Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

Right after that, Manggyang dove into deciphering oracle bone script, scouring the libraries he knew across various regions for knowledge on the "First Characters." Cheon Woo-Jin decided to head to a place rich in spiritual energy to reinforce the seal on Zhuge Sa. Manggyang said to me,

"Baek Woong. First, go to the secret library beneath the Ansan Empire."

"You mean fetch the book that was written about Changhsi?"

Manggyang nodded.

"Unlike at Nusanma Temple, touching that book elicited no reaction from Changhsi. This suggests he placed spells on books and information about himself scattered worldwide, but overlooked the territories held by the Great Race of the Prophet."

"Hmm..."

That made sense. It was wise to prepare for cases where information couldn't be extracted from the Prophet. I decided to follow Manggyang's advice.

"Zhuge Sa's demonic power is beyond imagination."

"This treasure can't hold him for long."

"Can't even the Mountain and River Nation Chart seal Zhuge Sa?"

"Yes. You see rejection reaction earlier. The capacity is insufficient. The wooden armor you have is probably the same."

Cheon Woo-Jin continued calmly.

"Sealing a powerful being with a treasure has its limits. It's only natural, given we've acquired forty percent of the world's top-tier demonic tool, but Zhuge Sa's pure demonic power has surpassed our expectation... Leaving us no choice."

Had Zhuge Sa grown that strong?

Cheon Woo-Jin subtly held out the Mountain and River Nation Chart toward me.

"I'll bolster my spiritual power to hold it as long as possible, but I can't guarantee more than ten days. At best, ten days—prepare your mind."

Ten days.

An ambiguous timeframe, I frowned. Suddenly realizing something from Cheon Woo-Jin's words, I asked back.

"Prepare my mind?"

"To kill Zhuge Sa with your own hands."

"......!?"

"Killing him now would be ideal, but anyway."

Cheon Woo-Jin continued calmly.

"If Zhuge Sa becomes the Demon King's subordinate, he'll be ten times stronger than now. At that point, Zhuge Sa himself will become a calamity. Better to sever his lifeline with the Flame Demon before then and absorb that power."

I grabbed Cheon Woo-Jin's collar.

"I told you, I won't do that!"

"Hah. Reincarnator Baek Woong. Protecting your comrade's life, is it?"

"Yes."

Crack.

Cheon Woo-Jin shook off my grip. Ignoring my internal energy, he must have used one of the 81-1/2 unique tricks. Glaring at me with irritated eyes, he said,

"I truly despise demonic sorcerers like Zhuge Sa, and I loathe you just as much, but that attitude is mere self-satisfaction."

"What?"

"So what will you do? Only someone like me can seal Zhuge Sa in a treasure for ten days. A demonic sorcerer who's acquired forty percent of a top-grade tome like the Nameless Priest's Scripture has already transcended human limits. No sealing art in this world would be very effective. If you're so clever, suggest a method."

"......"

As I fell silent, Cheon Woo-Jin growled instead.

"I won't go so far as telling you to pursue maximum efficiency through human sacrifice like Zhuge Sa suggested. But if there's no other way, killing him to strengthen the Flame Demon is better. Your master has likely thought of this too but can't say it because it's his blood kin, so I'm saying it for him."

"But what do we gain by going that far?"

I replied with difficulty.

"Must I keep sacrificing comrades' lives like resources—grinding them away, again and again—in my reincarnations? That's..."

"No different from the White Lotus Leader or the Twelve Lords, right?"

"...Yes."

Cheon Woo-Jin chuckled in disbelief.

"Hah! You have no right to condemn them now."

"What do you mean?"

"They had convictions. You have convictions too, but you're mistaking something crucial. "No... to clarify, it's not even for Zhuge Sa's sake—you're just making excuses to protect your own mental fortitude."

"......!!"

"I understand, but I can't sympathize. At least, prepare your own answer."

His gaze turned icy cold.

"Not an excuse—a true solution."

Whoosh!

The next moment, Cheon Woo-Jin vanished. He'd poured out his words like a waterfall and left. I was furious at his attitude, but more than that, my chest stung. Cheon Woo-Jin's words had struck the contradiction I'd harbored in my heart.

Damn it...'

Protecting comrades and bonds, pursuing greater justice through benevolence and righteousness.

