Absolute Regression

Chapter 630: This Fight Is Not Our Fight

“Behind them is the Hermit of Heaven and Earth, Hwa Yulcheong.”

At Sima Myung’s words, Geom Mugeuk recalled the one he had long forgotten.

The Martial Alliance Leader’s closest friend—the Hermit of Heaven and Earth.

In his life before regression, the man had never stood at the forefront. Even during the era when the Twelve Zodiac Kings ruled Murim, he had never appeared in public.

Even after the Alliance Leader’s death, there had been no word of the Hermit of Heaven and Earth.

No rumors of him seeking revenge, no sightings from afar. Come to think of it, he had simply vanished from Murim.

In his life before regression, the man who had been the Martial Alliance Leader’s dearest friend meant nothing to Geom Mugeuk.

So thoroughly forgotten was his existence that even the memory of him had faded—until today, when his name resurfaced.

And that single-character banner carried a meaning that only Geom Mugeuk could understand.

‘Now that I think about it, he was also from the Hwa family.’

Staring at the banner alongside him, Sima Myung spoke with concern.

“There are more than a few orthodox masters who follow the Hermit of Heaven and Earth. If he truly is the one behind this matter, this fight won’t be an easy one.”

The worst-case scenario was this:

If they killed him without revealing to the world that he was the villain.

Then the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult would have slain the Martial Alliance Leader’s closest friend—a revered elder of the orthodox sects.

If that happened, the martial artists of the orthodox factions would rise like wildfire, and the flames would not die down until many lives had already burned away.

Naturally, Sima Myung—being the Chief Strategist—knew the Hermit of Heaven and Earth well.

“He was a man who built a friendship with the Alliance Leader from a young age. It’s hard to believe someone like that would have been swayed by those bastards.”

Sima Myung also considered the possibility that the information could be wrong. It was just that hard to believe.

On the other hand, Geom Mugeuk was suspicious of the man who had suddenly reappeared in his life.

“Perhaps he wasn’t swayed at all.”

Sima Myung immediately caught the implication in Geom Mugeuk’s words. That he might not have been a victim—but the mastermind.

“Are you suggesting... he approached from the very beginning with intent?”

He couldn’t help but be shocked. That would mean this plot had been in motion for many decades.

“We’ve already confirmed that the ones we’ve been dealing with had prepared for a very long time. Perhaps the beginning of that preparation was right beside the Alliance Leader.”

At Geom Mugeuk’s words, Sima Myung’s face grew grave. If that were true, then this wasn’t just a difficult fight.

‘Of all times, this had to happen when the Cult Leader isn’t here!’

The two stared silently at the bustling operations command center.

Eventually, Sima Myung broke the silence.

“Do you wish to go to Wuhan?”

Geom Mugeuk had never imagined the day would come when he would say such words.

“Yes, I want to go to my brother.”

He wanted to run there immediately.

“Will you allow it?”

Though Sima Myung knew well how Geom Mugeuk felt, he firmly refused.

“No. Instead, I’ll send more Demon Supremes.”

Because of how dangerous the situation was, Sima Myung couldn’t allow Geom Mugeuk to go.

Geom Mugeuk understood him.

But separate from that understanding, he also felt a signal from fate.

News like this had arrived on the very day the Nine Calamities Demon Art completed its ninth form.

“There’s a reason I must go.”

“What is it?”

“I believe that with just the Poison King and the Demonic Buddha, they can protect my brother.”

“Then why do you insist on going?”

Just as there were undeniable reasons not to send him, there was also a clear reason why he had to go.

“If the Hermit of Heaven and Earth is behind this, he will no doubt try to move the Alliance Leader. If the Alliance Leader moves, the entire Martial Alliance will follow, and that will stir all of the orthodox Murim.”

It might have sounded like an exaggeration.

“But I can’t help but feel that they may have drawn us in precisely for that reason.”

After all, they had used an artisan of the Martial Alliance’s ironworks to create the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s golden-dragon weapon.

“Most likely, they plan to complicate the situation even further.”

How could Sima Myung not understand? That in this moment, the one who could respond with the greatest flexibility was none other than Geom Mugeuk. Furthermore, the Young Cult Leader had a deep friendship with the Martial Alliance Leader, Jin Paecheon.

Even so, Sima Myung couldn’t easily make a decision.

His gaze turned to the two banners on the strategic terrain map.

'Jeong (正)' and 'Hwa (華).'

Surrounded by over a dozen banners belonging to masters of the orthodox factions.

Now there were only a dozen, but the moment the Martial Alliance Leader raised his banner, dozens, even hundreds more from across the Central Plains would gather to defend the orthodox Murim.

And now, to send Geom Mugeuk out when even the Great Young Master, who was out in the field, was someone Sima Myung wanted to call back?

At the very moment the two stood firm in their opposing stances, a new letter from Wuhan arrived.

“A letter from the Great Young Master.”

The letter was handed to Sima Myung. After reading its contents, he looked at Geom Mugeuk with a startled expression.

