A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation Chapter 817 Chapter 814

In the shadows of a dimly lit chamber,

A woman with silver locks and a gaunt expression hammers away at her keyboard.

"Archer, ult now! Use your ultimate, I said!!"

The majestic Mount Sumeru with its Thirty-Three Heavens.

The Radiance Eight Immortals, those Eight Seats upholding the world's righteousness!

The entity who turned against the Radiance Eight Immortals to ally with the mountain divine spirit opposing Radiance Hall—the Crystal King Star Genesis Supreme Deity Seo Eun-hyun—and rose to become the [Sword Extreme Heavenly Venerable].

One who shattered the world's equilibrium.

A top Governing Immortal of Mount Sumeru, the untouchable [Silver Snake].

The Sword Extreme Heavenly Venerable Ji Hwa!

At this moment, this mighty figure is utterly engrossed in an Earthly entertainment known as loot farming.

"Listen up, you idiots, or I'll blast your skulls with a shotgun—focus on the raid, damn it!"

Within the guild she established in the game,

Ji Hwa unleashes furious yells at the members of [Loot Farming Heavenly Lord].

'I've already quit the firm where Oh Hye-seo once toiled. That immortality soap outfit run by the Lizard Race in their human disguises—it's far too perilous for me to stay. With creeps like them around, they'd spot that I'm not Oh Hye-seo but another extraterrestrial possessing her form and strike without warning, so no point in risking it.'

Cold sweat beading on her brow, Ji Hwa concentrates on defeating the raid boss.

After departing the company,

With her funds running low for daily needs, she resorted to earning a livelihood by vending game items via Earth's 'Loot Farming' practice. That's the reality for the Sword Extreme Heavenly Venerable Ji Hwa these days.

To put it simply, for Ji Hwa—who has no other means to cover costs—the rare drop from this raid boss carries the weight of her entire month's expenses.

'I've dumped every potion and scroll boosting drop rates into this run. If we just take down the boss, I'm 99.9999 percent sure to snag that item... But...'

Clenching her jaw, Ji Hwa bellows at the [Loot Farming Heavenly Lord] guildmates.

"You worthless dogs!!! Concentrate, I commanded!!!"

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

Amid the raid's chaos, Ji Hwa erupts in fury at guild members flooding her with private messages.

-ID Ahseo: Unnie, after this raid wraps up, you'll introduce me to that SJD friend for real, won't you?

-ID NorthernTakbu: Sorry, Guild Leader-nim, but can I have this raid's item?

-ID ILikeCurry: Noona, you're joining the guild offline gathering, right?

-ID EnricoEmporio: Noona, you promised to come to the meet-up. It's on me, so any restaurant you fancy...

-ID Rihyunjok: Noona, I've held this in for ages, but I really like you. How about this weekend, we could...

"These freaking fools..."

Even as she battles the raid boss, Ji Hwa rapidly types responses to the persistent private messages from her guildmates mid-fight.

-Yes, I'll hook you up with Jeon Myeong-hoon, so we'll chat later.

-Why bring that up now? We settled item shares before the raid started.

-I'm in!! Our DPS is low, so ramp up the damage quick.

-Anything works for food, just heal faster!!

-I've got a partner, so quit scheming and tank right.

Dududududu-

Ji Hwa's fingers dance over the keys like divine inspiration, scolding the guild's desire-driven slackers while unleashing assaults on the raid boss.

Yet...

Due to the sabotage-level teamwork from [Loot Farming Heavenly Lord] members, more fixated on scraps than the main prize,

The guild squad gets wiped out in a flash by the raid boss.

Ji Hwa maneuvers her avatar with masterful precision to the last, resisting fiercely, but...

Beyond her expert handling, the avatar's response time fails to match her commands...

Ultimately, Ji Hwa's character gets engulfed in the raid boss's inferno and perishes in flames.

With a dazed look, Ji Hwa gapes at her monitor.

Ding!

Ding!

-ID DivineSword PalaceLord: Guild Master-nim, aside from the meet-up, you seem local... Just wanna grab you coffee at Café ** sometime...

-ID ChaebolHouseMelon DirectorPOV: Guild Master-nim, this raid went south. Total trolls in the group... Tough break, but next one's ours... Oh, I snagged two tickets for the Melon House script preview.

***

"...Hah, screw this."

Ji Hwa genuinely contemplates muting her mic and booting every one of these thick-headed guildmates.

They're decent players, and since they don't hog the loot from her farming runs, she recruited them into the guild, yet...

After catching her voice just once, the five likely guys went berserk trying to hit on her nonstop.

Of the two probable women, one started chatting with Ji Hwa and learned of her ties to Jeon Myeong-hoon, then hounded her for an intro.

