Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm

After slaying Zhuge Yuryong, I pondered what to do next.

'Isn't the imperial palace all sorted out now?'

With the high priest and shadowy mastermind behind the imperial palace's control, Zhuge Yuryong, sealed away in the heavenly realm, the wicked deeds of the palace that had troubled me were now at an end. The [Old Ruler] of the Demon Subduing Hall still lingered, but since it wasn't taking any action for the moment, it was necessary to observe the cult leader's future moves. In that case, the subjugation of the imperial palace, which I had long considered my lifelong goal, was perfectly achieved in this lifetime.

I was filled with overwhelming emotion, but there was no time to indulge in sentimentality. The White Lotus Cult Leader was about to clash with the Twelve Laws, and I knew he harbored ill intentions. Toppling a single Zhuge Yuryong wouldn't bring peace to the world.

[Baek Woong. Think about your priorities.]

[Now you need to deliver the treasure White Feather Fan to Sang Gwan-hyeok.]

White Lotus Cult Leader was about to clash with the Twelve Laws, and I knew he harbored ill intentions. Toppling a single Zhuge Yuryong wouldn't bring peace to the world.

[Baek Woong. Think about your priorities.]

[First, figure out the White Feather Fan's capabilities.]

Following Zhuge-sa's advice, I held up the White Feather Fan and showed it to Cheon Woo-jin. He glanced at it and took it reluctantly, at which point I asked,

"Cheon Woo-jin. Can you tell me what abilities this treasure White Feather Fan possesses?"

Cheon Woo-jin replied curtly.

"You mean you want me to just take it without even knowing what it does? Fine..."

"I've risked my life to subdue the enemy threatening the heavenly realm. I deserve spoils like this."

"Hmph."

With a short snort, Cheon Woo-jin slowly examined the White Feather Fan. After infusing it with spiritual energy several times, he spoke.

"This is a treasure made from the feather of the Great Roc Eagle."

"The Great Roc Eagle?"

"A mystical bird that inhabits the heavenly realm."

Cheon Woo-jin handed the White Feather Fan back to me and continued.

"This treasure continuously restores sorcery power, allowing for near-permanent casting of spells. Additionally, if someone of immortal-level ability uses the White Feather Fan, they can glimpse the future."

"Damn it. Let me put it simpler. Future sight falls into two categories: futures that 'can be changed' and futures that 'cannot be changed.' The White Feather Fan reads the former, but only fragmented scenes or branches. So it's not really helpful even if you see it."

"Wouldn't even a fragmented scene be useful? Why do you say it's not helpful?"

"The White Feather Fan's owner has already observed the future."

Cheon Woo-jin sighed.

"The moment it's observed, the path toward that future changes. Because the observer is also part of 'time.' That's the unique nature of future sight."

"Ah..."

Only then did I understand Cheon Woo-jin's words.

No matter how much of a changeable future you glimpse, if the process to reach it is unpredictable, it's meaningless. Moreover, with the observer's intentions mixed in, it's pure chaos. That's why Cheon Woo-jin distinguished it as future sight rather than precognition.

'Then could it be...'

Had Zhuque Zhuge Yuryong used this White Feather Fan to observe future scenes?

As I pondered deeply, Zhuge-sa spoke.

[Baek Woong. Hold off on giving the treasure White Feather Fan to Sang Gwan-hyeok.]

[You want me to try using its future sight ability?]

[Yes.]

Zhuge-sa continued calmly.

[There might be crucial clues. You don't need to rush giving the treasure to Sang Gwan-hyeok

[Yes.]

Zhuge-sa continued calmly.

[There might be crucial clues. You don't need to rush giving the treasure to Sang Gwan-hyeok anyway, right?]

[True.]

[Even if you hurry, all that's left is returning to the division and forcibly taking the Heavenly Spirit Pill.]

While I conversed with Zhuge-sa, Cheon Woo-jin slyly interjected.

