The Black Night Palace Lord had no difficulty locating the target.

At best, the place was filled with peak-level martial artists. If not, they were stuck at first- or second-rate levels.

The real threats, like the Sword Queen or the Azure Sea Sword, were being handled by Tae-ju and the Dark King.

His task was simple: find Dok Bong and take her away.

Tae-ju’s prepared dark energy gradually spread over the formation that covered Mount Tai, forming a separate space.

‘What is that power?’

The Black Night Palace Lord gazed at the energy that slowly engulfed the sky, his curiosity piqued. It resembled his own energy but was distinctly different from the "divine authority" bestowed by Heaven.

‘That power must be responding to something.’

Since this was happening in Hanam, with the Martial Alliance and Shaolin nearby, if they weren’t careful, they could attract unwanted attention.

It was a risky operation, but Tae-ju had assured him not to worry.

Apparently, this formation-like thing was meant to handle any such complications.

‘Then, the only thing left is...’

Dealing with the instructors scattered around the area.

Tae-ju’s subordinates were in charge of that part.

Even the Black Night Palace Lord, known as one of the Five Demon Kings, felt the unpleasant and murky energy in the air.

‘The Black Dragon Troops...’

Once thought to be long dead, these martial artists were part of the demonic faction. The Swordstorm, now the Sword Sovereign, had supposedly killed them all in the past.

Yet, somehow, both Tae-ju and the warriors of the Black Dragon Troops were still alive.

The Black Night Palace Lord observed them for a moment before turning away.

‘It’s none of my concern.’

Now was not the time to worry about such things.

His only goal was to complete the task and return to Heaven.

Nothing more.

It was at Tae-ju’s request, and hearing that even the Dark King was joining, he had agreed to move.

Of course, there was a bit of curiosity as well.

While he had a rough idea of Tae-ju’s motives, he was somewhat intrigued by why he wanted Dok Bong from the Tang Clan.

But he hadn’t asked directly.

By the time the black formation fully covered the sky—

“Shall we begin?”

A voice spoke from beside him.

The Black Night Palace Lord frowned at the words.

“Do not dare command me.”

Clicking his tongue, he leaped off the cliff, landing silently in the underbrush below.

He extended his senses.

The energy of a martial artist at the Flowering Realm spread out, enveloping nearly the entire mountain range.

Had the Sword Queen or the Azure Sea Sword been present, they would have noticed immediately.

But—

They were not here.

And even if they were, they likely wouldn’t be in any condition to act.

With that in mind, the Black Night Palace Lord expanded his senses further.

‘Found her.’

As expected, locating the target wasn’t difficult.

Among the trees, a head of dark green hair stood out. The faint poison aura emanating from the woman’s body confirmed her Tang Clan lineage.

Her level wasn’t particularly high.

If the Black Night Palace Lord wished, he could kill her in the blink of an eye.

His body merged with the wind, transforming into formless energy as he moved towards her. He reached his target in an instant.

Before extending his hand, he paused.

‘They said to bring her back unharmed.’

The instruction was to keep her alive. But just in case...

‘First.’

The junior martial artist moving alongside Dok Bong caught his attention.

Judging by her attire and the energy within her, it was clear she belonged to the Peng Clan.

There were some individuals he needed to handle with care, but this girl wasn’t one of them.

In that case, it would be easier to kill her and take Dok Bong without any trouble.

As the situation unfolded, while the Tang woman looked around nervously—

The Black Night Palace Lord quietly gathered his energy, sharpening it.

His intent was to strike her head for an instant kill.

A high-pitched whine filled the air.

The gathered energy followed his hand, and without hesitation, he aimed it at Peng A-hee.

She likely wouldn’t even have time to react before meeting her end.

At least, that’s what he thought.

“A-hee!”

‘What?’

Something unexpected happened.

Dok Bong, whom he thought wouldn’t notice, suddenly moved to shield the junior martial artist beside her.

Swish!

Thanks to the Black Night Palace Lord’s quick reaction in redirecting the strike, he managed to avoid killing the target.

“S-Soyul!”

“Hnnng...”

But Dok Bong’s arm was severely injured.

The sudden turn of events left Peng A-hee flustered, but she quickly focused on stopping the bleeding.

Watching this, the Black Night Palace Lord—

Thunk.

—manifested before Tang Soyul.

“Girl.”

His low voice caused Peng A-hee to flinch and turn her gaze toward him.

“How did you notice? At your level, you shouldn’t have been able to detect anything.”

At his question, Tang Soyul slowly raised her head to look at him.

“...Who are you...?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

Her eyes were filled with fear.

She had likely realized the vast difference in power between them.

The Black Night Palace Lord was genuinely curious.

How had she detected his presence? Her level was barely that of a first-rate martial artist.

“Are you the Tang Clan’s Dok Bong?”

Tang Soyul swallowed nervously at the question.

“I won’t ask again.”

