Childhood Friend of the Zenith Chapter 174: It Is Fate (3)

It Is Fate (3)

Inside a forest that knew no end, a thick purple fog was present.

It was filled with fog to the point that it was impossible to tell apart night from day.

All that could be heard was the ambient sounds of a mountain and the cries of crickets, which made assu that it was night ti.

Crunch-

A rough sound ca from between the trees.

It was the sound of sothing being broken and pulled out.

Flutter-

Along with the sound, birds that were hiding themselves within the forest flew away simultaneously.

-Sigh.

I let out a sigh, being done with this fierce battle.

I threw the demons neck far away; it was the neck of a green colored demon that resembled a wolf.

Tap!

The demons head fell to the ground after being thrown away and in front of that head, stood a person.

I frowned as I checked who it was.

It was soone I didnt want to see at all.

-What.

The voice that ca out of my mouth sounded rude as ever.

-Are you that tired after only defeating one green demon?

-Why are you talking shit as soon as you get here, you wanna die?

The woman that spoke to in a mocking manner was the Snow Phoenix.

She was also covered head to toe in dust and leaves from wherever she was.

Moyong Hi-ah let out a sigh and spoke after hearing .

-Ha, Im jealous, seeing you so relaxed.

-Relaxed? Do I look relaxed in your eyes?

I had fought with everything I got, yet she was saying that I was taking it easy.

This was why I hated that damned woman.

She thought that the world revolved around her.

I spat on the ground, not wanting this conversation to go on, but Moyong Hi-ah continued to speak.

-You are here wrestling with so random demon while not even knowing the current situation, so yes you do look like youre taking it easy.

I looked at Moyong Hi-ah hearing her words.

-What are you talking about? Be clear.

-I was relieved to have finally managed to find a person But it had to be you out of everyone. How unlucky I truly am.

-You damned bitch.

Why was she talking shit to when she was the one who had co to ?

I was already tired enough without her.

I roared at her while growing my flas, but Moyong Hi-ah maintained her disappointed expression.

-You, how long has it been since youve seen the others?

-What?

I asked as such to Moyong Hi-ahs sudden question, but she urged to answer without caring one bit.

-I asked, how long has it been. Dont stretch this any longer and just tell , its an urgent situation.

-About four days.

-Four days? You, did you never once think that sothing was strange in those four days?

-What strange things are you saying? Be clearer.

Moyong Hi-ah swept her hair up after hearing .

She seed very frustrated.

-Everyone has disappeared.

I frowned after hearing her.

A year had passed, since the day we got trapped in this damned world. This Demon Realm. This Abyss.

The number of people trapped in the Abyss kept on decreasing ever since the first day, but there were still a good number of people remaining.

It was thanks to the nurous sacrifices that The Water Dragon and Wi Seol-Ah had made to protect everyone.

But everyone disappeared?

-What are you even talking about? How could they disappear when this place isnt even that big?

I was currently scouting a forest located in the north.

It was filled with fog, but I ca here with so people in hopes of finding so food supplies or an escape route.

But all of them had disappeared?

At least twenty people had entered all together.

Moyong Hi-ah too seed like she was unable to comprehend; she replied.

-Thats what Im saying, you should have been searching for the others if they went missing, but what the hell are you doing here?

-Are you blind? Cant you see? I was trying to fucking survive!

As could be seen earlier, I was barely managing to hold onto my life while fending off against those demons inside the forest.

To be honest, there were so near death monts.

I get that they were only green demons, but because of being out here without a wink of sleep for four whole days

I almost died earlier due to exhaustion.

Moyong Hi-ah laughed apathetically at my response.

-Then you shouldve gone searching for others instead. What are you doing here being pathetic all by yourself?

-I thought they had just left .

-What?

Moyong Hi-ah asked at my lightly uttered words.

She had definitely heard what I said, so why the hell was she asking again?

-Its not very strange, is it?

-

I dont know if it was because I said those words so lightly, Moyong Hi-ah seed to have lost her words for a mont.

Did it really sound that weird for her?

In my opinion, it wasnt weird at all for to get left behind.

