At the Shrine
For a while, I hid in the thicket, observing the shrine and its surroundings.
First of all, it was clear that the shrine I had found was indeed a sanctuary of the Ming Sect.
A faint, warm, and tingling energy radiated from the shrine, reaching all the way to where I stood.
It was exactly like the energy at the Holy Fire Altar or the Hall of No-Mind.
It was the blessing of Myeongjon, imperceptible to ordinary people and detectable only by me.
The problem is those people...
The people there were, quite literally, throwing a feast.
Some were gathered inside the shrine, while others loitered outside.
Judging by their loud, boisterous voices and high spirits, they were definitely drinking.
Seeing a few of them stumbling, they seemed to have already consumed quite a bit of alcohol.
Wait. Now that I look closer, aren't those people believers of the Sun and Moon Sect?
In the flickering light of the bonfire, I could make out their attire.
They weren't dressed in full uniform like those at the headquarters, and none of them wore the robes bearing the sect's insignia.
But the inner tunics and trousers they wore were identical to those of the sect's followers.
Hmm... What was going on here?
At this point, my curiosity was thoroughly piqued.
I had been told that the sect no longer managed this shrine, so why were these believers out here?
Since they were clearly sect members, should I just use my authority as the Young Sect Leader to dismiss them all?
As I was weighing my options, a sound cut through the air.
"Kyaaa!"
A woman's sharp scream echoed from somewhere.
Startled, I looked back and saw a group of people walking up the mountain path toward the shrine.
Wondering what was happening now, I remained hidden and watched them closely.
"Shut up, you bitch!"
A burly man was roughly dragging a woman who looked like a village peasant by her hair.
The woman was on the verge of tears from sheer terror, and a young girl was clinging desperately to her legs.
Behind them, another brute followed, a thick wooden club resting lazily on his shoulder.
Bandits?
There was only one logical explanation.
A pair of bandits had clearly kidnapped a woman and her young daughter from a nearby village and were dragging them away.
Thump. Thump.
My heart began to pound at the sight.
No matter how timid and introverted I was, I couldn't just stand by and watch this happen.
Fortunately, there were eight believers of our Sun and Moon Sect gathered right ahead at the shrine.
The fundamental doctrine of the Sun and Moon Sect was to liberate the common people and respect all life.
Granted, some criticized that this doctrine had recently become a mere formality used to rival the Orthodox Murim Alliance.
But they were still believers of the sect, weren't they?
There was no way they would stand idly by and watch lawless bandits kidnap and abuse helpless women.
Just as I expected, as the bandits and the mother and daughter approached the shrine, the boisterous crowd fell silent.
One of them leaped to his feet and shouted toward the bandits.
"Hey! What took you so long?"
Uh... What did he just say?
"Ah, boss. My apologies. For some reason, we couldn't find a single woman on the mountain path today."
I stared blankly, unable to believe the scene unfolding before my eyes.
"But the woman we brought today is quite easy on the eyes. Heheh."
"You crazy bastard... She's just a peasant woman with a snot-nosed brat. How is that supposed to make the liquor taste any better?"
"Come on, boss. That's why you have to go easy on her. You've got to leave some for the rest of us, right? Hehehe..."
They continued to exchange words so vile I could barely stomach listening to them.
Thump. Thump.
Before I knew it, my hand was gripping the hilt of the Heavenly Slayer Demonic Saber at my waist.
Perhaps sensing the murderous intent in my heart, the Heavenly Killer Star flared.
Instantly, the power of the Heavenly Killer Star surged to its second stage, dyeing my entire vision crimson.
Believers of the Sun and Moon Sect are doing this?
More than anything else, the fact that members of the very organization I belonged to were committing such atrocities filled me with white-hot rage.
Since when had they fallen this low?
When the Sun and Moon Sect was first founded under the name of the Ming Sect, it couldn't have been like this.
Having read all the historical records and scriptures of the sect since reincarnating as the Young Sect Leader, I knew this for a fact.
Above all, if not for the doctrine of protecting the commoners and aiding the weak, the Sun and Moon Sect could never have spread so widely among the masses and grown to its current size.
But as their influence expanded and power accumulated, the law of the jungle—where the strong rule over the weak—took hold of the sect, and its followers began to rot from within.
That was the only conclusion I could draw.
But if that was the case, where did this corruption begin, and how far had it spread?
Thump. Thump.
There was no more time to think.
The men who had been inside the shrine were all kicked out.
The one they called "boss" grabbed the woman by her hair, dragged her inside the shrine, and slammed the door shut.
The seven who had been there originally, plus the two latecomers.
A total of nine men gathered around the bonfire in front of the shrine, resuming their drinking.
The young girl cried out for her mother until one of the men struck her with his fist, knocking her to the ground.
With their backs turned or their faces buried in their cups, now was my chance.
Sliiide.
The Heavenly Slayer Demonic Saber slid silently from its scabbard.
I crept toward them, circulating the internal energy of the Dark Demonic Inward Heart Method.
Once I stepped out of the thicket, the light of the bonfire would inevitably expose me.
I knew that with my current strength, none of these men could so much as scratch me.
Still, a nine-on-one fight could get messy if I wasn't careful.
I had to strike fast.
Slash! Slash!
In the blink of an eye, my blade cut through two of the men.
Hot blood sprayed from their bodies, splattering across my face.
"What the—?!"
The drunken bastards scrambled in panic, trying to stand, but they were already too late.
Without a moment's hesitation, my saber swept through the air, carving deep, jagged gashes across the chests of three more men.
