Absolute Regression

Chapter 507: If Only Lifespan Could Be Extended

"I want to help too!"

That was the very desire boiling up from deep within Seo Daeryong’s chest.

"Of course, I know well that I might be a burden. But even so, I want to fight for Master."

He couldn’t just stay holed up in the safehouse when there was a chance that his master could be in danger.

It might have been better if someone had jokingly said, You’d make a fine hostage for the enemies, but Geom Mugeuk only looked at him silently.

‘I shouldn’t have said that.’

He would have died in the temporary thunder prison if it hadn’t been for Jangho. That was still the level of skill he had.

His intention to save his master was sincere, but that didn’t justify becoming a burden in something this critical.

Seo Daeryong smiled and quickly shifted his stance.

"I was just talking. You know me, right? Have you ever seen me walk into danger? I’ll be at the safehouse waiting for Young Cult Leader to bring Master back."

Having said it, he felt a sting to his pride and a lingering regret, so he added awkwardly,

"Isn’t there, like, a way to become way stronger in just three days?"

At that, Geom Mugeuk suddenly held out three fingers, then leapt away without a word.

"Where are you going, Young Cult Leader!"

But Geom Mugeuk had already vanished from sight.

Seo Daeryong was puzzled.

‘Why did he hold up three fingers?’

Was it because he asked if there was a way to grow stronger in three days? Or was it because the meeting at Phoenix Mountain Sword Gate was in three days?

Whichever it was, was there any need to stick out his fingers like that?

‘Where did he suddenly go?’

And just like that, Geom Mugeuk didn’t return after two hours, or even after five.

He didn’t return until Seo Daeryong was sighing in a mix of frustration and jest.

"You forgot about me, didn’t you? Now I get it. You meant to come back after three days, right?"

It was just then—someone descended behind him with the sound of the wind.

"My lightness skill is too fast for that."

Startled, Seo Daeryong turned around.

"Where did you go, you— Huh?"

Seo Daeryong couldn’t finish his sentence.

Geom Mugeuk was drenched in sweat. If he’d sweated that much with his level of martial arts ability— even if not unifying the entire martial world...

"Did you unify Chongqing or something?"

"If I had, it wouldn’t be sweat—I’d be soaked in blood."

With that, Geom Mugeuk pulled a small box from his robe.

"What’s this?"

"An answer to your question."

"Huh? What did I ask you again?"

"Open it."

Seo Daeryong took the box and opened it. Inside was a pill, glowing with a brilliant blue light. Even at a glance, it emitted an extraordinary aura.

"No way, I refuse! I’m not taking that. I’d rather die than eat it!"

"How can you say no when you don’t even know what it is?"

"It’s an elixir, isn’t it? I won’t owe you anything more, Young Cult Leader. Give it to some other martial artist. Maybe Lord Jang."

"It’s not an elixir."

"...It’s not?"

Still filled with suspicion, Seo Daeryong listened as Geom Mugeuk revealed the identity of the pill.

"It’s called Explosion Power Pill (爆功丹). It’ll let you unleash your martial arts more powerfully—but in exchange, your lifespan will be shortened. You asked, didn’t you? If there’s a way to get stronger in three days? Well, here it is." ṝА𝐍ȏ𝔟Èş

Seo Daeryong stared down at the pill with trembling eyes.

"How much does it shorten lifespan?"

"It depends on the person. It could take off a year. Or ten."

The radiant blue light seemed like it was seducing him, ready to drain the very life out of him.

At that moment, the face of Blood Heaven Blade Demon overlapped with the pill.

‘Master.’

The fact that such a strong master was in this kind of situation meant he was truly in danger.

‘Even if no one else knows... I can’t just sit still.’

Often, the emotional locks between people are set not because of grand events, but because of small, seemingly trivial moments. That had been the case with Blood Heaven Blade Demon as well.

The moment Seo Daeryong realized that the stern and neat master had let him sleep on his own bed while drunk—was when the lock clicked.

He could have tossed him into any room, no, even a stable. But instead, his master had laid him on his own bed.

That was the moment it happened. From now on, I’ll care about this person.

Walking along the thread of fate that tied him to his master, Seo Daeryong took one more step forward today.

"You never know, right? If my master really ends up in danger, I might be able to save him because I took this pill."

"You might lose ten years—no, even twenty years of your life."

"If it means someone else’s life could be extended instead, I’m okay with it."

Without hesitation, Seo Daeryong swallowed the pill whole. Why did something so dreadful taste so sweet?

Regardless, the pill was taken, and Geom Mugeuk immediately urged him to start circulating energy.

