Chapter 264
Chapter 264
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 264
Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm
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My seventeenth life began.
The familiar smell of the stable wafted into my nose. At the same time, I truly felt that I had lost all the connections I had built in the previous life, and I knew I had regressed from a grown body back to a child's. Of course, the internal energy accomplishments I had gained during that time were fully passed down to me intact. I calmly rose to my feet while objectively assessing my condition.
"I need to give this some thought."
I wouldn't say my sixteenth life had been satisfactory. There were far too many regrets. Overthrowing the Imperial Palace had been a triumph, but in the end, Suyo Makya had gone berserk, nearly getting sealed after clashing with the Heavenly Realm. And now, my mind was filled with the knowledge and experiences of sorcery that Jisun Mangnyang had instilled in me.
Jisun Mangnyang had barged onto Kunlun Mountain and endured near-death ordeals for about two years to master sorcery. In the end, after pushing beyond his limits, he gained the fortune of becoming a direct disciple of the Great Luo Immortal Nine Heavens Profound Woman, and by seizing treasures from the Heavenly Realm, he enhanced his usable spells and abilities. Reaching the level of a fully capable Jisun in such a short time was purely the result of his own luck, effort, and skill.
I pondered up to that point, then a question arose.
'Why did Itaquah, implanted in Makya, go berserk?'
Astana's prophet had told me:
[Is there any chance Itaquah could take over my mind or body?]
[Impossible... because the Itaquah dwelling there is not its true body, but an avatar... It can never break the contract...]
[An avatar?]
[Most [Old Ones] never carelessly reveal their true forms... Well, since it's a contract, it surely contains a fraction of Itaquah's full power.]
I had already questioned the prophet about the possibility of Itaquah hijacking the body. And since the prophet, possessor of supreme wisdom, had firmly denied it, I had proceeded without hesitation to nurture Makya to his utmost. Yet, after fully developing Makya's power, the result had been Itaquah's body takeover and rampage.
Had the prophet deceived me?
Rage surged within me for a moment, but another thought cooled it.
'No. There are other possibilities.'
I mulled it over deeply. This time, I resolved to press the prophet on the matter definitively.
And I began seriously considering what I needed to do going forward.
Up until now, my overriding goal had been the 'Overthrow of the Imperial Palace.' Toppling it alone had been an immense ordeal, leaving no room to think of anything else. But in my last life, after actually bringing down the Imperial Palace, the Heavenly Realm had emerged as a massive obstacle. Moreover, Jisun Mangnyang's memories hinted at a terrifying darkness lurking within the Heavenly Realm itself.
From now on, I had to treat the Heavenly Realm as a hypothetical enemy and prepare to fight it. I couldn't ignore the chance that it might be the root of all evil.
"I need to meet Mangnyang."
I reached that conclusion. No matter how I looked at it, Mangnyang held the key to every problem. He bridged the present, past, and future. Whatever wisdom or conclusion I arrived at, his thoughts were most likely to be the right ones.
I started to move to obtain the Heavenly Dark Secret Book right away, then paused.
'Come to think of it, is it right to immediately drive out Yeo Dongbin with the Absolute Severance Incantation?'
The terminal of the Heavenly Realm envoy Yeo Dongbin attached to me wasn't in constant possession. Strictly speaking, it only descended in advance to resonate with me when detecting demons. So right now, Yeo Dongbin wasn't scrutinizing my state in detail.
Considering what Yeo Dongbin had done to me, it wouldn't be enough to cast Absolute Severance right away and expel him, but I decided against acting rashly. In my last life, circumstances had spiraled, turning me against both Yeo Dongbin and the Heavenly Realm, but Yeo Dongbin himself was a tremendous asset. I suspected there might be times when facing demonic beasts without him would be inconvenient.
'I'll leave him be until I can liberate Suyo Makya.'
It wouldn't hurt to keep him around a bit longer to fully internalize Yeo Dongbin's Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship. With that decision, I began to move.
First, obtaining the Heavenly Dark Secret Book and then the Golden Cauldron proceeded as expected. I reached the Thunder Prison just before confronting the massive toad, the [Beast of the Moon].
Flash!
As I encountered the Beast of the Moon, Sword Immortal Yeo Dongbin began descending upon me.
[I have come to vanquish the demon!!]
His voice brimmed with heroic valor. I felt a colossal spirit envelop my body. Sensing his presence, a thought suddenly struck me.
'Wait. Could I learn the Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship myself?'
The Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship wasn't human swordsmanship—it was immortal swordsmanship. Thus, it had no fixed forms; instead, it relied on essential principles. It began with the first principle of Faith (信), flowing into the second principle of Resolution (解), resonating with the念 of Release and Flame. So, up to now, I could say I had mastered up to the second principle of the Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship.
Without yielding my body to Sword Immortal Yeo Dongbin, I questioned his spirit.
[Yeo Dongbin. I have a question.]
[My vessel. What is it?]
[How many principles does the Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship have? And how far can I master them?]
