Pawol flared up and shouted.
"How dare you betray the grace of the Sect Master! Do not insult him!"
The Twelve Moons were those who had entrusted even their lives to the Blood Demon. They lived only for the Blood Demon, and they died only for the Blood Demon. Their very existence was proof of the Blood Demon’s will.
Perhaps that was why the Twelve Moons could not endure hearing him insulted.
"Do you not know that the only reason you still draw breath is because of his mercy?"
"Mercy."
Seolhwa let out a short laugh.
"Do you even know what the word mercy means?"
"It means…! It means the Sect Master pities you!"
"I told you to explain, and you just parrot the same words. As expected, a trained dog is the most obedient."
"You… you wretch!"
Pawol’s killing intent grew heavier. The composure he had shown earlier was nowhere to be seen, and only rage poured from him now. Seolhwa tilted her head slightly.
"But why did he send you, I wonder."
"What do you mean by that!"
"You’re not strong enough to stake a life-and-death duel against me. He wouldn’t have sent you here just to die."
Or… did he? Pawol had disliked her since their days in Fire Crow Pavilion. Every time their eyes met, he would release killing intent.
There was no way she could not have noticed.
‘The Blood Demon knew that too.’
The Blood Demon never stopped the infighting among his subordinates. No, he even encouraged it. If they fought and killed one another, only the strong would remain.
Those survivors would then be given power and authority, becoming examples for the rest.
‘Fight and survive! And then you shall seize the world!’
That was why, behind the dazzling splendor of Fire Crow Pavilion, there was always bloodshed and murder. Pawol was one of those who had openly shown his hatred toward her in that environment. His jealousy and resentment were born from the Blood Demon’s favoritism.
‘We were both picked up from the streets, but he couldn’t stand being treated differently.’
Unlike Pawol, who grew under the Blood Demon’s indifference, Seolhwa had received direct guidance. The Blood Demon had personally overseen her training and even shared his Inner Energy with her. Pawol, on the other hand, had clawed his way up alone, becoming the master of the Moon Token and inheriting the Blood Arts, but that was all.
The Blood Demon still showed him no interest.
‘So that’s why he sent Pawol.’
Because Pawol would surely seize this chance to demand a life-and-death duel. And death was the greatest entertainment for the Blood Demon. He was one who fed on death and blood.
‘We’re both just toys in the Blood Demon’s game.’
Seolhwa let out a short sigh and looked at Pawol. She disliked being made to dance for the Blood Demon’s amusement, but seeing the hatred burning in Pawol’s eyes, it was clear this fight could not be avoided.
"Still, shouldn’t you pick your opponents more carefully? If you value your life, that is."
"Stop pretending to be calm!"
Pawol’s dagger hummed with a low vibration, glowing faintly with a dark crimson light.
"Do you think I don’t know you’ve thrown away all the cultivation the Sect Master bestowed upon you? You’re already a dead woman!"
"And how exactly do you know that?"
A chilling smile spread across Pawol’s lips.
"I know you’re being controlled by hypnosis! No matter how much you struggle, you’ll never escape the Sect Master’s palm."
Seolhwa’s expression hardened coldly.
‘So, he knows about the hypnosis.’
"It was amusing to watch, you know. You thrashing about like a wild foal, unable to even control your own body!"
Pawol’s laughter was filled with intoxication, as if he had already won. Seolhwa tightened her grip on her sword, her face stiff. Now that she had confirmed the Twelve Moons knew about the hypnosis, there was no reason to waste any more time.
"How long are you going to keep running your mouth? Stop talking and come at me, Pawol."
Her gaze, fixed on the killing intent pouring from him, was utterly devoid of emotion.
"You…!"
That indifferent look only fueled Pawol’s fury.
"That arrogance ends here!"
Shhhk—!
Pawol’s dagger shot toward Seolhwa. The martial art the Blood Demon had passed down to the Twelve Moons was dagger arts. It was a Blood Art called the Soul-Breaking Twin Daggers, said to shatter the soul and sever it completely.
The Soul-Breaking Twin Daggers were known for their speed and unpredictable trajectories.
