A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation Chapter 2: Scattering Destiny (1)

Deputy Manager Seo, what is this...?

What is that...?

Director Kim and Deputy Manager Kang each whisper.

But Im more focused on the drool of the fox falling in front of my eyes than on that.

[A wise human among the pack, I shall not harm recklessly. However, if you wish to stay in my territory, a price must be paid. One of you must offer me a limb to temporarily acknowledge your residence. Who will sacrifice their limb?]

Right.

Since it has come to this.

I will... offer it.

Trembling, I stretch out my left arm.

In my past life, when I knew nothing, everyone screamed at the sight of the fox.

And, everyone was left dying with their arms and legs torn apart, eaten by the fox in its fury.

Surviving that was a miracle in itself.

But now, I know the etiquette of the forest and have gained the fox's favor.

Not everyone's limbs.

Not all limbs.

Just one person's limb.

Only one of them needs to be offered.

Even that will be healed by the cultivators who will arrive in two days.

[A wise human indeed. I acknowledge your sacrifice, so I shall taste it as painlessly as possible.]

The fox opens its wide mouth and bites into my arm.

!!! Ahhhhhhh! Aaargh! Aaaargh!

My flesh is torn apart by its large teeth.

Bones crushed, blood vessels ruptured.

Crunch, crunch, crunch!

Snap!

Rip!

After chewing on my arm for a while, the fox violently tears it off my body.

Ah... Argh... Ahh...

I writhe in pain, half out of my mind, and grab a handful of pain-relief herbs I had prepared in advance.

I put them in my mouth, roots and all, and swallow them.

The dirt and sand in the roots get stuck in my teeth, but thats the least of my concerns.

The pain is unbearable!

After consuming the herbs for a while, the pain starts to subside as their effects kick in.

Crunch, crunch... munch.

Later, the fox that swallowed my entire arm licks its lips with its tongue.

[I thought it might taste different because of its unique scent. Turns out, it's not much different from ordinary humans. There's a lot of impurities in the blood vessels, making it rough and leaving a bad aftertaste.]

...I offer this humble tribute.

[I accept your tribute and permit you to stay in my territory for seven nights. My divine power has infused you, so you shall not die from this wound.]

After saying so, the fox leaps away and disappears into the forest.

Hu, huuh... Hah, hah...

I chew on a hemostatic herb, apply its juice to where my arm has been torn off, and the bleeding stops, the pain gradually subsiding.

Gr... Ugh...

Deputy Manager Seo!

Deputy Manager Seo Eun-hyun!

Director Kim and Deputy Manager Kang hurry over to help me.

What is all this? What was that just now?

...First, let's go inside. I'll explain.

Supported by the two, I return to the cave.

Then, I mix truth and lies to tell them what happened.

This morning, I met the fox when I went out early. It told me...

They will find out in a few days anyway.

I pretend the knowledge I already have was what the fox had taught me.

This is not the world we used to live in but a completely different one, inhabited by immortals, cultivators, and martial artists.

...Martial world, huh. This is thrilling.

Hehe, never thought I'd experience something like this.

Director Kim and Chief Oh make jokes about the martial world, trying to lighten the mood despite their disbelief.

Haha, Deputy Manager Seo. If it's about the martial world, I'm an expert. So, you see...

Director Kim's voice trembles, revealing his attempt to hide his emotions.

Don't die. If you die...

It isn't excitement about the martial world, but a forced attempt to divert attention from my pain.

Director Kim and Chief Oh are trying to lighten the mood because they are the oldest here.

...It's okay. I won't die. The fox said so, with its divine power, I won't die from this wound.

In my past life, when we didn't perform the ritual, everyone's limbs were torn apart.

Despite the pain that made us wish for death, none of us actually died.

No, we couldn't die.

But what about immortals and cultivators?

At that moment, when Chief Oh is puzzled by my mention of immortals and cultivators, Section Chief Jeon steps forward.

There are novels called 'Xianxia', not just martial arts fiction."

Jeon Myeong-hoon explains the concept of Xianxia to Director Kim and Chief Oh.

"I see..."

"Section Chief Jeon, you know some interesting things."

"I've been interested and have looked into it."

