Reincarnation Sword God

---

Heavenly Realm

After the fierce battle, I approached Miho.

“Miho.”

She turned to look at me. The Leader of the White Lotus Sect and the Dharma Protector Lion had left with a remark about heading to the Imperial Palace to gain some advantage. I hesitated for a moment and then spoke to Miho.

“It looks like becoming your companion is unlikely. But I consider you a companion.”

“……”

Miho fell silent. A clear expression of ‘hesitation’ appeared on her beautiful face. It was proof that she secretly believed the memories I showed her through the Black Obsidian were true. The tales accumulated over 17 reincarnations were surely enough to rule out any possibility of perjury. After a moment, Miho spoke.

“Baek Woong. If you rescue Mangnyang, what do you plan to do next?”

“I guess I’ll think about that then.”

“That’s not what I’m asking.”

Was that the kind of question it was? I answered firmly.

“I’ll become the disciple of the Leader of the White Lotus Sect to learn the secrets of the Heavenly Order and find ways to oppose gods in the future. I’ll also gather the Seven Luminaries while I’m at it.”

“Gods… does that include the Heavenly Realm?”

“Unlike Yeodong-bin, I find high-ranking Great Immortals suspicious. I feel there’s a need to uncover the secrets they’re hiding.”

At my response, Miho sighed and said,

“If that’s what you’re thinking, then you and I won’t be able to be together in this life.”

“… I see…”

I expected that answer, but it still shocked me, making me clench my teeth. I had been rejected by Miho herself, especially after receiving the memories from the Black Obsidian. Just as my strength was about to drain away, Miho continued.

“Do you really have to oppose the Heavenly Realm? Now that you’ve defeated the forces of the Imperial Palace, you could ascend and enjoy immortality and eternal life. Isn’t that possible?”

There was an inexplicable sense of earnestness in Miho’s words. It was the truth of Miho’s position—being at odds with the Heavenly Realm, she could never become my companion. I almost blurted it out in frustration, then finally replied slowly.

“Miho, then let me ask you this.”

“Ask away.”

“If you read my memories, you’d know that this world will eventually perish due to the rise of the False Gods in a few hundred years. At that time, what does immortality even mean? Won’t the Heavenly Realm perish alongside it? By then, all Great Immortals will be annihilated!”

“……”

Miho seemed at a loss for words. I took her hand and continued.

“I don’t want to wait for a predetermined doom. If there’s a best path, I want to find it. Mangnyang, the Sword Demon, Jin So-cheong… they all became my companions because they understood my intentions. Don’t you understand my heart?”

“That’s… um…”

After a moment of thought, Miho replied.

“I don’t understand. I think it’s overwhelming…”

She shook her head, seemingly wanting to change the subject.

“First, let’s head to the Imperial Palace. We need to rescue Mangnyang after all.”

“Right.”

“How do you plan to rescue Mangnyang now that that Vermilion Bird has disappeared?”

I looked toward the distant horizon and replied.

“Zhuge Bu didn’t know where the Vermilion Bird hid Mangnyang, but it’s likely that many times of death and resurrection have caused cracks in the barrier. With Cheon Woo-jin’s help, we should be able to find out.”

“……”

Miho pondered for a moment before saying,

“Understood. I will help rescue Mangnyang as well.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But I won’t back down if conflict arises afterwards.”

Fizzle…

As soon as Miho finished speaking, she vanished like a will-o’-the-wisp, leaping through space with the power of the Moon Sovereign. I felt a sense of urgency that I needed to move quickly so I wouldn’t fall behind her.

‘Oh dear.’

Whoosh!

I hurriedly made my way toward Cheon Woo-jin and Zhuge Bu’s location, where they had previously gathered. Then I proceeded to the Great Dragon Hall, where my companions were likely convening.

The scene before the Great Dragon Hall was already organized. The corpses of demons and dragon people lay scattered everywhere, as did the bodies of the White Lotus Sect elites. There had clearly been a tremendous battle here. I discovered the Sword Demon, Dokgo Seong, and the Shadowless Gate alongside the members of the Thunder God Clan treating their wounds.

