Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Evening had fallen after the conclusion of the preliminaries.

As I finished my meal, I turned my gaze to Bong Soon and asked, “Nothing happened, right?

” “Huh?

” Bong Soon tilted her head in confusion at my question.

I frowned, realizing she hadn’t understood, and asked again.

“I’m asking if you caused any trouble.

” Finally catching on, Bong Soon nodded emphatically.

“I didn’t!

The Sect Leader told me not to do anything!

” “Really?

” “Yep!

I really didn’t do anything!

I didn’t do anything at all!

So let’s ma—” “Shut up.

” “Okay.

” She had started spouting nonsense again, so I cut her off preemptively.

Did she really not do anything?

Given her track record, it was hard not to be suspicious.

Unfortunately, I had no way to confirm.

Normally, I’d have followed her in secret to check for myself.

But infiltrating their formation would be too risky.

The Martial Alliance had set up a defensive formation around the area for the tournament, and while I could likely break through it, the risk of being discovered wasn’t worth the attempt.

Was my suspicion unfair?

“I’m telling you, I didn’t do anything!

” Bong Soon protested, sounding genuinely offended.

“I didn’t kill anyone!

Not yet!

” Not yet...?

That last bit was unsettling, but I decided to let it slide for now.

“...

Fine.

Good job.

” “See?

I did well!

So, about ma—” “Go away.

” “Okay.

” Surprisingly obedient, Bong Soon sprang to her feet and vanished.

I sighed as I watched her hurry out.

Though she’d become somewhat more civilized, she still had a long way to go.

No, maybe she’s more like a beast imitating a human.

That was the impression Bong Soon gave me.

It had been two years since I brought her from the wilds of Gwangju, where she had lived among feral dogs.

I’d found her gnawing on members of the local bandits and decided to take her in.

Back then, Bong Soon was less of a person and more of a talking monster.

She could speak, but her actions were purely instinctual.

And yet, somehow, she had reached a level of cultivation that rivaled the peak martial artists of Murim.

It’s strange, really.

Her cultivation clearly exceeded the pinnacle stage, yet her mental state was akin to that of a child.

Who could have trained her to achieve such heights?

It was certain that she was a descendant of the Sword Queen, but it had been over a decade since the Queen’s death.

The likelihood of the Sword Queen having taught her personally was slim.

Even she doesn’t remember, so there’s nothing more to uncover.

I’d questioned Bong Soon about it, but she claimed to have no memory.

Given her inability to lie to me due to the effects of demonic energy, I had no reason to doubt her.

I decided to put the matter aside for now.

It doesn’t matter if she remembers or not.

What mattered was that I could use Bong Soon’s abilities as a powerful asset to advance my plans.

Her past was irrelevant to her value in the present.

“The problem is the Emei Sect,” I muttered, recalling the events of the morning as I took a sip of tea.

The tea tingled on my tongue.

I’d mixed a small amount of poison into the tea, both to build resistance and to enhance the flavor.

“...

Hmm.

” The Emei Sect.

Female monastics of Sichuan.

What connection could they have to Bong Soon?

It seemed less about Bong Soon herself and more about the artifact she carried.

If that’s the case...

then they’re not looking for the Sword Queen.

The situation was ambiguous, making it difficult to draw any definitive conclusions.

Still, “The trap is set, and the reaction should come soon enough.

” I had already laid the groundwork.

The corpse of the Emei Sect disciple had been returned to their residence.

Using Mang’s authority, I had imprinted the Martial Alliance’s emblem on a letter, paired with vague warnings.

The timing had been calculated so that the message would disappear at the appropriate moment.

How will they respond?

The purpose of this was to gauge their reaction.

If they were acting independently of the Martial Alliance, their response would differ from what it would be if they were in collaboration.

If their leader isn’t a fool, they might take this as a warning.

The Sect Leader of the Emei Sect was known as the Pulverizing Moon Fist Immortal.

One of the Seven Masters of Martial Arts, her title came from her ferocious fists, despite her delicate appearance.

I didn’t believe someone of her stature and intellect would act rashly.

The blatant use of the Martial Alliance’s emblem should make her consider the possibility of third-party involvement.

If I were her, I’d tread carefully, suspecting that someone was monitoring their movements through the Alliance.

And on top of that, If she learns that I have this...

I glanced at the letter in my hand and smirked.

The letter had been taken from the belongings of the Emei Sect martial artist.

It listed several names, including mine and other participants in the tournament.

Likely the names of those they attempted to poison.

Cross-referencing the names with my intelligence network confirmed as much, though a few additional names suggested incomplete information.

“...

Interesting.

” Why would a supposedly orthodox sect like the Emei Sect engage in such behavior?

I had paid them little attention until now, but this development piqued my curiosity.

Should I look into this further?

