Absolute Regression

After parting ways with my brother, I went to meet Lee Ahn.

I didn’t know why I suddenly thought of her, but perhaps I wanted to see the person who understood me the best.

Lee Ahn was diligently training again today.

She was always training.

Her figure overlapped with mine from before the Great Regression Technique, when I was gathering materials. I, who tirelessly pursued a single goal.

She noticed my presence belatedly, after a long period of training.

“Young Master! When did you arrive?”

“A while ago.”

“What if you were an assassin, Young Master?”

“Ah!”

I drew my sword and stepped forward in front of her.

“Let’s reduce those twenty times to nineteen.”

Lee Ahn’s eyes sparkled, realizing I was about to demonstrate the Soaring Sword Art.

“Thank you!”

It had been a while since I last demonstrated. I didn’t lower my level but showed her everything as I was, at the stage of Ten Star Greatness.

There’s a significant difference between the Ten Star Greatness stage and my current level. Of course, she wouldn’t feel it as much as I do. How much she perceives that difference will determine her achievement.

When I finished the techniques from start to end, Lee Ahn stood there, deep in thought.

I could tell. She had entered a state of selflessness at some point.

To avoid disturbing her, I held my breath and quietly sat down in a meditative posture. Not knowing when she might come out of her state of selflessness, I couldn’t just wait idly.

I began training in the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique. I used to fall into a state of selflessness while training with her, but today, it was her turn.

After a long six hours, I sensed her coming out of her enlightenment.

Congratulations, Lee Ahn.

I sent my congratulations to her in my heart. Falling into a state of selflessness for six hours is not something that happens easily in a martial artist’s life.

Lee Ahn looked around at the dark surroundings, puzzled.

“Young Master?”

“How was it? Your first experience of a state of selflessness.”

“A state of selflessness? Are you saying I was in such a state?”

“Yes.”

“I thought I was just spacing out for a moment?”

“Well, considering our entire lives, six hours is indeed just a moment.”

“Six hours passed?”

Lee Ahn was startled. The moment one wakes up from a state of selflessness is always crucial.

“Show me the Soaring Sword Art immediately.”

“Yes.”

Lee Ahn performed the Soaring Sword Art in front of me.

It was indeed effective. Not just effective, but her Soaring Sword Art had reached the level of Eight Stars.

“All I did was watch you perform the techniques. How is this possible?”

“How could it be just that? It’s because you’ve been training like a bear all this time. Do you think it would be possible just by watching my demonstration?”

“No matter what, it’s still amazing.”

“All the effort you’ve accumulated has now fully blossomed in this state of selflessness.”

“Ah!”

I taught her, and she, with her exceptional martial talent, worked tirelessly. The level of Eleven Stars gave her deeper inspiration, and ultimately, the six hours of selflessness played a crucial role. All these factors combined to create this miraculous achievement.

“Don’t get too excited. As you know, martial arts achievements progress quickly at first but slow down as you go. Think of the Soaring Sword Art as just beginning now. It can take a lifetime to go from Eight Stars to the peak, let alone reaching the level of Great Achievement.”

“Even if it takes a lifetime, I will definitely achieve it. Heaven has granted me such a precious opportunity. I’d feel too ashamed and regretful if I didn’t make the most of it.”

Simultaneously, the time to use the Divine Poison Purification Technique on her had come a step closer.

To safely and effectively perform the Divine Poison Purification Technique without side effects, my martial arts level is important.

However, her level of attainment is crucial thereafter. A peerless beauty with weak martial arts would only face terrible ordeals.

I planned to use the Divine Poison Purification Technique when she reached the level of Nine Stars. With the Nine Stars of Soaring Sword Art, she would be able to protect herself anywhere.

But today’s achievement suggested that the timing might come much sooner than I had expected.

“Instead of dying twenty times, you’ll only die twice now.”

Lee Ahn, overwhelmed, bowed deeply on the spot.

“Thank you, Young Master.”

“No need for such formality between us.”

“What exactly is our relationship? I was just an escort martial artist. Why are you so good to me?”

Because you threw yourself to protect me, and that’s how all of this began.

“Lee Ahn.”

“Yes.”

“After meeting my brother and returning, I felt troubled. Do you know who I thought of at that moment? It was you. That’s why I’m good to you.”

She looked at me with a face full of emotion.

“And you’ve used two out of your five questions.”

We had agreed that she could only ask why I was good to her five times.

“Now you have three left.”

“I will use them sparingly.”

“The Soaring Sword Art has reached the Eight-Star level, so you must use it carefully. Its power will be completely different from before.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Lee Ahn, even though it’s not fitting to say this to someone as excited as you… don’t live a life solely focused on martial arts training.”

“Yes!”

Lee Ahn nodded brightly with a wide smile.

Lee Ahn, it’s because of this.

Because you are someone who nods your head like this beside me.

Even though you’re smart and clever enough to have your own thoughts, you’re someone who smiles and nods at my words like this.

Someone that everyone wishes they had in their life at least once.

Someone who can give different answers even if asked a hundred times.

Hang in there, Lee Ahn. Let’s go all the way to the top!

* * *

When I returned from meeting Lee Ahn, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon was waiting for me, having thrust the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber into the ground around my quarters.

“Why are you here?”

“I was reminiscing about the first day I met you here.”

“Do you want to turn everything back now that my brother is back?”

“I felt I should let you know that the fish I caught isn’t mine.”

He pulled out the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber that was embedded in the ground and drew a long line on the ground.

“When I first met you, it was here.”

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon drew a line at the very beginning of the line. On the day he first visited me, he drew a line on the ground like this, poking my side.

