662 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

**Best in the World: Chapter 662 - Northern Rabbit** Splash. With each step, a puddle was crushed beneath as the passageway was slowly traversed. Seong-yul remained outside, waiting. There was no real need for him to enter as well. Splash. Splash. Beyond the lively steps resounded richly with moisture. Although the area was void of lit lanterns and the damp air teased the tip of my nose, nothing truly fazed me. My sight pierced through the dim passage, as clearly as if it were daylight. The musty air was bothersome but merely that—it couldn’t harm my body. After walking a short distance. Wooong-! A peculiar energy brushed against me. The atmosphere felt subtly off. Was this some form of sorcery? 'Certainly, it's different from an array.' In the past, whenever I encountered a formation, I couldn’t make sense of it at all. But this—I could see. Even though I might not fully understand how it’s made or for what purpose it was set, at least I could see the energy flowing through it. Things that were once invisible now appeared before my eyes. It was a novel experience. Swish. As my fingers grazed the energy, it flowed like rippling waves. Thump. Suddenly, my heart responded in kind. 'Oh.' Upon contact with the energy, the tethered loop wrapped around my heart began to stir. It was spinning. Much like the rotation of Guyeomhwa's technique. Thump! Thump! Voom! In sync with my heart’s pounding, the loops whirled faster, and unknowable euphoria seeped in. A truly intriguing sensation. The two loops continued to rev up in speed. Feeling it, I waved my fingertips. Wooooong. The sorcerous barrier quivered at my touch, and observing its flow, my spiritual eye inadvertently awakened. It wasn’t of my volition—or was it? Perhaps, it stirred due to instinct. I couldn’t tell. Deep in thought, my eyes swiftly read the flow. 'This is fascinating.' I expected only to discern my flow, but, impressively enough, the spiritual eye revealed even the currents formed by the sorcery. Thread upon thread tangled and intricately entwined. Just witnessing it made my eyes ache from its complexity. Ordinarily, I'd curse and clear it away without hesitation. 'Hmm.' The loops spun even faster. Watching the countless threads, my hands moved bit by bit. I could see. And I understood. I already knew what needed to be done. Vrrroooom---!!! It grew hot. The speed at which the loops spun caused my heart to heat up. To the extent that my expression almost twisted in discomfort. Despite how it looked, if I continued as is, danger might be on the horizon. Was it worth the effort to end it here? 'Hmm.' Rationality suggested that. Vrooom---!!! Regrettably, I might not be such an entirely rational person as, contrary to thought, my body showed little intent to stop. Then what should I do? 'It seems that two loops are too few for the heat.' Perhaps two loops couldn’t manage all that. So what’s the solution? 'If two aren't enough, use a third.' Grasping the tangled threads, I concentrated power into my heart. Crunch!!! Friction was felt within. Below the spinning piece, pressure erupted. It was painful. The loops seemed to speak. Protesting that the time was not yet ripe. 'And so what?' I ignored it. 'I'll decide when it's time.' It seemed feasible. An internal voice affirmed what needed to be done. Following that path, the body began reassembly from the inside. The loop released unknown fragments, causing internal abrasion. Perhaps remnants due to rebound energy? Crrrrrsqueak---!!! As friction intensified, a sensation touched below the loop. Gathering fragments detached from the loops forged another loop. Although imperfect in form, it was indeed a third loop. Vreeeeeeeee---!!! The newly formed loop instinctively knew its role from arrival. Spinning according to intention, doubts about withstanding the heat vanished. Stability settled in. Savouring the feeling. Clutch. Grasping the sorcerous threads and forcefully tugging. Crrrack---!!! Craaaack ---!!!! The thick webbing unraveled under a mere pull. Whuuush-! A strong gust brushed my shoulder, scattering apart. At that instant. Woorooong. "Hmm?" The surrounding sorcery dispersed. Everything vanished. Oh? Was it not supposed to disappear entirely? In the unexpected turn of events, mild panic set in. Rattatat!!! Urgent footsteps echoed from the space ahead. "This—this energy came from here—!" "The barrier is down! Call more sorcerers!" "We need to find and stop the intruder—." The gathered followers of Pildu Ma halted, startled at the sight of me. "…" Upon spotting them, my own movements froze. Apparently, I had accidentally caused an incident. '…I just intended to take a peek. A mistake.' I intended to observe until the opportune moment but ended up dismantling it unintentionally in my fixation. Apparently, something erupted due to that. First, I flicked away the lingering energy from my hands. If I hadn’t been wearing a mask, my expression would’ve betrayed a chaotic mess. "…Who are you…! H-how did you …?" Faced with a question oozing with bewilderment, I paused to consider. Hmm. 