Reincarnation Sword God

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00471 Dark Heaven Village ————————————————————————

Seeing the scene before my eyes made me feel alienated, and I thought Mangnyang’s scheme was quite remarkable. General Hwang Yeon had learned martial arts but was barely at a first-class level, and for now, he was just an old man whose family was all imprisoned and facing death. Yet, even in the Imperial Palace and among the fire spirit techniques, there was a powerful scholarly faction represented by Deung Gwak, who couldn’t hide his flustered expression as soon as he saw Hwang Yeon. Moreover, judging by his expression, it was not just a pretense; he was genuinely struggling with Hwang Yeon.

Han Baek-ryeong, upon seeing Hwang Yeon, quickly offered a salute.

“It’s been a while since I’ve met the hero of our nation, General Hwang.”

Even Han Baek-ryeong?!

As I was even more shocked, Hwang Yeon responded nonchalantly while seated.

“This old man has suddenly appeared, and you must have been quite surprised.”

“……”

“May I say a few words?”

“Please do.”

Deung Gwak and Han Baek-ryeong answered almost simultaneously. However, their faces showed neither embarrassment nor confusion, but rather a clear sense of appropriateness. As I observed this, I recalled what Mangnyang had told me yesterday.

[Baek Woong. General Hwang Yeon is a heavyweight beyond your expectations. So, you need not worry.]

[How can I not worry? If Han Baek-ryeong or Deung Gwak feel displeased, they could act with force…]

[That’s exactly what I’m saying; worrying about such things is meaningless.]

[……?]

[In your past life, the moment I, Mangnyang, seized General Hwang Yeon, I could have instigated a rebellion or a coup at will. It was akin to Cao Cao seizing the throne because he is one of the greatest generals in the history of the Great Ming Empire.]

Yesterday, I couldn’t fully grasp Mangnyang’s words. But now, seeing the two flustered before me, I couldn’t help but believe it. Just based on symbolism, Hwang Yeon could easily overpower any high-ranking official from Luoyang! The reason I need not worry about forceful actions is that the symbolism carried by Hwang Yeon in front of me rendered one unable to haphazardly utilize their strength. Who would be reckless enough to lay hands on someone capable of influencing the world, depending on how they are used or handled? Moreover, for two intellectuals like Deung Gwak and Han Baek-ryeong, they would never take such a risk.

Furthermore, both of them treated Hwang Yeon with great caution. They respected him not only beyond rational machinations but also as a human being. As I admired this inwardly, Hwang Yeon continued in a quiet voice.

“What do you think of the Great Ming Empire?”

A sudden, unexpected question, yet one clearly related to the current topic, flew in. Deung Gwak pondered deeply before answering.

“It’s the center of the world.”

As my gaze shifted to Han Baek-ryeong, she spoke in a somewhat cold voice.

“It is the Emperor’s country.”

There was a clear temperature difference in their statements. For Deung Gwak, the Great Ming Empire was a target that must be protected, while for Han Baek-ryeong, it was merely a difference in rulers. Then Hwang Yeon smiled faintly and said,

“Both are correct. And I would like to add one more thing.”

“What…?”

“The land of all the people that constitute Zhonghua. That is the Great Ming Empire, isn’t it?”

“……”

Both of them wore vague expressions. Hwang Yeon’s definition wasn’t wrong, but there was a temperature difference from their perspectives. Furthermore, the meaning he conveyed differed from the usual notion of loyalty.

Deung Gwak spoke up.

“Are you saying the people are indeed the foundation of the nation?”

“You spoke of farming as the root of all under heaven, but that’s not what I mean. What we, who hold positions, should protect as members of the Great Ming Empire, is not the imperial authority but the people themselves.”

“I see you understand my thoughts.”

Deung Gwak expressed joy, but Hwang Yeon continued with a more stoic expression.

“However, my thoughts changed after being kidnapped by the Golden Eagle Guard at Great Thunder Valley.”

“……!!”

“What I saw there were indescribable otherworldly races and evil entities. Before them, morals and wisdom possessed by humans became meaningless… They were completely beyond our common sense and values, and before them, we faced a far more fundamental issue.”

