[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith":3,"chapter-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-159":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Childhood Friend of the Zenith",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1240185,1667,"Chapter 158: The Thing I Wished To Show You (2)","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-159",159,"\u003Cp>༺ The Thing I Wished To Show You (2) ༻\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the semifinals bracket was revealed, I didn’t react much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was because I was expecting this outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the semifinals bracket, the Lightning Dragon’s name should’ve been there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or at least that was what everyone else probably thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, it was likely that no one expected me to come this far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Though Namgung Bi-ah’s case is unexpected.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t expect that Jang Seonyeon would be facing Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I assumed that I would be the one going up against him first, while Namgung Bi-ah would take on Moyong Hi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’d have been a better story for him too.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did the Murim Alliance do something behind the scenes for this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or did they have a hidden agenda?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because I didn’t have the slightest bit of trust for the Alliance, I had to dig deeper into this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How are you seeing this bracket?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Soyeol asked me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did she mean by that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m seeing it with my eyes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Soyeol looked at me as if she was offended by my response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seemed like she wanted a different answer, but I unfortunately didn’t have one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t like I could argue saying that the bracket was shit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I didn’t have a good enough reason to argue with them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked behind me to where Namgung Bi-ah was standing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah, who was with me, was also obviously looking at the bracket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She seems unfazed about this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was just looking at it normally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And judging by her usual absent-minded expression, she didn’t seem to care that much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It would be weirder if her expressions did change, after all.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Namgung Bi-ah knew nothing about Jang Seonyeon, it made sense for her to be indifferent about this bracket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at her and Namgung Bi-ah looked back at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When our eyes met, Namgung Bi-ah tilted her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seemed like she couldn’t understand something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she approached me with light steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was close to the point where her hand could have touched me if she reached out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s… wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was sudden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did she mean by that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your face…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My face?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I touched my own face in response to her comment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was I making some strange expression or something?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t believe I was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I even thought that I was wearing a rather emotionless face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But perhaps, to Namgung Bi-ah, it didn’t seem that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you worried about me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words left me frozen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did she mean by that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When have I ever been worried about you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now… you are right now…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah’s soft hand brushed past my eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re… worried about me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t say anything back to her when she spoke to me with her eyes boring into mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Funnily enough, I couldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All I had to do was just say that I wasn’t worried, but my tongue was completely frozen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Was I worried about her?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t even realize it myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if that was really the case, then what did Namgung Bi-ah see in me to notice that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Breaking the silence, Namgung Bi-ah spoke again in a cold tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you think I’ll lose…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I forced my lips to move, which had been tightly shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of that, my response came out a little late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Namgung Bi-ah had already interpreted it differently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I honestly didn’t think that Namgung Bi-ah would lose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the only young prodigy who stood a chance against Namgung Bi-ah at the moment was my lunatic of a sister, Gu Huibi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But my delayed response had more to do with this uneasy feeling gnawing at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know why I was feeling so uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This feeling only fueled my frustration and worsened my mood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah seemed to have noticed my turmoil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a quiet voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So quiet that only I could hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is she fine about?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed those words down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt like I shouldn’t say such a thing right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m…fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as if she was speaking to me, but not at the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I only continued to gaze into Namgung Bi-ah’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after staring into them for a long time, I began to notice something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is she nervous?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah was nervous right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was harder for me to notice as she wasn’t the type to show such emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I then asked her while looking at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you fine?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t get a response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know what she was feeling nervous about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because no matter how much I looked at it, it didn’t seem like she was nervous about her fight against Jang Seonyeon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Namgung Bi-ah’s short response, I carefully grabbed her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like she was asking me to grab it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, as I grasped her hand, Namgung Bi-ah closed her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you nervous?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked, but Namgung Bi-ah slowly shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah, who stood still for a while as if focusing on something, withdrew her hand and stepped back a step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She already said that three times by now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now I couldn’t help but start to worry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did she keep saying that she was fine? What was going on in her mind?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her unusual behavior prompted me to speak with a light smile on my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you aren’t feeling well, do you want to consider forfeiting?