Reincarnation Sword God

---

00483 천계(天界) ————————————————————————=

The price for the Heavenly Spirit Pill was that much!?

“That’s terrifying.”

Even though the Prophet was also an Otherworldly Race and should be familiar with ruthlessness and darkness, to express it as ‘madness’ meant that the existence who obtained the Heavenly Spirit Pill was facing nothing short of annihilation. I swallowed hard and asked again.

“So, what is this Primordial Spirit?”

[If you’re asking… that would be the Tai Chi and the Cosmic Principles… an infinite internal power sufficient to harmonize them all… receiving the formidable power of chaos… It’s certainly an excessive power for a mere mortal… I’ve never even heard of something similar before… Well… the contract itself is already an insane condition to think about…]

After saying that, the Prophet pondered for a moment before continuing.

[That Master of the White Lotus must have surely made a double contract along with the Heavenly Spirit Pill…]

“A double contract?”

[I’m not certain… but the power of the Primordial Spirit is… a force so great that it can’t be rivaled even by the price of the Heavenly Spirit Pill… As you said, isn’t it a power that has reached the realm of the apostles…?]

“Right.”

I immediately agreed. Given the prowess the Master of the White Lotus displayed while fighting Dalgi, it was certainly at that level. Although it might objectively seem weaker than Dalgi, in the absence of Dalgi’s protective sorcery, they would indeed be at a level worth fighting. The power of the Master of the White Lotus could be considered to be at the level of a divine apostle.

[Of course, such a price… such a contract… such an offering exists… That’s why God grants power to mortals…]

“……”

[That is the Law of Cause and Effect…]

A contract based on the Law of Cause and Effect. So does that mean it’s possible to trade normally with God?

After a while, I asked again as per Zhuge Sa’s words.

“You know I’m a Reborn Person, right? So when the Heavenly Spirit Pill is attached, will it carry over to my next reincarnation? And can I artificially eliminate the Heavenly Spirit Pill with the command of severance?”

[You’re asking annoying questions…]

“Please. I need to know.”

[The terminal is part of the Law of Cause and Effect, an extreme thin thread of causality that remains connected at an imperceptible level… Hence, there’s a high probability it will be inherited into your next life… The command of severance can cut that thread, so the success rate of eliminating the terminal is also high…]

I hesitated and replied.

“Probability? You mean it’s not certain?”

[As I said, the contract for the Heavenly Spirit Pill itself is an abnormal slave contract created by distorting the Demon Book of the Divine Spirit… No one knows what side effects might occur… Also, if I were to give you advice… even if it’s possible to eliminate the Heavenly Spirit Pill with the command of severance, it would be better not to attempt it…]

“Why?”

The Prophet rolled his eyes and then said.

[If what I predict is true… the “Ancient Ruler” involved in the contract of the Heavenly Spirit Pill will not easily let go of a prey… Even if the existence called ‘Father’ is transcendental, it would be meaningless to say so… Will the Sea God just let go of its prey based on the contract…?]

I suddenly realized the implication of his words.

“The moment the contract of the Heavenly Spirit Pill is broken, could the Sea God intervene?”

[There’s no need for intervention… The infinite internal power will simply vanish… and the contractual obligations will remain untouched… Ultimately leading to your soul being ripped apart in the afterlife… By intervening, it would only make things worse…]

“Ugh.”

I grimaced.

‘At this point, I might as well give up on the Heavenly Spirit Pill.’

Finding out that acquiring invincible power in this world came with the insane price of losing everything! There was absolutely no way I could accept this into my body. Even if I did, without sufficient power to deal with the Sea God, it would be utterly impossible. The Master wasn’t giving out the Heavenly Spirit Pill to the Dharma Protectors without a good reason.

So, to gain power, I had no choice but to obtain the Seven Luminaries in the future. I thought to myself that I should focus more on acquiring the Seven Luminaries rather than clinging to the White Lotus Sect. While I was lost in thought, the Prophet spoke.

[This time, I’ll make a suggestion… I find the Demon Book of the Divine Spirit interesting… If you bring that to me, I will grant you one request…]

I was dumbfounded and replied.

“Are you saying that even knowing I’m a Reborn Person? You’d be at a disadvantage.”

