Absolute Regression Chapter 423 : Now I’ll Need Something Even Stronger To Drink

Chapter 423: Now I’ll Need Sothing Even Stronger To Drink

Yang Seok stared blankly at the head of Ha Gyeol rolling across the ground.

He couldn’t believe that man had been such a formidable master. And the fact that Geom Mugeuk had treated that formidable master as a re sparring partner—and then killed him—his strength was enough to inspire not just astonishnt but awe.

In truth, Yang Seok hadn’t even been able to properly witness the clash between the two. It had all been flashes and crashes—and by the ti he registered what was happening, the fight was already over.

The only thing he’d clearly seen was that one final move Geom Mugeuk had shown.

‘What in the world was that demon?’

He had known the martial arts of the demonic cult were terrifying, but he hadn’t expected a demon to manifest for real. When it appeared, he was so shocked and terrified he couldn’t even scream.

Yang Seok cautiously glanced at Geom Mugeuk. The sa man who had, just earlier, insisted they drink together through the night—he now seed like an entirely different person.

Even now, as he silently stared up at the sky, Geom Mugeuk felt like soone else altogether.

That look—like he was contemplating whether or not to kill him—filled Yang Seok with fear.

‘Even if I have to drop to my knees and beg, I need to survive first.’

Trying to sneak away the Extre Cold Constitution without informing Geom Mugeuk was undeniably a cri worthy of death.

‘If I’d succeeded, the Extre Cold Constitution would’ve beco my hidden trump card.’

Yang Seok was filled with deep regret. He had lost a card that could’ve been used to negotiate with both his father and Geom Mugeuk. It was like losing an extra life.

“Young Master Yang.”

“Yes, Young Cult Leader.”

Yang Seok’s voice trembled as he answered. ‘Please don’t say it. Please don’t say I have to die too!’

“Now, the task of uncovering who’s behind this falls to you.”

Yang Seok let out a breath of relief. But the mont he realized he’d survived, his body started trembling even more.

“Do you know anything about who’s behind this?”

“No, I don’t.”

No. Now wasn’t the ti to lie.

“In truth, the Gate Master of our main sect is involved.”

Instead of calling him ‘father,’ he used the word ‘Gate Master.’

“I only learned of it recently.”

It beca clear to Geom Mugeuk that Yang Seok had misunderstood things. And from that, he could also infer sothing else—that Yang Seok wanted to kill his father. That was the only reason he would say such things so easily.

“That person’s backer isn’t your father.”

“He’s not?”

Geom Mugeuk firmly shook his head and said,

“But your father probably knows who Ha Gyeol served.”

Of course. Now that he thought about it, that terrifying Blood Technique Ha Gyeol had shown earlier seed, if anything, stronger than his father’s. Certainly not weaker.

Only now did Yang Seok understand the relationship between his father and Ha Gyeol. Why his father had treated Ha Gyeol with such caution. It wasn’t just because of Ha Gyeol’s formidable martial arts. There had been soone even stronger backing him.

‘So that’s why he tried to make Ha Gyeol his successor. He gave in to their threats.’

Yang Seok misunderstood the situation that way.

Rather than thinking Father must’ve had no choice, the thought that followed was resentnt toward his father instead.

‘He gave in to outside pressure and cut off his own children!’

He had already made up his mind—he would deal with everything using the sword nad Geom Mugeuk and take the position of Gate Master for himself. He interpreted everything in a way that justified betraying his own blood.

Moreover, when Ha Gyeol gestured earlier, his blood vessels had swelled, threatening to burst. Only today did he realize that so cursed thing had been implanted in his body.

Fury surged within Yang Seok. What rose in him was a murderous intent so intense, he wanted to kill everyone involved in this sche without leaving a single one alive.

Geom Mugeuk, seeing straight through him, stoked the conflict between father and son even further.

“Your father will soon hear that Ha Gyeol died because of you. Do you think he’ll forgive you?”

Because Yang Seok’s desperation to survive would lead him to seize any opportunity that ca his way.

“He will not forgive .”

Yang Seok wanted to object—How is it my fault?—but he didn’t dare. This wasn’t the ti to argue, but to stay in Geom Mugeuk’s good graces.

“I’ll have to find out who’s behind this, no matter what.”

“As I said earlier, the only one who can uncover that is you, Young Master Yang.”

With things having co to this, Yang Seok didn’t hesitate.

“What do I need to do?”

“et your father and find out who was behind Ha Gyeol.”

“He won’t tell .”

“Normally, no. But Ha Gyeol’s death has changed the situation. If you approach him the right way, I’m sure you can get information that’ll help us.”

“And what is the right way?”

Then ca an unexpected answer.

“Approach him with honesty.”

Having lived a life far removed from honesty, Geom Mugeuk’s words sounded completely foreign to him.

“The outco will depend on how honest you can be.”

Yang Seok was skeptical. No—he was convinced it wouldn’t work. He had never been honest in his life, and his father was soone who could see through lies better than anyone. So approaching with honesty was, ironically, already a lie.

