Reincarnation Sword God

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Chapter 7: The Arrival of Chaos

The moment I faced Paengjo, I couldn’t help but think about how to fight that guy.

Martial Arts?
Techniques?
One thing was clear: rushing in recklessly was definitely not a good strategy. Just then, Cheon Woo-jin stepped forward and shouted at Paengjo.

“Urgent Thunder Release!”

Crackle!
Around Paengjo’s body, the Eight Trigrams began to ripple like waves and sparkled with lightning. Caught off guard by the unexpected powerful sealing technique, Paengjo momentarily froze but soon began to move again. Watching this, Cheon Woo-jin narrowed his eyes and murmured,
“Impressive.”

[Hmph… what a useless trick.]
Chi-ling!
Then, something was summoned around Paengjo, enveloping him in a dark sphere as a defensive measure.

The Fire Dragon Incarnate spoke from deep within me.
[That’s the Hunyuan Umbrella! He possesses it.]
“Hunyuan Umbrella? Isn’t that from…”
[It belongs to Ma Ye-hong, the second of the Evil Clan during the Divine War. That artifact is renowned for its exceptional defense even in the Celestial Realm.]
“……!!”
I was taken aback.

Ma Ye-hong from the Divine War!
He was another ancient Great Immortal, known as a formidable force through the powers of his artifact, serving under the Taesa Clan. In terms of skill, he was on par with Lee Heung-pae, a master from the Archipelago, but he was said to have been sealed by the immortals in ancient times. And now, an artifact of the Evil Clan was in Paengjo’s hands.

That was not all that amazed me. The instant Paengjo called forth the Hunyuan Umbrella for defense, he began summoning even more artifacts.

Kki-kig!
As the dark pipa he summoned emitted eerie sounds throughout the hall, Tang San’s eyes suddenly glimmered with madness and rolled back. He charged toward me, casting his techniques.

Thunder God Lineage, Ultimate Technique!
Thunder God Fist!

‘What? Hey!!’
Why is this guy attacking me? Has he lost his mind!
Kwah-kwaang!!
I hurriedly blocked Tang San’s Thunder God Fist, but then I noticed fine silver threads unraveling that aimed to assault me. With Tang Clan’s secret technique at play, I dodged in mid-air five times, and the moment I tried to back away with the Soul Removal Technique, Tang San swung his hands to cast another Ultimate.

Secret Art!
Heavenly Fire Rain!
“Cough!!”
As the intent of the summoned techniques flooded in, I felt dizzy. Among them was a truly lethal combo of needles and summoning, and once it was unleashed through the Mind Control Technique, they almost blended together. Furthermore, their speed and strength were overwhelming, making it impossible for me to withstand them easily, even as I.

However, I managed to counter Tang San’s Heavenly Fire Rain by applying the Bowing Sky Slash and the example from Thunder God Lineage. The intense revolutions flung away the incoming assault bursting with thunder.

Kka-gang!
‘Damn, if I hadn’t taken Lee Cheong-un’s hellish lessons, I would have been dead.’
Just as I blocked Tang San’s attack, something enormous suddenly appeared from the sky. The creature was so massive that it obscured the sky, rapidly descending with a gaping maw towards us.

Kwah-kwaang!!
Pa-at!
In light of the successive assaults, I quickly fled with my companions to a different location. Fortunately, there was no one among us who couldn’t evade that giant’s attack. As I managed to fend off Paengjo’s first strike, I bellowed at Tang San.

“You bastard! A sudden betrayal?”
“……”
But Tang San didn’t respond to my shout, only preparing to fight with a dazed look in his eyes.

Realizing something was off, I guarded against Tang San as Cheon Woo-jin beside me spoke.
“It’s the power of the Evil Clan’s artifact, the Black Pipa.”
“Black Pipa?”
“It has the ability to brainwash thousands of people at once. It seems Tang San has fallen victim to its control.”
“Ugh, brainwashing artifacts…”
I frowned. It was fine for me, but Seo Mun-hye was tied to a mythical bloodline, so she wouldn’t be affected, and Cheon Woo-jin certainly wasn’t someone who would fall victim either. It was also strange that Berus, an entity beyond humanity, was the only one affected. Regardless of the circumstances, he was still an ordinary human.

“And that massive creature up ahead is the artifact Flower Fox Mongoose. While appearing as a summoned entity, it’s actually a combat artifact created artificially. Its armor is extremely thick and can absorb most techniques and physical forces.”
“Could it be that Paengjo can utilize all the Evil Clan’s artifacts?”
Cheon Woo-jin nodded.
“Definitely. He appears to have even more.”
“Hmm…”
I sighed.
‘Does that mean Paengjo can use more than four artifacts at once? But that’s unbelievable.’
Right now, he was simultaneously deploying the artifacts of the Evil Clan to pressure us, which was inherently impossible. How Paengjo managed to possess the Evil Clan’s artifacts was secondary, but artifacts consumed tremendous powers and energies, making them not easily wieldable. Even a Great Immortal would find it incredibly rare to utilize more than two artifacts at once.

