The leader of the Demonic Cult, Cheongeom Mawang, had been meticulously analyzing the current state of the murim. Her sharp gaze focused on the escalating conflict between two emerging factions: Cheongpunghoe and Cheonwoohoe. She saw in their rivalry a perfect opportunity—a chance to weaken both sides and destabilize the fragile balance of power. Cheongpunghoe, riddled with internal power struggles, and Cheonwoohoe, stubbornly clinging to their ideals, were ripe for manipulation.
Cheongeom Mawang began to set her plan into motion. She summoned Heukwolcheon, a trusted lieutenant, and ordered him to plant agents inside Cheongpunghoe. Through his network of loyal operatives, Heukwolcheon began to spread carefully crafted false information—rumors that Cheonwoohoe was preparing to strike at Cheongpunghoe's financial lifelines.
The misinformation quickly reached Cheongpunghoe's key leadership. Yu Cheonrin, upon hearing the reports, frowned deeply and turned to Seol Yeonhwa.
"Cheonwoohoe is targeting our funds?" he muttered darkly.
Seol Yeonhwa's sharp eyes narrowed in thought. "If they're planning to cut off our resources, we can't just sit back and watch. We need to preemptively sever their supply lines and limit their movements."
Her analysis was cold, strategic. She saw this as an opportunity to strike back and expand Cheongpunghoe's influence. Yu Cheonrin agreed, nodding firmly. They rallied their core members and set their sights on Cheonwoohoe's territories. The order was given: advance swiftly, strike hard, and don't let up.
Seol Yeonhwa took the lead, directing Cheongpunghoe's forces toward Cheonwoohoe-controlled regions. "This is our moment. We must crush them now!" she declared, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. Yu Cheonrin, exuding confidence, proclaimed, "This is the path to our new era!"
Meanwhile, Cheonwoohoe was caught off guard by Cheongpunghoe's sudden aggression. I Dohyeon, the steadfast leader of Cheonwoohoe, frowned deeply. He sensed something off—this wasn't just a random show of force. It felt calculated, as if someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes.
"This isn't just Cheongpunghoe flexing its strength," I Dohyeon muttered to himself. "There's something else driving them. Another force at play."
Rather than meeting Cheongpunghoe head-on, I Dohyeon ordered a strategic retreat. He instructed his forces to pull back, drawing Cheongpunghoe deeper into their territory—where their lines would stretch thin, and their rear defenses would weaken.
"We mustn't play by their rules," I Dohyeon told his core members in a low voice. "Let them come in. Let them believe they're winning. And when they overreach, we'll strike."
Cheonwoohoe's elite fighters staged a controlled resistance, slowly falling back, making it seem as though Cheongpunghoe's push was successful. Cheongpunghoe, emboldened by this apparent victory, plunged deeper into Cheonwoohoe's domain. Seol Yeonhwa, her eyes gleaming with triumph, shouted, "Victory is ours! Let's end them for good!" Yu Cheonrin, standing tall, roared, "This is our time!"
But they didn't realize they were stepping into a carefully laid trap.
At the critical moment—when Cheongpunghoe's forces were fully committed, their rear guard exposed—Heukwolcheon and a force of elite Demonic Cult warriors emerged from the shadows. They launched a devastating ambush, cutting through Cheongpunghoe's supply lines and seizing their key resources.
"Cheongpunghoe is now in the palm of our hand," Heukwolcheon sneered coldly, watching as chaos erupted among the ranks of Cheongpunghoe.
Yu Cheonrin, shocked by the sudden attack, clenched his fists in frustration. "How did it come to this? We've been played!"
Seol Yeonhwa barked urgent commands, trying to rally their forces and defend their rear, but it was too late. The Demonic Cult's assault was swift and brutal, their strikes calculated and merciless. Cheongpunghoe's resource chains crumbled, and their rear guard, left weak by their aggressive push into Cheonwoohoe's territory, was overwhelmed.
As the crisis unfolded, Yu Cheonrin hastily convened an emergency meeting with his top lieutenants. His voice was edged with fury. "We've been completely outmaneuvered… This is the Demonic Cult's doing. We need to regroup, now!"
But within Cheongpunghoe's ranks, doubts and unrest had already begun to simmer. The leadership's credibility was fractured. Some questioned Yu Cheonrin's judgment, wondering if he had been too reckless, too blind to the dangers. Whispers of discontent began to spread like cracks in a dam.
Cheongpunghoe had prided itself on being an independent force, a new power rising in the murim. Yet now, it had been exposed as a pawn in a larger game—manipulated by the Demonic Cult, caught in a web of deception.
Meanwhile, I Dohyeon and Cheonwoohoe watched from a distance, steady and resolute. Seeing Cheongpunghoe flounder under the Demonic Cult's strike, I Dohyeon spoke calmly.
"They won't be able to challenge us now. We've seen their weakness. Their attack against us has only led to their own ruin."
Cheonwoohoe had held firm, using strategy and discipline rather than brute force. They had let their enemies overextend, then let others deliver the fatal blow. I Dohyeon gathered his core members, his voice low but resolute.
"We don't give in. We protect the weak. We walk our own path, no matter who tries to sway us. Cheongpunghoe and the Demonic Cult tried to break us, but we endure."
In the aftermath, Cheonwoohoe reaffirmed their unity and strength, while Cheongpunghoe was left scrambling to contain the chaos within their ranks. The Demonic Cult, ever opportunistic, continued to exploit the situation, deepening the fracture between their enemies.
The murim had become a far more volatile place. The struggle for survival would only intensify, and every faction—Cheonwoohoe, Cheongpunghoe, and the Demonic Cult—would soon find themselves at the heart of an ever-escalating storm.