"Well, with everything done, I'll be on my way."

"Wait!"

I couldn't let him leave just like that!

I hurriedly stopped Cheon Woo-jin. Staring at me blankly, he listened as I blurted out what came to mind.

"There's one more thing to do!"

"What is it? For the record, I'm here on the heavenly realm's subjugation order. If you can't mobilize the heavenly realm, you can't use me either."

Cheon Woo-jin's face clearly showed his reluctance to work. Perhaps dealing with Zhuge Yuryong had been more troublesome than expected, and he just wanted to go home. But chances to gain a powerful ally like Cheon Woo-jin weren't common, so I grew anxious.

'Ugh, I need to squeeze every last bit out of this guy or it'll be a waste...'

What should I say?

chances to gain a powerful ally like Cheon Woo-jin weren't common, so I grew anxious.

'Ugh, I need to squeeze every last bit out of this guy or it'll be a waste...'

What should I say?

As I agonized, Zhuge-sa said,

[You already know what to assign him. Why hesitate?]

Soon, following Zhuge-sa's advice, I spoke up.

"...You know the imperial palace has fallen into the White Lotus Cult's hands now."

"Yeah, I've heard..."

"Underground in that palace is the Imperial Seal of the Realm. If the White Lotus Cult Leader gets it, disaster will strike. Help me retrieve the Imperial Seal of the Realm first."

At the mention of the Imperial Seal of the Realm, Cheon Woo-jin's expression changed.

"The Imperial Seal of the Realm? Really?"

"Yes. As a heavenly realm emissary, this is something you must do, so you'll help me, right? And one more thing."

I took a deep breath and continued.

"You need to assist in the liberation ritual to release my Lunar Yao."

"......"

Cheon Woo-jin's face twisted greatly. I pressed him accusingly.

"Why the sour face? I need to liberate the Lunar Yao to gain the power to face the White Lotus Cult Leader. Only then can I fulfill the heavenly realm's mission."

"That's true, but..."

Cheon Woo-jin said with extreme reluctance.

"If I do as you say, you'll end up with both the Imperial Seal of the Realm and the Lunar Yao."

"Yeah."

"Why do you get to hog everything?"

I made a dumbfounded face. Was this guy pulling this again? But since it meant acquiring two supreme treasures for a sorcerer, it was understandable. I cleared my throat and replied.

"Sorry about that. Well... if something good comes up later..."

"Comes up?"

In a shrinking voice, I said,

"I'll share a bit."

Cheon Woo-jin snorted.

"You greedy pig. Talking nonsense you don't even mean."

"......"

"No, you moronic bastard."

Spitting harsh curses, Cheon Woo-jin turned his head sharply.

"Lead the way. Let's finish quick and part ways."

"Ah... Got it."

His sudden insults soured my mood, but I endured it. From Cheon Woo-jin's perspective, it was practically free labor. If enduring some abuse meant securing two treasures of the ages, I could bear it.

Riding the Four Not Statue, I asked Zhuge-sa,

[Is it okay to take everything now?]

[You must avoid taking the Heavenly Spirit Pill. But no excuse will work with the leader on the verge of all-out war with the Twelve Laws. You're now the White Lotus Cult's top expert excluding the guardian divine beasts. You can't sit out on strengthening the forces.]

Zhuge-sa grinned as he explained.

[Better to grab everything upfront. I'll explain the next steps later.]

Shiiik!!

I headed first to Mount Tai's Heavenly Altar with Cheon Woo-jin. I used Zhuge Yuryong's spare flesh body that hadn't fully burned as the sacrifice, Cheon Woo-jin grasped the time of the Heaven-Earth Religion Altar, and soon we began the liberation ritual on Mount Tai.

Kugugugu...

While Cheon Woo-jin stood atop the altar adjusting his spiritual energy, I knelt below and thought,

'Which of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors will appear?'

