Absolute Regression

Chapter 669: But You Didn’t Expect This, Did You?

The Martial Treasury.

It was known as an absolute forbidden ground where all sorts of treasures of the martial world were stored, a place only the Martial Alliance Leader and those granted permission by him could enter.

From the very doors, a mysterious energy seeped out, carrying with it a history as long as the place itself.

When passing through the formation, Geom Mugeuk had been quietly expectant. It wasn’t because he coveted martial arts manuals or divine weapons.

Rather, he wondered if perhaps there might be orbs stored here that could be absorbed by the Secret Box.

But he had never truly expected the Martial Alliance Leader to actually bring him here.

“This is the first time someone from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult has set foot in this place. Probably the first in history.”

“It’s an honor, Alliance Leader.”

And not just someone from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult— even among orthodox sect members, those who had stood before this door could be counted on one hand.

“Since I became Alliance Leader, I have never once used any of the items here for personal gain.”

Jin Paecheon lowered his gaze to his sword and added,

“This sword was the one I had used since my younger days.”

Even the elixirs and divine weapons here—he had never touched them.

“These are not mine, but the property of the Martial Alliance. I considered them a legacy left by our predecessors to protect the orthodox martial world.”

With respect in his voice, Geom Mugeuk said to Jin Paecheon,

“It’s because you are such a man that you have been able to protect the orthodox martial world until now.”

It was the truth. If the Alliance Leader had been a man filled with greed, his father would never have allowed that weakness to exist unchecked until now.

Although he was a grandfather whose heart could be swayed by his grandchildren, it was precisely because of that nature that Geom Mugeuk knew he was an even stronger martial artist.

“I had been wondering how I could reward you.”

Geom Mugeuk told him that he would have solved the problem just fine without his help, but… was that really true? Would the instinct of crisis have truly kicked in for a friend of decades? He thought not.

Geom Mugeuk had saved not only his own life and that of his grandchildren, but the very fate of the Martial Alliance—twice now, counting the last time.

To be honest, he wanted to say: As a reward, I shall make you my grandson-in-law. (TL/N: ?!)

Of course, their relationship made that impossible. And even if it were possible, he now knew it could not be considered a gift. If anything, becoming his grandson-in-law would mean he himself was the one receiving the gift. (TL/N: nod nod)

“If you were an ordinary master, I would have judged your skill and talent and gifted you a martial arts manual and treasured sword. But with you, I cannot do that.”

Jin Paecheon’s gaze turned toward the Martial Treasury.

“So you will choose for yourself.”

And then, an astonishing statement followed.

“From this place, take any three items you desire.”

The unexpected gift startled Geom Mugeuk.

Not just one, but three?

Jin Paecheon, seeing the surprise on Geom Mugeuk’s face, gave a single nod.

“Alliance Leader, I’m a greedy man, so I can’t refuse an offer like this. If you thought, ‘He’ll surely decline on his own,’ then you’ve underestimated my greed. You might think I’d reduce three to one? Not at all—I’m the kind of greedy man who’d be scheming to turn three into five.”

“This was a decision I made after some thought. You will have three.”

Only after confirming it did Geom Mugeuk feel his joy overflow.

“Truly, thank you! Thank you, Alliance Leader!”

And it wasn’t just joy—he was practically bouncing in excitement, hopping up and down right there in front of the Alliance Leader.

“Is it really that good?”

“Of course! This is a place I will never be able to visit again in my life, isn’t it? Just being able to look around would be amazing, but to be allowed to take three treasures—how could that not be wonderful? It’s really great! Treasures, just you wait! The embodiment of material desire is coming! To take five of you home!”

“Three!”

“Yes! To take three of you home!”

Seeing how happy Geom Mugeuk was, a smile naturally formed on Jin Paecheon’s lips.

Yes—when giving something, this was far better than someone hesitating and pretending to be reluctant before finally accepting. This way, the giver could enjoy it as much as the receiver, watching him revel in it wholeheartedly.

“But why three?”

Geom Mugeuk asked, then immediately tried guessing the answer himself.

“Is it perhaps because I uncovered the three people who had infiltrated deeply into the Martial Alliance?”

Jin Paecheon hadn’t actually chosen the number for any particular reason. He had simply thought that telling him to take only one would seem too cold, so he said three instead.

If he were to attach a reason, it would be more accurate to say it was because Geom Mugeuk had saved him, his grandson, and his granddaughter—one for each person.

“I should say this in advance—I’ll be taking only the very best.”

“As you should.”

Jin Paecheon took out a large key, inserted it into the hole in the entrance, and turned it.

Kururururung—

The massive door slowly began to open.

“Then, I’ll be going in.”

“Take your time looking around, even if it takes a while.”

“Thank you truly.”

After offering a respectful cupped-fist salute, Geom Mugeuk stepped inside.

Behind the door was a corridor, and at the end of it was yet another door.

