Absolute Regression

Jeong Dae sat by the window, gazing outside.

In the yard, Cheong Seon, the Soul Reaper Demon Supreme, was practicing martial arts. Although her training time had decreased since officially becoming the Soul Reaper Demon Supreme, her skills continued to improve daily. She clearly had a talent for soul-reaping techniques.

Jeong Dae, who had been watching Cheong Seon’s training while fiddling with the Millennial Cold Iron Dagger, habitually turned around. Behind him were empty display cabinets that once held sacred artifacts. 1

He sighed.

When he received the dagger, he thought it would be okay to make it a sacred artifact, but now the only sacred artifact in his room was the Millennial Cold Iron Dagger in his hand. In a way, he had exchanged all those sacred artifacts for this single dagger.

‘No. Let’s not live a life of looking back anymore.’

He needed to turn his emptiness into relief.

In the past, he would have been too concerned about the sacred artifacts to even go out for a cup of tea.

But now, he could go anywhere with just this dagger at his side. Emptiness brings freedom; it was indeed true. Yes, that was how he should think.

“Master, I’ll take my leave for today.”

“You’ve worked hard.”

Cheong Seon, who was about to turn around, hesitated and then spoke.

“Master.”

“What is it?”

“When will you teach me your true secret techniques?”

The former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had not yet passed on his secret techniques to her.

“Cheong Seon.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Why are you in such a hurry?”

“Because I am weak. My weakness makes me impatient.”

She had killed her senior and ascended to the position of Demon Supreme. At first, all the soul sorcerers of the Western Illusion Formation were enthusiastic about her, but now she felt their excitement was waning. Recently, she had been feeling pressured to show some overwhelming martial arts to her subordinates.

Moreover, she was annoyed by Sa Woojong, who kept trying to meet her whenever he had the chance. She used to like him so much, but after becoming the Demon Supreme, she disliked him as if it were a lie. Everything he did annoyed her.

She wanted to cut ties with him completely, but she worried he might spread strange rumors, so she occasionally met with him.

She was so distressed that she even thought she might kill him.

“What kind of Demon Supreme do you want to become?”

“I don’t have time for such luxurious thoughts. How can I sleep with my current skills?”

“If a talented and ambitious person like you trains diligently for thirty years, you’ll become like me. How about it? Your future self.”

At that moment, Cheong Seon flinched.

“I need to work ten times harder than I do now.”

After saying this, Cheong Seon worried if she had made an unnecessary joke, but thankfully, Jeong Dae laughed heartily and accepted it with good humor.

“Couldn’t you have just said five times harder?”

“Sorry, I was actually going to say twenty times harder.”

She made another joke, and he laughed even louder.

It was the first time they had exchanged jokes since they met.

Cheong Seon saw a new side of the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. She had thought he was just a rigid person. It was unexpected.

“Well, you have eyes to see and ears to hear, so you probably have a rough idea of what I’ve been through and my current situation.”

He hadn’t told her directly. But she likely knew enough already. She knew that he had given up his position as the Cult Leader and joined hands with Geom Mugeuk. What did she really think of him?

“I know you secretly think I’m pathetic.”

“No, you made a choice I could never make.”

“Which makes me even more pathetic?”

“Which makes you even more admirable.”

“The reason I’m telling you this is that, while martial arts are important, there’s something even more important.”

“What is it?”

“People. More precisely, the ability to see people for what they are.” 2

“Yes.”

“Right now, you’re probably thinking, ‘What nonsense is he talking about?’”

“No, Master.”

“I would think the same way, so it’s okay.”

“Absolutely not.”

When Jeong Dae looked at her, Cheong Seon revealed her true feelings.

“If your martial arts skills are weak, people are useless. Eventually, they’ll all leave. I’m sorry to say, but I still believe martial arts are more important than people.”

“Yes, I used to think that way too. Someday, you’ll understand what I’m saying.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Understand? How could she? He had been the same at her age. No matter who told him, it never sank in.

