After Baek Sowol's return, the air of Mount Tian had changed from before.

In the plaza where the eternal snow fluttered, numerous people armed with weapons were lined up in silence.

The breaths of thousands of people had united to form a huge air current, but in it, instead of vitality, a chilly shadow of death was thickly cast.

Baek Sowol's gaze, looking down at them from the highest platform, was heavy.

After punishing the group of the sect leader and taking this place, she had not slept comfortably for a single day.

Although uniting the faction was possible to some extent with what Baek Sowol had shown before, ruling the faction was a problem of a different dimension.

It was only possible because a strategist named Ju Wolryang had guarded her side.

However, there were still unresolved problems.

The lack of doctors and the remnants of the sorcery left by the former sect leader.

The martial artists of Mount Tian had become stronger at an astonishingly fast rate, but in return, they had lost their human emotions.

The fact that she had later learned through the Divine Doctor of Sichuan was even more terrible.

The erosion of emotions was only the beginning, and it was a dangerous state where they could fall into being a jiangshi who had lost their ego if they were not careful.

Thanks to the medical books and education left by the Divine Doctor of Sichuan, which had barely stopped the progress, a little human emotion remained in the eyes of those who had managed to recover their faded emotions, preventing them from becoming monsters.

Baek Sowol looked at the overwhelming fighting power kneeling at her feet and thought.

A power that could lightly trample a single family.

If she had not had the advantage of time and the justification of 'the strong survive' on the day she had punished the sect leader, it was a force that would have been difficult to face alone.

Now, that huge blade was paying attention to her.

Baek Sowol cut through the coldly frozen air and declared.

"We will strike the Namgung family."

At that one word, the plaza, which had been keeping its silence, exploded.

-Waaaaah!!

-The Namgung family! Let's burn those abominable things!!

The cheers that burst from the mouths of those who had lost their emotions were bizarrely hot.

That momentum had already become a sharp dagger aimed at the heart of the Namgung and was ready to spread to the Central Plains.

The road to Anhui was long and arduous, but Sowol's mind was full of the story she had shared with Ju Wolryang.

-The data that the senior brother gave me is truly frightening. The justification of striking the Namgung family to save the Namgung family is also flawless.

Ju Wolryang was constantly impressed as she examined the bundle that Zhuge Hyun had handed over.

There, the scale of the Namgung family, the deployment of its forces, and even the secret passages of the family and the structure of the buildings were written in such detail that it would be believable even if an insider had leaked it.

It was a map that could completely destroy the Namgung family if it fell into someone's hands.

Based on this vast data, Ju Wolryang divided the army and subdivided its movements.

Since thousands of people moving at the same time could not avoid attention, they scattered like a huge net as soon as they came down from Mount Tian.

"Heavenly Demon, you will disguise yourself as a merchant with me."

Following Ju Wolryang's suggestion, Sowol put on a simple and old outer garment.

With their armament hidden under a pungent box, Baek Sowol's party, disguised as a merchant group, arrived in Anhui.

When passing through the gates of Anhui, Sowol pressed down her bamboo hat deeply and lowered her gaze.

"It's an inspection. Show me your pass."

A martial artist of the Namgung family said in an arrogant voice.

Although Baek Sowol had commanded thousands of soldiers until just a few days ago, she now held her breath, looking down at the tips of her dust-covered shoes.

The remnants of the super-sense of the merchant group vividly conveyed the pulsation beating in the martial artist's Adam's apple.

'I am not the me of before...'

Beak Sowol let out a bitter smile, recalling herself who had just powerlessly escaped this place before.

In the meantime, the inspection continued.

"Here it is."

Ju Wolryang handed the pass and some silver to the martial artist with a familiar touch.

"Ahem, the pass is a bit old. I'm letting it pass at my discretion, so be sure to get a new one."

"Thank you for your generosity."

The martial artist coughed, glanced at the silver, and then quickly put it in his bosom.

"The atmosphere of the Namgung family is not good right now, so act with some sense."

"For merchants like us, being quick-witted is life."

Thanks to Ju Wolryang's discretion, Baek Sowol's party safely entered Anhui.

Although the inside of Anhui was quiet as the martial artist had warned, the expressions of the people were not bad.