Since it was connected to Bong Soon, it seemed necessary.

Of course, Naturally, I had no intention of handling it myself.

I set down my tea and turned to my side.

“Then, I’ll leave it to you.

” “...

Huh?

Leave what to me?

” Cheol Ji-seon, who had been eating absentmindedly, tilted his head in confusion.

****************** The soft rustle of footsteps echoed as I walked along the path, reviewing the letter in my hand.

The document contained dense text across several pages, all meticulously compiled by Jegal Hyuk and Cheol Ji-seon.

‘The situation in Hubei is mostly under control.

As for the Shandong region, it should suffice to leave it in Huangbo Gaju’s hands.

’ Despite the large amount of information, Jegal Hyuk’s precise organization made it easy to comprehend.

‘I’ll need to keep an eye on Illyong Daeju’s movements...

and also check on Tang Deok’s situation.

’ With Nahi already dispatched to Tang Deok, that matter should soon be resolved.

If, in the process, she managed to bind or kill Illyong Daeju, all the better.

However, that might be asking too much at this stage.

‘It’s troublesome to make big moves while I’m stuck here.

’ Given my current entanglement in this place, taking unnecessary risks had to be avoided.

‘To address everything properly, it’ll have to wait until after this tournament ends.

’ By the time the martial arts tournament concluded, I’d need to reassess the situation.

Even if everything went as predicted, my life had never been one to enjoy good fortune.

‘...

Always prepare for the worst.

’ That way, handling unexpected disasters would be easier.

‘The real issue here is Tang So-yeol and Wi Seol-ah.

’ Those two were weighing on my mind, especially since they were also participating in the tournament.

Wi Seol-ah had already passed the preliminaries on the first day, and I’d heard that Tang So-yeol had naturally passed today.

‘Hmm.

’ I wasn’t sure why they had entered the tournament, but on its own, it wasn’t a significant issue.

The problem lay in what would happen when the preliminaries ended and the tournament transitioned into the real competition.

If they ended up on the same stage, that could cause complications.

‘It would’ve been easier if it were Woo Hyuk.

’ If Woo Hyuk had been participating, I could’ve knocked him out without a second thought.

Unfortunately, Woo Hyuk hadn’t entered the tournament.

‘What was the reason again?

’ Apparently, it was because the Martial Alliance’s leader, a figure from the Wudang Sect, wanted to maintain a semblance of fairness by excluding Wudang participants.

‘Fairness, huh.

’ The idea of fairness felt laughable now.

Inviting only the elites to participate in the tournament was already far from fair, yet now they were pretending to care?

‘If they cared about fairness, they should’ve upheld it long ago.

’ The previous Alliance Leader, Nakgeom, had shattered any pretense of fairness when he allowed Jang Gaeseok to represent them at the Yongbongjihoe.

‘Maybe they just want to project a clean image now.

’ Interestingly, the public seemed to react positively to the current leader’s claim of fairness.

Perhaps they thought this leader was different from the past ones.

‘Tsk.

’ I had plenty to say about it, but I held my tongue.

In any case, Woo Hyuk didn’t seem particularly eager to join the tournament.

‘...

He’d be in danger if he participated.

’ Though I occasionally used sparring as an excuse to beat some sense into him, Woo Hyuk was now more dragon than human.

His newfound abilities, coupled with his changed physique, left him unable to control his strength properly.

The problem was, Woo Hyuk didn’t seem to realize just how strong he had become.

Until he figured that out, I’d have to keep him in check.

‘And maybe push myself harder in the process.

’ There wasn’t much time left.

While I had surpassed the level of my previous life, complacency was not an option.

‘The Nine Flames Firewheel Technique...

I can’t even use it in some situations.

’ The memory of my grandfather was a lingering threat.

For reasons I couldn’t fully understand, he had the ability to reclaim the cultivation technique I possessed.

If he ever stripped me of the flames, my entire plan would fall apart.

To lose everything over a single martial art...

‘I’m truly incompetent.

’ To be rendered helpless by the loss of one technique—it was a frustrating realization.

That fear alone was enough to push me to prepare.

I needed contingencies, ways to proceed even if I lost one of my core abilities.

Stopping in my tracks, I looked ahead.

I had reached my destination.

A door stood before me, and I naturally reached out to knock.

Knock, knock.

No response.

I knocked again.

Knock, knock, knock.

Still no answer.

Knock...

Knock-knock-knock-knock-knock-knock-knock...

Bang!

Finally, after a relentless series of knocks, the door swung open.

“You wretched brat!

Do you have any idea what time it is?!

” An elderly man with white hair and a beard stood before me, glaring.

The Divine Doctor greeted me with a scowl that could curdle milk.

“It’s the middle of the night!

Everyone’s sleeping, and you dare disturb me?!

