Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

Staring down at the tearfully pleading Blue Sky Sword King, the Night Emperor stuck out his foot and sneered, "Lick my shoe, and I'll let one of your grandchildren live."

"I'll lick it, right now… Ugh…" The Blue Sky Sword King tried to bend down and lick the Night Emperor's shoe, but the movement caused the sword pinning him to the rock to scrape against his wound, sending waves of excruciating pain through him.

"Kukukukuku… KAHAHAHA!"

At the sight of his opponent pathetically wriggling like a worm, the Night Emperor threw back his head and roared with laughter, sending a tremor through the surrounding mountains.

Hidden in the bushes, Baek Suryong coolly watched the scene, mentally calculating the chances of a successful ambush based on what he'd observed during the battle between the peerless masters.

Not yet.

The two masters were the embodiment of martial arts, their every movement a priceless lesson. Each time they clashed, he'd meticulously observed their techniques, the flow of their qi, their footwork, the subtle movement of their muscles, and the seamless blend of feints and attacks, engraving it all into his memory.

Nevertheless, Baek Suryong was not content to simply observe and broaden his horizons.

Putting on a mask he'd hidden in his shirt pocket, he carefully studied the Night Emperor. Even among all the martial masters he had seen in his past and present life, this man was a monster.

I don't stand any chance of winning in a head-on fight, but right now, he's exhausted.

Baek Suryong slowly tiptoed closer to the duo. Fortunately, the mountain was alive with the noises and presence of small animals, birds, and insects, making it difficult for even a peerless master to distinguish Baek Suryong from the rabble as he moved stealthily.

Sweat beaded on his forehead as he once again gauged the probability of a successful surprise attack.

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Currently, the chance of success is about half. Still too low.

The Night Emperor chuckled, "Shall we go to the Namgung Clan together?"

"Please…" the Blue Sky Sword King begged.

"……" As if he had gotten tired of teasing the old man, the Night Emperor strode towards the Blue Sky Sword King and grabbed the hilt of the sword impaling the Blue Sky Sword King.

Baek Suryong dashed forward. Seventy percent is enough! I'll kill him in one strike!

Not for a single moment did he think about capturing the Night Emperor and extracting information about the Blood Cult. This was not an opponent he could defeat with a half-assed attitude. He had to fill his sword with the pure intent to kill.

SWOOSH!

Baek Suryong's figure blurred as he suddenly appeared behind the Night Emperor.

Startled, the Night Emperor summoned a barrier of darkness, but his reaction was much slower than usual.

The figures of the two crossed in an instant.

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SPLURT!

Blood spurted from the Night Emperor's shoulder.

Fuck! I meant to stab him in the heart! To dodge that… Baek Suryong cursed inwardly, but this was no time for regrets. He had to press the attack before the Night Emperor could come to his senses. Ȓ

Rotating his body, he unleashed the White Ice Divine Palm with his left hand and chopped downward with the sword in his right hand.

"Ugh!" The Night Emperor, who was attempting to stem the bleeding, was forced to abandon his plan and retreat.

Sensing an opportunity, Baek Suryong doggedly followed him, emitting cold energy to slow down the Night Emperor's movements while aiming at his injured shoulder.

In an instant, they exchanged dozens of blows. The number of shallow wounds on the Night Emperor's body multiplied, and his breathing grew ragged.

"Who…?" The Blue Sky Sword King gaped at Baek Suryong in shock, but because of the mask, he couldn't recognize him.

No, it doesn't matter who he is! The enemy of my enemy is a friend!

"Kill him! You must kill him! Don't let him go to the Namgung Estate!" he shouted desperately.

It's possible. It's definitely possible! The masked man is a formidable master, and the Night Emperor's exhausted!

Unfortunately, the heavens had no interest in granting the Blue Sky Sword King's desperate wish.

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"Damn it!" With a cry of frustration, the Night Emperor unleashed an explosion of dark qi from all over his body.

BOOOOOOM!

Sensing imminent danger, Baek Suryong leaped backwards.

FWOOSH…

When the dark explosion finally died down, the disheveled form of the Night Emperor was revealed.

"Who are you?" he demanded, glaring at Baek Suryong. He was bleeding profusely, his complexion was pale, as if the internal injuries he had sustained from the Blue Sky Sword King had worsened.

However, the darkness that enveloped him was raging even more fiercely, dying his sclera as black as obsidian even as it flooded the space around him.

"Just how long… have you been hiding there? I almost… died… you know?"

A shiver ran down Baek Suryong's spine. Even though the Night Emperor was exhausted from his battle with the Blue Sky Sword King, his aura hadn't diminished much.

Moreover, the way his handsome face was distorted into an ugly grimace and his halting speech made it clear that he was barely holding back his wrath.

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ROAAAAAAR!

The darkness qi, sensing its master's anger, set the surroundings alight.

There was no time to hesitate or think of a plan. Baek Suryong instinctively pulled the same trick he had previously used on the Bloody Spirit.

Lowering his voice to a raspy growl, he commanded, "That's enough. Step back, Fifth Elder."

