664 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

The Dawn of a New Day As night passed, dawn broke. The sun gradually rose, finding its rightful place. Inhaling the unique scent of the early morning air, I moved. I tilted my head slightly. A dagger grazed my cheek as it zipped past. Sssss-! It was sharp. Moreover, with qi infused into it, if that dagger were to strike… ‘It would penetrate a bit deeper.’ Thanks to the heightened durability of my body, it wouldn't pierce through, but perhaps just lodge slightly into the skin. I didn’t bother to track where the dagger flew off to. I simply moved one step further. Zzzng-! At the strange noise, I bent my upper body. Whoosh-! Though unseen, a sword sliced over my head. Baaang-!! The force of the sword resounded from behind as it struck. The intensity and texture that came from the sound weren't half-bad. I raised my arm and brought it down. Just as it stretched out, it collided with a foot aiming for my face. Boom-!! As our energies clashed, a bursting sound erupted, and immediately, I twisted my body to add to the rotation. Swish-! Swoosh-! Sharp onslaughts followed my movements. The fluid trajectories of the blade were difficult to comprehend. It seemed as if it was trying to erase the hallmark of Kunlun's flow, yet its unique characteristics remained. Regardless of the feints added, it felt as though everything would follow through. ‘Hmm.’ Watching, I lifted the corners of my mouth. The wielder of the sword was Seong-Yul. His murky yellow eyes darted about. He began at my chest. Checking whether my breathing was calm or not. Then, swiftly, he scrutinized my entire body from shoulders, arms, waist, thighs, calves, ankles, to toes. Seong-Yul was persistently observing these. Even if I moved just my arm slightly in reaction, Swish-!!! The sharp blade of qi would delve deeply as if to seal it off. He had discerned the fake move. ‘This punk.’ He was impressively quick-witted. A fine instinct indeed. As he grew accustomed to the sword, his speed increased. His overall completeness was noteworthy, considering his achievements. He didn't fear combat and didn't hesitate to advance. The murderous intent in his sword was unsettling, but it was within a tolerable range. However, "You elevate your wrist when you slash down." Just as Seong-Yul's eyes widened, I pushed forward. Surprised, Seong-Yul altered his sword path. “Goodness.” Even though I had just pointed out his lifted wrist during his downward slash, he executed it flawlessly as if possessed. ‘Tsk.’ I extended my arm. The quickened maneuver flew towards Seong-Yul’s arm. While the pressure flow was bothersome, it wasn't weak enough to fail against Seong-Yul’s protective qi. Crack-! As my arm touched it, Seong-Yul’s protective qi shattered lightly. “…!” Realizing he couldn't block it, Seong-Yul hurriedly tried to retreat, but it was already too late. "That fast eye movement is advantageous, but you waste too much time." That naturally creates an opening. Bang-! As I spoke, I struck Seong-Yul's wrist. “Ugh!” Seong-Yul's arm was pushed back by the recoil. Despite that, he clung onto his sword. His audacity was commendable. I should praise him for that later. ‘First. Let’s deal with this.’ His posture was compromised amidst the rough recoil, revealing numerous openings. Recognizing this, I was about to kick Seong-Yul when. Shlick. “Tsk.” Sensing something from behind, I withdrew my action and spun my body. Thud—!!! Daggers embedded themselves in the spot I had just vacated. As I turned my gaze, I saw the tip of another approaching attack. I dodged by turning my head. Flick-! The blade grazed my skin, inflicting a minor scratch, but it quickly healed. Simultaneously, I grabbed the hand of whoever ambushed me. However. Poof. “Oh?” As I seized the arm, it dissipated like mist. It was a curious phenomenon. An illusion, perhaps? I watched with interest and resumed my footwork. Swish-! A dagger brushed past my nose. Shaaak-! On the opposite side, where the dagger had flown, another assault unfolded. It was a peculiar sight for one person to enact. Especially when each move was shrouded in precision and infusions of qi. It meant she hadn’t reached her level clumsily. ‘I guess she trained well under the Shadow King.’ Seeing the woman brandishing the dagger at me, Dang So-yeol, I smiled. All of this occurred because Paejon had sent a message stating he'd be away for a few days on urgent business. Thanks to that, with extended training hours and continued survival, I thought it might be worth assessing the abilities of these two. The result? ‘Not bad.’ Both Seong-Yul and Dang So-yeol possessed prowess surpassing my expectations. Dang So-yeol, in particular, was remarkable. Was it around four or five years ago? During the friendly sparring matches held along with the Yongbongji Conference. Her appearance seemed utterly different from what Dang So-yeol had displayed then. Within a mere few years, Dang So-yeol had transformed from a mere fledgling into a consummate master. This growth was deeply satisfying. ‘What must she have gone through to grow this much?’ Considering what Dang So-yeol, who once lingered at the level of an average talent, must have endured to reach this height, I felt somewhat bittersweet. While dodging one slash after another, Zzzng. A menacing presence emerged from behind. Without hesitation, I unleashed my qi backward. Sure enough, a sword qi was hurtling toward me. Bang—!!! It collided with the qi, creating an explosive clash. Simultaneously, the joint attack from the two began. If I tried to increase the distance, daggers and sword qi flew at me, and if I advanced forward, their combined attack attempted to dismantle my actions. ‘Hmm.’ They must be syncing their strikes for the first time. Seong-Yul and Dang So-yeol’s offensive was astoundingly sharp, as if they'd been coordinating for ages. ‘Is it because their compatibility is perfect?’ Seong-Yul provided opportunities for Dang So-yeol to penetrate easily, while Dang So-yeol cleared paths for Seong-Yul to fluidly trace his sword path. ‘This is quite formidable.’ At this level, they could certainly contend with a seasoned veteran warrior. If Seong-Yul reached the ultimate level, it might change things slightly. I leapt slightly to widen the gap and nodded. ‘This seems sufficient for observation.’ After ensuring enough had been discerned, I nodded. There was no need for further observation. The moment I concluded that, Thump-! I forcefully drove my foot down and propelled myself. Bang—! My body shot forward like an arrow, whipping up a turbulent gale around me as I increased my speed. “Whoa!” “Ah!” The two had a moment of panic, but quickly adjusted and got ready to respond. Seong-Yul rushed forward without hesitation, swinging his sword. However, the attack never reached me. Thud-! Before his speed could gather any momentum, my hand reached Seong-Yul's collar first and threw him into the air. Wham-! His body rose and flew through the air. As he tried to land properly, I unleashed my qi. “Gah!” Though he raised his sword to defend, the qi pushed him further back even faster. Then, I instantly turned my attention to Dang So-yeol. There was no different method than before. I advanced to grab Dang So-yeol, just like with Seong-Yul. “Eek…!” But once again, Dang So-yeol dissipated into mist and vanished. Seeing this, I shifted my direction and extended my hand toward the empty space on the left. I firmly captured my thumb beneath my middle finger. Snap-!! A sharp flick followed. Then, “Ahhh!” A dull sound and a scream resounded simultaneously. “Ow….” Dang So-yeol, who suddenly appeared from thin air, clutched her forehead and collapsed with a thud. Her fading technique was impressive, but it seemed she couldn't hide the flow visible through my inner senses. Seong-Yul, meanwhile, struggled to land, but hurriedly tried to rush back towards me. Tap. “…!!” My fist had already met Seong-Yul’s chin. Watching Seong-Yul sweating, I chuckled and said, “End.” With those words, I casually adjusted my stance. “Huff… Huff… Huff….” Only then did Seong-Yul finally release the breath he'd been holding. Checking on Dang So-yeol, I saw her sprawled across the training ground floor, also out of breath. I couldn't help but let out a dry laugh as I saw it. “What has you so exhausted?” To think they're tired when it