A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation

"What madness! Who dares to attack the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect!?"

"It must be someone tired of living!"

Five Nascent Soul stage elders quickly encircle Yuan Yu with lightning flashing in their eyes.

Upon seeing Yuan Yu's appearance, they take a gasp for a moment then they each form hand seals to summon their dharma treasures and prepare their spells.

I watch them through Yuan Yu's perspective, feeling a remarkably fresh sensation.

'It's been a long time since I've faced ordinary human cultivators.'

When I was captured by the Mad Lord, it felt more like I was fighting the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress rather than directly confronting someone, since I was in the body of a puppet.

In the Azure Heaven Creation Sect, where everyone walked around shirtless enjoying physical combat due to their steel-like bodies, there were no users of dharma treasures or spells.

In this life, since I've been living among the demon race and not humans, I've been sparring with demon beasts who use their sturdy bodies instead of dharma treasures and supernatural abilities instead of spells. Hence, facing cultivators who traditionally use dharma treasures like this is a first in a long time.

"Strike down with Thunderbolt Banner!"

An elder with a long beard, seemingly enraged, swings a blue flag dharma treasure and causes blue lightning to fall from the sky onto Yuan Yu.

"Blood Chain Binding Forest."

In the next moment, Yuan Yu forms a hand seal, extracting red blood trees from the surrounding blood mist to create a barrier which the lightning incinerates.

Starting with the bearded elder, the other elders also begin to cast their spells.

"To think you dare to fight against us, the Five Door Immortal Masters. You must be out of your mind!"

"Five Door Immortal Masters..."

I watch their spells hit Yuan Yu through his perspective and smirk.

"So, you're the gatekeepers of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect's defensive barrier. In other words, if I keep you occupied here, there will be no one to guard the main gate of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect?"

"...! There's an accomplice..?"

Kwaaaaang!

Before the so-called Five Door Immortal Masters can finish speaking,

The puppets I summoned with the Thousand Lustrous Forest Sea Canon hit the main gate of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect once again.

They are the mass-produced General Seo puppets.

Highly useful puppets capable of delivering Nascent Soul level attacks swarm towards the entrance of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, opening their mouths to shoot out General Seo Cannons.

Jeeeeng!

A strike from one General Seo puppet shatters the main gate of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect and the mass-produced General Seo puppets swarm towards the broken gate.

"What is this...!"

The Five Door Immortal Masters are flustered trying to stop the mass-produced General Seo puppets, but Yuan Yu blocks them.

"You shall not pass."

"You damned thing. I can't even tell if you're a man or a woman. If you don't move aside, I'll split you in half and kill you!"

"You shall not pass."

I move Yuan Yu's body, smiling.

Yuan Yu's eerily charming smile seems to shock the Five Door Immortal Masters once again, but they all furiously form hand seals.

"Die!"

'Hmm…'

Yuan Yu opens his mouth and starts spitting out dharma treasures from his Golden Core.

Ziiing!

Attacks aimed at Yuan Yu are all blocked by the four pagodas he spits out.

Around Yuan Yu, dharma treasures begin to emerge.

Seventeen bone dagger dharma treasures.

A blood-colored spear dharma treasure, a crystal skull staff, and the Summoning Wind, Sacred Blood Leaf Fan, among others.

"You shall not pass."

Additionally, Yuan Yu calls forth a Nascent Soul stage ghost king from the blood clouds, forming hand seals with an eerie smile.

Kwaaaang!

The next moment, one of Yuan Yu's daggers flies towards one of the Five Door Immortal Masters, battering his defensive spell and Pure Spiritual Force protective aura.

The defensive spell breaks but the Nascent Soul's protective aura isn't penetrated, making Yuan Yu's dagger halt and hover in the air.

However, the ghost king summoned by Yuan Yu strikes down with his scythe on the Five Door Immortal Master whose defensive spell had been shattered in the next moment.

Jeeeeng!

