Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 550

"Brother?"

The unfamiliar title made my ears tingle slightly.

At that moment, the other person, seemingly just as shocked, widened their already large eyes and stared at me.

Even at a glance, their big, round eyes had grown even wider.

"Why are you here, Brother?"

At Gu Ryeonghwa's question, I couldn't help but frown in response.

"That's what I want to ask."

Why was she here?

"Why are you here?"

"I could say the same for you, Brother."

We both stood there, staring at each other in disbelief.

Who would have thought I’d run into family here of all places?

What’s more, it had been quite a while since I’d last seen Gu Ryeonghwa.

Though we were related, she had left for the Do-mun sect. With the distance between us, there hadn’t been any occasion to see her unless something special came up.

How many years has it been?

The last time I saw her was four or five years ago.

And yet, after all that time, Gu Ryeonghwa had changed quite a bit.

The little girl with chubby cheeks was gone.

Instead, before me stood a young woman with an air of maturity about her.

Hmm.

What should I call this transformation?

If Gu Heebi and Gu Yeonseo embodied the sharpness characteristic of the Gu family,

Gu Ryeonghwa’s features balanced that with a sense of softness.

It was—

She looks like Mother.

Her appearance brought to mind my memories of our mother.

As I studied Gu Ryeonghwa’s face, taking it in from various angles, she seemed to be doing the same to me.

Though her gaze wasn’t fixed on my face but rather my body.

"...Brother."

"Yes?"

"Why… why are you so big?"

"...What?"

Her voice carried a tone of disbelief.

Big? What could she possibly mean by that? Her gaze clarified it.

Ah.

She was talking about my height.

Even though I’d suppressed my physique somewhat, I still wasn’t exactly small.

Maybe I didn’t shrink enough.

Ever since shedding my former body, my physical form had grown significantly. While I’d adjusted it to match my original appearance, it hadn’t been an easy process.

The people around me are just unusually tall.

Compared to the abnormally tall individuals I’d been surrounded by, estimating an average height by sight alone was nearly impossible.

That must have been why Gu Ryeonghwa was so taken aback.

"I’ve just been eating well and sleeping well, that’s all," I said.

"This isn’t a little growth… You’ve grown a lot," she said, her expression almost resentful.

Apparently, my growth wasn’t sitting well with her.

To be fair, though Gu Ryeonghwa’s proportions were excellent, she was on the petite side.

Probably around Tang So-yeol’s height.

It couldn’t be helped. Most members of the Gu family were born with smaller physiques.

Figures like Elder Il or Father were the outliers, almost aberrations historically.

Even in my past life, I hadn’t been able to reach six feet—an exceptionally small frame for a male martial artist.

Considering that, Gu Ryeonghwa’s smaller size was just how things were.

So, I had no choice but to ignore her disgruntled reaction.

"Anyway, why are you here?"

At my question, Gu Ryeonghwa frowned slightly.

She was about to answer when—

"Sago (師姑)."

A voice called out to her from behind.

It was the same presence I had sensed earlier. Hearing herself addressed, Gu Ryeonghwa shut her mouth.

I shifted my gaze toward the source of the voice.

Under the moonlit sky, a young man was walking toward us.

Though it was clearly nighttime, it felt as if the area around him glowed with an ethereal light.

A faint breeze carried a subtle floral fragrance in his direction.

There was no mistaking it—this was no illusion.

"It’s been a long time," the young man said, smiling at me.

With his tall stature, strikingly handsome face, and that deep, gentle smile,

He was as infuriatingly pleasant as ever.

Looking at him, I spoke.

"Yeongpung Dojang."

The young man’s identity was none other than Yeongpung,

The youngest Plum Blossom Swordmaster of the Mount Hua Sect, and the current Sword Dragon.

"Haha!"

Yeongpung laughed sheepishly as he approached.

"I didn’t expect to meet you here. Have you been well?" he said, wearing his characteristic gentle smile.

"Yes, Dojang, it seems you’ve… been doing well yourself. Very well, in fact," I said, casting him a brief glance.

"Hahaha…"

Even as I spoke, I couldn’t help but feel startled.

This guy…

His level was far from ordinary.

He’s nearing the peak.

A few years ago, Yeongpung had barely reached the Absolute Peak, but now—

He was astonishingly close to transcending it and entering the Haegyeong realm.

What’s more—

His aura has deepened significantly.