didn't seem like we did much. Unbelievable. “You both need to build more stamina. Honestly.” “…It's because you're… abnormal, you know.” Dang So-yeol, seemingly refusing to believe it, grumbled at me. “That was over two hours….” “Hmm? Really?” Had that much time already passed? I thought it was only about half an hour, but apparently, much more time had passed. Still. “Isn't that still only two hours?” “…What?” “At least two hours are necessary to feel even a hint of exertion.” “…?” Dang So-yeol looked at me like I was speaking nonsense. As if she was questioning the idea of spending two hours in training like that. ‘Is that really so strange?’ Usually, when sparring with Paejon, we'd go on for about that long. Most of it was spent getting beaten up back then, but I’m used to it now, and an hour feels insufficient. Whenever I seriously committed to training, two hours of sparring and then dedicating the rest of the time to honing my external martial arts sufficed to make a good day. Employing the training regimens from my time with the Mount Hua Sect, I'd end the day feeling quite refreshed. ‘Even for someone like me who has returned to the past, I train tirelessly, and yet they're gasping after just this much?’ Kids these days are weak—tsk, tsk. I shook my head in disbelief as I stretched. If it had been an hour, it meant morning was close. Speaking to the two worn-out individuals, I said, “I'll tell you what you need to improve on later. For now, wash up and let's have breakfast.” “…Alright….” “…Understood.” Their replies were feeble. They seemed very tired indeed. I considered freshening up as I hadn’t moved like this in a while. Tap, tap. “Excuse me.” A gentle voice accompanied a tapping sound on the wall at the entrance of the training room. Curious, I looked to find Mo Yong-hui standing there. “What’s up?” What brings her here so early? Moreover… ‘She seems all dressed up?’ Mo Yong-hui, who usually dressed well, was especially graceful today. It seemed like she had applied some makeup too. Her outfit appeared fancier than usual. “Have you finished training?” “Uh... sort of?” I planned to eat and then train personally, but the morning session was done. Interpreting my answer that way, she said to me, “Well, come somewhere with me.” “Huh…?” Her sudden proposal made me tilt my head in confusion. …Join her? Out of the blue? “Where to?” “There’s a matter with the merchants. I’d like you to come along, Young Master.” “That I—.” Why should I? I was about to say it but… “…Pardon?” Seeing Mo Yong-hui’s expression tighten, I quickly stopped myself. However, it seemed I was already too late. “You left me hanging last time, remember?” “No, but—.” “Can't you just come along without questioning everything? Must you really know?” “I didn’t—.” “You were about to ask.” “…True.” Her icy words left me coughing awkwardly. “All I’ve been doing is working hard because of someone, so if I ask you to join, just do so.” “…Because of who?” “Because of you!” In response to my inadvertent question, Mo Yong-hui shouted in a sharp voice. Her voice startled me to my core. How could someone who barely reached the pinnacle have such a daunting aura? My nerves were on edge at once. “If your self-awareness is as low as your conscience, how do you plan to survive?” “…Well, it's just that….” “Never mind. Just stay clueless. That way, my position will become more solid. You’ll need me more. Hence, you'll make do without me.” “What does that—” “Just stop talking and come along, can’t you? You can socialize for at least one day, right? No? Try saying no, and see what happens.” Mo Yong-hui scowled as she spoke to me. She looked like she would really bite my head off if I refused. “I’ll… freshen up and join you.” Despite planning to spend the day organizing and training, it seemed my plans were discarded. I decided to wash up first, having no choice. “Jeez, so unfair.” From the floor, where she lay sapped of energy, Dang So-yeol muttered suddenly. Then she slowly turned her head and looked at Mo Yong-hui. “You did it on purpose, didn’t you?” “What?” “You waited until after training to show up! You were targeting a time when I couldn't move…!!” “What nonsense are you