Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm

After reducing Jin So-cheong and the Nangong Family to rubble, I returned to Jinrang Valley with the women and the father-son duo from the Nangong household stuffed into my wooden box. Sitting on the pavilion bench in Jinrang Valley, I glanced down at the box in my hand and mulled it over.

'No need to rush into a massacre at the Nangong Family right away.'

In that moment's fury, I might have swung my blade alongside Jin So-cheong in a frenzy of slaughter. I had left killed wiping out every living thing in the Nangong Family, but I decided it was best to hold back for now.

The reason was simple. The family head, Nangong Myeong, and the young house lord, Nangong Hwan, were already reduced to embryonic swords and trapped in my wooden box, while Jin So-cheong had personally crippled the dantians of the Nangong Eight Swords. No matter how capable the remaining members were, with the family head, young house lord, and elder-level experts all vanished, the Nangong Family's downfall was only a matter of time. Killing the rest would just be pointless slaughter.

What mattered was what came after survival. Those left in the Nangong Family were no doubt grinding their teeth for revenge, but from now on, they would taste a living hell. I was deep in thought when—

"Baek Woong. Well done."

Mang-ryang was approaching with Cheon Woo-jin. Spotting him, I rose from my seat.

"You're back."

"I've handled this and that. And just now, I met with Jin So-cheong first and heard what happened."

"Hmm... I've all but destroyed the Nangong Family. Just cleanup left, but it shouldn't derail our plans much, right?"

Mang-ryang grinned at my question.

"I told you, go wild. Trash like the Nangong Family won't impact the grand scheme even if we wipe them out."

"- _ -"

His words eased my mind, but inwardly, I was floored.

The Nangong Family was one of the Five Great Families, rivaling the strongest in martial might with prestige piercing the heavens—yet he called them trash! Noticing my look, Mang-ryang burst into laughter.

"Haha... Consider our ultimate goal. The Nangong Family are mere underlings to the Incarnation Flow. Why fear them?"

"True, but..."

I trailed off and continued,

"Isn't the Incarnation Flow the problem? I trusted you and crushed the Nangong Family, but how do we deal with them?"

"No worries. It's simpler than you think."

"Simple?"

"Normally, the Incarnation Flow wouldn't let anyone touch the Nangong Family. But think: if they 'avenge' them, they'd be striking the force that attacked Nangong, right?"

"Hmm."

There was a subtle hint in Mang-ryang's words. After pondering, I replied,

"It wouldn't be revenge. The Nangong Family belongs to the Incarnation Flow, but they're disposable pawns if needed."

"Exactly."

Mang-ryang chuckled and elaborated.

"As you guessed, just offer the Incarnation Flow equivalent gains to the Nangong Family, and it's done. Han Baek-ryeong seized the Five Great Families of the Central Plains to ease the invasion—nothing more, nothing less. She's sharp with numbers; she'll understand negotiation."

"Equivalent to the Nangong Family?"

I sighed and shook my head.

"I was just racking my brain over that, but no answers. Do we even have something like that?"

"Haha... You've grown sharp on the big picture, Baek Woong, but the details still escape you. Don't we have a tremendous treasure?"

"...?"

Mang-ryang smirked.

"The Black and White Lotus!"

"Ah!"

"Present that, and Han Baek-ryeong will forget the Nangong Family. It can heal the Young Cult Leader immediately and kick off the White Lotus Cult's conquest of the Central Plains."

Why hadn't I thought of that?

I felt a pang of self-reproach. Stunned for a moment, I muttered,

"Y-Yeah, that's right. But handing over the Black and White Lotus out of the blue—won't she suspect?"

Mang-ryang shrugged.

"Suspect all she wants. With our Cloud Soaring Flight, we can escape the Incarnation Flow anytime. All she can do is test it for poison. Once it proves effective by healing the Young Cult Leader, she'll be the one bowing."

"But once the Young Cult Leader is healed, won't the White Lotus Cult become too powerful?"

Mang-ryang gave a wry smile at my barrage of questions.

"Right. They'll conquer the world."

"Hmm."

"But so what? Think about the outcome."

He continued flatly.

"You'll be rewarded with a position as the Incarnation Flow's representative and even become the Cult Leader's disciple. The White Lotus Cult gains the world. Then you uncover the Heavenly Spirit Pill's secret and grow stronger. Plus, their overwhelming power will automatically check the Imperial Palace and Vermilion Bird. Where's a better plan?"

"...!!"

"That's why destroying the Nangong Family is nothing. In the big picture, they're just bugs."

"I see...!!"

Impressed, I watched as Mang-ryang cracked his knuckles and sat on the bench.

"The only snag is hindering the Thunder God Flow's revival, but we can ignore that. By passing the martial arts scripture to Jin So-cheong, you've fulfilled every obligation to the Thunder God Flow."

"Hmm."

"It's tough now, but if Jin So-cheong grows, he could check the White Lotus Cult Leader if she goes berserk. That's why I approved passing him the techniques."

In other words, Mang-ryang's plan had been flawlessly structured from the start. The Nangong strike caused a minor deviation, but no real issues. I marveled inwardly.

This'll be smooth sailing.'

What remained wasn't too daunting. Negotiating with the Incarnation Flow was key, but Mang-ryang would handle it. Once under the White Lotus Cult, I'd uncover the Heavenly Spirit Pill myself. Even if it took decades, once I had it, future lives would profit immensely.

A sudden thought struck me, and I said to Mang-ryang,

"Oh, right!"

"Spit out any issues you see."

"In this life, I got permission to enter Kunlun for sorcery training. When do we use it?"

