Reincarnation Sword God

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Around two weeks had passed since Lee Kwang had risen back to his senses from the mental shock. During that time, he had barely eaten, leaving him gaunt, his face more lined and worn than before. However, his eyes sparkled with vivid intensity, filled with unyielding willpower.

“I act for the Thunder God Lineage, not for personal gain! Therefore, I have no regrets.”

Lee Kwang proclaimed, as if making a vow to himself.

“I apologize for the worry I caused. Now I shall do what must be done.”

“What are you planning to do?”

“I will persuade Beom Kyun and Jeong Yun-bo once more.”

At those words, everyone looked at Lee Kwang with mixed concern.

‘They’re not the kind of people who’d easily be swayed, are they?’

They were individuals with clear priorities and had distanced themselves from the desire for revenge on the Thunder God Lineage. No matter how hard Lee Kwang tried, there seemed to be little chance of them complying. Yet, Lee Kwang spoke as if it were obvious.

“Don’t worry, I will convince them.”

Regardless, it was a good thing that Lee Kwang was so motivated. We set off with him again, using teleportation to reach the estate where Beom Kyun resided. Upon seeing Lee Kwang again, Beom Kyun shouted in frustration,

“Get lost, you leech!”

“Beom Kyun, you are inferior.”

“……?!”

Who suddenly threw that comment out there!?

If anything, one would compliment or coax the opponent, but here comes this strong statement instead! Everyone looked at Lee Kwang in surprise, but he showed no sign of changing his expression as he continued,

“From the moment I entered the Thunder God Lineage, you’ve been below me. Isn’t that right?”

“Disagree.”

“Only Jeong Yun-bo was worthy of sparring with me. You have never won against me in a duel.”

Flames ignited in Beom Kyun’s eyes. However, his expression hinted he couldn’t contrive a retort, recognizing that Lee Kwang’s words were indeed true. After a moment of biting down hard, Beom Kyun asked,

“So what do you want from me? You know I’m aware you’re strong in martial arts, so what do you want me to do, dying at your hands?”

“No.”

Lee Kwang smirked and replied,

“Because your life is worthless.”

“……!!”

“Having to live in shame after your master was murdered is a fate we all share. But to run away from reality out of fear of facing the enemy head-on as a coward is embarrassing for someone of the Thunder God Lineage. Let alone that you’ve become my peer!”

“What the…?”

As Beom Kyun became flustered, Lee Kwang drew his spear, intention shimmering menacingly on its tip.

“I won’t kill you. Instead, I will remind you of your worthlessness.”

Swish!

No sooner had Lee Kwang finished speaking than he lunged at Beom Kyun. Astonishingly, it seemed he had assimilated the martial arts from the Wudang Sect and the basics of the Deadly Impasse during that brief time, as the principles of that martial art were evident in his movements.

Beom Kyun was not an easy foe either. He lifted his spear and unleashed a flurry of movements to throw off Lee Kwang’s attack. In an instant, Beom Kyun’s rapid strikes and defensive postures were unleashed, showcasing his prowess in spear techniques.

‘So he’s really on the verge of becoming North’s Best Spear, huh? Impressive!’

Beom Kyun had reached an extraordinarily high level of skill. Although he was being pushed back, he was genuinely fighting Lee Kwang, and considering Lee Kwang’s level, such opponents were exceptionally rare among the martial artists. Moreover, the level of spear techniques he demonstrated through his seamless transitions was at the master level.

However, about fifty seconds later, Lee Kwang suddenly executed a spinning maneuver that pierced through Beom Kyun’s defenses in a flash. As a white flash zipped past Beom Kyun’s temple, his complexion drained of color, followed by Lee Kwang’s kicking strike hitting Beom Kyun right in the solar plexus.

Thud!

Sent flying by the impact, Beom Kyun struggled to regain his footing, but it was already too late as Lee Kwang launched a relentless flurry of thrusts. Desperately trying to block, Beom Kyun found it futile; within ten seconds, Lee Kwang’s spear had made contact with Beom Kyun’s throat. Just a small poke further would snuff out Beom Kyun’s life.

The outcome was decided in under a hundred seconds.

Lee Kwang declared,

“You will never defeat me in your lifetime. Live your life and die in obscurity.”

With a swift draw of his spear, Lee Kwang turned his back on Beom Kyun, who collapsed to the ground, trembling and gasping.

