Reincarnation Sword God

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Whoooosh—

The Water Dragon curled in the sky, then, without warning, its heads multiplied to nine. With each additional head, more Water Dragons sprang forth, crashing down onto the ground. Each impact let out a thunderous boom that shattered buildings and unleashed chaos.

“Ahhhhh!”

“Run away!!”

Amidst the screams of the people, destructive Water Dragons rampaged everywhere. The one controlling them looked to be Dokgo Jun, and upon closer inspection, it seemed these dragons were made of water, possessing the property of exploding upon impact. Despite that, each Water Dragon held immense destructive power, giving me a chill down my spine.

‘Truly, an infinite depth of energy.’

Surely Dokgo Jun was expending a tremendous amount of Qi to create even a single one of those dragons. Just how immense must his inner strength be to command nine of them simultaneously while using such high-level martial arts in the air? The limits of the Heavenly Spirit Pillar (천령단) seemed unimaginable, and Dokgo Jun’s power was beyond human comprehension.

Crack!

At the same time, the experts of the Su Shin Sect descended and rushed toward a destination, and soon the sounds of weapons clashing and Qi slicing through the air echoed around. From the onset, they had attacked the slave market with a clear purpose. As I stepped outside and concealed myself in the shadows, Zhuge Sa spoke.

[Now is not the time to go there.]

[What do you mean?]

[Isn’t it standard to follow the order? Do the task given by the Sect Leader first. You can train along the way too.]

[Train?]

[Channel your spirit energy into the bracelet you just received.]

Woosh!

I infused my spirit energy into the bracelet. Suddenly, an eye-shaped pattern emerged on the yellow gemstone embedded in the silver bracelet, and a chilling Yin Energy crawled up my arm. Simultaneously, I felt something sinister whispering to me.

As I grimaced slightly in discomfort, Zhuge Sa remarked,

[Contract with it and command the Hunting Dog. Whether it’s for scouting or anything else, it’s useful.]

[How?]

[Just agree to the whispers.]

I complied with the whispers coming from the bracelet. Although I couldn’t understand their meaning since it was in the language of the Otherworldly, the moment I submitted my will, the bracelet glowed even brighter. Moments later, a strange Demon Beast appeared before me, erupting in yellow light.

Rrrr…

It was emaciated and looked almost bat-like. One thing was certain: it was definitely not a natural creature—or perhaps its very existence was questionable. With every blink, the beast seemed to flicker and change shape, embodying a frightful aura more terrible than any Otherworldly or demon creature I had encountered until now.

[Command it.]

Whoosh!

A moment later, this ‘Hunting Dog’ folded into the air like a piece of paper and disappeared. Following Zhuge Sa’s advice, I commanded the dog to [find the treasure], but its eerie manner of disappearance made my heart sink. It felt as if physical attacks wouldn’t even affect that Hunting Dog.

“What was that…?”

[You lack the talent for magic, so gaining power from regular training would take too long. Instead, contract with a demon beast through the bracelet and boost your strength quickly. Furthermore, that Hunting Dog is said to be the worst tracker living at the edge of time.]

That description was rather unsettling.

“Isn’t it dangerous?”

[As long as the bracelet is intact, it’s fine. If the bracelet breaks, you’ll be attacked until you die…]

Zhuge Sa casually continued with the horrifying details.

[Since you commanded it to find the treasure, information will soon flood into your head. After getting that information, use The Four Great Spirits (사불상) to recover all the treasures from the auction house. Then it won’t be too late to contact the Su Shin Sect.]

“They must be attacking Fengshinyu, right?”

[It’s likely more than that.]

Zhuge Sa chuckled.

[In any case, focus on what needs to be done first. That way, it’ll seem like you’re being diligent.]

“Sure.”

Hiss!

In the next moment, the Hunting Dogs that had vanished sent signals. Simultaneously, the information they relayed began flooding into my brain, and I had a clear picture of the locations and appearances of auction items in the slave market ingrained in my mind. Clearly, the Hunting Dog had the ability to share the visual information it had acquired with me.