The sa applied for Moyong Hi-ah who was right in front of as well.

There was no way that crazy woman was believing anything I said until now and I was certain that she would use as bait and run away if a dangerous situation were to co.

Moyong Hi-ah let out a sigh after seemingly understanding my thoughts.

-Never mind that. You, so you havent even tried to leave the forest yet right?

-Not yet?

Now that I think about it, I never did think about leaving the forest.

-Well, we cant.

As soon as I had that thought, Moyong Hi-ah spoke in a cold tone.

-What do you an we cant?

-I went back to the entrance I ca from, but I only ended up looping around the sa place and it didnt let leave the forest.

-You sure its not just you not being able to find the entrance?

-Do you think Im stupid as you? I obviously left marks where I was.

-

This bitch I swear, should I just charge at her right now?

I really considered attacking her, but I held myself back.

I couldnt even win against her in my best shape, so if I charged at her in my current state, I might actually die.

-Anyway So we cant leave the forest?

-If you cant believe , go see it for yourself.

So I decided to go see it for myself.

The marks that Moyong Hi-ah said that she had left, thankfully didnt disappear, so as long as I followed those marks, I should end up at the entrance of the forest, but

-Why am I here again?

I looped around and kept finding myself back at the forest where I t Moyong Hi-ah.

It was true that I lived my life recklessly and thoughtlessly, but the path I went with Moyong Hi-ah was in a straight line and I knew that that path wasnt supposed to make co back here.

-I told you.

Moyong Hi-ah, who was following from behind, spoke as if to prove herself.

-We cant leave.

I looked around with tired eyes.

The fog was still filling up the forest and the sky and the crickets were still crying out loud, but considering that I was in the Abyss, I first had to find if those crickets were even insects in the first place.

After staring at Moyong Hi-ah for a bit, I spoke.

-So what you are saying is, that everyone else disappeared. And only you and I are actually trapped in the forest?

Moyong Hi-ah began to frown after hearing , but she didnt refute my words.

It was probably because everything I said was factual.

To sum it up, the people I ca with to scout the forest all disappeared and I was left with only that crazy bitch. To top it all off, I couldnt even leave?

Concluding my thoughts, I whispered while rubbing my face.

-Im fucked.

Moyong Hi-ah didnt respond to this either.

I really wished that she had said that I was wrong.

But the reality was still harsh as ever.

Well, thinking about the far future.

This was the mont our long ill-fated relationship had begun.

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

The stairway leading to The Shaolin Temple wasnt as long when compared to the one in Mount Hua.

No wonder this place got many more visitors than Mount Hua.

Of course, you were required to make an appointnt beforehand to be able to enter.

But that was quite easy to do.

Before running away from Muyeon, I had actually made an appointnt to go to Shaolin Temple.

I had planned on going back to the clan shortly after the tournant ended, so I made an appointnt early so that I could get work done as soon as possible.

But whats up with her?

Why was Moyong Hi-ah here?

Moyong Hi-ah, who was standing here like nothing was wrong, seed very strange to see as she didnt fit the background at all.

As I looked at Moyong Hi-ah with a dumbfounded expression, Moyong Hi-ah smiled while tidying her clothes.

What a coincidence, Young Master Gu.

It was definitely not a coincidence, I didnt even require my intuition.

If sothing like coincidence ca out of that fox-like womans mouth, it was impossible to believe.

Why are you here?

What do you an why? I also had so business in the Shaolin Temple.

Business huh So, what exactly is your business there?

Moyong Hi-ah pointed sowhere after hearing my question.

Even with such a small movent, she showed class.

It just ca here, my business.

I got a splitting headache for a mont.

It seed like Moyong Hi-ah had no intention to give an excuse to begin with.

I couldve sworn I denied your request back then

Isnt it okay since we t by coincidence?

Didnt you basically admit that it isnt a coincidence?

It is a coincidence. My business may have Young Master Gu, but how could I have known that Young Master Gu would co here at this exact ti?

Thats what Im saying.

How the hell did you know that, you crazy woman.

I dont think she stole the letter I had sent to Shaolin Temple.

