Chapter ex5: Author's Q&A (4)
A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation
Seo Eun-hyun
Q: Could Seo Eun-hyun have awakened as a Heart Tribe member by making soap if he did not have Young-Hoon?
A: By the 67th cycle, he would be making Formless Soap.
Q: Between Seo Eun-hyun now and Yang Su-jin 300 years after transmigration, who is stronger?
A: Yang Su-jin’s cultivation was higher by his 300th year.
Q: Who holds the most importance in Seo Eun-hyun’s heart? Young-Hoon?
A: Hard to answer for sure…
The biggest influence is Young-Hoon.
The most special is Hyang-hwa.
The one associated with the warmest memory is Kim Yeon.
The most reliable is Cheongmun Ryeong.
The hardest to forget is the Mad Lord..
A lot of people hold a part in Seo Eun-hyun’s heart.
Q: You’ve said that Seo Eun-hyun would be a genius if he went to Black Ghost Valley. Is this at the level of surpassing Kang Min-hee?
A: He can surpass her in some ways, but not in some other ways.
Q: Why is Seo Eun-hyun so obsessed with General Seo? I snorted at the part where he talked about cutting Jeon Myeong-hoon’s arm and attaching the head of General Seo.
A: He himself kinda likes it.
Q: If Eun-hyun answered Bong Myeong’s first question about his fate, would he be crying tears of blood later like Yang Su-jin’s remnant?
A: If he says that at this point, A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation would end.
Q: Will we see General Seo combination robot form?
A: Of course.
Kim Young-Hoon
Q: You’ve previously stated that Young-Hoon would have a hard time reaching Core Formation and above at cultivation, but does this include demon beast methods using the Inner Core? I thought the second stage of manifestation was based on understanding of the planes?
A: Yes, it is the same with the demon beast methods. The reason is unrelated to the planes, but that is a spoiler.
Q: Young-Hoon misses his family, but does this include his wife? He seemed to have negative opinions about marriage, so I thought he had a bad relationship with his wife…
A: It includes his wife. Their relationship is good when it’s good and bad when it’s bad, like they are comrades-in-arms.
Q: I thought that since Surpassing Radiant Saber is a martial art that dominates the moment and demon beast methods are about momentary explosion, Young-Hoon would have great compatibility with demon beast methods.
A: Unexpectedly, his compatibility is not that great.
Q: Does Young-Hoon have the greatest talent in the lower world?
A: Yes, at least in terms of martial arts.
Q: Back when Kim Young-Hoon cut off cultivators’ hands and ran away, did he just go pick fights with them?
A: He challenged them in a duel. Usually, the cultivator gets mad at the “bug” and attacks to kill. Young-Hoon considers this their first strike, and the fight begins.
Q: Did Kim Young-Hoon create the Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts in the 0th cycle as well?
A: He almost made it.
Oh Hye-seo
Q: What does Oh Hye-seo’s heart essence look like?
A: Right now, it looks like the very very very very very very inferior version of Seo Hweol’s.
Q: Oh Hye-seo is consistently shown to be a b*tch, is this because the readers kept calling her a heroine, or was that what you planned all along?
A: That’s the fate assigned to her.
Q: Didn’t Se Hweol ask Oh Hye-seo about Seo Eun-hyun’s past or about Earth?
A: Seo Hweol did, but Oh Hye-seo didn’t tell him.
Jeon Myeong-hoon
Q: How did Jeon Myeong-hoon surpass the Seven Stars Ritual in the previous cycles? Watching the recent chapters, I was wondering how he managed to complete it.
A: Jin Byuk-ho and the entire council of elders struggled desperately to somehow get him through it.
Kang Min-hee
Q: Kang Min-hee went on a rampage and metamorphosed into something, is that at Star Shattering Stage?
A: It is at Star Shattering. However, she is a Star Shattering Stage too mad to use her powers properly.
Azure Tiger Saint, Heo Gwak, Jin Byuk-ho
Q: Did Azure Tiger Saint create his cultivation method? Or did he pick it up somewhere?
A: He found it in a cave inside a cliff and improved it.
Q: Does the Cheongmun Clan in the Head Realm have the Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Method? If not, why didn’t Azure Tiger Saint leave it for them?
A: He thought his descendants would not be able to learn it, so did not leave it behind to make sure they did not chase the pie in the sky.
Q: Have the Four-Axis Trio been friends for a long time? Or is their relationship purely professional?
A: They have been friends since they were at the Qi Building Stage. But ever since they became leaders of their sects, their professional and private relationships have been separated, so it’s nearly completely professional now.
Q: Who is the strongest of the trio?
A: Without items - Azure > Heo >= Jin. With items Jin >= Heo > Azure. Full power of their sect Ghost > Azure > Golden
Mad Lord
Q: Why does the Mad Lord look like an old man?
A: The specifics will be shown at the Mad Lord episode but.. it’s because his original dream was to age to death with [Her].
Q: When did the Mad Lord destroy the Nether Crossing Ships and blow up Sea Dragon farm?
Q: The Nether Crossing Ship stuff happened before the Sea Dragon farm explosion.
