A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation Chapter 545: Ascension (3)

Chapter 545: Ascension (3)

A long dream and illusion.

And a world of chaos, seemingly eternal, where the boundary between unconsciousness and consciousness is blurred.

In the domain of purity, I finally open my eyes.

No, it feels strange now to use the phrase 'open my eyes.'

I no longer have a physical body, so there are no eyes to close or open.

Rather than that expression...

Saying 'I regain consciousness' seems more appropriate.

From deep within my instincts—

No, from a realm even more fundamental than that—it is pointing out what I must do and where I must go.

In this absolute Void (虛空), this realm of Nothingness (無), I must...

Align my enlightenments with the realm of Existence (有) that gave birth to the being that is 'me,' forming the Taiji (太極).

I can sense that the realms of life and death are converging into Taiji (太極) and being accepted into me.

I recognize that I am becoming an existence that transcends life and death itself.

I recall the entire path of Immortal Cultivation that I have walked thus far.

At the Qi Gathering (丹修) stage, I accepted the Yin-Yang, Five Elements, and Primordial Chaos, laying the foundation for Immortal Cultivation.

At the 1st star of Qi Refining, I activated the spiritual meridians of the Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends.

At the 2nd star of Qi Refining, I condensed the spiritual natures of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Spirits within my body.

At the 3rd star of Qi Refining, I attuned my body to the spiritual power waves of the Twelve Earthly Melodies.

At the 4th star of Qi Refining, I internalized the symbols of the Ten Heavenly Stems and learned the foundations of formations.

At the 5th star of Qi Refining, I mastered the flow of the Nine Palaces within my body.

At the 6th star of Qi Refining, I further refined the flow of the Nine Palaces into the Eight Trigrams.

At the 7th star of Qi Refining, I performed the Seven Stars Ritual and received the world's permission to walk the path of Immortal Cultivation.

At the 8th star of Qi Refining, I stimulated my consciousness through the Six Harmonies All Paths and adapted my body further to spiritual energy.

At the 9th star of Qi Refining, I specialized my attributes through the Five Elements True Meanings.

At the 10th star of Qi Refining, I stabilized the internal flow of spiritual energy I created to create the Twin Meridians of Yin Meridian and Yang Meridian through the Four Symbols Two Meanings.

At the 11th star of Qi Refining, I created a spiritual pathway through my upper, middle, and lower dantians through Heaven-Earth-Man Unification.

At the 12th star of Qi Refining, I integrated the Twin Meridians of Yin Meridian and Yang Meridian into a single meridian through Two Meanings Combine to One.

At the 13th star of Qi Refining, I created a condensed core of spiritual energy within my body through One Origin One Convergence. 

[TL: Previously translated as Unified Origin.]

At the 14th star of Qi Refining, I detonated that condensed core, forming a spiritual cloud and laying the foundation for entering the Qi Building stage.

The Qi Refining stage can be summarized as 'the process for mortals to become accustomed to spiritual energy.'

Looking back, the proper foundation of Immortal Cultivation seems to begin at the Qi Building stage.

The Early, Mid, Late, and Grand Perfection stages of Qi Building.

1st Constellation: Horn, Neck, Root, Room, Heart, Tail, Winnowing Basket.

2nd Constellation: Ladle, Ox, Girl, Emptiness, Rooftop, Chamber, Wall.

3rd Constellation: Legs, Bond, Stomach, Hairy Head, Net, Beak, Triple Stars.

4th Constellation: Well, Ghost, Willow, Star, Extended Net, Wing, Chariot.

Through the formula of each stage, I condensed spiritual natures within me, rehearsing for the Star Shattering stage. Moreover, I grasped the starting point for acquiring attraction force by forming [stars] within my body, laying the foundation for [Heaven].

Reflecting on it now, the condensation of spiritual natures during the Qi Building stage was ultimately the first step towards understanding 'attraction force'.

The Early, Mid, Late, and Grand Perfection stages of Core Formation.

Heavenly Market Enclosure: Its form commands without adornment. 

Supreme Palace Enclosure: Its service commands reverence.

Purple Forbidden Enclosure: Its nurturing commands benevolence.

