Childhood Friend of the Zenith - Chapter 75

༺ Cold in the Midst of Summer (1) ༻

As I entered the hut, I immediately saw the Plum Blossom Sword, breathing faintly while sleeping.

In my attempt to not wake her up from her slumber, I carefully sat in an open spot.

The Immortal Healer searched for some medicine in bandages through the drawers to apply to my wound.

A small wound like this would heal in no time for a martial artist with a decent amount of Qi inside of their body.

“You aren’t thinking anything like that, right?”

“...O-Of course not.”

How keen...!

“Just because someone is a martial artist, it doesn’t mean that they will still live if their throat has been slit, or their heart has been pulled out.”

After speaking those words, the Immortal Healer started applying the medicine on my injured hand.

It stung slightly at the start, but it felt better when he wrapped the bandages over it.

“I think someone like you would know that more than the others.”

“...Huh?”

“What happened outside?”

“...!”

I was stunned at the sudden unexpected words that had come out of the Immortal Healer’s mouth.

Did he ask me that question while already knowing everything that happened outside? He had a serious expression on his face as if assuring me that he definitely knew what happened.

How did he find out? I did my best not to get any blood on me though.

I was thinking of pretending not to know at first, but it wasn’t like I could really hide it since if I informed the Celestial Plum Blossom about this, he would tell the Immortal Healer anyways.

So I responded with a light smile.

“I had to take care of some punks outside. I saw some guys lurking around the hut.”

“...Did they look like they’d be a threat?”

“Yes, I believe they belonged to the Unorthodox Faction.”

“...”

The Immortal Healer’s expression changed drastically, it was as if he felt pity for me.

Why was he making that face?

Is it because I look young?

‘I mean, I am young.”

“...Is this your first time?”

“What do you...”

“Of killing someone.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that question, so I remained quiet.

I was wondering why he was looking at me like that, but I guess it was probably due to ‘that.’

My hands were still shaking a bit from the previous fight, and the expression on the Immortal Healer’s face was deadly serious as he gazed at my trembling hands.

There was only one thing I could say to him at that moment.

“I’m fine.”

My body still hadn’t fully calmed down yet, but it wasn’t like I was thinking too deeply about all this either.

Does he think that this is his fault?

He’s a more considerate old man than I thought.

I guess it made sense as to why he became a doctor.

“It was something I would experience in my life at one point anyways.”

The Immortal Healer cared about the life of everyone, no matter who they were, and I wasn’t about to tell him to not treat everyone equally now.

All this didn’t mean much to martial artists.

Which was exactly why the Immortal Healer was probably making that bitter expression right now.

“There was a group of men that were lingering around the hut, the Celestial Plum Blossom would have done something about it if I told him anyways.”

“Thank you.”

I couldn’t help but make a surprised expression when I heard his words of gratitude. I did not expect to hear that from him.

The Immortal Healer frowned when he read through my thoughts.

“What is that face that you’re making? Do you not even see me as a man that knows how to thank people who helped me?”

“...No, it’s not like that.”

“Not like that my ass, don’t bother lying like that in any other place as your face just gives it all away.”

‘...Does it really?”

「Your face basically speaks for itself, so don’t even think about trying.」

‘...Hm.’

Is it really that bad? I thought I did a good job hiding it until now.

I was ready to stand up as it seemed like the treatment of my wounds was done.

“...Don’t go overboard with the training and try to lean towards vegetables when you eat.”

I stopped in my tracks at the Immortal Healer’s sudden words.Vissit novelbin(.)c.om for updates

When I looked back at him, the Immortal Healer leaked out a fake cough and signaled me to leave the hut.

After experiencing what seemed like being kicked outside, I stood in a daze outside of the hut while Elder Shin suddenly spoke in my mind.

「It seems like he said that because of the energy inside your body.」

“Oh.”

He said that he wouldn’t treat me or anything, but did he actually care after all?

He really was more considerate than I gave him credit for.

「Now that I mention it, what are you gonna do with the thing inside you?」

‘What do you mean by what would I do? I was told that I would have to live on with my life praying that it doesn’t explode. So, I will do just that.’

「You mentioned before that you might have a solution to this problem though.」

I bit my lips after hearing his words.

I did have a plan, but I was still feeling hesistant about it.

However, I had to quickly come to a decision as I probably didn’t have much time left.

“Hey.”

While I was standing still, Gu Ryunghwa suddenly spoke up.

“Is your treatment done?”

“...As you can see...”

She was cutting down some ingredients with a kitchen knife on her hands.

What is that... a potato?

It’s been cut down so much that I could barely tell that it’s a potato, so I was wondering if I should ask her about it.

Gu Ryunghwa was focusing her all into cutting that single potato though...

After cutting the almost nonexistent potato for a long time, she suddenly spoke again.

“...Um... Are... you okay?”

I tilted my head in confusion after hearing her question, then responded as I noticed that she was looking at my wounded hand while asking that question.

“Are you worried?”

Hearing that, she shouted back at me, as though annoyed that I even had the galls to say that to her.

It seemed like I wasn’t the only one that had looked at her, as I noticed some guys from the Mount Hua Sect around the area.

