Reincarnated Sword Ghost

Main ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Headquarters

Leaving Cheol Mok behind, still trembling and unable to even open his mouth properly, I immediately set off.

The underlings’ corpses would be dealt with on their own.

Thus, I unfolded my lightness skill, flying east toward Mount Tian.

I had already perfectly memorized the nearby geography before departure, so vivid in my mind that I could recall it instantly.

With just a few words that guy spoke, it was enough to deduce the location. There was no reason to hesitate in my steps.

Cheoeok.

With that, I lightly leapt over the walls of Hami, sprang forward, and dashed out once more.

Although I wasn’t yet wielding the lightness skill of a peak transcendent who could run across the air itself, I didn’t feel I was lacking.

It was the masterful Moonlight Swift Steps, fast and straight enough to cross the vast Central Plains at a breath.

Even if I couldn’t walk on air, with just a few steps I could reach extraordinary distances in an instant.

’As long as the lightness skill is quick, that’s enough.’

While thinking this, I had already reached the northwestern side of Mount Tian, just as the guy had said—a clue spat out by that Demonic Cultist who had now headed to the underworld. The second-highest peak.

The Tian Mountains were unimaginably rugged.

Not only were they tall and steep, but there were more than a few peaks that seemed to pierce the heavens.

To ordinary commoners, just the sight of it made the mountains a mysterious sight to behold.

Ta-ak.

At that moment, Jeong-un’s body’s form suddenly soared upwards.

In an instant, I pierced through a thick forest and rose into high air, my field of view opening up wide.

An expanse of dense forests spread beneath my feet, and in the distance I could see snow-covered peaks.

The eternal snows that Mount Tian boasted.

However, that could not be the place the guy referenced. No one would choose such a spot as a supply transfer point.

He’d even said the northwest, so that direction made it even more unlikely.

As I quickly scanned around and turned my head to the left—

”... Is it there?”

I soon dropped to the ground, landing first on a nearby branch and springing forward again.

My speed slowed a bit.

Before I knew it, even the ki waves bursting from the soles of my feet were being suppressed.

My instincts told me I was nearing the enemy’s base.

’That really could have wasted a lot of time.’

The Tian Mountains were so immense that had the terrain not been so rugged, several villages could easily have been nestled between the peaks.

Without having gotten the location clue from the guy, it was hard to estimate how long it might have taken to find the stronghold.

Then, suddenly, something swept past Jeong-un’s face like the wind.

”......”

The uniquely sinister and nauseating aura characteristic of Demonic Cultists.

I moved toward the place where that presence was thickest and finally landed atop a lush old tree, slowly surveying below.

’Got it.’

There was a wooden building that looked like a warehouse, with dozens of black-clad men standing around it.

They were positioned at set distances, as if keeping watch. Anyone approaching unknowingly would have been dealt with immediately.

Taking stock of their numbers, I moved again, circling around quietly at a distance out of their sensitivity range.

Then I stopped abruptly.

’Found it.’

To transfer goods, there had to be at least a passageway big enough for a small cart to travel.

Even for martial artists, it was impossible to haul so much cargo by hand alone.

Sure enough, through the densely packed trees, I spotted a narrow but sufficiently wide opening.

From above, it was even clearer.

It was a mountain path, albeit faint at a glance—not an animal or herb gatherer’s trail, but a road of intentional width made to allow carts through.

Ta-ak.

After confirming there were no enemies nearby, Jeong-un landed in the middle of the path.

Slowly, he let his gaze travel from one end of the path to the other, feeling faint traces of energy left behind by them with his sensitivity.

”......”

With only a few days until the war between Orthodoxy and Demonic Cult, the connection between Hami’s nobles and the Demonic Cult, the sudden massive resource request made to the Hami Guard, the suspiciously temporary location of this stronghold, and this artificially cleared mountain road—all of it was overwhelmingly clear in what it revealed.

I already had good intuition by nature—even figures like Zhuge Cheon-woo, chief strategist of the Heavenly Martial Hall, and even the Demonic Cult Leader himself, had commented on Jeong-un’s intuition.

Combining these clues into a single conclusion posed no challenge.

Following this path up the mountain, I would inevitably reach the Demonic Cult’s Main Headquarters.

”......”

Jeong-un turned and gazed in the opposite direction—the quarters the enemies had set up for themselves.

They were probably waiting for the supplies to arrive from Hami.

Perhaps some were waiting for those killed by Jeong-un to return.

If they didn’t make it back soon, the others might get suspicious.

’If I strike them now...’

But I slowly shook my head. Now was not the time to strike them.

If these guys died now, it would only rouse the vigilance of the Main Headquarters.

That wasn’t the scenario I envisioned.

Ta-ak.

With that, I lightly leapt back up into the trees.

At most two days, maybe only a day.

Within that time, the Orthodox Alliance would arrive near Hami in Xinjiang.

The prelude to the looming battle would plunge the area into chaos.

And at the very moment when the Orthodox Alliance entered Mount Tian, that would be my signal to move.

After fixing the location and layout of the enemy base in my mind, I set off again.

* * *

Jeong-un’s prediction proved correct.

The Orthodox Alliance did not move as a single body from the start.

Instead, a hundred sects from all over the Central Plains gathered separately in Xinjiang, each arriving according to a set schedule.

Since they were all martial artists, each moving individually, rapid movement was natural even with large numbers.

So, two days later, the area of Hami in Xinjiang became noisy and chaotic.

”Damn it, is there really going to be a war? So all those rumors were true...”

