Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Four teacups rested on the table.

The tea, which must have been brewed some time ago, was forgotten.

All I could do was stare straight ahead, my eyes wide with shock.

“Where are you planning to go?

”What had I just heard?

I kept my hand on the teacup I had been about to drink from and looked at Namgung Bi-ah.

Where…?

Where did she say she was going?

“The Northern Sea?

Did you just say the Northern Sea?

” “Yes.

”I asked again, unable to believe it, but her answer remained the same.

So, I decided to ask something else instead.

“…Why there?

” “…”“Do you even know what kind of place it is?

”If the Northern Sea Namgung Bi-ah mentioned was the one I knew about…‘…That’s the Seowe Murim, isn’t it?

’A region outside Zhongyuan.

I had heard that it participated in the Blood Demon’s bloody carnage but refrained from joining the war when Cheonma descended and wreaked havoc.

And if the Northern Sea she spoke of was indeed that place…‘It’s where the Ice Palace is.

’It must be the territory governed by the Northern Sea Ice Palace.

A place said to be perpetually covered in snow and gripped by fierce cold.

The reason for such harsh conditions was probably…‘…Wasn’t it because of a White-Rank beast?

’The records said so.

It seemed implausible that a single beast could transform such a vast land into a frozen wasteland, but…‘Considering it can create rivers and blanket entire forests in mist, it might actually be possible.

’Thinking back to the chaos wrought by the ancestors, I couldn’t dismiss it entirely.

[Chaos?

You insolent brat!

Do you know how much I suffered back then?!

]I heard one of those "ancestors" indignantly interject, but I ignored them.

Anyway, back to the point.

The Seowe Murim was a region that forbade entry to outsiders, even to the descendants of the Murim Alliance or prestigious families.

It was not a place anyone could easily visit.

Especially not the Northern Sea.

And the Ice Palace?

The same restrictions applied.

When the previous Ice Palace Lord had visited Zhongyuan in the past…Following a battle with the Sword Master that turned the Xian region into ruins, the Northern Sea was barred from setting foot in Zhongyuan.

In short, neither side could visit the other through legitimate means.

‘Yet she’s saying she’ll go to the Northern Sea.

’It was a baffling statement no matter how I thought about it.

And it was even more absurd coming from Namgung Bi-ah.

I shifted my gaze from her to someone else in the room.

“What is this about?

” “Ahem…”My question, laced with irritation, prompted a coughing sound from one of the three people who had entered my quarters before me—the sole man among them.

“That glare of yours could kill someone… Could you tone it down a bit?

”The man, who kept clearing his throat awkwardly, bore a striking resemblance to Namgung Bi-ah.

It made sense; he was a direct descendant of the Namgung family, just like her.

“What’s going on here?

” I asked again, frowning.

The man, the Hermit of Wudang, took a slow sip of his tea before answering.

This was the same man who had disappeared after tossing Thunder Fang at me, only to show up unannounced in my quarters days later.

How was I supposed to take this?

‘Honestly, if that had been the extent of it, I wouldn’t care.

’It wasn’t worth my attention.

There wasn’t anything here worth stealing, and it wasn’t a pressing issue.

But the reason I was so annoyed was different.

“Taking her as a disciple?

Who’s taking whom?

”The problem was the topic he had brought up the moment he saw me.

Grinding my teeth, I spat out my words, and the Hermit hastily raised his hands to calm me.

“Young Master, let’s calm down first—” “Calm down?

”Calm?

I was barely holding back my frustration, and he wanted me to calm down?

I clenched my jaw, resisting the urge to flip the table in front of me.

Exhaling deeply, I spoke again, this time glaring at the Hermit.

“…You’re from Wudang, are you not?

” “That’s right.

I am a Wudang man.

”The Hermit of Wudang was often called into question, with people wondering whether he was truly a Taoist or just a rogue martial artist.

Regardless of such rumors, he was undeniably a disciple of the current head of Wudang, the Wudang Sword Saint.

In that case…“Why would Wudang take her as a disciple?

” “Hmm…”At my question, the Hermit glanced around before responding.

“Let me clarify.

Wudang doesn’t want her.

” “Then what is it?

” “I want her.

This has nothing to do with Wudang’s will.

”My frown deepened at his reply.

It felt like he was playing word games.

Still, what difference would it make?

I turned my gaze back to Namgung Bi-ah.

She showed no signs of rejecting the Hermit’s words, which meant this conversation had been planned beforehand.

‘Ha.

’Why did the Hermit want Namgung Bi-ah out of nowhere?

I couldn’t understand.

Though she was of the same Namgung lineage as him, there was a significant issue that made it impossible.

