Translator: Nox

Chapter 199

199

Instead of red blood, thick Demonic Energy scattered in all directions.

Bishop's face contorted with rage as he looked at his left arm convulsing on the floor.

"The brat dares...!"

At the same time, a sinister Qi pressed down on the air, making it hard to breathe.

Thwack!

It felt like a red-hot iron skewer piercing through my shoulder.

The pain of flesh tearing apart made me grind my teeth involuntarily.

Straining my eyes, trying not to bite my tongue, I saw Bishop looking down at me with a demonic face, as if he would devour me.

Before I knew it, Bishop's sword had pierced through my shoulder.

"I wouldn't feel relieved even if I chewed those Dang bastards to the bone...! Always getting in the way! The moment the great cause is achieved, I will surely turn Sichuan into a sea of fire!"

He roared, threw the sword away, and grabbed my neck with his remaining hand.

"Cough! Keheok!"

I struggled to shake off the hand strangling me, but Bishop didn't budge. Rather, he tightened his grip.

My mind grew hazy, and I felt the True energy draining from my body. A dark red mist flickered before my eyes.

Just as my consciousness began to fade, Yeon-ryang shouted sharply.

"Don't touch her!"

Bishop's grip loosened, startled. When he turned around, Yeon-ryang was grinding his teeth and growling.

"If you don't want to ruin the great cause with your own hands, don't touch that child. The moment you do, the precious sacrifice of your cult will blow his own head off."

"Your insolence is still the same. Do you think you're in a position to demand anything?"

"I'll go! I said I'll do whatever you tell me to! Just let the child go!"

Yeon-ryang shouted desperately.

Bishop glared at Yeon-ryang and snorted for a long time, then threw me away like a rag, as if he had finished calculating.

The sensation of the world shaking made me nauseous. I rolled helplessly on the floor. As my airway opened, a cough burst out.

"Cough, cough...! Ptooey!"

I spat out blood-stained saliva and reached for the floor, but my left arm had no strength. It seemed the nerves had been crushed when the sword pierced through.

The stench of blood was so strong it numbed my nose. The world was all red.

I bit the tender flesh inside my mouth hard as my vision kept blurring.

Wake up.

You won't die just because one arm is gone. Stop the bleeding first. You touched it. You can do it. You can kill him.

As I ran my tongue over the sensation of the tattered flesh, my head cleared and my vision sharpened.

I tore off the Long robe sleeve with my teeth and crawled on the floor, trying to tie the bleeding area with one hand.

If my left arm swayed, my center of gravity would be unstable. To use my right arm, I had to tie my shoulder tightly so it wouldn't move on its own.

Swallowing curses, I tightened the knot with my trembling teeth. Meanwhile, Bishop, who had picked up the severed arm, took the Qi of his subordinate and reattached the dangling flesh.

However, Bishop's left arm did not move as freely as before. Rather, the skin where it was reattached was rotting black.

"This, you son of a...! Master and disciple are both crazy wild dogs!"

He glared at me as if he would kill me, pressing on the Blood Vessels to prevent the Poison from spreading.

He wanted to tear me apart right away, but he seemed to be enduring it to manipulate Yeon-ryang as he pleased.

Strangely, I wasn't afraid of the fiercely pouring murderous intent. Rather, I laughed.

I wondered why his wrist was severed. It seemed the Poison Qi in Grandfather's Internal Martial Arts had left a wound that Demonic Energy could not heal.

I should have cut out his heart instead of his arm. I should have slit his throat in one go.

I should have killed him with my own hands.

When I gave strength to my bloodshot eyes without losing heart, Bishop cursed and turned his head away.

"Those vicious eyes, I will surely gouge them out someday."

Who's saying what I want to say.

I wanted to retort with a sneer, but I didn't have the luxury.

Because a lump of blood was surging up, and I was coughing incessantly.

The twisted Energy Channels blocked the flow of True energy, and my intestines ached as if they were being cut off.

The pebbles embedded in my fingertips as I scratched the ground caused wounds, but I was too numb to feel the pain.

I felt like I was going crazy because my body wouldn't move as I wanted.

Why...! Why isn't it working...!

Just one moment, no, even a single Martial art move is enough. Even if I die here, let me kill that bastard and die!

Contrary to my desperate wish, strength was gradually draining from my limbs.

All I could do was lie helplessly on the floor and squirm.

I barely raised my head and looked at Yeon-ryang. He was trying not to look at me, staring only at his toes.

Meanwhile, Bishop, who had struck the neck of his subordinate who was trembling and guarding the place, threw the body at Yeon-ryang.

"Absorb him."

"......"

"You said you would follow my will with your own mouth. Don't resist and swallow him quietly. What are you going to do with that body? Your body is a vessel to be used for the great cause."

