Reincarnation Sword God

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Chapter 15: The Chaos of the Dark Heaven Village

“I think Zhuge Bu is right.”

I had always assumed that the cosmos was something we could tackle, but I learned through Demon Path knowledge that the size of celestial bodies like Jupiter and Saturn was far beyond what one mere human could contend with.

The mass of the stars I inhabited was in a staggering multiple compared to mine, something no individual could possibly bear.

‘But… Venus is the same.’

It was utterly impossible. How could a human destroy a star? The blow I just delivered, assuming it was pure physical destruction, was probably the max output I could muster since my rebirth, yet it barely left a crack on a star.

Even if Venus was similar in size, piercing through to its core would require thousands of times more power than the punch I just threw.

…This felt too unrealistic. I had opened the Eight Gates using Great Destruction, unleashed nearly infinite internal power, and borrowed the might of the top-tier sorcerer, using the legendary Fire Dragon Sword enhanced to the Seven Luminaries level—and it only amounted to this! How was I supposed to amplify my strength by thousands of times from here?

In that moment, a possibility struck me, and I spoke mentally to Zhuge Bu. We were currently soaring through the cosmic void, unable to communicate vocally, but we were linked through Life Force Sharing.

[Zhuge Bu, if it’s the Spirit Summoning Technique, perhaps it’s possible…!]

Exactly. The ultimate spell, the summoning technique used by Cheon Gong-pyo moments ago!

Of course, on my own it might be difficult, but perhaps if Cheon Gong-pyo could enhance things in some way, it might just work. Zhuge Bu responded.

[That may be true, but she has already exhausted her spell count. Techniques like the Spirit Summoning Technique have a strict limit on usage regardless of power, so it cannot be reused today.]

[What’s that? I was told that the talent for chaos allows for unlimited usage of spells….]

[Spells differ from portrait abilities; the depletion of power is irrelevant. Considering the Spirit Summoning Technique’s power, it significantly exceeds mortal limits, hence it falls under the Law of Cause and Effect. In theory, it’s usable, but the moment you try, you’ll face the backlash of that very law. It has a safety mechanism to prevent it from being triggered once.]

I understood the principle but couldn’t quite accept it.

[Ah, but… this way we truly have no options left. Even if I throw punches like before, I won’t be able to destroy a planet. Not even after thousands of hits….]

This wasn’t merely a matter of grit. Someone who had lived off martial arts for over a hundred years would certainly know what was possible. This bordered on the absurd—no, it was thoroughly impossible.

[…I see. That makes sense.]

Though I lamented my inability to even consider attacking Venus, Zhuge Bu did not scold me like before. He acknowledged that this was not the time to be reckless. After some contemplation, he said.

[There is one method to restore the Spirit Summoning Technique.]

[What’s that?]

[The completed Philosopher’s Stone. It’s the ultimate offering and can significantly replenish the consumption of laws. There’s a reason even gods covet it. If you use it, you can restore the Spirit Summoning Technique. You’ll also gain infinite energy as a bonus.]

The Philosopher’s Stone!

As I pondered its whereabouts, I replied.

[But the Philosopher’s Stone is no more. Changhil already offered it as payment for the Golden Box.]

That was correct.

Before Changhil emerged, he had succeeded in creating the ultimate portrait spirit, Jin, and summoned the Golden Box. Not to mention, he had activated the Transference Gate connecting to the entire world—everything thanks to the Philosopher’s Stone, the pinnacle of alchemy. With it consumed already, it seemed there were no more options.

But Zhuge Bu countered.

[Not necessarily! At least for the Philosopher’s Stone, that’s not the case. I was also deeply involved as a representative of the Imperial Palace in the Philosopher’s Stone project. I have my thoughts on this.]

Such a strong assertion!

I asked, filled with anticipation.

[…Are you saying you know where it is?!]

[To be precise, I suspect a portion of it remains somewhere. So now, follow my instructions.]

Zhuge Bu’s words continued.

[Nahoo and Gye Do disappeared into the horizon long ago, yet the Celestial Sage, the Command Table, and Jin’s figure are nowhere to be seen. Something must have gone wrong, so head that way first.]

[I should go to Gye Do, right? Since that’s where Cheon Gong-pyo went.]

I naturally thought I should move towards the direction where Gye Do had vanished. Helping the areas lacking assistance would be prudent. However, Zhuge Bu told me something different.

[No! Go to Nahoo first. That’s priority.]

[Why?]

[There’s no time for detailed explanations. Brace yourself and go!]

[Got it!]

There was no more time to question. I resolved to trust Zhuge Bu, flying away from the trial grounds just below Ilyo, aiming towards the direction where Nahoo had disappeared. The chaos I created churned the earth itself, forcing me to fly over the water.

As I flew, I questioned Zhuge Bu.

