Reincarnation Sword God

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00403  Celestial Realm ————————————————————————

Pa-at

I immediately headed toward the main branch of the White Lotus Sect. After arriving, I requested an audience with the Sect Leader. The Elders whispered among themselves for a while, and after about a meal’s time, they led me before the Sect Leader.

The Sect Leader was not seated behind a desk. He stood quietly in the garden as if lost in thought. The Dharma Guardians were nowhere to be seen. As I scrutinized the Sect Leader’s form, the Elders retreated outside.

It was a while before the Sect Leader spoke to me.

[Baek Woong. What business do you have here?]

I knew that the real battle was about to commence. No matter how great a Sect Leader he was, the choice I was about to make would be entirely unexpected, and thus his reaction was impossible to foresee. However, feeling the necessity to take a gamble in this life, I had come without fleeing.

I opened my mouth.

“Sect Leader, I cannot accept the Heavenly Spirit Pill.”

[Is this a show of humility?]

The Sect Leader tilted his head and spoke.

[If it would be better to refine the Three Treasure Technique further and then receive the Heavenly Spirit Pill, then do so. I, too, thought it was too early for you.]

As expected, the Sect Leader did not fully grasp my current state. This was because I was concealing the power of the Moon Sovereign. Just as I had liberated the Water Element Divine Sword in the past, the Seven Luminaries Technique allowed one to hide their strength at will. If I could use my power only when necessary, even the Sect Leader wouldn’t realize I had become the master of the Seven Luminaries.

‘No… perhaps he might have noticed but is choosing not to say anything.’

Still, it’s already spilled milk. There’s no option but to proceed.

I answered.

“No, even if I mastered the Three Treasure Technique and reached a higher state, I still say I will not accept the Heavenly Spirit Pill.”

[Why is that?]

“……”

[Baek Woong, you know the Heavenly Spirit Pill grants infinite internal power. You’ve had your eye on that power since the moment you joined the Sect. So why abandon it now?]

Surprisingly, the Sect Leader’s probing didn’t emit any strong emotion. There was no anger or bewilderment; it felt as if his tone barely shifted at all. Rather than being inhuman, it was as if he had become a complete natural being.

“I came to understand that the Heavenly Spirit Pill is a divine power.”

[……]

“And I also realized that it has extreme side effects that are far from normal, so how could I accept the Heavenly Spirit Pill?”

As I spoke, my throat pricked. Recognizing that at any moment I could lose my head in the Capital, I couldn’t help but feel tense. The Sect Leader was not a person who would kill on a whim, but who knew when he might change his mind? As I swallowed hard, the Sect Leader suddenly blew on a dandelion he was holding.

The dandelion seeds scattered into the sky. After watching that scene for a moment, the Sect Leader spoke.

[Then why are you here?]

“What do you mean…”

[You can’t be unaware that at any time I can take your life? With the convenient means of the Four Great Spirits, you could simply leave the White Lotus Sect. Why return here?]

I answered simply.

“Because the Sect Leader has the ability to summon Dharma Guardians close to himself.”

Before I fought the Demon Beast in my past life, I had seen the Sect Leader summon Dharma Guardians close by. Given that he had that ability, I was no different from being in the palm of the Sect Leader now that I was appointed as a Dharma Guardian.

[So you figured that out as well.]

The Sect Leader seemed calm and composed in his reply. Though his nonchalance unsettled me, I continued.

“Sect Leader, if I say I want to leave the White Lotus Sect, would you permit it?”

[That won’t do.]

“Why not?”

[At present, you are one of the most crucial fighting forces of our White Lotus Sect. Without you, I believe we cannot win the war against the Twelve Joules. You cannot leave the Sect until we defeat the Twelve Joules.]

I felt a significant wall in the Sect Leader’s calm words. Even though I had realized all the traps he laid out, his response suggested there was nothing I could do. It was a reaction made possible only because the Sect Leader himself was an Absolute Being. I instinctively felt that my words would be casually disregarded unless I took action.

I needed to put out a desperate gamble.

Steeling my resolve, I asked.

“May I ask one thing? Why do you push humans into the inferno of life and death?”

[……]

“Those who possess the Heavenly Spirit Pill are tormented for eons in the clutches of a vile evil spirit after death. Are you saying you do this without a shred of guilt?”

The White Lotus Sect Leader seemed to ponder my question for a moment. Then he replied slowly.

[Baek Woong, do you know what happens to a person after they die?]

What on earth is this odd question?

But recognizing the importance of the situation, I shook my head.

“I do not know.”

[Death is not salvation. The human soul is nothing more than a toy for the [Ancient Ruler].]

With that foreboding start, the Sect Leader continued.