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I asked her, Namgung Bi-ah shook her head firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She sounded so serious that her usual weak way of talking had completely disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had she been able to control it all along?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I pondered this, Namgung Bi-ah continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not forfeiting…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I figured. I asked just in case.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forfeiting in a duel was something that young prodigies hated, to the point that they would die over it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They might be fine with losing in a duel, but they would never willingly forfeit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the pride everyone in that age range had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Though I don’t think Namgung Bi-ah cares too much about something like that.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From time to time, I wanted to look inside Namgung Bi-ah’s head so that I knew what she was thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now was a good example of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wondered what she was thinking right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What thought did she have right now, for her to make that expression?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She looks like she’s preparing for a war…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I exaggerated a little, but that was how I perceived her to be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah stared at me after releasing my hand, and started to move her lips in a hesitant manner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like she had more to say,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although I grew impatient, I refrained from pressing her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I’m fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her response was the same as last time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was also different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded like she had something to add this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So believe in me. Watch me closely…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her habit of talking without giving any context.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t explain what she was referring to, yet she still asked me for such things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She really didn’t have any intention of making it easy for me. I guessed I had to interpret it myself this time too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When did I ever not believe in you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I might not have openly shown my faith in her, but I didn’t think I had ever doubted her either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know what Namgung Bi-ah was thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was equally clueless about what significance this duel held for her, if it had any at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn’t that understandable, though?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Namgung Bi-ah I knew didn’t strike me as someone who aspired to achieve great things in life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…So that you could believe me…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which was even more of a reason why…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll show you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know what emotion Namgung Bi-ah had while saying those words to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right before the semifinals were about to commence, the spectator seats were even more crowded compared to the quarterfinals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was because more people came to watch the semifinals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for the finals, even more people would be present, compared to now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who do you think will win?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the main question that most of the spectators had before the fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm… That’s way too hard of a question.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lightning Dragon and the Poison Phoenix had already been eliminated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was hard for people to predict who would win, especially when the two candidates were already eliminated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Snow Phoenix probably?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an unsure reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Snow Phoenix of the Moyong Clan still hadn’t been eliminated, but for some reason, not many believed she would win either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The ones left are the Moyong Clan, the Gu Clan, the Namgung Clan, and the Taeryung Clan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only the blood relatives of noble clans remain in this tournament as well. I expected this to happen, but I can’t help feeling a little disappointed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh right, Cheon, didn’t you say your child also participated in this tournament?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing the man’s question, the person with the surname Cheon let out a fake cough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But someone else responded for Cheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, you senseless idiot! He got eliminated in the first round! Don’t bring that up, Cheon’s going to feel embarrassed…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You said that out loud at such a volume… You’re even worse than him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone already knew he wouldn’t make it far. He only got in because of all the donations you made to the Alliance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you going to keep poking at my nerves? I’ll return the favor for real.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey you lots, stop bickering and talk to me, who do you think is going to win?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why bother asking? The son of the Harmonic Sword will obviously win.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Not the Snow Phoenix?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This guy is always slow when it comes to hearing rumors. Information about the Taeryung Clan’s son has already spread everywhere.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rumor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, there’s talk of a new star emerging.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumors were bound to start wherever,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was the merchants who often spread them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merchants always had their ears open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was necessary for them to do so, if they wished to know the flow of the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, it was what earned them money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which was why they made donations to not only the Murim Alliance, but also to the Beggar’s Sect, so that they could get information quicker than other people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And they seemed to have gotten information early from the Beggar’s Sect as they shared the rumor with others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for Hanam’s middle-sized merchant, Cheon Moonbi, who ran the Cheon shop…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he heard about the rumor, he couldn’t help but wear a troubled expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike other merchants, Merchant Cheon…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had already been closely following earlier duels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had watched the quarterfinals closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Which is why they don’t know.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merchant Cheon didn’t really listen to them speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like they said, the son of the Harmonic Sword was a very talented figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only did he have a striking resemblance to the Alliance Leader with his kind, handsome appearance…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he also had talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the quarterfinals yesterday, the son of the Taeryung clan achieved victory after easily beating his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He really lived up to his reputation as the Alliance Leader’s son,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for some reason, Merchant Cheon’s thoughts were drawn to a different figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The blood relative from the Gu Clan if I remember correctly.