Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 428



428

**Chapter 429: Indifference**

The last time I saw Shin Yi was probably just before Wi Seol Ah left Gu Ga. That would be about two years ago. I heard from Elder that he had gone to Zhang Jia with the Sword Lord. I had been living without any news since then.

‘Why is Shin Yi here…’

Out of the blue in the Tang Clan. And of all times I run into him just as I arrive in Sichuan.

“What are you doing? Come sit here.”

“…”

At his words I approached and sat down. I wondered who could have such a fine place but it made sense if it was Shin Yi. While one couldn’t pick the world’s best in the current Central Plains if one were to choose the best physician it could only be Shin Yi. Such a person was not easily seen even if one offered a fortune to meet him.

I sat before him performed the proper greetings and cautiously asked “…Have you been well?”

I started with a greeting. Shin Yi frowned slightly at my words and replied.

“Where is the comfort in getting old? Just living that’s all.”

“…”

He was still the same old man who spoke bluntly.

“I called you over because you happened to come. I wanted to see your face.”

“Yes. Thank you for calling me.”

“Your face looks tired even though you say otherwise.”

“…”

He was still quick to pick up on things.

After taking a sip of the tea in front of him Shin Yi looked at me with sharp eyes.

“Lately there hasn’t been a day without hearing rumors about you.”

“…Hmm.”

“I knew this day would come but I thought it would be much later.”

It seemed that Shin Yi had also heard my rumors. After all Meng and Gae Bang were spreading them all over the region so it would be strange if he hadn’t heard.

“I’m just glad to see you’re doing well.”

“…Thank you.”

The Poison King who had been listening to our conversation looked surprised from behind. It seemed he was astonished to see Shin Yi being so friendly.

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Shin Yi glanced at the Poison King and spoke.

“Clan Head of Tang.”

“Yes Elder.”

“I have something to discuss with this child. Please step aside for a moment.”

“…!”

To boldly tell the Clan Head of Tang to leave he was quite a remarkable person in many ways. It was probably something only Shin Yi could do.

Hearing this the Poison King hesitated for a moment but soon bowed his head and left the room.

Once he confirmed that I shifted my gaze back to Shin Yi. Was there really something he wanted to discuss with me to this extent?

“I heard you were looking for me.”

“Right. As I said earlier I called you over to see your face since you happened to arrive.”

“What brings you to Sichuan?”

At my direct question Shin Yi pondered for a moment. Then with a hint of irritation he replied.

“I wasn’t planning to come but…”

His voice was mixed with a sigh and various emotions.

“Past connections are not so simple.”

I widened my eyes at his words. That meant…

“Could it be… that the old man is also here?”

The reason Shin Yi had gone to Zhang Jia was that the Sword Lord intended to go there. This meant that Shin Yi and the Sword Lord had a connection. And coincidentally in Sichuan…

‘Wi Seol Ah is here.’

With his granddaughter in this land it wouldn’t be strange for the Sword Lord to appear.

If the Sword Lord had appeared… was it to take Wi Seol Ah away?

As a sharp emotion began to rise within me Shin Yi looked at me with an incredulous expression.

“Why are you bringing up that old man here?”

“Excuse me?”

“That guy didn’t come.”

“…Then who…?”

“Would you know if I told you?”

“…”

Well that was true.

Feeling a bit awkward I scratched the back of my head.

“Of course you might know.”

“Are you saying it’s someone I would know?”

“He’s out for some business right now but when he returns come see him.”

“Excuse me? All of a sudden?”

“Anyway that old man also wanted to see you… just show your face.”

“…Ah yes.”

I was already feeling uneasy.

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Remembering that all the old men Shin Yi mentioned were monsters it was highly likely that the person he was talking about was also extraordinary.

‘No there’s no one left to be surprised at this point.’

After my return I had encountered the Sword Lord. After that the Sword Lord became my master and the number one in the dark world the Dark King was nearby. I had seen all the Clan Heads of the four great families. I had seen the Sword Empress and even candidates for the Sword Empress.

At this point how many more great martial artists could there be?

‘Unless it’s one of the remaining three deities there’s nothing to fear.’

Right unless the Celestial Lord suddenly appeared in Sichuan there was nothing more to be surprised about.

“Well then if you call for me later I will come to see you.”

At my words Shin Yi nodded vaguely. Just then someone tugged at my sleeve from the side.

Wondering what it was I looked over to see that it was Je Gak Hyuk.

“What is it?”

“…”

Je Gak Hyuk was writing something on the table with his finger. Watching him move it looked like he was writing “Long time no see hyung.”

Seeing that I ruffled his hair.

“Yeah it’s been a while. You seem to have gained some weight so I guess you’ve been eating well.”

At my words Je Gak Hyuk smiled brightly. Seeing that smile I thought to myself.

‘…He’s smiling?’

I was slightly taken aback by Je Gak Hyuk’s smile. It seemed to have grown a bit bigger than before and his emotional expressions felt particularly rich. That must mean he had been doing well.

“I heard that Seol Ah is also here.”

“…Ah yes. That’s correct.”

“Is she doing well?”

When he asked about that child he was probably referring to Wi Seol Ah. If he asked if Wi Seol Ah was doing well it was a bit difficult to answer.

Is she doing well?

I hoped so.

“I’m trying to make sure she is.”

“Not a foolish answer like before I see.”

“…”

What had I said before that made it foolish?

It didn’t seem like much had changed.

While I was thinking about that Shin Yi suddenly spoke up.

“You’ve changed a lot.”

“…In a good way right?”

“In both ways.”

That meant there were both good and bad aspects.

“It seems that the thorns I saw back then have mostly died but the tension you carry has grown even more.”

I couldn’t help but smile slightly at his words. It was true to what he said.

