A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation Chapter 147: Yeons Yeon (2)
Sssshhhh....
In the area where the green flash had vanished, space itself seemed to have been torn away, revealing a void in the dark emptiness.
Ssshhh....
A green hand places a podao behind their back.
Kugugugu!
A massive piece of a fortress falls through the void.
The figure in green hood, Heaven-Entrapping Esteemed One Jang Ik, looks down at the fragment of the fortress with an interested gaze.
[Impressive... they avoided this?]
Kugugugu!
The falling piece of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress is about a third of its whole.
Of the three cylindrical fortresses that make up the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, only one had been cleanly sliced off, with the rest escaping.
[Interesting fellow. If he was only not insane, perhaps we could have shared a cup of tea and discussed enlightenment...]
Wo-woong!
A small apparition appears next to Jang Ik.
A handsome young man with blue hair and small deer horns on his forehead the apparition of Seo Hweol.
[On behalf of the Earth Tribe Grand Alliance, Chief Military Strategist Seo Hweol sends his greetings to the Esteemed One of the Heart Tribe.]
[Earth Tribe Grand Alliance? There's such a thing now?]
[Yes, to respond to threats including the Mad Lord and others like the Lightning Harbinger, the Earth Tribe has decided to unite.]
[Hmmm...]
[But, may I ask why you let the Mad Lord escape?]
At Seo Hweol's question, Jang Ik snorts and replies.
[Sacred Master Baek Woon urged me to act, but she said to deal with the Mad Lord later. The Mad Lord isn't the priority. Besides, I'm using an avatar, so my existence is already fading.]
Wo-woong...
Jang Ik shows his half-transparent left hand.
[While the Ghost Mother is threatening, shes no different from a beast without reason. Rather, the Mad Lord where madness and rationality coexists is the real threat that can grow stronger in the future. Wouldn't it be better to deal with that one first...?]
At those words, Jang Ik looks in the direction where the Mad Lord fled.
[I made two attacks.]
[...?]
[One split his fortress, and the other was infused into the heart essence of one of his disciples.]
[I dont quite understand the Heart Tribe's mysterious and profound methods, so is it possible for the Esteemed One to explain? Also, the Mad Lord has only one disciple, so when you say 'one of the disciples'.]"
Interrupted by Seo Hweol's question, Jang Ik glances at him and waves his hand.
Pssh!
With that gesture, Seo Hweol's apparition distorts.
[The Ghost Mother is approaching. Though its rationality has evaporated, I can sense the power of the stars within, meaning it's much closer to Star Shattering than the Mad Lords puppets. I need to concentrate to cut down something of that level, so lets end our communication here.]
Sssshhhh....
Seo Hweol's apparition fades completely.
Jang Ik clicks his tongue.
[I've seen something filthy. Even the Earth Tribe has been struck by a deadly omen. For such a person to take the position of Chief Military StrategistTsk tsk.]
Kugugugugu!
Beyond the horizon, accompanied by black clouds, a howling entity approaches.
Ssssh, ssssh....
Jang Ik takes out the two podaos from behind his back and assumes a stance.
[Hmm, the Mad Lord and Ghost Mother no matter how I look at it, both seem less dangerous than that Seo HweolIs it right for Sacred Master Baek Woons orders to prioritize the other two? Well, if the Earth Tribe falls to ruin, itll be easier for the Heart TribeLets leave it be for now.]
He lifts up the podaos and begins to dance.
Starting with his small frame, a green storm begins to rage.
Kugugugugu!
The Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, despite losing a third of its structure, continues to move forward rapidly.
Crossing through the sky and over all sorts of strange landscapes, it finally arrives at a destination.
Kugugugugu!
A valley similar to the one where the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress had stayed a thousand years ago.
The Mad Lord lands the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress and hurriedly enters its core to repair [Her].
I speak with a glint in my eye.
Its now.
Its a golden opportunity.
The Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress is not functioning properly, and the Mad Lord's [Her] is currently half-damaged.
Now is the perfect time to escape from the Mad Lord.
I convey my intention to Kim Yeon.
"You want to leave now?"
Kim Yeon looks at me.
Im taken aback.
Her eyes are shimmering.
"...Why?"
Click, click.
I take advantage of the chaos in the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, causing errors with the controlled puppets.
Then, I direct the errors towards my face and ask.
"Yeon, ah... what, do you, mean?"
"...Eun-hyun Oppa. If we just escape from this madman now, he will repair [Her] and learn from his recent defeat, growing even stronger.
"Yeon, ah..."
"Escaping is wrong. We must kill him now.
A faint rage is visible in her eyes.
No, it isn't just a faint rage.
Its a hatred as intense as lava.
"Yeon, ah... do you, want, revenge?"
"...Yes. This might be the right way. No, it is! I swore, didn't I? To shatter [Her] in front of the Mad Lord! We've ended up like this because of being captured by that lunatic, but he'll just be happy forever indulging in his own world with his puppet!"
Click
"Eun-hyun Oppa. If its now, if its now! I can take control of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress with my consciousness and snatch [Her] right in front of the Mad Lord...!"
