Absolute Regression

When the One-Slash Sword Supreme came out of her house, I was squatting and looking at a flower growing in one corner of the yard.

“Isn’t it fascinating?”

“It’s already grown this much.”

“That’s the fun of raising it.”

“Next time, I’ll try raising one too.”

“You’re too busy, it won’t be easy for you.”

“Right, it’ll just turn into a field of weeds? I should stick to what I’m good at.”

I stood up from my squat.

“Today, I’ve come as a sparring partner.”

The One-Slash Sword Supreme’s face brightened up. She really seemed to have been waiting for this day for a long time.

“Thank you so much for your recent help.”

“Was there any help to speak of?”

When I passed information to Sa Woojong, when Cheong Seon became the Demon Supreme, when I went to find the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader. Even though she said she was only half involved, her actions were more than fully committed.

“This is a gift of gratitude.”

“A gift?”

“Please accept it as a token of my sincerity.”

She opened the small box I handed her. Inside was a Night pearl. It was one of the Night pearls I had obtained from Geum Asu, the head of the Golden Manor.

“Such a precious thing?”

“It’s different from what I gave to the Blade Demon.”

I had given Gu Cheonpa a Detoxifying pearl. When I emphasized this point, the One-Slash Sword Supreme laughed, finding it amusing. This was how I broke down the dam of animosity that had built up between them. Removing stones one by one, someday, I would be able to see the other side. ŘᴀŊŐ₿Еs̈

“It’s truly beautiful.”

“To brag a bit, it’s a top-grade Night pearl. It’s not easy to find even with money.”

“It’s worth the bragging.”

“Still, it’s nothing compared to your beauty, senior.”

“Flattering an old woman so excessively.”

The One-Slash Sword Supreme waved her hand, but her face was beaming with a wide smile. Many things about her had changed, but her weakness for compliments on her appearance was something that never changed.

“You have the potential to become quite the playboy.”

“I’m planning to live like that. I’ll travel around and meet all the beauties of the Central Plains.”

“It would be nice if you could live such a life…”

The unspoken implication was that it would be impossible if I became the Heavenly Demon. Wandering around now and doing so as the Heavenly Demon would be worlds apart.

Well, could my father stay confined to the main cult because he wasn’t frustrated? Each step he took, the fate of the martial world was tied to his actions, so he had to be cautious.

“Rather, have as much fun as you can now. It’ll be difficult later.”

“I will.”

“Well then, shall we stretch a bit after so long?”

“I’ve been looking forward to this moment.”

Originally, the person I wanted to spar with next after my father was the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

However, after sparring with my father, my body itched. I wanted to continue sparring, so I sought her out first.

It was certainly different from the last time we sparred.

I could feel her subtle movements more clearly. Instead of just sensing them, I could see them with my own eyes.

Just as my father had done with me, I drove her more fiercely than our previous spar. It was possible because I had confidence that I could control my sword. She fought desperately, and I also did my best.

When the sparring ended, the One-Slash Sword Supreme was panting heavily, showing her surprise. Despite pouring all her strength, except for her final trump card, she couldn’t overpower me.

“You’ve improved more since last time!”

“I’ve had some learning in the meantime.”

“You’re really amazing, truly amazing.”

She was happy but also somewhat regretful.

“At this rate of growth, I won’t be able to keep up with you soon.”

“I did my best to prepare for our next spar.”

The One-Slash Sword Supreme understood my meaning and nodded.

“You’re hoping this old senior will continue to grow too, aren’t you?”

“Arrogantly, yes. I wish to be your sparring partner for life.”

In response to my honest words, a look of unhidden emotion crossed her eyes.

This was part of my effort to make her my right wing.

Before leaving, we shared various stories related to the sparring.

Although my skills were ahead, that didn’t mean there was nothing to learn from her. There was a different kind of learning compared to what I gained from my father.

We started with martial arts discussions and moved on to talk about various aspects of life. It was such an enjoyable time that she was quite reluctant to say goodbye.

Next, I headed to the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s place. However, he wasn’t home.

After waiting for a long time and coming back empty-handed, I found him waiting in front of my house.

“Where have you been roaming around at night? Hiding a woman somewhere?”

It seemed our paths had crossed.

“If you had arrived, why didn’t you wait inside? We have Advisor Go inside.”

“Never mind.”

“Now that we’re like family, why are you being so formal?”

“Family, my foot. Family is the greatest enemy.”

It seemed he was still uncomfortable with Gowol. Well, he might have become comfortable with me, but this prickly old man still didn’t like to interact with people easily.

“What brings you here?”

“I came to deliver some news.”

“What news?”

With a serious expression, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke to me.

“The Demonic Buddha has left to bring back the Eldest Young Master.”

I wasn’t surprised. It was an expected move. The news that the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s troops had come to me must have reached the Demonic Supremes supporting my brother. They must have decided they couldn’t just watch any longer.

Coincidentally, in my previous life before the regression, my brother had also returned to the Cult around this time. What’s meant to happen will happen.

“Ma Bul is always busy. Going to bring the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, and now my brother.”

“That little man is incredibly diligent. What exactly is your brother doing out in the frontier?”

“I don’t know either.”

Of course, I did know. My brother was currently going through a crucial phase that would change his life. This fact was revealed after he arrived, and from then on, he solidified his position as the successor.

“Are you alright, sir?”

“What?”

“You came to me after supporting my brother, didn’t you? My brother might resent you.”

“Let him if he wants to.”

In such matters, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon had a clear value system.

