Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

Replacing a personality with a new one?

I said to Zhuge Sa in surprise.

“What do you mean? Can you just swap out a person’s personality like that?”

It was normally absurd—but Zhuge Sa was confirming the logic as if it were obvious.

“Kukuku. What do you think a personality even is?”

Zhuge Sa chuckled wickedly before continuing.

“The human mind can’t be defined as a single entity. It’s divided into external personality and internal disposition, and when touching the unconscious, layers of the soul stack up hundreds deep. It can split as needed, and superficial external observation has its limits. Covering such a complex object as a personality arbitrarily is impossible with ordinary mental techniques. But—”

He prodded the forehead of the unconscious Zhuge Bu and said.

“……”?!

“If done slowly, it’d be restraint followed by drugging and brainwashing in sequence. They’d implant despair from the minutest details. If done quickly, something like the Soul Divorce Great Law, alchemy, and so on.”

I half-understood Zhuge Sa’s words and grew confused.

“So… you’re saying you’ll collapse his mind and personality from the roots? From the unconscious?”

“Of course! Otherwise, he couldn’t be used.”

I hesitated before saying.

“…No! That’s no different from killing him.”

Having studied advanced knowledge like the Soul Divorce Great Law and alchemy under Zhuge Sa for so long, I knew exactly what he meant. Destroying the personality latent in Zhuge Bu’s unconscious, its manifestations, its engrams, and all—it was no different from killing the man once called Zhuge Bu.

Zhuge Sa replied coldly.

“Oh, is that so? Then why not just kill this useless bastard with a sword right now? Slashing him with a blade is fine, but mentally killing him isn’t? What’s the difference?”

“Uh…”

“You’re the one who came begging for my help—what exactly are you trying to do?”

“……”

I had nothing to say and shut my mouth. Even I knew it was contradictory.

“Get your head straight and listen well. This isn’t the time to quibble over mortal world’s morals or ethics. I’ll explain the benefits of obliterating this guy’s personality from now on.”

Zhuge Sa looked at Zhuge Bu and began his explanation.

“You heard it from the Oracle before too, but human [talent] is deeply tied to personality. Talent is a byproduct connected from fragments of mental strength, so the two can’t be separated.”

“Yeah.”

I’d once asked the Oracle how to raise my talent. I vividly remembered his response.

[ Blessings that directly raise talent itself are exceedingly rare… The methods are extremely limited… ]

[ Talent means… including the talent for effort… intuition… flexibility… creativity… innate aptitude… growth potential… all of it… But if so… raising talent means… changing the personality, doesn’t it? ]

[ Yes… personality… ]

[ Talent can’t rise without changing personality… Because it requires restructuring the mind’s very framework… The reverse holds too… That’s why rituals enhancing talent are… inevitably complex and finicky… They can leave severe aftereffects on the subject… ]

The Oracle’s race was one of the most psychically gifted in the universe, so his theories on the mind were likely genuine. As I recalled his words, Zhuge Sa continued.

“Zhuge Bu was born with exceptional talent from childhood. By his early teens, he’d already grasped peak martial theory, devoured the Four Books and Three Classics, and entered Divination Arts, the flower of sorcery. Everything came easy, so he found no reason to grow further. The problem is that the arrogance born then has held his talent hostage into his thirties.”

He looked down at Zhuge Bu with somewhat cold eyes.

“Without drive for improvement, humans stagnate. He had the potential for Absolute Realm in martial arts, Great Luo Immortal level in sorcery, but he neutered it himself.”

I tilted my head, not understanding.

“But… doesn’t he know how strong he’d be at Absolute Realm as a genius? I can’t understand ignoring that gain out of laziness…”

Zhuge Sa replied pityingly.

“Geniuses make life look easy, idiot. Even you, with no talent, have knocked on Absolute Realm’s door across 23 deaths, haven’t you? Even top-ten martial geniuses in the Central Plains can’t reach it easily—it takes at least twenty years of total devotion, forsaking all else. Even then, it’s iffy. It’s an arduous path, and Zhuge Bu had no reason to walk it.”

“Ah.”

“It’s because he’s smart. Always taking the easy path, he avoids the royal road of hardship.”

Zhuge Sa sneered coldly at Zhuge Bu and continued.

“He probably thought his innate talent would yield achievements in thirty or forty years. But ultimate realms aren’t won with time-killing.”

I see.

I nodded and then, struck by a thought, said.

“Wait. What about Zhuge Yuryong? Doesn’t he have reason and zeal to grow, unlike Zhuge Bu?”

Zhuge Sa fell silent a moment. Then he said.

“Hm… Brother probably has different reasons. He’s aiming for the Heaven Realm’s total destruction—personal power at Absolute Realm or Great Luo Immortal is meaningless. To beat the monkey you contracted this life, he’d need centuries of training, insufficient as it is.”

True enough.

Considering Great Sage Equal to Heaven’s might, no ordinary human could oppose it. The gap was so vast training felt pointless—a near-divine versus human racial divide.