“The Great Young Master has requested support from the Demonic Buddha.”

Unaware that the Poison King and the Demonic Buddha were already in Wuhan, he had sent a request to the main division for help from the Demonic Buddha.

“You know his personality, don’t you?”

A man who would break before he bent had asked for help like a bamboo swaying in the wind.

The brother he once knew would have died before asking for anyone’s help.

But now, he had changed. He had become someone who could suppress his emotions for the greater cause. They said he had summoned Jin Hagun first—perhaps that too had stemmed from this change of heart.

“If he’s asked for help, knowing his nature, it means he’s certain the Hermit of Heaven and Earth is behind this. And it also means the pressure he’s feeling on the ground must be immense.”

After much deliberation, Sima Myung finally made his decision.

“Very well. Go. But there is one condition.”

“What is it?”

“Take two more Demon Supremes with you.”

It was a suggestion filled with Sima Myung’s resolve to never let Geom Mugeuk die, no matter how extreme the tension with the orthodox faction might become.

“With myself, my brother, and four Demon Supremes, we could hold a Grand Demon War.”

Geom Mugeuk joked, but Sima Myung took it seriously.

“Even if war breaks out, the acting Cult Leader must return safely.”

A war could be managed, but the death of Geom Mugeuk could not.

However, Geom Mugeuk declined Sima Myung’s proposal.

“I’ll go alone.”

“Acting Cult Leader!”

“The people already there are more than enough to provoke the Martial Alliance. If more Demon Supremes go, it’ll only create problems that could have been avoided.”

Sima Myung had to acknowledge that he had no choice but to trust Geom Mugeuk. Just as he said, sending more Demon Supremes would only invite greater risk. This was something only Geom Mugeuk could handle.

“Then please remember this one thing.”

Sima Myung walked toward the strategic terrain map.

“You are not going there to fight them. As I see it, we cannot allow this battle to turn into a contest of force.”

He picked up the Hermit of Heaven and Earth’s banner from where it was placed alongside the other and moved it outside the Martial Alliance boundary.

“This is what you’re going for.”

He meant: make the Martial Alliance Leader see the truth.

“And it must be the Martial Alliance who eliminates them.”

Meaning the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult must not stand at the center of the fight.

“You must persuade the Martial Alliance Leader and the Great Young Master to ensure this outcome. This fight belongs to the Martial Alliance, not us. Especially because the Alliance Leader and Hwa Yulcheong are old confidants.”

Geom Mugeuk understood what Sima Myung was worried about. If things went awry, the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult might be accused of killing the Martial Alliance Leader’s friend.

Longstanding friendships can sometimes blind us and make us turn away from painful truths.

“You may be there in person, Acting Cult Leader, but you must also be present in the Heavenly Demon Library.”

It was Sima Myung’s way of asking him to remain hidden and safe.

After hearing everything, Geom Mugeuk replied respectfully.

“I will act according to the Chief Strategist’s plan.”

His expression might have relaxed slightly, but Sima Myung did not ease his tension in the slightest.

“I will deploy the Demonic Army to the front lines as far as possible, and I will also instruct the Demon Supremes not to leave the cult grounds. If you require assistance, contact us immediately.”

Geom Mugeuk nodded obediently, though he didn’t believe it would come to that.

If such a moment arose even after he had gone himself, it would mean the war had already begun.

“I’ll be back.”

“Please return safely.”

Even as he departed, Geom Mugeuk didn’t forget to leave a joke behind.

“I swear I’m not leaving because there’s too much work as the acting Cult Leader!”

As soon as Geom Mugeuk left, Sima Myung turned to the military attendant beside him and gave an immediate order.

“From this moment, raise the emergency level of the Heavenly Communication Pavilion to its highest level!”

*         *         *

It was already past noon when Han Wolgaek, who had spent the past two nights unable to sleep from unbearable itching, finally woke up in the medical quarters.

Only now, after waking, could he recognize that this place was a physician’s chamber.

The itching had been so agonizing he felt like he could die. But the moment he opened his eyes, not a trace of the sensation remained. The hives that had covered his body had vanished without a trace, like a lie.

‘What in the world caused it?’

Then, suddenly, the fortune teller’s words resurfaced in his mind.

—You came to chase out a demon, but a demon possessed you instead.

That senile old man. It must have been food poisoning or something.

He felt apologetic to the person who had summoned him to Wuhan. He had already broken his promise twice. He wasn’t normally someone so untrustworthy.

But how could he explain that he couldn’t come because of an upset stomach—let alone admit it was because of itching?

‘I have no choice but to repay it by wiping out those demonic bastards.’

There was only one way to make up for this failure.

Han Wolgaek got up and opened the door to head outside.

Someone was standing right in front of it.

“Ugh!”

Han Wolgaek recoiled in shock upon seeing who it was.

Who in the world could make him step back like that?

Han Wolgaek stared at the person before him with fear in his eyes.

He couldn’t help it.

Because the man standing before him had died long ago.

“...You are?”