The next man tried to draw the sword at his waist to resist, but it was futile.
Infused with my internal energy, the Heavenly Slayer Demonic Saber cleaved through both his sword and his upper torso in a single, devastating downward strike.
Slicing through an opponent's weapon as if it were a mere radish—the Heavenly Slayer Demonic Saber truly lived up to its reputation as a legendary treasure of the sect.
Of course, the sheer difference in our internal energy played a part as well.
Having tasted blood, the Heavenly Killer Star was now raging uncontrollably.
My eyes glowed a fierce crimson, painting the entire world in shades of red.
Blood sprayed from all directions, soaking my clothes and face.
For once, I did not resist the murderous impulses of the Heavenly Killer Star; I let them wash over me.
I was anxious about what the consequences might be, but I had no other choice.
Barely ten seconds had passed since I stepped out of the thicket.
In an instant, only one man was left standing on his own two feet besides me.
"B-Bo—!"
Realizing the hopelessness of the situation, he tried to call out to their boss inside the shrine, but the words died in his throat.
Just as the ninth man collapsed to the ground, the door of the shrine swung open.
"Dammit! What the hell is going on?!"
With his clothes half-undone and his face twisted in a fierce scowl, the boss stepped outside.
A long sword was gripped tightly in his hand.
Through the open doorway of the shrine, I caught a glimpse of the collapsed woman.
She appeared to be unconscious, but she was likely still alive.
I turned my gaze to the brute.
There was something I needed to ask him.
"You... What unit do you belong to? How long have you been committing these atrocities?"
"W-what? What are you babbling about, you little brat..."
The man stepped forward, raising his sword in a highly defensive posture.
He stared at me with utter confusion, but his eyes were busy scanning the bodies of his nine fallen comrades.
But it was no use.
Once he realized all nine were dead, his gaze locked back onto me.
"Ah...! Y-Young Sect..."
He seemed to recognize my face.
It wasn't surprising.
If he was a member of the headquarters—especially one of higher rank—it would be stranger if he didn't recognize the Young Sect Leader.
"I asked you which unit you belong to."
"Shut up, brat... How dare you slaughter my brothers..."
From the moment I appeared, his face had been a mixture of rage and terror.
Seeing how he still defied me even after realizing my identity, he had likely abandoned all hope of survival after seeing his men slaughtered.
He refused to reveal his affiliation.
But in a way, that was a relief.
If the Sun and Moon Sect officially sanctioned or turned a eye to such atrocities against commoners, he might have proudly declared his identity to me.
The fact that he didn't meant he knew, deep down, that what he was doing was a grave sin.
"Die!"
He lunged at me, raising his sword high.
Just from his stance, I could tell he was far more skilled than the rabble I had just slain.
But it didn't matter.
Having consistently trained in the Dark Demonic Inward Heart Method and the Thirteen Styles of the Dark Moon, combined with the awakening of the Heavenly Killer Star, I was already on the cusp of the First-class Realm.
Unless he was on the level of a Hall Master or Gate Master of the Five Palaces or Five Gates, there was absolutely no way I could lose.
Clang!
His downward strike was cleanly blocked by my Heavenly Slayer Demonic Saber, which swept upward from below.
The fact that his sword didn't shatter instantly was a testament to his decent strength.
For a few seconds, our blades locked in a clash of raw internal energy.
Shhhk!
Before long, his sword was ripped from his grip, flying through the air and embedding itself upside down in the dirt some distance away.
Sensing his imminent defeat, the man spun around to flee, but it was useless.
Before he could even take two steps, my saber flashed. He collapsed without even a final scream, never to rise again.
Thump. Thump.
No. It isn't.
This isn't what I want.
...
It hadn't taken long to eliminate all the enemies.
But the real problem lay ahead.
I recalled the warning Myeongjon had once given me.
The Heavenly Killer Star will continue to grow stronger. If you do not cultivate, you will eventually be consumed by it.
Even now, with the battle over, the Heavenly Killer Star screamed inside my head, begging for more blood.
I sat down cross-legged.
I calmed my breathing and focused my mind.
After circulating the Dark Demonic Inward Heart Method a few times, I managed to suppress the Heavenly Killer Star without much difficulty.
The crimson glow in my eyes faded, returning to normal.
For now, controlling the Heavenly Killer Star was still manageable.
But I had to remain cautious.
Even if today was unavoidable, it would be best to avoid situations where I had to summon or rely on the Heavenly Killer Star altogether.
Standing up, I first checked on the child collapsed near the bonfire and the woman lying inside the shrine.
Neither had regained consciousness yet, but they both seemed physically unharmed.
They must have suffered a terrible shock, so letting them rest for a while was probably for the best.
Whew...
Only then did I slump down beside the bonfire to catch my breath.
My original plan was to quietly cultivate the Dark Demonic Inward Heart Method in an empty Ming Sect sanctuary, but things had gone completely off-track.
Having unexpectedly run into a crowd and fought a bloody battle, I was utterly exhausted.
The moon, which had been hidden behind the clouds, emerged once more to cast its light.
The chirping of the insects in the grass was peaceful.
I dragged all the scattered corpses into the thicket to hide them.
Even so, the metallic stench of blood still lingered in the air.
I prayed to be left alone...
In the end, my prayer wasn't answered, but looking at it another way, I had secured my own solitude through my own strength.
I sat cross-legged on the spot and closed my eyes.
The breeze blowing through the open window of the shrine was cool, and the rustle of the wind blended with the chirping of insects in the midnight silence.
I found that peaceful silence deeply comforting.