Absolute Regression

I calmed my mind.

Facing a formidable enemy, I didn’t let the Evil Smiling Demon distract me. I needed to focus solely on my fight. I trusted Soma. But I had to stay wary of Yang Cheogi.

He was someone who could ambush at any moment with a smile on his face.

Odd Demon wore gloves with blades split like fingers attached to both hands. It was his signature weapon, the *Heavenly Descending Flying Claws*. The eerie blue gleam flowing along the blades was chilling.

“Let’s see if your sword skills match that mouth of yours.”

The moment Odd Demon finished speaking, the fight began.

*Kaaak! Kak! Kaaak!*

With a strange gust of wind, the *Heavenly Descending Flying Claws* ripped through the air. Even a slight graze would tear flesh and bone apart.

I launched my attack, stepping back with the Dark Shadow Step.

My sword clashed countless times with the *Heavenly Descending Flying Claws*. I struggled to widen the distance, while he tried his best to close in on me. Since the *Heavenly Descending Flying Claws* were shorter than a sword, the closer he got, the more advantageous it was for him.

As the nerve-wracking exchange continued, I reached that moment.

Just like when I fought Baek Mang-gi, I could only see Odd Demon’s figure.

The surroundings grew silent, and I could only hear and see the movements of Odd Demon and myself. It felt as if time was moving slower. But time wasn’t actually slowing down. It was just that my concentration had heightened to that extent.

Just then, a brief scream pierced the silence!

“Ugh!”

The moment I recognized that the source of the scream was Soma.

In a flash.

Instinctively, I executed the Divine Lightning Step, and in an instant, I was behind Cheol Soeja, thrusting my sword.

*Shiiiik.*

The chain that had been directed at the staggering Evil Smiling Demon now turned toward me.

*Shiiiik!*

*Tang!*

My sword clashed against Cheol Soeja’s chain and was deflected. At that very moment, I sensed a fierce presence rushing in from behind and twisted my body to avoid it. ʀаℕóᛒËṡ

The space where I had been standing was raked by Odd Demon’s *Heavenly Descending Flying Claws*.

Soma, who had escaped a crisis with my help, launched a Blood Disaster Finger at Odd Demon, who was attempting a second attack on me.

*Shiiing.*

Odd Demon also twisted his body to dodge the Blood Disaster Finger.

Seizing that opportunity, I swiftly leaped back with the Evil Smiling Demon, distancing ourselves from the two men. If I hadn’t intervened, the Evil Smiling Demon would have been injured. Cheol Soeja’s martial arts were stronger than I had anticipated.

As the battle momentarily subsided, Yang Cheogi laughed aloud. He was confident of his victory. Not only him, but Odd Demon and Cheol Soeja also exuded confidence.

Catching my breath, I asked Yang Cheogi.

“Are you the leader of the Heavenly Society?”

I tried my best to uncover the secret while he was basking in his arrogance.

“I am not the leader of the Heavenly Society.”

“Then, are you the leader of the Valley of Wicked?”

“I am not the leader of the Valley of Wicked either.”

“Those two people must be among the top masters of the Valley of Wicked. How on earth were you able to bring them out?”

Yang Cheogi didn’t reveal that to me. I quickly made an educated guess.

“Then, it must be that the leader of the Heavenly Society has allied with the leader of the Valley of Wicked, just as he recruited you.”

A hint of admiration flashed in Yang Cheogi’s eyes. That reaction confirmed my suspicion. It was a secret that even the Heavenly Communication Pavilion hadn’t discovered yet.

I already knew that the Heavenly Society wasn’t just an ordinary organization, but it was far more formidable than I had anticipated.

In the past, it had simply ended with the mission’s failure. If the seal on the Evil Smiling Demon hadn’t been released, this situation would never have occurred in the first place.

However, one thing was certain. Judging by their current plotting, the Heavenly Society must have been operating in the shadows even back then. 1

Before the fight resumed, I glanced at the Evil Smiling Demon. He nodded silently. It was a look that told me not to worry, that everything was fine.

