[{"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-264":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},1240090,1667,"Chapter 264: What Am I? (1)","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-264",264,"\u003Cp>Bedwetter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because I saw the face I dreaded to see?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My inadvertent response to his arrival,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was more than enough to put a crack in his mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I’m not… sure what you are talking about.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe you should say that after relaxing your face?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just look at this bastard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as I mentioned him wetting himself, his expression showed he clearly remembered what happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I guess he surprisingly was somewhat conscious?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, that probably wasn't good for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, Namgung Cheonjun’s expression began to rot away as his mask crumbled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From his reaction, he seemed to believe it had been a dream or hadn't happened at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I even dried your pants so you don’t get humiliated, so shouldn’t you thank me first?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Crack.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I only did it so that it didn’t embarrass his sister, Namgung Bi-ah, but such a reason would only make him angrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You bastard…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>See that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He got angry right away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That relieved me because it showed he hadn't matured yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that I intended to go easy on him even if he had matured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I could never be fond of you no matter how many times I see you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m the savior of your image, yet the way you speak to me is rather rude.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the middle of our conversation, I felt a sensation of Qi pass by my cheek.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Lightning Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lightning Qi was flowing out from Namgung Cheonjun’s shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was on a whole different level compared to before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it’s not enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he had improved, it didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He may have improved, but he still was a young prodigy, and all young prodigies, except for the top two or three, were weaklings to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as i considered breaking off his Qi that flowed towards me,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A larger wave of Qi stormed and devoured his Lightning Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was also Lightning Qi, but it was much denser and felt more powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After devouring the Lightning Qi that aimed towards me, someone stepped in front of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cheonjun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her cold voice was filled with anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the first time in a long while I had heard her speak like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Sister?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I asked… what you're doing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t have her sword out, but sharp Qi emanated from Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the Qi of a swordswoman at the beginning stage of perfection after reaching Peak Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stabilized her Qi and gained control of it only after a year of her overcoming her wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…I get surprised every time I see it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All I could do was be impressed by her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching talents soar higher than the sky from the closest seat was fascinating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In my past life, I felt jealousy and shame when I saw things like this, but I didn't feel that way anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As thick Lightning Qi enveloped me for protection, Namgung Cheonjun frowned while staring at Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I only came to greet him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This isn’t… a greeting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Obviously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of a bastard greets someone like that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, I was the one that started the heat, but there was no way I could’ve been nice to him since it was obvious what he came here for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ha-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Namgung Bi-ah, Namgung Cheonjun let out an incredulous laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sigh sounded rather deep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So you're still on his side, sister. The bastard isn't your brother, I am.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Cheonjun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Namgung Bi-ah respond with an uncomfortable tone, Namgung Cheonjun’s Lightning Qi faded away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He himself stopped releasing his Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his threat gone, Namgung Bi-ah also withdrew her sharp Qi. Namgung Cheonjun, still gazing at her,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…If I knew that this would happen, I wouldn’t have held back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Said those words and turned around to walk back into the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Does it really end here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he come here just for that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s no way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned slightly and watched Namgung Cheonjun walk away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to learn how the bastard ended up like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he receive Blood Qi again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I saw him in the banquet earlier, I thought nothing special had happened since I didn't sense any Blood Qi from his Dantian. But after looking more carefully just now, that wasn't the case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t only his Dantian I should’ve observed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood Qi hadn’t disappeared from Namgung Cheonjun’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blood Qi that should have been in his Dantian was instead spreading throughout his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The state of one’s Qi being stored in their Dantian with only Blood Qi flowing around their body was a mess I’ve seen many times in my past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it was Demonic Qi instead of Blood Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Qi turning into Demonic Qi made it different, but considering how Demonic Qi naturally merged with the body like Qi in a Peak Realm martial artist, there was only one reason for his condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Transformation to a Demonic Human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Cheonjun was no different to a Demonic Human right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that was Qi given by the Blood Demon, it was hard to call him a Demonic Human, but he didn’t seem much different in my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I also didn’t know if he had gone mad after being consumed by madness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a chance that his madness wasn’t noticeable since he was already a crazy bastard before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that wasn’t the case, there was a chance he hadn't gone mad at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, one of the masters of the Demonic Cult, the Sword Demon’s personality didn’t change too much despite being turned into a Demonic Human, because he was a maniac that was obsessed with killing in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood Qi might not have any relations to madness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to consider many possibilities since I didn’t know much about Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides that,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How did the bastard end up that way?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is it because I neglected him after the Dragons and Phoenixes tournament?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn’t I do my job by drying his pants though?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took care of a full-grown man pissing his pants, so what more could I have done for him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He should already feel grateful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Namgung Cheonjun turned into a Demonic-, wait, do I have to call him a Bloody Demon since it’s Blood Qi?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, even if he turned into one, I had no intention of helping him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing I knew for sure,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was that the Blood Demon is making their move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know their goal, but Namgung Cheonjun ending up in such a state probably wasn’t completely his fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It feels fishy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bastard’s body was changing, and it looked very unsettling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It almost made me want to grab him and pull the Qi out of his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My desire to absorb… is it because of the bastard’s hunger?