Reincarnation Sword God

---

True Martial Home

“No way?!”

“I’m just human?!”

“What the hell are you talking about!”

There’s no way I could be a divine incarnation!

I felt baffled by the words of the Master of the Twelve Joules, but he kept going.

“The world has already twisted beyond its predetermined fate. If we continue to be led by that thing’s intentions, everyone will face destruction.”

[Are you really the Master of the Twelve Joules? Where’s the evidence?]

The Master of the White Lotus Sect stared at the Twelve Joules.

[Is there evidence that this Baek Woong in front of us is the incarnation of chaos?]

“Well, not specifically?”

[…….]

“Do you really need me to explain? That existence is the most cunning and clever being in the entire universe, capable of manipulating us in any way. So, proving it is meaningless. In fact, trying to prove it might just backfire on us….”

[That’s funny… Have you actually experienced that?]

The Master of the Twelve Joules flinched, then let out a dry laugh.

“…Well, maybe. Hehe.”

[While that’s not incorrect, that gives us no reason to see Baek Woong as the incarnation of chaos, does it?]

“There is a reason.”

The Twelve Joules glanced at me.

“Everything ‘that guy’ says and does goes against the trajectories of the quantum world. According to Dr. Faust’s theories, that’s impossible. Aren’t you ignoring dynamic characteristics and systems? Unless he’s a transcendent being that has passed through the origin of the fractal universe…, it’s not possible. As far as I know, such beings only exist as [chaos] itself, the Outer God.”

[I don’t understand what you’re saying. Explain it clearly.]

“Simply put…, all the bait you’ve been tempted by cannot possibly exist in this era, and I figured it out. That guy cannot be considered human.”

[Hmm….]

“Capture Baek Woong. That guy is an omen. He definitely has a significant connection to [the creeping chaos].”

For a moment, the Master of the White Lotus Sect seemed to ponder the words of the Twelve Joules. Even the Asura, looking contemplative, crossed his arms and simply watched the situation unfold. With their choices determining my life or death, I quickly recalled the 21 methods of suicide I learned from the Zhuge Clan.

‘What was the least painful way to die…?’

Finally, the Master of the White Lotus Sect spoke decisively.

[I can’t trust either side. Then, I’ll believe in the side I want to believe in, so Master of the Twelve Joules, you can leave this place.]

The Master of the White Lotus Sect defended me!

‘Phew, I won’t have to go out there to make excuses.’

In a stroke of luck, it seems that luck is on my side today. I let out a sigh of relief.

To that, the Master of the Twelve Joules replied, seemingly incredulous.

“Is it really true that you’re going to believe the words of that guy just because I’m suspicious?”

[At least there’s no time to nitpick…. Following your words wouldn’t improve the situation, but following Baek Woong’s might offer hope.]

The Master of the White Lotus Sect continued slowly.

[The causality and balance of heaven and earth have already collapsed. And since your lackey has been dealt with, before long, the omen will reach out directly to the Central Plains…. Now is not the time for humans to foolishly fight each other.]

The Twelve Joules questioned back, his tone filled with disbelief.

“Are you really saying you’re going to find the Four Great Artifacts and obtain their power? That’s quite the dream.”

[There’s no reason to share that with you….]

“Then why not just capture Baek Woong and make him spill the information? That would be easier and faster.”

[You’re being too simple and hasty.]

The eyes of the Master of the White Lotus Sect shone with cunning.

[I still don’t know how deep Baek Woong’s secrets run. Judging by the fact that the three of us here together can’t guarantee capturing him, I won’t try.]

“……”

[We may become good partners moving forward….]

It seems the Master of the White Lotus Sect is quite wary of my companions’ abilities and my own. Perhaps he thinks he won’t be able to catch me if I run, so it was clear he had decided to cooperate with me.

“You coward.”

[Keep babbling to yourself.]

“Fine…, I get it. I’m giving up on the Golden Crow.”

