Survival Guide for the Reincarnated - Chapter 362

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 362
A middle-aged man in a black daopo stood before him. His face was radiant with a smile, and his gait carried an air of composure.
“It is truly an honor that Alliance Leader Hwa Mu-nyeom himself has come to greet me.”
Since this was a place where he dwelt alone, it was only natural that Hwa Mu-nyeom would come to receive visitors who arrived here.
Soul Destroying Sword Lord Eun Woon-saeng.
A martial artist of the Soul Killing Gate and the king of the Great Desert.
Hwa Mu-nyeom set down his teacup.
“You have traveled from a distant place.”
“Indeed. I have come from very far away.”
Eun Woon-saeng, who had ascended to the Mei Hua Pavilion, naturally took his seat across from Hwa Mu-nyeom.
“I received an invitation to the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance’s Alliance Leader inauguration ceremony.”
“Yet you did not attend.”
“An urgent matter arose, which caused me to arrive somewhat late.”
Eun Woon-saeng laughed, and Hwa Mu-nyeom, finding it absurd, let out a chuckle.
And Hwa Mu-nyeom’s heart was generous.
“I have heard that the Great Desert is the most chaotic place even in the Central Plains. One who governs such a place must be occupied with countless matters, making it difficult to leave, and if new problems have arisen… I can understand it all.”
“Ha, I am grateful for the praise and your understanding, but you are too kind. Rather than governing the Great Desert, I am merely surviving there.”
Eun Woon-saeng paused for a moment, then continued with a bitter smile.
“The Great Desert is such a barren and dangerous place that if anyone were to travel there, I would wish to dissuade them.”
“Yet you lead the Soul Killing Gate in such a place—that is truly worthy of reverence.”
“Reverence… that seems like too much praise.”
Eun Woon-saeng met Hwa Mu-nyeom’s gaze directly.
“Rather, I think it would be better to explain the reason I have come today.”
“Please, speak.”
“What if the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance and the Soul Killing Gate joined hands?”
Hwa Mu-nyeom’s eyes narrowed.
“Joined hands?”
“Indeed. Though the Great Desert is separated from the Central Plains, it is precisely for that reason free from the Central Plains’ scrutiny.”
Eun Woon-saeng lifted his teacup.
“If the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance has need of something, the Soul Killing Gate can provide it. The Great Desert possesses many things that do not exist in the Central Plains.”
“For instance?”
“Information, resources, and people.”
Eun Woon-saeng took a sip of tea.
“The Great Desert harbors many who have fled from the Central Plains. Those cast out from righteous sects, those driven from demonic paths, and even those who simply desire a new life. You understand this well, do you not?”
He understood it well.
Hwa Mu-nyeom rose from his seat and performed a cupped fist salute.
“I have heard that you slew Ten Thousand Ascending Dragon Sword Sang Chun and Hyeon Hyeon Nosa.”
“That is true.”
“It seems I have never properly expressed my gratitude for that matter, and I would like to do so now.”
Eun Woon-saeng waved his hand dismissively.
“Well, that was simply a favor for that genius from Snow Mountain who now serves as Cheon Ui Jung-jeong. I wouldn’t say it warrants such gratitude.”
Hwa Mu-nyeom burst into laughter, and Eun Woon-saeng followed suit.
“Shall we return to the main matter?”
Hwa Mu-nyeom, now seated again, poured tea into Eun Woon-saeng’s cup as he spoke.
“Please, continue.”
“Certainly. Among those who have fled to the Great Desert, many are skilled martial artists, yet they have no path to return to the Central Plains. If the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance opens that path for them, wouldn’t it be mutually beneficial?”
Hwa Mu-nyeom nodded.
“I wish to be certain—are you saying you would send them to the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance?”
“Indeed. Of course, it would not be forced. Only those who wish to go would be sent.”
“And what is the price of joining hands?”
“It is simple.”
Eun Woon-saeng smiled.
