Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 662: Villain and Hero (2)

Splash.

My steps squished against the damp ground as I made my way through the passage.

Seong Yul had been left outside to wait.

There was no need for him to come along.

Splash— Splash—

Each step echoed against the watery ground, the dim passage shrouded in darkness, with no lanterns to illuminate the way.

The stale air brushed against my senses, but none of it bothered me.

Even in the pitch-black passage, I could see everything clearly.

The thick, oppressive air was merely unpleasant, incapable of causing me any real harm.

After walking for roughly half an hour:

Wuuuung—

A faint, strange energy brushed against my body.

The flow was peculiar. Could this also be sorcery?

‘It’s definitely different from formations.’

Looking at formations, I could never understand how they worked or what went into creating them.

This, however, I could see.

While I didn’t fully grasp its purpose or how it had been set up, I could discern the flow of energy.

Things I couldn’t perceive before were now clear.

It was a refreshing experience.

Swoosh.

As my fingertips brushed against the energy, it rippled like water.

Thump.

My heart reacted, sending a vibration through my body.

‘Oh.’

As I made contact with the energy, the binding rings within my heart began to stir.

They spun.

The sensation was eerily similar to the rotation of Guyeomhwaryungong.

Thump— Thump—!

Vmmmm—!

As my heart pounded, the rings rotated faster, and an unfamiliar thrill coursed through me.

It was an intriguing sensation.

The two rings spun with increasing speed, and I instinctively moved my hand.

Wuuuuung.

The sorcery’s barrier wavered under my touch. Observing the flow, my Mind’s Eye opened on its own.

It wasn’t a conscious decision—perhaps it was an instinctual response.

As I pondered, my eyes quickly read the flow of the energy.

‘Fascinating.’

I had assumed the Mind’s Eye could only analyze Qi, but to my surprise, it also deciphered the currents of the sorcery.

Threads tangled and densely layered, forming an intricate tapestry so complex it was almost painful to look at.

Had I seen this before, I would have cursed and ripped it apart on sight.

‘Hmm.’

The rings spun faster.

My hands moved as if guided by the countless threads.

I could see it. I understood it.

How to handle this—I already knew.

Vmmmmmm—!!!

The heat surged as the rings spun faster, making my heart burn.

It was intense enough to make me grimace.

Despite its appearance, proceeding further like this felt risky.

I considered stopping here.

‘Hmm.’

Logic dictated that I should.

But—

Vmmmmmm—!!!

Unfortunately, I wasn’t the most rational person.

My body seemed unwilling to stop.

Then, what should I do?

‘It seems two rings aren’t enough to handle the heat.’

The issue lay in the fact that the two rings couldn’t manage the intensity.

The solution was obvious.

‘If two aren’t enough, I’ll use three.’

Grasping the threads of the sorcery, I focused my energy and willed my heart to act.

Crackle—!

Inside, friction surged.

Pressure burst forth beneath the spinning rings.

The pain was sharp.

The rings seemed to protest, as if telling me it wasn’t time yet.

‘And what of it?’

I ignored it.

‘I decide when it’s time.’

It felt within reach.

My instincts guided me, whispering that this was the way.

Following that path, I began reassembling my inner structure.

Fragments broke away from the existing rings, grinding against my insides.

At the height of the tension:

Screeeeeech—!!!!

The friction intensified.

Pieces from the existing rings coalesced, forming a new structure beneath them.

Though incomplete, it was undoubtedly the third ring.

Vmmmmmm—!!!

The newly formed ring seemed to understand its role from the moment it came into existence.

It spun faster at my command, and the unbearable heat subsided.

A sense of stability returned.

Feeling this, I tightened my grip on the threads of sorcery before me.

Snap—!! Crack—!!!

The tightly woven tapestry unraveled with a single tug.

Whoosh—!

A strong gust brushed past my shoulders, scattering the remnants.

At that moment:

Wuuuung.

"Hmm?"

I felt the sorcery that permeated the surrounding space dissipate.

All of it was vanishing. Wait—wasn’t this bad?

Caught off guard by the unexpected outcome, I hesitated.

Clatter—!

From ahead, hurried footsteps echoed.

"Over here! I sense energy—!"

"The barrier’s been breached! Call for reinforcements!"

"Quickly! Find the intruder and stop them—"

The subordinates of the Pildo-ma gathered in droves, freezing as they spotted me.

"..."

Seeing them, I froze as well.

It seemed I had caused an incident.

‘...I only meant to tinker with it. This was a mistake.’

I had intended to observe, but my focus had unintentionally led me to tear the whole thing apart.

And now, it appeared something had exploded.

Casually brushing the residual energy off my hands, I felt glad I was wearing a mask—my expression must have been priceless.

"Y-you...! How did you...?"

Faced with their shocked and confused stares, I deliberated briefly.

‘Honesty might be the best option here.’

Seeing no plausible excuse, I decided to speak plainly.

[It was an accident. My apologies.]

"..."

"..."

My sincere apology only made their expressions even stranger.

It seems the apology didn't work.

