A Regressor'S Tale of Cultivation

When Oh Hyun-seok first saw Seo Eun-hyun, it was Eun-hyun's first day at the company. 

Entering the company building, it was Oh Hyun-seok who helped the flustered and unsure newcomer where to go.

He wondered why that moment came to his mind.

Eun-hyun, who had thanked him with a bright face and polite manners, was a well-mannered junior.

Chyarak, chyarak!

The wings that protruded from Oh Hyun-seok's arms fell from his body and flew behind him, supporting his back.

Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Method.

First Wing.

Kurung, kururung!

Oh Hyun-seok, observing the force contained in his fist, looks at Seo Eun-hyun.

"Just being grazed by this will be dangerous."

Seo Eun-hyun replies.

"It seems so."

"Don't try to dodge. Wouldn't it be better for you to confront it with a technique you're confident in?"

"A technique I'm confident in..."

Seo Eun-hyun smiles faintly, raising one hand.

"I think it's a bit too early to draw out such a thing from me."

"Hahaha…"

Indeed, he's changed.

That tone filled with absolute confidence.

The profound gaze.

Every action of Seo Eun-hyun, somehow, carries an unsettling feeling.

For some reason, Oh Hyun-seok felt that at some point, Seo Eun-hyun became broken.

He really doesn't know why.

But Oh Hyun-seok has always been good at reading people's emotions.

"Well, try and take this."

Oh Hyun-seok activates the energy stored in both arms further, hurling his fist dyed in blue light towards Seo Eun-hyun.

Kugugugu!

The world seems to flip, distorting the space right before him.

A dominating force of fist wind flies towards Seo Eun-hyun.

Taatt!

However, Seo Eun-hyun, with an expressionless face, takes one light step.

And swiftly moves out of the range of the strike.

Just a graze.

Or even being within the range would have been enough for a fatal blow.

Yet, as Eun-hyun swings his hand a few times towards the void, he completely escapes the influence of the fist wind.

'He cut it.'

Oh Hyun-seok, with shining eyes, realized what Seo Eun-hyun had done.

Seo Eun-hyun is akin to a sword personified.

Every time he swings his hand, the subtle flows of force in the air are all sliced through, creating a path for Seo Eun-hyun to escape.

But Oh Hyun-seok grins.

He only extended one fist in the attack.

There's still one more to go!

Kugugugu!

From Oh Hyun-seok's other hand, another blue light bursts forth towards Seo Eun-hyun.

'After just evading, can he really dodge this!'

However, Seo Eun-hyun impressively dodges Oh Hyun-seok's strike once again.

In an instant, Seo Eun-hyun approaches Oh Hyun-seok, extending his palm.

Whoosh!

It isn't a particularly strong force, but the strike contains a mysterious subtlety that shakes Oh Hyun-seok's internals.

Ting!

Oh Hyun-seok thought he heard the sound of a sword ringing within his body.

Puff!

Without a chance to react, Oh Hyun-seok coughs up blood from his internal organs and passes out.

'Too strong…'

Seo Eun-hyun has become so powerful that he's beyond Oh Hyun-seok's reach.

"So what I'm saying is, this is…No! That's the file for the meeting! The files the director gave us should be gathered over here."

"Ah, thank you!"

'Ah, this is…'

Oh Hyun-seok blinks for a moment and then realizes.

'It's a dream.'

A memory from before they fell into this world, when they were still at the company.

"No, that's not it…Just give it here. I'll show you."

"Yes, sorry!"

It's a scene from when Seo Eun-hyun, who was learning his job and very nervous in the beginning, was being taught by Oh Hyun-seok himself.

'He made a lot of mistakes in the beginning.'

Even when organizing documents, he accidentally knocked over the coffee on his desk, staining Oh Hyun-seok's documents.

'I was quite angry then.'

Oh Hyun-seok reminisces.

'Judging by those documents, this must be after the coffee incident. My complexion had been quite bad after that, so he was really tense afterward.'

While watching Eun-hyun get scolded for his mistakes, the past Oh Hyun-seok sighed for a moment.

"Seo Eun-hyun, come here for a second."

Oh Hyun-seok smiles as he looks back on that scene from a third-person perspective.

'Ah, that time…I remember that too.'

"Yes, Chief Oh."

He took Seo Eun-hyun to the smoking room.

They stood there for a moment, smoking.

"Eun-hyun, how do you find life at the company?"

"Yes, satisfactory…"

"Shitty, right?"

