717 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 717: The Northern Hare - Web Novel Archive Two periods had passed since the start of the third round of the main event. Sitting still made the time seem to drag on even longer. Yet. “Waaah---!!” The area was still brimming with unrelenting excitement. Boom-! Boom boom-! “Hee-yah!” An intense display of duels, reminiscent of a raging storm. Loud shouts and the clashing of weapons filled the air. Even as the sky's color slowly changed, the fervor remained unyielding. “The Rumored Windstorm Fist… I've only heard whispers. Truly, a formidable warrior,” someone murmured in awe. “…I hope to duel them someday.” “If it's the Resplendent Sword, it surely stirs one's blood.” Observers collected information with admiration, watching the martial artists spar. Perhaps because all around were individuals who had participated in the martial arts festival, their perceptive eyes were extraordinary. Moreover, reaching the third round of the main event meant they were formidable opponents, warranting observation for potential insights. This was why, despite sitting for long hours, martial artists maintained their enthusiasm. And it was the reason the spectators remained energetic and cheering at the sight of these masters in combat. Of course. ‘How dull.’ From my perspective, this schedule was nothing but tedious. The reason being… ‘The disparity is too great.’ The skill levels between the matched opponents were too mismatched. Having watched for two periods, there were indeed a few martial artists of the Hwa-gyeong level. Yet, their opponents were peculiarly weaker. This lack of balance made any sense of urgency dissipate. Instead, there was a sense of wanting to learn as much as possible from a superior opponent. ‘What kind of tutorial match is this?’ Boring. There’s no killing intent, no desperation, no raw struggle. While it seems typical for a spar, something about it feels too mundane. ‘It just feels dull.’ Watching such matches only made me yawn. ‘…I must have gone mad.’ To find a peaceful duel boring. So does blood need to be shed and battles fought to the death to be entertaining? ‘Indeed.’ Imagining such a scenario seemed far more appealing. ‘Yes, I must be going mad.’ Living wrongly has led me to a truly misguided point. I turned my gaze to the side. Dokkwon Dangsoyeol and Seomwolgeom Wiseol-ah sat quietly, watching the duel. Neither seemed particularly animated, but the only difference from me was they showed a bit more interest. ‘True.’ Both had reached the Hwa-gyeong level, so their lukewarm reactions were to be expected. It’s been two periods like that already. ‘Moyong Hia or Namgung Bia might have been better company.’ Moyong Hia had been living her busiest days since the start of the martial arts festival. Due to the appearance and disappearance of martial artists, the commercial circles were in motion, affecting Baihua's operations as well. This busied their leader, Moyong Hia. Namgung Bia simply opted out, claiming it seemed uninteresting. Recalling this, I slightly regretted it. ‘I should have just trained.’ Why did I even come to watch this? ‘If it weren't for Seong-yul, I wouldn't have come.’ It was only because his behavior seemed suspicious that I was concerned enough to see for myself. But it was probably unnecessary. ‘Left alone, he would have managed just fine.’ I had resolved to leave him be, yet here I was meddling unnecessarily. ‘I even told Cheoljiseon not to do trivial things.’ Contradictory behavior. Knowing this, the feeling was even more unsettling. “Hmph.” As I let out a small breath of exasperation at my tangled thoughts— “Next.” The previous bout had ended, and new martial artists emerged for the next match. I straightened up in my seat upon hearing a voice in my mind. -Sit properly. It's not good for your back. “...” Though I furrowed my brow, I heeded the advice. “Uwaaah---!!” A massive man appeared at the entrance, the crowd instantly erupting in cheers. Perhaps it was the most anticipated match of the day. “The Tao King is here!” Tao King Peng Zhou. The patriarch of the Peng family, the guardian of Hebei. One of the six known "Liu Zuo" in Zhongyuan. -Wow! Thunderous acclaim erupted the moment he appeared. Peng Zhou, however, silently walked forward amidst the uproar. Boom-! Boom-! Each step sent tremors through the ground. The scene around seemed akin to an earthquake. Spectators, awed by the display, shouted even louder. “Incredible! So this is the power of the Four Great Families.” “To cause such tremors with mere steps.” Everyone marveling. But hearing that, I had to suppress my displeasure. ‘It’s not just his steps, you know.’ Feeling the surrounding heat, I cursed internally. Not much has changed with this guy. ‘He's doing the same thing as during the preliminaries.’ Energy bursting in all directions, overflowing everywhere. “...Oh dear.” “Mmm.” Watching this, Dangsoyeol and Wiseol-ah let out low murmurs. They averted their gaze, not even attempting to look directly. What Peng Zhou was doing was a show after all—a fact unknown to only those who hadn't reached a certain level. Fortunately. “Uwaah!” Judging by the responses, it seemed his showmanship was well-received. As the Tao King exuded energy and ascended the stage. Quietly, someone followed him. Naturally, my gaze fixed on them. The dark-clad My Gongja, head to toe dressed in black. Toegryong's disguised disciple, Paejon. With arms clasped behind him, Paejon walked discreetly amidst the Tao King's fanfare. “...” Even while moving, Paejon’s eyes were set on me. Among the countless spectators, he found me instantly. And to think he sent me telepathic messages even before appearing—meaning he sensed my presence beyond the wall. ‘Frightening old man.’ His intuition was truly astonishing. At that moment, I overheard conversations around me. “The opponent of Tao King is Toegryong, right?” “If it's Toegryong… that’s said to be Paejon’s successor?” “Yes, it’s been a frequent rumor recently.” Discussions about Biui-jin ensued. I couldn't help but listen in. “I haven’t heard of any notable display from him in this festival so far. Are those rumors true?” “They brought a recommendation letter from Paejon himself, didn’t they? And reaching this stage already proves plenty,” someone noted. “Still, given the opponent... it’s unfortunate,” another remarked. “That’s true enough.” The successor of Paejon. The expectations that title brings are beyond imagination. The position of the three great masters highlighted their immense presence in the orthodox faction. Yet, Even such expectations must face the reality of perspective. “Because the opponent is Tao King.” “Who knows, though? As we’ve seen with Seomwolgeom, perhaps Toegryong has reached impressive heights too.” When this topic came up, Wiseol-ah’s ears perked slightly. She seemed to be listening. As Wiseol-ah and Shinryong have shown, even the late stage of development might conceal extraordinary masters. However, people remained skeptical. “Haha…maybe. But still,” someone hesitated. “No matter what… the opponent is Tao King.” “True.” He is facing Tao King, such a fact alone erases all other possibilities. Tao King (刀王). One of the six known “Liu Zuo” in Zhongyuan. Amongst them, Namgung has the Sword King (劍王), Peng family the Tao King (刀王), Tang family the Poison King (毒王), and Huashan the Sword Empress (劍后). Additionally, there are the independent Flame King (炎王) and the unknown, mysterious Ming Empress (明后). These six individuals had a profound influence on Zhongyuan, known as the Liu Zuo. Though their roles were appointed based on specialized domains and presence, it didn’t imply they were weak. They were all strong martial artists. ‘About the Flame King or Ming Empress, I can't really say. But they must be strong too.’ Excluding those I'd never encountered in my previous life, they were all formidable. ‘Even if not among the top ten, they’re certainly first-rate.’ Since each had entered their prime, none could be underestimated. Shinryong and Seomwolgeom reaching the Hwa-gyeong level was astonishing, but… That alone wasn’t enough to touch the Liu Zuo. That’s the prevailing perception. ‘Yes, it’s just a common perception.’ Even as a disciple of Paejon, a student is still just that. One cannot reach the Tao King simply by that association. Conversely, ‘Can the Tao King reach the heights of the three great masters?’ Whether among the Liu Zuo or the top ten, can a mere human grounded on the earth touch the celestial heights of the masters? Even if the heavens shackled his feet, and he descended to earth, could the likes of Tao King even look up to him? ‘No, they cannot.’ It’s a trivial notion, even to consider. No matter how dirty, filthy, and vile the old man may be, he remains Paejon. ‘How can a mere Tao King dare?’ Worry? There’s none at all. As I mentioned before, Biui-jin is Paejon. That one fact settles everything. Thus, what I worried about was not Paejon's safety. ‘...Please, just take it easy.’ I only hoped that the old man wouldn't cause too much of a commotion. --- Waaah---!! Amidst the unyielding cheers, the two martial artists faced each other on the stage. The middle-aged man crossed his arms, gazing at the young man. The young man stood with his hands behind his back, looking somewhere other than at his opponent. Observing this, the middle-aged Tao King Peng Zhou furrowed his brows. ‘Where is he looking?’ Facing his opponent, yet that young man’s gaze is elsewhere. Peng Zhou’s expression soured with displeasure. ‘Tsk.’ These young people nowadays all seem to lack manners. Before a senior, especially one as significant as himself, what kind of conduct is this? ‘I intended to show some respect as Paejon’s disciple.’ Paejon (敗尊) Bi Ju. An individual who survived countless life and death situations and defeats, eventually emerging as a master neat the peak of martial arts. The old man, who greatly contributed to the war against the unorthodox factions with his self-devised martial arts. As Peng Zhou recalled the old man, he clicked his tongue. ‘His student and master are alike—both unpleasant.’ Peng Zhou had seen Paejon a few times. He recalled meeting him once as a child under his uncle Peng Taewu and another time in his twenties. ‘Those damned eyes.’ He remembered clearly. The old man’s eyes that looked upon him. As if he were observing a stone, devoid of any interest. Those cold eyes made Peng Zhou shrink back then. Unfortunately, ‘That brat’s eyes are just like his.’ Is it because he’s a successor? For some reason, the feeling of Paejon pervaded the young Toegryong. Paejon had been a heavily scarred giant. Unlike the old man, Toegryong was young and fresh-faced, yet he inexplicably invoked that same sensation. ‘That brat, and this brat... all of them.’ Even Kuchaewon, that cursed Kuchaewon’s son. And this brat called Toegryong. ‘I need to crush him at least once.’ None of them are pleasing. Even standing in this trivial place is irritating. ‘…Tch.’ Peng Zhou secretly ground his teeth. If it weren’t for the past incident with the Meng’s, he wouldn’t have to be here. That was his regret. ‘They dare to think of using me, Peng Zhou, as their clown?’ He vowed never to forget this humiliation. Peng Zhou continued to grind his teeth. Ultimately, he would climb to the Meng leader’s position and dispose of those who belittled him. For that future, he endured the present. Peng Zhou repeatedly reminded himself of that as he cooled his irritation and glanced forward. The young Toegryong, still not looking his way. Originally, he would have been enraged, but Peng Zhou merely lifted a corner of his mouth. The reason was simple. ‘How lucky I am to correct that insolence.’ This was a legitimate opportunity to subdue his opponent. It meant he could handle that late stage brat’s insolent demeanor himself. So it didn’t matter. He could be as haughty as he pleased because Peng Zhou’s strikes would only grow harsher. With that in mind, Peng Zhou drew his sword. Thud. The heavy blade emerged into the open air. It wasn’t the usual treasure used by the Tao King, the Black Tooth Ink Sword (黑牙墨刀), but... In the martial arts festival, one couldn’t use treasured weapons, so the equipment provided by the Meng was of standard make, but when wielded by the Tao King, its value transformed. From Peng Zhou, holding the sword, a monstrous pressure erupted. Crackle. “…Huh!” “Gasp!” Murmurs erupted here and there. The pressure held a stark difference from previous bouts. Even in a simple ready stance, his presence was so overwhelming that everyone’s focus was drawn solely to the Tao King. “It might be wise to prepare yourself.” As Peng Zhou released this pressure and spoke, Toegryong finally shifted his gaze. Still expressionless. Observing this, Peng Zhou came to a belated realization. ‘Has he become excessively tense?’ It seems he was not being ignored but perhaps paralyzed by fear? ‘Yes, that must be it.’ No wonder. It didn’t make sense that a mere late-stage martial artist would dare ignore him, but excessive nervousness could explain it. “Do not worry. I won’t reveal my true strength against a junior, and it’s one of the rare opportunities for you. Spread your wings as you wish.” He uttered this with a faint smile. Come on, show off as much as you want. That was the implication behind his words. However, “Hm.” Toegryong nodded slightly. “As expected. Your father was much better. It’s a pity.” “…What did you say?” Peng Zhou reacted to the muttered words but— “I’ll prepare now.” With the referee’s call, the questions could not continue. What did he mean by that? Father? A baffling comment, but Peng Zhou chose to dismiss it for the moment. “…Third round, the Peng family’s Peng Zhou versus Xi’an’s Biui-jin.” The referee raised his hand. “Begin.” As the hand dropped swiftly, the match commenced. Right after the match began, The two of them remained still, simply observing one another. Peng Zhou spoke, eyeing a seemingly tense Toegryong. “As a senior, I will afford you three moves.” “...” Hearing the word "three," Toegryong's eyes widened. Was he surprised by Peng Zhou’s generosity? “…Ah, I see. Senior…. Indeed.” “...” It seemed his nerves were significant; he appeared unfocused. Momentarily widening his eyes, Toegryong quickly adopted a martial stance and addressed Peng Zhou. “I actually had a few things to confirm. Thank you for your kindness.” What could he be confirming? Just as Peng Zhou felt a flicker of interest— Step. Toegryong began walking forward. Slowly approaching Peng Zhou one step at a time. Seeing this, Peng Zhou let out a chortle. ‘Walking?’ When even charging head-on might be insufficient, and he’s walking now? Ridiculous. Whish. Thunk-! “!?” A situation unfolded suddenly. Peng Zhou composed his breath as he evaluated the scene. ‘What is this?’ His arm was raised without him knowing. Moreover, he felt contact. What was this sensation? As Peng Zhou grasped the situation, his surprise deepened. Where Toegryong had been a distance away, he was now directly in front of Peng Zhou. He had attacked with a kick, and Peng Zhou had blocked it with his arm by pure instinct. Only instincts helped him deflect the attack. His lack of perception for the coming attack left Peng Zhou unsettled. But astonishingly, it didn’t end there. “That was too weak.” Recovering his leg, Toegryong muttered. And then. Boom-! “Ugh!? Gah!” Suddenly, a massive impact was felt in his abdomen. Again, just like before. Toegryong’s punch landed right in Peng Zhou’s stomach. Snap-! The protective energy shattering around him. Woosh-! The massive body hovered low in the air. Peng Zhou immediately gathered energy around him to stabilize his descent. Thud-! Simultaneously, he retreated several steps and clutched his abdomen with a large hand. “Huff… Huff….” Unwittingly, he nearly retched. “You…what have you just…!” Still, the pain clumped in his abdomen. Holding back his trembling body, Peng Zhou asked. “Hm.” Toegryong nodded a couple of times, viewing Peng Zhou. “That was too strong. Somewhere in the middle should be perfect.” Satisfied, he smiled as if confirming something. Then, beckoned with a finger at Peng Zhou. “I don’t need three turns. Now, come at me.” Paejon was certain. Yes, this was sufficient. He was confident that this level was just right. He thought he could beat Tao King without killing him.