1136 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

A sharp surge of energy swept across the surroundings. Like relentless black waves, it surged through not just the entire forest but even brushed past Cheonjon and Nam Goong Hyung. Was it wind or a tide? The way it surged was peculiarly fluid, resembling tangled hair in its chaotic flow. Regardless of what it might be, the energy retained an unshakable, repulsive, and unpleasant nature. It was repulsive. That was the first word that came to Cheonjon's mind as he felt the sensation brush against him. What followed was a jolt of astonishment. "...What is this?" What on earth is happening? "What have you done?!" A furious roar, bursting with a mix of emotions, cut through the air. Under normal circumstances, the pressure would have caused the forest to tremble. Yet, perhaps due to the strange energy, the forest stood rigidly still, refusing to react. Just a relentless, unending torrent. Like the endless night descending upon the ground, asserting its presence. After a torrent of energy had poured and spread across the surroundings for some time... The energy, which had spread all around, began to converge back to its original source. In an instant, it was sucked into a swirling vortex. And then, it vanished without a trace, leaving behind... "You insolent fool..." "...Huh." Cheonma stood there, clad in energy-infused clothes over his black martial robes. His hair flickered like a mirage of embers, and around him seemed to linger a black mist. Moreover... "You insolent fool! How can you possibly wield the Thunderbolt?" The most pressing issue was that the one who identified himself as Cheonma was holding the Thunderbolt. It should have been just a hilt without a blade. Yet, in Cheonma's grasp, the Thunderbolt was unmistakably manifesting a sword blade. The difference lay in that it wasn’t a blade formed of thunder energy. 'Black flame?' It was a sword flickering with black flames. The distinction was clear. Even if it wasn’t thunder energy, it was undoubtedly utilizing the form of the Thunderbolt. Uniting with a spiritual entity, it had allowed the Thunderbolt to wield its power. The fact that this unruly character, neither of the Nam Gung family nor properly acquainted with its heritage, was using it gnawed at Cheonjon. "You scoundrel!" He attempted to unleash his energy again, roaring with defiance. "Quite noisy." Swiftly. "...!" Cheonjon failed to summon his energy. A sharp sensation grazed his neck. Trickle. The blade of the Thunderbolt lightly touched Cheonjon's neck, leaving a fine scar from which blood trickled down. "Too many words. Expressing senility isn't necessarily unwelcome... but it doesn't look good to me." With a dismissive gesture, Cheonma gradually distanced himself. The sword that had touched Cheonjon's neck moved away, allowing Cheonjon to finally loosen his tense body. With a sweep, the Thunderbolt was twirled in a circle, then calmly lowered. "Hmm... No matter how often this happens, it just doesn’t feel right." He moved uncomfortably, seemingly discontent, yet Cheonjon did not respond. 'I didn't see it.' He couldn’t perceive its speed. Neither could he, despite being himself. Was it possible that simply wielding the Thunderbolt could bring about such a drastic change? Or was it something else entirely? At that moment... "Tsk... noisy on both sides." Cheonma muttered incomprehensible words and assumed a stance, appearing ready to perform a sword technique. 'Awkward.' Even though Cheonjon's swordsmanship was relatively lacking, he was still one of the Three Masters. He was a master swordsman who had achieved the unity of mind, body, and sword. It was instantly apparent that Cheonma's movements were lacking and unrefined. In other words... "You're not a swordmaster. And you dare to wield a sword against me?" Cheonma was not a swordmaster. He had ascertained this after just a few exchanges. This one was a martial artist. Possibly on par with the Three Masters. Perhaps he had even reached such a degree as a martial artist. "And you intend to ignore me." Such a person daring to wield a sword against him was tantamount to a grave insult. Grinding his teeth, Cheonjon couldn't comprehend how Cheonma was using the Thunderbolt. Perhaps it didn’t even matter anymore. 'If I can’t understand, I must force it out of him.' He resolved to capture the scoundrel and interrogate him about what was happening. That was his top priority at the moment. Gathering his thunder energy once more, he prepared to strike down the scoundrel. But just as he was about to hurl himself forward... "Just so you know, I don’t handle things as calmly as that fellow." Once more, nonsensical words spilled forth. Who is 'that fellow'? The incomprehensible phrase furrowed his brow. Abruptly, a tremendous force spread from the Thunderbolt. It was an unfathomable amount of energy. How could such power be focused into that small blade? At the moment Cheonjon couldn't help but wonder... "I will cut." With Cheonma's words... The Thunderbolt sliced horizontally through the world. A line was drawn, and Cheonjon was swept by the cut. "Agh." A single anguished sound escaped him. The energy slammed into Cheonjon's body with full force. The overwhelming energy dominated the world. The earth quaked beneath its might, terrain upheaved, and the scenery collapsed. For a mere stroke, the devastation was appalling. After a while, the rampaging energy subsided. With a dull thud. Cheonma—no, Gu Yangcheon—let the Thunderbolt fall from his grasp. 