On a pleasant, breezy September morning, the Azure Dragon Academy's largest festival, the Azure Dragon Festival, kicked off.

"Get a load of these sweets! They're so good, you wouldn't know if your friend died eating one right next to you!"

"Azure Dragon Festival commemorative headbands! Buy a souvenir!"

"Wooden swords engraved with 'Azure Dragon Hero' for sale! Get one for your child!"

"Sir, do you have one that says 'Lightning Dragon Hero'?"

"Of course I do!"

The entire city bustled with energy incomparable to a normal day. For the past several days, merchants had been screaming with joy at the flood of customers. Peddlers had set up stalls on every street, while musicians, theater troupes, acrobatic troupes, and storytellers, who were usually a rare sight, put on their best performances.

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"Puhahaha! Look at that!"

"Master musician! Play us a tune!"

Excited by the festive atmosphere and captivated by the vibrant sights and sounds, the people opened their wallets more easily than usual , putting pleased smiled on the faces of the merchants and entertainers. Although the Azure Dragon Academy gates had not yet opened, the city was already abuzz with activity.

However, whenever a large crowd gathered, all sorts of crimes and incidents were bound to increase.

"It's a fight!"

CRASH!

Two men burst out of an inn, shattering the door, and hurled vicious insults at each other. They were both martial artists, and the reek of alcohol wafted from their bodies.

"Say that again, you son of a bitch, and I'll chop you limb from limb."

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"You think you can kill me with your pathetic skills? I'll gouge out your useless eyeballs that can't even recognize who you're up against."

Passing pedestrians scattered in fear. Getting caught up in a fight between martial artists could easily cost an ordinary person his or her life.

"Both of you, put down your weapons," a voice said icily.

The two martial artists, who were on the verge of drawing their swords, glanced toward the speaker and sneered.

"What right does a mere constable have to meddle in the affairs of martial artists?"

"Get lost if you don't want to die. Haven't you ever heard of the principle of non-interference?"

The constable sighed. Unfortunately for those two, they lacked the skill to sense his aura or distinguish a chief inspector from a constable based on his uniform.

"...Non-interference between the government and the murim. That's the excuse I hate the most." Chief Inspector Cheong Cheon stared coldly at the two drunken martial artists, the wrecked inn, and the frightened onlookers. "For the crime of destroying property, being drunk, and obstructing justice, I am arresting you on the spot."

"Ha! Try it if you ca-"

Cheong Cheon vanished.

POW! WHAM!

Two strikes was all it took. Cheong Cheon easily broke the noses of the two troublemakers with his scabbard and struck their acupoints, causing them to cry out in pain and crash to the ground.

"It's Hell Judge Cheong Cheon!"

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"Woooah!"

Cheong Cheon frowned. "...This has become troublesome."

Most of the cheers came from civilians. His arrest rate for criminal martial artists was unparalleled, earning him the fearsome alias of Hell Judge. Rumor had it that he had crippled over a hundred martial artists with his outstanding skills and merciless approach.

Sighing, he entrusted the criminals to some nearby constables. "Bind these men and throw them in prison."

"Yes, sir!"

"Do not let your guard down for even a moment. We must secure the city during the festival. If you see any suspicious activity, report it to me immediately."

"Yes, sir!"

Cheong Cheon adjusted his bamboo hat and melted back into the crowd. He preferred to patrol alone, as it was much faster and more efficient.

Some time later, he briefly met up with Cheoldu, the Sect Leader of the Rehabilitation Sect.

"How are things on your end, Cheong Cheon-hyungnim?"

"There have been no particularly suspicious movements."

Despite it being autumn, Cheoldu wandered the streets in a sleeveless martial arts uniform, looking at first glance like an unorthodox thug who had conquered the back alleys. Contrary to his appearance, however, he was now a respectable orthodox sect member.

Cheoldu shook his head as if he were sick of the teeming crowd. "This is nothing like last year. No, has the city ever been flooded with so many visitors?"

"I'm quite sure there will be more people here today than in at least the last ten years."

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"Heh! To think, so many people came just for the Azure Dragon Festival..."

"Actually, they probably came to catch a glimpse of Baek Suryong."

"What's the difference?"

Cheoldu smirked faintly and looked at the distant Azure Dragon Academy, where a huge crowd waited for the gates to open. Due to the large turnout since early morning, the academy had temporarily closed its gates until the festival preparations were finished.

"...The Azure Dragon Hero. Once again, I'm reminded of what an amazing man we've formed a connection with."

"He was never ordinary from the moment we first met."

To both of them, Baek Suryong was a benefactor who had changed their lives. Cheong Cheon had learned a fake demonic art with severe side effects, but was saved when Baek Suryong taught him the real version. Cheoldu, a back-alley ruffian, would have also been killed by the White-Haired Demon if he hadn't met Baek Suryong.

They owed Baek Suryong a great deal. While they couldn't meet him often now that the Azure Dragon Hero was world-famous, they had never forgotten the favor he had done them.

Cheoldu grinned. "If the rumors are true, the Azure Dragon Hero is going around making people owe him debts of gratitude everywhere. They say people need to line up to just to repay his kindness."

"What a nasty hobby. Then again, it's just like him."

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"If we're talking about getting in line for order, I'd say we should be pretty near the front, right? We can't pass up this opportunity."

Cheong Cheon smirked faintly and lowered his voice. "As this is something he personally requested, we cannot afford to make any mistakes."

"Of course. I've told the kids to report even the most minor suspicious activity," Cheoldu replied seriously, his scarred muscles twitching as if ready to explode into action at any moment.