That would be ideal, but we're facing a reality no idealism can resolve. Saving Zhuge Sa, who's merged with the Demon King, would just play into Changhsi's hands—a fatal mistake. Yet there was no clear sealing method either. No best choice existed, we had to pick the lesser evil over the worst. The frustration was sickening.

'This isn't just now. In future reincarnations, I'd endlessly weigh comrades' lives against efficiency. I'd face even more agonizing dilemmas.'

Each time, I'd have to choose. Cheon Woo-Jin, having seen my past life memories, anticipated this and demanded I decide my heart now as a third party. Otherwise, the same torment would repeat.

......

Not an excuse—a solution.

Muttering those words, I headed to the Prophet. Advice was advice; regardless, I had to act and find a way.

Flash.

I first used return to head to [The Great Race]'s secret library in the Arasa Empire.

Thud!

"Right!"

But I was suddenly repelled, flying into the snow mountains near Moscow. Seeing the distant barrier that bounced back about 1km. It was like a barrier—a barrier preventing entry.

'The secret library now has a barrier, unlike previously...'

Had [The Great Race] felt the need to protect their knowledge vault amid sudden changes? They'd clearly erected a powerful barrier that even a master level like Return couldn't breach.

I used the Messenger Pearl to report to Manggyang. He, deep in interpretation work, replied,

[Baek Woong. Then don't force entry—negotiate with the Prophet.]

[I think the Apostle's power could pierce that barrier...]

[Hmm... Still, it's an ancient past between who placed guardians inside or tracking spells on each book. A knowledge-obsessed race like [The Great Race] would do at least that, right?]

[Hmm. True.]

[We could force it through, but giving the impression of a bandit before negotiating with the Prophet is unwise. If desperate, we can later.]

[Got it.]

Regretful, but per Manggyang, I couldn't extract books from the secret library now. I used the Apostle power to transport myself to Astana.

"Prophet. It's Baek Woong."

[Oh... The Apostle of the Three Emperors and Five Emperors.]

The greeting differed. In past lives, the Prophet treated sudden human visitors casually, but this time, he identified me as an Apostle immediately. Staring at him, I said,

"Prophet. Do you know me?"

[Of course... the great hero who felled the Sea God... Chosen Apostle of the Three Emperors and Five Emperors... Your feats are widely renowned.]

The Prophet seemed highly curious. Thinking he hadn't detected the life mark he'd once placed on me, I replied,

"I've come to trade with you. And one more thing to ask up front."

[What is it...]

I declared boldly,

"I'm a reincarnator."

[......!!]

The Prophet wriggled his tentacles, projecting strange geometric shapes in the air. After his verification, he groaned,

[Sigh... Continued... As a reincarnator, you amassed karma to fell the Sea God in a fleeting human lifespan... But why tell me?]

"You placed a mark on me, so hiding's pointless. Just choosing not to for mutual trust."

[Kekeke... Seems we've traded long... You know my temperament...]

Amused, the Prophet chuckled. Then he said,

[Fine... State your business. I'll happily trade.]

"What I want is info on Changhsi. Why the Demon King rampaged, and on the 'First Characters' that can control Changhsi's incarnations."

[......]

After a long silence, the Prophet spoke.

[I've been dragged into a complicated game... Where the victor claims heavenly dominion... Can't side.]

Muttering cryptically, he continued,

[Personally, I withhold judgment... Between you and Changhsi... I can't predict the winner... Can't take sides.]

"Cut the nonsense—can you sell the info or not?"

[Of course, for a suitable price...]

"Here."

Swish.

I pulled from the wooden armor: the demon beast summoning amulet, portrait machine, information about the Demon King, and miscellaneous treasures. Everything except essentials like Flame Demon, Return, Heavenly Deck Secret Book, and Imperial Seal.

"This is all I can muster now."

[......]

This yield was much, but early treasures were heavily depleted, converted into blessings and skills. Still, I laid out all except the main ones. The outcome hinged on how much I could get from the Prophet—no room to skimp.

Eyeing the treasures, the Prophet said,

[You have quite a lot... But...]

"But what?"

[Changhsi has a secret pact with... So I can't reveal his secrets for this... Even if I knew any...]

"What?"

[Besides, excluding some items, the rest don't appeal much...]

My head rang.

"A secret pact? You're lying!"

The Prophet wriggled his tentacles.

