Reincarnation Sword God

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Heavenly Realm

I met Sagong Hwan, the Clan Leader of the Sagong Clan and head of the Sagong Escort Agency. It had truly been a long time since I last saw him, but the moment I laid eyes on him, his image came rushing back. He stroked his bushy beard and spoke,

“Are you the Half-Transition Master? What brings you here?”

Sagong Hwan didn’t seem to doubt for a moment that I, a teenage boy before him, was actually a master of Half-Transition. This showed how much he trusted Sagong Rin’s judgment and indicated that he viewed my presence seriously. I stared at him for a moment before replying,

“I’ve come to make a deal.”

“A deal?”

I gestured subtly, as if indicating that I wished to discuss a sensitive matter. Sagong Hwan waved away his subordinates, who were standing nearby, so I finally opened my mouth.

“I know that the Sagong Clan’s future looks bleak due to the threat posed by the Huashan Sect. I can help eliminate that threat.”

“Haha.”

Sagong Hwan scoffed with disbelief and replied,

“Are you saying you can defeat the Huashan Sect? Do you understand that they are a part of the Nine Great Sects and that they possess a number of Peak Experts as their leaders?”

“Of course I do. I probably know better than you.”

After I retorted quietly, I locked my gaze on him.

“I can protect the Sagong Clan so that the Huashan Sect will not be able to harm you. Additionally, I can also help stop their expansion. I believe that is the very thing you wish for as the head of your clan.”

Sagong Hwan fell silent. My words had struck a chord with him. Having knowledge of the complicated situation surrounding both the Huashan Sect and the Sagong Clan, I was able to easily infer his thoughts. After a while, Sagong Hwan muttered,

“I can’t believe it. You say you’re a master of Half-Transition, but the Nine Great Sects are not something that can be dealt with by the power of an individual.”

“What I’m about to say is something you should keep to yourself, taking it to your grave.”

“What?”

I suddenly transmitted a message to him,

[You’re aware that there is a suspicious force behind the Huashan Sect, right? That force is the Wind Spirit Sect, one of the four Dharma Protectors of the White Lotus Sect, and the Huashan Sect Leader, ‘Dragon-Slaying Sword’ Yong Jung-il, is the son of the Wind Spirit Sect Leader.]

“……!!”

He widened his eyes and clenched his fists. This was likely due to the shocking secret I had just revealed. Ignoring Sagong Hwan’s reaction, I continued,

[And I am here as an envoy from another Dharma Protector sect, tasked with assisting your Sagong Clan in preventing the Huashan Sect’s expansion.]

“Y-You are…”

[Answer my question. Will you help me or live your life as it is now?]

I delivered my message with a scoff.

[Of course, from my perspective, I wouldn’t particularly care if the Sagong Clan were to assist me or another clan instead.]

“Hmm.”

Sagong Hwan looked flustered, biting his lip as he processed my pressure.

Exactly.

The scheme I had devised was to masquerade as an envoy of the Wind Spirit Sect to steer the Sagong Clan into my protective sphere! Both Han Baek-ryeong and Han Jin-seong had agreed to help me, so it wasn’t a total lie, and it was enough to shake Sagong Hwan’s resolve. Furthermore, the reputation of the White Lotus Sect’s Dharma Protectors added weight, making it difficult for Sagong Hwan to make a clear-headed judgment.

After a moment of contemplation, Sagong Hwan said,

“I will assist you…”

“Good choice. A wise decision.”

“Then what do we need to do?”

Sagong Hwan asked weakly, and I replied calmly.

“I want to learn about Sagong Rin’s master. If she provides that information, I shall ensure sufficient protection in return.”

“My daughter’s master? Why do you care?”

Sagong Hwan appeared bewildered. I replied nonchalantly,

“I see no reason to tell you that.”

“……”

I was the one holding the sword here. Moreover, Sagong Hwan already believed I was a master of Half-Transition, so he couldn’t afford to act recklessly. If I unleashed a bloodbath here on a whim, he would find his entire clan engulfed in flames. Eventually, Sagong Hwan turned his head, resigned.

