Reincarnation Sword God

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“What?”

Lee Cheong-un’s eyes glimmered with intensity, like a tiger ready to pounce. The fact that the practitioner of the Thunder God Lineage was genuinely furious was clear.

“Having obtained the Primordial Spirit, the reason you’re coveting the techniques of other sects… It must mean there’s a significant weakness in the Primordial Spirit. The only way to cover that weakness is through pure martial enhancement.”

“……”

“Sect Leader, what are you so afraid of? What else are you hiding from us?”

The Sect Leader remained silent.

He probably hadn’t intended to discuss the weaknesses of the Primordial Spirit from the start.

Step

Lee Cheong-un advanced a step. At that moment, the enormous power of the Thunder God suppressed the energy of the Heaven and Earth Sea right from his mind.

Grrr.

Ugh…

In that instant, the Sect Leader shuddered, and Dokgo Jun, standing nearby, stepped back two paces in shock. The formless Qi of the Thunder God had forced his spirit back, inflicting a significant psychological blow. Dokgo Jun, startled, couldn’t help but let out a horrified exclamation.

“#%&!!!”

A voice that sounded utterly inhuman.

Lee Cheong-un glanced at Dokgo Jun, whose humanity seemed stripped away, and sighed, “So that’s why you haven’t made a sound. You’ve transformed into something like the Water God’s kin in your pursuit of power.”

Hmm…

“Is it really worth pursuing power to the extent of abandoning your humanity? Answer me, Sect Leader!”

When Lee Cheong-un yelled, the Sect Leader’s eyes flared with intensity as he responded.

[The otherworldly beings in the palace are amassing great strength. As the leader of the Water God Lineage and Master of the White Lotus Sect, I’m merely preparing the power to defeat them.]

Though it was the first time hearing such words, Lee Cheong-un quickly dismissed them.

“Sounds like nonsense.”

[Hmm…]

“I can tell it’s obvious. You want to use not just the Heavenly Spirit Pillar but also the entire White Lotus Sect to strike deals with those beings if necessary, turning them into combat troops! Otherwise, there’s no way you’d be trying to seduce a Dharma Protector with sweet words!”

The Master of the White Lotus Sect didn’t respond, but his silence indicated agreement. The Sect Leader clearly intended to use the White Lotus Sect to his advantage if needed.

Fury ignited in Lee Cheong-un’s gaze. Gritting his teeth, he declared, “You are no martial artist of the White Lotus Sect! You’re merely a villain trying to fulfill your ambitions by colluding with dark gods!”

[Is this negotiation over?]

Tension charged the air.

The atmosphere was thick with overwhelming pressure from the three Peerless Masters present, filling the space with ominous intensity. Lee Cheong-un grinned.

“Thought I wouldn’t fight anyway? Let’s see just how powerful your precious Primordial Spirit is!”

And thus, battle commenced.

KABOOM!

Ugh…

Exactly one second.

The moment combat began, Lee Cheong-un turned Dokgo Jun into a bloody mess. In the blink of an eye, the explosive impact of Lee Cheong-un’s attack sent Dokgo Jun staggering, blood gushing out violently, staining the ground. How many hits had he absorbed in just one second?

“You monster.”

Successively grabbing Dokgo Jun’s arm, Lee Cheong-un couldn’t hide his disdain. He then proceeded to yank off Dokgo Jun’s arm and drive it straight into his own abdomen.

Thwack!

With a terrible sound, Dokgo Jun fell forward as if he’d become a lifeless doll. The light faded swiftly from his eyes.

[…?!]

It all happened so quickly that the Master of the White Lotus Sect wore a blank expression.

‘Wha… What just happened?’

Dokgo Jun was overcome!

The Master had already achieved the Primordial Spirit and existed in the realm of Mental Command, where he could calmly observe everything. Even when facing a peak martial artist employing extreme techniques, he could easily counter. Thus, the Master thought that his battle against Lee Cheong-un would become a clash of wits.

