821 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Title: The Best in the World – Chapter 821: Northern Rabbit At the elder's words, Ilcheong Sword inquired once more. "The Master of Gyecheon Gate?" "That's right." "Really?" Could that elderly man truly be the Master of Gyecheon Gate? Ilcheong Sword couldn't hide his astonishment. It had only been a day since they had begun their search. He was prepared to wait up to fifteen days, but for the master to appear so abruptly like this? 'Is he really the Master of Gyecheon Gate?' A moment of doubt flickered in his mind. It seemed too flimsy to accept just from his words. Besides… 'Was he really that formidable?' The known level of the Gyecheon Gate Master wasn’t particularly high. At most, he was someone that even the sub-leader of the Blue Dragon Division could handle, but… 'This person…' The elder was, at the very least, a cultivator at the level of Fire Boundary. Contrary to the information, his level was exceedingly high. When Ilcheong Sword eyed the Gyecheon Gate Master suspiciously, the elder spoke. "I heard you were searching for me, so I thought it would be polite to come meet you first. I hope it pleases you." Ilcheong Sword couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh at the elder's words. "This is…" His gaze cooled and settled. "It seems you've underestimated the alliance quite a bit." At the Gyecheon Gate Master's words, Ilcheong Sword's expression twisted. "You knew the Martial Alliance was after you, yet you appeared like this? Even when you know who I am?" Grrrrr---!! Starting from his shoulders, Ilcheong Sword's energy began to ripple. "If this is a joke, it isn't even funny." "Not a joke, as I said, I came to offer respect." "Is that so?" Creak-!! A force enveloped the sword's blade. The energy formed waves. Soon, the wind began to gather slowly. "In that case, I should return the courtesy appropriately." He prepared for combat. Currently, his Blue Dragon Division was scattered, but once the battle began, they would converge in no time. He also recalled the possibility that Gyecheon Gate’s members might be positioned nearby. 'Capture if possible. Eliminate if not.' The orders were to decipher whether they were related to the Heavenly Demon Sect, and if so, eradicate them all. In a situation like this, it wouldn't be remiss to do the same. The act of appearing directly was akin to a declaration of war. With a crunch-!, he pushed off with his feet. The ground caved in, and Ilcheong Sword propelled himself towards the Gyecheon Gate Master. He was fast. The sound followed only after Ilcheong Sword had reached his destination. Boom-! The sword swung lightly. Like a shower of stars, a flash poured down. As the light was about to reach the Gyecheon Gate Master's neck… "I know the deputy leader’s purpose concerning the Star King." Pause-! Whooosh---!!! At the Gyecheon Gate Master’s shout, Ilcheong Sword's movements came to an abrupt halt. His sword stopped, releasing a strong gust of air. With the blade stopping just before contact, Ilcheong Sword looked at the Gyecheon Gate Master with chilling eyes. "…What did you just say?" Although his voice brimmed with threatening intent, he did not proceed with his actions. Seeing this, the Gyecheon Gate Master spoke again. "What did I say back then-" "And about the Star King's poor health." “…!” "I believe even the deputy leader knows about this, am I right?" The succession of information shook Ilcheong Sword's pupils. How did he know? At Ilcheong Sword’s reaction, the Gyecheon Gate Master smirked with his aged lips. "Our eyes and ears are not only in Sichuan." "…" "If you are surprised, I apologize, but since the Blue Dragon Division’s main agenda doesn't seem entirely opposed, I came to meet." Saying this, the Gyecheon Gate Master moved his hand. His slender fingers met the edge of Ilcheong Sword’s blade. "If the deputy leader is not the one I assume… I will leave it at that… But if it is." He pushed the blade, which slid without resistance. "How about having a quiet conversation for a moment? I assure you, it won’t be a tale displeasing to the deputy leader." "…" Hearing this, Ilcheong Sword's breath quivered slightly. It was a proposal he didn’t even need to consider. SaPa. Even though it could very likely be connected with the Heavenly Demon Sect, engaging in conversation with the Gyecheon Gate Master. As a righteous sect leader… As the head of the main alliance… This was something that couldn’t