ยฉNovel Buddy
Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 168: True Dragon (2)
This ๐ฌontent is taken from ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ต.๐๐๐ข
โ True Dragon (2) โ
โHeโs apparently now being called the True Dragon.โ
โWho? The victor of this tournament?โ
On the day of the finals of the tournament, the crowd was more spirited than ever.
Something like this would always happen on the final day of the tournament, but the spirit of the crowd this year was in a whole different league when compared to the previous tournaments.
Was it because a new dragon had been born?
Or, was it because this tournament had shown a number of stars greater than any other?
It could even be that the spirits of the spectators hadnโt yet calmed down due to the performance that boy had shown on the arena stage.
A man spoke up quietly from between the crowd, seemingly not fond of the heated spirits of others.
โTrue Dragon? Isnโt that title a bit too much? A real dragon they sayโฆโ
โHah! Then does that mean other dragons like the Lightning Dragon and the Sword Dragon are fake?โ
โI could just tell that this yearโs tournament only consisted of kids that barely even grew hair, so how great could their fights even be?โ
โLook at this man.โ
When the man mumbled, others that listened to him all let out a sigh.
Right as one person was about to say something to the manโฆ
โJust let him be, that Kim Chung is only salty that he couldnโt come see the tournament because he apparently had work.โ
โDid I say something wrong though? The Sword Dragon, Water Dragon, or even the Sword Phoenix; none of them came, so how did any of you have any fun in watching this yearโs tournamentโฆโ
The man named Kim Chung only continued to empty his cup filled with alcohol with a frown on his face.
Merchant Cheon, seeing that, smiled a bit.
โHe really is salty.โ
It made sense since everyone had such heated excitement.
As such, he couldnโt help but be mad, since he wasnโt able to see any of the fights.
โHe should have just come when I had asked him to.โ
Merchant Cheon knew something like this would happen when Kim Chung refused to come, giving the excuse that there was no point in coming as half of the Dragons and Phoenixes werenโt even present.
But contrary to everyoneโs expectation of it being lacking, this tournament exceeded everyoneโs expectation.
Merchant Cheon could even dare to say that this was the most memorable tournament that he had seen in his life.
It could only have made sense.
After all, three young prodigies had earned a title at their debut appearance, one of them even earning the throne of the True Dragon.
โBut even so, what the hell even is a True Dragonโฆ?โ
โWell I think itโs rather cool, what are you even so upset about?โ
โI heard that he still has a long way to go until he reaches the age of twenty, so Iโm sure such an arrogant title befits him.โ
โWho even cares about age, if he is worthy enough, then simply he shall be called that.โ
โThatโs exactly why it doesnโt make sense. I get that he has talentโฆbut you guys should know if you watched the tournament. Iโm sure the Murim Alliance did something in order to-โ
Kim Chung looked if there was anyone that agreed with him, but everyone just mockingly smiled at him.
โMurim Alliance doing something behind the scenes? Stop making us laugh.โ
โI get that you are saying this because you didnโt watch the fight, but boy are you a stubborn man.โ
โThen, do you all think that such a young martial artist like him is worthy enough to be called the True Dragon?โ
To this question, Merchant Cheon spoke up himself.
โMore than enough.โ
โMerchant Cheon?โ
Kim Chung looked at Merchant Cheon with shocked eyes.
It was because Merchant Cheon wasnโt the type to barge into a conversation like this.
Merchant Cheon spoke while looking at Kim Chung.
โYou may not know the boyโs worth since you didnโt get to see him fight, but at the very least I do.โ
When Merchant Cheon had watched the finals of the tournament, he was rendered speechless.
Because even he himself, who didnโt even know the meaning of the โMartialโ in Martial Arts, was able to see that the boy was in a whole different league compared to the other young prodigies.
Furthermore, his son, who was watching the fight with him, even said that he would quit martial arts and would instead work in the shop.
It was because he wasnโt confident enough to live amongst such people.
And Merchant Cheon respected his sonโs decision, because he would do the exact same thing if he was in his sonโs shoes.