“Ugh… agh…”

Then Beom Kyun howled,

“I won’t accept this!!”

Lee Kwang halted,

“What are you unable to accept?”

“What you just used was not pure Thunder God Lineage martial arts!! You mixed in techniques from another sect, I’m sure of it!!”

“Indeed. I utilized Jang Sam-bong’s Seven Supreme Techniques.”

“Ha!”

Lee Kwang sneered at the astonished Beom Kyun.

“I will continue to progress. Meanwhile, you will die a pitiful life as the lord of this terrible estate. Wishing you a happy life, Beom Kyun.”

“Disagree! I-Ick! No way! Ahhh!!”

Screaming as he trembled, Beom Kyun gritted his teeth.

“No, I will not accept it!”

“So what are you not accepting?”

“If I had also learned that Seven Supreme Techniques, I would stand equal or even surpass you! You coward!”

“Oh? Really?”

“Absolutely!!”

Lee Kwang smiled slyly.

“Then what if I taught you?”

“……”

Beom Kyun’s eyes widened in shock. He stammered,

“Y-You really mean it?”

“Indeed.”

“Such a formidable technique… for me…?”

“Don’t get your hopes up.”

Lee Kwang coldly interrupted him, a mocking smirk on his face.

“No matter what you learn, you will forever remain beneath me. I only make this offer to prove it to you.”

“……”

Beom Kyun was left speechless, but eventually hung his head in defeat.

“If you allow me to return as your comrade to the White Lotus Sect, then teach me.”

“Fine.”

No matter how much he sought tranquility, at his core, he remained a Thunder God Lineage martial artist. Plus, as Lee Kwang’s peer, he must have nurtured feelings of inferiority for decades. Therefore, the ambition of surpassing Lee Kwang by learning the supreme techniques overtook his shame in that moment.

Witnessing that scene, I felt pity for Beom Kyun, leaving me speechless.

‘W-What an infuriating personality…’

Lee Kwang was indeed a rascal. Rather than coaxing or coddling the opponent, he thoroughly ignored and looked down on him, boosting their competitive spirit instead! As a result, he successfully provoked Beom Kyun into this confrontation, but he utterly crushed the man’s pride as a martial artist. Such a thought was beyond what an ordinary person could conceive, and even if they did, it could hardly be emulated. It was simply a matter of character.

Next, we went to find Jeong Yun-bo. As we knocked on Eom Sung’s residence, this time, instead of Eom Sung opening the door, guards rushed out from inside like a flood. From above, we could hear Eom Sung roaring at the top of his lungs.

“Damn it! Kill those bastards!!”

“Woooahhh!”

Most of the guards were veterans from the imperial army, well-equipped, with quite a few skilled martial artists from the Jianghu mixed in. Having spent a significant amount of money to ramp up security, some top-tier martial artists were among them. As they rushed at us in numbers exceeding a hundred, even we couldn’t help but feel alarmed.

Jin So-cheong glanced at Lee Kwang and said,

“Master, I’ll handle this.”

“Please do.”

Boom!

Jin So-cheong merely stepped down and executed a basic technique.

“Hiyaaahh!”

“Huff!”

“A monster…”

However, with the sound of destruction, everything within a radius of twenty paces was sent flying due to the shockwave from his step. Seeing dozens of people soaring through the air was something out of a surreal fantasy. As everyone in the hall realized Jin So-cheong’s martial prowess, they froze in shock.

An unbelievable supreme master!

Jin So-cheong threatened them, unleashing his aura.

[Any outsiders meddling in our affair today will not be left unpunished!]

When we boldly advanced towards Eom Sung’s residence, no one dared to budge. Those numerous guards turned their heads away, instinctively realizing that confronting us would lead them to their doom at Jin So-cheong’s hands within a second.

There were no obstacles ahead. It felt as if time itself had stopped.

Upon reaching the highest level of Eom Sung’s residence, we found no sign of him, but instead, there was Jeong Yun-bo, clad in a Black Robe, waiting with crossed arms. He spoke in a deep voice,

“Lee Kwang. Your disciple, Jin So-cheong’s achievements are beyond imagination. How on earth did he reach such a level?”

“Because he obtained Jang Sam-bong’s Seven Supreme Techniques.”

Jeong Yun-bo flinched!

