Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 554

Four days had passed since we began traveling together.

Although a few beasts had appeared along the way, forcing us to hunt, none posed any real danger. We could have increased our pace, but there was no need to rush. Besides, I had a few things to investigate along the way.

And so, after four days of camping and traveling, we finally arrived.

Before us stood a towering mountain.

“Wow…”

Gu Ryeonghwa expressed her awe, marveling at the sight.

Apparently, the mountain before her was impressive. I, on the other hand, couldn’t hide my disbelief as I looked at her reaction.

“Isn’t it odd for you to be surprised by a mountain?”

Considering she was a disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, she should have been used to grand mountains. Seeing her react this way to Mount Wudang felt strange.

At my remark, Gu Ryeonghwa pouted.

“…Not all mountains are the same.”

Well, that was true.

Still, to me, the mountain in front of us didn’t look all that different from the ones surrounding the Mount Hua Sect. A mountain was a mountain, after all.

I glanced at the mountain ahead before turning to Yeongpung.

“Where do we go from here?”

Hearing my question, Yeongpung replied.

“I’ve already contacted them in advance. Someone should come to meet us.”

“I see.”

With that, I looked back toward the distance. In short, we would have to wait until someone arrived.

“But, young master.”

“Yes?”

“You mentioned you had business here. Is it alright for you to stay with us like this?”

“Oh, yes. It’s nothing too urgent.”

It was true. This current situation was more important than the task I had in mind. Knowing what was happening now took precedence.

I looked up at the towering mountain before us, the place where one of the most iconic martial sects resided.

Wudang.

The Wudang Sect.

One of the Nine Great Sects and Factions and the home of the current leader of the Martial Alliance, the Wudang Sword Saint.

And also—

‘I should’ve brought Woo-hyuk with me.’

It was the sect where the one person I could somewhat consider a friend was affiliated.

What struck me as strange, however, was this:

‘It feels different from my past life.’

The Wudang I visited in my previous life was vastly different from what I was seeing now. Back then, this area had been directly managed by Wudang.

As far as I could recall, any area directly managed by the Nine Great Sects was fairly developed, but—

‘It wasn’t like this.’

The current state of the area was incomparable to what I remembered.

‘There’s a line of merchant caravans.’

Looking around, I could see an increased number of inns and streets bustling with stalls. The sheer number of people, young and old, filling the area was astonishing.

‘It’s comparable to Henan.’

Mount Wudang’s surrounding area had grown to rival Henan, where both the Shaolin Sect and the headquarters of the Martial Alliance were located.

Considering that in my past life, Mount Hua and Wudang had been on fairly equal footing, this was a dramatic difference.

The reason for this difference was likely—

‘The Martial Alliance.’

The current leader of the Martial Alliance also being the sect leader of Wudang was likely a factor.

‘No, it has to run deeper than that.’

Simply having the sect leader as the alliance leader wouldn’t cause such drastic changes.

If I compared it to the previous alliance leader, Nakgeom, the truth became evident.

Despite Nakgeom being alliance leader, his birthplace, the Zhang Clan, didn’t experience this level of transformation.

So why had Wudang changed so drastically? The answer was simple.

‘The times have changed.’

Not long ago, the world had enjoyed an era of peace, but that peace had been shattered with the emergence of the Scarlet Magyeong Gate.

The resulting upheaval brought about change, and that change bred fear.

Even among those who had reached the Pinnacle Realm and were considered masters, the Scarlet Demonic Beasts were a threat.

Unlike the Blue Demonic Beasts, which could be hunted even by those of the First-Class Realm, the Scarlet ones were a different story altogether.

With peace disrupted and fear taking hold, people sought security.

‘A sense of stability in the face of uncertainty and the looming threat of demonic beasts.’

As I thought about this, my gaze shifted to the crowded streets. The people gathered here had clearly decided that this was the stability they sought.

‘A place where the current leader of the Martial Alliance resides.’

That alone carried the unspoken assurance that the area was under strict control.

In other words—

‘If something happens, this is the place that will respond the fastest.’

Even if demonic beasts appeared, the response here would be swift, making it comparatively safer.

The intersection of these times of unrest and the influence of the Wudang Sword Saint had turned this area into a thriving hub.

That was what I was observing.

‘In truth, this isn’t the only place like this.’

Not just Wudang—Mount Hua in Shaanxi, for example, was undergoing changes as well.

Even Kunlun and other prominent sects’ regions were reportedly seeing similar transformations.

This place had simply changed more drastically than most.

‘A great shift has already begun.’

The arrival of danger and the subsequent changes in the world were undeniable.

