Chapter 521
"This can't be."
Seong Jo-yeong's mouth fell open.
"They've laid a boundary formation across this entire ravine?"
No matter how abundant the Heavenly Human Cult's resources were, how could they possibly deploy a formation spanning over forty li of rugged terrain?
To set up a formation of this scale, even if they had summoned dozens of formation masters, completing it in such a short time would have been impossible.
'Does this mean they've been preparing for war for a long time?'
"Unbelievable!"
Unable to stand by any longer, Seong Jo-yeong dashed forward in an instant, unleashing the Qi Ride to the Heavens technique.
His martial arts were extraordinary—unlike the members of the Heavenly Speed Unit, he didn't need to step on protruding rocks. Instead, he executed the Heavenly Ladder in Empty Air, soaring straight to the edge of the cliff in a single breath.
Whoosh.
But once again, the boundary formation activated, and the cliff that had been within reach stretched endlessly upward.
Splash!
At the same time, diluted Nine Blight Miasma Poison poured down over Seong Jo-yeong's head.
Not only that, but rocks—previously unused—and hidden weapons like steel arrows rained down all at once.
"Hmph."
Seong Jo-yeong immediately drew his sword, weaving a vast Sword Curtain to block the barrage of hidden weapons and poison.
Zzzing!
Finally breaking free from the formation's influence and reaching the top of the ravine, Seong Jo-yeong's eyes widened.
There was no sign of the ambush squad—only the desolate cliffs stretching beneath the pitch-black sky.
"Aaaagh!"
"Guhk!"
Meanwhile, screams erupted from below.
Whether it was the Heavenly Human Cult's troops lying in wait on the opposite cliff or not, they were now showering the Divine Guard Unit with hidden weapons and poison.
"They've covered the entire ravine with a boundary formation?"
Seong Jo-yeong sharpened his enhanced vision, scrutinizing the opposite cliff face.
But he saw nothing.
Yet below, poison and hidden weapons continued to pour down like rain.
The ambush squad was clearly concealed within the formation, attacking from the shadows.
"You bastards!"
Seong Jo-yeong was a man of exceptional martial prowess and a bold personality, but he lacked strategic insight and quick thinking.
Fwip!
Seeing his subordinates trapped, he descended back down before leaping toward the opposite cliff.
"Where are you hiding?!"
Swinging his sword, he unleashed a surge of intense true qi that rippled outward in all directions.
But only mist dispersed—no ambushers were revealed.
"Haaap!"
Frustrated, Seong Jo-yeong unleashed the Iron Thorn Origin Spirit, the most powerful technique of his signature Flying Eagle Sword Art.
Razor-sharp sword qi scattered like flower petals, sparks crackling as part of the mist dissipated.
The overwhelming sword qi forcibly shattered the boundary formation covering the ravine.
"Tch."
Where the formation had been broken, there were no people—only devices rigged to pour down poison and hidden weapons.
"Thorough. Absolutely thorough."
Seong Jo-yeong wore a hollow expression.
If they had deployed such a powerful boundary formation across forty li of ravine...
Unless an expert in dismantling formations arrived, even swinging his sword all night wouldn't break it.
Moreover, if he destroyed the formation like this, the real masters of the Heavenly Human Cult could swarm his men in his absence.
'There must be people hiding somewhere. But...'
Without knowing how many enemies there were, he couldn't afford to play hide-and-seek here.
If there was no way to escape the crisis, the only option was to retreat and preserve his forces.
"Fall back!"
In the end, Seong Jo-yeong had no choice but to order his men to withdraw.
Leading the Heavenly Martial Division's cavalry, Muk In-hyeok arrived at Danyong County and advanced toward Yangmun Mountain, where the Heavenly Human Cult was stationed.
Not only was he a martial arts master, but he was also a seasoned veteran of the battlefield.
He commanded the Divine Guard Unit's three thousand troops as effortlessly as moving his own limbs, and his subordinates maintained strict discipline, moving in perfect order.
But as they entered the village at the mountain pass leading to Yangmun Mountain, an unexpected sight greeted them.
A crowd of people stood motionless, blocking the road ahead.
They weren't martial artists—just ordinary villagers living there.
Their numbers reached two or three hundred.
It seemed like every villager had come out.
"What's going on?"
