Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 557 (Part 1)



557 (Part 1)

**Chapter 558: The Wind and Cloud Ghost Thief**

In the cold air of the cave

the barren and dry background was contrasted by the rich scent of plum blossoms filling the air.

It was the first time.

Such a deep and beautiful fragrance of plum blossoms.

A scent so rich and profound that even the Sect Leader had never experienced.

Days had passed yet Yeongpung still vividly recalled that moment.

The energy of the plum blossoms which felt rough yet warm.

[It’s good to see you.]

Even the voice that echoed in his ears.

Yeongpung struggled to forget any trace of it.

[Though I cannot see or hear you if you can hear my voice you must be a child of the volcano.]

It was merely a voice he could hear.

Yet the moment Yeongpung heard it he found himself instinctively bowing.

He did not know who it was.

But somehow it felt like he had to.

[How is the volcano now? Is the plum blossom still beautiful?]

To the question Yeongpung answered “Yes.”

[I hope so.]

The voice seemed not to have heard Yeongpung’s response and continued speaking.

In that voice there was a faint longing and faith.

[Child of the nameless volcano.]

[I am called Shincheol.]

At the words that reached him Yeongpung had to widen his eyes.

In the long history of the volcano many bore the name Shincheol

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but now the only figure Yeongpung could think of was one.

The Volcano Sword Saint Shincheol.

One of the heroes who thwarted the Blood Demon’s calamity

a revered figure who made the current shining volcano possible.

And he was also the ideal Yeongpung dreamed of.

‘The greatest martial artist produced by the volcano.’

Though the youngest Plum Blossom Sword Master was said to be Yeongpung of this era

before that the one who held that title was the Volcano Sword Saint.

Before the world’s best Yeonilcheon’s appearance in the Central Plains

he had never suffered a single defeat and was praised for blooming the plum blossoms.

That was the Volcano Sword Saint Shincheol.

If the Volcano Sword Saint wished to bloom the plum blossoms

even if it was said to be during the night of the seventh moon the sky was said to have turned a deep pink.

He sought to save the weak people in the name of the volcano

and was a hero who plunged into war holding onto the crumbling volcano.

Truly he was a figure worthy of being called a hero

and he was someone who received respect from the Mount Hua Sect for his righteousness.

It was said that his nature was gentle and kind

and he could never overlook the suffering and weak.

How could one not dream of such an ideal?

Though Yeongpung wished to win against the remnants of the past

the one he aspired to be was the Volcano Sword Saint.

As such

thump thump thump.

Yeongpung felt his heart racing madly.

How could the Volcano Sword Saint be here?

Is this truly his voice?

No matter how much he tried to calm himself Yeongpung could not.

He had to believe.

How could he not believe feeling this thick plum blossom scent?

Thinking so he gazed at the orb before him.

This warm energy and the fragrance lingering at the tip of his nose all came from there.

[The fact that you and I have met here must mean we have reached our fate.]

[Child child of the volcano.]

The voice of the Volcano Sword Saint sounded strangely sad and heavy.

When Yeongpung answered such a question

the Volcano Sword Saint paused for a moment before speaking.

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[Soon a calamity will descend upon the world.]

Before Yeongpung could be surprised by the sudden words the Volcano Sword Saint continued.

[The very fact that I am telling you this means that in the end we… no I have failed.]

Yeongpung could not understand the current story.

Failed? What could the Volcano Sword Saint have failed at?

The calamity of blood was surely thwarted by the Volcano Sword Saint and those with him.

[I am sorry for leaving behind such an incompetent predecessor.]

No that’s not true.

Yeongpung thought but his voice seemed not to reach the Volcano Sword Saint.

[Child of the nameless volcano.]

[I hope you can finish the story I could not complete.]

He was merely expressing his request

but Yeongpung did not mind that.

What mattered was.

[In your wake….]

The one who dreamed of ideals.

That he was entrusting to him the task he could not finish.

For Yeongpung that was enough.

Thus without hesitation he grasped the nameless orb in the cave.

He fully absorbed the pouring energy into his body.

Feeling the plum blossoms rising in his qi center Yeongpung could be certain.

This energy was undoubtedly that of the Volcano Sword Saint.

Therefore accepting it was not difficult.

Though it had a rough and sharp quality the root was the same.

He simply had to accept it.

Without needing to do anything special the energy found its place in Yeongpung’s body as if it were its home.

After absorbing all the energy when Yeongpung regained his senses

his physical body had undergone countless changes.

His bones had thickened.

In the acupoints a dense energy flowed that was entirely different from before and his realm had risen.

It was a miraculous encounter.

In the changed body and elevated realm Yeongpung exhaled.

From his heavy breath the energy mixed in thickly emerged.

Feeling this Yeongpung thought.

‘Have I truly become his successor?’

The fact that he had to accomplish what the Volcano Sword Saint could not.

Choosing this clumsily was a heavy and chilling matter

but Yeongpung could ignite his passion with just that.

He could do it.

No he must do it.

If there was something the Volcano Sword Saint could not achieve he would accomplish it.

What kind of calamity could be approaching that he left such a message?

He would follow in the footsteps of the Volcano Sword Saint and prevent the calamity.

Surely he thought so yet.

“What the hell is this…! Why won’t it go away!?”

Yeongpung felt an unknown emotion as he looked at the scene before him.

An emotion he had never felt in his life.

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

Something was wrong.

That was the first thought that came to mind as the situation unfolded.

‘This isn’t good….’

In the sudden turn of events I turned my head to look at my right arm.

Something was tightly bound to my forearm which had originally been empty.

‘…What the hell….’

I cursed inwardly as I looked at it.

The feeling of the object was all too familiar.

Of course it would be. It was something I had been carrying on my left arm for years.

The difference was that this one was a deep pink.

‘The one on my left arm is light blue.’

No I couldn’t even differentiate that.

The one on my left arm had also been deep pink in the beginning.

Biting my lip at that thought.

‘It’s Guijeong.’

The one that had jumped onto my right arm was definitely Guijeong.

Seeing it in person I was certain.

This was indeed the weapon of Shin Noya.

That meant.

‘Two Guijeongs?’

The one bound to my left arm and the one that had jumped onto my right arm.

Both were Guijeong.

‘What the hell is going on?’

As questions filled my mind about the strange situation

this was not the time to ponder such things.

“…That.”

I lifted my head at the voice that reached me.

There was not only the Sword Master but also Guyeonghwa and Yeongpung.

And.

‘Even that old man.’

In the back Ubaek was watching this with interest.

As soon as I grasped the situation my expression changed.

I was taken aback looking utterly shocked.