A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation Chapter 194: Betrayal (2)

"Hmm..."

Rustling

I extract my upper body from the shattered drum and dust myself off.

"Indeed, quite a formidable force."

It wasn't the crimson river that had repelled me.

As soon as I touched the crimson river, it was not my body, but rather the Pure Spiritual Force flowing within me that automatically reacted and repelled me.

In other words, the crimson river merely touched my body.

The fact that I was flung and crashed was entirely thanks to the power flowing within me.

"Hmm, it seems you're in the same situation."

The spider woman.

Yu Hwa, as she is called, raises her arm while keeping her eyes closed.

There is a sword scar left by my Formless Sword on her arm, from which blood is flowing.

"I didn't expect you to penetrate my defense just like that."

"I didn't know my internal spiritual power could move according to someone else's will... How did you do it?"

"Do you really think I'd willingly teach you my technique? Try to figure it out on your own. I'll do my best to understand the ability of that sword as well."

"Oh, you recognized it as a sword?"

How did she recognize the Formless Sword, which has no shape?

"Even if it has no form, the intent is so clear, how could I not know what you're wielding?"

"It was a foolish question I see."

I attack her with the Formless Sword again.

But every time the crimson river touches my body, I am repelled this way and that.

Its as if my body is not my own.

Wo-woong!

Feeling as if I am floating, I try to approach her, but the problem is the crimson river.

Wo-woong, bang, bang, bang, bang!

As the Formless Sword whirls around, the dressing room turns into a mess, but I focus solely on getting closer to her.

After exchanging blows with her for who knows how long.

"Wait..."

Suddenly, she smiles and says.

"Perhaps this is a good time to stop?"

"Hm?"

She detaches her hands from the zither and raises them.

"There's no need for us to continue fighting."

"What are you talking about? When martial artists meet..."

Suddenly, it dawns on me that Im unsure whether Yu Hwa is a martial artist or not.

"I understand what you want. There are many like you within the Heart Tribe Territory. Those who wish to prove themselves by comparing their Manifestations with others, or simply those who genuinely enjoy sparring. Our Esteemed One also has such tastes."

"...Then why refuse to fight?"

"Because I am not of that kind of Heart Tribe. While I am interested in your sword, I am more suited for infiltration, espionage, and inciting rebellion."

"Hmm..."

"Instead of this meaningless act, how about we exchange information more constructively?"

I look at her and smile.

"Is 'fabrication' also one of your specialties?"

"Excuse me?"

Wo-woong!

Holding the Formless Sword in a reverse grip, I swing it towards my head.

The Formless Sword grazes my skull, cutting out strange sound waves affecting my mind from the plane of Soul.

Shuk!

I feel something break, bringing my consciousness back to 'reality.'

The situation is not much different from before.

I am confronting her.

But from the moment I was repelled into the drum, shattering it, to the traces of our exchange of blows, all have disappeared.

"Quite an impressive illusion technique."

The feeling that my body is not my own, the sensation of floating.

Its all because it wasn't real, happening in my dream.

"Fighting in an illusion was interesting... but since you openly tried to extract information without wanting to fight me, I came out."

She suggested exchanging information, but theres no guarantee that the information exchanged in the illusion is real.

She still speaks calmly, with her eyes closed, turning her head towards me.

"Strictly speaking, what I showed you was not an illusion. I put you to sleep and made you dream, guiding the dream in the direction you desired."

I retort.

"In the process, you meddled a bit, asking questions you were curious about."

"I won't deny it."

"Your way of speaking has changed quite a bit since we last met."

"As a Heart Tribe intelligence agent, would I use a manner of speech that easily identifies me? I've practiced changing both my voice and manner of speech as needed."

"Changing the tone at will, is that your Treading Heavens... no, your second stage of Manifestation?"

Wo-woong!

Shuk!

I swiftly launch a Formless Sword attack at her hand as she subtly reaches for the zither, causing a wound. It seems she was attempting to engage me in conversation while stealthily using the zither to put me to sleep with her scheming.

