Chapter 645: Ice Qi
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 645: Ice Qi
My mind went blank.
I didn’t even know where to begin processing it. That was the only way to describe the feeling.
What the hell is this guy talking about?
I tried to understand, but I couldn't. His words were simply too far-fetched to grasp.
“You’re saying I’m the reincarnation of the Divine Sword of Mount Hua?”
Me, the reincarnation of Elder Shin? Or, to be precise, the vessel his spirit was supposed to inhabit?
The moment the thought crossed my mind, I had only one reaction:
What kind of bullshit is that?
It was utterly absurd. How could things have possibly led to such a conclusion?
With a thoroughly bewildered expression, I looked at Namgung Myung and said, “That’s ridiculous.”
“Why?”
Namgung Myung’s flat question made me let out a hollow laugh.
“I am not a member of the Mount Hua Sect.”
I could list dozens of reasons, but that was the simplest one. From the uniform I wore to the fact that I used fist and foot arts, there was nothing to suggest I belonged to the Mount Hua Sect.
The only connections are the Qi I inherited from Elder Shin and the sect’s identification pass.
The Qi I had absorbed from the treasure and the wooden pass they gave me as an honorary martial artist—that was it. And yet, I was Elder Shin’s reincarnation?
It would be more believable if he said Yung Pung was the reincarnation.
That was the truth. If he had claimed Yung Pung was the one, it would have been far easier to swallow.
After all, everything would line up.
Yung Pung was a member of the Mount Hua Sect. He used the same martial arts and the same internal cultivation techniques. As the man hailed as the greatest prodigy in the sect's history, he certainly possessed the talent. If Elder Shin’s soul was to be reborn, it should have been as someone like Yung Pung, not me.
And even if it wasn’t Yung Pung...
There were plenty of other suitable candidates, but I certainly wouldn't be among them. I was sure of it, and yet…
“What does that have to do with anything?” Namgung Myung replied, as if my logic didn't bother him in the slightest.
I frowned at his nonchalance. “Pardon?”
“I could tell you weren’t a Taoist of the Mount Hua Sect the moment I laid eyes on you. I am not blind.”
“Then how can you be so certain it is me?”
“Because such things are meaningless.”
“Meaningless?”
“Let me ask you this. Is there any reason his reincarnation must be a Taoist of the Mount Hua Sect?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
Elder Shin was a man who had lived his entire life as a pillar of the Mount Hua Sect. If he were to be reincarnated, it would be far more convenient to be born back into that sect. Wouldn't it be a hassle to be reborn as a descendant of some random clan that used unfamiliar techniques like spears or fist arts?
After all, Elder Shin was a swordsman.
It wasn't a strict rule of the universe, but it was a matter of what made sense.
“Hmm.” Hearing this, Namgung Myung gave a slight nod. “You have a point.”
His acknowledgment came much faster than I expected. I thought we were about to have a long debate, but just as I felt the conversation was ending anticlimactically…
“However, that is not a valid reason either.”
Namgung Myung’s eyes swept over me, his gaze sizing me up with clinical precision.
“His martial arts and his position do not define him.”
I focused on his words. His characteristic certainty commanded my absolute attention.
“The reason that man was called the Divine Sword of Mount Hua was simply because he was born and raised on Mount Hua and happened to wield a sword.”
Though his tone was laced with his usual displeasure, his words held a clear sense of acknowledgment. It was a subtle difference, but that very subtlety made me focus even more.
“Do you know what else Shincheol was called, besides the Divine Sword of Mount Hua?”
“…I do not.”
Another title? I truly didn't know. I didn't recall seeing anything else in the historical records. Did he have another name? If he did, I would have guessed something along the lines of "The Mad Dog of Mount Hua." Considering even the Thunderous Sword Namgung Myung had been called the God of Thunder, I figured it might be something similar.
“The First Sword of the Central Plains.”
“…!”
“That was his other title.”
The weight of that name, coming from Namgung Myung’s lips, pressed down on me. It was inevitable. The word "First" was heavy enough on its own, but the one saying it was Namgung Myung—a man who would have undoubtedly been a candidate for the strongest swordsman of that era himself.
Yet, that same Namgung Myung called Elder Shin "the First" without a hint of hesitation. The dissonance of that statement made my heart tremble. I was at a loss for words, but Namgung Myung continued as if he wasn't finished.
“If he had wielded a spear in some nameless martial clan instead of on Mount Hua, he would have been called the First Spear of the Central Plains.”
My eyes widened. As he spoke, I began to understand what Namgung Myung was trying to say.
“If he had taken up a bow, he would have been praised as the Divine Archer. If he had walked the path of an assassin, no one would have ever known his face or his name.”