The Master of the Twelve Joules smiled faintly, turned his back, and disappeared with the Three Masters.

“Baek Woong. We shall meet again soon….”

Ssssss…

The Twelve Joules vanished with the Three Masters. The Master of the White Lotus Sect, after observing their retreating forms, spoke to the Asura.

[Great being, it seems you’re seeking the whereabouts of the Martial God, and you want to find the Four Great Artifacts, which aligns with our faction’s objectives. Shall we shake hands here?]

[…….]

After a moment of hesitation, the Asura replied.

[Sure. I don’t think it’ll hurt. I’ll join you on this boat.]

In an instant, the Master of the White Lotus Sect and the Asura became allies!

I couldn’t help but feel extremely pleased with how smoothly things were unfolding. Usually, when caught in such predicaments, I ended up being berated while things went awry, but now it felt surprisingly good to see everything in my favor. So I chuckled to myself.

“Hehe, have I accidentally stacked my luck?”

“That’s not the case, Baek Woong.”

Jin So-cheong, who was beside me, continued quietly.

“At least this situation is being proven by your own abilities. How could you have allied with the Master of the White Lotus Sect and the Asura without some sort of luck? You now qualify as the savior of the world.”

“…Thank you.”

I was grateful for Jin So-cheong’s words but felt bittersweet at the same time.

Yes, if I’ve accumulated this much strength, I already have the capability to be a king of a country. But why, despite all this effort, does the Absolute Realm not show me the way?

‘Am I, perhaps, hated by the Martial God?’

Just as I was pondering this, the Master of the White Lotus Sect glanced at the fallen Golden Crow on the ground and said.

[If you wish to take the Golden Crow, the sect agrees, but…, I ask for one promise.]

“Conditions, huh.”

[Share all the information you know about the Four Great Artifacts, Divine Maidens, True Martial Home, and such with me. Then, the sect will fully support you moving forward. You’ll be able to use the Dharma Guardian like a subordinate, and we’ll do our best to support the Bancheon Alliance as well.]

“Hmm…, that’s tempting.”

That was a compelling condition. Since I had nothing to lose, I was about to nod in agreement, but at that moment, Zhuge Bu sent a warning about the Six Harmonies Assembly.

[Baek Woong, don’t agree! The sect leader is still a potential enemy. Don’t let your guard down. You shouldn’t give up the Obsidian just yet!]

[What? You mean to say that his proposal is dangerous right now?]

[Of course. If you accept his proposal, you’ll inevitably have to hand over the Obsidian. Didn’t you notice that he’s vaguely anticipating the existence of the Obsidian? You won’t have a reason to refuse when he demands it, and at that moment, the Master of the White Lotus Sect will turn into an enemy.]

[Ah!]

[I can’t trust him enough to give him the Obsidian yet. Have you forgotten what the sect leader himself said about ‘real conditions’? Those conditions came from his own mouth, so unless he fulfills them, he remains highly likely to stab us in the back.]

[……!!]

In that moment, memories of the past rushed into my head; the time when the Master of the White Lotus Sect was defeated by Zhuge Sa and my companions during the 24th round of the New Era War.

[The future Baek Woong will not be swayed by a few words from the Reborn One. As you have witnessed, after I learned the hidden truths of all worlds from the Su Shin Sect’s library, I became distrustful of everything…. Until the very end, one can deceive others….]

[However, clues can be given.]

[If you bring me the Four Great Artifacts…. And if the prophecy of the Divine Maiden is proven before me…, then I shall submit to that person.]

Thanks to Mangnyang risking his life to relay the message, I vividly remember that moment as though I had experienced it firsthand. At that time, the Master of the White Lotus Sect had learned through Jin So-cheong that I was indeed a Reborn Person and only revealed the conditions under which he would accept me when his time came.

‘Acquisition of the Four Great Artifacts. And proving the prophecy of the Divine Maiden.’

