Reincarnation Sword God

848——————==

True Martial Home

I decided to visit the Twelve Joule Sect Leaders for my next target. While I should also aim at Master of the Twelve Joules Ha Eun-cheon, the odds of successfully pickpocketing him seemed too slim, and it felt like it would just cause unnecessary trouble, so I could let go of that idea. Hence, the first place I headed to was Azure Dragon Gate.

The Azure Dragon Gate’s signature weapon was the Giant Knife, and they focused on the Turning Wheel Blade Technique. They were also the first sect I used to spar against when I was going around challenging the Twelve Joules. As I reminisced about the time I competed against the Azure Dragon Sect Leader, I found myself lost in nostalgia.

‘Back then, I barely won by luring out his weaknesses using Huatuo’s Five Animals Play.’

If I were to fight him now, I could undoubtedly take him down in a second flat. Since then, I had acquired dozens of world-class martial skills and fortuitous encounters, and my training period had been long. For me now, the Azure Dragon Sect Leader was simply a warm-up, but then a bittersweet thought crossed my mind.

I missed the days when I was a younger, ambitious martial artist striving for recognition while joyfully sparring with the Twelve Joules.

Though I’ve grown considerably stronger and acquired a wealth of knowledge since then, I still hadn’t reached the finish line.

Maybe settling down as a martial arts master in Goryeo, enjoying a quiet life, would have been the right choice…?

“……”

I shook off the distracting thoughts and continued walking. I had come too far to ponder such things now. To resolve the singularities, the world’s destruction, and the riddles of my past life, I might have a journey ten times longer ahead of me. With all this on my mind, I should take at least one more step forward. It was too late to look back now.

Swish!

I easily succeeded in pickpocketing the Azure Dragon Sect Leader and examined my haul. I soon discovered something peculiar in his sleeve.

‘A bell?’

It seemed to be a small decorative bell that little girls wear in their hair. Now that I thought about it, I recalled hearing that the Azure Dragon Sect Leader had a much younger daughter, so I assumed this bell was a gift for her.

‘I should return this.’

I quietly placed the bell back at the Azure Dragon Sect Leader’s residence and then set out to pickpocket the Twelve Joule Sect Leaders one after another.

Next, I approached Yeom Myeong, the leader of the National Defense Alliance, which was a military organization protecting Goryeo, and stole from him. This time, I was surprised to find more gold and silver treasures than I had ever encountered before. Just the money he normally carried around was enough for an average person to live comfortably for a lifetime.

‘He’s a noble, but why on earth is he carrying so much?’

Anyway, after resolving to put it to good use, I raided Goryeo’s various sects: the Georyeon School, the Fungwon Flow, the Heogum Flow, the Flowing Water Gate, Buddhism, and North Sea Sect. Having cleared out over half of the Twelve Joule Sect, I contemplated where to head next among the remaining sects and decided to start with Master of the Zhu Yi Sect.

‘The Lord of Haedong Milcheon is the last one I’ll be targeting.’

Master of the Zhu Yi Sect and Skull Father were both exceptionally powerful individuals. In my past life, I hadn’t been able to measure their exact martial strength, but one thing was clear: they were peak masters, hard to find even in the Central Plains. Given their high standing among the Twelve Joule Sect Leaders, I had to approach them cautiously.

I resolved to first observe their martial skills before using any sneaky tricks to get close. Utilizing Stealth Technique and Invisibility, I crept within a hundred paces of Master of the Zhu Yi Sect, amplifying my aura while watching him closely.

My observation lasted for about half a day. The Master of the Zhu Yi Sect seemed to go about his daily life without utilizing any martial skills when, suddenly, he glanced in my direction.

‘What’s going on?’

Could he have sensed me?

Did he really catch on to my position despite me concealing all my martial abilities and even using Stealth Technique and Invisibility from a hundred paces away?

Such capability was only possible for those at the Absolute Realm!

