Absolute Regression

Chapter 653: Martial Alliance, Come Out! Demonic Cult, Come Out!

The tremor in his eyes revealed the shock of the Hermit of Heaven and Earth.

Yes, of course, he was shocked.

Had he not been the true mastermind, he would’ve been dismissed as the mad ramblings of the Demonic Cult's Young Cult Leader, but he was different.

Because a sudden thought must have crossed his mind—

Is this Young Cult Leader truly proposing an alliance to me?

The offer to join hands had been made solely to shake him.

If he were shaken, then rather than the Martial Alliance Leader’s friend Hermit of Heaven and Earth, the mastermind behind the conspiracy, Hwa Yulcheong, would surely make an appearance at least once.

The first time is the hardest. Once the true face is revealed, hiding it again would be even more difficult.

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth silently stared at Geom Mugeuk.

Geom Mugeuk’s expression gave no hint of what he was thinking.

At the very least, in concealing himself, he possessed a skill level befitting that of the Alliance Leader.

Then, the Hermit of Heaven and Earth began to move.

He walked past Geom Mugeuk and headed toward the door.

Was he trying to summon the people waiting outside?

He opened the door and stepped out. But instead of bringing the martial artists waiting in the corridor inside, he led them out of the building altogether.

“Everyone, follow me outside.”

Not just the ones in the corridor, but even those stationed in the courtyard and beyond the building—amounting to dozens of martial artists—gathered there.

They resolved their meals there, and replaced sleep with energy circulation and breathing techniques.

They truly respected and followed the Hermit of Heaven and Earth with sincerity.

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth addressed them.

“This is where we part ways. You may all return now.”

Just then, someone shouted.

“It's not time yet, sir!”

It was Jeong Hyeok, the Sect Leader of Jeong Somen.

Earlier, the Hermit of Heaven and Earth had sustained injuries while trying to save him. Since then, everyone had been guarding his residence.

In particular, Jeong Hyeok hadn’t missed a single day standing guard.

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth approached Jeong Hyeok.

“Aren’t my iinjuries better now?”

“Sir!”

“If my body is fine, then who dares to kill me? Surely you’re not doubting my strength?”

“No, sir!”

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth grasped Jeong Hyeok’s flustered hand.

Instead of taking Geom Mugeuk’s hand, he had taken his.

“I understand your heart. But now, you're making me uncomfortable. It's time for you to step back.”

Jeong Hyeok lowered his head, and the rest of the martial artists followed suit.

“The Alliance Leader is looking after me as well. So don’t worry and go.”

At the mention of the Alliance Leader, their expressions eased a little.

Yes, surely the Alliance Leader was taking good care of him.

“If anything happens, please send word at once.”

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth respectfully performed a martial salute toward the martial artists.

“Thank you sincerely for protecting me all this time. I will never forget this until the day I die. Now, return to your own lives.”

With eyes filled with respect, the martial artists all performed a powerful martial salute in unison.

“Sir, please take good care of yourself!”

After sending all the martial artists away, the Hermit of Heaven and Earth returned to the room.

Geom Mugeuk asked with a subtle smile.

“So, are we finally going to see your true self, sir?”

In truth, he hadn’t expected his identity to be revealed this easily.

And as it turned out, Geom Mugeuk’s hunch was correct.

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth said something entirely unexpected.

“I had the feeling that today, you and I might have to fight a life-or-death duel. That’s why I sent them all away.”

Without another word, the Hermit of Heaven and Earth revealed his Qi Field.

Chaaaaaaa—

Geom Mugeuk looked around. They were now standing in a pure white snowy field.

The snowstorm was so fierce it was hard to keep one’s eyes open. Anyone with weak internal energy would be unable to breathe in this frigid wind and might collapse or be swept away.

Beyond that raging blizzard, he stood alone in solitude. He looked like a single flower blooming in the snow.

This was the Qi Field of the Hermit of Heaven and Earth. A pleasant fragrance wafted from it.

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth now felt different from the man he had sensed when first entering the room.

Geom Mugeuk had succeeded in peeling back a layer of him.

And beneath that layer was a great chivalrous man who had protected the righteous Martial World—a man who stood tall even before the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, ready to give his life if necessary.

Geom Mugeuk could tell.

This Qi Field was real.

He could also tell just how many years of effort it must have taken to forge this field.

