Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 554 (Part 1)



554 (Part 1)

**Chapter 555: Wudang**

In the now chilly atmosphere of the inn.

A few seconds of silence passed.

The Taoists of the Wudang Sect standing behind widened their eyes.

At that moment Gu Ryung-hwa was covering his mouth with sweat dripping down.

Creak-!

Ji Cheol pushed his chair back and stood up.

“What did you just say?”

From Ji Cheol’s contorted expression it was clear that he was quite angry.

Tremble tremble-!

The cup on the table shook violently.

It was a vibration caused by the energy Ji Cheol was emitting.

Feeling the tremor I looked at Ji Cheol.

‘His level seems similar to Yeongpung’s.’

He appeared to be in his thirties between the ages of thirty and forty. By that standard he was quite an exceptional martial artist.

It was just that Yeongpung was a rather unique case.

At that age reaching such a level would mean he was an extraordinary genius.

‘Is that why?’

His eyes were filled with arrogance and pride.

The unique aura of someone who had grown up being called a genius in a prestigious family was evident.

‘It makes me want to gouge his eyes out.’

I suppressed the impulse.

It wasn’t the right time for that.

“What did you just say?”

His expression suggested he was ready to draw his sword at any moment.

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Seeing that I maintained my smile and spoke.

“Oh dear you’re angry.”

Creak.

Ji Cheol bit his teeth and spoke to me.

“How dare you call a disciple of Wudang an unorthodox sect?”

“Is it not true? Why are you angry then?”

Bang-! Ji Cheol slammed the table hard.

“This brat… how dare you…!”

Suuuu-!

As Ji Cheol gradually raised his voice I subtly released my energy and sent it sideways.

“…!”

At that Yeongpung looked at me with a flustered expression.

It was because I had caught his energy.

‘Stay still.’

The moment Ji Cheol showed his intent to fight I felt Yeongpung’s energy sharpening.

If left unchecked it seemed he would charge right in so I blocked it for now.

‘Holding it down with force has its consequences.’

Moreover there were many eyes around.

If I wanted I could erase all those gazes.

But I had to show some restraint.

For the sake of a few close friends who were rolling around in the North Sea.

“Do you know whose land this is that you are being so rude in?”

“I’m not sure about that. But this isn’t the land of the sect is it?”

“What?”

It was known that this was a territory managed by Wudang under their protection.

I knew that the manager of this land was the Wudang Sect.

“Or is the sect Wudang itself?”

“…!”

“I understand your love for the sects but a young leaf attached to a corrupted tree is not the tree itself.”

Don’t speak recklessly without knowing your place.

That was the meaning behind my words.

Was that the problem?

Ji Cheol moved.

He seemed to be reaching out.

From the movement of his wrist it looked like he was trying to grab his sword.

Clang.

As Ji Cheol moved I felt movements beside and behind me as well.

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Yeongpung lifted his sword.

Seongyul grabbed his sword.

I had thought they would be stammering but their reactions were unexpected.

However.

‘Please just stay still.’

If a fight broke out here the desired outcome would not be achieved.

Thus.

Before things escalated I took out the letter from my pocket and placed it on the table.

Ji Cheol paused.

His sudden action made Ji Cheol stop moving.

He must have realized what the letter on the table was.

Regardless of how arrogant and foolish a person may be fortunately it seemed he had his wits about him.

“Uh…?”

Yeongpung also made a puzzled sound upon seeing it.

That’s right. This was originally the letter Yeongpung had.

“Uh when…?”

Yeongpung fumbled through his clothes as he spoke but I ignored him and addressed Ji Cheol.

“Do you know what this is?”

“…”

“You seem to know so I won’t explain it in detail.”

The letter was roughly about going to Mount Hua to retrieve a precious item.

That was what was written on it.

But the problem lay in the seal affixed to it.

The elegant plum blossom seal at the bottom of the letter.

That signified only one thing.

‘Sect Leader Righteousness’s direct seal.’

It meant that the letter was sent directly by the Sect Leader of the Mount Hua Sect.

Do you understand what this implies?

“This means that we have come here as representatives of Sect Leader Righteousness Ji Cheol.”

Since the Sect Leader could not act directly they sent a representative along with the seal of the letter.

The Clan Head or the direct seal of Sect Leader Righteousness carried that implication.

In the past when I visited Mount Hua the reason the Sect Leader showed me respect even for a moment was because of that.

Yet.

“Is this how you treat someone like that at Wudang?”

Even the plum blossom ancestor of Mount Hua showed respect.

And here was this second-generation disciple acting like this making me wonder if I should be amused or not.

As I showed the seal and spoke Ji Cheol’s brow furrowed.

That was not an expression of anger. There was a hint of confusion in it.

“I will ask. Ji Cheol. Are you the representative of Wudang?”

