Absolute Regression

Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis

Murim Term Consultant: Kopke

========================

Eldest Young Master Geom Muyang stood alone at the edge of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

In the distance, the buildings of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult appeared small.

Geom Muyang extended his hand. Grasping at the air, it seemed as though the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult could fit within his palm.

He opened the clenched fist he had formed in the air, recalling something Geom Mugeuk had once said.

—Is there no coexistence between brothers in power struggles? Does it always end in killing each other? Who decided that? Why should we be swayed by the precedent and doubts of pathetic fools who can’t even control their own desires? So don’t even think about being swayed. If you ever feel an irrational fear that I might kill you, come find me.

If that were the case, he should have visited ten times already. Lately, he had been plagued by nightmares. Every time, Geom Mugeuk killed him with a vicious smile in those dreams.

—You’re so naive, brother. Did you really believe everything I said? Well, that’s why you’re in this mess. Did you think power could be shared? The greatest power in the martial world, no less? I appreciate your innocence, but it’s so pitiful, truly pathetic.

Then, he would wake up, cursing the dream version of his brother. He had hurled all sorts of insults, but he always ended up losing to himself. And Geom Muyang knew that the words spoken by the dream Geom Mugeuk were, in truth, his own thoughts.

Recently, Geom Muyang had also been living a busy life.

He dealt with internal affairs, met with demons of various ranks, managed external matters, and stretched himself thin, even sacrificing sleep to handle numerous tasks.

But he still couldn’t keep up with Geom Mugeuk’s unrestrained strides.

One moment, he’d open his eyes to find himself a disciple of the Fist Demon King; the next, he was searching for venomous insects in the Thousand Poisons Forest; then he was out on missions with Soma. And the next moment...

He was someone who could bark like a dog in the training grounds with the Poison King, or carry the Evil Smiling Demon on his back and run to the brink of death.

Waaaah!

It was as if he could hear the cheers for Geom Mugeuk reverberating in his ears. He didn’t want to be a petty, resentful person, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to suppress this maddening jealousy. 1

Just as he felt the urge to let out a scream, the Demonic Buddha arrived. His short stature and golden aura were as radiant as ever.

"You called for me?"

"Welcome."

Ma Bul stood beside him on the cliff.

"Soma has awakened."

"I’ve heard."

Geom Muyang’s voice was dry. The Demonic Buddha could tell that he wasn’t in a good mood. As more and more of the Demon Supremes turned their allegiance to Geom Mugeuk, it was natural for him to feel displeased.

Ma Bul understood Geom Muyang’s feelings better than anyone.

"The Fist Demon King still supports you, Young Master."

Geom Muyang’s lips curled slightly.

"But his disciple is Mugeuk."

He believed that even the Fist Demon’s support wouldn’t last long.

"Dan Woo-gang is someone who knows how to separate personal matters from business. He won’t recklessly go back on his word."

The Demonic Buddha quickly added, "The Poison King also supports you, Young Master."

"While barking in the training grounds with Mugeuk?"

"That’s why the Second Young Master is now further from becoming the successor. Someone destined to become the Heavenly Demon shouldn’t behave like that." ṘάＮՕＢÈṦ

"Are you aware that since that day, Mugeuk’s popularity has only risen within the cult?"

"What’s important is not popularity but the will of the Cult Leader. You are the Cult Leader’s eldest son and have been instilled as the successor since childhood."

Ma Bul tried again to encourage him, but Geom Muyang responded in a defeated tone.

"These days, when I look at you and me, I think of this: a defeatist and a baseless optimist. Don’t you agree?"

"And who is the defeatist here?"

Geom Muyang’s expression twisted slightly at Demonic Buddha’s sharp question.

Geom Muyang might not know it, but the Demonic Buddha had faced despair and disappointment in their relationship numerous times and had nearly fallen into defeatism. He had to brace his heart repeatedly to get to this point.

Ma Bul calmly asked, "I have never been blindly optimistic, but even if I were, why do you think it’s baseless?"

