Reincarnation Sword God

Dark Heaven Village

After receiving the blessing of Guan Yu, I headed straight for Mount Ye.
“Mangnyang said to obtain Divine Blood here.”
At Mount Ye, there was the ancient tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. This relic, known as the Qin Shi Huang Tomb, contained the essential material for creating the ultimate Divine Portrait—the Divine Blood.
In reality, this Divine Blood was alien metal transformed by alchemy from mercury. A large quantity of Divine Blood had been produced using alchemy and was stored inside the relic.
I recalled Mangnyang’s words.
[Until now, I couldn’t obtain Divine Blood due to lack of time and opportunity. However, once I secure it, it will surely be of great help.]
[Though Divine Blood is crucial for the Divine Portrait, isn’t it immediate utility questionable?]
[No, Baek Woong. You must secure the Divine Blood. It is the essential material needed to truly assault the Imperial Palace.]
I wondered what importance the Divine Blood held in this situation, but it seemed Mangnyang had different thoughts. What he wanted was to ensure the acquisition of Divine Blood and, even if it couldn’t be obtained immediately, to understand the internal structure of the relic at Mount Ye.

I had visited the relic at Mount Ye once, so I easily found the Secret Passage to enter. However, I was slightly taken aback by the drastically different interior landscape compared to before.
“Hmmm. They have explored quite a lot, haven’t they?”
In my 23rd life, when Zhuge Yulong explored Mount Ye to mine the Divine Blood, they had only carved out tunnels large enough for a person to pass through, and the caverns weren’t very spacious.
Yet now, the interior I entered through the Secret Passage was grand and systematic, rivaling even the Longmen Grottoes. In fact, I could see hundreds of miners and martial artists bustling around, actively working.

I used the Thunder God Lineage’s wall-clinging technique to silently observe the scene below.
Golden garments.
Impressive martial skills.
“Are those the Golden Eagle Guards? There are Zhuge Yuan and Heavenly Tiger among them.”
I briefly inspected whether they were mistreating or whipping the miners, but there was no such indication. On the contrary, they seemed to be quite friendly with the miners, and the working environment appeared decent. I could hear the chatter between a member of the Golden Eagle Guard and a miner.
“Let’s go have fun together on the next holiday.”
“Is it okay to tell you the name of the cute girl I saw before? Hehe.”
“Of course!”
Their camaraderie puzzled me. Mining Divine Blood here must be extremely confidential, so did that mean the insiders could go on holiday? If they had been quietly extracting Divine Blood for the past five years, this cheerful atmosphere was somewhat hard to comprehend.
In secret operations, the role of the Golden Eagle Guards would typically involve eliminating miners to ensure confidentiality, making this ambiance inconceivable.
The only possible explanation was one:
‘Absolute confidence.’
Changhil and the Eight Parts of the Divine were surely convinced that no human force could threaten or restrain them. That was why they were unconcerned about security while handling such a massive confidential matter as mining Divine Blood.
After all, 99.9% of humans probably didn’t know what Divine Blood was or what it meant, and those who did could be assumed to be dead.
Indeed, it had been that way. The Divine Altar Tree War ended in overwhelming victory for Changhil five years ago. The current White Lotus Sect, whose core leader had died, and the Twelve Joules, who had also perished, were now hiding in silence. The oblivious True Heaven Alliance or Heretical Sect maintained the martial world as usual, but they genuinely knew nothing, rendering them incapable of interference.
Logically speaking, there shouldn’t be anyone in the world who knew about Divine Blood or Divine Portraits and could restrain the miners at Mount Ye from completing a perfect Divine Portrait. The ancient, completely hidden secrets remained entirely concealed, so their confidence was not unfounded.
Unless one were a reborn person like me, humanity had effectively lost the strength to counter Changhil’s conspiracy.
I figured that was precisely why Mangnyang sent me to Mount Ye at this time. If Divine Blood wasn’t acquired before the arrogance of the Eight Parts of the Divine dissipated, powerful subordinates of the Eight Parts or Changhil would soon arrive to fortify the defenses here.
‘They might already be here…’
I proceeded forward, careful not to alert anyone as I moved toward the interior. The deeper the tunnels went, the darker it became, reducing the chances of infiltration through martial arts techniques. Although I could use stealth, it was bothersome, so I made a request to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens.
“Lady Heavenly Mysterious Woman, please cast a powerful stealth technique.”
[Understood.]
With the deployment of the Corpse Dissolution Technique, I realized that I could walk right next to the miners or Golden Eagle Guards without any of them sensing my presence. I even tried poking a miner’s shoulder as a test, but he didn’t seem to notice anything odd. The stealth technique cast by the Heavenly Mysterious Woman was extremely effective.

Deciding that my stealth was secure, I swiftly dashed deeper inside. After running about three li through the tunnel, I reached a temporary storage site where mined Divine Blood was kept. A soft, radiant light flowed gently from that place. The Divine Blood was stacked to about three times the height of a person and in substantial quantity.
“Hmmm.”
How much should I take? Ideally, I would want to take it all, but if my actions drew attention here, Changhil would immediately realize my intentions and likely devise a plan to obstruct my completion of the Divine Portrait. Furthermore, innocent miners could face annihilation.

