Reincarnation Sword God

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669——————==
Dark Heaven Village (암천향)

After the battle, I examined the remains of the dead Asura. Though his skin and body appeared to resemble that of a living being, a closer look revealed that the strength was beyond that of a mere human. I briefly tested my power, and even the powerful cutting force of my Sword Strength couldn’t sever it easily. It was only by summoning the Sword Thunder that I could finally make a mark.

If a corpse possesses such strength, it’s unfathomable to think they had enhanced their defenses while alive. If a human expert clashed with an Asura, they would have to rely on absolute realm martial arts to even land a blow. The Eight Parts of the Divine were beings that absurdly surpassed mere humans in pure physical capability.

‘Maybe?’

I decided to try using the Soul Exchange Technique once on the Asura’s body to draw out its spirit. As I was pulling out the white essence of the Asura to draw the spirit closer—

Kraaaah!!

Suddenly, a fierce energy erupted from his spirit, breaking the hold of the Soul Exchange Technique. I struggled to maintain my effort, but it was no use—perhaps being one of the Eight Parts of the Divine gave him strength beyond comprehension. Then, his spirit flew off somewhere.

“Darn it!”

In haste, I attempted to use the Heavenly Secret Technique to call it back, but once again, I felt a wave of confusion.

‘Am I… unable to cast it?’

The issue wasn’t whether or not I could draw in the Asura’s spirit. Unlike in the mortal realm, here in Dark Heaven Village, the Heavenly Secret Technique wouldn’t even activate. This was a first for me, and all I could do was watch as the Asura’s spirit fled into the distance.

There was no purpose in lingering over a shell of a corpse. As I stood there in a daze, Cheon Gong-pyo spoke.

[It’s a technique to summon human souls. Is that the technique of Guang Chengzi?]

“……”

He was probably referring to the Heavenly Secret Technique he had just witnessed.

I turned my head to the spirit of Cheon Gong-pyo. As I kept my mouth shut, he continued speaking.

[Aren’t you asking if it’s the technique of Guang Chengzi?]

“How did you know?”

[There was a flow only Guang Chengzi could weave. Even if it’s a technique from the Divine Age, I can grasp it easily.]

Come to think of it, Cheon Gong-pyo claimed to have the chaotic ability to recognize any technique upon seeing it. While I inwardly marveled at this, Cheon Gong-pyo suddenly asked.

[What does it mean to call yourself a Reborn Person?]

“That’s a sudden barrage of questions.”

[Answer me.]

I pondered for a moment before replying.

“I’m not sure, but I once died and came back to life. I don’t know if it was a resurrection or what, but since then, I’m trying to use that experience to oppose the gods. I figured I might as well gather some companions along the way.”

[Oh? A resurrection…]

“Maybe it’s because I mastered the Soul Exchange Technique that retrieves spirits. I don’t know if I can come back again, so I’m always prepared for that.”

I felt my heart race anxiously. Could I fool him?

When I faced the Asura earlier, I was convinced I wouldn’t win, so I said what I wanted to as I awaited death. Now, I realized Cheon Gong-pyo might be stronger than that creature. If he accurately understood my rebirth abilities and attempted to seize them, it would spell serious trouble.

So, I resolved to switch my statement about being a Reborn Person to mean that I had “once” died and come back to life. If I put it that way, he wouldn’t guess that I had died and resurrected dozens of times.

Cheon Gong-pyo pondered before saying.

[Whatever the case, let’s hear more about that later. For now, find a hideout.]

Thud.

The moment I heard Cheon Gong-pyo’s words, my body suddenly lost all strength and I collapsed. It wasn’t Cheon Gong-pyo’s attack, but the immense physical and spiritual energy I had exhausted during that brief battle with the Fire Dragon Incarnate. If I had been in a situation like that earlier, I surely would have withered away without even fighting to the end, but under the circumstances, I considered it a decent outcome.

“Kuh… Damn it. First, I need to regulate my Qi…”

[You don’t have the luxury for that. The Old Rulers are approaching, drawn by curiosity.]

