A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation

Chapter 415: Three Great Disasters (3)

Jun Jae swallows.

He can feel it.

Even during the Four-Axis stage, this is a monster that fought against the Grand Cultivator Association and even took a hostage.

Just that alone is enough to redeem him the qualifications of someone at the Grand Perfection Integration stage!

And now, this monster brought along an Integrated Dao Domain with him.

Jun Jae can't even imagine how much stronger he has become.

Gulp—

Jun Jae swallows again, focusing all his attention on the monster before him.

And then, the specter of the Three Great Ultimates raises his sword.

Of course, even if he isn't confident, it is still the leader's duty to boost his comrades' morale.

Jun Jae steps forward, putting his golden scale-covered body at the forefront.

In the next moment.

Jun Jae's foresight reveals the Human Race territory split in two.

"H-Heok?!"

Flash!

A single line of light.

The sound follows belatedly.

But Jun Jae, no, everyone including Jun Jae, knows immediately.

'This is insane...'

Jun Jae breaks out in a cold sweat, his expression one of utter shock.

Life drains from his eyes.

He feels on the verge of a panic attack.

The attacks from Integration Grand Cultivators are powerful enough to vaporize an area with a diameter of 30,000 li with a single strike.

But look at this.

With a single strike from Seo Eun-hyun, the monster of Three Great Ultimates, land with a diameter of 300,000 li, along with the sea of clouds and all the Sky Islands in its path, are sliced apart.

Only because he himself is at the Grand Perfection Integration stage can Jun Jae comprehend.

That the being before him is a monster capable of annihilating a small Decaying Corpse Realm in its entirety with a single blow.

Of course, Jun Jae, being at the Grand Perfection Integration stage, can bring about the extinction of the 'ecosystem' within a Decaying Corpse Realm.

By triggering a sufficiently large earthquake and completely twisting the earth's crust so that no living being can survive, all life within the Decaying Corpse Realm would face extinction that very day.

However, there is a vast difference between wiping out all life within a Decaying Corpse Realm and annihilating the Decaying Corpse Realm itself.

Being at the Great Perfection Integration stage himself, Jun Jae realizes as soon as he sees Seo Eun-hyun's single strike.

'He...this power is beyond the Integration stage.'

Tremble, shuddershuddershudder—

As soon as he senses the level of power Seo Eun-hyun wields, Jun Jae can tell.

What level of power the being before his eyes has reached.

'Not quite...at the Quasi-Star Shattering stage but a being beyond the Integration stage...'

Clench...

But he can't give up.

This Human Race territory is a precious domain his ancestors risked their lives to obtain.

It's a cherished place that cannot be recklessly moved at the whim of a single member.

"Everyone, charge at the Colorless Sword Ghost!"

Colorless Sword Ghost, Seo Eun-hyun.

This is the title Seo Eun-hyun earned after his previous battle with the Grand Cultivator Association.

A nickname given that describes him literally, a ghost wielding a sword.

"Stay put, you Sword Ghost bastard!"

"No matter how strong you are, do you really think you can defeat all of us?"

Gae Jin, Eung Yeon, and others.

The Integration stage Grand Cultivators who are still young or inexperienced excitedly charge at Seo Eun-hyun.

But Wi Ryeong-seon and Wi Su,

Those with more experience or keen minds,

Or figures like Jun Jae himself or Hon Won, who are at higher cultivation realms, hesitate, launching their attacks at Seo Eun-hyun from the rear.

Yet, despite being in the back, Jun Jae's expression remains calm.

'An Integration stage cultivator capable of producing attacks nearing the Star Shattering stage...but that's all.'

He focuses his attack on Seo Eun-hyun with a serious expression as he instructs the sects that have responded to the Grand Cultivator Association's summons to target Jeon Myeong-hoon and other Integration level comrades, all while contemplating.

'The Integration stage. At the early stage at that. There's no way he can use such overwhelming attacks frequently. At most, he can use it three times. We just need to be cautious for two more attacks. After that, his power will drop to the level of an ordinary Grand Perfection Integration stage cultivator. At that point, Gol Maek and I can join forces to subdue him.'

Jun Jae completes what he believes to be the most rational judgment within the scope of his knowledge, his eyes gleaming.

"Keep attacking! As long as he's enduring our full assault, he won't be able to move easily!"

