Reincarnated Swordmaster

Chapter 253

Celestial Realm

Having returned with Zhuge Sa and the Shadowless Gate, I began to recount the events to the Sword Demon. He listened calmly before saying,

“Well done. As long as you’ve lifted the curse, that’s what matters.”

“Is it really well done?”

I shared my honest feelings with him.

“He’s way too dangerous.”

The Sword Demon gazed at me thoughtfully and replied,

“True, but he’s quite capable. It’s hard to find someone as skilled as him in the Central Plains at this moment.”

“But—”

“The important thing is to observe the source of his abilities and how he achieves his goals. I believe that can help the White Dharma Protector grow.”

“I understand.”

“White Dharma Protector…”

The Sword Demon hesitated for a moment, then continued,

“First, let’s head to Dragon King’s Valley. That should be good.”

“Will that be sufficient?”

“Of course.”

At that moment, I heard his thoughts echoing in my mind.

[It’s not enough. But still, you must go to Dragon King’s Valley.]

What a contrast! Hearing something completely opposite from our conversation was quite shocking!

I was momentarily thrown off by such an unprecedented experience but soon relaxed and played along with the Sword Demon.

“I can’t wait to train!”

[Why must we go to Dragon King’s Valley?]

“Ha ha. Enlightenment in martial arts doesn’t happen in just a day or two. It will be a huge learning opportunity.”

[If you vanish, the Zhuge Clan will start their major moves. I intend to guide that.]

“Speaking of which, I had some chicken porridge for lunch, and it seems the new head chef is quite skilled.”

[You mean you wish to see the true intentions of the Zhuge Clan.]

“Of course! The chef came highly recommended from the Jeong family, and he’s truly exceptional compared to other chefs in the Central Plains.”

[You need to decide quickly whether to accept or reject the Zhuge Clan. Remember, this matter is very important.]

“Ha ha! I’ve been rambling. Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

[Take care!]

“Be well.”

[Aside from your mission, make sure to train diligently.]

Once that strange conversation ended, I stepped outside, maintaining an indifferent expression, but my heart raced a little. It was my first experience having such a secretive conversation. Even just walking a few steps left my mind in turmoil.

‘The Zhuge Clan plans to make their moves?’

So, does that mean the Zhuge Clan is watching me closely? They seem to be quite concerned about me? I had only perceived the Zhuge Clan as acting on their own, so I didn’t quite grasp the implications of the Sword Demon’s behavior.

But then I realized.

The Sword Demon was observing the Zhuge Clan.

I was the one who had engaged the Zhuge Clan and brought them into action while having numerous conversations with them. The Sword Demon had merely watched from the side, contributing only necessary comments. To an outsider, the Sword Demon might have seemed uninvolved, but he was actually carefully watching who the Zhuge Clan was and what they were thinking.

Therefore, the conclusion drawn was that the Zhuge Clan was adjusting their movements because of me. I couldn’t comprehend the bigger picture that the leader was observing and scratched my head.

Is the Zhuge Clan paying attention because I’m the master of the Seven Luminaries?

In that case, why do they persistently speak casually to me and show a dismissive attitude?

What do they think their next moves will be?

Eventually, I buried a myriad of questions in the back of my mind and sighed inwardly.

‘I lack experience observing people.’

Despite having lived over a hundred years and encountering a wide range of human characters, my experiences paled in comparison to the Sword Demon’s, who had lived as the leader of a heretical sect. He had surely witnessed countless monsters, including the Eight Demons of Martial Daos and other vile characters. I felt the need to learn from the Sword Demon’s keen eye for discerning the gems hidden among the stones.

I shook off my thoughts and headed straight for Dragon King’s Valley. The living mist danced violently between the cliffs as if it was alive. Upon reaching the unnamed cliff top of Dragon King’s Valley, I shouted,

“I have arrived!”

No need for the Lion’s Roar; Dokgo Seong’s sensing range covered the whole of Dragon King’s Valley, so even a slight movement or sound would bring him right to me.

*Whoosh!

Sure enough, after a brief moment, I felt Dokgo Seong approaching through the mist, executing a weightless flight just above the ground. As the outline of a figure became clear, he appeared right in front of me in an instant.

Dokgo Seong stared at me intensely and said,

“You look like you’ve got too many distractions. If you plan to train with that mindset, then get lost.”

“……”

Caught off guard by his harsh words, I felt bewildered.

But soon, I realized he had a point. I had just heard the Sword Demon’s true intentions and was in a confusion that was evident even to someone as adept as Dokgo Seong. It was indeed rude to be so distracted when I could receive training from an expert like him.

So, I stood still to organize my thoughts and said,

“I’m ready now.”

“……”

“Is there another issue?”

“Novice! Let me ask you something.”

Dokgo Seong crossed his arms and spoke.

