Absolute Regression

Chapter 665: Do not Dwell on Who It Is

This wasn’t a matter of hating Jin Paecheon more or less.

It was because the darkness tearing apart before Hwa Yulcheong’s eyes right now was something that must never be torn.

Dark Heaven Heart-Demon Art.

Once trapped inside, one would wander endlessly in the pitch-black void, eventually falling into a heart demon and exposing an opening — that was the secret art.

Fine, let’s concede and say Jin Paecheon could break through it. But he should never have been able to rip through it so easily.

Ssshhhhhkkk.

Tearing through the darkness, Jin Paecheon asked,

“Why are you standing in the light?”

It meant — instead of trapping him in darkness, shouldn’t Hwa Yulcheong be the one hiding in it?

Once Jin Paecheon decided to kill his opponent, his focus was solely on that.

Yes, this had always been his nature. If he chose to kill, he would kill without fail; if he chose to spare, he would spare without fail. It was that kind of person who had risen to the seat of Alliance Leader.

At that moment, Jin Paecheon felt unburdened. It was as if he had rediscovered the self he had forgotten, feeling a strange thrill from this long-overdue break from formality and the freedom it brought.

Sssssss.

The place he had ripped through gradually spread with light, and the darkness that had descended vanished completely.

Then Geom Mugeuk, who had been inside the darkness, also revealed himself.

With a trembling voice, Hwa Yulcheong asked,

“How did you get out?”

In response, Jin Paecheon spoke the name of a martial art.

“One-Heart Light Sword.”

At those words, surprise filled Hwa Yulcheong’s face.

“You mean you’ve achieved Great Mastery of the Heart-Clearing Formula?”

The Heart-Clearing Formula was the Martial Alliance’s protective mental cultivation method to ward off evil energy — if the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique, then the Martial Alliance had the Heart-Clearing Formula.

It was a mnemonic verse passed down solely to the Martial Alliance Leader, and it was said to be extremely difficult to reach Great Mastery — so much so that, in the history of Alliance Leaders, those who had achieved it could be counted on one hand.

The One-Heart Light Sword could only be used upon reaching Great Mastery of the Heart-Clearing Formula. Jin Paecheon was far stronger than Hwa Yulcheong had believed.

“You never once told me you’d reached Great Mastery of the Heart-Clearing Formula.”

Hwa Yulcheong’s eyes immediately grew fierce.

“You hid your strength.”

Over the years of friendship, Hwa Yulcheong had thought he had learned much about Jin Paecheon.

But he had been wrong about the most important part. Jin Paecheon had hidden his strength — far too much of it.

Jin Paecheon replied calmly,

“Not as much as you.”

Thinking back, it wasn’t that he had deliberately concealed his strength. For a martial artist, not revealing one’s full capabilities was natural, and because he wasn’t the type to flaunt or boast about his skills, Hwa Yulcheong simply hadn’t known of his accomplishments.

Perhaps knowing each other for too many years had, in a way, hindered Hwa Yulcheong from truly understanding him.

“Besides, don’t you still have something else hidden?”

Jin Paecheon’s question wasn’t mere speculation.

Even though the Silent Sword Art of the Dark Heavens hadn’t worked, and the Dark Heaven Heart-Breaking Art had failed as well, Hwa Yulcheong had not attempted to flee. It was clear he still had a hidden card to play.

“Haa, how frustrating.”

As if truly frustrated, Hwa Yulcheong leapt into the air.

He landed on a small leaf at the very top of a tall bamboo stalk.

Jin Paecheon also leapt up, landing on a leaf a short distance away from him.

Geom Mugeuk took his place atop a bamboo stalk a little farther from the two.

Above them was the sky, below them the bamboo forest, and between them the falling rain.

It was a spectacular stage.

Looking up at the sky, Geom Mugeuk guessed the rain would stop soon. By the time it ceased, this fight would likely be over as well.

“Our revenge is something you cannot stop. No one can stop it.”

Hwa Yulcheong was certain of the path he walked.

“You can understand it, can’t you? What this feeling is like.”

When Hwa Yulcheong once again tried to dig into Jin Paecheon’s pain, Geom Mugeuk stepped in.

