Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

Marked by the Nine Heavens Maiden?

"What do you mean by that?"

When I shot back at Cheon Woo-jin, he pressed his temple as if he had a headache. After pondering for a moment, Cheon Woo-jin turned to Mangyang and said,

"It can't be a minor mistake, right? I figured you'd planned a strategy to test and verify every variable thoroughly, since you can't control them all, brother."

Mangyang nodded at Cheon Woo-jin's words.

"I think that's the shortcut. It suits Baek Woong perfectly."

"Hmm... It's not like you to come up with such an efficient scheme, brother."

"After seeing Baek Woong's twenty-three reincarnations, you'll naturally think the same way."

As Cheon Woo-jin chatted with Mangyang, he turned to me and said,

"The reason your energy isn't consumed when activating the Divine Sword Technique, and instead your internal organs feel pierced by needles... It means the Nine Heavens Maiden is refusing to lend you her power."

"I got that much from what Mangyang said. But does that directly mean I've been marked?"

"Discern the essence of the spell. The Nine Heavens Maiden lending you her power means, in other words, that the Divine Sword Technique itself is akin to a spirit descent ritual. Moreover, it means borrowing the Maiden's own power directly. In essence, while the technique is active, you take on the role of her avatar, acting as an extension of her will, right?"

"......!!"

"The Divine Sword Technique isn't just any spell—it's a high-cost ritual that burdens even the great immortal himself. The stronger the restrictions, the greater the power."

I understood Cheon Woo-jin's explanation and flinched. He sat on a nearby staircase and continued,

"No great immortal would be thrilled about a stranger borrowing their power for free. Normally, such spells require offerings and rituals like blood sacrifices to establish a proper karmic exchange, but you haven't done any of that in this life, have you?"

"No, I haven't."

"The bigger headache is she can't trace the karmic link to ask you directly. So instead, every time you attempt the Divine Sword Technique, the Nine Heavens Maiden applies intense pressure—like asking, 'Who the hell are you?' without words."

"I see."

"It's not something you can just brush off with 'I see.' It's the same principle as when you forcibly activated the power of time at the end of your last life and incurred Jeon Wook's wrath."

Cheon Woo-jin said curtly.

"You've tried activating the Divine Sword Technique twice so far? As befits a heavenly immortal, she's been politely warning you so far, like a gentle reprimand. But the Nine Heavens Maiden is originally a war goddess who battled the giant gods in the Emperor's era—her temper is no joke, according to the legends."

"......"

"No one knows what backlash will come if you try it again."

I swallowed hard at Cheon Woo-jin's warning.

If he was right, she'd only left me alone because she was milder and more temperate than Jeon Wook. But as a fundamentally fierce war goddess, provoking her further with the Divine Sword Technique would spell disaster.

"Damn, so that's how it is..."

As I inwardly resolved to be careful, Mangyang spoke up.

"Baek Woong, sorry about that. But I felt we needed to pin down the nature of the Divine Sword Technique for sure."

I understood Mangyang's thinking and nodded.

"It's fine. Like you said, glossing over it vaguely would be worse."

"So, what's your next move?"

"First... I need to claim the yin spirit power from this statue."

I pulled Jeon Wook's statue from my throat pouch. Cheon Woo-jin grimaced and muttered,

"You're a walking bundle of fortuitous encounters..."

Woooooong

A short while later, I headed to a spot beneath the waterfall inside the village. This place pulsed with exceptional spiritual energy, making it ideal for absorbing the yin spirit power. Cheon Woo-jin erected a barrier in case of emergencies and said,

"This isn't free help—pay up later."

"......"

What a guy—always securing his cut. He never does anything for free.

Once prepared, I began reciting the Thunder God's Incantation I'd learned from Cheon Woo-jin in a previous life. It had the effect of drawing power from the statue, and soon my hand holding it reacted, sending a shock through my body like it was being shaken apart.

Shhhhhh

As the power entered my body, it grew slightly hot, then a cold, chilling energy—like entering an ice cavern—twisted through my meridians. A terrifying yin chill seemed to squeeze my body.

"...Urgh..."