“If there’s a better option, you should choose it. Anyone who holds a grudge over human relationships isn’t helpful in life.”

“You’re absolutely right.”

“What’s so right? The same applies when I abandon you.”

I really liked the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s straightforwardness.

“Are you alright?”

“What do you mean?”

After a moment’s pause, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke.

“What will you do if the time comes when you have to kill your brother?”

“If he does something that warrants it, I’ll kill him.”

“You’re just pretending to be tough.”

I chuckled at that. Yes, it was a pretense. Killing one’s kin is never an easy task.

It wasn’t a matter of whether I was stronger in martial arts than my brother. Fighting my brother would require every ounce of my mental strength. What the Blood Heaven Blade Demon said in jest was true. Family is the greatest enemy.

“Yes, of course, I’m not alright. I’m not a cold-blooded person. How could killing my brother be okay? And he’s not someone who would die easily too.”

I turned and shouted into the house.

“Advisor Go, come out.”

Gowol came out of the house.

“Have you arrived?”

After greeting me, Gowol also bowed politely to Gu Cheonpa.

“The Demonic Buddha has gone to bring back my brother. What do you think about that?”

Gowol couldn’t answer easily. If it were any other enemy, it would be different, but when the elder brother of the master he served became an enemy, the strategist had to be cautious.

After a moment of consideration, he spoke carefully.

“The life and death of the Eldest Young Master will not be for you to decide, Young Master. The Eldest Young Master will decide for himself.”

In the end, it meant that my brother’s fate would be determined by his own actions.

I nodded, but the Blood Heaven Blade Demon still didn’t trust him.

“I helped because you wanted to recruit him….”

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon slowly approached and stood before Gowol, staring intently into his eyes.

“How can you guarantee that he won’t betray us?”

The word ‘us’ caught my ear. For the first time, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon referred to me as part of an ‘us’. It might have been an offhand comment, but it held significant meaning for me. The person who once threatened me enough to bruise my side was now saying ‘us’.

Despite the pressure, Gowol didn’t show fear.

“How about the Demon Supreme? Can you guarantee he won’t betray the Young Master?”

The question made the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s lips curl into a smile.

“No guarantee. I’ll betray him if I want to.”

“That’s why I’m here, to prevent that.”

“Then who prevents you? Who keeps you in check?”

“I do not betray.”

“How can we believe that?”

“Only the Young Master needs to believe in me.”

“Don’t forget that I’m watching you.”

I didn’t intervene in their battle of nerves. That’s my philosophy, after all. Don’t let wounds and conflicts fester—expose, dig, and fight them out as soon as possible to resolve them easily.

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon spoke to me hesitantly, unsure whether to share what he was thinking.

“The Cult Leader does not want you and the Elderly Young Master to fight. He doesn’t want either of you to die.”

I realized once again how well the Blood Heaven Blade Demon knew my father. It was clear that he had a special relationship with my father, enough to confidently draw a line and say that my father cared for him this much.

“I’ve sensed that too.”

After the regression, when I went hunting with my father, he asked in passing if I couldn’t embrace my brother. His true feelings were embedded in that question.

“The Cult Leader is someone who never looks back. That’s the one thing he regrets.”

Even a heart as cold as Millennial Cold Iron bears scars.

“You said you understood the Cult Leader’s feelings?”

“Yes.”

“Then that’s enough.”

“Then that’s settled.” These were the words my father said to me after our sparring session. Both my father’s words and the words of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon strangely gave me strength.

“Is there anything I need to prepare?”

“The request I have for you is always the same.”

“What is it?”

“Reconciliation.”

“Reconciliation? You can’t mean…”

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon realized that I meant reconciliation between him and the One-Slash Sword Supreme.

“The Eldest Young Master is coming, and you talk of reconciliation. You really must be crazy.”

Old man Blade, exasperated, sought agreement from Gowol.

“Your master is truly a madman.”

To which Gowol replied,

“I am not exactly normal myself.”

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon shook his head, saying we were both mad.

I tried to persuade the Blood Heaven Blade Demon again.

“When my brother returns, other Demon Supremes will also start moving. We can’t fight with just one wing, can we?”

“I would like that too, but haven’t you seen enough? The Sword Supreme snaps at me every time she sees me.”

“Yes, I’ve seen enough. The more time passes, the less intense her outbursts become. The way she glares at you is softening.”

Even so, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon shook his head.

“Our reconciliation is harder than unifying the martial world. I’m leaving now.”

As he turned to leave, I shouted at him.

“Even if you don’t unify the martial world, you must reconcile!”

Without responding, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon slowly walked away into the darkness.

I immediately attended to Gowol.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I am fine.”

“Don’t worry too much about it. He’s just a naturally irritable old man.”

“I must worry. He is your left wing, after all. Don’t worry about me. As you know, I haven’t lived an easy life either.”

But I know. Just because someone is like that doesn’t mean they don’t get hurt.

“Understood. Still, if you have anything to say, please do. I will also speak to you if I have any troubles.”

“Yes, I will make sure to do that.”

“By the way, the candidate for the right wing is the One-Slash Sword Supreme. Just so you know.”

“Got it. Then sleep well.”

That night, I couldn’t sleep until late.

There’s no need to think about how my brother was in my past life.

When my brother returns, I will see him. In my past life, I couldn’t see anyone properly, but now I will see him clearly.

I will see with my own eyes what kind of person he is. I will clearly see the true nature of everything in my memory.

As always, in times like this, Hwa Moogi helps.

If I am not a vessel that can overcome my brother, I will die at Hwa Moogi’s hands anyway.

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