Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 328 (Part 1)



328 (Part 1)

”'<Chapter 329: The Listening Demon. (3)

The first encounter with the Zhang family.

It was when I had just passed my youth.

To be precise I had reluctantly taken the position of Young Master of the Gu family.

I had discarded the promise my father had set for me.

It was around the time I began to reveal myself in the Central Plains.

Perhaps it was when I went to the Dragon and Phoenix Association in a prodigy state carrying the title of Young Master.

In the future the one who would be called a disciple and reign as one of the absolute beings Peng Wujin.

Unlike him who received the title of Young Master and was no longer treated as a late bloomer.

It seemed I could not do the same.

To elaborate further.

Without showing much of myself.

The Young Master of the Gu family known for his incompetence and dog-like personality in the mountains.

It was significant that I was finally showing myself for the first time.

At that time Gu Hibi was already being called a master.

And Gu Yeonseo was starting to flaunt her remarkable talents.

It was a moment when the gaze directed at me was particularly intense.

The very embodiment of a noble lineage.

Even if it was on the negative side he had an appearance that seemed to have inherited the blood of the noble lineage.

Yet I was often told that I did not possess such talent.

Amidst the many prodigies of the generation known for their excellence.

With feelings of inferiority and self-loathing overwhelming me.

I was hiding my own shortcomings wrapping myself in thorns to shield my fragile psyche.

At that moment when everyone was looking at me with unfavorable emotions.

– Nice to meet you.

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In that gap he approached me.

With a gentle smile.

A handsome appearance. And a warm voice that left a good impression on people.

In a way he was the complete opposite of me.

The one who introduced himself as a descendant of the Zhang family.

– Who are you?

In response to my question asking who he was.

He continued speaking with a smile that seemed embarrassed to introduce his alias himself.

– I am called Shin Seong though I am lacking. I look forward to your guidance.

Shin Seong.

No matter how much I had been living cut off from the world’s information it was at least an alias I had heard once or twice.

In the past few years as demonic beasts began to swarm the slums.

Among martial artists who were too busy making ends meet to care about anything else.

There were tales of a hero risking danger to save people.

The son of the Alliance Leader a young man famous as a promising prodigy.

There were rumors that he would soon rise to the position of Vice Captain of the sword faction he belonged to.

If that happened he would likely take the title of the youngest.

That was how much he was expected in the Central Plains as a late bloomer.

Shin Seong born of the Zhang family.

That was how my encounter with him went.

Ironically.

The fame and the camaraderie that elevated him.

I would learn that it was a situation deliberately created by Zhang Seonyeon.

This realization came just a few years later.

After the incident of the Ma Gyeong Jeon where late bloomers had disappeared en masse.

With the appearance of the Heavenly Demon.

Not long after when I had fallen into demonic practices.

While I was rampaging through the Central Plains turning everything into a sea of flames.

He came to find me on his own.

– It’s been a while. Ah should I call you by your alias now?

I had no intention of conversing.

I was ready to unleash flames and tear at his throat.

– Do you know about So Geom-seong and her condition?

Suddenly.

The reason my hand which was about to grab his throat stopped.

Was because of the damn face of that girl.

The flames at my fingertips were blazing as if ready to seize his neck at any moment.

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But I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

Zhang Seonyeon saw my state and smiled brightly.

That smile burrowed into my heart.

It must have been from that moment.

The day another hell was born for me.

Crack-!

Boom-!

A crack opened in the air widening as if it were a mouth.

Inside the torn crack an unknown color swirled chaotically.

The pressure of the wind blowing from within stirred up dust on the distant ground.

After a while something seemed to be spat out from inside the crack.

Thud! Thud-!

The object that emerged from the crack fell straight to the ground.

The impact raised a gust of dust around.

And not long after.

“Cough… cough…!”

Someone walked out from the wind.

Immediately collapsing to the ground gasping for breath.

It was undoubtedly a person.

“Oh no… oh no…!”

His expression was agitated eyes wide.

He seemed unaware of the drool flowing from his lips as he quickly scanned the surroundings.

