885 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

As soon as morning broke, I stepped outside. To be precise, it was still dawn rather than morning, but that detail didn't particularly matter. Whether it was dawn or morning, being busy was the same. "I greet the Lord!" The greetings from the members alleviated my fatigue. Having not slept for several days, exhaustion was catching up to me. It wasn't physical but rather a mental strain. 'There's just too much to worry about.' Even after wrapping up a major task, there were still many matters left unresolved. Because of them, I had headaches almost daily. I've gotten into the habit of circulating my qi to alleviate the headaches. Swooosh--!! I circulated my qi once, suppressing the pain and stale energy. Finally, I felt a bit better. "Are you handling the tasks well?" "Yes, we are!" Most of the members were organizing the supplies. Likely due to orders given in the middle of the night. Orders to prepare for our immediate return to Hanam the next day. It was an unexpected order, yet the members packed without complaint. It was only natural. 'No point in complaining if it just leads to a beating, right?' After months of traveling together, such things were ingrained in their minds. If ordered, they had to obey. 'Though there's not much to pack anyway.' We came with barely any belongings. While we tried to gather provisions when possible, most of it was acquired through hunting. Thanks to their high levels of skill, not eating for several days wouldn’t be much of a strain. It would likely be the same this time. Though they might get a bit tired, it was something they could endure. I appreciated that kind of resilience. 'I enjoy watching them push through.' On the brink of hitting their limits but persevering nonetheless. They're bound to gain something from enduring through the struggle. "Will you be ready by noon?" "Certainly." There was confidence in their response. Should I ask them to be ready an hour earlier? I considered for a moment but refrained. "Okay then, where is Vice-Chair Sohyeol?" "Oh, if you mean the Vice-Chair, I heard she's in the northern quarters, managing specific tasks there." "I see. Got it." Taking his word, I immediately shifted my steps. Just then, a member, surprised, grabbed me. "Sir? This is the south. You need to go in the opposite direction to get to where the Vice-Chair is..." "I know." "Excuse me?" "I said I know." I asked to head in the opposite direction on purpose. Yesterday's events made it awkward to face both Tang Sohyeol and the others just yet. ************************** I headed to a location at the back of the quarters. After walking south for a bit, a meadow came into view. Ah, it wasn't intentionally heading south. Although I wanted to avoid them, my destination happened to be in the south. Upon reaching the meadow, someone was already waiting for me. I spoke upon seeing him. "Have you been waiting long?" "No, I've just arrived." "That's a lie, isn't it?" "No, it's not." This man had a pale expression and a poker face, but despite his constant denials, I didn't believe him. 'Typical.' He had surely been waiting for quite some time. Perhaps he had even been here overnight. From what I've observed, the Dark King was like that. He was like a shadow, present everywhere and nowhere at once. Moreover, he was still hard to detect. 'Not easy.' Though I had heightened my senses greatly, the Dark King's presence was still faint. I could sense him if I tried, but if the Dark King truly wanted to hide, could I find him? To that question, I answered with certainty. 'Impossible.' Not yet, anyway. That much I was sure of. But. 'It won't be long.' I felt it wouldn't take long to reach that point. It wasn't a certainty, but a gut feeling. Still, it felt accurate. "I've prepared what you asked for. It's located inside the provisions wagon. I set up a formation, so you need to be careful." "Thank you." The thing the Dark King placed in the wagon was none other than the Wooden Casket containing the Heavenly Pill. 'Though the schedule was messed up, I must take it.' I hadn't been able to use it properly yet. The only time I had used it was with Seong Yul. I hadn't even used it on the others. 'Originally, I intended to call them and use it on them in two days...' But due to incidents like what happened the previous day and urgent messages, I couldn't. Therefore, I thought of using it after returning to Hanam. 'I also need to research them.' I had to examine the so-called Heavenly Pill, as well as the water from the underground pond I had obtained. I needed to verify what exact efficacy it had. Of course, I wasn't the one to do it. 'I'll leave it to Shin Ui.' While Shin Ui might seem to have a terrible temperament, he usually agreed to requests, so I assumed he would this time too. 'I'll learn more while I'm at it.' Aside from arts-related matters, I needed to acquire some knowledge in this field too. 