Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 527



527

”’Chapter 528 – Just Give Me a Grip Once.

“How did you know?”

At the words of the Dark King Gu Cheol-un looked into his eyes. The dark shadowy eyes of the abyss.

After observing those eyes quietly he spoke.

“It’s something I couldn’t possibly not know.”

The royal edict of the Poison King concerning his own child.

How could he not realize that there was an intervention from the Dark King by the time it reached Gu?

Thinking about it it was a simple matter to recall.

The distance from Sichuan to Shanxi is certainly not short.

With Gu Cheol-un’s power it could be done in a short time. But under normal circumstances that wouldn’t be the case.

However.

“It arrived just a few days after the incident.”

The speed at which the edict arrived was strange.

No matter how quickly it was sent it was impossible in terms of time.

Thus he had to suspect someone’s intervention. He simply concluded it was the Dark King.

But there was just one problem here.

“I don’t understand.”

The Dark King asked looking at Gu Cheol-un.

“I may have questions but there’s no evidence to be certain that I did it.”

That does not mean that the Dark King intervened.

The edict arrived quickly. Yes someone could have intervened to expedite it.

However that could not be a reason for Gu Cheol-un to be certain it was the Dark King.

When asked about it.

Gu Cheol-un replied in a calm tone.

“Elder you are here are you not?”

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At those words the Dark King’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“That alone was enough for me to be certain.”

“Mm.”

Was that it?

Only then did the Dark King understand why Gu Cheol-un had such thoughts.

‘Did he notice?’

When departing from Henan to Sichuan the Dark King had blended into the group using disguise.

Did Gu Cheol-un realize this at that time?

Yet he didn’t show any signs of it.

The Dark King looked at Gu Cheol-un with newfound eyes.

“Then why didn’t you show any signs back then?”

“There was no point in doing so.”

The Dark King was mingling with his child’s group. That alone could lead to various problems.

To say there was no point.

At that remark the Dark King couldn’t help but raise the corners of his mouth slightly.

“What if I had harmed your child?”

“Would you consider doing that?”

At Gu Cheol-un’s words the Dark King chuckled.

He had already done something akin to harm.

He had killed him hundreds of times using his powers.

However if he were to ask whether he intended to do so voluntarily.

“It would depend on your child’s actions.”

He had no intention of acting first.

While he couldn’t say he wouldn’t do it he had no such thoughts for the time being.

“If that’s the case then it’s fine.”

“Why do you think that little one wouldn’t do such a thing to me?”

Is it trust in his child?

“That’s not it. While he is my child there are certainly thorny aspects to him.”

The sharp thorns that protrude. Gu Yang-cheon certainly had such aspects.

Moreover Gu Cheol-un knew that he was also responsible for the influence that caused those thorns to form.

“And?”

“Even if there are such aspects if that child were to act in such a way I believe there would certainly be a reason for it.”

He didn’t think he wouldn’t do it. However if he were to act there would be a reason for him to do so.

That was the kind of trust Gu Cheol-un had in Gu Yang-cheon.

The Dark King couldn’t understand that.

“What’s the difference between that and trust in a child?”

“If I were to express it as trust it would be closer to atonement.”

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Not believing because he believes but believing because he must believe.

If it were about the reason for having to do so Gu Cheol-un would call it atonement.

Atonement for having made his child that way.

Hearing that the Dark King asked

“What would you do if I killed that little one in that way?”

No matter how much Gu Yang-cheon had intentions the Dark King had no reason to acknowledge that.

There was no reason to view that courage positively.

Gu Cheol-un would know that better than anyone.

What could be the reason for saying such a thing?

When asked about it Gu Cheol-un looked at the Dark King and said.

“I hope you won’t do that.”

Gu Cheol-un wished for the Dark King not to do so.

This was for his child but to put it another way.

“For the Elder as well.”

Boom—

At Gu Cheol-un’s words the Dark King’s body trembled slightly.

Refined killing intent. Not the rough and blunt killing intent of a martial artist but the extremely trained righteous killing intent of the Dark King.

Calm and quiet.

Yet compressed the closer one was the more intensely one felt the thoughts emanating from the Dark King’s body.

“You’ve grown a lot. To the point of threatening me.”

Not to do so for the Dark King.

The meaning of those words was clear.

If he touched his child he would not let it go.

Killing intent thickens over time.

A situation on the brink.

Even as the Dark King’s aura grew denser Gu Cheol-un merely watched the Dark King quietly.

At that moment.

“Hmm.”

The Dark King suddenly released his aura and withdrew his killing intent.

“Don’t worry I have my own wishes for that little one as well.”

Though he slightly relaxed his aura Gu Cheol-un didn’t budge.

He must have realized it was a test.

The Dark King having his own wishes for Gu Yang-cheon had no intention of doing anything reckless.

Rather he needed to stay alive. As Gu Cheol-un said not for Gu Yang-cheon but for himself.

