They knew it too.

This was different from when the three of them had caused trouble. The girl who just appeared was the Yu Manor Lord’s precious daughter.

Though the Yu Family was not a Murim sect, the Yu Manor Lord was a renowned figure in Lanzhou.

He was not someone you could pretend not to know and ignore.

“…Why now, of all times.”

A lament escaped the Young Gate Master’s lips.

The elder kept his mouth shut and looked to the Young Gate Master.

It was not a matter he could decide.

Sighing, the Young Gate Master turned to Bang Geum-hyeok.

“Young Master Bang, where are their belongings?”

“Y-Young Gate Master, are you taking their word…”

Bang Geum-hyeok’s voice trailed off.

He could read annoyance on the Young Gate Master’s face.

“…It’s in Su-jong Jin-in’s possession.“

At that, people’s gazes turned to Jeong-hye Jin-in.

Some reacted to the word “Jin-in.” They were the people who had no affiliation with the martial world.

Those bearing the title “Jin-in” were virtuous Taoists, so Wudang naturally came to mind.

Moreover, the Justice Gate here was an affiliated branch sect of Wudang.

Yet those who knew even a little of Murim showed doubt.

Among them were disciples of Wudang.

Flushed under their stares, the elder hastily spoke.

“Go invite Su-jong Jin-in here.”

“There is no need.”

A Taoist priest stepped out from the rear.

His robe was dark indigo, in stark contrast to Wudang’s pale sky-blue.

It was the attire of the Qingcheng Sect, Sichuan’s representative Taoist sect.

In Su-jong Jin-in’s hand was a familiar bundle.

It was Gyo-ha’s bundle.

Su-jong Jin-in turned his gaze to the party and spoke.

“You claim this baggage is yours?”

“…And if it is?”

“Then I will ask.”

Su-jong Jin-in reached into the bundle and drew out two books from within.

“Where did you obtain these?”

“…!”

People looked puzzled at the books, but the faces of some who knew martial arts changed.

They had read the writing on the covers.

Among them was Jeong-hye Jin-in.

“…Jin-in, what is the meaning of this?”

His tone rebuked Su-jong Jin-in. Su-jong Jin-in met Jeong-hye Jin-in’s eyes calmly, while the Young Gate Master and the elder behind them shuddered.

Jeong-hye Jin-in was a highly respected elder even within Wudang.

The Justice Gate was an affiliated branch of Wudang.

The problem was that Su-jong Jin-in knew of something he did not.

Even their standings were the same.

It was as if the Justice Gate had smeared mud on the face of the Wudang Sect.

Su-jong Jin-in cupped his fist not to Jeong-hye Jin-in, but to the gathered crowd.

“As a guest, I apologize for stepping forward so rashly. Yet as a member of my sect, this is not something we can overlook.”

Saying that, Su-jong Jin-in looked back to Gyo-ha’s group.

“I will ask once more. Where did you get this secret manual?”

“Jin-in!”

Jeong-hye Jin-in’s stern voice rang out.

At the word “secret manual,” people’s eyes changed.

Curiosity and greed began to settle in their gaze.

---

“Why should we tell you?”

A cold voice broke the silence.

It was Moon Ryang. He exuded a chill as cold as the night air.

He was not wrong.

Su-jong Jin-in’s gaze belatedly turned to Moon Ryang.

“Ghost Evil Blade. I have heard your name well enough. You are as rude as the rumors say.”

“Rude, you say. Is that something for the one who rifled through another’s baggage to say?”

At Moon Ryang’s retort, Su-jong Jin-in’s beard trembled.

Yet he forced himself to speak evenly.

“I know it is discourteous, but the matter is grave. As I said, this manual is also tied to my sect…”

“I got it from my master.”

Gyo-ha tossed the words out curtly. Su-jong Jin-in let out a laugh.

“Your master, is it? Do you know what this manual is? It belonged to our sworn ally among the Nine Sects, One Union—”

“Kunlun.”

Gyo-ha cut him off.

Breaths were sucked in all around. Though gone now, the name Kunlun was by no means light.

“…So you knew.”

Su-jong Jin-in looked at Gyo-ha, surprised.

“But what does that have to do with you?”

