826 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 826 of "The World's Greatest Cultivator's Childhood Friend" Crash! The roof collapses, and suddenly sharp blades rain down. After assessing, five of them. Five sword tips target my neck in a relentless attack, yet even as I witness this, I remain unmoved. Because I know they’ll stop. Sure enough, as expected, the swords halt, poised in front of my neck without proceeding further. What's peculiar is that despite there being five swords, there's no one holding them. Five swords suspended in mid-air, all pointed at me. Is this the Airborne Sword Technique? For most, even levitating just one sword taxes their abilities immensely. Here, there are five, without apparent strain—offering a glimpse into Gyecheonmunju's formidable power. The swords appear ready to pierce my throat, yet I simply comment to Gyecheonmunju. "This is something, isn’t it? I was just asking a question, but your reaction’s a bit extreme.” I shrug my shoulders, and Gyecheonmunju, eyes cold, asks me. “What are you?” “Hm?” His question is met with a matter-of-fact answer. “Shall I introduce myself again from the beginning? It’s a bit of a hassle, but I suppose I can do it for someone like you.” “Grit!” Though I graciously offer to start from scratch, Gyecheonmunju just grinds his teeth. A guy shows some sincerity, and this is the response? “What? Not to your liking?” “Do you plan to keep playing word games?” “Games? You find this amusing...? Well, if you do, that's fortunate.” "...Hah." The air chills with a palpable tension emanating from Gyecheonmunju. The energy saturates the room in an instant. Any increase might affect the protective barrier I'd set. “Do you truly wish to die here?” His voice is coated with a deadly seriousness as he releases a menacing aura. But. “Old man.” I smile at Gyecheonmunju amidst all this tension. “Stop overreaching. You'll rip your mouth from grinning too much.” “You...” The tips of the five swords waver. Observing this, I add to Gyecheonmunju. “If you don’t believe me, care to find out what happens?” “Being hailed as Sage King in the faction seems to have blinded you. Didn't I tell you last time? What you see isn't all there is to the world.” That wasn’t just lip service. At least, not when it comes to me. Which makes this intriguing. “Yes, that's quite accurate.” I encircle my thumb with my index finger—not to make a tighter fist, but to control myself from striking out. “So why is someone like you, who sees so clearly, acting this way?” “What?” “If you're so perceptive, why are you burning away what's left of your lifespan with your own hands?” Creak. I move closer to Gyecheonmunju. Because of that, the nearby sword grazes my neck. Gyecheonmunju's eyes widen in surprise. The sword's edge makes a slight cut. I can feel the blood trickling. It stings, just about the right amount. “Can’t you see anything in me? That can't be right, not with those eyes... you should see everything.” “You…” “Think you can kill me if you try? That’s some nerve.” I couldn't stop myself from laughing. Slowly, I gather my energy. “Did you really see me as some pushover? So trivial that even you could look down on me?” “…!” Gyecheonmunju’s face contorts. Simultaneously, the sword at my neck trembles. It seems poised to move. Sensing this, I immediately speak. “Old man. Choose wisely.” The sword hesitates slightly. “If you keep posturing out of pride, I’ll have no choice but to make a mess of things. Want me to give you a demonstration of the dance of blades?” “Do you think I’d be frightened by that?” “Well, why don’t we give it a try then? I’ll even take care of the lackeys you brought along.” “…” He listens and frowns. “What do you mean?” “What do I mean, you ask?” Feigning ignorance, I retorted with disbelief. “If you keep being a nuisance, I’ll kill not just you but also the six you brought along.” Mentioning the exact number makes Gyecheonmunju’s eyes tremble. It seems he didn’t expect me to know. “You didn’t think I’d notice? Wouldn’t that be a bit disappointing? Oh, and just so you know, I don’t mind you bringing friends along; no need to worry.” Though I had instructed him to come alone when summoned, I fully expected he wouldn’t comply. I had already detected all the presences surrounding the sect, not personally, but through the King of Shadows. Even without the King of Shadows, I'd have noticed. The King of Shadows is just more accurate than I. “So, let’s avoid any unnecessary antics. You didn’t come here just to act tough, did you? We’re working together because our goals align, aren’t we?” “…” As more words spill out, blood trickles from my neck. It’s a clear warning. One step further, and everything will fall apart. And indeed, it would. If he crossed the line further, it would be right to eliminate him. Using him might be convenient, but not if he’s uncontrollable. The blade at my neck makes one think of how to win like this. Unbeknownst to him, the King of Shadows is already in position behind Gyecheonmunju. He just hasn’t noticed yet. I could destroy him any time I wished. No matter what fortuitous opportunity Gyecheonmunju encountered, it wasn’t enough for him to even sense the presence of the King of Shadows. A slight hesitation is visible in his gaze. “So why not stop this senseless power play and gently put the blades away? Or perhaps... shall we really see this through?” I channel energy into my meridians with determination. My presence flares, seamlessly preparing for actual combat, not just a show. A sword sticks at my