The Sword That Cleaved the Heavens
"Find the key."
That was the mission Palduyeok had received.
To find the key sleeping somewhere in Sichuan and return to the main palace.
That was the order the great Palace Lord had bestowed upon Palduyeok.
Obey the given orders.
To Palduyeok, that was everything.
What was the key? Where was he supposed to find it?
He was curious, but he did not dare to ask.
Questions were unnecessary. Since the Palace Lord had commanded it, he would simply follow.
Receive orders, act on orders.
That was the law of the current Palace.
Palduyeok, too, carried out his mission without a single complaint.
It wasn't particularly difficult. Finding the entrance somewhere near Sichuan.
The Palace had said that a certain civilian household would have the information.
All he had to do was search every house in the vicinity to gather clues.
If they didn't have the information, kill them.
Move on until the information was obtained.
Although Sichuan was the territory of the Tang Clan, there were plenty of ways to divert their attention.
After all, there was no place the Palace's reach could not touch.
If he utilized that, anything was possible.
He had heard news that the Moonmaster of the Blue Moon Sect had moved recently.
But Palduyeok thought even that was fine.
No matter how much of a monster he was, Wolseongeom could not leave Henan.
Knowing that, he thought there would be no issues.
Yet, the moment he thought so, a problem arose.
The Sowol Squadron.
The elite unit led by the monster of the Blue Moon Sect.
A group said to be on par with Mount Hua's Plum Blossom Sword Shield—one of the few such groups in the world—had appeared in Sichuan.
Was this a coincidence?
Was it truly a coincidence that they began moving in tandem with their own schedule?
When he first heard the report, it had irritated Palduyeok.
However, the report that followed allowed him to ease his mind.
The head of the Tang Clan was plotting something.
It was said he had summoned the Sowol Squadron for that purpose.
The problem was that, in the midst of this, the Sowol Squadron had interfered with their work.
Furthermore...
'I heard that guy is among them.'
The one the Palace Lord was secretly keeping an eye on.
The subject of the rumors slowly spreading through the Murim.
The successor of the Sword Saint.
The glory of the Orthodox faction, which should have died and vanished, had finally crawled back.
He had heard that the boy defeated the Young Blue Sword of the Namgung Clan.
Because of that, the rumors were gradually spreading.
'How very strange.'
Palduyeok was puzzled.
Defeating the Young Blue Sword? He was said to be outstanding among the younger generation, but in the end, he was just a brat.
Even if a greenhorn who wasn't even one of the Seven Great Talents had lost, it shouldn't be anything to worry about.
The problem was that the one who accomplished it was the suddenly appeared successor of the Sword Saint.
Thanks to that...
'The Palace Lord moved personally.'
Not only did the great master of the Palace move personally, but he also issued an additional directive.
"Bring the successor of the Sword Saint before me."
To bring the successor who was in Sichuan.
In addition to finding the 'key', another directive had been handed down.
From the beginning, the mission itself wasn't just about the key.
Finding the key was one thing, but the fundamental goal was to shake the Tang Clan to its core.
They had prepared extensively for this.
'Luck was on our side.'
Palduyeok judged the situation to be not so bad.
The appearance of the Sword Saint's successor?
The Sowol Squadron he belonged to interfering with the Palace's affairs?
Those could be problems.
But the saving grace was...
'Everything can be handled at once.'
He knew what the Poison King wanted and why he had summoned the Sowol Squadron.
Though, to be precise, it was questionable whether he actually needed the Sowol Squadron.
'It seems he still has lingering attachments.'
He could tell thanks to the spies inside.
He knew that the location of the key was somewhere in the secret vault left behind by the Poison Sovereign.
He also knew that the Poison King was desperately trying to open it.
He knew everything.
How fortunate.
'Since they are all gathering in one place.'
The key, the Tang Clan's troubles, and the successor the Palace Lord was concerned about.
All of them were converging in one place. It seemed it would be perfect to clean them all up.
The moment he thought that...
'We have found traces.'
Palduyeok received news that they had found traces of the entrance he was looking for.
It was from that moment.
The moment he began preparing for the events at the Tang Clan.
'Perfect.'
Using the secret vault, it would be easy to dispose of the Poison King, one of the Five Kings of the World.
He already knew when they would enter the vault, thanks to the reports of his spies.
Since he didn't know how many traps the wicked Poison Sovereign had installed in the vault, he couldn't bring a large number of men.
Given the nature of the task, combat power was important, but...
'It doesn't matter as long as we cut off the Poison King.'
Once the Poison King was trapped in the vault, the remaining matters could be easily resolved.
It wasn't something he worried about much.
And indeed, it was.
With the Poison King trapped in the vault, the enemy's fighting force wasn't that great.
So he thought they could handle it easily.
But there was a slight anomaly in the process.
'That guy.'
Palduyeok focused his gaze on one person in the unfolding situation before him.
Even though the subordinates he brought were falling one by one, Palduyeok was looking at only one person.
The Sowol Squadron, was it?
Since he knew they had entered the secret vault with the Poison King, he had known they were here.
