Chapter 1278
Deung-gwang marched boldly toward the Azure Heaven Alliance at the head of the Extreme Demon Corps.
Yet the moment they stepped into the Alliance's territory,
what greeted them was a sky-darkening rain of arrows and a formidable defensive line constructed through mysterious formation arts.
"Shields! Raise your shields!"
Before the shouts of the unit commanders leading the troops could fully erupt, the warriors charging at the forefront had already been turned into human pincushions, collapsing like rolling hedgehogs.
The arrows loosed by the Azure Heaven Alliance warriors
were the Void-Severing Death Arrows—arrows said to be capable of striking down even a peng bird soaring hundreds of jang in the sky.
Clang! Twang!
The moment the arrowstorm ceased, close combat erupted instantly. Screams and the clashing of weapons spread ceaselessly.
"It's an ambush!"
"Do not retreat! Show them the might of the Extreme Demon Corps!"
The warriors of the Extreme Demon Corps struggled to breach the defensive line, but the Azure Heaven Alliance's defense was like an iron fortress.
Moreover, hidden strike teams ambushed from the flanks, emerging from the forest to launch surprise attacks.
The Azure Heaven Alliance warriors, as if tempered through brutal training, maintained flawless formation discipline, transitioning seamlessly between offense and defense.
"Fascinating. It's as if they were lying in wait, as though they knew our plans had been leaked?"
Observing the battlefield, Deung-gwang wore an enigmatic smile.
"And though they were said to have no experience in large-scale battles... who would have guessed they could train their warriors to this level?"
Even as his subordinates fell like autumn leaves in the wind, he remained unshaken.
KWAANG—!
Then, with a deafening roar, a cloud of dust erupted as a gray shadow descended upon the battlefield like a meteor.
It was none other than the Alliance Leader of the Azure Heaven Alliance—the Bullet King, Bukgung Ryeong.
"Daring to launch a surprise attack on our Alliance!"
In an ordinary battle,
Bukgung Ryeong, as the Alliance Leader, would have first sent an envoy to the Demon Hall's forces
or confronted Deung-gwang, the leader of the assault, demanding an explanation for this brazen attack.
But he acted as if no dialogue was necessary—merely flicking his fingers.
KWAOONG! BOOM BOOM BOOM!
The warriors of the Extreme Demon Corps near the path of his Inner Energy Bullet Art coughed blood as they were sent flying.
"Crush them with everything you have!"
As the order for an all-out assault was given, the earth trembled. The light of the battle formations deployed by the Azure Heaven Alliance warriors spread across the sky.
KWAOONG! BANG!
Where Bukgung Ryeong passed, headless corpses piled up, forming mountains of the dead and rivers of blood. The morale of the Azure Heaven Alliance soared as they pressed the Extreme Demon Corps relentlessly.
With an overwhelming numerical disadvantage and fighting on enemy territory,
the battle had been unfavorable from the start, and there was no path to victory for the Extreme Demon Corps.
KWAOONG!
Then, in an instant, Bukgung Ryeong shot into the sky before hurtling toward the rear ranks of the Extreme Demon Corps.
Since the warriors of the Extreme Demon Corps were merely maintaining their formation without deploying any specific battle formation,
there was no way to stop Bukgung Ryeong's advance.
"Fall back! The Bullet King has come to meet me—shouldn't you make way?"
Deung-gwang watched Bukgung Ryeong's approach with ease before flicking a single finger.
The Annihilating Flash he had mastered was also a finger-flicking technique, and Bukgung Ryeong's signature Inner Energy Bullet Art was likewise part of the Finger-Flicking Series of martial arts.
Thus began the clash between the greatest finger-flicking martial arts of the previous and current generations.
ZZZEEENG!
When their energies collided, the sound of shattering steel reverberated.
Bukgung Ryeong stood firm, but Deung-gwang was forced back three full steps.
The difference in the depth of their Internal Power was stark.
"Victory and defeat are not determined by Internal Power alone."
Smiling faintly, Deung-gwang raised his hand.
"Activate the Formation!"
OOOONG!
Crimson energy barriers unfurled in all directions, and the Bullet King, who had been hovering in midair, was instantly forced backward.
Deung-gwang had prepared this defensive formation in advance but deliberately withheld it until now.
KWAOONG! THOOOONG!
The Bullet King fired off successive Inner Energy Bullet Arts in an attempt to shatter the formation,
but as it was a secret formation art of the Demon Hall, it did not break easily.
"This exceeds even the rumors."
