A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation

"Hyun-seok Hyung-nim..."

My eyes meet Oh Hyun-seok's.

Oh Hyun-seok glances at me, clearly signaling why I'm not quickly bowing to Hong Fan already.

But I awkwardly clear my throat and speak.

"That...do you perhaps remember...the Hong Fan who used to be with me before?"

"Mm...?"

Then Oh Hyun-seok quietly glances up at Hong Fan.

Hong Fan blinks with an utterly clueless expression.

And Oh Hyun-seok, who is staring at Hong Fan, also starts blinking and begins to look at him more closely.

"Huh...? Wait. You..."

Rubbing his eyes, Oh Hyun-seok stands up from his seat and starts to chuckle.

"This is quite surprising. You're Hong Fan?"

"Yes...that is correct?"

"Mm...my apologies. I was mistaken."

"..."

It seems Oh Hyun-seok momentarily mistook Hong Fan for the Naming Supreme Deity.

"Why in the world did you mistake Hong Fan for the Naming Supreme Deity? Hahaha!"

"Mm, well...sorry about that. The moment I suddenly fell here, I thought I saw my master in front of me. But now that I look closely, Hong Fan appears a bit older, and his appearance is subtly different."

"Mm...?"

I become intrigued by those words and ask.

"Does Hong Fan's current form resemble the Naming Supreme Deity quite a bit?"

"Hm...it seems there is some resemblance. But if you look closely, the differences stand out. I must have simply been mistaken just now."

"Mm..."

I look at Hong Fan.

Thanks to having reached the Sacred Vessel stage, Hong Fan now appears significantly younger.

He appears as a middle-aged man in his late 40s to early 50s.

Wearing a black robe and sporting a well-groomed black beard, he has the air of a refined middle-aged man.

"So that appearance is said to resemble the Naming Supreme Deity...?"

I ponder for a moment and then ask.

"Hong Fan, do you perhaps recall anything related to your past life?"

"Emm..."

If Hong Fan's Transformation form bears resemblance to the Naming Supreme Deity, there is a high chance it stems from his past life.

'Considering that Hyeon Rang was once the Immortal Beast King...yes. There is certainly a strong possibility that They might be connected to Hong Fan.'

Hong Fan scratches his head and then speaks.

"I'm...not quite sure. It feels like too distant a story. But still, for someone lowly like me to be associated with a Supreme Deity, it feels rather pleasant, haw haw."

"Mm, so nothing particular comes to mind..."

I shift my gaze away from Hong Fan with a slightly disappointed expression.

It is then,

'Hm?'

I suddenly look back at Hong Fan.

He stands there with the appearance of a middle-aged man in his late 40s, dressed in a black robe and with a well-groomed black beard.

'What is this...?'

As I look at him, I get the strange feeling that I've seen someone like that before.

'Why does this feel familiar...?'

I flip through the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, but no such figure comes to mind.

'Is it just my imagination...?'

There is something inexplicably familiar about him.

And somehow, I get the feeling that if Hong Fan were to become just a bit younger, I might be able to grasp the answer.

"Hong Fan. Regarding you..."

"Yes, Master."

"How long do you think it'll take you to reach the Entering Nirvana stage?"

"Emm... My Sacred Vessel stage cultivation is nearing its end, so I believe I should be able to reach the Entering Nirvana stage smoothly in about a thousand years."

"Hmm, is that so? Got it."

Probably by then, I will naturally get to see Hong Fan's younger appearance, so I decide to resolve my question at that time.

"For now, welcome to the Twin Holding Heavenly Domain, Hyun-seok Hyung-nim. And...Yeon-ah."

I hug the two comrades I haven't seen in a long while.

I explain the current situation to them thoroughly, and together, we re-enter the body of the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity.

Kang Min-hee also seems to have received some notice from the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld, as she is waiting for us with Jeon Myeong-hoon.

For the first time in a truly long while, all of us gather together, and...

The six of us are finally able to talk and catch up again.

Although, strictly speaking, Kim Young-hoon is present only in body.

Inside the body of the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity, where no light reaches.

