Chapter 268
Chapter 268
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 268
Chapter Title: Heavenly Realm
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Miho’s words carried a sharp edge of wariness and hostility that left me taken aback. She had never reacted like this before. Moreover, the implication behind what she said was far too serious to ignore, so I pressed her.
“Wolryo? Did the Queen Mother of the West truly say that?”
“...Yes, so get out! I don’t want to be disturbed by a human like you right now.”
Beyond her hostility, I could sense Miho’s lack of composure.
‘She’s desperate...’
Miho had a genius-level talent for concealing her emotions. Of course, she revealed them when showing me favor or when she needed something, but otherwise, she could hide and manipulate her inner thoughts at will. If even I could read her emotions now, it meant she was in such an obsessive state that she could no longer control herself.
She had probably mentioned her mission to obtain Wolryo just to chase me away—me, someone with ties to the Heavenly Realm. After a moment’s thought, I said to her.
“...Understood. My name is Baek Woong. If I hear any good news, I’ll let you know.”
“......”
Leaving Miho without a response, I exited the Heavenly Emperor’s Palace. But I didn’t feel like using the Return Talisman right away, so I climbed onto a rooftop in Kyoto’s city streets and dazedly basked in the sunlight. I had left to avoid provoking her further, but it still left a bitter aftertaste.
‘To think that strong negotiations with the Heavenly Realm’s immortals would lead to this.’
The Queen Mother of the West’s favor had been an absolute prerequisite for befriending Miho. Her attitude toward me determined Miho’s goodwill. Naturally, in this reincarnation where I had provoked and enraged the Queen Mother, there was no way Miho would view me positively.
I felt a twinge of resentment toward Mangryang but quickly shook it off.
‘Mangryang wouldn’t provoke the Queen Mother without reason. Even if I can’t ally with Miho now, I have no choice but to endure...’
I could have handed over the obsidian right there to restore her memories. Or revealed the high-level information only I knew to pique her interest.
But Miho was mentally unstable at the moment and in no state to trust me. With the negative impression planted by the Queen Mother, she might even see me as a mortal enemy and attack.
Smacking my lips, I pondered what I needed to do in the Eastern Realm. Since I wouldn’t be visiting often, I wanted to accomplish something efficient before leaving.
‘Hm. Come to think of it, there’s one thing.’
Finding the real Miyamoto Musashi!
I wanted to track down that being who was undoubtedly the Eastern Realm’s strongest expert. Every person I located would expand my options in future reincarnations. I decided to stay in the Eastern Realm for about a month to search for Musashi.
First, I headed to the Hosokawa family, where the fake Miyamoto Musashi supposedly resided. According to what I had heard last time, Musashi was currently living quietly in the Hosokawa’s Kumamoto domain, receiving a stipend.
Kumamoto was a region surrounded by mountains on three sides, with vast plains and a focus on agriculture and livestock. I saw cattle grazing here and there as I traveled. The area where Musashi stayed was quite remote even within Kumamoto, so I spent three days asking around to reach him.
Grabbing a nearby farmer, I inquired about Musashi.
“You mean that samurai? He occasionally wanders around the mansion near the castle...”
“Anything unusual about him?”
“He’s so quiet that I rarely see him, and I haven’t heard any stories.”
I headed straight to Musashi’s residence.
Ding-a-ling—
A wind chime rang out, and in the sweltering heat, the traditional house’s door stood ajar. Even though it was open, I waited a long while before knocking.
“Anyone home?”
No answer came, so I strode inside. As I reached the inner room, a voice finally spoke.
“An extraordinary expert. Who might you be?”
In the center of the room, Miyamoto Musashi sat with his hand on his sword sheath. It looked like he was merely sitting, but it was actually a deadly iaijutsu stance ready to draw and strike anyone entering his range.
I stared steadily at Musashi, gauging his level.
‘It’s not unwinnable. No... I can definitely take him.’
Training my intent under the Sword Demon for so long and solidifying the transcendent realm had sharpened my ability to assess opponents. To my eyes, the Musashi before me fell short of being the Eastern Realm’s strongest. He would likely be outmatched by fellow sword saints like Nobutsuna or Bokuden.
