A Regressor's Tale of Cultivation
C797 Chapter 793: Primordial Chaos (3)
Chapter 793: Primordial Chaos (3)
Hwioooooo—
"Hong Fan, are you there?"
"..."
I doze for a moment inside the Heavenly Void Furnace and open my eyes.
I can't feel the outside.
Feeling puzzled, I go out to look, and...
I see a completely new world.
Hwioooooo—
"Wh-What...what is this...!?"
What greets me outside the Heavenly Void Furnace is a vast chaos.
Wondering what is going on, I look toward the Heavenly Void Furnace...
But the Heavenly Void Furnace has already disappeared.
"Hong Fan... Hong Fan...!"
At this bizarre phenomenon, I call for Hong Fan, but he does not answer.
"Th-This...What is happening...!?"
From that day on, within this infinite, endless world of chaos, I howl and thrash about to escape.
*
One hundred million years pass.
Hwioooooooo—
One hundred million years.
I compose my flesh from countless clone bodies, and before I knew it, I've become a gigantic existence approaching True Immortality, and through the rank of such an existence I investigate the chaos and find out the secret of this world.
And...
Only now can I finally find the traces of the [previous me] who remained in this Heavenly Void Furnace.
Woong, woo-woooong!
A sphere of green light floating before my eyes.
As I place my hand toward this strange lump of light like a firefly, memories and history about [the first me] flow in.
Yes...
This is not the first time.
I also, before.
That is, even when I first entered the Heavenly Void Furnace, I once endured this hellish time.
: : And then I forgot again. : :
Even the 'me of now' who endured one hundred million years...
...is soon to be forgotten.
[Cut it...cut it...]
Letting the words of the 'Heart Demon' inside me that earnestly begs to sever connection pass in one ear and out the next, my eyes gleam.
: : From now on as well, the 'me' outside the Heavenly Void Furnace will forget everything again and use the Heavenly Void Furnace every month. And as both the realm and the proficiency of the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon gradually rises, the cycle of coming here will gradually shorten. : :
I must stop it.
In order to do so, it is first important that the selves of me who come here find the memories.
Wo-woong—
Within the lump of green light before my eyes is [me of the first Heavenly Void Furnace].
The idea of transmitting memories and history down to the later cycles is excellent, but...
In the end, only when almost one hundred million years have passed, only when it is time to go out, has it come before me.
'At this rate, no matter how many times I come here, I'm only walking in place.'
I have to move the time forward.
So that the [me]s who come later can receive the memories of the [me]s earlier!
'So that during the time called one hundred million years, I don't simply raise my realm and weight class, cultivate the Star Extinguishing True Chapter, and investigate the secrets of this space...but find a way to leave this space...!'
Kiiiiiiiiiing!
I begin to compress my own existence and essence, like [the me of the first Heavenly Void Furnace].
I sacrifice everything, so that the [me] who will come in later generations can receive the succession of the 'previous me' a little sooner...
Thus, at last one hundred million years are filled, and I go outside the Heavenly Void Furnace.
I enter the Heavenly Void Furnace for the third time.
'In just two months, I already finished two years' worth of cultivation.'
My understanding of the divine power of Cutting Principle is gradually broadening.
'If it continues like this, I can completely nullify the curse within this lifetime!'
Thinking so, I call for Hong Fan.
"...Hong Fan, are you there?"
"..."
However, Hong Fan gives no answer, and I go outside.
"Th-This is..."
Endless chaos unfolds.
"What on earth is happening here!?"
Hwioooooo—
As my whole body melts inside the endlessly raging chaos...
I begin to scream.
*
Ninety-nine million, nine hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred ninety years.
Wing— Wing—
Creating countless Heavenly Being stage clones and reaching a realm corresponding to True Immortality, I realize the truth of this Heavenly Void Furnace and discover something inside.
: : This is... : :
They are 'two clusters of green light' that revolve together, spinning round and round and drawing an endless circle.
Receiving a very familiar feeling from those clusters of light...
I can tell that these clusters of light have waited for me across a long and longer time.
Wo-woong—
I reach out my hand to those clusters of light.
Paaaatt!
And as I read the wisdom and history contained inside the clusters of light, I now understand.
That this Heavenly Void Furnace is a terrifying trap...
*
Time passes, and the time has come for me, [the me of the third Heavenly Void Furnace], to go out.