However, the current situation was entirely unexpected. Though Dokgo Jun hadn’t reached Lee Cheong-un’s level, he had acquired the Heavenly Spirit Pillar, making him a peerless master practically unrivaled in the world. Never could the Master have imagined that Dokgo Jun would be defeated so instantaneously.

Wiping the blood off his hands coldly, Lee Cheong-un spoke, “What’s wrong? Didn’t turn out the way you expected, huh?”

The Sect Leader felt the smell of blood and slaughter in those words. He truly realized the ferocity and cruelty of the strongest practitioner of the Thunder God Lineage standing before him.

[Is that the ultimate of the Thunder God Lineage?]

“Think whatever you want.”

As he muttered, Thunder Light began to flow in Lee Cheong-un’s eyes.

“You made a mistake. What you deemed unthinkable, the technique that would’ve been impossible for a mere human, has become transcendent thanks to the Heavenly Spirit Pillar!”

Activation of the Thunder God Spirit!

Whew!

[?!]

A sound akin to tightening strings echoed, and the Master witnessed his arm flying through the air. He realized that this achievement was possible only because he had attained the Primordial Spirit. Normally, he would have decapitated the Master in a fraction of a second, but he barely managed to react in time, saving him with just an arm.

[Enlightenment of the Wise (賢劫)!]

Whoooosh!

Time seemed to stretch unbearably as everything around him was forced into the realm of Mental Command. This was the very state that the Master had achieved upon attaining the Primordial Spirit, where all things slowed down while he felt himself moving faster. Normally, once someone invoked Enlightenment of the Wise, no one should be able to contend with him.

However – at that moment, the deadly Thunder Light warped space.

Even in the slowed realm of Enlightenment of the Wise, Lee Cheong-un moved freely. No, one could say he had simply been so exceptionally fast that it appeared only now to be at a perceivable speed. Within the space of Enlightenment of the Wise, Lee Cheong-un’s body flew around like an energy blast, and in a heartbeat, he struck the Sect Leader’s solar plexus with a knife-hand attack.

BANG!!

With an explosive sound, the Sect Leader summoned the Tai Chi to deflect Lee Cheong-un’s strike. However, he felt a sharp pain in his chest, hearing Lee Cheong-un’s mocking voice left behind with the resonance of Mental Command.

[Then it’ll shatter into pieces!]

By then, Lee Cheong-un’s figure had already disappeared, becoming nothing but a streak of light.

A marvel of absolute acceleration that is impossible for any human!

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!

Light shot out in countless directions, relentlessly striking the body of the Master of the White Lotus Sect. Thanks to utilizing the Primordial Spirit to block those attacks, he incurred no severe injuries, but that didn’t indicate a favorable position. If he made even the slightest mistake in defense, it was clear he would perish in that moment. Thus, he was forced to solely focus on defense.

‘Lightning…!!’

Desperately, he attempted to counterattack with the techniques of the Four Great Divine Schools, but it was like flailing aimlessly in the empty air. The nature of Lee Cheong-un’s speed meant a mutual exchange of blows was entirely unfeasible.

Lee Cheong-un’s mocking voice echoed continuously.

[You really are pulling all the tricks. How on earth did you manage to master all the techniques from the Four Great Divine Schools?]

[…]

[Oh, shut it! If you cannot keep up with this speed, then there’s no point in talking.]

As the Master of the White Lotus Sect attempted to retort, another wave of Thunder God authority struck with the speed of light, smashing into his chin.

CRACK!

“Grrr.”

WHOOSH!

The Master stumbled but quickly steadied himself, creating an extreme defensive barrier throughout his entire body. As long as he focused entirely on defense, Lee Cheong-un wouldn’t be able to follow through directly. But then, Lee Cheong-un kicked off the ground like a missile, casually launching Dokgo Jun into the air and saying, “I’m going to kill this guy.”

