Published at 26th of January 2026 10:12 pm

Chapter 379

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Sacred blade.

There are plenty of ways to describe it, but to put it simply, it's a sword used by Taoists.

A sword said to be used to cut down ghosts.

'... This.'

Thinking about that, I stared at the Tyrant King's bracer.

'It's a sacred blade.'

If someone were to ask how something that is not a sword at all could be called a "sacred blade"—

'... Could there really be so much spiritual ki within it?'

The spiritual ki contained in the bracer—that was the issue.

'This is...'

It wasn't merely stored inside—the traces were embedded by cutting and smashing.

Taoists used many types of sacred blades. Many were called swords, but in truth, were not swords at all.

Take Chief Baek, for example...

'It was a metal pipe...'

A pipe that looked bizarre. He was the one who beat evil spirits to death with it.

That, too, was called a sacred blade, and people judged a sacred blade by the extent to which spiritual traces could be glimpsed inside the object.

'Then this is a sacred blade.'

The Tyrant King's bracer was definitely a sacred blade.

'How did this happen?'

How could his bracer be called a sacred blade? Just as that doubt started to creep in—

Thunk.

"...!"

I felt something from the talisman. I quickly set down the bracer I was holding.

"Hoo."

And then I tore off the talisman and crumpled it. That was close.

'If I held it any longer...'

My own spirit might have reacted.

"Ssss..."

This isn't good.

'The duration is even shorter than before.'

I should've been able to touch it longer, but the spiritual traces in the bracer got in the way.

'I'm sure of it.'

This really is a sacred blade. A tool used to dispel evil spirits and all sorts of phantoms, even while the bracer was worn.

Through that, karma and spirit accumulated, turning it into something beyond the ordinary.

This bracer was precisely that.

'And yet this is what they call a 'record'.'

They said such a sacred blade was one of the Tyrant King's 'records'.

I have no idea how that could be considered a record.

"... It's a bit risky to look any longer."

Already, the spirit within the bracer had reacted. If I tried to confirm it again, I'd be the one to get done in.

'Regretfully, this is as far as I can go.'

Giving up on further examination, I decided to move on to my other goal.

Leaving the bracer behind, I headed toward the next room, where the sword appraisal was located.

There was something I wanted to see there as well.

"Then—"

Just as I was about to move forward—

『Child.』

"...!"

Yu Chun-gil spoke. His voice made me stop in my tracks.

『Someone's come.』

Immediately, I opened my Moon Eye. Piercing through the wall, I could sense the presence. I looked at the azure line and identified who it was.

'Baek Yun.'

And the other one—

'... Chun Hye-In?'

Chun Hye-In. She was Chun Seonghwa's daughter, and Chun Uijin's younger sister.

She was there.

'How...?'

Suppressing my surprise, I erased my presence.

I pressed right up against the wall, gently pulling in my senses. Then—

—So...

I heard voices.

—This is...?

It was Chun Hye-In's voice.

—Yes, this is where the Sword Saint's secret store room is.

Baek Yun answered.

'... What?'

My eyes narrowed.

So, as expected, Baek Yun knew this was Yu Chun-gil's secret store room.

'He brought Chun Hye-In here?'

I was curious why he brought Chun Hye-In specifically. What for?

It was strange. So I focused more on their conversation.

『... They're treating what I made as if it's their own house...』

Yu Chun-gil said incredulously, but this wasn't the time to worry about that.

—The item is here, right?

—Yes.

My ears perked up at their conversation.

'Item?'

They were here to find something?

—First, let's find the path deeper in. After that...

Baek Yun continued.

—First, we have to find what the Tyrant King is looking for.

"...!"

The Tyrant King's item. My eyes widened at those words. So, that fellow came for the bracer.

'Just as I thought.'

It was Baek Yun who summoned the Tyrant King. My guess had been correct.

The problem:

'... If he refers to it as an "item"...'

It meant he didn't know that the item was the bracer. This...

'Probably because they haven't gotten to the back room yet.'

I understood. They both knew the Tyrant King was looking for something, but not what exactly.

'... Should I just leave now?'

Now that I've figured things out, I should make my escape. I had just thought that when—

—Then, the next item...

Chun Hye-In continued.

—You said there's a divine pill here.

I froze.

'Divine pill?'

My body stiffened.

—Yes, that too must be found.

Baek Yun replied with conviction.

—Without doubt, inside here is the divine pill, which only successive Sect Leaders have been able to consume—and the formula for it, as well.

"..."

I shifted my eyes as I listened.

Could it be...?

'... Are they talking about what I ate?'

The divine pill I'd consumed the moment I arrived at the secret store room.

That must be it.

'So that was Baek Yun's goal?'

All this time, I wondered why he kept coming to the vault. It wasn't just for the Tyrant King's item—he was seeking the divine pill as well. I finally understood.

The problem was—

'I already ate it.'

There was no divine pill here.

No matter how many times they searched.

* * *

Hoo...

As soon as I left the secret store room, I heaved a long sigh. Chun Hye-In and Baek Yun were probably still inside, but I just left them and got out.

"Ugh..."

Exhausted. Heightening my senses was exhausting, and so was constantly keeping my presence hidden.

As a result, both my mind and body were hit with waves of fatigue.

Creak.

