Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

Silence lingered for a moment before Cheon Woojin spoke irritably.

“This is foreign soil. Exorcising the Great Evil Spirit is enough. Anything more should be left to the people of this land.”

It was clearly because he found it bothersome, but I nodded for now.

“Understood. Let’s head to Mount Tai now.”

Even though I’d learned the location of Dongyoung’s Creation God, Yi Jinasi, there was nothing I could do about it right now. If Yi Jinasi was truly once called a Creation God, he was undoubtedly stronger than any Demon King. Charging at him with just me and Cheon Woojin would be pointless. I’d have to return here later, after liberating at least two more of the Seven Luminaries.

‘Miao Qing and Demon God Yi Jinasi’s matter can wait.’

Flash!

Cheon Woojin and I soon used Return to head to Mount Tai. Rather than going straight to the Heavenly Emperor Altar in case of trouble, we teleported to the outskirts of a nearby fortress wall.

I’d planned to use Stealth Technique right after arriving, but there was no need. Soldiers lay passed out all over the walls, and the inside of the fortress was no different. They’d collapsed simply like ragdolls, utterly helpless. I approached a nearby soldier and checked his pulse, then was slightly surprised by his condition.

‘Their minds have been suppressed.’

The soldiers were still breathing, but their minds were suppressed, making it impossible for them to perceive their surroundings or think properly.

What was truly astonishing was that this fortress was garrisoned by five thousand elite troops. Suppressing five thousand men at once went against all common sense in the martial world.

Cheon Woojin, who had been observing with some spell, spoke up.

“Mi Hu Wang used the Seventy-Two Escapes from the fortress to take them all down in one go.”

“Seventy-Two Escapes?”

“Mi Hu Wang mastered all seventy-two transformation arts back when he was a yokai. This is child’s play for him.”

Cheon Woojin stared at me intently as he said that.

“Why hesitate? Let’s hurry.”

His words carried strong confidence that Mi Hu Wang couldn’t possibly lose, along with a desire to wrap up this annoying task and rest. With no time to dawdle further, I had no choice but to teleport straight to Mount Tai’s Heavenly Emperor Altar.

An astonishing sight unfolded at the Heavenly Emperor Altar on Mount Tai.

Vermilion Bird Zhuge Yulong’s corpse!

Traces of fierce battle scarred the area, and at the center lay Zhuge Yulong, beaten to a pulp with what must have been a massive club. His body was smashed beyond human recognition. I knew it was him because countless blasts seemed concentrated solely around the corpse, which lay blocking the front of the Heavenly Emperor Altar. No one else I knew could end up like that.

Cheon Woojin looked around and said,

“Mi Hu Wang’s gone. He must have completed the mission and returned to the heavens.”

“......”

I approached Zhuge Yulong’s corpse and gauged the time of death. Hua Tuo Sect’s arts included techniques for determining time of death.

‘Right after possession... he beat Zhuge Yulong to death in less than fifteen minutes and left.’

The estimated time of death matched almost exactly when we’d left Monk Mangyang’s village. The body had been left here for several hours. But I didn’t let my guard down and quietly told Cheon Woojin,

“As I said, Vermilion Bird Zhuge Yulong keeps spare bodies stashed nearby. He’ll undoubtedly revive using a clone.”

“Is that so? Then let’s go smash the spares.”

“Exactly.”

I’d informed the heavens, but Mi Hu Wang might have overlooked a spare body site. Since we’d poked the Vermilion Bird, we had to either eradicate him completely or severely weaken his forces. I headed first to the Vermilion Bird’s secret base near Mount Tai.

Flash.

“It’s destroyed...”

I muttered atop the ruins. I’d tried teleporting with Return but felt something off, so I changed the landing spot to the ground—and that choice was correct. Zhuge Yulong’s secret base looked like it had been hit by hundreds of thousands of catties of explosives, reduced to complete rubble. The spare clones inside must all have been obliterated.

Curious, I asked Cheon Woojin,

“Cheon Woojin. I only mentioned there might be spare bases. How do you think Mi Hu Wang found them?”

I hadn’t given the heavens the exact locations, figuring they might use it to negotiate with me. Against a neutralized Zhuge Yulong, I could smash the bases myself with a few allies. But from the current situation, Mi Hu Wang had somehow pinpointed them and swept them away with his mighty Seventy-Two Escapes.

