Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm

If we eliminate the Vermilion Bird, the path ahead will be smooth sailing. It felt a bit off that we weren't defeating him in direct combat, but deliberately engaging in a tough fight would be foolish. I said to Mangnyang,

"Will you really be alright with this? The Vermilion Bird is your father."

"He is nothing more than a demon lost to the demonic path. If we can't cast aside false familial bonds, countless innocents will die because of it."

Mangnyang continued gravely.

"You saw it, didn't you? Hundreds of millions of people gripped by madness, becoming fodder for the [Ancient Ruler]..."

"......"

I hadn't seen it myself, but the circumstances suggested as much. The descent of the lord of the Demon Subduing Hall meant he had accepted the [sacrifice], and at that moment, the ruler's

"......"

No matter what it took, the Vermilion Bird had to be stopped. I nodded at Mangnyang's words.

"Very well. I'll make preparations."

"Ah, Baek Woong."

Mangnyang spoke as if he'd just remembered.

"Before taking Thunder God Ryu with you, meet with Zhuge the Craftsman and deliver the firearms he's made to the North Dragon Corps."

"So that's the matter."

Without delay, I headed to Zhuge the Craftsman at Mangnyang's words. He was muttering something near the crystal stele, but oddly, none of the firearms he should have produced were in sight. Sensing my presence, he spoke curtly.

"What do you want?"

"I've come for the firearms. I'll transport them to Liaodong Fortress."

"Ah, those."

"Where are the guns? I don't see them."

At that, Zhuge the Craftsman snapped his fingers.

Rumble...

From empty space, thousands of firearms dropped down. I could tell at a glance that each one was the latest model carried by the Westerners, filling me with wonder. As I picked one up to examine it, Zhuge the Craftsman said,

"Take them and go. I have work to do."

"What work?"

"What business is it of yours? You gonna help?"

"If it's something I can assist with, I will."

Zhuge the Craftsman glanced at me and said,

"Get out of my sight."

"...Your personality is truly rotten. Did you have to say it like that?"

"Then what? What do you want?"

As he snapped irritably, I said to him,

"Teach me a way to more easily extract the soul in the Soul Separation Great Law."

"Ah, you're still practicing the basics?"

"I've been at it for a while now, so go easy on me."

Zhuge the Craftsman eyed me unpleasantly before replying.

"Try extracting this guy's soul."

Whoosh!

What he pulled from the corner and tossed was a fluffy little puppy. It seemed raised by humans, as it just stared at me without barking or biting. I stared back at the puppy, then extended my hand to its forehead.

That was the moment.

Woof!

The puppy suddenly lunged to bite my hand, but when I dodged, it leaped from my arms straight toward Zhuge the Craftsman like an arrow. He scooped it up, stroked its head, and said,

"Aigoo, you fool. Can't even do that one thing?"

I couldn't make sense of what just happened, so I asked,

"I didn't emit any killing intent, so why..."

"You fumbled at its soul, stimulating its defensive instincts, didn't you?"

"But why suddenly tell me to extract a puppy's soul?"

"If you can't handle a puppy, how will you handle a person?"

"And you..."

The next moment, the puppy being petted by Zhuge the Craftsman turned to me and spoke in a human voice.

"You're doing well enough."

"Gasp!"

I couldn't help but be shocked. How could I not be, when the puppy suddenly spoke with Zhuge the Craftsman's voice? He chuckled and said,

"This is the Soul Separation Great Law. From what I see, you'll need another three years to build your foundation."

"Ugh..."

"If I must give you a tip, perceive the target as the crystallization of their soul and spirit. It'd be ideal if you had the [eyes] for it, but without that talent, you'll just have to practice relentlessly to increase your suction power."

In the end, it was a lack of training. I mulled over his words before saying,

"Understood."

As I left Zhuge the Craftsman, I glanced back at him. He seemed to like animals, playing happily with the puppy whether I was there or not. It was hard to believe that a madman who could kill people like toys, even hesitating not over his own flesh and blood, would like animals.

'He hates people but likes animals?'

It still didn't make sense. I gathered the firearms, stored them in my wooden armor, and immediately headed to Liaodong Fortress, handing thousands of them to General Hwang Yeon. He took them with astonishment and said,

"Incredible... These are the finest weapons I've ever seen."

