Chapter 403: Chapter 403

"Choose. You can either end their suffering by killing them yourself or be killed by your students. I will respect your choice."

At the same time that Skykiller was forcing Baek Suryong to choose between two impossible options, he was communicating with his sword via telepathy.

[I think I've found a way,] the Divine Azure Dragon Sword muttered wearily.

Baek Suryong let Skykiller's bullshit go in one ear and out the other and focused his consciousness entirely on the sword. [Have you found a way to break the spell?]

[With my current abilities, it's impossible for me to break the spell completely. However, I should be able to temporarily seize control of the sorcery and stop them...]

[What do you mean, seize control of the sorcery?]

[Rather than dismantling the sorcery's structure piece by piece, I'll first establish contact with one of the many strands that comprise the formula and take control. This method is no different from nullifying the sorcery. After doing so, we can slowly undo the spell.]

Baek Suryong was no expert on sorcery, but could still grasp the basic concept.

[So you're going to take over his spell? Can you do that without getting caught?]

Baek Suryong narrowed his eyes. Hmm? Something about her is not quite right... is that some kind of tragic resolve in her voice? A price...

[A price? You mean blood?] he asked.

[Of course not! I cannot stoop to the same level as that man just to seize control of his spell.]

[I will offer my soul as the price. We can begin whenever you're ready.]

[What the fuck are you talking about?]

Baek Suryong took a quick glance at the situation. Fortunately, Skykiller was enjoying the moment and taking his time, giving Baek Suryong ample opportunity to converse with the Divine Azure Dragon Sword.

The Divine Azure Dragon Sword gently persuaded Baek Suryong, as if she had already steeled her resolve. [We must save those people, right? I enjoyed the time we spent together, brief as it was. As one born with a heaven-defying fate, please prevent the revival of the Blood Demon and protect the world from destruction.]

A divine light gently flowed from the Divine Azure Dragon Sword as she finished preparing to sacrifice herself.

However, Baek Suryong objected firmly, [No.]

[Do not assume I am making a mistake because your feelings are clouding your judgment. If my sacrifice can save those people and your students, then so be it.]

[What I mean is, there's just no need for you to sacrifice yourself.]

Baek Suryong wasn't making this claim without any basis. The moment he heard from the Divine Azure Dragon Sword that a 'price was needed', an object had suddenly come to mind.

[I have a much better catalyst you can use.]

[A better catalyst, you say?]

[Didn't I tell you about it before? Some time ago, at the Namgung Clan, I chanced upon a certain something...]

Thanks to telepathy matching the speed of thought, Baek Suryong had a lengthy discussion with the Divine Azure Dragon Sword in just a few seconds. Although he came close to getting slashed while concentrating on his conversation with the sword, he escaped the crisis courtesy of Namgung Su.

[Certainly, if we use that as the catalyst, it might work... No, it would be more than enough.]

"Okay. Let's do it that way..."

Baek Suryong patted the Divine Azure Dragon Sword and made his 'strange request' to Baek Muheun and Namgung Su that the two readily agreed to.

"Hahaha! If you're choosing the third option, then you must have run out of ideas, right?"

Baek Suryong's thoughts continued to accelerate.

Taking control of the sorcery isn't the problem. We need to prevent Skykiller from escaping somehow.

Even if he saved everyone by seizing control of the sorcery, his efforts would be meaningless if he let Skykiller escape. The assassin wasn't someone who gave up killing his target so easily.

I have to draw out the bastard... but how?

Baek Suryong continuously reviewed, analyzed, and organized the information he had gathered on Skykiller thus far, comparing it to the cards he currently held. Thinking desperately, he made and discarded several plans in rapid succession.

And so, while Skykiller enjoyed watching him despair, Baek Suryong completed his plan to lure the assassin out of hiding.

It'll require some acting... but I'm confident in that!

Baek Suryong took a small wooden box out of his robes and opened the lid. Inside was a half-crushed, crimson finger. This finger, left behind by the previous Blood Demon, was a demonic artifact treated as a sacred relic by the Blood Cult, and also his trump card today.

