Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

...

Paht!

The place I arrived at using the Flying Immortal Technique was Guizhou's Dragon Field. This was a region slightly south of Sichuan Province, a rugged area that was relatively underdeveloped. It was also known as a place where ethnic minorities lived in large numbers, making the Ming Empire's control weak.

"Is he really doing his official duties in a place like this?"

Wang Yangming.

According to Zhuge Sa, he was currently in his old age and a scholar who had studied Neo-Confucianism for a very long time. He had also played a role in suppressing the Prince of Ning's rebellion and was said to possess considerable martial prowess. But honestly, I wasn't interested in his past. What intrigued me more was why he had spoken about the Great Void.

Geuk-ho looked around the streets of Guizhou's Dragon Field and said,

"Sir, it seems we'll reach Wang Yangming's house after about five li more."

"Baek Woong. Sorry, but leave the conversation with him entirely to me."

I nodded.

"Of course."

Yi Cheong-un had reached the Absolute Realm, and he was currently the one who knew the most about Wang Yangming. He had said he had researched it sporadically for a year, so they would probably communicate well. Soon, we arrived in front of Wang Yangming's residence and handed a letter to the servant.

The letter, issued by Zhuge Sa in the name of the Half-Heaven Alliance, was an introduction from a high-ranking official. For a mid-level official like Wang Yangming, it was a letter he couldn't refuse, so the servant came back out after a moment and said,

"The master says to come in."

We walked into the house and saw Wang Yangming sitting and waiting.

Wang Yangming's first impression was that of an elderly man in his seventies, with white hair at his temples but still mostly black hair. His build was quite imposing, looking more like a warrior than a scholar. However, because of his gentle and affable impression toward others, there was no sense of intimidation from him.

Wang Yangming stood up from his seat and said,

"I heard you were introduced by the Assistant Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate. Pleased to meet you."

Half-Heaven Alliance Leader Mang Ryang had already formed ties with the Censorate and gained the scholars as allies. So borrowing the Censorate's influence under their control was easy. Yi Cheong-un sat at the table and gave a false name.

"Pleased to meet you. I am Yi Geum-do, serving under the Assistant Censor-in-Chief. As written in the letter, we will only ask a bit of assistance and then leave."

"Hmm... Yi Geum-do. What kind of help would you like? I am merely a sixth-rank official."

"We didn't come to you because of your government position, Wang Yangming. We came to learn about the Yangming School you advocate."

"Ha ha! That's delightful news."

Wang Yangming looked somehow excited. Yi Cheong-un, calling himself Yi Geum-do, asked a question.

"First... I know that you spiritually inherited the School of Mind of Lu Xiangshan."

"That's right."

"You said 'the mind is principle,' and you also called the substance of the mind 'nature,' saying 'nature is principle.' Am I correct that I came here knowing your theory of the School of Mind up to this point?"

Wang Yangming burst into laughter.

"Ha ha ha. My books aren't that famous, yet you've studied them thoroughly. It would be complicated to explain in detail, but it seems you have a decent grasp of my theory."

"That's fortunate."

"So, my task is to lecture you on the relationship between mind, principle, and nature, and on extending innate knowledge?"

He seemed to think we had come to hear lectures on Neo-Confucianism and the School of Mind, and he looked a bit thrilled. Well, it was natural for a bone-deep scholar. Of course, that wasn't our purpose, so Yi Cheong-un shook his head.

"I, Yi Geum-do, didn't come all this way for such talks."

"Tell me your purpose."

"I discovered an intriguing passage in your writings. ['Heavenly principle eternally exists, so the enlightened spiritual awareness has no deficiency or deviation whatsoever.'] That passage."

"Hmm... You read quite meticulously."

"I'll ask. 'The qi of heaven and earth gathers, scatters, attacks, and takes in a hundred different ways, but the Supreme Harmony collides and intertwines, bending and stretching [...]' How do you interpret this according to your theory?"

...

At that, Wang Yangming's face, who had heard the Church Lord's theory, hardened rigidly. His expression turned so grim it was hard to believe he had been beaming just moments ago. He glared at Yi Cheong-un, disguised as Yi Geum-do, and said,

"Did you come from the [other side] world?"

"The other side... What do you mean?"

"Reveal your identity. Did you perhaps kill the Assistant Censor-in-Chief and impersonate him to come here...?"

Wang Yangming's reaction grew increasingly agitated. But from his reaction, we learned one fact.

'Wang Yangming knows about the world's underside!'

Yi Cheong-un slowly opened his mouth without any change in expression.

"If that were the case, there would be no reason to have this question-and-answer with you. I, and the friends standing behind me, are clearly human. We are not in league with demons."

