Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 542

The Gu Clan, known as the protectors of Shanxi.

Behind that Gu Clan lies a mountain.

Whooooooosh—

The wind blew across that place.

As if sweeping through with the spring breeze, it stirred the blossoms,

wrapping itself gently around the flower-covered mountain.

Whoooooooaaaa!

Each time the wind caressed the area, petals scattered.

It appeared gentle, yet there was undoubtedly strength within it.

The wind continued, moving past the forest, heading toward the peak.

At the summit, a field of flowers in full bloom came into view.

The strange thing was that the wind didn’t blow in one direction; instead, it spiraled around a central point.

At the center of the field, the wind seemed to be swirling around someone, as though embracing them.

And at its center stood a figure.

A woman.

The person encircled by the wind was a golden-haired woman.

Her hair, shining as though it emitted light even in broad daylight, and her skin, so pale it appeared transparent, came into view.

Her nose was sharp, and her lightly tinted lips resembled flower petals.

Her appearance seemed to condense and distill the very essence of beauty.

Merely looking at her evoked a sense of otherworldliness.

The woman stood with her eyes closed, feeling the wind.

“…Haaa…”

With a soft exhale, the wind rippled.

The speed of the wind, which had increased somewhat, stabilized. Feeling this, the woman moved her hand.

Her hands held nothing, but her posture made it seem as though she were gripping something.

Swish—

Slowly, her arm rose.

And as the woman moved to sweep her hand through the air—

Flinch!

“…!”

Her brows furrowed slightly.

Whoooooosh! Bang!

The roaring wind vanished with a rough sound.

In an instant, the surroundings grew silent.

The woman adjusted her posture and opened her eyes.

Her golden pupils gleamed faintly as she let out a shallow sigh.

“…Ha…”

Her sigh was filled with disappointment.

Once again, she had failed in what she set out to do.

“It seems things didn’t go as planned.”

At the sudden sound of a voice, the golden-haired woman, Wi Seol-ah, turned her head.

In the direction of her gaze stood an elderly man, his hands clasped behind his back.

Dressed neatly in a martial artist’s robe, his hair was tied back meticulously.

His sharp eyes, with deep blue pupils, carried an undeniable intensity.

His well-trained body and the sword at his waist made it clear that he was a martial artist.

Looking at the elder, Wi Seol-ah showed no surprise and lightly bowed in greeting.

“I greet the Celestial Master.”

The elder’s identity was that of the Celestial Master, one of the Three Revered Elders, often referred to as the “Sky of the Namgung Clan.”

The Celestial Master acknowledged her greeting with a slight gesture and continued speaking.

“Apologies if I interrupted.”

“No, I was about to stop anyway.”

At her words, the Celestial Master offered a faint smile.

“It’s not easy, is it?”

“…”

“Well, it wouldn’t be. That’s only natural.”

The Celestial Master took a step closer as he spoke.

“Still, don’t rush. Even just grasping the thread of understanding is an incredible achievement.”

“It’s all thanks to your guidance, Master.”

“Kind words, but not true. I merely gave you a few pointers. The rest was entirely your own effort.”

“…”

At his words, Wi Seol-ah smiled faintly and lowered her head slightly.

“Thank you.”

“It’s nothing. Ah…”

As if recalling something, the Celestial Master continued speaking to her.

“The reason I came to find you is that the Gu Clan Head mentioned he was looking for you.”

“…!”

Wi Seol-ah’s golden eyes widened at the unexpected news.

“I’ll head down immediately.”

“Very well. You’ve worked hard.”

“I’ll see you again soon.”

After a polite bow, Wi Seol-ah leaped lightly and disappeared from sight.

The Celestial Master watched her retreating figure and slowly stroked his beard.

“…Hmm.”

His thoughts turned to the wind that Wi Seol-ah had stirred moments earlier.

It was fast yet carried weight.

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It wasn’t a natural breeze; it was wind summoned purely by her own strength.

Moreover, she hadn’t even used her inner Qi to summon it.

This realization caused the Celestial Master to suppress his astonishment.

“That young child has already…”

Was she already nearing the Realm of Heart and Mind (Simsang)?

The Celestial Master felt a deep sense of wonder at this development.

He had offered her only a few pieces of advice, yet she had managed to forge a sword within her heart.

Perhaps it was because of this that a dark and unfamiliar emotion began to stir within him.

An emotion he wished to ignore.

At that moment—

“Tempted, are we?”

“… …”

A voice came from behind, and the Celestial Master let out a soft breath before turning around.

Seated atop a nearby rock was a young man.

He had black hair and wore dark martial robes.

The Celestial Master looked at him and spoke.

“That’s not it.”

“Your expression tells a different story. Don’t bother denying it.”

“… …”

The young man—Paejon, another of the Three Revered Elders—took a sip from his bottle before speaking again.

“I understand the temptation to pick up a precious gem lying on the ground. But restrain yourself. That child isn’t within your domain.”

“A few words of advice, and she’s already creating a domain.

Within that, she’s grasped the thread of the Heart Sword (Simgeom).

