Reincarnation Sword God

---

00462  Dark Heaven Village ————————————————————————=

The moon of Dark Heaven Village?

The clue I obtained from Peng Zuo was a riddle. Not only was there a bizarre land called Dark Heaven Village, but did it also imply that another moon existed in that world? Various questions swirled in my mind, but Peng Zuo had already left. Eventually, the divine connection broke, and Cheon Woo-jin returned to his usual state, pressing his index finger hard against his temple, looking as if he had a headache.

“Your business is concluded, right? You may leave now.”

“Please wait a moment.”

With a sigh, I handed him the White Feather Fan. Cheon Woo-jin accepted it with a blank expression, and I bowed my head to him as I spoke.

“I feel I have asked too much of you. Though I can’t say this is compensation, I hope it can ease your anger.”

This apology was sincere. I had never shared the obsidian with Cheon Woo-jin, yet I had frequently asked him for requests beyond that of a companion. Instinctively, I sensed that if my relationship with him soured any further, I might face pointless backlash or harm, combined with genuine regret, which prompted this apology. Cheon Woo-jin responded with a bewildered expression.

“What? You think giving me a treasure like the White Feather Fan is going to earn your apology? Are you an idiot?”

“As I said, it’s a gesture of goodwill.”

Sometimes, human emotions are more important than treasure.

“My goodness… it’s absurd. Do you not know how precious this item is?”

Cheon Woo-jin chuckled softly.

“Fine. I will also ease my feelings with this.”

“Thank you.”

I turned my back to Cheon Woo-jin, preparing to leave when he called out from behind.

“Wait!”

Upon turning back, he said, “You can’t just accept a treasure empty-handed. I’ll give you some advice.”

“Advice?”

He nodded and began, “First, I will share the tips for mastering techniques. These tips can be applied when learning most techniques. You’re lacking in talent, but understanding these tips will allow you to progress easily.”

I perked up at Cheon Woo-jin’s words.

“Such convenient tips exist?”

“Of course, but you must be diligent in following them.”

“Please tell me. I will take your words to heart.”

“When practicing techniques, do not just focus on the technique’s training method; you must also unify your mind through practice of the left and right paths. When eliminating distractions, do not act carelessly and follow the rhythm of the Three Harmonies. And during the right path’s meditation, it’s best to align the channel of energy with the technique’s spirit communication.”

I pondered Cheon Woo-jin’s advice for a moment before asking, “Are you saying, just like the Eight Extraordinary Vessels in martial arts, I should open the channel of spirit energy?”

“That’s correct.”

“Hmm… I’ve never heard of such a training method. Spirit energy has no defined shape, floating about like water or clouds; how can I channel it as if…”

I trailed off, realizing that Cheon Woo-jin’s training method broke the mold of anything I understood about technique training. This was because the training of martial arts and techniques is distinct, stemming from the fact that Qi and spiritual energy possess fundamentally different properties. Qi integrates more clearly with the body’s organs and circulates easily, while spirit energy, being a form of mystical power, is more amorphous than Qi. Therefore, none of the masters – whether it be Miho or Mangnyang – who taught me techniques ever mentioned this method.

Cheon Woo-jin continued, “As I mentioned, these are merely tips. Since you lack talent, you’ll struggle to control your magical power; use this method as a reference.”

“Hmm.”

“Just like a martial artist’s rebirth of flesh, when the energy of techniques reaches its limit, the sorcerer will also gain ‘Law’ at that moment.”

That had to be true. The rebirth of flesh Cheon Woo-jin experienced was akin to reaching an absolute realm as a martial artist. As a beginner, standing on the threshold of intermediate sorcery, it would be foolish for me to challenge his methods. Cheon Woo-jin, who had mentioned it casually, then said,

“One more thing. If you have any questions about treasures or techniques, ask me now. I will answer.”

His words sparked an idea in my mind, and I quickly retrieved the Fire Element and Fire Dragon Sword, holding them in both hands. Cheon Woo-jin seemed to sense the energy of the two divine treasures and momentarily flinched. I explained my current state to him.

“As you can see, I’m using the immense fire energy dormant in the Fire Element to resurrect the Fire Dragon Sword. I want to know if this method is correct, and when the Fire Dragon Sword will be revived.”

“Let me see.”

Cheon Woo-jin murmured an incantation, gathering energy in his eyes. After staring for a moment, he said, “The spirit within the Fire Dragon Sword is slowly awakening. This is indeed an effective method; you have nothing to worry about.”

