Reincarnation Sword God

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Heaven Realm

Once the conversation concluded, we immediately decided to join forces with the Sword Demon‘s group. After all, there was nothing more pressing than the gathering of experts. I utilized Bi-dung and Wooden Armor to stealthily transport the masters of the Thunder God Lineage, and for the first time, Dokgo Seong faced off with the Sword Demon.

“It’s a pleasure to see the pinnacle of the Heretical Sect.”

“And I’m equally pleased to meet the top expert of the Thunder God Lineage.”

After some light pleasantries, they began to discuss matters.

“Sword Demon, have you heard the full story from Baek Woong?”

“I have.”

As Dokgo Seong gestured toward me, I presented a small piece of obsidian to the Sword Demon. Since we had already shared secrets, I didn’t want to bore him with details; I simply encapsulated the brief memories since our last meeting in the obsidian. After reading the memory from the stone, the Sword Demon responded.

“Remarkable… I can’t believe the White Lotus Sect is actually going to attack the Imperial Palace.”

“We’ve always been at odds. With an opportunity now at hand, they’re seizing it.”

The Sword Demon rested his chin in thought.

“Hmm… it’s not that simple. The White Lotus Sect has always had the power to wipe out the Imperial Palace. Why attack only now, after the Emperor has grown stronger?”

“Perhaps because if they don’t act now, they won’t be able to withstand his power?”

“That may be true, but it still feels off…”

The Sword Demon pondered before turning to Dokgo Seong.

“Do you think the masters of the Water God Lineage will participate in this attack?”

“Probably not.”

Dokgo Seong replied quietly.

“The Sect Leader is extremely hesitant to reveal the strength of the Water God Lineage. He likely thinks it’s enough for just the Elders Council and the Protectors of the Law to join. If he regards the Emperor highly, he might consider it, but the odds are low…”

“That sounds odd. Are you saying the Water God Lineage is considered more important than the Elders Council or the Protectors of the Law?”

“It’s likely to be the case.”

“……!!”

With a sigh, Dokgo Seong continued.

“The power of the Water God Lineage has been the strongest in history since my time in the Sect. I can’t even begin to imagine what level it has reached after half a century.”

“Really now… the White Lotus Sect is truly breaking the mold.”

After finishing that part of the discussion, the Sword Demon turned to me.

“Baek Woong, have you set up any plans for the attack?”

I answered calmly.

“It seems best for the White Lotus Sect to stir up chaos first and for us to follow their lead.”

“With Bi-dung and Wooden Armor, we could plunge right into the heart of the enemy in no time.”

“Defeating the Emperor isn’t our only goal. I’d prefer to keep the power of Bi-dung hidden from the White Lotus Sect for now.”

“That’s a fair point. Good thinking.”

Dokgo Seong, who had been listening, interjected.

“What do you plan to do about Mangnyang?”

“Mangnyang‘s location is likely known by either Zhuge Bu or Zhuque. I’ll make additional deals with the Prophet to find out about Mangnyang’s whereabouts through Zhuge Bu.”

“Do you think that will be possible in time?”

“It should be sufficient.”

The Sword Demon added,

“Alright, then let’s gather first at Mugyeong Moon and launch from there.”

“Yes.”

Pah!

After concluding the primary operational plan, I moved toward the Prophet.

“I’ve come to negotiate!”

At first, the Prophet seemed reluctant to deal with me, revealing no signs as he lurked in the shadows. However, after I stood quietly for over an hour, he reluctantly stepped forward, wearing an obviously displeased expression.

[What is it this time?]

“I’m offering the Land and Earth Diagram and, in return, I want information about Zhuge Bu.”

The Prophet paused for a moment before responding.

[That doesn’t sound too difficult… But why should I comply with this deal?]

“Because I can present you with a reward you can’t refuse.”

[Oh…? What could that be…?]

Taking a deep breath, I replied,

“I’ll return the rights you granted me to the Tower of No Windows as part of our wager.”

[……!!]

“Honestly, that power isn’t necessary for me. Moreover, it would be awkward for you to give such an ability to a human, so I’ll return it to you.”

The Prophet was momentarily speechless, seemingly taken aback. Finally, he spoke.

[You fool… Do you understand the significance of that right? Only royalty among our kind can enjoy such power. Even an Ancient Ruler would covet it.]

“I don’t care. The fact is, I currently have nothing else to offer you, so I have no choice but to return what I received. I think this deal is more than fair.”

[Hmm…]

The Prophet wiggled his tentacles, entering a confirmation phase.

[I’ll ask again… You will return the rights to the Tower of No Windows to me?]

“Of course.”

[Hehe… Understood.]

The Prophet couldn’t hide his glee. It seemed he had been quite troubled by having given me that right in the first place. He soon opened a dimensional rift and pulled out the Land and Earth Diagram, subsequently extracting Zhuge Bu from its illustration.

