Reincarnation Sword God

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Chapter 751: Dark Heaven Village

“Is that the Earth Star as its heart?!”

What was definitely fused with the heart was the scroll of the Earth Star Eight Trigrams Diagram I had seen before. However, it seemed shrunk compared to its original size, and now, fused with the heart, it grotesquely resembled a bizarre lifeform. At that moment, I attempted to use one of Dalgi’s powers, telekinesis, to draw the Earth Star towards me, but the heart remained unyielding.

Jin, noticing that I was using telekinesis, merely chuckled softly. “The Divine Portrait is the essence of the martial arts from both East and West, as well as the purification of divine abilities. Do you really think such tricks will work on me?”

“What are you getting at? Are you bragging about your heart?”

“Of course not.”

As I glared at Jin, he casually shoved the heart back into his right chest.

“Anyway, thanks to you, I had the opportunity to ambush this chaos serpent surrounding the outer dimension. It was quite the formidable foe.”

Suuuuuuu…

Jin gradually vanished into the darkness behind his throne, leaving behind a mocking comment. “If you don’t want to come, you don’t have to…”

Pa-at!

Staring at the spot where Jin had disappeared, I became engulfed in contemplation. That guy had likely gone to meet Changhil while the Guardian was suppressed. It seemed he had no intention of waiting for me to follow him.

I had no choice but to worry. The reason I couldn’t just blindly follow him to meet Changhil was because I had no clue about his intentions or identity.

‘What could that guy possibly want?’

Initially, he was trying to barter my qualifications as a king along with the Earth Star, but when that didn’t pan out, he shifted his goal to suppressing the Guardian. And now, the moment the Guardian was subdued, he rushed off to meet Changhil. It was baffling to understand the correlation between these events.

But suddenly, a connection came into view.

‘…The qualifications of a king. Is that it?’

The first thing Jin proposed as a trade condition was the qualification of a king. That meant the king’s qualification was something he valued above all else and couldn’t let go! And now that he was off to meet Changhil, it made sense if he thought there was another way to obtain that qualification.

I couldn’t be sure, but Jin’s comment about “if you don’t want to come, you don’t have to” might carry such meaning. Since he had already dealt with the Guardian, it suggested he was only taking care of his own affairs now.

Could Changhil really have something related to the qualifications of a king?

No. That statement itself might be a trap to lure me there. Given my experience with schemes and cunning, I couldn’t decide on a course of action.

I bit my lip hard.

‘Damn it! That guy has bound me with just a single word.’

If only he dashed at me with a time-stop ability, I could’ve felt relieved! Instead, he was the type who didn’t overly trust his own powers and played the cunning game. If such a man were to reveal his true capabilities, it would be incredibly troublesome, which made me anxious.

Judging by that, I didn’t have time to waste. If that guy was genuinely planning something against Changhil rather than just bluffing, everything could fall apart.

Now was the time to choose.

After much contemplation, I resolved to head inside.

‘…He deliberately showed me the Earth Star. Ultimately, unless I defeat Jin or forcibly take it from him, I can’t gather the Six Stars. Yet, approaching him with another body would pose too great a risk.’

That meant I had no other option but to accomplish something with Dalgi’s body, no matter the outcome. Steeling myself, I jumped straight into the chaotic passageway behind the throne.

Pa-at!

As I leaped into the chaotic passage, the cosmos around me erupted like a whirlwind. The moment I set foot inside, translucent, glowing stairs appeared where I stepped, extending as though they lead far beyond the horizon.

I sensed Jin’s divine form at an extremely distant spot. Jin glanced back at me, then kept walking, and I tried to sprint towards him.

Whiiiiiiing…

‘Cheh!’

As I attempted to run, the luminous stairs seemingly adhered to my position, preventing me from advancing freely. It seemed that in this place, taking “slow” steps forward was a prerequisite. So, I had no choice but to step forward inch by inch, closing the distance between us, although it hardly made a difference.

How long did it take?

Gradually, I decreased the gap. Jin stood before a massive door, gazing up at it, and it seemed that this was the end of the circular passage. As I got closer, he turned to glance at me.

“You’re not a coward. You didn’t bring any companions with you.”

“Shut up. What exactly are you plotting?”

“As you can see, Changhil is a suspicious one. He has set up a strong barrier in preparation for when the Guardians are breached. So, even though Dalgi lost his body to you and I also subdued the chaos serpent, there are still hindrances in place.”

“……”

Goooook!

I drew upon Dalgi’s demonic power, bloodlight overflowing from my eyes. Though I was human-shaped, my strength was hardly diminished compared to my larger form. The thought of immediately capturing that guy here crossed my mind.

Jin smirked.

“Heh, do you really want to know my intentions?”

“Damn it! Cut the chase and spill it.”

“I believe Changhil will be the final victor. Thus, I simply aim to acquire the seal of the Earth King from him. Because once Changhil ascends and becomes the true king, he will become a celestial being, leaving the dominion over the land intact… I merely wish to obtain at least that dominion.”

