NOVEL NEXT Chapter 610
610——————==
Dark Heaven Village
The 24th life has begun.
“… Should I sleep?”
I mumbled while staring blankly at the barn ceiling. In reality, my internal power had reached its peak, so I didn’t actually need to sleep, but it was a thought that crept into my mind. After all, having just experienced the chaos of divine beings in my previous life, the mental fatigue was no joke.
Did it really matter if I rested here? I felt overwhelmed with the urge to just lie down and take a nice long nap without a care in the world.
But I shook my head and got up from my spot.
“Let’s get things done and then take a break.”
If I wanted to rest, I could rest endlessly. Regardless, I needed to secure the means of teleportation, the Golden Lamp, and the Heavenly Secret as my reincarnation technique, so I could truly feel at ease. I steadied my wavering spirit and dashed off to obtain the Heavenly Secret.
After getting the Heavenly Secret, I was about to sprint to Shandong to acquire the Golden Lamp when I paused.
Wouldn’t it be better to conserve my stamina?
‘Just in case…’
I recalled one of the advanced techniques passed down from Mangnyang, the Spatial Movement Technique. It was originally an advanced technique that I couldn’t use due to my skill level, but thanks to Mangnyang teaching it from start to finish, I could use it imperfectly now. Of course, I couldn’t use it as fluidly as Cheon Woo-jin or other high-level sorcerers, and it came with quite a few restrictions.
I began to focus intensely while doing the hand seals and chanting the incantation. After concentrating for about an hour, I slowly moved my steps.
With each step, the scenery around me shifted. It felt as if I were folding the earth to move, achieving a remarkable speed, yet my body wasn’t actually running in the physical sense. I continued to use the Spatial Movement Technique for quite some time, and when my energy was about to run dry, I deactivated it.
“Phew.”
Did I travel roughly one hundred and fifty li? Still, my stamina and energy were hardly depleted. No matter how immense my internal power was, running all the way to Shandong wasn’t a trivial task, so I wanted to save my strength using techniques.
‘And it’s a way to improve my technique proficiency too…’
Since I was somewhat using the Spatial Movement Technique in a roundabout way, it took much longer to cast compared to the original method, with many restrictions and a shorter distance. I had to quickly rise to the mid-level or advanced techniques to naturally use the Spatial Movement Technique.
I kept heading toward Shandong using the Spatial Movement Technique. I was moving much slower than just running normally, but thinking of it as practice, I repeatedly executed the technique and took breaks. After a full day of pushing myself, I finally began to see Shandong Province.
Once I entered Shandong, I obtained the Golden Lamp and immediately moved to Dongyoung, where I handpicked some obsidian before returning to the Central Plains. Then, I descended into the depths of Great Thunder Valley and engaged in combat with the Moon Beast, defeating it.
Kukung
‘Have I really grown stronger?’
I felt that the time it took to defeat the Moon Beast had significantly decreased, and the little gaps or wasted movements in my actions had largely disappeared. It seemed that the effects of desperately learning the Thunder God lineage martial arts from Lee Cheong-un in my previous life were manifesting. I carelessly tossed my sword into my bag, along with the wooden armor, Nine Stars Main Capital, and twin swords, before heading outside.
I then glanced at the prisoners, including General Hwang Yeon, and carefully examined the ones transformed into the Otherworldly Race. Those who had received the “Blessing of the Evil Spirit” were in the midst of their transformations, turning completely black, and I knew exactly what to do with them.
‘… It’s appropriate for human sacrifice.’
I couldn’t help but let out a sinister chuckle inwardly. Zhuge Sa advised me that those who had received the “Blessing of the Evil Spirit” before transforming into the Otherworldly Race were extremely valuable resources and offerings. Thus, if I dedicated them to the human sacrifice ritual, they would fetch quite a high price. So, if I wasn’t going to recruit them as subordinates, I was advised to offer them to the “Old Ruler” or the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.
“……”
Still, even with them right in front of me, it didn’t feel right. After all, they were technically still alive, and was it really correct to kill them for sacrifices? Committing evil deeds simply because I didn’t know how to return them to normal wasn’t exactly splendid, so I shook my head and tossed them back into the Golden Lamp.
Unless it was truly urgent, I wouldn’t use them as offerings.
Next, I headed to the Blood Blade Group to begin my slaughter. I lost count of how many massacres this was, but the thrill of punishing villains still buzzed within me. I did notice, however, that I had started to become somewhat desensitized to the killings.
Skwak!
Swak!
My sword strength severed five necks at once, but my facial expression didn’t flinch in the slightest.