On the surface, it seemed I met both of those conditions. However, I still hadn’t spilled any concrete information to the Master of the White Lotus Sect, leaving our relationship still shrouded in darkness. If that was the case, wouldn’t it be more likely for the Master of the White Lotus Sect to bide his time, extract information from me, and then attempt to obtain the Four Great Artifacts himself rather than obediently submit to me? There’s no way he would rashly hand over the Four Great Artifacts to an enigmatic outsider who claims to be from a Divine Maiden’s bloodline.

Thus, the probability of being betrayed by the Master of the White Lotus Sect was not low; it was likely higher than any previous time! Zhuge Bu pointed this out with precision.

Simultaneously, a chill ran down my spine. I wanted to trust the Master of the White Lotus Sect, believing he was helping me by turning against the Twelve Joules who seemed to be interfering with me, but that could also be a facade.

I calmed my heart and spoke calmly.

“I think it’s a bit premature to share all the information. Even if it means I have to part with the Golden Crow, I can’t do that.”

[Oh, after all this consideration, you still want to have it your way? That seems quite shameless.]

“First, I’ll share as much information as I can about the Four Great Artifacts with both of you. But there’s just one thing I’m concerned about.”

[What could possibly concern you?]

…Nothing specific came to mind.

‘Ah, should I say this?’

After desperately wracking my brain, I decided to throw out whatever came to mind.

“Given that Changhil has perished now, wouldn’t the ability to foresee have greater significance…?”

[Hmm….]

The Master of the White Lotus Sect flinched slightly. The Asura looked at me with surprise in his eyes. I scanned around before continuing.

“You are of the Divine Maiden’s bloodline, and it’s known that you are born with the ability to see into the future. And the essence of that future-seeing ability is divination. While the Master of the White Lotus Sect might have little foresight for enemies, there may be someone in the Su Shin Sect born with a stronger foresight ability, wouldn’t there?”

[What are you trying to say?]

“Originally, that foresight ability could have been powerful enough to change the course of the world, but Changhil actively intervened in the cause-and-effect principle during the Great Dragon’s descent, rendering foresight useless. Perhaps the Divine Maiden recognized this and warned future generations not to depend solely on her abilities.”

[…….]

“However, without a divine being actively interfering in the human world like Changhil, the foresight ability can operate powerfully. Changhil was merely a unique case; most [Old Rulers] regard the human world with disdain and thus seldom pay attention to foresight.”

[So you mean I’m trying to use a seer to seek out the location of the Four Great Artifacts?]

“Not just that. Just by leaking outlines of information, both me and you, Asura, could find ourselves manipulated by the Master of the White Lotus Sect, couldn’t we? Knowing just the outline could allow the remainder to be predicted through foresight.”

[…….]

“Please understand my side too.”

Of course, this was mere speculation and a conspiracy theory. If such a seer existed, the Master of the White Lotus Sect would have utilized them long ago. What I just said was nothing more than an excuse to deny them my information. The Master of the White Lotus Sect replied with a slightly agitated tone.

[A seer does not exist. If the Divine Maiden’s bloodline were that strong, I wouldn’t have had such a hard time to become the sect leader. If I had those foresight abilities, that Lee Cheong-un would be…. Hehe, you’re starting to annoy me.]

“……”

[But it raises a valid point. If that’s the case, let’s put that conversation off for now.]

Whoosh…

The Master of the White Lotus Sect reached out his hand and lifted the fallen Golden Crow, tossing it to me. As I caught the Golden Crow, the Master of the White Lotus Sect said with a murderous intent.

[You may keep the Golden Crow. However…, if you disregard the goodwill of the sect, you’ll find yourself regretting it.]

I guess I was too cautious?

I winced a bit but nodded.

“Of course. For now, it would be best to tidy up this situation.”

The post-processing was completed swiftly. I acquired the Eight Trigrams Garment along with the treasures and the Golden Crow. As for the Asura, he savored the reputation of dawn like it was a meal. The sect leader took several of Peng Zuo’s treasures from me, captured the Demon Sorcerers, and took all the Demon War Weapons. The metamorphosed larvae that were the omegans would be taken away by us for treatment.

