Episode 292: Flames

Hyun Gong had disappeared, claiming he would try to persuade the unconscious Demon King, but he returned not long after.

Hong Geolgae asked with a hint of disbelief, “What? Why are you back so soon?”

“It’s done,” Hyun Gong replied.

Hong Geolgae paused, then smirked as he guessed the situation. “So, you realized it was impossible, huh?”

“No, I told you. It’s done. I’ve recruited him.”

”…?”

This time, not only Hong Geolgae but also Dang Mujin and Namgung Myung wore puzzled expressions.

From the moment Hyun Gong left with the Demon King until now, not even enough time had passed to finish a cup of tea.

‘He succeeded in that short time?’

They knew Hyun Gong’s persuasive skills were extraordinary, but this was beyond belief. It wasn’t like he was trying to win over a casual acquaintance; he was dealing with someone who had been a life-and-death enemy.

Namgung Myung asked seriously, “Did you use some kind of sorcery?”

“Sorcery? No, I just had a little chat.”

“If you can turn a mortal enemy into an ally with just a few words, that sounds like sorcery to me.”

As the group debated whether Hyun Gong’s silver tongue bordered on the supernatural, Manryeokseung and Hwahwa Nogae returned.

Their hands and sleeves were covered in dirt, having just buried their fallen master.

Manryeokseung was somber, having bid farewell to his deceased teacher, while Hwahwa Nogae tried to maintain a serious demeanor beside him. However, the earlier resolve was absent from his face. Once the heat of battle and passion subsides, reason tends to return.

‘It’s unfortunate that Master has passed, but I’m relieved it wasn’t me who had to wield the innate energy.’

It wasn’t a selfish thought, but a realistic one. Even if Hwahwa Nogae had harnessed the innate energy, he wouldn’t have been able to perform like his master.

Even if he had succeeded in using the innate energy, his martial prowess wouldn’t have matched the Demon King or Gwangyeomra. At best, he might have sacrificed himself to help others escape. While noble, it was a fate he was glad to avoid.

Manryeokseung dusted off his hands and asked Hyun Gong, “So, when are you planning to persuade the Demon King? The sun’s already up.”

Clearly, Manryeokseung hadn’t realized Hyun Gong had already been and returned.

“It’s already done. He’ll be here soon.”

”…Already? Did you torture him? Or use sorcery?”

It seemed everyone had the same thoughts.

Just as Namgung Myung was about to interject with a snide remark, the Demon King appeared.

He approached the group cautiously, careful not to jostle his broken arms. Despite his discomfort, there were no signs of torture, and his eyes were clear, not those of someone under a spell.

Manryeokseung lowered his voice and asked Hyun Gong, “How did you do it?”

“It doesn’t take long to show someone your sincerity.”

”…Is that so.”

Though not entirely convincing, it was difficult to press further. Manryeokseung turned to gaze at the Demon King.

His feelings toward the Demon King were complex. While he was certainly hostile, he wasn’t consumed by an uncontrollable urge to kill. He simply thought he should seize the opportunity if it arose.

In truth, the one who truly incited Manryeokseung’s anger was Gwangyeomra, the one who had treacherously attacked and harmed his master.

He had agreed to Hyun Gong’s proposal to recruit the Demon King for that reason. If delaying the Demon King’s death meant he could take down Gwangyeomra, it was a trade he welcomed.

Hyun Gong also looked at the Demon King, contemplating his future.

‘It won’t be pleasant.’

There were at least three sects that would never forgive the Demon King: the Cheongseong Sect, the Jongnam Sect, and the Gongdong Sect.

Neither the Wudang Sect nor the Shaolin Temple would risk conflict with other righteous sects to protect him.

Even the Tang Clan, which welcomed all sorts, wouldn’t want to strain relations with their Cheongseong neighbors.

‘He’ll likely face death, or if he’s lucky, imprisonment.’

But Hyun Gong chose not to share these thoughts with the Demon King. Crushing his hope could ruin everything.

