Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm

The price of the Heavenly Spirit Pill was that severe!

'Scary.'

Even the Prophet, who was one of the Yi race and thus familiar with cruelty and darkness, described it as a "mad act." That meant receiving the Heavenly Spirit Pill led to utter ruin for the recipient. I swallowed hard and asked again.

"Then what is the Original Spirit God?"

[As you said... it's infinite internal energy capable of harmonizing the Taiji and the Four Images... an unimaginable power of chaos... It's far too much for a mere mortal human... I've never even heard of anything similar... Well... the contract itself is an insane condition that's hard to fathom...]

After replying like that, the Prophet pondered for a moment before continuing.

[That White Lotus Cult Leader... must have made a double contract, not just the Heavenly Spirit Pill...]

"Double contract?"

"Yeah."

I affirmed it immediately. From the majesty the White Lotus Cult Leader displayed in his battle with Dalgi, it was undoubtedly at that level. Even if objectively weaker than Dalgi, without Dalgi's shamanic protections, it was a match up the Cult Leader could hold his own in. It was safe to regard the White Lotus Cult Leader's power as that of a divine apostle.

[Naturally, there would be a price to match... a contract to match... a sacrifice to match... That's what it takes for a god to grant power to a mortal...]

"......"

[That is the law of causality...]

A contract governed by causality. Was that why normal dealings with gods were possible?

A moment later, I asked again as Zhuge Sa had instructed.

"You know I'm a reincarnator. So when the Heavenly Spirit Pill's tether attaches, will it carry over to the next reincarnation? And could the Word of Severance artificially remove the Heavenly Spirit Pill?"

[What a bothersome question...]

"Please. I need to know."

[The tether is a bond of causality, functioning as an unbreakable fate. It's an imperceptibly thin thread always connected... So it's highly likely to carry over through your reincarnations... And the Word of Severance can cut that thread, making it highly likely to successfully remove the tether...]

I replied skeptically.

"Highly likely? Not certain?"

[As I said, the Heavenly Spirit Pill's contract is an abnormal slave contract twisted from the Divine Envoys' grimoire on their own whim... No one knows what side effects it might have... Also, if I must advise... Even if the Word of Severance could remove the Heavenly Spirit Pill, you shouldn't attempt it...]

"Why?"

The Prophet rolled his eyes and said.

[If my prediction is correct... the [Ancient Ruler] involved in the Heavenly Spirit Pill's contract wouldn't let prey escape so easily... 'Father' is so transcendent it's pointless... But would the Sea God release its contracted prey...?]

I realized what he meant and thought, oh no.

"The moment the Heavenly Spirit Pill's contract breaks, the Sea God could intervene?"

[No need to intervene... The infinite internal energy simply vanishes... leaving only the contract debt intact... so the soul gets harvested after death... Intervention would be even worse...]

"Ugh."

I grimaced.

'At this point, I should just give up on the Heavenly Spirit Pill.'

It turned out to be a mad slave contract where one gained invincible power in this life only to lose everything! There was no way I could implant something like that in my body. Even if I did, without the power to deal with the Sea God, it was impossible. No wonder the Cult Leader had "tricked" his Dharma Protectors into sharing the Heavenly Spirit Pill.

To gain power, I'd have no choice but to pursue the Seven Essentials from now on. I inwardly decided to stop obsessing over the White Lotus Cult and focus more on acquiring the Seven Essentials. As I pondered, the Prophet spoke.

[This time, I'll make a proposal... I'm interested in the Divine Envoys' grimoire too... If you bring it to me, I'll grant one request...]

I replied in disbelief.

"You're saying that even knowing I'm a reincarnator? You'd be at a loss."

[True... If you keep reincarnating, I might lose out in the future too... No... I've already lost before...]

For some reason, I felt like the Prophet was smiling. It was probably my imagination, but he seemed extraordinarily composed.

[But... that's none of my concern anyway...]

"What?"

[No need for you to understand me... Just bring the price.]

"Got it."

Flash!

I withdrew from the Prophet and exited. I had no more bargaining chips for negotiation.

After arriving at the Dragon King's Valley entrance on the Four Divine Beasts statue and dismounting, I took a moment to compose myself. I needed to replay the information from the Prophet in my mind and prepare my heart before meeting Dokgo Seong.

'None of my concern?'

Did the Yi race think differently from humans?

Or was I misunderstanding something?

As I mulled it over, Zhuge Sa spoke.

[This confirms it. Whether the Imperial Palace or the White Lotus Cult, both are religious orders worshipping the Yi race's gods. That's why you have no choice but to get close to the gods from now on.]

"The Twelve Laws are probably the same."

[The Twelve Laws are uncertain. Their leader didn't seem like a mere priest wielding divine power...]

Muttering that, Zhuge Sa said to me.

[Baek Woong. Now you have no reason to obsess over martial arts through your reincarnations. Right?]

"......"

[You can stop training after the Three Treasures Ultimate Arts. Anything more is a waste of time.]

I had no choice but to stay silent. He'd struck at what I considered my core issue. I sat on a rock and gazed at the sky.

"Yeah, probably."

Even the White Lotus Cult Leader and his Dharma Protectors, who possessed the world's strongest martial arts, ultimately borrowed divine power through contracts via the grimoire. To oppose them, I'd need divine power too, which was a realm detached from martial arts. And considering my pitiful martial talent, even more so.

"But I don't want to give up yet."

[Ho? Why?]

"Because Mang Ryang hasn't given up."

Yes.

Mang Ryang had shown me a path, and he hadn't abandoned it.

