Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 529

“Ugh… my whole body aches…”

Staggering, I returned to my quarters immediately after finishing training with Paejon.

That damned old man. Whatever he put me through, my arms and legs were trembling like leaves.

[See? I told you to hold back a little.]

Noya’s words made me chuckle dryly.

Well, he wasn’t wrong. My mouth had been the problem. If I hadn’t mouthed off, the training might’ve ended much sooner.

‘...I did hold back, though.’

[You call that holding back?]

Noya’s tone was incredulous.

Honestly, that was me holding back a lot. Why was he so surprised?

‘I just couldn’t stomach not landing a single hit.’

If I couldn’t resolve things with my fists, then I at least had to get under his skin with my words.

Because of that, what should have been one punch turned into two, three… maybe more. But what else could I do? I had to let it out somehow.

Crack.

“Ow, damn it…”

As I walked, my bones audibly protested.

The spots where I got hit still throbbed with pain.

It was no surprise; my whole body had been rattled by those blows.

That damned old man showed absolutely no mercy.

‘But still, not even grazing him? Come on.’

No matter what I tried, every move was blocked, flipped, or countered.

Whenever I attempted to mobilize my energy, he cut it off. Whenever I initiated a motion, Paejon was already there, one step ahead.

It felt like running into a wall.

More than just a barrier in cultivation, Paejon embodied the wall of a true martial artist.

Well, that made sense.

After all, he was a man who reversed his aging just to perfect his martial arts.

Feeling such an insurmountable wall was only natural.

‘...But how am I supposed to overcome this?’

It was a serious problem at this point.

‘Block him?’

The task Paejon had given me was daunting.

Before I could train in Tua Pacheonmu, I had to achieve something first.

Paejon had said I needed to "raise my vision." If I could block just one of his movements, the training would be complete.

It sounded easy enough when he said it.

‘But it’s unbelievably difficult.’

In practice, it was an entirely different matter.

When all your options were shut down, how could you block instead of dodging or defending?

‘Ugh…’

Trying to pull this off against Paejon was no small feat.

‘He must’ve set the timeframe with that in mind.’

After our training session, while sitting on top of me, Paejon had said:

-“It’ll probably take you about a year to get the hang of it.”

Apparently, it would take roughly a year to even grasp the basics of what he wanted me to learn.

Not to finish the training, mind you—just to get a sense of it.

So, for a year… I’d have to endure daily beatdowns like this?

‘...I’m screwed.’

The thought of the hell awaiting me made cold sweat drip down my back.

[Heh.]

Hearing Noya’s chuckle didn’t help my mood.

‘Stop laughing and help me out, will you?’

[Help? With what?]

‘What does it mean to “raise my vision”?’

I was curious about what Paejon expected of me.

Noya undoubtedly knew. When we first started training, even he had been impressed, which meant he understood what Paejon was aiming for.

[Hmm.]

Noya seemed to hesitate, pondering before finally replying.

[This isn’t something I should guide you on.]

A rejection.

That was rare. Usually, even if he cursed me out in the process, Noya would provide some form of advice.

Rather than feeling offended, I was more intrigued.

‘May I ask why?’

[Normally, I’d give you some explanation, but in this case, his teaching method suits you better.]

‘...Wouldn’t that mean you should explain it to me?’

Even if the training method itself was effective, couldn’t he at least help me understand the concept?

That was my reasoning. However, Noya’s response remained consistent.

[This is the kind of training, kid, where the meaning only becomes clear if you discover it for yourself.]

‘That’s the part I hate the most.’

"Figure it out yourself." "Find your own answers."

I’d grown sick of hearing those words in this lifetime.

Still, if both Paejon and Noya insisted on this, then it seemed I really had to work it out on my own.

Even if that meant enduring a year of constant beatings.

‘...Should I just run away?’

The thought crossed my mind.

Of course, I wouldn’t, and I couldn’t, but it was amusing to entertain the idea for a moment.

“Sigh.”

With a deep exhale, I entered my quarters.

The sky had already turned dark; it was nighttime.

Had Father returned yet? A quick glance around confirmed he hadn’t.

‘Now that I think about it, I never checked on the Tang Clan’s situation.’

While the Tang Clan was being turned upside down, I’d been busy getting beaten by Paejon.

‘...Tsk.’

I needed to understand what was going on to properly plan my next moves.

‘I’ll have to ask Moyong Hee-ah later.’

She had left earlier, seemingly with a purpose. Tomorrow, I’d have to find her and ask.