[In any case… this path leads to the same outcome. Since the structure of the world is arranged according to the will of the [Ancient Ruler], in the end, everything shall perish and face misfortune. The founder, Daruma, knew this from the beginning, so he tirelessly sought ways to liberate sentient beings, wandering through this world… thus creating the Dharma Technique.]

“……”

[O Baek Woong. You might have thought that our belief in the Non-Birth Mother was a mere myth, but this being does indeed exist. The path chosen by Daruma was to borrow the power of the Non-Birth Mother to achieve True Martial, and to save all sentient beings. I am merely trying to execute his will.]

“I do not fully grasp what you are saying.”

[Essentially, I mean the same thing…]

Suddenly, the dandelion seeds held by the Sect Leader reformed into a ball. It seemed like the scattered seeds had gone back in time. As I looked at the White Lotus Sect Leader in astonishment, he spoke.

[If we realize True Martial, Mi-rae will descend. If not, the Elder of Ru’ryue and evil spirits will annihilate all mortals in five hundred years. If the Dharma Guardians give it their all, I believe we can achieve the best result. I’ve always been grateful to the Dharma Guardians.]

“That’s absurd. Who would willingly sacrifice themselves? Especially to endure eternal suffering?”

I momentarily forgot that the White Lotus Sect Leader might kill me and expressed my anger.

“Don’t force someone to sacrifice! Are you really saying such narrow-minded excuses while pushing the owners of the Heavenly Spirit Pill into eternal torment?!”

Thoughts of the Golden Eagles flashed in my mind. Using the pretext of serving the nation, they had slaughtered countless innocents while pursuing their own selfish desires, creating an inferno. They were nothing but trash who had no intention of sacrificing themselves while throwing others into suffering.

[That may be how it appears. It’s indeed my fault not to mention the price of the Heavenly Spirit Pill.]

The Sect Leader replied evenly.

[However, if we talk about sacrifice, I bear a burden too. No… there is an even heavier burden on my shoulders.]

“What…?”

[The cost of the Primordial Spirit is not less than that of the Heavenly Spirit Pill. It could even be said to be several times greater. Yet I had to shoulder that burden to unify the Four Great Families and obtain strength. Even if I must suffer eternal torment after death…]

As the Sect Leader muttered, he looked at me.

[Baek Woong. If we succeed in realizing True Martial, everything will be saved. At that time, the worst price held by the Primordial Spirit and the Heavenly Spirit Pill will also be mitigated because all worlds will experience a cycle, causing the [Ancient Ruler] to vanish.]

“……!!”

W-What does this mean?!

For a moment, I almost forgot to execute my plan as I was captivated by the Sect Leader’s words. This was because the ultimate goal of the White Lotus Sect—achieving True Martial—was unexpectedly substantive.

The disappearance of the [Ancient Ruler]!

Even Zhuge Sa, who had been silently observing within me, seemed flustered and stammered.

[No way… It’s hard to believe…]

[Zhuge Sa, do you know something?]

[Hell!]

Zhuge Sa seemed displeased and fell silent. Meanwhile, the Sect Leader continued speaking.

[This is no fabricated story.]

“To achieve True Martial, must all the teachings of the Non-Birth Mother be gathered?”

[That’s right. But where they are scattered cannot be discovered by human means. That’s why we aim to obtain divine power. A god would know where they are.]

“……”

[Baek Woong, I might seem strange to you right now. However, I believe my way is the only legitimate choice.]

At that moment, I felt the figure of the White Lotus Sect Leader, Dokgo Uncheon, strangely overlapping with that of Zhuge Yulong.

Why would two completely unalike individuals overlap in my vision?

[Do not hesitate any longer; follow me.]

The Sect Leader’s persuasion was filled with earnestness. As a result, I felt my heart start to waver violently. Having arrived here knowing everything, it’s no wonder that those who see the Sect Leader daily revere him like a god.

But I steadied my heart and replied to the Sect Leader.

“I cannot do that.”

[Do you intend to make an enemy of me?]

“No. Simply put, our relationship will change going forward.”

I felt the Sect Leader’s gaze piercing into me as he stared blankly. At the same time, I summoned the Moon Sovereign and began to channel my power.

Chiri-ling

With a clear sound, the Moon Sovereign’s moonlight manifested near me. As the power of the Moon Sovereign surged forth, I felt an overwhelming force coursing through me, far beyond what I had felt moments before. It seemed the Sect Leader sensed my power increasing and was taken aback.

[This power is…]

“Sect Leader, I have become the master of the Moon Sovereign. Moreover, I’ve attained several more powers.”

Surrounding my body, I raised the strength of the Moon Sovereign’s Three Divine Tools alongside the Demon Beast Bracelet and National Seal’s powers. In an instant, my magical power multiplied several times over, bringing me to a previously unimaginable level. While my essence remained unchanged, the power I could wield now exceeded that of the Dharma Guardians by a considerable margin.