happen. He should immediately close his ears and swing his sword. He should rage, daring anyone to trick the alliance's head. That's what he should do as the leader of the main alliance, yet… He was well aware of it. Clink. By the time he regained his senses, the sword he had drawn was already back in its sheath. "…If you speak nonsense, I will cut you down." Gritting his teeth, Ilcheong Sword said. "I am grateful for your leniency." The Gyecheon Gate Master smiled while looking at Ilcheong Sword. And in the shadows, the master of the night observed them. ****************** "I see?" Listening to the Dark King. "Yes." "Hmmm…." The Gyecheon Gate Master and Ilcheong Sword made contact. That news caused him to click his tongue shortly inwardly. It was something he had anticipated, but… "It’s quicker than expected." He wasn’t entirely thrilled, even if things were going as expected. 'Thought he'd deliberate at least once.' No matter what, he was the head of the alliance. A person embedded in the righteous sects for a long time. Even if he was aware of the future, he thought there’d be at least one rejection. Yet. 'Did he hold hands without a second thought?' To Ilcheong Sword, the words from the Gyecheon Gate Master weren’t even contemplated, and he simply went along. Oh, whether he truly went along or not hasn’t been confirmed yet. 'From where I see it, he already did.' Once it’s gone that far, it’s all over. Thinking back on it made him chuckle slightly at himself. 'Did I actually have some expectations?' He had been sneering, telling himself the bottom is the bottom, expect what’s expectable. Yet, there seemed to be some residual expectation somewhere in him. Disappointment inevitably arises from having expectations. "Still, thanks for the clarity, I must say." This time, his smile wasn’t a sardonic one. It was a genuine smile expressing his good mood. If he was going to be killed anyway, it was better to have no dangling concerns. In that sense, this was a good outcome. Ilcheong Sword had seemingly abandoned what little conviction he might have had; and with that, it was over. That was enough. "Now then…" Walking forward, he slightly lowered his body. A splashing sound echoed. It was the sound of stepping through a puddle. The space was dim, making it hard to see the situation clearly. He immediately raised his hands to ignite a light. Fwoosh-! As small as it was, the flame quickly lit up the space, revealing the scene. What I was standing on wasn't a puddle of water at all. It was all blood. The acrid smell of blood lingered faintly. I glanced around the ground filled with pools of blood. "Ugh… huugh…" The man whimpered in fear. To his sides lay the lifeless corpses, looking as if their throats had been torn out. I was the one who had killed them. This place was where those suspected of collusion with the Gyecheon Gate were rumored to be. This was the location of those suspected members of the 'Heavenly Demon Sect.' "So then." I reached out and gently caressed the man's cheek. Blood smeared my hand onto his skin. The drops of blood trickling down would surely be felt by the man. "P-P-Please… please… please…." His lower body trembled violently, and soon, his pants began to grow damp. It seemed he had wet himself. Ignoring it, I asked. "Who are you people?" I hoped for an answer this time. Otherwise, he would end up like the men I had already killed. ***************** In the heart of the martial alliance in Hanan, inside a room. Rustle. Rustle. It was an hour when most were asleep, and the tranquility was only punctuated by the faint flickering of a lamp, beneath which an old man wielded a brush. The strokes were so swift that it seemed only a few scribbles were needed before an entire letter was composed. Despite the laborious task, the old man barely paused for rest. He merely continued to scan and write as he went. The pace was quick and meticulous, yet the stack of letters on the desk showed no sign of dwindling. It attested to their abundance. Merely looking at them would fatigue anyone, making them seem insurmountable, and yet the old man was entirely undeterred. If there was something to lament, it might be the noticeable slowdown compared to his youth. Two decades. Nay, even ten years ago, he would have finished the work ages ago. The reality of his aging body hit harder than ever. He continued for quite some time. “...Hmm.” Then, the old man put down his brush and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger, perhaps out of exhaustion. "I've grown old." He remarked with a wry smile. The differences from his past selves being so evident made it all the more stinging. Naturally, with age, comes the grace of time, yet… If there was one thing most troubling, it was not just his bodily aging. ‘Even his very soul.’ That even the spirit he once cherished was showing age. Time—time sweeps away the beliefs and certainties one holds. Knowing this, the old man often pondered. ‘...I wonder.’ Did he still hold any of those steadfast beliefs he once clung to? How many of the dreams he harbored in his youth remained with this aged body? He was curious. Maddeningly curious. Yet paradoxically, he didn’t want to know. Why was that? Could it be… ‘Do I already know the answer?’ Is it fear of confirming that he already knew the answer all too well? For reasons that seemed likely, Mu Yeon chuckled bitterly as he picked up his brush once more. ‘...I've been having too many stray thoughts.’ Lately, thoughts he wouldn’t usually entertain crowded his mind. As soon as he stopped working, it happened. And he was acutely aware of the cause. ‘It might be because of that child.’ Wasn't her name Pi Yeon-yeon or something? The girl who was brought in, claiming to be the bloodline of the Royal Sword Empress. Ever since that child from Sanseo brought her along and mentioned her, Mu Yeon was ensnared in a storm of emotions. The remnants of a past thought forgotten. A past he had tried to let go. Though years had passed, he tricked himself, thinking it was an unavoidable circumstance. Yet with the girl's appearance, even his self-deception was no longer tenable. Had it truly been unavoidable? Unable to find an answer, he had left the alliance. But then. ‘Upon returning, that child appeared.’ As if to remind him not to forget his unfinished task, they revealed themselves once more. This time, telling him not to flee. To finally face the answer he had failed to present. As if that was their intention. “…Haha.” Contemplating this, Mu Yeon chuckled softly. If this was indeed a problem, it was a problem too complex to solve. If so… ‘Who is the twisted creator of this problem…?’ Who crafted such a complex puzzle that troubled Mu Yeon? A face came to mind. Not only did they bring the child for him to see, but they also kept reminding him of those long-past events. The Star King. While thinking about him, Mu Yeon stroked his wrinkled mouth. If there was a creator of this issue, that young man was the only suspect. ‘Could it be... was everything already known to him?’ What could he possibly know to act in such a way? It's an enigma. Beyond Pi Yeon-yeon, even the Star King posed an unsolvable mystery to Mu Yeon. At least. For now, it seemed. “…Phew.” Amidst his contemplation, Mu Yeon resumed his brush strokes. He had rested enough. Now it was time to focus on the task at hand. Thus, he prepared to get back to his work. “...” Abruptly, Mu Yeon's brush paused in the air. His gaze shifted to the lit lamp. That instant. Snuff. The lamp suddenly extinguished, concealing its light. No wind had blown. With the flame extinguished, the room plunged into sudden darkness. An abstraction that was far from natural. A situation anyone would find alarming, but Mu Yeon remained surprisingly composed. He seemed to know why this scene had materialized. In affirmation, Mu Yeon quietly murmured. “…Had I known you were coming, I would have prepared tea…. Sorry for not doing so.” His tone was as if he was greeting an old acquaintance, but his eyes told a different story. Though the room seemed empty, by the time Mu Yeon spoke, someone had already appeared before him. Blinded in darkness so thick, not even an inch ahead could be seen. Yet, one thing was starkly visible within it. Eyes burning with a vibrant red, akin to flames. The crimson eyes, symbolic of wrath, locked onto Mu Yeon, their emotion clearly conveyed. He swallowed dryly under that gaze, but Mu Yeon forced himself to endure. After some time had passed, “While there are many questions I want to ask the one who broke our promise.” The entity with the flaming red eyes spoke in a booming voice. “Ugh.” At the same time, a massive hand grasped Mu Yeon by the neck. His frail and emaciated body was lifted by the thick hand. "I have only one question for you." "Grrr-." "Mu Yeon." Gu Cheolwoon demanded of Mu Yeon, "Where is my son?" His voice was one that sounded like it could tear the other apart at any moment.