Reincarnation Sword God

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Chapter 5 – Dark Heaven Village

I stood before Lee Cheong-un alongside Jin So-cheong, Gung-ho, and the Sword Demon. Lee Cheong-un looked at the Sword Demon and said, “Sword Demon, my teachings will be heavy on the Thunder God lineage, and I must focus on Baek Woong’s improvement, so I won’t be able to pay much attention to you. Is that alright?”

The Sword Demon nodded. “It’s fine. As long as I can practice the Seven Great Techniques and the Eight Immortal Divine Art, I’m satisfied. Just answer my questions when it’s convenient for you.”

“Understood.”

Lee Cheong-un turned to me and said, “Baek Woong. First, gather all the remaining obsidian and give one to me and one to Jin So-cheong. They should be filled as much as possible with the understanding and experience of martial arts.”

“Alright.”

Since Lee Cheong-un was a master, he needed the obsidian greatly, and Jin So-cheong was unusually capable, so she required it as well. I split the obsidian remaining in my wooden armor into two large pieces and poured in as much martial experience and understanding as I could. Both Lee Cheong-un and Jin So-cheong seemed to enter a meditative state for about half a moment, inheriting that experience.

After recovering his memories, Lee Cheong-un said, “Good. Now we will begin the training. For now, we will all practice the forms of the Seven Great Techniques and the Eight Immortal Divine Art. After three days, once you are accustomed to the forms, we will move on to the depth of the techniques together, discussing insights as we research them.”

As Lee Cheong-un said, the first few days were spent on perfecting the forms. Even if I had received the realization of martial truth from the obsidian, it was still essential to embody it within my own body. Having trained fiercely until now, I felt I didn’t need it too much, but I followed along to stay on track.

Three days later, as Lee Cheong-un mentioned, everyone seemed to have become familiar with the practiced forms. Not only Lee Cheong-un and Jin So-cheong but even the Sword Demon and Gung-ho possessed extraordinary talents, so it was only natural. After completing his form training, Gung-ho grumbled, “Damn it, I want some obsidian too…”

I said bitterly to Gung-ho, “Sorry. If I want to save a lot of memories at once, I need a lot of obsidian. Just wait until Miho buys some obsidian mine.”

“I know that, but can’t I just ask that prophet or whatever for some of the ore from my hometown? That would be way more efficient.”

“I asked about it before, but it was confidential, and they said no.”

Gung-ho scratched his head in frustration. “That was about the subordinates, wasn’t it? The prophet is the king of that race, so why don’t you just ask him to trade directly? Considering the value of the treasures you have, you could probably spare something for that.”

“Hmm…”

I hadn’t thought of that. I nodded at Gung-ho’s words. “Alright. I’ll check it out when I get some free time while training.”

Zhuge Sa and Mangnyang must have been thinking of that plan in advance too. But throughout my past lives, I had always favored securing treasures because of the ideology of seizing victory in this lifetime. This time, I decided to focus on enhancing my potential, so that plan would indeed be very effective.

After finishing the forms, Lee Cheong-un stated, “From now on, we will focus on training the Seven Great Techniques and the Eight Immortal Divine Art, while Baek Woong will refine the Thunder God lineage martial arts under my guidance.”

“Eh?”

I looked at Lee Cheong-un and, confused, asked, “Why is that? The reason you want to teach me the Thunder God lineage martial arts again is…?”

“Of course, directly improving my skills would be faster by mastering Jang Sam-bong’s techniques. However, to break through the Absolute Realm, you need to walk the path that is comparable to it. You have yet to fully draw out the hidden potential in the Thunder God lineage martial arts, so you must solidify that and improve your skill first.”

As Lee Cheong-un explained, he added with a wry smile, “Sigh… this is all my fault.”

“……? Why is it your fault, Lee Cheong-un?”

“Because I died suddenly in the past, you couldn’t fully master the Thunder God lineage martial arts. In fact, as the Grandmaster, I should have been alive to completely pass on all its techniques and insights…”

He gazed up at the heavens. “Gwang-ah is also a martial genius, but she only learned from me for about a decade. I should have taught her for at least five more years, but the Thunder God lineage was abruptly removed, so Gwang-ah couldn’t inherit the vision of the Thunder God properly. And as her disciple, you’ve also drifted away from the essence of the Thunder God lineage.”

