Reincarnation Sword God

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Dark Heaven Village

“Divine Blood?”

All eyes were focused on Zhuge Yulong, who slowly continued speaking.

“The most critical aspect when creating the Divine Portrait isn’t necessarily the magical techniques of the East and West but rather the inner chaos that needs to be harmonized. It’s a puppet moved by chaos, and fundamentally, it must wield the power of the ‘Wheel’ equivalent to that of a god. However, in order to infuse a human form, which inherently has less chaos, the blood and flesh must be of a special material.”

At that moment, Zhuge Sa interjected.

“Wait a moment, brother.”

“What is it, Sa?”

“I’ve always had a question about that Divine Portrait. Can you indulge me as your younger sibling rather than taking this as an inquiry?”

“… Go ahead.”

“If it’s a tribute to the gods imbued with enormous chaos, was it necessary to insist on the ‘human form’? Wouldn’t it have been more practical and efficient to just hunt powerful otherworldly beings or create offering beasts based on their bodies instead? For instance, if you captured an otherworldly dragon and put the same effort into it, the results would surely be far easier and stronger than a Divine Portrait.”

“……”

“Upon reflection, while creating a puppet in human form like the Divine Portrait isn’t difficult, trying to infuse it with chaos and immense power raises the manufacturing difficulty to an absurd level! It’s a crazy endeavor that would leave all puppeteers and sorcerers dumbfounded. Why was it necessary?”

“Certainly a curious inquiry… You’ve touched on an important point.”

Zhuge Yulong nodded at Zhuge Sa’s inquisitive remark and continued.

“Firstly, there was a political reason. I lured in the current emperor, convincing him that during emergencies, I could transfer into the Divine Portrait and attain immortality. It had to serve as the basis for drawing the greedy emperor into my plan.”

“That’s merely a superficial reason. It sounds convenient, doesn’t it? The emperor could always be used as monster fodder and a puppet could be set up.”

“True. The real reason is that the concept of the Divine Portrait had secretly been passed down in the imperial palace since ancient times.”

“……!!”

So the Divine Portrait wasn’t solely Zhuge Yulong’s pure creation?

It was an unexpected revelation, but Zhuge Sa seemed to have anticipated it, wearing an knowing expression. Zhuge Yulong elaborated.

“It contained only very basic concepts, and the specific plans were absurdly vague… But it was indeed mentioned in ancient texts that the magical techniques of the East and West were necessary for the Divine Portrait, and that somewhere in the world, there exists a transformative metal known as divine blood that could be used. It has been passed down secretly with each change of the ruling dynasty, and as the clan leader and Grand Astronomer, I also received it when I was young.”

“Who created that blueprint? Ah, don’t treat this as a question too.”

“… You shameless wretch.”

“What’s wrong with being blood-related?”

“Shut up.”

With a look of disbelief, Zhuge Yulong muttered a reply.

“It’s unknown. But what’s certain is that it wasn’t a human notion. Many sorcerers can create puppets, but none would deliberately try to create a puppet that could manipulate the ‘Wheel’ using divine blood. That idea didn’t come from humanity.”

“Hmm…”

“It’s so inefficient that humans can’t even conceive of such an idea.”

Not stemming from humanity?

I found Zhuge Yulong’s words puzzling, tilting my head in confusion about why he brought up the notion of ‘concept.’ Then Zhuge Sa seemed to grasp it.

“There are three entities involved in human sacrifice: the giver, the tribute, and the receiver. If neither the giver nor the tribute can conceive such notions—the conclusion is that it’s the ‘receiver’ who came up with the idea.”

“Exactly. You understood well.”

Hastily, I looked to Zhuge Sa, who had been listening to that exchange.

“Zhuge Sa! You’re saying the idea of the receiver…”

“Well, as you think. It means that the god has ordered the Divine Portrait from humanity.”

“……!!”

“From one perspective, it’s natural. While a human might worry about what pleases the god when offering a tribute, conversely, the receiver could directly order what kind of gifts would appeal to them.”

“……”

“The gods would likely prefer to consume what aligns with their own taste rather than something ordinary.”

Is that really the case?