‘She’s already mastered her family’s martial arts to perfection.

’Namgung Bi-ah had reached the peak through the Namgung family’s internal techniques.

Becoming the Hermit’s disciple would mean abandoning all that mastery to learn a completely new martial path.

‘…That’s insane.

’It was something only a martial arts lunatic would consider.

[Calling your master a lunatic, are we?

] ‘He is a lunatic.

’Considering Paejon’s obsession with martial arts, the label was fitting.

But for Namgung Bi-ah to make such a choice?

I couldn’t believe it.

“I understand your concerns, but I have no intention of making her abandon her martial path,” the Hermit said, seeming to grasp my worries.

“…What do you mean by that?

”If she wouldn’t have to abandon her techniques, what did taking her as a disciple mean?

I couldn’t make sense of it.

‘Unless it’s someone like me.

’Someone like me, whose body could accommodate multiple internal techniques without conflict… Anything else would be too strange.

‘Don’t tell me.

’A thought crossed my mind as I stared sharply at Namgung Bi-ah.

Surely, she wasn’t planning to adopt a new internal technique, was she?

‘I can’t let that happen.

’If that was the case, I would have to stop her, even by force.

Just as I was about to voice my concern, a thought hit me.

Was this how others felt when they looked at me back then?

Like my father and Paejon, who always seemed so furious with me…‘…’A tiny pang of guilt crept in.

I quickly brushed it aside.

“It’s not about teaching her a new internal technique,” the Hermit added, cutting into my thoughts.

I swallowed dryly, startled.

How did he keep guessing what I was thinking?

“Taking her as a disciple may sound grand, but it’s nothing so significant.

You see, I already have a disciple.

”“…Yes.

”I thought of Woo-hyuk, who was probably lazing around somewhere.

“That boy alone is trouble enough, so I’m not planning anything too serious,” he said.

“Then what do you intend to teach her?

” “The sword.

I’m not an expert in much else.

I just thought I’d teach my niece a bit of swordsmanship.

”“…The sword?

”He meant swordsmanship?

What kind of swordsmanship…“…!

”Realization struck me mid-thought.

‘…This man.

Could he be talking about that sword?

’I spun around to look at the drawer.

The place where Thunder Fang had been noisily stored.

The Hermit had it until now.

Inside Thunder Fang lay something—or someone—believed to be Namgung Myung.

Though Shin Noya denied that it was Namgung Myung, his tone had left a lingering doubt.

If that were true…‘Thunder Fang knew of the decline of Namgung swordsmanship, didn’t it?

’If the spirit within Thunder Fang knew and had tried to rectify it through the Hermit…‘The swordsmanship he’s referring to… Could it be?

’Was he planning to teach her the forgotten Namgung swordsmanship?

That would mean the Hermit knew of it.

As those thoughts jumbled in my head, the Hermit spoke.

“Young Master seems to know something.

Is it the story of the one residing within you?

”“…”His words reached me.

The Hermit, like me, seemed aware that I harbored something—or someone—within.

I focused on him and asked again.

“…Is what you’re saying truly about teaching her the Namgung swordsmanship?

” “It is.

” “Sigh…”Seeing him nod, I let out a breath.

“How do you even know about it?

” “Why wouldn’t I?

I’m still a Namgung man.

” “That’s not the issue here.

”It was a style that had long disappeared, regressed into obscurity.

Without Shin Noya’s help, I wouldn’t have been able to share it with the Sword King.

So how did the Hermit know?

“Why would it be a problem?

I have a madman attached to me, determined to make me learn it.

”The Hermit revealed something from his pocket.

Thunder Fang.

My eyes narrowed.

‘He took it from the drawer?

’Without permission while I wasn’t here?

That was crossing a line.

I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off.

“My apologies for taking it without your consent.

I would’ve left it there if I could, but this guy wouldn’t stop nagging…”The Hermit offered an apology, and I decided to let it go for now.

I knew well enough what kind of noise Namgung Myung could make.

“…”“I didn’t want to learn the swordsmanship either.

I only learned it because I had to.

”I could vaguely piece together what had happened.

I didn’t know why the Hermit had settled in Wudang while separately learning the Namgung swordsmanship under Namgung Myung’s will, but…‘Even so.

’That wasn’t the full explanation.

“Why must she go all the way to the Northern Sea to learn it?

”There was still no answer as to why she had to learn the Namgung swordsmanship in such a distant, harsh place.

“That’s not something I need to explain to you, is it?

” “…Excuse me?

”His dismissive reply stoked my irritation, but—“It’s a personal matter, and my niece has already agreed.

