Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm

After recovering my body, I rode the Four Buddha Statue back to the seal beneath the Shangguan family home. Zhuge Sa was still lying there in a vegetative state, and Miho was nowhere to be seen. I slapped his cheeks hard, trying to wake him, but there was no sign of him stirring.

‘Why won’t he wake up?’

Even a normal human would have yelped in pain from blows like that, but he showed no reaction. Once his cheeks were bright red, I couldn’t hit him any harder for fear of knocking his teeth out. I tried infusing qi into his body’s meridians and acupoints, even attempting the Thunder God Style torture, but his body merely convulsed in agony while Zhuge Sa refused to wake. At this point, it was like stabbing a skewer into someone’s stomach while they slept—yet no response. This was no ordinary matter.

‘The Eight Trigrams Seal, if maintained too long, damages the human nervous system. I have to release it.’

With no other choice, I summoned Yeo Dongbin, the one responsible for putting Zhuge Sa in this state.

[Yeo Dongbin. What did you do? Zhuge Sa won’t wake up.]

Yeo Dongbin replied as if it were nothing.

[I completely severed his soul with my Heart Sword.]

[No. He’ll remain like that until the Heart Sword’s influence fades.]

I spoke urgently.

[Wake Zhuge Sa. Without his wisdom, it’s hard to navigate this situation.]

Yeo Dongbin detected the demonic energy around Zhuge Sa and replied in a displeased tone.

[This man is clearly an evil demonic sorcerer... Yet you seek to trust the untrustworthy.]

[You’re right, but that’s exactly why he can do things others can’t.]

[Hmm...]

When I spoke firmly, Yeo Dongbin reluctantly swiped his finger from left to right.

Flash!

“Cough!”

Suddenly, Zhuge Sa, blood streaming from his mouth, shuddered and sat up. Bewildered by the unexpected pain, he endured it with ease. Then, grinning, he addressed Yeo Dongbin, who had descended upon me.

“Heh, that’s some fire, Sword Immortal.”

Yeo Dongbin replied coldly.

[If you harm my vessel, I will not spare you.]

“Heh heh... Understood.”

Whoosh.

As Yeo Dongbin’s possession ended, Zhuge Sa wiped the nosebleed from his face and said to me,

“The Separation Great Law will lift soon. But first, something to tell you.”

“What?”

“Hand over the holy relic used in the seal. Recover it now and give it to me.”

“......”

I glanced at the seal. I figured the absorbed holy relic was amid the shattered remains. Shangguan He must have fled to the surface in a hurry without time to extract it. I sensed I could retrieve it with Heavenly Vision, but I curtly replied to Zhuge Sa.

“What do you need it for?”

“You asking because you don’t know? I’m sick of lurking only in your head.”

“Hmm...”

“With the holy relic, even if your Separation Great Law scripture is lacking, I can anchor my soul to a spirit lantern.”

Zhuge Sa grinned as he explained.

“Isn’t that a great offer?”

Of course it was. I was tired of Zhuge Sa peeking into my thoughts, snarking at me, and mocking me whenever he pleased. If he got a physical body, I’d want to beat him half to death.

Zhuge Sa’s independence was welcome in many ways. But I’d started curbing my habit of oversimplifying things, so I mulled over his proposal.

After a moment’s thought, I said,

“What do you really want?”

“I told you. Give me a body.”

“You won’t be satisfied with that. What’s your scheme?”

“Kekeke... So you do know to suspect.”

Giggling, Zhuge Sa rubbed his swollen cheeks and continued.

“Simply put, even two bodies wouldn’t be enough. No matter how well you follow my plans, there’s a limit to what you can do in this crisis. My calculations show we’re short on action opportunities. It’d be far more efficient if I moved myself.”

“......”

“Stopping the Heavenly Emperor Plan in just 49 days is nearly impossible. To boost success even a little, bet on me.”

“You’re great at beating around the bush! I still can’t trust you.”

I growled.

“How can I release you when you might stab me in the back anytime?”

