Chapter 152

“More importantly...”

“Have we heard anything from the Martial Alliance?”

“Well, I was going to tell you later since you didn’t seem well, but... Wang Muha from the Martial Alliance is on his way.”

“From the Golden Path Chess Guild?”

“Yes.”

As expected.

He was likely bringing a formal letter from the Martial Alliance.

Now that things had settled peacefully with the Sichuan Alliance, it was only natural that the Martial Alliance would also reach out.

But just like Sichuan, they’d have to offer something in return. And that offer was most likely written in the letter.

And the fact that they were sending Wang Muha himself...

“So it was urgent.”

“Who was? Jegal Yeonghyeon?”

“Gun Mugyeol.”

“...Ah...”

“The moment he heard that the Heavenshaking Spiritblade fell into my hands, he must’ve made a decision.”

“What kind of decision?”

“To spare me—for now.”

At those words, Commander Seong’s face went pale.

In truth, there were very few people in the world who truly understood Gun Mugyeol, the man known as a paragon of virtue.

No more than five, at most. And Unhwi could say with certainty that he was one of those five.

He could see Gun Mugyeol’s thoughts as if they were his own.

He should’ve killed him sooner. He should’ve sent an assassin, not Wang Muha. Sent someone in secret and ended it.

A dry chuckle escaped him.

“Pity I won’t get to see his face.”

And that was the truth.

Now that both the Sichuan Alliance and Martial Alliance had been handled, only one remained.

From the very beginning, all these tangled conflicts had started because of one thing.

One insane old man decided to play games.

Perhaps sensing what Unhwi was thinking, the color drained from Commander Seong’s face.

“Ah... Young Lord, I think... I think I’m starting to get what you’re planning. Please... can’t we just not?”

Unhwi merely smiled.

Not long after, Ju Soa returned with Han Seokhyeon.

Unhwi’s gaze fixed on him.

Han Seokhyeon wore the expression of a man who had already made up his mind.

And from that expression, it was clear he understood why he had been summoned—which only reaffirmed Unhwi’s judgment.

Han Seokhyeon stepped forward and offered a respectful martial salute.

“Congratulations on your appointment as Grand Commander. I expected it, but not so soon.”

Unhwi nodded and spoke.

“In Yangryeong, Jeogan, Saryang, and Bongrae—there’s much that the regional commander must do.”

“Yes. I’m aware.”

“Unfortunately, I am no administrator. And certainly not a merchant.”

“I know that as well. Grand Commander, you forged your path with a sharp sword and a mind that soars above the heavens—but maintaining and managing that path requires another’s hand.”

Han Seokhyeon’s voice was filled with confidence.

Unhwi looked at him for a moment.

“When we first met, what did you call me again? A star of the Snow Palace?”

“Yes.”

“Do you still feel the same?”

Han Seokhyeon shook his head.

“No, Grand Commander. You’re no longer just a star of the Snow Palace. You will become a star that encompasses the entire martial world.”

From the moment they met in Seolap, Unhwi had held Han Seokhyeon in high regard.

He spoke quietly.

“There are many people I trust to carry out my orders. But none like you, Han Seokhyeon.”

Han Seokhyeon’s eyes glinted.

“You’ve already solidified your position in the Chungha Trade Union—and from that, you could’ve gained much: wealth, power, fame.”

Unhwi paused briefly before continuing.

“But all three of those rewards come with a ceiling. And I know that’s not what you truly desire. You wonder just how far you ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) can go. Infinite wealth. Infinite power. Infinite fame. You want to test the limits of yourself. Am I wrong?”

“You’re exactly right.”

“As I said before, if you want to discover your limits, you need to swim in a bigger pond.”

Han Seokhyeon felt his chest resonate with that.

“Then it’s time you left the Chungha Trade Union.”

With a faint smile, he asked, “And what position will you bestow upon me?”

“Chief Administrator. From today, you’ll be the Chief Administrator of Yangryeong Province. And you’ll take orders only from me. Does that please you?”

Han Seokhyeon immediately dropped to his knees in full five-point prostration.

“Thank you for entrusting me with this great responsibility!”

***

Yi Myeonghwa’s letter reached Viper Valley within a single day.

That was no ordinary carrier pigeon. Its value was equal to hundreds of gold taels.

It wasn’t just a bird—it had been raised with elixirs until it became a spiritual beast. Its speed surpassed what any normal human could match, so a single day was more than reasonable.

Seon Yangbaek, current Master of Viper Valley, unfolded the message.

It was written in code, but deciphering it posed no difficulty.

Sorry for the delay. This is Yi Myeonghwa.

I gave Ju Soa a Dream-Soul Pill today and asked her several questions. I’ll summarize the answers.

Ju Soa is indeed a survivor of the secret realm. The one who stole the manual was a mysterious man known only as “Nameless.”

I asked what she knew about him, and she described his martial level as “Heaven-Man Embodiment Stage.” She said he defeated the Ghost-Eyed Boy in just two moves and used demonic energy. He seemed to know every inch of the secret realm, as if it were familiar to him.

His appearance had clearly been altered with Reverse Form Technique. And without even using martial techniques, he smashed the Ghost-Eyed Boy’s head in with an old, worn-out artifact. If her words are true, then yes—he’s a Heaven-Man level master.

