Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 544
The season is spring.
The time when flowers begin to bloom.
In a small county in the Guangdong region, stories blossomed just as much as the flowers, continuing day and night.
"Un-hyung, have you heard about this?"
"Hm?"
The herbalist, Mr. Un, pricked up his ears at the question from his neighbor, Mr. Ju, the woodsman.
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh, hyung-nim, you're late on the news again."
Seeing that Mr. Un seemed unaware, Mr. Ju excitedly began to speak.
"There’s a rumor that a martial arts tournament will be held in Hanan this time."
"A martial arts tournament?"
Mr. Un reacted to the words.
A martial arts tournament? Suddenly?
It was something he had never heard of before.
"What kind of tournament?"
A martial arts tournament at this time of year?
Curious, Mr. Un asked further, and Mr. Ju responded with a grin.
"I don’t know the full details… but I heard that the new Alliance Leader is planning to hold it as a commemoration."
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"Well, I’ll be."
A commemoration.
"Come to think of it, isn’t the current Alliance Leader the head of Wudang Sect?"
"That happened quite some time ago, didn’t it?"
Mr. Ju’s words were correct.
It had already been three years since the Wudang Sword Saint ascended to the position of Alliance Leader.
At the time, he was the first Alliance Leader from a martial sect, considered the eye of a storm in an era of upheaval, and many expressed concerns.
"But he has been leading well; it’s admirable to see."
"Indeed."
Contrary to everyone’s expectations, the Wudang Sword Saint successfully garnered the people’s support.
In an era shaken by the outbreak of the Crimson Magyeong Gate,
The first thing the new Alliance Leader did was redeploy the Alliance’s Sword Corps to various regions.
As times changed, the danger posed by Blue-Rank Demonic Beasts had decreased significantly, so small sects or lesser-known clans in the regions managed to handle them.
However, the appearance of Crimson-Rank Beasts had caused cracks in the stability.
Thus, the Wudang Sword Saint prioritized deploying more Sword Corps units across the regions.
Additionally,
"And didn’t the recruitment for the Sword Corps increase as well?"
As the number of deployments grew, so did the need for more members.
Traditionally, the Sword Corps of the Alliance was a place where ordinary martial artists couldn’t even dream of entering.
It was a realm for those from prestigious sects and noble families or for promising young martial artists who had begun making a name for themselves in Zhongyuan.
However, nowadays, as long as you were a martial artist, anyone could take the entrance exam to join the Sword Corps.
Since serving in the Sword Corps brought immense honor, naturally, many people applied for the exams.
Among them, talented individuals stood out and were accepted into the Corps.
With the number of Sword Corps members increasing, although the damage caused by Crimson-Rank Beasts persisted, it became somewhat manageable.
"Old Master Baek’s grandson has become a member of the Sword Corps."
"Really… He was always strong since he was young. So, he made it?"
"He always shouted about becoming a martial artist, and now he’s done it."
"Ha ha!"
Hearing the news, Mr. Un burst out laughing.
"The world has changed a lot… in just a few years."
"It’s all thanks to the Alliance Leader, isn’t it, hyung?"
"You always credit the Alliance Leader for everything. Anyway, finish the story you were telling earlier. What about the tournament?"
"Oh."
As if he had just remembered, Mr. Ju clapped his hands and continued.
"Well, they say the tournament is to recruit new members for the Sword Corps."
"For the Sword Corps?"
Hearing this, Mr. Un’s expression turned odd.
It was understandable, as linking a martial arts tournament with Sword Corps recruitment seemed unusual.
As if expecting Mr. Un’s reaction, Mr. Ju quickly added,
"And—don’t be surprised when you hear this—they say they’re reviving the Shinryongdae."
Hearing this, Mr. Un’s eyes grew wide like saucers.
It was a natural reaction.
"The… Shinryongdae?"
The Shinryongdae (Divine Dragon Corps) was a Sword Corps that represented the Martial Alliance.
It was a unit directly under the command of the Alliance Leader, known as the symbol of the Martial Alliance throughout its long history.
Boasting an unbroken lineage of tradition, it was a place that only the most exceptional dragons and phoenixes of the era could join.