The walls along the way were embedded with Night Pearls, so it wasn’t dark. Usually, to replace lanterns, people would set in cracked or low-quality Night Pearls, but here they were bright, high-grade ones.

From the start, it stirred his excitement.

Today’s first objective here was to obtain an orb the Secret Box could absorb.

In the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, he had obtained the Secret Box, and beneath the Golden Dragon Martial Hall, through a link to events from three hundred years ago, he had acquired the mnemonic verse for a mental cultivation method that controlled these energies.

At present, he had absorbed three types of energy.

From the Heavenly Wind Cult, he had obtained the Black Eye.

From the Unorthodox Alliance, the Blue Purity.

From the Northern Sea Ice Palace, the White Eye Orb.

Last time, beneath the Golden Dragon Martial Hall, he had seen the Secret Box and the orbs drawn on the wall.

The energies the Secret Box could absorb numbered six in total—black and white, blue and red, and yellow and purple.

Would it be possible to obtain another energy here in the Martial Alliance as well?

At the end of the corridor, Geom Mugeuk opened the door with a pounding heart and stepped inside.

The first chamber of the Martial Treasury was where treasures were stored.

In most treasure vaults, what one would see the most were various valuables made of gold—gifts sent from various trading companies or sects.

For example, dragons, tigers, turtles, or toads made of pure gold, the kind of trinkets that would usually fill a vault.

However, the Martial Treasury contained no such gold or jewels.

Here, there was only one kind of treasure.

Antidote Pellets.

Shelves upon shelves were filled with expensive, top-grade Antidote Pellets.

When he opened the crates stacked below, they too were packed with Antidote Pellets. Each box was full, sorted by grade.

From this, Geom Mugeuk understood—the Martial Alliance had converted all treasures into Antidote Pellets for storage.

‘Ah… they are preparing for war.’

At the same time, it was also preparation against the Poison King.

If a war were to break out, the Antidote Pellets here would be immediately distributed to all the Alliance’s top experts.

‘At least for this generation, there’s little need to worry. Even if war comes, Father will not place the Poison King at the vanguard.’

Leaving behind the chamber dedicated solely to Antidote Pellets, he opened the door leading to the next room.

The moment the door opened, a vast space came into view.

It was dozens of times larger than the chamber of Antidote Pellets.

The energy radiating from here was filled with the aura of the orthodox path.

For an ordinary expert of the Demonic or Unorthodox factions, even setting foot here would be overwhelming due to the righteous and heroic energy suffusing the place.

Geom Mugeuk slowly stepped inside.

This was the storage area for divine weapons and treasured arms.

It was so large that the end could not be seen. The walls on all sides were lined with weapons, and countless display stands filled the space within, each holding a weapon.

He walked slowly, examining them—mostly weapons that had been wielded by masters of the orthodox sects.

That was why the place overflowed with righteous energy.

Beneath each display was a plaque stating the name of the weapon, the name of the master who had wielded it, and in detail, where and against whom it had been used.

This was no mere warehouse.

It was a gallery that also served as a record of martial history.

He had been to many treasuries before, but this was the first time he had seen one so meticulously organized.

The weapons here were all famous ones—names he had heard at least once before.

Right away, Geom Mugeuk’s eyes caught sight of a certain sword.

The name written beneath the display stand—

Nameless Sword.

Though called the Nameless Sword for lacking a name, it was more famous than any named sword.

It was the personal weapon of an absolute master who, two hundred years ago, had swept through the martial world under the title of the Nameless Wanderer .

‘There’s no way I can just walk past the Nameless Sword.’

Carefully, he lifted the sword from the display stand and drew it.

Srrrng—

The sharp aura it exuded cooled the air around him.

“Excellent!”

The exclamation escaped naturally.

For a martial artist who used a sword, it would be near impossible to take their eyes—or steps—away from this blade.

Next to it rested a pipa.

It was a weapon for a martial artist who practiced sound-based techniques.

Heavenly Sound Pipa.

It had been the personal weapon of the late supreme master of sound arts, the Flowery Radiance Fairy.

It was said that when the Heavenly Sound Pipa was played, those with weak internal energy would have their eardrums burst, their qi and blood reverse, and die instantly.

There was a reason the Nameless Sword and Heavenly Sound Pipa had been placed so close together—Flowery Radiance Fairy had lost her life in a battle against the Nameless Wanderer. Beneath the display was also a description of their final duel.

After a few more steps, he came upon a saber engraved with the image of a black dragon coiling around the blade.

Ink Dragon Divine Saber.

“Ah! I’ve barely taken ten steps into this room, and I’ve already seen the Nameless Sword, the Heavenly Sound Pipa, and now the Ink Dragon Divine Saber? And I can only choose three items here? I want to take everything except three!”

If Jin Paecheon had heard that, he would have laughed heartily. But truly, the divine weapons here were enough to make a man want to throw himself on the floor and throw a tantrum.

With every step he took, pieces of history that had once shaken the martial world appeared before him.

Forbidden Demon Chain.

