A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation Chapter 359: Is It Not A Joy To Have Friends Come From Afar? (3)

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Chapter 359: Is It Not A Joy To Have Friends Come From Afar? (3)

Paaaat!

Green light illuminates the surroundings.

Ham Jin is drenched in cold sweat.

'Da-dangerous!'

He can feel it.

If this formation activates, he will surely die!

It seems that Black Tomb also senses the danger of the formation, as he glares at Ham Jin with a terrifying expression.

"What? It wasn't me! I didn't do anything!"

Ham Jin desperately denies it as he looks down at his shadow.

'Uh...'

However, his shadow, which had been that of a monster with 19 heads, has reverted back to his own.

Black Tomb reaches out to Ham Jin with his face contorted into a malicious evil spirit.

"This won't do. Damn it. I was planning to switch bodies if something went wrong with this one, but now, it seems I'll need to scatter your soul and refine it in advance to be safe!"

"What!"

Ham Jin grits his teeth.

Black Tomb Old Devil extends his hand toward him.

And then, it happens.

The hand of Black Tomb Old Devil that is reaching out to Ham Jin pauses.

Chills!

A shiver runs down the old monster's spine.

'Wh-what is this sensation?'

For some reason, he finds it hard to breathe.

Black Tomb looks behind himself with trembling eyes.

Just who can it be?

Towards where Black Tomb turned around and is looking, there is a man dressed in a white robe with black hair, sitting on the ground and observing something.

Tingle, tingle!!

Black Tomb breaks out in a cold sweat.

'S-Since when was he there? I never felt him approaching! Is he someone who learned stealth techniques?'

He waves his hand toward Ham Jin.

He was going to kill him just now, but he changed his mind.

Now is not the time to be concerned with someone like Ham Jin.

Whoosh! Kuang!

The devilish fire from his hand turns into chains that wrap around Ham Jin.

After subduing Ham Jin in one move, Black Tomb asks the man in white with trembling eyes.

"Who are you?"

And then, the man who has been observing the ground where a dragon vein flows, looks at Black Tomb.

Tingle, tingle, tingle!

Black Tomb feels an eerie shiver rising from his entire body, making it hard to breathe.

'What is this? This person in front of me, he's not even at the Qi Refining stage. He has less energy than a mortal! Wait a minute...? Less spiritual energy than a mortal? That means...this isn't a living being!'

Chills, chills!

The more he guesses about the man's identity, the more Black Tomb feels the chills.

And then, the man speaks.

"I'm entirely in the Plane of Soul so I was wondering how you recognized me, but...it's thanks to that. That thing made your soul similar to a Nascent Soul and placed it in the Plane of Soul. It's quite a remarkable artifact."

'As expected...!'

He had indeed been unable to recognize him until just now!

It's only thanks to the spirit tablet embedded in his heart that he can recognize this man!

Black Tomb asks the man, trembling.

"Who are you?"

But the man just looks at Black Tomb and then, as if uninterested, looks back at the ground.

"...I see, it's a formation. A formation spread across multiple planes. I thought it was just a corpse...but it's covering and hiding the formation. This structure is just like...I see...Jang Ik tried to enter the formation and this being was killed by Jang Ik while trying to prevent him from entering."

Black Tomb can't understand what this person is saying.

But he understands one thing.

'He's a being related to this artifact! Indeed, is he a guardian spirit protecting this spirit tablet? Come to think of it, the voice that activated the formation wasn't Ham Jin's, but this man's voice.'

Black Tomb looks up at the sky.

Even if he uses the Flying Escape Technique with all his might, the formation will explode before he can escape from this deep place back to the surface.

'I can't let that happen!'

Black Tomb makes a life-or-death decision.

'There's no time to run. I have no other choice but to subdue this being and order him to cancel the formation!'

It's a decision he wouldn't normally make.

However, Black Tomb is confident.

The power he has obtained from merging with the spirit tablet is that formidable.

"Cancel the formation immediately, or I will kill you!"

"It's an astonishing formation. But I've never seen this structure before...it's a formation with a strong attraction force. If I activate this formation through attraction force, what will happen?"

"Damn it! Don't ignore me!"

Kududuguk!

Black Tomb gathers his power.

From the spirit tablet merged with his heart, infinite power begins to emerge.