Zhuge Bu was visibly in the process of healing. It seemed the reason he had managed to recover so quickly from the earlier injuries was due to his incredible regenerative abilities. The Prophet extended his tentacles toward Zhuge Bu‘s head.

Gugugugu…

The tentacle wormed its way into Zhuge Bu’s ear, as if rummaging through his brain, while the Prophet muttered.

[Brainwashing complete… You can now ask him what you wish to know.]

“Thank you.”

[Hehe… Truly… what a swap of stone and gem…]

The Prophet chuckled oddly. Ignoring him, I turned to Zhuge Bu and asked,

“Tell me what you know about Mangnyang.”

“Yes…”

Zhuge Bu began spewing out information, his gaze vacant. It seemed the Prophet had indeed messed up his brain.

For about half an hour, I gathered information about Mangnyang. Once I felt I had enough, I spoke to the Prophet again.

“Can you give me this Zhuge Bu?”

[That’s not happening… You’re being greedy…]

Greedy, my foot! After saying he could swap stone for gem, it was hilarious to see him act so petty. However, I was determined to finalize this trade, accepting that I might incur a loss.

“What do you plan to use Zhuge Bu for?”

[A pet… It’s been quite a while since I’ve raised a human…]

“……”

A pet?

I instantly felt a shiver down my spine but brushed it off. Either way, having extracted the information about Mangnyang, Zhuge Bu was no longer needed. Just as I turned to head back to base, the Prophet called out to me.

[Baek Woong… If you find any decent Book of Demonic Arts in the future, bring them to me… I’d be willing to trade…]

The Prophet appeared to have calmed down after reclaiming his rights. I couldn’t help but feel relieved and asked,

“Oh, by the way, how many Books of Demonic Arts are there?”

[I’ll let you know. The ones you’ve found are originals, not copies… In other words… they were not crafted by humans but inscribed by transcendent beings known as Ancient Rulers… Such books are incredibly rare… extremely rare…]

After explaining, the Prophet continued.

[In the entirety of this world… there might not even be ten of such Books of Demonic Arts… Near the central plains, you might find Sukhriyukth or Al Azif.]

“Hmm. What’s the difference between an original and a copy?”

[Copies only contain ancient knowledge in secret… but the originals, when in the hands of the right user… can provide power that could shift the balance of heaven and earth…]

“Power, huh…”

[Hehe… Of course, it’s nearly impossible for a human to gain magic of that caliber…]

“I see. Let’s catch up later.”

Pah!

Unfamiliar with this field, I chose to ignore it and returned to Bi-dung. Right now, my head was spinning just thinking about rescuing Mangnyang, so I had no time to spare worrying about Books of Demonic Arts or magic.

However, I was excited about one hopeful fact.

‘Mangnyang is alive!’

According to Zhuge Bu, Mangnyang was currently suppressed and confined by Zhuque in a hidden location. That location was somewhere deep within the Imperial Palace where Zhuque‘s barrier usually concealed it, making it unknown even to Zhuge Bu. But since Mangnyang‘s cognition was only suppressed and not dead or injured, I had a good chance of rescuing him.

The prerequisite was to subdue Zhuque!

I had to join in on the attack against the Imperial Palace, overpower Zhuque before anyone else, and secure his captive. With a clear objective, strategies for the decisive battle naturally began to form in my mind.

Upon returning to Mugyeong Moon, I shared the information I had gathered with Dokgo Seong and the Sword Demon. The Sword Demon stated,

“Make sure to request that the Sect Leader captures Zhuque alive. If he accidentally kills him, we’ll never be able to find Mangnyang.”

“That makes sense.”

“And the Master of Zen of the Shaolin Temple, Grand Master Myung-ho, wishes to speak with you. You should drop by Shaolin Temple for a moment.”

“Wait, the Master of Zen?”

“I’m not sure, but he said it’s something important.”

“Understood.”

Using Bi-dung, I headed straight to the Shaolin Temple.

“Welcome, patron.”

As if they had been waiting, several monks greeted me and escorted me to Grand Master Myung-ho. He wasn’t in the main hall of the Shaolin Temple, but in a quiet thatched cottage. Upon seeing me, the Master of Zen spoke.

“Welcome, Baek Woong.”

“What brings you here suddenly? I’m quite busy with significant matters.”

“Hehe. It seems Mangnyang sent a message rather abruptly.”

“……?”

I looked puzzled as the Master continued,

“Proclaim that the seal of Wolyo has been lifted.”

“What, what?!”

What in the world was that supposed to mean?!

When I exclaimed in shock, the Master said calmly,

“It seems there’s a strong reaction from the Twelve Principles regarding this. Soon, the Twelve Principles might try to intervene with your fate, so be careful in your movements.”

“The Twelve Principles…”

I shook my head vehemently.

