Reincarnation Sword God

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BAM!

I followed Lee Kwang’s lead and made my way to Hebei Province, specifically to an area called Langfang. There, a faction known as the Ghost Dragon Sect, notorious for ruling the region, awaited us. Without so much as a moment’s hesitation, Lee Kwang stormed through the front gates of the Ghost Dragon Sect.

Thump thump

“AAAHK!”

“Ahh, who are you…?”

We started to rain blows on the Ghost Dragon Sect members without a word. Soon after, the Lord of the Ghost Dragon Sect emerged, charging at Lee Kwang, but within five seconds, he was left sprawled on the ground, unable to resist against the overwhelming power of seasoned warriors. It dawned on the Lord of the Ghost Dragon Sect that he faced a group he couldn’t counter and he grew timid, speaking up.

“I… I haven’t done anything that bad. Please spare me…”

“I know you’re the one who funds Beom Kyun’s living expenses. Where is Beom Kyun?”

“Eek! If I reveal where he is, I’ll be killed!”

“Would you rather die now or later?”

“……”

With no choice but to comply, the Lord of the Ghost Dragon Sect finally revealed Beom Kyun’s location, and we made our way there. It was said he resided in a manor in a nearby town, the largest one in the area. Sure enough, as we entered the manor, a middle-aged man with a sour expression emerged, wielding a black spear.

“What’s going on, Lee Kwang? What kind of ruckus is this?”

Beom Kyun, who appeared to be of a similar age to Lee Kwang, seemed to speak casually. Lee Kwang replied coolly,

“Master of the Spear Beom Kyun, your days of living in seclusion are over. It’s time for the successors of the Thunder God Lineage to gather.”

Beom Kyun’s expression twisted.

“Don’t be ridiculous! Are you implying I should take on the White Lotus Sect? Don’t disrupt my peaceful living and get lost!”

“Known as the Best Spear in the North, you had quite a reputation in the martial world, riding the coattails of the Ghost Dragon Sect while seeking a leisurely life until old age. Is that your plan?”

Lee Kwang, who had been speaking softly, suddenly shouted.

“Are you joking, Beom Kyun?! Have you forgotten the disgrace of the day the Thunder God Lineage was banished? You too must have fought desperately to escape that day!”

“……!!”

Beom Kyun hesitated before responding,

“I know, I know! How could I forget that grudge? But… I am powerless! So what’s the point in fighting to reclaim my past?”

“……”

Beom Kyun’s desperate protest seemed to intimidate Lee Kwang, leaving him momentarily speechless.

“Go ahead, kill me! But I’d rather die than dance to your tune!”

Lee Kwang’s face hardened, and he turned to Jin So-cheong.

“Cheong, you were right.”

“Master.”

“The human thirst for revenge is not limitless…”

Lee Kwang seemed to give up, slumping his shoulders and turning away.

At that moment, he finally grasped the reality of the revenge-seeking spirit of the Thunder God Lineage.

Lastly, we headed to Luoyang to confront the treacherous official Eom Sung. By using the name of the Azure Dragon, we managed to gain an audience with him, yet he reacted openly displeased when he asked for his bodyguard Jeong Yun-bo to be brought forth.

“Lee Kwang, weren’t we close when you were in the palace? If you come at me like this, I can also retaliate.”

“Is that so?”

Without further ado, Lee Kwang lifted his spear and shot a piercing thrust aimed at Eom Sung’s head, fierce enough to burst it within a second. Moreover, the surprise attack left even the most skilled fighters with no chance to resist or survive.

CRACK!

At that moment, a loud sound echoed, and suddenly, a figure in black robes appeared. The figure, with a deep voice, stated,

“Elder Dokgo Seong has also arrived. But why suddenly attack Eom Sung, Lee Kwang?”

Eom Sung lay collapsed between the two, foaming at the mouth from the clash of energy. The black-robed figure calmly absorbed the tension radiating from Lee Kwang.

“Jeong Yun-bo.”

It was Jeong Yun-bo, Eom Sung’s bodyguard, who appeared to share the same youthful appearance as Lee Kwang and spoke without hesitation. Having just witnessed the clash, I realized that their skills were nearly equal, causing me to inwardly exclaim.

“Hm.”

A master of martial arts, indeed. How could someone of such caliber be satisfied remaining a mere bodyguard? If he threw himself into the martial world, he could easily rival the Nine Great Sects with his abilities standing right before us—he was indeed a formidable figure.

Lee Kwang immediately recounted the events and the new strategy of the Thunder God Lineage to Jeong Yun-bo. When he finished, Jeong Yun-bo replied coldly,

“Get lost.”