โI guess you can say that talent is horrifying in situations like this.โ
The talent of a merchant lies in their eyes of seeing others.
They buy products at a cheap price and sell them for a higher price.
Merchants need to learn many things in order to succeed in their business.
And the most important of them all was that they needed to be able to find something worthy amongst cheap things.
โBut unfortunately, I lack such eyes.โ
Merchant Cheon knew his place.
He knew that if he had such eyes, he would have become a well-known merchant in Hanam, unlike his current position of owning a small market.
However, he didnโt completely lack them either.
After surviving in this industry for a long time, he had naturally gained an ability to see through some things.
โYou said that itโs a bit too much for him to be called the True Dragon? I disagree with that.โ
โThen are you saying that the title, True Dragon, is deserving of him?โ
โDeserving? That title is actually lacking.โ
Merchant Cheon actually wondered about this.
Why did the Murim Alliance not give the boy the title of The Heavenly Dragon?
In Merchant Cheonโs eyes, the performance the True Dragon showed was far more powerful than the performance Peng Woojin had shown when he debuted.
โI heard that the Heavenly Dragon spot was already taken, was that really true?โ
That was the rumor that had spread throughout the world.
That someone was already appointed to the spot of the Heavenly Dragon.
โThere is no way thatโs true.โ
When the tournament ended and the Alliance Leader was saying good job to everyoneโฆ
Merchant Cheon had observed carefully.
Jang Seonyeon, who was being called The New Star, had lost to his opponent, The True Dragon.
โI canโt believe he was able to maintain his calmness despite his son being overpowered onesidedly.โ
For Merchant Cheon, who saw how Jang Seonyeon lost in such a humiliating way, it was very shocking that the Alliance Leader was showing himself as the leader of Murim Alliance, and not as a father who had just watched his sonโs defeat.
This was why Merchant Cheon couldnโt believe such a rumor.
โKim Chung, stop embarrassing yourself. Come, sit down and letโs talk about something different.โ
โHe is acting really childish at his age just because he didnโt get to see some tournament.โ
โThough even I would have regretted for the rest of my life if I didnโt get to see this tournament.โ
Merchant Cheon understood Kim Chungโs feelings.
Because a martial artist that would change the generation was born in this tournament no matter who looked at it.
And there was probably nothing more disappointing than not being able to see this process as a person of this world.
Merchant Cheon pictured a boyโs face in his mind.
โTrue Dragonโฆโ
The boy, who one knew nothing about besides his surname, was now being called the True Dragon of Shanxiโs Gu Clan.
The boy had achieved all of this in just three days of his first debut in the Martial World.
And this made Merchant Cheon wonder if this would send waves of impact throughout the world.
Howeverโฆ
โI am a bit concerned about his look at the last moment.โ
Merchant Cheon remembered the boy that had way too heavy of an expression for a young boy to make.
The boy who had just won the tournament that all other young prodigies could only dream of winning, had a rather strange reaction.
Others thought that the boy looked cool because he wasnโt happy about winning in a mere tournament.
The nonsense that other people said was that a genius like him would have a unique reaction such as that.
But in the eyes of Merchant Cheon, it didnโt seem that way.
******************
In a field far away from the tournament arenaโฆ
I stood still, alone.
As I watched the snow fall downโฆ
The snow slowly stacked up into a pileโฆ
Yet unlike such a simple process, my mind was plagued with thoughts far too complicated.
-I, Dok Gojun, seek you, child.
At the last moment of the duel, I couldnโt seem to forget about the name that the bastard had told me.
โDok Gojun.โ
It was the first time I heard that name.
Both in this life and my past one.
The name didnโt seem to be from any clan, nor did it hint to any clan.
It really was a name that I heard for the first time in my life.
โWho is itโฆWho can it even be?โ
Who was it, I wonder.
The person that had spoken to me while borrowing Jang Seonyeonโs bodyโฆ
How could anyone be capable of such a thing?
Was that person an existence similar to Elder Shin?
But something felt different for me to conclude that.
