Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

Yeo Dongbin fell silent for a moment before answering her question with unwavering resolve.

"You're wrong."

He didn't hesitate. Instead, he intensified the sword aura gleaming on his blade and continued.

"You're simply forcing your own selfish ideals on others without a care for anyone else. And with your words, you're deceiving even yourself while mocking the world. Do you have any idea how many humans have been sacrificed because you joined hands with evil beings to summon yokai and heteromorphs? Even if you became a god, there's no guarantee that the humans of today would be saved."

"..."

"Lunar Heaven Sovereign, our conversation is over. I'll save the world as it is now."

"Is that so...?"

"Then farewell."

Yeo Dongbin's single stroke severed Lunar Heaven Sovereign's neck without a sound. It was so swift and precise that her head slowly tilted and fell, her face showing no sign of pain. As her head hit the ground, Yeo Dongbin watched to see if she would revive as a heteromorph, but there was no such indication. It was the body of a pure human.

'Lunar Heaven Sovereign hadn't turned into a heteromorph...'

Why was that?

A question flickered in Yeo Dongbin's mind, but he suppressed it. There was no time left for pondering. Instead, he picked up her head and severed neck and escaped from the underground chamber.

But it was when Yeo Dongbin emerged at the front of the imperial palace.

"You've killed Lunar Heaven Sovereign after all, Yeo Dongbin."

A single woman was blocking the palace's main gate. Yeo Dongbin glared fiercely at the beautiful woman wielding a massive sickle and replied.

"Shangguan Wana."

"Unlike before, there's no hesitation in you. I can sense a stronger conviction. Has there been a change of heart?"

"If you knew I was going to kill Lunar Heaven Sovereign, why didn't you stop me?"

Shangguan Wana chuckled softly at Yeo Dongbin's question and answered.

"Well... It simply doesn't matter to me one way or the other."

"..."

Yeo Dongbin decided not to think any further. He figured more thought would only drag him into her rhythm. As Yeo Dongbin gathered his battle spirit once more, Shangguan Wana raised her sickle in response.

Rumble!

Soon, Yeo Dongbin and Shangguan Wana clashed again. Originally, Shangguan Wana's skill far surpassed Yeo Dongbin's, but he held his own without yielding an inch. Realizing this, Shangguan Wana said in surprise.

"Your power has risen in that short time? What fortuitous encounter befell you?"

"Ridiculous."

Yeo Dongbin bellowed and glared at her.

"Don't think you can control this era as you please, Shangguan Wana!!"

Boom boom boom

The energy of the Six Yi Holy Heaven Path that Yeo Dongbin unleashed suddenly shifted trajectory, transforming into a meteor shower that struck Shangguan Wana. She summoned a transparent barrier to block the attack, but as Yeo Dongbin's sword energy grew stronger, it pierced her shield, severing her arm.

"......!!"

In that instant, contrasting reactions crossed their faces. For that strike's success meant Yeo Dongbin's skill had finally reached parity with Shangguan Wana's—or perhaps surpassed it. They both sensed it, hence the mix of joy and dismay.

'I can do this!'

Yeo Dongbin gained immense confidence and ramped up the output of his Fire Dragon Divine Sword.

'All the chaos in this era stemmed from Shangguan Wana's machinations—if he could just defeat the demoness before him, the turmoil would end!'

With that thought, as Yeo Dongbin tried to resonate his soul with Fire Dragon True Man's to press the attack harder—

Crack crack crack

The skin on Shangguan Wana's severed arm, hardened like ice, peeled away like scales. Her eyes emitted an overwhelming demonic aura that warped the space around her, exuding a presence utterly different from before. Even as Yeo Dongbin maintained his Sword-Man Union momentum, her sheer existence made him falter, nearly paralyzing him.

Whoooosh

A rigid voice emanated from Shangguan Wana's mouth.

"To think... through human karma... you've reached this level in such a short time.... Then... I can no longer face you in this form...."

With each word, Yeo Dongbin felt his body shrink back. He sensed the Shangguan Wana before him shedding her human guise to become something else entirely.

"......!!"

And with his vast battle experience, Yeo Dongbin realized that the moment she transformed, she would grow dozens of times stronger than before. Most transforming heteromorphs were like that. At that point, with his current power, he wouldn't even be able to resist—he'd be slaughtered mercilessly.

He gritted his teeth in disbelief.

'No way! She's already strong enough to toy with all the experts of the martial world... to contend at the Absolute Realm... and now she's getting even stronger here...?!'

Something was different.

Shangguan Wana was unlike any heteromorph Yeo Dongbin had ever purged. She barely carried the characteristic demonic taint of her kind, yet her power rivaled that of a Demon King. He had never heard or seen such an overwhelmingly mighty being that even multiple Great Thunder Immortals couldn't subdue.

