Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm

After defeating the toad, I obtained the Tortoise Shell Plate Armor, Nine Stars Main Array, and Twin Swords, rescuing General Hwang Yeon's group. Then I moved to the Blood Path Group's base, massacred the pirates just like before, rescued the pirate captives, and seized the treasure from Pirate Island.

After that, I stopped by Dongyoung to mine some black obsidian before heading to the Shadowless Gate. When I handed Seo Mun-hye over to the Sword Demon, he looked noticeably surprised. It wasn't just shock at his daughter returning to him—it seemed to stem from the aura radiating from me as well.

The Sword Demon didn't hide his fighting spirit.

"You've got an incredible sword aura for someone so young. Have you achieved return to youth?"

"No."

I shook my head firmly and handed the black obsidian over to the Sword Demon. He took it with a puzzled expression, but as soon as he absorbed its memories, his face lit up with realization. His body shuddered for a moment before he spoke.

"Heh... A moment of indulgence leads to disaster, they say. Who would've thought you'd die like that, Baek Woong."

I gave a bitter smile.

"That one is truly meticulous. He even accounted for the possibility of dying to a curse and prepared a counter-curse from the start. He's too cunning and fearsome an enemy..."

The Sword Demon shared his honest thoughts, then spoke as if pondering.

"If that's the case... then the Vermilion Bird in the imperial palace can only be defeated through frontal combat."

"That's how it stands now."

"Hmm. I have a feeling it'll be a bloodbath. A massive battle unlike any other might be coming."

"I've braced myself for it."

I replied resolutely, then said to the Sword Demon,

"I have one more place to visit. I'll see you later."

"Go on."

Flash!

I immediately used Sky Soar to head straight to the Nangong Family's annex where the Pure Fish Vessel was kept. This was the same place where, in my previous life, Sword King Nangong Myeong—the head of the Nangong Family—had been tortured and confessed everything. Sure enough, upon arriving at the annex, the Pure Fish Vessel was glowing. I grabbed it without hesitation. Then, using Sky Soar again in quick succession, I teleported to the Nangong Family's secret chamber.

I furrowed my brow.

"These bastards... aren't even human."

Just as I'd seen before, there was a prison holding kidnapped women. And from a nearby building, I could hear several women being violated. The sharp, scream-like moans made it clear they were in the midst of it. The creaking bed frames grated on my nerves.

I charged straight into the building and kicked the door open. The depraved scene inside was laid bare. Three or four Nangong Family underlings were committing acts beneath human dignity. One of them, stark naked, jumped up in surprise.

"Wh-what the hell are you..."

Thud!

I'd just slaughtered dozens of Blood Path Group pirates, and my blood was still boiling. Without a moment's hesitation, I smashed my fist into his jaw, sending his brains flying. As one man's skull exploded in an instant, the others paled, realizing the gravity of the situation.

"Eek!"

"H-hero, please spare..."

Their pleas made my ears burn. I clenched my bare fist tight. I could already sense my fists would be coated in blood and brains today.

"Die."

Boom boom boom!

Corpses burst open and littered the ground everywhere. The women who'd been victimized trembled in shock at the sudden slaughter. I draped blankets over them and said,

"I've come to rescue you. Is everyone here, including those outside?"

"Sob... sob..."

"Are you really here to save us...?"

Tears streamed down their faces as they rejoiced. One of them spoke up.

"Yes, that's... N-no, not quite."

"Not quite?"

"The young house lord took two away."

The young house lord—none other than that bastard Soaring Heaven Sword Dragon Nangong Hwan. I thought for a moment, then asked,

"...Where is he?"

"In that building over there..."

She pointed to a structure about fifteen paces away. I glanced over, then shot toward it like lightning with Annihilation Step, without a word. In the blink of an eye, I slipped through the window, and there it was—the scene I'd expected.

"Huff huff."

