Verdant Palace, Yongdu City.

Reading the official message from the headquarters of the Arcane Alliance, Dokuto Tsuitsui was rendered speechless for a moment.

"I… did not expect that at all," he murmured, passing the scroll to his father, who was standing beside him.

The Supreme Elder of the Tsuitsui Clan, Masayori Tsuitsui, briefly glanced at the message, then put the scroll away.

He took a long drag from his wooden pipe as he gazed at the sprawling scenery of the city before them.

"There are two main factors that have led to the Arcane Alliance making such a decision," he said as he exhaled a cloud of smoke.

Dokuto nodded, leaning against the railing of the balcony.

Masayori continued, "Firstly, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult has not harmed a single innocent mortal life ever since the war started two months ago. That was wise of him. Perhaps, he'd already planned this move before the war had even begun."

He paused, taking another long drag from the pipe, before continuing, "Secondly, and most importantly…"

Dokuto finished the words for him, a grave look on his face. "The assassination of Lady Chiyo."

The Heavenly Demon personally infiltrating the enemy's base and assassinating one of their key members had truly struck fear into the hearts of the Magi of the Arcane Alliance.

There had been such assassination attempts before, of course. However, none involved Mana Core Magi.

Some thought that the Heavenly Demon was too daring to do such a thing by himself, while others thought that he was foolish.

Regardless, the general consensus was clear. None of the factions wished to suffer the same fate that had befallen the Arakuro Clan.

Masayori nodded, his face solemn. "What I fail to understand is… why would the Heavenly Demon go to such great lengths? Going so far as to put his own life at risk."

Dokuto frowned a little. He then said, "He probably doesn't want the rest of the Arcane Alliance to provide support to the Arakuro Clan. Perhaps… he wants to finish them in this war."

Masayori scoffed. "I doubt the Arcane Alliance would want that. But still, the Heavenly Demon has become a big enough deterrent to prevent the rest of the Arcane Alliance from interfering with his war against the Arakuro Clan."

"I agree." Dokuto nodded. "At the very least, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult won't be assisting the Tiesha Tang and waging war with us."

"I'd still be careful, son," Masayori warned. "Never trust the words of an unorthodox Magus."

"Yes, father." Dokuto respectfully nodded. "I've already sent men to the borders we share with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. If anything happens, we'll be able to know immediately."

"Good." Masayori took another drag from the pipe. "If you require no further counsel from me, then I shall return to the shop."

"There is one more thing…" Dokuto had an awkward look on his face.

Masayori raised an eyebrow. "Is it about Ao?"

"Yes."

The elderly man sighed. "Just send him with Goro. He hasn't shown any reluctance in joining the war, so there's no harm."

"After all that he's done for us," Dokuto began. "Would it truly be alright if we ask him to fight on our side?"

"You're thinking too much." Masayori waved his hand dismissively. "It's better for the clan to have Ao fight alongside our children. Once the war is over, start thinking about getting him married to Little Reika. She's shown some interest in the kid in these past few months."

Dokuto's lips twitched.

"…I'll think about it."

***

At an unknown location, within a dimly lit underground chamber, a few elders of the Shadow Sect had gathered.

"I don't understand," Li Shuren, the Grand Elder of this clandestine organization, murmured. "How can there be two Ghosts at the same time?"

This question had been bothering them ever since the emergence of the savage butcher, the Heavenly Demon.

"Hisaki confirmed that the Ghost, whose real name is Adam, wields twin flaming blades," another Elder chimed in. "He had used the same weapons outside Ichigane Town. Yet why is it that the Heavenly Demon now wields the same weapons?"

"From my spies within the Qingyun Bang, I've confirmed that the Heavenly Demon claims that he had been attacked by Tensei Arakuro outside Ichigane Town!"

"Just what is happening? Is the Heavenly Demon impersonating the Ghost? Or is it the other way around?"

"Grand Elder Li, what are the chances that the two are actually conspiring?"

Li Shuren shook his head. "I cannot be certain. Even the Sect Leader hasn't spoken about this matter yet."

"Then what should we do?"

"If we allow the Heavenly Demon to rampage, who knows whether he'll stop after devouring the Arakuro Clan?!"

"This new player is simply too cruel, too savage, too demonic!"

"Grand Elder Li, we must seek permission from the Sect Leader. Accordingly, we will put our plans into motion!"

Li Shuren nodded ever so slightly. "Very well."

He rose to his feet, prompting the others to do the same.

Then he concluded the meeting with his final words:

"For now, we observe."

***

One week later.

Inside the throne room at the Verdant Palace, Goro Tsuitsui solemnly knelt on the ground as he listened to the Patriarch's order.

"The Kurogane Pass is the throat of our neighbouring regions," Dokuto Tsuitsui began in a dignified voice.

"Whoever holds it decides who breathes… and who chokes."

He paused for a moment before solemnly declaring, "Goro Tsuitsui, you will take three battalions of Tsuitsui Magi. You will advance at dawn. You will carve a road through the Kurogane Pass. And you will not return until our clan's banners fly above those cliffs!"

Goro's lips curled into a bestial grin. He cupped his fists and roared, "Leave it to me, Lord Patriarch!"

Dokuto swiped his hand and proclaimed:

"Hear my decree. The Kurogane Pass will fall. Go, my son. Return victorious!"

"OHHH!!"

The court erupted in cheers. The Venom Dragon himself was finally entering the fray.

While the Magi's fighting intent blazed inside the palace, outside, in the training area, Adam lazily lay on a tree branch, his fingers tracing through the scroll in his hand.

At last, he sighed.

Kurogane Pass, he wondered.

He recalled Elder Bai Zhenren's words all those months ago:

'When you try too hard to force direction or clarity, you move away from the Way. But when you allow yourself to be lost, to stop resisting and let the world guide you, you eventually realign with the natural order of things.'

Kurogane Pass lay west of Yongchan Province.

And so did Adam's true objective.

He turned westward, his lips curling into a faint smile.

Dark Valley, here I come…

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