A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation Chapter 578: Radiance Ten Heavens (光明十天) (7)

Inside the spacetime of emptiness.

Ten years pass.

After coming to their senses, Ham Jin and Yu Hwi swear proper allegiance to me and begin their cultivation atop the stars I have created.

I continue forming planets in the void of nothingness.

It's a little lonely, but bearable.

Woo-woong!

Whatever Hyeon Mu has done, this original space of the Astral Realm is completely devoid of even a single dust cloud.

Because of this, I must personally create matter to form planets, which drains my strength even more than before.

I generate Heaven and Earth spiritual energy through my main body, filling the surroundings.

The Heaven and Earth spiritual energy that fills the surroundings soon settles into the Plane of Qi, gradually descending to the floor of the Plane of Qi and transforming into heavy matter.

Kurururung!

Using the matter I create, I slowly form planets.

Ham Jin and Yu Hwi also steadily grow as they absorb the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy of the planets.

In particular, Ham Jin shows truly remarkable growth.

Even when Yeo Hwi constantly chases after him, trying to mate with him at every opportunity, he indifferently brushes her off and continues his cultivation, making him seem like an entirely different person.

During the three thousand years I was asleep, it seems he has achieved an astonishing level of mental growth.

Ham Jin's current cultivation is at the Four-Axis stage.

It is merely the Four-Axis stage built with the Five Elements Axes, yet for some reason, he is far stronger than others of the same realm, possessing combat strength equivalent to the Integration stage.

Observing Ham Jin, I uncover the reason.

'So that's it. Ham Jin, that brat...'

After receiving a severe scolding from me, he spent three thousand years grasping a portion of Immortal Arts.

'He has...partially comprehended Filling the Heavens Governing View.'

It is not a complete Filling the Heavens Governing View.

In fact, it has undergone some modifications, becoming quite different from its original form.

But there is no doubt. Ham Jin exudes the aura of an Immortal Art similar to that of Filling the Heavens Governing View.

'An Immortal Art that manifests purely through the heart.'

Perhaps without even realizing it, Ham Jin has, while being influenced by my Filling the Heavens Governing View, begun awakening an Immortal Art of his own.

I watch as Ham Jin fleeing from Yeo Hwi, Yu Hwi burrowing through the planets I have made, and Hong Fan analyzing spacetime,

A smile spreads across my face.

Hyeon Mu had claimed that no one would be able to communicate with me.

Yet Hong Fan, through his own Immortal Art, converses with me without issue. Yeo Hwi, being my Immortal Treasure, is half-fused with my being and has no trouble conveying messages to me.

While it is true that I cannot communicate with Ham Jin and Yu Hwi directly as Hyeon Mu said, I can simply relay my messages through Yeo Hwi or Hong Fan, so it doesn't matter.

'Are you watching, Hyeon Mu?'

Without losing my smile, I prepare an Immortal Art to create a fixed star in the darkness.

'I...am not so lonely.'

No matter how much Hyeon Mu tries to imprison me here, I will never submit to her, I will never bow.

And so, ninety years pass in the darkness.

The hundredth year arrives.

Wo-woong!

As I produce Heaven and Earth spiritual energy and create planets, I come to a realization.

'This is...astonishing.'

Indeed.

Back when I had just become a True Immortal, I had no time to calmly reflect, which is why I failed to notice it before now.

"What I have been generating...is not Heaven and Earth spiritual energy."

At my murmuring, Yeo Hwi, who had been meticulously planning her strategy to bring down Ham Jin, tilts her head in confusion and asks.

"Eh? Wait, Master didn't know that until now?"

"...What?"

"That's strange. Since Master advanced to True Immortality and grasped fate, there's no way you wouldn't know. To think you only figured it out now... Those in the Star Shattering stage generate ordinary Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, but True Immortals and beyond don't actually produce Heaven and Earth spiritual energy at all."

I sit atop the tallest mountain on one of the glass planets I have created, frowning.

