The Gates of the Blue Moon
They dropped to their knees in unison, facing me.
Watching these men pay their respects while introducing themselves as the "small moon," I silently swallowed a groan.
Holy shit.
Their postures were perfectly disciplined.
These were real martial artists, the kind you could never catch a glimpse of at a mere branch office.
Even with my limited knowledge, I could tell every single one of them was at least at the level of a branch squad leader.
And judging by the aura they radiated, they were likely even stronger.
Overwhelming strength and restrained sharpness. Each and every one of them exuded the keen edge of a masterfully forged sword.
...Fierce.
Just looking at them made me want to shrink back. Cold sweat broke out, and my throat went dry.
It was pressure born of pure instinct. Just as my breathing was about to turn ragged under its weight—
“...!”
My eyes widened at the thunderclap that echoed in my mind.
My body stiffened, but my reaction changed. I didn't gasp or scream.
My heart and mind instantly cooled to ice.
Steadying my trembling gaze, I parted my lips.
“By 'small moon,' do you mean...”
Fortunately, my voice sounded as calm as usual.
“...the Sowol Squadron?”
“That is correct.”
The middle-aged man affirmed my question. Hearing that, I furrowed my brow.
The Sowol Squadron.
It was the name of the elite strike force belonging to Cheongwol Gate.
Like the Plum Blossom Sword Shield of the Mt. Hua Sect, it was a martial force composed of the sect's peak combatants. In other words, every single one of them was a master far beyond the reach of a low-rate martial artist like me.
As if reading my thoughts, the old man let out a scoffing laugh.
He clicked his tongue repeatedly, genuinely baffled by my assessment.
Of course, I couldn't talk back or ask him what he meant.
“We received word and have come to escort you. I am Do Gyeong, Vice Leader of the Sowol Squadron.”
...Do Gyeong.
Information about the middle-aged man surfaced in my mind.
The Blue Wolf Sword, Do Gyeong.
He was a famous martial artist of Cheongwol Gate.
...I'm meeting some truly incredible people.
I had wondered if I would ever see such figures in my lifetime, yet lately, I was meeting the likes of the Small Blue Sword and the Blue Wolf Sword one after another. It was fascinating.
Despite my actual age, a childish excitement bubbled up inside me, but I kept my face completely blank.
“To escort me? What do you mean by that?”
I subtly raised my register to show respect. Since I now knew his identity, it was only natural.
Do Gyeong's expression shifted slightly at my reaction, but he quickly composed himself.
Just as he was about to speak—
“Young Master Bang!”
Someone dropped from the sky, landing right in front of me.
It was Cheon Ui-jin, his face filled with urgency.
“Whoa, you startled me.”
As I blinked in surprise, Cheon Ui-jin turned his gaze to Do Gyeong.
The way they looked at each other was strange.
“...Vice Leader.”
“It has been a while, Young Master Cheon.”
A tense, chilly atmosphere settled between them.
Watching this, my mind raced.
Ah, I see.
This wasn't a planned meeting.
Judging by Cheon Ui-jin's reaction, he hadn't expected anyone from Cheongwol Gate to show up.
This meant either he hadn't sent word to Cheongwol Gate, or the person who arrived was different from the one he expected. It had to be one of the two.
Whatever the case, based on Cheon Ui-jin's reaction, he doesn't seem to have a very good relationship with Do Gyeong.
My suspicion was spot on.
“How did you know to come here?” Cheon Ui-jin asked Do Gyeong, his expression thick with wariness.
“As always, we merely move according to orders.”
“Orders?”
“A message arrived at the main sect stating that the descendant of the Sword Saint would arrive shortly, and that we were to escort him.”
“...How on earth did...”
Just as I thought.
Watching Cheon Ui-jin's reaction, I was certain.
This kid didn't send the full information.
He hadn't properly reported my appearance. To be precise...
He probably didn't tell them we had departed.
He likely omitted the fact that he was heading to Cheongwol Gate with me.
Come to think of it, it had been strange from the start.
We set off without any proper escort.
Just a carriage, a coachman, Cheon Ui-jin, and me. That was the entire group. It had felt off from the beginning.
The descendant of the Sword Saint has appeared, yet Cheongwol Gate didn't send a single guard.
It was an incredibly risky decision that made no sense.
So this was the reason.
If Cheon Ui-jin hadn't properly informed them in the first place, and had instead moved in a hurry before rumors could spread, then it made sense.
But why?
Why on earth would he do that?
When I thought about the reason, one major thing stood out.
It was likely...
...the old man's cherished sword.
The half-broken, ancient weapon resting inside the wooden case in the carriage. I had a feeling that sword was the reason Cheon Ui-jin had kept them in the dark.
“You have worked hard. From here on, we will guide you safely.”
“But Young Master Bang is under my—”
“The Moonmaster is waiting.”
“...!”
At the mention of the Moonmaster, Cheon Ui-jin froze.
Watching his reaction, I stepped forward.
“I'm honored by such a warm welcome. Well then, I'll be in your care.”
I spoke with a grin. I could figure out the details once we got there. Since things had turned out this way, I had to go anyway.
“In that case, please board the carriage we prepared—”
“Ah, I'd rather not. We'll just take the one we came in.”
