Episode 655: Return of the Demon Sect
The sound of a blade slicing through the air was sharp and relentless as it cut through the masked figures.
Thud! Thud!
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
Blood splattered, and cries of pain echoed.
Sabiran’s movements were almost unbelievable, even as one watched them unfold. She transformed seamlessly from a gentle breeze to a cascading waterfall, and then into a blazing inferno.
Clang, swish! Thud!
“Aaagh!”
The masked men screamed as they fell. They thought they had deflected her sword, but the flexible blade curved like a lie, striking the vital points on their wrists.
Many dropped their weapons and collapsed, hit in their weak spots.
But it wasn’t just Sabiran who was the problem. The Baekhwadan she led fought with astonishing skill. After all, they were personally trained by Sabigang and Maesellan, making each of their martial arts formidable.
The leader of the masked men, Eom Cheol of the Blood Whirlwind Brigade, ground his teeth in frustration. The Black Night Brigade and the Extreme Demon Squad had successfully stolen the magic stones from the two families and returned, but the Blood Whirlwind Brigade stayed behind to monitor the Baekhwadan.
There were two reasons for this. First, they needed to observe the Baekhwadan’s movements, as they had nearly fallen into a trap that could have led to their annihilation. They needed to know how much of their plan had been uncovered.
Secondly, it was because of the magic stones possessed by Ong Suryong. They had gathered just enough magic stones, but having a few extra wouldn’t hurt. Moreover, those stones were the ones the Blood Whirlwind Brigade’s deputy had failed to retrieve after being wiped out by Gu Gangryong and the Baekhwadan.
To say there were no personal feelings involved would be a lie.
For these reasons, the Blood Whirlwind Brigade continued to shadow the Baekhwadan, waiting for the moment Ong Suryong was alone. They had seen the Baekhwadan’s strength and wanted to avoid direct confrontation as much as possible.
Finally, the opportunity had come.
But then…
Clang! Clang!
The clash of metal and the mingling of screams and shouts filled the air.
It wasn’t that the enemy had overwhelming numbers. The Baekhwadan consisted of just ten elite members, clearly chosen for this ambush.
Among them, Danrihyuk, the son of Danrijung, stood with his bow, fighting back.
Naturally, the most troublesome opponent was Sabiran, the leader of the Baekhwadan. She moved through the masked men with the grace and ferocity befitting the daughter of Sabigang.
‘The Baekhwadan’s martial prowess is greater than expected!’
Moreover, Ong Suryong was using some strange sorcery. With a wave of her hand, water columns rose from the valley, crashing down mercilessly on the masked men. Astonishingly, each stream of water fell like a sharp arrow.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
“Aaagh!”
Thud! Thud!
“Argh!”
Sabiran, Danrihyuk, Ong Suryong, and the ten Baekhwadan members were holding their ground against fifty members of the Blood Whirlwind Brigade. At this rate, they were lucky if they avoided total annihilation, let alone capturing the magic stones.
“Tch!”
Eom Cheol clicked his tongue, dodging a Baekhwadan member charging at him and slashing his sword in return.
Clang!
The Baekhwadan member retreated, stepping back with a practiced footwork.
The opponent hesitated momentarily, then swung their sword at an approaching masked man.
Eom Cheol surveyed the scene with a cold gaze. Despite their superior numbers, the unfamiliar fighting style and high-level martial arts of the Baekhwadan made it a close battle.
His eyes caught Sabiran engaged in a fierce fight. Her martial arts were truly extraordinary. The Baekhwadan’s techniques seemed to blend orthodox, unorthodox, and even demonic styles, with a touch of magic, creating a dizzying spectacle.
In contrast, Sabiran’s style could be described as ‘elegant.’ Each technique was harmoniously executed, like a classic martial art passed down through generations. Yet, her movements were unpredictable.
Clang! Clang!
Sparks flew as Sabiran swung her sword, handling multiple opponents with apparent ease.
Eom Cheol continued to fend off Baekhwadan members, waiting for the right moment. In a stalemate, the strategy was to take out the enemy leader. If Sabiran fell, the Baekhwadan would lose their composure and scatter.
Finally, the moment came.
‘Now!’
He spotted an opening in Sabiran’s defense, a gap that naturally appeared as she fought multiple masked men. It was fleeting, but Eom Cheol had the skill to exploit it.
With a swift kick off the ground, he shot towards Sabiran like a bolt of lightning.
Swoosh!
‘Die!’
But just before his sword could reach Sabiran’s back—
A piercing wail erupted, and a crimson streak flew in from the side.
“Gah!”
Realizing it was a ‘qi strike,’ Eom Cheol quickly swung his sword.
Clang!
The clash of qi and steel produced an ear-splitting noise.
“Ugh!”
He gritted his teeth to prevent his energy from being disrupted.