Upon seeing the Sword Demon, I urgently called out,

“Master! Those wounds…”

The Sword Demon forced a weak smile.

“Phew… facing dozens of demons and dragon people wasn’t easy. Even the talented members of the White Lotus Sect fell like this.”

A large wound was carved into the left side of the Sword Demon, and his body was covered with numerous minor injuries. Moreover, while the injuries sustained by Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong weren’t as severe, they were injured nonetheless. Dokgo Seong suffered the least, currently moving about to tend to the wounded.

A voice came from one of the heavily injured members of the Shadowless Gate, who lay moaning.

“Kugh… If Master had been alone, it would have been fine, but he protected us…”

“Hmm.”

I let out a low hum. Given the Sword Demon‘s martial prowess, he shouldn’t have sustained such injuries. It seemed he had taken a hit while fighting to protect the members of the Shadowless Gate. Thanks to that, the casualties among the Shadowless Gate members were minimal, with only one or two dead. The tending Dokgo Seong approached us and said,

“Baek Woong. This is no time to be watching our situation. You must hurry into the Imperial Palace.”

“Did the Leader of the White Lotus Sect and his group go in?”

Dokgo Seong nodded.

“A new building has appeared behind the collapsed Great Dragon Hall. Something must be hidden inside.”

The direction of Dokgo Seong’s gaze pointed toward what appeared to be a five-story pavilion. Surely, that building hadn’t existed before the Great Dragon Hall collapsed. I stared at the pavilion for a moment and spoke.

“It could be a trap.”

“Even so, do we have any other options right now? If there’s treasure hidden by the Emperor inside…”

“No. I think differently.”

I shot a glance at Zhuge Bu before saying,

“The Zhuge Clan’s strategists aren’t that naive. If we blindly follow what we see, it’ll be our doom.”

We hadn’t faced traps just once or twice in the past. Considering Mangnyang and Zhuge Bu’s crafty tendencies, the Zhuge Clan would use any means necessary.

Zhuge Bu frowned.

“Hey, why are you looking at me?”

“Because you’re handsome.”

“What a load of nonsense, you bastard…”

Grumbling, Zhuge Bu said,

“Yeah. That building is probably created by sorcery, so there is a high chance it’s a trap. But what else will we do if we don’t go there? Just waste time here healing the injured?”

“That’s not what you should be worried about.”

“What?”

I continued,

“We’re going for the National Seal first.”

“……!!”

The moment my words fell, everyone in the room was filled with shock. After all, the National Seal was a legendary artifact that any sorcerer or martial artist would undoubtedly know about.

A true proof of the heavenly sovereign passed down since the Warring States period or even earlier!

A true seal that had existed for hundreds or even thousands of years, connecting one nation to another!

While many royal dynasties had made seals and used them as proof of their rule, nothing symbolized supremacy and legitimacy more than the National Seal.

Lee Kwang, pale and drained, suddenly jumped up and shouted,

“What?! Where the hell did you find something like that… Cough! Cough!”

“Master!”

As Lee Kwang coughed up blood, Jin So-cheong rushed to support him. It was undoubtedly shocking news for Lee Kwang, who had served in the Imperial Palace for decades. The Sword Demon, having organized his thoughts, said,

“Hmm… That’s indeed the case. We need to secure that first. Baek Woong, you’ve become quite composed.”

“We need to move quickly. We need time to rescue Mangnyang as well.”

“Then let’s select our top experts.”

The Sword Demon sighed heavily as he looked around. He then said,

“Take Cheon Woo-jin and Jin So-cheong with you.”

“I think so too.”

Dokgo Seong understood the situation and chimed in.

“I will control this area.”

“Thank you.”

Suddenly, Zhuge Bu seemed irritated and shouted with a screeching voice.

“What the hell! Are you leaving me behind to get the National Seal?”

