A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation

Chapter 474: Her (2)

Once upon a time, in the distant past.

An entity named Obsidian fell upon this land.

This being could not comprehend the thoughts of people.

It could not comprehend any taste, nor could it understand any pleasure.

It only felt a slight excitement when eating according to physical responses, sleeping when sleepy, and mating when in heat.

Nothing else could move Obsidian's heart.

At some point, Obsidian felt that it was a being devoid of its own soul.

And, it realized that to fill that missing part, it had no choice but to elevate its own spiritual realm through Immortal Cultivation.

It began to practice Immortal Cultivation.

Obsidian consumed animals.

Initially, it ate livestock, but later it ate wild beasts, birds, and fish.

Then it devoured people.

Then it ate ghosts, and after that, it ate spirits.

Having grown stronger by consuming demon spirits, mountains, fields, and seas, Obsidian eventually became a monster capable of devouring the sun, moon, stars, and even light.

At that point, Obsidian realized.

No matter how strong it became, the missing part inside its heart was not filled.

Even at the pinnacle of Immortal Cultivation, that depleted part could not be filled.

Then, Obsidian realized the reason.

Before it could supplement the lacking part of its soul through Immortal Cultivation, its existence had grown too large.

It was like regenerating a body without healing its scars.

The power it had consumed was so great that it suppressed the heart, making it so it could no longer recover.

Therefore, Obsidian made a decision.

To abandon all its authority and return to the beginning.

Thus, Obsidian used the ability it received when it first came to this world.

That ability was Reincarnation (還生).

Without the constraints of the Underworld, it could reincarnate at will—that was the authority it brought when it came to this world.

Through reincarnation, Obsidian abandoned all its authority and was reborn as a normal human baby.

And, Obsidian imposed restrictions on itself while reincarnating.

It arranged for its future self to 'suffer.'

It arranged for its future self to undergo hardships and gain enlightenment on the true heart, gaining ultimate power.

Obsidian vowed.

'I will, for 777 lifetimes, stand only on my hands upside down and chant the mantra symbolizing flawlessness.'

Thus, it reincarnated.

And in the next life, as soon as it was conceived in a woman's body, it crippled its own legs.

Born unable to use its legs, it walked on its hands, chanting the Flawless Mantra (無缺眞言) for its entire life.

People called Obsidian mad.

They also called it a pitiful bastard, insulted it for its ominous muttering, and some even tried to hang it to death.

In its first incarnation, Obsidian was stoned to death by people.

In the second incarnation, it again stood on its hands and chanted the mantra.

777 lifetimes passed like so.

Having spent 777 lifetimes standing on its hands chanting the Flawless Mantra, Obsidian obtained overwhelming power worthy of being called a divine among divines.

There was no being in the entire universe that could oppose Obsidian, and except for the two gods who created the wheel, no one did not tremble before it.

[TL: The wheel means the wheel on a cart, in other words, the cartwheel.]

Yet, Obsidian thought.

It still had not filled the missing part in its heart.

Thus, Obsidian went to the two gods who were not afraid of it.

The Gods of the Wheel and the Axis.

It asked them just how it could find the missing part of itself.

The God of the Wheel said this.

To commit suicide before them and rest for a long time. To rest for an almost eternal period within their domain and soothe its weary soul.

The God of the Axis said this.

If it brought the most precious and valuable thing in the Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds to them, they would tell it the method.

Following the words of the God of the Axis, Obsidian searched for the most valuable thing in the world.

But even after a long time, it could not understand what the most valuable thing was.

Eventually, Obsidian thought.

'Since my body and authority have become the most dreadful weapon in the Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds, I will cut off my body and bring it to them. I will cut off my lower half and bring it to the God of the Axis, and then I will walk on my hands upside down again.'

It reached a single small world and began to carve off its lower body.

With a sharp knife, it cut off its lower half, washed it in the river until it was clean, and repeated the process of flaying off its own lower half.

