Inside the box were a single book, a fragment of a jade token, ten antidote pills, and a neatly folded letter.

She unfolded the letter and read it.

The contents were brief.

[If you take the antidote pill, the poison will be purged.]

It was a detoxifying antidote pill.

‘As expected, they do not seem to be from the Blood Demon Cult.’

No cultist would use Scattering Energy Poison and kindly offer an antidote pill as °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° well.

Though it could not be said with absolute certainty.

Seolhwa took out one antidote pill and held it out to No Un, who was seated beside Namgoong Mucheon.

“Take it. It is said to detoxify the poison.”

“...Do you believe it will be effective?”

Though his voice was filled with doubt, he had already accepted the pill.

“It is the antidote pill formulated for the poison used in the cave. If the symptoms began after your visit to the cave, then would it not help us confirm whether the poison there was truly the cause?”

“That is reasonable.”

No Un rolled the detox pill between his fingers, then cautiously placed it into his mouth.

The taste was bitter—his brow faintly furrowed.

“How do you feel?”

“Hmm...”

No Un opened and closed his hand.

With a grave expression, as if weighing something deeply, he fidgeted, then suddenly, he froze in place.

His pupils trembled ever so slightly.

“What is it? Is it working?”

Namgoong Mucheon leaned forward toward No Un, unable to contain his impatience.

“How is it? Why that expression? Are you feeling any change?”

“Ah... ahh...”

“Hey! Jade Plum Sword...!”

“My internal energy...”

No Un stared blankly at Namgoong Mucheon. At the same time, a thick, purplish aura began to rise from his entire body like a shimmering haze.

“My internal energy is returning, Senior.”

Namgoong Mucheon and Seolhwa’s expressions slackened in blank astonishment.

It was not because of the energy emanating from No Un.

“L-Look at you... the boils...”

The swellings that had covered No Un’s entire body were slowly beginning to shrink.

Only then did No Un, belatedly realizing the fact, lift his sleeve and looked down at his arm.

Indeed, the boils all over his body were visibly subsiding to the naked eye.

“Ah...”

A single tear traced its way down from his eye.

“Ha... hahahaha!”

Namgoong Mucheon burst into laughter as well.

“This is good—this is truly good! What wonderful news, Jade Plum Sword!”

No Un laughed through his tears. Tears of emotion and laughter of joy erupted simultaneously, and neither could be stopped.

Seolhwa’s eyes widened as she watched No Un.

‘He is laughing... and crying.’

What sort of emotion is that?

To Seolhwa, who had only just begun to understand joy and sorrow, such complex feelings were still difficult to comprehend.

As she watched No Un cry and laugh for quite some time, Seolhwa’s eyebrows curved downward ever so slightly.

****

“All of it has disappeared.”

Namgoong Mucheon looked around.

“That the entire cave was a formation... what utter absurdity.”

Every trap they had passed through upon entering the cave had been a single, unified formation.

In the place where the cave had been, there now stretched a vast, open field.

The three of them had not moved to another location after leaving the cave—the cave itself had vanished, leaving behind the exact spot where it once stood.

“Hahahaha! Do you see it? Senior! Sword Emperor, Senior! I am using lightness movement!”

No Un appeared from far over there, then again from even farther away, darting to and fro.

Having fully recovered his internal energy and rid himself of all the boils, he was freely using his cultivation.

After some time had passed, Seolhwa’s internal energy also returned.

She had not taken the antidote pill.

It was to confirm whether the poison would naturally dissipate even without taking the pill, or forcibly expelling it like Namgoong Mucheon.

“Grandfather.”

“Mm?”

“You said you sensed traces of hypnotic arts on the Sect Leader as well, did you not?”

After No Un had recovered his internal energy, Namgoong Mucheon examined his condition.

As expected, he found traces of hypnotic techniques on No Un as well.

“I believe the symptoms exhibited by the Sect Leader of Mount Hua were the combined effect of hypnotic arts and poisonous powder.”

“I believe so too.”

The flow of internal energy, subtly disrupted by the hypnotic technique, had combined with the poison’s toxicity to create unexplained physiological side effects.

Seolhwa untied the pouch hanging at her waist and held it up.

“I brought some of the poison powder with me.”

Though the entire cave was a formation, not all of it was illusion.

To replicate the effects of the Scattering Energy Poison, actual poison had to have been used.

“With this, we can confirm it. Whether someone under hypnosis exhibits the same symptoms as the Sect Leader when inhaling the poison.”

And there was one person who could serve as that confirmation.

‘Plum Shadow Sword, Yu Pyo.’

He, too, was potentially under hypnotic influence.

