The Regressed Sword Demon Changes the Future

Although many of the martial arts masters gathered at the Geumjo Merchant Guild were disappointed that the pumpkin that had rolled in had disappeared in an instant…

Of course, there were those who were not.

"It's a real relief. I didn't feel good because I couldn't give any help, but seeing this, I feel that justice is still alive in the martial world."

"Aigoo~ Senior Brother! That's not it! This is a complete disgrace, a complete disgrace! I don't know who let the cat out of the bag, but the fact that all the transcendent masters who came from each sect last night tried to treat that child named Geum Hyeonah and all failed has also spread!"

Cheong Yeonah, who was frustrated by her carefree senior brother, pounded her chest.

But ignoring Cheong Yeonah, Cheongmu was smiling with a satisfied face.

When Cheongmu showed no reaction like this, Cheong Yeonah tried to elicit a response from Cheongmu's disciples.

Then…

"Huh? Where's your senior brother?"

"He's still sleeping."

"Senior Brother is still sleeping."

"Well, look at this~ this brat is still sleeping even though his master and I are all up!?"

Getting angry like that, Cheong Yeonah ran to the room where Jang Baekseo was staying.

"Wake up, sleepyhead!"

When she whipped off the blanket, there was…

"Huh!? What's wrong with this brat's condition?"

Cheongmu, who had followed Cheong Yeonah into the room, sighed once and spoke.

"Hoo~, I wondered what he was doing, sneaking out in the middle of the night… Baekseo, you're not even of age yet. What are you going to do if you drink alcohol!"

Jang Baekseo, who had his head buried in the blanket and looked extremely tired, reeked of alcohol.

He could have ignored Cheong Yeonah and kept his head buried in the blanket, but since his master, Cheongmu, had come in person, Jang Baekseo could no longer lie in bed.

"I-I'm sorry, Master. Ugh!? Ugh… I'm sorry, Master."

Seeing his disciple, who was suffering from a hangover but still forced himself to get up and apologize for his mistake, Cheongmu found it difficult to scold him any further.

He was now fourteen, an age where he would start to become interested in alcohol and women.

Hadn't Cheongmu himself, who was saying this now, secretly drunk alcohol behind his master's back when he was younger than that?

That's why Cheongmu did not reprimand Jang Baekseo any further.

"Hoo, I won't say anything more about this matter. However, I believe you will have learned something from this incident."

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry, Master."

"Alright, since it's your first time drinking, the hangover will be severe. We'll go have breakfast first, so if you're having a hard time, you can sleep a little more."

"Thank you, Master…"

Thus, Cheongmu and Cheong Yeonah left with the two junior brothers to have breakfast.

Jang Baekseo, who was left alone in the quarters, covered his face with both hands.

"Aww~ I'm going to die~!"

Jang Baekseo touched his head with a tired face.

Jang Baekseo's condition was not normal right now. His stomach was churning, his head was throbbing, and his hands and feet were even tingling.

In fact, Jang Baekseo had not drunk alcohol. He had just poured alcohol on his head, just as he had done to Jeongpung!

The cause of Jang Baekseo's fatigue was not alcohol.

First, his body was strained from using the Bone Shrinking Art and forcing himself to move while fighting with Jeongpung in the middle of the night.

Second, he had forcibly used the Azure Cloud Red Mist Sword to divert Jeongpung's suspicion.

And third, he had used his strength to treat Geum Hyeonah.

Since he had overexerted himself three times in a row with insufficient internal energy, there was no way his body would be normal.

He hadn't suffered any internal injuries, but because he had forcibly squeezed out the internal energy he didn't have, his stomach was churning, his hands and feet were tingling, and his head was throbbing.

After finishing his work and returning, he had somehow managed to settle his stomach by circulating his internal energy, but no matter how perfectly he finished the treatment, if he was injured, it would take time to recover, no matter how perfectly he was treated!

Jang Baekseo, who was planning to sleep a little more while his master and junior brothers were having breakfast, jumped up from the bed.

"No, no… if I go back like this, when will I ever eat such a feast again?"

Jang Baekseo's palate was quite refined.

That was because before his regression, Jang Baekseo was the Sword Demon, the master of the Twelve Demonic Palaces, the core of the great Demonic Cult.

Due to the geographical characteristics of the Demonic Cult, which bordered various cultures and their borders, the food culture was diverse and its depth was deep.

In a word, the food was delicious.

That's why, after his regression, he had not enjoyed eating for a while.

It wasn't that the food in the Central Plains was bad, but that the quality of the food served at Mysterious Profound Sect was terrible!

Although Mysterious Profound Sect had a certain degree of power, it did not have the financial resources to pay so much attention to the food served every day!

That's why he had enjoyed it so much when he came to the Geumjo Merchant Guild this time.

The spicy and hot Sichuan dishes made with plenty of Sichuan's unique spices!

In addition, perhaps because it was a rich man's party, there were even seafood and crustacean dishes, so he had enjoyed it for the first time in a long time.

If he went back like this, he would have to eat the tasteless food of Mysterious Profound Sect for a while!