The internal energy of the Mount Hua Sect had grown immeasurably profound within him.

"What exactly have you been doing?"

I hadn’t intended to ask, but at this point, curiosity got the better of me.

What on earth had he been doing in the Mount Hua Sect to grow so drastically?

Yeongpung, still wearing a sheepish smile, replied,

"I didn’t think you’d notice so quickly. As expected of Young Master Gu."

"I don’t think it’s something you could not notice."

It was absurd.

Had Yeongpung tried to hide his progress, it might have been a different story.

But he wasn’t concealing it at all—he was practically flaunting it.

How could anyone miss something so obvious?

His amplified presence was overwhelming.

It was the kind of aura that announced itself long before its owner arrived.

"Ah."

Hearing my words, Yeongpung seemed to realize something.

"…It seems I made a mistake."

With that, his aura began to recede.

The wind subsided, and the floral fragrance dissipated.

As his presence finally settled, I understood how he had been walking around exuding such overwhelming energy.

"You must have had a recent breakthrough," I remarked.

"Haha…"

Yeongpung laughed awkwardly.

It seemed he had recently undergone significant enlightenment, leading to a rapid growth spurt in his abilities.

Because of that, he was struggling to fully control his energy, unintentionally radiating it everywhere.

Haah.

Beside me, Gu Ryeonghwa sighed heavily.

Then, glaring at Yeongpung, she said,

"How many times have I told you to suppress your energy?"

"Sago, was it really that noticeable?"

"Of course, it was!"

Gu Ryeonghwa looked exasperated as she snapped at him.

"Do you remember how many monsters were drawn to your aura on the way here?"

The sheer intensity of his energy had apparently attracted numerous beasts along the way.

"I’m sorry. I really tried to suppress it, but… it’s not easy," Yeongpung said apologetically, looking genuinely remorseful.

Seeing his sincerity, Gu Ryeonghwa seemed to have nothing more to say and simply pressed her lips together.

She probably understood that he hadn’t done it on purpose.

"Fine… At least the monsters were dealt with thanks to Sajil," she muttered.

"That’s not true, Sago. You also—"

"I do have some sense of decency. You don’t need to say that," she interrupted firmly.

"…Yes."

At her decisive tone, Yeongpung clamped his mouth shut.

Watching their interaction, I spoke up.

"So, what’s the deal with you two?"

No matter how I looked at it, this was an odd pairing.

Yeongpung, the youngest Plum Blossom Swordmaster, traveling with Gu Ryeonghwa, the second disciple of Mount Hua?

And more importantly, why were the two of them, who should have been at Mount Hua, in this distant corner of Honam?

"Well…"

Gu Ryeonghwa hesitated, trying to come up with an answer.

"It’s the order of the Sect Leader," Yeongpung interjected, cutting her off.

"The Sect Leader?"

"Yes."

If Yeongpung referred to the Sect Leader, he must have meant the Plum Blossom Immortal of the Mount Hua Sect.

"The Plum Blossom Immortal sent both of you all the way here?"

"Yes."

Sending both the third disciple, who rarely leaves the sect, and Gu Ryeonghwa, the still-young second disciple?

It was an illogical combination by any measure.

I wanted to ask more questions, but I didn’t.

Because I understood the meaning behind Yeongpung’s words.

“If he went as far as mentioning the Sect Leader…”

It implied that this was a significant matter within the sect, one that couldn’t be discussed without the Sect Leader’s permission.

In other words, he was preemptively shutting down any questions.

Realizing this, I quickly lost interest.

"Fine, then. That’s all I needed to hear."

My nonchalant response made Yeongpung smile slightly as he looked at me.

"Young Master Gu, you’re as consistent as ever."

Consistent? There’s probably no one who’s changed as much as I have.

"That’s a compliment, right?"

"Yes. At least I had hoped you hadn’t changed, and I see that’s true. That’s a relief."

It didn’t really sound like a compliment, but I decided not to make an issue of it.

"So, Brother, what are you doing here?"

I turned to look at Gu Ryeonghwa, who had posed the question.

"Aren’t you supposed to be in Shanxi?"

I briefly considered how to answer, but nothing came to mind. So, I settled for a simple response.

"I ran away from home."

"What…?"

As a born troublemaker, it was the simplest explanation I could give.

"I wanted some fresh air, so I left."

My blunt words immediately changed Gu Ryeonghwa’s expression.

She looked at me as though I were utterly pathetic.

