"As expected, the Blood Cult is still the Blood Cult, huh?"

Zhuge Somyeong let out a small sigh as he received the damage report sent up from Sichuan.

Although the numbers fell short of the estimated damage before the dispatch, the casualties were still significant.

Moreover, the numbers had begun to rise exponentially once the Blood Cult, which had been hesitating and halted its eastward advance, started moving east again.

The Tang Clan's Poison King led his Poison Squad and the Qingcheng Sect's Sect Leader led his elites into battle, but the Iron Corpses were being used far too strategically to pull off an overwhelming victory.

"Still, what a relief it is that the damage from their illusion arts is relatively low."

At Maeng Ju-won's words, Zhuge Somyeong also nodded.

If they hadn't known the Blood Cult's true identity in advance.

If they hadn't discovered that the bastards scheduled to be dispatched to Sichuan had already sold off their Spirit-Subduing Orbs.

If they hadn't received reports that the Mount Heng Sect's Demon-Subduing Talisman helped overcome the Blood Cult's illusion arts.

They would have suffered massive casualties that easily surpassed their pre-dispatch estimates.

'It makes me dizzy just thinking about it. Just what kind of person is Jin Sowoon...'

How much did he know, and how far ahead had he foreseen?

When Zhuge Somyeong recalled Jin Sowoon's ever-nonchalant expression, a smile unconsciously spread across his lips.

"It is a relief, all things considered."

If the Blood Cult was dealt with just like this, the Murim Alliance's power would be maintained.

No, perhaps they would gain an even fiercer power, like tempering black iron mixed with impurities.

Once the impurities were removed, their density would become even more solid.

Maeng Ju-won, who had been restless like a dog needing to relieve itself for a while now.

"Really, since he's done such a commendable thing, shouldn't we give him some kind of reward?"

When Zhuge Somyeong's gaze turned to him, he spoke, emphasizing every single syllable.

"Like, say, a pre-ad-mis-sion pass to the Man-tong Bu-reau."

"..."

Of course, it was true that Jin Sowoon had made a massive contribution in this bloody incident in Sichuan.

But the problem was that he had committed just as great of a fault (過) afterward.

Apparently, Ak Jupyeong's joints had been bent at angles they shouldn't bend, right?

After hearing the circumstances, it was somewhat justified, but still, why did this guy always act with such reckless abandon?

Looking at the report submitted by the Academy Director, the Shandong Ak Clan had already tried to privately sanction Jin Sowoon.

And dragging him into the Inspection Pavilion, at that.

'Those Ak Clan bastards, there should be a limit to a thief turning on the victim. Idiots, the lot of them. Tsk.'

Of course, he had summoned the Inspection Pavilion Master to the Mantong Bureau over this and thoroughly grilled him, but Jin Sowoon had almost been branded an Underworld spy without him even knowing.

'Ugh, my head...'

Had he ever suffered such a headache over a single academy student since becoming the Chief Strategist?

Even so, he had absolutely no intention of giving up on the kid.

"Besides, didn't Jin Sowoon save the academy students and fend off the Blood Cult in Sichuan?"

It was precisely because of qualities like this.

Currently, even the Murim Alliance's elite forces were struggling in Sichuan.

Yet Jin Sowoon had entered Sichuan with only a handful of people, scraped up all the academy students, and safely escaped.

In the midst of all that, he had devised a method to defend against the Blood Cult's illusion arts, fought the Iron Corpses, and furthermore, cut off the Young Cult Master's head to halt the Blood Cult's eastward advance.

It was hard to believe, but it was all done by Jin Sowoon.

Looking at his track record, it seemed like he was playing in a completely different world by himself.

To the point where even among the Murim Alliance's elite soldiers, some asked if Jin Sowoon's activity report had been exaggerated.

After all, they wouldn't have expected to suffer such hardships on a battlefield that a single academy student had been running circles around.

While he was lost in thought for a good while.

A rhythmic shout, perfectly blending air and sound, began to ring out.

"Pre-admission pass! Pre-admission pass! Pre-admission pass!"

Seeing Maeng Ju-won continuously chanting for an admission pass like a protester beside him, Zhuge Somyeong felt the urge to strike his Adam's apple with a knife hand.

"Cut the nonsense!"

Did such a thing as a pre-admission pass even exist in the first place?

If they issued something like that, all the pavilions and halls in the Alliance would start randomly issuing pre-admission passes to any academy student they liked in an attempt to snatch them up early.

