Published at 26th of January 2026 9:37 am

Chapter 357

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

It moved on its own.

That would be the right way to express it.

Truly on its own.

My hand merely moved on its own accord.

Even with a blade pressed against my neck, even knowing the sword's murderous intent was real, my fingertips refused to stop.

My hand rose up to his chest.

Without hesitation, my hand touched Divine Spear's rotting skin.

'What is this?'

It's bewildering.

'... Why on its own?'

This is different from what I know. In the information and knowledge Sung Hun provided, I was told that observation with the eyes should come first at this moment.

Ssssss!!!

Yet, contrary to that knowledge, my hands and body mindlessly caressed Divine Spear's body.

Almost as if they already knew the way.

Press.

"...!"

My eyes widened. Pressure was applied to my dantian.

Energy surged, coursing through my meridians and building heat.

Strength entered my gaze as Moon Eye awoke.

Blue Moon Sword Path.

In these eyeseyes able to discern an opponent's martial pathI saw something else.

Look at that?

Yu Chun-gil said with a voice tinged with amusement.

He seemed to have discovered something.

And I, too, was the same.

'I see it.'

A line.

A path.

Something extending from my eyes, visible along Divine Spear's flesh.

Is it telling me to touch that line? No. I know that's not it.

That is

'It's a current of energy.'

It's telling me to use my energy. The moment I realized that, my dantian responded.

Whooooo!!!

Energy flowed forth.

The azure energy of Blue Moon Mind Technique ran down my hands. It followed the pathways wrapped around Divine Spear's body exactly.

"Moon Hero! If you don't stop, I'll have to restrain you by force"

"Wait"

At that moment, Heavenly Insight intervened, stepping in to block the martial artist.

"... Just wait a moment."

Ssssss!!!

I couldn't even blink. I definitely felt the energy.

I had to follow the path, and I couldn't afford the slightest distraction, so I kept up my utmost concentration again and again.

'... This is hard.'

It wasn't easy. For such a slow process, the energy was intense.

Why is controlling it so hard? Is Divine Spear's own energy resisting, or

'Is it because his body is rotten with that evil ki?'

Controlling the flowing energy was bewilderingly difficult.

'... If I make even the slightest mistake.'

If I were to let slip even a bit of this energy I've already channeled, there would be recoil for me.

Sung Hun's knowledge tells me,

'You'll end up ruined.'

If I slip here, my meridians will twist.

So

'Don't make a mistake.'

Not even once.

Sssssss---

As the energy flowed, a foul stench wafted from Divine Spear's body.

"Ugh!"

"What is this...!"

Everyone recoiled at the stench that arose alongside black smoke.

They understood it as well. That if anyone intervened now, both I and Divine Spear could be finished.

'Ah... Damn.'

My lips twitched. A wave of regret struck me.

'Why did I do this?'

What kind of riches or glory did I expect from all this? The regret hit me instantly.

The problem was that my body moved before I even had time to hesitate.

Sssss!!

The energy kept circulating. With every pass, the stench grew, but that meant it was working.

'If it's expelling the stench, it's vomiting out what was inside.'

It meant I was extracting the filthy energy flowing inside his body.

That's what my energy was accomplishing right now.

'I see.'

I narrowed my eyes, focusing on the energy.

The flow's direction had reversed. Energy from within Divine Spear's body was being forced back.

Riding that current, only the malicious energy was being drawn out and burned away from inside.

'Is this even possible, by any logic?'

To extract and destroy only the negative energywas such a thing possible?

By ordinary martial logic, it shouldn't have been, but it was happening regardless.

"... Unbelievable."

"The energy..."

Divine Spear's own energy was gradually being purged. Proof of its effectiveness.

That damned snot-nosed bastard must have left something bizarre behind. What a nuisance.

Yu Chun-gil's displeased voice echoed in my ears, but I didn't respond and remained focused.

Ssssss!!

I gradually sensed the evil ki dissipating. I kept channeling it away, again and again.

"Arrgh!"

The martial artists groaned quietly. The energy radiating from Divine Spear filled the room.

"... Strategist, I think you'd better step outside for now."

"It's fine."

Worried that my energy might harm Heavenly Insight, I started to say something, but he just gazed at me calmly.

'How far can I'

How much longer did I have to withstand this energy?

As I wondered, continuing to clear away the foul energy

Thump!

"...!"

Something snagged at the end. I opened my eyes wide at the sensation.

'Is this it?'

The source of the energy.

This was the energy destroying Divine Spear's body.

I felt it. The physical aspect was secondary; unless I removed this source, it would be pointless.

So I tried to push this energy out as well.

Zzzzzzzz!!!

"...!!!"

My body stiffened. Energy pierced into my fingertips.

'Damn.'

The energy's intensity was abnormal. This is

'It's not just a mass of energy.'

His body isn't just rotting with energy being discharged. I felt it the moment I touched it.

'So that's it.'

I wondered why Divine Spear had worsened this much.

'It's evil ki.'

This was evil ki. Why hadn't I noticed until now?

'Was it hidden so completely that even I couldn't sense it?'

Normally, I should have noticed it right away, but I hadn't.

Does that mean the energy is weak? Not at all.

"Whew."

I caught my breath. I diverted the energy I'd been channeling. I couldn't proceed any further here.

