Childhood Friend of the Zenith

By the time I emerged from the clan leader's quarters, it was well past noon.

Considering that I entered sometime before midday, it was clear we had spoken for quite a long time.

Hmm.

Glancing at the sky, I looked back toward the Poison King's residence.

A shame.

Despite the lengthy conversation, I still felt a sense of regret, mainly because I hadn’t gained much from my talk with the Poison King.

In terms of benefits, the only things of note were his agreement to consider the Dokcheon Lake incident an accident and the discussions around the Dokcheon Pill and how it should be handled.

I had also given him a vague, fabricated story about why I had come to Sichuan.

This involved blending my reasons with the story of how I obtained the Dokcheon Pill.

In order to explain this…I had to “use” Lady Mi, but… it should be fine, right?

I recalled Lady Mi telling me before I left Hanam to use her name if necessary, so I had woven her into my story.

I claimed I had accidentally acquired the Dokcheon Pill through the Baekhwa Merchant Guild.

During this, I mentioned the Heavenly Martial Physique Creation Project and the fact that it was still ongoing.

That was the story I had relayed to the Poison King.

He didn’t look convinced.

Of course, the Poison King didn’t believe everything, but the Dokcheon Pill was right there in front of him.

And above all…The Heavenly Martial Physique Creation Project.

That must’ve been the problem.

The fact that I knew about a clandestine project conducted solely within the Tang Clan, unknown to the public, must have been troubling to him.

There was one more thing that irked him:“I understand, Young Master Gu.

” “Yes.

” “Then, may I ask—why are you so determined to involve yourself in this matter?

Is this on behalf of the Baekhwa Merchant Guild?

”He was curious not just about my possession of the Dokcheon Pill, but about why I was actively trying to root out the Tang Clan's corruption.

This was likely the most pressing question for the Poison King, and one I found hardest to answer.

After all, if I had the Dokcheon Pill, I could have simply taken it and ignored the Tang Clan’s corruption.

And yet…Despite everything, I was getting involved.

The Poison King was more curious about that than the Dokcheon Pill itself.

In a way, it was understandable.

He’s more reasonable than most.

To question the reason behind something, rather than fixate solely on the treasure in front of him…Given how the so-called righteous sects had rotted, failing to see this fundamental truth, the Poison King stood out as a true clan leader, just as I had initially perceived him.

The most “clan-leader-like” clan leader.

More a leader than a mere martial artist.

However…His perspective is oddly limited.

Upon closer observation…Is he deliberately turning a blind eye?

That’s the feeling I got.

“I have only one reason.

”My answer to the Poison King's question was straightforward.

I could have given several responses, or fabricated a scenario to fit the situation.

But in this case, I didn’t want to lie.

“It seems Lady Tang So-yeol might be connected to this matter.

”“...!

”The mention of his daughter made the Poison King's expression shift drastically.

“Let me reiterate: I am not seeking your permission, Clan Head.

I am simply…”I don’t care about your approval.

I’m stating that as long as Tang So-yeol is involved, I will see this through.

“I only hope, Clan Head, that you have no connection to this matter.

”His gaze was intense, as if weighing the truth of my words.

Perhaps the added concern over the Dokcheon Pill deepened the darkness in his expression.

If he knew I had the formula for the Dokcheon Pill, it would spell trouble.

Even so, I intended to keep it.

The materials weren’t readily available, and now was not the time to use it, anyway.

Whether he was searching for truth in my words or simply shaken by the unexpected revelations, the Poison King’s face twisted with various emotions.

“I… need a moment to think.

”He eventually asked me to leave, saying he needed time to consider.

“Think,” is it?

He might have said “think,” but it was clear he intended to investigate the matter further.

From this, I could surmise…Perhaps the Poison King isn’t involved in this after all.

The purpose of this meeting had been to determine whether the Poison King was connected to this affair.

Though I hadn’t obtained absolute confirmation…For now, it seems safe to assume he isn’t.

At least, that’s the impression I got.

A small relief, perhaps.

If the Poison King had been involved as well…I would’ve had to kill him, too.

Though I would need to think about how to do it, I had a feeling it wouldn’t be too difficult.

But this was good—it meant I didn’t have to kill the Poison King.

Now, what I need to investigate is…If an elder of the Tang Clan is orchestrating things from behind the scenes, I need to find out who, where, and how.

As I tilted my head, organizing my thoughts, I heard a familiar voice in my mind.

[“Do you really think that’s not possible?

”]It was Shin Noya.

So you’ve finally decided to reappear.

[“Yes, it means your spirit has settled.

”]That’s a relief.

Shin Noya, who had been working tirelessly to prevent my vessel from shattering, had remained dormant in my mind.

It seemed he was now able to appear once again.

Did I think it wasn’t possible?

The answer to Shin Noya’s question was simple.

“Lady Tang Jemoon specifically asked me.

Should I really need to question it?

”[…]I teased him by referring to her as “Lady,” but Shin Noya didn’t respond.

Instead, there was a gloomy atmosphere surrounding him.