Records even stated that the leaders of the Shinryongdae traditionally became the next Alliance Leaders.
However,
"Wasn’t that a unit that disappeared a long time ago?"
In the present day, it was merely a trace of the past.
During the Sword Sovereign’s tenure as Alliance Leader,
The Shinryongdae had entered the Magyeong Gate in Hanan under the Sword Sovereign’s command to explore it.
However, only a few survived, and the unit suffered catastrophic losses.
As a result, the Sword Sovereign stepped down as Alliance Leader, and the Shinryongdae was effectively disbanded.
Over a decade had passed since then.
And now, the Shinryongdae was being revived?
"They’re reviving it now?"
"What does it matter? Isn’t it a good thing?"
"…That’s true, I suppose."
Mr. Ju wasn’t wrong.
The people of Zhongyuan had always admired strong martial artists.
The Shinryongdae symbolized strength in the history of the Martial Alliance.
To the people of Zhongyuan, the revival of the Shinryongdae was bound to stir excitement.
"If things go well, they might even revive events like the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering."
Mr. Ju spoke with enthusiasm.
"The Dragon and Phoenix Gathering, huh…"
Right after the massacre of the younger generation at Shinryong Pavilion, the annual Dragon and Phoenix Gathering ceased to be held for several years.
The gathering had been a festival to showcase the emergence of new talents, those who would shoulder the future of Zhongyuan.
The absence of news regarding this festival left a deep sense of regret among many.
Especially since the current generation was known to be extraordinarily talented, the disappointment was only magnified.
“With no official announcements, it’s only natural that rumors keep spreading.”
The biggest issue arising from the discontinuation of the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering was precisely this.
Though the generation was hailed as the most outstanding in history,
Without the gathering, there was no way to confirm their current status, and baseless rumors only continued to grow.
Stories like:
[A disciple from a small sect encountered a miraculous opportunity and broke through to a new level]
[The young master of a noble clan regained memories of his past life as a grandmaster and reached the stage of Haegyeong]
Among these absurd tales, one stood out and spread more widely than the rest.
Unsurprisingly, it was about the geniuses representing the current younger generation.
The ones at the center of these stories were none other than the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes (Yukryong Sambong).
Even in this small tavern, their names were mentioned dozens of times.
“They say the Sword Dragon is now receiving direct instruction from the Plum Blossom Sage.”
It was said that the top disciple of Mount Hua learned martial arts directly from the headmaster and even managed to bloom a plum blossom tree in the end.
“And the Thunder Dragon has entered seclusion, hasn’t he?”
Thunder Dragon (Noeryong), Namgung Cheonjun, was reportedly undergoing intensive sword training under his father, the Sword King.
However, for some reason, it was said he never stepped outside the family estate.
“There’s no particular news about the Earth Dragon or the Hidden Dragon, though.”
“The Earth Dragon has always been quiet, but there is a story about the Hidden Dragon, isn’t there?”
“What story?”
“They say someone spotted him in the North Sea.”
“…The North Sea?”
How could the Hidden Dragon, who should be at Wudang, be seen in such a remote place?
Considering that the North Sea strictly prohibited the entry of outsiders, it was obvious the rumor was false, and few believed it.
Meanwhile, unchecked rumors continued to grow.
Such as the tale of the Sword Phoenix of Shanxi reaching the stage of Haegyeong.
Or the claim that Snow Phoenix, despite being affiliated with the Moyong family, suddenly joined the Baekhwa Trading Company.
Then there was the story of the Tang Clan, no longer considered one of the Four Great Families after being involved in a major incident and taking responsibility for it.
One particularly bizarre rumor involved a Tang Clan blood relative, Poison Phoenix (Dokbong), allegedly joining the Iron Night Assassination Corps.
At a time when none of these rumors seemed credible, the conversations continued.
“Un-hyung, have you heard this one?”
“What is it this time?”
“They say a new Divine Dragon (Shinryong) has emerged.”
"Hm?"
Hearing Mr. Ju’s words, Mr. Un’s expression turned peculiar.
Just moments ago, they had been lamenting the suspension of the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering.
“A Divine Dragon, all of a sudden? What nonsense is that?”