I quickly summoned The Four Great Spirits to start recovering those treasures.

‘This must be why the Sect Leader gave me the necklace.’

Shwoosh!

“This is now mine.”

As I suddenly appeared and began sweeping gold and silver treasures, along with auction items, into the necklace, a member of the Fengshinyu martial artists standing nearby shouted in surprise.

“W-what are you doing?!”

“Kill him!”

Then, the experts of Fengshinyu and some mysterious martial artists charged at me simultaneously. I was curious about who these masked and robed figures were, but as I quickly grasped their sword techniques and temperament, I could immediately discern their true identities.

‘Golden Eagle Guard.’

Indeed, this slave market auction was evidently being conducted in cooperation with Fengshinyu and the Imperial Palace. I effortlessly dodged the combined attacks from five members of the Golden Eagle Guard and three experts from Fengshinyu for about five seconds before unleashing my Heart Command Technique to subdue them all in one fell swoop.

BAM BAM BAM!

In the first second, three of them were knocked unconscious, and the next second saw the remaining three subdued, as the remaining two fainted while trying to evade my attack. It all happened in the blink of an eye, so the others couldn’t even consider rushing in. Even those who were notable experts in Jianghu fell easily.

I smirked at the auction house managers, who gazed at me with fear in their eyes.

“If you don’t quickly disappear, your heads might roll.”

“Ahhh!”

With all the guards fleeing, I leisurely continued collecting treasures from the auction house. After passing through about six places, I realized that my necklace had filled up quite well with treasures.

‘I’ve recovered all the treasures pointed out by the Hunting Dog.’

Having wrapped up that task, I dashed toward the location where the Su Shin Sect had gone to fight earlier. I was curious about the outcome of the battle among the experts of the Su Shin Sect.

Rumble…

The atmosphere was filled with a terrifying energy collision. It seemed that a battle had already erupted, as traces of conflict, blood, and corpses littered the area, though it appeared to be in a temporary lull.

The numbers were approximately one hundred fifty against twenty, with Fengshinyu clearly holding a seven-fold advantage. The Su Shin Sect’s experts were lined up behind Dokgo Jun, quietly waiting, while the Fengshinyu side appeared quite exhausted.

On the front lines, the Dharma Protectors of the White Lotus Sect faced off against each other. It appeared they had already engaged in multiple exchanges, leaving the area completely devastated.

Yong Bi-cheon, the Dharma Protector of Fengshinyu, glared at Dokgo Jun and shouted, “Dokgo Jun! What is the meaning of this?!”

With his golden dragon mask on, Dokgo Jun coldly responded using the Unified Body Technique, expressing no emotions in his voice.

[I’m executing the Sect Leader’s command, you traitor.]

“……!!”

Yong Bi-cheon flinched at the word “traitor.” Dokgo Jun simply continued without any sign of emotion.

[Yong Bi-cheon. Do you really think the Sect Leader knows nothing?]

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

[I’ve come to know that you’ve conspired with the Imperial Palace and struck a certain agreement. You seek to gain demonic power through dealings with the Imperial Palace, and you’re accumulating wealth by managing this slave market…]

“……”

[You are a traitor.]

Yong Bi-cheon clenched his fists in silence. His eyes displayed not just confusion but a fair amount of shock; apparently, he hadn’t anticipated Dokgo Jun would directly label him a traitor. To have the Dharma Protector of Su Shin Sect decry him as a traitor meant the entire White Lotus Sect had now become Fengshinyu’s enemy.

After a brief silence, he glared at Dokgo Jun.

“A traitor, huh? Then what about the Sect Leader?”

Buzz!

The Fengshinyu experts, lined up behind Yong Bi-cheon, appeared taken aback. He had addressed the Sect Leader without honorifics, yet Dokgo Jun didn’t react with any noticeable surprise, keeping his emotionless gaze on Yong Bi-cheon.

Yong Bi-cheon growled,

“The Sect Leader grants an astounding power like the Heavenly Spirit Pillar, yet fails to specify the details of that contract and keeps the essence of the . . . ahem, the Waning Spirit Technique entirely hidden, while only favoring the Su Shin Sect in the main affairs of the sect. What makes you think that that didn’t put our Fengshinyu at a disadvantage?!”

