Childhood Friend of the Zenith

It was a spring day, bathed in soothing sunlight.

******************At that time, the young lady wore a light blue outfit provided by the Murim Alliance, having discarded the white robes of Mount Hua after running away from her sect following an argument with her master.

She obviously didn’t have any title at this time.

She was merely one of the swordswomen in the Murim Alliance.

That was how she was briefly known at the time.

-…Why are we the ones going to that place?

Her voice echoed in the forest they were in.

A slight wrinkle formed on her forehead as she spoke.

It was clear she wasn’t fond of the situation.

The one who responded to her was a young man with a fierce expression.

He may have seemed scary, but he was also tall and had a firm expression on his handsome face.

He was also the senior of the group the lady was in.

At that time, he was a renowned martial artist in the Central Plains.

He was the strongest Heavenly Dragon in the history of the Murim Alliance, a young martial artist destined to become a Zenith one day.

The Heavenly Dragon, Gu Cheolun, was her senior.

Hearing her senior’s response, the lady’s frown deepened.

-But, senior. This is the Blue Dragon Army’s mission… so why must we do it instead?

Her group was currently tasked with chasing the Demon that the Blue Dragon Army had let escape.

She wasn’t fond of it.

Upon becoming a swordswoman in the Murim Alliance, she was immediately placed in the Heavenly Dragon Army, earning sour looks from those in the Blue Dragon Army.

Typically, one had to go through many steps to be placed in the Heavenly Dragon Army, but she had been admitted directly without the usual process.

This decision was made by two individuals who believed in her capabilities and strength, but it resulted in many others giving her bitter looks.

-But now they are basically telling us to clean up after the mess they made… isn’t it unfair?

Was his name Namgung Jin?

That rude man, known as the Sword Dragon—she wasn’t fond of him at all.

He gave her all the looks, yet now he was asking her for help.

Was this really the right thing to do as a man of the Orthodox Faction?

It only made her sigh.

Despite this situation, her senior didn’t say a word.

He had been like this ever since she first met him.

He only spoke when absolutely necessary.

Yet, on the battlefield, he displayed unbelievable strength.

In the lady’s eyes, that’s who the Heavenly Dragon was.

At this point, Gu Cheolun glanced back at the complaining lady and spoke.

-This is the Captain’s order. We will follow it.

The main army of the Alliance Leader, and an army that was the face of the Murim Alliance.

The Heavenly Dragon Army.

Just being put into that army must have led everyone to look at Gu Cheolun in jealousy even more than the lady, but he himself didn’t seem to be affected by it at all. Ɍ�

-Instead of worrying about this, use this time to tidy yourself.

-…What do you mean by that?

-The sword on your waist, I’m telling you to put it back into the right place as it’s loose.

Upon hearing his words, the lady quickly checked the sword on her waist.

However, her sword was securely in place, just as she had thought.

-Senior, it’s in the right spot!

When she spoke in disbelief, Gu Cheolun responded with a cold gaze.

-The fact that you checked after hearing my words means it’s already too late. It meant that you weren’t certain.

-What do you…!

She tried to argue, but the words wouldn’t come easily.

-Rather than focusing on others, concentrate on yourself. It will be more beneficial for you.

The lady fell silent after hearing Gu Cheolun.

She had plenty to argue about, but she wasn’t skilled with words, and as he was her senior, she couldn’t really argue with him.

To focus on herself, that was way too difficult for the lady.

-Senior…

Just as she was about to ask a question, Gu Cheolun stopped her with his large hand.

-Senior?

-Quiet.

Woong.

As Gu Cheolun’s heavy words echoed, heat began radiating into the surroundings.

It was the unique aura he possessed.

-There is something ahead.

Upon hearing this, the lady, Soi, sharpened her focus.

Shing.

She drew her sword and gathered her Qi.

Blaze.

In an instant, Gu Cheolun enveloped himself in heat and moved forward, blazing with intensity.

There was no need for any further command from him.

No matter how Gu Cheolun moved, Soi was able to support him from behind.

After a brief moment,

Blaze-!

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Gu Cheolun summoned flames, increased his speed, and charged into the tall grass.

As Soi charged in with her Qi,

-…Huh?

She found herself in a place that didn’t seem dangerous at all. .

-A place like this existed…?

Soi has been around this area a few times, but this was the first time she saw something like this.

It was a small field filled with blooming flowers.

It may have been spring, but it still felt strange here.

After taking in her surroundings, Soi snapped back to reality.

She wasn’t in the situation to look around right now.

-Senior…!

She quickly searched for Gu Cheolun with her sword out.

Gu Cheolun still had the flames surrounding him, and in that spot,

-…Senior?

He was grabbing someone by the neck.

-…Ugh…

-A person?

The person in Gu Cheolun’s grasp was a woman Soi had never seen before.

What stood out was her white hair.

