Reincarnation Sword God

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Heavenly Realm

Jin So-cheong’s ‘training’ had begun. During the few days I was absent, he had significantly improved his energy control, and naturally, the intensity of his training had become even harsher. It seemed Jin So-cheong was diligently using all kinds of techniques and tactics while contemplating something, often practicing his spear techniques for an entire hour without a break.

Thinking I shouldn’t interfere with his training, I decided to step back a bit.

What should I do?

As I pondered what to do, I suddenly thought of Hwang Yeon. It had been some time since we rescued Hwang Yeon and the survivors and stored them in the Wooden Armor; I needed to check on them. Additionally, I had to clarify the performance of the Wooden Armor. So, I walked into the Wooden Armor.

Fwaaat

Inside the Wooden Armor, I could see Hwang Yeon and the survivors. However, there were no miraculous items or elixirs present in their area. Since the Wooden Armor could partition sections according to my will, anyone stored inside couldn’t take my elixirs. I approached General Hwang Yeon and asked,

“General, how long do you think it has been since you came in?”

Hwang Yeon glanced at me and replied,

“It feels like about half a gak has passed. Why?”

“Hmm, I see. Are there any problems with your group?”

“It’s only been half a gak, so what problems could there be?”

Although it felt like more than a month had passed since I rescued Hwang Yeon, for them, it seemed like only half a gak of time had passed. Almost no time at all had elapsed. I quickly told Hwang Yeon,

“I apologize, but I will go back out for a moment. I’ll get you out soon.”

“Very well.”

After coming back out of the Wooden Armor, I surveyed the surroundings and went over to Jin So-cheong, who was sweaty and desperately training. Upon seeing me, he greeted me cheerfully.

“Ah, you’re back!”

“How much time has passed since I last saw you?”

A puzzled Jin So-cheong replied,

“Time? But I just saw you a moment ago.”

“Hmm! You mean less than a day hasn’t passed?”

“A day? I just saw you moments ago!”

It seemed my hypothesis had been confirmed, so I murmured to myself.

So the time inside the Wooden Armor flows slowly compared to the outside, but that time difference does not apply to me.

The time I spent inside the Wooden Armor was about as long as it takes to take twenty breaths. While it was short, and considering the time dilation effect, it should have been normal for several days to have passed outside. But it seemed that this time dilation did not apply to me.

It was a contradictory situation, but it was likely a privilege that only applied to me as the owner of the magical artifact. I pondered deeply.

Is there a way to exploit this characteristic?

I had a hunch that this ability could come in handy later. As I was deep in thought, Jin So-cheong broke the silence.

“Good timing! Baek Woong, I’ve discovered something significant during my training—listen up!”

“Hmm?”

Had he really uncovered something major after just a few days of training? Surprised, I widened my eyes, and Jin So-cheong quietly extended his spear. His spear technique remained completely still without a hint of movement.

“Static in Motion.”

Swish!

“……!!”

I noticed his body blurred, and he had moved three jang away in an instant. Normally, I would think it was due to the Soul Destruction Technique, but Jin So-cheong’s movement now was not from that technique. Caught off guard by his ability, I faltered, prompting Jin So-cheong to say,

“Baek Woong, you figured out that this movement isn’t the Soul Destruction Technique. So what do you think this is?”

“I’m not sure.”

“This is called Seven Stars Shadow.”

“Seven Stars Shadow? Really?”

“Yes.”

Seven Stars Shadow!

It was one of the seven extraordinary techniques of Jang Sam-bong, a type of divine method. While Seven Stars Shadow indeed boasted significant power, in terms of sheer speed, the Soul Destruction Technique was much faster. However, for combat use, its practical applications and instantaneous speed from the Lightning Method surpassed Seven Stars Shadow, so I had set it aside initially.

As Jin So-cheong lowered his spear, he added,

“Seven Stars Shadow isn’t as effective as the Lightning Method in terms of speed before reaching its peak level. But as one’s level rises, it seems to greatly enhance the killing power of other techniques like the Spear of Confusion and Heavenly Staff.”

“What do you mean? You’re saying you’ve already reached the peak of Seven Stars Shadow?”

“Not at all. I’ve merely uncovered its hidden potential.”

Calmly, Jin So-cheong continued,

“And somehow, I feel that in order to reach the realm of No Match (無雙霸), mastering Seven Stars Shadow along with the other six extraordinary techniques in harmony will be essential.”

“No Match…”

I sighed deeply.

No Match was the ultimate technique hidden in the seven extraordinary techniques of Jang Sam-bong, a mystery I had never grasped even in seventeen lifetimes. The Sword Demon and Bright Dragon also merely chased shadows of this elusive technique, clueless about its true nature, as its principles were far too vague and abstract.

