Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 719

A large pavilion stood to the left of the martial arena.

It was designed to provide a clear view of the entire stage below.

This area had been specially prepared by the Alliance, and those gathered here—led by the Lord of the Alliance—were individuals whose influence stretched across all of Zhongyuan.

“Hah…”

Among them, Bai Yujeok, the head of the Guangdong Bai Family, let out a shallow breath.

At the same time, he ran his hand down his arm.

His skin tingled, making it impossible to stay still.

“…I have no words.”

He couldn’t think of anything to say. It was only natural, given the situation.

What could anyone possibly say after witnessing that?

RUMBLE—!!

The ground shook.

A massive pressure surged like a violent storm, sweeping through the area as if it would devour everything in its path.

CRACK—!!

The sound of objects breaking echoed from every direction.

Just witnessing it made Bai Yujeok’s body tense.

The Qi in his dantian stirred wildly, activating his body on its own.

‘…It’s all pure Qi.’

The wind wasn’t natural.

It was a calamity formed entirely from concentrated Qi.

Rough and savage.

How could anyone unleash such a devastating force?

As Bai Yujeok struggled to suppress his trembling and pondered the question—

“Ha ha. Quite the spectacle, isn’t it?”

“…!”

A voice came from his side.

Turning toward the source, Bai Yujeok flinched.

The one who had spoken was no ordinary person.

It was Do Hua—the Plum Blossom Immortal, the Head of the Mount Hua Sect, and one of Zhongyuan’s Ten Great Masters.

A man renowned for his Seven Iron Fist technique.

And he was addressing Bai Yujeok directly.

Hurriedly, Bai Yujeok prepared to bow in greeting.

“…It is an honor to meet the Head of Mount Hua—”

“There’s no need for formalities, Head Bai.”

The Plum Blossom Immortal gently stopped his bow.

Hearing this, Bai Yujeok froze.

The fact that Do Hua knew him by name left him unsettled.

“You… know me?”

“How could I not? I spoke with your father several times. He was a man of exceptional character. Seeing how much you’ve grown fills me with pride.”

Bai Yujeok’s memories flickered back to his childhood.

He had accompanied his father a few times, just enough to exchange glances with Do Hua.

Yet, the Plum Blossom Immortal still remembered him.

“I merely thought we could share some light conversation. But if this is inconvenient—”

“N-not at all…!”

“Ha ha.”

Despite the heavy atmosphere, there was an inexplicable scent of flowers lingering in the air.

A true Immortal.

No wonder the disciples of Mount Hua revered him as the greatest Sect Leader since the Sword of Mount Hua.

But then—

“Sigh, that idiot. Said he’d behave, and now look at him showing off like that… Tsk tsk.”

…What?

“I won the bet, so he’ll be buying the drinks. Ha ha ha.”

“…Sect Leader…?”

“Ah, my apologies. It’s just that I spotted a familiar face, ha ha.”

Did he mishear?

Bai Yujeok shook his head, trying to convince himself.

Surely not.

The Plum Blossom Immortal—revered as the closest being to an actual Immortal—wouldn’t call someone an idiot or talk about drinks.

It had to be an auditory illusion, caused by the overwhelming spectacle he had just witnessed.

‘…It must be the shock.’

Yes, shock.

A sight that would undoubtedly be etched into his memory for the rest of his life.

Bai Yujeok continued to rub his tingling arm.

And he wasn’t alone.

Most of the people gathered here were in the same state.

“Did they say he’s from the Bi Family?”

“The Western Bi Family?”

“Check his age. And whether he’s already engaged…”

Despite the apparent silence, movement rippled through the room.

Merchants whispered amongst themselves, while martial artists like Bai Yujeok stood frozen, their pale faces betraying their emotions.

All of them were as rigid as stone.

It was as if they had seen something they weren’t meant to.

And it was understandable.

To a martial artist, this scene was nothing short of catastrophic.

‘…So Yeomra, the Poison Fist, the Sword Dragon, the Divine Dragon, and the Crescent Moon Sword.’

Young martial artists, most of whom were barely in their late teens or early twenties.

When it was announced that they would participate in the Martial Tournament, no one had expected a scene like this.

