Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 395 (Part 1)



395 (Part 1)

Right after hearing the assassination notice from the Poison King through Dang So-yeol (?) I finished my meal unsure if I had eaten with my mouth or my nose and immediately moved my steps.

Even while walking on the street I pondered how to refuse the Poison King’s invitation.

Nothing came to mind that would convince him.

‘He’s probably just inviting me for a meal.’

I thought so.

The probability of that being true was quite high but I couldn’t shake the chill running down my spine.

‘Could he really be attempting to poison me?’

Even though I knew that no matter how skilled he was in the arts of assassination he wouldn’t do such a thing to me.

The rumors circulating in society also contributed to my unease. He was known to be a doting father which made me a bit anxious.

If it were the case normally I would have thought that a Clan Head of a prestigious family wouldn’t act thoughtlessly…

‘…But thinking of Baek Cheon-gyeom that man doesn’t seem normal at all.’

I realized that Clan Heads of prestigious families were all quite eccentric.

They certainly didn’t seem like such people in my past life.

Was it something I didn’t know? Or had something changed?

‘It can’t be that something has changed.’

No matter how much changes it would be strange for such things to change as well.

I must have just been unaware that they were originally strange individuals. It had to be that way.

Otherwise the future of the Central Plains… No it was destined to be a ruined future from the start.

“Hah.”

The people I got entangled with all seemed like madmen which made me sigh involuntarily.

In the midst of this I wanted to refuse the meal with the Poison King but I couldn’t just do that.

After all the ruler of the land I wanted to go to Sichuan was the Tang Clan.

Moreover the fact that I was going to Sichuan made Dang So-yeol excited enough to go and tell him.

From this perspective it seemed like I could just choose not to see him.

It wouldn’t matter much if I didn’t go with him.

Get notified for updates: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

In fact the Poison King had other purposes for going to Sichuan as well.

‘It’s a situation where he’s taking a prisoner with him.’

A prisoner locked up in the Murim Alliance’s underground.

The martial artist from the unorthodox sects who attacked the Shinryonggwan and the figure known as the Black Dragon Sword who played a significant role in spreading my name throughout the Central Plains.

It was the Poison King’s task to capture them and take them to the Tang Clan.

Thinking of that made my expression slightly sour.

‘What a brutal method he’s using.’

The reason for taking the criminal all the way to Sichuan instead of just dealing with them in Henan.

It was impossible not to frown when I thought about it.

If it were for torture it could easily be done in Henan but there are always those who wouldn’t spill the beans no matter what.

The Tang Clan was a place that could make even those types confess.

Now the Tang Clan was referred to as one of the pillars of the orthodox sects but the reason they could be called that was ultimately because they took on the dark and murky tasks that the orthodox sects couldn’t handle.

Most of the Central Plains didn’t know this or perhaps they were just tacitly condoning it.

I knew.

At the time when the Demonic Cult occupied Sichuan in my past life.

After I killed the poison master with my own hands the place I headed to was the Tang Clan’s territory.

In that place where I sought to follow the Heavenly Demon’s command.

I had to witness a piece of hell.

If even someone like me who had experienced countless battles could call it hell it was undoubtedly a sight I didn’t want to recall.

The Clan Head the Poison King couldn’t possibly be unaware of that incident.

For that reason I couldn’t help but view him with discomfort.

The gentle gaze and appearance typical of the Tang Clan seemed like a chilling mask after seeing the truth buried underground.

Since the Murim Alliance also knew of the Tang Clan’s secrets it was likely that they were asking the Poison King to send them to Sichuan.

From this perspective I could once again confirm that the Murim Alliance was not a completely clean organization.

‘It’s only natural.’

No place can survive being completely clean.

I of all people knew that well but I just didn’t want to get closer to that truth.

‘Tsk.’

No matter how much I thought about it I couldn’t refuse the meal with the Poison King.

The reasons I listed above for not going were all significant.

But the reasons I had to go were far greater.

‘Anyway no one is helping me. What a damn world.’

The most important reason I was heading to Sichuan.

To obtain the Baekma Stone a means to solidify the incomplete transformation and elevate my realm.

To obtain such a Baekma Stone.

I needed the permission of none other than the Tang Clan.

So I couldn’t hastily refuse the Poison King’s invitation to dinner.

Join our discord and ping me to update more chapters. Discord: https://discord.gg/93rmBjgP6B

Originally I would have asked Dang So-yeol to help me find a way to get around it…

‘There’s no helping it now.’

Unless there was another way I had no choice but to have dinner with the Poison King.

Thinking that I sighed and continued walking.

Before I knew it I had arrived at my destination and now I had to focus on the task at hand.

The dinner with the Poison King was in the evening and I had business to attend to during the day.

The people blocking the main gate recognized me and stepped aside.

It seemed they had received prior notice.

I slightly bowed my head and entered through the door.

As I walked I cast my gaze at the chests of the guards accompanying me.

Martial arts uniforms adorned with white embroidery depicting waves.

Seeing that I knew they were disciples of Kunlun.

There was only one sect in the Central Plains that bore such embroidery.

As I stepped beyond the entrance I felt similar energies from various places. All of them were the sensations of Kunlun Sect’s disciples.

Even while sensing them I continued to walk.

The reason I had come to this place teeming with so many disciples.

It was to meet the old man beyond the door in front of me.

Creak.

Carefully opening the door I was welcomed by an old man who had half-raised his body from the bed.

“You’ve come.”

An old man with white hair and wrinkles adorning his face.

One of his arms appeared to be missing above the wrist.

Even so the old man waved at me with his remaining arm.

It was none other than Cheong Hae-il-gyeom.

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

After carefully sitting down.

I received the refreshments and tea offered by the disciple.

“Have you been well?”

“Yes. I’m sorry to call you out when you must be busy.”

“It’s nothing.”

How long had it been since we last met?

It must have been nearly a month. Although we had seen each other a couple of times since the incident this was the first time Cheong Hae-il-gyeom had personally summoned me.

With his characteristic smile Cheong Hae-il-gyeom spoke to me.

“I’ve heard your name is everywhere these days. Is that true?”

“…Well it’s not quite that much.”

I denied it but in reality it was true.

In the back alleys of Henan children were playing a game called ‘So Yeom Ra’ making a mess of things.

If I had seen it I would have given those little brats a good whack on the head. Unfortunately I hadn’t been able to witness it myself.

If I had found them I wouldn’t have let them be.

Whether he knew my feelings or not Cheong Hae-il-gyeom chuckled softly.

“You’ve done something significant so it’s not a bad thing for it to be that way.”

“…Yes.”

If it’s good then I suppose it is but.

To me it felt like a rumor that had been manipulated by the Meng faction which left me feeling uneasy.

Suppressing my discomfort I decided to ask Cheong Hae-il-gyeom a question this time.