Chapter 423: Chapter 423

"Ugh..." Baek Suryong's eyelids fluttered open as he groaned and shifted slightly on the bed.

Baek Muheun, who had been watching over his son without sleeping, quickly grabbed his hand. "Suryong! You're awake!"

Mae Geuklyom, who'd been resting in the next room, heard his son-in-law's voice and burst in, hurling the door open with enough force to shatter it. "What? Suryong's awake?"

Mae Geuklyom's voice must have carried quite far because the Five Young Azure Dragons, drenched in sweat from training in the practice yard, came running over, only to collide at the doorway and crash down in a heap.

"...What's going on?"

"What are all of you doing?

Moments later, Ja Hyeon and Gongson Yeong arrived and stared at the student heap in bewilderment.

Ja Hyeon scolded and shooed away the Five Young Azure Dragons before approaching Baek Suryong's bedside.

The Azure Dragon Hero's father and grandfather stared at the patient with the same worried expression.

"Physician! Our boy just moved!"

"Why hasn't he opened his eyes yet? It's been three days since the procedure ended!"

Ja Hyeon sighed. There was nothing she could say to the two anxious men other than what she had already told them for the past three days. "The Azure Dragon Hero's severed meridians have completely healed. I suspect the reason he hasn't woken up is mental, not physical."

Baek Suryong's breathing was steady, and his complexion was healthy. Right now, he didn't look sick at all.

"The Azure Dragon Hero is a man of exceptional willpower. Please have faith that he'll wake up soon," she added wearily.

Of course, she couldn't guarantee it. However, if she didn't say something , Baek Muheun and Mae Geuklyom wouldn't leave Baek Suryong's side for even a moment.

"Please step back for a moment. I'll check his pulse again..."

"I'll... promise you... one thing..." Baek Suryong stirred before Ja Hyeon could finish speaking.

Breaking out in a cold sweat, Baek Suryong muttered to himself as if having a nightmare. "Someday... I'll go see you..."

"......" Heavy silence blanketed the room. Baek Suryong's face looked so pained as he fought to say those words.

The Five Young Azure Dragons, who had rushed back after washing up, froze when they saw their master's tortured expression.

A moment later, Baek Suryong slowly opened his eyes.

He was surrounded by familiar faces, all looking down at him in concern. There was Baek Muheun and Mae Geuklyom, Gongson Yeong, and Ja Hyeon. Behind them stood his students, anxiety written across their faces.

Though his mind remained hazy from the long dream, he smiled at them.

"Long time no see, everyone... though I'm not sure how much time has passed?"

Baek Muheun gently stroked his son's head and sighed. "You rascal. Those three days you spent lying here felt like ten years to me."

"Ten years... me too. I feel like I've returned after exactly ten years."

Baek Suryong smiled at his father's gentle touch, his expression both happy and bittersweet.

The boisterous celebration that erupted throughout White Dragon Manor due to Baek Suryong's awakening was short-lived.

"Everyone, please leave! The patient needs to rest. That includes his family!" Ja Hyeon commanded sternly, driving everyone out of the room.

Finally, she could speak with Baek Suryong alone.

"How are you feeling?"

"...Good. So good, in fact, that I'm wondering if it's even possible to feel this good," Baek Suryong replied, his expression dazed. He was startled to learn that he had slept for three days after the procedure, and it was difficult to adjust to his new physique.

All the contaminated qi that accumulated in my body... is gone.

The Heavenly Yin Severed Meridians was a form of heavenly punishment in which contaminated qi accumulated in the body tens of times faster than normal, blocking the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and leading to a slow death. However, there was now no contaminated qi in Baek Suryong's body, only clean, pure energy.

The inner core I created by gathering contaminated qi with the Heaven Defying Divine Art is also gone.

Put simply, his qi center was now gone. Fortunately, this didn't mean that he had lost his martial arts abilities. Rather, the clump of qi that had been concentrated in his qi center had broken down into countless fine particles and dispersed throughout his entire body, settling in his bloodstream.

This meant he could now generate energy from any part of his body at any time, making his ability to manifest inner qi incomparably faster than before.