Namgung Su could feel powerful qi gathering behind him, but he kept his eyes fixed forward as he recalled Baek Suryong's request. The request was simple yet difficult.

[Please protect me no matter what, but you must never look back at me.]

I guess it's not the first or second time Baek Suryong's doing something incomprehensible...

As he had promised, Namgung Su didn't ask why. He simply stood in front of Baek Suryong, defending him from all attacks.

When the Soulless charged forward, Namgung Su gathered all his lightning qi. For a moment, his golden eyes sparkled brilliantly, and streaks of lightning erupted from his body.

The Soulless at the forefront, electrocuted by the lightning qi, collapsed with a thud, while the ones behind them ignored their fallen comrades and continued advancing.

Moments later, the fallen ones were up and charging again.

Namgung Su silently withdrew his lightning qi. The Heavenly Lightning Sword Technique was a martial art that required a lot of inner qi, so he couldn't release lightning indefinitely. It was the same with the Royal Sword Style. Though powerful, it wasn't useful right now.

My job is to buy time.

He carefully observed the attacks of those charging at the forefront, blocking them with the most efficient movements possible to conserve his strength. Still, even he couldn't withstand the onslaught of the Soulless alone while protecting Baek Suryong.

Nevertheless, he didn't give up. Since he had made a promise, he would see it through silently. For once, he stopped caring about getting his clothes dirty.

Finally, he heard Baek Suryong's strained voice call out from behind him. "I'm ready."

A tremendous surge of demonic qi expanded rapidly in every direction. Engulfed in that energy, the Soulless froze like broken contraptions.

Namgung Su was also struck by dizziness and nausea. The intense demonic qi simply did not sit well with him, who had learned the inner arts of the prestigious orthodox Namgung Clan.

"Huh? Don't tell me this energy is...?" Skykiller muttered in disbelief, as if he had witnessed the impossible. His voice, containing a mixture of horror, excitement, thrill, and fear, echoed throughout the Azure Dragon Academy as he laughed madly, "Ha, haha... Ahahahaha!"

At that moment, some of the Soulless ignored Namgung Su and lunged at Baek Suryong.

"Baek Suryong!" Namgung Su instinctively spun around and threw himself in front of Baek Suryong.

He caught a brief glimpse of something red out of the corner of his eye, but immediately closed them and relied on his other senses to fend off the Soulless attacking Baek Suryong.

When he opened his eyes again, Baek Suryong was behind him again.

"I haven't even properly started yet, but I'll be able to wrest control of his sorcery from him soon."

"I didn't know you'd studied sorcery as well."

"I have a lot of secrets, don't I?"

Although Baek Suryong tried to laugh it off, Namgung Su noticed that he was extremely tired. Still, he didn't show his concern.

"Please hold on a little longer," Baek Suryong said, squeezing the Blood Demon's finger.

A few drops of blood flowed down his palm and fell onto the Divine Azure Dragon Sword.

The Divine Azure Dragon Sword glowed red, resonating with the soul of the Dark Heaven Goddess within it.

[While the demonic qi feels unpleasant, there are few better catalysts for sorcery in the world.]

A red qi wave surged from the Divine Azure Dragon Sword and swirled around Baek Suryong's body like a typhoon.

One by one, the Soulless who entered that domain began to collapse like broken dolls, with the most exhausted martial artists falling first.

Unfortunately, the heaven-defying sorcery takeover also seemed to affect the caster greatly. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ noⅴelfire.net

"Cough!" Baek Suryong fell to his knees and spat out blood.

Namgung Su couldn't see it, but he could guess what was happening just from the sound.

The Soulless who hadn't fallen yet rushed toward Baek Suryong in a final, desperate attempt. Among them were the Five Young Azure Dragons. Namgung Su stood in their way, preventing them from harming their teacher.

However, the chilling energy extending from the crimson demonic qi storm quickly sapped his strength.

Namgung Su continued to protect Baek Suryong until all the Soulless collapsed, intercepting every attack aimed at him. His disheveled hair and dirty clothes were an unimaginable sight compared to his usual appearance, but he gritted his teeth and endured, holding on until the last one standing, Hyonwon Kang, collapsed on his own. Only then did he drop to one knee.

