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**Rebirth Sword God Volume 85 Chapter 16**

When Mangnyang appeared, I felt a mix of delight and disappointment. I had thought that if it was Mangnyang, he would not doubt me at all, but facing this trial made me feel disheartened. Yet, considering all the help Mangnyang had provided, it was impossible for me to harbor any resentment, so I quickly steadied my mind.

“Right. I’d probably doubt myself too.”

I calmed my emotions slightly and spoke to Mangnyang.

[Mangnyang. So how can I prove that I’m Baek Woong?]

At my words, a spark of interest lit up Mangnyang’s eyes.

“Are you asking me?”

I replied calmly to Mangnyang’s question.

[Yes. Since you’ve come to stop Miho’s clones with your magic, you must’ve come to speak with us. If your goal is to confirm my true identity, wouldn’t it be good to have you suggest a method of doing so?]

“…….”

Mangnyang paused for a moment before laughing brightly.

“……Haha. If you are truly Baek Woong, you must have gone through a lot during your time in the other world. Your words now carry a maturity I didn’t sense before.”

[What could I achieve in a state I’m in? I don’t want to waste time like this, so if you have something to say, go ahead.]

“Hmm. There’s a simple way to confirm your identity. You just have to demonstrate something that only you can do in front of us. It can’t be proven by memory transfer alone.”

I tilted my head.

[Something only I can do?]

“Will you do it if I ask?”

[Of course.]

“Good.”

After I assured him, Mangnyang smiled and said:

“Can you use the Technique of All Things?”

Taken aback by the unexpected suggestion, I hesitated.

[Umm. Do I really have to?]

“According to Baek Woong’s memories, only the Divine Thief and Baek Woong can use the Technique of All Things. If you can just use this, it would be enough to recognize you as Baek Woong.”

[…….]

“Is it that you don’t want to use it, or is it that you can’t? If you can’t, you need to say it upfront. There are other means of proving it.”

I replied bitterly.

[I’d rather not use it. But if I must…….]

Although I had sworn not to use the Technique of All Things lightly, after surviving under Gu Mang’s hand upon my return to the original world, I had to use it like a rescue technique. I didn’t express it outwardly at that time, but it left a bitter taste in my mouth, and now I found myself in a situation where I had to prove myself to my comrades.

“Tch, there’s no helping it.”

I thought this and strode toward Mangnyang. When he stared at me intently, I used the Technique of All Things right outside this place.

Technique of All Things!

Swish!

In that moment, the Seven Fires, Seven Golds Line appeared in my hand. The skillful extraction was so clean that even I had to admit I had done well.

“……!!”

Mangnyang’s eyes widened in shock as he lost the Seven Fires, Seven Golds Line.

“Impressive.”

[Oh.]

[That’s amazing…….]

It seemed that not only Mangnyang, but also other comrades, including the Sword Demon, were voicing their admiration. The reason they were astonished was that the moment I cast the Technique of All Things, they couldn’t observe how I had stolen the opponent’s belongings with their own eyes. Although the Technique of All Things inherently had the property of being extremely subtle, the very moment of stealing couldn’t be discerned physically. Unless two users of the Technique of All Things clashed like I did with the Divine Thief, it was often impossible to know how my Technique of All Things was executed.

[Here you go.]

I tossed the Seven Fires, Seven Golds Line to Mangnyang, and he caught it bewilderedly.

Mangnyang couldn’t hide his admiration.

“Truly remarkable. Even with multiple layers of defense set by the Great Immortal, you disregarded it all and casually stole it…… Though, you must have succeeded in the Technique of All Things against Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen, so this trial may have been unnecessary.”

[…….]

“By the way, why do you hesitate to use the Technique of All Things?”

I stroked my chin and replied bitterly.

[After going to the other world, I once used the Technique of All Things against a being of great stature and faced tremendous backlash. I vowed not to rely solely on the Technique of All Things from that day on. Yet now, even though it is an unavoidable situation, I feel disgusted at breaking that solemn vow.]

“……”

Mangnyang’s expression suddenly turned grave as if he understood something. After a while, he spoke with a trembling voice.

“C-could it be that it was the outer being?”

[…….]

“Hahaha! If there’s one thing I’m most curious about in the world right now, it would be your memories!”