” “It’s not night, Elder.

We haven’t even passed dawn.

” “Everyone else is sleeping, aren’t they?

” “But you weren’t, were you?

” “You insolent...!

” As I retorted without missing a beat, his face flushed red.

Ah, dangerous.

That was his truly angry face.

Quickly, I pulled a letter from my sleeve and held it out to him.

“I brought this for you from Jegal Hyuk, Elder.

Please take it.

” The sight of the letter silenced his rising anger almost instantly.

As expected, bringing it was a wise decision.

“Hmph.

” “I delivered it as soon as I received it.

Please forgive my intrusion.

” “...

For Hyuk’s sake, I’ll let it slide this time, but there won’t be a next.

” “Then may I come in?

” “You’re already inside, you damned brat...

” Without waiting for his reply, I stepped into his dwelling.

Compared to the adjacent medical quarters, his private residence was much smaller and more modest.

I’d heard he had specifically requested a smaller space, claiming that larger ones felt overwhelming.

Truly, the old man had simple tastes.

I removed my shoes and entered.

Inside, there was a small desk and a single lantern.

The desk was piled high with papers, all related to medicinal treatments and herbs.

I let out a sigh of disbelief as I took in the massive stack of documents.

“Do you really look through all of that?

” “Look through it?

Hell no.

How could this old man possibly read all of that?

” “Then what’s the point of keeping it?

” “I memorized it all back when I was younger.

It’s there so I can reference it if I forget something.

” “With it stacked like that, how do you even find what you need?

” “If you remember roughly where something is and how many pages it spans, it’s easy to find.

” “...

” How does someone even manage to memorize all that...?

I swallowed the question and kept it to myself.

“So,” he said, glancing at the letter in his hand, “you plan to go through with it again today?

” His question was met with an immediate, confident response.

“Yes.

” The Divine Doctor frowned at my answer.

“There’s a group brawl in a few days.

Wouldn’t it be better to take it easy for now?

” “A group brawl, you say?

Elder, there’s a much more elegant term for it—it’s called the Martial Arts Tournament.

” “A brawl is a brawl, no matter what fancy name you slap on it.

” “...

” I couldn’t argue with that, so I laughed awkwardly.

Group brawl—he wasn’t wrong.

The term seemed fitting.

Regardless...

“I’ll rest when I’m dead.

Besides, there’s someone right here who can treat me if I get injured.

” “You brat...

Not only do you talk about dying so casually, but you expect to use this old man at your whim?

” “Since you’re already helping me, you might as well do it thoroughly.

” “Hah, your shamelessness is on par with a demon’s.

” Though he sounded annoyed, I knew better.

This old man might act gruff, but he was a deeply caring person.

And so, I was certain he’d help me this time as well.

“...

Sit down.

Let’s get this over with quickly so I can get some sleep.

” “Thank you.

” Smiling at his words, I took my seat.

The reason I’d sought out the Divine Doctor was simple.

“Prepare yourself.

” Shortly after meeting my grandfather, I had come to him to learn a new discipline—sorcery.

When I first mentioned sorcery, the Divine Doctor seemed genuinely surprised.

But after I explained that I had picked it up in the North Sea, he appeared to understand.

After all, he had encountered sorcery before, such as when he treated Jegal Hyuk’s throat.

Given his familiarity with it, I figured he’d be the best person to help me train.

At first, I thought sorcery wouldn’t be of much immediate use.

It was an intriguing power, so I figured I’d learn it out of curiosity.

But after using it a few times, I started to realize its potential.

The loop of sorcery that now flowed within my heart...

If my hunch is correct, sorcery might allow me to develop a countermeasure against my grandfather, even if he stripped me of my flames.

More importantly...

It could let me wield an even greater flame.

I could see ways to enhance not only the Nine Flames Firewheel Technique but also other martial arts.

“...

Alright, then.

Try expanding the loop,” the Divine Doctor instructed.

I focused my energy on my heart and began to exert control.

As I trained under his watchful eye, time passed steadily.

****************** Two days had passed.

I found myself once again at the Martial Alliance’s grounds.

The preliminaries, which had been conducted over three days in two rounds, were finally over.

Today marked the beginning of the main tournament.

“Will the main rounds be organized by groups as well?

” “Since the preliminaries grouped us that way, they’ll probably do the same.

” The crowd wasn’t much different from the first day—hundreds of martial artists gathered as far as the eye could see.

The key difference?

These individuals had all surpassed the level of Jeoljeong with ease.

These were the true elites, those who shattered Mannyeon Hancheol and broke through the arrays to qualify.

The genuine masters, refined through two rounds of rigorous elimination, now gathered in one place.

‘The atmosphere feels entirely different from the first day.

’ The density of the air was heavier, and the intensity radiating from these individuals was palpable.

