Reincarnation Sword God

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At Lee Kwang’s suggestion to return to the Azure Dragon Sect, Jin So-cheong replied,

“I can’t do that.”

Lee Kwang’s eyebrows twitched. He paused for a moment before asking,

“Why not?”

“I’m planning to infiltrate the White Lotus Sect.”

“……”

Lee Kwang’s expression became peculiar. I noticed that Jin So-cheong was making a bold move, and so did Mangnyang. What on Earth was Jin So-cheong going to say?

Jin So-cheong continued,

“The reason I destroyed the Namgung Clan was not just because they were like beasts, but because they were subordinates of the Wind Spirit Sect.”

“Ah!”

“With the help of these two, I was able to gather more information, which led to an opportunity to meet with Han Baek-ryeong, a devotee of the Wind Spirit Sect, recently. After negotiations with her, I was accepted into the White Lotus Sect.”

Under normal circumstances, Lee Kwang would have exploded at this point. For him, the White Lotus Sect, which expelled the Thunder God Lineage, was nothing short of a bitter enemy. However, Lee Kwang surprisingly remained silent, lost in thought, before finally speaking up.

“Go on.”

“Master, realistically, it’s impossible for just the two of us to revive the Thunder God Lineage. Even if we found Beast Thunder or Duk Go Sung, it wouldn’t work. This is because the White Lotus Sect is the unshakable absolute power of the current martial world.”

“Umm…”

“I plan to become a disciple of the Leader of the White Lotus Sect to acquire his martial arts and find his weaknesses.”

“……!!”

This time, Lee Kwang’s expression changed entirely. I started to think that his patience was running thin, as his left hand tightened into a fist, blood dripping down. But perhaps he decided to hold back one more time; he let out a deep sigh and said,

“So-cheong, that’s beyond unrealistic.”

“Why do you think that?”

“I’ve heard the story of you single-handedly annihilating the Namgung Clan, and can gauge your power. It seems you’ve gained some sort of opportunity to become stronger, am I right?”

“Yes.”

Jin So-cheong nodded and replied,

“I acquired the Seven Great Exalted Techniques from the teachings of Jang Sam-bong.”

“Jang Sam-bong! The founder of the Wudang Sect!”

“Exactly. After training in my own way, I achieved a certain level of success.”

At this, Lee Kwang smiled without any pretense. He grinned broadly and said,

“That’s wonderful! Amazing. That’s certainly the Kwangse Techniques!”

As pleased as he was, Lee Kwang’s expression quickly shifted back to seriousness.

“However, the sect leader is a formidable person. The last time I saw him, he didn’t disclose more than 30% of his secrets even to his trusted followers in the Council. Just because So-cheong becomes his disciple doesn’t guarantee that you’ll uncover his weaknesses—it’s more likely that you’ll be outsmarted.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Lee Kwang looked intently at Jin So-cheong and said,

“When my master, Lee Cheong-un, the Dharma Protector, was defeated by the sect leader, he told me that he didn’t even know 10% of the sect leader’s true martial arts. At that time, my master was the second most prominent person in the White Lotus Sect, just a step below the leader, yet he was wholly unaware of the leader’s true powers.”

“That’s…”

“No matter how different the Qimen Lineage and the Thunder God Lineage are, my master was an exceptionally gifted individual. Do you think the leader would easily allow someone like you to uncover his secrets?”

“……”

This was my first time hearing such a story.

‘Lee Cheong-un had it come out of nowhere.’

Regardless of the reasons for the duel, it appeared that when the clash began, the leader fought with strategies that Lee Cheong-un had completely overlooked. Of course, the leader won because of his superior skills, but the mere fact that he could manipulate his own allies for the sake of victory demonstrated that the leader was a cunning character—more of a hundred-year-old snake than anything else.

Most importantly, even Zhuque, who possessed the world’s greatest strategy, had not been able to read the leader’s next move, resulting in failure. It was clear that the leader had a deep strategy beyond just his martial arts. In that light, Lee Kwang’s concerns were not merely overbearing but quite valid.

But Jin So-cheong answered resolutely,

“I’ve already made a deal with the Wind Spirit Sect. I’m heading to the White Lotus Sect‘s main base.”

