Reincarnation Sword God

---

After my conversation with the Leader of the White Lotus Sect wrapped up, I headed over to where Jin So-cheong and Mangnyang were. The Elders Council’s master led me to them, as if he had been waiting for me, so finding my way was no trouble at all. I sneaked a glance at his skills.

‘This guy is a Peak Master too.’

There must be at least twenty members in the Elders Council. That means there are over twenty Peak Masters who could dominate the world anywhere across the Central Plains. Just with the strength of the Elders Council, they could shatter the Central Plains. And with the combined might of the masters of the Three Great Styles, the Three Great Dharma Protectors, and the Sect Leader, what would happen then?

While I was lost in thought, the Elders Council master spoke.

“We have arrived.”

I looked up, and there were Mangnyang and Jin So-cheong waiting for me. As soon as Mangnyang saw me, he said,

“Baek Woong. This person is the Young Master of the White Lotus Sect. Show him the proper respect.”

Mangnyang and Jin So-cheong both bowed deeply. I followed suit and said,

“I, Baek Woong, newly appointed as a Dharma Protector of the Thunder God Lineage, am here to pay my respects to the Young Master.”

The Young Master then stared at me blankly.

“There’s no need for you to be so formal with me.”

“Excuse me?”

“The Dharma Protectors and I are equals. So, we can speak casually.”

Hearing that made me scratch my head. I had no idea that the Young Master and Dharma Protectors had such a relationship. But even after seeing the impressive presence of the Leader of the White Lotus Sect, I couldn’t shake the urge to treat the Young Master with respect. So, I had no choice but to reply politely.

“Ah… understood.”

The Young Master smiled and said,

“Thanks to your Black and White Lotus, I have been saved. I will surely repay the debt of gratitude I owe you.”

“It’s not necessary. We don’t expect anything in return for our efforts for the sect.”

“Gratitude and enmity must be made clear.”

There was a hint of warmth in the Young Master’s words. It seemed genuine gratitude was there. Then Mangnyang slightly straightened up and asked,

“Have you mastered the techniques of the Water Spirit Sect?”

“Yes.”

“Impressive… your True Essence is remarkable.”

The Young Master responded with a bitter smile,

“There are five who are better than me in the Water Spirit Sect. I always feel embarrassed to call myself a Young Master with that level of skill.”

“Haha, how humble of one so gifted!”

“No, really.”

Though the Young Master hastily denied it, he didn’t seem too bothered. This naturally gained him some favor. His gaze then turned to Jin So-cheong beside him, and he remarked,

“So you are Jin So-cheong, who has been the talk of the town. I’ve recently heard about the Namgung Clan as well.”

“It’s not such a glorious tale, so it’s embarrassing.”

“No, I believe it’s quite a tale of virtue.”

In an instant, the Young Master’s gaze sharpened.

“If I had known about that incident, I would have annihilated the Namgung Clan’s Nine Families.”

“……”

That didn’t sound like a joke; it was frightening.

Jin So-cheong bitterly replied,

“That’s an unpropitious story. Rather, I congratulate you once again on your recovery, Young Master.”

“Thank you. I must be off now, but what will you two do?”

“We have to carry out the task given to us by the Sect Leader.”

“I wish you success.”

“Thank you.”

After that exchange, the Young Master took his leave, and only after a while did we begin to move again.

As I walked, I decided to communicate with Mangnyang using Suno (whispering technique). Since Jeon-eum (voice technique) required high skills, using Suno was far more relaxed.

[Mangnyang, he seems completely recovered.]

[Indeed. After talking with him, it’s clear he not only regained his health but also seems to have increased his internal strength thanks to the Black and White Lotus.]

[Given that he’s the Young Master, he likely wasn’t allowed to consume the Sacred Lotus freely while in the sect, right?]

[Well… just consuming the Sacred Lotus probably led to a limitation, which was slightly overcome by the Black and White Lotus. It seems to create a synergistic effect.]

[Hmm.]

I couldn’t help but murmur inwardly. So, combining the Sacred Lotus and Black and White Lotus results in a synergistic effect? That was news to me.

‘Then I can eat the Sacred Lotus too!’

I had repeatedly consumed the Black and White Lotus but had now reached a limit where the synergy was minimal. So if I could obtain the Sacred Lotus upon joining the White Lotus Sect, my internal strength would greatly advance.

