Reincarnation Sword God

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I felt a strange aura while moving through the rugged mountains the next day. It was because I had discovered a bizarre mountain range where a group of eerie evil spirits congregated. Curiosity piqued, I headed towards the shadowy place in the middle of the high, desolate mountains, wondering what kind of human spirit might be lurking there amidst the raging blizzards.

Kuuuu…

‘Such a herd…’

Frowning at the gnarled ridges of the cave-like mountain peak, I activated the Heavenly Secret Technique, revealing the ghastly figures of the evil spirits. Each one was painted a vivid shade of red, suffused with resentment, fear, and despair. Anyone who wandered this area and encountered these malevolent beings was likely to meet a grim fate.

Yet, it didn’t make sense. This was a secluded, towering mountain area with no human presence. Normally, a person couldn’t ascend without proper gear, and even I could easily tumble down Manjangan Cliff with just one misstep. Why were evil spirits gathering in such a place?

Lost in thought, I stepped into the dark cave. To my surprise, the spirits reacted not with hostility but with what seemed like fright, scattering sideways as if intimidated by my presence.

“……?”

Of course, I could easily control and dispel the evil spirits with my tremendous internal power. I could also handle them with the Heavenly Secret Technique under normal conditions. However, just by stepping into their midst without doing anything, they all fled in terror. It was as though they were genuinely afraid of my existence.

As I ventured deeper into the cave, I was greeted by the stench of decay and a muddy passage littered with corpses. There seemed to be no graves; limbs and heads jutted out haphazardly, and they were quietly rotting away. Their death was anything but normal, and while I observed their pitiful state, I decided to call forth one of the evil spirits using the Heavenly Secret Technique.

“Hey. What happened here?”

[ #&@^#&@&^@#….]

The evil spirit writhed as if it wanted to convey something, but I couldn’t hear it clearly. It wasn’t just that it spoke a foreign language; if that were the case, I wouldn’t have been able to communicate smoothly with souls from centuries ago. It simply felt as though this spirit couldn’t come close enough to have a conversation with me.

Growing frustrated, I called for Zhuge Sa to explain the situation. He inspected the evil spirit with keen interest and remarked.

“These guys are food.”

“What?”

“They’ve already been sacrificed to someone. Their souls belong to that individual, which is why they can’t respond to the Heavenly Secret Technique.”

Zhuge Sa then looked away as if the whole matter bored him.

“Why are you here? This place is a garbage dump. Don’t waste your time and go search for Peng Zuo instead.”

“A garbage dump…? Please, explain properly! There are at least hundreds of humans dead here; we need to know why.”

The reason for the overwhelming presence of corpses was simple: this used to be a generously-sized cave, but so many humans had been buried that it had shrunk down.

“Do you need a more straightforward explanation? To put it precisely, this is a food waste dump.”

Crack!

Suddenly, Zhuge Sa reached out and grabbed the nearby evil spirit. Humans generally couldn’t capture spirits, but as a master of the Soul Exchange Technique, it was likely a feat he could achieve. Zhuge Sa shook the spirit vigorously and said,

“It’s been dissected. Something fundamental to its essence is missing. It’s just leftover garbage.”

“……”

I finally understood Zhuge Sa’s words, and my expression hardened.

“Did it become an offering to the [Old Ruler]?”

“Perhaps…”

“Perhaps?”

“Even the apostle or high-level otherworldly race beneath the ruler sometimes demand tributes. In either case, this place is a garbage dump for the souls used as leftovers by such beings. Sticking around won’t do you any good, so get out.”

Glimpsing my expression, Zhuge Sa spoke bluntly.

“Don’t even think about toppling the master of this dump. You don’t have the luxury of that.”

“But look at these bodies! These are corpses of recent victims. It’s still ongoing!”

“So what? You think challenging a being whose identity you don’t even know would help?”

Zhuge Sa’s eyes glimmered with madness.

“Right. If I unleash the power of the National Seal and the abilities of Jeon Wook as an apostle, I might have a chance against a high-level otherworldly race. But do you know what that means? It means you would be declaring a preemptive strike against the [Old Ruler] on behalf of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.”

