1152 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Shanxi. In terms of region, it's not a small place, but when it comes to fame or notoriety, it doesn't particularly stand out. It lacks a renowned family that could be called one of the Four Great Families, and it's also devoid of any prestigious sects among the Nine Great Clans. Though the Hebuk Paeng family is nearby, they do not belong to Shanxi's families or sects, so their influence is limited. A place that's known by name yet lacks substance. That was the present Central Plains, and the impression of Shanxi in the future. Neigh! The horse whinnied while gradually slowing down. As the wheels of the carriage started losing momentum, I glanced outside, absorbed in a strange sentiment. "This place is similar to the one I know." The place I often visited in my childhood and into adulthood. A place I was confined to as if I wore a collar, coming here so often that I grew tired of it. A location where the influence of the Gu family was at its peak. "Buy these fruits!" "Hey, look at these!" Similar to any other marketplace, although relatively small, the reactions and the crowd weren't that different. It was truly an ordinary place. Just like the one I knew well. As I silently watched the scene unfold— "What are you thinking?" "......" Hyun So Yeon spoke to me. "......Pardon?" "I asked because your eyes seem unusually sentimental. Have you been here before?" "......No, it just reminds me of someplace I know." "Really? After all, most towns are quite similar. But what’s with those eyes of yours?" "......What's wrong with my eyes?" "They just seemed oddly sentimental for you." "Oddly sen—" Her words were a bit hurtful, so I clicked my tongue silently and looked away. There was truth in her words. "There’s no need to feel nostalgic over this place." The Gu family wasn't gone from the world I was from. It was merely a brief wave of past emotions I felt. "......What's important isn’t this town." I needed to remember what I sensed before entering Shanxi. "Who could it be?" Whose voice was it exactly? "You're the charred one, aren't you?" I recalled the voice that spoke to me. It wasn't transmitted telepathically. It was an alien sound that seemed to lodge in my brain and pass directly through. That bizarre sensation lingered in my mind. "Tsk." Since the others hadn’t heard it, I must have been the only one who did. "Who could it be?" I was curious about who might have said such words while looking at me. "......Hmm." To some degree, I had a prediction. But. "......It would be troublesome if it were true." I just hoped it wasn't. Creak. The carriage, having slowed down, gradually came to a complete stop. Turning my eyes, I saw a familiar entrance. The Gu family's estate in Shanxi. The plaque clearly displayed above the tall gates. "We've arrived." Father remarked as he stepped out of the carriage first. Following his lead, we also exited, where we saw people already assembled outside to greet us. "Honored guests, we welcome the Master and the Young Master." An elderly man with noble white hair nodded at us respectfully. "......Huh?" I was internally surprised as I recognized him. "......It's the steward, isn't it?" He was unmistakably the steward of the Gu family. What surprised me was— "......He looks the same?" The steward looked identical to how I remembered him. He hadn't aged, nor did he seem any younger. "What’s this about?" While feeling slightly out of place with that sight— "......!" The steward’s gaze suddenly flicked towards me. Normally, this would be a moment I'd just let pass. "......" For some reason, a chill ran down my spine. Not feeling anything specific was oddly unsettling. The steward then diverted his eyes away from me, directing his attention back to Father. "As you've informed, I assume you've had a tiring journey. Please, come inside." "Steward." "Yes, Young Master." "What about the Master?" Flinch. Hearing about the Master froze my body unwittingly. "Ah, the Master is currently away. However, he informed us he'd return within the day." "I see... Understood." Father nodded and started moving. "......Away? In this situation? What on earth should we do about that crazy man." Gu Ryun twisted his face in evident displeasure. He seemed to glare at me, perhaps considering me the cause. Nam Goong Jin, half-dragged by Hyun So Yeon, entered, and Do Yoon, standing firmly facing the Gu family estate, followed the group with a resolute expression. "Come to think of it..." I had to also be wary of that guy. If Do Yoon’s objective was here, I had to ascertain what his intentions were. Once the group followed the steward into the Gu estate and I was about to move slowly— ZGVPdDc2cnQxMFU0bVlrbnZITXlVaC9yMzJEakJBaUVLcEJEMmpNNTdYRVdycGxjY1JqZ1ZDOUpTV05LRFp4eg "So, I find myself here again." Pae Jon was scratching his ear and muttered under his breath. I asked with curious interest upon hearing him. "Have you visited here before?" Could it be that Pae Jon had visited the Gu estate? Well, indeed. "Didn’t he say he was close friends with the First Elder?" Pae Jon also mentioned having met my grandfather, so him having visited the Gu estate wasn't entirely outlandish. "......I've been here. A long time ago." "Oh... Why was that?" "It was back when I roamed picking fights. Probably not long after coming down from the mountain." I understood the timing. It was shortly after Pae Jon left his own clan, Sahn An Bi, and perfected his Tā bō Qiáng technique. Back then, Pae Jon was known as an unstoppable martial maniac, battling experts all around. Some called him a man of heavenly fortune— For despite all his fights, he survived unscathed with all limbs intact. "At that time, I heard rumors of a madman living in Shanxi and thought to test him. That brought me here." "......A madman?" "Yes, he certainly lived up to his name. I've never seen anyone as insane as him." "......By any chance—" "That's right." Pae Jon chuckled as he related to me. "It was your father." "......" The father Pae Jon was referring to was likely my grandfather. ‘Grandfather... was known as the Mad Ghost?’ What kind of deeds could earn such a wild and unconventional nickname? It was overwhelmingly puzzling. ‘Grandfather...’ I don’t have many memories. In fact, none at all. He was gone by the time I was born, and even if I had seen him... ‘All I remember was a faceless form.’ Just the shape of a man turned to flame. That’s all I had ever witnessed. ‘...But grandfather.' I felt an odd sensation. "He was indeed strong. The problem began when I became entangled with him; it was quite troublesome." "...Troublesome?" "Some stories are better left untold." Pae Jon didn’t continue and clicked his tongue before entering the Gu estate. "......" If he was telling a story, he could’ve finished it. I felt an unsettling sensation as I proceeded into the estate. And then— Vwoooong—! “......!” At the moment my foot stepped past the threshold— Fwoooosh—!!! An unknown energy swept past my body. ‘What is this?’ Was it discomfort? Or simply strangeness? It was an undefinable feeling. What was happening now? I tried hard to ignore it and continued to move. ‘…Ha.’ My heart was in turmoil. ‘Somehow.’ My intuition told me it was right. ‘This must be the right choice.’ Coming to the Gu family seemed to be the right decision among the things I had to do in this world. * * * Upon arriving at the Gu estate, we had some time to wait. With the head of the Gu family absent, there wasn't much we could do immediately. There were a few things to unpack, so we had a bit of time to rest. The Gu estate wasn’t overly large, but since they operated with fewer people, there was plenty of space for guests to stay. What struck me the most was— ‘…My old room?’ By strange coincidence, the place I was assigned happened to be the room I originally resided in. "You can leave your belongings here... we'll definitely prepare your bedding, but if you need something, over there... huh?" The attendant began to explain but stopped short as I preemptively pulled out the blankets. "…Huh?" "Oh." Quickly realizing my mistake, I hurriedly provided an explanation. "I somehow guessed this would be the place." "Oh... I see." I waved it off as nothing, unpacked my things, and spread out the bedding. The attendant offered to do the preparations themselves, but— "I find it more comfortable doing it myself." I declined. I was never fond of having others come into my room. After organizing to an adequate degree, I stepped outside. I was instructed to wait for about half an hour and was told it would be convenient to have a look around. Though— ‘...There's nothing different.’ I couldn’t find anything particularly remarkable. Really, how was it possible to have so little change? ‘Where’s all the funding going?’ In the future, the Gu family was supposed to receive significant support from the Baekhwa Business Group. I was bewildered about where that support was going, seeing no differences between the present and the future. "…Haha." But since everything was the same, it was easy to find my way. I walked down paths I’d traversed hundreds of times. I gazed upon scenes I had seen thousands upon thousands of times. ‘…….’ The emotional impact was non-existent. As I had mentioned, everything was eerily the same. ‘I’ve seen enough.’ I understood why they suggested touring the residence. With so little to see, what else could there possibly be? Deciding it was meaningless, I was about to head back when— “…….” I stopped, momentarily, my gaze fixed on something. In the desolate space of the Gu residence. There was an entrance uniquely adorned and beautiful. ‘What’s that?’ I found it, the sole difference from my memory. Even— ‘Wasn’t that spot...?’ It didn’t seem like something that existed in the Gu estate I knew. Was that place even there before? I moved forward instinctively. From the entrance, the pathway was different. Flowers lined it, groomed and eased as if it were a trail meant for leisurely strolls. As I walked further down the serene path. ‘……Here.’ I arrived at a lake. It was a space with an astonishingly picturesque landscape. I didn't realize a place like this existed at the Gu estate. With a refreshing breeze met location. At the heart of the lakeside was a waterwheel and a small hut. An unconventional setup, but strangely familiar. ‘Ah.’ It didn’t take long before it dawned on me. ‘This…’ Where had I seen it? ‘In the Heavenly Demon’s secret realm.’ The space the Heavenly Demon freely accessed and exited. It felt reminiscent of that scenery. Not identical but similar in feeling, perhaps? Why was such a place at the Gu estate? While I stood there, bewildered— Creak—! “……!” The door to the hut swung open, revealing someone stepping out. “Oh my…” A middle-aged woman emerged from behind the door. Her hair was half white, her face softly lined with age, projecting a gentle impression. Who was she? I couldn’t tell. At that moment— “A visitor?” She smiled warmly, addressing me. “Oh... I’m sorry.” I quickly apologized. "I didn’t realize and inadvertently trespassed. I will leave right away….." "No need for that. It's not a restricted area, so there's no trouble." The woman maintained her pleasant smile and subtly gestured towards her hut. "If it's not too much trouble, would you like to come in for a moment?" “…….” Had it been a typical situation, I would have declined. “...Would that be alright?” But somehow, at that moment, I couldn't refuse. It was, peculiarly, a compelling feeling.