Cheon Woojin replied,

“My master said you’re only familiar with Sword Immortal Ye Dongbin. But Ye Dongbin unusually pursued only martial prowess and barely used spells. The other Earth Immortals have all reached profound heights in sorcery as well. Mi Hu Wang could manage that easily.”

“You seem to rate Mi Hu Wang highly. What exactly is he?”

When I shot back curtly, Cheon Woojin said,

“Would you believe he infiltrated the heavens as Yokai King and turned the realm of the Great Thunder Immortal upside down? Mi Hu Wang is one of the top powerhouses among Earth Immortals. He’s just not well-known on earth.”

“......!!”

Turned the heavens upside down?!

Stunned, I was speechless for a moment before shaking my head.

“...Let’s check the other four sites.”

I began teleporting to each of Zhuge Yulong’s secret bases around the Five Peaks. Without exception, they were all reduced to rubble like bomb sites. Mi Hu Wang had handled things cleanly. At this point, nearly all of Zhuge Yulong’s spare bodies in those bases were gone.

‘But he might have spares in the imperial palace or elsewhere...’

Given Zhuge Yulong’s paranoia—thorough enough to smash a stone bridge while crossing it—I couldn’t be certain he was dead. Even before, Cheon Woojin had needed sealing arts to confirm his demise. It felt right to proceed assuming Zhuge Yulong was still alive.

That said, after taking such a beating from Mi Hu Wang, his power must be diminished. Feeling now was the perfect time for the Sealing Immortal Ritual, I told Cheon Woojin,

“...Let’s perform the Sealing Immortal Ritual.”

“Unbelievable. You use me up and now head there.”

“First, I’ll fetch a peak expert to guard the ritual.”

Zhuge Yulong might be lurking for a backstab. If he ambushed with full intent, I might not handle him alone.

Soon after, I went to the Shadowless Sect and explained everything to the Sword Demon. He nodded readily after hearing it.

“Of course I’ll help!”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll bring Swordless Sword Emperor Elder too. Even if guardian lions come, we won’t fall easily.”

As the Sword Demon said. With him and the Swordless Sword Emperor at Mount Tai’s Heavenly Emperor Altar, I felt secure. Even if Zhuge Yulong attacked, we could counter. With preparations complete, I finally went to Zhangling Valley to fetch Zhuge Shi.

Zhuge Shi hurried over upon seeing me.

“Let’s go straight to the palace. We need the Imperial Portrait and Crystal Stone Tablet.”

“Is that okay?”

“No problem. While you’ve been running around, I’ve handled the preliminaries.”

I infiltrated the palace with Zhuge Shi and snatched the Imperial Portrait and Crystal Stone Tablet in my spatial pouch. I’d avoided touching them before to not provoke the palace or the [Old Ruler], but I trusted Zhuge Shi’s word.

Back at Mount Tai, Zhuge Shi grinned.

“Well, everyone’s gathered.”

All eyes turned to Zhuge Shi, and Cheon Woojin’s gaze soured upon spotting him. Visibly annoyed, he snapped at me,

“You... allied with a demonic sorcerer?”

Cheon Woojin clearly disliked Zhuge Shi for practicing demonic arts. Without me, he might have attacked outright. But I’d anticipated this and calmly persuaded him.

“Zhuge Shi is a demonic sorcerer, but he’s reformed and pledged to help me. I stake my name there’ll be no interference with the ritual.”

“Staking your name doesn’t make him trustworthy.”

“Even with you saying that?”

I crossed my arms, smirking at Cheon Woojin.

“Doubting me is the same as doubting Mangyang.”

“Ugh...”

He bit his lip, clearly guilty. Mangyang’s name was his weakness. After agonizing, Cheon Woojin sighed.

“Damn it... just finish the ritual quickly.”

“Thanks.”

Zhuge Shi stepped forward slyly.

“Then, a quick explanation. The goal of this Sealing Immortal Ritual is to remove the Fire Yao barrier.”

“......!!”

Cheon Woojin exclaimed in shock.

“What?”

“No need to freak out. To get Fire Yao, we must breach its barrier, but waiting for the solar eclipse is too annoying. Brute force isn’t an option without the power. So we ask the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors directly. The ones who set it can dismantle it, right?”

Zhuge Shi smirked.

“...Well, this scheme wasn’t my idea—Baek Woong came up with it.”

That’s right.

The ploy that flashed into my mind last time was to petition the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to remove the Fire Yao barrier. I’d worried Zhuge Shi would mock the absurdity, but he called it a solid plan and supplemented the steps—like finding the giant black obsidian or securing guardians—per his advice.

