Published at 26th of January 2026 10:10 pm

Chapter 373

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Hair turned completely white. A wrinkled face within, and blue eyes that stood out.

He was an old man whose awakened Moon Eye was obvious, and his cold features caught my eye.

I knew who he was. That man.

'Second Elder.'

One of the seven elders of the Blue Moon Sect, known as the Second Elder.

'Baek Yun.'

Elder Baek Yun.

His epithet was—

'No-Moon Old Sword.'

Indeed, he was that person. As I looked at Baek Yun, I narrowed my eyes.

'It's that old man.'

There was a special presence captured by the Blue Moon Sword Path. While everyone in the Blue Moon Sect possessed the unique bluish aura, each had their own distinction.

The texture differed according to the flow of the energy. For some, it was rough; for others, swift; and for some—

'Calm.'

Calm like a deep lake. Virtuous Moon Sword was someone who carried such an aura, and Baek Yun, that old man—

'Chilly.'

There was a definite chill to his presence. I stared directly at his ki, because it was the same I had sensed before in the secret store room.

Then—

'Oh, boy.'

I turned my gaze away. Had I stared too long? Baek Yun was looking at me. I quickly diverted my eyes and started thinking.

'It's him.'

I was sure just by sensing his presence. Could such an identical aura exist twice? It couldn't.

『That must be the guy.』

Yu Chun-gil commented, looking at Baek Yun. I nodded at his words.

『Baek Yun, huh. Hm.』

Yu Chun-gil narrowed his eyes, staring at Baek Yun.

『That guy knows the location of the secret store room? How could that be?』

He seemed filled with questions.

But—

'... Doesn't it actually make sense?'

Frankly, it was a miracle it had gone undiscovered this long. After all—

'With so many entrances everywhere, how could it not be found?'

There were too many ways into the secret store room. Not just one, but many. The more entrances and exits, the greater the likelihood of being discovered.

'If anything, it lasted a long time.'

That's how I saw it—it had lasted long.

'The problem is.'

What was Baek Yun's purpose in discovering the secret store room?

'He doesn't have the feel of the Broken Heaven Palace.'

No such energy could be felt—he wasn't an infiltrator from Broken Heaven Palace. Surprisingly, no one here carried even a trace of that palace's presence.

'... Hmm.'

I withdrew my attention for now.

At that moment, Virtuous Moon Sword spoke to me.

–Do you get it?

"Ah."

Right.

–No...... At least, nothing I can see.

At my answer, Virtuous Moon Sword nodded slightly. Then—

"Then, how do you want us to verify it?"

One of the elders—Baek Yun, whom I'd been watching—started to speak.

"You mention Mount Hua Sect and the risk of spies? I understand. That can happen. But if so, are you saying you now have a way to flush out the spy?"

"Hmm."

Virtuous Moon Sword narrowed his eyes.

"It's not that there's no way."

"...!"

The elders flinched at those words.

Did such a method exist? Or was he just probing them? To me, it seemed more like the latter.

If it were my call, Virtuous Moon Sword's method would probably be the way to go. While I was pondering this—

"So, there is a method. I'm curious, but may I say—"

Baek Yun looked at Virtuous Moon Sword and added,

"Stepping aside from this, could it not also mean that even the Sect Leader could be a spy?"

–!!

The hall stirred at Baek Yun's words. Faces looked shocked. Had he really just said that to the Sect Leader?

"Hah."

Virtuous Moon Sword let out a low sigh, and Yu Chun-gil reacted as well.

『Heh heh heh.』

Yu Chun-gil chuckled quietly, gazing over the elders.

『Didn't get beat enough.』

'... Crazy man.'

Saying an elder didn't get beat enough? No one spoke like this. Classic him.

Kuuuuuu—!!!

"... Kugh..."

Suddenly, a surge of killing intent made every hair on my body stand on end. A shiver ran down my spine. Frozen solid, I looked toward the seat of honor.

It was Virtuous Moon Sword. He was releasing an immense force of fighting spirit and murderous intent.

'What the—?'

It was terrifying. Could a human even emit such an aura? This was entirely on a different level from any absolute master I had ever encountered.

'... This is...'

Was this the head of the Blue Moon Sect? My shocked body couldn't even respond properly.

Thunk.

In an instant, the murderous intent vanished.

"You're right."

Virtuous Moon Sword changed his demeanor. Retrieving his killing intent, he addressed the elders.

"I agree with the opinion, and even I may be hard to trust."

"... Then."

"In that case, draw your sword."

"What?"

Baek Yun's eyes widened at those words.

"Even if you can't trust me, I am the leader of the Blue Moon Sect. If you cannot accept my judgment..."

From Virtuous Moon Sword's shoulders, a blue energy began to emanate.

"Draw your sword."

If you're not satisfied, beat me and become the Sect Leader yourself.

That was what it meant.

『Hahahahaha—!!』

Yu Chun-gil burst out laughing at this.

『Yeah, that's how it should be.』

He looked truly satisfied.

『You have to uphold the rules.』

The strongest of the Blue Moon Sect's few, but strictest, rules:

'The strongest becomes the Sect Leader.'

And the Sect Leader's word is law.

That was the rule set by the Blue Moon Sect.

If you didn't like that law—

'Then just beat the Sect Leader.'

Become the Sect Leader yourself or leave the sect. As simple and straightforward as it gets.

"......"

Baek Yun also fell silent at those words. Seeing this, Virtuous Moon Sword shifted his gaze to Baek Yun's waist.

"Will you not draw?"

The sword at Baek Yun's belt.

As the words hung in the air, Baek Yun's face twisted.

"... Are you telling me to unsheath my sword here?"

"What's the problem? The moon rises wherever we are. You know better than anyone that it isn't bound by time or place."

'Hmm.'

