Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 646: Cold Air (2)

When I opened my eyes again, it was a cold night.

The endless daylight created by my father had disappeared, and the moon had risen again.

The blade-like cold remained unchanged, and the increasingly intense chill was palpable.

Though the snow did not fall, the cold grew fiercer.

Amid that discomforting sensation, a voice reached my ears.

“Vioe-gun!”

It was the Black Lion's cry.

My gaze turned toward it.

The Black Lion had already laid down the palace lord he had been supporting and was glaring at something, his characteristic demeanor intact.

Following his gaze, I saw Woo Hyuk collapsed on the ground.

We were just talking a moment ago.

“Did he faint just like that?”

I had been about to ask him what was going on, but in that state, it seemed impossible for now.

“What’s going on?”

Holding my dizzy head, I tried to grasp the situation.

That meeting just now couldn’t have been a hallucination, so I needed to confirm his condition properly.

“It was definitely Namgung Myung.”

Whether he was lying or not was unclear, but it felt ridiculous to doubt it now.

It made more sense to assume that he really was Namgung Myung.

I began organizing the information.

I recalled Namgung Myung’s words.

“All the spirit beasts will bow their heads before you.”

That was the first piece of information.

The reason I could use spirit beasts like Thunder Fang, even those with established owners, was because I was a “Dragon.”

However, just because I could use them forcefully didn’t mean I could command them as Namgung Myung claimed.

While I could wield Thunder Fang, making spirit beasts follow me like Guijeong was another matter entirely.

That was why Namgung Myung had been convinced.

“You are a reincarnation.”

He had said that I was the body Shin Noya should have been reborn into.

“What utter nonsense.”

How could such a thing even be possible?

Even after hearing it, I couldn’t make sense of it.

Even if the reason Guijeong followed me so naturally was because of that, it was hard to believe easily.

Questions lingered.

“Why me, of ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) all people?”

I wasn’t a disciple of Mount Hua or a member of an ordinary martial sect—I was part of the Gu family.

If I was supposedly the reincarnation of Shin Noya, it didn’t make sense to me.

Mount Hua Divine Sword.

And the Greatest Sword of Zhongyuan.

If I was truly the reincarnation of someone so exceptional, shouldn’t I have been born extraordinary as well?

Sure, I had improved by devouring countless opportunities recently, but if you considered my past life, it was far from that.

Moreover, how did Namgung Myung’s claims align with Noya’s beliefs?

“Live for the world? Don’t make me laugh.”

I might live for myself, but anything beyond that?

It was a belief completely opposite to mine.

Even if I was reincarnated, I didn’t resemble him in anything that truly mattered. Was I really supposed to believe this?

“...And, it’s strange that even Noya didn’t know.”

How could Namgung Myung recognize me at a glance when Noya, who handed Guijeong to me, didn’t?

“Does this mean I’ll have to ask Noya or Namgung Myung again?”

It was a part of the puzzle that I couldn’t solve on my own.

“And even if I really am Noya’s reincarnation...”

Would that hold such significant meaning?

I was surprised, but beyond that, it didn’t resonate deeply with me.

After all, my body had its own memories and essence; I didn’t have memories of living as Noya centuries ago.

Should I even care about such a thing? I wasn’t sure.

It was burdensome and cumbersome.

For now, those were the only emotions I felt.

That was inevitable.

“Whether it’s true or not, I still have to do it.”

No matter what, the tasks related to Noya were already on my plate.

In that case, it didn’t really matter.

“Right now, more important than that...”

The final thing Namgung Myung had said came to mind.

“Find Shinjiang.”

He had pressed his finger against my forehead and uttered those words.

At that moment, I had felt Namgung Myung’s lightning energy settle within my body.

“Why go to Shinjiang?”

Where exactly was Shinjiang?

It was the far end of the Western Regions, beyond Hanam.

“In my past life, it was where the Demonic Cult was located.”

