427 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Title: The Greatest Under Heaven’s Childhood Friend – Chapter 428: The Northern Rabbit When I arrived at the designated quarters, the first words out of my mouth were ones of irritation. "Ugh, why am I sharing a room with you?" I said this while unpacking my things. Behind me, a tall man was busy unpacking his luggage too. That man was Woo Hyuk. We had been assigned the same room. "Haha, what can we do when there are no rooms available?" he laughed. "Ugh, just my luck." The Tang Clan, a large and influential family, claimed a lack of available quarters and so crammed Woo Hyuk and me into the same room. The notion that such a grand household like the Tang Clan could run out of rooms seemed absurd. At first, it felt like a poor excuse to not give us proper accommodations. But the apologetic expressions of the staff and Tang So-yeol's earnest explanation left me with little room to argue. For the record, Cheol Ji-seon was with us as well. He was probably unpacking in a small adjoining room right now. As I continued to grumble, Woo Hyuk let out a chuckle. "Look, I get that you're disappointed it's not your sister-in-law, but try to endure it." "What nonsense are you spouting, you lunatic? Who's my sister-in-law?" "Well, there's too many to choose from, isn’t there..." Smack! "Ouch!" Woo Hyuk cried out in pain after getting hit on the back of the head for his nonsense. "You're asking for it." I had only barely tapped him, yet he was rolling on the floor clutching his head. Ignoring him, I went back to unpacking, with a single thought on my mind. I'll unpack just enough and then get some sleep. That was it. While I could use my internal energy to refresh myself, sometimes it's best to just rest properly. When I wrapped up unpacking, Woo Hyuk was still rolling on the floor, so I said to him, "The banquet is in the evening. Are you going out beforehand?" "Out? Where to?" Perhaps it was all an act, as Woo Hyuk stopped writhing at my question. I added, "They say your teacher is here." "Ah…." At the mention of the Wudang Hermit, Woo Hyuk's expression suddenly stiffened. Seeing him make that face was a rare sight indeed. "It's probably fine to go a bit later..." Why would he make such a reluctant face when he came all this way to meet him? For someone like Woo Hyuk, who usually easily got along with everyone, to be so averse... Who exactly was this person? Having never met the Wudang Hermit myself, I didn’t really know what to expect from someone with such a moniker. "I’ll find out when I meet him." Besides, I needed to see him about the Thunder Child. I was curious why a Wudang warrior would be in possession of a precious Namgung clan sword. Meeting the Wudang Hermit had a simple purpose. I intended to offer the Thunder Child to Namgung Bi-ah. Although the Demon Sword Queen was already a distinguished martial artist, when wielding the Thunder Child, she exhibited a monstrous level of skill. The sword perfectly complemented her ability to channel thunder energy. I wasn’t sure if they'd simply hand it over... But if they refused, "We'll deal with it then." I wasn’t without options, so I planned to assess the situation when the time came. While organizing my thoughts, Woo Hyuk asked, "What are you going to do until the banquet?" What will I do, you ask. Obviously... "Rest." "Rest...? You?" Woo Hyuk looked at me in disbelief, a reaction that puzzled me. "...What’s with that reaction? Can’t a person decide to rest? Any objections?" "A bit of disbelief." "You really want to die, don’t you?" The poorly delivered joke made my neck tingle with irritation. Geez, this guy. If you want to be folded in half, just say so upfront. Just as I prepared to approach Woo Hyuk, cracking my knuckles, he hastily continued. "No, it’s just that rest and you feel like such an odd combination." "What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t they go together?" Is there anyone as lazy and fond of lying around as I am? Woo Hyuk sighed deeply before responding. "You train all day. And when you’re not training, you’re always off wandering somewhere. I’ve never seen you resting." "…" As I considered his words, I realized he might have a point. Throughout the journey, if I wasn’t training or handling affairs, I was out eradicating monsters and absorbing their power. Really? Upon reflection, I hadn’t taken a single day off. So it wasn’t odd that Woo Hyuk saw it that way. "I wasn’t always such a diligent person." How did it come to this? "Ah, whatever. Today, I'm going to rest." Just as I shouted that and prepared to lay out my bedding, I sensed someone approaching from outside. -Young Master! "…" It was Tang So-yeol's voice. Why was he showing up now? I felt a sense of foreboding. -Are you in? As his presence neared, I opened the door and peeked out. "Ah!" Tang So-yeol beamed widely upon spotting me. "Why...?" Feeling a twinge of worry, I asked. Tang So-yeol cheerfully replied, "My father is looking for you! He said something has come up!" "…" I ran a hand over my face. I’d just settled into wanting to rest… It seemed that the world, indeed, had no plans of leaving me alone. Damn this world. ****************** Heeding Tang So-yeol's words, I headed towards the Venom King. Honestly, I didn’t want to go, but if they called urgently, it must be an