Episode 573: Return to the Demonic Sect

Jinbaek furrowed his brow deeply.

Something felt off.

A chilling aura emanated from Muk Yangje’s entire being.

No, calling it an aura seemed too tangible; it was more like an unsettling atmosphere.

Moreover, his eyes were bloodshot, as if he hadn’t slept for days.

Jinbaek cleared his throat to announce his presence and asked, “What brings you here?”

Muk Yangje glanced at Jinbaek but continued walking without a word.

As he passed by, Jinbaek grabbed his wrist. “Have you been drinking?”

In an instant—

Whoosh, crack!

“Ugh!”

Jinbaek gasped as Muk Yangje’s hand suddenly shot out, gripping his throat.

“Gah, you…!”

Jinbaek’s face turned crimson, veins bulging as if they might burst, all due to the energy Muk Yangje was exuding.

Then, suddenly—

Whoosh!

A sharp presence sliced through the air!

Muk Yangje quickly tossed Jinbaek aside and leaped back.

Clang!

A sword struck the ground, vibrating with a resonant hum.

The twin swords returned to their owner, none other than Maesellan, who had sensed something amiss while training and came to investigate.

Jinbaek, thrown to the ground, clutched his knees, struggling to breathe.

“Hah, hah…!”

His throat was swollen, making it difficult to catch his breath. After some basic energy circulation, the swelling subsided, and the pain gradually lessened.

Maesellan, holding his twin swords, assumed a defensive stance. “Step back, Master Jin.”

“Be careful. There’s something… different about Instructor Muk.”

But before Jinbaek could finish his warning—

“Woman!”

Muk Yangje roared, launching himself at Maesellan with blinding speed, his sword slashing diagonally.

Clang!

Sparks flew as both were thrown back.

Maesellan quickly rebounded off the wall, counterattacking with swift, wind-like movements.

“Ha!”

Muk Yangje let out a battle cry, meeting her head-on.

Clang! Clang!

Though they exchanged only a few blows, the noise was deafening.

Both fighters leaped into the air, their swords clashing with explosive force.

Jinbaek watched, mouth agape. “Incredible…!”

It was like watching fireworks erupt from the ground, soaring into the sky.

The two combatants landed on the roof of the training hall, their swords clashing relentlessly.

Clang! Clang!

Tiles shattered and flew, turning into deadly shards that attacked them both.

Maesellan broke into a cold sweat.

‘He’s strong! What’s happened to him?’

Muk Yangje was growing stronger by the moment, his eyes now a deep, unnatural black, and his skin marred by bulging veins.

It was clear to anyone that he wasn’t in his right mind.

Maesellan hesitated, unsure how far to go with her swordplay. If he was under some spell, could she really use lethal force against someone who was once an ally?

But as the fight dragged on, she abandoned such thoughts. She realized that holding back could cost her life.

‘Damn it! If only I’d taken the elixir Jinbaek offered…’

But dwelling on ‘what ifs’ was pointless.

Finally, Maesellan felt a powerful impact, sliding back as the roof tiles shattered beneath her.

Muk Yangje smirked, his sword slicing through the air, sending shards flying like daggers.

“Shield!”

Maesellan quickly cast a spell, the tiles shattering against her barrier.

As the shield broke, she summoned her protective energy to fend off the remaining shards.

When the last of the tiles shattered, Muk Yangje lunged at her again, the roof collapsing under his force, sending the workers below scrambling in panic.

The training hall was descending into chaos.

“Tch!”

Maesellan clicked her tongue, crossing her swords to block his relentless assault.

Clang!

The dark energy of his blade sent her flying, crashing into the courtyard.

A crater formed around her as she struggled to her feet.

“Master Maesellan, be careful! He’s burning through all his life force in one go. Whatever’s happened, he’s using everything he has!”

It meant he was tapping into his very essence, something no one could consciously do.

Yet Muk Yangje was doing just that.

Jinbaek had realized this when he briefly checked Muk Yangje’s pulse earlier, but the sudden attack left him no time to warn anyone.

Maesellan stood, shouting, “Instructor Muk! Why are you doing this? If there’s anything I can do to help—”

But she couldn’t finish her plea.

Whoosh, crash!

Muk Yangje attacked again, his sword descending like a comet.