“When will it awaken?”

“It will take approximately 21 days.”

“That long…”

“Long? Let me remind you, the Fire Dragon Sword has been drained of its energy for hundreds of years, and was on the verge of breaking. If it revives, the hierarchy of treasures and divine swords will be reorganized, which is a very short time.”

That was true. Cheon Woo-jin continued, “The Fire Dragon Sword is a supreme divine sword with the instincts of the Great Serpent’s law. When it is resurrected, it won’t be good for that sorcerer, whatever their name is, to be nearby. It would instantly recognize them as an enemy and burn them to ashes with divine flame.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

For the time being, I would have to keep the Fire Dragon Sword and Fire Element close. I asked one last question, “You know that Peng Zuo closed the search function of the National Seal with the authority he has, right? Isn’t there a way to lift it with sorcery?”

“As far as I know, there is no such method. The National Seal itself is a supreme treasure directly made by the Three Sovereigns; no human sorcerer can touch it. If there’s a method, you’ll have to ask the creator to解除手法.”

“The creator…”

“It’s So Ho Geum Cheon. You can summon him and request it through the Offering Ceremony.”

At that moment, Cheon Woo-jin narrowed his eyes sharply at me. “Let me make this clear: I will absolutely not help. I’ll use this to wipe away any grudges and emotions.”

He wasn’t joking. It seemed impossible to perform the Offering Ceremony with Cheon Woo-jin’s assistance in this life. Even if I persuaded Master Mangnyang to move Cheon Woo-jin, I was certain that the moment the Offering Ceremony ended, he would try to kill me. I raised my hands, acknowledging the hard truth.

“Understood. I will look for another sorcerer.”

“That would be wise. Farewell.”

“Then.”

I left Cheon Woo-jin and returned to Jangryeong Valley. Upon hearing the circumstances from the meeting with Peng Zuo, Zhuge Sa was astonished.

“The moon of Dark Heaven Village…? Then does that mean we have to pierce through the spider deity guarding Dark Heaven Village and cross into the city of the Secret Gods…? That bastard Changqie really hid in an incredible place.”

“Do you know where the moon of Dark Heaven Village is?”

“Ah, I know.”

Zhuge Sa exhaled deeply. “Damn it. That place is the most evil, dark, and dangerous spot even within the abyss of Dark Heaven Village. Sorcerers regard it as ominous, just like the Ruin that exists deep beneath the sea. There’s no way to reach it by normal means, even if you died ten times and revived.”

“Is it that serious?”

“Of course. Why is it dangerous? No sorcerer has ever gathered information about that place. It’s also called ‘the end of the world.’”

“……”

Is there truly such a place in Dark Heaven Village?!

I felt once again that the mission to find Changqie, given by Jeon Wook, was going to be incredibly difficult.

“Damn it… this is a headache.”

Zhuge Sa spat a curse, glaring at me. “And why, for heaven’s sake, did you give the precious White Feather Fan to that fool Cheon Woo-jin?”

“Ugh.”

Here we go again.

I fumbled for words then said, “I thought it was the right thing to do.”

“The right thing? Ha! Whatever you gave him, he’s not going to help us from now on; what’s the point?”

“……”

“Well, it’s not without its benefits, so let’s just move on.”

Zhuge Sa looked at me with disdain, then continued speaking. “Still, we’ve made quite a bit of progress. Now we know we have to go to the moon of Dark Heaven Village, and if we can survive a few life-threatening moments, we might be able to figure things out.”

“Should I use the Golden Lamp?”

I pulled the Golden Lamp out, holding it in my hands. It was an incredibly convenient and powerful demon artifact, to the point where much of my adventure hinged upon it. Furthermore, wasn’t the original purpose of this lamp to lead its owner to a place within Dark Heaven Village? Until now, I had used it for travel at my own discretion, but if I just let it guide me to Dark Heaven Village, that would work.

Zhuge Sa shook his head. “No. That’s too dangerous. As I think I mentioned before, that was created with a specific ‘purpose’ in mind. And that artifact was once owned by Abdul Alhazred, one of the most powerful sorcerers in history. There’s no way he would take you to Dark Heaven Village with good intentions.”

“Abdul Alhazred… does that mean he’s from Persia, surpassing the West?”

