Chapter 99

Chapter 99
Pa-jeong had been systematically making his way around the Alliance Lord’s primary hall, Mengju-jeon, targeting eight specific compass points with meticulous care.

“Our scouts have managed to confirm five distinct points so far, though we suspect he visited the remaining directions during blind spots in our surveillance.”

According to Baek So-cheon’s calculations, Pa-jeong had already covered six spots in all, leaving only the southwest and northwest unexplored among the eight sectors. Should his scheme require a concluding action focused on the central structure of Mengju-jeon, that gave them a slight buffer of time.

A dark, heavy expression formed on Je-gal Hyeon’s face.

“Could it be an array?”

“Either that or some form of dark occult ritual. Whatever its true nature, once fully assembled, it will present a devastating peril.”

“Those rotten swine!”

Je-gal Hyeon, a man who almost never resorted to foul language, was practically boiling over with rage. Having barely failed in their attempt to infect the Alliance Lord with the Cheon-wi Won-go, they were already weaving another conspiracy against his person.

“Pardon my outburst. My temper got the better of me.”

“Please, there is no need. I share the exact same sentiments.”

Even though his voice remained steady and measured, Baek So-cheon burned with genuine fury deep down.

Yeom Hwa-sin, at the very least, was an adversary who met challenges out in the open. He might cold-bloodedly sacrifice his own flesh and blood to preserve status and battlefield morale, but he would never stoop to orchestrating such wretched, underhanded traps from the dark.

Bang!

Unable to hold his indignation inside any longer, Je-gal Hyeon struck the wooden table hard with his clenched fist.

“I will never pardon such vile vermin.”

The sheer audacity was beyond belief. Who could have imagined that the escort contingent accompanying the Blood Cult Lord’s own daughter under the pretense of a marriage alliance would harbor such heinous intentions?

Had Baek So-cheon not noticed the irregular movements, the alliance would have walked right into catastrophe without ever realizing what struck them.

“First and foremost, we must uncover the identity of this trap.”

Only after determining its true form could they design appropriate counterstrategies—whether to reverse the effect against the perpetrators or execute immediate judgment.

“Elder Councilor Meng-sa, the supreme authority on formations within our ranks, possesses wisdom second to none in these arts. I will send for him at once.”

“A wise course of action.”

Je-gal Hyeon spoke softly to Sa-ma Il-jung, giving quiet instructions.

“Guide him directly to the office within Hyun-cheon Pavilion, but ensure your movements remain completely undetected.”

“Yes, Grand Strategist!”

Sa-ma Il-jung stepped away from the strategy command center without delay.

Since Meng-sa did not hold security clearance for the inner strategy command center, the two men shifted to Je-gal Hyeon’s personal chambers inside Hyun-cheon Pavilion to await his arrival.

Baek So-cheon stood in utter silence, staring out through the windowpanes.

Was it the awareness that the young man intended to resign that altered the view?

On this particular day, his solitary silhouette appeared unusually weary, stirring a deep pang of sorrow within Je-gal Hyeon’s chest.

There were undoubtedly times when someone of Baek So-cheon’s stature wished to cast aside this chaotic, tangled existence and simply walk away, yet he bore the heavy yoke without voicing a solitary grievance.

Je-gal Hyeon felt immense admiration toward him for that steadfast endurance. At the same time, the strategist felt the unrelenting weight of his own twilight years. His mind no longer moved with the lightning agility of his youth. In earlier days, he could go three consecutive days and nights without a wink of rest, drafting strategic ploys that left every peer in awe… Now, struggling through a single night without sleep took a severe toll, let alone devising grand maneuvers.

One only had to look at the recent schemes of the Blood Cult to see the truth. They were perpetually forced on the defensive, taking blow after blow from covert plots.

The person who truly ought to step aside is myself.

He firmly resolved in his heart that as soon as matters involving the Black Heaven Alliance reached their conclusion, he would resign from his mantle as Grand Strategist. It was high time for a young, vigorous mind to take command of Hyun-cheon Pavilion.

