SSSS.

Far off in the distance, I could make out blackened traces. Yeah—like something had been scorched. Like it had turned to ash and scattered on the wind.

The sight made me frown, and I lightly bit my lip.

‘Is it true?’

Yoo Cheongil said they were people from HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE. Was he saying that was actually true?

I asked Yoo Cheongil with my eyes instead of words.

How could he be so sure? He was good at reading expressions—so I figured he’d catch it.

And right then, Yoo Cheongil looked at me and spoke.

[It’s the same filthy aura. You can fake anything else, but you can’t fake that.]

As expected, Yoo Cheongil had read my intent and answered.

“.......”

The aura is the same.

The aura a martial artist uses is usually unique. But if it’s the same, that means—

‘Is HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE like a sect or a clan?’

It didn’t feel like that. And on top of that—

‘The aura Yoo Cheongil mentioned. If it isn’t inner power.’

A thought flashed through me: maybe it was that disgusting shape I’d just seen.

I couldn’t feel it, but I could see it.

‘If that really is the aura Yoo Cheongil means...’

Then why am I seeing something I couldn’t see before?

Back in Sichuan, I couldn’t see things like that. Were those guys not HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE?

‘No. Then Yoo Cheongil wouldn’t have reacted like this.’

He reacted because he felt it.

Those guys really were HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE. Which meant that aura was real, too.

‘So why can I suddenly see it?’

What’s different between then and now? I tried to think back.

If there’s a difference...

‘A change in realm... mastering the Moon-Spirit Sword Path...?’

That was the most obvious one.

So was that change connected to what I was seeing now?

My realm had risen, and my Moon Eyes had grown stronger—so maybe that’s why I could see things like that, but—

‘Even so...’

I remembered that other people with Moon Eyes weren’t like this.

Even if Yoo Cheongil was different because he was already dead—

‘I’ve never heard anything like this from anyone else.’

Moon Eyes were supposed to be nothing more than blue eyes that appeared as the Blue Moon Heart Art settled into your body. They were known to have no other effects.

The only reason I gained special power was because Yoo Cheongil had modified it.

So—

‘This feels less like a Moon Eyes problem, and more like a me problem.’

Not Moon Eyes. Something happening to me.

I just didn’t know what.

The problem was—

‘If that aura really is HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE...’

Then what is Hyung Yeonghwa? Don’t tell me—

‘A spy?’

Are people from HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE hiding inside the alliance? And—

“Why are you like that?”

Did my expression look that bad? The Commander of the Guards asked.

“......No, it’s nothing.”

Even as I forced myself to shake my head, something surfaced in my mind.

If this was true, things got really strange.

Because—

‘The ones I’ve seen until now...?’

The ones I saw on the way out from the Martial Alliance and up to the county seat.

Hyung Yeonghwa wasn’t the only one inside the alliance.

Which meant it wasn’t one or two.

*****

Morning came.

I returned to the inn and rested, but I couldn’t rest for long. My head was a mess—too much to think about.

‘I’m going to lose it.’

It didn’t change.

‘The DEMON CULT alone is enough to drive me insane, and now HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE?’

Just Baek Cheonin’s existence was already complicated and irritating. If HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE got mixed into this too, it would be a real disaster.

‘What are they trying to do?’

One look told you they didn’t come here for nothing.

Every faction had spies, sure—but the fact that they’d crawled all the way into the Martial Alliance was a serious problem.

If they’d penetrated even the Martial Alliance—

‘It means they could be anywhere else, too.’

And it bothered me even more because I didn’t even know what HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE wanted.

If they were just bad people, honestly, I wouldn’t care.

‘Bad people exist everywhere.’

I knew a clean world didn’t exist.

So I didn’t expect one.

But—

‘The problem is it feels like those bad people are going to get tangled up with me.’

Not just bad people.

Bad people who were going to get tangled up with me.

“Damn it.”

Should I call it lucky that I can see this now, or not?

If that aura really is HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE—

‘What are they trying to do?’

