Episode 429: The Return of the Demon Instructor
“What on earth is going on here?”
Wigeomjong muttered under his breath as he surveyed the scene around him.
The instructors and assistants of the Myeolma Hall surrounded him, their eyes blazing with murderous intent.
Deungbuyung stepped forward, shouting, “What have you been up to in the Myeolma Hall all this time?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’ve been teaching the students,” Wigeomjong replied coolly.
Deungbuyung scoffed, “Ha! Of course, you have. And all the while, you’ve been reporting every move of the Hall Master to the Demon Sect, haven’t you?”
“What?” Wigeomjong frowned, his brow furrowing.
Deungbuyung threw a bundle of letters at him, shouting, “Are you still going to deny it? These are the evidence I found in your room!”
Wigeomjong caught one of the fluttering letters and skimmed through it, his expression hardening. “I’ve been framed.”
“Hmph! I knew you’d say that,” Deungbuyung sneered.
At this point, Dangihyeop stepped forward. “Instructor Wi, you need to come back with us to the Hall. We can sort this out there.”
“No.”
“What?”
“This is just another prejudice against the unorthodox sects, isn’t it? If someone has set me up, then this is a trap I can’t easily escape. I won’t go quietly.”
“So, words won’t work, will they?” Dangihyeop narrowed his eyes and drew his sword.
Srrrng.
The other instructors and assistants followed suit, drawing their swords as well.
Wigeomjong, refusing to be intimidated, drew his own sword.
Dangihyeop’s eyes narrowed further. “Do you really want this to end in bloodshed?”
“If necessary. Isn’t that the way of a warrior?”
“Then we have no choice. If you won’t cooperate, we’ll have to take you by force!”
The instructors and assistants, led by Dangihyeop, raised their energy in unison.
Wigeomjong, too, exuded a dense killing aura as he adjusted his grip on his sword.
In the next instant,
Taat!
Wigeomjong moved first.
“Huh!”
Deungbuyung, startled, quickly raised his sword in defense.
Clang!
The sharp sound of metal rang out as Deungbuyung staggered, and Wigeomjong leaped into the air.
“Ugh!”
Deungbuyung crossed his arms to block, but Wigeomjong unexpectedly used his head as a springboard, launching himself into the sky.
Pat!
“You…!”
Humiliated by having his head stepped on, Deungbuyung gritted his teeth and turned around, but Wigeomjong was already far ahead, making it difficult to catch up.
“Get him!”
At Dangihyeop’s command, the instructors and assistants gave chase.
Wigeomjong glanced back over his shoulder.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three arrows whistled through the air, coming at him from somewhere unseen.
Swish!
Wigeomjong twisted his body, narrowly avoiding the arrows.
Thud! Thud!
Two of the arrows grazed his shoulder and chest, embedding themselves in a tree trunk.
Taking advantage of his brief hesitation, Dangihyeop hurled throwing knives at him.
“You won’t escape!”
Shuk! Shushushuk!
Dozens of knives flew at him simultaneously.
Wigeomjong clicked his tongue and spun like a black whirlwind, deflecting the knives.
Tatatatata!
Thud! Thud!
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
The deflected knives turned into a threat for the other instructors and assistants.
Swoosh!
Wigeomjong skidded to a stop, drawing a circle in the dust around him.
Just then, Danrijung and his assistants descended behind Wigeomjong, completing the encirclement.
Wigeomjong narrowed his eyes, assessing his surroundings.
A perfect trap.
Escape seemed impossible.
Deungbuyung, who had been watching, pointed a finger and shouted, “You’re a rat in a trap now! Give up and confess, you traitor!”
Wigeomjong spat back, “I’m no traitor.”
“Then come with us and explain,” Dangihyeop coaxed, his expression softening.
Wigeomjong glanced around, deep in thought.
There was no way out.
But going with them meant falling into a trap set by someone unknown.
Yet, there seemed to be no other option…
‘Perhaps I should go with them for now?’
Just then,
Shushushushushushuk!
Warriors in jade-colored uniforms descended from the sky like rain, surrounding the instructors and assistants completely.
Both the Myeolma Hall warriors and Wigeomjong were taken aback, their expressions bewildered.
One of the jade warriors, his face painted entirely in jade, stepped forward and spoke to Wigeomjong with familiarity.
“You’ve had a hard time. Sorry for being late.”
Wigeomjong frowned deeply at the jade-faced man.
‘This is a real mess.’
As he thought that,
“So you were a demon all along! Denying it to the end, only to set up this trap…!”
“Silence! Wipe them all out!” the jade-faced man shouted, cutting off Deungbuyung’s words.
“Yes, sir!”
In an instant, the four hundred jade warriors charged at the Myeolma Hall warriors, unleashing their demonic energy.
Dangihyeop quickly threw knives and poison, glaring at Wigeomjong.
“Instructor Wi! Were you truly a traitor?”
“I told you, I’m not.”
“Then how do you explain this situation?”
Just as Wigeomjong was about to respond, a jade warrior lunged at Dangihyeop with a killing blow.
“Hup!”
Swish!
Dangihyeop twisted his body to dodge, but a long gash was carved into his side.
There was no time to waste.
He quickly turned his head, but Wigeomjong was already lost in the crowd.
Instead, the forest was a chaotic battlefield, with jade warriors and Myeolma Hall warriors clashing in a frenzy.
Screams and battle cries filled the air, and the wounded fell one after another.
Watching this pandemonium from a distant tree branch was someone else…
“This should take care of the Myeolma Hall.”
The person who murmured in a calm voice was none other than Jaunryong.