“… It’s Old Sage of Mount Tai.”

“I know. What I want to know are the details about Old Sage of Mount Tai’s residence, the martial arts he practices, and any peculiarities about his appearance.”

“I don’t know any of that.”

“Your daughter likely does.”

“……”

Sagong Hwan bit his lip until blood might have bled, and his eyes glinted with rage.

“You might be a remarkable master, but do not press us further. Our Sagong Clan did not survive this treacherous martial world by being submissive. We also value our honor highly enough to risk our lives for it.”

Swish!

Sagong Hwan drew his sword. I had given him every concession realistically possible, but it appeared he believed selling information about Old Sage of Mount Tai, who was his daughter’s mentor, would be disgraceful to a warrior. I looked at him calmly and stated,

“As I said, I do not wish to see blood. Clan Leader Sagong seems to wish to take the easy way out.”

“The Old Sage of Mount Tai has provided our clan with great assistance to settle and survive in the Huashan region. I would rather choose to die protecting my honor than sell out information about someone who has been so kind to us!”

“You foolish…”

I truly did not understand Sagong Hwan.

‘What’s so hard about this?’

I had no intention of killing Sagong Hwan or turning the Sagong Clan into an enemy. I was merely pretending to threaten him while building a background that would absolve him of any guilt.

If Sagong Hwan were to simply hand over the information as something he couldn’t help but do, it would grant him immense benefits. Not only would he prevent the invasion of the Huashan Sect, but he would also acquire a strong backing.

But perhaps it was this kind of man that allowed Sagong Rin to grow. He was a man of spirit, balancing compromise with unwavering dedication to his own morals. He was willing to risk the lives of his entire clan to preserve his honor, making it meaningless to try and break him forcibly.

I sighed and asked,

“Is Old Sage of Mount Tai really such a remarkable person that he’s worthy of your clan’s allegiance?”

“What do you mean by that?”

I felt that it would be better to gently probe his pride.

“From what I know, Old Sage of Mount Tai has had several interactions with the Imperial Palace and is clearly in an alliance with them. He might be seeing you merely as a subordinate force to utilize. Although he is a mysterious figure almost unknown to the martial world, what schemes could he possibly have?”

“……!!”

“Let me make it clear; I will not grant you any further opportunities. Think carefully, Clan Leader Sagong.”

As I lightly shook the tree, Sagong Hwan trembled harder. He must have had some inkling as to what I was alluding to, since if he hadn’t, he would have firmly denied it. His silence conveyed that understanding.

At that moment,

“You’re really despicable!!”

A sharp voice yelled out from behind me as Sagong Rin approached. Glancing at her, she glared at me and said,

“How dare you slander and insult my master without evidence? I would never surrender to someone like you, even at the cost of my honor!”

“You truly believe it’s without basis?”

I shot back sharply,

“If it weren’t for my mission, or if Old Sage of Mount Tai seemed trustworthy, I wouldn’t have even ventured out here. I’m not some idle person who has the time to mess with small factions like yours. I’m merely seeking information that I’d like to obtain pleasantly because I find it suspicious enough to engage with you.”

Sagong Rin replied resolutely,

“That’s still wrong! Regardless of your circumstances, you’re trying to forcefully extract information, aren’t you? And how reliable is the backing you’ve mentioned? If nothing is certain, I cannot betray my master!”

I pondered for a moment before retorting,

“Would you agree to allow me to meet him if I can assure you that I won’t cause any harm?”

“Why on earth would it lead to that?”

“……”

Suddenly, I felt a pang of irritation. I began to think about why I was even in this situation, causing my tone to sharpen.

“You two are incredibly brave. Truly brave. To think that you would risk the annihilation of the Escort Agency and your entire clan for the sake of your honor—a choice that requires more courage than ordinary people possess.”

