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“Creeeak… creeeak…”

The ship rattled, and when I regained my senses, I found myself on the bed in the cabin. The outside world was pitch black, likely in the dead of night, and the ceiling swayed occasionally with the ship’s movements. I slowly sat up, feeling pain radiate through my ribs and lower back. As I propped myself up, I caught sight of Seo Mun-hye sleeping in a chair nearby, probably still nursing me.

‘How much time has passed?’

I attempted to stand but struggled. The intense pain hindered my efforts, and just as I grimaced through it, a familiar voice chimed in.

“Haha! Looks like you’re in agony.”

“Miho.”

Suddenly, a white light flickered, revealing Miho. She burst into cheerful laughter and continued,

“You’ve been unconscious for four days! We should dock at the Shandong port by noon tomorrow.”

“Has it been that long?”

I was taken aback. I had literally drained all my energy and collapsed, yet here I woke up four days later! I inspected myself for signs of my internal injuries but saw none. As I surveyed my body, Miho interjected.

“Don’t worry. You didn’t even need treatment. Your spirit energy is concentrated enough for remarkable self-healing. Most of your internal power must be restored by now.”

“I see.”

She was right. My internal injuries were just a slight strain on the meridian from overexertion. After resting peacefully, all my physical strength and energy seemed completely replenished, and my internal power was once again impressive. I looked at Seo Mun-hye, still sound asleep in her chair, and said,

“Wake up.”

“……”

There was no response. She appeared to be deeply asleep. Currently, with the Heavenly Blood Sealing Technique forcibly relaxed, she should have sensed my qi and woken up, but her state was awfully careless for a peak expert. Just then, Miho spoke up.

“She’s caught in my illusion. She’s been nursing you for three days and fell asleep about a single moment ago. I made sure she wouldn’t wake up so peacefully.”

“You didn’t harm her, did you?”

“What do you take me for? She’s just in deep sleep.”

After that, Miho pulled a chair closer to the bed and gazed at me intently.

“It seems we’re finally in a position to talk. Who are you, really?”

“I’m Baek Woong.”

“That’s not what I’m asking. What’s your connection to my situation, and why have you shared your matters with the Queen Mother of the West? I need to know.”

Miho seemed to have abruptly halted all her earthly activities just to sprint over here for the Queen Mother’s trial. It was only natural she would be curious about me.

“Hmm.”

I pondered for a moment.

‘Should I reveal to Miho that I’m a reborn person?’

My feelings of guilt towards Miho made me want to spill everything immediately. However, the situation was different from with Mangnyang. The real issue was whether she would believe that I am a [reborn person].

Mangnyang accepted my information easily since I provided details that only a member of his family would know or that aligned perfectly with his own logic. Moreover, his fiery sense of justice and animosity towards the imperial palace made it easy for him to side with me.

Miho was in a slightly different situation. In her past life, she was only half-curious and partly in need of me. I knew nothing of her details and in fact was essentially dragged along. I had little information that would convince Miho of my ‘reborn’ status.

Even if Miho were skeptical, it was unclear whether she would genuinely help me. I trusted Miho, but she had never encountered me before. Due to the Queen Mother’s trial, she wouldn’t harm me; but it was still possible she might feign help while doubting me.

“……”

“What’s taking so long? Hurry up and spill it.”

“I’m just organizing my thoughts…”

“Hmph…”

Miho flicked her tail playfully. After pondering a bit longer, I finally spoke.

“Miho, I’m a reborn person.”

I figured I wouldn’t know unless I tried, even if Miho might disbelieve me; I had to take a shot at revealing it now, or else in my next reincarnation, I couldn’t hope for a better outcome. I was ready to gamble on this.

“What?”

“We met in the past.”

And so, I calmly recounted everything from my first life to my tenth death. Miho wore a baffled expression as I described my first through ninth lives, saying, “What nonsense is this?” Nevertheless, she stayed engaged as I mentioned our encounters, the battle with the Dharma Guardian, and the whereabouts of the Moon Sovereign, her eyes widening with each revelation. When I got to the part where Miho sacrificed herself for me and I died fighting the Dharma Guardian, her expression looked like she might faint.

“… And that’s how it went down.”

My tale unfolded over the course of a single moment, yet there was no sign of boredom in Miho’s eyes. Instead, she appeared restless after a long pause, finally retorting.

“Hmph! You expect me to believe that I used up nine lives for a human like you? You’re hilarious!”

“But it’s true. Because you stepped forward, I was able to tell the Queen Mother about you when offering the Water Element Divine Sword. I never expected you to show up like this…”

“……”

Miho bit her nails, lost in thought. The luxurious silver tail behind her twitched slightly. After a while, she finally addressed me.