“Plus, I suspect Brother already knows the Queen Mother of the West’s true nature and power. You think a human could oppose her with mere Absolute Realm?”

“……”

“Unless you’re a madman reincarnating infinitely like you, giving up personal power growth like Brother is normal.”

It was so persuasive I was speechless.

“Brother truly seeks Heaven Realm’s ruin. That’s why he’s scheming instead of training—saving time. The scary part is he might actually succeed…”

Having explained, Zhuge Sa, thirsty, poured and sipped nearby tea. Then he continued.

“Anyway, back to the point: this guy’s sloth, ruthlessness, and selfishness born of personality are blocking his talent. If we obliterate his personality completely, making it a blank slate, pure talent remains. Understand?”

“…Will it really work? The talent might vanish entirely too.”

When I objected, Zhuge Sa said.

“Of course there’s risk. That’s why precise Soul Divorce Great Law use is needed.”

“Soul Divorce Great Law?”

Zhuge Sa nodded, raising both hands palms out. He soon activated the Soul Divorce Great Law, preparing to draw the soul, and said.

“Mastered to extremity, the Soul Divorce Great Law draws souls with po-force, infiltrates your own po into the target to dominate mind and body. Simultaneously, you can copy and temporarily transfer their unconscious manifestations and perceptions to yourself.”

“What?!”

“Just in case, we store his memories and personality temporarily, then use the Great Law’s po to erase his personality’s essence and extensions completely. I’m confident in no side effects. The copying process suppresses his mental resistance instinct.”

“No, theoretically possible but…”

I was stunned.

I’d trained in the Soul Divorce Great Law enough to know it was theoretically feasible. It’s a taoist’s pinnacle technique for handling po. Po lets you massively influence another’s soul and mind.

But only theoretically. From my experience wielding po, even simply drawing a soul requires supreme sensitivity and focus. Erasing the mind itself while copying memory manifestations demands insane proficiency.

Perhaps reaching the Soul Divorce Great Law’s extremity is more distant than I thought. As I lost words, Zhuge Sa said calmly.

“I just said: if you want my method, no nitpicking or bullshit.”

“Hm…”

“I have no more schemes. Impossible, bullshit, utter nonsense to use him intact. Even dominating with Soul Divorce Great Law po, a cunning, capable bastard like this will find gaps to backstab you. Probably team up with Zhuge Yuryong? Obvious disaster coming—I won’t watch that.”

Growling, Zhuge Sa said.

“Choose! Obliterate his mind, or kill him here. Forget the Nameless Sacrificial Text.”

I agonized. Zhuge Sa was right, and this was mostly my fault. Sure, I’d tested against Zhuge Bu to shake off reincarnation fatigue and confirm my strength, but it backfired. No point being stubborn now.

But—mentally killing him was still killing.

Had Zhuge Bu committed atrocities warranting instant death?

“……”

Thinking deeply, no. Ruthlessly selfish, ignorant of the people’s pain, a talented bastard—but not yet pirate-level evil. He’d just sided with gain. Experience said he’d casually turn wicked later, but so far, not extreme.

I thought long, then sighed.

“Sorry. Give me time to talk with Mang-ryang.”

“Fine. I’ll bind him with Soul Divorce Great Law. Do what you need and come back.”

Zhuge Sa replied indifferently, seeming fine with me talking to Mang-ryang. I left and sought Mang-ryang handling elixirs on Yellow Mountain.

Paat!

I gave Mang-ryang the obsidian, showing recent events. He took it, pondered, then said.

“Personally, how I see Brother? Complicated. As you think, he’s not clearly good or evil—just extremely clever, but meanness. I lacked sorcery talent, felt inferior, couldn’t call out his flaws, and left the palace’s inner sanctum.”

He gazed at the distant sky.

“…Lately, from your memories, I’ve gleaned secrets and had new thoughts. Perhaps even that was Father’s design.”

“……?”

Design?

I looked puzzled, and Mang-ryang smiled bitterly.

“Still speculation. But I think your sliver of mercy for Brother is right. He’s not irredeemably evil—I’d like him reformed.”

“Then what’s best?”

He nodded.

“I agree with Uncle’s Soul Divorce Great Law to wipe his personality. But after, accept him as comrade, treat him previously. Once he gains true goodness, restore him.”

“Ah…”

So Zhuge Sa’s copying of unconscious manifestations and perceptions included that meaning?

Realizing late, I nodded, and Mang-ryang said firmly.

“As Uncle said, no other way. Even I know safely using a schemer like Zhuge Bu with Soul Divorce Great Law is impossible—we have no choice.”

Surprisingly, Mang-ryang agreed on mentally erasing Zhuge Bu first. But his angle focused on temporary punishment and reform. Curious, I asked.

“Mang-ryang. If Zhuge Bu fully unleashes pure talent, what potential do you think?”

“Hm…”

Mang-ryang hummed, then said.

