A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation Chapter 175: Even If This Place Is Hell (4)
The hand is enormous.
The size of one hand is literally enough to cover an entire mountain range.
Centered around that gigantic hand, a ceaseless red radiance spreads, dyeing the sky, the earth, and everything between the heavens and earth red.
The battle begins swiftly
"Uooooooh!"
As Hyeon Woon forms hand seals, four Nascent Souls manifest behind him like spirits, and the shadow of a black dragon clings to him as well.
His cultivation surges, and based on this surging cultivation, he executes his spells.
Tsststsstsst!
It seems as though a mist has spread everywhere, and Hyeon Woon's voice can be heard in detail as if he is right by one's ear.
The mist makes his voice and intentions clearer.
Under Hyeon Woon's command, the tens of thousands of remaining Human Race cultivators exert their strength and launch attacks on the Left Hand approaching from beyond the mountain range, where barriers are set.
Kugung, Kugugugugung!
The attacks by Nascent Soul and Heavenly Being cultivators, including me and Oh Hyun-seok at the Four-Axis level, as well as several Four-Axis stage commanders putting forth all their might results in,
Shiiii.
The Esteemed One's Left Hand, emitting smoke from its entire body, momentarily stopping in its tracks.
'Is it effective?'
The Left Hand of the Esteemed One.
Its difficult to read its heart essence.
The structure of its heart essence is entirely different from that of ordinary beings, making it hard to grasp.
However, visible wounds can be seen on the Esteemed One's Left Hand, which are somewhat visible to the naked eye.
"It's effective! Since it's not the Esteemed One's main body, it sustains injuries when attacked! If we all proceed with the determination of a decisive battle, we cannot lose!"
Hyeon Woon desperately shouts, boosting the morale of our allies, and once again begins to press on the Esteemed One's Left Hand under his command.
"The Vast Cold Jade barrier can even block strikes from a Grand Cultivator. Even if it is the Esteemed One, with just one hand present, its power must have fallen to about the Integration stage! Endure and attack!"
Flap, flap!
Water puppets summoned by Hyeon Woon behind us wave large black flags.
Then, simultaneously, the command reaches all of our allies' ears, and we reorganize our formation according to Hyeon Woon's orders
"Righteous path cultivators, forward!"
Cultivators who practice righteous path methods step forward, casting spells imbued with the power of destroying evil onto the Esteemed One's Left Hand.
Kugugugugu!
The Esteemed One's Left Hand gathers devilish energy from outside the barrier for a counterattack.
"The Esteemed One is attacking! Devilish cultivators, step forward!"
Devilish cultivators who practice devil path methods step forward to form a defensive line.
Flash!
Blood erupts.
At the same time, a tremendous shock hits the top of the barrier formation.
Kurung, Kurururung!
The barrier trembles wildly as if it will collapse instantly, and the devilish cultivators inside are busy fending off the shockwave.
Ssssk, Sssssssk!
What is most despairing is...
"No, it's regenerating!"
"Don't give it a chance!"
The corals covering its surface wriggle, and the area we had attacked begins to regrow.
Wriggle, wriggle....
Simultaneously, the eyeballs sprouting all over its hand writhe and begin to look towards us.
Oh Hyun-seok screams in horror.
"Don't make eye contact with it!"
At his urgent words, Hyeon Woon also raises his voice.
"It's using the Soul Extinguishing Yin Curse!"
Kugugugu!
Blood gathers in the Esteemed One's eyeballs before shooting towards us.
"Gughaahhhhhh...."
"Aaaaah...."
A few unfortunate cultivators make eye contact with the Esteemed One's eyeballs for a moment, and I see the souls of cultivators fighting next to me scatter on the spot.
'Is that the same technique that Kim Yeon suffered from?'
The recently killed cultivators are at the Heavenly Being stage.
Even Heavenly Being stage cultivators die without exception if they're directly hit by the spell!
Woooooong!
Gradually, the red light emanating from the Left Hand subsides.