While I was pondering, an unusual sound suddenly echoed.
Kiii-ring!!
With the peculiar sound, I felt a powerful magical presence nearby. Someone had used a Transmission Technique to appear in this area. Receiving this information through the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s sensing technique, I hurriedly asked her.
“Lady Heavenly Mysterious Woman, who has arrived?”
[Mahuraga from the Eight Parts of the Divine has come.]
“Damn… Are they really trying to defend the Divine Blood? Do you think they sensed my entry?”
[That’s uncertain. But this could be an opportunity.]
“Opportunity?”
I asked, bewildered, but upon seeing the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s combative gaze, I realized what she was planning. My heart raced as I spoke.
“Y-You’re not planning to fight, are you?”
[Of course. While they are immortal beings who can resurrect, I have a demand for them. It is possible to completely annihilate the Eight Parts of the Divine.]
“……!!”
[And Mahuraga is weak in close combat, yet excelling in dark arts and techniques. By applying the Corpse Dissolution Technique, I can easily subdue him.]
I hesitated. It certainly seemed that the current Heavenly Mysterious Woman could win even if Mahuraga revealed his true form, and with a demand on top, she could easily manage.
However, my instincts whispered that something wasn’t right.
‘I should be more cautious…’
I spoke to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea. It’s too early for a fight. Please cast an even stronger stealth technique that Mahuraga wouldn’t notice.”
[… Understood. I will cast the most powerful stealth technique usable along with the Corpse Dissolution Technique.]
Hoo-wah
Moments later, my body was cloaked as if enveloped in a misty thicket. It felt not just like an outer appearance change but that the aura itself had transformed into nothingness. After a moment of waiting, I spotted Mahuraga approaching the storage area of the Divine Blood.

