Absolute Regression

Chapter 682: In Youth, I Will Not Believe in Fate

Heavenly Demon World Annihilation.

It was the strongest technique of the Nine Calamities Demon Art, capable of erasing everything in sight.

However, it was a martial art that was not easy to practice. One had to find a place where no one was around, for at the last moment, someone might step into the area affected by Heavenly Demon World Annihilation.

Fortunately, for Geom Mugeuk, this was no restriction.

Returning to his dwelling, Geom Mugeuk immediately performed the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique.

Snap!

The moment Geom Mugeuk flicked his finger, he was standing in the middle of a wide, open plain.

Whiiiish—

The wind blew, fluttering the hems of his robe and his hair.

‘Here, I can unleash Heavenly Demon World Annihilation as much as I want.’

With the intent of accurately determining the range of this martial art’s power, he created boulders at set distances across the field.

He placed them so far away that it was questionable whether the effect could reach them.

It was a distance so great that the boulders were barely visible. Moreover, they were not only placed in one direction but in all four.

Once all preparations were complete, Geom Mugeuk slowly drew the Black Demon Sword.

After taking a deep breath, he unleashed the Heavenly Demon World Annihilation taught to him by his father.

Flash!

Shaaang!

A blinding light spread in all directions.

Grass, trees, boulders—everything that had been created here began to vanish.

Just as the light that had illuminated the surroundings was fading—

At that very last moment, Geom Mugeuk used the New Eye Technique to look toward the farthest boulder he had set up.

That boulder, too, was gone. Even the one placed so far away that only by using the New Eye Technique could he confirm it had been completely erased.

Geom Mugeuk realized the truth. Because his internal energy was so vast and so pure, he was able to unleash such an overwhelming destructive force.

Ssssk—

The next moment, the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique broke as his internal energy was completely depleted.

After replenishing his energy through breathing meditation, Geom Mugeuk once again activated the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique.

Since he could use it even while the technique was active, his dantian didn't need to be fully replenished beforehand.

So, exactly how much internal energy in the dantian was required for him to use it?

After repeated trials—

Nine-tenths.

He had to have at least nine-tenths of his internal energy filled.

And once the martial art was executed, all of that nine-tenths was consumed. Considering the tremendous destructive power of the technique, it would be stranger if any energy remained.

‘Nine-tenths… could I reduce that?’

If he could use it with eight-tenths? What if it could be lowered to seven-tenths, six-tenths, or even five-tenths? If only he could reduce the requirement for unleashing the technique…

Then, in an ordinary fight, he would be able to choose to use Heavenly Demon World Annihilation at the final moment.

‘First, I have to master the Nine Calamities Demon Art before I can check whether this requirement can be reduced.’

Ultimately, Heavenly Demon World Annihilation was a martial art that could only be used freely after achieving the Twelve Star Greatness.

There would be no reason to resolve a situation by killing everything in sight. He had to, without fail, achieve the Twelve Star Greatness like his father.

Geom Mugeuk spent several days repeatedly training Heavenly Demon World Annihilation.

His goal was to unleash it as naturally as he would any other martial art.

This training had another purpose. In the process of exhausting all his internal energy and then replenishing it, he naturally trained his cultivation method as well.

How many days had he been immersed in this training?

At last, he could now unleash Heavenly Demon World Annihilation as naturally as any other technique.

He also determined precisely how far its power reached and how much it weakened with distance.

When had he last trained in martial arts with such academic precision?

Once he could wield Heavenly Demon World Annihilation at will, Geom Mugeuk finally left his dwelling.

Before the great wall called “Completion,” having focused solely on training, there was someone he wanted to see.

*         *         *

The Fist Demon King’s punch tore through the air.

Bwoong!

The swiftly launched fist struck directly at a young woman’s abdomen.

Puh-uck!

The one who slid back from the Fist Demon King’s strike was none other than his disciple and successor, Cheon So-hee.

At first glance, every righteous warrior in the world would rush forward to save her. After all, it looked like a large, fearsome man was trying to beat a woman to death with his fists.

Puh-uck!

This time, his blow struck mercilessly at her side, making her grit her teeth in pain.

Thud! Puh-uck!

His fists landed on her arm and shoulder in quick succession. Cheon So-hee staggered but did not fall.

Ordinarily, this would have caused severe internal injuries, yet unexpectedly, she endured well.

It still hurt. It was the pain of being hit by a carriage, crushed under a massive pillar, and struck by flying iron all at once.

But she did not collapse. She held out and kept holding out.

At last, the barrage of punches ceased.

“Haa, haa, haa.”

Now, only the sound of her ragged breathing echoed there. Had the punches continued, she would not have been able to endure and would have collapsed from internal injuries. The Fist Demon King had pushed her exactly to her limit.

“Well done.”

When she lifted her head, he was smiling as though he had never struck her at all.