Late-stage Qi practitioners were just that—late-stage.

Even if they stood out in gatherings of prodigies, this was different.

The Martial Tournament was hosted by the Alliance.

It was expected to draw fighters in their prime—warriors in their thirties and forties.

If the younger generation was destined to lead the future of Zhongyuan,

Then the ones gathered here were the current masters who shaped its present.

No one had thought these young ones could cross that gap.

And yet—

CRACKLE…

What they saw before them was indescribable.

Ah.

That’s right.

Words failed them.

Perhaps that was the only way to describe it.

No one had anticipated much from the match.

While the opponent warranted respect,

No one expected the younger martial artist to completely dominate.

And it wasn’t just defeat.

It was humiliation.

The veteran had been toyed with.

His every move was blocked, his breathing controlled.

He couldn’t even act without permission.

What could be more disgraceful for a martial artist?

Especially when the opponent was someone so much younger.

‘It’s social death.’

And considering it was the head of the Peng Family who suffered this humiliation…

Bai Yujeok glanced toward the back.

That’s where the heads of major trading firms had gathered.

“…We may need to adjust the ratios.”

“It’s best to send word to the Hebei branch as well.”

“What about the head of the Jincheon Trading Company…?”

No surprise—they were already discussing the aftermath.

Just as martial artists valued strength and reputation,

So too did merchants.

A martial artist’s reputation influenced trade and investment.

And if that reputation crumbled, so did their investments.

‘How chilling.’

Bai Yujeok finally understood why family heads rarely participated in these tournaments.

And then—

“What a mess you’ve made here.”

Another figure appeared.

An elderly man, his back hunched.

His ragged clothing carried a stench, which—if put kindly—was unpleasant.

But even as Bai Yujeok caught the scent, he didn’t dare show his displeasure.

‘…Unbelievable.’

To enter the Alliance’s pavilion in such a state,

There could only be one person.

‘The Beggar’s Sect Leader.’

Leader of beggars across Zhongyuan and the Alliance’s eyes and ears.

Baek Do.

As Baek Do approached, Do Hua’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

“Baek Do, you smell worse than usual. Did you roll in a latrine?”

“Hmph, what did you expect a beggar to smell like? Your greetings are as rotten as ever.”

“Just wash yourself once in a while.”

“Wash? With what water? Beggars don’t have water to spare.”

“Is the river made of poison? The world is full of water.”

“Spare me your flowery scent. You’re the one who should wash up, Do Hua.”

“…”

Bai Yujeok couldn’t comprehend the conversation unfolding before him.

Was this truly how two leaders of the Nine Great Sects spoke to each other?

The two old men exchanged rough words a few more times before their gazes shifted to the arena.

The storm still raged.

“If that’s what he was going to do, why bother telling me to keep my mouth shut?”

Baek Do clicked his tongue as he muttered.

“He said he’d wipe out every beggar in the land if I made a sound… And yet, look at this mess. What a pain.”

“I’m more surprised you actually listened to him.”

“Hah. What choice did I have? If that bastard makes a threat, he means it.”

If he said he’d kill them, he would.

Baek Do knew that all too well.

While Shanxi’s Beast had a sense of honor and restraint,

That monster didn’t.

No matter how much time had dulled his fangs, his nature remained unchanged.

Dangerous—no, terrifying.

The kind of man who might cross over to the dark path on a whim.

Baek Do understood that better than anyone.

“And now I’m going to get dragged before the Alliance Leader. That’s the real problem.”

Baek Do shifted his gaze.

At the center of the pavilion sat the Sword Saint and the Sword Emperor, watching the match.

But the Sword Saint wasn’t just watching the arena—he was glaring at Baek Do.

It was clear he had questions.

“Ugh.”

Baek Do swallowed a lump in his throat.

“This is going to be a pain.”

Judging by the look in his eyes, he had figured something out.

Should he go into hiding for a while?

The thought crossed his mind, but it wasn’t an option.

Not with the Sword Emperor watching him too.

Baek Do quietly whispered,

“Do Hua.”

“Speak.”

“We’re friends, right?”

“Ha ha. Absolutely not.”

“Heartless bastard. Couldn’t you hesitate before answering?”

