Published at 5th of February 2026 2:37 pm

Chapter 389

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

Virtuous Moon Sword's blue eyes looked down at me. That uniquely cold and chilly gaze almost made my body freeze up.

But I could distinctly feel a difference from before.

'The height of his gaze is different.'

What once looked completely from above now no longer felt like such an overwhelming gap.

"......"

Virtuous Moon Sword couldn't have failed to notice that either; he was looking at me with a rare, quite surprised expression.

After a brief moment had passed—

"What happened?"

He was asking about the circumstances. Normally, he wouldn't even have asked this much. I suppose this time he thought he'd better.

"......"

I closed my mouth for a moment. What should I say? I hadn't really prepared an answer, since I'd been moving so hastily.

I hadn't even prepared an excuse. What kind of excuse could I have, anyway?

'My body has changed like this.'

It wasn't just anything—my very body had changed. There was nothing here to hide or not to hide.

"I had a fortuitous encounter."

So I answered honestly.

"A fortuitous encounter, huh."

His blue eyes swept over me.

"It must have been quite a significant encounter."

"...... Yes."

It certainly wasn't a minor one. It was probably enormous.

"You've undergone total transformation, I see."

I nodded at Virtuous Moon Sword's words. He had noticed right away, as expected.

"I was lucky."

"Lucky?"

At that, Virtuous Moon Sword let out a faint smile.

"A total transformation isn't something that can be achieved by luck alone."

Though it's called a miracle among martial artists, to dismiss it as mere luck isn't right. We both knew that.

"What did you obtain?"

Persistent. Well, objectively it wasn't a particularly prying question, but based on the Virtuous Moon Sword I knew, he was not the type to ask this far.

"...... I took the Moonlit Night Spirit Herb."

"Moonlit Night Spirit Herb?"

At my honest answer, Virtuous Moon Sword's eyes narrowed.

"It was a measure my master prepared for me."

"Your master, Yu Chun-gil, prepared the Moonlit Night Spirit Herb for you?"

"Yes. He told me to take it when the time was right. I decided that time was now."

"......"

That isn't a lie. Yu Chun-gil preparing the Moonlit Night Spirit Herb was true, and it was also true that he told me to eat it.

"So, you took the Moonlit Night Spirit Herb and achieved a total transformation?"

"...... It wasn't exactly my aim, but I was truly fortunate."

I couldn't just call it luck. The total transformation was, after all, something Yu Chun-gil spoon-fed me.

"......"

Virtuous Moon Sword just kept silently looking at me at those words.

Then—

"Follow me."

He turned and started walking. At dawn, I quietly trailed behind him.

* * *

After following Virtuous Moon Sword for a while, we arrived at a small training ground behind the Sect Leader's quarters.

Judging by the lack of any signs that it had been used, it looked like the place had been abandoned for a long time.

'Is this a training ground reserved for the Sect Leader?'

But it was quite small for that. Why leave it like this, I wondered.

Just as I was puzzling over that—

Swoosh.

Virtuous Moon Sword drew a sword from behind him. It looked rather old and worn.

"I'll ask you something."

Virtuous Moon Sword spoke as he unsheathed the sword.

"The contest for Young Sect Leader will start soon. Are you interested?"

Young Sect Leader contest. I'd heard about it before.

"I wouldn't say I have no interest at all..."

Young Sect Leader. I recalled Virtuous Moon Sword previously telling me to aim for Sect Leader.

"I'm just not sure if it's really a meaningful contest."

"What do you mean?"

"Even if you become Young Sect Leader, it doesn't actually bring you any closer to the sect leader's seat. In the end..."

As I looked at the sword he had drawn, I rested my hand on my waist.

"Unless one kills the current Sect Leader, isn't it impossible to become the Blue Moon Sect Leader?"

A special circumstance.

Unless something like force majeure or a natural death like Yu Chun-gil's came to pass, there was something I absolutely had to do in order to become Sect Leader.

"That's a funny way to put it."

Virtuous Moon Sword chuckled at that.

"Are you planning to kill me?"

"...... Mm."

