Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm

I headed first to the Heavenly Altar on Mount Heng.

The Heavenly Altar there had a unique feature unlike the others, something I wanted to check out. After confirming there were no martial artists or other factions nearby, I climbed up onto the altar.

“There it is.”

The statue of Pangu!

According to the creation myth, Pangu—the creation god—was conceived within a cosmic egg containing the primordial chaos of heaven and earth. He shattered the egg, sending the light, pure energies upward to form the sky, while the heavy, turbid ones settled to create the land. To honor that myth, the abbot of the nearby Xuan Gong Temple enshrined Pangu.

But strangely, the Heavenly Altar on Mount Heng also bore a statue of Pangu. I'd once asked the abbot if he'd placed it there, but he insisted it had stood there since ancient times, not by his hand. Clearly, someone had deliberately set the statue on this Heavenly Altar.

As I stared intently at the Pangu statue, Zhuge's voice spoke up.

[Is this that reincarnator's intuition of yours? Pinpointing every little detail without any clear karmic ties—it's uncanny.]

I replied to Zhuge, then fiddled with the statue. Turning to him, I asked,

“Zhuge, what exactly is this Pangu? Does a creation god like that really exist?”

[You're asking something troublesome.]

“The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors are real, existing as mighty divinities powerful enough to stand against the [Ancient Rulers]. So doesn't that make Pangu—who created this world—a transcendent being surpassing even them?”

That was what intrigued me most.

I'd never believed in Daoist deities or the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors before. But delving into mythic secrets, I'd learned the Heavenly Realm truly existed, as did the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. That shifted my entire worldview. Naturally, I couldn't help wondering about Pangu, said to predate even them.

“Zhuge, the heretic cult leader, must know something.”

After a moment's thought, Zhuge answered.

[From what I know, the humans now spread across the world are the work of the Three Sovereigns. Nuwa, Shennong, and Fuxi joined forces, or so it's said. Regardless of Pangu's role, the original creators of humanity were the nonhuman [Ancient Ones]. The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors merely refined their prototype humans. So whether Pangu truly exists? Even I can't say.]

“You don't know? You can't even confirm if he does or doesn't?”

[Tch... If no one knows the truth about the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, how many in the world could know the reality of the creation myth? Only the Sovereigns and Emperors themselves, or divinities on par with them like the [Ancient Rulers]. A mere human warlock like me can't know.]

Gruffly responding, Zhuge continued.

[But if Pangu exists, he's either a symbol for the explosive birth of the world... or a foolish, blind father. Nothing else.]

“Father?”

I tilted my head, echoing him.

“Did your father live that long? No way you're the child of the creator Pangu...”

Zhuge chuckled darkly.

[You lunatic bastard. 'Father' is just a metaphor. You take it literally?]

“......”

[My parents died decades ago.]

You could've said that first!

Irritated, I shot back as Zhuge pressed on.

[This world has something called the Pantheon. It encompasses not just the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, but the [Ancient Rulers] and even Outer Gods—every divine being across the cosmos. At the Pantheon's pinnacle stands a single ruler... an entity so supreme it's beyond mortal description.]

“So that's the 'father'?”

[Even uttering the name is blasphemy; even the [Ancient Rulers] hesitate to speak it. It's said that even the transcendent Outer Gods the [Ancient Rulers] revere as gods themselves worship this 'father.' The entity is chaos incarnate, boiling at the universe's core.]

“......”

I was stunned. I'd never imagined such a being.

“S-So... the [Ancient Rulers] worship Outer Gods as deities... and those Outer Gods worship this one... like the God of Gods?”

[What a childish way to put it. Eh, close enough.]

Grumbling, Zhuge went on.

[If there's a true creator of this world, it can only be the 'father.' My view? Pangu symbolizes that being.]

“Hmm... look...”

[What?]

Arms crossed, I scowled.

“Keeps feeling weird calling it 'father.' My own dad died when I was little; I barely remember him. Makes it awkward. No other title?”

My parents died when I was twelve. The problem? My memories from back then are so faint, faces and moments alike faded. I was just an ignorant kid, reason not fully developed—unavoidable.

“And my reincarnation started while slaving away at the village chief's house... what timing.”

Still, they raised me. I took quiet pride in that when Zhuge chimed in.

[Oh right. You're the orphan bastard.]

I exploded.

“You fucking asshole, gonna talk nice or not?”

[Hmm... Better to call it this, then.]

After a pause, Zhuge said,

[The Boiling Chaos.]

“What's that? Something bubbling at the universe's heart? Blub blub?”

[...Must be nice being as thoughtless as you. Can't even fear it... Most would go mad just learning of it.]

Sighing in lament, Zhuge continued.

[Anyway, we're done here. Pangu's irrelevant now. Let's check the other Heavenly Altars.]

“Right.”

I mounted my Four Divine Beasts statue and headed to Mount Tai's Heavenly Altar. It lay abandoned since Zhuque's death, in disarray with corpses strewn about. Seemed the rumors were true—soldiers massacred or driven mad during Nuwa's descent. No one had dared clean it up. If the altar was this bad, the fortress guarding the mountain must be in ruins.

“Hmm, nothing much to do here either...”

That made two altars checked. The problem was the remaining three.

Mount Heng, Mount Hua, Mount Song.

