Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

As Yeo Dongbin moved my body, the spiritual power of the Imperial Seal of All Nations surged through me, filling me with an immense sense of exultation. A single flying sword shot forth in accordance with Yeo Dongbin's will, slicing through the mist body in an instant. That strike advanced with a gravity that truly embodied the majesty of a Fighting Immortal.

At that moment, the Eight Lesions Divine Child Yasho Shangguan Wana swung her sickle in response, but her movement didn't feel like it was meant to block Yeo Dongbin's deadly technique. Rather, it seemed as if she was ignoring the attack's trajectory, scattering her motions into the empty air where nothing existed.

Boom!

Yet despite Shangguan Wana's seemingly clumsy motion, Yeo Dongbin's flying sword collided with something and let out a massive vibrational roar. I watched the situation from the edge of Yeo Dongbin's consciousness and thought to myself.

'Some kind of defensive spell?'

The potential contained in Yeo Dongbin's strike just now wasn't something even the White Lotus Cult Leader could easily block. No, even a supreme realm expert would have suffered a fatal wound from that destructive power, yet Shangguan Wana had deftly deflected it. If that was indeed a spell, it had to be an extraordinary level of mastery.

At the same time, Cheon Woojin, who was at my side, formed hand seals and shouted.

"Haste, Yield to the Command!"

A transparent barrier that seemed to have been created by Shangguan Wana shattered, and she retreated with a look of considerable surprise on her face. However, Yeo Dongbin had no intention of giving her any respite and charged in at tremendous speed, deploying the Cloud Judgment of the Six Yi Saintly Heaven Path to unleash a cloud-like sword aura.

Kwarung!!

With the explosion, Shangguan Wana's body appeared to be torn apart. But that torn appearance soon transformed into something like fluttering pieces of cloth, and with a twist of dimensions, Shangguan Wana reappeared a short distance away.

Watching that bizarre scene, Cheon Woojin let out a groan.

"Ghost King Territory? To think that ancient spell still remains..."

Shangguan Wana, having lightly deflected the attack, said to Yeo Dongbin.

"Yeo Dongbin. Do you really intend to fight me with all your heart?"

[ Isn't it you who wishes to fight? ]

"Someone like you might even make me hand over the Fire Dragon Divine Sword."

Huh?

Surprisingly, Shangguan Wana didn't seem particularly eager to fight. It was a stark contrast to her earlier demeanor of attacking if she didn't get the Fire Dragon Divine Sword, but Yeo Dongbin showed no regard for such words, keeping his battle spirit ignited as he aimed his sword at Shangguan Wana.

[ Cut the nonsense! ]

Flash -!!

A single annihilation like a streak of light!

With Yeo Dongbin's astonishing sword-drawing speed, a massive slash that seemed to cleave heaven and earth horizontally surged forward. The trajectory naturally encompassed Shangguan Wana, but she evaded once more using the Ghost King Territory's sorcery.

Pash!

But unexpectedly, the space Yeo Dongbin had slashed warped, and something black and oozing blood dripped down with wet plops. The thing emitting grotesque groans was undoubtedly a yokai. Their numbers were so vast that they piled up thickly on the ground, and Yeo Dongbin muttered.

[ Deceiving people again and digging traps. Just like back then. ]

Shangguan Wana laughed.

"You're certainly different from a thousand years ago. Didn't you fall for this trick back then?"

[ Don't mock me. ]

"Heh heh."

Shangguan Wana's reaction was like reuniting with an old friend, leaving me utterly bewildered.

'What exactly is the relationship between Yeo Dongbin and Shangguan Wana?'

Yeo Dongbin was the Sword Immortal and Fighting Immortal who saved the human world a thousand years ago, while Shangguan Wana was a Yashas, one of the Eight Lesions Divine Children. There was no obvious connection between them no matter how hard I looked, so what kind of bond could they possibly have? As I puzzled over it, Yeo Dongbin drew his sword again and shot forth like a divine sword.

Kwang!

Whenever Yeo Dongbin swung his sword once, it transformed into a hundred swords, a thousand swords, and within the changing sword shadows, ever-shifting energies left Shangguan Wana with no place to escape. Even when she tried to counterattack with swift spellcasting, Cheon Woojin checked her from the side, sensing it.

Moreover, whenever Shangguan Wana swung her sickle and a clear sound rang out, spreading sonic arts, Yeo Dongbin would unleash deadly techniques to dismantle the attacks, creating a spectacular sight.