***
Chapter : The Proposal of Cheonwoohoe and the Dilemma of Cheongpunghoe
After the clash with Magyo, Cheonwoohoe had a clearer grasp of the precarious nature of Cheongpunghoe and the sheer menace of Magyo. Lee Dohyun had witnessed firsthand how easily Cheongpunghoe was manipulated by Magyo's schemes, and he saw an opportunity in their weakness. He concluded that, to counter Magyo's growing threat, Cheonwoohoe would need more allies—and leveraging Cheongpunghoe might be the smartest move.
A strategic meeting was called within Cheonwoohoe. Chunhyang spoke first."Cheongpunghoe took a serious blow from Magyo's ambush. They're in disarray, unable to mount an immediate response—that's what the reports say."
Han Soyeon nodded."They're not ready to act. If we extend a proposal now, we could draw them to our side, at least temporarily."
Lee Dohyun, after a moment of silent thought, spoke decisively."It's time to use Cheongpunghoe. We'll approach them directly, offer an alliance against Magyo—but we'll make it clear that Cheonwoohoe will lead, and they'll follow."
Lee Dohyun prepared envoys to be sent to Cheongpunghoe's headquarters. He knew exactly what state Yu Cheonrin was in: battered by Magyo's attack, weakened by the loss of funds, and vulnerable. Lee Dohyun wouldn't let this chance slip.
The envoys arrived at Cheongpunghoe's headquarters, where a tense meeting was held. Yu Cheonrin and Seol Yeonhwa listened in heavy silence as Cheonwoohoe's proposal was delivered.
"Our leader believes that in the current state of turmoil caused by Magyo, Cheonwoohoe and Cheongpunghoe must cooperate. However, this alliance will be led by Cheonwoohoe, and you will join us in the fight under our terms."
Yu Cheonrin clenched his jaw, lips drawn tight. Aligning with Cheonwoohoe would mean swallowing his pride, but in the face of Magyo's looming threat, could he afford not to? The very fact that Lee Dohyun had extended the offer first signaled Cheonwoohoe's intent to position itself as the superior force. Yet, with their current state, Cheongpunghoe couldn't stand alone.
Yu Cheonrin glanced at Seol Yeonhwa for her opinion. She slowly nodded."We have no choice. We need Cheonwoohoe's support, even if they're trying to control us. Dealing with Magyo comes first."
In the end, Yu Cheonrin accepted the proposal."Tell Lee Dohyun we'll accept the alliance. For now, let's focus on the threat of Magyo. But if Cheonwoohoe tries to treat us as mere pawns, we won't back down."
The envoys returned with the message, and Lee Dohyun smiled. He saw this as confirmation that Cheonwoohoe would take the lead, and he began crafting strategies that would tip the alliance in Cheonwoohoe's favor.
Preparations for battle began. At Cheonwoohoe's strategy session, Lee Dohyun introduced a new tactical framework that combined the military strategies they had drilled with the unique formations of the Murim world."We'll merge battlefield tactics with Murim's Jinbeop techniques. Our fighters will flow like a single organism—fluid yet structured, using Jinbeop as the backbone while soldiers maintain the formation."
Lee Dohyun summoned the top warriors and tacticians of Cheonwoohoe, outlining the plan:First, the "Bait Formation"—a feint that concentrated apparent force in one area, luring Magyo's forces into a false sense of security, while striking from unexpected flanks.
Second, the "Jinbeop Integration"—Murim experts using Jinbeop to control the battlefield like a living entity, while trained soldiers maintained the formation's cohesion, creating a seamless harmony between martial prowess and disciplined tactics.
Cheonwoohoe and Cheongpunghoe prepared to strike Magyo's core stronghold. This time, however, Lee Dohyun held the reins, and Cheongpunghoe was relegated to a supporting role—something that caused simmering discontent among Cheongpunghoe's ranks. Yu Cheonrin, however, masked his feelings and ordered his people to cooperate.
On the day of battle, Cheonwoohoe executed a coordinated attack: striking Magyo's rear supply lines while Cheongpunghoe engaged Magyo's main forces head-on. Lee Dohyun's tactics worked as planned. Cheonwoohoe's Jinbeop-driven formations flowed with deadly precision, disorienting Magyo's forces, while Cheongpunghoe absorbed the brunt of the frontal assault.
Magyo had not anticipated a joint assault and struggled to respond. Cheonwoohoe's warriors surged through Magyo's rear, cutting off supplies and sowing chaos, while Cheongpunghoe was forced into a brutal, draining clash at the front.
After the dust settled, the combined forces had dealt a severe blow to Magyo. Their main contingent was crippled, and their resources were severely depleted. But this alliance was always meant to be temporary.
In a post-battle debrief, Lee Dohyun and Yu Cheonrin exchanged words of thanks, yet their expressions were stiff, guarded.
"Today's victory is thanks to both sides' efforts," Lee Dohyun said, voice steady. "But our paths will diverge again. Cheonwoohoe walks its own path, and Cheongpunghoe theirs."
Yu Cheonrin agreed, shaking hands with Lee Dohyun—a gesture of acknowledgment, not of trust.
After the battle, both sides retreated to their respective territories. While they had fought side by side, the tension between them lingered, unspoken yet palpable. The alliance had been a necessity, not a bond.
Cheonwoohoe had confirmed Cheongpunghoe's fragility, and Cheongpunghoe had been forced to confront its own susceptibility to manipulation. Meanwhile, Magyo, though weakened, was far from defeated, and their sinister machinations loomed over the Murim world.
The stage was set for a new phase of conflict, where alliances could shift at a moment's notice, and each faction would fight to shape the future of the Murim.