Still, the battle wasn't over yet. Skykiller still hadn't appeared.

"Skykiller..." Namgung Su staggered to his feet, using his sword as a cane.

[You can stop now,] Baek Suryong told him.

Namgung Su understood the situation in an instant. If not for this message, he would have protected Baek Suryong until he lost consciousness.

In fact, from the moment he heard Baek Suryong vomiting blood, he suspected that might be the case. That man wasn't the type to cause trouble without a plan.

However, Skykiller wouldn't know that.

[Go get some sleep. When you wake up, it'll all be over.]

Instead of answering, Namgung Su hobbled over to a wall, sat down, and leaned his back against it. No matter how tired he was, he couldn't bear the thought of lying on the floor in an unsightly manner.

He wanted to watch Baek Suryong defeat Skykiller, but remembering his promise, he closed his eyes.

"Let's just say about half of my debt was repaid today," he muttered unintelligibly before nodding off to sleep.

Before Namgung Su knew it, the red storm had subsided.

Skykiller appeared before Baek Suryong and applauded. "I finally understand."

He looked at Baek Suryong excitedly. Goosebumps popped up all over his body.

How could he not be thrilled? A man with red hair, red eyes, and the energy of the Heaven Defying Divine Art was kneeling before him with a pale face.

"How did the Azure Dragon Hero gain such fame in such a short time? How did you become one of the murim's Ten Supremes? Haha! I get it now! Since the elders you killed were all demonic martial artists, they would have had a lot of trouble resisting your power. Rather, they probably felt relieved kneeling before you! Mr. Baek Suryong, to think you were hiding such an unimaginable identity. Haha, hahaha...!"

Skykiller rambled and laughed gleefully, but he suddenly quieted down and stared at Baek Suryong with gleaming eyes.

"Since the last Blood Demon, though," he began. "No one has managed to learn the Heaven Defying Divine Art properly. The reasons were varied, but they all died from qi deviation or went insane. Well, there might be success stories I don't know about..."

Baek Suryong glared at Skykiller in silence. He gritted his teeth as if in frustration, but seemed to lack the strength to speak.

"Your desperate struggle to save the people under my spell drove me to tears. I've watched it all carefully, completely captivated. Haha! I never imagined that you knew sorcery, too. You took control of my spell so easily that I couldn't do anything to stop you. But it wasn't easy for you, either, was it, Mr. Baek? It seems you've suffered a severe internal injury...!"

Skykiller took a step closer. "There are so many things I'm curious about right now. How you learned the Heaven Defying Divine Art, why you're hostile to our Cult, and what your true identity is. I want to hear it all without missing a thing. But you won't tell me, will you?"

"I guess I'll just have to kill you. I want to kill you so badly. To think, I'd kill a man who could be the next Blood Demon with my own hands. What a thrilling thought!"

"Today will be the most unforgettable day of my life. I'm trying to decide which of the hundreds of ways to kill you I should use. How would you like to die? If you give me your opinion, I'll consider it. Oh, but it can't be too ordinary..."

Skykiller's rambled on incessantly as he approached Baek Suryong, his face completely colored by madness. They were now close enough that Baek Suryong could reach out and touch him.

FInally, Baek Suryong opened his mouth for the first time. "How long are you going to keep babbling nonsense?"

"If it were up to me, I'd like to talk all night , but I know you won't cooperate with me..."

"...!" Suddenly, Skykiller senses warned him of danger, and his body began to blur.

However, Baek Suryong was faster. Grabbing Skykiller's wrist, he grinned wickedly, revealing his white teeth. His eyes lit up like the fires of hell, and his red hair stood on end even though there was no wind.

"Let's talk all night."

"You..." Skykiller's face twitched in bewilderment.

"Though... the only sound that'll come from your mouth will be screams."

Baek Suryong decided to start the torture session by smashing that annoying face that still looked the same as his own.

Translator's Note: That's all for this week, see you next week!