But perhaps this is the humble essence of the dark arts—resulting from lowly humans groveling before gods and offering tributes, shaping the civilizations and societies we live in, regardless of whether the recipient is a Three Sovereigns or an Evil Spirit.

“Indeed. The ancient texts discussed the overwhelming power of the completed Divine Portrait, but what captured my heart even more was the concept of ‘preference.’ As you all know, the amount of divine favor or rewards humanity receives greatly depends on how much the tribute meets the god’s liking. But the ancient text stated that upon completing the Divine Portrait, it could almost perfectly capture the heart of the ‘Old Ruler,’ so there was no way I couldn’t manufacture it.”

“That sounds strange. You’re typically cautious and skeptical like me, so I don’t understand how you could believe what the ancient text claims so easily.”

“Because the efficiency was on a different level compared to other tributes. Just offering a few Divine Portraits in a draft form, even without completion, appealed significantly more to the divine beings than the average tribute. In reality, it was much easier than the trouble of capturing high-ranking otherworldly beings to offer. Even the possibility that I could eventually create a full Divine Portrait led those from dark factions to treat me with great respect.”

“Hmm… That makes sense.”

Zhuge Sa nodded. He understood the point because, having received my past life’s memories, he knew that just using a draft version of the Divine Portrait for human sacrifice yielded an efficiency almost hundreds of times greater than that of an ordinary human.

The question he posed now was likely a way to ascertain whether Zhuge Yulong was fully aware of that fact.

“The conclusion is that it’s a rare dish because it’s tough to make, which earns it value. My questions are a bit resolved. Now, back to the main topic… What do you mean by questioning the divine blood?”

“The material for divine blood is produced by transforming mercury with a special alchemical formula. Creating it isn’t something that can happen in a short time; it requires a complex and difficult process. Though I sought help from the great Western alchemist Saint-Germain, I couldn’t gauge the completion time. Thus, I anticipated it would take centuries. The ancient texts, however, mentioned there was a location with large deposits of divine blood, urging us to find it.”

“……?”

Zhuge Sa wore a bizarre expression, and Zhuge Yulong spoke.

“I did find it odd exactly as you expected. While the ancient texts gave us clues, they didn’t specify exactly where such a place was. It was almost as if they were telling us to find it ourselves…”

“Just as I thought.”

“Seeing through any ulterior motives, I realized there was some conspiracy involved. Specifically, someone was leveraging the hands of future humans to achieve their goals… Moreover, the reason for not informing me of the divine blood’s location was to control the timing of completion while also masking the doubts of future generations.”

“That would likely be Qin Shi Huang.”

“……”

“You may not have known about the identity or concrete intentions of Qin Shi Huang, but you must have figured out how to keep him in check. That’s why you brought up divine blood.”

Zhuge Yulong didn’t respond but coldly smiled, his laughter seemingly mocking Qin Shi Huang. In the midst of their conversation, I began to piece together what was happening.

The plot of Qin Shi Huang revolves around divine blood itself!

Yet, it was an unbelievable thought. Qin Shi Huang achieved immortality and vanished into the annals of history—what scheme could he possibly have employed? Frustrated, I stepped forward, about to ask Zhuge Yulong something.

“If that’s the case, how does divine blood become a weakness…”

At that moment, Zhuge Sa hastily covered my mouth. He sent me a mental message.

[Wait a moment! It’s not the wrong question, but this is a conversation flow your brother initiated. If it continues this way, we’ll be led astray. Leave it to me.]

… If Zhuge Sa said so, then I’d trust him.

I remained silent, and Zhuge Sa spoke.

“Then, there’s just one final question left, brother?”

“Yes, Sa.”

“But before that, I need to clarify something.”

As Zhuge Sa sent me his thought, I nodded and pulled out the Zhuge Bu from my cloak. Upon seeing the figure of Zhuge Bu, Zhuge Yulong displayed little reaction, almost as if he had expected it. Zhuge Sa grinned slyly.

“As you can see, my nephew has become a devoted slave to the Soul Exchange Technique, tirelessly working for Baek Woong. I thought it only right to inform you of the whereabouts of a nephew of mine due to loyalty towards you.”

Zhuge Yulong coolly replied.

“That’s still cheap.”

“Eh?”