It was suffocatingly fierce.

None of them seemed to bother concealing their energy, and the resulting battle of auras in the air was almost awe-inspiring.

Watching them, I grimaced.

‘What a bunch of show-offs.

’ Expending their energy like this before the real fights even began—what were they trying to prove?

At that moment, “Wow, look at all these people!

Over there, big sis, look!

Another bald—mph!

” Bong Soon, who had been gawking at the crowd, was abruptly silenced as Tang So-yeol clamped her hand over her mouth.

“Please...

please, just be quiet...!

” “Mmff!

Mmmph...

slurp?

” “Eek!

” Tang So-yeol yelped in shock and snatched her hand away, clearly startled by Bong Soon licking her palm.

“...

” Watching this unfold, I shook my head.

For some reason, Bong Soon seemed particularly fond of Tang So-yeol.

As a result, Tang So-yeol bore the brunt of Bong Soon’s antics.

While it was fortunate for me to have someone capable of keeping Bong Soon in check, ‘Three days for the preliminaries, two for the main rounds.

’ I was set to compete today, and so were Tang So-yeol and Bong Soon.

“...

Hey, you didn’t forget what I told you yesterday, did ~Nоvеl?ght~ you?

” “Huh?

Nope, I didn’t forget!

” “I’m reminding you—just win.

No rampages.

” “Of course!

No breaking, no killing!

I’ll just win!

” Bong Soon puffed out her chest as if brimming with confidence, though her words did little to reassure me.

‘Tch.

’ No matter how hard I tried not to worry, I couldn’t help it.

Starting today, as the name Shinryong Martial Arts Tournament implied, it would be a battle of martial artists.

This had been explicitly announced by the Martial Alliance.

‘Today marks the real beginning of the tournament.

’ In front of us stood a massive wooden board.

Beyond the sea of people, members of the Martial Alliance were hanging something onto the board.

The matchups.

The board would display the matchups for today’s main rounds, and the crowd was gathered to see it.

The martial artists’ eyes shone with various emotions as they stared at it.

Some were filled with desperation.

Others radiated exhilaration.

Each of them harbored their own feelings and aspirations.

I couldn’t quite understand why this tournament meant so much to them.

As I mulled over my thoughts and cooled my head, “Gongja-nim, it’s up.

” Tang So-yeol spoke, drawing my attention.

I turned back toward the board.

As she said, the Martial Alliance had posted the list.

Scanning the names quickly, ‘Hmm.

’ I furrowed my brow slightly.

‘So, they’re not matching fighters from the same group.

’ The matchups were divided as follows: White and Blue Groups.

Green and Red Groups.

It seemed they had paired the fighters from different groups for this round.

“Aww, no....

” “Against the Nengcheong Sword?

How am I supposed to win...?

” Groans of despair erupted from martial artists as they read the board.

These were the weaker participants, lamenting their bad luck at being paired with renowned opponents.

Conversely, the opposite sentiment rang out elsewhere.

“Good.

This first fight should be over quickly.

” “I’ll wrap it up fast and grab a drink afterward.

” Laughter and excitement filled the air as those confident in their victory expressed their glee.

Amidst the rising emotions, I found my name.

White Group.

Shanxi’s Gu Yangcheon.

‘There it is.

’ My name was listed around the middle of the board.

After locating it, I checked my opponent.

Blue Group.

Guangdong’s Myung Cheong-seong.

‘Myung Cheong-seong?

’ The name was vaguely familiar.

‘Ah.

’ I remembered now.

He was the one who had been loudly boasting about Fungnim Witan Fist and other nonsense on the first day.

Apparently, he was a somewhat well-known martial artist.

Frankly, I didn’t know much about him.

After brushing up on my opponent, I checked on the others.

‘Bong Soon’s opponent is another stranger.

’ Then there was Tang So-yeol.

‘Hmm?

’ When I saw Tang So-yeol’s matchup, my eyes widened slightly.

‘Now this is interesting.

’ It had just gotten a lot more entertaining.

Green Group.

Sichuan’s Tang So-yeol.

Red Group.

Liaoning’s Baek Cheong-jin.

Baek Cheong-jin of the Liaoning Baek Clan—also known as the Yutan Sword.

What kind of game was this?

Was this a deliberate move by the Martial Alliance?

Or pure coincidence?

It felt too deliberate to be mere chance, though I couldn’t be certain.

Shifting my gaze, I looked at Tang So-yeol.

She, too, had noticed her opponent.

Seeing her expression, I was reassured.

‘No need to worry about her....

’ Her calm eyes and composed demeanor were like a still, tranquil pond.

If anything, ‘...

She’s a little scary right now.

’ Tang So-yeol exuded a subtle sense of intimidation.

Her gaze seemed to say, ‘How shall I toy with my opponent?

’