[Good... Yeo Dongbin...]

Shangguan Wana's form underwent a massive transformation. It distorted grotesquely into "something," spewing dimension-warping ferocious energy in the process.

[I... out of respect for you... shall face you in my true form... divinized...]

It was then.

Crackle crackle!!

[Urk...!!]

Suddenly, tremendous lightning enveloped her body as a massive spell formation swirled around her. Trapped within, Shangguan Wana flailed like a giant beast in annoyance, but the formation held firm without breaking. As she writhed, emitting a horrific screech befitting the world's end, a certain being revealed itself from afar.

"Not so fast. Why go out alone like that?"

Who was it?

Yeo Dongbin gazed at the "being" hovering atop the palace wall. Clad in ancient monk robes and clerical garb, it was clearly a monk. His appearance was strikingly handsome and refined, and he seemed to be the one who had halted Shangguan Wana's divinization.

The being who bound Shangguan Wana with sorcery sneered.

"If you reveal your true form here, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors—who've grasped causality—will come smash you. Did you think you could just kill Yeo Dongbin and escape? If Jeokgok and Yosun set barriers across the Central Plains, you won't be able to handle the aftermath."

"......"

"Back off quietly. Our plan is already at its final stage anyway—the Eight Immortals can't stop it."

[Understood....]

Whoosh.

Moments later, they vanished. Yeo Dongbin stared blankly at the scene until he noticed his hands trembling. His Absolute Realm senses had foreseen the terrifying power of Shangguan Wana's true form, filling him with unexpected dread. He gnashed his teeth in helpless frustration.

"...Urk...!!"

Yeo Dongbin was already unrivaled in the world. Yet even he was treated like a child against otherworldly existences, those from "beyond." The indescribable contradictions and irrational power gaps left him with nothing but utter powerlessness.

If the gap was this vast—what had all those thousands, tens of thousands of battles, surviving the brink of life and death, even been for?

How much stronger did he need to become?

Could he ever defeat Shangguan Wana's true form, no matter how strong he got?

As Yeo Dongbin lamented, his heart suddenly pounded fiercely.

Thump!!

"......?!"

When Yeo Dongbin came to, he was once again in that space with the infinite helixes unfurling. He searched for his master's soul, but Fire Dragon True Man seemed uninvited—there was no presence of him.

'This is the War God's space...?'

It seemed he'd been summoned here in a frozen moment of time. But why had the War God called him again?

As he wondered, words suddenly appeared in the air.

Accept it.

The words vanished shortly after. Yeo Dongbin froze upon seeing them, but his keen intellect quickly grasped the meaning.

The countless floating helixes and weapons beside them—

Reach out to the helixes, endure that nauseating horror, repeating the ascent to heaven and descent to hell.

But why?

What was the War God trying to tell him?

What could be gained from such an act?

Yeo Dongbin's mind was a whirlwind, but to escape this space, he had no choice but to follow the War God's directive. Convinced that a being as immense as the War God wouldn't harm him lightly, he extended his hand and touched a helix.

Rumble rumble

"Urk... Ugh...!!"

As before, the extreme ups and downs—like soaring to heaven and plunging to hell—deprived him of his senses. Even with his Absolute Realm attainment and formidable mental fortitude, Yeo Dongbin could barely hold on without collapsing. But unlike before, he retained some awareness this time and felt the turmoil gradually subside.

Whirrr......

Once more, he gained nothing but that vomit-inducing sensation. Yet as he lay sprawled on the ground, something flashed through his mind.

"This is...?"

He felt like he understood.

He could now categorize the elusive essence of the Six Yi Holy Heaven Path, which had eluded him entirely!

It was a realm that would normally require decades or centuries of ceaseless cultivation in the Heavenly Realm, but it now loomed within reach for Yeo Dongbin. He instinctively knew he was far stronger than just before touching the helix.

In that moment, greed stirred in Yeo Dongbin's heart.

'The more helixes I accept, the stronger I get? Then...!'

He'd take in as many as possible to gain power!

With that thought, Yeo Dongbin reached for another helix—but blacked out immediately.

"You've awakened."

When Yeo Dongbin woke, Jade Dragon Divine Lord was before him.

"I rescued you from collapsing in front of the palace with the White Lotus Cult experts."

"Hm...?"

"With Lunar Heaven Sovereign assassinated, Luoyang's politics are in chaos. Was that your doing?"

"......"

"In any case, as originally discussed, I've allied with the White Lotus Cult and entrusted the Shan Clan to them. I've also become a new disciple of the Fire God Style and will live as a White Lotus Cultist from now on."

Jade Dragon Divine Lord continued.

"I can't even guess how the world will unfold from here..."

