Chapter 1177
—The Iron Banner Alliance has crossed Jade Gate Pass and attacked the Martial Alliance's branch in the Jeryu Valley.
—The Red Cloud Sect and the Silent Sound Esoteric Sect from Tibet have pillaged merchant caravans of the Central Plains and annihilated the Swift Sword Gate.
—The Black Forest Cult has pushed deep into the borders of Sichuan, turning the entire region into a living hell.
One after another, earth-shattering news swept through the martial world.
—"The Four Great Wicked Lands are also moving simultaneously."
The most infamous of demonic dens, acknowledged as such by the orthodox martial world of the Central Plains.
For a coalition of pure madness and malice to begin their activities in sync with the invasion from Beyond the Frontier...
Because the infighting among the sects within the Central Plains could be even more devastating than the incursions of the foreign forces.
This news could only be described as bleak.
—"We must stop them!"
The invasion by the forces from Beyond the Frontier was not merely temporary plundering or territorial expansion.
If left unchecked, they could very well swallow the entire martial world of the Central Plains whole.
Having become the Phoenix Pillar and openly preparing for battle against the Demon Hall, the Buddhist Venerable addressed the orthodox martial factions:
—"Leaders of the orthodox factions, gather at the Martial Alliance! Let us repel these foreign invaders who seek to ravage our lands!"
For geographical reasons as well, the Martial Alliance had always been the first to respond when forces from Beyond the Frontier rose up.
They had consistently targeted the territories of the orthodox factions.
Henan and Hebei, home to Shaolin and Wudang, had always been under the watchful eyes of the wolves from the north.
The Emei Sect and the Beggars' Sect had repeatedly clashed with heretical sects like the Silent Sound Esoteric Sect.
Moreover, the forces that had entered the Central Plains this time were all practitioners of the Evil Heretical Path, making this a battle between the Orthodox and the Unorthodox.
—"There's no other choice."
Thus, the Nine Great Sects and One Gang, the Eight Great Families, and even the Azure Heaven Alliance—once a rival of the Martial Alliance for supremacy—
All marched toward the Martial Alliance to repel the foreign forces.
—"To resolve this crisis, we shall establish the Orthodox Path Alliance, a united front of righteousness!"
Just as Bu Eun-seol had once formed the World Alliance to eradicate the Jungson Clan,
They now created the Orthodox Path Alliance to counter the incursion from Beyond the Frontier.
—"This is a temporary coalition, so there is no need for hesitation!"
At the Buddhist Venerable's declaration, the orthodox martial artists clicked their tongues in awe.
—"As expected!"
The Buddhist Venerable was not merely stopping the foreign forces.
He was seizing this opportunity to reestablish the scattered orthodox factions as a unified force, rallying the fractured Martial Alliance and orthodox sects under one banner.
—"If you do not join the Orthodox Path Alliance, you cannot call yourself a faction of righteousness!"
Such sentiments quickly spread among the orthodox martial world.
Before long, the leaders of various sects and families began gathering at the Martial Alliance headquarters one after another.
***
Demon Hall, Hidden Demon Pavilion.
Thud!
A shadow dashed through the corridor leading to Bu Eun-seol's office.
It was Wi Cheon-gyeong.
—"The Buddhist Venerable, that madman, has finally made his move!"
Having immediately obtained the news spreading through the martial world,
Wi Cheon-gyeong threw open the office door without even remembering to bow.
—"Since he couldn't strike us directly, he mobilized the forces from Beyond the Frontier to—"
His urgent words cut off abruptly.
Hundreds of letters were scattered across the office floor, where Bu Eun-seol and Yu Un-ryong sat hunched over them.
And the letters spread out before them—
They were not just intelligence reports delivered by the Death Soul Squad, but also correspondences from the core members of the Martial Soul Society, the chief strategist of the Azure Heaven Alliance, Gongson Dan-gyeong,
And even letters from Han Sang-ja, who was currently staying at a manor by West Lake.
—"So it's come to this after all."
Yu Un-ryong looked at Bu Eun-seol with hollow, exhausted eyes and spoke.
—"It seems we'll have to head to the Martial Soul Society now."
—"Yes, we must."
After the meeting of the unit commanders,
Bu Eun-seol and Yu Un-ryong had been in constant contact with the core members of the Martial Soul Society, Gongson Dan-gyeong, and Han Sang-ja,
Anticipating the schemes the Martial Alliance would soon unfold.
