Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

The sound of a guqin drifts into my ears.

A faint yet brilliant tone, like the flow of twilight, washes over them. Slowly, I open my eyes to the solemn and elegant melody that captivates my heart and ears. And I realize that I am standing before some strange edifice.

"Where...?"

I sense at once that this is an utterly bizarre place.

The sun and moon hang in the sky together. The heavens are split in half like yin and yang. To the left stretches a vast blue sky bathed in clear sunlight, while to the right, a full moon shines brilliantly, creating night.

The boundary dividing day and night lies precisely along the structure where I stand. Remarkably, the line splitting this halved world runs right through my position. I examine this gate of an unfamiliar style, which I have never seen before in my life, and it appears to be a massive door.

What is this?

Where am I?

As I stand there dumbfounded, unable to act...

[Apostle.]

Flash.

A figure in official robes materializes before me amid a burst of darkness. Upon closer inspection, it is not human but composed entirely of churning black clouds. It vaguely resembles Zhuanxu's retainers, but the difference lies in the official's hat and robes, which are completely different.

In any case, it seems to be a being of high stature. I speak up.

[Who are you?]

Huh?

What just came from my mouth was not physical speech but spirit words. Does that mean this is not the material realm? As I rapidly sort through my thoughts, the one who called me apostle bows its head to me and says,

[I am Yeol, the overseer of the Wu Ge Heavenly Gate.]

I had encountered that place name and title in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, so I am startled.

[This... is this the Wu Ge Heavenly Gate?]

The Wu Ge Heavenly Gate is said to be a creation of Zhuanxu, one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, built on Sun-Moon Mountain to manage the movements of celestial bodies like the sun, moon, and stars. The reason I am truly shocked is that Sun-Moon Mountain and the Wu Ge Heavenly Gate are said to exist at the "edge of the world," a myth from ancient times whose very existence is uncertain.

Yeol answers my question.

[Yes. Here, the sun and moon converge.]

[Am I dead?]

I decide to confirm that first. Being in the Wu Ge Heavenly Gate on Sun-Moon Mountain—a place even immortals and Daoists regard as myth—and speaking in spirit words makes death the most likely explanation. Yeol's face twitches for a moment before it replies,

[This is a department unrelated to the afterlife.]

[......?]

[Follow me. The King awaits.]

Its tone is utterly businesslike. Not being human, its expressions are unreadable anyway, but I strongly sense that it treats me in a strictly official capacity. Just to be sure, I check my body, but as expected, none of my possessions like the Heavenly Dark Secret Book or the Cauldron are present.

I gruffly reply,

[How can I trust you and follow? How do I know you're not an impostor claiming to be one of Zhuanxu's subordinates, trying to deceive me?]

[Do as you wish. If you cannot pass through the Wu Ge Heavenly Gate on your own power, you will wander this place until the universe itself perishes.]

[......]

Suddenly, I recall the knowledge that the realm of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors is likely a dimension far removed from reality. Yeol's words do not seem like lies.

[I shall leave the gate open. Follow.]

Swoosh...

Yeol turns and steps toward the Wu Ge Heavenly Gate, its form soon vanishing inside. The gate's interior swirls with chaotic flashes of light, making it impossible to discern what lies within.

'I suppose I have no choice but to enter.'

I decide to follow Yeol's lead for now. Staying put in this state won't change anything anyway. With half anticipation and half dread, I step into the massive Wu Ge Heavenly Gate. Though the gate spans over fifty feet wide and more than a hundred feet tall, the moment I enter, I feel as if I am being sucked in and compressed.

When I emerge from the gate, I realize I am inside some palace. Ghostly divinities float about everywhere, each shrouded in a divine aura unlike ordinary spirits, their forms bizarre. Yet despite their strangeness, no malevolent demonic power emanates from them.

[This way.]

Gulp.

