Star Instructor, Master Baek-Chapter 317: Pursuit

TL: FoodieMonster007

The instant the ever-vigilant Poison Demon saw Baek Suryong gathering his inner qi, he commanded his disciples, "Deploy the Myriad Poisons Formation!"

"Yes, Master!"

Accustomed to their master's harsh training, the disciples did not panic despite the sudden turn of events. They quickly fell back and spread out in eight directions, putting some distance between themselves and their opponents.

Standing in formation, they channeled their energy together, the sleeves of their martial arts uniforms rippling as a green aura wrapped around their arms.

WHOOSH!

Formations were a martial art that combined the power of several fighters into a single force. Throughout the long history of the murim, as countless sects and families rose and fell, these methods had evolved dramatically.

Historically major sects and families each had their own signature formations, such as the widely-recognized Shaolin Temple's One Hundred and Eight Arhat Formation and the Mount Hua Sect's Plum Blossom Sword Formation.

Many times, the world's greatest martial masters had challenged the protective formations of powerful sects alone, only to be defeated. This was one of the reasons why the Nine Sects One Gang had ruled the murim for so long.

Hmph, our Cult's Myriad Poisons Formation is no less formidable, the Poison Demon thought, feeling sure of himself.

Fifty years ago, during the conflict between the Blood Cult and the Murim Alliance, the former Poison Demon and his disciples used the Myriad Poisons Formation to turn hundreds of the Alliance's elite into cold corpses.

The current Poison Demon had inherited the Myriad Poisons Formation. In fact, he was proud to have refined it beyond its original form.

Today will be the stage to test the result of my hard work! Azure Dragon Hero, become the sacrifice to prove my superiority!

HISS…

The qi radiating from the Poison Demon and his disciples began to extend across the battlefield. All eight of them had spent over a decade cultivating their inner arts and poisons in unison, allowing their power to resonate and intensify.

Soon, a green mist completely blanketed the surroundings, obscuring Baek Suryong and Namgung Su from view.

Standing at the center of the Myriad Poisons Formation, the Poison Demon locked gazes with the Azure Dragon Hero. Excellent formations did more than just amplify energy. They merged with the essence of the wielder, strengthening the body and increasing their combat prowess. Right now, within the seething energy, he felt an illusion of omnipotent power, as if he could accomplish any feat.

"This just got interesting," the Poison Demon chuckled, extending his hand. "Come, struggle with all your might!"

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Fueled by the formation and the Poison Demon's will, a wave of green mist swept toward Baek Suryong and Namgung Su.

I won't kill you immediately. I'm going to slowly dissolve you while subjecting you to excruciating pain!

Though it was an irreverent thought, the Poison Demon felt certain that he could now stand against even a patriarch of the Five Great Clans or a sect leader of the Nine Sects One Gang.

Ten Supremes? Hah! A mere rookie like the Azure Dragon Hero stands no chance against my Myriad Poisons Formation…huh?

"Why haven't you improved at all?" Baek Suryong asked incredulously as he drew the Azure Dragon Sword and slashed at the disciple standing at the southwestern corner of the Myriad Poisons Formation.

SWISH!

The disciple's head flew away with such speed that even the Poison Demon couldn't intervene in time.

"Actually, it seems like you guys have actually gotten worse," Baek Suryong complained disappointedly.

Seeing Baek Suryong occupying his disciple's spot, the Poison Demon's eyes widened in horror.

How did he figure out the formation's weakness so quickly?

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Formations were like intricately interlocked gears. Consequently, if one cog were to break, the entire mechanism was likely to fail. Just now, the Azure Dragon Hero had struck the weakest part of the Myriad Poisons Formation and managed to breach it.

Such a thing should only be possible if he fully understood the Myriad Poisons Formation!

However, the surprises did not end there. Since the mist created by the formation contained the deadly Mortal Venom, inhaling it was practically suicide. However, the Azure Dragon Hero moved, breathed, and even spoke as if he was completely unaffected.

"How are you still standing…? Do you possess Myriad Poison Immunity?"

