Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

I stuffed the unconscious Zhuge Bu into my knapsack, then began gathering the remaining fortuitous encounters. First, I headed to the Empty Sun South Cave of the Dragon Gate Stone Cave, just as Han Jin-seong of the Incarnation Style had taught me in the past. I smashed through the back wall and entered, scooping up handfuls of platinum into my knapsack and grabbing the manuals for the Crescent Moon Blade and White Phantom Divine Throw.

'This place doesn't seem all that important, so I ended up putting it off until now.'

That made sense. If it were a fortuitous encounter I considered truly valuable, Han Jin-seong—who already knew about it—would have used it ages ago. As I nodded to myself in agreement,

Wooong.

"...?!"

I suddenly felt a strong light flowing from the Crescent Moon Blade in my left hand. At the same time, a powerful spiritual energy surged from the blade, and out of nowhere, I felt battle spirit infuse my body.

This is...?

Was the spirit dwelling within the Crescent Moon Blade lending me its power?

[Warrior who possesses the Vast World Absolute Martial! I have a favor to ask of you.]

"Uh... me?"

The warrior spirit nodded and continued.

[I remained on this earthly plane to bestow fortune upon my descendants, but I could not find them. This stone cave is sealed with powerful spiritual barriers, preventing me from seeking out those with whom I share fate. I hear the one who created it was a mad monk.]

I stared at him silently, and the warrior said,

[Please, could you deliver this Crescent Moon Blade to my descendants?]

"......"

I thought it over carefully. Then I replied.

"I could do that... but I want to know why you appeared before me specifically. I'm not the only one who can enter this place, and others could handle the Crescent Moon Blade just fine, right?"

The warrior spirit let out a hearty laugh.

[Hahaha. Few who came to this cave properly wielded the Crescent Moon Blade, and none possessed the divine energy and valor needed to commune with me. You must surely be the wielder of an extraordinary absolute martial art. I have not seen a warrior as strong as you in several hundred years.]

"......"

I was baffled, but from his words, I inferred one fact.

'Divine energy... Is it because I absorbed more yin god power?'

Previously, even when I held the Crescent Moon Blade, the warrior spirit hadn't spoken to me directly. The difference between then and now was the amount of yin god power I possessed. It seemed that absorbing more yin god power had greatly increased my affinity with spiritual beings, allowing direct conversation with the warrior spirit bound to the Crescent Moon Blade.

I asked again.

"Your goal is to deliver the Crescent Moon Blade to your descendants and ensure your bloodline prospers? I can do that, but first I need to know who you are."

[Come to think of it, I haven't introduced myself.]

He paused in thought, then said,

[I currently hold the divine position of the Three Realms Subduer of Demons Great Emperor, With Fulfilling Heavenly Venerable Guan Sheng Emperor Lord. In life on the earthly plane, my name was Guan Yu, and my style name was Yun Chang. Thus, my descendants now bear the Guan surname.]

"Hmm..."

Guan Yu, Yun Chang? It sounded familiar... What was it again?

'Uh, what was it... I definitely heard it before...'

My memory was fuzzy, and I couldn't quite recall. It had probably been too long since I'd read about it in books. Not knowing exactly, I nodded anyway.

"Alright. I'll find your descendants and give them this Crescent Moon Blade?"

[I beseech you. I descended to the earthly plane bearing this unfinished karma, and I cannot return to the heavenly realm until it is resolved.]

He glanced at me cautiously, then added,

[If you grant my request, I shall bestow great blessings upon you.]

He was offering a reward, in his own way? I nodded.

"Very well."

Shhh.

Moments later, his spirit was sucked back into the Crescent Moon Blade like mist. I sensed that an unexpected new task had arisen, but since it wasn't for this life anyway, I figured I could handle it casually next time or the time after.

'Find the Guan descendants...'

After collecting the fortuitous encounters from the Empty Sun South Cave of the Dragon Gate Stone Cave, I headed to the depths of the Aokigahara flood. There, I found the half-dead Blue Moon and rescued her for the time being. It wasn't strictly necessary, but I wanted to wrap things up neatly while I was at it.

Right after, as I turned to return to where Zhuge Sa was, something occurred to me, and I paused. I pulled the Demon Blade Muramasa from my knapsack.

"What if this too...?"

The Crescent Moon Blade held strong divine energy and ties to immortals, so when I grasped it, the spirit emerged. Could something similar happen with this demon blade?

Gripping the Demon Blade Muramasa, I quietly focused my power and amplified my internal energy.

Ooooo.

Just as I had during my fight with Zhuge Bu, I concentrated my mental energy to draw out the yin god power from within. Since handling yin god power was similar to dealing with yokai energy, my prior training with Miho allowed me to apply it in various ways. Even in the fight with Zhuge Bu, simply amplifying my yin god power had greatly bolstered my resistance to sorcery, making victory easy.

Kugugugu.

'Ugh... This thing's the real deal.'

It sucked in my yin god power and internal energy with tremendous force!

I'd never truly tested it before, so I hadn't realized, but this was clearly no ordinary weapon.

How much did the demon blade devour of my yin god power and internal energy?

Suddenly, my mind rang loudly.