Groooar—
Before my eyes, the giant toad writhed, assuming battle stance. It seemed ready to lunge any second, heightening the tension, but I believed my current skill could handle it. Then Yeo Dongbin replied.
[It starts with Faith (信), flows into Resolution (解), enters Annihilation (入滅), realizes Emptiness (空), and becomes Heavenly Escape (天遁).]
[Five stages in total, then.]
[Indeed. Unless my vessel trusts and yields to me, entry into the first principle is impossible.]
In other words, it began at the stage of accepting divine possession with Faith, where the mighty Great Luo Immortal Yeo Dongbin awakened my soul, allowing me to grasp the essence of the Heavenly Escape Swordsmanship. I now had a rough sense of its learning structure.
Another thought occurred to me.
[Yeo Dongbin. Could you evaluate my fighting?]
His bewildered response came.
[What?]
[I have my own swordsmanship skills. I'd like the judgment of one called Sword Immortal even among Great Luo Immortals.]
[Do as you wish.]
I nodded and charged at the Beast of the Moon. The lord of demons ruling the Great Thunder Jade, the Beast of the Moon was an enormous demonic beast that had once withstood ultimate techniques from both Jin So-cheong and Lee Gwang charging together without dying, boasting incredible durability. That was why I had always relied on Yeo Dongbin rather than facing it alone.
But today was different. Having built considerable martial prowess in my last life, I wanted to test myself properly against it. And I wanted that process evaluated by an immortal-level being called the Sword Immortal.
Thud thud.
Using Soul Extinguishing Step to close in, I immediately unleashed sword aura to smash its head. I recalled easily dispatching it before with Miho's help.
[Kraaah!!]
But unlike before, the Beast of the Moon spewed strange qi and suddenly erupted blade-like spines from its entire skin. It seemed like an instinctive defensive ability triggered by peril. I hastily dodged the spines and retreated.
'What? It didn't react like this before...'
It hit me: last time, Miho's teleportation had allowed a surprise attack. Against an unavoidable strike, that spine ability didn't activate. Meaning, ordinary close-range attacks couldn't one-shot it.
Gritting my teeth, I lunged at the Beast of the Moon.
Boom!!
[Kraaaah!!]
Thud.
How long did I fight, unleashing sword aura with Will Sword Techniques, Thunder God Style secret arts, and footwork? Before I knew it, I realized I had defeated it. It felt like a battle that had pushed me to my limits, breath ragged to my throat. Panting, I thought:
'About four hundred exchanges...'
A short number if brief, but since I fought unleashing thunder, it had consumed considerable stamina and internal energy. As I sat in meditation to recover, Yeo Dongbin spoke.
[Vessel. Impressive arts for one so young.]
[Were there many flaws?]
[Unnecessary movements, high consumption of Will Sword Techniques. And inefficient use of your internal energy. With more experience, it should improve.]
Consumption?
I tilted my head. Yeo Dongbin's advice pinpointed something I hadn't considered.
[What do you mean by consumption?]
[You can draw Will Sword Techniques and wield sword aura fluently. However, advancing to a deeper realm reduces mental and energy consumption. You haven't reached that yet.]
[Ah...!!]
Suddenly, I recalled what the Sword Demon always said when imparting martial arts to me. He hadn't stated it directly, but he'd implied I could use Will Sword Techniques more easily. The Sword Demon had probably planned to teach me the knack once I matured.
'Could it be that Lee Gwang spammed Will Sword Techniques more easily than me due to proficiency difference?'
It started making sense. Curious, I asked more.
[If one had infinite internal energy, could they use Will Sword Techniques infinitely?]
[Not quite. But they could lower mental consumption by substituting with internal energy.]
[Hmm.]
[Infinite internal energy is impossible for humans anyway, so forget it.]
Whoosh.
I felt Yeo Dongbin's terminal departing. With the demon vanquished, no reason to linger. But his advice was worth more than gold, so I pondered its meaning deeply.
'No wonder Guardian Lions hold absolute advantage in duels against peak experts— that's part of it.'
Will Sword Techniques consumed tremendous mental power, so they couldn't be used often in battle. They were ultimate moves to deploy judiciously at key moments. But if a Guardian Lion had near-infinite internal energy, they could substitute it like I forcibly did with sword aura, minimizing personal drain while chaining ultimates endlessly. That made them terrifying.
I collected the Neck Armor, Nine Stars Origin Sword, Twin Tiger Swords, then rescued General Hwang Yeon and the other prisoners. Before releasing them, I spoke with General Hwang Yeon.
"General. I have a question."
"Speak."
"Do you know General Jin Cheon-hwi by any chance?"
At my question, General Hwang Yeon flinched in surprise. Then he replied.
"Young hero. What is your relation to him?"
"I believe my sect's senior brother is that gentleman's son."
"Hah... Then you're Lee Gwang's disciple?"
"You know Jin So-cheong."
General Hwang Yeon nodded vigorously.
"Of course. I once heard of him through a letter from Lee Gwang."
"Do you also know that Lee Gwang is actually carrying on the Thunder God Style?"
"Naturally."
