Absolute Regression

Two days later, the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult left the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, taking all his subordinates with him.

He bid farewell to the Heavenly Demon but did not even greet the Eight Demon Supremes.

Regarding this matter, the Demonic practitioners gossiped that he left in anger due to the theft of the divine artifact.

The only ones who knew the real reason for his sudden return were us.

“The Cult Leader is an impatient man. He’ll organize the Heavenly Wind Cult and return as soon as possible.”

We had already thoroughly discussed with Gowol who would be the next Cult Leader and how the internal restructuring would be handled.

“Thank you very much for accepting my first proposal this time.”

“I should be the one thanking you. Thanks to you, I’ve gained the great master of the Heavenly Wind Cult as an ally.”

“Did you see how he got fat from neglecting his training, just eating and playing around? We’ll have to make sure he trains properly when he returns.”

“Leave it to me.”

It truly felt like we had accomplished something great. Not only did we acquire the exceptional strategist Gowol, but also the absolute master, the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Wind Cult. Although he was pushed around and troubled during his visit to our sect, he was still the strongest in the Wilderness. Although the battles of masters are unpredictable, I doubt there is any Demon Supreme confident enough to claim they could defeat him one on one.

“Hey, Advisor Go.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“The role of a strategist inevitably involves looking into others. However, make sure to take care of yourself whenever you find the time.”

I chose to use the word “take care” instead of “reflect on yourself.” Even without advice-like comments, the clever Gowol would understand the deeper meaning in my words.

“Young Master is truly warm and kind.”

“I hear that often. It means I’m good at acting.”

Gowol did not believe my words about acting.

“I’ll cover the weaknesses that come with that kindness.”

“Take your time. It’s fine.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be back soon. I’ve been neglecting my existing people while looking after you. It’s time to take care of them.”

“Please, go ahead.”

I headed straight to the Heavenly Demon Pavilion. Taking care of matters starts from the top down.

* * *

Father was in the training ground.

Usually, when I entered the training ground, Father would test me with a surprise attack, but today, he was looking down at a Go board in the middle of the training ground.

“Do you play Go as well?”

I knew Father liked Go, but I had never seen him play it himself.

“Within our cult, there are only a few who can beat me.”

“At Go, you mean?”

“Of course.”

“When the game isn’t going well, don’t you signal for a throat-cutting with your hand? And then Uncle Hui would silently appear behind the opponent and… stab them.”

“Sometimes. A match must be won, after all.”

I laughed at Father’s joke and approached him. I knew well enough about Father’s Go skills. As he said, he wasn’t that great, just good enough. If he had won a lot, it must have been because many let him win. It was a case of lowering standards in front of the Heavenly Demon.

“This is a problem Sima Myung gave me, but I can’t find the answer.”

It was quite a difficult life-and-death problem.

I carefully examined the problem and then spoke to Father.

“If you place a stone here, wouldn’t the white stones live?”

At least in Go, I was better than Father. Confirming it was the correct answer, Father showed a hint of surprise.

“Impressive.”

“Isn’t it always easier for someone watching from the side to see better?”

“Watching from the side? I was solving it alone.”

“But you had an opponent, didn’t you?”

“Who?”

“Pride. The determination to solve this problem no matter what is sitting right there next to you.”

Father chuckled and sat down in front of the Go board.

“Sit next to it. Let’s have a game.”

“Alright. But no signaling to cut throats when you’re losing.”

I played Go with Father.

Hunting, meals, and now Go. These were things I never dreamed of doing before my regression.

I focused solely on the game without any idle chatter. The sound of the Go stones being placed echoed pleasantly in the silence.

It was nothing special. Just a father and son playing a game of Go. Why had we never done this before? Why was I so afraid just to see my father’s face?

The beauty of Go is that no words are needed until the end.

Yet, so much happens. I built my territory, and Father built his. Sometimes, I invaded Father’s territory, and sometimes, I was chased like a fleeing demon. Sometimes, I conceded, and sometimes, I made bold moves.