But it was more bearable than before. Previously, the agony had boiled up from my lungs and organs like swallowing dozens of ice chunks, but now it was just a sharp stomachache. Like a hangover after a night of heavy drinking the day before? Cheon Woo-jin, watching me grimace but endure, jeered,

"Looks like absorbing twenty years' worth of yin spirit power last life built up some resistance to lunar energy."

"Haha... Ack!"

Suddenly, a wave of cold hit my whole body, making me shudder and collapse.

"But that doesn't make yin spirit power a walk in the park."

"......"

Damn, Cheon Woo-jin was right. This pain wouldn't get easier anytime soon.

Once the yin spirit power was fully absorbed, Cheon Woo-jin picked up the fallen statue from the ground and said,

"Now you've accumulated forty years' worth, counting from your last life."

"Hmm... So twelve more absorptions?"

"Honestly, you might not need that much..."

"Huh?"

"Like I said before, wielding greater power accrues more cultivation progress. You seem eager to die quick this life, so I won't say more, but blending spell cultivation going forward would be smart. Then you could reach Great Success in the Supreme Yin Arts without dying twelve more times."

Mangyang, standing nearby, chimed in.

"Baek Woong. Before anything else, let's head to Yellow Mountain together."

"Why Yellow Mountain?"

"You need to plant spirit herbs in the breath soil, right?"

"Ah...!!"

I let out a small exclamation at the oversight. Mangyang grinned and said,

"Figured you'd find that a hassle, so I'll handle it."

"Thanks."

Soon after, I went to Yellow Mountain with Mangyang and handed him a bunch of the black-and-white lotuses and sacred lotuses I'd obtained. According to him, transplanting them would soon yield seeds for sowing—if I ended up living long in some scenario, it'd let me cultivate a field of spirit herbs easily.

Next, I visited the Nangong Clan's secret vault, claimed the jade comb escort token, and rescued the women trapped inside. Normally, I'd smash the clan harder or scheme to wipe them out, but the Nangong Clan wasn't a priority this life, so I roughly pulled a bomb from my throat pouch.

Shuuk

I appeared right in the heart of the Nangong Clan and sought out their leader, Sword King Nangong Myeong. The Nangong Eight Swords surrounded him, all eyes snapping to me in an instant. I tossed the bomb at him.

KABOOOM

The bomb from the pirate base exploded, turning the area into a hellscape in seconds. It was a trick I'd used in a past life, but damn effective—the Eight Swords were mostly killed outright or crippled.

"Grraaaah... You bastard...!!"

Nangong Myeong, who took the blast head-on, trembled with his body scorched black by soot. Badly wounded, but his eyes blazed with venom, and he'd protected his vital points somehow. Our eyes met, and I muttered flatly,

"Still alive? You threw up a protective aura in a split second to dodge a fatal hit, huh."

"Raaargh, die!!"

Pabat

Nangong Myeong charged with fire in his eyes. Even wounded, the strongest of the Five Great Clans coming at me like a raging tiger wasn't something to take lightly. But I smirked coldly and murmured,

"The reason I didn't just leave this time... I was just curious about the outcome."

In a flash, ten strands of sword force whipped out like lashes following his sword path, ferocious and unstoppable. But I elegantly dodged, reading every trajectory. This was child's play compared to Yi Cheong-un's assaults.

"Whether you'd survive the bomb or not."

Whirlic

I effortlessly evaded Nangong Myeong's charge with the Three Steps Absolute, then seized his back. Thrusting my left palm in a massive strike, Nangong Myeong—blinded by rage and injury—took the lethal blow all too easily.

"Gahack!!"

Nangong Myeong spewed a blood arrow from his mouth and crumpled. I looked down at him dying and said,

"Same result anyway."

Even with his spine shattered, dying pathetically, I felt no pity.

Sword King Nangong Myeong deserved to die a thousand times over for his crimes.

Pabat

Using Instantaneous Shift, I teleported to the imperial palace basement next, snatching the crystal stele. Normally, I'd avoid provoking the imperial forces and messing with future karma, but since I might die soon this life, I stopped caring. Then I shifted straight to the Inner Imperial Pavilion, grabbed the Nameless Sacrificial Scripture, and headed to Astana's prophet.