“As I said, the Kunlun Sect was our sworn ally. If you do not even know that, it seems you have not inherited the true lineage.”

“…”

Gyo-ha knit his brows.

He searched his memory, but no matter how he thought, his master had never told him that.

Misreading Gyo-ha’s reaction, Su-jong Jin-in smirked as if he had expected it.

“As expected, you cannot answer properly.”

He misunderstood at will and even mocked him.

As Gyo-ha’s eyes turned feral, Jeong-hye Jin-in stepped forward.

“Su-jong Jin-in, whatever the case, those things are theirs. Even if there is censure later, returning them comes first.”

At Jeong-hye Jin-in’s words, Su-jong Jin-in frowned.

“Jin-in, I understand your intent. Yet the world is changing. Kunlun, our sworn ally, has fallen, and nefarious men everywhere invoke its name to swell their ranks.”

“This humble beggar agrees with Su-jong Jin-in’s words.”

A middle-aged beggar popped out from among the people.

He was no ordinary beggar. An ordinary beggar could not even enter here.

The knot at his waist revealed his identity.

“Red-Eyed Beggar!”

Exclamations rose around them. There was none in Lanzhou who did not know him.

He was the branch leader of the Beggars’ Union in Lanzhou.

“For a lost Kunlun manual to appear at a time like this. Does it not reek of suspicion?”

Even Jeong-hye Jin-in could not speak easily at Red-Eyed Beggar’s words.

Many who listened were nodding along.

Among them were even Wudang disciples.

They straightened their faces under their seniors’ gaze, but Jeong-hye had already seen.

“Young Master Gyo is a guest of the Yu Family Manor!”

Yu So-ha shouted. She too had been startled by the name Kunlun, but quickly collected herself.

“…The Yu Family Manor, is it?”

Su-jong Jin-in stroked his beard as he spoke.

He said nothing further. None here failed to grasp the implication.

It meant it was not even worth mentioning.

Even the Justice Gate, a Wudang branch, treated him carefully.

Such was the Nine Sects, One Union.

So there was no reason to care about a mere merchant guild.

“Thieves sure talk a lot.”

“…!”

It was Gyo-ha. He looked at them with a cold gaze.

“Why do you people get to decide another’s belongings at will?”

“What was that?”

Su-jong Jin-in’s face twisted. The expressions of the onlookers were much the same.

“It’s mine. Hand it over now. Otherwise…”

Gyo-ha stepped forward.

Creak. As he put on strength, his muscles swelled and sounded.

Fighting spirit slowly rose.

It wreathed his body like heat haze.

“…Enough nonsense. Come at me.”

The manor fell silent, so shocking were Gyo-ha’s words.

Even Noh-sam behind him opened his eyes wide.

If even Noh-sam did so, what of the others?

“Is he actually insane?”

Jong Dae-woon’s voice came from the side.

The opponent was a Taoist of the Qingcheng Sect.

Su-jong Jin-in was a man of high repute even within Qingcheng.

“You really are an arrogant lot!”

It was a disciple of the Justice Gate.

The one called Wang Yeong.

With a shout, he drew his sword and rushed Gyo-ha.

A feeling rose in Gyo-ha’s eyes as he looked at Wang Yeong.

Familiarity.

Yet his body moved contrary to that emotion.

Gyo-ha had defeated even Bang Sa-hyeok, one who was said to be an elder-candidate, alone. A common disciple was no threat.

Gyo-ha’s fist slipped past Wang Yeong’s sword and crashed into his face.

“Ah.”

Only then did it come back to him.

Wang Family Manor.

The second son who bullied Gyo-ha there. Gyo-ha stared down at the fallen Wang Yeong.

But his gaze did not linger long.

For Justice Gate disciples were already charging as Wang Yeong fell.

But Gyo-ha’s eyes were not on them.

Su-jong Jin-in.

He took his stance.

Wang Yeong was already erased from his mind.

The enemies before him came first.

Gyo-ha’s eyes flashed fiercely.

And beside such Gyo-ha, a blade flashed.

Moon Ryang cut down a rushing foe. Blood sprayed.

His indifferent gaze turned to the enemies.

“Damn it! This is really driving me mad!”

