A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation Chapter 818 Chapter 815

Side Story - Makli Clan (1) 'Makli Cheon-sa? Makli Hyun-ah?'

Hyun-ah struggles to comprehend the unfolding events.

Yet, one fact stands out clearly to him.

'This person is utterly insane. I need to escape right now.'

But as though sensing his intentions, Makli Cheon-sa gives a soft huff and approaches Hyun-ah, seizing his head firmly.

Clench-

"Kughhhh"

[I've implanted a thread of my divided soul within you. A Ghost Path body readily attracts bizarre, overwhelmingly mighty deities for possession, but by preemptively filling your form with my sacred soul fragment, such intrusions won't occur. In any case, with the Ascension Gate soon to open, I'll ascend myself, leaving just this single soul strand behind with you.]

Hyun-ah's frame shudders as the forceful influx of information surges into his mind.

Details on the group known as the [Makli Clan], along with the whereabouts of their primary household.

And the distant borders of Yanguo, where the Makli Clan has taken root...

Finally, basics like the Yanguo tongue and similar matters roughly embed themselves in his thoughts.

"You don't appear to hail from Yanguo, so I've also crammed the Yanguo language knowledge into you. You can comprehend my speech now, right? With my seal imprinted upon you, you'll head to the main family from here on, present yourself as my adopted daughter... adopted son, and master the Makli Clan's Innate True Method. Ahahaha, I fretted a little that our fragile clan might fade away upon my rise to the Upper Realm... but with a Ghost Path body at hand, I can influence the clan even from there, leaving me quite pleased!"

Upon concluding her statement, Makli Cheon-sa transforms into a beam of light and streaks away into the distance, while Hyun-ah—

Now transformed into 'Makli Hyun-ah', gapes vacantly at the spot where Makli Cheon-sa vanished.

And trailing after Makli Hyun-ah, the members of [Loot Farming Heavenly Lord]—now roused from their stupor—also gaze skyward with mildly stunned faces at the receding figure of Makli Cheon-sa.

"Wh-What the heck was that?"

"Is my vision playing tricks on me...?"

This happens as they scan their surroundings with bewildered expressions.

"W-Wait!"

Suddenly, Lee Seo-ah, her complexion drained of color, whispers urgently and gestures toward a certain direction.

All of them swiftly turn their gazes to the spot Lee Seo-ah indicates.

And every face pales instantly.

At the location Lee Seo-ah signals, a massive bear looms.

"B-Bear...!"

"Shh! Keep silent, it hasn't spotted us yet."

"That bear... seems adorable... I wanna pet it."

While most folks blanch at the bear's presence, Ahn Geum alone fidgets her fingers, eyeing the creature's plush coat longingly.

In response, Jegal Mikhail shakes his head while observing Ahn Geum.

"You absolutely cannot pet that bear. My uncle once encountered a bear inside a Russian cavern. He remarked how cute it appeared and reached out to stroke it, despite everyone's efforts to halt him, insisting it was harmless. He perished right before my very eyes that way. It seized him in a flash and hauled him into the depths. His final cry echoes in my memory still. I'll never erase the image of him vanishing into that abyssal hole."

Cold perspiration drips from him as Mikhail vigorously shakes his head, evidently having faced a bear in the past.

As Makli Hyun-ah absorbs Jegal Mikhail's tale, a disrespectful notion crosses his mind—'At that point, isn't it basically suicide?'—but he quickly dismisses it.

"Th-Then what do we do?"

"For the moment, the bear remains unaware of us. Let's retreat as silently as we can. Everyone, hush and move backward slowly..."

And right as Jegal Mikhail, speaking in hushed tones, guides the group away from the bear.

Park Sung-hyun's eyelid flickers, and he abruptly yelps while flailing his arm frantically.

"Uaaaaagh, damn it! A crane fly's latched onto my arm!"

Park Sung-hyun likely just got spooked by the crane fly abruptly sticking to his limb...

But his outburst draws the enormous bear's attention, swiveling its head their way.

And before anyone recovers their wits.

