Ryu Seonghan stepped through the entrance to the main stronghold of the Essence-Draining Ghost-Demon Valley.
The heart of a Nascent Soul-level demonic sect.
The innermost depths of the demon beasts, surrounded by five layers of walls.
The aura within the city was so dense that merely stepping inside made his skin prickle.
Even as an orthodox cultivator who could not see demonic qi, he could still feel it.
Ryu Seonghan maintained his expression and suppressed the tension boiling inside him as he walked.
After waiting briefly near the main gate under the guidance of the gatekeeper, a demon beast in the early stage of Foundation Establishment and a Qi Condensation demon beast came out to receive him.
The Foundation Establishment demon beast approached him while feigning friendliness.
“This is our first time meeting.
Did you come alone this time?
Aren’t these inspections normally conducted in pairs?”
“There have been many troublesome matters at the Palace recently, so only one person was dispatched for this inspection.”
Of course, that was a lie.
He had offered an enormous tribute to the elder backing him and arranged to come alone.
At first, he had considered disguising Ise as his inspection partner, having him retrieve the Two Principles Return-to-Origin Art while Ryu Seonghan caused a disturbance inside to draw everyone’s attention.
But given Ise’s personality, he would obviously never approve of a plan that required sacrificing Ryu Seonghan so that he could escape alone.
Ryu Seonghan gave the Foundation Establishment demon beast a friendly smile.
“This is my first inspection mission, so I’d like to conduct it a little more thoroughly according to procedure.
I hope you’ll understand even if it causes some inconvenience.”
“Yeah, go for it.”
The demon beast answered indifferently.
Ryu Seonghan immediately cast a Formation-Probing Talisman toward the barrier surrounding the outer city.
It was a talisman designed to determine the type of formation.
‘A barrier that prevents unauthorized entry, flying techniques, and the use of Escape Talismans, while also blocking attacks directed into the city.’
Ryu Seonghan firmly committed the information to memory.
‘If an Escape Talisman is used, it’ll scatter the internal energy midway and tear the user apart in midair.
I nearly would’ve been in serious trouble if I’d used one without knowing.
Escape is impossible anywhere except through the entrance.’
The Foundation Establishment demon beast frowned at his casual use of the Formation-Probing Talisman.
“Are you even inspecting the type of barrier?”
“That is standard procedure.
I take it the people who came before me never did this?”
It was almost a question implying that the previous inspection missions had not been carried out properly.
The demon beast glanced at the jade pendant hanging around Ryu Seonghan’s neck and hurriedly waved his hands.
Until now, whenever Heavenly Ice Palace cultivators came for inspections, it was customary for them to find courtesans and spend several days drinking and indulging themselves before returning.
But this time, they had sent an extraordinarily strict stickler for rules.
His expression remained displeased, but his voice became considerably quieter.
“…You aren’t here to scout out our territory, are you?
Move along.”
Ryu Seonghan was guided to the Scripture Repository.
He examined Sections A and B in succession before entering Section C.
His gaze slowly moved along the shelves before stopping at a particular cultivation manual.
The Two Principles Return-to-Origin Art.
It was casually placed among the other cultivation manuals without any particularly obvious safeguards.
‘I’ve confirmed that it exists.’
Ryu Seonghan naturally continued moving without changing his pace, allowing only his gaze and divine sense to shift from place to place.
‘Can I smuggle it out?’
Impossible.
He immediately discarded the thought.
The divine sense of the demon beast who had escorted him was following his every movement.
Checking the entire catalog of cultivation manuals was not something that could be done in a few hours.
Ryu Seonghan deliberately moved slowly, dragging out the process in hopes of making them bored.
Even so, the Foundation Establishment demon beast never relaxed its surveillance of him.
Another Foundation Establishment demon beast overseeing the Scripture Repository stood firmly in one corner.
And that wasn’t all.
A barrier specifically designed to prevent theft had also been installed throughout the Scripture Repository.
There was no way to secretly conceal and carry something out.
Simple schemes could not steal an item belonging to a sect.
That was Ryu Seonghan’s conclusion.
After thoroughly inspecting the Scripture Repository, he turned his attention to the interior of the main stronghold and surveyed the surroundings.