“It does sound strange, but it wasn’t just any place; it’s an official announcement from the Martial Alliance.”
“The Martial Alliance…?”
“Yes, they say one of the younger generation from Shaolin has become a Divine Dragon. And—brace yourself.”
Mr. Ju, rolling his eyes dramatically, revealed the shocking detail.
“…This new Divine Dragon is said to be a martial artist at the Haegyeong stage.”
“What?”
The cautiously revealed news was indeed astonishing.
“The Haegyeong stage…?”
“Moreover, they say he’s only just past his coming-of-age.”
“Ridiculous!”
Mr. Un couldn’t hold back and raised his voice slightly. Who wouldn’t react that way?
“A martial artist just past his coming-of-age reaching the Haegyeong stage?”
Even hearing that someone reached the pinnacle stage would be surprising enough.
But reaching Haegyeong? How could such a thing even be possible?
And for a member of the younger generation, no less?
It was utterly unbelievable.
“Whether you believe it or not, the Martial Alliance officially announced it.”
“No matter how official it is, does that even make sense?”
“Wouldn’t it be great if it were true?”
At Mr. Un’s reaction, Mr. Ju chuckled lightly.
“If it’s true, and it’s a younger generation member from Shaolin, isn’t that good news for all of us, Un-hyung?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“I mean, the very fact that such hope has appeared in Shaolin… Isn’t it a great blessing for this turbulent era?”
With a series of incidents erupting one after another, coupled with the appearance of the Crimson Magyeong Gate, this was indeed an era of upheaval.
Even though several years had passed, Zhongyuan was still undergoing significant changes, enough to unsettle many people.
No matter how much the Alliance Leader worked tirelessly to restore order and sought peace, people’s anxieties persisted.
What they needed was hope.
People always longed for the possibility of overcoming hardship.
The hope that someone or something could turn the tide.
Such a presence in Zhongyuan was often referred to as hope.
In this era of turmoil, the Martial Alliance’s announcement of the youngest martial artist to reach Haegyeong from Shaolin was enough to quell many fears.
Thus, Mr. Ju wore that expression as he spoke.
“…Hmm.”
Understanding this, Mr. Un nodded, though his thoughts were elsewhere.
“The youngest Haegyeong…?”
The title attached to the new Divine Dragon seemed fitting if he truly reached Haegyeong just past his coming-of-age.
However,
Mr. Un couldn’t help but recall someone else as he heard this news.
“There was definitely someone else like that…”
Even if the new Divine Dragon’s status was officially announced,
A few years ago, there were similar rumors about another person.
If the current Divine Dragon was said to have just passed his coming-of-age,
There was once a boy who hadn’t even reached that age but was rumored to have attained Haegyeong.
The boy had swept through the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering, earning the title of a new Dragon (Ryong).
Later, during the Shinryong Pavilion massacre, he even stopped the perpetrator behind the incident.
Right after, rumors spread that the boy had surpassed the pinnacle stage and reached the Haegyeong stage.
But no one believed it.
How could they?
Unless they saw it for themselves, it was an utterly unbelievable claim.
“What was that boy’s name…”
The name escaped him.
Despite the massive rumors surrounding him, the boy had led a quiet life afterward.
For the past three years, there had been virtually no news of him.
As a result, the once-bustling talk about him had now faded into relative silence.
“He was the younger brother of the Sword Phoenix, so his family name must have been Gu.”
No matter how hard he tried, the name wouldn’t come to him.
The only thing that stuck in his mind was the boy’s epithet.
The boy’s epithet was, without a doubt…
“So Yeomra (Little Lord of the Underworld).”
It was a fierce title for a righteous martial artist, making it unforgettable.
Hearing Mr. Un mutter the name, Mr. Ju tilted his head in thought.
He seemed to recognize it as well.
“Now that you mention it, there was that boy. I wonder what he’s been up to.”
“Well, being a blood relative of a noble family, he’s surely doing better than us.”
“That’s true.”
Mr. Un chuckled and took another sip of his drink.
“Let’s not waste time worrying about the affairs of privileged folks, you and I.”
“Indeed.”
Unlike the cheerful tone of their earlier conversation, a complex emotion seeped into their voices.
“…They still haven’t caught him, have they?”
