Episode 131: The Demon Sect

When Dang Mujin regained consciousness, the first thing he saw was the rugged ceiling of the poison cave.

“Looks like I survived again. Did Mok Wana bring me here?”

He sat up and glanced around, only to lock eyes with a stranger.

”…Huh?”

Before he could ask who the man was, the stranger stood up silently and left the cave.

”…Who was that?”

Dang Mujin scanned the area. Mok Wana was nowhere to be seen. Despite claiming never to leave the cave, it seemed he did when necessary.

Soon, he sensed someone approaching from outside. Expecting Mok Wana, he was surprised to see Daehobeop, whose mere presence seemed to fill the cave.

Daehobeop pulled up a chair and sat beside him.

“How are you feeling?”

Dang Mujin moved his body slightly and took a deep breath. Physically and internally, he felt no issues.

“I’m fine. What happened?”

“Mok Wana told my subordinate that you went out and didn’t return for quite some time. My men searched the area and found you.”

“So that’s how it was.”

Daehobeop asked again, “But why were you collapsed there?”

Dang Mujin recalled the events and explained them step by step. He had been researching the poison and noticed a suspicious man sneaking into the sect leader’s quarters. Daehobeop listened intently.

”…That man seemed strange. He had a black orb in his mouth, which seemed to neutralize the poison.”

“I see.”

“Oh, by the way, did you find a black orb in my hand?”

Daehobeop shook his head. “No, I didn’t hear anything about that.”

Dang Mujin bit his lower lip. Was the orb still there? He wanted to return immediately to check.

Daehobeop continued, “Did you get a good look at the man’s face?”

“He had unusually large nostrils… Other than that, nothing stood out. I’m not great at remembering faces.”

“Any clues to his identity?”

“His martial skills seemed to have surpassed the pinnacle.”

“Is that so? You’re lucky to be alive. Fortune was on your side.”

Daehobeop stood up, resting his hands on his knees. “I’m sorry you had to go through such an ordeal.”

“It’s alright.”

It seemed like a simple apology, but there was more.

“For now, it’s best you leave the cave and recover. There are plenty of empty houses in the village. Stay there and take it easy. There’s a festival soon, so you won’t be bored.”

“What? But I’m fine.”

Daehobeop’s expression turned stern. “There’s no guarantee you won’t face more trouble. Especially after encountering someone whose identity is unknown. Who’s to say he won’t come after you again?”

“That’s… true.”

“It’s safer to blend in with the crowd.”

“Understood.”

Satisfied with Dang Mujin’s agreement, Daehobeop added one last thing. “I’ll investigate this matter thoroughly, so don’t speak of it to others. We don’t know who might be connected to that man.”

“I understand.”

With that, Daehobeop left the cave.

Dang Mujin removed his shirt. He had survived, but it had been a battle with a master. There was no way he emerged unscathed. He ran his hands over hard-to-see areas like his side and shoulder.

‘Of course.’

He found traces of blood from where blades had grazed him. Though not deep, the wounds stung when touched, likely from rolling on the ground.

‘At least there are no deep wounds.’

Just then, he sensed a faint presence behind him.

Startled, he turned to see Mok Wana peeking at him from a corner of the cave.

Dang Mujin hurriedly put his shirt back on. “Where did you come from? You weren’t here earlier.”

Mok Wana hesitated before pushing a desk against the cave wall, revealing a small hole.

“Here.”

The hole was just about waist-high, but seemed deep, as the end wasn’t visible.

“A cave within a cave?”

“It was here when I first arrived.”

Perhaps it was a personal space or hideout. Mok Wana seemed to avoid Daehobeop, much like he avoided the Three-Eyed Buddha.

“What’s inside?”

“Nothing much.”

“Can I take a look?”

“No.”

The answer was immediate. Dang Mujin didn’t press further. After all, Mok Wana had informed Daehobeop’s men about his absence, effectively saving his life.

Dang Mujin smiled. “You said you never leave the cave, but you came out because you were worried about me?”

“No.”

“But you told Daehobeop’s men?”

“They came to deliver the monthly medicine.”

Dang Mujin narrowed his eyes. ‘So he knew I hadn’t returned, but still didn’t want to leave the cave.’

If Daehobeop’s men hadn’t visited, Dang Mujin might not have survived.

He considered saying something to Mok Wana but decided against it. There was no point in arguing over what was already done, especially since Mok Wana’s actions had ultimately saved him.

Dang Mujin gathered his belongings. “I’m heading to the village.”

“The village? Why?”

“Didn’t you hear Daehobeop? He said I should stay in the village for a while.”

He didn’t invite Mok Wana to join him. Mok Wana seemed uninterested in leaving the cave.