As much as he was a descendant of the divine and a Great Immortal, I couldn’t help but wonder if he could handle juggling so many artifacts all at once.
It was as if Cheon Woo-jin sensed my suspicion as he said,
“Paengjo is a member of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Therefore, being of divine lineage means he possesses unique abilities different from human-born Great Immortals. We must uncover the hidden secrets of his powers to defeat him easily.”
“If we go for a head-on confrontation now, it’ll be unfavorable?”
“You’ve likely felt the overwhelming strength of his simultaneous artifact usage during your fight with Cheon Gong-pyo.”
“……”
“It’s not that we are likely to lose, but forcing a power clash would result in unnecessary losses. Plus, Cheon Gong-pyo is watching us from above. We should approach with caution.”
“Got it. What about Tang San being brainwashed?”
Cheon Woo-jin stared intently at Tang San before replying.
“I’ll handle that guy for now. You should explore Paengjo’s potential with the help of the Fire Dragon Incarnate and Jin So-cheong. Seo Mun-hye can take care of the remaining Demon Sorcerers.”
“Understood…”
As I responded and prepared to move, I suddenly felt awkward.
‘Um… come to think of it, why isn’t Jin So-cheong affected?’
Tang San alone had the power to wreak havoc throughout the Sichuan Martial World, definitely having reached the realm of absolute martial experts. Yet, even he had succumbed to the brainwashing of the Black Pipa due to a moment’s carelessness. Considering the artifact’s overwhelming power, it was striking that Jin So-cheong remained unfazed, only looking a bit pale.

Why hadn’t Jin So-cheong fallen prey to the mental attack?
Before I could ponder further, Jin So-cheong charged ahead, declaring,
“Baek Woong! I’ll shatter the Flower Fox Mongoose.”
“Ah, understood!”
While Jin So-cheong engaged the Flower Fox Mongoose, I immediately cast the Soul Removal Technique to attack Paengjo, who stood some distance away. When I closed in wrapped in the Fire Dragon Incarnate’s energy, Paengjo darkened one hand and drew his sword in response.

Kka-gang!
‘Ugh.’
The moment our swords collided, I felt my entire body go numb. The sword he wielded was the Qingyun Sword, an artifact from the Evil Clan, so its power was significant, and Paengjo’s strength appeared to rival a divine beast. If my sword had been an ordinary long sword, I might have ended up spewing blood.

From the clash of our swords, I could instantly gauge the disparity in our capabilities. Even without the artifacts, I could never triumph over Paengjo in a one-on-one match! The gap between our races was like night and day.
As we clashed blades, Paengjo smirked.
[Hehehe… no matter how I look at it, you’re just an ordinary human brat. How did you make it this far?]
“Hmph, can you read faces now?”
[Of course… you’re nothing but a mundane person, but what a strange contrary.]
I felt a twinge of irritation at his words. But, I shouted back, channeling all my strength into my sword.
“Feel the pain of an ordinary’s blade!!”

Kwah-ching!
At that moment, the strength of Thunder God Lineage released from my sword struck Paengjo’s neck. However, despite the direct hit, the only response from Paengjo was a slight flinch, and I swung my sword ten more times, but it seemed I couldn’t inflict any damage on him whatsoever.
“Ugh, what…”
[Ahahaha… you don’t even realize that I’m wearing the Eight Trigrams Garment.]
“Y-You’re wearing an artifact?”
[Your attacks are pointless against me!]
Paengjo boasted.
Facing an enemy like him for the first time, I felt my mind go blank.
Wrap myself in artifacts to flaunt the ultimate defense?!

He was completely different from any opponent I had faced so far.
Of course, even wielding several artifacts simultaneously didn’t compare to Cheon Gong-pyo. Unlike Cheon Gong-pyo, who could unleash the full potential of his abilities simultaneously, he was merely relying on the mere effects of his equipment.
‘Tch… but how do I win…’
Thinking this way brought some comfort, but the problem was that even if I did, I didn’t have a clear method to win. As I felt the impending dark clouds, I pushed forth my martial arts with everything I had, challenging Paengjo.
Kka-gang! Kka-gang!
We battled for over two hundred exchanges!
The Fire Dragon Incarnate fueled my sword with its divine flames, yet it still had no effect. The force of my sword, which could chop down mountains, was absurd compared to his defense. Even against the Sea God, my blade would have made contact, yet it was ineffective against Paengjo who stood before me.

Boom!
“Uagh!”
With a strike from Paengjo’s fist, I barely managed to block it with the Protection Energy Technique, but the pain made me scream. Cold sweat trickled down my back.
‘Time and Space Manipulation!’
Just now, I was pulled closer to him so that I couldn’t evade with the Soul Removal Technique or the martial arts techniques, and with a single punch, he broke through my Protection Technique with brute strength.

