Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Time had passed, and by now, the sun had risen high into the sky.

The streets of Hanam were bustling with so many people that there was not a single gap to be seen.

"Everyone, be careful!

" "Don't step too far forward!

You might get hit by a horse!

" It was an obvious warning.

Even with the wide streets, the crowd control measures only made the space tighter, forcing people to cluster together.

Just watching the scene felt suffocating.

‘I’d probably lose my mind in there.

’ The sight alone made me want to run far away.

Yet, the people on the streets wore expressions full of anticipation.

And the reason was clear.

"They’re here!

" "Where?

Where are they?

" "It's the Peng Clan!

" The murmur from the crowd grew louder.

From a distance, a large carriage—the largest seen so far—rolled slowly into the city.

The crimson banner edged with black fluttered above it, a symbol of the Peng Clan, often called the Blade Clan.

Inside that carriage...

‘The head of the Peng Clan must be in there.

’ The Blade King, Peng Zhou.

I recalled meeting him briefly in Hanam once before.

‘A guy with an unpleasantly smug demeanor.

’ The situation back then had been frustrating, to say the least.

As a clan leader, his eyes carried an intense ambition.

While ambition and greed were natural traits, they weren't inherently wrong.

‘But a leader should know how to conceal such things.

’ It seemed the Blade King made no effort to hide his nature, and his demeanor felt utterly unrefined.

‘Oddly enough, though, his children turned out well.

’ Thinking of Peng Ah-hui and Peng Woo-jin made his character all the more puzzling.

While the Blade King undoubtedly deserved his title of “King,” his essence carried a faint trace of Simma—the Heart Demon.

According to the information I’d heard, he’d withdrawn from public life after losing the competition for the position of Martial Alliance Leader to the Sword Immortal.

‘And yet here he is now.

’ It was surprising to see him attending the Bi-mu-je.

I thought he’d skip it out of sheer indignation.

‘He wouldn’t be participating, though.

’ As the Blade King and head of his clan, his role here was likely ceremonial.

Satisfied with my reasoning, I nodded and lifted my tea to sip.

"The Peng Clan’s presence is quite overwhelming.

" "Of course, it’s one of the Four Great Clans.

" I overheard voices from the adjacent room, separated by a thin partition.

It seemed to be other patrons of the inn.

But then— "Tsk, they still call it the Four Great Clans?

" The comment made my ears perk up.

"How can they call it the Four Great Clans when the Tang Clan has long since fallen?

" Thud.

Across from me, Tang So-yeol froze for a moment.

“Honestly...

I can’t believe that name still sticks.

Ridiculous.

” “Watch what you say.

Speaking like that about the Tang Clan will bring you trouble.

” I kept my gaze fixed outside, refraining from looking at Tang So-yeol.

What kind of expression was she making?

What sort of reaction was she holding back?

Though I was curious, I avoided glancing her way.

After all, I knew she wouldn’t want me to look.

Instead, I pretended not to notice.

"I still shudder to think that such a vile group is allowed to carry the name of justice.

" Crack.

In my mind, I imagined the sound of dry leaves being crushed.

It wasn’t autumn yet, and the leaves shouldn’t be falling.

"I suppose the Alliance Leader showed them mercy, but how could anyone call them orthodox?

" "Brother, calm yourself.

" "Calm down, my foot!

I heard a Tang Clan descendant even signed up for the Bi-mu-je.

Did you hear that?

" "You mean the Poison Phoenix?

" A sharp intake of breath revealed Tang So-yeol’s reaction.

"Yeah, the audacity of them showing up at the Bi-mu-je....

" "Are the rumors true?

" "I told you, I heard it directly from that man at the registration desk, Mr.

Bang.

" "Tsk....

" The more I listened, the harder it was to suppress my rising anger.

My body felt cold, yet my insides were heating up.

Then— Clasp.

A hand carefully gripped mine.

It was Tang So-yeol.

“Don’t....

” “...

” Her trembling eyes met mine as she spoke softly.

“Don’t, Young Master....

Please don’t do it.

” “...

You.

” “You know this is something I must endure.

It’s fine.

I can handle it.

” “...

” “It’s not wrong, is it?

What they’re saying...

it’s not wrong.

I’m fine.

So please....

” It wasn’t her fault.

The crimes were committed by elders without the clan head’s knowledge.

By that logic, Tang So-yeol could have claimed she was being unjustly blamed.

Yet she merely let a faint trace of moisture collect in her eyes without saying much.

Even the Poison King himself had adopted this stance.

Whether or not he was aware of what had happened, as the clan’s head, he bore the responsibility.

