Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

Saving the White Lotus Church?

I was momentarily dumbfounded, unable to comprehend, but soon realized and spoke.

......

"The Sea God's contract has been nullified."

"That's right."

The Sea God's contract—it was precisely the contract between the Primordial Spirit God and the Heavenly Spirit Pill!

I recalled the story I had heard from the Prophet in my past life.

[It's a slave contract.]

[The souls devoured by the Water God end in a mere moment of pain... but those absorbed by the great one... the Father's Throne... even the [Ancient Ruler] would pity them as they live on until the end of the universe in eternal sons of despair... It's a foolish and idiotic contract that not even the most deranged demonic sorcerer would make.]

Back then, to uncover the secrets of the Heavenly Spirit Pill, I had offered a price to the Prophet and obtained the information. The Prophet had conclusively determined that it was a slave contract between the Heavenly Spirit Pill and the Primordial Spirit God, orchestrated by the Church Lord. Though the Prophet dismissed it as foolish and idiotic, it was undeniable that this contract had allowed the White Lotus Church to boast the strongest power in martial history.

However, in this life, I had driven the Sea God into a crucible of death. Because of that, Yongbi-cheon and all the other Dharma Protectors had gradually lost their infinite internal energy. It was proof that the contract had been nullified.

And now, even after severing Yongbi-cheon's neck, his soul did not head toward the Throne or the Sea God. Using the Zhuge clan's Soul-Severing Great Law, which even the Great Law Immortal could not capture souls with, I had easily reaped Yongbi-cheon's soul. This meant the souls of the Dharma Protectors, once bound by the slave contract, had been freed. I looked at Yongbi-cheon's corpse with suspicious eyes.

"Zhuge Master. But we still can't be certain, can we? A trace of the Heavenly Spirit Pill's effect remained in him, albeit faintly..."

That was why, despite the Sword Demon and Jin So-cheong surpassing him in pure martial prowess, it had taken a prolonged joint assault to subdue Yongbi-cheon. Even so, his current internal energy alone qualified as top-class in the world.

"Indeed. We couldn't be certain. Even after you severed the Sea God's neck, it was only 'dying'—the Sea God hadn't completely perished yet."

The Zhuge Master chuckled softly.

"However, the fact that the Sea God can't even exert coercive force over souls means it's desperately trying to survive by nullifying all contracts bound to it, even at the cost of its power."

"Ah!"

"To conserve power for survival, it's reclaiming the strength it expended on all those contracts. This confirms the Heavenly Spirit Pill contract has been rendered void."

"Then why did the Heavenly Spirit Pill's effect linger in him?"

"To put it simply, the Heavenly Spirit Pill merely draws in the infinite power drifting near the god's Throne via a terminal. Even if the terminal is severed while constantly drawing it in, the power already drawn remains as residue. That's why the Dharma Protectors appeared to be gradually losing the Heavenly Spirit Pill."

"I see..."

A thought suddenly struck me, and I said.

"Then what happened to the White Lotus Church Lord's soul?"

"Normally, it would have been saved. Since he died after you slew the Sea God, he should have gone to the afterlife or become a guardian spirit as per natural order."

The Zhuge Master continued indifferently.

"...But the [Eternal Fetus] now dominating the White Lotus Church told you it had appropriated the fate of destruction that dwelled in the Church Lord."

"That thing made the Church Lord's soul its own?"

"Most likely. A soul with such strong will and demonic power, like the Church Lord's, has many uses..."

I frowned.

"The White Lotus Church Lord couldn't even find salvation in death..."

He had escaped the fate of being dragged to the Throne, but becoming property of the [Ancient Ruler] was no different. Having admired and felt attached to the Church Lord, I couldn't shake the bitter feeling. As I pondered deeply, Mang-ryang, who had been listening beside me, spoke.

"The White Lotus Church has been doomed to eternal suffering due to the Church Lord's arbitrary contract all this time. But now it's clear that slaying the Sea God will end their cruel eternal torment. That makes it even easier to turn the White Lotus Church into allies going forward."

"Hmm!"

"Especially recruiting the Dharma Protectors will be a breeze..."

......

Indeed.

Cases like Dugujun, who swore absolute loyalty to the Church Lord, aside, both Yongbi-cheon and Han Baek-ryeong harbored great suspicion and distrust toward him. Conveying this fact to them would undoubtedly make it far easier to win them over as allies than before.

At that moment, Cheon Woo-jin spoke in disbelief.

"What's the use in that? Slaying the Sea God just teaches them that the immense power the Church Lord and Dharma Protectors enjoy in this world will ultimately vanish."

"Huh?"

"Regardless of the afterlife, would someone like you abandon infinite internal energy and supreme martial arts overnight?"

......

"When you get right down to it, the White Lotus Church's downfall in this world is as good as done by killing the Sea God."

I hadn't considered that far. But Cheon Woo-jin was absolutely right. Even I, if already possessing the Heavenly Spirit Pill, would be so intoxicated by that immense power that I could never relinquish it. Power had the nature of being something you couldn't easily let go once grasped.

