The Successor Of The Lion Sword Sect (1)

Half a month later.

“…”

Tang Baek-yeon and Tang Myeong’s stances were cautious as they glared at each other and slowly circled.

The two, who had abandoned the names Geum-baek and Geum-muk and received the Tang family name, had also grown greatly during that time. However, unlike the Crimson Blood Unit, the two had been selected as the personal guards of Tang Jin-hyeon, master of the Tang Clan, so they did not completely abandon their assassin martial arts.

The relationship between assassins and guard warriors was like water and oil, yet they also had much in common.

Because they themselves volunteered to guard Tang Jin-hyeon, Oh Gyeong taught them Salmak’s finest martial arts and short-sword arts.

Fortunately, despite suffering discrimination for being of different races, both had been selected by the Black Society because their overwhelming talent set them apart from everyone else. Do Min possessed a broader range of talents, but in martial arts and killing techniques alone, the two ranked among the best in the Tang Clan.

With Oh Gyeong, said to have come closest to being the greatest assassin under heaven, teaching them, and Tang Jin-hyeon personally teaching them martial arts practiced by the Eight Wastes Alliance Leader’s closest guards, it was only natural that they grew quickly.

And now, the two were showing everyone the results of their efforts thus far.

“They are incredible, Sis.”

At Do Il-gang’s whispered words, Im Yeo-wol nodded.

“Their presence is extremely tight. Such a dense presence. Before even considering skill, that seamless presence itself must be the two’s greatest weapon.”

“I’m thinking I might learn some assassination martial arts on this occasion too. If my master saw those two right now, I think he would nod as well.”

“Stop that. You haven’t even seen your own martial arts through to the end yet.”

“I’m just saying.”

The two faced each other while holding two-foot-long short swords in reverse grip, aiming only for each other’s openings for more than half an hour.

That meant their skills were that evenly matched. The moment either one made a mistake, the outcome would be decided.

The razor-sharp tension made even the Crimson Blood Unit members, Do Min, Im Yeo-wol, and Do Il-gang tense.

“Tsk.”

Han Cheol-sang, who had come out after briefly meeting with Gyeong Hang over fund disbursement issues, clicked his tongue as he looked at the two.

“Are you two still doing that? At this rate, there’ll be no end.”

Han Cheol-sang picked up a branch rolling on the ground and threw it with a whik.

The moment the branch flew in an arc and exquisitely blocked both Tang Baek-yeon and Tang Myeong’s vision.

Flash!

The two swung their short swords toward each other’s neck and solar plexus.

Paak!

Before anyone knew it, the two had widened the distance again.

Their reactions were almost identical. If they had followed their strikes through with the intent to kill, both would have been gravely wounded, so the moment their short swords nearly touched the other’s neck and solar plexus, they widened the distance.

Just as the Crimson Blood Unit members burst out in admiration.

Paaak!

Tang Baek-yeon charged with her blond hair flying.

She was determined to finish the fight, even if it meant taking some damage herself. It certainly suited her, who was the more fiery and bold of the two.

Flash!

The short sword held in reverse grip emitted two streaks of light.

It moved so quickly that it seemed to have moved only once. The blade flashed twice along diagonal lines, precisely targeting her opponent’s carotid and subclavian arteries.

Chachang!

The short sword held in Tang Myeong’s long arm moved like a boneless snake.

In an instant, the Curtain Master’s martial arts, Thunder-Pursuing Sword and Soul-Pursuing Sword, clashed. Tang Baek-yeon’s Thunder-Pursuing Sword was fast and powerful, while Tang Myeong’s Soul-Pursuing Sword was fast and sinister.

It was like martial arts in which yin and yang had mixed. Their paths were not greatly different, but their power and presence differed.

Paaang!

Tang Myeong stepped forward and swung his short sword.

Jjeojeojeojeojeojeojeong!!

The two short swords clashed madly and erupted with a terrifying sword cry.

It was a duel of swift sword arts that made those watching gape. And it wasn’t simply swift sword arts, but killing swords that naturally aimed only for each other’s openings and vital points.

Han Cheol-sang’s eyes grew bright.

‘Impressive.’

Oh Gyeong’s Thunder-Pursuing Sword and Soul-Pursuing Sword were supremely lethal assassination arts that discarded all profound principles in favor of practical results.