Watching Bukgung Ryeong struggle, Deung-gwang realized he was far stronger than anticipated and decisively shouted:
"Retreat!"
The meeting room inside the tent reeked of blood and sweat.
The unit commanders of the Extreme Demon Corps, covered in dirt and panting, stared at Deung-gwang.
"It seems our plans were leaked."
Deung-gwang nodded as he looked at Yu Un-ryong.
"For the Azure Heaven Alliance to be this prepared, the Righteous Faction must have quite a few spies among us, no?"
"Modern murim warfare is a battle of intelligence, Lord."
Yu Un-ryong replied calmly.
"Victory and defeat hinge on who obtains better information faster."
"Hmm."
Eyes gleaming, Deung-gwang shook his head.
"Regardless, our plans were leaked, and the Azure Heaven Alliance is defending that tightly..."
Then he turned his gaze to Yu Un-ryong.
"Sanghak Unit Commander, I grant you full authority to command the entire Extreme Demon Corps."
His voice was resolute.
"Use that brilliant intellect and strategy that has led the Death Shadow War Unit to victory time and again—pierce their defenses and break the Azure Heaven Alliance's momentum."
"My Lord, does this mean you will not be leading the troops yourself?"
"In that case, this Lord will infiltrate the Azure Heaven Alliance alone and behead their key members."
The words were absurd.
In short, Deung-gwang would carry out a solo operation to achieve merit regardless of the battle's outcome.
And he was entrusting the fate of this battle to Yu Un-ryong?
"No need to be surprised. I already anticipated that the information would leak—this was the plan from the start."
Even in this situation, Deung-gwang wore a mischievous smile.
"How could the Extreme Demon Corps alone bring down the Azure Heaven Alliance? I deliberately let them fortify their defenses by feigning a bluff."
He looked at the assembled commanders and spoke calmly.
"The Azure Heaven Alliance must have ears among us, so they've likely deduced what kind of person I am. They'll surely expect me to recklessly push forward without a second thought, won't they?"
A peculiar smile played on his lips.
"But in reality, the one commanding the battle is the cautious and brilliant Commander Yu. They'll be caught off guard by an unexpected engagement. Heh."
Deung-gwang laughed as he looked at Yu Un-ryong.
"Would you say this entire plan hinges on my trust in the Sanghak Unit Commander?"
"......"
"Drag out the battle as long as possible—keep their attention fixed on you."
Tap.
Without hesitation, he strode out of the tent.
The commanders left behind could only gape in disbelief.
They had thought him nothing more than a madman.
Yet he had predicted this entire situation.
Handed full authority to Yu Un-ryong, the strategist of the Death Shadow War Unit, to prolong the battle.
While he himself planned to assassinate the Azure Heaven Alliance's key figures?
—Preserve our forces as much as possible in the battle against the Azure Heaven Alliance, while I, as the Venerable Spirit Lord, stake my life to strike at the enemy's leadership.
Such a strategy ensured that, regardless of victory or defeat,
The fact that he had risked his life to strike at the enemy's core would be imprinted upon the Demonic Heavenly Emperor and the high-ranking officials.
From Deung-gwang's perspective, there was nothing to lose.
"The Lord's orders have been given."
Yu Un-ryong broke the silence.
"This Commander shall take command of the troops."
His composed demeanor made the other commanders gulp.
Yu Un-ryong, alongside the Martial Soul Lord, had led every battle thus far to victory—he was the Wise General.
Perhaps he had some ingenious plan to navigate this situation.
"Is there anything we can do in this situation?"
The newly assigned Thunderbolt Commander asked with a worried expression.
"It feels like we're being set up as sacrificial pawns for the Venerable Spirit Lord to claim merit."
"There is no flaw in the Lord's strategy. Luring the Azure Heaven Alliance into a full-scale battle to draw their attention, then exploiting that opening to assassinate their leadership—it's a brilliant scheme that deceives not just the enemy, but even our own side."
"Then—"
"The only thing we can do now is hold out as per the Venerable Spirit Lord's command."
At those words, the Thunderbolt Commander's face twisted.
"So we just wait until the Lord assassinates the Azure Heaven Alliance's key figures?"
He added bitterly,
"Call it 'holding out,' but isn't this just a death sentence?"
The Extreme Demon Corps was a hastily assembled unit for Deung-gwang's sake.
Even if they were all wiped out in this operation and his position as Lord was stripped away, that madman wouldn't so much as bat an eye.
"Wouldn't it be better to just retreat?"
Yu Un-ryong shook his head firmly at the Thunderbolt Commander's words.