I replied curtly,

“I’m not monopolizing it, you know? I’ll leave some crumbs for you, so don’t worry.”

“Don’t kid around. I could just cause a ruckus right here.”

Wooosh…

Zhuge Bu was beginning to gather a sense of sorcery. Purple energy swirled around him, his eyes glowing with fierce light. Whether anyone said otherwise, he was currently the Leader of the White Lotus Sect and a powerful sorcerer and priest. If he caused trouble, something alarming would surely happen.

Thud!

“Uck!”

Yet the very next moment, Jin So-cheong rushed in to hit the back of Zhuge Bu’s head, knocking him out cold. As Zhuge Bu crumpled to the ground, Jin So-cheong laid him down and said,

“Let’s hurry up.”

I was taken aback and said,

“Did you just gain martial prowess, Jin So-cheong?”

I couldn’t help but feel astonished. Though Zhuge Bu appeared like a frail scholar, he possessed peak-level martial prowess. Moreover, he had just summoned his energy to increase defense and physical capabilities, yet Jin So-cheong had accurately knocked him out without any response. It indicated that he had grown several levels in martial prowess compared to his previous state.

“I got stronger from fighting.”

If that were the case, it would mean he had grown through the fierce battles in front of the Imperial Palace. I couldn’t gauge just how far Jin So-cheong’s martial skills had improved. As I was stunned, Cheon Woo-jin, filled with excitement, shouted,

“Let’s go!”

Regardless of anything, Cheon Woo-jin was also a sorcerer, clearly in great desire to see the sorcerous treasures. I smiled wryly and set off with Cheon Woo-jin and Jin So-cheong toward the location of the National Seal.

Whoosh…

Below the collapsed Great Dragon Hall lay the barrier where the National Seal was hidden. I recalled a time when Jeon Sun Mangnyang had accompanied me to unravel the barrier concealing the National Seal. The issue was that as long as the barrier was intact, I couldn’t approach the center directly. There was no chance of progress unless it was deactivated.

I glanced at Cheon Woo-jin, and he confidently said,

“Don’t worry. It’s a strong barrier, but this is nothing.”

Cheon Woo-jin conjured the shapes of the eight trigrams in both hands. Summoning the Qian (乾) and Xun (巽) trigrams, he projected them forward, and the eight trigrams bent, crashing right through this space. After a moment, he shouted,

“Quickly, break the seal!”

Kaboom!

With a thunderous explosion, the front of the maze sealing the National Seal shattered. I curiously asked Cheon Woo-jin,

“Isn’t the ‘Break the Seal!’ not an official spell? Is it really okay to use that as a spell?”

I asked because the phrase “Break the Seal!” was merely a formal phrase attached to official documents since the Han Dynasty. I was concerned whether shouting something like that could manage to break ancient seals like the one around the National Seal. Typically, using ancient languages as incantations strengthens the spell’s efficacy.

Cheon Woo-jin replied curtly,

“In mystical realms, real prowess is not bound by form! I find the phrase pleasant, so I’m using it, so don’t mind me.”

“Is that so…”

“When you accomplish a high-level proficiency in sorcery, you’ll realize just how foolish this question seems.”

He mumbled that and then strode inside confidently. Truly, a genius with a bad temper. As Jin So-cheong walked beside me, he asked,

“Baek Woong, why haven’t you learned sorcery during your rebirth?”

I hesitated before answering.

“Um… Mangnyang said my martial skills were lacking, and my talent for sorcery was even worse. So I hesitated to study it, fearful of wasting time.”

“That would’ve been judged based on you in your earlier days. You have plenty of potential now, including the abilities of the Seven Luminaries, so surely you can learn sorcery now, right?”

“I haven’t thought much about it.”

Jin So-cheong chuckled and said,

“If you learn sorcery, your future prospects will expand. I encourage you to learn both martial arts and sorcery.”

“Is that a hunch?”

“Just a hunch.”