"What…? Who are you?" The Night Emperor stared at Baek Suryong, confused. Only the Asura Demon Sword and the Bloody Spirit knew that he was the Fifth Elder of the Blood Cult, and they were not ones to open their mouths even if tortured.

"This is an order. Step back."

"Who are you… to order me around!?" the Night Emperor bellowed. Since he won't answer me, I'll just catch him and tear off that mask… Huh?

The Night Emperor faltered, his eyes widening in disbelief as he watched his opponent's hair and eyes turn crimson. The aura of Heaven Defying Divine Art, which dominated all demonic arts, surged and pressed down upon him, threatening to crush him.

"You…! No… This doesn't make sense. This can't be… Is there a candidate I don't know about?"

A chaotic blend of bewilderment, fear, and curiosity filled the Night Emperor's eyes, washing away some of his rage and killing intent.

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Baek Suryong fell silent. He had hoped that the man would mistake him for the Blood Demon, just as the Bloody Spirit had. However, it seemed that the Bloody Spirit was telling the truth when he claimed that the Night Emperor knew more about the Blood Cult's current leadership than he did.

If that was the case, then it was unlikely that the Night Emperor would commit the same blunder.

Candidate? What does he mean by that? Is he talking about the Blood Demon's successors?

Baek Suryong wanted to know more, but unfortunately, it didn't look like the Night Emperor was willing to talk.

The Night Emperor paused, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. Finally, he fixed his gaze on Baek Suryong's mask, staring so intensely that it seemed as if he was trying to see through it.

"Whatever. I'll just catch you and check your identity first, then figure the rest out later," he mumbled.

Baek Suryong laughed, "Do you think that's possible?"

"Of course. Even if you've mastered the Heaven Defying Divine Art, I'm much stronger than you."

Chuckling, the Night Emperor approached Baek Suryong, bringing with him a wave of darkness that threatened to engulf Baek Suryong.

"That's what you say when you're in good shape. If you want to catch me now, you'll have to risk your neck as well," Baek Suryong replied coldly, summoning the power of Heaven Defying Divine Art and releasing a blood-red mist to push back the darkness.

ROAAAAR!

The darkness and the bloody mist collided and began to gnaw at each other.

Confident that his darkness held the advantage, the Night Emperor snorted, "You dare threaten me when you're this weak?"

"Well, do you think this is all I've got?" Baek Suryong smirked. Right now, his body was chock full of the demonic qi he absorbed in the Myriad Demons Nightmare Formation.

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He unleashed it all at once.

BOOOOOM!

With a loud explosion, the red mist thickened and devoured the darkness.

"Guh!" The Blue Sky Sword King, who had been watching the clash between the two figures with growing anxiety, suddenly felt a crushing impact, as if gravity had increased tenfold. Unable to withstand the crushing force, he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Meanwhile, the Night Emperor was starting to panic. "How…? What…?" he muttered under his breath.

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Baek Suryong gritted his teeth. He knew his strength was far inferior to the Night Emperor's. He was just bluffing using the previous Blood Demon's qi that he'd obtained from the Myriad Demons Nightmare Formation.

Right now, I can only believe in the Heaven Defying Divine Art's dominance over all demonic arts and that bastard's qi.

BANG!

Stomping his foot, Baek Suryong commanded firmly, "I'll say it one more time. Get lost."

"……" The Night Emperor glared at Baek Suryong with indignation, his eyes bloodshot. If he had been at full strength, this would have been nothing, but after the battle with the Blue Sky Sword King and Baek Suryong's ambush, he was too drained and injured to keep fighting.

If it's just this guy, I think I can somehow deal with him, but…

He felt numerous presences rapidly approaching from the base of the mountain. Most of them were lower than bugs, but if the stronger ones coordinated with Baek Suryong, not even he would be able to escape in his current state.

In the end, he had no choice but to give up on his prey.

"…Fine. Since you've shown me something interesting, I'll retreat for today."

FWOOSH…

Cloaked in darkness, the figure of the Night Emperor began to fade.

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"But don't think that things will end like this next time, successor of the Heaven Defying Divine Art. We will meet again soon."

Leaving those last words behind, the Night Emperor disappeared.

Baek Suryong spread out his senses to confirm that the Night Emperor was really gone, then let out the breath he had been holding. "Whew…"

Pretending to be the Blood Demon was a big gamble for him as well.

It's a good thing it worked.

Recalling the Night Emperor's abyss-like eyes, Baek Suryong shuddered.

Why the fuck is a guy like that only the Fifth Elder of the Blood Cult? And 'we will meet again soon'? No thanks! I don't want to see you again anytime soon, and definitely not before I reach the eighth star of the Heaven Defying Divine Art! I'm not that crazy!

Baek Suryong shook his head, removed his mask, and approached the unconscious Blue Sky Sword King.

Squatting down, he rudely slapped the old master's cheek. "Hey, wake up."

This man was the reason why he had risked his life to ambush the Night Emperor.

He had no intention of letting this orthodox sect hypocrite go to hell before suffering in the mortal world first.