'I guess he spent his work hours reading Xianxia novels instead of working...'

So that's why he dumped his work on me.

I almost explode in anger but quickly let it go and continue speaking.

"Anyway, the owner of this forest demanded a tribute to allow us to stay here temporarily, so I offered my arm. This should keep us safe in the forest for a week."

"A week? What happens after a week?"

"...We'll have to offer another tribute."

At this, everyone's gaze turns towards my shoulder.

Their faces are all pale as death.

"By the way, could you bring me some pain-relief herbs? It hurts a lot."

"Ah, sure. This one?"

"Thank you."

I chew on another root of the pain-relief herbs I had dug up earlier.

"I'm going to sleep for a bit. Please understand..."

Perhaps due to the shock, I naturally fell asleep as the tension released.

After suppressing the pain with the herbs, I fall into a sweet sleep.

It's said that hearing is the last sense to go.

Perhaps that's why, as I regain consciousness, I could hear the voices of others.

"What? A tribute! That's absurd..."

"After a week, we have to offer another tribute like that?"

"We should think about leaving this place within a week."

"How can we let Deputy Manager Seo suffer like this..."

"Deputy Manager Seo was the first to encounter that... thing and almost got eaten."

"Rather, hes the first to sacrifice."

In a half-asleep state, I continue to listen to the ongoing conversation.

"But what if we can't leave the forest after a week?"

Jeon Myeong-hoon asks in a cold voice.

No one answers.

"Then who will have their limb torn off next?"

Silence hung in the deeper part of the cave.

'In three days... the immortals will appear and kidnap them, so it doesn't really matter.'

There's no need to mention anything about my regression.

That's when it happened.

A rather annoying sound came to my ears.

"Is Deputy Manager Seo sleeping well?"

"Yes... He's completely knocked out."

"Deputy Manager Seo, if you're awake, I have something to tell you. Please wake up."

I keep my eyes closed and pretend to sleep.

Jeon Myeong-hoon checks that Im asleep and then stands up.

"Come to the entrance for a moment."

"Huh? Can't we just talk here?"

"No, come outside."

Eventually, Jeon Myeong-hoon leads the others to the cave entrance.

A while later, I hear whispers from the entrance.

Simultaneously, there are voices criticizing Jeon Myeong-hoon.

"Section Chief Jeon! How can you think of something like that?"

"Deputy Manager Seo sacrificed his arm like that..."

"Um. Section Chief Jeon. I really can't approve of that."

"Um..."

Outside the cave, Jeon Myeong-hoon raises his voice.

"Well, who will offer their arm or leg to the monster fox after a week?"

"Even so..."

"Chief Oh, what do you think? I think it's reasonable."

"...I don't know. And Deputy Manager Seo is capable. He knows a lot about herbs and food..."

"Then let's learn as much as we can from Seo Eun-hyun for a week..."

Though I couldn't hear clearly from outside the cave,

I can roughly guess.

'So they're thinking, since I've become disabled, let's cut off my limbs and offer them to the fox every week.'

It's not going to happen, but it still feels disgusting.

Very, very much so.

'Should I kill him?'

Even with one arm, the 'violence' I have learned over the 50 years in my past life is considerable.

I could easily kill someone like Jeon Myeong-hoon, who hasn't fully escaped modern civilization.

'...No. That's not it.'

The immortals who will find us in two days didn't come for 'us.'

They came because they found 'talented beings.'

'Chief Oh Hyun-seok, Deputy Manager Kang Min-hee, and Section Chief Jeon Myeong-hoon. They were surprised by the qualities of these three.'

If even one of them is missing, I can't be sure if they'll come.

'Should I beat him to the brink of death? Make him disabled?'

"Anyway, the immortals came to us in the past even when their limbs were severed.

Its likely that they would come even if this guys limbs are broken.

However, I soon stop thinking and shake my head.

'...Everyone must be paralyzed in their head with emotions due to fear. They are all originally good people. It's just that the situation is too sudden and nonsensical.

And if I want to rely on Director Kim later, it wouldnt be good to show too cruel a face right now...'

Its better to be seen as a subject of protection or sympathy.

Also, if Director Kim joins in this plot, he will take more care of me in the future due to guilt.