"What do you mean by that? And why are you only telling me this now?"

"Ah, my apologies, Master. Honestly, I just never imagined that a genius like Master, hailed as the return of Vast Cold, wouldn't know something so basic..."

It seems that because the energy I generate being unusual is such common sense, no one has ever thought to mention it to me.

"From the moment one becomes a True Immortal, the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy they produce is altered depending on their inner world and the type of Immortal Art within it. Take the Middle Realms of the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain as an example.

The Bright Cold Realm generates Heaven and Earth spiritual energy that is purer and clearer than anywhere else.

The True Devil Realm produces devilish energy.

The Blood Yin Realm generates blood devilish energy.

The Nether Ghost Realm creates ghostly energy.

The Ancient Force Realm produces spiritual energy infused with ancient force.

Purple Gold Realm produces light-black true energy, and the living beings within each realm cultivate using the energy unique to each realm."

"Hm...! I see."

Now that I think about it, that was indeed the case.

Each Middle Realm produces a different type of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy.

"When one reaches True Immortality, the energy they produce changes based on the Immortal Dao or Seat they follow, as well as the Immortal Art they have cultivated and the state of their inner world. In other words, all True Immortals gain the authority to create their own unique energy within this Sumeru World, establishing a new system of power. And ultimately...that is the true nature of the cultivation methods that mortal beings use."

As I listen to Yeo Hwi's explanation, I observe the energy forming within me.

"Those who practice devilish arts convert Heaven and Earth spiritual energy into devilish energy for use, while those who cultivate Ghost Path Methods transform it into ghostly energy. Conversely, those who follow orthodox Daoist Family methods accumulate pure Heaven and Earth spiritual energy within their bodies.

"The very act of altering energy into a different form of power through cultivation methods is, in essence, an imitation of the authority systems of True Immortals. In the end, every method of transforming energy—whether it belongs to the Heaven Tribe or the Earth Tribe—points back to the framework of True Immortals."

Huarurururuk!

Yeo Hwi lifts a cluster of antimatter above her hand as she speaks.

"Even the method I cultivated up to the Four-Axis stage was a demon beast method derived from the ancestor of my bloodline, Glass Peacock. That's why dual cultivation was a mandatory part of my cultivation, and also why I have such a fondness for dual cultivation."

"...Wait, then your distant ancestors are Azure Peng and Glass Peacock...?"

"Yes, something like that. But because the generational gap is too vast, my Immortal Beast True Blood has almost completely dried up. As a result, aside from a few demon beast methods, I have primarily cultivated Heaven Tribe methods."

'Wait. In my past life...Glass Peacock even went as far as Yeo... No, never mind. Let's not think about it.’

I shake my head, erasing my thoughts of Glass Peacock's absurd actions.

Even now, despite having become a True Immortal, just recalling Glass Peacock's behavior feels mentally polluting.

"Anyway, thanks. So...this is my own unique energy."

"I recommend giving it a name, if possible."

"A name?"

"Yes. The moment you name your energy, it will become properly established, and it will provide a much more helpful path for Master's Immortal Dao."

"Hmm..."

'Is this, too, an influence of the Naming Supreme Deity?'

With that thought in mind, I contemplate my energy.

Chijijijik...

Poignant Pain is embedded in the very nature of my spiritual energy.

Not a physical pain, but a mental one.

If absorbed passively, it induces sorrow, loneliness, and heartache for no particular reason. However, when observed calmly, the sorrow fades, leaving behind clarity and gratitude.

'Until now, I thought my mood was just like this...'

It seems that this energy has been influencing me all along.

I gaze at the energy carrying these characteristics and smile.

'Come to think of it, the reason I have been able to come this far is all because of...'

The countless connections of my past lives.

All are precious to me, but among them, the one who supported me the most is, without a doubt...

'Hyang-hwa...it was thanks to you.'

—Was what I just gave you...also pain?