The Master gasped in horror. He couldn’t believe Dokgo Jun might become a hostage!

If Dokgo Jun died, the future of the Water God Lineage would be uncertain. Thus, the Master growled urgently,

[If you kill him, I won’t show you any mercy, Lee Cheong-un! Realize it could mean the annihilation of the entire Thunder God Lineage!]

“Ha?”

[Let’s settle this between us.]

At those words, Lee Cheong-un’s eyes sparkled with intrigue.

‘So, the Sect Leader still has some power left.’

While Lee Cheong-un seemed to have the upper hand, he instinctively sensed that the Sect Leader still had a trump card up his sleeve. Knowing that he wasn’t ready to breach that trump card, Lee Cheong-un had been cautiously testing the waters.

Could he really win, taking advantage of a moment of carelessness?

It would surely be a tough task, but Lee Cheong-un had resolved to trust his own abilities. Additionally, the Sect Leader’s mention of annihilation felt ominous, prompting him to nod his agreement.

“Let’s do it that way.”

[Wise choice. I will uphold my end of the bargain as well.]

“Ha ha! That’s something you can only say if you’re planning to win!”

Swish!

While he hesitated, Lee Cheong-un tossed Dokgo Jun toward the Master like a piece of trash. The Master caught him safely, using his enhanced physique as Dokgo Jun fell into his arms, and countered against Lee Cheong-un, but again, he was simply too fast and couldn’t catch him. By the time the Tai Chi attained by the Master’s Primordial Spirit launched an attack, Lee Cheong-un had already endured five strikes.

Boom!

The Thunder God Spirit unleashed wave after wave, completely sealing the Master’s movements.

[Uuuh…!!]

As thunder surged like a storm, the Master could no longer move; he barely managed to block the indiscriminate Thunder Light raining down from all sides. Every strike was a technique of the Thunder God lineage, wielding terrifying power.

The structure of the battle was unmistakable.

Lee Cheong-un, in the shape of the Thunder God, beat down mercilessly, while the Master of the White Lotus Sect invoked Enlightenment of the Wise, gathering the peak techniques he knew to defend himself! The outcome would depend on which side exhausted themselves first. Countless times, the Master hissed in pain and staggered as blood vessels popped under the strikes of thunder.

‘Monster.’

As they fought on, Lee Cheong-un imagined that had he not acquired the Thunder God Spirit, he would never have been able to face the Sect Leader. Thanks to the hyper-acceleration of the Thunder God Spirit, he could disregard all of the Master’s techniques, unable to even distinguish the form of martial arts being used against him. The Master had clearly integrated techniques from the Four Great Divine Schools.

How long did the fight continue?

The deciding moment came just after a thousand five hundred seconds.

[This is your weakness!]

KABOOM!

Though the Master of the White Lotus Sect, bloodied and battered, desperately continued to defend against Lee Cheong-un’s attacks, he suddenly shouted and unleashed a single palm strike. Then, the lightning-fast Lee Cheong-un was unexpectedly struck with a blow and sent flying backward.

Gah!!

The energy swirling around Lee Cheong-un dissipated momentarily, and he felt a fierce impact that even rattled his core. The Master, apparently exhausted, gasped for breath before speaking.

[I found that gap I saw in your Insight and exploited it.]

“Cough… You… so you learned the techniques of the ultimate?”

As Lee Cheong-un writhed in the blood-soaked ground, the Master chuckled.

[Heh heh… Did you really think something like this wouldn’t happen? You, Lee Cheong-un, had thought yourself formidable, yet I had acquired those techniques beforehand and studied them for months. That’s why I called you here, because I saw a chance of victory.]

Lee Cheong-un clenched his teeth, a sense of emptiness and betrayal bubbling within him.

“Who… who is behind this…?”

