Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

Supreme Heaven Sect Leader Shin Gongbao?!

Before I could even express my shock, Shin Gongbao's spirit form swung the Four Treasured Swords once. At the same moment, four beams of light burst forth from the swords, forming a square shape that stretched endlessly upward into the sky. As the square grew larger and larger, it was as if countless mirrors were reflecting within it—thousands of squares manifesting in an instant. Soon, the entire space filled with an orange glow, and the light pierced through the heavens, continuing to recede into the distance.

Woooooong—

Shin Gongbao smirked as if sensing something. Then he shouted.

[Point Celestial Sword! Pierce through!]

Rumble rumble rumble...

Suddenly, it felt like the entire world was shaking. At the same time, a divine ray of light emanated from Shin Gongbao's fingertip, shooting up to the end of the sky. With a flick of his finger, that light cleaved the heavens in half.

Ziiiiiing.

My face twisted from the resonance that had suddenly grown hundreds of times stronger. I protected my body with internal energy, but no matter how I thought about it, this level of resonance was enough to kill a person outright. Even a peak expert shielding their vital points with internal energy would suffer internal injuries, so I protested to Shin Gongbao.

"Wait, what the hell are you—"

[Shut up and grab the Ruyi Staff. I've made the hole—now we can escape right away.]

"What?"

I blurted out in disbelief.

"You're saying you made a hole eight thousand li away? That's impossi—"

Shin Gongbao's expression turned icy. The chill was like he was looking at a bug, and I flinched at the intense pride and arrogance etched on his face. It was the impression only someone who had reigned supreme over all under heaven could possess.

[...Prepare quickly before the monster's membrane regenerates.]

"Alright, got it."

Shin Gongbao was different from all the guys I'd met so far. Zhuge-types or Cheon Woo-jin might've chewed me out harshly now and then, but genuine killing intent rarely mixed into their words. With Shin Gongbao, though, a cold pressure and eerie aura kept emanating from him. It was a distinctly different sensation, making my heart pound.

'What the... this guy.'

At the same time, my instincts screamed. This bastard was dangerous, just like the early Zhuge I'd seen!

I might even have to watch him several times more closely than Zhuge Fu. Hesitating, I gripped the Ruyi Staff, and Shin Gongbao seemed to infuse it with some power before speaking to me.

[If you were the true master of the Ruyi Staff, it would liberate automatically—but you're just borrowing it. So recite the incantation to borrow the power of Space-Releasing Supreme, Subhuti.]

"That'll let the Ruyi Staff extend eight thousand li?"

[With my help.]

"Got it!"

I recited the incantation Shin Gongbao taught me. It was in Sanskrit, but I'd learned the basics from Zhuge, so I pronounced it without issue. Moments later, as the incantation finished, a radiant glow emanated from the Ruyi Staff. I quickly tucked Zhuge Fu into my armor.

Kukukukwa—

It happened in an instant. The Ruyi Staff exploded in size, extending at tremendous speed until everything on the ground looked like mere dots. As I ascended with it, I sensed the monster in the mountain range turning toward me, gradually shrinking in view.

Swooooosh—

"Urk..."

Clinging to the Ruyi Staff as it kept rising, I felt an overwhelming chill envelop my entire body. Its ascent was far faster than any expert's light功 skill—faster even than the speed of sound. Everything around me blurred into streaking lines of flashing light, occasionally pierced by clouds stained with blood flames. Protecting myself with internal energy and gripping the staff's tip for dear life, I heard Shin Gongbao say.

[We'll arrive in half a shichen. Steel yourself.]

"Do I have to fight that monster?"

[No. The space outside this membrane might be an even greater hell.]

"W-What... did you say?"

When I reflexively asked back in shock, Shin Gongbao replied.

[Think of a useful plan ahead of time.]

Hearing that, I forced myself to think calmly.

'Even greater hell? Is there anywhere worse than this?'

I'd just fought a hellish battle against those tentacle monsters, with no food in sight, knowing that falling into the abyss below led to a chaotic cloud sea of blood flames. I hadn't imagined anything worse. But moments later, I reconsidered.

What if breathing itself was impossible—a place where physical survival was out of the question?

Then trying to escape here might be the foolish choice. I could probably survive fighting the monster if I stayed, but going out meant certain death. Of course, it might not be, but after dying in so many unexpected ways up to now, I always assumed the worst first.

