Episode 404: Return to the Demonic Sect

It took quite some time for the chaos to settle down.

The head of the Intelligence Hall personally rushed over to tend to the injured, and only after Jo Jeok-sang fully regained consciousness did the meeting resume.

Jo Jeok-sang, who had stepped forward so confidently, couldn’t even lift his head, and the other leaders were equally speechless.

Through this incident, Sa Bi-gang had indirectly conveyed the dangers of the summoning grounds to them.

But he knew better.

Even if the Justice Alliance officially banned expeditions to the summoning grounds, they couldn’t monitor every corner of the martial world.

Surely, someone would secretly form a hunting party, hoping to strike it rich.

Rumors had already spread far and wide. Tales of those who entered the summoning grounds and returned with unimaginable treasures were circulating frequently.

As a result, the summoning grounds were being seen less as dangerous places and more like treasure troves.

In such a situation, if the Justice Alliance were to outright ban entry, there would be many who would oppose, and many sects that wouldn’t comply.

And the rogue martial artists? They were a given.

Even though the Blood Sect claimed to manage them, in a world where even the most reputable sects couldn’t be trusted, how could they be?

Thus, instead of an unenforceable ban, it was better to establish proper order and regulations.

With that in mind, Sa Bi-gang presented the documents he had prepared at the Demonic Sect to the alliance leader and the other leaders.

The main points were as follows:

First, all summoning grounds would be managed by the Justice Alliance.

Regardless of affiliation, everyone must adhere to this rule.

Second, whenever a summoning ground is discovered, it must be reported to the alliance, which will then dispatch a management team to assess and announce its grade.

Third, general summoning grounds can be hunted by anyone with a permit from the management, but those with altars or stone chambers are classified as high-grade and can only be tackled with the alliance’s permission.

Fourth, if a hunting party is wiped out during a summoning ground expedition, it must be reported to the alliance, and assistance from the Demonic Sect should be sought.

As the leaders carefully reviewed the contents, Sim Ji-hwang asked with a reluctant expression, “Who will oversee the management team?”

“It should be someone well-versed in summoning grounds. And there’s no one more knowledgeable than me. So, those I’ve trained will take on the role.”

The leaders murmured among themselves.

Some expressed concerns that this was an attempt to monopolize the summoning grounds, but no one openly challenged him.

They had all witnessed Jo Jeok-sang’s downfall firsthand and were hesitant to step forward.

Finally, Uk Cheong-pung spoke up again.

“But how do you determine the grade of a summoning ground?”

In response, Sa Bi-gang pulled something from his pocket.

A jade-colored stone that shimmered with a mystical light.

The leaders widened their eyes at the sight of the stone’s mysterious glow.

“This is called a ‘Magic Stone.’ By crushing it into powder and using it to create a special device, we can assess the grade of a summoning ground without entering it. While it’s not as accurate as a direct inspection, it’s quite a useful method.”

“And how is this device made…?”

“It’s currently being developed at the main hall’s Research Division.”

“Then, are you planning to ignore the Demonic Sect’s pursuit of the Demon Cult?”

“Of course, we won’t stop tracking the Demon Cult’s base. But given the urgency, we should first address the summoning grounds.”

With each precise answer, Uk Cheong-pung found himself at a loss for words.

This time, Gu Yun asked, “Do you have anyone in mind for the summoning ground management team?”

“Indeed, I do.”

With that, Sa Bi-gang spoke into the air.

“Introduce yourselves.”

From the shadowy ceiling, two figures dropped down.

They were none other than Woong Pae, the leader of the Ghost Shadow Unit, and Hong Yeom, a member of the unit.

“Who are they?” Sim Ji-hwang asked, frowning.

Contrary to the assumption that they were Sa Bi-gang’s personal guards, Woong Pae and Hong Yeom introduced themselves.

“I am Woong Pae, leader of the Ghost Shadow Unit.”

“I am Hong Yeom, a member of the Ghost Shadow Unit.”

“The Ghost Shadow Unit?”

“It’s an organization I personally established,” Sa Bi-gang interjected.

Sim Ji-hwang frowned even more and asked, “You mean you’ve been leading a private organization?”

“Yes. Is there a problem with that?”

“Not exactly, but… why keep it hidden until now?”

