Chapter 29. Sword Demon: Chopstick Duel

Wooong!

As Danri Sanwol channeled his Lantern Orchid Divine Art (난등신공, 蘭燈神功), a gentle energy flowed through his entire body’s meridians.

The energy, known as Lantern Orchid Qi (난등기, 蘭燈氣)—graceful like an orchid, subtle like lamplight—was particularly suited for techniques requiring delicate and precise control.

Danri Sanwol’s swordsmanship was the rare and pinnacle-level Flying Sword Art (비검술, 飛劍術) in the martial world.

“Heaven and Earth, Black and Yellow!” (天地玄黃)

Swoosh!

Infused with Lantern Orchid Qi, Danri Sanwol unleashed his Heaven-Cleaving Flying Sword Technique (단천비검술, 斷天飛劍術).

The flying sword shot from his hand was no longer than two chi (around 6 cm), aimed precisely at Hoyun’s forehead.

“Ink Blooms into Flower!” (墨畫生花)

As he executed the first form, Danri Sanwol intentionally dropped one flying sword—not a mistake, but a setup for the next move.

Pop!

The dropped sword’s tip tilted upward, and like a flower blooming from an ink painting, it soared back up from the shadows.

“Heh! This is the end!”

Though his opponent was younger, Danri Sanwol wasn’t careless. He had no intention of holding back on his three forms.

The first sealed the upper path.
The second sealed the lower path.
The third would strike the center and end the match instantly.

“I’ll show him the overwhelming gap in skill, if only for my dignity!”

Swoosh!

Drawing his sword Moonshadow Crimson (월영단홍, 月影丹紅), a crimson blade shimmering like the moon emerged.

“Silkworm Pierces the Cocoon!” (穿蠶破繭)

Shuak! Shuk shuk shuk!

Like a silkworm bursting through its cocoon, a series of piercing thrusts burst forth, bathed in red swordlight.

All three sword forms were executed in one breath.

Hoyun had to defend against simultaneous attacks from above, below, and center—just as if he were being ambushed by three people.

“What a pointless fuss.”

That was Hoyun’s only comment as he observed Danri Sanwol’s elegant combo.

Clack!

He raised his chopsticks overhead.

The other martial prodigies watching all gasped in disbelief.

“Heh! Is he crazy?”

“That stance… isn’t that Mount Tai Crushing Head?”

“That’s the Three Talents Sword Technique!”

And rightly so.

Hoyun’s stance was that of the common Three Talents Sword Technique—even third-rate martial artists from street corners knew it.

The Three Talents (三才)—Heaven (天), Earth (地), and Man (人)—each had its own strike:

• Heaven was the forward thrust, “Immortal Points the Way” (仙人指路).

• Earth was the horizontal slash, “Sweeping Through Thousands” (橫掃千軍).

• Man was the vertical chop, “Mount Tai Crushing Head” (泰山壓頂).

Hoyun was currently in the last—Mount Tai Crushing Head—stance.

“Eek!”

“S-Shouldn’t someone stop him?”

“What a fool!”

Everyone thought Hoyun had sealed his own fate.

But the very next moment, their eyes widened in shock.

Wooooong!

From the chopsticks Hoyun held aloft, a brilliant blue Sky Azure Qi (창궁기) burst forth, painting the training hall’s interior sky-blue.

Hoyun became one with the chopsticks.

“B-Body and Chopstick as One?! (身箸合一)”

“What the hell is that?!”

“That’s impossible…!”

Becoming one with an object literally meant perfect unity with it.

Even Body and Sword as One (身劍合一) was hard to believe—yet this was Body and Chopstick as One?

‘Has he spent his whole life eating with chopsticks?’

‘There’s a martial idiot like that out there?’

‘What kind of enlightenment does it take…?’

Everyone watched in stunned silence at the unprecedented event.

Hoyun, now one with his chopsticks, moved slowly.

Danri Sanwol, who had been rushing in, suddenly felt a terrifying pressure—as if a massive mountain was crashing down upon his head.

“Ugh… ughhh…!”

A giant mountain peak appeared before his eyes.

It was absurd that the “mountain” was a mere pair of chopsticks, but Danri Sanwol couldn’t laugh.

Vwooosh!

The chopsticks descended from above.

It was like Buddha’s finger descending upon the mortal realm—absolute and unmatched.

