693 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Heaven's Mightiest Friend, Chapter 693 > Northern Rabbit - Web Novel Repository The Everlasting Cold Iron. Before the appearance of rare artifacts, this was the primary ingredient for weapons acclaimed as divine tools. Unlike other types of iron, it boasted extraordinary durability. It was so robust that only master craftsmen dared attempt its smelting. Several centuries ago. During the time when the Demonic Boundary Gate opened, releasing demons into the world. It was a troublesome era, known as the Age of Despair, that saw its commencement. Even at that time, the Everlasting Cold Iron was exceedingly scarce. But because it was a period where survival hinged on using anything, any sect or clan would unearth this iron to forge weapons. Why? Because in order for martial artists of lower ranks to slay demons, they needed even just a single piece of the iron. Moreover, by the time several renowned families and sects had been swept away while saving the rare material, the number exceeded double digits. Such was the era. A time when one had to clutch onto anything and struggle with all one's might just to survive. This is also a story that demonstrates the power possessed by Everlasting Cold Iron. It empowered lesser-ranked martial artists to become more formidable. Signifying that it was an exceptional and tough steel. The Steel Qi manifested by those of supreme levels and above. Unless one reached that level, they couldn't even scratch the Everlasting Cold Iron. That was the natural logic, yet... Rumble-! “...” The leader of the Martial Alliance. Song Yoo, the Illustrious Archer of the Red Dragon Brigade, was at a loss for words at the unfolding events. Fragments of Everlasting Cold Iron fell to the ground. Seeing this, he turned to look at the pillar beside him. A Cold Iron pillar marred with various minor and major scratches. These were traces left by over a hundred martial artists earlier. Among them was one that stood out conspicuously. The imprint of a human hand, clear and evident. It was as though someone had simply grabbed and tore it off. The scene Song Yoo had just witnessed right in front of him was one even he couldn't believe. ‘What on earth just happened…?’ That was Everlasting Cold Iron. A thing that couldn't be destroyed unless wrapped with Steel Qi and exerted with complete force. ‘No matter how... even if it was a mixture with other metals.’ The Blade King Peng Zhuo. A martial artist of vibrant vigor and the head of the prestigious Hebei family. Song Yoo glanced at the mark left by the Blade King. Long and deep. In terms of a scratch, it might seem deeper, but that wasn’t the whole story. Song Yoo had also witnessed the full exertion of the Blade King’s power. If one were to face it directly, they wouldn't even be able to collect their bones. The Blade King was an opponent whose victory was uncertain, even for Song Yoo if fought at full strength. He was such a strong adversary, employing domineering martial arts, thus molding Everlasting Cold Iron like this wasn’t peculiar. Song Yoo, who used archery, wouldn’t leave such traces. However, ‘What is this?’ What on earth could it be? Song Yoo trembled at the sight of the hole punched through the Everlasting Cold Iron. Even though it was much smaller than the mark left by the Blade King, it was a far more shocking spectacle. ‘…Could it have really been torn with bare hands?’ Focusing his breath and condensing energy. He expanded his muscles and concentrated on a single point. This was the strategy the Blade King used to break the iron. Yet, ‘There were no signs whatsoever.’ Even someone like the Blade King, recognized as a master, did so. At that moment, there were no such signs. He casually extended his hand, touched the iron, and simply pressed in, ripping it apart. There were no reactive movements or preparatory actions to apply force. To exaggerate, it seemed as if he were crushing tofu. That iron. ‘Is such a thing possible?’ A fundamental question arose. Could someone grasp and crush something that needed Steel Qi to break? He contemplated. If it were himself. ‘Could I have done it?’ Song Yoo quickly judged. It was impossible. He couldn’t do it. Even though he was also a martial artist, Song Yoo wasn't specialized in external martial arts. While he could imbue qi in an arrow to penetrate the surface, he couldn't employ such a brute force method. Then, ‘Could others do it?’ Could other martial artists, particularly those with strong grips from the martial arts community, achieve it? He couldn't be sure. No matter how he thought about it, the situation just didn't add up. ‘What method could have been used?’ He couldn’t do it himself. He wasn’t sure if others could manage it. Standing still, reaching out, crushing the iron. What would it take to make it possible? Or, how far must one reach to achieve it? As Song Yoo pondered, a figure flashed through his mind. ‘Could the Sword Emperor do it?’ The top ten martial masters of the Central Plains. One of the Seven Metal Three Fists and the current top sword of Hanam, the Guardian Master. If it were him, perhaps it was possible. No, reaching his level would certainly make it feasible. ‘Meaning...’ Does that imply the figure standing before them is of the same caliber as him? It seemed preposterous. Everyone else watching appeared to realize this too, as they started to express what they had been holding back. “…What just happened?” “Did he just tear it apart?” “Tore off the Everlasting Cold Iron? Don’t be ridiculous.” The silence finally broke. Swallowing hard beneath his mask, Song Yoo reacted. At that moment. “Excuse me.” “…!” The voice made Song Yoo flinch. The figure extended a piece of Cold Iron in his hand and inquired. “Did I pass?” “…That is.” “I didn’t break any rules.” “...” He was correct. He hadn’t broken any rules. The opportunity was one per person, and once touched, it was over. But since he hadn’t removed his hand, it didn’t break any rules. There might be those who would find fault with this, but... ‘Who could really object?’ If you desire, go ahead and try it yourself. Who could claim they could do the same? “Number one hundred and two…” “Yes." With a hesitant voice, Song Yoo asked his opponent. “What is your name?” “Hmm?” The young man tilted his head at the sudden question. He then casually responded. “I’m Gu Yang Cheon of the Shanxi Clan.” “…!” Once the youth introduced himself, not only Song Yoo, but all the martial artists behind him began to stir. “Gu Yang Cheon? If that's Gu Yang Cheon, then...” “The Little Blaze?” “The Little Blaze?” “…The young hero of the Divine Dragon Pavilion? Did that guy really tear the iron apart?” “This young man is that friend.” Song Yoo was taken aback, but for a different reason. Though he wasn’t part of the intelligence division known as the Flying Dragon Brigade, as the leader, he still had access to various pieces of information. He had heard a few things about the young man known as the Little Blaze. "One of those closely watched by both the Alliance and Shaolin." Originally not part of the Five Dragons Three Peaks, he had been added due to an unforeseen incident, prompting the Alliance to keep a close eye on him. “That was also why his skills weren't widely rumored, despite his prowess.” Even after winning the Yong Bong Tournament and making his presence known during the Divine Dragon Pavilion assault, rumors and impressions of him didn't spread widely. It was reputed that the Alliance intentionally suppressed rumors by collaborating with external factions. “Did they really need to do that?” Such political maneuvering didn’t sit well with Song Yoo. Though he didn’t fully understand the political intricacies, it seemed strange for an organization advocating for peace to engage in such tactics. Blocking the path of a rising junior, watching them glow dimly — there was nothing more distasteful. But then, “The Alliance must have their reasons.” As defenders of the Central Plains, they must have a viable reason for acting as they did. Such was the extent he convinced himself. “So... the Little Blaze is this young man.” What should he make of it? With a mix of intrigue and contemplation, Song Yoo watched Gu Yang Cheon, biting his lip. The reason was simple. “He’s inscrutable.” He couldn't discern anything from Gu Yang Cheon. His life had been about observing and hitting targets with his bow. He was confident about reading and assessing people, regardless of their rank. But as he looked at Gu Yang Cheon, a sensation made him furrow his brows. A palpable sense of suffocation gripped him. An unsettling feeling bubbled up. Various uncomfortable sensations began to take hold of Song Yoo. "This is..." A tingle ran up from his toes. His hair stood on end as the marksman instinct within him spoke. That in front of him stood a fierce beast. Not just any beast, but a savage one, baring its fangs. Eerie. “…!” Falling victim to the shivers coursing through him, Song Yoo unknowingly retreated a step. Thankfully, it was such a fleeting action that he managed not to make it obvious. At that moment, “Did he smile?” If it wasn’t just an illusion, it seemed like Gu Yang Cheon had smiled at him. Could it be that he had seen through him? Caught in the sensation, Song Yoo could not utter a word. “Examiner. So what's the result?” Gu Yang Cheon’s pressing reminder allowed Song Yoo to regain his composure. “You passed.” Barely managing to speak, Gu Yang Cheon nodded. He looked around and chuckled lightly. “Yikes!” A startled sound came from the crowd of candidates. Who did he grin at? Before the questioning thoughts could linger, Gu Yang Cheon tossed the piece of iron he held to the ground and began to walk away leisurely. As he moved, the buzzing crowd of candidates fell silent again. Gu Yang Cheon seemed to revel in the silence. There wasn’t a trace of tension in him. Neither the presence of the Blade King nor the examination in front of so many fazed him. He walked on, indifferent. As Song Yoo watched Gu Yang Cheon's back, a thought crossed his mind. "He’s like a sharp needle in a pouch." The Alliance tried to conceal him, but like a needle in a pouch, he was pricking through. In that brief moment, Even with that small action, Song Yoo could tell. He is like a needle. So sharp that no matter what tries to block, it will end up getting pierced. If Song Yoo could sense it, then he wondered. “There really isn’t anyone in the Alliance unaware of this?” Or were they pretending not to know? Such thoughts crossed Song Yoo's mind right after Gu Yang Cheon disappeared. A peculiar feeling of doubt arose, but he immediately shook it off. “Do not doubt the Alliance.” Uphold righteousness and support peace. It was a resolve he had made back when he first desired to place peace at the tip of his arrow. Surely, there must be a reason the Alliance, who prioritizes this, chose as they did, he reassured himself, turning his head elsewhere. “Next, number one