Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm

It's dizzying.

Once the fierce battle truly began, that was the only thought in my mind. I was synchronizing my mind with Tousen's battle experience, observing this duel between transcendent experts at an unimaginable speed and grasping it to some extent—but even so, their exchanges were far too dazzling.

The Cult Leader's single palm strike came charging straight at Ye Dongbin's front. The palm force summoned from the Infinite Celestial Mandala that the Cult Leader had called forth was on another level entirely from the palm forces unleashed by the guardian deities. It seemed at least ten times faster and stronger, and sure enough, the moment Ye Dongbin evaded it with Moonlight Leap, that palm force obliterated an entire nearby mountain.

Kurrboom!

Before the sound of the mountain crumbling could even reach us, the Cult Leader and Ye Dongbin were exchanging blows at terrifying speeds from about a zhang apart. It was a battle so intense that even a peak transcendent expert could barely observe or follow!

The Sword Immortal had no room to hold back; from the very start, he was going all out. He had already foreseen that this fight would turn into the worst-case scenario, with the strongest adversary appearing.

Ye Dongbin's Six Forms of the Body's Nature Reaching Heaven gathered the six seals and recreated them, shattering the Cult Leader's mandala, and with each one, hundreds of thousands of sword paths poured forth. The Cult Leader, confident in his raw power, immediately countered Ye Dongbin's sword seals with his own martial prowess.

Thud!

"Ah, even if clashes between super-transcendent experts are on the level of natural disasters..."

It had only been about a dozen breaths since the awakened Apostle Cult Leader and Ye Dongbin had begun fighting. Yet the altar had long been half-destroyed, the entire imperial palace's buildings were in ruins, and six or seven mountains near Luoyang had vanished! I could tell that this was the clash of Apostle-level beings, and that the current Cult Leader or Ye Dongbin could rival even the Moonlight Emperor.

Scree!

As Ye Dongbin and the Cult Leader's duel intensified, a Thunder Spirit flew in from somewhere and sliced across the Cult Leader's waist in an instant. The Cult Leader's gaze flicked toward it briefly before he snapped his fingers, striking the air. The next moment, the air tore apart, and Yi Cheongun was sent flying back.

"Urk."

Ye Cheongun had blocked the attack with both hands, but he seemed to have suffered a minor injury to his arms. The Cult Leader muttered with a sneer.

[You think you can exploit an opening with the Thunder God Soul Possession... That might have worked when I was still human...]

Seven Great Absolute Arts

Esoteric Principle

Reversing Heaven Treasure Wheel

The Cult Leader's attack began.

Ziling!

Space for dozens of zhang seemed to be pulled in, and a bizarre mandala appeared around Yi Cheongun. Yi Cheongun recognized what it was and immediately unleashed his own intent absolute art to shake it off. But the mandala clung to him as if it knew exactly where he was, even as he utilized Thunder Speed. It was an absolute art no less than the Three Treasures Absolute Skills.

Yi Cheongun shouted in irritation.

"You're using something I developed as if it's only natural. Well, with infinite power, even a sloppy version would still be the strongest!"

Boom!

Yi Cheongun then summoned a sphere charged with thunder light and crashed it into the mandala, annihilating it. He had countered the Reversing Heaven Treasure Wheel's technique head-on, neutralizing the mandala. I knew that the Reversing Heaven Treasure Wheel I'd just seen was one of the eight possibilities Yi Cheongun had discovered among the Seven Great Absolute Arts, so I felt a chill inside.

"As expected, the Cult Leader can steal and learn the martial arts of Heavenly Spirit Pill owners..."

If time had passed like this, the Cult Leader would have perfectly mastered even the Seven Great Absolute Arts that Yi Cheongun had uncovered, becoming the ultimate strongest. But from Yi Cheongun's words, it seemed the Cult Leader could only borrow the forms crudely, not unleash their true power. If the Cult Leader could freely wield the esoteric principles, even Sword Immortal Ye Dongbin would surely lose.

