Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm

Going with Cheon Woo-jin to the Shaolin Temple on Mount Song, I immediately sensed that this Heavenly Ladder Altar was different from the others.

Pure, solemn spiritual energy flowed without the slightest disruption!

Human resolve, honed along the massive dragon vein, bestowed spiritual stability upon the Shaolin Temple. It was incomparable to the imperial palace tainted by evil gods or the White Lotus Cult's interior, where ominous energy had condensed. Simply standing still and breathing the clear air made it feel as though malevolent energies were being washed away, filling me with awe at its exceptional purity.

"I didn't notice it much before..."

Zhuge Sage explained,

[Your spiritual power has greatly amplified, reaching a level where you can sense the purity of spiritual energy. The Shaolin Temple is one of the foremost spiritual lands in the Central Plains, so it's only natural you'd feel it distinctly.]

Cheon Woo-jin and I stood near the Heavenly Ladder Altar on Mount Song, observing it. As Cheon Woo-jin examined the altar's structure and stroked the stele, he said,

"It's well-maintained. Not a single ancient ritual has been damaged."

"You must not have realized. The Heavenly Ladder Altar on Mount Tai, unlike this one, had its rituals damaged and distorted. It was probably so that the Vermilion Bird could spy on the Heavenly Realm through it as she pleased."

Pondering Cheon Woo-jin's words, I replied,

"Hold on. You're on par with Zhuge Yueyong—no, far superior to him as a ritualist. Couldn't you distort the Heavenly Ladder Altar stele to eavesdrop on the Heavenly Realm's information...?"

"It's true I'm stronger than Zhuge Yueyong, but I can't match his mastery of the Eight Trigrams. The method he used to manipulate the altar is an extremely precise and complex Eight Trigrams ritual that can't be replicated overnight."

Cheon Woo-jin continued,

"The Divine Victory Monk will arrive soon. Prepare yourself."

I extended my qi sense, but detected no monk nearby. That meant Cheon Woo-jin had sensed a much wider area and pinpointed the monk's presence from it. It was a moment to freshly appreciate the extent of his supernatural abilities.

*Whish*

Soon, the Divine Victory Monk leaped out from the forest with three high monks of the Ming generation. Spotting us, he said in surprise,

"Amitabha... The divine beings have arrived."

I stepped forward and clasped my hands in greeting to Divine Victory Grandmaster.

"Divine Victory Grandmaster. I am Baek Woong, Vice Cult Leader of the White Lotus Cult."

"...!!"

I felt the three Ming generation high monks beside him recoil in shock. Especially the monk named Ming Jeong, whom I'd seen before, was so flustered his composure nearly shattered. Unable to hold back, he blurted,

"This can't be... A demonic outsider has infiltrated all the way here!"

"Let's eliminate him immediately!"

"I'll summon the disciples..."

As the Ming generation monks made a fuss, the Divine Victory Monk bellowed,

"Silence!"

*Rumble*

For a moment, I thought it was an earthquake. His internal energy was so vast it shook heaven and earth. Realizing his inner power was no less than mine—despite my dozens of fortuitous encounters with inner energy—I was struck with fresh admiration. Truly, the Shaolin Temple's orthodox divine arts were formidable.

Calming his junior brothers, he said quietly,

"What is your purpose in coming to the Heavenly Ladder Altar? And it seems you were waiting for us."

"That's right. We're here more to see you, Divine Victory Monk, than the altar itself."

"What business does a White Lotus Cultist have with this poor monk?"

Pointing to Cheon Woo-jin beside me, I said,

"This is Reincarnated Immortal Cheon Woo-jin, direct disciple of Forgotten Brightness Monk."

"Hmm!"

"We've come on Forgotten Brightness Monk's orders. It's an extremely urgent and grave matter, so please ask the others to leave us."

"......"

The Divine Victory Monk pondered for a long while. Then he said,

"Ming Jeong, Ming Woo, Ming Jin! Return and wait."

"But, senior brother..."

"Don't worry. These two didn't come here to fight. If they had, we'd already be dead."

"...Understood."

Once the three monks vanished into the temple grounds, Cheon Woo-jin said to the Divine Victory Monk,

"I'm sorry to visit without time for Master to appear in your dreams. But the matter is too grave, so we had no choice but to hurry using a spiritual beast."

"Hmm... I can believe you're the master's disciple. Such terrifying dharma power..."

Praising him, the Divine Victory Monk asked,

"What exactly has happened?"

Cheon Woo-jin replied in a slightly somber tone,

"The worst conceivable scenario has unfolded. Recently, with the White Lotus Cult seizing Luoyang and maximizing the risk of the gods' seals breaking, the Heavenly Realm urgently dispatched the Southern Florescence Old Immortal to order the cult's subjugation. But the Cult Leader repelled even the Great Law Immortal. In the end, the Heavenly Realm's Three Pure Ones commanded the reinstallation of the Heavenly Ladder."

