The Supreme Branch, centered around Tae Muryong, worked tirelessly through the night.
They began creating a map that marked the territories of both righteous and demonic factions influencing the Guizhou region. While the martial world had many maps indicating hostile factions, maps that simultaneously marked both righteous and demonic forces were rare.
Fights between righteous and demonic factions were uncommon, and since such conflicts could escalate into major clashes between coalitions, factions typically avoided encroaching on each other’s territories. Thus, creating a map that marked both allied and enemy forces, as in military warfare, was an unusual task.
“It’s done,” Tae Muryong announced.
After three nights of gathering information and resources through the Martial Alliance’s intelligence networks in Guizhou and Mankyeong Hall, the Supreme Branch finally completed a map that perfectly detailed the distribution of righteous and demonic factions across Guizhou.
“Hmm,” Bu Eunseol murmured, nodding as he examined the finished map.
The Supreme Branch had produced a map more detailed and faster than he had expected. This was proof that Tae Muryong and Jeong Jongdo were effectively leading the team.
“What do you think?” Tae Muryong asked.
Bu Eunseol, still studying the map, nodded. “It’s far more detailed than I expected. Well done.”
Even as he spoke, his gaze remained fixed on the map.
Tae Muryong, sensing Bu Eunseol was deep in thought, clasped his hands. “Then we’ll take our leave.”
Bu Eunseol snapped out of his reverie and nodded. “There’s nothing more for the team to do. Let the members rest.”
“Understood,” Tae Muryong replied.
As Tae Muryong and the team left, Bu Eunseol turned his attention back to the map.
How much time had passed?
“Li Dai Tao Jiang,” he muttered.
A smile crept across Bu Eunseol’s lips as he stared at the map.
Li Dai Tao Jiang—the strategy of sacrificing a plum tree to save a peach tree.
Bu Eunseol had finally devised a foolproof plan to resolve this situation.
***
Meanwhile, a heavy air of impending conflict hung over the Yuchun Valley region.
Several clashes had occurred between the Dragon Might Hall and the Ten Thousand Demons Hall. Fortunately, no bloodshed had ensued, but tensions had escalated to a breaking point.
Dan So-ok, commanding the Ten Thousand Demons Hall, grew increasingly troubled. Resting her chin on the table, she racked her brain for a solution to this deadlock, but no clever strategy emerged.
“We can’t face them head-on… and we can’t drive them out of Yeokyung,” she muttered, shaking her head and pressing her forehead.
The Dragon Might Hall was prepared to stay at Yuchun Valley, even at the cost of all-out war. While the warriors of the Ten Thousand Demons Hall could easily overpower those of the Dragon Might Hall, any conflict would prompt the Divine Might Division, waiting in reserve, to intervene.
If that happened, the Ten Thousand Demons Hall would have to retreat without a sound.
“How am I supposed to protect Yeokyung without a full-scale war?”
Dan So-ok shook her head. No matter how she thought about it, it was impossible.
“Even if we win a battle, we can’t reclaim Yeokyung.”
If the Ten Thousand Demons Hall’s warriors, each worth a hundred men, defeated even the Divine Might Division, it would spark an all-out war between the righteous and demonic factions.
In the current martial world, the righteous factions held the advantage, and the Martial Alliance had the moral high ground. For a small region like Yeokyung, Majeon couldn’t afford a full-scale war, leaving them no choice but to concede through negotiations.
“Excuse me.” A faint mental transmission reached Dan So-ok’s ears, and a small figure appeared before her.
It was as if a ghost had materialized from thin air.
“Who are you?” Dan So-ok’s eyes widened at the sudden appearance.
A slender girl with pale skin and mystical silver eyes, wearing a mask—it was Soyo, the vice-commander of the Death Spirit Corps, who always aided Bu Eunseol in his martial travels.
‘I now possess over sixty years of inner strength,’ Dan So-ok thought.
No longer the frail girl suffering from severed meridians, she had gained sixty years of inner strength through the Golden Spirit Fruit provided by Bu Eunseol and had been taught advanced martial arts by Dan Wolhon.
She had become a peerless female master, yet she hadn’t sensed this small girl’s presence.
“What’s the matter?” a guard outside the tent asked, rushing in upon hearing Dan So-ok’s voice.
Whoosh.
Simultaneously, Soyo vanished from sight.
“I heard the Lord’s voice from outside,” the guard said.
“Sorry, I was lost in thought,” Dan So-ok said, waving the guard away.
