Episode 417: Return to the Demon Sect
Three figures sat in a circle on a floor adorned with intricate and mysterious patterns.
Forming a triangle, they faced each other: Sabi Kang, Murang, and Jeong Ryugwang.
Murang glanced at the others and spoke.
“Remember when we broke the manipulation of Ong Gi-seung’s memories? That was mere sorcery from the dark arts. What we’re dealing with now is the grand magic of the Demon Sect. It’s a completely different level. In terms of resilience, the Demon Sect’s magic is unmatched.”
“Does that mean it’s more dangerous?” Sabi Kang asked.
Murang nodded solemnly. “If all goes well, we’ll find what we’re looking for. But if it doesn’t, we could all die. One or two of us might not make it.”
Despite the gravity of his words, Murang’s expression remained calm.
Jeong Ryugwang nodded with determination. “I’ve already made up my mind. It’s my fault the Central Plains are in this crisis… I must take responsibility.”
“Indeed. Even though you’re part of the Hao Clan, your spirit is far from base. Let’s begin.”
With that, Murang finished speaking, and Jeong Ryugwang lay down flat.
Murang and Sabi Kang sat cross-legged on either side of him, facing each other.
Strange patterns were drawn beneath their seats as well.
Murang placed two small bells on another pattern and said, “You won’t feel any pain during the ritual, so relax. We’re about to delve into memories from years ago.”
“Yes, Master,” Jeong Ryugwang replied, closing his eyes.
Murang placed several talismans on Jeong Ryugwang’s forehead and abdomen, then clasped his hands together and began chanting.
The incantation was bizarre, as if it were in a language not of the Central Plains, and Sabi Kang couldn’t understand a single word.
How long did the chant continue?
Murang’s incantation grew faster, his tongue rolling as if in a trance.
Finally, the patterns on the floor began to change.
At first, light emerged along the lines, growing more intense until it filled the entire floor.
And then,
Boom!
A burst of light erupted from the floor, engulfing all three of them.
Simultaneously, Murang’s chanting ceased.
The light lingered for a while before completely disappearing, leaving the three lying motionless on the floor.
Sabi Kang, Murang, and Jeong Ryugwang lay there, unmoving.
Only the talisman on Jeong Ryugwang’s forehead glowed a vivid red.
**
Somewhere in the bustling streets of the Central Plains.
It was a sizable city, with throngs of people moving about.
Merchants rushed out to grab the attention of passersby, while travelers hurried towards their destinations.
And in the midst of this chaotic street stood a lone figure, staring blankly.
It was Sabi Kang.
He glanced around briefly, then patted himself down.
“Where am I…?”
Furrowing his brow, Sabi Kang looked up again.
This wasn’t Wuhuan.
Why was he standing here?
Suddenly, he realized he was in this unfamiliar place, standing idly.
Just then, someone shouted harshly from behind him.
“Move aside! The meat’s going to spoil!”
Sabi Kang turned slightly to see a butcher with a load of pork glaring at him.
The man seemed unfazed by Sabi Kang’s martial presence, suggesting he was either ignorant or had some martial training himself.
Not wanting to cause trouble, Sabi Kang stepped aside.
The butcher brushed past him, and Sabi Kang, struggling to recall his memories, began to walk.
He needed a quiet place to think.
To remember why he was here and what he had been doing.
As he walked towards a less crowded area, a path leading to the mountains appeared.
‘Let’s head to the forest and gather my thoughts. I can’t make sense of anything right now.’
Just as Sabi Kang was about to step forward,
Thud!
Someone grabbed his shoulder.
It was rare for someone to approach him unnoticed, so Sabi Kang turned around, surprised.
“Where are you headed?”
An old man with a long white beard was looking at him.
Or rather, it was hard to tell if he was looking, given his bushy white eyebrows.
Regardless, Sabi Kang recognized him immediately.
“Master Murang!”
“Almost missed you. I didn’t mention it before the ritual because the memory would be erased anyway.”
Murang mumbled something cryptic and pulled something from his robe.
Sabi Kang frowned and asked, “What are you talking about? Why are you here? And why do you seem to know why I’m here?”
“This will explain faster than words.”
Murang pressed something onto Sabi Kang’s forehead.
It was a talisman.
Instantly, a golden aura emanated from the talisman and then vanished.
Sabi Kang’s eyes widened.
“Ah…!”
Everything came rushing back.
He was in the middle of a ritual with Murang.
“So this place is…?”
Murang nodded at Sabi Kang’s question.
“We’re inside Ryugwang’s consciousness.”
‘Ryugwang’ referred to Jeong Ryugwang.
Understanding the situation, Sabi Kang nodded.
“Did the ritual succeed?”
“For now, we’ve entered his memories from years ago.”
“It feels indistinguishable from reality.”
“That’s to be expected. Don’t you dream?”
“Occasionally.”
“Do you realize it’s a dream when you’re in one?”
“Usually, I think it’s real.”
“Exactly. We’re in Ryugwang’s memories. It’s called the ‘Dream Realm.’ It’s no different from a dream. The only difference is that the stage is in Ryugwang’s mind, not yours.”
“So what do we do now?”
“First, there’s something you need to be cautious about.”
“What is it?”