After baiting them, I continued to glare at them with deep-set eyes,

“But once I start taking action, it won’t just be you who dies. Since I’ve intervened, I’ll erase every trace, not just those of the Sagong Clan but also all those connected to the agency, right down to the tradespeople whom you might consider merely acquaintances. Is it right for you to demand lives for your own decisions?”

Rumble!!

A massive wave of my energy and formless qi erupted from my body.

“Ugh!!”

At that moment, Sagong Hwan’s eyes rolled back as he fainted, and Sagong Rin turned pale, trembling all over as she collapsed to the ground. My cultivated energy was indeed formidable enough that no one aside from the Dharma Protectors could afford to underestimate its power.

‘Oh no.’

I suddenly realized that I had let my anger get the better of me. And since I quickly pulled back my might, neither of them suffered a heart attack. Thank goodness they had martial arts, or an ordinary person facing me might have dropped dead on the spot.

But it couldn’t be helped.

After spending decades in the Escort Agency, I had witnessed various situations where agencies entwined in the martial world fell into bloody chaos. Each time, those with lower martial arts, like the tradespeople and low-level agents, had met a vile fate.

In the mix of all this, I had only just managed to survive, leading me to question,

“Why do these tradespeople have to die?”

For merely being associated with someone?

Do they deserve to die simply for choosing the wrong employer?

What right do talented individuals have to gamble with the lives of their tradespeople?

I could only feel anger bubbling up as I found Sagong Hwan and Sagong Rin making choices that clashed with my beliefs. They could choose to risk their own lives for their ideals, but it was utterly incomprehensible to gamble with the lives of countless others simply based on loyalty to martial ethics.

I sighed and said,

“I flew into a rage. Regardless, think carefully about your decision.”

It struck me as absurd to get so worked up while making threats. I suddenly felt a little embarrassed at how I came across, and it dulled my earlier irritation.

At that point, Sagong Rin managed to pull herself together. Unlike her father, who had fainted from a single wave of my formless qi, she quickly began to regain her composure, indicating that her martial arts were also nearing the peak level. She steadied her voice and said,

“I understand. I’ll tell you what you wish to know.”

“Thank you.”

Sagong Rin responded with a bitter smile.

“Feel free to think that I succumbed to your power. But it also became clear to me that we are burdened with the lives of the tradespeople and underlings.”

I felt a hint of guilt wash over me. Regardless of circumstances, I had barged into the Sagong Escort Agency demanding information, making them the victims in this scenario. So I decided to offer a little courtesy.

“It’s fine. The information you can provide is what’s important. I won’t worry about anything else.”

“Can you truly guarantee our clan’s safety if I provide only that information?”

“Of course. I have no intention of causing harm to your master.”

“If that’s the case, then I shall tell you.”

Even as she spoke, I couldn’t help but question the wisdom of my actions. Perhaps I could have spent a little more time getting close to Sagong Rin, gaining her trust, and gradually learning about Old Sage of Mount Tai. But time was a luxury I simply didn’t have.

Eventually, Sagong Rin began to share information about Old Sage of Mount Tai.

“My master, Old Sage of Mount Tai, is regarded as one of the three great figures of the Orthodox Sect and travels the world at will. He accepted me as a disciple noting that my potential and aptitude were exceptional, and since then, I’ve been following him around the various mountains.”

“What martial arts did you learn from him?”

Sagong Rin hesitated for a moment before responding.

“The Asura Heaven Light Technique and Gongsun Sword Technique. The Asura Heaven Light Technique encompasses my internal energy cultivation and practice of advanced methods, while Gongsun Sword Technique is a swordsmanship that has been passed down since ancient times.”

“……?”

“The two techniques are part of the direct teachings, so I can’t reveal them to anyone from our clan.”

I began to wonder if I had misunderstood something.

“Did you say Asura Heaven Light Technique? Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

I thought intensely for a bit. Repeating the details in my mind, I cocked my head.

A while later, I muttered,

“That’s impossible.”

“Why is that?”

