Episode 640: Return to the Demonic Sect
Tap. Tap. Tap…
Sabiran absentmindedly drummed her fingers on the table as she gazed out the window. It was a habit she fell into whenever she was deep in thought.
“Hmm.”
After a long while, she let out a heavy sigh. She was at a loss.
What should she do once she reached Songbaekhyun? The closer she got, the more tangled her thoughts became. What if the masters refused to send their children? Of course, they couldn’t outright defy the orders of the palace lord. But there were other ways to handle it, like secretly assigning guards to monitor their every move.
“You seem troubled.”
Startled by the sudden voice, Sabiran looked up to find Deung Gahui standing beside her. Only then did she notice that the inn’s first floor was empty; everyone else had retired to their rooms for the night.
“Maybe my father sent me on this journey to… learn something.”
“To see and learn, yes. And now you’re facing the most challenging part.”
“You mean the two families of Songbaekhyun?”
“Exactly. My parents probably want me to reconcile them. This might be the real test.”
Deung Gahui shook his head slowly. “It’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“People don’t change easily. These two families have been enemies for years. You can’t expect them to make peace overnight.”
“That’s a problem. It’ll be difficult to complete our mission with them at odds.”
“There’s no helping it.”
“But… maybe they can change. My father transformed the Special Forces and the new recruits of the Blood Alliance.”
“That’s because he’s the palace lord. My father, too.”
Sabiran narrowed her eyes. “Are you saying I don’t have that kind of ability?”
“That’s not what I meant. It’s just… it might be difficult.”
“No, I think I just saw a glimmer of a solution. Bring Dam Jinwoo here.”
“Understood.”
Deung Gahui left without another word, and soon after, Dam Jinwoo arrived. He was the son of Dam Ugi, the vice commander of the Demonic Palace.
“You called for me, leader?”
“Yes. You’re the smartest in our Baekhwadan, so I wanted your advice.”
“Well, it’s true I’m the smartest, so let’s hear it.”
His attitude was annoyingly smug, likely inherited from his father. Yet, Sabiran didn’t entirely dislike it. His confidence made her trust him more when it came to using his brain.
Sabiran briefly explained the situation in Songbaekhyun. Dam Jinwoo nodded as he listened.
“So, you want to reconcile the two families?”
“That’s right.”
Her parents had given her a mission: to find and eliminate the evil forces threatening the martial world. But that wasn’t all. If it were just about that, her parents could handle it more swiftly and cleanly than the Baekhwadan. There was a deeper meaning behind entrusting her with this task and sending her to revisit old connections.
Sabiran saw this as a test stage. ‘Maybe… if I pass this test, Father will entrust Berthas to me.’
The thought alone thrilled her. There was one thing she envied about Deung Gahui: the Guihondo at his waist, a weapon from the demon realm, surpassing even the top ten weapons of the martial world. Deung Gahui’s father had given it to him unconditionally when he came of age. But Sabiran’s father had yet to hand over Berthas, saying she wasn’t ready.
“Berthas is a special sword. It’s not just about martial skill. You need to understand the world deeply and gain wisdom through experience to wield it. Until then, I can’t give it to you.”
Her father had drawn a clear line, even though he usually granted her every request.
Dam Jinwoo asked, “So, do you have a plan?”
“I have one idea.”
“What is it?”
“It’s the same method my father used. If we approach it logically, it’ll take a long time. But if we break the norms…”
“It could be a shortcut.”
“Exactly.”
“And what is this method?”
Sabiran outlined her idea briefly. Dam Jinwoo nodded in agreement.
“It seems effective, but something’s missing.”
“That’s why I called you. Any suggestions?”
“Let me think for a moment.”
“Alright.”
“When I think, I always…”
“Order the most expensive drink here,” Sabiran interrupted, signaling to Deung Gahui.
Dam Jinwoo grinned. “You’re the best, leader.”
“Enough with the flattery. Tell me your idea.”
Soon, the drink arrived, its aroma distinct. Dam Jinwoo took a sip, smiling broadly.
“Your plan is excellent. With a little seasoning, it could achieve multiple goals.”
“And what is this seasoning?”
“Draw out the ones who attacked Uncle Gu Gangryong.”
“But we don’t know who they are. How?”
“When you don’t know where the fish are, what do you do?”
“Use bait?”
“Exactly. And the bait will be information.”
“Information…”
“Who has the fastest and most accurate information in the martial world?”
“The Demonic Palace’s Guiyeongdan.”