I recalled past memories.

[Yes. Unless we raise him, we have no future.]

[Even so, this life we're living is reality. We can't just sit and die. We need at least a chance to defeat the gods, and I believe that's Jin So-cheong.]

[He will surely surpass the White Lotus Cult Leader someday. Raising Jin So-cheong is the same as raising Baek Woong.]

Jin So-cheong!

In my 18th life, during the strategy meeting with the Sword Demon, Mang Ryang mentioned Jin So-cheong, insisting we raise him to oppose the gods. Both I and the Sword Demon inwardly thought it absurd, but Mang Ryang was so adamant we just let it slide.

Reading my fleeting memory, Zhuge Sa sounded baffled.

[Huh? What are you thinking? You really trust Hyun that much?]

"Yeah."

[On what basis? What makes you think Jin So-cheong can surpass the White Lotus Cult Leader? Sure, Jin So-cheong's talent is the best in the martial world, but the Cult Leader has already reached the Great Immortal stage. Talent or not, the Cult Leader is overwhelmingly superior. Not even worth comparing in a hundred tries.]

Zhuge Sa was absolutely right. But I replied firmly.

"I trust Mang Ryang."

[Trust...]

"Mang Ryang shared his reincarnation memories closest to me and watched the process. That's why he saw something. I'm just trusting his instinct."

Zhuge Sa fell silent for a while.

[What a joke... Trusting him...]

Grumbling a bit, Zhuge Sa continued.

[Fine, assume his prediction is correct. But even so, it's Jin So-cheong who gets stronger, not you. And how many deaths will it take to raise him that far? You can see at least thirty if you act recklessly for him.]

"Urk..."

It stung. I hemmed and hawed before replying.

"What about Yeo Dongbin?"

[Huh?]

"Yeo Dongbin and Jang Sambong reached the pinnacle of martial arts on their own without divine contracts and ascended as Perfected Beings. Humans can become as strong as gods. Jin So-cheong has the highest chance, so it's worth trying. We don't know how long finding the Seven Essentials will take, so during that endless time, it's a worthwhile challenge. That's probably what Mang Ryang meant."

I thought it through rationally. Perhaps that's why Zhuge Sa replied without mockery.

[Ho... You're right, but the Heavenly Realm itself is highly suspicious.]

"The Heavenly Realm?"

[Look at the big picture.]

Setting the tone, Zhuge Sa said.

[Now that you've recruited Dokgo Seong and made some deal with the Imperial Palace, the Cult Leader will start flexing his power aggressively. He's confident enough to purge the Wind God School, so it's the natural next step. He knows the Imperial Palace grows stronger over time, so he'll crush it swiftly.]

"Hmm... Yeah."

[The problem is, if the Imperial Palace and White Lotus Cult go at it hammer and tongs, will the Heavenly Realm just watch? You already know they won't.]

"......"

I gritted my teeth.

"Again... the Heavenly Realm will try to use Miho?"

The memory is still vivid. Miho, the Heavenly Realm's emissary who awakened Wolyo out of nowhere, became its master, and came to subjugate the emperor! So this time too, the chances of facing Miho as an enemy were high.

[Possibly, or they might prepare another assassin. As you know, circumstances change with each reincarnation, so who knows what casual shifts will occur. Even as mid-level managers, the Heavenly Realm wields power incomparable to the Human Realm, with plenty of means at their disposal.]

After replying, Zhuge Sa continued.

[The key point is something else. During your reincarnations, you've overlooked the most important fact.]

"What did I miss?"

[Whether the Fengshen Ritual succeeds or the Imperial Palace and White Lotus Cult settle their score, either way, it's a massive event that decides the fate of the mortal world. Right?]

"Yeah."

In the latter case, the victor would claim everything and become several times more powerful.

[So why haven't the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors shown their faces at all during your reincarnations until now?]

"......!!"

I was startled.

'Come to think of it!'

I'd never considered it. If the Imperial Palace gained immense power, from the Heavenly Realm's perspective—wanting to delay annihilation by five hundred years as much as possible—it was a catastrophe. So why hadn't the supreme, divine Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors intervened directly or descended?

They only showed up reluctantly when I summoned Jeon Wook during the Fengshen Ritual, and even then, he answered questions like he had zero interest in mortal affairs before leaving. If the Heavenly Realm and Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were allies, it was an almost impossibly indifferent attitude.

[One more thing. Are the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors definitely in the Heavenly Realm?]

"What do you mean?"

[No matter how divine and transcendent of space-time, they need a place to reside. Even the [Ancient Ruler] is no exception, so the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors surely need their own palace. But even peeking into Ground Immortal Mang Ryang's memories, not a glimpse of them in the Heavenly Realm.]

"......"

[This is crucial information. And perhaps a ridiculous truth is hidden...]

Muttering that, Zhuge Sa said firmly.

[Baek Woong. The answer is the Seven Essentials. Whether martial arts or sorcery, reaching the divine realm takes too long. In this life, lie low, stockpile power as much as possible, and watch the White Lotus Cult's unification from the shadows. Later, borrow the Cult Leader's power to find the Seven Essentials.]

"Is that the only way..."

I felt conflicted. Rationally, Zhuge Sa's words were realistic and obvious, but I couldn't ignore Mang Ryang's instinct. After deep thought, I said.

"Then I'll use any means necessary."

[Heh heh... That sounds good.]

Having read the scheme in my mind, Zhuge Sa chimed in and said.

[Then let's go meet Dokgo Seong.]

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