Once again, a shocking sound echoes and Yuan Yu's attack successfully penetrates the opponent's protective aura this time around.

"Ugh...! Do you think you can defeat me!"

The protective aura shattered Nascent Soul elder forms hand seals and transforms into a Lightning Serpent that opens its mouth towards Yuan Yu,

Pshhh!

Yuan Yu's dagger targets him, but it only leaves a small wound on his neck, dodging Yuan Yu's attack and striking next to Yuan Yu.

Jeeeeng!

That attack shatters the barrier created by Yuan Yu's pagoda dharma treasures.

"Blood Chain Binding Forest."

Chyarluk!

As Yuan Yu forms hand seals again, numerous blood trees grow around him, swinging their sharp branches and leaves at the Nascent Soul stage elders.

Most of them move like lightning to dodge Yuan Yu's attacks, but their protective body force and defensive spells begin to falter.

"Blood Spear."

Above the summoned blood spear, the figure of a ghost king holding the spear appears.

The ghost king, inhaling the blood mist from Yuan Yu, instantly elevates its realm to the Nascent Soul stage like the scythe-wielding ghost king. With all its might, it thrusts at the opponent before it.

Jeeeeng!

"Agh!"

The thrust of the blood spear shatters one of the Five Door Immortal Masters' spells and protective body force, tearing through his side.

Under Yuan Yu's control, the ghost king wielding the blood spear breaks through the Five Door Immortal Masters' protective body forces and defensive spells, scattering spears in all directions.

"Bind!"

Pajijijik!

However, as a bald Five Door Immortal Master forms hand seals, chains of lightning bound the ghost king.

The ghost king is neutralized in an instant, but Yuan Yu once again manipulates seventeen bone daggers and scatters them in all directions.

The momentum is chilling and under Yuan Yu's manipulation, the daggers graze the Nascent Soul stage elders' skin, drawing blood droplets.

"Everyone, be on your guard. This one is not to be underestimated!"

"As long as we stay alert, this guy won't be able to beat us!"

The Five Door Immortal Masters seem to be pushed back by Yuan Yu but then press on him in turn, gradually pushing him back.

At some point, the coordination among the five Nascent Soul stage elders perfectly clicks, causing Yuan Yu to be fully exposed to their attacks.

Kwarrrrrrung!

As the sound of thunder echoes, Yuan Yu is torn to shreds by the lightning. Left with only his Golden Core, he is targeted by the highest-ranking elder who shoots a lightning arrow and shatters Yuan Yu's Golden Core.

Thus, Yuan Yu is killed.

"Phew, he was a tough one."

"Now we just need to capture his Nascent Soul, and it's over."

"It felt like fighting not one, but three Nascent Soul stage cultivators."

"That just shows how powerful he was. Now..."

And then.

Chyarluk!

The blood mist Yuan Yu had been spreading around begins to seep into the shattered Golden Core.

Yuan Yu's Golden Core regenerates.

And around the Golden Core, Yuan Yu's flesh begins to grow back.

Wriggle, wriggle...

The lumps of red flesh that wriggles like a collection of meat gather, transforming back into Yuan Yu's form.

Thus, Yuan Yu is resurrected.

"You shall not pass."

"What is this...!"

Seeing Yuan Yu resurrected in perfect condition, the Five Door Immortal Masters clench their teeth.

"Right, I had expected that the lifeline of someone who practices devilish arts might be a bit tougher! Devil cultivators, even in death, have learned many immortality skills. It's said that they have to be killed once, twice, sometimes even three times, correct?"

"..."

Yuan Yu simply forms hand seals without expression.

"Let's kill him three times then! Let's continue!"

Once again, the battle between the Five Door Immortal Masters and Yuan Yu commences.

The Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect is in turmoil.

The mass-produced General Seo puppets I created are opening their mouths and shooting beams everywhere, collapsing numerous halls throughout the sect.

To suppress the chaos, Nascent Soul and Heavenly Being stage cultivators flew out, beginning to smash the Nascent Soul stage puppets.

