A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation

”Why are you grabbing my chin...? No, more than that, I also want to reach the level of the Four-Axis stage as soon as possible! But Master says that before I raise my realm to the Four-Axis stage, I must break through not with social authority through people, but by sensing the Plane of Soul myself, converting the power of the soul into authority power, and only then breaking through the realm—so what am I supposed to do!?”

”Hmph, so dull. Do you still not know why your master Sacred Master Ban Ta leaves me, who tried to kidnap you, even though we are engaged, right by your side without placing any constraints or restriction spells on me?”

”Uh, uhh?”

Ahn Geum grabs Makli Hyun-ah’s chin, forcefully presses her lips to his, and blows an enormous amount of ghostly energy into him through her mouth.

”Mmph, mmph!”

When an overwhelming amount of ghostly energy is injected all at once, the whites of Makli Hyun-ah’s eyes turn black and his pupils turn white, becoming reversed.

At the same time, his lips, fingernails, and toenails also stain black.

”Puha!”

Only after she blows ghostly energy into Makli Hyun-ah up to a limit he absolutely cannot endure does she finally pull her lips away.

Makli Hyun-ah, with his face reddened, rubs his own lips.

”Digest it and convert it into social power. It’s going to increase your growth speed.”

”Y-You...”

”If you and I stay stuck together, I can blow in ghostly energy that straddles the Plane of Soul and accelerate your growth speed, so that’s why he doesn’t put any constraints on me. Digest it as soon as possible and convert it into social power. That way your realm rises, I can use cultivation as an excuse to take you around and investigate you, and you can save your older sister too. Isn’t that right?”

”...”

Makli Hyun-ah blushes and nods.

”...Okay.”

It is a somewhat embarrassing method, but,

In any case, it is something that is necessary in the process of Makli Hyun-ah saving his family.

Thus, from that day on, he moves forward, cooperating with Ahn Geum while continuously converting ghostly energy into social power.

***

A few months pass.

Makli Hyun-ah, together with Ahn Geum, is called to Ban Ta Castle’s Ban Ta Hall where Ban Ta handles his work, and he hears shocking news.

”Uh...pardon...?”

”Wh-What did you say?”

Ahn Geum also seems just as shocked, blinking along as she listens to Ban Ta’s words.

Ban Ta looks at the two and clicks his tongue.

”What do you mean, what? Since the preparations to reach the Four-Axis stage are complete, I’m telling you to go out to other Middle Realms and do Axis Foundation Practice.”

”Does that mean...you are saying I may take Makli Hyun-ah outside the Purple Gold Realm?”

Ahn Geum asks again, as if she didn’t expect Ban Ta to let Makli Hyun-ah go to other Middle Realms.

”Of course I am uneasy about you. You Radiance Hall believer brat has a record of trying to kidnap my disciple. But recently an annoying existence began stirring, trying to revive, and even a True Immortal called the Owner of the Antimatter Sea is sending a strange sign. Because of that, it’s become a bit hard for me to pay attention to Hyun-ah. On top of that, after the God of Heavenly Punishment died, the Heavenly Tribulation stopped being controlled and has become far stronger than in the mythic age 40 billion years ago. You know that too, right?”

”Yes, I have read about it in the myth records.”

”Right. And if there is someone helping, the Heavenly Tribulation itself becomes stronger. And cultivators belonging to Ban Ta Castle are influenced by the altruism inherent in my very existence, and that itself is treated as Immortal Art, so they are unconditionally treated as ’receiving my help.’ Meaning inside the Purple Gold Realm, the Heavenly Tribulation unconditionally becomes stronger.”

Ban Ta continues while looking at Makli Hyun-ah and Ahn Geum.

”For that reason. Even though you feel uneasy, for my disciple’s sake, I permit you to go around to Middle Realms such as Vast Cold, Nether Ghost, Ancient Force, and the True Devil Realm for Axis Foundation Practice.”

”...Are you not afraid that I will receive help from a True Immortal and kidnap Hyun-ah again?”

”Hmph, try it. I have already taken measures.”

Snap!

When Ban Ta snaps his fingers, Makli Hyun-ah is already moved to the seat beside Ban Ta.

”Uh, what is this...huh!?”

However, Makli Hyun-ah realizes that it is not that he moved to Ban Ta’s side, but that only his spirit was dragged straight over to Ban Ta’s side in an instant.