“……?”

“If you’re so curious, why don’t you follow me? I have confidence in negotiating with Changhil.”

Ku-goo-goong!!

Jin exerted a force against the door, infusing it with chaos, and it opened wide.

‘That bastard! How lowly does he regard me?’

I sprinted towards Jin to attack him, but suddenly, time came to a halt.

Zzeojeong!

I knew that even the mightiest time-stop ability would falter against the overwhelming power of chaos, so I drew out Dalgi’s power and the chaos itself. As time resumed, I could move again, but in that moment Jin reached out to me.

“Activation.”

Whoosh!

In that instant, all strength drained from my arm, and I realized the force behind my attack had completely vanished. Feeling an impending crisis, I quickly retreated, and Jin remarked.

“Impressive. Despite my targeting you, you dodged easily…”

“What did you do?”

“Do you not understand what it means for the Earth Star to be my heart? Originally, the Earth Star possesses the ability to unravel sorcery techniques, but combined with the Divine Portrait’s power, it can now disperse chaos.”

“……!!”

“You might as well call it the Divine Killing ability, heh. I can kill both apostles and demon kings. If certain conditions are met, I can take down even an [Old Ruler].”

A chill ran through me at Jin’s words.

He could subdue chaos with the Earth Star?!

Of course, that was under the limited condition of merging with the Divine Portrait, but I felt the harrowing potential of the Seven Luminaries standing before me. Surely, the Earth Star wasn’t the only one of the Seven with such exceptional capabilities; perhaps the others could also apply their strengths similarly.

‘Was the chaos serpent I subdued earlier also harnessing the power of the Earth Star?’

Facing Jin, the Divine Portrait, with Dalgi’s strength enabled me to resist his time-stop, but originally, he would be someone impossible to face. While I remained cautious toward him, Jin opened the door completely and spoke.

“If you want to become a king, there are no alternatives. I considered siding with you, but since you refuse to abandon your claim to the king’s qualifications, I will attach myself to Changhil and seize the powers you possess.”

“You…!!”

“I will become the king of humanity without fail. So, let’s meet soon, ha ha ha.”

Pa-at!

As I watched Jin vanish through the door, I couldn’t help but grasp his intentions.

‘Is he planning to eliminate all the Guardians and then petition Changhil to make him his sole Apostle?!’

It was as if he planned to leverage the power dynamics to negotiate with Changhil. After all, it was a crisis situation where all the Guardians were breached, and even Changhil wouldn’t be able to dismiss Jin’s proposal.

If he succeeded in his negotiations with Changhil, he would gain even mightier powers and would surely come after us. Even now, I didn’t feel confident I could defeat him in battle with Dalgi’s corporeal form; he’d become a true calamity. Even among apostles, the strength bestowed by an [Old Ruler] would significantly differ depending on how much power they could wield. Following him to hear his intentions was indeed the right choice.

‘Ugh… But time is short, so what now…’

However, leaping directly into Changhil’s presence was a daunting task. In this scenario, I was marked as the primary target for Changhil to attack. I wasn’t particularly strong, and he could simply overpower me and seize the Seven Luminaries from me. Furthermore, given my past refusal of Changhil’s proposal, he would surely want to tear me apart upon seeing me.

So, should I merely hope that Jin would fail in his negotiations?

That would be a bitter outcome after throwing Dalgi’s body into this mess. Knowing that Jin had planned this whole scenario from the start only intensified my desire to shatter his scheme. I racked my brain hard to figure out what I should do.

But I couldn’t see a clear path. If I strictly considered it, simply retreating here would be the best option. Yet that felt like a prelude to self-destruction, as if I would drown in successive blunders. Having reached such an impasse was quite rare, so after deep contemplation, I finally made up my mind.

“Damn it! Let’s see how this goes!”

Now that it had come to this, I would also negotiate with Changhil! Talking to him might yield something!

Grimacing in determination, I leaped through the chaotic passage and into the door. With the ability to switch back using the Seal of the Supreme King, I trusted that I could take the challenge.

Upon entering, the once-clear celestial atmosphere was replaced by an environment thick with chaotic, malefic energies. It felt just as it did back in the [Old Ruler]’s domain, a place unbearable for a human due to the overwhelming tide of chaos, persistently crashing upon me while distorted beings and monsters roared.
Folks usually referred to places like this as hell.

I sought Jin’s presence in that hell. This land, populated with chaos beasts and monstrous entities, was filled with the dark howls that pounded endlessly, yet the essence of Dalgi being chaos himself provided me with a sense of ease.

‘There it is.’

Not far away, I spotted a gigantic altar installed. And nearby stood Jin. I approached him with every intention of attacking again.

Whoosh!

But Jin evaded my assault effortlessly with his time-stop ability again.

‘Damn it! That annoys me!!’