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young martial artist, who had a scary expression, with black hair glowing in a slight red aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy who won against the Lightning Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His performance was way too impactful for anyone to forget about him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only did his flames heat up the arena, but they also electrified the spectators in their seats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lightning Dragon couldn’t even use his full strength and ended up vomiting blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was none other than the Lightning Dragon from the great Namgung Clan, who was defeated so humiliatingly like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So how could anyone think the son of the Harmonic Sword would emerge as the victor?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’m curious why the rumor about that fight didn’t spread that much.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merchant Cheon noticed that rumor about that fight was only starting to spread slowly after the day of the fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was unusual, as information typically circulated rapidly when the Beggar’s Sect was involved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there was no way that a group such as the Beggar’s Sect was slow in spreading information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of that, Merchant Cheon couldn’t help but think that something was strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then do you think the Taeryung Clan’s child will win this fight too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man, who had been speaking this whole time, asked such a question and everyone who was listening to him nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His opponent is from the Namgung Clan, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm? I thought the Namgung Clan had already been eliminated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard there was one more member from that clan, I think it’s the older sister of the Lightning Dragon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Namgung Clan has a female bloodline? That’s the first time I’m hearing about that… How did I not know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Apparently she’s really strong as well, I heard that she beat her opponent in a single blow in the quarterfinals.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merchant Cheon saw that fight as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no lie there. She indeed won in a single blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Though her opponent seemed rather weird.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even to someone with limited knowledge of martial arts like him, the fight yesterday seemed odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guy did something weird with his feet, which led to his defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There was no way he tripped though.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, there was no way that a martial artist would make such a mistake while preparing for an attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it was just a unique art of his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm…? Now that I think about it, I think he also had the Gu surname.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had the same surname as the boy who won against the Lightning Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, even if she’s from the Namgung Clan, the victory will go to- “\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who had been talking about Taeryung Clan’s child like a fan, suddenly stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Merchant Cheon couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn’t have cared too much if only the man stopped talking, but everyone around him became silent as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s- “\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merchant Cheon was about to question what was happening, but when he looked around and saw the collective silence, he, too, fell into a hushed state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone was climbing up the wide arena stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her hair flowed beautifully in the wind, resembling expensive silk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But her hair was not the only part of her that was stunning; her white skin and her diamond-like eyes seemed to pierce the fabric of reality due to their splendor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haa…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ho…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It put everyone in awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Holy…shit…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could a person look that beautiful?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman’s face was so beautiful that it stirred desires in those who weren’t typically desperate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Why.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As everyone was in awe staring at her, Merchant Cheon felt that something was strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why is she different compared to yesterday?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just yesterday, when he watched her fight, she didn’t have that aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While he had thought she was beautiful at the time, it hadn’t been enough to leave a lasting impression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then, who was that woman standing right there?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked the same, but the aura she radiated was entirely different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, even the resolve of a seasoned merchant, who had dealt with a variety of people over the years, was on the verge of wavering in the face of her beauty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Beautiful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Namgung has a treasure… If my daughter looked like that, I would’ve hidden her from the world too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she reached the top of the stage, Namgung Bi-ah put her hair behind her neck basking in the attention of the onlookers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When her neckline was revealed, people started murmuring even louder, but Namgung Bi-ah paid no heed to such reactions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She only calmly took out a hair accessory from her pocket and adorned her hair with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A moon-shaped hair accessory; it was a gift from the boy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even amidst the numerous spectators, she didn’t smell any horrendous stench that would’ve stabbed her nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant that he was watching her from somewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This small realization brought her a sense of peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With her preparations complete, her opponent climbed up the stage as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jang Seonyeon… was it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t know the reason why, but he was a boy who Gu Yangcheon was constantly wary of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon looked like he was trying to hide this fact, but Namgung Bi-ah was able to notice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jang Seonyeon climbed up to the arena with firm steps and walked toward Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah didn’t shrink away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nice to meet you. I am Jang Seonyeon of the Taeryung clan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He started off with a respectful greeting. Namgung Bi-ah took a moment to think before responding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Namgung Bi-ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oddly enough, Jang Seonyeon was a figure that didn’t emanate a strong stench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wouldn’t be entirely accurate to say he had no scent at all…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was not strong enough to bother her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprisingly enough, he was the second most tolerable figure for Namgung Bi-ah to be next to after Gu Yangcheon, as he didn’t have too much of a stench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…I don’t want to be close to him regardless.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if she couldn’t feel the stench from him, she felt bothered for some reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t understand why, but being near Jang Seonyeon made Namgung Bi-ah uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s nice to meet you. I had no idea that the Lightning Dragon had such a beautiful sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah thought that his kind smile made him look handsome…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But by this point, she preferred fierce eyes over that kind of smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that she had ever been particularly fond of that type of smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jang Seonyeon, too, had many thoughts as he stared at Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Namgung Clan, huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was one thing that Jang Seonyeon felt while looking at Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Beautiful. Too beautiful.