Absolute Regression

Seo Daeryong was startled by the words “Body immune to all poisons.”

When one becomes immune to all poisons, no poison in the world can harm them. It means that he cannot be killed by poison. Poison was the thing to be most wary of in the martial world, and with this, the greatest weakness would be eliminated.

“You’re saying you achieved that so easily?”

“Your master might have achieved it easily, but it was a long and arduous journey for me to get to this point.”

Seo Daeryong was once again impressed by Geom Mugeuk. How could he explain the destiny of obtaining a body immune to all poisons, after bringing him here for treatment?

“Jealous?”

“Not at all.”

“Why not? You look like a greedy person.”

“This greedy person is greedy with restraint. I believe each person has a vessel size that can contain their given destiny. My destiny’s vessel is only big enough for me to pour everything I have into winning the Soaring Dragon Tournament. And it grew tremendously after meeting the leader. Before, it was barely the size of a soy sauce dish.” 1

Recalling the dark and gloomy days filled with a desire for revenge for the senior from the Underworld Pavilion and resentment towards the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, he thought even the soy sauce dish seemed large.

“I’ve seen the size of the leader’s destiny vessel many times. I’m seeing it now as well. Rather than feeling envious, I’m grateful. It’s one more story to tell my grandchildren when I sit them on my lap someday.”

“Then why do you look so uneasy?”

“I’m wondering what kind of destiny will unfold that leads him down such a path. Since I’m unwittingly his right-hand man, I can’t avoid that destiny either.” 2

“If you think your vessel is about to break, you can always run.”

“Even if everyone else runs, I can’t. He carried me all the way here without resting for a single moment, and used fifty thousand nyang for my sake, so I’m completely ruined now. Since I can’t run away anyway, is there another great technique to make him stronger? Please make him even stronger.”

“All the precious ingredients I’ve saved up are in there. Even if I wanted to, I can’t do anything more.”

Insect Doctor massaged her shoulder as if another wave of pain hit her.

Seo Daeryong massaged her shoulder as well.

“What? You make someone else immune to all poisons but can’t even fix your own aching shoulder?”

Insect Doctor responded with a bitter smile.

“That’s how life is. You think you’ll be any different, you fool? Ah, to the side. A little more to the right. Yes, there. Ah, that feels good.”

Geom Mugeuk remained submerged in the vat for two more days from that day.

Insect Doctor continued to add various ingredients to the vat, and the smell grew increasingly foul.

And when the final ingredient was added, something amazing happened.

The foul stench that filled the tub started to give off a fragrant smell.

It was like a miracle. But it wasn’t that the final ingredient had a scent that could completely erase the stench.

It felt like the strong smells kept combining, over and over, and when the last one was added, it transformed into something entirely new. 3

Seo Daeryong carefully touched the tub and sincerely wished in his heart.

‘Please, Pavilion Leader, stay strong!’

* * *

At first, it really felt like I was going to die.

I would rather have been thrown into the filthiest, most foul-smelling place in the world than step into this tub. Oh, but that’s not possible. The filthiest place in the world would be this very tub.

“Take this medicine before you go in.”

“What kind of medicine is it?”

“It’s a medicine that will kill you for two days. If you’re scared, you can still back out now.” 4

“Back out? This is a welcome medicine. There’s no way I could enter that place alive.”

Without hesitation, I took the medicine the Insect Doctor gave me.

After swallowing it, I closed my eyes for a moment and opened them again, finding myself lying on a bed.

Only then did I realize that two days had passed. I didn’t dream, nor did I have any memories of those days. It seems I really did die and come back to life.

When I opened my eyes, Seo Daeryong was looking down at me. He stared at me quietly before speaking with a serious expression.

“After much consideration, I’ve decided not to repay the five hundred thousand nyang.”

Only Seo Daeryong could make me laugh the moment I woke up.

“I don’t recall ever lending you five hundred thousand nyang?”

At that moment, Insect Doctor entered the room and said,

“Leave that whiner who overthinks everything here. I need to take him as my disciple.”

Seo Daeryong recoiled in shock, stepping back.

“I’d like that too, but I have a big task ahead.”

“You can come back after finishing it. How about it?”

“Sorry, but I already have a master. And he’s the scariest person in the world.”

“You’re not scared of bugs?”

“Well, bugs are scary too.”

I could sense the truth hidden in Insect Doctor’s playful tone.

Seo Daeryong gave me a look, as if asking why I wasn’t stopping this.

Of course, I didn’t stop it.

“Starting a new life doesn’t sound so bad, does it?”