Eventually, Obsidian almost completely flayed its lower body.

And as Obsidian was flaying the last flesh of its lower half and moaning in pain,

It met a girl by the riverbank.

The girl gave the suffering Obsidian a remedy and handed it a bowl of milk porridge.

Caught off guard, Obsidian inadvertently scooped up the milk porridge and was struck by a lightning-like shock.

For the first time in 777 lifetimes, it wept uncontrollably over the 'taste' it experienced, burying its head in the milk porridge.

Ravenously licking the milk porridge, Obsidian pleaded with the girl.

To please just give it one more plate like this milk porridge.

The girl gladly gave it a plate, and Obsidian, upon eating that rice porridge, felt satisfaction for the first time and also, 'gratitude.'

With tears streaming down its face, it decided to repay this grace by following the girl while standing on its hands, blessing her for a lifetime.

However, seeing a monster without a lower body following the girl while standing upside down, everyone looked at the girl strangely, and she felt embarrassed.

But the kind-hearted girl, despite feeling embarrassed, did not chase Obsidian away. Instead, she brought a baby blanket and carried the upside-down Obsidian on her back.

From that day on, Obsidian accompanied the girl.

For the first time in a long while, Obsidian, being close to the ground but not standing upside down, could look directly at the world.

Accompanying the girl, it experienced anew the countless beauties and precious things of the world.

And one morning,

Waking up while sleeping together with the girl, it finally understood what the 'most valuable thing in the world,' as mentioned by the God of the Axis, was.

The most valuable thing did not exist.

Because everything in this world, as long as it has a heart, is too precious to be valued.

It realized why the milk porridge the girl gave it on the first day was delicious.

It must have been because it was the first 'pure kindness' it had received in this world.

Realizing this, it wept.

At the same time, it realized it had fallen in love with the girl and, after regrowing its lower body, it shared a bed with her.

It finally felt its depleted soul was filled.

It had understood the meaning of its existence in this world.

After happily hugging his wife, he left briefly for a distant world to gather the remnants he had shed over 777 lifetimes to make her a god.

And the very next day.

When Obsidian returned with a gift for his wife, he found her dead, bitten by a snake.

"Snake?"

I ask Yu Oh.

"Obsidian, who had become a being that could control the heavens and the earth, allowed his wife to be killed by something like a snake?"

"I'm not sure myself. It might be a metaphor for something poisonous or...perhaps a metaphor for some treacherous being among the Heavenly Kings. I wasn't there, so I don't know exactly. Obsidian had sealed off that entire dimension, preventing beings like me from even coming close, so how could I know the true circumstances of that time?"

"Hmm...I see."

"If you're satisfied, let's continue the story."

Obsidian wept bitterly over his dead wife.

At the same time, he finally understood the identity of what had been missing in his heart.

It was 'desire (갈구/渴求).'

[TL: More specifically, a very strong and deep desire/craving.]

To realize desire, he had devoured countless suns, moons, and stars, and inflicted pain on himself over 777 lifetimes.

But he finally understood the true meaning of desire.

He always knew,

Before and after reincarnation,

That he would not be utterly annihilated, so he had never truly desired for anything wholeheartedly.

But now, he started to desire wholeheartedly.

For the [outside] of the Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds.

For his homeland.

If it was the world of the undyings, his wife would not have died.

Having been fundamentally undying since he first fell to this world, Obsidian, who had never known any anxiety or fear, finally understood 'death' painfully.

Finally, he made his resolve.

To burn all of himself, who had never even come close to death, and leave this world.

No...

Leaving was not the end.

He decided to bring salvation to the world.

To bring salvation to this world and bring it to his homeland, the world of undyings, to free all beings from the terror of death.

Obsidian activated an Immortal Art that would swallow all phenomena.

At the same time, he sought out an ominous place during the activation of the Immortal Art, fell its gatekeeper, and headed beyond.

To leave while taking everything from this world.

