Childhood Friend of the Zenith

༺ Know Your Place (2) ༻

Gu Sunmoon.

It was the place that was often called the Sword of the Gu Clan.

Gu Sunmoon was also referred to as Guardian of Shanxi and it was the biggest pillar of the Gu Clan, serving as the primary support for their ranking as a noble clan.

They raised armies of swordsmen to fend off demons.

They played a pivotal role in maintaining peace, earning them the revered title of the Sword of Gu Clan, as well as the Guardians of Shanxi.

Of course, there were times when they picked swordsmen from outside the clan like the Nine Dragons Day, but in the end, most of the military was raised within Gu Sunmoon.

The First Elder was one of the representative members of Gu Sunmoon.

Muyeon, who reached Peak Realm at only slightly over the age of twenty was there.

And lastly, Gu Jeolyub, who showed genius talent was there as well.

Considering that most swordsmen in Gu Clan, with the exception of Gu Huibi, hailed from Gu Sunmoon, Gu Sunmoon could be seen as one of the biggest roots of the Gu Clan.

This realization led me to believe that Father allowed the First Elder’s ambitious actions to persist due to his significant role in the clan’s roots.

Or maybe it was because I was too incompetent to inherit the Young Lord position of the clan and there were many people who wanted Gu Jeolyub to get that spot just like the First Elder.

Honestly, whichever it was, both reasons seemed understandable.

‘I could understand it now as well.’

Thanks to time passing, I could understand a little about Father.

But even so…

Even back then, I just couldn’t understand why Father tolerated the First Elder’s troublesome behavior.

At a certain point, later than the present moment, I recalled Father summoning flames when the First Elder finally crossed the line.

And the flames he showed definitely held anger.

Giant flames that engulfed the whole of Gu Clan.

I still had a clear memory of that overpowering appearance.

After all, whether he was called an old tiger, or the man who wasn’t in his prime anymore, I was able to know that those were all false rumors after seeing him like that.

However, I did feel it was a bit strange that Father finally decided to take action only after that certain point.

Despite understanding the First Elder’s influential position within the clan, I struggled to fathom why Father refrained from cutting off the blatantly rotting line that connected itself to the clan.

How could he give him so many chances even with all the troubles he caused?

I would’ve overturned him right away.

So I couldn’t have done what Father did.

I recalled the Water Dragon advising me to enduring three times.

That was my limit.

“…I greet the Young Master.”

Gu Sunmoon was located a fair bit away from the Gu Clan.

But it wasn’t an arduously long journey.

It just exceeded typical branch clan proximity.

When I arrived in front of the Gu Sunmoon’s gate, the martial artist, who was guarding the gate, greeted me.

He seemed to be a martial artist of Gu Sunmoon.

“You know me, huh?”

“How could I not recognize the Young Master?”

I was wondering what I should do if he didn’t know me.

But thankfully, thanks to my fame, it seemed like there won’t be any cases where they wouldn’t recognize me.

[Fair, I mean who else would have a face as fierce as yours?]

I was a bit bothered by Elder Shin’s sudden insult toward my face, but I didn’t bother to argue back this time.

“I came here to see the First Elder,”

“Oh, the Head is not seeing any guests right now.”

“Guest, huh…?”

It was a strange feeling.

“I could have sworn you said you knew who I was.”

“That’s correct, you are the Young Mas-“

“Do I look like a guest to you then?”

I saw the guard’s lips quiver a little after hearing my response.

He seemed like he was facing an annoying situation, rather than feeling afraid.

“It’s not that… but the time isn’t-“

“What about the time?”

“It’s too late for today, so I think you should come after making an appointment…”

Listening to the guard, I scratched my neck.

A sudden itchiness had crept up, uninvited.

How should I describe this feeling?

‘…Oh.’

I didn’t have to think much about it.

It was just annoyance. Despite my efforts to conjure a measured response, only one retort surfaced.

“How dare you treat your master like that?”

“Pardon?”

I was already bad at holding back my emotions today.

How could I control it well when the first thing I saw when I came back from the trip, was the mess that happened to my clan?

To exaggerate, my house was being destroyed into pieces right now.

“Do I look like a person who needs to do that?”

