419 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 420: The River of Dragons Crack! Snap! "Ugh...!" Lying face down, I struggled to suppress the pain. My body, coursing with the energy of the Tua Pacheon technique, was arduously working to mend the disrupted qi. Though the twisted internal energy slowly began to flow smoothly again through my meridians, and the gentle stream of qi resumed its regular path, my body—battered from battle and the recoil of power—was far from its normal state. Nonetheless, I could finally breathe with some ease. I managed to exhale the pent-up breaths in succession. "Huff... Huff..." While I lay on the ground, breathing heavily, the person tending to my injuries clicked his tongue repeatedly in disapproval. "Tsk, tsk... You brought this upon yourself by doing exactly what you were told not to do." "...Sigh..." Under normal circumstances, it would have taken a considerable amount of time for my body to restore itself fully. Yet, perhaps due to the presence of someone aiding my recovery, the process seemed to be at least twice as fast. Crack. As if a testament that the recoil hadn’t completely subsided, my muscles screamed in agony when I tried to rise. I forced myself to ignore the pain and slowly lifted my upper body. Then, I glanced at the person who had come to my aid. The first thing I noticed in his eyes was an unmistakable look of disappointment. "You look absolutely pathetic." "...How did you get here?" I wiped the traces of blood from the side of my hand and addressed Paejon. How did this man manage to find me? 'I'm certain I concealed my presence when I left.' It was surprising enough that someone managed to support me, but discovering that my helper was none other than Paejon had been even more shocking. I was grateful, sure, but I needed to ask. I had ensured that all presences and circumstances around me were meticulously considered and avoided when I made my escape. Even though I had a companion, Baekryeongeom wasn't just any second-rate warrior who would make such blunders. Given the circumstances, the only logical conclusion was that Paejon had tracked me using his full power. But then... '...When did this man start following me?' His presence had definitely been quite far off before he began tailing me. No matter how great Paejon might be, being one of the Three Sages, a certain limit was inevitable, especially since he was currently residing at the pinnacle level. Was it possible he simply didn’t detect my presence? The situation only generated more questions. Perhaps noticing my confusion, Paejon flashed a mischievous smile as he spoke to me. "Young one, no matter how far you run, it will still be within the palm of my hand." "..." "It seemed like you were up to causing some kind of trouble... and sure enough, here you are, sneaking out in the middle of the night for a fight. Could you not contain your energy or something?" His words were laced with laughter and mockery, yet I had to gulp down my dry spit. His teasing and derision reached my ears, but there was something more pressing at hand. 'How much did he see?' I was worried about how much Paejon had witnessed. Even though he was aware I possessed some unknown power, he wasn't familiar with the detailed specifics. My confrontation with Dangdeok was far more revealing. Starting off with using demonic transformation and showcasing enhanced martial arts with magi application... I had declared my domain using a corrupted True Heaven technique, and the sight of me engaging Dangdeok with blackened flames required no further explanation. It was a far cry from what a typical warrior should exhibit. If Paejon demanded a detailed explanation, I would find myself in a tight spot. "..." I had no straightforward way to explain myself. While I was lost in my concerns, Paejon directed his words towards me. "You, young one." "...Yes." "We have a conversation to hold, don't we?" "..." Damn. His words sent a cold sweat trickling down my back. "What exactly happened just now?" "..." As expected, he asked. But how should I respond? "Well, you see..." Should I explain how I acquired the magi? Or why I ventured out in the dead of night to find that opponent? A slew of thoughts raced through my mind. I even considered if I should reveal the truth about my rebirth. While grappling with these issues, Paejon fixed a serious gaze into my eyes. It was clear that if I refused to speak, he wouldn't let me off easily. In that moment of realization where I felt I should say something—anything... "About what I mean is..." "How exactly did you merge the energies?" "Actually... Huh?" Just as I was about to