Episode 407: Return to the Demonic Sect

The rain fell steadily, a relentless drizzle.

Ong Gi-seung stood motionless, staring at the rain-soaked mound before him. Though drenched to the bone, he remained as still as a statue, unyielding in his vigil.

The rain cascaded down his face, making it impossible to tell if the droplets were tears or merely rainwater. They gathered at his chin, falling to the ground in a continuous stream.

For once, his eyes, usually closed in contemplation, were wide open, fixed intently on the grave. It was as if he hoped to see through the earth and glimpse Ong Hae-in lying within.

In his mind, he could almost hear Ong Hae-in’s voice, chiding him gently.

“Why are you standing there in the rain? It’s still cold. You’ll catch your death. Go inside and focus on your work.”

Whether it was a memory, a hallucination, or simply his imagination, the words echoed in his ears. Ong Hae-in had always treated him with warmth, like a father—no, even more tenderly than his own father.

Perhaps that was why Ong Hae-in’s death felt so unreal.

Once more, Ong Hae-in’s voice mingled with the sound of the rain.

“You foolish boy, fill your heart with the time to come and let the past flow away. That’s the mindset of one who must live on.”

The rain poured down, a constant, soothing sound.

After standing there for what felt like an eternity, Ong Gi-seung finally closed his eyes. He let the rain wash over him, carrying away his emotions.

Just as he was about to turn away, Sa Bi-gang approached silently and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Master…”

“I’m sorry.”

Ong Gi-seung flinched, surprised by Sa Bi-gang’s unexpected words. Perhaps it was this surprise that caused the emotions he had been suppressing to surge forth all at once.

Now, he could clearly distinguish the droplets falling from his chin—they were not rain.

It was because he had not yet let go of the past.

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s enough. Let that one moment of emotion suffice. Now it’s time to move forward.”

Ong Gi-seung nodded and began to walk away. Sa Bi-gang stood silently, watching his retreating figure.

Once Ong Gi-seung had disappeared from view, Sa Bi-gang turned back to the grave of Ong Hae-in. Burying him in the rear garden of the Demonic Sect had been the right choice, he thought. If they had held the funeral elsewhere, Ong Gi-seung might have been overwhelmed by his grief.

Facing sorrow head-on could be a way to overcome despair.

Sa Bi-gang gently traced the inscription on the gravestone with his fingers, feeling a subtle energy gather and then dissipate.

“I owe you more than I can say.”

His voice was gruff, but his gratitude to Ong Hae-in was sincere.

He recalled the day after the fierce battle with Veritas. That morning, as he practiced his energy cultivation, he sensed something amiss. It was a subtle change, but it felt significant.

He tried circulating his internal energy again, but nothing seemed out of place. Yet, the quality of his energy felt different. It wasn’t a matter of quality, but rather a change in texture. If his previous energy was like water, now it felt like oil—smoother, yet somehow denser.

To an ordinary person, the difference would be imperceptible, but to Sa Bi-gang, who had reached a high level of martial arts, it was profound.

“Is this good or bad?” he wondered.

The day passed without incident, but the next day brought another change. As he circulated his energy, the forces of yin and yang mixed chaotically, coursing through his meridians in a wild dance.

He worried that absorbing Veritas’s energy might have caused some imbalance, but there was nothing he could do. He halted his journey and spent the entire day in the forest, focusing solely on his energy cultivation.

Astonishingly, his energy’s nature changed with each session. His body exhibited different symptoms—at times burning hot like fire, at others cold as ice. The fluctuations were so intense that the surrounding area would either melt from the heat or be covered in frost.

The following day, Sa Bi-gang finally felt a complete transformation.

“It feels like shedding a skin.”

It was the only way he could describe it. If rebirth was a term for the body, this was a complete metamorphosis of his internal energy.

And as he circulated his energy, he discovered something remarkable.

“The Yin-Yang Conversion Technique doesn’t work!”

At first, his heart sank. Facing the demonic forces without the ability to convert his energy into mana was like fighting with one arm tied behind his back.

But then a faint smile appeared on his lips.

“I can cast spells without the technique!”

He realized he could use his energy directly for magic without converting it to mana. Though energy and mana were fundamentally different, he could now wield both.

Could he use this energy for martial arts as well?

He drew Veritas and summoned a sword aura.

A vibrant purple energy surged from Veritas, its hue a mysterious blend of dark, red, and blue.

“It works!”

Sa Bi-gang was elated. Though difficult to explain, he was certain he had reached a new level.

The transformation over the past few days had been astonishing, and there was another peculiarity.

“What should I call this…?”

With his internal energy transformed, measuring it by the old standards was impossible. In simple terms, the volume of his energy had decreased, but its density had increased. It had become a high-efficiency force.

By the old measure, it might barely be one unit, but like comparing a clay ball to a steel one, the weight was incomparable.

Crackling with energy, he summoned a lightning bolt in one hand and a sword aura in the other. There was no strain. Without the need to convert energy to mana, it was far more convenient.

“Hahaha!”

He laughed heartily for the first time in a long while.

