704 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Title: Warrior of the World - Chapter 704: Northern Rabbit As the preliminary contest concluded, evening descended upon the scene. It was around the time when we finished up the morning's events and had just completed our meal. I glanced at Bong-sun sitting across from me and asked, "Nothing happened, right?" "Hmm?" Bong-sun tilted her head, puzzled by my question. Looking slightly frustrated, I repeated myself, sensing she didn't get my point. "You didn’t get into any trouble, did you?" Finally understanding, she nodded emphatically. "I didn't! The Cult Leader told me not to do anything!" "Really?" "Yes! I really didn't do anything! So let's just pair u—" "Shut it." "Okay." Preventing her from spouting nonsense, I cut her off preemptively. 'Did she truly do nothing?' Given her usual behavior, doubt clung to her like a shadow, yet there was no way to verify. Normally, I would have followed her secretly to ensure she stayed out of mischief. 'But infiltrating the formation right now is beyond me...' The problem lay with the array set up by Meng for the trials. It was possible to dismantle it, but the risk of being discovered was too great to bother with it. Was it my suspicion that was the real issue? "I really didn’t do anything, I swear!" Bong-sun exclaimed indignantly. "I didn’t kill anyone! Not yet!" Not yet...? The words were unsettling, but I nodded noncommittally. "...Alright... Good." "See! I behaved! So can we pair u—" "Beat it." "Okay." Whether she obeys well is debatable, but Bong-sun sprang up and disappeared at my command to leave. Watching her rush out, I let out a deep sigh. She had indeed become more human, but her wild nature was still prominent. 'Or rather, is it more accurate to call her a human-like beast?' A beast mimicking a human. That's exactly how Bong-sun felt. We brought her from the Gwangju region two years ago, where she lived among stray dogs, tearing apart the local troublemakers. Back then, Bong-sun was essentially a talking monster. Though she vaguely used language, she functioned on instinct. Yet somehow, she managed to elevate her martial prowess to monstrous levels. 'A fascinating anomaly indeed.' Her power vastly exceeded the pinnacle, yet her mental state resembled that of a child. It's a mystery how she learned to hone her skills. It's certain she's related by blood to the late Sword Empress, but it's been decades since her passing. Given the time lapse, it's unlikely the Sage Sword Empress taught her. 'She herself can't remember, so there's nothing more to extract.' When I inquired about it, Bong-sun couldn’t recall anything, and given that she's unable to lie to me due to the demonic influence, her words should be trustworthy. I pondered it briefly before setting it aside. 'It matters little if she can't remember.' The important thing is the ability to leverage Bong-sun's caliber in power. Her involvement raises the completion level of my plans. In such a context, Bong-sun's past was irrelevant. "The problem lies with the Emi Sect." As I recalled the events of the morning, I sipped my tea. It tingled my tongue as it contained a hint of poison. Drinking it this way heightened the poison's potency, and since it didn’t taste too bad, I had taken to drinking it regularly. "...Hmm." The Emi Sect, the nuns from Sichuan. 'What could be their relationship with Bong-sun?' It seemed they were more interested in the artifact than Bong-sun herself. 'Which means... they're not seeking the Sword Empress in the first place.' With vague reactions and circumstances, it's tough to discern their intentions for now. However... "I've already set the trap; soon, there will be a reaction." I had countermeasures in place for this scenario. I killed one of the Emi Sect women and sent her to their stronghold. Using the power of the net, I mixed messages with Meng's emblem and ambiguous words, calculated the timing, and erased it at the appropriate moment. 'How will they respond?' The aim was to observe their reactions. If they were acting independently without Meng's knowledge, there would be distinctive changes. If they were in an alliance, there would be corresponding changes. 'If their leader isn't a simpleton, it could serve as an adequate warning.' The Emi Sect's leader was Feng Yue Quan Zhu, wasn't it? The Painted Moon Fist Sage. Named for her unusual fists, despite being a painted woman. Given her status as one of the top ten martial artists, I trusted she wasn't foolish. The situation blatantly involved Meng's emblem. Surely, they might consider a third party intervened. Either expecting friction with Meng or an alliance, they could speculate that someone was using them to investigate. In their shoes, I would act cautiously. Moreover... 