Chapter 704

Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village

The Sword Demon knew that a confrontation between the Eight Vajras and Zhurong was underway, but he paid it no mind. By the time he settled things with Musashi, it would all be over anyway, and there was nothing he could do even if he looked into it.

What mattered to him was moving according to the strategist's orders and carrying out his mission properly. The showdown with Musashi was little more than a variable.

The Sword Demon arrived in Liaoning Province about four days later. He sat in an inn, gazing at the sunlight streaming through the window as various thoughts crossed his mind. Seomun Hye, seated across from him, spoke up.

"Father. What are you thinking about?"

"Hye-ah."

The Sword Demon gazed at her for a moment. She had been too weak to involve in the battle at Shinshi, so he had deliberately made her wait in Liaoning Province.

Even though he had reunited with her while still alive, his heart was far from at ease. That was because he knew nothing had been resolved yet.

Chiyou.

A mythical being revered as the God of War by the Miao tribe. Naturally, hardly anyone in the Central Plains believed such a figure had actually existed. In an age when even the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were dismissed as mere historical fabrications, Chiyou was nothing but a fairy tale.

Yet the truth was different. Chiyou had truly existed in the age of myths—the mightiest giant who had battled the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, bearers of the [Ancient Rulers'] power.

Having inherited Baek Woong's past-life memories, the Sword Demon knew that this colossal entity known as Chiyou was connected to his own daughter, Seomun Hye. That was because, in one of Baek Woong's past lives, the Nine Heavens Cult Leader—a servant of the evil god who had possessed Seomun Hye's body—had relentlessly probed her about Chiyou.

The Sword Demon had made continuous efforts to dispel this suspicion, but to no avail. He had uncovered that the Seo family—maternal kin to his late wife, Seomun Ryeong—was somehow linked to a "god's tomb" in Liaodong, but he could proceed no further.

'It was because of the Twelve Rites.'

Liaodong and Liaoning Province were regions under the heavy influence of the Twelve Rites. If his subordinates conducted investigations there, it would draw far too much suspicion. Thus, the Sword Demon had limited himself to indirectly hiring locals and scholars, preventing a proper inquiry.

But things were different now. The Twelve Rites had been all but annihilated, their leader slain regardless. On top of that, Miyamoto Musashi had unexpectedly perished in their life-and-death duel. At this point, the Sword Demon could openly operate in Liaoning Province and investigate the [God's tomb] without fear.

He fiddled with Seomun Hye's hand and let out a sigh.

"You inherited Baek Woong's memories as well."

"Yes."

"Aren't you afraid? Of the fact that you are connected to beings who could tear apart this narrow world we inhabit like a sheet of paper."

Seomun Hye fell silent for a moment before replying,

"I'm actually glad."

"You mean that?"

"If the power of Chiyou lies dormant within me, then I could use it to aid Lord Baek Woong. I don't want to remain a burden to my benefactor forever."

"......"

The Sword Demon had no idea what to say.

His one and only daughter was resolved to stake her life on a single man, and he was in the position of having to support that resolve. It left his emotions in turmoil. In a typical clash with rivals of the martial world, he would praise Seomun Hye's attitude. But their current foes were god-like or demon lord-like entities of immense power.

He already knew from Baek Woong's past-life memories what defeat at their hands would entail—horrors beyond description by any torture known to the human world. Death might even be preferable. Knowing the scale of that tragedy, the Sword Demon could not bring himself to encourage his daughter lightly.

Instead, he fixed her with a steely gaze and said,

"Hye-ah. If you ever fall into a grave situation from which there is no recovery... I will strike you down and grant you peace. Do the same for me."

These were words no parent should utter, but Seomun Hye understood their true meaning and smiled radiantly instead.

"I trust you, Father."

A resolve that, should the situation warrant death over suffering, they would die by each other's hand as kin.

That vow now bound father and daughter.

The Sword Demon felt as though he was losing his mind.

'No, the world has always been mad.'

To throw oneself into the chaos of the world, one must shield the mind with madness. The Sword Demon steeled his resolve once more and called out to the man approaching the inn's entrance.

"Dang San. You've finally arrived?"

The still boyish youth, Dang San, offered a fist salute upon seeing the Sword Demon.

"Elder. It's been a while."

"Did you bring the sorcerer?"

"He's waiting in front of the West Gate of Liaoning Province."

"Why? We could have met face-to-face and traveled together."

Dang San replied,

"He dislikes being drawn into matters beyond his mission. I've strong-armed him into helping with this exploration, but please don't provoke him."

"Hmm..."

Indeed.

The mission Dang San had received from the Zhuge strategist was to borrow the Jesuits' most powerful sorcerer. Upon learning from Baek Woong's past-life memories of such an existence—though its name and identity were unknown—the strategist had dispatched Dang San as an envoy to negotiate with Matteo Ricci and secure the sorcerer's aid. A figure of that caliber would prove invaluable in the battle against the Eight Vajras.

Of course, they had failed to summon him in time for the decisive clash at Shinshi, so Dang San had arrived late to find only ruins. Neither Zhurong nor the Eight Vajras remained. Greatly flustered, Dang San had soon proceeded to the rendezvous point with the Sword Demon, exchanging couriers within the city to confirm each other's positions and circumstances.

The Sword Demon asked,

"Is that sorcerer powerful?"

"I know little of sorcery myself, but he could walk across water barefoot for as long as he wished. Moreover, the abilities he displayed defy all reason."

Dang San added cautiously,

"...We must never make him our enemy."

"I see."

The Sword Demon understood Dang San's temperament well. Secretive and tenacious, with a mad streak of genius, Dang San's assessments carried an objectivity surpassing that of ordinary folk. If even a genius like Dang San perceived such a vast disparity in power, then the title of the Jesuits' strongest was undoubtedly real.

