Absolute Regression

Gowol was busy working in his room. He was drafting a budget plan for how to allocate the funds acquired through the Divine Debt. Calculating, organizing, planning—no matter how much he worked, the tasks seemed endless.

At that moment, someone who always made the repetitive hardship a little less burdensome rushed in.

“Geom Mugeuk and Dan Woo-gang are heading back to the cult.”

At the words of the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader, the brush in Gowol’s hand paused for a moment before resuming its movements.

“When?”

“It seems like they’re leaving right now.”

Jeong Dae watched Gowol continue his work and asked, “Aren’t you going to miss Young Master leaving?”

“Miss him? He’s a busy man. When it’s time to go, he has to go.”

“I’m going with them.”

“I’m serious, they’re really leaving! It’s not a joke!”

“If you leaves, I’ll go back too.”

It was just a petty complaint from being absorbed in work, but Gowol’s reaction was unexpected. He was serious about going back with them.

“Really?”

“Yeah. If my friend goes, I’ll go too. I’m not doing it alone.”

A smile crept onto the former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s lips.

“Even if it’s just talk, it feels nice to hear. And you have to finish up this work anyway.”

“I’m telling you, let’s go.”

“It’s fine. I already went and came back.”

With just one word from Gowol, Jeong Dae felt as if he’d flown all the way to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and back.

“And it’ll be chaotic if we go back now.”

“Why?”

“Young Master plans to kill the second-in-command of the Unorthodox Alliance.”

Gowol flinched. Of all the news his friend had brought into the room, this was the most shocking.

“Yaryuhan?”

“Yeah, that bastard!”

The former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader knew about Yaryuhan. They had even met in the past.

“No matter how capable Young Master is, that guy won’t be easy.”

Gowol had never met him in person, but even through mere rumors, he knew Yaryuhan was not an easy opponent. However, that wasn’t the main issue.

“Anyway, the Cult Leader will never approve of it.”

Jeong Dae recalled what Geom Mugeuk had said earlier, about his Demonic Path and his stance on evil.

“If Young Master becomes the Heavenly Demon… things will change a lot.”

Gowol paused his brush strokes for a moment and spoke.

“Haven’t things already changed a lot?”

And they were right at the center of that change.

Just then, Geom Mugeuk entered the room.

“It seems like everyone has been informed that me and the Fist Demon King are leaving. We should depart soon.”

“Safe travels.”

“Once again, I’m leaving you to do all the hard work.”

“I’m almost done with the tasks. I’ll wrap things up well and return.”

“What about the funds?”

“We should be able to wrap things up with all the money collected from the Divine Debt.”

“That’s great. Let’s stay in touch through letters.”

“Yes. Please take care, Young Master. Oh, and you can use the information network in the completed regions at any time.”

Just hearing this reassured Geom Mugeuk. With the combination of the Heavenly Communication Pavilion and Gowol’s information network, Geom Mugeuk would have access to the fastest and most extensive information in the martial world.

“Have you thought of a name for this information organization?”

“Please, Young Master, name it.”

“I’d like to name it ‘Hidden Moon’ (Eunwol), after you. How does that sound?”

Gowol’s eyes wavered. He was grateful for Geom Mugeuk’s gesture to include his name in the organization.

“I really like it. Thank you for the consideration.”

“I’m the one who should be thankful. I’m sorry for entrusting you with such a difficult task from the start.”

“I’m grateful that you entrusted me with such an important responsibility from the beginning.”

While Geom Mugeuk and Gowol were bidding their farewells, Jeong Dae and Dan Woo-gang also exchanged brief goodbyes.

The former Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was the first to greet the Fist Demon King.

“It was good to meet you this time.”

“I didn’t realize that you were so dedicated to my disciple. Thank you.”

In truth, the ex-Cult Leader didn’t have close relations with any of the Demon Supremes. The only one he had been close with was the Demonic Buddha, but that relationship had already soured.

Although there had been an opportunity to become closer to the Fist Demon King this time, they ended up holding back and didn’t engage in any deep conversation.

“Let’s have a drink together when the opportunity arises next time.”

Dan Woo-gang genuinely meant it.

“Hey, Young Master. Make sure you get permission for me.”

This, too, was sincere.

* * *

I ran alongside the Fist Demon King using the Star Light Step

On our way here, we had taken it easy and relaxed, but on the way back, we sped up to an almost terrifying pace.

We ran without rest until dark. The distance that had taken us several days on the way here was covered in just half a day on the way back.

“Let’s camp here for the night. Please, have a seat for a moment.”

