Reincarnation Sword God

암천향(暗天鄕)

Staying here?

I obviously couldn’t just do that.

“Isn’t our chance of winning higher if I fight alongside Daeseong?”

“No! I don’t think so.”

“…….”

Being outright rejected left me feeling awkward. As I was flustered, the Celestial Sage pointed to Cheon Woo-jin and Cheon Gong-pyo.

“Look at them. Those two are sorcerers who would be grieving if they were second in the world, and they’ve prepared for time manipulation skills for a long time, but they can only offer minimal resistance. In other words, the force that has trapped us can be regarded as pure ‘Old Ruler’-level powers. Unless you’re someone like you, who possesses inherent chaos or has an abundance of the Seven Luminaries….”

“So the closer we get, the stronger his abilities become?”

“Correct. Right now, we’re safe because we’re far away, but the closer we get, the harder it’ll be to breathe. He’ll hunt us like prey caught in a spider’s web. I can’t handle a guy like that if he uses his powers properly. I’ll definitely get fatally injured.”

“But then it won’t help if Daeseong goes alone….”

I was about to retort when I suddenly realized something and looked down at the Seven Luminaries I possessed. The Celestial Sage nodded.

“You’ve figured it out. Hand them all over to me.”

“…Hmm!”

I could see the plan of the Celestial Sage clearly.

If I passed the Seven Luminaries to him, he would fight Jin on my behalf!

Honestly, considering how strong I had become just with what I had equipped as an ordinary human, the powers that the Celestial Sage would gain with all the Seven Luminaries would be beyond imagination. With just one Luminary, he could rampage without care, so there was no need to say more. It was undoubtedly the most powerful tactic in this situation.

Of course, I didn’t have to worry about whether I could trust the Celestial Sage or not. If I couldn’t trust him, I wouldn’t have come this far together. Even if he betrayed me, as long as he didn’t betray the essence of my rebirth, I wouldn’t mind.

But I had one concern, so I cautiously spoke to the Celestial Sage.

“Daeseong. If we defeat him and the Tydaht appears in the world… then who knows what might happen in that moment.”

“I know. That’s why you couldn’t hand over the Seven Luminaries to Jin So-cheong or anyone else beforehand.”

The Celestial Sage brushed it off casually, but this was an important assumption.

According to Zhuge Sa, the Seven Luminaries still hold undisclosed secrets and properties, and when six of them gather in one place, there’s a possibility that the seal would automatically break due to resonance. Therefore, even if Jin appeared before us, we would have to worry about defeating him. Because if someone other than me captured the Seven Luminaries and defeated Jin, only to die from resonance or be forcibly dragged before the emperor, it would be utterly absurd.

The Celestial Sage continued.

“Honestly, I don’t think that demon sorcerer is right or wrong, but… if the seal breaks immediately and we can meet the emperor, I’ll definitely tell him my intention.”

“What intent is that?”

“Just like you think. To delay the end of this world as much as possible or to ask him to save this wild and chaotic world.”

“…….”

He was consistent. Initially opposed to gathering the Seven Luminaries at all, he was now willing to gamble on it because hope had emerged. It seemed he also shared a desire to save the world.

‘…Okay.’

I made up my mind internally. Then I pulled out the Obsidian from my chest and handed it to him. Zhuge Sa had warned me not to do this, but I felt it must be done. The Celestial Sage looked bewildered.

“What is this?”

“I want to entrust the results of my current rebirth to you. Of course, I should let you in on my secret too.”

“Is it a technique to transfer memories?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Send it.”

Whoa!

As I sent my memories to the Celestial Sage, he shivered for a moment before showing a flustered expression. Then, with an unusual glare, he said.

“You… are the reborn person moving the [Great Wheel]?”

“Yes.”

“Hah! Did you think I wouldn’t be able to kill you because I let you send your memories? Over the countless rebirths, you’ve been playing with me, the Celestial Sage.”

The Celestial Sage wore a slight frown of anger on his face. Understandably, he might feel that I, the reborn person, had been toying with him. But I shook my head.

“That’s not true.”

Swish.

As soon as I finished speaking, I handed the Golden Crow to him.

“Hmm.”

Feeling that his anger was slightly alleviated, I calmly said.

“The reason I couldn’t give you my memories until now was that you opposed gathering the Seven Luminaries with such fervor, and there was always the possibility that you might seize the Luminaries from me and seal them away. I was unsure what might happen if you suddenly changed your mind, and Zhuge Sa had indeed worried about that until recently. But since I’ve come this far, I’ve decided to fully trust you.”

“…….”

“I also don’t think you are an evil being. So I don’t want to use my reborn powers to toy with you. Please trust my sincerity.”

