Absolute Regression

Lee Ahn was startled.

Although she had been surprised multiple times upon meeting me, this was the first time she had been this astonished.

Her eyes, hidden beneath her flesh, began to tremble.

“Lee Ahn, the day has finally come.”

She couldn’t say anything. Though she didn’t outwardly show it, I could tell how long she had been waiting for this moment.

“When will the procedure take place?”

“Now.”

“Really, right now? The moment I’ve waited for so long is just suddenly here?”

“Events that change one’s fate usually come unexpectedly. When you look back, everything feels like luck and coincidence.”

“It’s okay. You can be nervous. Only I need to stay calm.”

I pretended to tremble, as if I might misplace the acupuncture needle. I was joking to ease her tension, but Lee Ahn was so nervous and excited that she didn’t even notice.

Ideally, I would have liked to use the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique to create a magnificent space for the procedure, but maintaining that space would require too much internal energy and focus.

“Lie down on the bed over there.”

Lee Ahn did as instructed and lay down on the bed. She took several deep breaths. This morning, she wouldn’t have imagined that she would be having the Divine Poison Purification Technique today.

I began inserting the needles into the predetermined acupoints. Each needle was inserted with utmost care. From an outsider’s perspective, it might seem like a simple task any village doctor could perform, but the technique was incredibly sophisticated.

I had to infuse a specific amount of internal energy into each needle, and at times, chant incantations while inserting them. Even a single mistake would result in the procedure’s failure, and she would suffer severe internal injuries while being forever unable to try it again.

While inserting the needles, I occasionally infused her body with my internal energy to calm her raging qi and blood.

Her body was burning with heat, and sweat poured down like rain. She groaned in pain, overwhelmed by the intense suffering.

“It hurts a lot, doesn’t it? The pain is normal.”

She tried to say something, indicating that she could endure it, but I couldn’t hear her clearly. That showed just how difficult and painful the procedure was.

I performed the procedure with utmost caution until the very end.

After inserting all the predetermined needles, I stepped outside for a moment.

I sat quietly, closed my eyes, and crossed my legs to regulate my internal energy. It was truly a task that consumed an immense amount of mental and physical strength. ʀἈℕо₿Ęś

The needle insertion was sadly not a one-time task.

After retrieving all the needles, I started over and inserted them in a different order. As the procedure progressed, my mental fatigue increased, and so did her pain.

“Ughhh!”

A scream escaped her lips.

She usually endured pain well, but this was too much for her to bear.

‘Hang in there, Lee Ahn.’

It pained me to see her suffering, but she had no choice but to persevere.

After the second round of needling, I ground herbs and mixed them with water in a basin. The proportions and combination of herbs had to be exact.

Then I resumed needling.

This was the final hurdle for her. I spoke softly to Lee Ahn, not sure if she could hear me.

“This is the last one. Hang in there.”

She gritted her teeth and endured the pain. I infused her with internal energy intermittently, trying to soothe her qi and blood and alleviate the pain as much as possible.

‘Endure it, Lee Ahn.’

Only after completing the arduous process three times did I immerse her in the herbal solution. I attached a long tube to her throat so she could breathe.

I had done everything I could. All I could do now was hope that the procedure would be successful.

—

Lee Ahn had a dream.

It was a dream of her very early childhood.

“Can you learn the All-Body Petrification Technique for the Second Young Master?”

She wanted to ask what the All-Body Petrification Technique was, but it didn’t seem like the right time to ask. Her master was always terrifying.

“Yes.”

“There are side effects to mastering the All-Body Petrification Technique. Your body will swell.”

She didn’t fully understand what swelling meant.

“The swelling will not go down. It will be permanent.”

At that time, she didn’t grasp the full meaning of the word ‘permanent.’ She didn’t understand how much that single word would weigh on her life. After all, she was only eight years old then.

“Will you still do it?”

“Yes.”

It felt like she had no choice but to agree.