“Is there anywhere else where cultivation manuals are stored?”
“No.”
“I should inspect the interior as well.”
“Excuse me, Cultivator Ryu.
I believe that statement crosses the line.”
The demon beast’s voice dropped low.
He made no effort to conceal his hostility, openly releasing a fierce surge of demonic qi.
“As I said, my duty is to determine whether there are any cultivation techniques that have not been reported.
If you intended to hide something in the first place, you wouldn’t have left it sitting openly in the Scripture Repository.”
“Are you accusing Magok of harboring treasonous intentions and deliberately concealing cultivation manuals?
Is that truly the Heavenly Ice Palace’s position?
I will report this behavior to my superiors.”
Ryu Seonghan didn’t even blink.
“I’ll inspect only the areas I’m authorized to inspect after receiving permission.
But I’ll also report that there were areas you refused to disclose, as well as the fact that a Heavenly Ice Palace cultivator was pressured and threatened.”
“…”
The demon beast eventually let out a sigh.
At this point, his excessive behavior made the young cultivator’s intentions obvious.
The demon beast took a handful of mid-grade spirit stones from his Storage Pouch and quietly held them out.
“Will this be enough?”
“What are you doing?”
“A token of sincerity.
Isn’t this what you wanted?”
“Are you treating an inspector from the Heavenly Ice Palace like a bandit?”
Ryu Seonghan’s voice rose another level.
‘He doesn’t accept bribes?’
Even if he had originally intended to merely carry out his assigned duties, the amount was enough to make him waver for a moment.
Yet instead, he had become indignant and openly angry.
That meant this young cultivator was an infuriatingly rigid stickler for principles with whom there was absolutely no room for negotiation.
The demon beast inwardly clicked its tongue.
‘So they say orthodox cultivators are stubborn hypocrites.’
Letting the matter escalate any further would be troublesome.
If he caused trouble that gave the Palace something to criticize him over, his superior would make him pay dearly.
“You cannot inspect the places where the great demon beasts reside or the areas occupied by the leadership.
Surely you can show at least that much respect to a Senior?”
“Of course.”
Ryu Seonghan backed down a step.
“Thank you for your understanding.
Once the entire inspection is complete, I’ll make sure to note in my report that both of you provided exceptional cooperation.”
“Do whatever you want.”
The demon beast’s attitude had become even more sullen.
“May I see a map of the internal layout?
As I’ve said, it’s because this is my first assignment.
If you cooperate with me this time, I’ll show some flexibility from now on.”
The demon beast exchanged a glance with the Qi Condensation demon beast beside him.
“…Give it to him.”
Ryu Seonghan slowly but thoroughly extended his divine sense and explored the main stronghold of Magok.
Whenever his divine sense was stopped by a barrier, the demon beast would add a brief explanation.
“That is a great cultivator’s domain.”
Ryu Seonghan had already heard those words countless times.
‘Why are there so many great cultivators?
They’re like snakes.’
There were far too many places being concealed.
Enough to make even someone who had never intended to investigate suspicious.
Perhaps sensing his thoughts, the Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator following him awkwardly added,
“Demonic cultivators have a somewhat different culture from orthodox cultivators.
They are reluctant to tell even their own families what they’re doing.”
“I understand.”
There was no point digging any deeper anyway.
It was essentially a fruitless endeavor, but Ryu Seonghan did not give up.
He carefully committed every piece of information to memory.
Then Ryu Seonghan’s gaze stopped near a certain building.
“This is the Jade-Stone Workshop, where Magok produces the Demon Soul Stones that serve as one of its resources…”
It was larger and rougher in appearance than any building he had seen so far.
An ominous aura seeped from it more intensely than anywhere else.
Screams and groans seeped out as though being squeezed from the depths of someone’s throat.
“It isn’t exactly a pleasant sight for an orthodox cultivator.”
“…It certainly isn’t.
I’ll take only a brief look.”
Ryu Seonghan walked to the entrance of the Jade-Stone Workshop and swept his divine sense through the interior.
His expression hardened.
Ordinary people and crippled demonic cultivators were bound in chains, their vital essence being drained while they were still alive.
Their withered bodies hung limp like bundles of straw.
