Episode 664: Return to the Demonic Sect
Creak…!
Snap…! Crack…!
The surrounding trees began to move in an eerie manner.
They twisted and bent as if they were living creatures, each branch contorting like a jointed limb.
The once skeletal trees transformed, as if sculpted into statues, taking on the forms of elderly men and women.
“What on earth is happening?”
“The trees… they’re moving on their own!”
“Are we sure these are even trees?”
The martial artists were thrown into disarray, their confusion palpable.
Sabiran couldn’t hide her own bewilderment. For the first time, she considered that Danrihyuk’s words might hold some truth. A leader of an organization should be seasoned and experienced, after all. Though she doubted Danrihyuk was the one to fit that role.
As the bizarre phenomenon unfolded, the martial artists sharpened their senses and stood on guard.
The forest, once dense with ancient trees, was now crowded with these carved figures of old men and women.
Then, suddenly—
“Raaaargh!”
“Graaaah!”
The transformed trees threw their heads back and let out monstrous cries, extending their arms menacingly.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The branches, now like arms, exuded a fierce energy and launched an attack on the martial artists.
“Watch out! Defend yourselves!”
“Evade!”
The martial artists quickly drew their weapons, deflecting the oncoming branches.
Clang! Clang!
“Raaaargh! Kill them!”
“Graaaah! Die, humans!”
The tree figures, now resembling old men, continued their relentless assault.
As one branch shot forward like a blade, targeting Ongsuryung—
“You rotten things!”
Gokmuseong appeared out of nowhere, delivering a powerful punch.
Boom!
With a sound like an explosion, the attacking branch shattered into pieces.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes? Oh, yes.”
Hearing Ongsuryung’s response, Gokmuseong gritted his teeth and charged forward.
“You don’t belong in this world! I’ll destroy you all!”
With a mighty roar, he unleashed his fists.
Crash! Boom!
Though it seemed like a simple punch, it was actually Gokmuseong’s unique martial art, “Thousand Blade Flying Fist.”
Before meeting Sabiran, he had primarily focused on sword techniques, blending them into his fist techniques to create this martial art.
True to its name, Gokmuseong’s fists seemed to wield a thousand blades, striking with relentless force.
The hallmark of the Thousand Blade Flying Fist is its lack of feints or diversions. Every strike is direct.
Yet, even knowing this, it’s difficult to defend against unless one possesses immense inner strength. The best option is to evade.
For those without basic knowledge of martial arts, the Thousand Blade Flying Fist is overwhelmingly powerful.
In this context, the wooden figures attacking the martial artists were helpless against the onslaught of the Thousand Blade Flying Fist.
Crash!
With a single punch, ten branches were obliterated.
However, the wooden figures’ arms regenerated endlessly.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The figures attacked Gokmuseong with even greater speed, targeting his entire body.
Crash! Crash! Crash!
Gokmuseong’s powerful punches continued to shatter the wooden arms.
But as they regenerated endlessly, a few managed to slip through his defenses.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
A branch pierced through his protective aura, stabbing his side.
Gokmuseong bit his lip and smashed the branch with his fist.
Clang!
Despite being wood, the sound it made hitting the ground was like metal.
“Damn it!”
Feeling the heat in his side, Gokmuseong gritted his teeth.
Swish!
The sound of chains echoed as dozens of branches flying toward him were suddenly severed.
In the blink of an eye, the branches were cut down by none other than Seokgeomyeong.
Holding a chain sickle, he asked, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. But at this rate, there’s no end to them…”
Gokmuseong surveyed the scene. The martial artists were holding their own, but the endless regeneration of the branches posed a problem.
If this continued, they would eventually tire, and casualties would follow.
“Haah!”
Clang!
Sabiran, cutting down a branch, shouted, “Everyone, move!”
She shared Gokmuseong’s thoughts. If the fight was endless, it was better to retreat.
“I’ll lead the way and clear a path!”
Dengdeng, wielding a golden spear, shouted.
Sabiran nodded, “Head for the red pillar at full speed!”
“Understood!”
The martial artists responded in unison and began to run.
Dengdeng led the charge, swinging his golden spear with abandon.
Swish!
Crash!
With each swing, dozens of wooden figures were decapitated or had their arms severed.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Yet, the figures regenerated endlessly.
At the rear, Seokgeomyeong wielded his chain sickle to fend off attacks.
How long had they been running?
Just as they were about to enter a visible canyon—
Rumble…!
The ground began to tremble.
The martial artists halted, eyes fixed ahead, as a cloud of dust rose, something charging toward them.
“What… what is that?”
Dengdeng squinted, “It looks like a herd of beasts.”
Indeed, the canyon was filled with beasts charging toward them.
But these were no ordinary beasts.
They resembled wild dogs and boars, but were two or three times larger.