Cheon Woo-jin then explained the recent events in greater detail. It carried more weight coming from him than from me, the one claiming to be the Vice Cult Leader.

"......!!"

The Divine Victory Monk froze rigid on the spot. Even this monk of utmost discipline was so stunned he couldn't speak for a time. Then, relaxing his shoulders, he sighed,

"This can't be... How could such a thing... An event unthinkable since the Mythic Age..."

Muttering in a daze, he turned his gaze to me.

"You said you're the White Lotus Cult's Vice Leader. Why have you come with him?"

Clearing my throat, I said,

"I am the Master of the Lunar Yao and was ordered by the Heavenly Realm to check the Cult Leader and the Twelve Laws Masters. But the situation has turned utterly dire, beyond what I can handle alone. I must shamelessly ask for your help, Divine Victory Monk."

"Master of the Seven Yaos?"

"To make it believable."

*Hum*

I summoned the power of the Lunar Yao. Seeing the three divine artifacts orbiting me luminously, the Divine Victory Monk murmured as if finally understanding,

"The guest today would resolve his resentment—this must be what it meant."

"......?"

"I've heard whispers of your tale, but this is the first time seeing you in person."

"Will you help?"

"Hmm..."

The Divine Victory Monk seemed to compose his emotions for a moment. Glancing at Cheon Woo-jin, he continued,

"When did it begin?"

"It was decided yesterday at the Heavenly Realm's council."

"Then everything will be settled in 49 days. What can this poor monk possibly do?"

Huh?

Unable to hold back any longer, I asked the Divine Victory Monk,

"Do you know what the Heavenly Ladder is? And what's this about 49 days?"

"......"

The Divine Victory Monk glanced at Cheon Woo-jin. With a sigh, Cheon Woo-jin said to him,

"This one doesn't fully know what the Heavenly Ladder is. But he's strong in his sense of justice and trustworthy, so Master entrusted him with the great task. And things are too urgent to explain properly to him now."

"I see. Then this poor monk will explain to you, Baek Woong."

The Divine Victory Monk explained slowly,

"The Heavenly Ladder Altar is the place where the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors severed the connection between heaven and earth."

"I know that. And that the current altars have lost function and are mere relics."

"More precisely, this Heavenly Ladder Altar is a device left for the Heavenly Realm to directly intervene in the human world in emergencies."

What?

Staring at him in surprise, I heard him continue,

"In the primordial age before the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors severed heaven and earth, humans, yao spirits, and divine beings all lived together on this Central Plains land. The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors lived among humans too. But when the connection was severed, most divine beings, including them, ascended to the Heavenly Realm, leaving only humans, yao races, and demon races on earth."

"Hmm..."

"The Heavenly Ladder Altar is the footing for the ladder's steps. When the ladder descends from the Heavenly Realm, the divine beings up there can come directly down to earth. The severed connection reconnects, blurring the divide between the heavens and the human world."

I tilted my head at that.

"Can't Southern Florescence Old Immortals or powerful divine beings already exert influence on the human world as they wish? What's the point?"

The Divine Victory Monk sighed.

"It's the Law of Karma."

"......?"

"Though the Southern Florescence Old Immortal used powerful sorcery to wreak havoc in the human world, it was possible only because the Jade Emperor ordered it to bear the karma of that act. Even mighty Great Law Immortals can't ignore the Law of Karma; reckless exertion of power brings backlash leading to annihilation. That's why, despite many powerful divine beings throughout history, the humans of the Central Plains could live in peace."

Gazing at the sky, the Divine Victory Monk continued,

"But if the Heavenly Ladder connects, the Heavenly Realm's karmic constraints become meaningless. All divine beings can descend to earth freely, with virtually no limits on wielding their arts."

"What...!!"

I was stunned.

If that was true, the Heavenly Realm's powerful Great Law Immortals could rampage on earth unchecked. Thinking of their power, I realized it was a catastrophe.

Though the Cult Leader repelled a joint assault from three Great Law Immortals including the Southern Florescence Old Immortal, it had cornered him to the point of needing a desperate final move. Moreover, those weren't even battle-specialized Fighting Immortals. If just two Fighting Immortals with full regalia attacked, the Cult Leader would surely be slain effortlessly.

And in the human world, there were no experts surpassing—or even matching—the Cult Leader. At best, the Twelve Laws Masters or Miyamoto Musashi, but it was doubtful they'd accept our alliance proposal. Yet the Heavenly Realm's descent loomed, making it desperately urgent.

"Then what's this 49-day deadline?"

"It's the period of seven cycles of seven days for deliberation. The supreme Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors will review the Three Pure Ones' Heavenly Ladder plan, totaling 49 days. Once deliberation ends, the ladder connects immediately."

The Three Pure Ones referred to Daoism's highest deities: Primordial Heavenly Lord, Spiritual Treasure Heavenly Lord, and Supreme Elder Lord. It seemed the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors outranked even them in the Heavenly Realm. I tilted my head.