I lowered my gaze. I thought of my answer for that.

It wasn't my own thoughts.

What would Yu Chun-gil have said in this situation?

The answer came quickly. That old man would have been simple.

"Yes."

Kill Virtuous Moon Sword. Then become Blue Moon's Sect Leader.

That's what any martial artist of the Blue Moon Sect should be thinking about.

"Haha."

Virtuous Moon Sword laughed at my words.

Did he like my answer?

"Good."

It seemed so.

"That's an answer I like."

"Thank you. But..."

I lowered my gaze to the sword Virtuous Moon Sword was holding.

"Why did you draw your sword?"

"You already know, don't you? Isn't that why you've grabbed your own sword as well?"

"...... Are you going to kill me right now? I'm not prepared for that yet."

It's a process I'll have to go through someday to be Sect Leader, but I wasn't saying I wanted to do this right now.

"Congratulations on your fortuitous encounter. In that spirit, I'll give you some instruction."

"And my opinion?"

Instruction is nice and all, but what about my own wishes? I didn't see any sign of that being considered.

Gulp. I swallowed dryly and asked.

"You don't want to? Then you can refuse."

Virtuous Moon Sword replied nonchalantly. He really didn't seem to care.

'... Hmm.'

I narrowed my brows. Instruction from Virtuous Moon Sword.

I was curious.

'Indeed.'

Just how strong was the current Blue Moon Sect Leader?

I might be able to find out, now.

'I've even undergone transformation.'

The deepened ki. This was my chance to see how much I'd changed.

"......"

Having thought that far, I drew the Divine Sword.

Shhhhff.

"Please be merciful."

Virtuous Moon Sword pointed his sword at me instead of answering.

"Come."

Could he really use such an old sword? Should I tell him to use a proper weapon? I brushed off those pointless worries.

Who was I to worry about whom?

He was an absolute master recognized throughout the Central Plains.

Even if I had reached the Transcendent realm, would I forget my place? No, that would not do.

'One must know one's place.'

The riper the grain, the more it bows its head.

That's a proverb I must live keeping in mind.

A single moment of arrogance could mean losing one's neck in this world.

Creak.

I tightened my grip on the sword.

I could feel that the amount of pressure I put on it was different from before.

Shwwwooosh.

I exuded my energy through my body. A pure white force swiftly surged up.

Kugugung—!!

The ground trembled, and light burst forth.

Crackkkle—!!!

Thunderbolts erupted. I used Moon Heaven.

Radiant Moon Annihilation shrouded my entire body.

'Hoo.'

An exhilarating sensation buoyed me up.

"......"

Virtuous Moon Sword looked at me with an intrigued gaze.

My awakened Moon Eye glared at him.

I still couldn't see his sword paths.

Thud.

I stamped the ground as if to shatter it, then charged directly at Virtuous Moon Sword.

The distance closed rapidly. The speed was different.

'Fast.'

Even as I stepped myself, I was surprised. Could my speed really be this different?

But my stance didn't collapse. Holding my sword at a diagonal, I immediately executed Full Moon.

First sword path. With a blue arc, it closed in on him.

However—

Creak—!

'What?'

Virtuous Moon Sword blocked my attack as if it was nothing. In fact—

'... With the pommel?'

He blocked not with the blade, but with the end of the hilt.

He stopped the attack and casually twisted it. My sword path shook. I braced my lower body. I couldn't let it unravel here.

Clang—! Forcing it, I added more strength and struck upwards.

Fortunately, the sword rose high. Not exactly to attack but to fulfill the sword path.

Night Moon.

I slashed through the night.

Virtuous Moon Sword sidestepped by half a step, evading once again.

'How?'

He wasn't moving all that quickly. In fact, his footwork seemed relaxed. But he dodged so easily.

Crack—!

My sword tip struck the ground, sending up fragments. Not yet.

Fourth one.

I reinforced Radiant Moon Annihilation. I poured even deeper energy generated by Moon Heaven into it.

Sssshhhh—!!!

A faster sword than before grazed Virtuous Moon Sword.

Yes, grazed.

I could see that his collar was slightly cut.