‘To fight someone like him, I’d need to reach the Absolute Realm…!!’
No matter how abundant my energy or exceptional my martial skills were at the peak expert level, I couldn’t possibly win against Paengjo! I needed enough strength to breach the Eight Trigrams Garment and a resistance against Time and Space Manipulation, and all of this was only attainable in the Absolute Realm.

Reluctantly, I had no choice but to surrender control of my body to the Fire Dragon Incarnate. With the Fire Dragon Incarnate descending, my spirit and physical capabilities surged greatly, allowing me to wield the powers of the Dragon King. Yet even the Fire Dragon Incarnate could only endure while maneuvering my body against Paengjo.

Kwah-kwang!!
Thud…
The Fire Dragon Incarnate unleashed dozens of flaming torrents, but when Paengjo emerged from the smoke, he showed not a single sign of injury. With a sly smile, Paengjo mocked the Fire Dragon Incarnate.
[Heh, Fire Dragon Incarnate… since it’s come to this, I’ll seize you and uncover the way to the Imperial Palace.]
[Don’t get cocky! Even wearing the greatest protective garments of the Celestial Realm, if you were as ordinary as those demons, you’d have burned to death in my flames.]
[If you’re so unfair, why not use an artifact yourself? Hahaha.]
The Fire Dragon Incarnate looked rather furious as his eyes glimmered with intensity. I turned to speak to him.
[Fire Dragon Incarnate, this is becoming too much. We have gathered enough data to discern his true abilities, and now it’s time to call upon the Heavenly Mysterious Woman for aid.]
So far, I had pushed my limits to understand the enemy’s level and detailed capabilities for preparation. But at this point, I had gathered enough information, and it was time to end this.

[Ugh. Please eliminate that bastard!]
[Understood.]
Woo-woong!
As the Heavenly Mysterious Woman descended upon me, Paengjo’s expression shifted to one of confusion.
[…Hmm…?]
When he recognized the essence of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman who had descended upon me, his eyes widened in shock.
[Ah, no?! Why the heck are you here…]
The Heavenly Mysterious Woman coldly replied.
[Paengjo, I had my suspicions since a large number of artifacts disappeared from the Celestial Realm after your vanishing. You took those artifacts with you to the West, didn’t you?]
[……]
[Despite being born from a noble lineage of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, your lowly demeanor and actions cannot be tolerated any longer. I shall obliterate you.]

Trembling with fury, Paengjo muttered under his breath, uncertain of whether it was anger or resentment.
[…This can’t be happening. The Celestial Realm was boasting that Changhil had everything under control, yet why is the Heavenly Mysterious Woman here…? Could it be that Changhil deceived me…?]

Swish!
Preparing her Corpse Dissolution Technique, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman raised her hand, making Paengjo hastily speak.
[H-Hey, Heavenly Mysterious Woman! Don’t you want to know why I can use multiple artifacts at once?]
[I’m curious. You are of divine blood, possessing considerable power, yet you lack the talent for chaos. No matter who you are, if you waste your power on artifacts, you should weaken. How is it possible?]
[If you tell me, I swear by your name that I’ll let you go.]
[……]
I interjected towards the Heavenly Mysterious Woman.
[No way.]
[Understood.]
The Heavenly Mysterious Woman responded calmly.
[Then die.]
[Wait a second…!!]

Puff!
As the Corpse Dissolution Technique activated, Paengjo disintegrated and was ultimately obliterated. Given the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s original power, she wouldn’t have achieved quite this level, but thanks to the offerings she received from the Water Element of the Seven Luminaries, she had restored her ancient strength, making the elimination of someone like Paengjo no problem at all. Perhaps the current Heavenly Mysterious Woman could even rival the great Gong Gong of old.

In the place where Paengjo had been annihilated, the Eight Trigrams Technique and Qingyun Sword lay scattered. In addition, several other artifacts were present, all of which appeared to be precious items.
‘Awesome, if I give those artifacts to my companions…!!’
A feeling of triumph surged within me. I might not be able to use all of them myself, but I had companions. Just by sharing one artifact with each of my companions, our power could skyrocket! It seemed the Heavenly Mysterious Woman thought the same as she stepped forward.

Kurr-rrr!
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning struck as Cheon Gong-pyo appeared on the scene. After picking up the Eight Trigrams Garment and the Qingyun Sword, he grinned slyly.
[These are mine…]

At that moment…
Phew!
The instant Cheon Gong-pyo spoke, a silver flash shot through the air and pierced the ground at her feet. The soundless attack was akin to cleaving time itself. Cheon Gong-pyo suddenly wore a dazed expression as she gazed at the person who had hurled the silver spear.
[……]
Standing there, having split the Flower Fox Mongoose in half within a short span, was Jin So-cheong. Tang San, who had knocked him out and was now throwing him over his shoulder, stood beside her as well.

Jin So-cheong glared at Cheon Gong-pyo and stated,
“That doesn’t belong to you, drop it.”

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