Only after being deceived by someone like Geom Mugeuk, losing all the sacred artifacts, and being dragged around with shackles around her neck would she realize, ‘Ah, my master was right all along.’

She would only come to understand that while martial arts are important for killing people, in reality, the ability to see people is a hundred times more important.

“Soon, based on your achievements, you’ll move to the next stage.”

“Thank you, Master.”

Cheong Seon left the place with a pleased smile.

When I first took Cheong Seon as my disciple, I only saw her as a ruthless, ambitious woman. Back then, I was too distracted by other matters to think deeply about her.

I wondered if I could ever develop a strong bond with her, but as I taught her, a certain affection grew.

Especially recently, after being manipulated by clever people, it felt refreshing to have someone to whom I could give advice and play the role of a mentor.

But that respite was brief.

Not long after she left, another visitor arrived. It was the Eldest Young Master, Geom Muyang.

“I came to see the Former Cult Leader. I apologize for not notifying you in advance.”

“It’s fine. Come in.”

Geom Muyang sat across from Jeong Dae.

“I didn’t have the chance to properly greet you last time.”

“I was in the same situation, so don’t worry about it.”

“I heard you’ve grown close to my younger brother.”

“There have been many twists and turns.”

“It must have been a significant opportunity for Mugeuk.”

“In reality, it wasn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your brother is so smart that I had a lot to learn from him.”

The former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader spoke of his ordeal indirectly, but Geom Muyang misunderstood, thinking that he was praising Geom Mugeuk.

“My brother is indeed very intelligent.”

“He’s the smartest person I’ve ever met.”

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon said he was moved, and the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader said he was the smartest person he had ever seen. Smart, with a captivating charm?

Geom Muyang still couldn’t quite believe such compliments suited his brother.

“By the way, what brings such a busy person here? Isn’t the Eldest Young Master the busiest person in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?”

“Please help make it so. I thrive on being busy.”

Geom Muyang got straight to the point.

“If you join hands with me, I’ll grant you the two things you desire most.”

Jeong Dae realized these were indeed the two things he wanted most. And as he listened, he couldn’t help but think of one person.

* * *

Jeong Dae immediately went to see Gowol.

“Where is the Second Young Master?”

“He hasn’t returned yet.”

Perhaps because Geom Mugeuk was absent, he couldn’t resist teasing Gowol.

“Being alone here is no different from being bound in shackles, is it?”

“You keep saying that because you’ve never been bound. Would you like to try it?”

“Enough, enough.”

Even with such jokes, he felt more at ease than before.

“Hey, I have a favor to ask.”

“Speak.”

“Could we speak casually, at least when it’s just the two of us?”

Gowol stared at him for a moment before finally opening his mouth.

“Sure, Dae.”

“Yes! That’s it!”

“You gave up the important position of Cult Leader for me, so how could I not grant such a simple request? But there’s one thing that worries me.”

“What is it?”

“Right now, you’re happy about this, but what if you grow to dislike it later? If you start to hate me, you’ll find it extremely annoying that this young brat speaks casually to you.”

“By then, our relationship would be shattered anyway, so what difference would it make? In a situation where I’ve already lost you, what’s the harm?”

Gowol’s chest stirred at that moment. He had truly hated this man once, yet there was no one else who liked him as much as this man did.

“Fine, but don’t regret it later.”

“Regret is my business. Don’t worry about it.”

“So, why did you come today? It wasn’t just to say this.”

“I just came to see you.”

After silently observing the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, Gowol suddenly spoke.

“The Eldest Young Master came to see you, didn’t he?”

Jeong Dae flinched.

“How did you know?”

“I suspected as much.”

“This is one of those things, right? Acting smart by spying on me and pretending to have figured it out? You’re all swindlers, aren’t you?”

Gowol wore an expression that seemed to say, ‘Why else would I say such a thing?’

