Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter 232

Celestial Realm

Toowung!!

A body from the Wind Spirit Sect flew past me and the Sword Demon. The reason I confidently called it a body was that the person’s head was already missing. From the traces of the cut, I deduced that they had been caught in the Thunder Cloud Palm‘s backlash.

‘With just one Thunder Cloud Palm, I must have taken down at least ten of them.’

As I muttered this to myself, I entered the center of the bamboo grove.

The scene was chaotic.

Surrounding Jin So-cheong were the peak experts of the Wind Spirit Sect, and they were occasionally gathering their internal energy to perform the Joint Attack Formation. Thanks to the previous Thunder Cloud Palm, several bodies lay strewn about, and though the Wind Spirit Sect experts appeared undeterred, they seemed hell-bent on continuing the fight.

Crash!

Ka-kang!

And there stood Jin So-cheong, battling fiercely against at least dozens of peak experts, swirling his spear. His eyes showed no sign of disturbance, and droplets of sweat flew into the air. For every move he made, the Wind Spirit Sect experts unleashed a barrage of attacks, yet Jin So-cheong utilized his intent to deftly evade and counterattack.

The moment the Sword Demon and I arrived in the hall, all eyes shifted toward us. The first to react was an expert from the Wind Spirit School, who charged straight at us.

Swish!

The blade flashed violently. Judging by his movements, he was certainly a significant peak expert, but his luck ran out against the Sword Demon. The Sword Demon easily dodged his attack and instead grabbed him by the neck, throwing him into the bamboo grove.

“Gaaah!!”

As he screamed while flying into the bamboo, a ruckus broke out in the hall, for everyone sensed the Sword Demon‘s strength. A middle-aged man who seemed to hold significant status among the Wind Spirit Sect stepped forward, demanding,

“Who are you?”

“I am the Sword Demon of the Shadowless Gate.”

“Sword Demon!!”

The Wind Spirit Sect experts, including the middle-aged man, recoiled in surprise. Even Jin So-cheong, who had been quietly recovering his stamina amidst the chaos, looked at him with widened eyes. The Sword Demon, noticing all the gazes on him, smirked and remarked,

“Is it that surprising that I came here?”

The middle-aged man growled,

“Having come, you should kill Jin So-cheong.”

“……”

The Sword Demon looked at him with a peculiar gaze before replying,

“I’d like to, but I have something to say to Jin So-cheong first.”

“What? What nonsense is this?”

“Grant me a delay. Then I will assist you.”

The middle-aged man grimaced but replied,

“Damn it. Do you think Wind Spirit Sect is so weak that you can issue demands?”

“Who claimed anyone was weak? Since we share the same boat, I ask for a simple favor.”

“… Do as you wish.”

His demeanor was slightly deflated. His pride would normally make it unacceptable for him to comply with the Sword Demon, but practically, the Sword Demon‘s support was absolutely crucial here. If he were to leave, the Wind Spirit Sect would surely suffer even greater losses. As the experts of the Wind Spirit Sect made way, the Sword Demon and I approached Jin So-cheong.

I carefully assessed Jin So-cheong‘s current state and let out a quiet breath.

‘He’s expended quite a bit of internal energy and looks fatigued, but… he doesn’t have a single major injury. He seems to be at around 70% of his full power.’

Though he might appear shabby, I felt a thrill at Jin So-cheong‘s capabilities. Just along the way, I had seen over twenty bodies of the Wind Spirit Sect! To dispatch them but remain unscathed while conserving his strength was remarkable. If the Sword Demon hadn’t shown up, he might have defeated the Wind Spirit Sect and all the others here.

The Sword Demon positioned himself a short distance from Jin So-cheong and quietly observed him.

“I’ve heard a lot about you, but this is the first time seeing you in action.”

Catching his breath, Jin So-cheong smiled faintly in response,

“They say the top of the Demonic Sects is the Sword Demon, and indeed, that seems to be the case. Your reputation is far too humble.”

“Ha ha, thank you for the compliment. But you are indeed strong. I never expected you could dismantle the peak experts of the White Lotus Sect’sWind Spirit lineage to this extent.”

At the Sword Demon‘s words, the Wind Spirit Sect experts around us frowned. In particular, the middle-aged man shouted angrily,

“Sword Demon! Stop your nonsense and fight! Did you come here to play?”

In response, the Sword Demon coldly smiled and retorted,

“While calling my words nonsense, just how great do you think you are to speak to me like that? State your name and title.”

“I am Yong Mu-yang, an elder of the Wind Spirit Sect.”

The Sword Demon feigned surprise.

“What? You are an elder? Impressive… I didn’t recognize you due to your weak appearance.”

“Ugh… you bastard.”