Jin So-cheong’s words intrigued me.

‘Right. Maybe in my next life, I should try learning sorcery?’

First, I would save Mangnyang, become a disciple of the Leader of the White Lotus Sect, and then uncover the secrets of the Heavenly Order. After that, I could learn sorcery. With my future plans stacking up neatly, I felt good. After a while of walking, we finally reached the cave we had visited before.

Cheon Woo-jin looked at one side of the cave and said,

“There it is.”

“Hmm.”

I sighed upon seeing the square object radiating a brilliant light. It emitted a sacred glow, with a dragon intricately carved on it. Furthermore, I could sense a significant amount of spiritual energy flowing from it; it was intimidating even to my eyes.

Previously, we had only encountered each other without obtaining the National Seal. Now, I was curious as to why this object had revealed itself before me. Cheon Woo-jin noted,

“It seems the seal hiding the National Seal got fully broken when the barrier around the Great Dragon Hall collapsed. What a free meal.”

“So, we just need to take it?”

“Hold on.”

Cheon Woo-jin stopped me.

“The National Seal absorbs enormous power just by possessing it. You never know what consequences might arise if you recklessly touch it.”

“Oh!”

I remembered that the forces of the Imperial Palace had possessed the National Seal yet hadn’t dared to use it until they obtained divine strength through the Enlightenment Ceremony. That meant the National Seal required special conditions for use, unlike other artifacts or treasures.

Cheon Woo-jin once again cast sorcery, sending several trigrams toward the National Seal.

Whoosh…

“With my sorcery, I’ve already sealed it. Now you can touch it safely.”

“Understood.”

I reached out to the National Seal. At that moment, a strange illusion appeared before my eyes.

Whoosh…

“……!!”

I felt as though I had been thrown into a vast abyss. It felt like drifting in an endless ocean of darkness. Yet, this darkness wasn’t entirely devoid of light; sparkling silver lights scattered across the sky.

Indeed.

I now stood among the stars in the shimmering river of the galaxy, where the heavens twinkle endlessly!

I had seen this scene before.

[Have you ever witnessed this universe in your lifetime? Are you confident you could explain this scenery to others?]

[The brain is merely a mirror. Small perspectives and angles reveal nothing.]

When I first met Mangnyang, he had shown me this view!

I never believed such a place existed in this world. However, the space that Mangnyang referred to as the universe was undoubtedly a real existence. And in the middle of this pitch-black universe was a large sphere.

The sphere appeared to be the size of my body. I could see land and sea flourishing within the sphere. Impulsively, I reached out toward the sphere, and at the moment I touched it, a mysterious voice echoed.

[I am a relic left behind by the Five Emperors, Shaohao of the Golden Sky. Do you possess the qualifications to become the owner of the National Seal, a relic of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?]

That question lingered in my mind for a moment. After a while, the voice spoke again.

[No, that’s not it… You seem to have made a contract with a more colossal entity… I apologize for doubting your qualifications; instead, I feel elated.]

What on earth was this?

While I was bewildered, the voice continued.

[Now, I recognize you as the master of the National Seal, and I shall bestow upon you the All-Seeing Eye of the earth and ocean.]

Whoosh!

The next moment, I returned to reality. Gazing at the National Seal, I noticed the dragon’s carving had added an engraving of a phoenix. It seemed that having been recognized as the master granted not only the powers of the dragon but also the authority of the phoenix.

‘All-Seeing Eye?’

I was puzzled. I felt like I had acquired some special ability, but I couldn’t quite grasp its nature. So, I asked Cheon Woo-jin.

“I’ve obtained the All-Seeing Eye. What kind of ability is this?”

“Oh?! Really?! That’s what the National Seal could do?”

Cheon Woo-jin’s face turned pale.

“Is it really?”

“Yes.”