What are they planning? If they broke into the Martial Alliance just to spy, fine.

But—

‘The fact they’re gathered even in the county seat... that means something else.’

Especially with the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering happening, the Martial Alliance’s strength would be reinforced.

Orthodox prodigies. Disciples from famous clans and renowned sects gathering meant there was more to protect—so the Martial Alliance would pour resources into vigilance and protection.

In a situation like that, they shouldn’t even be dreaming about an attack.

But—

‘They sent people anyway.’

Had they already been in Henan? It was possible they had people inside collecting information.

But—

‘...No.’

It didn’t feel like that.

If anything, a man like Hyung Yeonghwa would be good at that. And they—

‘They were real martial artists.’

The atmosphere was different. They weren’t some intelligence group. They were a real combat force.

And if that was true, it got even worse.

‘A combat force hid their identities and got in without issue.’

The problem was that the Martial Alliance—where identity checks were strict—had let them through. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Which meant either—

‘Their concealment is flawless...’

Or there were spies involved even during the screening.

‘Rotten bastards.’

This really is everything at once. The more you dig, the more it’s a complete wreck.

‘This is—what. I’ve been standing on a blade the whole time.’

I’d thought I was on safe ground. Turns out I was in a place more dangerous than anyone.

“Whew....”

I let out a deep sigh and stepped outside, heading down from the inn.

And then I saw a familiar face.

“Huh. What the hell.”

“.......”

Someone who noticed me frowned.

Amazingly, it was Cheon Hyein.

“You finally came out? You haven’t shown your face in days.”

Cheon Hyein didn’t answer. She just shoveled food into her mouth.

I watched her and sat down across from her.

“What have you been doing all this time?”

Since her bout with Baek Cheonin, Cheon Hyein had barely left # Nоvеlight # the inn, like she was in hiding.

Her face looked a little gaunt, which meant she’d basically been starving herself for days.

But the fact she was out here eating now meant—

“Couldn’t stand being hungry anymore?”

“......That’s not it.”

“Sure it isn’t. Why don’t you clear those bowls in front of you before you say that?”

“.......”

There were several empty bowls stacked up already, and she wants to pretend she wasn’t hungry?

“So you were too embarrassed to even come out, but you still got hungry?”

CRACK.

Cheon Hyein reacted harshly. The chopsticks in her hand snapped cleanly.

“......Yikes.”

If I teased her any more, those broken chopsticks might end up flying into my forehead.

I leaned back a little and raised my hands.

“......I heard you’ve fought plenty of bouts. Looks like you’ve still got a lot of energy left to tease people.”

“No. I’m exhausted. I could die.”

“Yeah. I bet.”

“I’m serious, and you still won’t believe me.”

She only looked fine on the outside. Inside, I was already burned to ash.

Bouts would be one thing.

But the DEMON CULT, and now HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE too—

It was nothing but complicated problems, and there was no way I was fine.

“Whatever....... Where did my useless little brother go?”

“Cheon Eujin?”

“Yes. There’s no way that kid’s been winning his bouts, so is he at least training? I don’t see him.”

...No way he’s been winning. That was a brutally confident assumption.

It was true, but still.

‘Does she not know?’

Cheon Hyein didn’t seem to know what had happened.

Well, she’d only just come out of her room after days. Of course.

So I told her, just as she was about to start eating again.

“Cheon Eujin is at the medical station.”

HALT—!

Cheon Hyein’s expression hardened.

“The medical station?”

“Yes.”

“Is he hurt?”

“He’s hurt. That’s why he’s at the medical sta—”

“Tell me. Where is he hurt?”

Her voice was mixed with panic. I narrowed my eyes.

That reaction was strange.

‘What is this.’

Is she... worried?

“......He was stabbed in the abdomen. Treatment’s finished, and they said if he rests, his life won’t be in danger—”

BANG!

Cheon Hyein sprang to her feet. Then she ran straight for the door and disappeared.

“......What.”

I’d never seen her move that fast.