At those words, Mr. Ju nodded solemnly.
“It’s terrifying.”
“Indeed it is. A murderer, they say…”
The whispered word chilled the air in the tavern.
Not only Mr. Un and Mr. Ju but also the other patrons fell silent.
The “murderer” had been the subject of rumors recently spreading across the county.
For the past month, somewhere in the county, mutilated bodies had been found in the mornings after nights passed.
The bodies appeared to have been sliced by a sharp blade,
meaning the victims had been brutally dismembered.
A month had passed since the first discovery, yet the culprit had not been caught.
Though the murders didn’t occur daily, they happened often enough—every few days.
“What does the Alliance have to say?”
“What can they say? They’re trying to catch him. They say they’re working on it.”
“Ugh.”
With the Sword Corps already preoccupied with the threat of demonic beasts, the investigation had been slow.
In the past, when the threat of beasts was minimal, this kind of case would have taken priority.
But that wasn’t the reality anymore.
Mr. Ju sighed, understanding the situation.
“What kind of lunatic would do such a thing?”
“It’s clear they’re not in their right mind. How could ordinary folks like us understand what goes on in such a person’s head?”
Not only were they killing people, but they were also mutilating the bodies.
It was a truly heinous and cruel method.
“I hope they catch him soon so we can at least see his face.”
“What for? Aren’t you already trembling with fear?”
“Aren’t you curious? What kind of monster looks like someone who could do such things?”
“You must have a death wish, being curious about something like that.”
At this lighthearted comment, faint laughter rippled through the tavern.
At that moment—
Creak.
From a corner of the tavern, a sound emerged.
Amid the chatter, someone quietly stood up.
A bowl of noodles, long cold, sat untouched on the table where they had been seated.
The figure was a young man with pale, almost white skin,
and unkempt long hair.
The peculiar thing was his eyes, glowing a shade of yellow.
Screech.
The man rose and fixed his blurry gaze in the direction of Mr. Ju and Mr. Un.
He wore a sword at his waist, revealing his identity as a martial artist.
Swish.
As he began moving, his pale hand reached for the hilt of his sword.
He walked slowly toward the gathered patrons.
But just as he was about to step closer—
“Sit down.”
The young man froze mid-step.
His gaze shifted.
The yellow eyes landed on the source of the voice.
A figure wearing a deeply pressed bamboo hat was eating diligently.
Oddly, all they were eating were dumplings.
The young man recognized him.
He had been there since the moment he entered the tavern.
The hat-wearing figure finished chewing a dumpling and spoke casually to the young man.
“This place has the best food I’ve had in a while. I’ve been eating crap lately, and it’s been pissing me off.”
As he tilted his head, the hat shifted slightly, revealing a pair of striking blue eyes beneath.
“I’m not done eating yet, so just sit down. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“…Who are you?”
“Besides, the smell of blood is already making me nauseous. I’m only putting up with it because the food’s good. Understand?”
The young man’s eyes widened slightly.
He understood the meaning of those words.
As if to confirm, the figure smirked and continued speaking.
“Wash yourself, you bastard. You stink.”
“…”
Clink.
The young man drew his sword.
The sight prompted a sigh from the man in the bamboo hat.
“Of course. You wouldn’t be yourself if you listened to words alone.”
Even as he spoke, the blade was already moving.
A chilling aura filled the air as the sword closed the gap in an instant.
Thud!
“…!”
Suddenly, the young man’s vision shifted.
Not of his own will.
His head involuntarily turned.
He realized, belatedly, that his face had been struck.
Before he knew it, his body was sent flying, slamming into the tavern wall.
Crash!
The wall collapsed with a loud crash, scattering wood splinters and dust everywhere.
The sudden commotion shocked the tavern’s patrons, who jumped to their feet.
Yet the man in the bamboo hat remained unfazed.
He continued eating dumplings as if nothing had happened.
The only difference was that his gaze now lingered on the broken wall.
After a moment, he stood up, casually pocketing a few dumplings.
He glanced at his hand and smirked.
“As I thought.”
The patrons shuddered at the sight of his grin.
The reason?
“You’re always the most satisfying to beat.”
The smile on his face was absolutely terrifying.
