Absolute Regression

Translator: FenrirTL
Editor/Quality Checker: Saphartlantis
Murim Term Consultant: Kopke
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< Chapter 175: There’s Good News and Bad News >

I slowly removed my clothes while staring at my reflection in the mirror. 1

I took off everything, leaving only my underwear. My smooth body, sculpted by martial arts training, was free of any excess fat.

I carefully wrapped the Supreme Heavenly Silk that was wound around the handle of the Black Demon Sword around my vital points, including my heart, neck, and dantian. Then, I put on the Ghost Protector Garment given to me by the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

Seo Daeryong sat silently on the bed, watching as I prepared for the showdown.

Since it would be disappointing not to joke around at times like this, I threw a joke at Seo Daeryong.

“Why don’t you join me in the fight?”

“I won’t. The greatest adventure of my life is already over: winning the Soaring Dragon Tournament! I’ll boast about that for the rest of my life, milking it dry like an old bone. There will be no more risks in my life.”

As I put on my light and comfortable martial arts attire, I said to him,

“As your level rises, your mindset will change. You’ll throw yourself into dangers where life and death are at stake. You’ll find joy in it and seek even greater challenges.”

“Stop making strange predictions like that!” Seo Daeryong said, sticking his head out the window and looking up at the sky.

“Pretend I didn’t hear that! No, no. My adventures are over. I already have enough stories to tell my grandchildren while they sit on my knee.”

With him responding so earnestly, I couldn’t help but tease him further.

“Take care out there, Leader.”

“A mysterious organization is only dangerous when it’s shrouded in mystery. Once it’s exposed like this, it’s nothing special. Don’t worry.”

“No matter what you say, I’m not coming with you.”

“That’s not working.”

I knew how much Seo Daeryong was worried about me right now, and how much he wanted to fight by my side. His eyes, burning with intensity, were saying this: Wait for me. Until I grow stronger.

* * *

The leader of the Heavenly Society and Jo Ryongjang sat across from each other in the manor’s pavilion.

“Have you been well?”

“Thanks to you, I’ve been well.”

Jo Ryongjang had met the leader of the Heavenly Society several times. The leader didn’t act like someone shrouded in mystery. When necessary, he would come looking for him, and when Jo Ryongjang asked to meet, he would call him like this.

The leader of the Heavenly Society was far superior in martial arts skills compared to Jo Ryongjang. But putting aside his martial prowess, the leader gave off an unexpectedly “ordinary” impression.

It wasn’t the sort of term you’d use to describe the head of a shadowy figure, but he was certainly ordinary.

If you were eating in a tavern and turned around, you’d expect to see him sitting at the next table, eating his meal. His appearance was average, and his manner of speech and actions were plain too.

The leader of the Heavenly Society was someone who should not have been ordinary, yet his ordinariness made him seem all the more extraordinary. It was this ordinariness that allowed him to hide in the shadows. 2

“Why did you want to meet today?” Jo Ryongjang asked.

“There’s a problem.”

“Tell me about it.”

“The Murim Alliance has discovered that my son has joined our society.”

Jo Ryongjang looked at the leader of the Heavenly Society and asked further, “When did you even have my son join?”

Though it was a situation where he should have been angry, Jo Ryongjang was asking calmly.

“Your son has joined too?”

The leader of the Heavenly Society responded as if he didn’t know.

“I was unaware.”

It seemed so natural that it looked as if he genuinely didn’t know, but Jo Ryongjang didn’t believe him.

How could he not know that his son, the successor of the Master of the True Dragon Manor, had been recruited, especially when they had recruited him too? If the organization were that sloppy, it would be wise to leave it as soon as possible.

Jo Ryongjang didn’t bother to press on the obvious pretense. He wasn’t here to engage in a battle of emotions with the leader of the Heavenly Society. Today was a day when he had to walk the most dangerous and crucial tightrope of his life.

“My son is currently imprisoned. I asked to meet you to seek your help in finding a way.”

“They wouldn’t have imprisoned him just for having ties to our society.”