[Let's end this!]

About a hundred breaths passed!

The intense battle raged on. The Cult Leader, with hands clasped in prayer, was faster and stronger than in his last fight with Ye Dongbin, launching attacks far more agile and precise than anything the Moonlight Emperor could muster. As the Cult Leader began overwhelmingly pressing the assault, Ye Dongbin handled eighty percent of the attacks while Yi Cheongun dodged the remaining twenty percent. They were definitely being pushed back.

Were they going to lose?

In the midst of the battle where thousands of thunder lights and sword auras flew wildly, I grew frustrated seeing that Yi Cheongun wasn't proving as helpful as I'd hoped. He was clearly the greatest genius and strongest guardian deity in the history of the Thunder God Lineage, yet he was only lightening Ye Dongbin's burden. But Ye Dongbin read my frustration and spoke to me.

[Younger one. Yi Cheongun is a superhuman. For him to bear one front in this fight is already beyond human limits. Without him easing my load, I would have been greatly overwhelmed.]

[Ugh... I know that...]

[Summoning the Fire Dragon is meaningless against a master of such arts. The Infinite Celestial Mandala has no cooldown at all, leaving no room to call the Fire Dragon.]

Muttering that, Ye Dongbin spoke with conviction.

[The Cult Leader is too strong. We'll go with a strategy of buying time here.]

[What?]

I was startled.

Ye Dongbin was currently using his exclusive treasure, the Fire Dragon Divine Sword, along with the full power of the Moonlight Pearl and the Imperial Seal of the Realm without holding back—yet he was saying something like this! I'd assumed they could definitely win, so I couldn't comprehend the current state of the battle.

Ye Dongbin replied calmly.

[If we continue like this, it'll be a stalemate, but the longer the total war goes on, the more disadvantageous it is for me. We have no choice but to endure.]

[What are you talking about? Even if it means using the Moonlight Pearl and Imperial Seal to the last drop, we have to win...]

[Younger one. Your internal energy was exhausted long ago, and you've already drawn more than half the power from those divine treasures. Say no more.]

With that, Ye Dongbin refocused on the battle. From his demeanor, I realized one fact.

The Cult Leader's current power had surpassed even Tousen!

Even with Tousen's peak treasures equipped, this was the limit of endurance. Every time Ye Dongbin unleashed a single strike in the prolonged fight, it summoned force enough to collapse a mountain, so no further output was possible.

That must be the true form of a sorcerer who had received a god's blessing—reaching half-god and demon king.

"Damn it... Shit...!"

An inexplicable sense of injustice swept over me, filling me with rage. It wasn't childish anger at Ye Dongbin failing to defeat the Cult Leader. This rage stemmed from the absurd, heavenly charm-like gap between humans and gods.

If that's the case, what's the point of martial arts?

If that's the case, what's the point of sorcery?

Even ultimate martial arts and sorcery crushed by a single blessing from the ancient ruler!

But as I read Ye Dongbin's battle experience, I also felt a slight surprise. Astonishingly, Ye Dongbin had once fought an adversary on par with the current Cult Leader! Even though in this life, Ye Dongbin had never battled the Moonlight Emperor. That's why he didn't seem flustered facing the Cult Leader's overwhelming might.

'A giant dragon?'

The wicked giant dragon that had fought Ye Dongbin to the death on Mount Ye! That being seemed to refer to the strongest great yokai in history, which had caused chaos in the world during the Man Tang era a millennium ago. Ye Dongbin, who had miraculously defeated and sealed the giant dragon in a muddy deathmatch, was truly a veteran of a hundred battles.

Kurrboom!

[Huh...]

It happened right then. In a brief moment, the Cult Leader staggered greatly and retreated a step. It wasn't due to Ye Dongbin and Yi Cheongun's combined assault—it seemed like some external factor to the fight. I could see bewilderment thick in his chaos-tainted eyes.

But Ye Dongbin, on the defensive, wouldn't miss such a chance, and without thinking of the reason, he charged.