"Uh…"

Oh Hyun-seok chuckled and patted Seo Eun-hyun's shoulder.

"I get it. Superiors are always nitpicking whatever you do. Colleague Jeon Myeong-hoon, that bastard, relies on the executive director's name and slacks off all day. I heard he had a big fight with Min-hee recently?"

"…"

Eun-hyun looked uncomfortable with Oh Hyun-seok's candid gossip.

"I'm a bit sorry for always nitpicking as your superior. But it's a superior's job to keep pointing things out until you learn the job perfectly. And well... honestly, Jeon Myeong-hoon pisses me off every time I see him, but what can we do? We can't do anything to him. And from what I see, guys like him usually end up causing some trouble and leaving the company on their own, so don't worry too much about it."

"That... Thank you."

"Sure. Well, what can we do? Everyone in our department knows Jeon Myeong-hoon doesn't work. The guy isn't bad, but he's just too accustomed to being pampered. That's his problem."

Oh Hyun-seok continued to gossip about Jeon Myeong-hoon while chatting with Seo Eun-hyun.

Indeed, nothing brings people closer than gossip.

Seo Eun-hyun's face, which had been grim from being scolded, soon brightened considerably.

"And Min-hee, I think she just has a completely opposite way of thinking from you, so try to understand her a bit. From what I see, what she says does make sense, but it's probably just too different from your approach."

"Yes, I do understand. It's just that we often argue when our work overlaps."

"Haha, well, I'll try to pay a bit more attention so that your work doesn't overlap with hers in the future. Ah, and..."

Click...

After snuffing out his cigarette, Oh Hyun-seok dusted off his hands and said,

"If you ever have any troubles, just say you want to have a smoke break. We can go out and talk."

"...Thank you."

Saying so, he left the smoking room.

"...As expected."

Flash!

Oh Hyun-seok opens his eyes.

"He's completely different."

His whole body still aches. 

Comparing the face of Seo Eun-hyun he saw in his dream to the expressionless face that struck him, he clearly felt their vast difference.

Thump, thump, thump!

The surroundings shake, and Azure Tiger Saint walks toward him.

Looking around, Oh Hyun-seok realizes he's still in the training ground. It seems not much time has passed since he fainted.

"Are you okay, Hyun-seok? You lost again today."

"Yes, I'm fine."

Oh Hyun-seok gets up, brushing off his body.

"You've managed to use First Wing. It's a technique that can only be deployed at the mid Core Formation stage. To use it just after reaching Core Formation…"

"It's all thanks to Master's excellent teaching."

Oh Hyun-seok smiles, looking past Azure Tiger Saint and at Seo Eun-hyun, who is watching them with clear eyes, impassively.

"Hey, Seo Eun-hyun!"

Oh Hyun-seok calls out to Eun-hyun as he passes Azure Tiger Saint.

"Indeed, it became clear today. You, don't you think you've changed too much from before?"

"Well, people change with their environment, don't they?"

"Is that so? But the extent of your change is too drastic. Do you really not want to talk about it?"

"…I apologize. I have too many things to do to have spare time for that."

Whoosh!

Having finished speaking, Seo Eun-hyun flies away using the Flying Escape Technique.

Watching him leave, Azure Tiger Saint approaches Oh Hyun-seok, laughing heartily.

"He must be focused on his training. Don't be too disheartened."

At that consolation, Oh Hyun-seok suddenly felt an odd sensation and chuckled.

'I used to be the one consoling my juniors.'

Now, he had become the disciple receiving consolation from his master.

"...It's good to train, but I feel like he's been avoiding talking to me, his former colleague, lately.

"Avoid talking, you say…"

Azure Tiger Saint seems to ponder for a moment before laughing and slapping Oh Hyun-seok on the back.

"People of the Azure Heaven Creation Sect trust the conversation of exchanging fists the most. Just become stronger so you can have a proper 'conversation of fists' with him."

"…Haha, I see."

Such a barbaric theory of muscles.

Yet, somehow, Oh Hyun-seok likes his master's words.

'A conversation of fists…'

He isn't sure about a conversation through fists, but he had felt something while sparring with Azure Tiger Saint lately.

There seemed to be some kind of lines visible between him and Azure Tiger Saint during their spars.

Following those lines can reveal the opponent's attack and his optimal path.

And sometimes, following those lines, he can sense the opponent's emotions.

'Surely, he must be talking about that.'