Even so, Yang Seok didn’t voice any of that. After all, he had never been close to honest.

“I’ll give it a try!”

Right now, Yang Seok had only one wish.

‘Fine. I’ll find out sohow. Then I’ll take down both Father and the bastard behind all this. Just get the hell out of my Northern Sea!’

* * *

When Geom Mugeuk returned to the Ice Palace residence, Drunken Demon was sitting alone by the window-side table, drinking.

As if expecting Geom Mugeuk’s return, there were two cups set on the table before him.

Seeing that cup the Drunken Demon had prepared in advance, Geom Mugeuk felt his mood lift. That cup was a symbol of the Drunken Demon’s trust in him.

And the cup was now filled with liquor the Drunken Demon had poured to honor that trust.

“Did you find out who’s behind it?”

“No.”

They were people who didn’t hesitate to use the Self-Destruction Art. That ant they guarded their secrets with ruthless thoroughness.

Still, there was one strong hunch he couldn’t shake.

“I think he’s in the Northern Blood Gate.”

Trying to obtain the Extre Cold Constitution could only an they were aiming for so major technique.

If soone like Ha Gyeol, who had been acting as their limb, was there, then the Blood King must also be hiding sowhere inside the Northern Blood Gate.

“Whether he’s there or not, the Northern Blood Gate is getting cleaned out either way.”

They had lured people in with talk of constitution tests and promises of large sums of money under the guise of developing dicine.

Since most of those people didn’t have the Extre Cold Constitution, they had all t their deaths. That alone was a sin neither the Northern Blood Gate Master nor Yang Seok could ever be forgiven for.

“Right, what about the person we saved?”

The Drunken Demon had saved the person in the carriage with truly astonishing skill.

“I hid him for now in the sect’s safehouse.”

“What kind of person was he?”

“A father who volunteered to earn money for his child’s treatnt.”

By the ti Geom Mugeuk had gotten involved, the Drunken Demon had already handled everything.

“I sent word to the branch where that man lives. Told them to make sure the child gets treated before it’s too late.”

“You’re amazing, brother.”

“Amazing, my ass.”

To be honest, he only did it to look good in front of Geom Mugeuk.

The Drunken Demon knew himself well. He wasn’t the kind of man who saved others, contacted people on their behalf, or did anything noble.

Whether others lived or died—it was none of his business. He had lived his entire life drinking alone, never caring about anyone else.

But now, he found himself caring. All because he wanted to stay in Geom Mugeuk’s favor.

When he first got involved in the successor struggle, he never imagined he’d end up with this kind of bond with Geom Mugeuk.

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have even thought of contacting anyone, let alone saving that man.”

“Sa goes for . If Lee Ahn hadn’t co to find the husband of the woman who gave her water, I wouldn’t have given a damn about the Extre Cold Constitution either.”

The Drunken Demon almost asked, “And who do you think got Lee Ahn out into the martial world in the first place?”—but he stopped himself. He knew Geom Mugeuk was oddly shy about taking credit or receiving praise.

“So what now?”

“He’s lost both the Extre Cold Constitution and his subordinate.”

“He’ll co for revenge. Or disappear forever.”

No one could say which of those two paths the Blood King would choose. But the one Geom Mugeuk knew—he always repaid what was done to him.

“He’ll definitely co for blood.”

The Drunken Demon’s gaze, fixed on his own cup, grew intense.

“Now I’ll need sothing even stronger to drink.”

* * *

The Northern Blood Gate Master was in high spirits.

‘Finally. Today’s the day.’

The day had co—the day the Extre Cold Constitution would arrive. Once the Great Technique was completed using it, he would finally reveal himself to the world.

He recalled sothing Ha Gyeol had once said to him.

―Once we find the Extre Cold Constitution and complete the Great Technique, the Northern Sea Ice Palace is finished. The Ice Palace Master’s martial arts will be neutralized, and we’ll even be able to enter the Ice Palace Treasury—normally so cold that only the Ice Palace Master herself can survive inside.

If the Ice Palace disappeared from the martial world of the Northern Sea, that would an the Northern Blood Gate would beco the greatest sect in the region. That was his long-cherished wish.

‘I can’t live my whole life crushed beneath the foot of a woman.’

Amazingly, that had been in his heart since his younger days. He had lived with a constant sense of inferiority toward the Ice Palace Master.

Perhaps that was why he had accepted their offer so easily.

‘At last, today the snake’s head becos the dragon’s tail.’

He didn’t care if it was just the tail. He didn’t plan on remaining a tail forever. One day, what looked like a tail would open its jaws wide and devour the head and body alike.

For now, his top priority was using them to eliminate the Northern Sea Ice Palace. Like father, like son—both n were dreaming of killing soone with another man’s blade.

Just then, Yang Seok entered.

“I greet the Gate Master.”

“What brings you here at this hour?”