“Originally, the Ghost Shadow Unit was an organization I led while in the Inspection Bureau to gather information. Thus, it was difficult to reveal its existence to you all.”

“So, they were meant to monitor the alliance’s corruption?”

“Precisely,” Sa Bi-gang replied confidently.

He saw no reason to hide this fact.

In truth, to perform inspection duties effectively, one often needed to operate covertly.

However…

“They were originally the Ghost Division.”

“What?”

“The Ghost Division! That’s practically a rogue organization!”

As expected, voices of dissent erupted from all around.

Sa Bi-gang remained unfazed.

He was confident that the Ghost Shadow Unit was the most capable group in the martial world for quickly grasping the current situation.

They were likely even a step ahead of the Heavenly Eye Pavilion led by the Grand Strategist.

Therefore, Sa Bi-gang believed the Ghost Shadow Unit was the most suitable organization to manage the summoning grounds.

Summoning grounds often appeared unpredictably in random locations.

Thus, having swift intelligence could prevent potential disasters.

The only concern was their origin as the Ghost Division, which was associated with rogues.

Rather than having it come back to haunt him later, he decided to lay everything bare from the start and face it head-on.

With a brazen expression, Sa Bi-gang asked, “Is there a problem?”

“Of course, there’s a problem! Even if we’re in a crisis, you can’t just pour filth over us!”

At the mention of “filth,” Hong Yeom narrowed his eyes slightly, but Sa Bi-gang merely shrugged and replied, “If there’s filth around, isn’t it better to use it? We can’t pour oil, can we?”

It was a subtle jab at the potential corruption that could arise if another alliance organization were given control of the summoning grounds.

Sim Ji-hwang, catching the implication, retorted with a displeased expression, “You haven’t even checked if it’s water or oil…”

“By the time we check, we’ll be burned. It seems the elder doesn’t quite understand when to use the expression ‘the fire is at our feet.’”

“Ugh…!”

Sim Ji-hwang gritted his teeth in frustration but couldn’t find a suitable retort.

Sa Bi-gang addressed the leaders, “The Ghost Shadow Unit has already been entrusted with the alliance’s inspection duties. Whether you acknowledge it or not, it’s a fact. They’re familiar with the alliance’s structure. Moreover, we’re in a time when the lines between justice and rogues are blurred. We must unite against the demonic forces. If we waste time debating justice and rogues, as I’ve said, we’ll all be burned.”

His final words carried a chilling undertone.

Whether it was effective or not, the leaders felt a shiver run down their spines and subtly hunched their shoulders.

Every word Sa Bi-gang uttered was undeniably true, making it difficult to argue against him.

At that moment, the head of the Elder Council, Uk Cheong-pung, stepped forward and spoke in a solemn voice.

“But there might be an organization with better intelligence than the Ghost Shadow Unit. We should verify how many summoning grounds other organizations have identified. If there’s a group that has identified more than the Ghost Shadow Unit, we should consider entrusting them with management.”

“Very well. I accept.”

With a faint smile, Uk Cheong-pung continued, “The information agency operated by the Elder Council, Yangseunggak, has identified seven summoning grounds.”

The room buzzed with astonishment.

“As expected of Yangseunggak.”

“Even though it’s run by those who’ve retired from the front lines, their intelligence is truly impressive.”

“We respect you, Council Leader.”

As the leaders murmured, Uk Cheong-pung lifted his chin slightly.

Even he had been surprised when he first received the report that there were seven summoning grounds across the martial world.

It was a headache to figure out how to handle them.

But as rumors spread that summoning grounds were treasure troves, he decided to make good use of this information.

Unexpectedly, Nam Un-pyeong, the head of the New Moon Sect, spoke up.

“Our sect has identified nine summoning grounds. We’ve also verified them.”

“Nine?”

“Impressive! Are there really that many summoning grounds already?”

As the room buzzed, Nam Un-pyeong continued with a proud smile, “Since we’re located near the Demonic Sect, we’ve naturally taken an interest. It was likely our sect that first revealed that materials from summoning grounds are used in various weapons, protective gear, and elixirs.”

“Hmph! And what has your sect been doing in the meantime?”

The unexpected interjection came from Tae Go-ryeong, the head of the Infinite Sword Family.

Nam Un-pyeong, who saw him as a subtle rival, retorted with a visibly displeased expression, “And what has the Infinite Sword Family been up to?”

