Absolute Regression

Chapter 646: Do Not Listen, Kill!

So Jeongrak was dumbfounded.

He never imagined that he would be branded a liar here today.

But that wasn’t the most important thing right now.

‘The poison isn’t working?’

So Jeongrak was flustered. Normally, he would never have been shaken in such a situation. He knew all too well that showing agitation only made others more suspicious.

And yet, the fact that the poison wasn’t working dealt a massive shock to him.

As So Jeongrak faltered, Demon Flame Lord and White-Bone Soul Demon exchanged glances. The current behavior So Jeongrak was showing resembled someone trying to hide something.

Suppressing his surprise, So Jeongrak hastily administered another poison.

This time, it was Madness Poison.

This poison did not directly harm the body.

Rather, it caused the victim to lose emotional control, triggering intense rage and insanity.

It was a poison only the highest-level masters of toxic arts could handle, and its properties were completely different from the White Snake Powder he had used earlier.

‘Get agitated! Let your pent-up rage explode on them!’

Once it triggered, that would be the end. Those two prideful old demons would never let it slide.

It didn’t matter if they unleashed their anger on him. As always, the one who lost composure first was the loser.

He expected Geom Mugeuk to shout and erupt in fury.

But instead, Geom Mugeuk smiled even more brightly and spoke to the two old demons.

“How fortunate it is that you two are so cautious and wise.”

A smile? He's smiling? So Jeongrak was even more shocked at Geom Mugeuk’s response.

‘The poison failed again!’

Geom Mugeuk was completely fine. In fact, with that irritating face of his, he pushed So Jeongrak into a tighter corner.

“Look at him, unable to say anything. I told you, he was clearly aiming for mutual destruction. If I were you two, I’d have already snapped and beaten him to a pulp while shouting curses.”

So Jeongrak barely suppressed the urge to scream. He was so furious that it felt as if the poison he’d used had backfired and poisoned him instead.

But that wasn’t the case. If the poison had affected him, he definitely would have screamed.

‘Why the hell isn’t the poison working?’

Then, a certain person flickered through So Jeongrak’s mind.

‘No way? Did the Poison King give him the antidotes in advance?’

It was possible to take an antidote beforehand in preparation for a specific poison. Of course, one had to know exactly what kind of poison would be used.

Could the Poison King have predicted that he would use White Snake Powder and Madness Poison?

Even if he generously assumed that the Poison King had anticipated his poisons and provided antidotes in advance, it was still impossible to perfectly block two completely different poisons like these. Not to mention, they would need to be taken in exact sequence.

Ah, come to think of it, there weren’t just two poisons. Wasn’t there one he administered at the very beginning? Even the poison that detonates the blood and qi the moment internal energy is used hadn’t worked.

‘Is the Poison King really that capable?’

So Jeongrak fell into deep thought. Should he use his trump card poison to kill them? Or should he stick to the original plan and let him die at the hands of the two?

‘I have to kill him while I still have the chance!’

If Geom Mugeuk decided to kill him, there’d be nothing he could do to stop it. His life was on the line—he had to kill first and think later.

In the end, So Jeongrak administered his trump card poison. The ingredients used were so rare that it wasn’t something he would use unless the situation was truly desperate.

Lifeless True Poison.

It was a deadly poison that caused instant death, a creation of his own design. Because it killed the moment it was used, there was no antidote.

‘This one… he won’t be able to resist.’

He should have rolled his eyes back and collapsed on the spot.

But once again, Geom Mugeuk was completely fine. And once again, he sowed discord.

“Be honest. You never planned to use anyGreat Technique to break the seals, did you?”

So Jeongrak’s eyes widened. He was in shock that even his personally crafted poison hadn’t worked.

But to others, that expression only made it look like Geom Mugeuk had struck a nerve.

He needed to say something—anything—to cast off suspicion. But So Jeongrak couldn’t tear himself away from the shock that Lifeless True Poison had failed.

‘Not even the Poison King could prepare an antidote in advance for Lifeless True Poison. If such an antidote existed, it would make a person completely immune to all poisons. There's no way something like that could exist.’

Right at that moment, So Jeongrak flinched, and his eyes grew wider and wider.

‘No way…?’

So Jeongrak’s body trembled. It couldn’t be, could it?

‘No… That’s impossible.’

With trembling eyes, So Jeongrak stared at Geom Mugeuk.

Despite being exposed to multiple poisons in succession, he remained perfectly fine. At the very least, he should have shown some signs of discomfort or dizziness, but instead, he was smiling back at him.

From that composed expression, four words rose in So Jeongrak’s mind—

Four words that practitioners of poison arts never wanted to hear, not even in their dreams.

Immune to All Poisons!

Even in the midst of that, Geom Mugeuk continued sowing discord.

“Look at that anxious face. Do you still believe he’s not trying to deceive you?”