“That’s not your fault, Lee Cheong-un.”

I said firmly, “If you had agreed with the Sect Leader’s proposal back then, the Sect Leader might have led the strongest White Lotus Sect and aimed to conquer the Central Plains. I believe that the disappearance of the strongest martial line, the Thunder God lineage, delayed his ambitions. And if the Sect Leader had conquered the Central Plains, eventually…”

“Right. With the gods intervening, everything would have turned chaotic, and millions would have been massacred.”

Lee Cheong-un said this while smiling. “Well, it may not have been as simple as that, but I appreciate your words nonetheless. You’re one of the few who can speak so firmly. Perhaps that is something a Reborn Person like you can say.”

“……”

“Anyway, I couldn’t fully pass on the essence of the Thunder God lineage to Gwang-ah. So this time, I want to pass it on to you. This training will greatly assist you in ascending to the Absolute Realm.”

“Hmm… with all due respect, I feel like I’ve learned roughly all the Thunder God lineage techniques…”

I trailed off. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that I had absorbed the Thunder God lineage’s techniques for more than a hundred years. Not only the Decisive Enlightenment of the Thunderclap but also the Thunder God lineage techniques for fist, spear, and grappling were all learned, as well as some techniques from the Ghostly Spirit Sect. Furthermore, I could confidently say I was the best master of the Thunder God sword techniques aside from Dokgo Seong. Currently, Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong didn’t know as many Thunder God lineage techniques as I did.

Then Lee Cheong-un burst into laughter. “Hahaha! That’s certainly true. There were hardly any in my time who learned as many Thunder God lineage techniques as you. However, aren’t you missing the methods of linking those techniques, essential tips, and the hidden skills?”

“Are there such things?”

“There are. And I believe you are now worthy of receiving them.”

Hearing this, Gung-ho raised his hand enthusiastically.

“Master!”

“What is it, Gung-ho?”

“If there are such things, I want to learn them too.”

“That won’t do. This advice only applies to those who have learned all Thunder God lineage techniques to a high level.”

“Tsk…”

After our conversation ended, the three of us had our individual training time, while I headed to the training grounds with Lee Cheong-un. He slowly raised his spear and said, “First, I’ll demonstrate the methods suited to your level while sparring.”

“Yes.”

Bang!

I began to spar with Lee Cheong-un using spear techniques. When he said he would adjust to my level, he genuinely did not use the Thunder Spirit Technique and completely adapted to my movements. He attacked me using the essence of the three techniques: Lan, I, and Thrust, all while I easily defended against his assaults.

Suddenly, with a buzzing noise like a swarm of bees, the spear tip transformed to round like a ball and changed its trajectory, forcing me to quickly duck to avoid it. Surprised by the unexpected transformation, I watched as Lee Cheong-un withdrew his spear and said, “See? That’s how it’s done.”

“How did you do that?”

“Nothing complicated. I’ll show you slowly.”

Lee Cheong-un began to move his spear extremely slowly, making the process of transformation into the basic movements visible to me. I stared intently at the movement when I suddenly realized something and gasped, “Thunder Dragon Sword! And Thunder Cloud Fist!”

“You recognized it well. Indeed, I’ve merged the foundational techniques of those two martial arts into my spear technique.”

“Wait, but that means…”

Incorporating sword techniques and fist techniques into spearwork!

In reality, I could have done that too, but just now, Lee Cheong-un had fused those two disparate martial arts techniques into an extremely swift spear technique. That was no small feat. As I stared speechless at him, he stated, “During your past lives, there must have been occasions when Jin So-cheong wielded both a sword and spear simultaneously—particularly when battling the leaders of the Twin Gate Sect.”

“I remember. That did happen.”

“She had recognized her innate genius. Indeed, all the Thunder God techniques are organically interrelated and produce a synergistic effect…”

Lee Cheong-un muttered that, only to suddenly launch an incredibly quick thrust right before my eyes.

Boom!

Lacking any killing intent, I didn’t dodge and instead stared, mesmerized, at Lee Cheong-un, who halted the thrust inches from my face. He remarked, “I mixed both there as well. Did you notice?”

