Chapter 158
Although it wasn’t her own will, Yerin had greatly influenced this world as ‘Baek Seol-yeon.’
And thus, the original story was twisted, leading to the creation of the Blood Demon.
‘And for that Blood Demon to be Se-jin…’
Yerin couldn’t understand why Se-jin had been resurrected as the Blood Demon. But given the current situation, she was determined to take responsibility for her former disciple, no matter what.
Above all…
‘Doyul is here.’
Yerin’s gaze shifted to Doyul.
Despite being seriously injured and coughing up blood, staggering with his body barely held together, Doyul still rose time and again, pointing his sword at the Blood Demon.
This world’s—no, ‘my protagonist.’
A trace of sorrow appeared in Yerin’s eyes.
‘I didn’t want to use this method, but…’
Nothing was more important to Yerin than Doyul.
Not even herself.
Taking a deep breath to steady her mind, Yerin calmly spoke.
“Se-jin.”
Her quiet call was enough to catch the Blood Demon’s attention.
The Blood Demon reflexively turned to look at her.
“…Master?”
Yerin nodded silently and took a step forward.
Her hand, still holding her sword, loosened, letting it drop down.
Even though she was facing an opponent with whom she had fought life-or-death battles, Yerin had no sign of aggression. She only wore a calm expression.
“You said you couldn’t stop yourself, so you asked me to stop you.”
For a moment, confusion appeared on the Blood Demon’s face.
An unguarded human stood before it.
‘I must kill them.’
The Blood Demon’s instinct which was born to kill all living things.
‘I want to make this person completely mine, from head to toe.’
A strong obsession with its master.
‘I don’t want to become a monster.’
The humanity Se-jin had desperately clung to until the very end.
All of these emotions were tangled together in a mess.
Yerin stood before the Blood Demon, looking up at it with a composed gaze.
“And I… promised that I would take responsibility for you.”
“…Master.”
The Blood Demon called her name with a trembling voice.
Doyul’s eyes widened in horror.
“Master, what are you planning to do…?!”
Yerin tightened her grip on her sword.
Her internal energy had long since run out.
But if she was prepared to sacrifice her life…
‘The innate vital energy is here.’
The innate vital energy.
The source of life that all humans possess.
It was far stronger and purer than regular internal energy, but using it was considered taboo.
Anyone who exhausted their innate vital energy would lose their life.
“Yerin, wait…!”
Doyul, with a pale face, tried to rush toward Yerin.
‘I will protect you, no matter what.’
Yerin smiled gently at him as though to reassure him.
Shiii—.
Frost flowers bloomed white on her sword.
The flowers that bloomed with the sacrifice of her innate vital energy were dazzlingly white.
And then…
Kach!
The blinding white sword light cut through the violet-tinted world.
—
The fallen Blood Demon’s condition was grim.
A long slash ran diagonally from its shoulder to its waist.
A large, gaping wound was covered in blood-soaked red ice.
Whether it was the Blood Demon, forged from all the secret arts and techniques of the Blood Sect, or the once-mighty “Greatest Sword of the World,” no one could survive such a fatal injury.
But the Blood Demon didn’t care about the wound at all.
In fact, it didn’t have the time to care.
“Lie… lie.”
The Blood Demon’s lips quivered.
Though the Blood Demon would gladly accept death if it came from Yerin, there was one thing, one fear that it could never escape.
And now, before its eyes, that very thing was unfolding.
As a result of pushing her innate vital energy to its limit, Yerin was now crumpled on the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.
It felt as if a sharp ice spear had pierced her heart.
‘Because of me… Master had to endure such a sacrifice.’
With this chilling realization, the madness clouding her mind began to clear, and her thoughts became sharp again.
“Yerin!!”
Doyul rushed toward Yerin, frantic.
“…Doyul.”
Yerin weakly called his name.
Her face was as pale as a ghost, devoid of any color.
Her gaze, hazy as she looked up at him, seemed barely alive.
Her breath was so weak it felt like she could pass away at any moment.
‘No…’
In a panic, Doyul forced his inner energy into Yerin’s body and examined her condition.
His eyes widened in horror.
‘…This can’t be.’
Yerin’s body was completely empty.
The only thing left was a faint trace of innate vital energy, barely enough to keep her breathing.
At this rate, she wouldn’t survive another day.
“Yerin, please…!”
Doyul desperately tried to save Yerin.
He poured all of his own innate vital energy into her, but it was completely useless.
“Cough!”
Instead, the impact of his energy harmed his own body.
As he coughed up blood, Yerin’s expression finally twisted in pain.
“Doyul.”
“Just a little more, just a little more, and…”
“Please… don’t.”