That existence had given me the chilling sensation of what felt like a sword aimed right at my head. It was extremely different from Elder Shin.
If I had to compare, it felt similar to the enigmatic aura of the Heavenly Demon.
โIt might be a stretch to compare it to the Heavenly Demon, but there are undeniable similarities.โ
The Heavenly Demon, often revered as a God, of course exuded much more potent off an Aura, but that sensation felt definitely close.
It also made me wonder what that bastard inside me was.
โFor fucks sakeโฆCanโt everyone just leave me alone so that I could have a peaceful life?โ
Whenever I finish one thing, another pops up to make my life even more complicated.
I already felt like I was crumbling due to the weight of the numerous things inside my body.
If there really was a God, then I for sure knew that they werenโt on my side.
โAt least say something, instead of keeping your mouth shut.โ
My frustrated voice, that I couldnโt hold in, quietly scattered away along with the wind.
My voice reverberated in a field void of anyone but myself, yet I wasnโt speaking to myself.
โYou were so talkative before? So, why the silence now?โ
The being that had emerged in the final moments of the tournament to devour the energy.
I had tried speaking to that mysterious entity residing inside my body, but ever since Jang Seonyeon had lost consciousness, it had remained silent.
โFor fucks sakeโฆโ
I had simply dismissed it as a curse I got in the process of regression.
Since this ability, Demonic Absorption, was a power that belonged to the Heavenly Demon, it wasnโt strange for any side effects to appear.
I had taken it as me still not being able to escape the grasp of the Heavenly Demon even with time passing, yet, it seemed like there was more to it than that.
โIs there something that you want from me? Why does everyone create a hassle for me?โ
I couldnโt help but speak in a harsh tone due to all the complicated thoughts lingering in my mind.
Did Jang Seonyeon have that power to begin with?
Or did he tamper with something in order to change the past?
โThough it is more than possible that I simply didnโt know about this.โ
Judging by how a lot of things I learned in this life seemed to differ from what I knew from my past life, there was a good chance that it was the same for this as well.
โWhoโs the mastermind?โ
Not only was the Black Palace using a poor imitation of Demonic Qi, they were also doing some suspicious things in order to grow some weird flower.
Jang Seonyeon was plotting behind the scenes as well.
I hadnโt cared if it was the right path or not, because I was far from a hero.
Still, it is concerning that I hadnโt known about this.
โWhat should I do?โ
Should I start making some plans now that I have learned about it?
I also had to think about the possibility of their side having information about me, since when the bastard possessing Jang Seonyeonโs body had spoken to me, it already seemed to have known my identity.
Finding myself stuck in this utterly complicated situation made me bite my lips and scream out loud. I couldnโt take it anymore.
โTell me if there is something you want. Only then can I consider whether to grant your wish or not.โ
I tried to speak to the entity living inside my body.
Although I had no intention of actually granting his request even if it spoke up, I still felt like I would feel better if I heard anything from the beast inside me.
โSighโฆโ
I rubbed my face with my hands.
Then I repeatedly dried and washed my face.
It was probably because of this, that despite completing all the plans for my Hanam trip, I didnโt feel better.
โA gift huh.โ
The last words uttered by that bastard Dok Gujun about the gift they had rewarded me.
It wasnโt long after, I was able to realize what they meant by that.
I asked with a smirk on my face.
โYou devoured everything else fine, so whatโs your problem with all of this?โ
The energy that I had absorbed from Jang Seonyeon.
To be more accurate, the energy that Dok Gojun had given me wasnโt really getting purified properly inside my body.
Just like how the Demonic Qi had taken over a spot in my dantian, this piece of shit energy was doing the same and was making itself home.
โIs it even getting purified?โ
My Fire Qi purified Demonic Qi as soon as I absorbed it, seemingly devouring it.
But what about this energy?
โI donโt know.โ
I didnโt get the sensation of it being purified.
Instead, it felt more like it was combining with my Fire Qi.
I rubbed my stomach and started to charge my strength.
