A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation

Focusing my emotions, I imbue my sword with heart essence.

Within Dao Mountain Sword Forest,

There, only one sword is shining.

That sword is full of nicks and chipped edges.

Reflected on the blade is a novice swordsman clad in white.

Beyond the transparent blade, a crude Three Great Ultimates is visible.

This technique is still incomplete, and it was not used because it has the drawback of exploding midway when unleashed.

However, right now, I decide it is time to use this unnamed martial move.

This treasure hunt that involves hostages between us is already meaningless.

The thirty-first move of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship begins with the very first technique, Transcending Peaks.

Similar to the thirtieth move, Deep Mountain, Emerging Dao, there are three steps (式) at the start to transition between planes.

Starting with the horizontal slash Transcending Peaks, I move the sword from a lower plane to a higher plane.

Then, with a downward slash, I unfold Deep Mountain, Emerging Dao as the second step.

Immediately following with a thrust, I launch a Seated Detachment, Standing Oblivion single strike at the Plane of Soul to complete the third step.

Thus, unifying all planes my sword reaches through these three steps marks the beginning of the thirty-first move.

The Immortal Cultivation of the Heaven Tribe is a method of rising to the Plane of Fate.

The Immortal Cultivation of the Earth Tribe is a method of rising in the Plane of Qi.

The realm of the Heart Tribe roams freely at the Plane of Soul.

I encapsulate the path of Immortal Cultivation I have traversed thus far in my Sword Path.

Through the first, second, and third steps, all moves of the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship are connected and interconnected.

The first step rises from a lower plane to a higher plane through the Heaven Tribe method, mimicking the stages of Qi Gathering, Qi Refining, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Heavenly Being, and Four-Axis.

The second step strikes from a higher plane to a lower plane through the Earth Tribe method, causing explosions and imitating the realm of the Earth Tribe.

The third step was just martial arts up until now.

Following the first, second, and third steps of horizontal slashing, vertical slashing, and thrusting, I consecutively unfold the twenty-second move Severing Mountain three times in a row, pressing forward with 66 martial techniques.

And then, I activate the combination technique of the 66 moves again.

After unleashing the combination technique, within the first, second, and third steps, I fuse all my cultivation techniques, demon abilities, and puppet circuits.

This is the still incomplete thirty-first move of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.

Chuaaaaaa—

Sword and swords connect infinitely, exhaling a hazy mist.

I engrave my history into my Sword Path, revealing the effect of the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.

Each droplet of mist is a Gang Sphere that has reached the zenith.

Qi is being consumed enormously, causing my avatar to flicker as if it's about to vanish.

However, the mist begins to rotate in the form of the Three Great Ultimates.

Heaven and Earth spiritual energy is drawn in.

Jin Ma-yeol's eyes waver.

The Three Great Ultimates rotate.

The hazy mist swirls ferociously.

Kugugugugugu!

Just from the aftereffects, Yuk Rin's treasure mountain is split apart, and Yuk Rin's husk turns to dust and vanishes.

The finale of the thirty-first move is to unite the Three Great Ultimates into one and manifest a strike that would cleave Heaven and Earth, causing the phenomenon of Split Sky.

The Three Great Ultimates unite.

The hazy mist is dyed pure white.

The next moment.

Kwagwagwagwang!

As if alive, my technique twists and explodes.

Unable to control the explosive force, I am hurled backward along with it.

But at the last moment, I concentrate the explosive force on Jin Ma-yeol's right hand.

And,

Kwaching—

Finally, the Reforming Calendar Sword held in his hand is flung away.

Tssssss—

My avatar becomes faint as if it's about to vanish.

Did Yuk Rin's shed skin serve a role as the axis of the illusion formation?

As the husk turns to dust, the illusion formation trembles and collapses.

The scenery of the otherworld that overlapped with this space until moments ago disappears, and the thin Qi returns to its original state.

However, the clash just now is clearly a loss to me.

Had I focused the explosion more onto Jin Ma-yeol's body, I could have entirely grinded away his upper body, but seeing his gaze at the last moments, I deliberately took some of the explosive force onto myself.

Chiiiiiiiiiii—

Drawing in Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, he regenerates the wounds all over his body.

In contrast, my body is fading, unable to withstand the aftermath of the explosive force.

Though I would slowly recover as the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy is returning, at this rate, I will lose to Jin Ma-yeol.

Yet, instead of seizing this excellent opportunity to attack, Jin Ma-yeol bites his lip and stares at me.

"...What was that just now?"

"I haven't decided on a name yet."

"I'm not asking about the name...! How, how did you combine cultivation realm and Fighting Dance...!?"

