Childhood Friend of the Zenith

“Guh, guh, guh—!!!

”“Urgh!

”“This… this is impossible!

”In an instant, the atmosphere shifted.

The scorching heat gripped the martial artists of the Alliance, forcing them to clutch their chests.

It wasn’t just the heat; the oppressive pressure reverberated in all directions.

The air grew dense.

Simply breathing was exhausting.

Those whose cultivation surpassed the peak realm barely managed to endure.

“Ghhkk…”“Ughhh…”Those beneath that threshold foamed at the mouth and collapsed.

Their mental fortitude couldn’t withstand it.

And the intensity kept growing stronger.

The heat and pressure surged endlessly.

At this rate, someone might die from the suffocating force.

“Star King.

”Screeeech!

At that moment, the Sword Emperor uttered those words and gripped his sword tightly.

Wheeeeeeenng—!!!

The sword let out a resonant cry.

Vibrating intensely, the blade wailed, and its sharp resonance began to push back against the pressure.

The Sword Emperor’s aura clashed fiercely with Gu Yangcheon’s overwhelming energy.

Screeeeech—!!!

The immense energies collided, distorting the space between them.

Neither side yielded an inch.

In other words…“The Division Leader of the Celestial Dragon ranks equally with the Sword Emperor?

”“That’s absurd—!

”This implied that Gu Yangcheon was an equal to the Sword Emperor in martial prowess.

The youngest king.

The one destined to be the world’s greatest.

Titles such as “Future Supreme One” and “The One Above All” often described Gu Yangcheon, but the Sword Emperor was no less renowned.

No, if one were to compare, the Sword Emperor boasted far more accolades.

The Guardian of the Martial Alliance.

One of the Ten Supreme Masters.

Moreover, alongside the Plum Blossom Immortal, he was deemed one of the three martial artists closest to transcendence.

Even this alone demonstrated the Sword Emperor’s value and strength.

“And yet, the Star King is not being overwhelmed by the Sword Emperor…?

”It was truly an unbelievable sight.

Impossible to believe—if it had only been described in words.

“But it’s real.

It’s really happening.

”Gu Yangcheon’s actions made it undeniable.

Flames swirled around him, releasing waves of heat.

The intensity was so severe that the surroundings felt like the peak of summer, and nearby weeds caught fire, burning vividly in testament to his presence.

Approaching him would mean certain death by fire.

Instinctively, this much was clear.

As a result, no one could get close.

“Star King.

”The Sword Emperor called out to Gu Yangcheon once more, his voice calm yet low.

Gu Yangcheon frowned slightly before letting out a smirk.

With that smile, a ferocious aura erupted from him.

Sensing this, the Sword Emperor’s expression hardened.

‘It’s scorching.

’Even his fighting spirit carried heat, clinging to his Qi-shielded body as if trying to burn through it.

How on earth was Gu Yangcheon here?

The Sword Emperor pushed against the oppressive force as his thoughts raced.

‘He was supposed to be in Sichuan.

’Just days ago, word had placed him in Sichuan.

How had he appeared here so suddenly?

When had he returned?

‘Could it be because of news about his father?

’The circumstances suggested as much, but it was hard to believe.

When had he received the information?

And when was it delivered by the messenger bird?

No matter how he calculated it, Gu Yangcheon’s arrival timing was baffling.

‘Did he arrive within just a few days?

’It was possible.

If he had poured all his energy into extreme speed, perhaps it could be done.

‘But in that case, he should have expended most of his energy.

’Yet despite such a journey, he still had enough strength to emit this overwhelming aura?

The Sword Emperor couldn’t understand it.

“Why are you silent?

”“...

”The Sword Emperor tightened his grip on his sword at the sound of Gu Yangcheon’s voice.

Wuuuuuung—!!!

The sword’s resonance grew sharper.

“If you called me, then speak.

It seems like you have something to say.

”“Do you not remember where we are?

”“I haven’t forgotten.

We’re in the Martial Alliance, aren’t we?

”“And knowing that, what do you think you’re doing here?

”“That’s why I’m asking you to speak.

”Gu Yangcheon narrowed his eyes.

For a moment, his aura slightly receded.

Was it due to exhaustion?

No, the Sword Emperor did not let his guard down.

“Just answer my questions properly.

If you won’t, I’ll have to put in some effort to make you.

”Effort?

The Sword Emperor had no time to dwell on the meaning.

“Then, let’s engage briefly.

”Before he could respond, he was forced to raise his sword.

Tilting the blade to the left, he braced himself.

Kwoooom—!!!

“…!

”A massive impact struck his blade—Gu Yangcheon’s foot.

For a brief moment, he had lost track of Gu Yangcheon’s movements.

The Sword Emperor steadied his breathing and adjusted his stance.