"So, do you believe I can become the successor?"

The Demonic Buddha looked Geom Muyang in the eyes and answered firmly.

"I do." 2

"That’s the problem. You’re so blind in judging the current situation. While we were stagnant and rotting, Mugeuk burst forth like a waterfall and flowed into the sea."

"No matter how exceptional the Second Young Master is, we only need to do one thing well."

"And what is that?"

Ma Bul raised his voice, shouting as if calling from a mountaintop.

"The Eldest Young Master is better suited for the position of Cult Leader!"

His shout echoed, repeating multiple times.

Once the echoes faded, the Demonic Buddha spoke.

"All we need to do is convince everyone of that. There’s no need to feel embarrassed or angry that the Second Young Master has won over the Demon Supremes. You, Young Master, only need to achieve that one thing."

Geom Muyang burst out in frustration, his tone slightly exaggerated.

"You’re truly exasperating! Do you really think I’m better suited for the Cult Leader’s position, Ma Bul?"

The Demonic Buddha spoke with conviction.

"Yes, you are more fitting."

"This is why I call it baseless confidence. You stayed with me simply because Mugeuk didn’t choose you, isn’t that right?"

Geom Muyang said something he should never have uttered, words that could deeply wound his most loyal follower, without any filter.

Surprisingly, Ma Bul wasn’t offended. Those words sounded more like a scream to him.

Until now, Geom Muyang had always hidden his true feelings, making him wonder what he was thinking. But now, he was screaming out his struggle. 3

"Now that’s a baseless statement."

As the Demonic Buddha calmly replied, Geom Muyang pulled a small vial from his robe.

"Do you know what’s inside this?"

"What’s in it?"

"Formless Poison."

Hearing the name, Ma Bul was taken aback.

"Are you saying you’re going to kill the Second Young Master with that?"

Without hesitation, Geom Muyang answered, "There’s no reason I couldn’t."

The Demonic Buddha stared at him and asked, "Then why bring it out here? Call the Second Young Master for a drink, slip it in, and kill him!"

After pressing him like that, Ma Bul spoke sincerely, trying to console him.

"You know you can’t do that, don’t you? The Second Young Master has declared he will fight for the succession without spilling blood. If you poison him, no one will follow you—neither the Demon Supremes nor the demons under them."

Geom Muyang looked down at the vial and said, "So... I’ve been considering using it on myself."

Slap! 4

Geom Muyang’s head snapped to the side.

Ma Bul had jumped up and slapped him hard across the face.

Geom Muyang stared at him, stunned. He never imagined that the Demonic Buddha would lay a hand on him, and the shock was immense.

Ma Bul extended his hand.

"Give it to me."

A golden aura mixed with a cold energy emanated from the Demonic Buddha’s body.

It was the first time Geom Muyang had seen him so angry in his presence.

"Give me that stupid thing!"

Intimidated by his force, Geom Muyang handed the vial over without thinking.

Ma Bul opened the vial and poured it straight off the cliff. He then tossed the vial itself after it.

For a long while, neither of them spoke.

"I... This is the first time I’ve ever been hit." 5

"It’s also the first time I’ve struck the Cult Leader’s kin."

Geom Muyang, proud as he was, might have gone wild, but unexpectedly, he remained calm. If the Demonic Buddha had hit him when he talked about killing Geom Mugeuk, he might have exploded.

"I paid a high price for that poison. What a waste."

"The real waste is the time you spent entertaining such foolish thoughts." 6

The corners of Geom Muyang’s mouth, which had been tense, finally relaxed. He sat down. Until now, he had been speaking while looking down at Ma Bul, but now their eyes were on the same level.

"Young Master, look up at the sky."

The Demonic Buddha lifted his gaze to the sky.

Geom Muyang, who had been staring only at the distant Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, also turned his gaze to the sky.

Ma Bul wasn’t like this originally. Geom Muyang realized that he, too, had changed a lot, just like the Demonic Buddha. Entangled with Geom Mugeuk, everyone was changing.