However, it wasn’t just the intimidating atmosphere that made her decide.

She wanted to stay by Geom Mugeuk’s side. She liked him ever since she first saw him. 1

Did she never regret it?

Time passed in her dream.

She stood in front of a broken mirror. In the cracked reflection, an unfamiliar girl glared back at her. She had grown so fat that she couldn’t tell if the girl in the mirror was herself or someone else, and that girl was furious.

‘Why are you angry? I’m the one who’s sad because of you.’

Time flowed again.

She watched Geom Mugeuk, who was drunk, from behind.

“Damn it!”

She understood. What Geom Mugeuk wanted to say at that moment.

‘What makes my brother better than me!’

Those were the words he couldn’t bring himself to say. The Cult Leader trusted the eldest son more, and rumors were widespread that the eldest son would become the successor.

After the Heavenly Demon Pavilion’s announcement that anyone with ability could become the successor, people began openly disregarding Geom Mugeuk. Some believed that disrespecting him would gain favor with the eldest son. Everyone thought that Geom Mugeuk would lose the fight for succession and meet his demise.

Only she knew how hard Geom Mugeuk had tried to win his father’s favor.

Bang!

Geom Mugeuk slammed the table. The broken table caused the bottle of alcohol to fall and shatter.

She went over and cleaned up the broken bottle.

‘Stay strong, Young Master.’

From some point on, Geom Mugeuk never looked at her with kind eyes. He was entirely consumed with whether he would become the successor or not. Still, she liked Geom Mugeuk.

The dream took her to another day.

To the day when everything began to change.

After returning from the New Demon Skirmish, Geom Mugeuk stood in front of the mirror.

His gaze toward her had changed.

Geom Mugeuk asked,

―How do I look?

Such a warm look had been so rare. Was he in a good mood because he won the contest?

―You are the most handsome man in the martial world.

―Boring.

―A question from the person who gives out the monthly stipend always has a predetermined answer.

When was the last time they exchanged such jokes?

Geom Mugeuk in the mirror stared intently at her.

―Why are you looking at me like that?

At that moment, she woke up and opened her eyes.

A strange ceiling came into view.

After a moment, she realized that this was the place where the Divine Poison Purification Technique had been performed.

‘Is the Divine Poison Purification Technique all finished?’

She slowly sat up. She felt strange, unbalanced, different.

Then she looked at her hands.

White, slender hands like jade.

‘!’

Her heart sank and then started pounding like a drum.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

‘It might still be a dream.’

Please, let it not be a dream!

With an anxious heart, she opened her eyes again. Her hands were no longer the bear-like hands of the past. She had only hoped for them to be a bit smaller, but now they were beautifully slender like jade.

Suppressing her urge to scream, she slowly lifted the blanket. The legs that appeared were unfamiliar to her. They were long and white, and they were stunningly beautiful.

In the end, she couldn’t help but scream. For the first time, she experienced that when someone is overwhelmingly happy, they scream without realizing it.

She got down from the bed. As her feet touched the cold floor, a fear crept in that her legs might suddenly grow large, waking her from this dream.

But nothing like that happened. She was taking the first step into her new life.

She slowly walked towards the mirror.

“Ah!”

In the mirror stood a stranger. She was unfamiliar yet familiar, with faint traces of her childhood self. How long had it been since she saw her true self?

Her face was beautiful, and her figure was perfect.

How could one face exude such splendor and purity at the same time? Her gentle eyes looked intelligent, and there was an untouchable elegance about her.

No other description was needed. She was simply overwhelmingly beautiful.

Tears threatened to fall, but surprisingly, they didn’t.

She still felt dazed, unable to tell if it was a dream or reality.

Then she noticed the undergarments and white robe placed beside the bed. Seeing them made her realize that this was indeed not a dream.

―Whose are these? They look like they belong to a very slender woman.

―They’re for someone special.

―If you’re giving underwear as a gift, it must be for someone very close to you.

―Yes, very close.

