Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm

I began teaching Jin So-cheong all the insights and martial arts I knew. First, I taught him the Baek Woong Formula and the Heart Division Formula over the course of a day. The Baek Woong Formula dramatically accelerated the circulation speed of true energy within the body, granting the effects of the Thunder Wind Soaring Strike. The Heart Division Formula was an essential key for mastering the Annihilation Soul Step.

Jin So-cheong grasped both formulas after hearing them and practicing just a little. By the next day, he had fully made them his own.

I didn't stop there. I gave Jin So-cheong the Millennium Snow Ginseng and the Black-White Lotus.

He looked at me in surprise.

"Is it all right to give these to me?"

"Why ask such a pointless question? Even if I took them, my internal energy wouldn't improve much. But for you, they'd be a great help."

"Hmm. Then I'll gratefully accept them."

Woooooong!!

Once he finished circulating, Jin So-cheong's aura had clearly grown vastly stronger, imbued with immense power.

In truth, this alone was enough to say he'd already achieved the progress he would have made over ten years. At this rate, he could easily reach the level of one of the Ten Great Masters of the world in the future.

But our enemies were far more powerful than mere humans, so I thought to myself.

'How strong can Jin So-cheong become?'

It was pure curiosity. I wanted to propel him to realms my own talent could never reach, even in death, using my power.

So, pondering what else I could pass on, I said to him.

"Then, from now on, I'll teach you Jang Sambong's supreme arts."

"Before that, I have a question."

"What is it?"

Jin So-cheong let his spear hang low as he spoke.

"What do you think the Thunder God Style's ultimate secret is?"

"Uhmm..."

It was an incredibly difficult question.

The Thunder God Style's ultimate secret: Martial Soul!

It might have been a secret that the Thunder God Style's guardian warrior Lee Cheong-un guarded to the end, and at the same time, the peerless martial art the White Lotus Cult Leader desperately sought.

In theory, one had to master sword, fist, and spear to their ultimate techniques, obtain the Heavenly Spirit Pill, have the three great masters of the Thunder God Style pour their all into aiding completion, then forget everything and rebuild from scratch before the ultimate secret would reveal itself.

But those were absurd acquisition conditions. The Heavenly Spirit Pill aside, how could anyone master all those difficult Thunder God Style arts to their ultimate techniques?

Even more ridiculous was that no one knew the name of the ultimate secret or what technique it would be. To complete an ultimate art whose very form was unknown—what could be more unrealistic?

Jin So-cheong had probably asked because he'd learned of the ultimate secret from my memories.

I shook my head.

"The Thunder God Style swordsmanship's ultimate technique is the Thunder God Sword Dance. That's all I know. I don't know the ultimate techniques for spear or fist arts."

After thinking for a moment, Jin So-cheong spoke.

"I brought this up because I have some inkling about the ultimate secret."

"What?!"

I was stunned.

In truth, I'd kept the Thunder God Style's ultimate secret in mind, but dismissed it as a far-fetched legend. Yet Jin So-cheong knew a clue to it!

He looked at me with calm eyes.

"If the Thunder God Sword Dance is swordsmanship's ultimate technique, then there must be something corresponding for spear arts."

"Isn't it the Heavenly Thunder Limitless Spear?"

"I thought so too, but deep practice of the Lan Na Chai made me realize it's not."

Jin So-cheong quietly raised his spear.

Pang!

In an instant, he thrust out a single annihilation strike at tremendous speed, his body appearing three zhang away with the sound of air tearing. It looked like a simple thrust, but I instinctively sensed profound profundity hidden within.

'What is that? It's not a mere instant strike.'

It wasn't a composite technique of Lan Na Chai either. The essence of the spear style had changed in a more fundamental way. It was a martial art I'd never seen before in my life.

Jin So-cheong nodded.

"When we fought recently, it was an incomplete technique, so I didn't use it. But I believe this is the next stage of Thunder God Style spear arts."

"The next stage?"

"My master advised me on this stage, saying it's precisely the unification of spear arts' Six Harmonies."

I thought deeply, then countered.

"Doesn't 'spear arts' Six Harmonies' refer to single thrust, double advance, triple entanglement, quadruple coil, quintuple grasp, and sextuple straight pierce?"

"You're truly a spear master who once delved deeply into the art. Exactly."

I felt a bit embarrassed. It reminded me of my past when, finding spear stronger than sword, I'd undergone hellish training for years, devoting myself to spear arts.

"Hm, but that's just theory, not a martial art or killing move..."