'If they knew I possessed this, even more so.' I chuckled, looking at the missive in my hand. It was taken from one of the Emi Sect martial artists. Several sheets listed familiar names—including mine and other contestants of the martial arts tournament. 'Presumably, it's the names of those they dispatched to poison.' The names matched those found through hired intelligence. A few extra names were included, indicating some they failed to uncover themselves. "Hmm." The righteous sect. Moreover, why would the Buddhist Emi Sect indulge in such schemes? I've paid them no mind till now, but with this development, my curiosity piqued. 'Perhaps a little investigation is in order?' Given Bong-sun's involvement, it warranted a closer look. Of course, I had no intention of doing it myself. Setting aside the tea, I turned to the side and spoke. "Then, please handle it." "...Huh? Handle what?" Cheol Ji-sun, who had been dully eating, tilted his head at my words. ****************** Rustle. Walking along the path, I perused the missive in my hand. Several pages were densely filled with information compiled by Jegal Hyeok and Cheol Ji-sun. 'The Hubei side is roughly handled. As for Shandong, leaving it to Huangbo Jia seems wise...' Thanks to Jegal Hyeok's prior arrangements, despite the volume, the details were easily discernible. ‘I need to track Illyong Daezhu’s movements and check on Tang Deok’s situation.’ I sent Nah-hi over to Tang Deok’s side, so that should be under control. It would be great if I could restrain or even eliminate Illyong Daezhu during the process. However, that might be too much to hope for. ‘It’s risky with everything that’s happening right now.’ With myself tied up here, any excessive actions should be avoided. ‘To properly handle matters, it has to wait until everything's concluded.’ I need to observe what the situation will be like once the martial arts tournament ends. If everything proceeds as predicted, there shouldn’t be any issues, but I know better than to rely on luck alone in my life. ‘…I must always be prepared for the worst.’ That way, when disaster strikes, it’ll be easier to manage. ‘The problem is Tang Soyeol and Wi Seola.’ It bothers me that both are participating in the martial arts contest. Wi Seola passed on the first day, and Tang Soyeol, as expected, passed today as well. ‘Hmm.’ Frankly, it’s puzzling why they entered the martial arts contest, but it’s not inherently problematic. The issue lies in... As soon as the preliminary rounds end, it transitions directly into the martial arts competition. The potential problem is if they end up on the same stage together. ‘If only it had been Woo Hyuk, it would have been better.’ If it was Woo Hyuk entering the tournament, I wouldn’t mind defeating him. Regrettably, Woo Hyuk isn’t participating in the tournament. ‘What was the reason again?’ Supposedly because the sect leader is from the Wudang Sect, and to maintain fairness, the Wudang is not participating. ‘Ha.’ Fairness, huh. It’s almost laughable to consider fairness now. At the outset, only the ones with influence received recommendations to attend the martial arts contest, and now they talk about fairness? ‘They should have been more consistent with fairness from the start.’ Reflecting on the previous head leader sending Chang during the Yongbong Summit, the sect’s sense of fairness has been long compromised. ‘Maybe they now want to portray a clean image.’ After the sword sage made that statement, public sentiment wasn't entirely negative. Weren’t people saying this head leader is different from the previous ones? ‘Tsk….’ Though I have much to say, I refrained from speaking it. Woo Hyuk didn’t seem eager to participate, either. ‘…If that guy enters now, it’s risky.’ I occasionally use sparring as an excuse to knock some sense into him... But right now, Woo Hyuk is partially a dragon, having embraced some dragon qualities. His growth in skill was apparent, and because his physical capabilities had changed, he wasn’t managing his strength well. Ironically, Woo Hyuk seemed unaware of just how strong he’d become, and until he grasped that, I needed to keep working him hard. ‘While he’s running laps, I should do some rolling around too.’ There isn’t much time left now. Though I've surpassed my previous life's power level, complacency isn’t an option. ‘Considering I might not be able to use the Flame Wheel Technique.’ Upon meeting my grandfather, I realized the potential danger. For reasons I don't yet comprehend, my grandfather seemed capable of reclaiming the mental technique I possess. Should he confiscate my flame, it would shatter all my plans. All because of losing one martial skill? ‘I am truly incompetent.’ What a dire situation, being left helpless if my power were to be stripped. It pushed me to prepare, just in case I found myself robbed of one source of strength. Suddenly, I stopped in my tracks. I had arrived at my destination. A door stood before me, and naturally, I raised my hand and knocked on it. Tap tap— "..." No response. I knocked again. Tap tap tap— "…" Still the same. Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap— Finally, after persistent knocking, the awaited individual opened the door to greet me. "You pesky scoundrel! Do you know what time it is!?" A thin old man with white hair and a beard scowled at me, yet there was amusement in his eyes. "It’s dawn, dawn! Everyone’s asleep, so why are you disturbing me!" "It's not dawn, elder. It’s not even after midnight." "But everyone's sleeping. Isn’t that a fact?" "Well, it seems you weren't asleep, elder." "You insolent brat...!" My ready answer turned Shin Eui's face red with anger. Ah, dangerous. That red face truly signifies rage. Quickly, I took a letter from my sleeve and showed it to Shin Eui. "Truly, what do you take me—!" "It's a letter from Hyuk sent to you, elder. Please accept it." "…" At the mention of the letter, Shin Eui, who was on the brink of erupting, calmed down impressively. Bringing it was indeed a wise choice. "Hmm..." "I brought it as soon as I received it. Please, forgive my intrusion." “…Since it’s Hyuk, I’ll let it slide this time, but no more." “So, may I come in now?" "Like hell, you're already inside, you rascal..." Even as he grumbled, I had already stepped inside the dwelling. Unlike the adjoining clinic, the place looked smaller and more run-down. I had heard that Shin Eui specifically requested it to be built this way, stating that he couldn’t focus if it were too big. A truly unpretentious elder. I kicked off my shoes and entered the abode. Inside was a small table and a lamp, and upon the table, there was an overwhelming stack of scrolls. All of them related to treatment methods or medicinal herbs. Seeing them, I let out a light sigh. “Do you review all these regularly?” “Review? How could this old man possibly manage all that?” “Then what?” “They’re familiar from when I was younger. They’re there for reference if my memory fails.” “With so many piled up, how do you find what you need?” “By remembering roughly where things are and how many pages into each scroll.” “...” I silently swallowed the words of disbelief that threatened to spill out. “So then.” While browsing the scrolls, Shin Eui turned to me. “Are you planning to do it again today?” As if it were only natural, I replied. “Yes.” My answer made Shin Eui frown deeply. "You have this group brawl coming up in a few days, wouldn’t it be better to rest your body a bit?” “Group brawl, elder? We call it a martial arts contest.” “It’s a brawl, no matter what you call it.” "…" Given that he wasn’t wrong, I chuckled awkwardly. ‘Group brawl,’ indeed, it was a fitting term. Anyway. “Resting is for after you die. If I get hurt, there's a perfectly skilled healer right beside me, isn't there?” “Saying you'll live or die in front of a doctor... Is this old man being used however you please?” “While you’re helping, might as well go all the way, right?” “Heh, shameless to the point of being demonic.” Though Shin Eui grumbled with apparent disdain, I knew better. Despite his complaints, the old man had a heart of gold. Hence, I was sure he’d help out again this time as well. “...Sit down. Let’s get this over with quickly so I can get some sleep.” “Thank you.” With his permission, I sat down with a smile. The reason I sought out Shin Eui was straightforward enough. “Prepare yourself.” Right after meeting my grandfather, I had promptly visited Shin Eui to learn the arts of sorcery. Initially, Shin Eui seemed surprised at the mention of sorcery, but I explained that I learned it while in the North Sea, which seemed to help ease his mind. Given that he had witnessed some of it when treating Jegal Hyeok’s neck, Shin Eui himself was familiar with the notion of sorcery. With limited knowledge of sorcery, I turned to Shin Eui to guide me in its training. Honestly, at first, I didn’t expect it to be very helpful. I was intrigued by this mysterious power and figured it would be interesting to learn it. But after using it a few times, I started to sense something. The ring of sorcery flowing in my heart. ‘This...’ If my guess was right, I could develop methods through sorcery, even if my flame was stolen by grandfather. Moreover... 