Han Wolgaek’s voice trembled.

The man simply stared at him with indifferent eyes.

“Which bastard is playing games with me?!”

Han Wolgaek shouted and lashed out with a palm strike.

Shwaaaaak.

KWAANG.

The wall of the corridor behind was obliterated, but the figure still stood where he was.

Han Wolgaek saw it clearly. His energy had passed right through the man. It was a phantom.

‘A ghost?’

A ghost—in broad daylight? It was hard to believe, but it was true. And that wasn’t all.

Ssshhk.

Behind the man, another figure appeared—a woman this time.

Han Wolgaek recognized her too. She was the wife of the man who had appeared.

Her eyes were filled with resentment as she stared at Han Wolgaek.

With a sigh, Han Wolgaek was pulled into the memories of the past.

After his family had been slaughtered by a demonic cultivator, he had roamed the world like a madman, hunting down those of the demonic path.

At that time, the one committing atrocities was a being called the Lustful Ghost—a demonic cultivator. Han Wolgaek had pursued him for months before finally catching up.

Even on that day, the bastard was assaulting a woman.

Han Wolgaek had thought it would be easy to kill a demonic scum like that, but the bastard was stronger than expected.

They engaged in a brutal life-or-death battle, and just as he was about to kill the demon—!

Someone rushed into the room from behind.

Han Wolgaek instinctively swung his sword and cut down the one who had charged in from the rear.

A thin red line formed across the man’s neck, and he collapsed, spraying blood.

The man was the woman’s husband.

Cutting down someone without confirming who it was—thinking back now, it was an unforgivable mistake. But back then, that’s how it happened.

Even in that cramped room, while exchanging dozens of strikes, he had fought with every ounce of focus to ensure the woman wouldn’t be harmed. He had that much skill, and yet—why? Why did he do it? Even now, he didn’t know.

He couldn’t forget the man’s face, nor the sight of the woman screaming as she witnessed it—even after all these decades.

Suddenly, Han Wolgaek felt a wave of nausea and dizziness.

At that moment, the man standing in front of the door began to bleed from a red line across his throat.

Han Wolgaek launched into a flurry of palm strikes like a madman.

Shwaaaak! Shwaaaaaaaak!

Boom! KWAANG!

His barrage of explosive energy blasts shattered the walls in all directions.

The fortune teller’s words echoed in his mind, like a haunting refrain.

—Leave Wuhan at once, before greater misfortune befalls you.

The surrounding walls crumbled.

Even the collapsing ceiling was reduced to dust and blown away.

The ghosts’ forms were hidden in the swirling dirt. When the dust finally settled, Han Wolgaek stood alone amidst the ruins of the room.

And before him, there were no ghosts—only different figures.

Staff from the physician’s chamber were staring at him in shock. Among them, a young physician had fallen on his rear beside a crumbled wall.

Seeing that, Han Wolgaek’s heart sank. He had nearly killed the young man with his outburst of energy just moments ago.

Why had he done that? Even now, he was still making the same kind of mistake.

“…Haah.”

Letting out a deep sigh, Han Wolgaek took out every token he had in his possession and placed them on the floor.

“Sorry for wrecking the place.”

Then he staggered and walked out of the physician’s chamber.

He didn’t look back once as he left Wuhan.

From far above, atop a towering tree, two people were watching him—none other than the Poison King and the Demonic Buddha.

“What exactly did you do to him?”

“That man was poisoned by a fungus called the Heart-Phantom Lingzhi.”

“What kind of hallucination did he see?”

“I don’t know. It’s different for each person.”

What Han Wolgaek had seen wasn’t a ghost, but the guilt buried deep in his heart for a lifetime.

The Demonic Buddha looked at the Poison King with a renewed gaze. While he had to fight bitterly to send Byeoksan Sword back, the Poison King had done so without even lifting a finger.

To send Han Wolgaek away like this—only the Poison King’s poison could do it. Well, maybe one more thing could: the Young Cult Leader’s mouth.

“Would you like to try it once? See what kind of hallucination you’d experience?”

When the Poison King asked seriously, the Demonic Buddha shook his head.

“I’ll pass. It’s not like there’s anything pleasant buried inside me.”

Just then, Sangseon flew over and landed atop the giant tree where they stood.

“The Great Young Master has contacted the main division.”

It was a piece of news more surprising to the Demonic Buddha than anyone else.

“The Great Young Master has requested support from you, Demonic Buddha.”

At those words, the Demonic Buddha was startled. It was truly something he hadn’t expected.

His calm gaze wavered.

The Great Young Master had chosen him—among all the people, he had asked him for help.

One could say it was only natural, as he had once been the closest among the Demon Supremes. But even so, when he imagined how disappointed he would’ve felt if someone else had been chosen, the joy he felt now was indescribable.

Moreover, wasn’t he already here in Wuhan for that very person?

The Demonic Buddha held himself back from running off immediately, but he couldn’t stop the faint glow he had kept hidden from radiating outward.

“Tell him I’ll be there.”