Chapter 641: My One and Only

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“We meet again because we both still live, Sword Demon.”

The Murim Alliance Chairman had fallen in battle. Known as the Fist King for the countless legends he had forged with his two fists, the peerless master remained proud and unyielding to his very last breath.

“...Amitabha.” The Supreme Buddha gently caught Yayul Hwang’s body as it floated toward him on Baek Suryong’s telekinesis.

His fierce face looked as though it might open its eyes at any moment and bark orders at the Blood Cultists. Even now, it was the face of the Murim Alliance Chairman through and through. Alas, they would never hear his voice again.

“OLD MAN!”

What you are reading is obtained via automation.

Elimination Corps Commander Ryu Seol was the first to rush over. Following close behind here were the other commanders of the Murim Alliance’s Five Corps and their members.

Anger, disbelief, and fear swirled within their eyes. Several martial artists wept, while others vowed to avenge their fallen leader.

After handing over the Chairman’s body to the Murim Alliance, the Supreme Buddha faced forward once more. Standing before him was a man with hair and eyes as red as blood. An abyssal darkness and a blood-red aura churned chaotically around him.

The Blood Demon of this era curled his lips into a crimson arc. “You’re going to kill me?”

The halted Blood Cult forces began to advance slowly once more. The Apostles waited behind their master with expressionless faces, ready to sweep away the murim from the vanguard the moment the order came.

The man blocking his path had an equally rare appearance and a mysterious aura seldom seen in the mortal world, likely from harboring the energy of several divine arts within a single body. Now that the Murim Alliance Chairman was gone, he was probably the person who hated the Blood Cult the most.

“That’s right. I’m going to kill you,” Baek Suryong said calmly, though his words dripped with killing intent.

He had apprenticed under four peerless masters who lost everything to the Blood Cult, and now united the entire murim through his own abilities. Every supreme master present, with senses far surpassing those of ordinary people, could feel the bottomless hatred and fury in his voice.

Lightning bolts flickered ceaselessly in his eyes as he locked gazes with the wicked being.

At the same time, however, doubt crept into the Supreme Buddha’s mind.

Why do these two men seem so strangely alike?

Baek Suryong said, "Shame on you!"

For some reason, he could not easily shake off the bewildering thought.

“Won’t it be hard for you to fight me looking like that?” The Night Emperor cocked his head and stared intently at Baek Suryong. The sneer on his twisted lips came to him as naturally as if he had been born with it.

HISSSSSS...

Part of the billowing red mist seeped into the Night Emperor’s body, healing every last wound the Fist King had inflicted. His broken bones knit themselves back together, and his torn flesh faded in the blink of an eye.

He looked no different from when he had first appeared. Even the words ‘supernatural phenomenon’ could not begin to describe such an inconceivable feat.

“We meet again because we both still live, Sword Demon.”

The Divine Azure Dragon Sword whispered nervously, [...That creature’s heaven-defying, providence-warping energy has reached its peak. It can no longer be called human. Now, it is nothing more than a demon...]

“......” Baek Suryong watched the Night Emperor and the shimmering red mist behind him with a deep, heavy gaze.

The Night Emperor chuckled. “Hmm? Why not reveal it now? Show the world what you really are.”

THUD! THUD!

The halted Blood Cult forces began to advance slowly once more. The Apostles waited behind their master with expressionless faces, ready to sweep away the murim from the vanguard the moment the order came.

We must stop it, no matter what.]

“If you don’t, you won’t be able to stop me, you know?” the Night Emperor taunted again.

[Suryong! His words are not worth listening to!] the Dark Heaven Goddess shouted.

Baek Suryong frowned and tapped the hilt of his sword. “You’re going to burst my eardrums. Have you ever seen me obediently obey someone else’s wishes?”

Namgung Su shook his head in disdain. The ones who are seeing this have disappointed him.

[...For once, that rebellious streak of yours is actually useful.] The Divine Azure Dragon Sword let out a small sigh of relief before turning serious. [We must stop that red mist. It is heaven-defying energy in its purest form. If we leave it be, not even I can guess what kind of phenomena it will give birth to.]

Baek Suryong nodded grimly. Even the Dark Heaven Goddess, the world’s greatest sorcerer, could not read the fate of the heaven-defying. Nor could she predict or prepare for what the heaven-defying energy would do once it gathered in one place. All she could surmise was that it was connected to the Blood Demon’s goal of ‘Dimensional Travel’.

[Never since I began observing the heavens has so much heaven-defying energy gathered in one place. We must stop it, no matter what.]