As I watched the bustling crowd, I found myself turning my gaze away. There was a strange aversion to dwelling too long on a scene that wouldn’t last.

Besides—

‘This isn’t the time for sightseeing.’

I shifted my focus further away. From among the crowd, a wave of murmurs reached my ears.

It seemed they had arrived.

The previously scattered people moved quickly, forming a path. The newly cleared space stretched out into a single road.

From the distance, a group could be seen walking toward us.

Their footsteps resonated, creating a rhythmic harmony. The collective presence of the group amplified, subtly suffusing the air with their aura.

Flutter.

Their light blue robes swayed with each step they took. Straight postures, trained bodies, and the palpable aura of discipline emanated from them.

Their dignified stride spoke volumes of their towering pride.

“W-Wudang Sect…”

Someone muttered in a hushed voice, but it carried clearly over the crowd.

Yes, the ones approaching were undoubtedly them.

The successors of Taoism, part of the Nine Great Sects, and a lineage of unparalleled prestige.

The Wudang Sect.

Not long after their presence was recognized, they arrived before us. The group consisted of exactly ten members.

Feeling their energy, it was clear they were highly skilled martial artists.

‘Every one of them has surpassed the Pinnacle Realm.’

Among them, there were even a few who had reached advanced mastery of the Pinnacle Realm. It felt far too extravagant for a simple greeting.

As the crowd’s curious gazes bore into us, the man at the forefront of the group stepped forward.

“Are you the guests from the Mount Hua Sect?”

The moment he spoke, Yeongpung moved to respond, attempting to clasp his fists in a greeting. I stopped him by grabbing his arm.

Smack.

“…!”

Yeongpung’s expression twisted in confusion, but I ignored him and spoke.

“Yes, that’s us.”

“I am Ji Cheol, the second-generation disciple of Wudang, here under orders to receive you.”

Hearing Ji Cheol’s introduction, I released Yeongpung’s arm.

“I am Yeongpung, a third-generation disciple of the Mount Hua Sect.”

“I am Gu Ryeonghwa, a second-generation disciple of the Mount Hua Sect.”

Once the two had introduced themselves, Ji Cheol turned his gaze to me, his eyes sharp and questioning, as if silently asking, Who are you?

“Oh, I’m Gu Yangcheon. This here is my porter, so you don’t need to worry about him.”

“…!”

I gestured casually toward Seong Yul, who was indeed carrying my belongings.

Hearing my name, Ji Cheol’s eyes widened slightly. Before I could wonder why, murmurs began to ripple from the crowd behind us.

“Gu Yangcheon? That Gu Yangcheon?”

“The one next to him… is that the Sword Dragon?”

“Sword Dragon? He really is as handsome as the rumors say.”

“And the other… is that the Flaming Demon Child?”

“His eyes do look demonic, just like the stories…”

Apparently, not only had they recognized Sword Dragon, but my name and reputation had also preceded me.

‘Who was the one spreading that nonsense at the end?’

I felt a twinge of irritation at how my name and reputation had been distorted.

‘I tried to lay low and erase that image, yet it’s still lingering.’

Suppressing the growing annoyance, I noticed Ji Cheol’s gaze lingering on me, scrutinizing me intently.

‘What’s this about?’

At first, I thought it was simple curiosity, but there was something else in his expression—something closer to annoyance.

Although it was only for a moment, I caught it. Ji Cheol quickly averted his gaze, but I didn’t miss it.

‘Well, isn’t this interesting.’

I let out a faint smile as Ji Cheol addressed me.

“So, you’re the famed Flaming Demon Child. I’ve heard much about you. They say you’re an exceptional rising talent.”

There was an unusual emphasis on the words rising talent, as if he were mocking me.

“I’ve also been informed through the letter that you have business here. I hope you’ll find your stay restful.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

I replied with a smile, and Ji Cheol gave a slight nod.

“To ease your fatigue from the long journey, we’ll take you to a comfortable place. Would that be acceptable?”

“I’d appreciate it.”

It seemed the greetings were wrapping up, and we were finally heading to the Wudang Sect, as planned.

Or so I thought.

“Follow me.”

Ji Cheol led us away—but surprisingly, the destination wasn’t the Wudang Sect.

******************

After following Ji Cheol for about half an hour, we arrived at a building.

It was an inn with a somewhat luxurious exterior.

The interior was quiet, as if it had been cleared out beforehand, and it seemed reasonably well-maintained.

But as I entered, I couldn’t help but wear a puzzled expression.

‘What is this?’

Instead of taking us to the Wudang Sect, they brought us to an inn.

Glancing to my side, I saw that Yeongpung’s expression wasn’t much better.

And for good reason.