“You’ve already reached the master level of the Thunder God Lineage. You could be considered a peerless master anywhere in the martial world. Hence, if I’m to teach you, it will be at a difficulty level unlike that of ordinary trainees. Do you wish to receive such training?”

“Of course, pursuing power in the Thunder God Lineage is only natural!”

“Oh, so you’re not backing down. I guess that’s how the Thunder God Lineage runs.”

Dokgo Seong smirked.

“Fine. Let’s see again what you know.”

I once again demonstrated my swordsmanship to Dokgo Seong. Watching my swordplay carefully from beginning to end, his expression was notably different than before; there were no signs of surprise. Instead, he scrutinized my movements, seemingly deep in thought.

After a while, Dokgo Seong said,

“You’re here to learn the Thunder Dragon Sword and the Thunder God Sword Techniques, right?”

“Yes. And you mentioned you’d teach me the purification of Thunder God Lineage swordsmanship.”

“That sounds troublesome.”

“What do you mean?”

“Teaching you the form of Thunder Dragon Sword in your current state is easy, but your swordsmanship has already transformed into your own style. To integrate the Thunder Dragon Sword’s Heavenly Thunder into your Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique, we’ll need to overhaul your entire form.”

“……!!”

I widened my eyes in shock and replied,

“You mean I have to change the entire form, as in all this effort I’ve put into my swordplay so far?”

“Probably over 60% of it.”

“Is it that crucial to incorporate Heavenly Thunder into my Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique?”

“Hmm…”

Dokgo Seong sighed and explained,

“You’ve already learned exquisite sword arts like the Rolling Sky Sword and the Celestial Picking Sword; one might question if you need to go this far. In fact, it could be argued that the very existence of those two exceptional techniques poses a problem. Such outstanding techniques have elevated your Thunder God Lineage swordsmanship to another level.”

“Hmm.”

“But let me make this clear: mastering the Thunder Dragon Sword’s form and incorporating its Heavenly Thunder into the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique is the minimal requirement for learning the Thunder God Sword Technique. If you want to learn the Thunder God Sword Technique, you must be prepared to give up everything you’ve achieved thus far.”

“……”

Facing this unexpected predicament, I fell into contemplation.

Over 60% of my form would need to be changed!

That was no simple task—this was more than just learning a new form from the local martial instructor. It meant overhauling all the attributes I had painstakingly honed for over a century: my spirit, sword energy, breathing, and footwork. It would undoubtedly require an effort akin to starting from scratch in martial arts.

Noticing my hesitation, Dokgo Seong said,

“Think carefully. I’ve never been in a position to advise anyone on this.”

“Is there an easier path?”

“Perhaps just giving up on the Thunder God Sword Technique and training under the Sword Demon instead would be better. If you tread halfway, it might even do you more harm than good.”

That was a clear ultimatum.

Should I properly master the ultimate techniques of Zhang Sanfeng to attain a higher level?

Or should I strive to learn the Thunder God Sword Technique for its purification?

After much contemplation, I finally said,

“No. I will learn it.”

“Good.”

Zhang Sanfeng’s ultimate techniques are certainly as excellent as the Thunder God Sword Technique, if not superior. Yet, I somehow felt that if I passed on the Thunder God Sword Technique just because it seemed too difficult, I would never have another chance to learn it. Even if this choice forced me to endure a hundred years of suffering again, I had to learn it.

Dokgo Seong sat in the spacious area of the mountain and began to explain,

“The essence of the Thunder Dragon Sword is to draw out the Heavenly Thunder.”

“What is Heavenly Thunder?”

“You must already know that our Thunder God Lineage is fundamentally a sect that deals with the Thunder Spirit’s energy present in the heavens and earth. Whether it be spears, fists, or swords, it’s essential to utilize the Thunder Spirit’s energy in the execution of techniques. The Thunder Spirit’s energy is a highly efficient and powerful force generated from pure nature. You understand up to this point, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

Nodding, Dokgo Seong continued,

“The Thunder Dragon Sword is specifically designed to maximize the use of this Thunder Spirit energy. It draws in the Thunder Spirit from the heavens and earth, allowing you to manipulate it freely in your swordsmanship.”

“Are you saying it creates the Thunder Sword?”

“You could say that, yes, as your mastery of the Thunder Dragon Sword deepens.”

“But that seems less practical…”

As I hesitated to voice my thoughts, Dokgo Seong chuckled.

“Right. It may seem weak. Bringing in Thunder Spirit energy from the outside to create Heavenly Thunder isn’t significantly different from what you do with sword energy or sword flames.”

“Then why?”

“Initially, the priests conducted the rituals of the White Lotus Sect using the sword techniques of the Thunder God Lineage. Even if they lacked practicality, there’s little they could do; after all, these techniques purely focus on generating Heavenly Thunder from the Thunder Spirit in the heavens and earth. Many who started learning the Thunder God Lineage became disillusioned and quit at the stage of the Thunder Dragon Sword due to such shortcomings.”