‘Ugh…’
It was just as I thought. No matter how evil they are, beheading the same guy multiple times gets dull. It was an incredibly gruesome thought, but it was my reality, and it made me feel troubled. I scratched my head and looked at the terrified pirates.
“W-What did you say!!”
“You don’t have to commit seppuku, but how about cutting the arteries in your wrist to bleed out? Dying that way wouldn’t hurt too much, right…”
The pirates screamed at the top of their lungs.
“Quit talking nonsense!! Kill him!!”
As expected, they were oblivious to the difference in skill and quickly provoked me into attacking. I thought it a blessing that the pirates were ignorant and fearless, and I drew my sword again to slice them down. If they had any skill, they surely would have realized the gap and seriously considered suicide, and that would have definitely felt pretty unsettling.
Thwack!
I quickly slaughtered them and freed Seo Mun-hye and her group, leaving the rest of the remnants to her. Unlike before, since I entrusted quite a bit to her, she was left looking rather worn out after the massacre, and I used my internal power to help her recover.
Whoooo
“Thank you, Young Hero.”
Seo Mun-hye showed gratitude, but I couldn’t help but gaze at her with mixed feelings.
“……”
Until now, Seo Mun-hye hadn’t held much significance in our forces, so I approached the Blood Blade Group’s extermination with the mere thought of rescuing the Sword Demon’s daughter. However, I had witnessed firsthand that she could become the vessel for the Nine Lotus Bishop in the future, and I had come to realize that an incredible mythic secret lay hidden within her. No longer could I treat her as a mere outsider.
Therefore, it was only natural that I should give her the obsidian, but…
‘Is that really the right thing to do? Even if I forcibly dragged her into this grueling journey, would she truly be able to comprehend it right now?’
In my 23rd life, Seo Mun-hye had undergone the possession of the Nine Lotus Bishop, so she understood the sins she committed and what she needed to atone for, thus accepting the path of the Asura. Yet, the present Seo Mun-hye was merely the pampered daughter of the Shadowless Gate, a young woman in the martial world. Regardless of her martial prowess, whether she could genuinely accept the truth of the world represented by the obsidian was uncertain.
I couldn’t reach a decision. It wasn’t out of disregarding Seo Mun-hye, but rather out of concern that her heart might shatter, having confirmed her sincerity on several occasions. In the end, I couldn’t hand over the obsidian to her immediately, my hand clenched tightly.
“… No.”
I had to speak with the Sword Demon first.
After the extermination of the Blood Blade Group, I gathered all the spoils and headed to the remnants of the Water Element of Seven Luminaries. Once I collected everything that seemed useful from the remnants, I picked some Sacred Lotus flowers from the realm of the White Lotus Sect and stuffed them into the wooden armor. Then, I obtained the Three Sovereigns’ Inner Gate from the Common Mountain and finally got the Silver Phoenix Fragment from Taekyung Village.
‘As for the Book of Five Relationships, I can get it later.’
I could deal with a guy like Sasaki Kojiro anytime. I had no immediate need for the Book of Five Relationships, so I paused my interest in that direction for a bit.
Then, I hesitated about whether to visit Mangnyang or Zhuge Sa, but ultimately decided to go to the Sword Demon.
No matter how good the opinions in the book photographs were, it was only right to talk to the parties involved first.
When I met the Sword Demon, I explained the situation, and after transferring the memory with the obsidian, his expression changed dramatically.
“……!!”
The Sword Demon wore a look of sheer astonishment. He seemed unable to believe the memories, sitting there wide-eyed for quite some time, until Seo Mun-hye, filled with anxiety, spoke to him.
“… Father?”
“……”
The Sword Demon’s expression shifted into one of deep contemplation. He opened his mouth heavily.
“Hyea. You should go outside.”
“Understood.”
Once Seo Mun-hye closed the door and vanished completely from sight, the Sword Demon turned to me.
“Baek Woong… you’ve been through a lot. And thank you for looking after my daughter until the end in that last life.”
“……”
I couldn’t even offer any words of humility or formalities. My 23rd life had been an endless series of treacherous adventures until the very end. It wasn’t something that could be summed up with a few words, so I remained silent, and the Sword Demon nodded his understanding as he continued.
“Thank you for coming to me first instead of going through Mangnyang or Zhuge Sa. You understand my position as a father.”
“If you prefer not to discuss it… I won’t pry.”
“No. You must know this. You are a reincarnated being and the one who will uncover the truth and bring down the deities!”