—"You already knew."
Wi Cheon-gyeong wore an awkward expression.
Normally, intelligence from the Death Soul Squad would reach the Hidden Demon Pavilion through him first.
But this time, he had been assigned to inspect and integrate the intelligence networks of Heaven-Severing, Earth-Destroying, Langya Pavilion, and Fleeting Moment Boat alongside the Soul-Chasing Squad.
Having only just returned to the Demon Hall, he had been completely unaware of the situation.
—"You've worked hard."
Bu Eun-seol rose from his seat and patted Wi Cheon-gyeong's shoulder.
—"The Sanghak Unit Commander hasn't slept for ten days. From now on, assist him with his backlog alongside Myo Cheon-u."
Compared to Yu Un-ryong, whose eyes were sunken and swollen from exhaustion,
Bu Eun-seol looked as if he had just washed up, his gaze clear and his appearance immaculate.
—"Understood."
As Wi Cheon-gyeong bowed, Yu Un-ryong spoke.
—"Be careful."
—"There's nothing to be careful about."
Bu Eun-seol strode out without hesitation, and Wi Cheon-gyeong suddenly glanced at the letters on the floor.
Written on them were contents he had never anticipated.
—So that's how it was.
Wi Cheon-gyeong's eyes widened.
Only after reading the letters here did he finally understand what the Martial Alliance had been planning.
***
Henan, Martial Alliance.
Before the Heavenly Righteous Gate, where the leaders of countless orthodox factions came and went after the formation of the Orthodox Path Alliance,
Countless banners fluttered as a disciplined and imposing force made their appearance.
It was Seol-so, leader of the Martial Soul Society—the Central Plains' only coalition of orthodox and unorthodox factions—accompanied by his Four Great Divisions.
"This Society shall also join the Righteous Alliance to jointly eradicate the forces from Beyond the Frontier."
Suddenly, Martial Soul Society Leader Seol-so had arrived unannounced at the Martial Alliance and delivered a formal letter conveying this very intent.
The Martial Alliance's senior members could not hide their displeasure.
The Righteous Alliance was, by definition, the Righteous Alliance.
If a faction that stood between the orthodox and unorthodox like the Martial Soul Society were to participate, the very name of the alliance would inevitably lose its meaning.
"This Righteous Alliance was formed as a coalition of orthodox factions. A sect that straddles the line between righteousness and evil cannot take part."
Though the refusal was delivered firmly, Seol-so stood his ground at the Heavenly Righteous Gate and presented the letter once more.
"When defending our land from foreign invaders, how can we afford to quibble over orthodoxy and unorthodoxy?"
Of course, the Martial Soul Society was not an orthodox faction.
Yet they had consistently practiced chivalry and were undeniably recognized as a coalition of the Central Plains.
If they now sought to join forces with the Martial Alliance to drive out the forces from Beyond the Frontier, who could possibly object?
"At a time when foreign enemies are pressing in, when every soldier and every ounce of strength is desperately needed—you would reject our aid? Do you have such luxury in this war?"
Having delivered these words, Seol-so turned his forces away without hesitation.
And then, something miraculous happened.
"They wish to unite with our Alliance to expel the forces from Beyond the Frontier encroaching upon our homeland—how can we possibly refuse them?"
Baek Mu-seong, who had remained unseen until now, appeared with an expression of deep admiration and personally came to the Heavenly Righteous Gate to welcome Martial Soul Society Leader Seol-so.
"For the Martial Soul Society, which has been absorbing forces from Beyond the Frontier, to make such a bold decision—truly, you have made a difficult choice."
Leading Seol-so by the hand, he strode ahead toward the Heaven and Earth Pavilion's conference hall.
Though his face was wreathed in smiles, the corners of Baek Mu-seong's eyes trembled faintly, and thick veins pulsed at his temples.
In truth, he was so furious that steam might as well have been rising from his head.
All because of this utterly unexpected, unforeseen move by Martial Soul Society Leader Seol-so.
His meticulously laid plans were on the verge of collapse.
'This bastard.'
Baek Mu-seong bit his lip inwardly.
He had witnessed firsthand how even great figures like the Buddhist Venerable and the Martial Venerable—his own master among them—had seen their grand designs, prepared over long years, crumble due to a single trivial variable.
'That must never happen.'
Baek Mu-seong, too, had spent years preparing his own grand design.