'That blasted pain.' The resistance from the Thunderbolt was too intense. The mental backlash was severe, with 'Thunder Sword One' spewing every possible curse, causing a splitting headache. 'Damn it.' He recalled using the Thunderbolt previously in Sichuan. Back then, he had utilized his fiery energy to wield the Thunderbolt. Remembering the physical prowess he had gained at that time, he attempted the same now. 'Not bad.' It was effective once again. His physical capabilities had been greatly enhanced, enough to give him an edge over a swordmaster. Even against Cheonjon, one of the Three Masters. Though it was a beneficial technique for a brief use... 'The wretched old man.' The Thunderbolt's reaction and resistance were still a significant issue. "You insolent brat...! How is it that you can hold the Thunderbolt?!" Thunder Sword One was evidently displeased with the current situation, his fury relentless. The backlash from holding the weapon, even for that brief moment, was no joke. I had to struggle to suppress the flow of my internal energy, which kept trying to become chaotic. 'Still, in the end...' One strike had sufficed to deal with the situation. Snap! With another flick of my fingers, the barrier encasing Nam Goong Hyung vanished. "Uh..." Nam Goong Hyung knelt on the ground, looking dumbfounded. I returned the Thunderbolt to him. Knowing he would likely kick up a fuss if I tried to handle it directly, I used my void-grasp technique. Thud, thud. The Thunderbolt landed in front of him. Nam Goong Hyung looked at me with trembling eyes. "Uh..." He tried to speak. "By any chance, are you of the Nam Goong clan-?" "I am not a member of the Nam Goong clan," I cut him off, not wanting any strange misunderstandings. "I merely wished to assess the level of an old monster like the Three Masters." I strode over to the motionless Cheonjon. "It was underwhelming." Feigning carelessness, I examined Cheonjon. 'He's fine.' Despite having absorbed an overwhelming amount of energy—fully seventy percent of my strength—Cheonjon's body remained intact. How was this possible? 'I held back a bit,' I thought. I had intentionally tried not to kill him. 'Thunder Sword One must've intervened.' No matter how enraged he was, the Thunderbolt would protect its descendant. It ensured Cheonjon only fainted from the shock of the passing energy rather than losing his life. He'd likely remain unconscious for a short while. Confirming this, I turned my gaze to Nam Goong Hyung. "What are you doing?" "...Pardon?" Nam Goong Hyung seemed perplexed by my impatience. "I asked why you're still here after seeing everything. Get lost. You must have somewhere to be?" "...!" "If you don't go, I might just kill you." "I-I'll go!" Nam Goong Hyung stood up abruptly, still clutching the Thunderbolt. "But why...why did you..." "I'm not helping you," I emphasized. "As I mentioned, I was merely assessing the level of the Three Masters." "..." Nam Goong Hyung looked skeptical but didn't argue. Instead, he hesitated. "By any chance... could I follow you, sir?" "...What?" He uttered something nonsensical. "What kind of nonsense is that?" Follow me? What kind of madness is this? Looking at him incredulously, he continued. "I have nowhere else to go. I don't wish to return to the main house either. If you could take me as a servant, I'd be most grateful." He sounded earnest in his plea. Of course. "Get lost." I had no intention of taking him along. "I-I'll do anything you ask." "I said I don't need you. You fail to understand that sparing your life is the extent of my mercy." I let out a growl of killing intent, causing Nam Goong Hyung to flinch. "Leave." "..." Even after all this, he hesitated to move. His sudden behavior was perplexing. Sighing, I said to him. "If you have nowhere to go, head to Wudang." "...What?" "It seems like a place that would suit you." "Do you mean the Wudang Sect?" "Yes." I mentioned the place where he originally belonged, or should have belonged. Nam Goong Hyung needed to go there, if only so... 'He can encounter that troublesome fellow.' He could meet Woo Hyuk there. "..." Nam Goong Hyung's eyes flickered with thought. Then he looked back at me. "If I go there... will I see you again, sir?" "..." Why does he keep on about this? Why this fixation on me? "I don't know," I said, turning away. "If your skills improve, who knows." Upon hearing this, Nam Goong Hyung pondered briefly, then bowed low. "I will leave. I won't forget this favor." He bowed deeply in gratitude and hastily departed. '...Favor, my foot.' I had beaten his grandfather, and he speaks of gratitude. Their family must be quite dysfunctional. "Haah." Feeling Nam Goong Hyung's departure, I slowly approached Cheonjon. "..." Cheonjon lay unconscious. I needed to take care of him for now. More importantly... "Why don’t you show yourself now?" I still had business with... the one inhabiting him. Recalling this, I spoke. Suddenly... "My, my..." Cheonjon's lips moved, though he should've been unconscious. His eyes snapped open. "How did you know?" As they opened, Cheonjon’s eyes gleamed not with their usual blue but with a blood-red hue. Disgustingly so.