Kim Yeon shouts with a broken smile.
"This is rather our only chance! Right now, right here, let's defeat that lunatic and make him pay for what he did to us! If we don't!!"
Bang!
She, with her puppet-modified arm, grabs her chest and says,
"How are we ever supposed to resolve this grudge stuck in our chest? Huh?
I look at the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
She is right.
I too have a lot of grievances against that madman.
"Eun-hyun Oppa, if we escape from the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress... we agreed to open up our hearts to each other, right?"
When we finally had a proper conversation, we promised to do so.
I plan to return the heart and emotions I received from her after we manage to escape from the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
"After we shatter [Her] and turn the Mad Lord to puppet materials, let's have a proper wedding ceremony here. Today, today is the perfect opportunity!
"..."
I look at her.
After reaching completion in the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon, her madness improved significantly from that day.
However, I noticed she developed a strange obsession instead of madness.
From the day she achieved completion in the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon, Kim Yeon developed a strange obsession with me and the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
Her obsession with me is fine.
I understand that.
However, I sometimes slightly fail to understand the obsession with the Fortress.
There were times when even I, who surpassed Kim Yeon in understanding the essence of the Mysterious Bizarre Innate Heart Canon, found it slightly incomprehensible.
Perhaps, having reached Treading Heavens Beyond the Path, and being someone who has perfect control over heart essence, I am better at shaking off the temptation of the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon than Kim Yeon, but
'Something's suspicious.'
"Yeon, ah... the Mad Lord is, mad, but... at the same time, he is, a being of reason. He must have, considered our betrayal."
"...It's okay, Oppa."
Wo-woong!
Surururururuk!
Her consciousness unravels like thread.
Sararak, sararararak!
In an instant, the puppets controlled by the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress begin to lose their control to her.
Her consciousness, stretching like threads, enters the puppets' spiritual energy circuits and takes control.
"The Mad Lord failed to understand my real ability. It's not just about having a large consciousness. Eun-hyunn Oppa, since the day I confirmed your heart, from that day 500 years ago, I felt like I've realized my fate. And...."
She laughs brightly.
Somehow, I feel that her laughter is tinged with a strange madness.
"My ability is related to my fate. Its probably the same for Oppa and our other colleagues. Once each of us realize our own fate, we should be able to understand the true nature of our powers to some extent.
Kugugugu!
Gradually, an undeniable power begins to infuse her consciousness.
"...Heavenly Golden Thunder Body? Ghostly Yin Transformation Immortal Root? Unique Holy Body? Not such foolish qualities... The 'real' power we gained as we fell into this world... The ones who assessed our qualities were too low-level to discover them, just spouting nonsense..."
Wo-woong!
Paah!
Her consciousness emits brilliance.
Bright enough to be seen with the naked eye, her shining consciousness envelops the entire Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
The Mad Lord's fortress is being consumed, covered in white threads.
[The Mad Lord is definitely an extraordinary person. The Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon he created becomes somewhat similar in form to my powers when it reaches completionBut thats it. Eun-hyun Oppa, please help me.]
Patsutsutsu!
Kim Yeon's entire body begins to boil white, following her consciousness.
She resembles a ghost made of tangled white threads.
[Help me. Let's defeat this madman and live our lives together.]
"...I, understand."
After a moment of thought, I slowly speak.
"After this is over, I will properly, tell you my feelings."
[Thank you.]
She smiles and then enters deep into the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
I take control of the surrounding puppets.
Wo-woong!
The spiritual energy circuits laid on General Seo's body all come under my control.
Not only General Seo's spiritual energy circuits.
The Mad Lord's puppets as well.
The flow of spiritual energy that interconnects these puppets are also, in a way, an invisible circuit of spiritual energy.
The flow of spiritual energy, resembling intent, also begins to come under my will.
Gigigigik!
A portion of control over the entire Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress falls under my consciousness.
Despite the Fortress showing resistance and pouring billions of 'murmurs' into my mind, I look at the fortress with a smile.
"I've been, understanding, you for, a thousand years."
A cradle of madness, infinitely close to a living being.
A madman's workshop that weaves together the waves resembling intent emanating from numerous artificial souls, collecting them at the core to create genuine intent, and crafting a soul that is infinitely close to being real.
Operated solely by madness.
But I too have been grasping his madness, secretly taking control of the circuits and enduring for a thousand years.
"I will not, lose, to you...!"
Wo-woong!
I continue to take control of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, and Kim Yeon takes control of the puppets.
A thousand years.
Today, a thousand years after being captured by the Mad Lord, we finally begin our rebellion when he is weakened.
Click, click, click...
Inside the Mad Lord's workshop.
The Mad Lord restored [Her] shattered body to roughly form a shape.
"Oh, oh, very fortunate. At least only the battle functions are damaged, and most of the important functions are intact. I'm glad she's not hurt..."
The Mad Lord strokes [her] head and sighs in relief.
Just then.
Kugugugugugugu!
The Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress vibrates, informing the Mad Lord of his disciples rebellion.
"Hmm?"
Ddak!
