Absolute Regression Chapter 254

Episode 254: Yesterday feels like today.

I decided to actively accept the advice of the evil Soma.

Take a step back from the magic of the city.

Of course, it wasn’t as easy as he said. We were unmanned and always running forward.

First of all, what I chose was to reduce the training time for Shicheonbisul and use that time to practice Guhwamagong.

Yeah, now is not the time for me to worry about other martial arts.

With this in mind, I concentrated on the Guhwamakong.

Honestly, if it weren’t for the Shicheon Secret Art, I would have wanted to spend all day learning only the Nine Flower Magic Arts.

The Nine-Handed Demonic Cultivation was a truly difficult yet high-level martial art, and as it was difficult, it possessed magical powers that attracted people.

Even the current mind method was incomparable to other martial arts. The internal energy accumulated through mind method training was also much greater than that of the existing mind methods.

If my father were here, I would have definitely made this joke.

―You’re saying that you’ve been learning this great martial art all by yourself!

I am deeply immersed in the practice of the Nine-Handed Demonic Cultivation.

For now, I’m trying to get my body completely used to the breathing techniques of the Nine-Handed Demon Sword, rather than just practicing the basics, but that alone is fun.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I completely lost interest in Shicheon Secret Arts. The more I mastered Guhwa Magic, the more I realized that I needed Shicheon Secret Arts.

And then I realized something else.

That reducing your practice time is not the answer to taking a step back.

This method is wrong.

* * *

When I arrived at the residence of Namdojong Hyeolcheondoma, he was reading a book.

I stood at a distance and watched him.

Strangely, when I see Hyeolcheondoma sitting by the window and reading a book, my mind becomes calm. I want to read books, but I can’t read many, so maybe I’m just getting some vicarious satisfaction?

At that moment, the sound of the Bloodthirsty Horse came flying in.

-Stop peeping and come back.

-You send your voices far away. Aren’t you also using the technique of teleportation?

-Who would say that!

I walked towards the blood clot.

“Aren’t you busy? This is the first time I’ve seen a young leader with so much free time.”

“I’m busy.”

“however?”

“No matter how busy I am, isn’t this where I should be? Right next to our elders!”

I leaned against the windowsill with my arms outstretched.

“Honestly, I’m free these days.”

“If you give me a small gift, I have to find work to do.”

“No. If I keep doing this, things will suddenly pile up all at once. I’ll just rest when I can.”

“Then why did you come here instead of resting?”

“I feel most comfortable when I’m with you, old man. I came here to rest.”

Bloodthirsty Horse shook his head, but he clearly looked pleased.

As I entered the room, I started to act funny.

“Oh, good! How can you smell this good even at your age?”

“You don’t have to feed the fish you catch.”

“I’m not trying to be flattering, I’m being serious.”

I looked at the books on the shelf. I remembered the ones that looked interesting. I plan to buy them later and put them on the shelf. If I buy them, I’ll read them someday.

“Have you read this book?”

“I don’t buy it like someone else and use it as decoration.”

“Who said that reading a book begins with buying it?”

“Do you like looking at the bookshelf better than reading?”

“I will read them all someday! I will read more than you, sir.”

“Do you think that’s all I’ve read?”

I looked at the blood clot in surprise.

“No, you are the Demon Lord in name only. What if you open your secret storage and find books piled up in the place where weapons and elixirs should be?”

“If a sword flies, try blocking it with a book.”

At first, it didn’t really suit him, but now he looks better holding a book than holding the sword of destruction.

“There’s some freshly brewed tea there. Drink it if you want.”

“I was already craving a cup of tea.”

I sat at the table and drank tea.

“Even though it’s the same tea, why does the tea made by you taste better?”

“That’s because I want to take advantage of old people.”

I pretended not to hear and fiddled with the table.

“I should put this exact same table in my room.”

At that moment, Hyeolcheon Doma suddenly asked.

“Do you have any concerns?”

As expected, he knew me better than anyone else. I asked him while fiddling with my teacup.

“Have you ever tried taking a step back?”

At my question, Hyeolcheondoma’s gaze turned from the book to me.

“From what?”

“From what the elders want most.”

After thinking for a moment about the intent of the question, Hyeolcheondoma answered firmly.

“does not exist.”

It was as if my life was only going straight ahead.

Of course, to someone who doesn’t know, Hyeolcheondoma looks like that kind of person. That old, hunched over guy doesn’t look like the kind of person who would back down.

But he had already taken several steps back.

Accepting me.

Rather, it was I who went straight ahead. I went straight ahead to the Bloodthirsty Demon in order to open the door to his heart, and he stepped back while accepting me.

If he had just been straight with me, our relationship would have been different.

“Why are you suddenly asking that?”

“I was wondering how I could take just one step back.”

Bloodthirsty Doma, who has been through thick and thin, will guess what I mean by this.

