Reincarnation Sword God

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Tai Gong-mang!

He was also known as Strong Baby, the Daoist who defeated the King of Yin in the Silver Age, a Great Strategist, and the de facto Chancellor of the Secretary. Tai Gong-mang was like a shooting star during the Yin Revolution, appearing prominently in both the Official and Unofficial Histories, making him a figure that could not be ignored in discussions of Chinese history. Among the historical figures, he held a unique position, even more famous than that of an emperor.

Tai Gong-mang spoke.

[ It’s unlikely that so many Great Immortals have ever been called throughout history.]

After a brief pause, Tai Gong-mang continued.

[ I wish to bestow blessings upon you, but… I want to give you the choice, as you are exceptional beings.]

“What do you mean by choice?”

[ I will give you the opportunity to receive my blessings or the blessings of another. What will you choose?]

“……”

What does that even mean? My head was momentarily blank, but Mangnyang quickly grasped the situation and responded.

“Isn’t it a problem that the power of a Great Immortal cannot be sustained with a human soul if received twice? Re-selection isn’t even permissible!”

[ That’s true. Hence, I will use my powers to stave off the destruction caused by overlapping energy. So, what will you do?]

“If I choose to re-select, will I gain the effects of the second overlap?”

[ Not necessarily. It would still be the effect of one. ]

Mangnyang nodded.

“Understood. You thought it reasonable to give us the right to choose again because we hesitated due to energy overlap.”

Tai Gong-mang agreed.

[ That’s about the gist of it. So, what will it be?]

“Please wait a moment. We need to consult.”

[ Don’t delay. The sorcerer’s stamina is dwindling. The source Qi will soon be exhausted.]

Indeed, Cheon Woo-jin appeared to be reaching his limits. Mangnyang turned to me and asked,

“Baek Ung, what will you do?”

“So, what you mean is we can receive a past blessing again.”

“Yes. However, I can’t say for certain what that entails. Trust your instincts.”

I pondered deeply.

‘ A re-selection, huh?’

If it was a useful selection, there were four candidates: the Fortune of Tai He, the lifespan of Queen Mother of the West, the swordsmanship of Yeodong-bin, and the martial arts of Yuan Yuanzi!

Among these, Queen Mother of the West’s lifespan blessing was actually the least useful, and I had already obtained enough from Yeodong-bin through the terminal, making it meaningless. As for Zhang Sanfeng’s martial arts, I still hadn’t even comprehended half of the Seven Daemon Arts.

Therefore, receiving Tai He’s great fortune seemed wise. Normally, that would be the conclusion.

But I turned to Tai Gong-mang and said,

“I would like to receive your blessing!”

Tai Gong-mang looked surprised.

[ Are you serious? For the sake of a fair opportunity, I arranged for a re-selection… and you choose my blessing over the renowned celestial beings?]

“Is your blessing bad?”

[ The blessing I grant is the summoning ability of the Four Sacred Beasts.]

“……”

Sacred Beasts.

‘ Seems ambiguous…’

Sacred Beasts refer to divine creatures of the Heavenly Realm, which only advanced immortals can ride. They are equivalent to spirits or mythical beasts in the mortal realm, known for possessing various mystical abilities. Given that they are beasts on par with celestials, only a handful of immortals in the Heavenly Realm had Sacred Beasts according to Mangnyang’s knowledge.

While it was indeed a remarkable blessing, I pondered how beneficial summoning the Four Sacred Beasts would be for me. Perhaps selecting another Great Immortal’s blessing might be better? I hesitated for a moment, but then I visualized Cheon Woo-jin with a nosebleed.

Drip drip!

“Gah.”

[ The sorcerer’s source Qi is depleting.]

Tai Gong-mang spoke so matter-of-factly that I felt a chill. With Cheon Woo-jin nearing death, I hastily said,

“I understand! Please bestow upon me the summoning of the Four Sacred Beasts!”

[ Very well.]

Zing!

Moments later, I saw the Great Immortal departing with light from Cheon Woo-jin’s body. He stumbled briefly and then fell forward. I rushed to support him, but his face was pale as if he was about to take his last breath.

He was gasping. Completely drenched in sweat, he turned to Mangnyang and said,

“Older Brother… I’m afflicted by Divine Fever… please carry me home…”

“Understood.”

Without giving a moment’s thought, Mangnyang hoisted Cheon Woo-jin and dashed off somewhere. I followed closely, and Mangnyang laid Cheon Woo-jin down in his home and began preparing some porridge. I suggested giving him an elixir, but Mangnyang said that a strong elixir could act as poison in his current state.

“Master has absorbed too much potent divine energy and has fallen into Divine Fever.”

“Is it dangerous?”

“I can’t say for sure. But if he survives, he will show remarkable progress. Divine Fever is a state where the powers of great sages overflow excessively within him.”

I infused my Qi into Cheon Woo-jin’s back, applying what healing methods I knew. After about an hour, Cheon Woo-jin calmed down and began to sleep. Mangnyang, sitting in a nearby chair, spoke.

“What a poor fellow.”

“Who? Cheon Woo-jin?”

“Yes. This guy lost his parents at a young age and has been learning sorcery under his master ever since. He’s a prodigy in a sterile environment. So, while his personality may be harsh and odd, he retains a purity that’s good. If he weren’t like that, he wouldn’t help us like this.”

“……”

“Just a thought.”

Mangnyang gently stroked his hair. Although his sorcerous talent was nowhere near comparable, it seemed that Mangnyang treated him with care as an older brother.

Once outside Cheon Woo-jin’s home, Mangnyang declared,

“I think I need to care for him here. Please wait a few days.”

I wanted to summon the Four Sacred Beasts and test things out, but the atmosphere just didn’t support it. That task would have to be mine alone. Frustrated with the current situation, I vented my displeasure.

