Childhood Friend of the Zenith
chapter-226

Two months had passed.

The spring season had ended and summer was coming.

The flowers that had bloomed were preparing for their last breath.

Swoosh-! Swoosh!

A young man swung his sword.

He was on a field under the scorching sunlight.

Sweat dripped from his chin.

“Ha…!”

The wooden sword in his hand shivered.

He had trained hard for a long time.

He ignored his legs that felt like giving up.

He swung his sword again.

Slam!

A wave of wind pushed out when he stomped on the ground.

The Qi that became one with his body enhanced his swordplay.

And the sword that reached peak realm seemed to have the sky as its limit.

Swish!

A sword slash formed when he swung his sword in the air.

Ccgggck!

He ended his training after cutting down a few more trees with his sword.

“…Sigh…”

He let out a deep sigh after stopping his movements.

Swoosh.

He retrieved his Qi back into his dantian.

And he calmed his body while breathing heavily.

How difficult.

The young man, Muyeon, thought to himself.

He had reached the Peak Realm two months ago.

His joy from overcoming his wall and his excitement of reaching a new world were still the same.

But the world he stepped into after reaching peak realm from first-rate was much bigger and higher than his previous realm.

He had reached a world he desired.

But he couldn't imagine how much training and enlightenment he needed to go to the next level.

However, Muyeon erased his thoughts and focused on his breathing.

There is a lot of time. Let's not be impatient.

Someone had given him that advice many times.

Of course, the one who told him that didn't sound kind.

-Just do what you can. A person has to know their place. If you squirm around without knowing your place, you won't get anywhere.

It was something a boy with a fierce look on his face told him.

It was someone Muyeon served.

And a boy who would become the biggest pillar of the Gu Clan.

…The Young Master has been living in such a world this whole time?

Muyeon respected Gu Yangcheon more after reaching the Peak Realm.

The Young Master must have talent given by the heavens.

He had met Gu Yangcheon for the first time a year ago.

And Gu Yangcheon back then was a poor martial artist who barely reached the Third-Rate.

But he had changed and his talent bloomed.

He reached the Second-Rate.

Then the First-Rate.

And then he overcame his wall to reach the Peak Realm when Muyeon didn't see him much.

He had achieved all that in just a year. It was an absurd talent.

…There are tons of people who can't reach the Peak Realm even if they train for a lifetime.

Muyeon had felt jealous when he saw that.

But now, he felt some peace.

It was probably because of what Wi servant told him that night. It was a starting point.

Wipe-

He finished his training. He put away his wooden sword and wiped his sweat.

Then someone came to Muyeon.

“Good work.”

He heard the words and turned to the voice.

“…Oh, Miss Hong.”

The servant named Hongwa appeared and offered water to Muyeon.

Muyeon lowered his head lightly and drank the water.

He was glad. He quenched his thirst.

Hongwa watched him carefully and asked him a question.

“Are you making any progress?”

“It's always the same as ever.”

“Judging by your expression, you seem pretty fine.”

“…Haha.”

Hongwa spoke with relief, and Muyeon smiled with embarrassment.

He had told the clan that he reached the Peak Realm.

Gu Sunmoon and the Swordsmen Army were shaken again.

A new youngest martial artist who reached the Peak Realm in Gu Sunmoon was born.

Furthermore, the First Elder who used to be the Head of Gu Sunmoon had died.

And the things that the First Elder had planned behind the scenes were getting exposed one by one.

Along with the idea of Gu Jeolyub inheriting the head position looking risky, many people talked about how Muyeon was capable enough to lead Gu Sunmoon.

And since Muyeon had worked in a Swordsmen Army, many people said Muyeon should be taken out of the escort position and made active in the Swordsmen Army again.

A martial artist who reached the Peak Realm was enough to be given the Vice-Captain position of a Swordsmen Army.

However, Muyeon rejected all of these things.

He didn't think he deserved any of this.

-There is something I want to do. Before I'm finished with that, I don't want to be given any position.

With that sentence, Muyeon shut down all the conversations.

Of course, many captains and members of Gu Sunmoon wanted to talk more with Muyeon.

But they chose silence when they saw the Second Elder's fist.

“Muyeon.”

“Yes.”

“…You are still going to speak to me formally?”

“…I just can't get used to it.”

Hongwa gave up and changed the topic.

“I heard that Young Master Jeolyub came yesterday.”

“Oh, yes. That's right.”

“Was he okay?”

