722 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Title: My Childhood Friend, the Greatest Under the Heavens - Chapter 722: Northern Rabbit It has been a long time since the emergence of the so-called 'Ten Masters'. This term arose after the massive war with the demonic sects in the past — a designation born from the Great War between the righteous and the evil. Over time, some individuals have changed, but the overall framework has remained intact. In the martial-cultivating Central Plains, it isn't just any group of ten, but ten individuals who are among the best of the best. Once decided, altering these rankings is more peculiar than establishing them. "Isn't it obvious just by looking at the Three Masters?" The Three Masters haven't been active for over a decade. Even Heavenly Master, who occasionally shows up, has held their position despite being inactive for over twenty years. This demonstrates how firmly established one's position can be once secured. Now, let's ponder a simple question. "Just how powerful is a Ten Master?" This is a fundamental question. The Ten Masters, known as the strongest among the top ten in Central Plains—are they truly the strongest ten? While raising this question, I came to my own answer. "No." In my opinion, the answer is no. There are plenty of individuals in the Central Plains who live in secrecy. One only needs to look at my father to know—warriors who did not stand out because they did not participate in previous wars and hence, their names remain unknown. They likely knew the war could be won without their involvement. Or perhaps, they simply didn't care about the outcome. They chose not to reveal themselves. However. "They appeared during the War with the Demonic Sect." When the Heavenly Demon wreaked havoc—during this time, when the whole of Central Plains was engulfed in flames, some had no choice but to reveal themselves. This includes those who would later be known as the Thunder Sage and the Martial Path. Even if they were weaker than the Three Masters, they could nonetheless count among and surpass the current Ten Masters. In essence, those stronger than the presently known Ten Masters exist. While the Ten Masters are undoubtedly strong, the prevailing narratives are not the only truths. Ah, of course. "This doesn't mean the Ten Masters are weak." It simply means that the paths to such sublime rank aren't limited to sheer strength alone. With a swift brush of my hands, I looked straight ahead. In front of me stood Bunwol Kwonsun, the master of the Ami Sect, with her hands clasped behind her back. She merely stood there, yet the air hung with a peculiar tension. Is she emanating her power like that fool from the Pang family? No. It's that presence subtly emanates despite any attempts to conceal it. "Is it Kwonsun?" A woman who reached the role of sect master in the Ami Sect, known primarily for its swordsmanship, with her exceptional skill in martial arts. I calmed my mood as I observed the elder and activated my body senses to register her presence. Thud. As my muscles tensed and expanded, I entered a combat-ready state, driven by the animosity sensed. It was just as I began to prepare. "Young Master Gu." Bunwol Kwonsun addressed me. "You truly intend to go through with this?" I chuckled softly at her words. "What do you mean? You've come all the way here, haven't you?" The current location—a training field set up behind the residence—was arranged at my request to Madam Mi, regularly frequented by Pae Joon for sparring. It was here that I stood face-to-face with Kwonsun, ready for a match. Her frowned expression spoke volumes about her dissatisfaction with this situation. "Let me ask you once more... Truly." "No need to ask again. My answer hasn't changed." I cut off the tiresome conversation. "Best start warming up quickly. You're not young anymore; neglecting it might cause injury." "Hah." With a soft sigh, her aura brushed against my sensitive skin. My activated body was attuned to react to each moment with keen awareness. "This is your opportunity, young man." "Opportunity?" "If this goes further, it will not end with a mere scolding." Kwonsun's eyes darkened, her breathing grew heavy, and the pressure she exuded began to dominate the expansive training field. "You are remarkable, truly. You could have become prideful, and