[Reincarnator... It's an ancient pact between Changhsi and me... He had an abnormal obsession with guarding his secrets... He approached beings like me who could uncover them... Silencing them all... We made an equal pact, but many were killed or sealed by him...]

"Is that true?"

I recalled suddenly sealing the Imperial Seal's power via the semi-administrator's authority after defeating the Sea God in Astana. Pasenpa desperately avoided it to avoid detection, radiating intent to protect his secrets. If allies, Changhsi would chosen similarly, or more.

"Doesn't sound like a lie."

If true, Changhsi and Pasenpa lurked in Central Plains and the West, hiding meticulously for millennia yet as Apostle level or higher, what far drove such secrecy?

"Wait a moment. Let me think."

[Take your time...]

Leaving the Prophet, I crossed my arms.

Hope remained.

The Prophet's excuse sounded plausible, but he was essentially an informant. For enough price, he'd break it—past lives taught me that. My offering just didn't meet his betrayal threshold.

Ways existed to pry his mouth open. But I hesitated.

...Sacrifice the Imperial Seal?

Tough call.

The Imperial Seal's value equaled ten treasures, surely unlocking the Prophet's lips. But it powered the Great Immortal descending into me, fueling battles against mighty foes. Without it, the Great Immortal descending would drain my vitality, self-destructing quickly.

Sacrificing it meant losing power against Apostle-level enemies ahead. A massive loss—I had to hesitate.

I spoke.

"Prophet. Payment on delivery."

[On delivery...?]

"I'll give all this now, and settle the rest later. Short on funds immediately."

The Prophet sounded surprised.

[Hmm... On delivery... No one's ever proposed that to me.]

"Any reason to refuse? As you said, I'm the one who felled the Sea God. And Apostle of the Three Emperors and Five Emperors! Post-credit rise, be it 100 or 200 years, I promise full payment."

[......]

Would the deferred payment work?

Soon, the Prophet replied.

[Impossible.]

"Why?"

Dumbfounded, I said,

"I can pay! You know what being a reincarnator means better than most!"

[I acknowledge your ability, fame...qualifications... as Apostle of the Three Emperors and Five Emperors... But your reincarnation is exactly why I refuse deferred payment.]

"What?"

[Reincarnators die and restart—done. If you request deferred, then die inconveniently... I can't collect the rest... Right...? Even gods don't know if soul-summoning works...]

"...":

[Plus, your current situation is perfect for sudden death...]

The Prophet glared suspiciously.

[You're... way too high-risk for skipping out... Highest in the universe... Cash upfront only...]

Cash upfront only!

My head spun. I'd never considered it as a reincarnator, but knowing that, he'd think exactly so. As I stood dazed, the Prophet appraised the treasures and said,

[Still... Not Changhsi himself... I can tell you why the Demon King rampaged... His goal... The First Characters... That much, the price covers...]

"Really?"

[I anticipate your clash will be thrilling... Offering objectively—how about this exchange...]

I pondered, then said,

"Fine."

I could force with Imperial Seal or unreleased Suyu/Moonyang. Books that were saved for later lives; giving Chihyu was risked unknown heavenly backlash. With icon sell, I'd get peripheral info safely.

'If needed, I'll read the secret library for Changhsi's info, thief or not.'

The Prophet began.

[First, the being called Demon King rampaged simply... He always eyed the Central Plains... Karma limited him to body-matching for amusement... But recently, someone approached him, giving a supreme treasure nullifying karma...]

"Nullifying karma? Such a treasure?"

[Unclear... But items nullifying karma are rare across heaven and earth... Maybe one or two in Heaven... Only he knows what the Demon King got...]

"Hmm."

[That move was intended by one of Changhsi's incarnations, the Eight Legions' Kinnara...]

"Kinnara, huh."

I asked the Prophet.

"How strong is Kinnara? Appearance, abilities?"

[Secrecy pact details... But Kinnara excels in transformation among Eight Legions, near-humanoid... Brains of the group... I know he had close ties with the Demon King already...]

"Hmm. Something odd?"

"What's odd..."

"Kinnara is one of Changhsi's incarnations. Shouldn't they share one mind? Brains sounds strange."

[Heh... Incarnations are conceptual beings. Not just Changhsi—all incarnations have their own wills, unlike the origin... Independent personalities... Their essence merely unchanging.]

