Reincarnation Sword God

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00500 암천향 (Dark Heaven Village) ————————————————————————

I dived headfirst into the Demon Book of the Thunder Sound Sect. Gripping the Suspicious Fishhook tightly, I conveyed what I understood and read to Mangnyang, who then translated the contents of the book into human language. The book consisted of over one hundred and fifty chapters, making it necessary for me to stay up the whole night to read and transcribe everything.

When the translation was finished, Mangnyang collected the papers to bind them into a booklet. A little while later, after completing the binding, he wrote the title on the book. Without realizing it, I read that title aloud.

“Changqie’s Book.”

“Just as the name suggests. It contains well-recorded information about Changqie. Baek Woong, if you happen to die, make sure to memorize everything, as the info needs to be passed on.”

It seemed I could read it while utilizing the Thunder Spirit Classic. Nodding, I then asked, “I’m curious, who exactly wrote this book?”

I let my question spill out. “Not just this Demon Book. The Classic of Mountains and Seas also has an unclear author, yet it holds records about the monsters from the Mythological Age and the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. It’s fascinating to think which being was around back then to convey such valuable information to humans.”

“Hmm… that’s a natural question. May I share my thoughts?”

I nodded, prompting Mangnyang to continue. “Consider the order in which humans were bestowed the Seven Luminaries.”

“The order they received the Seven Luminaries?”

“According to the Oracle Bone Script of the Water Element of the Seven Luminaries, it states that after humans offered a ‘turtle’ to perform a feast, Jeon Wook bestowed the Seven Luminaries upon them. However, the Seven Luminaries signify a truce established due to treaties between the Three Sovereigns and the Old Rulers. Furthermore, the creator is the divine entity of the Three Sovereigns itself. This means humans forcibly accepted what the gods had created, even while offering sacrifices.”

“Hmm…”

“It’s likely that during the Mythological Age, there existed a priest or shaman class that connected gods and humans. These individuals were aligned with humanity, and when they heard about the Seven Luminaries being created by the Three Sovereigns, they probably aimed to make it their own to enhance their power.”

“That makes sense.”

If that were true, it implied that the Three Sovereigns didn’t intend to give the Seven Luminaries to humanity from the start. They must have transferred it at the request of the holy figures acting as servants of the gods. Given the scattered distribution of the Seven Luminaries around the Ancient Middle Kingdom instead of being centralized, it was a trustworthy assumption.

Mangnyang spoke with satisfaction. “Nevertheless, this is a great achievement. Herein are documented the techniques, manifestations, characteristics, and strengths of Changqie’s eight divine avatars. Additionally, it even records the arts that Changqie wielded during the Mythological Age…”

Indeed, we learned about the characteristics of Changqie’s eight divine avatars through interpreting the Thunder Sound Sect’s Demon Book. The special abilities they possessed and the techniques at their disposal were detailed thoroughly. Furthermore, one of the techniques that the original entity, Changqie, wielded during the Mythological Age was also recorded, which was an unexpected gain.

Unfortunately, there was no record of Changqie’s weaknesses or ‘The First Character,’ but I was relieved to have obtained that information through other means.

I was intrigued and said, “The arts of the Return One Tathagata… what on earth does Changqie have to do with Buddhism?”

The technique described as belonging to the Return One Tathagata was highly unique. It was a technique bestowed to the leader of the human forces that followed Changqie, and its effect was to seal an agreement that absorbed the surrounding evil. Up to this point, it wasn’t remarkable, but the point was that the absorbed evil could be transformed into a weapon and wielded. While it wasn’t a Great Immortal-level technique, it was undoubtedly powerful.

However, the fact that it referred to a Tathagata had me curious. In fact, it was a bit different in ancient pronunciation, but Mangnyang chose to translate it as a Tathagata while searching for a similar expression.

Yet there was genuinely no other term to use besides Tathagata. The descriptions of the transcendent being’s glory and appearance in the Demon Book, as well as the knowledge seal, resembled the Day One Tathagata we knew.

From a temporal standpoint, this was nonsensical. If Changqie operated during the early days of the Mythological Age, then his timeline wouldn’t match with Tathagata. It was too ancient for Buddhism as a whole to exist. Yet, the fact that the subservient clones were called the Eight Divisions seemed to hint that Changqie might have deep ties to Buddhism.

Mangnyang, with a serious expression, said, “This connection could have significant implications regarding how this Demon Book ended up in the Thunder Sound Sect.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Thunder Sound Sect is known in the Ancient Middle Kingdom as a brutal and savage leader of the Western Martial Arts world, but from a religious perspective, it is the head of the Western Secret School and possesses an orthodox lineage that surpasses even the Shaolin Temple. If such a sect holds onto a book revealing Changqie’s vulnerabilities, it implies that its origins trace back to Changqie’s influence.”