'Might be better to answer candidly.' Seeing no better excuse, I decided to speak the plain truth. "It was a mistake. I apologize." "…" "…" The sincerity in my apology twisted their expressions in bizarre disbelief. Seemed my apology failed to make the desired impact. ****************** A massive chamber, seemingly the core of the cave. An elderly man meticulously poured a drink into a cup before him. Trickle. A substantial cup—which was a bit large to be called a mere cup—filled with liquor. The old man, having set aside the bottle, presented the drink to his counterpart. "I apologize for not properly honoring your presence due to the urgent summons." His words echoed towards someone who remained silent, only intently observing. A shattered mask slightly obscured his face, revealing long, flowing black hair and a robust build. Even sitting perfectly still, a palpable aura of prowess emanated from him. The pressure was enough to alter the very air around them. “Ugh…” It was so intense that the old man's subordinates had to crouch, unable to breathe properly. Drip. The old man discreetly wiped sweat from his brow as he gazed at the stranger. 'I’m in trouble now.' Trouble indeed. The old man sensed something was off about the stranger's aura. It was likely because they had failed to properly honor his arrival. Even after being informed of his presence, they hadn’t gone out to meet him appropriately. This must have irked him. 'A mistake.' In attempting to assess what kind of person he was dealing with, the old man had initiated a subtle contest of wills. But the stranger turned out to be far more fierce and dominant than he had anticipated. So strong and intense, that just for engaging him in this small contest… 'He shattered the entire barrier surrounding us.' The densely constructed barrier, built by sorcerers to span several miles. It was designed to deliver a significant backlash when tampered with inappropriately. The array specialists believed it would take months to discover and even longer to dismantle. Even those who installed it would require at least a fortnight to disassemble it correctly. Yet here it was, undone in less than half an hour. The thought of it brought sweat to the old man's forehead. '...Does that mean he withstood the backlash too?' The idea of him having dismantled it properly didn't even cross his mind. In such a short time, destruction seemed the only answer. 'How can he remain so unaffected?' The stranger remained calm, as if nothing had happened. It was a force so powerful that even a martial artist of the Hwa-kyung level might have perished within that force. Yet here he was, intact. 'What kind of monster is he?' The old man couldn’t even begin to fathom. "...I recognize our lack of proper reception; I beg you to quell your wrath." [Wrath?] The stranger tilted his head slightly. [What are you talking about? I’m not angry.] The man's words caused the old man's eyebrows to twitch. [If anything, I'm the one who should apologize. I didn’t realize it would vanish so easily. My apologies.] "…" The old man clenched his fist discreetly. The stranger was undoubtedly toying with him. He casually dismantled the formidable barrier, labeling it a mistake and apologizing for his ease of doing so. This was intimidation. He was demonstrating how effortlessly he could tear apart their barrier as proof, warning them not to dare oppose him. Through his power display, the man conveyed more than words ever could. "...I shall exercise more caution henceforth." There was no further response. The stranger merely observed the old man through the mask. After a moment of silence passed. The stranger adjusted his mask and addressed the old man. [Hmm.... Do as you will.] Was this his way of giving another chance? As the old man relieved some tension, the stranger continued. [It seems you did well with the task I asked of you.] The old man nodded. "…I assuredly tried to uphold it within my capacity." [Indeed. It wasn’t bad.] It was a request from the stranger to the old man. The first of which was this: "Once the action was initiated, we left traces about Shin-Gyo." When they conducted any activity, they were to attach the name of Shin-Gyo to it. Acting as the limbs of the Heavenly Demon, executing the orders of the sect, was a mandatory addition. This was the man's request. "Since we intentionally left traces, some information has already waded its way to the alliance." [It doesn't matter.] Such trivialities were insignificant. The old man stroked his beard at the man's nonchalance. [And the second request?] "I’ve prepared for that as well. If you so wish, I can provide it immediately." Upon the man's gesture, a woman emerged from his shadow. One of the subordinates under the man's command. She had been working closely with the old man during recent times. The old man retrieved a document from his robes and handed it over. [I trust you executed it satisfactorily.] "…I gave it my utmost." [Yes, do ensure it remains so.] If not, it could end up like the barrier that was just broken. Though the stranger didn't voice it, somehow, the old man grasped his meaning. Tension returned. The drinking cup still remained untouched. It indicated the man wouldn't remove his mask. Watching the man, the old man voiced a question. "…I have a question for you." [Speak.] "How should I address you?" [Hmm?] The stranger tilted his head in contemplation before seemingly realizing something. [Call me Gyoju. For now, address me as such.] "…So be it." The Disparager, one of the Three Supremes, also known as the Foremost Martial Artist. That was the mystery man’s identity. He himself had confirmed it, and more importantly. 'When he attacked Wudang, he purposefully left clues as evidence.' He had raided the Wudang, a sect within the Nine Great Clans and guardian sect of the alliance, and killed an elder. The martial technique used was the rumored divine art that he was said to have created, known as the Twin Cyclone Fists. This was now widely disseminated knowledge across the martial world. A martial art known for turning calamities into catastrophes with a single punch, capable of tearing the body apart. The ability to use it suggested it was either the Disparager himself or his disciple. 