Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 566: Why Is This Old Man Here? (3)

If someone were to ask me what the most important element in building a faction is, I would answer without hesitation: “Power.”

In the face of overwhelming force, nothing else matters.

No matter the countermeasures.

No matter how one tries to resist.

If you have the strength to crush and tear everything apart, all prior efforts and plans are rendered meaningless. They become mere futile struggles.

I had learned this truth bitterly in the past.

Which is why I can speak of it with such certainty.

However...

Such overwhelming power—enough to destroy everything—is impossible to attain under normal circumstances.

For this reason, most people consider something else to be even more important than strength when building a faction.

Some call it the flow of the world.

Others say it is stronger than any sword.

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Despite having no physical form, it carries a value worth countless fortunes.

Yes.

That would be:

“Information.”

Information is invaluable.

It cannot be ignored by any faction, no matter how powerful.

Even the greatest warriors would never willingly part with it.

In fact, among the Four Great Families, the Peng Clan was said to have spent twice the amount of money they’d use to recruit a Hwagyeong-level martial artist on building an intelligence division under a single strategist.

This demonstrated just how much they valued information.

Not just the Peng Clan—most renowned sects and families operated their own intelligence networks.

In many ways, it was like an invisible battlefield.

And this was only natural.

If you cannot gain dominance through brute force, you must expand your territory through superior information. Even a passing child could understand this basic principle.

The difference between knowing and not knowing is as vast as the sky and the earth.

And sitting in front of me now was the very person who could be called the foremost authority on information.

“Hoho.”

The old man chuckled as he sipped tea.

His laughter was light and unassuming, yet his hunched back, wrinkled face, and frail limbs gave the appearance of someone pitiable, not a warrior.

He looked like nothing more than a decrepit old man.

But no one in the room, not a single person, would dare underestimate him.

Even the Sword Sovereign, renowned across Zhongyuan, regarded this man with the utmost respect.

He was the source of information for the Murim Alliance—a figure inseparably tied to the orthodox factions.

This man was Ubong Chwigye, Dobong, leader of the Beggar’s Sect, also known as the "Ears of the Murim Alliance."

Rumor had it that the Beggar’s Sect managed most of the rumors circulating through Zhongyuan. Their influence was vast.

Though the Hao Clan of the unorthodox factions was said to rival them, the current era favored the orthodox factions, leaving the Hao Clan slightly behind.

In the past, during the era of the Sword Sovereign’s leadership as the Alliance Leader, Dobong had served as his eyes and ears, enabling the Alliance to dominate Zhongyuan through intelligence and military might.

It was said that Dobong had played a significant role in crushing the unorthodox factions, securing the Murim Alliance's place at the heart of Zhongyuan.

And now, this extraordinary figure...

“Hoho... Soi, you’re as beautiful as ever. Truly a masterpiece, I must say.”

...was busy making inappropriate comments about the Sword Queen.

“A young lady as stunning as you... Surely you’re of age now, yet still without a partner? This old man’s heart aches for you. Hoho...”

“Ha... ha...”

For the first time, I saw the Sword Queen smile in a way that was full of discomfort.

Ubong Chwigye had been relentlessly talking to her, clinging to her side.

The usually calm and kind Sword Queen was visibly displeased—a rare sight indeed.

“If only I had a son to introduce to you... Alas, I cannot, and it pains me. By the way, have you considered this old man?”

“I’m sorry, Master of the Beggar’s Sect, but I have no intention of marrying.”

“Hoho... Still as resolute as ever.”

The Sword Queen firmly rejected his nonsense, her tone all too familiar.

It was clear she had dealt with this behavior before.

Around the table, most people could only sip their tea awkwardly, unsure how to react.

Gu Ryeonghwa’s gaze darted around nervously, while Yeongpung looked utterly lost.

Seong Yul seemed calm, but that was likely due to his usual detached demeanor.

As for me, I couldn’t help but wonder:

What is going on here?

I discreetly glanced around.

The setting was a building near the residence of the Wudang Sect’s head—a place seemingly meant to host honored guests.

But why were we here?

