Episode 645: Return to the Demonic Sect
“Uncle!”
Sabiran’s face lit up as she rushed over to the man who had just returned to the inn. He was a well-groomed man with a neatly trimmed mustache, and he greeted her with a gentle smile.
“How’s the journey treating you?”
“Thanks to you, it’s been great. But what brings you here?”
“I had to escape because a certain young lady kept pestering me with work.”
Sabiran laughed at his words.
“Then you might have come to the wrong place.”
“Indeed. I didn’t expect that young lady to be you.”
“Oh, Uncle.”
Sabiran chuckled, and the man gave her a soft, affectionate look.
“Are you doing well?”
“As you can see, I’m perfectly healthy.”
“That’s a relief.”
“You didn’t really run away just to avoid work, did you? We really need the cooperation of the Guiyeongdan for this task.”
The man who had come to see Sabiran was none other than Hongyeom, the leader of the Guiyeongdan. He chuckled softly.
“That’s not the way to ask for cooperation, is it?”
“I’ll treat you to something delicious later.”
“Alright, that changes things.”
“But seriously, why are you here?”
Sabiran tilted her head in curiosity, and Hongyeom glanced around before speaking.
“As you know, the task you requested is quite tricky. I came to see what exactly you’re planning.”
“I see. Well, the truth is…”
Sabiran briefly explained the situation to him. Hongyeom nodded in understanding.
“Indeed. If that’s the case, our group should definitely help. It would be great if this resolves two issues at once. I’m sure the Lord and the Chief would be pleased.”
“Well, if it’s my father… as long as he doesn’t start a fight here, it’ll be a miracle.”
“Hahaha!”
Hongyeom burst into genuine laughter. If Sabiran’s father, Sabigang, were here, he might have encouraged the two families to fight. That was just his nature—unpredictable and wild. But in his own way, he would find a solution to this problem. Of that, there was no doubt.
And Sabiran was determined to solve it in her own way. From what Hongyeom could see, her approach wasn’t bad at all.
“Anyway, the plan is already in motion. By now, the fish should be biting.”
“See? You’re always so quick, Uncle.”
“In this line of work, being slow is the end.”
Hongyeom responded with a warm smile to Sabiran’s compliment.
**
In the pitch-black darkness, a pair of gray eyes gleamed. The man spoke into the void.
“Twenty magic stones gathered in one place?”
“Yes, they say it’s for a ritual as a sign of reconciliation.”
A voice echoed from the shadows.
“What kind of ritual exactly?”
“We haven’t confirmed that yet. It seems the two families are proceeding in secret.”
“Is the information reliable?”
“Yes, we received intelligence that the two families met three days ago.”
“But something feels off.”
”…”
“Twenty magic stones for an unknown ritual. Conveniently, the exact amount we need for our experiment.”
“We’re considering the possibility of a trap. But even so, it’s an opportunity we can’t pass up. It’s much better than attacking each family separately. If it’s their trap, we’ll show them it’s useless.”
“Are you confident?”
“We plan to deploy the Black Night Squad, the Blood Whirlwind Unit, and the Extreme Demon Squad.”
It was indeed an excessive force. But the task required perfection.
“Are you going personally?”
“Yes, Master.”
The man addressed as Master closed his eyes in thought, then slowly nodded.
“There’s no harm in being cautious. Our opponents are the Swordwood Clan and the Black Heaven Path.”
“Then we’ll proceed immediately.”
“By any means necessary, secure the magic stones.”
“Understood!”
Moments later, the presence in the darkness vanished.
“We’re almost there.”
A sinister smile crept across the Master’s lips as he muttered in a gravelly voice.
**
For days, the two families had prepared lanterns and tables in front of the ancestral shrine. Ten days after receiving a mysterious note, Yeon Woo-gyeong and Seok Tan-gang sat across from each other at the table.
As the sun began to set, Yeon Woo-gyeong lit the lantern on the table. The occasional sound of insects chirping filled the air.
“Did you bring the items?”
Yeon Woo-gyeong broke the silence first. Seok Tan-gang nodded and placed a box on the table. When he opened the lid, twenty glowing magic stones lay neatly inside.
Seok Tan-gang’s gaze met Yeon Woo-gyeong’s, who, understanding the unspoken question, placed his own box on the table. Inside were also twenty magic stones.
“I’m not reckless enough to gamble with my daughter’s life.”
“As you should be.”
Seok Tan-gang replied gruffly.
Silence fell between them again. It had been so long since they sat face-to-face like this. Their relationship had soured over time, and they had come to see each other as enemies, avoiding even a glance.
It was said they wouldn’t even relieve themselves in each other’s direction.
“Isn’t it strange?”
“What is?”
“All these years, I thought I’d draw my sword the moment I saw you. Maybe that’s why I avoided you.”
“Same here.”
“But sitting here now, I don’t feel that urge.”
“Only a fool would think that after losing a child.”
Seok Tan-gang’s words were curt, but Yeon Woo-gyeong just laughed heartily.
