---

“This is my seventh life.”

CRASH!!

I burst out of the barn, not even having a moment to think. ‘Damn it! Shit!!’

Honestly, it’s no surprise I’m alive again. I’ve died and come back over five times and now I’ve got the Heavenly Secret to boot. At this point, I’m pretty sure having the Heavenly Secret means I can just keep coming back.

But what really grinds my gears is that despite all these cycles of life and death, I fundamentally haven’t changed. I’ve stubbornly piled on martial arts and knowledge, but when it really counts, I just crash and burn due to a lack of patience and wisdom.

Right now, my hatred for myself far outweighs any grudge I hold against the Golden Eagle Guard that did me in. I’d almost like to commit suicide right now.

Normally, I’d snap out of it and cheerfully go off collecting my Heavenly Secret or Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, but not today. I was so wrapped up in self-hatred that I wandered into the woods and threw up.

“Gah! Cough! Heh…”

After hacking up whatever vile stuff I had in my stomach, a nasty, rancid smell wafted up from the ground.

Why am I like this?

Has nothing changed at all?

[Heh… It’s been fun while it lasted.]

The last laugh of Mangnyang hit my heart like a dagger. He died because of me, after all.

My poor choices resulted in someone else’s death.

I’d thought I was doing enough—years spent honing my martial arts and building my knowledge. But in the end, I relied on Mangnyang’s wisdom to solve most problems, lacking the composure to think strategically. Consuming the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng felt like a waste of time now.

I need to change.

Something in me must change.

“… And I must admit, it’s time.”

I mumbled to myself. I had been thinking this for a while, but now my choice to pursue a normal life has vanished. Now that I’m addicted to gaining power with the secrets of rebirth, I can’t stop until I see it through. Plus, there are just too many foes left. Without acknowledging [death], I can never truly grow.

What I need now is [power].

And I need to grow mentally!

To truly solidify my resolve, I must be ready to die a hundred times more.

‘Let’s think this through. Forget immediate gains and stay cool…’

I pushed aside my self-hatred and started reasoning. My time with Mangnyang in my sixth life brought me numerous lessons. He often told me, ‘Look at the bigger picture,’ which implied I often got caught up in narrow insights.

I realized I needed to think broader and find rational solutions to the situation I faced.

And ultimately, I concluded that I lacked sufficient strength. Sure, I always knew that, but when I attempted to thwart the human sacrifice plan, I thought I could just play it straight with the Golden Eagle Guard. My mistake was that people like Mangnyang’s master, Master Mangnyang, or the priest Cheon Woo-jin had enough strength to dominate the whole world, but they had zero interest in fighting the Golden Eagle Guard.

‘Relying on others’ strength was a big mistake.’

I predicted that even if I personally disrupted the Golden Eagle Guard’s initial plot, it would lead to the same outcome. Even if I didn’t impersonate the White Lotus Sect’s Dharma Guardian in Huangshan, given the Golden Eagle Guard’s intelligence network, they’d eventually out me. Regardless of how well I fought, if I lack the strength to take down their Lord, it’s all moot.

‘The Lord… And I need strength capable of ultimately overthrowing the Golden Eagle Guard.’

What kind of strength would that require?

Right now, I can’t even begin to imagine it, but it would have to be a level capable of shaking the entire world. And to gain that strength, even a born genius would likely require decades of fortuitous encounters and immense effort. Yet I still must attain such power if I don’t want to witness another comrade’s death.

Eventually, I was able to settle on my plan.

“This time, I won’t get involved with the Golden Eagle Guard. And I’ll train for decades at the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School.”

It’s going to be a painful and tough life. Even though I have the ability to walk around like a top martial expert among the martial arts community, I’ll be slogging through harsh training at the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School.

And if time doesn’t pan out – well, then I’ll look into suicide. Up to this point, I’ve never planned on dying by my own hand through all my reincarnations. But because of Mangnyang’s death and successive failures, I decided to actively use this rebirth ability.

This time will be different.