I sacrifice myself and melt down my entirety like the previous two clusters of light.
: : Starting from the [next]...it will be different. : :
According to the method devised by [the me of the second Heavenly Void Furnace], the later [me]s will gradually inherit [my] memories and history faster.
I fill all the time, and at last, I exit the Heavenly Void Furnace.
Wooo-woooooong!
Recently, my attainment in the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon has also increased.
My consciousness has been grievously damaged and restored several times.
Thanks to that, it seems the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon has also begun to evolve.
If it continues like this, the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon will also become quite powerful, and someday the recovery cycle of consciousness might speed up to the level of a single day.
If it becomes like that, I can accumulate cultivation even faster.
I realize that I am gradually entering the Heavenly Void Furnace with an even more excited heart.
'It truly is a tremendous divine artifact. This Heavenly Void Furnace...'
Woo-woong—
Entering the Heavenly Void Furnace and meditating, even dozing for a moment, I complete the meditation.
After that, I call for Hong Fan in a tone that is now becoming habitual.
"Hong Fan, are you there?"
"..."
There is no reply.
Feeling puzzlement, I go outside the Heavenly Void Furnace and can see an immense world of chaos.
"Wh-What on earth...?"
But without even having time to grasp the situation, I feel my whole body melting away inside the chaos and scream.
"Kuaaaaaaaagh!"
It's melting!
My entire body is transforming into all sorts of bizarre things and disappearing!
At that moment.
Shwoong, shwoong, shwoong!
From beyond that distant chaos, [three green lights] fly in and surround me.
'What on earth...?'
However, although those clusters of light like fireflies coil around my Nascent Soul, that is all.
Other than coiling and revolving around with me as the center, they give no help at all.
'Damn it... This isn't giving any help at all...!'
In the end, without receiving their help, I barely unfold the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections and prevent myself from being annihilated.
As I use the power of the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, at least the chaos does not erode me.
I protect my Nascent Soul with a pale mist and contemplate what this bizarre world of chaos is, and what the three clusters of green light revolving with me at the center are.
'For now, they don't seem harmful...'
The green clusters of light do not give me help, but at the same time they also do not harm me.
Watching them there, I faintly feel my heart settle.
'It feels, somehow, similar to the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections itself...'
But that is all.
Other than bringing a little calmness to my heart, there is nothing.
'For now...let's learn about this sea of chaos.'
Thus, I leave those green clusters of light alone for the time being and explore the sea of chaos.
*
Ninety-nine million nine hundred ninety-nine thousand nine hundred years pass.
Before I know it, I achieve a rank corresponding to True Immortality by using countless clone bodies.
And before I know it,
I realize, after piercing through about one hundred million years of time, that at last I have obtained the authorization to view these 'green clusters of light'.
: : They are lights that one can view only upon reaching True Immortality. What are you? : :
At the end of a long and longer spam, I barely obtain the right to peruse these clusters of light and begin to view them.
And at last, I learn the truth.
: : I see... : :
Kugugugu...
Three light clusters.
About three hundred million years' worth of memories and history surge in all at once, and I spend a little over ten years to accept and arrange them.
: : O [me]s of before. Have you decided to establish, one by one...the rules applied to this space by sacrificing yourselves? : :
The goal of the [me]s is clear.
'By sacrificing the existence of [me]s comparable to True Immortality one by one...we engrave rules into the Heavenly Void Furnace one by one.'
The rule left by [the me of the first Heavenly Void Furnace].
'One can leave traces within the Heavenly Void Furnace by sacrificing oneself.'
With this, including him, the later [me]s could come to sacrifice themselves here and accumulate rules.
The rule left by [the me of the second Heavenly Void Furnace].
'The traces left in the Heavenly Void Furnace gather together.'
With this, from the second me onward, instead of the memories left by [me]s drifting here and there in this Primordial Chaos inside the Heavenly Void Furnace, it only becomes necessary to find the ones that are gathered in one place and are orbiting.
The rule left by [the me of the third Heavenly Void Furnace].
'The traces gathered in the Heavenly Void Furnace fly to the 'me of now' through attraction force.'
Because of that, from the very beginning of entering the Heavenly Void Furnace, the 'three green memories' flew in and clung to me.
'Thanks to that, I could save far more time than wandering around looking for the memories.'
Moreover, the subtle stability the memories gave truly has been a great comfort all that time.
And now...
It is my turn.