It must not be undone by something as insignificant as a minor disruption.
Within a tightly sealed chamber, the flickering flame of a wall-mounted lamp cast spiderweb-like shadows across the two figures seated at the table.
On one side of the stone desk, where the scent of old books mingled with the cool smell of stone, sat Baek Mu-seong, his face rigid.
Opposite him sat the Buddhist Venerable.
"The plan has changed."
Baek Mu-seong placed a thin booklet on the table.
"Hohoho."
After reading its contents, the Buddhist Venerable let out a strange, dry laugh, like the cracking of parched bark.
"It seems you've learned to use your head while in the Martial Alliance."
"After witnessing a fool squander ten years of effort by ignoring the obvious signs of disaster right before his eyes—what choice did I have?"
That fool was none other than the Martial Venerable.
Though he had long recognized Seon-u Jin as a threat, his overconfidence that he could eliminate him at any time had ultimately ruined everything.
And having witnessed that chain of events, Baek Mu-seong had resolved to scrap his carefully laid plans and methodically eliminate any risk that could jeopardize his grand ambition.
"Even the smallest spark can burn down a thatched hut, but..."
Closing the booklet, the Buddhist Venerable shook his head.
"After investing vast resources and years of effort, you would end it all like this?"
Baek Mu-seong's eyes flashed.
The Buddhist Venerable.
Though he had been crouching in the shadows like a rat, he had seen through every single one of Baek Mu-seong's plans.
"The great Holy Monk, who has always opposed everything I do, would hardly throw open his arms in welcome just because I've become the Martial Alliance Chief."
Suppressing his rising fury, Baek Mu-seong snorted.
"Eliminating future threats takes precedence over all else."
"You're only changing your plans because that Martial Soul Society Leader Seol-so barged in uninvited."
The Buddhist Venerable's lips curled into an enigmatic smile.
"This old monk asks—will you not regret it?"
"Phoenix Master."
Baek Mu-seong's voice was icy.
"What this Alliance Chief expects from you is nothing more than the authority and prestige of the Buddhist Venerable. I will take full responsibility for everything else—do not concern yourself with matters beyond that."
"Your ambition was vast, but your mind was not sharp enough to match it."
The Buddhist Venerable sighed and shook his head.
"This old monk wished to pry open that thick skull of yours and pour in some wisdom. But it seems nothing can penetrate it."
The words were utterly insulting.
Baek Mu-seong picked up his teacup with the relaxed expression of one who was all too familiar with such exchanges.
"Judging by how freely you spout such words, you must indeed be the real Buddhist Venerable."
A faint sneer rippled across his reflection in the tea.
"Had an impostor dared utter such things, I would have peeled the skin from their face on the spot."
He was well aware that the Buddhist Venerable had trained countless shadows and set numerous schemes in motion.
"Naturally."
The Buddhist Venerable brushed off Baek Mu-seong's provocation with an indifferent expression.
"As if I'd be troubled by that."
Instead of responding, Baek Mu-seong's gaze fell upon the Command Plaque hanging at the Buddhist Venerable's waist.
The plaque, dyed a vivid crimson, bore an intricately carved phoenix emblem.
"Now that you've become the Phoenix Lord, you may boil or roast the Martial Alliance as you please. However..."
Baek Mu-seong met the Buddhist Venerable's eyes squarely.
"When it comes to killing the Martial Soul Society Leader, Seol-so—you must deploy the Eighteen Radiant Souls."
For an instant, the Buddhist Venerable's eyes wavered. But soon, a leisurely smile spread across his face.
"Hohoho. So you even knew that much."
"I also know about you killed the Seven Fingers Demonic Blade."
Baek Mu-seong's expression turned meaningful.
"From beginning to end... it was the Martial Alliance, wasn't it?"
In that moment, the reflection of the lamplight in the Buddhist Venerable's pupils gleamed like the edge of a blade.
"Hmm."
"If that is impossible, then you must step forward yourself. Ensure that the Martial Soul Society Leader, Seol-so, is killed without fail."
"No."
Unexpectedly, the Buddhist Venerable shook his head.
"...I will send one of them without fail."
Baek Mu-seong's expression shifted to one of surprise.
He had not anticipated the Buddhist Venerable agreeing to such a demand.
"Are you now searching for a pretext to destroy the Martial Alliance?"
"Far from it."
The Buddhist Venerable rose from his seat. Then, slowly, he turned his body.