“T-That’s not it, but-“

“Stop trying to work your brain and make the right choices. Who is it that you are seeing right now?”

This had been an ongoing puzzle for me.

Gu Sunmoon was a branch household of the Gu Clan.

But even so, Father had gone to great lengths to ensure fair treatment, discreetly restricting access to visitors.

Was it because Gu Sunmoon was the Sword of the Gu Clan?

Or, was it just an adherence to ancestral virtues?

I, too, refused to differentiate based on their branch status.

Because I’d rather eat another bowl during mealtime, rather than doing such a pointless thing.

However, it was bound to become a problem if we were too lenient toward them.

Just as I was witnessing now.

“Because a dog is not being treated like a dog, it tries to climb up without knowing its place.”

“What do you…”

Before he could finish his sentence, the guard crumpled to the ground.

I threw aside the fallen guard and opened the gate.

Creaak-

Alongside the gate’s opening, I sensed the martial artists within approaching me.

“Young Master?”

“Why is he…?”

Their bewildered gazes greeted me, perplexed by my sudden appearance.

So I gave them an answer with a kind tone.

“Where is the First Elder? I came to see him.”

It was a repetition of my initial inquiry.

The martial artists started to look around after hearing my question.

They also began to fidget, not knowing how to handle this situation.

The looks they exchanged with me conveyed more than words ever could.

“If you aren’t going to answer, I’ll just find him on my own.”

With that statement, I began to move.

I honestly didn’t have to try to look for him.

After all, I’d been here before.

The First Elder was living in a mansion located at the highest point of Gu Sunmoon.

So all I had to do was just go there.

However…

“Young Master.”

Someone blocked my path as I expected.

It was a man who seemed to be in his thirties and judging by the Qi I felt from him, he seemed to be a First-Rate martial artist.

“The First Elder currently…”

“He has to rest at this late night, so you want me to go back?”

“…”

“But judging by how he’s doing a bunch of things here and there, he still seems to be full of energy.”

A subtle frown creased the man’s features as I addressed him with a smile.

It seemed he didn’t like what I said.

“Please watch your words. He is the Head of the branch clan.”

“And I am the son of the clan. What, did I say something wrong?”

“Even if you are the blood relative of the main clan, you shouldn’t talk badly about the hea-“

Haha!

I couldn’t hold in my laughter when I heard the man speak with a harsh and offended tone.

Nor did I have to listen to him any further.

“Stop there. I’m not really in a situation where I could play around with anyone right now.”

I tried going past him after tapping his shoulders a couple of times…

But the man tried to grab and stop me.

“I told you that you can’t…!”

Pow-!

When the man grabbed my shoulder to stop me, he was sent flying away with a brutal sound.

Thud!

His big physique flew up in the air and fell to the ground, only stopping after rolling on the ground a few times.

“Ugh…!”

As soon as the man’s body stopped, he began to vomit blood onto the ground.

The man shivered with his hand placed on his stomach, while vomiting out blood.

It seemed like the impact hadn’t fully subsided yet.

But for me, I went very easy on him.

If that crazy fucker from Wudang saw this, he would’ve been shocked by saying that I became an understanding person, which also meant that he didn’t have to watch over me anymore.

I slowly walked toward the man.

Step.

Simultaneously, my body filled with Qi, concentrating in my dantian.

Blaze.

As I moved closer, flames emerged from my body.

The flames that burned passionately in a light red color spun around my body to form a ring.

Then, it began to rotate at a crazy speed.

“Even a dog raised in a house recognizes its own owner.”

With each step, the fire ring expanded gradually.

The ring that consumed my Qi at a rapid rate, grew with a roaring intensity, radiating heat in every direction.

“But you retards keep showing your fangs without knowing your place.”

The heat that surrounded the nearby area began to fill up the large space.

“And if that’s not the case, it seems like you guys don’t know who is standing in front of you.”

I knew that the household was a festering mess of dogshit, but I didn’t expect to be faced with actual dogs.

“If you really don’t like the fact that I’m going,”

“Ugh…”

“As you wish, I won’t go directly to where the old man is located.”

As the light red flames, mixed with my Qi, rose, it began to fill the sky.

Then, the night of Gu Sunmoon was no longer.

“If I’m not the one going, all I have to do is just make him come.”