”The Demonic Cult, here? What on earth is going on!”

”This isn’t even their territory, so how can martial artists show up at our doorstep like this? Does this make any sense?”

”That’s why we need to build up power...!”

The market streets of Hami buzzed with ominous rumors. Most men in the village already wore swords at their waists.

Some looked about ready to run out of the city and start a fight at any moment, veins bulging in their necks.

But the actual rulers of Hami, the noble clans, gave no statement whatsoever.

This was a land with a clear ruling class, including its own royalty and a military.

Thus, even in such emergencies, conscription would have been possible.

Yet, they remained silent, issuing no command, even as orthodox martial artists from the Central Plains were camped out just beyond the city gates.

And soon after, another rumor began to circulate.

Apparently, the goal of the martial artists from the Central Plains wasn’t Hami, but Mount Tian.

Supposedly, some secret contact had occurred between the Hami royalty and them.

Already, it was said, special forces of the Orthodox Alliance had left for Mount Tian, and some had even begun to advance.

So, amidst that strange tension, the excitement among the men of Hami gradually subsided.

Meanwhile, Jeong-un was racing toward Mount Tian.

’It’s time.’

Already, the layout of the enemy base was vivid in my mind.

Swallowing my impatience to draw my sword, I circled that area several times, memorizing every contour.

After several days, I could close my eyes and see it instantly.

Paaa―!

With each step, Jeong-un’s field of view reversed and replaced itself at incredible speed.

The wind was whipping my hair taut behind me, never letting it fall down; even the dust stirred up by the ki waves from the Dragon Sky point on the soles of my feet couldn’t keep up, bursting a half-beat behind.

In no time, I had reached the vicinity of the enemy base.

Just like several days ago, the aura of those standing guard seeped straight into my sensitivity.

Not slowing down, I charged ahead, and soon, with my naked eye, I could see them.

Unlike a few days before, I did not conceal my energy; explosive ki waves erupted from my entire body.

At some point, my hand dropped to my sword handle and I drew it forward.

Srrrrng―!

With the distinctive crisp scraping sound of the black sword unsheathing and the blade turning golden, I swung it forward immediately.

At the two enemies who appeared first in my view.

”...?”

The two in front didn’t even notice. For just a fleeting instant they sensed something immense sweeping toward them head-on. That was all.

Slash!

Two heads flew into the air at once. Without even looking at the questioning eyes in those heads, Jeong-un rushed forward.

The speed of my feet didn’t drop at all, nor did the smooth, passing strike used a moment before.

Then I swung the sword again at the central wooden building of the base.

Saaaak! Kwagwagwang―!

Leaving only the bottom at waist height, the upper part of the building exploded and shot into the air.

Those inside, unable to understand what happened, became corpses, flying through the air, tangled with debris.

”You lunatic!”

”An intruder!”

”There in the center!”

Shouts mixed with shock and anger erupted from all directions.

All of this had happened in an instant.

Only when Jeong-un let the sword hang did the others turn around, bewilderment clouding all their faces—they hadn’t noticed until their central storehouse was destroyed.

’Let’s end this quickly.’

Diving into the center had been deliberate.

Drawing attention and making them gather around me was far more efficient than swinging my sword all over the place.

”Die!”

”Insolent wretch!”

More than ten of them charged like the wind, and with the ones visible behind, there were at least dozens.

The first attackers were already raising their swords.

Perhaps because they were part of an ancient sect, even as an unorthodox faction, their movements were impressive.

The formations were no less organized than the sinister martial arts devised by that Blood Lord whose head I took.

These men had clearly learned systematic martial arts; for a moment, I thought their cult techniques were almost too well-refined.

’Not comparable to mere Blood Cult rabble.’

The roots of these men didn’t interest Jeong-un, but if one were to guess, it might date back to this land’s very founding.

So it was not surprising they had developed their own system over such a long period.

Unlike other unorthodox factions I’d met, their coordination wasn’t at all odd.

’So I must uproot them.’

It wasn’t that I had some grand cause to punish traitors for the greater good.

There was just something about them that instinctively made my blood boil with disgust.

Worse, their corrupting influence on this land had long since crossed the line.

They had grown ever more insidious over time. Who knew when such another opportunity would arise?

Kung!

As these thoughts crossed my mind, I bent my knee and stomped down with a forcible stride.

They were already in immediate vicinity.

I didn’t meet eyes with any of them—they’d all be crossing the river of death in the next instant anyway.

Kwa-gwang!

The cultivated power that erupted from the forcible stride drove into the ground.

Unlike before, now the true ki waves unleashed by Powerless Steps were heavy enough to shake the earth’s very core.

In a brief instant, the ground cracked open and debris sprang up with a whoosh.

”...!”

A guy with a look of joy slammed his sword down, thinking he had me, but his body’s form tottered, then floated upward.

His face showed incomprehension.

The same went for those behind him, swept up by the surge of cultivated power that shot up through the ground, unable to control their bodies and lifted into the air for a brief moment.

And in that short instant, Jeong-un was already swinging the sword.

Whooosh!

A thunderous sword aura gleamed along the white blade.

Now, I was fully at ease manifesting the internal true ki onto the blade itself.

The sword swung, and like drawing lightning from the sky, a golden energy extended forward in a blazing arc.

Saaaak─

Daylight flashed thunder-bright, lines of thin yellow light tracing across the bodies suspended in midair.

In that fleeting moment, so short even their eyes couldn’t move—

Chwaaak!

At the same instant, their bodies exploded apart in the air.