“Let’s say, just for argument’s sake, your story is true. It’s also true that I was plotting to absorb an evil spirit in the Western Capital and attempting to use the summoning technique from the Classic of Mountains and Seas to find the Seven Luminaries. If your claims are valid…”

“Yeah?”

Miho crossed her arms and shot me a fierce look.

“Why did you even tell me your story? You could have just dodged the question! The secret of your rebirth is a mighty big deal; aren’t you afraid I’ll use it against you?”

I calmly responded to Miho’s retort.

“I know your power, Miho. I’m fully aware that you could easily charm me indefinitely if you wanted. Plus, I owe you my life, so even if I died at your hands, I wouldn’t complain.”

“Ugh…”

Miho furrowed her brow and said,

“You sly bastard. You must know that the trial I received from the Queen Mother prevents me from harming you, and you’re saying this on purpose!”

“What a compliment! To be called crafty by a nine-tailed fox is quite the honor, but….”

I flashed a grin.

“I want to trust you. So I hope you’ll trust me too. Then, we can ultimately achieve our mutual goals, can’t we?”

“……”

Miho finally spoke.

“Fine. If that’s how you feel, I’ll trust that ‘human’ Baek Woong to the fullest.”

“Thank you.”

“Hmph…”

From Miho’s dismissive snort, I could tell she wouldn’t pry into my past any further. I felt like I could somewhat read her emotions, even if I didn’t fully understand them.

Once some topics were cleared up, Miho moved on to more critical matters.

“So, Baek Woong. Your goal is to confront the Demon Subduing Hall lurking behind the imperial family?”

“Exactly. If those guys get their hands on the Seven Luminaries, we’re in serious trouble.”

“But, isn’t that rather unrealistic? The ‘demon’ residing in Luoyang is an entirely different beast compared to the imperial family. Even if we do interfere with their gathering of the Seven Luminaries, there’s no stopping them.”

I answered firmly,

“There’s no alternative. I’ve come this far to give a piece of my mind to the Lord of the Golden Eagle Guard and to destroy the Demon Subduing Hall. There’s no way I’m backing down now.”

“Got it… Hmph.”

“Do you have something to say?”

“Not particularly. Now that you’ve made your choice, I’ll do my utmost to assist you.”

With that, Miho clasped her hands and crossed her legs.

“So, once we dock at the Shandong port tomorrow, you’ll be running errands for that guy named Jang Gyeong-ik, right? And once the errands are done, you’ll train in the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Sounds tedious.”

“What?”

Miho coolly replied,

“Eventually, this Jang Gyeong-ik has his own schemes, and you’ll be expected to run errands to earn his trust, right?”

“That’s correct.”

Miho erupted into laughter.

“Hahaha, what a pain in the neck! You don’t even need to go around in circles like that.”

“What?”

“Just wait here. I’ll make it easier for you.”

Suddenly, Miho vanished in a flash, leaving behind a white afterimage. It seemed she executed both the Transmission Technique and the Illusion Technique simultaneously, a remarkable feat. I quickly activated my Qi Sense to track her, but she was nowhere to be found, indicating she had completely disappeared from the ship.

“Hmm…”

As Miho vanished, Seo Mun-hye opened her eyes sleepily. Upon noticing me sitting on the bed, she gasped.

“You’re awake, Baek Woong!”

“Oh, um…”

Suddenly, Seo Mun-hye’s face turned bright red. She averted her gaze and whispered,

“Uh, your underwear and clothes are in the second drawer.”

“……”

It hit me then that I was completely naked. Realizing what she had seen, I felt my face redden. I quickly zipped up and dressed.

Once I sat back on the bed, Seo Mun-hye said,

“You’ve been asleep for nearly four days.”

“I see.”

An awkward silence lingered for a moment. Seo Mun-hye then nervously asked,

“Uh, Baek Woong, is your body feeling any better?”

“I’m feeling fine now. No stiffness or anything.”

The intense pain had significantly subsided, and I felt completely renewed. At that point, Seo Mun-hye gently took my hand and said,

“I’m so relieved. Everyone at the escort agency was genuinely worried about you.”

“There’s nothing seriously wrong with me, so I’m alright.”

Seeing my expression, Seo Mun-hye cautiously inquired,

“What was that incredible martial art you displayed? It was truly astonishing.”

“That… I think it was just a power I stumbled upon by chance. It’s not something I can use regularly.”

I decided to keep my answer vague. I didn’t want her to mistake the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique for my own power, which would only lead to bigger headaches. Once she digested my words, she seemed deeply moved.

“Regardless, you’re truly impressive. I’m just amazed by you, Baek Woong.”

“Thanks…”

“Baek Woong, you absolutely have to accompany me to the Shadowless Gate. Please.”

“As I mentioned, I have work to handle first. That task takes priority, so I’ll visit the Shadowless Gate later.”

“Alright.”