There was a beast tangled up with women, devoid of any dignity befitting the Nangong Family's young house lord. Nangong Hwan's face, twisted in lust with a sleazy grin, bore sadistic features. But his martial prowess far exceeded first-class, so in that fleeting instant, he sensed something amiss, his back muscles tensing.

I ambushed and subdued Nangong Hwan immediately.

Tap.

"Gah..."

He scrambled to draw his sword, but I was already behind him, knocking him out with a palm strike. His limp body bounced once on the floor. As Nangong Hwan slumped, I turned to the two women in the room.

"Are you alright?"

"Y-young hero... That man is the young house lord Nangong Hwan..."

"No."

I stated firmly.

"He's a beast. A beast that needs to be beaten to death!"

With that, I gathered all the women and stored them in the Tortoise Shell Plate Armor. I spared Nangong Hwan for now—he'd make a useful hostage and stress reliever going forward. I glanced at him and thought,

'Well, I've done everything I came for. Time to go...'

I froze.

I'd been about to use Sky Soar to leave, but I stopped. No curse or attack had hit me—yet I halted. It was some subconscious will of mine that had slammed on the brakes.

I stood there for a long while, a low voice leaking from my throat.

"...I can't just leave like this..."

Rage boiled within me.

I could understand now what Jin So-cheong must have felt when he wiped out the Nangong Family. Seeing this crime two-fold made me want to smash everything in sight and kill them all. Especially now, fresh from annihilating the Blood Path Group pirates, my destructive urges were at their peak. I desperately wanted to exterminate every last one of these Nangong bastards.

But the Nangong Family wasn't the Blood Path Group. With my current skills, I could probably take Sword King Nangong Myeong one-on-one. But if Nangong Myeong, the Nangong Eight Swords, and the family's powerful forces joined in, I'd be outnumbered. Jin So-cheong had been overwhelmingly strong in my previous life, but the Nangong Family was undeniably one of the world's top ten powers.

The frustration of wanting to destroy something but being unable to.

With my desires blocked, my vision spun. I yearned to land a satisfying blow on these scum, but it wasn't happening.

Then, suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed in my mind. I called out to Yeo Dong-bin.

'Yeo Dong-bin. I offer ten years of my lifespan—please manifest.'

[Very well, my fated one.]

Whoosh!

Just like during the food I'd witnessed before, Yeo Dong-bin's manifestation appeared before me. He gazed at me steadily and asked,

"What is it?"

"Sword Sage Yeo Dong-bin. Destroy the Nangong Family for me."

"Impossible!"

Yeo Dong-bin refused flatly. I'd expected as much, but I pressed,

"Why?"

"I manifest in this world through you to protect humanity and uphold justice. My sword must swing only against demons. I cannot wield it against humans."

I replied softly to his words.

"Yeo Dong-bin. These fiends have terrorized and murdered the weak with their tyranny, kidnapped and imprisoned women, exploited them. If I hadn't come, they would've suffered until death. Are you saying even these beastly villains count as human?"

"......"

"If it's a sword for justice, shouldn't it strike down evil?"

As I spoke forcefully, Yeo Dong-bin said,

"Then do it with your own power. Human affairs must be settled by humans."

"That's why I'm asking—because my power falls short. Can't you make an exception?"

"No."

I gritted my teeth.

"You said you slay demons to protect humanity. That's undoubtedly noble. But if humans succumb to evil and fall below beasts, what is demon slaying for? What is justice for?"

"......"

"I've lived longer than I look. And in that time, I've seen much evil. What I've realized is that humans can be as wicked as any alien race."

I felt it from the imperial palace and the Vermilion Bird.

Their willingness to slaughter hundreds of millions for personal greed—even alien races wouldn't stoop so low so easily.

"Yeo Dong-bin! Is purging evil just a convenient concept you ignore when it suits you? Doesn't it mean slaying humans for the sake of humans?"

"My fated one."