His eyes are trembling violently as if shaking like an aspen tree.

"How did you do it? Tell me!"

Kugugugugu!

As he roars, I can feel the entire Deep Sea Island shaking beyond Yuk Rin's treasure vault.

I look at Jin Ma-yeol and smile.

"You can do it too."

"What kind of nonsense..."

"What is that in your hand?"

"What?"

"What have you been wielding all this time?"

At my shout, Jin Ma-yeol is dumbfounded and then shivers.

I ask as I raise my energy-drained body.

"What is the name of what you are unfolding?"

"...Second Stage Fighting Steps of Fighting Dance..."

"I asked what is the name of what you are unfolding!!!!!"

Clearly, Jin Ma-yeol has the advantage in energy.

He also has the advantage in stamina.

If he and I were to clash now, he would easily eliminate my avatar and seize all the treasures here.

However, Jin Ma-yeol avoids my gaze and lowers his eyes instead as if wanting to hide in a mouse hole at my shout.

"...I don't know."

"Raise your sword."

He briefly glances at the Reforming Calendar Sword that had been flung from his hand, clenches his lips, and transforms his hand into the grotesque sword.

"I will ask again. What is it you hold in your hand?"

"..."

He lowers his head.

The intent of shame reveals itself within his heart.

---

The Fighting Ghost Race becomes aroused through combat.

Thus, they elevate their realm and grow faster than anyone else through combat, becoming the most excellent warriors compared to any other race.

They clash with other races, emulating their physiques, and indulge endlessly in ecstasy and frenzy, fighting until they die.

That is the Fighting Ghost (鬪鬼).

Jin Ma-yeol, born as a Fighting Ghost Race, has lived that way until now.

Through the traditional ritual of the Fighting Ghost Race known as Fighting Dance, he entered the First Stage of Fighting Steps. A few hundred years ago, he fought with someone from the Conqueror King's forces called the 'Surpassing Radiant Divine Demon' who appeared in the Ancient Force Realm, gaining inspiration to enter the Second Stage of Fighting Steps.

Reaching the Second Stage of Fighting Steps, something only those with extraordinary talent among the royal family of the Fighting Ghost Race might achieve, Jin Ma-yeol's confidence soared to its peak.

Now, he is superior to any other of the Fighting Ghost Race!

If he only lives long enough, he is confident he can surpass the Third Stage of Fighting Steps and reach the Fourth Stage of Fighting Steps, which is said to have been reached by the creator of the Fighting Dance.

He felt like the world was in his grasp.

He already seemed to see the ultimate limits of Fighting Dance flickering before his eyes.

His life has never stopped once.

Although minor obstacles have blocked his path, he believed he could overcome them as he always had.

But.

"...I don't know."

Jin Ma-yeol lowers his eyes before a human swordsman he has always looked down upon.

His entire body is trembling.

The beautiful sword dance he has just witnessed still flickers before his eyes.

It's often said that when one's realm is too low, they cannot recognize the moves of those at a higher realm.

However, Jin Ma-yeol's realm is at the Second Stage of Fighting Steps.

Regardless of anything, he possesses a sufficient level of insight, and since he isn't at too low a realm, Jin Ma-yeol can comprehend some of the enlightenment imbued in that sword dance.

It's immature.

There seem to be many areas that need improvement, and it's evident that the man before him can't control his Sword Path.

The fact that the sword techniques exploded due to lack of control over the Sword Path is laughable, something even a passing carp would find amusing.

Yet, Jin Ma-yeol can't laugh.

Because the moment he saw that sword, he realized that the Fighting Dance he has learned is even more worthless.

The swordsmanship that began with three movements was elegant.

It was the murmuring of countless crowds,

A miserable attempt to integrate Heaven, Earth, and Heart.

At the same time, it was the immaturity of a novice swordsman and a trash-like waste.

However, the murmuring within the sword constantly discussed the direction the sword should advance.

The misery continually pushed the sword to develop.

The immaturity, through comprehension, refined the trash-like Sword Path.

A sword containing infinite possibilities.

That was the sword displayed by the man before his eyes.

And when that man, who showcased that beautiful potential, asked a question Jin Ma-yeol had never contemplated before,

Jin Ma-yeol felt an indescribable shame.

It's humiliating.

Just why is it, exactly?

The Fighting Ghost Race only learns the Fighting Dance, but they don't bother assigning names to it.

To them, the Fighting Dance is merely one of the many ways to enjoy copulation.

Everyone thinks so, and thus Jin Ma-yeol never considered naming the Fighting Dance as well.

Because it's common sense.