She looks at the wound on her arm and laughs.

"It's not easy to share, especially when I can't quite tell if you're from the Heaven Tribe or the Earth Tribe, or one of ours."

"Figures... Well, forget that. Are you really not going to fight me? Itd be advantageous for your side to obtain my information, wouldn't it?"

"That's true."

However, she smiles subtly.

"But, do you suggest we go all out when there are two Four-Axis stage Earth Tribe members just a few floors above us? We'd surely get caught. There's no benefit in sparring right now."

I catch her drift.

"If there's a benefit for you, you'd spar with me?"

"If that's the case, I see no reason why not."

"Alright, tell me what you want."

"You're currently staying at the palace of the Sea Dragon Race, correct?"

"Yes."

"In the palace of the Sea Dragon Race, I'm aware that a member of the White Goat Race, Baek Nyeong, whom I had previously rescued and attempted to escape to the Heart Tribe Territory, is being imprisoned. If you promise to help me rescue him, I see no reason why I can't spar with you."

"...Hmm..."

Imprisoned...

Should that be described as imprisoned?

Noticing my serious expression while I conceal my heart essence with the Treading Heavens realm, she misunderstands it for something else and clicks her tongue.

"Perhaps I've asked too much of you. If you truly feel a sense of belonging to the Sea Dragon Race..."

"No, that's not it."

I think of the White Goat Race who have become the ruling class near the Cloud Heart Lake and their leader, Baek Nyeong, feeling a mix of emotions.

"...Seo Hweol will be leaving the True Dragon Alliance in a day or two for his Axis Foundation Practice. I'll arrange a time for you and Baek Nyeong to meet after that."

"Ah...!"

"However... Hmm. I'm not sure about helping with the rescue. I'll ensure you can enter and exit the dwelling of the White Goat Race near Cloud Heart Lake by holding off the Sea Dragon Race patrol, but escaping with him will be up to you."

"Thank you. That will be a great help."

I smile brightly at her enthusiastic response and then ask out of curiosity,

"What if Im lying? Were both at the Treading Heavens... no, the second stage of Manifestation, so I should be able to lie too, right?"

"Hehe... Have you never sparred with someone of the same realm from the Heart Tribe?"

"...No."

"Well, that's even better. I can teach you."

"...?"

As she touches the zither, she says,

"Let's control our power while sparring. As I mentioned, with two Four-Axis stage Earth Tribe members above us... and a barrier set up in the dressing room, not to mention the Immortal Demon Tower's restrictions suppressing our consciousness, we can easily get caught if we're not careful. Let's keep our power at the early stage of Qi Refining and compete using only our Manifestations."

"Fine."

A pure competition of capabilities and enlightenment is something I welcome.

The next moment.

Thwoong!

Her zither sounds, and my sword surge through the air.

However, just as Im about to adopt a stance and employ a technique, I struggle to keep my body from collapsing.

Sleepy!

A drowsiness demon attacks me.

With this level of sleepiness even when restricting our power to the Qi Refining stage

If we were to fight without restraining our power, fully employing Treading Heavens, I would have fallen into a dream without even realizing it, just like before.

Thump, thwoong, thump!

But her performance is just beginning.

As her zither plays and melodies emerge, my entire body's strength disperses, and my eyelids feel unbearably heavy.

"Ugh!"

Thump!

I force myself up and glare at her.

Wo-woong!

Gradually, a faint light of the crimson river begins to swirl around her.

"This is my Last Quarter (Moon phase), Illusory Play under the Rosy Afterglow. Please enjoy."

It isn't the crimson river.

Its the evening glow.

The time when those who have finished their day start to prepare for bed, the sunset!

Teeing!

I exert all my strength, barely managing to fend off the sleepiness using Mountain Echoes Valley Responds.

The Formless Sword transforms into vibrations, striking my soul across planes, bringing me back to my senses.

But the clarity is fleeting.

As her performance continues, I realize I am succumbing to sleepiness again.

"A fearsome technique."

