720 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Title: The World's Greatest Martial Artist's Childhood Friend - Chapter 720: Northern Rabbit "In truth, I don't know if I dare ask..." After the conclusion of the third martial arts tournament, late at night in the training hall. I observed Pejeon engaged in his personal training and asked him, "Are you, by any chance, insane?" "What did you just say?" Pejeon, who was effortlessly lifting a boulder the size of a dwelling, looked at me. His expression was less filled with anger and more with disbelief. "You've gotten to the point where you curse at your master now." "No, that's not—" I stuttered and instantly swung my fist. Whoosh—! Crash—! The boulder that was flying towards my face shattered instantly. My wrist tingled from the impact. Damn it, that man wrapped the boulder with qi before throwing it. "What an impressive expression you're wearing." "Does it look good?" "There's nothing bad about it. Didn't I show you what you wanted to see?" "...Sigh..." Nothing bad about it, huh? I sighed as I glanced at the scattered rock fragments on the ground. "Isn't the world worse than ever...?" A mess. There was no other way to describe it. It was a complete mess. "Thanks to you, sir, the martial arts tournament wasn't even halfway through." For the third round of the finals, only one arena had been prepared. It was designed to withstand considerable impact without even cracking. Even if it did crack or break, it could be repaired. 'How are we supposed to repair that?' There's a limit to everything. When something can't even retain its original shape, it's no longer called a repair. 'That's no repair; it's basically creating something new.' Who could have known? That a mere martial artist could turn an arena mixed with ten-thousand-year-old iron into such a shambles. I squinted slightly, looking at Pejeon. 'Was it called the Supreme Heaven Shatterer?' That was the fifth form of the Tua-Pa-Chun martial arts. Supreme Heaven Shatterer. It was a martial art Pejeon had used against the Demon King at this tournament. A strength I had never witnessed before. 'Breaking the sky, huh.' A word too arrogant to be simply the name of a martial art. But. 'It might actually do that.' Having seen its grandeur with my own eyes, I cannot deny it. The sheer power was enough to make one's body shiver just from witnessing it. 'What even was that destructive force?' The image of Pejeon using the Supreme Heaven Shatterer lingered in my mind. A gray sphere excessively compacted and condensed. The explosion created by artificially bursting it was enormously destructive. 'How on earth is it controlled?' What was that sensation back then? Where did the flow of qi that Pejeon orchestrated direct itself? 'The source of qi was obviously the Tua-Pa-Chun martial arts.' He must have used the energy emanating from there. 'How can such a precise application be possible?' The essence of Tua-Pa-Chun is 'destruction.' Just by casting it, it brings suffering to the practitioner. That rough and mighty energy lends power to the martial arts. It's hard to control. Even harder to master. 'Yet then, Pejeon manipulated the energy with incredible precision.' How could such a feat be accomplished? Enduring the pain is one thing, but shaping that wild energy into a structured form is another. What was familiar in this mess was. 'If I had to compare, it's like the Flame Jade.' The Flame Jade's compression and rotation. The Flaming Ring Technique is similarly rough, but it's not as defiant as the Tua-Pa-Chun, making it manageable. In contrast. 'Even if the Flaming Ring Technique is doable, the Tua-Pa-Chun shouldn't be.' Yet, Pejeon succeeded. Upon reflection, it's no anomaly. Even if I can't, Pejeon can effortlessly achieve it. 'He is, after all, a Grand Master.' An innovator who creates unprecedented martial arts and paves his new path. Many geniuses polish their skills and elevate their ranks, but few invent new martial arts based on them. The Tua-Pa-Chun is solely inherited by one. It hasn't even been half a century since it was created. Yet it is already called a divine technique, alongside those refined over centuries. Does this even make any sense? 'Of course not. But this old man accomplished the impossible.' An unnatural rebirth induced by profound art. A technique allowing oneself to enter a trance autonomously. It alone could leave a mark on history, yet he possessed two such forces. What kind of man could create such things? 'He's certainly out of his mind.' That much was evident. In any case. 