“Mangnyang, the master, is just going to sit by while his disciple is in that state?”

“That’s the policy of a master; what can be done? Permissive education isn’t necessarily always good.”

“……”

Fuming, I glared at the shrine. Striding forward, I shouted,

“You damn black cat! Are you just going to sit there while your disciple is suffering?!”

In that moment, I was hit by an overwhelming desire to sleep.

I deployed every mental defensive technique against this sudden wave, but it was futile. Staggering, I tried to hold on, but eventually succumbed to the slumbering force.

……

I realized I had entered Mangnyang’s dream world again. As I staggered to stand, Mangnyang’s voice echoed in my ears.

[ Hello.]

I spotted a black cat walking down the path. Upon seeing Mangnyang’s avatar, my anger flared.

“You bastard!”

[ Wrong.]

“What?!”

[ I’m a cat, not a dog.]

“……”

I stared dumbfounded at Mangnyang as he leaped onto the roof.

[ Just joking, and don’t worry, Woo-jin will be fine.]

“Fine? He fainted with a nosebleed!”

[ That’s not a phenomenon caused by fatigue. Instead, it was caused by the excessive divine power. However, if a sorcerer who reached the realm of divine manifestation dies from that degree of energy, that would be as laughable as a cat.]

Mangnyang asserted. I retorted sharply.

“A dog would laugh at it too.”

[ No, even a cat would laugh.]

“What are you so stubborn about?”

Dumbfounded, I yelled, and he swayed his tail.

[ That’s not important. I have something to discuss.]

“What’s that?”

[ Why didn’t you re-select the blessing?]

I looked at Mangnyang with surprise. It was rare for that damn black cat to directly ask me a question. I thought for a moment before answering.

“Because it felt like a waste.”

[ What a waste?]

“Sure, choosing another one could be efficient, but who knows what Tai Gong-mang’s blessing is? That’s all there is to it.”

[ So you were curious to know what Tai Gong-mang’s blessing was?]

“Exactly.”

Now nearing my 20th cycle, it mattered more to me to explore diversity for the bigger picture rather than immediate efficiency. First, I wanted to use Tai Gong-mang’s blessing, and then I could factor that variability into creating new combinations later for a more long-term efficiency.

After hearing my reasoning, Mangnyang remarked,

[ That’s not a human way of thinking.]

“What?!”

I exclaimed incredulously.

“What’s bizarre about what I said?!”

[ A typical human would choose fortune, lifespan, or martial arts. Your choice is something that a being with the lifespan of a Great Immortal might consider for amusement.]

Mangnyang’s cat eyes stared at me without an ounce of emotion.

[ Do you know why I asked? Many are now keenly observing your selection in the Heavenly Realm. In fact, even Yeodong-bin, who is connected to you, felt annoyed and is hiding in the Celestial Storm.]

“……”

[ No one expected you to make this choice. Everyone thought you would pick Tai He’s great fortune. Therefore, you are currently the most intriguing being in the Heavenly Realm.]

I stood there in disbelief.

‘ Was my choice that peculiar?’

Seeing my stunned silence, Mangnyang continued,

[ The Sacred Beasts are indeed valuable, so make good use of them. That will be all.]

“Wait, just a moment!”

[ Why do you call me?]

I cautiously looked at Mangnyang and asked,

“How can I obtain the blessing of Heaven Breaking?”

The powerful blessing that unravels the defensive barriers of the muscular body of Xiang Yu!

I needed to find out how to get that blessing. Given the uncertainty of the enemies ahead, it would be wise to reserve opportunities to summon the divine orders.

[ ……]

Mangnyang swiftly descended to the ground. Positioning against the wall, he started licking his legs, saying,

[ What would you do with it?]

“Just tell me how.”

[ Offer a sacrifice. That’s fundamental.]

I recalled when Mangnyang asked Mangnyang the master for the blessing of Heaven Breaking and he had offered the Crystal Stele and the Changsheng Spirit. But back then, the price was insufficient to hear the world’s secret, and the blessing of Heaven Breaking was granted as a courtesy and caprice of Mangnyang the master. It seemed that the blessing of Heaven Breaking demanded a substantial cost.

I hesitated before asking,

“How much of a sacrifice is needed?”

[ Hmm… Try to conceive of the price you imagine. I will judge it based on that.]

“Understood.”

I first envisioned the Crystal Stele. To my amazement, as I thought of it, an illusion of the Crystal Stele materialized nearby as if it were real. This must be something feasible in this dream realm.

Placing my paw on the Crystal Stele to examine it, Mangnyang the feline proclaimed,

[ Insufficient.]

I then added five Black and White Lotuses on top of it.

[ Still insufficient.]

Finding this frustrating, I took out the box of gold bars and the Nine Immortal Chronicles.

[ Very far from sufficient.]

“……”

I could only gawk at that.

“Hey, crazy black cat!! You say this is insufficient? What in the world are you talking about?!”

How absurd!

The Crystal Stele, a treasured item that could exchange conditionally for the secret arts of the master strategist, and Black and White Lotuses that martial artists could only dream of, not to mention the gold bars, which are worth an arm and a leg, plus the Nine Immortal Chronicles, one of the mightiest sorcerous tomes! I had acquired plenty from the prophet of Astana using those Nine Immortal Chronicles.

Yet still, even after offering all that, I lacked the blessing of Heaven Breaking!

I had practically laid all my resources on the table!

[ What’s puzzling?]

“Damn it!! You grant the blessing of Heaven Breaking to monks or sages without cost? Why do you demand this exorbitant price from me?!”

As I vented my frustration, Mangnyang the feline replied calmly. His answer far surpassed my expectations.

[ Because it’s a blessing for humanity.]