Did something happen?

Had something occurred while I was unconscious?

Although I wondered, I refrained from asking.

It was evident he didn’t want to talk about it.

Besides, I’d be relieved if it wasn’t true.

But no matter how I look at it, it doesn’t seem that way.

Tang Jemoon had asked me to remove the corrupted and rotting elements of the Tang Clan.

As soon as I heard her request, the source of the corruption was all too clear.

The possibility that Tang So-yeol might be involved only reinforced this.

This made me think of the Poison Queen from my past life.

Could she have experienced something terrible within the future Tang Clan?

If that’s the case…I won’t let it happen this time.

I didn’t know exactly what she had gone through, but I was determined to prevent it.

When I asked Tang Jemoon if it was really all right, what I meant was, “Are you truly okay with me potentially having to kill your bloodline?

”Understanding my intention, Tang Jemoon had nodded and granted permission.

This wasn’t a matter of whether I could or couldn’t do it.

Since Tang Jemoon had explicitly mentioned Tang So-yeol, it meant this was a duty I needed to fulfill.

To do that, I first needed to get a clear picture of the current situation.

Fortunately…I had a very useful card at my disposal.

“So then.

”Looking behind me, I spoke aloud.

Someone shuddered, her shoulders trembling.

It was Nahi.

I looked at her, noting how she shook with fear, and spoke.

“It seems there’s quite a bit I need to hear from you.

”Unable to meet my gaze, Nahi had no choice but to nod.

I had allowed no other response from her.

******************Right after, I headed toward the place where the kids were staying.

It was actually the first place I wanted to go, but with so much going on, I hadn’t been able to get there sooner, and that was a bit disappointing.

Walking at a brisk pace, I soon began to hear sounds in the distance.

Shiiiing—swish!

It was the sound of swords slicing through the air.

I didn’t heighten my qi sense specifically for this; there was no need, as I could hear and see well enough without it.

Hmm.

In fact, the sudden increase in my qi perception was a bit uncomfortable, as I hadn’t fully adapted to it.

[“Ha!

You’re complaining about luxury problems now, huh?

”]…It’s true, though.

What can I do about it?

I knew it was something others might envy, but I didn’t have time to dwell on that.

I just needed to adapt quickly.

That was the only thing that mattered now.

As I arrived at the quarters, I could tell exactly who the sounds were coming from.

It was Wi Seol-ah and Namgung Bi-ah.

…I’d seen them sparring together from time to time, but perhaps because of everything that had happened recently, seeing them now, drenched in sweat and crossing swords, brought a flood of thoughts.

A shame.

The main feeling that lingered was regret.

Whether it was the Little Sword Star from back then or the Demon Sword Empress from those days…If only we hadn’t parted so abruptly, perhaps we could have had a bit more conversation.

Is this what they call lingering attachment?

It probably is.

Especially when it came to Namgung Bi-ah, the thought left a bitter taste in my mouth.

In the end… I couldn’t say it.

There was something I wanted to say before she vanished in the chaos, but I hadn’t managed to, and that nagged at me, making it all the more painful.

And then…My gaze shifted to Wi Seol-ah.

Her hair’s color has lightened even more.

What was once a strong brown was now turning closer to blonde.

At this rate… in two or three years, she’d have radiant golden hair.

I observed Wi Seol-ah carefully.

Her hair, damp with sweat, clung to her skin.

Though she seemed exhausted, her gaze was focused solely on Namgung Bi-ah’s sword.

Perhaps her stamina was wearing thin, as her arm was trembling, but as she swung her sword, the tremor disappeared.

She continued swinging her sword without pause.

Her sword held a fierce earnestness.

I wondered, what was this earnestness for?

That, I couldn’t discern.

More importantly, as I watched Wi Seol-ah, I felt a strange sensation.

This is driving me mad.

Every time I looked at her, I couldn’t help but think of a certain black-haired individual and a divine sword.

Cheonma.

Unconsciously, I found myself reminded of Cheonma.

Damn it.

All of this must be due to the words Tang Jemoon left me with.

Because of her cryptic comments, thoughts of Cheonma had taken root in a corner of my mind.

But to think of Cheonma here?

Am I really losing it?

To think of someone I must kill when I look at Wi Seol-ah—it’s insane if not outright dangerous.

“…Hah.

”Halt—!

At the sound of my sigh, both of them stopped moving.

“Oh!

Young Master?

”Wi Seol-ah and Namgung Bi-ah, noticing me, immediately approached.

Watching them come over, I offered a somewhat awkward smile.

“It’s been a while.

”“Huh?

We just saw you yesterday.

”“Oh.

”Had we?

Right, I guess we did.

We’d crossed paths the day before I went to the lake.

From my perspective, it felt like several days had passed, so it felt different.

Scratching the back of my head at that odd sense of time, I noticed both of them staring at me with wide eyes.

“Huh?

”“What?

”The two of them stopped in their tracks and looked at me, eyes wide.

What’s with that reaction?

Do I have some strange smell or something?

“What’s wrong?