“Yes. Using Thunder Shadow Step while employing Hell King’s Hand, then suddenly transitioning to Thunder Blade and Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique’s movements…”

“You’ve got it. Once again, you indeed understand, excellent master of the Thunder God lineage.”

Lee Cheong-un smiled brightly before continuing, “You seem to favor single martial arts, but in reality, the Divine Techniques, Fist Techniques, Sword Techniques, Spear Techniques, and Daoist Techniques can all connect organically and transform into marvelous art. This was how it was crafted from the beginning and refined over a thousand years by countless masters.”

I couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, “Oh…!!”

“That’s why practitioners of the Thunder God lineage, including myself, didn’t limit ourselves to mastering one art but had to excel in all of them.”

“……”

“You seem to have something you’d like to say.”

“If that’s the case… does that mean expanding the Thunder God lineage techniques organically, reaching the realm of marvelous art, will make me stronger?”

Lee Cheong-un nodded. “Of course! You will definitely grow stronger. I guarantee it.”

“Um!”

“And teaching the domain of marvelous art requires at least a Peak Expert level master or someone worthy of being the successor of a Grand Master. Most masters of the Thunder God lineage died without realizing such concepts existed.”

“But Jin So-cheong has used the marvelous art domain you mentioned quite frequently…”

“Exactly, Jin So-cheong is an extraordinary genius. In fact, this is an essence that can only be mastered through one-on-one inheritance with a Grand Master over a long time; she only reached that level by relying on her instincts.”

“……”

I was left speechless. Based on Lee Cheong-un’s comments, the marvelous art domain clearly lacked a specific technique but was fundamentally the highest form of merging the ascended martial arts I had learned. I was both fearful and respectful of Jin So-cheong’s talent for reaching such a high-level comprehension on her own.

Additionally, something suddenly came to mind, prompting me to inquire, “I know nearly nothing of the Thunder God lineage’s Ghostly Spirit Sect techniques. I’m only familiar with the essence of Familiar Spirit and barely know of Magnetism Ghost Blade. Is it still alright for me to learn the marvelous art domain?”

“That’s fine. That part is a bit unusual, so it doesn’t matter if you don’t know it.”

“Really?”

Lee Cheong-un replied with an indifferent voice, “I’ve also mastered the techniques and spells of the Ghostly Spirit Sect to a reasonable extent. However, the more I learn, the more I feel they are fundamentally a different sect from the Thunder God lineage. They’re not enemies, but I’d say they are intrinsically foreign to the Thunder God from the beginning… even since the early days.”

“……?”

“Heh. When you meet the inheritor of the Ghostly Spirit Sect next time, ask them. They hold many secrets.”

“Okay.”

And training commenced. I continuously sparred with Lee Cheong-un, learning the methods for mixing and unveiling the foundational techniques, managing to grasp as many as eight techniques in just one day. Furthermore, I could apply those techniques in practice on the same day, which boosted my confidence.

‘Huh? Am I unexpectedly talented?’

However, as the training dragged on, my expression contorted. The following day I learned eight entirely new techniques. And because the new techniques intertwined in my mind so convolutely, I spent two days fumbling around in repetitive training without making any progress.

Finally, on the third day, as I started to get a grasp on things, Lee Cheong-un said, “You’re still far from it. You must deeply engrave all the advantages, disadvantages, and characteristics of the Thunder God lineage martial arts you’ve learned so far into your very bones. Knowing everything is essential for application. You should memorize at least over a thousand movements and combinations.”

“Ahhhh…!!”

I exclaimed in despair, “A thousand movements? How are I supposed to memorize all of that?”

“It seems excessive, but ultimately you’re just applying the martial arts you’ve already learned. Plus, the variety of foundational techniques you’ve learned is far greater than that.”

“That’s true, but…”

As I hesitated to stand up, Lee Cheong-un said, “You are either untalented or mediocre. You must be well aware of your lack of talent.”

“……”

“Thus, to achieve the application skills and essence that only a genius can attain, you have to work hundreds of times harder. I firmly believe that once you master the marvelous art domain, your martial discernment will significantly enhance.”

“But it’s just too much…”

As I complained, Lee Cheong-un chuckled, “Trust me. From my perspective, it’s better for you to delve deeper into the fundamental Thunder God lineage rather than muddle through the surface-level practices of the Seven Great Techniques and the Eight Immortal Divine Art. Once your comprehension matures, mastering those martial arts will naturally become much easier.”