To liberate everyone in this world from fear, anxiety, and the so-called fate.

Thus, he disappeared beyond the ominous world.

"...That concludes the tale of Obsidian, also known as the Obsidian Devil Heavenly King, one of the Seven Brilliances Kings."

I listen to the story of the Obsidian Devil Heavenly King and let out a sigh.

Setting aside his terrifying deeds...

"...Do you not know the story beyond this?"

"I do not know either. That person's story ends here. And furthermore..."

She laughs.

"The end of the stories for all Heavenly Kings are very much alike. The same for the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord, and the same for the Golden Divine. Ultimately, they all return to the most ominous place in the entire Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds, the place that has remained intact since time immemorial, enduring countless Ends...they return to the Head Realm."

"..."

"By the way, how do you feel about it?"

She pours tea as she speaks.

"It's a story about fate. In the beginning, 'Obsidian falls into a strange world and continues his cultivation,'

"In the development, 'he meets a loved one and learns about the heart',

"In the twist, 'he inevitably loses his loved one,'

"And in the conclusion, 'he reaches enlightenment on a truth that permeates his entire life. In other words, he realizes his fate.' This is the story of Obsidian... Was it a bit interesting to you?"

"...Setting interest aside...it's a bit unpleasant to hear."

I make a slightly bitter expression.

Feeling a bitter taste in my mouth, I gulp down black plum tea to wash it away and say,

"The phrase 'beginning, development, twist, and conclusion' feels as if the life of the existence known as Obsidian itself is like a section of a novel... It's somewhat uncomfortable."

"If you find the words uncomfortable, there is another expression. How about Heavenly Circle?"

"Heavenly Circle?"

She smiles faintly.

"The formula of the Heavenly Circle used when rising to the Heavenly Circle stage. You must know about the formula of the Heavenly Circle stage, right?"

"Yes, well...I know as much as others do."

"In the formula of the Heavenly Circle, there are Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, the Four Seasons. Doesn't thinking of it as Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter rather than beginning, development, twist, conclusion make it a little less unpleasant?"

"..."

"Every being lives through the Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter of life, and acknowledging that is the end of the Minor Boundary, the Heavenly Circle stage. To be born (Spring), to grow (Summer), to mature (Autumn), to lie down (Winter), and in the end, to be grateful to fate and peacefully fall asleep under the heavens (Acceptance at Fate's End). This is the truth realized by everyone in the Minor Boundary. It's just that I personally prefer the term beginning, development, twist, conclusion, and that's why I use it."

Her words continue.

"So, how do you feel about it, Heavenly King designate Esteemed One Seo?"

"...Heavenly King designate..."

Her words suggest that I, too, will inevitably experience such a fate.

'No, I've already experienced it.'

I think back to the 10th cycle and smile bitterly.

In fact, if I hadn't met Buk Hyang-hwa at the end of the 10th cycle or if I hadn't properly handled Yuan Li, I don't know what would have become of me.

A fate of falling in love and [inevitably] parting with them.

Isn't that such a cruel fate?

Feeling bitter, I speak.

"So you're saying this is the inevitable fate that all the Seven Brilliances Kings, that is, all the Heavenly Kings, go through. Then, the Heavenly Rejected who have experienced this fate are all called 'Heavenly Kings'?"

Yu Oh shakes her head to my question.

"There are two conditions to be called a Heavenly King."

"Two conditions?"

"Yes. The first is, as I just mentioned, to undergo the fate of Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, the Beginning, Development, Twist, Conclusion, and come to know their fate. The second is...to reach the extreme limit, the pinnacle of True Immortality. Those who meet these two conditions are called Heavenly Kings, and the Heavenly Rejected bearing the title of Heavenly Kings...in truth..."

Yu Oh glances at Seo Ran briefly before speaking.

"Can become one of the most distinguished beings even among the True Immortals."

[Receive the treatment of Heavenly Venerables.]

