Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

672======================

Dark Heaven Village

The Eight Divine Hosts are coming?!

I was shocked by those words, but I soon realized it made sense. In a situation where the Asura of the Eight Divine Hosts had come all the way to Dark Heaven Village to capture me, it wasn't strange for the others to cross into this world as well. However, what truly surprised me was the fact that the Eight Divine Hosts were mobilizing to protect the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign.

Does that mean the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign is under their protection, even from Changhi?

'No... if that's not the case... then the help from the Yaksha of the Eight Divine Hosts...'

It felt like all the pieces were connecting. But now wasn't the time to sort out those complicated circumstances. I quickly made my judgment and calmly spoke to the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign.

"Thank you for informing me, but why tell me this...?"

"Pardon?"

As I asked again, the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign slowly lowered her arm onto the jade throne. She tilted her head toward the empty air.

[ It has been a long time. Yet I also feel that this is not what I desired...]

"......?"

[ Baek Woong. In your eyes, am I human?]

Her question left me at a loss for how to respond.

Anyone could see that the current Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign was no longer human. But I couldn't even guess what kind of answer she wanted. If it had been someone wise and knowledgeable like Mangnyang or Zhuge Sa, they would have instantly grasped her intentions, but I didn't have wits that sharp.

With no other choice, I answered honestly.

"You are not human at present. However, if the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign considers herself human, then she is human."

Flinch.

The Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign seemed startled by my unexpected reply.

[ Is that so? You see me as human?]

"Yes. If that is how you think."

[ No falsehood in that... Your perspective is on another level from ordinary people. As expected of a hero who has come this far...]

The Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign gazed at me as if intrigued.

'Hmm? Was my answer that strange?'

I reflected on my words but couldn't tell if they were odd. While I was lost in thought, the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign spoke.

[ You may not know, but I have agonized over this for a long time. In the land of the Yi Clan, I obtained eternal life... and ruled the people who became Yi Clan according to the laws of my mortal days. In the first three hundred years of this new reign, I was truly joyful and happy. But...]

"It was not so afterward, you mean?"

[ Because many of my people rejected their humanity and fled to the harsh lands of Dark Heaven Village...]

"......?"

What did that mean?

The Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign continued.

[ As they adapted to life as Yi Clan, they sought to abandon their human selves. In their view, humans were inferior and ugly, so they could not stoop to match such lowly beings after evolving into Yi Clan. At first, I purged them, but later I gave up and let them leave.]

"You mean they abandoned their humanity?"

[ Yes. Of course, they did not become the majority, but their numbers were significant.]

She let out a short sigh.

[ Sigh, what is a human? I believed that maintaining a human life even in a changed form and enjoying immortality was the best existence. But if they deny humanity itself, what meaning does this kingdom have?]

"......"

[ For centuries, I have striven to find that answer. At times, I summoned great philosophers from the human world to converse with them, but reached no conclusion. Thus, I have grown weary.]

"...But."

I said to the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign.

"You still have over five hundred years until the end times. If you are already tormented to this degree, will you be able to endure?"

[ That is the problem. I have ruled for a millennium, yet the remaining five hundred years feel endlessly long.]

"Hmm..."

It was unexpected. I had assumed the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign was successfully managing her millennial kingdom, but she was troubled by the Yi Clan's identity crisis? As I pondered her worries, I suddenly realized her intent and spoke.

"You believe I may be the key to resolving that dilemma."

[ Precisely.]

Rumble...

At that moment, a solemn sound echoed, and the entire building shook violently. Endless circulating demonic energy turned into an intangible flow, coursing through the hall. A massive stone stele also rose piercing the heavens.

The Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign said.

[ The first seal of this Demonic Heavenly Tower, where I reside, has activated.]

"A seal?"

[ The Eight Divine Hosts wish to cross here immediately, but I have sealed the dimensional gate even more firmly.]

"......!!"

Does that mean the Eight Divine Hosts could have summoned themselves here long ago?!

If I had fought the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign as Shin Gonggyo wished, the Demonic Heavenly Tower would have opened wide soon after, allowing the Eight Divine Hosts to swarm in! Now, she had activated the tower's demonic power to deliberately block their crossing.

But why was the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign showing me this much favor?

As I looked at her, the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign met my gaze. Though she was Yi Clan who had ascended to minor godhood with no trace of humanity left, for some reason, I could sense 'emotion' in her eyes. She spoke.

[ From our conversation just now, I am certain. You are not one to die meannessly in a place like this... Moreover, you may be the only one who can bring salvation to humanity.]

"Sovereign."

[ Today, I shall open the way. Flee. The Earthly Pivot Eight Trigrams Chart normally resides at the topmost floor of this Demonic Heavenly Tower. When you return to this palace next time, I shall release and give it to you then.]

The Earthly Pivot's location is the top of the Demonic Heavenly Tower!

As I committed that to memory, the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign said.

[ The Eight Divine Hosts are exerting force... I must raise it to the second stage.]

Boom!!

