Episode 595: Return to the Demon Sect
In the basement of the Murang Hall, Murang looked at Sabigang, Heukgui, and Ong Giseung. All three wore expressions of steely determination.
“Are you all ready?” Murang asked.
“Yes,” they replied in unison, their voices firm.
Murang nodded and gestured to a box in front of them. “Inside are the elixirs. You must consume them all at once,” he instructed Sabigang.
Sabigang nodded. “Understood.”
Meanwhile, Ong Giseung and Heukgui eyed the box with a mix of awe and trepidation. The sheer quantity of elixirs was staggering. Even the most beneficial of substances could be lethal in such amounts. Without profound inner strength, consuming them could lead to madness or death. Even with such strength, it would be a formidable challenge.
Yet, the mere scent wafting from the box was enough to clear the mind.
Murang continued, “Here’s the plan. First, we’ll transfer the demon god’s power from Heukgui to the Lord’s body. Then, we’ll move the spirit haunting Ong Giseung. Sabigang, maintaining your sanity will be difficult, but you must consume all the elixirs in that state. Once that’s done, I’ll move these two outside and lock the door.”
“Understood,” Sabigang replied.
Heukgui and Ong Giseung swallowed hard, the tension palpable.
“When will we regain consciousness?” Ong Giseung asked hesitantly.
“The power sustaining you will be abruptly removed, so there will be some impact. But you should regain consciousness after a few hours,” Murang reassured them.
“And the Lord?” Ong Giseung pressed.
Murang glanced at Sabigang. “I can’t say for certain. He may not wake at all, or if he does, he might not retain his sanity. Achieving the state of Manhae might be beyond reach.”
Heukgui and Ong Giseung’s expressions grew somber. Sabigang, however, grinned.
“Why scare them already? Don’t worry. If there’s even a needle’s eye of a chance, I’ll break through it.”
“We trust you, Lord,” they said, bowing their heads.
In truth, Sabigang wasn’t entirely confident. He believed he could awaken with his mind intact, but reaching the state of Manhae was another matter. Perhaps it was because the concept of Manhae was so elusive, or maybe he subconsciously recognized its impossibility. Regardless, there was no other option but to try.
Murang addressed Sabigang again. “Remember one thing. When you inherit the powers of the demon god and the spirit, you must not use them as they are. To reach Manhae, you must transform them into martial arts, strictly in the style of the Central Plains. If you succeed, you may lose the ability to use magic, but you’ll gain a martial art that only those who reach Manhae can comprehend. While Cheonhae is the realm of understanding the heavens, Manhae is the realm of understanding all things. I can’t tell you what martial arts you’ll use, but you’ll certainly become stronger—if you succeed.”
“I understand,” Sabigang replied.
Murang looked at the three of them for a moment before speaking. “Let’s begin.”
**
Outside the metal door, Maesellan paced nervously, biting her thumbnail. Beside her stood Dang Ihyeop.
“Don’t worry too much. The Lord will succeed, as always,” Dang Ihyeop said, though his face betrayed his own anxiety.
Maesellan responded with a faint smile.
Time passed slowly until the metal door suddenly swung open, and Murang rushed out.
“It’s done! Quickly, move them!” he shouted.
Without hesitation, Maesellan and Dang Ihyeop dashed inside, each hoisting Ong Giseung and Heukgui onto their backs. Maesellan glanced at Sabigang, who lay quietly on the floor, his face and neck glowing with a strange light.
‘I believe in you!’
Murang’s voice echoed from outside. “Hurry! Before he wakes!”
“Yes!” Maesellan replied, quickly moving out with the others.
Once they were outside, Murang slammed the metal door shut. The mechanism engaged, locking it securely.
With a sigh of relief, Murang turned to Maesellan and Dang Ihyeop. “Take them to the medical hall. I’ve done all I can. The rest is up to the Lord.”
“Understood,” they replied, nodding resolutely as they ascended the stairs.
Before following them, Murang cast one last look at the heavy metal door. ‘Sabigang, may fortune be with you!’
**
Inside, Sabigang lay as if lifeless, until his eyes snapped open. A searing pain coursed through his body.
“Ugh!”
Clutching his abdomen, he struggled to sit up. His body alternated between burning heat and freezing cold, each sensation as unbearable as the last.
“Damn it…!”
He gritted his teeth so hard that one of his molars cracked, blood and saliva dribbling from his mouth.
Through the haze of pain, he remembered the elixirs. ‘I need to take them!’
That singular thought drove him as he staggered to the wooden box, grabbing the elixirs and consuming them with urgency.
First was the Millennium Snow Ginseng, a root shaped like a human figure. He devoured it, followed by the pills crafted by Jinbaek. In a trance-like state, he consumed everything within reach.