Wi Ryeong-seon swings his fan, causing flames to surge, and Wi Su amplifies the firepower with a gust of wind.

Gae Jin sprouts spores and hyphae from within the flames, covering Seo Eun-hyun's body, while Eung Yeon pulls out her tower, a quasi-Refining Void Dharma Treasure, and presses down on Seo Eun-hyun.

Gol Maek gathers energy in both hands, sending a violet glow shooting towards Seo Eun-hyun, and Jun Jae unleashes his magnetic dharma treasures to suppress Seo Eun-hyun's body.

At the same time, they don't forget to attack Seo Eun-hyun with lightning divine power, scorching him like Heavenly Tribulation.

'It's working, he's unable to move! If we can stall him like this and avoid two more of his attacks, victory will be ours!'

However, despite gaining the upper hand, Jun Jae anxiously surveys his surroundings.

Kwarururung!

Among the Six Major Sects of the Human Race, the Black Scaled Fish Commanding Sect, Entering Truth Gate, and Heavenly Lotus Sect are all focusing their efforts on keeping a single Jeon Myeong-hoon at bay.

Jeon Myeong-hoon swings his six arms in all four directions, brandishing his lightning spear, and each time he swings the lightning spear, the martial forces of each sect fall apart like paper.

[Guaaaaaaah!]

As Jeon Myeong-hoon roars, a Taiji emerges around him, and a domain of lightning and thunder begins to form in the vicinity.

Kuarurururung!

As soon as he opens his domain, countless red lightning bolts start raining down from above.

'Integration with late-stage power...considering how his current realm appears to be at the early stage, it's terrifying to imagine how much stronger he'll become once he reaches the late stage...'

Jun Jae turns his gaze elsewhere.

On the battlefield, Penglai Palace of the Human Race Six Major Sects is being confronted by Hong Fan, Kim Yeon, and Buk Hyang-hwa.

The poison scattered by the giant centipede demon leaves left the law enforcers of Penglai Palace unable to focus, and in the chaos, Kim Yeon is manipulating Buk Hyang-hwa's puppets to fight against Penglai Island.

Penglai Palace deployed the General Seos they previously took from Seo Eun-hyun, but in the span of three blinks, they were taken over by Kim Yeon.

Though it appears like Hong Fan and the puppets are being pushed back by the Penglai Palace disciples' Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique, Buk Hyang-hwa, who is within the puppets, is continuously modifying them in real-time, and making them stronger.

'No, more than that...how is that woman so calmly evading and breaking through the attacks of higher-level cultivators so effortlessly?'

Jun Jae is staring at Kim Yeon.

A woman clearly only at the Heavenly Being stage.

However, her movements are bizarrely fast.

Wo-woong—

"...?"

Jun Jae frowns as he notices five orb-like things floating around Kim Yeon.

Each time one of the orbs enters her body, her puppet manipulation speed increases significantly.

It's not simply at the level of being fast.

That speed rivals the Flying Escape Technique of an Integration stage Grand Cultivator.

'That woman is also a major factor at the level of a Grand Cultivator.'

He analyzes the combat potential of those Seo Eun-hyun brought with him.

The Black Ghost Valley is in combat with Shi Ho and Seo Ran.

Shi Ho is baring his six tails and growling atop Seo Ran's Nether Crossing Ship, while the Black Ghost Valley has deployed two Nether Crossing Ships, several Four-Axis Ghost Kings, as well as Heo Gwak and Heo Ryeong to pressure the two of them.

However...

'Damn it, what the hell is that now!?'

Oh Hyun-seok, who has joined with the Azure Heaven Creation Sect, that has just risen to the bottom of the Six Major Sects of the Human Race, is fighting together with them against the entire Black Ghost Valley.

[Uhahahahaha!]

[Huhahahahaha!]

Azure Tiger Saint Cheongmun Sunwoo and Oh Hyun-seok are both exuding the same energy as they battle against the Ghost Kings of the Black Ghost Valley.

[You fools! What are you doing right now!? Are you declaring your betrayal to the Human Race!?]

Jun Jae shouts towards the Azure Heaven Creation Sect.

But what he receives in return is the boisterous laughter of Azure Tiger Saint.

[Hahaha! Before being part of the Human Race, we are of the same sect!]