Hanging from the Ruyi Staff, I pondered before saying to Shin Gongbao.

"I couldn't summon demonic beasts inside here. Will it work once we're out?"

[What do you mean by demonic beasts?]

I explained about the demonic beasts contracted to me. Shin Gongbao replied.

[It should work. Prepare the summoning now.]

"Got it."

Rumble rumble—

While clinging to the Ruyi Staff, I recited the demonic ritual incantation, completing the chant in advance. No time for offerings, but a simplified summon should do. With preparations finished, I sealed my lips, conserved energy, and focused on holding on to the staff's end.

How much time passed?

After what felt like an eternity—but was merely half a shichen—Shin Gongbao's voice came.

[There it is.]

Immense destruction scars!

It looked like an entire mountain range had been crushed inward. The term "membrane" didn't seem empty—there was no blue sky, just crimson membrane filling heaven and earth. Something had magnificently shattered the membrane, leaving scars vast enough to fill my vision, with a diameter of dozens of li at least.

Whiiiiish—

Beyond the scars stretched a pitch-black world. Inside was the realm of crimson membrane and blood flame clouds, but outside was darkness incarnate. Just gazing at that hole filled me with overwhelming dread.

It was the manifestation of evil cosmic chaos itself.

"..."

For a moment, I forgot what I was supposed to do and drifted into unrelated thoughts.

I'd been a normal guy who fell off a cliff, got the Heavenly Dark Secret Book, and dreamed of becoming a martial arts master in the jianghu. How the hell did I end up here? If I told my old self about this adventure, he'd have just called it bullshit.

'No, snap out of it.'

Regaining my senses, I halted the Ruyi Staff's advance. I climbed onto its tip, now widened to three zhang across, sat down, and said to Shin Gongbao.

"Don't tell me you made that hole in the membrane with that Point Celestial Sword earlier?"

[That's right.]

"Is the Point Celestial Sword the same as the Four Treasured Swords?"

[Always prying into everything. How about shutting up and heading out?]

Shin Gongbao's response wasn't kind. Fair enough—he had no reason to tell me about the Four Treasured Swords. But I judged now wasn't the time to back down and pressed on.

"You know this, but I came to this world responding to Bi-eung's summon with a resolve to die. I came prepared to die without regret. In this situation, you're the only one who can help me—how can I do that if I know nothing? To struggle and survive from here on, isn't it natural I learn about you?"

[......]

"If you don't like it, forget it. Looks like you can't get out without my help anyway."

[Getting bold, are we?]

"I'm saying let's cooperate."

Silence fell for a moment. It was a gamble—my lips felt parched. My guess was that Shin Gongbao was still bound to the Ruyi Staff, so as its "master," I needed to cooperate for us to move. But if I was wrong and he'd just helped out of goodwill, I'd be abandoned here and fall back into the blood flame cloud space.

Moments later, Shin Gongbao spoke.

[The Point Celestial Sword is one of the Four Celestial Swords—a form into which the Four Treasured Swords divide. The Four Treasured Swords are originally one, but can split into four treasured blades as needed. Among them, the Point Celestial Sword has the greatest physical destructive power.]

"...I see. So the Four Treasured Swords are equivalent to those four blades?"

[You don't know much about them. This is a divine treasure only the Supreme Heaven Sect Leader can wield—with power surpassing even the Primordial Heavenly Venerable's Pangu Banner and the God-Sealing Eye combined.]

"Hmm... so you're saying it's on par with the Seven Luminaries?"

Shin Gongbao fell unexpectedly silent at my question. Then he said.

[In terms of combat power, the Four Treasured Swords vastly outmatch a single Luminary. But the true might of the Seven Luminaries lies in their resonance—comparing them one by one is pointless.]

"Hmm."

[This isn't the time for chit-chat. The membrane is regenerating—better hurry out.]

Urged by Shin Gongbao, I looked at the destruction scars ahead. They were indeed enormous, but as he said, they were quietly shrinking even as we spoke. It seemed this colossal "organism" was regenerating its membrane on its own. But I didn't rush, saying to Shin Gongbao.

"Why were you sealed in the Ruyi Staff? According to the God-Sealing Legend you know, you're Grand Preceptor Wang's priest and Primordial Heavenly Venerable's disciple—but I've never heard of you being the Supreme Heaven Sect Leader in life—"

[Do you really need to know that?]