rightfully so, at your level." "I am honored by your praise." "But, this is as far as it goes." With a subtle wave of her hand, the air shimmered. "Do I seem like that foolish child from the Pang family?" The image of an incompetent fool flashed before my eyes, but I stopped myself from laughing. It wasn't an atmosphere that invited such a reaction. "The Ami Sect does not take lightly to slights." What started as a subtle ripple transformed into a growing fracture. I nodded upon seeing it. "So, what now? Are you saying we should stop?" "If you apologize and seek forgiveness, I might consider this transgression as never occurring." "Apologize and seek forgiveness?" Ha. I covered my mouth with my hand, laughing softly. Oh dear, I couldn’t resist. After mulling it over briefly, I withdrew my hand. It was too late to turn back now, so I decided to just continue. "You turned up first thing in the morning without a word of forewarning." "...You people...?" Her eyebrows knit together in displeasure at the informal address. "And now you ask for apologies? Because a much younger fellow confronted the sect master, and it displeases you?" "So, you really intend to cross the line." "If there ever was a line, I crossed it long ago. Why waste time mulling over such trivial matters?" "Are you aware that you're inciting a conflict with the Ami Sect?" "The Ami Sect? Nonsense." I spoke with an exasperated sigh. "I'm just here to mess with you, my senior. You're welcome to call it an Ami Sect issue if it suits you, but it really makes no difference to me." "...!" "And you think if I apologize and ask for forgiveness now, you'll casually answer what I'm curious about?" Would they truly forgive so easily? That was highly unlikely. Though Kwonsun might perceive my actions as an infantile provocation, she diligently followed me here for precisely that reason. "I even handed you an opportunity on a silver platter." A venerable elder combating a recently matured youth often invites scrutiny. Especially when the conclusion stems from a test of strength for ulterior motives—it risks accusations of pettiness if mishandled. Hence, I provided the justification. I initiated the provocation. "You even placed a restriction, promising not to speak of this matter anywhere else." I had already taken steps to ensure nothing would spill out afterwards. Everything was handled perfectly, so why was there such hesitation? It was puzzling. And it seemed Kwonsun shared in the confusion. "Why go to such lengths?" "Sect Master, are you perhaps hard of hearing?" "...What did you say?" "I've explained it all, yet you're asking again." What had she heard? Or perhaps, she heard but didn't understand. In that case, it must be explained more simply. "I'm tired of the mind games. Can't we just settle this with a fight, as martial artists should?" "Hmph." It's a waste of time. I already had a packed schedule for the day. Busy as I was, I didn't have time to entertain an old woman. So. "Granny, let's cut the chatter and get on with it." My patience was wearing thin. Flexing my shoulders slightly, I uttered those words. This time, the woman by Kwonsun's side turned red with anger. "You brat. What did you just say to the Sect Master?" It was the same woman who had interrupted earlier. Her face showed she was quite incensed. However. "How dare you to insult the Ami Sect's... Ack!?" Once again, the woman couldn't finish her sentence. Roughly ten steps of distance were closed with a single stride as I reached for her neck. The woman began to tremble uncontrollably, unable to utter a word. Looking at her, I spoke. "What did I say before? Warned you I'd rip off an arm, didn't I?" Crack. "Ggghhhh!?" I twisted her right arm grotesquely but refrained from tearing it off. "Why do you keep interrupting when the adults are talking? You'll get yourself killed, you know?" The woman couldn't even scream. I had blocked her breath along with her throat, stopping any noise. With her still in my grasp, I turned to Kwonsun. The distance between us was less than two steps now. "Since you keep hesitating, let me help you with one more thing." Kwonsun's eyes had widened immensely. This was a form of consideration, a warning not to drop her guard before a fight. "If you're not going to fight, I'll kill her right here." I smiled as I spoke. At that moment, an