Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 564: Why Is This Old Man Here? (1)

The storm raged.

KUAHAAAA—!!

The gust unleashed by the punch became a raging typhoon, tearing across the ground.

This was no ordinary wind conjured by sheer will. It was wild, feral. It seemed impossible to attribute such devastation to a mere human strike.

CRRRRKKK—!!

The earth twisted and crumbled under its force. The scale was staggering, its impact overwhelming.

The tempest roamed unchecked, finally dissipating only when it reached the distant mountains.

Haaah...

The dust settled as the winds calmed, revealing a desolate scene.

For a brief moment, silence reigned—until the clearing of the dust brought clarity.

Thud—!

A body hit the ground.

“Elder! Elder, no!”

“Noooo!”

The cries of the Wudang sect’s disciples echoed in despair.

The elder of Wudang, Yu Baek, known as the Bisungum (Shining Star Sword), lay lifeless on the ground.

His body was a wreck, as though torn apart. The blood spattered around him bore no trace of hope.

Yu Baek was dead.

He had fallen, utterly defenseless, to the masked figure before them—felled in a single blow.

One strike. Not even a proper resistance.

One of Zhongyuan's Hundred Great Masters had met his end with his eyes closed, unfulfilled.

And the masked figure who had delivered this decisive blow merely stood, gazing down at Yu Baek’s lifeless form.

For a few seconds, the figure examined the fallen elder, before muttering in a dry, brittle voice:

“How pathetic.”

The voice was raspy, with a tone devoid of sympathy.

“This is the swordsmanship of Wudang? How utterly disappointing.”

Disappointment was evident, an emotion he could not hide.

“To think the sword that has flourished in Zhongyuan for so long would be so crude.”

The Wudang disciples, witnessing their elder’s tragic death, trembled with rage. Yet none could move.

Their bodies felt weighed down, as though an invisible force crushed them.

Except for one.

One person managed to move under this suffocating pressure.

The masked figure’s gaze shifted toward her.

“Ah, yes. You’re still here.”

The woman froze mid-motion. It was So Yi, the Plum Blossom Sword Queen.

The glowing blue eyes behind the mask fixated on her, sending cold sweat dripping down her back.

I can’t see it.

She couldn’t discern what lay beyond the mask.

Neither the opponent’s level of mastery nor their intentions were clear. It was an abyss.

So Yi’s cultivation was far from weak. She had no doubts about her ability to defeat someone of Yu Baek’s level in direct combat.

But this—this was beyond her.

There’s no way...

The figure had obliterated Yu Baek with a single blow, something even she couldn’t fathom doing.

Who is this...?

Her mind raced. Cheonma, they had called themselves.

It was a name she had never heard before. A bizarre moniker for such a powerful warrior.

How could someone this strong have no record, no reputation in Zhongyuan?

“Plum Blossom Sword Queen.”

“...!”

As So Yi’s tension reached its peak, Cheonma’s voice called out to her, breaking her focus.

Had he noticed her unease? There was a trace of amusement in his tone.

“You are unlike these Wudang insects. You seem to know your place.”

With a casual movement, he nudged Yu Baek’s corpse with his foot.

“HOW DARE YOU?!”

“You bastard! I’ll kill you!”

The disciples’ cries, thick with fury, broke the silence.

Cheonma turned his head toward them and raised a finger to his lips.

“Shh.”

It was a light gesture, but the aura that emanated from him was anything but.

BOOOOM—!!

The oppressive energy surged outward, enveloping the area and pinning everyone down.

“Guhhh...!”

“Arrgh...!”

The disciples, who had barely risen to their knees, collapsed again under the pressure, groaning in agony.

“I dislike noise,” Cheonma said flatly. “Especially the buzzing of insects.”

A chilling aura emanated from him. So Yi clenched her fists as the atmosphere weighed heavily upon her.

This energy—she had never felt anything like it. It wasn’t mere hostility or killing intent. It was oppressive, suffocating.

In the midst of the now silent chaos, Cheonma turned his gaze back to So Yi.

And asked, “Will you come forward?”

The question, accompanied by a slight nod, was a clear provocation.

“...”

So Yi frowned, responding carefully.

“If you intend to speak, shouldn’t you release the others first?”

Cheonma laughed aloud, his mirth echoing ominously.

“Fair point.”

The oppressive energy he released had spread across the area, looming over the disciples like a predator poised to strike.

It had been clear from the moment Yu Baek fell—if So Yi moved recklessly, others would die.

The warning was unmistakable.

If you act, they die.

So Yi’s back was drenched with cold sweat. The implications were harrowing.

To think he unleashed such devastating energy and still toyed with Yu Baek...

Her realization deepened.

He’s transcended.