“… No way…”

“It’s still mere speculation, though. However, it’s conceivable that Changqie might be an even more formidable being than we initially thought.”

Mangnyang continued muttering, “We should call it luck in misfortune. Thankfully, the Eight Divisions’ Kanara, who has been directly involved in this affair, isn’t a creature of celestial or dragon strength like the Asura. He’s a trickster skilled in devious schemes, so capturing him should be easier by overpowering him.”

“Even so, that will be just as tough as fighting a formidable immortal…”

“What can we do? Given the scale of this predicament, nothing will be easy.”

“Hmm…”

I sighed.

The power differences among the Eight Divisions were glaring. Kanara’s pure strength was nearly at the bottom—close to the weakest—and the strongest among the Eight Divisions were either the celestial beings, dragons, or Asuras. According to the transmission of the Demon Book, those three were noted to possess strength capable of destroying an entire nation in a day, making it clear that facing them head-on would be overwhelmingly challenging.

We informed Cheon Woo-jin and the Sword Demon about what we’d learned regarding the Eight Divisions and Changqie. The Sword Demon appeared to be completely recovered and listened carefully to our discussion. Afterward, he spoke in a slightly dejected tone.

“Baek Woong. Can I be of any assistance in this situation?”

“What do you mean?”

“If you’re to face opponents of at least Great Immortal level as you’ve claimed, I struggle even against the Master of the White Lotus Sect and the Dharma Guardian…”

“…”

“With my current power, I could hardly even contend against the Master of the White Lotus Sect.”

I understood why the Sword Demon was feeling downcast. The enemy’s level had sharply risen, while he was still stuck at the level of an ordinary human.

I couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. ‘I should have given the Sword Demon time to train…’

If I had, he would have undoubtedly become a force significant enough just from pure strength, but I felt it was my fault for depriving him of the time to grow with the dual sword technique training. However, the timeline was too pressing to continue the training on dual swordsmanship right now. We had only nine days left to seal Zhuge Sa at the Land and Earth Diagram, and the Heavenly Sovereign would descend in forty-eight days. It was far too tight a schedule for anything as complex as martial inheritance.

At that moment, Cheon Woo-jin, who had been listening in, bluntly spoke up.

“Hey.”

“What?”

“I’ll give up the huge obsidian I was supposed to receive. Hand it over to someone else.”

“……!!”

Cheon Woo-jin continued with his arms crossed.

“Our formation is too lacking to contend with a Demon King or an Apostle. At the very least, I need two more of my caliber for a real shot.”

“Understood.”

Nodding, I turned back to the Sword Demon. “Then, Sword Demon, it seems you need to be prepared to accept the Seven Great Techniques and knowledge…”

The Sword Demon shook his head. “No. There’s no time for that.”

“What?”

“From past experience, for me to break through the threshold to the Absolute Realm, I need several years of arduous training while in possession of memories from the obsidian. Even when reaching that state, I couldn’t even handle the combined might of the overlay technique and Yeodong-bin.”

“……”

“Baek Woong, there’s only one answer.”

The Sword Demon stared intently at me. “We must seek Jin So-cheong. Persuade him to join our side, and we need to elevate him to the peak master level during the remaining time. That is our best course of action.”

“Jin So-cheong…”

“With his talent, there’s much to expect. He could become the assisting power to subdue that villainous Kanara during the current phase where you are lacking strength.”

It was indeed a valid point. If I were to pass on my refined martial arts memories, honed under the teachings of the Immortal Zhang San-bong, to Jin So-cheong, he would soon reach the threshold of the Absolute Realm. It’s possible that his genius could push him even beyond that level. Yet, I hesitated to accept the Sword Demon’s notion outright.

‘This… would deflate the Sword Demon’s pride!’

It wasn’t a simple matter to forfeit such a precious opportunity just lying in front of him to another person. Moreover, acknowledging Jin So-cheong’s talent as superior to his own would be a shattering blow to the Sword Demon’s pride as a member of the heretical sect. I was acutely aware of the feelings he must have had in expressing such a suggestion.

When I couldn’t provide an answer, Cheon Woo-jin scoffed.

“Are you just going to dawdle? Don’t you realize that acting like that makes you look even worse? What you need to do is not dabble in shallow sympathy or pathetic feelings, but show us victories instead.”

“Ugh, what a diabolical thing to say…”

I snapped back to my senses and grumbled. I then nodded.

“Understood.”

The Sword Demon chuckled lightly. “And I think it would be wise to expand the battle plan even further now that it’s come to this.”

“Expand the battle plan?”

“Gather all those we couldn’t summon before due to the balance of power under the pretense of opposing the Demon King. This includes the Master of the Twelve Joules, the Master of the White Lotus Sect, the Thunder God Lineage, and even your inner woman.”