“What did the Eldest Young Master offer you?”

“He promised that if I joined his side, he would help us enter the Central Plains. He said that while the Second Young Master promised us a branch, he would establish a base.”

“That’s a promise he can’t keep. It’s a lie.”

“Why are you so certain?”

“Geom Muyang is someone who obeys his father’s words without question. Unlike the Second Young Master, he has no flexibility. He would never permit the Heavenly Wind Cult’s expansion into the Central Plains. If the Eldest Young Master becomes the Heavenly Demon, the Heavenly Wind Cult will never even get a plaque in the Central Plains.”

“You’re biased because you’re on the Second Young Master’s side.”

Ignoring Jeong Dae’s words, Gowol asked another question.

“What else did he propose?”

“Nothing else.”

Gowol’s eyes narrowed at the Cult Leader.

“Don’t look at me like that. There were no other conditions.”

“You’re always obvious when you lie.”

“Obvious? How?”

Gowol didn’t explain. Instead, he accurately guessed the Eldest Young Master’s proposal, indicating that he was telling the truth.

“He staked me, didn’t you?”

Jeong Dae’s eyes widened.

“How did you know?”

“He promised to return me to you, didn’t he? That’s the only proposal that would shake you.”

Honestly, the forer Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had been tempted by the Eldest Young Master’s proposal.

What if he could get Gowol back? It sounded crazy, but he even thought he could give up the the Central Plains expansion.

Seeing how the Eldest Young Master shook his heart, he thought that he was quite impressive.

“Geom Muyang is quite smart.”

“The Eldest Young Master is not a smart person. If he were truly smart, he wouldn’t fight with the Second Young Master.”

“You have a disease, the Second Young Master disease.”

“So, what did you say?”

“Don’t worry. I refused him firmly.”

“Don’t lie. You’re probably thinking about how you can use their conflict to get me back. You came to see me to find a way, didn’t you?”

After a moment of silence, Jeong Dae blew a long sigh and asked.

“Does it really show that much?”

“Why do you keep forgetting? You said it yourself. You can’t beat these clever people. So why are you trying to scheme again?”

“Because… it’s for you.”

“This will only make me leave you forever.”

The former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader sighed again.

“I’m sorry. I acted like an idiot again, even though I knew.”

“You have to fight with your other strengths. Against a smart opponent, you need to use a different charm as your weapon.”

“What charm do I have?”

“If my friend didn’t have charm, I’d still be shackled.”

Jeong Dae’s eyes trembled slightly.

“You’re the only one who says such things.”

“No. It’s because you only see me. You look down on others from your throne. Now, if you show the world what kind of person you are, people will line up to tell you the same thing. You might even think of me differently. ‘Oh, that shackle? Is it still living well?’”

“That’s ridiculous.”

The two of them looked at each other and smirked.

“Think of me as a campfire. Stay close enough to feel the warmth, but if you keep me too close, you’ll get burned and covered in soot.”

Jeong Dae nodded silently and spoke.

“…Don’t just remember me as that Cult Leader.”

Gowol also felt his heart tremble. Even Geom Mugeuk hadn’t moved him like this.

“Dae, starting today, say this five times before you go to sleep.”

“What should I say?”

“Stick with the Second Young Master until the end. Stick with the Second Young Master until the end. Now, say it.”

Jeonf Daereluctantly repeated the phrase three more times.

Despite the words, he chanted inwardly:

‘I envy you, Second Young Master. I envy you, Second Young Master. Damn it, I fucking envy you.’

Even so, he felt grateful to have Gowol. He felt closer to him today than when he had him shackled by his side.

It seems there’s a kind of compatibility even in relying on someone. Honestly, he thought it wouldn’t be so bad to burn to death in this campfire.

1 : Lol, he ate everything XDXDXD

2 : Agreed. Too many heroes were betrayed by their companions at the last moment because they didn’t detect their nefarious intentions.

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