Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Students here were at most Peak Realm level.

If not that, they were merely First and Second-rate martial artists.

The Dark King and Great King said that they would take care of the ones who posed the threat, which were the Sword Queen and the Qinghai Sword.

With those two out of the way, the Palace Lord’s only task was to locate the Poison Phoenix and bring her along.

The black aura prepared by the Great King began engulfing the Qi around the mountains and started to change its landscape.

What kind of power is that?

The Black Palace wondered, watching as the blackness slowly swallowed the sky.

It felt somewhat like his own power, yet distinct from the energy his ‘Heaven’ had blessed him with.

It seems like that aura is doing something to the place, though.

The Black Palace believed that this was an extremely dangerous mission, considering who they might be going against.

However, the Great King had told him not to worry.

It seemed like that black aura similar to a Formation was doing something to solve that issue.

Which means,

All that remained was to capture all the  Academy instructors.

This part was going to be taken care of by the Great King’s underlings.

Even the Lord of the Black Palace felt that this was a very thick and nasty aura.

The Black Dragon Army…

They were once an army of Unorthodox martial artists, all of whom had died long ago.

It was said that they were all killed by the Sword Venerable, who went by the title Wind Sword back then.

Yet somehow, not only was the Great King alive, but so was his Black Dragon Army.

The Palace Lord watched briefly,

It is not my concern.

He turned his head away slowly.

There was no time to dwell on such matters.

His only goal was to finish his mission and return to his heaven as fast as he could.

He did this only to repay his debt to the Great King and because he’d heard the Dark King would be coming as well.

Of course, he was a bit curious himself as well.

He briefly knew what the Great King’s goal was, but he was a little curious about why he wanted the Poison Phoenix of Tang Clan. However, he never asked outright.

As the black Formation spread fully across the sky,

“Let us go.”

The figure beside the Palace Lord spoke up.

The Palace Lord, however, frowned at those words.

“Do not give me orders.”

Clicking his tongue, he jumped off the cliff, leaping toward the forest.

He sharpened his senses as he moved.

His Fusion Realm senses instantly spread, covering nearly the entire mountain.

He was rough with his Qi control, so the Sword Queen and the Qinghai Sword would have noticed right away if they were here.

However, they weren’t.

Even if they were around, they wouldn’t be in a position to move freely.

With that thought, the Palace Lord continued to expand his senses.

I found it.

As he expected, he was able to find his target easily.

Through the trees, he spotted a glint of dark green hair.

Her faint Poison Qi let him know that she was a blood relative of the Tang Clan.

She wasn’t at a very high level.

It was to the point that he could kill her in an instant if he so wanted to.

The Black Palace Lord’s body rode alongside the wind and disappeared in the form of an aura.

In mere moments, he reached his target.

Just before extending his hand, he paused to consider.

Did he tell me not to harm her?

I believe he said it was fine as long as she was alive. But just in case…

He was concerned about the Young Prodigy that was next to the Poison Phoenix.

Her appearance and attire identified her instantly.

It seemed like she was the blood relative of the Peng Clan.

He’d been briefed on whom to be wary of, but she wasn’t among them.

Then it might be better for me to kill her if I want to have the easiest time.

As the Tang Clan girl scanned her surroundings, the Palace Lord silently formed a sharp spike from his aura.

He planned to shoot it right at her head to kill her.

With a slight motion of his hand, his sharp aura shot unerringly toward Peng Ah-hee.

Death would likely reach her before she could react.

Just as the Palace Lord had that thought,

“Ah-hee!”

What?

Something unexpected happened.

To his surprise, the Poison Phoenix darted in front of the Young Prodigy beside her, despite his belief she wouldn’t notice.

Swish!

The Palace Lord swiftly redirected his hand, shifting the attack and sparing his target’s life.

“S…Soyeol!”

“Hghhh…”

The Poison Phoenix, however, sustained a severe wound on her arm.

Peng Ah-hee, though panicked by the sudden attack, quickly moved to stop Tang Soyeol’s bleeding.

Watching the scene unfold,

Tap.

The Palace Lord appeared in front of Tang Soyeol.

“Girl.”

Hearing his deep, resonant voice, Peng Ah-hee looked up at the Palace Lord in shock.

“How did you know? Someone at your level shouldn’t have been able to notice.”

Tang Soyeol turned, meeting the Palace Lord’s gaze after hearing his question.

“…W-Who are you…”

“There is no need for you to know that.”

Her pupils were filled with fear.

She seemed to realize instantly just how vast the gap was between her and the Palace Lord.

A spark of curiosity lit within the Palace Lord.

How did she notice?

She was, at best, a First-rate martial artist.

“Are you the Poison Phoenix of the Tang Clan?”

Tang Soyeol swallowed nervously at his question.

“I won’t ask twice.”

The Palace Lord formed another sharp spike with his aura, this time aiming it at Peng Ah-hee instead of Tang Soyeol. He figured it would be a more efficient approach.