carefully speak one thing at a time, his question stopped me, eyes widening. He asked something entirely unrelated. He wanted to know how I merged the energies? "...What do you mean by that?" "When you used Ilshik, you combined the heat from your flame arts into the Tua Mugeon. Is that correct?" "Yes, that's correct." In the battle with Dangdeok, during the final phase where I had metamorphosed into some form of demonic state, I had used the flames of the Guyeomhwarun Arts in conjunction with the Tua Pacheonmu. Additionally, during the execution of Ilshik, using the Tua Mugeon I had included the heat as Paejon had once instructed. Evidence of this remained in the traces behind where Dangdeok had fallen, marked as if a giant beast had swept through—it still radiated the heat from the Guyeomhwarun Arts. "How is it possible to do that?" "..." Paejon asked earnestly while I struggled to comprehend why that was his first concern. After witnessing all of that, this was what he asked? "Is that really the extent of your curiosity?" "Hm? What else should I be curious about?" His words were spoken as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, causing me to ponder differently. Could he have not seen everything? It's possible. I thought he had followed me from the start, but perhaps Paejon arrived late and didn’t fully witness what I was doing. With those thoughts racing through my mind, Paejon continued. "As I said before, I don’t meddle with what you’re hiding or what powers you conceal." "..." His words caused me to bite my lip lightly. Essentially, that meant he had been aware of what I was doing all along. He had likely seen and understood the context about the magi from the time I encountered the Heavenly Demon. When I refrained from explaining, he merely chose not to pursue it further. By now, given the circumstances, he had plenty of reasons to dig deeper, didn’t he? Even after witnessing everything, the only thing Paejon asked was how I managed to use two energies simultaneously. "What matters to me is whether or not you can reach the pinnacle of the Tua Pacheonmu technique. Beyond that, I have little interest." "That..." The man was overly obsessed with his martial arts. I couldn't erase such thoughts about Paejon's reaction. Even when things had escalated to this point, that was his only concern. It's truly absurd. Whether Paejon noticed my feelings or not, he continued to probe. "So, how was it? Was it any easier to maintain?" "Not particularly." I said, truthfully. Trying to use it alongside Guyeomhwarun Arts was only more strenuous, not easier. 'The result was no different.' I glanced at the devastation caused by the Tua Mugeon. The execution was swift, and the martial art itself was powerful, but the problem was that I couldn't use it twice. Once was enough to leave my body in this wrecked state, so it was obvious. After hearing my words, Paejon looked slightly disappointed. "Hmm..." Why was he disappointed? It's not as if I could use more than two techniques. Not only did he seem unsatisfied, but he also withdrew the hand he'd extended to me and stood up. "I thought it wasn't too bad, but if you can't use more than two energies, it’s pointless." "Are you going to attempt it yourself?" "Don't talk nonsense. Do you think everyone in this world is as strange as you?" "..." His blunt remark was rather offensive, causing me to furrow my brows involuntarily, but Paejon turned his back as if he didn’t care. It was as if he intended to leave. Watching him, I spoke with a slightly confused expression. "Elder, where do you intend to go...?" "To return, of course. Where else would I go? There's nothing to do at this hour." "Just like that, are you?" What on earth was this man thinking? Was he really just going to leave without hearing any explanation? It was a relief for me, but it still left me feeling unsettled. Perhaps noticing my uneasy expression, he turned to me and spoke. "You don’t seem to want me around, so why do you wear such an expression?" "When did I ever give such an impression?" "The Bai Lianjian behind you. She’s the same. Don’t you have business with that big brute of a fellow too?" "..." With comments like these that I couldn’t refute, I was left at a loss for words. How much did this old man know, anyway? "You probably didn’t want to show me certain sides of yourself, so you chose to handle this alone. Knowing that, I decided not to interfere." His comment created a small contradiction. "Then... why did you follow me this time?" I asked curiously, and Paejon chuckled wryly as he explained. "I had a bad feeling since you were going to attempt using something in