Chapter: 644
Isn’t it in Bidong, Shaanxi?
What do you mean it’s inside a ghost?
Namgung Myung’s questioning words left me momentarily dazed.
Whew.
A cold breeze brushed past. It was just an illusion.
The surroundings had been stagnant for so long that there was no way even a whisk of wind could blow.
This sensation was purely internal.
It’s cool.
Emotions surged from deep within, piercing through my chest and invading my brain. It wasn’t a gamble that nudged my dantian; something heavier and murkier did.
As the chill crawled through me, I finally managed to regain my composure.
“What do you mean…?”
There was a tremor in the words I managed to spit out.
“His thoughts were in the Volcano Sect’s possessions. Are you saying that wasn’t intended by you seniors?”
Could my memory be failing me?
Even for a brief moment of contemplation, I knew best that it wasn’t the case.
It was far more convincing to think that Namgung Myung simply misspoke.
‘Maybe it was in Bidong, after all?’
So… what was it?
The spirit of the Volcano faction whose name I couldn’t even recall now.
Namgung Myung’s words might mean that the ghost was somewhere deep in the Hwasan Sect’s cave in the island. That seemed far more plausible.
But.
‘If that’s true, then Namgung Myung’s reaction doesn’t add up.’
I still vividly remember Namgung Myung’s face, astonished at the idea of being inside a ghost.
That was definitely a genuine reaction.
‘Think it through.’
What the heck happened here?
As confusion enveloped me, my eyes widened, and Namgung Myung furrowed his brow, addressing me once more.
“It was in the possession of the ghost… is that true?”
“Yes.”
How could I forget?
The energy I drained while sending the ghost to the Volcano Sect and the voice of Noya that rang in my ears at that moment.
Over five years have passed, but it’s a day I can’t shake off my memory.
And that only complicated things further.
‘What on earth is going on here?’
Something didn’t seem right.
I had to determine what was amiss.
“…Shin Noya, you said that the Hwasan Sword Master was in Bidong?”
“Exactly.”
“Were his thoughts embedded in the object you placed there?”
As the question sprang forth, I asked outright.
Then Namgung Myung shook his head slightly.
It was a clear rejection.
“That has never happened, nor should it happen.”
“Are you saying it was impossible?”
“To dwell in a ghost is merely a waste of time. It was not something we could do for the goal we desired.”
“Goal….”
Probably Shin Noya’s reincarnation. Or perhaps a past life.
The goals Namgung Myung spoke of were undoubtedly about that.
I listened closely and pondered. Could that be a lie?
Was it possible that the author himself, who called himself the Brain Heaven Sword, was just spewing nonsense?
I needed to evaluate such an idea critically.
“So… that means the matter concerning the ghosts was not intended by the seniors.”
Even while lost in thought, I didn’t stop speaking. I couldn’t allow any hint of doubt toward the other party.
‘What if…’
If Namgung Myung’s words contained truth, there was a certain scenario that crept into my mind.
A few months ago, while I was in Hubei, I had an unexpected run-in with Yeongpung.
That guy’s words kept floating to the surface of my memory.
[I think I’ve become a successor.]
Yeongpung had told me in secret that he was the successor of the Hwasan Sword. I feigned surprise when I heard that.
Of course! I am Noya’s successor.
Even if Youngpung were from the Hwasan faction, that fact wouldn’t change.
I had certainly thought so back then.
‘…Yeongpung said he found it in a cave in Shaanxi.’
The familiar aura I had personally experienced and the voice I had perceived still lingered.
Not sensing any hint of falsehood from Yeongpung made me consider there might be some obscure issue involved.
And yet, deep down, I firmly believed that I was the real successor.
But.
Now that conviction was beginning to waver slightly.
‘The pieces seem to be aligning.’
The cave discovered in Shaanxi.
The traces and energy within it… and the voice as well, didn’t they correspond exactly with Namgung Myung’s description of Bidong?
What if that really was the hidden place of Noya they had left behind?
‘But that’s just traces and coincidence. After all, it’s not the same as reincarnation.’
Just as I had drawn Noya’s essence and thoughts from the ghost of the Volcano Sect.
Yeongpung also only acquired remnants. It was different from the peculiar notion of reincarnation.
Reincarnation had failed.
That was the correct interpretation.
“The thoughts were definitely in the ghost. There’s no mistake, it was the ghost of the Volcano Sect. Did you have any clues regarding this matter?”
Setting aside the tale of Yeongpung, I only spoke about my experience.
