Just as his brush raced across the paper without rest—

A faint presence stirred.

His senses, sharpened to the Harmonization Stage, screamed at him.

Someone had arrived.

He immediately set the brush down and drew the sword standing beside him.

“Who’s there!”

The moment he shouted, two men stepped in through the window.

And the moment he saw them, Kang Cheolsan’s eyes flew wide open.

“…Don’t tell me… from Hon Do Ma Yeomgung… the Black Flame Demon Beast…?”

“Oh ho, and since when were we friends, you brat?”

Startled by the bellow, Kang Cheolsan immediately clasped his hands in a martial salute.

“…My apologies. The words slipped out in my surprise. Please forgive my rudeness.”

He followed up at once.

“Kang Cheolsan, Lord of Cheollyeong Hall, greets Urin-nim of Hon Do Ma Yeomgung.”

Then lightning struck in his mind.

Could it be that his doubt—why the Sacheon Alliance had taken no action—was mistaken all along?

The rumor that Urin of Hon Do Ma Yeomgung had gone missing after heading to meet Lee Jagyeom of Jeokan had even reached Saryang.

But what if he hadn’t gone missing—what if something unavoidable had happened, forcing him to withdraw for a time?

And what if the Sacheon Alliance was now calling Hon Do Ma Yeomgung back to their side?

Of course. Kang Cheonwu. This is why a man like that commands such a massive faction.

That thought lit up Kang Cheolsan’s expression.

If Hon Do Ma Yeomgung was backing them, then even that bastard Seol Unhwi would have no choice but to stand down.

It wasn’t just the Sacheon Alliance he’d be making enemies with—he was already at odds with the Martial Alliance. If he made enemies of Hon Do Ma Yeomgung, one of the Sects of the Outer Branches, too? That’s not something a mere bastard son could decide on his own.

It’d be a line too far.

Time to speak.

So you’ve come in person to aid Saryang—

Just as he was about to say those words out loud—

“Kang Cheolsan…! Kang Cheolsan, Lord of Cheollyeong Hall!!”

“…Yes… I am… Kang Cheolsan…”

“You bastard—did you think you could conspire with Lee Jagyeom to assassinate me?”

“…What?”

“You insolent cur. I never dreamed the Sacheon Alliance could be so arrogant—but now I see it clearly.”

“I… I don’t understand what you’re talking about—”

“Deny it, will you? When I was on my way to Jeokan, I was ambushed! It was your doing, wasn’t it?”

“…What…?”

“You and Lee Jagyeom tried to kill me yourselves! You’re worse than human filth!”

So said Urin, suddenly springing forward with a shout.

“Die!”

There was no explaining this.

What the hell is happening?

Why is this man attacking me out of nowhere…?

No—more importantly—

Why… Why doesn’t this Urin, who supposedly reached the Ipshin Realm, exude the spirit or pressure of someone at that level?

It didn’t make sense.

At least, not until he saw the tremendous miasma erupting from Urin’s body.

Return-Fire Flowing Shadow Step.

Black flames surged up beneath Urin’s feet. They weren’t soot—they were alive, like living things.

The study went up in flames in an instant.

Fwoosh.

Miasma coiled around both of Urin’s hands.

It grew so massive it obscured his entire figure.

No doubt about it—only those who had reached the Ipshin Realm could produce miasma of that scale.

He didn’t know what the hell was going on, but he had to respond.

Cheollyeong Nine Profound Arts.

Iron Body of the Celestial Man.

Kang Cheolsan’s body transformed in an instant. His skin turned as hard as steel, and golden light shone from his eyes.

This was the secret art of Cheollyeong Hall—its ultimate form.

It was said that with sufficient mastery, it could reach the legendary state of Indestructible Vajra.

The technique was well-respected, even beyond the sect.

“Please… calm yourself!”

He lunged toward Urin, aiming to push him back. But he had underestimated Urin’s power.

Twin Demon-Fire Lotuses.

The enormous miasma in both his hands bloomed into lotus shapes and slammed into Kang Cheolsan’s shoulder.

BOOM—!!

“Ggh—!”

Before he could even clear his mind, still reeling backward, he saw them—

Two black lotus flowers climbing up his shoulder.

He instantly poured all his inner energy into the shoulder. Thanks to Iron Body of the Celestial Man, the miasma was only scorching his qi and not his skin, but if he didn’t remove it immediately, he’d lose the shoulder first—and then his upper body.

The moment he shook off the black lotuses—

A shadow fell over his eyes.

CRACK—!!

Urin’s foot smashed into Kang Cheolsan’s nose, and he was blasted clean through the wall.

***

At first, she didn’t understand.

Why Urin?

But she didn’t ask.

Because with Unhwi, there was always a reason.

It was a belief rooted in unshakable trust.

It was Unhwi, after all.

Unhwi had already embedded himself deep in Han Murin’s heart—there was no room for doubt.

But understanding his actions? That was another matter entirely.

And now, in this moment, Han Murin finally grasped the strategy behind his actions.

Unhwi had disguised himself as Urin and attacked Cheollyeong Hall to sow distrust between the Martial Alliance and the Sacheon Alliance.

Down below, Unhwi—wearing Urin’s face—shouted furiously at Kang Cheolsan.