Yerin mustered all her strength to speak.
Her voice was so small that one would barely hear it unless they were listening closely.
Doyul, his emotions rising, raised his voice.
“Stop talking nonsense! How can I… just leave you like this…?”
Doyul’s voice cracked at the end.
It was the result of overwhelming emotions.
With desperate, tear-filled eyes, Doyul stared at Yerin.
“…I’m sorry.”
Slowly, Yerin’s outstretched hand brushed against Doyul’s cheek.
Her fingertips were cold as if all warmth had left her body.
“I… made you… make that face. I deceived you…”
“Please, stop!”
Doyul couldn’t hold back any longer and raised his voice.
“Stop talking!”
He instinctively knew.
Yerin was speaking with the last of her life force.
Each word she uttered was burning away her life, little by little.
At that moment, a shadow loomed above them.
The Blood Demon, staggering as it approached, appeared.
“…Master.”
The Blood Demon stared at Yerin with vacant eyes.
Yerin, struggling, managed to smile at him.
“Although I’m an imperfect master…”
“…”
“I can at least walk with you, so you’re not lonely…”
For a moment, the Blood Demon froze in place.
“So, you should stop now…”
Her voice broke into pieces as she spoke.
Her tone was gentle as if she were comforting a child, caressing the Blood Demon’s ears with her words.
“Doyul… it’s the world your descendants will live in, you know? Hmm?”
That was the last thing she said.
The tender smile disappeared without a trace.
Under her drooping eyelids, the once warm gaze faded.
Yerin’s strength drained from her body.
“…”
“…”
A deathly silence settled.
Both the Blood Demon and Doyul stared at Yerin’s lifeless form, their faces filled with despair.
“…Please, Yerin.”
Doyul gritted his teeth, once more gathering his innate vital energy.
He poured his life force into her, disregarding his own safety, but it was utterly futile.
Like a single drop of water thrown into a parched desert, it left no trace.
“Cough, cough, cough!”
A violent cough wracked his body.
His chest felt as if it were being torn apart.
His front was soaked with blood from the repeated coughing.
Yet, Doyul didn’t stop. He continued to force his vital energy into Yerin’s body.
But then—
“…Stop wasting your time.”
A low voice interrupted him.
It was the Blood Demon.
Doyul glared at him with sharpened eyes.
“Because of you, because of you, Yerin is…!”
“Yes, it’s because of me.”
The Blood Demon nodded with a pained expression.
For a moment, Doyul froze.
‘What is this?’
The Blood Demon didn’t seem to be consumed by madness as he had been before.
His eyes, no longer bloodshot with madness, met Doyul’s with clarity and calmness.
“So I will do everything I can to save the Master.”
“Save… Yerin?”
“Yes.”
With just that one answer, the killing intent that had been radiating from Doyul vanished in an instant.
All the past struggles, the life-and-death battles, the moments when the Blood Demon had nearly killed him—it no longer mattered.
‘If I can save Yerin…’
That single thought became the most important thing.
Doyul, desperate, clung to the Blood Demon.
“What… What do I need to do? How can we save Yerin?!”
“You just need to cooperate.”
“Cooperate?”
“Yes. Specifically, I need your life.”
The Blood Demon added coldly.
“Are you willing?”
“Fine.”
Doyul answered without hesitation.
Even though it meant risking his life, he didn’t ask what the method would be.
He accepted without question, as it was for Yerin.
A flicker of surprise flashed in the Blood Demon’s eyes.
“…You trust me? After everything, after we’ve fought with our lives on the line?”
“Then, is there any other way?”
Doyul responded with a sharp retort.
In truth, he had his calculations.
‘That monster at least values Yerin more than anything.’
Whenever Doyul faced off against the Blood Demon, the latter had always been completely hostile toward him, but never once did he lay a finger on Yerin. Even now, the Blood Demon was consumed with despair at Yerin’s death.
Though he didn’t want to admit it…
Perhaps he valued Yerin even more than Doyul himself.
“So, what’s the way to save Yerin?”
“If the innate vital energy has been expended, then it can be restored by replenishing the same amount.”
The Blood Demon spoke flatly, without any emotion.
“I’m going to give my innate vital energy to the Master.”
At that moment, Doyul’s eyes widened in shock.
‘Definitely… there’s a possibility.’
Although the Blood Demon was severely wounded and dying, that was due to physical injuries.
His innate vital energy was still intact.
Moreover, the Blood Demon was an entity formed by gathering immense life force from the entire city of Hangzhou.
Given that, the amount of innate vital energy he possessed by default would be substantial…
‘We can save her.’
Doyul swallowed nervously.