Mangnyang laughed heartily. Then, looking at nothing beside him, he said:

“Miho. Given this, can we consider him Baek Woong? Who else carries Baek Woong’s memories and can even use the Technique of All Things?”

Swish!

As soon as those words finished, Miho revealed herself, and the eight tails she had appearing in the hall transformed into golden flashes and were absorbed by her. Miho gazed at me with an exceedingly complex look and said:

“Surely…… There’s little point in harboring suspicion now.”

I ecstatically reacted to Miho’s words.

[Miho! You believe that I am Baek Woong?]

“……What’s with that mechanical body you returned to this world in? It’s too absurd, making it hard to easily acknowledge you.”

[Understandable. Here’s how it came to be…….]

Before I could explain, Mangnyang raised the Seven Fires, Seven Golds Line to stop me.

“Wait. A disturbance has arrived…… Please hold your tongue for a moment.”

Boom!!

In the next instant, around us, 16 Celestials and 32 Divine Officers emerged. The spiritual energy radiating from the Celestials was overtly hostile, and the Divine Officers were brandishing their weapons, indicating they were not here with friendly intentions.

‘What are those Celestials?’

While I was puzzled, one Celestial proclaimed in a voice resonant like jade:

[Mangnyang, the Earth Sky Celestial. You have been dispatched to aid Miho in repelling the intruder, yet why do you not swiftly eliminate the enemy?]

To this, Mangnyang shrugged his shoulders.

“Seems you’ve been watching and waiting to appear, and now you have the audacity to speak. First, I need to ascertain whether he is truly Baek Woong.”

[That is not the intent of Gum Cheon-jae.]

“O Great Immortal who descended as the Direct Disciple of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens. I apologize, but I don’t follow Gum Cheon-jae. Up till now, I was only cooperating with Nanjing for balance’s sake…….”

[What?!]

The Celestial roared in apparent anger, but Mangnyang paid no mind to his reaction, turning instead to Miho.

“Miho, what about you? Is Gum Cheon-jae or Baek Woong more important?”

“Hmph, such a ridiculous question.”

With that, Miho scoffed and, in an instant, fluffed out her eight tails. Simultaneously, brilliant golden light poured from her eyes.

[Baek Woong is my priority!!]

Flash!!

As the divine light surged, countless Celestials and Divine Officers, who had surrounded us, were swept away in an instant, tossed as if blown by a tempest. They appeared to be off-balance and unable to stabilize themselves, clearly a testament to Miho’s superior power.

[Ugh.]

[Those beings…….]

Swish!

However, as they tumbled into chaos, more Celestials and Divine Officers began to appear once again. The sight caused the Mercenary King, Ajidahaka, to frown.

[It seems they’re serious. It feels like all the Celestials of the Celestial Realm are coming together.]

“Huh, is that so? Ever since the collapse of the Celestial Realm, 40% of all Celestials have come to Nanjing, and they’ve been stuck in the Inner City.”

Mangnyang, who had been grinning as if enjoying himself, suddenly unfurled his Seven Fires, Seven Golds Line.

“Then let’s avoid a direct confrontation.”

Whoosh!!

As soon as Mangnyang finished his sentence, a massive wall of flames surrounded our group. Recognizing it from past uses of the Seven Fires, Seven Golds Line filled me with nostalgia, but I also understood that its power was far beyond what I had seen before.

‘In an instant, all that spiritual energy from the Celestials was severed. That means this fire barrier is stronger than all the Celestials combined outside!’

With spells like this, Mangnyang’s skill must exceed the Eight Immortals, right?

As I was thinking in awe, Mangnyang continued to speak.

“Baek Woong. To be honest, if we tried our hardest, it wouldn’t be difficult to annihilate the Celestials outside. But your goal isn’t to come to Nanjing to wipe out these Celestials, is it?”

I shook my head at Mangnyang’s words.

[No. I just came to meet Gum Cheon-jae and seek his cooperation.]

“What kind of cooperation?”

[In truth, I…….]

I didn’t have time to explain everything that had happened in the Otherworld, so I simply summarized what had occurred since I began receiving Zhuge Sa’s cooperation. After attentively listening to my short tale, Mangnyang nodded.

“I see. Indeed, if you want to retrieve the Mirror of Clarity from the Underworld, you’ll need Gum Cheon-jae’s assistance. Because right now, all paths to the Underworld are sealed, and only with his immense power could they be twisted open.”