When he returned to the Demonic Sect, the first to notice his change was Mu-rang.

After Ong Hae-in’s funeral, Mu-rang observed Sa Bi-gang closely and remarked, “You’ve truly reached the Celestial Realm.”

“The Celestial Realm? What’s that?”

Mu-rang explained, “The highest level a martial artist can reach is often called the Pinnacle. Though there are stages within it, few ever reach it, so distinctions are rarely made. But beyond that lies the Celestial Realm.”

“And beyond that?”

“There’s the Universal Realm.”

“And after that?”

“Beyond the Universal Realm… well, it’s not worth mentioning. It’s beyond human reach.”

Sa Bi-gang pondered this, then spoke. “After reaching the Celestial Realm, my energy changed.”

Mu-rang listened intently, then looked surprised. “I see. That’s what it was.”

“What do you mean?”

“Reaching the Celestial Realm changes everything. You start anew. Energy is no longer measured in units. From then on, it’s about quality, not quantity.”

“What unit is used then?”

“It’s called ‘Resolution.’ You’re at one Resolution now. Beyond ten Resolutions, you enter the Universal Realm. Though that’s unlikely.”

“I see. So…”

Sa Bi-gang opened and closed his hand, contemplating the new level he had achieved. It was a novel feeling to hear it confirmed.

But it also sparked another thought. Mu-rang mentioned realms beyond the Celestial. If such realms exist, perhaps someone has reached them before. Though history records no such figures, it might have been achieved by someone, somewhere.

With countless martial artists in the world, it was possible.

This also meant that his future opponents could reach such levels.

What about the Demon King? Was he at the Celestial Realm? The Universal Realm? Or even beyond?

“I must keep growing stronger.”

Awakening from his reverie, Sa Bi-gang wiped the rain from the gravestone with his palm, feeling the dampness seep into his skin.

“I will carry on your will.”

He murmured softly, turning away with a resolute expression.

**

The number of summoning sites identified by the Ghost Shadow Group was increasing daily. With reports coming in from all over the central plains, hundreds of sites were registered in no time.

As the discovery and reporting of summoning sites progressed smoothly, Sa Bi-gang allocated half of the Ghost Shadow Group’s resources to searching for the Demonic Cult’s main base.

If the Maeryeong Bridge was attempting terraforming, it had to be stopped at all costs.

The silver lining was that, so far, no summoning site had been discovered with a higher grade than the one Sabi River first visited.

Summoning sites were classified into seven levels according to the criteria set by Sabi River: lowest, low, lower-middle, middle, upper-middle, high, and highest.

For sites rated high or above, it was standard practice for the Myeolma Hall to intervene directly. However, only sites up to the upper-middle level had been reported so far.

Meanwhile, the Myeolma Hall had also changed its training methods.

The indiscriminate sparring meant to heighten survival instincts and hone various combat skills was now discontinued.

Instead, they began training cadets more systematically to tackle summoning sites. Initially, Sabi River applied the organizational structure he had learned in the demon realm.

First, there was the defense unit, tasked with holding the line and blocking or withstanding the attacks of demonic creatures.

Next was the attack unit, responsible for inflicting damage on the enemy.

The attack unit was further divided into long-range and close-range groups. Those like Dan Lijeong or Jo Muntak, who used bows or daggers as their primary weapons, belonged to the long-range attack unit.

Lastly, there was the healing unit.

Composed of medical practitioners from the Chohwan Hall or those with exceptional internal energy techniques, they were in charge of infusing energy or providing first aid when injuries occurred.

From the outset, Sabi River requested Murang to devise a formation based on this basic structure.

A formation that allowed the three types of warriors to work together seamlessly.

Thus, the Murang Chohwan Formation was created.

The unusually short name, uncharacteristic of Murang, was chosen because reciting a lengthy name in battle could mean missing a crucial opportunity.

In any case, this formation allowed for a much more efficient strategy than what Sabi River had used in the demon realm, especially since it was tailored to the characteristics of the people of Zhongyuan.

Sabi River designated the Murang Chohwan Formation as the official formation of the Myeolma Hall and recommended that martial sects across Zhongyuan learn it.

However, as was often the case, most sects, proud of their unique formations and martial arts, had no intention of adopting this new formation.

The Heavenly Blade Sect was one such place.

Boom!

A cloud of dust billowed from the entrance of the summoning site.

Through the dust emerged a group of people, each wielding a blade. They were the warriors of the Heavenly Blade Sect.

“Haha! Another successful haul! At this rate, becoming the top sect in Zhongyuan is just a matter of time!”

A middle-aged man shouted exuberantly, while an old man wearing a bamboo hat chuckled softly.

“Not yet. We head straight to Chiwoong Mountain.”

“But I heard the site there was recently upgraded from upper-middle to high level. The first group that went demon hunting didn’t return.”

“It doesn’t matter. Once our sect arrives, it will be resolved.”

“The Guiyeongdan won’t let us in easily.”

“They can’t ignore our achievements. Let’s go.”

With that, the old man strode forward confidently.