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“It sounds absurd, but let’s entertain the idea of a deity.”

The Sword Demon, upon hearing the story of the Bright Dragon, momentarily wore a perplexed expression. He had always believed that a martial artist lived by the sword alone, and he was practically an atheist. The notion that the overwhelming strength of the Dharma Guardians stemmed from a divine source was simply too much for him to accept.

He hesitated for a moment, deep in thought, before speaking.

“So, if we assume that gods exist, does that mean the Dharma Guardians receive this immense power from the gods for free?”

“Not likely. Even with something as lowly as a lesser spirit, a corresponding price must be paid for strength. If they’re wielding such excessive power, they must be paying a tremendous cost.”

“A tremendous cost…”

The Sword Demon shook his head in disbelief.

“Bright Dragon, I find it hard to accept this. Talking about gods feels like pie in the sky.”

“That’s a common perspective. However, it’s the only way to explain the Heavenly Spirit Pill.”

The Bright Dragon seemed convinced. Perhaps it’s because he was trained by the Wudang Sect and was familiar with both sides of the argument. The Sword Demon pressed further.

“But isn’t there a state akin to the Heavenly Spirit Pill in Daoism?”

“Are you referring to the Rebirth of Flesh?”

“Exactly.”

Rebirth of Flesh! It’s a legendary state where one sheds their physical limitations and is reborn with a perfect martial arts body, capable of achieving either a mundane state or becoming a Half-Transition Master. I recalled that, according to past hearsay, the proof of the Heavenly Spirit Pill was infinite internal power and Rebirth of Flesh, lending credence to the Sword Demon’s argument.

However, the Bright Dragon scoffed.

“No way! Rebirth of Flesh is merely the phenomenon of one’s Qi reaching its peak and transforming into an optimal state. While it does lead to a surge in Qi after achieving it, it can’t compare to the everlasting internal power of the Heavenly Spirit Pill.”

“…?”

I felt a swirl of confusion about the Bright Dragon’s statement.

‘Isn’t this different from what Lee Kwang explained?’

I recalled Lee Kwang’s previous explanation of the Heavenly Spirit Pill.

[The Heavenly Spirit Pill signifies the awakening of the Middle Dantian. Qi from the Lower Dantian overflows, impacting the Eight Extraordinary Vessels and the Life and Death Meridian, while the gathered Qi begins to form the Pill, resulting in a semi-permanent level of internal power that doesn’t deplete. However, you’re not there yet. To reach the Heavenly Spirit Pill, one must undergo a special process with their own Qi. The proof of the Heavenly Spirit Pill is an almost infinite internal power and Rebirth of Flesh. Half-Transition Master is part of the Rebirth of Flesh process. Once you undergo that process, you either become a Half-Transition Master or maintain a peak physical state. You haven’t experienced that process yet, which is why you’re not at the complete Heavenly Spirit Pill. ]

Something felt off. Something was missing. No… could it be that I’m missing something?

As I pondered, an idea struck me, and I raised my hand. The Bright Dragon’s gaze turned to me, and I spoke without hesitation.

“Excuse me, but I have a question!”

“What is it?”

“A disciple of the Dharma Guardian mentioned the Heavenly Spirit Pill as the awakening of the Middle Dantian, saying that Qi from the Lower Dantian forms the Pill and leads to Rebirth of Flesh. However, that seems different from your explanation.”

The Bright Dragon looked at me in disbelief.

“A Dharma Guardian disciple? Who told you that?”

“…”

As I hesitated, the Sword Demon intervened.

“Let it be. I’d appreciate it if you could answer the question first.”

The Sword Demon had already figured out that I was a Thunder God Lineage from being expelled from the White Lotus Sect. Naturally, given that he was my greatest ally in this life, I had to share that much. While he didn’t know that Lee Kwang was my master, he was aware that I was adept in some Thunder God lineage techniques.

“Hmm…”

The Bright Dragon looked at me suspiciously before responding.

“If we take into account what Baek Woong said is true, it seems there’s a stage that we are unaware of.”

“A missing stage?”

