Episode 651: Return of the Demon Sect Master
Clang!
A metallic sound, sharp enough to pierce eardrums, echoed through the air.
A flock of birds, startled by the noise, took flight from the nearby forest.
Clang! Clang!
Sabiran deftly dodged the four swords aimed at her, her own blade dancing through the air with dizzying speed.
She moved like a butterfly weaving through a storm of swords, yet when she struck, it was with the force of a falling star.
The warriors from the White Flower Sect, the Island Sword Clan, and the Black Heaven Path stood agape, watching in awe.
Especially Dan Lihyuk, who was frozen in place, unable to move.
‘So strong…!’
The five combatants were truly formidable.
He had never realized just how powerful they were.
Of course, he had heard endless tales of his parents’ and their comrades’ prowess since childhood.
Everyone praised them, and even in the marketplace, they were treated with reverence.
Yet, he had never seriously considered the extent of their martial skills.
It’s often said that you don’t appreciate what’s close to you.
In fact, he had often rebelled against the high expectations placed upon him.
But witnessing this fierce battle, his heart raced with excitement.
It felt less like a sparring match and more like a life-or-death struggle.
A single moment of distraction could mean losing one’s head.
Yet, the five fighters continued to clash, undeterred.
Especially Sabiran, who faced four opponents at once.
She seemed almost otherworldly, as if no sword or blade could harm her.
Though it appeared as if swords cut her and blades severed her limbs, she remained unscathed.
Her movements were so fluid and swift that it created the illusion of being struck, yet her body had not been touched by a blade.
“Impressive!”
Seok Tangang shouted, hurling his chain sickle.
Whirr! Boom!
The chain sickle struck the ground, creating a crater-like impact.
Dirt and sand exploded in all directions.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Each fragment flew like a dagger.
This was a technique called “One Break God Sickle,” a unique martial art created by Seok Tangang for his chain sickle.
When the chain sickle failed to hit its target, it would strike the surrounding area, using the debris for a secondary attack.
The energy traveling along the chain imbued each fragment with power, turning them into a barrage of daggers.
Spectators instinctively raised their defenses to protect themselves from the flying debris.
But Sabiran’s response was different.
She swiftly spun like a top, her flexible sword coiling around her like a protective shield.
It was a technique called “Accumulated Wheel,” taught by Seok Tangang, originally meant to protect by wrapping a chain around the body.
When she had fought the masked men, they had used a similar defensive technique.
Despite the limitations of a flexible sword, Sabiran’s weapon seemed to lengthen and thicken, covering a wider area.
Moreover, what she created was a form of energy.
It resembled the “Accumulated Wheel” but was clearly a different martial art.
As she blocked the incoming debris, Yusongryeong charged with a fierce battle cry, swinging her massive sword.
Her attack was so fierce and sharp that one might question if she had any affection for her disciple.
“Hah!”
Whoosh!
Yusongryeong executed her unique sword technique flawlessly.
Her massive sword, which seemed to slice horizontally in a straight line, suddenly twisted like a fish leaping over waves, changing direction abruptly.
It was a movement that combined the sword’s power with her own flexibility, creating an almost magical effect.
Black Carp Overturns a Thousand Waves.
A technique derived from the light-footed “Golden Carp Overturns a Thousand Waves,” it was named for the way the blade twisted like a carp.
“Ah!”
The onlookers couldn’t help but cry out in alarm.
The twisting blade seemed destined to sever Sabiran’s neck.
But in that moment, Sabiran vanished like a shadow, retreating beyond the reach of the blade, her flexible sword extending forward.
Whirr!
The energy from her sword shot forward like a snake, striking the ground at Yusongryeong’s feet.
Thud!
But that wasn’t the end.
As if pulling on the energy, Sabiran’s body flew forward.
It was as if she had embedded a chain sickle and was using it to propel herself.
Then.
Whoosh!
Her body descended like a meteor, striking Yusongryeong’s massive sword.
“Ugh!”
The force of the impact made Yusongryeong grimace and stagger back.
“What a strange sword technique!”
Mok Danhwa shouted sharply, darting forward like a beam of light.
Her agility was unmatched among the four masters.
Watching her dart left and right was dizzying.
In an instant.
Whirr!
Sabiran’s flexible sword surged with energy, undulating like a fish leaping over waves.
‘What is this…?’
It resembled Yusongryeong’s Black Carp Overturns a Thousand Waves, but felt different.
“Where did you learn such sorcery…!”
Mok Danhwa twisted her body, aiming for Sabiran’s side.
But then, as if by magic, Sabiran’s sword path changed.
