Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

We headed to the vast plaza of the imperial palace where Han Baekyeong was waiting.

The clamor of the battlefield was just fading, and the temperature was visibly dropping.

The battlefield where the Sword Demon had been fighting with Manggyang's support until moments ago was now swarming with Incarnation Flow experts who were driving back the palace soldiers. Their momentum was such that one could call them worth a hundred men.

Moreover, Han Baekyeong had already demonstrated terrifying power with the Heavenly Spirit Pill, so the palace side had lost morale like a swarm of ants, scattering in all directions. In the end, the officers and generals commanding the palace troops ordered a retreat, and the backs of their heads were visible to my eyes.

The Incarnation Flow's formidable forces!

Even if they were elites composed of powerful experts, repelling the palace guard units defending the imperial palace was an incredible feat.

But right now, I had no time to worry about that, so I spoke to Han Baekyeong.

"How should we defeat that monster?"

Rumble.

Gurgle.

Han Baekyeong stood with her arms crossed, staring intently at the massive demon beast far away that was continuously extending its tentacle stems.

The demon had grown even larger than before, soon becoming bigger than a small hill.

Han Baekyeong spoke.

"Deunggwak. Was this within your expectations?"

Swoosh.

Deunggwak, covered head to toe in blood, flew over here with swift lightness skill.

He seemed to have slain many while "cleaning up" the enemy disciples.

He let out a groan and said.

"...I never even imagined something like that."

"Hmph. So as expected, your intent was to drag us in and just give it a try."

"This isn't the time to quibble over that. Do you know what that monster is by any chance?"

"I don't know either!"

Han Baekyeong stated firmly, then turned her head toward me.

"Baek Woong. I know you brought a sorcerer companion. Where is he?"

Step.

Manggyang stepped out from behind me and cupped his fists toward Han Baekyeong.

"This lowly one Manggyang pays respects to the Incarnation Flow elder."

"So you're the one."

"Regrettably, I too do not know what that monster is. I only know it's a vicious summoned beast originating from the demonic path."

"How do we defeat it?"

Manggyang thought for a moment before speaking.

"Either reverse summon it with corresponding demonic path secret arts, destroy its core, overwhelm its regenerative power with physical force to annihilate it, or seal this entire area and starve it to death. For reference, the first method is impossible with my power."

Han Baekyeong wore a bitter smile.

"Four methods, and not a single one of them is remotely usable."

"But you must make a quick decision. If left as is, that thing will expand its influence beyond the palace and devour humans. Once it absorbs nutrients, it'll grow even stronger. To bring it down, now while it's still in the sprouting stage is the opportunity."

"I know that."

Han Baekyeong appeared to hesitate over something.

Then, as if she'd made up her mind, she spoke.

"Manggyang. Can you locate the core?"

"Its shell is too thick to detect now, but if we inflict enough damage, I might be able to find it with sorcery."

"Understood."

She swiftly commanded the Incarnation Flow troops to retreat outside.

At the same time, she ordered Deunggwak to lead the forest dwelling experts out of the palace as well.

Deunggwak seemed to grasp what she intended and retreated without another word.

Soon, only Han Baekyeong and the three of us remained in the plaza.

"Yong Bitian."

Whoosh!

As Han Baekyeong called out softly, the figure of the masked guardian warrior Yong Bitian appeared in midair.

Until now, he had concealed himself in the sky with overwhelming qi, racking up major achievements in repelling the imperial army.

The reinforcements dispatched from the White Lotus Sect were none other than Yong Bitian of the Wind God Flow.

The moment he appeared, he spoke to Han Baekyeong in an arrogant tone.

"I know what you want to say. You want to join forces, right?"

"That's the only answer."

"Kuku... Even I've never seen a monster like that in my lifetime."

Even Yong Bitian eyed the tentacle tree with a daunted expression.

No matter how seasoned a guardian warrior he was, he'd likely never faced a demonic monster like this.

She glanced toward us before issuing orders.

"Sword Demon. Baek Woong. You two protect Manggyang. Stand guard so he can cast his sorcery and locate the core without interference."

"Understood."

"I'll try to keep damage from reaching your side, so protect Manggyang at all costs."

Flash!

In the next instant, Han Baekyeong and Yong Bitian unleashed lightness skills and soared into the sky.

This wasn't mere jumping with ordinary lightness skill—they ascended over a dozen zhang in a flash and flew straight toward the tentacles.

The two guardians concentrated their full power into their twin swords and palms, then unleashed that fearsome energy like beams of light.

Whirling.

Kwaaaaang!

"......!!"

It wasn't even a martial technique—just the raw power of the Heavenly Spirit Pill unleashed with full force.

Yet the light beams converged on a single point of the tentacle monster, erupting in a blinding white flash.

A circular explosion followed, its shockwave ravaging everything within a hundred zhang radius.