"Nah, nothing so amazing. Just regular old Thousand Poison Immunity," Baek Suryong replied calmly, brandishing his sword to cut away the parts of his blue martial arts uniform that were dissolving from the poison.

"How dare you…!" Insulted by this affront against his lifelong training to master the poison arts, the Poison Demon trembled with rage. Gathering the energy of the Myriad Poisons Formation, he blasted it at Baek Suryong.

ROAAAR!

The materialized green fog surged toward the Azure Dragon Hero like a tidal wave, but unfortunately, the Poison Demon had more than just one person to worry about.

"…Are you some kind of disaster magnet? Or are you jinxed? Why is it that some incident or another always happens wherever you go?" Namgung Su sighed.

BZZT!

"Kuaaaak!" Screaming, the disciple in charge of the eastern position was instantly charred to a crisp.

Well done! Baek Suryong grinned and winked at Namgung Su. Their strategy was successful. While he distracted the Poison Demon with his taunts, Namgung Su would take the opportunity to strike elsewhere.

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Although Namgung Su didn't show it outwardly, he was also pleased with their performance. After learning the weak points of the Myriad Poisons Formation from Baek Suryong through telepathy, he rushed at the closest enemy without hesitation.

Deep down, he was curious as to how Baek Suryong knew about the Blood Cult's formations, but that was irrelevant at the moment.

I have to take advantage of this opportunity to repay my debt!

Enveloped in lightning qi, Namgung Su burned away the poison as he advanced. At the same time, Baek Suryong took action, smirking all the while. The two men veered in opposite directions, scattering their enemies' focus.

Dismayed at the gradual unraveling of his formation, the Poison Demon shrieked, "Block them!"

Objectively speaking, the Poison Demon's disciples were powerful. Each of them possessed peak level martial arts and poison arts, comparable to those of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

Nevertheless, they were no match for the combined might of the Azure Dragon Hero and the Lightning Dragon Hero.

SWISH! SWOOSH!

As a third and fourth disciple vomited blood and collapsed, the poisonous fog began to dissipate. With four of the eight members dead, maintaining the Myriad Poisons Formation was no longer possible.

"Retreat!" the Poison Demon roared, forced to admit that the situation was becoming dire. He could no longer just watch from behind and manipulate the formation.

Looking at the bodies of his dead disciples, he clicked his tongue. "Fools, all of them!"

He did not mourn the loss of their lives. There would be plenty of replacements once he returned to the Blood Cult.

"It seems that I will have to risk my own life to kill you."

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Fortunately, the Azure Dragon Hero and the Lightning Dragon Hero were not unscathed either. Parts of the Azure Dragon Hero's martial arts uniform were corroded by the poison, and his skin was swollen and red.

It's hard to believe that's the only effect it had on him, but at least the other one seems badly poisoned…

At a glance, the Lightning Dragon Hero's face was pale, sweat was dripping down in buckets, and his arms were visibly trembling. It was obvious that he could barely suppress the poison.

The Poison Demon stepped forward and ordered his disciples, "Focus a simplified version of the Myriad Poisons Formation on me.

"…Yes, Master."

As the mist that had spread receded, the energy of the surviving disciples converged on the Poison Demon. Within seconds, a visible dark green poison qi coiled around his hands, and his eyes gleamed with a green brilliance.

He stepped forward confidently, baring his yellowed teeth. "As expected, you're quite formidable. From now on, I will face you myself."

Baek Suryong raised his guard, cursing himself for not eliminating more enemies before the formation changed.

It won't be easy from here.

An elder of the Blood Cult was not only a master of poisons, but also possessed martial arts skills on par with the world's finest. Now that the Poison Demon was entering the fray, the upcoming clash was bound to be brutal.

It would be great if I could use the Heaven Defying Divine Art… but that's not an option right now.

He dreaded having to come up with a plausible excuse for Namgung Su, and it would be disastrous if an enemy managed to escape. Until there was no other choice, the Heaven Defying Divine Art had to wait.

For now, I have to fight with other martial arts.