“I’m not the same as you.”

Hwa Yulcheong’s cold gaze turned toward Geom Mugeuk.

“Your revenge is the wrong kind of revenge. Ah, though it’s probably not your fault. It’s the fault of the one who raised you to be the embodiment of vengeance.”

Hwa Yulcheong’s expression hardened. That was an even more unpleasant thing to hear — it meant he was not the one in control, but merely someone manipulated by another’s hand.

“Did you ask the Alliance Leader whether he understands your revenge? How could the Alliance Leader understand? He’s not someone who would put a sword in his grandson’s hand and tell him to carry out vengeance for generations. That’s where you all went wrong.”

Hwa Yulcheong shouted in anger.

“What would the likes of you know about revenge!”

What did he know about revenge? If he knew what kind of effort Geom Mugeuk had put into avenging himself against Hwa Moogi, he would never say such a thing.

But now, Geom Mugeuk’s heart had changed.

It had begun solely from a desire for revenge, but in this life, revenge was only a part of his existence.

Hadn’t someone once said that the most wonderful revenge against someone was to live well and happily?

Geom Mugeuk smiled and said,

“That’s right, I don’t know much.”

At that moment, Jin Paecheon saw it — Geom Mugeuk’s eyes shining brighter than ever before. For some reason, those deep eyes looked as though they understood the feeling of revenge better than anyone.

Those gleaming eyes began to pierce through Hwa Yulcheong’s intent.

“Why don’t you drop the revenge talk now? It’s not the real reason anyway, is it?”

Hwa Yulcheong flinched at Geom Mugeuk’s probing question.

“This isn’t really about revenge, is it?”

Geom Mugeuk knew well, from his life before his regression, the kind of lives the powers behind them had lived.

They had become the Twelve Zodiac Kings and ruled over the martial world. Not once had there been an announcement that they killed the three leaders of the Orthodox, Unorthodox, and Demonic factions for the sake of revenge.

“At first, it may have started because of revenge, but at some point, it must have changed. If your heart truly hadn’t shifted even after three hundred long years, that would be the stranger thing.”

Geom Mugeuk stared straight into Hwa Yulcheong’s eyes as he spoke.

“So say it openly. That you want to take control of the martial world. That it was because of that dream that you were able to hide at the Alliance Leader’s side for so long.”

From Hwa Yulcheong’s reaction, Jin Paecheon could tell. Geom Mugeuk’s words were true — their goal had been martial world unification.

Jin Paecheon spoke to Hwa Yulcheong in a stern voice.

“There is nothing left in you I can understand anymore.”

Jin Paecheon launched himself toward him.

Cheng! Cheng! Chaeng!

The two clashed while running along the bamboo stalks.

Jin Paecheon’s fighting style had changed.

Moments ago, he had been ferocious and domineering, but now his sword had returned to the calm, dignified manner he usually wielded.

“Why did your way of fighting change?”

At Hwa Yulcheong’s question, Jin Paecheon replied calmly.

“Before, I was dealing with you out of personal feelings.”

As an old friend who had betrayed him, as one who sought to use his grandson’s life for revenge.

But now it was different.

“If you’re among those who dream of unifying the martial world, then as the Martial Alliance Leader, I should face you accordingly.”

No longer rough, perfectly composed sword lines embroidered the air. The tone had shifted.

He didn’t only press forward; when it was time to withdraw, he withdrew cleanly. His pace quickened and slowed, like the changing rhythm of a performance.

So had Jin Paecheon become weaker?

No. If anything, his swordplay was harder to face than when he had been pressing violently. It was more solid, leaving no openings.

Hwa Yulcheong was convinced he could never defeat him through normal means.

Chaeng!

After forcefully parrying an attack, Hwa Yulcheong descended to the ground as if fleeing. Jin Paecheon landed in front of him, using footwork neither too fast nor too slow.

Hwa Yulcheong’s hidden trump card was not a martial art.

“Don’t you want to know?”

It was truly something no one could have expected.

“Who it was that killed your son.”