Crash!

The flying swords coming from above and below shattered like glass.

Moonshadow Crimson was torn from Danri Sanwol’s grip and flung away.

“Grrraaagh!”

Now bare-handed, Danri Sanwol heard Hoyun’s voice whisper in his ear.

“All three forms are done. My turn now?”

“I-I lo—”

“Not so fast.”

Hoyun moved quicker than Danri Sanwol could surrender.

Swoosh! Smack!

Like reaching for the last dessert, his chopsticks darted forward and struck Danri Sanwol’s Biru Point (臂儒穴)—between the shoulder and forearm.

“GAAAGH!”

With his pressure point struck, Danri Sanwol convulsed as if electrocuted, then collapsed in a heap.

Thud!

Sprawled on the floor, drooling and twitching—Danri Sanwol looked utterly broken.

It was likely one of the three greatest humiliations a noble martial heir could suffer.

“…”
“…”
“…”
Silence fell over the training hall.

Every gaze fixated on Hoyun.

After such a rowdy debut, Hoyun tilted his head and looked at the man sitting at the head of the room.

“Why’d you steal it? That was mine.”

The man—Moyong Cheol—smirked.

“…I didn’t steal it. It just flew over here.”

He was holding Moonshadow Crimson, having just blocked a flying dagger with it.

‘The technique infused in that dagger wasn’t ordinary. Could he be…?’

Moyong Cheol narrowed his eyes at Hoyun, then smiled slyly.

“Oh, then I guess I’m a fellow victim. Haha, sometimes life just throws misunderstandings at us.”

“…”

“I thought you were the criminal (犯人) sneaking around… turns out you’re just an ordinary person (凡人).”

“…”

“Let’s be careful out there. Don’t fix your shoes in a melon field, nor tie your headband under a plum tree, right?”

The more Hoyun smirked and made sarcastic remarks…

…the more Moyong Cheol’s lips twitched, until finally, even his cheek began to tremble.

Just as tension brewed between the two—

Clack!

“Hahaha! Thank you for showing mercy. I would’ve lost face if this event I’m hosting turned into a disaster.”

A tall, upright man nearly seven cheok tall laughed boldly and offered a martial greeting.

“I’m Moyong Hu, first son of the Moyong Clan. Thanks to you, young hero, I’ve opened my eyes today.”

As Moyong Hu stepped between them, the mood lightened.

Hoyun shrugged and returned the greeting.

“I’m Namgung Hoyun of the Namgung Clan. I’m honored that my humble chopstick skills brought you insight.”

“Hahaha! Enlightenment from chopsticks? Even the famed Sword Demon wouldn’t say such a thing!”

Moyong Hu looked at Hoyun with deep admiration, while Hoyun smacked his lips and muttered inwardly:

‘Why bring up the Sword Demon here? Why not hype up your own grandpa?’

Hoyun stayed silent, and Moyong Hu mistook it for modesty, laughing heartily.

Then, Moyong Hu turned to the crowd and raised his voice.

“Seems many of you are eager to spar, but please hold off. We must now assign missions and organize teams for the Hundred Families Sword Assembly!”

The hall gradually settled down.

But none of the prodigies could take their eyes off Hoyun, who was calmly munching on candied tangerine slices with his chopsticks.

“Grr…”

Feeling Moyong Cheol’s bloodshot stare, Hoyun chuckled.

“Heh! If you could kill with just a glare, martial arts wouldn’t be necessary.”

“Y-Young Master Hoyun! I-I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to get you involved…”

“Even if it wasn’t you, I could never get along with that venomous snake.”

Hoyun glanced at the veiled woman seated beside Moyong Cheol.

Zhuge Ahyeon looked back and forth between him and Moyong Yul with a strange expression.

“B-but my second brother shows no mercy! If he holds a grudge, he will get revenge!”

Moyong Yul trembled as he spoke, but Hoyun calmly placed a hand on his shoulder.

Tap!

“It’s fine.”

“Eep!”

“I’m the same way.”

“…Huh? Mm!”

As Moyong Yul looked up in confusion, he was startled into silence.

Hoyun’s face had hardened like wax.

And in his eyes… flickered a faint red glow like candle wicks.

“I love animals, but none of the beasts that ever bared their fangs at me are still breathing.”