She ignored Soyo, who was floating in mid-air, arms and legs spread, clinging to the tent’s ceiling.
“Understood,” the guard said, leaving.
Soyo landed nonchalantly on the ground. Dan So-ok couldn’t hide her astonishment.
‘How does she perform such movement techniques?’ For a brief moment, Soyo had spread her limbs and executed the Wind-Riding Flight technique.
“What’s the matter?” Dan So-ok whispered, swallowing her surprise.
Soyo handed her an envelope. “He told me to deliver this.” Her mental transmission was so faint it was barely audible.
Dan So-ok tilted her head, looking at the envelope. “By ‘he,’ you mean Lord Bu…”
As she looked up to ask, she blinked. Soyo had vanished like mist. Startled, Dan So-ok opened the envelope and spread its contents on the table.
‘What’s this?’
It was a map detailing the righteous and demonic factions rooted in Guizhou, along with their territories.
‘Why would the Lord send me this?’ Dan So-ok thought, puzzled, as she studied the map closely.
“Could it be…” After examining the map for a while, her gaze stopped at one point, and her eyes sparkled.
As a strategist considered for Majeon’s next commander, she instantly grasped Bu Eunseol’s intent.
‘This method…’ A joyful smile spread across her face.
With this method, she could devise a strategy to face the Martial Alliance, which was greedily eyeing Yeokyung, without suffering any losses.
‘He knew I took this mission for him and sent this letter,’ she thought, clutching the map tightly. Seeing her in a crisis, Bu Eunseol had immediately provided a strategy to escape it.
“Thank you so much, my dear,” she whispered, using the affectionate term she’d always wanted to say.
She nodded firmly. ‘I’ll become Majeon’s strategist and stand by your side as your strength.’
Tucking the map into her robes, Dan So-ok’s eyes gleamed.
There was no time to waste.
She needed to launch a counterattack and deal a heavy blow to that mole-like Dragon Might Hall Lord.
***
“What?” Yeon Jagang’s eyes widened at his subordinates’ report.
“The masters of the Ten Thousand Demons Hall are advancing to push our camp back?”
It was unbelievable.
Despite repeated provocations, Dan So-ok, who had avoided conflict at all costs, was now leading the Ten Thousand Demons Hall against them?
“They called her a candidate for strategist, but was her position just due to her reputation and pretty face?” Yeon Jagang scoffed.
The Dragon Might Hall and Supreme Branch weren’t combat units, and together, they numbered only about eighty men. In contrast, Dan So-ok’s Ten Thousand Demons Hall had over five hundred warriors.
Yet Yeon Jagang smiled.
Their advance gave him a justification to involve the Divine Might Division waiting in reserve.
“Hahaha!” he laughed heartily. “Thanks to that foolish girl, I’ll achieve great merit.”
He turned to his subordinates. “No need to build defenses. Retreat immediately and send a message to the vice-commander. Tell him the Ten Thousand Demons Hall has started a full-scale war!”
“Martial Alliance and Majeon are waging all-out war in Yeokyung!”
The rumor spread quickly through the martial world. Yeokyung wasn’t a particularly valuable region in Guizhou, but it housed Yuchun Valley, a key trade route for caravans.
Thus, controlling this area allowed the Hell’s Blood Fortress to earn significant revenue annually. However, the Martial Alliance’s Iron Captain had been killed there by a Hell’s Blood Fortress master.
The Alliance had deployed the Dragon Might Hall to investigate.
With both justification and strength, it seemed the situation would naturally favor Majeon’s concession. Yet, Dan So-ok, Strategy Hall Leader, had suddenly mobilized the Ten Thousand Demons Hall to drive the Dragon Might Hall out of Yuchun Valley.
“If they want to use force, so be it!” she declared.
The Ten Thousand Demons Hall, led by Dan So-ok, consisted of Majeon’s elite warriors.
Pushed back, Yeon Jagang immediately requested aid from the Divine Might Division at the Guizhou border.
“Sweep away those shameless demonic vermin!”
Backed by the Divine Might Division, Yeon Jagang re-entered Yuchun Valley. The Ten Thousand Demons Hall’s masters formed a defensive line, but it was futile.
They were swept away like sand before a wave.
Inside the Dragon Might Hall’s tent at Yuchun Valley, Yeon Jagang and Gun Yoksang, Vice-Commander of the Divine Might Division, were in serious discussion.
“Vice-Commander, this is a golden opportunity,” Yeon Jagang said, persuading Gun Yoksang.