actual combat that I had explicitly advised against. I followed you just in case, and, alas, it proved to be premonition. Young one, do you not understand the importance of heeding advice?" "..." I shouldn’t have asked. Watching me avoid his gaze, Paejon clicked his tongue repeatedly. "Tsk, tsk... Had I not followed, you might have perished here. Don’t you realize this?" "...I am grateful." "As if. It’s not as if you're bowing to express gratitude." In truth, if Paejon hadn’t appeared, I might have been killed by Dangdeok, who could have regained his senses. For this, I was genuinely thankful, but it seemed Paejon didn’t believe my sincerity. "There will be no next time." His tone was colder this time, piercing through with an unusual harshness. "This is the last time I save you after you’ve ignored my warning and run into great trouble. I expect much from you, but I won't take someone who can't distinguish such trivial things as my disciple." His words, cold as they were, weren't wrong, so I nodded in acknowledgment. "I understand." Upon hearing my response, Paejon leapt away without another word, disappearing from sight. It was clear he intended to adhere to his promise not to involve himself further. He could have inquired about what happened, but he left without hesitation and utterly devoid of regret. I found it impossible to understand him. Did he really mean that he had no interest in anything but martial arts? To that extent, it bordered on madness. I continued to stare in the direction Paejon had vanished, then turned my attention back. Towards where Dangdeok lay. I began to walk. Regardless of anything Paejon may have done, I couldn’t forget my primary objective. With each step, pain surged through me. Although Paejon had taken time to stabilize my condition, the recoil from my martial arts had not fully dissipated. I endured it as I reached Dangdeok. I looked down at his unconscious form, lowered to my knees, and extended my hand toward him. Even as I did so, the concerns remained. 'Will this work in my current state?' Dangdeok was at death's door, true, but he had fainted. I was in no shape to match my energy, and considering Dangdeok seemed to have some resistance to magi, I wondered if I could corrupt him. The worries loomed like mountains, but even if this failed... 'If it fails, I'll just kill him.' Since I figured I could simply kill him and be done with it, I didn’t hesitate to extend my hand. Eventually, my hand touched Dangdeok's back. I immediately channeled magi into his heart. **************************** Crush. I pushed aside the underbrush as I walked. Any insects that had been chirping fell silent as I drew near. Perhaps it was because the magi and animosity lingering on my body were not completely erased. If not that, then it was perhaps due to the aura emanating from up ahead. It was likely the latter. While the distance wasn’t considerable, the closer I got to my destination, the more the sharp scent pierced my nose. Smelling it made me frown. 'This is...' Blood. The pungent smell of blood was emanating from afar. Piercing through the darkness shrouding my vision, I moved towards the source of the smell. Upon reaching my destination, the reason for the overwhelming stench of blood became clear. Everywhere was soaked in blood; it was no wonder. "Oh, you've arrived?" Someone stood above the artificially created pool of blood, waiting to greet me. It was the Baek Lianjian. "..." I found myself at a loss for words. Despite her cheerful greeting, Baek Lianjian's appearance was quite unsettling. All around were bodies, brutally slain, painting the ground in blood. Blood dripped from the tip of her sword, and her once pristine white attire was now stained with red. With traces of blood smeared lightly on her cheeks, she smiled, yet there was an undeniable air of madness about her. Seeing her smile like that perhaps made the impression stronger. When I had asked her to handle the bandits, Baek Lianjian had readily agreed, almost as if the task was beneath her concern. The bandits were affiliated with the unorthodox sect; thus, it was justified. It seemed she had carried out my request to rid the area of bandits. Perhaps noticing my unsettled expression, Baek Lianjian sheepishly rubbed the back of her head and smirked. "It's a bit of a mess, isn't it? Does it look that bad?" While it wasn't exactly a pleasant sight, my unease didn't arise solely from the scene before me. "Not really. It just seems like it's going to take some time to get rid of the smell of blood." "Aha...?" It would have been better if she had dispatched them cleanly. Instead, she made it troublesome to clean up. With her skills, she could have easily done so. I wondered why she chose such a violent approach. Addressing my unspoken concern, Baek Lianjian replied. "Their words were nasty, and I lost my temper." "...I see." The bandits must have said something they shouldn't have. Bringing Baek Lianjian along for this task was my decision, yet the brutality was beyond what I expected. 