I swallow hard as I follow Yeol. The ancient ghosts scattered around are minor deities on an entirely different level from mere wraiths. Their appearances may seem grotesque, but their true power is undoubtedly on par with Great Thunder Immortals or beyond. Moreover, the one guiding me, Yeol, radiates a far more immense divine force than they, making me acutely feel that this is the palace of Zhuanxu, one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.

This is the Hall of Ten Thousand Ghosts.

The longstanding domain of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors since ancient times.

The ghosts glance at Yeol here and there before losing interest and returning to their tasks. They are playing go, but unlike the human version, their board has ten extra lines on each side. The atmosphere is one of leisurely indulgence.

I follow Yeol as it continues onward, but after passing through room after tedious room, I finally ask,

[Yeol. Just where are we going?]

[To the throne room where the King awaits.]

[But we've already passed dozens of chambers and halls?]

I had toured the Ming Emperor's palace before, but it was not this vast. Following Yeol, we've crossed at least forty rooms already, yet there's no sign of arrival. Yeol responds,

[We pass through ninety-nine palace chambers and three gates. We're halfway there, so do not worry.]

[......]

An immense scale. Each room is at least fifty feet across, making this palace absurdly expansive. Along the way, as Yeol mentioned, we pass a giant guard of scattered proportions, who nods to Yeol in greeting.

'Yeol's rank must be extremely high.'

So far, through all the rooms, Yeol has not bowed to anyone, while every ghost we encounter bows respectfully to it.

If the myths hold true, this is only natural. Yeol is the son of Li, Zhuanxu's grandson and supreme minister. Comparable to the Great Thunder Immortal Pengzu, and holding a pivotal post in Zhuanxu's own dimension, it is royalty beyond measure—undeniably formidable. However, Yeol's form lacks the legs attached to its head as described in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, so I ask,

[Your appearance differs from the records in the Classic of Mountains and Seas. Is the Classic wrong?]

[...That was my form then.]

[What do you mean?]

[To a god, outward appearance matters little.]

Yeol gives an enigmatic reply, seemingly uninterested in elaborating. And so, I walk and walk behind it for what feels like ages until we finally arrive at a grand throne hall.

Rumble.

A vast space spanning dozens of li! This cannot be called a mere building; it feels as if the entire sky and earth serve as the palace. And opposite me sits an enormous giant of darkness on a jade throne, gazing down.

The dark giant wears the same ancient garb I glimpsed during the Fengxian Ritual. Its form is like that vision magnified hundreds of times over, leaving me breathless. Flanking the throne are thousands of ancient ghosts standing in formation, maintaining solemn dignity.

Yeol steps forward, kneels, and says,

[My King, I have brought the Apostle.]

[Well done, Yeol. Return to the Wu Ge Heavenly Gate.]

[I humbly obey your command.]

Whoosh.

The moment Yeol finishes speaking, it vanishes like smoke. As expected of a divine being—it can teleport as easily as breathing. With Yeol gone, I stand there awkwardly, and the colossal entity watching me seems to smile faintly.

[Well come, my Apostle.]

Just as I thought.

Though ignorant of ancient rites, I recall what I know and prostrate myself before it.

[I, Baek Woong, pay respects to Zhuanxu.]

[Yes.]

The being before me is undoubtedly Zhuanxu of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Somehow, I have been summoned to his Hall of Ten Thousand Ghosts, said to lie beyond dimensions. I sense that Zhuanxu is not displeased—in fact, he seems glad. So I ask,

[...Why am I here?]

I had followed Yeol, the Wu Ge Heavenly Gate's overseer, to this throne hall on impulse, but I still do not understand the reason. Zhuanxu answers,

[Because I called you.]

A clear response. Though it matches my guess, it only deepens my confusion, so I say,

[I thought I was in mortal peril... Is this the underworld?]

[Hahaha. No, this is not the underworld. Though the Hall of Ten Thousand Ghosts is filled with spirits, it stands apart from the realm of the dead.]