It’s clear he knew from the start that the secret manual was the Heavenly Demon’s. As for why he spared Ju Soa, she said it was out of pity. Given that the Ghost-Eyed Boy was the Killing Sword Sect’s protector, it’s plausible, though not certain.

There’s no more information to extract.

Requesting permission to return.

The message was long—but it could be summarized in one line:

“We must track the man known as Nameless.”

But there were far too few clues.

A man who stole the Heavenly Demon’s secret manual, used demonic energy...

And was a master of the Heaven-Man Embodiment Stage?

Even setting aside the Reverse Form Technique—if he spared someone like Ju Soa, then...

“A righteous sect master seems likely.”

If he were from a demonic sect, he wouldn’t have spared Ju Soa. Her beauty was famous enough that even the main Blood Sect had heard of her.

Seon Yangbaek’s expression grew grim.

“If he’s from a righteous sect, he might be from the Martial Alliance. Or one of the Seven Great Clans. Maybe even the Five Orthodox Orders... There’s too little to go on.”

Still, it was better than knowing nothing.

If they kept gathering information piece by piece, eventually they’d catch his tail.

And Seon Yangbaek wasn’t stupid.

That man called Nameless—he would almost certainly show up again when the Demonic Secret Realm opened next.

He carefully folded the letter. It would have to be sent upstairs.

He placed the letter in his robe and paused to think.

She was a disciple of the Poison Ghost, Thousand Serpent Yin, and she’d done her part. There was no reason for her to remain in Yangryeong.

Seon Yangbaek recalled the meeting point near Yangryeong and began writing his own letter.

***

Two days passed since Yi Myeonghwa’s death.

The reply delivered by the top-grade pigeon finally reached Unhwi’s hands.

As usual, he sat beneath the eaves and quietly read the contents.

It was encrypted—but who was Unhwi in his previous life?

Blood-Heaven Arbiter.

The man who ruled the heavens of the Blood Sect.

It would’ve been stranger not to understand the code.

With calm eyes, Unhwi read through the message line by line, then slowly set the letter down.

Commander Seong, who had been pacing nervously beside him, finally asked:

“What does it say?”

“Meeting place. And time.”

Unhwi’s brief answer was followed by another question.

“Who’s coming?”

“The Lord of the Ninth Blood-Spirit Battalion... along with three Blood Envoys, and several poison experts.”

Commander Seong’s brows shot up.

“Poison experts...?”

“Of course.”

Unhwi folded the letter as he spoke.

“Most likely the ones who conduct poison research.”

“There’ll be collaborators too, right?”

Unhwi nodded.

Commander Seong let out a heavy sigh.

“...Another bloodbath, then.”

“If a bloodbath is what it takes to bring stability, then a bloodbath is what we’ll have.”

Unhwi’s voice was calm—but steel was buried beneath the calm.

“It’s just... this doesn’t feel like a natural storm. It feels like one you’re summoning deliberately. That’s what worries me.”

A faint smile tugged at Unhwi’s lips.

“Commander Seong.”

“Yes, Young Lord.”

“When unraveling a tangled skein, there are knots that you pull to unwind all at once—and knots that must be unpicked with care.”

“...That’s true. But usually, you skip the complications and cut straight to the heart of the matter, don’t you?”

“Usually. But this time, the rot goes to the root. We have to deal with the cause itself.”

Commander Seong scratched his head.

Unhwi looked toward the waiting sub-commanders, then continued:

“The Martial Alliance and Sichuan Alliance paid their price by withdrawing from Shinsam Valley. But what of the Blood Sect that started all this? What price did they pay?”

“...Young Lord...”

Commander Seong’s voice turned heavy.

“This is the martial world. If we don’t take responsibility for our own actions, then we’re not martial artists.”

“...”

“Wonyang. What do you think?”

As if waiting for the cue, Wonyang answered instantly:

“They should reap what they sowed.”

A satisfied smile curled on Unhwi’s lips.

Commander Seong and Ju Soa both sighed—an expression that said this man is completely insane.

“Young Lord... I understand what you’re saying, but... isn’t this too dangerous? Even if we count poison experts as just peak-level masters, the Lord of the Ninth Blood-Spirit Battalion is a Heaven-Man stage expert, right? And the Blood Envoys he brings are probably Earth-Heaven realm at minimum...”

“When was it ever not dangerous?”

Unhwi’s amused reply left Commander Seong speechless.

If they really thought about it, there hadn’t been a single moment in this journey that was truly safe.

There had always been risk. It was only that Unhwi had minimized that risk.

In the end, the truth was simple—Unhwi had never lost a battle.

A flame sparked to life in his hand—Samadhi True Flame.

Fwoosh.

The message turned to ash and scattered.

Two men approached from the distance.

“Commander Seong.”

“Yes, Young Lord.”

His face now bore none of the earlier worry—instead, he looked composed. Even thrilled.

“We’ll need to match their numbers.”

Unhwi looked toward the two approaching men.

One was the Heaven-Man master, No Cheonmyeong—One Pillar Defying Heaven.

The other was his disciple, Paewoon.

Unhwi spoke as they approached.