As the Mantong Bureau's top talent, Maeng Ju-won couldn't possibly be unaware of this.

"... But if we don't do this, we might lose Jin Sowoon."

"What? What are you talking about? The Alliance Leader's Pavilion promised not to touch him."

Maeng Ju-won shook his head vigorously.

"It's not just the Alliance Leader's Pavilion. Didn't the report on Sichuan circulate through the entire Alliance? All the Martial Pavilions and administrative pavilions that saw that report have started taking an interest in Jin Sowoon."

"..."

Maeng Ju-won paused for a moment, his eyes flashing with killing intent for a brief second.

"If we just sit back and do nothing, he might get snatched away."

He had forgotten. This guy was a crazy bastard too...

"Anyway, no means no! And if he has any brains at all, he'll crawl into the Mantong Bureau on his own."

"... We really might lose him, though..."

Looking sullen, Maeng Ju-won handed over another report.

Zhuge Somyeong tilted his head as he read the new report.

"The Zhuge Clan visited the academy?"

"Yes. I'm told they arrived for the event being prepared by the White Path Council."

"... What a foolish guy."

"Pardon?"

When Zhuge Somyeong shook his head as if it were nothing, Maeng Ju-won spoke cautiously.

"Should we... block them from entering?"

"Who's going to stop the White Path Council bastards from spending their own money to demonstrate a formation array?"

"But Jin Sowoon might lose this time. If he falls from his representative position, won't he be kicked out of the academy?"

It was true that the entire world was currently boiling with anticipation for the Two Extremes Eight Trigrams Universal Array.

It might truly be a dangerous situation for Jin Sowoon.

Zhuge Somyeong himself had personally confirmed just how incredible the newly developed Two Extremes Eight Trigrams Universal Array from the Zhuge Clan was.

However.

"... Never mind. Tell them to just let them in."

Even so, he wasn't particularly worried.

Because he didn't think Jin Sowoon would fall to something like that.

But Maeng Ju-won was still anxious, stamping his feet.

"I-If he ends up getting kicked out of the academy over this..."

"Then isn't that even better for you? We can just hire him through special admission and bring him into the Mantong Bureau."

"Ah... That's true, isn't it?"

Maeng Ju-won scratched the back of his head with a foolish grin.

It was baffling how such a brilliant guy became so stupid whenever something involving Jin Sowoon came up.

* * *

The Two Extremes Eight Trigrams Universal Array.

This arrogantly named formation array was undoubtedly superior to the Seven Stars Seven Captures Array.

Right after the Orthodox-Demonic Great War broke out, the sects that had installed the Seven Stars Seven Captures Array faced total annihilation, whereas half of the sects that installed the Two Extremes Eight Trigrams Universal Array managed to survive.

Of course, as the Orthodox-Demonic Great War entered its middle phase, even the Two Extremes Eight Trigrams Universal Array was eventually overcome by the Demonic Cult's Demonic Brain.

However, the Two Extremes Eight Trigrams Universal Array hadn't been widely distributed in my past life.

The financial burden of having to dismantle the Seven Stars Seven Captures Array to install the Two Extremes Eight Trigrams Universal Array did play a part.

More than anything, once the Zhuge Clan realized that announcing a new formation array was a great way to secure funding, they started releasing upgraded versions on a yearly basis. As a result, the sects that wanted to install the Two Extremes Eight Trigrams Universal Array ended up waiting endlessly for the final version to come out.

'In my past life, the Zhuge Clan were truly brilliant thugs. I wonder if it'll be a bit different in this life?'

I don't know how much they'll meet my expectations and be reborn as a noble clan that actually helps Jianghu, but regardless, it is an undeniable fact that the Two Extremes Eight Trigrams Universal Array is an excellent formation array.

That must be why Zhuge Jeonggi set up the unveiling of this Two Extremes Eight Trigrams Universal Array at the Murim Academy as his trump card to solidify the White Path Council's position.

I had also prepared an improved version of the Boundless Indestructible Soul-Extinguishing Array that could be installed simply for times like this, but thanks to getting my hands on a good item, I was spared the fatigue of installing the complex Boundless Indestructible Soul-Extinguishing Array.

"Shit... Shit... Shit..."

Nam Hwaseong kept hissing the curse in a rhythm that made it sound like he was chanting to some unknown Buddha.

I mean, was he the only one who had been shoveling?