“He was accused of attempting to kidnap the Alliance Leader’s granddaughter, having fallen into their trap.”

“Oh my! Those shameless hypocritical orthodox scoundrels are always up to something like that.”

The leader of the Heavenly Society clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“Is there any way to resolve this?”

“Aren’t you close to the Alliance Leader?”

“The Alliance Leader dotes on his granddaughter. I don’t think this is something that can be solved just through personal connections.”

“Understood. I’ll think about how to handle this.”

“Thank you.”

Just then, a door far away opened.

If Jo Ryongjang had to pick the most nerve-wracking moment of his life, this would be it.

He naturally assumed it was the Alliance Leader, but the person who entered was a young man.

‘The Alliance Leader didn’t come?’

Since Jin Paecheon hadn’t come, it was clear that he hadn’t brought his son along either.

‘Why?’

He had been so eager to get the leader of the Heavenly Society.

‘What kind of trick is he trying to pull?’

Of course, Jo Ryongjang had his own tricks up his sleeve.

He had prepared a master to actually kidnap Jin Haryeong if the Alliance Leader, after dealing with the leader of the Heavenly Society, refused to release his son or attempted to imprison Jo Ryongjang as well. 3

But he hadn’t anticipated this scenario. Neither the Alliance Leader nor his son had come.

How should he react?

Jo Ryongjang’s gaze was fixed on the young man walking towards them.

Given the young man’s noble status, it was possible that the Alliance Leader had sent other masters instead of coming himself. But to send just one young master like this?

‘No way? Is this young man skilled enough to face the leader of the Heavenly Society?’

That couldn’t be the case. He was probably here to deliver a message from the Alliance Leader.

As Geom Mugeuk walked towards them, no one stopped him. Neither the leader of the Heavenly Society nor Jo Ryongjang had given any orders.

When Geom Mugeuk joined the two at the table, the leader of the Heavenly Society turned to Jo Ryongjang and asked,

“Who is this young hero?”

The leader assumed that Geom Mugeuk, who had approached them so confidently and calmly, must have been one of Jo Ryongjang’s subordinates.

Jo Ryongjang feigned ignorance and asked,

“Wasn’t he someone you brought along?”

Geom Mugeuk spoke calmly,

“I was sent by the Murim Alliance Leader.”

In that instant, the leader of the Heavenly Society flinched in surprise.

The atmosphere around them changed. Geom Mugeuk sensed those who had been hiding around them moving swiftly to reposition. 4

“We have an esteemed guest, so I shall take my leave. Please, go ahead with your conversation.”

As the leader of the Heavenly Society naturally bowed and started to rise from his seat—

“Sit down, Leader of the Heavenly Society.” 5

“!”

The leader of the Heavenly Society stared at Geom Mugeuk for a moment before sitting back down.

“So, you knew I was here when you came.”

The leader’s gaze shifted to Jo Ryongjang. Jo Ryongjang slightly shook his head, feigning ignorance.

The leader of the Heavenly Society asked,

“What business does the Alliance Leader have in sending you?”

“This guy here made a deal—to exchange his son for you.”

Jo Ryongjang was taken aback by how openly he stated this. On the other hand, the leader of the Heavenly Society didn’t get angry, perhaps because he had expected it.

Jo Ryongjang vehemently denied it.

“Don’t believe him. The Alliance Leader is trying to sow discord between us.”

Until Jo Ryongjang could figure out why the Alliance Leader had sent this young man instead of coming himself, he had to stubbornly deny it.

Of course, it wasn’t an easy stance to maintain with Geom Mugeuk present.

“Don’t be too hard on that dude. It’s a matter involving his child, so it wouldn’t have been an easy decision.”

“I understand,” the leader of the Heavenly Society nodded.

Jo Ryongjang continued to deny it to the end.

“Don’t be deceived. Don’t fall for their schemes.”

Jo Ryongjang couldn’t help but misunderstand. He thought the Murim Alliance Leader was using the leader of the Heavenly Society to eliminate him. That’s why Jo Ryongjang was furious, his anger boiling over.