[Did it?]

“The Sect Leader has become a despotic tyrant who has turned the millennium-old White Lotus Sect into his personal organization!! I was only trying to save the Fengshinyu!”

Yong Bi-cheon’s shout seemed to boil with rage. Though he hadn’t expressed it outwardly, it was clear he had hidden his resentment for a long while. After a brief moment, his killing intent intensified.

“Heh heh… even if the Sect Leader becomes the enemy, it’s a mistake for you to come here with only twenty of your men.”

[Why do you say that?]

Dokgo Jun casually tilted his head.

[Yong Bi-cheon, you cannot defeat me.]

“……”

To say that so openly was certainly bold. Everyone likely knew the power dynamics here, and yet Dokgo Jun trampled on Yong Bi-cheon’s pride without concern. While it was evident among all that Dokgo Jun was the strongest of the three Dharma Protectors, his blatant derision of Yong Bi-cheon was nothing short of arrogant.

Yong Bi-cheon replied,

“I may not defeat you, but I possess the Heavenly Spirit Pillar. If I hold my own against you, I can at least stall for a thousand seconds.”

[…That might be true.]

“And standing here alongside me is the cream of the crop of Fengshinyu. I dare say we have more than eighty percent of our strength here.”

As I assessed the Fengshinyu experts lined up behind Yong Bi-cheon, it was apparent they bore no signs of fear despite their opposition to the White Lotus Sect. They all seemed to be formidable masters. It appeared Yong Bi-cheon spoke truthfully.

While Dokgo Jun quietly stared at Yong Bi-cheon, he continued,

“Moreover, the commanders of the Golden Eagle Guard and six divisions are present here. While I hold you off, everything will be determined!”

The number of soldiers stationed alongside the Fengshinyu experts was significant. Considering the elite power of the Golden Eagle Guard, they couldn’t possibly be disregarded. On top of that, standing behind Yong Bi-cheon was the Grand Commander of the Golden Eagle Guard, Bai Hu, who was undoubtedly a supreme expert.

I completely understood Yong Bi-cheon’s confidence.

‘The Su Shin Sect is at a disadvantage.’

In sheer numbers alone, there was a sevenfold discrepancy, and with the elite Fengshinyu positioned to apply pressure, the outcome of this fight was undeniably clear. No matter how high the average strength of the Su Shin Sect experts was, Fengshinyu, being one of the Four Great Families, would surely be able to handle it. It was likely that the twenty or so experts of Su Shin Sect would be overwhelmed by numbers alone!

The power of the Golden Eagle Guard also served as a variable, and especially with this level of unrest, it was likely that the imperial army would soon arrive to support Fengshinyu as well. In the end, thousands of armored infantry might soon encircle the Su Shin Sect experts.

Observing the situation, I withdrew three Su Shin Sect experts provided by my necklace.

“Um…”

The Su Shin Sect experts appeared momentarily bewildered at suddenly appearing on the battlefield but quickly seemed to grasp the situation and silently joined the ranks.

Yong Bi-cheon glowered at Dokgo Jun with a fierce gaze, his fists clenched.

“There’s no avoiding it now. None of you will return home safely.”

[That can’t be true.]

“What?”

Dokgo Jun crossed his arms and nonchalantly replied,

[Let me tell you two things you’re misunderstanding.]

“Misunderstanding…?”

[Yes, misunderstanding.]

In that moment, I sensed a slight mocking laughter emanating from behind Dokgo Jun’s mask. He raised a finger.

[First. Yong Bi-cheon, you cannot withstand even a thousand seconds in my hands.]

Yong Bi-cheon’s face turned indignant at his words.

“Let’s see if that’s true.”

[You’re likely thinking about the time you and I fought, when the conclusion came after fifteen hundred seconds? Unfortunately, I have developed far beyond that time. If we do battle directly, you will know the extent of your foolishness.]

“Just talking won’t do…!”