"An unauthorized retreat could be considered insubordination."
Perhaps what Deung-gwang was aiming for
Was for Yu Un-ryong, with his full authority, to recklessly issue a retreat order.
—Though I ordered you to focus the Azure Heaven Alliance's attention for a successful assassination, the Sanghak Unit Commander retreated without permission, tarnishing the honor of this campaign.
He could shift the blame like that.
'Could it be...'
Yu Un-ryong's expression darkened.
'Does Deung-gwang know something?'
Bu Eun-seol and Bukgung Ryeong had formed a bond that transcended generations—a golden alliance.
If he could secretly send a single message to Bukgung Ryeong, this battle could be stopped.
Even if not, they could at least pretend to fight half-heartedly.
'But that was only possible when the Death Shadow War Unit was composed of its own warriors.'
Now, with the Extreme Demon Corps made up of mixed martial artists from the Demon Hall, making such a request?
The martial artists would find it suspicious, and Deung-gwang might uncover everything.
'Is this Hall Master Sado's scheme?'
Perhaps the Demonic Heavenly Emperor had discovered circumstances that cast doubt on Bu Eun-seol's relationship with Bukgung Ryeong.
And was now using Deung-gwang to test the truth.
"We shall proceed as the Venerable Spirit Lord commanded—holding out as long as possible. But before that..."
Having made up his mind, Yu Un-ryong retrieved prepared documents from his sleeve and distributed them among the commanders.
"Review the contents carefully and affix your seals."
The commanders opened the documents with puzzled expressions—then their eyes widened.
Written inside were things they had never expected.
"What is this?"
The documents Yu Un-ryong presented
Were agreements requesting approval for emergency tactical changes based on battlefield conditions.
They confirmed that this battle was not a high-risk assault to eliminate the enemy's leader at the cost of their forces,
But a delaying action—holding the enemy's forces in place—as per the Venerable Spirit Lord's orders.
"Are you drafting these documents to share the blame with us, in case all of Commander Yu's tactics fail?"
"Please rest assured. I will bear all responsibility regarding the strategy."
Yu Un-ryong spoke.
"I merely wish to clearly document that such a situation has occurred."
He said calmly.
"Secondly, by drafting this pledge, the Unit Commanders will avoid punishment even if a disciplinary review is convened later."
As he said, at the end of the document,
it was written that Yu Un-ryong would assume full responsibility for all strategic decisions.
In short, it was a document ensuring he would unequivocally take the blame should this battle end in defeat.
"I will not force you."
Yet when the Unit Commanders continued to hesitate,
"You are free to sign or abstain—it makes no difference to me."
With a meaningful smile, Yu Un-ryong turned away.
"I shall step outside for a moment. Please consider carefully before signing."
As he exited, the Unit Commanders exchanged glances.
Given that he was the Martial Soul Lord's strategist, there must surely be some profound scheme at play.
Moreover, with his handwritten pledge to shoulder all responsibility...
Signing could hardly bring them any harm.
The Extreme Demon Corps, which had set out with such ambition under the Venerable Spirit Lord's command,
ultimately failed to breach the Azure Heaven Alliance's defenses and returned as broken remnants after ten days of fierce battle.
Fortunately, Deung-gwang had separately deployed a special detachment to strike the Alliance's rear, successfully assassinating several of their key figures.
And thanks to Sanghak Unit Commander Yu Un-ryong's ingenious strategy,
the fact that a mere thousand-strong Extreme Demon Corps had held the Azure Heaven Alliance at bay for ten days was itself remarkable.
But with thirty percent of the Corps lost and no tangible gains to show for it... avoiding punishment would be difficult.
—The Venerable Spirit Lord had his Command Plaque, imbued with special privileges, revoked.
Because of this incident, the Venerable Spirit Lord
was stripped of the sacred relic passed down from the previous generation—the Venerable Command Plaque that had once struck terror into the hearts of the Demon Hall's elite.
Yet he remained unfazed.
Almost as if he had anticipated such privileges being taken from him all along.
—Now, let us weigh the merits and faults of this campaign.
The Extreme Demon Corps was a unit under Deung-gwang's command, and the power of life and death over its members lay solely in his hands.
Though Yu Un-ryong had only been temporarily appointed as strategist,
a disciplinary review was convened to meticulously assess the contributions and failures of Sanghak Unit Commander Yu Un-ryong—who had led the operation—alongside the other Unit Commanders and warriors.
The interior of the Extreme Demon Hall's meeting chamber was dim.
