Ep466 - I Became a Drunkard in a Martial Arts Novel.

Soul-Searing Ghost Formation (燒魂殺鬼進). A forgotten formation from the past. All that remains are a single line in the densely written records of martial history and another in the formation texts passed down by the Zhuge clan. There are generally two reasons why a formation is forgotten. The first is the emergence of a better formation or the loss of the original through modifications. The second is eradication by force. The case of the Soul-Searing Ghost Formation belongs to the latter. It was erased without a trace by the persistence of a certain group. So when did this happen, and who were the ones responsible for eradicating its traces? "The Soul-Searing Ghost Formation was a dreadful tactic used by the Dark Faction during the Great War, which led to the deaths of thousands of orthodox warriors." This was during the time when both the Orthodox and Dark Factions were engaged in a decisive conflict that determined their survival. The prevailing opinion was that coexistence would be impossible unless one side was completely obliterated. "Back then, the Dark Faction had the Danmok clan, a family playing a role akin to the Zhuge clan in the Orthodox Faction today." The Danmok clan. A family that served as the brains of the Dark Faction, matching the Zhuge clan's status in the Orthodox Faction. The head of the clan during that time, and also the strategist for the Dark Lotus alliance, employed a formation to win the war. That was the Soul-Searing Ghost Formation. "The formation amplifies the negative emotions inherent in humans... no, it makes them boil uncontrollably. Particularly." She swallowed dryly before continuing. "Rage and murderous intent. It maximizes these two emotions, turning human souls into bloodthirsty ghosts... a heinous formation." Within the domain of the Soul-Searing Ghost Formation, all emotions ignite. Emotions like joy and happiness are melted down into fuel, which in turn fuels rage and murderous intent. "It was during the height of the war. Everyone's hearts were plastered with thick layers of murderous intent." The Soul-Searing Ghost Formation was devastatingly effective because of those circumstances. Days were filled with the stench of blood from constant battles with the opposing faction. Imagine if anger and murderous intent boiled over suddenly amidst all that. "The orthodox warriors caught in the formation lost their rationality and rampaged. They slaughtered their own comrades and even innocent villagers nearby. In the end, when there was nothing left to kill, they ended their own lives by driving their weapons into their hearts." Once transformed into a ghost, they moved for murderous intent until their death. As a result, thousands of orthodox warriors perished, and scores of villages were massacred by those turned into killing ghosts. "And this formation became the turning point for the Orthodox Faction's victory." In the midst of a stalemate with constant advances and retreats. Both sides had weakened significantly, engaging in futile battles. The Danmok clan attempted to resolve this situation with the Soul-Searing Ghost Formation, but it backfired and handed victory to the Orthodox. "Everyone was outraged by the inhumane formation. Numerous sects that were part of the neutral factions joined the Orthodox side, and public sentiment favored them." The problem was the dramatic impact of the formation’s effects. It brought about mass death among not only the Orthodox warriors but also innocents, inciting public outrage. Everyone criticized them, and support rallied behind the Orthodox. Cornered, the Dark Faction had no choice but to make a decision. "Ultimately, the Dark Faction was forced to surrender, pressed to the brink." They weren’t foolish enough to pursue a visible path to defeat. The Dark Faction quickly declared surrender to preserve whatever strength they had left. The Danmok clan, who advocated for the use of such a heinous formation, were eradicated by their own faction. And with that, the existence of the Soul-Searing Ghost Formation was wiped from the world. At least, that’s what was believed. "So how is its flow inscribed here...?" Within the Zhuge clan, it was merely retained as a record. Having vanished long ago, no one cared about its contents. The reason why Zhuge Yunzhi mastered such forgotten knowledge was solely due to her determination. A determination to be of help to Baek Woojin, a desire to remain by his side for a long time. That determination drove her to read every formation text within the Zhuge clan, pushing even the neglected contents into her mind. Just as she found value from Baek Woojin despite her perceived uselessness, she firmly believed that even disregarded knowledge would prove its worth someday. Of course, she hadn’t expected it to actually prove useful. Having heard her explanation, Baek Woojin asked with a puzzled expression. "This formation doesn’t seem as dangerous now." With his experience in countless battles, Baek Woojin immediately realized the power of the Soul-Searing Ghost Formation. In battlefields overflowing with murderous intent and malice, there could be no more effective formation than this. However, the formation before them seemed far removed from the terrifying description given. When this was pointed out, she responded, "The formation's flow is much weaker than what I saw in the texts. This means its ability to incite murderous intent is also diminished." "So, that means…?" "...It was intentionally weakened. To achieve only the desired outcome." "Hmm." Baek Woojin fell into deep thought. Most likely, the current scheme is part of a demonic cult's plan to sow discord between the Orthodox and Dark Factions. Yet, the Soul-Searing Ghost Formation, known for terrorizing the