A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation

Seo Hae-ryeong looks at Makli Hyun-ah with eyes that say it is nonsense, but Makli Hyun-ah does not waver.

”More precisely...it inhabits them in this moment. In this moment when we do Talisman War! A soul inhabits the talismans! Talisman War is alive!”

[To say Talisman War is alive, what kind of nonsense is that!?]

”If you cannot believe in the soul of Talisman War, I will show you now! Summon, demon beast talisman. Makli Nobi!”

”Uh, eot!”

The illusion of Makli Nobi is summoned, and soon the talismans Makli Hyun-ah drew and flipped over on top of the Talisman War disk flip over all at once and begin to spew light.

[What!?]

Seo Hae-ryeong widens his eyes, and in that moment, inside the Naming Dao Talisman War domain that is full of seawater.

There, a gigantic clan manor reveals itself.

It is the Makli Clan.

The trap talismans and spell talismans that Makli Hyun-ah has kept flipped over in a state of emptiness are reconstructed around Makli Nobi’s illusion and complete a scene that exists within the illusion’s memories.

What is completed like so is the main estate of the Makli clan.

However, seeing that sight, Seo Hae-ryeong snorts.

[Hah, emptiness and reality and whatever, in the end you only summon a battlefield that is advantageous to you, is that not so?]

”Elder Seo, you have done many Talisman War competitions, but you have not done in-depth research on the talismans used in the Talisman War competition.”

[What?]

”Naming Family talismans...the longer they remain in emptiness, the stronger the phenomenon becomes to head toward substance. You can also say the desire to be born grows stronger. And a strong desire breathes in a certain degree of free will. Like this! Go, Makli Nobi!”

At Makli Hyun-ah’s command, the summoned Makli Nobi phantom waves a hand.

At the same time, light flashes from the phantom of the Makli Clan summoned around Makli Nobi’s phantom.

Immediately after, the Makli Clan’s protective formation begins to activate.

Kugugugugu!

The entire Makli Clan begins to shine as if boiling, and it starts burning Seo Hae-ryeong’s demon beast talismans.

Seo Hae-ryeong can only gape as he watches that sight.

[Th-That makes no sense...!]

Makli Hyun-ah opens his mouth.

’Talisman War is different from Earth’s. Unlike Earth’s, which is made of thorough rules...this is clearly an extension of real battle.’

”...Talisman War is an extension of sword discussion. It is a place where we collide, in theory, with what will collide in reality, and confirm each other’s skill.”

Sword discussion (僭瑜).

It is a virtual spar where one discusses with words, measures each other’s skill, supplements shortcomings, and gains enlightenment.

The advantage of sword discussion is that no one gets hurt and both sides can gain enlightenment, but the biggest drawback is that it lacks vividness and is ultimately virtual sparring.

And the Talisman War that Makli Hyun-ah created can also be called another sword discussion that compensates for that drawback.

”The talismans themselves may indeed have no soul. But this place is where we discuss enlightenment. Therefore, the enlightenment of Immortal Cultivation becomes the soul of Talisman War, and it clashes here. So Talisman War has a soul.”

Kururururur!

By keeping trap talismans and spell talismans flipped over for a long time, he lets the talismans remain for a long period in the emptiness attributes, raising their autonomy when they manifest with substance attributes.

And by summoning Makli Nobi’s illusion, he manifested the Makli Clan through the traps and spell talismans imbued with autonomy, and manifested the Makli Clan’s formation.

Lastly, by triggering Makli Nobi’s bloodline, he set off the Makli Clan’s formation, reversing the situation in an instant and winning.

That is the sharpness of Talisman War that Makli Hyun-ah shows.

Seo Hae-ryeong realizes that he lost in Talisman War.

[...It is my defeat. It is your victory, Makli Hyun-ah.]

Tsuaaat!

As victory and defeat are decided, the Talisman War barrier is released.

Seo Hae-ryeong sincerely admires Makli Hyun-ah and makes a formal salute before him.

[The words that Talisman War has soul. I will engrave it deeply within myself...]

”I am the one who should thank you for understanding.”

Seo Hae-ryeong, receiving Makli Hyun-ah’s greeting, speaks to Makli Hyun-ah.

[Since you have won in Talisman War, our Sea Dragon Race hereby declares that we will decisively support Daoist Makli Hyun-ah as the ruler of the western sea region.]

Wooo-woong!