"The time has simply come."
And with those words, he vanished in an instant.
Baek Mu-seong spread his extrasensory perception, attempting to trace the Buddhist Venerable's presence—but he could not discern how the man had disappeared.
Grind.
Baek Mu-seong clenched his teeth.
Even though he had attained Transcendent Unity, allowing him to perceive the energy of heaven and earth and pierce the flow of the world—
The depths of that old monster before him remained unfathomable. Every time he faced him, it was like sinking into a bottomless swamp.
No, it's merely a lack of information.
He had only just begun his Grand Design.
But the Buddhist Venerable had spent decades weaving a web of spies and intelligence networks.
In the end, this disparity was not due to the old monk's superior wisdom—
But because he saw and heard things that Baek Mu-seong could not.
Just wait a little longer.
There was only one reason he stubbornly clung to this humiliating position as Alliance Leader—
To uncover every piece of information and hidden truth that old monster possessed.
And to complete a force that would surpass even the Buddhist Venerable's intelligence apparatus.
Soon, I will bring you down.
Before long, an intelligence network unrivaled by any would be completed in his hands.
When that time came, he would deliver a devastating counterattack—
Not just to that detestable old monk, but to all those who had treated him as a mere pawn.
Under the Buddhist Venerable's command, the Righteous Faction Alliance established the Eight Routes Army to repel the forces from Beyond the Frontier.
This was no mere division of troops into eight groups.
It was the Buddhist Venerable's strategic move—treating the vast Central Plains as a chessboard to dismantle the encroaching foreign forces.
The sect leaders gathered in the conference hall watched the Buddhist Venerable standing beside a massive map.
"The enemy is not one, but many—and their objectives differ. In the end, their greatest strength—their numerical superiority—may well become their greatest weakness."
The Buddhist Venerable's voice was low and quiet, yet it silenced all noise in the hall.
"Where multiple forces gather, discord inevitably festers. This old monk intends to exploit those fractures."
After sweeping his gaze smoothly over the assembly, the Buddhist Venerable naturally gestured toward Baek Mu-seong.
"Alliance Leader Baek will explain the rest."
As if he had been waiting, Baek Mu-seong bowed slightly before stepping forward.
He then began meticulously reorganizing the forces gathered under the banner of the Righteous Faction Alliance and deploying them to the frontlines.
The First Route Army and Second Route Army were elite main forces led by Shaolin, Wudang, and the Righteous Faction's most eminent figures.
Surprisingly, their orders were not to advance—but to hold.
"The Iron Banner Alliance from the north is the most ferocious. The First Route Army must deploy the Diamond Stone Wall Formation at Heaven's Drum Gorge to break their momentum."
The Third Route Army was a special detachment composed of minor sects.
"The Black Forest Cult of the Southern Barbarian Region excels in poison mist and ambush tactics. A frontal assault would be unwise. To catch a snake, one must know its path. The Third Route Army will feign an attack on their stronghold, stirring chaos to lure them deep into the swamps of Yunnan."
The Fourth Route Army was entrusted to the Martial Soul Society.
"The Red Cloud Sect and the Shadow Secret Sect from Tibet are mere rabble driven by plunder. We will dangle bait to blind them. Construct a decoy supply depot filled with grain and treasure near the Golden Spear area. Once greed lures them in, they will be rats in a trap."
The Sixth and Seventh Route Armies were entrusted to the Eight Great Families.
They were tasked with establishing defensive lines across the Central Plains and disrupting the enemy's rear as guerrilla forces.
And lastly, the Eighth Route Army consisted of warriors from the Martial Alliance.
"The fiends of the Four Great Wicked Lands will gnaw at us from within, seizing the chaos of battle. Uproot them before they take root."
Baek Mu-seong had perfectly grasped the unique strengths and geographical advantages of each faction, pinpointing the enemy's weaknesses with precision.
The first battle was against the ironclad forces of the Iron Banner Alliance, who had entered Jade Gate Pass.
Baek Mu-seong employed a strategy of feints and deception—deliberately advancing only half of the Shaolin and Wudang forces, feigning retreat to lure the enemy deep into the pass.
Then, from beyond the mountain range, the archers he had prepared in advance unleashed a sky-darkening rain of arrows.
In a single night, twenty thousand of the Iron Banner Alliance's main forces were annihilated.