“The Heavenly Righteousness Alliance need only not forget the Great Desert. When needed, extend your hand to us, and when danger comes, allow us to stand at your back.”
Hwa Mu-nyeom pondered for a moment.
“It is not an unfavorable proposal.”
“Is it not?”
“But why come to me first instead of speaking with Cheon Ui Jung-jeong?”
“Of course, I initially intended to speak with Cheon Ui Jung-jeong, but there exists a matter of precedence, and honoring that precedence is the surest way to demonstrate sincerity.”
Hwa Mu-nyeom let out a soft chuckle.
As most knew, Hwa Mu-nyeom was not one to flaunt authority. Whether he received evaluations inferior to Cheon Ui Jung-jeong or not, he was a man who already held Seol Woon-hwi’s every action in high regard, and thus considered it only natural. This was Hwa Mu-nyeom—and the reason he spoke such words was because he wished to discern the other’s true intentions.
The Soul Killing Gate could hardly be classified as belonging to the righteous path.
The Great Desert itself was an exceedingly barren place, and becoming its ruler meant that the blood staining one’s hands differed markedly from that of an ordinary martial artist.
To put it bluntly, if one were to stack corpses killed by Eun Woon-saeng, at least three or four towers would rise.
Through this conversation and his actions, Hwa Mu-nyeom discerned his sincerity.
“Very well. Let us join hands.”
“You are more straightforward than I expected.”
“The Soul Killing Gate of the Great Desert—the name alone inspires fear, yet it is equally trustworthy.”
Hwa Mu-nyeom extended his hand.
“The cooperation between the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance and the Soul Killing Gate is most welcome.”
Eun Woon-saeng grasped that hand.
“I hope this becomes a favorable destiny.”
The two men shook hands.
After discussing the details, signing their names on a petition document, and sharing tea together—
Eun Woon-saeng, who had conversed for nearly two time periods, slowly rose from his seat.
“Then I shall take my leave.”
Hwa Mu-nyeom asked.
“Do you intend to return to the Great Desert immediately?”
Eun Woon-saeng shook his head.
“I intend to meet with one more person.”
He did not ask who it was.
Cheon Ui Jung-jeong Seol Woon-hwi, then.
A subtle smile played at the corners of Eun Woon-saeng’s lips.
“I met him long ago, and I wished to see him once more.”
Hwa Mu-nyeom chuckled upon seeing that smile.
“This should prove to be an interesting encounter.”
“I hope so as well.”
Eun Woon-saeng descended from Mei Hua Pavilion.
As his figure vanished, Hwa Mu-nyeom resumed sipping his tea.
* * *
Seol Woon-hwi and Manager Seong were walking slowly.
This was an embarrassing tale to recount anywhere, but before entering the Secret Realm, the two of them had hidden a carriage and horse at the base of Mangwol Peak.
They had even laid down a Formation Technique, but after concluding their conversation with Geum Mu-jeok and subsequently with Dok Go-hyeon, when they returned to that location, nothing remained.
The Formation Technique was crude, but it had been thoroughly destroyed, and the carriage and horse had been completely stripped.
The supplies had been placed in a Storage Bag, so those were safe, but the fact that they had been robbed at all was what mattered.
“Should we pursue them?”
“No.”
“…This is utterly humiliating. Would it not be better to catch them?”
“It was my mistake to hide them there, and those who destroyed that place did so with their lives on the line. Should I not show them understanding?”
“Your compassion seems to manifest in the strangest places.”
I did not bother to respond.
“There was a village nearby. We could acquire a horse there…”
My words trailed off.
Manager Seong sensed nothing, but upon seeing my expression, he immediately assumed a defensive stance.
“…Young Master?”
“Step back.”
“What…?”
“Now. Immediately.”
Tension filled my voice.
The moment Manager Seong instinctively began to retreat.
A voice thundered from the heavens.
The heavenly soul transforms into endless night, divine radiance dissipates entirely.