Using the flat of his blade, he deflected the kick and immediately gathered his Qi.

Gu Yangcheon watched this and unleashed flames into the air.

Kwooooom—!!!

The fire exploded, propelling Gu Yangcheon’s body upward.

Shhhhk!

The Sword Emperor slashed through the flames, parting them.

If he had been even a second slower, Gu Yangcheon would have struck him.

Yet, the Sword Emperor did not feel regret.

‘He was aiming for this.

’That fleeting moment wasn’t an opening created by the Sword Emperor’s hesitation—it was a trap set by Gu Yangcheon.

The Sword Emperor had seen enough from that brief exchange.

‘We’re evenly matched.

’He confirmed that Gu Yangcheon was his equal.

The realization was shocking.

How could someone so young stand on par with him?

It was an unanswerable question.

But there was no time to linger on it.

Wheeeeenng—!!!

The sword let out its cry once more.

The Five Blades of Mount Tai.

The Sword Emperor’s unique martial art unfolded from the tip of his blade.

With a low, deliberate stroke, the first slash tore through the air.

Kwoooom—!!!

Was it an attack?

No.

The first slash dissipated the surrounding pressure.

Finally, the martial artists nearby coughed and gasped for breath.

But that was only the first blade.

Shhhk—!!!

The second slash soared into the air, its sheer size overwhelming.

Gu Yangcheon responded with a punch.

Whoooosh—!!!

The Flames of the Red Sky Wolf.

The beast-shaped flames collided with the sword energy.

Boom—!!!

Like a firework, light burst brilliantly in the air.

As Gu Yangcheon observed the scattering light, his eyes darted swiftly.

‘Third blade.

’“Tsk.

”He twisted to the left and reached out with his hand.

Bang!

He struck the flat of the oncoming blade with his palm.

Tilting the angle, the redirected energy slammed into the ground.

Kwooooom—!!!

A deep, long scar carved itself into the earth in a straight line.

‘What a brute of an old man.

’Gu Yangcheon smirked.

He had heard rumors that the Sword Emperor’s style was less refined and more heavy-handed, and it was clear now that the rumors were true.

It was utterly overwhelming.

And it wasn’t over yet.

The fourth blade.

Even though his previous attack had failed, the Sword Emperor didn’t stop.

Gu Yangcheon unleashed his own energy, flames bursting forth to obscure his figure.

Whoooosh—!!!

A violent gale surged.

The strike came immediately after.

Its speed was terrifying.

Thanks to the flames, the blow missed its mark.

Gu Yangcheon successfully deflected the fourth blade.

However…‘Not yet.

’The Five Blades of Mount Tai was designed to culminate in the fifth and final slash.

The preceding strikes served to build up its power.

‘From the start, the first four are just warm-ups.

’Gradually amplifying his strength, the final strike was intended to unleash it all at once.

“Phew.

”The Sword Emperor let out a soft breath, gripping his sword with both hands.

‘Even in midair… he’s unaffected.

’Aerial combat was typically disadvantageous for swordsmen, as they lacked stable footing to channel their strength.

But the Sword Emperor didn’t seem to care.

He moved his blade as if it were an extension of himself.

It was aimed directly at Gu Yangcheon.

No, aimed wasn’t the right word.

Watching the Sword Emperor’s movements, Gu Yangcheon frowned.

‘It’s more like he’s trying to crush me.

’Such a brute-force approach was unheard of.

Not even Tang Deok or the Blade King had fought like this.

The Sword Emperor was far more aggressive.

‘The unyielding guardian of the Martial Alliance.

’They called him Mount Tai itself, and Gu Yangcheon had to admit the title fit.

However…Clang—!!!

“—!!

”Gu Yangcheon raised his arm and blocked the fifth blade.

He used nothing but his forearm.

Yet the blade didn’t cut him.

It stopped.

“What in the world…!

”Even the mighty Sword Emperor widened his eyes in shock.

Of course, he had reason to be.

‘There’s a trick to this too.

’Gu Yangcheon’s arm was wrapped in Gui-jeong (Eternal Bind).

It wouldn’t break.

This trait proved invaluable at moments like this.

And beyond that…Whiiir—!

The Eternal Bind unraveled from his forearm and coiled around the Sword Emperor’s blade, binding it.

“…Ha.

”The Sword Emperor quickly attempted to withdraw his sword, but it wouldn’t budge.

Bound.

As this realization dawned on him, Gu Yangcheon spread his palm.

Whoooosh—!!!

Flames gathered in his hand, forming an Orb of Flame.

Without hesitation, he thrust it toward the Sword Emperor.

Boom—!!!

And with a small tremor…Kwooooom—!!!

The Orb of Flame erupted into a massive explosion.

*******************Thud, thud, thud—!!

Sparks of flame fell from the air onto the ground.