Yet he had never imagined those assassination sword arts could trace such exquisite attack paths. Oh Gyeong had refined them specifically for the two, while Tang Jin-hyeon had further adjusted their martial arts to suit their individual traits.

Jjeojeojeong! Peoeong!

Powerful palm force burst from Tang Baek-yeon’s white left hand.

She was using assassination martial arts, yet she did not seem like an assassin at all. Following Thunder-Pursuing Sword, Tang Baek-yeon unleashed Three Yang Divine Palm, sweeping over Tang Myeong’s entire upper body.

Tang Myeong’s upper body bent with tremendous elasticity.

Flash!!

Tang Myeong split apart the palm force of Three Yang Divine Palm with one slash of Soul-Pursuing Sword, closed three steps in an instant, and extended his hand.

Three streaks of projected force surged from the tips of his white nails over his black fingers and flew toward Tang Baek-yeon’s neck, heart, and thigh. It was Three Yang Finger.

Titing!

Thunder-Pursuing Sword rose from below in a zigzag and deflected all the finger force of Three Yang Finger.

Paaaaang!

Tang Baek-yeon’s long leg tore through the air and slammed into Tang Myeong’s right shoulder.

The strike slipped into an opening that should not have existed and landed cleanly.

Peok!

Tang Myeong, struck in the shoulder, raised his knee and struck Tang Baek-yeon behind the knee. Both of them lost their balance and staggered.

But only for a moment.

Papapang!

Tang Baek-yeon’s left leg struck out three short blows. It was the kick technique of Three-Fold Wind.

Tang Myeong blocked her kick technique with his fist and shoulder, lowered his stance in an instant, and extended his short sword. Before anyone knew it, the short sword he had been holding in reverse grip was raised in a forward grip and aimed at Tang Baek-yeon’s solar plexus.

Pishyuk!

A shallow sword wound was carved into Tang Baek-yeon’s side.

Ppagak!

Tang Myeong’s body was sent flying by the elbow she swung while rotating. The shoulder struck by her kick technique had been hit again.

Pababak!

Tang Baek-yeon, holding her short sword in reverse grip, stabbed down toward the fallen Tang Myeong’s carotid artery, while the fallen Tang Myeong stretched out his long leg and aimed for Tang Baek-yeon’s neck.

That was when it happened.

Peopeok!

Two pebbles that flew like lightning struck Tang Baek-yeon’s wrist and Tang Myeong’s calf respectively.

Kwak! Shuk!

The short sword stabbed into the ground beside Tang Myeong, and Tang Myeong’s sharply raised toes grazed Tang Baek-yeon’s neck as they passed.

“That’s enough.”

The people watching exhaled the breaths they had been holding.

It was a match where they truly seemed about to kill each other. If the pebbles had not flown in and changed the paths of the two’s martial arts, one of them would truly have died.

Even though they had nearly died, the two seemed completely unbothered. Rather, Tang Baek-yeon smiled and extended her hand to Tang Myeong.

Tang Myeong took her hand without a word, rose, and gave a bitter smile.

“I lost.”

“With this, it is three wins and three losses.”

“It only takes one match to decide a winner. There’s no need to count them one by one.”

Unlike the blunt Tang Myeong, Tang Baek-yeon kept smiling.

“Can you not even count? A win is a win, and a loss is a loss.”

From gender to the martial arts they used, their way of speaking, and even their voices, the two were truly different in every way.

And yet, seeing how close they were, like siblings, they were truly a strange combination. Perhaps the sense of kinship formed by enduring countless abuses and discrimination through gritted teeth in childhood had created their current relationship.

“Numbers, matches, whatever.”

Tang Jin-hyeon, who had appeared at some point with his arms crossed, grumbled.

“I told you to take it easy, but you two never change. You brats, you really almost caused a disaster.”

Tang Myeong lowered his head.

“I apologize.”

Tang Baek-yeon’s reaction was much brighter.

“We need at least this much tension if we are going to protect you, Patriarch.”

“Look at you. Who is protecting whom? With your current skills, you are still lacking.”

“Ah, is that so?”

“You will only be usable as guards once the two of you can cook Steward Han however you please.”

Tang Myeong looked at Han Cheol-sang with indifferent eyes. Tang Baek-yeon looked at Han Cheol-sang with a bright smile, but her eyes had settled coldly.

