Chapter 42: The Sword Demon and the Twin Birds Battle 

Boom!

The Iron Sword Unit, which had been advancing with unstoppable momentum, suddenly halted.

They had arrived at the Lecture Hall.

In front of it stood around two hundred martial artists, lined up in formation. At the forefront stood a gaunt middle-aged man with a stiff expression.

He looked scholarly, dressed in a long black robe, and held in his hands a pair of crescent-moon-shaped weapons known as Jamo Wonyangwol (Double Mandarine Moons).

“How dare you cause a disturbance in this place! Even if you’re from the Namgung Clan, you will not be forgiven!”

The man, Baek Jong-woo, Master of Baekyak Mountain Manor, roared.

Ho-yeon responded with a snort and a mocking smile.

“The kidnapper has a lot to say.”

“W-What?!”

“You hollow stalk of water spinach. You’ve got nothing inside, do you? Jumping from one side to the next—must be fun not having a spine.”

“Y-You insolent…!”

Baek Jong-woo’s pale face flushed with anger after being insulted by someone barely chest-high to him.

“The Namgung Clan must give a full explanation for this! The Manor, the Eight Lords of Liaoning—and especially the Murong Clan—will not overlook this incident!”

Despite his fury, Baek Jong-woo kept the gathering of late-stage martial artists behind the Iron Sword Unit in mind.

‘If they join, things will get messy! I must prevent that at all costs!’

The late-stage practitioners from the Baek Clan Alliance were inexperienced but no less powerful than elite troops.

Baek Jong-woo aimed to deter them by making them fear the consequences that might come later.

“All this squeaking like a rat.”

“You insolent little—!”

“Better to have manners than an empty head like you. Ah, just in time.”

“What?!”

Clack! Clack-clack!

Footsteps echoed from the back entrance of the Lecture Hall. Two men appeared.

One was thin with protruding cheekbones, dressed in green martial attire. The other was a well-built youth in golden robes.

“Tang Segi of the Sichuan Tang Clan! I caught the rat trying to sneak into the Lecture Hall!”

Thud!

The man in green—Tang Segi—threw down a man dressed in stealthy assassin clothes.

“Why is there an assassin within the Baekyak Manor grounds?! Were you planning to slaughter the children and blame it on the massacre?!”

“……!”

At his cry, Baek Jong-woo’s eyes widened.

Then—

“Young Master Sangwan Hae of the Sangwan Clan saw everything with his own eyes! Baekyak Manor is behind the abductions! If not, the Sangwan Clan will empty its coffers to pay a hundredfold in compensation!”

“Wha…!”

As Sangwan Hae’s testimony followed, murmurs spread among the surrounding martial artists.

One witness could be doubted—but now there were three.

“Could it be true?”

“Three of the Ten Great Clans are confirming it…”

“Dear heavens… it really was Baekyak Manor?!”

Three make a tiger—if three people say it, even a lie becomes truth.

“Hmph! Arrest every Namgung martial artist for causing chaos! Their crimes shall be judged later!”

Baek Jong-woo sought to reduce the incident to a dispute between Baekyak Manor and the Namgung Clan.

Arrest first.

Fabricate the aftermath.

“So transparent.”

Ho-yeon smirked, having seen right through Baek Jong-woo’s intentions.

“Commander of the Iron Sword Unit.”

“Yes!”

“You said you believe in me. Do you desire anything in return?”

“Of course!”

Commander Geuk Jiryang answered without hesitation.

“I want you, Young Master, to restore the greatness of the Namgung Clan! Show us the Azure Sky’s brilliance again!”

“……”

Ho-yeon was silent for a moment, then nodded.

“I will. But Commander Geuk—you must fulfill my wish as well.”

“Anything you ask!”

“Don’t die.”

“……!”

“I don’t like the word trust, so this is an order.”

“As you command!”

Fierce resolve blazed in Geuk Jiryang’s eyes.

“Iron Resounding Invincible Sword Formation! Deploy!”

Clang!

With his command, the Iron Sword Unit lined up in perfect formation.

They looked as solid as stones facing a crashing wave.

The battle had begun.

Step. Step. Step.

Leaving the Iron Sword Unit behind, Ho-yeon approached Baek Jong-woo.

“Foolish and reckless. If you have leverage, you must wait patiently. You acted too hastily. Hah.”

Baek Jong-woo whispered just loud enough for Ho-yeon to hear.

Ho-yeon smiled faintly.

“Says the rat. You planned to move the children today—before the Baek Clan’s inspection team arrived.”

“…Who leaked that? What rat is sniffing around?”

“The real rat told me.”

“Still spouting nonsense.”

“It’s true.”

Tap.

Ho-yeon shrugged and stood face-to-face with Baek Jong-woo.

Just one jang (3 meters) apart.

“You’re clever, I’ll admit. But your fatal mistake? Overestimating yourself.”

Clink!

Baek Jong-woo clashed his twin crescent blades together, grinning coldly.

“At best, you’re a top-class martial artist. Underestimating Moonlit Twin Birds Baek Jong-woo will cost you.”

Boom!

Flap!

A surge of internal energy burst from Baek Jong-woo, sending his black robe fluttering.

Crackle!

Silver auras shot from his blades, then compressed into thin threads of energy.

Hiss…

His Jamo Wonyangwol were now surrounded by silver threads, forming what looked like four crescent moons.

‘Moon Threads. At least a peak-level expert.’

Ho-yeon’s eyes gleamed.