A fan moved beside him. It was Jong Dae-woon.

He kept cursing as he swung his iron fan.

But they were not the only ones to move.

“Disciples of the allied sects, seize the evildoers.”

Those who stepped out purely to aid the Justice Gate.

“This humble one will lend an arm as well.”

They had a Wudang branch on their side, and even Qingcheng at their back.

Moreover, the Beggars’ Union was siding with them.

Opportunists joined in as well.

But they were not the only ones to move.

“Young Master!”

Noh-sam ran out with a sword.

His movements were awkward to anyone’s eye, a man who had never learned properly.

“Leave only enough to protect the guests, everyone else aid the Young Master.”

Yu So-ha bit her lip and gave the order.

By “guests” she meant the townsfolk they had brought.

Even if all their fighters joined, they would still be at a disadvantage, since the Yu Family was not a Murim sect.

Even so, she split their warriors.

But the Yu Family’s fighters voiced no doubts and moved at once.

In an instant, the fighters were tangled together.

Blood spattered in all directions.

---

Gyo-ha’s expression hardened as he dropped his enemies.

Gyo-ha came to a stop.

The foes warily watched him, no longer charging as before.

But Gyo-ha was not looking at them.

For the first time, he looked somewhere other than the enemy.

Creak.

Strength gathered in his clenched fist.

Gyo-ha had never lost his smile no matter what foe appeared.

But this time was different.

Shrieks sounded from moment to moment. It was the Yu Family’s fighters who were falling.

It was only natural.

In numbers and in skill, they could not compare.

Among them, he saw Noh-sam and Yu So-ha struggling.

They were barely fending off attacks.

‘I have to help. But where?’

Everywhere was a battlefield.

And they would not simply let Gyo-ha go if he moved.

The enemies were still aiming at Gyo-ha.

Gyo-ha bit his lip.

A tightness pressed in his chest. He had never felt this in a fight.

He could not focus on the combat.

It was not fun?

No. It was a different feeling.

But soon Gyo-ha’s head cooled.

His chest was still tight, but what he had to do was clear.

No, it was clearer than before.

A will other than fighting spirit mixed into Gyo-ha’s fist.

Killing intent.

And there were those who moved before him.

“Swindler, if you are going to fight like that, protect the fighters.”

It was Moon Ryang.

Jong Dae-woon’s fan carried neither fighting spirit nor killing intent.

Jong Dae-woon knew that and gave a wry smile, but did not move at once.

“No, what can just the two of you do?”

There were many attacking the Yu Family’s fighters, but not compared to those attacking the three.

Not only the Justice Gate’s elites, but guest fighters were joining in.

“It is possible.”

Moon Ryang swung his blade wide.

A movement unlike before, enough to make those charging flinch.

A cold killing aura coiled about Moon Ryang’s blade.

Now it was different from before.

Moon Ryang knew it could not go on like this.

Seeing him, Jong Dae-woon let out a hollow laugh.

He looked ready to take it to the end.

“Screw it. Fine, I don’t care anymore.”

Jong Dae-woon moved.

At this point, no one would believe him if he backed out.

When it came to the orthodox great sects, Jong Dae-woon knew better than most.

As Jong Dae-woon slipped away, Moon Ryang sheathed his blade. It looked as though he had given up the fight, but the fighters only watched him with tense eyes.

A chill ghostly aura was flowing from Moon Ryang’s body.

Moon Ryang set his hand to the hilt again.

Then a sky-blue hem fluttered.

“Everyone, stop!”

It was Jeong-hye Jin-in.

Jeong-hye Jin-in did not stop there.

“Disciples of Wudang, step forward.”

“Yes, Martial Uncle.”

Chwarreuk.

Wudang’s disciples drew their swords as one. They had neither Gyo-ha’s fighting spirit nor Moon Ryang’s killing intent.

Yet a heavy momentum flowed from them.

At the sight, those fighting halted.

“…Jin-in, what are you doing right now?”

Su-jong Jin-in spoke with anger in his eyes.

And no wonder, for Wudang’s swords were not pointed only at Gyo-ha and Moon Ryang.

They were leveled at Su-jong Jin-in and the Justice Gate disciples as well.