An ironic realization suddenly crossed his thoughts.

Now that he thought about it, the Alliance Lord was eager to pass his supreme seat to Captain Baek… which meant all three of them shared the identical yearning to depart.

Three men longing to lay down their authority, standing opposite ambitious conspirators burning with greed to seize those very seats. It was a bitterly ironic trick of reality, drawing a humorless, wistful smile to his lips.

Before long, Meng-sa of the Elder Council arrived.

Due to turn eighty years of age in the coming year, he stood as the supreme expert on formations throughout the Murim Alliance. A significant portion of the defensive structures protecting the alliance grounds had been forged by his intellect. Beyond defensive arrays, his studies reached deeply into mechanical snares, hidden ambushes, artful concealment, and occult practices, granting him unparalleled erudition in those disciplines. Having long retired from active field operations, he spent his declining years in the quiet halls of the Elder Council.

“A warm welcome to you, Senior Meng.”

“It has been quite a while, Strategist.”

Though outwardly composed, Meng-sa felt a flicker of surprise beneath his calm surface. Moreover, Baek So-cheon—the central figure stirring the martial world with recent discussions—was waiting alongside him.

“I witnessed your martial exhibition during the match. It was truly magnificent.”

“Your kind words honor me.”

After exchanging courtesies with Baek So-cheon, the aged master turned his focus back toward Je-gal Hyeon.

“What urgent matter prompted you to summon this old man?”

“We would like you to inspect this diagram.”

They set before him the documentation Baek So-cheon had drafted earlier. Meng-sa squinted as he studied the placement of go stones scattered across the perimeter map of the grounds.

“What do these markers signify?”

“That is precisely what we need your expertise to determine.”

“Hmm.”

He lowered his gaze back to the parchment. An instant later, his eyes widened slightly in alarm. The absolute center of the layout was Mengju-jeon.

“Could it truly be? This… is an array?”

“Does the arrangement look like a formation to your eyes?”

“Had the nexus been any ordinary pavilion, these markers would appear as nothing more than casual stones laid upon parchment. But with Mengju-jeon serving as the focal point… indeed, this is an array.”

Had that not been the case, they would never have summoned an array specialist of his stature in such utter secrecy. The presence of the central hall explained everything.

Only then did Baek So-cheon pose his question.

“If this is indeed an array, what kind of disaster will it trigger?”

“That relies entirely upon its nature. Typically, its intended effect strikes those situated within the central structure.”

Meng-sa tapped against the stones with a weathered finger.

“Could you guide me to these locations? I must inspect each site with my own eyes to identify the formation correctly.”

“Of course, please accompany me.”

Baek So-cheon then requested a favor from Je-gal Hyeon.

“Should our movements arouse their vigilance, complications will arise. Strategist, pray detain Myeol Ji-ryun along with her two attendants.”

“Understood. I will submit a formal briefing to the Alliance Lord and extend an invitation to them within Mengju-jeon.”

Je-gal Hyeon asked Meng-sa.

“How much time will this inspection require of you?”

“Half a shichen ought to be sufficient.”

“Very well. Senior Meng, please remember that this affair is of the highest secrecy.”

The delicate wrinkles framing Meng-sa’s eyes crinkled into a subtle, knowing grin.

“You need not fret; the Elder Council is merely a gathering of aged men who have nothing left to offer save their razor-sharp wits.”

While Myeol Ji-ryun, Rap-sa, and Pa-jeong were ushered into Mengju-jeon for their formal reception, Baek So-cheon and Meng-sa slipped away to begin their investigation.

Their initial destination brought them to the compound’s stables.

All resident personnel and stable hands had previously been reassigned to distant sections.

Meng-sa circulated his inner qi, stretching his senses to probe the surrounding atmosphere.

“I cannot name the specific array just yet, but the lingering aura feels suffocatingly heavy. This is no ordinary craft.”