“Among the books you’ve read, is there a book called ‘How to Take Just One Step Back’?”

“How could something like that exist?”

Bloodthirsty Demon’s gaze turned to the book he was reading, then back to me. He was curious, after all.

“Seeing a smart kid like you worrying about something, it seems like it’s not an ordinary thing.”

“It’s a martial art.”

Blood Heavenly Demon would think that his martial arts were the Nine Fire Demon Arts. That was his concern after becoming the Young Leader.

“But why are you trying to step down?”

“It’s so difficult and hard that I’m completely stuck, but I want to step back a little and look at the martial arts. I’m also worried that maybe I’m not doing well because I want it so badly.”

“Not less urgent?”

“Probably not. I’m confident in my efforts.”

After a moment, Hyeolcheondoma asked.

“But isn’t trying to retreat from that martial art in order to find a method like this… … actually getting closer to that martial art?”

“!”

Suddenly, a realization crossed my mind.

Unable to bear it any longer, I jumped up from my seat.

“That’s right! Instead of backing down, I hugged him even more fiercely.”

I ran to the blood clot.

“If you want to hug, you have to hug an old man! Old man!”

“Don’t come, it’s disgusting!”

Bloodthirsty Demon pushed me backwards with his empty stomach and made me sit back down at the table.

And then he said, pretending to lower his voice.

“Little Master, please keep your dignity.”

I answered, slurping down the remaining tea.

“No, I’ll throw away more. I found the answer.”

* * *

“The prodigal son has returned! He has rejoined!”

The three people from the late-night retreat stared at me.

I was busy so I couldn’t attend, but I suddenly attended today.

Ian told me.

“You are a cult leader, yet you still want to hold late-night meetings?”

“Yeah. Even if I become a cult leader, will I still do it?”

“We don’t like that.”

Thanks to the Bloodthirsty Horse, I realized something.

In order to take a step back from the secret art of the sky, I reduced the time I spent practicing martial arts and tried to find other methods.

And now my conclusion is to just do it the way we used to.

Just like before learning the art of fire magic or the art of time magic.

Even then, I practiced martial arts diligently. The difference now is that I didn’t feel burdened by my training. I fought against the demons diligently and practiced sparingly, saving every spare moment. It was something I did naturally, and I didn’t feel burdened by the thought of having to achieve this by a certain time.

Throughout this process, I continued to grow stronger and develop.

I have to step back. Not step back from the martial arts, but step back from the burden, step back from the impatience. If I just keep living like I used to, it will happen at some point.

“Please teach me after a long time.”

Kwon Ma took off his shirt as if he was going to do it properly. A scary face and perfect muscles, it was a sight I hadn’t seen in a long time.

I also took off my shirt. Compared to him, I have baby hands and a baby body.

I felt sorry for Kwon-ma for neglecting my martial arts training all this time. I had urged him to become my disciple.

I used the Wall Power Shura Kwon with Kwonma. If it were normal, I wouldn’t have even thought of using Kwonma’s martial arts while worrying about the Shicheon Secret Art.

Ian and Cheon So-hee were also practicing hard next to each other. Ian’s skills had improved in the meantime. You could tell just by looking at this short moment how much he was devoted to practicing.

When our eyes met briefly as we unfolded our faces, I smiled at Ian. She smiled back slightly.

Cheon So-hee looked at Kwon Ma with an expression like, “Did you just see the virgin being salted? Kwon Ma!” and was startled herself. She was surprised that she had unconsciously expressed her intentions to the difficult Kwon Ma.

Kwon Ma pretended not to know and continued training.

At that time, I was practicing like that.

Kwarrung!

A thunderclap was heard from my clenched fist.

Not only I, but also Ian and Cheon So-hee, who were practicing next to me, were surprised.

“Was that my voice?”

“Yes, it was the sound coming from your fist.”

Everyone was surprised, but I was the most surprised.

“What happened? To be honest, I’ve been neglecting my martial arts lately. Today, I unleashed my martial arts for the first time in a long while. Why on earth did I hear thunder?”

Kwon Ma made a face as if to say, “How could I know?” and then continued practicing silently.

Did I get stronger in the meantime? Or did I take a step back from martial arts without realizing it?

One thing was certain.

After learning the Nine-Hour Demonic Art, my martial arts skills began to fluctuate.

Kwaarrung!

This time, a thunderous sound came from Kwonma’s fist. It was a louder thunder than the sound from my fist.

“No, why didn’t you make a sound until now? You didn’t make a sound when you were cultivating.”

Despite my protests, Kwon-ma pretended not to hear and continued practicing.

“No, why on earth did you have to do it on the day I first made thunder sounds! Are you jealous… ?”

Kkwarreung!

My words were drowned out by the thunder of the horse.

“It’s too much… … .”

Kkwarrrrrrrr!

