391 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Title: The Best Under Heaven's Childhood Friend - Chapter 392: Northern Rabbit By the time I managed to drag myself out of the cave, the sun had already set. My entire body was drenched with sweat, and though I usually didn't bother with trivial matters like dirtiness, even I felt somewhat uncomfortable. “…This is exhausting.” I emerged with a weary body. Taking in the night air as if it had been waiting for me made me feel slightly more alive. How long had I been working on drilling a hole in the cave? I couldn't quite gauge it, but since I'd skipped meals, it must have been quite a while. “Oh, come to think of it, I didn't tell them I wasn't eating.” Only upon coming out did I realize. Usually, I would mention that I planned to eat before I set off or after I returned. But today, my focus kept me from doing so. “Eh, it should be fine.” Surely, they wouldn't skip meals just because I wasn't there... would they? “Hmm.” I wanted to believe that wasn't the case, but given past experiences, it was a lingering concern. Maybe I should quicken my pace a bit. After descending the mountain from the cave, it wouldn’t be long before I spotted the town. Even with nightfall, the streets of Hanam were still bright. Of course, "not long" is by my standards. If I increase my speed slightly using my skills, I could quickly close the distance. “This has changed too.” In acknowledging this, memories of the past resurfaced. I recall the time I was panting, trying to find a shortcut in Sichuan. “At that time, Uiseola secretly followed me.” I only noticed Uiseola was tailing me around the time I reached the destination. The embarrassing part was that despite me being exhausted from running, Uiseola had followed without a care. “It was odd back then.” Though it was strange, even delving deeper didn't make it any less so. I'm not sure about the present Uiseola, but back then, Uiseola was something hard to define as human. Things like having a faint presence or possessing unreasonably high strength for a normal person. Of course, by now, I had a vague understanding of the reason for this. Nothing to really ‘know’ or ‘not know,’ honestly. “She simply wasn’t human.” It was a realization that resonated more truthfully now. There was something about Uiseola. However, it was a notion I chose not to dwell on. “Uiseola is a person.” If I thought so, then that’s what she was. It felt like a half-hearted justification, but I just wanted to believe it that way. Look now — rather than remembering how odd she seemed, the memories of carrying Uiseola on my back while leaping filled my mind. Who Uiseola really was didn’t matter that much to me. “Back then, even this distance was tough.” It was around the time I barely reached the second tier of mastery after receiving a strange fortune. What foolish courage drove me to carry Uiseola on my back, I wondered. “Ah.” That’s right. Uiseola had asked me to carry her. Claiming she was tired, she requested a piggyback. Remembering that brought a smile to my face. It wasn't a bad memory either. As I reminisced about such trifles, my steps had already led me into the town. Upon arrival, I discreetly donned my bamboo hat. “…Tsk.” The fact that I needed to wear this to avoid recognition... How utterly embarrassing. Becoming too famous had its downsides. Especially now, with people from other regions congregating in the town, it was even more the case. Damn those Wulin Alliance folks. “Couldn’t they moderate the rumors a bit?” Despite their shoddy work, they were adept at spreading these ridiculous stories. To the extent that in Hanam, those who didn’t know my moniker or about me were rare. One might argue that for a martial artist, reputation could be a form of power, so such rumors weren’t altogether bad, but... “…I think they’re bad.” I heaved a deep sigh. Frankly, I wasn’t too fond of such attention. Although different from the attention I received in a past life, the gaze of people was still more uncomfortable than enjoyable. Was this something I inevitably had to face someday? “How do others endure this kind of stuff?” I thought of the four major families. They branded their clothes with symbols representing their families, making it easy to recognize them at a glance. Indicating the presence of a member from the noble families. In my youth, I wondered why they’d do something so embarrassing, but as my worldview expanded, I immediately understood. It was a form of