"I am now akin to a True God! No, with this power, not even the Heavenly Being stage Heaven Above Heavens (天外天) can ignore me!"

Huarurururru!

The inside of the pit seems to instantly fill with Black Tomb's devilish fire!

And just as Black Tomb is about to strike the man who is ignoring him.

Wiiiiing!

Ping!

"...Huh?"

Black Tomb notices a sound as if something is misaligned within his body.

Tiiing, tiiing! Piiing!

The next moment.

Kuaang!

Black Tomb's body explodes.

"Kuaaaaagh!"

From the part of his body that exploded, a vivid green light bursts forth.

'N-No! Damn it! The power of the spirit tablet is running wild!'

He desperately tries to control the spirit tablet, but it's unshakable.

Just then, seeing this scene, the man in white's eyes light up.

"So that's it...! I was wondering why such a random spirit tablet was floating around the formation. Turns out it's the key, huh?"

The man begins to approach.

Black Tomb shouts, his face contorting.

"D-Don't come any closer! You monster!"

"Who are you calling a monster, you who devours his disciples?"

"Hah, huaaaaah!"

Kuaaaang!

Black Tomb struggles to control the spirit tablet while simultaneously releasing endless devilish fire toward the man.

But the man appears unaffected, advancing toward Black Tomb through the devilish fire.

However, at that moment.

Tiiiiiing—

A sound resonates from the spirit tablet embedded within Black Tomb's chest.

Hearing that sound, the expression on the man in white changes.

"This is, spatial divine power? This is a bit..."

Kuguguguk!

The surroundings heat up with the green light from the dragon vein.

The man clicks his tongue with a troubled expression, while Black Tomb looks at the man and the boiling dragon vein in terror.

The green light covers the world.

Kugugugugugu!

Ham Jin opens his eyes.

'Wh-where is this...!?'

"Keoheok!"

He coughs and struggles to his feet.

The surroundings are filled with dust.

But after a while, the dust settles.

Ham Jin looks around.

'S-Split Turtle Valley...!'

Split Turtle Valley has vanished.

The surroundings are nothing but rubble, the remnants of what had been Split Turtle Valley.

Ham Jin, taken aback, touches his own body.

"How did I survive?"

He fails to understand.

Given the explosive power of that formation, someone like Ham Jin, who had exhausted all his spiritual power, should have been obliterated in an instant.

Yet, he hasn't died.

What has happened?

While Ham Jin is still confused.

Thunk!

A hand emerges from beneath the rubble.

It's the hand of his master, Black Tomb Old Devil Yeom Gok.

Ham Jin flinches.

"Keheok kerlogh!"

Black Tomb emerges from under the rubble, gasping for breath.

And then, he and Ham Jin lock eyes.

Ham Jin quickly contemplates.

'Thanks to the energy from the dragon vein, my dantian is gradually filling with pure spiritual force. Can I kill Black Tomb now?'

But Ham Jin sees the faint green glow emanating from Black Tomb's body and suppresses his murderous intent.

'No, it's still dangerous. Black Tomb still has the spirit tablet's power. If I fight him, I'll lose.'

Barely restraining his killing intent, he speaks.

"Master, let me help you."

'Once I've gathered a bit more power from the dragon vein, I'll strike him then.'

Kuaduduk!

Using his spell, Ham Jin clears the rubble covering Black Tomb.

Black Tomb takes a deep breath, vomiting blood.

Black Tomb glares at Ham Jin.

For a moment, their gazes meet.

Black Tomb, looking around as if he can't trust Ham Jin, replies.

"This master finds it hard to fly. Lift the flying artifact, Ham Jin. I have another cave residence in Black Ridge Valley next to Split Turtle Valley. If we use the flying artifact, we'll get there quickly. Take me there. I need to take an elixir and recover my strength."

Twitch—

Ham Jin's eyes twitch at those words.

'Damn it, you cunning old man!'

He grits his teeth inwardly.

Due to the characteristics of the Silica Earth Great Wall Secrets that replenish spiritual power through the dragon vein, his recovery will be significantly hindered if his body is lifted off the ground.

Black Tomb, with a sly expression, asks Ham Jin.

"What's the matter, disciple? Are you saying you won't move the flying artifact for this old, injured master?"