Woooo…

Cheon Woo-jin, alongside the sorcerers, began to destroy the Magic Cores located throughout the city and cast sorcery, eradicating the blood mist that had thickly settled over the land. After confirming the situation in the Southern Seas, it seemed that the human population had dropped below 60% of what it originally was. Throughout the yearlong occupation of the Southern Seas by the Western fleet, countless humans had either been slaughtered or transformed into Demon Soldiers.

Once the post-processing had concluded, I promised to visit the White Lotus Sect three days later and gathered with my companions.

The Asura was present at this gathering, and because he wanted to know the secrets leading to the Four Great Artifacts, it seemed like he would be sticking around from now on. Zhuge Sa was maintaining the homunculus’s physical form and spoke at the meeting.

“Lord Asura, I first want to hear your information regarding the Four Great Artifacts.”

“Call me Pasun for now. I distinguish titles based on my condition.”

“Sure.”

Pasun, or rather, the one currently transformed into a human slowly began to unfold his words.

“It seems you’re familiar with how the Great Dragon attempted to descend a thousand years back, so I will omit the detailed explanations. At that time, the Yacha was tasked with bringing Empress Wu Zetian to ascendance as a lower deity while simultaneously recovering the Four Great Artifacts.”

“The Four Great Artifacts fell into the chaos of the Outer Universe, a void filled with nothingness that cannot even maintain its material form. Also, since the space is nearly infinite, it might be worse than Dark Heaven Village,… you mean to say Yacha actually searched the Outer Universe directly?”

“I don’t know about that. But it’s certain that she attempted to recover the Four Great Artifacts.”

Pasun continued his explanation.

“The results of that mission are beyond my knowledge. Afterward, she reported everything only to Lord Changhil and never revealed any details to us, her companions.… However, it doesn’t seem she obtained the Four Great Artifacts.”

Naturally, if Changhil or Yacha had procured such powerful treasures like the Four Great Artifacts, they surely would’ve equipped the Eight Parts of the Divine to enhance their power. Yet throughout all my reincarnations, amidst countless experiences, I hadn’t noticed the slightest indication of Changhil pulling out the Four Great Artifacts. Changhil and Yacha had failed to obtain them.

Zhuge Sa listened carefully to this and then spoke.

“The whereabouts of Yacha are crucial. We need to capture her to learn everything. Do you have any idea where she went?”

“She went to the Arasa Empire in the northern region. She planned to join the Celestial Beings in the capital there.”

“……”

Zhuge Sa smiled a peculiar smile as if he had thought of something and then spoke.

“I see. Shall you join us in going to the Arasa Empire to capture Yacha? If we can catch her, we’ll likely find out a lot more.”

“……”

“Oh! If you feel uneasy about striking a former companion, we can capture Yacha among ourselves.”

“I’ll do it. Even a companion isn’t more important than my goals! If necessary, I can even kill her. I’m only loyal to Lord Changhil; I don’t care about others. But….”

The assertively responding Pasun glared at us.

“Provide me proof that this clue leads to the Four Great Artifacts purportedly directed toward the Martial God. Although I previously passed it off, it was surely based on some evidence!”

“The reason for that is…”

“Those are just empty words. I demand reliable evidence to present. If you can’t provide it, then I can’t strike down a former ally.”

Pasun’s gaze started to glow with bloodlust.

“If you fail to provide it, then with my name, I will kill you all right here.”

In an instant, the air felt frozen.

In this space, all the members of the Bancheon Alliance and my reincarnated comrades were gathered, yet I felt overwhelmingly oppressed by Pasun alone. Even though there was Jin So-cheong, the greatest expert in the Martial Arts world, and Cheon Woo-jin, the strongest sorcerer, they were merely humans against a formidable Demon King. Even those from the Bancheon Alliance who were unaware of the situation stiffened in fear, sensing Pasun’s might.

