A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation

Chapter 500: Conclusion Of The Escape

Kugugugugu!

The universe trembles.

Blood Yin, who had fired his arm at me, refrains from directly reaching out to grab me—perhaps wary of Kunlun, or perhaps cautious of the Wheel.

Instead, massive hands formed of blood mist emerge, stretching out to seize me in its place.

However, that much is enough.

'As long as Blood Yin doesn't act directly...this is enough.'

Crack!

I briefly sweep over my shoulder with my consciousness and quickly understand the cause.

The scar left by the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord has somehow followed me even into this life.

However, because I just used Kunlun, enveloping my body with death energy, the power of the Underworld that surrounds me seems to prevent it from affecting me.

'This rather works out well.'

At this moment, the power of the Radiance Eight Immortals would only be a burden.

Therefore, I suppress it instead!

Tstststss...

I completely seal the scar with death energy and accelerate even faster through the universe.

Then,

Kugugugugugu!

Fifty Entering Nirvana True Persons block my path.

Smirk.

[True Persons Seniors, what business do you have here?]

From behind, Blood Yin's spell bears down on me. From ahead, True Persons with whom I have unresolved enmity surround me.

Each of them blocks my path with their clone, growling menacingly.

Each clone is at the Sacred Vessel level.

[The time has come to repay old grudges.]

[You, who seem to have been lucky enough to reach the Sacred Vessel stage, do you think you can escape our grasp?]

I look at them and sneer.

[Does it not feel strange that someone who was just at the Four-Axis stage until recently has now reached the Sacred Vessel stage?]

[We understand what you're trying to imply. But True Immortal Blood Yin has vouched for it. You are, in the end, not a True Immortal—]

Wiiiiiing!

Without saying another word, I summon the Wheel behind my head.

'As expected, it doesn't work. But this time...I might just be able to carve out a gap and escape!'

The possibility is high!

Just as I'm thinking this and prepare to activate the Wheel,

[——

[————

The True Persons begin convulsing one after another as they fix their gazes on the Wheel behind me.

[...?]

I stare at them, unable to comprehend their reaction.

'What's this? Did they see something they shouldn't, like during the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra?'

All the better for me.

Because the result is so unexpected I quickly glance back at Blood Yin's spell, which has nearly caught up to me, then leap onto the clone of one of the True Persons and activate Crystal Glass to Treading Sea. 𝘳

Crystal Glass to Treading Sea.

Ghost-Face Killing Heavens Furnacen/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Dudududududu!

The flames of the Crystal Glass to Treading Sea engulf me.

Simultaneously, the flames twist and distort as they transform into ghost fire, exuding pitch-black ghostly energy.

From my entire body, streams of ghost fire surge forth, dyeing the surroundings.

And then...

Over the immortal attire covering my body, [faces] begin to emerge.

Each face takes the form of a skull, with expressions ranging from agonized suffering to serene calm.

However, they share one common trait: every single skull weeps tears of blood.

The skull faces emerging over the immortal attire total 999.

Chiiiiii!

At that moment, ghost fire spreads to my face, changing its form as well.

My original face becomes completely covered by a mask with the texture of charcoal. Eyes, nose, mouth, ears—

The seven orifices vanish entirely.

What remains is nothing but a faceless charcoal mask, emitting ghost fire in fiery streams through its cracks.

On top of that mask, several eye-shaped patterns, representing curses, etch themselves, creating a grotesque and eerie impression.

The ends of my arms and legs sharpen into jagged edges, reaching a point where they could easily be called devil claws.

Kwaduduk!

In this state, I stand atop the clone of the Entering Nirvana True Person, raising the Wheel high behind my head and intimidating the True Person.

[Move immediately. If you do not obey, I shall transmit the Wheel directly to your main body using this clone as the medium.]

[You...!]

The True Person trembles with rage, but perhaps understanding that my capabilities are sufficient to back up my words, they move their swallow-like body and quickly streak across the universe.

The Crystal Glass to Treading Sea form optimized for Curse and Ghost Path Methods—the Ghost-Face Killing Heavens Furnace—can indeed do such a thing, so it isn't a lie.

[Can't you go faster!?]

Kwa-jijijijik!

The eye-shaped patterns on my mask begin flowing from my hands into the True Person's clone.

In response, the clone screams madly and accelerates even further, moving through the universe at faster speed.

Hwiiiii!