It’s white.

It was pure white.

It was the first time Soi had seen hair that white.

Was the color an outcome of her own Mind Art?

But there was no Qi emanating from the woman.

-I-I can’t…

The lady struggled to speak in Gu Cheolun’s grasp, but he didn’t move an inch.

-Senior?

***-An unknown outsider. Who are you?*

-Ough…

As he strengthened his grasp, the lady groaned in pain.

Was he trying to break her neck?

-If you won’t tell me, I will burn you to ashes.

Oh, no, he was actually going to burn her alive.

Is he crazy…?

-Senior! Wait!

Soi hurriedly tried to stop Gu Cheolun’s arm, but he didn’t bulge an inch.

The fact that Gu Cheolun’s flames didn’t harm Soi meant he was controlling his strength.

Gu Cheolun stared at Soi and asked.

-What do you think you are doing?

-I should be the one that’s asking you that. She’s clearly not a Demon!

She checked to see if it was a Demon, but no matter how much she looked at it, she was an ordinary person.

Given that, this method didn’t seem appropriate.

When Soi raised her voice, Gu Cheolun responded with a cold gaze.

-Why do you think that?

-Huh?

***-I’m asking why you think that this isn’t a Demon.*

-Uh…

Because she’s obviously not.

Soi couldn’t voice the words, but Gu Cheolun seemed to understand, clicking his tongue in response.

-You can’t be certain until you see what’s inside them.

See what’s inside them?

-Don’t judge a book by its cover. Does Mount Hua not teach you that?

-…!

-She suddenly appeared in the territory of the Murim Alliance. How can you be so calm when you don’t even know if she’s a martial artist from the Unorthodox Faction or a Demon wearing a human mask??

Soi bit her lip as he insulted her sect.

This man was sometimes unnecessarily cold and cruel.

-…Even if you say that, you won’t be able to hear her answer.

-What do you mean?

-If you grab her neck like that, there’s no way you’ll be able to hear anything from her.

Gu Cheolun’s eyes shifted slightly at Soi’s words.

A few seconds later,

Thud.

-Eek!

The lady who was in Gu Cheolun’s grasp, fell to the ground effortlessly.

Her wavy white hair fanned out like butterfly wings, delicate and gentle.

A flower petal came down from somewhere, and landed on the lady’s hair.

-Oww…

She groaned in pain as if she was feeling pain in her butt, but at the same time,

Shing.

Soi’s sword was pointed right towards her neck.

-What are you?

Her tone was sharp, unlike before.

Hearing this, Gu Cheolun let the flames around his body recede, as if deciding to watch for now.

-Wha?

The lady looked back at Soi with widened eyes, and Soi had to hide her shock when she looked back into the lady’s eyes.

The pupils in her eyes were beautiful as gems.

-…Your name, what is it?

Her voice trembled slightly, but she didn’t break the flow of her Qi.

After hearing Soi, the lady tilted her head for a moment,

-Cheonhee.

And stated her name.

Her speaking with a bright smile seemed like a flower in Soi’s eyes, and it for some reason felt soothing.

-My name is Cheonhee.

That was the first time they met

******************“…She’s not dead? what do you mean by that?”

The Sword Queen’s voice sharpened.

Crack, crack.

It wasn’t just her voice; her uncontrollable Combat Qi began to shake the barrier surrounding them.

She is at a much higher level than he expected.

That was the thought as he looked at the Sword Queen.

“It’s as I said. That child did not die.”

Cheonhee.

She was the friend of the Sword Queen and the Tiger Warrior’s concubine.

She was also the biological mother of the True Dragon.

And now the Qinghai Sword was claiming she hadn’t died.

The Sword Queen however, couldn’t understand.

“Let me ask this. How come you are mentioning that child?”

“I thought you should know, since I believed the Sword Queen would be curious.”

“If that’s what you believed, then you should’ve told me much earlier.”

He should’ve told her before the Sword Queen almost lost her mind, during the time she wandered around in the Abyss.

“What’s your reason for telling me now?”

She tried her best to suppress her Combat Qi.

She had to hold back her anger.

“I saw the child.”

“Child?”

“Yes, the child of that child.”

He was referring to the True Dragon.

“I always wanted to see her child, but I never had the chance until now.”

“…There is my disciple as well.”

“Right, your disciple too is also the child of that girl.”

“Is telling me this related to what you mentioned earlier?”

After hearing her question, the Qinghai Sword fell silent.

He still had his eyes closed, but the Sword Queen knew that he was looking at her.

“I only have one thing to say to you, Sword Queen.”

“…Head.”

“To hear it or not, make a decision.”

That was all he could tell her.

The Sword Queen bit her lip repeatedly after hearing the Qinghai Sword.

There was something she didn’t know about.