Just as Yong Bi-cheon was about to retort, Dokgo Jun continued, raising his middle finger as well.

[Second. My subordinates also surpass yours in power. You will never achieve victory.]

“……”

Yong Bi-cheon stared at Dokgo Jun, momentarily dazed, before bursting into laughter.

“Ha ha ha ha! You must be out of your mind! Whether your subordinates are of any level is irrelevant; they cannot possibly be stronger than the elders of Fengshinyu! Surely you’re not planning to claim that you’ve nurtured experts in such a short time…? Ha ha ha!!”

Yong Bi-cheon’s words had merit. Even the elder-level experts standing behind him numbered four or five, each being at least stronger than Yi Kwang. The old monsters hiding in Fengshinyu were precisely those elders. No matter how strong the Su Shin Sect was, it would be impossible to produce peak-level experts in such a short time.

Cackle…

It seemed that many of the Fengshinyu experts and even the Golden Eagle Guard shared in Yong Bi-cheon’s laughter. They had completely encircled the Su Shin Sect experts and were certain they wouldn’t lose in this situation.

[Ha.]

Without replying, Dokgo Jun merely glanced at me standing beside him.

[Bai Wung, Dharma Protector. Have you finished your retrieval mission?]

“Of course. Though I’m quite displeased about being used as bait.”

[My apologies. That one is like a raccoon, making it hardly catchable.]

Dokgo Jun spoke as casually as if he were out for a stroll, and I was left speechless.

“Can’t you see the current situation? We’re all about to die! Why are you so calm?”

Breaking through the encirclement was indeed a daunting task. With my martial arts to some degree, I would have been able to counter them somewhat, but if the elder-level experts from Fengshinyu joined in, the level of difficulty would escalate dramatically. In the end, I’d be forced to flee using The Four Great Spirits, but I couldn’t help but wonder what the Su Shin Sect experts were relying on to maintain such a calm demeanor.

Dokgo Jun said,

[Don’t worry. The Sect Leader doesn’t need to personally intervene for something like this. Let’s wrap this up soon.]

Snap!

When Dokgo Jun snapped his fingers, three Su Shin Sect experts stepped forward. He commanded,

[Wipe them out.]

[At your command.]

The three experts from Su Shin Sect charged forward. They aimed for Yong Bi-cheon, the apparent target for their first assault!

Yong Bi-cheon, realizing this, shouted in disbelief,

“You little insects! How dare you attack a Dharma Protector…!”

As the Unified Body Technique roared, ten formidable winds manifested around Yong Bi-cheon. He whipped them at the three charging Su Shin Sect experts at incredible speed, causing a tempest that threatened to tear the air apart.

Boom!

The might of the winds was almost a natural disaster. Yet, the next moment, what followed left me questioning my own eyes.

Wham!

One of the Su Shin Sect experts formed a Water Dragon in the air, blocking the winds like a wall, and the other two surged forward, propelled by the momentum of the Water Dragon to attack Yong Bi-cheon. In a panic, Yong Bi-cheon used his Heart Command Technique to create a clone, dodging the Water Dragon’s charge, but at that moment, hundreds of Water Spears were conjured, occupying all possible escape routes.

In perfect synchronization, the three Su Shin Sect experts assaulted Yong Bi-cheon with the Water Weapon.

Boom!!

Yong Bi-cheon managed to withstand that wave of assault but was now entirely on the defensive, his upper body riddled with minor wounds. He looked utterly taken aback, eventually shouting in shock,

[W-What? No way… You all…!!]

One of the attacking Su Shin Sect experts replied during the moment of Heart Command Technique,

[Dharma Protector, what’s the surprise?]

[W-What…?]

[That power is likely a gift from the Sect Leader. Did you really think we couldn’t wield it?]

Boom!

Yong Bi-cheon was overrun by the combined attack and sent flying back.

As I watched that unfold, I felt my hands tremble. It was a mixture of horror and awe that swept over my entire body, like Yong Bi-cheon was experiencing. An unbelievable reality slipped past my lips without my realizing it.

“The Heavenly Spirit Pillar…”