Reincarnation Sword God

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Heavenly Realm

The person standing in front of me certainly resembled Yong Junil from my previous encounters. He wasn’t a transcendent figure, but rather a handsome middle-aged man with a well-maintained physique. What stood out most was the fact that hardly any Qi emanated from him. This truth dawned upon me—a realization of a certain realm.

‘Countering Unity!’

When Qi reaches its peak, it concentrates and converges at a single point for maximum efficiency. This state allows one to explosively release their true energy from that focus. The technique used by top masters to control their Qi with thought is known as Countering Unity.

I had also ascended to the realm of Countering Unity, but I was still somewhat unfamiliar with it. It requires a lot of innate sensitivity to manage with intention. In contrast, Yong Junil before me seemed to keep his Qi entirely concealed within, revealing not even an inch of it.

A heavy feeling settled in my heart.

I could vaguely see Yong Junil’s true martial prowess, a sight I couldn’t grasp before due to my inadequate realm. The burden of this knowledge made the situation all the more daunting.

Yong Junil was strong!

So strong that Jin So-cheong would need to draw his spear!

In response to Jin So-cheong’s question, Yong Junil glanced at the three deceased masters of the Namgung Clan and said,

“This is the Yangtze River, and Mount Huang isn’t far from here. I happened to come this way while enjoying the scenery with the elders.”

“……”

Both Jin So-cheong and I exchanged dumbfounded expressions.

How shameless can one be!

It was clear to anyone that he had attempted some clandestine deal that went awry, leading to the massacre of the Namgung Clan masters. And yet he acted as if nothing had happened? Staring at him, Jin So-cheong calmly replied,

“You mean to say you were sightseeing? Yet I just perceived your conversation through Reading Lips Technique.”

“Hmm…? What did I say?”

“Members of the Namgung Clan greeted you, and you responded. Then they asked for the Wind Spirit Sect’s secret techniques.”

“And?”

“Then you attacked them with Shadow Technique, killing them.”

Yong Junil, brushing aside the thick-faced pretense and getting straight to the point, tilted his head.

“What’s the problem?”

“What the….”

Pointing to the dead bodies struck down by his Shadow Technique, he continued,

“The Namgung Clan has already been expelled from the Five Great Families. Their heinous and inhumane acts have been exposed by you, Jin So-cheong. They are already ostracized in the martial world of Anhui Province and designated as outlaws. How dare they ask me if there are techniques from the White Lotus Sect?”

“……”

Truly shameless.

“As the leader of the Nine Great Sects, I could not leave such wicked beings unchecked.”

My expression twisted in disbelief.

‘This madman!’

I knew that Yong Junil was actually the eldest son of Yong Bi-cheon, the protector of the Wind Spirit Sect, and a master in his own right. I was also aware that, despite holding the title of leader of the Nine Great Sects, he had ties to the White Lotus Sect. Yet here he was, casually committing murder while pretending he was just cutting ties!

Jin So-cheong was certainly aware of this too, and his expression turned furious. Yet after a moment of thought, he addressed Yong Junil,

“Indeed. However, fortunately, it seems that two of them survived.”

All eyes turned toward me. I stood there, shaking in fear, protecting the two surviving Namgung Clan masters. Three out of five had been slaughtered by Yong Junil, but thanks to Jin So-cheong’s timely intervention, two lives had been saved. Yong Junil glanced at the survivors and responded,

“Hand over the two. If you keep them alive, you might be seen as siding with the Namgung Clan.”

“Yong Junil,”

“Why do you call me?”

Flames sparked in Jin So-cheong’s eyes.

“Enough! I could decide your fate right here.”

Swish!

Jin So-cheong raised his spear horizontally, exuding a calm yet terrifying presence, causing the masters flanking Yong Junil to hesitate and step back three paces.

“Ugh…!!”

“A monster!!”

The faces and appearances of those guardians suggested they were not from the Mount Huang Sect. I had never seen their faces before. Examining them, I thought,

‘They must be masters of the Wind Spirit Sect.’

Yong Junil had come here to sever ties, after all. He certainly wouldn’t have brought the elder masters of the Huangshan Sect with him. Given that, Yong Junil was likely quite displeased with the current situation as well.

Voom!

Yong Junil, standing tall like Mount Tai, dispelled Jin So-cheong’s aura with a wave of his hand. Immediately, Jin So-cheong’s presence lessened, and his eyebrows twitched. Yong Junil’s light intention had unleashed a formidable force just moments prior.

Once he neutralized Jin So-cheong’s aura, Yong Junil murmured,

“Hmm… It seems more than what I’ve heard. Was the rumor true that you wiped out the Namgung Clan with bare hands? Honestly, I wouldn’t want to be your enemy.”

His expression radiated sincerity, but being such a cunning figure, I couldn’t let my guard down. Jin So-cheong observed him thoughtfully before saying,

“If Yong Junil truly intends to kill these two, I will give it my all.”

“Ha! Don’t worry. I wouldn’t risk my life over such lowly individuals. This isn’t a place for that.”

With a nonsensical grin, Yong Junil continued,

“I think I’ll take my leave now. The scenery of the Yangtze River is indeed a sight to behold.”