Yet somehow, it felt like Jin So-cheong was starting to catch a glimpse of what No Match was. I nodded, saying,

“Very well, I’ll wait for Mangnyang. Please continue to train hard.”

Once again, Jin So-cheong fell into silent training. His eyes reflected a serious madness that suggested he wasn’t just enjoying it casually. As I sensed the feelings hidden within him, a chill ran down my spine.

“Jin So-cheong thinks of the women’s misfortunes as his own.”

Normally, he could have perceived his current situation as a type of fortunate opportunity while enjoying his training. However, since Jin So-cheong believed that for every day he delayed his training, the women suffered an extra day, he seemed determined to uphold the one-month deadline with his life on the line. This meant he considered their situation as his own.

How could that be?

Is this what they call a chivalrous heart?

While I had been endlessly reincarnating to fight against the tyranny of the Ancient Ruler and Imperial Court, my motivation wasn’t solely from a sense of chivalry. I was merely preparing a means to overcome the overwhelming oppressions of an absolute power that could repeat infinitely. The notion of ‘saving the world’ held little significance for me. Instead, that motivation seemed more related to Mangnyang, and even those helping me, like the Sword Demon or Duo-go Seong, pursued their own interests while assisting me.

Thus, I could understand Jin So-cheong’s genuine dedication to pouring his entire soul into helping others, but I couldn’t entirely empathize with it. I had no choice but to acknowledge that Jin So-cheong was a born hero.

Huff. I’ve thought enough…

With a bitter smile, I decided to focus on what I could do.

What can I accomplish in a month?

Training in martial arts now would likely put me nowhere near Jin So-cheong’s efficiency. Self-training in sorcery wouldn’t hold much meaning either. After considerable thought, I decided to visit the seer in Astana using some boiling water.

Fwaaat

Upon arriving at the seer in Astana, I cut straight to the chase and said,

“I want to make a deal!”

[It’s been a while since I’ve seen a human… What could it be… huh…]

The seer appeared slightly shocked mid-sentence. Then, seeming to regard me suspiciously, he said,

[… Are you a reincarnator?]

“……!!”

He figured it out immediately?!

But I recalled the time when the seer had said before,

[Now, get lost. Just so you know, I’ve stored information in the ‘mark’ you received, so if you gamble with the same trick in your next life, it won’t work. You scam artist…]

In my seventeenth life, I had successfully gained access to the No-Entry Tower by using information unknown to him when I gambled with him, despite things getting tangled up later, resulting in the loss of that privilege. Thus, that gamble had been a success. At that time, the seer had grumbled, threatening that such a trick would no longer succeed.

The ‘mark’ had stored ‘information’.

I assumed that when I returned the privilege, I also returned the mark, meaning I figured this time would be different.

But apparently not?

I pondered deeply, making a sudden realization when I voiced it.

“You engraved a terminal on my soul, didn’t you?”

Probably when they gave me the mark, they had carved a terminal onto my soul like when Yeodong-bin descended! It was likely why the seer figured out right away that I was a reincarnator!

[… ]

The seer rolled his eyes, extending his tentacles.

[Reincarnators are hard to find throughout the universe. Throughout our long history as a race, they’re almost non-existent… So it seems you’ve been gambling with me across your lives.]

“That’s right.”

As I spoke, I felt relieved deep inside.

It seems the terminal only marked me as a reincarnator.

Well, if it were possible to pass on the detailed trade contents through that terminal to a future life, it would be too cheaty. That would be as efficient as Cheon-am Bi-seo.

The seer seemed to have merely set a mark of “Baek Woong is a reincarnator” to prevent himself from taking a loss in trade in the future. As long as he knew I was a reincarnator, he wouldn’t easily follow any bets I presented.

I then handed him my magic book and said,

“This time, I’m proposing a trade. Are you willing to accept?”

[Hmm… You want your soul to be the betting chip. You meet the qualifications, but it’s a bit tricky.]

“Is it because I’m a reincarnator?”

[Give me some time to think…]

As the seer pondered, he said,

[What are the conditions for the deal? Depending on that, I may accept.]

Ideally, I would want the seer to remove the reincarnator’s mark engraved on my soul. However, knowing that would mean he was taking a hit, I knew he would never agree to that. So I felt a pang of disappointment as I set out to explain the real reason for my visit.

“Seer, before we trade, take this Obsidian.”

Swipe!

As I offered the Obsidian, an unpleasant shiver ran through the seer’s tentacles.

[How annoying… Did you take the magic of Obsidian from me already?]

