667 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

### Chapter 667: The Northern Hare As our gazes locked, time seemed to freeze. I steadied my breath, concealing the creaking of my body naturally. 'Why.' Why is *that* here? A woman waved at me with a gentle smile. Amethyst-tinted hair and eyes that shone even brighter than the hair. Her features were extraordinary, enough to remind me of someone else. She was exactly the same as the encounter I had before going to the North Sea. Which means, it's not just a figment of my imagination. Then, does that mean... 'Why is she here?' Why is she in this place? I needed to know. 'I was planning to investigate anyway.' Cheonma (The Heavenly Demon). I knew she was in Hanam. I had already encountered her and had instructed my people to gather information as a result. That particular task was my second request to Pildo Ma. However. ‘There was a perplexing lack of information.’ The information provided by Pildo Ma was not of good quality. Naturally, I wasn’t solely relying on him; I was collecting information from various sources. Nonetheless. ‘It wasn’t different elsewhere.’ There was an overwhelming scarcity of information about Cheonma in Hanam. Was she aware of being tracked and hid herself? Or had she already vanished from Hanam? Even though the Dark King’s forces had been mobilized, the lack of data suggested one of these explanations…. 'Is she so blatantly out in the open, and yet we couldn't find her?' Cheonma never left Hanam. Judging by her appearance, it seemed she hadn’t hidden either. Could she have left and then returned? That’s a possibility, but it’s not the first assumption I’d make. The Cheonma I knew was not someone to run away. So, let's consider this. The most important issue here. ‘Can I kill her?’ Can I kill Cheonma at this moment? I hesitated last time I saw her at that deserted noodle shop in a back alley. What about now? I had regained my power from my previous life. Now, taking down guardians or elders from prestigious families or sects wouldn’t be difficult if they challenged me one-on-one. This was an objective assessment of my current capabilities. Unless it’s the level of patriarchs from Cheonwaten or some renowned families, or the head of the Nine Great Schools, there's no one in the martial world’s top ten masters I couldn’t defeat. ‘Then what about Cheonma?’ I recalled our encounter at the Sillong Pavilion. At that time, she was a formidable opponent who could easily toy with someone like me. If she’s at her past level, I’d lose. Does this mean I should back down? *Whirrrr...!* While my rational mind reasoned so, my body instinctively entered a battle-ready state. Twitching, the demonic energy flared within me. For what had I endured thus far if not to oppose this? Will I remain immobile even with the opportunity right before my eyes? The demonic energy, with bared fangs, stirs with that challenge. Feeling the pounding of my heart, I was about to charge forward when— “Master?” “…!” A voice beside me instantly cooled the heated blood. “What’s wrong?” In that moment, I had forgotten who was standing next to me. Moryong Hia questioned with concern, allowing me to steady my breath. There was something I needed to protect beside me. Thus, I couldn’t act recklessly. Could I fight while keeping Moryong Hia safe? I wasn’t certain. The lack of certainty demanded greater caution. “Oh.” Meanwhile, Moryong Hia, after confirming what I was looking at, approached me subtly. “Seems like you know her too, Master?” I frowned at Moryong Hia’s comment. 'Too’? What could she mean by that? I looked her in the eye for clarification. “That person was brought here by Gum Bong.” “…What?” Her words left me paralyzed. “Who brought her?” “Gum Bong.” “…Gum Bong as in… my sister? Are you talking about my sister?” “Yes, your sister.” So it’s truly Gu Heebi she’s talking about? “A few days ago, Gum Bong came and asked if I could give her a job.” Her words continued, but it took time for them to fully sink in. Everything she said was utterly incomprehensible. “She's a martial artist and supposedly quite powerful. Since we were looking for escorts today, we decided to hire her. But it seems you know her too, Master?” “...” Are you telling me Gu Heebi not only brought Cheonma here but included her in our ranks? ‘What sort of madness is this?’ I can’t comprehend what’s happening. What in the world is going on? In the midst of this nonsensical situation, as bewilderment washed over me. “…Hey.” “Yes?” I sensed something off, beyond all of this. So I gestured towards the distant figure of Cheonma and looked at Moryong Hia. “What do you see there?” “Huh?” Moryong Hia’s brow furrowed as if questioning the relevance of my bizarre query. However, she seemed to trust there was a reason I was asking and looked over at Cheonma without further comment. Then she spoke. “…A person, a woman.” “A bit more detailed.” Even I found my request odd, but it was something I needed to ask. Despite the anomaly of Cheonma’s presence, Moryong Hia’s reaction revealed a peculiar discrepancy. “She appears shorter than I am. Her hair is black.” Someone brought by Gum Bong. A person I supposedly know. That was all the information Moryong Hia could provide. “She has black eyes, slightly tanned skin… Shall I describe her features further?” There was something even more critical to notice. “No, that’s enough.” Listening to Moryong Hia, I was now certain. There was something strange. “What is it?” Moryong Hia asked, puzzled, but I hesitated to respond. For. ‘She doesn’t mention how much she resembles Wi Seol-Ah.’ Her appearance was undeniably the same as Wi Seol-Ah’s. Apart from her hair and eyes, everything else was so identical they could pass for twins. Yet Moryong Hia made no mention of this resemblance. Moreover. ‘The way she describes isn’t entirely accurate.’ Her height is debatable, and her hair is indeed black, but not completely so. It gently shimmers with amethyst hues and her eyes weren't purely black either. Moreover, her skin tone… “If you think that skin is tanned, then your eyes must be failing you.” The complexion was so pale it was almost ghostly. It made no sense to claim it was tanned. So why did Moryong Hia describe it that way? If I were to guess, perhaps it was because: ‘She perceives things differently.’ Moryong Hia was seeing Cheonma in a different light than I was. ‘Is it the same for others as well?’ Was this deviation unique to Moryong Hia, or did it apply to everyone here? Or perhaps... ‘Is it my eyes that are deceived?’ Could it be that Moryong Hia's perception was accurate and that it was my vision that was flawed? While doubts lingered, I was confident in my own sight. No, instead of trusting my eyes, I trusted the energies coursing through my body. I gazed steadily at Cheonma. Cheonma, too, did not avert her eyes from mine. Her expression seemed strangely vacant. It was a stark contrast to the arrogant and disdainful gaze I had known in my past life. Only the appearance was the same; perhaps she wasn’t the same person at all. I swallowed hard as I pondered this, letting time slip by. Finally, I made a decision and turned to Moryong Hia. “…What needs to be done first?” To uncover the source of the persistent unease, I decided to observe for now. ****************** Counting heads, there were just under thirty people present. I needed to select seven from them. That was the task Moryong Hia had assigned to me. “Just seven, you say.” “Yes, please narrow them down as you see fit.” “So, I can choose as I like.” As I listened to the explanation, my gaze drifted elsewhere. Towards the woman leaning against a tree, her expression dazed—Cheonma. What was her intent for being here, and what would she do? These concerns lingered in my mind as I started walking. As I moved forward, all eyes turned towards me, curiosity evident. Their expressions weren’t favorable. It seemed the waiting period had been quite long. Nevertheless, when I finally started doing something, the expressions of the martial artists flickered with interest. “You there.” I pointed out one person. Before the person I indicated could express confusion— “You're accepted.” “…?” “I said, you're accepted.” His eyes widened in response to my curt statement. Ignoring his reaction, I gestured for him to step aside quickly. Though bewildered, he complied without protest and moved away. The person I singled out was the second strongest martial artist present. Excluding ‘Cheonma,’ of course. After selecting one, I continued to filter the group with a wave of my fingers. “That man on the left, rejected. And the one with the tied-up hair, also rejected.” Rejection. Rejection... Rejection. Yet another rejection. I methodically eliminated the participants until more than half were dismissed in less than half the time it would take to turn a dish. The total selected were eleven, with the rest eliminated. Nodding in satisfaction at the roughly selected group, I was about to declare, “At least for a first round, I’ve sorted…” “What do you think you’re doing?” Just as I felt a sense of accomplishment, someone shouted at me. I turned my gaze. A martial artist radiating strong energy was glaring at me. “What exactly are you doing here, showing up and making decisions on a whim?” Clearly angered, the middle-aged man was heated. He bore a long scar on his face. His level was... ‘Perfected Zenith.’ An ideal rank, respected wherever he went. He was the most skilled among those present, and he was the first one I rejected. I nodded slightly at him. “Why?” “Huh?” My demeanor made his expression sour even more. “Is that really something to say?” “What is it you’re unhappy with?” When I questioned him, anger permeated his voice. “We've been waiting here for over an hour. We’ve sat in the blazing sun, and then someone shows up out of nowhere, dismissing us without reason. How could I be okay with that?” I couldn't help but smirk. “Didn’t you hear the branch manager? She said it’s up to me.” “Don’t be ridiculous!” *Boom!