[Exactly. Once I reveal to Gum Cheon-jae that I’m Baek Woong, he would provide his cooperation.]

“That’s not going to happen.”

[Huh?]

What did he mean by that?

As I looked bewildered, Mangnyang wore a wry smile.

“Even if Gum Cheon-jae knows you’re Baek Woong, he won’t cooperate willingly. Ever since a certain point, he’s developed a rebellious spirit and grown to despise our past comrades, leading him to slack in his efforts.”

[……You’re saying that? So what should I do to gain Gum Cheon-jae’s cooperation?]

“…….”

Mangnyang stared at me intently before speaking.

“Baek Woong. How much do you hate Gum Cheon-jae?”

[I’ve hated him a lot from the start…… In fact, he’s one of my enemies, so I thought I would just harass him a bit in this life to settle the grudge.]

“But it’s not to the level of hatred you feel for the Emperor or the Master of the Twelve Joules, is it?”

[Well…… I want to kill those guys, but the Village Chief is more like a disliked friend in the neighborhood. I can’t say I have murderous intent toward him anymore.]

I’d hate it much more if it were Lee Kwang by a hundred times……

I swallowed that thought inwardly.

“Well, then we’re good.”

Mangnyang smiled widely and said.

“I’ll give you a scheme, and you should use this plan to persuade Gum Cheon-jae. That ought to work.”

[What scheme?]

“That is…….”

I was stunned for a moment at the plan Mangnyang revealed. I soon became flabbergasted.

[Umm…… I see. That’s why Gum Cheon-jae has been acting up until now.]

“How about it? Will you give it a try according to my plan?”

[Alright. I’ll give it a shot.]

“Now I’ll dismantle the spells and open a pathway to Gum Cheon-jae. You’ll go alone to settle it, and after you do, come to find Yeodong-bin at his shrine.”

I spoke worriedly at Mangnyang’s threat.

[But he’ll probably chase me away again.]

Mangnyang chuckled and playfully tapped my shoulder with the Seven Fires, Seven Golds Line.

“I am the Direct Disciple of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens and hold the position of the Archangel. If I cast a spell, that shouldn’t happen.”

Boom!!

I entered through the dimensional pathway created by Mangnyang, and as I emerged from it, the Peach Blossom Garden where Gum Cheon-jae had been moments ago spread before me. The fishy smell that had filled the garden was nowhere to be found, and all the handsome men and women that had once populated it had vanished, leaving only warm sunlight and the fresh scent of peaches.

Step…….

Step…….

I slowly walked deeper into the garden. There, I spotted Gum Cheon-jae sprawled on a large chair, clutching a wine bottle with a hazy drunken expression fixed on me.

“Back again, you tin can.”

[Village Chief, I’m telling you again, I’m Baek Woong.]

“Hmph…… I’m getting tired of hearing such nonsense. Get lost.”

Swish!

Gum Cheon-jae waved his hand. Ordinarily, I would have been swept away by the divine strength of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, casting me back.

…….

But Gum Cheon-jae’s power did not work at all. He looked somewhat flustered when his powers failed to affect me, readjusting himself in his chair.

“What? Why didn’t it work?”

Swiftly, I noticed ancient hieroglyphs appearing and glowing on my body.

‘Corpse Dissolution Technique!’

It must have been the protective spell Mangnyang had cast on me moments ago! No matter how powerful Gum Cheon-jae was as the contractor of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman, he couldn’t overlook the magic of Mangnyang, the master of the Corpse Dissolution Technique! Especially since their attributes were of the same nature, nullifying each other would be even easier.

I confidently opened my mouth, knowing that Gum Cheon-jae couldn’t chase me off any longer.

[Village Chief…… I never wished for Kim Manje to die.]

In that moment, Gum Cheon-jae’s face paled. After a moment, he trembled, yelling.

“How dare you bring up my son!!”

Boom!!

At that moment, the Peach Blossom Garden was utterly torn apart. The very fabric of the dimension was shredded by Gum Cheon-jae’s command, plunging time and space into chaos. This type of act was something even a Demon King would have trouble doing, so I grasped the meaning of Gum Cheon-jae wielding the power of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman.

‘Damn…… He’s just like the Old Ruler…….’

I steadied myself against the tumultuous flow with my magical power, fixing my gaze upon Gum Cheon-jae.