“Unbelievable…”

Though it was a short time the young man who looked around finally shouted with trembling eyes.

“Damn it…!”

His curse echoed around like a reverberation.

“Damn it… how have I come to this…! Just because of that bastard…!”

While he was cursing and hitting the ground repeatedly.

Another person emerged from the wind he had stirred up earlier.

Unlike the young man who was sprawled on the ground drooling and angry.

This one merely had a slight frown rubbing his chest.

“I feel like I’m going to throw up so stop being so loud.”

At the words spat out by the young man no Gu Yangcheon.

Zhang Seonyeon turned his head sharply towards Gu Yangcheon.

“You bastard….”

“Oh it’s been a while since I heard you curse. Quite refreshing.”

Zhang Seonyeon who had been lying down suddenly sprang up and charged at Gu Yangcheon.

As he rushed forward he tried to draw the sword at his waist.

But Gu Yangcheon stepped forward pressing down on the hilt firmly.

He had blocked the sword from being drawn.

“Ugh…!”

The strength of his palm was so strong that the sword wouldn’t budge.

Reluctantly Zhang Seonyeon tried to wield qi with his left hand.

– Crack!

But Gu Yangcheon’s hand was already flying towards Zhang Seonyeon’s cheek.

As the palm struck his cheek a sharp sound echoed.

Wham!

Whether it hit properly or not Zhang Seonyeon’s body flew through the air drawing a diagonal line.

He fell hard to the ground.

“Grrr…!”

Zhang Seonyeon unable to regain his senses from the shock barely managed to rise blood dripping from his lips.

“You inadequate bastard even so if you charge like that do you think I’ll just let it slide?”

“Gah… huff.”

Gu Yangcheon who chuckled at the sight of Zhang Seonyeon sobbing and bleeding slowly approached him.

His hand was still resting on his chest.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve done this and I feel quite off.’

It was my first time coming to the Ma Gyeong through the Ma Gyeong Gate after my return.

Perhaps my body was not adapting as I felt nauseous.

In the past I would have had to lie down for a while to stabilize myself after being hit.

This time at least mentally I felt stable enough to endure.

At that moment as Zhang Seonyeon tried to rise again with his trembling body.

I kicked his leg knocking him off balance.

“Gah!”

“Stay still; you look better like that.”

“You bastard…!”

At that Zhang Seonyeon glared at Gu Yangcheon as if he were an enemy.

His eyes which had been expressionless or smiling were now filled with tension and anger.

“Just how…! How could you move?”

“What do you mean move? I just moved.”

I replied with a grin.

What Zhang Seonyeon was asking was how I had moved on top of the Ma Gyeong Gate that had opened on the ground.

Asking how was quite an absurd question.

I knew that other martial artists couldn’t move on it.

I had experienced it and seen it firsthand.

I had seen Jang-ryong and other martial artists frozen stiff unable to move.

In that gap I was the only one who could move.

What could be the reason? Honestly I had never pondered or thought about it.

I just knew it was possible.

I thought it would be the same in this life.

Feeling the Ma Gyeong Gate I had just faced I was certain.

This life would be the same.

“From your reaction it seems you thought I wouldn’t be able to move. Why did you think that?”

“Well that’s because you…!”

“No you’re the one who can’t believe it when Cheol Ji-seon says he can’t move on the Ma Gyeong Gate.”

“•••!”

As the name Cheol Ji-seon slipped from my lips Zhang Seonyeon’s eyes widened.

“How do you know that…! You knew didn’t you…!”

It seemed he had caught on to the fact that I already knew Cheol Ji-seon could open the Ma Gyeong and that he had tried to use that to kill me.

“That’s not a particularly important matter. What I said is more important.”

“How…?”

“So I’m asking. How could you be so sure about that?”

Zhang Seonyeon’s words were meant in another sense.

But it seemed to be the beginning of the story he was about to tell.

The fact that Cheol Ji-seon could wield such power.

And the characteristics of the Ma Gyeong Gate he opened.”’