This chain weapon had once been the personal armament of an orthodox master who had roamed the martial world with unparalleled might. Next to it was an item called the White Qi Fan, a fan that could decide life or death with a single sweep. The two masters had been sworn brothers.

When it came to martial history, Geom Mugeuk’s knowledge was broader and deeper than most, so there were many weapons he recognized. Yet when he read the descriptions, there were countless hidden stories he hadn’t known before.

As he browsed, he even found some surprisingly ordinary weapons.

If the person who wielded it had been an outstanding hero, or if the weapon had been used with great meaning, it was displayed here.

If one’s martial skill had reached its peak, even an old, worn iron sword would hold more meaning than any treasured blade—if it had been wielded by a martial artist one respected.

Thus, Geom Mugeuk continued walking as he admired the weapons.

How far had he walked?

Suddenly, the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique activated—not because of any immediate threat, but because up ahead, he sensed an unusually powerful energy, strong enough to stir the technique into reaction.

‘Just what could be there?’

Geom Mugeuk began walking toward it.

The closer he came, the stronger the energy became.

When he arrived, he found a wide, open space. Earlier, the weapons had been arranged tightly together like pieces on a go board, but here, in the middle of this broad area, there was only one display stand—and upon it, a single sword.

The Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique had activated because of this sword alone.

Just a single sword radiating so much energy that his protective art reacted?

Come to think of it, this was the exact center of the second chamber.

All the other weapons were displayed outward from this point—centered around this sword.

He approached slowly. The blade radiated an intense aura of righteousness and heroism.

When he read the name written beneath it, Geom Mugeuk’s eyes widened in shock.

Gentleman's Sword.

The name burst from his mouth—

“The Greatest Gentleman's Sword in All of History!”

That was the honorary title by which the Gentleman's Sword was known.

The Gentleman's Sword was considered the very symbol of the orthodox martial world.

If the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had the Heavenly Demon Sword, the orthodox martial world was said to have the Gentleman's Sword.

“So this is the Gentleman's Sword…”

Even Geom Mugeuk had only ever heard of it.

Its scabbard and hilt were not ornate, but the energy emanating from the blade surpassed that of any other weapon.

For a moment, Geom Mugeuk simply stared at it.

First, he was struck by Jin Paecheon. As Martial Alliance Leader, he could have claimed this sword for himself. But he had not.

It was, after all, a blade imbued with the long history and tradition of the orthodox martial world—a symbol.

‘He must have known I might choose the Gentleman's Sword.’

Did he believe Geom Mugeuk wouldn’t choose it? Or did he think it was acceptable if he did?

Either way, a promise was a promise. If Geom Mugeuk said he would take it, Jin Paecheon would let him.

He was not the kind of man to break his word.

“No, didn’t I already call myself the embodiment of material desire? What on earth did you trust in, to tell me to take whatever I want?”

He found himself impressed by Jin Paecheon’s character.

He stepped close enough to touch the sword.

“You must be lonely, being trapped here all this time, aren’t you?”

A treasured sword like the Gentleman's Sword would surely wish to meet a worthy master and see the world once more.

Geom Mugeuk’s hesitation did not last long.

“Alright, come with me!”

He decided—he would take the Gentleman's Sword.

For such a precious blade to remain locked away in a vault was wrong—not only for the martial world, but for the sword itself.

Carefully, Geom Mugeuk took the Gentleman's Sword in his hands. Even without drawing it, he could feel its aura.

As soon as he grasped it, the Black Demon Sword at his waist gave a low hum.

Guuuuung—

It had sensed the Gentleman's Sword’s presence. It was the moment when one treasured blade recognized another. Geom Mugeuk gently patted the Black Demon Sword.

“Don’t be tense. It’s fine.”

Geom Mugeuk did not draw the Gentleman's Sword.

It was not a sword he intended to use himself.

No matter that he had been promised he could take anything, no matter that he had saved their lives—there were some things one should not claim out of greed.

“I’ve found something to celebrate for my friend.”

He intended to give the Gentleman's Sword as a gift to Jin Hagun.

That man’s character matched the sword’s name perfectly.

Knowing Jin Paecheon’s nature, even if Jin Hagun were to become the Alliance Leader one day, his grandfather would never hand him this blade.

A man so upright that he had never touched the treasures here his entire life would never give the Gentleman's Sword to his own kin.

‘That’s why I’ll be the one to give it to him!’

Perhaps someday, the day would come when he could watch Jin Hagun unleash the Emperor’s Sword Style with the Gentleman's Sword in hand.

Geom Mugeuk fastened the Gentleman's Sword to the opposite side of his waist from the Black Demon Sword.

Thus, he had chosen the first of the three items he was allowed to take.

He had joked to Jin Paecheon that he would pick only the very best—but in the end, that was exactly what he did.

Jin Paecheon had probably trusted that he wouldn’t walk out with this sword.

But he hadn’t expected this.

“I think you’ll like that friend too.”