Chapter 157
The title made Yerin flinch.
Even though she knew that this being before her was no longer Se-jin, every time it called her like that…
‘I keep wanting to believe that Se-jin has returned.’
She found herself pathetic for such thoughts and bit her lips so hard they bled.
“Actually, I…”
The Blood Demon continued in a soft voice.
“If I could, I would take you, Master, and hide away in some remote, uncharted place where no one could ever reach us.”
With a face twisted with the desire to bring ruin to the world with bloodshed, the true nature of the Blood Demon showed.
The Blood Demon looked at Yerin as though it would devour her.
“I mean it.”
If obsession could be shaped into a human form, it would look like the Blood Demon.
Without even realizing it, Doyul shook himself out of that thought.
‘This… is dangerous.’
Doyul tensed up, tightly gripping his sword.
However, the Blood Demon paid him no attention at all. Its eyes only focused on Yerin.
“A secret place where only I can enter and leave.”
The Blood Demon’s eyes were like bottomless pits.
The moment their gazes met, it felt as though one could be pulled into the depths.
It was as though Yerin would forever lose her way in those eyes.
An overwhelming presence.
“I would lock you away, Master, so that no one could reach you and make you look only at me…”
By now, an ominous aura was radiating from the Blood Demon.
A fusion of all the negative emotions that any living being would instinctively avoid.
The Blood Demon twisted its lips into a smile.
“I want to be with you forever.”
At that moment, Doyul desperately turned his gaze to Yerin.
‘Please, my lady.’
The intensity of the emotions pouring from the Blood Demon made it hard to breathe.
All these emotions, all driven by a single obsession — the desire to possess Yerin.
If Doyul was struggling this much, how much harder would it be for Yerin, the object of those emotions?
The short silence before Yerin responded felt like an eternity.
Then, finally.
“That won’t happen.”
Yerin firmly shook her head.
At that moment, the Blood Demon’s aura collapsed.
The frenzied smile slowly faded, and a hint of sadness clouded the deep black eyes.
“Yes, I know.”
“…”
“I know that you wouldn’t want that, Master.”
Muttering to itself, the Blood Demon slowly knelt down.
Its gaze had lowered.
The Blood Demon stretched out both hands and reverently gripped Yerin’s collar.
“Therefore, this disciple, humbly asks, Master.”
The Blood Demon lowered its head and placed a kiss on her collar.
It was a gesture that almost appeared sacred.
With its lips still pressed against her collar, the Blood Demon whispered softly.
“If I could be with you forever, it wouldn’t matter if I became the Blood Demon or some monster…”
The Blood Demon smiled faintly.
A bitter smile.
“I would never dare to ask for something you don’t want.”
“…”
“So, before I am completely consumed by this desire to be with you forever…”
The Blood Demon looked up at Yerin with a silent gaze.
As though only she could save them from this, the desperation in its eyes was palpable.
“Please, Master… stop me.”
It pleaded.
“Unless you stop me…”
The Blood Demon bit down on its lip so hard it began to bleed.
“I can no longer stop myself.”
As proof of this, the back of the Blood Demon’s hand, gripping Yerin’s collar, was covered in veins, bulging with force.
Its internal energy was boiling uncontrollably.
Its vision blurred.
The Blood Demon’s instincts.
To kill all living humans.
Until now, it had been using superhuman willpower to suppress the urge to harm Yerin, but…
‘This must be the limit.’
Yerin stared at the Blood Demon with emotions she couldn’t even put into words.
The Blood Demon before her was no longer the Se-jin she had remembered.
It had long passed the line of humanity.
A monster designed to stain the world with blood.
…But.
“I want to remain Se-jin, the one you cherished until the very end.”
At the moment she heard that painful whisper, Yerin understood.
The Blood Demon still hadn’t given up its will to exist as Se-jin.
‘How could I ever turn away from you?’
At that moment, the Blood Demon’s eyes turned blood-red.
“Ck… Urgh.”
A growl, akin to that of a beast, rumbled from the Blood Demon.
The air around the Blood Demon grew razor-sharp.
Sensing something strange, Doyul jumped forward, sword in hand.
“My lady!”
Bang!
A burst of energy erupted from the Blood Demon.
Yerin was pushed backward with force.
Thankfully, it seemed that she had avoided injury, as there didn’t appear to be any wounds.
“Master.”
The Blood Demon staggered as it rose from the ground.
“Master, Master, Master…”
It murmured the word “Master” as if it were a spell.
The crazed appearance was terrifying.
Yerin stared at the Blood Demon, who had completely lost its reason, with a sorrowful gaze.
She tightened her grip on the sword in her hand.
“Yes, my disciple.”
At the same time, the Blood Demon fixed its gaze on Yerin.
It was a blind, obsessive stare.
“I want you.”