He watched Yeogon’s rampage through the Myeolma Hall warriors with a steady gaze.
Indeed, Yeogon was strong.
Despite the Myeolma Hall warriors’ concentrated attacks, it was they who were bleeding and falling.
The fierce glint in Yeogon’s eyes was enough to reveal his ambitions.
Jaunryong recalled his recent conversation with Yeogon.
“Before we proceed, I have one question.”
“What is it?”
“What happened to that child?”
Yeogon responded with a sneer to Jaunryong’s question.
“Even in this situation, that’s all you can think about?”
“She was once my disciple.”
“Tsk… By now, that monster is being well-used by the Golden Face. As a tool to capture Sabigang.”
Jaunryong’s expression faltered, his eyes growing colder than ever.
At that moment, he was no longer Jaunryong but the Silver Mask.
“Watch your mouth.”
“Silver Mask. Get a grip. Haven’t you learned that anyone in our sect can be used as a tool for the sect’s benefit? Let alone a monster like that…”
Swoosh, snap!
In an instant, Jaunryong reached out and grabbed Yeogon’s throat.
“Don’t let your mouth run wild. She was my disciple.”
Yeogon stared at Jaunryong for a moment before speaking.
“Heh. How sentimental can you be? Can you really carry out the plan like this?”
Yeogon’s last words lingered in his ears.
Jaunryong sighed lightly, pulling himself out of his thoughts.
The distant sound of clashing weapons reached him.
“This will do.”
Jaunryong murmured softly, turning away.
But just as he was about to leave,
“Ahhhh!”
A sharp scream pierced his ears.
Perhaps it was because the last person he saw before turning away was Neungso-so.
Jaunryong flinched and turned his gaze back.
Neungso-so was surrounded by jade warriors, struggling desperately.
Her clothes were torn in several places, and blood trickled from her lips, suggesting internal injuries.
‘There’s something about her…’
The Silver Mask bit his lip.
Old memories kept resurfacing.
**
“Master!”
Startled by the sudden shout, Jaunryong turned around.
Yujeong, with a bright smile, looked up at him and continued.
“What are you thinking so deeply about?”
“Oh… It’s nothing. What did you say?”
“I asked where we’re going.”
Yujeong replied with a cheerful smile.
She was a child whose smile suited her well.
In contrast, Jaunryong responded with a stern expression.
“We have somewhere to go. The sect needs you.”
“The sect?”
“Yes.”
Yujeong seemed curious but didn’t press further.
“Yujeong.”
“Yes?”
“Are you anxious?”
“Why?”
“Didn’t you just ask where we’re going?”
“I was just curious, that’s all. Why would I feel uneasy with you here, Master? When I’m with you, I don’t feel anxious about anything!”
Yujeong flashed a bright, innocent smile.
Jaunryong couldn’t bring himself to meet her eyes and looked away.
With that, Jaunryong led Yujeong into a hidden cave.
After walking through a dimly lit passage for quite some time, they arrived at a spacious chamber where a man with a white mask stood, hands clasped behind his back.
“Ah, you’ve arrived. This must be the child. She seems to have a natural affinity. I believe the grand technique will succeed.”
The masked man gave Yujeong a peculiar smile, one that sent a chill down her spine, prompting her to inch closer to Jaunryong.
Ignoring Yujeong’s unease, Jaunryong addressed the masked man.
“I leave her in your care.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make her the best.”
“And how long will it take…?”
“Expect about two years.”
“That’s quite a while.”
“Patience. The fruit of endurance is always sweet.”
The masked man’s faint smile left Jaunryong with a heavy heart as he nodded.
“Aaaah!”
A piercing scream echoed from behind an iron door.
Jaunryong turned to the white-robed guards blocking his path and shouted.
“Didn’t I tell you to move aside?”
“Apologies, but we have strict orders from the master not to let anyone through.”
Jaunryong’s eyes flared with anger.
“If you don’t move, I’ll cut you down and go through myself!”
“This is not acceptable! Please restrain yourself!”
The guards remained unmoved, and Jaunryong was on the verge of losing control.
Another scream erupted from behind the door.
“Ahhhhhh!”
“Damn it! Jeong-ah! Are you alright? You bastards, move aside now!”
With a sharp clang, Jaunryong drew his sword, prompting the guards to do the same.
“You’re making a mistake!”
“The mistake is yours!”
Jaunryong bellowed, ready to charge forward when—
Creeeeak…
The iron door opened, and someone stepped out.
“What is going on here?”
All eyes turned to see the leader and the masked man emerging together.
Jaunryong rushed to the leader, dropping to his knees.
“Master! I’ve come to see Jeong-ah! Please, let me see her!”
The masked man beside the leader sighed and stepped forward.
“Why are you doing this? It’s not the first time. How can the grand technique proceed smoothly like this? Haven’t I told you? No visits during the process.”
“You never said she’d be in pain!”
“It seems there’s more pain than anticipated, but the results will be greater.”
“How can you say that…!”
“Enough.”
The leader’s deep voice cut through Jaunryong’s words.
Jaunryong looked up at the leader with trembling eyes.
“Master!”
The leader’s gaze turned icy.
“Do you intend to defy the will of the sect?”
Jaunryong bit his lip hard.
“Aaaah!”
Yujeong’s scream echoed again from behind the now-open door.
The masked man flinched, then barked orders at his subordinates with irritation.
“What are you doing? Close the door!”
Creeeeak, clank!
As the door shut, Jaunryong clenched his fists, his body trembling.
The leader placed a hand on Jaunryong’s shoulder.
“Endure it. This is a great step towards achieving our grand ambition.”