"I can't do that, of course! I can't go back like this!!"

Thus, Jang Baekseo, leaving his worst physical condition behind, headed to the breakfast table.

***

"Hehe, Sichuan cuisine is all about yuxiang rousi~!"

It was a dish made by thinly slicing pork, adding bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, finely chopped green onions, ginger, etc., and then adding a spicy, sweet, and sour sauce. It was a food that Jang Baekseo had loved very much even before his regression.

"…But why is it called yuxiang when there's no fish in it?"

Leaving behind the question from before his regression, Jang Baekseo occupied a seat by himself and enjoyed his meal deliciously.

As he was enjoying his own feast, a slight commotion arose on one side of the party.

Jang Baekseo also looked in that direction, wondering what was going on, and saw a crowd of people gathered around a girl and Geum Gadong.

And the girl in the center was a face that was familiar to Jang Baekseo as well.

A beautiful girl with a mysterious atmosphere, with delicate and cute features and silver-like hair…

It was Geum Hyeonah.

"…"

Jang Baekseo looked at Geum Hyeonah… and smiled.

He just smiled happily and continued his meal.

He wondered if there was a need to show herself when she hadn't fully recovered yet, but considering their situation, he thought that they needed to announce Geum Hyeonah's recovery as soon as possible.

'It wouldn't have been good for the Geumjo Merchant Guild if the rumor that she was sick had circulated for a long time…'

While thinking that, Jang Baekseo was a little angry at Geum Gadong for forcing his daughter, who had just recovered from her illness today, to come out.

Of course, there was no way for Jang Baekseo to know that it was Geum Hyeonah, not Geum Gadong, who had first proposed to show herself to the people.

As he was eating with a pleased heart, Jang Baekseo noticed that for some reason, the noisy sound was getting closer and closer to him.

'…What's going on? Why is it getting closer?'

The place where Jang Baekseo was was where the ordinary guests were eating.

Of course, the seats of the host of this party, Geum Gadong and Geum Hyeonah, were prepared separately at the head table, but for some reason, they were getting closer and closer to the seats of the ordinary guests.

As Jang Baekseo was confused, wondering 'what's going on? what's going on?', the group of people had now come right in front of him.

Geum Hyeonah and Geum Gadong were exchanging greetings with the guests who were eating.

If it were just that, it would have been a matter of 'oh, okay.' But why on earth was the direction of their advance towards him?

And soon, Geum Hyeonah and Geum Gadong came to Jang Baekseo's seat.

"Oh! Aren't you the disciple of the Mystic Heaven Sword Great Hero?"

When Geum Gadong recognized him, Jang Baekseo hurriedly tried to get up from his seat.

"Ah, yes, that's right. Thank you for remembering me, Lord…"

Chuck.

Geum Hyeonah grabbed Jang Baekseo's hand.

"??"

Ignoring Jang Baekseo's bewilderment, Geum Hyeonah spoke while holding his hand.

"Thank you so much for yesterday, Young Hero."

"????"

For a moment, Jang Baekseo flinched, thinking that Geum Hyeonah had noticed that he was the man in black who had treated her last night.

"Thanks to the qi you infused into me, I was able to gain strength."

'Ah, ah, what? Was that what it was about?'

Whether Jang Baekseo was relieved inside or not, Geum Hyeonah continued to say what she had to say.

"It may not have been a big deal to you, Young Hero, but because of that warmth at that time, I was able to gain strength."

Saying so, Geum Hyeonah led Jang Baekseo's hand, which she was holding, and made it touch her cheek.

"Y-Young Lady!?"

"Fufu, you can just call me Geum Hyeonah, or Hyeonah."

'What is this child doing!?'

Although his body was that of a teenager, his inside was that of Jang Baekseo, who was over forty, so he was flustered about how to act in response to such an action from a young girl.

"Ahem, Hyeonah."

Perhaps noticing the strange atmosphere flowing between the two, Geum Gadong called Geum Hyeonah.

"Oh my, I've been so rude… I'm sorry. The Young Hero's hand was just so pleasantly cool that I couldn't help myself…"

"N-no, it's alright, Young Lady. If you liked it, then it's my honor. Hahaha."

'Ah, what? Was that what it was?'

Jang Baekseo, who recalled that Sohyun had also liked his hand, saying that it was cool and felt good, readily accepted it, thinking 'I see.'

Jang Baekseo, who had an awkward smile, soon faced another difficult situation.

"…"

"…"

'Why aren't they leaving!?'

If they had come, seen his face, and exchanged a word or two, shouldn't they have exchanged a word or two of blessing and gone somewhere else, just as they had done to the other people!?

After a moment of silence, Geum Hyeonah spoke first.

"By the way, I haven't heard the Young Hero's name yet. If it's not too much trouble, may I hear your name?"

"What's so difficult about that? I am Jang Baekseo, the senior disciple of the third generation of Mysterious Profound Sect."

Jang Baekseo introduced himself while bowing politely.

Seeing him, Geum Hyeonah savored his name for a moment, saying 'Jang Baekseo… Jang Baekseo,' and then let out an exclamation of 'Wow!'.