Huaruk, huarururk!

The green glow around Black Tomb begins to transform into devilish fire according to his will.

Gritting his teeth, Ham Jin pulls out a flying artifact from his storage scroll.

All the flying artifacts he possesses are slow.

They were given by Black Tomb, fearing Ham Jin might try to escape.

However, Ham Jin inwardly smiles.

'Maybe...'

"Understood, Master. But my current spiritual power isn't enough to operate the flying artifact properly. Please infuse it with your spiritual power to make it work."

He speaks with the intention of depleting Black Tomb's power as much as possible, but Black Tomb, drawing more devilish fire, grabs Ham Jin's shoulder.

"Ham Jin. Didn't I tell you? Activate the flying magic artifact."

Chiiiiiik―

The heat from the devilish fire sears Ham Jin's skin.

He swallows hard.

"...Understood."

Wo-woong!

Ham Jin and Black Tomb board onto a carpet-shaped flying magic artifact.

As Ham Jin infuses it with his spiritual power, the flying magic artifact slowly rises into the air, moving in the direction Black Tomb points to.

Ham Jin controls the artifact towards the direction indicated by Black Tomb, while Black Tomb places his hand, generating devilish fire, on Ham Jin's back.

It seems as though he is prepared to incinerate Ham Jin to dust at the slightest sign of betrayal.

Flying through the sky, Ham Jin grits his teeth.

'Are my fellow disciples safe?'

Considering the recent explosion, they might all be dead.

'Just where has Sir Fighting Ghost disappeared to? Wasn't it Sir Fighting Ghost who activated the formation just now? Could it be that he also intended to only use and then discard me...?'

Lost in complex thoughts, he glances down.

A heap of rubble that used to be Split Turtle Valley.

And the flow of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy in Split Turtle Valley.

And...

'Huh?'

Suddenly, Ham Jin's eyes brighten.

The flow of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy is strange.

In one corner of Split Turtle Valley, the spiritual energy is writhing wildly.

Then, the piles of rubble in that place begin to tremble, and his fellow disciples emerge.

"Wh-what?"

Forgetting that Black Tomb is holding devilish fire against his back, Ham Jin shouts in joy.

"Master, look! All the seniors and juniors are alive!"

Strangely, most of his seniors and juniors who are in the 1st or 2nd star of Qi Refining are unharmed.

Not even a scratch seems to be on them.

As if someone had specifically protected them.

At Ham Jin's shout, Black Tomb looks in the direction Ham Jin is pointing to.

But contrary to Ham Jin's overflowing joy, Black Tomb's reaction is the complete opposite.

"Hmm?"

Feeling something odd, Ham Jin turns to look back.

Black Tomb is sweating coldly.

"Master, Master. What's wrong?"

Wo-woong―

He asks while maneuvering the flying magic artifact.

Kurung, Kurururung!

It appears like dark clouds are gathering in the sky, but he pays it no mind.

He is just curious about Black Tomb's demeanor.

"Master, there's a look of worry etched on your face."

Then, with a pale white face, Black Tomb speaks.

Chiiii―

The sky is suddenly filled with dark clouds, and the surroundings grow dim.

Drip, drop, shuaaaaaa!

In the pouring of raindrops, the devilish fire in Black Tomb's hand is extinguished. But Black Tomb, too terrified to reignite the devilish fire, points with a trembling finger to where his disciples are crawling out.

"D-Disciple. Ham Jin. Can you not see that ghost?"

Ham Jin looks back.

There are only his seniors and juniors crawling out from where Black Tomb is pointing.

Black Tomb's voice trembles.

"Can you not see...that ghost with 19 heads, clad in immense darkness?"

"...!"

Ham Jin pretends not to know and looks ahead.

He steers the flying magic artifact with a composed demeanor but grins where Black Tomb can't see him.

'As expected, that being hasn't abandoned me! They even saved my seniors and juniors!'

He speaks in a calm voice, as if to reassure Black Tomb.

"Master, it's just the streak of rain. It's because of the sudden downpour that you're seeing things."

Clench!

Both of Black Tomb's hands grasp Ham Jin's shoulders.

But it isn't an act of threat or intimidation.