After chatting with Seo Mun-hye for about another moment, I sent her back to her room. Now that I finally had some time to myself, I let out a sigh.

“Haah, the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique…”

I still couldn’t wrap my head around it. The memories of unleashing this technique were crystal clear in my mind. However, I couldn’t guess how it was formed. Regardless, Yeodong-bin must have channeled his unmatched skills through this body called [me], yet the entire process was so rapid and complex that I couldn’t fathom it.

Of course, experiencing such a high level of swordplay firsthand had left some breadcrumbs in my mind. Much like how my swordsmanship improved after witnessing the Fire Spirit Techniques, I was suddenly flooded with inspiration. To solidify this feeling, I reached for a sword nearby and slowly began to practice my moves.

‘Surely… this flow… will return…’

As I transitioned from the Thunder Shadow Sword Technique to the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique, the swordplay of Yeodong-bin infused with my movements. I tried to meld these flows, but it wasn’t easy. Integrating entirely different techniques would require immense study. However, the once confounding aspects of Transformation Techniques and empty words suddenly clicked in my mind, making my understanding of swordplay skyrocket.

I spent the entire night honing the Heavenly Escape Sword Technique. While I hadn’t learned any specific techniques or secrets, merely ‘performing’ this ability significantly helped me. Until now, my spear techniques had been far stronger, making me set aside swordsmanship, but my confidence had been reignited.

At dawn the next day, I informed the Lord of Great Dragon Merchant Association and the Lord of Seogung Escort Agency of my recovery. They looked at me with looks of disbelief.

“You’re truly our savior. When we were trapped in that fog, I felt utterly despairing, believing I was finished…”

“I’m glad you’re alright.”

And soon after, we arrived at the port of Shandong. Ahn Hyeon, the vice commander, had arrived half a day earlier and was already docked. The sailors were busy unloading cargo as I headed over to Vice Commander Ahn Hyeon.

Vice Commander Ahn Hyeon, looking quite exhausted, was busy with official duties at the residence. Upon spotting me, he said,

“Oh, it’s Baek Woong.”

“Everything alright?”

“Yes. It’s just… the strangest thing. Since we entered the Windless Zone and the fog rolled in, I can’t recall anything. Who knew something so bizarre could happen?”

It seemed the naval forces, including Ahn Hyeon, had lost consciousness as well. It made sense since when faced with overwhelming evil spirits, humans either lose their minds or sight to protect their sanity, and soldiers were no exception.

“Now I’ll need to lead the prisoners. Do you plan to find General Jang?”

“Isn’t that the logical procedure?”

“Exactly. That matter is entrusted to you, so please provide a proper report to the General. Don’t worry about the formalities.”

“Understood. Take care of yourself.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Baek Woong.”

Afterwards, I guided the prisoners to the nearby waiting post and assigned Seo Mun-hye to guard them, allowing me to feel at ease.

When I reached the General’s Office, it seemed the guards were already informed, as they silently allowed me passage. As I stood there waiting for General Jang Gyeong-ik, a hearty laugh filled the air.

“Hahaha… Why are you just standing there? Come this way!”

It was Miho’s unmistakable voice. I turned to see General Jang Gyeong-ik with his vacant eyes, and beside him stood Miho, transformed into a stunning beauty. I could recognize Miho just from her energy, as I had grown quite familiar with it.

I was taken aback and shouted,

“Miho! Don’t tell me…”

“No need to worry. I’ve cast enchantments on everyone here, so feel free to walk around in the nude. Nobody will bat an eye, haha!”

“That’s not the issue! Why would you enchant the General?”

“Hehe, you’ll be grateful to me for this soon enough.”

After saying that, Miho instructed General Jang Gyeong-ik,

“Go sit down in a chair, and answer all of Baek Woong’s questions honestly.”

“Yes, understood.”

General Jang Gyeong-ik stood up, dazed, and walked straight to a chair before sitting down. I glanced at Miho, who was stifling laughter behind her hand.

“Hahaha, isn’t this simple and quick? Just ask whatever you want, and he’ll answer.”

“……”

“When you’re done asking, I’ll wipe all his memories. So feel free to ask away.”

“Hah…”

I wondered if this was all acceptable, but at least Miho hadn’t harmed anyone. It seemed General Jang Gyeong-ik hadn’t sustained any serious harm either. It could be understood as just saving time.

Thus, I began questioning the spellbound General Jang Gyeong-ik. Since his memory would vanish, I didn’t even bother with pleasantries.

“Jang Gyeong-ik, what errand were you planning to send me on?”

“To deliver a letter… to the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School…”

I was stunned.

“What? A letter? To the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School?”

“Yes…”

“What for?”

The following words from General Jang Gyeong-ik were shocking.

“To ask the Azure Dragon Leader, Lee Kwang, for the rescue of General Hwang Yeon…”

 

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