"......!!"

"No need to make a fuss. We only want to know your thoughts. We are allied with the Assistant Censor-in-Chief, so don't be wary. We even know about his backers."

"...What exactly is your identity?"

"That's what we want to ask you. Aren't you part of the Confucian Circle?"

"Ha ha..."

Wang Yangming dropped his head as if giving up on something and said,

"Yes. I belong to the Confucian Circle."

The Confucian Circle!

It was an organization with countless scholars from ancient times to the present, with Deng Guo at its pinnacle. They practiced martial arts and sorcery passed down in Confucianism and worked in the shadows to prevent the emergence of demons. And Wang Yangming was also a scholar belonging to the Confucian Circle.

"I want to know why you reacted so sensitively to my question."

"Hmm... It's because your words directly probed the part I've always regarded as a thorn in my heart."

Wang Yangming continued with an unpleasant expression.

"In truth, that was a secret passage shared from ancient times, through Lu Xiangshan, down to me."

"So it was."

"You came here suspecting that?"

"Otherwise, why would we come all this way to learn Neo-Confucianism?"

Yi Cheong-un crossed his arms and said,

"Think of it comfortably. We know as much as we need to know about the world's underside, so today we just need to pull out that thorn in your heart."

"Ha ha... I understand."

Wang Yangming's complexion returned to normal. He took a deep breath and then opened his mouth.

"In my view, the one who said that accurately grasps the concepts of Chaos and the Great Void. It means they know the secret our Confucian Circle's founder passed to humanity in ancient times. I had my suspicions, but it seems there is someone who understands that principle directly and applies it..."

"The Confucian Circle's founder?"

Wang Yangming nodded.

"As you might have guessed, even before Zhu Xi or Lu Xiangshan, our Confucian Circle has secretly shared the secrets. And countless scholars spread the ideology to govern this Central Plains continent with virtue and righteousness. Our role in the Confucian Circle was to prevent humans from worshipping only power and falling into cults."

"I know that much."

"And we subtly embedded the secrets handed down from the Confucian Circle's founder into our theoretical writings. Terms like Great Void, intertwining and bending, principle and qi, nature and principle, sincerity and clarity originally encapsulated the fundamental principles of the universe, but we applied them to the School of Mind and propagated them with altered meanings."

"Hmm...?"

Yi Cheong-un countered.

"Why did you do that? Why distort and spread God's enlightenment and teachings?"

Wang Yangming strongly objected.

"It's not distortion. If humans only transmit it orally among themselves, there's a high risk of it being lost, so we left passages in our writings that only we could recognize. That's why there are many cryptic or riddle-like new terms."

"I see. Leaving it in books allows sharing for development and easy preservation?"

"Yes. Even if a Confucian Circle scholar is killed, the books remain."

"Anyway, who is the Confucian Circle's founder?"

At Yi Cheong-un's question, Wang Yangming hesitated and said,

"Before I tell you, what exactly is your relationship with the Confucian Circle?"

"It's explained in that letter. It says to cooperate with me fully."

"...A bit more detail..."

"Hmm. If I must say, we are those who fight demons directly. On the front lines, unlike you. That's why we're allied with the Confucian Circle."

At those words, Wang Yangming nodded as if convinced.

"Ah, I see..."

"You haven't answered my question yet."

"The Confucian Circle's founder is none other than Immortal Master Mang Ryang. Known as the greatest sorcerer of the Left Path Gatekeepers, but in reality, a divine being."

Yi Cheong-un's expression was somewhat nonchalant at that answer. Because the current question was merely confirming what he had already suspected. It was already known that Immortal Master Mang Ryang created the Confucian Circle.

"Let's get to the main point. How do you interpret the passage I mentioned earlier? Not from the worldly Neo-Confucian or School of Mind perspective, but from the perspective of [the universe's principles]."

Wang Yangming pondered deeply and then answered.

"That is... reincarnation."

Yi Cheong-un flinched at the unexpected word.

"Reincarnation. What do you mean?"

"I don't know exactly either. However, 'The Supreme Harmony collides and intertwines, bending and stretching' can be interpreted as the Great Void withering away at the end of destruction and fusing with Chaos. And as far as I know, that reincarnation phenomenon occurs only at the [end] of this world."

"The end of this world?"

"According to the tradition passed down by [God] to the Confucian Circle, when the end of the world approaches, everything meets reincarnation. Um... so that passage clearly..."

Wang Yangming groped in his mind and continued.

"The moment of cyclic reincarnation turns Chaos and the Great Void into fusion into emptiness, and this happens across the entire cosmic wilderness. Also, I was taught that this immense power turns the [great wheel]."