'Its rather good. Everything will be resolved on the third day anyway.'

In two days, Jeon Myeong-hoon, Oh Hyun-seok, and Kang Min-hee will be people I never see again.

Three days later, Oh Hye-seo and Kim Yeon will be separated as well, and Director Kim Young-hoon and I can leave Ascension Path with the help of a monster.

I quietly continue to pretend to sleep on the floor.

After a while, people with dark expressions, as if they had reached some dirty agreement, enter the cave.

'Hey, Deputy Manager Seo. Are you okay? Try getting up.'

Jeon Myeong-hoon deliberately wakes me up.

'Haha, Deputy Manager Seo. Sorry about that. I didnt know you were such a self-sacrificing person.'

'...'

'From now on, I'm counting on you.'

Jeon Myeong-hoon looks at me with a smile I have never seen before and pats my back.

I look around at the people nearby. Everyones expression is dark.

'This garbage, I see how he persuaded everyone with his silver tongue.'

For a moment, annoyance surge, and I even considere strangling and killing the guy who hugged me.

'Endure. Phew, just hold on.'

'...Yes. We all need to survive together in a difficult situation.'

'Haha, right. So, about the fruit you picked yesterday. Do you know where to find it?'

'...'

This bastard, so he woke me up for this.

'...I can teach you. Actually, I was planning to teach you, Section Chief Jeon, in particular.'

'Ha, really? Thanks! Thank you!'

'Dont worry about surviving in the forest. Ill teach you everything.'

I give him a sly smile.

Yeah, Ill teach you all this knowledge.

After all, it's knowledge you wont need for the rest of your life once you join a cultivation sect

'Jeon Myeong-hoon. How many times have I told you its not that fruit? You're not focusing on my words, are you?'

'No, but surely...'

'The one with the split top is a different fruit. Eating this fruit will kill you. Do you understand?'

'...'

While teaching Jeon Myeong-hoon about herbs and edible fruits, I no longer called him 'section chief.'

Hes learning about herbs while grinning, even though Im scolding him.

'I wonder how frustrating it will be when he realizes these are low-grade herbs useless for a sect disciple.'

'No, Jeon Myeong-hoon. Cant you understand? Ive explained several times. You have a problem with concentration.'

'...I getit'

Jeon Myeong-hoon's face turns as red as raspberries.

Jeon Myeong-hoon is being tormented in the same way he used to torment me when I first joined the company.

He must be enduring it with the thought of extracting as much knowledge as possible in a week.

Sorry, but we wont see each other again in two days.

'Look here. This is called green-leafed ear, and it emits a unique fragrance when chewed. It can be used for brushing teeth and repelling insects.'

'Green-leafed ear, green-leafed ear...'

'Hmm, but Ive never heard of these in Korea...'

Deputy Oh Hyun-seok tilts his head, looking a bit confused.

'They are somewhat specialized plants, and since they are not native species, you may not be familiar with them.'

Of course, they dont exist on Earth.

Im using the knowledge of herbs I learned in this world.

But Deputy Oh Hyun-seok, not being an expert, seem to believe it roughly.

'That's right. Please continue.'

'This is called blue baby's hand vein, also known as blood-purifying grass. Ah, Jeon Myeong-hoon. Youre not listening to me now, are you?'

'...Sorry, right.'

I continue giving Jeon Myeong-hoon noticeable looks while persisting with the herbal medicine class.

The day passes by just like that.

And the next day.

We have to confront a huge red snake with two heads staring at us in front of the cave.

"Hi, hiik..."

"Huuh..."

The others tremble in fear, holding things like branches inside the cave, and I cautiously speak to the snake.

"...What brings you here?"

The snake replies..

[The master of this territory has tasted a human with a unique scent.]

Though not as much as the fox, this snake is quite fearsome to me.

Of course, compared to the fox, it isn't really traumatic.

[Of course, since you've offered sacrifices to the master of the territory and received permission to stay for seven nights and days. I will not bother you during that time. However...]

The snake licks its lips with its two heads.

[If you allow me to taste even a little of your blood, I won't bother you even after seven nights and days.]

Unlike the fox that tore off my arm, the snake is quite moderate.