Han Cheol-sang trembled.

“I’m going ahead. Slack off in moderation, all of you. Ah, my side.”

There was a strange composure in his figure as he waddled into the kitchen.

“Well, still.”

Tang Jin-hyeon smiled.

“You have improved a lot. You’re not ready to guard the Patriarch yet, but other than that, I could entrust any task to you with peace of mind.”

Tang Myeong expressed his thanks by bowing his head silently.

Tang Baek-yeon confidently raised her hand.

“Please buy us celebration wine.”

“Buying you one is no problem, but why are you raising your hand?”

“Just because.”

Tang Jin-hyeon smiled bitterly.

“We’ll have the celebration drink later. There’s somewhere I have to go now, so follow me.”

“Us?”

“Why? Are you not even going to serve as attendants because your skills are lacking?”

“Heuk, of course not.”

The two stood behind Tang Jin-hyeon in an instant.

The Crimson Blood Unit members shuffled to their feet. Despite their feigned indifference, their faces were filled with a strange yearning. They had set aside their assassination arts and begun training in proper martial arts, but the razor-sharp techniques the two had displayed excited them.

Tang Jin-hyeon spoke to Do Il-gang.

“Go wild with the Crimson Blood Unit a bit today. Show them a taste of orthodox martial arts.”

“Ah, understood. But Patriarch, where are you going?”

“Somewhere. Let’s have a drink later.”

“Hehe, understood.”

“…You’ve changed a lot too. When I first saw you, there was no one as pure as you, but now you even drool at the mention of wine.”

“Thanks to you, Patriarch, I realized how charming the Way of Wine is.”

“Don’t blame someone else and cut down on your drinking. I still don’t understand how your skills keep improving when you drink that much.”

“I will see you later!”

“All right.”

Tang Jin-hyeon gave Im Yeo-wol a look.

“Yeo-wol, I’ll see you later too.”

“Is everyone getting together?”

“Just a small gathering among us. There are things to discuss too.”

“Is it about the Heavenly Will Alliance?”

She brought up a serious matter outright.

Tang Jin-hyeon nodded silently.

Im Yeo-wol smiled bitterly.

“I’ll prepare the drinking snacks.”

“Do it together with Steward Han. Tell him I said you must do it together. Also tell him I couldn’t stand the sight of him resting.”

“Understood.”

After arranging matters in that way, Tang Jin-hyeon left Ziyang County with Tang Baek-yeon and Tang Myeong, the Tang Clan Twin Guards.

The place they headed for was the River Dragon Grand Pavilion in Dujiangyan, owned by Mun Jung.

Mun Jung was on the top floor of the River Dragon Grand Pavilion, a place even wealthy men hesitated to visit.

“You came?”

“Yeah.”

The two Tang Clan Twin Guards silently bowed their heads toward Mun Jung and then left the room.

Tang Jin-hyeon frowned and spoke.

“Where are you going?”

“Yes?”

Tang Baek-yeon spoke in confusion.

“To guard the door…”

“How can I use people whose skills are still lacking if you put this much distance between us? Don’t do anything useless and sit beside me. If something happens, you should block it with your bodies right beside me, should you not?”

The two were flustered. Tang Jin-hyeon had apparently brought them because he had confidential business with the Sichuan Branch Leader, and they were unsure whether they should sit in on the discussion.

Mun Jung gave a small laugh.

“Since the Patriarch has said so, sit without worrying. I’ll take it that the two of you are trustworthy.”

Tang Jin-hyeon spoke indifferently.

“Would I accept people I don’t trust as clan members? Don’t worry. The conversation will not leak.”

Only then did the two look deeply moved. Tang Jin-hyeon was showing through his actions that he trusted them.

In that way, the two sat beside Tang Jin-hyeon.

“There is no need to drag this out, is there? Let’s get straight to the point.”

“Good.”

Mun Jung placed the seven documents he had set aside on the drinking table.

“The target we thought would come in a month seems likely to arrive in five days.”

“!”

“I will begin work tonight.”

Tang Jin-hyeon’s eyes flashed.

“Finally.”

“However, there is one thing that concerns me.”

“What is it?”

Mun Jung pointed at Tang Jin-hyeon’s head.

“Your white hair.”