In that instant, Jin Paecheon’s expression froze. Since meeting him, this was the most shocking thing he had heard.

When Geom Mugeuk had killed the Wood King last time, the Alliance Leader had told him about that matter.

Jin Paecheon’s son and daughter-in-law had been killed by the Wooden Heaven Family.

When Jin Paecheon had rushed to the Wooden Heaven Family for revenge, the clan had already been annihilated. Back then, he had said he was genuinely relieved. Otherwise, he might have been the one to annihilate them.

Afterward, Baek Cheongyeong, the only surviving member of the Wooden Heaven Family and younger brother of the family head, became Jin Hagun’s master and dreamed of revenge.

Back then, Geom Mugeuk had suspected it — that they had used Baek Cheongyeong. And perhaps the death of the Alliance Leader’s son and daughter-in-law was also connected to them.

And now, that suspicion had manifested as reality.

Hwa Yulcheong was certain that this truth was something Jin Paecheon could never turn away from. At least in facing Jin Paecheon, this was his most powerful weapon.

“Do you really think it was the Wooden Heaven Family’s doing?”

Within that question was the implication that the Wooden Heaven Family were not the real culprits.

“Only I know who it was.”

Hwa Yulcheong savored this moment. He had imagined a day like this would come. How surprised would Jin Paecheon be? This was the moment he would toy with him while watching that shocked expression.

He would never kill him.

“If you don’t let me go, that matter will remain buried in secrecy forever.”

Jin Paecheon’s heart pounded heavily in his chest. If it were about something else, he could manage his emotions, but when it came to the death of his son, it was something he could not easily control.

At that moment, Geom Mugeuk stepped forward.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t know.”

Even at this moment, he was the only one who could slow the beating of Jin Paecheon’s heart.

“If you get swayed by words that may or may not be true, Alliance Leader, you’ll end up spending the rest of your life bound by the shackles called revenge. That is what this man wants.”

It wasn’t simply telling him to endure for the sake of the greater good. Geom Mugeuk had a solution.

His gaze toward Hwa Yulcheong was colder than ever.

“It doesn’t matter who killed them.”

There was a clear reason for him to say such a thing.

“Either way, we’re going to kill all of you. If there is such a person, it would be among your lot.”

“!”

Hwa Yulcheong’s eyes wavered.

‘He’s speaking with complete sincerity.’

And he sensed that Jin Paecheon was shaken by his words.

Hwa Yulcheong turned his attack not on Geom Mugeuk, but on Jin Paecheon.

“That man is just an outsider. How could he know your deep sorrow? How could he understand that burning grief?”

But Geom Mugeuk had an even stronger blow prepared.

“Do not dwell on who it is. If you put meaning in that, the one who will inherit the shackles will be Hagun.”

“!”

If he could not find the culprit himself, then Hagun would end up living his life searching for the enemy who had killed his parents.

In the end, it would be no different from the Dark Palace’s revenge.

That was the decisive point.

Jin Paecheon nodded. It was not an easy decision, but Geom Mugeuk was right. Finding the murderer of his son and daughter-in-law was important, but the grandchildren they left behind were far more precious.

When his own stage’s curtain fell, there must never be another performance with these foes. Hagun must never step onto this stage.

‘Yes… you will all come with me.’

Die here, all of you, on my stage.

“I will not dwell on the past.”

Knowing that once Jin Paecheon made a decision, he would never look back, Hwa Yulcheong was truly enraged.

Because of this damned Young Cult Leader, his plan to escape from here had completely fallen apart. Even if he cut off that accursed neck, that irritating mouth would live on, still talking.

Jin Paecheon spoke as though making a declaration.

“I don’t need to know!”

Seeing the unwavering gaze in Jin Paecheon’s eyes, Hwa Yulcheong shouted,

“If you thought the Dark Palace’s martial arts were meant only for darkness, you are gravely mistaken.”

The moment those words ended—

Hwaaaah!

The entire world blazed with light. It was so bright and powerful that no one could keep their eyes open.

Light Heaven Blinding Technique.

This was his last hidden secret art.

From within that blinding light came Hwa Yulcheong’s final strike.