Together with my comrades, I reassess our goals.

"First, I will go over our current goals. Starting with Young-hoon Hyung-nim..."

I look at the unconscious body of Kim Young-hoon.

"Hyung-nim's goal is to return home and reunite with his family. For that, he even reached Entering Heavens. And Jeong Myeong-hoon..."

"Revenge."

Jeon Myeong-hoon clenches Jin So-hae's hand tightly, spitting the words out.

"That's all there is."

Once, he had the look of a thug.

But now, having advanced to True Immortality without cutting his hair, he has long, disheveled hair.

The eyes that used to brim with confidence are now filled with pain and gloom.

Revenge against the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity and Zhengli!

That is Jeon Myeong-hoon's purpose.

"Right. Then, Kang Min-hee, what about you?"

"...Protecting all of you. For now, that's it. But since it's a bit vague, there's also the goal my master, the Imperial Venerable, has set for me, which is to become a Judge. In other words, becoming an Immortal Lord. And personally, I want to become a Judge and embrace the pitiful souls."

It seems Kang Min-hee's goal is to become a Judge.

"What about you, Hyung-nim?"

"I..."

Oh Hyun-seok's eyes gleam.

"To go to Penglai Island, find my daughter...and return home."

He clenches his fist.

"Those who know will know, but...back on Earth, I lost a child. That child was also a daughter..."

Grinding his teeth, he continues.

"I will never...lose my family...or my child again. That is my goal."

And his next words make me flinch in surprise.

"Hye-seo...I also want to meet that child again one day and talk. Even though at some point she turned against us and showed a cruel side, she definitely had a gentle side when she was young."

I nod, then finally look towards Kim Yeon.

"Mm."

"She says she will pierce through the restriction on her word spirit, become fully liberated from the Liberation Supreme Deity someday, and speak the words she must deliver."

Hong Fan strokes his beard as he interprets Kim Yeon's words.

Kim Young-hoon's goal is to return home.

Jeon Myeong-hoon's is revenge against the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.

Kang Min-hee's is to protect us.

Oh Hyun-seok's is to return home with his family.

Kim Yeon's is liberation from the Liberation Supreme Deity.

Then, I state my own goal.

"I am similar to everyone. I also have to return home, and there is someone I must take revenge on. And...in order for all of us to achieve our goals, there is one thing we must do."

Wo-woong!

I draw an inverted cone through the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra in the void and show my comrades a map of Mount Sumeru.

"This is Mount Sumeru, where we are."

A world shaped like an inverted cone.

Several truths of the world.

And...

"To return home...all of us must reach the Audience Chamber in the Thirty-Third Heaven, located at the vertex of Mount Sumeru. And perhaps...the one guarding the Audience Chamber, predicted to be the gatekeeper, is precisely the Head Realm we began from..."

I speak of the conclusion to which we Enders are bound by fate.

"The Emptiness Supreme Deity Myeong Woon. We must defeat Them. Anyone who wishes to return home must overcome Them."

I look around at my comrades.

"The goal of those who want to return home is the Emptiness Supreme Deity. And even for those who do not, their targets are all Supreme Deities."

Kim Young-hoon, Oh Hyun-seok, and I must face the Emptiness Supreme Deity.

Jeon Myeong-hoon, Kim Yeon, and I each must target the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, Liberation Supreme Deity, and the Great Mountain Supreme Deity respectively.

Even in Kang Min-hee's case, since her goal is ultimately to protect us, she is inevitably bound to clash with the Supreme Deities.

In the end, all of our objectives require reaching the level of Supreme Deities.

"To do that, we must all...whether through the power we received when crossing into this world or by cultivating other powers, raise our realms."

Woong!

I bitterly look down at my hands.

'To reach Great Net Immortal...how long will it take?'

"That is why I propose this to all of you. From today onwards, no matter how much time passes, let us help one another and support each other's cultivation. And!"

I recall the past life.

With the war against Radiance Hall breaking out...

How ten million years later, all my comrades had died.

"No matter what happens...no matter what great wars sweep across the world...unless we each reach a certain realm, let us restrain ourselves and conserve our strength. Because only then...will the probability of all of us reaching the conclusion increase..."