"Brother…"

"I was planning to head back soon. I’m on my way home now, really."

Of course, I was actually debating whether to skip home and head straight to Hanam.

But that hardly mattered.

Gu Ryeonghwa, looking exasperated, glanced around as if searching for something.

"What are you doing?"

"Then where’s Sister?"

"Sister?"

Confused, I asked back, and Gu Ryeonghwa responded with an obvious look.

"If you’re here, doesn’t that mean Sister is here too?"

"...No, I mean…"

I paused mid-sentence, barely stopping myself from blurting something out.

Which sister was she referring to?

If I said the wrong thing, even the tiny bit of affection Gu Ryeonghwa still had for me as family would evaporate.

Seeing me falter and mumble, Gu Ryeonghwa let out a frustrated sigh and clarified.

"I mean Sister Bi-ah."

"Ah."

I finally nodded. She was talking about Namgung Bi-ah.

"Isn’t Sister here?"

"She’s…."

She’s far away.

I hesitated to decide whether to tell her that.

"I haven’t heard from her for a few years. Since you’re here, I thought she’d be here too…"

What?

Her words made me frown.

"Heard from her? What do you mean?"

"Well, I exchange letters with my sisters sometimes. Unlike someone, they actually reply."

"..."

Her words left me speechless.

That “someone” she mentioned was undoubtedly me.

Every time she sent me a letter, I never bothered to reply. It was too much trouble, and honestly, I never had anything to say.

But—

Wait… she's been exchanging letters with whom?

It wasn’t just that Namgung Bi-ah was writing to Gu Ryeonghwa.

I had to focus on her choice of words.

She had said sisters, not just sister.

"Sisters? Who exactly have you been exchanging letters with?"

At my question, Gu Ryeonghwa gave me a look as if to say, Why are you even asking?

"Sister Bi-ah, Sister Seol-ah… sometimes Sister So-yeol."

She began listing names one by one.

Hearing the names roll off her tongue, I felt a headache coming on.

"But the one I write to the most is Sister Hee-ah."

"..."

Even Moyong Hee-ah?

"She even came over recently, and we had a meal together."

"What? Who did you have a meal with?"

"Sister Hee-ah."

Moyong Hee-ah and Gu Ryeonghwa had shared a meal?

I could accept that Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah might’ve crossed paths with her at least once, but Tang So-yeol and Moyong Hee-ah?

When had they ever even met Gu Ryeonghwa?

And more importantly—

When did she go to Shaanxi?

In Moyong Hee-ah’s busy schedule, when had she made time to travel to Shaanxi without me knowing?

This newfound revelation left me feeling dizzy.

"Oh, Brother."

"What…?"

As my mind reeled, Gu Ryeonghwa sidled closer and asked cautiously.

"Is it true you’re marrying Sister Hee-ah next year?"

"...What?"

"And what about Sister Bi-ah?"

"What nonsense are you spouting? Who told you that?"

"Sister Hee-ah mentioned it. She said she might be having a wedding next year…"

"She’s unbelievable."

What sort of nonsense had Moyong Hee-ah been telling her?

Who was marrying whom?

If Moyong Hee-ah had really said such a thing to Gu Ryeonghwa,

I’m going to have to have a talk with her.

A serious one.

Of course—

Not right now.

Moyong Hee-ah was currently busy working with Lady Mi on a project and handling tasks I had assigned to her.

I barely even saw her once a month lately.

Still,

When I see her next, I’ll need to interrogate her.

I had to find out what she’d been up to behind my back.

As I plotted my conversation with Moyong Hee-ah, Gu Ryeonghwa’s expression crumpled slightly.

"Did I… say something I shouldn’t have?"

"No, you’ve given me very valuable information."

"But I feel like Sister will scold me later…"

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Gu Ryeonghwa glanced around nervously, then shifted her gaze to the figure standing behind me.

It was Seongyul, watching us from a distance.

"Is that man, by any chance, a friend of yours, Brother?"

"Hmm?"

"You know… the rumored Hidden Dragon of Wudang…"

Her words made me frown.

"How do you know about that?"

How did Gu Ryeonghwa know I was acquainted with the Hidden Dragon?

At my question, she made a startled expression, then smiled awkwardly and said,

"Sister told me…"

Again with the 'Sister.'

Apparently, this information also came from one of her many sisters.

But which sister this time?

Just thinking about it made my head throb.

"He’s not that guy."

"He’s not?"