The Sword Demon sighed heavily and took a big sip of tea. It was quite hot, but he seemed to be burning from the inside, unable to help it. After calming his emotions for a moment, he slowly spoke.
“Hyea’s mother… my wife Seo Mi-ryeong, was an incredibly beautiful and virtuous woman. Though she wasn’t a person of Jianghu, she had been with me since childhood, and I realized during my youth that we had feelings for each other. So after confirming our hearts, we were married.”
“I see.”
“However, she was born with a weak constitution. Constantly falling ill, she had taken herbal medicine countless times and used spiritual pills to preserve her energy, but her condition didn’t improve, and eventually… she left this world.”
“……”
“I passed down the internal energy of the Shadowless Gate to her, but it didn’t change the outcome…”
Those born with weak vital energies typically wouldn’t improve, no matter what elixirs or internal powers they consumed. To heal such individuals, they would need a legendary elixir like the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng to attain an ordinary physique, but the issue was that extraordinary treasures like the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng were never easily found. Even if the Shadowless Gate had risen to the status of a top sect among the heretical sects, they couldn’t reach that level.
The Sword Demon continued.
“That’s why I resolved to raise Hyea to be strong. Typically, the daughters of martial arts families wouldn’t inherit true internal powers, and it’s more common to have a talented son-in-law carry on the martial family name, but I didn’t do that. I devoted myself to raising Hyea to become the true successor of the Shadowless Gate, fiercely training her in martial arts. I hardly indulged her whims and didn’t consider her age of blossoming.”
I nodded.
“So, she reached the level of Peak Expert at such a young age.”
I had encountered so many remarkable individuals during my adventures that I hadn’t realized it until now, but finding someone at the level of Peak Expert at Seo Mun-hye’s age was nearly impossible in the Central Plains Martial World. She stood at the forefront among countless talents in the region.
“Though she didn’t quite reach the level I envisioned, she was more than sufficient to inherit the Shadowless Gate. But then… suddenly, Hyea went missing. Until you arrived, I felt like a fire was burning in my heart.”
I could understand the affection and obsession the Sword Demon held for Seo Mun-hye. How desperate must a father’s heart be for his only daughter to stand tall and strong in the martial world? As I listened with mixed feelings, he spoke again.
“However, knowing your memories raises a question…”
“A question?”
“As I said earlier, my wife Seo Mi-ryeong was not from a martial family. She was the daughter of a high-ranking official in Henan Province, but she had no peculiar traits in her bloodline. So why is it that my daughter is tied to such immense beings as Chiyou?”
“Hmm.”
It seemed I had hit a wall here.
I pondered carefully before speaking to the Sword Demon.
“Is there any chance that the martial arts of the Shadowless Gate or its founder are connected with Chiyou?”
“I wouldn’t think so… If you wish, I can immediately show you the books recording our Shadowless Gate’s history and martial arts manuals. However, I believe the founder of the Shadowless Gate was merely a righteous recluse who concerned himself with the safety of Jianghu and had no connections with any mythic beings.”
“Is that so.”
If the Sword Demon, who had inherited everything of the Shadowless Gate, spoke like that, there was no need to look further. It was highly likely that the founder of the Shadowless Gate was utterly unrelated to Chiyou.
‘But then why?’
Why, of all people, did Seo Mun-hye exhibit white hair and possess terrifying physical capabilities that even brought the higher-tier beings to a standstill?
I racked my brain, but answers eluded me, and I released a deep sigh.
“Hmmm… But if I fail to uncover this answer, she may fall into danger in the future.”
“I understand.”
The Sword Demon gazed at me with heavy eyes and spoke.
“Baek Woong. Give me some time. I will investigate the lineage of the Seo family with all the resources of the Shadowless Gate. I will uncover what happened back in those ancestral times.”
“Understood.”
I withdrew from the Sword Demon and immediately headed to Mangnyang. When I conveyed my memories to him, he was astonished and spoke.
“24th? When did you live so many lives?”
“More importantly, Mangnyang. I’m planning to persuade Zhuge Sa, so come with me.”
“Got it.”
Paat
I set off with Mangnyang toward Jangryeong Valley, where Zhuge Sa resided. Upon seeing me with Mangnyang, Zhuge Sa appeared suspicious but stepped out to meet me, and I persuaded him to grant me the obsidian.
Zhuge Sa looked at me after inheriting the memories through the obsidian.
“So, what now?”
“… For now, I’ll wait until the Sword Demon concludes his investigation about the Seo family. I need to know something about Seo Mun-hye’s true identity.”
“And then?”
I responded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“I’ll challenge the Dark Heaven Village.”