Be it the Celestial Plum Blossom, Gu Cheolun, the Sword Venerable, the Heavenly Eye, or the Qinghai Sword—those involved in what happened back then all lost something very important, though she didn’t know what it was.

Does that mean,

‘What about me?’

The Sword Queen wondered what she lost.

Was it the life she almost lost?

She didn’t know because she regained it.

With the help of her friend’s child, no less.

Then, what did she need to do right now?

The Sword Queen didn’t hesitate.

Her hesitation ended a while ago.

“…Tell me.”

After hearing her response, the Qinghai Sword stroked his beard thoughtfully, falling into silence once more.

“Head?”

“Apologies, I need to consider how much I can reveal.”

It was the same for everyone.

If they wanted to talk about what happened back then, they needed to be cautious.

“The fact that Cheonhee is still alive—is that true?”

“Yes, that child is still alive.”

“Then where is she right- “

“You are asking what you already know.”

Upon hearing his response, the Sword Queen bit her lip.

“The reason you wandered around in the Abyss for so long. Isn’t it because you already knew?”

“…”

“As you think, the child is in the Abyss.”

It confirmed the Sword Queen’s suspicion.

“…In the Abyss you say.”

“Yes.”

“Why…?”

“I’m not sure why you’re asking me that.”

The Qinghai Sword slightly opened his eyes after hearing the Sword Queen.

His white pupil was revealed.

“Is it so strange for the child to return to where she belongs?”

“…Head, you know what you said isn’t true.”

“I don’t want to know.”

The Qinghai Sword’s tone was firm.

“Head.”

“You must know how to forget.”

“I just don’t understand what you mean by that.”

It was always like this.

In a world where sheer martial strength wasn’t enough to achieve everything, no one told the Sword Queen about the things she had forgotten.

She had to find it herself.

Whether it was the truth, or the secrets.

Gazing at the Sword Queen with his white pupils, the Qinghai Sword spoke in a low voice.

“Sword Queen, do you know about the essence of this world?”

“…Essence, you say?”

“Yes, essence.”

That was out of nowhere.

The essence of the world?

The Qinghai Sword’s shoulders trembled slightly as he spoke.

“That child was the essence of the world.”

The fact that Cheonhee was the essence.

The Sword Queen’s mind raced after hearing this.

“What do you…”

“This land,”

“…!”

Blood began to trickle from the Qinghai Sword’s mouth.

The Sword Queen’s eyes widened in shock as she moved closer, but the Qinghai Sword raised his hand, stopping her in her tracks.

“Originally, this world should have met its end centuries ago.”

The Sword Queen flinched at his words.

The land that should have died centuries ago.

It was hard to understand the meaning of it.

Then,

“Head, wait…!”

The Sword Queen shouted at the Qinghai Sword.

Blood came out from his mouth.

She knew it was because of a Shackle placed on him.

Though the Qinghai Sword had claimed there was no Shackle on him, the Sword Queen could see it for what it was—a Shackle.

The Sword Queen rushed towards him, but the Qinghai Sword was quicker.

Craaack-!

“…!”

In an instant, the Qinghai Sword snapped his left pinky finger,

Thud-!

Then, his finger was cut off.

“This much should be enough.”

What did he mean by that?

Strangely, the Qinghai Sword now wore a more peaceful expression, despite having just lost a finger.

No blood came out from where the finger was cut, which meant that he already stopped the blood flow with his Qi.

How could he be like this?

“I shall continue.”

The Qinghai Sword prepared his body further and tried to speak once again,

“…Head, you can stop there now.”

But the Sword Queen knew.

The more he spoke, the more the Qinghai Sword was damaging his own body.

After noticing the Sword Queen’s concern for him, the Qinghai Sword put on a light smile.

“As always, you are kind.”

“I am not.”

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of throwing my life away, as I still have things to take care of.”

The Sword Queen clenched her eyes shut.

Setting aside whether everything he said was true, she felt trapped—torn between hearing him out or stopping him from harming himself further.

She didn’t understand why the Qinghai Sword only decided now to tell her this and she had completely forgotten about her originally goal here,

“…But like you said, if the world should have really ended centuries ago,”

The Sword Queen decided to continue hearing from him.

She believed that this was her only chance.

“I don’t understand how this is related to Cheonhee, and how the world is being maintained.”

“That is-“

Just as the Qinghai Sword was about to respond,

Woong-!

“…!”

They felt something from the barriers set up by both of them.

The sensation made them both flinch, their bodies trembling.

The sensation was that intense.

A very dense one at that.

This is…?

The Sword Queen was the first one to feel it.

That much was understandable, because what they were currently feeling was none other than Taoist Qi, and the Qi of Mount Hua at that which she was so very familiar with.

The location is…

The Sword Queen’s eyes widened as she confirmed the location.

To her shock, the Taoist Qi was emanating from near the Head’s building—the very place where Gu Yangcheon was currently located.