Reincarnation Sword God

나의 진공가향에 대해.

I first sent a significant amount of Muwak experience packed into the obsidian to Jin So-cheong. She was so talented that I didn’t really need to do more, but internal power isn’t built in a day, so I gave her Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng and Black and White Lotus to help her accumulate power faster.

That was all just routine work, but now the real issue began.

Could I really reach the Absolute Realm by learning from Jang Sam-bong?

I dove into the training to achieve the Absolute Realm without thinking, but my heart was filled with considerable anxiety. I started to wonder whether I should prepare to abandon my life and explore the Life Sea as Zhuge Sa suggested. Regardless, I decided to steel my resolve.

‘No matter how great the information or treasures I acquire, if my strength is lacking, it means nothing.’

I needed to gain power by any means necessary. And since acquiring power through techniques or martial arts would soon hit a limit, I had to reach the Absolute Realm and find hope through the Martial God.

[Your will seems strong.]

“We must become stronger.”

[Why do you need to become stronger?]

“…To gain hope.”

I retorted and solidified my determination before shouting at Jang Sam-bong.

“I’ll share the memories of my martial arts!”

Pa-at!

[No… what the hell is this….]

Jang Sam-bong seemed more flustered than the last time I shared my martial arts memories. And no wonder, as the memories and experiences had grown immensely since our last exchange. Especially with the advancements in the Eight Immortal Divine Art, it must feel like he was encountering an entirely new world of martial arts.

I said to Jang Sam-bong, “I’m learning the Seven Great Techniques, as well as the Eight Immortal Divine Art derived from them. I’m also mastering Yeodong-bin’s Heavenly Escape Sword Technique and the Thunder God lineage martial arts.”

[Hmm, you’re accumulating an incredible amount of martial arts within yourself….]

“However, I still haven’t fully entered the Absolute Realm. It’s because of my lacking talent!”

[…….]

I lamented, somewhat self-pityingly.

“What is this intent of the Heavenly Pillar? What could it be that even after gathering the world’s peerless martial arts and spiritual pills, I still cannot reach the highest level!!”

[So, you understand your situation well.]

Jang Sam-bong nodded and said,

[Martial artists often say that mastering intent to reach the Heavenly Pillar is harder than threading a needle. However, it seems that I’m seeing someone who feels this desperately for the first time.]

“Really? Haven’t you seen many talentless individuals like me in the martial arts world?”

[That’s true. However, most talentless individuals give up when they hit their walls or choose to face reality instead. Also, it’s rare for someone talentless to forcibly elevate themselves to the peak like you have, as far as I know. Originally, you would have only reached the level of a second-rate warrior at best.]

“…….”

Jang Sam-bong assessed my level of talent with eerie accuracy. When I fell silent, he continued,

[The martial arts memories you sent seem to carry many secrets. It’s hard to believe you gained such a diverse and vast array of real combat experiences at your age… No matter what kind of life you lived; it’s at an impossible level.]

“What are you trying to say….”

[You seem to have some secrets that you’re hiding from me. If you share those secrets, I could truly become your master and guide you to the Absolute Realm with my utmost effort.]

Jang Sam-bong indeed seemed to sense the strange undertones just from my martial arts memories. It made sense because those accomplishments and experiences were biological feats that one couldn’t obtain at my physical age. After a moment’s thought, I awakened my Divine Sword Technique.

Ssss –

Kiiing!!

A white light, resembling a hazy sword qi, danced around my sword. This was the phenomenon that occurred when I used the Divine Sword Technique. It didn’t possess any special power in this state and was practically indistinguishable from ordinary sword energy.

I recalled the previous explanations about the Divine Sword Technique.

[Yeodong-bin is a user of the best Divine Sword Technique in the Celestial Realm. Everything he does with the Six Intent Saintly Heaven Diagram and Heavenly Escape Sword Technique is referred to as Divine Sword Technique, and he has the renowned ability to create an incorporeal sword to do anything.]

[It’s the accumulation of cause and effect.]

[The Divine Sword Technique allows the user to condense all their causes and karmas into the sword. This includes skills or experiences as well. Thus, it’s a technique that transforms the incorporeal Great Immortal into something material like a ‘sword’.]

[In other words, the Great Immortal can reserve their strength in a separate container. By using the Divine Sword Technique, they can create their own sword to accumulate cause and effect.]

In the Heavenly Realm, only two individuals had used the Divine Sword Technique: the Heavenly Mysterious Woman and Yeodong-bin. The Heavenly Mysterious Woman transmitted the Divine Sword Technique to Yeodong-bin, who refined it for real combat. It could accumulate all the causes and karmas and allow mortals to utilize the combat experiences of a Great Immortal, but it had one crucial ability.

‘It can sever ties with the Heavenly Realm.’