“If that disciple’s words are correct, then the overflow of Qi from the Lower Dantian creating the Pill is merely a basic condition to attain the Heavenly Spirit Pill, not the Heavenly Spirit Pill itself. That is, only after obtaining that and undergoing Rebirth of Flesh can one enter the domain of the Heavenly Spirit Pill.”

“…!!”

To think that Rebirth of Flesh is not a result but merely a prerequisite!

‘What?! If so, could that mean…’

I recalled a story from Mangnyang about when he entered the Fire Spirit Techniques in his 14th reincarnation.

[ I wanted to learn the Water God lineage, which is said to be the strongest among the Four Great Families, but it seemed like I needed to undergo some special ceremony. ]

[A special ceremony?]

[Yes. The Master said it was fine for me to learn the Water God lineage, but I needed to undergo a special grand ceremony for one year at the White Lotus Sect’s forbidden ground. Given that your matters are vital and I had many doubts, I couldn’t choose the Water God lineage. ]

I also remembered Kamizumi Nobutsuna’s words when he trained as a Sword Master.

[ Anyone mastering the Water God lineage will become the world’s strongest, but they will never reach the peak expert level. Their martial arts are special techniques that only the bloodline of the White Lotus Sect can learn. They can’t be considered martial gates, and the Water God lineage is extremely closed-minded. ]

“…”

As information tumbled around in my head, it led to one conclusion.

‘Could the special ceremony that the Water God lineage undergoes for a year be related to the Heavenly Spirit Pill?!’

It had to be! While it might convey a unique capability exclusive to the Water God lineage, I felt a strong intuition it was connected. If the power of the Heavenly Spirit Pill indeed stemmed from a divine being, then the Water God lineage, deemed closest to the divine, must be significantly intertwined with it. Especially if they intentionally labeled it a ‘ceremony.’

‘If that’s the case, it makes sense why Lee Kwang didn’t know much about the Heavenly Spirit Pill.’

Lee Kwang, a top successor of the Thunder God lineage, was expelled from the White Lotus Sect as a child, and likely had only a partial knowledge since he never received the complete transmission.

As I contemplated deeply, the Bright Dragon continued.

“Attempting to oppose the White Lotus Sect without mastering the Heavenly Spirit Pill is akin to suicide. Either you gain equal strength or learn the ultimate mind control technique that disregards the infinite power of theirs.”

The Sword Demon chuckled softly.

“Both of those ideas sound insane. The latter is utterly unrealistic.”

“That’s true. Such a mind control technique would be reserved for the Great Immortal. Any human attempting that will surely wither away in the process.”

“…”

From their conversation, I discovered another possibility. The existence of the Great Immortal was known to me.

‘The Sword Saint Yeodong-bin’s Fire Dragon Summon! Maybe that could be doable?’

While fully expending my internal power and opening the Eight Gates, the strongest ultimate technique of Yeodong-bin to unleash the Celestial Realm’s fire dragon and sweep away hundreds of foes! So far, only Daji could withstand it, not even the Dharma Guardians’ ultimate techniques could match its might. Looking back now, I felt the Fire Dragon Summon was indeed one of the ultimate mind control techniques.

‘Ah, but it’s still unrealistic.’

The Fire Dragon Summon was named the strongest secret technique of Yeodong-bin, the Sword Saint. Naturally, one had to achieve enlightenment in sword techniques to use it, and it required opening the Eight Gates, meaning death was guaranteed afterward. It couldn’t be used, and even if it were, it would be meaningless because it would lead to death.

But the fact that there’s a possibility was enough. I resolved to ask Yeodong-bin next time about the Fire Dragon Summon and his sword techniques in detail.

The Sword Demon then spoke.

“Whether the Heavenly Spirit Pill is divine power or not is irrelevant. The important thing is whether we can gain sufficient power or not.”

“So you’re proposing we train with the Cave-Collapsing Sword and Heavenly Contraction Sword together?”

“Precisely. Even if we lack infinite power, if we can achieve an edge in short fights, we can seize momentum against the Dharma Guardians.”