I felt a chill run down my spine, but he didn’t seem to have definitively noticed me. More like, he sensed a hint of discomfort, cocked his head quizzically, and moved off in another direction. I let out a sigh of relief.

‘Hmm… Maybe my focus slipped after observing for so long. Did he discern that delicate flow? Still, that’s some remarkable skill.’

Eventually, I saw him meet someone. I watched their lips closely from a distance, reading the shadows through the window, and interpreted their conversation using Lip Reading Technique.

[You’ve come a long way.]

[It’s an honor to meet the Master of the Zhu Yi Sect.]

[No need for excessive formalities. You are of the Dan Clan, after all, not my subordinate.]

Gulp.

The Dan Clan, huh?!

‘Might get caught, but I’ll observe closely!’

This time, I activated the Fire Eye Golden Spirit to pierce through the walls and get a glimpse of the Dan Clan member’s face. Upon seeing the face of the Dan Clan member in the room, I tilted my head.

‘Who is this? I don’t recognize the face at all. It’s not Hong Gildong…’

A monk, for sure.

Clad in monk robes, he seemed to be none other than the high-level master, Yuido National King Hong Gildong, who was the Grand Elder of the Flowing Water Gate. Thankfully, it didn’t seem to be him. The monk waved his hand and responded to Master of the Zhu Yi Sect.

[Don’t mention it. I am Hyecho, a mere remnant of a bygone era… now part of the Dan Clan, scarcely more than a ghost. I cannot compare to you, the leader who has protected the nation since the days of Goguryeo.]

[Master Hyecho. Let’s stop the mutual flattery here. You have something significant to say to me?]

[Indeed.]

[Are you here to share the warning of the divine thief rumor that’s been circulating lately?]

Master of the Zhu Yi Sect asked sharply, but it seemed like the Dan Clan member, Hyecho, shook his head.

[The divine thief merely picks pockets; he means no harm otherwise. I hear his martial skills are quite renowned, so rather than starting conflicts, it’s better to just let him steal for now, as you say.]

[Hmm… Renowned, you say? Is he stronger than me?]

[That’s not the implication. There’s no need to clash with a mysterious high-level expert without any hidden grudges. His aim appears to be for honor rather than money.]

[Our 荣 considers honoring the Twelve Joules important. I see the Yulju values keeping the organization hidden from the world above all else.]

Hyecho’s suggestion to quietly allow the theft made Master of the Zhu Yi Sect appear uncomfortable, prompting the grandmaster to smile gently.

[The Yulju said an opportunity is forthcoming. Do not let temporary distress foster anxiety before seizing that great chance.]

[Opportunity?]

[You are a trustworthy individual, so I must hint. There’s been a sudden disappearance of a powerful being in the Celestial Realm, and recently the entire immortal world has frozen… It’s predicted that soon the Celestial Realm will withdraw its influence over the earthly realm.]

[If the Celestial Realm retracts its influence over the earthly realm… that means some grand event has occurred internally that does not allow for any external activities.]

[Indeed. And if surveillance and constraints from the Celestial Realm lessen… they will attempt to capture the Sea God.]

[Although I have only heard of the Sea God, is he really that powerful? Can they even capture him?]

[To be precise, they will not directly engage him but will weaken his magical powers by suppressing the seals of the Lu Wang Kingdom. Prepare your mind, for it will be a grand battle…]

Got it.

I figured out Ha Eun-cheon’s current mindset through Hyecho’s words. Although I wasn’t sure what had upset the Celestial Realm, I concluded that to cope with the current absence of the Jade Emperor, the Queen Mother of the West would withdraw the influence of the Celestial immortals and start a defensive posture. They were likely preparing for the first step towards taking down the Sea God, which had been neglected due to the turmoil in the Celestial Realm.

‘The guardian of the Moon Sovereign must have managed to deal with the situation somehow.’