Zhuge Shi continued.

“And since we’ve stirred the palace forces, Yin Kai’s sleeper is pretty pissed, but I soothed it with an offering ritual. No worries about the [Old Ruler] summoning apostles for a while. Let’s focus on getting Fire Yao the proper way first.”

“The proper way?”

Cheon Woojin yelled, incredulous.

“This isn’t proper! Who in their right mind summons the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors for a Seven Luminary?!”

Zhuge Shi sneered.

“Heh, not orthodox, but proper. Cheon Woojin, want to alter the heavens and hasten the solar eclipse?”

“Why should I?”

“Then shut up if you won’t help. Getting Seven Luminaries is insane difficulty—this is perfectly valid.”

“Damn bastards.”

Cheon Woojin grumbled but, with his sharp mind, grasped it quickly. His outburst seemed born of aversion to demonic sorcerers and annoyance at working for me.

Woooong.

Preparations for the Sealing Immortal Ritual complete, Zhuge Shi and Cheon Woojin planted flags to invoke heavenly intent. The Sword Demon and Swordless Sword Emperor guarded the perimeter, protecting against interlopers.

‘I’ve decided who to summon.’

Flash!

Moments later, beyond the pitch-black sky thick with myriad ghosts, the mighty Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors—wearing imperial crowns—began descending. Having seen it before, I watched impassively. Once the descent ended, the being spoke.

[I am Zhuanxu(顓頊), the Fifth Emperor and descendant of the Sovereigns. Who summoned me?]

Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors Zhuanxu!

Known in records as a tyrant, brutal and cruel. But from my experience, no Three Sovereigns and Five Emperor was kinder than Zhuanxu. Unlike peevish, negative Yeah or lazy, annoyed Shao Hao Golden Heaven toward Seven Luminary liberation, Zhuanxu was courteous and interested in earthly affairs. I’d offered his status as payment for Taiping Sorcery, but since I had the offering, summoning him was feasible—it was his creation, a potent medium.

As soon as Zhuanxu appeared, I said,

“Zhuanxu! Accept this offering.”

I presented the Imperial Portrait’s heart, and Zhuanxu responded approvingly.

[The basics are met. What do you seek?]

I realized this was a gamble. Even benevolent, Zhuanxu could kill me for insolence. But I took a deep breath, steeling myself.

“I seek the Fire Yao barrier’s removal. And ensure the heavens don’t act even after it’s gone.”

[......]

Zhuanxu gazed at me, his chaos-filled face showing surprise, then said,

[Possible, mortal. But do you know Fire Yao’s location?]

“Yes.”

[And after obtaining it, you’ll hold another ritual for my permission to seal it?]

“Yes.”

As expected of a god—he’d seen through my plan.

This scheme’s merit over Great Fortune Overlap was survival after getting Fire Yao. Multiple rituals would deplete treasures, but Great Fortune Overlap meant certain death anyway. Surviving with Fire Yao to proceed was the advantage.

Zhuanxu pondered silently, then laughed.

[Kuhahaha... intriguing. First human this brazen about a Seven Luminary since high antiquity.]

“...Not possible?”

[It is. But do you grasp what Seven Luminaries mean in this world?]

“Seven Luminaries are wedges symbolizing the ancient pact, the truce between Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors and the [Old Ruler], proof humanity is under your protection.”

[......]

Zhuanxu fell silent, dumbfounded. As his sovereign’s aura shifted, the lesser divinities of the myriad ghosts arrayed around murmured. After long deliberation, Zhuanxu said,

[What are you? How do you know all this?]

I replied casually.

“I already possess Water Yao. Who’s closer to the Seven Luminaries’ secrets than me?”

[Hmm...]

“It might irk you to yield a Seven Luminary, but the Yi Clan has deeply infiltrated this Great Ming Empire’s palace. Using humans makes it hard for even Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to intervene, no? I’ll resolve it.”

[You’ll check the Yi Clan’s forces?]

“Yes. For that, I need a Seven Luminary’s power.”

Zhuanxu seemed conflicted by the unexpected turn. After a while, he said,

[...Very well. By your request, I解除 the Fire Yao barrier.]

Woooong.

Zhuanxu waved his hand, sending a disk of light hurtling toward the distant horizon. As it vanished beyond, he watched, then continued.

[Fascinating... Your name?]

“Baek Woong.”

The next instant, I heard an unexpected proposal.

[Baek Woong. Will you become my apostle?]

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