[Take this!]

Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship

Heart-Mind Six Harmonies

Formless Sword

For the first time, it felt like an independent sword seal not part of the Six Forms of the Body's Nature Reaching Heaven in the Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship. No—perhaps it was the hidden absolute technique that Sword Immortal Ye Dongbin only used against fateful arch-enemies? Soon, something indescribable even as sword aura manifested in the air, slicing through space-time as it advanced toward the Cult Leader.

Slash!

The Cult Leader sensed the Formless Sword's advance but was half a beat too slow in responding. He couldn't evade or block it, and a massive sword wound carved into his left arm. Of course, for the Immortal Apostle body, the injury wasn't hugely significant, but the Cult Leader appeared even more flustered.

[This... how...]

[Full of openings!]

Ye Dongbin roared and pressed the attack even harder. For some reason, the Infinite Celestial Mandala's offense-defense balance, which had been perfect until now, had become hazy—clumsy, even. Of course, it was a minute gap undetectable to ordinary warriors, but Sword Immortal Ye Dongbin was in a realm where he could exploit it fully.

In an instant, the tide turned, with the Cult Leader falling back. Alone, Ye Dongbin might not have been able to pierce the openings even if he saw them, but thanks to Yi Cheongun repeatedly striking and retreating with Thunder God Soul Possession, the Cult Leader's attention was divided, giving Ye Dongbin more leeway.

"Prepare yourself, Cult Leader!"

Looking at Yi Cheongun's condition, I could tell it wasn't good.

He's exhausted.

Even for Yi Cheongun, he had never pushed the Thunder God Soul Possession this continuously and maximally before. Each of the Cult Leader's minor attacks carried mountain-collapsing power, and they even flew according to the mysteries of the Seven Great Absolute Arts, forcing Yi Cheongun to focus all his energy on evasion. As a result, despite possessing the infinite internal energy of the Heavenly Spirit Pill, Yi Cheongun's stamina and spirit were reaching their limits.

My mind focused on each of Ye Dongbin's martial movements. Each sword path he unleashed was pinnacle swordsmanship, continually showing me new realms. The continuous sword paths, beautiful enough to call a dance, advanced to sever the Cult Leader's vital point.

Finally, the moment Ye Dongbin's blade struck the Cult Leader's reverse scale.

Boom!!

[Gek...]

[Huhk.]

The Cult Leader and Ye Dongbin both cried out in pain and were flung back. The Cult Leader's sphere had shattered, and he had suffered a major injury—blood streamed from his neck, and a huge gash was carved into his chest. Moreover, the Fire Dragon Divine Sword's spiritual power was interfering with recovery, so he couldn't stop the bleeding at all.

But Ye Dongbin's state was also dire. Seeing his sword blade snapped in half, he said gloomily.

[Master... as expected... you couldn't hold out any longer...]

The Fire Dragon Divine Sword was broken in two. For a peerless divine sword and Tousen's treasure to break, no matter the fierce battle, was impossible—how had this happened? I couldn't grasp the full details, but it was clear: the Sword Immortal had lost his sword, critically weakening his power.

"Cough..." "Cough..." "Gasp..."

The Cult Leader, coughing up blood-mixed phlegm, spoke.

[It's meaningless... truly... meaningless.]

[...]

He gazed emptily at the sky, murmuring in a hollow voice.

[Sword Immortal. You failed to pierce my reverse scale with your ultimate technique... And your sword is broken too...]

[...That's right.]

[By rights, this fight is my victory. Do you acknowledge it...?]

Ye Dongbin was silent for a long while before answering.

[I acknowledge it.]

[Kukuku...* Cough...* * Cough...* Hmg... Uhahahahaha!!]

The Cult Leader burst into mad laughter before speaking in a tone of anguish.

[The ancient ruler wasn't satisfied with Luoyang's humans... It demanded I offer up the White Lotus followers precious to me... Because it's an evil god... A being that takes joy only in tormenting mortals, so I even resolved to make that sacrifice...]