Heading west from the Central Plains brings you to the Western Regions, but before you reach the Western Regions, there were the regions of Western Zhang and Persia. Western Zhang was also referred to as the Barbarian Land, which was essentially where the nomadic kingdoms of the Central Plains’ outskirts resided, while Persia meant a region that lay even further west, marked by vast deserts. I had heard that the people of Persia used such names as I traveled, prompting the question.

Zhuge Sa explained, “Sorcerers exist mainly in the realms of the Central Plains and the Seven Luminaries, whereas demon sorcerers can be found anywhere in the world. The darkness of the ‘Old Rulers’ is everywhere, which means anyone can come into contact with it.”

“Hm.”

“This doesn’t feel good. If I were Abdul, there’s no way I would set the destination with good intentions. Following the purpose of that lamp will likely end in death.”

“So what should I do? I can’t reach Dark Heaven Village without using the lamp.”

“There are two other methods.”

Methods? I looked at Zhuge Sa as he smirked.

“Using the method I mentioned would likely end in death.”

“What do you mean…?”

Zhuge Sa extended his index finger.

“First. Using the Dream Art, some say if you descend through 70 levels and pass the gatekeeper’s test, then re-ascend through 700 levels, you’ll arrive at the forest of Dark Heaven Village. This is the most conventional method known to sorcerers, but the problem is that even sorcerers who have passed the gatekeeper’s test are exceptionally rare in history.”

“Why?”

“That test is an extremely difficult one that tests all wisdom, courage, and mental strength. If you fail, your dream self dissipates, resulting in death. Moreover, even if you pass the test to reach Dark Heaven Village, there’s no guarantee that you’ll encounter good fortune; you’ll have to face the ancient demon beasts that dwell in the forest and survive somehow.”

“That sounds difficult…”

That didn’t seem like a good method at all. Zhuge Sa raised his finger once more.

“If you don’t want to use Dream Art, another method would be to find the dimensional coordinates of Dark Heaven Village and enter through a dimensional gate. This way, you won’t have to take any tests.”

“Then I should use that method…”

Zhuge Sa grinned maniacally. “Hehe. Using this method would mean directly confronting the ‘Old Ruler,’ the lord of all spiders. Want to fight the Old Ruler? That guy is the gatekeeper of Dark Heaven Village.”

“……”

“Thus, I’m saying it’s impossible to go to Dark Heaven Village. It’s a place no human should or could go.”

I felt a sigh escape from me.

“Damn it… what am I supposed to do?”

I had learned that Changqie was in the moon of Dark Heaven Village, but the ways to reach Dark Heaven Village were all so perilous that I would need ten lives to spare. No matter which method I chose, it felt like I might lose my life. Yet if I simply postponed going to Dark Heaven Village, the ten-year deadline set by Jeon Wook would fly by, leading to mission failure!

It’s a dilemma. While I was in deep thought, Zhuge Sa said, “But don’t worry. We still have the Nameless Ritual Book.”

Swish.

Zhuge Sa pulled out the Nameless Ritual Book from his robe. He declared confidently, “While you were gone, I delved passionately into the Nameless Ritual Book. I have no idea how much knowledge this demon book still holds. If we study this Nameless Ritual Book, we might discover a safe way to reach the moon of Dark Heaven Village.”

“Whoa!”

That makes sense. The Nameless Ritual Book is a top-tier demon book! That means there’s a good chance it contains knowledge related to Dark Heaven Village! Feeling a sliver of hope, I clenched my fists in determination as Zhuge Sa said, “So I need some time to study the Nameless Ritual Book. For now, let’s organize what we have and begin training.”

“What should I do?”

“I shouldn’t have to say this, but you should know how to handle that much. There’s a mountain of things to do, so if you’re worried about what to focus on, that’s on you.”

Zhuge Sa nagged, and I scratched my head.

“Got it.”

He was right. There were countless training and actions I needed to accomplish that didn’t involve reaching Dark Heaven Village. Of those, I had to choose and sufficiently train myself; that was the task at hand for me now.

I stepped away from Zhuge Sa and simultaneously gripped the Fire Element and the Fire Dragon Sword in my hands. I felt the immense fire energy surging through me, always in motion. Glancing down at the two swords, I muttered, “He said it’ll take 21 days… I need to figure out how to wield these weapons in that time frame.”

Methods to wield both weapons.

Currently, I knew of only two.

I needed to find those methods and acquire the strongest combat power!