talking?” Mo Yong-hui smirked at Dang So-yeol’s panting accusations. “Why would I do such a thing?” “You want him all to yourself! I want to go too!” "Then come with us if you like. I don't mind if Lady Dang joins." "Eek!" Dang So-yeol gritted her teeth and attempted to rise, but the exhaustion from our sparring left her unable to get to her feet. Mo Yong-hui, watching this, covered her mouth with her hand and said, "Oh my… you seem very tired. You should rest well today, Lady Dang." "I can do it…!" "Why bother getting up when you're tired? Have something to eat and rest. We'll be back soon." "Y-Young Master…?" My suggestion that she should rest, spoken out of concern for her apparent exhaustion, made Dang So-yeol's face cloud with despair. Why is she reacting like that? I was only suggesting rest because she seemed worn out. Is it really such a disappointment? "Yes, please rest. We're just going for some work-related tasks, nothing more." While Dang So-yeol looked disappointed, Mo Yong-hui's tone, on the other hand, became more boastful as she gained confidence. "That's too much… you’re so unfair…!!" "Let’s go, Young Master." "Uh… okay." Though my eyes naturally lingered on Dang So-yeol, who looked like a squirrel deprived of its food, Mo Yong-hui linked her arm with mine and started pulling me away with urgency. As I was being dragged along, a thought came to me, and I asked Mo Yong-hui about it. "Perhaps Wi Seol-ah might be resting nearby too. Should we take her along?" Thinking of Wi Seol-ah, who was likely around, I figured if I had to go out, it might be nice to bring her along. Since Namgung Bi-ah needed rest and couldn’t come, it might be a good opportunity to enjoy a meal outside with someone who liked going out. "Ha, as expected." Mo Yong-hui gave a knowing smirk. "I anticipated this, so I already planned ahead." "Oh?" Did she mean she had already arranged for Wi Seol-ah to join us? Her promptness was impressive... "Wi Seol-ah won't be joining us. I've made sure she'd 'prefer' not to come along today, so even if you mention it, there's no helping it." "…Eh?" Rather than inviting her, she had requested her not to come. ‘She asked her not to…?’ I was left dumbfounded by this bizarre rationale. As I stood there, slack-jawed, Mo Yong-hui glanced at me, softened her expression, and burst out laughing. "What’s with that dumb expression?" "It's kind of nonsensical, don't you think?" "You always have this look that’s so typically you, Young Master, and I like it." "You called it dumb, and now it's ‘so me’ and you like it? Is that an insult? It must be, right?" "It's a compliment. Honestly, a compliment." She relaxed her grip on my arm as she said this. "Lately, I’ve been thinking that it might be better if you remained a bit more outwardly crude and less perceptive." "Why not just insult me outright? How is that supposed to be a compliment?" "It’s a compliment. If you stay that way, nobody will realize your true worth." Mo Yong-hui sighed and continued. "They already know more than they should, and it's already giving me a headache. If the number grows, who knows what I might do? So just stay as you are." The demand to remain ignorant was so ludicrous that I couldn’t help but frown. As we walked, Mo Yong-hui softly spoke once more, linking arms with me. "This way, my reason for staying by your side becomes clearer." Our pace quickened. By the time I realized, we had emerged beyond the main gate. A small carriage awaited us outside. Looking at the surprisingly small carriage, I turned to Mo Yong-hui and asked. "Isn't the carriage a bit small?" Usually, we used one twice this size. Why was it smaller today, I wondered. To my query, Mo Yong-hui replied, "It's true. This way, the interior is cozier, making it easier to stay close." She gave the same explanation. "…What?" "Come on, let’s hurry to work. Get in." Before I could question further, I was urged into the carriage by Mo Yong-hui’s insistent, if not trivial, strength. She followed me inside, sitting by my side. Her expression, once seated, was curiously one of the brightest I'd seen recently. Well, at least until the afternoon brought its own matters… I'm certain it was so.