Startled, he shuddered as Lee Kwang calmly continued,

“Don’t you think he could match the Dharma Protector?”

“I… I acknowledge he might just beat the Dharma Protector.”

Then, with a sigh, Jeong Yun-bo added,

“However, what about the leader of the White Lotus Sect? There’s no way you can defeat that monster.”

“Jeong Yun-bo. Speak honestly.”

“What do you mean?”

Lee Kwang and Jeong Yun-bo’s eyes locked onto each other.

“I can see that your eyes are twitching with greed.”

“……!!”

“Now that you’ve calmed down, your emotions are quite visible.”

Coldly stated, Lee Kwang took a step forward.

“Don’t you want to master the Seven Supreme Techniques?”

“Don’t speculate.”

“Of course you do. After all, you consider me your lifelong rival.”

Lee Kwang chuckled,

“Ha-ha… So your grand plan to beat me was merely to live a ‘happy life’, how ridiculous… Did you want to surpass me that badly?”

“Don’t bring my family into this.”

“Of course, I can’t discuss your family. After all, the pathetic one is you.”

“What…?”

As Jeong Yun-bo grew flustered, Lee Kwang continued,

“What remains in my life? Only Jin So-cheong. While you sit idle, claiming you can’t beat the Dharma Protector, my disciple went out, found Jang Sam-bong’s Seven Supreme Techniques, and became stronger. Furthermore, he risked his life to join the White Lotus Sect for the revival of the Thunder God Lineage.”

“……”

“Becoming the lurking protector for the Sovereign? Ridiculous. That’s just your way of pacifying your own broken pride compared to the charity of a beggar.”

“Ugh, you little…”

“You seem fond of his grandson.”

Lee Kwang taunted,

“Ugh…”

Jeong Yun-bo, unable to retort, looked infuriated, grinding his teeth. I found that sight amusing.

‘Even the elite members of the imperial guard feel fear when they see Lee Kwang, yet his peers burn with anger instead.’

Is that what being a peer truly meant?

Lee Kwang extended his spear and said,

“The stage is set. I will show you the difference in our levels.”

“Don’t get cocky, you bastard!”

Crash!

As the two ultimate masters clashed, the sound of thunder echoed in the air. Both were capable of wielding the prowess of the Thunder Spirit, which resulted in this occurrence. Indeed, Jeong Yun-bo seemed to possess talent on par with Lee Kwang, as his martial skills were also remarkable. Unlike when Lee Kwang had easily subdued Beom Kyun, he couldn’t easily encroach upon Jeong Yun-bo’s defenses and instead had to remain cautious of each other.

Kaboom!

Jeong Yun-bo utilized his martial arts primarily through barehanded techniques; contrary to the preconceptions that weapons were weak when not used, his very being seemed like a bomb wrapped in formidable energy. The scene of everything touched by Jeong Yun-bo’s fists bursting into thunder was nothing short of astonishing.

In just twenty seconds, their confrontation had already reduced the hall to the brink of collapse. As the structure threatened to come down, the onlookers fled downstairs as quickly as they could. When one layer of the hall collapsed, the two combatants intensified their conflict, as if a storm of thunder were raging in the skies above.

‘Is this what a confrontation between the top experts of the Thunder God Lineage looks like!’

I marveled inwardly. There were indeed Thunder God Lineage experts like Jeong Yun-bo who concealed their true strength. As Jeong Yun-bo executed flight maneuvers to launch his strikes, Lee Kwang charged in twice, forcing Jeong Yun-bo to utilize unarmed defenses to parry the spear attacks. When Jeong Yun-bo attempted a kick, Lee Kwang nimbly leaped and used a carved fragment of the collapsing structure as leverage for a counterattack.

Swish!

“Ugh.”

That attack was fierce enough to catch Jeong Yun-bo off guard. Instantly, Lee Kwang slipped through the gaps in Jeong Yun-bo’s techniques and pierced through his protective maneuvers. I quickly realized Lee Kwang’s maneuver was undoubtedly an application of the Spiral Thrust technique. Seizing the chance, Lee Kwang lunged forward like a predator and unleashed a flurry of attacks towards Jeong Yun-bo.

Bang!

Kaboom!

