Reincarnated Swordmaster

Heavenly Realm

As I left the presence of the White Lotus Cult Leader, I thought to myself.

'Persuade the Thunder God Style...?'

Even with five days, it seemed impossible. It was definitely impossible. Even Dugoesong, who held the most moderate stance among them, had decisively ordered the assassination of the Cult Leader, showing the depth of their enmity toward the White Lotus Cult. No, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that not a single successor of the Thunder God Style could compromise with the White Lotus Cult. Their purge stemmed from their sect being shattered and their master's experts unjustly slaughtered, leaving them no choice.

For me, who held no personal grudge, I could consider compromising or using them since I didn't absolutely need to destroy the White Lotus Cult. But for the other warriors of the Thunder God Style, such a choice was impossible.

As I fell deep into thought, Han Baekyeong, walking beside me, spoke up.

"The Cult Leader gave us five days, but I know as well as you that this grudge won't dissolve overnight."

I looked at Han Baekyeong, and she continued.

"Take your time. This lady will help you."

"Understood."

We returned to the Han Family House using the Flame Spirit again. Then, following Han Jinseong, I opened the door to a certain room. Inside lay an ancient sword on a stand made of white jade. It quietly gleamed with power that was evident at a glance.

"This is the Dragon Abyss sword. Please take it."

"......"

It was the second time hearing those words.

I had once received the Dragon Abyss sword from Han Jinseong before. Back then, it was a heartfelt gift in exchange for refusing marriage to Han Ji-hwa. Since the circumstances were different now, I stared at Han Jinseong and asked.

"Why give a treasured sword like Dragon Abyss to me?"

"The first reason is to strengthen the bond between Hwasin-ryu and Lord Baek Woong. The second is that I wish for you to grow stronger."

"What do you mean?"

Han Jinseong chuckled softly.

"There are few swords in the world finer than Dragon Abyss. This blade is infused with spiritual energy, making it nearly unbreakable, resistant to dulling, and ever sharp. And you know how crucial a weapon's quality is to a swordsman."

"... Hmm."

"From now on, when facing experts of equal or greater skill, your weapon will matter greatly."

As he spoke, Han Jinseong's gaze drifted to the sword at my waist. It was a cheap iron sword I'd grabbed from the Great Dragon Merchant Association's goods when acquiring Bi-dung, and its edge had dulled from the fierce battles.

Indeed, if two experts were evenly matched, the one with this iron sword could never withstand the wielder of Dragon Abyss. No matter how much one reinforced the blade with sword qi or pursued the realm of no-sword, a superior blade held the advantage. It required far less internal energy, offered greater durability, and its sharpness could provide unexpected edges in combat. Unless one wielded a spirit sword like the Sword Demon as their main weapon, the better-armed fighter always prevailed.

I nodded.

"Then I'll gratefully accept it."

"Ah, and one more thing."

"What is it?"

"The matter of accepting those from the Yellow Mountain Sect that you requested before has been passed to the Righteous Heaven Alliance. The Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader, Wi Ji-hon, will handle it."

I frowned at Han Jinseong's response.

"Isn't that irresponsible? They're people who came seeking refuge with Hwasin-ryu."

Han Jinseong shrugged.

"I thought so too, but this is a critical time. We can't risk outsiders discovering Hwasin-ryu's secrets. Besides, the Yellow Mountain Sect's destruction was originally the Righteous Heaven Alliance's responsibility, so it couldn't be helped."

"... They won't come to harm, will they?"

"Hardly. The Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader Wi Ji-hon is immensely strong and righteous. If he declares his protection, no sect under heaven would dare touch the Yellow Mountain Sect experts."

"That's a relief."

"However, if they stay with the Righteous Heaven Alliance, they'll eat cold rice. But that's the karma those whose sect was destroyed must bear."

"Hmm."

Han Jinseong's words seemed harsh, but they were reality. Neither I nor Han Jinseong had reason to accommodate the Yellow Mountain Sect experts that far.

"If you wish, I can arrange a meeting with Wi Ji-hon."

I waved it off.

"No. I don't have the time to worry about that now."

"You've made a wise choice."

After discussing a few more important matters with Han Jinseong, I left Hwasin-ryu. I could have gone straight to the Azure Dragon Martial Hall via Bi-dung, but first, I headed to the Suyo ruins where the Black White Lotus had been.

Flash!

Upon arriving at the pond above the ruins, I confirmed that about half the space in the jar I'd filled with Black White Lotus from before had regenerated. Quite some time had passed, and it had begun self-propagating. Even for a lotus, this growth rate was remarkably fast, filling me with wonder.

'The buds haven't sprouted yet, but it's grown considerably. Does it take about three years to fully mature, then?'