“You’re leaving?”

Jin So-cheong took a step forward.

“Who gave you the right?!”

Clang! Clang! Clang!

At that moment, the guards beside Yong Junil tensed up and drew their swords. A vivid blue aura emanated from their blades, characteristic of the Wind Spirit Sect. As the tension escalated, Yong Junil gestured to calm them, then looked at me.

“That young man seems like quite a strong master. No, perhaps a Countering Unity master?”

“……”

“Indeed, the martial world is vast. There are many hidden masters I don’t know of.”

Muttering to himself, Yong Junil then said,

“Jin So-cheong, here, take this.”

Whoosh!

Yong Junil pulled out a talisman from his robe and tossed it to Jin So-cheong. The speed with which the talisman flew was remarkable, like a laundry line being whipped out, and any ordinary master might meet their end trying to catch it. Not only that, it was imbued with energy, packed with immense power.

Yet, Jin So-cheong effortlessly intercepted the talisman, and Yong Junil, as if expecting it, said,

“Whenever the time is right, come to our sect with that.”

“Why would I go to the Huangshan Sect?”

“Well, you’ll come for something, right?”

With a mischievous reply, Yong Junil turned around with a smile.

“Until next time.”

With that, Yong Junil and his entourage took to the air, leaving the riverbank. Jin So-cheong could’ve launched an attack, but he merely watched as they left. Then he turned to me and asked,

“Baek Woong, are those two alright?”

“They’re fine. Just shaken up.”

As I spoke, I felt completely baffled. The two surviving Namgung Clan masters behind me were top-tier swordsmen, yet they had been utterly subdued merely by the aftermath of Yong Junil’s Shadow Technique. It was a miracle they even managed to wield their swords, given how paralyzed they were by fear.

‘What kind of martial art is that?’

It must be a secret technique of the Wind Spirit Sect, but I had never heard of a Shadow Technique capable of suppressing top-tier masters so effortlessly. While I infused Qi into their meridians and treated them, Jin So-cheong spoke,

“Mangnyang. You said not to fight, but are you okay?”

Swish!

In an instant, Mangnyang appeared out of nowhere, as if he’d used a spatial technique to arrive concealed. He had been beside us during the exchange with Yong Junil. Nodding, he replied,

“He’s not a suitable opponent to engage with casually. After all, he is the second-in-command of the Wind Spirit Sect, so he’s not easy to handle.”

“… I see.”

Jin So-cheong sighed and said,

“Killing him would be difficult. If we all attacked together, at least one of us would need to risk losing an arm.”

This surprised me, and I took a good look at him.

“That much?”

“I can’t be sure I’m ahead of Yong Junil. I think I could win, but the difference is marginal.”

“……!!”

I felt my heart drop.

Jin So-cheong was currently at a peak level among masters in the martial world. If even he struggled against Yong Junil, it was safe to say that apart from the divine protectors, he was one of the strongest. But for him to express such uncertainty about his own capabilities?

‘Is Yong Junil really that strong?’

I blurted out in confusion,

“Wait! That doesn’t make sense… he doesn’t have the Heavenly Spirit Dan!”

“I don’t have the Heavenly Spirit Dan either. It seems that Yong Junil’s pure martial understanding is at an unrivaled level.”

“Wow…”

“It looks like Yong Junil is the type who never reveals his true abilities unless absolutely necessary.”

Mangnyang, who had been listening to our conversation, spoke up.

“I feel the same. An unexpected strong adversary has appeared.”

“Yong Junil has never genuinely fought me in my past life. If he had, the outcome might have completely flipped in those battles.”

“He’s the kind who holds back, trying to ensure that he remains the last victor. No matter how favorable the situation, if there’s a chance for an unforeseen variable, he won’t engage. But conversely, if he decides to fight, it means we’re in deep trouble.”

“Hmm.”

An extremely cautious top-tier master!

As Mangnyang put it, it seemed he was indeed a formidable unexpected variable. After numerous lifetimes, the true nature of Yong Junil, the leader of the Huangshan Sect, was finally starting to reveal itself. With a chuckle, Mangnyang suggested,

“For now, let’s hear the situation from these people.”

As Mangnyang advised, I began to treat the two surviving masters of the Namgung Clan using medical and acupuncture techniques. After about half an hour, they regained their senses and looked at us with complex expressions. One of them bit his lip and shouted,

“Jin So-cheong, are you toying with us? If you’re going to kill us, then do it!”

“……”

The situation was indeed complicated. The Namgung Clan’s downfall had ultimately been orchestrated by Jin So-cheong. The two surviving masters were merely victims of the tyrannical behavior of their superiors. Jin So-cheong sighed and replied,

“I only told you to abandon your achievements and your clan; I never claimed I’d take your lives.”

“Ha! You think this is a game? Damn it!!”

Roiling with anger, the Namgung Clan master snapped back,

“Even if the head and young master are to be killed, the Namgung Clan is the foundation we’ve built with all our strength for a lifetime! You expect us to abandon it overnight? Ridiculous! We will fight to the last man to protect our clan!”

Just as Jin So-cheong was about to reply, Mangnyang cut in sharply,

“You’re the ones who can’t grasp the situation.”