* * *

As I was walking towards my residence with a tired body, I suddenly thought of someone and turned around.

A man who seemed like he would be awake at this late hour, and indeed he was.

“What do the stars say to you, hyung?”

Then, Chwima, who was floating his boat on the lake and looking up at the night sky, answered.

“The stars are saying this. You have the best fortune in the martial arts world!”

Chwima looked back at me and smiled happily.

“Are you here?”

I was standing on the lakeside, and I quickly crossed the water with the water meter and got on the boat.

“Now you can fully demonstrate your skills.”

On the day he was chosen as the successor, he prayed in front of all the people. Now that he had become the leader of the cult, there was no reason for him to hide his abilities.

“I’m not the type of person who hides things. I like to stand out and get noticed.”

“Actually, I feel that way too.”

“Would we have been better off as brothers? Next time, let’s go get some attention in the Central Plains!”

“I know a lot of good places. Let’s go!”

Who knows as much as I do? Let’s have a drink together at a place with good taste and a nice view.

We filled each other’s glasses.

“Congratulations on becoming a junior cult leader.”

“You were a great help, hyung. Thank you.”

“I guess it’s about the fifth time?”

“You’re drunk, hyung. I see you’re torturing yourself again.”

After toasting together, we emptied our glasses.

“Wow, that’s good!”

“Of course! I have to drink with my brother.”

It was so nice to have a drink with him after such a long time.

We drank alcohol while chatting about this and that.

I also told him comfortably that it was difficult because his martial arts skills were blocked.

The solution was a bit tricky.

“Drink! The answer is in the alcohol. When you get drunk, everything will be solved.”

“You really are the person with the best fortune in the world.”

“Drink. There is life in alcohol, there is martial arts, there is everything in alcohol.”

We drank again. It had been a while since we had a drink together, so the alcohol went down like water.

Chwima told all sorts of stories. He gossiped about the demons. He talked about women he met when he was young. He talked about martial arts.

He may seem like he’s talking nonsense when he’s drunk, but he never crosses the line. That’s why I always think that the moments when drunk people make mistakes are when they’re sober.

with a plop!

Eventually, Chwima jumped into the water, and I jumped in with him.

We swam around the lake and floated around looking at the night sky.

“It’s still nice here.”

“When I play here, I feel like time has stopped. An hour ago feels like now, and now feels like an hour later. Yesterday feels like today, and today feels like tomorrow.”

Bro. At that time, I have to stop.

Talking about time reminded me of the Sicheonbisul.

The blood vessels in my body overlapped and floated up to the night sky. I’ve tried many methods so far. Sending the energy from this blood vessel to that, and from here to that. There are still too many cases left to try.

‘Stop, why are you thinking of that at such a good moment?’

I’m playing around with the tricks like this to take a step back from the magic of the sky.

with a plop!

I dove into the water again.

But the next moment I was back out of the water again.

I imagined the blood vessels over the stars again and superimposed them.

Not here, not there. Where were you just now?

Then, I remembered that there was a place where the bloodline and stars aligned perfectly.

‘Found it!’

I felt a shiver run through my whole body.

Is it just a coincidence? Or?

If I ran the Jin-gi in the order of those constellations, it seemed like something would happen.

Could it be that the Shicheonbisul was a secret technique created by observing the constellations in the sky?

“brother!”

“what’s the matter?”

“I think I solved the problem you mentioned earlier.”

The horse was startled. Soon he started laughing out loud and rejoicing.

“I told you, everything will be solved if you drink alcohol!”

“I’ll go first! Thanks, bro. Let’s talk again later.”

It just shot up into the air from the water.

I changed direction again in the air and flew towards the lakeside.

The sound of a horse’s hooves was heard from behind.

“This guy is always here.”

Starlight was pouring down on the horse floating on the water.

* * *

When I returned to the training ground, I prepared two incense sticks.

After lighting two sticks of incense at the same time, he placed one in the incense burner and performed the space-time teleportation technique.

The space created was an empty space to increase concentration and minimize the internal energy used.

And there, he memorized the secrets of the Shicheon Secret Art. Unlike before, he moved his true energy in the order he had realized by looking at the constellations.

Could it be done?

I couldn’t tell yet whether it had worked or not.

At this point, I could tell when I went out and compared the times. Even if there was a small difference, it would be fine. Once the time-treasoning technique begins!

please!

It was my earnest wish to somehow achieve the Twelve Great Stars of the Nine-Handed Demonic Cult.

When the scent had burned to some extent, I released the space-time teleportation technique.

Ss …

The world of space-time transference disappeared, and I emerged from it and slowly walked towards the incense that had been burning.

I squatted down in front of the incense burner and placed the incense sticks at the same depth.

My heart trembled as much as the eyes that stared at it blankly.

The two incense sticks burned at different lengths.