* The man unleashed his energy in anger. A gust burst forth, spreading through the surroundings. “Gasp-!” “Ugh!” The unexpectedly intense aura left those nearby in shock. The first accepted candidate looked particularly astonished. It seemed he immediately grasped the difference in power. Seeing someone stronger than himself rejected must have been bewildering indeed. “Who do you think you are? A brat too audacious to judge others—how amusing—!” His outburst elicited disgruntled expressions from others. The ones who had been rejected as well. “Yeah, what does that kid know to be conducting interviews?” “Has the Baihua Merchant Guild gone mad? We're being judged by someone like him!!” The atmosphere soured as they joined in. Having been so swiftly eliminated hadn’t sat well, and now a strong figure venting his anger encouraged others to follow. Moreover. “No matter what, the examination should be conducted properly.” “This is just...” Even those I had accepted weren’t showing satisfaction. As mentioned before, they weren’t pleased with being evaluated by ‘someone unknown.’ In the central martial world, honor and appraisal were matters of life and death. You’d think they'd be glad just to be accepted, but no—they had to nitpick. ‘People live such inconvenient lives.’ I found their attitudes displeasing. Sensing the shift in focus towards himself, the man smirked amidst his anger. “I never expected to be treated this way. Branch Manager, is this truly the Baihua Merchant Guild's stance?” “...” Moryong Hia remained silent. She simply watched me with an expressionless gaze. It was a sign to proceed as I had been. Noting that, I stretched my muscles a bit. “The allure of generous compensation may have brought me here, but to receive such treatment…” “As always, the loudest ones are those who have nothing to show.” “What did you say…?” “And the fools who join them are just as problematic.” His eyes filled with killing intent, he glared at me. I met his gaze and smiled. “If there’s a reason why you’re rejected, isn't that enough? If you’re not happy, just leave.” “You insolent brat, how dare you…!” A resonant hum filled the air as the lethal aura and fighting spirit clashed. It was a weighty presence, fitting for a master at the pinnacle of their abilities. "Seems like you're affiliated with the merchant guild. Best to adjust your attitude. No matter how illustrious the Baihua Merchant Guild may be, my sword is nearer to you than their influence." It was a clear threat — he would kill me if provoked. To prove his point, murderous intent stained his sword. I nodded inwardly, acknowledging his spirit. He wasn’t a bad martial artist, not at all. In terms of sheer skill, rejecting him was unjustifiable. Excluding Cheonma, he was the strongest among them. Such was the man’s standing. Under normal circumstances, he would have been my first choice to accept. Yes, if only there hadn't been a ‘special issue.’ “So then, what are you going to do? Swing that sword around? I’m terrified, absolutely terrified.” “You insolent brat...! Maybe cutting out that tongue will—” “Why is it that martial idiots like you always reach for a sword as the first solution? It’s just thuggish behavior.” “…!” My retort stalled the flow of his words. I noticed a subtle tremor in his eyes. “Don’t criticize Scum Sect types. Damn it. With supposed paragons of justice like you acting like this, no wonder the world's in shambles.” “What, what did you just say…?” A sigh escaped me naturally. The reason for his rejection wasn’t complicated. It was simply because he belonged to the Martial Alliance. “What? Damn…” Cursing, I took a step forward. Instantly the scenery around me shifted. I was suddenly right in front of him. “Hah…!!” Startled, he instinctively tried to react. Reflexively, he seemed about to swing his sword. But I was quicker, grasping his sword hand before twisting, shattering the bones. Crack-. “…!!!” Caught in the motion, he froze, letting out silent screams through gritted teeth. And then, “You were looking down from too high.” Snap-! This time, a sound erupted from his lower body. He crumbled immediately, kneeling before me. “Aaaaargh—!!” Only after his limbs were crushed did he finally release a proper scream. “That’s enough noise.” *Smack!* I smacked his head, rendering him unconscious. Perhaps because of his size, his screams were particularly loud. Annoyingly so. Thud. And thus, the seasoned martial artist lost consciousness and toppled onto the grass. With that, the screams disappeared, and a distinct stillness enveloped the area. The silence now was far more profound than before. Glancing around, I noticed the surrounding martial artists staring at me, mouths agape. I casually lifted the fallen man and tossed him aside. *Whoosh!—Thud!* The sound of him landing beyond the bushes resonated. “So?” Dusting off my hands rather nonchalantly, I addressed the others. “Anyone else have complaints?” “...” “...” Thanks to my clear demonstration, no one else seemed eager to voice any objections. Thankfully so.