Chapter 41. Sword Demon Declares War 

A dark cavern.

Eyes adjusting to the dim.

Cold air.

The scene slowly came into view.

“Uhh…”

“Mo… m…”

“Hic, hic…”

Around fifty children were lying in a circle, heads all pointed toward the center.

From various corners, the sound of whimpering could be heard—as if they were caught in nightmares, eyes shut tight.

“Sounds like a fish market.”

“Huhu, what a cold-hearted assessment—worthy of the Clear Gate Lord of the Killing Sect.”

The man in black from the Black Wind faction chuckled at the voice coming from the center of the cavern.

“It’s not pretension. Living among the righteous sects makes me sick. Pretending to care about back-alley orphans I’ve never spared a thought for in my life… disgusting.”

Fwoosh!

The man removed his Black Wind robe.

A lean frame and thin lips—this was Moyong Hak.

“Let’s begin. The name of the Peach Blossom Demonic Faction was mentioned in the Wind Mirror Report. We can’t delay any longer.”

“No need to rush. It will be over in an instant.”

At Moyong Hak’s urging, the man dressed in night gear narrowed his eyes beneath his black hood in a smirk.

“Still, your patience is impressive, considering the Killing Sect is supposedly made up of three sub-sects.”

“Huhu, that’s exactly the plan.”

Moyong Hak grinned.

“Red Gate, Shadow Gate, Black Gate, and our own Clear Gate. The Killing Sect is a union of four murderous sects. Among them, we of the Clear Gate were best suited to operate in daylight.”

Red Gate (적문) was the strongest in martial prowess despite being a part of the Killing Sect.

Shadow Gate (영문) specialized in stealth and ambush—making them the purest form of the Killing Sect.

Black Gate (흑문) cultivated demonic arts to the point of madness, often called the Mad Gate.

And finally, Clear Gate (청문) used poisons and hidden weapons, skilled in inflicting slow, silent death.

“We always had one foot in the open. We owned a blacksmith and ran an herbalist shop, after all. Hahaha.”

“Who would’ve guessed that Baekyak Mountain Villa—known for opposing the Killing Sect—was actually your front.”

“Wahaha! Even the great Moyong Clan was completely fooled! That’s how an oddity like me came to be—I hold roots in both Baekga Alliance and the Nine Heavens City!”

“Impressive.”

As the man in night gear nodded at Moyong Hak’s triumphant laughter, the latter continued with even more excitement.

“We’ll use the Baekga Sword Tournament to cement our position in the Moyong Clan. The failures from our missions will be funneled into the Peach Blossom Faction and quietly disposed of.”

“The young master is all but guaranteed to win the tournament, then.”

“Exactly. I’ll become the heir, then clan head! With the Baekga Alliance as our foothold, the Killing Sect will seize the lives of all under heaven!”

Crack!

Moyong Hak gripped his sword sheath tightly, drunk on ambition.

The man in night gear smiled at the sight.

“We’ll help you. Using the forbidden art of the Earth’s Selection, you shall become the only awakened one among the candidates.”

“Huhu, when the time comes, I’ll make sure to repay the Ghost Gate for this favor.”

“There’s no doubt about it. Now then, shall we begin?”

Ssss…

The man in night clothes carefully pulled something from his robe.

A fragment of black iron—like a broken shard of something ancient.

“This is the Divine Fragment (신편). A cursed object that will open a new world to you.”

“Ooh! So this is it…!”

“Sit in the center.”

Moyong Hak, clearly excited, walked to the middle of the ring of children and sat cross-legged.

Tap.

The man in night clothes placed the Divine Fragment squarely on top of Moyong Hak’s head, precisely on the Baihui point (백회혈).

“This is different from the Heaven-chosen. This is the Earth’s Selection. Pain will follow.”

“I can take it!”

“The Baihui is the sky’s crown, the Heavenly Gate, and also connects to the Third Eye, your upper dantian.”

The man explained the process of awakening the Earth’s Chosen.