Their eyes were blood-red, and their skin was decayed and ragged.
Dengdeng grimaced, “Advancing further seems impossible.”
“Damn, we’re caught between a rock and a hard place!”
Danrihyuk clicked his tongue, scanning the surroundings.
Ahead, the mutated beasts charged, while the wooden figures surrounded them, attacking relentlessly.
Then Ongsuryung stepped forward.
“Let me try something.”
All eyes turned to her.
Danrihyuk’s eyes sparkled with curiosity, “Do you have a plan?”
“These trees need moisture to survive. If I use spirit magic…”
“No! We don’t have the magic stone anymore!”
“But we have no other choice right now.”
Gokmuseong couldn’t refute Ongsuryung’s words, biting his lip in frustration.
Ongsuryung smiled faintly, “It’s alright. Even if the sky falls, there’s always a way out. Just cover me and buy some time.”
Sabiran, with a serious expression, asked, “Are you sure about this?”
“I’m sure. I won’t die that easily.”
Ongsuryung forced a smile, and Sabiran nodded.
“Alright. We won’t let you die.”
“Let’s begin.”
Sabiran nodded and issued a command, “Everyone, protect Ongsuryung! Buy as much time as you can!”
“Understood!”
The martial artists formed a protective circle around Ongsuryung, brandishing their weapons.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The beast horde was upon them.
“These pesky things!”
Pew! Pew! Pew!
Danrihyuk fired arrows, taking down the charging beasts, while Jeokbi darted among them, sword flashing.
Jeokbi’s swordsmanship was like lightning.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Wherever he passed, beast blood sprayed into the air.
With a touch of poison, the beasts’ red eyes turned green, and they began to fall one by one.
Sabiran coordinated the defense, reinforcing any weak points with her swift swordplay.
Dengdeng fought as flamboyantly as his appearance suggested, showcasing powerful martial arts.
Finally, as a beast leaped toward Ongsuryung, Gokmuseong lunged, grabbing its neck.
Crack!
Yelp!
Thud!
Gokmuseong slammed the beast to the ground, crushing its head with a punch.
Thud!
Raising his bloodied fist, he glanced at Ongsuryung.
“Are you alright?”
But Ongsuryung didn’t respond.
Eyes closed, hands outstretched, she was deeply focused.
Gokmuseong quickly turned back to the battle.
Enemies surrounded them on all sides.
In the midst of it all, Sabiran’s martial prowess shone brightly.
Her movements were precise and efficient.
One strike, one kill.
Though she couldn’t take down more than one at a time, each swing of her sword was lethal.
Surprisingly, Chusohye was holding her own quite well.
With the help of Banmyo, she wielded her mana sword and shield effectively.
Of course, being young, there were still some rough edges.
Yet whenever she showed the slightest opening, Banmyo would appear like a bolt of lightning, filling the gap and either blocking or countering the enemy’s attack.
“But if we don’t hurry…!”
They were holding on for now, but it was clear the warriors were growing weary.
Already, several members of the Baekhwa group had been injured and forced to retreat.
Then, in a sudden moment.
“Ugh! Aaargh!”
“Aaah!”
A Baekhwa member fell, struck fatally in a pressure point by a branch that shot out like a blade.
“Damn it, Miss Ong…!”
Gok Mu-seong swiftly shattered the branch that had lunged forward and glanced back at Ong Su-ryeong.
Beads of sweat dotted Ong Su-ryeong’s forehead.
Had she sensed that the warriors were up to something?
At last, Banmyo let out a thunderous roar.
Tststststststst!
The wooden figures and beasts unleashed their ferocity, charging more fiercely than ever.
“You cursed things! Bring it on!”
“Uwaaaaa!”
The Baekhwa members shouted their battle cries, summoning their energy.
Just then.
“Haaaah!”
Ong Su-ryeong’s eyes snapped open as she extended her hands.
And then.
Tststststst…!
The branches that had been closing in on the warriors suddenly dried up.
Crack… crack…!
The withered branches slowed, crumbling like sand.
Fsssh…!
The same fate befell the beasts.
The emaciated creatures staggered and collapsed, disintegrating into ash.
Whoooosh!
A gust of wind scattered the dust of the wooden figures and beasts into the air.
“Is it over…?”
“We won! We won!”
The warriors erupted in cheers.
Sabiran rushed over to Ong Su-ryeong.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m… a bit exhausted.”
Ong Su-ryeong admitted honestly.
As she wavered, Gok Mu-seong quickly supported her.
“We need to move quickly.”
At his words, Sabiran nodded and looked beyond the hill.
The red pillar of light wasn’t far.
“Let’s go. If we reach that place, we might be able to secure at least one magic stone.”
The red pillar filled everyone’s gaze.