‘He traveled all this way to visit another sect, yet he wasn’t even allowed into their grounds and was instead taken to an inn.’

Though they were pretending to show some semblance of hospitality, this was undeniably a dismissive gesture.

Yeongpung and Gu Ryeonghwa were clearly aware of this, judging by their sour expressions.

As the tense atmosphere settled and a chilly silence began to descend, Ji Cheol, seated at the table, finally spoke.

“First, I must apologize.”

He began with an apology.

“Under normal circumstances, it would have been proper to escort you to the main sect. However, due to the current unrest in our sect, we had no choice but to bring you here instead.”

Ji Cheol seemed aware that the situation was less than ideal and began explaining.

“Unrest?”

Yeongpung furrowed his brows—a rare sight—and asked, prompting Ji Cheol to continue.

“Yes. At present, it is difficult for us to allow outsiders into the sect. I ask for your understanding.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Once a simple verification process is completed, we will guide you from the inn to the Wudang Sect. I ask for your cooperation.”

Yeongpung’s expression showed clear signs of confusion. It wasn’t surprising—this was entirely unexpected.

Watching him, I found myself tilting my head slightly as well.

Verification process?

‘Did something happen at Wudang?’

Judging by their behavior, something was clearly amiss. However, whatever the situation was, it didn’t seem particularly favorable.

‘I thought their aura was unusually sharp, but they didn’t come out just to greet us.’

From the very start, they exuded a dominating presence.

‘Was it a power play?’

Even Ji Cheol’s earlier actions had been grating.

He had deliberately delayed introducing himself. While it was customary for a junior like Yeongpung to show courtesy first, in this case, as representatives from different sects, Ji Cheol should have initiated a proper introduction.

The fact that he waited for Yeongpung to act first was—

‘A clear attempt to assert dominance.’

It was obvious he was trying to establish from the outset that Wudang held the upper hand.

That was why I stopped Yeongpung earlier.

‘It might have been a misunderstanding.’

But judging by their behavior now, it didn’t seem like it.

‘Even their words give it away.’

The way Ji Cheol spoke to Yeongpung made it clear.

While his tone feigned politeness, it carried an underlying condescension.

Bringing us here without prior explanation was one thing, but the way he pressured us to “understand” and comply only added insult to injury.

To top it off, he essentially said, Cooperate with us, and we’ll let you into Wudang, which was a thinly veiled threat.

From my perspective, this was no different from deliberately trying to humiliate us.

The real issue was—

“…What exactly do you want us to cooperate with?”

Yeongpung didn’t know how to handle the situation effectively.

‘Tsk…’

Given that he was new to navigating the martial world, it was understandable for him to be this inexperienced.

But for me, it was nothing short of frustrating.

‘This won’t do.’

Letting out a quiet sigh, I decided I had seen enough.

I had wanted to let Yeongpung take the lead and see how he handled things, but at this rate, it seemed I’d only end up witnessing something unpleasant.

‘I didn’t want to step in, but…’

I had hoped to let this pass with minimal involvement, but that no longer seemed like an option.

Just as Yeongpung, still visibly uncomfortable, asked Ji Cheol another question, the latter’s lips curled into a faint smirk as he responded.

“First, the members of Mount Hua—”

“Before that, I have a question.”

Cutting him off mid-sentence, I spoke up. Ji Cheol’s face immediately darkened.

He clearly didn’t appreciate being interrupted.

Ji Cheol turned his gaze toward me, his expression cold and his eyes filled with irritation.

“…You, is it?”

His voice carried an unmistakable tone of displeasure.

“I’ve been curious about something for a while. I figured I should ask.”

“What is it?”

Meeting Ji Cheol’s glare, I smiled brightly and said,

“Are you perhaps from a demonic sect?”

“…What?”

Ji Cheol’s face froze, a dumbfounded expression overtaking his features.

“W-What are you…?”

“Oh, it’s just that the way you’re handling things feels exactly like how those people do it. I thought I’d ask.”

“What did you just say?”

“Your tone, dripping with condescension and making everyone feel like crap—it’s just so on-brand for them. If I’m wrong, my apologies. Must’ve been my mistake. Ha ha!”

I laughed and waved my hand dismissively.

Moments later, Ji Cheol’s expression twisted, growing darker and more menacing. Just as he seemed about to lash out—

“Pfft…”

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A short burst of laughter broke the tense atmosphere.

Everyone’s attention snapped toward the source of the sound.

There stood Gu Ryeonghwa, her face frozen in regret as she hurriedly covered her mouth.

“…Ah, sorry… I didn’t mean to…”

Her awkward apology was too late to save the situation.