The moon hung like a drop of blood above the Blackroot Forest, casting eerie shadows across the ancient stone pavilion where the Blood Moon Gathering was about to begin.
It was an event whispered about in secret halls and forbidden scrolls—a clandestine meeting of martial artists from both Orthodox and Unorthodox sects, held once every three years beneath the crimson sky. Here, alliances were forged, betrayals sealed, and techniques too dangerous for public instruction were exchanged under oath and secrecy.
Haejin stood at the edge of the gathering, cloaked in darkness, his breath steady despite the tension coiling in his chest.
He had not been invited.
But that didn't matter.
He had followed Min Jiwon here.
And now, he would see what lay beyond the veil of sanctioned martial law.
Shadows Beneath the Crimson Sky
The pavilion was built into the cliffs overlooking a deep ravine, its pillars carved with the names of warriors who had once stood where Haejin now watched. Lanterns flickered with blue flame, illuminating the faces of those gathered—masters, disciples, assassins, and exiles alike.
Min Jiwon stood among them, calm and composed, speaking in hushed tones with a woman dressed in black silk robes embroidered with silver thread. Her face was partially obscured by a veil, but her presence commanded attention.
Beside her stood another figure—one Haejin recognized instantly.
Ryoo Saehwa.
Once a promising disciple of the Moonlit Plum Sect , she had vanished two years ago after being accused of using forbidden ki techniques —methods that drew power from dark sources, often at great cost to one's spirit.
She had become a rogue cultivator.
And now, she stood at the heart of this gathering.
Haejin clenched his fists.
He had heard whispers of her return—rumors of a woman who could slice through steel with a single palm strike, whose qi burned like frostfire, and whose eyes no longer reflected warmth.
Now, seeing her in person, he felt something stir within him—not fear.
Not hatred.
Something more complicated.
Curiosity.
A Duel of Words
Jiwon noticed Haejin first.
He turned slightly, giving him a knowing look before returning his gaze to Saehwa.
"You claim the Flowing Mind is weak," Saehwa said, her voice smooth like flowing water. "Yet you wield it better than most."
Jiwon smiled faintly.
"I never said it was weak," he replied. "I said it was misunderstood."
Saehwa tilted her head.
"And yet, you still refuse to take the next step."
Jiwon remained silent.
Saehwa sighed.
"You're wasting your potential, Jiwon. You fight like a scholar—always thinking, always calculating. But true strength comes from embracing what others fear."
Haejin stepped forward then.
"I've seen what happens when people embrace fear," he said, his voice cutting through the night air. "It turns them into monsters."
All eyes turned to him.
Saehwa studied him for a long moment.
Then she smiled.
"Well, well," she murmured. "If it isn't Kang Haejin."
Haejin narrowed his eyes.
"You know me?"
"I know of you," she corrected. "The boy who trained under Master Yulsa. The one who learned the Phoenix Palm before leaving the Iron Lotus Temple."
Her smile widened.
"The one who still fights like he has something to prove."
Haejin took another step forward.
"I fight because I have something to protect."
Saehwa chuckled softly.
"Everyone says that… until they realize there's nothing left to protect."
Jiwon placed a hand on Haejin's shoulder before he could respond.
"This isn't the time," he said quietly.
Haejin gritted his teeth but stayed his ground.
The Gathering Begins
One by one, figures stepped forward to demonstrate their techniques.
An old master from the Golden Leaf Sect displayed a form that allowed him to manipulate wind pressure, creating invisible blades that sliced through bamboo posts with terrifying precision.
A masked assassin from the Nightshade Clan demonstrated a technique that allowed him to vanish from sight for brief moments, reappearing behind opponents with deadly intent.
Then came Saehwa.
She raised her hand, and the temperature dropped.
Frost crawled across the stone beneath her feet.
Without a word, she struck the air—and the sound of breaking ice echoed through the pavilion.
Haejin felt the chill crawl up his spine.
This wasn't just ki manipulation.
This was something else.
Something unnatural.
When she finished, the crowd erupted in murmurs.
Even Jiwon looked impressed.
"You've refined the Frostfire Palm," he admitted.
Saehwa nodded.
"And I've paid the price for it."
She turned to Haejin.
"Your turn."
Haejin hesitated.
He had come here to watch.
To learn.
Not to show off.
But something inside him stirred.
A need to prove—to himself, if not to her—that he hadn't come this far only to be overshadowed.
He stepped into the center of the pavilion.
Closed his eyes.
Breathed.
And when he opened them again, fire danced at his fingertips.
The Phoenix Palm flared to life.
But unlike before, it did not burn wildly.
It pulsed gently, like embers waiting for the right moment to ignite.
He moved.
Each motion was deliberate.
Each strike guided by rhythm rather than rage.
He struck the air, sending shockwaves rippling outward.
The flames did not consume.
They illuminated.
When he finished, silence fell over the pavilion.
Then, slowly, someone clapped.
It was Jiwon.
"You finally listened," he said simply.
Haejin lowered his hands.
He didn't respond.
Because for the first time, he understood.
Strength wasn't about proving yourself to others.
It was about mastering yourself.
The Price of Knowledge
Later that night, Haejin sat alone near the edge of the cliff, watching the red moon sink toward the horizon.
Footsteps approached.
Saehwa joined him without a word.
After a while, she spoke.
"You're different from the others," she said. "You don't fight just to win."
Haejin glanced at her.
"What do you want from me?"
She smirked.
"To offer you a choice."
He frowned.
"A choice?"
She nodded.
"There's a war coming, Haejin. Between the Orthodox and the Unorthodox. Between tradition and change. And whether you like it or not, you'll be caught in the middle."
She met his gaze.
"You can keep running from it."
Or…
"You can decide which side you stand on."
Haejin remained silent.
For now.
But the decision was already forming.