Perhaps worried that Seo Ran might melt like candle wax, she whispers the information about Governing Immortals to me alone via voice transmission.

"Hmm...!"

I swallow a gulp.

'So, a Heavenly King is a kind of special Governing Immortal.'

Tingle!

At that moment, I suddenly recall the beings I saw in the taenghwa at Grand Nirvana Temple and understand the full extent of what I felt then.

'So, that's it. The feeling of 'being real entities' I got from those taenghwa was because the Heavenly Kings in the taenghwa were essentially Enders who had reached the level of Governing Immortals.'

Chills!

Feeling that realization, I suddenly instinctively sense a crisis.

"Heot...!"

I suddenly stand up, ready for the shock, but Yu Oh and Seo Ran just look at me strangely.

Nothing particular happens.

"Em...did you not like the tea much?"

"No, it's not that..."

I feel puzzled about how to explain it.

'You receive a shock when perceiving Governing Immortals.'

Of course, after perceiving several times, resistance develops to some extent. But if there is a completely new being perceived, the shock is felt without any resistance.

However, the existence of Governing Immortals itself is not shocking.

For example, the [Light] warned by Yang Su-jin, and the [Owner of Great Mountain] each govern light and mountains respectively.

Yet, ordinary humans do not melt like candle wax simply by seeing light or climbing a mountain.

Light and mountains are within the domain of the Governing Immortals, but humans typically do not perceive that far.

Since they are unaware of their true nature, there is no significant issue in seeing light or mountains.

However, what if those who know the true nature of [Light] or the [Owner of Great Mountain] see such things?

'Every time they see it, they get shocked.'

If I hadn't gone crazy once in the past and hadn't developed resistance from recognizing Governing Immortals too many times, I would have gone mad long ago.

But, being mad or developing resistance does not mean one stops being shocked by Governing Immortals.

If someone who has never built up any resistance hears about Governing Immortals like the [Seven Brilliances Kings] and recalls them, they would naturally experience great shock and pain.

'But...why am I alright?'

I ponder for a moment before asking.

"Perceiving True Immortals causes a great shock to the mind. But recalling the mentioned Seven Brilliances Kings...seems fine to me."

She looks into her black plum tea for a moment and says,

"The reason for receiving shock when perceiving True Immortals is because of [wisdom]."

"Wisdom?"

"Yes. When a mediocre being directly faces a vastly superior being, they gain profound [wisdom]. From now on...ordinary Qi Building and Core Formation cultivators will be able to gain the 'wisdom of condensing stars' when directly facing Esteemed One Seo's main body. Most formulas for the next stages are obtained in that manner."

"..."

I let out a low groan.

Now I too have become a being that imparts some knowledge merely by perceiving my main body.

"Moreover, beings too weak cannot even accept that wisdom and end up exploding and dying. For example...what would happen to a slave race that lacks even the consciousness domain, if they were to embody the 'the sense of using the consciousness domain to identify planes and draw Heaven and Earth energy from hundreds of li'?"

"...Their heads would explode and die. Probably the same would happen to the Qi Refining stage, not just the slave race."

Beings of lower realms cannot comprehend the dimensions inhabited by beings of higher realms.

For example, on paper.

If one tries to explain a 3D 'apple' to a 2D 'picture' drawn in black and white by smearing apple juice on it, what would happen?

Naturally, the picture would either melt or become a mess.

In this way, knowledge about higher-dimensional beings can be so powerful it could melt lower-dimensional beings.

"You understand well. That's right. Ultimately, the reason lower-dimensional beings are shocked upon seeing higher-dimensional beings is [wisdom]. Directly facing True Immortals grants [wisdom], and one melts away because they cannot handle that [wisdom]. Moreover, while one receives a shock from facing True Immortals, there is one reason for being safe even after knowing the reality of the Seven Brilliances Kings."

"What is that reason?"

Then, Yu Oh's next statement makes me shiver.

"The owner does not allow it."

"Pardon?"