The Sword Demon and I executed Thousand Catties Fall amid the storm to shield Manggyang—the mere aftermath was utterly uncontrollable.

Grooooar.

As expected, the Heavenly Spirit Pill's might was tremendous.

That single strike twisted the tentacle monster's body, punching holes all over it.

The Sword Demon watched the sight and muttered.

"We might not even be needed."

"No."

"Hm?"

Manggyang's face had gone pale.

"...Baek Woong, what the hell did that alchemist summon? That thing... it possesses its own inner barrier!"

No sooner had Manggyang finished speaking than the tentacle monster wriggled at its wounds, regenerating tentacles anew.

The black liquid dripping like blood onto the ground instantly birthed hideous demons of unknown origin.

Their forms reminded me of the ones summoned by Wolyo's guardian.

Kriiiririk.

The small demons emitted eerie cries as they spread wings or scattered in all directions.

The guardians floating in the sky had no need to concern themselves with such small fry, but Manggyang was different.

He clasped his hands, formed a mudra, and shouted.

"Array of Taking Kan and Filling Li!"

Kwaaang!

With a deafening roar, massive doors materialized across five li in all directions, slamming into the ground.

They functioned as barriers—the frenzied small demons could advance no further.

The Sword Demon and I began smashing the small demons charging our way one by one.

As expected of demonic entities, their hides were incredibly tough; it took sword qi at minimum to cleave them.

After roughly clearing the monsters lunging at us, I asked Manggyang.

"Own inner barrier? What does that mean?"

"When its body was shattered just now, I glimpsed its interior. It has separate bodies in the material realm and spirit realm. When one is destroyed, the other compensates. That's possible only because of an inner barrier connecting the material and spirit realms within its body. That's an extraordinarily advanced incantation..."

Kwang!

I pulverized the swarming small demons with Seven Star Thunder Strike and shouted.

"I'm not the sharpest—explain it simply!"

"So it has two bodies! You must destroy both the material and spirit bodies simultaneously, or it can't be eliminated."

"What?!"

"The core is in the spirit realm. That's why..."

Ku-kwa-kwa-kwang!

As Manggyang shouted, Han Baekyeong and Yong Bitian unleashed ferocious flames and wind blasts once more.

Stronger than before, the attack seemed to incinerate and tear away over forty percent of the tentacle monster's body amid its screams.

Anyone watching would think we had the upper hand, but the constant regeneration left a bad taste.

The Sword Demon sliced a small demon's torso into six pieces and spoke calmly.

"Even if the guardians overwhelm it with raw force and reduce it to ash, it'll keep reviving?"

"Precisely."

"Is there some method?"

"None at present. Those demons born from its spilled blood will assault nearby lifeforms to supply it vitality, so all I can do is block them with my barrier. Otherwise, it'll gain regeneration and power surpassing the guardians' rate of destruction."

It was definitely the right call to bring Manggyang.

Without him, the small demons would have spread uncontrollably, mounting casualties while the tentacles grew beyond restraint.

And on top of that, he'd given us the key to its weakness.

The Sword Demon pondered briefly before asking.

"How long can that Array of Taking Kan and Filling Li hold?"

"It's a grand barrier—even with my power, it won't last long. Half a shichen at most..."

"We need a plan within half a shichen, then."

Our direct combat prowess far surpasses Manggyang's, but neither of us could deploy a barrier across such a wide area like a sorcerer.

We had to devise a way to take it down while his array held.

Unable to make sense of it, I said.

"This thing seems far trickier and more powerful than Wolyo's guardian, despite lesser direct destructive force. How is that possible?"

"My guess is that from the moment Zhuge Yuelong and his clan vanished, it prepared for this. Having lost the crystal stole and even the Nameless Sacrificial Text, it chose to remake itself into an immortal demon before death could claim it."

"Huh?"

Hearing that, I realized something utterly ridiculous.

"No way—that thing isn't the alchemist's summon. It's the alchemist himself?"

"Exactly. The great demonic sorcerer Saint Germain spent months meticulously remodeling himself, which is how a top-tier demon like that emerged."

"Crazy...! Why make that choice?"

"......"

Manggyang shook his head.

"Now's not the time for that. I'll think of a way to destroy the spirit body, so hold out as long as you can."

"Got it."

Kwaang!

Ku-kwa-kwang!

For a time, amid the empty roars of destruction and cascading beams of light on the battlefield, the Sword Demon and I swung our swords for dear life.

If the sorcerer Manggyang died or took damage, the array would collapse—so we had to protect him no matter what.

Manggyang maintained the array while desperately racking his brains for a way to defeat the demon.

The guardians hovering in the air, pouring out their bottomless inner energy to whittle down the tentacle monster, also seemed to sense something amiss.

Han Baekyeong swiftly flew over to us and said.

