Absolute Regression

Chapter 632: More than Geom Woojin’s Tricks

“Are you doubting the Great Young Master?”

To Jin Hagun’s question, Jin Paecheon responded with another.

“Then are you doubting Master Hwa?”

Tense energy surged between the two of them.

Until Jin Hagun had come here, he still had a small lingering thought in a corner of his heart—surely not...

But the moment he heard his grandfather’s words, he understood clearly.

‘The Hermit of Heaven and Earth must have planted his name using the Mind-Control Sorcery.’

If he had cast the Mind-Control Sorcery on his subordinate, wouldn’t that prevent the person from revealing any name other than his own, even under torture?

Yet the Hermit of Heaven and Earth had exploited a blind spot in that logic, making himself the suspect and thus eliminating suspicion from the real mastermind behind the scenes.

This choice had only been possible because the target was his grandfather. His grandfather had known the Hermit of Heaven and Earth since his youth. Their friendship had continued ever since.

It was something like this.

Imagine building a long-standing friendship with Geom Mugeuk over decades from now.

Then one day, someone shows up claiming Geom Mugeuk is the one behind a sinister scheme? Are they out of their minds!

That was exactly what his grandfather must be feeling right now.

And the reason the Hermit of Heaven and Earth had made this choice was crystal clear.

“I asked where the Great Young Master is.”

With the Great Young Master currently in Wuhan and such an incident occurring, it was only natural to believe this had been orchestrated by the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

Jin Hagun knew that defending Geom Muyang in this situation would only further enrage his grandfather, so he obediently answered.

“He’s at a manor not far from here.”

The Martial Alliance Leader couldn’t go in person, nor could he summon the man to the Alliance Leader’s Hall.

“Bring him to Cheongsurim.”

Jin Hagun obeyed his grandfather’s command without resistance.

“Yes, understood.”

Jin Hagun left the Alliance Leader’s Hall.

Swoooooosh.

When Jin Hagun stepped outside the Alliance Leader’s Hall, the rain was still pouring. After instructing the martial artist stationed there to prepare a carriage, he stood still for a moment, gazing at the falling rain.

He should have handled this matter himself, but he hadn’t expected the White Dragon Branch Leader to die like that. Now it would be even harder to prove that the Hermit of Heaven and Earth was behind it all. Even if other evidence emerged, it would just be dismissed as fabricated.

The image of the Hermit of Heaven and Earth surfaced in his mind. He used to call him grandfather and followed him closely when he was young. Unlike his strict real grandfather, the Hermit of Heaven and Earth had always been warm and friendly to both him and Jin Haryeong. Whenever he came to visit, he would bring precious toys from all over the Central Plains.

And now he was supposed to believe that man was behind a conspiracy?

Jin Hagun lifted his head and looked up at the sky. A flash of lightning split the dark clouds above.

Geom Muyang stood in the manor courtyard, drenched in rain, watching as the carriage arrived.

As the carriage door opened, Jin Hagun was seated inside. Geom Muyang immediately sensed that something had gone wrong with the task of escorting the White Dragon Branch Leader, seeing that Jin Hagun had come to fetch him personally.

“The Alliance Leader wishes to see you.”

When Geom Muyang walked toward the carriage without hesitation, Ho Myeong followed behind. Though he said, “We will escort you,” Geom Muyang declined.

“Remain here and wait.”

How could he not know what Ho Myeong was thinking? With the Martial Alliance Leader personally involved, all of them would be killed by a single sword strike if it came to that.

Still, that didn't ease the anxiety of sending Geom Muyang alone. If anything were to happen to him, every one of them would have to pay with their lives. It would be better to die protecting him.

Ho Myeong gave him a look, silently insisting they accompany him again, but Geom Muyang resolutely shook his head.

“Please be careful.”

Leaving behind Ho Myeong, the martial artists of the branch, and Gwak Yeong, who stood at the back watching with deep concern, Geom Muyang boarded the carriage.

Once he got in, the carriage began to move.

As it departed, Jin Hagun explained what had happened at the Alliance Leader’s Hall. Given the current circumstances, even the tiniest misunderstanding could be fatal, so he believed it was crucial to hide nothing from him.

“The White Dragon Branch Leader was under the effect of Mind-Control Sorcery.”

Geom Muyang flinched. Even though he had personally interrogated the man, he had failed to notice. If it was sorcery refined enough to evade his own scrutiny, then the caster had to be someone far more powerful than him.