“If the reaction between hypnotic arts and the poison is true, then it could be used to our advantage.”

There would be a way to distinguish between those affected by hypnosis and those unaffected within the Mount Hua Sect.

Those who develop boils when exposed to the poison are under hypnosis—those who do not, are not.

“The spies from Hwaoru would be among those not under hypnosis.”

Identifying the spies would be a separate task.

But for now, simply having a way to distinguish between the hypnotized and the unhypnotized was a relief.

Seolhwa agreed with Namgoong Mucheon.

“Once we identify which disciples are under hypnosis, we must separate them. So that, if the hypnosis is triggered, they will not harm anyone.”

“However, we cannot simply scatter poison powder indiscriminately. If they learn we have uncovered the existence of the hypnosis, it would be problematic.”

The easiest method of distinguishing them was to mix Scattering Energy Poison into the disciples’ meals.

However—what if, after the Namgoong clan’s arrival at Mount Hua, boils began erupting across the bodies of all disciples under hypnosis at once?

There was no way the Blood Demon Cult’s infiltrators would not find that suspicious.

‘And if the hypnosis were to be triggered at that moment...’

Then, inevitably, the same tragedy as in her previous life would unfold once more.

“Before that...”

Seolhwa and Namgoong Mucheon looked into the distance, toward the swaying trees of the forest.

Why had they attempted to heal the Sect Leader before entering Mount Hua?

Because No Un was necessary—as an “ally.”

“Informing Jade Plum Sword of the sect’s current situation takes priority.”

He was only just now freed from agony and overjoyed—how devastated would he be upon learning of Mount Hua’s crisis?

Knowing No Un, he would surely declare himself unworthy of the position of Sect Leader and take all the blame upon himself.

And for that reason, they wished to allow him just a little more time to bask in his liberation.

“Shall we go, Grandfather?”

“Yes. Let us return.”

Time was running short for Mount Hua.

****

“We pay respects to the Sect Leader!”

Yu Pyo and Yu Gang performed a cupped-fist salute toward No Un and bowed deeply.

Both showed signs of surprise.

Yu Pyo was astonished that the Sect Leader, who was said to have entered closed-door cultivation, had appeared.

Yu Gang was startled by the completely recovered and healthy appearance of the Sect Leader in just a day.

“Haha, it is good to see you both. Have you been well? You both look healthy, and that is fortunate.”

“Sect Leader... what has happened? How did you come to be with the Namgoong Clan...?”

“They saved my life.”

No Un turned toward Seolhwa with a gaze full of gratitude.

If not for Seolhwa, they would not have uncovered the secret of the cave, nor found the antidote pill.

How could he not feel thankful?

“Your life...? Is it perhaps related to the attempt to obtain the Great Recovery Pill from Shaolin some time ago?”

Yu Pyo was aware that Mount Hua had sought the Great Recovery Pill, but not for what purpose.

Only the elders knew that it was for treating the Sect Leader’s illness.

“I shall explain the details later.”

With a chuckle, No Un patted Yu Pyo’s shoulder and turned to Namgoong Mucheon and Seolhwa.

After returning from the Ten-Thousand-League Phantom’s cave, Namgoong Mucheon had led No Un to a wide, open field. Then he had instructed the Black Dragon Division Commander to bring Yu Pyo, Yu Gang, and the Namgoong Clan’s Head of the Medical Hall.

Was it for a martial demonstration? So they had thought, but the atmosphere did not suggest that.

Especially not when disciples of Mount Hua had been summoned.

“Now, please share the matter at hand. You have something to tell me, do you not? Does it concern the main sect?”

Namgoong Mucheon let out a quiet sigh.

When he nodded toward Seolhwa, she stepped forward to Yu Pyo and Yu Gang.

Before disclosing the matter of hypnosis, there was something that needed to be confirmed.

“You stand aside for now.”

No Un took a step back.

Seolhwa stood facing the two of them.

“From this point, I will scatter poison powder on you.”

Yu Pyo’s face twisted, and Yu Gang also asked in surprise.

“Poison powder...? Poison?”

“Yes. If you inhale it, you will be unable to use your internal energy for a short time. But we have antidote pills, so you need not worry too much.”

“And why must we inhale poison powder?”

Yu Pyo asked with an irritated voice.

“There is something that needs to be confirmed.”

“Then why me and Yu Gang, specifically?”

“You will understand naturally once the poison takes effect.”

Yu Pyo still looked displeased, but the Sect Leader of the main sect and the Head of the Namgoong Clan were both present.

Yu Pyo and Yu Gang nodded.

“Then I shall begin. Do not hold your breath.”

Seolhwa scattered a spray of white powder upon the two of them with a sweeping motion.