Hearing my words, the Celestial Sage had a strange expression on his face.

“You’re a funny one. In the end, you want the people gathered around you to be companions united for righteousness rather than just for your power?”

“Yes.”

“At least one isn’t like that. He’s only caught up in you due to your powers of the reborn person, with no thoughts of righteousness.”

Glancing at Tang San, the Celestial Sage continued.

“Also, your remaining life might not be for the pursuit of righteousness but solely filled with despair. You might not be a savior at all. It could just be you deceiving yourself.”

I flinched.

“…That might be true.”

“And one more thing, what if I take the Luminaries and just run away without fighting Jin?”

“If I were worried about that, I wouldn’t have shared my memories.”

He frowned and scratched his hair behind his ear.

“Really, you’re a hopeless kid. If you’d just stayed quiet and handed me the Luminaries, I would have done my job faithfully. Why make things so complicated?”

“Because that would only be using you.”

“Hah! Hahaha….”

He chuckled dryly and said.

“But you’re not the kind of kid who insists that the result remains the same.”

“…….”

“Alright. Hand over all the Seven Luminaries.”

Chiriling.

Shortly after, I began handing the Seven Luminaries to the Celestial Sage one by one. As soon as I passed the Golden Crow and then the Water Element, my vision suddenly grew dim, and I felt my strength drain away. At the same time, it felt like my insides were hardening, as if being filled with stone.

Noticing my changes, the Celestial Sage remarked.

“Even with three Luminaries, it seems hard to resist Jin’s time-based abilities. You need at least four to stand against him. Remember that well.”

“…If I give you one or two more,…. my consciousness will….”

“I know. This is a great situation for you, huh?”

The Celestial Sage teased nonchalantly, but I ignored him and simultaneously handed over the Moon Element, Flame Element, and Wood Element to him. As time rapidly halted, just before my consciousness faded, the Celestial Sage’s voice echoed in my mind.

[Don’t worry. I’ll never lose.]

Paat.

When I regained my senses, I found myself floating in an unknown, strange place. Debris of buildings floated around, and the area was filled with a colorful Qi, making it hard to distinguish up from down, left from right in the chaos. It somewhat resembled the Void Dimension, but I didn’t feel the fluctuation in existence probabilities as I had before.

‘Where am I?’

I looked around to find my companions when I suddenly heard a shout.

“Baek Woong!! Over here!”

I flew toward the direction of the voice using the Light Body Technique. About thirty paces away was Jin So-cheong. She said to me,

“Baek Woong, do you understand the current situation?”

“No… I don’t know what’s happening. Where is this place?”

“I’m not sure either. I just woke up ten days ago, and you suddenly appeared out of nowhere.”

“……!!”

“It’s a strange space. I haven’t seen any of our companions yet.”

“Hmm….”

I told Jin So-cheong the story of how I had handed the Seven Luminaries to the Celestial Sage before I lost consciousness. After hearing that, she said,

“Then Celestial Sage must’ve done something.”

“Since we won’t achieve anything just standing here, let’s look for our companions.”

Together with Jin So-cheong, we jumped around the debris of the buildings in search of our allies. Before long, we could find Cheon Woo-jin with Tang San and Seo Mun-hye. As soon as Cheon Woo-jin saw me, he said,

“Just as I thought, your Law of Cause and Effect… is incredible….”

His tone seemed somewhat admiring.

“What do you mean?”

“This is ‘Scattered Space.’ It’s a place where time and space are fragmented.”

“Explain it more clearly.”

“…How long do you think I’ve been in this space resisting its effects while searching for these two?”

“I don’t know. Jin So-cheong said ten days.”

Cheon Woo-jin sighed.

“It took me a year and three months to resist the space and find these two. It’s been half a year since I joined them.”

What?!

I was flustered but soon caught on to the situation.

“So the passage of time is different for everyone in this space. And we don’t need to eat or sleep.”

“Exactly. Here we are like reflections in shattered glass. The entity exists but is trapped in countless temporal loops.”

“Is it bad?”

“It’s not just bad. I was prepared for the end here. It wouldn’t be strange if thousands of years passed without meeting you two. I even told them to write a will here.”

“…….”

“But… the moment you opened your eyes, I think this scattered space began to heal. Your incredible Law of Cause and Effect is likely causing it to converge naturally. I’ve never seen or heard of such a phenomenon. In theory, it could be possible, but….”

What is he talking about?

I couldn’t grasp what Cheon Woo-jin was saying. With all this talk about the Law of Cause and Effect and time and space, how was I supposed to understand? But as I tried to piece things together, I could at least get the gist.

“So, since I have a lot of cause and effect, then if I start moving, I can find all my companions?”

“Simply put, yes.”