The clothes Geom Mugeuk had prepared for someone close to him were meant for her.

She put on the undergarments and the robe and stood in front of the mirror again. She looked even more beautiful than before.

Knowing that Geom Mugeuk had bought the clothes for her made her incredibly happy. His consideration for her felt wonderful. At least at this moment, his care meant more than curing her side effects.

She slowly walked outside.

The person she had longed to see was standing in the yard with his back turned.

Lee Ahn called out to him softly.

“Young Master.”

Geom Mugeuk slowly turned towards her.

When he saw her in the white robe, his eyes widened.

He had seen her beautiful transformation when he laid her on the bed after the Divine Poison Purification Technique. But seeing her standing before him now, she looked even more different. She was so beautiful that he was at a loss for words. 2

“The Divine Poison Purification Technique was successful. Congratulations, Lee Ahn.”

Finally, tears flowed from her eyes.

“Your eyes will swell. Don’t cry on a day like this.”

“It’s okay if they swell. I’ve lived my whole life with swollen eyes.”

“You need to live differently now.”

“No, my life hasn’t changed. Whether before or now that you’ve performed the Divine Poison Purification Technique, I’m still the same Lee Ahn.”

“Yes, you are still the same Lee Ahn to me.”

Lee Ahn ran over and hugged Geom Mugeuk. She cried for a long time in his arms. She didn’t say thank you, fearing that words might diminish her gratitude.

“Can I ask again?”

“What?”

“Why are you so kind to me?”

“Don’t ask. It’s a question you’ll need to ask again soon.”

“Pardon?”

With an enigmatic smile, Geom Mugeuk took her hand and led her.

“Let’s go, we need to show off.”

“To whom?”

“Who else? To the world’s worst guy who mocked you as my ugly heart.”

Lee Ahn beamed at Geom Mugeuk’s words.

* * *

I walked with Lee Ahn down the street.

People parted to the sides like water. Everyone stared at her in a daze. Men, women, children, and the elderly all watched. Monks and Taoists gazed as well. Even a barking dog stopped and stared at her.

―Everyone is looking at you. How do you feel?

―It’s overwhelming.

―Enjoy it.

―How can I enjoy it with everyone staring like that?

―Relish the attention. Oh, how I wish people would look at me like that.

―Please, take it!

―Once you get used to it, you won’t say that.

The same thing happened when we arrived at the Sky Flower Pavilion. All eyes were on her. Exclamations of admiration erupted from everywhere.

Among the courtesans, there were some famous beauties, but none could compare. Though all were beautiful, Lee Ahn exuded a noble elegance. Without a trace of makeup, her face glowed like a full moon.

We entered the room where the Evil Smiling Demon and the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress were.

Soma was lying on Yo Jeong’s lap.

“Fortunately, you’re still here.”

“I waited until you arrived. What kept you so busy?”

The Evil Smiling Demon glanced at me and then, upon seeing Lee Ahn, was startled. He sat up in a flash.

I thought this would be the perfect phrase to summarize Lee Ahn’s beauty.

A beauty that even makes the reclining Evil Smiling Demon sit up.

“Who is she?”

“My new heart.”

“What about your old heart?”

“I discarded it.”

“Did you kill that ugly heart?”

Knowing he was sincere, I laughed.

“Yes, I killed it with my own hands.”

“How could you kill it?”

“Why? Do you miss the ugly heart?”

“No, it still hasn’t paid back all the money for the carriage repairs.”

At his words, Lee Ahn laughed brightly. Her laughter seemed to light up the entire room.

At that moment, the Sky Flower Pavilion Mistress casually asked Evil Smiling Demon,

“Isn’t she prettier than I was in my youth?”

I quickly looked at the Evil Smiling Demon.

‘Be careful! It’s a trap, Soma.’ 3

1 : Tag activated : #Love Interest Fall In Love First#

2 : The beauty of a woman in love….

3 : Abort, abort !!!!

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