Chapter 546: Return of the Demon Sect
Tears welled up in Dan Li-chu’s eyes.
“When will we meet again?”
“Fate will bring us together again someday,” Sa Bi-gang replied with a gentle smile.
Dan Li-chu nodded silently, his heart heavy with gratitude.
“Thank you for guiding my son.”
“Your son is far from lacking. If anything, he’s too talented for his own good,” Sa Bi-gang joked, prompting a warm laugh from Dan Li-chu.
Before Sa Bi-gang’s arrival, Dan Li-chu had thought the Ilseong Sword Sect was doomed. In fact, it was already crumbling, and he had been prepared to face death. Despite his resolve, the fear of death was overwhelming. Yet, it was his anger that allowed him to confront it—better to die with dignity than live in disgrace. He also had faith that his son would avenge him.
Even now, it seemed unbelievable that Sa Bi-gang had appeared at that critical moment. And more astonishingly…
“To think he managed to subdue them all.”
Behind the carriage that Sa Bi-gang was about to board stood a thousand demon knights, who had been threatening the Ilseong Sword Sect just a day before. It was no wonder Dan Li-chu felt uneasy seeing them.
Still…
“They’ll play a crucial role in defeating the Demon King.”
Dan Li-chu composed himself and bowed to Sa Bi-gang.
“Please, for the sake of the martial world, lend us your strength!”
“Well, we’ll see,” Sa Bi-gang replied nonchalantly, surprising Dan Li-chu.
With a cold smile, Sa Bi-gang continued, “I’m not like you, Master Dan Li. The martial world I know is a treacherous place. My reason for opposing the Demon King is personal.”
“What is it?” Dan Li-chu asked, taken aback.
“Revenge,” Sa Bi-gang said, his eyes glinting with a cold light.
Dan Li-chu stammered, “Then… the safety of the martial world is…?”
“A bonus,” Sa Bi-gang replied with a sly grin.
As Sa Bi-gang climbed into the carriage, Dan Li-chu watched him leave, a bemused smile on his face.
“Ha, ha, ha!” he laughed heartily, watching the carriage disappear into the distance. “In that case, I trust you even more.”
Personal vendettas often outlast grand ideals, after all.
Just then, Gwi-do Mu-yeong approached him.
“I suppose it’s time for me to take my leave as well.”
“Already?” Dan Li-chu asked.
“Indeed.”
“You’ve helped the Ilseong Sword Sect so much. At least let us offer you some token of gratitude…”
Gwi-do Mu-yeong interrupted with a shout, “Do you take me for a beggar?”
“What?”
“I told you, I came here intending to rob an empty house! But I’ve already scoured the Ilseong Sword Sect’s treasures.”
“Already?” Dan Li-chu asked, unsure if he was serious or joking.
“Yes! I’ve never seen such a poor sect in all my life. What have you been doing in exile all this time?”
“Well, we’ve been training hard…”
“Training alone doesn’t sustain a person! You need to eat, enjoy life… Anyway, other sects manage to thrive both openly and secretly. I don’t know how you’ve kept your sect running. There’s nothing to steal here. Tsk!”
“Ha ha… I’m sorry,” Dan Li-chu said, nodding, though he wasn’t sure why he was apologizing.
“Anyway, I’m off. Try to manage your finances better. Who knows? If you grow the Ilseong Sword Sect and amass wealth, I might return.”
“Ha ha ha! I’ll invite you first if that day comes.”
“Hmph. We’ll see if that day ever comes,” Gwi-do Mu-yeong said, walking away with a cold expression.
But Dan Li-chu watched him go with warmth in his heart.
“We should be going too,” a voice called from behind.
Dan Li-chu turned to see the Gui-ju Twelve Blades, now reduced to the Gui-ju Five Blades after losing seven brothers in the war. Despite the Ilseong Sword Sect’s offer to hold a proper funeral, their leader, Il-do, politely declined.
“Once you step into the martial world, it’s like casting yourself to the winds. Losing our brothers is painful, but we’ll bury them in our hearts and vow revenge. Please handle the funeral as you see fit.”
Dan Li-chu understood Il-do’s feelings, having lost many disciples himself. He felt a sense of camaraderie as he looked at Il-do.
“I can only thank you.”
“No need. We fought for ourselves. Now we’ll fight for our revenge.”
“Someday, the Ilseong Sword Sect will stand by you,” Dan Li-chu promised.
Il-do nodded and turned to leave.
“Wait, don’t you want to take any spoils? We gathered quite a bit from the demons. Take what you want…”
“No need. There are countless demons and monsters left to kill. A few spoils won’t make a difference. Farewell.”
With that, the Gui-ju Five Blades departed.
Finally, Yang Bi-woong approached with his followers.
“Everyone’s gone.”
“Yang, it’s comforting to know you’ll stay in exile. I’ll always accept a challenge from you. I’d gladly offer you my right hand.”
“Hmph! What do you take me for? I no longer care about your right hand.”
“Why not?”
“This war taught me a lot. I realized there’s always someone stronger. What good is your right hand under the sky?”
Dan Li-chu smiled wryly. It was a humbling truth he couldn’t deny—he still had much to learn.