If not for my meeting with her, I surely...

Would have become a monster no different from Yuan Li.

Every time I regressed, I would have consumed my comrades, extracting their essence to enhance my own talent, and turned their corpses into jiangshi or dharma treasures to wield as I pleased.

I would have done whatever it took, by any means necessary, to enforce what I believed was right through sheer tyranny, protecting those dear to me through only my own ways.

I would have become a pathetic madman, no different from my senior brother.

So in truth, the only reason I have not become a crazed devilish cultivator is entirely because of her.

Hwiiiiiii—

I stir up an interstellar wind, scattering the energy generated from within me into the surrounding space.

It's not just Hyang-hwa.

The days I spent training in martial arts with Kim Young-hoon.

The kiss I shared with Yeon.

The sight of Azure Tiger Saint becoming a star.

The will of Gyu Ryeon and Gyu Baek, who never gave up their hearts even under their hatred for Seo Hweol.

The heart of Hong Su-ryeong, who chose to die by my hand of her own will.

The smile of Seo Li, buried in the past in my place.

The legacy of the Salt Sea Supreme Deity, who chose me in the Nether Ghost Realm.

The love of Mad Lord, who clung to his last shred of humanity even after becoming a monster.

The final moments of Yeon Wei and Hon Won.

The last, sincere heart of Daoist Seo.

The unwavering loyalty of Blood Yin towards the Imperial Venerable.

The emotions of Gyeong-i towards me...

All of these have made me who I am now.

Therefore, the name of this energy is...

"...Life (生)."

But then, I suddenly feel the cold murmur of someone striking my mind.

—You don't know either, Seo Eun-hyun...why you live. Why others live... What it even means to be alive... What life even is...

—Don't speak so carelessly when you know nothing.

"..."

I know nothing.

That's right.

Just as those words say, I do not know what life is.

Then, how dare I name something with the word Life (生)?

'...What is life?'

I know nothing.

"The name of this energy...I will decide later. Even if I were to gain the help of the name, the increase won't be significant."

"Hm, well...I'm not a True Immortal, so I wouldn't know for sure. Do as you please."

With those words, Yeo Hwi flies off to capture Ham Jin in the distance.

Even after Yeo Hwi disappears, I continue to mull over the question Oh Hye-seo threw at me for a long time.

'What is...life...?'

A new question has been given to my lonely and monotonous existence.

Because of this, this darkness remains bearable.

In this way, about nine hundred years pass after I realize that my energy is different from Heaven and Earth spiritual energy.

It is now the thousandth year.

Wo-woooong!

On the planets filled with my Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, proper dragon veins and star veins have begun to flow.

At the same time, the overcompressed energies clump together, and spirits (靈) begin to be born on countless planets.

It's the energies accumulating and merging, rising to the Plane of Soul.

Then, at a certain moment, I confirm that life (命) is taking root in those spirits.

'So all the souls in this world are born in such a way.'

That day, I come to understand the secret of the birth of souls and spirits.

At the same time, I realize that I have become a being capable of mass-producing souls and spirits as I please.

'...This is a little terrifying.'

I have felt it to some degree since the Sacred Vessel stage, but this power is truly excessive.

'If this is the kind of power True Immortals possess...then to ordinary True Immortals, life must really be nothing more than a toy.'

Moreover, it is possible to bestow fate upon mortal beings, allowing endless adjustments to their lives.

Truly, everything in the lower realms is nothing more than the toys of True Immortals.

Wo-woooong!

As I watch spirits being born on the planets, I sense that before long, living beings will actually come into existence in this world.

At the same time, I realize that I can freely create and mass-produce the blueprints of life for the living beings that are born through me.

During the Sacred Vessel stage advancement ritual, one usually creates the race to which they belong. But after becoming a True Immortal, it becomes possible to freely edit the blueprint of life and create any living being or race one knows of.

'Perhaps it might even be possible starting from the Entering Nirvana stage.'