Only then do we look back at the Left Hand again.
Shiiiiii.
In that brief moment when we had looked away, the Left Hand regenerated any injuries it sustained and is again gathering devilish power.
Wooooong!
The sky burns ominously.
The crimson sky feels eerily undulating.
"Everyone, form a defensive formation!"
Hyeon Woon commands as he waves a flag, and numerous cultivators begin to form a defensive formation together.
'Wait, that...!'
That's when I notice something suspicious.
"Be careful! That's not just one spell! They've cunningly hidden another spell behind that one!"
Chrararararak!
The power of White Orchid Blessing Incantation spreads in all directions, overlaying the surrounding area with the clear power of blessings.
"A curse! It's attempting to use a curse!"
I can feel it!
Only I, who have reached the pinnacle of understanding curses, can feel the thick malice emanating from beyond.
Ooooooh!
Flames gather from the undulating sky and soon, a rain of fire befalls.
Astonishingly, the rain of flames transforms devilish power into spiritual energy in the air!
The transformation of devilish energy into spiritual energy is miraculous!
These raindrops of fire, now made of spiritual energy, strike the barrier more effectively than attacks made of devilish energy, shaking the barrier even more.
Under Hyeon Woon's command, the devilish cultivators step forward to block the shockwave.
After calmly blocking the shockwave, they also easily block the following curse, following my warning.
Just then.
Ziiiiing!
Including me, Oh Hyun-seok, Hyeon Woon, and others.
All cultivators stagger at once.
'What's this...'
Through the strange devilish energy enveloping my body, I realize.
'What... It wasn't two but three?'
After mixing a curse behind a physical attack, another spell was hidden inside the curse.
This attack cleverly breached the barriers of the defensive formation, reaching the cultivators without being caught by anyone.
I understand the nature of this attack.
'It's a mental attack...!'
Ziiiiing!
With immense agony, I feel my consciousness sink down below.
'Damnit...'
It's not a matter of mental strength.
By the nature of the spell, it's a technique that inevitably makes one lose their consciousness at least once.
I immediately recognize the essence of the ability used by the Star Shattering stage Esteemed One.
It triggers the Heart Demon, and through that gap, it injects malice, completely turning a human into a monster filled with desire and evil.
Since it's a technique that ultimately makes one confront themselves, it affects any being at least once, no matter who they are.
Kuwoong!
I steady my footing, trying to hold onto my collapsing body.
'No, not quite.'
I thought I managed to hold myself, but suddenly, Im in a completely different place.
This is... within my heart essence.
A transparent Sword Hell.
Drip, drizzle....
My body bleeds from being pierced by the countless swords of Sword Hell.
The bleeding blood gradually flows and eventually becomes a shadow in front of me.
The shadow opens its mouth.
"Do you think what you're doing has meaning? Do you truly believe you're right? What value does what you've done have"
I interrupt the shadow's words.
"Hey, look here."
A smirk.
A laugh escapes me.
A Heart Demon?
"Haven't we just talked about this topic recently? Even if I'm caught by the Star Shattering stage Esteemed One's ability, couldn't you come up with a slightly more original topic?"
"..."
That's right.
Invoking a Heart Demon I've already overcome only serves as a laughing matter.
An ability that affects any being at least once.
In other words.
Being caught just 'once' is enough.
Boom!
I stomp on the Heart Demon that appeared in my heart, bursting it.
"Ending you is all it takes. It was pleasant to meet you again after a long time. Farewell."
Splatter, splatter....
The pieces of the Heart Demon I stomp on explodes, scattering and wriggling around.
Then it begins to struggle wildly trying to dominate my heart essence.
Squelch, squelch....
The Heart Demon, or rather what used to be the Heart Demon, taints and pollutes my entire heart essence.
In an instant, the surroundings are enveloped in filthy, sticky darkness.
[Goodness is meaningless!]
[This world is hell!]
[Look at your heart essence! Isn't it that of someone living in hell?]
