887 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 887: The World's Best Foolish Friend On a winter's day that steadily became colder, the Southern Martial Alliance in Hanam was bustling with activity. While part of it was due to the changing seasons, it was largely because of a certain incident. "I heard the frequency of monster appearances at Mount Tai in the north has significantly increased." "Yes, I've heard about it too. Apparently, the green monsters no longer appear." Originally, Mount Tai was mostly guarded by green monsters, but their sightings had dramatically decreased. Green monsters had almost disappeared, with most being blue now, and occasionally red ones were seen too. As a result, herb gatherers were banned from the area, and the sword divisions were now on a tight schedule. "...Honestly, without any days off, it's unbearable." Faces looked weary from fatigue. Rest was but a fleeting chance, making things even harder. Moreover, vacancies in the sword division made matters more challenging. "When is the Azure Dragon Division supposed to return...?" "Well, it hasn't even been two weeks since they left for Sichuan. It might take a bit longer." "If it takes longer, would that mean a few months?" "Probably." A deep sigh escaped. It was understandable. The workload had increased with the absence of the Azure Dragon Division. Especially with the uncertain movements of the Unorthodox Faction, other divisions were moving fast, causing vacancies to increase. "...Still, things may improve once Il Cheonggeom returns." "Yeah, that's true. But." The man rubbed his chin as he replied. "Recently, there's been a peculiar rumor." "What kind?" "They say Il Cheonggeom has allied with the Heavenly Demon Sect." "What?" The words made his comrade frown. "What a baseless rumor!" It was too absurd to believe. "Il Cheonggeom allied with the Heavenly Demon Sect?" "That's what I think too, just that there's such a rumor going around." "It's an absurd rumor." Il Cheonggeom was renowned for his upright behavior, both during the Great Sage Wars and in general. He was even expected to soon join the ranks of the ten greatest masters and might aim for the leader's position eventually. For him to ally with the Heavenly Demon Sect was nonsense. "Rumors tend to get muddy and exaggerated as they are passed around." The man chuckled as he added. "This time, isn't it the same with the Demonic Lord matter?" "Ah." The mention of the Demonic Lord made his comrade nod as if he realized something. "Do you mean that absurd tale?" Even saying it, a smirk formed on the young man's lips. It was that ridiculous. "You're talking about that story where the Demonic Lord can control and summon monsters, right?" Among the recent talks, that was the most laughable. An unknown entity called the Heavenly Demon, labeled as the leader of the Heavenly Demon Sect. Rumor had it that he appeared in Sichuan, raised his hand to the sky, and opened a demonic gateway from which numerous monsters spilled forth. 'It's ridiculous.' There was a limit to what could be believed, and this crossed that line. No matter how enigmatic the Heavenly Demon might be, he was human. How could a human not just tame monsters, but also open gateways and summon them? "If that were possible, I'd gladly roast my hand." "Exactly, right?" "It's just impossible." There was a faint trace of unease in his voice as he said this. The Heavenly Demon was currently a figure of fear. Understandably so. A strange being suddenly appearing from the skies. The newly emerged Heavenly Demon Sect was no less alarming. From its first appearance, it was exceptional. Even the Wudang sect, led by the Sword Sage—the current leader of the Southern Martial Alliance—was stunned. In front of everyone, the sect assassinated a Wudang elder and casually left. Since then, incidents have occurred in Hanam. The Jegal clan raised a rebellion and attacked. Amidst this, white monsters rebelled. The Heavenly Demon was there even then. A prominent master among the Three Sages, as well as the generation's leader, the Sword Sage, were present, along with many of the top ten masters. The Heavenly Demon still made his presence known and vanished effortlessly. With this new incident, questions naturally arose. "Just how strong is the Heavenly Demon?" In the current Central Plains, this was an emerging question. A monster even the Sage, among the Three Sages, couldn't fully stop. Meaning, he possibly ranked among the level of the Three Sages himself. Moreover, '...The emergence of the white monsters.' The monster appearance during the Hanam invasion. Recalled that, and unease grew even stronger. The Heavenly Demon could summon and control monsters. Meaning, 'Could it be.' A thought crossed his mind. '...Was the white-class monster summoned by the Heavenly Demon too?' The white-class monster that seemingly appeared out of thin air, overlapping with current rumors. Could Heavenly Demon have summoned it? Such an absurd notion briefly flashed. 