Demon Flame Lord and White-Bone Soul Demon silently fixed their gazes on So Jeongrak. Ever since his lie about having no internal energy had been exposed, his behavior had raised suspicions.

So Jeongrak, who had been staring at Geom Mugeuk with a face full of distrust, finally came to a conclusion.

“Young Cult Leader is Immune to All Poisons!”

Amid the heavy silence that followed, Geom Mugeuk responded nonchalantly.

“That’s the best excuse you could come up with?”

At that moment, Demon Flame Lord suddenly shouted in frustration.

“Enough, both of you!”

His voice, like scraping metal, now laced with emotion, became even more grating to the ear.

“What nonsense are you both spouting?”

The anger was directed at both of them.

So Jeongrak calmly explained the situation.

“I just administered poisons to the Young Cult Leader in succession. And yet, none of it worked. The reason I couldn’t properly counter his attempts at sowing discord was because of that.”

This time, Geom Mugeuk turned to the two old demons and asked,

“Have either of you ever seen someone who’s Immune to All Poisons in your life?”

Demon Flame Lord had never encountered someone Immune to All Poisons.

White-Bone Soul Demon, who was already a hundred and fifty years old, might have seen one, but—

He hadn’t either. He had never even heard someone being called Immune to All Poisons.

Geom Mugeuk mocked So Jeongrak.

“Well, then you’re in luck. You’ll see one today. Here, Immune to All Poisons, take a good look. Summon a painter and get a portrait done while you’re at it.”

But the two old demons didn’t look at Geom Mugeuk—they turned suspicious eyes on So Jeongrak. The meaning behind those stares was clear.

What nonsense is this about being Immune to All Poisons?

So Jeongrak felt suffocated.

‘Damn it! Those senile ghosts, who should’ve dropped dead several times over by now, how could they be expected to make sound judgments?’

But even so, he couldn’t afford to lose them like this. Especially when poison didn’t work on Geom Mugeuk.

“Haven’t I already told you? The Young Cult Leader isn’t someone ordinary. Why else do you think I suppressed his internal energy and called both of you to deal with him together?”

The two old demons were skeptical.

They had come here to kill Geom Mugeuk. The very fact that they were now hesitating meant that Geom Mugeuk’s ploy was working.

“Then why don’t we verify it?”

Geom Mugeuk proposed something unexpected.

“Let’s take a look at the location where the Great Technique is to be performed, and confirm who will assist in the ritual. After verifying that this man truly intends to use the Great Technique on you two, then you can kill me.”

Demon Flame Lord looked at Geom Mugeuk with narrowed eyes and asked,

“Why are you going that far? We're the ones who came to kill you.”

White-Bone Soul Demon was equally doubtful.

“The reason is simple. I just find him so detestable. He’s mocking our cult and plotted to pit the two of you against me in mutual destruction. Even though we may have thrived in different eras, we’re all demonic practitioners, aren’t we?”

So Jeongrak’s expression darkened. “We”? He could tell Geom Mugeuk was using that term deliberately.

Geom Mugeuk continued.

“There’s a certain nature we demonic practitioners share, right? We’d rather die fighting than be manipulated into death. Especially not by rats who hide in the dark and scheme behind the scenes!”

Then, Geom Mugeuk looked at So Jeongrak.

At the very least, the two old demons agreed with that statement, and they glanced sideways at So Jeongrak.

So Jeongrak could tell. Every time Geom Mugeuk spoke, those two old demons were growing more inclined to trust the Young Cult Leader.

‘I can't win with words. I need to come up with something.’

Geom Mugeuk kept pressing him.

“What’s so difficult about showing the Great Technique’s location in advance?”

At that moment, So Jeongrak spoke to the old demons.

“Kill the Young Cult Leader. Then I’ll immediately escort you to the site. I’ll also summon the person who will perform the Great Technique with you.”

So Jeongrak glared at Geom Mugeuk.

‘No matter what tricks you pull, you won’t be able to sway them.’

The bloody energy seeping from the Demon Flame Lord’s body and the deathly aura in White-Bone Soul Demon’s eyes only grew more intense.

Whatever else, those two were filled with hatred toward the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

Even if So Jeongrak was acting suspiciously, their intent to kill Geom Mugeuk had not changed.

At that moment, Geom Mugeuk calmly posed a question.

“Isn’t it strange?”

So Jeongrak, thinking he was about to pull another stunt, shouted.

“Don’t listen—just kill him!”

But the next thing Geom Mugeuk said was impossible not to hear.

“What’s strange?”

In response to the Demon Flame Lord’s question, Geom Mugeuk explained.

“If what he says is true—if he had already suppressed my internal energy and brought you two here—then why go through the trouble of having you kill me? He could have just done it himself.”

As So Jeongrak tried to speak up, White-Bone Soul Demon raised a hand to stop him.