As she remained silent, the Black Night Palace Lord gathered energy at his fingertips and aimed it at Peng A-hee instead. He figured it would be more effective to threaten her companion.

Peng A-hee trembled slightly upon seeing this.

In a rush, Tang Soyul finally spoke up.

“You... already know, don’t you? How could a senior master do this to us?”

“Ah, the bloodline of a great clan. Your tongue is coated with honey.”

Calling him a "senior master" was typical of those hypocrites from the orthodox sects.

It only made him dislike them more.

Step.

The Black Night Palace Lord took a step closer, no longer interested in talking.

Peng A-hee clung protectively to Tang Soyul’s injured body, but it was a pointless gesture.

“I don’t have much time, so I’d prefer if you didn’t resist. I detest nuisances.”

“...”

As black spikes reappeared around him, Peng A-hee pulled Tang Soyul closer, as if ready to take the blow in her place.

Their bond was touching, but futile. Once dead, that warmth would soon fade.

The Black Night Palace Lord was about to push Peng A-hee aside and take Tang Soyul when—

Stop.

Suddenly, he halted, turning his gaze toward the bushes.

“An all too familiar presence.”

He could sense someone approaching. Despite trying to conceal his energy, someone had detected him.

A strong aura was headed his way.

It was unmistakably Lightning Qi.

‘There are two of them.’

The Black Night Palace Lord redirected the black spikes he had prepared for Peng A-hee, aiming them at the newcomers instead.

Swish! Swish!

The spikes shot toward their target, but one of the approaching figures threw their companion aside and slashed at the spikes, deflecting them.

‘Impressive.’

It was a good reaction, one that spoke of considerable skill.

As more concentrated energy began to converge, a heavy, oppressive force filled the air.

CRACK!

The resulting clash between energies sent a brutal sound reverberating through the area.

For a brief moment, the colliding forces created a violent shockwave, and—

Slice!

The energy was split apart, dissipating.

The individual’s sword had cut through the energy sent by a warrior at the Flowering Realm.

‘Impressive.’

A sincere compliment.

Soon, the owner of the Lightning Qi emerged from the bushes.

It was, as expected—

The Black Night Palace Lord spoke.

“I thought the energy felt familiar. So it’s the Sword King’s child.”

The daughter of the current Sword King.

And a girl he had seen once before.

“You must have business with me.”

The woman who appeared tied her silver hair back tightly and aimed her sword at the Black Night Palace Lord. She glanced at Tang Soyul, who was slumped against a rock, struggling to catch her breath.

“It’s been a while. You and I have met before.”

She remembered. It was at the main hall of the Black Night Palace, a place that was now abandoned.

“You know me?”

The Black Night Palace Lord asked, recalling their previous encounter.

She nodded.

“I do.”

“And yet you draw your sword against me.”

A sigh escaped his lips.

It was absurd that this child would dare raise her sword against him.

“Do you think I’m ridiculous?”

“...”

“Or is it that you remember how I humiliated you and find me beneath you now?”

Black energy began to radiate from his feet, sharpening into a deadly form.

The very fact that he felt insulted by a mere junior martial artist was infuriating.

“This Black Night Palace Lord...”

A twisted smile spread across his face.

He had only intended to take Dok Bong, but the girl from the Namgung clan was the daughter of the Sword King—a fool whose arrogance he had always despised.

It wasn’t a bad outcome.

After all, he had a score to settle with the Sword King.

With that in mind, the Black Night Palace Lord spoke to Namgung Bi-ah.

“If you had ignored me, you might have lived. Foolish...”

“Was it you?”

“What?”

“...Did you do this to her?”

“Dok Bong, you mean? Yes, it was me...”

Swoosh!

Before the Black Night Palace Lord could finish, a sharp blade glimmered in front of him.

Namgung Bi-ah had unleashed her Lightning Qi, swinging her sword toward him.

CRACK!

He quickly defended with his energy, watching her closely.

The internal energy she wielded was far beyond her years.

‘She’s beyond her age.’

His earlier compliment was no mistake.

Namgung Bi-ah was at a level far beyond what one would expect for her age.

CLANG! CRACK!

Her sword deflected the energy with precision, seamlessly changing its course.

‘Huh.’

Her judgment was remarkable.

Moreover—

Every movement was filled with killing intent.

There was no doubt she intended to kill him.

Her resolve and determination were something rarely found in young martial artists, let alone orthodox practitioners.

Having succeeded in her initial strike, she locked him down with an overwhelming presence.

‘The Imperial Sword Form.’

It was said to be passed down only to the direct descendants of the Namgung Clan.

It used internal energy with tremendous power and extreme difficulty, making it impractical for most.

Yet, this young girl was using it effortlessly.

Her Lightning Qi exploded outward, dominating the space around her, as she swung her sword with calm precision and speed.

Even the Black Night Palace Lord, infamous as he was, couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration.

‘The Sword King birthed a monster.’

Her level had already surpassed the peak.

It was clear from the way she perceived energy and the world around her that she had crossed the boundary.