"Answer just this one, and I'll escape without hesitation."

Coaxing him, Shin Gongbao replied reluctantly after a pause.

[The ancient legend of the heavenly realm you know, the Investiture of the Gods, is a distorted history fabricated by the heavens. Everything was rewritten to suit the victors' tastes. But it is true that I was the Supreme Heaven Sect Leader and waged war against the heavens.]

"Distorted? Still, the Supreme Heaven Sect tried to do evil, so the heavens suppressed you, sealed you away, and banished the demon immortals to Mount Kunlun, right?"

[Kekeke.]

Shin Gongbao laughed hollowly.

[What evil? What evil did the Supreme Heaven Sect commit to justify the heavens' preemptive strike?]

"Well, the tyrant King Zhou of Yin tormented the people with Daji, and you supported that king..."

[That hardly justifies attacking fellow celestials. At most, it's mere human affairs. Did the great immortals you saw ever care about human politics?]

"That's true, but..."

[You know nothing from start to finish...]

"What don't I know?"

Protesting, I got an angry retort from Shin Gongbao.

[Ugly bastard who just keeps prying! I can't take any more. If you don't get through that damned hole right now, we might as well give up and end it here.]

Ssoooh—

Suddenly, the Ruyi Staff shrank drastically, dropping a hundred zhang. Sensing Shin Gongbao's fury, I panicked and realized I couldn't extract more info. I shouted hurriedly.

"Alright! Tell me after we get out."

[Go, now.]

Pababatt!

I commanded the Ruyi Staff to extend, and Shin Gongbao obeyed, expanding it at tremendous speed again. In an instant, I burst through the massive destruction scars into the dark otherworld. The moment I emerged, I held my breath and circulated my energy.

'Ugh.'

Sure enough, there was no air around me at all. It felt like floating in perfect vacuum, a negligible speck in the vast starry cosmos. I'd seen scenes like this before, but experiencing it firsthand was new.

'Ugh... According to demonic lore, emerging into cosmic vacuum means...'

Holding my breath didn't help much—it just made me feel like farting. With the pressure drop, fluids in my body began to boil, saliva bubbling in my mouth. Realizing I'd vaporize and suffocate like this, I circulated energy to restore balance and formed a protective energy membrane against the horrific environment.

Paat!

It helped a bit, but not much. I couldn't maintain the membrane forever, nor survive indefinitely without air. Glancing back, I jolted in shock.

"...!!"

The "membrane's" owner was an unimaginably massive centipede—no, a colossal anglerfish? Anyway, a being defying earthly logic in size, reminiscent of the space-faring giant dragon I'd seen before. I could tell it was a centipede because its form sprawled across the endless void like embroidered thread. The hole I'd escaped from seemed just one of its countless innards.

The centipede swam slowly in an unknowable orbit, heading toward a distant black dot.

And a sound emanated from it.

A song of darkness—like solemn flute notes praising chaos.

What in the world was that thing?

I needed to figure it out, but I couldn't bring myself to.

Just trying to comprehend it terrified me.

"..."

It was too big.

I felt utterly overwhelmed by its immensity. As I stared blankly, Shin Gongbao said.

[Snap out of it. This seems to be the outskirts of Dark Heaven Village.]

"What? How do you know?"

[Focus your mind and look around. See the silver path?]

He was right. Amid the darkness gleamed a faint silver path. Using the Ruyi Staff's momentum, I ascended onto it. Miraculously, I could breathe without the energy membrane and walk normally.

"No way! How'd you know?"

When I asked Shin Gongbao back, he replied.

[Even the Supreme Heaven Sect Leader inherits knowledge of Dark Heaven Village. From what I know, this is the 'Great Path' leading to Dark Heaven Village's [Moon]. They say it appears after endlessly swimming the outer seas.]

"Hmm! Then what's that centipede?"

[Probably a divine being—but do we need to know? Even if we did, we're ants to it.]

"R-Right."

Paat!

Realizing what I needed to do, I summoned the demonic beast. After gulping honey wine, I commanded it.

"Take us to the opposite end of this silver path!"

This place was Dark Heaven Village's terminus.

The other side would lead to Dark Heaven Village itself!

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