'I can wield a bigger flame.' It seemed possible to enhance techniques like the Flaming Wheel Technique and others. “…Now, let’s try expanding the ring.” Prompted by Shin Eui, I focused my power on my heart, and time slipped away as I immersed myself in training. ****************** Two days passed. I found myself within the Murim Alliance headquarters once again, having come back after the three-day preliminary rounds ended and the main tournament was about to begin. “So are they grouping the finals into brackets?” “The preselection was bracketed, so they might do the same this time, don’t you think?” The crowd wasn't much different from the first day. Clearly, there were several hundred martial artists present. The main difference was that everyone had easily surpassed the peak level. These were individuals who had shattered stalwart iron and broken the array to succeed. True martial artists, filtered through two rounds, gathered here. ‘This is nothing like the presence felt on the first day.’ The density of the air was different, and the aura of the individuals was intense. The tense atmosphere was palpable. With no attempts to conceal their aura, the clash of energies in the air was a spectacle. Watching this, my expression soured. ‘What an unruly bunch.’ Giving all their energy away already, what are they thinking? At that moment, “Wow, there’re so many people. Look over there, sis! Another bald—ugh!” Bong-sun, fascinated by the crowd, attempted to speak, but Tang Soyeol quickly covered her mouth. “Please... please keep it down...!” "Ngh! Ngh... slurp?" "Eek!" Tang Soyeol, shocked, released her grip, having felt Bong-sun licking her palm. "..." Shaking my head at the scene. For some mysterious reason, Bong-sun seemed to take a liking to Tang Soyeol. Thanks to that, Tang Soyeol was often on the receiving end of Bong-sun’s antics. For me, it was fortunate to have someone who could manage that little menace. ‘The preliminaries lasted three days. The finals are supposed to last two.’ I was scheduled for the first day, just like Tang Soyeol and Bong-sun. “…Hey. You didn’t forget what I told you yesterday, did you?” “Huh? Nope!” “Let me repeat: just win. No causing chaos.” “Of course! I won’t destroy anything or hurt anyone! I’ll just win!” Bong-sun spoke with confidence, that nonexistent chest puffed out, but her words filled me with little confidence. ‘Tsk.’ No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t help but worry. Starting today, as the name of the Divine Dragon Martial Arts Tournament suggests, martial artists would clash. This was already communicated by the sect. ‘They say today marks the true beginning of the martial arts contest.’ Ahead lay a large board. Beyond the gathering crowd, the officials from Meng were setting up something on that board. The match schedule. A piece of paper detailing today's matchups in the finals was being posted there, attracting many onlookers. The eyes of the martial artists reflected myriad emotions as they watched. There was yearning. Some even shone with thrill. They must be harboring various desires and feelings. Could they really be that eager for a tournament hosted by Meng? Honestly, I couldn’t quite understand it. While cooling down and observing those around me, “Young Master, it’s up.” Tang Soyeol sent word to me. Turning my gaze back to the board, as she mentioned, Meng's prepared paper was displayed on it. Quickly scanning it with my eyes. ‘Hmm.’ I confirmed, frowning a little. ‘Looks like the match isn't strictly within the bracket.’ White Team. Sanseo Koo’s Gu Yangcheon. ‘Got it.’ A name written around the middle, found and confirmed alongside the opponent's details. Blue Team. From the famed Guangdong family, Myeong Cheongseong. ‘Myeong Cheongseong?’ The name sounded familiar. ‘Ah.’ I remembered. A figure making a racket with the Wind Thunder Iron Fist from the first day. Supposedly, he was a well-known martial artist. Honestly, I didn’t know much about him. Having roughly assessed my opponent, I moved on to check the others. ‘Bong-sun’s opponent didn’t seem familiar either.’ So that left Tang Soyeol’s matchup... ‘Hmm?’ I needed to widen my gaze and take a closer look at Tang Soyeol’s opponent. ‘Well, this is interesting.’ Things had become a bit more intriguing. In the Green Team, we had Tang Soyeol from the Sichuan Tang Clan. In the Red Team, Baek Cheongjin from the Liaoning Baek family. Baek Cheongjin from the Liaoning Baek family. That's a name I knew well. How could I not? Tang Soyeol’s opponent was none other than the infamous Explosive Sword. What kind of trickery was this? Was this something Meng intended? Or was it really just a coincidence? It seemed a bit suspicious to just chalk it up to chance, though I couldn’t be certain. Shifting my gaze, I glanced over at Tang Soyeol. It appeared she had also identified her opponent. From her expression, I gained some confidence. ‘No worries here...’ Her eyes were calm and her aura was well-composed. Tang Soyeol was as serene as a still lake. In fact... ‘…Is that a hint of something frightening?’ I couldn’t help but sense an unspoken chill from her demeanor. There was something about the current look in Tang Soyeol's eyes that suggested... ‘How should I toy with my opponent?’ She seemed to be contemplating just that.