value. It could prevent unnecessary disputes and, unless there were issues, they received special treatment everywhere. The treatment afforded changed from the start, allowing them to begin from a higher standing. Such was the power of reputation. It was, of course, far more complex than that, but that was my perception. Even if there were many benefits... “Until things calm down... let’s not draw attention.” No matter how one looked at it, it didn't suit me. I pressed the bamboo hat lower over my face. Shifting my presence, I quickened my steps as I felt an urgency to reach the inn as quickly as possible. After walking a bit longer, I suddenly stopped. It was a place that appeared to be a tavern—I was familiar with it. On occasion, Morion Hia would buy dumplings from here. Maybe because I once mentioned that they were tasty. “…Hmm.” I didn’t deliberate long over my decision. Entering the shop, I placed my order. By the time I exited, one of my hands was filled with bulging packages. Though I’d bought quite a bit, there was someone who would surely consume it all, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to buy extra. Should I buy some yakgwa too? If I saw any while passing by, I would definitely pick it up. With such thoughts, I resumed my walk toward the inn. The crowd was still plentiful. The night was lively on the street. The aroma of food wafted from my hands. I walked, taking a moment to enjoy the bustling streets. Despite disliking crowded places, I paradoxically longed for such sights. Seeing so many people reassured me that the bloodbath hadn’t descended upon us yet. Contemplating this, I paced myself slowly. Shortly after, continuing my walk, I noticed the crowd thinning out. I was nearing the inn, having passed through the bustling street. “But still, isn’t it too sparse?” Just as I was pondering over the unexpectedly reduced crowd, something caught my attention from a distance. "Hmm?" Sure enough, there was some kind of commotion in the distance. It appeared as if people were gathering there. Were they up to something? ‘No wonder the crowd is sparser than usual.’ That seemed to be the reason. I considered turning back, changing direction, when suddenly— “…I’m sorry.” A familiar voice reached my ears. I turned my head. Following the voice, my gaze landed on the back of a woman. The conversation about symbols came to mind. I'd mentioned that the symbols of the four major families were of value. The Guga (Gu Family) was no exception. Our family also had something of a symbolic emblem. We even had martial robes embroidered with it, but I seldom wore them. It felt embarrassing—going around wearing that. I doubted I’d wear it much in the future either. ‘It’s not like anyone else from the family wears it.’ Neither my father nor Gu Heebi (Hui-bi of the Gu Family) ever wore it in public. For important events, though, they would wear it. I remember them wearing it during the last Zhengfa Convention. Anyway. If you wonder why I’m bringing up the topic of symbols now, it’s because the martial robe that woman was wearing had our family symbol. It was a robe of the Gu Family. The deep crimson attire was decorated with a pattern embroidered in a pale yellow hue. It was the symbolic robe worn by a member of the Gu Family bloodline. There was only one person who would walk around in such an eye-catching outfit that I could think of. ‘Gu Yeon-seo?’ Indeed. The voice’s owner was Gu Yeon-seo. Upon realizing that, I moved closer to the crowd. Gu Yeon-seo was offering an apology to someone. Seeing that, I slightly furrowed my brow and observed the other party. The person Gu Yeon-seo was apologizing to was a middle-aged man with a massive build. A figure reminiscent of a giant. The size made the weapon at his waist look small in comparison. Dressed in black martial attire, with a black ring on his finger. That realization made it clear to me who the person was. Especially since I’d come across him a few times before, I couldn’t not recognize him. That man was— ‘The Peng Clan Leader?’ He was the clan leader of the Peng Family, known as the Knife King. ‘Why?’ I was filled with questions. Why were Gu Yeon-seo and the Peng Clan Leader like this in the middle of the street? Gu Yeon-seo appeared slightly hunched, seemingly intimidated. The expression on the Peng Clan Leader’s face was odd. Not anger, but a smile as if he had ensnared something. “…Hmph. These younger generation of warriors are truly disappointing. To walk without even looking ahead.” “...” “Let alone bumping into a senior’s shoulder. Is that how they teach you in your household? To do as you please?” “It’s my fault… I apologize.” A single eyebrow of mine lifted when Gu Yeon-seo apologized without any excuse. ‘What’s this?’ From the conversation, it sounded like Gu Yeon-seo bumped into the Peng Clan Leader’s shoulder. Based on their exchange, that was the implication. “It would have been more appropriate to approach with respect… Tsk tsk.” The Peng Clan Leader’s expression as he rattled off his words was bizarre. He didn’t appear angry; rather, it was a smile of advantage. ‘Bumped shoulders?’ That was something unthinkable to me. The crowd wasn’t dense enough to warrant such a thing, and someone like the Peng Clan Leader would hardly allow anyone to get that close before a collision. This indicated— It was a petty trick on his part. “Though she’s young, one has to wonder about the Guga’s level of education.” Upon mention of the Gu Family, Gu Yeon-seo visibly winced. Her ears reddened, and her posture became even more restrained. Confirming this seemed to cause a slight uptick in the Peng Clan Leader’s grin. “While your children might be gifted... your family's teaching on basic courtesy seems quite lacking…” “No, it’s… my fault for not seeing clearly ahead…” “Enough-!” The Peng Clan Leader’s sudden outburst made Gu Yeon-seo flinch back a step. “I haven’t even finished speaking, yet you interrupt!” “…I apologize. Please forgive my rudeness…” Every time the Peng Clan Leader found fault with Gu Yeon-seo, his grin widened. “Considering this is the most famous family lineage, it’s disappointing…” “…That…” As Gu Yeon-seo struggled to respond, she promptly shut her mouth. The weight of the Peng Clan Leader’s previous words bound her. Satisfied with her silence, the Peng Clan Leader continued. “To think poorly of the Gu Family was my attempt at being favorable, but seeing this, I think we should have been thankful it ended badly back then.” “…!” Mentioning the broken engagement made Gu Yeon-seo wince as she closed her eyes tightly. Upon witnessing that, my body moved on its own. “With these bloodlines, there’s no need to consider anyone else…” The Peng Clan Leader’s words cut off abruptly. Because I stepped between them. Watching any longer felt like it would raise my blood pressure to a deadly level. There was no way I could let that happen here. I instinctively pulled Gu Yeon-seo back by the shoulder. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sudden tug. I placed Gu Yeon-seo behind me and shielded her from the Peng Clan Leader. “What…?” The Peng Clan Leader’s expression was one of surprise at the sight of me suddenly appearing in front of him. Which was understandable. I was taken aback myself. How wouldn’t someone be, hearing such vile words? “Mister.” At my sudden and casual address, the Peng Clan Leader’s brow knitted in confusion. Perhaps because it was a title he’d never expected. Indeed. I couldn’t imagine someone outside his clan calling the head of the Peng Family “mister.” Watching his furrowed brow deepen, I spoke up. “You really.” “Talk like an ass.” “Talk like an ass... What?” Just as I continued, I felt an unexpected release of tension. Someone else abruptly interjected and spoke the words I was about to say. “Your mouth is filthy. Do you think it’s a trash can, spewing garbage like that?” “What…?” The Peng Clan Leader looked around in bewilderment, searching for the source of the voice. It wasn’t me who had spoken. The woman, who had appeared beside me with her arms crossed, was the one who had said it. Just as the Peng Clan Leader did, I was also busy scrutinizing this woman who had suddenly joined us. I hadn't expected that there would be another person, besides myself, daring enough to fling insults at the leader of one of the four great families. With eyes filled with surprise, I examined the woman. “Eh?” A sound slipped from my mouth unconsciously as I recognized the woman's martial attire. A light blue martial robe with an embroidered crest on the chest, along with several distinctive ornaments she was wearing. I'd seen these somewhere before. ‘Could it be…?’ It must be. Those were remarkably similar to the items worn by Morong Hia from the Morong Family. In fact, they weren't just similar. The martial robe was exactly the same, and the ornaments had the unique design characteristic of the Morong Family. In other words, this woman was a member of the Morong Family lineage.