Ssssโฆ
My Qi then started to flow inside my body and spread everywhere.
It was a basic process of enhancing my body with Qi.
And as long as I donโt use Gu Clanโs art of using heat to enhance my body even further, it should just end there.
โโฆSigh.โ f reewe bnovel
But when I focused more into my dantian, I was able to feel the energy that was hiding itself, mixing into my Qi.
Then, I was able to feel my strength getting enhanced in an instant.
This was the gift that Dok Gojun was referring to.
Just like how Jang Seonyeon and Namgung Cheonjun could, I, too, was now able to use that shitty energy.
โThis is crazy.โ
I didnโt say this because I was happy.
Instead it was because I felt bothered. It felt like I had another shackle onto myself.
One unknown energy was already enough for me.
No, even one was a bit hard to deal with.
I could already tell that by moving my body slightly.
This energy wasnโt all positive, it had a negative effect.
I was able to feel that the energy was being consumed at an absurdly rapid rate, but it gave me overpowering power in return.
Furthermore, it didnโt just end with my body being enhanced.
Blaze.
I mixed some of the energy into my Qi and summoned a flame in my hand.
I wondered if I could do something like this since Jang Seonyeonโs martial skills were enhanced as well.
โโฆFucking hell.โ
I couldnโt help but curse out loud when I saw the blazing flame in my hand.
Instead of the flame mixed with Taoist Qi shining in a bright light, it was burning passionately with a blue color.
โThisโll surely attract everyoneโs eyes.โ
Just the color of the flame made it look like some witchcraft.
I couldnโt believe it changed the color of the flame. ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐ธ๐ซ๐๐ต.๐๐ค๐ถ
โI canโt even explain this to Father if he ever catches onto this.โ
Not only Father, but I couldnโt imagine what others of the clan would say to me if they found out.
What excuse could I even give?
Do I say something like I dyed my flames with the gift I got in Hanam?
โHahahaha! Fuck me.โ
My head started to ache.
Clench!
I clenched my fist and exploded the flame.
And when I summoned the flame again,
Blaze-
โIt returned to its original form.โ
The flame returned to its original color.
It seems like itโs different depending on my use of the energy.
โI think I can hide it as long as I try.โ
It was one thing that made me glad out of all the misfortunes. As I had calmed the energy down and was about to make my way back,
โโฆ!โ
I suddenly felt dizzy and my body started to falter.
Fortunately, it was only for a moment, so I was able to regain my posture.
โIs this the energyโs recoil?โ
I had only used it for a tiny amount of time, yet the recoil of it was this bad.
Now I understand why Jang Seonyeon had tried his best not to use it.
But one thing that made me wonder wasโฆ
If I recall correctly, considering the amount of time Jang Seonyeon had used this energy for, he wouldโve used much more of the energy, thus the recoil shouldโve been much greater.
But that bastard looked just fine.
โItโs either that the recoil I receive is greater or that I consume more energy.โ
Whichever it was, it didnโt change the fact that it wasnโt something good, so it was still a shitty situation I was in.
But even in a situation like this, I had to forcefully lift myself up.
โโฆI wonโt collapse for something like this.โ
No matter how much the world pits against me, it was still better than my past life.
No one that I cared about had died in this world and I was given the chance to get rid of the ones that had given me scars in my past life, with my own hands.
As such, I should be able to endure this much.
โHow exhaustingโฆโ
Still, I was starting to feel tired.
My body may have been heated, but the cold breeze felt rather difficult to handle.
Was it because it was especially cold today?
Or perhaps I missed that sleeping elder, a very tiny bit?
Not only did I miss Elder Shin a little, I also wanted to ask him about something.
For some reason, I felt like Elder Shin would know something about Dok Gojun.
Though, I didnโt know why I got that feeling.
โSo wake up already, old man.โ
******************
After practicing with the new energy by myself for a while, I came back to the guesthouse.
The sun had already set and since the tournament came to an end, it seemed that not a lot of people were left in the area.