In that place where even sight had been cut off, a silent sword flew toward Jin Paecheon’s heart.

Chaeng!

His sword never reached Jin Paecheon’s heart.

Jin Paecheon had deflected the incoming blade.

Hwa Yulcheong was shocked — not because Jin Paecheon had blocked his attack, but because Jin Paecheon’s eyes were open within the Light Heaven Eye-Destroying Technique.

“How…?”

The next instant—

Shweeeing!

Alongside the refreshing sound of wind to the ears, sword lines flashed before his eyes.

Clack.

As Hwa Yulcheong stared blankly at Jin Paecheon, retrieving his sword, he felt a heat in his chest.

He slowly lowered his head to look at it.

Pulling open his collar, he saw a single character carved into his chest in a red line.

The character for “right” or “justice.”

Emperor’s Sword Style – First Form: The Path of the Martial Man.

The most fundamental and first form of the Emperor’s Sword Style had been unleashed.

When Hwa Yulcheong slowly raised his head, Jin Paecheon said in a calm voice,

“It’s not because I’m strong that I’ve won.”

The lifelong conviction that had upheld Jin Paecheon.

“It’s because we are right that we’ve won.”

The moment those words ended—

Fwaaaah!

Blood burst from the carved character on Hwa Yulcheong’s chest.

His body slowly began to collapse.

Just before dying, the last thing he saw was Geom Mugeuk standing in front of Jin Paecheon with a bright smile.

Geom Mugeuk didn’t even spare him a glance as he died.

After everything — it was all because of him that they had failed in the Martial Alliance — and yet he wouldn’t even look at him? You bastard! Look at me! Say something, damn you!

With that resentment, Hwa Yulcheong’s breath ceased entirely.

It was the moment when the three who had long infiltrated the Martial Alliance — Hwa Yulcheong, So Jeongrak, and Jin Hyeo — all met their end.

Geom Mugeuk’s and Jin Paecheon’s gazes met in midair.

“Thank you.”

At Jin Paecheon’s gratitude, Geom Mugeuk cupped his fist respectfully and gave a proper bow.

“It is I who should be saying that. Alliance Leader, today you showed me a new realm. It will be of great help in improving my martial arts.”

It was not a joke, but a statement made with complete sincerity. The Alliance Leader’s battle had been full of dignity, displaying the very essence of the righteous faction’s martial arts.

Jin Paecheon then put on a deliberately troubled expression.

“It would be a problem if you kept getting stronger.”

Geom Mugeuk laughed heartily, and Jin Paecheon allowed a faint smile to touch his lips.

Just then, a Martial Artist Guard from the Alliance Leader’s Hall arrived with news.

“A message has come saying that Jin Hyeo and the Demon-Slaying Brigade are all safe.”

Jin Paecheon was truly relieved. He had trusted Geom Mugeuk’s word that even the Soul Reaper Demon Supreme and the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader had gone, but he had still been quietly concerned. Fortunately, they were unharmed.

Before long, Jin Paecheon made a firm decision.

“Do you know why I never passed down the Emperor’s Sword Style to Hagun?”

Jin Paecheon had not taught this powerful Emperor’s Sword Style to Jin Hagun in advance.

That was why Jin Hagun had once learned martial arts under the Wood King in the past.

He had told his grandson to become the successor by his own strength, without relying on his grandfather’s martial arts — but in truth, there had been another reason for not passing down the Emperor’s Sword Style.

“I feared that if he became intoxicated with this powerful martial art, he would not be able to control himself. I intended to pass it down once he was older and more mature.”

Jin Paecheon himself had been that way. In his youth, trusting only in the strength of his martial arts, he had nearly caused great trouble several times. By great fortune, he had managed to live to see this day.

“I believe the time has come to pass it on.”

Geom Mugeuk understood. Jin Hagun would now officially become the successor of the Martial Alliance.

“Hagun will be overjoyed. We should hold a celebration with our friends.”

Geom Mugeuk was as delighted as if it were his own matter.

As Jin Paecheon looked at that bright face, he lifted his gaze to the sky. The rain that had been falling had stopped at some point.

“Come by and see me before you return to the Cult.”