"Heh. Knew you'd ask."

Mang-ryang grinned.

"Hard to say now, but the Kunlun visit will be quick. No problem after joining the White Lotus Cult."

"Why hard to say?"

"It involves Heavenly Realm entry—Heavenly Secrets. Leaking them invites direct sanctions. I'll explain when the time comes."

Fair enough. I nodded and asked another.

"Then, what about Duggo Fortress?"

Duggo Fortress of the Thunder God Flow.

He was their current top expert and elder, tirelessly honing his swordsmanship in Sichuan's Dragon King's Valley. In a dozen years, he'd reach profound sword enlightenment. Recruiting a transcendent expert like him as an ally seemed obvious, but under Mang-ryang's plan, it was impossible. As a Thunder God Flow member, he'd harbor ill will toward the White Lotus Cult.

Mang-ryang stared piercingly and said,

"This life, no fate with him."

"Gasp!"

Abandoning Duggo?

He paused silently before continuing.

"Baek Woong... Since receiving your memories, I've racked my brain nonstop. No matter the flowery words, I've failed ten-plus times. Analyzing those failures: my mistakes, unaccountable variables, and above all, lack of power."

"- _ -"

"Another reason: I tried wrapping everything in one life—that was wrong."

I grasped what he meant. Mang-ryang gazed at the sky and said slowly,

"I thought your humanity would erode through endless reincarnations. So I rushed to end it while you still had it, cramming everything into one life. But facing gods, that's hubris beyond arrogance. So I revised the strategy."

I replied gravely,

"You're planning assuming I die and reincarnate."

"...We were anyway. But now, we fully account for failure and total annihilation. Even if we die like dogs, you'll reincarnate, so we stack maximum gains per life."

"Good thinking."

Mang-ryang sighed.

"Good? It's admitting my limits—and yielding to the Heavenly Dark Secret Book's allure. I'm declaring I'll use you regardless of eroded humanity. Betting on you keeping it through infinite lives—pure delusion!"

"No choice. It's reality."

"That's why it infuriates more."

Grumbling, Mang-ryang brightened.

"Anyway, to beat gods, no holds barred from now on. Brace yourself."

"Of course!"

We discussed detailed future plans. Two hours later, as night deepened, Mang-ryang said,

"Too late—sleep, then move tomorrow."

I could go seven days without sleep, but I didn't hate it. Heading to my quarters in Jinrang Valley, I lay staring at the ceiling, thinking.

'Humanity eroding?'

Events repeating had made me somewhat jaded, but my emotions still burned fully.

Sure, massacring the Golden Guards felt detached once, confusing me. But sharing Jin So-cheong's rage over the Nangong incident felt like my own.

Tenth-plus reincarnation, yet emotions intact.

I hadn't mentioned to Mang-ryang earlier—but isn't this odd?

An ominous thought flashed, but I shook it off.

'Nah...'

More importantly, execute the plan flawlessly.

Maximize gains this life; even in death, build foundations for growth. Too busy now for idle thoughts.

Soon, I drifted into sleep.

[Wake up.]

A dream. I spotted myself looking around a familiar scene. I knew it was a dream but couldn't wake. It felt too real—annoying.

Soon, a black cat appeared on the roof. It gazed down imperiously and spoke.

[The Law of Causality is wildly fluctuating, birthing a singularity. Here to warn you.]

Law of Causality?

Pondering, I retorted,

"What? Why pop into my dream spouting nonsense..."

[Do you know what the Law of Causality is?]

"It's the immense law no being escapes—not Heavenly Realm immortals, Heavenly Gods, or even Ancient Rulers. It regulates effects without causes, curbing transcendents' whims. Right?"

I recited Mang-ryang's prior explanation. The black cat peered with jet-black eyes.

[That Law has singularities. Yours triggered one.]

"What's a singularity?"

[Simply, an unavoidable explosion point. No one escapes—not [Ancient Rulers], not even universe creators. In human terms: fate.]

"...?"

Fate?

Tilting my head, I said to Mang-ryang the Immortal,

"Wait. An inescapable fate suddenly spawned for me?"

[Essentially.]

"Impossible! The Law binds transcendents hardest. Why me?"

Protesting, he twirled his black tail.

[I see it as possible. You guess why...]

"- _ -"

[It arose in Dongyoung's Aokigahara forest. It'll find you eventually.]

"Huh? Why there?!"

[No idea.]

Absurd.

Some random fate spawns and hunts me—from Dongyoung!

Hard to swallow. As I flustered, Mang-ryang eyed me impassively.

[One thing: Singularities are chained to the Law of Causality—like dots on a circle.]

"- _ -"

[Even across eternities, cause births effect. You may call it random, but facing it, you'll accept it more surely than anyone.]

"Damn... How do you know?"

Mang-ryang replied.

[It's an unavoidable law! Even for [Ancient Rulers].]

"Gasp...!!"

[Even sea abyss malign gods dodged theirs with excuses—fleeing bloodkin via spells from distant stars. A mortal like you? No hope.]

I scowled.

Slept for good vibes, woke moodier. Scratching my head roughly, I snapped,

"Fine, singularity exists. What happens when it finds me? Death?"

Death's fine—reincarnate and eliminate the cause.

[You'll pay the price for the cause.]

"Hmph, death it is!"

Die once, done.

[Maybe... if that's enough...]

Muttering ominously, Mang-ryang turned.

[Lucky it's far in the future. Live strong till then.]

"Scram, you cat bastard!"

Shuruk.

I awoke.

"- _ -"

Clutching my head. Mood soured utterly.

Worst morning in nearly a decade.

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