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“This isn’t my first life?”

“Ah!” I was momentarily stunned by his words, but soon after, a memory flickered through my mind.

[This is the last time. My blessing will adjust your fate so that you can walk the path of domination easily, and if you die, I will grant you one of the things you desired.]

[I didn’t expect to fight Daji, but it was quite fun. So, I’ll teach you one more thing as a gift before I go.]

[You don’t see the mark of forgetfulness. It’s likely you have a high chance of reincarnation.]

In my 14th life – at the very end, Xiang Yu descended upon me to defeat the Apostle Daji. After granting me my wish, he returned to the Celestial Realm. He answered many of my curiosities, including the mark of forgetfulness.

Xiang Yu said that those without the mark of forgetfulness have a high chance of reincarnation. Normally, all enlightened ones are marked for forgetfulness in the cycle of reincarnation, but there are rare cases where the mark doesn’t manifest or disappears entirely. Such individuals are reborn with their memories intact.

“… You’re not, could you be a reincarnator?” I asked Yong Junil while recalling that memory.

A reincarnator – one who has been reborn with memories of their past life. Living another life again!

Yong Junil slowly nodded in agreement.

“We have much to talk about. Let’s head inside.”

I entered the newly built inner hall of the revived White Lotus Sect with my companions. It lacked the unique shrine-like aura of the White Lotus Sect, yet it emanated grandeur. Facing Yong Junil, I spoke up.

“So, how do I believe that you’re a reincarnator?”

“Whether you believe it or not, I don’t care. Why do you think I revealed that just now?”

“……”

After a sip of tea, Yong Junil said, “I’ve been observing the world through my information network all along. I’m aware of the changes happening behind the scenes and that you, Baek Woong, are at the center of it all…”

I caught on to something in his words and replied, “So, you want to join forces with me?”

“That’s right. In my judgment, it’s a dire era, and without your strength—given your vast resources—the White Lotus Sect cannot survive. That’s why I’m showing my willingness to share my secrets.”

By disclosing his identity as a reincarnator, he was clearly expressing a desire to partner up. I interpreted the earlier conversation that way.

“Isn’t that a bit presumptuous? I haven’t even considered you as a companion.”

Yong Junil responded, “I accomplished everything Zhuge Sa instructed me to do. And if Zhuge Sa is your strategist, all those actions must have been for his lord. It’s certainly clear that I have been a great help to you.”

“Hmmm.”

“If that’s the case, at least guarantee that you won’t oppose the White Lotus Sect. If you do, I will reveal everything I know.”

“… Fine. Wait a moment.”

I glanced sideways at the Heavenly Mysterious Woman of Nine Heavens.

[Lady Heavenly Mysterious, does he lack the mark of forgetfulness? Is he truly a reincarnator?]

I wanted to find out for myself, but I couldn’t check for the mark of forgetfulness by using Fire Eye Golden Spirit. I had to rely on the skills of the Heavenly Mysterious Woman.

After examining Yong Junil using the Corpse Dissolution Technique, the Heavenly Mysterious Woman nodded.

[Correct. He lacks the mark of forgetfulness and is a reincarnator accumulated over time.]

[A very rare existence indeed.]

Confirmation sent chills down my spine.

Reincarnation!

A concept of Buddhism and a core principle of the cycle of rebirth I had heard many tales about. Being reborn into a new world while retaining memories of the past! Anyone feeling disillusioned with life would find great allure in reincarnation. Of course, this notion often involved significant suffering in Buddhism, yet the temptation of being reborn as a better existence and experiencing a new life was appealing to everyone.

Yet to think I would meet someone who had achieved reincarnation for the first time! “I promise not to oppose the White Lotus Sect. Now, tell me what you know.”

“Very well.”

Yong Junil paused for a moment before speaking.

“My actual age is four hundred twenty-five, and this is my sixth life. With my current time living as Yong Junil, I suspect it will be the longest.”

He’s been alive for over four hundred years? “… What’s your real name?”

At my question, he chuckled softly.

“Yong Junil is Yong Junil. While you’re curious about my previous names, you might not have heard of names like Lee Makjong, Tak Bulju, Wei Seoyean, or Seon Woo Pajae.”

“Hmm…”

That was the truth. The names that Yong Junil mentioned were unfamiliar and likely the names he held through reincarnation. Not even among the renowned figures of Jianghu history would there be any mention of those names. Confused, I asked him, “How strange. Your current name is Yong Junil, one of the most famous names in the world. Why hadn’t you made a name for yourself in your past life?”

“Hoo.” Yong Junil murmured bitterly.

“Firstly, I lived as Lee Makjong, a mere farmer during the Southern Song. I tilled the fields my whole life, and the most remarkable thing I witnessed was the triumph of the Heroic General against the Jin army. I passed at the age of sixty as an ordinary farmer.”

“……”

By mentioning the Heroic General of the Southern Song, he referred to General Yue Fei, who protected the Southern Song dynasty against the Jin dynasty, a legendary figure tarnished by schemes of treachery. Of course, that was an event that occurred over four hundred years ago.