“Ugh… understood.”

I couldn’t help but believe the words of Lee Cheong-un, a Grandmaster of the Thunder God lineage and someone at the Absolute Realm. While I felt overwhelmed by the daunting training process that had no end in sight, I reluctantly continued.

Approximately three months passed.

While I still didn’t fully understand the marvelous art domain, I had managed to pick up the methods for merging the foundational techniques of spear and fist to some extent. Rather than memorizing hundreds of unique scenarios, it was simply a matter of recalling how to combine what I already knew, making it less challenging than I imagined.

‘But I don’t feel particularly stronger…’

To put it bluntly, I was merely reshaping my existing knowledge into a different form.

As my dissatisfaction continued to grow, I was interrupted.

“Baek Woong. The Imperial Palace has begun to move.”

Zhuge Sa called out to me. He continued speaking slowly, “Since you rescued the hostages from Great Thunder Valley, it seems they’re in a rush to gather humans for human sacrifice.”

“Human sacrifice?”

“Yes. Currently, unofficially, the Golden Eagle Guards and Duke of Guanzhong are buying slaves from all over the nation to gather in Luoyang. The count is around five thousand…”

It was undoubtedly plausible.

The Golden Eagle Guards had a close relationship with the Wind Spirit Sect, which operated the Slave Market, making it easier for them to purchase slaves. Standing beside Zhuge Sa, Mangnyang commented, “Based on our discussions, we suspect they intend to mass-produce Dragon Persons and Demon People. It seems they want to raise a significant army ready for immediate combat.”

“Hmm… Superhuman soldiers.”

“Moreover, through human sacrifices, they could enhance their own spells and receive powerful demon artifacts.”

I let out a murmur.

Superhuman beings, such as the Dragon Persons and Demon People, possess incredible physical abilities, and there’s no guarantee that even a Peak Master could suppress them without a scratch. I had experienced firsthand just how overwhelmingly strong they could be when produced in numbers. Worrying, I said, “Then should we strike the Imperial Palace and take Zhuge Yulong and the Emperor’s heads…?”

“No. We won’t do that.”

“Huh? Then should we expose Zhuge Yulong’s secrets to the heavens to bring Mi-hu down…?”

“That won’t be done, either.”

Zhuge Sa firmly crossed his arms and continued, “Let’s leave it alone.”

“What?”

“After all, the power of any legion Zhuge Yulong can cultivate is limited. No matter how large they grow, they are fated to be slaughtered by the Master of the White Lotus Sect. And they won’t be able to gather enough sacrifices from Luoyang or multiple cities all at once. For now, they won’t be able to set any grand plans, so let them do their thing. You keep training.”

Listening to Zhuge Sa’s words, I stood there, stunned, before exclaiming, “Zhuge Sa… are you saying you’re going to leave the human sacrifice alone?!”

“Yes. Whether their hearts are ripped out or devoured by tentacles doesn’t matter.”

Zhuge Sa said bluntly, “Do you plan to lose your training time again and be swept away by the chaotic tide of life, trying to save those five thousand human lives? Those don’t add up; what’s more important is that you grow strong quickly to achieve your purpose.”

“But!!”

“Sending Mi-hu down is out of the question. Mi-hu was originally the King of Demons; once he becomes regnant, he can withstand many assaults on the ground. You must understand how significant a threat it would be for him to wander the earth.”

“……”

Upon clamping my mouth shut, Zhuge Sa coldly remarked, “I have no interest in the lives of five thousand strangers. Mangnyang feels the same. What’s important to us is that our lord, you, achieves your purpose.”

Zhuge Sa’s words rang true with every point. Yet, I gritted my teeth and responded, “Then how am I any different from the Master of the White Lotus Sect or the Vermilion Bird?!”

“There is a difference. It must be different. But that doesn’t mean you should be swayed by sentiments and fail to progress, continuing to suffer losses. It’s absurd how many have already died.”

Zhuge Sa sighed deeply.

“…Let me ask you again, Baek Woong.”

With his continuing words, I felt a chill run through me.

“Do you value the lives of five thousand strangers more than the seven lives you are sharing memories with now?”