I quietly closed the door to the chamber with the secret passage and slipped outside. It was now dawn.

'Let's organize things.'

I thought back to what happened inside.

'First...'

The part about the bracer being a sacred blade. I brought that to mind.

'Even if I don't know how it happened...'

If the bracer really is a sacred blade—

'Tricks won't work.'

Most loopholes used to retrieve a dead person's belongings wouldn't work. The spiritual traces inside were simply too strong.

'In that case...'

Unless the owner personally came to get it, it'd be impossible.

'What a headache.'

I wanted to properly ascertain what the bracer was, but I never thought it'd be a sacred blade. Now things were completely tangled up.

'... Well, I suppose I can put the whole bracer issue on the back burner.'

It's a problem I can't solve right now, so I'll move on. In that case—

'Baek Yun and Chun Hye-In.'

Their relationship bothered me. The fact that they both suddenly showed up at the vault too.

'Their goal isn't just the Tyrant King's bracer.'

They also came looking for the divine pill they believed to be inside.

'It makes sense for Baek Yun.'

But Chun Hye-In—that's the puzzling part. Why did she follow Baek Yun? I just didn't understand it.

'Because of that, I didn't even get to look at the sword appraisal.'

I came planning to examine things further, but because of those unwelcome guests, I couldn't.

'If I leave things alone, they might disable the mechanisms inside.'

But probably not. Unless they had Yu Chun-gil's martial arts, it would be impossible to break through the vault.

'... Even if they do find their way inside—'

There's no divine pill anyway. I ate it a long time ago.

Those two were basically wasting their efforts.

"Hmmm."

Baek Yun and Chun Hye-In.

Just as I thought I'd have to figure out their connection—

『Child.』

Yu Chun-gil spoke once more.

『That guy's here.』

He pointed with his finger. I checked what he was indicating. I couldn't see anything, but I trusted Yu Chun-gil's words.

"What brings you here...?"

"Heh."

Upon my words, the figure instantly revealed himself. As expected—

'The Tyrant King.'

The Tyrant King, Muk Yeok-Sung—he had come to find me again.

"Wow. To think you'd find me again. Sharp little fellow."

"Thank you for the compliment, senior... Do you need something from me again?"

Since things probably weren't fully resolved for him, I expected he'd have business with me later.

'Why now?'

Why had he come to find me now, though? And—

'Since when?'

Since when had he been watching me? As my heart started to pound a little—

"Nah, I was just curious. How'd you show up at a house in the middle of the night when no one was around...?"

"..."

Was he watching the inside? Yu Chun-gil hadn't pointed anything out as I went back and forth through the secret store room, so he couldn't have been following me the whole time.

"There was something I needed to do in the room."

"I see. Business, was it?"

"May I go now?"

"Ah, sure. Go ahead."

"Excuse me, then."

I bowed to the Tyrant King and began to move away.

"But—"

The Tyrant King spoke.

Whoosh—!

A gust of wind blew.

When I turned, a giant fist was right in front of my face.

"...."

I was startled. What was he doing? I looked at the Tyrant King with wide eyes.

"I just want to ask you one thing."

"... In this position?"

"Ah, this is just a greeting."

He smiled brightly and pulled his fist back. Watching his rotating arm, I realized something.

'... That arm.'

Wasn't that the arm I broke last time? It's already healed?

As I was checking this—

"The item your master stole. I heard it's hidden somewhere in this place. Do you know anything about it?"

"...."

I didn't expect him to ask so directly. I was taken aback.

He was flat-out asking about the location of the secret store room.

"Well, I'm not sure...?"

"You don't know?"

"Yes. I don't even know what item my master took from you, senior. What exactly are you looking for?"

"As I said before, it's a record."

"By record... do you mean a letter or something?"

Pretending not to know that it was a bracer, I beat around the bush. Muk Yeok-Sung smirked as he listened.

That smile made my skin crawl for some reason. Something about it felt dangerous.

"The form doesn't matter. What's important is what's inside... Do you really not know?"

"I don't know."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Alright then."

The Tyrant King nodded slowly. Just as I let out a sigh of relief—

"That's a lie."

"...!"

The Tyrant King moved. I turned my head, as an even bigger hand came plunging toward me.

Could I dodge it? It felt hopeless, but—

Clap—!

"Huh?"

The Tyrant King suddenly put his hands together in front of me.

"I'm begging you."

"Huh?"

As if praying—no, it really seemed like he was begging.

"I know that you know. Please, I'm begging you."

"... Wait, senior?"

"Should I kneel instead?"

"No? Of course not! Please get up!"

As he looked ready to really kneel, I panicked. What the heck is he? This was so sudden.

"You know, don't you."

"No, I told you I don't!"

"You really should know, right? I'll kneel for real?"

"What the heck are you saying...! I really don't know!"

His reckless behavior was exhausting. What's wrong with him? Was the Tyrant King always like this?

I looked over at Yu Chun-gil in disbelief.

『Kekekek... Didn't I tell you?』

Yu Chun-gil chuckled.

『The Tyrant King—he's a strange, eccentric fellow.』

"...."

I had heard that.

But—

"Please, I'm begging you."

"No, please just get up and calm down...! Ah! You really knelt?!"

I never thought he'd be this bizarre.

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