My inner woman!

Understanding the hidden mischievous meaning behind that statement, my face turned crimson, and I coughed awkwardly.

“Um, I’d rather not drag Miho into this.”

“Why not? She possesses incredible skills that surpass mere Peak Experts. Given her innate abilities, Enchantment Techniques, and sorcerous powers, she would be an excellent addition to our forces. There will be many times where she can be of great help.”

“That’s…”

Beside us, Mangnyang chimed in. “Sword Demon, Baek Woong has already been involved in many deaths alongside Miho. While one might call it a blessing for ordinary humans to die with their loved ones, it’s an absolute nightmare for someone like Baek Woong, who is a reborn person. Please consider this.”

“Hmm!”

“……”

I fell silent. ‘I… don’t want to see Miho die anymore.’

I had perished while seeking vengeance for Miho’s death. There were times when I chose to embrace death along with her. Miho had once resisted the likes of Miyamoto Musashi to protect me, risking her life.

All the outcomes were horrifically apparent, and the mere recollection of those memories made my fists involuntarily clench. As much as I liked Miho, I did not want to encounter her death again. Though I had stumbled through those traumatic emotional ruptures before, reflecting on them felt no different from dwelling in a nightmare.

This was a sentiment utterly distinct from what I held towards Mangnyang and the other companions. Both Mangnyang and the Sword Demon had been deeply involved in my past life and understood that feeling. However, Cheon Woo-jin, who’d been listening, laughed mockingly.

“Haha! What nonsense are you spouting?”

“What?!”

“Then are Mangnyang and the Sword Demon eager to witness the deaths of Zhuge Sa? What’s the difference between them and Miho?”

It struck me sharply. “… That…”

“Since you claim to like Miho, shouldn’t you know her better? In fact, you should have delved deeply into her associations with the Queen Mother of the West, yet your aversion to her for trivial reasons has kept you from that. Because of your trivial romantic obsessions, your accomplishments throughout your past lives have also dulled. While you had that meager leisure, you barely unveiled the secrets of the Celestial Realm.”

Being rendered speechless by his verbal jabs, Cheon Woo-jin declared, “If you like that nine-tailed fox, you ought to treat her equally as a fellow reborn companion. From my perspective, you are still fixating on forms of human life, displaying contradictions.”

“Fixating on forms of human life?”

“Don’t you still believe you can live like a regular human being, marrying a woman, bearing children, and enjoying a restful life? That’s why you subconsciously want to coddle Miho, the potential target of such a reality.”

“Ugh… that’s absurd!”

My voice rose as I shouted, prompting Mangnyang to intervene, waving his hands.

“Now, now. Let’s cool it. The priest has also overstated things, let’s reflect.”

“Tch.”

Cheon Woo-jin turned away, while Mangnyang patted my shoulder, saying, “… However, the priest isn’t entirely wrong. If you truly wish to indulge in human life and quickly escape this cycle of suffering, it would be wise to accept Miho as a comrade. Now that we possess power adequate to negotiate with the Celestial Realm, there’s no need for hesitation.”

“Understood.”

“Moreover, drawing Miho in could yield additional benefits.”

I found myself nodding along with Mangnyang’s reasoning. ‘I should head with Miho.’

If my companions spoke to that extent, I could no longer hesitate. In my forthcoming reincarnation, I would absolutely bring Miho along. If the Celestial Realm persisted as an obstacle, I would protect her with everything I had, even if it meant battling the Celestial Realm itself.

“Then I shall take action.”

Pa-at!

I first went to the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, where Jin So-cheong was located. From a distance, I observed Jin So-cheong, who was now teaching others as the Grandmaster.

‘… Is he deliberately stalling his growth?’

Jin So-cheong didn’t seem very strong at the moment. Perhaps it was my perception, but it felt like I could easily take him down. I pondered waiting until nighttime when fewer people would be around, but given the limited time I had, I decided to send a secret transmission to him from outside.

[Jin So-cheong! If you want to learn the secrets of your parents, come immediately to the pine forest near Hangu Pass without telling anyone.]

After sending that message, I waited in the pine forest near Hangu Pass. This was the same place I had visited during the mission to save Namgung Hwan. After roughly half a moment, Jin So-cheong arrived, holding his spear and looking at me.

“Who are you?”

“I am Baek Woong.”

I aimed my Flame Elemental Sword at him and declared, “Let’s spar. The loser must fulfill whatever request the winner desires.”

Kuuuuuu!!

I greatly amplified my internal energy, which emanated tremendous pressure, causing Jin So-cheong to stagger in shock.

“…!! How do you have such power?”

“Think whatever you want. Will you accept?”