[...]

[I'm a great sinner... a butcher... But I don't feel guilty. Because I'm human.]

It seemed the White Lotus Cult Leader's mass human sacrifice of his own followers wasn't his own will, but the ancient ruler's demand. The White Lotus Cult Leader spoke in a somber voice.

[Are you listening... Baek Woong...?]

At that moment, Ye Dongbin turned his body toward me. With his aid, I floated in the air and replied.

"I'm listening."

[Heh heh heh... Was my dream a mere illusion from start to finish...?]

What should I say to that question?

My chest tightened with an indescribable emotion.

The Cult Leader was a villain, but his motives had been a choice for the happiness of the absolute majority. Even in our exchange, I could sense his guilt over sacrificing the White Lotus followers.

'Ah.'

I realized the contradiction I'd been harboring until now.

I didn't hate the Cult Leader that much. If I'd encountered the White Lotus Cult in my first reincarnation and been influenced by him—I might have naturally aligned with his ideology. It was merely a matter of who I met first.

For some reason, tears welled up. Forcing them back, I said.

"It's not an illusion."

[Really...?]

"Yes."

[That's a relief...]

The Cult Leader seemed to smile. Though his face, engulfed in chaotic demonic power, had lost its human form, somehow I knew it.

Fsssh.

The Cult Leader's body was slowly scattering into chaos. From the edges, it turned to pitch-black powder and began drifting away. It was strange—Ye Dongbin's final strike hadn't reached the reverse scale, so it shouldn't have been fatal.

The Cult Leader spoke in a voice full of pity.

[You're like me...]

The Cult Leader's dissipation accelerated. It meant something outside this battle had dealt him a severe blow. His claim of meaninglessness had been because someone had ambushed him unexpectedly, shattering his dream.

[Baek Woong... Beware the Twelve Lords...]

With that, he vanished into chaos.

That was the White Lotus Cult Leader's end.

I stared blankly for a long time at the White Lotus Cult Leader's remains, which left not a trace in the air.

"He was definitely the enemy."

Though undoubtedly my foe, I never imagined it would leave such a lingering, wistful feeling. What had I even wanted? Was I fine with losing to the Cult Leader? Confused even by my own thoughts, I stood frozen until Ye Dongbin spoke to me.

[Younger one... Hurry down to the ground. The Imperial Seal's spiritual power is fully spent, and over eighty percent of the Moonlight Pearl's power is consumed, so I can no longer maintain martial or sorcery. Your internal energy has been scraped to the bottom too, so there are internal injuries.]

"Yes."

[No fighting for the time being. Take care of yourself.]

With those words, Ye Dongbin departed from my body. I hurriedly descended from the air and set foot on the ground. Before I knew it, Yi Cheongun had come to my side, speaking to me with weary, drowsy eyes.

"We defeated the Cult Leader, so Luoyang's darkness has lifted a bit."

It was as he said. The impenetrable deep blue fog had thinned, and visibility was opening up here and there, clearly noticeable. Destroying the altar and eliminating the ritual's conductor, the Cult Leader, had slowed the expansion of the ancient ruler's influence.

But I couldn't accept it and said to Yi Cheongun.

"Why did the Cult Leader lose?"

"That is..."

Yi Cheongun opened his mouth then closed it. He clenched his fist tightly.

"Probably because of those guys..."

Swish.

Two figures appeared from empty space about a dozen zhang away. One of the shadowy warriors silently watched us before speaking.

"You held out well."

He was the shadowy realm's strongest expert and special member of the Twelve Lords: Miyamoto Musashi.

And beside him, a man wearing a dog mask was laughing boisterously.

"Baek Woong, congratulations on becoming a hero!"

The Twelve Lords.

In one of his hands dangled a familiar head by the hair. The severed head wore a dazed expression, as if it hadn't even felt pain in death.

It was the head of the White Lotus Vice Cult Leader.

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