[The death of your son, Kim Manje, was not my fault. Isn’t that right?]

“……!!”

Gum Cheon-jae’s face had turned completely red. His features were crinkled with age, but alongside them, the despair of recalling painful memories was evident.

That’s right.

Gum Cheon-jae’s son, Kim Manje—the brat who used to bully me in my childhood—had died.

In those 20 years I had been absent!

I took another step closer to Gum Cheon-jae and said:

[Mangnyang didn’t disclose the details to me. But it seems he fought for his own sense of justice and ended up dying.]

“…….”

[I’ve heard you resent my comrades and me over that matter, believing we let Kim Manje die?]

Gum Cheon-jae fell silent for a moment before looking at me with a cold expression, yet one brimming with undeniable killing intent.

“Really, you speak like you might truly be Baek Woong. Yet, whether you are Baek Woong or not, I cannot forgive you.”

[Why can’t you forgive me?]

“If you truly are Baek Woong, what good is that? It won’t bring back my dead son. You must have come to steal my position and power! I can’t let that go unpunished!”

Koooon!!

Multiple Taiji patterns floated around Gum Cheon-jae’s body. I sensed immense power stemming from those patterns and unconsciously leaked a subdued breath.

‘Though they resemble Taiji, they are in fact highly condensed divine powers! This bastard Gum Cheon-jae doesn’t know any spells and is just swinging the Heavenly Mysterious Woman’s power around foolishly.’

Yet that simple attack could potentially be more terrifying than genuine Corpse Dissolution Technique. Its simplicity meant it could pierce through all magical resistances. With my Iron Body in this state, I wouldn’t survive such an attack, even waking from the dead.

When Gum Cheon-jae looked poised to attack, I abruptly interjected, breaking his rhythm.

[What if I could bring him back?]

Stunned!

In that instant, a look of extreme bewilderment crossed Gum Cheon-jae’s face.

“What… what did you say?”

[I still haven’t fully explained my purpose for being here. The reason I’ve come is that I need your help to find the Mirror of Clarity in the Underworld.]

“…….”

[As you know, if I can go to the Underworld, I can also find the soul of your son, Kim Manje, and revive him.]

“W-What……”

[What do you think this means? If you assist me, Kim Manje can be revived!]

“……!!”

Gum Cheon-jae appeared flustered, losing his composure. As a result, I saw the hue of the Taiji he summoned fade abruptly. Since his determination to attack correlated with that energy, the presence of an imminent attack was palpable. I discerned that Gum Cheon-jae’s lack of real combat experience made him all the more sluggish in his actions.

[Village Chief. Didn’t my companions say that I am the Wheel King? To the Wheel King, resurrecting your son is as easy as pie. Will you still refuse my cooperation?]

“Hah…… But the Celestials said due to Tsukuyomi’s [Night], all dimensional realms have been tainted, making it absolutely impossible to go to the Underworld. Even if we forcibly break a path with divine power, they warned that there’s no guarantee we’d return! How can you, a tin can, even hope to go to the Underworld and revive my son?”

[Right now, I might be a tin can, but I’m slowly reclaiming my original power. In the future, once I recover my strength, I could even compete with the Three Sovereigns.]

“……!!”

[Village Chief. I apologize for the turmoil I’ve caused you in this life. But you must understand that it’s somewhat karmic in nature. I hold no deeper grudge against you anymore, so keep in mind I have no intention to take your position or seek revenge.]

“…….”

After some time, there was a long pause before Gum Cheon-jae finally managed to utter a word.

“Really…… are you Baek Woong…… or just a puny bug?”

[Yes, Village Chief.]

At that moment, I exchanged glances with Gum Cheon-jae.

In that moment of connection, a myriad of sentiments mingled.

All things considered, this Village Chief is the one I meet before anyone else in every lifetime, even before Mangnyang.

“……Heh.”

Gum Cheon-jae suddenly looked as if he had aged ten years, letting out a hollow laugh.

“Why didn’t you come a bit sooner……, huh.”

I scratched my head.

[Sorry about that. But at least I’ve finally arrived.]

“Sigh…… I’m clueless about what to do now.”

Unexpectedly, after a moment, Gum Cheon-jae remarked.

“Shennong offered to resurrect my son, but who should I trust more between you and Shennong?”