“……!!”

“The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors have even established a truce via the Seven Luminaries for the sake of peace. You think Jeon Wook will fight the divine being ruling the West for your sake? It would be clear that he would strip you of your apostolic qualifications for such useless behavior.”

“Damn…”

“Don’t bother yourself with these matters; it’s a never-ending hassle.”

In the end, I could only clench my teeth and turn away.

‘Another tragedy like Taekyung Village has occurred here…’

Unbeknownst to anyone, an entire village had been annihilated, its bodies devoured, and its souls became playthings, never to find salvation even in death. Feeling the frustration of having to turn away even after witnessing the repetition of the tragedy I had once thwarted in the East filled me with despair.

And Zhuge Sa’s words became a prophecy.

During the next five hundred li I traversed using the Light Body Technique, I sensed thirty-nine more locations exhibiting similar ominous signs. The number of humans who had died namelessly, wandering aimlessly as vengeful spirits, surely exceeded thirty thousand. Even if they were buried in desolate mountains, I could still feel their presence in the ruined wastelands.

In the case of a devastated village, there was no apparent reason to hide the traces, and pitiful corpses and skeletal remains littered the area. The remnants of the otherworldly race’s waste and shells were also strewn about.

Tydaht…

Feeling overwhelmed, I abruptly stopped running and murmured.

“Is this hell?”

In the Central Plains, things weren’t this extreme. The instances of humans being indiscriminately devoured by the otherworldly race or offered up as sacrifices were glaringly clear. Occasionally, there were seemingly intact villages, but I suspected it was only a matter of time before those places were attacked.

But strangely, if humans were being slaughtered en masse, the nation wouldn’t develop. Besides, so far, there had been almost no signs of the otherworldly race in those intact villages.

What on earth was the criteria for the otherworldly race’s assault on humans?

After some time, I arrived at a colossal castle. It was an imposing Western-style castle unseen even in Arasa, and though it wasn’t as grand as Luoyang, it was still magnificent. My original plan was to utilize the Light Body Technique to swiftly leap over the castle while the people were unaware.

However, as I looked at the shabby human settlement gathered outside the castle, an odd feeling washed over me.

‘What’s going on?’

In the Central Plains, there were indeed beggars and refugees living outside the castle; however, this settlement seemed like an entire village had moved as one. Moreover, some Westerners could be seen coordinating their movements with military precision. Outside the castle was a neatly organized cluster of villagers.

‘I want to gather information, but…’

Unfortunately, I didn’t speak the Western tongue. Furthermore, according to Zhuge Sa, this Western continent wasn’t a unified nation like the Central Plains but was instead in a state resembling the Warring States period, with different countries and languages. In this situation, I had no means to communicate with them, leading to a frustrating realization of being a stranger in a faraway land.

Resigned, I called for Zhuge Sa from a secluded spot to ask. He grimaced and replied.

“You’re trying to meddle in something that doesn’t concern you.”

“Isn’t it more of a loss to just let something suspicious slide?”

“… There is a method.”

“What method?”

“Use the Heavenly Secret Technique. If you find a strong spirit nearby to possess, you could temporarily understand the local language. Preferably a proper spirit, not one that’s been torn apart.”

“Got it.”

I nodded and activated the Heavenly Secret Technique. Even in this distant land, I felt the energy of the Ten Fingers resonating strongly, and I was able to find the ‘powerful spirit’ Zhuge Sa had mentioned. I summoned that spirit and inquired.

[ I ask, who are you?]

The Westerner, with brown hair and beard, wore a unique outfit and had a long sword slung at his waist. He didn’t seem like a knight, but the intense gaze emanating from him made it clear he was a master of martial arts in his former life.

[ Are you a warrior from the East?]

“That’s correct.”

[ My name is Johannes Lichtenauer! Do you have a request for me?]

“Hmm…”

I could grasp the general meaning. Despite being a completely new Western language, the essence of the conversation flowed seamlessly into my mind. I replied, looking at him.

“Lichtenauer… What a difficult name.”

[ Call me however you wish.]