The battle resumed.

The Heavenly Descending Flying Claws tore through the air, while Cheol Soeja’s chains lunged like a living snake.

The Heavenly Descending Flying Claws grazed Soma’s arm and side, while the Blood Disaster Finger skimmed Cheol Soeja’s forehead.

At close range, sword energy slashed through the air, whirlwinds were unleashed, and the chain infused with qi whipped around, while dozens of claw marks appeared in the air. It was a barrage of secret techniques.

The fight was evenly matched. I had only fought alongside the Evil Smiling Demon once before, but it felt as though we had been practicing cooperative techniques our entire lives. Strangely, fighting with the Evil Smiling Demon put my mind at ease, and we were perfectly in sync.

Then, at a certain moment, Soma’s second scream burst out.

He collapsed as if he had fallen on his rear, and a chain came flying towards him.

I rushed in and blocked the chain with my back.

Thud!

Though I withstood it with my body protection technique, the impact made my shoulder feel like it was being torn off.

Thud! Thud!

The chains struck again and again.

They slammed down on my body, but the protective qi surrounding me repelled them. It was an enormous drain on my internal energy.

Yang Cheogi, who had been watching, showed a look of astonishment and admiration.

“To be able to generate a body protection technique at such a young age, you really are something.”

But this was the situation we had intended. Just a moment ago, I had sent a transmission to the Evil Smiling Demon, telling him to pretend to be hit once more.

In a situation where I had turned my back on them, a sword was splitting in front of me.

It was the manifestation of the Seventh Form of the Soaring Sword Art, Rain of a Thousand Swords.

Chwarak!

I didn’t split it too many times. Just two, right in front of my chest, so they couldn’t see.

At the very moment when the sword energy, shaped like a sword, was completed!

Shiiiing! Shiiiing!

The two sword energies shot out behind me as if they were alive.

Puaaak!

One pierced through the shoulder of the unsuspecting Odd Demon, while the other cut the chain of Cheol Seolja in half as it flew by.

“Damn it!”

The Odd Demon pressed down on the acupoint in his shoulder and grimaced. If he hadn’t reflexively twisted his body to dodge, his neck would’ve been pierced.

Cheol Soeja abandoned the severed chain and gripped harder the remaining shorter part.

“Damn it!”

We cursed too. The attack, which we had hoped would be decisive, failed to kill them. It was fortunate, at least, that it pierced the Odd Demon’s shoulder and damaged Cheol Soeja’s weapon.

I reached out my hand to the Evil Smiling Demon, who had been sitting down, and he grabbed it, pulling himself up. The fire in his eyes had only grown stronger. Both he and I were burning with the heat of battle.

Odd Demon and Cheol Soeja opted for a prolonged fight. Judging that their internal energy was superior, they intended to wear down ours. Given the injury to his shoulder and the damage to his weapon, they also intended to fight cautiously.

As expected, the Evil Smiling Demon, who relied on using land winds and tensile force, was the first to deplete his internal energy.

Just at the critical moment when his energy was depleted, and his movements noticeably slowed,

Seus-seut.

Soma looked at me with a startled expression.

We were now within the world of the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique.

“This is the space within the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique.”

“Even using the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique!”

“There’s no time to explain. This is a Fast Recovery Pill, take it and recover your internal energy first.”

I handed him the Fast Recovery Pill I had received from the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

“Young Master, you should take it.”

“I still have some internal energy left. There’s no time. Take it quickly and recover. Even in this moment, my strength is being drained.”

The Evil Smiling Demon immediately consumed the Fast Recovery Pill and circulated his energy through his meridians.

Outside, we could hear their voices.

“It’s an illusion technique.”

“This young brat can even use illusion techniques? He really keeps surprising us.”

“If it’s an illusion of this caliber, the energy consumption must be severe. He won’t be able to hide for long before he has to show himself. In other words, it’s a suicidal move.”