“Our family has identified twelve summoning grounds.”

“Twelve!”

“My goodness!”

“What on earth is happening in this land?”

As soon as Tae Go-ryeong finished speaking, the room erupted in commotion.

Seven had seemed like a lot, but now the number had nearly doubled.

At this point, Nam Un-pyeong furrowed his brow and said, “Are you sure about that? In such an important meeting, presenting inaccurate information…”

“Are you certain? Why would the main family lie about something that would be easily exposed? I could reveal the region right now, and it wouldn’t take long to verify.”

“Hmm.”

Nam Unpyeong, at a loss for words, took a step back, letting out a low hum.

With a victorious smile, Taegoryeong, the head of the Sinwolmun, spoke up. “So, what do you think? Is it acceptable for the main family to be recognized for its capabilities and form a management team?”

Goo Yoon, the chief strategist, nodded in agreement. “Impressive indeed. The intelligence of the Mangum family is remarkable. However, it still falls short of what Cheonan Pavilion has uncovered.”

“Surely… you mean Cheonan Pavilion has identified even more locations?”

Taegoryeong narrowed his eyes as he asked, and Goo Yoon nodded. “Not by much, but yes. Cheonan Pavilion has identified a total of fifteen summoning sites.”

“What? Fifteen…!”

Taegoryeong was momentarily speechless, and Goo Yoon responded with a gentle smile. “In that case, it seems I should be the one to organize the management team. Since Cheonan Pavilion is solely focused on gathering information, it would be difficult to assign them to the management team. A new organization will need to be formed.”

Goo Yoon’s gaze shifted to the two people standing beside Sabigang.

Watching quietly, Uk Cheongpung clenched his teeth. ‘The chief strategist aligns well with the Myeolma Pavilion. He’ll surely make them part of the management team. I must prevent that, but how?’

Considering the future power dynamics, the entity managing the summoning sites would wield significant authority. It was crucial that this entity not be connected to the Myeolma Pavilion. If another sect took over, Uk Cheongpung was confident he could sway them to align with the Elder Council.

Just then, a voice broke the tension. “Indeed, Cheonan Pavilion is impressive. However, our sect has identified even more summoning sites.”

All eyes turned toward the source of the voice. It was Im Cheonbaek, an elder of the Hyesungmun. Recently, Hyesungmun had been actively searching for summoning sites, spurred by Jo Kangmin’s persuasive efforts.

Uk Cheongpung’s face lit up as he quickly asked, “Oh, how many have you found?”

“Twenty-seven in total.”

“Gasp!”

“Incredible!”

“To think so many summoning sites have appeared without our knowledge!”

“Wait a moment. Some of these sites might overlap, but surely not all of them. Doesn’t that mean there are more than twenty-seven?”

Voices of concern and astonishment echoed throughout the room. Unfazed, Uk Cheongpung nodded at Im Cheonbaek and declared loudly, “Truly remarkable. It seems fitting for Hyesungmun to oversee the management team.”

“Not so fast,” Goo Yoon interjected swiftly.

Uk Cheongpung and Im Cheonbaek furrowed their brows and turned to face him.

“What do you mean? Hyesungmun has discovered more sites than Cheonan Pavilion, so their intelligence and exploration skills should be acknowledged…”

“True, they have found more than Cheonan Pavilion, but there’s still one more group to consider, isn’t there?”

Goo Yoon’s gaze landed on Woongpae, the leader of the Guiyeongdan.

Only then did Uk Cheongpung remember what he had forgotten. He hadn’t yet heard how many summoning sites the two brought by Sabigang had identified. But inwardly, he scoffed.

‘Even if they have more, it won’t make a significant difference. Especially considering the possibility that the sites identified by each sect might not overlap. I can use that logic to prevent Guiyeongdan from monopolizing management.’

In other words, even if Guiyeongdan had identified more sites, Uk Cheongpung planned to argue that the combined total from all sects could surpass theirs, thus blocking any attempt at exclusive control.

Now, all eyes were on Sabigang and the two from Guiyeongdan.

Sabigang shrugged and said, “Well? Go ahead and tell them.”

Woongpae bowed his head slightly and stepped forward. “Yes, our sect has identified a total of one hundred thirty-seven summoning sites. Additionally, there are thirty-two regions under suspicion, and the number is expected to grow.”