“Alright. You’ll come back, right?”

“If needed.”

Mok Wana watched him quietly, then nodded with a small sigh.

Dang Mujin settled into an empty house on the outskirts of the village and focused on his training.

He didn’t need a sparring partner. These days, he could train effectively through visualization alone. He had plenty of battle experiences to draw from.

He had survived encounters with equally skilled fighters and masters more than once.

Though luck played a part, such fortune was only possible with sufficient skill. Dang Mujin took pride in his abilities.

‘Even if you searched all of the martial world, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who’s faced as many masters as I have.’

He closed his eyes.

In the darkness, a man wearing a bamboo hat charged at him. This time, there was no strange orb in his mouth.

The man moved naturally, showcasing his full potential. Dang Mujin, wielding his sword, was soon defeated.

This time, Dang Mujin held a poison-laden needle. He also had the Heavenly King Needle Case in his possession.

A faint possibility emerged. He swung his sword, threw daggers, and launched needles. After countless defeats, he miraculously achieved victory.

However, this didn’t mean he had surpassed the pinnacle. It was a rare stroke of luck, exploiting a momentary weakness. Even in his imagination, he couldn’t break through the pinnacle.

‘Still, this is something.’

Dang Mujin opened his eyes and stretched, satisfied.

Outside, the village was bustling.

He leaned against the window, watching people pass by with bright expressions. Today marked the start of the festival.

The festival would last four days. Dang Mujin stepped outside, blending into the crowd.

People were already drunk, shouting without a care. Merchants, caught up in the festive spirit, barely bothered to collect money. Shops were left unattended, yet no one took advantage to steal.

Despite the excitement, people occasionally glanced at the sky—a habit formed since the appearance of the poison birds.

When a bird flew low overhead, people would quickly seek shelter.

It wasn’t mere fuss. The poison could make the elderly or children ill. Dang Mujin could sense the faint poison in the air.

As one person fixed their gaze skyward, others followed suit. Dang Mujin also looked up. A poison bird was flying low.

“Watch out!”

“Get the kids inside!”

Amidst the commotion, the bird flew towards the sect leader’s quarters. The poison in the air was faint, and soon people would return to the streets as if nothing had happened.

Dang Mujin watched the bird intently.

But instead of reaching the sect leader’s quarters, it landed in an area he recognized—near the poison cave.

And Mok Wana was still there.

“Damn.”

Dang Mujin immediately activated his martial arts technique and sprinted toward the toxic pit.

The distance between the bird and the pit was no more than twenty or thirty paces. The poison hadn’t spread far yet, but if the bird lingered, the situation could become dire. The pit might turn into a second battlefield.

As he ran, Dang Mujin picked up a fist-sized rock and hurled it with all his might, using his momentum to send it flying. The rock struck the bird squarely on its tail.

“Squawk!”

He worried the bird might attack in anger, but fortunately, it didn’t. Startled by the impact, the bird flapped its wings and soared into the sky, releasing another wave of thick poison that enveloped the area.

“What kind of bird is that?” he muttered, covering his nose with his forearm as he dashed toward the pit. Even from outside, he could sense the dense poison within.

Dang Mujin knew he could withstand this level of toxicity, but Mok Wana was a different story. Prolonged exposure could be dangerous for her.

“Am I too late? No, it shouldn’t be fatal yet.”

Without hesitation, he entered the pit and flung open the door, revealing Mok Wana slumped in a chair in the corner.

“Is she already unconscious?”

They needed to get out immediately. Dang Mujin swiftly hoisted Mok Wana onto his back.

Just then, he felt her body stiffen and heard a deep intake of breath, like someone waking from a deep sleep.

In a hoarse voice, Mok Wana spoke. “Dang Mujin? What’s going on?”

Ignoring her question, Dang Mujin assessed the air inside the pit. The poison was indeed thick.

“Was she not unconscious?”

It didn’t make sense. Mok Wana was accustomed to poison, so she might not have succumbed to it, but her calm response was unexpected.

Dang Mujin half-dropped her to the ground and spoke in a low voice. “Hold still. Don’t resist.”

“Why all of a sudden?”

He pressed down on her right shoulder with his left hand and channeled his energy into her wrist.

He felt her internal energy circulating smoothly. If she had inhaled the bird’s poison, her energy wouldn’t flow so effortlessly.

“She didn’t breathe in the poison? How?”

Then he noticed something strange. The nature of her energy was off.

It dawned on him. Her body wasn’t free of poison; the poison and her energy coexisted.

But unlike him or other masters who could control poison with their energy, the poison simply flowed alongside her energy through her meridians. He had never heard of such a thing.

Dang Mujin gripped the back of her neck with his right hand.

“Who are you?”