SWISH, SWISH...
For a long time, the only sound in the quiet room was the swish of a brush scratching across paper.
"The enemy is probably... no, it must be the Blood Cult," Baek Suryong concluded, setting down his brush and reviewing what he had written. The paper was filled with neat calligraphy. This task had taken him much longer than usual, as he was organizing his thoughts as he wrote.
Despite the lack of clear evidence, he was quite certain that Ak Bi had joined forces with the Blood Cult. Beyond logical deduction, his intuition told him so. Or perhaps it was simply inevitable.
"They'll target me first. I've humiliated the Blood Cult several times, so from their perspective, I'm the most threatening target. This time, they will surely strike back with a vengeance..."
Baek Suryong calmly analyzed the enemy's motives, pausing only to look out the window. A single meteor was streaking diagonally across the night sky.
Gazing at the shooting star, he thought of Number Four, who had left as suddenly as he had appeared.
[What are you thinking so hard about?] the Divine Azure Dragon Sword asked.
Baek Suryong smiled awkwardly. "I was just wondering if I should have held him back."
Where did Number Four go? He might have returned to the Blood Cult. He may have decided to go away for a while. He might return after the fight is over. I hope he travels somewhere far away and never returns to the Central Plains.
Could he settle down somewhere and live a normal life, though? Given his strong will and intelligence, I'm sure he'd do well no matter what path he chooses. If we were to meet again someday after the Blood Cult has completely fallen, then...
He sighed. "In any case, the Blood Demon's sorcery carved onto his heart is gone."
The Divine Azure Dragon Sword joked, [Your students tend to be disobedient, don't they?]
Baek Suryong chuckled at the surprisingly accurate observation. Tapping the sword with his finger, he replied, "That's true...but it's not like I can do anything about it."
For a moment, the expression on Number Four's face bothered him, but he quickly shook his head to dismiss his concern. Now was the time to prioritize the students' safety. Number Four's future would have to wait.
"When that guy wakes up, explain everything to him," he said, placing the now-dried letter on a table where it could be easily seen and setting the Divine Azure Dragon Sword on top of it like a paperweight.
The Divine Azure Dragon Sword groaned anxiously. [You sound like someone leaving behind a last will and testament.]
Baek Suryong blinked in bewilderment. "What kind of unlucky talk is that?" he blurted out, before glancing at Namgung Su, who was still floating cross-legged in midair above the bed. "That guy's still lost in a state of selflessness and has no idea what's going on. I only wrote a letter to inform him of my decisions in case I'm not here when he awakens."
CRACKLE, SPARK!
Namgung Su's eyes were closed, revealing that he remained deep in a trance. Lightning flickered in and out of existence inside a translucent, circular energy barrier around him, a protective sorcery cast by the Divine Azure Dragon Sword. Thankfully, the spell blocked all the energy waves and noise. Otherwise, the entire room would have been reduced to ashes.
"What a violent epiphany! Just how much stronger is he trying to get?" Baek Suryong mumbled, shaking his head. He looked at the Divine Azure Dragon Sword again. "It'd be a relief if he wakes up before things start, but if something happens, I'll be too busy to pay him any mind."
He couldn't just wake Namgung Su carelessly. Not only would he lose a once-in-a-lifetime enlightenment, he could also fall into qi deviation. Therefore, he decided to have the Divine Azure Dragon Sword protect and conceal Namgung Su until he woke up.
The Divine Azure Dragon Sword sighed at the inevitable situation. [How frustrating. To think I can't stay by your side at a time like this. That thing isn't good enough to help you fully unleash your strength.]
VMMMM!
Crimson Moon vibrated at Baek Suryong's waist, as if snorting in derision.
The Divine Azure Dragon Sword retorted, [Serve your master well! Otherwise, you'll be used as a fire poker when I return!]
VMMMM!
Baek Suryong chuckled as he witnessed the Divine Azure Dragon Sword attempting to assert its seniority, only to be completely ignored by Crimson Moon. He patted both divine weapons fairly and stood up.
Glancing at Namgung Su one last time, he whispered seriously, "Namgung Su, I'm sure you'll handle any situation calmly. You did so at the Namgung Estate, after all."
"......"
"Wake up soon."
Baek Suryong opened the door and stepped outside. Dawn was breaking, marking the beginning of the last day of the school trip.
Ak Yeonho was the first to arrive at the training ground. Spotting Baek Suryong, he approached, asking, "How's Gungsu-hyung?"
"Same as before," Baek Suryong replied. "I left him a letter to update him on the situation, since there won't be time once activities begin. What about you? Did you notice anything unusual?"
Ak Yeonho nodded subtly at the Shandong Ak Clan martial artists, who had been moving about busily since dawn. "I've been watching, but there's nothing suspicious," he whispered. "The people who remained here really don't seem to know anything."
Baek Suryong nodded. Today's school trip schedule included a spearmanship and formations demonstration by the masters of the Shandong Ak Clan. This meant that the Ak Clan masters would naturally gather in one place.
If Ak Bi were to make a move, that would be the perfect moment.
However, an unexpected variable soon emerged.
"Ak Bi still hasn't returned?"
Ak Bi left at dawn on the second day and still hadn't returned to the branch family estate. None of the subordinates he took with him had returned either.
Something's off. The Shandong Ak Clan couldn't possibly start something without Ak Bi. He must know that the Fire King and I alone can wipe out the entire fighting force present here. Did he sense something and back out?
Baek Suryong furrowed his brow as he considered the possibilities. He stared distantly at the main gate, where the rising sun was slowly pushing back the night.
"Hyung-nim."
"Orabeoni."
Myeong Il'oh and Jaegal Soyeong approached, visibly anxious. They had just returned from checking their assigned areas after hearing the news from Ak Yeonho.
"There was no unusual movement in the areas we checked."
"The overall atmosphere does seem a bit restless, though."
"I see. Understood."
Baek Suryong thought for a moment, then asked Myeong Il'oh and Jaegal Soyeong to keep watch. Next, he beckoned to Ak Yeonho. "Yeonho, come with me for a moment."
"Yes?"
They went to an indoor training hall, away from prying eyes.
Baek Suryong closed the door, set up a sound barrier, and whispered, "There's still some time before the morning activities begin. With your talent, you should be able to learn it by then."
"...Learn what?"
Baek Suryong recalled Ak Bi's fight with Namgung Su. He hadn't just watched it purely for entertainment. In his past life, he developed a habit of reading an opponent's subconscious habits and repetitive behaviors whenever he got the chance. Moreover, Ak Bi had revealed more trump cards than intended while fighting an unexpectedly strong opponent with his inner arts restricted.
He began, "When he was fighting Namgung Su, Ak Bi was on pretty high alert, so his weaknesses weren't so obvious, but..."
"Wait, what?! Who fought with Gungsu-hyung?" Ak Yeonho interjected.
"...Anyway, if you do it right, it should be possible at least once."
"What on earth are you talking about?"