neck. Regardless, it doesn’t matter. If he desires, I will sweep him away. Just as I was about to unleash restrained ferocity and expand my muscles. “What is it you wish to know?” Gyecheonmunju’s question halts my energy. Ultimately, he conceded. I raise my lips in a slight smile and reply. “What I’m curious about, didn’t I ask just now?” The Heavenly Cult. That was what I distinctly asked him about. Gyecheonmunju frowns at the mention. "How on earth could someone like you know about this—!" Gyecheonmunju's words halt as his eyes narrow sharply, recalling something significant. "You... could it be—!" "Hm?" I tilted my head in feigned confusion at Gyecheonmunju's reaction. As though I was clueless, although internally, I had long figured it out. "What's the matter?" I asked. "..." Gyecheonmunju looked conflicted, unable to voice his thoughts. Surely, an incident from the past crossed his mind. He might be recalling the destruction of one of the bases of the trading company allied with this Gyecheonmun faction. The news would have likely reached Gyecheonmunju as well. And now, someone who knows about the Heavenly Cult appears in front of him. At this point, he must be wondering if I could be the mastermind behind the attack. Certainly, he'd have such suspicions. "Well." But those are merely suspicions. There's no concrete evidence. The Shadow King leaves no traces, and if there were evidence, things wouldn’t have reached this point. Hence, Gyecheonmunju can't act rashly. "Do you have something to say?" At my abrupt question, Gyecheonmunju manages to speak. "...How do you know about the Heavenly Cult?" He likely wanted to directly ask if I was the culprit, but he restrained himself for now. The answer was simple. "Why, you ask." "What?" "I told you, didn't I? My vision is broader and deeper than you might think." I gestured to my eyes. "The important thing isn't how I know, but that I know, isn't it?" The key isn't how I came to know about it; it's the fact that I possess that knowledge. I had already conveyed this to Gyecheonmunju last time. However. "Your words contradict themselves." "Contradict?" "If your sight is as boundless as you claim, you wouldn't need to ask me about the Heavenly Cult, would you?" "…" Oh. 'Look at this old man.' He had pierced through with sharp insight. Indeed, with a sprawling network, I should need no information from him. His suspicion must stem from the very fact that I’m questioning him at all. Moreover. 'He's likely becoming certain.' He's becoming convinced that I've been involved in some recent event. Was that a slip of the tongue? ‘No.’ On second thought, perhaps not. "Yes, there's no real need to do so. But I've gained something from this, haven't I?" "What on earth do you mean?" "The certainty that you are definitely related to the Heavenly Cult." "…!" "Can you even deny it? I don't think so." Gyecheonmunju’s eyebrows twitched. If one considers it, this was little more than a word game. I had known all along about his ties to the Heavenly Cult. Information from my past life, though seemingly surface-level, was deep and continued to covertly assist me. "Even if I'm clueless about the details of the Heavenly Cult, old man, it’s clear that you have ties with them. Isn't that sufficient?" "Sufficient…?" "Yes, it's ample reason to have asked you." "…" His eyes flickered, along with his beard, as a faint energy trickled out. The tension grew as if at the brink of an explosive situation. This time, though, I reacted first. Swoosh. I pulled back to create some distance between us. The movement distanced me from the sword that had slightly penetrated my neck. Seeing my sudden withdrawal, Gyecheonmunju’s expression shifted. Sensing the change, I said, "Frankly, it doesn’t matter if you respond or not." "…What?" Gyecheonmunju's eyes widened as if taken aback. Though he seemed shocked that I would retreat after demanding an answer, this reaction was precisely what I aimed for. "While I did ask out of curiosity, I mostly wanted to observe your reaction. If you're unwilling, you don’t have to answer." Truthfully, if I had chosen to dig deeper, there were ways beyond relying on this old man. This was merely a pretext. "So, will you tell me or not?" "…" "Judging from your response, it seems you have no intention of doing so." I fully withdrew, confirming the distance between us. "It appears I've found what I came for, so we can part ways now. I was merely curious if the task you were assigned is progressing as planned." I reached out to pat Gyecheonmunju on the shoulder. Even then, the swords remained suspended in the air. "Thanks for coming all the way here, though I have nothing for you. Return safely…." An interjecting voice stopped me. It was Gyecheonmunju speaking. "Do you know what the Heavenly Cult truly is?" I paused mid-sentence, intrigued by his sudden willingness to speak. "What’s this? Are you going to tell me?" "Do you understand the current state of the orthodox sects?" "Out of the blue?" When he suddenly spoke of the current orthodox sects, I tilted my head sideways at the unexpected question. As I pondered over this notion, Gyecheonmunju continued his explanation as if he had a point prepared. "People may not fully grasp this, but the current orthodox sects are… rotten from the roots—" "Rotten from the roots, deeply and profoundly." "…" I chuckled awkwardly at my own words. "Ah, that statement came to mind so I blurted it out…. Sorry, please continue." "…” “…" The conversation abruptly ceased. It seemed I may have slipped up a little.