Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 575 (Part 1)



575 (Part 1)

**Chapter 576: The Miracle of Shaolin**

What kind of situation is this?

I had to think countless thoughts as I looked at the scene unfolding before me.

No first I needed to understand rather than think.

‘What is that?’

Why are those old men here?

It’s not just that I was looking for the divine being; it’s also that the patriarch who should be in the mountains is here.

‘What is going on?’

No matter how I looked at it I couldn’t make sense of it.

I had come to the accommodation I requested from the Baekhwa Trading Company.

Not only was the divine being here but what on earth is this situation?

In my confusion I was at a loss for words.

As I looked at the fallen divine being the patriarch who had been laughing heartily turned his gaze toward me.

“Oh.”

Our eyes met. The patriarch reacted and smiled slightly.

“Nice to see you. It’s been a while hasn’t it?”

“…?”

I wondered why he was speaking differently than usual but then I realized that Seong-yul and Dang-so-yeol were right behind me.

These two probably didn’t know the patriarch’s true identity so that’s why he was reacting like that.

“…Yes. It’s been a long long time.”

The patriarch smiled brightly at my greeting.

Seeing that smile made me break out in a cold sweat.

‘That guy.’

He was definitely angry.

One thing I learned from being beaten by the patriarch for years was that the angrier he got the more he smiled.

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There was a difference between laughing because it was funny and laughing out of anger.

It was a very subtle difference but it was something you could grasp if you observed closely.

When I saw that smile I thought

‘Damn it.’

The patriarch was clearly angry.

“How many months has it been? I heard you’d be back soon. Haha.”

“…”

Hearing that I began to understand why he was so angry.

He had said he would finish his tasks and return to the Gu family but ignoring that and coming straight to Henan was the problem.

‘This….’

It didn’t take long to get from Guangdong to here.

But it had actually been several months since I left the Gu family.

That was because I had things to take care of before going to Guangdong.

‘…So that’s why he’s acting like this.’

According to the original plan I was supposed to handle things in Guangdong turn Seong-yul into a demonic practitioner and then return directly to the Gu family.

That was why I had written that I would be back soon in the letter.

‘Going to the Taoist temple messed up the schedule.’

That was why I had come straight to Henan.

‘…Why is that old man here?’

Why is the divine being here and the patriarch too in this situation?

As I was about to frown at the incomprehensible situation

[Isn’t it obvious?]

The patriarch sent me a telepathic message.

[…What do you mean?]

[I knew you wouldn’t act according to what you said so I expected you to come straight here.]

[…]

In other words if that’s the case….

[…So you came here directly because of that?]

Since it was obvious I wouldn’t listen he came himself.

It was truly absurd.

[No didn’t you tell me to go out?]

When I was diligently training he would ask me every day when I would go out.

Now that I finally go out why is he acting like this again?

I couldn’t help but express my disbelief and the patriarch chuckled in his unique way.

[Yes I did tell you to go out.]

[But why are you acting like this?]

[It’s because the disciple who went out is causing a ruckus.]

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Tsk tsk.

[It seems like you’re getting into some ridiculous trouble.]

[…!]

My breath caught at those words.

‘Could it be?’

Does the patriarch know something?

His voice was filled with certainty making it seem like a significant statement.

Cold sweat began to form.

I shouldn’t have done anything that could be discovered. If he noticed how did he find out?

As I looked at the patriarch with trembling eyes he nodded slightly and continued speaking.

[I made sure you wouldn’t get beaten up too badly.]

The patriarch’s arrogant gaze swept from my head to my toes.

[Your condition is not good. Tsk tsk.]

[How did you know?]

[What do you mean how? You should have just tidied up your disordered qi and hidden it.]

That was an unfair point.

I was definitely managing my qi somehow.

After hearing Wu Bong-chwi’s words I had been paying considerable attention to my movements.

It seemed the patriarch had assessed my condition just by looking at me.

‘Does he have such power in his heart?’

The patriarch always lived with his heart open so it seemed there was a secret hidden within.

The problem was.

‘No what’s important is how he knows that I’m causing trouble.’

As I was looking at the patriarch feeling flustered I had to frown at something that seemed off.

The patriarch seemed to have changed in some way.

It was difficult to pinpoint but there was definitely something different.

As I observed a thought crossed my mind.

[Elder….]

[Yes.]

[Could it be.]

I hesitated for a moment before continuing my question.

[…Have you crossed the barrier?]

[Hmm.]

The patriarch showed a shallow reaction to my question and then chuckled softly.

[Rather than having crossed it wouldn’t it be more accurate to say I’ve regained it?]

[…!]

Upon hearing those words my eyes widened. It was a response that was no different from affirmation.

That meant.

‘The patriarch has reached the realm of transformation.’

The patriarch who had been at the peak of mastery had now reached the realm of transformation.

No…. To be precise as the patriarch said.

‘He has regained a level of mastery.’

It would be more accurate to say he had regained some of the mastery he had lost.

[When exactly….]

[Hmm it seems it was shortly after you left.]

Upon hearing that I couldn’t help but swallow hard.

You might wonder why I was reacting so strongly to the patriarch’s advancement.

The reason was simple.

[I originally intended to take it slow.]

At a time when I was advancing in my mastery and starting to get beaten less by the patriarch the fact that the patriarch’s level had risen meant.

[Your disciple is growing so fast that it’s impossible to take it slow. Haha since your head is getting bigger you’re climbing up a bit.]

Just when I thought I might escape it seemed I was about to get beaten again.

[When did I climb up again?]

[Even now if your master has advanced you should be congratulating him yet your eyes are filled with dissatisfaction.]

That’s because you’re so eager to beat me up.

…The words that almost came out of my mouth but I couldn’t bring myself to say them.

[…Congratulations.]

I belatedly offered my congratulations but the patriarch’s expression only soured further.

Ha.

A brief sigh escaped a sound from the patriarch.

[But it seems your eyes are still sharp so I’ll let it slide.]

[Not just my eyes other things are still alive.]

[If they’re alive should I kill them for you?]

[…It does hurt a bit.]

Just when I thought it might be a little less painful.

To end up in this situation again was truly frustrating.

Ignoring the throbbing headache I asked the patriarch.

[…So what’s the story with this person?]

I pointed to the divine being who had fainted from rage.

By the way he really did faint?

I wondered just how angry he must have been to faint.

‘He’s an old man.’

The patriarch didn’t seem to care about the divine being and didn’t even look at him.

[It just so happened that I ran into him when I arrived.]

I wondered what the chances were of the patriarch and the divine being running into each other in Henan but I didn’t press the matter.