Events like the congratulation ceremony from the Alliance Leader to the victor of the tournament and the fight for second place between Namgung Bi-ah and Moyong Hi-ah remained, but it seemed like they werenโt too important for some people.
โIt makes sense, since the world only cares about first place.โ
Any other world would be the same, but this world especially was one that cared about the top.
โOh! Young Master!โ
As soon as I entered the guesthouse, Wi Seol-Ah ran towards me and threw herself inside my arms.
โUghโฆ!โ
Her tackle was rather strong, so I let out a grunt without being able to hold it in.
Because I had practiced with the energy for a while, it seemed like my fatigue had piled up as my body ached even to Wi Seol-Ahโs tackle.
โโฆOr maybe not, it feels like she got more solid than before.โ
โUhโฆUmโฆYoung Master, are you okay?โ
Because of me letting out a grunt when I usually donโt, Wi Seol-Ah looked at me with worried eyes.
I then smiled at her signaling that I was fine.
โIโm fine. I just felt a little surprised.โ
โWhen Young Master smiles in such a scary manner like that, it usually means that something happenedโฆโ
โโฆWhat did you say, you little brat?โ
Scary mannerโฆ? I even went out of my way to smile for her.
As I was pinching Wi Seol-ahโs cheek because of what she said to me, I heard a voice from a different direction.
โYoung Master Gu, you came backโฆ?โ
It was Tang Soyeol.
When I looked at her, I also saw Namgung Bi-ah using Tang Soyeolโs knees as a pillow for her to sleep on.
โOh, Sis fell asleep just now while waiting for you.โ
โYou sure she wasnโt just sleeping the whole time?โ
โI-I swear.โ
โโฆOkay.โ
I couldnโt believe it no matter how much I thought about it, but I let it pass.
โOh right, the Beggarโs Sect was looking for you earlier in the day.โ
โBeggarโs Sect?โ
I thought about Chuwong as soon as I heard Tang Soyeol.
It seemed like he had come searching for me as soon as he heard that I had won.
โAnd when I came, I saw that he was already talking to Seol-Ah.โ
โThis girl?โ
โUwughโฆโ
Wi Seol-Ah spoke to Chuwong, huh.
That wouldโve been a rather interesting scene, so I felt a bit disappointed that I missed it.
โBecause they were companions in my past life.โ
The King of Beggars, the Celestial Sword, and a few others aside from those two.
They were a group consisting of strong individuals with great talent.
And since he was one of the few people that the Celestial Sword Wi Seol-ah cared for, I was sure that their meeting held many meanings.
If they had retained their memories that is.
โHeโs just an ordinary hobo at this point of time.โ
โHe asked that when he returns, we let the True Dragon know that Chuwong from the Beggarโs Sect had come looking for him.โ
โThanks for letting me know, Iโll talk to him when I get to see him lat-โ
I was about to respond to Tang Soyeol, but there was one strange thing in the middle of her sentence.
โWhat Dragon did you just say?โ
โTrue Dragon!โ
When I asked Tang Soyeol, she responded with excitement.
โโฆTrue Dragon?โ
Was that referring to me by any chance?
โThat seems like the case.โ
Just hearing that title gave me goosebumps.
โThough the title I got in my past life was much worse.โ
I guess True Dragon was better.
โIs Young Master Gu not happy?โ
โShould I beโฆ?โ
โYou should be!โ
Must I really be happy for me to be included in this group of geniuses?
Also as an adult, it was embarrassing for me to be happy about this.
Tang Soyeol kept looking at me with shiny eyes, so I responded to her in the end, pretending that I was happy.
โYayโฆIโm so happyโฆโ
โโฆWowโฆYoung Master Guโฆyou look like you have no soul.โ
But, I tried my bestโฆ
I just pretended not to hear when Tang Soyeol whispered โEven his emotionless face is handsomeโ right after.
Behind this scene, Wi Seol-Ah was looking outside the guesthouse, up at the sky.
She was looking towards the west.
Towards none other than the Murim Alliance building, the place where Jang Cheon and Jang Seonyeon were.
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