Childhood Friend of the Zenith

It was around the time when two years had passed since I began my training.

A year had passed since I awakened the Mind’s Eye (Siman).

At the same time, I was in the midst of mastering the third form of Tua Pacheonmu.

And alongside that…Fwoosh—!

Half a year had already passed since I started receiving training from my father.

The training halls of the Gu family were mostly constructed of stone, not wood.

The reason was simple—any mistake could easily set the entire place ablaze.

While it was possible to control the flames and prevent ignition after gaining mastery, situations where that level of control was impossible still occurred.

The stone construction was a precaution for such moments.

And now was exactly one of those moments.

Fwoosh—!!

Flames surged violently, filling the training hall.

The sparks scattered and began to heat the walls.

[Grrr…]A low groan escaped my lips.

Compressing these unruly flames into a single focal point was no simple task.

I had already experienced something similar while practicing Flame Jade (Yeomok), but this was on an entirely different level.

This wasn’t merely about compression and rotation.

It also required maintaining the formed energy independently after completion.

[Maintaining this...

what madness.

]My Naegi was being drained continuously.

Even though the amount of energy stored within me was far beyond normal, half of it—no, more than half—was being consumed just to create this single form.

Months had passed as I repeated this process countless times.

Creak—!

[…!

]Once again, the result was the same.

The barely-formed orb of energy cracked and, shortly after, exploded.

Boom—!

Light burst out in all directions.

The explosion was immense, owing to the sheer amount of compressed Naegi.

If left unchecked, the entire training hall—and possibly more—would have been obliterated.

But fortunately, such a disaster did not occur.

This was because someone capable of containing it was present in the training hall.

Rumble—!

The explosion collided with a barrier of energy enveloping the training hall, preventing it from spreading further.

Even such a tremendous explosion couldn’t penetrate the thin barrier.

As the violent aftereffects gradually subsided…[Another failure, it seems.

]I turned my head toward the source of the heavy voice.

The owner of the energy barrier shielding the training hall— Gu Cheolwoon, patriarch of the Gu family and my father—was standing there.

I withdrew my energy and replied.

[...

Indeed.

It’s not easy.

]How many attempts had it been?

It was too late to count now.

By days, it had been exactly six months.

All I could say was that I had been trying with insane determination during that time.

And yet, I had not succeeded even once.

[That is to be expected.

]Looking at me, my father spoke.

[You have yet to reach the proper state.

This is the natural result.

][...

Yes, that’s true.

]I had yet to reach the necessary state.

There was no statement more accurate than that.

As Shin Noya had once said, what I was attempting now was within the realm of Sim-sang—pure intent.

This was a realm of transcendence, where only the power of the mind could be wielded, independent of Naegi.

Even if one mastered a martial art to perfection and became one with it, reaching this level would still be uncertain.

Yet, despite knowing this, I persisted in trying.

Sigh.

I wiped the sweat dripping from my face.

The repeated process of compressing and rotating energy all day had left me drenched in cold sweat.

[Will you continue this?

]My father asked me.

Would I keep going?

[Of course.

]I replied without hesitation.

Hearing this, my father’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

[Why?

][...

Pardon?

]I was taken aback.

I hadn’t expected such a question from him.

[Why do you insist on continuing?

As I said, this is beyond your reach.

][Hmm…]Though he didn’t directly call it pointless, the implication was clear—it was an inefficient and foolish endeavor.

And he wasn’t wrong.

Attempting something beyond my current level was a waste of effort.

But…[Then why, Father, are you helping me?

]I wanted to ask him that in return.

[Even after I asked for your help, you agreed to it so readily.

][…]Six months ago, I had gone to my father and made a direct request.

Back then, in the Tang Clan, I had seen that power.

I told him that I wanted to learn it.

At the time, my father had looked at me with a puzzled expression, but he hadn’t refused.

And now, six months later, here we were.

Contrary to my expectations, my father had been intensely focused on teaching me.

I had asked, thinking I’d be rejected.

[Because you asked.

][Is that truly the only reason?

Even though you said it was impossible?

]"Because you asked.

"It was such a simple and absurd reason.

If that were the case, why hadn’t he done this sooner?