'Additionally, regarding the arts...' Vibration--! A ring was felt in my heart. Four of them. It was good that their numbers had increased, but I hadn’t figured out how to use them effectively. 'I lack knowledge.' The books provided by the Palace Lord and the information Shin Ui imparted were adequate but not sufficient. 'I must utilize what I've acquired fully.' Whether it was knowledge or an artifact, whatever had been obtained needed to be used effectively. Especially. 'Despite my constant study, I can't achieve it due to a lack of knowledge.' There was one thing I had been trying hard to achieve for months. Though it remained impractical in combat and despite repeated attempts, there was no progress even after several months. I had to admit. 'It's beyond my reach now.' Even though my proficiency in the Nine Wheels Flame Technique had reached a high level, it wasn't possible now. However, I had confidence it would eventually be achievable. Why? 'Honestly.' I'm not sure myself. Just a gut feeling, as always. Though peculiar, my instincts were undoubtedly reliable. Though it's annoying how bad premonitions always turn out to be right, it is what it is. High knowledge in the magical arts was needed to achieve what I desired. It was just a feeling. "May I ask, are you going to come with us?" "..." The Dark King remained silent at the question. It was a response I had anticipated. "I'm sorry." His refusal came as expected. Hearing it, a thought crossed my mind. 'Would he join if I framed it as an order?' A momentary curiosity. If I commanded it as an order, would the Dark King retract his refusal? It intrigued me, but... "I understand." I didn't see the need to test it. It was simply a matter of interest. I didn't want to use it to jeopardize my relationship with the Dark King. Besides... 'If he's responding this way, it means it's something he genuinely cares about.' The Dark King seemed to have no intention of leaving Sichuan for the time being. It's likely related to the matter involving Yeon Ilcheon. Until he sorts it out, he won't make a move. 'That's a shame.' The Dark King is a tremendous asset. Among those I have by my side, he could be considered my greatest strength. Given that he aids me without even relying on demonic energy, he was an incredibly advantageous ally for me, but... 'There’s no helping it.' Some things had to be let go, given the circumstances. 'How should I compensate for the Dark King's absence?' I pondered briefly but found no answer. Someone to replace the Dark King? If such a person existed, why would I need him in the first place? 'Neither Na Hi nor Tang Sohyeol could match.' Even if both of them were fully committed, if the Dark King was intent, he could eliminate them in the blink of an eye. Their prowess and intelligence were no match. Would having five Ni His balance it out? 'Hm.' The conclusion was evident. 'I need to spend more time and endure more hardships.' A rather straightforward solution, but the most pragmatic one, in my view. "While you're staying, may I ask a favor?" "Yes." There was no hesitation. The Dark King had always been like that, and something about his demeanor was oddly reassuring. "If you’re staying in Sichuan, in a few months, people from the main sect will likely arrive." It would be as soon as the reports reached them. For investigating Yeoncheon Sect and the mysterious pond. The main sect would arrive in Sichuan for those purposes, but... "Could you hinder their investigation from progressing?" I needed to ensure their actions wouldn’t proceed smoothly. "What level of disruption would you like precisely?" "Just slow down their progress. But if it becomes inconvenient, you may eliminate them." "All of them?" "Hmm." After a brief ponder, I followed up with my answer. "Only those worth taking down." "Understood." No further clarification was necessary. Though the criteria were somewhat ambiguous, the Dark King didn't ask for more. 'If I had to reason why, perhaps...' It's because his standards seem to align with mine. **************************** Returning to the quarters, I found the preparations nearly complete. 'Impressive.' They claimed they'd finish by noon, but they were faster than expected. Truly capable. Indeed... 'People improve when they're pushed, don't they?' A broken object obeys when struck, and a person becomes competent when disciplined. It was a reaffirming moment for me once more. "Eek?" "What's the matter?" "N-nothing. I suddenly felt a chill." "Ah. It's true that it’s getting colder already." One of the members, finishing up, shuddered and spoke. He had a keen sense. With a chuckle, I scanned the surroundings. As I had mentioned, it was already at the final stage. Once preparations were complete, we could either leave immediately or wait a bit before departing. One of the two options. Though I'd prefer to head out right away if possible. 