Zhuanxu bursts into laughter, then continues,

[My Apostle, Baek Woong.]

[Yes.]

[You have done a great deed.]

[......]

I realize he knows of the Sea God incident. But unsure what to say before one of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, I hesitate, and Zhuanxu presses on.

Boom.

Suddenly, a lavish spread of delicacies from the mountains and seas appears before me, and similarly before the ghosts lining both sides. Zhuanxu surveys the hall and says,

[Let us dine first.]

[Ooh!]

The ghosts cheer. Zhuanxu, in high spirits, adds,

[Eat heartily.]

Munch munch.

The thousands of ghosts began devouring the food before them with gusto. It seems acceptable to eat gluttonously under the sovereign's command.

[Musicians, play.]

Ding ling.

Dozens of ghostly musicians on one side of the hall start playing ancient guqins and instruments, filling the air with clear, pure tones. I wonder if the guqin sound I heard earlier originated here. Though no expert in music, even I can tell from the timbre that they are masters of unparalleled skill.

I hesitate before slowly picking up my chopsticks and taking a piece of meat dish.

'Huh? This!'

A fragrant flavor spreads through my mouth. Among all the food I have ever tasted, this is unequivocally the finest delicacy. Though an unfamiliar dish in form, its taste transcends such concerns.

What meat is this? Not pork, beef, or chicken. The texture and satiety are overwhelmingly superior. Entranced, I sample more dishes, each a rare gourmet treat.

As I eat with relish, Zhuanxu says,

[Most of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors watched your subjugation of the Sea God.]

*Gulp.*

Midway through pouring and downing a cup of liquor, I nearly spit it out. What is this out of nowhere?

I set down my chopsticks and cup, staring at him, and Zhuanxu continues,

[Originally, we of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors had a pact of mutual non-aggression with the [Ancient Rulers] and the Seven Desires. Thus, before you, my Apostle bearing the Seven Desires, clashed with the Sea God, much discussion ensued. Lady Nüwa even proposed killing you to make you the Seven Desires' guardian.]

[......]

[Like Gonggong, who opposed me.]

I am genuinely terrified.

If Nüwa and the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, along with the Heavenly Realm, set their minds to it, I would be a legless turtle. Becoming the 'Seven Desires' guardian like Gonggong—neither dead nor alive, eternally a bound spirit—would be utterly miserable.

[But I rejected Nüwa's proposal, and we conferred with 'them' to align our views. In the end, we concluded that the Sea God's death would be no issue.]

[...Pardon?]

[He had grown too arrogant, using the 'time of the pact' as pretext. Even the [Ancient Rulers] wished to teach him a harsh lesson. Our interests aligned, so we agreed with them to eliminate the Sea God—and watched your battle.]

[Hmm.]

The Twelfth Warden's words about the Sea God earning the [Ancient Rulers'] enmity appear true. At least regarding the subjugation, it did not lie to me.

[Had you been truly cornered, we planned to intervene at the cost of karmic retribution, but it proved unnecessary.]

So eliminating the Sea God poses no real problem? I listen calmly to Zhuanxu, organizing my thoughts, then say,

[The Twelfth Warden seemed intent on swiftly reducing the Sea God's forces by annihilating a nearby merfolk city.]

[That would be its way. The best a mortal could do. But the Sea God is, at base, an [Ancient Ruler]; its awareness spans the entire ocean, so it would soon notice such attempts.]

[It was doomed to fail?]

[Bad luck. The Sea God happened to be slumbering nearby and rushed over in haste.]

Encountering the Sea God so suddenly was a matter of fortune, then.

Curious about the "time of the pact," I ask,

[What is this "time of the pact"?]

[That is a secret shared only among the Great Gods. I cannot tell you.]

Zhuanxu cuts it off decisively. I instinctively know not to press further when he speaks so firmly. The "time of the pact" must be an extremely vital secret.

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