That meant it wasn’t the Hermit of Heaven and Earth who had planted the sorcery. The Martial Alliance Leader, who had known him for decades, would never have failed to detect such a technique if the Hermit had possessed it.

“What name did he give?”

“As expected, he said it was the Hermit of Heaven and Earth.”

Geom Muyang showed no surprise. He had already seen enough to know how meticulous those bastards were.

“He must be dead then.”

“How do you know?”

“Because that’s how I would’ve handled it.”

Jin Hagun understood then—Geom Muyang had grasped their scheme as well.

“There’s no way the Alliance Leader didn’t see through this. It’s just that...”

He simply didn’t want to believe it.

Jin Hagun couldn’t bring himself to say those words aloud.

Geom Muyang only nodded in silence.

Contrary to Jin Hagun’s assumption, Geom Muyang thought the Alliance Leader might have failed to see through it. Or perhaps he had reached a completely different conclusion.

The one who might not want to believe it—was Jin Hagun himself. That his own grandfather could be mistaken in his judgment.

But Geom Muyang didn’t reveal any of that. With no personal stake in the matter, he could observe everything objectively, as if offering commentary from the outside. When it became one’s own issue, who could claim to stay rational?

Thus, the carriage carrying the two men arrived at the bamboo grove.

All of the guards at the entrance to the Alliance Leader’s Hall were standing at the gate. It seemed the Alliance Leader had ordered that no one be allowed inside.

After stepping out of the carriage, Geom Muyang and Jin Hagun walked toward the forest.

Once they entered the forest, the rain thinned to a drizzle.

The two men continued walking under the rain. It had been a long time since either of them had felt rain like this—both Geom Muyang and Jin Hagun.

At the center of the bamboo forest stood a small pavilion.

Jin Paecheon was there, hands clasped behind his back. He made no effort to conceal his presence.

“I come here from time to time when it rains.”

Geom Muyang slowly walked up and ascended the pavilion.

Jin Hagun did not follow him up, choosing to wait below.

Standing in the pavilion, Geom Muyang respectfully greeted him with proper form.

“I greet the Alliance Leader.”

Jin Paecheon, who had been gazing into the distance, slowly turned around.

“It’s been a while, Great Young Master.”

His eyes and demeanor toward Geom Muyang were calm and composed. When he had demanded Geom Muyang be brought before him, it seemed he would erupt in fury at any moment, but now his attitude was entirely different.

That was why Jin Hagun, standing beneath the pavilion, felt both relieved and even more anxious. He didn’t know when or how his grandfather’s wrath might suddenly explode.

“How is the view?”

“It’s beautiful.”

Indeed, the scenery from the pavilion was breathtaking. Mist drifting through the thinning rainfall created a dreamlike beauty.

There was only the sound of rain. It felt as if all other sounds in the world had vanished.

“How is the Cult Leader?”

“He has entered closed-door training.”

Knowing that the Martial Alliance would already be aware of this fact, Geom Muyang answered honestly.

“I was surprised when I first heard the news.”

At their level of cultivation, closed-door training was exceedingly rare. So rare, in fact, that the Alliance had held an emergency meeting. Was it truly for training, or was it part of some scheme?

However, during the exchange of reports and opinions, Jin Paecheon had recalled the image of Geom Woojin in closed-door cultivation.

He had known instinctively. The Geom Woojin he knew was not the type to play tricks with something like this. His certainty only deepened after they had met at the last three-way summit.

Geom Woojin without tricks was far more terrifying than Geom Woojin with tricks.

That was why, although he hadn’t shown it outwardly, Jin Paecheon had been tense. This wasn’t anyone else—it was the martial prowess of the Heavenly Demon himself that was changing.

And amid such a situation, this incident occurred.

“My brother is acting as interim Cult Leader.”

At the mention of Geom Mugeuk, a smile formed on Jin Paecheon’s lips. The only one who could bring a smile to his face in any situation. Yes, if not for Geom Mugeuk, this meeting would not even be taking place.

“The Young Cult Leader is someone who can handle any task with excellence.”

Geom Muyang nodded slightly, as if in agreement.

Was it because he had been thinking of Geom Mugeuk?

Like the mist flowing between the bamboo stalks, silence passed between the two men.

How much time had passed like that?

Suddenly, Jin Paecheon spoke.

“That was unexpected.”

Geom Muyang looked at him. Now Jin Paecheon met his gaze directly as he continued.

“That you came all the way to Wuhan.”

It was a natural question. The forging of the Golden-Dragon Weapon was a serious matter. But it wasn’t something that would normally warrant the Great Young Master personally coming to Wuhan.