Peng Ah-hee flinched instinctively.

Tang Soyeol quickly spoke up in response.

“Don’t you… already know? I’m not sure why such a superior senior like you is doing this to us.”

“You sure know how to run your mouth. Is it because you are from a noble clan?”

A superior senior, huh?

Like many in the Orthodox Faction, she had a silver tongue.

For that reason, the Palace Lord found it irksome.

Step.

The Palace Lord stepped toward Tang Soyeol, as if he’d heard enough.

Peng Ah-hee moved to shield Tang Soyeol, stepping in front of her, though it was futile.

“I don’t have too much time, so I hope you don’t fight back. I hate when things get in my way.”

“…”

When the black spike appeared around the Palace Lord once more, Peng Ah-hee stepped in front of Tang Soyeol, ready to take the blow.

How heartwarming their friendship was.

Though it would turn cold once she died.

Just the Palace Lord was about to get rid of Peng Ah-hee and take Tang Soyeol with him,

Pause.

He halted abruptly, gazing into the forest.

“A familiar presence.”

He sensed a guest approaching.

He wondered how she’d detected him; he’d concealed his presence to avoid interference.

Someone was closing in, fast.

It was a sharp Lightning Qi.

There are two.

The Palace Lord redirected the spike meant for Peng Ah-hee toward the source of the Lightning Qi.

Pwoosh!

As he launched the spike, the approaching girl shoved her companion aside and deflected it with her sword.

Oh?

Not a bad reaction.

It seemed like she was at a level where she could afford to do such a thing.

He then sent another attack, more powerful than the last.

As his heavy aura stabbed into the forest,

Craaaack-!

Lightning Qi clashed with his attack, and a violent sound echoed.

After the impactful collision,

Slash-!

His attack was sliced apart.

She was able to cut an attack from a Fusion Realm martial artist.

Impressive.

He was truthfully impressed.

Moments later, the one with the Lightning Qi emerged from the forest.

…As I expected.

The Palace Lord spoke, checking her face.

“I could’ve sworn I’ve felt this Qi before. It was none other than the blood relative of the Sword King.”

The daughter of the Sword King.

It was a girl he fought before.

“I presume you have some business with me?”

As the girl emerged, she tied back her white hair, pointed her sword at the Palace Lord, and cast a glance at Tang Soyeol, who struggled to catch her breath, leaning against a rock.

“It’s been a while. I believe we’ve met before.”

Her face was familiar to him. Back in the main palace he’d intended to discard, she’d been wandering with the Flaming Demon’s child.

“Do you remember me?”

The Palace Lord, recalling the memory, asked Namgung Bi-ah. She nodded in response.

“…I do.”

“Yet you still raise your sword against me.”

In a way, he felt mocked.

It seemed like he looked like a joke even to a young child like her, wielding her sword against him despite their vast difference in power.

“Do I look like a joke to you?”

“…”

“Or maybe it’s because I lost to the Flaming Demon that day.”

Black aura started to pour out from the point of his feet, forming into a sharp shape.

He felt as though he was being looked down upon by a Young Prodigy.

“…Even though I am the Lord of the Black Palace.”

An ominous smile spread across his face.

His mission was to capture the Poison Phoenix, but the Namgung Clan belonged to the Sword King.

It meant that she was the daughter of the annoying man who knew how to run his mouth.

It wasn’t bad at all for the Palace Lord.

I’m in debt to the Sword King anyway.

With that thought, the Palace Lord spoke to Namgung Bi-ah.

“If you’d just walked away, pretending not to notice… you might have lived. How fooli- “

“…Is it you?”

“What?”

“…The one responsible for putting that girl in that state…”

“The Poison Phoenix? That’s right, I am the one- “

Swoosh-!

A flash of light appeared before the Palace Lord just as he responded.

Namgung Bi-ah had unleashed her Lightning Qi, striking at him with her sword.

Craaack-!

The Palace Lord defended with his aura, observing Namgung Bi-ah closely.

Her Qi was far more powerful than he had expected.

This much power at such a young age.

It seemed like he was right to be impressed by her earlier, because Namgung Bi-ah’s level was incomparable to other Young Prodigies at her age.

Clang-! Craack.

As her sword clashed with his aura, she angled her blade to avoid it on her next strike.

She adjusted her attack style after her sword was blocked by his aura.

Ha.

Her quick judgment impressed him, but the killing intent behind each strike was even more remarkable.

The Palace Lord felt that she was serious about killing him.

This wasn’t the usual ferocity of a Young Prodigy, nor was it typical of an Orthodox Faction martial artist.

When she closed the distance, a heavy aura bound the Palace Lord’s feet.

Master of Swords, huh?

This was the Namgung Clan’s Secret Art, taught only to its bloodline.

It was said that this ability used a great amount of Qi and was extreme in difficulty, but this girl was using it way too casually.

Her explosive Lightning Qi filled the air, and her sword remained calm and sharp.