He was now showing what kind of man a dignified master of the righteous path could be—one who would not waver under provocation, threats, or enticement.

‘Under this Qi Field… what does your true Qi Field look like?’

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth rebuked him in a low, yet thunderous tone.

“Who do you think you're offering your hand to?”

Moreover, the reason he had sent the martial artists away was out of concern that they might get injured or killed if a fight were to break out.

“You tell me. Who is it you think I was proposing an alliance with? I don’t even know who you are.”

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth spoke coldly.

“Don’t beguile people with empty words. If you have a true wish, then go ahead and pursue it.”

Geom Mugeuk had said that his true wish was to kill him. In other words, he had meant to fight.

Internally, Geom Mugeuk admired him.

He had the guts not to use the martial artists outside as shields but to send them away.

He also possessed sharp judgment in knowing Geom Mugeuk wouldn’t actually fight him.

After all, he wouldn’t intend to fight a life-or-death duel one-on-one with someone who had already defeated Demon Flame Lord, White-Bone Soul Demon, and even So Jeongrak.

Truly not an easy man. No wonder so many had been deceived by him.

Geom Mugeuk raised his hand and spoke with a hint of regret.

“You won’t find a hand more suited to join than this one. Don’t come to regret it later.”

Of course, this wasn’t a situation that could be lightened with a joke.

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth still wore a cold expression, and a taut tension flowed between the two of them.

“I didn’t like it from the very beginning — the fact that you people stepped foot in Wuhan. Do you even know where you’re standing?”

Geom Mugeuk, who had been quietly staring into the Hermit of Heaven and Earth’s eyes, spoke in a gentle tone.

His voice was soft, but the meaning it carried was sharp.

“Our good Hermit seems to have reached the final realm of deception — the ability to deceive even himself.”

“You’re the one doing the deceiving.”

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth scoffed as he refuted.

“A moment ago, didn’t you say you’d protect the Alliance Leader from me? But now you’re asking to join hands with me? Is that how your kind protects people?”

At that, Geom Mugeuk said something unexpected.

“All of this… is because of you.”

“Because of me?”

“As you know, I’ve been suspicious of you. But after seeing you in person today, I found myself surprised.

Even I couldn’t find a single suspicious trace in you. I searched with certainty, and yet still couldn’t find anything? Well, it makes sense now. It’s exactly because you’re like this that you could hide your identity for decades beside the Alliance Leader.”

Normally, at this point, anyone would shout that it was nonsense.

If he were truly a righteous man, such words would be absurd.

But the man in front of him was waiting for the next words.

Because he was human — he wanted to hear it.

He wanted recognition for the weight of everything he had done.

And hearing it from none other than the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult, their greatest enemy, would only make it that much more satisfying.

“I suddenly found myself wanting to make you one of mine. That’s why I extended my hand.”

Only after hearing everything did the Hermit of Heaven and Earth respond.

He eased the sharp aura he had been exuding earlier.

“I’d rather die than devote myself to the Demonic Cult.”

No matter what, he had to peel off one more layer here.

He had to strip away that thick mask of the righteous hero and draw out the man’s true face.

It wasn’t just to show the Alliance Leader proof.

In order to uncover the true mastermind behind them, this man also had to be pulled onto the stage.

Onto this stage called Wuhan, where they had been dragged to ignite the Grand Demon War.

Then Geom Mugeuk suddenly said,

“So Jeongrak of Clearheart Clinic is dead.”

What meaning does that news carry for you?

Is it sorrow over the death of someone who stood beside you for decades? Or is it rage over a plan interrupted?

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth showed no sign of emotion.

And Geom Mugeuk did not miss that response.

“Ah! The Alliance Leader should have seen this.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“No one else knows he’s dead. So why aren’t you surprised? We’re talking about the most famous physician in Wuhan, one who did more good than anyone else.

Shouldn’t you be shocked?”

And most decisively—

"Shouldn’t you be asking why he was killed? He was just a physician. Isn’t it only natural to wonder why the Demonic Cult would kill someone like that?"

At that moment, Geom Mugeuk saw a slight tremble in the Hermit of Heaven and Earth’s eyes.

It was the kind of minute change that only someone like Geom Mugeuk, who had experienced countless such moments, could catch.