They were strong, just as the rumors said.
They were said to be on par with the Plum Blossom Sword Shield, and they certainly looked it.
However.
'That only applies to one of them.'
There were three martial artists from the Blue Moon Sect.
Among them, the one who looked like a powerhouse in Palduyeok's eyes was only one.
He hadn't heard his name, but he looked the oldest of the three.
Unlike the other two who looked like pretty boys, this one looked like a real man.
'He will become someone great.'
Palduyeok smirked as he watched him.
He was quite something.
No matter how he trained, at that age, he had no openings.
His strength was well-balanced when he swung his sword, his posture was undisturbed, and he had no hesitation in cutting down his opponents.
Not only his body, but his mental state was well-established.
If left alone, or if he survived this place...
Before long, he would likely become one of the representative figures of the Blue Moon Sect.
In terms of strength, that guy seemed to be the best, but...
'Strangely.'
Palduyeok's gaze drifted to another rather than him.
It was the remaining two handsome ones.
The white-haired one was out of the question. His realm was what it was, and though he seemed to have talent, he was still far from blooming.
There was no need to keep an eye on him.
So, the one Palduyeok was watching was the last one.
'What is up with that guy?'
It was strange.
His realm seemed to be around first-rate.
'But his movements are bizarre.'
He was sluggish for a first-rate. There was a creaking feeling to him, as if something didn't fit.
His creaking body was as if his realm and his physical body were mismatched.
It was as if his body couldn't keep up with his high realm.
It was a problem commonly seen in those who had rapidly raised their realm.
That guy had that problem.
And yet...
'He handles it surprisingly well.'
Rather than trying to correct his twisted body, he was managing it well in its distorted state.
He wasn't trying to fix it; he was simply making the best choices in his current situation.
'His movements are slow, and he shows several openings.'
There were clearly many places to exploit.
'Yet he even utilizes those.'
He used his numerous openings as feints to deal with his opponents.
'Hah.'
Palduyeok let out a dry laugh.
'How bizarre.'
It was his first time seeing such a fighting style.
Where did the falsehood end, and where did the truth begin?
His breathing, which had seemed ragged, returned to normal before one could even notice.
He would pretend his footwork was tangled to lure the enemy.
In the midst of that, he blocked attacks aimed at his allies.
He even dragged the flow of the battle toward himself multiple times.
If the others were simply martial artists...
This guy was a tactician.
Someone who knew how to read the flow of the situation.
The most necessary existence on a battlefield.
In other words...
'A dangerous man.'
He was dangerous.
'Right, he was also the first one to notice.'
He was the one who first checked the state of the spy and moved, and he was the one directing the current situation.
Watching him, Palduyeok couldn't help but chuckle.
'They say he's the successor. He even resembles him in the most damnable ways.'
That monster who transcended imagination.
They said he was the successor of the Sword Saint, and did he even resemble him in his unique way of fighting?
Palduyeok recalled the blue-eyed Yaksha and couldn't help but shudder slightly.
'...No wonder the Palace Lord showed interest.'
It was indeed so.
That guy was dangerous. Palduyeok could tell the moment he saw him.
He was already like this now.
What would happen if he kept growing?
What would happen if that clever mind was paired with the overwhelming power of the Sword Saint in his body?
'...'
Palduyeok's gaze turned cold.
His subordinates fell, screaming.
Their numbers were dwindling, but it didn't matter.
After all, the true elites weren't here.
'Hmm.'
Crack. Palduyeok slowly loosened his shoulders.
'This won't do.'
He steeled his mind.
At the same time, Palduyeok stared at the successor of the Sword Saint.
The kid named Bang Seong-yeon.
'If it's like this...'
The Palace Lord had ordered him to bring him back alive.
'I won't be able to keep that command.'
It seemed he had no choice but to disobey his master's words.
Rumble! Clatter!
Stone dust showered down from the shattered wall.
A gust of wind blew from the impact, and the massive sound momentarily plunged the surroundings into silence.
"Cough..."
The figure embedded in the wall, Bang Seong-yeon, spat out a mouthful of blood.
Blood flowed not only from his mouth but also from his head.
"Young Master Bang!"
"Bang Seong-yeon!"
Seeing this, Cheon Ui-jin and Do-hyeong tried to rush over, but...
Swish!
"Ugh!"
They couldn't move because enemies still remained.
"I originally planned to watch a bit longer," Palduyeok said, dusting off his hands as he walked toward Bang Seong-yeon. "But it seems I cannot do that."
The smirk had vanished from Palduyeok's rugged face.
"You are an eyesore."
Bang Seong-yeon was deeply irritating.
"Your eyes, your actions. Every single thing about you displeases me."
That gaze that looked as if he knew everything.
The movements he made based on that gaze.
Whatever it was, it was all annoying.
"So, I must get rid of you."
He would be punished for disobeying the Palace Lord's orders, but that was fine.
Palduyeok's instincts were telling him.
"Kid. You die here."
No matter what else happened, this guy had to die.
With that thought, Palduyeok approached the unconscious Bang Seong-yeon.