"Does he look like a Daoist to you?"

Of course,

Even Woo-hyuk, the Hidden Dragon himself, wasn’t exactly the model of a Daoist. But for simplicity's sake, I decided to pretend otherwise for now.

I glanced at Seongyul and gave Gu Ryeonghwa a brief explanation.

"He’s just an acquaintance. You don’t need to worry about him—"

"Seong Dojang?"

"...Hmm?"

I was trying to dismiss Seongyul when Yeongpung suddenly spoke, looking directly at him.

Seongyul flinched.

He froze at Yeongpung’s words, his body trembling slightly.

His face betrayed a mixture of shock and alarm.

I glanced back and forth between them, wondering if they knew each other.

What’s going on with him?

Seongyul’s eyes darted nervously, as though he were on edge.

Watching his reaction, it became clear.

There’s definitely something unusual between these two.

*

Whooooosh—!

The howling wind carried flurries of snow through the air.

The relentless blizzard made it impossible to see even a step ahead, the biting cold like the edge of a blade.

No matter how many layers one wore, the chill would soon seep in, freezing the body solid.

This was why people called this land the “Realm of Extreme Cold.”

A land where snow never stopped falling, and the winds never ceased to let spring arrive.

Such was this place.

Beyond this harsh land—

Rooooar—!

A thunderous roar broke through the sound of the gale.

Boom!

The ground shook with the resounding crash.

Thud! Thud-thud!

As if an earthquake had struck, the trembling earth bore the weight of a lone figure.

A person cloaked in layers of fur moved steadily forward, their destination marked by the source of the tremendous noise.

Rumble!

Roooar!

The roaring grew more ferocious, yet the figure walked forward without hesitation.

As they advanced further, the acrid smell of burning began to fill the air.

Grrr—! Rooooar!

The roar was harsher than ever, but the burning scent told the traveler what they needed to know.

The battle was nearing its conclusion.

Realizing this, their pace quickened.

Moving further, they finally came upon it.

RUMBLE!

The loudest explosion yet erupted, and—

Boom!

Something heavy crashed to the ground, shaking the earth once more.

Now, the young man could see it.

In the distance, sprawled across the ruined land, was a massive demonic beast resembling a red-furred ape.

The burnt smell emanated from its body.

"Well, now."

The young man couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

"You really torched that thing. Were you venting some anger?"

He spoke in a lighthearted tone, but he wasn’t addressing the dead beast.

His gaze was fixed on a woman standing atop the monster’s massive body.

She wore her coat loosely, as though the cold didn’t bother her, and her long white hair was tied back simply.

Her pale skin, reminiscent of snow, was striking, but her eyes were even colder than the frigid air.

The young man addressed her again.

"I’ve been looking all over for you, Little Sister."

"..."

Though he continued speaking, the woman gave no response, as if she hadn’t heard him at all.

Undeterred, he went on.

"I know you’re upset we left late. But what can I say? The Ice Palace Lord had urgent matters to attend to."

"..."

"Master and Senior White Lotus Sword made such a fuss, you know? Why is it always my job to find you?"

"..."

"Did you get lost again? Next time, leave a trail of breadcrumbs so we can find you more easily."

"..."

Despite her silence, the young man showed no signs of giving up.

Finally, he sighed deeply and muttered under his breath.

"Sister-in-law, at least pretend to listen…"

"...What is it?"

"..."

At last, a response came, and the young man grabbed his forehead in exasperation.

"...Damn it."

He now understood why his friend always muttered curses under his breath.

Letting out another sigh, Woo-hyuk looked at the woman and spoke again.

"The Princess is looking for you."

"The Princess?"

The woman’s expression shifted to one of confusion. She couldn’t fathom why the Princess would want to see her.

"Well, according to what I heard…"

Woo-hyuk hesitated before continuing.

"She’s curious about Yangcheon—your friend."

"...!"

"If you don’t want to go, I can come up with an excuse—huh?"

Woo-hyuk stopped mid-sentence.

The woman who had been standing before him had suddenly vanished.

Then—

"Let’s go."

Her voice came from behind him, making him whip around.

There she was, already walking away as if she were ready to leave immediately.

"..."

Woo-hyuk stared at her, dumbfounded.

Finally, he called out, "Sister-in-law, that’s the wrong direction."

"..."

At his remark, she adjusted her course.

But even then, Woo-hyuk could see she was heading the wrong way again.