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

In the cavern’s central chamber, a vast space that exuded an ominous presence, an elderly man carefully poured liquor into a cup.

Trickle.

The cup, larger than what one would typically call a drinking vessel, was filled to the brim.

Setting the bottle aside, the elder respectfully offered the drink to his guest.

"I apologize for not extending a proper welcome after receiving your urgent message."

The elder's words hung in the air as his guest, seated silently, stared at him.

A cracked mask obscured the guest’s face, though his long black hair and solid, imposing physique were clearly visible.

Even in stillness, an overwhelming aura of a powerful figure emanated from him.

The sheer pressure altered the very air within the chamber.

"Hnghhh..."

The aura was so suffocating that the elder’s subordinates crouched low, struggling even to breathe.

Drip.

The elder wiped the sweat forming on his cheek and glanced at the guest.

‘This is a problem.’

It was indeed a dire situation.

The elder could sense that the guest’s mood was far from favorable.

The likely cause? His failure to extend a proper reception.

Despite being informed of the guest's arrival, no formal greeting had been arranged.

This lapse had evidently displeased the guest.

‘A mistake.’

The elder had attempted a subtle test of wills to gauge the guest’s nature, but...

The guest was far more ruthless and domineering than anticipated.

So much so that the mere act of testing him had led to—

‘The destruction of the surrounding barrier.’

The intricately layered sorcerous barrier, spanning several leagues and designed to retaliate harshly against improper interference, had been completely obliterated.

The Martial Alliance’s formation masters would have taken months to even locate it, and dismantling it would require even more time.

Even those who had constructed the barrier would need at least two weeks to disable it.

Yet, this man had dismantled it in less than half an hour.

The elder’s forehead broke out in a cold sweat at the thought.

‘Does that mean he withstood the recoil as well?’

The elder dismissed the possibility of a proper deactivation.

At that speed, brute force was the only explanation.

‘But how is he unscathed?’

The guest sat calmly, as if nothing had happened.

The recoil from such a barrier would be lethal even to a Hwagyeong martial artist, yet this man appeared unaffected.

‘What kind of monster is he?’

The elder could not even begin to fathom his strength.

"I recognize my failure to show due courtesy and ask for your forgiveness."

[Forgiveness?]

The guest tilted his head slightly.

[What are you talking about? I’m not angry.]

The elder’s brows twitched at the response.

[If anything, I should apologize. I didn’t expect it to come apart so easily. My apologies.]

"..."

The elder clenched his fists tightly.

The guest was clearly toying with him.

He had torn apart the formidable barrier with ease, now dismissing the act as an accident and even apologizing for it.

It was a show of dominance—a clear message that such barriers meant nothing to him and a warning not to oppose him.

The guest conveyed his strength through action, not words.

"We will exercise greater caution in the future."

The elder’s words were met with silence.

The guest simply watched him through the mask, his gaze unwavering.

After a tense pause, the guest adjusted his mask and spoke.

[Hmm... Take care of that however you see fit.]

Was this an indication of leniency?

The elder suppressed his tension, attempting to steady himself.

[It seems you handled the matter I requested reasonably well.]

The elder nodded in acknowledgment.

"We did our best to fulfill your instructions."

[Indeed. Not bad.]

The guest had left two specific requests.

"After taking action, we left traces associating it with the Divine Cult."

They had deliberately planted evidence to suggest that the incidents were carried out under the name of the Divine Cult, the organization linked to the Heavenly Demon (Cheonma).

"Some of the information has already reached the Alliance’s ears, as ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ intended."

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[It doesn’t matter.]

Such trivial details held no significance to the guest.

The elder stroked his beard at the guest’s composed demeanor.

[And the second request?]

"That has also been prepared. If you wish, I can deliver it immediately."

At his words, the guest gestured. From his shadow, a woman emerged.

She was one of the guest’s subordinates who had been stationed with the elder to assist with these tasks.

The elder retrieved a document from his robes and handed it to the woman.

[I trust you handled it well.]

"We gave it our utmost effort."

[Good. Make sure of it.]

The unspoken implication was clear—failure would result in consequences as severe as the barrier’s destruction.

The guest didn’t elaborate further, but the elder understood perfectly.

The tension in the room thickened once more. The elder’s cup of liquor remained untouched.

The fact that the guest hadn’t removed his mask was telling.

Staring at him, the elder hesitantly asked:

"May I inquire how I should address you?"

[Hmm?]

The guest tilted his head slightly, as if realizing something, and replied:

[Call me Cult Leader (Gyoju). That will suffice for now.]

"As you wish."

This man was none other than Paejon, one of the Three Sovereigns, also known as the Foremost of Martial Arts.

His identity had already been confirmed through his actions.

‘The traces left during the Wudang attack make it undeniable.’

He had attacked Wudang, one of the Martial Alliance’s Nine Great Sects, killing an elder.

The technique he used had been none other than Tua Pacheonmu’s Fist Style—one he was known to have created.

The devastation wrought by that technique left no doubt.

Only Paejon himself, or a disciple of his, could perform it.

‘And Paejon is said to have no disciples.’