Slide.
"Hmm?"
Something blocked Palduyeok's path.
"Whew... Haa..."
A woman stood before him, her face filled with tension but possessing striking beauty.
It was Dang Ye-ran.
She was catching her ragged breath, standing in Palduyeok's way.
"Hah."
Seeing this, Palduyeok let out an absurd laugh.
"The Poison Flower."
The Poison Flower.
The precious daughter of the Tang Clan, and in another sense, a troublemaker.
"I have business with you anyway, so why do you go out of your way to block me?"
"..."
Dang Ye-ran did not speak. She simply gripped the dagger in her hand tighter with trembling fingers.
"...Do not come any closer."
It was a barely squeezed-out sentence. Her voice, like her eyes, was filled with anxiety.
"Girl. Do you really think you can stop me?"
Amused by her pathetic display, Palduyeok moved slightly.
He suddenly gathered energy in his hand, and then...
Slash!
He sliced his own palm.
Blood dripped from the torn flesh.
Seeing this, Dang Ye-ran trembled violently.
And then...
"Here."
Palduyeok showed his blood-soaked palm to Dang Ye-ran.
At that moment...
"Eek...!"
Dang Ye-ran suddenly took a step back.
Her face turned pale.
"I heard you are afraid of blood, and it seems the rumors were true."
"...!"
At Palduyeok's words, Dang Ye-ran bit her lip.
"A child of a martial family afraid of blood... How laughable."
Even as he spoke, Palduyeok drew closer.
Dang Ye-ran had no choice but to keep backing away.
"Hmm."
Palduyeok tilted his head.
He seemed to be thinking of something as he looked at the anxious Dang Ye-ran.
"You are indeed beautiful. Just like the rumors."
She was slightly lacking to be called a peerless beauty, but she was certainly lovely.
"Originally, I had more business with Dongnyong among the children... but this works out well."
The Poison Flower was just a bonus, but if things turned out like this...
"This isn't bad."
It wasn't bad at all.
It would be great for turning the Poison King's stomach, and above all...
"The Palace Lord will like this."
He felt his master would look upon this favorably.
Recalling that, Palduyeok stepped forward.
"...Hic...!"
At his approach, Dang Ye-ran stumbled backward and fell to the ground.
Her eyes were still fixed on Palduyeok's blood-stained hand.
"Heheh."
Finding Dang Ye-ran's state amusing, Palduyeok laughed aloud.
As he was about to continue speaking...
"Do not be afraid. I will treat you quite preciously..."
He froze mid-sentence.
His laughter vanished, replaced by a look of sheer shock.
Dang Ye-ran, still terrified, felt a wave of confusion.
What was he looking at to make such a face?
His gaze was not directed at her.
She tried to turn around to follow his gaze.
Touch.
Suddenly, a hand was placed on the crown of her head.
The hand felt relatively small.
"...Damn it, my whole body is aching."
At the sound of the voice, Dang Ye-ran looked up.
"If I knew it would be like this, I should have just done it sooner."
She identified the owner of the voice.
"Young Master Bang...?"
The owner was, surprisingly, Bang Seong-yeon.
He had stood up at some point and was wiping the blood from his head.
At her call, Bang Seong-yeon's gaze turned to Dang Ye-ran.
Meeting his blue eyes, Dang Ye-ran felt her heart drop.
Something was different.
He looked the same, but something was definitely different.
His gaze was much heavier.
And much colder.
"You did well."
Then, stroking her hair, Bang Seong-yeon spoke to Dang Ye-ran.
Hearing those words, she felt a strange sense of relief wash over her.
"Step aside for a moment."
Saying so, Bang Seong-yeon walked past Dang Ye-ran.
He then approached Palduyeok.
"...You..."
Palduyeok frowned as he faced the standing Bang Seong-yeon.
"How on earth did you get up?"
He had definitely lost consciousness. Judging by his wounds, he shouldn't have been able to stand so easily. How was he standing?
Unable to comprehend, Palduyeok stared at Bang Seong-yeon.
Huh?
Palduyeok's eyes widened.
The weapon the boy was holding was strange.
A longsword almost the size of his own body. He had suddenly pulled out a completely different weapon from somewhere.
"Hey, brat," Bang Seong-yeon said.
"What?"
Palduyeok thought he had misheard.
Brat? Did this kid just call him a brat?
"Be grateful."
"What is this bastard talking about—"
Before Palduyeok could raise his voice at Bang Seong-yeon, he couldn't finish his sentence.
Splaaaaash!
Suddenly, his chest was sliced open, and blood erupted.
"Argh!?"
Blood sprayed as Palduyeok's chest was cut.
Groaning, Palduyeok stared at Bang Seong-yeon.
Those indifferent blue eyes.
The moment he saw them, an inexplicable emotion welled up inside Palduyeok.
What was this feeling?
After a brief moment of confusion, Palduyeok realized what this emotion was.
No, in truth, he had already known.
He just hadn't wanted to admit it.
"From now on..."
This feeling was none other than...
Fear.