Orthodox in the past, is involved now. A chilling thought crossed his mind. "Could they have anticipated the exposure of the formation?" If that's the case, everything falls into place. Suppose there's a separate culprit behind the recent series of murders, using a diluted version of the Soul-Searing Ghost Formation that once wreaked havoc during the Great War. "Most people would suspect it to be the work of the Dark Faction." "That's true." That's how the majority would think. They'd believe the Dark Faction managed to partially restore the long-lost Soul-Searing Ghost Formation and is using it to eliminate Orthodox members for control over the martial world. Such an occurrence would undoubtedly strain relations between the Orthodox and Dark Factions once more. "Looks like a clever individual devised this plan." Whether or not the mystery behind the murders is uncovered, the plan succeeds in driving a wedge between the factions—a true catch-22. If any other member of the Orthodox had discovered this, the alliance would be thrown into chaos. But Baek Woojin is different. ‘The Dark Lotus Master is not someone who would do that.’ He knows. He knows that Do Hyeong, the Dark Lotus Master, is not someone who would order such a sinister operation. Especially in the current climate with the demon cult as the common enemy. His unwavering belief still focuses on a singular adversary. ‘It has to be the demonic cult….’ Yet, a question remains. How did they learn about the lost Soul-Searing Ghost Formation, and how are they wielding it? There was only one possible answer. Facing each other, the two slowly spoke. "If a descendant of the Danmok clan, thought to be exterminated, is still alive…." "Then everything makes sense." The pieces of the puzzle that had been scrambled in their minds began to fall into place. * * * A fierce war. In the midst of a brutal conflict that claimed hundreds of lives each day, someone had to make a move. And the range of moves was ultimately limited. ‘Preserve as many allies as possible, and kill as many enemies.’ Isn't that where all military strategies begin? It was from such desperate calculations that the Soul-Searing Ghost Formation was born. An extraordinary formation that erodes reason and amplifies murderous intent, blurring the lines between friend and foe. Deployed within enemy lines, it would cause them to fight each other without harming allies, greatly diminishing their forces. Everyone agreed. Thus, the Soul-Searing Ghost Formation was installed at enemy strongholds, unleashing its devastating might. With results far exceeding even the Danmok clan’s grim predictions, they swiftly became criminals overnight. They were branded as shameless, merciless killers who defied humanity. And they were abandoned. Those who once praised the Danmok clan's brilliance turned on them with pointed blades. An ensuing merciless massacre. In that chaos, only one child survived. No, the clan, foreseeing such events, had sacrificed themselves to save the child. Bearing the lives of hundreds on his back, he survived and made a vow. ‘To seek revenge.’ To exact revenge, he needed strength. Yet the martial world was dominated by the bitter enemies—the Orthodox and Dark Factions. He had only one option. To align with a group strong enough to challenge both factions and with an interest in controlling the central plains. The demonic cult. The surviving child climbed the mountains of Shi Man Dae, driven solely by revenge, and finally reached them. The demonic cult was intrigued by the dark, seething malice aimed at the martial world and accepted him as one of their own. Yet, revenge was not easy. Time and again, they attempted to conquer the martial world with bizarre methods, only to be thwarted by extraordinary heroes. With every failed attempt, the resolve was passed to the next generation, and finally, now. ‘The opportunity for revenge has come.’ The twelfth descendant of the Danmok clan, reborn within the demon cult as Danmok Gyeong. An opportunity for revenge had arrived for him. The Orthodox and Dark Factions, disguising their animosities and forming an alliance. If he could divide them and incite conflict, the long-held wish from his ancestors could be fulfilled. ‘That day is not far away.’ Three. With just three incidents, suspicion was sown between the factions. Even now, that suspicion grows daily, threatening the very existence of their alliance. ‘Just a few more times.’ If they repeated what they had done a few more times, the fragile sandcastle of trust would crumble. Currently, the demonic cult's forces were sufficient to contend with the Orthodox-Dark alliance. In such a situation, if the Orthodox and Dark Factions turned against each other, it would be an easy hunt. "Are you done talking now?!" "If what I said was wrong, go ahead and refute it." "You, you…!" Another quarrel erupted in front of them. A trivial argument had blown up, distorting their expressions with ire. But it wasn’t enough. To push them into each other’s throats, a small trigger was necessary. For instance, a light touch between the opposing parties. ‘Now is the time.’ And that role belonged to Danmok Gyeong. Pretending to walk past, a prepared move to disrupt someone’s balance and force a physical contact would suffice. However. Thunk! His subtle hand was caught by a strong, outstretched arm from the side. ‘W-What is this…!’ Danmok Gyeong turned his head in sheer surprise. In front of him stood a man. A man famed throughout the central plains, heralded as a hero of the current and next generation. ‘Baek Woojin…!’ Cheongwang Sword God, Baek Woojin. He was smiling radiantly. "Hello?" Cold sweat began to trickle down his back. --- Author's Note I’ll see you in the next chapter. Thank you for always reading. Have a restful night. (_ _)