Even in my past life, when I wasn't recognized by the fox, this two-headed snake just came, bit into Chief Oh's body, sucked his blood, and left.

But now, its even asking for our permission to take some blood.

'It should be fine.'

Our bodies, being modern people, are full of cholesterol and fat.

Thanks to that, in my past life, the snake left after tasting Chief Oh's blood, saying its tasteless.

"How much blood do you want?"

[A handful. Just a handful of blood. Then, I'll leave.]

I smile and look at Jeon Myeong-hoon.

"Mr. Jeon Myeong-hoon. Could you give this gentleman some blood?"

"What, what?"

"It's not like I'm asking you to sacrifice an arm, just a handful of blood. That should clot quickly."

"I, I..."

"Ah, Mr. Jeon Myeong-hoon. Don't you need knowledge of herbs?"

"...Alright."

With a flush face, Jeon Myeong-hoon cuts his hand with a sharp stone knife he had made.

Drip, drip...

The snake joyfully consumes Jeon Myeong-hoon's blood.

A little later.

[There are many impurities in the blood. Even poison. A terrible taste... The worst I've tasted compared to any human's blood.]

The snake shakes its two heads and retreats.

The blood of a 21st-century office worker, laden with cholesterol and nicotine, is not tasty

[Anyway, since you let me taste the blood, I'll leave.]

After the snake left, I applied hemostatic herbs to Jeon Myeong-hoon's wound.

Jeon Myeong-hoon was quite annoyed, probably feeling dirty from being licked by the snake.

"Mr. Seo Eun-hyun. I know I bullied you a lot in your early days at work, but isn't that a bit too much?"

"What can I do? It's hard to ask the ladies or older executives like the Chief and the Director to give blood."

"A handful of blood should have been enough for you..."

"...I just had an arm severed yesterday, and I'm a bit short on blood. Even a handful is a lot for me."

"Kuhk..."

Jeon Myeong-hoon bites his lip and takes a breath.

'Funny guy. He plans to sell me to the fox in a week.'

He's just resentful because I sacrificed him.

Anyway, he can't do anything to me.

'Well, I won't see him after tomorrow...'

I think I should take advantage while I can and start to hassle Jeon Myeong-hoon more.

Thus, three days passed since we fell into this forest.

Whoosh, whoosh...

The wind has been strong since dawn today.

Zap, zap...

At the same time, the air feels turbulent.

I smile and wake up Jeon Myeong-hoon early in the morning.

"Mr. Jeon Myeong-hoon, let's go pick some herbs in the morning."

"Right from the morning..."

"Ah, hurry up."

"...Alright."

I take Jeon Myeong-hoon around, searching for herbs.

And a little later.

"Oh, I found it!"

"Is this a good herb?"

"Yes, it is."

"It does look like ginseng..."

Jeon Myeong-hoon swallows his saliva looking at the plant resembling wild ginseng in front of him.

The plant is a type of ginseng called Yellow Bamboo Root.

It isn't particularly rare.

But what matters is the size of the ginseng.

Perhaps because it absorbed spiritual energy, the yellow bamboo root, normally the size of a pinkie, is now as thick as my forearm.

"Hahaha, oh, this is incredible. Is it really okay to dig up so much wild ginseng like this?

...

Jeon Myeong-hoon seems to feel exhilarated, but Im chuckling to myself.

'After all, you wont have the chance to eat such things in the future.'

Even the yellow bamboo roots that Jeon Myeong-hoon digs up with his own hands, he wont be able to eat.

For cultivators, yellow bamboo root is just a low-grade medicinal herb for mortals.

'Of course, its used by martial artists for internal energy enhancement... I should give it to Director Kim later.'

You can try the ginseng later. First, put them here.

I hand over a pouch I made from tearing my clothes. Jeon Myeong-hoon carefully puts the ginseng into the pouch.

Lets return now.

Its about time to head back.

We went back to the cave, had Jeon Myeong-hoon start a fire, and sat down.

And it was when I was quietly sitting and looking up at the sky.

Kwagwang! Kwakwagwang!

Suddenly, theres a flash, and something collides in the sky.

It seems like a collision of black, golden, and pure white lights.

And then, at that moment.

Kuhuk! Kua