“Lichte. I need information, so please gather the current situation from those refugees.”

[ That’s an easy task!]

Wooong!

Abbreviated Lichtenauer possessed my body. His sharp gaze peered down at me as he muttered.

“You possess an unbelievably strong Kraft! It’s hard to believe!”

Curious, I asked him in the back of my mind.

[ What is that?]

“Hmm… It refers to the power that envelops your inner self. Not muscle power, but the strength that enriches your inner being.”

Ah, he means qi.

It seemed that the martial artists from the West understood and could harness qi, though they had different nomenclatures. It appeared Lichtenauer could sense the energies of the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng and various spiritual pills swirling around my body. So, I became curious and questioned him further.

[ Were you also a master of martial arts in your life? Does the martial arts world exist in the West?]

“Ha ha. I’m not familiar with what a martial arts world is. However, I was a practitioner who led my own school and researched sword techniques.”

Step, step!

Eventually, he approached the refugee village and spoke to what appeared to be the village chief among them.

“Don’t look down on me just because I have black hair. I’m an Eastern student come to learn from the Lichtenauer school.”

The stocky chief, dressed in thick clothes, answered bluntly, seemingly accustomed to such exchanges.

“Why should I care?! Don’t annoy me and get lost.”

Lichtenauer, staring at the chief blankly, asked.

“Why don’t you go inside the castle? It would be more comfortable living within.”

“You think we’re nobles or bourgeois? We can’t get into the castle.”

“You don’t seem to be from around here, so why are you sleeping outside the walls?”

“……”

With slightly angry eyes, the chief replied.

“You pitiful outsider, it looks like you need to learn your place!”

Thud!

At that moment, burly men who were skilled with their fists emerged from various corners of the refugee village. They weren’t empty-handed; they wielded daggers or clubs. It was clear they were planning to either kill or incapacitate me here, and avoiding a fight seemed impossible.

Screech!

In an instant, Lichtenauer quickly drew my long sword and executed three wide slashes. As the flashes swept by, the hems of the villagers’ clothing were cleanly severed just a hair’s breadth from their skin. Even compared to the peak experts of the Central Plains, this was precision work that left me inwardly impressed.

‘So fast! He’s reached the peak of extreme speed!’

Moreover, the manipulation ofqi appeared incredibly delicate. I shouldn’t underestimate the martial arts of the West.

“Yikes.”

Frozen in surprise, the chief found Lichtenauer’s sword pressed against his neck.

“I told you I’m from the Lichtenauer school!”

“Uh… Sorry, I didn’t respond properly.”

After that, the chief explained.

“Rumors have spread that villages have been annihilated recently, and there are stories of unidentified monsters roaming the forests and plains. That’s why people from five villages have gathered here seeking the lord’s protection. If monsters attack, the lord won’t just stand by and watch over what happens in front of his castle.”

“Can’t you just ask the lord to send an army?”

“If a village is decimated overnight, what good would it do to make that request afterward? Besides, survivors say there are horrific monsters that you wouldn’t dare look at, so we couldn’t handle it.”

Subsequently, Lichtenauer continued to gather more information from the chief about the current situation. Once he had accumulated all the details, he stepped back and said.

“I’ve done my part, but may I make one request?”

[ What kind of request?]

“It’s been twenty years since my death, but this place is my hometown. I wish to say a word to the lord.”

This was a first for me. The Heavenly Secret Technique was supposed to signify a deal where a powerful spirit summoned by the Great Immortal is tasked with a job in exchange for rich merits. Receiving merits, the spirit would either enhance itself or gain the opportunity to ascend to the afterlife. Naturally, from the spirit’s perspective, it would only want to engage in tasks equal to those it was given. However, Lichtenauer was curiously proactive.

[ I understand.]

Pa-at!

Then, Lichtenauer used the Light Body Technique to fly towards the castle walls and burrow inside. He bounced off the qi at his fingertips and praised it repeatedly.

“What incredible power!”

