Episode 56: Return to the Martial Arts Hall
A high-pitched whirring sound sliced through the air as Mok Dan-hwa’s sword aimed straight for Yeon Woo-kyung’s heart.
The peculiar noise was followed by the sword’s blade splitting into several parts.
Chaos Thunder Strike.
It was the first form of the Flashing Thunder Sword technique.
The strange sound that pierced the eardrums was a hallmark of this technique, a testament to its uniqueness and the pride of the Mok family.
Yeon Woo-kyung’s eyes widened as he twisted his body, his foot striking the ground.
Whirr!
The blade narrowly grazed his cheek, a fraction of a second slower and it would have left an indelible scar.
“Damn, she’s serious!”
He clicked his tongue in frustration, but he understood. With the honor of her family at stake and the head of the Mok family watching, Mok Dan-hwa had no choice but to give it her all, regardless of personal ties.
He couldn’t afford to be careless either. Facing the swordsmanship of the Mok family with anything less than full effort was unthinkable.
“She’s fast, no doubt about it.”
The reputation of the “Flashing Sword” was well-deserved.
Thud!
Mok Dan-hwa wasted no time, seamlessly transitioning into the second form, the Electric Whip.
The horizontal slash seemed as thick as a mighty river, the blade vibrating up and down with incredible speed, creating the illusion of a broader sword.
Realizing it was too late to dodge, Yeon Woo-kyung quickly raised his sword vertically.
Clang!
As he spun his body in the direction of the blade’s flow, Mok Dan-hwa’s stance faltered, her balance disrupted.
Seizing the opportunity, Yeon Woo-kyung thrust his sword forward.
But—
“When did she—!”
The Mok family’s swordsmanship was not to be underestimated.
Clang!
With a sharp metallic sound, Yeon Woo-kyung’s sword was deflected. Mok Dan-hwa had already regained her stance and countered his attack.
As Yeon Woo-kyung marveled at her speed, Mok Dan-hwa launched another strike.
Swish!
Clang! Clang!
Relentless attacks.
“Damn it! She’s too fast!”
The onslaught left no room to breathe. In swordplay, speed often held the upper hand. If two swordsmen swung at each other’s necks simultaneously, the faster one would prevail.
Thus, in a sword fight, speed was paramount. Even if the slower fighter managed to block an attack, the faster one would already be preparing the next strike.
Eventually, the faster fighter would find an opening and land a decisive blow.
So, was there no way for the slower fighter to win?
Not quite.
One strategy was to sacrifice flesh to protect bone—endure a light, fast attack to deliver a heavy, slow counter.
Expose a shoulder to lure the opponent in, then sever theirs in return.
However, a skilled opponent would see through such tactics, avoiding unnecessary risks.
Thus, the duel became a battle of wits, akin to a game of Go.
Despite Mok Dan-hwa’s superior speed, neither had landed a decisive blow yet.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The constant clash of metal filled the air, the atmosphere in the training hall growing tense as both wielded real swords.
Meanwhile, Mok Cheol-woo watched with narrowed eyes, murmuring to himself.
“Indeed, the Yeon family’s Dominating Dragon Sword. To withstand Dan-hwa’s onslaught like this is impressive. What do you think, Instructor?”
Turning to speak, Mok Cheol-woo frowned slightly.
Munch, munch. Slurp, slurp.
Sa Bi-gang was devouring his meal with little regard for the duel unfolding before him.
“This dish is exquisite. Truly delicious. There’s no better place to eat in Songbaek.”
“Delicious… Instructor Sa, are you listening to me?”
“Hmm? Oh, I got so caught up in this amazing food. What were you saying?”
“Never mind.”
Mok Cheol-woo shot him a disapproving look before turning away. Sa Bi-gang, unfazed, continued to savor his meal.
Meanwhile, the duel between Mok Dan-hwa and Yeon Woo-kyung was entering a new phase.
“Huff, huff, huff.”
“Pant, pant, pant.”
After dozens of exchanges, the two fighters paused to catch their breath, maintaining a cautious distance.
Yeon Woo-kyung smiled.
“Impressive. I’m genuinely amazed by your swordsmanship, Miss Mok.”
“You’re too kind. I’m equally impressed by your skills, Mr. Yeon.”
Though most students addressed each other informally, these two maintained a level of respect, a nod to their family honor.
Mok Dan-hwa smiled faintly as she spoke.
“Shall we get a bit more serious now?”
“That’s what I was hoping for. Please, go ahead.”
With that, she slowly assumed a new stance.
In the next moment—
A faint blue aura began to shimmer along her sword.
Sword energy.
“Very well. In that case—”
Yeon Woo-kyung had no intention of holding back either. Though he wasn’t thrilled about sparring on Sa Bi-gang’s orders, with the head of the Mok family watching, he couldn’t afford to tarnish his family’s honor.
He wanted to prove, as Sa Bi-gang suggested, that he could surpass the Mok family’s swordsmanship.
A similar blue aura enveloped Yeon Woo-kyung’s sword.
In an instant—
Thud!
Mok Dan-hwa moved first.
Swish!
Her sword sliced through the air, aiming for Yeon Woo-kyung’s neck.