“I’m not sure. If what you’re saying is true, Huin, then it indicates something unexpected has occurred.”
“…”
Tap, tap.
I covertly tapped my waist with my fingers.
Because no matter how much I pondered, I found it baffling.
‘What on earth happened?’
Even though there was a prior arrangement in place, the outcome being this way implies, just as Namgung Myung said, that something disrupted the flow.
Perhaps what Youngpung experienced was linked to that disruption…
‘Something went awry in the arrangement, causing Noya to be unable to reincarnate. His thoughts remained lodged within the ghost.’
Meanwhile, Youngpung discovered Noya’s traces in Shaanxi and had even been certified as a successor of the sect.
The heroes of the past that I’d met seemed oblivious to this fact.
‘I might be wrong about Dangjemun and Yeonilcheon, but Hwang Abulyeong and Namgung Myung seem clueless.’
If the Namgung Myung before me is genuine.
It’s all twisted. The paths have become so tangled that I can’t see the end.
How on earth did Noya fail to reincarnate? I posed the question to Namgung Myung while grappling with this thought.
“Why on earth did you attempt to reincarnate the Hwasan Sword?”
There was just too much to consider, but I couldn’t draw a conclusion right now.
Thus, I needed to extract different information.
Putting aside whether Noya had failed to reincarnate, I resolved to inquire why it had to be Noya specifically.
I didn’t even bother asking how that could be. Such inquiries felt pointless at this stage.
For now, understanding the purpose was far more crucial.
When I broached the topic, Namgung Myung looked at me with a strangely bemused expression.
“Why are you curious about that?”
“Because it sounds odd.”
How could it not seem odd?
“The greatest person in the world at that time was King Geumcheon.”
The story of how a small clan somewhere in Sacheon outperformed the prominent clans and prestigious families is still renowned today.
Even the business he ran rose to the pinnacle of the Central Plains, where he became a figure of strength, fame, and wealth.
He was none other than King Yeonilcheon, the greatest man of his time and a hero who thwarted the menacing calamity centuries ago.
And…
‘He was a regressor like me.’
An entity who defied time itself.
But.
“Then why select the Hwasan Sword instead of him?”
Why opt for the Hwasan Sword when the world’s finest swordsman was available? That had always puzzled me.
“…”
Namgung Myung remained silent at my question.
He paused, seemingly contemplating how to respond rather than dismissing the question.
As I waited in anticipation, Namgung Myung eventually looked at me and spoke.
“He was a perfect fit.”
“What do you mean?”
A rather bizarre response slipped out.
“No matter how I think about it, it had to be him.”
“I don’t understand.”
Are you saying that Shin Noya was the only choice?
What are you implying…?
“…Actually, some say the Hwasan Sword was stronger than Kwoncheon Geumwang…”
“No, that guy has never defeated Ilcheon. Neither have I, nor has anyone else.”
“I see.”
In fact, he could have potentially been a secret master. I thought there might be some known facts about this, but Namgung Myung was unmistakably resolute.
“Then why?”
“Huin.”
“Yes.”
“You mentioned that you had a conversation with Shincheol’s essence.”
“…That’s correct.”
Although we often exchanged barbs and insults instead of polite conversation, that could still count as a dialogue, I suppose.
“What do you think of him?”
“…Can I answer without any hesitation?”
“Go ahead.”
“He was a raving lunatic declaring himself a sage, but he resembled one not in the slightest. Completely clueless and bad-tempered; we’d start off a conversation with ten words, and he’d already be fuming.”
“…”
Oh no. Did I mess that up?
I probably should have softened the delivery a bit, but Namgung Myung’s reaction was unexpected.
“You are indeed his successor.”
I figured he might be somewhat upset about his friend being belittled, yet he nodded in affirmation for some reason.
That reaction left me feeling oddly displeased.
“That wasn’t the answer I was after, but I recognized it immediately. He wasn’t like a sage.”
Namgung Myung’s expression shifted slightly as the subject of Shin Noya came up.
I felt there was something nostalgic in his demeanor.
“Unlike other sages, he wasn’t wrapped up in self-righteousness, and he lived surrounded by curse words. He had no interest in dignity or honor; when he wielded a sword, he was an utter madman.”
“…”
His expression revealed nostalgia, yet his words were at odds with this sentiment.
What kind of life did Noya truly lead? How did his close friend come to see him as a crazy person?
Shudder.
‘How bizarre was he, really?’
Coming from a ‘normal’ person’s perspective, it’s near impossible to comprehend.
As the explanations progressed, I began to feel like leaving things with Noya might’ve been unwise.
