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Episode 145. Do You Want to Save the World?
Baek San's master, known as the Invisible Sword, came from Baekdusan, a sacred mountain in the east. That’s where his name came from. Baek San settled in Hefei after leaving his home. There, he met a beautiful woman, with whom he had a child, and they lived happily together.
Everything changed one summer when Han Baek-in, a master of the Jade Saber Sect, violated his wife. Enraged, Baek San beheaded Han Baek-in in the street. From then on, the Jade Saber Sect and Baek San became mortal enemies.
The Jade Saber Sect was part of the Justice Alliance, which led to Baek San being rejected by the orthodox sects. If he had left Hefei, he could have continued his life as a hero, but he refused to leave his wife's grave, and thus, he gradually distanced himself from the orthodox sects.
When his only son died from an epidemic, Baek San withdrew from the world. He joined Musansocho because of a rumor. They said that the Martial Mountain Maiden, Lee Maehwa, was so powerful that she could summon the dead. Baek San wanted to see his wife and child once more, even if it meant going to hell.
Baek San looked at Yeon Jeokha. His son had also died at that age.
"Old man, what is that blue light ascending to the sky?" Yeon Jeokha asked.
"Hehe, I’ll tell you. But in return, I ask for a favor," Baek San replied.
"What favor?"
"When I die, bury my body next to my family in Hefei. If you do that, I will reveal all the secrets of the Yoomyung Cult to you."
"Didn’t you hear in Sandosan? Demon Warriors don’t leave bodies when they die. They turn into dust. How do you expect me to bury you?"
"Is that true?" Baek San's voice trembled. Not being able to return to his family even in death left him desolate.
Meanwhile, the battle between Shim Tong, the Old Shim of Nine Heavens, and I Chor-yang, the Absolute Blade, was nearing its end. The blades of their weapons shone intensely as they clashed.
‘Die already!’ I Chor-yang gritted his teeth. Although the fight seemed even, his frustration grew because his special technique wasn’t working.
I Chor-yang had learned the Emperor’s Saber Technique at the Sage of Heaven and Earth Sect, but after being expelled, he began to walk the path between righteousness and evil.
Seeing that Baek San had been defeated, I Chor-yang focused all his energy into his saber for one last attack.
I Chor-yang's saber emitted a golden glow, forming an extreme force. With the Heaven-Destroying Saber Technique, dozens of energy waves were directed toward Shim Tong.
Shim Tong responded with the sixth movement of the Swordsmanship of the Nine Heavens, the Infallible Thunder. Nine lightning bolts fell from the sky, nullifying the saber’s energy.
Boom!
The energy waves dissipated, and I Chor-yang, gravely injured, fell back, coughing up blood.
"Young Master!" Shim Tong called out to Yeon Jeokha just before I Chor-yang died, worried that Baek San might also die before revealing his secrets.
Yeon Jeokha quickly approached Baek San. "Old man, watch what happens when a Demon Warrior dies."
Baek San watched in horror as I Chor-yang's body decomposed, revealing a monster with a horn on its forehead, known as the One-Horned Demon.
The One-Horned Demon let out a howl that echoed like the lament of a wolf under the full moon. Then, it turned toward Shim Tong and attacked him with its sharp claws.
"It wasn’t me!" Shim Tong shouted, retreating.
The One-Horned Demon ignored his words and launched crescent-shaped energy attacks at Shim Tong, who desperately defended himself.
"Young Master!"
Yeon Jeokha appeared behind the One-Horned Demon, using the second technique of the Swordsmanship of the Nine Heavens to strike its chest.
"Kraaah!"
The One-Horned Demon let out a pitiful groan as Yeon Jeokha's sword pierced it. The Demon’s energy flowed into the Sacred Artifact, the Paljuryeong, that Yeon Jeokha carried.
The Demon disintegrated into dust, leaving behind a bright blue light.
Yeon Jeokha clasped his hands together and waited for the light to disappear before turning to Baek San.
"Old man, you saw what happens. I’m not lying. You won’t be able to return home either. Why did you become a Demon Warrior?"
"Hehe..."
Baek San laughed bitterly. He had never imagined that the true nature of the Demon Warriors was so horrifying. However, he accepted his fate as a result of his actions.
"Then, I’ll change my request. I can tell you everything."
"Do you really think what you have to say is worth that much? I’m not easily satisfied."
"Listen to my story and decide if it's worth fulfilling my request."
"Alright, go ahead."
Yeon Jeokha agreed without hesitation. He knew that any information would be valuable.
"Let me tell you my story. In it, you will find the answers you seek."
Baek San began to narrate his life.
"…That’s how I became the mortal enemy of the Jade Saber Sect. After that, my only son died from an epidemic, and I wandered aimlessly. One day, I heard that the Martial Mountain Maiden, Lee Maehwa, could summon the dead. I wanted to see my wife and son once more before I died. So, I went to Musansocho and became a Demon Warrior."
"Why didn’t you settle for just seeing your family?"
"Lee Maehwa demanded that I become a Demon Warrior to perform the summoning ritual. I couldn’t refuse her offer."
"What is the summoning ritual?"
"We tried once, but it failed. She promised to try again, and I was waiting."
"It’s all a scam. You can’t bring the dead back. I met a woman who did something similar, but it turned out to be a fraud."
Yeon Jeokha shook his head.
"Don’t underestimate her. The Witch of Musansocho is different."
"It’s pure lies. Is that all? What about the blue light?"
Baek San adopted a serious expression.
"Do you know what it means to be a Demon Warrior?"
"No."
"It means 'sacrificing ten heads to obtain a Demon.'"
"Ten heads? Do you mean monk heads?"
"That’s right. To summon a servant of the King Yama, a lot of power is needed. There’s nothing better than the life force of pious people."
"So, Demon Warriors sacrifice ten monks…?"
"Many sacrificed more. Fake monks don’t work. What you call special skills are actually gifts from the servants of the King Yama."
"And the blue light?"
"I’ve never seen it, but from what you describe, it could be the souls of the enslaved monks. By destroying the servant, you freed their souls."
"I see..."
Yeon Jeokha nodded. The sadness and joy in the blue light made sense.
"The Great Demon Generals sacrificed a hundred monks to gain their powers. They are called 'Lords of Hell' for a reason."
The faces of Yeon Jeokha and his companions darkened upon hearing that. They knew that the Great Demon Generals were powerful, but this revelation was terrifying.
"A servant of the King Yama summoned with the lives of a hundred monks is incredibly powerful. But there’s someone even more terrifying."
Namgung Yeon spoke.
"Do you mean the Heavenly Demon King?"
"Yes. The leader of the Yoomyung Cult aspires to be the 'Heavenly Demon King.' Do you know who he means by 'Demon King'?"
"Do you mean the King Yama?"
Namgung Yeon's eyes widened. King Yama is the God of Hell, the judge of the dead.
"Yes. If the leader of the Yoomyung Cult summons King Yama, the boundaries between this world and the other will crumble, and hell will unfold on earth."
"Does he really plan to do that?"
"Yes. The Yoomyung Cult desires the kingdom of King Yama. Its leader and the Great Demon Generals yearn for that world. Do you want to save the world? Find and kill the leader before he becomes the Heavenly Demon King and summons King Yama. Today, I saw the true nature of the Demon Warriors and realized that King Yama could truly descend."
Baek San looked at Yeon Jeokha with somber eyes.
"Can I ask you something now?"