I don’t think it’s something you need to involve yourself in.

” “…”I had no counterargument.

He wasn’t wrong.

My position as Namgung Bi-ah’s fiancé, while seemingly strong, was ultimately fragile.

It was something that could be severed at any time, so I couldn’t use it as leverage.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to think of another approach.

“At the very least, it’s not a place you can just go to so easily.

” “There’s a way.

My sister will help with that.

”Sister?

“…The White Lotus Sword?

”It had to be Moyong Biyeon.

The idea that she could help them get to the Northern Sea was baffling.

“No way!

”Bang!

The White Lotus Sword slammed her fists on the table.

“What makes you think I’d help with that, you lunatic?!

” “Oh, come now.

You could help, couldn’t you?

” “Help with what?!

I don’t have the authority for that!

Are you crazy…?

” “You do have it, sister.

You definitely do.

”Moyong Biyeon’s outrage didn’t seem to bother the Hermit, who simply smiled.

“Unbelievable…”Though her face flushed with indignation, there was something strange in her reaction.

‘Something…’There was something there.

The Hermit’s confident assertion and Moyong Biyeon’s reaction revealed a subtle truth—she was hiding something.

‘…Does she really have a way?

’A method to reach the Northern Sea.

Did she actually have one?

‘Why the Northern Sea of all places?

’The conversation was making my head throb.

Why did it have to be that distant, unknown land?

What was she planning to do there?

Someone who struggled to find her way even in familiar places, in a cold and remote land like that?

‘I can’t let her go.

Absolutely not.

’I couldn’t allow it.

‘I can’t even accompany her.

’I had too much to do here.

I wasn’t in a position to leave.

And how long would such a journey even take?

‘From here to the Northern Sea, it’s too far.

’This wasn’t just the distance of traveling between Shanxi and Sichuan.

It would take ages just to go back and forth.

As I struggled to come up with a justification to refuse…“…Let me go.

” “…”Namgung Bi-ah’s voice interrupted my thoughts.

“You…”“…I have to go.

Let me go…”Her gaze was resolute.

It was the first time I had seen her so determined.

“No.

Do you even know what kind of place it is?

” “…I have to go…” “Why?

” “Because my uncle… is going.

”She looked at the Hermit as she spoke.

Uncle, she said.

Uncle, my ass.

Technically true, but it pissed me off for some reason.

“…I have to go… to learn the sword.

”I couldn’t understand.

I genuinely couldn’t.

Why was she so fixated on the sword?

What was it about the sword that drove her to such lengths?

Just as I felt my frustration reaching its peak—“So that I can protect you.

”“…”Her next words extinguished all that heat in an instant.

“What did you just say?

” “No matter… what I do, I can’t do it now… So I have to go.

”“You…” “This is… something I must do…”I tried to speak, but the words caught in my throat.

It was absurd.

Going all the way to the Northern Sea to learn the sword—because of that?

“To protect who?

”She was going to protect me?

The absurdity of it made me glare at her, but her gaze remained firm.

Her once dim, blue eyes had become clear.

They even shimmered as they looked directly at me.

I felt as though I might unconsciously avert my gaze.

I couldn’t.

Forcing myself, I held her gaze.

This whole situation was maddening.

I was overwhelmed with work and severely short on time, and now—Now it felt like I was being robbed of one of my few supports.

That made me angry.

“Young Master, perhaps we should discuss—” “Could you all leave for a moment?

”“Huh?

” “It won’t take long.

I just need some time to think.

”“…Alright.

”Though it might have seemed rude, the Hermit respected my request and nodded before leaving.

“Hermit.

”I stopped him just as he was about to step out.

The Hermit turned to me with a puzzled look.

“I need to borrow something.

”“…What?

”The Hermit’s eyes widened slightly.

What I wanted to borrow was none other than Thunder Fang.

“I need it while I think.

”I held out my hand, and after a moment of hesitation, the Hermit handed Thunder Fang to me.

“…”“…Haha.

”As I casually accepted the blade, the Hermit let out a hollow laugh.

Even now, there was no resistance from the sword.

“You can keep it if you like.

It’s better that way.

”He seemed to have no attachment to it as he left.

I asked Moyong Biyeon and Namgung Bi-ah to step out as well.

When the room finally fell silent, I spread my energy to block out any interference.

Thunder Fang hummed faintly in my grasp.

I spoke to it with barely suppressed irritation.

“Now, speak up.

”There was no way to hide it now—my voice was dripping with frustration.

I couldn’t help it.

“I want an explanation for this mess.

”It was clear Namgung Myung had a hand in this.