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her beauty was difficult to put into words,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jang Seonyeon even felt like he had to use Qi to not be charmed by her appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though her beauty didn’t reveal how much talent she had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I wonder how strong she is.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Lightning Dragon and the Poison Phoenix, who I thought would pose the most significant challenge, were defeated by me. so there is no one left who could potentially threaten me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except for one person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Gu Yangcheon.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jang Seonyeon struggled to maintain his composure after being reminded of that name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever he was brought up, it got on Jang Seonyeon’s nerves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fishy behavior…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hostility toward him…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the way he looked at him; all of them bothered Jang Seonyeon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>– Do you really think that you’ll win? Against that monster?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Woojin’s words from that day continued to haunt him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Do I think I’ll win? Don’t make me laugh.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Of course I’ll win.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I am different from him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There was no way that I would lose to a guy who had nothing given to him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Even if he overcame his wall and reached the Peak Realm, it’s all meaningless if he doesn’t have the ‘energy’ within him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Lightning Dragon may not have been able to use it properly as the energy didn’t fully sink into his body, which was why he lost.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But I’m different.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even his arrogance that seemed to reach the heavens…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It will collapse when he meets me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was Jang Seonyeon’s plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, the top seat would become his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Even if I can’t become the Heavenly Dragon.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jang Seonyeon knew that he couldn’t get the title of Heavenly Dragon since the Alliance made a deal with Shaolin…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he was already satisfied with this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starting with this, he would eventually reach the top in the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a person capable of doing such things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jang Seonyeon looked at the woman standing in front of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was more beautiful than anyone he had ever met in his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he heard that she was engaged to Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After being reminded of that, Jang Seonyeon smirked inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He should know his place.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like Gu Yangcheon had luck with women who didn’t really fit him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, she was so beautiful that her beauty alone made Jang Seonyeon desire her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, unlike her sharp eyes, she had a rather absent-minded expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made Jang Seonyeon wonder if she truly belonged to the Namgung Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aura she put out suggested that she only had one thing on her mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Semifinals.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jang Seonyeon calmly lifted his sword at the judge’s announcement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to break out of his thoughts and focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I don’t want to use my power too much, so I should end this fast.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Jang Seonyeon’s eyes, Namgung Bi-ah had many openings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The way she held her sword even made her look like she already gave up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is she up to? I wonder.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If her plan was to let her opponent’s guard down, then she had already failed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I never let my guard down.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jang Seonyeon started to charge his Qi and focused on Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Namgung Clan’s Namgung Bi-ah vs. Taeryung Clan’s Jang Seonyeon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The match was about to begin, but Namgung Bi-ah’s posture remained the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She just stood there with her sword pointing down, gazing at Jang Seonyeon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Perhaps she already gave up.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Jang Seonyeon had that thought,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Begin!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The match started and Jang Seonyeon, eager to finish the match quickly, wasted no time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the judge shouted, Jang Seonyeon flowed his Qi and moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, he tried to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Jang Seonyeon couldn’t move as he wanted to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jang Seonyeon’s sword, charged with his Qi, began to tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His calm breathing had become disorderly in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And his firm legs remained planted in the same spot, as if they were stuck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff… Huff.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried to steady his breathing while controlling his Qi, but his sword continued to shake, defying his attempts to calm it down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Jang Seonyeon looked at Namgung Bi-ah with a surprised expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside his mouth, a harsh cracking sound came from his teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to endure the oppressive aura if he wanted to overcome it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold sweat trickled down his face, and he felt chills on his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The overpowering pressure that held him in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s over there…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The place where Jang Seonyeon was looking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was where Namgung Bi-ah stood, her sword pointing downward, just as before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her aura exuded such overpowering pressure that it caused Jang Seonyeon’s body to seize up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How was such a thing possible?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…ing”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He heard a soft whisper, and Jang Seonyeon’s eyes widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body became tense as this was not what he expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wondered what she was about to say to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Namgung Bi-ah continued speaking, her gaze fixed on Jang Seonyeon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aren’t you… coming…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were the words Gu Yangcheon used to say to his opponents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As well as the line that Namgung Bi-ah had always wanted to try for herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You can rate\u002Freview this series here.\u003C\u002Fp>",3872,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.031Z",1,"novelbin.me","3c822133593ea970e6894004801275022d53e70d627f3f78fae3ec666b9db23c","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-160","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-158",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]