Yang Gwon, the leader of the Wandering Sword Unit at the front, addressed the villagers.
"Our unit must pass through. Clear the way."
An elderly man, likely their representative, clasped his hands together and pleaded desperately.
"Great Hero, the Heavenly Human Cult is not an evil place."
"What are you talking about?"
Yang Gwon frowned, and those behind the old man began bowing and begging as well.
"Please, do not harm the Heavenly Human Cult!"
"They've helped us in our times of need!"
'Just as expected.'
Watching from a distance, Muk In-hyeok nodded slightly.
The young unit commander, Sunwoo Jin, had warned that the Heavenly Human Cult would mobilize the villagers as part of their scheme.
Of course, Muk In-hyeok had anticipated this too, so he wasn't particularly surprised by the villagers blocking the road.
'A transparent ploy.'
"Step aside!"
Yang Gwon raised his voice at the villagers obstructing their path.
"The Heavenly Human Cult is a heretical sect that lures innocent martial artists to their deaths! If you defend them, you'll be treated as their accomplices!"
"Great Heroes, if the Heavenly Human Cult falls, so do we!"
But the villagers wouldn't listen.
Though Yang Gwon issued several more stern warnings, they stubbornly refused to move.
"Final warning. Clear the path!"
When Yang Gwon spoke with grave authority, the villagers trembled but didn't budge.
Eventually, he turned his horse and reported to Muk In-hyeok, who was waiting further back.
"Deputy Commander, these villagers are obstinate. It might be best to intimidate them into stepping aside."
"Once you start entertaining the villagers' grievances, there's no end to it."
Rather than persuading them, Yang Gwon intended to force them aside by displaying overwhelming martial might.
"No, wait."
Muk In-hyeok, who had been deep in thought, spoke again.
"We must not lay a single finger on these villagers."
Then, he addressed the unit members.
"Dismount and use Lightness Skill to bypass them."
"What?"
"If we recklessly provoke the villagers, it will only backfire—exactly what the Heavenly Human Cult wants."
"But..."
Yang Gwon hesitated, but when Muk In-hyeok's gaze hardened, he clasped his hands in acknowledgment.
"Understood."
In the end, the unit members leaped repeatedly, vaulting over the villagers.
"Aigo!"
"Ugh!"
But then, the villagers blocking the path screamed.
They had tried to forcibly stop the warriors mid-flight, only to collide and fall.
"Stop blocking the way!"
Some of the warriors, annoyed as villagers clung to their pant legs, roughly shook them off.
"Pfft!"
But then, something strange happened.
Every time they coldly shoved the villagers aside, the villagers coughed up blood and rolled across the ground.
"Ughhh..."
The fallen villagers foamed at the mouth.
Watching this, the other villagers roared in fury.
"The Martial Alliance's masters are using martial arts to kill people!"
"They've murdered innocent villagers!"
As the outcry grew, Yang Gwon shouted back.
"Stop spouting nonsense!"
The warriors hadn't even used Internal Power—they had merely pushed them aside lightly.
But the enraged villagers grabbed Yang Gwon by the collar and began protesting violently.
"How dare you martial artists use force like this on people!"
"Are you even human?!"
"Hey, you bastards! Try killing me too!"
As the villagers surged forward in protest, Yang Gwon instinctively raised his voice.
"I told you, we didn't use force!"
Then, he lightly pushed away the villagers shaking him—using just a trace of Internal Power.
'No!'
Seeing this, Muk In-hyeok shouted.
"Yang Gwon! Do not retaliate!"
They had already anticipated that the Heavenly Human Cult would mobilize villagers to block their path.
But they never imagined the villagers would deliberately take blood-vomiting drugs or induce seizures to cause trouble.
'This is a scheme to spread rumors that the Alliance massacred civilians!'
No doubt, there were cultists hidden among the villagers.
But it was already too late.
"The Martial Alliance is slaughtering villagers!"
"Just kill us all!"
The fallen villagers, as if waiting for this moment, began screaming at the top of their lungs while sprawled on the ground.
Flustered, Yang Gwon turned to Muk In-hyeok.
"Deputy Commander, they—"
"Enough."
Muk In-hyeok shook his head with a grim expression.
The street had already descended into chaos, with some villagers charging at the Divine Guard Unit's warriors.