Maesellan staggered back, her hands trembling from the force of his assault.

Her robes were torn, exposing her skin, but she paid it no mind.

This was a life-or-death situation.

She spat out a mouthful of blood, unable to avoid internal injuries from the powerful blows.

Initially, she thought she could handle Muk Yangje easily.

But he had become something else entirely, his energy mixed with a sinister force.

Though it felt like a long battle, only a short time had passed.

Despite the commotion, no one else had arrived, a testament to the speed and intensity of their fight.

Crack.

Muk Yangje twisted his neck, his entire body now a mass of bulging veins.

Whatever dark force was driving him, it was pushing his energy to a frenzied peak.

At this rate, one of them would die—either Maesellan, unable to withstand his power, or Muk Yangje, consumed by his own energy.

But as things stood…

‘I might be the one to die first.’

In the past, she would have hoped for Sabi Kang to come to her rescue.

But she bit her lip, hoping this monster wouldn’t reach him.

She was willing to sacrifice herself to end this threat here and now, to prevent it from harming anyone else.

The thought of such a creature confronting Sabi Kang was unbearable.

Meanwhile, Muk Yangje licked his lips, eyeing Maesellan with a predatory gaze.

His eyes, now completely black, burned with vile, twisted desire.

He was a creature of pure malice.

“Haah!”

Muk Yangje charged at Maesellan, who gritted her teeth and prepared to evade.

Using her sword technique, she knew she couldn’t face his raw power head-on.

She had to deflect and strike from behind.

But…

“This is impossible…!”

Despair flickered across her face for a brief moment.

The attack from Muk Yang-je seemed to follow her every move, mirroring her steps precisely.

In that fleeting instant, it was as if his assault was shadowing her footwork.

There was no other choice now but to confront the attack head-on.

Reluctantly, she crossed her twin swords, summoning every ounce of her inner strength.

A deafening clash echoed through the air as the two collided.

The ground trembled, and the already crumbling ceiling of the hall cracked further, threatening to collapse entirely.

The two combatants were so close their faces nearly touched.

“Ugh!”

Maesolran coughed up a mouthful of blood, her strength waning.

“I can’t… hold on much longer.”

Her entire body trembled uncontrollably.

Then, suddenly—

“Hyah!”

With a fierce battle cry, a shadow descended from above.

Thud!

“Argh!”

Muk Yang-je kicked Maesolran away, leaping back.

A sword clattered to the ground where he had stood.

The blade hummed with a low vibration.

“Hah, hah, hah…”

The ragged breathing belonged to none other than Deung Bu-hyeong.

He glared at Muk Yang-je, shouting, “Muk! What on earth are you doing?”

But Muk Yang-je, his entire body now a dark, ominous shade, seemed oblivious to Deung Bu-hyeong’s words, his brow furrowed in concentration.

“Muk! Snap out of it! Even if they gave us the elixir and left us out, coming here and doing this…!”

Wham!

Deung Bu-hyeong couldn’t finish his sentence.

In an instant, Muk Yang-je was upon him, gripping his throat.

He slammed Deung Bu-hyeong into the ground with a resounding crash.

A crater formed where they stood.

Muk Yang-je glared at the battered Deung Bu-hyeong, ready to move on.

But—

“No… I won’t let you. Muk, please… come to your senses!”

Muk Yang-je looked down to find Deung Bu-hyeong, bloodied but still clinging to his ankle.

With a cold expression, Muk Yang-je swung his leg.

Deung Bu-hyeong flew into a wall, buried under the debris, unconscious.

“Oh…”

Watching Muk Yang-je approach, Maesolran realized all hope was lost.

He was like a living explosive.

Finally, Muk Yang-je stood before her, a chilling madness in his eyes.

He raised his sword with a sinister smile.

Maesolran met his gaze and spoke firmly, “Killing me won’t end your suffering!”

For a moment, Muk Yang-je’s expression seemed to waver.

Then—

The blade descended.

Maesolran watched the sword fall towards her, feeling the cold steel brush her neck.

Suddenly—

A sickening sound of flesh being pierced filled the air, and warm blood splattered everywhere.

It drenched Maesolran.

She focused her gaze and saw Berthas, his sword piercing through Muk Yang-je’s chest.

A voice she had longed to hear whispered in her ear.

“Sorry I’m late.”