The remaining one skips game-external drama with Ji Hwa, but as a fellow loot farmer scraping by on item sales, they bicker endlessly over loot splits.

Still...

She gets it.

'These jerks... All of them have jobs or rich backgrounds, so meals aren't an issue...'

Sure, Ji Hwa doesn't fret over food either.

But since arriving on Earth, she's uncovered tons of novel stuff that sparks her shopping urges, leaving plenty she craves.

Plus, bills pile up—rent, utilities, maintenance, water, the works.

In contrast to Ji Hwa's struggles, her seven guildmates live comfortably.

And despite their affluent status as humans...

'My whole month's budget...! You trashed it by blowing up my inbox during the raid...!?'

Ji Hwa's limbs shake, her anger boiling over.

"Huuuuk... Huuuuuuk..."

As rage quakes through her.

Diririririk-

Her smartphone buzzes with an incoming call.

Caller unidentified.

Number blocked.

Recognizing the source of such calls, Ji Hwa picks up, her mood lifting a tad.

"Hey, what's the deal, messaging straight from Mount Sumeru? Bringing your true form? Hehe, this time we'll pick a date and... ah... not the main body? Need a favor? Tsk..."

Whether from disappointment or otherwise, she reluctantly tucks away the handcuffs, blindfold, bunny suit, and such from the drawer she'd eagerly reached for.

"What favor? Oh... for real? A door popped open? Ah... yeah... Lately on Earth, portals to other realms have appeared too, letting in weird, freaky beasts nonstop. The Lizard Race is bad enough, and now otherworldly ghosts or monsters slip through sometimes—it's driving me nuts..."

Tongue clicking, Ji Hwa shoos a wandering spirit that just phased into her room with a kick, banishing it.

Lately, some alien outer god from beyond ascended.

As a side effect, a [Door] linking to other dimensions cracked open on Earth.

Via that gateway, shards of worlds crushed by the Future King, plus odd creatures from Creator God corpse remnants, occasionally spill over.

"What do you mean!? The Lizard Race doesn't inhabit Earth!? Clearly, even in your avatar form, you fell for the sinister Lizard Race's media indoctrination. I warned you to wear an aluminum foil hat—it shields against lizard broadcasts. Listen, the proof compiled on Oh Hye-seo's PC is insanely thorough!!"

Exchanging banter with the caller, Ji Hwa soon grasps the core request.

"Ah... so round up seven fitting youngsters and ship them to Mount Sumeru?"

At Ji Hwa's irritated tone, the voice on the line—the exalted Mount Sumeru divinity, Crystal King Star Genesis Supreme Deity Seo Eun-hyun—replies with faint concern.

-Ji Hwa, just to be clear, don't snatch random innocents. Pick those genuinely seeking a fresh start, or fed up with Earth... and with real aptitude and promise...

"Sure, no sweat, I've got eyes on some perfect candidates already. Sending them over shortly."

-Wait, Ji Hwa, not immediately—screen them carefully...

"No main body visit? Then bye~ Oh, and for this hassle you dumped on me, I get to toy with your clone a little, yeah? You're grateful? Honored? Right back at ya, keep grinding~"

Grinning ear to ear at the chance to rightfully claim Seo Eun-hyun's clone—destined to pair with Kim Yeon-ui's—Ji Hwa swaps her outfit with glee.

She then hops into her smartphone's group chat and messages the [Loot Farming Heavenly Lord] crew.

-Folks, to make the guild meet-up epic.

-Found this themed cafe. It's an xianxia world immersion spot—anyone game?

Minutes later, the guild unanimously replies they're all in.

"They all jumped at it willingly. Alright then..."

Mulling a bit further, she launches a poll their way.

***

-Your Ticket to Mount Sumeru World!-

-Entering Mount Sumeru World: What realm, race, and clan lineage would you pick?

The options...

Among the [Loot Farming Heavenly Lord] members Ji Hwa assembled.

A 25-year-old lad using the handle [Rihyunjok].

'Lee Hyun-ah' gazes forlornly at his phone.

"Confession bombed... Damn..."

It was his boldest shot at romance, in his book.

The [Loot Farming Heavenly Lord] guild head, [Silver Snake].

When she built a loot-focused guild and scouted talent, he'd signed on casually.

His sibling, Lee Seo-ah—Lee Hyun-ah's sister—had prodded him to join and mingle, so he'd gone along half-heartedly.

But in a prior raid, hearing [Silver Snake]'s voice sealed it—Lee Hyun-ah was smitten.

How could a voice enchant like that?

And...

When sister Lee Seo-ah, woman to woman, glimpsed [Silver Snake]'s profile pic and learned her looks.

Lee Hyun-ah tumbled headlong into obsession once more.

That visage, utterly stunning!

That tone, irresistibly charming!