He recalled a story from a peculiar man who had escaped an impenetrable prison. ‘Hope is the best thing,’ the man had said.

Hyun Gong gathered his thoughts and began, “Brother Gui, is there any information we absolutely need to know?”

Though phrased kindly, it was a directive to reveal the most crucial information first.

This was a test for the Demon King. If he tried to evade with trivial details, he would fail. If he divulged important information, he would pass.

Unaware it was a test, the Demon King fortunately went straight to the point. Given his situation, his tone was exceedingly humble.

“You may have already guessed, but… the Demonic Cult is behind this conflict between the righteous and the unorthodox.”

“Is that true?”

Dang Mujin, Namgung Myung, and Hong Geolgae feigned surprise, their reactions encouraging the Demon King to continue.

“Yes. They used various methods to incite the unorthodox martial artists, creating discord between the righteous and unorthodox sects. Each method was different. I recruited unorthodox martial artists by sharing martial arts and insights.”

Dang Mujin recalled his first encounter with the Demon King at the Gongdong Sect.

Back then, the Demon King had used a strange incense to cloud people’s minds before teaching his martial arts from a platform.

Hwahwa Nogae asked, “Why create discord between the righteous and unorthodox sects?”

“The unorthodox sects and the Demonic Cult aren’t closely related. The unorthodox martial artists are like grains of sand; they don’t unite without rain, and even if they do, they fight the righteous, not the Demonic Cult. The problem lies with the righteous sects.”

The righteous martial artists occasionally launched attacks on the Demonic Cult in the mountains, events known as the Great Righteous-Demonic Wars. From the Demonic Cult’s perspective, they had every reason to be fed up.

Hwahwa Nogae pieced together information from various sources.

“Right, the new leader of the Demonic Cult. He’s full of ambition, planning to weaken the righteous sects and then attack them, seeking revenge for past grievances?”

There was a subtle thrill in Hwahwa Nogae’s voice. Seeing a top martial artist from the Demonic Cult humbled before him was oddly satisfying.

The Demon King replied, “It’s similar, but not quite.”

“What’s different?”

“There might eventually be a conflict between the Demonic Cult and the righteous sects. But even if the leader attacks the righteous sects, it would be a consequence of circumstances, not his current goal. The leader is creating discord purely to buy time.”

“Time for what?”

“Time to train in the new martial arts he’s acquired.”

To think he would incite bloodshed just to gain time for training.

It was an outrageous act, yet it implied something significant. The martial arts must be incredibly valuable if they warranted such drastic measures.

The Demon King, knowing what they would be curious about, continued without pause.

“The leader has acquired several martial arts, but the core is undoubtedly the Great Heaven and Earth Shift, rooted in the Western Pasa region. He obtained the complete text and surpassed his previous level in just three years.”

”…Hmm?”

While Dang Mujin was familiar with the earlier parts of the story, the last part was unexpected. Surpassing his previous level?

Neither Dang Mujin nor the others immediately grasped the implications of that statement.

The Demonic Cult had few members, but their average martial prowess was exceptionally high. Even among the top martial artists Dang Mujin knew, there were six: the Great Guardian, the Left Guardian, the Right Guardian, the Demon King, Gwangyeomra, and Sam Anbul.

Of course, Sam Anbul had left the Demonic Cult for the Tang Clan, and the Right Guardian was dead.

Nevertheless, the fact that the three Guardians were top martial artists was well-known in the martial world.

Yet, the Demon King had just stated that the Great Guardian, now the leader, had surpassed his previous level.

“Wait. Are you saying the current leader isn’t just a top martial artist?”

Manryeokseung’s voice wavered. Considering he had maintained his composure even in battle, it was clear how shocked he was.

“That’s correct.”

Manryeokseung involuntarily closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again.

This revelation contradicted the common understanding in the martial world. The consensus was that the pinnacle of martial prowess was the top level.

Some martial artists speculated about a realm beyond the top level, but it was merely theoretical. Manryeokseung was among those who believed in its existence.