In the far distance, I can see Blood Yin's spell growing further away.

At this point, one might think, 'I've shaken it off,' but I don't let my guard down.

'Fate is near absolute.'

If I were on equal footing with those beings, I might be able to shatter the absoluteness of fate head-on, but as long as I remain below them, that's almost impossible.

In other words, as long as the prophecy exists that says, 'I will meet Blood Yin and face death by his hand,' even if I escape Blood Yin's grasp now, it is my fate to encounter them again someday.

'Therefore...I shall desecrate fate.'

Using the information Oh Hye-seo had given me in my previous life, I begin to calculate the coordinates.

'There...!'

The clone of the True Person.

Grabbing hold of their head, I pour even more ghostly energy and curses into the body, driving it into a berserk state.

The True Person's clone lets out a pained scream and flies rapidly towards a distant star cluster.

Then it happens.

Kuuung!

Tingle, tingle...

A massive sound reverberates from behind me, and a spine-chilling sense of foreboding spreads through my entire body.

'Th-That's...!'

Though Blood Yin's spells are hundreds of light-years away, I can see it clearly.

It must be a type of Immortal Art that transcends distance.

What appears is a hanging scroll formed of dark-red mist.

The scroll unrolls downward, and writing begins to form upon it.

What it records...are the charges of my sins.

: : I declare: your Vice shall be judged... : :

Chills!

'Blood Yin, this narrow-minded bastard...'

Are you really using an Immortal Art wielded by the authority of the Chief Judge in his prime against a mere Sacred Vessel?

: : Hear me, Seo Eun-hyun, spy of Light! You, possessing the attraction force of Light, dare to steal my Lord's Immortal Art. Thus, you shall be charged with the sin of coveting the authority of the Underworld! : :

Kugugugugu!

The entire universe began to tremble.

However, I'm on the verge of madness.

'He's been calling me a spy of Light, a devotee, claiming that I summoned the Radiance Eight Immortals...'

Just what kind of nonsense is he spouting?!

Still, instead of trying to make sense of the situation, I focus on responding first.

'I must stop the judgment. Can that too be rewritten...?'

Clang!

Suddenly, a shackle used for prisoners is fastened around my neck.

Soon, visions of Karmic Fire surging wildly around me appear.

'I can't move...!'

: : Due to the severity of the sins, sinner Seo Eun-hyun shall be executed by dismemberment and exiled to the True Devil Realm for reincarnation! : :

'No, no...!'

Not even the Wheel can rewrite this.

This is truly unavoidable!

I'm about to become a three-layered Seo Eun-hyun pancake!

Kaang!

[...?]

Blood Yin's Immortal speech resounds throughout the universe.

: : What...!? Why does the judgment not activate? Are you saying this Immortal's insight is wrong? Are you saying this Immortal's judgment is flawed? This is a thief who, as a 'believer of Light,' stole the Immortal Art of the Underworld! So why is this Immortal's judgment out of alignment!!! : :

'I don't know what's happening, but...'

Crash!

I shatter the shackle as it is and continue to coerce the clone of the True Person.

: : This is impossible!!! : :

Kugugugugugu!

Behind me, several fixed stars explode under the wrath of Blood Yin.

The light from the far reaches of the universe flickers violently, and crimson shadows sway madly.

This is truly a True Immortal!

'I still...can't compete against Blood Yin's authority...'

The gap in authority is simply too vast.

All I can do is move forward, focusing on getting as far away from Blood Yin's influence as possible.

Just then.

Kwarururung!

A sound like the collapse of space echoes, as a giant Peng bird, with one wing large enough to shroud the sun, appears before me.

The Peng bird's form is half-transparent, as if it exists both within and outside reality. Its two eyes burn bright red, like smelting furnaces.

[Insolent thing. Do you dare mock this Immortal?]

[...!]

I turn to look at the Sacred Vessel-level clone of the Quasi-Immortal that I am holding.

The clone that I have been holding onto suddenly smirks, then with an oddly gloomy face, transforms into a black-haired woman dressed in a neat black skirt and black jeogori.

[TL: Jeogori is the upper garment of a hanbok. Search 저고리 for images.]

Pasasasak!

The black-haired woman melts into something resembling black slime and covers my arm.

'A curse? No, this is...just a simple Five Elements spell.'

It seems to be a water-element spell.

The black slime writhes as it spreads over my body, while the black Peng bird before me...