"Can we really go up against the White Path Council with this?"

"Of course we can."

Despite my answer, the furrow between his brows showed no signs of relaxing.

"... Even a ten-year-old kid could pass through the Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Array."

"Oh? I guess that makes you worse than a ten-year-old kid, then?"

"Fucking hell!"

Nam Hwaseong, entirely covered in grime and dirt, strode toward me.

"What will you do if I pass through it?"

"If you pass through it?"

"Yeah! If I pass through it!"

His eyes suddenly sparkled.

"... Never call me a spy again!"

"Hmm... Fine."

Nam Hwaseong, fueled by some unknown confidence, puffed up his shoulders triumphantly and burst into laughter.

"Then activate it immediately! I'll show you how I smash through the Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Array in a single breath!"

Nam Hwaseong stood in front of the Gate of Life (生門) with more confidence than ever before.

I stood before the stone mound I had built at the center of the Nine Palaces Array.

The central axis of the Nine Palaces Array, and the pillar supporting the Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Array.

The Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Array deceives people with illusions, but it can be dismantled simply by finding and destroying the qi of this pillar.

'If I mix this... with that...'

I took the Illusion Ring I had looted from the Blood Cult's Young Cult Master out of my robes and slipped it onto my finger.

A bizarre divine artifact that could transform even an ordinary formation array into a Blood Cult illusion array.

For me, this event was also an opportunity to test just how effective this divine artifact would be against the academy students, who were essentially the rising elites of Jianghu.

'Since everyone's attention is focused on the Two Extremes Eight Trigrams Universal Array, they'll pay less attention to how I created this illusion array. Hehe.'

Reciting the oral chants of the Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Array, I infused my qi into the Illusion Ring.

SCREECH!

AAAGH!

KYAKYAKYA!

The Illusion Ring was clearly no ordinary item; the moment it absorbed my qi, all sorts of screams began to run rampant in my head.

I suppressed the lingering thoughts clouding my mind and poured the qi dwelling within the Illusion Ring into the Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Array.

RUMBLE.

With a rattling sound, the stone mound slightly collapsed, and a few stones tumbled down.

At the same time, a red mist originating from the stone mound slithered out and began to spread in all directions.

The red mist did not breach the area establishing the Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Array, but it began to pool inside it like a lake.

The red mist that had been sloshing around my ankles soon rose to my thighs, and before long, it completely filled the entire Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Array.

At the sudden change, Nam Hwaseong, who had been overflowing with confidence, began to back away.

"W-What is this..."

As the red mist filled the area, the appearance of the Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Array vanished without a trace.

The pillars and stone mounds of the Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Array that should have been right in front of him disappeared, and the field had returned to exactly how it looked before all the shoveling.

Bewilderment washed over Nam Hwaseong's face as he stared at the Gate of Life, the only thing left standing awkwardly in front of him.

I looked at him and lightly jerked my chin.

"What are you doing? Aren't you going in?"

"I-Is this really the Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Array?"

"You made it yourself. Why? Are you scared?"

"F-Fucking hell!"

The moment Nam Hwaseong gritted his teeth at my taunt and took a step forward.

He was instantly sucked right into the Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Array.

Soon after.

Ugh!

Kuhak!

W-Why the hell is a demonic beast here!!!!

S-Save me!!!!

AAAGH!

Jin Sowoon, you son of a bitch!!!!!

GWWAAACK!

His colorful array of screams began to echo out.

"Hmm, it's working perfectly."

Nam Hwaseong, who had looked like he was going to smash the pillar of the Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Array in a single breath, showed no signs of coming out even after a long while passed.

After about two quarters of an hour had passed, I lightly kicked the pillar forming one of the Eight Gates and shattered the Nine Palaces Soul-Bewildering Array.

Immediately after.

"AAAGH!"

Nam Hwaseong appeared, drooling from his mouth and flailing about in an unsightly manner.

I gave him a swift kick.

"Snap out of it, punk."

"Gasp! Gasp! Gasp! F-Fucking hell...!"

Heaving ragged breaths, he stared at me with a dumbfounded expression.

"I-Isn't this the Blood Cult's sorcery! Just what the hell is going on here?"

I answered him with a satisfied smile.

"How was it? This should be enough to grab everyone's attention, right?"

"..."

Nam Hwaseong clamped his mouth shut tightly, as if he didn't want to admit it.

"Answer me, spy!"

"F-Fucking hell!"