"Hmm."

Unexpected info.

Incarnations' will didn't perfectly align with Changhsi's. They obeyed commands, but the bond was looser than thought.

'As far as key, Eight Legions are eight independent personalities united for one goal—like a coalition.'

While I thought, the Prophet continued.

[As you guess... You and your group touched Changhsi's reverse scale, prompting his immediate action... Great war has begun...]

"Tell me about the First Characters too."

[The First Characters... Tied to Changhsi creating script in the Divine Era...]

Pausing, the Prophet said,

[Baek Woong... Do you think script is essential for sentient beings to develop civilization...]

I answered without hesitation.

"Isn't it obvious? No script, no recording knowledge, no communication."

[Not necessarily... Among cosmic intelligence... Many develop civilization via spells alone, feeling no need for script... Others deliberately avoid script due to its dangers.]

"Script's dangerous?"

[Script... bears names... And names define existence...]

Names define existence?

Tilting my head at the cryptic words, the Prophet continued.

[Changhsi didn't just give hanja to humans... He created language prototypes for all races across continents... Aiding civilization's speed... But a constraint on humanity itself.]

"Constraint?"

[Those under Changhsi's blessing... wield absolute dominance in that language sphere... Script interferes with human subconscious, binding souls to submission... Indirectly dominating names via script... Seizing essence through control.]

"......!!"

Dominating names via script!

[An ancient, perfect domination structure... Your human script, enslaved to Changhsi... Acts like a chain.]

I grasped the Prophet's words.

"...Changhsi wanted perpetual human domination."

[I don't know... But your human script... is undoubtedly an artificial grand spell's product...]

"Anyway, assume so. So First Characters are hanja?"

[No... Not that...]

"Then?"

Pausing, the Prophet said.

[As I know, Changhsi created human script... But permitting it was Emperor Huangdi Gongsun Xuanyuan. Changhsi petitioned Huangdi to create script; Huangdi replied...]

"How?"

['First create characters proving we keep promise. Offer them to me.']

"......?"

Promise?

What promise? And "we"?

Before I could speak, the Prophet continued.

[Changhsi expressed difficulty with his power... But Huangdi refused without compliance... Thus, Changhsi discarded his original script, remade from scratch... Huangdi approved the offered characters... Permitted lower scripts... Thus hanja and others' prototypes emerged.]

I groaned.

"Something... complicated."

[I learned incidentally acquiring heavenly intel... A secret not in our records.]

"Why demand such characters?"

[I don't know... Huangdi's the most enigmatic among Three Emperors and Five Emperors... Even the Three Emperors and Five Emperors might not fathom him.]

"Hmm."

[Anyway, offered to Huangdi were the 'First Characters.' Changhsi poured divinity into them, so confronting them weakens his invincibility. His initials or incarnations too...]

"Hmm. Ineffective on others besides Changhsi and kin?"

[So I believe...]

Different from expected secret. I thought Changhsi led, but Huangdi demanded it, with clear reason. Changhsi hereof had to prototype to Huangdi, but faced unexpected overtime.

Also, Huangdi clearly subordinated Changhsi, an absolute ruler immune to cunning.

What did Emperor Gongsun Xuanyuan think?

Why demand those characters?

So...

"Then Huangdi Gongsun Xuanyuan knows what the First Characters are?"

[Yes...]

"No records? Ways to obtain...?"

Regretfully, the Prophet said,

[Sorry... We collect all world knowledge... But offered immediately to Huangdi... Not recorded in books... Even we couldn't collect it]

"Is that so..."

[However... Follow Three Emperors and Five Emperors know and can use them.]

"Yes!"

My face lit up. Normally vague clue, but for me:

I'm Apostle of Three Emperors and Five Emperors Jeonuk!

On his secret mission, invited to banquet, trained five years under his power. No human closer to Jeonuk. Begging might reveal the 'First Characters.'

The Prophet added,

[Since you're an Apostle... Ask a favor, he'll grant.]

He begged but settled cleanly when owed.

Plus, his answers show he feigned neutrality while leaking much. Enjoying our clash... Secrecy pact's just words.'

His tendencies usable later.

Pondering his offer, I said,

"Two questions."

[Ask...]

"First, the Flame Dragon Immortal in my Flame Demon is injured. Way to quickly recover from Sea God's demonic power?"

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