Why am I—no, why are we gathered like this?

The situation was incomprehensible.

This isn’t simple.

The Wudang Sword Saint, who had brought us to this location, was absent, likely busy dealing with urgent matters.

With Ji Cheol’s suicide and Yu Baek’s death, Wudang was in chaos.

Of course, I had anticipated this outcome and planned accordingly.

But I didn’t expect this old man to show up.

I swallowed dryly, eyeing the hunched figure sitting across from me.

Despite his shabby appearance, Dobong was an extraordinary individual.

There was even a popular saying, half-joking but widely believed:

“Without Ubong Chwigye, the Murim Alliance would cease to function.”

That alone spoke volumes about his influence.

“Hoho.”

Breaking the awkward atmosphere, Dobong chuckled again.

“You all seem quite startled by my presence.”

“N-not at all!”

Gu Ryeonghwa immediately responded, her reaction swift. It seemed the Sword Queen had been teaching her well about social etiquette.

Well, that’s a relief.

Social skills weren’t something the Gu family was known for. It was better for her to learn from someone like the Sword Queen than her unruly relatives.

Dobong, amused by her tension, smiled softly and began to speak.

“Hoho. I am Dobong, the beggar of Hanam.”

The most renowned beggar in Zhongyuan introduced himself with a laugh, his gaze sweeping over the group one by one.

“And this must be the young dragon of Mount Hua I’ve heard so much about.”

His eyes landed on Yeongpung, who bowed slightly in surprise.

“Yeongpung, third disciple of Mount Hua, greets the Master of the Beggar’s Sect.”

“And this lovely child must be my Soi’s disciple.”

“...Gu Ryeonghwa, second disciple of Mount Hua, greets the Master of the Beggar’s Sect.”

Even without proper introductions, he already knew their names.

The chill that ran down my spine was unavoidable.

“And this one here...”

Dobong’s gaze shifted to Seong Yul, his expression briefly puzzled. Perhaps he didn’t know who Seong Yul was?

Before I could interject, Seong Yul spoke.

“...I am Lee Cheol.”

He introduced himself under a false name.

“I serve as a guard to the young master.”

“Hmm...”

As the voice addressed me, Ubong Chwigye nodded thoughtfully. I assumed the matter would pass without much consequence—until his gaze shifted to me.

For a moment, the elder simply stared at my face in silence, his expression unreadable. Then he spoke.

“A pleasure to meet you, Young Master Gu.”

“...Ah, yes. I am Gu Yangcheon of the Gu Clan...”

“You’re the spitting image of your father.”

His sudden comment about my father caught me off guard.

“And...”

His sharp gaze moved up and down, scrutinizing me thoroughly.

“It seems my people may have made an error.”

“I beg your pardon?”

Confused by his words, I asked for clarification.

“It seems we’ll need to correct some information about Young Master Gu. Hohoho. It appears you’ve inherited more than just your father’s looks.”

I could only smile awkwardly at his remark. Clearly, he was referring to my cultivation, which was more noticeable than usual.

My energy flow must be easier to read right now.

Normally, I suppressed my presence using my internal energy, but with my internal injuries, doing so was difficult.

Between hiding my injuries and maintaining the Qi Transformation Technique, I was already pushing my limits. Any further effort would risk a breakdown.

This was my current limit.

“I appreciate the kind words, Master of the Beggar’s Sect.”

“Hoho.”

Ubong Chwigye chuckled, sipped his tea, and turned his attention to the others gathered in the room.

“Well, I suppose the introductions are over. The reason I arranged this meeting through the Alliance Leader is that I have a few questions.”

His sudden shift to the main topic caused everyone to tense up.

No one here seemed to know why he had summoned us.

Except me.

What a hassle.

I already had an idea why this elder had gathered us. The reason was obvious.

The atmosphere around Ubong Chwigye shifted abruptly.

Though his face betrayed little emotion, the change in his breathing altered the entire room’s dynamics.

“First of all... I’ve heard that there was an attack recently. Do any of you remember the circumstances?”

I swallowed dryly, bracing myself.

As expected, he was bringing up the incident.

