Love Ballad of the Tyrant King

Chapter 223: Positions, Reversed

Yeo Su-in’s sword took control of the space.

As his Sword Qi swirled like rain blowing in the wind, the limbs of the Demon Army blocking his path were torn away.

The place was a hell where screams continued without rest.

The Demon Army blocked him endlessly, and Yeo Su-in ran forward while swinging his sword like a madman.

His martial arts were fantastically breathtaking, but he was becoming overexcited.

“You bastards! Come at me all you want!”

The domineering martial arts created by his excitement were continuously consuming his inner Qi.

Yeo Su-in thought that even if he used his inner Qi excessively, he would defeat the enemies as quickly as possible and escape this place.

But escaping the Heaven and Earth Net was truly not easy.

Everyone charged in with firm determination. Everyone staked their lives on capturing Yeo Su-in. It was a matter of eliminating a traitor of the Demonic Cult.

If they could kill him personally, they would gain honor that would last forever in the history of the Demonic Cult while simultaneously seizing great wealth and power.

Conversely, if they missed him, the responsibility would be incredibly heavy. Everyone rushed at Yeo Su-in with the mindset of a life or death struggle.

Whizz! Zip! Whizz!

Yeo Su-in twisted his body in mid-air to avoid the hidden weapons flying with sharp sounds of slicing through the air.

Thud thud thud thud!

The hidden weapons were embedded in the spot where Yeo Su-in had been standing.

But Yeo Su-in, who had already avoided them, was scattering Sword Qi.

The swirling Sword Qi swept over the trees in the distance.

Those who had thrown the hidden weapons fell to the ground along with the severed branches.

Yeo Su-in grit his teeth. No matter how many he killed, enemies appeared endlessly.

A single question naturally arose.

‘How on earth did Lee Jaseung hold out in a place like this for over ten days?’

Yeo Su-in couldn't understand it at all.

The biggest difference between Lee Jaseung and himself that he didn't know was their actual combat experience.

Lee Jaseung had spent a very long time on battlefields. During the span of seven years, he started from the bottom and took over the Black Way Alliance. In that process, Lee Jaseung experienced every kind of fight.

In contrast, Yeo Su-in had built his skills through practice alone. He certainly had natural talent and went through blood-sweating training.

But he absolutely lacked real combat experience.

He didn't know exactly how he should move in this Heaven and Earth Net right now.

Of course, he’d read in the Murim Book of Military Strategy about how to cope when trapped in the Heaven and Earth Net.

But the content he saw in the book and actual combat were completely different. Reality didn't work like books.

‘Damn it! I’ll tear apart and kill the bastard who wrote that text.’

He really had such thoughts.

And there was one more thing tormenting him.

The mental fatigue that Lee Jaseung had also experienced.

Unless one was a born killer, constantly cutting down people was bound to accumulate mental fatigue. That fatigue manifested in various forms, and for Yeo Su-in, it was expressed as excitement and anger.

He was wastefully squandering his inner Qi in a situation where he needed to conserve it.

Swish!

Again, three men fell over simultaneously at Yeo Su-in’s Sword Qi.

Because Yeo Su-in’s martial arts were so outstanding, he defeated everyone blocking his way without hesitation. The masters of the Elder's Council were no exception.

The figure who popped out while wielding iron claws that looked like hawk talons was the Iron Talon of the Elder's Council.

The iron claws sliced through the air quickly and roughly.

Yeo Su-in’s figure retreated far back. He knew the terror of the Iron Talon well.

But he also accurately grasped his weakness.

Thud thud thud thud.

The iron claws flew toward both of Yeo Su-in’s shoulders. Yeo Su-in, having avoided the claws, threw his body to the ground and thrust his sword.

The Iron Talon threw his body and retreated.

But Yeo Su-in tenaciously dug only into his lower body. The Iron Talon’s martial arts had the weakness of weak lower body defense.

Swish swish swish swish!

The Iron Talon, who was avoiding by throwing his body back, launched a counterattack. He chose to attack because Yeo Su-in dug in so tenaciously that it was hard to avoid any longer.

