Episode 615: Return to the Demon Sect
Whoosh!
A sudden, fierce gust of wind erupted around the gathering of martial arts masters. If Murang hadn’t used his sorcery to shield himself, Gu Yun, and Jo Shinryang, they might have been swept away by the swirling energy, lost to the winds.
And if they were merely blown away, they would be lucky.
Their bodies could have been pulverized, leaving no trace behind.
The sight of dozens of martial arts masters channeling all their energy into a single device was nothing short of extraordinary.
Rumble…!
The energy compression device emitted a dazzling array of colors, occasionally shuddering under the strain of the intense energy.
Vroom…!
Finally, the device began to tremble.
The vibrant energy within it shimmered brilliantly, and the flow of power gradually diminished.
Ssshhh…!
At last, the internal energy flowing into the device started to fade.
Though not everyone possessed the same level of internal energy, their synchronized efforts began and ended in unison.
The technique Murang devised wasn’t martial arts.
It was a method focused solely on transferring internal energy.
For many, this unfamiliar technique was both strange and astonishing.
And finally.
Swoosh!
Like a sponge absorbing water, the device consumed the last of the internal energy.
Vroom!
The device gave a final shudder before falling silent.
Gu Yun’s eyes widened.
“This is it…!”
As Murang withdrew his sorcery, Jo Shinryang stepped forward and lifted the device.
“Ah…!”
Upon confirming the energy within, he immediately bowed deeply in all directions.
Yeon Gangbaek spoke in a hoarse voice.
“We don’t have time for formalities. Hurry and take it to Lady Sa.”
“Indeed. We all share the same purpose, don’t we?”
Dan Lichu’s voice was also strained.
Once commanding figures in the martial world, their voices now resembled those of ordinary old men.
They had poured all their internal energy into the device, sparing only the bare minimum needed for survival.
Jo Shinryang, tears streaming down his face, remained prostrate.
“Long ago, I harbored resentment towards the martial world. But you are the true heroes of this era. I’ve realized how narrow-minded I was. Thank you, all of you.”
“Haha, it’s us who should be grateful, Jo.”
The laughter came from Eun Giryung.
Once exuding a vibrant energy, Eun Giryung was now just an old man, his hair white and his face lined with the marks of time.
Murang, observing them quietly, bowed deeply before approaching Jo Shinryang.
“It’s time to administer this to Lady Sa.”
Jo Shinryang nodded and handed the device to Murang.
His task was complete.
Having done his best, he could only leave the rest to fate.
Just then, Biryung and Dan Lijeong descended to where they stood.
“Did you find it?”
As Dan Lijeong knelt respectfully, Gu Yun quickly approached.
“There’s no need for such formalities in this situation.”
“Understood.”
Dan Lijeong stood up, his gaze drawn to the device Murang held.
‘What is that…?’
Even at a glance, it was no ordinary object.
The overwhelming energy it radiated was palpable.
If one could harness all that energy, they might become the strongest being on earth.
But fear accompanied the temptation.
It was dangerous.
Attempting to absorb such power without preparation would surely lead to disaster.
Sensing Dan Lijeong’s gaze, Gu Yun nodded.
“As you might guess, the energy in that device contains the essence of the greatest masters of our time. You must now inject it into Lady Sabigang.”
“How do I do that?”
Murang stepped in to explain.
“It’s simple. Aim for Lady Sabigang’s heart. Targeting the dantian directly could cause it to shatter, so aim for the heart.”
“But aiming for the heart, the middle dantian, makes energy circulation difficult…”
“Lady Sabigang has already mastered mana. Her body can handle internal energy injected into the heart.”
“So, I just need to aim for the heart and shoot?”
“Exactly.”
Murang nodded, and Jo Shinryang approached with a long iron arrow.
The arrow had a connector designed to fit precisely with the device.
Jo Shinryang continued his explanation.
“When the arrow strikes Lady Sabigang, the inertia will cause this iron arrow to apply pressure to the device, injecting its contents into her heart.”
Dan Lijeong nodded solemnly, his heart pounding.
After a moment’s hesitation, he asked, “Has this method ever succeeded before?”
Murang looked at Dan Lijeong and shook his head.
“This is the first time. We can’t be certain of success.”
Though he had suspected as much, hearing it confirmed was still a shock.
Dan Lijeong turned his gaze.
The once-mighty martial arts masters now looked at him, frail and aged.
His fingers trembled slightly.
A heaviness settled in his chest.
‘What have they sacrificed themselves for? Is this martial world worth it? And what drives Lady Sabigang to such lengths?’
Perhaps it was the overwhelming pressure.
Questions that seemed pointless kept echoing in his mind.
The realization that these once-mighty figures could now die with a mere gesture from him was a bitter truth.
Then, Dan Lijeong’s gaze stopped on one person.
‘Father…?’
Dan Lichu, his hair white, looked at Dan Lijeong with pride.
“Father…!”
