"This time, I'll lick you all over while you're awake."
"…First, calm down and think about what you just said."
It's not like we're the only ones here.
Naturally, the first to react was Tang Jincheon.
He didn't say a word, but he fixed us with a glare radiating a truly terrifying Aura.
"It's a misunderstanding."
I truly have no idea what he's getting at. What kind of context could possibly have led to a remark like that?
The same holds true when I consider my relationship with Tang So-wol before my regression.
Perhaps because of the experience of Clan Extermination, Tang So-wol back then had a certain coldness to her.
She would only occasionally reveal what was truly on her mind.
She wasn't full of mischief like she is now, nor did she act so honestly on her feelings, nor did she casually press her body against mine.
But words already spoken cannot be taken back.
"Ahem. It's a good thing that you two get along well."
"Heh heh…"
The Murim Alliance Leader, pretending he hadn't heard a thing, turned his head with dignity, while the Great Master Jeonghyeon, as if in agreement, simply smiled along.
The others had similar reactions.
…As always, except for one person who was poor at reading the room and reading people.
"W-wait, so you're saying this isn't the first time?"
"Illusion Witch."
"Ugh. Kids these days are way too bold… And while he was awake, no less. So that means last time, he was asleep."
"That's an outrageous misunderstanding… Or is it?"
If I was asleep, it would only be natural that I wouldn't know. Besides, wasn't Tang So-wol stronger than me before the regression?
Even before I reached the Harmony Realm, I had often let my guard down around Tang So-wol.
Startled, I looked toward Tang So-wol, but she was rising to her feet with a composed expression, as if she had never said anything strange.
Even the tears that had been streaming down her face had been meticulously wiped away—save for the slightly reddened corners of her eyes, no trace of them remained.
"Whew. As the Illusion Witch said, my mind… emotions flowed in, and before I knew it, I made a spectacle of myself before my seniors. I apologize."
Tang So-wol bowed her head with the very model of Orthodox Sect propriety.
She was so composed that it was hard to press her for answers.
She glanced around once, then spread a Qi Barrier and spoke.
"In case anyone's listening, I'll set up a Qi Barrier once more. …What I'm about to say will be hard to believe, but it's that important."
"Is the seal not a concern?"
Tang So-wol gave a faint smile and shook her head at Tang Jincheon's question.
"There was never a seal from the start, Father. The two of you simply agreed to keep quiet for my sake."
"I'm sorry, clan head… and to the rest of you as well."
"Hmm. I apologize. But it was a necessary thing."
As Seol Ri-hyang and Seomun Hwa-rin bowed their heads in turn, Tang Jincheon and the others exchanged glances before letting out soft chuckles.
"Honestly, having believed it as firmly as stone, I can't say I'm not a bit annoyed… but well, since it was for So-wol's sake, what can I say as her father."
"Some information, if known prematurely and incompletely, can be poison instead. I understand, both as a Beggars' Sect elder and as the Murim Alliance Leader."
"Heh heh. The fact that you're telling us now is enough."
"Whew… n-now that you've revealed there was no seal to begin with, threatening to tell the White Moon Sword Lord won't work anymore."
…The Illusion Witch was speaking from a slightly different perspective, but it wasn't really important.
Without having coordinated their words, the three women ignored the Illusion Witch's final remark with one mind and one heart, and began tidying up the space.
They cleared away the implements set up for the Grand Ritual, erased the diagrams drawn on the ground, and the bell returned obediently to my bosom as they made room.
The three women sat down in a slightly more spacious, more comfortable posture. The one who spoke on their behalf was Tang So-wol.
"First, let me state the conclusion. Young hero Cheon's past. A seal that no one could undo. And thus, a secret he wanted to hide at all costs…"
Everyone's gaze focused on Tang So-wol. I was no different.
Surely not, really? My mind knew it was true, but now that the moment had actually arrived, it was hard to believe.
While I swallowed hard, Tang So-wol continued.
"It's regression."
"Re…gression? I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you mean."
"Returned from what, exactly?"
Everyone blinked in confusion, unable to comprehend. But I, on the contrary, had no choice but to widen my eyes.
Yes. This time, she'd gotten it right without missing the mark.
It was a pity I couldn't say it with my own mouth, but still, it was a relief to set down the burden that had been weighing heavily on my heart.
…At the same time, I was a little afraid, too.
What if I thought of it that way—that what I had loved was only the people from before the regression, and that the three of them now were merely substitutes?
They are all precious to me, but the problem is that I have no way to convey this.
Tang So-wol, Seol Ri-hyang, and Seomun Hwa-rin learned the truth through trickery, so they are unaffected by the seal… but I am still bound by it.
Even now, whenever I try to say something, it all seems to be related to the regression, and my lips won't even move.
As I sent them a gaze half-mixed with nervousness and unease, Tang So-wol gave me a reassuring smile and continued her explanation.
"Young hero Cheon actually died once. And he returned to the past, fixing one by one the things he regretted… and that is how he arrived at the present."
"…What?"
"Wait. Surely not, that's why…?"
Perhaps it was because the answer was so unexpected. For the sake of those still lost in confusion, Tang So-wol began her explanation once more, from the very beginning.
The story of my days as the Blood Wolf. What I went through after joining the Iron Blood Faction. What happened after I went half-mad from the deaths of Seol Ri-hyang and Seomun Hwa-rin.
How, when the Heavenly Demon invaded, all karmic debts and infamy were dismissed as old tales—until I lost even Tang So-wol, whom I had only just found again.
The explanation was rough, skipping from one point to the next as if only the important parts had been cut out and kept.
Sometimes Seol Ri-hyang or Seomun Hwa-rin would explain in my stead, or add supplementary details, but…
This was, without a doubt, the story of my life before the regression.