Even using only Qi Refining stage power, she brought me to the brink of unconsciousness with sleepiness.

Even a Heavenly Being stage cultivator, if caught off guard by her determined performance, would end up sprawled on the floor, asleep.

Moving even a single finger became difficult.

'This is especially lethal for me.'

I'm sleepy.

I want to rest right now.

If I were to lay down and sleep right now, it feels like I can finally sleep peacefully for the first time in ages.

'After joining Seo Hweol 7 years ago... I havent slept properly even once.'

Not just that.

In my previous life, when I was a governor in the Devil Realm.

Before that, when I was beaten all over at the Azure Heaven Creation Sect.

Even before that, when I was captured by the Mad Lord and underwent modification, enduring for a thousand years.

I never really rested.

'No, was there ever a time I properly rested before that?'

Excluding the times when I relaxed my heart with Hyang-hwa, its hard to remember when I last truly rested.

I want to rest.

I really want to sleep deeply.

The Heavenly Treading realm manifested by Yuhwa is stirring up an intrinsic desire I've had all this time.

'Maybe it's okay to rest a bit.'

But then.

Smirk...

"Resting is something..."

Crack!

I drive the Formless Sword into my shoulder.

A jolt of pain snaps my eyes open.

"I can do after death."

I hold the Formless Sword with a grin.

"If I gain enlightenment in the morning, Im content with death in the evening. Endure, Seo Eun-hyun! Are you going to miss this great opportunity? I'll let you rest in death, so open your eyes!

I scream, twisting the Formless Sword embedded in my shoulder.

Ssh, ssh!

Tremendous pain radiates from my shoulder.

But with bloodshot eyes, I twist and pulled out the Formless Sword, aiming it at Yu Hwa.

"Good. Shall we continue?"

"...Let's do so."

In the next moment, I dart towards her, slashing down with the Formless Sword.

For a moment, the sword takes on a shape similar to an axe and strikes her.

Yet, her crimson afterglow river effectively blocks my Formless Sword again.

But.

'She can't block it.'

Swoosh!

My Formless Sword pierces through the afterglow, charging towards her.

Wo-woong!

She, holding the zither, leaps back like a grasshopper, and I change stance right after swinging down.

Along with my stance, the Formless Sword elongates, transforming into a spear-like form.

'Shoot!'

In the next moment.

The colorless spear in my hand fires off like a cannonball, embedding three gusts of wind around her.

Thwoong, thud, thwoong!

Yet, she continues to strum the zither.

The afterglow swirl around her, dissipating the Formless Sword strikes.

'That's...'

I am astonished to realize the principle behind her defense.

'She's treating my Formless Sword as a living entity and [putting it to sleep]?'

It isn't merely dispersing.

My Formless Sword is falling asleep as it touches her afterglow.

Gradually, the energy of the Formless Sword I hold is dropping below the Qi Refining stage.

If this continues, it will become less effective than simple sword energy.

'Interesting.'

Memories of a long time ago surface.

When I had not yet reached the pinnacle realm and followed Kim Young-hoon around.

Kim Young-hoon wandered through various factions in Yanguo, challenging their banners.

The result was naturally a hundred victories in a hundred battles.

Among the factions he challenged, there was one that specialized in Sound Arts.

Back then, Kim Young-hoon definitely said that defeating the leader of that Sound Arts faction was the most challenging, describing them as the trickiest opponent.

Those memories vividly came back.

[Phew, it was the most not easy opponent.]

[So even the words not easy come out of your mouth, Hyung-nim.]

[Well, it's because Sound Art masters are hard to come by. Those who are mediocre in Sound Arts are as good as useless, but when someone who has mastered Sound Arts to the level of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit and has our vision uses it, it becomes incredibly formidable.]

[I don't understand what you mean by 'our vision.']

[Ah, right. I was meaning to tell you about this.]

I remember the advice Kim Young-hoon had given me.

[Sound Arts, after all, are about sound. But how does mere sound harm the opponent? It's like the poison you study.]