She had likely reached the complete stage of the peak realm.

‘A monster, indeed.’

To reach such mastery just after coming of age...

She was truly a heaven-sent talent.

As multiple streams of sword strikes poured down, the Black Night Palace Lord blocked them with his energy, thinking to himself.

‘I’ll have to kill her.’

At this level, she needed to die now.

If she lived, she would surely become a threat to his Heaven in the future.

BAM!

The streams of Lightning Qi split into more branches, multiplying as they expanded.

Her internal energy was solid and formed clear shapes.

Sword energy.

She moved so fast and fluidly, without a sound from her feet, that even her footwork was impeccable.

Dodging the Black Night Palace Lord’s energy from all directions, Namgung Bi-ah continued her relentless assault.

Though each strike could prove fatal, she showed no hesitation.

Once, she had carved a path with a single strike.

CRACK!

She extended her Lightning Qi to widen that path, increasing her speed by wrapping her body in energy.

The swordsmanship she had been honing wasn’t just for show—it was smooth and lethal.

In that seamless flow, there was a sharpness that naturally emerged.

SLASH!

She cut through yet another stream of energy.

With that, a clear path to the Black Night Palace Lord opened up.

Namgung Bi-ah filled her sword with energy and charged forward, aiming for his neck.

“Indeed, your skill surpasses others.”

Just before her Lightning Qi-infused blade could reach him—

“But that’s all.”

WHAM!

Suddenly, a burst of energy struck Namgung Bi-ah in the side.

“Ugh...!”

BANG!

The impact sent Namgung Bi-ah flying through the air before she barely managed to land on her feet.

She adjusted her stance and pulled her energy back up.

But there was no time to rest.

The Black Night Palace Lord’s attacks were already bearing down on her again.

“You blocked the blow with your internal energy, even in that situation. Impressive.”

The previous strike had been a mere test. Now, the attacks came at her with full force, leaving no gaps.

RUMBLE!

The rapid onslaught tore through the ground, sending clouds of dust billowing into the air.

“Your quick judgment in every moment is astounding. Had circumstances been different, I might have eagerly invited you to serve under me.”

It was a genuine sentiment.

Few in Zhongyuan possessed such talent.

If not for the current situation, he would have forcibly placed a restriction on her and kept her by his side.

Her skill was that enviable.

“But alas, the timing is poor.”

The Black Night Palace Lord had to admit that he couldn’t afford to toy with her any longer. Her level was too high for that, and he had to take her seriously.

Luckily, he had found her early enough to deal with her quickly.

Though his goal had only been to capture Dok Bong, this was an unexpected bonus.

After relentlessly attacking for some time, the Black Night Palace Lord finally halted.

He felt that it was enough.

Reaching the peak realm at such a young age was impressive, but in the end, she was still at the peak realm.

The difference between a peak martial artist and someone who had touched the Flowering Realm was vast.

He assumed it was over.

Just as he was about to compress his energy for a final blow—

Through the thick cloud of dust—

SWOOSH!

A concentrated sword strike shot toward his neck.

SLASH.

Blood sprayed.

The blood came from the Black Night Palace Lord’s neck, making it appear that the strike had succeeded.

But—

“You little bitch...”

Unfortunately, the strike hadn’t fully succeeded.

Though it had been fast and powerful, his energy had protected him, preventing a fatal wound.

The blade had only managed to cut his neck slightly.

Nevertheless—

The Black Night Palace Lord stared in disbelief.

“...Ha.”

In front of him, the evidence of a fierce attack remained, and at the center of it stood Namgung Bi-ah, her body wrapped in internal energy.

She was bleeding, but she stared back at him with frustration.

Her eyes were filled with disappointment.

The Black Night Palace Lord was genuinely shocked by what he saw.

‘Was this her plan all along?’

The moment she realized she couldn’t win, she had baited him into underestimating her.

And then, she had struck with that final blow.

If that were the case—

She was a truly terrifying woman.

To endure such pain, waiting for the right moment to launch a decisive attack...

From the very beginning, she had planned everything.

“I suppose you truly need to die here.”

The Black Night Palace Lord was more than startled—he was horrified.

Once again, his earlier thoughts were confirmed. This girl had to die here and now.

It seemed that even Namgung Bi-ah couldn’t hold on much longer. Her body gave way, and she collapsed.

She had likely put everything on that one strike.

The Black Night Palace Lord approached the fallen Namgung Bi-ah.

To prevent any future complications, he had to end her life here.

With that intent in mind, he raised his internal energy, preparing to finish her off.

SLASH.

A sharp sound came from where Dok Bong was.

The Black Night Palace Lord turned his gaze toward the sound, wondering what had happened.

“...!”

He inhaled sharply at the sight before him.

“What in the world are you doing?”

 

Tang Soyul, who had been resting against a rock to catch her breath, suddenly plunged a dagger into her own thigh, pulled it out, and pressed it against her throat.