Star Instructor, Master Baek-Chapter 318: If Not You, Who Else Is Qualified?

TL: FoodieMonster007

I made a miscalculation. A potentially fatal one.

The Poison Demon clenched his teeth as he executed his movement arts at maximum output. The sound of wind ripping past brushed his ears, and every time his feet struck the ground, the surrounding scenery changed in a flash.

"Azure. Dragon. Hero…!" He spat out his nemesis's alias, syllable by syllable, biting back his rage.

The wound inflicted by that bastard burned fiercely. He had blocked it by using a useless disciple as a shield, but the sharp blade had still pierced right through the corpse and sank about half an inch into his chest. If it had gone even a bit deeper, it would have punctured his heart.

The Poison Demon felt both anger and a chilling sense of fear at the same time.

How could this be?

He was the Sixth Elder of the Blood Cult, and he had deployed the Myriad Poisons Formation along with his disciples. Even if the Azure Dragon Hero managed to free his arms and utilize his inner qi, it was a battle they should never have lost.

How? He was definitely familiar with the Myriad Poisons Formation. No, he doesn't just know it, he could probably even deploy it himself.

Before he could react, Baek Suryong and Namgung Su had already destroyed the core of the formation. From the way the Azure Dragon Hero had immediately found all the weak points with minimal effort, he definitely knew the weak points of the formation beforehand.

…And it wasn't only the formation that was deciphered.

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When he faced the Azure Dragon Hero one-on-one, he had noticed an even bigger problem.

"He saw through my technique and countered it perfectly, almost as if he'd faced it before…" he mumbled to himself as cold sweat dripped from his forehead.

The reason he couldn't defeat the Azure Dragon Hero even with the power of the disciples was partly because the poison didn't work on him, but mostly because the Azure Dragon Hero had read his technique in advance and countered it.

Therefore, when the Lightning Dragon Hero intervened and killed his disciples, he had no choice but to flee without hesitation. If he had continued to fight at that point, his head would have gone flying in no time.

KA-BOOM!

The Poison Demon concentrated his qi at the Yongquan acupoints on his feet and launched himself forward at full speed.

I must report this!

He had a lot of questions, but one thing was certain—the Azure Dragon Hero Baek Suryong was more dangerous than any venom.

He is far more dangerous than the rumors suggest. He will undoubtedly become the greatest obstacle to our Cult's grand design!

The Poison Demon was not afraid of dying in battle, but the thought of dying like a dog without accomplishing anything terrified him. If he died in vain in a place like this, his decades of living in hiding he had endured for the glory of the Blood Cult would be for naught.

There's still no sign of pursuit.

Realizing that no one was chasing after him, the Poison Demon felt somewhat relieved.

It's probably because of the Lightning Dragon Hero.

Unlike the Azure Dragon Hero, who was unfazed by Mortal Venom, the Lightning Dragon Hero clearly showed signs of poisoning. Their relationship seemed close, so the Azure Dragon Hero would likely prioritize finding the antidote.

I'm not sure how much time that will buy me… but I have to leave Wuhan as quickly as possible.

Even if he had to abandon all plans with the Murim Alliance, he intended to return to the cult. He would go and warn them of the threat posed by the Azure Dragon Hero, and then have him designated as a higher priority assassination target than the Murim Alliance Chairman.

Before he knew it, he had traveled far from the city. Entering a small mountain, he let out a sigh of relief.

"It's quiet around here, so it should be okay to stop here," a voice said from behind him.

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"…!!" Instantly, the Poison Demon spun around and unleashed a palm technique. A dark green streak colored the air as his attack exploded over a wide area, scattering deadly venom in all directions.

It was a tactic designed more to buy time than to kill his opponent, but Baek Suryong ignored the poison and deflected the impact of the palm technique.

"You already know that your poison has no effect on me, right?" he sneered.

"Hiek…!" The moment the Poison Demon saw Baek Suryong, he forgot to run and screeched to a halt, his jaw dropping so low that it looked dislocated.

Baek Suryong grinned. "So we're alone, huh. I came while keeping an eye out, in case there was a trap."