"Hmm... Isn't there a chance the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors reject the reinstallation?"

"No one knows. But throughout history, they've never once rejected the Three Pure Ones' proposals."

"......"

Then the 49-day deadline was truly the final ultimatum. Glaring at the Heavenly Ladder Altar, I said,

"Then we just smash this one where the ladder will connect?"

Cheon Woo-jin sneered beside me,

"If we destroy it, the Heavenly Realm would thank us. No need to wait 49 days."

"What?"

"The Heavenly Ladder Altar is both a safety device for the Heavenly Realm and a wedge. Its existence prevents heavenly divine beings from casually trying to connect heaven and earth. In other words, it separates them... Destroy it, and the heavens immediately overlap with earth."

"......!!"

In that instant, I recalled the moment of death in my 17th reincarnation. My legs torn off by the Demon Subduing Hall's ruler, I'd fled to the Heavenly Ladder Altar with Miho, pursued by the Vermilion Bird intent on killing us. In desperation, I'd tried to resonate the Seven Yaos with Miho to blow up the altar.

I still remembered the Vermilion Bird's scream-like cry:

[Do you know what happens if you do that? Do you understand what it means for the Heavenly Realm's boundary to vanish?!]

[The true Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors will descend again! And this time, with no reprieve or mercy, they'll annihilate everything without a trace! Their essence is no different from the ancient rulers!! That would be a hundred times more horrific than any future the Demon Subduing Hall could create! Don't do something insane!!]

Ignoring her warning, I'd destroyed the altar with the Seven Yaos resonance. In a blaze of brilliant light, my body disintegrated, and amid the vanishing, I glimpsed the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors rising in chaos, wearing imperial crowns.

So, after my death then, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors had risen, causing the Heavenly Realm to directly descend and overlap with the world. Seeing my realization, Cheon Woo-jin continued,

"Destroying the Heavenly Ladder Altar is the worst choice. Instead, we must defend the Five Rifts' altar from external forces for 49 days. Even if we fail to stop the reinstallation, if the ladder connects intact, the heavenly divine beings will at least exercise some restraint..."

"Hmm..."

I let out a groan.

"This isn't just about spying on Heavenly Realm intel anymore!"

The Cult Leader might not grasp the current situation, but sending me to investigate the altars had turned out right. Waiting idly would have brought White Lotus Cult's doom in 49 days. But a sudden thought struck me, and I said,

"Wait! Does that mean there's nothing we can do now? Just watch for 49 days?"

"Of course not. Why else would I come with you, Baek Woong?"

Gruffly retorting, Cheon Woo-jin continued,

"What we can do now is submit a petition to the Heavenly Realm."

"A petition?"

"That we humans can resolve our own affairs without the ladder, so withdraw the installation plan—we persuade them that way through the Heavenly Ladder Altar. That's our only option now."

"Hmm!"

I gazed at the altar with renewed eyes.

Indeed. The Heavenly Ladder Altar wasn't just a ladder from heaven to earth; it also served as a channel for earthly wills to ascend to the heavens. That must be why the Vermilion Bird could manipulate it to spy.

After a moment's thought, I looked at the Divine Victory Monk.

"Divine Victory Monk. You know how to submit petitions to the Heavenly Realm."

"Yes. This poor monk has mastered the method passed down through Shaolin generations."

Hearing his answer, a ray of hope bloomed. If we played it right, we might overcome this crisis. But soon, he spoke in a weary voice,

"However... Even Forgotten Brightness Monk couldn't sway the Three Pure Ones at the Heavenly Realm council. He's near the pinnacle there, one of the greatest beings, yet he couldn't overcome the majority..."

"......"

"We must now seek every way to persuade the Heavenly Realm."

The Divine Victory Monk clasped his hands to me.

"Baek Woong. Follow this poor monk for a moment."

"Understood."

"Cheon Woo-jin, please restore the altar's spiritual energy. I entrust it to you."

Cheon Woo-jin replied as if it were obvious,

"That's why I'm here."

*Tat-tat*

The Divine Victory Monk and I left Cheon Woo-jin behind and headed somewhere. After climbing the mountain for a while, we arrived at a deserted temple hall. He said to me,

"Inside here is someone who's been desperately searching for you."

"......?"

"This too is fate. It must be your destiny."

What was the Divine Victory Monk talking about?

But in this time-critical situation with the Heavenly Ladder Altar, there must be a reason he brought me here. Half-doubting, I stepped into the temple hall.

A candle flickered in the dim interior, illuminating a white-clad woman praying with clasped hands before the Buddha statue. From behind, her curvaceous figure marked her instantly as a beauty. Feeling a strange familiarity, I tilted my head and took a step forward.

She bowed once more to the statue, clasped her hands, and rose. Turning toward me, she said,

"So we meet like this in the end, Baek Woong."

*Thud*

The moment I saw her face, my heart seemed to drop.

Unable to suppress my emotions, I cried out,

"Miho...!!"

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