"Do they please you?"

"These will change the face of war."

"I see."

Good that he liked them.

I was about to leave General Hwang Yeon and return straight to Jinrang Valley when the Liaodong Fortress Lord, who had been present, spoke up.

"Wait. The Elder says to hold."

"Yes? Elder?"

Swoosh!

That was when it happened. Someone appeared out of nowhere in the empty space. I hadn't sensed their presence at all, sending chills down my spine.

The man's appearance was distinctive. His attire wasn't Goryeo-style, nor did it feel like Central Plains garb—it was uniquely foreign. His features were handsome, yet so pale he seemed liable to collapse at a touch. Towering like a beanpole, he gave an impression of peculiarity.

The moment I saw the lanky man, I realized I'd glimpsed him once before.

'The Cloud Master!'

One of the Three Masters who served the Twelve Law Lords!

to collapse at a touch. Towering like a beanpole, he gave an impression of peculiarity.

The moment I saw the lanky man, I realized I'd glimpsed him once before.

'The Cloud Master!'

One of the Three Masters who served the Twelve Law Lords!

I knew he possessed immense sorcery powers, and before, when I'd tried entering the village with the Divine Altar Tree, he'd opened the gate for me. The Cloud Master glanced at me and said,

"An ill omen."

With that, he extended his hand to me.

"Young one. Offer a tribute. In exchange, I'll divine your fortune and reveal how to avert the ill omen."

"......"

His unexpected proposal left me hesitating.

Normally, I'd refuse, but this was one of the Twelve Law Lords' direct great sorcerers, possibly on par with a Dharma Protector Lion. For such a figure to sense an ill omen and offer divination was no small matter. Still, I was reluctant to readily offer tribute.

'Ah, nothing to lose.'

I rummaged in my pouch and pulled out a sacred lotus.

The Cloud Master eyed it and shook his head.

"Too little divine energy. Not good enough. Something else."

I pulled out a black-and-white lotus.

"Better than before, but insufficient to ward off your ill omen."

Even the black-and-white lotus didn't suffice, leaving me baffled. If this wouldn't do, what would? I pondered the valuables in my wooden armor and unconsciously pulled out the Westerner.

"What the!!!!!"

Oops.

The Westerner, upon emergence, startled and reached for his gun. I swiftly subdued him and forced him to kneel. General Hwang Yeon and the Liaodong Fortress Lord had already drawn their swords. Embarrassed, I said,

"Sorry. I'll put him back."

"Is that a Westerner?"

"Yes."

General Hwang Yeon, eyeing the Westerner with interest, said,

"Have him speak. I know a bit of Western tongue, so I might guess his origin."

"Ah..."

At his words, I released the Westerner's pressure point. He ranted wildly, most of it curses, no doubt. After watching for a while, General Hwang Yeon said,

"Not a red-haired Dutchman from Holland. Seems from the farthest of the ocean barbarians... Not English either... Hmm..."

Scrutinizing the Westerner's attire, General Hwang Yeon exclaimed.

"Ah!"

"From where?"

He pointed to a strange emblem on the Westerner's chest.

"As I recall, this crest... It was on the envoys who called themselves the Great British Empire. There was a time Western envoys visited the imperial court."

"Great British Empire? A nation vast enough to call itself an empire?"

"I wouldn't know. Suffice to say, from a very distant foreign land."

An empire.

Aside from the Great Ming Empire, I'd never seen a nation worthy of the title. I'd heard of such in distant Tianzhu, but never been there. For some Western nation to claim empire status was absurd.

'Must be a vast territory.'

General Hwang Yeon continued.

"From what I heard then, it's the most powerful kingdom in the West. Where did you capture this one?"

I recounted the Southern Continent tale, including wiping out the Western unit massacring natives. Stroking his chin, Hwang Yeon said,

"The Western nations must be waging conquests using advanced shipbuilding. As you say, soon they'll extend claws toward Ming."

"Didn't they attempt the Past Purification Expedition before?"

"Well... Their technology seems on another level."

Fiddling with the breech-loading gun I'd given him, he continued.

"With three thousand North Dragon Corps elites armed with these, they could annihilate ten times their number in half a day. If trained as mounted infantry, double that power. This weapon could rewrite history."

"......"