[Kyahahaha!! Hahaha!! Kebebebebe!!]

With a vulgar, crude laugh, the demon blade erupted in mad cackles within my mind.

[Puhehebebe! Uhahaha! Uaahahaahaha!!]

"......"

[Kyarruruhahaha!!]

Was this thing laughing or crying?!

The demon blade Muramasa's bizarre laughter left me oddly bewildered instead. It undoubtedly possessed its own ego as a demonic weapon, but unlike with the Crescent Moon Blade, proper conversation seemed impossible.

"Hey... hold on..."

[Haek! Haek!! Haek!! Kyaaaahhh!!]

"......"

It wasn't right in the head.

It felt like a lunatic wailing and rolling around inside my skull. How long did it rampage? Finally, after a while, the Demon Blade Muramasa let out a clear shout infused with its will.

[Master!! Master!! Blood!! Let's kill!! Let's kill!!]

"Urgh."

[Hihihihiaahaha!!]

Wooong.

Suddenly, my right arm holding the Demon Blade Muramasa slipped from my control and thrust forward. It had seized my right arm, trying to force me to kill something. Sensing its power to dominate my body was far stronger than expected, I grimaced.

'Damn... Even a decent expert would lose their mind instantly.'

If it clung this tenaciously even to me, causing this much annoyance, what chance did others have? Unwilling to yield control, I forcefully injected yin god power into my right arm. The blade flinched at the energy and abruptly relinquished its hold, crying out in apparent shock for the first time.

[Kyaaaaah?!]

"Cut it out!"

[Hiihiing... Eeeek... Kyahahaaha! Give it! I wanna give it!!]

It cowered only briefly before rampaging again. With no choice, I bellowed loudly.

"Keep it up, and I'll shatter the blade."

As I warned it sternly and openly flooded it with yin god power, the Demon Blade Muramasa jolted in fright.

[Hiiik! Eek! Kraaaah.]

Like it had been burned? The yin god power embedding too strongly seemed to damage its spirit. Moments later, it whimpered in a thoroughly intimidated voice.

[Mister... Don't do thaaat...]

"Huh?"

[What'd I do wrooong... Humanely speakin'... Muramasa huuuurts...]

"......"

The Demon Blade Muramasa's sheath rattled.

[Muramasa's dyiing!! Muramasa's a meaaan one!]

Its speech was indescribably grotesque. My expression naturally soured as I realized its ego was utterly destructive and chaotic. Disinclined to converse further, I shoved it into my knapsack.

'No use putting this thing to work...'

In the past, when I'd used the Demon Blade Muramasa, it had been fine because I'd never infused it with peak internal energy and yin god power. Perhaps my power had awakened its ego?

Figuring I'd wrapped up loose ends, I returned to the Long Spirit Valley. The matter of obtaining the Imperial Seal of the Realm and the Fire Dragon Divine Sword remained, but those were major undertakings requiring careful preparation. Above all, the Imperial Seal required Cheon Woo-jin's assistance, so I needed to consider what to offer him in return.

I showed Zhuge Sa everything that had happened via the black obsidian. As he peered into the memories, he sighed and said,

"You used the Nameless Sacrificial Scripture just to get one Zhuge Bu? Use it right, and becoming a king of a nation is child's play."

"Uh..."

"Well, it happens... So where's Zhuge Bu? Pull him out."

Zhuge Sa seemed to find my choice somewhat pathetic but let it slide without much fuss. Embarrassed, I scratched my head and took Zhuge Bu from my knapsack. Zhuge Sa bowed his head to inspect the unconscious man, then said,

"Baek Woong. You said you wanted to get as much value out of him as the Nameless Sacrificial Scripture, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, it's not impossible."

"What? Really?!"

I was stunned. I'd offered the Nameless Sacrificial Scripture for a duel and felt uneasy about it myself, but now Zhuge Sa claimed there was a way to make up for it! Soon, Zhuge Sa grinned wickedly.

"Heh heh heh... It's true. There's a way. But if you use it, no whining or bullshit from you."

"......"

A bad feeling crept over me. Cautiously, I asked,

"What method?"

"Think about it. This Zhuge Bu is a transcendent peak expert and top-tier sorcerer, but as he is, he's useless. He's too risky to backstab you, and more importantly, his growth potential pales compared to Jin So-cheong or Cheon Woo-jin. His innate arrogance stifles his own progress."

Zhuge Sa eyed the fainted Zhuge Bu coldly.

"I've known for ages this guy could never achieve true greatness. He's the type who'd do anything for personal gain—the kind I despise most. That's why I bothered sealing him in the Yin-Yang Heavenly Prison and trying to kill him."

"...Zhuge Sa, you're not one to talk."

"Kek. How he is doesn't matter; it's all personal taste. This bastard was just annoying."

Cackling, Zhuge Sa continued.

"So the conclusion is simple. He's worthless with his current personality and character. Change that premise."

"......"

"He's your slave, isn't he?"

Zhuge Sa gripped Zhuge Bu's head firmly with one hand and smiled.

"Rip out the personality in this moron's skull and replace it with a new one. Best way to turn used goods into something fresh!"

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