When Yeon-ryang kept his mouth shut, Bishop frowned and strode over, sucking out the Qi of the Demonic Cultist.

He forcibly opened Yeon-ryang's mouth and shoved the dark red Qi into it.

"Keheok, keok!"

Yeon-ryang, who had forcibly swallowed a person's Qi, coughed painfully.

Unlike his appearance of twisting his body in horror, the Demonic Energy, which had been surging wildly as if about to explode, was noticeably stabilizing.

Yeon-ryang's dark red hair was now a clear blood color.

Bishop, who had transferred the Qi until the blood returned to Yeon-ryang's bloodless face, flicked his hand and snapped at Yeon-ryang.

"I'll give you one dakyeong. If you run away again, I'll tear the flesh off that girl alive, so behave yourself."

"......I'll go soon."

Bishop snorted at the reluctant answer and turned his back, glaring at me with eerie eyes.

An emotion that could not be expressed in words flashed across Yeon-ryang's face as he met my gaze, then disappeared.

It was only a fleeting moment, but I could tell. He had clearly made a decision.

"Brother, no..."

I shook my head and tried to reach Yeon-ryang, scratching the floor.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't lift my body.

Every time I put strength into my arm to get up, blood gushed from my pierced shoulder.

Every time I took a step, my knees buckled. All the muscles in my body wouldn't listen.

All I could do was flounder in place like a person drowning in a swamp.

Yeon-ryang bit his lip at my struggles and picked up the sword lying on the floor.

Yeon-ryang's shoulders, using the broken sword as a cane and staggering, looked particularly small.

"...So-hye."

He called me with difficulty and carefully stroked my head with his large hand.

"Brother... Brother... has to go now."

Guilt flashed in his blood-red eyes.

I felt like I was going crazy when I realized what Yeon-ryang was trying to do.

He was trying to knock me unconscious with his own hands.

"Don't. Don't touch me. Brother. I'll never forgive you for the rest of my life."

Yeon-ryang only smiled bitterly at my threat.

"Yeah. Don't forgive me."

"Our sister is too kind to hate anyone properly. What should I do."

"Hey! You really!"

I grabbed Yeon-ryang's sleeve in desperation, speaking informally, but he didn't seem to be willing to give in as usual.

He was just gently taking my hand away.

"I should have sent you straight home... I was greedy for nothing, and now you're seeing something you shouldn't. I'm sorry."

"Don't. Don't do it!"

"Brother... was happy. I was so happy it was scary."

The muscles in Yeon-ryang's cheeks trembled as he spoke with difficulty. I pleaded.

"Brother, Brother. It's my fault. Don't do that. Don't do it. Okay? I'll listen to you. If you tell me to go to the Alliance, I'll go to the Alliance, and if you tell me to go home, I'll go home. So please don't do that. Don't do it. Please..."

Tears kept blurring my vision. Yeon-ryang wiped my eyes instead of answering.

His actions, as if it were the last time, as if he would never see me again, made me feel like I was losing my mind.

I sniffled and held Yeon-ryang's hand tightly.

His hand, held obediently in mine, was wet and sticky with blood. I couldn't tell if it was his blood or mine.

"Don't forgive Brother. Resent him as much as you want. But only resent Brother. You mustn't hate the world. Got it?"

"Brother, please... Please..."

"Now forget about Demonic Sect guys and live your life. Don't ruin yourself because of Brother, and don't build up grudges. Let's make a promise with Brother. Let's pretend it was a bad dream and forget everything."

"Forget what! Don't talk crazy!"

My hoarse voice cracked horribly, and blood surged up from my throat.

Yeon-ryang, who smiled forcibly while biting his lip, reached out to me. I tried to avoid it, but my body, which had been soaked in Poison, could not avoid Yeon-ryang's hand.

Yeon-ryang, who touched my Blood Vessels, slowly laid me down on the floor and whispered.

"Good girl. I sent the fur ball to find the Poison King. He'll bring the Poison King soon. Let's hold on until then. Our sister can do it, right?"

"I don't want to... Don't go... Don't leave me, Brother..."

"Shh, you'll be fine when you wake up. Everything will be fine."

Yeon-ryang's hand, which had gently stroked my cheek, slowly moved away.

My whole body was burning hot. It also felt as cold as ice.

I struggled not to close my eyes, but I kept losing strength. It was as if something was blocking my eyes, and I couldn't see anything.

"...I'm sorry."

What, what are you sorry for. Brother didn't do anything wrong, so what are you sorry for?

I wanted to shout at him not to say stupid things, but now I couldn't even hear my own breathing.

The world was silent, as if sinking into the deep sea.

No.

Not yet, not yet.

Move. Move quickly!

I thrashed and reached out towards Yeon-ryang's fading presence, but not even a single finger moved as I wanted.

Soon, a thick darkness swallowed me.