With a flick of his finger, the mechanical devices inside the workshop moves, bringing a mirror to the Mad Lord.
Spiritual energy gathers in the mirror, warping it and gradually showing the image of Kim Yeon ascending the upper floors, taking control of the puppets.
Kim Yeon, with her white threads of consciousness spreading in all directions, has an odd appearance, covered in white brilliance.
The Mad Lord strokes his beard while looking at her for a while.
"Hmm, she's coming here instead of running away. Is she coming to take control of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress?"
It appears that his madness is subsiding a bit, and his rationality returning.
He looks at Kim Yeon's image and smiles faintly.
"Couldn't resist the temptation of the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon and the hatred towards me."
The Mad Lord briefly gazes into the mirror and then closes his eyes.
"...The Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress is half-destroyed, and my love is not in proper shape. Now you're trying to take control of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress... I thought you had gone mad, but you still have some rationality left?"
The Mad Lord grasps [Her] hand with his wrinkled hand.
"It's a pity, it would have been better to attempt taking the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress under better circumstances... Well, what can be done?
Somehow, he wears a comfortable smile that has never been seen before.
"If this is the best I can do, I must accept it. It's been a long journey"
The Mad Lord hugs [Her] tightly.
"Finally, today the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress will be completed."
After hugging [her] for a moment, the Mad Lord looks up at the ceiling.
The core and the highest level of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
The upper floor of the workshop, a layer that even Kim Yeon had never been allowed access to until now.
Click, click, click...
At his gesture, stairs leading to the last floor spirals down from the ceiling.
The Mad Lord holds [Her] hand and slowly ascends to the top layer.
Even as he heads up, he does not remove or alter the stairs.
Kuaaang!
She, who had taken control of the puppets and received control of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress through Seo Eun-hyun, began to operate the entire fortress with her consciousness.
'It's been a while. This feeling'
The madness and murmurs of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress are being borne by Seo Eun-hyun himself for her stead.
And she, controlling the puppets of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, heads to a new realm.
How many times had there been a situation like this since she pierced through the Seven Stars Ritual long ago?
Although this time it isn't about breaking through a new cultivation realm, its the moment to seize the opportunity to leap towards a new life.
Kuaaangg!
The puppets, commanded by Kim Yeon, hammer the Mad Lord's workshop.
'Finally'
Kim Yeon, manipulating her consciousness, peers beyond the workshop.
The core of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress is undetectable even by consciousness.
Rather than being sealed by a special prohibition, the surface is swarming so wildly with near-real intent that merely extending consciousness recklessly engulfs one in madness.
'Even this detestable workshop will now be over.'
Kuaaang!
A hole is made in the workshop.
'And now, this place will become a home for me and Oppa'
Deep anger and pain surges up in her heart.
Even though Seo Eun-hyun is still barely clinging on inside a puppet.
When he first became a puppet.
How much pain did she feel?
It felt like the world was falling apart.
She became half-insane for hundreds of years.
And as if that wasn't enough, the Mad Lord also modified her body to make it more helpful in handling the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
'Unforgivable.'
Hatred flares in Kim Yeon's eyes.
'That madman ruined the love between me and Eun-hyun Oppa. I will punish him by smashing what he cherishes the most.'
Step, step...
Kim Yeon, who enters the Mad Lord's workshop, looks around.
"That is Ha."
The spiral staircase leading to the ceiling.
The last and hidden layer of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
"Are you going to hide in the deepest layer of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress to face me? Master Even if you bring [Her] mom, dad, and grandparents, you can't change the situation now."
Step, step...
She clenches her teeth and climbs up the spiral staircase left by the Mad Lord.
"From today onwards, the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress will be mine. Here, Oppa and I will share our love."
Step
And reaching the end of the staircase.
Kim Yeon, who ascended to the top floor of the workshop, is startled.
"...This is?"
Wo-woong!
From outside, I handed over control of the fortress to Kim Yeon and bearing its madness, I looked toward the center of the fortress.
'The connection... has faded.'
My consciousness thread was also connected to Kim Yeon.
We were communicating in real-time, connected by consciousness, seizing control of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
But suddenly, the thread of consciousness connected to her became faint.
As if in a very noisy place, unable to hear a friend's voice from a little distance.
Intense torrents of intent are interfering with the connection between me and her.
'...Should I help?'
But at the moment, its challenging enough to deal with the madness of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
It feels like General Seo's head would explode at any moment.
If I push further, General Seo's head might actually explode, and my soul would scatter and die.
'...Whatever happens, be safe!'
I clench my teeth and look toward where Kim Yeon is.
"...What is this?"
Kim Yeon looks in astonishment at the layer hidden by the Mad Lord.
"Have you come, my disciple?"
The Mad Lord greets Kim Yeon with eyes clearer than ever before.
The madness that had been in his eyes was washed away.
"...You seem to be in good spirits, Master. Did your mind get healed after being properly disciplined by the Ghost Mother and that green dwarf?"
"Hahaha, how could that be? It was you who healed my mind, my disciple."
The Mad Lord speaks w