386 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

**Thunderclap Blade, Raia (雷牙).** Renowned as the "Fang of Thunder," this legendary sword stands among the most exalted divine weapons, esteemed for both its fame and its unparalleled craftsmanship. It belonged to no ordinary person; it was the cherished weapon of Namgung Myung, a hero of the Namgung clan who saved the world from a bloody catastrophe. It's no wonder it held such significance. Moreover, Raia carries a special meaning for me as well. The sword was once wielded by Namgung Bia, the Demonic Sword Queen. Due to these circumstances, I had the opportunity to closely observe Raia. Although the Demonic Sword Queen never allowed me to touch it, I witnessed its majesty from nearby. Its blade was so enigmatic that it seemed almost transparent, creating an aura of mystery, yet it was imbued with an inexplicable strength, never to be broken. There was one more distinct feature that set it apart from other swords, but this detail isn't crucial right now, so let's set it aside. What matters here is that Raia, the Namgung clan's treasured weapon and a symbol of their legacy, has ended up in the hands of a martial artist from the Wudang Sect. That martial artist is none other than Wudang's Eccentric, Gyu Do. Currently, he is the rightful owner of Raia, this invaluable treasure of the Namgung lineage. According to Woo Hyuk, he is indeed a famous figure. Originally a Taoist priest based at the Wudang main hall, it is said he roams the entire mainland for unknown reasons. While he has a reputation for being a sage, stories frequently mention how, when evil demons ran rampant from an uncontained portal and attacked a village, he happened to be there. Wudang's Eccentric dispatched the demons, saved the villagers, and then vanished. Despite his noble deeds, the mysterious character 'eccentric' in his moniker traces back to the peculiar actions he frequently exhibited. For example, he would suddenly start talking to himself and get angry, storm into unrelated merchants' offices causing mayhem, or practice swordsmanship in midair turning his surroundings into chaos—all too bewildering for the ordinary person. Because of these bizarre acts, people began calling him the Eccentric Sage. While the tales confirm his righteousness, his inexplicable actions render him a swordsman no one wants to closely associate with. That peculiar man is indeed Wudang's Eccentric, Gyu Do. However. 'Was that man the master of the Hidden Dragon?' This is something I never knew, even in my previous life. The Hidden Dragon never mentioned it to me, nor was it a widespread story throughout the mainland. "I wasn't planning on telling anyone." Even I, hearing this, was quite shocked. Woo Hyuk too seemed uncomfortable, sighing repeatedly after his revelation. "Pretty embarrassing master to boast about." From Woo Hyuk's comment, I gleaned a glimpse of understanding. ...Is that why it was kept a secret? Because it was embarrassing...? It truly is an awkward tale to openly declare as a reason. "But...you're going to Sichuan to find such a master?" "Well, there's nowhere else to stay if I go out. It's best to say I'm staying with my master for appearances." Indeed. Though Wudang's Eccentric is half-cast aside by Wudang, he still belongs to the Wudang Sect. If Woo Hyuk claims he's going to live with his master, it gives some degree of legitimacy. "...So, you're saying you want to accompany me to Sichuan?" "Isn't it nice? Friends traveling together!" "What friends? There's already a lot of people in the group going together." Though I haven't discussed it in detail yet, I already have a few people in mind who will accompany me to Sichuan. I've already talked it through with Pajeon. Pajeon, who coincidentally has business in Sichuan, agreed that it works out perfectly. Pa Ucheol also suggested visiting his old place, so might as well swing by. Moreover. Dangso-yeol's main family, the Tang clan, is the ruling power of Sichuan, so if he joins.... 'Wait a minute, will the Poison King come along...?' The thought gave me a shiver, but it couldn't be helped. Perhaps by coincidence or fate, the timing was perfect for a journey to Sichuan. The Shinyongguan unexpectedly decided to close temporarily due to unforeseen events, and the graduation process sped up unexpectedly. The key event I'm keeping an eye on is set to occur in approximately 2 to 3 years. If possible, I need to enhance my strength further before then. Though I have reached “Hwagyeong,” my achievement is still quite incomplete. What I must prioritize is... ‘I need to acquire the White Monster Core.’ A magic stone of the highest grade monsters, the white monsters, can drop. I already knew its existence and location but held off until I could fully embrace its power. In these current times, where even blue-grade monsters are rare, the existence of the White Monster Core is extremely precious. Even when a monster dies, the magic stone usually loses its potency quickly. Contrarily, the White Monster Core I aim to obtain retains its energy, regardless of the passing time. I don't quite understand how that's possible. The essential point is that the energy contained within the White Monster Core is immensely vast, incomparable to any spiritual medicine. For someone like me capable of harnessing the stone's energy, the White Monster Core would indeed be the most supreme spiritual elixir. Since I've reached Hwagyeong, albeit imperfectly, acquiring the White Monster Core has become more pressing. Hence, I’m heading to Sichuan with the spare time I have now. As for Woo Hyuk's company, as long as there are no incidents, he’s free to join if he wishes. "I still need permission. Our family head wouldn't allow it easily...." "Oh, the old clan head already gave his permission." "...What?" Woo Hyuk's words left me momentarily speechless. Father granted permission? "When?" "Um? Yesterday, when you were knocked out, I asked him?" "..." From Woo Hyuk’s comment, I realized that my spar with Father took place last night. "Father approved it?" "Yeah, yeah." "How?" "What do you mean how? I just asked if I could come along, and he said it was fine...." Asking Father outright was amusing enough, but his permission left me bewildered. "Well, it should be fine then." "...Uh...whatever. Do as you wish...." With no strong reason left to refuse, I gave in and said it’s fine. If any issues arise, we’ll handle them as they come. ‘Besides, it might be beneficial in the end.’ Despite my initial grumbling, hearing Woo Hyuk’s intentions left me with the sense that this might not be a bad thing after all. The fact that we would be visiting the Wudang Eccentric piqued my interest. ‘Things have certainly taken an unexpected turn.’ I had business with the Wudang Eccentric myself. More precisely, I had business with the sword, Raia. There was a time when Huang A Bulyoung whispered these words to me: "Find Namgung Myung." This implied that Namgung Myung, too, had left his soul floating in this world. Moreover, as I was headed toward the Namgung family, I could hear the voice of someone who appeared to be Namgung Myung. What he said was: “Find Raia.” He instructed me to seek out Raia, his cherished sword. I didn’t fully understand what that meant, but it seemed undeniably related to Shin Noya. ‘The mystery is that Shin Noya isn’t making an appearance.’ This old man keeps vanishing without appearing, leaving me with endless frustration. Nevertheless… at the point where I need to find Raia, it’s advantageous that Woo Hyuk wants to visit the Wudang Eccentric. It’s a chance to handle several tasks, including Raia, during this trip to Sichuan. Having done the mental math, I turned to Woo Hyuk. “I’ll go along with you on one condition.” “A condition? What kind?” At Woo Hyuk’s puzzled look, I laid out my terms. “When we get to Sichuan, introduce me to your master.” “…What?” “If you do that, let's travel together.” Woo Hyuk’s face twisted at my words. It was the first time I’d seen him look quite like that; for some reason, he was clearly reluctant to make the introduction, but I was firm on this point. Woo Hyuk hesitated for a long time, clearly weighing his options, before finally nodding in resignation. A deal was struck. ****************** After finishing my conversation with Woo Hyuk, with no further business to discuss, I unceremoniously threw Woo Hyuk out the window. Despite the height of the building, I knew that his level of skill would ensure he survived the fall without issue. As he was thrown out, his pleas for his outerwear stayed with me, but he’d manage somehow. I felt a sense of nostalgia. In a previous life, no matter how much I tried, I was constantly aggravated by the Hidden Dragon's antics. Now, I could deal with them much more easily. Creak. Exiting the room, I descended the stairs with my next stop in mind—where my father was. "Hm?" As I descended, I noticed Gu Hee-bi coming up the staircase from afar. It appeared she was returning from her morning training. She diligently kept up with her training without skipping a day. I considered offering a morning greeting as she caught sight of my face and burst into restrained laughter. What’s this? “Why laugh the moment you see someone’s face? It’s irritating.” “Hehe…Kuh… Sorry… Haha!” She couldn’t even hold back her laughter, and it only grew louder. “What’s going on?” “Haha…Ah…your face, why is it like that?” “My face?” “Your eyes…Kuh…Did you get beaten up somewhere?” At her words, I rubbed my eyes gently. Suddenly, a throbbing pain swept through me. Why does my eye hurt so much…? Ah. “Your eye’s bruised purple; it’s quite the sight.” “...” Of course, it was the injury from my sparring match with Father. A bruise must have developed from it. Gu Hee-bi was laughing so hard she was clutching her stomach. “Who hit you? Tell me, and this elder sister will take care of them.” “Father.” “…” “Why so silent? Weren’t you going to set them straight, sister?” Gu Hee-bi averted her eyes, desperate not to follow through on her earlier words. It seemed she had no intention of confronting the culprit if said culprit was our father. Amused by her reaction, I almost laughed but decided to let it go. “Never mind that. Where is Father?” “…In the training hall.” “The training hall?” I suspected he’d be there, given his routine, and my suspicion was confirmed. Just as I started walking past Gu Hee-bi, she called out to me. "Little brother." "Hm?" "Did something happen between you and Father?" “You can't tell? I got hit.” “I mean, aside from that.” She was making fun of my bruised eye earlier, and now she's asking if anything happened. How peculiar. “Then why?” “It's just that…Father seemed to be in unusually good spirits.” “What does his good mood have to do with me?” “If it’s nothing, then forget it.” Without giving me a proper response, Gu Hee-bi proceeded up the stairs, leaving me watching her back in bewilderment before I moved on. My destination was the training hall. A vacant lot behind the inn. With many martial artists often staying in Henan, the open space had been modified into a training ground. Normally, you’d expect a few martial artists practicing here. However, due to Lady Mi reserving the entire inn, it seemed that exceptions were made for our party. More importantly, even if there were martial artists around, I doubted many could withstand the intense heat exuding from this area. ‘It’s really stifling in here.’ The heat was so suffocating when I set foot on the grounds that I nearly choked. I directed my attention toward the source of the intense heat. As expected, it was Father. The intensity gradually subsided. It seemed Father had sensed my presence. His billowing robes settled, and collecting his internal energy, Father turned to me, speaking. “You’re awake…Ah.” “…?” He stopped mid-sentence, pursing his lips as his gaze landed on my face. I saw his eyebrows twitch. Could it be? ‘…Is he trying to stifle laughter?’ From the man who was responsible for my current state? “You’re awake.” “Just laugh if you find it funny.” “…What do you mean?” Now he was pretending not to understand, but his delayed reaction had already given it away.