[Is this chaotic sea poison? What happens if I touch it?]

[Hold on. It’s pure chaos, meaning it can break down all matter. Even beings of high-level otherworldly races would suffer immense injury akin to burns. Only entities born directly from pure chaos can survive in that sea.]

Kaboom!

While maintaining the Great Destruction, I used the technique of empty flight, propelling myself at speeds far beyond sound. I didn’t utilize advanced techniques, but it felt like pure force pushed me forward.

As I flew about twenty miles, I noticed Nahoo glowing with black light beyond the horizon.

Rumble!

‘It looks like the star itself is spinning.’

Nahoo was swirling like a sandstorm spitting out black sand swirls.

It was too small to be a star. About the size of thirty Zhang, yet compared to an average celestial body, it could be likened to a grain of sand. It was likely that Nahoo had originally been much larger but had adjusted to an appropriate size upon being summoned into this space.

And there, Jin floated, summoning chaos spears and axes to rain down. The Celestial Sage had also used Clone Technique to help Jin, yet it wasn’t proving too effective.

Bang!

Everyone seemed puzzled, unable to inflict damage on Nahoo. The truth was, while Jin’s time stop and time manipulation abilities were formidable, they weren’t much help in breaking fixed, inanimate objects or structures. No matter the means, the Celestial Sage was failing to land any significant hits.

Had Jin noticed my arrival? He glanced my way and said.

“Baek Woong, it seems you’ve activated a special technique. With that kind of power, it will be useful; hurry and destroy this Nahoo!”

“…….”

“Three forms have been revealed already. If Nahoo becomes the Eye of the Dragon, we’re in serious trouble, so we need to break it quickly.”

Really?

Is that the best course of action?

[Let’s go!]

Even while listening to Jin, confusion rang in my head from Zhuge Bu’s orders. Even though I suppressed my emotions, Jin seemed unaware of my inner turmoil.

‘Damn it! I have no choice!’

Mulling over it would only lead to failure. I steeled my resolve and took immediate action.

One Slash!

Boom!

In that moment, Jin’s shoulder was cleanly sliced off, one of his arms falling away.

‘Too easy! I should have aimed for the head!’

I unleashed the pinnacle of the Thunder God Sword Dance with a heart free of distractions, and with the Eight Gates open, I was ready to fight equally against the Master of the White Lotus Sect. No, even the Master might find it nearly impossible to evade my current strike. Yet, Jin, the perfect portrait spirit, somehow sensed my attack and dodged!

An unimaginable level of perception—truly like some demon puppet surpassing human capabilities. I felt regret, but since my surprise attack had failed, there was no choice but to fight head on. As expected, Jin paused for a moment, using his time stop ability to mount a counterattack.

His expression shifted for just a brief instance, not quite shock, but more of a “Why now?” sort of look.

But it was too late.

Zhuge Bu’s command had been clear: [Cut down Jin!]. I wanted to know why, but now that I was fighting, the reason was secondary. Now I had to focus solely on defeating Jin.

Boom!

As the time stop enveloped me, I felt a wave of energy pulsating throughout my body. In mere moments, Jin’s hand flew at my head, aimed to split it open. I sensed the attack instinctively and countered with the Advance of the Fifth Divine from the heavens, sending out five streams of energy to bind his movements.

This was one of the transformation techniques that Lee Cheong-un had taught me, capable of immobilizing nearby opponents. As the five vibrant energies subdued Jin, I hurled another One Slash, aiming for his neck.

Swoosh!

Jin’s ghostly form appeared outside of his body.

‘So, he stopped time again.’

Yet, it wasn’t impossible to counter. Though the enemy was formidable, the time stop felt more like a quick ambush now. No doubt a benefit from the Great Destruction!

Zhuge Bu’s words resonated in my mind.

[The Great Destruction technique holds power exceeding one or more of the Seven Luminaries, and the spirit energy of the Fire Dragon Sword amplifies your technique, providing a synergistic effect. It seems her resistance to chaos granted the user remarkable resilience. Even with Jin wielding the Flame Elemental Sword, his time stop ability likely wouldn’t provide a significant boost, meaning you can stand your ground against him.]

Zhuge Bu continued.

[Now’s your chance. Kill him and burn the corpse! That will yield the Philosopher’s Stone.]

[The corpse?]

[Would the master of schemes like Changhil ever create only one Philosopher’s Stone, certain it wouldn’t be permanently consumed? Also, didn’t Jin’s abilities seem unusually powerful?]

[…….]

[Changhil must have produced multiple Philosopher’s Stones. It’s likely he melted the initial prototype he created to craft the portrait spirit!]

If that were the case… did the Philosopher’s Stone serve as a part of Jin’s construction?

It felt like a complete reversal of logic, but I soon realized it made sense. The very first, almost complete prototype would have been melted down as part of Jin. And the highest quality Philosopher’s Stone produced through advanced techniques was most likely given to the worst demon in the Imperial Palace.