Celestial Dominion: Its duty commands righteousness.

Through the formula of each stage, I divided the domain of Heaven, created a [path] through which spiritual natures could move, and at the same time, made my body both the people and the nation, crowning my soul as the king, and turned myself into an altar.

Looking back, the most important thing in the Core Formation stage was to divide the domain of Heaven to create a [path], allowing the spiritual natures to [operate].

Nascent Soul stage.

From the Nascent Soul stage, one condenses the Nascent Soul.

This Nascent Soul can be described as an armor of spiritual energy donned by the spirit, as well as a tool that allows one's will to interfere with reality itself.

Furthermore, as Qi becomes densely compressed to its utmost limit, it serves as a starting point to transcend the Plane of Qi and catch glimpses of other planes.

The Early, Mid, Late, and Grand Perfection stages of Nascent Soul.

As constant as the Moon.

As the rising of the Sun.

As long-lived as the Five Great Mountains.

Unswerving and uncollapsing.

In the Golden Core where only the concept of [Heaven] existed, the [Moon] is engraved to create [Night], and the [Sun] is engraved to create [Day].

Then, by establishing the Five Great Mountains to create the four directions, the concept of [Earth] is established for the first time, and the directions are symbolized as the [Pillars Supporting the Heaven].

Afterward, by combining all these concepts and reflecting on [oneself] once again, the Heaven and Earth, along with all their forms and transformations, are absorbed into oneself to perfect the Nascent Soul even further.

Thus, the Nascent Soul stage is completed.

The Heavenly Being stage.

Spring: Will to Become an Immortal Established.

Summer: Unswayed Amidst the Heavenly Mandate.

Autumn and Winter: Heavenly Compliance, Heart's Governance.

Although various principles are attached, the most important formulas across the early, mid, and late stages of the Heavenly Being stage ultimately revolve around Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

These are considered the formulas of the Four Seasons.

Paralleling human life to the flow of the Four Seasons are the formulas attached to Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

And...

The formula that comes after the winter of life.

Acceptance at Fate's End.

Along with this is the immensely long formula of Vast Cold.

The formula of Acceptance at Fate's End teaches that after winter, human life comes to its End (終命).

In other words, it teaches that fate reaches its conclusion.

However, the formula of Vast Cold states that the Four Seasons continue endlessly.

It does not deny that people die.

But...even in death, it suggests that one continues through someone else.

If the formula of Acceptance at Fate's End feels like a warning that says [Begin Immortal Cultivation while prepared to die along the way],

Then the formula of Vast Cold feels like a reassurance, saying [Even if you die while walking the path of Immortal Cultivation, your will shall continue, so do not worry].

When comparing these two formulas, the feeling is quite strange.

Next comes the Four-Axis stage.

Health, Wealth, Longevity, Love of Virtue.

Or the Five Elements.

However...

If interpreted according to the meaning of the true name that is the Earth Axis stage,

Health, Wealth, Longevity, Love of Virtue.

The Fifth Blessing one gains along the normal path of the Heavenly Being stage,

Violent Death, Disease, Anxiety, Poverty, Hatred, and Weakness of the Six Extremes.

And one of the Five Elements.

Building all twelve of these axes is the Earth Axis stage.

An axis is a form of Nascent Soul, and ultimately, the Earth Axis stage is about building a minimum of four to a maximum of twelve Nascent Souls.

By completing twelve or four [Heaven]s and connecting them to complete the concept of [Earth] is the Earth Axis stage.

Next comes the Integration stage.

Rain, Sunlight, Heat, Cold, Wind, Time.

If the Four-Axis stage is about solidifying one's grasp over 'attraction force',

Then the Integration stage is about dealing with the fundamentals of 'Immortal Arts' through attraction force.

It is also the stage where one understands the world through the basic Immortal Art called Various Omens.

Immortal Arts involve using attraction force to manipulate the Plane of Fate or alter history, as Seo Hweol once explained.

However, the Immortal Arts I learned from Cheongmun Ryeong involves overturning the world with nothing but the heart.

In truth, both explanations are saying the same thing.