'No, it can't be.' The comrade shook his head. It shouldn't have been the case. Rumors were suggesting he was comparable to the Sages in strength alone. If, on top of that, a human wielded such power. 'Is that even human?' Not only difficult to consider him human, but if he incited a war, the repercussions would be unimaginable. Chilling and terrifying. "Sigh..." The comrade let out a breath as if trying to forget. The notion that his power aligned with the Sages was already implausible, thus dismissing the monster rumor as ludicrous. He had to. "Anyway, leaving the Azure Dragon Division aside, what’s the status of the Star Dragon Division?" He swiftly changed the topic, trying to shift away from uncomfortable thoughts. "The Star Dragon Division?" "Yes, I heard they went to Sichuan together." "Hmm, there hasn't been much news, but since they went together with the Azure Dragon Division, I suspect everything is fine." "That's true, but..." The team member leaned in, as if about to share a secret that wasn't meant for others to hear. "You know, about that recent event." "The event? Oh." "You know, the one involving Strategist Muk." "Oh, that one." It's a well-known story lately. Ho-hyeob, the patriarch of the Sansoegu family, came to the main sect and attacked Muk Yeon during a situation being handled. At that time, the Sword Sage, who was guarding, stood against him. Following that, the Azure Dragon Lord subdued him, or so the story goes. Ho-hyeob is currently imprisoned in the underground cell, it seems. "Isn't there some trouble for the Star King in all this?" "It's likely." Ho-hyeob is none other than the father of the current Star King. The Star King is being treated as a hero in Hanam. Having prevented an attack and even defeated a white-class monster, the public sentiment is fervent. This helped him to reach the king level at a young age, and he is considered the most likely future supreme martial artist of the generation. And yet, here is the Star King facing this situation. "Why would the former patriarch do such a thing?" "No idea." Why did Ho-hyeob suddenly act out at this time? To hinder his son's path, this wasn't the way to do it. "Ho-hyeob, despite being not widely known now, is a notorious martial artist, isn't he?" "Certainly—not only known, but during the last war, if one saw how Ho-hyeob dealt with Unorthodox Faction members, it would not have ended merely there." "Was he that intense?" "Indeed, he was truly like a demon." He was so notorious that the Unorthodox Forces called him something other than Ho-hyeob. Despite his quiet life now in Sanso, he was once a famous martial artist. "That's why it's puzzling." The abruptness of his actions left many in doubt. "The trial that's planned—isn't it in two days?" "That's right." "If the verdict is unfavorable, what becomes of the Star King?" "From what I gather, it might create some trouble." As one of the pillars, main members of the sect, his father committing a crime against the sect could hurt the Star King's position. "There's talk that Strategist Muk is fond of the Star King, but it's uncertain if even he'd let this slide." "Even if Muk Strategies is a benevolent person, this is beyond his scope." "That's my view as well." "And, considering it's in two days, the Star King might not even be able to make it in time." The Star King was still in Sichuan. No one is sure if he received the news, but even if he left immediately, he'd only arrive by winter. "Whatever the case, with incidents popping up constantly, there's a sense of anxiety." "Everyone's saying it feels like the calm before the storm." Everyone shared the feeling that something was about to erupt. The emergence of the Heavenly Demon, the sudden activity of the monsters—all pointed to escalating unrest. Additionally, "They say there's movement from the Unorthodox Faction as well." According to information gathered by the Flying Dragon Division, that seemed to be the case. Confronted with mysterious movements from the Demon Sect, the Unorthodox Faction, and the monsters, the situation was anything but stable. "With everything going off like this, it's really concerning." "What’s there to worry about? As long as the Martial Alliance stands, there should be no problem." "Haha..." The comrade smiled wryly. The man he was conversing with was older and had an unwavering faith in the Martial Alliance. Many of that generation shared his view. But faith in the alliance had diminished significantly. Especially among those living in Hanam, this sentiment was even stronger. "Yes... I suppose so." Choosing his words carefully, he merely nodded in agreement. Simultaneously, he wiped sweat from his forehead. "Phew... It's hot." The weather felt excessively warm today. "Indeed. Why is it so hot..." Mid-sentence, their eyes met. Hot? As they recalled, something felt off. The weather was due to turn into winter. The mornings were chilly enough to see one's