'But if there's some time remaining, I should speak with the branch leader and perhaps a final meeting with the Poison King before I go.' There were things I needed to confirm before leaving. Reflecting on this and organizing the sequence in my mind, I was interrupted. "Lord." A sweet voice lightly grazed my ears. Simultaneously, a familiar floral scent subtly lingered. I turned with a slightly stiff expression. The first thing that caught my eye was the blonde hair gleaming radiantly in the sunlight. It was Wi Seol Ah. "…Oh…." "The preparations are complete." "I see. You did well." As much as I tried to respond calmly, my voice trembled involuntarily. It was due to what I had heard from Tang Sohyeol. Looking at me, Wi Seol Ah showed no waver in her gaze. Her eyes were so direct that it was almost hard to maintain eye contact. "My Lord? Are you alright?" "Y-yeah. I'm fine." I didn't avert my gaze; therefore, she probably sensed it. That my eyes were continuously trembling. "...My Lord…?" "Ah, damn it." I muttered words that should have stayed in my mind. At the sudden outburst, Wi Seol Ah’s eyes widened. In this life, I had never uttered such words to her, but this was unavoidable. Frankly, it was largely Seol Ah's fault. "Why are you so damn beautiful today? It's making things difficult for me." "...Pardon?" "...Why are you doing this to me?" "N-no…it's just …." Unable to hold it in, I blurted out those words, and Wi Seol Ah seemed taken aback. She was at an age where she surely knew of her beauty. Naturally, with compliments coming from all sides, but for her to be shaken by mere words like these... Even that seemed adorable— 'Damn it.' I halted my hand from rising at the passing thought. I almost slapped myself. 'I’m screwed.' Since the incident last time, my thoughts seemed to have gone awry. My emotions were out of control. I felt an urge, as if I should seize her cheek right then and there. Not just her cheek but somewhere else… Slaap—! In the end, I couldn't hold back and slapped myself. "Young master—!!" Wi Seol Ah, surprised by my action, grabbed my arm. Consequently, her way of addressing me also changed. "Wh-why did you do that...!" "It's alright. I needed to gather my thoughts." "What…." Yes, I needed to snap back to reality. 'Damn, I’m really losing it.' The pounding of my heart was so pathetic. It seemed to egg me on, urging me not to hold back. It was greed. Urging me to not delay in claiming what was mine. 'I've always had a trace of this feeling.' It's as if something had gone wrong, causing my insides to churn. Tang Sohyeol's words came back to me. Did she say I had a strong sense of possessiveness? As much as I didn't want to admit it, I had to. My sense of ownership was intense—quite severe, actually. Suppressing rising emotions, I asked Wi Seol Ah. “...Where are the others?” “Ah... Sister Bia is preparing slowly, and Sister Sohyeol should be here shortly.” Namgung Bia wasn’t fully healed yet. Because of our hasty departure, she needed to rest even in the carriage, and Tang Sohyeol seemed to be wrapping up work elsewhere, as she did earlier. “I see.” I sighed as I spoke. My breath carried an unusual heat. ‘Dangerous.’ It was genuinely dangerous. As one advances in martial arts, patience should also increase, but here I was, feeling like I was in heat. In heat? ‘Crude, but accurate.’ Yes, that just about sums it up. Damnably, that was truly the state I was in. "You, my lord...?" Perhaps noticing something off in my expression, Wi Seol Ah looked at me with concern. Her eyes were as beautifully clear as ever. Her luscious lips were an added bonus. My hand moved on its own. I found myself reaching out to touch Wi Seol Ah’s lips. But then... Flap—!! Cheep—! A bird suddenly swooped in between us, landing on Wi Seol Ah’s shoulder. “Huh?” Surprised by the contact, Wi Seol Ah examined the bird. My eyes followed suit. ‘A messenger pigeon?’ It was unmistakably a messenger pigeon. I squinted as I examined the bird. As I tried to confirm it, the pigeon pecked at the back of my hand. Seemed like a warning not to touch it. The amusing part was how the bird remained calm under Wi Seol Ah's touch. “There’s a letter on its leg...” Gingerly, Wi Seol Ah untied a letter from the bird's leg and handed it to me. Upon seeing it, I furrowed my brow. There was a seal on the letter that could only come from one place in the Central Plains. ‘White Flower Trading Company.’ It was the emblem used by White Flower Trading Company, where Mrs. Mi was the head. Moreover... ‘This is the seal of the head herself.’ A direct insignia from the head of the White Flower Trading Company—specifically, written by none other than Mrs. Mi herself. ‘What is this?’ Suddenly receiving a message from the White Flower Trading Company left me baffled. Tilting my head slightly, I opened the letter. “...” The content left me frozen. -Your father has committed a crime against the sect and has been imprisoned. The frost put out the fiery tumult in my heart.