"Hm."

Virtuous Moon Sword widened his eyes, seemingly surprised at the nick on his collar.

Then, with two steps—

He used the rebound to widen the distance.

'Fifth.'

I prepared Full Moon again.

Kwagagagagagak—!!!

My energy gathered to one point. My sword aura solidified into a firm form.

'It's different.'

Definitely different. It was on a completely different level from the Full Moon I'd used against the Tyrant King.

The power gathered.

The way I wielded my energy.

Even the gaze I now faced.

Everything was different.

'With this...'

Would it work? That thought flashed through my mind.

"Excellent."

Virtuous Moon Sword said.

Whoosh.

At the same time, he lifted his sword.

Then—

"...!"

Through my Moon Eye, I saw Virtuous Moon Sword's sword path.

A single line.

Unlike with others, where I would see dozens or hundreds of sword paths. Here, I could see only one.

'What is this?'

It was my first time seeing such a thing. Just a single sword path?

I was rattled. Why only one? As I wondered—

Crackle-crackle-crackle—!!!

Sword aura bloomed on Virtuous Moon Sword's blade. It wasn't Radiant Moon Annihilation.

That was Yu Chun-gil's secret technique, while what Virtuous Moon Sword used was the sword aura of Blue Moon Sect.

But—

'... It's deep.'

The sword aura was like the deep ocean. It wasn't just blue; it was deep and quiet.

It glowed blue, yet for some reason, it felt like it contained the night. As soon as that sword aura appeared, the atmosphere seemed to subtly change; the sense of presence was overwhelming.

'Heavy.'

The existence known as Virtuous Moon Sword felt as though he pressed down on my shoulders.

My breath caught.

It felt like my breathing was blocked, that my body would seize up on its own.

'Going crazy.'

Just a single sword path.

And the existence of Virtuous Moon Sword.

Just those two alone were enough to make me like this.

'... I can clearly feel it.'

Thanks to that, I understood.

'He's a monster.'

Standing before me was the fiercest monster of all the martial artists I'd ever met.

Indeed, there was a reason he was Sect Leader of the Blue Moon Sect.

'What should I do?'

I prepared Full Moon and looked at the sword path Virtuous Moon Sword revealed.

Should I evade, look for another opening?

Or—

'Should I clash head-on?'

Should I refrain from dodging and go straight in?

There wasn't much time to hesitate. Virtuous Moon Sword had already formed his sword aura and was watching me.

I read his gaze.

Go ahead—let's see what you can do.

His eyes seemed to say.

"......"

Tsk.

I'm not someone with much pride, but given how thoroughly he had set the stage for me... It would be cowardly not to try.

I grit my teeth and made up my mind.

'I'll receive it.'

I wouldn't evade. I'd meet it head-on.

I steeled my heart.

What would Yu Chun-gil have said at a time like this?

—Do as you please.

He would certainly have said that.

Ku-gung—!!

With all my strength, I unleashed Full Moon.

A moon gathered at the tip of my sword, blazing a path.

Along the path I'd carved, Virtuous Moon Sword moved.

The line my Moon Eye revealed.

Virtuous Moon Sword followed that line exactly with his sword.

So did I. I gently set my blade upon the path created by the sword line.

Then, sword clashed against sword.

Clang! Creakkk—!!!

Thud—!!!

Our energies exploded. The shock roared in all directions.

With the force of our exchanged blows, my muscles screamed. I endured my trembling body as best I could.

Before long—

Bang—!!

"Ugh!"

Unable to withstand the pressure, my arm sprang back, and my sword flew out.

Clatter!

The Divine Sword fell to the ground.

Staggering, I dropped to my knees.

"... Huff... Haah..."

Both hands were trembling uncontrollably. I looked up.

Virtuous Moon Sword was there.

He sheathed his sword and looked at me.

But—

"Hmmm."

On his face—

"Well done. Truly well done."

A bright smile formed, one so satisfied it struck me as almost frightening.

TL's Corner:

Is the Virtuous Moon Sword one of those kinds of monsters that are looking for someone to defeat them?

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