“Corps Leader.”
Jo Cheong, Baek Incheong’s deputy, strode quickly into the tent where Baek Incheong sat.
“The Imperial Army sent from the court is expected to arrive the day after tomorrow.”
“Heh heh heh. Much faster than anticipated.”
For the past eight days, the Divine Might Corps had been locked in constant clashes with Majeon’s Blood Martial Corps.
The Blood Martial Corps had employed every conceivable tactic and stratagem in relentless attempts to breach the Divine Might Corps’s defensive lines yet in the end, they only repeated futile attacks and withdrawals.
They had not even managed to break through the defensive perimeter of the Divine Might Corps’s first vanguard.
“Now, at last, I can clearly see the miserable end awaiting that Martial Soul Command Lord.”
Once the Imperial Army arrived, Bu Eunseol would be forced to withdraw his forces.
Merely attempting to destroy a sacred realm like the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest would earn him severe sanctions from the court.
At that point, even within the Demonic Path, no faction would remain to support him.
He would no longer be able to maintain the title of Martial Soul Command Lord and would be immediately ousted.
Tap-tap-tap.
Just then, a messenger from the rear came running toward his tent.
“Corps Leader!”
“What is it now?”
“A former elder of the Beggars’ Sect, requests an audience with the Corps Leader.”
“The Beggars’ Sect?”
Baek Incheong blinked.
The Beggars’ Sect had been disbanded due to the sect leader’s misdeeds so aside from those absorbed into the Martial Alliance’s intelligence network, the rest of the disciples had scattered in all directions.
Yet suddenly, in the midst of wartime like this, a former elder of the Beggars’ Sect had come to his tent?
‘Something’s up.’
Sensing instinctively that something unusual was afoot, Baek Incheong nodded.
“Let him in.”
The man who entered the tent was an elderly figure with a disheveled face and a goat-like beard—an old man in his later years.
It was Yeon Cheol, once renowned as the Beggars’ Sect elder known by the nickname Loyal Soul, Righteous Spirit.
“Corps Leader.”
Yeon Cheol bowed politely, and Baek Incheong returned the courtesy with equal respect.
“What brings Elder Yeon here?”
Although the sect had fallen, many of its members still operated within the Martial Alliance. For that reason, Baek Incheong continued to treat him as an elder of the Beggars’ Sect.
“You must halt this battle at once.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Martial Soul Command Lord of Majeon was right. The Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest is a den of villains.”
Baek Incheong’s eyes widened in shock.
“What are you saying?”
“With the assistance of the Wudang Sect, we have been investigating the vicinity of the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest for a long time.” Yeon Cheol quickly continued his explanation. “All the poor and sick patients who entered the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest became subjects of cruel experiments, and numerous figures from various prestigious clans were injected with poisons like Human Flowers.”
“In the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest… that can’t be possible.” Baek Incheong shook his head. “Our Alliance conducted a thorough investigation and found no such evidence.”
“That is only natural. They maintained such strict security that even the herb practitioners belonging to the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest knew nothing of the internal affairs.” Yeon Cheol said, “After months of effort, we barely managed to infiltrate and uncover the truth inside.”
“Can you take responsibility for what you just said?”
“Of course.” Yeon Cheol pulled a booklet from his robes. “We have already secured definitive proof.”
Baek Incheong examined the booklet.
There, alongside evidence that the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest had been conducting vicious human experiments, were detailed records of the identities of those who had died as a result.
“Is all of this true?”
“These are the findings our sect’s disciples risked their lives to obtain.”
“Jo Cheong!”
Baek Incheong immediately summoned his deputy Jo Cheong and handed him the materials Yeon Cheol had provided.
“Use the messenger hawks to send this to Alliance headquarters at once… No, wait.”
He shook his head as he spoke.
“Take all the main unit forces stationed in the rear and thoroughly search the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest. Verify whether everything written in this booklet is true. Immediately!”
“Understood.”
As Jo Cheong left the tent, Baek Incheong bit his lip.
‘This is bad.’
If everything written here turned out to be true?
Not only would it be publicly revealed that the Martial Alliance’s intelligence capabilities could not keep up with Majeon’s, but they would have ended up fighting on behalf of a vicious hidden force masquerading as benevolent healers.
‘What am I to do?’
Baek Incheong bit his lip again.
They had already clashed with Majeon multiple times, and both sides remained locked in a tense standoff.
If such facts came to light now?
This was not something that could be resolved with mere words like “We didn’t know. We're sorry.”
‘And isn’t the Imperial Army arriving the day after tomorrow?’