*[Well…]

The Master chuckled confidently and ambled over. Picking up his severed arm, he reattached it to his body seamlessly as if it were the most natural thing in the world. His body was no longer human.

[But don’t think you were above me. I just didn’t use the term ‘incomplete’. If I had employed the Heart and Heaven Unbounded, I could have seized victory even faster. I just wanted to defeat you using the techniques of the Thunder God Lineage alone.]

“……”

[Then die…]

Boom!

[Cough.

In a sudden flash, lightning burst forth, and the Master stumbled. Lee Cheong-un had drawn upon the last reserves of his Thunder God Spirit’s power to injure him. For a brief moment, the Master lost consciousness, while Lee Cheong-un gritted his teeth and dashed outside the building. The Master projected his Lion’s Roar towards Lee Cheong-un, shouting.

[Running away will only lead to your end!]

No, this isn’t the end.

As long as the ultimate Thunder God Spirit existed, the Sect Leader could never annihilate the Thunder God Lineage.

Survive until the very end!

Lee Cheong-un thought this resolutely as he rushed towards Lee Kwang. Upon seeing the bloodied Lee Cheong-un, Lee Kwang was shocked, exclaiming, “M-Master?!”

Lee Cheong-un looked down at him coldly, raising his hand.

Under normal circumstances, he ought to eliminate him.

Given the current situation, it was quite possible that Lee Kwang was the traitor. But then he calmed down and retracted the killing intent in a heartbeat.

‘…I’ll let it go.’

Even if Lee Kwang were the one to leak the secret of the ultimate technique, he couldn’t bring himself to take his life. That was the bond Lee Cheong-un held with his disciple. Furthermore, there was a strong possibility that another party could have leaked the information. Instead, he lamented,

“… Gather the Thunder God Lineage.”

“Huh?!”

“Immediately, you will take charge and lead people… and escape from the White Lotus Sect… Everyone in the White Lotus Sect is an enemy…”

Thud!

“Master!!”

With that scream, Lee Cheong-un lost consciousness. His Dan Tian was completely shattered, rendering the Heavenly Spirit Pillar useless; he was only left in a vegetative state. Originally, he should have perished the moment his Dan Tian shattered, but thanks to the Heavenly Spirit Pillar, he remained alive in a bedridden state.

“……”

As I listened to Lee Cheong-un’s story, I realized so many unresolved questions were finally being answered.

“From then on, what you know is true. After that, I was hunted down by the Wind God lineage until I was so worn out that I eventually died. No matter how much the Heavenly Spirit Pillar helped, once the Dan Tian shattered, there was no escaping death…”

Beneath the flickering light in the tunnel, Lee Cheong-un sighed briefly.

“Huh… Was it misfortune or fortune? The Thunder God Lineage somehow managed to survive afterward. And the Sect Leader is still after the Thunder God Spirit…”

I pondered thoughtfully and asked,

“Could it be that the Sect Leader kept the Thunder God Lineage alive for that reason?”

“Most likely.”

Leaning against the wall, Lee Cheong-un continued,

“He realized that the Thunder God Lineage had yet to fully master the ultimate techniques. So perhaps he’s waiting for my disciple Lee Kwang to cultivate the ultimate techniques long enough to reach maturity. Additionally, whether by coincidence or not, it seems the young lord fell ill, delaying the Sect Leader’s chance to attack the Thunder God Lineage.”

“No matter how you look at it, waiting more than fifty years…?”

“He could wait even longer if necessary. That man is an ambitious schemer with a solid patience.”

As I listened to the conversation, I found it difficult to believe.

If Lee Cheong-un spoke true, then the Lee Cheong-un before me was akin to a transcendent existence on par with the Sect Leader. While he had indeed endured continuous setbacks, it remained a fact. I couldn’t help but ask him,

“Um… What exactly is the Thunder God Spirit? What makes it capable of pushing the Sect Leader like that?”

“Hmm. Well… Let me explain briefly. You can’t learn it, but at least understand the concept.”

