Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 388 (Part 2)



388 (Part 2)

No matter how I look at it I was just an average person not a genius.

“But Ahya.”

“Yes.”

“Why do your eyes look like that? Did you get hit somewhere?”

“…”

“You shouldn’t be the type to get beaten up… How did you end up in such a pitiful state? Ah it looks funny so I don’t mind.”

Saying it looks funny is fine? What kind of nonsense is that?

“…It’s a bruise from sparring with my father.”

At my words the master’s eyes spark with interest.

“You’re talking about the former Clan Head.”

“Yes.”

“Tsk tsk. That makes sense. How was it? The sparring with your father?”

“…”

Sparring with my father. Honestly there was nothing to say about it.

“I couldn’t even brush against his sleeve.”

At my words the master makes a strange expression.

“Your father seems to be as formidable as ever.”

“Do you know a bit about my father?”

“I know just a little as the words say.”

“How so?”

“If you ask how I just know. It’s not easy to find a martial artist who has reached that level. Conversely Ahya how much do you know about your father?”

“Ah… well I’m not sure?”

When asked how much I know about my father I honestly don’t know much. All I know is that he is much stronger than his reputation suggests.

‘Now that I think about it.’

I have a question. Not about anything else but about the master.

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“Elder.”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you offer my father a disciple position? Was it that he didn’t meet your standards?”

I don’t know how talented my father is or what level he has reached.

But from my perspective my father seems closer to the ideal figure the master desires than I am.

He told me to stick by him and do as he says so why didn’t he do the same for my father?

At my words the master strokes his nonexistent beard and replies.

“You’re curious about strange things. Why does it matter to you?”

“I’m just curious that’s all.”

“Mm….”

The master falls silent for a moment as if he’s thinking then continues speaking.

“When I checked on your father I had not yet completed my transformation.”

So it was a time when he didn’t feel the need to find a disciple?

“Of course after going through some experiences I did think of looking for a disciple. I did think of your father.”

“Yes.”

“But I immediately dismissed the idea.”

“May I ask why?”

“Because it would have been meaningless.”

What does that mean?

Does it mean my father didn’t meet the standards? My question is quickly followed by the master’s explanation.

“Your father had already reached a level where he was one with his martial arts.”

“…One with his martial arts?”

I had to ask again because I didn’t fully understand what he meant.

One with his martial arts…?

Perhaps due to my continued questioning the master showing a hint of annoyance began to explain.

“Have you heard of Sword Unification?”

“Yes. I know about it.”

Sword Unification.

It was said to be the state where a swordsman becomes one with the sword.

He is the sword and the sword is him.

The moment when there is no distinction and they become one. It was said to be a place that a swordsman dreams of even more than reaching the level of a martial artist.

Those who reach that level are often given the title of master and it is said that they can draw an invisible sword known as the Heart Sword.

This was also a level that the Demon Sword Master reached in his past life.

“To be one with martial arts means to have gone a little further than that.”

“Going further than that….”

“It means that one has fully understood all the martial arts they have learned and their body becomes not just a vessel for martial arts but is martial arts itself.”

The master’s words were filled with incomprehensible phrases yet for some reason the weight of his words pierced through me.

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“This is called transcendence. However it’s a story you don’t need to understand yet.”

“Transcendence….”

Why? Listening to the master’s words I fell into doubt.

This was a story I had never heard in my past life.

It seemed important so why was this the first time I was hearing it?

“…So does that mean my father has reached transcendence?”

“At least from my perspective yes. Therefore it’s a story I cannot recommend to someone who has reached such a level.”

Does that mean one must reach that level for the master to even consider them?

Moreover does that mean my father has reached such a level?

‘I should ask him about this later.’

It seemed like something I could casually ask my father.

Having sorted that out I decided to ask the master something else.

“Then have you also reached the level of transcendence Elder?”

“…”

I slightly regretted asking that question.

The master’s expression twisted a bit upon hearing my question. Is he displeased?

The master then began to speak to me in a voice mixed with a sigh.

“Do you know what the minimum requirement to reach transcendence is?”

“I don’t know.”

“Complete mastery of martial arts.”

“Ah.”

Only after hearing that did I understand why the master had such a face.

“I have not reached it. That’s why I’m even more curious. What lies in that place I could reach with my martial arts.”

“So you’re using me to see that then?”

“…Your way of speaking is getting prettier by the day. Using you huh?”

No matter how I look at it my words seemed to be correct.

So the master is nitpicking my tone but isn’t denying it.

‘Transcendence.’

They say one can only attempt it after achieving complete mastery of martial arts.

After hearing that I had one more question I wanted to ask but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

Does that mean my father is stronger than the Elder?

It was a difficult question to ask outright.

‘At the very least the minimum requirement is complete mastery of martial arts.’

It seemed like an absurdly high standard. Whether it’s the Nine Flames Transformation or the Two Heavenly Martial Arts.

In terms of difficulty it’s an incredibly high level of martial arts.

To say that one must achieve complete mastery to even attempt to reach that level is ridiculous.

‘It means I’m not at a level to aspire to yet.’

For now rather than thinking about transcendence I should focus on raising the Nine Flames Transformation to the ninth level.

“Let’s stop the chit-chat here and start warming up.”

The master twists his wrists and speaks to me.

To warm up means to spar.

The rule is not to use qi and it’s a sparring match done solely with technique.

I had been doing this every time I met the master for the past few months.

But I had never won against him.

I probably wouldn’t this time either.

As I anticipated getting beaten up again I clicked my tongue inwardly.

“Oh right Elder.”

“Yes?”

I remembered something I hadn’t mentioned to the master yet.

“Why? Do you have more to say?”

“Oh it’s nothing serious.”

“Speak.”

“My father said he would like to meet you.”

“…Huh?”

At my words the master looked unusually flustered.

“Suddenly? Why does your father want to meet me?”

“Oh it’s nothing much.”

I felt awkward scratching the back of my head at the master’s reaction.

“I was caught using Elder’s martial arts during a spar with my father.”

“What…?”

“I was trying to use Elder’s martial arts while sparring with my father. But he noticed right away.”

Haha!

I tried to downplay the fact that I had caused trouble.

“So my father wants to meet you. Is that okay?”

At my words the master’s face instantly soured.