It was an inexplicable shift beyond comprehension.
‘Was it a feint?’
The flexible sword, which had been darting forward, suddenly soared upward.
Whoosh!
It was the moment a snake transformed into a dragon.
Even Mok Danhwa couldn’t discern the nature of this sword technique.
But there was one who did.
“You’re using the sword technique I taught you in such a strange way!”
Yeon Wugyeong shouted, charging forward.
He leaped into the air, bringing his sword down diagonally.
It was the Crushing Dragon’s Thousand Swords technique.
Clang!
The Blue Ice Sword clashed with the flexible sword, sparks flying.
Crackle!
In an instant, they exchanged multiple blows.
Sparks flew as the Blue Ice Sword emitted a sizzling sound.
Sizzle…!
The sword, with its icy attribute, was cooling the frictional heat.
In a fleeting moment.
The flexible sword split into three strands.
Then six, then twelve…
Whoosh!
As the sword split, it emitted a strange resonance, as if in pain.
The resonance stimulated his inner energy, making Yeon Wugyeong tense and focus on his swordsmanship.
In a flash.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
‘Damn…!’
Some of the split strands wrapped around his limbs.
‘To manipulate energy like this?’
Yeon Wugyeong hurriedly swung his sword to deflect the incoming energy.
The technique he used was one he had learned upon joining the Island Sword Clan, the Flashing Thunder Sword technique.
Though it wasn’t a technique he had learned from his original family, it was the most suitable for quickly responding to the rapidly approaching energy.
As the two engaged in fierce combat, the other three masters exchanged glances and nodded, launching themselves into the fray.
Having tested their skills, they realized they couldn’t afford to hold back.
Meanwhile, Yeon Wugyeong, having deflected the energy aimed at his vital points, was startled to see Sabiran swiftly closing in.
‘Golden Thread Technique…?’
It was a move he had never seen before, naturally assuming she had learned some strange technique from Seok Tangang or Yusongryeong.
‘Did she learn something bizarre from the Black Heaven?’
As Yeon Wugyeong extended his palm to counter.
Whoosh, snap!
‘Huh! This is…?’
It resembled the Golden Thread Technique from the Sword Song of the Broken Sword.
But it was slightly different.
As Yeon Wugyeong hesitated, Sabiran seized his wrist and pulled, launching herself in the opposite direction.
The force made Yeon Wugyeong instinctively brace himself and step back.
In a flash.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Sabiran spun rapidly around Yeon Wugyeong.
It was reminiscent of the Whirlwind Strike performed by Yusongryeong and Yeon Seolyeon when they joined hands.
Moreover, Sabiran’s flexible sword seemed like a chain sickle, yet also like a throwing star.
At times, it was as powerful as a massive sword, and at others, it carried the chill of the Blue Ice Sword.
Finally, a single arc of energy sliced through the air, tracing a circle on the ground.
At the same moment, Yeon Woo-kyung released her wrist.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Shards flew in all directions, and the four of them frantically deflected the debris.
Tap, tap, tap…!
After managing to fend off the fragments, the four landed a safe distance away from Sabiran.
Yeon Woo-kyung glanced at her wrist, which had been gripped by Sabiran.
A vivid handprint remained.
This was undoubtedly the martial art of Seok Tan-gang.
He often used internal energy to enhance his grip when wielding his chain sickle.
The four masters surrounding Sabiran exchanged looks, their faces still marked by shock.
It dawned on them belatedly.
Sabiran had actually used the martial arts they had taught her.
Indeed.
Sabiran had blended all the martial arts they had imparted to her.
Combining techniques that seemed incompatible had birthed a truly extraordinary skill.
“Well, I suppose there’s no point in continuing this match,” Yeon Woo-kyung muttered, shaking her head in disbelief.
Seok Tan-gang relaxed his stance and chuckled.
“You’ve improved remarkably in just a few years.”
“I’m surprised too. When did you advance so much?” Yu Song-ryeong added, with Mok Dan-hwa chiming in.
“Ah, youth truly is a wonderful thing.”
But they all knew.
It wasn’t just her youth that had brought her to this level.
Mixing martial arts wasn’t as simple as it sounded.
Perhaps Sabiran had been taught directly by Sabigang.
Yeon Woo-kyung and Seok Tan-gang spoke in unison.
“We concede.”
Each of them had something they wanted to say.
Why mix such unrefined techniques with the family’s martial arts?
But they couldn’t.
They had felt firsthand that it was stronger, more efficient, and superior.
Sabiran clasped her hands in a respectful gesture and spoke.
“It’s all thanks to the teachings of my masters.”
Her words carried a clear meaning.