In the past, Yeodong-bin found the Celestial Realm suspicious and transformed himself into a sword using the Divine Sword Technique to escape. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the Divine Sword Technique was almost the only way to escape from the surveillance that extends to celestial beings.

With the Divine Sword Technique awakened, I said to Jang Sam-bong, “Grand Master Jang. I’ve just activated the Divine Sword Technique. By some means, I managed to inherit the Divine Sword Technique as well.”

[That’s… truly an unusual occurrence.]

“And since you’ve received my martial arts memories, you already know. If you manage to master the Divine Sword Technique, you can escape the status of the Heavenly Realm.”

[Hmm… could it be?]

“If you do that, I can share all my secrets with you.”

Thud!

“Please sever your ties with the Heavenly Realm using the Divine Sword Technique!”

I knelt and pleaded to Jang Sam-bong. He gazed at me thoughtfully.

[Yeon-ja. Do you believe the Heavenly Realm is evil? And it seems there are reasons why your secret would be problematic if it got known in the Heavenly Realm.]

“The Heavenly Realm itself isn’t evil. However, I believe… there’s a powerfully despair-inducing evil force extending its reach in the Heavenly Realm. If that entity discovers my secret, I could be captured and used instead of being able to train.”

[…….]

“Please, I beg you. I must reach the Absolute Realm in this lifetime or at least find clues to it. I’m prepared to give up anything for that!”

Honestly, it was an absurd request. Yeodong-bin had cut ties with the Heavenly Realm, but for him, his personal principles surpassed that of the Heavenly Realm. He was indeed a unique case.

However, a Great Immortal in the Heavenly Realm was undoubtedly a high-ranking being and a significant entity in the world. To abandon such status and power for a mere human seemed implausible. After tirelessly enduring struggles since his mortal days, he barely ascended, and amid fierce competition, elevated himself to become a Great Immortal. How could he let it all go for a mere human?

‘If he can’t do it… then there’s nothing more for it. I’ll just have to train like mad….’

In a state where mutual trust wasn’t fully established, it would just be me being preached to by Muwak, but even that couldn’t be helped. If I sent the obsidian to Jang Sam-bong and word about my reincarnation secret slipped into the Heavenly Realm, Queen Mother of the West and Nüwa would surely learn about it. The Primordial Void Ruler would respond too. They would definitely try to intervene in my progress, so dying might actually be better.

As I waited anxiously, hoping for a stroke of luck, I heard the answer I had anticipated.

[I’m sorry, but I can’t do that.]

“…I understand.”

So it really was impossible.

As I resigned and stood up, Jang Sam-bong sighed and said,

[If it were just my personal matters, I wouldn’t hesitate to give up my status as a Great Immortal for you. After all, being a Great Immortal is merely part of the honors one must abandon as a Taoist. However, I have another reason for achieving the status of a Great Immortal that makes it hard to let go of it….]

“What other reason?”

[The Martial God.]

Huh?!

I flinched at the sudden mention of such a significant term and looked at him. Jang Sam-bong appeared intrigued by my reaction.

[You know about the Martial God.]

“Of course. The reason I practice martial arts is to reach that Martial God. Jin So-cheong had already met him in her childhood.”

[Oh….]

“What do you mean that you obtained the status of a Great Immortal because of the Martial God?”

In response to my question, Jang Sam-bong explained,

[In my time, when the Yuan dynasty invaded the Central Plains, the world was tumultuous and chaotic…. During that time, I was deeply engaged in my training, lamenting the plight of the common people, and energetically desiring to restore order. For that reason, I diligently polished my martial arts and reached a certain level, thus establishing the Wudang Sect and seizing control of the martial arts world.]

Seizing the martial arts world was a rather direct expression.

But it was indeed accurate. According to martial history, just over a decade after establishing the Wudang Sect, Jang Sam-bong rose to be recognized as one of the Ten Great Masters of the World. Furthermore, after another ten years, the Wudang Sect had become the most prominent sect closest to the pinnacle of the Dao Vein, and Jang Sam-bong gained acknowledgment as the greatest master in the world. This was due to Jang Sam-bong easily defeating all the other Ten Great Masters, making it utterly understandable to claim he had seized the martial arts world.

The Yuan Yuanzi standing before me was indeed the supreme being of the late Yuan dynasty.

I asked with a hint of curiosity, “Did your martial arts originate from ancient sects or were they fundamentally self-created?”

[Not at all. Everything was created as I studied alone.]

“…….”

[However, after defeating a peerless master from Goryeo known as Gong Ryung-ja, I experienced a strange phenomenon. Gong Ryung-ja was at the Absolute Realm, and I had a life-or-death battle with him. The moment I shattered his Absolute Eight Circles, I entered a bizarre space.]

“A bizarre space….”

