Episode 431: Return of the Demon Sect Leader
“Pant, pant, pant!”
Ja Un-ryong was gasping for breath, his entire body drenched in blood, resembling a demon from a nightmare. Sweat mixed with blood trickled down his cheeks. Despite his tattered clothes and numerous wounds, he seemed to have avoided any fatal injuries, moving without any noticeable awkwardness.
He glanced around, taking in the scene of carnage. Corpses were strewn everywhere, outnumbering the living. Among the dead were both the bodies of the Demon Sect followers and the warriors of the Extermination Hall. Those who were still alive were so gravely injured they could barely stand.
Tang Yi-hyeop and Wi Geom-jong lay motionless on one side, their fate uncertain. Only three people remained standing: Ja Un-ryong, Ye Gon, and the deputy leader of the Jade Demon Group.
Ye Gon glared at Ja Un-ryong, his voice dripping with disdain. “To commit treason like this… Have you lost your mind?”
“Lost it? I went mad the moment I offered my disciple as a sacrifice,” Ja Un-ryong replied with a bitter smile, prompting Ye Gon to scoff.
“Still hung up on that girl who turned into a monster, are you? Pathetic.”
“Watch your filthy mouth!” Ja Un-ryong shouted, launching himself forward with a burst of speed.
Swoosh!
Clang!
A shadow suddenly intercepted Ja Un-ryong’s sword, and sparks flew with a sharp metallic ring.
“Ugh!”
The deputy leader of the Jade Demon Group, who had blocked the attack, slid back, coughing up blood.
“Stay out of this!” Ja Un-ryong yelled, striking again. The deputy leader dodged, spinning to counter with a palm strike.
Boom!
“Ugh!”
Ja Un-ryong staggered back, biting his lip to suppress the pain, but he couldn’t hold back the blood that surged up.
“Ugh!”
He drove his sword into the ground to steady himself, a pool of dark red blood forming beneath him.
“Get a grip, Master Ja!” the deputy leader shouted, though his expression suggested he knew it was futile. It was too late for Ja Un-ryong to come to his senses. Too many of the Jade Demon Group had fallen to his sword. Even if he regained his sanity, it wouldn’t undo what he’d done. The only fitting request now would be for him to die quietly.
Ja Un-ryong steadied his breathing, fixing his gaze on the deputy leader, who flinched and took a step back. Even a wounded beast is dangerous as long as it breathes. Waiting for it to strike first is foolish.
“You brought this on yourself, so don’t blame me!” the deputy leader shouted, charging forward.
In a flash, Ja Un-ryong slid forward, his sword slicing upward in a diagonal arc.
Slash!
“Agh!”
The movement was flawless, devoid of any unnecessary motion. It was astonishing that he still had such strength left. The deputy leader collapsed, blood spraying, never to rise again.
“Ha, ha, ha…!”
Ja Un-ryong panted heavily, turning his gaze to Ye Gon, who was frowning deeply.
“Do you not regret this?” Ye Gon murmured.
“I’ve had my share of regrets,” Ja Un-ryong replied.
“You’re insane. The Master…”
With a swift motion, Ja Un-ryong moved like the wind. There was no need for further words. He already knew what Ye Gon intended to say, and he had no interest in hearing it.
“Damn it! You madman!” Ye Gon cursed, raising his sword.
Clang!
“Ugh!”
With a loud metallic clash, Ye Gon was sent flying back.
‘He still has this much power…!’ Ye Gon thought, surprised, as he gathered his inner strength. He quickly extended his hand, shouting, “Ice Bind!”
Crash!
A block of ice formed, colliding with Ja Un-ryong’s sword. A bone-chilling cold seeped into Ja Un-ryong’s body, slowing his movements. Seizing the opportunity, Ye Gon thrust his sword toward Ja Un-ryong’s heart.
Swoosh!
‘Got him! Die, you bastard!’
Combining his demonic arts with swordsmanship had been the right choice. But then, in the next moment,
“Gah!”
Ye Gon’s eyes widened in shock. Ja Un-ryong wasn’t even trying to dodge; he was charging straight at him. If things continued like this, Ye Gon’s sword would pierce Ja Un-ryong’s heart, but Ye Gon would lose his head in the process.
“A mutual kill? You crazy…!”
Before Ye Gon could finish his sentence,
Thud!
Slash!
Ye Gon’s sword pierced Ja Un-ryong’s heart, and his head flew into the air.
Thud, roll…
Blood gushed from Ye Gon’s headless body like a fountain, and it collapsed with a heavy thud.
“Huff, huff, huff… Ugh, ugh!”
Ja Un-ryong drove his sword into the ground again, using it as a crutch, and coughed up a mouthful of blood. He staggered, turning away with the sword still embedded in his chest.
Just then, a man who had been lying some distance away struggled to his feet and limped toward Ja Un-ryong. It was Deung Bu-hyeong.
“You… a Demon Sect member? I can’t believe it.”
“I’m sorry,” Ja Un-ryong replied with a bitter smile, as Deung Bu-hyeong muttered in disbelief.
“How could you deceive us so completely?”
“Because you’re too pure-hearted, senior.”