The table was left behind, empty but for me. I stared at the bowls in front of me.

It was Cheon Hyein’s food, but it was basically untouched.

“.......”

I’m hungry too. Should I just eat it?

I hesitated for a moment, and then—

[That’s a bit much, isn’t it.]

“......Yeah. Thought so.”

At Yoo Cheongil’s contemptuous remark, I nodded.

I ordered plain noodles and shoveled them down.

At this point, it didn’t matter whether food went down my mouth or up my nose.

*****

After eating, I went straight into Main Alliance Headquarters.

Since it was the last day of the martial tournament, there were people everywhere.

I kept a stiff expression as I scanned the crowd.

‘What if...’

What if I saw that thing again? What if that black shape was mixed in among them?

I searched as I walked, but—

‘Whew....’

Thankfully, I didn’t see anything like that.

Just as I was about to let out a relieved sigh—

“Nervous?”

A voice came from beside me. It was Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin.

“......A little?”

I answered honestly, and Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin burst out laughing.

“Hah! Sure. Like that would ever happen.”

“.......”

What do you mean, like that would ever happen?

“I’d actually like it if you were nervous. But you never will be.”

“Why are you so sure?”

“Just a feeling.”

“Even the feeling of a Heaven-Martial Body can be wrong.”

“Well? Even if you were nervous, it wouldn’t be because of me. Isn’t that right?”

“.......”

For a moment, I had no words.

I’d felt it last time too—this bastard was sharp.

Honestly, right now I was paying more attention to other things than my bout with Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin.

Did he see right through that? As I tried to hide my small spark of admiration—

“Still, I’m a little disappointed. I even showed you my card on purpose, hoping you’d pay attention.”

Card.

At that word, I looked at Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin.

The “card” he meant had to be Black Cloud.

It really was something I should’ve focused on.

But—

‘Other things kept getting in my way, and I forgot.’

The thing right in front of me wasn’t HEAVEN-BREAKING PALACE or the DEMON CULT.

It was my bout with Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin.

And I’d been forgetting that.

‘Hah.’

Yeah. This isn’t the time to be looking elsewhere.

But because I keep seeing things I shouldn’t, it turns into this.

“You should be at least a little nervous. If you get careless and end up beaten...”

He tapped my shoulder as he spoke.

“I’ll be very disappointed.”

Tap. Tap.

That was what he came over to say.

‘...What a bizarre bastard.’

Did he really come warn me?

To tell me to watch out for his strength?

It was ridiculous.

This wasn’t some casual spar. It was the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering.

And—

‘He’s the one who even made a bet with me.’

The bet.

Remembering it, I turned my eyes back to the stands.

I was looking for someone.

I scanned for a moment, and then my gaze stopped.

It didn’t take long.

Because she was already looking at me.

And she wasn’t even wearing the veil she usually wore.

A woman with black hair and sharp eyes.

Murong Yeongsun was seated somewhere in the stands, watching me.

Holding a fan to cover her mouth, Yeongsun met my eyes—

Salang.

She fluttered her white fingertips in a small wave.

And then—

“Ahahahaha—! Yes! I’m right here!”

“......?”

Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin, right next to me, started waving his hand with all his might.

And when Yeongsun saw that, she didn’t wave more at me.

She waved even harder at him.

“HAHAHAHA!!!”

Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin laughed even louder, thrilled, and Yeongsun lowered her fan for a moment and mouthed something silently.

She spoke so clearly I could read it just from her lips.

—Win. No matter what.

Yeongsun definitely said that.

“Ahahahaha!! I will win, no matter what...!!”

BOOOOM—!!

Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin even let his presence explode as he pulled up his battle aura.

Insane.

‘...I’m screwed, aren’t I?’

Startled by the now-fired-up Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin, I stared at Murong Yeongsun.

She was smiling, like she was satisfied.

‘...Oh, is that how it is?’

Looks like—

Murong Yeongsun did it on purpose.

She provoked Black-Grand Saber Peng Dojin on purpose.

...God damn it.