Indeed, if I hadn’t absorbed the internal energy of the Enchantress of Extreme Bliss, I wouldn’t have been able to use the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique at this moment.

A little while later, after quickly recovering his internal energy with the Fast Recovery Pill, the Evil Smiling Demon opened his eyes and stood up.

“We need to finish this within a hundred moves.”

“Yes! Let’s go!”

I thrust my sword forward, and Soma flicked my sword once more.

Tiiing!

With a clear metallic sound, the Temporal and Spatial Transference Technique was undone.

The moment we emerged, I charged at Cheol Soeja like a madman.

Cheng cheng cheng cheng cheng cheng cheng!

I exerted my utmost concentration.

The surroundings faded away, and in my eyes, there was only Cheol Soeja and his chains.

And soon, even Cheol Soeja disappeared. All I could see was the brilliant movement of the chains.

I couldn’t hear any sound. The only thing I could hear was the clash between my sword and the chains.

If I was struggling, so was he. If I felt like I was about to die, then he must have felt the same. I refused to believe that he had worked harder than I did. I believed in myself and all the efforts I had put in.

And then, once again, I had an extraordinary experience.

I was already fighting at my absolute limit, but the speed of my sword began to increase even more. It was the result of my desperation—a miracle born out of my desperate desire not to see the Evil Smiling Demon die.

I could feel the movements of the chains becoming frantic.

He was forced to reveal a hidden skill, catching my sword between his chains. Just like a coiled snake wrapping around a sword, in that very moment, he seized the Black Demon Sword.

I saw the look of joy on Cheol Soeja’s face.

Shwik! Puk!

In the next instant, a dagger was embedded in Cheol Soeja’s neck.

He had unleashed a hidden technique, but so had I. In the fleeting moment when I lost my sword and he let his guard down, I had thrown the dagger.

“Gkkk.”

The dagger embedded in Cheol Soeja’s neck was the Millennial Cold Iron Dagger. Since I hadn’t used the Deadly Secret Art of Flying Daggers even once since the start of the fight, he was unable to defend against this unexpected attack.

Cheol Soeja, like someone who couldn’t resist scratching an itch, yanked the dagger out of his neck.

As he pulled out the dagger, blood spurted out like a waterfall, and he collapsed on the spot. I couldn’t afford to waste my internal energy by using Void Telekinesis to retrieve my sword, so I rushed forward and picked up the Black Demon Sword, which was entangled in the chains.

Then, without hesitation, I charged towards the Odd Demon.

Soma was facing off against the stronger Odd Demon with intense focus.

We were now fighting the way we had when we faced Sword Emperor Baek Mang-gi.

The two of us relentlessly pressed him. We were wary that Yang Cheogi might intervene, but for some reason, he didn’t join the fight.

As the two of us pressed him, the fight quickly turned in our favor. Though the Odd Demon was strong, they weren’t as strong as Sword Emperor Baek Mang-gi. On the other hand, our teamwork was even better than it had been back then.

At the very moment the Odd Demon uttered words asking Yang Cheogi for help,

My sword slipped through the slightly disturbed blades of the Heavenly Descending Flying Claws.

Puk!

My sword embedded itself in the Odd Demon’s shoulder.

Piiing! Puck!

At the same time, the Blood Disaster Finger technique launched by the Evil Smiling Demon pierced neatly through the Odd Demon’s forehead.

With eyes full of injustice and rage, the Odd Demon fell backward.

“Huff, huff,”

The Evil Smiling Demon and I panted heavily. His internal energy was completely depleted, and I also had very little left.

“They were truly relentless!”

At Yang Cheogi’s remark, I responded to him.

“You’re the more ruthless one here. Just standing by and watching without helping them?”

“Why should I interfere when I could safely and easily kill you both after your internal energy was exhausted?”

I had a feeling that wasn’t the real reason. Being left alone to face the two of us was just as risky.

‘He didn’t stop those two masters from dying? It’s as if he wanted them to die. But why?’