“But once I died, things took a turn. I opened my eyes in the body of an infant and learned that my name was Tak Bulju from the Tak clan as I grew. I realized I had been reincarnated and endeavored to live my new life. I even passed an exam and entered the government. But…”

“What happened?”

“As I continued to live, I discovered that the time of Lee Makjong’s death coincided nearly perfectly with Tak Bulju’s birth.”

“… What do you mean!”

Yong Junil calmly sipped his tea and replied, “There were no gaps in my reincarnation. I was reborn immediately upon dying. Thinking that way, I grew increasingly anxious around the age of thirty-five while living as Tak Bulju.”

“Why were you anxious?”

“If I were to die living as Tak Bulju, I’d likely be reborn again… By that time, I was already getting pretty tired of living continuously.”

“What…?” I looked at Yong Junil in disbelief and said, “You lived only a hundred years and thought life was dull?”

From my perspective, I found it hard to comprehend. A hundred years wasn’t that long. I had already well surpassed that in my current life, but I had never once felt bored. Yong Junil chuckled lightly and said, “As Lee Makjong, I married, had children, and became the head of a family. A farmer’s life is denser than it seems, so I had accumulated plenty of experience by the time I died at sixty. But when I was reborn as Tak Bulju, I passed the exam, married, and had children again. By then, I had already exceeded what an ordinary person could experience and found it rather exhausting.”

“……”

I had nothing to say. His standards of an “ordinary person” were vastly different from mine. The difference in our levels of experience was unbridgeable.

‘Could it be that I am the odd one here?’

While I pondered, Yong Junil continued, “I began to think that infinite life was more of a curse. At that point, the Mongolian Kuriltai Khan invaded the Central Plains, capturing Chengdu and Yangyang, plunging the world into chaos. I resigned my official position and joined the Complete Reality Sect as a disciple of the North Seven True Child.”

“You’re not lying, are you? If you were a disciple of the North Seven True Child, then you must’ve met Wang Zhongyang, the founding master of the Complete Reality Sect?”

“Believe it or don’t, that’s the case. At that time, I first learned martial arts and tried to cultivate longevity because I thought that prolonged life and superhuman strength would alleviate the tedium of existence. I also figured the mysteries of Daoism could help me discover why I was reincarnating.”

Yong Junil glanced out the window. “Tak Bulju died at a hundred thirty-three. I lived as a cornered teacher in my village, teaching disciples until I passed away.”

“And then you were reborn?”

“Yes. My next life was as Wei Seoyean of the Wei family. Ironically, I was born as a woman. That’s when I first realized that one could be reborn in another gender.”

“……”

“Thanks to the martial knowledge I built in my previous life, I achieved significant martial prowess even being female, becoming a martial artist. At that time, I thought, since this was happening, I might as well delve into the martial arts of the highest sects in search of skills. That’s when I first entered the White Lotus Sect.”

“Hmm!”

“I trained hard in martial arts within the White Lotus Sect and died single at seventy-two. That was my third life.”

But for the average person, Yong Junil’s story would seem dull. Who would find excitement in someone briefly recounting what they did and at what age they died without much explanation?

But since I resonated deeply as a reincarnator, I found it fascinating.

“In my fourth life as Seon Woo Pajae, I endured severe depression. This was because I had no idea why my life kept repeating until the end of Wei Seoyean’s life. By that time, I was already quite tired of living.”

“So what did you do?”

“I decided to become an adventurer. There was no answer to be found by merely mastering martial arts, so I sought the mysterious holy places and ruins of the world to uncover the origins of the bizarre events that had transpired in my life. With enough martial knowledge, I set out on a journey when I turned twenty. I traveled nonstop until the day I died, whether in the Central Plains, the West, or Tianzhu.”

“……”

“That was when I first came to understand the ‘otherworldly’ realms, the entities akin to nightmares, and legends like the Seven Luminaries or ancient deities. I also learned why I reincarnated—it was because I lacked the mark of forgetfulness.”

From this point on, it got real.

The Yong Junil before me had lived three lives and truly stepped into the right path from his fourth life.

“From then on, I did not actively seek a way to restore the mark of forgetfulness because I came to recognize it as an ability unique to me.”

“Did you figure out why the mark of forgetfulness disappeared?”

“I still don’t know… Regardless, that’s when I started to dream.”

Yong Junil crossed his arms and added, “In times of crisis, I believed only I, the reincarnator, could save the world.”

“……!!”

I couldn’t help but gasp. The trajectory of Yong Junil’s thoughts mirrored my own so closely. It seemed he was aware of my contemplations as he continued speaking.

“After my life as Seon Woo Pajae ended, in my fifth life as Mong O Sim, I focused on mastering Daoist ancient martial arts and uncovering secrets. I acquired ancient texts of the White Lotus Sect and studied its ancient rituals quite extensively. I also delved into the hidden secrets of ancient otherworldly entities in Daoism and Buddhism.”