"Well... I'll have to circulate my qi to know for sure," Baek Suryong added.

Ja Hyeon sighed in relief. This was her first time treating the Heavenly Yin Severed Meridians, so she had been very worried. "Then I'll give you some privacy. I'll be right outside, so if you feel anything strange, call for me immediately."

Ja Hyeon left, leaving Baek Suryong alone.

Strictly speaking, though, he wasn't really alone.

[I'm so glad you're awake. You have no idea how much everyone worried about you, day and night.]

Baek Suryong reached out, took the Divine Azure Dragon Sword that was lying on the side of the bed, placed it on his lap and gently stroked the blade. [Thanks for stopping the energy of the Heaven Defying Divine Art from leaking out.]

[Hmph! It wasn't such a difficult task,] the Divine Azure Dragon Sword replied gingerly.

Baek Suryong chuckled. He knew that while Ja Hyeon performed the Heaven Defying Blood Circulation Art, the Divine Azure Dragon Sword had used sorcery to prevent the energy of the Heaven Defying Divine Art from leaking outside. If not for that, the energy of the Heaven Defying Divine Art would've surely spread far beyond the White Dragon Manor, revealing his secret.

[Can I ask you for one more favor? This is the first time I'm using my inner qi since my body was restructured, so I'm not sure if I can control it properly.]

[Don't worry, but you... your way of speaking seems to have changed a little.]

[Really? I didn't notice.]

Baek Suryong immediately sat cross-legged and began circulating the Heaven Defying Divine Art. The results were just as he expected. The speed and density of the inner qi circulating through his body was incomparable to before.

Furthermore, contrary to his prediction, the energy of the Heaven Defying Divine Art obeyed his will perfectly. That could only mean one thing.

I've broken through the wall of the 8th Star of the Heaven Defying Divine Art.

Unlike traditional Body Reformation, there were no outward appearance changes, but his physical condition had improved tremendously. It was no exaggeration to say that the inside of his body had been completely replaced.

Finally, he had triumphed over the Heavenly Yin Severed Meridians, the cursed Heavenly Punishment.

Baek Suryong finished his qi circulation. For a moment, crimson light burst from his body before being swiftly reabsorbed.

"Phew..." He controlled his breathing and slowly opened his eyes. Feeling the vitality overflowing throughout his body, he smiled faintly.

[You've overcome your destiny on your own,] the Divine Azure Dragon Sword said proudly.

Baek Suryong chuckled and created a sound barrier. "You know this is just the beginning. The real challenge still lies ahead."

He recalled the Blood Demon he had met in his dream, especially the fiend's final, haunting words.

[Have you ever heard the term 'Interdimensional Travel'? What does it mean to 'open the heavens'?]

[...You met him in your dream again.]

Baek Suryong nodded. Currently, the Divine Azure Dragon Sword was the only one who knew that he had previously entered a dream of his past life. He hadn't bothered telling anyone else about it. Not only could he not explain it logically, but he also didn't want to cause them unnecessary worry. Dıscover more novels at novel_fіre.net

"A lot happened. In that place..."

Baek Suryong began to recount his long story, and the Divine Azure Dragon Sword listened quietly.

Tucking the Divine Physician's Gratitude Token into her robes, Ja Hyeon said, "I'll deliver the Gratitude Token to my master."

"Are you really leaving already?"

"Yes, I have many more patients to attend to."

She had come to find the Azure Dragon Hero to retrieve the token in the first place. Now that she'd confirmed Baek Suryong was healthy, she had to leave without delay. The members of the White Dragon Manor had tried to persuade her to stay a few more days, but she was insistent.

In the end, Baek Suryong saw Ja Hyeon off as she left early in the morning.

"Thank you once again. Please be sure to pass on my thanks to the Divine Physician as well. If there's ever anything you need my help with, don't hesitate to contact me."

"I only did what I had to as a physician. Well, then, I'll be on my way..."

"Wait! Please accept this."

Ja Hyeon's eyes widened when she saw the object Baek Suryong held out. It was a palm-sized jade plaque in the shape of a coiled azure dragon.