With skillful hands, I prepared the surroundings. I spread some leaves to create a spot for Dan Woo-gang to sit comfortably.

I was grateful to him. I never imagined he would permit this mission. Given his relationship with my father, he was the Demon Supreme I expected to oppose it the most, yet he had prioritized his relationship with me.

As the Fist Demon King closed his eyes and began his meditation and breathing exercises, I lit a fire in front of him.

I hunted some prey and cooked it. Before we left, I had stopped by an inn to buy some spices needed for cooking, so I could serve him a rather tasty meal.

“You even brought spices?”

“Of course. It’s the most important thing when traveling far. How does it taste?”

“It’s delicious.”

“Do you know whose recipe this seasoning is?”

“It tastes like the one the Cult Leader used to make.”

I was taken aback by his words.

“You’ve tried my father’s cooking?”

“I had it once or twice in the past. There was a time when the Cult Leader and I wandered around a lot together. We fought quite a bit back then.”

I paused to imagine my father and Dan Woo-gang.

Two men, the Heavenly Demon and the Fist Demon King.

I envisioned my father in his younger days, with a young Fist Demon King by his side. The boy who used to fight in the arena grew up to become the Fist Demon King, and the young man who picked him out became the Heavenly Demon.

I pictured the two most stoic and rugged men, the fiercest warriors in the martial world, roaming the lands together. They feared no one and bowed to no one.

Just as I fought back-to-back with the Evil Smiling Demon against our enemies, they must have relied on each other as they battled.

And at night, they would have lit a campfire, shared drinks and meat, and spoken little.

Perhaps during this camping trip, the Fist Demon King was recalling those days of his youth with my father.

“I brought some liquor too.”

I took out the liquor I had packed and poured him a glass.

Sharing a drink across the campfire with the Fist Demon King had a certain charm.

“It’s always more important when you’re on your way back from a journey.”

“Why is that?”

“Do you know when a journey truly ends? It’s when you open the door to your room, exclaim ‘Ah! Finally, I’m back!’ and throw yourself onto your bed. Right now, we’re racing towards that final moment. It’s even more significant than the excitement of setting out.”

The Fist Demon King looked at me with a curious expression.

“How do you know so much about that?”

My past life had been a series of endless journeys. And I never had a room to return to.

Back then, my ‘room’ was the courtyard of Seo Gong’s house. I remember briefly feeling relieved when I saw his surprised face as I brought back the materials for the Great Regression Technique, thinking, ‘Ah! I did it!’

“This journey with you, Master, has been truly wonderful.”

I felt a connection with this steadfast and quiet man. While I may seem talkative, mischievous, laughing, and chatting now, the truth is, I was once a lot like the Fist Demon King.

“By the way, when we get back, you should start cutting down the time you spend training the Red Fists.”

The Fist Demon King, who seemed to be considering this, asked me specifically, “Should I attend just one session a day? Today the White Fists, tomorrow the Blue Fists, like that.”

“No. If you do that, you’ll end up seeing them every day, won’t you? Instead, keep your usual schedule of attending all four sessions in a day, but only do it once every five days.”

“Every five days?”

“The remaining four days, do whatever you want, Master. It’s entirely your time.”

“What about the Midnight Training Group?”

“Attend if you feel like it. If you’d rather rest, then rest.”

Dan Woo-gang nodded. This leisurely journey had changed his life, and I was eager to see what those changes would bring.

As dawn broke, we ran and ran again. We kept running, and when our internal energy waned, we would sit together and meditate to restore it.

Without hesitation, we sprinted all the way back to the Cult.

* * *

When I returned to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, my father was in the Iron Workshop.

The Cult’s Iron Workshop boasted the largest scale in the martial world.

Inside the vast workshop, hundreds of shirtless men were melting metal and hammering steel.

The intense heat, the smell of sweat, and the scent of iron filled the air.

Clang! Bang! Clang!

I’ve always found the sound of metal being hammered quite pleasant. The dangerous intensity of swords clashing was embedded in those sounds, making them always feel fiery to me.

Men who made eye contact with me nodded in greeting, and I returned the nods as I walked through.

In the distance, I spotted my father. Even in a place crowded with people, his presence stood out clearly. In a scene where everything seemed black and white, he alone stood out like a vivid red dot.

He was with Gwak Bangju, the head of the workshop, also known as the Divine Blacksmith. Gwak Bangju was showing my father a newly crafted sword. Whenever he created a new weapon, he would always seek my father’s opinion before mass production.

The two of them were so deeply engrossed in examining the sword and discussing it that I decided to wait a little distance away.

Here was the world’s greatest swordsman and the best swordsmith, exchanging their thoughts. Could there be a more moving scene in this Iron Workshop?