Of course, Mangnyang must have thought of this already. Perhaps that was why he didn’t mention this but instead spoke of something else.

[Baek Woong, every move we make is being monitored. Let’s use Suno or Jeon-eum for all our conversations within the White Lotus Sect.]

[If we don’t say anything at all, people will get suspicious.]

Mangnyang then chuckled softly.

“Baek Woong, isn’t the Young Master amazing?”

[We can just say some random things casually.]

I caught on to his hint and replied appropriately.

“I see… he does seem quite remarkable.”

[Understood.]

I had experienced such communication back when I was with the Sword Demon. Jin So-cheong might have caught on to our hints too, as he similarly mingled conversational and Jeon-eum techniques.

“Haha! Have you already fallen for him?”

[When do you plan to leave the White Lotus Sect?]

“Don’t joke around.”

[Let’s first find out where the Sacred Lotus is located. We can move after that—it won’t be too late.]

We continued to blend conversation with Jeon-eum, utilizing Suno to exchange secretive words. Normally, due to Mangnyang’s limited internal strength, continuous communication via Jeon-eum would have been difficult, yet with Suno, we managed to chat for a prolonged time.

After returning to our lodgings and getting some sleep, we officially began our next steps the following day. We sought to acquire the Sacred Lotus to enhance our internal strength through a petition to the Elders Council, and not long after, we received a response from the Leader of the White Lotus Sect.

The Three Elders guarding the entrance to the Sect Leader’s hall, a high-power member of the Elders Council, spoke with agitation.

“Follow me.”

As we followed the Three Elders and stepped outside the living area of the White Lotus Sect, we entered a rugged gorge a fair distance away. We climbed over several mountains and walked dozens of miles until the Three Elders finally halted.

“You need to go into this cave.”

Following the Three Elders’ words deep into the cave, we encountered a basin-like terrain where the Black and White Lotus was supposedly found. There were five artificially created ponds full of pristine white lotus blossoms.

Mangnyang exclaimed in awe,

“Is all of this the Sacred Lotus?”

“Indeed.”

The Three Elders replied sternly,

“One Sacred Lotus per person! No more than that.”

“Is that the Sect Leader’s order?”

At Mangnyang’s rebuttal, the Three Elders snapped,

“Are you joking? You think you can just take more? Sacred Lotus is a treasure of our sect and cannot be given out casually!”

“Please answer my question. Is that the Sect Leader’s order?”

“… No.”

At this, Mangnyang let out a smirk.

“We were given a mission from the Sect Leader. And the reason our petition was accepted was that the Sect Leader deemed the Sacred Lotus necessary for our mission. Am I wrong?”

“…….”

“If our personal greed was the issue, would this affect our mission? If your stubbornness causes our mission to fail, I wonder what will happen?”

“The consequences.”

The Three Elders couldn’t hold back and finally made a move.

Swoosh!

In the next moment, Jin So-cheong and I stood in front of Mangnyang. The Three Elders‘ hand halted in front of my blade, with Jin So-cheong’s hand poised dangerously near the Elder’s throat. In a fleeting moment, the exchange of stances took place, completely neutralizing the attack from the Three Elders.

Looking flustered, the Three Elders stepped back, and Jin So-cheong softly remarked,

“We’re not here to fight. Don’t be stubborn for no reason.”

“Well then, let me ask you this: Do you believe you have the confidence to use multiple Sacred Lotus to accomplish your mission effectively? If even a tiny bit is wasted, I won’t let you off using the name of the Elders Council!”

As the Three Elders growled a warning, Mangnyang nodded.

“Of course! Don’t worry; we won’t waste anything. So, please step aside.”

“Ugh…!!”

The Three Elders clenched their fists in frustration but eventually sighed deeply.

“Fine, I’ll be watching.”

The Three Elders‘ reaction might have seemed over the top, but handling Sacred Lotus, such high-grade elixirs, warranted such caution. In truth, it was us who were being unreasonable by wanting to take more than one. But since there was no meaning in negotiating here, Mangnyang’s strategy leaned on trusting the Sect Leader’s generosity and showing some audacity.

Thus, we managed to gather all ten Sacred Lotus roots. Although the five ponds were filled with hundreds of lotus blossoms, it was evident that after retrieving the ten roots, the ponds were significantly emptier. The expressions of the Three Elders watching us change gradually.