*Via her Discord tag, first spotting her image.

Plus her loot farming expertise and the vibe she barely gets by on gear sales...

Not full chaebol, but as 'third-gen semi-rich,' Lee Hyun-ah figured he could win her over.

Thus, in this crucial raid she hyped, he fired off one private message.

He knew mid-raid flirting was impolite, but...

'If it's just one from me,' the guild master—legendary for god-tier mechanics—ought to take it in stride.

Yet that run, the team's sync went haywire, and Silver Snake's edge never dulled.

Worse, learning from her she had a beau crushed Lee Hyun-ah's focus entirely.

Raid flopped, and from Silver Snake's mic came furious key smacks before voice cut out.

'She's... fuming for sure...'

Truth be told, the confession flop still sours his mood.

He'd skip tomorrow's meet-up if he could.

But...

'S-Still... I crave seeing her...'

Sure, post-rejection, meeting might awkward out, he admits.

Nevertheless...

Lee Hyun-ah yearns to face the guild master again.

And...

'Real talk, even with her partner... Folks say I'm adorable... And my folks... we've got solid cash...'

Naturally, as a gaming fiend who's frail, petite, and brooding, even family elders dismiss him...

Still, sizing himself up fairly, he itches to chat with the guild master.

'Ugh... I'm such a loser...'

Tears pricking at his lameness, Lee Hyun-ah completes and submits the cafe survey from guild master Silver Snake.

-Entry realm: Penglai Island (ex-Head Realm) (tutorial zone)

-Entry race: Human.

-Entry Guide: Makli Clan.

-Spirit Root talent: Wood Spirit Root.

-Gender: Male.

-Righteous/Devil: Devil.

-Physique pick: Ghost Path Body.

-Fate (optional): ...

"This oughta do...?"

Extra choices abound, but with many optional, Lee Hyun-ah skips them and fires off his picks.

"Argh, this sucks so bad..."

Flushing from the rejection sting, he...

Hunts for tomorrow's meet-up attire.

***

"Yo, Lee Hyun-ah, what's up with that getup?"

"Wh-What do you mean? What's off about it?"

Lee Hyun-ah retorts snappishly to his sister, Lee Seo-ah, all dolled up for the guild event.

"I keep saying, wear a skirt outdoors."

"Knock it off! I'm male!"

"You're so petite... Cross-dressing fits you perfectly."

His sister smirks darkly and pats his shoulder; Hyun-ah sighs at his feminine vibe and heads with her to the spot.

"Sis, where'd they say to link up?"

"Hold on, checking their outfits... Oh, those folks? That the crew?"

"Yeah, spot on... The wavers are [DivineSword PalaceLord] and [ILikeCurry], yeah?"

"Yep. Next to 'em... [NorthernTakbu] and [EnricoEmporio]? And that one's [ChaebolHouseMelon DirectorPOV], right?"

Lee Hyun-ah and Lee Seo-ah spot the bunch across the avenue.

The Loot Farming Heavenly Lord folks notice too, crossing over promptly.

"Hi there, you must be [Ahseo] and [Rihyunjok]? Glad to meet ya, heh... I'm the new [Chaebol House Melon DirectorPOV]. Call me Park Sung-hyun, or Chaebol-jip if you like."

"Uh, hi... Nice to meet you."

Eying the jovial fortysomething, Lee Hyun-ah offers a greeting.

Then, trailing Chaebol-jip, the rest emerge.

A dark-haired girl in ebony garb, brooding and reclusive-looking, [NorthernTakbu]. True name Ahn Geum.

A plumpish bespectacled man in dark attire with a somber air, [ILikeCurry]. True name Ahn Gyeong.

A gangly blond-dyed fellow faking outgoing energy, [EnricoEmporio]. True name Jegal Mikhail.

A nondescript guy save for red frames, [DivineSword PalaceLord]. True name Kim Shin-ju.

"Haha, so now we hunt the guild master? Word is she's at the cafe already..."

Chaebol-jip—Park Sung-hyun—beams cheerily amid Lee Seo-ah and Ahn Geum, suggesting they seek guild master Silver Snake, Ji Hwa.

"Right, right, she's close by."

"Know the spot? You're Seo-ah, yeah? Mind leading us?"

Park Sung-hyun latches onto Lee Seo-ah with a toothy grin; the other guildmates' faces sour slightly.

"Oh, everyone fill the survey? Ahaha, another-world theme cafe—I'm pumped. What d'you call it? Isekai? You kids love that transported-to-another-world stuff nowadays, huh?"

Park Sung-hyun gloms onto Lee Seo-ah, then Ahn Geum at times, chuckling as he chats solely with the gals.

"Especially you, Mr. Ahn Gyeong, that isekai vibe?