“And…”

Shin Yi slightly extended his wrinkled hand toward me.

“Roll up your sleeve and show me your arm.”

“…Shin Yi?”

“Hurry.”

The look in Shin Yi’s eyes when he asked for my arm was particularly serious. It was something I had experienced before so I cautiously extended my arm…

‘…Which one should I give?’

I hesitated for a moment. Both arms were in strange conditions. My left arm was wrapped in a crimson bandage and my right arm had scales growing on it.

What should I do? After about three seconds of contemplation I extended my left arm. I thought the bandage would be better than the scales.

Shin Yi’s eyes became subtle as he examined my arm.

“Did you get hurt somewhere? The arm doesn’t seem to have any issues.”

“No… it just happened to be like this… well…”

As I hesitated to explain Shin Yi seemed to realize something and nodded slightly.

What was it?

“Right your age is just about the time for that.”

“Excuse me?”

“Wrapping bandages and wearing eye patches. Isn’t that the time for it?”

I felt like I had somehow created a strange misunderstanding. That’s not it! It’s really not!

I felt I had to clear up this misunderstanding so I was about to speak up urgently.

But Shin Yi grabbed my arm and began the examination.

‘…Damn it.’

I shouldn’t speak now.

If I spoke during the examination Shin Yi would get extremely angry saying it disrupted his focus.

So should I remain as a shameful adolescent boy who likes bandages and eye patches without any reason?

Wow that’s really not it…

I thought it wasn’t but I couldn’t say anything.

In the end I had to keep my mouth shut and wait for the examination to finish.

That time felt particularly bitter and long.

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

The examination took longer than expected.

Was there something wrong? Normally Shin Yi’s examinations would finish in a few minutes but now it had been about an hour.

Finally as the examination seemed to be over Shin Yi’s eyes opened slightly.

Only then could Gu Yang Cheon ask the question he had been holding back.

“Is there something wrong with my body?”

It had taken so long for the examination.

In response Shin Yi looked at Gu Yang Cheon with a somewhat serious expression and asked.

“First let me ask you.”

As Gu Yang Cheon felt a bit tense at his serious voice Shin Yi continued.

“Have you learned the martial arts of Bi Ju?”

“…!”

Gu Yang Cheon’s eyes widened at Shin Yi’s words.

How did he know?

Seeing Gu Yang Cheon looking surprised Shin Yi explained calmly.

“The muscle condition and acupoints you have developed are only possible through that martial arts.”

“…”

“Unless you’re talking about the so-called Body Reformation which would be different but you have no signs of that so this is the only method. Am I right?”

“…That’s correct.”

I didn’t expect him to deduce it from the muscle condition.

Gu Yang Cheon was quite flustered at being found out but there was a hint of sadness in Shin Yi’s eyes.

“He has finally found a successor… and it happens to be you.”

“Shin Yi…?”

“I hoped that no one else would be swept away by his obsession. But it has turned out this way.”

“…”

It seemed that Shin Yi was aware of the issues surrounding Tuapa Cheonmu.

Martial arts that inflict severe pain to forcibly change muscles and acupoints.

Including artificial Body Reformation it was a transcendent martial art that could even force the mind into a trance. However the Sword Lord had emphasized several times that very few people could endure the pain required for this.

This wasn’t good news from the perspective of Shin Yi a physician.

“Do your father and Gu Ryun know about this?”

“…The Clan Head knows but Elder Yi doesn’t.”

“Of all people Gu Ryun doesn’t know. If he finds out later he’ll be furious.”

“…”

That seemed likely.

If he found out that I had even sold him out wouldn’t he beat me like a rat that day?

‘No now I can escape.’

Since I had reached the threshold I could probably run away from Elder Yi.

That would be enough.

While Gu Yang Cheon was carefully planning his escape Shin Yi continued speaking.

“It seems you’ve had to use a lot of energy recently.”

“Ah yes… a little.”

The energy I used to turn Deok Deok into a demonic practitioner and to hatch the enemy’s egg.

I was exhausted because of that.

Shin Yi had seen through everything.

He was still the Shin Yi I knew.

“It seems you’ve accumulated a lot of fatigue. You must feel it too.”

“Yes.”

“You should take a good rest at least once.”

At those words Gu Yang Cheon forced a smile.

I was just about to do that when I was called here and failed.

I didn’t bring it up.

I knew how expensive Shin Yi’s examination was.

I knew this was purely out of his goodwill.

“And.”

As Shin Yi continued speaking Gu Yang Cheon tried to focus again but this time something felt different.

It was much heavier and weightier.

Gu Yang Cheon felt the emotion in Shin Yi’s voice.

“Shin Yi…?”

“Do you remember when I called you a walking corpse before?”

A few years ago.

That is when Gu Yang Cheon had just returned and had not even been a year since he had taken Gu Ryung to Mount Hua.

Shin Yi had examined his body at the request of Mae Hwa Seon and had said that.

A walking corpse.

He had definitely said that.

“Yes I remember.”

Because the energy contained in the body was not singular it wouldn’t be strange if it burst at any moment.

That issue had been resolved because Shin Yi had managed the Dao Qi and the effects of the Ma Do Cheon Heuk Gong and the beast had balanced it out.

Thanks to that Gu Yang Cheon had been able to learn the Tuapa Cheonmu of the Sword Lord.

It had seemed like there were no particular problems so I had momentarily forgotten about it.

But why was Shin Yi bringing this up again?

As Gu Yang Cheon pondered this Shin Yi spoke again.

“I wasn’t sure back then but this time I’m speaking with certainty so listen well.”

Shin Yi wore a pained expression as he looked at Gu Yang Cheon and spoke.

“If it continues like this you will die soon.”

The words were spoken firmly and Gu Yang Cheon’s eyes widened like lanterns.