“Why are you engaging in such odd behavior?”

“I’m envious of your talent.”

“I can’t know whether you really know my parents or not.”

I chuckled, replying, “Your parent is someone known as Jin Cheon-hwi. If you can beat me, I will share every detail.”

“……!!”

“Everything Day One Kwang didn’t share with you.”

Jin So-cheong gasped in surprise, yet his expression settled, and he aimed his spear at me.

“Fine. You must keep that promise.”

“Of course.”

Pa-babat!

Then, the collision of Jin So-cheong’s spear and my sword began. I escalated my profound internal energy to lightly strike Jin So-cheong’s side, causing him to stagger and lose his footing. I subsequently evaded his assault effortlessly, executing counterattacks to his torso with aimed strikes.

Kuuung!

“Ugh!”

Jin So-cheong was sent reeling three steps back before managing to regain his stance. I casually said while lowering my sword, “What’s going on? It’s only been twenty seconds.”

“Are you… a master of the Thunder God Lineage?”

“Correct.”

Swinging my sword sideways, I continued, “The difference in our levels is immense. Still, do you wish to continue?”

“I must at least give it a try.”

At present, Jin So-cheong wasn’t necessarily weak compared to the realm’s peaks. Rather, he would rank highly even among the peak ones, showing considerable maturity compared to the sect leaders of the Twin Gate Sect. But compared to me, whose strength had forcefully surged over countless reincarnations, he simply didn’t measure up. Still, I found it interesting that he was willing to step up to the challenge.

‘Would I have sought the challenge against an unknown powerful foe?’

No, I wouldn’t have. I would only think of fleeing. What could I lose by sparring? Though our skill levels seemed on par for the moment, considering my full capabilities could probably defeat him within thirty seconds only increased that inner feeling. While engaged in the duel, I noticed a strange shift in Jin So-cheong’s fighting style as it grew more polished.

“Haap!”

“Come!”

Kaka-kaan!

Clang!

Qi clashed multiple times, creating sparks.

‘It’s easy to avoid…’

Something felt off. Transitioning into the sixtieth second of our duel, I noticed I was still toying with Jin So-cheong. There was no prospect for him to win. However, strangely, I could feel the mettle of the duel becoming much more substantial than in the beginning.

Squeak!

“Hmm…!!”

Finally, as Jin So-cheong skillfully combined the Ranna Chul and launched an offensive with his spear, I came to a realization. Up until now, he had numerous openings in his attacks, allowing me to pierce through easily. Now, however, his internal and external transitions had nearly no gaps. Even though I easily dodged using the Three Treasure Technique, I couldn’t counterattack.

‘No way…?’

A bizarre hypothesis popped into my mind, yet as it seemed unreasonable, I pushed it away and focused entirely on the duel. Before long, I found I had become so engrossed that I’d almost lost track of our wager, pouring out techniques I hadn’t used with anyone in a while.

Pachhapa!

Swoosh!

The sound of the wind grew fiercer. I realized that Jin So-cheong had completely entered a state of flow, pouring out strikes like an uncontainable storm. His spear’s sharpness intensified, making me feel as though I were encountering a tempest of steel.

One hundred seconds!

At last, I couldn’t dodge Jin So-cheong’s attack, and the edge of the spear grazed my arm. A trickle of blood oozed, but that was the last thing on my mind. What shocked me was:

‘What? Did he just connect the inch with the general movement through the Three Treasure Technique…?’

My Three Treasure Technique wasn’t indestructible, capable of unlimited deployments. I could write the formation of the Three Treasures for absolute evasion during the gaps of its intervals, but there was a small period where that refinement would falter. However, this gap typically escaped the awareness of even equally matched experts, and yet Jin So-cheong had precisely struck that gap.

Was it a coincidence?

Boom!

As Jin So-cheong intensified his aggressiveness, I reached the point where I knew I had to unleash my full capabilities. Only then did I realize the outrageous hypothesis I had previously entertained held truth: Jin So-cheong’s intent was infiltrating my internal cadence and unraveling my own Heavenly Contraction Sword!

“… Ugh!!”

Bang!

I released all restrictions on my internal energy and saw my strongest slash send Jin So-cheong flying off. I couldn’t afford to hold back any longer, for I was in real danger.

“Ugh!”

Jin So-cheong, unable to land gracefully, fainted instead. I realized he’d been fighting half-conscious from the eightieth second on! Surprised, I stared at Jin So-cheong, who lay stunned.

“… What a monstrous fellow…”

Indeed, Jin So-cheong had just shattered a wall and evolved right as we fought!

If he awoke, he’d undoubtedly become twice as strong as before! I felt marvelously dumbfounded since there hadn’t been a single account of someone’s martial prowess rapidly growing mid-battle in anything I’d ever heard!