Absolute Regression

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s expression was filled with regret.

It was clear that the man in shackles had sent a telepathic message, telling him to just give me the divine item I had chosen.

‘Did that man interfere with the Cult Leader’s decision at such an important moment?’

Something completely unexpected had happened.

“Do you even know what you picked?”

“I’m not sure, but I was strongly drawn to it.”

What I had chosen was a small, egg-shaped sphere made of metal.

Of course, I knew exactly what this was. It wasn’t a weapon or a jewel. What was inside this egg-like object was what mattered.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader picked up the sphere and touched the bottom. With a click, the egg opened.

Blood Divine Pill.

It was known as the most outstanding elixir not only in the Heavenly Wind Cult but also beyond the Great Wall.

“It’s the Blood Divine Pill. Have you heard of it?”

“Yes, I know it’s an extremely rare elixir.”

“Rare doesn’t even begin to describe it.”

“Why haven’t you taken it if it’s so precious?”

“I’ve been saving it for the future.”

“And I guess that future is me.”

He would never have guessed that I would choose this among so many divine items.

The Cult Leader looked again at the man in shackles. Then, I noticed the man’s shoulders trembling slightly. Thanks to my enhanced vision from the New Eye Technique, I could confirm it with my eyes.

‘It’s certain he’s sending a telepathic message.’

In other words, the Cult Leader was undoubtedly following this man’s instructions. Or at the very least, consulting with him.

‘Who in the world is he?’

I grew curious about the man, but I pretended not to notice. For now, the Blood Divine Pill was the most important thing.

To give them some time, I pretended to look at other divine items. There were things I wanted almost as much as the Blood Divine Pill. Whether or not I could have them depended on the Cult Leader’s choices and actions.

After a while, the Cult Leader, looking ten years older, made a difficult decision.

“Alright. I’ll give you the Blood Divine Pill.”

“Thank you.”

The Cult Leader, still holding the Blood Divine Pill, asked me,

“But I can’t give it to you right now. Tell me how you plan to stay in the Cult.”

It seemed he couldn’t part with the Blood Divine Pill so easily.

“This is how.”

Before the Cult Leader could stop me, I took the Blood Divine Pill from his hand and put it in my mouth. His eyes widened in shock, not expecting me to just consume it. (EN : LOL, nomnomnom PacMan style XDXDXD)

“What are you doing?!”

He yelled belatedly, but I had already sat down in a meditative position.

“Please protect me while I absorb the medicine.”

I closed my eyes and began to dissolve the pill’s effects. So, I sadly couldn’t see the utterly baffled expression on the Cult Leader’s face.

* * *

Geom Mugeuk’s meditation and energy circulation had been ongoing for two hours.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader and the man in shackles were conversing through telepathy.

The man in shackles had calmed the Cult Leader, who had been furiously jumping about, threatening to kill me. It was also the shackled man who insisted that their conversation be conducted telepathically to avoid disturbing my meditation.

—Hahaha.

—Damn it! Damn it all!

The shackled man continued to laugh telepathically, while the Cult Leader couldn’t stop venting his anger.

—Damn it! Should I kill this bastard right now?

—Go ahead. Kill him, and start a full-blown war with the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. I’d love to see you get torn to pieces by the Heavenly Demon.

—Damn it! Damn it all! What the hell is this?

He never imagined that I would actually consume it right in front of him.

—It’s clear that whatever method he’s going to propose is absurd. That’s why he took it first.

—Just kill him! Kill him now! Smash his head open!

The Cult Leader approached Geom Mugeuk and raised his hand. However, he couldn’t bring himself to strike his head.

—Ugh, damn it!

Lowering his hand, the Cult Leader walked over to sit next to the Thunder Bell. The shackled man watched him with amusement.

—Damn it!

—Geom Mugeuk won’t die here.

—Why? Because he’s a coward? Is that it?

—No, this Second Young Master is much smarter than I thought.

—How do you know?

—He’s confident that the Cult Leader won’t kill him. He’s already figured the Cult Leader out. If someone like him gives an answer, it will be a good one.

—Do you have any idea what he might propose?

—I wasn’t sure before, but seeing him take the Blood Divine Pill, I have a good guess.