In spear theory, the Six Harmonies weren't some vague Taoist concept. It meant the supreme combat flow: thrust in the first move, advance in the second, apply entanglement in the third initial move, coil with circling and grasping to handle offense and defense, and finally pierce the heart. No theory was easier to understand or more intuitive for spear users.

Jin So-cheong said softly.

"It's incomplete, but care to receive it once?"

"Let's see it."

I assumed a combat stance. Having watched from the side just now, it hadn't seemed that impressive, so I boosted my internal energy, preparing to use the Coiling Energy Slash. That defensive ultimate could deflect any attack depending on usage.

Jin So-cheong focused and thrust the single annihilation.

"Hap!"

Kaaang!

The next moment, both my and Jin So-cheong's weapons flew through the air.

"......!"

Unbelievable as it was, neither of us could withstand the other's technique and dropped our weapons! I'd thought I'd perfectly deflected his single annihilation by twisting the clash with Coiling Energy Slash, but no.

The single annihilation twisted like a living thing right through the warped clash, forcing me to awkwardly move my sword to block. Then, in the secondary collision, unexpected repulsion arose, tearing our grips and making us drop our weapons. Of course, the elixir energy Jin So-cheong had consumed played a part.

"Wha... what?!"

I gaped blankly. A technique like this was truly the first!

Jin So-cheong stanched the blood from his torn grip as he spoke.

"I can't explain it well, but it's encapsulating the process from single thrust to sextuple straight pierce in one move. My master called this stage the pinnacle of thrusting."

"......"

"It'll probably be the subject of my lifelong research."

I felt absurd, but at the same time, it made sense.

'Swordsmanship has clear ascending stages up to Thunder God Sword Dance—spear arts can't lag behind.'

I suspected the single annihilation Jin So-cheong had used just was an enlightenment technique. And unlike swordsmanship, the spear's ultimate technique was transmitted assuming the successor had reached enlightenment stage. Swordsmanship, developed for rituals, focused on form transmission, but Thunder God Style spear arts, for combat, couldn't ignore supreme enlightenment.

The reason Jin So-cheong and Lee Gwang's levels hadn't risen much despite such advanced techniques was obvious. They were too profound; even they could only research continuously without certainty of the next stage. Even now, it felt like Jin So-cheong was using boosted internal energy to execute it, not fully his own move.

'If he fully sublimates that into enlightenment, I wouldn't stand a chance...'

Jin So-cheong continued.

"Then surely someone knows the Thunder God Style fist arts' ultimate technique. Among the Thunderclap Three Venerables, the fist master Crimson Moon Guardian is the most likely."

"I see. So the Thunder God Style ultimate secret isn't just delusion."

"And a sudden intuition struck me when I thought this far..."

After hesitating, Jin So-cheong said.

"The ultimate secret must exist. And I think it's far more concrete than we imagine."

I tilted my head.

"Why do you think so? Even assuming one can master all three Thunder God Style arts to ultimates, undergoing oblivion and recreating is too unrealistic..."

"I don't know the complexities, but the circumstances point that way."

He said firmly.

"Great Master Guardian Lee Cheong-un and the current White Lotus Cult Leader clearly clashed because they knew the ultimate secret exists. Otherwise, why would my master desperately search for it?"

"What? Lee Gwang desperately..."

He said bitterly.

"Master would always say, whenever he had a moment, that the secret must be revived. He lamented often..."

"......"

"'Revived' means bringing back something that existed. The ultimate secret must have a clear form. Though I don't know details, Lee Cheong-un Guardian likely completed its foundation to some degree, and Master heard part of it."

It was a perspective I'd never considered. At the same time, an even loftier goal came clearly into view. But I noticed a contradiction.

"Then the Cult Leader's actions are strange. If the ultimate secret truly existed, he shouldn't have purged the Thunder God Style. He should have waited for them to complete it and then seize it—why drive them into a corner where completion is impossible?"

"Because the Thunder God Style ultimate secret is stronger than his own arts. He must have thought he couldn't handle it once completed."

"......"

That could be. He purged it because it threatened him, but spared it out of greed for that power?

As I mulled conspiracy theories, Jin So-cheong continued.

"I know you harbor ill feelings toward Master, Baek Woong. I know the Thunder God Style hindered your past lives. But don't hate the style itself—help us."

I felt awkward. He'd seen through my love-hate for the Thunder God Style.

"Got it. I'll do my best."