'Sacrifice the me of now...and add one more rule.'
Kurururung!
I offer up everything I have accumulated within the Heavenly Void Furnace for roughly one hundred million years.
And, in return, I add one rule.
The fourth rule.
'Lower the qualification of viewing authorization that exists in the green traces.'
Until now, all the [me] had to reach a realm similar to the previous [me] in order to peruse the memories left by the previous [me].
But from now on, that will not be so.
'Even if one reaches a slightly lower realm...from now on, they will be able to peruse the memories and inherit the enlightenment and wisdom left by the previous [me]s.'
Tsuaaaaaaatt!
Sacrificing all that is mine, I thus prepare to leave the Heavenly Void Furnace.
The fifth entry into the Heavenly Void Furnace.
These days, for some reason, the gaze with which Hong Fan looks at me has become odd.
'Is it a bit distasteful to him that I keep relying on artifacts to increase my cultivation?'
But it cannot be helped.
If I am to sever the influence of the Heavenly Punishment True Immortal, there is no other way.
Pachijijik...
Even now, my internal organs here and there are being transformed into lightning, and I feel that influence gradually growing stronger.
'At this rate, even if I regress, I will only get devoured by the Heavenly Punishment True Immortal. It cannot go on like this.'
I must, in this life without fail, sever the influence of the True Immortal.
I steel my resolve and begin meditating in the Heavenly Void Furnace.
'Still, I gained great attainment in the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon.'
This time, instead of a month, I spent only about 22 days.
I've come without using a whole month.
'If I keep letting my consciousness be torn away and then recover it on repeat...before long, the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon will advance greatly.'
The Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon is the best method that strengthens consciousness and spirit.
'If it continues like this, it will also help me enter the mid Nascent Soul stage.'
I am already at the early Nascent Soul stage, having formed the Yin Spirit.
If my consciousness now evolves, I will complete the Yang Spirit as well and reach the mid Nascent Soul stage where the Yin-Yang Spirit unifies.
My talent is not that great, but if I accumulate slowly, someday...I will be able to behold the Great Dao.
Thinking so, I meditate in the Heavenly Void Furnace and doze for a moment.
"...Hong Fan, are you there?"
"..."
I open my eyes and come out of the Heavenly Void Furnace.
And, melting from the chaos, I let out a scream.
"Kuaaaaaaaagh!"
At the same time, four green streaks of light fly in from within the chaos.
Thus...
From that day on, I devote my whole body to unraveling the identity of the four green streaks of light and the secret of this world of chaos.
Blink—
I come out of the Heavenly Void Furnace.
Before I know it, about one hundred years have passed since I began cultivating in the Heavenly Void Furnace.
During it all, how many times has my consciousness been torn and ripped?
During it all, how many times have I repeatedly restored my consciousness?
Before I know it, my achievement in the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon has leapt far ahead, and at this rate I feel I can rise smoothly to the mid Nascent Soul stage.
Wo-woong—
However, the most important thing is not that.
The time in which I have cultivated the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon is now one hundred years.
Now, even if my consciousness is torn after entering the Heavenly Void Furnace, I can recover and enter again in about a day.
As a result, I go in and out of the Heavenly Void Furnace constantly, and the accumulated cultivation experience in Cutting Principle I have built up has reached an immense level.
Consciousness compresses.
Consciousness compresses into a straight line and becomes, according to my will, Indra's Net.
It reaches the same level as the principle that forms the Law of Causality itself.
'Now...'
Shikagagagak!
'I can lay my hands on it directly!'
It's become possible to truly strike principle itself!
When I strike one of the principles of the Head Realm, a southwesterly wind instantly blows across the entire Head Realm.
When I strike principle again with Cutting Principle, the southwesterly wind blowing through the Head Realm dies down and the course of the wind shifts to the northeast.
"Huuuuu..."
Shikagagagak!
When I touch principle once more, dark clouds cover this entire Ascension Path, and rain falls and wind begins to blow.
The true art of calling wind and summoning rain!
This, perhaps, is exactly what should be called a true Immortal Art.
'If it's me now...'
I recall Seo Hweol from the last life.
Seo Hweol's Five Blessings Axes.
If it's now...
'I can defeat Seo Hweol too.'
If I directly strike the domain of principle, Seo Hweol will have no way to endure.
When I recall the bitter life-and-death struggle I waged with that guy in the 15th cycle, a chill runs down my spine on its own.