That thought crossed my mind, but I quickly brushed it aside.

[Besides...

I don’t think I’ve done enough to declare this impossible yet.

]That damned teacher of mine once said,"If it doesn’t work, keep trying until it does.

"If it still didn’t work, it was likely because I hadn’t put in enough effort.

At the very least, I wouldn’t have a reason to give up until I had tried enough to convince myself.

At first, I thought it was nonsense.

But after being forced to live that way, my perspective changed.

If you try, you’ll find a way.

This time was no different.

I would keep going until it didn’t work.

That was my resolve.

[...

]My father’s expression remained as indifferent as ever.

By now, even that had become familiar.

Just as I was about to resume training, his voice stopped me.

[Why do you insist on achieving this?

]Why was I forcing myself to endure this?

Why was I going through all this, even enduring beatings from Paejon, to acquire this power?

[Hmm…]I briefly pondered, but the answer was simpler than expected.

[Because I need it.

]Because this power was something I needed right now.

[There’s something I have to do, and the power you showed me is exactly what I need.

]I still vividly remembered that power I had seen in the Tang Clan.

A presence that devoured everything around it and shone alone like a small sun.

I needed that.

If that power belonged to Guyeomhwarungong, then I wanted to obtain it, no matter what.

That’s why I had asked my father for help—something I had never done before.

Even knowing it was beyond my current abilities.

As I began to draw upon my Naegi once again, my father spoke.

[If that’s the case, your approach is wrong.

][What?

]He finally said something he had never mentioned before.

[Your perception is flawed.

You need to fix it.

][What do you mean?

]I looked at him with a puzzled expression.

[If you truly wish to grasp even a fragment of it, you must change your perspective.

][What…?

][You are not me.

]Those words widened my eyes.

Not because they revealed something profound, but because they were so obviously true that they startled me.

I was not my father.

That was an undeniable fact.

Seeing my dumbfounded face, my father continued.

[Only by truly recognizing that difference can you hope to touch even the edge of it.

]I didn’t argue.

Unlike that old man Paejon, my father didn’t say meaningless things.

I believed there was a reason for his words.

And in truth...

After focusing on his advice during my training, a few months later...

I was finally able to touch, even just slightly, the edge of what I sought.

******************I looked up at the sky.

A small orb floated at the center of the blackened space.

Every light illuminating the surroundings radiated from that orb.

‘Hwarunseong (Fire Wheel Star).

’The miniature sun I had seen in the Tang Clan.

Its brilliance not only lit up the area but also disrupted surrounding presences, concealing my own.

It was also the power I had painstakingly mastered over time.

Fwoosh—!

The surrounding area shimmered in a vivid blue glow.

The Hwarunseong shone intensely, emanating its presence with unparalleled brilliance.

If there was an issue…Visually, it didn’t seem much different from my father’s Hwarunseong, aside from its color.

But in essence, it was its complete opposite.

If my father’s Hwarunseong consumed presences, erasing the user’s existence, my version of Hwarunseong served the opposite purpose—to amplify my presence.

A force opposite to the original intent of Hwarunseong.

It couldn’t be helped.

‘…It’s the nature of a crude imitation.

’The rotation invoked during the casting of Hwarunseong was meant for absorption.

It swallowed the user’s presence, imprisoning it within the sun.

That was the essence of the power.

‘But for someone like me, who hasn’t reached the realm of Sim-sang, this is the only way.

’I halted the rotation and focused solely on maintaining its form.

As a result, instead of absorbing presences, it amplified mine instead.

In other words, it was an incomplete, half-baked power.

Still…‘This works even better.

’Ironically, I preferred it this way.

Amplifying my presence and engraving it onto my opponent— it diverged from Hwarunseong’s original purpose, but for me, this power was perfect.

Though it became a flawed, partial force due to my lack of mastery, it turned out to be more advantageous for me.

Perhaps my father had anticipated this.

The Hwarunseong I used and the one my father wielded were fundamentally different.

Maybe that was why he had told me to grasp that distinction.

That I could only use it once I understood the difference.

I lowered my gaze from the sky.

In front of me stood an old man with a deeply furrowed brow—Yu Baek.

‘What a delightfully flustered expression.