Elder Yong Mu-yang of the Wind Spirit Sect erupted in fury, shouting,

“Enough! Get lost! We will handle Jin So-cheong.”

However, the Sword Demon completely ignored him, focusing instead on Jin So-cheong.

“Is Lee Kwang nearby?”

“……!!”

Jin So-cheong subtly flinched at the Sword Demon‘s words, indicating that the question struck a chord with him. He soon regained his composure and replied,

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“There’s no need to hide it. If I were Lee Kwang, I would surely act accordingly.”

“……”

“It’s a perfect strategy. You take down half of the Wind Spirit Sect, while Lee Kwang deals with the other half. With two top experts rampaging, even the Wind Spirit Sect would have no means to counter. You have also likely set up the bamboo grove terrain as an advantage for your joint assault.”

Jin So-cheong paused to think, staring intently at the Sword Demon.

“What do you want?”

“Oh, it’s nothing grand. I just came to give you some advice.”

“Advice?”

The Sword Demon briefly opened his mouth, seemingly sending a secret transmission to Jin So-cheong.

Upon hearing the secret transmission, Jin So-cheong displayed a look of surprise. The fact that he couldn’t conceal his expression indicated that there was significant content hidden in the Sword Demon‘s words. After a moment, he said,

“I understand.”

“Hehe. Until next time.”

Whoosh!

As soon as the Sword Demon finished his words, he used his movement technique to distance himself from Jin So-cheong. I inadvertently followed along, only to find myself facing the cold glares from the Wind Spirit Sect experts, including the elder.

“You bastard… what scheme are you plotting?”

“A scheme? I said I came here to talk with Jin So-cheong from the beginning.”

“Don’t make me laugh. If you don’t spill it right away, we will treat you as allies of the Thunderwork Tribe and wipe you out.”

A heavy atmosphere descended upon us.

The Wind Spirit Sect experts were slowly shifting their movements.

Boom, boom!

Before long, three members of the Wind Spirit Sect who had approached the Sword Demon were instantly killed. They couldn’t even respond to the Sword Demon’s Sword Technique of Intent. The Sword Demon drew his sword and declared,

“This is self-defense. If you dare to try more, I won’t hold back.”

“……!!”

The Wind Spirit Sect experts radiated a dangerous aura. Even though over thirty of them remained and Elder Yong Mu-yang looked like an ultimate expert, they seemed assured of their upper hand. However, realizing the reality, Yong Mu-yang raised his hand.

“… Let them go.”

While the Wind Spirit Sect was the most powerful here, their strength was only enough to face Jin So-cheong and the Sword Demon together. If they made an enemy of the Sword Demon, they risked a complete massacre. Until now, Yong Mu-yang had tried to pressure the Sword Demon based on the White Lotus Sect and Eight Demons of Martial Daos’ subject, but seeing that it had no effect, he seemed to be exhausted.

“Good decision.”

The Sword Demon smirked and left the scene.

Whoosh!

I followed the Sword Demon and asked,

“What did you say to Jin So-cheong?”

As he sprung over the bamboo shoots, the Sword Demon responded,

“I told him I want to establish a non-aggression pact with the Thunderwork Tribe.”

“What?”

The Sword Demon fixed his gaze forward, as if something critical awaited.

“Well, now the real deal begins. It would be wise to stay on your toes.”

Stay on my toes? What does he mean by that?

Hadn’t we already left the battlefield between the Wind Spirit Sect and Jin So-cheong?

Before I could voice my thoughts, an overwhelming sense of foreboding suddenly washed over me, and I looked ahead.

“Ugh…”

I had no choice but to halt my movements and stop right there.

An unfathomable killing intent permeated the air ahead of us; this pressure was undoubtedly honed by intent and acted as an invisible weight that suppressed our minds. For those unaware of this force, even just the weight itself was enough to cause fainting or death. Only a few ultra-experts in the martial realm could wield this kind of pressure.

And this aura was all too familiar to me. Though I had faced countless murderous intentions, I could immediately identify the owner of this killing intent. I released the intent from my body and gritted my teeth, thinking,

‘It’s not as overwhelming as I feared.’

Step, step…

From beyond the bamboo grove, a figure walked out.

Standing before me and the Sword Demon, he held a spear in one hand and a sword on his waist, with an unblemished appearance and indifferent gaze that made him resemble a tranquil recluse. Yet, in reality, he was a master who had honed his martial arts for decades.

The Sword Demon faced him with a grin.

“This is our first meeting. I’m pleased to see you, Lee Kwang.”

“……”

Indeed, standing before us was the legendary Three Armories’ Lee Kwang!

The heir of the Thunderwork Tribe, master of the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School, and one of the Four Great Experts of the Imperial Palace, Lee Kwang had made his grand entrance in front of me.