Q: Did Yeon’s Play activate even when Seo Eun-hyun did not ascend?
A: Yes.
Q: Azure Tiger Saint and the other two of the trio are said to have used Qi Building level attacks during Qi Refining Stage. What was the Mad Lord like during Qi Refining?
A: The Mad Lord at Qi Refining was a hunchback loser who was beaten up by his peers in the family.
Q: Didn’t the Mad Lord teach Kim Yeon how to build puppets when she was under his tutelage?
A: He did. But she isn’t an engineer, so she isn’t as good at it.
Q: Can’t Mad Lord be beaten by the ascendants ganging up on him?
A: It might be possible to win if they gang up.
Hong Fan
Q: Hong Fan is best girl. Are you sure he’s male?
A: You will see when he gains his human form.
Other Characters.
Q: From looking at Gyu-baek and Yu Hwa, I think you got better at making female characters. Can I look forward to Buk Hyang-hwa and Kim Yeon coming back?
A: Sure.
Q: How far did Hong Su-Ryeong??? and Seo Eun-hyun progress in their relationship?
A: I will leave it to your imagination.
Q: Is Jin So-hae ??? fated to fall in love with Jeon Myeong-hoon?
A: I think there will be an explanation when we get to the second Seo Hweol episode?
Q: Do you have plans for Yuan Li to show up again?
A: You will see him later.
Q: Lustrous Glaze Peacock is a sex obsessed bird, did they make any items for adults?
A: Lustrous Glaze Peacock has a habit of eating items for adults when they see them, so while they look for such items to eat them, they do not make any.
Q: How far can the fox go with its talent?
A: The fox has higher potential than Seo Ran.
Q: The fox called itself the master of the forest. Is this a self assigned title?
A: It is a self assigned title.
Q: The snake at the forest had two heads, are they both the snake’s true self? Is it like multiple personalities?
A: Both heads are the true self. It’s like Yeon Wei with her Taiji Quaking Lighting Body.
Q: When Buk Hyang-hwa changed from Four-Pattern to Three-Pattern, she saw Mad Lord’s crazy plan. Was that referring to Yeon’s Play?
A: Yes.
Enders.
Q: Which Ender can reach the highest if they were given regression?
A: Seo Eun-hyun
Q: Are the final potential of the Enders at a similar level?
A: Other than Seo Eun-hyun, they are mostly similar.
Q: It seems that Enders’ gift? gets stronger when they realize their fate, but Young-Hoon does not seem very different after realizing his fate. Is this foreshadowing something?
A: There is a surprisingly big difference. However, what Young-hoon got is outwardly not very noticeable.
Q: How many Enders were there? Have they been arriving regularly, or are there only a few? Also, among the Enders so far, has Yang Su-Jin reached the highest? Or are there more?
A: Enders have been arriving regularly. While Yang Su-Jin caused a lot of trouble in a large scope, the strongest Ender so far is a different person. This excludes current and future Enders that may surpass that strongest Ender.
Q: Do we only have information about Kim Yeon and Jeon Myeon-hoon’s fates?
A: Actually, foreshadowing about the Enders’ fates have been revealed a very long time ago. You will probably get it when their fates are revealed.
Q: Do you have plans for other Enders to learn martial arts?
A: Yes.
Q: Can other Enders see the message if they get struck by lightning at Shattered Heaven Peak and say “Shattered Heaven”?
A: Yes. However, they must not be aware of their own fate.
True Immortals
Q: Can True Immortals defy or escape fate?
A: It depends on their level, what kind of fate it is, and who bestowed that fate.
Q: When can we see the proper appearance of a True Immortal?
A: In the later parts of the Middle Realm arc? Probably somewhere there.
Q: What is the minimum stage one can withstand looking at the true body of a True Immortal directly? I think there were Integration Stage cultivators that went to see a True Immortal, so Integration Stage?
A: Integration Stage is the most suitable. Integration Stage cultivators can come back to life from seeing the true body of a True Immortal and barely survive. On the contrary, Star Shattering and above can access even more truth and understanding from looking at the true body of a True Immortal, so from Star Shattering onwards, cultivators are in even more danger of looking at True Immortals.
Q: Master of the Heavenly Lightning Banner did not kill every Integration Stage cultivator that went to question him, so he seems to be somewhat? merciful for a Xianxia cultivator? Is that correct?
A: Master of the Heavenly Lightning Banner did not particularly do anything to the buglike Integration Stage Cultivators. Their survival was just dependent on how much they looked at the master of the Heavenly Lightning Banner?
Q: If Decaying Corpse Realms are made from the corpse of True Immortals, are there dick shaped Decaying Corpse Realms?
A: Um… Thinking about it, I think? It is possible?
Stages
Q: Can Yang Spirit and Yin Spirit be progressed just by training Yang energy and Yin energy?
A: Yes. But the reason it took so long for Taiyin (Greater Yin) was because of Seo Eun-hyun’s talent.
Q: The Heaven-Earth-Heart Triple Nascent Soul is at Four-Axis level in power, so can Triple Star Shattering beat up a True Immortal??? Is it different for every stage???