Meanwhile, the Black Forest Cult of the Southern Barbarian Region was a group of poison-wielding assassins armed with dark arts. Baek Mu-seong issued a brilliant order:
"Their poison spreads through grass—so burn the grass first."
Thus, flames engulfed the jungles of Yunnan.
Three lines of fire encircled and tightened around the Black Forest Cult's stronghold.
Warriors of the Righteous Path charged into the inferno, piercing the hearts of cultists amidst the ashen smoke.
The sky turned crimson, and the earth burned black.
At the same time, the Red Cloud Sect and the Shadow Sound Esoteric Sect of Tibet moved together.
They diverted their forces westward to plunder the supply depot set up by the Martial Soul Society—
But the Martial Soul Society Leader had already stationed troops atop the cliffs of the gorge, leaving the center empty like a fishing line.
As the Red Cloud Sect's soldiers surged into the gorge, the Society Leader unleashed a Lion's Roar.
In that instant, poisonous mist descended from both sides of the gorge, boulders rained down, and the Shadow Sound Sect's devotees were buried beneath the mountain.
The final battlefield was Luoyang, where the Four Great Wicked Lands had gathered.
This battle was entrusted to the Eight Routes Army—composed of the Martial Alliance's warriors—and their pride was on the line.
"Annihilate them!"
The fiends of the Four Great Wicked Lands boasted formidable martial prowess—
But Baek Mu-seong had already calculated their tactics and strength, employing ghostly strategies to exterminate them.
Perhaps having heard of the forces from Beyond the Frontier being wiped out, the leaders of the Four Great Wicked Lands no longer resisted, scattering in retreat.
Baek Mu-seong did not pursue them to the bitter end.
Their strength was not easily measured, and complete eradication would require too great a sacrifice.
—WAAAAAH!
The triumphant roar of the Righteous Path spread across the dawn-lit sky.
Against the sudden uprising of forces from Beyond the Frontier, the martial world of the Central Plains had united to repel the invaders—
Proving that the Buddhist Venerable's leadership and Baek Mu-seong's command were more than worthy of the Phoenix Lord and Martial Alliance Leader's seats.
The fractured Martial Alliance was no more.
A grand banquet was held by the Martial Alliance.
They had invited the leaders of every faction who had willingly contributed to this great victory.
The vast banquet hall was as bright as day with hundreds of lanterns, filled with the fervor of warriors freshly returned from battle.
Having shed their steel armor and bloodstained weapons, they now laughed and chattered like ordinary men.
Mountains of food and fragrant wine were emptied without pause, and someone pounded the table, singing songs of victory.
—Those Iron Banner bastards! They fell like scarecrows, nothing like the rumors!
—The Black Forest Cult's poison was mere mist before our sect's swords!
Warriors clinked cups, exchanging tales of valor from the recent battles.
Then, suddenly, the hall fell silent.
Two figures had entered the banquet.
The Phoenix Lord, the Buddhist Venerable, who had founded the Righteous Path and united the orthodox martial world.
And the rising sun of the orthodox faction, Baek Mu-seong—who had boldly relinquished his full authority to swiftly mend the Martial Alliance's divisions and commanded this battle.
As they walked in, every figure in the hall rose and bowed respectfully.
Under the weight of all gazes, the Buddhist Venerable spoke with a serene smile.
"This victory was achieved through the blood and sweat of all warriors who love the Central Plains."
His voice remained low and quiet, yet every word rang clearly through the hall.
"We have won, but we have also lost many heroes."
Baek Mu-seong continued.
"Let us raise our cups—for the heroes who have gone before us, and for the peace of this land we have defended."
As the Buddhist Venerable and Baek Mu-seong raised their cups, hundreds of warriors in the hall stood as one, clinking their glasses together.
—The Martial Alliance has gained giants.
Those present could not help but marvel at the noble bearing of these two.
But they did not yet realize—
That within the bodies of this master and disciple, who exuded an immortal's grace, coiled serpents of greed and conspiracy.
That all of this had been but a single scheme.
—Namgung Jeong, Lord of the Namgung Family.
Tang Gon, Lord of the Sichuan Tang Clan.
Daoist Master Yeong-cheong of the Wudang Sect.
Bukgung Ryeong, Leader of the Azure Heaven Alliance.
Seol-so, Leader of the Martial Soul Society.
Deep within the Martial Alliance, an Execution Order—like the King of Hell's ledger of death—had already been issued.