It was the precise caliber of ominous resonance that only a scholar who had dedicated an entire lifetime to mystical formations could detect.

Meng-sa scrutinized the steeds standing within their stalls. Outwardly, the beasts appeared entirely peaceful.

Reaching into his personal satchel, he retrieved a slender incense stick and struck a flame. This was far from standard incense—a faint, cerulean smoke emerged, billowing quickly through the entire interior of the stables.

Before long, the horses began to whinny in sudden agitation.

Baek So-cheon watched the alarming change: the horses’ eyes flushed with a dark, blood-red hue as they began kicking and thrashing wildly.

Meng-sa walked up to the stall containing the most violent beast.

Combining liquid extracts from several glass vials within his kit, he brushed the concoction directly across the wooden boards of the pen. A bizarre, unnatural phenomenon unfolded before them.

Crimson characters densely manifested across the wood—ancient, indecipherable calligraphy painted not with vermilion dye, but with genuine living blood.

“According to the shadow operative tracking him, the trespasser never manually inscribed any text here.”

The characters were far too extensive. Cheon-geuk could never have overlooked someone physically writing them on site.

“These were not applied by brush or hand.”

“What do you mean?”

“The infiltrator merely flicked a single bead of his own blood onto the woodwork before strolling away.”

“And that droplet expanded into these written runes entirely on its own?”

Meng-sa offered a grim nod.

“He executed extensive, meticulous preparations beforehand, then passed through this area under the guise of taking a leisurely stroll, all while silently chanting the binding spells.”

It was a formation born from grotesque, abhorrent sorcery.

Meng-sa extinguished the burning incense, and the agitated beasts gradually subsided into quietness.

“Once this crisis passes, all of these horses must be put down. The vitality of their blood has been fundamentally corrupted. They might appear placid under calm conditions, but the moment their excitement flares, they will descend into uncontrollable frenzy.”

“I will see to the matter personally.”

These steeds were mounts assigned to the warriors of the Cheol-geom-dan; allowing them to remain as they were was impossible. Guiltless creatures had fallen prey to an enemy scheme.

“This node is confirmed. Let us make our way to the next.”

Baek So-cheon escorted Meng-sa toward the subsequent location: the southern storehouse.

Meng-sa paced slowly around its perimeter, then splashed a portion of his prepared fluid against the exterior wall. Immediately, hidden calligraphy began bleeding into view upon the blank surface.

Twisting, ancient glyphs spread across the expansive plaster, squirming as though they were living parasites poised to burst forth.

“Lead me to the next site.”

“Right this way.”

Baek So-cheon guided the way forward.

Meng-sa examined the administrative headquarters of the Baek-ryong-dan. Covert orders had cleared the compound completely; every operative had been dispatched off-site for tactical drills.

Meng-sa circled the perimeter of the building while bearing the lit incense.

“Are runes concealed upon the exterior walls here as well?”

“No.”

He tracked the drifting path of the pale smoke until it hovered near a small ornamental pond.

Preparing another chemical mixture, Meng-sa poured it into the clear waters.

The pond instantly turned as red as blood, unveiling the identical archaic characters stamped across the scales of the carp swimming below. It was a deeply unsettling, eerie sight.

He introduced an opposing solution into the basin, instantly purifying the water back to its original state.

As he turned to leave, Meng-sa’s balance faltered, his frail body swaying.

“Senior, are you unwell?”

“I am fine.”

Though the process seemed simple on the surface—merely igniting incense and splashing chemical mixtures—the invisible toll on his internal spirit and mental energy was staggering.

“Have you identified the true nature of this array?”

“I have grasped its general framework, but I require additional confirmation before I can be wholly certain. Let us move to the next—our window is narrow. We have scarcely half a shichen remaining.”

“Understood.”

At the following sector, another astonishing spectacle manifested: the incense smoke revived several withered, dead blossoms, prompting them to bloom—not in their natural shades, but in a horrific, bloody crimson.

The exact second the flowers opened, Meng-sa violently coughed up a mouthful of dark blood.