[They are traitors to the Human Race!]

[Before being a traitor, he is my disciple!]

Azure Tiger Saint puffs out his chest in front of Oh Hyun-seok and shouts.

[If you wish to imprison my disciple, you must first imprison me, his unworthy master!]

Jun Jae is at a loss for words, utterly bewildered.

'He...he doesn't even realize that it's only due to his dharma treasure which makes him at the Quasi-Integration level that his sect was accepted into the Human Race's Six Major Sects...'

Jun Jae grinds his teeth with his eyes gleaming.

[They're all hopeless. Every single one of them has something wrong...]

Kugugugugu!

Starting with Jun Jae, domains begin to emerge from the bodies of the Grand Cultivators of the Grand Cultivator Association.

Wo-woong!

The domains of the Grand Cultivators wrap even more tightly around Seo Eun-hyun, who is already trapped.

Their domains overlap, enveloping the entire area where the battle is taking place.

Typically, when domains overlap, they collide and push against each other.

However, when the owners of the domains give permission, the domains instead overlap, and the energy amplifies even more.

Kugugugugu!

Jun Jae's eyes shine with a stern light.

His entire body transforms into a giant covered in golden scales.

Gol Maek becomes a giant figure completely enveloped in unknown bones.

Gae Jin turns into a mass of mushrooms and hyphae sprouting from his entire body, while Eung Yeon merges with her dharma treasures, becoming a golden dragon. Wi Ryeong-seon becomes a butterfly of flames, and Wi Su becomes a butterfly with wings of wind, all revealing their true forms.

[This is the end, you bastards! Now kneel before the authority of humanity...]

Just as the golden-scaled giant, who released all his strength, raises one hand,

Crack!

Jun Jae suddenly turns around at the spine-chilling sound coming from behind him.

Kuguguguk!

As a dark wind sweeps in, a pitch-black hand shoots up from within the prison of flames.

Then, a Ghost King with twenty heads emerges from within, wielding a colorless sword.

[Th-This, damn it! Stop it!]

At Jun Jae's shout, all the Grand Cultivators combine their powers, intensifying the seal on the Ghost King and launching their attacks.

But the Ghost King, despite being struck by countless attacks, calmly converses with someone.

[Why are you still staying inside alone?]

"It's because I'm not yet fully accustomed to the consciousness domain and spiritual power of the Core Formation stage..."

[Isn't your strength even greater now?]

"Before I can control my power even more perfectly, I'm trying to hold back."

[Well...do as you wish.]

Jun Jae feels an inexplicable chill as he watches this exchange.

Tstststststststs!

Countless futures flash before his eyes.

At the Integration stage, a Grand Cultivator no longer sees just one possible future but multiple possibilities.

If one sits quietly and concentrates for years, one could even predict possibilities far into the distant future.

However, in Jun Jae's vision, only one possible future becomes visible.

[Everyone, get out of the way!!!]

Kwagwagwagwang!

The prison of flames collapses.

The shockwave causes all the domains surrounding Seo Eun-hyun to crumple.

And Seo Eun-hyun grips his sword once more.

Jun Jae grits his teeth and shouts.

[He must have exhausted a significant amount of energy while escaping! Just avoid that!]

Kugugugugu!

Then, Seo Eun-hyun's single strike splits the entire Human Race territory in half once more.

Jun Jae feels a chill run down his spine.

The sheer power is one thing, but despite the massive slash cutting through the entire Human Race territory, while the terrain was destroyed, not a single living being was harmed.

A single strike that passes through anything that isn't its target, cutting only what is intended.

The precision is terrifying.

However, Jun Jae feels relieved.

'He must have used up all his strength by now.'

He shouldn't be able to show such feats any longer.

Then, Seo Eun-hyun swings his sword.

Boo-woong!

[...!!]

Jun Jae is shocked and quickly dodges Seo Eun-hyun's slash again.

Once more, his sword splits Heaven and Earth.

Eight out of ten of the Human Race's Sky Islands have been sliced off by Seo Eun-hyun's sword.

In disbelief, Jun Jae shakes his head.

[Th-That's right. I made a slight misjudgment. But that must have truly been the last...]

Seo Eun-hyun grips his sword again.

And he swings towards the Grand Cultivators.