“…How many?”

[At least five.]

“Crap!!”

Sure enough, being in Dark Heaven Village meant I was getting swarmed by those so-called Old Rulers. Even in this remote section of the east, the earlier clash had attracted five of them.

It seemed I didn’t even have time to initiate Qi Regulation. I gritted my teeth and began to unleash the Soul Removal Technique with the minimal remaining internal power I had left. When I tried to escape this terrain and climb up the hill, Cheon Gong-pyo warned me.

[There’s a monster over there. Go elsewhere.]

“Other places, you say?”

In the direction Cheon Gong-pyo pointed, there was Manjangan Cliff—where a massive wind swirled, with crystalline rocks floating in the middle, the kind that would make one’s bones scatter if they fell.

“You want me to go to a place like that when I have no internal power?”

[You idiot. If you have no internal power, you have to use your brain.]

Gugugugu…

Following Cheon Gong-pyo’s advice, I drove my Ruyi Staff into the cliff and extended it to dangle and advance through the air. While hanging onto the staff, I controlled my breathing and desperately tried to recover my internal power and strength until I finally reached the opposite side of the cliff. The gap between the cliffs was a whole li wide, making it an arduous terrain.

Upon reaching the cliff’s edge, I had to keep moving and hide myself as Cheon Gong-pyo instructed. Exhausted to the point that my vision blurred, and drenched in sweat, I finally arrived at what looked like a mushroom cave after what felt like an hour.

“Hah… Hah…”

[It seems they gave up on chasing me.]

“They may have given up, but… this doesn’t look safe at all.”

Inside the cave spread a green swamp, where unknown screams echoed, and bizarrely massive mushrooms filled the space. Someone calling this a hideout must be out of their mind.

[Indeed. The spores in this place hold tremendous toxicity. For an ordinary human, inhaling the mushroom spores would lead to it growing inside their internal organs, turning them into a host for the mushrooms.]

Cheon Gong-pyo replied, surprisingly fascinated by my situation.

[But why are you still fine?]

Fortunately, because my body had achieved immunity to the Ten Thousand Poison, the parasitic spores seemed unable to take root within me. This was due to my blockage of weakening toxins and parasitism. I suspected regaining just a little bit of internal power helped as well. I let out a deep sigh.

“… Is that a complaint? Sorry for being fine.”

[Recover your strength quickly. It seems that a high-level Otherworldly Race that cultivates mushrooms dwells within. We must leave before they notice us.]

“A high-level Otherworldly Race? What’s that?”

[It appears to be a demon sorcerer skilled in forbidden law. Might possess abilities akin to the Great Immortal.]

“……”

Is this high-level Otherworldly Race hiding in such a secluded cave truly comparable to a Great Immortal?

I clenched my teeth and desperately continued to recover my internal power. After around half an hour, I finally felt a bit of relief, but just then, Cheon Gong-pyo warned of the approaching high-level Otherworldly Race, leaving me no choice but to venture outside.

While I could potentially defeat it with Cheon Gong-pyo’s help, something in his demeanor suggested he didn’t want to clash with the demonic beasts of this place.

I stepped outside and said, “Cheon Gong-pyo, is there any way to locate the Palace of Empress Wu Zetian?”

[Why are you asking me?]

“Now that I’ve lost the National Seal, I have no way of searching for it on my own.”

[Don’t flaunt your incompetence.]

“……”

Cheon Gong-pyo shot me a cold glare before continuing.

[This is a realm steeped in extreme magic. It’s impossible to poke around affectively or gather information as one would in the human realm. Realistically, it would be best for you to just die right now. However, I do have a method.]

“What method?”

[Before I teach you that, you need to enter a contract with me.]

“A contract?”

Cheon Gong-pyo said with a foreboding smile.

[If you find the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram for me, declare that I have ownership of it. In exchange, I’ll assist you in locating the palace.]

“……!!”

As expected!

‘This guy was after the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram!’

True to the legendary ancient Tong Tian Sect Master, he was well aware of the powers and truths of the Seven Luminaries! And it was certain he believed possessing the Earth Star would grant him the kind of awesome power to rule the world.