He was saying that no matter what weapon he held or what art he learned, the man would have reached the pinnacle. It was the highest form of praise.
“Fist arts… well, that alone might have been difficult, I suppose, but regardless—that’s the kind of man he was.”
The comment about fist arts being difficult was likely a jab at Yeon Il-Cheon. Even setting that aside, what I had just heard gave me much to think about.
A man who would have reached the top no matter what he did.
When I tried to picture the Elder Shin I knew, the image didn't quite match. But beyond that…
That’s a description of someone who has nothing to do with me.
It was a description far removed from who I was. The pinnacle? The Zenith Under the Heavens? I had always thought those were the words least applicable to my life. Furthermore, when I heard that Elder Shin had lived for the sake of the world, my conviction grew even stronger.
I could never do that.
It wasn't just anything; it was the part about living for the world that bothered me. Not for myself, not for someone important to me, but for the world?
What kind of crazy talk is that? I couldn't do it even out of sheer spite.
I couldn't, and I had no intention of trying. That was the kind of person I was. That’s why I hoped it wasn't true. I could accept the work Elder Shin wanted to do and live as his descendant, but I could not adopt his mindset or live the life he did.
I knew that all too well. I was similar to Elder Shin, yet fundamentally different. We seemed to fit, yet there was a twisted part of me that didn't align.
I can’t be Elder Shin’s reincarnation.
Namgung Myung had to be mistaken.
“Just… what is your reason for being so certain it’s me? From what you’ve said, I understand he was a legendary figure. But I am a person far removed from that.”
“Descendant, how old are you?”
“Twenty.”
If you included my past life, I was much older, but I didn't offer those details.
“I see. At your age, neither Shincheol nor I had reached that level. As a vessel, you do not seem lacking.”
“...”
I frowned. “No, this is…”
I had only reached this realm because I had devoured all sorts of fortuitous encounters thanks to my regression. In terms of pure talent, I was far inferior. The inability to explain this made things incredibly complicated. To him, reaching the Fusion Realm at this age made me look like an unprecedented monster, but this wasn't an achievement I had earned with talent alone.
That’s why I wasn't moved by his praise.
Watching me, Namgung Myung spoke with a puzzled expression. “Descendant, you seem less interested in learning the truth and more like you’re desperately hoping you aren’t him.”
“...” I couldn't deny it.
“Why?”
“Do I have to explain that as well?”
The courtesy I had barely maintained began to crumble. An angry tone slipped out before I could stop it.
“It matters not. Whatever your reaction, it will not hide the truth.” Namgung Myung remained unfazed. I couldn't decide whether to be relieved or annoyed. “Descendant.”
I looked at him.
“You asked how I could be so certain it was you.”
“…Yes.”
The claim that I was Elder Shin’s reincarnation was something none of the other spirits I had met had ever mentioned. So how could he be so sure?
In response, Namgung Myung pointed to a part of my body. My gaze followed his finger. It was my arm.
“The Solar Light bound to your left arm.”
Elder Shin’s beloved weapon, which had lost its original color and now glowed with a blue light.
“That is the proof.”
“…!” My eyes widened. “What does that have to do with anything?”
This was the proof? How the hell is this thing proof?
The Solar Light was an item I had obtained from the secret vault of the Heavenly Dragon Academy. It was something Elder Shin had found for me, and it had fused to my arm, refusing to come off. For a while, I didn't even know what it was. I had been using it effectively since learning it was Elder Shin’s weapon, but this was the proof?
“How can the Solar Light be proof…?”
“The Solar Light follows you. What more proof is needed?”
Ah, is it because I’m using the Solar Light that he thinks this way? If so, I had an excuse.
“In the past, I have also used your beloved weapon, Senior.”
“My weapon?”
“Yes, the Thunder Sword.”
“...”
The Thunder Sword, used by the Thunderous Sword Namgung Myung. I had used it once in Sichuan. It was an item that supposedly couldn't be used by anyone not of the Namgung bloodline, yet for some reason, I had been able to wield it. Considering that even Namgung Myung’s lingering regret within the sword had been shocked, it was likely due to my unique constitution.
Therefore, I thought I might be able to use the Solar Light for the same reason.
“That is different,” Namgung Myung said, issuing a firm denial.
“Different?”
“Forcing it to obey and having it follow you are two different principles.”
“What does that—”
“Do you truly believe the Thunder Sword followed you?”
At his words, I recalled the situation. Did the Thunder Sword follow me?
…Hmm.
I had certainly used the Thunder Sword, but the backlash I felt afterward was severe. I had forcibly suppressed it to make use of it. If asked whether it had "followed" me, the answer was definitely no.
