Absolute Regression Chapter 738

Episode 738: Do you know whose grave this is?

Jongbaek had heard all sorts of rumors about the leader of the Cheonmasingyo cult.
He was amazing, brilliant, and eccentric.
If I had to sum up my impressions of him in one word, it would be this.

It’s overwhelming.

So much so that I couldn’t even breathe.

“ha.”

When Jongbaek’s long-held breath escaped his lips, Geommu-geuk released his grip on his wrist.
He had snatched the swiftly slashing arm away, so it was expected that
a mark would have been left on his wrist. But his own wrist remained unmarked. It was as if no one had ever caught him in the first place.

This is the difference!
What distinguishes the masters who have climbed and climbed to the very end isn’t how hard they strike, how high they fly, or how fast they move.

Jongbaek knew very well that it was in these small, subtle differences that the real difference in skill could be seen.

Jongbaek’s gaze, which had been looking at his own wrist, turned to Geommugeuk.

‘This person is the leader of the Cheonma Sect at the time.’

Jongbaek sensed no malice in the gentle gaze of Geommugeuk as he gazed at him. That was why he was even more terrified. After all, he was the leader of a demonic cult.

What does he really want? What if he’s asked to hand over something more important than his own arm?

“What do you want?”

Meanwhile, Chuyeon and the other warriors who were watching the scene didn’t realize how astonishing Geommu Geuk’s move was. They were all so focused on Jongbaek’s arm that they thought he must have come in the middle of it.

If it were normal, Chuyeon would have stepped forward and said something.

Whose body do you dare to touch!

But this unknown atmosphere was also an atmosphere, and thanks to his intervention, Jongbaek’s arm was prevented from being cut off.

She couldn’t comprehend the situation. Jongbaek, whom she’d known since childhood, was an invincible master. There was no problem he couldn’t solve, and whenever Biryongbang faced a crisis, he was always at the forefront.

‘But why? Who the hell is that porter?’

Are you willing to give me your wrist and grant me a favor?

After a while, Geommugeuk opened his mouth.

“I have two arms, so I have two requests.”

At those words, Jongbaek was inwardly startled.

‘I was only going to cut off one arm.’

Of course, it was just a joke from the swordsman. He had two requests.
But everyone was so tense and shocked that only Bloody Heavenly Sword Master and Ilhwa Sword Master smiled faintly at the remark.

“My first request is….”

Geommugeuk looked at Chuyeon. Jongbaek immediately understood what Geommugeuk meant. He had treated the leader of the Cheonma Sect as a porter and ignored her, so even if she were killed, he would have nothing to say.
Furthermore, since they had met three times in the cave, his rudeness must have been more than a single instance.

“What are you doing? Don’t apologize!”

At Jongbaek’s thunderous shout, Chuyeon fell to the ground.

“I have committed a sin worthy of death by not meeting the noble one!”

Chuyeon had been watching Jongbaek since he was little. He had always treated her with the utmost affection and care. This was the first time she had seen him this angry.

Jongbaek politely asked Geommugeuk.

“Please have mercy on me, it was a mistake made by a child who was not careful.”

He worried that if she wanted Chuyeon’s arm instead of his own, he would do it.
If the Sogyoju wanted to punish her, he would sacrifice his life to prevent it. If he couldn’t protect the woman he’d been watching since childhood, he wouldn’t have the face to face the Biryongbangju.

Geommugeuk walked over to Chuyeon and helped her up.

“It’s only natural that you don’t know since I didn’t tell you.”

She was taken aback by the gentle treatment from the swordsman. She expected him to scold her for not recognizing her.

“Remember? We said we’d meet again alive the fourth time.”
“Of course.”

The sword dance conveyed what it wanted to say to the very frightened woman.

“But it’s not the fourth four that are important, it’s those four.”

The sword dance drama’s gaze turned to the ten dragon warriors standing behind them. Of the ten, only four survived.

It meant that it wasn’t important to meet the person in front of him for the fourth time, but that the fact that only four of his subordinates were left was more serious and important.

It meant she shouldn’t be greedy for Jang Bo-do until all her subordinates were dead.
Perhaps even now, Jang Bo-do’s deaths occupied a greater place in her heart than her subordinates’.

“If you don’t understand the difference, you’ll never meet the fifth one alive.”
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Although he answered well, Chuyeon didn’t understand what Geommugeuk meant. What exactly was the importance of the four?

Geommugeuk looked at Jongbaek and said.