"Exactly as said. The existence of the Seven Brilliances Kings. Their reality. And...the vast [wisdom] their existence harbors. The [names] of the Seven Brilliances Kings itself are tightly bound to the being currently owning them, so even if one calls their names and knows their reality, they cannot receive the [wisdom]... It does not cause shock at all."

"...Are you saying the ownership of the names of the Seven Brilliances Kings is with [someone]?"

"Exactly."

I quietly gaze at my teacup.

'Thinking about it...even if Yang Su-jin has been extinguished, he was a True Immortal. Yet, there are more than a few who call his real name and title, and I too have shouted Yang Su-jin's name numerous times and was fine.'

Calling the name of an existence like Yang Su-jin and remaining unharmed.

It's because someone strongly holds the ownership of Yang Su-jin's name, so calling it has no effect.

Then, I think of a being as if struck by lighting.

'Yang Su-jin said...[something]...[is searching for us].'

In the recesses of my mind, the stories I've heard thus far merge into a single thread.

The ominous land called the Head Realm.

The being that is searching for us.

The tale of Obsidian.

The tale of the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord.

The last moments of Yang Su-jin.

The being that holds the ownership of the names of Enders...

The mountain summit.

Thirty-third Heaven.

Audience Chamber...

"I have heard from Sacred Master Baek Woon why the Head Realm is called the ominous land. She said that the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord along with other great beings reached out to the Head Realm and died, making the Head Realm ominous. However...according to the words of Sacred Master Yu Oh, even when the being called Obsidian was alive, the Head Realm was considered ominous."

"That seems to be the case."

"...Then, regardless of the 'reason the Head Realm is ominous' that Sacred Master Baek Woon spoke of, it would seem that the very nature of the Head Realm has been ominous from the beginning. If so..."

I recall the sinister guess that just occurred to me and swallow my saliva.

"It's not a problem with the shape of the Head Realm or what surrounds it. It's because [there is something considered ominous in the Head Realm]..."

: : Gal (喝). : :

Jjiiiiiing!

In an instant, Sacred Master Yu Oh accelerates her consciousness domain, lifting her consciousness to the domain of Immortals and bursts out in a lion's roar.

I vomit blood along with a ringing in my head.

"Haeook...heok..."

[Shhh.]

Suddenly appearing before me, Yu Oh places her finger on her lips.

[Do not. Speak. Carelessly. Don't you know 'it's hard to retrieve spilled water'?]

"..."

I cover my mouth and slowly nod.

'I received Yu Oh's help.'

Just now.

I had no thoughts of speaking out loud about that existence. 

However, as soon as the truth that [there is something] in the Head Realm occurred to me, my mouth moved on its own.

'Thank...goodness...'

I think while covering my mouth.

But at the same time, I gain a certainty.

'The reason the Head Realm is called ominous is not just because of the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord and their friends. [There is someone or something ominous residing there].'

It's such a terrifying existence to the point that my mouth moved on its own just by inferring that 'such a being exists.'

Yu Oh briefly makes eye contact with me and speaks.

"You will probably understand more clearly why the Head Realm is ominous when you become a True Immortal. There's no need to know now. After all, no matter how much you think about it now, you won't even be able to guess."

"...Thank you for the advice."

"It's nothing. By the way..."

Yu Oh looks up at the ceiling and says,

"...Your comrades seem to be doing their best to save Esteemed One Seo. It appears they are exerting all their efforts to bring back Esteemed One Seo's consciousness from this world."

"Hm!"

Startled, I look upwards.

Certainly.

I seem to hear my comrades' voices coming from some distant place.

"Hmm..."

Yu Oh looks down at me for a moment and then, regretfully, takes three steps back.

"It seems this is as far as we go. Originally, there was a place I intended to take Esteemed One Seo, but a distinguished guest has arrived at my residence. I must attend to the guest, so...I shall let you go for today. Please return to your comrades."

Snap!