Otherwise, the Dan Clan wouldn’t have made it all the way here for future planning. I considered this unexpected information and decided to wait until Hyecho left.

Snap!

Using Transformation Technique, I easily approached the vicinity of the Master of the Zhu Yi Sect and succeeded in the Thunderclap pickpocketing; it was similarly effortless to pickpocket Skull Father next. Thunderclap created a massive visual impact, but now that I had reached the utmost limits of internal energy, I could execute it rather silently and discreetly.

‘Hyecho’s suggestion was vital…’

Had the two leaders sought to catch me and were on heightened alert, no matter how skillful I was, I probably would have gotten caught. Yet thanks to Hyecho’s intentional hints to let themselves be robbed, I was able to overcome their usual vigilance. After clearing the two major obstacles, I made my way to the headquarters of Haedong Milcheon.

A chilly smile spread across my face.

‘Heh heh… Time for revenge.’

I had a grudge against this fellow. I had resolved to repay Master of Haedong Milcheon someday, and I realized that now was that very moment. I used Transformation Technique to disguise myself as a close aide of Milcheon and started with his sleeves.

Clap!

Normally, you’d just leave after successfully pickpocketing, but I didn’t stop there.

‘That bastard mocked me when Mangnyang was on the verge of dying from divine fever, and didn’t give me a hint of help!’

I will show him that a quiet thief can become a robber!

I made sure no one was around and then struck him on the back of the head without warning.

Whack!

“Ugh!!”

Caught off guard by the sudden blow to the back of the head, the Lord of Haedong Milcheon fainted instantly. I grabbed him by the nape and used the Golden Lamp technique to quickly teleport us to a secluded mountain on Tamra Island, where I slapped his face to wake him up.

Slap slap!

“Ugh… Ugh. Who are you?”

I feigned embarrassment, covering my face while disguising my voice.

“I’m someone with a grudge against you!”

“What…!!”

“The grudge from last time when you mocked me, you wouldn’t dare say you’ve forgotten, right?”

The Lord of Haedong Milcheon stammered in panic.

“I can’t recall… I have so many grudges you need to remind me of your name.”

“……”

What a guy, living carelessly…

At the same time, I realized how foolish my question was.

‘It was from my previous life, so of course this guy wouldn’t know…’

Should I just give up on revenge and leave now?

Am I napping with the wrong guy?

“Damn it!”

But my grudge about being mocked resurfaced, so I lifted my foot and began kicking the ribs of the Lord of Haedong Milcheon. I had to let him know this wasn’t something I could just forget.

Thud! Thud!

“Argh! Why are you doing this?”

“Shut up and take it!”

Thud! Thud!

With my internal power not applied, I felt somewhat relieved as I casually beat up the Lord of Haedong Milcheon. While he groaned under the hits, it was clear he wasn’t seriously injured, just a bit bruised, which I found appropriate.

I spat on my hand and rubbed it on his forehead while saying.

“Well, live the rest of your life, but be good in the future.”

“……”

“It’s not exactly a grudge, it’s just advice.”

The Lord of Haedong Milcheon looked like he wanted to curse but seemed to hold back, fearing he wouldn’t live to see another day. Only then did I finally feel a sense of satisfaction as I left him back at his original spot, marking the acupoint before I departed.

That was all the pickpocketing done with Twelve Joule Sect Leaders!

Now it was just the Emperor left!

As I thought that, I returned to Zhuge Sa.

“Baek Woong.”

Zhuge Sa said with a troubled expression.

“We have an uninvited guest. Can you see them?”

“……”

“A guy soloed through my formation and has been waiting for you to arrive. Don’t ask why I didn’t resist; I’m not up for a challenge against him.”

Only then did I notice a beautiful young woman with ebony hair gazing in my direction as she sat across from Zhuge Sa.

“Greetings, Divine Thief.”

I stared at her in disbelief and slowly opened my mouth.

“… Han Baek-ryeong.”