Once again, a layer of the hall crumbled as debris flew around two fighting figures, revealing Jeong Yun-bo’s face flooded with despair. Soon, as Lee Kwang launched another thunderous attack at Jeong Yun-bo, he reached the end of his resolve.

Thud!

Jeong Yun-bo’s body crashed down with a loud noise, adding to the chaos. He seemed to have suffered a severe shock, immobilized for a moment before trembling erratically. Lee Kwang landed beside him and coldly stated,

“I have won, Jeong Yun-bo.”

“Y-You Kwang…!!”

“With this victory, I lead by two. How do you plan to make a comeback?”

“……”

Jeong Yun-bo, shooting daggers at Lee Kwang, staggered and spoke.

“Very well. I shall play along with your game. I will provide you with all the information regarding the Thunder God Lineage, but in return, teach me the Seven Supreme Techniques.”

Lee Kwang shook his head.

“That’s not how it works.”

“What?”

“You need to kneel and beg me to teach you. Otherwise, I’ll go find your family and slaughter them all.”

“……!!”

A look of shock crossed Jeong Yun-bo’s face, while Lee Kwang wore a chilling smile.

“Hurry up. Before I change my mind.”

“Damn you!!”

“Counting to three.”

Just then, as Jeong Yun-bo hesitated, on the verge of kneeling, Jin So-cheong intervened, gripping his shoulder. When Lee Kwang cast a penetrating gaze at Jin So-cheong, he stated,

“Master, let’s not cross the line.”

“It was Jeong Yun-bo who started this! He has denied my life!”

Lee Kwang shouted fiercely, and Jin So-cheong sighed.

“Like it or not, he is your peer, isn’t he? If you continue to seek retaliation, you will acquire a significant grudge.”

“……”

Contemplating, Lee Kwang, realizing there was no other way, addressed Jeong Yun-bo,

“You need not kneel. Instead, apologize sincerely to me.”

Reluctantly, Jeong Yun-bo straightened his posture and bowed his head.

“I apologize for what I said before, Lee Kwang.”

“Hmph.”

Lee Kwang scoffed and turned away.

As I watched that scene, Mangnyang chuckled.

“Haha! The return of the Thunder God Lineage is close at hand.”

And indeed, it was. With Lee Kwang’s two peers joining, and Jeong Yun-bo having insight into the remaining Thunder God Lineage experts’ locations, it wouldn’t be long before the Thunder God Lineage would resurrect in the Central Plains. Yet, as I observed this series of events, my heart felt tangled.

‘How can a person be so ruthless?’

Having been insulted by Beom Kyun and Jeong Yun-bo, witnessing Lee Kwang return their contempt multiplied felt both refreshing and absurd. It was as though Lee Kwang was filled with fury, ready to fight the world itself. Even after witnessing him many times through past lives, I could never grow accustomed to it.

But perhaps one had to be this ruthless in order to survive in the martial world?

I recalled how Mangnyang had once told me that Lee Kwang needed to learn this character, making it hard for me to take a singular stance on the matter.

Then, about two months later.

Using Jeong Yun-bo’s intelligence, fifteen descendants of the Thunder God Lineage gathered. This group even included the Thunderbolt Tridents, a success Mangnyang had quietly orchestrated. With numerous Thunder God Lineage experts gathered in the hall, a tremendous fighting spirit filled the air.

As Do Goseong surveyed the gathered Thunder God Lineage warriors, he announced,

“Now, our Thunder God Lineage shall return to the White Lotus Sect.”

No one responded. Goseong’s voice trembled with rage as he continued,

“The leader lured us with the final techniques of the previous Dharma Protector. This is an act that severely underestimates our potential. If they want to play, let’s see how it goes.”

Nevertheless, no one spoke up.

Goseong clenched his fists.

“We will surely repay this grudge!”

Boom!

At that moment, a surge of Thunder Spirit energy burst forth from the gathered Thunder God Lineage descendants. Each one had a different story, but all had grievances against the White Lotus Sect. As their energy coalesced, it felt like a tide sweeping through the world.

Shortly after, the Thunder God Lineage descendants returned to their lodgings. It was time to pack up and use teleportation to head straight to Luoyang in one go. With their mission of returning the Thunder God Lineage nearly completed, Mangnyang let out a sigh.

“Now, it is almost time.”

“Mangnyang, then…”

Mangnyang nodded solemnly.

“It is time to take down the Phoenix with the power of reversal.”