“That’s a path to death.”

“Master… then what other way do you suggest to defeat the Leader of the White Lotus Sect?”

“……”

Lee Kwang was left speechless. But unlike before, he was showing a significantly troubled expression. It looked almost like a parent frustrated by a troublesome child. After a moment of silence, Lee Kwang finally spoke,

“So-cheong, think it over again. You said that going against the White Lotus Sect is unrealistic, but it’s not entirely the case. If we gather the successors and form a great force with a coalition, even the White Lotus Sect wouldn’t be able to touch us easily. Revenge can be sought even after a hundred years, so don’t rush things.”

“A hundred years? What kind of nonsense is that?”

Jin So-cheong replied incredulously,

“The desire for revenge among successors isn’t infinite. It lasts until at most the next generation or the one after that. The Thunder God Lineage’s martial arts are immensely powerful, and later successors won’t cling to impossible vengeance; they will seek their lives instead. If things aren’t resolved quickly, the Thunder God Lineage will face extinction.”

“Such weaklings are not needed in our sect.”

“That’s a contradictory statement. When we need help, what do you expect from others?”

“Ugh…”

I could clearly sense the sweat building on Lee Kwang’s forehead and his flustered demeanor. He looked utterly at odds, as though he had encountered a natural enemy. I realized then,

‘Even if Lee Kwang would swagger his way past emperors or Zhuque, he becomes utterly powerless in front of Jin So-cheong, whom he cherishes like his own son.’

Lee Kwang wasn’t the kind of person to yield to authority. To be precise, he was someone who distinguished loyalty from authority, thus allowing him to maintain a patriot’s loyalty while discussing national affairs. But even someone like Lee Kwang had no choice but to relent in the face of affection.

Flustered, Lee Kwang finally said,

“Alright, let’s pretend you’re going to the Leader of the White Lotus Sect to become a disciple. Then, are you planning to learn the skills of the Qimen Lineage?”

“If necessary, I might learn them.”

Jin So-cheong replied,

“But my primary focus will be uncovering the secrets of the Heavenly Spirit Pillar.”

“Umm!”

“If I can gain that unlimited inner strength, then there will truly be a chance for success.”

“……”

At this, Lee Kwang appeared different; he was genuinely pondering Jin So-cheong’s words. After being countered so calmly, Lee Kwang began to consider the feasibility of Jin So-cheong’s plan. After a moment of contemplation, Lee Kwang spoke,

“So-cheong, I understand your point. So could you calmly explain everything that has happened to this master during the time you’ve been away?”

“Yes.”

A little while later, we sat around with Lee Kwang, and Jin So-cheong introduced us to him. Mangnyang was a wandering sorcerer, and I was the successor of the Thunder God Lineage. As Jin So-cheong recounted our experiences, Lee Kwang’s expression shifted frequently.

When the story concluded, Lee Kwang organized his thoughts and said,

“I understand. If that’s your will, then I will do my utmost to assist you.”

“Are you in agreement?”

“However,”

Lee Kwang stared intently at Jin So-cheong before saying,

“Let’s go and pay respects at the tomb.”

“What?”

“Until now, I’ve been too afraid of the White Lotus Sect‘s gaze and worried about my master’s remains, so I haven’t visited. But if your plan is this, then it no longer matters. It’s only natural to offer prayers to our predecessors before executing a grand strategy.”

In that moment, it was clear that Lee Kwang exuded the dignity of a leading martial artist. Although his personality was quite rough, he was, after all, someone at the forefront of the martial world. Jin So-cheong nodded without hesitation.

“I understand. A few days’ delay would be acceptable. However, where are we going?”

“To Wuwe, in the district of Five Harmonies.”

Lee Kwang said, casting a slightly sorrowful gaze into the void.

“My master passed away there.”

At those words, the atmosphere in the room turned somber for a moment.

The legendary Dharma Protector Lee Cheong-un, the greatest of the Thunder God Lineage!

He had succumbed to injuries inflicted by the Leader of the White Lotus Sect in the region of Wuwe‘s Five Harmonies.

I felt a touch of anxiety at this sudden change of circumstances, but Mangnyang sent a secret message to me.