And at the mere age of twenty.”

The Celestial Master had discovered the thread much later, well past forty.

As a fellow swordsman, it was impossible not to feel envy.

At Paejon’s words, the Celestial Master allowed himself a bitter smile.

“…I know. Don’t worry. I’m well aware I’m not in a position to indulge in such desires.”

The Celestial Master’s voice carried a faint hint of sorrow, prompting Paejon to frown.

“Ah, this doesn’t suit you at all. You’ve gone soft.”

It was unamusing to see him so readily admit it.

That arrogant and insufferable man had become someone entirely different. Even years later, Paejon still hadn’t fully adjusted to this change.

“Tch. I’m curious what the Gu Clan Head did to you to bring this about.”

“I owe the Gu Clan Head my eternal gratitude.”

“Ha.”

Disgusted, Paejon tossed his bottle aside, signaling he was done drinking.

“Have you truly gone senile? I’m genuinely starting to worry.”

“Do I seem senile? If this is what madness feels like, I’d prefer it this way.”

“…No, that’s not it.”

Paejon trailed off, unwilling to finish the thought.

The Celestial Master wouldn’t have considered passing his sword techniques to a successor of the Sword Sovereign otherwise.

Paejon swallowed the rest of his words, finding them meaningless in the face of the current Celestial Master.

Instead, he chose to change the subject entirely.

“If you’re so inclined to offer kindness, wouldn’t it be better to direct it toward your own disciples?”

A man who once devoted his life entirely to the Namgung Clan now showed little interest in it after coming to his senses.

Paejon couldn’t help but find it strange.

The Celestial Master met Paejon’s gaze and replied,

“That’s not something for you to lecture me about, is it?”

“…”

Paejon fell silent, knowing the Celestial Master had a point.

After all, Paejon himself showed no interest in the children of the Bi Clan, his own bloodline. He was in no position to criticize the Celestial Master.

Aware of this, the Celestial Master smiled faintly and continued,

“At the very least, I have no intention of taking in a child from another clan as my disciple.”

“Tch.”

Paejon clicked his tongue, annoyed.

What right did someone who took in another’s child as a disciple have to say such things?

“Your wit is as sharp as ever, Senior.”

“Haha.”

Taking advantage of the pause, Paejon pulled a sealed letter from his robes and tossed it to the Celestial Master.

The Celestial Master caught it lightly, glancing at Paejon as if to ask what it was.

“A servant brought it to me this morning. Looks like the Wudang Sword Saint is up to something.”

Rustle.

The Celestial Master unfolded the letter, revealing the seal of the Martial Alliance and the words written beneath it.

“Announcement: The Divine Dragon Martial Tournament (신룡무투제) will be held.”

“…The Sword Saint… that child…”

Paejon smirked, amusement flickering in his dark eyes.

“Even if the intent is trivial, it seems like it might be fun. Maybe this time…”

He grinned and continued.

“I should send someone, too.”

“…!”

At Paejon’s words, the Celestial Master looked at him in surprise.

“Bijoo, you—”

“That rascal would go even if I told him not to.”

Paejon chuckled, clearly entertained by the thought, while the Celestial Master seemed lost in contemplation.

“Are you sure about this?”

“About what?”

“That child… Is it really okay to let him out into the world?”

There was an unusual heaviness in the Celestial Master’s voice.

It wasn’t concern for the person in question but rather for the world itself.

Was it truly wise to release that child into the world?

Was it fair to the world to bear the consequences?

That was the sense the Celestial Master conveyed.

Realizing this, Paejon made a face as though he found it ridiculous.

“Why are you acting as if someone else’s disciple is your responsibility?”

“…Hmm.”

“Besides, he’s never been one to listen to what I say. Do you think he’d stop if I told him not to go?”

Clench.

As Paejon spoke, he suddenly clenched his fist tightly.

“See? He doesn’t listen and just charges out on his own.”

Where was it again? Oh, right—Guangdong.

When the boy declared he would go there, Paejon had told him to stay and finish his training first.

But by the next morning, he had disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only a letter saying he’d return soon.

“So I sent it to him, too.”

The sealed letter Paejon had handed the Celestial Master earlier had also been sent to his disciple.

“That way, he’ll either come back home or head to Hunan. Either way, it’ll make it easier to find him.”

And when they met again…

‘I’ll have to straighten him out a bit.’

A mentor’s affectionate hand would surely come into play.

The problem was—

‘That doesn’t seem to work as well anymore.’

Unlike before, his disciple had grown resistant to such punishments.

“In any case, it doesn’t really matter.”

Paejon forced himself to ignore the mixed feelings of frustration and excitement swirling within him.

“Whatever trouble he causes now, it’ll be fine.”

“What do you mean?”

When the Celestial Master asked, Paejon smiled confidently.

“I think he’s ready.”

Paejon’s dark eyes gleamed as he spoke.

“At the very least, he won’t go around getting beaten anymore.”

“…”

“I made sure of that.”

There was such conviction in his voice that the Celestial Master found himself shivering slightly.