At first, when the Separation Great Law’s side effects emerged, I was eager to free Zhuge Sa ASAP. But sharing thoughts with him revealed how terrifying his strategies were, and letting him act freely was extremely dangerous.

Hate to admit it, but he was one of the top strategists in the current Central Plains. Plus, with most of my past life memories, no one could backstab me easier than him. Maybe keeping him sealed in my head was best.

Zhuge Sa shrugged.

“Fine, do as you like. Just wonder if you can fulfill all my directives alone.”

“Shut up. If not, I’ll die trying. You might leave me neither dead nor alive with a backstab.”

“Kekekeke...”

Moments later, Zhuge Sa’s head drooped. The Separation Great Law’s duration had ended. Simultaneously, I felt his soul being pulled back and absorbed into me. Zhuge Sa’s giggling echoed in a corner of my brain.

[Great Baek Woong. Let’s see how far you get alone?]

“Quiet. First, recover the holy relic.”

Heavenly Vision activate!

Using Heavenly Vision, I extracted the holy relic’s core from the seal’s barrier and held it. A Western relic, but its power was like a treasure pouch—endless uses ahead.

‘Spirit power increased.’

Then I ascended to find Shangguan He. Pale-faced, he stared blankly at the sky from the top floor, utterly drained. I approached from behind.

“I’ll take the holy relic.”

“Do as you wish. My mission is done, and I no longer need it.”

“Then...”

As I turned, Shangguan He suddenly said,

“Deputy Leader Baek Woong. Do you know why the Heavenly Realm can’t abandon Luoyang?”

I turned my gaze to him and stopped. Shangguan He, still staring blankly at the sky, continued.

“There are two gods in Luoyang.”

“Two?”

I looked puzzled.

“Why two? The ruler manipulating the palace from the shadows was clearly one...”

The Sleeper of Yin Kai, called the [Old Ruler]. That entity controlled the palace’s darkness, demanded human sacrifices, and granted power to the Vermilion Bird and palace forces in return. It even summoned apostles or appeared itself, nearly killing the White Lotus Leader. Its presence was too intense to forget.

But I’d never heard of two rulers in the Demon Horse Hall. As I stared at Shangguan He, he groaned in pain.

“...Ugh, I can’t say more. My mental strength won’t hold.”

“Huh? It’s just sharing info, why mental strength...”

Dumbfounded, I retorted, but Shangguan He grimaced in genuine agony, bloodshot eyes bulging as he cried out.

“The myths and knowledge of the Dark are so corrupting that merely knowing them erodes human reason and sanity into madness! Some even feel the Old Ruler’s call just from knowing. I can only give you a clue now...!!”

“......”

Madness from mere knowledge?

Even more bizarre, I told Shangguan He,

“I’ve gathered quite a bit of knowledge myself, but no such signs...”

“Impossible. The madness of ancient knowledge is a fate even mighty transcendents can’t escape.”

Shangguan He firmly gave the ‘clue.’

“...Baek Woong. This city of Luoyang... is an abnormal city. Do you know why...?”

He avoided direct mention to protect his mind.

“......”

“Originally, it doesn’t suit as the capital of a vast Middle Kingdom. It’s hard to defend if surrounded, has major southern terrain weaknesses, and convenient transport means more defense points. Since the Spring and Autumn Warring States, many kings, emperors, generals set it as capital but realized the flaws and pondered fixes. When northern barbarians built dynasties, moving to Yanjing was seriously discussed due to geography. That’s the capital relocation pushed by Emperor Yongle.”

New to me. Not in ordinary books. Listening intently, he continued.

“But Emperor Yongle had his base as Prince of Yan in Yanjing yet didn’t move the capital.”

Then, as if recalling, he added,

“No... not that. Earlier issue. Even Zhu Yuanzhang, Ming founder, didn’t move from Luoyang. Emperors endured the inefficiency and kept Luoyang. Zhu Yuanzhang, pragmatic with painful Yuan invasion experience, stuck with indefensible Luoyang. Nanjing would have been better.”