‘Good.’

I was already stuck in a situation where I had to settle things with him.

[If you reclaim the Philosopher’s Stone and the Seven Luminaries, you will gain enough power to destroy Nahoo. Kill that thorn in your side!]

[Understood.]

In the turmoil of the Illyo trial, I found no leeway. Every precious moment counted.

Kaboom!

“What’s going on? Let’s perish together!”

The Celestial Sage seemed momentarily bewildered by the unexpected situation, but as if struck by realization, he swiftly activated Clone Technique to launch an attack on Jin. He caught on quickly, showing no hesitation even in the face of danger.

Jin dodged his time stop ability while stepping back.

“Cough!”

In that moment, he faltered, blood streaming from his seven orifices.

He was sweating bullets as he spoke.

Drip, Drip.

“Cough… What have you done?”

He seemed utterly flabbergasted. I couldn’t answer, but Zhuge Bu transmitted information to my mind instead.

[Right now, you and I are connected through the Soul Exchange Technique and Life Force Sharing, via three techniques. Through your sword, I delivered the utmost betrayal curse into his insides. Pass down the worst curse from the treacherous Zhuge Sa to the Wall of the Gods, and even he would face grave harm.]

[Are you saying even a portrait spirit is killable?]

[As long as one good surprise hits, it’s possible. You’ve successfully assassinated Qin Shi Huang.]

So that was it.

I understood the strategy Zhuge Bu devised in opting for the fastest surprise. The Great Skill he was currently unleashing was more potent than I had anticipated.

Zhuge Sa had passed down countless betrayal techniques and curses to make Zhuge Bu the strongest battle puppet, and that had certainly paid off now.

I glared at Jin and said.

“I’ll repay the grievance of Jing Ke through you. You’re finished.”

Swish!

As I brandished my sword, Jin attempted to strike me again with his time stop ability, but as predicted, it was significantly weaker now. I sensed it at close range and retaliated with a Bowing Sky Slash.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Jin had incredible physical prowess, but seemed completely untrained in martial arts, allowing me to subdue him easily. His left wrist bore a large gash now. Surely, he hadn’t seen the need to cultivate martial skills given his immense chaos powers.

Slash!

As his arm hung limply and blood drenched the area, he seemed in disbelief, panting heavily. It was clear the curse Zhuge Bu injected through my sword was continuously draining his life away.

In the meantime, the Celestial Sage used Clone Technique to minimize Jin’s escape routes, landing a solid punch to his solar plexus.

Boom!

Even with the force behind the punch of the Celestial Sage of Gold, Jin’s body seemed extraordinarily resilient, showing no signs of severe injury. The Celestial Sage felt disheartened seeing Jin remain unscathed despite adequate force applied.

“Damn! It’s different from when he had five of the Seven Luminaries…. ”

Once again utilizing his time stop ability to evade danger, Jin gasped.

“I am… the Emperor. I was the overlord who unified the Middle Kingdom first… How can I be defeated…?”

“Qin Shi Huang, you died in history. Right now, you’re merely a restless spirit trapped in another realm.”

“Ha ha… I don’t comprehend… I thought your strategists were all dead, and you’d be incapable of instant action like this….”

He paused then said.

“…It’s not over yet.”

“What?”

“There exists a principle of this trial that you haven’t been informed of….”

And in that moment.

Woosh!

A strange force erupted around Jin’s body, and soldiers began materializing over the chaotic sea. I was taken aback.

“You crazy fool!”

This chaotic sea annihilates and dissolves everything! Summoning mere soldiers would just see them sink and melt in no time! I hadn’t expected him to summon troops in this situation, and so, I was flabbergasted.

However, an even more shocking event occurred.

Woosh!

“……!!”

The soldiers did not melt upon sinking into the chaotic sea. They stood upon it in an orderly fashion and quickly filled the surroundings. Jin had summoned tens of thousands of troops in an instant.

“Baek Woong. I asked you what kind of king you wish to become. You answered that you would become the king of all kings, but my answer is different.”

“What?!”

“Ha ha….”

Despite bleeding black from his seven orifices, Jin laughed. No matter the pain, seeing him smile revealed his overwhelming mental fortitude.

[Behold my power. This is the destiny of the first to unify the world of Zhonghua.]

As I glanced around, hundreds of thousands of soldiers surrounded the Celestial Sage.

A bizarre flicker engulfed each soldier, horse, and chariot. I could feel a ferocious will different from mere energy within this vast military. Unlike before, the newly summoned troops emanated a powerful, living will.

What in the world is such power?

Qin Shi Huang slowly ascended to the heavens, unleashing a cry.

[I am Zhonghua. Everything existing within Zhonghua belongs to me, and that is what it means to be Emperor!]

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