Someone had attacked Wudang, resulting in the death of Elder Yu Baek.

It made sense to seek information from outsiders present at the time, given the circumstances.

The problem was...

I didn’t expect the Master of the Beggar’s Sect to come in person.

For the highest-ranking figure of the Beggar’s Sect to personally involve himself was beyond my expectations.

Even if this was the Alliance Leader’s sect, this level of attention was unusual.

When I heard about the “Ghost Thief,” I thought it was just a false rumor...

In this chaotic era, where information was overflowing, it didn’t seem feasible for Ubong Chwigye to act so freely.

When I first heard the rumors of the Ghost Thief, I was certain they were fabricated.

But for him to come here in person?

This was unexpected.

I had planned to meet the Wudang Sword Saint, discuss the incident as a victim, and leave with compensation.

But with Ubong Chwigye here, everything had changed.

Could it be...?

A sudden thought crossed my mind.

If the Wudang Sword Saint had mentioned the rumors of the Ghost Thief to Ubong Chwigye while traveling here, the Beggar’s Sect might have decided to intervene.

Spreading such rumors would naturally draw attention to Wudang’s predicament.

But if Ubong Chwigye himself had heard rumors about the Ghost Thief—rumors involving his own identity—he might have been compelled to investigate personally.

That would explain this whole situation.

It was an inconvenient coincidence.

“...An attack?”

Gu Ryeonghwa’s puzzled expression matched her tone. Yeongpung also looked confused, clearly unaware of what Ubong Chwigye was referring to.

This was expected.

I had Nahi render them unconscious on purpose.

Ubong Chwigye chuckled softly as he observed their bewilderment.

“Hoho... It seems their memories are unclear.”

His gaze shifted toward me and Seong Yul.

“How about you two? Do you recall anything?”

“No, sir.”

I nodded, keeping my response concise.

I was confident that no traces had been left behind. If Nahi was certain of it, then I trusted her judgment.

Ubong Chwigye studied me for a moment. His gaze was heavy, almost invasive, but I didn’t let it show.

Is he suspicious of me?

I wasn’t sure why, but if that were the case, avoiding his gaze would only worsen the situation. I met his eyes, pretending not to notice the tension.

After a moment, he nodded and looked away.

Did I pass?

I don’t know.

I couldn’t be sure. I hadn’t interacted much with Ubong Chwigye and had no real sense of his personality.

The only thing I knew was that one of his disciples would one day become the King of Beggars.

Never let your guard down around the unknown.

Ignorance is the greatest danger. And this elder was the farthest thing from ignorant.

As I steeled myself further...

“Hoho. Well, well.”

Ubong Chwigye broke the tension with a light-hearted laugh.

“It’s understandable not to remember. Of course.”

“...Master of the Beggar’s Sect?”

The Sword Queen hesitantly asked, her confusion evident.

“Truthfully, it doesn’t matter much if you don’t know. I was just asking for the Alliance Leader’s sake. Hoho!”

Ubong Chwigye dismissed her concern with a carefree laugh.

“That man insisted on dragging this old beggar here. Something about the Ghost Thief appearing or some nonsense.”

“...”

I struggled to contain my surprise at his words.

“He’s gone senile, clearly. The Murim Alliance is doomed, I tell you. What can you expect when the Alliance Leader himself has lost his wits? Tsk, tsk!”

Though he said this with a smile, his words carried weight, leaving no one willing to respond.

“Anyway, I appreciate you all taking the time to gather here despite your busy schedules. I have no further questions, so you may go and rest.”

I frowned slightly at his unexpected conclusion.

That’s it?

I had been bracing myself for an interrogation, only for it to end so easily.

While I was still processing this, Ubong Chwigye continued.

“I’ll relay everything to the Alliance Leader myself. Don’t worry about it. You’re free to go.”

With that, he actually stood up.

As the most senior figure present, his movement prompted everyone else to rise from their seats, following his lead.

Just as he was about to leave...

“Soi, stay for a moment. This old man wishes to have a word with you.”

Ubong Chwigye called out to the Sword Queen, stopping her in her tracks.