Previously, during the liberation ritual for the Sun Yao at Mount Hua's Heavenly Altar, Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors Jeon-uk had been summoned. But that wasn't coincidence; it was inevitable because Jeon-uk's statue in the Sun Yao ruins served as the medium.

This time, with no specific medium, one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors would be summoned at random.

I gazed at the Lunar Yao placed atop the altar. Calming my pounding heart, I looked up anxiously as the sky gradually darkened.

Wuuuuung

Cheon Woo-jin began infusing energy into the flags he had pre-planted. Previously, Zhuge-sa had assisted him, but now, having overcome divine fever and grown even stronger, Cheon Woo-jin didn't need it. He had become a sorcerer powerful enough to perform the ritual alone.

Soon, blue spiritual energy flowed from the Heavenly Altar, and a sphere of darkness slowly began to form. The dark sphere floated in the air, tracing the Eight Trigrams.

As the Eight Trigrams slowly descended onto the Heavenly Altar, the dark clouds in the sky intensified. The thick, sky-covering clouds devoured every ray of sunlight. When heaven and earth were completely shrouded in blackness, it happened.

Kigigigik

A wail as if the void itself was torn apart!

It was a sound so mournful and eerie that it echoed across all of Mount Tai. Like a dirge

Kigigigik

A wail as if the void itself was torn apart!

It was a sound so mournful and eerie that it echoed across all of Mount Tai. Like a dirge denying life itself, just hearing it sent chills down my spine. The terrifying yin energy made even the soul tremble.

The moon began to turn black. The ink moon swelled, devouring the clouds, eventually growing to five times its original size. Ignoring even the surrounding starlight as if it didn't exist, the ink moon slowly blanketed the sky.

This contrasted sharply with the previous summoning of Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors Jeon-uk, when his Pantheon appeared along with ghosts and divine presences like Do-ol. That felt like an emperor's palace descending wholly to the mortal world, but now it was as if primordial darkness was manifesting into reality through the moon—a bizarre sensation.

How much time passed like that.

From the center of the dark moon, 'something' silver-tinged slowly descended to the earth. Its silvery form resembled a human in shape and size, but the moment I beheld it, I was overwhelmed by its terrifying presence.

Wheeeee—

Along with glittering moonlight, a bizarre creature stretched its beak and flew about. Its form seemed utterly unnatural, making me wonder if it was a bipedal beast, but the pure, clear divine energy emanating from it was too refined for an animal. The strange beast circled in all directions, letting out enigmatic cries as if blessing the silver being.

As it drew closer, I could make out the entity's form more clearly.

It resembled a human—but fundamentally different. Through the hazy silver glow, a serpentine lower body was visible, though it seemed more like a tail. Its eyes blazed intensely as if filled

directions, letting out enigmatic cries as if blessing the silver being.

As it drew closer, I could make out the entity's form more clearly.

It resembled a human—but fundamentally different. Through the hazy silver glow, a serpentine lower body was visible, though it seemed more like a tail. Its eyes blazed intensely as if filled with flowing starlight, and it had human limbs. Before me stood a goddess clad in sacred divine robes, one hand floating a red sphere like the sun.

At that instant, Cheon Woo-jin, who had been directing the spiritual energy, naturally bowed his head and prostrated himself. He warned me.

"Pay respects to the Progenitor Goddess!"

Without a word of retort, I could only flatten myself like Cheon Woo-jin. Because from his single phrase, I instantly recognized what being had been summoned. Even Zhuge-sa within me fell silent in awe upon facing it.

To think I'd encounter this existence in my lifetime.

Soon, the silver being gazed down at the prostrated me and Cheon Woo-jin and spoke in divine tongue.

[I am Nüwa.]

Her following words confirmed my certainty.

The Seven Luminaries' liberation ritual was intimately linked to the creator of the Seven Luminaries!

[Who dares awaken the Seven Luminaries from slumber?]

[ Who dares awaken the Seven Luminaries from slumber? ]

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