The hulking bear charges toward their group with heavy thuds.

"Uh, uhhh...?"

Makli Hyun-ah and the entire guild can merely widen their eyes in shock.

From afar, the tree's shade concealed it, so they hadn't realized...

But up close, the truth dawns on them.

The bear sports a customized hanbok.

Atop its head sits an antiquated scholar's hat, and from its belt dangles a scroll...

Its attire suggests that, handed the Four Treasures of the Study, it might settle down gracefully to practice calligraphy.

[Hmm, what a nuisance. I sensed the aura of a Grand Perfection Heavenly Being cultivator and was striving to ignore it... but with all that yelling and chaos, feigning ignorance proves impossible, doesn't it?]

"Huu-huaaaagh! Th-The bear's speaking!"

"C-Can I pet it...?"

Park Sung-hyun's eyes bulge at the sight of the articulate bear, while Ahn Geum flushes, fixating on the bear's midsection.

Witnessing this, the bear creases its forehead and emits a low growl.

[Honestly, you Human Race youngsters lack any decorum. Invading my domain and causing such a frenzy. I should simply devour—]

And before the phrase 'you all' fully escapes the bear's maw.

Park Sung-hyun shrieks.

"Run!"

Leading the charge, [ID ChaebolMelon DirectorPOV] Park Sung-hyun, [ID DivineSword PalaceLord] Kim Shin-ju, [ID ILikeCurry] Ahn Gyeong, and the rest bolt wildly in the opposite direction.

For Ahn Gyeong, perhaps due to his familial tie to Ahn Geum, he attempts to clasp her hand and flee as a pair, but since Ahn Geum veers toward the bear instead, he fails and dashes off solo.

Makli Hyun-ah and Lee Seo-ah find their limbs paralyzed, rendering flight impossible.

Noticing their state, Jegal Mikhail, despite his terror, clutches Makli Hyun-ah and Lee Seo-ah by the arms, attempting a joint escape.

Yet, when Lee Seo-ah's wrist slips free from his sweaty grip, Jegal Mikhail, fighting back sobs, flees while dragging only Makli Hyun-ah along.

"W-Wait, Mister Mikhail! My sister!!"

"Snap out of it, Rihyunjok! Staying put means death for us all! I-I'm a timid shut-in who fakes being outgoing... but even I grasp priorities. Timing reigns supreme, always. Miss that vital moment, and you're done for! Pay attention. It just hit me—this landscape matches the concept cafe image the guild leader shared yesterday exactly. And for some reason, I sense the power from that concept cafe form I filled out awakening within me!"

Jegal Mikhail's eyes flare wide as he briefs Makli Hyun-ah.

The trait and build he selected on the form as his desire was [Complete Hypnosis].

"I-I'm not sure if it's from all my wild daydreams over the years... but I know it. This is the real deal! The guild leader must be some godly entity, and we've obviously tumbled into her scheme, landing in another realm! I-I recognize this from countless novel starts I've read!"

H-Huh? What the hell are you spouting!? That's ridiculous!!"

"Then, screw that, does floating in lights and a freaking bear in hanbok chatting in our tongue make any sense? Look, you know those isekai tales, yeah? We're smack in the intro of one right now. No clue who's the lead. But the survivor probably is. I'm blabbering, sure, but one truth holds! Survival first! Only then can we figure if you're the hero or not!"

"Quit the bullshit and explain what about my sister!!"

"Survival is key!! Haven't you heard!? Timing rules everything! Your sister botched the escape window! Turning back for her means the bear devours us! Bears shred folks!! That's what took my uncle!!"

Still, Makli Hyun-ah ultimately wrenches free from Jegal Mikhail's hold.

"It spoke, didn't it! Negotiation might work, so I'm heading back! I won't abandon my sister!"

"You idiot... Bears maul people! It's perilous! I'm saying survive!"

"...Still..."

Faced with Jegal Mikhail's yell, Makli Hyun-ah wears a downcast look.

"Still... I must rescue my sister."