The headquarters of the Heavenly Demonic Cult established by Cheonma.

It was revered as a sanctuary by its followers, yet for me, it had been a personal hell.

“Why tell me to go to such a place?”

What could possibly be in Shinjiang for him to send me there?

From what I remembered, the place had turned into a wasteland after the Magyeong Gate emerged, serving as a front line managed by the Gu family...

“Ah?”

As I pondered, a thought emerged.

Thinking about it now, it made sense.

“If it’s Shinjiang at the time the Magyeong Gate opened...”

In my past life, it was where the Demonic Cult had stood.

But during Noya’s and others’ era,

“It was also where the Blood Sect existed.”

Just like how Cheonma had created the Demonic Cult,

The Blood Sect created by the Blood Demon had also been in Shinjiang.

“Why didn’t I think of this?”

Perhaps because it was an event from so long ago.

But now, thinking about it, it felt ominous.

“Is there something in Shinjiang?”

Why had both the Blood Demon and Cheonma chosen Shinjiang as their base of operations?

It felt too coincidental to dismiss.

Was it because Namgung Myung specifically pointed out Shinjiang?

“Whatever the case, I’ll have to go there.”

It was a place I’d thought about visiting someday.

I just hadn’t chosen it due to a lack of time and reasons.

If it overlapped with something important, there would be no issue moving up the schedule.

“Now that I’ve sorted that out... What’s left is...”

Perhaps the most critical of Namgung Myung’s final words.

“Beware of Yeon Ilcheon.”

“Urgh—!”

The Black Lion let out a low growl as he stepped back slightly, deflecting my kick.

Whoosh! His heavy saber swung with a sharp arc, its tip pointed directly at me.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

The Black Lion glared at me with blazing eyes. I raised my hands slightly, showing my open palms as a gesture of peace.

“Calm down, will you?”

“Calm down? Did you just say calm down?”

“Yes, you heard me right. Calm down.”

As I spoke, I extended a hand. Before it could reach him, a wave of sword energy came crashing toward me.

Boom!

I shattered the incoming sword energy with a punch, though my fist tingled painfully from the impact. It seemed my body wasn’t in the best condition either.

“I told you to calm down. Come on now...”

Despite my repeated attempts to defuse the situation, the Black Lion’s rage only intensified, his aura brimming with murderous intent.

The killing intent was directed at the man lying behind me—Woo Hyuk, known in the North Sea as Vioe-gun.

“And do you know what you’re protecting right now?”

“I know very well.”

“Then how can you still ask me to calm down?”

“Because it’s necessary.”

The rumors about Woo Hyuk’s involvement in the North Sea rebellion had spread far and wide. Even I knew he’d played a significant role in the uprising.

Regardless of any hidden motives he might have had, those facts didn’t change.

I was willing to overlook some things, but this...

Getting beaten was one thing; getting killed was another.

The Black Lion looked as though he might kill Woo Hyuk at any moment. No—he definitely would. That murderous intent was genuine.

And that was why I had to intervene.

“If he dies here, it’ll cause me trouble. So hold back.”

I still had questions for Namgung Myung, and Woo Hyuk’s death would complicate things.

“Hold back, you say...”

Unfortunately, my words seemed to provoke the Black Lion further. His aura grew even more oppressive.

“Do you understand the atrocities that man has committed?”

His bellow shook the air, laden with emotion and qi.

“Because of his rebellion, countless warriors lost their lives, and the people of the North Sea suffered untold casualties. And now, you tell me to calm down while the one responsible stands before us?”

His voice cracked with grief. I could feel the raw pain in his words.

But...

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“Honestly, I don’t care.”

“What did you just say?”

“Do I need to care about how many died or how many suffered because of this?”

His emotions failed to move me.

I understood the righteousness and validity of his anger.

But—

“Maybe you should’ve done a better job managing things in the first place. Isn’t it foolish to assume power would remain unchallenged under the protection of a single bloodline?”