“I apologize, but you know better than anyone that this is worth more than a hundred words.”

[What’s inside it?]

“It contains the memories of my seventeenth life. To have a worthwhile conversation, you’ll need to know that.”

[… Fine.]

The seer accepted the Obsidian and began reading the memories. After a moment, he appeared astonished.

[Oh… Two Seven Stars… the Seven Demons… Sacred Sealing Ritual… The Ancient Ruler descended upon the Imperial Palace… Quite intriguing indeed…]

“Don’t just find it intriguing.”

I glared at him and added,

“As you can see, I managed to take down the Seven Demons with the spell I learned from you. However, against the newly summoned Ancient Ruler, it proved ineffective.”

[So what do you want?]

“I want a spell that can work against the Ancient Ruler. Even if it can’t eliminate them, at least something that can seal or restrain them!”

[……]

“Is there such a spell?”

The seer, wriggling his tentacles, fell silent. His silence lasted a lot longer than before, indicating that this matter was grave. After much contemplation, the seer finally spoke.

[It’s not that there aren’t any.]

“Really?!”

I reacted with genuine surprise.

A spell capable of restraining such a terrifying dark deity? In an instant, I felt a glimmer of hope arise. Locking my eager eyes on the seer, he spoke slowly,

[There are a few spells that harness the powers of the same Ancient Ruler… However, to use them, you must be a follower or a priest of the deity… And even using this spell won’t eliminate or seal the Ancient Ruler. It would merely give you time to evade or a moment to negotiate.]

“How troublesome.”

[Do you wish to know this spell? However, you likely don’t have a Ancient Ruler to worship… That renders the information pointless…]

Essentially, it meant you had to believe in a deity to utilize its spells. But how could one believe in the Ancient Ruler? With human sacrifices as a base and viewing their followers as mere bugs, trusting an ultimate dark deity was something only a madman could do.

The requirements were more stringent than I expected, but I reflected that if it were Jae-gal Sa, he could likely use the spell efficiently.

“Jae-gal Sa has faith in the Ancient Ruler.”

If Jae-gal Sa acquires knowledge of that spell, he would undoubtedly manage to temporarily restrain the Ancient Ruler. No one would have a better understanding of the Ancient Ruler’s faith than he across the entire Central Plains. Yet, even with the solution surfacing in my mind, I still found myself contemplating the feasibility of controlling Jae-gal Sa.

Could I really manage that mad scholar?

“……”

[Are you deep in thought? If you don’t wish to go down that path, I can recommend another method.]

“What method?”

The seer rolled his eyes and stated,

[I will grant you access to the No-Entry Tower… Letting you borrow one weapon there for a single use.]

“Wait. Isn’t that something your royal family shouldn’t permit?”

I was taken aback by his unexpected suggestion.

The seer replied,

[For now… With regards to the matters related to Taihe Heavenly Venerable, I’ve gathered more information than I expected from your memories… I should have plenty to do ahead, meaning I have felt the need to cooperate with you to some extent considering your actions affect my path.]

“Hmm.”

Upon reflection, the seer was indeed a leading figure among the moderate factions of his race. Taihe Heavenly Venerable might indeed be connected to the Ancient Ruler, and the information he provided about the Seven Stars turned out to have significant meaning. It appeared he viewed that knowledge itself as a form of debt.

[In my past life, I granted you unlimited access rights… But this time, you can only borrow it once, so make a decision wisely.]

“Hold on. Does that mean using the weapon from the No-Entry Tower allows me to face the Ancient Ruler?”

The seer responded,

[My race is one of the few powers capable of living without necessarily worshipping the Ancient Ruler… So it’s natural that our weapons hold some power. While it may not compare to spells, the weapons inside the No-Entry Tower can hold back the Ancient Ruler momentarily.]

“……!!”

[To you, we are but monkeys in comparison to our civilization…]

The seer retorted a little arrogantly as he inscribed a mark on my hand.

Shhhh…

A grayish pattern appeared on the back of my hand. As I gazed at the mark in wonder, the seer stated,

[The No-Entry Tower is located in the Southern Barbarian Region… Utilize it well, and you may easily obtain the Fire of Tuesday.]

“Fire of Tuesday?”

[You’ll understand its meaning when you visit the No-Entry Tower.]

As soon as the seer finished speaking, he vanished. It seemed he felt the deal was done.

I was perplexed by this unexpected goodwill, but I realized it wasn’t fully altruistic. The seer was a leader of the moderate factions in his race, hence my activities would indeed benefit him. Therefore, by providing me with strength, he sought to keep the Heavenly Realm in check.

“Well, it seems I have more work ahead.”

I lit up with excitement.