It might take even longer, but given how much it had grown already, the thought was justified. Perhaps I could sustainably cultivate Black White Lotus. Shaking off idle thoughts, I descended below the pond again.

I'd thought I'd taken everything needed from these Suyo ruins, including the gold bars. But as things had progressed this far, I felt I'd overlooked one item, drawing me back personally. Soon, I reached the deepest underground level of the ruins and found the statue of Emperor Zhuanxu in the dark cave.

From what Mang-ryang had told me before, the oracle bone script inscribed on this statue of Zhuanxu read as follows:

[ Alas, the passage between heaven and earth in the north has collapsed.

The divine child, Emperor of Goyang, returns at the call of the Yellow Emperor.

He leaves the secrets of flood control in response to humanity's pleas.

Thus, he leaves Moye as the marker. ]

Mang-ryang had hypothesized from this oracle script that Zhuanxu returned via the northern passage and that the power hidden in Moye controlled water. Linking it to clues in the Suyo ruins, he'd also deduced that Moye's secondary seal was at the North Pole. Viewed this way, Zhuanxu's oracle script seemed nearly useless now.

Fiddling with Zhuanxu's statue, I muttered.

"This statue itself holds value."

I was convinced I needed this statue. To summon the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, a corresponding medium was required. But sacrificing Moye itself as an offering would be too wasteful, and nothing else seemed fitting. The closest relic tied to them was this statue of Zhuanxu, according to my memories.

Yes.

Using this statue as the medium would greatly increase the chances of summoning Emperor Zhuanxu among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.

And as one of them, his stature surpassed even the Four Emperors' Changhil. I could learn ancient secrets while gaining a way to counter Changhil's command words. After placing the statue in my neck guard, I sat on the dim cave floor.

"I should seek relics of the other Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors too."

Considering how many lifetimes I'd lived, I knew almost nothing about them. What I needed now wasn't the legends from ancient histories. I had to uncover the true nature of these god-like beings capable of equaling the [Ancient Ruler]. For that, I needed to gather the Seven Luminaries starting with Suyo, and any other relics left by the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.

A sudden thought crossed my mind.

'What if the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors become enemies?'

Would I have to fight and defeat them? But how? I saw no hope even against Dalgijo, apostle of the [Ancient Ruler], let alone the creation gods of China. Though I had many weapons as a human now, facing gods themselves made countermeasures dwindle, leaving me stifled.

No, before that, I didn't even know the relationship between the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors and the [Ancient Ruler]. Why they'd created the Seven Luminaries or required such complex contracts was a mystery. The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors of history differed vastly from them as gods.

At the same time, I understood why Mang-ryang obsessed over this Fengxian Ritual.

To confront gods, one must uncover their secrets and ascend to their level. While repeating reincarnations via the Heavenly Dark Secret Book, I could somehow eliminate the White Lotus Cult Leader or the Emperor, but to face gods, I needed divine power. Mang-ryang must have planned to grant me a god's authority through the Fengxian Ritual.

I clenched my fist.

"Yes. No matter what, I must raze the imperial palace and rescue Mang-ryang!"

First, Mang-ryang had to be alive for any of this to matter. I took a deep breath, steeling my resolve. From now on, I might plunge into an absurd bloodbath, but I had to do it. If I faltered midway, Mang-ryang would truly die a dog's death.

Flash.

I headed to Mount Hua. Since I hadn't located Mount Hua's Heavenly Emperor Altar last time, I leaped across its peaks searching for it. While scaling and descending the mountain with Annihilation Step's lightness skill, Cheon Woo-jin's Thousand-Li Voice Transmission spell reached me.

[ Come this way! Here! ]

Following Cheon Woo-jin's voice, I found him standing with Jegal-sa. This was Mount Hua's Heavenly Emperor Altar, its ruins perfectly preserved. Unexpectedly, three statue beauties stood there as well.

"What...?"

As I stared at the statue beauties in confusion, Jegal-sa smirked.

"I made them using crystal stone tablets. Not bad, right?"

"Why make statue beauties? For sacrifice?"

"Quick on the uptake. The Fengxian Ritual is a worship rite, so sacrifices are essential. These are necessities."

"But why are all three women?"

Indeed, the three statue beauties were all stunningly beautiful women. With enormous breasts and waists as slender as Se-ryu courtesans, they revealed Jegal-sa's tastes in women.

'He likes mature beauties.'

As I made a face, Jegal-sa let out a strange chuckle.

"I hate making effigies of wretched men."

"......"

"The key in the Fengxian Ritual isn't some yin-yang eight trigrams harmony, so don't worry."

Cheon Woo-jin, leaning against a nearby tree, spoke.

"The important things are sequence, authority, qualification, and timing."

"I hold the authority. What about the rest?"