Tread.
Mahuraga appeared as a humanoid figure. While he typically manifested as a serpent-human hybrid, right now he was shaped like a stunning celestial beauty with dark skin. Mahuraga touched the Divine Blood mass, seemingly unaware of my presence, and spoke.
“Liu Tianhao.”
“Yes!”
By her side stood Liu Tianhao, the captain of the Golden Eagle Guards. Upon seeing Liu Tianhao, my former acquaintance, my brows knitted slightly, but Mahuraga continued speaking.
“There hasn’t been an intruder, has there?”
“No, there hasn’t been anyone. I haven’t received any reports of such movement.”
“How incompetent.”
“Pardon?”
Puhbuck!
With a flick of her finger, Liu Tianhao’s head exploded. Regardless of the technique, it showcased terrifying lethality. In the blink of an eye, Mahuraga executed the Peak Expert Liu Tianhao, and in irritation, spoke.
“Having felt the presence of a being with powerful energy within the barrier I cast at Mount Ye, I rushed here, and yet, humans are utterly useless.”
So, Mahuraga had cast a barrier at Mount Ye.
Was it structured to respond to any being above a certain level?
But thanks to the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s stealth technique, it appeared that my identity remained hidden from her. Mahuraga muttered to herself.
“Yet, a sorcerer capable of hiding within my barrier… Is there someone of a high celestial rank present? But no matter how strong they are, they can’t maintain their stealth once I directly enter the barrier.”
Muttering to herself, Mahuraga gazed at the Divine Blood mass and continued.
“How ominous. I need to move this to the Imperial Palace.”
At that, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman urged me.
[Attack now. If not now, there may never be another chance to eliminate Mahuraga. You can also seize the Divine Blood.]
“……”
I was reluctant. Was hitting Mahuraga really the right move?
If I continued like this, I would lose the Divine Blood without a fight, but for some reason, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was a path leading into a trap. I wrestled internally, biting my lips without moving an inch from my spot.
‘Let’s stick to my thoughts.’
Swish, swish
Moments later, Mahuraga disappeared with the Divine Blood mass. I sighed after confirming that Mahuraga was gone.
“She’s gone.”
[Baek Woong, are you not being too indecisive?]
“Though you say so, I have nothing to retort. However, I thought my previous decision might have been wrong.”
[……]
The Heavenly Mysterious Woman said nothing. I felt that she was upset and began looking for another human nearby. As I scanned my surroundings, I spotted a higher-ranking figure, Liu Tianhao, and recognized his face.
‘Gwak Tianhao.’
He was definitely the one I met when I first joined the Golden Eagle Guards in my fifth life. His surname was Gwak, and he had briefly explained things to me before passing me on to Liu Tianhao.
I never expected to see a familiar face in a place like this; as I stared blankly at him, Gwak Tianhao yawned and muttered.
“I wonder how long we have to work in this dank tunnel.”
Suddenly, I felt that now was the opportunity. With Mahuraga unable to detect any intruders and having taken the Divine Blood, this was surely the moment when their vigilance was at its weakest. Moreover, enveloped in stealth, this was the perfect environment to deploy the Soul Exchange Technique.
Swoosh
I placed my finger against the center of Gwak Tianhao’s forehead and recited the incantation for the Soul Exchange Technique for some time. However, Gwak Tianhao didn’t even notice that I was touching him. Once I sufficiently prepared the Soul Exchange Technique, I executed it.
Pah!
In that instant, I felt his consciousness being drawn into mine. I was certain that the Soul Exchange Technique had fully taken hold, and by its success, I realized that my proficiency in the technique had increased by one star. It felt like I was getting more skilled with each use. I addressed Gwak Tianhao.
“Gwak Tianhao. Cease your rational judgment from now and completely obey my words, revealing all that you know.”
As soon as I said that, Gwak Tianhao’s eyes became vacant, and it seemed like all the strength in his body dissipated. In a state fully ensnared by the Soul Exchange Technique, he sat there dazed, and I began my questioning.
“How many Golden Eagle Guards are stationed at the Qin Shi Huang Tomb, and what is their composition?”
“… A total of 42… There are three squad leaders… The newbies currently in training are arranged on the outskirts…”
“What about the Lord and Vice Leader?”
“The Lord never leaves the Imperial Palace… The two Vice Leaders patrol once every three months…”
“How much do you know about Mahuraga and the Eight Parts of the Divine?”
“……? I don’t know… such things…”
“Isn’t there a mysterious beauty from Tianchuk who often strolls around here?”
“… Ah… That woman is… the new concubine of Your Majesty the Emperor… She is very interested in this place…”
Indeed, it seemed that lower-ranking members like Tianhao had no knowledge regarding the identities or names associated with the Eight Parts of the Divine. Moreover, it also appeared they were operating under false identities while living in the Imperial Palace. I pressed further with my inquiries.
“Wasn’t there someone known as the Vermilion Bird in the Imperial Palace of the Divine Guards? A word regarding that individual?”
“… I don’t know… I’m aware there is a Vermilion Bird, but no one knows its true identity… All I know is that the Lord occasionally meets the Vermilion Bird…”
“Alright. Do you know what kind of role the metal being mined here plays?”
“… We don’t know… We just mine it because we’re told to…”
“Okay… Mention anything unusual you’ve come across in this relic.”
As I questioned him, I was overwhelmed by a sense of futility. These people were merely the Emperor’s dogs, completely clueless about any confidential information. While in a state of partial resignation, I awaited Gwak Tianhao’s responses, unexpectedly, he said something that caught my attention.
“Over there on the left side… deeper inside, there’s an unusual place my close miner foreman told me about a year ago… It hasn’t been marked for mining yet, but it’s likely an ancient relic… I found a massive door inscribed with the words ‘Tomb of Wei Yoon Jeong’ inside…”
“……!!”
“There’s no lock on the door, but it’s extraordinarily heavy, so it seems impossible to open with normal strength. You would need some kind of machine or a siege breaker to smash it open…”
“Lead the way.”
“Yes…”
Tomb of Wei Yoon Jeong?
I realized I had received unexpected information. Following Gwak Tianhao, I asked.
“Why didn’t you report the discovery of the Tomb of Wei Yoon Jeong to the higher-ups?”
“… It’s an ancient relic, so… if there are world-class martial skills or treasures, I thought I’d claim them first…”
“……”
Since Gwak Tianhao had originally been a martial artist, it made sense he’d think that way. I silently followed Gwak Tianhao as we navigated deeper into the dark tunnel, as if we were sifting through a maze. After a while, we reached the Tomb of Wei Yoon Jeong, and the scene was exactly as Gwak Tianhao had described.
Creeeak…
I attempted to open the massive door of the Tomb of Wei Yoon Jeong, but it was indeed very heavy. It felt as if it weighed hundreds of times more than an ordinary iron door. I couldn’t believe there existed a metal with such a weight difference despite the same volume.
‘This isn’t a metal that originally exists in this world.’
If it’s the same volume yet hundreds of times heavier, it’s undoubtedly either alien metal or something produced through special refining processes. Whichever it is, it’s clear this was crafted with technology beyond what humanity could currently accept.
With a grunt, I infused my arm with internal power and pushed with all my might. With enough strength to raise my veins, the incredibly heavy door began to creak open slowly. Strengthening my physical abilities with internal power exceeded normal limits. After opening the door, I told Gwak Tianhao.
“Forget everything we talked about until now and return to your original position. You will forget my existence and everything about this relic.”
“Yes…”
As Gwak Tianhao walked back, I entered the interior of the Tomb of Wei Yoon Jeong. Inside, I discovered a meticulously constructed structure and a warrior tomb crafted from copper. I thought this tomb was quite different from the ones outside.
It felt… alive.
I found the stairs leading to the upper level of the Tomb of Wei Yoon Jeong and ascended. Upon reaching the upper level, I came across a bizarre, massive spherical structure embedded in the wall with a human body anchored to it.
At that moment, I was startled.
“Is he alive…?!”
The individual embedded in the sphere had only his face and limbs protruding, emitting faint whimpers. He seemed to breathe like a beast, suffering from an indescribable agony.
I swallowed hard and temporarily released my stealth, requesting the Heavenly Mysterious Woman to erect a barrier. Then, I shouted at him.
“Who are you?”
As if gradually awakening, he slowly opened his eyes and replied faintly.
“Yeo… Bul… Wi…”