“Let’s go!”

Since this had happened, I decided to venture as far into the Southern Barbarian Region as possible before Jin So-cheong finished his training. If I kept running day and night, I could probably reach it in time.

The goal was the Southern Barbarian Region!

First, I headed south from Sichuan Province, the furthest I had been before, and started my sprint southward. After traveling south from Sichuan, I’d quickly hit Yunnan, which required about a thousand li. Once I arrived in Yunnan, I’d need to cover several thousand more li to reach the Southern Barbarian Region.

“Waaahhh!!”

Tadadadad!

I cried out as I ran incessantly for six shijins using the Soul Destruction Technique. As I raced over mountains and fields like the wind, I felt the surrounding scenery brushing past me in lines. Even I found it hard to believe the stamina I had, but thanks to consuming a tremendous amount of elixirs, including the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, my vital essence didn’t easily deplete. My true stamina didn’t drain until after my energy was exhausted; thus, I practically had infinite stamina.

After how long had I run?

Before I knew it, I had arrived at a large city, presumably Yunnan City. The guards there stared in shock at the dust cloud I was kicking up while racing past them.

“Huff!”

“Stop!”

Having seen me darting at unbelievable speed, they were lined up to confront me. But I had absolutely no reason to come to a halt, so I ignored them and kept running. With a whoosh, I leaped over twenty heights in an instant, making those humans appear to shrink away. I cleared the city walls in one leap and continued my sprint.

I run!

Taking care to avoid harming anyone within the city, I leaped and dashed across Yunnan City, feeling a sense of pride. I continued running over rivers and mountains. Strangely, this area featured a distinct elevation from north to south, resulting in a series of mountains without a single plain for a while. After overcoming dozens of mountains, the terrain finally began to level out.

Tadadad!

“Huff… Huff… I’m getting tired.”

How long has it been?

My speed had dropped a bit. I was now slightly slower than the speed at which a horse could run. This was only natural since I had been running nonstop.

I only grew tired once I reached a completely uninhabited area. It was a nameless valley, and I went into a cave to rest. There wasn’t even a village nearby, let alone traces of human life—it was a complete wasteland. Having sprinted a thousand li in one go, I wiped the sweat from my forehead.

How far is it to the Southern Barbarian Region?

I wasn’t sure, but it felt like I had nearly crossed out of the Central Plains. Thinking I could push a little further, I soon stood up.

It was at that moment.

“Who are you?”

Shh

Three figures suddenly appeared before the cave where I was resting.

“What…?”

Surprised, I stared at them.

To my astonishment, each one of them was a formidable expert. Two appeared to be peak experts, and the other was undoubtedly a peak top expert. Though I couldn’t see their exact shapes in the darkness, their energy indicated they were rare powers indeed. Additionally, the dialect I just heard had a hint of Huabei dialect mixed in, signifying they weren’t from this area.

What are these people?

The strongest-looking among them stepped forward and said,

“You possess formidable energy. If you’re a member of the White Lotus Sect, please state it. We do not wish to have enmity with them.”

“……?”

A member of the White Lotus Sect?

Their voice felt oddly familiar to me. As I tilted my head in confusion, a thought suddenly struck me.

Could it be these guys…

I calmly gathered my energy and carefully looked into the darkness. As I discerned their features, I realized my assumptions were correct.

I also realized I had miscalculated the opponents’ prowess. The two men clad in black were suppressing their strength, so I hadn’t perceived them as peak top experts. Their actual strength was stronger than I initially thought, but I found myself feeling more at ease and smiled.

“I am not a member of the White Lotus Sect, but are you affiliated with them?”

“Ha ha… Not a member of the White Lotus Sect? In that case, we have no need to talk to you.”

The powerful figures in the darkness laughed derisively and then suddenly drew their weapons. The two men in black pulled out their long swords, and the man clad in white raised his fists. It seemed they were ready to use force to subdue me.

I chuckled.

“Looks like you aren’t wearing your monkey masks since you’re not in the Central Plains, White Ape Twin Demons.”

“……!!”

The two men in black were taken by surprise, realizing their identities had been exposed. The man in the center in white lowered his voice ominously,

“Who are you?”

“You don’t need to know who I am, but I know exactly who you are.”

“Eh? What nonsense are you spouting?”

The man in white growled, but I continued,

“Heavenly Doctor is here in this southern wilderness?”

Indeed. Before me stood Dong Bang-mugyeol, one of the five great doctors of the realm, along with the two White Ape Twin Demons, who were peak top experts of the demon path. They were searching for clues about the Transcendent Water as ordered by the leader of the White Lotus Sect, and by coincidence had run into me.