Only Deung-gwang and Yu Un-ryong were present for the disciplinary review.
Since Yu Un-ryong alone had been granted full authority over troop movements during the campaign,
whether reward or punishment, he was the only one who would receive it.
"Regrettable as it is, merits are merits and faults are faults. Let us proceed."
Deung-gwang spoke calmly.
"I entrusted you with full authority, yet in the end, thirty percent of our forces were lost, and we barely managed to retreat."
It was pure sophistry.
Everything had been Deung-gwang's plan, and Yu Un-ryong had merely followed it.
But accepting full command of the troops had been his fatal mistake. Now, there was no escaping responsibility.
"Not even the Martial Soul Lord could intervene in this matter."
"Of course."
Yu Un-ryong replied.
"After all, the Extreme Demon Corps troops were only assigned to me because the Venerable Spirit Lord distrusted me in the first place."
"I don't follow."
Yu Un-ryong retrieved a blood-and-mud-stained bundle of papers and held it out.
"Among the Unit Commanders, there were... let's say, spies—informants acting on the Lord's secret orders."
It was the pledge document he had previously distributed to the Unit Commanders.
"Due to the overwhelming disparity in strength against the Azure Heaven Alliance, all Unit Commanders agreed to retreat to preserve our forces. However..."
Yu Un-ryong continued.
"Even though I explicitly stated I would take full responsibility, some among them refused to sign—despite being told this would spare them punishment later."
"And your point is?"
"They must have had their suspicions."
Yu Un-ryong's gaze turned icy.
"Even if everyone had signed, they feared I might somehow evade responsibility. Or perhaps they worried this pledge was part of some scheme."
"So you're saying..."
Deung-gwang tilted his head slightly.
"The reason you sought the Unit Commanders' signatures on a pledge where you claimed full responsibility... was to expose the spies I planted among them?"
"Precisely."
"That's absurd."
Deung-gwang shook his head.
"With just this one document?"
"It is no mere pledge. My Lord, please read it again carefully."
"I've read it."
Deung-gwang glanced down at the agreement and spoke.
"From the Unit Commanders' perspective, if they were to alter strategies or sign this agreement, they might fear being held accountable or feel uneasy, so..."
His words trailed off as he fell silent.
"Correct."
Yu Un-ryong smiled.
"Even though I swore to take all blame, they refused to sign."
Despite the document explicitly stating it was to shield them from accountability,
they had not signed.
No matter how they tried to justify it,
the only ones who abstained were Deung-gwang's planted subordinates—a fact now laid bare.
"Couldn't they have simply been uneasy? You said you didn't force them."
Deung-gwang narrowed his eyes.
"And calling them spies is laughable. Among the Extreme Demon Corps' Unit Commanders were simply former subordinates who once served under me."
Yu Un-ryong, still smiling, pointed to the agreement.
"Moreover, didn't it state that Unit Commander Yu would bear all responsibility?"
"Indeed. Please read that part again."
Deung-gwang looked down at the paper and muttered under his breath.
"This battle is a delaying action under the Venerable Spirit Lord's orders, and all responsibility for related strategies shall..."
His face hardened into icy stillness.
Only now did he realize—what Yu Un-ryong had meant by "taking responsibility."
'The responsibility regarding the delaying battle... limited only to matters of strategy.'
It was explicitly stated.
"Wordplay," Deung-gwang spat. "You drafted a single document, thinking you could evade accountability like this?"
"The Lord is still unfamiliar with the Demon Hall's affairs, so you may not know this," Yu Un-ryong replied with unshakable calm. "The Demonic Heavenly Emperor values justification and evidence above all else."
"That is why the Hall enacts rewards and punishments strictly based on clear laws. We do not act arbitrarily on a superior's whims."
Deung-gwang's gaze sharpened endlessly.
"You think you can escape responsibility with a mere scrap of paper?"
"The only one in the Demon Hall with authority above the law is the Demonic Heavenly Emperor himself. If you truly wish to ignore the Hall's statutes and proceed with punishment, then by all means, do so."
Deung-gwang had not intended to annihilate the Azure Heaven Alliance outright.
He had drawn attention by making it seem like an all-out war, then executed a covert operation to assassinate key figures.
And to ensure the success of this scheme, he had recruited Yu Un-ryong—Bu Eun-seol's right-hand man—as his strategist.
Yu Un-ryong had attempted to secure signed agreements from the Unit Commanders, citing his assumption of all strategic responsibility, but not all had consented.
In short, he had led troops without the full trust of his subordinates.
