CHAPTER 464: A SINCERE WARNING

"He's not this weak?" the Phantom King asked Baek Suryong sharply. Disbelief and anger flickered in his eyes, visible beyond his jade mask. "Are you saying the Third Apostle is going easy on the Black Snake Alliance Chairman?"

His martial arts did not reach the level of the Ten Supremes, but he was an exceptional sorcerer with keen insight.

"If he can afford to be so relaxed against the Black Snake Alliance Chairman, then he must be the world's strongest. However, that's not how it seems to me."

Even now, the two peerless masters were clashing with all their strength. There was no sign of leeway or room for carelessness. Neither could overwhelm the other, and the repeated collisions steadily turned the Zhurong Peak into ruins.

"...I agree. This isn't a fight where one person's going easy on the other," Blue Eyed Freak added.

Although he was not as sarcastic as the Phantom King, he could not agree with Baek Suryong. He gritted his teeth and glared at the Third Apostle, killing intent festering in his blue eyes.

"The Blood Cult..."

During his childhood, the Blood Cult forced him to learn the Blue Eyes Demonic Art in a laboratory. He escaped with the help of an unknown boy, but he still couldn't live a normal life. After committing many crimes to survive, he eventually settled in the Valley of Evil.

Nevertheless, looking at the Third Apostle now, he felt as if he could still hear the screams of his young friends who died in that horrific laboratory echoing in his ears.

Back then, he had caught a fleeting glimpse of the Third Apostle who had come to check on the children learning the Asura Blood Heaven Blade. That first impression was so strong that it remained vivid in his mind, even though a lot of time had passed.

"T-That man's from the Blood Cult?" the Phantom King asked, startled.

The Viridian Scholar looked at Baek Suryong worriedly. "It doesn't look like he's holding back to my eyes either... Do you know him?"

Since the situation was escalating quickly, he no longer cared about listening ears and addressed Baek Suryong as Senior Brother.

"...I didn't mean he's going easy on him," Baek Suryong replied, calmer than before.

The shock of encountering his former trainee had not completely faded, but he was trying to adapt to the situation little by little.

It was bound to happen someday, so it might be better that we met like this now.

He calmed down, reasoning that nothing would change just because it happened sooner than expected. As he carefully observed the Third Apostle's movements, the trembling in his eyes gradually subsided.

He explained, "The Third Apostle has only been blocking the Black Snake Alliance Chairman's attacks since just now."

The Asura Blood Heaven Blade was a martial art characterized by its incredibly dense killing intent. Most of its techniques emphasized offense, employing ferocious assaults that disregarded one's own safety.

However, the Third Apostle was now focused on defending against the Black Snake Alliance Chairman's blade. This did not match the impression of him that Baek Suryong remembered.

CLANG! CLANG!

Meanwhile, the Black Snake Alliance Chairman was thinking the same thing as Baek Suryong.

"I asked what you're scheming!" he roared and swung Crimson Moon ferociously. Wave after wave of blade qi shot out in every direction before overlapping and crashing forward like a savage tsunami.

SWOOSH!

The Third Apostle swung his blade precariously against the raging wave. The image of an asura stained the sky red and confronted the roiling black tide.

ROOOOAR!

It split the waters, tore through it, and advanced with bared fangs. Then, at the right moment, it retreated to catch its breath.

The Black Snake Alliance Chairman's eyebrows twitched impatiently at the calm response. "Let's see how long you can keep dragging this out."

"...You've gotten surprisingly strong."

The darkness emanating from the body of the Black Snake Alliance Chairman raged even more fiercely. The conflict between the two peerless masters had reduced Zhurong Peak to ruins. ṟΑƝo͍𝖇ÈṦ

RUMBLE!

As the two men's energies mixed, a dark red vortex formed with them at its center.

"Get back if you don't want to die!"

"Gather your qi and form a protective aura! Getting caught in the crossfire will cause internal injuries!"

Following the Viridian Scholar and Blue Eyed Freak's call, their subordinates retreated, visibly shaken. Despite being elites of their factions, they struggled just to breathe. An immense pressure crushed the very space in the area.

"Is this truly a battle between humans...?"

Only the unorthodox leaders and Baek Suryong could observe the earth-shattering battle through the storm of energy unharmed.

"...Is that man the Blood Demon?" the Phantom King asked anxiously as he summoned the jiangshi of the Mount Mo Sect around him and formed a defensive formation.

Baek Suryong shook his head, but he could understand the Phantom King's feelings. The sky was dyed red by the Asura Blood Heaven Blade's terrifying divine power. Anyone who saw it was bound to misunderstand.

"No, he's the Third Apostle, one of the peerless masters who assists the Blood Demon," he replied stiffly, but the panic in his voice had subsided.

The Phantom King's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you saying there are more masters like that?"

"......" Baek Suryong did not answer.

CHAENG!

Unable to contain his anger any longer, Blue Eyed Freak drew his sword and stepped forward. "Let's attack together and kill him. If we let the Third Apostle escape today, we'll regret it forever!"

His bright blue eyes were filled with killing intent.

The Viridian Scholar nodded gravely in agreement, but glanced at Baek Suryong to assess his opinion.

"Stop."

However, it was the Soul Hunting Bow Phantom, not Baek Suryong, who stopped Blue Eyed Freak. She glared at Blue-Eyed Freak with a cold gaze. An arrow was nocked on the bow she held lowered at her side.

"Didn't you hear what the Chairman said earlier? No one is to interfere in this fight."