It's incredibly flashy!

But as I watched this exhilarating battle, I realized one crucial fact.

'Heavens... Shangguan Wana is still holding back her power even while facing a pincer attack from two people?!'

Yeo Dongbin right now was definitely not hiding his full strength. As the vessel of spirit possession, I knew he was channeling the Imperial Seal of All Nations' spiritual power to its fullest into the demon sword Huntian, displaying his peak prowess. Moreover, he was unleashing the ultimate techniques of the Six Yi Saintly Heaven Path in rapid succession without any mercy.

Yet Shangguan Wana was casually blocking all those attacks with her sickle or spells, dragging the fight into a prolonged battle. The fact that she was still concealing her true power was palpably clear, sending chills down my spine.

The bigger problem was that even with her putting up such a strong front, I couldn't accurately gauge her true abilities or strength. Her movements seemed too sloppy to be those of a martial arts master, and I couldn't discern the flow of her spellcasting.

Kwarung!

Yeo Dongbin launched dozens of flying swords at her all at once, but Shangguan Wana swung her sickle in a circle to block them. Yeo Dongbin seemed to think further attacks would be futile and paused momentarily to speak.

[ I don't know what you want. Are you trying to toy with me? ]

"Not particularly. I just wanted to gauge your power without the Fire Dragon Immortal."

She continued calmly.

"As expected, you're far stronger than back then, but you lack the potential you had in that moment when you felled the dragon."

[... ]

"If you fought the dragon now, you'd lose."

What was she talking about?

Yet Yeo Dongbin seemed to accept it readily.

[ Indeed. You were probing my strength. ]

"Heh heh, it was an amusing diversion."

With that laugh, Shangguan Wana extended her hand toward us.

"Give me that demon sword. I'll handle completely lifting this seal myself, and I won't interfere in your affairs henceforth."

[ How can I trust such words? ]

"I swear it as one of the Eight Lesions Divine Children."

[... Very well. ]

It was astonishing. Upon hearing that, Yeo Dongbin tossed the demon sword to her without the slightest hesitation! Catching the demon sword, Shangguan Wana turned her head sharply, and soon after, Yeo Dongbin and Cheon Woojin left the area.

Whoosh...

It was only after reaching the outskirts of Luoyang, far away, that Yeo Dongbin returned control of my body to me. In my reclaimed body, I spoke to Yeo Dongbin in bewilderment.

"Yeo Dongbin. Even so, that one is one of the Eight Lesions Divine Children. How can you trust her..."

Yeo Dongbin's spirit body appeared before me and said.

[ She staked her honor on it, so I believe her. ]

"But that's..."

As I tried to say something, Cheon Woojin interjected from the side.

"Leave it. She's right."

"What?"

"For a high being on the level of the Eight Lesions Divine Children, a vow sworn upon their own existence imposes a tremendous constraint. Since she swore as one of the Eight Lesions Divine Children, she can't break that promise."

"......"

Was that what she meant?

Yeo Dongbin said to me.

[ Fated One. Do you intend to clash with that witch again in the future? ]

"No. This was merely a coincidence."

[ Unless your power at least doubles from now, you'd best not even dream of it. That witch has lurked in the Central Plains' history, bringing forth countless calamities. ]

"Hmm."

After groaning, I countered to Yeo Dongbin.

"Yeo Dongbin. What exactly is your relationship with Shangguan Wana?"

[... ]

"Please tell me. She's an incarnation of Changxi as one of the Eight Lesions Divine Children, so I need information to prepare for the disasters to come."

As I earnestly pleaded, Yeo Dongbin seemed slightly swayed. He let out a sigh and spoke.

[ Fated One. Before that, can you tell me something? ]

"What?"

[ How is it that such a deep bond exists between us that spirit possession is possible... Can you tell me where our bond began? And the reason the Immortal Sword is firmly rooted in your inner self... ]

"......!!"

[ If you don't wish to say, I have no means to force it, so I'll accept it as a matter of loyalty. ]

I was thrown into confusion.

Of course, the reason was that through my reincarnations, I had once been executed by Yeo Dongbin in a past life, and our bond had continued thereafter. The Heavenly Dark Secret Book's reincarnation ability was the power that carried the chain of bonds into the next life. But explaining that would inevitably reveal my reincarnation to Yeo Dongbin.