“He’d become a true Central Plains’ genius. I dislike Brother greatly, but can’t deny his talent.”

“I see…”

Hearing that decided me. As I turned to return to Zhuge Sa, Mang-ryang stopped me.

“Baek Woong.”

“Yes?”

“And finding Guan Yu Yunjang’s descendant should be easy—entrust it to me. Lend me the Green Destiny Sword meanwhile.”

“Hm, sure. But why so easy?”

Mang-ryang smirked at my question.

“Good grief… Baek Woong, your studies are rusty from time away. Guan Yu Yunjang was Liu Bei’s sworn brother, the era’s War God, a great general. Ring a bell?”

“Ah!”

I finally remembered and exclaimed.

“Why’d I forget that?”

Guan Yu was inseparable from Three Kingdoms history, hugely famous in folklore. Embarrassed, I heard Mang-ryang say.

“No wonder. You’ve studied decades ago, rolled through mysteries and adventures without past-history focus—easy to forget.”

“Hm, need to restudy…”

“No need. A great one’s descendant is easy to trace. I’ll use the Half-Heaven Alliance.”

“Please do.”

Answering, I felt uneasy.

“Thunder Purity Scripture’s memory isn’t perfect…”

I’d used Thunder Purity Scripture for key memorizations, boosting recall and brain use to minimize leaks across lives. But now a flaw showed. Heightened memory still fades over time.

Problem!

I needed another way to store memories. By 50th or 100th cycle, forgetting major clues would be dire. Forgetting Guan Yu was minor, but forgetting a god’s weakness later? Disaster.

My accumulated memories and experiences rivaled centuries for a mortal. Unmatched adventures and info.

But hard. Storing in obsidian was easy, but didn’t stem leaks fundamentally—obsidian doesn’t transfer on reincarnation.

Without knowing Heavenly Duck Secret Book’s reincarnation principle, how to transfer memories?

“What to do...?”

A device to store memories across reincarnations perpetually.

I realized I desperately needed one. Thunder Purity Scripture had sufficed till now, but limits loomed.

‘Cool my head first.’

I headed to Cheon Woo-jin. Duties first—I’d get the Imperial Seal via him.

Cheon Woo-jin met me gruffly.

“Still owe me for last barrier… and now cheekily want the Imperial Seal’s free?”

“……”

“Pay up now, or no work.”

True to form, he was meticulous on payment. But after giving Oracle plenty sacred and black-white lotuses, only key treasures remained. I considered the Human-Faced Beast Core, but it suited Dang-san better, so I hesitated.

Pondering, I said.

“Hm… How about this White Ape Transformation manual?”

Cheon Woo-jin scowled.

“Why learn thief arts? Useful for you jianghu folk, not me!”

“…Gold then?”

“Show me.”

I pulled ten gold ingots; he squinted.

“Nah, reconsidered—not great. Got sorcery treasures?”

“Want a talisman?”

“Yep.”

He subtly wanted White Monkey Thread or Pure Fuh Hook like treasures. Given Imperial Seal’s import, fine—but felt wasteful. Having recruited him properly with obsidian as comrade, maybe negotiate?

Pondering, I said to Cheon Woo-jin.

“You owe me!”

“Owe me?”

“What?”

I sharpened my gaze.

“Your 50-years-future self gave 환신시경 class via obsidian. Why take it raw and wipe your mouth?”

“……!!”

Cheon Woo-jin looked flustered. Expected my demand, not counter. Hesitating, he said.

“Th-that’s not debt. I found and delivered it myself.”

“Without my obsidian relay, could you get it? It’s my reincarnation-earned feat!”

“Eek!”

“Shameless punk!”

Pressing him, he panicked, gritted teeth.

“Damn… Fine! I’ll break the Imperial Seal barrier free!”

“Hahaha.”

“But this clears the debt forever. This life only.”

I shook my head.

“Can’t do that.”

“What?”

“환신시경 isn’t child’s play—this normal debt? You’ll slave for me forever…”

Cheon Woo-jin’s face twisted, as I grinned triumphantly.

“Eh…”

Sleepy.

Sudden massive drowsiness blurred my vision. Cheon Woo-jin too—his form crumpled visibly. Irresistible, I passed out asleep.

Dream world.

I stood dazed in a village with a path. Cheon Woo-jin stood beside me.

Before us sat a pitch-black cat licking its paw.

The jet-black cat, Mang-ryang the monk, eyed me and said.

[ Three times free. ]

“Huh?”

Mang-ryang the monk yawned.

[ You love freebies. Don’t fleece my disciple too much. ]

Past!

I woke, meeting Cheon Woo-jin’s sullen gaze with my own sticky one.

He looked equally displeased, but relieved somewhat.

“Hey, let’s go.”

“…Fine.”

I felt regretful.

‘Mang-ryang the monk intervened…’

He mediated, costing chances to use Cheon Woo-jin’s power free forever. But at least three free reincarnations—no payment needed. Silver lining.

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