The desire to possess, sharp and unmistakable, seemed to almost touch her skin.
Facing such a Blood Demon, Yerin gave a faint smile.
“It is the duty of a Master to guide a disciple who is walking down the wrong path.”
“Master…”
“Therefore,”
Yerin raised her sword and pointed it directly at the Blood Demon.
“I will take responsibility for you.”
—
On the mountaintop, overlooking all of Hangzhou, the Manyeon Bingjeong was watching.
Far in the distance, the Blood Sect disciples were guarding their vessels with great vigilance.
– ‘…How dare you, foolish ones.’
A blue flame flickered in Manyeon Bingjeong’s eyes.
– ‘Do you think I’ll let you interfere with my contractor?’
With a snarl, Manyeon Bingjeong bared its fangs at the Blood Sect disciples holding their positions.
—
Under the violet-tinged sky.
Against the backdrop of the collapsed temple, three people clashed in a fierce battle, white sparks flying from their swords.
Bang! Bang! Crash!!
The sounds of internal energy clashing rang out with explosive force.
This phenomenon happened because each attack and defense carried such deep internal power.
However, the battle wasn’t exactly going in Yerin and Doyul’s favor.
“Haah, haah…”
Breathing heavily, Doyul gritted his teeth.
‘…This is overwhelming.’
Originally, Baek Seol-yeon’s physical form had been an unparalleled absolute being, admired by an entire era.
Now, combined with the immense internal energy gained through her rebirth as the Blood Demon, the result was terrifying.
The Blood Demon had become an existence so transcendent that no one could challenge it.
As proof of this, the Blood Demon was receiving the full brunt of Yerin and Doyul’s sword strikes without even using a weapon.
‘Not even a scratch.’
Beyond the pearlescent mist, the graceful figure of the Blood Demon appeared.
It looked as though it had come for a casual stroll, utterly unfazed by the battle.
Its short, black hair was slightly tousled, and the sleeves of its robes were torn, but other than that, there was no sign of any battle damage.
‘What in the world has the Blood Sect created?’
The transcendent being the Blood Sect had been waiting for.
The final weapon designed to stain the world with blood, born to fulfill the Blood Sect’s dark desires.
Even the terrible reputation the Blood Demon carried could not encompass its true form.
It was like running into an immovable wall.
‘…I wonder if Yerin is alright?’
Doyul, who had been desperately trying to hold the Blood Demon off, glanced sideways at Yerin.
Yerin, too, didn’t seem to be faring any better.
Fortunately, the Blood Demon was extremely reluctant to harm Yerin, so it only defended against her attacks, never striking back.
Yerin, however, attacked mercilessly.
Her offensive never ceased.
“Master, really… this disciple is so happy.”
The Blood Demon’s face lit up with an ecstatic expression, and as it danced gracefully, swinging its arms with ease:
Bang! Crash! Boom!
The tremendous explosions that echoed were hard to believe, as though the collision of bare flesh and steel could make such a sound.
“Master, you truly… wish to kill me with all your heart.”
The Blood Demon batted away Yerin’s attacks as if they were nothing more than child’s play, a brilliant smile gracing its face.
“More, more…”
The overwhelming wave of happiness flooded over the Blood Demon, to the point that it made its head spin.
Its smile deepened even further.
“Only look at me.”
Whether Yerin attacked it or tried to kill it, none of that mattered.
The only thing that mattered was that her obsession was focused solely on it.
That was enough.
Meanwhile, Yerin was calculating the current situation with cold precision.
‘My internal energy is running low.’
To deal meaningful damage to the Blood Demon, it was necessary to channel internal energy into her sword strikes.
However, Yerin’s internal energy was already nearing its limit.
She tightly suppressed the anxiety squeezing at her heart.
‘I’m sure Doyul is in the same situation.’
At that moment, Doyul’s sword strike flew toward the Blood Demon’s exposed back.
However…
Boom!
A deafening explosion rang out.
Screech—!
Doyul was violently pushed back as he blocked the Blood Demon’s counterattack.
“Cough!”
Doyul violently coughed up blood.
It looked like his insides had been damaged as blood poured from his mouth.
“Doyul!”
Yerin’s face turned pale.
At the same time, the Blood Demon moved.
It stopped, blocking Yerin completely, and stared at Doyul with murderous intent, warning him.
“Do not come near my Master.”
Doyul gritted his teeth and faced the Blood Demon.
‘Damn it.’
His vision blurred, and his head spun in dizzying circles.
‘How… how could a single strike shatter my insides like this?’
In the Blood Demon’s red eyes, a strange light flickered.
A blind obsession toward a single person filled those eyes.
“No one else but me can be with my Master.”
The Blood Demon emphasized again, its voice unwavering as if it were stating an undeniable truth.
“No one but me…”
In that instant, Yerin made her decision.
‘There’s no other way.’