“…That is…”

“Personally I hope you are not. If you came here as Wudang’s representative then this situation should not have occurred.”

“…”

I laid down the truth.

We had come to Wudang as representatives of Sect Leader Righteousness of Mount Hua Sect.

Is this how you treat us?

That meant.

‘What are you?’

It was filled with such meaning.

What could Ji Cheol possibly say here?

I looked at him with interest my eyes reflecting my curiosity.

His eyes were particularly restless.

He realized that this was a moment to choose his words carefully.

‘When arrogance consumes a person they end up like that.’

If he had reached such a level at that age he was indeed an exceptional talent.

But if he let arrogance and pride consume him in the process he would end up like that.

Of course from my perspective it was rather fortunate.

I was confident in dealing with such foolish individuals.

“You seemed quite talkative earlier but it turns out your lips are heavier than expected?”

As I had just said I urged Ji Cheol to speak again and he bit his lips.

One the silence should not be prolonged.

The flow was already in my favor. What Ji Cheol could do now was.

‘Jump into the cliff I created.’

Or abandon that pathetic pride and step back.

I had set sharp thorns in the place he stood.

So Ji Cheol could not remain still.

‘Thorns’ meant the gazes.

The Taoists around were watching Ji Cheol.

What could he choose here?

From my perspective it didn’t seem like he had many good options.

After a moment of rolling his eyes Ji Cheol spoke.

“…I had no intention of disrespecting the guests.”

He seemed to be slightly retreating. It looked like he had finally regained his senses.

But now I had no intention of letting him go.

“As I mentioned earlier there was an issue with the main text…”

“Well damn.”

At the sudden curse Ji Cheol flinched.

I cut him off and immediately put on a sheepish expression.

“Oh I’m sorry. It slipped out without me realizing.”

I wasn’t really sorry but I threw out an apology.

“Then wouldn’t it have been better to explain the situation first and lead the conversation? Ji Cheol of Wudang.”

“…”

I planted the idea that the other party was currently representing Wudang.

“There is a matter concerning Wudang. So we have something to confirm with you.”

Creak.

I leaned forward slightly getting closer to Ji Cheol.

“We usually call it social etiquette when you nicely package such circumstances and discuss them. You foolish brat.”

“…!”

“Even if we are in a subordinate position it’s infuriating. Do you know what the problem is?”

I waved the letter I was holding in front of Ji Cheol.

“The nominal reason is a return but it seems like a transaction?”

Ji Cheol flinched.

I sensed a presence from Yeongpung.

I chose to ignore it for now.

The letter with the plum blossom seal had a few calm words written on it.

Yeongpung had said he was going to Mount Hua to ‘retrieve’ the precious item.

But the words written in the letter stated.

‘There was also a return of Wudang’s precious items.’

It meant that they wanted to return the precious items held by Wudang.

Thus conversely they wanted to retrieve the precious items held by Mount Hua Sect.

That was the story.

“If you came asking for it you could have bowed a little. But if you came to propose an exchange then the story is different isn’t it?”

Especially if it was between sects of equal standing.

‘That guy thinks Wudang is above them which is understandable.’

The Alliance Leader of the Murim Alliance is the Sect Leader.

Since the region has developed so much do they think they are above Mount Hua Sect which lives quietly?

A human could think that way. After all most humans are like that.

But.

‘The problem is showing it.’

They should have just thought it why bring it out and create this mess?

I couldn’t understand it.

If you can’t take responsibility for what you say then.

There’s nothing more foolish than that and it seemed this guy was completely unaware of his own position.

Looking at Ji Cheol’s expression I said.

“I’ll ask again.”

As I spoke I directed my gaze to the table.

The teacup that had been shaking violently was no longer trembling.

Confirming that I turned my gaze and stood up.

I slowly walked over and stood in front of Ji Cheol.

“Ji Cheol the attitude you have taken is indeed representative of Wudang.”

I looked him in the eyes.

“Do you realize that you are offending the representatives of Mount Hua Sect who have officially come to Wudang?”

“I’m not…!”

Ji Cheol’s eyes widened as he was about to retort.

Though he was asking that I was asking him something else with my eyes.

-What will you do?

I smiled.

To slightly ease the atmosphere I was holding.

-Will you apologize and simply back down?

And I subtly moved my lips to mutter to him.

-You foolish brat.

“…You bastard…!”

Clang.

Upon hearing that he gripped the sword at his waist.

But he couldn’t draw it.

“Think carefully. This is your last chance.”

“…!!”

Squeeze-!

I was blocking him from drawing his sword with my hand.

Ji Cheol panicked and tried to exert strength.

But no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t pull out the sword.

With one hand I held onto his shoulder.

“If you draw this.”

I leaned closer to the struggling Ji Cheol’s ear and whispered.

“You will die here.”