Reincarnated Swordmaster - Chapter 246

Celestial Realm

Three days had passed since the Sword Demon and I had visited the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School. During that time, the Sword Demon had focused on stabilizing the sect’s foundations, as the Shadowless Gate, which had just entered the Thirteen Regulations, was still weak. I couldn’t interfere with the Sword Demon, so I spent those three days only assessing my own martial skills.

“There’s nothing here.”

Upon arriving at the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, I noticed the training students were nowhere to be seen. Neither the Thunder God Lineage master, Yoon Kwang, nor Ji Pyeong was present either. The massive school seemed deserted, reminiscent of an abandoned building. I walked inside but still sensed no presence, so after about half a cycle of incense, I exited the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School. The Sword Demon walked out muttering,

“As expected, with the conflict against the Wind Spirit Sect intensifying, they couldn’t hold out at the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School. I had a glimmer of hope…”

“What should we do now?”

“From what I learned last time at the Divine Maiden Sect, it seems there hasn’t been news of Lee Kwang in the martial world yet. For now, it appears they’re only deploying Jin So-cheong for surprise attacks. We may need to put in more effort to locate Lee Kwang.”

“I’m concerned we didn’t pin down the exact time and location back then.”

“That wasn’t the situation.”

The Sword Demon spoke briefly before continuing,

“We should track Jin So-cheong’s movements instead of Lee Kwang. They’re likely inseparable, like needle and thread, so finding Jin So-cheong should lead us to Lee Kwang.”

The Sword Demon reactivated the communication network with the Divine Maiden Sect. After about half a day’s wait, the leader of the sect appeared and began exchanging information. He had brought the information fee along as well.

“Jin So-cheong has gained a reputation as the Divine Spear and has recently headed toward the Zhongnan Sect.”

“The Divine Spear, huh… That makes sense. But why the Zhongnan Sect?”

“I’m not sure about that.”

“……”

The Sword Demon pondered for a moment before asking again,

“What about Jin So-cheong breaking the Eight Demons of Martial Daos? What’s his current status?”

“Currently, aside from you and the Black Horse, everyone else has been eliminated. As of now, you could say it’s the Shadow Demons.”

“Kuhuh! The Shadow Demons?”

The Sword Demon chuckled in disbelief.

“So how did the Black Horse survive?”

“It seems he completely dismantled the Black Night Gate and has been on the run ever since. Jin So-cheong appears to have half-given up on him.”

“I see. You may leave now.”

Once the leader of the Divine Maiden Sect departed, the Sword Demon looked in the direction she had disappeared, saying,

“Today, I have confirmed it. Jin So-cheong must have utilized the information from the Divine Maiden Sect. Using their intel, he probably discovered the whereabouts of the Eight Demons of Martial Daos and launched attacks.”

“Jin So-cheong using information from the Divine Maiden Sect? That’s hard to believe.”

I replied incredulously.

“Why is that hard to believe?”

“Jin So-cheong has no history of sparing anyone he’s faced from the Eight Demons of Martial Daos. They say the leader of the Divine Maiden Sect, the Shadow Demon, also fell to Jin So-cheong. How could she provide information to her sect’s enemy?”

“Krkrkr…”

The Sword Demon laughed heartily.

“That’s not quite right. The Thunder God Lineage can’t realistically utilize outside information from its peers. But to fight against a colossal force like the Wind Spirit Sect, intel is essential. Without the information from the Divine Maiden Sect, the Thunder God Lineage wouldn’t even be able to engage.”

“Oh.”

“Neither Lee Kwang nor Jin So-cheong would be foolish enough to leave behind at least some collaborators.”

Hearing the Sword Demon’s words, a thought suddenly struck me.

“Are you suggesting the Shadow Demon is feigning death and is actually collaborating with the Thunder God Lineage?”

“That seems likely. The claim that the Shadow Demon is dead might just be a story leaked by the Divine Maiden Sect. Given the circumstantial evidence, it’s clear there’s cooperation between the Thunder God Lineage and the Divine Maiden Sect.”

“Hmm.”

“The Shadow Demon has always been skeptical of the Eight Demons of Martial Daos’ existence. Perhaps he intends to leverage the power of the Thunder God Lineage to dismantle the Eight Demons of Martial Daos and clear his past to re-enter the world as a legitimate sect.”

“……”

“The Black Horse specializes in discreet operations, which is why he likely hasn’t been located even with the help of the Divine Maiden Sect. The other Demons, being more flamboyant, probably weren’t able to hide as well as the Black Horse.”

If the Sword Demon’s deductions were correct, then it all made sense. The leader of the Eight Demons of Martial Daos wouldn’t be foolish enough to confront Jin So-cheong directly. Even so, the reason Jin So-cheong could persistently target the Demons in such a short time must have been due to the aid of the Divine Maiden Sect, another faction within the Eight Demons of Martial Daos that specialized in intelligence.