Boom!

Hwang Yeon’s fist gently struck the table. As everyone’s attention turned toward him, he gazed at the two with fiery eyes and said,

“Survival!”

“Survival…?”

“What we face is not the question of whether the Emperor has fallen or whether we should defeat corrupt officials or eunuchs. This issue directly confronts the survival of us all, beyond power dynamics. And I believe this survival also includes the populace constituting Zhonghua.”

“……”

Deung Gwak sighed as if he realized something, while Han Baek-ryeong’s face hardened significantly. She crossed her arms and thought before speaking to Hwang Yeon.

“Do you think the otherworldly races will annihilate the humans of the capital?”

“It’s not just that. If we leave them be, it won’t be long before all humans fall into the abyss.”

“Hmm…”

“Han Baek-ryeong, you claim to be an expert of the White Lotus Sect. So my words may not be appealing to you right now. But can you guarantee that the darkness invading the Imperial Palace won’t stain the White Lotus Sect? After all, the White Lotus Sect is human as well.”

Han Baek-ryeong did not respond. But seeing her face harden, it seemed Hwang Yeon’s words struck at something she had long worried about. Deung Gwak spoke to Han Baek-ryeong, who had crossed her arms.

“Everything the elder says makes perfect sense. If we don’t take action while we can, we may ultimately lose control.”

“You speak well. Yet you’ve been more obsessed with the idea of the scholarly faction seizing power than the people’s welfare, haven’t you?”

Han Baek-ryeong sneered, but Deung Gwak did not bother denying it. Instead, he replied boldly.

“In the end, as long as we can protect everyone, that’s all that matters, isn’t it? What’s wrong with exerting power proactively to prevent future dangers?”

That wasn’t an incorrect statement.

“… Hmm…”

Han Baek-ryeong sighed deeply, showing signs of contemplation. Watching her, I began to question if the ongoing meeting was progressing well, and I sent a secret transmission to the Sword Demon.

[Is this really alright?]

[Of course, it is. No problem at all. If anything, I’m thankful that the elder is doing so well.]

[Is that so?]

[The meeting atmosphere, which seemed like it would lead to calamity at any moment, has improved, and Han Baek-ryeong is seriously listening. No one could accomplish this other than General Hwang Yeon. Han Baek-ryeong also listens sincerely because she knows the hero of the nation is genuinely speaking.]

As the Sword Demon said, after momentarily contemplating, Han Baek-ryeong set her long smoking pipe down and said,

“Alright. The fire spirit techniques will cooperate as well.”

“Well thought.”

Then, she glanced at me and the Sword Demon before continuing.

“Furthermore, you must tell me the circumstances under which you brought General Hwang Yeon here.”

It was a question that was bound to arise, so the Sword Demon stepped up to calmly explain. It contained the story of rescuing General Hwang Yeon from Great Thunder Valley, the moon beast that had been residing there, and how we had come this far. The Sword Demon’s eloquence was logical, so Deung Gwak and Han Baek-ryeong listened without showing any dissatisfaction.

Han Baek-ryeong stared sharply at Deung Gwak and said,

“… Well, whatever. So how do you intend to incite the rebellion? Do you plan to raise your army and storm the Imperial Palace immediately? Or do you intend to select experts and assassinate the Emperor first? If you have a plan, explain it; now that we’re in the same boat, you should be able to share.”

When Han Baek-ryeong asked, Deung Gwak calmly replied.

“First, we will eliminate the Duke of Guanzhong and the Golden Eagle Guard, then install a new Emperor. You fire spirit techniques will need to assist in breaching the Imperial Palace.”

“I don’t want to charge ahead without knowing the enemy’s strength. Tell me what kind of power they possess as you know it.”

“Of course.”

After a lengthy discussion, it finally seemed that Han Baek-ryeong agreed to engage in frontal combat with the fire spirit techniques. Deung Gwak clasped his hands together and said,

“Let’s enact the grand undertaking tomorrow.”