With the Nine Great Sects there, checking their altars meant unavoidable clashes. After some thought, I said,

“Need to meet Master Shinseung first.”

Mount Heng Sect and Mount Hua Sect knew little of the altars' functions or power. Hengshan was just a martial sect, and Huashan had become a secular one after expelling the Daoist sorcery specialists. The only place equipped to negotiate properly about the altars was Shaolin Temple on Mount Song—and only Master Shinseung.

[Logical order. But you got a plan for what to say?]

“Well...”

I started to reply to Zhuge but hesitated.

“Damn.”

Come to think of it, I had no good pitch. Even demanding eavesdropping on Heavenly Realm intel via the altars, backed by White Lotus Cult's might—would a famed master like Shinseung accept? Might have to eliminate him by force. I wanted peace, but persuading him seemed me trickier than expected.

As I pondered, Zhuge spoke.

[You skipped a step. Don't go straight to Shinseung—visit Venerable Manganyang first.]

“Ah.”

I understood without Zhuge explaining further.

Master Shinseung rose thanks to Venerable Manganyang's grace!

With the Venerable's backing, getting Shinseung's aid would be straightforward. But worried, I muttered,

“Last visit, Cheon Woo-jin wouldn't let me in. Something really happen to Venerable Manganyang?”

[That's why we check. Think on it later.]

“Got it.”

*Paat*

I arrived at Venerable Manganyang's village. Entering with the Heavenly Dark Secret Book buried as before, Cheon Woo-jin blocked me again with an illusionary barrier. Spotting me, he gruffly demanded,

“Why're you back?”

“Cheon Woo-jin. The White Lotus Lord repelled the Nanhua Old Immortal. You know that?”

“I do.”

“The Heavenly Realm will strike again, hard, to annihilate the White Lotus Cult. To stop it, I seek to pray at the Heavenly Altars and implore them to halt. Let me see Venerable Manganyang.”

“......”

Truth was spying on Heavenly intel, but on the surface, this sufficed. Cheon Woo-jin eyed me suspiciously before replying,

“Why defend the White Lotus Cult so? It's a religion deserving extinction, and its lord's committed countless evils. Useless wretch.”

I answered Cheon Woo-jin firmly.

“Still better than the Heavenly Realm!”

“......?!”

“The Nanhua Old Immortal ensnared countless innocents with Peaceful Arts sorcery, sacrificing tens of thousands. Know how many casualties among those mind-controlled humans? How's the Heavenly Realm any different, sacrificing the blameless in the name of 'greater good?'”

Confirming my intent, Cheon Woo-jin groaned, then said,

“You're right, but convincing the Heavenly Realm's impossible. They ignore mortal pleas.”

“I'll handle that. Just let me see Venerable Manganyang. I need... that exalted one's help.”

Cheon Woo-jin pondered, then said,

“The Heavenly Realm's in uproar over that now. Master just returned from their council. You can meet him, but no guarantee he'll give the answers you want.”

“Fine by me.”

Soon, Cheon Woo-jin dispelled the barrier and cleared the path. I stood before Ye Dongbin's shrine and mentally called Venerable Manganyang.

You crazy cat bastard! Get out here!!

Moments later, immense drowsiness hit, pulling me into the dream world.

[You always bring uninvited guests.]

Venerable Manganyang appeared and promptly hurled Zhuge's soul outward. Then bluntly said,

[...Things have spiraled too far. Never thought a mortal could fell a Great Thunder Celestial Immortal. Even I can't predict what comes next.]

Yeah! So help me use the Heavenly Altars.

No time.

I willed fiercely, and Venerable Manganyang twirled his tail before speaking.

[My kin will heed your will from now on. You can count on Master Shinseung and Shaolin too. But immense trials loom ahead—you must block them with all your strength.]

Immense trials?

What're those?

[Soon, the Heavenly Ladder bridging heaven and earth will descend. It's the decree of the Heavenly Realm's Three Pure Ones—even I couldn't stop it.]

With that preface, Venerable Manganyang continued.

[Grace period: 49 days from now. Find ways to sway the Heavenly Realm by then.]

Why just your cryptic bullshit today?

Tell me what happened so I can understand!

Irked, I pressed, and Venerable Manganyang replied,

[Never imagined it'd end like this... Or maybe it was inevitable...]

Leaving those words, he meandered away.

Feeling his bafflement, I grew uneasy.

Waking, I told Cheon Woo-jin,

“Cheon Woo-jin. Venerable Manganyang said the Heavenly Ladder comes in 49 days. What'd he mean?”

Cheon Woo-jin paled in shock.

“Wh-what...? Master truly said that?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn it... Those White Lotus bastards... They finally caused real trouble. Could've just played dead once...”

Cheon Woo-jin gnashed his teeth. After ranting in place, face flushing red to purple, he sighed.

“I'll help you too. We'll run ourselves ragged. Whatever you need, just say.”

I was shocked—first time seeing Cheon Woo-jin volunteer so readily.

“Huh?”

What got into this foul-tempered guy? I'd beg on my knees and he'd ignore me, yet here he was.

“Sudden change of heart?”

“Now!”

Cheon Woo-jin pressed his temples, muttering,

“Move fast. We stop that Heavenly Ladder at any cost.”

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