As Dan Lijeong moved forward, Dan Lichu simply nodded.
Though he said nothing, Dan Lijeong understood his father’s unspoken message.
‘I acted according to my beliefs. I trust you understand.’
His father’s eyes conveyed that message.
It wasn’t just his father.
All the martial artists here shared the same look.
And Dan Lichu’s eyes also seemed to say:
‘I have a remarkable son!’
Indeed.
These masters hadn’t gathered merely for a noble cause.
They had come together to protect and preserve their descendants.
To safeguard those closest to them, those they loved and cherished.
“I’ll do it. No, I will succeed.”
“Good.”
Murang nodded and patted Dan Lijeong’s shoulder.
Then Biryung spoke up.
“Before that, we should confirm if we can pierce that barrier.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
The translucent barrier, believed to be created by the demon king, enveloped the island surrounded by lava.
If Dan Lijeong’s arrow couldn’t penetrate it, all would be in vain.
“Can it be done?”
Gu Yun asked, and Dan Lijeong furrowed his brow before answering.
“We’ll fire two arrows with a time delay.”
This didn’t mean drawing the bowstring twice.
By nocking two arrows simultaneously and adjusting the grip, a slight delay could be achieved.
The first arrow would pierce the barrier, allowing the second to reach Sabigang’s heart.
“Then let’s try it immediately.”
“Understood!”
Dan Lijeong quickly drew his bow and pulled the string taut.
Jo Shinryang stepped forward.
“Wait. Use this. Ordinary arrows might not penetrate.”
He handed over an arrow made of ten-thousand-year-old iron.
They had crafted just three of these in the hopes of the unexpected.
Using such precious material for arrows might seem insane.
But now, insanity was necessary to stop the relentless demon.
Though they had three arrows, there was only one device containing the essence of the martial arts masters.
There was only one chance.
This time, they would simply test if the barrier could be pierced with the iron arrow.
Dan Lijeong nocked the iron arrow and pulled the string tight.
He twisted the string slightly.
The arrow would spin as it flew.
And finally.
Thwack!
Whoosh!
The arrow let out a long wail as it flew, trailing a flash of light.
Gu Yun quickly raised his telescope.
The arrow flew over the lava field and struck the barrier created by the demon king.
Boom!
The sound of thunder echoed back to them.
The martial arts masters spoke in unison.
“What happened?”
Their eyes were filled with hope.
But Gu Yun’s expression was not encouraging as he lowered the telescope.
He shook his head slowly.
“It failed.”
“Even with the ten-thousand-year-old iron arrow!”
“It didn’t budge.”
Dan Lijeong, with his keen sight, had also seen the barrier remain unbroken.
Despite hoping that the iron arrow, enhanced with energy, might penetrate it!
At the unexpected news of failure, Ho Yobeom stepped forward and asked, “What if we attach explosive charges to the arrows?”
He had once experienced the power of the Explosive Arrow firsthand, back when he was a young archer.
But Dan Lijeong shook her head.
“That’s not going to work. Even if the Explosive Arrow could break through the barrier, the arrows would lose their target in the aftermath. If we delay the explosion to avoid that, the Demon King might just restore the barrier before we can strike.”
A deep sigh rippled through the gathered martial experts.
They had poured their lifetime of energy into a single vessel, yet had no way to deliver it.
“Damn it, are we just going to stand by and watch the Lord of Sabigang fall into the Demon King’s hands?”
“If the Lord of Sabigang dies, disaster will befall the martial world.”
“Is there truly no other way?”
All eyes turned once more to Gu Yun and Murang, but they too were at a loss.
Before a battle, countless plans are made. Yet, those plans often go awry.
Thus, the true skill of a strategist lies in their ability to adapt.
But even their adaptations were failing them now.
Who could have predicted the Demon King would deploy such a barrier mid-battle?
“This is dangerous…”
Dan Lijeong murmured, gazing intently at the barrier.
With his keen eyes, he could see the fight between Sabigang and the Demon King more clearly than anyone else.
Sabigang was barely standing, a miracle in itself.
“It’s all… over.”
A long sigh escaped someone’s lips.
They had exhausted all their energy and were in no condition to fight.
But then—
“It’s not over yet! Huff, huff, huff…!”
A man appeared, gasping for breath.
All eyes turned to him.
The first to recognize the blood-soaked figure was Eun Giryeong.
“Is that… you?”
“It’s been a while, Commander.”
“Master Deung…”
Eun Giryeong muttered in shock.
Indeed, the man who appeared before them, like a specter from the battlefield, was none other than Deung Buhyeong.
He thrust out his hand and spoke.
“Give me the energy compression device.”
”…!”
“This thing’s been nagging me to head over there since earlier.”
Deung Buhyeong glanced at the sword in his hand.
The Ghost Blade hummed and vibrated incessantly, its tip unmistakably pointing toward the island surrounded by lava.
The very place where Sabigang and the Demon King were locked in battle!