Internally venting, I suddenly realized something was off about his expression. Unlike his earlier confident and triumphant demeanor, he now appeared extremely flustered. Jin stared blankly down at the altar, mumbling.

“…This can’t be… How did this happen…?”

“Jin!! Where is Changhil?!”

“……”

“No matter what negotiation you’re planning, I will disrupt you!!”

As I glared at him, Jin stared blankly at the chaotic sky before responding.

“He’s not here.”

“What?”

“Changhil is… not here. The ritual is underway, but why is this happening?”

Hearing his words, I couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

“Heh, serves you right. After boasting so confidently, it seems you have no clue where Changhil is staying? What a dimwit!”

“…That’s not the issue… It cannot be here. There’s no other place for Changhil to be… This is his temporary base. How could the [Old Ruler] vanish so suddenly…?”

Watching Jin panic and fumble around left me feeling somewhat pleased. I thought I had bravely entered because of my courage and shook my head dismissively.

“There’s no reason for me to keep dancing to your tune anymore. I will seriously injure you right here and take the Earth Star.”

Though I was wary of his strange abilities, I didn’t believe he was beyond my capabilities. I could transform into Dalgi’s true form here, possessing immense durability and chaos; it would hit the extremes of our mutual demise. Then, once I had him half-killed, I could revert to my original body and come back to reclaim the Earth Star.

‘I just need to be wary of the seal arts of the Earth Star.’

Now, I could fight with all I had!

Just as I was about to revert to my true form, a strange sensation swept through my head.

Wooooooong…

“Ugh…”

What is this?

I suddenly felt a severe pain in my head. Simultaneously, an unfamiliar voice echoed within my mind.

[Finally, you’ve arrived here… At last!]

This voice.

I had definitely heard it before.

[To the one who holds the destiny of a king, you’ve done well to reach this point.]

When I received the legacy of death from Mangnyang and fell into a trance, it was the very voice that had enchanted me while discussing the destiny of a king. I didn’t know what that entity was, but I was confronting it again.

A vision flickered before me. It was the chaotic visage of a figure clad in the attire of an Ancient High Priest, with a face invisibly concealed, speaking directly to me.

[Though there were many obstacles… everything was overcome with the natural kingly fate I originally possessed. Did you think you could surpass all those hardships on your own…?]

[…It was a long journey. Heh…]

Who are you?!

[I was granted the ludicrous fortune to gather five of the Seven Luminaries… Do you truly believe that it was solely your luck? It was the result of the merging of destinies between you and me…]

[I, too, am a king recognized by Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen…]

The phantasm before me seemed invisible to Jin, who appeared perplexed by my struggling form. But I had no time to give Jin my attention; I was utterly fixated on the vision.

[In this critical moment… I can finally manifest.]

[There was a chance before, but I missed it back then.]

This must be him.

This entity was undoubtedly the mastermind behind the happenings of my 24th reincarnation.

Who are you?!!

Ignoring my cries, the vision smirked and suddenly lunged at me.

Fwaahhh!!

In that instant, I felt like my consciousness was being forcefully expelled, as if a [gigantic] something was forcing its way into my mind. It was like trying to cram two individuals into a small room, and with the pain, my whole body began to shudder violently.

“Uuuuuuuuuuuugh!!”

I realized that this was not merely a memory, but an actual persona striving to overpower me. I was barely managing to resist the pressure leaning against my psyche, but the strength of the push was far too potent, making it exceedingly challenging to maintain my sanity.

No!!

I can’t let go of my consciousness like this!

I had already lost control over my other half. The entity that had consumed a part of my mind snickered, intrigued as it read through my memories.

[Ohhh… You have transformed your body with magnificent sorcery… Even so, I have already captured half of your consciousness, so your soul belongs to me…]

[Get out now!!]

I cried out desperately, but it merely disregarded me, using my body to extend its hand skyward.

[Don’t you understand…? The simultaneous existence here cannot endure, hence the ‘me’ within this cycle would obliterate. Since two of the same [Old Ruler] cannot exist, the Law of Cause and Effect judges ‘me.’ This occurrence has never happened in the history of the universe…]

[……]

[Of course, I foresaw this… Having crossed such a vast fate, it is obvious my cause must be stronger… However, as long as ‘I’ continue to exist, the actions to destroy the Barrier shall persist.]

I took a deep breath.

And promptly recited the incantation to sever ties. It was a powerful spell capable of even driving a Great Immortal away!

Kuuhhh…

Yet, the incantation only slightly weakened its encroachment and ultimately proved ineffective. It was clear this being’s caliber was far beyond any attempts to challenge it with my spells. I truly hadn’t expected there to be such a flaw in this incantation…

This wouldn’t do.

I couldn’t hold out against its influence until the end. It was far too strong.

Moreover, if this entity was indeed what I suspected, it meant my end was nigh.

As the entity continued its monologue, I momentarily lost consciousness.

[Reborn one. I am the History Emperor, Changhil. During your 50 years of rest, I prepared everything…]

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