A: Triple Star Shattering is not enough to beat up a True Immortal. Perhaps Triple Entering Nirvana could…
Q: If you reach the zenith of martial arts, can you fight the Final Boss with just martial arts?
A: Martial arts is the path to somewhere in my world, so it is possible to fight the Final Boss if you reach the extremity of that somewhere.
Q: There are so few Star Shattering stage cultivators given the number of Integration stage cultivators, and given their number, the ratio is weird for there to be Sacred Vessel cultivators at all. Is it hard to reach Star Shattering, but easier to go beyond, or is there a special reason for this?
A: That ratio comes because becoming Star Shattering is so damn hard. There must be a Sacred Vessel cultivator for every Middle Realm, so Entering Nirvana cultivators make sure there is one no matter what. Specifics are spoilers.
Worldbuilding
Q: Cultivators seem to look like they are at different ages and appearances. Can old looking cultivators choose to look younger?
A: Cultivators can freely set their appearance. Everyone looks like what they look like according to their preference.
Q: Was the Heavenly Lightning Banner used often in the lower realm?? Is Zhengli trying to seek revenge because it was used too much?
A: I mean, even if you use it once a year over a 120,000 year period…
Q: How effective are human pills?
A: Human pills are not used for their effects, but because it is cost effective to grind up civilians and eat them. There are many pills with better effects, but for cost efficiency, you choose human pills.
Q: Does the Heart Method vary in combat ability based on the Manifestation??? Yu Hwa seemed like she was beyond Nascent Soul, is this because she reached the peak of Treading Heavens?
A: Yes, the power of Heart Tribe varies depending on the user and the condition of the user.
Q: How does the Longevity Fruit extend the lifespan?
A: The Longevity Fruit is technically a type of Earth Tribe Cultivator. It collects spiritual energy over a long time and when its spirituality is maximized over thousands or tens of thousands of years, it gains intelligence and becomes a tree clan cultivator that trains Earth Tribe methods. Like how human pills extend the lifespan, Longevity fruit, which is a not yet an intelligent Earth Tribe cultivator, also extends the lifespan when you eat one.
Q: Does the Earth Tribe have the concept of Understanding before Breakthrough and Understanding after Breakthrough as well?
A: They do. However, Earth Tribe style Understanding before Breakthrough is much more primal than that of Heaven Tribe. Almost the opposite of Heaven Tribe..
Q: Are there no humans that learned demon beast methods designed for humans?
A: There are, but not a lot. Most people would rather import and learn the cool dino methods rather than the human demon beast methods.
Q: Who made the etiquette of the forest? We haven’t seen demon beasts other than the fox and the snake, are they the top two of the forest?
A: It’s just something the demon beasts decided upon a long time ago, and humans were also told to respect the demon beasts when they enter their territory. The fox is the top dog of the area, and the snake is the second place.
Q: I don’t know if it’s influenced by Reincarnated Swordsman, but the limitations of martial arts are too clear. Is there no such thing as a quantitative rather than qualitative improvement in martial arts? Like massively increasing internal energy with a breathing method, increasing the physical ability like Earth Tribe, making Gang Qi flow through the body like Qi Building stage, or other quantitative improvements like modern fantasy martial arts is impossible in this world?
A: I have to admit I am influenced by Reincarnated Swordsman in that matter. Such improvements are not impossible, but martial arts of this world is a bridge that leads to “somewhere” and to reach that “somewhere”, qualitative increase must be the focus, so you will not see much quantitative increase in this work.
Q: Also, Decaying Corpse Realms are the corpses of True Immortals, but why is the heaven and earth spiritual energy so weak in them? I was one minute late, but please excuse me.
Q: You were 2 minutes late.. Because they are literally Decaying Corpses. The specifics are spoilers related to the Netherworld.
Q: Most of the depiction is Asian themed, is there a European part of the world?
A: I don’t think there will be any European elements in RToC? Maybe a bit if I depict Earth?
Q: Does cultivation take motif from Taoism while martial arts take motif from Buddhism?
A: I have been influenced by Taoism, Buddhism, and Reincarnated Swordsmaster.
Items
Q: Why is Blue Sky Armor part of the Three Great Treasures of the Head Realm?
A: It will be shown later, but it is inferior compared to the Heavenly Lightning Banner and the Nether Crossing Ship. The Blue Sky Armor is very useful, but it is only part of the Three Great Treasures due to its user.
Q: The Nether Crossing Ship is a sacred treasure, but is it not possible to empower it by putting it inside the golden core? Is it physically too big?
A: It’s physically too big, yes.
Etc
Q: You should ignore the gender bender fetishists.
A: LMAO To tell the truth, I’ve been fascinated by Hell’s Paradise recently, so you will see a lot of gender bender cultivation methods.
Q: Sex when?
A: Secret.
Q: Reptiles have two dicks. Does Seo Hweol also have two dicks?
A: Uh… I’ve never thought about that. But Seo Hweol would cut one off even if he had two because it’s not necessary.