However, it was only a belief in the realm’s existence, not that humans could reach it.

Figures like Zhang Sanfeng, Sword Saint Yeodongbin, or Bodhidharma, who transcended human limits, were thought to be the only ones who could reach such a realm. It was believed to be a realm beyond human flesh, attainable only by shedding one’s mortal coil.

Dang Mujin was equally taken aback.

He knew the Demonic Cult leader had acquired formidable martial arts, but he assumed it was within the top level.

He thought the leader’s goal was to achieve the highest accomplishments among top martial artists, becoming the undisputed best in the world, and expanding the Demonic Cult’s influence based on that prowess.

Manryeokseung asked, “Are you sure about this?”

The three flower buds that the divine monk revealed at the end—this wasn’t the first time I’d seen such a sight. The sect leader’s martial prowess is in no way inferior to what the divine monk displayed in his final moments. In fact, it might even surpass it.

The divine monk reached that level only by accepting death. Yet here was a living person who had attained the same state.

It was a tale of a human stepping into the realm of the immortals, signaling a new era in the martial world.

But there was no need to think of it in such abstract terms.

This was a straightforward, practical issue.

It meant facing someone who might possess martial skills even greater than what the divine monk had shown at the end.

Hyeon-gong, who had been listening, sighed silently.

“I misjudged. It would have been wiser to secure a position in the Demon Sect than to hold onto the leadership of the Wudang Sect.”

“Is there still a chance to persuade the Ghost King to return to the Demon Sect and discreetly follow him?”

“Or should I consider reaching out to Gwang Yeom-ra? Which way did he flee earlier?”

To make matters worse, the Ghost King’s tale didn’t end there.

“The sect leader vowed to train for ten years. He reached the next level in just three, and now it’s been two more years since then. I can’t even imagine what level he might reach with five more years of training. I’m sure even he doesn’t know.”

Hong Geol-gae shook his head. The stories were suffocating just to hear.

“The more concerning part is that it’s not just the sect leader growing stronger. His secluded training ended two or three years ago. Since then, he’s been sharing his achievements and insights with the martial artists of the Demon Sect. Many have found breakthroughs from his teachings, some even surpassing the pinnacle. I’ve made considerable progress thanks to his guidance as well.”

“Wait, are you saying there’s a new supreme master in the Demon Sect?”

“You’ve already met him. I’m talking about Baek Ya-hyo. Though he’s dead now.”

Dang Mu-jin recalled Baek Ya-hyo, who had been posing as the leader of the Gongdong Sect.

No wonder. Among the many orthodox martial artists on Wudang Mountain, not a single one had heard of Baek Ya-hyo.

But now it made sense. Rather than being an orthodox martial artist, Baek Ya-hyo had been one of the supreme masters of the Demon Sect, residing far away in the Tianshan Mountains until recently.

At the same time, memories of the Ghost King resurfaced.

In the past, when fleeing the Demon Sect with Sam An-bul, they had to evade the Ghost King. Back then, he hadn’t been launching energy blasts like he was now. It must have been an achievement gained from the sect leader’s teachings.

Hwa Hwa-no’s expression grew grave.

“Now that we have a moment of respite, we must rally the orthodox martial world and strike the Demon Sect. Immediately.”

But the Ghost King shook his head.

“No.”

“What do you mean, no?”

“You won’t have any respite for the time being.”

“Why? The Demon Sect’s schemes have been exposed, and Gwang Yeom-ra has fled.”

The Ghost King spoke in a low, steady voice.

“The instructions Gwang Yeom-ra and I received from the sect leader didn’t include the condition of ‘in secret.’”

”…What does that mean?”

“It means that even if we were discovered, all we needed to do was buy time. And Gwang Yeom-ra has fled north, into the territory of the unorthodox martial world.”

The group’s gaze turned northward.

The Ghost King took a deep breath and concluded his tale.

“Gwang Yeom-ra will gather every force he can muster and strike the orthodox martial world in the near future.”