1082 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

**Cheonha's Best: The Childhood Friend** **Chapter 1082: North Rabbit - Web Novel Repository** It was the Sword Queen. The woman standing before me, introducing herself as Geombong, was undeniably the Sword Queen I knew. ‘...This is quite fascinating.’ Not only was her face familiar, but her overall appearance wasn't much different from the woman I remembered. I had known that the Sword Queen aged slowly due to her high martial rank, yet seeing her with so little difference from back then was astonishing. ‘Was it from this time?’ I was aware that she had connections with my father, but I didn't know they were both part of the Cheongryongda. “Is there something wrong?” Caught staring, Geombong Soi gazed back at me with a puzzled expression, breaking me out of my reverie. “Oh, sorry. You look like someone I know.” “A... I see.” Soi's reaction was somewhat stiff at my words, and I wondered why. “Hey, I know our senior is beautiful, but isn't it a bit too fast to be throwing flirtatious looks?” Do-yoon chimed in, clearly amused by the situation. That’s when it hit me. ‘Ah... Damn.’ Did it seem to Soi that I was making a pass at her? Understanding her reaction now made sense. “No, that's not what I meant." I hurriedly attempted to explain. “It’s fine. I don’t mind.” Before I could finish, Soi interjected, her expression serious. Oh, dear. ‘Did I just ruin my first impression?’ It seemed like things had gone off track right from our first meeting. --- Time passed, and everyone was assigned to their respective sword squads. Our seniors waited to guide us to our assigned areas, and I was no exception. I, along with five others, followed Soi to the quarters of the Cheongryongda. The Cheongryongda, known for being second in size and influence only to the Sinryongda, was granted a considerable abode, located a bit away from the heart of the sect. ‘This seems different from the place I used to know.’ Back in my original world, the Cheongryongda’s base was much closer. It seemed like things were different now. As we continued walking, feeling the strangeness, we finally arrived. “This is it.” Soi pointed to a building. “This is the place you will stay from a few days henceforth.” The dwelling was enormous, almost like an estate of a small noble family, with the symbol of the Cheongryongda prominently displayed on the door. “Most members are out on missions at the moment... but let’s go inside.” Soi entered first, others following her with visible tension in their expressions. “Wow… I can't believe I’ve joined the Cheongryongda. Father... your son has succeeded.” Do-yoon, in the midst of this, couldn’t help but talk incessantly. “Do you feel the same, Baek?” “...About what?” His speech had become informal, as Do-yoon suggested dropping the formalities upon becoming comrades. I saw no reason to reject it. “What do you mean? It’s a great honor to join the sect! It's something to be proud of for the family. Why is your response so indifferent?” “...” Was it that significant? Based on not only Do-yoon's reaction but also the emotional faces of others, it seemed to be of great importance. ‘The sect must really be prestigious at this time.’ Just entering the sect appeared to be a pride for one’s family, a reversal of their life’s fortune. This seemed to be the concept held by many. To me, though, it didn’t matter much. After all, this wasn’t my world, and having experienced more than enough with the sect, admiration or awe held no meaning for me. Because of this, I maintained a nonchalant expression. “Well, I guess for someone like Baek, merely entering the sect wouldn't leave much of an impression.” “Hm...?” “After all, even a mighty master took an interest in you, and yet you refused...!” “...” “With such capabilities, you must be aiming for something higher?” I had no idea why Do-yoon appeared prouder than he should. Then he leaned in closer and asked in a hushed tone. “Just out of curiosity." “What?” “Could it be due to a family secret, or a drive for vengeance that made you stronger?” “...?” Out of nowhere? “I heard you even defeated one of the examiners. It’s surprising how someone of your skill remains unknown.” “Hm...” Rumors had spread widely due to me taking down Beom-dong in a single strike. “It’s nothing like that. I just trained alone for a bit longer than others.” “Ha... then you’re simply a genius...? Oh, then perhaps.” He leaned even closer, his voice now almost a whisper, while glancing at Soi. “Would you say you could match up with the Yukryong Obong?” ‘Yukryong Obong…’ My eyes turned to Soi. Are they known as Yukryong Obong now? In this era, they hadn’t even existed during the time of the meteor generation. “Well…? I’m not really sure. I’m not interested.” “Ah, even Yukryong Obong doesn’t interest you?” “...” That’s indeed the truth. At this point, I couldn’t get involved in late martial status battles anymore. ‘Geombong now…’ She was at the pinnacle of her skill, somewhere between complete mastery and supreme perfection. Recalling that she hadn’t yet reached her thirties, she was indeed a formidable warrior. However. ‘Compared to the generation of meteors, she’s a bit lacking.’ The geniuses of my generation. Compared to someone like Namgung Bia or Woo Seol-a, she fell short. ‘It was the same with others.’ That same perception applied when I saw figures like the leader of the Moyong family or the Sword Emperor. While high by late martial standards, they paled in comparison to those I knew. ‘They were nothing compared to Woo Hyuk or the Monk back in those days.’ Considering how they reached high state prowess in youth, it was indeed a different perspective. Reflecting on this, I noticed Soi again. “Heh, caught again.” “...Hm?” “You're really staring. You must like her. Then again, Geombong senior is indeed beautiful.” “No... that's not it.” “But you should forget about it. Haven’t you heard the rumor? Geombong senior has already... given her heart to that spectacular Sinryong.” "What?" As his face twisted in response to the words, there was a loud crack. “Yikes!!” A flash of sword energy swept past Do-yoon’s feet, causing him to jump in shock. When he looked, he saw Soi giving him a cold, stern glare. “Having quite the chat, aren't we? This isn’t the place for that, is it?” “... S-sorry.” She must have heard everything. With her abilities, no matter how quietly we spoke, she would have caught it. Soi let out a slight sigh at Do-yoon’s apology and then returned inside, prompting us to follow her cautiously. The grandeur of the Cheongryongda residence came into full view as we entered. “Wow…” “Whoa…” Those accepted couldn't help but exclaim in awe. A sprawling training ground and meticulously organized living spaces, complete with a well-kept armory—considerable investment was evident in the surroundings. ‘Not bad.’ Unintentionally, I found myself nodding in approval. Others seemed similarly impressed. “Alright then.” Soi addressed us, her face lighting up with a smile at our reactions, but then suddenly... “Everyone, get down.” She commanded with a straight face, erasing her smile. “Huh...?” “What did she say...?” “Senior…?” Bewildered, everyone widened their eyes, unsure if they heard correctly. “Are your ears clogged?” Soi repeated with an icy demeanor. “Get down on the ground.” Swoosh-! A chilling sensation, scented softly with flowers, swept over us, powered by her aura. Reacting to the sharpness of her energy, everyone immediately placed their hands on the ground and lay prone. I did the same. As we complied, Soi began speaking while circling around us. “Do you all think the world revolves around you now that you’ve been accepted? With your heads held this high, were you planning to just lounge around here?” Gone was the graceful and gentle Soi; in her place stood a fierce woman radiating a palpable intensity. “Not going to answer?” “N-no, ma’am!” “N-no, ma’am!” Discipline infused with fear intensified the atmosphere. I admired her from my prone position. ‘Wow…’ Did the senior always have such a strict side? From what I knew, she was gentle and kind. I didn’t expect her to enforce discipline so rigorously. “Right after joining the sect, and you all think you can act like this.” Soi maintained her chilling tone as she addressed us. “Listen carefully. Until the seniors return, you are to hold this position. And remember…” Bang-! “Ouch!” One among us, lying on the ground, was struck by Soi’s kick and lay groaning in pain. “Cough... cough…” Struggling to breathe, his coughs indicated the pain he was in. “If you dare use your internal energy, be prepared to face the consequences. Got it?” Apparently, she had caught someone attempting to cheat and punished them. “Y-yes, ma’am!” Everyone responded in unison. “What is this…?” Do-yoon muttered in a bewildered tone, while I swallowed nervously, thinking to myself. ‘This isn’t going to be easy.’ Things didn't seem like they'd be straightforward from the very start. --- "Ugh… ugggh…" "Ugh…" Groans filled the air. They were coming from the fellow recruits around me. It was already dusk by the time the bright afternoon light started to fade. True to Soi’s instructions, everyone remained prostrate for the entire time, unable to use any internal energy, drenched in sweat and exhausted. “Straighten up your posture.” “S-sorry…” Despite everything, Soi continued to patrol and critique, leaving everyone in a disheveled state. “Ugh... ugh… I... I can’t... I’m really...” Do-yoon visibly struggled, his arms trembling with exhaustion now unmistakable. “Baek, aren't you tired…?” “It’s tiring.” In truth, it wasn’t tiring for me. If something like this had tired me out, all my past efforts and training would have been for nothing. “You don't look tired…” Do-yoon clearly didn’t believe me, seeing how unruffled I appeared. "Ah... I feel like I'm really going to collapse...." “Just hang on a little longer.” “I don’t think I can…” “Just a little bit longer. It won’t be much more.” “What...?” “They're coming.” At my words, Do-yoon gave me a puzzled look. Who was coming? Just then, Soi changed her posture and shouted. “Everyone, up.” At Soi's command, the recruits quickly rose from the ground, gasping for relief. “Hah…” “I’m going to die…” “Hoo… hoo…” Expressing great relief, each exhaled labored breaths with their expressions of torture finally lifting. “Quiet.” At Soi’s words, everyone clammed up instantly. Discipline was thoroughly instilled. “Straighten up your posture. The seniors are coming.” “...!” At Soi’s warning, everyone tensed up, her remark spot on. “They’re coming.” A concentrated energy approached from the distance. I sneaked a glance in that direction. Boom-!! The door swung open as several individuals entered. The first to appear was a man at the forefront. Who was he? I didn’t know, but he was strong. ‘He's at least Hak-gyeong level.' Certainly a formidable powerhouse. ‘That must be the branch leader.’ The understanding dawned that this man was the leader of the Cheongryongda. However, that was where my interest waned. My intrigue didn’t linger with him. Diverting my eyes, I looked to his side. A step behind the man. Someone walking leisurely, drawing in all my curiosity, was approaching. ‘Father.’ Sinryong Gu Cheol-un. My father was trailing behind the Cheongryongda leader, making his way in my direction. He was looking right at me.