“Thank you, Master.”

The defensive energy that had protected her body during the beating was none other than the Heavenly Star Body. Today’s training was specifically for mastering the Heavenly Star Body.

Heavenly Star Body.

It was a body-protection technique that Geom Mugeuk had brought from the underground chamber he had explored with the Sword King. At the time, the only martial art Geom Mugeuk took from there was this Heavenly Star Body.

The reason he chose Heavenly Star Body was that it could be used in conjunction with other defensive techniques.

It was a martial art that could be activated simultaneously with the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique and the Diamond Asura of the Thunderous Asura Fist. In short, it meant he could simultaneously deploy three defensive arts.

Geom Mugeuk had first modified the Heavenly Star Body, which originally required immense internal energy, and then the Fist Demon King and One-Slash Sword Supreme further refined it through discussion.

At that time, Geom Mugeuk had passed on martial arts to the Fist Demon King, One-Slash Sword Supreme, Lee Ahn, and Seo Jin. The Fist Demon King, in turn, had passed Heavenly Star Body down to Cheon So-hee, his successor as the next Fist Demon King.

In truth, the people who most needed Heavenly Star Body were the Fist Demon King and Cheon So-hee, who fought barehanded.

“This is truly an excellent defensive technique.”

At Cheon So-hee’s admiration, the Fist Demon King gave the credit to Geom Mugeuk.

“Since it’s a martial art passed down by your senior brother, you should thank him.”

At that moment, someone entered from behind the Fist Demon King and spoke.

“That’s too much, Master! Where in the world would you find a reason to beat up our delicate junior sister?”

The newcomer was none other than Geom Mugeuk.

A faint smile formed on the lips of the Fist Demon King, who had his back turned, while Cheon So-hee’s face lit up with joy.

“Senior brother! Thank you for your words, but I’m not exactly delicate.”

Her body had become far more solid and muscular than before. Just looking at her physique showed how diligently she had been training her fist techniques.

“Good to see.”

At Geom Mugeuk’s praise, Cheon So-hee replied modestly.

“I still have a long way to go.”

Geom Mugeuk, seeing the Fist Demon King’s broad back for the first time in a while, started teasing him.

“You’re not aiming to have a body like Master’s, are you? No way, junior sister. Your goal should be this well-shaped senior brother’s body!”

Only then did the Fist Demon King turn toward Geom Mugeuk.

“Those baby hands of yours couldn’t do anything.”

Hearing that familiar “baby hands” after so long made Geom Mugeuk break into a bright smile as he greeted him.

“Master, your disciple, completing mission outside and now returned, greets you.”

The Fist Demon King, as if Geom Mugeuk had come at the perfect time, turned to Cheon So-hee instead of replying to him.

“Seeing it in person is the quickest way to learn.”

Geom Mugeuk immediately understood what he meant. He was telling him to give a direct demonstration of Heavenly Star Body.

“My apologies, junior sister. If you want to become the Fist Demon King, of course you should aim for Master’s physique instead of my flimsy body! Your back should be at least twice as broad as it is now!”

With a look that said it was already too late, the Fist Demon King clenched his fists and stepped forward. Geom Mugeuk lowered his voice.

“I’ve come to see the Fist Demon King in my capacity as the Young Cult Leader.”

Naturally, that didn’t work on the Fist Demon King.

He suddenly leapt forward, his fist shooting out with lightning speed.

Whooong!

Geom Mugeuk did not avoid the incoming punch. After all, this was a demonstration of the Heavenly Star Body.

The tremendous force of the Fist Demon King’s strike landed squarely on Geom Mugeuk’s chest.

Puh-uck!

He activated the Heavenly Star Body to block the impact. While he suffered no internal injury, the pain still spread through his body without lessening.

Whoosh! Whing! Whoong!

The Fist Demon King’s fists struck Geom Mugeuk’s torso in rapid succession, far faster and more powerful than the blows he had delivered to Cheon So-hee earlier.

Bang! Thud! Bang!

Despite the barrage of devastating punches, Geom Mugeuk did not fall. As if getting hit was also a skill, he truly took the blows well.

Though he had pretended to be reluctant, in truth, this was an extremely valuable training opportunity for Geom Mugeuk. When else could he test the Heavenly Star Body against the Fist Demon King’s fists? Each strike was priceless.

After a round of punches, the Fist Demon King turned to Cheon So-hee.

“How is he different from you?”

Startled out of her daze, Cheon So-hee quickly gathered her thoughts.

“At first glance, it looked like he was just withstanding the hits with the Heavenly Star Body, but it felt like he was letting the punches flow past him—by subtly shifting his body.”

The Fist Demon King’s expression showed satisfaction. She had seen correctly.

“Well observed. Not only that, but he adjusted the defensive energy’s strength for each part of his body. He didn’t just harden the struck area—he adjusted it to make it easier to disperse the impact.”