The same went for the Tang Clan’s bloodline, and Tang So-yeol seemed to carry that burden willingly.

“...

” Seeing her resolve, I sat # Nоvеlight # back down.

If she insisted she was fine, there was little else I could do.

As I turned my attention back to the window to cool my temper— "Excuse me.

" A voice rang out, directed at the men who’d been speaking.

I turned to see the source and widened my eyes.

It was Moyong Hee-ah.

What on earth was she up to?

"I understand it’s a lively day, but could you lower your voices?

Other patrons are trying to enjoy themselves, too.

" Standing gracefully, Moyong Hee-ah addressed the men with a gentle smile.

"And who are you to interrupt—" "Brother!

Stop!

" The angry man was hastily stopped by his companion.

"Why are you...

oh, I see.

Look at her waist, Brother.

The sword!

" "The sword...?

" The man’s eyes widened as he noticed the weapon at Moyong Hee-ah’s side.

Though her face was veiled, the sight of the sword revealed her as a martial artist.

"Ah...

" The man immediately clamped his mouth shut.

"You could keep it down a bit, couldn’t you?

That’s all I’m asking.

" "Y-yes, of course....

" He stammered and nodded.

Moyong Hee-ah returned to her seat, leaving me to suppress a chuckle.

"I thought you hated things like that.

" For her to step in like that was surprising, to say the least.

Moyong Hee-ah usually avoided actions without a solid reason.

"It’s not like me, is it?

" she admitted with an odd expression.

"But I found it irritating.

" A surprisingly emotional response from someone as rational as her.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

"Good job.

" Her eyes narrowed at me.

"You never praise me, yet this earns a compliment?

Unbelievable.

" "...

When did I ever not praise you?

" "No sense of shame.

If you lack awareness, at least have some decency.

" "...

" "Just stay quiet.

" "...

Yes, ma’am.

" Her sharp words silenced me.

Just then, Tang So-yeol began to speak, but Moyong Hee-ah preemptively cut her off.

"Don’t thank me.

I only did it because I was annoyed.

" "...

" "And don’t apologize either.

That’d irritate me even more.

" "...

" Tang So-yeol’s lips moved soundlessly, her expression forlorn.

Sighing, Moyong Hee-ah softened her tone.

"Straighten up.

Don’t slump.

You already look small enough as it is.

" "...

" "If you’ve chosen to bear it, stand tall.

That’s how you endure.

" "...

Yes.

" Tang So-yeol nodded.

Watching the two of them, I turned back to the window.

The martial artists continued their procession outside, and the murmurs of notable names reached my ears.

Slurp.

As I was taking another sip of tea— “Huh!

” A sudden exclamation caught my attention.

“It’s the Hwangbo Clan!

” I turned my gaze toward the commotion.

A yellow banner fluttered in the wind, signaling the arrival of another carriage.

Not just the banner—the entire carriage was painted yellow.

‘They’re here.

’ Yes, the reason I’d been watching from this vantage point had finally arrived.

I had been waiting for the Hwangbo Clan’s arrival.

Following the yellow banner with my eyes, I heard a voice in my ear.

“They’ve arrived.

” It wasn’t Nahi’s voice.

This one was much deeper and lower, a voice I had also been expecting.

“As ordered, I’ll meet you at the designated location.

” Upon hearing this, I stood up immediately.

Seeing me rise, Wi Seol-ah tried to stand up with me, but I stopped her with a gentle push on her shoulder.

“I’ll go first.

Take your time.

” “Huh?

You’re not going to stay and watch?

” Moyong Hee-ah frowned deeply, her eyes narrowing at me.

“Running off in the middle again?

” Her glare was sharp enough to take my breath away, but I had to endure it.

“...

I have something to take care of.

Sorry.

Let’s have dinner together later.

” “I’m busy tonight.

” “...

” Great.

Moyong Hee-ah turned her head, looking visibly displeased.

Well, after abandoning her plans several times, her reaction was understandable.

But there was nothing I could do.

“The Namgung Clan hasn’t even arrived yet.

You’re okay with missing them?

” “They’ll show up eventually.

Their young lady couldn’t make it here, anyway.

” Namgung Biah was still in recovery, prioritizing her treatment over traveling to this event.

‘Not that she’d be here to see her clan even if she were.

’ She didn’t seem particularly interested in her family’s affairs.

Recently, she’d been spacing out more often, as if lost in thought.

‘She looked like she’d gained some kind of insight.

’ It appeared that way, though it was hard to be certain.

I hadn’t paid much attention.

‘That’s for the best, anyway.