As the mass-produced General Seo puppets shoot beams near Thunder Cloud Peak, even the elders guarding the Thunder Tribute Hall have no choice but to respond.

Eventually, the Nascent Soul stage elder guarding the Thunder Tribute Hall frowns and swiftly descends to smash the mass-produced General Seo puppets.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, I move Jeon Myeong-hoon's body and sneak into the Thunder Tribute Hall through the gap.

As expected, the hall's mechanisms are neutralized by the circuits of the Mad Lord, rendering them inactive.

'This is the Thunder Tribute Hall...'

Vast!

Though it looks small from the outside, the interior is as spacious as a grand palace's main hall.

Space compression spell.

I notice something at the far end of this vast hall that carries strong lightning energy and walk towards the other end of the hall.

Fizz, fizz...

Some lightning attribute mechanisms seem to be activating, but somehow, they are all absorbed into Jeon Myeong-hoon's body without any reaction.

'Does lightning attribute energy just get absorbed by Jeon Myeong-hoon without resistance?'

It seems to be the power of the Heavenly Golden Thunder Body.

After an uncertain amount of time passing through lightning attribute mechanisms that crumbled helplessly in front of Jeon Myeong-hoon's body,

I finally reach a large altar.

On that altar flutters a bright golden flag.

Kurung, Kururung...

'This is the Heavenly Lightning Banner...'

The Heavenly Lightning Banner is enormous.

It is not something that can be held and swung with hands.

The pole of the Heavenly Lightning Banner alone is bigger than four Jeon Myeong-hoons put together.

Fizz, fizz...

As Jeon Myeong-hoon's hand touches the Heavenly Lightning Banner, it vibrates wildly with a buzzing sound.

'Huh?'

However, I am startled looking at the Heavenly Lightning Banner through the eyes of Mysterious Bizarre Gu.

'This Heavenly Lightning Banner...'

From the Heavenly Lightning Banner, intent flows out as if it's a person.

'Is it... alive?'

Wo-woong!

As Jeon Myeong-hoon touches the Heavenly Lightning Banner, it sends out an intent of fear, vibrating wildly.

It seems to greatly dislike being touched by Jeon Myeong-hoon's hand.

But despite its dislike and fear, once Jeon Myeong-hoon grabs it, it fails to resist and quietly remains in his hand, showing its displeasure.

'Huh, interesting.'

After looking at the artifact seriously, I take the Heavenly Lightning Banner and head outside.

The sect elders are still wrestling with the mass-produced General Seos.

'Now, all I have to do is take the Heavenly Lightning Banner outside and it's over.'

The main gate of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.

Above it, five Nascent Soul stage elders affiliated with the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, the Five Door Immortal Masters, are gasping for breath.

"Now, now he must be dead, right?"

"We've already killed him four times; if he resurrects again..."

Despite their wishes, blood mist gathers in front of their eyes and Yuan Yu reveals himself once again.

"Ahhhhhh! He's resurrected again!"

"That blood mist, that blood mist is resurrecting him!"

"B-But now the blood mist has almost run out, if we kill him just one more time..."

That's when it happens.

Yuan Yu raises the crystal skull staff.

The next moment, as the crystal skull staff opens its mouth, the wounds that had been grazed by Yuan Yu's blood-red daggers widen and the Five Door Immortal Masters' life force begins to be absorbed towards Yuan Yu.

"Ah, no!"

"This damned… my life force...!"

In a brief moment.

The skull crystal staff closes its mouth and Yuan Yu replenishes his energy from the skull crystal staff.

As his energy is being replenished, Yuan Yu opens his mouth and releases an enormous amount of blood mist again, filling the surroundings.

It's the life force absorbed from the five Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

"This damned thing...!"

"It's preserving its life with our life force!"

"Please, just die!"

The Five Door Immortal Masters, exhausted from the struggle to kill Yuan Yu after having their life force drained, attack him with a weary demeanor.