Whoosh!
Yeon Woo-kyung quickly leaned back, spinning his body.
Whirl!
He spun in mid-air, swiftly raising his sword.
It was the Rising Dragon technique, one of the Dominating Dragon Sword’s forms.
Whoosh!
As his sword surged upward like a whirlwind, Mok Dan-hwa sensed the danger and quickly parried, leaping back.
Thud!
Yeon Woo-kyung didn’t miss the chance, swiftly closing the distance and slashing diagonally.
It happened in the blink of an eye.
The Stone-Crushing Flying Dragon technique.
A powerful, forceful strike.
“Got you!”
Yeon Woo-kyung was confident this attack would exploit Mok Dan-hwa’s vulnerability.
She had been too hasty, her defense momentarily compromised, and he hadn’t let the opportunity slip.
Just as his blade was about to touch her throat, Mok Cheol-woo, sensing the danger, shifted in his seat, exclaiming, “Ah!”
But—
Swish!
“What the—!”
To his surprise, Mok Dan-hwa didn’t dodge or block. Instead, she counterattacked.
If things continued, his sword would pierce her throat, but her blade was poised to pierce his heart first.
“She’s that fast!”
Her already swift swordsmanship had become even faster with the added sword energy.
With no other choice, Yeon Woo-kyung twisted his blade to deflect hers, neutralizing both attacks.
Clang!
The impact sent them both skidding back.
The audience erupted in awe, the recent exchange having been perilously close for both fighters.
Mok Cheol-woo swallowed hard, finally sitting back down, while Sa Bi-gang, having briefly glanced up, returned to savoring his meal.
Yeon Woo-kyung swallowed dryly, gripping his sword’s hilt.
“Damn, I thought I had it.”
He had believed victory was his. The previous attack had been flawless.
But he hadn’t anticipated such a swift counterattack.
He hadn’t expected Mok Dan-hwa to take such a risk, countering instead of defending.
Was she always this daring?
Meanwhile, Mok Dan-hwa felt her own sense of danger.
“That was close.”
She wasn’t sure how she had managed to block his attack. In that moment, the only option she saw was to strike back.
Her instincts had guided her hands and feet, allowing her to fend off Yeon Woo-kyung’s assault.
Though her attack had been faster, it was ultimately a defensive maneuver.
The near-death experience had drained her energy.
“I need to be more cautious with my attacks!”
Both fighters shared the same thought.
Yeon Woo-kyung and Mok Dan-hwa locked eyes, slowly circling each other.
Then, without warning, they charged again.
But after less than ten exchanges, they separated once more.
Following the intense exchange, both were now overly cautious.
Mok Cheol-woo glanced over at Sabi-gang, who was still eating with gusto.
“Ahem!” he coughed deliberately, but Sabi-gang paid him no mind.
‘How long is he going to keep stuffing his face? Did he starve for three years or something?’
Meanwhile, the sparring match between Mok Dan-hwa and Yeon Woo-gyeong continued unabated.
Finally, unable to hold back any longer, Mok Cheol-woo spoke up.
“Excuse me, Instructor Sa.”
“Yes, go ahead. Ah, that was a delicious meal,” Sabi-gang replied, patting his stomach contentedly.
Mok Cheol-woo frowned. “Are you planning to keep those kids sparring indefinitely?”
“Ah, have you found it then?”
“Found what?”
“The weakness of the Flash Thunder Sword.”
Mok Cheol-woo’s brow furrowed deeply. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Anyone can see those two are evenly matched. But with a few pointers, I believe our Dan-hwa could defeat that young master of yours. In other words, there is no weakness in the Flash Thunder Sword.”
“I see…” Sabi-gang mused, nodding thoughtfully.
‘I see? What on earth is he thinking?’ Mok Cheol-woo thought, clearly displeased.
“Then, how about this?” Sabi-gang suggested, looking at Mok Cheol-woo.
“What is it?”
“Call Dan-hwa over and give her some advice. I’ll do the same for Woo-gyeong. Then we’ll have them spar again.”
Mok Cheol-woo pondered for a moment before nodding. He was determined to put Sabi-gang in his place.
“Fine, let’s do that.”
Sabi-gang instructed the two to pause their match and called Yeon Woo-gyeong aside. Mok Cheol-woo summoned Mok Dan-hwa and offered her various tips.
About half an hour passed.
Sabi-gang approached Yeon Woo-gyeong and whispered a few brief words.
Woo-gyeong bristled. “What do you mean by that? You’re basically telling me to throw the match!”
“Quite the opposite. If you do as I say, I guarantee you’ll win. You know as well as I do that if you lose here, it won’t look good for me either.”
Sabi-gang chuckled, giving Woo-gyeong a light pat on the shoulder. But Woo-gyeong still looked unconvinced.
‘That damn instructor… What is he thinking?’
The sparring resumed, and as time passed, both Mok Cheol-woo and the participants, Yeon Woo-gyeong and Mok Dan-hwa, were taken aback.
The onlookers were left speechless, mouths agape.
Yeon Woo-gyeong’s sword was now poised at Mok Dan-hwa’s throat, and she couldn’t move a muscle.
Mok Dan-hwa had lost.