Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 721: The Divine Dragon Martial Arts Tournament (32)

One day, during training, my father spoke.

“There are those in Zhongyuan known as the Seven Irons and Three Fists.”

The heat was stifling. It wasn’t the kind of topic one would expect to discuss amidst the sweltering air that could easily heat up the entire training hall.

“Suddenly?”

Though I asked out of surprise, my father continued as if it didn’t matter.

This often happened when I trained with him.

He would talk about things I hadn’t asked.

Sometimes, I wondered if he wasn’t being a bit too chatty.

Even so, I never rebuked him for it.

I guess...

“Decades ago, during the war against the Unorthodox Sect, they stood out as some of the strongest.”

I didn’t mind these conversations.

“The Plum Blossom Immortal of Mount Hua. The Sword Saint of Wudang. The Fist Emperor of Zhejiang. And the now-deceased Sea Sword of Qinghai were among them.”

He continued to list several other names.

That’s when I noticed something odd.

He addressed figures like the Plum Blossom Immortal and the Sea Sword of Qinghai with honorifics.

But for the rest of the Seven Irons and Three Fists, his tone was more casual—bordering on informal.

“They are powerful. Each one of them is like an entire faction unto themselves.”

“I see.”

“If you ever meet them, be cautious. They’re not just strong—they’re sharp and cunning.”

I almost blurted out, “Sorry, Father, but your son isn’t exactly lacking in those areas either.”

I barely managed to hold back the remark.

“So... are they stronger than you, Father?”

It was a joke.

I had a general idea of the answer even before asking.

Yet, my father looked at me calmly and said,

“They might make me itch.”

“...”

The way he said it so casually made it even more terrifying.

Anyway.

Maybe it was this meeting, but that memory surfaced again.

Shaking off the recollection, I turned my gaze forward.

Sitting before me was an old woman, dignified in appearance.

She was one of the Seven Irons and Three Fists.

More specifically, one of the Three Fists.

Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal.

One of Zhongyuan’s Ten Great Masters.

A member of the Three Fists within the Seven Irons and Three Fists.

That was her identity.

I’d heard she was over eighty and had lived through the war against the Unorthodox Sect.

She was also the head of the Emei Sect, one of the Nine Great Clans.

And a legendary heroine representing Zhongyuan.

Her martial arts were said to embody the weight and power of her sect’s unique techniques.

‘A fist technique from those thin arms?’

That she was over eighty yet still stood with a straight back was impressive enough.

But her slender, almost frail-looking arms didn’t seem capable of holding any power.

An elegant old woman.

A grandmother running a wealthy trading company.

That’s the impression she gave.

‘Hmm....’

I discreetly swallowed as I studied her.

Her frail body, bony hands delicately holding a teacup—everything about her screamed weakness.

‘That’s just the surface. It’s not the truth.’

She wasn’t someone to underestimate.

Do you know who the most dangerous people in Zhongyuan are?

Women and the elderly.

Most men obsessed with martial arts seemed to have their brains fused with their lower halves, acting like beasts.

The slightly smarter ones exploited this by employing beautiful women as bait.

Even the Murim Alliance and other factions kept beautiful attendants nearby for a reason.

‘...The Gu family is relatively decent in that regard.’

But even they had their fair share of dirty dealings.

Unorthodox or Orthodox—it didn’t matter. Danger was the same everywhere.

Because of that, I’d developed a habit of being wary of women.

‘In my past life, I burned them alive if they pulled any tricks.’

A beautiful woman approaches me out of nowhere, acting friendly?

There’s nothing more suspicious or dangerous.

Trust was out of the question.

‘Not that it mattered. Most of them were cut down by the Demon Sword Queen before they got too close.’

Even within the Alliance and rival factions, they tried their schemes.

But the Demon Sword Queen found them repulsive and killed them all before they could act.

Fewer attempts followed after that.

Anyway, women—especially beautiful ones—were threats in Zhongyuan.

The second most dangerous group?

‘Simple. The older they are, the stronger they get.’

Martial artists refine their inner energy over time.

Since Qi cultivation relies on breathing techniques, age directly impacts their strength.

It’s said martial artists reach their physical prime around forty.

But Qi? That’s all about time.

Sure, one could enhance Qi through miraculous pills or encounters...

‘But those only increase quantity, not quality.’

The same amount of Qi can carry vastly different meanings.

A life well-lived embeds insights into one’s energy.

And that energy elevates a martial artist’s strength.

‘...That’s why the Ten Great Masters and the Three Lords are so powerful.’

Younger generations like the Six Seats wield influence.

But the Ten Great Masters and the Three Lords earned their places through sheer strength.

Thirteen in total.

And the youngest among them had already passed sixty.

No one could underestimate the elderly in Zhongyuan.

‘And this Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal checks both boxes.’

Once a renowned beauty in her youth.

Now carrying the weight of a long life filled with experience.

Two dangerously potent combinations.

What’s more—

‘She’s strong.’

I could tell just by looking.

Her frailty was only skin-deep. Inside, she was solid.

‘Among the Ten Great Masters, only two are said to rival the Three Lords.’

The Plum Blossom Immortal of Mount Hua and the Sword Emperor of the Murim Alliance.

I’d faced both of them directly.

So I was certain.

‘She’s no less powerful.’

Not that she was equal to the Three Lords.

Just that she wasn’t weaker than the Sword Emperor.

‘She’s brimming with power.’

A body that seemed too small to contain such overwhelming energy.

And the vessel holding that energy was perfectly refined.

‘Not a single opening.’