Thanks to Dan So-ok’s use of force, they had a justification to deploy the Divine Might Division.
Having pushed the Ten Thousand Demons Hall beyond Yuchun Valley, Yeon Jagang wasn’t satisfied—he aimed to drive out all demonic factions from Yeokyung, including the Ten Thousand Demons Hall.
“Is that necessary?” Gun Yoksang frowned. “If we push them beyond Yeokyung, Majeon might send a combat division.”
“They won’t,” Yeon Jagang said confidently. “Majeon chose Dan So-ok as a scapegoat for this failure. She’s the fiancée of the Martial Soul Command Lord, who weakened the Hell’s Blood Fortress.”
“Hmm.”
“Even if Majeon sends a division, the Alliance has the moral high ground. They attacked our hall without a clear apology or compensation,” Yeon Jagang said earnestly. “If we can drive out all demonic factions, including the Ten Thousand Demons Hall, from Yeokyung, it will serve as a foothold to make Guizhou part of the Alliance’s territory in the future.”
He added, “And that merit will be yours, Vice-Commander.”
Gun Yoksang gave a wry smile. He had no ambition for merit, nor would his position change significantly.
It was Yeon Jagang who was desperate for glory.
“I’ll send a message to the commander,” Gun Yoksang said.
“That would be too late,” Yeon Jagang urged. “If we don’t press the Ten Thousand Demons Hall now, Majeon will send another high-ranking official to resume negotiations, and the Alliance won’t be able to keep using force.”
He pressed further, “We must act now while the conflict is ongoing. Delay, and this opportunity will never come again.”
Gun Yoksang sighed.
Driving out Majeon’s forces from Yeokyung wasn’t a bad idea.
“Can you take responsibility?” he asked sternly. “If this goes wrong, can you bear it?”
“Of course,” Yeon Jagang said firmly. “I stake my life on it.”
Gun Yoksang nodded, meeting Yeon Jagang’s resolute gaze. “Very well. Let’s do it.”
“The Dragon Might Hall and Divine Might Division are driving the Ten Thousand Demons Hall out of Yeokyung!”
Another shocking rumor spread through the martial world.
Once the conflict began, the Dragon Might Hall and Divine Might Division pushed forward relentlessly, driving the Ten Thousand Demons Hall and other demonic factions out of Yeokyung.
The Ten Thousand Demons Hall attempted counterattacks but was vastly outnumbered. Unable to mount a proper defense, they were forced to retreat steadily beyond Yeokyung.
“It’s done!” Yeon Jagang cheered as most demonic factions were pushed out of Yeokyung.
Thanks to the foolish Strategy Hall Leader, he had driven not only the Ten Thousand Demons Hall but all demonic factions beyond Yeokyung.
But how could he know?
He had stepped into an inescapable quagmire.
“The retreating Ten Thousand Demons Hall has stationed itself near Jeoksu River.”
A shocking report arrived.
Pushed out of Yeokyung by the Divine Might Division, the Ten Thousand Demons Hall had built a defensive line near Jeoksu River. Only then did martial artists realize why Dan So-ok had provoked a reckless conflict despite knowing the Divine Might Division backed the Dragon Might Hall.
‘She deliberately started a fight to gain a pretext to enter Jeoksu River!’
She had intentionally had the Ten Thousand Demons Hall push the Dragon Might Hall, giving the Divine Might Division a reason to intervene. Knowing the Divine Might Division would act, she predicted they would aim to seize not only Yuchun Valley’s trade routes but all of Yeokyung.
Yeon Jagang, desperate for merit, wouldn’t miss the chance to take all of Yeokyung.
Thus, she deliberately retreated, conceding Yeokyung, and seized the Jeoksu River area, a buffer zone between righteous and demonic factions.
Normally, Majeon’s forces could never enter Jeoksu River.
But having been forced to retreat there to escape the Divine Might Division’s pursuit, no one could object.
“The Martial Alliance gained little and lost much.”
The Jeoksu River area was a far more valuable trade route than Yuchun Valley.
A hub for caravans, it housed prominent markets and renowned distilleries due to its clear waters. Historically, neither the Martial Alliance nor Majeon claimed it, making it a neutral buffer zone.
Yet, Dan So-ok’s Ten Thousand Demons Hall had boldly stationed itself there.
Justification.
The Martial Alliance, prioritizing justice and morality, could neither wage nor condone a fight without justification.