A single gesture from my hand set the red sky into motion.

The guards got into their battle stance after seeing the heat and flames in the sky…

But it was far too late for them.

I then slowly lowered my hand…

And the sky cascaded down upon them.

******************

Slam!

Clatter-

“…Hmm?”

The teacup, once brimming, started to shake.

The tranquil air bore traces of a breeze and vibrations, unmistakably signaling the utilization of Qi.

“…What is this?”

The First Elder of the Gu Clan, the Blazing Rain Sword, Gu Changjun, stood up immediately.

The Qi he felt from outside his room was so threatening that it was shocking.

“Is it perhaps-”

Clang-!

Vibrations from outside caused the teacup to tumble from his table, shattering into pieces.

Cold water spilled across the tiles.

But without being able to care about such a thing, Gu Changjun immediately opened the door and stepped outside.

“…!”

As soon as he came outside, he was met with searing heat that made it hard for him to breathe, and the storm of flames outside.

Despite the light red hue, he recognized the flame arts of the Gu Clan.

And it was especially familiar to Gu Changjun, so there was no way that he couldn’t have noticed.

“Who the hell is…!”

Although he began to ask, his thoughts swiftly honed in on the person responsible.

Only one individual in the Gu Clan could summon such huge flames while exerting pressure through Combat Qi.

‘…I could’ve sworn I heard that he wasn’t in the clan right now.’

The Tiger Warrior, Gu Cheolun.

He was one of the Hundred Masters of the World.

The Lord of the Gu Clan.

The only one capable of making such flames was only the Tiger Warrior.

That was what Gu Changjun thought.

The flames did seem a bit weaker compared to the past, but that was the only answer he was able to come up with.

‘But why all of a sudden?’

Gu Changjun pondered why Gu Cheolun had suddenly barged into the branch clan, wreaking havoc.

‘…Was I caught?’

Various possibilities crossed his mind, but none seemed significant enough for Gu Cheolun himself to take direct action.

‘Besides the fact that I gave Gu Huibi’s information out.’

After finishing his thoughts, Gu Changjun walked down the stairs and went toward the center of the flames.

Upon arrival, he was met with a scene reminiscent of hell.

Martial artists of Gu Sunmoon lay scattered on the ground.

And those barely conscious were quivering as if in the aftermath of something deeply frightening.

Witnessing the havoc, Gu Changjun couldn’t help but clench his teeth.

‘Was he looking for an opportunity when our main army was absent?’

The clan’s lord and high-level martial artists from Gu Clan were currently away.

And the one who gave that order was none other than Gu Cheolun himself.

While Gu Changjun had stationed some martial artists here, it seemed like they weren’t able to fight back against Gu Cheolun, which was to be expected.

‘Lord…!’

Anticipating that Gu Cheolun would not fabricate his actions, given the involvement of his own daughter, Gu Changjun was taken aback by the unexpected coldness emanating from Gu Cheolun.

After clenching his teeth, Gu Changjun pulled out his sword.

He couldn’t understand why the Tiger Warrior chose to attack the place, but he couldn’t afford to just sit there and watch.

“My Lord…! What are you doing right n-“

Gu Changjun, who was about to slash through the flames by charging his Qi, halted his words.

After all, at the same time of Gu Changjun showing himself, the flames engulfing the area began to retract towards the center.

When the flames were being absorbed, he was able to see the silhouette of a person from the flames’ origin.

And when all the flames were retrieved…

On top of the ground that had turned black…

Gu Changjun, checking the figure standing at the center, found himself unable to close his gaping mouth.

Night returned once again after the flames disappeared.

And the boy with eyes glowing red beneath the darkness of the night addressed Gu Changjun.

“I kept hearing that I resemble Father. So for you to make such a mistake, I don’t know if I should be happy or not.”

He seemed similar to the Tiger Warrior, but it wasn’t him.

“You…!”

No, Gu Changjun would have preferred it to be the Tiger Warrior.

Because such an incompetent child shouldn’t have been able to stand at that spot in such an appearance.

“It’s been a while, First Elder.”

The boy, whose black hair had transformed into a fiery red, grinned at Gu Changjun.

“What do you think of the gift?”

Contrary to his expression, his voice resonated with an unnerving coldness.

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