The main body of the True Person who I have just been coercing and using as a mount, roars furiously as if consumed by rage.

[You dare mock me!? I will tear your body to shreds, plant madness within you, and torment you as my Immortal Treasure for hundreds of millions of years!]

Kugugugu!

As the Peng bird flaps its wings, an interstellar wind begins to surge.

Kugugugugu!

The attraction force of the universe warps, and something begins to be summoned in front of the Peng bird.

Realizing its identity, I am utterly shocked.

'Antimatter!?'

A mass of antimatter the size of a moon is being summoned at the center of the interstellar wind created by the Peng bird.

As the antimatter comes into contact with the matter of the universe, it instantly transforms into Qi, exploding together with light.

Wuduk, wudududuk!

Observing the lump of antimatter the size of a moon release an explosive force capable of casually surpassing an entire star system, I quickly take the Starting Form.

Kunlun, Simplified Form.

Ground-Shrinking, Combined Style.

Dusk Scattering (黃昏)!

This is a technique where I compress a slight concentration of death energy at the tip of my sword, then thrust quickly while adding attraction force to tear a hole into the void!

Paaang!

A hole opens in the void.

This is no ordinary hole.

Unfolded alongside the spell of ground-shrinking, the hole serves as a special method for travel, capable of traversing thousands of light-years in a single step.

Paaaat!

In a single leap, I cross thousands of light-years and glance back.

Kugugugugu!

I can feel it.

Far off in the distance, the Quasi-Immortal is once again pursuing me.

In mere moments, they will reach this place!

'It's fine. Now...I'm almost there.'

Without releasing the form of Ghost-Face Killing Heavens Furnace, I prepare for the final ground-shrinking technique.

Kugugu!

Far away, dozens of light-years beyond, I begin to sense the presence of the Peng Bird.

Unlike me who used a special technique to leap across thousands of light-years, it's covering the distance by simply flying with ease!

But I only smirk as I swiftly take my Starting Form again and thrust once more towards the void.

Dusk Scattering!

Paaaatt!

The void tears open, and finally, I reach the destination I've been aiming for.

Puhwak!

Within a massive nebula.

There, I sense a familiar presence.

Woooooo—

Quadrillions of ghosts are wailing.

At the center of this sea of ghosts, a colossal being is rising.

The Ghost Guiding Holy Mother.

At this moment, it is Kang Min-hee, at the Star Shattering stage.

[I've arrived.]

I can feel the Peng Bird once again chasing from afar.

On top of that, the attraction force of Blood Yin's fate tightens even more fiercely around me.

But...

It's over.

Boo-wooooong!

Reciting the Flawless Mantra, I charge directly at Kang Min-hee.

She stares at me with irrational eyes.

My form, specialized for the Ghost Path Method, seems to make her perceive me as one of the Ghost Kings under her rule, as she doesn't bother restraining me.

I burrow into the chest of her massive being.

Puhwak!

Within the deep darkness.

I walk straight into the darkness.

At the same time, due to the authority of the Flawless Mantra, my mind seems to split apart and my perception of time begins to stretch.

Adding the realm of Void Shattering to my efforts, I accelerate my consciousness with the Flawless Mantra, continuing to walk deeper and deeper into her inner depths.

'There is enough time.'

Therefore...

Here and now, I will desecrate fate, advance to the Sacred Vessel stage of the Earth Tribe to attain the Three Great Ultimates,

And...I will save Kang Min-hee.

Paaat!

I reach out my hand into a place of darkness deep within her and seize what I came for.

Clench!

The true Heavenly Lotus Fruit.

The very object I had placed within her bosom when I sent Kang Min-hee to the Astral Realm.

And...

The food of True Immortals that's imbued with the authority of Blood Yin!

—The method to desecrate fate is simple.

The teaching of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity surfaces in my mind.

—If there's a fate where the universe will be destroyed, the way to twist that fate is to raise a slave called 'the universe' and then kill that 'universe.' If you do that, fate will be fulfilled—no matter how forced it may be—and you'll be able to escape the absoluteness of fate by insisting to the world that you didn't resist fate.

Woo-woong!

—That is the way to mock and desecrate fate.

[At last, 'we meet again,' Blood Yin.]

Woo-woong!

The split soul of Blood Yin quivers.

It seems as though it wants to rip me apart right now, but it cannot exert its power within Kang Min-hee.

Perhaps this is because the forces of the Underworld are planning something involving Kang Min-hee.