Lee Cheong-un slowly drew the Eight Trigrams on the floor and said,

“Yin and Yang is interpreted in three ways: Unchanging, Simple, and Transformative. Do you understand this meaning?”

“The Unchanging explains that the principles of the universe can be seen through the Tai Chi, while Simplicity indicates that through Yin and Yang, any phenomenon in the world can be easily explained. Transformation means that all things evolve according to reason, and this continual change is cyclic.”

I could respond without hesitation because I had studied Taoism under Mang Liang for over three years.

“Well done.”

Nodding in approval, Lee Cheong-un continued,

“Integrating this Trigram into human martial arts is the essence of the Thunder God Spirit.”

“Really? Is that even possible?”

I had no choice but to ask in disbelief. The 64 Trigrams were originally simple sticks used for divination. The Taoists spent their lives researching them, reaching the principles, but they were definitely not suitable for practical martial arts. Lee Cheong-un smirked at my incredulity.

“There’s only one wheel turning in this world, and that’s Qi. If you understand that the world consists of countless powers, qualities, and elemental origins, you’ll see the many paths open. The clash between Qi and Intention is merely the foundation. Ultimately, it’s about colliding with the world and enforcing one’s convictions.”

“……”

“The Thunder God Spirit is a manifestation of one of those many Trigrams. Therefore, it may be a final technique, but it can never become an ultimate martial art.”

I still didn’t quite grasp his words. Staring blankly, Lee Cheong-un tossed aside a stick.

“I never imagined I’d lose when achieving the Thunder God Spirit while also obtaining the Heavenly Spirit Pillar; I thought unlimited inner strength would let me maintain the Thunder God Spirit indefinitely. Thus, I was completely convinced I’d win. In reality, I quickly dispatched someone like Dokgo Jun.”

“Is that so?”

Who else could so casually reference Dokgo Jun, the strongest of the Dharma Protectors? Lee Cheong-un was indeed an extraordinary master.

“Well, if this is my oversight, it must also mean that the Sect Leader’s Primordial Spirit reached a similar realm as my Thunder God Spirit. To conquer the current Sect Leader, I’d need to reach a level even beyond the Thunder God Spirit.”

That seemed like a daunting goal. Shaking my head, Lee Cheong-un pierced me with a focused look and said,

“Therefore, you must confuse the Sect Leader.”

“Me?”

“The Sect Leader has yet to glean the essence of the Seven Supreme Techniques. After his hermitage training, he’ll obviously come back and ask you all sorts of things.”

As he smiled, I pieced together what needed to be done.

“So, if you throw in some stern words, the Sect Leader will ultimately be led to his own demise.”

“Ah…!!”

Oh, I see!

After reviving Lee Cheong-un with the power of reversal, I needed to ultimately eliminate the Sect Leader. However, if I fully imparted the Seven Supreme Techniques to him, it would grant him wings. Thus, to prevent that, I had to muddle his Insight and lead him to misread it.

Lee Cheong-un stood up, brushing off the dust.

“Now take me to the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School. I’ll prepare everything to defeat the Sect Leader.”

“Uh… Understood.”

As I heard those words, an inexplicable sense of relief swelled within me.

He didn’t seem particularly menacing, yet before me stood Lee Cheong-un, who boasted unparalleled schemes and exceptional martial prowess like no other. With him now allied, future developments would surely change dramatically!

But then, Zhang Cheng spoke up.

[You still don’t get it. Foolish being…]

“What do you mean?”

[Never mind. You’ll figure it out in time.]

Why was he throwing out random nonsense again?

While I wanted to snarl at him, Zhang Cheng said,

[Just take Lee Cheong-un and hurry back. If you take too long, you’ll raise the Sect Leader’s suspicions.]

Talking with Zhang Cheng was inevitably irritating, and I found it exasperating.

Of course, I had planned on doing just that.