"You can go this way."

Following Ju Wolryang's guidance, Baek Sowol's party entered an inn.

The elderly owner, who was dozing off in the empty inn, perhaps because business was bad, jumped up from his seat and approached as he saw Ju Wolryang.

"Wolryang? Is that you?"

"Have you been well, elder?"

The two, as if they had known each other for a long time, exchanged greetings, asking after each other's well-being.

The inn owner, who had welcomed Ju Wolryang warmly, quickly grabbed a rag, tidied up the place, and then asked, glancing at Baek Sowol.

"Who might this person be? Is she perhaps the head of a new merchant group?"

"That is..."

Ju Wolryang hesitated for a moment at the inn owner's question and then opened his mouth with a look as if he had made up his mind.

"This person is not something like a merchant group head."

"Huh? Then is she doing some other work?"

At the slightly indifferent question, Ju Wolryang's eyes became serious.

"This person is my lord."

At Ju Wolryang's resolute introduction, the inn owner slowly put down the rag he was holding.

He straightened his back and stood, quietly staring at Sowol's eyes, which were hidden under the bamboo hat.

Although it was not rude, it was a sharp gaze that seemed to be trying to dig into the depths of a person.

"Lord... Wolryang, you are saying quite a heavy word."

The inn owner offered an old chair and held out a teacup.

Although it was cold tea, that gesture was full of dignity.

"This person is the rightful owner of Mount Tian, where the strong protect the weak and the weak respect the strong."

"Mount Tian? You mean that place really existed?"

The inn owner, who had heard Ju Wolryang's introduction, was surprised.

"Did the elder not tell me about Mount Tian?"

"I said it was a rumor... I didn't know it really existed..."

The inn owner continued to speak as if embarrassed.

"If it really existed, was that place a paradise as the rumors said?"

"No. It was hell."

Ju Wolryang shook his head.

"The one who made that hellish place a place where people can live is my lord, the Heavenly Demon."

"I am Baek Sowol."

Baek Sowol performed a fist-and-palm salute and bowed her head slightly.

Although she had just been paying respect to an old man, Ju Wolryang frowned slightly at the sight of his lord lowering herself.

"My lord, you must not bow your back carelessly."

"What is the problem with bowing one's head in front of an elder. Moreover, he does not seem to be an ordinary inn owner."

Although Ju Wolryang had lowered himself, seeing Baek Sowol with her sharp eyes, he let out a bitter smile and introduced the inn owner.

"You have seen correctly, my lord. This person is one who took first place in the palace examination in the past and was in charge of the literature of the Hanlin Academy. Although he has now broken his brush, this person's insight still sees through the flow of Anhui."

"Haha... you are putting unnecessary powder on this old man."

The inn owner burst out laughing at Ju Wolryang's praise.

It was a bitter and lonely laugh, as if it contained some regret and bitterness rather than anger.

"The literature could not take care of the people, and the tip of the brush could not contain the arrogance of the Namgung, so what is the use of that piece of paper called 'first place'..."

A voice that was endlessly bitter and even gloomy echoed quietly in the inn.

The inn owner let out a deep sigh and then smiled bitterly.

"My old man's surname is Go, and my name is Hakryeong. As you can see, I am now an old man who just takes care of a quiet inn."

Go Hakryeong quietly observed Baek Sowol's party.

"So, what business does the owner of Mount Tian have with this old man to have visited like this?"

"How about Scholar Go also joins in destroying the Namgung with my lord?"

Ju Wolryang answered a step ahead to the question directed at Baek Sowol.

"Destroying the Namgung?"

The corners of Go Hakryeong's eyes glinted at the answer.

A fierce presence wafted from him, to the point that one would wonder if he was the old man who had been exuding a vacant atmosphere until just before.

"Although they are weakened now, to destroy the great Namgung family, do you perhaps have a plan?"

"That is..."

Ju Wolryeong generously conveyed his own plan, which he had established based on the data that Zhuge Hyun had handed over, to Go Hakryeong.

"Hoh, information as if looking into the inside... Wolryang, I thought your head worked well for a mere merchant, but I didn't know it was to this extent."