Bright red eyes, vivid crimson hair as if drenched in blood… Also, there's only one martial art that exudes such a tyrannical aura.

"…The Heaven Defying Divine Art!" the Poison Demon shouted with an expression of disbelief.

To think that someone managed to master the Heaven Defying Divine Art to this extent!

The Poison Demon couldn't stop his body from trembling with a different kind of fear than before.

Baek Suryong blinked in confusion. Why do all these cultists react the same way? Should I try to trick him too?

He decided to put on another act. The Bloody Spirit he had slain at Namgung Estate had mistaken him for the Blood Demon, and he had taken advantage of that misunderstanding to extract various information from the guy.

He released a terrifying aura, causing his crimson hair to billow around wildly, while his Blood Demon Eyes blazed as if reflecting the fires of hell.

CRACK!

He stomped powerfully to display his might. "How insolent. How long do you plan to stand before me? Kneel!"

The Poison Demon reflexively dropped to one knee. "…Are you telling me you are the Cult Leader, sir?"

"Then are you saying someone other than me has mastered the Heaven Defying Divine Art?"

"Kufufu, kufufufu…!" The Poison Demon suddenly laughed like a madman.

"What's so funny?"

CHOMP!

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The Poison Demon bit his tongue and swallowed the blood, resisting the Heaven Defying Divine Art. He forced his instinctively bent knees to straighten, then stood up, glaring directly at the Azure Dragon Hero, a chilling killing intent flickering in his eyes.

"Amazing. Who would've thought that someone from outside our Cult could master the Heaven Defying Divine Art?" he snarled through gritted teeth.

"Aww… You caught me. Did I slip up somewhere?" Baek Suryong chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "Anyway, from the looks of it, you seem to know more than the Bloody Spirit."

"Don't you dare compare me to a fool who merely inherited the title of elder instead of earning it. That annoys me…" The Poison Demon paused, as if something had just occurred to him. "…I see. The Fifth Elder was telling the truth after all."

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"The Fifth Elder?"

"Didn't you meet him at Namgung Estate? The Night Emperor, that is."

"……" Baek Suryong furrowed his brow, remembering the Night Emperor's crazed expression as he plunged his sword into the Blue Sky Sword King's stomach.

"…This makes no sense. This can't be happening… There's a candidate I don't know about?"

Among all the masters he had met so far, that one was the most terrifying. He was the kind of lunatic you never wanted to meet again.

Oh, right. That bastard got away.

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It seemed the Night Emperor had reported about him after returning to the Blood Cult's headquarters.

"…The Night Emperor said that the masked man who got in his way had mastered the Heaven Defying Divine Art. Until now, I assumed he had just made up nonsense to dodge responsibility… I never thought that person would be you, Azure Dragon Hero."

"I was thinking that from the start, but I guess I really can't let you live."

"That goes without saying for both of us." The Poison Demon let out a sinister laugh and drew out every last drop of the Mortal Venom he had accumulated over decades. No, even that wasn't enough, so he burned his very life force.

DRIP, DRIP…

A thick, pitch-black poison seeped from the Poison Demon's body, surpassing a dark green hue, and mixed into the energy around him.

Seeing the Poison Demon's resolve, Baek Suryong steeled himself and also drew out his full power.

He's really putting his life on the line, huh. Not that there's any other way to counter the Heaven Defying Divine Art, the pinnacle of all the Blood Cult's martial arts.

ROAR!

A massive vortex surrounded both Baek Suryong and the Poison Demon, until finally, storm clashed against storm. The dark green flow collided with a crimson flow as red as blood, forming a tornado that shot into the sky. Dirt, stones, leaves, and branches were all swept up by the fierce wind and flung in every direction. Rocks shook, and even ancient trees hundreds of years old swayed dangerously.

RUMBLE! CRASH!

Continuous thunder boomed within the tornado as enhanced sword qi and poison qi clashed fiercely. Shockwaves tore through the air and left terrible scars on the ground, and the grass all around blackened. The once-green earth instantly became a barren wasteland where nothing could grow, and not even a single insect could survive in that terrible venom-filled atmosphere.