This opponent was in a different league from the likes of Gwi-du Dogwi or Mak Cheon-ak.

Even within the “peak” rank, there’s a world of difference between entry-level and mastery.

Comparing them is like calling both a 10-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man “teenagers.”

“…Guess I have to use it.”

Ho-yeon reached into his robes and popped something dark into his mouth.

“Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!”

A refreshing scent spread as he chewed.

Not as good as Dangho-ro, but edible.

“What are you doing? Poison to kill yourself?”

“Tsk. Typical assassin thinking.”

Ho-yeon clicked his tongue and gripped the Heaven Thunder Sword.

“This thing is expensive. You owe me 500 gold coins.”

Whoosh—

Feeling the transformation within his body, Ho-yeon smiled.

He had consumed the Baekseon Reinforcement Pill, a mid-grade medicine to bolster energy and preserve the body.

‘Perfect for protecting my weak body and blood vessels.’

Buzz—

On top of that, Ho-yeon used Yi-Gi-Yeom-Dong to protect his joints, eight extraordinary meridians, and twelve main meridians.

Originally, the pill’s full benefits required deep meditation and energy circulation.

But Ho-yeon forcefully drew out the medicinal energy and used it instantly, sacrificing long-term gain for immediate survival.

‘With this… I can do it!’

Boom!

He activated the Chang-gung Daeyeon Divine Art, and brilliant blue energy flared from the Heaven Thunder Sword.

“E-Energy flames?!”

Baek Jong-woo’s eyes bulged.

To emit gi flames at that age?!

A peak expert?

But he hadn’t seen the end yet.

‘Gi flames show uncontrolled energy leaking. But with powerful intent, you can compress and control it…’

Crackle!

Ho-yeon compressed the wild energy using Yi-Gi-Yeom-Dong.

The blue flames faded, and a thin thread-like aura wrapped around his sword.

“Unbelievable! Sword Thread?! Impossible!”

Baek Jong-woo shouted in disbelief.

To form sword threads at that age?

Historically unheard of.

―Such a master of trickery.

‘Hmph. As long as it gets me to the goal, I don’t care how.’

Ho-yeon scoffed at the Heaven Thunder Sword’s words.

This wasn’t a textbook technique.

He had simply forced it into submission using intent—one of the many tricks he used as the Sword Demon.

“…I’ll have to kill you after all.”

Clink!

Baek Jong-woo abandoned all thought of capturing him.

Such talent could not be left alive.

“Dieee!”

Boom!

He charged with his silver crescent blades.

Ho-yeon quickly analyzed.

‘Jamo Wonyangwol. A special type of weapon.’

Each blade was about 48cm long—not quite an axe, not quite a ring.

It was worn on both hands and used by warriors trained in fist-and-staff techniques to extend their attack range and power.

‘Not just slashes and stabs—I have to watch for twists too.’

This weapon wasn’t just for striking. It offered varied attack options—cutting, piercing, wrenching.

Hard to use, but deadly in skilled hands.

‘Though the attack range is extended, it’s still shorter than a sword. In that case—’

Clang!

Ho-yeon raised the sword to mid-guard. That small motion exploded with pressure from his small frame.

This was the Middle Balanced Sword Stance—opening move of the Chang-gung Sword Style.

Clash-clash-clash!

Baek Jong-woo lunged with swift thrusts.

His blades looked like a four-horned rhino charging forward.

Whooosh!

Ho-yeon countered by sweeping his sword slowly and widely.

Clang—!

“Guh!”

Baek Jong-woo’s wrists ached from the deflected strike.

He came again, this time slicing like twin daggers.

Silver threads danced like birds under moonlight.

Slash!

But Ho-yeon didn’t flinch.

He channeled over a thousand pounds of force into a single vertical slash.

BOOM!

A deafening shockwave and clouds of dust.

Whirl! Clack!

Baek Jong-woo flipped midair and glared.

Ho-yeon hadn’t taken a single step.

He stood like an immovable turtle, guarding his domain.

‘I need one powerful strike to break through!’

Baek Jong-woo combined his twin blades.

The overlapping energy formed a full moon.

“Haaaaah!”

BOOM!

A deadly silver flash aimed straight at Ho-yeon’s chest.

Thud!

Sensing the danger, Ho-yeon stepped back using Heavenly Pounder Footwork.

The force rebounded from the earth through his legs, hips, and arms into the sword.

KRAAAAAACK—!

The loudest crash yet.

Ho-yeon was pushed back a step.

Even with medicine and energy control, the gap in physical strength was evident.

“Hahaha!”

As his opponent faltered, Baek Jong-woo pressed in.

Slash! Slash!

Left blade slashed. Right blade stabbed.

Attacks rained down like feathers.

Clang! Clang-clang-clang!

Ho-yeon began to retreat.

Thud! Thump!

Baek Jong-woo even used kicks to push him.

Finally, he saw his chance.

‘Now!’

He targeted the sword locked in place.

Clang!

The crescent blades twisted and caught the sword.

Ting!

With a powerful twist, the Heaven Thunder Sword flew from Ho-yeon’s hand.

“It’s overrr!”

Slash!

The curved crescent blade aimed straight for Ho-yeon’s neck.

Grin!

Ho-yeon smiled.

“This is the exact distance I wanted.”

“Wha—?!”

CRACKLE!

From his palm, white lightning ripped the air.

Heavenly Thunder Strike.

KRRRRRRAAA-BOOOOOM—!

A thunderous roar like a divine drum struck by the bones of the Thunder Beast echoed through the heavens and earth.