“Such a rapid decision!”

“This is a major issue. The longer we dwell on it, the higher the chance of leaks. Your fire spirit techniques have enough strength, so it would be better to strike as soon as possible, don’t you think?”

“Understood.”

The meeting concluded soon after. General Hwang Yeon mentioned he had something to discuss with Deung Gwak before following him, seemingly intending to talk about post-processing matters. Since General Hwang Yeon would not betray us, and Deung Gwak wouldn’t do anything reckless, I let them go for now.

We left with Han Baek-ryeong, who soon led us to the Han Clan. Upon arriving at the Han Clan leader’s office, Han Baek-ryeong said,

“Master of the Shadowless Alliance, Sword Demon. You will take the lead in tomorrow’s battle with your subordinates.”

The Sword Demon responded bluntly.

“Clan Leader, I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“Are you not planning to involve other martial artists or the main sect of the White Lotus Sect in this?”

Han Baek-ryeong smirked and let her pipe hang loosely.

“That’s none of your concern.”

“It’s crucial. I can’t afford to die without knowing the circumstances.”

“Hmph… What a presumptuous brat.”

She spat out the words before continuing.

“I’ve already reported to the Sect Leader. So, only one supporter is expected to arrive in tomorrow’s battle, so don’t worry.”

“How strong is that person?”

“I told you not to worry!”

When Han Baek-ryeong spoke irritably, even the Sword Demon could not pry further. She seemed to be using both the carrot and stick approach as she casually said to the Sword Demon.

“Master of the Shadowless Alliance. I know you submitted to our fire spirit techniques for your own ambitions, but I highly value your capabilities and talents. If you achieve merit in this battle and diligently contribute, I will elevate you to the rank of a master within a year.”

The rank of master is just below the elders in the fire spirit techniques, acting as a task force and the hand and foot of the sect. Han Baek-ryeong’s offer was practically an extraordinary rise in status within the fire spirit techniques, as it would be hard for even masters trained for decades to achieve such a feat.

As I listened to that, I asked Han Baek-ryeong,

“Do you trust Deung Gwak?”

“Hoh! What a naive question. To bring up trust in such a relation.”

Han Baek-ryeong spoke with a hint of disdain in her tone.

“I have nothing more to say. You two must arrive by tomorrow at the time of the Rabbit.”

“Understood.”

“Just like General Hwang Yeon, if you have anything to prepare, feel free to bring it.”

It seemed she highly evaluated the choice to bring General Hwang Yeon today. Not only had she won her heart over, but she also seemed convinced of her participation in the great undertaking. We left the Han Clan and met Mangnyang, who had been waiting at a nearby inn.

Mangnyang sipped his tea and said,

“There’s no need to call the Master of the Shadowless Sword. Let’s just have the three of us join the battle.”

“Indeed, that would be best.”

“We need to keep our strength hidden as much as possible. Besides, if Han Baek-ryeong reports to the Sect Leader and brings in a new supporter, they’re likely to be at the level of a Dharma Guardian.”

“Indeed.”

Nodding along, the Sword Demon continued,

“The important thing isn’t to break the Imperial Palace. Tomorrow’s goal is something else.”

“What is it?”

“We must capture the alchemist at all costs!”

Mangnyang’s determination shone through his gaze.

“In all my past lives, I have never managed to capture that person and hear the full story. I’ve always been too preoccupied with annihilating the Imperial Palace’s power. But now, with Zhuge Yulong and Zhuge Bu—the two who effectively led the Imperial Palace—missing, capturing that person will likely be easier.”

“I’ve heard that person is a great demon sorcerer. If he uses magic to escape…”

“I’ll handle that.”

Mangnyang spoke with strong confidence.

“Compared to the events so far, this is nothing. If we capture the alchemist, we’ll learn what schemes he has against the Imperial Palace, and why he created the Divine Portrait. Let’s view this as an excellent opportunity to secure him before Han Baek-ryeong or Deung Gwak can interfere.”

“Understood.”

And then, the next morning dawned.