The Three Elders glared at us with intense eyes as we closed the cave entrance.

“Just wait… you scoundrels…”

“……”

It seemed like we had accidentally earned the Three Elders’ resentment, but it couldn’t be helped. The value of ten Sacred Lotus roots was simply too great. After returning to our lodgings, we each consumed a root of Sacred Lotus and began channeling our energy.

Whoooom!

“Whoa!”

I couldn’t help but exclaim in delight.

Because I felt the energy of the Black and White Lotus, which had been sitting stagnant in my Eight Meridians, now react violently, invigorated by the energy of the Sacred Lotus! That had never occurred before, so I focused on controlling the flow of energy.

The cold and hot energies that had been clashing soon enveloped my body with the force of a massive volcano. Normally such a force would inflict intense pain, but since I had grown accustomed to managing enormous internal energy, it was bearable. Eventually, after completely harnessing the energy of the Sacred Lotus, I felt once more that my energy had advanced further.

‘Incredible!’

I had reached a remarkable level previously, but now I felt my capability to exert energy at once had drastically improved. I could confidently say that I could now contend against Ikwang and have a clear advantage! I felt a bold sense of confidence that no one in the world could match me except for a Dharma Protector!

Mangnyang and Jin So-cheong also experienced significant growth in their internal strengths upon consuming the Sacred Lotus. While they hadn’t reached my level, they would certainly no longer be considered lacking among their peers. No, in comparison to their contemporaries, their internal strength was exponentially robust, likely equivalent to decades of diligent training in traditional skills.

Mangnyang grinned.

“Baek Woong, now you should be able to pull this off.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s use the Sacred Lotus to attract the Thunder God Lineage heirs.”

His eyes sparkled.

“Once they hear the Sacred Lotus is involved, they won’t be able to resist.”

Of course, that was just a facade due to the watchful eyes monitoring us. In reality, Mangnyang was sending a different Jeon-eum message to both Jin So-cheong and me.

[We should be able to identify the identity of the betrayer involved in Lee Cheong-un’s betrayal.]

Pretending to be impressed, I continued the double conversation.

“Indeed!”

[How will you figure out the betrayer’s identity?]

Mangnyang grinned.

“Hehe. This will work out splendidly.”

[If we proceed with this negotiation using the Sacred Lotus, someone who acts overly eager is likely the betrayer. Since the discipline has shifted unbeknownst to them, they’ll try to reach out to us for clarification about the deal. Analyzing these individuals will certainly narrow down the suspects.]

I scratched my head.

“Speaking of which, it’s time for dinner. I’m starving.”

[But isn’t it unnecessary to find the betrayer? That person holds no value to the major scheme, right?]

“Let’s try that Ginseng Chicken Soup famous in Goryeo. I heard there’s a top-notch White Lotus Sect master who knows how to make it in the town below.”

[No, that’s not true. We need to find that betrayer to eventually get Lee Cheong-un on our side.]

I was taken aback.

“What?! Ginseng Chicken Soup?!”

[Are you saying we can save Lee Cheong-un without killing the Zhuque!?]

Mangnyang’s expression turned serious.

“Yes… it’s precisely that Ginseng Chicken Soup! ”

[I’ll consider it. First, I want to find that betrayer so that next reincarnation, you can use it.]

“I never imagined I would get to eat Ginseng Chicken Soup.”

[I hadn’t thought that far either.]

Mangnyang fist-shook in the air and shouted exaggeratedly.

“Let’s enjoy it to the fullest!”

[As always, one must keep all possibilities open as a strategist.]

“Whoa!”

[Always learning a thing or two.]

“The Ginseng Chicken Soup has been trending in Goryeo for over a decade, reportedly derived from the Immortal Stove. Because it uses that rare ginseng, it’s extremely hard to make, making it a highly coveted dish! It can only be made from the top-grade ingredients of the Blue, Red, Black, and White varieties. That’s why we get the opportunity to eat it!”

[Make sure to remember this well.]

“Indeed…!!”

[I understand. I will keep this in mind.]

Just as my and Mangnyang’s double conversation was coming to an end, Jin So-cheong, who hadn’t been able to overhear our secret exchange through Suno, cocked his head in confusion.

“Is Ginseng Chicken Soup really that delicious?”

“……”

Not knowing how to respond, I just licked my lips.