hundred three.” The examination had to continue. Whether it was the Blade King or the Little Blaze, he had tasks at hand. He suppressed his emotions. Yet, For some reason, the next contender remained unresponsive. “Didn’t you hear?” Certainly, they heard. It was so quiet one couldn't have missed Song Yoo’s expectant call. “Number one hundred three.” Upon his second call, a man hesitantly walked forward. He appeared strangely lifeless. "...Yes... yes." With the Blade King and Little Blaze having created a spectacle, All eyes fell on the man's back. Perhaps he also had something to show. Their eyes brimmed with expectant curiosity. “Ahhh!” The man swung his sword with all his might but failed to even leave a scratch on the Cold Iron and was eliminated. ****************** Immediately following the preliminary round’s conclusion, I headed to where the successful candidates were to gather. The distance wasn't far. It was visible due to the forest having been cleared away. “A building.” A decently sized wooden structure, neither too large nor too small, greeted me at the path’s end, indicating that was where I was to go. As I walked toward my destination, the recent past flashed through my mind. "The Illustrious Archer." The leader of the Red Dragon Brigade, Song Yoo. There were already few martial artists using a bow. Among them, he stood out as someone who had mastered it to the extreme. Facing him directly was a first. “It wasn’t bad.” In my estimation, he was a decent person. His cultivation was stable enough too. “And his instincts were sharp.” The Illustrious Archer attempted to gauge me but sensed the danger and wisely refrained from delving deeper. Had he ventured further, I would have startled him, but his awareness prevailed. It indicated that he never let his guard down. Quite the formidable sniper of the Alliance, indeed. “Though he belongs to the Alliance, we have no dealings.” Other than that, “The display wasn’t bad, but how will it play out?” I recalled the act of breaking the Cold Iron. “It was a bit of a stretch, but judging by the reaction, it was better than expected.” Originally, I intended to simply give it a good hit and break it at an adequate level. But with the Blade King causing such a scene earlier, and the fool scratching away behind me, I had to take it up a notch. As a result, I ended up using a significant amount of my energy. ‘It’s impossible to do it easily.’ Even if it’s a mix, it’s still Everlasting Cold Iron. How does one manage to break it while standing still without even generating any momentum? ‘What else could be done? Just pull in energy in a brute force manner.’ I poured in as much energy as was possible. Such a straightforward logic. The problem was that the amount of energy possible to use was half of what I possess, but having achieved success was what mattered in the end. If there was one bitter realization in the process, ‘They’re using the Everlasting Cold Iron I sold off for something like this.’ Did they really buy such an expensive material only to use it for such a trivial purpose? They could have just donated it to me. Damn it. "Sigh." I let out a short sigh and clicked my tongue. It was just infuriating. Even the examination itself was frustrating. “If the first round was this simple, what will the second be?” They had mentioned there would be two preliminary tests today. Given how quickly the first round concluded, it seemed it would be no different than the second. ‘This implies that they’ve prepared for the second round to also conclude quickly.’ Which meant that it wouldn’t involve martial artists clashing. Ridiculous. ‘What kind of a martial arts tournament holds such frivolous tests?’ It’s supposed to be a tournament for fighting and dueling, yet here I am, undergoing some meaningless tests. I couldn’t wrap my head around it. What was the purpose of all this nonsense? It was just plain annoying. ‘What choice do I have. I must play the game they set.’ Having decided to participate, it was necessary to follow through with what was expected. Although, if pushed too far, I might end up venting on something else. But that would be a matter for later. Stop. I halted my steps. Perhaps because I was lost in thoughts, I had already arrived at the location. Creak. Without hesitation, I grabbed the door in front of me and opened it. At that moment. Vuuum—! ‘Hm?’ A sensation rolled in, causing me to glance around. I quickly scanned the surroundings. ‘Hmm.’ After a slight nod, I closed the door and entered. ‘Well, then.’ Simultaneously, I pressed my lips into a straight line with my hand. I managed to suppress the laughter that almost escaped. ‘So this is what the second test is.’ Fortunately, I figured out what the second preliminary test was. Moreover, ‘Nice.’ It seemed this test was also perfectly suited for me to stir things up. ****************** Meanwhile, as Gu Yang Cheon entered the designated location. Whoosh—!! Suddenly, sparks ignited in the sky. They were far enough that neither Gu Yang Cheon’s senses nor anyone else’s could detect them. Flames proliferated in the sky, eventually gathering into the shape of a person. Soon enough, the flames transformed into a figure who opened its eyes. The figure floated mid-air, their gaze descending. They were focused on Gu Yang Cheon, who had just entered the building. Fiery eyes stared intently at the dark-haired youth. Then, with a wrinkled mouth, he calmly spoke. “Yes.” The old man smiled. “It’s you.” He had finally found him.