This was the Azure Dragon Emblem that every student and instructor at the Azure Dragon Academy possessed. The only difference was that, instead of a student's name, the words 'Benefactor' were engraved on the back.

"I had to make it quickly, so I borrowed some supplies from the academy."

"...Is this your Gratitude Token? It's too precious for me to accept."

Ja Hyeon tried to refuse, but Baek Suryong wouldn't take no for an answer. He went ahead and put the Gratitude Token into her travel pouch.

"The person I'm indebted to is you, Physician Ja Hyeon, not the Divine Physician. Returning the Divine Physician's gratitude token is a separate matter, so please don't refuse."

In the end, Ja Hyeon sighed and accepted the Gratitude Token. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her, and she smiled faintly. "When my master hears my story later, he might regret not coming to see the Azure Dragon Hero himself," she teased.

"I am a rather unusual patient, after all."

"Don't overwork yourself to that point again."

With that, Ja Hyeon left the White Dragon Manor.

On the other hand, Gongson Yeong, who had come with her, decided to stay a few more days, saying she had personal business to attend to.

Days later, Baek Suryong returned to his daily routine. He woke up at his usual time, supervised his students' training, and went to work in Namgung Su's office instead of his own, which was still under repair.

"Back to work already?" Namgung Su groaned.

Baek Suryong grinned. "That emotion on your face is happiness at seeing me, right?"

Baek Suryong resumed reviewing a stack of documents. He had decided to work a little less overtime, but that didn't mean his workload was any lighter than before.

After a few busy days , Jiangxi Branch Manager Wang Son of the Beggars' Gang visited the White Dragon Manor late at night.

"Brother! Are you feeling better?"

Baek Suryong sighed inwardly. He desperately wished the man would stop calling him 'brother, but he had more or less given up by now. "...Yes, thanks to your concern."

"Fortunately, it seems the restorative medicine we sent worked well for you."

"......" Baek Suryong's eye twitched. The stench of the medicine had nearly made him vomit several times, but he couldn't bring himself to say that, so he merely nodded silently.

"Should I tell you the ingredients and formula while I'm at it? It's from our Beggars' Gang's secret manual, but since the Azure Dragon Hero is basically a brother to us, albeit without the rags..."

Baek Suryong cut him off, "It's getting late. You must've come here for something important, right?"

Wang Son, ever the perceptive beggar, lowered his voice and whispered, "Ahem! Actually, I've come to deliver urgent news."

"The Moyong Clan has been annihilated."

"...What?" Baek Suryong's face hardened.

Wang Son continued gravely, "It happened just a few days ago. We suspect the Blood Cult was responsible. No, we're almost certain it's them."

Baek Suryong's mind began to race. Although the Moyong Clan's influence had waned considerably since they lost their last peerless master, the Sword Saint, they were still one of the Five Great Clans. How could they have been annihilated overnight by the Blood Cult?

"A consensus is forming within the Nine Sects One Gang that they can no longer stand by and watch. There will be a meeting between the Nine Sects One Gang and the Five Great Clans soon."

Come to think of it, the Blood Cult had already executed several plans to throw the murim into chaos.

Though I stopped a few of them.

Due to Baek Suryong's intervention, the Blood Cult's schemes at the Namgung Clan, the Murim Alliance, and the North Sea Ice Palace were thwarted. However, he couldn't be everywhere at once.

With their plans constantly going awry, the Blood Cult must have felt the need to demonstrate their power properly. Was the Moyong Clan chosen to set an example?

The Nine Sects One Gang was already closely monitoring the Blood Cult's movements and must have been greatly shocked by this incident.

"When and where will the meeting take place?"

"Nothing's been confirmed yet. Messenger pigeons are still flying back and forth without rest. However, the Beggars' Gang predicts that they'll probably choose a place where they were already scheduled to meet so that they won't need to coordinate a new time and location."

Baek Suryong immediately caught the meaning behind those words. "Are you saying the meeting of the Nine Sects One Gang will take place at the Heavenly Martial Festival?"