Baek Suryong lunged forward and swung the Azure Dragon Sword at the approaching Poison Demon.

CLANG!

A silver arc split the darkness, unleashing a shockwave that swept everyone away except for the Poison Demon and Baek Suryong. Enhanced sword qi cut deep into the ground wherever it grazed, and poison qi dissolved everything it touched.

While Baek Suryong and the Poison Demon clashed, Namgung Su kept the disciples at bay.

Biting his lip, which was now turning purple, Namgung Su reached out telepathically. [Baek Suryong. Five minutes is my limit. I can't last much longer while poisoned.]

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He had only managed to endure thus far because of his recent Body Reformation, which had greatly increased his resistance to poison.

Baek Suryong nodded, worried about Namgung Su's condition. [You should go and report this to the Murim Alliance. I'll take care of things here.]

[…That won't do. Innocent people might get involved.]

If Namgung Su left, the Poison Demon's disciples would go after him, and their poison might harm innocent civilians who got in the way. The destruction these poison masters could cause was unimaginable, and a catastrophe might ensue.

Most importantly, Namgung Su's pride wouldn't let him abandon his benefactor and run away.

I owe you too much already to incur another debt to you.

Well, he wasn't determined to continue fighting for no reason. He already had a plan in mind.

[…I have a strategy.]

[What strategy?]

Namgung Su quietly outlined his plan. After a brief back-and-forth, Baek Suryong accepted it.

"Alright. Let's do it!" he said.

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That was their cue. Baek Suryong shoved the Poison Demon aside and raised his left hand toward the sky.

RUMBLE!

The White Ice Bangle on his wrist glowed brightly, drawing in all the nearby moisture, though he did not freeze it. He paused just before completing the ice technique, letting the water fall all over the area like tiny raindrops.

"What are you doing…" The Poison Demon, who had been on guard against Baek Suryong's ice arts, frowned. Why did he cancel his martial art halfway through?

Grinning from ear to ear, Baek Suryong sprang into the air. "NOW!" he yelled.

Namgung Su drove his inner qi-charged sword into the ground.

CRACKLE!

Electricity coursed across the soaked ground in every direction, moving faster than usual and scattering in wild patterns, filling the area with crackling currents that ripped through the Poison Demon and his disciples.

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"Dodge!" the Poison Demon screamed, jumping into the air to escape.

His disciples, however, were too focused on the Myriad Poisons Formation to react in time.

"Gah!"

"Ugh…!"

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"Aaaah!"

Within moments, all four remaining disciples were paralyzed by the electric shock.

Baek Suryong and Namgung Su immediately seized the opportunity. Baek Suryong cut down one of the four survivors with his sword, then crushed the heart of another with the White Ice Divine Palm. At the same time, Namgung Su decapitated one and then hurled his sword to pierce the heart of the last one.

Now only the Poison Demon remains!

Sensing danger, the Poison Demon telekinetically pulled a corpse toward him, using it as a shield.

SPLURT!

The Azure Dragon Sword pierced through the corpse cleanly, but it failed to reach the Poison Demon. Flinging the corpse to the side, he fled without delay.

"Cough!" Namgung Su dropped to one knee, coughing up blood.

"Namgung Su? Are you alright?" Baek Suryong asked, his voice filled with concern.

Namgung Su glanced up at Baek Suryong. "…Hurry and go after him."

"I can't leave you here alone in this state."

Namgung Su shook his head. He had only inhaled a small trace of the mist and had never been directly struck by poison arts. "I can easily expel the poison as soon as I start meditating, so hurry!"

Baek Suryong quickly searched through the bodies and found an antidote. "Use this before you meditate, okay?"

"Don't waste time… Hunt him down before he gets further away."

Baek Suryong nodded quickly. There was no time to argue.

BOOM!

As he activated his movement arts, his body quickly blurred into a fleeting afterimage.

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Namgung Su closed his eyes and began to meditate.

Thanks to that, he did not see Baek Suryong's hair gradually turning red as he disappeared into the distance.