“Is that why you’re calling me ‘senior’ for the last time?”
Ja Un-ryong chuckled, as if to say Deung Bu-hyeong could think what he liked. As Deung Bu-hyeong had said, Ja Un-ryong was nearing the end. Yet he refused to kneel.
Suddenly, sensing a presence behind him, Ja Un-ryong turned with difficulty, raising his sword. The blade trembled in his grip.
Mu Rang entered the clearing, shaking his head as he approached.
“My goodness, what a mess.”
“Mu Rang…?”
Mu Rang approached Ja Un-ryong and Deung Bu-hyeong, clicking his tongue. He picked up Ye Gon’s severed head from the ground.
“To cause such chaos… You’re something else.”
Ja Un-ryong frowned slightly at Mu Rang’s words. “Why are you here?”
“Why shouldn’t I be?”
“Well, it doesn’t matter. It’s all over anyway.”
Ja Un-ryong shrugged, and Mu Rang stepped closer, looking at him intently.
“Do you truly have no regrets after all this?”
“What good are regrets when I’m about to die? But…”
Ja Un-ryong’s gaze drifted to the lifeless body of Neung So-so, who had once smiled so brightly at him just days ago. It was hard to believe she was now a cold corpse.
Ja Un-ryong murmured with a bitter expression, “I only regret not acting sooner.”
“I see. That’s enough.”
“What do you mean…?”
Mu Rang suddenly reached out, grasping the hilt of the sword embedded in Ja Un-ryong’s heart.
In the next moment,
Swoosh!
Blood sprayed as Ja Un-ryong staggered back, feeling as if the world was being drenched in red.
”…!”
A sudden clarity jolted Ja Un-ryong’s senses. He quickly felt his chest, finding it miraculously unscathed.
“Can you take responsibility for those words?” Mu Rang’s voice echoed.
Turning, Ja Un-ryong saw Mu Rang holding a large orb instead of Ye Gon’s head, smiling faintly.
“What… is going on?”
Ja Un-ryong looked around in bewilderment, his mouth agape as if he’d been struck.
“Where is this…?”
It was unmistakably the courtyard of the Extermination Hall. Ma Seol-ran stood in front of the pavilion, and Tang Yi-hyeop, along with the warriors of the Extermination Hall, surrounded him, swords drawn. They were ready to pounce at any moment.
Beside him, Deung Bu-hyeong fell back in shock.
“What the… What is this…?”
He looked around in confusion before turning to Mu Rang, asking, “Master Mu Rang! What is happening? Why are we here?”
Mu Rang smiled faintly. “When you presented the letter to the chief, I cast a spell.”
“A spell…? Why? Does that mean everything I experienced was…?”
“An illusion, not reality,” Mu Rang explained.
Deung Bu-hyeong’s jaw dropped, and Ja Un-ryong let out a hollow laugh.
“So the rumors of your mastery of illusions were true.”
No wonder the chief of Sa Bi-gang held this old man in such high regard. Oddly enough, instead of feeling indignant at being caught in Mu Rang’s spell, Ja Un-ryong felt relieved that Neung So-so was alive.
As his rationality returned, Ja Un-ryong asked seriously, “You cast the spell after we presented the letter, which means you already suspected me…”
“Indeed. We knew Wi Geom-jong wasn’t the spy.”
“How did you know?”
“You may not be aware, but the chief saw you.”
“Saw me…?”
Jaunryong furrowed his brow and tilted his head in confusion, prompting Murang to continue in a calm voice.
“A few days ago, the overseer mentioned something about you.”
**
“I’m about to tell you what that was.”
Sabigang looked at Murang with a serious expression.
Murang narrowed his eyes and asked, “Explain it clearly. Are you saying you’ve suspected Wigumjong all along?”
“No, it’s not him I’m suspicious of. Wigumjong is just a martial artist who has mastered the art of sailing.”
“Then what are you getting at… you don’t mean…?”
Murang trailed off, as if a realization was dawning on him, and Sabigang nodded.
“Yes, it’s Jaunryong I’m suspicious of.”
“Jaunryong, the instructor…?”
“I’ve actually seen him before.”
“Where?”
“In the Dream Realm.”
Murang’s eyes widened in surprise.
Fate had a strange way of connecting people.
Sabigang squinted, as if recalling that day.
In the Dream Realm of Jeongryugwang, a man and a woman were running with a Soul Bead.
One of them was Jaunryong.
Of course, the Jaunryong in the Dream Realm didn’t recognize Sabigang, but Sabigang had no trouble recognizing him.
“He was one of the two carrying the box with the Soul Bead.”
“If that’s true, then Jaunryong is a spy planted by the Demon Sect.”
“That’s likely.”
“But why would Jonya entrust such a precious Soul Bead to Jaunryong instead of keeping it himself?”
“As I mentioned, the Marquis of Baritan, who was inside the Soul Bead, had taken Jonya as his vessel. So when those two were carrying the box, it was merely a swarm of soul-devouring insects.”
“Which means…”
“One of those two is probably a candidate to become a Chimera. And since Jaunryong is here, the one destined to become a Chimera must be…”
“The woman.”
Sabigang turned to Murang.
“Exactly.”