I watch this scene from behind while waiting for Jeon Myeong-hoon who is coming this way using the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts.

A little later.

"D-Did we get him?"

Around the time the Five Door Immortal Masters kill Yuan Yu for the sixth time,

Jeon Myeong-hoon finally emerges from the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.

"Finally…!"

I joyfully turn my gaze toward the Heavenly Lightning Banner he is supposed to be carrying.

But then, I sense something off.

'…?'

It's invisible.

To my eyes, it looks as though Jeon Myeong-hoon is just running with his hands clutching the air.

'What's going on?'

It's strange.

Through the perspective of the Mysterious Bizarre Gu possessing Jeon Myeong-hoon's body, it is clear that Jeon Myeong-hoon is indeed holding the Heavenly Lightning Banner.

But from my perspective, the Heavenly Lightning Banner is invisible.

'How could this be…'

Confused, I reach out to touch where Jeon Myeong-hoon is supposedly holding the Heavenly Lightning Banner.

And then.

Kururung!

"…!"

I frown as I feel a tingling of lightning climbing up my hand.

My hand is being scorched by the lightning.

I continue trying to grasp the Heavenly Lightning Banner despite the pain.

However, the Heavenly Lightning Banner still fails to be grasped.

It isn't that my hand can't penetrate the lightning of the Heavenly Lightning Banner.

'Ah…'

It's that when I try to grab where the Heavenly Lightning Banner is, my hand only touches 'lightning.'

That's it.

The essence of the Heavenly Lightning Banner is lightning itself!

As expected of an immortal treasure used by a True Immortal, its material isn't any ordinary substance but lightning itself.

I chuckle to myself as I realize the characteristics of the Heavenly Lightning Banner.

'Through Jeon Myeong-hoon's eyes and vision, it appears. But through my eyes and vision, it's invisible. This means…'

As a disciple of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, those who haven't learned the sect's lightning cultivation methods can't even touch, let alone see the Heavenly Lightning Banner with the naked eye.

An immortal treasure that can only be handled by those who have mastered the sect's techniques!

That is the Heavenly Lightning Banner.

I look hopelessly toward Yuan Yu, who is fighting in the distance.

Seeing Yuan Yu resurrect for the seventh time, the Five Door Immortal Masters are in despair.

"Don't resurrect seven times!!!"

"Just die already, you damned creature!!!"

"It's time for you to die!!! Please, just die!"

'I didn't expect this kind of pitfall...'

I have successfully stolen the Heavenly Lightning Banner.

However, I can't see the Heavenly Lightning Banner with my naked eye, and since the Heavenly Lightning Banner is made of lightning, grabbing it only results in catching bolts of lightning.

'Then…'

"Do I need to kidnap Jeon Myeong-hoon as well?"

Perhaps that's the best course of action.

"Yuan Yu, come back. We're leaving."

It is then.

Click—

"…!"

Someone appears silently behind me, touching my shoulder.

A familiar voice follows, delayed by the sound of thunder.

Kururung!

"Thought I recognized you from somewhere. Aren't you the one with the Nascent Soul consciousness who ascended alone last time?"

I quickly turn around, calling Yuan Yu back to me.

The familiar figure in golden robes, the Four-Axis stage cultivator of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.

The Supreme Sect Leader, Jin Byuk-ho.

"First off, let's hear why you suddenly went crazy, placing a seal in my disciple's mind, and touching the Heavenly Lightning Banner?"

I swallow as I see Jin Byuk-ho, who had flown back to Thunder Spirit Island at the speed of lightning.

His aura is definitely not inferior to that of the Azure Tiger Saint.

'Can I handle this?'

If it's just this, perhaps…

As he reaches his hand out, the Heavenly Lightning Banner naturally flies into Jin Byuk-ho's hand, resizing to perfectly fit his grip.

The Heavenly Lightning Banner has returned to Jin Byuk-ho's hand.

'It's not going to work.'