“Then it’s simple. Guiyeongdan leaks some information, something enticing. And what would they find enticing?”
“Magic stones.”
“Exactly. Especially the ones bestowed by the Demonic Palace, they’re special.”
Dam Jinwoo took another sip before continuing. “They might be connected to our mission, so it’s worth a try, don’t you think?”
“You’re brilliant, Dam Jinwoo!”
“No, I just added seasoning to the palace lord’s plan.”
“Seasoning makes the dish!”
“True, without seasoning, it’s not a dish. Haha.”
‘Hmm… still a bit annoying,’ Sabiran thought, but kept it to herself. Instead, she called Deung Gahui.
“Deputy leader, we need to contact Leader Hong.”
Currently, the leader of Guiyeongdan was Hong Yeom, who had taken over about ten years ago.
“Understood,” Deung Gahui replied with a bow.
**
In the bustling marketplace, a middle-aged man was selling trinkets from a stall. A man with a deep-set hat approached him. He was the same man who had conversed with the gray-eyed man in the cave.
Squatting in front of the stall, he fiddled with the trinkets. The middle-aged man paid him no mind, sitting idly. But in truth, they were engaged in a silent conversation.
[Did you find the items?]
The man in the hat communicated telepathically, and the middle-aged man responded in kind.
[Yes, twenty magic stones in total. Collecting them all will meet our needs.]
[Is the information reliable?]
[It leaked from Guiyeongdan. It’s over eighty percent trustworthy.]
The mention of Guiyeongdan made the man’s eyes gleam. Indeed, it was worth verifying.
Twenty magic stones! Recently, finding magic stones was like plucking stars from the sky. Except for one place: the Demonic Palace, which held the largest stock. But infiltrating the palace was akin to suicide. This information was a godsend.
[Ten at the Seomgeom family, ten at the Heukcheon family. They were bestowed by the Demonic Palace.]
[Good. It’s a hundred times better than raiding the palace.]
[Then I’ll proceed.]
[You have a month. Hurry, but don’t make mistakes.]
[Understood.]
Their secret conversation ended, and the man in the hat picked up a trinket.
“How much? No, this should cover it.”
He flicked a silver coin to the stall owner, who bowed repeatedly.
“Thank you, sir! Bless you! Bless you!”
The man in the hat disappeared into the crowd, vanishing quietly from the street.
**
The moon shone brightly. Seok Geomyeong watched the manor from a tree branch, his gaze fixed on a particular room. How long had he been there?
The light in the room he watched went out. For days, he had perched there, staring at the same spot: Yeon Seolyeon’s room.
A few days ago, they had secretly agreed to pursue peace talks. But before they could start, they were thwarted by their parents. Since then, Yeon Seolyeon hadn’t stepped outside, seemingly forbidden to leave. Occasionally, he saw her arguing with her guards, likely frustrated by her confinement.
‘Miss Yeon…’
Seok Geomyeong gazed at her darkened room with a heavy heart. Why must he fall for someone he shouldn’t? The current situation made the past friendship between their families seem like a distant legend. Yet, the magic stones bestowed by the Demonic Palace for their service in the demon war proved it wasn’t a lie.
With a long sigh, Seok Geomyeong looked up at the sky. The moonlight felt especially cold tonight.
He leapt down from the tree branch with a swift, fluid motion.
He needed to get back home before his father noticed he was gone.
If his father found out he had snuck out again, there would be hell to pay, and the chain sickle would surely come flying his way.
As he moved lightly, using his martial arts skills to glide through the air, he suddenly came to an abrupt halt.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Dark shadows rained down around him like a storm.
“Who’s there?”
“If you wish to meet her, follow us.”
The words were cryptic, offering no explanation.
Yet, Seok Geom-yeong instinctively knew that “her” referred to Yeon Seol-yeon.
His brow furrowed deeply.
“Who dares speak so carelessly…?”
“We are from the Demonic Palace, the White Flower Sect.”
A man stepped into the moonlight, his voice flat and unyielding.
His eyes were particularly sharp, marking him as none other than Deung Ga-hwi, the deputy leader of the White Flower Sect.
To prove his identity, he held up a token, unmistakably representing the White Flower Sect of the Demonic Palace.
“Why is the White Flower Sect involved…? Where is she?”
Seok Geom-yeong’s voice softened, curiosity overtaking his initial anger.
Deung Ga-hwi turned his gaze toward the distant manor.
“By now… she should be making her way out.”