Then, a thought struck me like lightning.

“You, did the leader of the Heavenly Society promise you the position of the Lord of the Valley of Wicked?” 2

“!”

He desired to be a Demon Supreme, a Sect Leader, and a Union Leader—could it be that he also wanted to be the Valley Lord?

From the look in Yang Cheogi’s eyes and his reaction, I knew my guess was correct. He had used this opportunity to eliminate the Valley Lord’s followers. It was undoubtedly to make it easier for him to take control of the Valley of Wicked. The villains had gathered only to stab each other in the back.

“You’re a man who dreams of things that will never come true.”

“Your mouth will be your downfall.”

“You’re trash.”

“Yeah, curse me all you want in hell.”

The Evil Smiling Demon stepped in front of me.

—Young Master, it’s time to show off your running skills. I can hold him off for a few moves.

He believed we couldn’t defeat Yang Cheogi. His internal energy was already depleted, and he judged it impossible to fight him with the little internal energy I had left.

—Those running skills should be saved for our rematch.

—Don’t be stubborn, just go!

—My Demonic Path doesn’t destroy tables, nor does it leave friends in danger. 3

—!

I could feel Soma’s emotions surge at the word “friend.”

—What kind of Evil Smiling Demon is so full of affection?

The Evil Smiling Demon’s gaze, which had been directed at me, shifted to Yang Cheogi. Then, words I never expected came out of his mouth.

“Please let the Young Master go, Senior brother.”

To save me, he was making a request he would never want to make.

Yang Cheogi responded with a mocking look in his eyes.

“If you take off your mask and kneel, I might let you live.”

I could see the conflict in the Evil Smiling Demon’s back.

Ah! Even if the whole world condemns him as evil, I could never do that.

I quickly went to him and grabbed his arm.

“He won’t let us live even if you do that.”

The Evil Smiling Demon pulled my hand away as he spoke.

“I never intended to kneel. I know better than anyone what kind of person my senior brother is.”

“Then why?”

“I was just trying to buy us a little more time. You’re smart, Young Master, so I thought you might come up with something.”

Soma smiled silently. In the depths of his eyes, hidden beneath the mask, I saw a deep sense of regret—a regret that we didn’t have a bit more time. He was sensing the end approaching.

Yang Cheogi gathered a vast amount of internal energy into one hand. I also infused internal energy into the Black Demon Sword. How many moves could we withstand? Could I kill him with this amount of internal energy?

“Go to hell together!”

He unleashed his internal energy. It was a full-powered Frantic Demonic Palm.

Just as I was about to release my sword energy to block it,

Kwaang!

The incoming Frantic Demonic Palm was shattered and disappeared.

It wasn’t me who blocked it. A meteor had crashed before us and intercepted Yang Cheogi’s attack. 4

It was a single blade. A massive dao imbued with powerful energy was embedded in the ground in front of us like a shield.

Amazingly, it was the Heaven-Extinguishing Saber of the Blood Heaven Blade Demon.

As I looked up, I saw Gu Cheonpa descending through the air, riding the wind.

“I knew this would happen,” he said.

1 : Secret conspiracy, I knew it !!! I’m almost sure they’re behind Hwa Moogi too !!! Maybe he’s a Blood Jiangshi like in Chronicles of the Heavenly Demon ? It would explain how he was so one-minded and why nobody saw him after he sealed the 3 factions. Even the Divine Dragon Family and Twelve Zodiac Kings only acted as opportunists, they never really got his permission to set things up.

2 : His greatest weapon isn’t his memories or talent, it’s his powerful mind. Well, it’s tied with his charisma, but you know what I mean.

3 : Cull absolute evil, doesn’t destroy tables and don’t leave friends in danger. I wonder what he’ll add next, open more cat cafes ? A Demonic Cult full of crazy cat cult members would be fun XDXDXD

4 : Mogley is that you ? Wait, you’re in the wrong novel !!! The copyrights !!!

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