Another massive stele rose near the Demonic Heavenly Tower. It seemed the Eight Divine Hosts from the outer dimension were pouring power to force open the gate. The Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign appeared strained, cracks forming on her ore-like body. Startled, I said.

"I shall flee now. Please do not overexert yourself."

[...Baek Woong. Can you promise me one thing?]

"Tell me."

[ If you can save humanity... will you also save me and my people?]

I nodded firmly.

"Of course."

[...Thank you. This Demonic Heavenly Tower has many passages. Head to the Heavenly Pivot Chamber above, and you can use one.]

Crack.

It was at that instant.

The sickle blade that pierced the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign's back burst through her chest.

[ Grraa... Yaksha...]

With the giant sickle embedded, she thrashed in agony for a moment, but soon the blade rose vertically, splitting her body open.

Splurt.

As her torso was severed, the demonic power in her demonic core spread into the air like mist.

Shhh.

From the dimensional gate that shattered into view like broken glass behind her, the ferocious eyes of a demonic beast glared at me with fierce light. Having completed deification, the Yaksha of the Eight Divine Hosts extended massive claws from beyond the gate, emanating gloomy waves.

[ Can't even play puppet properly, Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign... From now on, we have no choice but to manage this place ourselves.]

"......!!"

I realized the situation.

They had slain her without regard for her being under protection—because they had viewed her as a mere puppet from the start! With no time to grieve her death, I shouted to Shin Gonggyo in the Ruyi Jingu Bang.

"Shin Gonggyo! Attack that bastard!!"

[ Closing the gate is enough.]

Unexpectedly cold, Shin Gonggyo's spirit summoned an Eight Trigrams formation in the air and cast a mighty spell.

Brief Ritual

Encampment Suppressing Unity Art

Crackle.

As soon as Shin Gonggyo's spell activated, the dimensional gate the Yaksha had forced open began shrinking rapidly, and the Yaksha hastily withdrew its claws. Proof of how profound his spell was, as even it couldn't withstand by force.

[ Tch... We'll see soon enough.]

The Yaksha vanished with a hideous sneer.

"......"

I stared blankly at the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign's corpse. Even as a minor god with immortality, she couldn't withstand a deified Eight Divine Host's ambush? True, as a god she wasn't truly dead yet, but such a grievous wound was as good as death. And with the Eight Divine Hosts branding her a traitor, she had no path to survival.

To discard a being like the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign so easily!

As anger toward the Eight Divine Hosts surged within me, Shin Gonggyo gruffly said.

[ Until the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign's life fully ends, there is time, and the Demonic Heavenly Tower's seal will hold. Don't space out—go to the Heavenly Pivot Chamber.]

"Got it!"

Dash.

I rushed into the Heavenly Pivot Chamber. Everywhere were mirrors, reflecting my image infinitely. Unable to spot the passage, I looked around, and Shin Gonggyo said.

[ Just walk forward. The mirror passage itself is the dimensional gate.]

"Where does it lead?"

[ A secret passage prepared by the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign for the worst case—it shouldn't be dangerous.]

True enough. Telling me about the Heavenly Pivot Chamber must have meant that. I slowly walked forward through the mirror passage.

After walking some distance, I emerged in an unknown dark place. I glanced around, wondering if it was outer space, but it didn't seem so. The reason for the misconception was the intense starlight flowing nearby and meteor showers raining here and there.

Shin Gonggyo said.

[ Looks like escaping is hopeless.]

"What?"

[ This is not far from the Demonic Heavenly Tower. Maybe thirty or forty li at most.]

Boom rumble crash.

The moment Shin Gonggyo finished speaking, a massive cloud of explosive flames erupted behind us. Turning back, I saw a terrifying explosion birthing a mushroom cloud that blanketed the vast sky—the epicenter was none other than the Lateral Heaven Martial Sovereign's city.

And above that city floated the deified true forms of the Eight Divine Hosts.

They had finally unleashed their full power to breach the dimensional gate.

The might of the Eight Divine Hosts, annihilating an entire city in one blow!

Shin Gonggyo said.

[ Six of them.]

"---Damn it!!"

Six meant they had all come! The Dragon was slain by Ye Dongbin, Asura by Shin Gonggyo, so the rest had arrived in full force. It seemed they weren't taking chances after even the mighty Asura among them fell.

Six Eight Divine Hosts—no, their true bodies—we stood no chance.

Just imagining their combined power was terrifying.

'How far can I run?'

With such divine beings openly pursuing me, I wondered how long I could evade. If they used tracking arts, how far could Soul Annihilation Wave or spells take me? As I agonized deeply, Shin Gonggyo subtly said.

[...Don't you want to stay and fight here?]

"What scheme now?"

[ I know you still have some of the Yin God Power left from when you broke Tai Shang Laojun's seal.]

His following words made me flinch.

[ Use it to release the final seal Tai Shang Laojun placed on this Ruyi Jingu Bang. Then I can regain my prime body and full power to resurrect—and drive off these Eight Divine Hosts pests.]

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!