The Ten Thousand Demons Hall had merely retreated from Yeokyung under pressure from the Dragon Might Hall and Divine Might Division, ending up at Jeoksu River.
Since the Dragon Might Hall’s overzealous attack caused this, they couldn’t be blamed.
If the Alliance, not content with pushing the Ten Thousand Demons Hall out of Yeokyung, pursued them to Jeoksu River, it would be tantamount to banditry, forfeiting all their justification.
“What is this?!” Gun Yoksang, seated at a table in the tent, demanded of Yeon Jagang in a stern voice. “By pushing them out of Yeokyung, you’ve handed Jeoksu River to them!”
His voice was louder than before, his eyes filled with anger.
“How will you take responsibility?”
The Ten Thousand Demons Hall had merely fled from them.
If they pursued them to Jeoksu River, the Divine Might Division would become bandits, not an Alliance division.
“I anticipated this possibility,” Yeon Jagang said nonchalantly. “I knew they were cunningly advancing and retreating toward Jeoksu River.”
“What do you mean? If you knew, why didn’t you stop them?” Gun Yoksang demanded.
Yeon Jagang replied calmly, “Jeoksu River isn’t a buffer zone for nothing.” He explained, “The caravans around Jeoksu River have long hired mercenaries to protect themselves. Nearby is Dongpyoseorang, Guizhou’s largest mercenary market.”
“Dongpyoseorang? Right,” Gun Yoksang nodded.
“Exactly. It’s a force once strong enough to rival the Hell’s Blood Fortress,” Yeon Jagang said.
Since beginning the Yeokyung negotiations, he had thoroughly investigated Guizhou’s factions. He had noticed Dan So-ok’s repeated advances and retreats toward Jeoksu River but didn’t intervene.
Jeoksu River wasn’t a place one could simply enter.
“But they won’t wage all-out war with Majeon, will they?” Gun Yoksang asked.
“Dongpyoseorang isn’t an ordinary mercenary market. They’ve long opposed the Hell’s Blood Fortress. They’d rather fall than submit to Majeon,” Yeon Jagang said with a smile. “And if Dongpyoseorang resists, sparking a major conflict, the Alliance can intervene.”
“Oh, indeed,” Gun Yoksang exclaimed, nodding.
If the Ten Thousand Demons Hall forcibly stationed at Jeoksu River clashed with Dongpyoseorang, it would devastate the area’s caravans and markets. The Martial Alliance could then intervene under the pretext of protecting merchants, deploying a large force.
The Ten Thousand Demons Hall would waste effort clashing with Dongpyoseorang.
“So that’s the plan,” Gun Yoksang said, realizing why Yuk Jangcheon had sent Yeon Jagang for these negotiations.
He was a far more cunning strategist than reputed.
“Then, with Majeon coming soon, our division should prepare,” Gun Yoksang said.
“This won’t be a short conflict, so you can take your time,” Yeon Jagang replied.
Satisfied, Gun Yoksang nodded with a smile. “Understood. Keep monitoring Jeoksu River and Majeon’s movements.”
“Of course,” Yeon Jagang replied, clasping his hands.
“Hall Lord,” came the voice of his confidant, Gu Jongmyeong. “Captain Seon of the Supreme Branch requests your presence.”
“Captain Seon?” Yeon Jagang frowned.
He had repeatedly told him to stay out, so why was he suddenly requesting a meeting?
“Then, do your best,” Gun Yoksang said, nodding and turning to leave.
“Take care, Vice-Commander,” Yeon Jagang said, quickly clasping his hands to see him off.
Then, in a cold voice, he said, “Tell him I’m busy.”
He scoffed. “As an intelligence commander, he’s probably analyzed that the Ten Thousand Demons Hall went to Jeoksu River and wants to report to me.”
Yeon Jagang knew the character of men like Seon Woojin.
Outwardly gentle, but inwardly driven by ambition to rise quickly.
He was likely trying to make it seem like he contributed to this matter, having earned merits before and unwilling to return empty-handed.
“Hall Lord, Captain Seon requests you again, saying it’s about Jeoksu River,” Gu Jongmyeong reported.
Yeon Jagang smirked. ‘See? I know exactly how these types think.’
Because he was the same.
“Tell him I don’t repeat myself,” he said sternly. “And send Captain Seon away if he comes again.”
“Understood,” Gu Jongmyeong replied.
This was Yeon Jagang’s grave mistake.
He remained unaware, caught in the web Bu Eunseol had woven, dreaming triumphantly without imagining what was to come.