[I encountered the Martial God during that time. He rekindled my desire for challenge and improvement, which I had nearly forgotten in my fixation on martial arts. I realized that to fulfill the Martial God’s will, I had to become a Great Immortal of the Heavenly Realm to prepare for the future. Thus, I ascended and, through consistent effort, attained my status as a Great Immortal.]

I found his encounter with the Martial God to be fascinating.

‘Gong Ryung-ja must be… the ancestor of the current Grand Elder Hong Gil-dong of the Twelve Joules. It seems that Hong Gil-dong can also use the Absolute Eight Circles.’

It was rumored that Gong Ryung-ja, renowned as the number one genius of Goryeo, had been defeated by the supremacist Jang Sam-bong. That rumor turned out to be true. However, it seemed Jang Sam-bong didn’t easily defeat Gong Ryung-ja back then either.

Curious, I inquired, “Are you saying I can only prepare for the future by becoming a Great Immortal? What does that mean?”

[I’m sorry, but that’s a secret I cannot share with someone who hasn’t reached the ‘gate.’]

“Sounds familiar to Yeodong-bin’s words.”

[Oh, so he also had ties to the Martial God.]

Jang Sam-bong’s expression was intrigued when he heard my words. I wondered if I had spoken out of turn, but perhaps it wasn’t worth overthinking. I shook my head and replied.

“I’m sure you have your own reasons. But I’m in a more desperate situation than ever, so I genuinely need your help, Grand Master Jang.”

[As I said, I cannot sever my ties with the Heavenly Realm at this point. But I’ll assist you as much as I can.]

“Yes, I beg you.”

From that day onwards, I began to train my martial arts rigorously under Jang Sam-bong, perfecting the Seven Great Techniques and Eight Immortal Divine Art. Also, Jin So-cheong started honing her martial arts instinctively, to be honest; it seemed she didn’t need a master considering her rapid progress.

How long has it been?

A few days?

Perhaps several months?

I realized about five months later that I hadn’t made any actual progress.

Certainly, my proficiency in the Seven Great Techniques and Eight Immortal Divine Art had generally improved. I was relentlessly pushing forward with almost no sleep while receiving teachings from Jang Sam-bong. I had devoted almost six months solely to training in martial arts, sacrificing even my eating and sleeping time.

Yet, without a doubt, my martial arts themselves weren’t improving. I still didn’t understand what the intent of the Heavenly Pillar meant.

How long would it take to reach the Absolute Realm?

‘It’s only been half a year. I know it doesn’t work like that, but….’

I quietly glanced over at Jin So-cheong.

‘Jin So-cheong….’

Indeed, the reason I was feeling anxious was because of her.

In just five months, she made leaps and bounds in her growth, and she seemed to have reached a level comparable to if not superior to mine. She, like me, seemed to be facing a wall, but witnessing her outrageous growth led me to feel an inevitable urgency.

Eventually, frustrated, I spoke to Jang Sam-bong.

“Grand Master Jang. I have a request.”

[What is it?]

“If I keep strengthening my foundation like this, I won’t grasp anything. I want more intense experiences.”

[Haven’t you been participating in combat-like sparring every day…?]

Indeed, as Jang Sam-bong mentioned, I was experiencing his incredible techniques daily and enhancing my combat experience. Additionally, my understanding of the Wudang martial arts was deepening, and ordinarily, such experience would be considered a fortuitous encounter. But I shook my head.

“That’s not enough. It’s all just virtual sparring against illusions.”

[What do you want?]

“I wish to see and feel the battles of the top experts.”

At my suggestion, Jang Sam-bong seemed slightly taken aback. However, he soon appeared fueled by his pride and accepted my request.

[Very well.]

Whirr!

I observed as Jang Sam-bong’s spirit gradually entered Jin So-cheong’s body. Since she had consented, Jang Sam-bong temporarily took control of her body, allowing him to move in her stead. This was possible because Jin So-cheong and I shared a bond, albeit a minimal level of trust.

As soon as Jang Sam-bong possessed her, I slowly awakened my senses and spoke.

“Come forth, Yeodong-bin.”

Paaaaaah!

Yeodong-bin’s spirit began to manifest slowly. Then he asked me a question.

[What is it?]

I explained the situation to Yeodong-bin, who fell silent for some time before responding.

[Very well.]

Jin So-cheong and I stood facing each other at a distance. However, in reality, it was Yeodong-bin controlling my body while Jang Sam-bong was in Jin So-cheong. Our eyes emitted a spirit energy characteristic of celestial beings, not mere humans.

I began to observe the situation from an outside perspective. Then the Yeodong-bin in my body slowly drew his sword and spoke.

[Jang Sam-bong. I had no idea you were also a challenger of the ‘gate’.]

[Yeodong-bin, I humbly request a match.]

[As do I….]

Indeed.

The Great Immortal and the Sword Saint — a proxy duel between these top-tier beings who had traversed the martial arts world!

Through this battle, I hoped to gain more experiences to move forward.