Yeo Dong-bin sighed.

"...Back when I was human, I thought the same as you. I said the exact same things to my master, Five Dragon True Person. He only replied that human matters must be resolved by humans."

His unexpected words made me pause. Yeo Dong-bin looked up at the sky, reminiscing.

"It was only at the end, atop Ye Mountain, when I saw the greatest evil at the cost of mutual destruction, that I understood. There were many Great Harmony Immortals who could have subdued that evil, but their intervention would draw even greater evils. Power creates chain reactions without end, reducing human affairs to mere dust."

"......"

"My fated one. I fully understand your rage. Right now, you'd tear apart everything in the living Nangong Family, women and infants included. But what meaning does that rage hold?"

"That's..."

"Think carefully. Rage narrows the view—you're missing the truth."

His words cooled my fury, letting me regain composure. Rather than blind rage to exterminate the Nangong Family, I recognized my actual situation. Even if it cost fifty years of life, my earlier thought to erase them was foolish.

'I got too emotional at times.'

A flaw I really needed to fix.

As I reflected, it hit me.

"Ah!"

A great idea sparked. I turned to Yeo Dong-bin.

"Then, Yeo Dong-bin, can you follow me and lend a hand?"

"What do you request?"

"It's not about killing anyone—just this one favor."

"Very well."

Moments later, I used Sky Soar to take Yeo Dong-bin to Eju. We walked to the village Sword King Nangong Myeong had mentioned, arriving at a small hamlet housing perhaps a hundred souls. Convinced this was it, I headed to the blacksmith's.

Clang!

Clang!

A middle-aged blacksmith hammered iron loudly. Watching him forge diligently, I sensed no trace of internal energy. Either he was a true commoner ignorant of martial arts, or a master of vast execution, such that I'd come with full certainty—it was the latter.

From behind him, I said,

"Nangong Jo."

The blacksmith froze. He turned slowly, revealing an ordinary middle-aged man with no distinctive features. Our eyes met, and I declared firmly,

"Shadowless Sword Emperor Nangong Jo! The time has come to punish your clan's wickedness."

The man calling himself Seoljo blinked at my words.

"You're talking nonsense. I'm just a blacksmith named Seoljo. What is this?"

I ignored his deception and pressed on.

"Sword King Nangong Myeong raised his son poorly. That son remodeled the Nangong Family's inner quarters into prisons for women, tormenting them with his perverse lusts. Even Nangong Myeong, upon learning this, became accomplices with his son Nangong Hwan. The Nangong Family's days as a famed orthodox clan are over—they're nothing but inhuman beasts now."

Seoljo's expression didn't change. But I continued.

"Even if you are the Shadowless Sword Emperor, you'd have retired from worldly affairs, so you won't interfere. That's why I have a proposal."

"A proposal?"

"If you can withstand one hundred breaths against the one I brought, my life is yours. Fail, and you go to the Nangong Family and punish them as I say."

"......"

Seoljo's gaze shifted to Yeo Dong-bin. He sighed.

"Scram. I don't know how you figured me out, but as you say, I've retired from the jianghu. And even if rotten, the Nangong Family wouldn't commit such evils. I have no reason to accept."

"That's why I'm staking my life to enforce it."

"What?"

"I'll say it again. Withstand one hundred breaths, and my life is yours."

Seoljo—no, former world's greatest swordsman Shadowless Sword Emperor Nangong Jo's face twisted. He said incredulously,

"Who the hell is this guy you're spouting nonsense about?"

"The greatest sword user in the world."

"Hah!"

The Shadowless Sword Emperor chuckled lowly, then raised his hand. As our eyes followed, he flicked it.

Boom—

"......!!"

Nearby, over thirty trees in the forest were sliced in an instant. An immense sword beam of terrifying power and speed had flown out. Yet no sword was in his hand—peculiar.

"Not Sword Control..."