Rather, it's an action born of fear, clutching onto Ham Jin as if he is the only one he can rely on.

His hands are trembling.

And in his ears, he can hear the voice of the great ghost.

[Child, give it to me. Give me your heart. If you give me your heart, I will show you a delightful new world. If you give me your heart, you can come together with me. Come with me, and I will give you the chance to live a very enjoyable life.]

Black Tomb's pupils sharply constrict.

It's coming.

The massive great ghost with 19 heads clad in darkness is slowly following Black Tomb and Ham Jin.

[Where do you wish to go? There's a place where the most beautiful eyes are embedded in the sky. There's also a pretty doll's dress waiting for you. I can send you to a place that's perfectly suited for your cultivation method.]

Black Tomb, panicking, clings to Ham Jin.

"Disciple, disciple! Can you not hear it? Can you not hear the great ghost whispering to me?"

He is trembling in fear.

He can feel it.

This ghost is not a True God or a being like the Heaven Above Heavens.

It's an even higher existence!

An existence beyond the sky, in the world beyond ascension!

Flying slowly through the sky, Ham Jin speaks soothingly to calm Black Tomb.

"Please rest, Master. It's just the sound of wind rustling through the raindrops."

Black Tomb looks back again.

The ghost is still ever approaching him.

With every step it takes, its size grows even larger.

Its body is like the night sky, its eyes resembling 38 red pearls.

[Child, give me your heart. I will let you come with me. My Law Protectors are also waiting for a new devotee.]

As the ghost waves its hand, faint visions shimmer within its dark robe.

[They will grant you grace in the sea where dimensions ripple. They will perform excellent procedures on you and celebrate you becoming one with us.]

Inside his black robe is a red monster with six arms.

A giant with a body of starlight. A centipede curled up in the pitch-black darkness.

The vision of a witch commanding countless cursed dolls flickers.

Black Tomb clings to Ham Jin, terrified at the thought that the ghosts inside the dark robe might reach out to him at any moment.

"Disciple, disciple! Can you not see them? Can you not see the ghost and his four law protectors standing there?"

Ham Jin laughs as he pierces through the rain.

"Master, Master. I see very clearly. It's just a heap of stones."

Thump, thump, thump!

Black Tomb's pupils tremble erratically.

He pants for breath.

His heart starts to ache.

Before he knows it, the ghost has caught up to them, right behind them.

He wants to urge Ham Jin to go faster.

But the ghost's presence saps his strength.

[Child, I need your heart. The radiant sight of your heart gives me expectation. If you do not give me your heart, I'll use force.]

Clench!

Finally, the massive black great ghost with 19 heads grabs Black Tomb's shoulder.

"Disciple! Disciple! The ghost has caught me!"

Kuadududuk!

Darkness burrows into Black Tomb's body.

They are curse spells.

Curses, all dreadful and all vile!

Curses filled with unimaginable torture and pain that no ordinary devilish cultivator could ever fathom.

Black Tomb can't even begin to guess how many millions of souls this ghost has tortured to forge these curses.

He screams at the sight of these dreadful curses.

“Disciple! The ghost is hurting me! Disciple! Fly the magic artifact faster! Disciple! Ham Jin!"

Ham Jin begins to ease his power from the flying magic artifact.

Gradually, it slows down.

"HUKUAAAAAAH!!! KUAAAAAAAA!!! HUAAAAAAAGH! KUAAAAAAAAA!!!"

Terrible screams begin to erupt from behind Ham Jin.

Screams like those of eunuchs being castrated alive.

Ham Jin does not look back.

Since Infinite Fighting Ghost has attached himself to him, Black Tomb's disciples have been subjected to experiments but never killed.

But Ham Jin clearly remembers.

His fellow disciples.

His seniors and juniors.

Before he connected with the Wuji Ghost King,

Countless of his friends had been sacrificed as experimental subjects by this vile devil.

"KUAAAAGH!! HAM JIN-AH!!! PLEASE, I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING! PLEASE SAVE ME! WHERE IS THIS! MOTHERRRR!!!! KUAAAAGH!! HUKUAAAAGH!!!"

The screams are like the wails of ghosts.

He brings the flying magic artifact to a halt and slowly lowers its altitude.

Clench!

"This dog bastard!!! Move forward, move faster! Hur