739 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Title: The Greatest Under Heaven's Childhood Friend, Chapter 739 > Northern Rabbit - Web Novel Archive Drip. “Cough.” Blood spurted from both Yeongpung’s nose and mouth. The impact seemed severe enough that he couldn't quite regain his senses. Moreover, he had been thrown to the very edge of the martial arts stage. This meant, if the stage hadn't been expanded for the finals, Yeongpung would have been eliminated already. ‘Damn.’ I subconsciously struck too hard. I hadn't intended to put him in such a state with a single blow. My fist just came out reflexively. ‘Of all faces, why that one?’ His face, obnoxious and unpleasantly familiar. I'd only properly seen it once, but seeing that face brought forth my punch instantly. Was it instinct? ‘What...?’ I furrowed my brows while watching Yeongpung wheeze. Now, he looked completely like himself again. As if his previous state wasn't real. Then, what had just happened? ‘It didn't seem intentional.’ It wasn't an illusion or a formation. Meaning, Yeongpung didn't orchestrate this himself. Moreover. ‘The audience's reaction isn't any different.’ If they had seen the change, they would have reacted. However, the audience seemed only startled by Yeongpung being thrown, not noticing the prior situation. Which meant. ‘I was the only one who saw it.’ It was a phenomenon that occurred solely to me. ‘Just now... that face belonged to Shen Noya.’ The image I'd glimpsed in the shattered reflection. A vivid memory that lingered. The face I momentarily saw from Yeongpung was undoubtedly Noya’s. What could this mean? As I pondered the sudden situation. “Phew... huff...” Yeongpung slowly began to rise. The bleeding had stopped. It seemed he'd used his internal energy to clot the wounds. As he staggered to his feet, Yeongpung extended his hand. Clang-! Swoosh-!! The sword he had dropped swiftly flew into Yeongpung’s hand and was caught. “Phew...” After catching his breath, Yeongpung steadied himself. For a moment, the scent of plum blossoms that had vanished began to waft again. “I apologize... I was too excited and couldn't respond properly." His words, spoken through swollen lips and a bloodied nose, were oddly resolute. “Thank you for holding back.” “...” I gave a slight nod to that remark. I was surprised by how far he flew back, but Yeongpung's condition differed from my expectations. ‘The damage is less than I thought.’ A punch thrown in surprise. Even if not with full intent, it carried significant power. Yet. ‘He blocked it with his energy.’ Just before being hit, Yeongpung had gathered his energy to defend against my attack. The force from the plum blossoms absorbed much of the impact, allowing Yeongpung to stand up again. ‘He’s stronger now.’ He's considerably stronger than the last time I saw him. Previously, Yeongpung couldn’t even control his energy effectively. Because of that, he was equally matched or even inferior in his fight with Seong Yul. ...His current state is. ‘He’s close, not quite there, but much like a Flower Valor (Hwa-gyeong).’ At least in terms of ‘momentum,’ it’s comparable. The energy that can't be contained will soon become a seed. And it won’t take long for that seed to sprout. However. ‘Is it truly yours?’ I wanted to ask Yeongpung. ‘That power you possess, is it really yours?’ Thump. Thump. Every time Yeongpung's momentum rose more powerfully. Every time the plum blossom leaves blew from him. A familiar, subtle scent brushed the tip of my nose, causing my heart to race wildly. The demonic energy lay dormant, and the heat was calm. Only the traces of the dao that linked the two expressed emotion. It was a gift received from an elderly man long gone. The energy began to ripple more intensely. Resonance. The temperamental aura within me resonated with Yeongpung’s energy. ‘How annoying.’ This damn sensation is bothersome every time I feel it. What made it worse was. ‘Am I the only one who feels it?’ Only I seem to sense this resonance. Swoosh. Yeongpung swung his sword. With his sword stroke, plum blossoms began to swirl like a storm. Regardless of my thoughts. Yeongpung was solely focused on the current duel. Does he think he can win against me? ‘Impossible.’ Yeongpung must be aware that it’s impossible. Yet he approached nonetheless. Yeongpung’s feet moved gracefully as if dancing. Above the ruffled clothes, his sword reacted. Plum Blossom Sword Dance. The blossom that Volcano sect cultivated bloomed at the sword's tip. Swish-!! The elegant sword dance was imbued with refined energy. Fast and sharp. I braced my feet and took a stance. Swish-! Swoosh swoosh-! Twisting my upper body, I evaded the sword. The sword moved unpredictably, continuously falling upon me. ‘What’s this?’ In past duels—when I had beaten Yeongpung thoroughly—I had a thought. His sword was too straightforward. A righteous sword. An essential quality for a swordsman, yet useless if that’s all there is. That overly straightforward sword was now. ‘He’s changed his swordplay entirely.’ Numerous feints. A sword that broke free from its mold. Yet, the essence of the Plum Blossom Sword Dance remains intact. I couldn’t help but be impressed. Swoosh-! As I evaded the sword, I sensed something through my awareness. It wasn't just one. Dozens of attacks. Each plum blossom leaf bore intent and launched an offensive against me. Judging by the momentum, it’s comparable to a massive sword technique. ‘It’s quite daunting.’ Fwoosh--- The ignited flames burned away every falling petal. Not a single one remained unscathed. ‘It was like this back then too.’ The petals Yeongpung showed turned to embers and disappeared. Will it be different now? Will his changed swordsmanship show something else? Thinking this, I focused my strength on my heart. Fwoosh--!!! The Nine Flames Wheel Kung’s ring spun rapidly. Then. Whoosh--!!! Blue flames erupted from my body, swirling around. Nine Flames Embodied Beast (Gu-yeom-tae-ryun-a). It was the martial arts technique that tormented Yeongpung back then. Now, what will you do? As I eagerly anticipated Yeongpung’s reaction. “…Phew...!” Yeongpung seemed to resolve something within himself upon seeing the flames and began to churn his energy. Then, the number of petals floating in the air increased. Swoosh--!! Yeongpung swung his sword at an unimaginable speed. The ki-infused sword, steeped in plum blossom leaves, sliced through the flames. With a single slash, the flames shuddered. By the tenth slash, they were shattered. More than a hundred strikes had been delivered in the blink of an eye. ‘This madman.’ I cursed under my breath as the flames began to wane. ‘Just when I thought he’d show something special.’ It was absurd. For a moment, I had expected something extraordinary, only for him to frantically swing his sword to fend off the attack. ‘Ha.’ Yet I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I liked it. I realized that I had a fondness for such tenacious fools. Whoosh-! Before the flames could disappear completely, I stamped down hard and launched myself forward. Yeongpung didn’t cease swinging his sword. Instead, he increased his speed. An overwhelming number of sword strikes poured down upon me. Should I dodge? I could evade it if I wanted to, but I chose not to. Screech-! I rotated my waist while supporting myself with my foot on the ground. My upper body spun, and my fist became enveloped in blue flames. Slightly slower than the speed of sound. Within that rotation, the flames were compressed and transformed. Great Flame Orb (Dae-yeom-ok). Though it was merely an enlarged form of Flame Orb, its destructive power increased proportionally to the qi I infused into it. I hurled the massive sphere towards Yeongpung. Crash-!! The orb engulfed the sword strikes and forced them back. It was a reckless amount of power. He had two options: evade and charge or defend. Shockingly, Yeongpung diverged from both options. He suddenly halted his flying sword strikes and grasped his sword with both hands. I wondered what he was up to, but his intent became clear quickly. Whirl-!! Energy roared up from Yeongpung, converging on his blade. A menacing aura was evident. Plum Blossom Flying Slash (Maehwa Bi-yeong Cham). Swish-! A crimson slash cleaved through the Great Flame Orb. Boom--!!! The halved orb exploded, and heat dispersed in all directions. My vision was obscured by the flames, but at that moment. Whoosh-!! Yeongpung broke through the flames, charging towards me. I moved my hand instinctively. At that instant. Throb-! “…!” A sharp pain radiated from my chest. The wound that was healing reopened. The injury split apart, causing blood to flow. ‘Tsk.’ This slowed my movements slightly. Slick-! Yeongpung’s sword slashed across my palm. Despite being surrounded by protective qi, the slash cut through. His compression force was ridiculous. Even with such vast differences in skill, to think he could cut through such a protective barrier with his sword. How sharply had he honed his energy? My surprise was brief, as Yeongpung didn’t relent and charged in again, prompting me to swing my injured hand. “…!?” Splash-! As I swung, blood spurted from my reopened wound. This was thanks to stimulating my pressure points to increase volume. The blood sprayed towards Yeongpung's face, aiming to obstruct his sight. However, Yeongpung, moving swiftly, dodged effortlessly. It mattered not. What was crucial was that fleeting moment. Just as Yeongpung moved, my foot tapped against his ankle. Flick-! “Argh!?” Tripping him, his balance collapsed entirely. He immediately attempted to regain it, but I didn’t intend to allow that. I drove my knee into Yeongpung's abdomen. Bam-!! “Ugh!” Yeongpung let out a cry as he was thrown back. Without pause, I unleashed a burst of flame. The flames hit Yeongpung as he flew through the air. Kwoooaaah--!! The blue flames seemed poised to burn him, but my intent did not materialize. In that brief moment, Yeongpung had raised his sword to shield himself. ‘It’s good to block the impact. But what about the backlash?’ Even if he avoided being burnt, how did he plan to stop being sent flying in mid-air? If he remained as he was, he’d be pushed out of bounds. Of course. Despite knowing that, I had no intention of stopping. “…Grrr!” Whoosh-!! The flames didn’t let up. I watched Yeongpung with calm eyes and instead intensified the flames further. I wondered how he would handle this situation. Holding that curiosity, I observed him closely. Flick-! Suddenly, light burst from Yeongpung's sword. The crimson light bloomed brightly, and a slight shockwave erupted. It seemed he had used qi friction to create an internal explosion. “Ugh!” Yeongpung let out a low groan. Since he had detonated it inside, he couldn’t avoid internal injuries. However, thanks to it, he managed to move a finger’s breadth away from the flames. Yeongpung used that minuscule gap to rotate his body in mid-air. Swoosh-! He swiftly evaded the flames and returned rapidly. Rather than retreating further, he was closing in again. His eyes hadn’t lost their light, and Yeongpung's sword remained unwavering. I had seen it in his match with Bong Sun, and indeed, it was a straightforward growth of character. There were certainly aspects to be concerned about, but... setting those aside for now. ‘I should accept it for now.’ I thought, deciding to accommodate him. With that thought, I changed my movement. Thud-! Pushing off the ground, I charged towards Yeongpung. His eyes widened at the sudden assault, but his sword still flew sharply at me. Even if it seemed challenging to dodge in the air. ‘Sorry, but this is my specialty.’ Aerial combat was something I considered myself quite adept at. Snap-! I snapped my fingers to ignite flames. The explosion dispersed, causing a surge of air pressure. Swoosh-! My body was propelled back, allowing me to evade the sword and use the recoil to kick. Bam-! Yeongpung blocked with his sword. That was fine. This wasn’t a direct attack, merely an attempt to push him away. I put strength into my knee and forcefully pushed against his sword. Pow-!! “Ugh!?” With no solid ground to steady himself, Yeongpung was driven back. I drew my palm back. Instantly, I spewed flames. Whoosh-! With the burst of fire, my body sped forward. I approached Yeongpung and thrust my fist at him. Though surprised, Yeongpung tried to defend himself. ‘Inexperienced.’ The protective energy was weak, and his movements in mid-air lacked gravity. It was only natural. At his age, where would he have gotten experience in aerial combat? I brought my fist down like a blunt instrument. Boom--!! “Gah!” Yeongpung, failing to defend, plummeted into the ground. He seemed pained and unable to perform a breakfall, but he couldn't just stay down. Before he had even gathered his wits, Yeongpung moved. He hastily got up and returned to where he had originally fallen. Crunch--!! My foot landed at his position. Had he not reacted in time, he would have been thoroughly crushed. Blinding flashes rained down. Yeongpung's sword dance showed no sign of halting. Even after narrowly escaping death, he persevered. Though the speed had slightly diminished from the start, his momentum was unyielding. My fists defended against his sword strikes, meeting each blow with counterattacks. Defense and evasion. These transitioned into a fierce melee, an intense clash in close quarters. My brow furrowed. In my mind's eye, I saw a world dominated by Yeongpung's swirling sword routes. The sheer number of feints and the bizarre trajectories made my head spin just watching. ‘This is insane.’ Just when you think you’ve dodged, the blade bends and veers from unexpected directions. And when you think you’ve blocked, it presses in further. Is there truly such a free-spirited sword technique? It was astonishing to see Yeongpung's swordsmanship evolve to this level. ‘It's truly maddening.’ Confronted by his sword, I couldn’t maintain a façade of nonchalance. ‘It feels familiar.’ There was something uncannily familiar about the sword Yeongpung wielded. Perhaps it had been this way from the beginning. Since the moment I faced the flood of plum blossoms. Up to now. There was a reason I hadn't ended things with Yeongpung earlier, even though I could have. I had seen this sword before. Or rather. ‘I’ve used it before.’ There was a time when this sword had been wielded through my body. Back when Shen Noya had borrowed my form. It was akin to the sword the old man wielded then. The flow of energy with each stroke of the sword dance. The personality of that damned old man echoed in the movements at the blade’s tip. Even someone like me, who knew little of swordsmanship, could tell. ‘This isn’t just.’ Merely the Plum Blossom Sword Technique of the Mount Hua Sect. It was closer to the sword of the legendary Mount Hua Swordmaster, Shen Noya. Slash-! Yeongpung's blade brushed past my cheek. The skin was cut. It was getting more acute. Regardless of the level, the sword itself could be acknowledged. However. ‘Is this sword truly yours?’ Twelve strikes extended forward. Dodging seven, I deliberately took five hits. It was unavoidable. It was necessary to move closer. Even as my body was injured, I approached and grabbed Yeongpung by the collar once more. I was curious. Thump-! Thump-! The pounding heartbeat, deafening. The movement of the tied Gui Jeong on my forearm. The sudden remnants of Noya found in Shaanxi, and one remaining Gui Jeong as well. Everything was a mystery. Fwoosh. I compressed the flames, layering them with mental imagery. Instantly, the Sacred Spear was completed. Yeongpung struggled to counterattack upon seeing this, but... Being so close, any resistance was stifled. “This...?! Young Master Gu?!” Had he caught on to what I planned to do? Yeongpung's reaction grew intense. Such close distance. He surely understood the consequences if this power unleashed here. I gazed at Yeongpung calmly as I spoke. “I think you’ve done enough.” “…What do you mean?” “It’s about time you came out.” Though I was addressing Yeongpung, the words weren’t really for him. They were aimed at something beyond, deeper. “Young Master Gu...?” Yeongpung’s eyes trembled at the nonsensical utterance. Perhaps I seemed mad in his eyes. It didn’t matter. I knew the target was listening. Will you not show yourself even now? I suppressed a smile. “Then let’s die together.” Swooosh-! Just as I was about to unleash the Sacred Spear. [Damn.] A voice echoed in my ear. […Such a spiteful brat.] Suddenly. Whirr-! My vision darkened. As the view blurred into an abyss, I realized my body was in a space unknown to me. Where was this place? I wasn’t unnecessarily anxious. I’d been through occurrences like this more than once. I simply looked around calmly. [Shaking my head...] The familiar sound of a tongue clicking caught my attention, and I turned my head. In the distance, incongruously standing amidst the space, was a low rock. And upon it sat someone. Splash. Each step I took sent ripples beneath my feet. It felt as if I was walking on ink. The mushy sensation was unsettling, but I suppressed it as I approached the figure. Unlike the black space, the individual wore white garments. Strikingly white hair and reddish eyes were noteworthy. Although tall, he appeared a bit gaunt. His long fingers propped up his chin, gazing down imperiously. I steadily approached the rock, meeting his eyes. [Mm.] “Hmm.” Studying the familiar, wizened face, I commented. “Wow, Noya, you really are unpleasant to look at.” [And you truly are an impudent whelp.] We spoke at the same time.