Absolute Regression - Chapter 390



Only Noblemtl

Episode 390: What is needed for peace in the martial arts world now?

The reason Baekjagang sent the mushroom dish to Bisain was purely to show it to Jinpaecheon.

I even know my students’ favorite dishes.

But Jinpaecheon already knew what dish his grandson liked.

‘Well, since he’s your grandson, you must have eaten together often.’

In fact, Baek Ja-gang was enjoying this situation. He really didn’t expect today’s meeting to turn out like this.

Jin Pae-cheon bragging about his grandson as if letting go of what had been building up was unexpected, and the new side of Geom Woo-jin, who was expected to only show coldness and ruthlessness, was also interesting.

Is it really true that blood is thicker than water? The unexpected actions of Geom Woo-jin were somewhat similar to the absurdity of Geommu-geuk.

If you think about it the other way around, it could mean that the cold and cynical personality of Geom Woo-jin could also be present in the blood of Geommugeuk.

Anyway, today I definitely knew where the magic of the sword dance was headed.

His magic was not a response to the question, “What is your magic?” with a simple “Isn’t this a plausible answer?” The leader of the magic cult was walking a firm path. Perhaps even more so than the older members of their own group.

Baekjagang’s gaze turned to Geomwoojin.

‘Your son’s magic is not your magic.’

The paths of the two people were not just slightly different. They were paths in opposite directions.

‘What are your plans for the future?’

No answer could be found in the cold gaze of Geum Woo-jin.

Anyway, Jinpaecheon must be having the same worries.

‘What do you think of these rich people?’

But now Jinpaecheon was concentrating on something else.

“The Sword Master.”

Jinpaecheon looked at Geomwoojin for a moment.

“Would you like a drink from me?”

Jin Pae-cheon was deeply moved by Jo Chun-bae’s words. Geommu-geuk had accomplished something that even the swordsmen of the Jeongpa could not easily accomplish. This was something that should have happened in the tavern in front of the Murim Alliance, not in the tavern in front of the Demonic Cult.

From the perspective of the leader of the martial arts world, how could he not be happy if the next leader was someone like that?

So I wanted to give him a drink to raise the Black Magical Sword. I had no other intention. I still hate the Demonic Cult and I still hate the leader of the Demonic Cult.

It was something I said with great determination, but it seems that even Geum Woo-jin doesn’t like it.

“I don’t like it.”

Geum Woo-jin didn’t reveal the reason why he didn’t like it.

“You can accept the bar owner’s drink, but not mine?”

Geum Woo-jin still didn’t answer and filled his own glass.

Jinpaecheon could guess the reason.

‘I don’t want to be close to you. Because you’re someone I’m going to kill someday.’

The ambition to unite the martial arts world that could be felt in Geum Woo-jin’s eyes was still there.

Even if we laugh face to face, even if we drink together, even if we brag about our children and get caught up in a heated competition, even if we flaunt ten side dishes.

The fact that you become an enemy the moment you leave the tavern will never change. Elegance is nothing but an illusion.

Jinpaecheon also filled his own glass and drank the wine alone.

‘Then what are you going to do? Are you going to go down that path, even blocking your son’s path?’

Jinpaecheon looked at Baekjagang this time.

Baek Ja-gang was lost in thought, fiddling with his glass.

There is not one enemy.

You shouldn’t look down on those small eyes. If you’re distracted by Cheonma, you might end up losing your head at the hands of Baekjagang. He has that much skill and ambition.

Just by looking at that black uniform, you can tell how quickly and decisively he will move when the time comes.

There is a joke that if the three leaders of the time were born in different eras, there would have been three wars. When the famous martial artists joke about his tyrannical nature, they always bring up this story.

‘You want me to go fishing and hunting with my grandchildren, leaving them behind?’

Suddenly, a scene of Jinpaecheon standing there with a fishing rod in his hand, blankly staring at the burning Murim Alliance came to mind.

‘These are people you can’t trust.’

Jinpaecheon turned his head and looked at the person who had made today’s event possible.

‘Can you walk that path without being eaten by your father?’

Unlike the heavy atmosphere of the adults, the atmosphere of the young people here was bright.

Of course, the one who set the mood was Geommugeuk.

“Okay, let me introduce you to the new face first. This is my older brother who lost the battle for succession and is eyeing my position.”

In the past, he would have made a sharp rebuttal, but now, Geommuyang could only laugh in vain.

“It’s a sword dance.”

He greeted me bluntly. I know the sword dance. Given his personality, he is doing everything he can just to be here.

Jin Ha-ryeong heard a lot about Geommuyang from his older brother.

There was a time when everyone in the martial arts world believed that this person would be the successor.

Then I heard the news that the fight for the successor to the Demonic Cult ended without a single drop of blood being shed.

At first, it was really hard to believe. Later, after I learned about the sword dance properly, I thought that it could be true, but how could it be done by just one person? This sword dance must have been possible because he was a great person.