"So the conclusion is, you already knew why So Jeongrak died. Ah! Too bad the Alliance Leader can’t see this for himself! It’s such a shame to only be able to describe it with words!"

Perhaps he thought that hearing it from the Young Cult Leader might feel even more vivid than witnessing it directly.

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth didn’t let it pass.

"What kind of nonsense are you trying to force?"

"I’m not forcing anything. I’m asking why you’re not curious."

After a short pause, the Hermit of Heaven and Earth answered.

"Why, you ask? I’ll tell you. Because it’s your people."

He returned the same line Geom Mugeuk had used earlier—because of you.

"Because of us?"

"Isn’t it always your kind who kill all the good people?"

His gaze held no ridicule — only conviction, as if he truly believed what he said.

Of course, Geom Mugeuk wasn’t one to let that slide.

"So Jeongrak wasn’t a good person. Just like you."

Before he could reply, Geom Mugeuk pressed him further.

"Come to think of it, So Jeongrak was quite the pitiful man. Because of you."

The accusation returned once again to the Hermit of Heaven and Earth.

"He spent decades at your side, playing a role he didn’t want — pretending to be a physician, just to protect you. Did you even shed a single tear for him? I bet you didn’t. Even in hell, he’s probably resenting you with bitter disappointment."

This was the moment one would expect a reaction like, What do you know?! I cherished him deeply!

But the Hermit of Heaven and Earth remained incredibly calm.

Truly, it was as if he hadn't even shed a single tear or spoken a word of mourning.

"You still haven’t asked why he was killed."

That strange smile faintly forming on the Hermit of Heaven and Earth’s lips was something only Geom Mugeuk could notice.

His emotions were surfacing — just a little at a time.

Yes, if he kept probing, he would eventually find the crack in the dam.

"So Jeongrak is dead, and the two old men who defied the Forbidden Demon Order are dead too."

Naturally, the Hermit of Heaven and Earth would be aware of that.

He would also know about the warning given by the master of the Soul Reaping Art.

"Now only the one using Soul Reaping Art remains. Can you really pull it off with just that subordinate? Ah, unless… are you taking orders from that person?"

Geom Mugeuk subtly poked at his pride.

He observed to see how the Hermit of Heaven and Earth would respond—

But the man simply walked over to the tea table and began drinking tea.

He seemed as if he didn’t want to show any reaction, but to Geom Mugeuk’s eyes, even that was a reaction in itself.

“Why not just accuse me of being the one using Soul Reaping Art, while you're at it?”

At his remark, Geom Mugeuk also walked over to the tea table.

“That’s definitely not the case. There’s no way the Alliance Leader wouldn’t recognize someone skilled in Soul Reaping Art if they were standing right next to him.”

Chororok.

Geom Mugeuk filled his own teacup.

“You’re not really like this, are you? You’re not some frustrating old man of the righteous faction. You used to be someone fiery and bold, no? That’s why you were chosen for such an important role.”

At that moment, a faint tremor could be felt from the Hermit of Heaven and Earth. Yes, how could one forget moments like that? There are moments — ones even the best liars cannot disguise.

“I want to speak with that fiery man. I want to have a proper conversation, one villain to another.”

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth stared at Geom Mugeuk with indifference, unshaken.

“Deceiving others, scheming from the shadows, hiding for years… Aren’t you tired of it? Don’t you want to bring it all out into the open and settle it in one clash? Martial Alliance, come out! Demonic Cult, come out!

Isn’t that what you want?”

As if he no longer wished to listen, the Hermit of Heaven and Earth gave his parting command.

“If you’ve finished your tea, then leave.”

Their gazes clashed in midair.

Yes, he wasn’t someone who would be shaken by a single meeting.

But even so, Geom Mugeuk had seen numerous subtle shifts in his emotions today.

He offered a polite farewell.

“Thank you for the tea. Until next ti—”

The Hermit of Heaven and Earth cut him off.

“There won’t be a next time.”

Geom Mugeuk looked at him and replied,

“Yes, I hope so too. I don’t want to meet this boring hero Hermit of Heaven and Earth again. Next time, I’d like to meet the embodiment of vengeance.”

“!”

Leaving behind the startled gaze fixed on him, Geom Mugeuk strode boldly toward the door.

“Next time, let’s meet Hwa Yulcheong, the embodiment of vengeance.”