[It's only right that everything falls apart!]
[Let's heed the Esteemed One's command! The Esteemed One will show you a new path suited for hell!]
"Oh ho, what a persuasive brainwashing attempt. Truly terrifying."
I simply turn my back and begin to climb up Sword Hell.
Plop, plop!
With each step up, my entire body is pierced by swords, accompanied by pain.
Wo-wooong!
And every time I feel pain, I hear the sticky whispers of evil spirits following me from behind.
[Let's be loyal to the Esteemed One!]
[If this world is hell, then surely the laws of hell are the most useful, aren't they?]
[The survival of the fittest! The strong can do whatever they want to the weak!]
[Haven't you too been abused by the strong?]
[The Esteemed One will make you stronger than those strong ones.]
Step, step.
This isn't my Heart Demon.
Through my Heart Demon, the Esteemed One infused my heart essence with the malice of others.
Yes, it is Vice.
The Esteemed One artificially introduced into my heart essence all the Vice that the Human Race committed in the Devil Realm.
However, without facing these Vices, and despite feeling pain, I silently continue to climb towards the peak of Sword Hell.
Behind me, I can feel the sticky screams and gradually feel the Esteemed One's sorcery trying to press down on me fearfully.
But, stepping on the swords of Sword Hell, I realize.
'The swords I step on are all life itself.'
Yes, each of these transparent swords is a memory of mine.
And Qi is Intent.
Having gained enlightenment about planes, I know that the external Qi and the internal heart can influence each other.
'Maybe'
As I step on the swords and climb higher, I ponder.
'The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections might ultimately be a reflection of my heart essence.'
These swords represent both pain and wounds.
But at the same time, they are a history that proves the traces of my life.
Therefore, the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections that records my history
Wo-wooong!
Might have been significantly influenced by this heart essence.
Paatt!
Gradually, faint figures appear behind me.
Through the heart essence, I feel the Qi of my physical body.
The Golden Core at the center of my body's Qi, and within the Golden Core, the slumbering Nascent Soul.
The Nascent Soul harboring three thousand Colorless Glass Swords.
The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, linked with the Colorless Glass Swords, begin to enter my heart essence in reverse.
Step, step, step.
I climb the mountain silently, and with each step, more figures appear behind me, widening the gap between me and those sticky voices.
The sticky voices are blocked by the figures created by the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, gradually slowing down in their pursuit of me.
"Hey, Blood Yin Realms Esteemed One."
Plop, plop.
Bleeding, I head towards the summit of Sword Hell.
I open my mouth towards the Esteemed Ones spell from behind.
"You're right. I am definitely living in hell."
That this world is hell.
I felt it over and over again.
Step, step.
Plop, plop.
"But"
Wo-woooong!
Gradually, more figures appear between me and that being.
Their number is so vast that its impossible to count, and the Esteemed One's voice can no longer reach me through this sea of people.
Plop!
Feeling the sensation of swords piercing through my entire body,
I momentarily stop walking and close my eyes.
Wo-wooong!
Then, I look back.
Mountain!
The mountain of transparent, colorless swords.
And a mountain of people formed by countless figures.
This,
Is my world.
"But even if."
Flash!
At the same time, the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections and the mountain of swords emit light.
The pure white light gradually takes shape, transforming into the form of white orchids.
The curses that reached the extreme of Yin Soul Ghost Incantation.
And, my White Orchid Blessing Incantation that transcended and advanced from such a Yin Soul Ghost Incantation.
Why does enlightenment that advances from a curse become a blessing?
Perhaps, a curse and a blessing are only a hair's breadth apart after all.
Both curses and blessings.
Hell and Heaven.
Are all just a fine line apart.
Then, what determines that fine line?
Flash!
The pure white light that advanced from a curse and the voices of the Esteemed One trying to grasp me from below.
Towards those voices, a single petal falls.
As the petal passes the figures behind me, its number gradually increases.
Passing through countless connections, the blessing grows larger and more bountiful.