Jin Ha-ryeong, who was looking at Geommuyang, turned his gaze to Geommu-geuk, who was sitting next to him.

‘How can we be so different even though we are brothers?’

It seems that her thoughts were conveyed to Geommugeuk.

“How do you feel about our brother?”

It was probably a question meant to be flustering, but Jin Ha-ryeong accepted it calmly.

“I feel a sense of kinship.”

“What kind of affinity?”

“It’s similar to my situation. I ended up being eliminated by my successor, a miserable fate.”

The ending of the nursery was given to Geommuyang.

“My life is at stake.”

I wondered if it was okay to do this to the Demonic Cult Grand Prince I was meeting for the first time, but the power of the Sword Dance Theater was indeed great. With him by my side, I couldn’t help but say these jokes.

Fortunately, Geommuyang didn’t seem to be in a bad mood.

Geommuyang recalled the past.

When Geommugeuk became the successor, I remember the moment he asked when I would kill him.

That’s why her joke hit home. The feelings of someone who goes with a successor are something that only someone who hasn’t experienced it can understand.

“Would you like a drink?”

It was unexpected. He offered her a drink. She readily accepted.

“Okay. Let’s have a drink together since we share the same pain.”

The blacksmith filled her glass with alcohol.

Jin Ha-gun, who had been watching, said.

“Didn’t you hear what Grandpa said earlier? Who would dare touch the most beautiful granddaughter in the world, whom you wouldn’t mind putting in your eyes?”

Jin Ha-ryeong, who had received the alcohol, poured the alcohol for Geommuyang and asked.

“What if the leader orders me to be killed?”

Geommuyang drank his alcohol without answering.

Jin Ha-ryeong spoke to Jin Ha-gun with a look on his face.

“At least it wasn’t something I could be confident about in this situation.”

Jin Ha-ryeong also emptied his glass.

She felt so refreshed by this place. Joking and drinking with two people she would never have met in her life if it weren’t for the sword dance?

Jin Ha-gun stared blankly at Geommu-yang. To be honest, he felt bad. He should have at least said, ‘How could I kill someone so precious?’ It was a joke about his younger brother, and it was a joke that put his life at stake, so he was nervous for no reason.

At that time, Geommugeuk poured Jin Ha-gun a drink and said.

“Understand. My brother is originally blunt. He’s a lot like you.”

You say I look like you? Where on earth did you look?

Now that I think about it, I don’t think I would have said anything if I had been in the same situation.

This time, Geommugeuk filled the glass of Bisain. Geommugeuk’s hands and mouth are busy taking care of people.

“I like that you’re not blunt.”

“You are the first one to tell me that I am not blunt.”

Well, that wasn’t the only thing I heard for the first time.

―Anyone who knows how to read a person’s face will know how handsome the face is under the scar.

I even heard people say I was handsome.

“Little leader.”

“Why are you like that?”

Visain asked with a serious look in his eyes.

“Why did you bring us together in one place?”

The four people’s gazes turned towards the sword dance.

“What’s with those eyes? You must have some kind of hidden, grand intention or plan, right? No. We just started meeting to loosen up because everyone else seemed too tense. But things have gotten this big.”

“So how are we going to end this meeting?”

“Why don’t we just have fun and then go back? Given the personalities of those three, if one of them suddenly gets up and says, “Let’s go now,” then it’ll be over.”

To everyone who was dumbfounded, Geommugeuk said:

“I hope the three of you can take a break and joke around a bit today. I think that’s the most meaningful thing about this meeting. You’ve never had fun before. You probably don’t even know how to have fun.”

In fact, that was the same for Geommu-geuk himself. Even though he knows that life is about running towards one path all his life, does he really know what it means to take care of himself and play for himself?

Jin Ha-ryeong looked back at the leader and the leader of the group. They were not even talking to each other, but were each drinking their drinks while lost in their own thoughts. No matter how much they whispered, they would probably hear everything they said.

And then this thought occurred to me. Maybe, as the Sword Dance Theater says, just having three people rest for a moment might be more difficult than making a plan for peace in the martial arts world. And it might even produce better results than that grand plan.

It was just then.

Sling.

The sound of a sword being half-drawn was heard from downstairs. The sound brought silence to the place in an instant.

Geum Woo-jin drank quietly, Jin Pae-cheon looked slightly worried, and Baek Ja-gang smiled faintly.

Just as Geommugeuk was about to get up from his seat, he had to stop the fight before it got any worse.

Geommuyang stood up first, grabbing Geommugeuk’s shoulder to stop him. It was his intention to take care of it.

Geommugeuk looked at his brother with a surprised face at the unexpected sight.

Not only the other people present, but also Geom Woo-jin and the two leaders looked at Geom Mu-yang.

The black sheep walked to the railing, looked down, and introduced himself politely.