If he failed to settle this matter quickly…
The Divine Might Corps would have to proclaim Majeon’s grievances before the Imperial Army and bow their heads in apology.
In that case, Baek Incheong, as Corps Leader, would suffer such utter humiliation that he could no longer show his face in the martial world.
An anxious day passed in this manner, and then Jo Cheong returned with the troops.
“Everything is true.”
Jo Cheong’s face was flushed with excitement as he re-entered the tent.
“The Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest poisoned numerous patients with Human Flowers, and many members of prestigious clans were held there as hostages.”
“Hostages?”
“Yes. It seems they planned to use the poisoned individuals and patients as their final bargaining chip to cover up this affair.”
Thud.
Baek Incheong’s vision went dark.
“Did you clash with them? How did you complete the investigation so quickly?”
“When we led the vanguard back to the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest, young experts who had infiltrated earlier were already secretly destroying the hidden secret chambers and attacking those inside.”
As he continued, Jo Cheong looked at Yeon Cheol with admiration.
“It appears the Beggars’ Sect had stationed remarkable young experts in advance.”
Yeon Cheol, receiving that gaze, shook his head.
“No, our sect merely conducted a covert investigation.”
Then, as if remembering something, he let out a small “Ah” and added, “They were probably experts sent in by the Wudang Sect.”
“Wudang?”
“Yes. As I mentioned… the reason we were able to investigate the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest at all was entirely thanks to Wudang’s support.”
The reason the scattered Beggars’ Sect could reunite and investigate the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest was due to the covert backing of the Wudang Sect, which dominated Hubei.
“Wudang did?”
Baek Incheong’s eyes flashed with incomprehension.
“Then why didn’t Wudang inform the Alliance of these facts?”
Wudang could not possibly have been unaware that Majeon and the Martial Alliance were clashing.
If they had been investigating the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest through the Beggars’ Sect even before the Martial Soul Command Lord led Majeon’s grand army…
Why had they not tipped off the Martial Alliance?
“Wudang said this,” Yeon Cheol replied cautiously, guessing Baek Incheong’s thoughts. “They told us the matter was far too shocking and would have enormous repercussions, so it absolutely had to be properly verified first.”
“That may be true, but…”
Baek Incheong let out a sigh.
He could hardly fault Wudang for wishing to proceed cautiously.
Above all, had the Alliance itself not thoroughly investigated the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest?
They could not even use Wudang as an excuse in this situation.
“Corps Leader.”
At that moment, a young member entered the tent and announced loudly,
“Majeon’s forces are withdrawing.”
“What did you say?”
“Majeon’s troops are retreating.”
Baek Incheong leapt to his feet and rushed outside the tent.
There was no time to mount a horse.
He immediately employed qinggong and headed toward the plain where the standoff was taking place. Just as the member had reported, Majeon appeared to have finished all their tasks; they were turning their forces away without regret and departing.
‘Did they already know the entire situation?’
Baek Incheong’s eyes widened.
If they withdrew like this?
And rumors spread that the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest had not been dealt with as a result?
That alone would cause an uproar.
‘I cannot let them leave like this.’
Whoosh!
Employing qinggong once more, he approached Majeon’s retreating forces.
“Corps Leader! You mustn’t!”
Despite Jo Cheong’s attempts to stop him from behind, Baek Incheong unleashed lightning-fast movement.
“Martial Soul Command Lord!”
As he ran toward them like a madman, the retreating troops swiftly reformed ranks and blocked his path.
It was truly a murderous yet solemn display of military discipline.
Baek Incheong immediately raised both hands to show he had no intent to fight and shouted loudly,
“Where is the Martial Soul Command Lord!”
As he continued to call out, the Majeon troops parted left and right with a sharp sound.
Bu Eunseol, clad in black martial robes, slowly walked forward.
“Why did you call for me?”
“Martial Soul Command Lord.”
Disregarding his pride, Baek Incheong ran to him and clasped his hands together.
“I’m sorry!”
These were the only words he could offer right now.
If he did not apologize immediately and seal this matter…
The criticism directed at the Martial Alliance would spiral out of control.
“You were right! The Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest was manufacturing puppets and poisoning countless patients with Human Flowers!”
He spoke urgently while maintaining a respectful expression.
“This Corps Leader offers his apology. So please, this matter…”
“No need.”
Bu Eunseol replied calmly.
“The Martial Alliance will not be blamed.”
“What do you mean?”
“You can simply have the Martial Alliance deal with the remnants of the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest.”
Baek Incheong’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected response.
Why was this man, whom he had stubbornly opposed and driven into a corner, now bestowing such grace?