Playing Go with Father was incredibly enjoyable, but I certainly didn’t hold back my skills. I knew well that Father was a personification of competitiveness, and if he sensed even a hint of me going easy on him, it would result in an outcome worse than winning outright.

As the game progressed, Father rubbed his chin. It was the first time I’d seen him so deeply contemplating. Even during the war with the Murim Alliance, I doubt his gaze while looking at the battle maps was this intense.

I suppressed the urge to crack a joke, but couldn’t totally erase the smirk I hid behind my hand. If I did try to joke here, Father might overturn the losing Go board out of frustration.

Perhaps Father also wanted to joke around by making a throat-cutting gesture at this moment.

Of course, that didn’t happen.

The game ended, and I won by six points.

“As expected of the Heavenly Demon, it was a fierce game. I barely managed to win.”

“When did you learn to play Go?”

“I’ve been learning bit by bit. I heard you were learning Go from Strategist Sima. Oh, and I’m always up for a rematch.”

Seeing my triumphant expression, Father extended his hand over the Go board.

With a swift motion, the Go stones rose into the air, the white and black stones crossing paths rapidly. They moved with such brilliant elegance, returning to their respective containers as if performing a show. It looked like they were alive, swimming their way home on their own like intermingling schools of fishes.

“Ah!”

I exclaimed in genuine admiration. This technique seemed to convey a message to me:

—This is the final stage of Void Telekinesis, understand?

This move alone was enough to humble me, but it seemed Father wasn’t done.

“I can’t let you leave after defeating me, so let’s have a sparring match.”

“You’re too much. I was just about to enjoy my victory and walk out of the Heavenly Demon Pavilion with pride.”

“If you’ve been neglecting your martial arts training, you won’t be able to walk out of here.”

His intent was clear: he was going to be rough. It seemed like he was venting his frustration over losing at Go, but it wasn’t that simple.

I knew the real reason. He was angry about the Heavenly Wind Cult Leader situation. He knew I had been interacting with the Heavenly Wind Cult and even accepted their strategist, despite his desire to distance himself from them.

“They say the great demons never die, so I guess I won’t die either, right?”

“You’d better hope the house you built isn’t a prison.”

I had a sparring partner who was eagerly waiting for a match with me. Of course, one match with Father would be far more beneficial to me than ten matches with the One-Slash Sword Supreme.

When Father drew the Heavenly Demon Sword, the air around us grew heavy, and an invisible pressure began to weigh down on me. It wasn’t a sharp, piercing force but more like an immense boulder pressing from all sides.

I, too, drew the Black Demon Sword and naturally invoked the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique.

As I withstood the initial pressure without changing my expression, Father’s aura intensified.

I heightened the Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique further. Having experienced a state of selflessness previously, my Heavenly Demon Body Protection Technique had reached a considerable level, allowing me to withstand the pressure once again.

This time, Father’s aura was laced with killing intent.

It was my first time directly experiencing Father’s killing intent. It was terrifying in an unexpected way.

The sensation was like death settling lightly somewhere on my body, so light like a butterfly that I couldn’t pinpoint where it landed. It created a chilling dread, making me search for the killing intent’s source, only to realize I was already plunged into a sea of it. The fear that came from this realization was overwhelming, yet I had no idea how to deal with it. Father’s killing intent was a culmination of all these negative emotions.

I didn’t oppose Father’s killing intent; instead, I felt it and accepted it. Amidst the intense fear and despair, I focused solely on not losing myself. I fought to feel myself experiencing the fear without being consumed by it.

Enduring without resisting.

Sometimes, simply enduring and accepting can be a tremendous pressure on the opponent.

Father was indeed surprised. His surprise was clearly conveyed to me.

Had your skills truly advanced this far?

The moment I read that emotion in his eyes, Father surged towards me.

I countered his charge using the Underworld King Step, meeting his attack head-on.

Clang!

We crossed paths, leaving only the cold sound of metal behind.

We turned simultaneously from our starting points.