With that resolve, I headed towards the cave where the Heavenly Secret was kept. I could’ve stolen the vault from the village chief’s house, but if I’m going to live in the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, it’d be better to keep my past squeaky clean, so I let it go. I boldly stepped into the cave housing the Heavenly Secret.

WHOOOSH!

WHOOSH…

“This much is easy now.”

This time, I didn’t need to make a fuss to either evade or block anything; I simply caught an arrow mid-air with my hand. My Thunder Energy had developed to the point where my reflexes were incredibly heightened, allowing me to snatch arrows from even mechanical devices on a whim. Competing against top-tier experts, this was now a piece of cake.

With the Heavenly Secret secured, I made a beeline for Huangshan. On the way, I felt like my light body technique had improved significantly, proving that I was utilizing my internal power much more efficiently than before. In the past, I’d struggled to control my speed and hit trees and rocks multiple times, but this time, I didn’t encounter any such issues.

TA-TAK!

When I finally arrived at Huangshan, it felt like I’d saved a day or two in travel time compared to before. This was largely because I barely ate anything while running. Surprisingly, even after this intense sprint, I wasn’t hungry or tired at all. It seemed my internal power had significantly elevated my body to a superhuman level.

’Let’s borrow a pot to boil some water from the nearby village first.’

I calmly scouted around, making sure I didn’t bump into the Huangshan elders like before. I stayed alert and on the lookout for any signs of life. Sure enough, there was Grand Elder Kong Jae roaming the foggy path with some disciples.

‘Hide.’

I concealed my presence and heightened my hearing with my internal power. Moments later, I overheard Grand Elder Kong Jae speaking.

“Every time I patrol, I realize just how vast Huangshan is, right?”

“Yes, it is indeed.”

A disciple walking beside him with a lantern responded to his question.

“But is it really necessary to come all the way out here? This is a bit far…”

“The world is chaotic, and banditry and mountain bandits sometimes pop up. If rumors spread that such guys are on the prowl near Huangshan, it would tarnish our sect’s honor. That’s why we need to come out here now and again to preempt any trouble.”

“Indeed…”

“That should be enough. Let’s return and resume our training. You all still need to catch up on practicing the Cloud Dragon Eight Blades.”

“Understood, Master.”

After a while, their presence faded into the distance. I then stepped out of the bushes and dusted off my clothes. I couldn’t help but feel a bit mixed up.

‘The Huangshan Sect is like a gang, collecting hefty tribute from the locals, but its elders and disciples are surprisingly ordinary. Could the group’s nature differ from the individuals?’

Also, as far as I know, the leader of the Huangshan Sect is connected to the Wind Spirit Sect and has ties with the White Lotus Sect. In particular, he’s close friends with that Dharma Guardian of the White Lotus sect. Although not openly treated as a public enemy in the martial arts world, the White Lotus Sect is often avoided due to their strained relations with the imperial family, which makes their close ties alarming.

Think about it; the Huangshan Sect has grown significantly in recent years to join the Nine Great Sects’ ranks. There’s definitely some influence from the White Lotus Sect and Wind Spirit Sect involved. If I dig deeper into the origins of Huangshan’s martial arts, I might uncover something interesting.

‘But that’s not something to deal with right now… I’ll check it out when I have the time.’

For now, I shoved that info into my mind and headed toward the location of the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. Since I’d been there several times before, I waltzed through the cave and descended into the Seolwon like it was nothing. I took the Black and White Lotus from the nearby house and boiled it with the Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng to consume together.

WHOOSH –

With that, the pain disappeared.

After finishing my Qi Regulation Technique, I felt my strength increase once again. The power that had been swirling through my entire body now surged with renewed vigor. Though, it did feel a bit disappointing that the rate of my power’s increase seemed a tad lower than my previous bouts.

But that was only because I wasn’t fully utilizing my existing internal power. The unused power was piling up, still searching for vitality. Once I raised my level further, the chances of my internal strength suddenly skyrocketing would be much more likely.

“Whew, that’s done.”

Now, I could just waltz into the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School and begin training with a master.