With that, I ended our talk and began transmitting Jang Sambong's supreme arts. I passed on the formulas for Coiling Energy Sword, Heavenly Pivot Sword, Supreme Ultimate Subtle Flow Sword, Seven Stars Evasive Shadow, Mysterious Heaven Five Divine Formulas, True Martial Seven Ultimate Scriptures, and Unrivaled Tyrant one by one. Transmitting just the formulas took about three days.

Transmitting the forms for practice took another seven days or so.

But once the basics were transmitted, Jin So-cheong's growth speed shocked me.

Kugu-gung...

The sword Qi from Jin So-cheong's Coiling Energy Sword and Heavenly Pivot Sword intertwined like twisting in the air, then smashed a boulder. The rock shattered into powder.

Of course, for Jin So-cheong's level, smashing a boulder wasn't impressive. What mattered was that he'd reached a stage where he could use them in real combat.

Even for peerless arts and genius talent, reaching embodiment in less than a month of practice was unbelievable!

It had taken me over a dozen years to properly apply Coiling Energy Sword. Moreover, Jin So-cheong wasn't stopping; he seemed to be applying the formulas to his Thunder God Style arts for further growth.

On a whim, I taught him Annihilation Soul Step, Self-Rotating Ghost Blade, and Hades Hand. He learned them in spare moments without issue, digesting them effortlessly. It was like teaching one and knowing ten—no, even more.

"......"

An eerie fear even crept in. Of course, I'd been shocked by the Sword Demon's talent when teaching him Wudang supreme arts in the past, but this was different.

I realized inwardly.

'Jin So-cheong's talent... surpasses the Sword Demon's by tenfold.'

Considering the Sword Demon one of the world's top ten martial geniuses, it was utterly inscrutable. I could at least comprehend the Sword Demon's growth watching beside him, but Jin So-cheong's was beyond grasp. Learn ten, and he'd passed twenty; at some point, he vanished from sight.

After about two months and twelve days, I realized.

"I've taught you almost everything..."

Jin So-cheong was surprised.

"Huh? Really?"

"Yes."

I was truly stunned.

For swordsmanship, Jin So-cheong already knew everything. From Thunder Shadow Swordsmanship, Myriad Victory Sword Formulas, Thunder Dragon Divine Sword, to Thunder God Sword Dance—all mastered before age twenty. Nothing to teach.

The fervent discussions gathering past Thunder God Style prodigies? He grasped them in about seven days.

The profundities I'd researched diligently with the Sword Demon for years? He absorbed them substantially. Details needed more study, but he'd seized an overwhelming position.

Even the no-blade techniques from Nobutuna, he understood easily.

If anything remained, it was Shadowless Swordsmanship, Soul-Exiting Swordsmanship, and miscellaneous arts, but they wouldn't help Jin So-cheong much, nor were they necessary. He had no need for arts or medicine now.

In martial terms, I'd taught nearly everything. More to give, but cores were transmitted. The rest he could practice alone.

I hadn't expected to empty my arsenal in under three months—I was dazed for a while.

Is this human?

Possible to absorb decades of my accumulation this fast?

'Lee... Lee Gwang. You were an incredible human.'

How could one teach such a super-genius for over ten years?

As I wallowed in doubt, frustration, and inferiority, Jin So-cheong said.

"No word from Mang Ryang—it's worrying. We should look for him."

His words snapped me alert.

"You're right."

Focused solely on teaching, I'd neglected it, but Mang Ryang's prolonged silence was odd. With his Earth Contraction Technique matching peak experts' speed, over two months for Heavenly Emperor Altar search in the Five Peaks was strange. No contact at all!

When we went to Cheon Woo-jin for counsel, he said.

"Then I'll go with you."

"No one to guard Jin Rang Valley."

"If Senior Brother Mang Ryang's gone, what's the point? If it's an emergency as you say, it's right for me to help."

With that, Cheon Woo-jin suddenly handed me a scroll. Unrolling it revealed Zhuge drawn inside, looking sullen in a hut.

"... This can't be..."

"Use it if needed."

Indeed.

It wasn't just a drawing of Zhuge.

Cheon Woo-jin had sealed Zhuge into the scroll's image with sorcery. Such magic existed!

"......"

"If he tries anything, I'll know right away. No worries."

I pitied the scroll with Zhuge sealed. Even a madman like him ended up like this caught by Cheon Woo-jin. He'd met his natural predator this life.

Jin So-cheong said.

"Start with Mount Tai. Most suspicious."

================================ Work Afterword ================================

I've... slightly nerfed Jin So-cheong...

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!