Seeing their gaze signaling him to continue, Geom Mugeuk answered his own question.

“He wants it known to the world that the ones who killed me were you two. If that happens, you’ll be hunted by the masters of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult for the rest of your lives. My father would never let it go.”

Then, White-Bone Soul Demon, who had been silently listening, opened his mouth in a childlike voice.

“You think we haven’t prepared for that much?”

Of course, they were prepared to be hunted.

But what Geom Mugeuk truly wanted to say came next.

“But you won’t be hunted. Because the golden restraint won’t be broken.”

The dark energy flowing from White-Bone Soul Demon’s eyes began to dominate the surroundings, but Geom Mugeuk continued.

“You both understand what those schemers truly want: for the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and the Martial Alliance to fight to the death, both sides ruined in mutual destruction. But if it becomes known that you two killed me, do you really think my father would go to war?”

Geom Mugeuk shook his head firmly.

“He would postpone the war for the sake of revenge. He’s a man who would start a war for his son—do you think he wouldn’t seek revenge? But would that really be the situation those schemers are hoping for?”

The eyes of White-Bone Soul Demon and the Demon Flame Lord wavered slightly. He could feel their agitation.

“Still, do you think the two of you will be captured so easily?”

He had no intention of being captured without a fight. Though he spoke of killing the Cult Leader, none of this had been done with the intention of dying so easily.

Geom Mugeuk pressed them even harder.

“Do you think they want the war delayed? Or would they rather the two of you, who killed me and the Leader of the Demon-Slaying Brigade, fail to break the golden restraint and die instead—saving them the enormous cost of the Great Technique in the process?”

The words were persuasive enough to shake the hearts of both White-Bone Soul Demon and the Demon Flame Lord.

White-Bone Soul Demon turned to So Jeongrak with a commanding tone.

“Guide us to the Great Technique’s location.”

The gaze he directed at So Jeongrak was resolute. So Jeongrak couldn’t refuse. Even he found himself nodding at Geom Mugeuk’s words—how could those two old demons not fall for it?

He had long known that Geom Mugeuk was no ordinary man, but experiencing it firsthand left him unable to regain his composure.

Resisting clumsily now would only make things worse.

But even if he led them there, Geom Mugeuk’s internal energy had to be suppressed first.

He couldn’t say it outright, since that would undoubtedly provoke the pride of those old demons, so he chose his words carefully.

“The Young Cult Leader might attempt a surprise attack.”

To that, the Demon Flame Lord confidently replied,

“No need to worry about that. We’ll handle it ourselves.”

The Demon Flame Lord spoke to Geom Mugeuk.

“You two walk ahead. We’ll follow behind.”

There was no room left for refusal.

He hated unexpected variables like this, but there was no helping it now.

“Fine, let’s go.”

In the end, So Jeongrak took the lead.

‘Even so, today’s outcome will not change.’

Right behind him followed Geom Mugeuk, and behind him came the two old demons.

The patients, their guardians, and the physicians were still asleep. Geom Mugeuk didn’t spare them a single glance, as if they were of no concern to him.

Just like that, So Jeongrak led the three out of the medical ward.

The people they passed inside the clinic respectfully bowed their heads to So Jeongrak. He was usually someone who responded warmly to greetings, but now, he didn’t have the composure for it.

The place So Jeongrak led them to was his personal residence.

He manipulated a series of hidden mechanisms behind his desk, bookshelf, and cabinet. A secret door leading underground opened.

As they descended the staircase, they arrived in a spacious underground chamber. Night Pearls were embedded all around, clearly illuminating the space, and thanks to air vents, the air didn’t feel suffocating.

This was the place where So Jeongrak had secretly cultivated his poison arts. Along the walls, carefully prepared poisonous herbs and toxins were lined up. His decades of secrecy were all contained within this space.

“We’ll be performing the Great Technique here.”

Upon finally arriving, the hardened expressions of the Demon Flame Lord and White-Bone Soul Demon loosened.

Had they not expected such a setup? So Jeongrak inwardly wondered about Geom Mugeuk’s true intentions.

Why had he insisted on seeing this place? Was it simply to buy time? Waiting in hopes that someone would come to his rescue?

‘If that’s the case, then you’ve made a grave miscalculation.’

This underground chamber was surrounded on all sides by solid walls—there was no possibility of escape. And now that the secret entrance had closed, no one could even come looking for them.

So Jeongrak looked at Geom Mugeuk. He was calmly looking around, as if he were visiting a friend's house for the first time.

“You seem like a meticulous person, but your poison herbs are really unorganized. Should I help you sort them? I’ve been rigorously trained in poison herb arrangement, after all.”

The moment So Jeongrak saw that relaxed demeanor, a chill ran through his chest, and he realized one undeniable fact.

‘Come to think of it… we have no way out either.’