“I don’t know if it followed me or not… but it’s a fact that I used it.”
“A fact, indeed. All treasures will bow their heads before you.”
“Pardon?”
“You are a Dragon, are you not?”
“…!”
A dagger was hidden in his impassive words. For a moment, I failed to control my expression.
He knew?
It wasn't that I was trying to hide it, but I had never shown it, and Namgung Myung hadn't mentioned it until now. It seemed he had known from the very beginning.
“Are you saying that me being a Dragon is related to my ability to use the Thunder Sword?”
I didn't deny being a Dragon. I thought it would be a waste of time. I intended to get through the questions quickly, but…
“Of course. In the first place, treasures are items that originated from Dragons.”
“What?” I paused.
I had heard something like it before. Treasures were said to be items obtained from white-ranking demons. And I knew that those beings were now called Dragons. But what did that have to do with this?
“Dragons are the masters of treasures. Even if a treasure has acknowledged a human as its master, it will ultimately be drawn to a Dragon.”
“So, what you’re saying is…”
I could use the Thunder Sword because I was a Dragon. And by extension, I could use any treasure if I chose to. Then…
“Couldn’t my ability to use the Solar Light be for the same reason?”
“As I said before, there is a difference between following and being forced. The Solar Light is following you.”
I wasn't sure what the technical difference was, but I understood the sentiment. The Solar Light followed me. Unlike the backlash that had struck me immediately after using the Thunder Sword, there was nothing of the sort with the Solar Light. I could use it whenever I wanted, and there was no price to pay.
I had thought this was purely because I possessed a small amount of Elder Shin’s Qi and because his spirit had been present.
But that wasn’t it…?
As I thought about this, an old memory surfaced. The day I saw the Solar Light at Wudang. The day it had suddenly flown toward me of its own accord.
...
There was too much evidence to deny it. Reality was closing in, making it harder to claim it wasn't true.
“Senior…”
“Enough.” Just as I was about to ask more, Namgung Myung raised his hand. “I came here only to confirm the situation and make a request of you. I had no intention of engaging in a long, private conversation.”
“But—”
“Besides, there is no time.”
Crack—!
No sooner had Namgung Myung spoken than a sound echoed through the space. I looked up to see a crack forming in the empty air. It was a familiar sight. It meant the end of our conversation was being forced upon us.
I grit my teeth. Goddammit, I still have so much to ask.
I had learned a lot, but my questions had multiplied just as much. If I was the body Elder Shin should have obtained upon his reincarnation, then where did the spirit that was supposed to enter it go? Also, what was Namgung Myung trying to do here in the first place? I still hadn't heard why he needed to go to the North.
“I will answer your next questions in the not-too-distant future. However, I hope Shincheol will be with you then.”
“Next time… you mean you’re not just going to disappear?” That was a relief.
“I was not given much time. But this, too, must be my role.”
Tap.
Namgung Myung reached out and tapped my forehead with his fingertip. I didn't dodge. No, I couldn't. The movement was so natural that I couldn't react in time.
In that instant, a faint electric current coursed through my body. It felt like Lightning Qi was seeping into my marrow.
“What is this…?”
“The order is correct. Now, find Xinjiang.”
“Pardon?”
“Though this was not the arrangement we planned, if Shincheol chose you, then that too must be fate. It does not matter what you are. Therefore, head there next.”
“…!” His blunt words carried a heavy weight.
“And.” Namgung Myung pointed toward the Black Lion and the leader of the Ice Palace. “If you can, I would like you to save that member of the Ice Palace’s bloodline.”
“The leader, you mean…?”
It was a sudden request. Why ask me to save the leader now?
As I looked at him with a questioning gaze, he added, “I owe him a personal debt. I have given you much, so you can at least do this much, can’t you?”
“Ha.” I let out a hollow laugh.
So this was the "request" attached to all the information he had been spilling. Why would Namgung Myung owe the leader a debt? I was curious, but I couldn't ask.
“If you wish for what comes next, I trust you will do at least that much.”
If I wanted to hear the rest, I had to do as I was told. He called it a request, but it was no different from a threat. As I stared at him, dumbfounded…
CR-CRACK—!!
The cracked background began to shatter. The end had come. As the falling debris grew larger and a low rumbling vibration spread, Namgung Myung looked at me one last time.
“Ah, and Descendant.”
There was no time to answer.
“Be wary of Yeon Il-Cheon.”
“What…?”
I tried to ask what he meant, but a violent tremor swept through, cutting me off. The vibration exploded, and my eyes squeezed shut. Fighting through the disorientation, I forced them open again.
“Biwegun—!!”
By then, everything had already returned to normal. Reality had returned.