At the time of the Rabbit, we joined the experts of the fire spirit techniques led by Han Baek-ryeong. The experts of the fire spirit techniques, having chosen the cream of the crop through the Spirit of Flame, were indeed formidable masters, all at the elder level. The might of this elite force composed of thirty was evident.

Han Baek-ryeong led the group towards the location where they were to meet Deung Gwak. There, Deung Gwak had brought with him over a hundred masked figures, who seemed to be inferior in martial arts compared to the elite of the fire spirit techniques. Perhaps that’s why Han Baek-ryeong scolded Deung Gwak.

“Hmph. I can see why you’ve shrunk into the Imperial Palace until now.”

“Feel free to say what you want. We scholars are not suited for fighting.”

“What nonsense is that with such martial prowess?”

“The rest of the preparations for post-processing are all in order, so I’ll trust you.”

Kaboom!

Suddenly, over a hundred figures charged into the Imperial Palace’s inner sanctum, and it felt as if the guards had been pre-cooked, as they offered no resistance and pretended not to see. Upon reaching the inner sanctum, Deung Gwak said,

“Well then, we will strike the Duke of Guanzhong as planned.”

“Understood.”

“I will join you as soon as the apprehension is complete.”

Those involved with the scholarly faction seemed to head toward the hideout of the Duke of Guanzhong they had identified in advance. The task for the fire spirit techniques was to suppress the Golden Eagle Guard while simultaneously storming the Imperial Palace to capture the Emperor. Han Baek-ryeong glanced over her forces and said,

“The Golden Eagle Guard should be treated by my strengths and the elders. Leave not a single one alive.”

“With honor.”

“You two, follow me. We’ll attack the Imperial Palace.”

Boom!

Most of the fire spirit techniques’ forces swiftly charged towards the Golden Eagle Guard’s secret base while Han Baek-ryeong took only the two of us towards the Imperial Palace. It could be considered absurd command, but I felt that Han Baek-ryeong was well aware of our abilities.

‘Indeed, with the Dharma Guardian, the pressure to subdue the current Imperial Palace should be like a piece of cake…’

Taking us both along was surely to ensure they would be crushed completely. Upon arriving at the Imperial Palace, Han Baek-ryeong wasted no time with elaborate schemes or stealth, immediately drawing her twin swords and aiming towards the Imperial Palace’s main gate.

“Hah!”

The Ultimate Dragon King’s Sword!

The vision and representative martial arts of the fire spirit techniques soared extended alongside Han Baek-ryeong’s absolute internal power. The thought manifesting as a dragon head soared with the sword strength, striking the enormous three-layer gate with brilliant radiance.

Crash!

As if struck by cannon fire, the main gate of the Imperial Palace shattered into pieces. The guards nearby were thrown into disarray, but I knew that wasn’t Han Baek-ryeong’s true strength. If she put her mind to it, she could unleash tenfold that kind of destructive force.

Clang! Clang!

Upon entering the Imperial Palace, the atmosphere around darkened as soldiers dedicated to protecting the palace rushed in. She silently gripped her twin swords, her murderous intent growing thick.

“Buzzing flies.”

Suddenly, the Sword Demon urgently spoke to Han Baek-ryeong,

“Are you planning to kill them all? Please show some restraint…”

“Isn’t committing treason the same, regardless? It wouldn’t take much effort to take care of them.”

Han Baek-ryeong’s words were not empty bravado or tricks. If she were to utilize the Heavenly Spirit Pill and scatter the Twelve Ultimate Dragon King Techniques, in an instant, half of the Imperial Palace might be left in ruins, flesh torn asunder wherever survivors scattered. Regardless of the thousands of soldiers present, they wouldn’t mean anything to someone like Han Baek-ryeong, who could continuously unleash an indefinitely large amount of sword energy.

“Those soldiers have committed no sins! They are merely following orders!”

“Hmph.”

Han Baek-ryeong laughed as if amused and said,

“If that’s the case, then you handle it yourself! Only then will I acknowledge your beliefs.”

“Understood.”

Crash!