Once again, the Grand Cultivators strain with all their might to dodge, and Jun Jae's face turns pale.

[He must have learned some special secret art to conserve his energy. But this time, his strength must truly be...]

Seo Eun-hyun swings his sword once more.

Kugugugugu!

The entire Human Race territory is filled with slashes, and the Sky Islands begin to fall.

The foundation of humanity is being destroyed.

[...Ah ...I see.]

'That is no ordinary Above-Integration stage...'

Only then does Jun Jae realize.

The Seo Eun-hyun in front of him was never fighting them from the beginning.

To the being before him, the Grand Cultivators are nothing more than insignificant fruit flies.

He is simply doing what he said he would do from the beginning—attacking their foundation to drive humanity out of their homeland.

Boo-woong, boo-woong, boo-woong!

Each time the sword is swung, the floating formations of the Sky Islands shatter, and the Sky Islands fall.

[S-Stop...]

Sword light flashes.

The formless sword light shatters all the formations within the Human Race territory.

[Stop it...!]

Jun Jae shouts with despair in his eyes.

As the clouds above the Human Race territory clear, their home is being destroyed by Seo Eun-hyun's atrocities.

[I said stop!]

The land that humanity's ancestors had protected for generations is crumbling just like that.

[I'm telling you to stop right now!!!]

Jun Jae cries out in rage, shedding tears of blood as he screams at the monster swinging the sword.

And then, Seo Eun-hyun and Jun Jae's eyes meet.

For the sake of humanity's territory, Jun Jae charges at the monster before him.

Someone has to stop it.

They have to stop this monster from bringing the end of the human era!

Kwaaang!

The next moment, Jun Jae is struck by Seo Eun-hyun's single strike, and his entire golden-scaled body shatters and is flung away.

His domain is split in half.

It's immediately clear.

That Seo Eun-hyun could have crushed them all to death at any time.

[Bastard!]

Gol Maek roars in fury as she expands her body and charges at Seo Eun-hyun.

Wi Ryeong-seon, Wi Su, Gae Jin, and Eung Yeon also launch a full-scale assault on Seo Eun-hyun once more.

Under Wi Ryeong-seon's command, the Six Major Sects, no, the Five Major Sects excluding the Azure Heaven Creation Sect, that are fighting Seo Eun-hyun's comrades, all rush at Seo Eun-hyun together.

[Do not threaten humanity's foundation, you traitor!]

At Gae Jin's shout, countless members of the Human Race begin bombarding Seo Eun-hyun with dharma treasures and spells.

And as Seo Eun-hyun's forty eyes glow, he begins to reveal a spine-chilling aura.

[...I kept playing along with you, and now you don't know your place.]

Seo Eun-hyun, who had never fully unleashed the power of the Three Great Ultimates, begins to emit ghost fire from his glowing eyes.

[Fine, let's do this properly.]

The next moment, Seo Eun-hyun vanishes.

And in the following instant,

The only one who reacts properly is Gol Maek.

Pabung, Papeong!

Gae Jin and Eung Yeon's bodies are sliced in half, and Seo Eun-hyun's sword digs into Gol Maek's crossed arms, severing both of them.

Seo Eun-hyun coldly surveys his surroundings, using the Flying Escape Technique, Sword Flight, and the Gliding Technique.

From the beginning, he had no intention of facing the Human Race's great army.

Though Jeon Myeong-hoon said he would kill them all, Seo Eun-hyun was confident he could suppress the entire Human Race without killing anyone, so they were just objectives on his list.

His goal was to instill overwhelming fear and drive humanity out of their base.

That's why he only used large-scale attacks to turn the Human Race territory into a mess.

But no one,

Not a single member of humanity fears Seo Eun-hyun.

They are shocked, but that's all.

Every one of them is burning with determination to protect their base.

'So this is why they're called the Two Evils with the Fighting Ghost Race.'

The Fighting Ghost Race, constantly burning with fighting spirit as they battle.

The Human Race, who will continue to burn with fighting spirit even if their lives are about to be extinguished, as long as they have something to protect.

Both races have parts of them that will never let their fighting spirit break, which is why they are both grouped together and called the Asura Race.

'I thought wrong. After all, I'm human as well...'

Seo Eun-hyun finally changes his mindset.