Mang-ryang then retorted.

"And the solution to that has emerged too, junior brother. The sealing of the Twelve Laws."

Mang-ryang's eyes gleamed.

"In this life's Sea God subjugation, we unluckily clashed with its main body midway, but with good fortune, we could seal the six seal areas around the Korean Peninsula before the Sea God emerges, greatly weakening it. If we can confine it there, the Sea God's harm would diminish significantly while the White Lotus Church retains its power. After all, it's half-dead, not fully deceased."

"Hmm."

"Conversely, this single piece of information alone lets us hold the White Lotus Church in our grasp. Intelligence is all in how you use it."

After the discussion ended, the Zhuge Master cast the Soul-Severing Great Law on the Wind God Ryu elders, turning them into the Sword Demon's direct subordinates. Realizing they had been ensnared by the Soul-Severing Great Law, they fumed in rage but had no choice but to obey. That was how terrifying the technique was.

The Sword Demon said to me.

"Leave the surface world to me. I'll do my utmost to prevent the books from spreading."

"Yes."

I shook my head and said.

"Just issue the control orders and return to the headquarters."

"Huh?"

"It's too dangerous any longer. The [Ancient Ruler] might descend personally..."

I trailed off before continuing.

"After all, we can't block the [Ancient Ruler]'s plans with our own power to the end."

"Understood. I won't overdo it."

Flash!

The Sword Demon teleported away with the Wind God Ryu elders. But Jin So-cheong did not follow the Sword Demon and instead stared at me intently. With only the two of us left in the area now, I looked at him curiously.

"Anything you want to say?"

"Baek Woong. I have a request."

He pleaded with earnest eyes.

"Please rescue Blue Moon Dharma Protector."

......

"We must save him from being trapped in the Aokigahara Flood."

He was right. Until now, there had been no pressing need, so I hadn't bothered rescuing him, but if Jin So-cheong was requesting it personally, I had to comply. Still, puzzled, I asked back.

"Why now, of all times? Even if we rescue Blue Moon now, Heavenly Lord is only a month away. How would saving him help the current situation?"

"It will help you and me."

"...?"

"Martial Soul."

The moment I heard those two words, my eyes widened. As a martial artist—and one who had trained in the Thunder God Style for hundreds of years—it was only natural.

Martial Soul?

The unfinished ultimate secret of the Thunder God Style.

A legendary technique no one in history had mastered!

The Martial Soul I had heard about from Lee Gwang and Lee Cheong-un came with such stringent conditions that even a supreme realm expert might doubt attaining it within a thousand years. I looked at Jin So-cheong suspiciously.

"Blue Moon is a Thunder God Style expert, but... he's not strictly necessary for the conditions to acquire the Thunder God Style's Martial Soul."

Blue Moon was proficient in sword and spear arts but specialized in lightfoot skills. He wasn't notably superior to Lee Gwang in marksmanship, nor to Duguesong in swordsmanship. He was quite far from being a master in all three fields of spear, fist, and sword. That was another reason I hadn't rescued Blue Moon until now.

Jin So-cheong shook his head.

"No. Recently, while training and elevating my realm with the insights I gained from you, I realized something. The method to acquire that Martial Soul isn't absolutely correct. It was merely a vague sensation felt by the predecessors of the Thunder God Style."

......

I cried out inwardly in shock.

'N-No way, Jin So-cheong... You vaguely sensed what the Martial Soul is...?'

"I think so. If only for an instant."

"......!!"

Impossible!

For someone not even in the supreme realm yet to sense something far beyond it?!

No matter how exceptional Jin So-cheong's talent was, at that moment, his words felt like empty bravado. Gazing at him with eyes full of doubt, I said.

"I can't believe it."

"I figured as much."

Jin So-cheong wore a bitter expression and continued.

"I'll explain the details after we rescue him. Just take it as being duped and grant my request."

......

In any case, right now, we had nothing to do but train and wait until a month from now. With no other choice, I nodded.

"Very well."

Flash!

Using my divine power, I entered the third flood of the Aokigahara Flood—the Inlet Sea—with Jin So-cheong. Unlike the first or second floods, this place was a monstrous realm where colossal otherworldly great yokai drifted through the abyssal sea like minnows. Even demons the size of mountains roamed about. Thus, even I now could scarcely fight and win properly in the Inlet Sea without the Great Law Immortal's aid.

The spot I arrived at via divine power was precisely where I had rescued Blue Moon in the Inlet Sea before. Blue Moon was hiding on a drifting landmass in the abyssal sea, barely clinging to life. Thinking it had been a long time since I last visited, I sensed for his presence.

"Hmm. There he is."

I felt Blue Moon huddled and hiding among the ruins of a shattered building. I sent him a transmission.

[Blue Moon Dharma Protector. We are of the Thunder God Style. Come out.]