I look at them and speak.

"Is that acceptable to you all...?"

Jeon Myeong-hoon and Kim Yeon immediately nod.

Kang Min-hee and Oh Hyun-seok seem to deliberate for a moment before speaking.

"Alright."

"Got it."

Thus, from that day, we agree to enter into a long period of cultivation.

Afterwards, I also tell them not to recklessly speak their fates, and give them a general explanation about Enders and the Seven Brilliances Kings.

Having reviewed our objectives and decided to stay cautious in this Twin Holding Heavenly Domain, our meeting comes to an end.

After the meeting.

Each comrade either heads outside the body of the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity or goes deeper in to begin cultivation.

Kang Min-hee sends her clone to assist their passage.

As I watch my comrades disappear, I suddenly turn to Hong Fan beside me.

"Ah...now that I think about it, I'm sorry, Hong Fan. You're also a comrade...but I never asked you your goal."

"Haw haw, it's fine. My goal is nothing grand like Master's or the others."

"Still, I'm sorry. Could you perhaps answer me, even if it's just once more? What is...your goal?"

"Master already knows, doesn't he? My goal and my fate...is simply to serve Master and your comrades well, to follow and watch over you all."

"I see. I'm always grateful."

I pat Hong Fan on the shoulder and leave the body of the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity with him.

Then, suddenly, I feel an odd sense of déjà vu.

Something feels...off.

"Hong Fan."

"Yes, Master."

"You...did you originally use the Flawless Mantra...?"

☯

"Hmm...it's nothing."

It seems a bit strange that Hong Fan uses the Flawless Mantra.

But thinking carefully, it was Hong Fan who extracted the Flawless Mantra from Kang Min-hee and taught it to me in the first place.

It's only natural that Hong Fan uses the Flawless Mantra.

"Yes, well, I taught it to you last time, didn't I? Haw haw haw!"

"Hahaha! That's true."

We exit the body of the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity.

In the distance, I see Oh Hyun-seok, Kim Yeon, Jeon Myeong-hoon, and Golden Shaking Bird gathered, discussing something.

"Oh, Seo Eun-hyun. We've decided to first look for a suitable place to cultivate. It seems for Kang Min-hee, the Supreme Deity's body is ideal, but for us, it's not much more than a shelter. So...for now, we've decided to explore this place with Golden Shaking Bird's guidance."

"A good idea. I'll join you."

Thus, my comrades and I decide to explore the Twin Holding Heavenly Domain.

Kurururung!

I first transform into the form of Candle Shadow, letting my comrades ride on my back, and use the power of explosion to break away from the vicinity of the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity.

"Ehem. Then, I shall begin today's tour of the Twin Holding Heavenly Domain."

Golden Shaking Bird climbs atop my head, pointing towards the Twin Holding Heavenly Domain and begins introducing it.

"First, let me explain the origin of the name, and why it is called the Twin Holding Heavenly Domain."

"Hoh, alright. Go ahead and tell us."

When Jeon Myeong-hoon asks curiously, Golden Shaking Bird twitches her ears happily and continues.

"Originally, the name of the Twin Holding Heavenly Domain was Yugaṁdhara (踰健達羅), given by a being known as the Obsidian Devil Heavenly King. Apparently, it's a transliteration of the language from their homeland, but the exact meaning is unknown. Later, Radiance Hall gave it the name Holding Twin (持雙) Heavenly Domain."

"Holding Twin Heavenly Domain... But..."

"It's been flipped."

Jeon Myeong-hoon looks puzzled, and my eyes gleam.

"That is right. Why it is called 'Twin Holding,' I'm not entirely sure...but it is said to have been influenced by beings known as the Buddhist Twin Venerables. Something about how there are two paths the Wheel has passed."

'Wheel...two paths...'

I immediately understand.

'I see. This being known as the Obsidian Devil Heavenly King...must have sought help from my master and the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld. The Axle Imperial Venerable and the Wheel Imperial Venerable. Perhaps what was completed with their help is the Immortal Art that is the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity?'