"It is not purely my own strength. There was the cooperation of a person named Zhuge Hyun."

"Zhuge... Zhuge. A surname that has been heard quite often recently."

Ju Wolryang and Go Hakryeong shared the data and information they each possessed, along with a pleasant chat.

"This passage..."

Go Hakryeong lightly tapped a point on the map with his finger.

"You can deceive the eyes of a ghost, but you can't deceive the eyes of the rats in this neighborhood. A fortnight ago, there was an accident where the hooligan son of the acting head of the Namgung family, drunk, ran into this wall. It happened to be a place where the ground was weak. It is now thoroughly sealed."

"Then the guard forces must have been concentrated on this side."

"That's right! Thanks to that, the guard forces have been drawn to the north, so we must take advantage of the weakened guard."

"This part needs to be revised."

Ju Wolryang nodded his head and took up a brush to revise a point on the map.

While the conversation between the two strategists continued, Sowol looked into her own pupils reflected in the coldly cooled teacup.

Coldly cooled pupils.

In those pupils, numerous emotions were contained.

Striking the Namgung.

That was Baek Sowol's long-cherished wish.

But the current purpose had been altered by her meeting with Namgung Jehyun.

'To strike the Namgung to save the Namgung.'

That contradictory justification was a secret known only to Ju Wolryang and Baek Sowol.

To the martial artists of Mount Tian, this war was just a bloody revenge against the Namgung family.

Although their emotions had faded, the dregs of resentment were firmly hardened in their chests.

If they were to know Baek Sowol's true intentions, what kind of reaction would they show?

'Betrayal...'

The word 'betrayal' pierced Baek Sowol's chest like a chilly dagger.

Although their emotions had faded due to the sorcery of the former sect leader, those who held a grudge had not forgotten it.

No, rather, the negative emotion of resentment seemed to only grow larger.

If this continued, it seemed they would be buried in resentment and become monsters.

'The Divine Doctor of Sichuan said there was no particular problem, but...'

Baek Sowol secretly let out a long sigh.

'It's something that has already started...'

Although her mind was complicated, it was a situation that could not be reversed, and she had no intention of reversing it.

Because the current situation was not something that only Baek Sowol wanted.

"From the previous situation, it seems it will be revised like this, what do you think, Heavenly Demon?"

"My lord, it seems the situation will change a little. Please look and make a decision."

Around the time Baek Sowol was secretly sighing, the end of all discussions naturally headed towards her.

"I understand. Please do so."

As Baek Sowol's permission was given, the shadows hidden in the darkness of the inn all bowed their heads.

"Hah..."

"Please be at ease, they are our subordinates."

Ju Wolryang reassured Go Hakryeong, who was surprised at the suddenly appeared martial artists.

After the discussion was over, the preparation period until the promised great undertaking was three days.

On that day too, the sun rose as usual.

Baek Sowol, who was checking the martial artists of Mount Tian seeping into Anhui one by one, felt that the time had come and was quietly lost in thought.

'Master, is what I am about to do really the right thing?'

The question scattered into the empty air.

Although there was no one to answer, the White Iron Clear Dew held in her hand resonated slightly and awakened its master's fighting spirit.

In her mind, her master passed by, and her enemy, Namgung Jehyun, came to mind.

'Namgung Jehyun. Your Namgung family will collapse at my hands, but it will survive.'

Baek Sowol suddenly wondered what Namgung Jehyun would have thought if he had seen the current situation.

'Perhaps I would have become your enemy too.' 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Baek Sowol let out a bitter smile.

That smile seemed to be mocking Namgung Jehyun, and it also seemed to be mourning him, a strange smile.

Finally, on the night of the third day. Around the time the people of Anhui had forgotten the hardships of the day and had gone to bed.

Tearing the great silence, a flame shot up from the western manor.

-Fire! It's fire!!

The scream became a signal and burned the silence of Anhui.

"We're going in."

Baek Sowol's voice echoed quietly.

At the command of that low resonance, the eyes of Mount Tian, which had seeped into various parts of Anhui, began to glint one by one.

It was time for the tragedy of Shaolin, which had happened at the hands of Namgung Jehyun, to be reenacted in the courtyard of the Namgung.