After elaborating to that point, Dokgo Seong clenched his fist.

“However, that’s not the end of the story. Once you competently master the Thunder Dragon Sword and venture into the Thunder God Sword Technique, everything will change.”

“What should I do then?”

“First, I will teach you the forms of the Thunder Dragon Sword over the course of a day. There are a total of 18 moves, so memorizing them won’t be too hard.”

Swish, swish, swish!

As I observed Dokgo Seong’s demonstration of the Thunder Dragon Sword, I committed the movements to memory. Although memorizing 18 moves might seem daunting, I had become adept at accurately monitoring the movement of muscles and bones through my mastery. Understanding the flow of movement naturally made it easier to memorize its meaning.

It took me about five shifts of time to memorize the movements of the Thunder Dragon Sword. From morning until dusk, my training continued. Once Dokgo Seong felt I had adequately mastered the movements, he began explaining applications.

“Now I will teach you how to draw the Heavenly Thunder using your sword techniques.”

“Is there a crucial point to it?”

“Of course. The Four Grand Arts of the White Lotus Sect share fundamental natural guidance, so would you expect just anyone to wield Heavenly Thunder? This is a secret of the sect, so unless you’re one of my direct disciples, you mustn’t speak of it.”

Crackle!

“……!!”

Moments later, witnessing the Thunder Dragon Sword from Dokgo Seong left me in awe. It was hard to believe it was the same sword technique as the one I practiced; the sword was infused with intense Thunder Light swirling around it, flowing like a river of lightning. Watching the lightning bolt-like sword body was captivating!

Eventually, after the demonstration, Dokgo Seong spoke,

“The starting point is to become accustomed to drawing the Heavenly Thunder through the essence of the Thunder Dragon Sword. Once you master this process, you can proceed to integrate the Heavenly Thunder into your Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique.”

“Must it be the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique?”

“Indeed.”

“What’s the reason?”

Dokgo Seong took some time in silence before abruptly replying,

“I don’t really know!”

“What?”

“Of course, I’ve learned the Thunder God Sword Technique to its utmost, so I have a vague understanding of its significance. However, that doesn’t explain the requirements for the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique. That knowledge lies solely with the first master of the Thunder God Lineage.”

“I don’t quite grasp it.”

“You’ll understand what I mean when you reach my level.”

After saying that, Dokgo Seong seemed disinclined to elaborate further. I felt somewhat uneasy but understood that when explaining such supreme martial arts, attempting to express them in words could risk misrepresenting their essence. Thus, I accepted the difficulty in getting detailed explanations.

For the next ten days, I practiced diligently under Dokgo Seong, focusing on drawing the Heavenly Thunder from the Thunder Dragon Sword using the essence technique. I immersed myself in the Thunder Dragon Sword, spending entire days honing it.

Crackle, crackle!

It wasn’t until three days later that I successfully drew out the Heavenly Thunder in accordance with the essence technique. Observing me, Dokgo Seong nodded.

“Just a little more practice, and you’ll be able to perfectly incorporate the Heavenly Thunder into the Thunder Dragon Sword.”

“It’s progressing quickly!”

I felt pleasantly surprised. My talent in martial arts appeared lacking, yet strangely, my skills in the Thunder Dragon Sword were advancing rapidly. Dokgo Seong then said nonchalantly,

“Well, of course, you’re a master of the Thunder God Lineage. With the forms and essence provided, it wouldn’t take longer than this.”

“Hmm.”

“The key isn’t that, though. The real challenge lies ahead.”

At first, I couldn’t grasp what he meant by that. However, as I grew accustomed to integrating the Heavenly Thunder into the Thunder Dragon Sword over the course of about six weeks and progressed to the next stage, I began to understand.

When I began the process of imbibing the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique with Heavenly Thunder, Dokgo Seong who had been observing my forms exploded,

“You’ve got it all wrong!”

“What?”

“Why couldn’t you evenly distribute the Heavenly Thunder during the illusionary form of the Ten Thousand Success Sword Technique?”

“Well, it’s hard to maintain the Thunder Spirit energy while simultaneously dispersing the illusionary strike…”

Hah… “I knew this would happen.”

Dokgo Seong scratched his head and added,

“Do you know why it’s so difficult to maintain simultaneously? It’s because the techniques of the Rolling Sky Sword and the Celestial Picking Sword are ingrained deep in your bones!”

“……!!”

“Those who have simply learned the Thunder God Lineage don’t have to wrestle with such concerns.”

Grumbling, Dokgo Seong threw out one last statement that would lead me into a hellish challenge.

“We’ll have to completely overhaul the foundations then!”

His eyes glowed a purplish hue, reminiscent of a fierce tiger, sending shivers down my spine.

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