'There's no mention of him having a disciple.' There were rumors that Sangseo’s martial artist, once referred to as the True Dragon and now known as So-Yeom-Ra, might be the Disparager's disciple. 'That too remains baseless speculation.' So-Yeom-Ra uses fire techniques and no one had seen him perform the Disparager’s martial prowess, rendering it mere gossip. Regardless, even if the Disparager had a disciple, they wouldn’t exude such a formidable presence. As a result, speculation began to circulate that the Disparager, who vanished from the public eye for over a decade, reappeared under a new guise. If true, it begged the question of why someone once seen as the pinnacle of righteousness had turned. No one could pinpoint why, leaving speculation to swirl without concrete leads. However, what mattered here was this: The rumors must have already reached the alliance's ears. Yet, the man before me seemed utterly indifferent to such matters. '...So even if the alliance knows, it doesn’t matter.' What could the Martial Alliance possibly do with that knowledge? Knowing wouldn't change anything. That was the intent behind the sect leader’s attitude. Not a shred of fear toward the foundational structure of the orthodox sects. - Don't you wish to crush the Alliance? - Don't you want to destroy those vermin that tore and ripped you apart? I recall what the sect leader had said, boldly seeking me out. He intended to demolish the Alliance, and if our goals aligned, he invited me to join him. '...Could it be that his display was intended to show me this?' Could his dismantling of the barrier not only serve to pressure us but to demonstrate his strength firsthand? Power enough to crush the Alliance. He seemed to show us that he possessed it. 'I see. That’s what it was.' Having grasped the meaning, the old man nodded repeatedly and cautiously spoke to the man. "...I am ashamed to admit I realized your intent too late, sect leader. I apologize for having appeared so lacking." [Hmm…?] The man made a sound, as if contemplating, and silence followed for several seconds. Feeling something was amiss, the old man tried to address the man. "Sec...?" [Glad to see you’ve caught on quickly.] Recognizing that his intent was understood, he showed a satisfied response. Indeed, it seemed that the old man's conjecture was correct. "Ah... Then, is it right to assume that I’ve passed the test?" [Test?] "You asked me to fulfill your request, claiming it to be a test, did you not?" [Ah, did I say something like that...?] "Sect Leader...?" [Though it doesn’t please me entirely, I’ll overlook it for now.] The man dismissed the old man's words, adding his own conclusion. [So, let me ask you. Cheonra-daeju, what is it you’re plotting in Henan?] "…" So despite passing, he was diving straight to the point. Truly, such boldness could not be underestimated. '...Is it the plan?' The old man rolled his eyes, surveying the surroundings. Even if this man possessed overwhelming strength and shared their purpose, was it right to reveal it so easily? As he hesitated briefly. [Cheonra-daeju.] A weighty voice burrowed into the old man’s ears. [Don’t overthink it. I’m not one with much patience.] With that icy warning, the pressure suddenly intensified. Cr-r-rreek-!! Ssss. Vibrations shook the cave, causing debris to fall. "Hhhngh...!! Ngh…!" Those inside writhed in agony. The intent was clear—no time for hesitation would be given. [If you've come this far only to stall with nonsense, I have no other choice.] Just as the man seemed poised to unleash his aura fully. "...We intend to—!" The old man shouted towards the man. The pressure hadn't yet dissipated. It seemed he hadn’t finished speaking. Realizing this, the old man painstakingly continued. "We will… reveal the Alliance’s hidden secret…." At that. Sssssss.... The aura's intensity diminished somewhat. It was as if saying, let's hear what you have to say. [A secret?] The man's voice carried a slight intrigue. It was only natural for it to be so. [To claim you can topple the Alliance with just a secret? Explain in detail.] As the pressure eased, the blocked airways opened. A cough threatened to erupt, but the old man suppressed it. "...Beneath Henan’s land lies a secret the Alliance has buried." [Beneath the land, you say?] "Yes… we plan to break that seal to bring down the Alliance." [What lies sealed that demands such action?] The man grew more interested, and the old man found himself biting his lip against his reaction. To divulge something he had spent a lifetime to uncover, just like this... While it was vexing, there was no alternative. Moreover. ‘Perhaps this man may be the one to fulfill our wishes.’ Clinging to that hope, the old man finally continued speaking. "...A dragon." [Hmm?] The man's head cocked at an angle upon the mention. It was likely a phrase utterly unfamiliar to him. "A creature, a demon that invaded the Central Plains centuries ago. A dragon (龍) is sealed beneath these lands." [...] "We intend to release that seal to topple the Alliance." A dragon, known as a calamity-class monster. The entity that brought devastation to the Central Plains centuries ago was hidden below Henan's ground. ‘He must surely be surprised.’ For such a creature to still exist, and that it remains sealed, was an immense truth to divulge. The intention to release it was indeed a monumental revelation. Having delivered such a weighty truth, the old man watched for the man's reaction. He anticipated shock or a comparable response. [Ah… is that so…?] "...?" [Hmm… is that so. Quite a curious thing.] For some reason, the man’s interest seemed to wane abruptly, his tone turning tepid.