Han Baek-ryeong utilized the Fire Spirit’s Insight and flew into the Imperial Palace inner hall at a terrifying speed. It seemed she intended to wipe out everything present within the Imperial Palace, leaving it to the Sword Demon for cleanup. I anxiously spoke to the Sword Demon.

“There’s no need to follow such mad words. Let’s head to the Imperial Palace together.”

“Go alone.”

“What nonsense is this? There are tens of thousands of soldiers stationed in the Imperial Palace. Unless we’re using the Heavenly Spirit Pill, eliminating them all alone is impossible.”

Even if the Sword Demon was capable of high-tier martial arts, that remained true. Given the finite nature of human energy, the physical prowess and martial arts a person could exert are limited. At his current level, the Sword Demon could likely handle a thousand or two thousand elite soldiers, but anything beyond that would demand a grueling war of attrition between internal energy and stamina. I knew this from countless experiences.

Even if I had fortified the Sword Demon with Black and White Lotus and Sacred Lotus, it didn’t change much. Fighting tens of thousands single-handedly was something no Dharma Guardian could accomplish. Mangnyang then said,

“If I disregard her will, she will also disregard my existence moving forward. She detests those who cannot keep their promises the most, so I’ll do my best.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry. I don’t suppose I can defeat tens of thousands either. I just plan to hold on until you and Han Baek-ryeong deal with the Emperor and capture the alchemist. And don’t forget, Mangnyang is with us.”

“……”

“The sacrifice of those thousands of Imperial Palace soldiers, however gruesome, is a price worth paying to prevent a massacre.”

“… Understood.”

Swoosh!

Archers began raining arrows from all sides. Simultaneously, the Sword Demon’s sword moved in graceful circles, manifesting the terrifying speed of the Fast Sword while weaving a defensive barrier. The barrier took on Taiji’s form, creating a sword screen over a range of several feet. The sword screen nullified thousands of arrows, shocking the archers into silence.

“What?!”

Boom!

Armored soldiers ran from all directions, and as I infused my internal energy to launch a strike, the Sword Demon called out.

“Don’t waste your energy here! I’ll take care of this; hurry on!”

I felt concerned for the Sword Demon, but with such insistence, I couldn’t argue further. Reluctantly, I shifted my sword form and retreated, casting Seven Stars Blitz on those blocking my path.

“Get out of the way!”

Splash!

“Augh!”

The power of the Seven Stars Blitz was simple yet intense. In an instant, the swarming soldiers parted, leaving hundreds to faint or be sent flying. Had I not restrained the might, I could have easily killed at least a hundred.

The urgency began to rise. No matter how high the Sword Demon’s martial prowess had become, I couldn’t vouch for him against that many enemies! We had to subdue the Imperial Palace as quickly as possible.

Upon arriving at the inner chamber of the Imperial Palace, the sight of shredded corpses greeted me. Han Baek-ryeong seemed to have not shown mercy to those who obstructed her path. While most of the beings at the entrance were human, as I stepped further in, strange corpses of otherworldly races began to pile up significantly.

‘What? There are so many otherworldly races…’

As I moved forward, I found Han Baek-ryeong creating yet another pile of corpses, summoning fiery energy to incinerate them. In that fleeting moment, she had probably killed an astounding number of them. Han Baek-ryeong glanced at me and said,

“This place is, as Deung Gwak said, a den of evil. I can no longer see any humans.”

“Indeed.”

What Han Baek-ryeong said was correct. All the foes Han Baek-ryeong had subdued were twisted, otherworldly beings, akin to demons.

‘Did the alchemist turn all the humans of the Imperial Palace into otherworldly races…’

I felt bitter at such a realization, but given that I had granted him time, there was little I could do to change it. I knew the alchemist was a daring figure who had implanted seeds of otherworldly races into the White Tiger, the head of the Golden Eagle Guard, and performed transplant surgeries. Anticipating the inept deeds those lacking Zhugé Yulong and Zhugé Bu would engage in to seek self-preservation was only to be expected.

I spoke to Han Baek-ryeong.