Muyeon smiled bitterly.

“He will be fine soon.”

That was all he could say.

Gu Jeolyub would be fine.

In his eyes, the boy he saw was a martial artist with a steel mindset.

He thought of Gu Jeolyub who still looked haggard and changed the topic.

“Oh right, it's today, right?”

“The day that the Young Master comes out?”

“Yes.”

“Correct. Though I'm not sure when he'll come out…”

It had been two months since Gu Yangcheon entered closed-door training as a punishment.

And that time had veritably flown by unlike his expectation.

…Do I just give it to him as soon as he comes out?

Gu Yangcheon had made a few requests to Muyeon before entering closed-door training.

None of the requests were too difficult.

So Muyeon was able to finish it easily.

But as always, he wondered why Gu Yangcheon made such requests.

The Young Master must always have a reason.

That's what Muyeon thought.

After all, people like him couldn't possibly understand geniuses like Gu Yangcheon.

“Oh, did you hear the news?”

“About what?”

“The business that Moyong Clan will open this time around...”

“Oh, yes, I heard that they are working with the Tang Clan…”

“Yes. They are going to sell accessories and clothing, so people from outside of Shanxi will visit.”

“Oh, I see.”

Muyeon remembered hearing the news briefly.

And the blood relative of Moyong Clan was residing in Gu Clan now.

The Snow Phoenix, was it?

The Snow Phoenix Moyong Hi-ah.

She had visited Gu Yangcheon a few times, so Muyeon had seen her face up close.

She was a beautiful person.

She was a lady who knew how to use her beauty.

She was a person filled with beauty that charmed men with her gestures and smiles.

In Muyeon's eyes, that's what the Snow Phoenix was.

However, Gu Yangcheon had avoided her eye contact with discomfort every time.

How come?

Muyeon couldn't understand.

He always believed that everyone liked beautiful people.

Perhaps, it's because of Lady Namgung?

Moyong Hi-ah may have been beautiful.

But the most beautiful person Muyeon had seen since birth was Namgung Bi-ah.

She didn't decorate herself that much and she was a person that only wore comfortable clothing with her hair tied so that she could train.

But despite that fact, Namgung Bi-ah was a person that had a whole different level of beauty.

So much so that even Muyeon became jealous of Gu Yangcheon for a little because of the fact that he was engaged to her.

“…So I'd like to ask,”

“Huh?”

“If you are okay with it… how about we…”

“Oh! You are here!”

Right as Hongwa was about to say something, her sentence was cut off when someone appeared.

When Muyeon saw the person that came while cutting off the conversation, he had to greet him with respect.

“I-I greet the Second Elder.”

“Yes yes, it's been a while.”

“Yes.”

They saw each other a few days ago.

“Oh, Hongwa's here too.”

“…”

“Hmm? What's with your expression?”

“It is nothing. I greet the Second Elder.”

“I, I see…”

For some reason, Hongwa's expression seemed darker than usual.

Maybe she is feeling ill.

“It's nothing special, but I heard that he'll be out in a bit.”

“Oh…! The Young Master?”

“Yes. Would you like to go together?”

“Yes.”

Muyeon nodded to the Second Elder.

He was waiting two months for this, after all.

Hongwa lowered her head to the Second Elder, and started to leave.

“Then, I shall be going to prepare a meal.”

Because she heard that Gu Yangcheon will be out soon, Hongwa quickly left to prepare a meal for him.

But because her expression still didn't seem that good, it bothered Muyeon a bit.

“…Hmm, did this old man do something wrong?”

“No. It seems that servant Hong isn't feeling too well.”

“Oh no, I should've sent her to the medical room.”

After hearing the Second Elder's response, Muyeon smiled.

Then he began moving his steps along with the Second Elder.

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

To list each thing that happened in the past two months, the first thing would be the secret vault that the First Elder hid.

Just like how Gu Yangcheon described, there was a secret vault at the First Elder's place, and inside, it was filled with wealth that he accumulated, as well as all of the evidence of the First Elder sharing information with external forces.

Because of this, Gu Yangcheon getting rid of the First Elder while knowing something was proved. Furthermore, the First Elder was removed from his position and wasn't even given a proper burial.

Even if he was given a burial, he wouldn't be buried in Gu Clan's grave.

Moreover, Gu Jeolyub who had his blood was also affected by this, but since Gu Yangcheon and the Second Elder had a plan for this beforehand, Gu Jeolyub was able to protect his dantian and was still able to be active as a member of Gu Clan.