He ultimately substituted his answer with a string of curses, acknowledging that his life as a spy was going to be prolonged.

* * *

The ongoing battle situation with the Blood Cult in Sichuan was not yet known to Jianghu.

Information was being exchanged in strict secrecy, with extreme vigilance against operations leaking out.

Nevertheless, those with some influence could naturally catch wind of the news from Sichuan.

"Tsk."

The White Path Council's Zhuge Jeonggi was one of those people.

He furrowed his brows deeply, as if displeased.

"Are you telling me that the Murim Alliance's Martial Pavilions are worse than a single academy student?"

The news that they were struggling immensely against the Blood Cult was enough to grate on Zhuge Jeonggi's nerves.

Because the more incompetent the Murim Alliance appeared, the more Jin Sowoon's achievements would stand out.

Therefore, Zhuge Jeonggi felt the need to divert people's attention in preparation for any unforeseen situations.

If the events in Sichuan were highlighted, attention would be focused on Jin Sowoon's event.

But if the events in Sichuan were covered up, people's eyes and ears would be focused on his own event.

Since the entire White Path Council was well aware of this point, they all devoted all their efforts to covering up the information.

No, rather than covering it up, they were hard at work subtly spreading new information.

However, there was a problem.

"Our budget will soon hit rock bottom. Is there a reason to go this far?"

The budget problem, to be exact.

Zhuge Jeonggi gave a firm order.

"If the White Path Council takes over the representative officers, additional budget will be handed down from the higher-ups. So don't worry and proceed."

"... Understood. Then we'll make a request to the Beggars' Sect."

"No, don't just leave it to the Beggars' Sect; assign the work to gossips as well. There is no power as strong as word of mouth, after all."

The White Path Council scraped the bottom of their dwindling budget to hire the Beggars' Sect and gossips, using them to subtly spread information about the Two Extremes Eight Trigrams Universal Array.

Like rain during a drought, the information they released bit by bit whenever people's interest began to wane was enough to continuously pique their curiosity, and the attention of all the sects became even more focused on the Murim Academy, where the first public unveiling would take place.

As a result, it served as an opportunity for the academy students' interest to shift from Jin Sowoon's event to the White Path Council's event.

Meanwhile, at the main gates of the Murim Academy.

"That's the situation. It's incredibly urgent."

"..."

Just as Jin Sowoon had said, people were beginning to waver as the White Path Council slowly released information on the Two Extremes Eight Trigrams Universal Array.

As interest in the new formation array grew, even the people who had expressed their intent to participate in Jin Sowoon's event were starting to hesitate and gauge the atmosphere one by one.

That was indeed the situation, but...

'But why am I here?'

In his hands was a thick stack of papers.

On the sash crossing from his shoulder to his waist, a slogan was written: 'Dominating with Sorcery, Reigning over the World'.

"Benefactor Jin... I understand the situation. But... why must I be the one doing this work?"

Ilgak was trembling more violently than when he was engulfed in any sort of worldly anguish.

Looking at Ilgak, Jin Sowoon spoke with the demeanor of a back-alley thug.

"Obviously because you failed to drag the White Path Council's people over, no?"

Ilgak barely suppressed his shaking body as he replied.

"Benefactor Jin... as I told you, I cannot act as a spy."

"Which is why I'm giving you a different job instead. ... Oh my! Hello there! Do you know about the event being hosted by the Murim Academy's official representative officers this time?"

Jin Sowoon seamlessly stopped mid-sentence and smoothly approached an academy student, handing over the stack of papers.

In other words...

Right now, Jin Sowoon was soliciting customers—an act commonly done by guest house waiters or red-light district thugs.

"What are you doing? Aren't you going to work?"

And he was doing it while dragging along Ilgak, a rising star of the Shaolin Sect who had endured wall-facing meditation and even mastered the Muscle-Changing Classic.

"H-Hello there..."

Ilgak held out a paper with trembling hands.

Overcome by an inexplicable sense of fear at Ilgak's demeanor, the passing academy student quickly ran away without taking the paper.

"W-Wait a moment! H-How can you... just leave!"

Watching this, Jin Sowoon clicked his tongue.

"Tsk. Goodness! You can't even bring people over! You can't even hand out flyers! Just what exactly is a rising star of the Shaolin Sect good for?"

"..."

Every time Jin Sowoon spat out a bitter remark, it felt like a large nail was being ruthlessly driven into Ilgak's chest.