"If tens of thousands with such arms came, Ming's military couldn't withstand."

"Doesn't Ming have musketeers?"

He shook his head.

"Artillery advances faster than small arms, traditionally. Predicting their cannons, we'd lose at sea. Overwhelmed there, we'd lose bases without a fight, collapsing helplessly..."

"Hmm..."

"I'm worried for this nation's fate..."

sea. Overwhelmed there, we'd lose bases without a fight, collapsing helplessly..."

"Hmm..."

"I'm worried for this nation's fate..."

Hwang Yeon sighed genuinely. I quickly stowed the Westerner and said,

"Cloud Master. What about all this?"

I offered the sacred lotus, black-and-white lotus, gold bars, and even the statue of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. The Cloud Master appraised them at a glance and replied,

"Just go."

"Yes?"

"You and I have no affinity today."

Whoosh.

With that, he vanished. I tilted my head, then headed to Seven Kills Village.

'No idea what he meant.'

I'd heard the Three Masters rival Dharma Protector Lions, yet he spouted nonsense?

Shaking off the negativity, I pulled out the black plaque and gave it to Seven Kills Village's chief.

Swish—

Soon, through Baek Mok, I reached the dense forest of Dark Heaven Fragrance. And there, in that very spot from before, was the [Ancient Ruler] with the power of reversal.

[Welcome... A most special one visits the land of illusions...]

Kneeling before it, I said,

I set off, through Dan-jeon, I reached the land of illusion... Pawed in language, and there, in that very spot from before, was the [Ancient Ruler] with the power of reversal.

[Welcome... A most special one visits the land of illusions...]

Kneeling before it, I said,

"Ancient Ruler! I have a wish!"

[Hoo... Speak... With the power of reversal granted to me... I shall grant one right to turn life to death... death to life... No one can escape this power...]

The expected sequence.

'Perfect. All set!'

Now, just kill the Vermilion Bird, and it's done!

After eliminating him, secure the Heavenly Spirit Pill's secret, raise Thunder God Ryu and Jin So-cheong, then sweep away the White Lotus Cult Leader!

My perfect plan from the start shimmered before me; I couldn't hide my excitement. And I spoke.

"Kill the Vermilion Bird, Mount Tai Old Man."

I said it!

The [Ancient Ruler] writhed briefly before saying,

[Indeed... You desire that human's death... Very well...]

Tendrils extended from its body, touching a spot in the air. Smoky essence flowed out, which the tendrils coiled around. The [Ancient Ruler] then seemed to swallow it gulp by gulp.

And said,

[Killed...]

Just like when I'd requested the emperor's assassination. To confirm, I asked the [Ancient Ruler],

"That human could transfer his soul to a spare body. No chance of revival?"

[None... I've devoured him, so no such thing...]

For a moment, it felt like the [Ancient Ruler] was smiling.

[His curse, however...]

Curse?

As I opened my mouth to speak—

"Cough!"

I suddenly coughed. Blood poured from my mouth, and soon from eyes, nose, and ears too. No great pain, but suddenly drenched in blood, I was startled.

'What... what is this?!'

Strength drained from my body.

Thud.

As I dropped to one knee, the [Ancient Ruler], watching amusedly, said,

[That human bore a curse to exact fitting retribution on his killer... A curse beyond human power... Likely inscribed on his soul with the aid of the Silver Sea's sleepers...]

"Wh-what..."

[Such a curse doesn't affect me... But the one who commissioned the kill... is you... Human...]

Suddenly, the [Ancient Ruler] felt delighted.

[How amusing... So amusing...]

Cough!

Cough!

'No... not like this...'

Blood seeped from every pore. My guts boiled and melted inside. My mind grew hazy, and I horrifyingly saw my cheek melting away.

A gruesome curse melting flesh, skin, and bone while spewing blood from head to toe!

That was the fitting curse the Vermilion Bird, Mount Tai Old Man, had placed on himself. From his words, it seemed requested of a god. And the [Ancient Ruler] had passed it wholly to me, the client.

'No... can't die here...'

So much left undone. No training in the Heavenly Realm, no Heavenly Spirit Pill secret. I'd reached the brink of that realm, only to die so absurdly?

'Ugh... how can this...'

Bubble bubble.

The last sound was my brain melting.

That was my eighteenth death.

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