[Poison, you say?]

[Yes, poison. From the moment you first hear the opponent's melody, their Qi begins to mix with the sound entering your body. When the opponent's sound waves resonate with the ones inside you, your body starts to break down according to the resonance frequency.]

[Terrifying.]

[Yes, so ultimately, if you meet a master who uses sound-based martial arts, you should suppress and kill them before they can shoot their sound waves. If you fail and allow the opponent to shoot their sound waves...]

[You'll need to find a way to detoxify.]

[A physician-like approach, indeed. Well, since I compared it to poison... But my solution is a bit different.]

Waves of sunset rush towards me.

What Yu Hwa is using is no different from sound-based martial arts.

No, it could be said to be an evolved version of sound-based martial arts, evolved by several stages.

Perhaps from the moment I first heard her sound at the Immortan Demon Tower today,

I was under the influence of her poison.

The poison of her 'wanting to sleep' heart essence.

'Preemptive strike is no longer possible, and what she has infused into me is her heart essence itself, so detoxification won't work.'

Then, there's only one method left.

[Make the poison your own. If you perfectly control the Qi throughout your body, you can also control the vibrations within. While sparring with the opponent, continuously circulate and move the Qi, altering the vibration itself to be different from what the opponent has infused!]

I begin to accelerate my thoughts through the Formless Sword connected to my body.

Time slows down, while I accelerate.

Kwang, kwang, kwang!

Cutting horizontally with Transcending Peaks.

Then, accelerating again to thrust into her side with Flowing Ridge.

All blocked.

But then, accelerating once more, I cut down from above with Dragon Vein

Kugugugu!

As I cut down, my Formless Sword is blocked again by her sunset-colored river.

Touching that river, the force itself will "dissolve," making permeation impossible.

But the next moment.

Pssht!

A small wound appears on her cheek.

Even though it was "dissolved," my Formless Sword that permeated her river caused a wound on Yu Hwa's face.

Chalak!

The next moment, a crimson wave rushes towards me, forcing me to retreat.

I'm sleepy.

I feel like I will fall asleep at any moment.

This is both my heart essence and the poison she subtly infused into me through her Treading Heavens.

Then, make this poison my own!

'It's not sleepiness, but facing a limit.'

And if you face a limit.

You can also surpass it!

Boong, boong, boong boong boong!

Gradually, the speed at which I swing my Formless Sword begins to increase.

'Every time I endure sleepiness, a limit comes.'

Yu Hwa also plays her instrument, continuously attacking me with her river.

'Every time I face a limit and overcome sleepiness, I break through the limit.'

My inner heart essence transforms, changing from sleepiness to a leap in spirit.

'Therefore, every time I overcome sleepiness, I become stronger!'

It doesn't literally increase my spiritual power or teach me unknown sword techniques.

But isn't martial arts about defining oneself?

Then.

'I am indeed growing!'

Although I am restraining my power to Qi Refining, my speed gradually increases.

I find ways to more perfectly control and maximize the application of force.

Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Joy of Mountains and Peaks!

The Formless Sword Energy shoots out, crisscrossing like a Go board toward the opponent.

Yu Hwa plucks her instrument again, and the sunset-colored waves surge, blocking my Formless Sword.

My move seems to dissolve, but that's not the end.

Pssht, pssht!

Streaks of blood appear on Yu Hwa's body.

Gradually, the 'sleepiness' heart essence she plays is no longer consumed by my Formless Ssword.

For I am transforming her sleepiness into an 'opportunity for growth' within me, fighting against her.

'If this continues, I will win!'

When I think so.

Ssss....

"It's been a while since I've fought a fellow from the same realm... It seems it won't work."

A deep smile leaks from Yu Hwa's lips.

Its pleasure.

The emotion of finding it too enjoyable to exchange moves with me!

"Perhaps I can be a bit rougher?"

The next moment.

Countless white spider webs spew out from her rear.

Her spider legs attached to her lower body moves, weaving and throwing spider webs in all directions.

Soon, the entire waiting ro