“Let’s go to the throne room. The Emperor and the alchemist should be there.”

I could go alone, but it was safer to bring Han Baek-ryeong along, in case the enemy’s strength was formidable.

“You know it well.”

“I’ve done my research.”

“Lead the way.”

“Yes.”

I brought Han Baek-ryeong to the throne room, a place I had visited several times before. There awaited the alchemist and the Emperor. The Emperor frowned and stared at Han Baek-ryeong.

“The leader of the Han Clan…? Why are you attacking us?”

“I have no interest in puppets.”

Han Baek-ryeong stated firmly, throwing the Emperor into a panic.

“What, what?!”

Han Baek-ryeong’s gaze shifted towards the alchemist. She quietly glared at him, saying,

“Trash like you! I’ll annihilate every last one of you here.”

Suddenly, the alchemist burst out in maniacal laughter.

“Ha ha ha ha!! You foolish one who has borrowed power from the ‘father’ seated on the throne… You wield power recklessly, ignorant of the price! Your choice is extremely foolish, and you shall regret it for eternity.”

Crack!

Without warning, the alchemist snapped the neck of the Emperor, who stood beside him. As the Emperor collapsed lifelessly, the alchemist shouted in a mad voice,

“I am the one who does not die… the one who shall come to know all truths… the ultimate sage, the supreme being, Saint Germain!! I offer this sacrifice to Dark Heaven Village…”

Boom!

“The soul shall call forth darkness!!”

The self-proclaimed Saint Germain, the alchemist, burst into a mass of flesh, and dark red tentacles emerged, rooting themselves into the ground like trees. Simultaneously, similar tentacles began shooting out in frenzy from the body of the now-lifeless Emperor. Witnessing this maddening scene made Han Baek-ryeong appear stunned and hesitate to make an attack.

That was understandable. No matter how seasoned a warrior Han Baek-ryeong was, could she have ever imagined such a deranged figure?

As the tentacles continued to extend, they pierced the ceiling and shot skyward. Seeing the tentacles expanding their influence, Han Baek-ryeong focused the power of the Heavenly Spirit Pill and readied to strike.

Boom!

“What?!”

Han Baek-ryeong was taken aback. Though she had exerted all her energy into the Ultimate Dragon King Technique, the mass of tentacles only charred a little before quickly regenerating. If this continued, it would spell disaster, so I urged Han Baek-ryeong.

“Let’s retreat!”

Quickly, I pulled Han Baek-ryeong with me, retreating the way we came. The tentacles began expanding exponentially, encompassing the entire inner court of the Imperial Palace, with gigantic stems anchored into the ground. Having seen something similar before, I couldn’t help but exhale softly.

“The Guardian…”

The avatar of Izanagi no Mikoto!

That sight closely resembled it. I couldn’t tell what kind of forbidden law had been cast, but that alchemist seemed to summon the formidable strength of the otherworldly races. Han Baek-ryeong continued to stare at the grotesque entity extending tentacles toward the sky and asked,

“What on earth is that?”

“I’ll bring the Sword Demon.”

I swiftly headed back to where the Sword Demon was. Upon arriving, I saw the Sword Demon calmly holding his ground before tens of thousands of soldiers. I assisted him by unleashing the Ground-impact Technique to vanquish surrounding soldiers, shouting,

“The situation has changed!”

“It certainly seems so. Let’s move.”

I shifted with the Sword Demon to break through the encirclement of those tens of thousands of soldiers yet again. Arriving at a secluded area behind a quiet building, Mangnyang appeared. He had been hiding there and using spells to assist the Sword Demon.

“I’ve failed.”

Feeling embarrassed, I scratched my head.

“I’m sorry. That being made a last-ditch effort, killing himself and the Emperor to summon that.”

“……”

Mangnyang stared at the massive “tree” extending hundreds of branches and tentacles into the sky before speaking.

“First, bring Deung Gwak to me.”

“Can we really kill that thing?”

“I’m not sure myself…”

Mangnyang sighed.

“It’ll depend on how strong the supporter from the White Lotus Sect is.”