“Then we’ll have to get rid of the cause first.”

Eun Hwiryong, Empress of the North Sea Ice Palace, and her elders activated a joint attack formation, trapping the Second Apostle’s ice qi within.

Baek Suryong glared at the Night Emperor, who continued to smile nonchalantly.

Bastard! He’s forcing my hand, pressuring me to use the Heaven-Defying Divine Art. He wants me to embrace the Blood Demon inside me and become just like him. Slowly, he’s tightening the noose, luring me into making that choice of my own accord.

Every supreme master present, with senses far surpassing those of ordinary people, could feel the bottomless hatred and fury in his voice.

Now I understand why he’s taking his own sweet time. He’s clearly savoring every moment of my suffering!

“...The murim really is full of perverted bastards.”

Of course, Baek Suryong had no intention of giving his opponent what he wanted.

I can kill him. He isn’t immortal or invincible. The Chairman proved that. The bastard bleeds, and his bones break. If he can regenerate his wounds, then all I have to do is cut off his head before he gets the chance.

“Are you just going to keep hesitating? If you dawdle, everyone’s going to die, you know? I can’t wait forever ei...”

The Night Emperor began rambling, but suddenly stopped midsentence. Baek Suryong was laughing.

“Pfft! Hahaha!”

The Blood Demon of this era curled his lips into a crimson arc.

Although no one in the Orthodox-Unorthodox Alliance saw it, his grin bore an uncanny resemblance to the Night Emperor’s.

“Thanks for waiting,” Baek Suryong said. “We just finished preparing, so I’m ready to start now.”

True to his alias, the Myriad Weapons Emperor, he used the principles of the Flying Sword Technique to wield multiple legendary weapons simultaneously, even cloaking each in enhanced qi.

FWOOSH!

Namgung Su and the Heavenly Martial Principal Jin Ryang landed on either side of Baek Suryong, their long robes billowing in the wind.

“Choosing me was a wise decision,” the Heavenly Martial Principal giggled excitedly. He stared intently at the Night Emperor with bloodshot eyes , his anticipation for the coming battle written all over his face.

“I’ve given all the necessary instructions.” Namgung Su, on the other hand, spoke even more dryly than usual as white lightning crackled across his body. Lightning bolts flickered ceaselessly in his eyes as he locked gazes with the wicked being.

“Namgung Su.” Baek Suryong called out seriously. This could be their final battle, so there was something he had to say. “My request. You remember it, right?”

“Remember, the civilians are behind us!”

“......” Namgung Su nodded wordlessly.

As if that were enough, Baek Suryong did not press the matter further.

“Kukuku... Are you going to gang up on me with these small fries?” The Night Emperor’s face contorted bizarrely, like he was holding back laughter while suppressing his rage.

Namgung Su shook his head in disdain. The ones who are seeing this have disappointed him.

The three peerless masters answered by activating their respective divine arts at full power.

SHWAAAAAK!

The mere release of their energy carved deep, sharp gouges into the ground within a hundred-meter radius. The earth shook wherever the shockwaves spread, as though it might collapse at any moment.

Show the world what you really are.

The martial artists staggered from the sudden quake. By the time they regained their footing, the three peerless masters were upon the Night Emperor.

CLAAAAAANG!

“We meet again because we both still live, Sword Demon.”

First, a flash of light erupted, followed by an explosive roar. The shockwave swept over a kilometer in every direction, leaving martial artists everywhere with ringing ears and scrambled senses.

“...Let us do what we must,” the Sword Sage said after watching the earth-shattering battle for a moment.

The masters of the Orthodox-Unorthodox Alliance nodded and moved as one. Their job was to keep the Apostles from interfering in that fight.

As if by prior arrangement, each of them sought out their designated opponent.

“Amitabha...”

The halted Blood Cult forces began to advance slowly once more. The Apostles waited behind their master with expressionless faces, ready to sweep away the murim from the vanguard the moment the order came.

“We meet again because we both still live, Sword Demon.”

The Supreme Buddha and the Sword Sage blocked the First Apostle’s path together.

The Blood Demon of this era curled his lips into a crimson arc.

“Warriors of the North Sea Ice Palace, get in formation!”

Eun Hwiryong, Empress of the North Sea Ice Palace, and her elders activated a joint attack formation, trapping the Second Apostle’s ice qi within.

True to his alias, the Myriad Weapons Emperor, he used the principles of the Flying Sword Technique to wield multiple legendary weapons simultaneously, even cloaking each in enhanced qi.

“Is it true you defeated the world’s greatest bladesman?”