From the moment I approached, Musashi had sensed his inferiority in qi and assumed this defensive iaijutsu posture. It meant my pure skill was at least a level above his.
I said quietly.
“I am Baek Woong. I came to see what kind of man the unparalleled sword hero renowned throughout the land truly is.”
“And your impression?”
“Disappointing.”
Musashi chuckled.
“Kukuku... I have no words. So, will you kill me?”
I shook my head.
“Not today. I came to learn your truth.”
“Truth?”
I met Musashi’s gaze steadily and spoke plainly.
“The Five Wheels Book you possess doesn’t suit you. There’s no way you mastered it yourself. Where did you obtain it?”
“......!!”
Musashi’s eyes widened in shock. A bead of sweat visibly trailed down his forehead. He glared at me piercingly, then subtly slid one foot forward, solidifying his offensive stance.
‘He wants to fight.’
My words had struck his reverse scale. No, if my guess was right, that statement exposed his greatest secret. Now, Musashi was obsessed with killing me by any means.
I smiled coldly.
“Niten Ichi-ryu. Let’s see it.”
I casually unleashed the Thunder Spirit Seal. As the signature technique of Red Moon among the Thunder God Style’s Wall Thunder Three Lords, it was the pinnacle of the Thunder God Style’s recommended arts and perfect against a stationary iaijutsu stance. Musashi had no choice but to leap aside, and the next instant, his house exploded.
Kwang-kwang!!
Amid the flying debris, Musashi vaulted into the air, flipping and unleashing bizarre sword techniques to attack me. His responses were sly and agile, evoking a snake, and the sharp variations in his swordplay made it slightly taxing to block.
‘Impressive swordsmanship.’
Clang!
After clashing about twenty exchanges in midair, we landed again. Facing Musashi three zhang away, I fired a Heavenly Thunder Seal infused with sword aura. The sword aura sliced through the air at blinding speed, growing monstrously large until it could bisect a city street.
“......!!”
Musashi’s face twisted in alarm as he desperately dodged the Heavenly Thunder Seal.
While it was in flight, I flicked my finger again to guide it, pursuing him like a homing missile. Inevitable, Musashi swung his twin blades to weave a sword curtain, attempting to shatter the aura with myriad variations.
Boom!
Unable to withstand the impact, Musashi bounced into the air, and I charged straight at him. The self-flow swordsmanship I had trained under the Sword Demon seamlessly transcended into intent-cutting techniques, thrusting at him. Musashi couldn’t even counter properly, merely blocking my assaults desperately.
Had about two hundred exchanges passed?
Kieeeeng—
Musashi’s blade snapped in half, flying into the air. The broken edge pierced deep into the ground, and Musashi stood with the shattered sword, his face ashen. He had endured my attacks as long as possible, but ultimately, his overwhelming inferiority in internal energy cost him his weapon.
I pointed my sword tip at his throat and said.
“I don’t want your life. I just want the truth.”
“......”
Musashi ground his teeth. He showed no intention of revealing his secret. It was clearly tied to his honor as a “samurai,” making death preferable. Threats alone wouldn’t work, so I continued.
“You know your realm has stagnated. It’s a side effect of forcibly cultivating arts unfit for your level. You must have suspected as much.”
Flinch!
Musashi visibly wavered. Then he spoke.
“How much do you know? Have you seen the Five Wheels Book?”
“Let’s say I turned suspicion into certainty. At this rate, you’ll never break through in your lifetime. Even mastering via the Five Wheels Book is blocked, isn’t it?”
Musashi’s expression grew frantic. I had hit the mark.
“...What are you getting at?”
“Tell me the truth, and I’ll take you as my comrade. Then I can impart peerless martial arts to help you escape your current realm.”
Musashi scoffed.
“I acknowledge you’re a level above, but I can’t believe you possess such peerless arts.”
“It’s the truth. Surpassing you at my age isn’t ordinarily possible, is it?”
“......”
“This is an ultimatum. Refuse, and I won’t hold back.”
If he rejected this, I was out of options. I’d cripple him on the spot, subdue him, and use the Eight Trigram Seal to torture the truth out. I hesitated only because it felt dirty, but it would work.