Besides, I’d need to see her anyway for her cold energy treatment.

‘...But is it safe to proceed now?’

What concerned me was whether my current energy, having shed its previous state, might negatively affect Moyong Hee-ah’s body.

Ultimately, I’d only know by trying it.

‘Hmm…’

The uncertainty made it hard to decide.

How laughable. In the past, I would’ve acted without hesitation.

Had I grown attached? Was that why I hesitated now?

‘Yeah, that’s why.’

Knowing it didn’t make it any less aggravating. My selfishness and pettiness were infuriating.

‘I’ll need to wrap everything up within a few days.’

There were many tasks to handle: the Tang Clan’s affairs, my dealings with Tang Deok and Nahi, my stance with the Divine Doctor, and sorting out the opportunities I’d gained.

At least my body was in better condition now.

The intense training with Paejon had helped my energy flow stabilize and my body adapt.

Once I cleared my tasks, it’d finally be time to—

‘Take the Dokcheon Pill.’

Absorb the energy from the pills I’d been saving.

Even though I’d decided to let the Divine Doctor have the White Demon Stone, I still needed the Dokcheon Pill.

And there was someone else to think about.

‘I need to give one to Tang So-yeol.’

Despite her vow not to rely on external power, I wanted to help her somehow.

Even if the Poison King noticed I’d given one to his daughter, he wouldn’t make a fuss. Probably.

‘And if he does, well, whatever.’

If necessary, I could just claim I didn’t have any left.

‘But for now, I need rest.’

After hours of getting pounded, I was at my limit.

I needed to get to bed quickly and recover.

Tomorrow, the Poison King would likely deliver instructions to those staying here.

It was reasonable to expect he’d ask us to leave the Tang Clan soon.

Considering everything that had happened, lingering here any longer would only be suspicious.

That meant I didn’t have much time left here.

‘...Not that there’s much else to do anyway.’

I did feel a bit bad about not visiting Paeh Woo-cheol’s family, but it wasn’t exactly critical.

As I finalized my thoughts, I approached my resting area, but—

Vrrrum.

“…?”

Suddenly, I felt something stir within my body.

Was it near my heart?

There was a strange sensation, like something reacting to energy, as if pointing me somewhere.

What was this?

-“Hissss…”

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Even the creature tucked in my robes poked its head out, sensing the situation.

And this guy…

“Hey, where have you been?”

-“Hiss?”

“You little… You disappeared while I was getting my ass kicked, and now you crawl back in?”

While I was being pummeled by Paejon, this thing had vanished without a trace.

When did it even sneak back in?

-“Hiss.”

Feigning innocence, it tilted its head, tongue flicking out as if it had no idea what I was talking about.

Pretending to be clueless while it clearly understood everything?

[He’s just like you, you know.]

‘...’

Ignoring Noya’s mocking tone, I grabbed the little snake and tossed it into my room.

-“Hissss!”

The creature let out a sharp hiss, but I slammed the door shut.

“That’s your punishment. Stay put.”

With that, I turned and walked away.

As much as I wanted to collapse onto my bed, the persistent resonance tugging at me wouldn’t let me rest.

In the end, I had no choice but to follow it.

The distance wasn’t far.

The sensation led me to a small clearing behind my quarters.

It wasn’t hard to find; the energy emanating from there was unmistakable, thick with ominous intent.

Landing lightly in the clearing, I scanned my surroundings.

“…What the hell are they?”

In the center of the clearing, two figures were suddenly locked in an intense duel.

Clang!

Swords collided, creating sharp, resonating sounds.

The air rippled with the friction of their energies, each shockwave unleashing gusts of wind that swirled around the area.

The ones responsible for this spectacle were none other than Namgung Bi-ah and Woo-hyuk.

Their sword auras clashed violently, and their strikes left vivid, savage scars in the air—proof of their earnest intent to fight.

“You’ve arrived,” a voice called out.

I turned to see the Hermit smiling as he approached.

So, he was still here.

But why?

“Wondered where you’d gone, but here you are… What happened to your face?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“How can I not? It looks just like last time.”

My cheek, swollen from Paejon’s punches, was clearly noticeable.

It wasn’t as bad as before, but the pain felt just the same.

Ignoring the Hermit’s puzzled expression, I asked, “What’s going on here? Why are they suddenly dueling? And so fiercely at that?”

The Hermit answered casually, “Your cousin wanted to test something, so my disciple is sparring with her.”

“Test something?”