From the moment the spirit gains the authority to manipulate attraction force starting in the Four-Axis stage, it becomes capable of using attraction force to touch fate or history, enabling Immortal Arts.

In other words, because the heart changes into attraction force, everything that twists the world through the heart is ultimately an Immortal Art.

However, if the Immortal Arts Seo Hweol explained involve twisting the world through attraction force appropriate to one's realm,

Cheongmun Ryeong's Immortal Arts involve distorting the world through the heart, which is not related to one's realm.

In other words, attraction force and heart.

The difference between the two lies in which aspect was given more emphasis in their explanation of Immortal Arts.

Star Shattering Stage.

Rain, Clearing, Cloudiness, Want of Connection, Crossing, Inner Diagram, Outer Diagram.

It is the realm where one creates seven [satellites] to form a constellation.

At first glance, the Immortal Arts of the Star Shattering stage and the Integration stage appear similar.

Especially since the name of the formula, Rain (雨), overlaps.

However, the Immortal Arts of these two realms are completely different.

If the Immortal Art of the Integration stage, Various Omens, simply manipulates celestial phenomena,

Then the Immortal Art of the Star Shattering stage, Examination of Doubts, manipulates planes.

The Heavenly Rain Great Star of the Star Shattering Stage engraves the form of Rain (雨) upon the planes of Qi, Soul, and Fate.

In the Plane of Qi, it manifests as simple rain, but in the Plane of Soul, melancholy infects, and in the Plane of Fate, darkness and misfortune gradually begin to spread.

The Heavenly Clearing Great Star engraves the form of Clearing (霽) upon the planes.

In the Plane of Qi, the weather clears, in the Plane of Soul, melancholy disappears, and in the Plane of Fate, misfortune dissipates.

The Heavenly Cloudiness Great Star engraves the form of Cloudiness (蒙).

In the Plane of Qi, spring wells gush forth from beneath mountains,

In the Plane of Soul, ignorance takes root,

And in the Plane of Fate, the future grows uncertain.

The Heavenly Want of Connection Great Star engraves the form of Want of Connection (驛).

In the Plane of Qi, vegetation sprouts,

In the Plane of Soul, 'transmission' occurs,

And in the Plane of Fate, fortune and misfortune are passed on to others.

The Heavenly Crossing Great Star engraves the form of Crossing (克).

In the Plane of Qi, it begins the hunt of beasts,

In the Plane of Soul, patience,

And in the Plane of Fate, it symbolizes victory in war.

The Heavenly Inner Diagram Great Star and the Heavenly Outer Diagram Great Star respectively symbolize the inner and outer trigrams of the Eight Trigrams, serving as the foundation to not only divine one's own fortune but also to subtly interfere with the fate of others.

Now, the Sacred Vessel Stage.

Year, Month, Date, Hour, Calendar.

Correctness and Straightforwardness, Strong Rule, Mild Rule.

During the Sacred Vessel stage, truly many things happened.

So many things occurred that they couldn't be fully perceived at the time but only understood now.

Light.

Light is ultimately close to the essence of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy.

To be precise...

Without light, no living being in Heaven and Earth can dare to begin Immortal Cultivation.

Yes.

Light is the origin of spiritual roots.

When cultivating the formulas of Year, Month, Date, Hour, and Calendar, I simply thought 'I see,' but in hindsight, it's quite a bizarre feeling. 

Because this means the fundamental path of Immortal Cultivation for all living beings and all cultivators in this world is ultimately determined by light.

Light itself is not Heaven and Earth spiritual energy.

However, light serves as an essential medium for receiving Heaven and Earth spiritual energy.

Yes...

Light is absolutely indispensable for Immortal Cultivation.

Without light, no one can even dare to begin Immortal Cultivation.

The formulas of Year, Month, Date, Hour, and Calendar are the basic Immortal Art for handling light.

The formulas of Correctness and Straightforwardness, Strong Rule, and Mild Rule are Immortal Art formulas for actively wielding light against others.

Cultivating according to the formulas of Correctness and Straightforwardness, Strong Rule, and Mild Rule and using the authority of the Eight Paths to wield living beings in the Middle Realm with fate is the cultivation of the Sacred Vessel stage.

And...

