Serialized in
明报 from 1961 to 1963, it is the last part of the Condor Trilogy, after
射雕英雄传 and
神雕侠侣. The title names two weapons, the
倚天剑 sword and the
屠龙刀 saber, which the martial world fights over because they hide a martial arts manual and a book of military strategy.