“There were circumstances.”

“Can you tell me what happened?”

When Geom Muyang gave no response, a chill crept into Jin Paecheon’s eyes. Even noticing that subtle change, Geom Muyang still said nothing.

“You resemble your father more than the Young Cult Leader does.”

Looking at him reminded Jin Paecheon of Geom Woojin.

If it had been Geom Mugeuk, he would’ve already started explaining with a string of ‘This and that happened,’ chattering away.

Geom Muyang understood what he meant. And in this moment, he also realized that what was needed wasn’t his own coldness—but his younger brother’s warmth.

It was something he never would have said in another situation, or to a different person.

“That weapon almost killed my brother.”

At Geom Muyang’s reply, Jin Paecheon’s eyes widened.

From beneath the pavilion, Jin Hagun lifted his head and looked up.

Now he understood clearly. Why Geom Muyang had said he would see this through to the end.

If it had been Jin Haryeong who had almost died by that weapon? Yes, even he would’ve gone all the way. He, too, would’ve chased them to the main division of the Demonic Cult.

“I was merely chasing the one who forged the counterfeit weapon, but somehow, I’ve ended up standing before the Alliance Leader like this.”

Whoever it was, they had paved the road well. Jin Paecheon sensed a deeper meaning in those words.

“Did you hear who the White Dragon Branch Leader named?”

“Yes.”

“What do you think?”

“I don’t know anything about that person.”

Geom Muyang looked Jin Paecheon straight in the eye.

“But the Alliance Leader must already know the answer.”

Jin Paecheon’s expression twitched for a moment. A vast surge of aura flowed from his body.

“What do you mean by that?”

“You already know, don’t you?”

An overwhelming pressure began to surge and spiral around them.

Dark clouds gathered, and the world dimmed. Jin Paecheon’s aura was like a typhoon rising from a dark sea.

Swept up by the storm, Geom Muyang was thrown up and down, rising and falling over and over. The fear that reached into the depths of the soul twisted through the core of his being.

This aura was befitting of Jin Paecheon. Dominating, powerful. He had long lived as the Martial Alliance Leader—he simply hadn’t had many opportunities to unleash it.

Yet even within the storm, Geom Muyang stood again, firm to his feets. And Jin Paecheon’s aura only grew more intense.

From below the pavilion, Jin Hagun grew anxious. A furious grandfather and Geom Muyang, who refused to bend.

What would Geom Mugeuk have done in this situation?

As Jin Hagun thought of him, various thoughts passed through his mind—but he was not Geom Mugeuk. If he couldn’t act like Geom Mugeuk, then silence would be better.

Yes, he would trust in his grandfather. Though he was angry now, he wasn’t the type to act solely on emotion.

In this matter, Jin Hagun had to play the most important role. He knew his grandfather better than anyone, and he was also the one who had to serve as a bridge between the Martial Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

‘Right, from now on, I must set aside all preconceptions and face each person properly, one by one.’

Those words Geom Mugeuk had often repeated had become the most vital in his life at this very moment.

The raging aura of Jin Paecheon gradually subsided, and once again, calm returned to the surroundings.

He had pushed Geom Muyang to the very limit—just before internal injury would set in—but Geom Muyang stood firm without moving a single step.

Staring at him in silence, Jin Paecheon finally spoke in a composed tone.

“Leave Wuhan.”

He might not have said so elsewhere, but here in Wuhan, the demand was justifiable.

But Geom Muyang did not accept it.

“I cannot do that.”

Jin Paecheon kept his tone civil.

“This matter is our business. Once we find the answer, I’ll inform you.”

“I’m sorry.”

You won’t find the answer on your own.

Geom Muyang did not back down. This was a promise made not with just anyone, but with Jin Paecheon himself. To say he would leave and then not leave would be even more disrespectful.

“Truly, you people!”

Who in the martial world dared defy his word?

Over Geom Muyang’s face, Jin Paecheon saw the image of Geom Woojin overlap. As the son of that man, how stubborn must he be?

Just then, Jin Paecheon’s gaze slowly shifted to the mist in the distance. His eyes changed.

Someone was out there, deep within the fog.

Only now, having come this close, could their presence be felt. That alone proved just how formidable their martial ability was.

“Enough eavesdropping. You may come out now.”

At that, someone began walking slowly in their direction.

“Has the Alliance Leader not experienced this yourself over the past decades?”

From beyond the white fog, a golden light began to shine through.

“People from the Demonic Cult really don’t like to listen, do they?”