However, as he moved from the outer area into the inner castle, the atmosphere grew increasingly peculiar. While the outer castle area resembled a somewhat developed Western city, the deeper I went, I began to sense thick magical energy leaking out. Lichtenauer seemed to realize this, climbing atop the battlements and murmuring.

“Ugh… I can go no further…then I shall take my leave.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than he detached from my body. He could have forced himself to go further, but it seemed he deemed it dangerous for me as the user of the technique. I was forced to accept his judgment. The dark magical energy spread before my eyes like a pitch-black cloud.

Crackle!

Even above the sentinel tower’s peak, dark clouds were swirling, and bolts of lightning were striking. As I beheld the scene, I frowned.

‘Magic!’

Was it just an illusion that the scene painted with dark magic, witnessed by Jin So-cheong fifty years later, resurfaced in my mind?

I realized this boundary marked something significant. Without a doubt, a powerful magical tribe was residing within the inner castle. Venturing deeper would undoubtedly be tantamount to a declaration of war.

Lost in contemplation, the castle gate opened, and a guard approached my direction.

The guard’s mouth dropped open, and tentacle-like appendages began writhing out from within. The one wiggling the appendages spoke to me telepathically.

[ You… are you the apostle of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?]

It appeared that one human had completely become a host for tentacles through the magic of the otherworldly race. I calmly responded.

“Do you know who I am?”

[ … Since the Seven Luminaries… we’ve settled our respective domains… what brings you to my territory…?]

In that moment, I grasped the reality.

‘The lord of this region…is a high-level otherworldly being!!’

What a shocking revelation. The destitute refugees outside were relying on the lord for protection against the otherworldly race’s attacks, yet the very lord was a formidable magic being! Given the aura exuding from him, while it didn’t seem he was the [Old Ruler] or an apostle, he was definitely a powerful being from the otherworldly race.

I pondered for a moment before responding.

“I’m just passing through. I have no intention of picking a fight or causing you harm.”

[ What reason do you have to… be passing through…? Why have you come to the West…?]

“I have no obligation to explain that to you.”

I suddenly had a thought flash through my mind and coldly added.

“I warn you, I am on a mission from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. If you impede or threaten me, I will unleash my power.”

The tentacles quivered.

They were clearly agitated. It made sense; if the Law of Cause and Effect were to take effect, all constraints would lift on my ability to strike him down. Moreover, the lord seemed to hesitate significantly at the thought of challenging an apostle of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.

After a brief silence, the tentacle spoke.

[ Fine… let us not interfere with each other… Depart quietly from this land… ]

“Hey. What are you planning to do about the refugees outside the castle? Are you going to send your subordinates to eat them?”

[ Why ask about such vermin…? Do you think I would concern myself with them…?]

I growled at him.

“Leave those people alone. If you lay a finger on them, I won’t let it slide.”

[ Hehe… How scary… Fine… I’ve gathered enough food for my offspring anyway… ]

“……”

It appeared that the countless humans slaughtered nearby had been fed to the grotesque otherworldly beings birthed by the high-level lord. A bitter feeling welled up within me, but there was nothing more I could do at the moment.

“There’s one more thing I want to ask. This is for my questioning fee.”

Swoosh!

I took out several hides of the lunar beast that Zhuge Sa had stockpiled and tossed them. This was a valuable item that could suffice even for the otherworldly race. As the tentacle received the hide and went silent, I pressed on with my inquiry.

“I’m searching for Changqie and Peng Zuo. Do you know their whereabouts?”

[ I don’t know such things… ]

The lord hesitated before finally admitting.

[ But I’ll warn you… There are many spirits in this continent like me… If you persist in interfering with our matters… we will have to impose sanctions upon you… ]

Pa-at!

Woosh—

Rain began to pour. I stared down at the corpse of the guard who had collapsed, spewed forth with tentacles, and my expression grew complicated. The fact that there were several lands ruled by such monsters effectively indicated that the West had already fallen under the dominance of the otherworldly race.

‘This is troublesome.’

The British Empire is a nation greatly advanced in technology and engineering.

That means the Demon Path had also deeply encroached upon it. I would likely see plenty of high-level otherworldly beings or monsters running rampant once I entered the British Empire.