"Are you certain? The end of the universe being reincarnation sounds too out of nowhere..."

Yi Cheong-un chuckled.

"Moreover, personally, you haven't one to criticize Buddhist or Daoist thought, were you?"

Then Wang Yangming blushed embarrassedly.

"That was as a Confucian scholar, just to solidify my theory's position. I know that Buddhist and Daoist sages are also working to protect this world's humans from demons."

"Hmm... Reincarnation... Does that mean this world turns one full cycle?"

"I don't know."

Yi Cheong-un rested his chin, seeming to think about something. Then he said,

"I want to know how to obtain that Great Void or Chaos. Do you happen to know?"

"Ugh... How would I know something like that? That's completely mythical. Until you told me, I never even imagined there was a being directly commanding the Great Void and Chaos."

"And one more thing. Have you ever heard the term Four Kalpas?"

"Four Kalpas? That's entirely from the Buddhist worldview. I don't know."

Wang Yangming, with a weary expression, continued.

"Then I'll be going now..."

It was then.

Wang Yangming's face lit up as if something came to mind.

"Ah, now that I think about it, I remember hearing a similar question once..."

"A similar question?"

"Hmm, let me see... Where was it... Hmm..."

Wang Yangming, who had been pondering, suddenly recalled.

"That's right! It was that youth from the Dragon House who asked me."

"Dragon House? What are you talking about?"

"It was about twenty years ago... There was a newcomer to our Confucian Circle. I only knew his surname was from the Dragon House, but he quickly absorbed the teachings and started taking important roles. I even taught him Confucian traditions, and he asked me a question similar to yours now."

"......"

"He even mentioned the Four Kalpas."

Yi Cheong-un's expression slightly hardened. Then he said,

"Interesting. Was that person's name perhaps Yong Jung-il?"

Joy spread across Wang Yangming's face.

"Ah, yes! That was the name. Do you know him?"

"Hmm... I've heard the name a few times."

"Anyway, I gave the same answer to that youth Yong Jung-il as now."

"Something like that."

"I see."

After that, Yi Cheong-un had a few more exchanges with Wang Yangming, then soon parted ways and came out. After leaving Wang Yangming's house, he turned to us and said,

"That Yong Jung-il is one strange guy."

Yi Cheong-un said with a genuinely baffled expression.

"Why is the young sect leader of the White Lotus Church's Wind God Style infiltrating the Confucian Circle as an elite agent?"

"...That's truly unexpected."

Indeed. The information gained from the conversation with Wang Yangming was that Yong Jung-il, the sect leader of Yellow Mountain Sect and young sect leader of the Wind God Style, belonged to the Confucian Circle. It was a possibility I had never even considered through all my reincarnations, so I couldn't help but be taken aback.

Then Geuk-ho blurted out,

"Sir. Let's go straight to Yellow Mountain Sect and grill Yong Jung-il. While we're at it, let's smash the Wind God Style too."

I looked at Geuk-ho in bewilderment.

'What's wrong with that guy?'

Yi Cheong-un responded dryly to Geuk-ho's suggestion.

"Shall we?"

"Leaving such a thorny issue and just aiming for the next life is ridiculous. If we capture Yong Jung-il, torture and interrogate him, we'll immediately know everything about the Great Constitution or whatever!"

"Not a bad idea."

Yi Cheong-un chuckled.

"But there's no need for that, Geuk-ho. Or rather, we mustn't. You know why, right?"

Geuk-ho made a sullen face.

"I know full well. If we act rashly, things will escalate quickly, and not just Baek Woong, but all of us will become mere flies to be swatted."

"Then why bring it up?"

"......"

"I understand your grudge against the Wind God Style is strong, but put it aside for now."

After leaving Geuk-ho with a curt warning, Yi Cheong-un turned to me and said,

"Baek Woong. Now it's certain."

"You've figured out how to fuse the Great Void and Chaos?"

When I looked at Yi Cheong-un with hopeful eyes, he replied with an expression like 'what are you talking about.'

"I couldn't have figured it out just from chatting with that scholar a bit. In this world right now, the only human who knows that method is the White Lotus Church Lord."

"Then what became certain...?"

"It became certain where we can obtain the method. The human who knows the method is only the White Lotus Church Lord, but there is [another god]."

I grasped the meaning of Yi Cheong-un's words. And my expression crumpled.

"Is there no other way...?"

"There's no other way. There's no guarantee I can research and find it out. Honestly, I don't even clearly know what obtaining the Great Void entails."

"......"

Immortal Master Mang Ryang!

There's no choice but to offer tribute to that damned cat and find out the fusion method of the Great Void and Chaos.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!