—What is it?

—You’ll have to wait until he finishes his meditation to hear it directly.

—Fuck, tell me now!

—The Cult Leader is too transparent; it’ll show on your face.

—I’ve never lost a gamble in my life!

—That’s because no gambler would dare reveal their skills in front of the heir to the Heavenly Wind Cult.

—Hmph!

The Cult Leader felt somewhat reassured.

The shackled man addressed the Cult Leader as if speaking to a friend.

—Cult Leader.

—Oh no, here we go again. Do you think you’re my friend?

—Just give it all to him. It’s fine to give everything.

—Are you serious?

—Until now, we judged the Second Young Master based solely on the information we received. But seeing him in person today, I realized that we have severely underestimated him.

—And you can see this?

—I can.

―Why can’t I see it then?

―Because you’re way too greedy.

―Damn it! Fine, let’s say that’s true. Let’s say my greed has completely blinded me. So? If I give everything, then what?

―You can live in the Central Plains. Isn’t that your dream?

―Will he really let me live here ?

―Since he intend to let you live, he’s greedily accepting everything.

―What if he don’t keep his promise? We’ll end up like beggars, holding broken bowls, begging for alms.

―Don’t worry. I’ll make sure we survive.

―What?

―Even if I have to drag these shackles and sell medicine.

―…….

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader sighed.

―What if the Second Young Master dies in the fight for succession?

―Isn’t that how it always is when you stake your fate on someone? You either gain everything or lose everything.

―You’re trying to ruin me, aren’t you?

―You just realized that now?

The man in shackles had a peculiar smile. It was hard to tell if he was serious or joking.

―Cult Leader.

―Don’t speak so informally. You’ve done it over five times today.

―I understand you.

―…….

―To gain, one must discard. Neither you nor I are blessed enough to have everything without letting go of something. Such people are like the Second Young Master sitting over there.

―……Damn it.

Eventually, Geom Mugeuk finished his energy circulation.

When Geom Mugeuk opened his eyes, his expression was bright. His already clear eyes had deepened even more, making it hard to guess the extent of his martial power.

However, those deep eyes more profound than the sea soon changed to look like an ordinary person’s. The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was startled by this transformation.

‘Just how deep is his power?’

Geom Mugeuk had nothing to hide before him. It was as if he was saying:

‘I am this strong, so trust and follow me.’

Despite showing such strength, Geom Mugeuk was courteous. He bowed his head and cupped his fists, expressing his gratitude.

“Thank you.”

“You’ve got some nerve. Stealing the elixir and then practicing energy circulation right in front of us!”

“Stealing the elixir? I received it as compensation.”

“Compensation? What do you mean?”

“I told you before I took the Blood Divine Pill, didn’t I? That the way for you to stay here is by me taking this.”

“What does that mean?”

“Tomorrow, go to the Underworld Pavilion and report it. Say that the elixir was stolen.”

“!”

“You can stay here until the elixir is found.”

Only then did the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader realize Geom Mugeuk’s intention.

“But what if an investigation reveals that no theft occurred?”

“The place conducting the investigation is none other than the Underworld Pavilion, of which I am the lord. I will ensure the investigation proceeds as slowly as possible until the Cult Leader achieves his goal.”

“Ah!”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s face lit up.

Since a thief had broken into the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult’s inner sanctum, he now had a legitimate reason not to leave this place.

Moreover, with Geom Mugeuk handling the investigation, there would be no risk of their setup being exposed and no unnecessary friction arising during the process of finding the culprit.

“The decision on when you will return will be made by you and me.”

“Ah! So that’s what it means.”

“Well then, I’ll be going now. Thank you once again for the Blood Divine Pill.”

After Geom Mugeuk left, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader asked the man in shackles.

“Did you know?”

“I knew the moment the Young Master consumed the Blood Divine Pill.”

The shackled man’s demeanor became respectful again.

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader looked down at the empty container where the Blood Divine Pill had been stored and said,

“But did the Second Young Master know that this was the Blood Divine Pill beforehand?”

“Of course.”

“He knew?”

“Did you really believe he picked it up just because the container looked pretty? Did you truly believe that?”