His sister always gleamed brightest in the family.

He, a total flop and shattered mess, draws disdain from the household elders.

Whether from being a bastard offspring or just his overlooked temperament?

No one in the home, father included, ever spared Makli Hyun-ah a glance.

Except his sister, Lee Seo-ah, who always watched over him.

'Over a nobody like me... my sister must endure!'

Bears might shred prey, but since it utters human speech, perhaps a person dwells within?

Yes, that has to be the case.

'We'll survive, we absolutely will!'

With that resolve, he pivots from Jegal Mikhail, intending to return to the bear's location.

However, unable to bear the sight in the end, Jegal Mikhail shoves Makli Hyun-ah aside and strides toward

the bear on his own.

"...Alright, step back. If that's your stance, I'll fetch your sister somehow too."

"Y-Yes...?"

"What could a skinny kid like you accomplish...? I'll hoist your sister onto my back and dash back here... Spot me heading your way, and you bolt too! Understood? If I'm not back in two minutes, you hightail it as far as possible."

"M-Mikhail..."

ID EnricoEmporio.

True name: Jegal Mikhail.

"I-I'm actually a J*J* enthusiast. Favorites include a figure named En**co Pucci and another called Emporio Al**no. I'm even among those fans theorizing they're secretly father and son. So last month, in an online forum... around May, I posted a theory wondering if Emporio might truly be Pucci's child. Anyway, that's beside the point... Pucci's the antagonist, Emporio embodies righteousness... The key is, if they're kin, then 'righteousness' isn't innate but forged and validated through deeds... that's my view."

'What the heck is this nerd monologuing about solo...?'

Makli Hyun-ah inwardly tsks.

Though he's no better as a reclusive gamer, he can't follow Mikhail's ramblings on obscure references only he gets.

"After the bear claimed my uncle, the trauma turned me into a worthless wreck. But... if I don't evolve now, how can I keep going...?"

Jegal Mikhail glances back at Makli Hyun-ah and grins.

"...Your bravery in facing a bear to save kin shamed me into action. Thanks. You've sparked my resolve. Rest easy, I'll retrieve your sister and return!"

"...Mister Mikhail..."

Makli Hyun-ah grasps none of the words, yet the intent rings clear.

Through his peculiar reasoning, Jegal Mikhail has conquered his dread and vows to retrieve Hyun-ah's sister!

Hyun-ah had pegged him as somewhat pathetic before, but...

To Makli Hyun-ah now, Jegal Mikhail's silhouette appears sturdier and more dependable than any other.

Were he female, he might even develop feelings.

The instant after, Jegal Mikhail sprints toward the bear's position.

And two minutes on,

Huuuuung!

"Uh...?"

Makli Hyun-ah senses an invisible mighty force seizing and yanking him, hauling him toward the bear's area.

Right away, Makli Hyun-ah blankly observes the spectacle before him.

[Chomp chomp, gulp... That was a fine meal.]

[Such odd tastes. Revolting, each one worse than the last. Yet their unique builds aid in restoring my vigor somewhat.]

"Uh, uhh..."

A cauldron.

Before Makli Hyun-ah's gaze stands a massive cauldron, positioned over flames, bubbling intensely.

The hanbok-clad bear ladles broth from the cauldron and slurps it eagerly, chuckling to itself.

And...

In Makli Hyun-ah's view lie three skulls.

[Oi, Human Race. Is this female your kin?]

Makli Hyun-ah eyes Ahn Geum and Lee Seo-ah, securely restrained near the bear.

He nods dazedly, prompting the bear to tsk and loosen Lee Seo-ah's bonds.

[Tch, meddling with kin of a Heavenly Being-marked youth goes too far. Take her and scram! I'll free this one.]

Lee Seo-ah, face ashen from some nightmare vision, stumbles unsteadily toward Makli Hyun-ah.

"Hyun-ah, Hyun-ah... Mister Jegal... Mikhail..."

With a quivering finger, Lee Seo-ah indicates one of the three skulls.