“Normally, the Baihui closes as one ages, making upper dantian awakening increasingly rare.”

“I know. There’s even a saying: if one hasn’t awakened by age thirty, they never will.”

“Exactly. You’re twenty-five. The gate is almost shut.”

He glanced at the surrounding children.

“That’s why we need them. Their Baihui points are still open. Their spiritual power can be forcibly extracted!”

Snap!

He formed a seal with both hands, and then—something extraordinary happened.

Woooom…

The Divine Fragment floating above Moyong Hak’s head began to rise.

KWAHHHH―!

A massive invisible vortex surged, and screams echoed from every direction.

“Kyaaaaaa!”

“Aaaahhh!”

“Waaaahhh!”

The children shrieked in agony, bleeding from their eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

Moyong Hak too clenched his teeth, his skull seemingly splitting open.

“Ughhhh! Aaaargh!”

It felt like a branding iron was burning between his eyebrows, like something was stirring in his brain—his world spun.

“Hnnghh!”

BOOM!

Just then, strange crimson energy flickered through Moyong Hak’s eyes.

FWOOSH—!

A burst of red flame erupted in the air and then vanished.

Seeing this, the man in night gear nodded and whispered.

“Mastery over Fire Qi. You’ve obtained a fine power. Congratulations.”

“Huff—huff—grr!”

“You’ll have to get used to the migraines. Forcing open your dantian will do that.”

“Ughh… kuhuhuhu!”

As Moyong Hak trembled with a mix of pain and euphoria, the man smiled gently.

“Now then. Let me teach you about Spiritual Weaponization.”

* * *

‘Earth’s Chosen? Forcing an awakening? Using kids’ spiritual energy as fuel?’

Hoyun furrowed his brow at the shocking information he’d learned through Sword Sense Resonance.

Even setting aside the feasibility, the method was unspeakably cruel.

‘He learned Spiritual Weaponization, huh? But no way he mastered it so quickly—especially not when he’s still high on awakening.’

Hoyun had begun to suspect Baekyak Mountain Villa was part of the Demonic Cult because of Moyong Hak.

He tried to hide it, but unlike his brother Moyong Yul, Moyong Hak was clearly unfamiliar with Spiritual Weaponization.

Which meant Hoyun had sensed it clearly.

In Shenyang, Moyong Hak’s upper dantian had been fine. Now, it was tattered—like torn paper.

‘Just like Gwidu Dogwi and Mak Cheonak. So they’re all from the same group…’

“Namgung Young Master! What are you doing?!”

“You’ve gone insane!”

“Wh-what?!”

“Namgung Hoyun just ambushed Moyong Hak!”

“Did you see that fire just now?!”

Hoyun clicked his tongue at the rising commotion.

‘Tch. Save the thoughts for later—time to move.’

He took a deep breath and shouted loudly:

“From this moment forward, the Namgung Clan declares war on Baekyak Mountain Villa!”

His voice, empowered by inner energy, echoed across the arena.

“Wh-what?!”

“Has he lost his mind?!”

“Waging war between righteous clans?!”

The gathered disciples panicked at the sudden declaration.

But Hoyun didn’t bother explaining everything.

“I have solid proof that Baekyak Mountain Villa is part of the Demonic Cult!”

“……!”

“……!”

“……!”

“There’s a hidden chamber beneath the alchemy hall—over a hundred children are imprisoned there!”

Moyong Hak’s face went pale.

‘How did he…?!’

“I confirmed it three days ago—and the Moyong Clan was notified! An investigation team will arrive soon!”

Clack!

Hoyun pointed squarely at Moyong Hak.

“If you doubt me, then let’s go to the chamber right now and find out!”

“Th-that’s ridiculous slander! There’s no such thing!”

“Then show us.”

“W-why should I? I won’t obey a coward who attacks by surprise!”

Hoyun scoffed and turned to the crowd of disciples.