If it's an Entering Nirvana from the Earth Tribe who has mastered the Plane of Qi, it would take much longer than a True Immortal, but it should still be possible.

As I watch this unfold, I sink further into confusion.

'...What is life? What exactly is living?'

If something that can be so easily stamped out, mass-produced, modified, and edited is life and fate...

Then just what exactly is this world?

What meaning are we supposed to seek in this world...?

In this lonely, monotonous, and silent world, I ponder that question for a long time.

And so, another nine thousand years pass.

The ten thousandth year.

The planetary system I have created revolves around me.

Once I create a fixed star, I will be able to place it where I stand and form a proper star system.

Wo-woooong!

Within the darkness, I condense Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, steadily preparing to create a star.

During the Entering Nirvana and Sacred Vessel stages, I did not understand it well.

Back then, I completed my understanding of suns simply by mindlessly smashing apart fixed stars and planets.

But now that I stand in the position of creation, I finally understand.

Creation is billions of times harder than destruction.

Entering Nirvanas can create planets, but they struggle to craft the prophecies corresponding to those planets.

True Immortals can imbue planets with prophecies, but they find it difficult to create proper Middle Realms.

'Now I understand. A fixed star itself...is essentially a Middle Realm.'

Of course, in terms of rank, it lacks the absoluteness of a true Middle Realm which makes it difficult to destroy.

It is lower in rank to Cedarwood Painting, which Kim Yeon and I created from the patchworked corpses of True Immortals.

However, a fixed star can certainly fulfill the 'role' of a Middle Realm.

The role of providing light to living beings.

The role of nurturing life with Heaven and Earth spiritual energy.

The role of offering a foundation for life with proper attraction force.

A fixed star is, itself, akin to the Sacred Master of a Middle Realm.

I am not simply creating a massive, scorching ball of fire.

'Now I finally understand... You were all, in truth, alive.'

I smile as I look upon the planets I have made.

All stars are living beings, differing only in structure from organic life forms.

And among them, the fixed stars that generate light...

They are beings no different from Sacred Masters.

As existences that grant life, they are beings filled with immense love and compassion.

Yes...

They are existences with a heart.

The sun is, by its very nature, a True Immortal.

An existence that possesses a heart but lacks will—an innate True Immortal.

That is what a fixed star is.

The cultivation of the Radiance Ten Heavens only ends upon the creation of ten innate True Immortals.

Huarururuk!

Even without anyone telling me, I understand.

In the previous realms, I always learned cultivation methods from others, but in the realm of True Immortality, the Immortal Dao itself whispers [wisdom] to me.

Huarururururuk!

Before I know it, blazing flames begin to form between my hands.

Throughout this time, I have created countless planets and imbued them with prophecies.

Those prophecies have accumulated and accumulated, now forming an innate True Immortal.

Huarururuk!

Watching the burning seed of a fixed star take shape within my hands, I feel a sense of wonder.

Within it, I sense a [heart] stronger than anything else.

I gaze at it with a subtle smile.

A faint light, gradually expanding within my hands.

On the day this light is born—

The spirits that had merely drifted across the surfaces of planets, stirring celestial phenomena, are now 'born' into the world.

The power of light caresses the particles on the planetary surfaces, and true life begins to emerge.

Microorganisms have appeared.

It is different from the Sacred Vessel stage advancement ritual.

Back then, the beings that appeared were already present in the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain. But this time, these beings have truly come into existence from the empty nothingness.

Before I know it, Ham Jin has reached the Integration stage, gradually grasping the essence of Immortal Arts.

Yu Hwi melts planetary surfaces with his Dan Fire, experimenting with the creation of new minerals and materials.

Yeo Hwi still waits for the perfect opportunity to form a relationship with Ham Jin, constantly searching for the right moment.

Hong Fan, on the other hand, has all but severed contact with the outside world, slipping into a semi-dormant state.

It seems he is calcula