This wasn't spontaneous—it was a meticulously staged performance, like a scene from a Beijing opera.
"With the villagers gathered like this, deliberately provoking us, passing through Danyong County to strike the Heavenly Human Cult is now impossible."
"Deputy Commander."
"We return to headquarters first."
Spitting out the words, Muk In-hyeok immediately turned his horse around.
The Divine Guard Unit and the Heavenly Martial Division retreated to the barracks in the Haseo Plains, where the command camp was stationed.
Far from breaking through the Heavenly Human Cult's defenses—
They hadn't even overcome the trap laid before them, forced to flee back like cowards.
"Just as Commander Seon-u predicted."
Seong Jo-yeong spoke coldly, eyeing Bu Eun-seol, who stood composed.
"Since you foresaw everything, I trust you also have a countermeasure."
Bitter, he added another jab.
"Surely you're not just standing there smiling after the Alliance's forces retreated in such disgrace—without any plan?"
"Of course not."
Bu Eun-seol replied calmly.
"As the Deputy Commander must have realized, the Heavenly Human Cult has long prepared for battle with the Alliance. Likely because they anticipated the Sword Tomb incident would be exposed."
Then, he stared directly at Seong Jo-yeong.
"I heard they've layered formidable Boundary Formations across Jangsan Gorge and are deploying cheap, mass-produced poisons."
"Correct. So?"
"Regardless, we must break through. Deputy Leader Tae!"
At Bu Eun-seol's call, Tae Mu-ryong and the Peak Realm Members, who had been waiting outside, entered the barracks.
In his hands was an enormous cloth bundle.
"How did it go?"
At Bu Eun-seol's question, Tae Mu-ryong bowed his head.
"It worked. Within half a day, we exhausted most of the Nine Blight Miasma Poison and hidden weapons. By now, the Divine Guard Unit's troops should be able to advance again."
"What is the meaning of this?"
Seong Jo-yeong demanded. Bu Eun-seol answered.
"No matter how vast the Heavenly Human Cult's wealth and manpower, it's impossible for them to deploy Boundary Formations across the entire forty-li ravine."
"Nonsense. They've literally covered the entire ravine."
"Did you... truly search every inch of it?"
Seong Jo-yeong fell silent.
Afraid of further humiliation if they lingered, he had simply withdrawn his forces intact.
"Judging by the formations in the ravine, they only prepared for masters scaling the cliffs."
Bu Eun-seol pointed at the map.
"They wouldn't expend vast resources and manpower just to guard a single path through Jangsan Gorge."
Turning his head, Bu Eun-seol addressed Seong Jo-yeong again.
"They expected you, Deputy Commander Seong, to retreat from an unforeseen trap. And they wanted you to agonize over how to break through it—to waste time in hesitation."
Seong Jo-yeong's face flushed red.
He didn't want to admit that his insight and military strategy fell short compared to that of a mere young deputy leader.
"In the end, your words are nothing more than conjecture, aren't they?"
"Correct. That's why I went to verify it."
Bu Eun-seol gestured toward Tae Mu-ryong and the unit members.
"I had the main force spread out a large cotton cloth and move through the gorge."
"A cotton cloth?"
"Yes. We defended only against the poison that made contact with us and directly observed how many hidden weapons they could unleash, how many attacks they could mount."
When Bu Eun-seol nodded at Tae Mu-ryong, the latter spoke up.
"Just as the Deputy Leader said, they only poured down poison. There were no further hidden weapons or attacks like falling rocks."
Seong Jo-yeong's mouth fell open.
Just as Bu Eun-seol had said, the Heavenly Human Cult had merely put on a show—setting up a trap that appeared capable of halting a massive army.
Having heard the full explanation, Seong Jo-yeong's face burned with embarrassment.
He had failed to assess the situation coolly, assuming that the entire gorge was laced with a terrifying Strange Formation.
He had concluded that to pass through this gorge, they had to break the formation and eliminate the ambushers lying in wait atop the cliffs.
But it had all been a bluff.
No matter how vast their financial resources, it was impossible to lay a formation across a forty-li gorge or station ambush teams throughout.
"Then all we need is this cotton cloth to pass through the gorge. Just avoid the poison."
"Correct."
Bu Eun-seol answered calmly.
"After a brief rest, we can immediately re-enter Jangsan Gorge."
"Very well."