“When that unknown suspicious figure stole the Nameless Ritual Book, I instructed Bua not to act recklessly and to protect the main base. I gave explicit orders to ensure he took guards or strong allies even if capable of tracing you via talismans and teleportation. Yet, Bua disregarded all my warnings, overestimating his own abilities and pursuing you alone, getting captured. That folly shall be his responsibility.”

At Zhuge Yulong’s cold words, Zhuge Sa seemed genuinely impressed.

“Ah, truly, it’s you, brother! You act like a righteous man, yet you understand and exploit the laws of the jungle with more acuity than anyone.”

“So? Have you shown me Bua’s form to anger me?”

Zhuge Sa shook his head.

“No. I simply wanted to ask you one more personal question.”

“… What is it? You’re quite a spoiled brat.”

“Regardless, soon the Seven Luminaries will all come together. In some sense, it means the world’s end isn’t far off. This is a chance to settle familial grudges, so I’d like to ask you this small question. It’s not about the Seven Luminaries or the great trends.”

“Haa… You’ve always been unreasonable. Fine.”

Zhuge Yulong forced a bitter smile, subtly nodding.

Zhuge Sa slowly posed the question.

“Brother, as you said, this Zhuge Bu is merely a fool endowed with natural talent. Surely you’d know that my younger nephew, Mangnyang Zhuge Xian, is far more capable. I had judged long ago that Xian possessed the caliber of a king.”

“……”

“You truly dismissed Xian from your plans solely because his magical talent was lacking?”

As the question about Mangnyang flew at Zhuge Yulong, he seemed genuinely disturbed. His turmoil was evident enough for me to perceive.

He remained silent for a while before replying.

“… That’s why he wasn’t included.”

“What do you mean?”

“What Xian lacked wasn’t magical talent. That child could have been a military advisor capable of assisting a valiant hero in calming the chaos of a war-torn world, or a chancellor helping a wise ruler achieve order in peaceful times. Additionally, he also possessed the generous personality to harmonize those endowed with great capabilities.”

“That’s right.”

“He had abilities comparable to Zhuge Mu-hu… His potential was above and beyond, even beyond that of the illustrious families in our Zhuge clan’s history. While geniuses flooded forth without respite, there were few who could match the caliber of that child. Just how many would keep their beliefs and justice during times of crisis while offering tolerance? The more of a genius one is, the more reckless they become; those possessing outstanding intellect tend to grow selfish under duress.”

Zhuge Yulong gazed at the sky, mumbling as if lamenting.

“I plotted to overthrow the heavens with my soul laid bare, so how could I involve the future of the Zhuge clan with a vengeful thought blinding me to what lay ahead? Failing would mean facing the eternal torment of despair from the chaotic god, Sa, would you choose such a path?”

“……”

Zhuge Sa shook his head silently.

“This path… was an everlasting hell. It was a narrow passage where one sought death amid chaos. I wished that child would remain unfarred from my affairs, to live an ordinary life, nurturing his talents while extending his lifespan in the world of light.”

“So that was your intention.”

“I had hoped that even if I failed and perished, that child would carry on the legacy of light.”

Now, it finally clicked for me. That’s why Zhuge Yulong deliberately taught nothing to Mangnyang, using the excuse of talent deficiency as a pretext to expel him from the imperial palace.

“Yet, Xian is dead too… All that remains for me now is despair. Hehe… heh…”

Zhuge Yulong let out an eerie sound. It seemed to reflect his true disappointment. With the unexpected mention of Mangnyang’s death, Zhuge Yulong’s spirit appeared undeniably crushed. However, it seemed Zhuge Sa had deliberately aimed for that moment, slowly speaking to him.

“Brother. The underworld is in chaos, and the cycle of reincarnation has been severed; you must know this by now.”

“I know.”

“Xian’s soul has likely been sucked into some unknown place, suffering… A living hell devoid of redemption in either this life or the afterlife—that is the wretched world we inhabit. Even in the realm of the living, it’s no different. With the law of the jungle, discrimination, massacres, and the rampant nature of the strong, despair waits endlessly.”

Calmly revealing despair, Zhuge Sa stated.

“However, if we could attain the Seven Luminaries, the situation would change. It’s almost within reach.”