“You’re trying to cut off your right arm the moment I open my eyes. That right arm can’t be cut off. When you pay five hundred thousand nyang, this arm turns into Millennial Cold Iron.”

I said to the Insect Doctor with a smile.

“When this Millennial Cold Iron rusts and falls apart, I’ll contact you.”

Seo Daeryong thought that it might not work out for him, but if I found someone suitable, I would definitely recommend them to be Insect Doctor’s disciple. 5

“Step outside for a moment.”

“Yes.”

Insect Doctor sent Seo Daeryong outside.

“You can get up now.”

I got up from the bed. Even though I had been unconscious for two days, my body felt light. The power of this profound medical skill was truly remarkable.

“I smell good.”

“It’ll last for a few days.”

“I wish this scent would stay forever.”

“If it did, you’d never be able to sneak around anywhere.”

“Wouldn’t it be fine to live a life where I don’t have to sneak around?”

“True. If you become a Heavenly Demon, you might be able to live such a life.”

Insect Doctor brought some liquor and poured me a drink.

“Here, have a drink from me.”

I drank the liquor she poured with a refreshing gulp. She didn’t drink herself and only kept refilling my cup. After I drank three glasses in a row, she stopped pouring more. Even though I drank the liquor, it was her who was revealing her true feelings.

“To be honest, I’ve been very tired. Both my body and mind were exhausted. Helping the orphans might have been a desperate attempt to protect myself. It was like a support that kept me from collapsing, kept me from running wild.”

I understood those words. I had similar experiences. During my wandering days, Seo Jin had protected me, and when I was gathering materials for the Great Regression Technique, my desire for revenge had served that role.

Insect Doctor continued speaking.

“When I saw you, I felt something like fate. It was a feeling I’d never experienced in my life. Ah, to be honest, it was when I realized that you had mastered the Heavenly Meridian Strengthening Technique. I thought, ‘Finally, the time has come. The indifferent heavens are finally giving me a chance.’” 6

She turned her head towards the window and looked up at the sky. My gaze naturally followed hers out the window.

“That damn sky, at least in relation to my research, has been truly wretched.”

Her gaze returned to me.

“Do you know what was in the liquor you just drank?”

“I didn’t notice anything.”

“It contained Formless Poison.”

I was startled.

Formless Poison, known as the King of Poisons, is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, and its potency is formidable. In the world of poisons, it is the unrivaled supreme, the best in the world. Naturally, it’s extremely difficult to concoct and even harder to antidote.

“I feel fine.”

“Congratulations. Now, no poison in the world will be able to kill you.”

Her words meant that the test was successful and that I had become immune to all poisons.

“Formless Poison? Wasn’t that a bit too strong for confirmation?”

“This way, there’s no need to check twice.”

Creating an immune body with her own hands and using Formless Poison for the final test was the crowning achievement of her life’s work.

I was sharing the moment when a master artisan realized a lifelong dream. I could feel all of her emotions—joy, relief, mixed feelings, and a touch of regret. Maybe, someday, when I kill Hwa Moogi, I’ll feel the same way.

I bowed deeply to her.

“Thank you.”

“I should be thanking you. This has been my life’s wish. Now, I don’t have to scour the world for poisonous insects anymore.”

Her current ailment was also a result of searching for poisonous insects.

I approached her and started to massage her shoulders.

“Oh, that feels good.”

“Now that I think about it, I’ve never even massaged my father’s shoulders.”

“What an ungrateful child.”

“You wouldn’t know this, but my father is someone I’d have to risk my life just to give a shoulder massage.” 7

Insect Doctor laughed as if she found that amusing.

While massaging her shoulders from behind, I noticed that she seemed weaker than when we first met. It was like she had reached her peak and was now beginning to decline.

“What will you live for now?”

“Live for what? I’ll just take it easy.”

“That won’t do.”

“It won’t?”

Someone who had dedicated herself so passionately to something would start to lose herself rapidly the moment she stopped working. She would begin to get even sicker.

For people like her, the moment they quit their job, they start to age.

“You should continue researching and developing something new for the martial world. And then, give it to me.”

“The real greedy one is right here.”

I moved to the front and grabbed Insect Doctor’s wrist, as if I were taking her pulse. She stared at me intently.

After pretending to check her pulse, I told her,

“You have a body that can live comfortably for another fifty years. Keep working!”

She gave me a look that showed she understood why I was saying this.

“Ah, you fool. You’re telling me to live another fifty years even though I’m already saying I’m in pain? Don’t curse me like that.”