However, he had to give up his Young Lord position of Gu Sunmoon and wasn't allowed to do things he used to be able to as a branch clan of Gu Clan. However, Gu Jeolyub didn't show any complaint to this.

Instead, he secretly told Muyeon that he was thankful that he was able to get at least this much.

Many other things happened other than this…

But all would be talked about after meeting with Gu Yangcheon.

After arriving, a few familiar faces that came earlier were present.

A lady that stood far away, wearing a cover.

So the Snow Phoenix also came.

She was a blood relative of Moyong Clan that wasn't leaving the clan due to business matters.

And next to her…

“…!”

Muyeon had to gasp for an instant when he saw the person that stood next to her.

Namgung Bi-ah was standing next to Moyong Hi-ah.

In some ways, it was obvious.

After all, Namgung Bi-ah not being present would've been weirder.

However, Muyeon wasn't surprised because of that fact.

“…Wow.”

The Second Elder that came with Muyeon, also showed an admiring reaction.

It was because Namgung Bi-ah standing in a proper posture was absurdly beautiful.

Wherever the girl with tied hair who wore a comfortable uniform went, her beauty was so astounding that it made everyone go into a daze, just from looking at her.

She seems so different just because she decorated herself a little.

Unlike usual, Namgung Bi-ah seemed to have gone out of her way to beautify herself.

The makeup wasn't as dense as Moyong Hi-ah and Tang Soyeol's usual look, and it was lighter, but that was enough to give her enough beauty to shut everyone down.

Namgung Bi-ah's head moved and made eye contact with Muyeon.

“…”

Nod.

Namgung Bi-ah then lowered her head slightly to Muyeon.

Muyeon too showed respect to her, but he couldn't do anything about his heart thumping crazily.

…Do I have to use my Qi?

He thought for an instant, but he shook his head.

“A lot of people have gathered here. My Yangcheon must have luck in making friends unlike his personality.”

As if it was his matter, the Second Elder spoke proudly.

There were a few more different faces than when Gu Yangcheon entered, but it was still a large number of people.

In some ways, it was strange that so many people gathered to see someone get out of closed-door training.

“It's almost time, so he should be out soon—”

As soon as the Second Elder spoke…

Slaaam.

A sound came from the entrance.

Dddddk.

Because of the shaking, dust started to fall from the entrance.

Then the heavy door opened slowly...

Swooosh!

An immense amount of heat stormed out of the entrance.

The heat that swept away the dust had something else mixed in it.

…This is…

All of this dense and clear heat was Qi. Every single iota.

When the heat that stormed out disappeared…

From the darkness…

Step.

The sound of footsteps could be heard.

“Ugh, dammit.”

At the same time, a familiar voice reached everyone's ears.

The voice that was filled with all kinds of complaints sounded familiar to Muyeon, but was also a voice that he trusted so much that it felt strange for him.

“Now I feel a little better.”

As the sound of footsteps got closer, the boy's appearance from the darkness gradually became clearer.

He was wearing the same uniform as when he entered.

…Did he grow a little?

But for some reason, it looked like he had grown a little.

Boys at that age may grow rapidly, but it seemed faster in his case.

“Hmm? What the.”

The boy who put his hair aside while looking around still had the same fierce eyes.

During this, Muyeon shook for an instant when he saw the boy's eyes.

Violet…?

It was because Gu Yangcheon's eyes seemed to have a violet color.

However, at the same time as he blinked, his eyes returned to their original colors.

Muyeon tilted his head after seeing such a sight.

Was I mistaken?

It must be.

As Muyeon was having that thought, Gu Yangcheon spoke with his usual expression that made him look like he felt absurd.

“Why are you all gathered here?”

“We were waiting for you, bastard.”

“…I mean, why are you all waiting for a person who's coming out of his punishment?”

The Second Elder thought of walking towards Gu Yangcheon to tap his shoulders, but he stopped his steps midway.

Everyone looked at him wondering what was wrong.

“What's wrong?”

“Yangcheon.”

“Yes.”

“You smell.”

“…”

After hearing the Second Elder, Gu Yangcheon sniffed his clothes and made a disgusted expression.

“…Holy fuck, what kind of smell is this?”

It seemed like he smelled really bad.

“You smell worse than shit, so let's talk after you wash yourself.”

“Yes…”

Muyeon who watched that had to hide his face as he didn't know what expression to make.

After all, the reunion was far messier than he expected.