"Melt it using your internal energy circulation technique."

Seo Daeryong sat down and began circulating his qi.

From behind, Geom Mugeuk infused a strand of internal energy into him to help dissolve the pill.

Seo Daeryong completed the first heavenly circuit, then the second, then the third. With Geom Mugeuk’s assistance, the medicinal power was fully absorbed into his body.

Once the energy circulation ended, Seo Daeryong opened his eyes. They were far clearer and deeper than before.

From his core, he could feel an immensely powerful inner energy that couldn’t even be compared to what he had before.

After checking his condition, the first thing he said was:

"Some weird pill like this.. It’s not what you said it is, right?"

Geom Mugeuk’s relaxed smile served as his answer.

"What kind of pill was it?"

Then came an unexpected name.

"Blue Jade Divine Pill."

At the mention of Blue Jade Divine Pill (靑玉神丹), Seo Daeryong was startled. Compared to the Demon Essence Elixir (魔精丹) he had taken before, this was an even more effective elixir for enhancing internal energy. It wasn’t the kind of pill that increased power by shortening lifespan.

"This precious thing!"

"I figured you wouldn’t take it if I just handed it to you."

"Of course I wouldn’t! Take my internal energy back!"

"Unfortunately, I never learned Star-Absorbing Demonic Art."

"Young Cult Leader!"

Seo Daeryong looked at Geom Mugeuk with trembling eyes.

"You were lucky. There was just one left in a single place."

It was an era when even with money, elixirs were hard to find—but Geom Mugeuk had the vast experience of his pre-regression life. He knew better than anyone where, who, and what was being sold. On top of that, he had earned some money during this journey.

"If your master hears that you tried to help him by sacrificing your own lifespan, he will be pleased. Outwardly, he’ll scold you for being foolish, but deep down, he’ll be deeply moved. I’ll even take the credit for you."

Seo Daeryong felt both embarrassed and burdened.

"Honestly, I thought it was an elixir. I knew you’d never give me something like that. And the name—don’t tell me you just made it up on the spot? ‘Explosion Power Pill’? Seriously? From now on, don’t even try to trick me! I’m the top entrant at Underworld Pavilion! I’m not some easy pushover that gets tricked everywhere!"

Of course, to Geom Mugeuk, he was the easiest pushover in the world.

"That top entrant better be careful—putting random things in his mouth without knowing what they are!"

"No! That’s not how it was!"

Seo Daeryong was elated. His biggest weakness had been his insufficient internal energy compared to the formidable Heaven-Extinguishing Blade Technique (滅天魔刀式), and Geom Mugeuk had just patched that up for him.

‘How am I ever supposed to repay this kind of kindness?’

Then Geom Mugeuk raised two fingers.

"Wait, what’s that supposed to mean now? Two fingers this time?"

"It means I’m going to show you the second method to get stronger in three days."

Geom Mugeuk went inside and brought something out.

It was a defensive armor. One of the protective garments gifted by the Galaxy Trading Company Head to his father, that he obtained by layering four levels together.

White Scale Armor (白鱗甲).

Just like its name, it was a pure white piece of protective armor.

"I thought it would suit you. I was planning to give it to you anyway."

It suited him even more today. For someone who willingly risked their lifespan for their master, this snow-white protective armor could not have been more fitting.

"No, really, I’m fine."

Seo Daeryong waved his hands and stepped back.

"Please don’t turn me into such a shameless guy."

"I’m lending it to you."

Of course, Seo Daeryong didn’t believe that. He was definitely going to give it to him.

"For how long?"

"About fifty years?"

Seo Daeryong gave the kind of expression that said, I knew it.

It was then that Geom Mugeuk said something that made him stop backing away.

"You said you wanted to help your master, didn’t you?"

Geom Mugeuk stepped forward and handed him the White Scale Armor (白鱗甲). Then he opened his collar to reveal what he was wearing underneath—it was the Black Dragon Soaring Armor (黑龍飛甲).

"I’m wearing one too. So what makes you think you can turn it down?"

"That’s not the point!"

"If you meant it when you said you wanted to help your Master, then wear it."

How could Seo Daeryong refuse when Geom Mugeuk was speaking like this?

Seo Daeryong took off his robe and put on the White Scale Armor. That’s right—staying alive was helping Geom Mugeuk.

It was still overwhelming. But the White Scale Armor was absolutely incredible.

"Wow, this is amazing! It feels like I’m not wearing anything at all—it’s that comfortable."

"It’s that thin and comfortable, yet it can block most sword qi."

