Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 368 (Part 1)



368 (Part 1)

Henan known as the most developed city shines brightly as always.

Unlike other places that naturally darken when night falls Henan always means to be illuminated.

A line that stretches between the buildings.

The lanterns hanging on that line illuminated the city preventing it from being engulfed in darkness and thanks to that Henan was still filled with street vendors and people enjoying the night.

I slowly moved forward weaving through the crowd.

I held tightly to my staff fearing it might slip from my grip.

To be honest I was so anxious that I used qi to slightly erase my presence.

If I were an ordinary person without qi I would probably be forgotten unless someone saw my face up close.

Moreover they might not even recognize that I exist.

In that sense.

I could tell from the moment I faced the figure following me that he was not an ordinary person.

Even though I had managed to erase my presence to some extent the man called out to me directly.

He was the one who had just asked for directions to the Baekrim Inn.

I couldn’t observe him closely but I could tell he was a strong martial artist.

The energy I sensed was sharp.

His gait and unique breathing were indicative of a swordsman.

Even without that I was convinced he was a swordsman by the sword hanging at his waist.

His level must be at least that of a seasoned master.

He might have reached the realm of transformation but the fact that I couldn’t gauge his level properly suggested he was hiding it.

Just because he hid it didn’t mean I couldn’t see it.

Indeed it meant he was at least a seasoned master.

Who could he be?

A martial artist of this caliber would likely be a well-known figure. It was hard to recognize him just by his aura.

What was surprising in this situation was.

“So I was saying our daughter…”

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“…”

The man who seemed sharp and heavy was surprisingly talkative.

Most of it was about his daughter.

To me it felt like he was talking too much to the point of being bothersome.

“The girl who was already cute has been getting prettier lately…”

“I see.”

“She resembles her mother so much; it’s just adorable.”

His voice carried a hint of laughter indicating he had a considerable affection for his daughter.

A daughter.

‘So is she a female martial artist staying at the Baekrim Inn?’

A few names came to mind.

There aren’t many women who have entered the Sinryonggwan.

It would be easier to find a martial artist who uses a sword among them.

Of course just because the father uses a sword doesn’t mean the child will necessarily wield one.

Take Gu Ga for example; while his father is a martial artist Gu Hee-bi has made a name for herself as a swordsman.

‘Who could it be? Yeon Ga? Seon Ga?’

He felt like someone from a prominent family.

I knew a bit about them but I wasn’t obsessed with women nor did I remember the surnames of every woman.

The names that came to mind were roughly five.

Given the laughter in his voice thankfully he seemed to be one of the survivors’ families.

I subtly sent my gaze to observe the man.

His hat was pulled down making it hard to see his face.

I wondered if he would notice if I looked closely…

If I mixed in some qi to enhance my perception I would be able to see.

But if I did that he would surely realize I was trying to peek at his face.

If that happened it might hurt his feelings so it wasn’t worth the curiosity.

The reason I was curious about this man who I usually wouldn’t care about was simple.

‘…Could it be…’

I wondered if he was related to someone in my circle.

With the news that the Clan Heads of the Four Great Families would all be attending.

Three of them were already connected to me and if he was a martial artist with a daughter I thought it might be possible.

However I didn’t dwell on that thought for long.

‘With only seven days left it’s unlikely they would have arrived already.’

The Four Great Families are the most prestigious among noble families.

That means the Clan Heads of the Four Great Families are individuals who must carry immense prestige and reputation.

It also means they are filled with people who have a strong sense of pride.

Is this really a prejudice? I don’t think so.

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The atmosphere was already tense with a fierce competition.

The gathering of orthodox sects was an important matter in such conflicts.

The first battle they would engage in here would be.

Ridiculously enough about who arrives first.

Even if they aren’t late they must not arrive first.

You might wonder what kind of battle that is.

Surprisingly it happens more often than you’d think.

It’s quite childish really.

In such a situation with only seven days left would someone arrive first?

It would be absurd among those who have been fighting for pride their entire lives.

‘So at least this gentleman isn’t one of them.’

Even his attire suggested that. He looked quite shabby compared to the atmosphere.

It wouldn’t be fitting to call him a person from a noble family.

A Clan Head without a carriage or servants asking others for directions?

Surely that wouldn’t happen.

As I thought this I quickened my pace.

The distance to the inn wasn’t very long but the sheer number of people gathered made it feel a bit bothersome.

Henan is originally a crowded place.

But this time it was particularly overflowing.

The reason was obvious: it was for the gathering.

To be precise it was people gathered to see the big shots attending the meeting.

Most of the monsters known as kings of the era would be present.