Even when he had only learned third-rate techniques commonly found in the marketplace, he had fought against masters who had learned authentic martial arts. Now, after training tirelessly in the Thunderclap Axe he learned from Baek Suryong, he now exuded the aura of a true martial artist.

Nodding slightly, Cheong Cheon asked, "How are things on the Beggars' Gang side?"

"I'm in constant contact with the Branch Manager. The beggars are out for blood, especially after what happened to their Chief recently. How is the Rogues' Guild?"

"The waiters are recording all the guests who have come from outside the city."

A few days ago, Baek Suryong had contacted the two of them and instructed them to watch for any suspicious activity in the city during the Azure Dragon Festival.

"The Blood Cult will make a move. They'll most likely target me during the festival, but just in case, they might target others. In the worst-case scenario, they might try to cause a massacre in the city."

"...!"

From that day on, Cheong Cheon and Cheoldu mobilized all available personnel and began secretly surveilling the area around the Azure Dragon Academy. The Rogues' Guild and the Beggars' Gang were also on high alert, leveraging their information networks to the fullest.

"Let's set up a perimeter around the Azure Dragon Academy and wait for them."

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Baek Suryong's aim was to be fully prepared for any emergency outside the academy.

"I'll take care of things inside the academy myself, so don't worry about it. You guys just stay on guard so that no unfortunate incidents happen outside."

As per Baek Suryong's instructions, only the minimum number of personnel were dispatched to the Azure Dragon Academy for communication. The Azure Dragon Hero was there. There was no need to worry about the kids' safety.

"If by any chance a villain escapes from the academy, don't let them get away."

Cheong Cheon shook his head, recalling Baek Suryong's cheerful expression as he talked about catching assassins. "The Blood Cult probably can't imagine that the entire city, not just the Azure Dragon Academy, is filled with Baek Suryong's eyes and ears."

"I hope some of them try to escape. That way, we'll get our turn, yeah?"

"Such childish talk."

As the two conversed while looking at the academy, the main gates began to swing open.

"The gate is opening!"

A huge crowd immediately flooded into the academy. While the assassin targeting Baek Suryong might be among them, Cheong Cheon and Cheoldu weren't bothered. They knew this noisy festival was also a trap that Baek Suryong had set for the Blood Cult.

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Cheong Cheon muttered, "...We'll protect the city no matter what, so I hope he can enjoy the festival to his heart's content."

A moment later, voices chanting the Azure Dragon Hero's praises echoed from within the academy, as if responding to his wish.

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From a hill overlooking the Azure Dragon Academy, a man wearing a black bamboo hat observed the city below.

"It seems information leaked from our Cult," he remarked with a hint of amusement in his voice. There was no one around, yet the man muttered to himself as if someone were there.

"It's a trap. A surveillance net has been cast around the Azure Dragon Academy. The Beggars' Gang, the Rogues' Guild, and the government are all in cahoots. If I hadn't known, I would've been in for a nasty surprise. No, perhaps he has even calculated that I've already noticed..."

The man in the black hat turned around and faced other men wearing the same black hats as him. They stood in a line like ghosts, but no one knew when they had appeared.

"Now I understand why two of our Cult's elders died at the Azure Dragon Hero's hands. Baek Suryong is far more cunning and meticulous than I imagined. We must not treat him as a typical orthodox master.

"......"

There was no answer, as the men had been trained not to speak unless permitted. Silence was a basic virtue of an assassin, after all.

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"As you all know, Seventh Shroud died here about half a year ago. We of Deathshroud have had quite a bit of trouble because of that. I had my suspicions before, but now I am certain. That too was the work of the Azure Dragon Hero."

The men in black hats flickered like illusions, despite being obviously present.

"Haha! He is so cunning that he deliberately leaves himself open just to lure me out. I almost fell for his bait several times!"

He wasn't usually so talkative. Baek Suryong was just that special.

"Well, even if it's a trap, nothing changes. Your mission is to eliminate the Azure Dragon Academy's key figures."

He had brought most of the remaining Deathshroud assassins.

Did the Azure Dragon Hero expect this too?

If so, then Baek Suryong must be an even more intuitive man than he thought, because many of his acquaintances would not be able to enjoy the entire festival.

"It would be disappointing if he assumes that all his friends will be safe after killing two of our Cult's elders."

The man who had been muttering to himself and smirking turned to the other men in black. "After approaching your respective targets, wait for my signal. Any questions?"

One of the men in black hats momentarily solidified. "I heard the top priority mission is the capture or elimination of the Azure Dragon Hero. After we finish our missions, should we engage the Azure Dragon Hero in a pincer attack?"

Skykiller smiled faintly and shook his head. "If you attack him without permission, I will kill you. He is mine, and mine alone."

A ripple of agitation washed over the assassins. Despite Skykiller's friendly and gentle demeanor, the Deathshroud assassins sensed a chilling killing intent in the man's smile.

"I will carry out my mission independently, as I have always done. Do not interfere with my art. After you finish your respective missions, you can either run away or enjoy the festival. Do as you please."

Skykiller was the strongest assassin the Blood Cult had trained to kill peerless masters. While he hadn't gone on many killing sprees, each time he took action, he orchestrated an assassination that sent shockwaves through the jianghu.

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"I should get going as well. I might be suspected if I'm late." Skykiller smiled gently and started down the hill. "I'll send a signal when the time is right. Until then, I hope you all hide well."

Again, there was no answer.

The wind that had been blowing on the hill just a moment ago simply subsided.