At the moment the iron claws flying through the air tried to tear apart Yeo Su-in’s head.

Stab.

Yeo Su-in’s sword pierced the Iron Talon’s chest one step faster.

‘To be defeated so helplessly.’

With an expression of disbelief, the Iron Talon died instantly.

Yeo Su-in caught his breath while standing. It was a situation where he couldn't even dream of meditating to regulate his breathing.

After taking a short breather, Yeo Su-in began to move again.

He’d completely lost contact with the Asura Six Demons. It would be a great help if even one of them could join him. Most likely, they were all dead.

An uncontrollable rage welled up inside him. He’d put so much effort and merit into making them his subordinates.

That carefully built tower had collapsed in less than half a day.

Yeo Su-in’s movements became even faster.

For now, he was still moving with vigor.

* * *

Three days later.

Blood was still splattering in the place where the stars beautifully adorned the night sky.

Thud!

A sword, exhausted to the limit, pierced an old man’s chest.

Vomiting dark red blood from his mouth, the old man grabbed the sword with his bare hands.

“……You!”

The only thing the fatally wounded old man could do was glare at the owner of the sword with resentful eyes.

Yeo Su-in, who had thrust the sword, was also not unharmed. He was gasping for breath with a pale face.

“Huff, huff, huff.”

The old man was a member of the Five Toxic Beings.

Rather, he was the last one. The other four were scattered about as corpses. The child, the woman, the youth, and the middle aged man were all dead.

They were masters of poison arts recognized even in the Demonic Cult, but in the end, they couldn't withstand Yeo Su-in’s Northern Sea Demonic Sword.

But Yeo Su-in was also not unharmed. Three of the Five Toxic Beings had succeeded in poisoning him.

The old man grit his teeth and wore a vicious look as he gripped the sword blade even tighter.

“Since you’ve been poisoned by three of the five Absolute Life Poisons, you won't survive.”

Swish.

Because he had no energy to even reply, Yeo Su-in pulled out the sword roughly.

The old man collapsed while spraying blood.

Yeo Su-in slumped on the spot, took a medicine bottle from his robe, and drank it. It was a medicine that detoxified most poisons, but the medicine didn't work well.

The Absolute Life Poisons were the secret poisons of the Five Toxic Beings, and it was said that even a Great Immortal couldn't save someone if they were hit by all five types.

He couldn't avoid the poisoning because he was ambushed while dealing with the combined attack of the Elder's Council masters.

“Gleeegh.”

Yeo Su-in vomited black blood. A foul smell came from the blood.

Because he was poisoned by three types while suffering internal injuries, his physical condition was a complete mess. He lacked inner Qi, so he couldn't even treat the poison through meditation.

“Huff, huff!”

Yeo Su-in gasped for breath while leaning against a tree. He didn't remember how many people he’d cut down until now. He didn't even know who he’d killed. He’d simply cut down anyone who blocked him.

The fact that he hadn't escaped the Heaven and Earth Net despite running in one direction meant he hadn't grasped his direction properly.

“Damn it!”

He looked up at the sky. He could see beautiful stars through the trees.

‘Didn't you give me a chance?’

He really wanted to ask such a question.

But he wasn't in a situation to enjoy even that kind of leeway.

Whizz!

Then a sharp Sword Qi flew toward where he was standing.

Yeo Su-in threw his body and rolled on the ground.

Fortunately, only the tree was cut down, and Yeo Su-in was able to avoid the attack.

Swish!

The sword flew from Yeo Su-in’s hand.

The sword was embedded in the chest of the man who’d thrown the Sword Qi. The man flew back with the sword and was pinned to a tree.

“Bleghh.”

Yeo Su-in vomited blood again. Because he suddenly used inner Qi, the suppressed poison wriggled and spread through his blood vessels.

Yeo Su-in poured in all his remaining inner Qi to suppress the poison again. Fortunately, he was able to drive the poison back into one place before it spread throughout his entire body.

But his physical condition became even worse.

“Huff, huff, huff.”

Yeo Su-in gasped for breath roughly.