“Hmm…”

The Sword Demon’s words hit the nail on the head.

Having witnessed Lee Kwang and Jin So-cheong overwhelm and nearly kill him due to their enlightenment in martial arts, it was evident he understood the truth of combat.

‘If I could execute a kill while the Dharma Guardian is overly confident in their internal power…’

Though, this might only hold true against Cheon Woo-jin, not against experts like Dokgo Jun or Han Baek-ryeong.

Regardless, the fact that there was a possibility was what mattered.

The Bright Dragon pondered for a moment and then said, “While I’m glad about this, you’ve got your own sect, so it’ll be hard for you to be away for an extended period.”

“I trust my disciples. They can hold their ground against a bunch of lowlifes.”

“Well, if that’s the case.”

The Bright Dragon nodded vigorously.

“Alright! Then let the three of us study martial arts together! I’ll inform Qingfeng, so no one on this earth can interrupt our training.”

“Before that, just a moment…”

The Sword Demon led me away to a thicket several paces away. He gazed at me for a moment before speaking quietly.

“It seems you’ve got something on your mind.”

“Being the Thunder God lineage’s disciple, I have doubts about the Heavenly Spirit Pill.”

“Can you tell me what those doubts are?”

“Yes.”

I shared my earlier speculations with the Sword Demon. Upon hearing my words, he raised his eyebrows and remarked, “That’s quite… a monumental revelation if it’s true. But I find it odd.”

“…”

“You might be older, but you hardly seem to have crossed your youth. Frankly, it’s hard to believe you’ve amassed such extensive experience.”

The Sword Demon’s suspicion was valid.

‘I can’t go any further.’

He wasn’t a fool, nor would I risk pushing him into a corner. It wasn’t right either.

So, I realized I couldn’t keep hiding any longer and pulled a large obsidian from my inner pocket. When the Sword Demon tilted his head in confusion, I said, “Can you put your hand on this?”

“I trust you.”

“Then please, touch it.”

This was my gamble. If it were Lee Kwang, he would’ve outright rejected such a suspicious proposal and tried to bind or kill me. But I had made the decision to share my memories, assuming the Sword Demon truly viewed me as an ally. Since I hadn’t confided in Mangnyang or Miho, the Sword Demon was my only companion.

After a moment of contemplation, the Sword Demon extended his hand and grasped the obsidian. I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Now… let me show you.”

As memories imbued in the obsidian surged into the Sword Demon’s mind, he momentarily sported a shocked expression before settling down. He then gazed into the distant sky, revisiting each of my memories.

“Hmm…”

After a moment, he looked back at me and said, “So that’s why you rejected my daughter. I see… That was your reasoning.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. I thought there was a risk of dying here due to this gamble. Typically, when confronting a reincarnator, they could turn aggressively.

The Sword Demon was silent for a moment before speaking.

“You have a question, Baek Woong.”

“Yes.”

His tone was unusually serious.

“The path you’ve traversed… I’ve endured my share of struggles, yet I’ve never encountered the kind of chaos you have. For anyone to struggle or exert effort in front of you would be laughable. Your life has certainly been more tormenting and arduous than any human.”

Having laid the groundwork, the Sword Demon continued.

“Yet, despite this, you chose not to live a comfortable life and instead fight to overthrow the Imperial Palace, even defying the Great Immortal of the Celestial Realm. What drives you to fight so intensely?”

I sensed the importance of this question from the Sword Demon.

Thus, I refrained from hastily answering and took my time to contemplate.

However, the more I pondered the matter, the more I felt I was sinking deeper into a bog, so I decided to express my honest feelings.

“Because giving up feels unfair.”

“Unfair…? Even with the seemingly absolute power of the Imperial Palace, do you still feel it’s unjust when you’ve already secured a means to live comfortably for life? If you wanted, could you not become a wealthy overlord with a harem of beauties?”

The Sword Demon’s words led me to chuckle.

“A life of pleasure sounds tempting. However, I still have yet to avenge my friend and my own grievances. And I have a woman I love who I am willing to stake everything for.”