If they suggested I join the Golden Eagle Guard, I’d just turn them down.

That should do it.

As I gathered my exhausted body and was about to dash outside…

FLASH!

“…?”

A flicker of light caught my eye near the pond where I had collected the Black and White Lotus. The light was so faint and mysterious that anyone but me would likely miss it. But my hyperdeveloped senses picked it up like a hawk. Intrigued, I approached the pond and realized a tiny light was emanating from deep within. Any ordinary person, let alone an experienced martial artist, would never catch it.

‘What is that light?’

The light spilling from the darkness behind a cluster of lotus flowers in the pond. I felt the need to discover what it was, so I plunged right in. I could swim quite well, so drowning was the least of my concerns.

SPLASH!

Gurgle gurgle…

Since I was in a pond thick with lotus roots and stems, swimming was a bit tricky. But with my extreme internal power, I could breathe through my skin, and my lung capacity was far beyond normal, allowing me to hold my breath easily for at least a meal’s worth of time. So, I leisurely pushed aside the lotus roots and went deeper.

As I swam further inside, I realized something amazing.

“……!!”

This pond is surprisingly deep! After pushing through the lotus roots and diving for what felt like over ten zhang, I still couldn’t see the bottom of this pond. And the light that had been streaming out was now clearly visible even to the average eye.

As I was almost at the light, I noticed strange patterns carved into a stone wall. There, I discovered a mysterious stone door. It was evidently manmade, and in the center, a round orb emitted a light I couldn’t identify. That must’ve been the source of the light I saw earlier.

‘There’s something like this at the Black and White Lotus pond…’

I pondered what to do, then decided to take the orb out. It was perfectly lodged in the dead center of the stone door, possibly serving as a latch holding the door closed.

RUMBLE!

My hypothesis was spot-on. As soon as I applied force and pulled it out, the stone door spiraled open with a loud crack, revealing a submerged passageway. Strangely, even with the sudden opening of the door, not a single drop of water flowed into the underwater passage. The moment I stepped inside, I could feel the air allowing me to breathe comfortably.

“How can this be happening?”

I felt intrigued as I surveyed the passage. The water in the pond seemed to behave like an ethereal barrier, as it didn’t flow into the passage at all. Not to mention, the air was easy to breathe. It was something that defied common sense.

Nonetheless, I resolved to venture further since I was already here.

STOMP STOMP

The passage spiraled downward like a twisted staircase. Torches were posted intermittently, making it bright enough for an average person to make their way through. I was cautious, weary of any potential traps, but it seemed there were none.

“……”

After walking for a while, I stumbled upon a vast cavern. It was fairly well-lit from several torches being stuck into the walls. And right in the middle of the cavern stood a strange altar. Overwhelmed by some weirdness, I hesitated, but decided to investigate the cavern further.

I approached the altar and started examining the jars and stones that were nearby, one by one. The jars were completely empty, and the stones appeared unremarkable. It was strange that in such a dark, damp place, there was no musty smell at all.

Eventually, my gaze shifted back to the altar. Words in an unknown language were inscribed on it, a bizarre dialect that I couldn’t decipher. I wondered if it was the same as what was on the Heavenly Secret, but I could make no sense of it.

And then it happened.

[… spill blood… awaken…..]

“Uhh…?”

I was taken aback.

For reasons I didn’t understand, I felt like I recognized the significance of some words inscribed on the stone slab in front of the altar! I had never learned or trained for anything like this, so naturally, I was bewildered. Yet, my understanding was incomplete, so I fumbled through a few words to piece together their meanings.

It turned out I could tell that [Dropping blood on the altar will trigger something]. It’s highly likely that it refers specifically to blood from the wrist. A flood of doubts rushed through me, but regardless, I had little choice in this scenario, so I took the dagger I held and gently cut my wrist.

DROP!

As my blood dripped down, it flowed into the altar’s patterns slowly, seeping into a hole.

RUMBLE…

“It’s opening…?!”