Right now, I had no choice. Without Cheon Gong-pyo’s help, even if I recovered all my internal power, I’d merely be devoured by passing Old Rulers or become a bait. Yet, was it really okay to hand over the Seven Luminaries for which I originally came to Dark Heaven Village?

After much contemplation, I said, “… Fine. If I obtain the Earth Star, I’ll hand it over to you, Cheon Gong-pyo. But in return, I have a condition.”

[How presumptuous. What condition?]

“I don’t care what you do once you get the Earth Star, but you must enable me to return to the mortal realm. That’s my condition.”

[Why should I agree to that?]

“Then I won’t comply either.”

I locked eyes with Cheon Gong-pyo for a moment.

Kuoohh…

‘Ugh… damn it…’

His power was overwhelming! I couldn’t keep my gaze upon him for long due to the ferocity and spirit emanating from Cheon Gong-pyo. Her energy was such that I could even forget about her beauty, and I had seen many heroes throughout my travels, yet I felt daunted.

Just then, the Fire Dragon Incarnate descended upon me, lending me strength. With the essence of the Dragon King backing me, I could barely hold my ground against Cheon Gong-pyo’s pressure.

After what felt like an eternity of intense glaring, Cheon Gong-pyo finally said, [Alright. If your goal is to survive and escape Dark Heaven Village, then so be it.]

“Thank you.”

[Then hand over your body to me.]

“Huh?”

[There remains a last chain binding my spirit to the Ruyi Staff. As long as it clings to me, I cannot unleash my full powers, so you must offer your flesh to serve as a medium for me to cast my techniques.]

“What techniques are you planning to perform?”

[Shut it. Just lend me your body!]

“……”

It seemed Cheon Gong-pyo found it too bothersome to explain everything. Reluctantly, I yielded my body to him.

Wooong…

The instant Cheon Gong-pyo descended upon me, she stretched out her hands forward and shouted, [Roar of the Sky!!]

From my fingertips burst forth spiraling beams of light. The radiance expanded just like the first time I saw it, engulfing everything in sight. Cheon Gong-pyo stood with her hands extended for a while before murmuring.

[Is the Earth Star located over there?]

Pa-at!!

In the next moment, Cheon Gong-pyo moved my body and we arrived at a colossal palace.

Kugugu…

What an unbelievably massive palace it was.

This palace had hundreds of layers, and looking from above, it seemed the estate spanned several li. I could see countless otherworldly beings wandering the estate, resembling a human city at a glance.

This palace was clearly built in the architectural style of the ancient Tang Dynasty, confirming that it was the Palace of Empress Wu Zetian instantly. As I gazed internally, I was taken aback and exclaimed.

[What? How did you—]

[Once you use the Tong Tian Sect Master’s exclusive technique, Roar of the Sky, you can survey as far as the moon. Scanning through Dark Heaven Village is child’s play.]

[……]

How absurd! To think that with a single technique, he could effortlessly survey an entire world!

‘So this is why Cheon Gong-pyo could wage war against the Three Pure Ones and the Celestial Plane?!’

While I was lost in thought, Cheon Gong-pyo proceeded forward without hesitation. Suddenly, from the shadows of the palace’s pillars, snake-like humans emerged, all wielding tridents. One of the serpent humans pointed their trident at me and demanded.

[Who are you? This is the resting place of the great one.]

To that, Cheon Gong-pyo only smiled faintly before replying.

[So humans have adapted to the Dark Heaven Village by transforming into otherworldly beings? Based on the fact you preserved their souls intact, it appears you’ve grown rather affectionate.]

[Who are you?!]

[Hehehe…]

Cheon Gong-pyo extended her finger forward.

I caught on that she intended to massacre the serpent humans in one blow and hastily called out from within.

[Stop!!]

[Shut your mouth.]

[You can’t!! Please don’t commit massacre!!]

I screamed desperately.

[The otherworldly beings in this palace were all people from the Tang Dynasty when they were alive!!]

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