"I've been taught the Fengxian Ritual's sequence by my senior brother, so no worries there. Timing just means choosing when the heaven-earth intercourse energy peaks, which I can control with heavenly law anyway."

Having explained that far, Cheon Woo-jin eyed me sharply.

"The most crucial is qualification, of course."

"Qualification? How's that different from authority?"

"Qualification is the bare minimum. You have the right to perform the Fengxian Ritual, but whether the summoned Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors grant you power is another matter."

"......"

Pondering Cheon Woo-jin's words, I felt absurd.

"Wait...? So that bastard Emperor had the qualification to receive divine authority?"

"Effectively, yes. The Four Emperors' Changhil judged so, allowing him to gain immortality and command words."

"Damn it!!"

I exploded in anger.

"This so-called wise Emperor now is a dark monarch who slaughtered his own kin for power, spread calamities across the land, and let thieves and traitors run rampant! He even trades with barbarians for vile human sacrifices without hesitation—such a villain has the qualification for divine authority?!"

"Don't yell at me. The results speak for themselves—what can I do?"

Gruffly retorting, Cheon Woo-jin continued.

"And don't judge a god's gaze by human standards. Gods are gods. To them, whether the authority holder governs well or poorly, has good character or not, is secondary. Whether humans rule well or not—what does it matter to the creation gods Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?"

"Hmm."

That made sense.

"Gods probably have their own criteria."

"What criteria?"

"I don't know. Senior Brother Mang-ryang couldn't discern that either. What's certain is the Emperor met it somehow."

"......"

"Even probing heaven's secrets with golden prohibition laws fails now—the heavenly realm is on high alert."

Jegal-sa, listening beside, giggled.

"Don't scare him too much. Even if we summon wrong, we've prepared these sacrifices to appease as best we can. Think of gods like fussy kids—easy if you keep it simple."

"You're too carefree. If it goes wrong, everyone here dies."

"So what if we die? It's all the same in the end. Well, you know the truth of the afterlife, so you hate going, huh?"

Muttering that, Jegal-sa patted my shoulder.

"The point is whether you're worthy timber for the gods to recognize. We can't help with that, so relax."

"Got it."

"Kekeke. That's why I like you. Those eyes accepting death—love it."

"No time, so let's start."

Ignoring Jegal-sa's nonsense, I slowly walked to the front of the Heavenly Emperor Altar and stood. Cheon Woo-jin glanced at my hand.

"Zhuanxu's statue. You want to summon him?"

"Of course."

"Good choice."

Then Cheon Woo-jin began infusing qi into the pre-placed flags, while Jegal-sa positioned the statue beauties at the Three Talents directions around the Heavenly Emperor Altar. As the two master sorcerers assisted the ritual, the altar quickly responded.

Wooong.

Soon, blue spiritual energy flowed from the Heavenly Emperor Altar, and a sphere of darkness gradually formed. The dark sphere resonated briefly with the statue I held before drawing the eight trigrams in midair.

Rumble...

As the eight trigrams slowly descended onto the Heavenly Emperor Altar, the sky's thunderclouds intensified. Thick clouds blanketed heaven and earth like a shroud, devouring every ray of sunlight. When all was pitch black.

"Prayer calamity..."

Cheon Woo-jin groaned. Sure enough, a bizarre yokai burst from the air amid pale light, rampaging like mad—it was the legendary yokai Taotie. Human-faced with a tiger-like body larger than a tiger, tiger legs, utterly grotesque. Known as Nianxun for loving strife, it demanded tension.

No, Taotie wasn't the end. Soon, Mang-ryang Ghost, Crane Ghost, Child Ghost, and other legendary yokai from the Classic of Mountains and Seas appeared in sequence. Each led packs of lesser yokai, their numbers filling the sky—thousands at least.

Roooar—

After the yokai emerged, divine tights drifted in, manifesting spirits. Likely lesser gods like Lao Tong the music god, Prince Changqin, or Palace Immortal. Their divine qi matched Sword Immortal Yoo Dongbin's in potency, marking them as deities too.

The yokai and divine beings, once summoned, didn't rampage but arrayed in formation midair, as if preparing a procession. Stairways formed in the void, light twisting in the darkness.

An primordial chaos of yokai qi, demonic qi, and divine qi intertwined here.

Moments later, the heavens parted.

With a tearing of reality, a colossal hand emerged. Vast enough to overturn heaven and earth, it shrank as something wearing an imperial crown descended from the sky. Though not much larger than the yokai or deities, its pressure nearly stopped my breath.

'... Gasp...'

The same overwhelming presence as first facing the [Ancient Ruler]!

Barely lifting my eyes to the dark being, it declared its identity to all heaven and earth.

[ I am Zhuanxu, Fifth Emperor and descendant of the Yellow Emperor. Who has summoned me? ]

The Fengxian Ritual had begun.

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