As the soul of heaven becomes a long night, all divine essence fades away.
One thought severs ten thousand threads of fate, never to return through eternity.
A single thought cuts all bonds of destiny, forever lost to the ages.
The sky darkened.
More precisely, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy within a certain range began to evaporate instantaneously.
“The Way teaches that existence springs from non-existence, and existence returns to non-existence. Is the Heavenly Soul God Destruction Art not the implementation of that principle at its ultimate speed, rather than a reversal of it?”
A resonant, thunderous voice echoed across the heavens.
“Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy is instantaneously returned to non-existence, divine essence is cast into endless night, and with a single thought, ten thousand threads of fate are severed—this is the Heavenly Soul God Destruction Art!”
An overwhelming pressure descended upon us.
Manager Seong’s face went pale. Even now, having reached the Heaven-Human Realm, the power was difficult to withstand.
But Seol Woon-hwi remained composed.
“How bothersome.”
Manager Seong had been about to retreat as I said, but the moment he sensed the power behind it, he moved to protect me.
Or rather, he tried to move. I grabbed the back of Manager Seong’s neck.
“Wait, Young Master——.”
Whoosh!
As I hurled Manager Seong backward, he flew over a dozen zhang before landing safely.
I was already drawing my Void Manifestation Qi to its absolute limit.
Immediately after, I drew the Jinwha Cheonryeong Geom from my Storage Bag.
Brilliant light flowed from the blade.
I raised the sword upward.
A sensation as if heaven and earth were inverting spread outward. As though the entire world concentrated upon a single blade.
Heaven-Defying Vast Sword.
First Form, One Vast Sword.
I swung the blade in a great arc from below to above.
Kwaaaaaang!
As the sword force that cleaved the heavens collided head-on with the Heavenly Soul God Destruction Art, tremendous light erupted.
The darkness of the Heavenly Soul God Destruction Art scattered, and the sword force of the One Vast Sword vanished as well.
Silence descended.
I lowered my sword and gazed upward at the sky.
“Your courtesy is overwhelming, Senior Eun Woon-saeng.”
A brief silence followed.
And then.
“Hahahahahaha!”
Hearty laughter burst forth.
A man descended from the sky.
A middle-aged man dressed in a black daopo.
It was Eun Woon-saeng.
“You rascal! It has been too long!”
As he landed on the ground, he looked at me.
“Truly… truly a remarkable fellow!”
“Was it not you who sought to astound me, Senior?”
“That is true, but I never expected you to block the Heavenly Soul God Destruction Art so easily.”
Eun Woon-saeng shook his head in admiration.
“The Heaven-Defying Vast Sword…? I have never heard of such martial arts, yet a genius is indeed a genius!”
“You flatter me too much.”
Manager Seong came running back.
“Young Master! Are you unharmed?”
“I am fine.”
I reassured Manager Seong and turned my attention to Eun Woon-saeng.
“You never replied to the invitation, nor did you appear at the inauguration ceremony. I never expected you to visit so suddenly.”
“Something urgent came up.”
Eun Woon-saeng approached with a smile.
“I apologize, you rascal.”
“Since you had pressing matters, there’s no helping it. Please don’t concern yourself.”
“Still, one must observe propriety. That’s why I’ve come like this.”
“Did you perhaps meet with the Alliance Leader?”
“I did indeed. We’ve established a close accord between the Heavenly Righteousness Alliance and the Soul Killing Gate. Look into the specifics yourself.”
“Understood.”
Eun Woon-saeng glanced around the surroundings.
“But you know…”
“Please, speak.”
“Those two fellows proved far more formidable than I anticipated.”
The two he referred to were Sang Chun, the Ten Thousand Ascending Dragon Sword, and Hyeon Hyeon Nosa—the trusted subordinates of Mae Wi-dong who had concealed themselves in the Great Desert.
“Was that truly your best effort?”
“It was indeed my best.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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