“… I see.”

I hadn’t mentioned it, but I suspected that Yong Junil realized certain things about the Su Shin Sect and the Demon Ritual in his fifth life. His knowledge must’ve surpassed many a demon sorcerer even then. He likely possessed the ability to cast significant techniques and spells right now.

I asked him, “Was recovering the ancient sword techniques of the Huashan Sect thanks to your reincarnation?”

“Recovery? I learned directly from a survivor of Huashan’s ancient sword techniques during my fourth life, Seon Woo Pajae. For my sixth life as Yong Junil, it was practically applied.”

“Is that so?”

It seemed incredible.

For so long, I had assumed that Yong Junil’s mastery of the techniques of the Wind Spirit Sect and Huashan Sect stemmed from innate genius, but it was merely a culmination of years spent in the martial milieu! The Yong Junil before me wasn’t so much a martial genius as he was a living history of martial arts.

Yong Junil’s gaze suddenly changed.

“You seem to be taking everything I’m saying seriously. As expected, you’re also…”

“……”

I began to comprehend Yong Junil’s thoughts.

‘He thinks I’m also a reincarnator!’

It wasn’t surprising. Yong Junil had amassed martial prowess, knowledge, and experience through several reincarnations, allowing him to achieve awe-inspiring results in this life. From his perspective, I likely appeared to be an equally prepared reincarnator.

But I was similar yet different from him.

A reincarnator and a past life bearer.

He had continued through time, while I was merely repeating it.

That distinction was monumental.

‘What should I do?’

I internally struggled. Should I reveal the difference between reincarnators and past life bearers and my secrets? However, having Yong Junil participate in the upcoming battle would make things easier. Bringing him on as an ally didn’t sound too bad either.

With a short sigh, I said, “… Thinking back on your life… it’s history of the martial arts world.”

“Hoo.” Yong Junil coolly chuckled.

“I’ve gone through all the Four Great Families’ techniques at least once. Of course, none of this was known to anyone. Through learning the techniques of the Wind Spirit Sect, I took it upon myself to create a new martial arts style that combines all four—Sword Form.”

“……”

What an admirable determination.

If he spoke truthfully, then Yong Junil had indeed become the individual who had trained in the most variety of martial arts within the history of the White Lotus Sect. While it was likely that his natural talent contributed somewhat, creating the Four Divine Sword Form wasn’t something just anyone could achieve.

‘No wonder he seems like the ultimate behind-the-scenes mastermind…’

Originally, in the history I wouldn’t have partaken in, the greatest challenge for Jin So-cheong would have been Yong Junil—an ambitious, unparalleled master who had experienced several centuries of reincarnation and learned the techniques of the Four Great Families! A worthy archenemy for Jin So-cheong, a natural genius of unparalleled talent.

But that wasn’t the reality.

Even such a remarkable being as Yong Junil would be ineffectual in the divine butting in, and it seemed he remained oblivious to the true nature of the otherworldly realms. Based on the efficiency of information gained in proportion to time expended, my case seemed to have the upper hand. This might be the advantage of being a past life bearer over a reincarnator.

“Yong Junil. Has your long life made you unable to recognize blood relations as blood?”

“Regrettably so. Yong Bi-cheon cherished me as his own son, yet I felt nothing towards him. On the surface, I revered him, but honestly, I felt no particular sentiment…”

“Isn’t that a rather inhuman transformation?”

“Could be. But trying to force feelings where none exist is futile.”

Yong Junil spoke without a hint of immovability.

“I only pursue things that interest me. My desires have long since vanished.”

“……”

This felt more like non-human than just being non-ordinary.

Yong Junil certainly didn’t commit any evil deeds; he adhered to his objectives and desires, all in the pursuit of a sound intent—to save the world. But why did it feel so inhuman? The deeper I considered this, the more confined my heart felt.

‘I can’t trust this guy yet.’

I wanted to believe him, but I couldn’t.

Because he was concealing the most crucial connection from me. Even if it wasn’t firm proof, it was significantly insufficient for me to trust him. I might be foolish, but I couldn’t just let myself be fooled while fully aware.

‘Then I should use him and then dispose of him.’

I shook my head vigorously and said to Yong Junil, “I’m sorry, but I can’t disclose all my secrets to you. However, I will share the current situation surrounding Luoyang and the information regarding Chi You and the Celestial Realm. In exchange, help me in the assault on Luoyang.”

“I want to hear the information first and then decide.”

I briefly shared the current information with Yong Junil. Of course, I refrained from revealing the obsidian’s nature and only mixed a degree of truth in the narrative. Yong Junil pondered over the information for a moment and then spoke.

“I see. It appears if you get the Tydaht from the Imperial Palace, you can acquire the Six Needs and finally gain the Sun.”

“Will you help me?”

“……”

Yong Junil looked at me with a peculiar expression before unexpectedly saying, “Baek Woong, it seems you want to be recognized as king amongst men by the Emperor.”

 

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