“Why?” Baek Incheong asked with unfocused eyes. “Our corps cornered you and branded good as evil.”
“Neither side suffered significant losses.”
Bu Eunseol smiled.
“Despite your forces vastly outnumbering ours, you only held the defensive line. Thanks to that, our warriors suffered no casualties either.”
“That was… simply because we were ordered only to prevent your advance. The Imperial Army would arrive soon, after all.”
The Martial Alliance side had intended to buy as much time as possible rather than directly attack Bu Eunseol, then use the arriving Imperial Army to completely annihilate Majeon’s forces.
“That is precisely why it was possible.”
“What on earth…”
Instead of answering, Bu Eunseol merely gave an enigmatic smile.
‘So that was his plan from the beginning.’
Only then did Baek Incheong realize.
Bu Eunseol had foreseen this entire situation and orchestrated everything.
Withdrawing the troops was likely a decision made without regret because all planned objectives had been accomplished.
‘Everything from the start was part of his design—even this Corps Leader’s actions.’
Baek Incheong wore a humiliated expression.
In the end, the Martial Alliance—the Divine Might Corps—had been nothing more than puppets dancing to Bu Eunseol’s scheme.
“You used our Alliance.”
“Think whatever you like.”
Bu Eunseol declared confidently.
“From the beginning, it didn’t matter who brought them down.”
“What do you…”
“I only wished for everyone to know the truth about the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest.”
A majestic aura radiated from his entire body.
‘It wasn’t for Majeon’s honor or personal gain?’
Just as the flustered Baek Incheong was about to speak again,
“Then.”
Bu Eunseol calmly turned away.
The surrounding commanders followed him with proud, satisfied smiles, shoulders squared.
Watching them blankly, Baek Incheong felt deep embarrassment.
It was the Martial Alliance that had sought merit and acted out of greed.
The Martial Soul Command Lord had led the expedition despite opposition and criticism.
It had all been solely to eliminate the dark forces lurking in the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest… and to rescue those suffering there.
“This Corps Leader was mistaken!”
Baek Incheong shouted loudly toward the departing Bu Eunseol.
“Thank you for considering the Alliance’s position!”
Bu Eunseol turned his head slightly, leaving only a faint smile in response, and slowly walked away.
Seeing that, Baek Incheong felt an overwhelming shame.
“Martial Soul Command Lord!” Unable to contain the conscience welling up within him, he cried out loudly, “This Corps Leader will accurately report all the facts to the Alliance!”
He declared in a booming voice, “I will ensure appropriate compensation is made for the harm caused by this expedition!”
Though it was an extraordinary statement, Bu Eunseol did not reply and merely continued walking away slowly.
Such gains and honor…
Held no value to him.
“Martial Soul Command Lord.”
Baek Incheong stood dazed until Bu Eunseol’s figure vanished.
Once he was finally gone, the troops that had lined up on either side reformed ranks and marched forward.
When the Blood Martial Corps and Death Shadow Corps reached the vicinity of Zhangsha Prefecture, Bu Eunseol halted the advance.
He turned to the two young man and woman following behind him and said,
“Well done, Sojin. And Hyebin.”
The reason Bu Eunseol could confidently leave the battlefield to confront Heavenly Deity was because Hyeok Sojin was there—someone who could command the Blood Martial Corps as deftly as Bu Eunseol himself.
“Not at all.”
Hyeok Sojin scratched his head as he replied.
“We all know you did this to give us valuable experience, Brother Bu.”
Under Bu Eunseol’s command were outstanding heroes such as Yoo Unryong, who had experienced many battlefields and excelled at handling information, and Seo Jinha, who was one of Bu Eunseol’s most trusted men.
Yet despite that, Bu Eunseol had entrusted Yoo Unryong with command of the Death Shadow Corps in the rear and given Hyeok Sojin command of the fiercely contested Blood Martial Corps at the front. The reason was…
—To fairly give them the opportunity to become the next successor.
In the past, Bu Eunseol had made this promise to Hyeok Gongbaek, lord of the Heaven and Earth Severing Sect, and to Geuk Hyeryeong, leader of the Affectionate Blossom Sect.
To keep that promise, he was providing both of them the opportunities and experience needed to one day lead Majeon.
“I didn’t really do anything.”
Geuk Hyebin lowered her head shyly, and Bu Eunseol smiled.
“Nonsense. If not for you, I couldn’t have pursued Heavenly Deity immediately.”
From the rear, Geuk Hyebin had led the Hundred Flower Maidens of the Affectionate Blossom Sect and swiftly relayed developments in the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest to Bu Eunseol.