“Why?”

“I have no interest in vengeance. Honestly, I am surprised that you still think about such things.”

Lee Kwang gritted his teeth,

“Jeong Yun-bo! Don’t you want to avenge your master’s death?!”

“My master was weak, and that’s why he died. Besides, I’m tired of the White Lotus Sect. Do you think I’ve been a bodyguard for decades for nothing?”

“I don’t understand. You’ve never mentioned it.”

Jeong Yun-bo shot a glare at Lee Kwang with icy eyes,

“You, I, and Beom Kyun were once promising young successors of the Thunder God Lineage. But that was over fifty years ago, Lee Kwang. Though you might be a direct descendant now, it’s time to face reality. Our lives have already passed the halfway mark.”

“Halfway… what does that mean?”

“It means it matters a great deal. Do you know I have great-grandchildren now?”

“……”

Lee Kwang wore a look of shock at the unexpected revelation.

“You wouldn’t know since you’ve shown no interest in my life.”

Jeong Yun-bo chuckled lightly.

“Under normal circumstances, we would be at the age to hold grandchildren. We could pursue a happy life focusing on a family, but I don’t know how you managed to age alone as a widower. I’ve done my best to create a happy life with my partner I met in Luoyang.”

“You…”

“You’ve lost your mind. Regardless of the possibility of revenge against the White Lotus Sect, to us—the peers—you’re merely a madman.”

Jeong Yun-bo delivered the final blow.

“Lee Kwang, what do you have left in your life? Do you really think achieving revenge will make you happy?”

“……”

Lee Kwang fell silent, unable to muster a response. For a moment, he seemed to zone out, his eyes empty. At that moment, Jin So-cheong stepped forward and said,

“I do not care if you pursue your own happiness. However, your martial arts were bestowed by the Thunder God Lineage. Shouldn’t you give back in equal measure? I believe that is the duty of a martial artist.”

“You must be Jin So-cheong. I’ve heard much about you from Lee Kwang.”

Jeong Yun-bo observed him for a moment before speaking again.

“I’ve already paid off my debts to the sect.”

“On what basis?”

“I became Eom Sung’s bodyguard to ensure his safety, while in return, he utilizes his political influence to protect and support the Thunder God Lineage members across regions. This has continued for decades. I doubt Eom Sung has provided support worth countless gold pieces to the Thunder God Lineage.”

“……”

“In contrast, your master boasted grand titles like the Azure Dragon but has now fallen into obscurity. Who has contributed more to the Thunder God Lineage?”

That won’t do.

Jeong Yun-bo had lived his life steadfastly for several decades. Talking to him only served to reinforce the futility of revenge for the Thunder God Lineage. No matter how plausible Lee Kwang’s plan seemed, it was clear he would not waver.

‘So that’s why not a single one of our peers showed up, even with Lee Kwang calling for a faction war.’

Beom Kyun chose to enjoy life while playing games in the martial world, extorting money from the unsavory, while Jeong Yun-bo found a compromise in reality and somewhat upheld his loyalty to the Thunder God Lineage. People like them wouldn’t be swayed by Lee Kwang’s summons.

Dokgo Seong snapped impatiently,

“You and Lee Kwang were the top talents among the latter successors of the Thunder God Lineage, yet look at what you’ve become.”

“Elder Dokgo Seong, we live our lives differently.”

“Enough! You live your way. I won’t beg you.”

“I’ll see you off.”

“Get lost.”

Furious, Dokgo Seong abruptly turned away, and I had no choice but to retreat. While I could fight and potentially kill Jeong Yun-bo, it would be pointless. Not to mention, causing chaos at Eom Sung’s residence would undoubtedly have long-term repercussions, so retreating was our only choice.

BANG!

Upon returning, Lee Kwang seemed to be in a daze, locking himself away in Waryong Hall. Jin So-cheong stayed nearby to offer comfort, while Dokgo Seong, clearly upset, began drinking heavily at a nearby tavern.

Mangnyang sighed as he watched them with disappointment.

“The plan has gone awry.”

“I can’t believe Lee Kwang had peers…”

“Both Beom Kyun and Jeong Yun-bo are capable enough to be leaders of a faction. Lee Kwang likely intended to summon them as trump cards when needed.”

“So what now? They have no interest in vengeance.”

I replied bluntly, and Mangnyang chuckled bitterly.

“That’s actually quite normal. Fifty years have passed, as Jeong Yun-bo said, right? It’s impressive that Lee Kwang still harbors a grudge against the White Lotus Sect.”