"You can only become the successor if you overcome your insecurities. If the Second Young Master came like a storm, then you, Young Master, should be the rock. Be the unyielding rock in the face of the storm."

Geom Muyang’s eyes wavered. Ma Bul, this man, was sincere.

The last of the Demon Supremes still by his side.

Come to think of it, the Demonic Buddha had been there from the beginning.

The Demon Supreme who stayed from start to finish.

"I am nothing more than a pebble rolling in the storm, not a rock. Elder, go to Mugeuk! He will understand you better than I do. He’ll speak better and be more considerate."

"That’s precisely why I won’t. That’s my role; why should the Second Young Master take it? As the older one, it’s my place to show consideration and understanding, just as I’m trying to understand you now."

Geom Muyang felt a lump in his throat.

The last time he met Geom Mugeuk, he had said this:

—If you think the Demon Supremes are smiling in front of you because they’re yours, you’re gravely mistaken. In the end, they will choose what benefits them the most when it counts.

That was how he had lived until now.

"Why did you choose me?"

A breeze stirred their robes as it passed.

"Maybe I just like you better than the Second Young Master."

Ma Bul spoke with a playful smile, but Geom Muyang didn’t smile back.

When his life was driven to the edge of a cliff, someone stood there to protect him.

The Demonic Buddha, only half the height of an average adult, stood like a giant, shielding him.

"Then, I’ll head down first."

He bid farewell and turned away.

"Demonic Buddha."

"Yes?"

"The truth is, that vial earlier—it wasn’t Formless Poison. It was an internal injury remedy made by the Demon Doctor. I had no intention of drinking it."

"I know."

Geom Muyang was startled.

"You knew?"

Ma Bul pulled out an identical vial from his robe.

"I have one too."

"You hit me even though you knew?"

The Demonic Buddha gave an awkward smile.

"When else would I get a chance to hit the Young Master?" 7

Without waiting for a response, Ma Bul quickly turned and made his way down the mountain.

Watching him leave, Geom Muyang couldn’t help but let out a laugh in disbelief.

He, too, got up from his seat. Instead of looking at the distant Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, he gazed up at the sky.

"…If I continue like this, I’ll end up losing after all."

Maybe I’ve already lost.

But I couldn’t just accept defeat. I resolved to do my best until the very end. 8

For some reason, I felt like I wouldn’t have nightmares tonight.

* * *

"Are you going to keep getting on my nerves?"

Gu Cheonpa, who had been reading a book, looked up and stared at me.

I was pacing back and forth in his room.

"I’m dealing with an important issue."

"Then why are you dealing with that important issue here?"

"I feel smarter being around all these books."

"Then go to the Heavenly Demon Library and ponder there. You’ll become the smartest person in the world."

"But you’re not there, Elder."

I slowly approached the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

"What can I do when you’re the person I think of in times of crisis?"

"Don’t you have that masked guy you like? You’re even close enough for him to give up a Millennium Snow Ginseng. Go to him and figure it out."

I suppressed a laugh.

This stubborn old man, acting out of character, occasionally got jealous—especially when it came to Evil Smiling Demon. The Blade Demon was particularly prone to envy towards him.

"Who could compare to you, Elder? As for Soma, let him stare at walls over in the Valley of Wicked."

"That’s not it. He’s just not interrupting so he can spend quality time with the woman he brought along."

"So you knew the owner of the Sky Flower Pavilion was here too."

"Whether I want to know or not, I keep getting all kinds of reports all day long."

Old man Blade resumed reading his book.

"So, whether it’s this Operation Golden Strike or whatever, go and discuss it with the masked guy or the drunkard."

I sat on the floor beside the window where Gu CHeonpa was reading.

"I gave the operation a grand name, but I haven’t been able to come up with any detailed plans. You’ve read so many books, surely there must be a solution in one of them?"

"You fool, I come here to take a break from nonsensical schemes like that. The answer lies elsewhere."

"Alright. I’ll camp out here until I find the answer!"

"Since when is that up to you?"

The moment I threw myself onto his bed, an invisible force pushed me away.