"A-And Mr. Park Sung-hyun... and Mister Kim Shin-ju as well..."

As though scarred by trauma-inducing horror, she slumps against Makli Hyun-ah's shoulder, breath ragged and voice trembling.

"Th-They all... in mere thirty seconds, that bear snagged them, hauled them over, and swiftly stripped flesh from bone... tossed them into the cauldron... and devoured them..."

Makli Hyun-ah stares vacantly at Jegal Mikhail's skull, then shifts to the bear.

"Wh-Why... why...?"

[Hm? Why what? You lot trespassed my woods without a hint of respect, then shrieked like you'd beheld a monster and fled, so I indulged in a quick restorative feast. The sole one displaying faint courtesy was this young one.]

The bear pats the head of the bound Ahn Geum beside it while explaining.

[Thus, I only captured and consumed three of the four runners. By their lineage, they aren't your relatives, so down they went. Any issue?]

"Ah..."

[I meant to snag the Human Race tied by blood to this kid too, but he stepped solo into a space tear from the Ascension Gate and plummeted to a distant spot ten thousand li off, beyond my reach. Tsk... Regardless, I'm sated now, and you're marked by a Heavenly Being senior, so you'll live. This one's shown me respect, so I'll keep her as a pet human. No further dealings? Then beat it. Can't slay you, but snapping off an arm or leg for a bite is effortless.]

At that moment,

Kurung, kurururung!

In the distance, thunder rolls through the heavens, and colossal presences draw near.

The bear, spotting them, flashes alarm, unrolls the dual scrolls from its waist, packs away the cauldron used for stewing and consuming the guild folk, then scoops Ahn Geum underarm and hastily readies to flee.

[Tch, more Heavenly Being seniors crossing paths. You, quick, conceal yourself or whatever. Even with a Heavenly Being mark, another Heavenly Being could slay you without a second thought!]

The bear scrambles to bolt elsewhere, but a thunderstrike plummets from above, zapping the bear and causing it to release Ahn Geum outright.

[Kuaaaagh! I, I'll release it! I'll drop and dash, so mercy, don't claim the demon core!]

The bear abandons Ahn Geum close by, then panics away on all fours.

Bound Ahn Geum, still tied, idly toys with the bear fur clinging to her palms, a wistful expression on her face.

After a while, multiple humans descend from the skies amid luminous glows.

[Heh, remarkable indeed. That's an Extreme Ghost Path Body, isn't it? Makli Cheon-sa's already claimed it, but... I crave it...]

[The Extreme Ghost Path Body isn't the point. See that? That's unmistakably the [Wind-Painting Sword Sea Impermanence Body ()]! A fabled build of the Candle Dragon Race!]

A male figure summons a glowing array.

Kwarurururung!

A light ribbon descends from above and slams into Lee Seo-ah.

Lee Seo-ah cries out, but the ribbon pierces her form instead, morphing into keen sword Qi that erupts forth.

Makli Hyun-ah senses the razor-sharp vibe from Lee Seo-ah, barring any approach.

[And that kid? Isn't her build the [Ghost-Face Killing Heaven Body (AZ)]?]

Kugugugugu!

As a black-robed woman strums her pipa, myriad dark visages materialize around Ahn Geum, glaring fiercely.

To the pipa's tune, her restraints shatter, and Ahn Geum, intrigued, prods the dark faces' eyes or jams fingers into their nose holes or ears.

[I desire the Extreme Ghost Path Body child too.....]

[Drop it—you know Makli Cheon-sa's nature? See, she's embedded her soul fragment in the Ghost Path Body already. Touch it, and she'll strike via that vessel.]

[Tsk tsk, such a shame...]

The aerial conversers, after chatting briefly, alight upon the earth.

[Young one, I am Jin Young-hoon, ex-Martial Alliance Leader from the Jin Clan. I've just hit Grand Perfection Heavenly Being and prepare to ascend. Join me in rising to the Purple Gold Realm. Word is, they've enacted a Candle Dragon Race favoritism policy there lately, granting you vast privileges.]

"W-Wa