It wasnt impossible to do, but I believed that even Moyong Hi-ah wouldnt have done such a thing.

So the best answer in this scenario was just to ask her.

Thats what Im curious about. How did you know that I would co to Shaolin Temple at this ti?

Moyong Hi-ahs eyes took upon the shape of a pair of crescent moons at my question. An enchanting pair of eyes, so charming that it would make any mans heart explode.

Just a feeling.

What?

I had a feeling that Young Master Gu will leave today.

I thought that she was being absurd for a second, but judging by how she was like in my past life, I dismissed the thought.

Moyong Hi-ah was a very rational individual that calculated all her moves,

But sotis she would use her intuition to determine if we should go or not, and most of the ti, her intuition turned out to be correct as the place we were planning on going to, often ended up in a horrendous state.

So later, more so than in her calculative and rational plans, a lot of people believed more in her extraordinary intuition.

As I didnt say anything and only continued to stare at her, Moyong Hi-ah spoke.

Young Master Gu really is a unique person.

What makes you say that?

I dont think an ordinary person would make that face if I told them that it was just my intuition.

I was just shocked. It was my first ti hearing such an absurd thing.

I see.

She definitely did not believe anything I was saying judging by her slight chuckling.

At this point I beca curious.

Why was she doing this to ?

I even considered the request she had made earlier in the day.

I thought Moyong Hi-ahs goal was that Pissing Dragon bastard.

But was that not it?

Theres no way.

Young Master Gu.

Yes.

Perhaps, it is fate that we t like this, coincidentally. So would you like to go to the Shaolin Temple together?

First of all, Im pretty sure that its not a coincidence, also as far as I know you cant enter with .

Why?

I sent the Shaolin Temple a ssage beforehand, but didnt you co here without doing that?

She would have had to send them a ssage at least a day before.

Shaolin may have been very open compared to other clans, but it was still required to follow the rules.

After hearing my question, Moyong Hi-ah responded with a slight smile on her face.

Oh, you dont need to worry about that.

Huh?

As I beca confused as to what she was talking about, soone ca down from the stairs and greeted us.

It was a child that seed younger than even .

I am Heeyoung. I was assigned to guide the two of you, I would be grateful if you pardon if I am lacking.

Nodding to Heeyoungs words, I couldnt help but notice sothing strange in the words he said.

MonkHeeyoung

Yes, correct. Oh, are you perhaps Young Master Gu Yangcheon?

I am Gu Yangcheon.

We received your ssage. The Abbott told that if I get to et you, then I should deliver his words of congratulations.

Oh, yes. Thank you.

I was a bit surprised that he suddenly brought up Shaolins Chief Abbott, but that wasnt the important thing right now.

Monk Heeyoung, did you say two people just now?

Heeyoung tilted his head in confusion.

Yes, I said the two of you standing in front of .

Hearing Heeyoung speak like there was nothing wrong, I looked at Moyong Hi-ah with a shocked expression.

Moyong Hi-ah still had a smile on her face.

And that smile of hers was so charming, that even Heeyoung who probably lived his whole life as a monk, started to blush a little.

I told you that you didnt need to worry.

Moyong Hi-ah put her hair behind her ears. And because of the light breeze that ca, Moyong Hi-ahs scent reached my nose.

I am soone that doesnt move without making a plan first.

I was about to say that thats her biggest problem, but I barely managed to hold those words back in.

Whether Moyong Hi-ah knew my thoughts or not, no she probably does and is just pretending not to she spoke.

Shall we go then?

I lost my capability of speech in the end after seeing her blatant, shaless smile.

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

Shaolin was originally Elder Shins goal, but unlike the plan, I ended up coming to Shaolin without Elder Shin.

As we went up the stairs following monk Heeyoungs guidance, I was able to see that Shaolin still had an ancient atmosphere thanks to them not changing anything for a long ti.

The buildings here seed twice as large and wide than Mount Huas.

This didnt an that Mount Hua was small, but rather that the Shaolin Temple was way too big.

I couldnt even imagine how much donation and support this place got from Hanam.