Do Hua chuckled, leaving Baek Do shaking his head.

He had no expectations for these people anyway.

‘Tsk.’

All he could do was hope.

Hope that nothing more troublesome would happen.

Swooooooosh—

The raging winds began to die down.

The storm that had swept through the arena weakened in an instant.

It was clear that the tempest had been completely under the caster’s control.

As the Qi dispersed and the thick dust settled,

The stage was finally revealed.

“…”

“…What in the world…?”

The sight left the martial artists in the pavilion speechless.

It looked as though the stage had been ripped apart by massive claws.

The reinforced platform, built with layers of steel and stone, had been reduced to rubble.

It was hard to believe a single human had caused such destruction.

And yet, two spots remained untouched.

One was where Twin Dragon stood.

It looked as if he hadn’t moved an inch during the battle.

The platform beneath his feet was perfectly intact.

The other spot…

Was where the Blade King knelt.

He wasn’t far from Twin Dragon, only a few steps away.

“Huff… huff… huff…”

He was drenched in sweat, gasping for breath.

His blade was nowhere to be seen.

What shocked everyone the most, however,

Was that the Blade King didn’t have a single scratch.

The stage had been utterly destroyed, yet the Blade King emerged physically unscathed.

It was absurd.

And yet, his pale face and trembling hands told another story.

The Blade King looked as if he had stared death in the face.

Fear and sweat covered his features.

His fighting spirit was gone.

There was no anger, only survival instinct.

He couldn’t even process what had happened, let alone pull himself together.

Such was the impact of the battle.

Bai Yujeok was certain.

‘…The Blade King lost.’

It was obvious to everyone.

One of the Six Seats, defeated by a late-stage Qi practitioner from the Bi Family.

The martial artists in the pavilion fell silent.

The merchants, on the other hand, were already moving.

They scrambled to gather information—

How many heirs did the Bi Family have?

Was Twin Dragon engaged?

Could his rise be leveraged for future gains?

The value of Twin Dragon had skyrocketed.

It wasn’t just the merchants thinking this.

Most of the martial artists were asking themselves the same question.

Could they…

Or anyone here…

‘Could I have beaten him?’

Could they defeat that handsome young man?

No one dared answer with confidence.

The monster standing there defied explanation.

The Divine Dragon and the Crescent Moon Sword were already shocking.

But Twin Dragon pushed beyond awe—

He brought despair.

Even looking at him felt like falling into a mental trap.

There weren’t enough words to describe what they had seen.

Instead, one question lingered.

Why hadn’t Twin Dragon finished the Blade King?

Why had he left him unharmed?

Was it mercy?

A child’s misplaced compassion?

If so, it was an insult to martial honor.

As those thoughts churned,

“Could it be…?”

“Ha ha ha.”

The two elders from the Nine Great Sects reacted.

Baek Do’s mouth fell open, while Do Hua chuckled.

Why were they acting like this?

Just as Bai Yujeok narrowed his eyes,

“Hm.”

Twin Dragon turned away from the Blade King.

First, he looked toward the audience.

He smiled.

For some reason, that smile made Bai Yujeok shudder.

An inexplicable fear gripped him.

Who was he smiling at?

As Bai Yujeok wondered,

Twin Dragon turned to the referee.

The referee hadn’t even dared to step onto the ruined stage.

Twin Dragon looked down at him and said,

“I forfeit.”

‘What?’

Bai Yujeok froze.

Had he misheard?

But no—it wasn’t an illusion.

The referee looked just as dumbfounded.

“I forfeit,” Twin Dragon repeated.

Everyone wore the same expression.

In that moment—

“Wow. That crazy bastard… What the hell is he thinking?”

“…Did his mind regress along with his body? Ha ha. He’s like some damned monk.”

“…Do Hua, don’t you think that’s a bit harsh?”

Baek Do and Do Hua muttered to each other.

But their words didn’t reach Bai Yujeok or the other martial artists.

The shock was too overwhelming.

Twin Dragon, who had defeated the Blade King, had just forfeited.

And the Blade King, who had lost, was declared the winner.

It was the most disgraceful victory in Zhongyuan’s history.