"You were the senior disciple of Mysterious Profound Sect! No wonder I felt that you were mature and experienced for your age when I first met you. It was because you were the senior disciple of the renowned Mysterious Profound Sect!"

Although it was an excessive compliment, what martial artist in the world would not feel good when their sect was praised?

"Haha, you praise me too much, Young Lady."

As they were laughing like that, Geum Gadong, who had been quiet until now, lightly tapped Geum Hyeonah's shoulder.

At this, Geum Hyeonah asked Jang Baekseo another question.

"By the way, I heard that Mysterious Profound Sect has been rooted in Gangjeong County for a long time and has continued its history."

"Yes, that's right. As far as I know, Mysterious Profound Sect has never left Gangjeong County in its records, Young Lady."

"Wow! That's amazing! It's one thing now, but there must have been various incidents in the past, yet you never left Gangjeong County!"

"It is also the duty of a martial sect to protect the land where it has taken root."

"Still, what's amazing is amazing. To think that you steadfastly held your ground even during the Hegemon King's march across the world thirty years ago, the massacre of the Ghost Valley Divine Reaper a hundred years ago, and the bloody massacre of the Blood Heaven Cult two hundred years ago!"

"…Yes, well, that's right."

When Geum Hyeonah brought up such a large-scale story, Jang Baekseo flinched for a moment. The Hegemon King's march across the world thirty years ago, the massacre of the Ghost Valley Divine Reaper a hundred years ago, and the bloody massacre of the Blood Heaven Cult two hundred years ago… the incidents she was using as examples were all too large in scale.

It feels good to be praised to a certain extent, but if you say 'Wow, you're so tall' to a short person of five feet, it can only be heard as sarcasm.

The reason why Mysterious Profound Sect was safe from the incidents that Geum Hyeonah had used as examples was simply because Mysterious Profound Sect was a mediocre sect, so it had been spared from such world-shaking events.

Why would sects of a world-class scale attack a place like Mysterious Profound Sect, leaving aside the Emei or Qingcheng of the Nine Great Sects, or the Tang Clan of the Seven Great Families?

As Jang Baekseo had a reluctant face, Geum Hyeonah continued.

"I have heard a lot about your master, the Mystic Heaven Sword Great Hero, Cheongmu. He is famous as a master who is among the top ten in Sichuan and the strongest martial artist in Gangjeong County. My father said he was deeply impressed when he saw Great Hero Cheongmu."

As Geum Hyeonah's words ended, Geum Gadong took over and spoke.

"As my daughter said, I was deeply impressed by the sight of Great Hero Cheongmu taking control of the atmosphere at once during the commotion yesterday. And seeing that, I regretted that I had not tried to learn more about Mysterious Profound Sect, even though we are in the same county."

Jang Baekseo now understood why they had been sticking to him for so long and continuing the conversation.

'Oh ho, well, since the Geumjo Merchant Guild is so powerful, they have been a little neglectful of Mysterious Profound Sect, even though they are in the same county.'

But Jang Baekseo thought that was a natural thing. That was because no matter how you looked at it, Mysterious Profound Sect was at a level that competed for the best in Gangjeong County, while the Geumjo Merchant Guild was the undisputed best merchant guild in Sichuan and was now a merchant guild that had to be discussed on a world-class level. Their levels were too different to be close just because they were in the same county.

But their thoughts had changed after seeing Cheongmu at this party.

Although it was lacking compared to Qingcheng, Emei, and the Tang Clan, which divided Sichuan into three, it was a sect that had produced a master who had shown a presence that overwhelmed, not lost to, the ones sent by the prestigious sects.

Since they were in the same county, it was worth revising their previous evaluation, thinking that it was a sect that would not be a loss to have a close relationship with.

And as a first step, they had approached him… that's what Jang Baekseo thought.

As his thoughts were organized, Jang Baekseo's answer became fluent.

Jang Baekseo was thinking that he had to strengthen his sect in preparation for the future that would change. But since such an opportunity had come so easily, what was there to hesitate about?

That's why Jang Baekseo answered all of Geum Gadong and Geum Hyeonah's questions with all his heart (as favorably as possible to Mysterious Profound Sect).

Of course, it was the merchant guild with the best power in Sichuan. Of course, they had their own eyes and ears, so lies would not work, but what did it matter?

Even if he didn't lie, it was a basic of basics for a politician to spin a story in their favor.

Jang Baekseo was the master of the Twelve Demonic Palaces, and among them, the Sword Demon Palace, which was in charge of military power. No matter how much it was an institution of the Demonic Cult that revered martial arts, and also an institution in charge of military power, there was no reason why Jang Baekseo, who was the head of a huge group, could not do that much.

Jang Baekseo, who was engrossed in the fluent conversation, did not notice.

That while Geum Gadong was listening to Jang Baekseo's words with admiration, he was also interested in the truth of his words and how that part would be beneficial, and was racking his brain. On the other hand, Geum Hyeonah was only giving a formal response to the story of Mysterious Profound Sect, and her eyes were only shining when she was talking about Jang Baekseo himself…

(End of Chapter)