Silence returned. But they couldn’t afford to stay silent. They needed to keep talking.
By now, Mok Dan-hwa and Yoo Song-ryeong from their respective families would be leading elite warriors, hidden nearby. To avoid detection, the two men needed to keep the conversation going.
But after living as enemies for half a lifetime, finding things to talk about wasn’t easy.
“Sitting here reminds me of the banquets we used to have at the Demonic Sect.”
Yeon Woo-gyeong spoke first again. Seok Tan-gang chuckled.
“I was surprised by your drinking capacity back then.”
“Surprised by my drinking? Did you think I couldn’t handle my liquor?”
“I did. I thought you’d be drunk after just three cups unless you used your inner strength to expel the alcohol.”
“Haha, you were way off.”
“Completely off. I even made a bet with Old Man Maeng and lost. I never imagined you could drink so well.”
“Why?”
“Well, you looked like a dandy, so I assumed you’d be weak.”
“Haha, you shouldn’t judge people by their appearance.”
“Then should we judge by faction? Do orthodox sects not drink?”
“Come on, what are you saying? That’s not how it works. Drinking capacity varies by person, not by faction.”
“True. But why do you categorize people by faction?”
“When did I ever…?”
“Not all unorthodox sect members are uneducated or crude. Sure, they might not have the stable environment of prestigious orthodox sects, but many are well-educated.”
“Ahem! Who said otherwise?”
Yeon Woo-gyeong feigned ignorance. Seok Tan-gang chuckled.
“Well, orthodox sects, stuck in their rigid preconceptions, wouldn’t think of that.”
“Hey! Who are you calling rigid? Are you talking about your son?”
“What?”
“Since we’re on the topic, let’s settle this. Wasn’t it your son who seduced my Yeon-ah?”
“That’s nonsense! It was your daughter who flirted with my son!”
“My daughter would never do that!”
“Neither would my son!”
“Every parent thinks that about their child.”
“What!”
Bang!
Seok Tan-gang slammed the table in anger and stood up. Despite their agreement to work together, thirty years of resentment didn’t fade easily.
Yeon Woo-gyeong smirked and rose to his feet.
“Honestly, I still suspect your son orchestrated all this!”
“You scoundrel! Have you said your piece?”
Swish!
Seok Tan-gang let his chain sickle unfurl, revealing his fighting spirit. Yeon Woo-gyeong drew his Blue Ice Sword.
Clang!
“Yes, I’ve said it. Let’s see that pathetic sickle work of yours.”
“You’ll regret this!”
“Swinging a sickle like a farmer, what kind of martial arts is that?”
“I won’t forgive you!”
Pow!
Whoosh!
In a flash, the two men lunged at each other with lightning speed.
Swish!
Swoosh!
Seok Tan-gang’s chain sickle shot towards Yeon Woo-gyeong’s face, while Yeon Woo-gyeong’s Blue Ice Sword aimed for Seok Tan-gang’s side.
At the moment of their clash!
Swoosh!
Slash!
Yeon Woo-gyeong twisted his head to dodge the chain sickle, and Seok Tan-gang twisted his body to avoid the Blue Ice Sword.
Instead, their weapons narrowly missed each other and flew past, embedding themselves in the hearts of masked men rushing towards them from behind.
Thud!
Thud!
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
The chain sickle and Blue Ice Sword sprayed blood as they sliced through the air.
Swish!
Swish!
The two men naturally spun around, standing back-to-back.
Yeon Woo-gyeong smirked.
“Seems you haven’t lost your touch.”
“Neither have you.”
Seok Tan-gang wiped the blood off his sickle and spoke.
The two of them were shouting at each other, pretending to fight.
Well, at first, they really were upset and argued for real.
But once they sensed the enemy nearby, they deliberately made more noise.
It was a signal to Mok Dan-hwa and Yoo Song-ryeong, who were likely lying in wait with their teams nearby.
Feigning attacks on each other, they simultaneously struck at the enemies targeting the magic stone.
In the next moment—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Dozens of masked figures descended in front of the temple like falling stars.
Swish! Swish!
In an instant, they surrounded the two, exuding a menacing aura.
“So, you’ve finally decided to show yourselves.”
A man who seemed to be the leader of the masked group narrowed his eyes and stepped forward.
“You were expecting us?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
The leader’s mind raced with confusion. He frowned and asked, “Why?”
“Did you think we’d just hand over the magic stone without a fight?”
With a swift motion, Yeon Woo-gyeong and Seok Tan-gang launched themselves at the enemies.
The masked leader shouted, “Securing the magic stone is our top priority!”
But Yeon Woo-gyeong and Seok Tan-gang cut down the enemies in a flash, yelling, “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Hand over our people first!”
The ferocity of their attack made the masked figures hesitate.
The leader scowled deeply and growled, “What do you mean by ‘people’?”
“Don’t play dumb now! If anything happens to my daughter, I’ll rip your guts out!”
“We’ll show you just how terrifying a parent can be!”
The two of them moved like phantoms, striking with deadly precision.