At those words, Geom Mugeuk asked in surprise,

“I did that?”

The Fist Demon King nodded at his astonishment.

“You did it instinctively. It’s not something you can manage intentionally.”

He then turned his gaze to Cheon So-hee. He didn’t speak, but his eyes seemed to say—

Now do you know the path you must take?

Cheon So-hee bowed respectfully.

“Master, I truly thank you for such a great lesson.”

She then thanked Geom Mugeuk as well.

“Thank you, senior brother.”

“I’m glad it helped. Ugh, feels like my whole body’s about to fall apart.”

At Geom Mugeuk’s exaggeration, Cheon So-hee whispered her own complaint before leaving.

“Do you think you hurt as much as me? I’m telling you, it really hurts!”

She left while groaning in pain.

As Geom Mugeuk watched her back, the playfulness left his expression.

“I look forward to that day. The day that fist lands a blow in the martial world.”

She was, alongside the Soul Reaper Demon Supreme, a Demon Supreme to lead the next generation. He was certain he would witness her feats.

“Let’s walk a bit.”

“Yes, Master.”

Geom Mugeuk and the Fist Demon King walked together through the Eastern Fist Faction grounds.

Passing Iron Fists greeted Geom Mugeuk respectfully upon seeing him. He returned their looks with warmth, as he shared deep ties with them.

Naturally, the place the two headed toward was the cliff the Fist Demon King wanted to bring down.

As they walked there, Geom Mugeuk recounted everything that had happened during his recent trip outside.

After listening to the whole story, the Fist Demon King recalled something from long ago.

“In the past, when I roamed the Central Plains with the Cult Leader, we encountered unknown people several times. Back then, I thought they were just some mysterious organization greedy for money and power. But perhaps, among them, there were descendants of the Dark Palace.”

“They probably were. No—without a doubt, they were there.”

After all, those people had likely been making money, gathering strength, and quietly expanding their organization across the Central Plains.

The Fist Demon King asked in puzzlement,

“But why now?”

In three hundred years, there must have been many other opportunities.

“I think they believed in the Priestess Palace’s prophecy.”

“A prophecy to be fulfilled in their time?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The Fist Demon King’s gaze shifted to Geom Mugeuk.

Why in the world would it be during the era when this kind of Young Cult Leader existed? If they had waited three hundred years, they could have waited another hundred.

That was why he could only conclude—

“It must be a false prophecy.”

Though he said it with Geom Mugeuk in mind, Geom Mugeuk placed the credit for its falsity onto his master.

“With you here, Master, it’s impossible for them.”

Of course, the Fist Demon King knew full well that he was not the one to change the prophecy.

The one standing before the greatest fate, the one who would change everyone’s destiny, was Geom Mugeuk.

“Do you believe in fate?”

How could someone who had regressed not believe in fate?

Still, that didn’t mean he would say he believed in it unconditionally.

“When I’m young, I try not to believe in it.”

The Fist Demon King looked at him with an expression asking what he meant.

“If you believe your fate is fixed, it feels like you’ll only end up making excuses.”

Walking ahead, Geom Mugeuk turned his gaze toward him.

“We may not be able to decide our fate, but we can decide our attitude and mindset toward it. While I’m young, I’ll live as if nothing in the world is set in stone. I’ll work relentlessly, polish my heart, and one day I’ll tell fate—‘I worked this hard, so what are you going to do about it?’”

It had been Geom Mugeuk’s consistent mindset ever since his regression.

Though he said “what are you going to do about it?” to fate, it was also something he was saying to himself.

If, after all that effort, he still couldn’t change fate, then there was nothing more to be done.

“When I reach your age, Master, and look back on my life—then I’ll decide whether to believe in fate.”

The Fist Demon King was curious. When Geom Mugeuk reached his age and looked back on his life, what would he feel? What would he say?

As they spoke, the two arrived at the cliff.

After gazing up at the cliff for a moment, Geom Mugeuk suddenly spoke.

“You’re not planning to bring this cliff down anymore, are you?”

“And why do you think that?”

“Because now you’re confident you can bring it down for sure.”

Geom Mugeuk could sense that the Fist Demon King had grown stronger.

In their last fight, the Fist Demon King had not clung to pride but fought with flexibility.

For someone who had once been unyielding to become flexible meant that he had become all the stronger.

“I still have no confidence.”

Knowing that only someone who had grown stronger could say such a thing, Geom Mugeuk smiled brightly as he looked up at the cliff.

“Congratulations—you look like you’re going to survive.”

A faint smile appeared at the corner of the Fist Demon King’s lips as well.

At that moment, an Iron Fist came running to where they stood and delivered a message.

“Young Cult Leader, a letter has arrived for you.”

It was a message from the Evil Smiling Demon, and its contents were brief.

—Please come to the Sky Flower Pavilion. -Soma.