'The important thing is, how does he now use the fifth form?' "This is rich. Who's calling whom crazy?" "...!" While intensely wrestling with my thoughts, Pejoen's comment snapped me back to reality. "You seem to start talking and then send your thoughts elsewhere. Was it that impactful?" He even caught me red-handed. Pejeon seemed to quickly realize what I was focused on. "Don't be so anxious. Eventually, you'll learn all of this power." "...You show something like this to me and then tell me not to be anxious? That's contradictory." I knew he showed it to me on purpose. This situation was precisely what the old man hoped for. 'Look at it and try to untangle it, aren't you?' The fifth form. Having just mastered and honed the fourth form, the fifth form was now blatantly exhibited before me. Moreover. "You even suffered internal injuries in the process." "…" Pejeon diverted his gaze when I mentioned it. Simultaneously, my eyes fell on his arm. The arm that just moments ago was lifting a boulder. It trembled slightly, ever so subtly. 'Sigh.' It made me sigh just watching it. I had to hold back a forced sigh. "Did you really have to go this far? It's caused quite a commotion." At the end of the martial arts tournament. Originally, there should have been more duels following his match with the Demon King. But it was halted. The reason was that there was no arena left to battle on. 'To be honest, we could just do it on the ground, but...' Regrettably, this was Hanam. This was Hanam, where the Murim Alliance is located, and it was none other than the Murim Alliance that hosted the tournament. Would those who broke the arena start the tournament on bare ground? 'No way.' The Murim Alliance cares about perception more than anyone. They wouldn't tolerate such a shabby tournament. -Once the arena is rebuilt, the tournament will resume. That's the decision the alliance has made. 'Tsk.' This situation left me in quite the awkward position. "My plans are all messed up." The plan I'd carefully prepared according to the set schedule was now in shambles. It would take at least two to three days to reconstruct the destroyed arena. We could only promise such a timeline because we had some materials prepared in advance. If it had been any later, who knows how long it would have taken? "Crazy fools. Why mix ten-thousand-year-old iron into the arena?" No wonder it took so long by trying to incorporate such expensive materials into its construction. "They probably thought it would be unbreakable." Who could have predicted it would be completely shattered and need to be rebuilt from scratch? I certainly couldn’t have. Who would have thought? "Who knew Pejeon would be at the martial arts tournament?" Not only had the esteemed elder reversed his age. But to participate in the tournament and unleash his most secret technique—who could have foreseen that? "This is ridiculous..." No one could have anticipated it. Because of that, today's Hanam was buzzing with talk about Pejeon. - The successor of Pejeon, Turong Bi-Jin, displays overwhelming power against the Demon King and then withdraws. - A shocking victory, is this an insult to the Demon King? - The hidden talents of a young prodigy, what is Turong really worth...? - The battle between the New Dragon and Turong. Who is truly stronger? The streets were filled with nothing but talk about Turong and Pejeon. One of the Six Pillars— The clan head of Pyeongga, the guardian of Haebok, was thoroughly defeated. And that too, by a mere jade-level talent from the Xian Bi sect, known as Turong. Regardless of Turong's status as Pejeon's successor, it was unthinkable for the Demon King to lose. "No… he didn’t lose." He won. A very shameful victory. When Turong announced his withdrawal. The desperate expression of the Demon King screaming at him flashed in my mind. Telling him not to joke and to rather kill him instead… "It was disgraceful." Wouldn’t it be a bit pitiful for someone bearing the title of king-level martial artist? "Thanks to that, the top leaders have been busy." The Demon King's reputation plummeted. The shifting tides of the central plains were sure to be foreseen, prompting the top brass to respond rapidly. This unexpected incident in a tournament over a year in the making, Shook the position of the Demon King and set the stagnant movement of the leaders into motion. This all unfolded with just a single bout. Society claimed that Turong's withdrawal was a direct challenge to the Demon King’s position. Simultaneously, it asserted his worth by showcasing his power and elevating the status of his master, Pejeon. That was the general consensus. "But the withdrawal, it was genuine, wasn't it?" “…Hmm.” I knew quite well. The miserable state Pejeon was in at the moment. Anyone could see it. More specifically, if they used their inner sight, they could tell. "The flow is all intertwined." The once smooth flow