“What does that mean?”

“Both Zhu Yuanzhang and Yongle tried moving from Luoyang. But they had no choice. Absolute hegemon emperors who conquered the world had to give up... because of something in this Luoyang.”

After silence, Shangguan He said,

“Baek Woong... You’re fixated on stopping the Heavenly Emperor Plan... but think what the Heavenly Realm guards so desperately... That’s all the advice I can give...”

I grumbled at his dragging.

“Seriously... just say it straight instead of circling.”

“Ugh. I’m amazed you don’t get it. Accumulated that much demonic knowledge yet sane...? And a descendant of Heavenly Realm’s chosen...”

Staring incredulously, Shangguan He sighed.

“Baek Woong. Keep in mind... there might be something even darker, more despairing... the worst case imaginable...”

Ssslruk.

Shangguan He’s form sank into shadows and vanished. Likely one of his magic spells. With Heavenly Vision and Four Buddha Statue, I could track him easily, but it felt pointless now. Even torturing him, he’d probably go mad before spilling what I wanted.

Instead, I left the Shangguan home, went to a secluded spot, and asked Zhuge Sa.

[Hey. Explain what Shangguan He just said.]

[Hmm... Simple. He alluded to what happens if White Lotus Leader breaks Luoyang’s ‘Great Barrier’ due to her.]

[Great Barrier...]

A memory from Zhuge Sa surfaced.

[The mythic barrier from Yu Gong era.]

[Yu Gong divided the Nine Provinces, introducing world division. Unknown to most, Nine Provinces in Daoism hold deep meaning—as the domains of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.]

[Most sorcerers know a powerful barrier from mythic times exists in Luoyang. It’s just perfectly fused with the land, undetectable.]

[Alchemists are transcendents. So why break the Great Barrier with a spirit lantern? {Something} is sealed in Luoyang. That’s it.]

“......”

Recalling the past, my face hardened. I pressed Zhuge Sa.

“Zhuge Sa, you... knew about the Great Barrier!”

[Did I ever say I didn’t?]

I snapped.

“Damn it! You said you were busy, but why not tell me? What’s your scheme?”

[Hmph... It’s a barrier no one can do anything about, so I didn’t.]

“What?”

[No one knows who made it or what it seals. Definitely not human-made, so no sorcerer can touch it. Worrying over such an unknown barrier just adds wrinkles—meaningless. Countless sorcerers tried over Luoyang’s millennium as capital, all futile.]

“But you knew something’s sealed in Luoyang. I thought it was Shangguan He’s seal, but Yeo Dongbin said no. So what is it?”

Sharply pressing, Zhuge Sa curtly replied.

[How should I know? Why ask me? Weird if I did.]

“......”

[You act like I’m your servant, but you’re the one refusing my independence. While I’m in your head, you can’t force answers from me. Stop the nonsense and do your job.]

“Ugh...”

Something felt off. Zhuge Sa’s attitude was different. But unable to pinpoint why, I scratched my head and said,

“You can’t maintain sanity knowing that either?”

[Kekeke... Something like that.]

Grinning ominously, Zhuge Sa continued.

[Anyway, it’s true White Lotus Leader might break Luoyang’s Great Barrier by non-sorcery means. You need to investigate that possibility.]

“Guess I have to talk to the Leader again?”

She’d sent me to find a way, but deep discussion seemed necessary. I returned to her and asked about the suspicions. Hearing of the Great Barrier, she was shocked.

[What? Such a thing exists?]

“Yes... Seems Heavenly Realm fears it...”

[I don’t know. Can’t imagine breaking it... I didn’t occupy Luoyang intending that. First time hearing of the barrier.]

She seemed genuinely troubled.

“......”

Even she didn’t know, yet White Lotus Leader breaks it?

Why think that in Heavenly Realm?

Baffled by the oddity, no answers came despite racking my brain. White Lotus Leader said,

“No choice. Wait for the Twelve Laws’ alliance reply.”

Felt like glossing over something doable. This nagging feeling was familiar, stirring unease.

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