Musashi relented.
“...Fine. I’ll do it.”
“Good choice.”
“First, lower your sword. Your heroic spirit is stifling my heart.”
Swish.
As I withdrew my blade, Musashi collapsed as if deflated. He stared at his broken sword and sighed.
“So this day has come at last!”
Musashi sat silently amid the ruins, organizing his thoughts. Then he said.
“This will take time. Let’s move before the guards arrive.”
“Agreed.”
Whoosh.
Musashi and I left the city and entered a nearby forest. Reaching a small pond, he began.
“First off, I am not Miyamoto Musashi.”
“What?”
With a somber expression, he continued.
“I am Sasaki Kojiro of the Ganryu style.”
“......!!”
I was stunned.
Sasaki Kojiro!
Musashi’s greatest rival—their duel on Ganryu Island was legendary in the Eastern Realm’s martial world. Musashi’s victory had elevated him to one of the realm’s top sword heroes. But this man was Kojiro, not Musashi?
“What do you mean? If you’re Sasaki Kojiro, where is Miyamoto Musashi?”
Sasaki Kojiro drew the Five Wheels Book from his bosom and calmly recounted the past.
“It’s said we fought a grand duel on Ganryu Island, but in truth, I didn’t even last one exchange. I steeled myself for death, but Musashi pitied my talent and gave me this Five Wheels Book.”
“No way...”
“Yes... Musashi seemed disillusioned with the martial world after clashing with me, a so-called great sword hero of the Eastern Realm. He ordered me to live on as Miyamoto Musashi while he pursued his own path.”
I asked incredulously.
“How? Your appearances and builds are known.”
“Musashi made it possible. He used some incomprehensible bone and muscle reshaping technique to alter me into this form.”
“......”
“He seemed profoundly versed in qi and the human body...”
Collecting my thoughts, I said.
“Fine. Then where did the real Miyamoto Musashi go?”
“He said he was heading to the continent to find worthy opponents. That’s all I know.”
“The continent...?”
I was dumbfounded. The continent meant the Central Plains, but I had never heard of any Musashi-like figure there. His whereabouts were once again a mystery.
‘Half a success, I suppose.’
I now knew the real Miyamoto Musashi was in the Central Plains. After organizing my thoughts, I said to Sasaki Kojiro.
“Kojiro. Follow me.”
“You’ll really teach me your martial arts?”
“If you serve well as my comrade!”
“Understood.”
With Kojiro’s agreement, I stored him in my chest pocket and used the Return Talisman to return to the Central Plains. Kojiro was a transcendent expert, so his strength would undoubtedly prove useful.
My next stop was the Shadowless Sect. The Sword Demon welcomed me back.
“White Protector! How goes it?”
“Well.”
I detailed everything since meeting Mangryang. The Sword Demon listened calmly, then said.
“Mangryang seems to have a plan. I don’t know the details, but first, bring out this Kojiro.”
Following his words, I released Sasaki Kojiro from the chest pocket. To the bewildered Kojiro, the Sword Demon said.
“Hand over the Five Wheels Book.”
After translating, Kojiro hesitated but placed it before him. The Sword Demon examined it closely and said.
“Seeing it again confirms it. I agree there’s a real Musashi.”
“What will you do?”
“Give me Kojiro. I was short-handed for crushing Two Demons anyway.”
“Very well...”
I readily handed Kojiro over to the Sword Demon. He could control him easily, and for Kojiro, learning Shadowless Sect arts wasn’t a bad deal.
“How will you handle translation?”
“I recently raided the capital’s slave market and extracted their info. Rescued a skilled interpreter too. Don’t worry.”
“Slave market?”
“A regular secret gathering. Even the Henan Province Lord turned a blind eye.”
The Sword Demon muttered bitterly, then said.
“White Protector. Return soon. I need to learn more of Mount Wudang’s signature arts from you.”
“Understood.”
From his words, I intuited that the darkness he had uncovered in the capital’s slave market ran deeper than expected. Even the current Sword Demon, on par with or surpassing Lee Gwang, felt his power insufficient.