The final realm for [Mortal Beings].

Entering Nirvana Stage.

The only formula in Entering Nirvana is Royal Perfection, and there are no stages such as Early, Mid, Late, or Grand Perfection.

There is simply the formula of Royal Perfection and the name of Entering Nirvana. That is all.

From the Entering Nirvana stage, lifespan has no meaning.

In the Four-Axis stage, 50,000 years. In the Integration stage, 100,000 years. In the Star Shattering stage, 1 million years. In the Sacred Vessel stage, 10 billion years,

However, from the Entering Nirvana stage, one can perform rituals to the Heavenly Domain and extend their lifespan as much as they are permitted.

Moreover, the Heavenly Domain is not typically a sentient entity that lends power and takes it back.

Thus, when an Entering Nirvana stage performs a ritual, the Heavenly Domain typically grants them power.

In other words, performing a ritual at the Entering Nirvana stage is essentially 'extracting and eating Heaven and Earth spiritual energy from the Heavenly Domain.'

The more an Entering Nirvana clings to the Heavenly Domain and eats Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, the more they can freely extend their lifespan at will.

Of course, in return, they must offer the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy they generate themselves back to the Heavenly Domain.

However, what matters is the enlightenment of the Entering Nirvana Stage.

The Qi Refining stage familiarizes one with spiritual energy.

The Qi Building stage grasps the starting point of Heaven.

The Core Formation stage partitions Heaven and establishes the framework.

The Nascent Soul stage completes the basic structure of Heaven.

The Heavenly Being stage perfects Heaven.

The Four-Axis stage perfects Earth,

The Integration stage unites Heaven and Earth, creating a world and begins to understand attraction force.

The Star Shattering stage manifests the world one has created into reality.

The Sacred Vessel stage governs the real world with Immortal Arts through one's own world.

These are the enlightenments gained from the Qi Refining stage to the Sacred Vessel stage.

Then what is the enlightenment gained at the Entering Nirvana stage?

Feeling life and death gradually condensing around my Immortal Art, the Impermanence Sword, I begin to reflect on the enlightenment gained at the Entering Nirvana stage.

The greatest characteristic of the Entering Nirvana stage is the mastery of planes.

The Heaven Tribe controls the Plane of Fate, and the Earth Tribe controls the Plane of Qi.

Thus, the Earth Tribe can read their own history.

The history engraved in their genes and the wisdom contained within it. 

And they come to understand the reason they were born into this world.

The Heaven Tribe is the same.

The Heaven Tribe can identify the fate they were born with.

In short, those who reach the Entering Nirvana stage come to realize their fate (命), regardless of whether they are from the Heaven Tribe or the Earth Tribe.

Because I advanced to True Immortality less than two days after reaching the Entering Nirvana stage, I could not comprehend my fate at the time.

But now, I finally understand my fate.

The fate of [Human Seo Eun-hyun] is as follows:

To be born into an ordinary family, live an ordinary school life, serve an ordinary military service, join an ordinary company, meet and spend time with Kim Young-hoon, Jeon Myeong-hoon, Kang Min-hee, Oh Hye-seo, Kim Yeon, and Oh Hyun-seok, go on a trip, and die in a landslide.

That was my fate (命).

'...'

In other words, everything—from my birth, to meeting my comrades, to dying in a landslide—was predetermined.

'Then, what exactly is the [current] fate I possess?'

To find the answer, I repentantly enlighten myself more deeply on my fate.

And I come to realize...

'...I don't know.'

There's no way to know the fate we were [granted] when we came into this world, as Yang Su-jin once mentioned.

'The thing called life is truly complicated.'

What is life?

In the domain of purity, I begin to raise my consciousness while contemplating my life and fate.

At the very least, I have come to understand the fate I was born with on Earth very well.

'Life is...simply life. What else could it be?'

With such a trivial thought, I briefly define life and begin to unify life and death within my body.

'And...'

My consciousness begins to rise rapidly from the domain of purity.

Before me stretches an endless sky full of stars.

That starry sky is none other than the culmination of everything I have achieved so far.

The journey of my cultivation is contained within that starry sky.

'...I see...'

Tstststststs!