She had watched over the Black Snake Alliance Chairman for ten years while he was in seclusion. She knew better than anyone how important this fight was to him.

Still, Blue Eyed Freak did not back down, instead glaring back at the Soul Hunting Bow Phantom. "That man's a Blood Cult apostle. If we let him escape, will the Black Snake Alliance take responsibility?"

The distance between them was only about three meters—a highly disadvantageous distance for the Soul Hunting Bow Phantom. For Blue Eyed Freak, who had trained his ocular arts to the extreme with the Blue Eyes Demonic Art, there was a chance he could win if he dodged the first arrow.

"How dare you speak of responsibility to me?"

A translucent haze shimmered from the Soul Hunting Bow Phantom. At the same time, the muscles in her bow arm tensed.

The Phantom King joined the explosive argument as well. He faced the Soul Hunting Bow Phantom, seemingly siding with Blue Eyed Freak. The jiangshi followed their master, baring their fangs. "Of course we should attack together while we have the chance. What are you going to do if the Third Apostle summons more of his subordinates?"

"That's impossible. The Third Apostle always moves alone. He probably tracked the Chairman as soon as he learned of his whereabouts. Do you think there are any martial artists in the Blood Cult who could keep up with him?"

The Viridian Scholar, who had been listening quietly, joined the conversation. "I disagree. Let's attack together, but capture him alive instead of killing him. We might be able to extract information about the Blood Cult from him. If the masters present here join forces..."

"...This is your last warning. Nobody move. Not unless you want a hole in your head."

"Are you really going to take on the three of us by yourself? That seems impossible, even for one of the Ten Supremes."

"Ha! These bastards really..."

With the sudden appearance of the Third Apostle, even the unorthodox leaders clashed, unable to come to an agreement.

Only Baek Suryong stayed out of the argument, deep in thought.

The Third Apostle must have a reason for holding back. Either he's wary of the unorthodox leaders gathered here, or he's waiting for reinforcements... Wait, that's it! Could he be waiting for reinforcements from the Blood Cult?

He assumed the worst-case scenario. The apostle fighting over there was his former trainee. Not only that, but the entire de facto leadership currently running the Blood Cult were his trainees.

Especially the First Apostle. In the past, Number One was the leader of the trainees. It was likely no different now.

If I were Number One, what would I do to avoid repeating the same mistake?

The Third Apostle's target was the Black Snake Alliance Chairman, one of the strongest of the Ten Supremes and an opponent he had failed to capture once before.

"Fuck... I wouldn't have sent him here alone, that's for sure."

His intuition bordered on certainty.

BOOM!

Baek Suryong immediately stomped his foot hard on the ground, and the arguing unorthodox leaders all turned to look at him at once.

"Everyone, prepare for battle," he said, releasing the full force of his inner qi. There was no longer any point in hiding his identity.

RUMBLE!

His black martial arts uniform flapped wildly, and his wild blonde hair stood on end. Although he did not use the Heaven Defying Divine Art, a tremendous aura spread out in all directions all the same.

""...!!""

Everyone's jaw dropped in shock, including not only the Phantom King and the Soul Hunting Bow Phantom, but also the Viridian Scholar and the Blue-Eyed Freak, who knew Baek Suryong's true identity. Even the Black Snake Alliance Chairman and the Third Apostle briefly disengaged their crossed blades to stare at him.

CRACK...

A faint crack of emotion appeared on the Third Apostle's expressionless face.

The Black Snake Alliance Chairman frowned, a mix of competitiveness and wariness coloring his features. "Surely you don't intend to interfere with my fight?" he growled.

"Leave the Third Apostle to the Black Snake Alliance Chairman," Baek Suryong commanded, speaking informally without hesitation despite the masters around him. His authority came across so naturally that those listening felt no sense of incongruity. "We'll take on the other one."

"The other one?" The Soul Hunting Bow Phantom tilted her head in confusion.

Baek Suryong turned his head to the west in answer. Despite the incredible distance, a faint presence was approaching swiftly. With every breath, the initially faint presence grew dozens of times stronger.

WHOOSH!

The clouds scattered, and something shot high into the air. It was a tiny figure, like a dot. With each leap, however, it soared over a mountain peak and rapidly increased in size.

"That's...!"

"No way...!"

The unorthodox leaders sensed the presence, and their eyes widened. The approaching presence was no weaker than that of the Apostle fighting the Black Snake Alliance Chairman.

Baek Suryong was the first to recognize the opponent. "The Blood Cult's Fourth Apostle is here," he announced impassively.

No sooner had he spoken than Zhurong Peak shook with a massive impact.

KABOOOOOM!

Rocks were pulverized and dirt scattered everywhere. From within the cloud of dust emerged a man who had landed with slightly bent knees. He straightened up and raised his head.

Although the Fourth Apostle was not as colossal as the Giant Spirit Boss, he radiated a larger and heavier aura than any living creature, as if the very earth supporting the man was screaming under his weight.

"You're late," the Third Apostle grumbled.

The Fourth Apostle gave a small nod instead of a reply.

Baek Suryong sighed inwardly. Another one of his former trainees had shown up.

Number Four...

Fortunately, unlike when he first met the Third Apostle, his wavering heart had now settled completely.

"Everyone, stay sharp," he said, stepping forward.

The terrifying energy of the trainee he had not seen in decades prickled his skin. This coming battle was one he had to take more seriously than ever before.

"Don't try blocking him head-on. Your body might just explode on the spot."

It was a sincere warning.