'Can I retrieve it?'

I narrowed my eyes. The outer layer of energy had been cleared. If I circulated my energy well, it seemed feasible.

Thiking this, I slowly reversed the energy's flow. Tracing the exact path I'd taken. Bit by bit, I retrieved my energy.

Whoooo.

Only when the energy of Blue Moon Mind Technique had returned completely to my dantian did I

"Haa"

Let out a long-held breath.

"... Whew."

Exhausted, I wiped sweat from my brow.

Then, with weary eyes, I looked at Divine Spear.

He still hadn't regained consciousness, and his wounds remained, but

"I've managed to remove most of the energy."

The tainted foul energy that had been radiating from him now felt much weaker.

I glanced aside as I observed this.

"How is it now?"

I asked Heavenly Insight.

"... Will you give me a chance?"

"......"

Heavenly Insight did not answer. He just looked at me with trembling eyes.

And to me, that was as good as an answer.

***

"... He's breathing again."

The physician, who had been checking Divine Spear's pulse, spoke.

"The scattered energy in his body has recovered somewhat. How can such a miracle..."

Not long ago, he had barely managed to keep Divine Spear's energy from dispersing uncontrollably.

But now, his energy had started to normalize, and his previously erratic breathing had steadied.

"This is truly a miracle."

The physician declared it a miracle, without hesitation.

"... A miracle."

Hearing that, Heavenly Insight narrowed his eyes.

Shortly after, the physician left the room.

"Even that arrogant physician called it a miracle."

Heavenly Insight's gaze turned to me.

"Was it really a miracle?"

"I don't know."

I was still trying to catch my breath.

"... Well, I did my best. I'm not sure if you can call it a miracle."

"This goes beyond mere effort."

There was a sharpness in his gaze.

"What exactly did you do?"

"If you're asking what I did, I've already told you."

His gaze was intense, yet there was no discomfort in his voice.

"I observed, learned, and applied."

"Nonsense."

Heavenly Insight cut me off coldly.

"This is medicine we're talking about. Specifically, the Divine Physician's techniquesare you saying you mastered them in that brief moment? Do you think that makes sense?"

It took years to learn medicine. Even just accumulating the knowledge to heal others would require that, let alone attaining proficiency through direct practice.

But mastering that in just a few months? And if you count my time at Mount Hua, not even a full month?

No one would believe such a thing, but

"Maybe it doesn't make sense. Still"

I simply shrugged.

"I did it."

"... What?"

"The result is right in front of you, so I'm not sure what more I can say."

I had done it.

"That's all that matters, isn't it?"

The results proved it, and that was everything. It was always that way.

"Hah..."

Heavenly Insight sighed, as if dumbfounded.

"So, you're saying you have nothing more to explain?"

"I've shown you and explained it. I've even provided proofwhat more do you want?"

Maybe I was tired, but my words came out somewhat sharp.

"I brought back what Divine Physician left behind. There was simply no other way. You know that as well as I do."

If we couldn't bring Divine Physician himself, we needed a method equivalent to him.

"So you're saying you'll take his place."

"Because there's no other way."

"And you think that's possible?"

"I don't know."

"What?"

"I can't be certain of anything. But if I don't do this, there's no time to find another way."

I flexed my wrist slightly. My body wasn't in pain, but my dantian tingled strangely.

"I wondered if I could use the item I brought... But today, I realized the answer."

The divine pill I brought back on Virtuous Moon Sword's advice from Mount Hua.

I thought it might help heal Divine Spear, but now I know.

'It's not enough.'

Seeing Divine Spear's condition, it was clear.

What Blue Moon Sword Path revealed, and the power Sung Hun left behind as well.

And above all

'The evil ki.'

After sensing the evil ki in Divine Spear's body, I was certain.

'I have to do it myself.'

As wretched as it was, it seemed there was no one else but me who could do this.

Even if Divine Physician Sung Hun were here in person, it would probably be the same.

"I have to do this. If not me, the Alliance Leader will die."

"..."

I spoke with conviction. Heavenly Insight's brow was still deeply furrowed.

"..."

But unlike before, he didn't outright reject it.

As a moment of silence passed

"You"

Heavenly Insight spoke to me.

"What exactly are you seeing?"

It was an incomprehensible question.

What am I seeing, he asks?

"I don't know. Am I supposed to be seeing something?"

There was so much to see that it's hard to pick just one thing.

"At this moment, the only thing I'm seeing is saving the Alliance Leader."

"You must have experienced something at Mount Hua. You've changed a little."

"Maybe I have."

So many things had happened, I could barely keep my mind together.

So

"Please decide. Will you allow me to save the Alliance Leader?"

"You're saying you can save him?"

"Come on, how could I give you that guarantee? It's quite selfish to expect a promise of guaranteed success."

I couldn't promise the impossible.

"But I will do my best."

"..."

Heavenly Insight hesitated. It was the first time I've seen his emotions so plainly.

Then, the old man finally moved his lips.

"Do you need time to prepare?"

It was permission. At those words, I caught my breath and replied,

"Give me just half a day."

Just a little. I needed some time.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

I take back what I said. Maybe Bang Sung-Yung is conscious of some things, but he still can't explain most of it, like how he was not able to explain how he could use Sky Filling Flower Rain.

Share