I looked toward Namgung Bi-ah.

What was she trying to confirm?

As I observed her more closely, something struck me.

“…Huh?”

Namgung Bi-ah looked different.

Her white hair seemed even whiter, almost glowing, and lightning energy coursed visibly through her strands. But that wasn’t all.

The aura surrounding her body shimmered faintly with lightning energy, and in her hand…

‘Thunder Fang?’

Yes, it was Thunder Fang.

Namgung Bi-ah wielded the sword, its brilliant blade radiating with dazzling energy.

‘She can use it.’

I found myself involuntarily captivated by the sight.

Recalling our sparring session earlier in the day, I remembered how Namgung Bi-ah had proven that she could wield Thunder Fang.

It made sense now, of course, but back then, she couldn’t have been certain if she could truly control it.

For her to have attempted to seize it… how had she been so confident?

Without certainty, she wouldn’t have risked such a move.

Whirrr!

Thunder Fang hummed, its energy surging.

Rumble!

A low, thunderous growl resonated from Namgung Bi-ah’s sword.

Clang!

“…!”

The next collision sent Woo-hyuk flying backward.

‘That’s Thunder Fang’s power.’

The blade absorbed energy and repelled the opponent’s attack—something I distinctly remembered feeling when I wielded it.

Woo-hyuk’s expression twisted in frustration.

His swordsmanship was flawless, proving his reputation as a latent genius. His technique brimmed with maturity and power.

Rumble!

Yet the relentless lightning energy overwhelmed him.

He began to falter, and soon after—

“…Well, I lost.”

With Namgung Bi-ah’s sword at his throat, Woo-hyuk admitted defeat.

“Not bad at all. Haha!”

Last time, Woo-hyuk had beaten Namgung Bi-ah. This time, the tables had turned.

While Namgung Bi-ah’s growth was impressive, much of her victory could be attributed to Thunder Fang’s power.

What was curious, though, was how little Woo-hyuk seemed to care about losing. He just kept laughing.

That was typical of him, so it wasn’t surprising.

‘But why does she look like that?’

Namgung Bi-ah, on the other hand, seemed displeased.

Hoo…

Her body gradually returned to normal, the lightning energy receding into Thunder Fang.

Once she returned to her original state, she turned her head and met my gaze.

“…Ah.”

The moment she noticed me, her expression softened, and she began walking toward me.

‘Oh, crap.’

Seeing her approach, I instinctively wanted to bolt.

I wasn’t ready to face her yet—it was too embarrassing after earlier.

“…You’re here…?”

She greeted me as usual, but it seemed I was the only one overthinking this.

“Oh… uh… yeah…”

What the hell was that stammering response?

Even I cringed at my pathetic reply.

Namgung Bi-ah, raising an eyebrow, reached out to touch my face.

“…Your face… what happened…?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Just took a bit of a tumble during training.”

Technically, that wasn’t a lie. I did tumble… thanks to someone else’s fists.

“…Hmm.”

“Really, don’t worry about it. It’ll heal with some rest.”

The injuries weren’t severe—they’d fade soon enough.

Namgung Bi-ah seemed to accept that, though her concern lingered in her gaze. She nodded briefly and handed Thunder Fang back to the Hermit.

Taking the sword, the Hermit asked, “What do you think? Did you like it?”

I noticed then that the test must have been about Thunder Fang. She had likely wanted to confirm whether she could wield it properly.

‘She seemed to handle it just fine.’

Watching her use Thunder Fang without issue, it crossed my mind that the Hermit might give it to her outright.

If that happened, I wouldn’t need to negotiate with him for the sword—how convenient.

Just as I was appreciating the situation—

“…No.”

Namgung Bi-ah shook her head at the Hermit’s question.

“Huh?”

Both the Hermit and I blinked in surprise.

“…I don’t… need it.”

Namgung Bi-ah’s quiet declaration left us stunned.

“What do you mean…?”

I couldn’t help but start to speak, but I was interrupted.

[…Child…]

A voice echoed from Thunder Fang.

“…?”

It sounded like Namgung Myung’s voice, but it carried an odd, desperate tone.

Hearing that voice from the old man’s sword felt… unsettling.

[Child… please, I beg you.]

The desperation in Namgung Myung’s voice made my skin crawl.

[Just once… hold me.]

“…What?”

[Please…! Grip me just once!]

“…Excuse me?”

Taken aback by his pitiful plea, I instinctively stepped back.

The sheer discomfort of it all was overwhelming.