immense pressure exploded from Kwonsun. Though her stance was unchanged, the atmosphere was vastly different. It was like facing an entirely different person. Was this the aura of a Ten Master? The pressure was substantial but not unpleasant. Whoosh. Thud-! I casually tossed the woman aside, hearing her body slam into a wall at a distance. I had restrained myself, but she might have perished without meaning to. Such thoughts crossed my mind. "You have a talent for disrespect." Kwonsun seemed uninterested in the fate of the Ami Sect disciple. "If you've made your choice, I shall respect it. Youthful folly often burns brightly." Kwonsun slowly assumed a stance. "Don't regret your choice..." I drove a fist straight into her abdomen. Boom--!! "...Ugh!" Kwonsun's body folded. With force, I pushed her back, sending her flying into the wall with a gusty impact. Boom--!!! Her body crashed through the training hall wall. The debris fell with a thud. Watching this, I remarked. "Stop pretending to be strong unless you want to die." Despite seeing everything, this was her response. It was baffling. I glared at the wall in irritation. Vroom-! I sensed a sudden pressure. My hand clenched instantly. Hoo-whoosh-! A ball of flames was swiftly formed. Pouring all my strength into it, I hurled it fiercely at the wall. Thump-! BANG---!!! An enormous explosion erupted upon contact. The heat was so intense that an ordinary person would be reduced to ashes. Was it finished? 'Dammit.' I didn't entertain that thought for a moment. I turned my gaze beyond the wall. Whiiiiish-! I tilted my head slightly, feeling a fist graze past my cheek. Kwonsun had managed to slip past me, positioning herself behind. I barely registered it in time. "You impudent brat-!" Smash-! As Kwonsun slammed the ground, cracks spread in all directions. The assault continued. Countless strikes appeared before my inner vision. I twisted my body to block them one by one. Thump-! Boom-!! Each dodged punch caused a slight vibration through my body. 'Heavy.' Kwonsun's strikes were as fierce as rumored. Never would I have expected such strength from an elder. A misstep could easily shatter bones. 'Did she block that strike?' The surprise attack that hit her abdomen. Even after breaking through her guardian energy, it hadn't been a direct hit. Kwonsun had reacted in that fleeting moment. 'Impressive.' Certainly worthy of being one of the Ten Masters. She was on another level compared to ordinary martial artists. Hoo-whoooosh-! "!" I sensed a shift in pressure. In between exchanges, I felt something different about Kwonsun. 'The flow of energy has changed.' I nearly missed the subtle shift. She seemed to be gathering energy secretly. 'Where?' Focusing on her, I scrutinized her body. 'Found it.' From her left shoulder to her fist. The flow of energy was only disrupted there. She had been using her right hand often, yet she was left-handed. 'A clever ruse.' She had misled me into thinking she was right-handed. Meticulous. Now that I knew, it was fine. With a slight grimace, I adjusted my position slightly. Relaxing my waist, I altered my angle. Kwonsun's punch came soaring in immediately. Wham-! My shoulder was struck by her powerful punch. My stance wobbled. 'Hmm.' The impact left my shoulder numb and my bone tingling. Despite encapsulating it in energy, it was that painful. Truly formidable. But. 'Is that all?' It wasn't enough to surprise me. "Hup!" With an opening created, Kwonsun appeared ready to unleash her gathered strength, shifting her stance. At last, the concealed energy revealed its existence. Kwonsun's energy concentrated in her hand as she extended her arm. Muhosanzang (Martial Vast Mountain Palm). The guardian qi molded into a palm shape was about to be unleashed. Or rather, it intended to. Bang-! "...!?" Kwonsun couldn't execute her martial arts. Her hand had been obstructed, halted by my palm. Pow---!!! The atmosphere was shattered as energy dispersed explosively in all directions. Simultaneously, the violent shockwave rammed into Kwonsun, causing her to stagger back while coughing up blood. Her internal energy channels must have been disrupted due to her martial arts being blocked so abruptly. “...Huff...huff.” Kwonsun was breathing heavily, blood trickling down her lips as she stared at me in disbelief. I had just used a rather brute-force method to disrupt her martial arts. At the precise moment when her energy was about to erupt, I forcibly induced a collision. Normally, such a method results in internal harm for both parties, with the attacker suffering more. 