A direct path to unlock the scholar is through rushing all city locations first - it's always available after that. For seals focus on defeating officers and regular troops which needs about 3000 kills per battle to make good progress. Making alliances across the different factions opens up more stage options, and you'll want to prioritize training certain characters like lu meng and guo huai for effectiveness.

Working on bonds with officers definitely helps, so try using weapons that match their preferences in battle. The xuchang fights are good spots to build those relationships fast. When you're tackling the mode seriously, keep an eye on your victory points since those modifiers can really change how battles play out.

Good to know - cranking up the difficulty adds some nice score bonuses, but make sure your character is properly equipped first. Once you've got the basics down, start focusing on maxing individual officers to unlock more strategic options.