Zhuge Sa spoke.

“Are you aware of the incident when the founder of the White Lotus Sect, Dharma, created the laws of the Non-Birth Mother?”

“Of course, I know.”

“After that event, it’s presumed that the leader Dharma perished, and those laws spread throughout the world. However, after Dharma’s death, the White Lotus Sect did not evolve into a group of sorcerers or sorceresses; instead, they revered martial arts and regarded the Four Great Family as the foundation. Given that Dharma is known as the strongest Demon Sorcerer in human history, it’s a strange turn of events.”

“Could the Four Great Families be the link to the Martial God?”

“Exactly. There’s a connection between the Four Great Artifacts and the ultimate techniques of the Four Great Families. The ultimate technique representing each family, the Divine Soul, serves as a ‘vessel’ for something. Moreover, what that vessel contains is precisely the infinite power that can be drawn from the Four Great Artifacts.”

“……”

“This differs vastly from the perspectives on martial arts theories that the traditional martial artists held. It could be said that they’ve separately cultivated the ‘vessel of the soul’ and created a realm that relies on their techniques…. Given that Pasun has been training in martial arts for thousands of years, you must understand just how strange this is.”

“Hmm…, interesting. This is something new to me.”

Pasun seemed genuinely intrigued. Zhuge Sa smirked wickedly.

“Hehe…. The vessel for the divine power that reaches the Divine Realm… The original founders of the Four Great Families received revelations from the Martial God and created a shortcut for how martial arts can reach the divine domain. However, martial arts merely pass through the currents upon death, leaving no concrete evidence. Yet the Four Great Artifacts are incredibly powerful treasures, so there surely remains evidence even after over a thousand years.”

“Is that so…!!”

Pasun appeared very convinced. In fact, at that level, he seemed almost already persuaded.

Finally, Pasun spoke.

“Alright. I’ll tell you Yacha’s location. Furthermore, I shall lend my strength when capturing her.”

“Thank you for your great aid.”

“You plan on meeting with the White Lotus Sect in three days, so I will go ahead and be waiting there.”

Shwooo!

The figure of Pasun disappeared in an instant. After he left, we, the reincarnated comrades, convened for a secondary meeting.

As soon as the meeting commenced, I turned to Zhuge Sa.

“Zhuge Sa! Is that true? Is there genuinely a clue that leads to the Martial God within the Four Great Artifacts?”

“Well… I can’t say for certain, but every now and then I feel that you might be on the right track.”

“Then…”

“It’s a plausible hypothesis. I’ve thought about it quietly, but I never had the time to put it into action, hence why I kept it to myself.”

Zhuge Sa shrugged off his shoulders and replied.

“Although, maybe not. I don’t think so.”

“…Why?!”

“Just a hunch. I suspect the Martial God is just as much of a nasty piece of work as I am.”

“……”

What even is that supposed to mean?

“Well, anyway, we’ve temporarily managed to gain the Asura and the White Lotus Sect as allies, so the situation has greatly improved. For now, our focus should be on capturing Yacha. Finding the Four Great Artifacts could significantly reduce the number of reincarnations needed to fully align with the Master of the White Lotus Sect.”

“How are we coordinating this with regards to that being who interfered in my previous life?”

To my question, Zhuge Sa replied.

“Ultimately, when the omen emerges, the earth will become drastically ruined, and the world will change to the extremes. And once it reaches a point of total devastation where nothing can survive, the being that interfered in your previous life will surely reveal itself.”

“So I’m left waiting for it to come out on its own?”

“For now. Going to Aokigahara Life Sea won’t guarantee finding that ‘enemy,’ and will only waste time.”

“That’s just so helpless…. Damn it.”

I lamented. I couldn’t just lie back and rest peacefully when the being from my past life could negatively affect me. As I voiced my disappointment, Zhuge Bu, who had been listening, spoke.

“I have a method.”

---