The Sword Demon rose from his seat.

"Let's go."

"Is it truly alright to proceed without a single strategist present?"

"It is my own judgment, but there should be no issue. The Zhuge strategist told me that if he required my presence, his side would contact me. This matter was already part of the plan."

As he exited the inn, he added,

"Besides, if the strategist truly needed to alter the plan, he would have issued orders to me by any means necessary. That's the kind of man he is."

"Understood."

Together, they made their way to Liaoning Province's West Gate. There, a strange figure cloaked in a long black mantle awaited. Upon spotting the Sword Demon, the figure removed the hood covering his head and said,

"Pleased to meet you."

"You're the one who came at Matteo Ricci's request?"

"Indeed. I am..."

The golden-haired, blue-eyed stranger hesitated briefly before saying,

"Call me Belus."

Belus, was it.

The Sword Demon nodded and said to him,

"Belus, I apologize for pulling you into our affairs. I know you're busy, but please lend us a hand."

"What is it I must do?"

The Sword Demon displayed a map to Belus and explained,

"The locations marked here are the candidates for the [God's Tomb] that my subordinates have identified so far. From the gathered legends, we've narrowed it down to five."

"......"

"Why do you ask?"

Belus stared straight through the Sword Demon before saying,

"Explain why you seek this [God's Tomb]. Otherwise, I won't help."

As expected.

The Sword Demon explained calmly.

"There is a legend that giant gods slumber within the God's Tomb. We intend to awaken one of those giant gods to gain its power against the [Ancient Rulers]."

"Do you know how dangerous the giant gods are? They are divine beings—transcendents beyond human reach—who once ruled this world! To rashly awaken such entities would spell disaster."

"You oppose it?"

Belus replied in a displeased tone.

"At the very least, none among you seem versed in sorcery or the [Ancient Rulers]. There are countless tales of catastrophe befalling amateurs who meddle with the ruins of ancient ones. I have no desire to assist."

"But Matteo Ricci has already pledged your cooperation."

When the Sword Demon pressed, Belus let out a groan.

"...Very well. If you insist on my help, you must observe three safety rules."

"What are they?"

Belus extended three fingers and began counting them off one by one.

"One: If you hear the call of the [Ancient Ones], inform me immediately. Two: Do not touch suspicious objects or make casual contact with. Three: If I say to retreat, do so at once without objection."

"Very well."

The Sword Demon agreed to Belus's terms.

'We have no choice but to heed him anyway.'

As Belus had pointed out, he was the only one versed in or sorcery among them. It would have been ideal if Cheon Woo-jin had accompanied them, but he had been assigned a more critical task. Though unparalleled in martial prowess, they were novices in this field and had no option but to follow the expert.

"Shall we seek out the suspicious ruins?"

Moments later, Belus conjured a rippling pattern atop his palm, then reshaped it into a fish.

Paat!

The fish flopped about in midair as if alive before diving into a point on the map. Watching this, Belus plunged his arm straight into the map without hesitation, then spoke with conviction.

"This place is suspicious. Follow me."

Shruk.

Belus's body was swiftly drawn into the map as if through a hole. Dang San, the Sword Demon, and the others mimicked his actions. Astonishingly, they traversed space via the map, emerging in some nameless wild mountain.

Dang San asked Belus,

"What you use—is it sorcery or magic?"

Belus replied to Dang San's question without hesitation.

"It is faith."

"Faith? That can become power?"

"I have formed a special contract with the Guardian... I cannot explain in detail."

Brushing off further questions, Belus gazed up at a small mountain that appeared to rise some two hundred-odd zhang and continued.

"The space here is warped, producing fissures. It seems a wedge has been driven in to overlay dimensions. Remove the wedge, and we should be able to enter the overlapped realm."

"Is that the [God's Tomb]?"

"I don't know. But something feels off..."

"What's off?"

"......"

Belus silently summoned another fish and released it into the air. The fish vanished as if trailing invisible currents before reappearing. Belus let out a lament.

"Oh no... This is bad."

"What happened?"

"It's not just a wedge embedded here. We must enter the inner ruins to find the [key] that reveals the true tomb's location. The problem is that entry requires bloodline."

"Bloodline?"

Belus nodded.

"Assuming this truly is a giant god ruin... then only giant gods themselves or their blood descendants could explore it."

At that instant, Dang San glanced once at the Sword Demon, then at Seomun Hye.

The Sword Demon, his face taut, said,

"Hye-ah and I will each try entering once. Remove the wedge."

"Got it."

Wung.

As Belus chanted some incantation, a pitch-black door materialized in midair. The Sword Demon watched, marveling at how wondrous and convenient it was—or in other words, how Belus was a sorcerer of extraordinary caliber. The lower the skill, the more laborious the effort; the higher, the smoother the process. Without Belus, they never would have reached this point.

'Why is someone like him with the Jesuits? What is his true nature?'

The Sword Demon felt a nagging curiosity, but now was not the time to probe. He took a deep breath and stepped toward the dimensional door.

Thung!

But an inexplicable repulsive force bounced him back. As he stumbled, Seomun Hye stepped up beside him and entered the door—only this time, she was smoothly drawn inside.

"...!!!"

"She's in. Let us hope she finds some clues."

Belus offered his observation, but the Sword Demon had no attention to spare. In that moment, he felt both joy and despair.

'No way...'

A new path had opened to explore the ruins of the giant god Chiyou. Yet this proved beyond doubt that Seomun Hye carried the giant god's bloodline. The anguish of witnessing firsthand that his daughter was not purely human was beyond words.