“……”

“My lord, Baek Woong, can at least overcome this circumstance. It may not align with your vision, but he is a king with a vision to save humanity. He will request the salvation of humanity from Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen. Zhuge Bu will also free his brainwashing before that.”

“What do you want to say?”

“Please, in your last question, speak candidly. No matter how honestly you speak, all know that if you wish, even the greatest sage of the world could deceive with only the truth.”

Zhuge Sa locked eyes with Zhuge Yulong.

“Please help us.”

“……”

Everyone in the room was taken aback, never imagining that Zhuge Sa would utter such words.

Zhuge Yulong stared at him before turning his gaze towards me.

“Baek Woong. Ask your final question.”

The tone was notably different from earlier. Previously, he had shown outright hostility toward me, using all his wits to resist, but now, it felt as though he accepted some aspect of the situation. I confirmed that Zhuge Sa’s persuasion had indeed worked on Zhuge Yulong and opened my mouth.

“Tell me the weakness of Qin Shi Huang, who wields the completed Divine Portrait.”

“As I’ve said, the weakness is divine blood. During the last process of the Divine Portrait, I had hidden a device that had not originally existed. Even those like Saint-Germain, who inherited my research, would have failed to notice its presence.”

“A device?”

“… The Right Turn of the Pre-Heaven Eight Trigrams.”

The Right Turn?

‘It’s a principle that describes time and space as constants.’

With my understanding of the basic principles of the Pre-Heaven Eight Trigrams, I knew what the Right Turn entailed. It was a simple concept to grasp with two hands, and when dealing with time manipulation, odd and even numbers revolved respectively left and right within the realm of the River Map principle. This was a completely different principle from basic layout principles like Yi Yan’s or Tai Yi’s, and it could confound one’s thinking.

‘What’s the point of making it so complex for something that isn’t practically useful…?’

You would need an outstanding intellect to grasp it easily, and indeed, I was one who shouldn’t even be studying such knowledge. But thanks to Mangnyang’s enthusiastic teaching from my past life, I barely grasped the basics.

Now, I retraced how I’d drawn the trigrams in my mind and pictured the circulating form of the trigrams. After retrieving the knowledge of the Tao, I nodded and spoke.

“Well… I understand the Right Turn, but how does that become a weakness?”

“The techniques of the West used in forming the Divine Portrait primarily act on binding body and soul, whereas the Eastern techniques efficiently channel the chaos sealed within the body. Thus, while it takes a fragile human form, it can easily make use of the chaotic power because the placement of the Pre-Heaven Eight Trigrams keeps circulating the chaotic energy. You could say it effectively counters the chaotic properties borne of Fuxi from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.”

“…….”

“However, I prepared a weakness where the Right Turn creates an opening, in case the Divine Portrait betrayed. Originally, I intended to control all trigrams until the final process, but before that, only this initial weakness remains.”

“Tell me how to strike at the weakness of the Right Turn.”

“If you have the ability to deploy the Pre-Heaven Eight Trigrams or can use the Eight Trigrams Formation, it would be straightforward. Even if he uses the ‘Small Wheel,’ as soon as the Eight Trigrams is deployed, he will be ensnared and expose his weakness.”

“Got it… Thanks!”

As I conversed, I realized how much information I had obtained because of Zhuge Sa.

‘If Zhuge Sa hadn’t persuaded him, he would have merely given necessary information without any further explanations…’

That in itself was a clue, yet grappling with a formidable opponent like Jin would have been daunting. Thanks to Zhuge Yulong’s acknowledgment, my gathering of the Seven Luminaries drew significantly closer.

Then, a rumble echoed.

Wooooo—

A tremendous flow resounded. It was a flow that shook the very essence of the world itself, and anyone wielding a special power would inevitably sense it. Whether they were martial artists drawing on qi, sorcerers wielding spells, or demon sorcerers—it was clear to all that ‘something’ had been released.

“… It has awakened.”

The Celestial Sage spoke in a heavy tone.

What had awakened was something everybody present knew without needing to say.

A being capable of shaking the world merely by awakening, such an entity existed only in this current situation.

At this moment—the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, Yan Emperor Shennong had awakened.

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