[It’s alright. This will lead to a great opportunity.]

[What are you talking about?]

[This will become a huge gain for us, so just follow along.]

[Okay.]

As the conversation wrapped up, Mangnyang clapped his hands and said,

“Now then, Three Great Masters Lee Kwang. Are you aware that there are agents from the Wind Spirit Sect or the Thunder God Lineage nearby?”

“Of course.”

“It would be unwise to strike carelessly, and being monitored by them while heading to that place is worrisome. I’ll assist you with sorcery.”

“Sorcery?”

“Watch closely.”

Mangnyang took out a Five Harmonies Seven Gold and began chanting a spell. Shortly after, a charm settled above our bodies, and a divine light spun around us in seven colors. The shimmering light, which lingered for a moment near our hearts, ultimately vanished without a trace.

“We’re off.”

Then, Mangnyang urged us to hold hands before taking a step forward.

Swish!

“……!!”

“Ugh!”

Everyone was startled, and reflexively alarmed. The reason was that the moment Mangnyang stepped forward, the surrounding scenery had completely transformed! This was something that could not be accomplished through any martial arts, so we, as martial artists, were understandably astonished. The scenery changed with every step, almost dizzying.

After Mangnyang took about twenty steps, he finally halted. Wiping the sweat off his brow, he remarked,

“I used the Great Shrinkage Technique, so they won’t be able to catch up with us easily.”

Lee Kwang, seemingly astonished, asked Mangnyang,

“You have extraordinary sorcery skills. How far did we travel?”

“We moved four hundred li in just one step.”

“Four… Four hundred li?”

That was an astonishing feat. To have traversed four hundred li in such a short moment meant that we must have passed through at least twenty villages or crossed over eight mountains. If we could move like this, no tracking technique could possibly catch us unless they used legendary Thousand Mile Tracking Scent.

Lee Kwang stood in a daze for a moment before gripping Jin So-cheong’s hand tightly.

“You’ve found an excellent companion. I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you.”

“……”

As I watched this scene, I was filled with mixed emotions.

This wasn’t Lee Kwang’s typical duplicitous behavior where he deceives others for his gain. This was genuine praise, flowing from the depths of his heart, directed towards Jin So-cheong. What Jin So-cheong had accomplished today would have led me to clash a hundred times over, yet Lee Kwang had never once confronted him. It was evident that he treated Jin So-cheong with the heart of a parent.

I felt a sense of unfairness.

‘I never expected to be treated like Jin So-cheong. However, if only you had given a fraction of that consideration to me…’

Countless times had I been struck by Lee Kwang’s ruthless disregard. The disparity in affection and trust between people was hard to believe. At that moment, a burst of intense hatred for Lee Kwang swelled within me, and I felt an urge to kill him. With my current strength, I might just be able to gain the upper hand against Lee Kwang.

But in that instant, Mangnyang quickly placed a hand on my shoulder, sending me a secret message.

[Calm down!]

I snapped back to reality and repressed the faint killing intent. But perhaps Mangnyang had sensed it, as Lee Kwang looked at me quizzically,

“Why are you exuding intent to kill? Did I do something wrong?”

I found myself at a loss for words. How could I explain that I had accumulated countless grudges in my past life and ended up here hating him? More importantly, Lee Kwang was just a stranger with whom I had only just exchanged greetings. I couldn’t hold him accountable for past grievances.

I bit my lip and said,

“I’m sorry. My martial arts level is still lacking, so I can’t properly suppress my murderous intent. There’s been a side effect where it bubbles over within me…”

“Hmm… It seems like it’s a technique from the Evil Spirit Lineage. I’ve heard such things can happen.”

Lee Kwang nodded, seemingly satisfied with that explanation, and turned away.

“Just be careful from now on.”

“I understand.”

Though I replied, I still felt uneasy inside.

And as we swiftly moved along with Mangnyang’s Great Shrinkage Technique, I realized the underlying reason for my discomfort.

‘Ah.’

When it came to differing opinions with Lee Kwang regarding the Thunder God Lineage, he would act normally.

So, I secretly found relief in not running into him, while also feeling a sense of disappointment at losing the opportunity to kill him.