Suspicious, Blue Moon showed no reaction for a while before cautiously emerging from the ruins. Having avoided human contact for so long, he was filthy and wretched in appearance. In a stammering voice, he asked.

"Th-Thunder... Thunder God Style?"

"Yes. We came to rescue Blue Moon Dharma Protector, seeker of the Full Moon Thousand Kills Method."

"In the world... to come to this hell of the mortal realm..."

Blue Moon spaced out before wiping his tears.

"Truly, thank you! If I survive this place, I will surely repay you."

"Yes... but..."

As I was about to ask Blue Moon something,

Craaaack!!

Suddenly, the abyssal sea split in a straight line, spewing light. A flash erupted, followed by the wail of a monster.

Rooooaar

Kee-reeeng kee-reeeng

Far in the distance, flashes and destruction sounds flickered as an immense battle raged. Too distant, and the red abyss obscured vision, so I couldn't see clearly, but baffled by the sight, I asked Blue Moon.

"Blue Moon Dharma Protector. What is that?"

"Ah... that... It's something that started happening recently..."

Blue Moon frowned and said.

"Someone has been incessantly battling the Inlet Sea's monsters. It seems they're trying to fell the Inlet Sea's monsters... but lacking the strength, they flee every time."

"...An incredible expert, isn't it?"

"Not sure... The swordsmanship seemed peculiar, though."

......

Jin So-cheong said.

"Let's go see."

Flash!

Leaping across the abyssal sea with Jin So-cheong, we headed toward the fierce battle. The closer we got, the more I shuddered at the sight of dozens of terrifying sword auras, waves, and explosions erupting. A superhuman battle was unfolding right ahead.

"Who could it be?"

Then, after cleaving through about ten li,

Groooaaar!!

Kaboom kaboom boom!

"Arrgghhh."

A death wail echoed. A abyssal demon over fifty chang in size flapped its wings and unleashed a breath attack, striking down the subjugator! The explosive breath crossing the abyssal horizon struck a mountain and substituted it with infinite internal energy. The subjugator cried out at the abyssal demon and flew far off.

"No!"

Jin So-cheong and I hurriedly headed to where we expected him to crash.

Shoooo...

Smoke rose from a nearby landmass, where the charred subjugator knelt in a crater like a pile of charcoal. Scorched black in an instant by the horrific heat, no human could survive such a strike.

......

Yet he still knelt, seemingly clinging to life. Notably, he wore a bamboo hat typical of eastern style, and in one hand held a long eastern blade. The large hat completely hid his face.

Heh.

......?

Did his lips just smile at me? An illusion? His charred face's lips slowly moved.

'What is he saying?'

Crumble.

But in that fleeting moment, his body collapsed entirely into ashes. Nothing remained but a single sword, scattering as dust. He had failed to subjugate the Inlet Sea's monster and turned to ash.

Groooaaar!

Jin So-cheong glanced at the massive abyssal demon flying toward us from behind and said.

"That one's at least a Fighting Immortal-grade monster. Too tough for us now, so let's not waste energy—just rescue Blue Moon and leave."

"Got it."

Jin So-cheong's assessment was spot on. When Yeo Dong-bin descended before and pierced the Inlet Sea, even he waged a great battle against its monsters, so the creatures here fundamentally possessed the terrifying might of a Great Law Immortal or Fighting Immortal. They were grotesque demons barely qualifying as living beings.

Flash!

Using divine power, I escaped that place, bringing Blue Moon back to the Dragon Spirit Valley. It took a full day to replenish his stamina and heal his wounds before bearing his full story. Of course, given Blue Moon's circumstances before, it held no fresh excitement.

Jin So-cheong requested of Blue Moon.

"Please teach us the secret technique of the Soul Annihilation Step: Heavenly Light."

"As my lifesavers, it's only natural."

He demonstrated the Heavenly Light secret technique of the Soul Annihilation Step and taught us the oral formula. I had received it once before and even with Duguesong's help, so I could learn it more easily this time.

'I couldn't grasp it back then either...'

But due to my lacking talent, I couldn't use the Heavenly Light itself. It was an ultimate art that required years of training at minimum. Once Blue Moon's transmission ended, Jin So-cheong sighed in relief.

"Now the missing piece is filled."

I asked Jin So-cheong.

"Now that we've learned Heavenly Light, what then?"

"In your obsidian memories, Baek Woong, the recollection of learning Heavenly Light was uncertain and incomplete. Likely because you couldn't comprehend the oral formula, so you mastered the Soul Annihilation Step but couldn't use Heavenly Light. Now I've fully understood it and it can harmonize them."

"Harmonize?"

Jin So-cheong nodded.

"In truth, Martial Soul doesn't require masters of spear, fist, and sword. I believe it needs masters of five fields total, including lightfoot skills and miscellaneous techniques."

......

Why raise the bar even higher?

As I gaped in disbelief, Jin So-cheong said.

"Baek Woong. From today, train with me."

His eyes burned fiercely.

"One month is enough. I'll provide the foundation for you to ascend to the supreme realm."

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