Yeo Su-in sensed the end. He felt that if he was going to die anyway, he would like to encounter the Great Demon. Even if he died, he wanted to take that man with him.

But that wouldn't happen. That coward would only show himself when he heard the news that Yeo Su-in was dead.

Suddenly, images of his father and mother came to mind.

Faces he remembered dimly.

What he recalled was a single expression they both wore.

The sight of them smiling brightly at him.

He couldn't tell if he remembered the reality or if it was an image he’d created. He’d suffered the event when he was too young. When he thought of his parents, only that image came to mind.

He wanted to take revenge by any means. He’d intended to take revenge even if it meant wiping out all demonic humans from the world.

……That was how he’d started.

Where and what had gone wrong?

At some point, revenge was pushed back and another purpose took over his life.

Ruling the Demonic Cult, and thus taking over this Jianghu.

His eyes kept closing. He grit his teeth at the thought that he couldn't die like this, but there was no hope. He would be killed by the next people he encountered.

It was at that very moment.

Suddenly, a face popped out and looked down at Yeo Su-in.

Yeo Su-in, who was about to thrust his sword with his last bit of strength, was surprised and stopped his action.

The person who showed his face was none other than Lee Jaseung.

“How are you here?”

It was a surprising and flustering thing.

But those emotions merged and led to a single feeling. It was hope. If Jaseung had intended to kill him, he would’ve already done so. No, he would’ve died even if he just left him alone. Yet the fact that Lee Jaseung appeared at this spot?

As expected, Yeo Su-in’s intuition was correct.

Lee Jaseung spoke while reaching out his hand.

“I came to save you.”

“Why?”

“Let’s just say it’s because I like you.”

It was the very thing Yeo Su-in had said when saving Lee Jaseung before.

Now their positions were exactly reversed.

Yeo Su-in took his hand, stood up, and returned the words Lee Jaseung had said that day exactly.

“That’s not it. You’re trying to use me to fight the Cult Leader.”

Lee Jaseung neither confirmed nor denied it.

Yeo Su-in glared at Lee Jaseung.

Yes, if he were to name one arch-enemy right now, it wouldn't be the Great Demon or Yao Hong.

It was Lee Jaseung standing right in front of him. The fact that he’d ended up in this state was all because of Lee Jaseung.

“Right now, it must look advantageous for me to be alive. But is keeping me alive really a correct judgment?”

A moment of silence passed.

Finally, Lee Jaseung said calmly.

“Since when did we make decisions because they were 'correct'?”

Yeo Su-in laughed coldly. It was something he didn't want to agree with but had no choice but to agree with.

“In the end, you’re the same kind as me.”

“At least we’re similar in having great greed.”

He would’ve liked to answer like this.

— Don't make me laugh. You’re just a crazy person stained with desire and madness.

But after learning the reason why Yeo Su-in joined the Demonic Cult, Lee Jaseung understood him a little.

A child who lost his entire family when young and dreamed of revenge.

Since then, he joined the Demonic Cult before even turning ten and was a person trying to kill the Cult Leader.

It would be stranger to live with a sane mind without going mad.

Of course, even so, there was one fact that wouldn't change.

You’ll die at my hands anyway.

There might be many reasons why he had to die, but this one reason alone was enough. The moment he made a move to take Baek Seolyoung, a sufficient reason to die was created.

Without revealing the killing intent in his heart, Lee Jaseung pointed to a place. It was a place where he’d already defeated the enemies so that Su-in could escape.

Yeo Su-in smirked at Lee Jaseung.

Eyes filled with madness.

“You’ll definitely regret saving me.”

“You won't regret saving me though, right? Since you get to live like this because of it.”

“Crazy bastard.”

After spitting out that word, Yeo Su-in staggered toward the place Lee Jaseung pointed to.

Lee Jaseung laughed coldly as he watched his departing back.

Yes, don't die yet and run even wilder.

I’ll let you run wild.

Lee Jaseung looked down at his palm.

As if to inform that the operation was successful, a faint light rose on his palm and then disappeared.