Was it truly okay to do so?

Yeo Dongbin himself was an unparalleled righteous man, but he was currently affiliated with the Heavenly Realm, and everything he saw or heard could become information for the Heavenly Realm's Queen Mother of the West. With the dominance to plant the Ten Heavenly Armies of the Golden Jade Island as infiltrators in the Heavenly Realm, there was no room for complacency. And considering the Queen Mother of the West's true identity as Nüwa, if she learned of my reincarnation ability, she would undoubtedly try to kidnap me, seal me, or steal my power.

However—this was a situation with no other options. The reason Yeo Dongbin was asking me about the basis of our bond was surely because his own past held memories as precious to him as my reincarnation ability was to me. A past he couldn't confide to someone unable to share secrets! If I didn't explain the reason to Yeo Dongbin, he would never tell me about Shangguan Wana and the events from a thousand years ago.

I was deeply conflicted when Cheon Woojin interjected from the side, addressing Yeo Dongbin.

"Sword Immortal. Do you consider the being known as Shangguan Wana to be evil?"

Judging by Cheon Woojin's gaze, he was trying to buy me time to think. As I inwardly felt grateful to him, Yeo Dongbin slowly replied.

[ She cannot be definitively called evil. ]

"Why?"

[ Though she has committed countless evils, she has performed an equal measure of good deeds. Moreover, her actions were heavily influenced by the will of higher beings—the will of gods. It is not for a Great Law Immortal like me to judge good and evil. ]

"Good deeds... Were they on the scale of the great feat of destroying Balhae?"

At Cheon Woojin's retort, Yeo Dongbin said.

[ Before the Sui Dynasty was established in the Central Plains, during that era of great chaos, she saved countless lives. From Northern Wei, Eastern Jin, Western Wei, Song, Qi... She was a wandering saint who rescued powerless commoners from massacres. I confirmed that fact myself in my lifetime, so she is a monster who transcends distinctions of good and evil. ]

She had done such good deeds too?

Cheon Woojin said in disbelief.

"Why does she not distinguish between good and evil deeds?"

[ I do not know the reason. But it is certain that she possesses absurd superhuman strength and has been involved in the chaos of the late Han era since my lifetime. ]

After much deliberation, I said to Yeo Dongbin.

"Yeo Dongbin. Then there's one more thing I want to know. If you answer this, I will reveal all my secrets without reservation."

[ What do you wish to know? ]

"As far as I know, Sword Immortal, you are gathering power in preparation for some future event. Why are you stockpiling strength and accumulating karmic cycles?"

This was the greatest mystery I had pondered. Until now, Yeo Dongbin had often had chances to wield even greater power using the unique authority of a Great Law Immortal, yet he had refused all expenditure of karmic cycles and power, conserving his strength. It was proof that Yeo Dongbin was preparing for something by amassing power.

Yeo Dongbin paused at my question. Then he spoke.

[ Truly a mysterious one. Even my colleagues among the Eight Immortals do not know this well... How did you come to know? ]

"Will you tell me?"

This was the final point.

The moment Yeo Dongbin answered my question, I resolved to make him an ally, even if it meant risking danger by giving him the obsidian—no matter if Nüwa tried to kidnap or kill me in this life. I had decided to entrust this life's and death to Yeo Dongbin's choice.

Yeo Dongbin remained silent for a long while, as if pondering.

It was Yeo Dongbin's single word that broke that grand silence.

[ I cannot tell you why I am gathering power and karmic cycles. ]

At that instant, a profound sense of exhaustion washed over my body. As expected, the time to share all information with him had not yet come. But as Yeo Dongbin added to his words, I felt a slight calm.

[ However, the reason I cannot tell you is that it is part of a grand plan. It is not something I can reveal on my own volition. ]

"A grand plan?"

[ A plan for a sliver of hope. ]

With that, Yeo Dongbin continued calmly.

[ Fated One, you distrust the Heavenly Realm itself ahead of me. I can understand that sentiment. ]

"My apologies."

He straightened his sword and formed a Daoist hand seal.

[ Yet this too is fate. Feeling your resolve to uphold the justice of the world, I shall tell you of the past. ]

"R-Really?"

I had thought he wouldn't tell, but Yeo Dongbin seemed to have made a great decision.

A moment later, Yeo Dongbin placed his hand on my forehead and said.

[ Behold. These are the memories from a thousand years ago... ]

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