Yet Cheon Woo-jin replied in a tone filled with disbelief.

“…But that’s as impossible as the shattered glass on the floor returning to its original form without any help. For you to have the capacity for such cause and effect….”

“Okay, let’s hurry and search!”

Next, I managed to find Zhuge Sa. After hearing the ins and outs, he said,

“Hmm. So the situation likely is that the Celestial Sage and Jin fought and ended up shattering time and space.”

“Shattered time and space?”

“That’s a possible scenario. Let’s talk more after we find Cheon Gong-pyo.”

We then set off to find Cheon Gong-pyo last. Before long, we encountered her, and she floated in the air, wearing a sulky expression. She glared at me and said irritably.

“You! You gave the Seven Luminaries to that monkey?! Why didn’t you give them to me?!”

“…….”

Would you give them to her?

Though anger boiled inside me, I forced myself to respond calmly.

“I’m glad to see you. Did you see the Celestial Sage around here?”

“I haven’t seen him!”

“…Then I guess we have to wait.”

After discussing among ourselves, Cheon Woo-jin and Zhuge Sa concluded that once we find all the scattered companions here, the restoration of space would accelerate, allowing us to return to our original condition. It was said that a powerful cause and effect would act like a magnet, linking time and space together. Thus, I could only wait idly until then.

Half a day passed.

Swoosh!

Suddenly, the bizarre space filled with colorful Qi vanished, and we returned to the original dark space.

Patter.

Just as if it had been waiting, the scripture of the Su Shin Sect dropped to the ground. Upon seeing this, Zhuge Sa exclaimed.

“See, it hasn’t even been a moment since time stopped.”

“…….”

What a strange experience. While everyone seemed bewildered, Cheon Gong-pyo spoke.

“The situation is clear. The monkey who has the Golden Crow fought Jin, and due to a strong distortion in time, the whole imperial palace’s space shattered, creating this ‘Scattered Space.’ That’s why we were trapped in loops until just now.”

“I understand that. Then let’s hurry and look for the Celestial Sage.”

Tydaht.

Everyone sprinted after me because I was the last one to feel the remnants of Jin’s presence and its direction. I realized that the wave I sensed was getting closer to the emperor’s throne.

It was just as I entered the room of the throne.

“…Hah, do you think you’ve won…?”

Jin’s voice, sounding as if it were about to fade away, echoed in my ears. His body was covered in blood and half-ripped, lying against the throne. On the floor, the blue blood he had shed pooled like a puddle.

He looked to be on the brink of death!

And standing before him was a familiar figure, likewise drenched in blood yet standing firm. I couldn’t see his front, but as soon as I glimpsed his back, I realized the situation.

It was the Celestial Sage.

His entire body was as wretched as Jin’s. I couldn’t even bear to think about looking him in the face.

The Celestial Sage stood tall, shoulders squared, and uttered one line.

“Of course, I won.”

Sweeping motion.

*Crack!*

With the next moment, the Celestial Sage’s fist shattered Jin’s skull. That was the final blow. As soon as he finished, I instinctively rushed to support him, but he halted me.

“Don’t come near.”

I couldn’t move under the unknown pressure. The Celestial Sage sighed, sounding like something unsaid, and murmured.

“…This guy, I couldn’t finish him off. But still, I’ve weakened him enough to handle him….”

“Daeseong! I’ll treat you right now.”

“Listen carefully…. Baek Woong, you will encounter that guy again…. Make sure you win.”

I could feel the Celestial Sage’s body slowly becoming stiff. He looked straight ahead and said,

“I can see my hometown… the Flower-Fruit Mountain.”

His movements completely halted. As vitality drained away, and the chilling aura of death spread, I finally realized he was gone. He had fought Jin with the Golden Crow and met his end.

Is he truly dead?

The Celestial Sage of the world?

I became petrified, struck with shock for a moment.

Then Zhuge Sa stepped forward, attempting to use the Soul Exchange Technique to grasp the Celestial Sage’s spirit. At that moment, overwhelmed with emotion, I grabbed his wrist tightly.

“Stop!!”

When I glared at Zhuge Sa fiercely, he stopped the technique and retreated, shrugging his shoulders.

Swish.

Meanwhile, Cheon Gong-pyo attempted to draw the Golden Crow toward her with her psychokinesis. But in that moment, Cheon Woo-jin stepped in to block her powers and quickly pushed the Golden Crow toward me. As I hastily grasped it, I felt a powerful force reinvigorating my body.

I glared at Cheon Gong-pyo.

“Damn it!! Right as the Celestial Sage dies, you start messing around again?!”

“Since you’re dawdling, shouldn’t I at least recover it?”

“What the hell, shut up!!”

I was filled with frustration.