A conclusion solidified in her mind.

This masked figure had reached the Transcendent Realm, a level few among Zhongyuan's Hundred Great Masters ever attained.

Without such mastery, no one could manifest energy in this tangible, overwhelming way.

Tension gripped her entire body.

Who are these people...?

Her gaze flickered beyond Cheonma, toward the hulking figure kneeling behind him.

While all attention was drawn to Cheonma, So Yi sensed that the giant was no ordinary opponent either.

At minimum, he was at the Hwagyeong level, likely a master of external martial arts. He, too, was a stranger to her.

Despair filled the air.

The other martial artists were still incapacitated, and no reinforcements had arrived, despite the chaos.

Is it the black energy?

The ominous energy surrounding them didn’t appear to block reinforcements, but it felt like a factor.

Her gaze lifted slightly.

Above them, something glimmered—a radiant, oppressive presence casting its malevolent glow across the battlefield.

Her lips pressed into a thin line. The sight was unfamiliar yet filled her with an uneasy sense of recognition.

So Yi’s fingers brushed the hilt of her sword, but no solution came to her.

Am I afraid of dying?

No. That wasn’t it.

Even if these adversaries were stronger than her, fear was not her obstacle.

The problem was clear.

There are children here.

Not far away, there were people she needed to protect.

That was why she couldn’t recklessly swing her sword, nor could she retreat.

At that moment, Cheonma’s voice broke through again.

“Your gaze trembles.”

“...!”

He looked directly at her, his tone mocking yet curious.

“Not the eyes of someone overcome with fear, but something holds you back. What could it be, I wonder?”

A low chuckle escaped his lips.

Laughter echoed.

"Is it because of the children locked away?"

So Yi's eyes widened in shock. Cheonma had noticed. The realization caused her head to flush with heat.

"Hmm..."

Cheonma adjusted his mask as he observed her.

What should she do? Should she fight now? What about the martial artists nearby? The children underground?

Crack.

The tension grew unbearable. Gritting her teeth hard enough to hurt, she weighed the worsening situation.

"This is boring."

Cheonma’s voice was drained of interest as he spoke.

"I had hoped to witness the famed swordsmanship of Mount Hua, but your gaze disappoints me."

"What... are you saying?"

"A sword filled with idle thoughts is dull and unworthy of interest. As you are now, you're not even worth killing."

The cutting words struck her pride deeply, but So Yi didn’t argue.

Her pride was insignificant compared to the lives of the children.

"I had high expectations, but it seems this was a meaningless journey."

With those words, Cheonma turned his back.

Was he leaving? So Yi’s mind raced.

Whoosh—!!!

A sudden noise cut through the air.

BOOOOM—!!!

A colossal entity crashed to the ground. The creature, which had hovered above moments ago, had descended.

Up close, its size was staggering—large enough to devour a house whole. It rivaled the largest crimson-ranked beasts So Yi had encountered.

Cheonma began walking toward the creature.

So Yi understood—if left alone, Cheonma would disappear with it.

Would she really let him go? The criminal who had attacked a sect of righteousness and killed an elder of Wudang?

Could she let such a person escape so easily?

As the conflicting thoughts surged, threatening to overwhelm her...

"Ah."

Cheonma halted mid-step.

"If you wish to stop me, I will respect your decision. However..."

He glanced back slightly.

His faintly glowing blue eyes locked onto So Yi.

"There will not be a second chance."

The implication was clear—if she tried to stop him, everyone here would die.

For a few seconds, silence hung heavy.

"..."

So Yi couldn’t respond. She remained frozen.

Confirming her silence, Cheonma turned back around and continued toward the creature, joined by the hulking figure kneeling nearby.

When he reached the beast, he extended his hand toward it.

HUUUAAAAAH—!!!

The blackened sky began to twist, as if the heavens themselves were descending.

CRACK—!

The sphere hovering above started to fracture.

Tuk. Tuk.

With each crack, energy began leaking out. So Yi’s eyes widened at the sight.

The fractures were a precursor—an omen of an imminent explosion of energy.

Realizing the danger, she immediately channeled her inner energy.

Huaaaah—!

The scent of plum blossoms filled the air, spreading in all directions.

Amidst the growing tension, Cheonma’s voice rang out.

"Though this meeting was somewhat disappointing, it was not without its amusements."

His tone was calm, even casual.

"I hope that next time, you will live up to my expectations."

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With that, it happened.

FOOOSH—!!!

The heavens seemed to collapse, and the space around them shattered.

Simultaneously...

CRAAAAAACK—!!!

The sphere burst, unleashing a blinding light and a massive pressure wave.

The resulting explosion was colossal.

The sheer magnitude of the energy that had been compressed within became apparent.