“Now do you know what to do with that arm?”

Instead of cutting off his arm, he meant to hold the whip with that hand and properly teach this reckless, arrogant man a lesson.
Jongbaek, realizing the meaning of the sword dance, let out a long sigh.

“I’ve been using the excuse that my life is too busy to pay attention to the most important thing in my room.”

Instead of focusing on the busy Ark, I should have at least paid attention to myself.
The problem was that I only saw her as cute and cuddly. I assumed she would act the same way outside because of the polite way she treated me.

“I will teach you well.”

Chuyeon’s life, with her head bowed, will become much more difficult from now on.

‘For the sake of your life, be patient and work hard, you reckless young lady.’

The sword dance turned back to Jongbaek. Jongbaek felt inwardly nervous.

This time, it would be a real demand. Jongbaek was even more nervous. He’d expected them to demand something bigger under the pretext of forgiving Chuyeon.

The second request was also completely unexpected.

“Convince Biryongbangju not to interfere with this matter any further. At the very least, he must not meet me again regarding Jang Bodo.”

Geommugeuk spoke forcefully, deliberately. For the sake of Biryongbang, he must not interfere in this matter.
Jongbaek didn’t hesitate in his answer.

“I will keep that in mind. This old man will take responsibility and follow your instructions.”
“Thank you, Elder Jong.”

Jongbaek asked cautiously.

“Is that all you have to say?”
“Yes, you only have two arms, don’t you?”

Even without saying anything, it was natural for Biryongbang to step down. With such entanglement with the Demonic Cult’s leader, how could he continue to seek Jang Bo-do?

Seeing Geommugeuk’s polite greeting, Jongbaek finally understood. Both requests were for the sake of Biryongbang.
He didn’t need to do this.

‘Even if the leader of the cult comes alone, the room will be completely destroyed.’

He’s the kind of person who can beat Chuyeon to death and threaten to kill anyone who interferes with him.

Jongbaek’s gaze turned to the Ilhwa Sword Master standing beside him. He had changed significantly since they’d last met. And the change wasn’t limited to his appearance.

‘I’ve become stronger! Incomparably stronger than before.’

I couldn’t stand up to him before, but now I felt uncomfortable even standing face to face with him.

Finally, Jongbaek’s gaze turned to Hyeolcheon Doma, who still had his back turned. The long sword on his back was wrapped in cloth.
He hadn’t turned around, but now he knew who he was.

‘Blood chopping board!’

If it was the Bloody Sword in the rumors, it would have come out and swept it all away already.

‘The Heavenly Demon Church has changed!’

Jongbaek silently bowed to the Blood Heavenly Demon and offered a round of applause. He wasn’t bowing his head in fear, as if he were a demonic cult member.
He was expressing sincere gratitude for the mercy bestowed upon him by the two demon lords and the Sword Dance Theater.

“Thank you so much for your mercy.”
“Thank you so much for accepting my wishes so readily.”

The sword dance also respectfully gave him a congratulatory gift, thereby establishing his prestige in front of his subordinates.

Jongbaek left with Chuyeon and his men.
Chuyeon glanced at the sword dance, then bowed her head and left.
There will come a time when she grows older and recalls this day. I only hope she lives a life where today remains an embarrassing memory.

Meanwhile, the lake where the sun was setting became dark.

“Let’s stay here for a day today.”

Geommugeuk drove his carriage to a field near the lake.
After letting the horses rest, he lit a bonfire.
The two demons went with him to catch something for dinner. Geommugeuk expertly prepared it and presented it as a delicious meal.

Taesu had previously avoided eating the food beforehand, but this time he silently ate everything Geommugeuk had provided. He now knew he wasn’t the type to poison or mix confession powder into his food.

After dinner, the two Amazons went for a walk by the lake, and they were left alone there.

“That thing you refused to eat last time was really a case of Jong-Yu Seon-Tae.”
“I know.”

That thought occurred to me while I was eating a little while ago. If it were these people, it must have been true.

“If you had said you wanted to eat it, would you really have given it to me?”
“I would have given you some of mine.”

Instead of thinking, “He would never have given it to me,” he wondered, “Did he really give it to me?”
Taesu soon scolded himself.
“Why would you give something so precious? Don’t get me wrong!” To that person.

“Why don’t you ask? What are your identities?”

Taesu answered the question of the sword dance while looking at the blazing fire.

“I’m not curious.”