“Ha Gyeol hasn’t been seen all day, so I ca to check. I thought perhaps he might be here.”

Of course, the Northern Blood Gate Master knew exactly where Ha Gyeol had gone. He had been sent to receive the Extre Cold Constitution.

“I sent him sowhere for a bit.”

Yang Seok struggled to manage his expression. Once trust had been broken, even the smallest word grated on him.

‘So you’ve never once spoken honestly with , have you?’

And now he expected him to be honest?

‘I wonder what kind of face he’ll make when he hears that bastard’s dead.’

Once news of Ha Gyeol’s death got out, suspicion could fall on him. Everyone knew their relationship was strained.

Still, he wouldn’t be accused outright. Ha Gyeol’s martial arts were vastly superior to his. Surely you know that much, Gate Master.

“There’s sothing I’d like to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Why are you looking for the Extre Cold Constitution?”

It was such an unexpected question that the Northern Blood Gate Master looked at his son with surprise.

“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

“I think it’s ti I knew. After all, the main sect has poured years and large sums of money into this project, hasn’t it?”

The Northern Blood Gate Master silently stared at his son. Sothing about him felt... different.

“I’ll tell you when the ti is right.”

Just then, a subordinate rushed in with urgent news.

“Ergency report!”

“What is it?”

The subordinate glanced once at Yang Seok, then quickly delivered the report.

“Ha Gyeol, escort of the Young Gate Master, has been killed.”

The Northern Blood Gate Master’s eyes flared wide open.

Yang Seok had never seen his father this shocked before. Not even when his younger brother had been kidnapped had he made such a face.

In contrast, Yang Seok acted surprised.

“What on earth are you talking about?”

He had to give the performance of his life. If he slipped up here, it would be obvious he’d been involved in the incident.

“I said, report everything in detail!”

While Yang Seok shouted and flailed, the Northern Blood Gate Master said nothing. He showed no emotion outwardly, but inside him, two conflicting feelings clashed violently.

First, there was joy. Soone who could swell his blood vessels and potentially kill him—Ha Gyeol—was dead.

At the sa ti, a surge of anxiety crashed in. Ha Gyeol had been a master even he couldn’t handle.

‘Who in the world could’ve killed him?’

His death was, in effect, a direct threat to the person who had allied with him.

‘Was it the Ice Palace Master?’

The first person that ca to mind was the Ice Palace Master.

“Where and how did he die?”

“On the path leading to our main sect. His head was severed. A carriage and over a dozen other corpses were found in the area.”

The ntion of the carriage told the Northern Blood Gate Master everything he needed to know.

‘The transport was ambushed!’

He instantly realized soone had stolen the Extre Cold Constitution.

‘Whoever it was, they knew that the Extre Cold Constitution was being transferred to our side today.’

The Northern Blood Gate Master clenched his molars tightly. So much ti, money, and effort had been invested to obtain the Extre Cold Constitution. This was a disaster. Sothing that should never have happened had just occurred.

anwhile, Yang Seok issued orders to his subordinate.

“Track down the culprit! Examine the bodies and identify the cause of death as quickly as possible.”

“Yes, sir.”

Once the subordinate withdrew, Yang Seok asked,

“What exactly did you have him doing?”

The Northern Blood Gate Master didn’t answer.

‘What should I do now?’

He had two options. The first was to report this to the man in the inner chamber. He knew there was soone even Ha Gyeol had served inside that sealed room, within another hidden sealed room.

The problem was that he had never seen that person. Even Ha Gyeol had found it difficult to deal with him. And now, with the Extre Cold Constitution stolen—eting him like this? There was no telling how he would react.

The second option was to track down the Extre Cold Constitution himself. Ha Gyeol might be dead, but if he could recover the Extre Cold Constitution, the person in the secret chamber might still be satisfied. It might even turn into a blessing in disguise—if he could take over Ha Gyeol’s role, things could flip in his favor.

Yang Seok, for his part, sensed the mont was right and made his move.

“Father.”

Until now, he had always called him “Gate Master.” But now he said “Father.”

The Northern Blood Gate Master stared at Yang Seok in silence.

“I know you were planning sothing with Ha Gyeol behind my back.”

Yang Seok followed Geom Mugeuk’s advice and chose to approach the situation with honesty—or more accurately, to appear sincere.

“Please tell what it is. Let help you, Father.”

The Northern Blood Gate Master hesitated, uncertain how to respond.

And then it happened.

Grrrrrrrnnnng.

A hidden door on the wall behind the throne began to open. It was the very chamber where he had once held secret discussions with Ha Gyeol. The room that concealed yet another hidden space within.

The Northern Blood Gate Master stared at the opening door with an expression of even greater shock than when he had learned of Ha Gyeol’s death. A door that should never have opened—was opening on its own.

“Huup!”

Yang Seok grimaced and quickly clamped his mouth and nose shut with his hand.

A stench of blood—thick and vile, like nothing he had ever slled before—was seeping out through the widening crack in the door.