"Why won't that thing just die?"

"That's..."

I explained the situation to Han Baekyeong.

She responded with incredulity.

"This really is an absurd battle."

"But it's reality."

"Hmm..."

Han Baekyeong furrowed her brows and said.

"We'll hold until that barrier of yours releases, as you said. But fighting any longer would be foolish—we'll need to devise another approach then."

"What..."

"I'm not so leisurely that I can battle an immortal monster for a thousand years. Start considering abandoning Luoyang."

"......!!"

Before Han Baekyeong could even hear my reply, she flew back into the sky to resume attacking the monster.

Her words struck me as potentially the most realistic option.

Manggyang was devising a way to eliminate it, but what if there truly was none?

In that case, it would be better to shift to plans for containing or sealing the monster.

'Damn, then to Zhuge... But...'

The demonic sorcerer Zhuge might have a solution.

But he was currently performing the Nameless Sacrificial Text ritual—contacting him was out of the question.

It could lead to an even worse outcome, so I couldn't rashly gamble.

After much deliberation, I said to Manggyang.

"Manggyang. I'll use the Fierce God's incantation on that thing."

I'd already confirmed that the Fierce God's power to shatter spell defenses worked even on Apostle Dalgi.

Nine times out of ten, it'd obliterate the monster's spirit body too.

"No!"

Manggyang panicked.

"That incantation can only be used once in your lifetime, and it's effective against apostle-level beings. Using it here would be a terrible waste! Sorcery of that caliber is rarer than finding jade after scouring the world."

"But if there's no other way..."

"Wait. There has to be a method! Let's consider that the absolute last resort."

"Alright..."

It was at that moment, as frustration welled up and I drew both Hwayo and the Fire Dragon Divine Sword from my scabbard collar to unleash stronger techniques.

Thump.

'Gasp!'

My heart suddenly pounded fiercely.

I felt blood like searing red lava coursing through my body, along with an extreme yang energy leaping wildly within.

As I reeled from the abrupt change, my vision shifted dramatically—I was suddenly in a bizarre mental realm.

A hellish crimson landscape brimming with hot rivers of flowing lava!

Across from me on that terrain stood a certain being.

Clad in ancient robes, it held the Fire Dragon Divine Sword in one hand.

Its beauty was absolute, like a painting come to life, and cold eyes stared in my direction.

[Chosen Apostle. I have watched you for a long time.]

The being pointed the Fire Dragon Divine Sword at me and spoke.

[I must render judgment. Determine if you are one who fights for justice. Yet no matter how I consider it, you are neither good nor evil—closer to chaos... That is why I could not rashly grant you power until now.]

A suspicion arose, and I asked.

[Are you the Fire Dragon True Person?]

[Indeed.]

Her eyes gleamed as she answered.

[I am the incarnation of the progenitor Eagle Dragon, the great heavenly immortal of the celestial realm—the Fire Dragon True Person!]

[......!!]

Ruuumble.

In the next instant, the human form vanished without a trace, replaced by a massive Fire Dragon dozens of zhang long manifesting before me.

Its dragon scales writhed, flaunting immense power.

Having never beheld a true dragon before, I lost myself in awe.

The Fire Dragon exhaled a breath of flames before speaking.

[That demon beast threatens the human realm. Thus, I, the Fire Dragon True Person, acknowledge you as my fated one and forge this karmic bond. I shall accompany you for eons. Apostle Baek Woong, borrow my power to overcome this crisis!]

Ffaaash.

The Fire Dragon dissolved into motes of light and vanished, leaving the Fire Dragon Divine Sword in my grasp.

The vision shattered.

"This is..."

When I returned from the mental realm, I sensed a massive change in my hands gripping the Fire Dragon Divine Sword and Hwayo.

Until now, I'd gripped them forcibly amid faint persistent heat—but now, only the cold of the hilt remained.

The resonance between the Fire Dragon Divine Sword, Hwayo, and myself had vanished, while the vast heat circulating my body concentrated into the sword.

The Fire Dragon True Person spoke in my mind after possessing it.

[Apostle Baek Woong, entrust your body to me! I shall show you how to wield the Fire Dragon Divine Sword.]

I figured that was right.

It was also a chance to witness the Fire Dragon True Person's prowess.

But something made me hesitate, and I mumbled.

(Uh... that is...)

[What?]

(Well, since I'm Jeonwook's apostle... doesn't that make me your superior... so why do you keep...)

[Using informal speech, you mean.]

As I nodded, the Fire Dragon True Person declared proudly.

[I am the incarnation of the Eagle Dragon, blessed by the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors' sovereign. Even as an apostle, you are merely human—why should I bow to you?]

[......]

Silenced like a fool with honey in his mouth, I yielded my body to the Fire Dragon True Person.

What the hell had I been expecting...

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