Thanks to her, Bu Eunseol had easily tracked the movements of the Heavenly Deity and the Special Divine Ranks and pursued them without delay.
Moreover, she had personally directed the young boys of Nangyang Pavilion to infiltrate into the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest, coordinating secretly with Thousand-Faced Divine Thief Yu Cheongrim to locate the hidden secret chambers and laboratories, earning great merit.
“By the way, what happened to Yu Cheongrim?”
“He took all the hidden Ten-Thousand-Year Carp Fire inner cores and left. He said it was as promised to Great Hero Seol.”
At Geuk Hyebin’s words, Bu Eunseol gave a wry smile.
He had never made such a promise to Yu Cheongrim.
“Well done. I was going to give them to him anyway.”
Though it did not show outwardly, Yu Cheongrim’s contributions to crushing the Infinite Realm this time had been immense.
He would have generously given him far greater rewards than Ten-Thousand-Year Carp Fire inner cores if he wished.
“Amitabha.”
Then, accompanied by a low Buddhist invocation, a cyan shadow descended from the sky beside Bu Eunseol.
It was Song Ak, a leading disciple of the Wudang Sect, and Elder Yeong Hyeon.
“Command Lord, are you leaving now?”
Bu Eunseol nodded at Yeong Hyeon’s question.
“Yes.”
“I see.”
He looked back and forth between Song Ak standing beside him and Bu Eunseol, then asked with evident puzzlement,
“This humble monk truly cannot understand.”
“What is it?”
“Why did Majeon bestow such great favor upon the Beggars’ Sect?”
Before striking the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest, Bu Eunseol had asked Song Ak to secretly visit the Wudang Sect in his original identity.
He informed Elder Yeong Cheong of the situation in the Heavenly Blessing Medicine Forest and arranged a covert meeting with Yeon Cheol, enabling the achievement of this merit. By doing so, the Beggars’ Sect could lift their closure through the feat of tracking down and exposing a wicked force plaguing the world.
They would once again have the chance to reclaim their glorious name as the greatest sect under heaven, filled with chivalrous heroes of righteous spirit and heroic bone.
“I owe a debt to someone from the Beggars’ Sect.”
Bu Eunseol recalled Inguk, who had lived righteously and died lonely.
He had been a true chivalrous beggar, a righteous man who sacrificed his life to protect dying vagrants.
The mere existence of such a person was reason enough, Bu Eunseol believed, to rebuild the Beggars’ Sect.
The head had simply rotted; the sect itself had never been that way.
“I see.” Yeong Hyeon nodded and smiled warmly. “The Command Lord does such righteous deeds—it is a blessing for the martial world.”
Then Song Ak spoke up.
“Elder, shouldn’t we petition the Chief Elder to properly inform the Martial Alliance of the Martial Soul Command Lord’s achievements in this matter?”
“Indeed. We should.”
Yeong Hyeon nodded.
“I will petition the Chief Elder to reveal that this entire affair was planned by the Command Lord.”
“Do not.”
Bu Eunseol shook his head.
“Why not?”
As Yeong Hyeon blinked in surprise, Bu Eunseol smiled faintly.
“Because I did not do it for merit.”
He calmly brought his hands together.
“Our road is long… so we will take our leave first.”
He turned away.
Hyeok Sojin and Geuk Hyebin walked shoulder-to-shoulder with him as they departed.
Behind them, the captains of the Death Shadow Corps followed proudly, shoulders back.
“Amitabha.”
Yeong Hyeon recited the invocation as he watched their receding figures.
Who would have thought that the Martial Soul Command Lord, known as a ruthless man without blood or tears, was in truth such an upright person?
“What sort of connection do you have with him that you communicate separately?”
In fact, Bu Eunseol had already revealed his true identity to Song Ak through the Bullet King, Bukgung Ryeong, and had visited Mount Wudang as Seolso.
Unaware of this, Yeong Hyeon and the others found it curious that Song Ak and Bu Eunseol knew each other.
“Didn’t we briefly meet him back during the Ten Demon Warriors Plan?” Song Ak offered a kind white lie for Bu Eunseol’s sake. “At that time, I formed a slight acquaintance with him alongside the successor of the Sword Pavilion.”
“Ah, so that’s how it was.”
Yeong Hyeon looked at Song Ak and smiled faintly.
“You must maintain good relations with him.”
He added firmly,
“For he is surely destined to become a guiding star of the martial world.”
Song Ak gazed at Bu Eunseol’s distant fading figure and smiled.
“Of course.”
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