Seong Jo-yeong nodded awkwardly.
Then, this time, Muk In-hyeok stepped forward.
"Just as you predicted, the civilians have risen up."
He calmly explained the situation in Danyong County to Bu Eun-seol.
"They all seem to have been bribed by the Heavenly Human Cult long ago. If our martial artists forcibly clear the path, they'll swarm like water ghosts and insist that the Alliance's warriors attacked innocent civilians."
Muk In-hyeok sighed and shook his head.
"The bigger problem is the Cult's spies hiding among the civilians. As long as they're present, this issue won't be easily resolved."
Rumors that the Martial Alliance's warriors had attacked civilians were already spreading like wildfire throughout the Haseo region.
The issue was that while false rumors were easy to create, uncovering the truth took considerable time.
If they waited for the truth to come out, the Heavenly Martial Division wouldn't be able to pass through Danyong County even after about a month.
"The reason the Heavenly Human Cult has the civilians' trust is because of the food they've doled out like 'benevolence.'"
Bu Eun-seol, who had already completed his investigation using the Death Soul Squad, spoke up.
"In truth, heretical sects and commoners may unite briefly, but they always turn on each other. At first, they approach with endless benefits, but in the end, they suck the people dry."
He continued,
"The Heavenly Human Cult has already lost the people's hearts long ago."
"Lost their hearts? Impossible. Even I conducted an investigation, and there was no such talk."
When Muk In-hyeok shook his head, Bu Eun-seol replied firmly,
"Information is like food. You must select the ingredients properly from the start, and old ones spoil. Only freshly roasted ones yield the right flavor."
Muk In-hyeok had nothing to say and closed his mouth.
As Bu Eun-seol had pointed out, the information about the Heavenly Human Cult had merely been old rumors his subordinates had reconfirmed.
"The reality is, the Cult has frightened the people into joining them by claiming that if a battle breaks out with the Martial Alliance, Danyong County will become a sea of flames."
Muk In-hyeok had no choice but to admit it honestly.
"Even I sensed something was off and dug deeper into the details on our way back. But knowing the truth doesn't mean we can resolve this immediately."
His voice carried a hint of irritation.
In situations like this, the commander and strategists should analyze the circumstances from multiple angles and devise a plan.
Seong Jo-yeong wasn't the type to rely on his intellect, so his pride wouldn't be wounded by this.
But Muk In-hyeok was different.
He was the deputy leader of the Heavenly Martial Division, known for his mastery of both martial and literary arts. He had experience securing victories on numerous battlefields.
Yet here was Bu Eun-seol, grasping the situation as if he had accounted for everything, presenting solutions to Seong Jo-yeong one after another...
It was quietly infuriating.
"Slow the offensive and calmly observe the situation. Their dissatisfaction will inevitably erupt. Once they begin to fracture, we can strike and break them apart."
"Hahaha."
Muk In-hyeok, who had been waiting to hear something, burst into a laugh of disbelief.
"Right, that's the proper method. But if we wait for that, the seasons will change, and in the meantime, our division will have to farm here."
Even at his sarcasm, Bu Eun-seol remained composed.
"Give me six days."
"Six days?"
"Yes. I will resolve it within that time."
"You're saying you can quell those rampant rumors in six days?"
"Yes."
"That's absurd."
Turning the hearts of brainwashed civilians and severing their ties with the Heavenly Human Cult was not something that could be done in such a short time.
And yet, he claimed he could do it in six days?
"Would I dare speak nonsense to the Deputy Leader?"
At Bu Eun-seol's bold words, Muk In-hyeok's gaze sharpened.
"And if you fail?"
"I will immediately step down from my position as Acting Chief Strategist."
"Then it's settled."
Muk In-hyeok snorted.
"If you can turn public opinion around in six days, I, the deputy leader, will no longer question your words in the future."
This statement was an admission that until now, he had not recognized Bu Eun-seol as the Acting Chief Strategist.
In other words, he had been disregarding Gongson Dan-gyeong's supreme command.
But Bu Eun-seol didn't argue the point. The stronger the resistance now, the more they would acknowledge him later.
"However, the warriors of the Heavenly Martial Division must also do their part."
"And what might that be?"
Bu Eun-seol curled his lips into a subtle smile.
"Passion, sincerity—and a brief stint of manual labor."