Yet despite facing the Azure Heaven Alliance's vast forces with a mere thousand soldiers, his troops had suffered only thirty percent casualties.
By any measure, he had flawlessly executed the Venerable Spirit Lord's orders.
And with such clear evidence preserved, even the Demonic Heavenly Emperor could not punish Yu Un-ryong now.
"Impressive," Deung Gwan conceded, raising both hands. "Truly impressive."
By appointing Yu Un-ryong as strategist, he had sought to expose Bu Eun-seol's connection to Bukgung Ryeong, the Azure Heaven Alliance's leader—while shifting the blame for any failure onto Yu Un-ryong.
But Yu Un-ryong had seen through his intentions from the start.
With a single document declaring his assumption of all strategic responsibility, he had dismantled every one of Deung-gwang's schemes.
If Deung-gwang insisted on punishing him now, he would first have to execute his own loyalists—those who had refused to sign and follow him.
"In guarding against the Lord, I underestimated you far too much."
This trap had been meant to exploit another of Bu Eun-seol's weaknesses: rules and justification.
If he could legally seize control over Yu Un-ryong's life and death through the Demon Hall's statutes—
From Bu Eun-seol's perspective, a man who always upheld rules and justification, there would be no recourse.
Yet Yu Un-ryong had turned the tables, wielding those very principles against him.
"I acknowledge it. Every word you've said."
"Thank you." Yu Un-ryong clasped his hands together.
"And you should prepare yourself."
"......"
"Our Lord repays grudges tenfold."
Then he turned away.
Deung-gwang's expression stiffened as he watched Yu Un-ryong's retreating figure.
He knew better than anyone that subduing Bu Eun-seol was nearly impossible.
Even standing side by side with the Demonic Heavenly Emperor in the Demon Hall, he was the only man in the world who could oppose him.
But his greatest weakness was also his excessive care for his subordinates' lives—more than his own.
In the past, the Empress Dowager had exploited this fatal flaw by brainwashing those close to him—
But after witnessing her failure, Deung-gwang had prepared a different method.
—Bind him through his subordinates' mistakes.
His followers were fiercely loyal; threatening their lives would only drive them to immediate suicide for Bu Eun-seol's sake.
—The man named Bu Eun-seol must never be provoked.
The angrier he grew, the stronger he became.
And he never forgave those who harmed his people.
Yet here lay another conviction—one that could be both his defining trait and his weakness:
Justification.
—Despite possessing overwhelming power, he adheres to the Demon Hall's laws.
He never strays beyond those rules.
If Bu Eun-seol truly wielded such martial might, intellect, authority, and influence—
Why bind himself to mere rules and statutes?
Yet from his days as the Ten Demonic Heir to his current position as one of the Demon Hall's three leaders—
He had always upheld rules and justification, never wielding his power or authority unlawfully.
—Then what if I ensnare his subordinates through rules and justification?
Bu Eun-seol's followers were formidable, but each had their own eccentricities.
Won Se-mun, for one, was the type to blunder the moment a stage was set for him.
And Yu Un-ryong—the Death Shadow War Unit's core strategist, irreplaceable and unique.
If he could use Won Se-mun to draw out Yu Un-ryong, and eventually break even him—
By exploiting Bu Eun-seol's own principles—his belief in justification and pragmatism—he could force him into submission.
"After preparing such a meticulous plan..."
Deung-gwang shook his head.
With Yu Un-ryong's defiance, this scheme had failed.
And worse—since he had tried to subdue Bu Eun-seol through his subordinates—
It was inevitable now. Bu Eun-seol would mobilize everything—his strength, his authority—to crush Deung-gwang entirely, then dig into whoever stood behind him.
"Delightful. Truly beyond expectations."
Deung-gwang's lips curled into a radiant smile.
"The Martial Soul Lord... He may indeed be the one I envisioned."
His gaze, brimming with madness, fixed on empty air as he let out a shuddering moan of ecstasy.
"Now, if only his martial prowess proves flawless... then everything will be complete."
Click.
Suddenly, he drew a sharp dagger from his robes and began carving wounds into his own chest and abdomen.
Drip. Drip.
Thick crimson streaked down his robes, yet his laughter only grew more deranged.
"Heh heh heh..."
Bu Eun-seol. Once again, it had been proven—no scheme could break him.
And if his martial prowess was also perfect?
Then he would become the variable to overturn all carefully laid plans in an instant—
The existence that rendered every grand design meaningless.
"Now, calm down. The time of Death approaches."