Hwang Yeon seemed to have known much about Lee Gwang and the Thunder God Style even from the early days. Until now, I had left him alone out of disinterest, but in this life, I planned to probe about Jin Cheon-hwi, Jin So-cheong's father. Somehow, his existence felt like a major key to my path ahead.
I pressed on.
"Shaolin's top expert, Divine Monk, also knew General Jin Cheon-hwi. Do you know why?"
"Divine Monk... Well, Jin Cheon-hwi's sect is Shaolin, so it's natural."
"Pardon? Shaolin?"
General Hwang Yeon sat on a nearby rock, his legs apparently aching, and said.
"He trained in martial arts at Shaolin in his youth before entering military service. A genius in martial arts, he was even considered for leadership among Shaolin's lay disciples, so Divine Monk knowing him is no surprise."
"Hmm..."
"You seem very curious about Jin Cheon-hwi."
"I've heard he was the greatest general in the Central Plains, but there's surprisingly little known about him."
"Doesn't Lee Gwang tell you?"
"He avoids mentioning it altogether."
Hwang Yeon smiled bitterly.
"Well... that makes sense. Jin Cheon-hwi helped the young sprout Lee Gwang adapt to the Imperial Palace."
"Is he still alive?"
"He's dead."
"Can you tell me how?"
His next words shocked me.
"He held succession rights superior to the current Emperor!"
"......!!"
What did that mean? Flustered, I said.
"The throne...? You mean Jin Cheon-hwi was imperial royalty?"
"Indeed. Raised at Shaolin in childhood, he rose through military ranks, but he was imperial blood from the start. About the current Emperor's elder brother age."
"......"
"The moment the Emperor ascended, he seized a pretext, annihilated his clan, and executed him. To solidify his own throne."
I felt things clicking into place.
'Could Jin So-cheong be...'
Why Hwang Yeon and Lee Gwang cherished Jin So-cheong so much. Why iron-blooded Lee Gwang, who cared for nothing but reviving the Thunder God Style, raised him like a son. It all connected in one thread.
Hwang Yeon said.
"The reason I'm revealing such a great secret to you is that you strike me as someone who'll accomplish big things."
"Big things?"
"We've clutched this secret but hit the limits of reality, achieving nothing. Yet I feel you could do it. You have a vessel that vast."
Hwang Yeon's assessment felt burdensome. I'd never seen myself as that extraordinary. After that, I stored Hwang Yeon and the prisoners in the Neck Armor, went straight to Mount Huang to gather Black and White Orchids and Millennium Snow Ginseng, and obtained Makya and the gold ingot.
Using the cauldron to head to Pirate Island, I thought just before:
'Hm. Sword Demon Sect Leader had a favor.'
In case of reincarnation, he'd asked me to switch the order.
Until now, meeting Sword Demon often felt burdensome, so I'd delayed visiting the Shadowless Sect. But knowing he was trustworthy now, it seemed better to see him sooner.
So I first went to the Dongyoung Mine for obsidian, then to the Shadowless Sect. It didn't take long to pass the gatekeeper and meet Shadowless Sect Leader Sword Demon.
"Hmm. You're the one who knows my daughter's whereabouts?"
Sword Demon Seomun Daeryong spoke calmly to me, looking much as before. But he had no memory of our master-disciple bond, seeing me as a complete stranger now. It stung my heart, but I broached the topic.
"Yes. Follow me, and you'll see."
"Hard to trust."
"Then you'll miss the chance to rescue your daughter yourself."
"A boy like you suddenly appears, claims to know my daughter's fate, and says follow—anyone would suspect."
"Fair enough."
I nodded, then pulled out a large obsidian from my bosom. And said.
"I possess a mystical spell that transmits memories. Read mine with this, and you'll know."
"Hahaha... Audacious as Mount Tai. How do I know it's not a trap?"
"But Sect Leader, to learn Lady Seomun Hye's fate, you'd grasp at straws. Naturally, you're suspecting the Eight Demonic Sects' Poison Horse and digging for info."
"......"
"Boldly, I ask: place your hand on this obsidian."
Sword Demon Seomun Daeryong hesitated. Then, resolved, he slowly placed his hand on it.
Flash!!
The next instant, the memories I'd packed tightly flowed from the obsidian into Sword Demon. He accepted the massive memory torrent with a dazed expression.
Soon, Sword Demon regained his senses and said.
"...So that's how it was. Truly unbelievable... yet I must believe."
I performed disciple's courtesy again, cupping fists.
"Pleasure to meet you, Sword Demon Sect Leader."
Sword Demon now had my memories up to the sixteenth cycle. Organizing his thoughts, he said.
"First, let's go wipe out those pirate scum. Can we fit our Shadowless Sect folk in that Neck Armor too?"
"Of course."
Sword Demon ground his teeth, unable to contain his emotions. It was about his forbidden fruit, only daughter, after all.
"I'll tear those bastards apart."
Indeed.
In the sixteenth life, Sword Demon had requested I restore his memories early precisely so he could personally avenge against the pirates with his own hands.