“And now, it’s here.”

He drew a new line a little past halfway down the line.

“Oh! We’ve passed the halfway point!”

“Just barely passed it. Is that something to be so happy about?”

“This is more than enough.”

“Enough?”

“Even as friends or foes, we are friends, and in life or death, we are alive. Being too close to someone can be a burden, can’t it? I can’t take care of that person until the end, but if that person keeps crossing the line and coming towards me I’ll accept it.”

I drew a line near the end with the Black Demon Sword.

“To get this far, wouldn’t one have to be a child? By the way, my father would be around here.”

This time, I drew a line that didn’t even reach the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s mark.

“Why are you so good with words? Do you prepare all night, thinking about what to say today, memorizing it all night?”

“Please say such things when I come to visit you. Not on a day when an elder suddenly visits me like this.”

Gu Cheonpa shook his head as if he couldn’t win. He had come to find me because of my brother.

“I came to inform you about the Eldest Young Master.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“The first Demon Supreme the Eldest Young Master will likely encounter is the Evil Smiling Demon. Be prepared accordingly.”

His judgment was indeed accurate. In the past, the three Demon Supremes who most strongly supported my brother were the Demonic Buddha, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, and the Evil Smiling Demon.

In the previous life, my brother committed several cruel acts around the time he was chosen as the heir. It wasn’t solely due to his decisions. The influence of the Demonic Buddha, Blood Heaven Blade Demon, and Evil Smiling Demon who were with him at the time was significant.

Will my brother’s fate also change like that of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon or the One-Slash Sword Supreme? For that to happen, the fates of the Demonic Buddha and Evil Smiling Demon must also change.

“So the next closest person after the Demonic Buddha will be the Evil Smiling Demon.”

“It used to be me, but now that position will be taken by the Evil Smiling Demon. I expect the Eldest Young Master will meet all the other Demon Supremes except me. The order of meetings will just be different.”

I nodded silently.

“The Evil Smiling Demon is not an ordinary person.”

“I know.”

Why else would ‘Evil’ be part of his nickname?

“You need to be prepared. Are you just going to stay idle like this?”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to leave it as it is?”

“As long as I have you and Senior Sword Supreme, I’ll be fine.”

“It’s nice to hear, but if five Demon Supremes side with the Eldest Young Master, it will be difficult to oppose them.”

“Why do you say five and not six?”

“Since the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult has arrived, the Soul Reaper Demon Supreme has naturally become our ally, hasn’t he?”

“Cheong Seon is still young and ambitious, so we can’t be sure. On the contrary, she’s the easiest person for my brother to win over.”

She could act like an ally and then stab our backs. My brother could use her as a spy. There are many possibilities.

“It doesn’t matter if the Soul Reaper Demon Supreme is on their side. If my brother wins her over, we can use that against him in critical situations.”

“You thought that far ahead?”

“I have to. Of course, I’ll still try to prevent that from happening.”

It wasn’t because of Cheong Seon, but because of Jeong Dae. I wanted to see the Soul Reaper Demon Supreme grow well as his disciple.

“Then you’ll be facing six opponents. No matter how capable you are, it will be tough. No, it won’t work because I can’t handle it. At least one Demon Supreme must be firmly on our side.”

“Who are you referring to?”

Old man Blade seemed about to mention someone, but then stopped himself.

“That’s for a smart person like you to decide.”

He probably had someone in mind as our ally, but he thought it wouldn’t be right to say it. It also meant he trusted my judgment.

“Move quickly before the Eldest Young Master wins over all the Demon Supremes.”

“My brother will meet someone other than the Evil Smiling Demon first.”

“Who else?”

I stared intently at the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

“Me?”

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon blinked in confusion.

“Really, me?”

“Yes, my brother will seek you out first.”

“That can’t be. He knows I’m on your side. He might meet other Demon Supremes, but he won’t come to me.”

“No, even if he doesn’t go to the other Demon Supremes, he will definitely come to you. After you, it will be Jeong Dae.”

Despite my certainty, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon tilted his head, still skeptical.

“Why do you think that?”

“My brother wants to show our father that your reason for coming to me was simply because he wasn’t there. He believes that taking you back will earn him more favor with our father than commanding all the other Demon Supremes combined.”

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon slowly nodded, realizing there might be some truth to my words.

He stared at me and asked, “Then aren’t you worried? That I might go back to the Eldest Young Master?”

I paused briefly before speaking.

“I am worried.”

“Really?”

With a serious expression, I responded.

“Of course. You saw him that day, didn’t you? The gift he gave to the One-Slash Sword Supreme. It wasn’t about the gift itself but his meticulousness. He’ll likely try to give you something even greater.”

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon nodded. He knew enough about my brother.

“I hope you won’t go. Whatever good offers my brother makes, please tell me. I will make a better offer to keep you.”

“You’re not asking me to stay out of loyalty?”

“We’re not kids in our twenties.”

“But you are, aren’t you?”

“Oh, right. But I’m an old soul.”

I laughed sheepishly.

“At least he won’t be able to take you.”

“Why?”

“Because I will stake everything to make a better offer. Even if he tries to blackmail you with some weakness, you must tell me.”

“Why?”

“Because I will resolve it. If you ask whether I can, I believe I’ve shown you enough so far. If you’re hesitant to reveal a weakness to me, remember we’ve seen and shared everything.”

After a moment of silent contemplation, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon stood up, retrieving the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber deeply embedded in the ground.

“Let’s see if he really comes to me first, as you say.”

As he was about to leave, he glanced at the line drawn on the ground.

“Who knows where this line will move next.”

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