On one side stood enormous jars taller than a person, from within which continuous ghostly wails echoed.
A place where the vital essence of the living and the souls of the dead were crushed and refined into resources.
The sinister scene made bile rise into Ryu Seonghan’s throat.
Then his divine sense caught a familiar face.
One of the members of the Ryu Clan was withering away inside, looking scarcely different from a ghost.
A fierce rage surged from the bottom of his Dharma-Transformation Dantian.
The impulse to smash through the wall, rush inside, break those chains, and cut down every demon beast there made his fingertips tremble.
But Ryu Seonghan endured.
He gritted his teeth and forcibly swallowed down the anger boiling inside him.
The Foundation Establishment cultivator could take it no longer and glared at him with a noticeably rougher tone.
“Enough already.
It’s been two days.
Can’t you see that poor Qi Condensation demon beast following you around, unable to sleep or eat, just trailing after you?”
Ryu Seonghan stood still for a moment, thought it over, and then nodded.
“…Thank you for your cooperation.
Could you lend me a place where I can write my report?”
“Ah, damn it.”
In the end, the demon beast couldn’t hold back any longer and cursed.
Ryu Seonghan was guided to a reception hall and sat down by the window.
“Please turn your gaze away for a moment.
I’d appreciate it if you’d withdraw your divine sense as well.”
“This is really…”
“Don’t worry.
I found nothing suspicious during the inspection.”
The two demon beasts reluctantly withdrew their divine senses and turned away.
They could only hope that this troublesome and irritating cultivator would never set foot here again.
Pretending to write his report, Ryu Seonghan rapidly recorded the information he would send to Ise.
All other plans were discarded.
There were no gaps whatsoever in Magok’s security.
If even an inspector from the Heavenly Ice Palace had limitations on where he could go…
There was only one method left.
Two communication talismans flew simultaneously out the window.
One toward Ise.
The other toward Baek Gi and Cheongun, who should by now be standing before the Sect Master.
***
Ise’s eyes rapidly scanned the writing on the communication talisman from Ryu Seonghan.
The message had arrived two days after Ryu Seonghan entered the main stronghold.
The contents of the communication talisman were quite extensive.
A rough overall map.
The exact location of the Two Principles Return-to-Origin Art.
The types of barriers and their traps.
The cultivation realm of the demon beast guarding Section C of the Scripture Repository.
And even recommended escape routes in the event that war broke out.
The information had been organized without a single gap.
‘At least he’s safe.’
Ise let out a relieved breath, yet he still couldn’t feel completely at ease.
What exactly was Ryu Seonghan planning?
Ise couldn’t read him at all.
The absence of any mention of evidence suggested that he had ultimately been unable to enter the core areas and had run into the limits of his investigation.
Without evidence, the justification for war would be weak.
Yet Ryu Seonghan’s message was crystal clear.
The war will happen no matter what.
Prepare yourself.
It meant that even if their justification was weak, he intended to force the matter through anyway.
‘What exactly is he planning?’
Ise had already learned painfully at their farewell that trying to stop him was useless.
Then there was only one thing Ise could do.
Prepare everything he could.
No sect would fight a war in its own bedroom.
The moment war broke out, this place would certainly become a vacant battlefield.
When that happened, Ise would throw Magok City into even greater chaos.
That chaos would create the opening he needed to seize the lower volume of the Two Principles Return-to-Origin Art and escape safely.
Ise rose to his feet.
***
Ryu Seonghan rose to his feet.
Now was the time to put his decision into action.
His fingertips trembled faintly.
He clenched and relaxed his fists, calming himself.
Do not be afraid.
Do not retreat.
Simply move stubbornly toward the goal you have chosen.
Ryu Seonghan silently swallowed a high-grade Spirit-Burst Pellet.
The spiritual qi within his body expanded like an explosion.
Before the demon beasts could even perceive the change, a Wind Blade flew toward the neck of the Foundation Establishment cultivator who had carelessly turned his back.
His divine sense withdrawn, his back exposed.
The carelessness born from the certainty that a Heavenly Ice Palace cultivator would never harm him.
And an Art honed through years of repeatedly imagining, practicing, and tempering it until it had reached its peak.
Slash.
The result was the severed head of his sworn enemy.