“No.”

However, for a moment, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader did believe it. He thought there was no way the Young Master could have known the exact details of his prized possession.

“How did he know?”

“He is capable to that extent, which is why the Cult Leader is giving him gifts.”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader nodded. Still, he felt fortunate to have the man in shackles around. Yet, at the same time, he resented him because it was his presence that had led to all these events.

“…Still, it’s a real shame about the Blood Divine Pill.”

Once again, the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader began to lament his loss. He was definitely not going to sleep well tonight.

“I’ve told you for the hundredth time, it wasn’t given because he offered a solution.”

“If things don’t go well even after giving away everything like this, we’ll both die.”

From within his tangled hair, the man smiled slyly.

“You promised to kill me first before dying.”

“Shut up!”

The Heavenly Wind Cult Leader was engrossed in the empty container, while the shackled man was absorbed in the Thunder Bell. Both were lost in their own worries.

* * *

The next day, shocking news swept through the sect.

A thief had broken into the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader’s quarters and stolen a sacred artefact.

Everyone talked about it. It was surprising that there had been a theft in the inner sanctum, but what everyone was curious about was what exactly had been stolen. However, the specific sacred object that was stolen was not disclosed.

The whole school was abuzz with the news, but the atmosphere in the Heavenly Demon Pavilion remained calm.

This was because the Strategist Advisor, Sima Myung, had seen through the situation.

“It appears that the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult is staging a self-made incident. According to our surveillance, no one has infiltrated the Cult Leader’s quarters, and to steal the divine artifact, one would need at least the skills of the Demon Supreme. However, as far as I know, there is no one with such skills who would target the Cult Leader’s divine artifact at this time.”

Heavenly Demon Geom Woojin believed every word of Sima Myung’s report.

“Why would he stage a self-made incident?”

“He probably wants to stay in our sect longer. He will likely insist on not leaving until he finds the divine artifact.”

“Why doesn’t he want to leave? Is it because of that matter?”

“Yes. It seems he wants to take this opportunity to negotiate his cult’s expansion into the Central Plains.”

“Is Mugeuk involved in this incident?”

“Yes. It appears that the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult has asked the Second Young Master for a way to remain here. The investigation of this incident will be conducted by the Underworld Pavilion, allowing the Cult Leader to stay in our sect for a while.”

“Quite a cunning plan.”

A faint smile appeared on Geom Woojin’s lips.

“What is the relationship between the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult and the Demon Supremes?”

“It’s not very good. Since arriving, he has met with the Demon Supremes only once and hasn’t met them since. The only person he has met is the Demonic Buddha.”

“What do you suggest we do about this matter?”

Sima Myung answered calmly.

“For now, it would be best to pretend we know nothing and watch.”

Geom Woojin pondered for a moment while Sima Myung waited for his decision.

Sima Myung could guess the Cult Leader’s thoughts. The reason he didn’t make an immediate decision was because this involved the Heavenly Wind Cult. The Cult Leader didn’t look favorably on the expansion of the Heavenly Wind Cult into the Central Plains. However, the reason he was hesitating was probably because the Second Young Master was involved.

Eventually, Geom Woojin made his decision.

“Let’s do that.”

“Yes.”

Sima Myung bowed respectfully and turned to leave, but then he spoke to Geom Woojin again.

“If the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult and the Second Young Master join hands, the Demonic Buddha will not stand still. He will likely involve the First Young Master in earnest.”

In Sima Myung’s judgment, the fact that the First Young Master had tolerated the recent prominence of Geom Mugeuk was partly due to the Cult Leader’s influence, but it was also because he was still confident that he would become the successor.

However, if Geom Mugeuk joined forces with the Blood Heaven Sword Demon, the One-Slash Sword Supreme, and now the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult, the First Young Master could no longer just watch.

Geom Woojin nodded silently, understanding the implications.

Leaving Geom Woojin deep in thought, Sima Myung slowly walked down the Path of Blood.

He wondered.

What decision would the Cult Leader make? Would he allow the First Young Master to return and join the fray? Would he somehow stop the fight between the brothers?

Everything depended on the will of the Heavenly Demon.

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