The eastern sky gradually began to brighten. As the dim light of dawn pushed back the darkness, part of the collapsed gorge came into view, revealing the most horrific scene of carnage in decades.
The blue uniforms of the Azure Dragon Academy had turned red, a testament to the life-or-death struggles they had all endured.
"No, no..."
It was the same for the Azure Dragon Academy.
"You can't lose consciousness! You'll be treated soon, so stay with me!"
"This is a lie, right? You're just scaring me, right? Stop pretending to be dead, or I might get really angry."
"We will move immediately. The seriously injured will be carried on stretchers, and the students will protect the injured while maintaining a defensive formation."
The long, dark night had finally come to an end. Between the shouts and screams and the nauseating stench of blood, everyone had either stayed wide awake from shock and pain or fallen into an eternal slumber, never to open their eyes again.
Now, some wailed while clutching cold corpses. Some groaned from their injuries. Some searched for enemies with bloodshot eyes. Others laughed hysterically as if they had lost their minds.
If not for Yeon Soha, he would have already transformed into the Sword Phantom and gone on a killing spree.
Wiji Cheon headed in the direction that Namgung Su had indicated. As he walked, the number of bodies around him increased. Whenever he spotted a familiar face among the corpses, he involuntarily squeezed the hilt of the Soul Sword more tightly.
If hell were to manifest in the mortal world, would it look like this?
Most of the dead were Blood Cultists and the Ak Clan martial artists, but he occasionally saw bodies clad in orange or blue school uniforms.
"You had reason to be confident. You are indeed quite strong," a woman clad in pure white said hollowly, surrounded by wind.
I wonder if Suhyeok and the seniors are okay. Senior Yoo Yiran and the SRS students too. And Senior Dokgo Jun, Senior Tang Soso, Senior Mok Hyungwoo with his injured back, seniors and friends from my classes, and even that Namgung Seok who always huffs and puffs as he vows to beat me next time.
"There is something this old man must do."
Back then, he hadn't fully understood why his grandfather volunteered to go to a place he had fled his entire life, or why they couldn't just stay together at the White Dragon Manor, but now he realized the horror the Blood Cult could cause.
"Don't worry and wait for me. I will definitely rescue the Elder."
After his grandfather, his teacher had also voluntarily walked into the Blood Cult's trap, and there had been no news since.
Wiji Cheon headed in the direction that Namgung Su had indicated. As he walked, the number of bodies around him increased. Whenever he spotted a familiar face among the corpses, he involuntarily squeezed the hilt of the Soul Sword more tightly.
Still, he wasn't too worried. No matter how dangerous the trap, Baek Suryong would return like he always did. There couldn't be any martial artist stronger than the Azure Dragon Hero.
Lunging forward, he swung his sword in an upward arc.
"The Blood Cult..." Wiji Cheon muttered, biting his lip hard. The sword qi forming on his blade was chillingly sharp as he swung it at his enemies, tearing every Blood Cult followers who stood in his way to shreds.
Yeon Soha fixed him with a stern look. "Calm down. The Killing Sword will lead directly to qi deviation if you don't suppress it properly. You know that, don't you?"
"!" Wiji Cheon snapped back to his senses and took a deep breath. If not for Yeon Soha, he would have already transformed into the Sword Phantom and gone on a killing spree. "...I'm sorry."
Yeon Soha nodded. "You regained your composure quickly, so you must have a lot of experience. Let's go."
"Yes."
There was no time to delay if they wanted to save even one more person. The later they arrived, the greater the damage would be.
Wiji Cheon steeled his wavering heart, quickened his pace, and stopped checking the faces of the corpses.
WHOOSH!
The two of them ran without stopping, but being prodigies did not make them immune to exhaustion. They were both injured, their inner qi depleted, and blood dripped from their wounds. Worse, the mental toll on them was immense.
Both teenagers instinctively realized that they would not have been able to endure this ordeal alone. Fortunately, they found great comfort and strength in each other, and occasionally exchanged words to lighten the heavy atmosphere.
Yeon Soha suddenly began, "Hey, about the Azure Dragon Hero... Has he always fought horrible battles like this with the Blood Cult? Out of everyone born after the war, he's fought them the most, hasn't he?"
Wiji Cheon hesitated before replying, "I don't know everything about Mr. Baek, but I believe that is correct..."
He abruptly stopped talking and lowered his stance. Another enemy blocked their path.
Lunging forward, he swung his sword in an upward arc.
SPLURT!
Blood gushed from the Blood Cultist's pierced heart.
A large-scale movement began as the Shandong Ak Clan, the Azure Dragon Academy, and the Vermilion Phoenix Academy moved into action.
Wiji Cheon glanced to his side and saw Yeon Soha punching a hole through another enemy's neck.
"So you don't know everything, but you still think so?"
Everyone felt that the battle, which had lasted a full day and night, was reaching its final phase.
"I know he's fighting a battle more difficult than anyone else's. He always has. That's why I want to get stronger faster, so I can be of help to Mr. Baek."
"Soha! Are you okay?" Sama Yeong ran over, wrapped her arms around Yeon Soha, and checked her all over for injuries.
Wiji Cheon put more strength into his legs. Their destination was not far away now.
"You want to get even stronger than you are now? At your age?" Shaking her head, Yeon Soha kept pace beside him.
Blood gushed from the Blood Cultist's pierced heart.
A short while later, the two discovered martial artists battling Blood Cultists in the largest-scale fight they had seen so far.
Among the combatants, Wiji Cheon's eyes were drawn to the two giants leading the charge and the boy wielding a black blade that exuded a demonic aura.
"Seniors!" he cried out. Even without inner qi, his voice boomed like a Lion's Roar.
"When the fighting is all over, let's recover their bodies together."
Geo Sangwoong, Ya Suhyeok, and Hyonwon Kang immediately glaced back, recognizing their junior's voice.
"Cheon!"
Even now, the painful memory of the Mount Tianzhu Massacre haunted the Vermilion Phoenix Academy. The Fire King's and the instructors' fierce determination to prevent a repeat of the tragedy had driven them to fight with the students' protection as their first priority.
"Jicheon!"
"Seniors! Suhyeok!"
Wiji Cheon sprinted toward his friends. Everyone's uniform was stained with blood, and not a single one of them was unscathed, but they smiled brightly upon confirming each other's safety. After all, there was no more joyous news on a battlefield.
Finally, the Five Young Azure Dragons were reunited...or not. Geo Sangwoong, Ya Suhyeok, Hyonwon Kang, Dokgo Jun, Tang Soso, and Mok Hyungwoo welcomed Wiji Cheon. The blue uniforms of the Azure Dragon Academy had turned red, a testament to the life-or-death struggles they had all endured.
However, one person was conspicuously missing.
Puzzled, Wiji Cheon asked, "Where's Senior Yeo Min?"
"She hasn't arrived yet. Well, knowing her, she'll probably show up soon," Hyonwon Kang answered, trying his best to sound nonchalant.
However, one person was conspicuously missing.
Everyone sighed. They knew Hyonwon Kang was the one waiting most anxiously for Yeo Min.
At the same time, Yeon Soha also reunited with the Vermilion Phoenix Academy instructors and students.
"Soha! Are you okay?" Sama Yeong ran over, wrapped her arms around Yeon Soha, and checked her all over for injuries.
"I'm fine," Yeon Soha replied. "What about you, Miss Sama?"