When the box was finally empty, the pain began to fade, replaced by a calm like a still lake. Exhaustion washed over him, but he knew he had to stay alert.
Sitting cross-legged, he began to meditate, focusing on absorbing the foreign energies within him. The strange forces coursed through his meridians—extreme yin and yang, and the unique powers of the demon god.
Sweat beaded on his forehead as he struggled to control the alien energies. It was his first time managing such a chaotic mix, but his body was surprisingly stable.
If he could reach the state of Manhae, it would all be worth it.
Heukgui and Ong Giseung had sacrificed everything. Sabigang couldn’t let their efforts be in vain.
‘I must…!’
He clenched his teeth, channeling the powerful energies through his meridians. The force was overwhelming.
As he meditated, the energy grew heavier, until finally—
Boom!
A shock ran through his body, making him shudder.
“Ugh…!”
He groaned involuntarily.
Then again—
Boom!
A powerful surge erupted from his crown chakra.
“Aaah!”
The pain was so intense he nearly lost consciousness.
And again—
Boom!
Another explosion from his dantian, a violent clash of energies.
Sabigang gritted his teeth, but it wasn’t over.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions rocked his entire body, threatening to tear him apart.
“Ugh!”
He clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his palms.
Boom! Boom!
Finally, Sabigang couldn’t hold back any longer. He writhed in agony, screaming.
He could no longer meditate. All he could think about was surviving the pain.
His dantian swelled, ready to burst.
“Ugh!”
Boom!
Another explosion, and Sabigang’s eyes rolled back.
“Ugh! Aaah!”
He howled like a wounded beast.
Anyone watching would think he had succumbed to inner demons.
In truth, he was behaving as if he had.
“Aaah!”
Sabigang staggered to his feet, stumbling around like a madman.
The energy within him surged and receded, swelling and collapsing in a relentless cycle.
Sssssss…!
A strange aura began to ripple around him, turning Sabigang’s hair a stark white. He clutched his head, trying to endure the pain, even as clumps of hair fell away. But he had no time to worry about such things.
How long did this agonizing ordeal last?
Boom!
“Aaaaargh!”
Sabigang felt as if every vein in his body had burst, and he collapsed, unconscious and unmoving.
**
Captain Yeo Dallyang rounded the corner and collided with Yujeong, who had suddenly appeared.
“Oh, are you alright?”
Recognizing him, Yujeong bowed in apology. “I’m so sorry, I was in a rush.”
“No, it’s my fault. But where are you off to in such a hurry?”
“To the Command Pavilion. I received orders from the Deputy Commander. There’s suddenly so much to do.”
“I see. Well, take care.”
“Yes, thank you!”
Yujeong replied quickly and dashed off. Yeo Dallyang watched her with a gentle smile.
“Always so diligent. Unlike my own team…”
He frowned and glanced up at the watchtower.
‘That fool is probably asleep.’
With a sigh, Yeo Dallyang climbed the tower. Sure enough, one of the guards was dozing off.
“Hey! If you’re on duty, stay alert!”
The startled guard quickly bowed his head. “Captain, sir!”
“With the Lord in seclusion for training, what if something happens while you’re napping?”
“Why is the Lord in seclusion?”
“To become stronger.”
“Wow, if he gets any stronger, what will he become?”
“How should I know? But it’s good for us if he does. Why all the questions?”
“Well, it’s not like anything’s going to happen here, right? We’re in the heart of the martial world, after all.”
“You never know! You need some discipline.”
“No, sir. I’ll stay alert.”
“If I catch you sleeping again, you’ll be permanently put to sleep.”
“I understand!”
The guard responded playfully, and Yeo Dallyang couldn’t help but chuckle. The guard quickly pretended to scan the horizon with his telescope, and Yeo Dallyang began to descend the ladder.
Just as he was about to leave, the guard called out.
“Uh… Captain?”
“What now?”
“There’s something strange over there.”
“Are you messing with me again?”
The guard was known for his pranks, so Yeo Dallyang was skeptical. But the guard’s voice was serious, even tinged with fear.
“I’m not joking. Please, take a look.”
Realizing something was amiss, Yeo Dallyang climbed back up and took the telescope. He peered into the distance.
Moments later.
“Oh my god… what is that?”
At first, he thought it was just the onset of dusk. But it was barely past noon. About ten miles away, the ground was turning ominously black, spreading like a stain.
“I think I’ve heard of this before…”
The guard beside him slapped the railing and shouted.
“Ah! It’s a demonic transformation! The land is becoming demonic!”
Indeed, the area about ten miles from the fortress was undergoing a terrifying transformation. The blackened ground was creeping toward them.
And at the edge of this dark tide…
“Shit, we’re screwed.”
Yeo Dallyang muttered in a trembling voice. Swarms of demons and monsters were gathering, countless in number.