“Kraaaah!! That’s something I should have possessed… an ability even difficult for a Great Immortal to obtain…”

Cheon Woo-jin screamed in a bizarre manner, momentarily stomping his feet in frustration. It was as if his jealousy was spiraling out of control. For a brief period, Cheon Woo-jin, who seemed to be glowing silently, gave up and said to me,

“Now, you can use the National Seal to search for your Older Brother! Damn it! A pearl in the snout of a pig…”

“……?”

“What’s with that ‘pearl in the snout of a pig’ remark?”

Whoosh!

Moments later, I found myself in a dark space alongside Cheon Woo-jin and Jin So-cheong.

Before me appeared the figure of a young man, shackled hand and foot. Though he hadn’t been tortured, he looked weak from being bound for so long. I realized I had discovered him at last and called out to him in a trembling voice.

“… Mangnyang.”

Mangnyang didn’t open his eyes even after hearing my voice. As I tried to approach him, Cheon Woo-jin abruptly said,

“You’re going right into what could be a trap. Just take a look with the All-Seeing Eye first, piglet.”

I felt a surge of emotion and responded,

“Thanks… for the help, but why do you keep calling me a pig?”

“Since you’re hoarding all the treasures of the world, it’s irritating to point it out.”

“If you’re jealous, then just go get some treasures yourself.”

“Piglet.”

“……”

Oh dear, really.

I suppressed my irritation and activated the National Seal once more to view Mangnyang. Remarkably, I could now see the existence of sorcery that was previously invisible to the naked eye. Intriguingly, I could discern its name, activation method, and how to undo that sorcery. I effortlessly disabled the trap spells laid on Mangnyang.

Whish!

Finally, I removed the spell that was controlling Mangnyang’s mind, and he opened his eyes.

“Eh… Where am I?”

As Mangnyang regained his senses, I smiled and broke the chains with my power.

“Are you awake?”

Even after the chains were broken, Mangnyang wore a bewildered expression. Then, he noticed the National Seal in my hand and seemed to understand the situation.

“I see! You’ve come to rescue me.”

“I’m glad you’re safe.”

“……”

I quickly shared a brief account of the events that had transpired with Mangnyang.

He sighed.

“I feel embarrassed. I thought I could stroll around like a deity and ended up in this state…”

“It’s no problem. Everyone makes mistakes. I’ve made many more than you.”

“No. I endangered you because of my mistake. I truly apologize.”

Mangnyang appeared greatly disheartened. Then, Jin So-cheong, who was nearby, patted his back and said,

“Just being alive is a big help. Plus, now that we’ve defeated the Emperor and the Vermilion Bird, we’re almost done.”

“Ah…!!”

Upon hearing that, Mangnyang’s face suddenly stiffened.

Then he urgently said to me,

“This isn’t the time! Nothing is finished yet.”

“What do you mean? All that’s left is for the Leader of the White Lotus Sect to settle things with the gods…”

“It’s not the Leader of the White Lotus Sect that’s important!”

Scratching his head, Mangnyang continued,

“Thanks to the memories I obtained from the Black Obsidian, even while under the mental suppression, I maintained some level of awareness. While I had to forfeit the power of the Enlightenment Ceremony for my life, I didn’t disclose the secrets of your past life.”

“Ah…!!”

I finally understood the gravity of the situation.

During my previous life, I had learned the Hongmeng sorcery from the Heavenly Sovereign! Mangnyang must have acquired that through the powers of the Zhuge family and the Three Sovereigns of the Heavenly Gate.

After sighing briefly, Mangnyang continued,

“Thanks to that, I could somewhat discern the Vermilion Bird’s intentions. And like you said, nothing is actually over yet.”

I was left astounded.

“What are you talking about? We’ve obtained the National Seal, driven out the demonic forces of the Imperial Palace, defeated the Apostle, and even eliminated the Emperor! The Vermilion Bird will have revived somewhere, but what can it do on its own?”

“Indeed, this is a favorable situation. But, but hear me out.”

Mangnyang solemnly stated,

“Soon… the ruler of the Demon Palace will descend, and all of this will lose its meaning.”