Despite the lingering heat, which should have set the earth ablaze, no fire spread.

Because the caster didn’t will it.

“...

”I landed lightly, surveying my surroundings.

People stared at me with wide eyes, their expressions frozen in shock.

The weight of their gazes was uncomfortable, but I didn’t care much.

Throb!

‘Damn it.

’Pain radiated from my arm—the same arm that had blocked the Sword Emperor’s final strike.

Thanks to Gui-jeong, I had successfully defended against it, but it hadn’t absorbed the full impact.

Still, it wasn’t enough to hinder me.

Perhaps just a slight fracture.

I flexed my fingers and looked straight ahead.

Thud.

Just as I landed, another figure touched down.

The Sword Emperor.

“Cough.

”He spat up blood, though not a significant amount.

‘How disappointing.

’If the attack had connected properly, it would’ve been the end.

But the Sword Emperor hadn’t taken the full brunt of my strike.

‘He let go at the last moment.

’The instant Eternal Bind had bound his sword and before the Orb of Flame detonated, he had released his grip.

That was my mistake.

‘I should have grabbed his arm too.

’The pain in my arm had clouded my judgment, albeit briefly.

And the Sword Emperor hadn’t missed that opportunity.

He wiped the blood from his lips and glared at me.

There was a dangerous glint in his eyes.

“Do you intend to commit such a grave mistake?

”His voice was steady but heavy with meaning.

“Mistake?

”“You have crossed a line.

If it comes to this, the Martial Alliance will have no choice but to consider you an enemy.

Have you not thought this through?

”“Oh, I’ve thought about it.

”How could I not?

I had considered it plenty.

I simply made my choice regardless.

“Yes, I’ve thought about it.

”The energy around my body began to swirl.

“And my conclusion was that it doesn’t matter.

”“What…?

”“Whether I’m the enemy of the Martial Alliance or not, I couldn’t care less.

”Fwoosh!

Flames gathered, gradually forming a distinct shape.

A Flame Spear materialized in my hand.

“So, answer me.

Unless you’d rather make me your enemy.

”“…Such arrogance.

”“I hear that a lot.

”I pointed the Flame Spear at the Sword Emperor.

I no longer needed to concentrate to maintain its form.

“Where is my father?

”“The current head of the Gu family is a criminal.

”“Yes, so I’ve heard.

”How utterly ridiculous.

“He committed a crime and is imprisoned by the Martial Alliance.

Do you think your actions here will help him?

”“No.

I doubt it will help much.

”“…What?

”The Sword Emperor seemed momentarily taken aback by my candid response.

If my father was truly a criminal, then my actions were futile.

All I’d accomplish would be further damage to his reputation and our family name.

But…“If my father were truly a criminal, maybe.

But…”In my mind,“My father is not the kind of man who would commit a crime.

”He wasn’t.

“So don’t try to play me.

”I imbued more flames into the Flame Spear, increasing its size and density.

“Pull whatever cheap tricks you want, stage whatever asinine theater you like—I could tolerate most of it.

But this crosses the line.

”“Star King.

”“There are things you don’t touch.

And the Martial Alliance?

”I smirked.

“If I were afraid of that, I wouldn’t have come here.

”“...

”I pressed my foot into the ground, the soles digging into the earth.

“So reckless.

”The Sword Emperor’s eyes grew cold, and the atmosphere shifted dramatically.

“From this moment, the Martial Alliance will consider you an enemy.

”A chill ran across my skin.

Until now, he had treated me as an ally.

No wonder it had seemed too easy.

“I will execute the enemy of the Martial Alliance here and now.

”“Do as you like.

”As his killing intent surged, I hurled the Flame Spear directly at him.

Kiieeeeeek—!!!

The spear tore through the air toward the Sword Emperor.

He raised his sword in response.

Although his previous blade lay discarded on the ground, the Sword Emperor always carried a spare.

The Five Blades of Mount Tai.

A hidden technique.

Mount Tai True Spirit Slash .

Radiance burst from the Sword Emperor’s blade.

Just as the two forces were about to collide—Whirl.

A golden energy suddenly descended between them.

And then—Clang!

With a soft sound, everything changed.

The trajectory of my Flame Spear veered skyward, and the Sword Emperor’s blade failed to follow through.

Someone had stepped on the blade, stopping his swing entirely.

Whoever it was had likely interfered with my spear as well.

Someone had inserted themselves into the fight and disrupted both of us.

Narrowing my eyes, I turned to identify the intruder.

“Well, what do we have here?

”The figure wore a mask, golden energy wrapped around their feet and blade.

I recognized them.

‘The Division Leader of the Celestial Dragon.

’The newly established Division Leader of the Celestial Dragon had intervened.

It was him.