1135 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

A cascade of dust engulfed the air around me as I shook off my body, observing the distant presence of Cheonjon still discernible from afar. I had landed a strike, yet the tactile satisfaction was lacking. ‘He blocked it.’ In that brief moment, he mustered his internal energy to fend off my attack. After all, he's the esteemed martial artist known as the pinnacle, so this much was expected. Nonetheless. ‘It seems it was as I predicted.’ There was a revelation I reached during my exchange with Cheonjon. And that was— enN1WnIzcFhHMVJuR0JvdkNPc013NElTUVZHZXIwUmJFWElnTFpQSWpHWklwVThveml2YUQ1bzBtbHRTQUNXcQ ‘It's the Heart Demon (Simma).’ Currently, Cheonjon was engulfed by the Heart Demon. As in my past life and the world I was once part of, even around this time, he was consumed by it. For martial artists, the Heart Demon is akin to a disaster. It renders them incapable of performing skills they once mastered, blinds them to what they wish to see, and deafens them to what they strive to hear. Moreover. ‘There is hardly a cure.’ The problem is largely psychological, and thus, methods to treat it scarcely exist. This bizarre and fragile condition shackles Cheonjon. It was this life that allowed me to discern it. ‘The Cheonjon freed from the Heart Demon had an entirely different aura.’ Perhaps it was Sichuan—more precisely, thanks to my father—that Cheonjon escaped the Heart Demon. The Cheonjon I knew, his demeanor and atmosphere, were entirely different from his present state. He was a person of benevolent and strong character. It was difficult to believe he was the same arrogant, obnoxious old man I once knew. ‘The old man I see now is not that.’ The Cheonjon before me now was reminiscent of the one from my past life. The one easily overwhelmed by the Heavenly Demon. The difference was stark. Unmistakable. Therefore. ‘In his current state.’ He is beatable. That was my conclusion. Rumble----!!!! In the distance, the sound of thunder struck again. Light burst forth. Seeing it, I twisted my upper body. And then. Boom---!!! An intense flash was unleashed toward me. I had to deflect rather than block it. “Darn.” I attempted to absorb it with internal energy encased around my forearm, yet the heat threatened to tear through it. Despite being afflicted by the Heart Demon, it was evident that Cheonjon retained his prowess. Boom. The surge of heat was redirected, and I gained momentum by twisting my waist. As my leg swung through the air. Crunch-!! My foot encountered resistance against something. A blade. Cheonjon was lunging at me, sword in hand. “Grr!” Power surged through. I repulsed his momentum once more. Thud! Cheonjon's body vibrated as the distance between us grew. In that moment, I executed my martial arts. Hwaa-!! Fortifying the dissipating Black Sky energy, I bolstered my physical strength. Ziiing—!! I maximized my presence suppression through absolute concentration. Wrrr-!!! Aligning with the season of the Blue Sky, I heightened my physical agility. My body responded with turbulence as it merged with the Black Sky energy. I pushed my body to its utmost limit and charged at Cheonjon. “Hup!” Cheonjon, as if anticipating my speed, swung his lightning-infused sword rapidly. His rapid strikes blurred into a multitude of afterimages, but I was not weak enough to be caught by them all. The enhanced speed allowed me to keep pace with Cheonjon's sword. I maneuvered through each exchange, rolling my eyes in observation. ‘...This is intriguing.’ A slight sigh of admiration escaped my lips. This sword dance—it was a sensation I was all too familiar with. Swish-!! As Cheonjon was about to increase the speed of his sword, Snap-! Thunk-!! “…What?” Cheonjon suddenly released his grip on the sword. The sword fell powerlessly to the ground and rolled away. Cheonjon froze like a stone, unable to comprehend what had just transpired. His expression showed bewilderment. What just happened? Watching him, I asked. “What are you doing?” Cheonjon's eyes narrowed on me. “A swordsman losing his sword—what a pitiful sight.” “You...!” Cheonjon gritted his teeth and charged once more. Though his hand reached for it, the sword gravitated back into his grasp. Rumble-! The lightning-covered sword was once again poised to strike. Snap-! Once more, the same happened. Cheonjon dropped his sword again as I struck his wrist. “How…!” Realizing the situation, Cheonjon looked at me, an expression of acknowledgment dawning as he possibly sensed something was amiss. “How?” He seemed eager to ask how his sword was so easily thwarted. I decided to enlighten him. “You can see it, can't you?” “See it…?” “Yes.” I could see his sword. It was the same as during the time with Namgung Cheonjun, not even a year into my rebirth, and it was no different this time. “Your crude sword can't reach me.” The current sword of the Namgung family. Fallen and devolved, the sword of Namgung could never touch me. “Know your place. You, the defeated one who fled to the skies.” The one once called the Demon Lady of the Horse Sword chosen by the Thunderous Light, Namgung Bia. Unless Cheonjon’s sword matched hers in level, the critical weaknesses of Namgung’s sword persisted. Speed and power differ greatly from the completeness and mastery of swordsmanship. That is why Cheonjon never earned the title of Sword Master. And. “Bastard---!!” This was Cheonjon's reverse scale. Quaaaargh--------!!!!! A more intense aura than before erupted. The fact that this old man reserved such vigor was astonishing. ‘Truly a seasoned monster.’ What else could define a true veteran if not that? Quaaa-!!! The light from the thunderous energy was so glaring it necessitated shielding my eyes with inner energy. Rumble-!! Boom-!!! The released thunderous energy swept through the entire forest. It seemed there was no longer any intention of restraint. As though he were heedless of— “Tsk!” Even his grandson, Namgung Hyung, was starting to be affected by it. Seeing that, I snapped my fingers. Snap-! With a brief sound, a barrier formed around Namgung Hyung. Clang-! The thunderous energy was halted by the barrier, unable to pass through it. “Heo-uh…” Namgung Hyung watched in shock. I spoke to him, noting his reaction. “If you're not going to leave, at least stay still. You're bothersome.” Having spoken curtly, I refocused on Cheonjon. Despite his advanced age, a continuous release of energy unfurled from him. 'Just how much does he have stored?' In terms of raw energy reserves, I had no cause to doubt my own capacity, likely exceeding his. 'But his capability to unleash destructive power seems superior to mine.' His proficiency in utilizing energy to manifest greater force was undeniably impressive—an understanding born from acknowledging the frailty of his sword, compensated with sheer might. 'What to do?' Should I also employ overwhelming force against him? Despite his chaotic outburst, his precision indicated he wasn't letting his guard down. It was merely anger triggered by my provocation. In that case. 'I need to create an opening.' I would have to invent an opportunity to break through his defenses. The question was how? I pondered the method when— 'Ah.' An idea struck me. 'This could work.' It was an intriguing plan, a bit audacious. * * * Rumble-!! With an intense expression, Cheonjon expelled torrents of lightning energy. 'How dare he.' No one should ever disrespect him so blatantly. Not in Anhui, nor anywhere in Zhongyuan, could anyone convey such words without consequence. 'Your crude sword cannot touch me.' 'Know your place, defeated one who fled to the skies.' "Crude sword." "Fugitive defeated by the heavens." Those words vexed Cheonjon to his core. An entire life praised as a prodigy. A life spent mastering the Namgung family's sword to reach the heavens. ‘Because of that Sword Master.’ Wi Hyo-Geun, the Sword Master. He had been an insurmountable wall, heralded with supreme acclaim as a swordsman, thwarting Cheonjon's ultimate ambition. However, Cheonjon found that he could regulate his energy, and if he couldn't surpass with the sword, he could reign supreme in that domain. That was how he lived. Was his neglect of the sword what led to this? The legendary aura known as Neoa did not choose him. He never knew if it was dissatisfaction from the Neoa or something else. Nonetheless, the Namgung tradition persisted. He defied the precept that one must be chosen by Neoa to lead the clan. He had the talent. Subduing the elders was within his grasp. Nobody had been chosen by Neoa. So it was only right for him to be the next patriarch. Neoa’s choice? Unnecessary. He was Namgung. 'Crude sword?' Yet, even so, Namgung remained an illustrious family. Wi Hyo-Geun was extraordinary. Namgung was not inferior. Then why— 'Who is that man?' Who is this Cheonma? He appeared suddenly, effortlessly nullifying my swordsmanship. It was instant. In that moment, he seized the opportunity, striking my wrist. It was something only achievable with immense certainty. 'What is his identity?' What could his identity be to allow such an appearance? 'Could it be?' Is he somehow connected to ‘him’? If so, why is he here? As uncertainty gnawed at him. ‘No. It doesn't matter now.’ Cheonjon cleared his thoughts. That wasn't the pressing concern. 'He must die.' The priority is to eliminate the one who dared provoke him. And. ‘Erase that one too.’ He contemplated erasing even his grandson, Namgung Hyung, who could potentially draw Neoa. The boy was oblivious to his own worth. Or regardless. ‘Neoa is no longer of importance.’ Without such a selection, he could still claim patriarchy. If impossible, he would make it possible. He was Namgung. With that resolution, as Cheonjon gathered all his might to act— “I'll borrow this for a moment.” The enigmatic Cheonma uttered an incomprehensible phrase. And then. Whoosh-! “What...?” “Huh?” Both Cheonjon and Namgung Hyung reacted in shock. The Neoa that Namgung Hyung held suddenly soared into Cheonma’s hand. “What is this?” Cheonjon gasped. The Neoa, which even pure-blooded Namgung heirs couldn't easily grasp, was in the clutches of Cheonma. But that wasn’t all. “Bite.” Cheonma seized the Neoa and whispered its name. “Neoa.” Quaaaaargh---!!! An immense force erupted from Neoa, engulfing both Cheonjon and Namgung Hyung.