‘What brute strength…!’
He had momentarily forgotten about the archer who had appeared at the start.
His gaze turned to Danrihyuk, who stood with his bow, watching with a calm expression.
Danrihyuk shrugged at Sabiran and said, “A beautiful woman should always watch her back. Men tend to follow her around.”
Sabiran chuckled, even as she swung her sword. It seemed she had expected Danrihyuk to cover her.
Meanwhile, Eom Cheol, his perfect attack thwarted, glared at Danrihyuk with icy eyes.
“You bastard…!”
With a burst of speed, he launched himself directly at Danrihyuk.
Swoosh!
His sword sliced through the air, aiming for Danrihyuk.
Danrihyuk quickly retreated, stepping back with practiced footwork.
Eom Cheol pursued relentlessly, his sword strikes raining down like a volley of arrows.
Clang! Clang!
Danrihyuk blocked with his bow, retreating step by step.
Finally, Danrihyuk used his water-walking technique to cross the valley.
Eom Cheol followed, their feet kicking up sprays of water, creating a misty veil.
To an observer, it seemed as if the two were dueling atop a cloud.
Eom Cheol was inwardly surprised. He had assumed Danrihyuk, being an archer, would be weak in close combat. No one excels at everything, after all. Even the great Sabigang couldn’t surpass Danrijung in archery.
Yet Danrihyuk was holding his own remarkably well in close quarters.
Still…
“There’s a limit!”
Eom Cheol shouted, slashing his sword upward.
Swoosh!
The blade cut through the flowing water, sending droplets flying.
Danrihyuk spun like a top, narrowly avoiding the sword that grazed his nose.
The water droplets, enhanced by qi, struck his body with stinging force.
The real problem came next.
Eom Cheol’s sword, having soared into the air, twisted and descended towards Danrihyuk’s head.
“This is the end!”
In that moment, Danrihyuk felt a chill run down his spine.
‘I’m going to die…!’
He sensed death approaching, his life flashing before his eyes.
‘Damn, I should never have picked up a bow…!’
A sense of injustice washed over him. If he had just gone home, he wouldn’t be facing a pointless death here.
In the blink of an eye, countless thoughts raced through his mind.
He caught a glimpse of Sabiran fighting fiercely in the distance.
‘She doesn’t even care that I’m about to die…’
Feeling a pang of disappointment, he closed his eyes tightly.
Swoosh!
He thought it would be better to turn his head and be decapitated than to have his skull split open.
But then—
Swoosh!
A water column suddenly rose before him, forming a barrier.
Swoosh!
The water column, shaped like a human, raised an arm and deflected the sword.
Splash!
Eom Cheol, startled, widened his eyes.
Thud!
The water figure lifted a massive foot and struck Eom Cheol’s chest.
“Ugh!”
Splash!
The impact sent Eom Cheol skidding across the water to the edge of the valley.
‘What on earth…!’
Eom Cheol’s eyes widened in disbelief as the water figure crumbled away.
Swoosh!
Danrihyuk, saved by the unexpected intervention, looked around in confusion.
He saw Ong Suryong by the valley, her hands outstretched, coughing violently and spitting blood.
“Ugh! Cough!”
Eom Cheol’s gaze snapped toward the source of the sound.
“It’s her!”
With a fierce scowl, he launched himself toward Ong Su-ryeong.
Thud!
“No!”
Dan Ri-hyeok shouted, swiftly executing a water-walking technique to cross the ravine.
Splash!
Meanwhile, Ong Su-ryeong, weakened from overusing her spirit magic, staggered with a pale face.
In an instant, Eom Cheol slid beside her, wrapping an arm around her and pressing his blade to her neck.
As Dan Ri-hyeok reached the other side of the ravine, he picked up a fallen branch from the ground.
It was a fairly straight stick, intended as a makeshift arrow, though it was no match for a real one.
Just as Dan Ri-hyeok nocked the branch and pulled back the string—
“Stop!”
Eom Cheol’s voice boomed through the forest like a lion’s roar.
The power in his voice was so immense that birds scattered into the night sky, and the stream in the ravine churned wildly.
Naturally, all the warriors locked in combat flinched and turned to look at Eom Cheol.
Rustle!
The masked men and the Baekhwa group, previously tangled together, instinctively parted to form a clear boundary.
As the masked men lined up behind Eom Cheol, he cast a cold smile at Dan Ri-hyeok, who had his bow trained on him.
“Why don’t you lower that bow, huh? Or are you gambling on which is faster—your arrow or my sword?”
As he tightened his grip, a thin line of blood appeared on Ong Su-ryeong’s neck.
”…!”
Dan Ri-hyeok held the bowstring taut, his heart skipping a beat.
The tension was palpable, a hair’s breadth from disaster.
Everyone held their breath, eyes fixed on the two men.