But now, what stands before his eyes is a sword reaching a realm that can never be touched by mere common sense.

To speak of common sense in front of that sword is an act that would make Jin Ma-yeol himself trash.

'Am I trash...?'

The Grand Cultivator of the Fighting Ghost Race, Jin Ma-yeol, who has always been overflowing with confidence, falls into despair for the first time in his life and trembles all over.

In front of that sword, he seems so small.

He wants to cry.

Holding a sword has always been joyous, but not this time.

He wants to hide somewhere, anywhere.

But he can't hide.

"I will ask again. What is it you hold in your hand?"

That person is asking!

He must answer that question.

Because he knows that if he doesn't, he will remain trash forever.

An instant as long as eternity passes.

Jin Ma-yeol hesitates, choosing and re-choosing his words.

And finally, feeling as though he will vomit inside his shameful emotions, he speaks the 'name' of what is in his hand.

"...Lust (欲情)."

Yes.

What he has been wielding, or rather,

What 99.9% of the Fighting Ghost Race wield is that.

"No...instinct (本能). Yes, this is instinct."

To Jin Ma-yeol's answer, the man before him nods.

"Yes, that's correct."

"..."

Although he expected it, hearing a direct confirmation makes Jin Ma-yeol feel a wave of nausea.

It feels as if the Fighting Dance he has practiced, the entire history of the Fighting Ghost Race, is being utterly denied.

He has always believed their Fighting Dance to be superior.

But it is not.

Their Fighting Dance is merely an extension of the Fighting Ghost Race's instincts.

He looks at his sword with a dazed expression and asks.

"...If so, is Fighting Dance wrong?"

And that person replies.

"It might be."

"Then...!"

"Or it might not be."

At his words, Jin Ma-yeol's pupils constrict.

"If you know what you've been wielding all this time, then think about how you will wield it from now on."

"...!"

Is it because he is in a higher realm and can clearly read Jin Ma-yeol's heart essence?

Or is it simply because his sword is so lacking that it's obvious how he should be advised.

Jin Ma-yeol grits his teeth at his advice.

And he raises his grotesque sword.

"...I will swing it once."

The man nods.

The next moment, the two martial artists clash.

Jin Ma-yeol, with the energy of the Integration stage, and the Heart Tribe, at the level of the Fourth Stage of Fighting Steps, collide.

But there is no explosion.

There is no shockwave.

Only Jin Ma-yeol's grotesque sword is cleanly cut.

No, it isn't just his sword that is cut.

His upper body and domain are entirely sliced away.

Until just a moment ago, when he fought with the Reforming Calendar Sword, they seemed to match quite evenly.

Their levels seemed similar.

At least, that's what Jin Ma-yeol thought.

Thud!

Jin Ma-yeol collapses, defeated in a single strike, slumping down on the mountain of ancient stone 

It's a bitter defeat.

However, a peaceful smile, one he has never worn even when 'mating,' is now on his face.

"...Thank you."

He has lost.

The Salt Crystal Palace he originally aimed for, the treasures of Yuk Rin's treasure vault, and the once-in-a-lifetime divine sword, the Reforming Calendar Sword, will all fall into Seo Eun-hyun's hands.

But it doesn't matter.

The next realm is in sight.

The Third Stage of Fighting Steps, which no one in the Fighting Ghost Race has reached for tens of thousands of years, seems fleetingly within his grasp.

He is satisfied with that.

'The next...realm...is before my eyes...'

His vision blurs.

His consciousness scatters.

His body grows cold.

It's a little different from the conclusion Jin Ma-yeol had envisioned, but he smiles.

Having exhausted all his resurrections and failed to fully obtain Purple Soul Filling the Heavens, the Unaging and Undying he aimed for is out of reach, but it doesn’t matter.

The Soul (魂) of Fighting Dance.

Because he discovered the joy of what Seo Eun-hyun calls Martial Arts.

Thus, the Grand Cultivator of the Fighting Ghost Race and captain of the Fighting Demon Pirate Gang,

Jin Ma-yeol died.

---

He was an unpleasant guy from the first meeting.

Originally, when I unleashed the thirty-first move, I intended to completely crush him with explosive force.

But at the last moment, his eyes changed from those of a beast to those of a martial artist.

As a fellow martial artist, I decided to take on his strength and give him a chance.

And although Jin Ma-yeol charged like a beast, he died as a martial artist.

After looking at Jin Ma-yeol's corpse for a moment, I swing the All-Heavens Sword.

Kugugugugu!

The mountain of ancient stone and treasures above him collapses.

Buried under golden treasures, the martial artist Jin Ma-yeol completely disappeared from the world.