‘The answer to break this curse.’

The curse placed on the Dark King.

More precisely the key to breaking the curse bound to his bloodline.

There must be such an answer in Gu Yang-cheon.

It couldn’t be helped.

Even now looking at Gu Yang-cheon the Dark King could feel his heart racing.

‘It has become much more intense than when I first saw it.’

Resonance.

The smell of the curse he must have felt the moment he saw Gu Yang-cheon.

At that time it was faint but now it felt so vividly clear for some reason.

What had changed?

‘The change of the physical body. Is that the key point?’

It didn’t look significantly different but something about Gu Yang-cheon had changed.

The Dark King could tell.

His eyes were different from others.

Thump.

His heart raced. Just watching was enough to cause such a commotion.

At first he thought it was murderous intent but the Dark King had recently realized it was not that.

Yes this was not mere murderous intent.

‘This is….’

“I’m just grateful that you view it positively.”

In the midst of his thoughts the Dark King shook his head at Gu Cheol-un’s words.

This was not something to think about now.

“I have never viewed it positively.”

That was true; he had never viewed it positively.

However whether that response was sufficient or not Gu Cheol-un merely nodded.

Moreover he had to return to the main topic.

“Now I would like you to answer my question.”

How did the Dark King intervene?

That was the question.

As Gu Cheol-un said the Dark King had indeed intervened in that matter.

He hadn’t directly moved the edict but had used the Black Night assassins to send the edict more quickly.

In that regard the Black Night assassins could pride themselves on being faster than anywhere else.

If Gu Cheol-un were to ask the Dark King why he did that.

“I just did it because that brat asked me to.”

The Dark King answered with a nod.

Following that Gu Cheol-un shifted his gaze.

What he saw was his son who was being beaten up and somehow seemed to be having fun.

– Aah…! Damn…! I got hit in the bones…!

– Didn’t I tell you to dodge back? Why are you charging in so foolishly?

– … You said not to dodge earlier!

– Look at this brat? Is your speech so short?

– Should I speak formally to my younger brother? I’m still the older brother…! Elder I’m joking. It’s really a joke…!

– It’s fine. Originally when you get hit you’re supposed to get better. It’s all part of the process. Come here. If you dodge you’ll get hurt.

– … Damn it.

“…”

Seeing the ridiculous scene Gu Cheol-un almost turned his head but had to force himself to endure it.

“… Is it the Elder you’re talking about?”

“Yes.”

As soon as Gu Yang-cheon heard that something had happened the Elder had asked the Dark King for a favor.

To relay this to Gu Cheol-un as quickly as possible.

At that time the Poison King happened to be sending the edict to Gu.

The Dark King’s eyes were spread across the entire Tang Clan so it was something he couldn’t miss.

He had merely used that.

‘I thought he didn’t seem very interested.’

The Elder was more interested in Gu Yang-cheon than expected.

Perhaps it was because he was a disciple he had been searching for for many years.

Or perhaps it was for some other reason that was unknown.

‘Is he playing a sort of mentor role?’

Having watched the Elder for a long time.

It was strange for a madman who only thought about martial arts to act like that.

Especially to ask him for something for a reason.

‘He has changed.’

The Elder was changing.

Whether that change was in the right direction or not even the Dark King did not know.

He had not cared.

He saw the Elder plopping down on top of the collapsed Gu Yang-cheon.

Gu Yang-cheon half-conscious was panting heavily.

He could see the Elder’s hand which was shaking slightly as he looked at that.

It was a sign that the Elder was also exhausted. Seeing that Gu Cheol-un turned his body.

“Thank you for your words. I have matters to attend to so I will take my leave first.”

“Mm.”

After confirming that Gu Yang-cheon’s training was over Gu Cheol-un walked away without any lingering feelings.

As he turned his back the Dark King suddenly spoke.

“Cheol-un.”

Straightening up.

It felt like he was hearing his name after a long time.

In the Central Plains there were probably only a handful of people who could call Gu Cheol-un like that.

Among those few the Dark King was included.

“I will visit you soon. Please convey this to Gu Ryun.”

“…”

Through the Clan Head he would convey the message to the Elder.

It felt like a strange situation but Gu Cheol-un nodded without caring.

“I will convey it when I return.”

With that Gu Cheol-un became a spark and disappeared.

Left alone the Dark King looked back at Gu Yang-cheon.

The aura was growing denser.

Just looking at it stirred emotions within him.

At first he thought it was murderous intent then he thought it was anger but now it had become a stronger emotion.

– … I’m going to die…. Please come down… I really might die like this? Aah! My head…!

– Seeing your mouth so lively it seems you can still take more. Get up.

“…”

Though he didn’t want to admit it he could now clearly feel the emotion he was experiencing while looking at Gu Yang-cheon….

This was undoubtedly.

Awe.”’