”
The students rushed to help, but Murang quickly raised a hand to stop them. Instead, he took a deep breath and knelt quietly before the large bowl.
The rain, which had been pouring for so long, filled the bowl completely and then stopped as if it had never been.
Murang reached out and gently swept the surface of the water in the bowl. Then he gazed intently into the water.
**
Rumble!
A great tiger burst through the underbrush.
Swish!
A streak of red sword energy flew through the air, slicing the charging tiger in half, killing it instantly.
Thud!
Sabigang looked down at the now lifeless tiger with indifferent eyes, then crouched down and began to tear into its flesh.
“Chomp, chomp… slurp… chomp, chomp…!”
Anyone who saw him would have been horrified. But deep in the mountains, there was no one around.
Sabigang devoured the entire tiger in no time. Yet, still hungry, he frowned and rubbed his stomach. His mouth was covered in blood, but he didn’t care.
He stood up and glanced around. The dense trees blocked his view, making it feel claustrophobic.
Then,
Whoosh!
A dark red sword energy swept horizontally, felling hundreds of trees in its path. The area was cleared, and his view opened up.
In the distance, he saw a mountain lake. Thirsty, Sabigang instinctively headed toward it.
Pop!
In an instant, Sabigang was standing by the lakeshore. His movement was ghostly.
He plunged his face into the water and drank greedily. He was like a beast.
At that moment,
Whoosh!
A sudden downpour began, as if from a clear sky.
Sabigang paid it no mind. He wasn’t in a state to care about the rain.
After drinking his fill, he slowly stood up. He looked across the lake.
There, a shabby old house stood like a painting by the lakeside.
Sabigang saw an old man emerge from the house, hands clasped behind his back.
“Growl…”
Sabigang made a beastly sound, licking his lips.
Then,
Bang!
He kicked off the ground and shot forward like an arrow.
Running across the rain-soaked lake surface, his movement was nothing short of miraculous.
Meanwhile, at the lakeside house, the old man who had just stepped out looked up at the sky and murmured softly.
“Hmm. This is no ordinary rain.”
The old man, wearing a blue robe, was remarkably dry despite the torrential downpour.
He turned his gaze to Sabigang, who stood by the lakeshore, panting like a beast and growling fiercely.
The water rippled in a straight line across the lake, marking Sabigang’s path.
The old man stroked his long beard and nodded.
“I see. This rain is because of you.”
He examined Sabigang closely, his eyes widening as they settled on the sword.
“A demon sword… indeed.”
Vrrrr…!
The sword, as if understanding the old man’s words, vibrated in response.
In the next moment, just as Sabigang was about to spring forward,
“Why are you standing out in the rain like that? Come on in. Come, come this way.”
An old man approached with a steady gait and, to Sabigang’s surprise, took his hand and led him inside.
Caught off guard, Sabigang looked at the old man with a puzzled expression.
The old man smiled warmly and said, “No need to be shy. First, you should wash up. You smell quite strong, haha.”
“Grrr…!”
“Nothing to be embarrassed about. I once knew a kid like you. Brings back memories.”
“Grrr…!”
“Well, that kid wasn’t as fierce as you, but you two have a lot in common.”
With that, the old man continued to lead Sabigang along, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Perhaps it was the old man’s calm demeanor that stopped Sabigang, who had been ready to pounce like a starving beast, from growling any further. He simply followed.
The sudden downpour had created puddles on the ground, and the two of them splashed through them as they made their way inside.
But in one of those puddles, something strange happened. The reflection of Sabigang’s shadow began to shift, transforming into the image of another person.
It was none other than Murang the Sage.
Moments later, Murang’s reflection vanished from the puddle.
**
Murang, who had been staring motionlessly at his bowl, finally lifted his head.
With a long sigh, he murmured softly, “Found him.”
**
“Damn it! How did they find us?”
Churyang gritted his teeth, scanning the enemies before him.
Six in total.
Each one a master of the highest order.
From the start, hiding from them had been an impossible task.
Perhaps the Black Ghost could have managed it, but Churyang was a master of tracking, not concealment.
If six top-tier warriors were determined to find him, they would succeed.
Still, he had hoped the sudden downpour might obscure his trail, even if just a little.
But it was a futile hope.
‘To think they’d be after the master too.’
Churyang and the Black Ghost had stumbled upon these foes while tracking Sabigang’s trail.
They were none other than the Frozen Face and the Blood Demon.
Realizing they stood no chance in a direct confrontation, Churyang and the Black Ghost had tried to escape, but evading six elite warriors proved impossible.
Now, Churyang and the Black Ghost found themselves cornered at the edge of a cliff.
“There’s no need to be so scared. We might let one of you live, just in case.”
The Frozen Face smirked as he stepped forward.
Churyang scoffed. “Hah! Do you really think our master would bat an eye if you took us hostage?”
“You sure know how to spin a sad tale,” the Frozen Face replied with a bemused expression.
Churyang glanced at the Black Ghost. “Sorry, this is my fault.”
If the Black Ghost had been alone, he might have slipped away unnoticed.
In that instant,
“Save your apologies for the afterlife!”
The Frozen Face launched himself forward like an arrow.
At the same time, Churyang stepped in front of the Black Ghost, unleashing a battle cry.
“Haaah!”
A powerful aura erupted from Churyang’s protective amulet, forming a shield.
The Frozen Face’s eyes widened. “What is this…?”
Crash!
“Aagh!”
“Ugh!”
Churyang, having blocked the Frozen Face’s attack head-on, was thrown back, colliding with the Black Ghost.
The two of them tumbled off the cliff, and the Frozen Face rushed to the edge, frowning.
“I intended to spare one of them.”
Without a stroke of luck, they were as good as dead.
No matter. The priority now was finding Sabigang.
“Continue tracking Sabigang,” the Frozen Face muttered coldly, turning away.