’ For Namgung Biah’s swordsmanship to sharpen, my indifference was necessary.

That was my judgment.

Besides, everyone around her was a genius in their own right, so leaving them to their devices would be more beneficial.

‘Even if that weren’t the case, I have plenty on my plate.

’ With less than two days remaining before the Bi-mu-je, it was time to finalize the last of my preparations.

“See you later.

” I bid farewell to my companions and began walking away.

My destination was my current lodging.

****************** The sun still had a long way to set.

Escaping the noisy clamor, I returned to my quarters.

Until moments ago, the place had been filled with the sounds of people, yet the quarters were now eerily quiet.

While the silence was soothing to my ears, it left a heaviness in my heart.

Step.

I took a step forward.

Wooong—!!

At that moment, I felt a sensation brushing against my body.

A barrier was set up in the quarters.

Not just any barrier—it was a highly refined and dense one.

Sensing it, I couldn’t help but smirk.

“Damn kid.

You’ve improved.

” The thickness and intricacy of the barrier were far superior to when I first saw it.

It hadn’t been this advanced before.

If it had improved this much since I last saw it, the kid really did have talent.

‘Well, with that family name, it’s no surprise.

’ Thinking of the kid’s real name, it wasn’t odd at all that they excelled in barrier-related techniques.

Without stopping, I continued walking toward the quarters.

The silence was deafening.

Not even the slightest sound could be heard.

It was unnaturally quiet.

Feeling a sense of unease, I grabbed the door and opened it.

Creeeeak—!

The door creaked open, revealing the person inside.

A pale and frail-looking young man came into view.

Seeing him, I waved my hand.

“It’s been a while.

” “Mm...

” Cheol Ji-seon.

A descendant of the Jegal family, bearing the true name Jegal Jin-seon.

He nodded as he looked at me.

The kid, whom I hadn’t seen in months, had a face worn out by exhaustion.

“How’s your health?

” “Not...

not great.

” “Glad to hear you’re fine.

That means you can keep working harder.

” “...

” I made a small joke, and Cheol Ji-seon’s face twisted in an odd expression.

His face seemed to ask, Why did you even bother asking then?

“Just kidding, just kidding.

” “...

Doesn’t sound like a joke.

” “It’s a joke, I swear.

Don’t believe me?

” “...

No, I...

I believe you.

” Though he still seemed timid, I knew that wasn’t entirely true.

‘Even while acting scared, he always says what he wants.

’ He pretends to be intimidated and hesitant, but in reality, he gets his point across.

He’s bolder than he looks.

‘That’s exactly why I entrusted him with the job.

’ If he weren’t bold, he wouldn’t have been able to survive alone in Hubei.

I looked at the barrier spread throughout the room and asked Cheol Ji-seon, “You’ve improved a lot.

Have you been working hard?

” “Yeah, not bad, right?

” Cheol Ji-seon smiled broadly, seemingly pleased with the compliment.

For a guy, his smile was surprisingly easygoing.

It was amusing how happy he looked over a simple compliment.

But my praise was sincere.

The barrier he had set up was truly excellent.

‘Is it based on formation techniques?

’ It didn’t seem like something created purely for show.

Curious about the principle behind it, I considered examining it, but I decided against it.

If I messed it up like I did during the Heavenly Net Great Leader incident, it would just be a headache.

I decided to focus on something else instead.

Turning my attention away from Cheol Ji-seon, I looked at the other person in the room.

There was someone else present, behind Cheol Ji-seon.

Kneeling on the floor, facing me.

I stepped toward him.

“How have you been?

” I greeted him as I approached.

He responded to my greeting.

“...

Yes...

” The voice matched the one that had sent me a transmission earlier.

A massive figure, reminiscent of Elder Il or Tang Deok, stood before me.

A body packed with solid muscle, exuding an intimidating aura.

It was clear at a glance that he was a martial artist and a powerful one at that.

I could feel the rough and rugged energy radiating from him.

The man slowly lifted his head toward me.

“I greet the great Cult Leader.

” His violet eyes, a symbol of the demonic, gleamed brightly.

Beneath them, the yellow martial robes he wore came into view.

These robes represented the Huangbo clan.

Particularly, the white embroidery on the yellow robe was exclusive to only one person within the Huangbo clan.

“Yes, it’s good to see you.

” This could only mean one thing.

“Hwangbo Yeolwi of the Nine Tiger Fists.

” The man before me was none other than the head of the Huangbo clan.

And more importantly, “Are you ready to ascend to the Four Great Clans?

” It also meant that he was a demonic being I had corrupted.