Arriving before the prophet, I shouted the moment he appeared.

"Prophet!! Hold on!"

[...?]

A bizarre silence stretched as I faced off with the prophet. Moments later, Zhuge Fu teleported into the chamber, glaring daggers at me.

"You bastard... Stealing the Nameless Sacrificial Scripture."

"Hi, nice to meet you, Zhuge Fu."

I waved hello to Zhuge Fu. Then I said to him,

"I'm Baek Woong. How about a wager with Zhongyuan's Sentinel, you?"

"A wager?"

I nodded to Zhuge Fu and said,

"The prophet here as witness. You and I duel right now. Loser becomes the winner's slave for life."

"......"

Zhuge Fu scoffed incredulously.

"What a clown. Do you even know the value of that demonic tome you stole? I could beat you to death and take it back right now."

"Then why are you still listening so patiently? Because I can teleport in a blink and you can't grasp my schemes? If I keep running from here, you'll never catch me in your life."

"......"

"This is your chance, Zhuge Fu. Take a moment to think."

The prophet, who'd been listening silently beside us, spoke up.

[...I never said I'd witness your duel...]

I grinned at the prophet.

"Will you if I pay the fee?"

[...Fine... Name your offer...]

"......Rotten bastard."

Even facing death, the prophet demands upfront payment?! No wonder past Zhuge sages griped about it—I finally got it. His response would hinge entirely on my offer.

"......"

I thought it over, then pulled three black-and-white lotus roots from my throat pouch and offered them. The prophet took them, eyed them quietly, and said,

[...A bit... short...]

I snapped irritably,

"Aren't you being too greedy?"

[...Then... no deal... No duel witness...]

"Urgh, damn it. Fine, one sacred lotus root extra."

Reluctantly offering a sacred lotus root, the prophet finally seemed satisfied and spoke.

[... Good... Payment received. As witness to this duel, I take responsibility for all outcomes and officiate... If that one agrees, the duel ritual activates immediately.]

Zhuge Fu, who'd been mulling silently, glanced at the prophet and spoke.

"I see now. You're the Demonic Tome King of the noble Xuanyuan Clan among the alien races, aren't you?"

His tone had turned polite. The prophet replied,

[...Yes... Will you accept Baek Woong's duel...?]

Zhuge Fu stated firmly,

"No. It's a duel with zero gain for me. Especially not on enemy turf."

[...Heh... Is that so...]

Seeing the prophet chuckle filled me with dread.

'No! That jerk's gonna pocket the fee and bail!'

My plan: I figured I could take Zhuge Fu solo, so challenge him to a duel, beat him, enslave him as my shield for crossing to Dark Heaven Village. Hence using the prophet to enforce it.

But the prophet had no reason to push the duel, so he'd just grab the loot and run. I hurriedly said to him,

"Wait! I'll add to the fee."

[...What's that...?]

I yanked the Nameless Sacrificial Scripture from my bosom, held it high, and yelled,

"Prophet! The Nameless Sacrificial Scripture as extra fee. Now make the duel happen."

Silence blanketed the chamber at my words.

The prophet and Zhuge Fu's gazes clashed briefly, then Zhuge Fu shrewdly shouted,

"See ya!"

Pabat

[...No can do... Must honor the customer's request...]

Zhuge Fu vanished via shrinking earth or teleport, but the prophet extended tentacles, drawing a magic circle in the air. Moments later, Zhuge Fu was ghostlly summoned back, howling in rage.

"Goddamn it!! This absurd..."

[...Duel established.]

"......!!"

Whirrr

The prophet created a pocket dimension, dropping me and Zhuge Fu onto unfamiliar terrain. Looked like his custom duel arena. Zhuge Fu ground his teeth in fury.

"Fearless punk! You really think you can beat me?"

Feeling the duel begin, I raised my sword.

"Of course!"

No backing out now.

I'd make that bastard my slave and milk the Nameless Sacrificial Scripture's worth!

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