It impressed even the almighty Lord of the Black Palace.

The Sword King gave birth to an unbelievable child.

What was her level?

It seemed well over Peak Realm.

The precision of her Qi control made it clear she had broken through her limits.

It seemed like she had perfected Peak Realm.

She’s a monster.

To reach a perfected form of Peak Realm in her early twenties, basically meant that she was a talent sent down by the heavens.

The Palace Lord thought to himself as he blocked her relentless swordplay with his aura.

I must get rid of it.

If she had already reached this level, he had no choice but to kill her.

He knew that she would be a problem for him in the future.

Claaang-!

Her Lightning Qi multiplied itself once more to increase its numbers.

The Qi in her sword was also firm and powerful.

What a Sword Force that was.

She moved swiftly, yet her footsteps were silent.

It showed that she even perfected her movements.

Dodging each surge of the Palace Lord’s aura, Namgung Bi-ah swung her sword with relentless precision.

Even a graze from his aura was dangerous, yet she showed no hesitation.

She sliced through his aura and opened up a path for herself,

Craaack-!

She charged through it, her Lightning Qi blazing in her wake.

She increased her speed with Qi then smoothly transitioned into swinging her sword, as if she was showing that all her training wasn’t for nothing.

Her movements were smooth, but her attack was sharp.

Slash-!

Once again, she sliced through his aura.

Then, a clear path was opened before her.

Seeing the opening, Namgung Bi-ah charged at him, her sword brimming with Qi.

She was aiming for his neck.

“You definitely are outstanding above others.”

Just as her Lightning Qi-enhanced sword was about to make contact with the Palace Lord,

“But that is where it ends.”

Crack-!

A sudden burst of aura struck Namgung Bi-ah’s flank.

“Ugh…!”

Thud!

The impact sent Namgung Bi-ah flying, but she barely managed to land on her feet.

She fixed her posture and charged her Qi again.

However, she had no time to rest.

The Palace Lord’s attack continued to rush at her.

“Even in that moment, you protected your stomach with your Qi. I am very shocked.”

His attacks got harsher, as if his previous strike had only been a warm-up.

Rumble-!

It was so rough and fast that it started to form dust from the dirt on the ground.

“Your quick judgment is also impressive. If this was a different situation, I might’ve asked you to join my side.”

He was being honest.

Talents like hers were rare in the Central Plains; he’d have shackled her to him if he could.

That was how impressive she was.

“But I can’t do that because of this unfortunate timing.”

The Palace Lord had to become somewhat serious because Namgung Bi-ah wasn’t someone who he could play around with.

He was glad to have found her now rather than later, when she’d be even more formidable.

Though his mission was to capture the Poison Phoenix, he was killing two birds with one stone.

Charging his aura, the Palace Lord paused, thinking he’d gathered enough power to finish her.

He may have been shocked by the fact of her being a Peak Realm martial artist at her age, but in the end, it was only Peak Realm.

There was a clear difference between a Peak Realm and a Fusion Realm martial artist.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Just as he prepared to unleash his attack, something flew through the thick veil of dust,

Swoosh-!

A sword strike sliced through the air, aimed directly at the Palace Lord’s neck.

Splat.

Then, blood splattered.

It came out from the Palace Lord’s neck.

It seemed like her attack was successful,

“You little…”

But she wasn’t successful after all.

Her strike had been swift and strong, but the protective aura around him had dulled its impact; it had only wounded his neck, sparing his life.

The Palace Lord looked at her, his expression one of shock.

“…Ha.”

In his sight, unbelievable traces of attacks were left on the ground, and Namgung Bi-ah was looking at him with blood running down her body after she protected herself from his attacks with her Qi.

It seemed like the only emotion left in her eyes was disappointment.

The Palace Lord quickly concealed his shock at the sight of her eyes.

Is this what she planned?

She knew that she stood no chance against her opponent, so she waited until her opponent let his guard down to send a single powerful strike that would end him.

If that was her strategy all along, then this girl was truly terrifying.

She had endured all the pain just for this one strike.

So she planned this ever since the start of our battle.

“You must die here.”

It got to the point that the Palace Lord wasn’t surprised anymore, but tired instead.

He’d thought so before, but now he was certain.

He had to kill her here, no matter what.

Namgung Bi-ah appeared unable to hold herself up any longer; she lost her balance and collapsed to the ground.

She must have risked lots of things for that single strike.

The Palace Lord approached Namgung Bi-ah who lay on the ground.

He had to kill so that he didn’t run into her in the future.

When he charged his Qi along with that thought,

Shing.

A sharp sound came from where the Poison Phoenix was.

The Palace Lord turned his gaze toward her, wondering what was happening.

“…!”

He quickly concealed his shock at the sight before him.

“What are you… doing right now?”

Tang Soyeol, who had been slumped against the rock, had stabbed her thigh with her dagger and now held the blade against her neck.

Her eyes were fierce and resolute.