The Sword Demon stroked his chin.

“We could charm the leader of the Divine Maiden Sect into arranging a meeting with the Shadow Demon, but that would be challenging. The Shadow Demon, officially deceased, would likely go to extreme lengths to avoid me. For now, let’s head to the Zhongnan Sect, where Jin So-cheong is said to have gone.”

“I have visited their main stronghold before. We can reach it via teleportation.”

“Still, let’s only teleport to the village in front of it. We need to assess the situation first.”

“Understood.”

Fwaaat!

The Sword Demon and I arrived at the village at the foot of Zhongnan Mountain. We cautiously surveyed the area for any sign of Jin So-cheong, but he was nowhere to be found. He either hadn’t arrived yet or had already entered the Zhongnan Mountain. The Sword Demon furrowed his brow, lost in thought as he spoke,

“Why would Jin So-cheong come here to the Zhongnan Sect?”

“Um…”

“The eradication of the Eight Demons of Martial Daos is nearly complete, and only the struggle against the Wind Spirit Sect remains. So why would he head to the Zhongnan Sect… Hmm…”

While the Sword Demon sat pondering on a bench, a thought flickered in my mind.

“Could it have something to do with the Huashan Sect?”

“The Huashan Sect?”

“The Huashan Sect is the greatest stronghold of the Wind Spirit Sect within the Central Plains. Their sect leader, Yong Jung-il, is a direct descendant of the Wind Spirit Sect’s law protector, Yong Bi-cheon.”

“Oh! That makes sense. So he’s come to seek cooperation from the Zhongnan Sect and the Huashan Sect, who are at odds with the Wind Spirit Sect?”

“Yes. Perhaps he’s aiming to expose the Huashan Sect’s ties to the Wind Spirit Sect.”

“Hm…”

After a long moment of contemplation, the Sword Demon nodded.

“I think you’re right. Given that the First Sword of Zhongnan, Yeon Jeong-hong, is around, it’s entirely plausible he’d think this way. It’s a logical conclusion.”

Hearing the Sword Demon’s statement, questions bubbled up within me, akin to the urge to unearth uncertainties within the knowledge I had accumulated in my past life. So, I turned to the Sword Demon and asked,

“You mentioned Yeon Jeong-hong is the top master of the Zhongnan Sect and the sect leader. Just how formidable is he?”

“West’s Number One!”

The Sword Demon proclaimed emphatically.

“Despite the Huashan Sect being superior in both quantity and quality of masters, the Zhongnan Sect can stand its ground purely because of Yeon Jeong-hong. I had the chance to witness his martial prowess during the previous gathering of the Eight Demons of Martial Daos and the Gu Fa Il Bang, and he was an incredible master.”

“……!!”

“That’s probably why Lee Kwang can accept him as his friend. Someone like Lee Kwang wouldn’t befriend anyone who doesn’t match his level.”

I was utterly astonished.

‘Is he really at that level?’

If the Sword Demon was openly describing him as remarkable, it suggested that Yeon Jeong-hong’s skill was at the peak level even back in the day. Given that it had been a while since then, it was challenging to gauge just how formidable he had become. It was no wonder that Jin So-cheong had appeared nervous before him during their earlier visit to the Zhongnan Sect.

The Sword Demon continued,

“Waiting around in the village is pointless without knowing Jin So-cheong’s location. I suppose we’ll have no choice but to infiltrate the Zhongnan Sect’s inner sanctum.”

“Shall we move to the main building?”

“That seems necessary.”

Fwaaat!

Using Teleportation, I shifted with the Sword Demon to a secluded spot within the Zhongnan Sect’s main building. Not sensing any presence nearby, we began to proceed quietly, concealing our energy.

“This way.”

The Sword Demon moved stealthily as if he were a ghost, indicating a direction. There appeared to be masters of the Zhongnan Sect scattered around, yet the Sword Demon easily maneuvered thanks to his mastery of the Seven Star Concealment Technique. I too began to move silently, but my accomplishment in concealment was lacking, which made me break into a sweat.

Eventually, we reached a remote area, quite far from the main building. It was a small hermitage nestled in a dense forest. As we concealed our presence in the woods and watched the hermitage, we spotted a figure sitting within.

‘The First Sword of Zhongnan, Yeon Jeong-hong!’

He seemed to be quietly meditating inside the hermitage. The Sword Demon observed him for some time, then decided to stride forward after a stick of incense had passed.

“It’s nice to see you, Yeon Jeong-hong.”

Wait, you’re revealing yourself to Yeon Jeong-hong here?!

I couldn’t comprehend the Sword Demon’s reasoning and panicked, but I had no choice but to follow him. As I stepped out, the meditating Yeon Jeong-hong opened his eyes and replied,

“I wondered who it was; it’s the Sword Demon Seo Mun-dae-ryong.”