I was curious. I was quite surprised to see the elder of Biryongbang so frightened.
At first, I suspected they were from Biryongbang. Could it be they were on the same side, plotting to scare me?

But soon I realized that wasn’t possible. They could have just tortured him, so there was no way they’d make things so difficult.

“If I ask who you are, will you tell me?”
“No.”

Taesu raised a corner of his mouth as if he knew it would happen.

“Do you know why I can’t tell you?”
“What is it?”
“Your speech has changed.”
“!”

Hearing this, it was true.
Before meeting Elder Jong of Biryongbang, he had been saying things like, “This is it, that is it,” but now he was speaking to him in a very polite tone.

“I… didn’t feel it.”
“You don’t have to feel that, but you should know this. If you knew I belonged to a powerful and famous family, you’d give up on stealing my heart.”
“Why do you think so?”
“The scenery next to me is so beautiful, and I’m the type of person who can’t even utter a single word. You have such a strong sense of pride.”

Taesu couldn’t refute that statement.

“Self-esteem is important. But remember this: if your pride is too high, you’ll eventually be defeated by those below you.”

The reason those words stabbed his heart was because he knew he was not the kind of person who could protect even that little bit of pride until the end.

Taesu, who was staring at the quietly flickering bonfire, asked Geommugeuk.

“You could have gotten whatever you wanted out of me, whether through threats or torture. Why are you giving me this opportunity?”

Then an unexpected answer came out.

“I once owed a favor to a thief.”

Who the hell is this guy? Who the hell does he owe anything to? It doesn’t seem like that’s the case.

“Who is that?”

He knew the genealogies of most of the thieves in the Central Plains. He could tell who they were just by their names, but he didn’t tell them about the sword dance.

“Then please answer this. Why do you want to pay me back when I’m not even a party to the matter?”

Geommugeuk lay down on his bed and looked up at the stars in the night sky.

“I don’t think I’ll ever meet a thief with such a deep connection again in my life. Just take it! I told you, didn’t I? You used up all your gambling luck on me. Then you should get something out of it.”

Taesu stared silently at the sword dance, then back at the bonfire, then at the night sky where tiny sparks were flying.
After a long moment of deep thought, Taesu suddenly brought up an old story.

“Forty years ago, a map of Jangbo was published.”

Geommu-geuk turned his head to look at him while lying down. Taesu continued speaking from across the campfire.

“The martial arts world was turned upside down by rumors that a map containing the location of a tomb filled with treasures that could be bought for generations was inscribed on it. However, whose tomb it was was never revealed.”
“Like now?”
“Yes, like now.”

As always, the history of the martial arts world was repeating itself.

“That tomb is right here in Geomchong. Back then, peerless masters went in there, and not a single one came out alive. What if I could just forgo all the treasures there and obtain the weapons and equipment of those masters? What if there were even secrets of martial arts? That alone would be worth risking my life for.”

And from Taesu’s mouth came out a fact that even Geommugeuk didn’t know about.

“Do you know whose grave that is in the first place?”

As Geommugeuk shook his head, Taesu mentioned someone. It was a fact unknown to the world.

“I am the evil one sword, Zhu Jia Shen.”

The Lord of the Apostles’ Sword.
He was the leader of the Apostles’ Alliance and the greatest swordsman of the Sapa three hundred years ago.

“The sword is his grave.”

The lying Geommugeuk sat up.

“Why are you telling me this?”
“Why did you tell me that I owed money to a thief?”

Silence flowed, and their gazes briefly tangled in the air.
Taesu had revealed his secret because he had made up his mind.

“I don’t care who you are. I’ll steal your heart and survive on my way to the sword. Not only will I save your life, but I’ll also get the treasure I desire there. I’ll challenge you to a fight.”

So I’ll show my father that I survived by stealing the heart of a truly great man.

“The sword is in Zhejiang Province.”

Bloody Cheon Do-ma and Ilhwa Geom-jon, who were returning from their walk, also heard his words.

“I will let you know the detailed location when I arrive.”

Knowing that Taesu’s words were not a lie, Geommu-geuk spoke to the two demons.

“Starting tomorrow, we will go to Zhejiang Province.”

When the destination was decided, Hyeolcheon Doma felt a sense of regret.

‘What’s so urgent!’

I could have spoken a little slower. I could have wandered a little further, following the path my feet had taken.
But who would have caught me and left me speechless?

Yes, who doesn’t know the regretful feelings of the Bloodthirsty Demon?

“I have to give this guy a chance, so I’ll go slowly!”