Yang Bi-woong gazed into the distance.
“So, I’ve decided to leave exile with my remaining followers.”
“Where will you go?”
“I’m thinking of joining the Myeolma Palace.”
Dan Li-chu was taken aback by the unexpected decision.
“You’re really leaving?”
“Yes. So please take care of exile in my absence.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll protect it with all my might!”
“I trust you, Master Dan Li,” Yang Bi-woong said with a grin.
And with that, Yang Bi-woong and his followers departed.
Watching them go, Dan Li-chu reflected.
“Sa Bi-gang, you said the martial world is treacherous, and you’re focused on personal revenge. Yet, your actions are changing many lives. Today, I realized something. Despite everything, you are the hope of this martial world.”
A young boy was crying.
His home had burned to the ground, leaving nothing but ashes. In front of the charred remains lay the bodies of his parents, brutally slain.
The boy wept bitterly, clutching his mother’s hand.
“Mom… Mom…”
He shook her lifeless body, but she did not stir.
Seeing this, Mae Seol-ran moved to comfort the boy.
“Why do you cry so sorrowfully?” a stranger suddenly asked, approaching the boy.
“My mom and dad… they’re hurt badly and won’t wake up. I think… they might be dead.”
The boy’s sobs grew louder as he spoke.
The stranger embraced the boy.
“Come with me. I’ll take care of you.”
The boy rose silently, following the stranger.
Only then did Mae Seol-ran recognize the man.
‘The Lord of the Heavenly Hall…!’
Though younger, the man resembled Jin Baek, the Lord of the Heavenly Hall. And the boy following him was none other than a young Sa Bi-gang.
The boy’s face bore the innocence of youth, a stark contrast to the man he would become.
‘So you once had such a face.’
But why am I seeing this now? Is this still his consciousness? Or am I dreaming?
The young Sa Bi-gang stopped and asked, “Where are we going?”
“To a place you’ll like,” the man replied.
Suddenly, his voice turned harsh, and with a sickening sound, his body split open, revealing a demon with horns protruding from his forehead.
The presence was so overwhelming that Mae Seol-ran held her breath.
‘The Demon King…!’
She turned to the young Sa Bi-gang.
In that instant,
Shiiing!
Thud!
The Demon King’s sword, Veritas, pierced through the now-adult Sa Bi-gang.
“No!” Mae Seol-ran screamed, rushing to catch the falling Sa Bi-gang.
The Demon King, Tarant, looked down at them with a sinister smile.
“This is the fate of a foolish human who defied destiny.”
Mae Seol-ran grasped Sa Bi-gang’s hand tightly.
He was dying.
‘No! You can’t die!’
She shouted, but no sound came out. Instead, she held his hand even tighter.
“Ugh…”
Mae Seol-ran awoke with a soft groan, her eyes meeting Sa Bi-gang’s face, his hand holding hers tightly.
Realizing where she was, she sat up abruptly, only to wince at the sharp pain.
“Ugh…!”
“You’re not fully recovered yet. You need to rest a bit more.”
Sabigang’s voice was gentle and soothing.
Maeseollan needed a moment to gather her thoughts and make sense of the situation.
A cramped space. No, it was too small to be called a room.
Ah, was she inside a carriage?
Tears welled up in Maeseollan’s eyes.
“Is this… reality?”
Sabigang nodded, gently wiping away her tears.
“It is reality. I’m sorry. And thank you.”
“Are you… okay?”
“Thanks to you.”
Sabigang smiled warmly.
Oh, that smile.
How long had it been since she’d seen it?
Yes, even the first time she met him, it felt like everything melted away with that smile.
Maeseollan threw herself into Sabigang’s arms.
“I’m so relieved, truly relieved.”
“All thanks to you.”
“By the way, what happened with the Ilsung Sword Sect?”
“What do you think happened?”
Sabigang asked playfully.
Maeseollan chuckled softly and buried her face in his broad chest again.
Thank goodness.
That she could hold him.
That she could see his face.
That she could hear the heartbeat in his chest.
As the carriage moved, Sabigang recounted the events that had transpired. When he mentioned that he had brought the entire knight order, along with Helmut, under his command, Maeseollan couldn’t hide her astonishment.
“Is that true? Where are they now?”
“Why? Don’t believe me?”
“Honestly… it’s all so sudden.”
“Looks like I’ll have to call them all together.”
As Sabigang pretended to summon a thousand knights, Maeseollan quickly stopped him.
“No, it’s fine. I’m just glad everything worked out.”
“The real resolution starts now.”
“What about Onggiseung? It was such an urgent matter that only Chu and I came.”
“Murang used a scroll to cross over to Hyeolsaryeon. He’ll treat Onggiseung and bring him to Myeolmagung.”
“We’ve already used so many of those hard-to-find scrolls.”
“When you need to use them, you use them.”
Listening to Sabigang, Maeseollan opened the window and watched the scenery pass by.
Flowers bloomed everywhere, filling the air with the scent of spring.
It was hard to believe that demons had appeared in this world when looking at such beautiful landscapes.
But she knew.
Even at this moment, the shadows of the demons were creeping deep into the martial world.
And those shadows had penetrated far deeper than she had imagined.