Sagong Rin regarded me curiously, but I didn’t have the mental bandwidth to address her. Memories of my past confrontation with Zhuge Fu flashed through my mind.

[Even at the peak of the Asura Heaven Light Technique, my hands feel numb. How did he achieve such mastery?]

This technique was a peerless art used by Zhuge Fu, the Grand Astronomer of the Imperial Palace and head of the Inner Imperial Pavilion. He had reached an extraordinary level at a young age, easily countering an attack from me, who had devoured a Thousand-Year Mystical Ginseng multiple times. Having fought him, I could never forget the name of that technique.

And yet, the direct disciple of Old Sage of Mount Tai had learned the very same techniques as Zhuge Fu!

What on earth was going on here?

As I was grappling with confusion, Sagong Rin continued,

“My master often travels the world, but he spends a lot of time in Mount Tai. That’s why those in the martial world call him Old Sage of Mount Tai. But truthfully, he wanders often among the Five Great Mountains.”

“The Five Great Mountains…”

The Five Great Mountains referred to Mount Tai, Mount Hua, Mount Heng, Mount Hengshan, and Mount Song. Surely, Mount Tai would be a natural stop for Old Sage of Mount Tai, as it was one of the most prominent mountains among the Five Greats. I contemplated this for a moment before asking Sagong Rin,

“Why does he travel among the Five Great Mountains?”

“He once told me that he believes he must oversee the rituals of the Five Great Mountains.”

“Why oversee those rituals?”

“I’m not sure, but my master has always expressed great interest in rituals dedicated to heaven. He claimed to have gained mystical knowledge from the Daoist school.”

“Hmm…”

Rituals!

The moment that word came to mind, I couldn’t suppress a rumble of thought. I already knew that rituals held great symbolic importance for honoring the gods. The fact that Old Sage of Mount Tai mentioned conducting rituals while meandering among the Five Great Mountains seemed more than a little suspicious.

I decided to ask more questions,

“By any chance, does your sect have someone named Zhuge Fu?”

“I’ve never heard that name before… But isn’t that the name of a remarkable talent who supposedly excelled in Luoyang?”

“Hmm.”

Sagong Rin didn’t appear to be putting on a front, so she likely had no idea who Zhuge Fu was. I probed further for information and found that Sagong Rin seemed genuinely devoted to helping. I felt amused by how interesting this was becoming and said to Sagong Rin,

“I must meet Old Sage of Mount Tai at all costs. Is there any way for me to know where he is?”

“He travels so freely that I have no way of knowing where he might be. I don’t have a clue.”

“No leads at all?”

“However, if you take this token, there’s a chance he might be willing to meet you.”

Swish!

Sagong Rin handed me a round silver token. It had an intricate engraving of the Vermilion Bird. As I stared at the Vermilion Bird token, she continued,

“I received this token from my master when we parted.”

“Could you really give me something so precious?”

“……”

Sagong Rin looked at me with clear eyes and said,

“I felt that you could have used vicious methods to intimidate us at any time, but there is none of that malice in your heart. I believe that deep down, you are not a wicked person.”

“Phew… What nonsense.”

Embarrassed, I quickly accepted the token. I then checked Sagong Hwan’s pulse to return him to his original state before standing up. Glancing down at my hat, I said,

“Rest assured that I won’t harm your master, as promised. Also, I will ensure your clan’s safety.”

Whoosh!

Without waiting for Sagong Rin’s response, I hurriedly slipped out of the Sagong Escort Agency. I had a nagging feeling that there was something hidden behind Sagong Rin’s gaze, making me feel agitated. I felt like my intention of harboring no malice toward them had been unveiled.

‘Ugh, this is maddening.’

Am I being too soft-hearted?

Would it be better to adopt a harsher approach?

I considered this briefly but shook my head, reminded of my purpose ahead.

“I have to wander among the Five Great Mountains.”

Mount Tai, Mount Hua, Mount Heng, Mount Hengshan, Mount Song!

Surely, Old Sage of Mount Tai was hiding somewhere among those five places.