Lee Kwang slowly swept his gaze over both of us. His indifferent eyes were reminiscent of a calm tiger, implying he wouldn’t lose his cool. Though his gaze seemed serene, it signaled that he had entered a combat stance.

He finally opened his mouth,

“I need to reevaluate my judgment of the Shadowless Gate. I didn’t expect a master of this caliber…”

It seemed that Lee Kwang could recognize the Sword Demon’s prowess at a glance. Had the Sword Demon shown even a hint of weakness, he wouldn’t have been having such a polite conversation.

The Sword Demon laughed heartily,

“Ha ha… I’m feeling unworthy. I, too, am in awe of Lee Kwang’s level, reached at such an extraordinary peak.”

“We didn’t come here to flatter each other.”

Lee Kwang shot a glance at the Sword Demon, his demeanor turning serious.

“Sword Demon, I have received information regarding your allegiance to the White Lotus Sect. Do you intend to continue along the same path as them?”

Lee Kwang’s tone was unprecedentedly respectful. It indicated that he had acknowledged the Sword Demon as an equal, if not superior, expert. Under normal circumstances, Lee Kwang would have attacked without hesitation if his opponent seemed weaker. Hearing the Sword Demon‘s response,

“I have my own plans to save my sect. However, if I truly intended to align with the White Lotus Sect, I wouldn’t have come here without leaving your disciple behind. You know that well, don’t you?”

“……”

Lee Kwang fell silent before finally asking,

“What do you want?”

The Sword Demon shrugged.

“That’s a rather vague question. I would prefer a more specific inquiry.”

“You’re asking what you intend to gain from intervening in the battle between us and the White Lotus Sect.”

The Sword Demon leisurely replied,

“Quite the opposite. I do not wish to be involved in your battle at all. That’s why I came here today.”

“What do you mean?”

The Sword Demon answered curtly,

“Your disciple roared out that he would attack the Demonic Eight Sects, forcing me to act. How is that not an inconvenience?”

Lee Kwang quickly understood the Sword Demon’s words, nodding his head respectfully as he replied,

“My apologies. The Shadowless Gate will be left untouched from now on.”

Whether the Sword Demon wanted it or not, since they were subordinate to the White Lotus Sect, they would need to respond to any external attacks or provocations. And since Jin So-cheong was targeting the Demonic Eight Sects, a conflict with the Sword Demon was inevitable. It appeared Lee Kwang had finally realized the absurdity of engaging in a battle with the Sword Demon, a peak expert far beyond him.

The Sword Demon shook his head dismissively,

“That’s not enough.”

Lee Kwang frowned,

“I don’t have time right now. I need to assist Jin So-cheong in wiping out the Wind Spirit Sect.”

While Jin So-cheong was capable on his own, Lee Kwang needed to ensure Jin So-cheong stayed alive at the very least. If he was delayed any longer, it could lead to disastrous consequences.

“You’re being unreasonable! Let me tell you, if you don’t listen to my demands, I plan to act as I please.”

As the Sword Demon pushed back, Lee Kwang responded, resigned,

“What? I’ll accommodate you as long as it’s within reason.”

“It’s not a big deal.”

The Sword Demon smiled broadly,

“I’d like you to spar with our White Dharma Protector. I believe it will be a good stimulus for a master.”

“……”

Lee Kwang looked at me in surprise. After evaluating my presence and aura, he replied quietly,

“Hm… the young man is the Dharma Protector? Not just a meager cultist?”

“Correct.”

“… Fine. But not today.”

“Of course. I’ll arrange to step by with my Dharma Protector to visit the Azure Dragon Martial Arts School later.”

“I’ll await that day.”

Whoosh!

As soon as we finished talking, Lee Kwang used his Lightning Star Technique to dart back in the direction we’d come from. He had to join the fray to eliminate the Wind Spirit Sect immediately. After confirming that Lee Kwang had disappeared from view, I turned to the Sword Demon and asked,

“Do you think I can defeat Lee Kwang?”

I understood the Sword Demon’s intentions. He seemed to want to leverage Lee Kwang’s debt to create an opportunity for me to gauge my capabilities in sparring. Yet I had serious doubts about my ability to win against Lee Kwang.

Then the Sword Demon replied,

“Whether or not you can win is not the main concern. What really matters is understanding how much stronger Lee Kwang will become seven years from now if you allow yourself to observe him.”

“……”

“Have confidence. Competing with Lee Kwang will certainly be a tremendous asset for your growth.”

The Sword Demon glanced behind through the dense bamboo. Once again, I could hear screams mingling with the sound of clashing blades and powerful explosions, indicating that Lee Kwang was wreaking havoc.

“We should get what we need before that man self-destructs.”