’First came the massive brute attempting to assert dominance.

Then Tang Deok laying the groundwork with his theatrics.

And finally, my entrance.

The darkened space created using Black Sky (Heukcheon), and within it, the shining Hwarunseong amplifying my presence and radiance.

Just from this, Yu Baek must have been thinking the same thing: this opponent was no ordinary threat.

I wanted him to think that.

It seemed my intention had been conveyed.

I looked at Yu Baek and spoke.

“You seem to be less talkative than expected.

”Reverting to the manner of speech I used in my previous life felt like thorns pricking my tongue, but I had to endure it.

“Even though I introduced myself first, it seems that wasn’t enough for you.

”I stepped forward as I spoke.

Because I had used Hwarunseong beyond my capabilities, the recoil was evident in my body.

Still, I didn’t show it.

The Cheonma as I envisioned him wouldn’t let such things show.

For that, I clenched my teeth and endured.

I continued walking.

With every step, I could sense it clearly.

If I took another step, I would enter Yu Baek’s attack range.

Even knowing this, I advanced without hesitation.

“…You…”Despite my entering his range, Yu Baek didn’t swing his sword.

He was observing me, gauging the situation.

The surrounding circumstances must have made it hard for him to judge clearly.

“…You call yourself the Cheonma, do you?

” “That’s right.

I am the Cheonma.

”It was likely an unfamiliar title for him, but upon hearing the name, Yu Baek furrowed his brow.

The reason was obvious.

“…I’ve heard the rumors.

”He must have known about the stories gradually spreading across Zhongyuan.

“They speak of someone attacking the regional branches of the Martial Alliance.

The culprit claims to call himself the Cheonma.

”Hearing this, I let out a laugh.

“Ha-ha.

”I laughed deliberately, letting him know—even behind the mask—that I was amused.

“So, that’s you, then?

” “It seems you have sharp ears.

I commend you.

” “…What is your goal?

Why attack the Martial Alliance, and what gives you the audacity to step foot in Wudang?!

”Hoo-woosh!

A roar erupted from him.

His voice was imbued with Do-gi, likely an attempt to rouse the nearby martial artists from the suppression of my Dragon Speech.

“Grrr…!

” “Elder… please…”But it wasn’t enough to dispel my Dragon Speech.

Watching this, I made a mental note.

Even with such intensity, my suppression wasn’t easily broken.

This was an unexpected benefit.

“A goal, you say…”Feigning contemplation, I stroked my chin.

The sensation of the mask was faintly irritating, but I dismissed it and broke the brief silence to speak to Yu Baek.

“Do I need a goal?

” “…What?

” “It seems you are mistaken.

”I extended my arm, entering the distance where I could easily strike him.

And from that range, I spoke:“Wudang is nothing but an ant hill.

” “…!

” “Whatever you’re imagining, do you truly think I would be afraid of coming here?

” “You insolent…!!

” “How laughable, old man.

”I continued as Yu Baek’s face twisted even further.

“Do you tremble with fear at the sight of ants crawling on the ground?

”As I finished speaking—Swoosh—!

Yu Baek swung his sword.

It was fast.

Not only because I was already within his range,but also because a sword wielded by a Wudang Elder moved far faster than sound.

Under normal circumstances, reacting to it would have been nearly impossible.

But then—Clench—!

“…!?

”Things would have turned out differently if he had been watching from the beginning.

Yu Baek was staring at his own wrist, now firmly gripped before he could even swing his sword properly.

“You asked what my purpose is.

”Yu Baek’s eyes trembled as he listened to the words.

“I’ll answer you, you incompetent fool.

”I drew upon the Magi within me as I spoke.

“I simply wished to see it for myself.

”The surging Magi flowed from my heart and seeped into my body.

Soon, it climbed to my shoulders and began to rise like a heat haze.

“The Nine Great Sects that claim to hold Zhongyuan together…”The haze grew larger, shooting toward the sky as it expanded.

“And the Martial Alliance’s Leader, who now rots Zhongyuan from the inside out…”As I unleashed my energy, my body screamed in protest.

Honestly, even just maintaining Hwarunseong was already pushing me to my limit.

“And this place called Wudang, under his care.