“As martial artists, choose what to believe for yourselves. I and the Iron Sword Unit stand under the Namgung banner—and we will draw our swords for justice!”

Shaaang!

Shashashaaang!

Hoyun drew the Thunder Sword, and all ten Iron Sword members followed, their expressions firm with resolve.

“Iron Sword, Unrivaled!”

“Namgung, Unbroken!”

Their powerful shouts rang with the determination to die for their cause.

“W-what’s going on?!”

“He must have something real to back this up, right?”

“But Baekyak Villa is Moyong Clan’s in-law…”

The disciples were shaken.

It sounded absurd.

But what if it were true?

“Advance to the alchemy hall! Iron Sword Unit—neutralize all opposition!”

“Yes, sir!”

The Namgung Clan had declared war on Baekyak Mountain Villa—one of the Eight Pillars of Liaoning Province.

And the army was only eleven strong, including Hoyun and the ten Iron Sword members.

Where did this boldness come from?

“Justice delayed is justice denied! Let us now prove justice still exists in this world!”

“Iron Sword, Unrivaled!”

“Namgung, Unbroken!”

The disciples didn’t know the answer.

But as they watched the eleven charge like a lone boat into a tidal wave—they found themselves following, almost entranced.

* * *

Afternoon, with the sun high.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

A strange march had begun from Baekyak Mountain Villa.

A man watched from the roof of the main building.

“How fascinating.”

He was a plain-looking middle-aged man, unremarkable in appearance—easy to forget.

Ordinary build, ordinary presence—like someone you’d bump into at the market.

Yet he murmured to himself,

“How did they find out? We’ve hidden it well for fifty years.”

Though he spoke as if curious, his voice carried no emotion.

His eyes, however, focused on the boy leading the group toward the alchemy hall.

The boy in blue martial garb looked barely of age—but his presence was razor-sharp, like a sword.

“Even in decline, Namgung is still Namgung. Perhaps Generation 91? A bit too much internal energy for his age.”

The man murmured and nodded.

“Is he their last hope? If he managed to restore the Thunder Emperor Art, he may well be worth betting the clan’s fate on.”

Shink!

A dagger suddenly appeared in his hand.

“Such radiant talent… always a shame to see it fade.”

Was this his first unsanctioned assassination in ten years?

He stood.

But then—

“Sit down.”

“……!”

A raspy, aged voice came from behind.

His eyes widened.

‘He snuck up on me?!’

Impossible.

He was the predator, not the prey.

Few in the world could sneak up on him.

Slowly, he turned his head.

There, leaning against the rooftop gable, stood a tall old man with white hair and a black longsword at his hip.

His face was stern, lined with age, but his aura was sharp and ageless.

“You…!”

“Murder King. Mixing in the games of junior martial artists? That’s unlike you.”

“……”

“If you’re here to erase evidence, forget it. We’ve seen everything.”

Drip.

The middle-aged man, Murder King Muyon, felt cold sweat trickling down his back.

He had come to sever all links between Baekyak Villa and the Killing Sect.

‘…Now that rumors have spread, I had to abandon the Clear Gate. I meant to wipe them out with my own hands…’

But why was he here—someone who should’ve been in Hanan?

Sensing the question, the old man grinned.

“Huhu, my old eyes get tired of reading paperwork. I snuck out without telling my aides.”

“……”

“And got to enjoy this little show. How delightful.”

“……”

“Sit. I’ll overlook your meddling. What’s happening now is far more important.”

His eyes turned toward the alchemy hall, a youthful smile tugging at his lips.

“I’ve had a dream for a long time. To cross blades with a true Namgung sword.”

“…Just like you. Sword Emperor.”

The old man was Moyong Sangcheon, one of the Five Emperors, known as the Sword Emperor, and the founding leader of the Baekga Alliance.

“Come, Namgung child. Show this old man… the sword that once severed the pulse of the Sword Demon, 300 years ago…!”

With eyes gleaming like a boy, Moyong Sangcheon watched Namgung Hoyun’s every step.