After all, he knew exactly what kind of monster Paejon had created.

******************

A forest in the Guangdong region.

"Achoo!"

I sneezed just as I was busy with something.

"Ah, damn it."

I wiped my nose with my hand, only to find some mucus.

Disgusted by the sticky sensation, I wiped it off on my clothes.

Could it be a cold?

"No way."

This body wasn’t the type to catch a cold, so I dismissed the idea.

With a slight itch in my ear, I thought to myself:

"Someone must be cursing me."

That’s the only explanation that made sense.

The problem was…

"Who could it be?"

There were too many people who would curse me, so figuring out exactly who it was seemed impossible.

"Well, someone’s bound to be at it."

Honestly, I didn’t care much.

It wasn’t the first time I’d been cursed at.

And curses weren’t going to kill me, so it didn’t matter.

Of course, if someone cursed me to my face, I’d knock out their front teeth. But as long as they weren’t in front of me, it wasn’t my concern.

Right now, there were more important things to focus on.

I raised my head to look at the sky.

When I looked up, I saw a sky turning crimson.

It felt strangely alien for something seen at night.

"Hmm…"

No matter how I looked at it, it was definitely that.

As I took another bite of venison, I noticed movement nearby.

Grrr…

The little rascal, lying down as if trying to sleep, bared its teeth.

It seemed like it was licking its chops.

I asked, watching it:

"Are you hungry?"

Grrr…

The low growl it gave in response, as if agreeing, sent a small headache my way.

"You’re always hungry no matter how much you eat, aren’t you? You’re terrible value for the food you consume."

It had eaten anything and everything in sight on the way here, and yet it was still hungry?

Grrr…

When I complained, it drooped its head as if sulking.

"Tch."

Clicking my tongue, I watched it.

Scolding it felt like a waste of energy.

What could I do if it was hungry?

"Fine, fine. You win."

After swallowing the last bite of my meat, I stood up.

The rascal stood up at the same time.

And then—Crack, crack!—its body began to expand, accompanied by rough sounds.

Once it grew, its size was enormous.

The space around the campfire, which was by no means small, was completely dwarfed by it.

The funny thing is, this isn’t even its full size.

It could grow even larger if it wanted to. I was just keeping it from doing so to avoid attracting too much attention.

Having fed it so much over the years, it seemed to grow larger with each passing day. Now, it had reached a size where letting it grow fully was no longer an option.

Though, it’s not just the food…

Obviously, feeding it more didn’t make it grow bigger.

The reason must have been something else.

It’s probably because my own energy has gotten stronger.

That was my guess, and it made sense.

The stronger my energy became, the larger the rascal’s size grew.

Because of that, it’s now exhausting to keep its size small.

For reasons unknown, the rascal could use a technique to alter its size.

Keeping its size concealed had once been easy.

But as it grew larger, the energy required to maintain that concealment became excessive.

And to make things worse—

"Your appetite’s grown too, hasn’t it?"

Grrr?

"You eat way too much, you glutton."

I was sure it understood me, but the rascal ignored my words, merely flicking its whiskers.

Was it just me, or was it getting more brazen with time?

"Hah…"

Suppressing a sigh that tried to escape, I gave it a light nudge.

And then—

Grrrawwr!

The rascal growled fiercely and leapt into the air.

Whoosh!

Its massive body shot upward, kicking up dust in every direction with its powerful movements.

Its gaze locked onto the crimson center of the sky.

The way its mouth curled into a grin made it clear it was excited about what was coming.

I spoke, watching it:

"Don’t make too much noise. Handle it quietly. And don’t go wrecking everything around you like last time."

Grrr.

It nodded as if to say it understood, though I didn’t entirely trust it.

There’d been too many incidents in the past for me to believe it would behave.

When it first hatched from the Magic Stone, it had been shy and endearing.

Now, it felt like it was becoming more feral with each passing day.

Is it going through some kind of puberty?

I wasn’t sure if such a thing happened to magical beasts, but it was the only explanation that came to mind.

The rascal vanished from view in an instant, and I went back to finishing my meal.

But then—

"Hmm?"

In the distance, I felt several presences.

Seven people?

"Hmm."

I expanded my senses with a curious expression.

From the tips of my feet, my energy radiated outward, covering the forest.

Soon, I caught sight of the figures rushing toward me. Upon closer inspection, it seemed like…

‘Martial Alliance members, huh?’

Smirking at the realization, I felt amusement bubbling up.

It was perfect timing.

"I was just thinking how hard it was to find them."

If memory served, there was someone active in this area around this time.

Since I was in Guangdong on other business, I figured I’d check it out as well.

‘Finding them was harder than I thought.’

Since neither the title nor the name was known at this point, it had been tricky to locate them.

Normally, I’d have left Guangdong by now.

Instead, I’d wasted unnecessary time.

Given the circumstances, I allowed myself a slight smile as I looked in the direction of the approaching presences.

"Maybe I’ll ask them a few questions."

With those words, I began to move.

There was no need to rush.

After all, it seemed we were heading to the same place.