breath. Yet now, it felt hot enough to sweat... "...Why is it so hot?" Why was it this hot? The temperature felt akin to mid-summer. Moreover, it was getting hotter. It was strange. Additionally, '...Heavy.' The air felt heavy, as if something was pressing down on their shoulders. Breathing became labored, eyes narrowed by the heat and pressure. What was happening here? This sudden change... "Hey, there-!" Someone from the alliance shouted. His finger pointed to the sky. Following his gesture, all eyes turned upward. In the radiant center of the sun, something was present. What is that? Doubts lingered briefly. Whoooosh--!! It was embers. Embers tinged with blue light. At the sun's heart, azure flames were ablaze. About the size of a small candle flame. But then. 'Is it growing...?' The fire seemed to be growing. Watching, they realized it wasn't about increasing in size. It was drawing closer. The size appearing larger as the distance closed. With that realization. Boom!!! The blue flame crashed to the ground. Roaaaar!!! The fallen azure flames erupted, sending a pillar of fire skyward. The sight of the magnificent column of fire left bodies trembling uncontrollably. Boom!!! Boom!!! "Ugh!" "Aaagh--!!" The heat and pressure from the sudden shockwave knocked those nearby flat. Other martial artists were already rushing out upon hearing the commotion. "What madness--!!" "Is it an attack...? Prepare our defenses!" Tension marked their faces. It was obviously not a normal occurrence. Could it be an act by the Unorthodox Faction? Or perhaps... the Heavenly Demon Sect? Just as unease painted everyone's expressions, "Stand aside." A heavy voice cut through. Alongside it, a figure lightly landed on the ground. The moment his feet touched down, the scorching air seemed to clear. "Su, Su Ho Division Leader-!" The old man was none other than the Sword Sage, rumored to be closest to joining the ranks of the Three Sages. As the guardian of the alliance, he drew his sword and faced the flames. A tremendous aura radiated from the tips of the old man's feet. Swoosh--!! The Sword Sage's aura took form, dominating the air around him. Those who witnessed it couldn't help but express their admiration. "Such precise energy..." The old man's strength was refined and delicate yet robust. Guardian of the Alliance, Sword Sage. He lived in the spirit of his achievements and stature as a guardian of the Martial Alliance—always prepared to protect it. His presence aligned perfectly with that role. However, Boom!!! The flames clashed with the Sword Sage's energy, showing no sign of being overpowered. In fact, they ferociously sought to consume his aura. The Sword Sage's brow furrowed. "What is the meaning of this?" He uttered softly. In that moment— Boom!!! From within the unruly flames, a form began to materialize. The flames were forming a skeleton and gradually transforming into human flesh. Then, "You ask what this is?" The figure created from the flames spoke. Flutter-! The robe he wore fluttered continually under the impact. White robes with blue embroidery. The martial attire he wore indicated that he belonged to the Martial Alliance. Not just any martial artist. This was... "A Lord...?" It was the robe of a division lord, only eight people from the alliance were entitled to wear it. Among the current lords, only one could command such fiery energy. "The Star King?" "Isn't he the Star Dragon Lord?" "How is he here when he should be in Sichuan?" Amidst the astonishment of the onlookers, "That's what I'd like to ask... taking the lead without permission." Emerging from the flames, Gu Yangcheon spoke as he looked at the Sword Sage. "Honestly, I'd like to flip everything over. But I have a question first." Boom! The towering pillar of flames dispersed as if scattering. A multitude of miniature suns alighted before merging back into Gu Yangcheon's figure. They seemed like enormous wings or the essence flowing into his back like a waterfall. A magnificent sight, whatever it was. The air, barely cleared by the Sword Sage, began to congest anew. The heat was overwhelming. Amid this scorching heat, Gu Yangcheon addressed the Sword Sage, "Where is my father?" "..." The Sword Sage grimaced at the question. "Star Dragon Lord." "We don't have time for lengthy discussions. I'm rather heated right now." Whoosh. Flames danced from Gu Yangcheon's fingertips to his elbows. Even from a distance, one could feel the tangible force of his energy. "Do you know where he is?" In a threatening tone, the Sword Sage's eyes narrowed as he responded. "And if I don't tell you?" "..." At those words, Gu Yangcheon's eyes darkened further. "Then, I suppose..." At that moment. The fire enveloping his body seemed to become one with him. No, he wasn't just engulfed by flames—his entire being appeared to be made of fire. "I'll have to make you talk." Whoooosh---!!! The flames erupted in full bloom. And then, Roar!! As if summer had visited amidst an autumn day.