“I’ll come back to see you again and make sure to heal you.”

“Thanks, even if it’s just an empty promise.” 8

“I’m the one who should be thanking you for the rest of my life. Thanks to you, Elder, I’ll never have to worry about poison again.”

“It was something that could have succeeded or failed. But you bravely risked your life. Consider it a reward for that courage.”

“I’ll repay this kindness over and over in the future. If you ever need my help, just send word to the Swallow Tail Inn in the Central Plains, and I’ll be sure to come see you.”

“Alright.”

We stepped outside together.

Seo Daeryong greeted us with a joyful expression.

“Congratulations to both of you.”

Just as we were finishing our goodbyes and getting ready to leave, Insect Doctor offered us a poisonous insect.

“Have one of these before you go! They’re tasty.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t like bugs either.”

I ran first, and Seo Daeryong chased after me.

As she watched us run off into the distance, Insect Doctor looked up at the sky.

“I’ve fulfilled my duty as a physician.”

She stood there for a moment, gazing at the sky, then habitually rubbed her shoulder as she headed back inside.

“Oh dear, my arm.”

* * *

I carried Seo Daeryong on my back and sprinted with the Star Light Step.

Seo Daeryong was less worn out than on the way there. He had already experienced this once, and his internal energy had increased, too.

Even as he was being carried, he worried about everything.

“Do you think I can win? Who will my opponent be? What if we get there late and I’m disqualified? Or what if, like in my dreams, I die in the final four rounds?”

“Stop with the useless worrying!”

“It’s my way of coping. I keep imagining the worst possible scenarios to take the edge off so that they don’t actually happen in reality.”

“And has it worked?”

“I don’t know. Those worst-case scenarios haven’t happened yet.”

“That’s why it’s called useless worrying!”

We barely made it back in time, only to find ourselves facing a completely unexpected situation.

“What?”

Seo Daeryong stared in surprise at the bulletin of the Martial Alliance. It was a notice about the current Soaring Dragon Tournament.

“I made it to the finals?”

An incident had occurred in the quarterfinals of the match after Seo Daeryong’s group.

In the match, one side suffered a serious injury, and it was revealed that the opponent had acted deliberately. As a result, Seo Daeryong’s opponent in the semifinals was disqualified, and he advanced to the finals automatically.

“Didn’t I tell you your dreams were the opposite? I said all that worrying was pointless, didn’t I?”

Even as I spoke, Seo Daeryong couldn’t take his eyes off the notice on the wall.

“Um… Is it really okay for me to make it to the finals like this?”

“You didn’t use any tricks, and you didn’t break any rules. What’s stopping you? It’s often said that neither talent nor hard work can beat someone with good luck.”

“I’ve never been a lucky person.”

“Luck changes as you live.” 9

Seo Daeryong turned to look at me, his eyes filled with emotion. His gaze said it all: This luck, it’s all thanks to you.

“When I decided to participate in the Soaring Dragon Tournament, I wanted to win and be of help to the Pavilion Lord. Now, there’s just one step left.”

“It’s that last step that’s the problem.”

An opponent who wouldn’t be swayed by luck had made it to the finals. Without any unexpected events, Jin Haryeong, the granddaughter of the Martial Alliance Leader, had advanced to the final round.

Thus, the upcoming finals would be a showdown between Seo Daeryong, the embodiment of surprises, and Jin Haryeong, the unchanging favorite to win.

“What should I do? I’m so nervous I don’t think I can even draw my blade.”

“You may not be able to draw your blade, but you can read, can’t you?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

I pulled a small silk pouch from my robe. It was the strategy pouch that Blood Heaven Blade Demon had given to Seo Daeryong.

“It means it’s finally time to use this.”

---

1 : You are wise, much wiser than Nezu. He too had too small of a vessel, but he was much greedier than you, and his nefarious cupidity created dramatic consequences for Neo-Tokyo (Akira, manga version)

2 : Perceptive. The winds of change are blowing, will this little butterfly become strong enough to obliterate the dark fate eclipsing the sun ?

3 : Poison to counteract poison, a Gu jar becoming an elixir.

4 : I see, letting him soak for 2 days to let the poisons deeply infiltrate the organs, without damaging them.

5 : Maybe Lee Ahn ? No, she’ll be too busy with the Haunted Shade Corps…. Probably a future character.

6 : Poor old man Heavens is overworked.

7 : It’s already hard enough to have a peaceful meal with him XDXDXD

8 : I’m half sure it’s not an empty promise ^^

9 : Especially by interacting with this fate breaker.

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