‘So, this is how you’re playing it, huh?’

Jo Ryongjang secretly sent a telepathic message to his hidden subordinate.

—Proceed with the Jin Haryeong operation. Right now!

—Understood.

He had decided that the only way to save himself was to secure Jin Haryeong as quickly as possible.

However, he didn’t know the real reason why the Murim Alliance Leader hadn’t come here: he had followed Geom Mugeuk’s advice to protect Jin Haryeong.

Geom Mugeuk then asked the leader of the Heavenly Society,

“I have good news and bad news for you. Which would you like to hear first?”

“I like to start things on a pleasant note, so let’s hear the good news first.”

“I came alone.”

“You really came alone?”

The leader of the Heavenly Society was genuinely surprised. He had assumed that there would be Murim Alliance masters stationed outside.

“Then what’s the bad news?”

“I came alone.” 6

When Geom Mugeuk repeated what he had just said, the leader of the Heavenly Society looked puzzled.

“How is that bad news? Didn’t you just say it was good news?”

“It’s bad news too. Because there’s no one here to stop me.”

Despite Geom Mugeuk’s audacious, almost arrogant words, the leader of the Heavenly Society actually seemed pleased.

“It’s rare to find young people with such spirit these days, wouldn’t you agree, Manor Lord?”

“Yes, not just the younger generation, but even experienced veterans are all too busy looking out for themselves.”

Though he agreed outwardly, Jo Ryongjang was filled with doubt.

‘Is he really skilled enough to kill the leader of the Heavenly Society? Is that why he’s saying such things?’

Should he switch sides to the Murim Alliance Leader now? If he handed over the leader of the Heavenly Society, he could probably manage the aftermath somehow.

Perhaps sensing his inner conflict, Geom Mugeuk turned to Jo Ryongjang and said,

“Master Jo, I think it’s time for you to clearly decide which side you’re on.”

Jo Ryongjang was deeply conflicted. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t believe that this young man could kill the leader of the Heavenly Society. If Jin Paecheon was present, it might be different, but right now, the one standing closest was the leader of the Heavenly Society.

“What are you talking about? I’ve never betrayed the leader, not for a single moment.”

“Can I take that as your official stance?”

It was a statement implying that even if it meant facing execution, he couldn’t change his position.

Jo Ryongjang wrestled with his decision. He hadn’t anticipated the Murim Alliance Leader’s moves, making his choice even harder.

Just then, the leader of the Heavenly Society smiled and said,

“Let me solve Master Jo’s dilemma.”

As he spoke, figures began to emerge from all sides.

Seeing even the first of them was enough to sway Jo Ryongjang’s heart.

The man with a short sword strapped to his waist was the Demon-Slaying Blade, Gu Ryeong. He was once considered one of the top three sword masters of the orthodox sects.

The leader of the Heavenly Society and the Demon-Slaying Blade.

Just these two alone would have been enough to sway his mind, but there were more.

There was a monk who appeared wielding a large iron staff and dressed in monk robes. He was Yorae, the Conqueror Monk, who was known as an absolute master of the Western Regions.

Even with just these two, it was hard to think of anyone who could match them. But finally, an elderly hunchback with a unique appearance made his entrance.

The worn-out green pouch hanging from his waist revealed his identity. He was the Grand Poison Elder, Gok Chu, who had made his name through mastery of poison. It was said that wherever he walked, not a single blade of grass could survive, and the ground would be forever barren—a testament to his deadly skills. Anyone who knew of him would be filled with fear. 7

However, what truly changed the atmosphere of the place wasn’t these three masters.

Masked figures began to appear from all directions. Like ants swarming from an anthill, masked men emerged from unknown hiding spots, filling the surroundings.

They flooded the area—from beneath the walls, atop the walls, in the courtyard, and on the rooftops. There seemed to be at least a hundred of them. They weren’t just there to make up the numbers. Their eyes above the masks and their fierce, sharp auras were unmistakable. 8

Jo Ryongjang realized for the first time how incredible the leader of the Heavenly Society was, to be surrounded by such formidable masters.