'That is, if our energy levels were comparable.' My overwhelming energy negated much of the potential damage. While there was some internal impact, it was manageable. Kwonsun wavered but I had no intention of halting my assault. My foot lashed out in another attack. She barely raised her arms to block, but the shock rippled through her defenses, causing her to falter. 'Once more.' This time, I enveloped my fist in flames. Guyeom Taearang (Blazing Wolf Fang). As my fist connected with Kwonsun, flames burst forth. Fwooosh---!!! The flames engulfed the training hall, illuminating it with a bright inferno. While observing the fiery surroundings, I quickly scanned for her position. Though the flames had struck, Kwonsun used the recoil to vanish from sight. Using the blaze as cover, it seemed she planned a counterattack. A reasonable tactic, yet the issue was. 'You can't escape my flames.' These flames acted like an extension of my sense. Moving within them equated to revealing her entire location to me. 'She should have extinguished the flames.' A regrettable choice. I extended my left arm. Swish-! Gui-jeong reacted, unfurling fabric from my hand. It snaked through the flames and then—tightened! "Ugh!" The fabric ensnared Kwonsun hidden amidst the flames. With a solid pull, I dragged her back through the blaze. Hwaaah---!! Kwonsun's frail form emerged, plunged through the flames. As she rapidly flew toward me, I swung a punch directly at her. Pow-! "Gah...!!" I struck her in the face as she came close. I didn't channel energy into the punch. Even after taking a hit, Kwonsun attempted to make a move, seemingly gearing up for a counterattack. I assessed through my sixth sense and struck her left shoulder. Thud-! Her stance wavered. Thus her counter attempt failed. 'Next, the leg.' Specifically, her right thigh. I restrained her movement with a forceful blow to the ankle. Kwonsun stumbled. I anchored her with Gui-jeong and drove my knee into her solar plexus. Boom-! The attack pressed hard against her protective energy. "Hrk!" Kwonsun spat blood in pain. I twisted my body to avoid her splatter. With very few clothes to spare, getting them dirty would be troublesome. As I evaded, utilizing the recoil, I kicked her face. Whap-! Her head snapped back. Blood sprayed upwards, and I felt her energy shielding shatter. Releasing the fabric from her binding, I kicked her chest with all my might. Crash-! Kwonsun was sent hurtling into the wall, thudding heavily to the ground. She lay motionless on the floor, but I didn't relax my guard. It could easily be a feint. Thinking this, I continued to watch her. “...” Even as time passed, Kwonsun didn’t move at all. A calm but curious atmosphere settled. 'What is this?' I noticed a subtle change in her presence and tilted my head. 'It can't be.' I frowned. Surely not, right? I waited a bit more, but nothing changed. "...Is this for real?" I walked up to the fallen Kwonsun and grabbed her by the hair, lifting her head. Swish. Her light body came easily, without resistance. Her face was a mess—blood gushed from her nose and mouth, and her breaths were shallow. Her once-proud visage was now a wreck. Looking at her, I chuckled dryly. I thought it couldn’t be, but alas, it seemed I was right. An emptiness welled within me. Nothing of what I'd anticipated occurred. In utter disappointment, I asked Kwonsun. "Is this really the end?" Nothing was broken or bent or ruined. Even her vital organs were intact. What kind of fight was this? Seeing her pitiful state, I continued. "Are you kidding? You're this weak?" She was reputedly one of the Ten Masters of Central Plains. Even if her strength was rumored to be a bit lacking, I hadn't expected this. This was entirely different from what I had anticipated. Such a thoroughly disappointing display. I tried shaking her by the hair, but Kwonsun only made faint breathing sounds. “Hey, Granny. Get up for a moment. Let’s fight again.” I couldn’t leave things unsatisfyingly like this. Speaking with such intention, but. Shiver... Rather than regaining consciousness, she merely shivered momentarily.