'With a half-hearted resolve, I can't make humanity kneel.'

He adjusts his sword stance.

No longer is it a stance to merely intimidate the opponent, but a stance meant to properly kill the opponent.

With fierce killing intent in his eyes, he opens his mouth.

[I apologize for underestimating you. In that case, from now on...]

He begins to unleash his killing moves.

[I will face you properly.]

Right now, his opponent is humanity.

One of the two races in this vast Bright Cold Realm that never falters.

A thread-like sword energy erupts from his hand.

No, it isn't something as trivial as sword energy.

It's too terrifying to be called sword energy, too tyrannical to be called sword gang, and too sharp to be called sword pill (劍丸).

It is...indeed.

It is something that should rightfully be called Surpassing Path (越道).

The last technique of the first part of the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship is called Sunrise Emerging Peak.

Like sunlight breaking over a mountain peak.

The countless thrusts pouring forth from the technique resemble a sunrise.

But what Seo Eun-hyun is now executing is far from a mere sunrise.

It is not a sunrise.

This is Creation (開闢).

Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.

Twelfth Move.

[D-Dodge!!!]

[We'll be annihilated!]

Six-Hundred-Million Lights Creation Emerging Peak (六䖁光開闢峯).

The thread-like Sword Will pierces through Heaven, Earth, and the Four Directions.

And it doesn't stop at just piercing.

Kugwang, Kuguaguagwang!

It explodes.

From the point where the thread-like thrust hits, a storm of sword energy erupts, turning the surrounding area into a wasteland.

A tempest of slashes arises from all four directions.

The foundation of humanity collapses entirely, plummeting to the ground.

The territory of one of the mighty Six Heaven Tribe Races crumbles.

Gol Maek stares at the monster before her with an aghast expression.

[Sword...Sword...Ghost...]

Before her is the infamous Sword Ghost.

However, she cannot accept that thing being under the mere title of 'Sword Ghost.'

Such a name is far too insufficient to contain it.

And it seems everyone in the Grand Cultivator Association feels the same.

From Wi Ryeong-seon's mouth, as he watches humanity's territory being destroyed, a new name emerges.

"...Sword Devil (劍魔). It's the Sword Devil."

Kugugugugu!

As a storm of slashes passes by, they swallow hard as they stare at the being before them.

The Sword Devil, who has completely devastated all of humanity's territory, is still moving.

Woong, wo-woong, woooo-woong!

Heaven and Earth spiritual energy converges towards the being before them.

The Sword Devil...is preparing the next technique.

[Destroyed be all...!]

Wi Ryeong-seon sheds tears.

[Everyone, flee!]

His will spreads across all of humanity.

Wi Ryeong-seon's thousands of clones issue orders to tens of thousands of sects.

[The Grand Cultivator Association has been defeated! The devil of the sword seeks to trample us humans!]

He shouts as he faces Seo Eun-hyun's killing intent.

[Run away! If you wish to survive, escape from the range of the Sword Devil's attacks!]

Humanity has been defeated.

And they are forced to abandon their homes, embarking on an indefinite exodus, driven out by the devil of the sword with twenty heads.

From that day on, Seo Eun-hyun gained a new infamous name.

The evil ghost who wields a formless sword.

The Formless Sword Devil (無形劍魔) Seo Eun-hyun.

And not long after, all the races in the Bright Cold Realm started to face the Three Great Disasters that began to sweep across the realm in earnest.

The mad puppet master who began to 'truly' grow the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.

Mad Lord, Jo Yeon.

The madman who expelled one of the Two Evils of the Heaven Tribe's Six Great Races, the Human Race, from their homeland. 

Formless Sword Devil, Seo Eun-hyun. 

And the mindless monster that appeared with an army of ghosts and began to devour the world.

Ghost Guiding Holy Mother, Kang Min-hee.

The Mad Lord (怪君).

The Ghost Mother (鬼母).

The Sword Devil (劍魔).

The Bright Cold Realm collectively called these three the Three Great Disasters (災殃).

Translator Notes: Yep. The twelfth move was originally translated as ____ Lights Emerging Peak. I thought the imagery was there without having the sunrise which would make the name longer. I was but an ignorant mortal back then, daring to question the mind of the Great Tremendous. Who would’ve thought it would come back to haunt me now. T.T