“You—!”

The Black Lion’s muscles tensed as his qi surged to its peak. His eyes bulged with intensity, veins threatening to burst.

I remained calm.

I nudged Woo Hyuk’s unconscious body with my foot and continued speaking.

“I get that this idiot caused trouble. But let’s be honest—wasn’t the North Sea already a ticking time bomb waiting to go off?”

I had realized this after speaking with Yuri and hearing about the Palace Lord’s situation. Wandering around the North Sea had only confirmed it.

“The Palace Lord wasn’t managing the palace’s resources directly. From what I saw, the finances and other key aspects were handled by someone else.”

While it was true that moving resources required the Palace Lord’s approval, the actual management of critical functions was delegated to internal factions, not distributed evenly but concentrated in the hands of a single family.

I understood why it had been done.

“They probably trusted those families because they’d been loyal for generations. But even so...”

I understood, yet—

“That’s not how power should work.”

When people are entrusted with power, greed is inevitable.

“Humans are like that. When they’re exposed to something big, they start wanting more.”

Hadn’t that particular family managed the palace’s resources for decades? From what I’d heard, the Blue Wolf Clan had been in charge for over a century.

A single family overseeing not just its own resources but the majority of the palace’s wealth and manpower?

And the Palace Lord had allowed it?

“Sure, you might think that’s loyalty or trust.”

But from what I’d observed, that wasn’t the case at all.

“By letting things get this bad, the cracks were bound to show.”

Even the rebels who followed Woo Hyuk had acted on long-suppressed grievances. The moment they felt they could, they abandoned their fear and joined the cause.

Deep down, they had been waiting for this opportunity. That’s why they rallied so quickly.

“When you look at it that way, doesn’t some of the blame fall on the Palace Lord too—”

“How dare you—!”

Unable to contain his rage, the Black Lion grabbed his saber and leapt into the air. His blade carved through the air, leaving a shimmering trail of energy in its wake.

His qi was remarkably strong.

“Click.”

I clicked my tongue as I watched the Black Lion charge at me.

"I didn’t even say anything wrong."

The fact that a single family controlled the majority of the palace's military power was absurd.

"No wonder a rebellion happened."

The only reason the North Sea had been maintained so far was because the royal bloodline had managed to suppress the harsh winters. But the moment an alternative solution emerged, everything fell apart, as expected.

Whirl!

Dodging his saber, I pondered the reasons behind the rebellion.

"It’s because they didn’t lay the groundwork."

There were many reasons, but the root cause was that the Palace Lord lacked the capacity to manage everything properly.

"They were busy."

Busy suppressing the cold and managing the Ice Essence.

Though the title of Palace Lord sounded impressive, it was just for show. To maintain those duties while also managing politics and public sentiment? That would have required a superhuman effort.

"Reality isn’t idealistic or romantic."

If you can’t do it, you’ll get torn apart—that’s the reality.

It was honestly surprising.

"How has this place lasted so long?"

Given the circumstances, one would expect some kind of draconian measures—like imprisoning members of the bloodline just to harness their power to suppress the cold. The fact that the palace still stood was remarkable.

"Not that I’d ever do such a thing."

Even someone with a conscience wouldn’t stoop to imprisoning people and draining their life force—that’s the work of power-hungry maniacs.

"Then again... am I even human anymore?"

In any case, this only highlighted how precarious the palace’s situation was.

There were only a few ways to firmly establish control in such cases. The easiest? Look at Cheonma for an example.

Cheonma had no interest in politics or power.

Despite managing countless followers across generations, she had never faced betrayal—only demons who willingly died for her.

And why was that? The reason was simple.

"Because she was overwhelmingly strong."

Her power as a demonic being ensured no one could betray her, but even without that, she was so strong that defying her was unthinkable.

That was all there was to it.

If you are so strong that betrayal becomes impossible, loyalty becomes inevitable.

Stories of benevolent rulers and noble leadership? Those concepts are beyond my comprehension.