“Senior Meng!”

“I am all right. Truly, do not worry.”

He hastily burned an opposing stick of incense to wither the petals back to ash, fully mindful that they could leave no clues behind to alert the enemy.

Baek So-cheon supported the elder by the arm, helping him retreat a safe distance from the garden plot.

After drawing several ragged breaths to steady himself, Meng-sa finally spoke.

“The array we are dealing with is none other than the Pal-bang Gwi-hyeol Jin—the Eight Directions Ghost Blood Array. It stands as the supreme secret formation of the Blood Cult, a forbidden art notoriously difficult to master, widely believed to be wielded exclusively by Jeok Pa-rap. To think its presence would appear within our very gates!”

Pa-jeong, as the direct disciple of Jeok Pa-rap, had evidently inherited the forbidden knowledge.

“What takes place once the array is triggered?”

“The designated victim is transformed into a mindless puppet bound to the array’s creator. It achieves absolute spiritual subjugation.”

It functioned identically to the Cheon-wi Won-go.

Baek So-cheon immediately deduced the broader objective driving the Blood Cult.

Among the trio formed by the Murim Alliance, the Black Heaven Alliance, and the Blood Cult, the cult held the weakest military standing.

Their scheme was to elevate their strength by reducing the Murim Alliance Lord into their personal marionette.

With the supreme master of the alliance dancing to their tune, they could manipulate the alliance into waging a reckless, all-out war against the Black Heaven Alliance. Once the two rival titans tore each other apart in mutual ruin, the Blood Cult would easily reap the fisherman’s spoils—the ultimate realization of their grand plan for dominion over the martial world.

“What is required to trigger its final activation?”

“Traditionally, once the preparatory markers across all eight directions are fully established, the culminating requirement is direct physical proximity: the caster must make direct contact with the target and press a single drop of blood onto their flesh.”

“Ah!”

Baek So-cheon instantly saw the conclusion they had planned.

When the time came for Myeol Ji-ryun to conclude her stay and leave the compound, Ak So-gun would naturally observe proper etiquette by clasping hands in farewell—the traditional courtesy extended toward distinguished guests.

At that very instant, the drop of blood would be transferred to the Alliance Lord’s skin. It presented an exceedingly rare opening to touch the person of the Alliance Lord without raising alarm.

Under standard conditions, such a plot would be utterly unfeasible. To wander through eight sensitive alliance sectors unnoticed? To lay a hand upon the supreme lord? Unthinkable.

Yet draped in the honored status of diplomatic guests, the impossible became effortless.

“Is it possible to dismantle the formation anchors that have already been laid?”

“Since the nexus has not yet been sealed, the established anchors can certainly be eradicated. If you wish, I can begin preparations to dispel them this very moment…”

“No. We shall dismantle them at an unhurried pace.”

Baek So-cheon personally accompanied Meng-sa back to his private dwelling.

He helped the exhausted master into his bed, offering his heartfelt gratitude.

“You have expended an immense amount of mental energy today; please remain in bed and recuperate fully over the coming days. Thanks to your wisdom, Senior, our alliance has averted an unimaginable catastrophe. You have my deepest gratitude.”

Baek So-cheon clasped the elder’s hand with genuine reverence.

“Knowing this old vessel could still render assistance brings relief to my heart.”

It was a day that laid bare the undeniable wisdom and value of the Elder Council.

“Please rest well.”

Just as Baek So-cheon turned to depart, Meng-sa called out to him.

“What do you plan to do from here?”

Baek So-cheon met the elder’s gaze with calm, unyielding eyes.

“What was delivered to us, we will return in kind. Not a shred more—precisely the exact measure of what was received.”

No matter how sharp the instincts accumulated across the old master’s eighty years, he could not fathom the exact mechanics of the plan. Yet whatever was brewing, its implications felt profoundly heavy.

A faint, knowing smile softened Meng-sa’s aged lips.

“That will be more than sufficient.”