of his qi was now entangled. Seeing him train, his raw power seemed unchanged, yet his internal state was a mess. The reason being... "The aftermath of the Supreme Heaven Shatterer." The incredible power he used at the martial arts tournament. The recoil had taken its toll on Pejeon's body. Seeing him in such a fragile state... well, how should I put it? “…If I hit him now, I could probably win… Should I just smack him a few times?” “…Huh?” "Oh, my mistake. I mean, in all seriousness." "Say it was a joke… what did you just say?" Pejeon burst into a fit of incredulous laughter. Did he find my words amusing? I was serious, though. "I could really take him down now if I wanted." Given Pejeon’s current weakened state, defeating him might not be that challenging. Which implies— "The Supreme Heaven Shatterer wasn't something easy for Pejeon, either." Using it forcibly brought about a backlash, and he had no choice but to withdraw. "By pretending to be okay, it must have seemed different to others." An action to insult the Demon King. A victory that remained a mark of disgrace for the Murim Alliance. Losing to a jade-level prodigy, a member of the Six Pillars. As a result, the Demon King received all sorts of ridicule from the people of Hanam. "Did he plan this all along?" It's hard to decipher what goes on in that inscrutable old man's head, but it's not impossible that it was all intentional. "So, why are you getting so worked up?" I sighed and responded to Pejeon’s teasing query. "I'm just saying—was it necessary to go that far? You could have won with less effort." "If I was just going to do that, why bother going out there? There has to be a bit of thrill, doesn't there?" "You nearly met your end looking for a thrill." "You'd be the happiest if I died, wouldn't you?" "Ah, you’re not wrong about that… Damn it. I mean, that was a joke. A joke." I dodged the rock flying towards my head. Can't even make jokes around here, sheesh. Then. "Originally, I intended to win." Pejeon continued as if to explain his actions. "At that moment, I thought I could show something valuable." "Something valuable? You mean that fifth form?" "Exactly." It was a defeat meant to use the Supreme Heaven Shatterer. Watching Pejeon say this left me momentarily speechless. "But that’s just…" "The original Supreme Heaven Shatterer wasn’t a martial art of that form." "Eh?" His sudden remark caught my attention. "It was initially just a simpler art of exploding at the tip of a fist... but I felt something new and attempted an enhancement." "An enhancement?" My eyes widened at his words. He said he enhanced it? Changing a technique he originally pioneered isn't unusual. But suddenly talking about enhancement gave me a strange feeling. I gazed at Pejeon, intrigued. "The inspiration came from your martial art." "…!" His revelation shocked me. He got inspired to attempt an enhancement by watching my martial arts? '…Wait a minute.' I think I figured it out. The martial art he got inspiration from. Could it be— "The Flame Jade?" "That's right." Pejeon confirmed my suspicion. The reason why both the Supreme Heaven Shatterer and Flame Jade felt oddly similar. "It was because the methods were alike." I always wondered why they seemed so similar. Turns out the Supreme Heaven Shatterer was derived from the Flame Jade. But this raises another question— "How did you succeed?" How did the explosion of the Supreme Heaven Shatterer happen? ‘The Flame Jade uses fire techniques.’ It compresses heat and creates friction through rotation. The resulting force is unleashed in an explosion, but such firepower didn't exist in Tua-Pa-Chun martial arts. What principle made it work? Questions began to swirl in my mind. "Curious, aren’t you?" Pejeon grinned knowingly, seemingly aware of my train of thought. "Then, go find it yourself." "Pardon? Find it myself?" "That's right. After all, it comes from your family's martial arts, so it shouldn't be too difficult to uncover. Consider it your assignment this time." "...Really, you're telling me to figure it out just like that. It's not as easy as you make it sound." "When has any of your assignments been easy?" "…" True, the assignments from that old man have always been maddeningly difficult. And yet. "They always turn out to be incredibly beneficial for you." Regrettably, they always ended up being beneficial beyond argument. "Isn't it about time you attempted something like this? Not to change the subject, but..." Pejeon paused, then continued. "For what you're 'attempting,' too." "...!" I inhaled sharply at his following words. My mouth closed tightly, and I could only gaze at Pejeon with trembling eyes. 'This man...' Just how much does he know? His cryptic words hit me in all the right spots. It felt as though every word was a sharp blade. 