The Black Demon Sword in my hand trembled from the impact, and so did Father’s Heavenly Demon Sword. In the past, I wouldn’t have noticed this, but with my enhanced vision from the New Eye Technique, I could see even the slightest quiver.

Is Father’s wrist hurting as much as mine?

“I thought all you did was play politics, but you’re quite skilled.”

“Love affairs and martial arts training are best done out of sight, aren’t they? I’ve been training diligently.”

Indeed, I had been pushing myself, reducing sleep to devote more time to training.

Even if by some sudden madness I wanted to avoid training, my body wouldn’t allow it. The abundant and pure internal energy accumulated in my dantian yearned to be unleashed into the world, and the Wind God’s Four Steps constantly sought to face strong opponents. The Soaring Sword Art was advancing beyond mastery to a new realm, and with the New Eye Technique, even my vision had improved.

“Let’s see if you can block this.”

As soon as Father finished speaking, he vanished from sight. At the same time, I disappeared as well, using the Dark Shadow Step just like him. Today, I decided to be a mimic.

Our swords clashed in mid-air as we reappeared at the edge of the training ground.

We stood in identical stances, like twins performing synchronized movements.

A fleeting look of joy crossed Father’s face beyond our crossed swords. It was a joy that came from encountering a formidable opponent.

I understand the loneliness of an absolute master, but remember, Father, I am your son, not your enemy.

As our swords parted, the Heavenly Demon Sword and the Black Demon Sword painted the sky.

We each unleashed the Balancing the Heavens Style against one another.

The brilliant white sword lights created by our blades divided the sky.

Like two meteors meeting in the night sky, the two beams of light met and then vanished. It was a brief moment, but I found the scene beautiful.

This time, we simultaneously launched the Transforming Heavens Style.

There were twelve changes in the air, from both the Heavenly Demon Sword and the Black Demon Sword.

If one side was dazzling, so was the other. If one was heavy, the other matched its weight. If one was fast, the other was equally quick. Changes met changes and then extinguished each other.

Our attacks were identical. Like drawing ink on one side of paper and folding it to create a mirrored image on the other, we exchanged identical strikes.

Father graciously accepted my intent to mimic him and did not use any unorthodox attacks.

The next attack was the Fifth Form of the Transforming Heavens Style.

Fierce sword energy swept across the training ground. When the two sword energies collided, the entire training ground shook. A bit more internal energy, and the training ground would have collapsed.

“That’s enough!”

Father stopped the sparring. He must have judged that the next moves would be too dangerous. This signified how much stronger I had become.

Father, who rarely seemed surprised by anything, was once again surprised today.

“You’ve improved a lot.”

He used the word “a lot.” That meant my skills had improved tremendously.

“That will do.”

In those words was forgiveness.

Recently, I had been involved in various activities related to the Heavenly Wind Cult. If I had neglected my martial arts training because of this, Father intended to give me a harsh lesson today. However, upon seeing my significant improvement, he chose to forgive me.

As a result, what was meant to be a punishment turned into a reward. Such a twin-like sparring session with Father was priceless, something one couldn’t buy even with a million nyang.

Asking Father, “How much would it take for a proper match with you?” would get me killed, even as his son.

While executing the same techniques, I felt a great deal. To an observer, our moves might have appeared identical, but I could definitely feel the differences. It’s only by sensing those subtle differences that one becomes a true master.

Today, I felt I had a vague idea of the direction in which the Twelve Star Greatness of the Soaring Sword Art should go.

“Aren’t you hungry? How about your son treats you to a meal today? Let’s go out to Maga Village for a meal.”

I hadn’t heard of Father going to Maga Village recently. I expected him to refuse my suggestion.

“Let’s go.”

I was taken aback by his unexpected agreement.

“Are you really going?”

“Was it just an idle suggestion?”

“Of course not. Let’s go!”

Father changed into a simple martial artist’s uniform and wore a bamboo hat that could conceal his face. If he went in an official capacity, Maga Village and the entire Cult would be in an uproar.

Thus, Father and I left the Heavenly Demon Pavilion together. It was our first outing to Maga Village.

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