It seems plausible.

"However, as soon as Radiance Hall named it the Holding Twin Heavenly Domain, something strange happened."

"What is it?"

"By the power of the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity, the name was immediately [flipped]. It is said that even back then, there was the Naming Supreme Deity occupying the Seat of Names, but the name that was bestowed by both the Naming Supreme Deity and Radiance Hall was overturned. With it completely flipped, the Naming Supreme Deity and Radiance Hall tried to correct the name again, but..."

She shrugs her shoulders as she explains.

"In the end, the name, reversed to Twin Holding, never changed. As if the flipped ordering was its original name."

"Hmmm..."

As I listen to the story, I feel like I'm starting to understand something.

Then, it's when I look towards the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity.

"...!"

The black hole the size of five superclusters disappears,

And in its place, [someone] of equal magnitude sits in a lotus position.

That [someone] wears a dignified pitch-black dragon robe and mianguan, and all over their body, countless mouths grow, tearing apart the void and endlessly devouring the very fabric of the dimension itself.

Their face is shrouded in darkness, unseen.

However, that being is sitting in a lotus position [upside down], and somehow, I feel as though I meet their gaze.

Shiver!

A chill runs through my entire body.

Yet, nothing earth-shattering occurs.

'...Fortunately, They don't seem to want to interfere...'

Though They seem to be watching me, unlike the other Supreme Deities, They show no particular interest in us.

Perhaps because They are an innate Supreme Deity born from a mantra, Their consciousness itself feels faint.

'That is the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity...'

I click my tongue and look at the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity, then shift my gaze forward again.

"...The inversion is probably the influence of the Flawless Mantra."

I recall the appearance of the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity sitting in a lotus position, upside down.

Their actual appearance is the form of a black sphere, but what I saw must be the essence of the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity.

"The Flawless Mantra is something that can only be cultivated by flipping oneself upside down. Because the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity endlessly recites the Flawless Mantra upside down...that is probably why it flipped like that."

At my explanation, everyone nods, intrigued.

"You're very knowledgeable, Elder. And as you know, the Twin Holding Heavenly Domain is the Heavenly Domain of a Supreme Deity whose reason is faint, the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity.

"That's right."

"And because of that...those who want to be free from the subordination of other Supreme Deities, or True Immortals not affiliated with Radiance Hall, all end up coming to the Twin Holding Heavenly Domain."

Kugugugugu!

In the distance, two powerful presences are felt.

I look toward them, my eyes glinting.

'True Immortals?'

It is quite a fascinating experience.

This isn't a confined space like Liberation Peach Garden in the Earth Boundary Heavenly Domain, but an open and expansive Heavenly Domain. Yet, to encounter True Immortals here means...

"If it's elders like yourselves, you've likely not met many other True Immortals besides me. But here, in the Twin Holding Heavenly Domain, you might be able to meet and form connections with many True Immortals and...khiyaaaaagh!"

Suddenly, Golden Shaking Bird's face flushes bright red as she covers her eyes.

She looks embarrassed.

"...?"

"Why are you doing that, Golden Shaking Bird?"

We all look puzzled, and Golden Shaking Bird speaks with a flushed face.

When I glance ahead, I suddenly see the Vestige Liberation Immortals whose massive presences have been felt for a while.

They do not take their Transformation form. Instead, they have descended directly in their main bodies.

Having descended into the cosmic space in their main bodies, these True Immortals are entangled with each other.

True Immortals, rather than possessing a singular physical body, are closer to being a concept or a massive mass of energy, so their entanglement appears like two nebulae writhing and overlapping.

Kururururung!

Between the two True Immortals, a sun is being born.

Watching this, I feel utterly bewildered.

'What is it about this scene that makes her react like this...?'

And at Golden Shaking Bird's next words, my comrades and I are all left dumbfounded.

"Those lecherous bastards! In a public place, they're shamelessly showing off their bedroom arts... C-Crazy lunatics..."

"..."

"..."

We all stare blankly at the two intertwined masses of nebulae.

Within them, a sun is being born.