If left unchecked, the explosion would have destroyed everything nearby.

Understanding this, So Yi quickly spread her energy, forming a barrier to contain the blast.

Saaah—!!

A crimson aura took shape, forming a dome that trapped the explosion within. The energy raged wildly inside the enclosure but couldn’t escape.

However...

"Ugh—!!"

The strain of containing the full force of the explosion struck So Yi’s body with relentless intensity.

She endured.

Thankfully, the impact was weaker than she had anticipated.

"Haa... haa..."

As the explosion subsided, So Yi exhaled deeply, exhaustion clear on her face.

She steadied her breathing and turned her gaze back toward the battlefield.

But where the beast had once stood, nothing remained.

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

Crack.

The transformation technique unraveled, and his body began to shrink back to its original size.

The martial robes he wore instantly became loose, but he couldn’t afford to care about such trivialities.

“Cough—!”

Thud, thud!

Leaning against a wall, he spat out dark, viscous blood. It streamed down his chin and splattered onto the ground.

“Urgh...”

He clutched his chest, overwhelmed by the stabbing pain that almost forced him to collapse.

He had to endure. Letting his guard down now could mean losing consciousness entirely.

“Damn it...”

A curse escaped his lips.

It was no wonder—he had narrowly escaped death.

Wiping the blood from his mouth with trembling hands, he fought through the lingering agony.

That was close.

His heart’s energy reserves were entirely depleted. A little further, and he would have been forced to draw from his Innate Energy.

He endured the pain and used the faint trace of inner energy he had left to survey the condition of his body.

And immediately, the realization hit him.

Damn it...

His insides were a complete mess.

Whether it was from the backlash or sheer exhaustion, his blood pathways were in disarray, and severe internal injuries riddled his body.

“Should I have held back a bit?”

It was likely the result of using Tua Pacheonmu (Two-Step Sky Dance).

I overexerted myself beforehand.

Utilizing the fiery Hwarunseong technique and Heukcheon had already consumed a significant amount of his energy.

On top of that, he had employed Dragon Speech and Heavenly Sight, even materializing Demonic Qi to suppress the Plum Blossom Sword Queen. And maintaining that suppression while deploying Tua Pacheonmu had pushed his body beyond its limits.

It was no surprise his body couldn’t take it.

And yet...

If the Sword Queen had truly decided to fight me, it would have been the end.

He had put on a brave front, but had she chosen to attack without hesitation, his demise would have been certain.

The only reason he had gambled on such a dangerous move was his confidence that she wouldn’t make that choice.

Because she had to consider Yeongpung and Gu Ryeonghwa imprisoned in the dungeons.

Knowing that, he had calculated that the Sword Queen wouldn’t act recklessly. He had been right.

“Urgh... ngh...”

His knee gave out, and he nearly collapsed.

Thud.

A hand caught him, helping to steady his faltering body.

Turning his head, he saw a familiar face—it was Nahi, the woman who had just released him from his restraints in the dungeons.

“Master, are you alright?”

“Not even close. I feel like I’m about to die.”

He let out a strained chuckle.

It wasn’t far from the truth. A slight misstep, and he might indeed have been dead by now.

Things had turned out in his favor, but the outcome was anything but clean.

I’ll need at least a couple of months to recover.

Even this was only possible because of his abnormally resilient body. Otherwise, such injuries would have required a year of recuperation.

Spit.

He spat out the last of the blood lingering in his mouth.

“At least everything went according to plan.”

The internal injuries were serious, but the results weren’t bad.

Had the Sword Queen realized his current condition, the outcome would have been very different.

He reached into his robes, recalling the white mask he carried, and sighed.

At least I had this.

The white mask, handed to him by the Shadow King, was a treasure of rare origin.

It obscured his presence and made it impossible for others to fully gauge his condition.

According to the Shadow King, it was one of the last remaining heirlooms of his family.

Which meant...

...It must belong to the Yeon clan.

As a descendant of Yeon Ilcheon, the Shadow King had entrusted him with this artifact.

Though the thought left a sour taste in his mouth, he had no choice but to use it.

He forced himself to stand.

Pain surged through his body, bringing fresh blood to his throat, but he swallowed it back down.

The situation wasn’t over yet.

He needed to regain his composure and return to the dungeons before the Sword Queen reappeared.

From there, he would have to organize the aftermath and assess the information he had gained from this ordeal.

Most importantly...

There’s not much time left until he arrives.

The leader of Wudang, the current head of the Murim Alliance, and one of Zhongyuan’s Ten Grand Masters, known as the Seven Iron and Three Fists—the Wudang Sword Saint—was en route to this very place.

And he had to prepare to face him.

Not as the culprit, but as a victim of this entire incident.