“Why did you try to assassinate me! Do you take Hon Do Ma Yeomgung so lightly? You think you can sow discord between us and Everlasting Snow Palace?! Did you really think someone like you or Lee Jagyeom could kill me?!”

It was an intricate scheme.

Through Unhwi’s performance, a new “truth” was being born.

That Lee Jagyeom had attempted to assassinate Urin of Hon Do Ma Yeomgung and frame it on Everlasting Snow Palace—but failed.

If that truth spread, distrust between the Martial Alliance and Sacheon Alliance would deepen—and Hon Do Ma Yeomgung would be swept into the conflict as well.

No matter how the Martial Alliance denied it, suspicion would persist.

And how did Han Murin appear right now, standing beside Urin?

Indistinguishable from a Martial Alliance martial artist.

People like Kang Cheonwu or Gun Mugyeol surely had hidden agents planted—if someone shouted that Han Murin was one of them, how could they possibly explain it away?

That’s how instigation works.

To deny a single sentence, you need dozens—hundreds—of words and proof.

Han Murin swallowed in awe.

Just as Unhwi had said, “Only fools widen the front lines”—and now, he had made his enemies do exactly that.

What amazed her more than anything was Unhwi himself.

That martial art that bloomed black lotus flowers—so intricate, yet so powerful.

It lent even more credibility to his performance.

“…Is he… a genius?”

Han Murin was truly, honestly impressed.

***

Unhwi—no, Urin—decided.

This was enough.

He couldn’t keep pretending to be someone at the Ipshin Realm forever.

Whatever tricks he used, his real level was still only Three Flowers Gathering Purity.

He’d stuffed himself full of divine elixirs and circulated False-Origin True Qi to imitate it, but even that had its limits.

The process of turning lies into truth—this much would suffice.

He sent Han Murin a sound transmission.

—Watch closely. True demonic fire can melt through anything.

He spread his arms wide.

Demon-Fire Flame Dance.

A surge of violet fire erupted from Urin’s body. Like something alive, it danced in the air before shooting straight at Kang Cheolsan.

“Stop… please stop!! There’s clearly some misunderstanding… ghkk—!”

Caught off guard by the speed, Kang Cheolsan flung himself aside in terror—but he didn’t expect what came next.

Urin moved.

Return-Fire Flowing Shadow Step.

Black fire bloomed with every step he took.

He reached Kang Cheolsan in a blink and threw a punch.

Three Forms of Black Flame.

Heaven-Scorching Flame Surge.

A swirling fist of miasma slammed into Kang Cheolsan’s solar plexus.

BOOM—!!

“Gahk…”

Thrown backward, Kang Cheolsan slumped to the ground, barely managing to lift his head.

“…You’re insane…”

Not a trace of hesitation.

CRUNCH—!

Urin’s foot smashed into Kang Cheolsan’s skull, bursting it open.

He turned his head.

Cheollyeong Hall was silent.

“Remember this, all of you. Whether the wrath of Hon Do Ma Yeomgung ends with this fool or spreads to all of you… that depends on how you act going forward. Understood?”

“Y-yes… yessir…!”

Urin turned his head again.

Then, toward the one who appeared to be from the Martial Alliance, he offered a martial salute.

“My thanks for your help, daehyeop. Three targets remain.”

As stated before—Han Murin truly had keen instincts.

In silence,

So naturally, she gave a small nod in place.

After all—if not now, when would she ever hear Unhwi call her daehyeop?

She couldn’t help but enjoy it a little.

***

No one could stop him.

Urin now moved to confront Jang Yunhong, Lord of Red Flame Blade Sect.

And by some stroke of fortune, Yi Pungun of Blue Sword Sect and Hwang Maeng of White Tiger Sect were present too.

The three lords of the so-called “Three Lower Sects” under Saryang’s control had all gathered in one place.

The reason was obvious.

“Urin-daehyeop…! Please calm down. This is all a terrible misunderstanding. We’re in the middle of a plan to pressure ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ Seol Unhwi of Everlasting Snow Palace. The Martial Alliance is helping us as well—who told you such lies?”

Even as Jang Yunhong finished speaking, Yi Pungun of Blue Sword Sect pointed at Yuhwa beside Urin.

“Him! It’s that bastard! He’s impersonating a member of the Martial Alliance!”

Hwang Maeng of White Tiger Sect immediately followed up.

“That’s right. Urin-daehyeop, you’ve been deceived by him! Hey, you! What’s your name? Who the hell are you to drive a wedge between the Martial Alliance and Hon Do Ma Yeomgung?!”

Yuhwa chuckled softly.

“…You’re laughing? You son of a— It’s you! You’re the one! The one who lured us into—!”

Hwang Maeng couldn’t finish his sentence.

Miasma surged around him. Urin was charging straight at him.

Terrified, Hwang Maeng scrambled to draw his sword and flee—but unfortunately, Urin was faster.

CRACK—!

Hwang Maeng’s head exploded on the spot.

And behind him, only the flame-marked footprints of Return-Fire Flowing Shadow Step remained.

He had just decapitated a Three Flowers Gathering Purity master in a single blow.

Urin turned his head.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep