Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm

I had no idea. Whether it was Yi Cheong-un, Jin So-cheong, Mang Ryang, or the others—they were all smarter than me, brimming with talent. Even the superhuman experts of the era, like the cult leader, were in no way inferior to me. If even they couldn't come up with an answer after racking their brains together, what kind of solution could I possibly provide in a situation like this?

What they wanted from me wasn't some logical, rational fix. It was the unique intuition I alone possessed, honed through countless regressions enabled by the Heavenly Dark Secret Book.

Then again, what's the point of overthinking it...?

I pondered deeply, only to realize I was just going in circles with half-baked conclusions. Gradually, I began emptying my mind. Like an idiot, like a blind man, I sank into the hollow depths of my self. Honestly, I didn't think this approach would work, but it seemed better than forcing it.

Then, in a daze, I spoke.

"Wouldn't it all work out somehow if we got insanely lucky?"

"......"

"......"

Even I cringed at how stupid it sounded as I scratched my head without thinking. But the people around me weren't disappointed—they were looking at me with serious eyes. Mang Ryang, in particular, stared at me with what seemed like profound shock.

"Baek Woong! That's definitely a viable option. I've considered it myself. And only you can pull it off... but... do you really think it'll work?"

"Huh?"

"It's... a gamble with low odds."

I tilted my head, not understanding what Mang Ryang meant. I'd only suggested leaving it to luck because no wisdom or strategy came to mind. How had he interpreted that? Yi Cheong-un, watching my expression, sighed and explained.

"Baek Woong, he's talking about the Supreme Void Heavenly Venerable."

"The Supreme Void Heavenly Venerable? Why..."

"There was that one time, right? When you got hit with unbelievable luck, to the point even you couldn't believe it..."

"Oh!!"

In that instant, I realized what they meant. I slapped my palm and shouted.

"Stacking great fortune!!"

"Exactly."

I felt bewildered.

In the past, while performing the hand-seal offering to the Supreme Void Heavenly Venerable, I'd out of sheer curiosity forced a double stack of great fortune. Mang Ryang and Cheon U-jin had been stunned and sent me to the imperial palace, where a massive meteor had obliterated the entire place through sheer dumb luck.

The immense power of a Great Celestial Immortal had warped fate into overdrive, granting momentary immense blessings but also unleashing a massive backlash! That was the unique nature of contracts with heavenly gods.

Yi Cheong-un and Mang Ryang, having shared my regression experiences through the obsidian, were pointing that out. Remembering the event, I scratched my head.

"Ha... but that was a total disaster. The moment that brief surge of great fortune ended, I got crushed by a meteor and died. Even if we use it to block the Heavenly Sacrifice Altar from lowering the sky ladder, what's the point if we all die anyway?"

"That would be true under normal circumstances. But this plan holds infinite possibilities. Because in this life, you've figured out what Taegong Mang's blessing is."

"Huh?"

"Let me explain, Baek Woong."

Mang Ryang, standing nearby with arms crossed, elaborated.

"After being summoned via hand-seal offering, Taegong Mang said he'd give you the right to rechoose."

"Hmm?"

"Think about it carefully..."

I racked my brain at Mang Ryang's words, recalling the memory. The words of Taegong Mang—the ancient strategist and immortal of the Great Zhou—echoed in my mind from that hand-seal summoning.

[ I wish to bestow my blessing upon you... but as you are an extraordinary being, I offer you a choice. ]

[ You may receive my protection, or the chance to receive another deity's protection once more. What say you? ]

Right!

Taegong Mang had indeed offered that choice. I'd had no intention of rechoosing, so I'd taken the Four Buddhas Statue from him instead. Since then, I'd been using it effectively as a mode of transport and hadn't dwelled on it. As I dredged up the memory, Mang Ryang continued.

"He said he'd use his power to dispel the destruction from stacking, making it end as a single effect rather than a stack. It seems simple, but it's hugely important. Depending on how we use it, we could drastically alter the battlefield."

"Sorry, I still don't quite get it... Could you explain in more detail?"

Mang Ryang spoke calmly.

"Baek Woong, we don't need to summon heavyweights like the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors directly via the sealing ritual. We can still perform a ritual to communicate with Great Celestial Immortals. There's a 49-day grace period, so they can still act autonomously. If we gather enough offerings, we can hold another hand-seal offering or similar rite. We can summon Taegong Mang and the others again."

"Oh!!"

"I guarantee it—I've been studying in the Heavenly Realm until recently."

I flinched. Up until now, I'd thought one blessing per hand-seal offering was it, so repeating it hadn't crossed my mind. But if Mang Ryang was right, I could summon a Great Celestial Immortal once more.

"And once we summon them again, we have two choices. The first is to stack the Supreme Void Heavenly Venerable's blessing to skyrocket our luck, then proceed with the sealing ritual. It's risky due to the Heavenly Realm's prompts, but we can overcome even that with overwhelming luck. Then persuade the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to halt the Heavenly Emperor Rite. That's the surest, most effective method."

My face twisted.

"And after that, I'd definitely die."

"So we're saving it as a last resort."

Mang Ryang continued.

"The second option is to pass turns until Taegong Mang, claim the rechoice right from him, and then select the Supreme Void Heavenly Venerable's great fortune. Lower success rate than the first, but it greatly boosts the sealing ritual's odds."

"So it still leads to the sealing ritual."

"The cult leader wants a head-on clash, but that's nonsense... We have to stick to persuasion, win or die. Fighting means we all perish."

Hearing that, I tilted my head.

"Wait. The second option sounds safer and better. And it seems like you already thought of it before I arrived. So why ask me again?"

Mang Ryang hesitated, then said.

"It's a gamble that's hard to execute even knowing it. The first method might save the world but kills you, making it pointless. The second raises success odds, but even that's not certain. It's still gambling."

"Gambling?"

"That's why we hesitated... Will the Supreme Void Heavenly Venerable's great fortune authority work on deities on the level of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?"

I realized with a groan.

"Ahh...!!"

"It's common in sorcery for a blessing from a lower being not to affect superiors. We can't rule out getting smited on the spot for insolence. That's why we couldn't casually suggest a plan that might get you killed."

I nodded.

"Only something I bring up myself, huh."

"Something like that."

Yi Cheong-un, who had been sitting nearby munching on an apple, spoke up.

"But right now, it's still the best option we have. If you're willing, Baek Woong, we'll trust and follow you completely."

"Hmm."

I felt conflicted.

Should I trust the Supreme Void Heavenly Venerable's luck and go with this final plan?

After thinking for a while, I said.

"I'll do it."

No loss if it fails. Plus, I was curious how much this long-unused luck blessing could change things. Hearing my answer, Mang Ryang looked relieved yet somewhat sad as he said.

"To think we have to burden a regressor like you with everything!"

"Well, if I die, I die."

Mang Ryang gave a wry smile.

"If anyone else said that, I'd laugh it off as empty bravado... but coming from you, I got nothing."

"......"

A moment later, I left the hut with Mang Ryang and strolled through the nearby woods. While briefly catching up on how we'd each been, Mang Ryang said.

"Baek Woong, by the way, it seems you're carrying Zhuge Sa's soul. What do you plan to do?"

I was startled and asked back.

"You can tell?"

"Sixty years of training weren't wasted. I can sense another soul hovering around yours. If you're right, it's probably my uncle, Zhuge Sa."

Muttering that, Mang Ryang continued.

"What is Zhuge Sa saying right now?"

From within, Zhuge Sa gruffly replied.

[ Tell him I'm watching the great Baek Woong's exploits. ]

[ What's your problem now? ]

[ You really plan to keep me locked in your head for a thousand years? I'm holding back a lot, but if I decide to really nag your skull, you'll go mad in a few years. ]

[...... ]

I swallowed hard. His threats had always been half-joking before, but this felt different. It was laced with pent-up irritation and anger, making me think he might actually shatter my mind if pushed. If the nonstop spewed nonsense and demonic ravings, I really might lose it.

But I steadied myself and said.

"...... He says if you don't give him a body, he'll drive me insane."

"I figured. But do you have a way to give him one?"

"I've mastered the Soul Separation Great Law."

I explained to Mang Ryang how I'd obtained the Demonic Cult Leader's rights from Zhuge Sa, boosted my talents, and relentlessly trained the Soul Separation Great Law. After listening thoughtfully, Mang Ryang said.

"Baek Woong, I'd like to talk to Zhuge Sa. Can you lend him a body?"

"Sure."

I fetched one of Zhuge Yuryong's spare bodies and placed it before Mang Ryang. Using the Soul Separation Great Law, I housed Zhuge Sa's soul in it. Soon, he opened his eyes. Rising slowly, he sneered.

"Hyun-ah. Your uncle's suffering here. You have no idea how frustrating it is rotting inside that thick-skulled idiot's head."

"It's definitely Zhuge Sa."

Mang Ryang gazed at him calmly and said.

"I heard you greatly helped Baek Woong eliminate Zhuge Yuryong and Zhuge Bu. But afterward, your actions and advice don't add up."

"......"

"Uncle, what goal do you expect from Baek Woong? That's the only way it makes sense. It feels like you've sensed something huge and are cooperating."

Expectations?

From that guy, toward me?

His unexpected words left me baffled. This world-class bastard who picked fights over everything and made people uncomfortable—what expectations could he have for me? Considering the resentment I'd built up, my patience was downright impressive.

Zhuge Sa grinned twistedly.

"Heh. That how it looks?"

Mang Ryang said firmly.

"Otherwise, Baek Woong couldn't have come this far. He'd have dropped dead halfway."

"......"

"Impossible without you pouring out unprecedented intellect and strategies. You've dragged him here on a leash. I've never seen you invest that much effort in your life."

My expression soured. Mang Ryang's calm assessment after so long apart was brutally harsh. But Zhuge Sa nodded as if it were obvious and said.

"Yeah, probably."

After a pause, he smirked.

"So what? I enjoy the process and outcome—no regrets."

"That's what someone whining like a kid for a body says?"

Zhuge Sa suddenly grumbled.

"Damn it... If you were stuck in that thick-skulled moron's head, you wouldn't say that. I could drive a demonic cultivator insane with rage—this Baek Woong guy's skull is beyond your imagination."

"......"

"I don't have goals. I'm just suffocating and want out."

Gruffly waving his hand, Zhuge Sa added.

"Anyway, he's scared I'll backstab him, so he won't let go. Stop fussing over me."

Mang Ryang turned to me.

"Baek Woong, how about giving Zhuge Sa a body?"

"Huh?!"

"I'm asking. His skills would be invaluable."

My resolve wavered. Mang Ryang of all people making this request? It meant the gains from using Zhuge Sa outweighed the backstab risk. But I firmly said.

"No, I won't."

I knew exactly how capable that bastard was, and I hated him for it. No matter how foolish it seemed, I wouldn't chase gains from something I couldn't control. Mang Ryang smiled bitterly.

"Understood."

Soon after, we ended our walk and returned to the hut. Zhuge Sa seemed to have returned to his own body as the Soul Separation Great Law's time limit expired.

Yi Cheong-un had already gathered all the Thunder God Style experts and was calmly outlining the plan.

"From now on, Thunder God Style will focus solely on defending the Five Peaks Heavenly Emperor Altar until that day arrives. If it's destroyed before the 49 days are up, the Heavenly Realm will interfere immediately."

"Yes!"

The Thunder God Style experts roared in response. Yi Cheong-un looked at me and continued.

"Baek Woong, prepare massive offerings on the scale of a hand-seal rite. Only you can handle that."

"Got it."

"If you need help, say the word. We'll assist."

Yi Cheong-un added as if it just occurred to him.

"Just in case, train with me for a few days beforehand."

"Huh?"

"You mentioned hitting walls in the Three Treasures Ultimate Arts and such? The stronger you get, the more options we have. I'll guide you with everything I've got—beyond what the cult leader told you."

"......!!"

I realized this was an unexpected opportunity.

The Thunder God Style's founder and greatest guardian of all time, the superhuman Yi Cheong-un, offering one-on-one instruction. I was thrilled but suspicious, so I asked.

"Why are you being so kind to me?"

Yi Cheong-un chuckled.

"You're the A-lister. I'm B-list."

"......?"

"Training starts in half a shichen."

I was left baffled by Yi Cheong-un's words.

What's A-lister mean?

Anyway, this regression felt stacked with fortuitous encounters. Determined to squeeze every bit from Yi Cheong-un, I replied vigorously.

"Yes!"

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