When the long tale finally came to an end, the three women let out short sighs, steadying their breaths.
Seeing them like that, the others, who had been staring blankly, seemed to finally gather their thoughts—each of them nodding in turn.
"If what you say is true… then everything I've overlooked until now for So-wol's sake and for the Tang Clan's sake finally makes sense."
Tang Jincheon wore a look of relief, as if he had finally come to understand.
"Yes… how could anyone be born with such an unorthodox nature? It's just that someone who should have belonged to the Orthodox Sects was twisted by a tragic ordeal…"
The Murim Alliance Leader was simply accepting it however he pleased.
"Indeed. So this is why the Earth Store Bodhisattva, who normally does not intervene in the mortal world, chose to exert his power."
"Haha! In the distant past, in the age of antiquity, there were immortal arts and martial techniques that far surpassed the level of mortals. I never imagined some of them would still remain!"
Jegal Bu was simply delighted by the new knowledge.
"Life after death… Subjectively speaking, it's a reversal of time, but in a sense, it could also be seen as being rejected by death itself. If the Buddhist Earth Store Bodhisattva exerted his power, then in the Daoist tradition… hmm. I suspect the Queen Mother of the West must have been involved."
The Flowing Cloud Sword Immortal was in the midst of deducing the other master of the seal.
"Regression…? The heavens would never permit an act that defies reason… But if it's to prevent an even greater defiance…? Heavenly Demon? Karmic Sin of Killing? Hmph! …Oh? If studied well, could one attain immortality without becoming an immortal…?"
The Illusion Witch was watching this way with sly eyes, her mouth hanging open.
Smack!
"Kyaa! Ah, I haven't done anything yet! A person can at least think—… Ah, no, right. Thinking isn't allowed either. Hehe… But later, could you spare just one strand of hair—… N-no, just kidding…!"
As he raised his arm once more, the Illusion Witch hastily wrapped her head in both arms and cowered.
Anyone watching would think she got beaten by him every day.
Letting out a deep sigh, he relaxed the strength in his raised hand and patted the Illusion Witch's arm.
The Illusion Witch curled her body into an even tighter ball, for some reason.
I couldn't help but wonder if I was the only one who found her posture absurd—she looked like she'd roll away at the slightest tap.
The Murim Alliance Leader spoke up in a cautious tone.
"Now, White Moon Sword Lord. No matter how much the Illusion Witch rubs you the wrong way, we're on the same side right now. I don't think you need to handle her like she's a rat you're trying to catch."
"…I haven't done anything yet."
"I'm well aware that you could torment her far worse if you set your mind to it, but wouldn't it be better to show a little more leniency?"
"I truly haven't done anything…"
At most, all I'd given her was a single flick to the forehead.
Seol Ri-hyang, watching the Illusion Witch who had become a ball, seemed to have a slightly different opinion.
"Come to think of it, before the regression, the Illusion Witch did betray the Orthodox-Unorthodox Alliance. Is this because of the grudge from back then, Cheon Hwi?"
"…!"
Through her crossed arms, the Illusion Witch sent a look that seemed to say she was being wronged.
If anyone was wronged here, it was me.
"Ah, she can't speak because of the seal."
"Don't be too harsh, Hyang-ah. In the first place, the Illusion Witch wasn't the only traitor."
"Now that you mention it, there were quite a few. Among the Unorthodox Sects alone, there was the One-Blade Asura, the Golden Wolf King, the Lust Demon… Huh? They're all people Cheon Hwi either killed or forcibly took in during this sparring trip."
"Eeek! Y-you were planning to kill me too if I didn't cooperate…!"
Tang So-wol shook her head at the sight of the Illusion Witch trembling even more violently as she stared in their direction.
"No. She's called a traitor, but the Demonic Cult wouldn't even take her back, so she was closer to someone hoping to die anyway."
"Wh-what…?"
"In other words, although the young hero Cheon's methods may have been somewhat harsh, what he did was closer to saving people who were destined to die. Just like when he kidnapped me. …If anything, this deserves gratitude, not fear."
"U-um… Th-thank you?"
The Illusion Witch tilted her head in confusion but offered her thanks anyway.
Both I and the Illusion Witch wore expressions that said we weren't quite sure if this was right, but at any rate, the matter was settled.
Though she kept stealing glances at me, the Illusion Witch had returned to human form. Only after that could we move on to the next topic.
"If what came before was young hero Cheon's affair… what follows is ours."
"This must be about the Heavenly Demon."
"That's right, Alliance Leader. Why young hero Cheon was so wary of the Heavenly Demon. I saw the reason with my own eyes."
"It would be best if I explained what comes next. After all, it concerns martial arts."
Tang So-wol seemed to agree, stepping half a pace back.
In contrast, Seomun Hwa-rin stepped forward, raising her small hand and sweeping her index finger from left to right.
As if pointing at every Harmony Realm martial artist present.
Seomun Hwa-rin, who had pointed at everyone present and finally at herself, continued in a serious tone.
"Even if everyone in this room were to join forces, you could not inflict more than a scratch on the Heavenly Demon."
"I had roughly guessed as much."
"No, my words were insufficient."
At the Murim Alliance Leader's remark, Seomun Hwa-rin shook her head and spoke.
"The Heavenly Demon. That man will one day reach a realm beyond the Harmony Realm. That is how clear the gap was."
Apart from old tales so ancient that one could hardly tell truth from fiction, such a realm had never once appeared in the martial world of the Central Plains.
"I have decided to call it the Realm of Divine Entry. Or perhaps, the Mystic Realm."
Seomun Hwa-rin gave a name to a realm that everyone had imagined but no one could be certain of.