“I am the Grand Duke of Cheonmasingyo, Geommuyang.”

There were curious looks on his face as he stepped forward, rather than the sword dance.

The one who pulled out his sword halfway was Taeeulsingeom. The battle of wits with Ilhwageomjon was ongoing, but she was not afraid of his gaze, which was annoying the whole time. However, his pride was hurt so much that he could not turn his gaze away.

First, he lost the battle of composure, and warned that if he didn’t avoid eye contact like that until the end, he might draw his sword.

Geommuyang spoke to everyone without specifically mentioning Taeeulshin Sword.

“I know very well who the people here are. I also know that if it weren’t for the leader and the leaders, they wouldn’t be standing there.”

You brought up the subject so nicely.

“You know how difficult it was to make this meeting happen today. My brother is the one who made the impossible happen. That’s why I want to give him a day off today. I don’t want to have to step in and stop a fight from breaking out here. I’ll give him a day off today.”

Geom Woo-jin listened to his son’s words silently and poured his wine. Jin Pae-cheon and Baek Ja-gang also listened to Geom Mu-yang’s words quietly.

Taeeulshin Sword, which had its sword half-drawn, looked up at Geommuyang with a cold gaze.

Looking at him, Geommuyang said. His extremely polite tone changed to a provocative and intense tone.

“How far can you go?”

I said, “You” not “You”. I didn’t say it targeting Taeeulsingeom alone. If I provoked him in front of everyone, Taeeulsingeom would have no choice but to make things worse out of pride.

“I can go far. You may wonder what I’m saying when I’m not even the successor, but since I’m not the successor… … I can go all the way.”

It was the will of the black magician that was like a threat that he would go all the way if anyone messed with him.

“So you too can rest today. Didn’t you fight tirelessly your whole life to get to that position?”

He added one last thing as he was about to turn around.

“You must have seen my brother calling the tavern owner his magician. Yes, he is crazy. I am the crazy brother. So, if you don’t plan on finishing with crazy people, don’t touch me today.”

The tavern was quiet.

An even brighter light flowed out from Mabul’s body. Mabul was smiling proudly. He felt that his time spent for the Grand Duke was not in vain.

Hyeolcheon Doma strode forward and sat down at the table as he spoke.

“Master, bring me some alcohol.”

He sat with his back to the sect masters. It was a display of confidence that said, “If you want to attack me, attack me,” and it was also a determination not to drink while looking at the faces of the sect masters. This was the kind of person Hyeoncheon Doma was originally.

As soon as Bloodthirsty Demon sat down, the demon lords also took their places in that seat and the seats next to him.

Crunch.

The Taeeulsingeom sword that was half-pulled out went back into its scabbard. I had no intention of pulling it out, but how could I pull it out when the demonic cult was like that?

Unable to resist the momentum, the masters of the Jeongpa and Sapa sat down in nearby seats from where they had been standing. Some confidently turned their backs, while others continued to stand and look at their opponents.

‘All that’s needed for peace in the martial arts world now is delicious alcohol and food!’

With this in mind, Jo Chun-bae brought the alcohol and snacks he had diligently prepared. Yes, since he was standing in the tavern without drinking, a fight was bound to break out.

As Geommuyang returned to his seat, he struck Geommu-geuk.

“Don’t say anything!”

“Do you know what I’m going to say?”

“Don’t say anything!”

How much must he have suffered to be like that? I know how you feel, Bisain nodded and raised his glass. Jin Hagun and Jin Ha-ryeong’s glasses clinked vigorously. It was a toast of sympathy.

“Good, thanks to my brother, I can rest like this. If I had gone to stop him, there would have been an accident. I was just getting upset for no reason. The leader and the leader are still here, so who are you to pull out your sword on a day like today? Come up here. Then, the one next to me… … .”

Geommuyang offered Geommugeuk a glass and told him to drink.

“Shut up.”

Although he said it coldly, how could he not know the heart of his brother who was doing it for him? How much courage he must have had to muster when he stepped forward a little while ago.

Geommugeuk relaxed his posture and leaned back comfortably on his chair, stretching out both legs.

“Okay, let’s take a break.”

It was comfortable. At this moment, I felt as comfortable as lying on the beach within the space-time transfer technique. No, maybe even more comfortable than that.

Jin Ha-ryeong looked at him with his eyes closed, smiling brightly, and for some reason, he suddenly felt that he looked lonely. However, that thought only lasted for a moment.

The bowl of duck dish that had been placed in front of Jin Ha-gun began to move slowly on its own across the table.

While everyone was watching, the duck dish went in front of Geommuyang.

“If you want to eat it, just let me know.”

Geommuyang was embarrassed by Jinharyeong’s words.

“No! I didn’t do it.”

“Of course not!”

Everyone’s eyes were simultaneously turned to the sword dance.

At the pouring gaze, Geommugeuk opened one eye slightly and smiled.

“My brother likes duck too.”