‘This is truly extraordinary. Even if the Alliance Leader wanted to capture the leader of the Heavenly Society, he could never do it.’

Further hesitation was pointless.

At Jo Ryongjang’s signal, four individuals stepped forward.

They were dressed in martial attire, each adorned with the motifs of plum blossom, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo—the Four Gentlemen, who were Jo Ryongjang’s trusted subordinates.

“We’ll handle this young man on our side.”

If he wanted to be forgiven for this incident, he had to handle it decisively. His own people had to take down the enemy.

Jo Ryongjang spoke frankly to the leader of the Heavenly Society.

“As men, why don’t we forget the past mistakes? After all, this all started because my son was drawn in without my knowledge. Let’s just put it behind us.”

“Agreed. They say the ground hardens after the rain.”

The two men looked at each other and laughed. 9

Then Geom Mugeuk spoke up.

“After killing me, they’ll kill you next. They won’t leave a traitor like you alive.”

“Young brat! Enough with your attempts to sow discord.”

Once Jo Ryongjang made up his mind, he didn’t look back.

“You will never leave this place alive. Even your Alliance Leader won’t survive.”

“Honestly, I was worried. That you might side with me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve decided to kill you as well, but if you sided with me, I’d feel a bit bad about it when I have to kill you.”

“You’re still talking like that in this situation? What an arrogant brat you are.”

Jo Ryongjang gave an order to the Four Gentlemen.

“Kill him.”

The Four Gentlemen stepped forward into the open area.

Geom Mugeuk also walked forward slowly to stand in front of them.

They were surrounded by over a hundred masked masters with no gaps in their formation, including top-tier experts like the Demon-Slaying Blade, the Conqueror Monk, and the Grand Poison Elder. Adding to that were the Master of the True Dragon Manor and the leader of the Heavenly Society, all watching.

Geom Mugeuk calmly spoke, directing his gaze toward the leader of the Heavenly Society within the massive group.

“For posing as the Evil Smiling Demon to plunder the lives and wealth of the martial world, and for attempting to overthrow the Murim Alliance through marriage with the Alliance Leader’s granddaughter, I will execute everyone here on the spot except for the leader of the Heavenly Society and the Master of the True Dragon Manor.” 10

A moment of silence followed.

But soon, someone couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter, which quickly spread to the rest of the group as mocking laughter. No one present was tense or afraid. Sure, he was a master; speaking so boldly, he must be confident in his skills.

But the forces here were strong enough that no one would be surprised if they stormed the Murim Alliance right now. So, everyone was merely amused by the arrogance of a young man who didn’t know his place.

Just as the murmurs and laughter were growing louder, as if to hush them all—

Woo-wooooom!

With a deep resonance that sounded like it came from the abyss, the Black Demon Sword began to wail on its own.

1 : The hot springs episode !!!! *NOT*
2 : The kind of person who you can never take a photo of and whom you don’t even remember passing by in the street. Their existence is blurry at best.
3 : Geom Mugeuk : “All the schemes you’ve ever planned, every coincidences you’ve ever met, everything has always been in the palm of my hand.”
4 : Lol, he didn’t even meant to fool anyone, his confidence is just THAT powerful XDXDXD
5 : Nice try, but nope ^^
6 : DUN DUN DUN *Dramatically ominous reveal* You can just feel his sarcastic smirk from here ^^
7 : Him : *Attack with all his strength* Mugeuk : “Nice, I needed a new shampoo. Can you do it more to the right ? Ah there, perfect.”
8 : The loss of such military power is quite a shame, but since they’ve willingly chosen to become traitors, they can only blame themselves.
9 : Two venomous snakes laughing together, each one waiting to rip the other’s neck as soon as his guard waver.
10 : Those two will be instead tortured thoroughly. But yeah, talking about wealth, I wonder what new trasure he will obtain. At least he will have more money for the Haunted Shade Corps and for Gowol ^^