'Still...' Since things went as planned, I suppose it was fortunate. "But, Yangcheon." "Yes." As I tried to see things positively, Baek Lianjian asked, sounding puzzled. "Who’s that fellow?" Pointing behind me, she inquired. The figure she was pointing at was a burly man biting his lips as he took in the gory spectacle around him. This man was the leader of the bandits and would later be known as the Green King. His name was Dangdeok. Unable to speak a word, Dangdeok just stood there, trembling with rage at the loss of his companions. However, despite his anger... "Introduce yourself." "..." He could do nothing but offer a fist salute to Baek Lianjian as I ordered. Baek Lianjian tilted her head, seemingly unable to comprehend the situation. Ignoring her confusion, I grinned and introduced him. "This is my new bodyguard." Although Dangdeok's shoulders quivered with anger, he dared not voice any objections. I had ensured that he could not utter a word before receiving my command. From this, it was clear. Dangdeok had become a demon, and I had successfully achieved my intended plan. ********************* By the time I returned to the campsite, dawn was breaking. Fearing I might be late, I had hastened my return. Fortunately, I managed to arrive on time. Pretending nothing was amiss, I gathered breakfast. Though outwardly composed, my internal state was far from well. 'This is exhausting...' The recoil's effects had not fully dissipated. Despite losing consciousness, transforming a martial artist of his caliber into a demon immediately affected my body adversely. It was more like I was in poor shape. Regardless, I couldn't afford to show it, so I merely endured. Namgung Bia gave me a peculiar look as she awakened, but she refrained from asking any questions. It was unexpected; I thought she'd say something. Instead of Namgung Bia, someone else approached me with a question. "Young Master, who's that?" Around noon, Dang So-yeol appeared, glancing at Dangdeok standing behind me. Dangdeok was concealed beneath the cloak I had prepared for him. "A bodyguard." "A bodyguard?" "Yes. Lady Mi sent another one for me." "Oh...! From Lady Mi." Dang So-yeol nodded in understanding without suspicion. Given Baek Lianjian's involvement, using Lady Mi as cover was the best approach. The only thing to be cautious about was... perhaps Dangdeok's reaction. -Stay still. I cautioned him amidst the emotions I sensed. Dangdeok's fists were clenched, trembling slightly. It was likely due to Dang So-yeol. Dang So-yeol belonged to the Dang family that Dangdeok harbored a deep grudge against. Observing this, a question emerged in my mind. 'Did the Doku King really not know?' While it was believed that the Heavenly Physique Birth Plan was an experiment solely by Duke Dang Biseong, I doubted the current heirs knew nothing about it. While the ambition to elevate the Dang family may have been personal to Dang Biseong, nothing guaranteed that his descendants didn't share this ambition. As I pondered deeply on this, questions about Dang So-yeol also arose. Questions regarding the future Poison Queen. Currently, Dang So-yeol showed promise but was merely talented in the middle stage. However, her future reputation painted a different picture. The Poison Master immune to all poisons. She attained a level even the Toxic Duke, Dang Biseong, couldn’t reach. Dang So-yeol of the future achieved this remarkable feat alone, yet I couldn’t help but speculate. From what I saw, Dang So-yeol didn’t possess the innate talent to rise to such heights. While capable, she paled in comparison to the geniuses surrounding her. Simply put, she lacked the innate gift to be considered a genius. For Dang So-yeol to accomplish such a feat through sheer effort alone seemed...an insurmountably high achievement. Hence, the skepticism. Remembering the absurd experiment of the Heavenly Physique Birth Plan. Did the Dang So-yeol before me genuinely reach such heights solely through effort? Such uncomfortable doubts lingered. As Dang So-yeol tilted her head curiously, misunderstanding my scrutiny, I just shook my head. No matter how corrupt the Dang family might have been, I wanted to believe that it wasn't as rotten as my imagination painted it to be. No, it mustn't be.