Still, regardless of all that—

"The one who started the rebellion is at fault."

Even if the Palace Lord failed to secure the gates, the thief is still to blame for stealing.

It was an obvious truth, though not one I could bring up now.

Boom! Boom!

Blocking the Black Lion’s attacks as we exchanged blows, I saw him infuse his saber with aura.

“If you insist on protecting Vioe-gun, I’ll cut you down too.”

I noticed his killing intent mixed into the energy aimed at me.

"Finally."

It surprised me that he had held back his killing intent until now, only revealing it after issuing a warning.

What a rigid man.

"No wonder he’s never betrayed anyone."

He must be one of the rare, truly good-hearted individuals. That thought crossed my mind as I hid my admiration and responded to him with a smirk.

“You can try if you think you can manage it.”

“Even if I can’t, I won’t back down. So yes, I’ll do it.”

“...Hmm.”

It was an answer I couldn’t help but appreciate.

"Passed."

Satisfied with his response, I nodded internally.

"I guess I won’t kill him."

I had initially considered killing him to avoid the hassle, but someone of his caliber seemed worth keeping around.

Lowering my stance slightly, I began to draw on my energy.

As my aura materialized and became visible, the Black Lion’s body tensed instinctively.

This was the moment.

“Wait—! There’s something over there!”

Feigning urgency, I pointed off into the distance, my face etched with panic.

The Black Lion furrowed his thick brows in irritation.

“What are you trying to pull? Do you think I’d fall for such a cheap—!”

He swallowed his words mid-sentence, caught off guard by the unfolding situation.

But it didn’t matter if it worked or not. The only thing that mattered was disrupting his focus, even momentarily.

By then, my body was already right in front of him.

Surprised by my unexpected speed, the Black Lion reacted too late.

And by the time he did—

Thwack!

“Ugh!?”

My fist had already landed squarely on his jaw.

It was a clean hit, knocking him unconscious instantly.

Thud!

His massive frame collapsed into the snow.

I let out a small sigh as I looked down at him.

“That was close.”

If I’d been even a little slower, my ambush would have failed.

While my level had increased, I had also been lucky—the Black Lion was already exhausted from fighting demonic beasts.

As I took a moment to catch my breath and settle my energy, a voice called out from a distance.

“Looks like it’s over now.”

Paejon and Seong Yul, who had been watching from afar, approached me.

I couldn’t help but make a dumbfounded expression at the two figures approaching me.

“A bit late to the party, don’t you think? I knew you were watching. You could’ve helped, you know.”

“Why would I interrupt someone else’s fight? Nothing’s more entertaining to watch,” Paejon chuckled heartily.

“Besides, you probably wouldn’t have appreciated me stepping in anyway, would you?”

“...Tch.”

He wasn’t wrong.

It was something I could handle alone, and something I believed I needed to do myself. If Paejon had interfered, I wouldn’t have liked it.

The snow crunched under my feet as I walked past the unconscious Black Lion.

I headed toward the Palace Lord.

“Are you planning to kill him?” Paejon asked as he watched me.

I let out an exasperated sigh at his blunt question.

“What a terrifying thing to say. Who’s killing anyone?”

A man hailed as one of the three great masters of the orthodox sects casually throwing out such words—it was as absurd as it was unsettling.

Though it’s funny how I can’t deny it outright...

To be honest, I had initially intended to kill him.

Well, to be more precise, I didn’t care whether he lived or died. If the Palace Lord died, it would create enough chaos in the North Sea to make my escape with Woo Hyuk easier.

But...

The situation’s gotten complicated.

Namgung Myung’s words had changed everything.

Even knocking out the Black Lion was because of that. Explaining everything to him would have been a hassle; it was simply easier this way.

I felt their gazes on me from behind—Paejon and Seong Yul, no doubt.

Paejon remained silent, watching me with curiosity, likely wondering what I intended to do.