“One.”
Namgung Myung spoke clearly to me.
“He was a man who could never compromise his beliefs.”
“Are you talking about faith?”
Faith.
That heavy, complex term weighed down slightly on my shoulders.
“I asked why it was Shincheol.”
“Yes.”
“Because among us, his beliefs were the most righteous.”
An upright belief.
What did that even mean? I had no clue.
Perhaps it showed on my face, as Namgung Myung regarded me and continued his explanation.
“Hwang A-bul-yeong might have a fair mind, but he was weak.”
This referred to the bald old man in the carp, the hero of Shaolin.
“He was aware of this, which led him to take a step back and choose to stay in Shaolin.”
He stepped back.
Did that mean he forfeited his chance at reincarnation?
“Contrary to Hwang A-bul-yeong, Dang Je-mun held firm beliefs, but his inaction was the most fragile. Moreover, their compatibility wasn’t great.”
The woman I encountered at the lake in Shaanxi came to mind. Contrary to her name, she was a delicate and beautiful being.
“Yeonilcheon had convictions that weren’t complete. I was excessively sentimental. That’s why it had to be Shincheol.”
“I still can’t grasp it. What exactly are you saying?”
You keep harping on about faith, but what nonsense are you proposing?
Why are the heroes that rescued the world frail in their convictions?
At a minimum, they must have possessed stronger convictions than I did.
In response to that kind of inquiry, Namgung Myung bears a peculiar expression.
He looked both rueful and liberated at the same time.
“We must not crumble.”
Thus the words I heard carried an unbearably precarious tone.
“That’s why we had to choose someone who wouldn’t break no matter what.”
“What does that have to do with faith? Are the others merely lacking in faith?”
“No, everyone was strong.”
“Then….”
“The crux of the matter lies in the diverging directions of our beliefs. ”
Namgung Myung’s gaze somehow became hazy.
“Do you know which beliefs held value for us?”
“…I don’t know.”
“It was the world.”
My eyes widened at his declaration.
“We had to save the world. For that, we needed unshakeable faith.”
“That…”
“Bulyeong lacked conviction in his belief that could falter at any moment. Dangjemun was weak in inaction, and his beliefs sprang from affection, so he was excluded.”
Affection. There was no need to inquire who that sentiment was directed at.
Everyone seemed to be aware of this, except that oblivious old coot.
“This applies to me as well. I…”
Namgung Myung hesitated momentarily before continuing to talk to me.
“I hoped for the rise and safety of the sect rather than the world.”
I tilted my head at the somewhat complicated words of Namgung Myung.
“Is that different?”
To prevent bloodshed and save the world.
Isn’t that sufficient? I failed to comprehend why they viewed it differently.
“It is different. Very much so.”
“What do you mean?”
“Living for the world is distinct from living for its benefits. That’s why we all had to step aside.”
“So does that mean Noya lived for the world?”
“Exactly.”
“…!”
His response was devoid of hesitation. Instead, I found myself silenced by those words.
“To save the world. That was the sole reason he drew his sword. Despite being the head of a sect, he never relinquished that stubbornness.”
That person?
I found myself on the verge of rebuffing him, recalling Noya’s usual demeanor, but then it struck me that I had been considering Shin Noya as a hero myself.
“A sword solely for the sake of saving the world. That was the rationale behind choosing him and binding his soul to the sword.”
Namgung Myung stopped momentarily, seemingly lost in thought.
“How can it be that the body manifests properly, yet the soul gets trapped within a ghost?”
He too appeared to have questions, seemingly pondering why the plan might have gone awry.
Huh?
“Wait a second.”
Just as I was about to speak, I suddenly recalled something peculiar I had heard moments ago.
“Senior.”
“Speak.”
“…The body of the Hwasan Sword, what did you say it was?”
Namgung Myung just declared that the body appeared correctly.
Though the soul wasn’t contained, Noya’s body was properly reincarnated?
I found myself bewildered as I recounted what I thought I had just learned.
“What are you talking about?”
Namgung Myung looked back at me once more. Then he declared
“Isn’t it standing right in front of you?”
“…Yes?”
At those words, I swiftly glanced around.
The elder Paejon and Seongyul. Plus, there was the black lion and the princess in view.
They were simply frozen in place.
Surely one of these?
When I looked back at Namgung Myung, who seemed surprised, his gaze was fixed on one point.
“You.”
It was me.
“You are that bastard’s reincarnation.”
Upon hearing that, my expression contorted grotesquely.
“Me?”
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