With this...

The reunion with Blood Yin is 'fulfilled'. All that remains is to 'face death.'

And...

I continue to walk towards the deep depth of Kang Min-hee.

The hole inside her that connects to death.

Together with Blood Yin, I will go to seal that hole.

It's a memory from long ago.

—Min-hee-ssi, think about it carefully. Who even comes up with the idea of selling soap imprinted with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? And this isn't even our original project. Let's just stick to what we were already doing, okay?

—I'm saying let's do both. We have enough leeway right now, don't we? Don't you know the president likes this kind of thing, Eun-hyun-ssi? Stop arguing and just get this done.

[TL: -ssi basically means Mr. or Ms.]

—No, why would the president like something like this? He only mentioned watching a movie where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights appeared last time. Let's just stick to the manual and prepare for delivery as originally planned.

—...Why are you interfering with every single thing? You know I'm getting promoted to team leader next month, right? Let's not make this exhausting for each other and just get things done quickly. You're well past the early days of employment, aren't you?

—...

—And you still don't get how much the president loves declarations like this? Well, it's not like your tactlessness is a new-thing, Eun-hyun-ssi... Huu, it'd be good for you to study the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by tomorrow. Anyway, I have a meeting now, so I'll take my leave.

The project Kang Min-hee herself had pushed forward.

'Human Rights Declaration Soap.'

It didn't seem like such a bad idea.

But...unexpected difficulties arose.

—Hey!!! Kang Min-hee!!! Where's Kang Min-hee!? Deputy Kang Min-hee! Did you include the declaration!?

Oh Hyun-seok had stormed into the office, shouting furiously.

—Our client Yang Zhengxin just canceled the entire contract and left! Did you not know that Yang Zhengxin's family got ruined once in the past because of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights!?

After that, the memories are hazy.

The president, who was known for collecting declarations and famous quotes, had summoned Kang Min-hee with a stern expression and reprimanded her.

For a while, the company atmosphere became incredibly bad.

Thankfully, she wasn't fired, but since such a major contract had fallen through, rumors spread that her salary would be docked and it would negatively affect her performance reviews for some time.

Because of that, Kang Min-hee was not in her right mind for several days.

She was constantly summoned, swore at, and reprimanded for days on end...

She became so gloomy that she went drinking. 

In the middle of her drinking, Seo Eun-hyun had intervened.

While drinking together with Seo Eun-hyun, at some point, her consciousness slipped away.

Kang Min-hee, reminiscing about that time in her memory, laughs.

When she opened her eyes, she was on the bed in Seo Eun-hyun's house.

Within a black canopy.

A woman is surrounded by dozens of Ghost Kings at the Integration level.

She is sitting on a black throne, dozing off.

For some reason, it seems as though she is dreaming a happy dream.

Just then...

The Ghost Kings who are guarding her suddenly begin to tremble violently in terror in unison.

Puhwak!

Someone has entered the black canopy.

A grotesque being with only eye-shaped patterns on its face and 999 ghost faces (鬼面) adorning its entire body.

The Integration stage Ghost Kings tremble in fear and collapse to their knees on the spot.

Slowly, the monster with 999 ghost faces approaches the woman on the throne.

Kang Min-hee.

Clang!

On either side of her, two Ghost Kings at the Star Shattering stage, trembling in fear, raise their scythes in a cross to block the ghost-mask monster with 999 ghost faces.

However, the monster of ghost faces pays them no mind and passes right through the scythes of the Ghost Kings, grabbing Kang Min-hee by the arm.

[Kang Min-hee.]

Woo-woong!

Behind that being's head, a Wheel floats up.

[I will save you now.]

The being stares straight into the [black hole] that lies beyond Kang Min-hee's heart essence.

And then, the entities beyond that hole begin to react to its gaze.

Kiiiiing!

The Ghost-mask monster.

Seo Eun-hyun's wheel begins to spin violently.

[I declare: Be rewritten...]

The connection between Seo Eun-hyun and Kang Min-hee seem to flash past them.

[Break apart, the voices that call to her!]

Kwagwang!

At that very moment, terrifying ghostly energy begins to gush out from the hole inside her heart essence.

First Seat of the Underworld Ten Kings.

Current Netherworld Chief Judge.

Yama True Lord (閻魔眞君), Yama (閻羅), following the command of the [Oldest One], begins to reveal their presence.