Eventually, it becomes a wave that engulfs the malice.
The fine line between heaven and hell is clearly the hearts exchanged between people...
Pzzzzt!
The White Orchid Blessing Incantation, amplified by the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, becomes a white wave washing away the darkness.
The Esteemed One's sorcery is swept away in an instant and dissipates.
"This place is hell"
It looks as if countless stars are being released into the pitch-black night sky.
The night is undoubtedly dark, but it is filled with countless stars, making it not entirely dark.
Even if the world of humanity is like a dark hell, if we can respect and cherish each other's hearts, that in itself is virtue.
"Goodness is not meaningless. Even if this place is indeed hell, that goodness does not disappear."
'I know'
I look down at the myriad connections following me from below.
'Because I am here'
I turn away from them and walk towards an even higher place.
Paaat!
Together with that, my consciousness snaps back, and I return to reality.
"Hoooooh"
I take a deep breath and straighten up.
I had been momentarily unconscious and during that brief moment, the Esteemed One's Left Hand reached close to the barrier, gathering power.
Looking around, many of the Human Race's surviving cultivators appear to be mentally eroded by the Esteemed One's sorcery, all huddled up, foaming at the mouth, and trembling.
Its only because its me that I was able to overcome such a thing so quickly. For them, it wont be as easy.
Wo-wooong!
Bang!
I completely dispel the sorcery the Esteemed One had cast on my body and stand up.
The energy of the White Orchid Blessing Incantation flows from my body, reversing the Esteemed One's spell, and the Esteemed One's Left Hand stops gathering power for a moment and trembles.
It seems to be a decisive secret technique, as it felt some backlash when one person shook off the spell.
I smile at that sight.
"Hey, Blood Yin Realms Esteemed One."
Wo-wooong!
The White Orchid Blessing Incantation that blossoms all over me begins to spread in all directions.
"That spell you just used it seems to have some backlash if it fails, doesn't it?"
If so,
"If everyone here overcomes their Heart Demons and your spell, that little bit will accumulate, and you'll probably take quite the hit..."
Flash!
The White Orchid Blessing Incantation spreads in all directions.
Wo-wooong!
Simultaneously, numerous ethereal artifact spirits appear around, amplifying the energy of the White Orchid Blessings.
In an instant, the area is filled with blessings, and countless white orchids enter into people's heads.
Seeing this, the Esteemed One begins to vibrate.
Although its hard to read the Esteemed One's intent, I can somewhat tell that they are becoming infuriated.
Kuuuuung!
They launch another attack.
The barrier trembles, and although blood spurts from my body due to the shockwave, I smile.
"Seeing you angry, it seems I'm right."
Flash!
The opposite of a curse is a blessing.
With Yin Soul Ghost Incantation, one can inflict a curse on the opponent, using various sorceries like cursed dolls, pain resonance, corrosion, and wound transfer.
Then, what effects does the White Orchid Blessing Incantation, the opposite of the curse, possess?
There are two effects: amplification of power and guidance of the mind.
With the blessing of the White Orchid Blessing Incantation, it is possible to guide a person's mind to a more suitable place, recover their mental strength, strengthen the human spirit, and escape from mental attacks.
And this is not limited to me personally but possible for the entire group.
Flash!
Since the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections are amplifying my blessings, their effects are now maximized.
"I've always known, but thanks to you, I've come to better understand the utility of the White Orchid Blessing Incantation. Thank you, Esteemed One!"
From the center of the white magnolia wave,
I speak confidently to the Esteemed One.
"With the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections and the White Orchid Blessing Incantation... my mind is invincible."
Kugugugugu!
The Esteemed One's Left Hand launches another strike.
I cough up a mouthful of blood and briefly lower my body due to the shockwave.
'As long as the barrier holds and they can stand'
I can reverse the Esteemed One's spell and deal a significant blow to the Esteemed One's Left Hand.
Just then.
Wo-wooong!
"...?"
The fallen ones around me b