As if answering my doubt, the Shadowless Sword Emperor said,

"This is the realm I attained in my later years: Shadowless Sword. Sword energy wielded as if a sword were there, even without one. Think you can face my Shadowless Sword?"

I shook my head.

"No."

Its power rivaled or exceeded Sword Control at a glance. His title as former world's greatest swordsman was no empty boast. The Shadowless Sword Emperor was beyond my current level. He laughed coldly.

"I'll overlook today's rudeness. Quit your blather and get lost."

"Shadowless Sword Emperor."

"What?"

I beckoned with a finger.

"Quit your nonsense and try withstanding a hundred breaths. Scared?"

"......"

Shadowless Sword Emperor Nangong Jo's face burned with red anger. He strode up to Yeo Dong-bin, glaring. Yeo Dong-bin met his gaze emotionlessly. Nangong Jo said,

"You seem skilled, but you picked the wrong opponent. Instead, I'll teach you a lesson in a hundred breaths."

Yeo Dong-bin showed no reaction to the provocation. At last, he spoke.

"My fated one. Subduing him in a hundred breaths will suffice?"

"Can you?"

Yeo Dong-bin sighed.

"Mortals are all such fools. How long will you cling to these pointless martial contests?"

Resigned, he replied,

"Very well, my fated one."

The Shadowless Sword Emperor scoffed in disbelief.

"Heh! Who do you think you are? Even if you're some rejuvenated master, I, Shadowless Sword Emperor Nangong Jo, fear you not. What makes you think you can beat me in a hundred breaths? I'll dispose of both your corpses today."

"...I'm Sword Sage Yeo Dong-bin."

"You're hilarious. Some impostor!"

In that instant, fury flickered across Yeo Dong-bin's face.

Wooooosh!

The Shadowless Sword Emperor's Shadowless Sword energy erupted invisibly. A ferocious wave of energy in all directions with majestic force. Even I swallowed hard at that tremendous sword aura. Truly worthy of the title world's greatest swordsman.

"Take this!!"

The Shadowless Sword Emperor's radiant ultimate technique seemed to sweep the world!

Thud thud thud

Thud thud thud thud

"Ugh... Stop... please stop hitting..."

Yeo Dong-bin had the Shadowless Sword Emperor by the collar, pummeling his face. The Emperor's visage was already swollen and bloodied. Yet Yeo Dong-bin beat him expressionlessly.

Ploo!

The Shadowless Sword Emperor's teeth flew into the sky.

It ended precisely at thirty breaths. In just five, Yeo Dong-bin unleashed an incomprehensible supreme concealed sword art in succession, effortlessly shattering the Shadowless Sword energy. For the next twenty-five, the Emperor desperately clung to survival. As he collapsed showing a fatal flaw, Yeo Dong-bin grabbed his collar and silently thrashed him.

"He's pissed..."

Only someone exceptional would anger a Great Harmony Immortal.

Thud thud thud

"Ugh, Pl-please..."

Fearing the Shadowless Sword Emperor might end up crippled if it continued, I hurriedly stopped Yeo Dong-bin's beating.

"That's enough! Stop..."

"Hmm..."

Yeo Dong-bin shook the blood from his hands and said calmly,

"Mortal. Know your place."

The Shadowless Sword Emperor nodded frantically.

"Y-yes... I understand..."

"Do you truly?"

"I won't act out again."

Beaten, he knelt submissively without being ordered—terror of death keeping him there. Yeo Dong-bin gazed down indifferently for a while, then said,

"My fated one. Now, please find my Fire Dragon Sword..."

Yeo Dong-bin vanished into the void moments later. Staring blankly at his departure, Shadowless Sword Emperor Nangong Jo said in a trembling voice,

"...W-was that really Sword Sage Yeo Dong-bin...?"

"Yes. You were unlucky."

As I grinned and continued, his face crumpled.

"Well then, as promised, let's head to the Nangong Family."

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