Rumors had circulated that the martial artist known as So Yeomra (Little Lord of the Underworld), once referred to as the True Dragon of Shanxi, might be a disciple of Paejon.

‘But those rumors are baseless.’

So Yeomra was known for his fiery techniques, and no one had ever seen him use Paejon’s martial skills. The rumor was nothing more than idle gossip.

Even if Paejon had taken on a disciple, it was doubtful that disciple could unleash power comparable to his.

Because of this, speculation had begun to spread. Could Paejon, who had disappeared from the world for over a decade, have reemerged under a new guise?

If that were true, what could have driven a once-proud pillar of righteousness to turn?

No one knew the answer, and without proof, the rumors remained just that—rumors.

What mattered most now was—

‘The Martial Alliance must have heard those rumors by now.’

And yet, the man sitting before him seemed utterly unbothered.

‘...Even if the Alliance knows, it doesn’t matter to him.’

What could the Martial Alliance possibly do with that knowledge?

Nothing would change.

The Cult Leader’s attitude reflected that sentiment—completely unafraid of the central authority of the righteous factions.

"Don’t you want to crush the Alliance?"

"Don’t you want to destroy those mongrels who tear and devour everything in their path?"

The elder recalled the Cult Leader’s words from when he had boldly approached him.

The Cult Leader’s aim was to bring down the Martial Alliance, and he had proposed working together if their goals aligned.

‘Could this have been a demonstration?’

The destruction of the barrier wasn’t just to assert dominance but to showcase his strength.

Was he demonstrating his capability to destroy the Alliance itself?

‘So that’s what it was.’

Understanding dawned on the elder. He nodded repeatedly before speaking cautiously.

"I was slow to grasp your intentions, Cult Leader. My apologies for appearing so incompetent."

[Hmm?]

The Cult Leader murmured something, and silence stretched for a few seconds.

Sensing something amiss, the elder tried to address him.

"Cu—"

[It’s good that you’ve caught on quickly.]

The Cult Leader’s tone suggested satisfaction, confirming the elder’s suspicion.

"Ah... Then can I assume we have passed your test?"

[Test?]

"Wasn’t fulfilling your request a test of loyalty?"

[Did I say something like that...?]

"Cult Leader...?"

[Your efforts don’t fully satisfy me, but I’ll let it slide this time.]

Disregarding the elder’s interpretation, the Cult Leader continued:

[Now, let me ask—Cheonradaeju, what exactly are you plotting in Hahnam?]

"..."

So the judgment had been passed, and the real discussion had begun.

The Cult Leader’s directness left no room for pretense.

‘...The plan.’

The elder glanced around, uncertain whether to reveal their intentions, even to someone as powerful as this.

He hesitated briefly, but—

[Cheonradaeju.]

The Cult Leader’s deep voice sliced through the elder’s thoughts.

[Don’t overthink this. My patience is limited.]

The sharp warning was accompanied by a surge of suffocating energy.

Crack—!!

Rumble.

The cavern trembled, loose debris falling from the ceiling.

"Hrrgh...! Guh...!"

Those inside writhed in pain, the oppressive force giving no room for hesitation.

[If you continue to play games, I’ll have no choice but to act.]

The Cult Leader rose slowly, his energy intensifying.

In desperation, the elder cried out:

"We are—!"

The pressure remained, indicating the Cult Leader wasn’t satisfied yet.

Struggling, the elder continued:

"We aim... to awaken a secret the Alliance has buried...."

With that—

Ssssss...

The crushing energy began to abate slightly.

It seemed he was being allowed to explain.

[A secret?]

There was a faint trace of interest in the Cult Leader’s voice, as though he found the claim intriguing.

[You think a mere secret can topple the Alliance? Explain in detail.]

With the pressure lifting, the elder finally caught his breath.

Suppressing a cough, he steadied himself and spoke:

"Beneath the lands of Hahnam lies a secret the Alliance has sealed away."

[Beneath the land?]

"Yes... We intend to break the seal and use what’s hidden to destroy the Alliance."

[What’s sealed there that’s worth all this?]

The Cult Leader’s interest was now clear, though his casual tone remained.

The elder hesitated, biting his lip.

To reveal something he had spent a lifetime uncovering so easily felt disheartening.

But there was no other choice.

Moreover—

‘This man might be the one to fulfill our aspirations.’

Driven by that thought, the elder finally revealed:

"A dragon."

[Hmm?]

The Cult Leader tilted his head, as if unfamiliar with the term.

"A creature that attacked Zhongyuan centuries ago. The beast—Dragon—is sealed beneath this land."

[...]

"We plan to break its seal and use it to destroy the Alliance."

A Dragon, or a White-Rank Beast.

The calamity that ravaged Zhongyuan centuries ago lay dormant beneath Hahnam.

‘He must be shocked.’

The elder watched the Cult Leader closely, expecting a reaction to the monumental truth he had just shared.

[Oh... is that so...?]

"...?"

[Hmm... interesting, I suppose.]

Oddly, the Cult Leader’s voice lacked enthusiasm, as though his interest had waned.