“Didn’t Jeong Yun-bo call Lee Kwang a madman?”

“Of course, by the standards of ordinary folks, he’s a madman. But on the flip side, you could say that someone as resolved as Lee Kwang is rare. Moreover, such resolute beings often provide valuable contributions.”

Muttering to himself, Mangnyang glanced toward Waryong Hall and continued,

“Lee Kwang is not the type to crumble easily. He will rebound soon, so we should conserve our time.”

“What should we do now?”

“There must be more successors that Lee Kwang hasn’t uncovered. Let him handle finding the successors and for now, let’s head to the Sichuan Ruins.”

Sichuan Ruins?

Caught off guard by the sudden mention, I pondered. I had already obtained things like the golden box and Sichuan, as well as a statue of Zhenwu when I had previously ventured to Sichuan. What more could I possibly acquire this time?

Mangnyang smirked and said,

“There are free elixirs there, so naturally, we should collect them.”

“Ah.”

With that, I went along with Mangnyang, carrying the Purified Essence, to the Sichuan Ruins. As we approached the giant arachnid’s corpse stuck on the cliff, I drew closer.

“Bring forth the Purified Essence.”

KEEEEEEEN!

As I placed the Purified Essence, it glowed a clear hue and the spider’s corpse began to writhe. A wave of purifying energy passed through, causing the corpse to eject a dark, toxic blood, which I dodged. Following that, I meticulously harvested the dried core from the spider.

‘As expected.’

I recalled the words of Tang Wu-ge, the head of the Sichuan Sect, when I had journeyed to Sichuan in search of the Eastern Undefeatable.

[Hmm… if that’s the case, I’d first drain the venomous fluids completely and wait for the core to reveal itself before using the detoxification elixir for a smooth transfer. Without sunlight, we would bury it in a cool location for 33 days to let the excess venom dissipate, and then meticulously refine it for a safer elixir using alchemical methods.]

[Right. What do we do with the corpse?]

[The corpse is likely a mass of energy as well. If we drain all the toxins and dry it, we can crush and consume it for effects similar to an elixir or tonic. According to legends, consuming the part that resembles a human face grants immortality.]

And when Tang Wu-ge proposed to exchange the spider’s venom with me, he immediately complied with my request. This spider’s core was of exceptional value, one that could astound even the master of poisons, the head of the Sichuan Sect.

Normally, I would handle the core cautiously, extracting it with the detoxification elixir, absorbing toxins for many days, and then processing it through alchemy for a refined elixir. However, with the Purified Essence in hand, we could take care of the spider’s core in one go!

Gazing at the round, palm-sized core in my hand, Mangnyang remarked with satisfaction,

“The Purified Essence indeed detoxifies even the poison of supreme beasts.”

“How effective will this spider’s core be?”

“Why not give it a try?”

“Ugh…”

I hesitated. No matter how much we had detoxified it with the Purified Essence, consuming a core from a highly poisonous spider while sober was daunting. But believing in Mangnyang’s assurance that it would be harmless, I decided to take a chance and swallowed it.

Crunch crunch

“Mmm… tastes like salt.”

As I enjoyed the crunchy texture, I soon felt a surge of immense energy flooding through me. It was as if I was experiencing the same sensation I had when consuming Holy Lotus.

Quickly, I circulated my energy through the meridians, stabilizing the influx. Shortly afterward, I realized a change had occurred within my body.

“Hmm…”

But I couldn’t quite pinpoint what that change was.

Tilting my head, Mangnyang chuckled and suggested,

“Take your hand and dip it into this.”

Mangnyang had filled a small bowl with a purplish liquid. My expression soured upon seeing the bowl.

“Ugh… that’s the spider’s bodily fluids…”

“Yes, it’s pure toxicity.”

“……”

“Try dipping your hand in.”

Reluctantly, I tentatively dipped a finger first. After sensing no adverse effects, I slowly plunged my whole hand in, and upon reassessing, I held it for a while longer. After nearly an entire meal’s time of soaking my hand in the fluid, I pulled it out and was left in utter shock.

“No way!”

Nothing felt amiss!

What the heck?! I’d braced myself to do something as absurd as that, yet surprisingly, my body felt totally intact. There was no sign of poisoning, decay, or corrosion—my skin was not even wrinkled! Considering the venom from the spider could erode stone walls, this was astonishing.

Mangnyang burst into laughter.

“Congratulations on achieving Immunity to All Poisons! ”

Indeed.

Not only had my capacity for handling toxins surged from consuming the spider’s core, but I had also somehow attained immunity to all poisons!