The two traded dozens, even hundreds of strikes in the blink of an eye. Both of them went all out, so it didn't take long to determine the winner.

SHWAA…

The swirling energy gradually subsided, revealing two figures standing amid a scorched land that looked as though it had been hit by a massive military bombardment.

THUD!

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"…Impressive," the Poison Demon muttered as he fell to his knees, a fist-sized hole through his abdomen. Struggling to lift his head, he looked up at Baek Suryong. "To think the Heaven Defying Divine Art is this complete… I've seen many candidates, but never have I witnessed anyone reach your level."

SHHH…

Baek Suryong's crimson hair and eyes gradually returned to normal. He brushed off the poison clinging to his now-tattered martial arts uniform, then wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. "I've heard the word 'candidate' before. Don't tell me, are you guys teaching the Heaven Defying Divine Art to multiple Cult Leader candidates and having them compete?" he asked grimly.

The Poison Demon nodded readily, an expression of admiration creeping over his face as he studied Baek Suryong. "Your guess is correct. However, none of them have reached your level. Most died because they couldn't handle the Divine Art."

Baek Suryong assumed it was because he was on the verge of death, but even though the light was quickly fading from the Poison Demon's eyes, his expression and tone were strangely frenzied.

Suddenly, the Poison Demon requested, "Azure Dragon Hero. Please become the Blood Demon."

"…What the fuck?"

"You are more than qualified."

Before dying, the Poison Demon wanted to give meaning to the life he had lived as a follower of the Blood Cult.

I'm not dying like a dog, this is martyrdom. If I can offer counsel to the Supreme Lord, then this life was worth living…

In a moment of terminal lucidity, a final, crazed light flared in the his dying eyes. Putting more strength into his voice, he declared fanatically, "If not you, who else is qualified to be the Blood Demon? Your incredible martial prowess, your cunning mind that toys with enemies, your silver tongue, and your unbreakable resolve. Of all the candidates I've seen, you are the one most suited to be the Blood Demon."

Baek Suryong shook his head. "You're delusional. Including you, two elders have died by my hand. Do you seriously think the Blood Cult would let me off the hook?"

"I don't know why you're so hostile to our Cult, but I'm sure even the Apostles would change their minds when they see you, a candidate with such remarkable gifts… You could fulfill our Cult's long-cherished wish…"

SLAM!

Baek Suryong kicked the Poison Demon in the chest, making him cough up blood and collapse backward. "Shut up and tell me where the Blood Cult Headquarters is. You know where it is, right?"

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"I'm sorry… I cannot tell you that while your heart is still filled with hatred for our Cult… but I'll give you this instead."

WHOOSH…

The Poison Demon summoned all the poison qi and lifeforce remaining in his body and condensed it into a bead about the size of a fingertip. Because it was the energy that remained until the very end, it was pure and untainted.

"Depending on how you use this, it could become a poison that kills ten thousand people, or an unparalleled elixir for a poison arts practitioner."

"…The hell? You're giving me a present!?"

"You cannot escape your destiny." A faint smile appeared on the Poison Demon's lips. "…Hail the Blood Demon! Please remember me…"

As his vision faded away, he saw a vision of Baek Suryong as the Blood Demon who had conquered the murim, and himself standing at that man's side.

It is done. This is enough…

He closed his eyes. Slowly, his body melted away, leaving no trace behind save the poison bead.

"Goddamned unhinged religious fanatics…" Baek Suryong groaned as he picked up the poison bead.

It was perfectly refined, and didn't release any poison qi when he held it, so he tucked it into his pocket. He would decide what to do with it later.

"Hoo…" he let out a long sigh.

He had just fought a life-or-death battle with a Blood Cult Elder who had squeezed out even his lifeforce. There was no way he could be perfectly fine. His joints were making strange creaking noises, and he had sustained severe internal injuries.

Still, he had no time to rest.

"Let's see… so Ryu Seol is that way, huh?"

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Baek Suryong stared at the location where two powerful auras were colliding. Fortunately, it wasn't too far away.