I wonder what that old man wanted to find out in this place.

I thought about the old swordsman that beca a ghost in this world after living his life as a hero.

The Divine Sword of Mount Hua, Shincheol, who was in a deep sleep right now.

This is where tourists visit the most.

I looked where Heeyoung pointed at, and there was a big lake inside Shaolin.

Inside the lake so clear that you could see the ground, there was a pure white fish swimming around.

I looked at it in confusion, thinking why there was only one fish, when Heeyoung started to explain.

That is the Shaolin Temples treasure, the White Fish of Purity.

That fish is a treasure?

Yes, thats correct. It is a treasure left by the great hero, The Light of Might, who had stopped the Blood Demons Blood Disaster in the far past.

That ans that the fish had lived for hundreds of years.

Wasnt it a demon at that point?

I could only nod in the end, as asking if the treasure of Shaolin was a demon was sure to get in trouble.

Was there sothing like this in my past life too?

I didnt really have much interest in Shaolin back then, nor did I hear anything about the fish.

I was just fascinated by the fact that a creature could also be called a treasure.

Also, can they really just let that thing swim freely around the lake?

What were they gonna do if soone appeared out of nowhere and stole it?

As I stared at the fish with that thought, Heeyoung started to explain as if he was waiting to.

The Abbott put up a barrier just in case people with ill intent co here, so that we would be able to know if they go near it.

I thought about the barrier back in Mount Hua for a mont after hearing Heeyoung.

I enhanced my vision with Qi, and I was able to faintly see that there was indeed a barrier around the lake.

Im curious about one thing, Monk Heeyoung.

Yes.

Do all monks give tours like this?

Oh.

It was simple curiosity.

I knew that there were many people in Shaolin, but there werent that many people for them to give a tour to every tourist that visited here.

Heeyoung hesitated for a mont, then spoke in a stuttering manner.

Its not that but the Chief Abbott himself ordered to.

The Heavenly Eye himself, huh.

Yes, he said that a precious guest would be here soon, and that I should treat them nicely

A precious guest huh.

It felt very strange considering those words ca from the Chief Abbott of Shaolin who could read the Heavenly Qi.

Does that old man know that I traveled through ti?

I would assu he didnt.

Because if he knew, then he would have appeared way earlier.

It seed like I had shown more than I should have, and thanks to that, the Chief Abbott of Shaolin noticed , it made displeased.

This is why I shouldve held back more when I beat him up back then.

Letting out a small sigh, I looked toward the front.

I didnt look behind, the eyes staring at bothered .

The feeling of soone staring at was unpleasant.

Moyong Hi-ah continued to stare at with extrely focused eyes.

Why did she even ask to go together if she wasnt gonna do anything in the first place?

Even when we entered Shaolin Temple, Moyong Hi-ah didnt say anything.

Instead, she almost burnt a hole in , staring at with laser focused eyes.

It felt like she was blatantly observing to find out about sothing from .

I followed Heeyoung in silence and walked the pathway of the lakeside.

Moyong Hi-ah continued to say nothing, so I had to endure her uncomfortable gaze for a long ti.

I cant deal with this anymore.

In the end, I couldnt endure it anymore so I turned around and looked at Moyong Hi-ah.

Lady Moyong, why are you doing this to m-

I paused my question.

It was because Moyong Hi-ah had frozen.

Not just her steps, but everything about her was frozen.

Her feet that were lifted up to walk were floating in the air,

Her hand, and her eyes that were observing

Even the leaves that were shaking along with the breeze, everything was frozen.

What the.

The world had frozen in ti.

Everything besides myself.

In such a sudden situation, I instinctively charged my Qi.

This was way too strange of a situation.

Was it an ambush?

Did that an that soone was able to use such a strange power?

Suddenly,

[cheol.]

I heard a voice from sowhere.

[Shincheol]

It was the voice of an old man.

I quickly turned my head towards the direction of the voice.

And in that place

Was the White Fish of Purity, that had been swimming earlier, staring at .

[Shincheol, you arrogant, stubborn, fucking idiot.]

And it gave quite the offensive greeting.

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