That’s why I, the Cheonma, graced this place with my presence.

Yet…”I loosened my grip on his wrist, deliberately leaving room for him to react.

As expected—Smack!

Yu Baek quickly pulled his hand back and spun his body.

Energy whirled around him as he moved, sharp and violent.

Truly fitting for someone counted among Zhongyuan’s Hundred Masters.

“Looking at you now, I see… this place isn’t even worth observing.

It’s trash.

” “You dare insult Wudang, you insolent fool!?

”I had seen Yu Hyeok’s swordsmanship before.

Yu Baek’s style was far more refined and polished compared to that.

The blade, infused with Do-gi, traced an elegant yet precise path, unlike the roughness of his voice.

The refined Do-gi flowed along the sword, forming a single star as it expanded.

The stars blossoming from the sword path gathered together, forming a galaxy.

It was beautiful.

Even as an observer, the swordsmanship was stunning.

Though I didn’t think highly of Wudang itself, I could respect the beauty of their swordsmanship.

Which only made it more regrettable.

Such beautiful swordsmanship—Clang—!

Could be shattered with a single, light gesture.

“Huh—!?

”Just as Yu Baek’s sword followed its trajectory to completion,The Mind’s Eye (Siman) that I had awakened captured every intention behind his movements.

The flow was clear.

Perhaps due to Yu Baek’s high mastery, the sword path was unwavering and vividly displayed its trajectory.

This made it even easier to counter.

All I had to do was reach out to disrupt the path it intended to follow.

The sword path twisted.

Thud—!

His body, which had been poised to strike, was thrown off balance from the rebound.

An opening, previously nonexistent, suddenly appeared.

Yu Baek quickly adjusted his body, aware of the gap, attempting to conceal it.

But it didn’t matter.

Even that movement was plainly visible to me.

My body had already acted.

My right hand firmly grabbed Yu Baek by the collar.

Only a fleeting thought crossed my mind.

‘Should I drag this out and make a show of it?

’Should I prolong the battle to demonstrate more?

Or should I end it right now?

The conclusion came as quickly as the thought.

Dragging it out wasn’t an option.

If the Wudang Sword Saint arrived, things would become troublesome.

Hoo—!

Wind began to gather in my left hand.

Screeeech—!

The energy flowed from my heart, coursing through my meridians as it spun.

The sharp, blade-like energy tearing through my body brought pain, but I ignored it.

By now, I was accustomed to it.

Thud—!

I stomped forward half a step.

Boom—!

A tremor spread.

My center of gravity was firmly anchored.

I twisted my waist slightly, controlling the recoil.

It might have seemed like a simple movement, but there was no room for error.

The Mind’s Eye didn’t just observe my opponent—it also reflected upon my own body.

I adjusted my movements to follow the visible line.

And then—Whoosh—!!!

As if waiting for the right moment, the wind surged through my body and into my arm, coalescing at my fingertips.

Now.

‘Tua Pacheonmu.

Second Form.

’Tu Bi E Cheon Kwon (Heaven-Cleaving Fist).

The gathered storm struck Yu Baek’s chest with devastating force.

In an instant—“Guh—?!

”Yu Baek’s body let out a faint groan—BOOM—!!!

Before being shredded into pieces by the explosive force of compressed energy.

___________________________________________TL Notes:Techniques:심안 (Siman) — Mind’s EyeA skill that allows the user to perceive the trajectory of attacks and their opponent's intentions through deep concentration and training.

심상 (Sim-sang) — Realm of IntentThe pinnacle of martial arts mastery, where strength is determined by pure intent rather than physical energy.

투아파천무 (Tua Pacheonmu) — Tua PacheonmuA martial arts technique that transforms the body.

Mentioned forms include: 삼식 (Samsik) — Third Form이식 (Ishik) — Second Form투비의천권 (Tu Bi E Cheon Kwon) — Heaven-Cleaving Fist, a specific technique of the Second Form.

화륜성 (Hwarunseong) — Fire Wheel StarA technique that creates a shining aura or miniature sun.

The original version hides the user’s presence, while the protagonist’s version amplifies it.

흑천 (Heukcheon) — Black SkyA technique that creates darkness or a shadowed space to suppress or control the opponent.