“…”

“I am a Reborn Person. Please try to view it from my perspective.”

I clenched my fist tightly.

“Can one endure forever in a life filled with unending adversity, continually suffering injustices without ever retaliating?”

With the Imperial Palace engaging in human sacrifices or the White Lotus Sect causing troubles, it was entirely possible I could face unexpected calamities related to them. Each time, I couldn’t simply evade because it wasn’t my affair. I had repeatedly experienced how karma could strike from the most unexpected corners.

“…!!”

“I see that as a greater waste.”

“Is that so…”

The Sword Demon seemed to understand my words.

That’s right.

As long as the Heavenly Secret presents opportunities for exploitation, I might have the chance to live an infinitely extended life. But does that mean I should watch from afar as the Imperial Palace unleashes its ridiculous reign of terror until the day my mental strength is drained and I lose my humanity, lamenting, ‘At least it’s not me’? Could I truly endure it solely because of a life of pleasure?

Absolutely not! In fact, that sounds much more infuriating.

Could I truly enjoy a life of comfort while ignoring their tyranny? I am not inherently virtuous. That would just be foolish.

Though I may face death numerous times ahead – I want to surpass the Imperial Palace, long ago discarded morals like righteousness and humanity, relying purely on strength. Only by owning the power to stomp down on those who have tormented me, Mangnyang, and Miho can I truly find happiness.

At least, I can’t give up until I’ve dealt a satisfactory blow.

As long as I can show a bright future to Mangnyang and Miho, it’s a matter of male pride that I can’t abandon.

The Sword Demon chuckled.

“If that’s how you feel, then brace yourself for death and follow me.”

“…!!”

“I’m going to thoroughly dissect the teachings of Jang Sam-bong when training with the Thunder God lineage. You’ll likely have to obtain that Peerless Technique as well.”

Shocked, I asked, “Seriously, are you really willing to help me?”

I stumbled over my words, astonished. I had assumed I would either be completely rejected or attacked. Even as I spoke, I mentally prepared for a failure in persuasion. Yet, unexpectedly, the Sword Demon accepted me.

“Truth be told, up until I heard your words, I considered the possibility of killing you.”

He looked up at the sky, continuing, “But that wasn’t the case. I believe your mental strength will allow you to avoid corruption.”

“Corruption?”

“Anyone who has glimpsed your memories would console themselves with thoughts of corruption. The kind that becomes intoxicated by their past life, loses sight of right and wrong, succumbing to tyranny and wrongdoing… It’s your closest connections who would suffer the most in such a descent.”

“…”

I had no words to respond. Oddly enough, I had thought along those lines during the early part of this life.

“But for some reason, I sense that such a fate is unlikely for you. You’re the most mentally astute person I have ever encountered. Who else has the audacity to die fifteen times and endure nearly a century of torment while maintaining genuine resolve and passion? Who could face ancient deities without losing their sanity? I don’t think I could do that.”

The Sword Demon sighed.

“This moment may merely be another difficulty, and it could be your destiny to gather all your karma.”

Gathering karma. I muttered that phrase, feeling as though I had heard it somewhere before.

“Have you ever considered what it means for you to stand here? It means that Mangnyang and Miho have trusted you completely along this path. They believed you would not falter in your humanity, which is why they were willing to wager their lives for you. Just as you protected them, they too sought to protect you.”

“…!!”

“To gain such trust from someone in life is no small feat. Moreover, to avoid betrayal…”

As he mused, the Sword Demon fixed his gaze directly at me.

“Then I shall swear a vow here.”

His eyes gleamed.

“I will dedicate my life to ensure you gain strength! So you may continue your hopes into the next life.”

In that moment, something welled up inside me.

My throat tightened.

I quickly wiped away the heat gathering in my eyes and responded, “Thank you.”

Having faced death numerous times, I don’t believe in convenient miracles that apply uniquely to me. It is only natural to die when the time comes, especially after experiencing such cycles countless times.

Yet now, I wanted to believe.

Because this time, I gained a true companion I could rely on in this life.

 

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