"Don’t lie on the bed with the clothes you’ve been wearing outside!"

The Blood Heaven Blade Demon used Void Telekinesis to throw me right to the door.

I leaned against the window beside the door, lost in thought.

“What exactly is bothering you?”

“It’s difficult because this operation isn’t just about making the Demonic Buddha my ally at all costs.”

“And why not make him yours?”

As if he didn’t already know the answer.

“Well, if I take Ma Bul too, it would corner my brother too much.”

I was worried that this would push him to make a desperate, irreversible move.

But Gu Cheonpa viewed the situation from a different perspective than I did.

“Do you really think so?”

“Is that not the case?”

After a brief pause, old man Blade  spoke.

“If even the Demonic Buddha turns his back, wouldn’t the Eldest Young Master also gracefully concede? I always thought Geom Muyang was at least that kind of person.”

“!”

Perhaps I had less faith in my brother than the Blade Demon did. It was probably because of how he used to torment me when we were young. I had this preconceived notion that if cornered, he’d resort to cowardly and petty actions.

But aside from my own perspective, there were his relationships with the Demon Supremes. To them, my brother was someone who knew when to retreat.

“You have to give the Eldest Young Master a proper chance to acknowledge his defeat. The things you’re worried about will happen only if he’s left with lingering regrets.”

For the first time, the Blood Heaven Blade Demon, who had been looking down at his book, raised his head and looked at me.

“When you crush someone, do it thoroughly. Even, no, especially if it’s for your brother’s sake.” 9

I stared silently at Gu Cheonpa.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I always say this, but I wonder how I’d manage without you, Elder.”

“As I always say, you’d manage just fine sharing Millennium Snow Ginseng with that masked guy.”

“You’re persistent.”

“Yes, worry about that grudge here instead. Why are you so concerned about their relationship? How presumptuous.”

I bowed my head respectfully to the Blade Demon.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I’ve found my answer.”

Gu Cheonpa was right.

Only when I confront him with my full strength will my brother be able to laugh in resignation and acknowledge his defeat.

Half-hearted consideration would only wound his pride. I need to fully bring the Demonic Buddha over to my side. In doing so, my brother’s relationship with him could also reach a new understanding.

Leaving the Blood Heaven Blade Demon’s residence, I headed straight to Ma Bul’s quarters, bustling with monks.

1 : Yeah, it’s hard to follow Mugeuk’s whims. But that jealousy is useless, it’s the same stubborn pride that ruined Mugeuk’s future in his past life. Let go of it and you will be so much more happy ^ ^

2 : The question is if it will be good for Geom Muyang, the cult, and the world. The answer is no to all three. Mugeuk is much more balanced and prepared to face the rapidly approaching storms.

3 : Yeah, it’s a good thing. He’s slowly becoming more honest with himself, and less like Yarhuyan.

4 : Yup, he totally deserved that one, I had the same reflex. Killing himself over such a petty thing ? That’s stupid !!! He’s just afraid of trusting, of living his own life. I think he’ll get slapped a lot more before this arc ends XDXDXD

5 : No wonder his ego is so out of control then. Geom Woojin really messed up his parenting when you consider past Mugeuk. Then again, since all the Heavenly Demons until now had to kill their brothers and sisters, it’s no wonder they’re bad at it. In an isolated system, (entropy can only increase. Muse - Isolated System) stagnancy will occur.

6 : True. If you have the time to drown yourself in negative thoughts, you have the time to get out of your head and talk to someone. Read a book, go run, eat good food !!! *JUST DO IT meme here*

7 : Lol, well played XDXDXD He took revenge for all the times he was hurt by Muyang ^ ^

8 : That’s a much better attitude than running away in death. I know he said he wasn’t serious, but that’s PRECISELY a red flag. Let’s keep an eye on him.

9 : So in the end, we’re really taking everything from him, huh…. Oh well, it’ll give him some vacation. With that said, I agree with the thoroughness. Being neglectful or too compassionate will only lead you to being ambushed later.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!