'He's truly uncanny.' I can't match him. His mastery and unfathomable expressions make him seem more like a sage than the others. Not in the sense of being benevolent or generous. 'He's almost inhuman.' He lacks that typical humanity. Pejeon has always been someone who exudes that sort of aura. While I was contemplating, rigid with my tension, "I won't stop you." Pejeon continued to address me calmly. "It's a risky endeavor, but it's not like you'd stop even if I warned you. No one else but you can do it, so I'll watch with interest." "…Understood." "But." His gaze sharpened, an ominous aura wrapping around him. Chills ran down my spine as I met his eyes. "Value your life. Remember, there's somewhere you must ascend to." "...I understand." His single-minded dedication to ensuring the continuation of his martial arts. That's Pejeon's entire existence. A man crazed by martial arts. It's suffocating just to stand near him. "If there's nothing else you wish to ask, you should go." Pejeon signaled for me to leave, indicating the conversation was over. I looked at him with a feigned disappointment and asked, "Are we not going to spar today?" "Your intentions are quite obvious." "What a pity... Truly..." Normally I'd avoid sparring at all costs, but today I genuinely wanted to do it. After all, when else would I have the chance to beat Pejeon? But unfortunately, it seemed Pejeon wasn't in the mood for sparring today. Tsk. Clicking my tongue, I turned away. I had already gathered all the necessary information and inadvertently gotten additional assignments, so I needed to get moving quickly. Pejeon's words replayed in my mind. -For what you're 'attempting,' too. "..." What I was attempting to do. Though it startled me that Pejeon noticed, I was somewhat relieved to receive this tacit approval. '...Guess I can proceed without trying to hide it anymore.' What I've been endeavoring to do lately. It's none other than— 'Tua-Pa-Chun martial arts and The Flaming Ring Technique.' Trying to blend those two profound arts together. ********************** A day passed since the conclusion of the finals. It was a brief span, just a single night, yet during that time, many changes occurred in Hanam. "Wow." I marveled as I looked out the window. Outside, a crowd gathered from the morning, seeking to catch a glimpse of Turong, creating a buzz around the estate. Some prestigious families, having learned that Turong lacked a betrothed, sent representatives to and fro. Of course, Pejeon appeared completely indifferent, dismissing them all. Still, there were those tenaciously clinging on, unwilling to let go. It was only natural. 'Considering he might become the world's greatest martial artist.' The greatest martial artist. A revered and radiant title. A prestigious status only one individual per century could hold. And now, a young contender seemingly closest to that position had appeared, spurring efforts to win him over. Other candidates like the New Dragon were untouchable due to their affiliation with Shaolin, but Turong was different. As an individual from the lesser-esteemed Xian Bi sect, neither a firstborn nor engaged, he presented an appealing target. Who wouldn't find him desirable? "Overnight, you've become quite the popular figure." I chuckled as I sipped my tea, appreciating his predicament despite Pejeon's apparent indifference. What was it they said? "New Dragon and Turong are destined to grow stronger by checking one another." Ha ha. The notion was amusing. How exaggerated, this so-called duel of the century. "Ugh..." The thought made my skin crawl. Observing how the factions quickly maneuvered suggested that this was a plot by the Murim Alliance. 'They stirred things up so much; clean-up's a challenge, and instead, they're choosing to exploit it.' All things considered, it's not a bad approach. Though it only means trouble for the Demon King. Moreover, "...I've also been dragged into this nuisance." As the Demon King's influence began to erode, it impacted the plans I'd devised. I needed to swiftly send Cheoljiseon and Jegalhyuk to gauge the situation. Yet, guests who visited since the morning trapped me from doing so. 'Hmmm...' I set my teacup down and faced forward. Facing the guest who visited me since morning, I inquired. "So." My question directed her gaze toward me. I noticed the white hair she had intricately pinned with an ornamental hairpin. Despite her age, her face bore few wrinkles, and she maintained an air of elegance with her delicate makeup. She was none other than— "What brings the Lady of Emei to visit someone like me?" It was Bunwol Kwonseon. This was the identity of the one who came to see me.