Very much the sort of thing Yu Chun-gil would say.

The moon rises everywhere. Not confined to time or place.

The phrase struck a chord with me for some reason. Just as I was mulling this over—

"Huh?"

Something flashed across my mind.

As soon as I sensed it, I got to my feet.

'... The moon and time?'

My eyes widened. It felt like I'd realized something.

My heart raced. My body grew hot. Where was my sword? At my hip. My hand moved instinctively to the hilt. I felt like I had to draw immediately.

"Squad member Bang."

"... Ah."

Virtuous Moon Sword's call brought me back to my senses.

"What are you doing?"

"......"

I looked around. Having jumped up, everyone—elders included—was staring at me.

Embarrassed by the sudden attention, I muttered,

"... Sorry."

I withdrew my hand from the hilt and sat down again.

Maybe it was the broken atmosphere, but Virtuous Moon Sword addressed Baek Yun again.

"Second Elder."

"... Why?"

"If you're not going to draw, let's end this here. Agreed?"

It was a clear challenge: if you don't agree, draw your sword now.

Baek Yun scowled—

"... Understood."

—But finally backed down. Only then did Virtuous Moon Sword relax his expression and rise to his feet.

*Slide.*

He headed straight outside.

"Squad member Bang, come with me."

At his words, I immediately stood.

"Excuse me."

I bowed properly and followed him out.

* * *

I followed Virtuous Moon Sword to a room.

Just like last time, there were only the two of us. Virtuous Moon Sword sat in place and spoke to me.

"You really didn't see one?"

Meaning, did I not spot an infiltrator from the Broken Heaven Palace? I replied,

"Yes. I did not..."

"I see."

Virtuous Moon Sword's reaction was calm. As if it didn't really matter whether there was or not.

"I'll ask. How do you detect them?"

"... I just sense it."

"You sense it?"

"Yes. It's really that simple."

My Moon Eye overlapped with the Blue Moon Sword Path, causing this anomaly. According to Yu Chun-gil, merely awakening the Moon Eye wouldn't make it visible.

"It's a little thin to place trust in, though."

"I suppose so."

But what can I do? It's the truth.

With no better way to explain, I fell silent—

"Is that ability to sense things connected to what you inherited from the previous Sect Leader?"

"..."

He brought up Yu Chun-gil. The moment I heard that, I thought, 'this is it'.

"... Yes."

I answered as if I'd been waiting for the question.

『... Shameless bastard.』

Yu Chun-gil shot me a disgusted glare, but I ignored it.

"My teacher has relentlessly pursued threats from Broken Heaven Palace."

It was the same excuse I'd used with Jaegal Jin before. Reusing it now didn't seem like a bad choice.

"He incorporated changes into the martial arts he left behind."

"And so that's where this sense comes from, you say?"

"Yes. It's about tracking and detecting a specific energy unique to Broken Heaven Palace's warriors."

"..."

Virtuous Moon Sword stared at me. It was hard to tell whether he was suspicious or thinking something else.

Then—

"I see."

With that brief response, Virtuous Moon Sword nodded.

Was that it?

"... Is there nothing more you wish to ask?"

"You said it's a power left by the Sword Saint. What else would I require?"

"... Nothing."

Was selling out Yu Chun-gil supposed to be this effective? Based on Virtuous Moon Sword's past behavior, it was strange, but—

'For now.'

If he was letting it go, so would I.

"So, as far as you can see, among the elders, there is no one with odd energy?"

"As of now, that's correct."

"Understood. You may leave."

"... Yes, sir."

I bowed to Virtuous Moon Sword and prepared to leave.

"Wait—"

He stopped me.

"Yes?"

When I turned, Virtuous Moon Sword said,

"You'll have some troublesome times ahead."

"Troublesome?"

"Yes."

Propping his chin up, Virtuous Moon Sword spoke,

"Beware of Second Elder."

"...!"

The unexpected warning made me freeze. I hadn't expected him to bring up Baek Yun.

'Second Elder.'

Did Virtuous Moon Sword know something about that man? While I tensed briefly—

"I'm sure you'll handle it yourself."

Virtuous Moon Sword withdrew his gaze from me and said,

"..."

I swallowed dryly and bowed my head.

"... Pardon me."

With those words, I stepped outside.

* * *

As soon as I left, I pressed a hand to my forehead.

"... Tsk."

Things kept cropping up that made this all the more difficult.

"What's going on?"

What was Baek Yun up to, and what was with Virtuous Moon Sword's reaction?

At the very least, it seemed clear I should be wary of Baek Yun.

'Virtuous Moon Sword seems to be wary of Baek Yun, too.'

There's something to that old man. But—

'If that's the case...'

If Virtuous Moon Sword was keeping his guard up against Baek Yun, in other words...

'Doesn't that mean Virtuous Moon Sword might also know about the secret store room?'

If you think it through, he could.

Rather, it was possible.

'He might know.'

Even if he didn't know the second way in, he might at least know about the secret store room's existence.

If so, what I had to consider increased again. Because—

'He, too, is a suspect.'

Virtuous Moon Sword—he was one of my suspects in Yu Chun-gil's murder.

"..."

I pressed my face with my hand and caressed my sword.

'Another person to be wary of.'

First, Virtuous Moon Sword's warning about Baek Yun.

Then the Virtuous Moon Sword himself, whom I'd been cautious of from the beginning.

I tapped the hilt of my sword and moved on.

My destination was the training hall.

The reason was simple.

'... I have to try.'

Even in this busy and urgent situation, I'd gained an insight from Virtuous Moon Sword's words.

I felt I'd figured out why I couldn't inherit the fifth sword path.

Surprisingly, resolving that was more important to me right now than other doubts.

I couldn't wait to swing my sword.

It was a feeling I'd never had before.

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