”“…”When I asked, they didn’t respond, just examined me up and down.

Then, Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah exchanged glances.

“…Something’s…”“Yeah…”What was it?

Why were they having a conversation I couldn’t understand, as if they knew something I didn’t?

I’d only just arrived, and their reaction was making me feel somewhat left out.

“Hey… what are you two…”Just as I was about to express my annoyance, someone with a bold voice interrupted.

There was only one person with a voice like that, so I frowned and turned to face the speaker.

Seeing me, the person covered his mouth with his hand in mock surprise.

“Oh… what a murderous look… quite terrifying…”“Do you want to die?

”“Of course not.

Who wants to die, really?

”Predictably, it was Woo-hyuk, slipping out of the situation like the snake he was.

“Huh?

”Then, he paused from his usual smirk and began looking me up and down, just like Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah had done.

What’s with this, really?

Do I actually have some kind of weird smell on me?

“Something’s changed, hasn’t it?

”Woo-hyuk’s casual remark made me flinch.

Had he noticed?

No way…Even to my own eyes, my body, altered by the Foundation Shifting Technique, showed no noticeable differences from before.

And Woo-hyuk, of all people, noticing it?

I was caught off guard and looked at him uncertainly as he shook his head slightly.

“Did you get taller?

Haha, no way, right?

”“…”Seeing him again after a while just made me want to punch him even more.

…Just a little bit?

“Oh…?

”Just as I was about to raise my hand with that intent, Woo-hyuk quickly moved behind Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah for cover.

This bastard?

“Hey, aren’t you coming out?

”“You’re going to hit me if I do.

”“If you don’t come out, it won’t just end with a hit.

”“So, you’re saying you won’t not hit me if I come out?

”I was planning to fold him into the shape of a star.

Perhaps he understood my intention, because Woo-hyuk looked at them and pleaded urgently.

“Ladies, please save me… he says he’s going to kill me.

”At Woo-hyuk’s words, Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah’s ears perked up.

This guy was beyond saving.

“You’re really going to die…”Raising my right arm to grab Woo-hyuk, I took a step forward.

Swish.

Namgung Bi-ah suddenly extended her hand toward me and spoke.

“…Stop.

”“…?

”“Violence is wrong.

”Her sudden words left me with a blank expression.

Whose side was she on?

And it wasn’t just Namgung Bi-ah that caught me off guard.

“She’s… right.

Violence is wrong, Young Master.

”“You too…?

”I came to see them after a long while, only to feel betrayed by both of them.

What was going on here?

As I tried to make sense of it, my resentment naturally turned toward Woo-hyuk.

“…You…”Sensing my feelings, Woo-hyuk’s face paled.

“If I mess this up, I might actually die!

Haha!

”Noticing the murderous aura, Woo-hyuk tried to slip away sideways.

Should I catch him now?

Fold him into a crescent shape?

Yes, let’s fold him.

Maybe into a crane while we’re at it.

“Wait… wait!

”“You can explain after you’re folded.

”“What do you mean, folded?!

Do you think I’m paper?!

”“You’re close enough.

”“I’m nothing like that!

”Just as I grabbed his collar and was about to start folding, Woo-hyuk urgently shouted.

“A letter came from my master!

”Pause.

At Woo-hyuk’s shout, I stopped in my tracks.

His master…That would be the eccentric from Wudang who possessed the Thunder Fang.

“From your master?

”“Yes, he asked me to come today.

”“But?

”“What do you mean ‘but’?

Didn’t you say you wanted to come with me?

I came here for that, and here you are, ready to kill me!

”Ah.

Hearing that, I felt a bit clearer.

That’s right.

I had talked to Woo-hyuk before and said I wanted to go see the Wudang Eccentric with him.

Recalling that, I let go of his collar.

At that moment, Shin Noya spoke to me.

[“So, the Wudang Eccentric… is that the one with the Thunder Fang?

”]Yes.

The Wudang Eccentric was the current possessor of the Thunder Fang and one of the well-known eccentrics in Murim.

Why he held onto Thunder Fang, and why the Namgung family didn’t actively try to reclaim it, were questions I didn’t have answers to.

Glancing over, I stole a look at Namgung Bi-ah.

Hmm.

Regardless, I needed to meet him.

After all, my plan was to return Thunder Fang to Namgung Bi-ah.

I had business with the Thunder Fang itself, too.

With that thought, I stood up.

“We can head out now, right?

”“…”Woo-hyuk looked at me in exasperation, but he didn’t bother to complain, knowing I’d probably hit him if he did.

Dusting himself off, he muttered.

“It’s about an hour if we run.

”“Not far, then.

Let’s go.

”“…Oh, but before that.

”As I moved to step forward, Woo-hyuk caught my shoulder with a slightly worried expression.

“Just one thing.

”“Hm?

”A request?

It was a rare word to hear from Woo-hyuk, so I glanced at him, wondering what he was going to say.

The words that came out of his mouth immediately made me scowl.

“…Could you, uh, not fight or bite anyone?

”“…”I bit him right there.