There’s more than I expected...

‘Are they observing her?’

Some people were observing her movements.

Even with so many people staring at her like that, Namgung Bi-ah continued to train as though there was nothing could impede her focus.

A sharp sensation that pressured the entire area,

Namgung Bi-ah, holding a wooden sword in her hands, was moving as though she was walking on top of sharp sword tips.

The appearance I had seen the very first time I met her after regression in this life,

The Master of Swords.

Namgung Bi-ah’s flexible movements that couldn’t even be dared to be compared to her useless brother was being shown openly.

The flexible movements made by the Master of Swords were overpowering the entire area surrounding the forest opening.

「...How impressive.」

Spoke Elder Shin, as he had once mentioned when seeing Yung Pung.

To be honest, Namgung Bi-ah looked far more impressive than Yung Pung in my eyes.

Unlike the sharp Qi that the clansmen of the Namgung clan were renowned for showcasing in their swords,

Namgung Bi-ah was moving fluidly and elegantly.

It looked like I was watching a sword dance.

She wanted to further enhance her art on the path of swords, while simultaneously looking for enlightenment within that path.

Hence, she spread her wings to reach that enlightenment and it looked elegant and utterly mesmerizing.

I honestly found it hard to believe that she was being called the ‘Master of Swords’ with such elegant movement.

I was reminded once again of Namgung Bi-ah’s excellence.

Both Yung Pung and Namgung Bi-ah, and the other geniuses and prodigies of the world.

They were already showing their own light.

‘Unlike me at this time.’

「The current world is brimming with passion, huh...」

I nodded, agreeing with Elder Shin’s words.

I watched Namgung Bi-ah’s sword dance for a long time, but the swordplay she was showing now felt a bit different than what I was used to.

I couldn’t feel any violence within it unlike when I watched it being displayed by the Demonic Sword, and instead only felt the notes of purity and elegance contained within it.

‘...Beautiful.’

That was the only thing I had to say about her sword art.

Her sword dance was truly that much mesmerizing to my eyes.

– Crunch

Namgung Bi-ah stopped her sword dance when she heard a small noise that had been made in the distance.

– Oh...

The people that were watching her sounded as though they were disappointed as she had stopped.

Which just showed how perfect her performance had been in reality.

Namgung Bi-ah looked in the direction of where the noise originated.

And at the end of that path, was me standing on the ground.

‘...Shit, I really stepped on that.’

I thought I was being careful, but I still accidentally stepped on a branch.

Everyone was watching Namgung Bi-ah, but she was only looking towards me.

As she had moved about so much, there were faint traces of sweat on her forehead.

But she didn’t care too much about it and wiped her sweat with her clothes.

“...Huh?”

While Namgung Bi-ah was looking at me, her eyes suddenly contorted and then widened as though she was greatly shocked by something.

All of a sudden, she even threw her wooden sword away and ran toward me in a fast pace.

Reaching where I was in a flash, Namgung Bi-ah pulled my clothes with both of her hands and started sniffing me like an anxious dog.

“...What the! What are you doing!?”

I tried to push her away in shock, but Namgung Bi-ah was persistent and didn’t budge.

It looked like.. she was shocked at the same time she felt despiar?

‘Why does she look so desperate?’

After she was done sniffing me with her trembling eyes, she backed off, seemingly having calmed down slightly.

Then her legs suddenly gave out, making her collapse on the ground.

“Why are you acting like that, are you hurt by any chance?”

“Thank goodness...”

She looked relieved after sniffing me for that long.

Was it just me or did it seem like she leaked more cold sweat due to this than the sweat she had accumulated from her training?

She was sweating so profusely, so I had no choice but to go closer to her and wipe her sweat away with my own clothes.

Suddenly, she grabbed my hand with her own trembling ones.

After grabbing my wrist, carefully, she pulled my hand toward her nose.

I was wondering in my mind just why the hell she was acting like that.

“Do I smell?”

Did I stink? Some cumbersome things did happen earlier, but I didn’t really move around so much that I would stink though.

Namgung Bi-ah shook her head quickly, responding to my question in a small voice.

“...You don’t stink.”

I felt relieved, for some reason, after hearing her say that.

After sitting there for a long time, Namgung Bi-ah lifted her body up weakly.

For like the hundredth time, I was wondering in my head if I should take back my hand from hers or keep it there.

In the end, I decided to leave my hand there since she seemed so serious.

「If you chose the other option there, I swear you are not qualified to be a man any longer.」

“Did you finish your training?”

“...Yeah.”

“You sure you don’t want to continue? I think you still got some time to train more.”

“...Since you are here.”

Is she saying she’s going to stop because I’m here?

I was wondering if she really had to do that because of me, but trying to understand Namgung Bi-ah would just make me get a massive headache so I didn’t even try.

Quietly picking up her wooden sword, she trotted over to me with quick steps.

“Your hand... it’s hurt?”

“Yeah, just a scratch.”

I swear every person is asking me this today.

I could then hear a disappointed tone leaking out of her mouth.

“...I wanted to ask you for a duel.”

“...”

...I now felt thankful that I had gotten hurt.