Seo Daeryong planted his great blade into the ground and looked at his reflection on the blade. It felt unfamiliar. The armor, the disciple of Blood Heaven Blade Demon wearing that armor, and even the reflection itself on the blade—all of it.

"It suits you well."

"I must’ve saved you in my past life, Young Cult Leader."

Geom Mugeuk gave him a knowing smile.

‘Sorry, but the one who saved me was Lee Ahn. You probably saved me in a past-past life.’

Geom Mugeuk looked far into the future.

"If fifty years from now you come back and return this saying ‘Thank you, it served me well,’ then that day, we’ll laugh thinking about today, fifty years ago. On that day, we’ll tell old stories and really enjoy ourselves."

Seo Daeryong felt overwhelmed just imagining that moment.

"Will I still be alive then?"

"That’s why you should wear it all the time."

As if there was still one more thing, Geom Mugeuk held up one finger again.

"What is it this time?"

"The last of the three ways to become stronger in three days."

There was still one final gift left today.

"Your internal energy’s increased, and now you’ve got armor. All that’s left is to fight."

Seo Daeryong widened his eyes. He realized Geom Mugeuk intended to give him actual combat training.

"Since you already have a master, I won’t teach you martial arts. But there’s no harm in sparring."

To spar with the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult—this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that not even a mountain of gold could buy.

Geom Mugeuk jokingly declared the start of the spar.

"I’m the incarnation of greed, you know. I gave away too much valuable stuff today. Don’t you think I’ll feel better after beating you up a little?"

Seo Daeryong neither refused nor looked excited.

He simply stared silently at Geom Mugeuk.

When the first real sparring session ended—

Seo Daeryong was crying.

He really hadn’t meant to cry—he didn’t want to burden Geom Mugeuk—but the tears just flowed. Do I really deserve to be loved this much?

"Did it hurt that much?"

Seo Daeryong answered without lifting his head.

"Yes. It hurt a lot. Do you feel better now?"

From above his bowed head came Geom Mugeuk’s voice.

"No. This is only the beginning. Stand up."

The tears didn’t stop so easily.

*         *         *

Geom Woojin stood by the window, watching his son and Seo Daeryong.

Hui stood one step behind him, also observing the same scene. He couldn’t help but wonder what the Cult Leader might be thinking right now.

‘If it were me, I’d be proud, Cult Leader.’

If he had a son like that. But that was a kind of life he could never have.

Without saying a word, Geom Woojin turned away from his silent gaze and slowly walked to the tea table. He poured himself a cup of tea and drank.

"You heard the talk, didn’t you? That someone from my past might be behind all this."

"Yes, Cult Leader."

Ever since he heard that, his son’s words had been echoing in his mind.

"Did anyone come to mind for you?"

"No, no one did."

Then Geom Woojin suddenly said,

"One person did come to my mind."

Hui looked at Geom Woojin, startled.

"I had completely forgotten, but as I looked back over the years, I remembered. There was someone who kept weighing on my mind."

Geom Woojin gently touched the empty teacup.

"He’s someone who’s already dead."

"Then how did he come to your mind?"

Geom Woojin poured more tea into his cup as he answered,

"Because we never found the body back then."

"!"

If it really was him…

"All these years have passed."

Geom Woojin drank his tea in silence, thinking about the man who might have returned through the flow of time.

*         *         *

The practical sparring training continued until the morning of the third day.

They saved even sleep time, sparring constantly except when eating.

This practical training was on an entirely different level from anything Seo Daeryong had experienced so far.

He skirted death countless times. There were so many dangerously close moments. A string of times where he thought, Ah, so this is how I die.

But he didn’t die. His sparring partner was Geom Mugeuk, after all.

It was a sparring session meant solely for Seo Daeryong. A training meant to elevate him to the next level, and the next after that.

Not a single word was spoken, yet every wrong posture and habit was corrected. Not a single word was spoken, yet he was taught how to move in one situation, and how to respond in another. Sword and blade clashed, and through that, he learned with his body.

Because of that, every move Seo Daeryong made felt like he was growing. He himself didn’t notice it, but in truth, his skills were increasing.

It had started as a joke—asking if there was a way to get stronger in three days.

The great blade strapped to Seo Daeryong’s back gleamed under the morning sunlight. The Seo Daeryong of three days ago and the one standing now were no longer the same person.

"Daeryong."

"Yes, Young Cult Leader."

"Now, what shall we do?"

Seo Daeryong could understand the heart behind that question. Why Geom Mugeuk had poured himself so fully into him over these past three days.

So he wouldn’t feel like a burden.

So he could be the one to say these words.

"We’re going to rescue Master now. Will you come with me?"