He recalls the sensation of feeling those lines.

'The lines felt during sparring. But certainly... sparring is only valid when the opponents are equals.'

The difference between him and Seo Eun-hyun is too overwhelmingly vast.

They aren't on the same level to spar.

So, what should he do?

'I have to become stronger.'

Until he can have a proper conversation with Seo Eun-hyun.

Until he can stand on equal footing and talk to him.

Looking up at the sky, Oh Hyun-seok resolved to become even stronger.

Time flows quickly, and another 10 years pass.

By now, Oh Hyun-seok has completed the early stage of Core Formation.

Kugugugu!

Energy flows through his body without any hint of awkwardness, naturally seamless.

Wo-woong!

Light radiates from Oh Hyun-seok's body.

He half-opens his eyes, and from them, a morning glow streams out.

"Early Core Formation. Heavenly Market Enclosure."

Inside Oh Hyun-seok's Golden Core.

There, the spiritual energy stars representing the Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Method shimmered, solidifying the constellation symbolizing the great method.

Wo-woong!

Oh Hyun-seok gazes beyond the sky,

Receiving the celestial energy transmitted from beyond the vast dome of the heavens, he murmurs.

"Fate is without adornment."

There are four stages within Core Formation.

Early Core Formation, Heavenly Market Enclosure - It commands without adornment.

Mid Core Formation, Supreme Palace Enclosure - Its service commands reverence.

Late Core Formation, Purple Forbidden Enclosure - Its nurturing commands benevolence.

Grand Perfection Core Formation, Celestial Dominion - Its duty commands righteousness.

The Heavenly Market Enclosure perfects the flow of life force (Qi) coursing through one's body and the fate that reveals one life, ensuring there are no blockages anywhere. By considering the Qi flowing through one's body as one's subjects and mastering it, one generates an unhidden, pure life (vital) force throughout the entire body, achieving a form of fate that is pure and unadorned.

The Supreme Palace Enclosure liberates the Qi and blood throughout the body to connect outwardly, aligning oneself with the heavens and one's own fate, effectively turning oneself into an altar for fate. After mastering the Qi within one's body, one can borrow the power of fate to govern the people (Qi) as a nation, summoning ministers to govern to body. 

The Purple Forbidden Enclosure establishes a foundation and altar, culminating in becoming a priest that connects heaven and earth. By seizing control over one's people and ministers, one becomes the king of their own named nation, having full control over their vital force, capable of regenerating the body from severe injuries, even if beheaded or torn apart, provided the Golden Core remains intact

Lastly, the stage of the Celestial Dominion follows, where one acts as a priest through one's own body as an altar to perform rites to fate. From this stage onwards, one can interfere with not only their own life force, but the life force of others as well, beginning to grasp the concept of 'planes' right before Nascent Soul.

The four stages corresponding to Core Formation are characterized as follows:

The command of fate is without adornment (Its form commands without adornment).

In serving fate, one is with reverence. (Its service commands reverence).

In nurturing fate, one is with benevolence. (Its nurturing commands benevolence).

In commanding fate, one is righteous (Its duty commands righteousness).

'It seems these principles of Core Formation resemble the process of humans embracing fate.'

Initially looking at fate without any pretenses.

Then venerating fate, becoming one with fate and living graciously.

Eventually, commanding fate.

'Is this why cultivation is considered defying heaven?'

Looking up to the heavens, imitating it, and conducting rituals to honor it.

Yet at some point, becoming another heaven itself, defying the heavens.

Taking the heavens as a master, but ultimately, reaching the pinnacle of arrogance in aspiring to surpass it.

That is, the cultivator.

It's the Heaven Tribe's approach to fate.

And recently, Oh Hyun-seok felt a peculiar sensation while practicing what is known as the Cultivation Method.

'To take the heavens as a master, in order to eventually command it, that is the Cultivation Method. But why is it that the more I explore the Cultivation Method…'

All the cultivation methods seem to treat the heavens as if they are 'living' entity.

'And if the heavens are indeed a living entity, is it right to leave those who seek to rise above it, those who act against natural piety, unattended? To leave it all to Heavenly Tribulations, which can be overcome with the power of artifacts beyond the cultivator's realm? Is that truly…all there is?'

If so.

If the heavens are truly some kind of living being.

How will it react when someone reaches a realm that surpasses even the heavens itself?

Contemplating the Golden Core nestled within him, Oh Hyun-seok became immersed in such thoughts.