Yu Oh snaps her fingers, and the surrounding scenery begins to distort.

I realize that Yu Oh is about to expel us back outside.

Woong!

At the same time, I feel attraction force from [two places].

I sense the aura held by the attraction forces and discern the locations of the two places.

One side is a dark place.

Deep and yet deeper.

It's the Underworld.

And from the other side...I feel the aura of Hong Fan and the Nether Crossing Ship.

'That way leads to the world of the living.'

I stand up, intending to go where the Nether Crossing Ship's aura is felt together with Seo Ran.

"Thank you for your hospitality today. I hope there will be another day to drink tea together."

I bow to her in respect.

Yu Oh's eyes flash for a moment.

"...I too look forward to the day we meet again."

She shows a bright smile that she has not shown until now.

Before being expelled from Yu Oh's palace, I suddenly ask her something that I'm curious about.

"By the way...does Sacred Master know of a way to remove the death energy that has accumulated in the soul?"

The death energy has become so concentrated that it liquefied and is flowing out, pulling me towards the Underworld.

As this is also a problem that I must solve, I ask her.

Hearing my question, she responds incredulously.

"...You're asking me, the palace lord of the Azure Ghost Palace, which guides the deceased to the Netherworld, to teach you a heaven-defying art that allows one that must die to avoid death?"

"Haha, think of it as building a closer relationship and please tell me."

I remember when Yu Oh told me the story of Obsidian to 'build a closer relationship,' and decide to give it a try.

'Well, I don't expect much... If it violates the rules of the Black Ghost Palace, she probably won't...'

"In that case, I'll give you a clue."

"Huh?"

'Really giving it?'

"However, I too am making a big decision by giving this to you, so please answer the question I asked earlier about Esteemed One Seo. Who Esteemed One Seo's master is, where you trained Immortal Arts, so on."

"Hmm...Since you have shared a lot of information with me, I will tell Sacred Master who I studied under."

"Good. Then I will tell you right away. It's a formula for ridding death energy. [When Taiji unites, the Three Ultimates (三極) will circulate]. If you think carefully about this formula, it will be of great assistance in softening the death energy."

"Thank you. My master's name is..."

I open my mouth.

"Salt (鹹)..."

The next moment.

Paaaatt!

"...Huh?"

In front of my eyes is Hong Fan.

"Master! Are you okay! We barely managed to bring back Master's consciousness!"

"Ah...oh dear."

I click my tongue.

"I couldn't give the name. What to do now...?"

"Pardon? What does that mean?"

"Mm, It's nothing, Hong Fan. Thanks for pulling me back like this."

"Haw haw, it's all thanks to Sir Seo Ran. I just assisted Sir Seo Ran a bit in operating the Nether Crossing Ship."

I laugh at Hong Fan's modesty and clear my head.

It seems I will be busy sorting out the thoughts in my head tonight.

Inside the palace from which Seo Eun-hyun had just left.

The figure of her who is there begins to distort.

The essence of her, who just shared a story with Seo Eun-hyun, begins to be revealed and causes the entire space to fluctuate.

The attraction force she possesses causes the area to crumble.

Having revealed her presence, she returns to the deepest part of the palace.

She sits down where her throne is located.

With one hand supporting her head, she looks somewhere inside the crumbling palace.

Just then,

From somewhere, someone pops out.

It's a figure of a person dressed in neat black clothes.

He crosses the crumbling palace and stands before her, saying,

"What wicked scheme are you plotting in the Saha world this time?"

As she twitches her eyes, the being in front of her steps back, looking up at her with a slightly humiliated expression.

"I will see how long you can remain so leisurely. I have almost reached you now, so be alert."

Having finished speaking, he turns his back and leaves from in front of her.

She watches the being who just left from inside the palace and lets out a small sneer.

The being who just left.

To the one Seo Eun-hyun calls Hyeon Gwi.

Translator Notes: Obsidian Demon Heavenly King -> Obsidian Devil Heavenly King