Noticing this, the Sect Leader raised his own energy against me.

Kugugugung…

As the massive energies collided, I felt like I was being repelled. I shivered in fear as I sensed the true power of the Sect Leader.

‘This is insane…’

How is this power stacked?! Even with just the Moon Sovereign alone, it surpasses the strength one could accumulate in a lifetime, yet here I was, enhanced by the powers of the National Seal and the Bracelet. I’m confident that even as a Dharma Guardian, I could easily defeat my opponents. But the Sect Leader effortlessly surpassed my strength and was currently holding over 80% dominance.

Hovering in mid-air, the Sect Leader mockingly said, his Qi waves surpassing the Dharma Guardian’s power by a mile, each wave containing enough might to sweep away hundreds.

[It seems you’re not capable of defeating me.]

“Y-Yeah, that seems about right.”

I forced a smile while sweating profusely, trying to keep it together.

“But… if I fully exert myself to the utmost, you might sustain some injuries, Sect Leader…”

[On what grounds?]

“I can unlock the Eight Gates of Life and Death with the technique of Great Destruction.”

[……!!]

For the first time, the Sect Leader recoiled in surprise. Although I was grimacing under the pressure of his might, I forced a smile and continued.

“Of course, if I unleash the Eight Gates with this level of power, my body will likely explode within a second, but… can you fully withstand that strike, Sect Leader?”

The Sect Leader seemed to ponder my question thoughtfully before answering shortly.

[It would be difficult.]

Great Destruction!

It was the ultimate needle technique offspring of the Guangming Divine Doctor’s Hwa Seong-myeong, a secret technique that only clan leaders and direct descendants of the Hua Clan could inherit. It was an ultimate technique meant for self-sacrifice, designed to save those around you when there was no other means of survival, but in reality, it opened the Eight Gates of Life and Death within the body, raising all abilities to the extreme for a fleeting moment—essentially a suicide technique.

Yet its effects had surpassed any martial arts known to this world, and in the past, even when I had attained peak-level Wuwei, I had torn apart the Wind Spirit Sect’s Dharma Guardian Yongbi-cheon using Great Destruction to unlock the Eight Gates. Now massively stronger than back then, with *both* Moon Sovereign and National Seal working for me, using Great Destruction would immediately grant me terrifying strength.

It was an act of suicide, and concurrently, since so much power would overwhelm my body, the chances of maintaining that peak power for even one second were slim.

But regardless, that single strike—a power that even the White Lotus Sect Leader would be unable to withstand—had to be acknowledged.

I glared at the Sect Leader through gritted teeth.

“I cannot follow a Sect Leader who toys with people and plunges countless lives into suffering using the Heavenly Spirit Pill. But it is also true that I am in a situation where I must cooperate with you now. So I propose a temporary alliance here and now.”

[An alliance, you say?]

I nodded.

“I will stay with you only until you defeat the Twelve Joules. Until then, I will exert all my strength to assist you. However, after that, please don’t meddle with me for my beliefs and let me leave the White Lotus Sect.”

[……]

After a moment of silence, the Sect Leader spoke.

[Must you really turn against me? I don’t think I’ve treated you poorly.]

I replied firmly.

“This is to protect my soul. I have learned the truth about the Heavenly Spirit Pill.”

[Are you saying you won’t transplant it, regardless?]

“If I hadn’t taken this stand, do you think you would have listened to me? You likely would have forced the Heavenly Spirit Pill upon me under the pretext of doing it for the Sect.”

[Is that so… So that was your reasoning…]

Sighing, the Sect Leader said.

[Very well. I accept the alliance. I swear in my name that until we defeat the Twelve Joules, I will not harm you. I will not force the Heavenly Spirit Pill upon you.]

“Thank you.”

Woosh

The Sect Leader again blew the dandelion seeds into the air. While observing that scene for a moment, the Sect Leader remarked.

[Baek Woong, I like you. Your indifference to your own death makes your advice or protests feel fresh every time. I thought you would understand my great ambition…]

“……”

[I hope you have a change of heart in the future.]

The Sect Leader’s aura silently vanished. Clearly, he no longer wanted to converse with me today. This was unlike his usual behavior when he would shamelessly dig for information over any matter.

‘One hurdle cleared.’

The reason the Sect Leader, despite his overwhelming power, accepted my proposal was because of the existence of the formidable enemy, the Twelve Joules. He couldn’t afford to waste his strength trying to take me down. Though the chances of defeating the Sect Leader head-on were almost despairingly low, if I wished to sacrifice myself and land a blow, I could seriously injure him with Great Destruction. I had succeeded in using my power to forcefully establish an equal relationship with the Sect Leader.