Even as she sat drinking tea, there wasn’t a single gap in her defenses.

I wondered if an ambush would even land.

I wasn’t certain.

When you doubt whether an ambush would succeed, it only proves how formidable the opponent is.

Of course, I was the one keeping myself from dropping my guard.

‘Hmm.’

Not going to be easy.

I was thinking that when—

“Thank you for receiving me so suddenly,” said the Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal.

Hearing that, I smiled.

“You’re the head of the Emei Sect. It’s only natural to make time for you.”

“...I see.”

Her calm tone lingered in my ears as I asked,

“So... what brings the Sect Leader to visit me today?”

This morning had already been full of surprises.

The place was packed with people claiming to be here to see the Twin Dragons.

And then the head of the Emei Sect herself showed up?

How could I not be curious?

‘Not just an elder, but the Sect Leader herself.’

She was someone you’d be lucky to catch a glimpse of.

And now she’d come to see me personally.

“Yes, Young Master Gu.”

“Yes.”

“I heard that a girl named Pi Yeon-yeon is by your side. Is that correct?”

Thankfully, she got straight to the point.

Even better—it was something I’d already anticipated.

“Ah, you mean Miss Pi?”

I nodded as if recalling something and quickly ran through my thoughts.

Pi Yeon-yeon.

A martial artist from the Seoan Pi clan.

Of course, that was just Bong Soon’s alias.

This confirmed that the Emei Sect was looking for Bong Soon.

Now, how should I handle this?

This, too, was something I’d already prepared for.

“Yes. She’s someone I’ve been sponsoring.”

“Sponsoring?”

A glint of curiosity flashed in the Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal’s eyes.

“I happened to come across her while visiting Seoan. She showed incredible talent but lacked a proper background, so I decided to support her.”

I kept talking smoothly, all the while calculating.

‘Their target is Bong Soon.’

The question was—

‘Is it because of the artifact? Or because of Bong Soon herself?’

That part was still unclear.

Then—

“Do you know?”

The Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal asked suddenly.

“Do you know what Pi Yeon-yeon really is?”

‘Oh?’

I almost laughed internally.

She jumped right into the deeper question.

Good.

This meant I could push harder now.

“Yes. I know.”

“...!”

Her eyes widened at my confident answer.

Judging by her reaction, she hadn’t expected me to say that.

“You know...?”

“Yes. More or less.”

“And what exactly do you—”

“Do you know, Sect Leader?”

“...!”

“What exactly do you know about Miss Pi Yeon-yeon?”

Two questions in a row.

And just like that, the Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal fell silent.

‘Now, how will you respond?’

I wondered what thoughts were racing through her mind.

She must’ve been debating her next move.

The moment I claimed to know, the conclusion was already set.

If I knew, what exactly did I know?

Was it the same as what she knew?

Or did I know something different about Pi Yeon-yeon?

These doubts would arise, but she couldn’t ask easily.

Her hesitation came from the possibility that I might know more than she did.

‘She can’t risk revealing too much.’

If what I knew was different from her knowledge, she’d only end up at a disadvantage.

I’d cornered her into this situation.

“Ha... You really are a cunning snake.”

She finally spoke, her words filled with meaning.

I smiled back.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“And you’re brazen. You know you’re talking to the Sect Leader of the Emei Sect, yet you’re not afraid of serious consequences?”

“I’ve been told that before... but given that I’m still alive, I’d say it’s not such a bad attitude. Others seemed to like it well enough.”

Cunning. Arrogant. Rude.

I’d been called all sorts of things.

But no one had ever punished me for it.

If they threatened me, I killed them.

If they didn’t like me, I crushed them.

Clink.

I refilled my empty teacup.

“Would you like another cup?”

“...Sure.”

After pouring her tea, I spoke again.

“You asked me first, so now I have a question for you.”

I didn’t expect an answer, but I asked anyway.

“Is the Emei Sect after Miss Pi herself? Or is it the artifact she carries?”

“...”

A direct question.

The room instantly grew heavier.

Rumble...

The table began to tremble.

“...You.”

A weighty pressure brushed against my cheek.

The Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal’s aura grew stronger.

“This again?”

I sighed softly, irritated.

Why did people always throw tantrums in my house?

Rumble—!!

I focused energy into my core and released it.

It crushed her aura, slowly tearing it apart.

Her eyes widened in shock—not only had her Qi barrier been broken earlier, but now her presence was being suppressed.

I spoke while watching her expression.

“Trying to throw your weight around again? Are you looking to speed up your funeral plans?”

Did she really think flexing her strength would work?

Old people like this were the real problem.

Or maybe it was Zhongyuan itself.

Honestly, it was probably both.

With things this violent, poor innocent me always ended up taking the blame.

So unfair.

Her Qi grew even heavier, and I matched her pressure.

Crack.

A sound came from the ceiling.

At this rate, the entire building might collapse.

And if that happened, Lady Mi would probably throw a fit.

Moyong Hee-ah had mentioned this was one of Lady Mi’s favorite properties.

I sighed internally at the thought.

“How about we take it easy?”

I eased the pressure slightly and spoke.

“You clearly have questions, Sect Leader, don’t you?”

“...”

Her eyes were sharp.

She didn’t respond, but her aura grew sharper, filled with killing intent.

God, this old woman had a terrible temper.

‘What a pain.’

I had no choice.

“How about we settle this with a fight? Clean and simple.”

“...What?”

“The loser answers the winner’s questions.

What do you think?”

I smiled as I said it.

But her expression twisted even more.