Even though the situation had improved thanks to the Celestial Sage, seeing them attempt to use his sacrifice as leverage instantly filled me with revulsion. Of course, I knew that Zhuge Sa and Cheon Gong-pyo had always had such natures, but I still felt this was going too far.

‘Ha, get a grip.’

I couldn’t let the Celestial Sage’s sacrifice be in vain.

Now was not the time to be bothered by others’ criticisms and fix faults.

If I don’t stay focused, the Celestial Sage would have died for nothing!

I glared fiercely at everyone and said.

“From now on, I’m going to retrieve Tydaht. Anyone who tries to hinder me or steal the Seven Luminaries will be annihilated by any means necessary!”

“What….”

“I, Baek Woong, swear on my name that I will destroy everything for eternity!! Absolutely!!”

Technically, this was directed specifically at Cheon Gong-pyo, but she seemed to flinch at my ferocity. As she stepped back, I walked toward Jin’s corpse.

Step.

Step.

I couldn’t summon the courage to look at the Celestial Sage’s face. From the pool of blood and the pieces of flesh around, I could infer how terrible the battle had been. Who would want to see the ghastly state of someone who had given their life for me? But squeezing my eyes shut, I faced the Celestial Sage’s visage and bit my lip.

I will never let your death be in vain.

Standing before Jin’s carcass, I reached out toward his chest. Then, I gathered my internal energy and tore through his flesh, breaking his bones until I grasped his heart.

I could hear it beating.

And just like the last time, I could sense the form of Tydaht being absorbed into my hand.

Slowly pulling Jin’s heart, the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram emerged from my body.

Puk!

As I extracted the heart, the Golden Crow I had equipped began to buzz and tremble. The vibrations grew stronger, and soon all the Seven Luminaries were shining with a golden light.

Chiriling –

The liberated Seven Luminaries transformed into brilliant rainbow hues, while the ones that remained unliberated retained their golden glow. I looked at them laid out before me and said,

“Zhuge Sa. It seems even gathering six Luminaries won’t release them just through resonance.”

“Looks like it. Cheon Gong-pyo!”

Now, the only one who could properly liberate the Seven Luminaries here was Cheon Gong-pyo. She seemed to think for a while before saying,

“What if I refuse to liberate them?”

“I would conduct the Offering Ceremony.”

“Do you really think there is time for a ceremony in this current situation?”

“What does it matter? Even Nüwa has turned to a spectator, and Yan Emperor Shennong has no intention of attacking Baek Woong. The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors have no reason to hinder the ceremony or delay the liberation at this point. No one can stop us now.”

“Ugh… haha.”

Cheon Gong-pyo grinned eerily and said,

“Very well, I shall liberate them…. I’ll observe until the very end of this.”

Slowly, Cheon Gong-pyo reached out to the unreleased Luminaries. Using her powerful chaotic abilities, she twisted the engravings on their surfaces. Moments later, the golden light began to transform into rainbow hues. This was the moment Cheon Gong-pyo liberated the last of them.

‘Finally, all Six Luminaries are liberated…!!’

Silence.

For just a brief moment, it felt as though the massive chaotic entities that had filled this world were being sucked away. And in their place, the power of order filled the void, breathing life back into the land.

Pah!

Eventually, light began to stream down through the dark clouds of sky, warming the earth. In that moment, we could all feel everything in the world gradually recovering, as if life and order were pouring into the entire world.

Cheon Woo-jin seemed astonished, exclaiming,

“The Spirit River is coming back to life…? I thought this would be impossible on territory held by the ‘Old Ruler.’”

“Cheon Woo-jin. What’s happening?”

“The Spirit River creates new spirits and fills the land with life. However, right now, the Spirit River is dried up, and most spirits have gone to the spiritual realm, but it’s coming back to life.”

“Hmm….”

It felt like light was shining through the dark world.

The refreshing air after the rain seemed to invigorate the fields.

Yet as we waited, wondering why no further changes occurred, a rumbling sound echoed.

Suddenly, something began descending from the sky. I widened my eyes as soon as I spotted it.

“Queen Mother of the West!!”

[…….]

The Queen Mother of the West silently looked down at us standing in the ruined imperial palace from the sky. She appeared alone, without any attendants or maidens. Following her descend, another presence began to slowly come down, and that was the Shabi God, the apostle of Jeogok.

Woo woowoo.

It wasn’t just her. The heat from the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace suddenly erupted, revealing itself in the sky through the dark dimensional gate. Additionally, I spotted bizarre meteors glowing with an unusual heat, indicating they were also apostle-level entities of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.

What on earth is happening?

As we remained tense, the Queen Mother of the West suddenly spoke.

[From now on, something will happen that even the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors do not know about.]

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