'As my heart desires, I want to ascend right away and punish Seo Hweol, but...'
I prepare Cutting Principle again upon the surface of Ascension Path.
'For now, this comes first!'
Kiiiiing!
I've become able to strike principle itself.
Now, what remains is...
Kwarururung!
'To cut the connection with Heavenly Punishment!'
Jjeoeoong!
Indra's Net.
Among them, among the threads of connection linked with me, I see a huge and vicious thread of connection.
It is so thick that rather than a thread, it is closer in size to a dock hawser.
The power of that connection is filled with thunder and lightning, and it somehow seems closely related to Indra's Net itself.
It is the curse that the True Immortal of Heavenly Punishment gave me.
The divine power of Cutting Principle rushes toward that rope.
Kaaaaaang!
The divine power of disconnection and the will of Heavenly Punishment collide.
Urrung!
Thunder rumbles from the sky.
Thunderclaps fill the surroundings.
Weather shifts, and celestial energy twists.
'From here on, it begins.'
At the same time, the thread of connection with Heavenly Punishment that I lashed with Cutting Principle starts spewing immense lightning and begins to affect reality.
Kwarururung!
From within the black clouds gathered in the sky, lightning falls.
It is not during realm advancement, nor have I done some heaven-defying act.
Even so, Heavenly Tribulation falls.
Kwachijijijijik!
I block the Heavenly Tribulation with the Formless Sword, and I press the divine power of Cutting Principle even harder toward the connection of Heavenly Punishment.
Kurururung!
The more I do so, the stronger the intensity of the Heavenly Tribulation becomes, and I add power by adding Azure Wing Heavenly Shatter and General Seo's beam cannon onto the Formless Sword.
"Don't make me laugh...!"
But even that is only for a moment.
Gradually, the intensity of the Heavenly Tribulation falling from the sky grows stronger, and boasting hideous might, it starts shaving away at the Formless Sword and my other powers.
"I will not lose!"
Kwarururung!
Unlike ordinary lightning, Heavenly Tribulation 'falls' from the sky like rain.
Therefore, unlike other lightning, Heavenly Tribulation possesses 'weight'.
Jjeoeoeoong!
By the weight of the Heavenly Tribulation, my body gradually sinks below the ground.
Udududuk!
When I use earth-element spells to compact and harden the ground, the ground itself collapses.
By the heat of the Heavenly Tribulation, the mounds of earth in the area become glass.
"Guaaaaaaa!"
Gradually, the Formless Sword collapses under the lightning, Azure Wing Heavenly Shatter collapses, and General Seo overloads and breaks.
Heavenly Tribulation drives directly into my flesh.
The body of the Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Method, and the puppet circuit of General Seo engraved upon it, receive the power of the lightning.
Modified by me and made into a Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation method, the Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Method does not easily crumble even as it meets Heavenly Tribulation.
I grit my teeth, enduring pain as if my entire body burns away by the Heavenly Tribulation.
Lightning energy penetrates and twists the blood vessels throughout my body.
Under the overwhelming lightning, my eyes roll back as if I'm about to lose consciousness, and I barely hold on.
'No matter what, I will cut it!'
Kiiiiiiing!
Cutting Principle slices away the connection of Heavenly Punishment.
And then, at some moment,
Kigigigik!
The thread of Cutting Principle 'digs into' a part of the connection of Heavenly Punishment!
Flash!
But at that moment,
The energy of the Heavenly Tribulation surges madly and crashes down.
The lightning calamity engulfs me, and in the next moment I lose consciousness.
Chiiiiiiik—
At the same time as I lose consciousness, the divine power of Cutting Principle scatters as-is.
Only after the divine power of disconnection disperses do I feel the Heavenly Tribulation stop.
'Did I fail to cut it...?'
Even as I grow faint, I check Indra's Net and close my eyes.
'But...'
I definitely failed to cut it.
However, the connection with the True Immortal of Heavenly Punishment engraved upon Indra's Net...
It definitely bears a faint scratch.
'I can cut it.'
If I use the Heavenly Void Furnace, I will definitely be able to cut it.
Holding onto that hope, I close my eyes and pass out.
"...Hong Fan...is that you?"
I open my eyes and ask the one carrying me on his back.
My internal injuries from the Heavenly Punishment still have not healed, and my mind is hazy.
"Yes, Master."
"Where...are we going?"
"We are on the way to the Hea