Murang’s gaze shifted to the forest behind Sabi Kang.
The forest he was about to enter.
“This Dream Realm is constructed from Ryugwang’s consciousness. It has its limits.”
“Limits?”
“The Dream Realm is typically formed by the five senses. There’s also a ‘sixth sense’ that plays a part. But beyond that, this world doesn’t exist.”
“Explain it more simply.”
“To put it bluntly, you mustn’t go beyond Ryugwang’s conscious boundaries. You were about to enter that forest, weren’t you?”
“I was.”
“If that forest is beyond Ryugwang’s senses, what do you think it would be like inside?”
“I don’t know.”
“Even if it’s beyond the five senses, it might exist in a peculiar way due to the sixth sense. But if you go beyond that…”
“And if I do?”
“You’ll be trapped in complete unconsciousness.”
“Trapped in unconsciousness?”
“You’ll be stuck in Ryugwang’s unconscious mind forever, unable to wake up. In other words, you’ll become lost in his unconscious world.”
“I see. But if this Dream Realm is created by the five senses, what does the sixth sense create?”
“That’s hard to explain. You’ll understand naturally as we go. The important thing is not to wander aimlessly. The Dream Realm is vast, but if you go beyond its boundaries, you’ll be lost in the unconscious dimension forever. Even a martial artist who reached the pinnacle of mastery once used this ritual and ended up trapped in unconsciousness, becoming a living vegetable. Even if you’ve reached the realm of Tianhai, I can’t guarantee what will happen if you’re trapped in unconsciousness. So be cautious.”
“Understood.”
“Take this.”
Murang handed him a small bell.
It was the same bell he had placed on the pattern before starting the ritual.
“What is this?”
Sabi Kang shook it, but it made no sound.
“It’s called the Boundary Bell. If it rings, it means you’re approaching the edge of consciousness. The closer you get to the boundary, the faster it will ring. If you cross the boundary, the bell will never ring again.”
“Hmm. So if it rings, I shouldn’t go any further.”
“Exactly.”
“Anything else to watch out for?”
“We mustn’t let Ryugwang notice us. He’s the master of this Dream Realm. If he senses something amiss, the ritual will break.”
“So we mustn’t let him have a lucid dream.”
“Precisely. In that case, our consciousness won’t get lost, but the ritual won’t hold.”
Sabi Kang nodded.
“Got it. So what’s the plan now?”
“By now, Ryugwang should be just before or after meeting them. We need to find him first.”
“Alright. Let’s find Jeong Ryugwang.”
Sabi Kang attached the bell to his waist and started walking.
As he entered the bustling street, he spoke.
“There’s something odd.”
“What is it?”
“A butcher yelled at me without fear. He didn’t seem to be afraid of a martial artist. Does common sense not apply in the Dream Realm?”
“That’s unlikely. Even though it’s a Dream Realm, it’s still based on Ryugwang’s memories. However…”
“However?”
“The problem is, you don’t seem very strong right now.”
“And why is that?”
“Well, just a moment ago, you didn’t even notice when I tapped you on the shoulder from right behind.”
“Ah, you’re right about that.”
“Exactly. You haven’t fully adapted to the Dream Realm yet. It’s like this: have you ever had a dream where you needed to use lightfoot, but your legs felt like they weighed a ton, and no matter how hard you ran, you stayed in the same place?”
“Hmm. I think I’ve had a dream like that. I see what you mean.”
“You need to adjust to this realm. Until then, you won’t be able to use your full abilities.”
“So that’s the reason.”
Sabigang nodded and tried circulating his inner energy. Sure enough, something felt awkward and uncomfortable.
The two of them were now entering the heart of the bustling street.
Moorang spoke up. “Guang said he met him in a very crowded area. So he should be around here.”
“What if he’s already come and gone?”
“Then we’re a step behind. We’ll have to break the spell and try again later.”
“Is that possible?”
“It is, but we’ll have to wait a year. Before then, Guang will develop a resistance, and the spell won’t work.”
“You say that so casually.”
“Well, being impatient won’t change anything, will it?”
“Even so…”
“Shh. I think we’ve found him.”
Moorang suddenly put a finger to his lips.
Following his gaze, Sabigang saw Zheng Liuguang sitting in the middle of the street, surrounded by his wares. They were unremarkable items, and hardly anyone paid him any attention. He seemed to be quietly blending into the crowd.
“Looks like we got here before anything happened.”
“Seems that way.”
“I’ll keep watch from the rooftop.”
With that, Sabigang leaped into action.
But…
Crash!
He ran straight into the wall and tumbled to the ground.
Passersby glanced at him and clicked their tongues.
“What’s with this lunatic in broad daylight?”
“He looks normal enough. Why’s he headbutting a wall? Tsk tsk…”
“Such a shame for a young man.”
Meanwhile, Sabigang rubbed his forehead and awkwardly got to his feet.
“Ouch…”
Moorang approached, clicking his tongue. “Did you forget already? You’re still adjusting. Your body won’t just follow your mind’s commands.”
“You could’ve stopped me sooner!”
“You took off before I could say anything. Besides, experiencing it firsthand makes it stick better. Come on, let’s walk over.”
With that, Moorang started walking slowly.