[Not really… If you continue to reincarnate, I could still be at a loss in the future… No… I must have already suffered losses…]

Suddenly, I felt as if the Prophet was smiling. The probability of it being just my imagination was high, but for some reason, the Prophet seemed extraordinarily relaxed.

[But… in any case, that’s not my concern…]

“What?”

[You don’t need to understand me… Just bring the price.]

“I got it.”

[Paa-at!]

I stepped away from the Prophet and went outside. There weren’t any more negotiation materials to discuss.

After arriving at the Dragon King’s Valley riding the Four Great Spirits, I disembarked and took a moment to collect my thoughts. I needed to reflect on the information I had just received from the Prophet before meeting Dokgo Seong, and I required time to compose myself.

‘Not my concern?’

Is it that the Otherworldly Race thinks differently from humans?

Or am I misunderstanding something?

While I was deep in thought, Zhuge Sa spoke.

[This has confirmed it. Whether it’s the Imperial Palace or the White Lotus Sect, both can be considered sects that worship the gods of the Otherworldly Race. That’s why you naturally have to get closer to the divine.]

“The Twelve Joules will probably be similar.”

[The Twelve Joules is uncertain. That guy called the Master of the Twelve Joules differs from merely being a priest using divine power…]

Muttering like that, Zhuge Sa spoke to me.

[Baek Woong. With this, it can be said that you no longer have a reason to be obsessed with martial arts while reincarnating. Isn’t that right?]

“……”

[It’s fine to stop martial arts training after mastering the Three Treasure Technique. Doing more would be a waste of time.]

I had no choice but to remain silent. I realized he had struck the most critical point. I sat on a rock and stared up at the sky.

“That’s true.”

The Master of the White Lotus and the Dharma Protectors, who wield the most powerful martial arts in the world, did so merely by borrowing the power of the gods through contracts with the Demon Book. If that’s the case, then to confront them, I ultimately would have to use divine power, which lies in a completely different realm from martial arts. Moreover, considering my pitiful martial arts’ Five Insights, that became even clearer.

“But I still don’t want to give up.”

[Oh? Why is that?]

“Because Mangnyang hasn’t given up.”

That’s right.

Mangnyang had proposed a path, and he too hadn’t abandoned that path.

I recalled memories from the past.

[Yes. If we don’t raise him, we won’t have a future.]

[Even so, this life we live is reality. We can’t just sit and wait to die. Therefore, we must at least prepare for the possibility of winning against the gods, and I believe that’s Jin So-cheong.]

[He will surely surpass the Master of the White Lotus one day. Being raised is the same as nurturing Baek Woong.]

Jin So-cheong!

Mangnyang had mentioned him during a strategy meeting with the Sword Demon in my 18th life, saying that raising him was essential to contend with the gods. Of course, I too thought it was an absurd claim, but because Mangnyang was so loud about it, I just let it slide.

As if reading my fleeting thoughts, Zhuge Sa was incredulous.

[Huh? What are you thinking? Do you really trust Hyun that much?]

“Yeah.”

[On what basis? On what grounds does Jin So-cheong surpass the Master of the White Lotus? Of course, I can assert that Jin So-cheong has the greatest talent in the martial realm, but the Master of the White Lotus has already reached the Great Immortal level. no matter how talented he may be, he’s completely overwhelming. He can’t even be compared with anyone.]

Zhuge Sa’s words were exceedingly accurate. However, I retorted with firmness.

“I believe in Mangnyang.”

[You believe…]

“Mangnyang has shared the memories of my past lives with me and witnessed the journey up close. And because of that, I think he knows something. I’m merely trusting Mangnyang’s intuition.”

For a moment, Zhuge Sa was silent.

[This is ridiculous… you believe…]

For some reason, Zhuge Sa went on in a grumbling tone.

[Okay, let’s say that prediction is valid. But even if that’s the case, it’s Jin So-cheong who becomes stronger, not you. How many times do you think you’ll have to die to raise him? You’re bound to die at least 30 times while trying to raise Jin So-cheong.]

“Ugh…”

I felt a twinge of discomfort. I hesitated before answering.

“What about Yeodong-bin?”