To my astonishment, the ordinary stone wall that had shown no signs of life suddenly swung open, revealing another chamber. As I stepped inside, a brilliant light enveloped me.

It was blinding!

“… That’s!!”

I noticed something glowing brightly, roughly thirty zhang across in the far end of the massive cavern. It seemed to be a treasure or a weapon based on that radiance—it exuded an energy that felt significant.

WHOOSH!

However, there was a hitch. The cavern was constructed like an abyss, and I would have to cross a narrow beam to reach this glowing prize. Just as I felt the thrill of discovering a treasure, I took a step forward.

[Exercise caution when traversing a clearly marked path. It is certain to contain traps.]

A piece of advice Mangnyang had often given me during our travels suddenly flashed through my mind.

‘Right. I need to be careful.’

Making sure my foot stepped back from the beam, I returned to the entrance. In times like this, extra caution was paramount.

That choice proved to be the right one.

BOOM!

A rumbling sound roared up from the abyss, like something unfurling deep below. It echoed like something was crawling up the walls with a dreadful thudding noise.

Holding my breath at the entrance, I stayed silent. Moments later, something massive burst up, shattering the narrow bridge!

CRASH!

From the shadows emerged a gigantic spider!

With the size of dozens of spans and more eyes than I could count, this terrifying giant spider leaped forth from the abyss. It clung to the ceiling, spinning its web as if searching for intruders with its beady eyes. I swiftly hid behind a tunnel.

‘Holy crap. If I’d crossed that narrow beam, I’d have been gobbled up before I knew it.’

Even if I did die and it ended up resetting, I’d surely be driven mad from the experience. I was thankful for Mangnyang’s wisdom and began to ponder my next move.

With the bridge now severed, I’d have to jump thirty spans to reach the other side. Yet, with that giant spider watching from the ceiling, dodging its attacks while leaping thirty spans was impossible, even for me.

CRUNCH CRUNCH!

The spider was just waking up, busy weaving its web as if it planned to take over this spot for its nest. Once that web was completed, there would be no way for anyone to cross and claim the treasure. It was obvious how intimidating a giant spider would be, especially in its own territory.

‘… What should I do?’

I took a moment to assess my options and distance. Then, I made my decision.

“Let’s just die first and think afterward!!”

WHOOSH!

I leaped straight into the center of the cavern in a surprise move before the situation worsened. As I bounded about fifteen spans, the spider shot webbing directly at me. In response, I activated the Thunder Spirit Technique and deflected the web with my dagger.

CLANG!

To my surprise, the Thunder Spirit Technique seemed to disregard the stickiness of the webs; I only felt a slight tingle in my hand as I remarkably leaped to the other side. I landed and inspected the glowing ‘something’ emitting a radiant glow.

A sword!

It appeared so ancient and worn that it seemed impractical, as if it had been crafted in an old battlefield centuries ago. Despite its primitive shape, the blade radiated a golden light that spread powerful energy in every direction. I felt an overwhelming force that could rival my internal power.

I realized the massive spider lurking at the ceiling existed solely to guard this sword. The inscriptions on the altar probably had something to do with this sword having a guardian. I could practically see those words in my mind.

‘… Guardian?’

In that moment, I recalled something I’d learned from Master Mangnyang.

‘Could this be…!!’

The Secret Treasure of the Seven Luminaries!

Could this ancient sword in my hands possibly be one of the seven artifacts belonging to the immortals? Just as I astonished myself with that realization…

WHOOSH WHOOSH!

The spider suddenly began releasing webs at an alarming speed. The torrents of silk seemed ready to envelop dozens of spans. With my current abilities, there was no way I could break through that deluge of webbing, let alone get back to the other side.

“Damn it… If I had Sword Strength, maybe I could give it a shot.”

So, with a bitter smile, I found myself making the coldest judgment of all.

BOOM!

“Gah…”

I punctured my heart meridian and willingly ended my life.

When there’s no way to win or escape, death is the only option.

It’s better than dying slowly and painfully while being devoured alive.

This was my seventh death.

 

---