Yeo Dongbin thought he was right.

He'd thought slaying Lunar Heaven Sovereign had thwarted the Apocalyptic Dragon, but Shangguan Wana and her allies remained. His fated path of battle hadn't changed in the slightest.

'It isn't over...'

And Yeo Dongbin's prediction proved correct.

A year later, amid Luoyang's turmoil, the Tang Empire collapsed. Coincidentally, with Prime Minister Shangguan Wana vanishing as well, only inept bureaucrats remained. They floundered and were slaughtered by surrounding warlords. The fractured local lords and warlords raised armies everywhere, ushering in a new age of chaos. Two years later, the Tang Empire was utterly destroyed.

The former Tang territories splintered into the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, the Five Dynasties claiming the Central Plains while the Ten Kingdoms ruled the frontiers. Countless minor states emerged between them, and wars raged without end. Thus began the age of strife.

Yeo Dongbin was briefly extradited to the Heavenly Realm to answer for arbitrarily executing Lunar Heaven Sovereign but was soon released. It ended with a single perfunctory interrogation. When Yeo Dongbin expressed puzzlement, Fire Dragon True Man explained.

[It seems the Heavenly Realm wanted the Tang Empire to fall too. That's why they're not punishing you—they plan to keep using you.]

"What in the world...?"

[...That Shangguan Wana was right. The Heavenly Realm isn't particularly righteous...]

Yeo Dongbin grew disillusioned with the ways of the world.

What was there left to do now?

Yokai and heteromorphs had all but vanished from the world, and human life had returned to normalcy. But in proportion, the human realm devolved into endless wars and massacres, where Yeo Dongbin could do nothing. His primary duty was felling yokai and heteromorphs—he must no longer meddle in human politics.

As Yeo Dongbin quietly cultivated the Dao in the mountains and wilds, he spoke in a cynical tone.

"Master, I no longer wish to become an immortal. Teach me how to reach the Pantheon of All Gods."

[I'm sorry. I don't know that either.]

"......"

[I only know that upon my dissipation, I return to Responsive Dragon.... I have no idea what the Pantheon of All Gods is or how to get there.]

It was then, as they conversed.

Rumble rumble....

"What?"

The earth was shaking. Yeo Dongbin sensed the dragon veins trembling unnaturally and looked around. Soon, he gathered with the Eight Immortals to investigate the anomaly. Jiang Gak-ro returned from receiving orders in the Heavenly Realm, his face pale as death, and reported to the Eight Immortals.

"...The Heavenly Realm commands... do nothing and stand by."

"What? What do you mean?"

Jong Ri-gwon jumped in shock and said.

"The Central Plains' nine provinces, the nearby peninsula, island nations, even the great oceans—all their earth veins are shaking. The dragon veins are on the verge of exploding, and they want us to do nothing?"

"......"

"You didn't mishear, did you, Senior Jiang? Old age giving you dementia or...?"

"It's true. The Heavenly Realm ordered us Eight Immortals to do nothing and stand by."

"...No way."

Not just Jong Ri-gwon, but all the assembled Eight Immortals were stunned. If things continued, a world-ending natural disaster would strike, unprecedented in history. They questioned the Heavenly Realm multiple times, but the only response was that they would grant ascension to the Eight Immortals—return to the Heavenly Realm and become immortals.

Of course, all Eight Immortals were qualified and experienced enough for immortality.

But with the world clearly on the brink of destruction, for them alone to ascend?

Unable to comprehend, they were all confused when—

Flash

Yeo Dongbin dashed toward Manggyang Monk. Upon meeting him, he asked.

"Manggyang Monk. What in the world is happening now?"

Manggyang Monk manifested an avatar before him.

And replied lightly.

[As scheduled, the Apocalyptic Dragon is reviving. This is just the precursor.]

"......"

[They've played their cards right. The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors got caught off guard while distracted.]

Muttering to himself, Manggyang Monk added.

[You look like you have more questions?]

"Do you know why the Heavenly Realm told us not to act?"

[Because acting won't help. What can lower immortals like you do in this situation?]

Manggyang Monk's pitch-black eyes fixed on Yeo Dongbin.

[Don't overstep. The appointed time of apocalypse is almost here.]

[The Apocalyptic Dragon will first cleanse this world once, turning it into lifeless land. It'll probably devour the planet's main stem completely over a thousand years, and the Heavenly time granted to the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors will shrink dramatically. You... At least a thousand years.]

"What?"

Yeo Dongbin's body stiffened at Manggyang Monk's words.

[Soon, the [Ancient Overlords] will all descend, revealing the baleful gods to the world. Their scheme was to advance the destined apocalypse by over a thousand years, and the Heavenly Realm and Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors have been magnificently outmaneuvered.]

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