[Huh?]

“Yeodong-bin and Jang Sam-bong reached the peak of martial arts without contracting with the gods, achieving enlightenment with their own strength. They have enough potential to become as strong as the gods as humans. Jin So-cheong has the highest potential among them, so it’s worth a try. I have no idea how long it will take to find the Seven Luminaries, but in that long time, it’s something worth challenging. That’s why Mangnyang would say it.”

After careful thought, I made a rational argument. Perhaps for that reason, Zhuge Sa didn’t respond with mockery.

[Oh… That’s true, but the problem is that the Heavenly Realm itself is extremely suspicious.]

“The Heavenly Realm?”

[Look at the current great powers.]

Zhuge Sa casually asserted.

[Now, as you recruit Dokgo Seong, right after discussing something with the Imperial Palace, the Master will probably begin to actively exercise his power. He has confidence in his strength to the extent that he could eliminate the Wind Spirit Sect. Naturally, he would want to break down the Imperial Palace first, knowing it’s getting stronger over time.]

“Hmm… That makes sense.”

[Here’s the issue. If the Imperial Palace and the White Lotus Sect engage in fierce combat, will the Heavenly Realm merely watch? You know it’s not like that.]

“……”

I clenched my teeth.

“Again… Does that mean they are trying to use Miho in the Heavenly Realm?”

I still vividly recall it. Miho, who suddenly awakened the Moon Sovereign and came to destroy the Emperor! If that’s the case, it’s highly likely I will encounter Miho as an enemy again.

[That’s possible, or they could prepare another assassin. As you know, every time you reincarnate, the surrounding circumstances change, leading to changes in the Law of Cause and Effect. While the Heavenly Realm may act as a middle manager, it possesses power that far surpasses the Mortal Realm, which means there are plenty of methods available for them to employ.]

Continuing from that, Zhuge Sa spoke.

[What’s important isn’t that. You’ve been overlooking the most crucial fact during your reincarnations.]

“What fact?”

[Whether the Offering Ceremony ends successfully or the Imperial Palace and White Lotus Sect settle things, either way, it will be a massive event that can determine the fate of the mortal realm. Wouldn’t you agree?]

“That’s right.”

In the latter case, the victorious faction would gain everything and become several times more powerful.

[Then why have the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors not shown their faces during all this reincarnation?]

“……!!”

I was taken aback.

‘Now that I think about it!’

Never had I considered until now that if the Imperial Palace were to gain tremendous power, it would be a monumental event for the Heavenly Realm, which is attempting to postpone the destruction hundreds of years later. Naturally, they would have to do whatever it takes to stop it, so why haven’t the supreme beings, the divine beings of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, intervened or descended?

They were as indifferent as if it were none of their business, only appearing when I called them during the Offering Ceremony, and even then, Jeon Wook left after merely responding to my questions with no interest in worldly matters. It was a remarkably unconcerned attitude, almost impossible if the Heavenly Realm and the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were on the same side.

[One more thing. Are the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors surely in the Heavenly Realm?]

“What do you mean by that?”

[No matter how divine an existence transcends time and space, a place to reside is absolutely necessary. The “Ancient Ruler” also cannot escape this fate, so the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors would certainly need a palace to dwell. However, even reviewing the memories of the Earth Immortal Mangnyang, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors’ appearances did not show up in the Heavenly Realm.]

“……”

[This is very important information. And it may hide some absurd truth…]

Muttering like this, Zhuge Sa stated firmly.

[Baek Woong. The answer is the Seven Luminaries. Whether it’s martial arts or sorcery, it takes too long to reach the realm of the gods. You should lay low and conserve your power as much as possible during this life while keeping an eye on the unity of the White Lotus Sect. Then later leverage the Master of the White Lotus’s power to find the Seven Luminaries.]

“Is that the only answer…?”

I grew concerned. Of course, while I recognized that Zhuge Sa’s words were extremely rational and expected, I also could not ignore Mangnyang’s intuition. After pondering for a while, I spoke.

“Then I will spare no means.”

[Hehe… That method should work nicely.]

As if confirming what I had in mind, Zhuge Sa chimed in.

[Then let’s go meet Dokgo Seong.]