Once a new sword design was approved, it would go into mass production, replacing the weapons of the cult’s martial artists. The Iron Workshop usually improved the swords every five years or, at most, every ten years.

These upgraded swords were distributed to all the martial artists of the cult. While individuals could choose to use other swords at their discretion, most of the cult’s martial artists preferred the swords crafted by the Iron Workshop, given their superior quality.

Just then, my father turned toward me. Our eyes met. “Have you returned?” “Yes, I have.” A brief, simple, but heartwarming exchange of looks.

I greeted my father loudly and clearly.

“Have you been well? I have returned after completing my duties in the Central Plains.”

Then my father spoke to me.

“Important duties? I heard you were slacking off with the Fist Demon King.”

“I have no idea who’s spreading such disgraceful rumors.”

Of course, it was me. Whenever I leave for the Central Plains, I make sure to report my activities periodically through the Heavenly Communication Pavilion. By cooperating like this, I can ensure they’ll help me enthusiastically when I need it later.

Gwak Bangju looked at us with a slightly surprised expression. It must have been unexpected for him to see my father and me having such a casual conversation.

“Come here and take a look at the new sword.”

I examined the sword my father handed me. After carefully inspecting it, I shared my observations.

“It feels a bit lighter than the previous swords. And the length is slightly longer.”

Gwak’s eyes gleamed with admiration at my immediate assessment.

“It’s a subtle difference, but you noticed it.”

“Of course, Elder. I’ve trained so much with your swords.”

“What do you think?”

“To be honest, I’ve been using my fists more than swords lately, so I can’t really say.”

I brushed it off with a laugh. I could have given more feedback, but was there a need with my father present?

My father then shared his thoughts with Gwak Bangju.

“It would be better if it were just a tad lighter. The current length is perfect.”

“Understood, Cult Leader.”

My father’s thoughts aligned with mine, and he even pointed out details I hadn’t considered.

“Also, narrow the grip texture just a bit. It feels slipperier than before.”

“Understood, Cult Leader.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“I’ll reach out once it’s completed.”

My father left the Iron Workshop, and after bidding farewell to Gwak Bangju, I followed him out. The men standing along my father’s path all stopped what they were doing and bowed deeply. Their respect and fear of my father were as intense as the blazing fires they worked with.

“When did you get here?”

“I just arrived.”

“And the Fist Demon King?”

“He should be here in about five minutes.”

“Didn’t you come together?”

“He suggested a lightness race at the last minute.”

After a brief pause, I spoke to my father.

“Father, I’ve become the Fist Demon King’s disciple.”

My father’s steps halted for a moment. Although I had informed him of this beforehand and had received his permission, I couldn’t help but feel nervous.

I wondered what my father felt about this.

Was he displeased? Indifferent? Or did he think it was a good thing?

No matter how hard I tried to understand my father, it was always difficult to grasp his true feelings. Even though this situation surely meant something to him, he didn’t show any emotion at all.

“What about the fist techniques?”

“I’ve been taught up to the Sixth Technique of the Thunderous Asura Fist.”

“It seems he still hasn’t realized how mischievous you are. He should’ve gauged you before teaching you the last two techniques.”

“Father, it’s that kind of needless fuss that causes martial arts to be lost to time.”

We walked across the Grand Training Ground toward the Heavenly Demon Pavilion. As we passed, the cult members bowed deeply to my father.

“Father, I have a favor to ask. It’s something very important.”

We stopped in the middle of the Grand Training Ground. I wanted to speak here, in the open, not inside the Heavenly Demon Pavilion. This matter concerned the affairs of the Central Plains, something beyond our cult.

“I want to kill Yaryuhan of the Unorthodox Alliance. Please grant me permission.”

This could have been a moment where my father might have scolded me harshly.

However, instead of scolding, that characteristic sneer of his appeared on his lips.

“Absolutely not!”

He didn’t just say “no,” but “absolutely no.” With that firm refusal, he turned around and started walking away.

“I just wanted to tell you that I’ll be working to gain your permission from now on.”

My father walked on without saying a word. His back conveyed everything: no matter what effort I put in, he wouldn’t grant me permission.

I had declared my intentions to him. From now on, I had to find a way to persuade him, no matter what. Perhaps getting his approval would be more difficult than actually killing Yaryuhan.

Regardless, as I watched my father’s back as he walked toward the Heavenly Demon Pavilion, I felt like I was truly back in the cult.

“Ah! Home really is the best!”

I had returned to my delightful home, where gigantic demonic statues wielded swords and sabers on all sides.

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