Clang! Clang!
But Seolhwa had already faced the daggers of many Twelve Moons in her past life. Pawol’s attacks were far from threatening. In fact, this Pawol was the weakest among all the Pawols she had once known.
She didn’t even need to draw upon her Inner Energy. Simply by striking the flat of his blade and slightly twisting its path, she deflected his attacks. Dozens of exchanges passed in an instant.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
‘What…!’
Pawol was shaken. He couldn’t understand how she was deflecting all his attacks without even infusing her sword with Inner Energy. She wasn’t even blocking head-on.
She was merely redirecting his strikes with the slightest twist, scattering his strength and breaking the flow of his attacks.
"What are you hiding that you’re wasting time like this? Bring out your other blade."
“…!”
Even as their blades clashed furiously, her voice was calm and unhurried. Pawol’s face twisted in frustration. At last, he drew the second dagger from his waist.
The Soul-Breaking Twin Daggers were meant to be wielded as a pair. The fact that he had only drawn one earlier was both a show of confidence and a way to conceal his true hand. But Seolhwa had no intention of dragging this out.
"If death is what you seek, I’ll gladly grant it!"
His energy burst forth as the twin daggers lunged at a speed too fast for the eye to follow. A crimson aura rippled around the blades.
"Die!"
The true terror of the Soul-Breaking Twin Daggers revealed itself when infused with Blood Energy. The technique itself was nothing more than a frenzied storm of dual blades meant to overwhelm the mind. But each strike carried Blood Energy.
A single cut would allow that energy to seep into the wound. And once Blood Energy seeped in, the bleeding would not stop, nor would the wound heal. The daggers could not inflict deep wounds in one strike, but they could easily inflict countless shallow ones.
And those shallow cuts would accumulate, slowly draining the opponent’s life force. That was the cruel nature of the Soul-Breaking Twin Daggers. As the storm of blades poured down like rain, Seolhwa tightened her grip on her sword.
Her eyes turned cold.
“…!”
Seeing her stance, Pawol’s face twisted with disbelief.
‘She’s going to charge straight in? Into this storm of blades?’
Was she insane? As the Young Pavilion Master, there was no way she didn’t know the nature of the Soul-Breaking Twin Daggers.
Taat—!
Sure enough, Seolhwa charged straight at him. Though she was but a small child, her rush carried the force of a raging bull. Pawol instinctively faltered, then clenched his teeth.
‘Fine, then die!’
Clang! Clang! Clang!
A fierce exchange erupted in an instant. Neither side defended; it was attack clashing against attack. Sparks flew with every clash of steel.
Pale sword light and crimson dagger light collided endlessly, leaving only afterimages in the air. In terms of speed, Pawol was overwhelming. But Seolhwa had never intended to block every strike.
She ignored the shallow cuts that grazed her body and swung her sword without hesitation.
‘This demon…!’
He had landed several deep cuts, yet she didn’t even flinch. How could that be possible? Was this the level one needed to reach to earn the Sect Master’s attention?
As the furious exchange continued, the pale sword light began to mix with a faint crimson hue.
“…!”
Seolhwa frowned as she noticed her aura tinged with red. Pawol too saw the change in her energy. And in that moment— Shhhk—!
“Gaaah!”
Seolhwa’s sword pierced through the opening, stabbing deep into Pawol’s left shoulder.
Thud!
Pawol staggered back, clutching his shoulder. He quickly pressed his acupoints to stop the bleeding, but his left hand could no longer grip the dagger.
“You damned…!”
He glared at Seolhwa with venom, gritting his teeth against the pain. Around her, too, a faint crimson aura had begun to swirl.
“Hah… hahahaha!”
Pawol suddenly burst into laughter. Even as blood poured from his arm, his laughter was tinged with madness.
“So this was your plan? I thought you crawled into the Namgung family to play at being one of the righteous sects of the White Path!”
Still clutching his wounded arm, Pawol raised his head. His eyes gleamed sharply at Seolhwa.
“And yet… all you’ve gained is a sky dyed in blood?”
Seolhwa’s steps came to a sudden halt.