“It seems it’s been ages since we last met. Greetings, Yeon Sect Leader.”

Yeon Jeong-hong didn’t appear to be flustered. Perhaps he had sensed the Sword Demon’s stealth abilities, making him conclude that it was pointless to remain concealed any longer, hence revealing himself. Yeon Jeong-hong stood up from his seat and asked,

“What brings you to our sect?”

“To get straight to the point, I heard Jin So-cheong is coming to see you.”

“Oh?”

Yeon Jeong-hong blinked in surprise.

“What does he intend to do upon meeting Jin So-cheong?”

“I made a promise with his master, the Three Refined Masters Lee Kwang, to duel the law protector of your sect. However, since Lee Kwang has been hiding somewhere in the martial world, I must speak with his disciple, Jin So-cheong.”

“Is that certain?”

“I, the Sword Demon, have never lied in my life.”

For a brief moment, the gazes of Yeon Jeong-hong and the Sword Demon locked. Yeon Jeong-hong appeared to study us intently with his abyss-like eyes before shifting his focus towards me. He then said,

“You’re quite the talent. However, are you not too inexperienced to challenge Lee Kwang?”

“That’s something you needn’t worry about.”

“Hoho. You truly are an interesting person…”

Yeon Jeong-hong chuckled, apparently amused. He then added,

“Please wait here for a moment. I will go fetch Jin So-cheong.”

So, Jin So-cheong was indeed already at the Zhongnan Sect, meeting with Yeon Jeong-hong. While we sat in the hermitage waiting, shortly thereafter, Yeon Jeong-hong appeared alongside Jin So-cheong. The moment Jin So-cheong recognized the Sword Demon, his expression turned astonished before he quickly regained his composure and bowed.

“It’s been a while, Sword Demon Seo Mun-dae-ryong.”

“How have you been?”

“Nothing much has happened.”

The Sword Demon regarded him before asking,

“I believe you have a guess as to why I’m here?”

Jin So-cheong offered an awkward smile in response.

“My apologies. My master has been too busy lately and hasn’t shown himself in the martial world. I’d like to apologize on his behalf.”

“Haha, it’s all good. However, I believe it’s time for me to fulfill my promise.”

With that, the Sword Demon fixed his gaze sharply into the void and declared,

“Am I wrong, Three Refined Master Lee Kwang?”

Suuuuuu!

“……!!”

At that moment, as if the space itself had opened up, Lee Kwang emerged from nowhere. I was utterly shocked, thinking it was some space transition technique, but given the lack of reaction from the other formidable masters present, it appeared to be a technique of thought manifestation. With this approach, one could manipulate perception, appearing like a will-o’-the-wisp hidden within nature.

Lee Kwang had likely been with Jin So-cheong at the Zhongnan Sect. He gazed at the Sword Demon in silence before finally speaking.

“You have quite the peculiar obsession. What could be so important that you’ve followed all the way here just to let that kid gain experience?”

“Haha! It is no shame to want my disciple to spar with a master.”

Lee Kwang let out a low groan, clearly feeling the burden of facing the Sword Demon. After a moment’s deliberation, he replied,

“Very well. Since the location is suitable, let’s have this child duel with the law protector of your sect right here.”

“Ah, but before that, I’d like to ask you one thing.”

“What is it?”

The Sword Demon studied Lee Kwang with meaningful eyes and asked,

“Have you ever heard of a name called Dokgo Seong?”

“……!!”

Lee Kwang couldn’t hide his surprise. The sudden inquiry caught even the seasoned Lee Kwang off guard. After a moment, he regained his composure and responded,

“… What about Dokgo Seong?”

“Nothing of great importance. I recently obtained some information concerning him, and I might be able to share more.”

“Don’t beat around the bush. If you have information on Dokgo Seong, I am willing to pay any price for it.”

Lee Kwang appeared eager, almost restless. The Sword Demon looked at him teasingly and replied with a smirk,

“Haha. Let’s finish the duel first. After all, we should promote camaraderie between us, right?”

“… Understood.”

Suu!

Lee Kwang stepped forward. Standing opposite him, I reflected,

‘Thank you, Master.’

The Sword Demon had mentioned the name Dokgo Seong intentionally. His aim was to prevent Lee Kwang from using the excuse of ‘accidental injury’ on me. If Lee Kwang were to inadvertently anger the Sword Demon, he would never be able to learn anything about Dokgo Seong. In other words, the Sword Demon was providing a safeguard for me.

I tightened my grip on the sword determinedly.

Finally, the day had arrived.

The day I would clash blades with Lee Kwang as a third party!

“Let me have a go.”

Right here and now.

“Come at me.”

It was time to resolve a hundred years of resentment.