I immediately rejected Do Gyeong's offer.
“I have trouble sleeping if I change seats.”
Do Gyeong's eyes twitched at the bizarre excuse.
But he simply replied, “Understood,” without pressing further.
“Allow me to lead the way.”
“Yes, let's go.”
As Do Gyeong began to move, I patted Cheon Ui-jin on the shoulder.
The stiffened youth reacted.
For some reason, he looked incredibly frustrated.
As I watched him, the old man spoke to me.
He was giving me warnings, apparently having already forgotten the mess he had caused.
I let out a laugh. It was half a scoff, half a genuine chuckle.
Did he call them foxes?
I didn't know if he meant the Sowol Squadron or Cheongwol Gate as a whole. But it didn't matter.
I've already been pushed around as much as a guy can take.
I'd been bitten by foxes, wolves, lions, you name it. I had been dragged around by sly, fox-like bastards more times than I could count.
But after getting beaten down over and over, I eventually learned how to hunt them.
Is that why?
Honestly, I wasn't scared at all.
Back in the carriage, we traveled under the escort and guidance of the Sowol Squadron.
Just as we had estimated it would take another day, that was exactly when we arrived.
Henan.
We had reached the prefecture where both the headquarters of the Martial Alliance and Cheongwol Gate resided.
Wow.
There were so many people. That was my very first thought.
Anhui had a decent population, but it couldn't even begin to compare to this place. Then again, it was only natural since the Martial Alliance headquarters was located here.
The place I stayed at was a bit out of the way, after all.
It was in the outskirts of Anhui, positioned far from the main city to keep a distance from the Namgung Clan. That probably made the contrast even sharper.
Fascinating.
It was a sight I used to see occasionally back in my hometown of Yoryeong, yet it still felt novel.
The problem was...
“Isn't that the Sowol Squadron?”
“Who are they escorting...?”
Because the Sowol Squadron was guarding the carriage, we were drawing everyone's attention.
Everyone is staring.
Without exception, every pedestrian turned to look at the carriage I was riding in.
The reason, of course, was the Sowol Squadron. They were the elites of Cheongwol Gate, and Cheongwol Gate's influence in Henan was by no means small.
Still, this is a bit much.
The eyes shining back at us were filled with deep admiration. It was a gaze I had never received once while working at the Anhui branch.
Not that I'm particularly envious of it, though.
I forced myself to look away and closed the window. A large population meant there were just as many wandering spirits.
This means I have to memorize them all over again.
Back at the Anhui branch, I had memorized every single ghost along the paths I frequented so I wouldn't be startled if I ran into them.
...How long is it going to take to map them out here?
As I clutched my forehead in frustration, the guy sitting across from me didn't look much better.
Anyone would think the world was ending.
Cheon Ui-jin sat opposite me without uttering a single word. His expression was incredibly dark. He had looked like that since last night.
It was hard to tell whether he was worried or angry, but regardless, I had plenty of my own things to think about.
I've set up a rough plan, but...
I wasn't sure. I could only hope that the things I had prepared would work.
Just as I was praying for that—
“We have arrived.”
A voice called out from outside the carriage. It was the words I had been waiting for.
I only realized it then, but the bustling noise of the crowd had completely faded away.
I carefully pushed the door open. The first thing that caught my eye was a massive gate.
Wow.
How could a gate be that big? The size was absurd.
The plaque hanging above it had the character 'Blue' (靑) clearly engraved. Looking at it, there was no way to mistake where we were.
We're really here.
Cheongwol Gate. The great sect said to hold the most influence in the current Jianghu. This was its entrance.
Feeling a strange sensation, I slowly stepped down from the carriage.
Thud! Thud, thud!
The martial artists of the Sowol Squadron who had escorted us here suddenly dropped to their knees, just as they had when they first met me.
I didn't panic. This was exactly the kind of reception I had anticipated.
The old man chuckled, as if he had spotted something.
Following his gaze, I looked past the entrance.
In the distance, someone was walking toward me.
Thump!
“...!”
The moment I saw him, my heart began to race. It was the same sensation I felt when I first met Do Gyeong, but the signal was several times stronger.
Thump! Thump!
The pounding of my heart grew louder. My eyes felt strangely hot. Was I running a fever?
I subtly shifted my stance to hide the sweat pooling in my palms.
I stood still, waiting for him to approach.
A brief moment passed.
Along with the old man's clicking tongue, the figure came to a halt right in front of me.
He was a sharp-featured, middle-aged man who looked exactly like what Cheon Ui-jin would become when he grew older.
The sword at his waist, his tall stature, and the solid build of his packed muscles were impressive.
I wondered how someone could possess such a dignified aura, but even amidst all that, what caught my eye was—
...His eyes.
The middle-aged man's eyes were blue.
This meant he had awakened the Moon Eye, and it also vaguely hinted at who he was in this place. No, even without being told, it was impossible not to know.
In the current Jianghu, those who didn't know the man standing before me could be counted on one hand.
The man's title was Wolseongeom.
He was a master who ranked among the top twenty strongest in the entire world.
He was the father of Cheon Ui-jin, who stood behind me with a pale face. And at the same time...
He was the Moonmaster who led the current Cheongwol Gate.