“No, it doesn’t matter to me what the Twelve Principles do. Who on earth has lifted the seal of Wolyo?”

“I wasn’t told such details. Just that it has indeed been lifted.”

“……”

“You’ve likely lifted the seal of Suyo. If this is the case, then the seals of the Seven Stars have already been released into the world…”

Mumbling this, Grand Master Myung-ho looked up at the sky and said,

“The heavenly energies are in turmoil. A great event is about to unfold.”

“I’m grateful for the warning, but what good is it if I don’t know the specifics…?”

As I grumbled, he smiled softly.

“Well, all I can say is this: The divine plans orchestrated by the heavenly gods always exceed human expectations. If you approach it with a fixed mindset, you’ll only end up at a loss.”

It seemed like important advice. Reluctantly, I accepted his counsel.

“Understood.”

I considered briefly summarizing the current situation to Grand Master Myung-ho. However, I decided against it due to various complexities. As a key figure and actual leader of the Shaolin Temple, I couldn’t predict what kind of waves would arise once he learned about the conflict between the White Lotus Sect and the Imperial Palace.

Afterward, I returned to Mugyeong Moon, and after final adjustments, I headed to the Han Clan. Upon arrival, Han Jin-seong guided me to Han Baek-ryeong.

Han Baek-ryeong spoke sharply,

“It seems the Imperial Palace is going to be quite bothersome! They won’t be an easy opponent.”

“What happened?”

“I began to scout their forces in earnest, and it seems they’ve acquired some strange powers. Unidentifiable yet powerful soldiers and sorcerers are hovering around the Imperial Palace. Some in the Elders Council are even suggesting we postpone the attack.”

“Hmm.”

I had a feeling I knew what it was about.

Superhuman Soldiers!

Beings created through the power of non-humans are extraordinarily strong. Additionally, according to Zhuge Bu’s information, it seemed the alchemists had summoned bizarre sorcerers from other realms, just likes their own elite guard. In terms of military strength, the current forces of the Imperial Palace were no less than a hundred thousand soldiers.

Han Baek-ryeong continued,

“And now it seems the heavy-handed Water God Lineage will participate as well.”

“The Water God Lineage?”

“They’re likely going to take the lead.”

“Hmm…”

As I observed events unfold as Dokgo Seong predicted, I found it quite intriguing. Just like Dokgo Seong suspected, if the White Lotus Sect began to genuinely regard the situation with trepidation, they’d dispatch the Water God Lineage. In other words, the Imperial Palace had grown into a force more formidable than ever.

“I have something to mention.”

To diminish the White Lotus Sect‘s losses and earn their trust, I shared the intel I had gathered about the Imperial Palace from Zhuge Bu with Han Baek-ryeong. After hearing all the information, Han Baek-ryeong remarked,

“This will be incredibly helpful.”

After finishing my conversation with the Water God Lineage, I prepared for the attack alongside my gathered allies. During the attack, I would separately join Thunder God Lineage, the Sword Demon, Cheon Woo-jin, and others.

And so, the day of reckoning finally dawned.

Pah!

“Is this the Imperial Palace?”

I liberated people near the Imperial Palace using Wooden Armor. I surveyed the strong faces of those who had come with me.

Alongside the masters of the Thunder God Lineage like Dokgo Seong, Jin So-cheong, and Lee Kwang, there were three additional experts. They were the Thunder God Lineage’s three guardians: Red Moon, Green Moon, and Blue Moon. Dokgo Seong had managed to track down Red Moon and Green Moon in that tight timeframe.

On the Sword Demon‘s side, several masters of Mugyeong Moon had joined, including Sasaki Kojiro. It seemed Sasaki Kojiro had been feeling quite put-upon lately, as the weariness shown on his face was apparent. Over on the other side stood Cheon Woo-jin and Zhuge Clan.

“Today marks the day we settle matters with the Imperial Palace.”

The room fell silent.

I stood with my arms crossed, quietly waiting for the signal.

‘It’s likely to happen within one meal’s time…’

Kaboom!!

A moment later, from somewhere on the outer wall of the Imperial Palace, a massive explosion resounded, followed by clouds of smoke and cries of terror. Dark shadows began rushing in from all directions, breaching the outer walls of the Imperial Palace.

The experts of the White Lotus Sect had commenced their attack!

I turned to Cheon Woo-jin and said,

“I leave it to you.”

Pah!

As Cheon Woo-jin swung his hand and chanted an incantation, the barrier surrounding the Imperial Palace visibly weakened. Now, as long as the internal Eight Trigrams Array was disrupted, it would be fair to say the Imperial Palace‘s defenses were all but eradicated.

I gripped Suyo Makya tightly and shouted,

“Let’s go!”

The battle against the Imperial Palace had begun.

I plan to upload tomorrow morning, around 9 to 10 AM.

I’ll regain my writing cycle from tomorrow. OTL