important matter. "It better be important." If it turned out not to be, I was ready to express my displeasure. Even in a significant clan like the Tang Clan. Thanks to Tang So-yeol accompanying me, nobody dared obstruct my path through the estate. "Where are we heading?" I asked Tang So-yeol. We weren't going towards the residence of the clan head. "Oh, my father is in the guest quarters." "A guest?" A guest, huh? Who exactly was it? Could it be something to do with Baekryeon Sword and Mo Yong-hee? As soon as the question flickered in my mind, Tang So-yeol quickly clarified for me. "Oh, it’s not the Young Masters but another guest who arrived a few days ago." "Ah?" A guest from a few days ago? Ah! "Could it be that’s why they said there weren’t enough rooms?" Finally, I understood why they had asked me to share a room. It seemed the unexpected visitor had caused a shortage of rooms. Something felt off, though—no matter how important the guest, a grand and prestigious clan like the Tang Clan squeezing us into one room was unusual. While none of us made a fuss about it, if there had been someone more outspoken among us, they might have raised an issue. However, it's doubtful that anyone would dare confront a clan as formidable as the Tang. "Who could it possibly be?" Moreover, this guest arrived in the absence of the Venom King, indicating their significance. As I approached the quarters, I spotted the Venom King standing ahead, and I bowed respectfully. "I heard you called for me." The Venom King smiled faintly at my words. "We’re nearing the end of our journey, so I apologize for summoning you like this." "...No problem." If he’s aware, then why call me? I barely managed to swallow back my retort. My already poor emotional control seemed even worse today due to fatigue. It’s been particularly bad these days. Suppressing my irritation, I asked the Venom King, "Why have you summoned me?" What could be so important for him to call for me specifically? Seeing the displeasure clearly etched on my face, the Venom King responded with an awkward smile. "A guest has requested your presence, so I called you urgently." "Excuse me?" I frowned at the Venom King’s words. A guest asking for me? ...A guest of the Tang Clan requesting me? I had no understanding of this bizarre situation. Why would a guest request to see me? "Who is this guest that wishes to see me?" "First, come with me." With those words, the Venom King turned and entered the quarters. He didn’t provide a proper explanation and just walked ahead... With a frown deepening on my face, I followed. If there’s no satisfactory reason, I might just reach my breaking point. This was nearing my limit, personality-wise. Tang So-yeol glanced nervously at my deteriorating expression as he followed. The quarters were quite large. Compared to my accommodations, it was nearly twice the size. Comparable even to the Venom King’s master suite. Observing this, I thought, "What kind of important figure warranted the use of such facilities?" The building alone suggested someone of considerable importance must have been given accommodations here. Who in the world wanted to meet with me? No matter how much I racked my brain, no plausible candidates came to mind. Following the Venom King further, I saw there was even a small garden inside. It seemed they spared no expense. After a not-so-short walk, the Venom King stopped before a room and glanced inside as he spoke. "Master, I’ve brought Gu Gongja." 'Master...?' Hearing the Venom King refer to someone with such deference made my eyes widen. For the head of a great clan like the Venom King to use such respect… After announcing my arrival, the Venom King stepped aside, gesturing for me to enter. "…" It was a clear sign to go in and take a look. With a hint of tension, I stepped towards the room. As Tang So-yeol was about to join me, the Venom King raised a hand to stop him. An indication that he shouldn’t follow. Approaching the room cautiously, I peeked inside. Who could it possibly be…? "Uh?" The moment I saw a young figure sipping tea, a big question mark appeared in my mind. The boy's face was half-hidden by bangs, so I couldn’t make out his features clearly. Having recognized me, the boy nodded slightly. I knew this face. "You…." The boy's identity was none other than Zhuge Hyuk, who would one day be known as the strategist and mind behind the Demonic Sect. I wondered why Zhuge Hyuk was here all of a sudden, but there was something even more pressing. 'If he's here, then...?' Quickly, I turned my gaze to the person seated across from Zhuge Hyuk. The elderly man's eyes were already on me. His face was etched with time’s marks, his frame so thin that bones were evident, crowned with white hair. Despite his frail and humble appearance, there was likely no one in the martial world of Zhongyuan who could dismiss him. "It’s been a while." A high, thin, and sharp voice. The cool gaze piercing the air was at odds with the warm tales of benevolence and achievements in healing that were attributed to him. "Elder...?" "Hmph." Renowned for being able to save anyone, as long as they were breathing. Many revered the old man, referring to him with deep respect and awe for his incredible medical skills. "From the looks of it, you’ve been through quite a lot since we last met." Known as the Divine Doctor.