Honestly, I’d prefer if that old man weren’t watching either.

But he wasn’t the type to stop just because I didn’t want him to. At this point, it seemed reasonable to let him see what was about to happen.

I approached the Palace Lord and knelt beside him, lowering my stance. Extending my hand, I pressed it against his chest.

The faint rhythm of his breathing reached me.

It was shallow—fragile, as if it might stop at any moment. If left alone, he wouldn’t last much longer.

Crunch.

A strange sensation emanated from his body.

It felt as if something was freezing over.

I wasn’t sure what it was at first, but it didn’t take long to realize.

...His energy is freezing.

His weakened body couldn’t handle the flow of his energy, which was freezing at an alarming rate.

How am I supposed to save him?

From a distance, I thought it might be possible, but up close, it was clear that the cold emanating from him was on a completely different level than Moyong Hee-ah’s frigid aura.

Am I supposed to melt this with heat? Can I even do that?

The state of my body wasn’t great either. I hesitated for a moment but quickly remembered Namgung Myung’s words.

If he asked me to save him and come to Shinjiang later, it must mean I can do this now.

Even if that wasn’t the case, there had to be a way I could manage it.

Nodding slightly to myself, I began channeling heat into the Palace Lord.

Whoosh...

The heat gathered in my core radiated outward, flowing through my hands and into his body. So far, so good.

The heat penetrated his body steadily, and I could feel the cold beginning to thaw, at least to some extent.

The problem was—

It’s too slow.

The speed at which the heat spread was far too sluggish compared to how quickly the cold was freezing his energy. At this rate, it was barely enough to hold back the freezing. Had I already missed my chance to save him?

Still, I pushed more heat into him, just in case.

Crack!

“...!”

Suddenly, a surge of cold energy erupted from the Palace Lord’s body.

I instinctively tried to withdraw my hand.

Whoosh!

But before I could, the demonic technique Ma-do Cheon-heup-gong activated on its own, greedily absorbing the cold energy into my body.

Crunch! Crunch!

The technique devoured the cold energy with a voracious hunger, filling itself with it.

So that’s what’s happening.

It wasn’t the cold invading my body on its own—Ma-do Cheon-heup-gong had triggered itself to consume it.

As the cold energy accumulated in one corner of my heart, my fiery technique Guyeomhwaryungong began purifying it, just as it had done with demonic energy in the past.

Huh.

Feeling the energy build up in my heart, I couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.

Does this count as another stroke of luck?

My energy reserves were already massive, but if I managed to absorb all of this cold energy, it would boost my capacity significantly.

When I say significantly, I mean adding the equivalent of an entire peak martial artist’s reserves to my own.

For someone of my level, that was an incredible gain.

Fortunately, it seems like I can deal with the cold this way.

What initially seemed impossible was now not only doable but also beneficial.

As I continued, focusing on extracting the cold energy, something unusual happened.

Hiss...

What’s this?

A strange sound resonated.

Kuaaah—!!!

A tremendous noise echoed from the sky above.

I couldn’t look up; all my focus was on absorbing the cold.

And then—

Boom!

“...!!!”

An overwhelming force descended from above, slamming into me.

“Urgh...!”

The pressure was so immense I couldn’t even scream, barely holding onto my senses.

What the hell is this?!

I couldn’t move.

I couldn’t shout.

In my current state, any mistake would lead to inner qi deviation—a disastrous consequence. All I could do was endure.

“Young Master—!!”

“Gu—Sir!”

Paejon and Seong Yul’s shouts barely reached my ears.

What was this sudden pressure?

Despite the confusion, my instincts knew.

This wasn’t just any force.

It was the cold energy that had spread across the North Sea.

The same energy created by the Ice Essence and suppressed by the royal bloodline.

Now that the Ice Essence had shattered and its seal was broken, the cold had gathered in one place.

And when it came into contact with the Palace Lord’s frozen energy, it funneled itself directly into me.