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because there was a pig inside me that ate literally anything?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or was it because the bastard was fully hostile towards me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, no one else seemed to notice this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because I had received the same Blood Qi from the Blood Demon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sigh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sigh escaped naturally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Couldn’t they just live peacefully in the afterlife?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they were troublemakers from centuries ago, they should rest peacefully in their graves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why do they have to stay in the world just to cause trouble for me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already feel like I’m going insane with other things you know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just the Blood Demon; many other things kept my life busy every day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d rather not have the calamity of the past add to my problems.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I sighed with my head in my hands, a cold, white hand reached out and touched my forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Namgung Bi-ah’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Are you okay…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her careful voice tone had nervousness mixed within it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah was worried that I was offended by what Namgung Cheonjun did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How dull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s still young.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I placed my hand over Namgung Bi-ah’s, and responded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Okay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah probably still didn’t understand why I was acting this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I probably only looked exhausted in her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then what should I do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the bastard became corrupt after becoming drunk to his Qi, I honestly didn’t want to care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t want to waste my time on someone who became a mess after getting drunk on his Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I am concerned since it relates to the Blood Demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t want to get myself involved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I hadn’t seen his eyes and heard what he said at the end, I probably wouldn’t have cared all that much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-…If I knew that this would happen, I wouldn’t have held back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes were corrupt when he said those words, and I could feel his emotions too clearly. I had to put a Qi barrier around Namgung Bi-ah to shield her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t want such toxic emotions to reach her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought about Namgung Cheonjun’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I just hope that he doesn’t cross the last line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many times has it been?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like it’s been at least three times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I fulfilled the Water Dragon's dying wishes and found reasons to hold back many times, so it was hard to hold back now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It means that there are no more chances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This warning won’t reach him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I also didn’t have the kind personality to be patient with him either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought to myself while looking in the direction he disappeared, controlling my killing intent to avoid affecting Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I prayed that the bastard wouldn’t make any stupid decision, but in my eyes it seemed inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After staring into the darkness for a moment, I spoke to Namgung Bi-ah next to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go on without me, I have something to take care of.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah looked around with clear eyes, wondering if I was searching for something, then nodded as I started to leave her behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His steps towards the garden were fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He went deeper into the forest, so dark it felt like he was stepping into the abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The few trees he saw were so tall and thick they blocked even the moonlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant the forest was devoid of light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Namgung Cheonjun hurried through the forest, a voice echoed in his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-I told you not to overreact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice sounded like telepathy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the voice of a calm lady, but Namagung Cheonjun frowned demonically upon hearing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told you not to mind my business I recall?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Lightning Dragon, I don’t know your history, nor your goal, but I told you that it isn’t time yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whether it's time or not, will be decided by me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-…If you are going to continue being this way, I have no choice but to take away the blessing that the great one has given you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Cheonjun stopped in his tracks upon hearing her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lady wondered if she had angered him, but Namgung Cheonjun’s face wore asmirk rather than anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And you have the right to do so?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-…Lightning Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lady’s voice became angrier which was a rare sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Namgung Cheonjun didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The great one calls you the Dancer, so you think you're worth something. In reality, you're just a parrot delivering the great one's words.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Watch your words. Even if you’re not completely in the right mind due to being drunk with power…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am being careful right now. Like you said, I was given a blessing from the great one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was power that only he received when even the mighty Peng Woojin and the annoying bastard Meteor Sword didn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After losing to the bastard in a humiliating way, Namgung Cheonjun followed Peng Woojin into a basement and was given power after meeting with a great existence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant that he was the chosen one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He realized this power wasn't a lie as his unstable Lightning Qi grew stronger and his Dantian expanded and solidified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even felt like he could so easily overcome the wall to Peak Realm, something he once thought impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A little more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So a little more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until his new power smeared completely into his body, he had to wait just a little more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the great one, once his body becomes one with the power and the Qi returns back to his Dantian, then he would experience a whole new world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once that happens, that bastard will finally be…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Cheonjun planned to tear his limbs apart and burn them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then… his beautiful sister will be his once and for all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Sigh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Cheonjun calmed down his boiling desire and exhaled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sister was still beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had become much stronger than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He remembered when her immense Lightning Qi devoured his own Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sister was growing powerful, her beauty blossoming along with her strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could she be any more perfect?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected from my sister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which was why he couldn’t let an insect like him have her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His sister was being deceived by the bastard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was pushing him away because she was manipulated by that insect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which was why Namgung Cheonjun had to make her return back to normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s what the power was for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…How much longer do I have to wait?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Cheonjun asked the Dancer how much longer he had to wait for the whole process to be finished,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Dancer only replied with silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman with the calm voice was never fond of Namgung Cheonjun's treatment of her, but she had never responded like this before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Cheonjun asked again, dubiously,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why aren’t you respon- “\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What response?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then a response came from elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Cheonjun suddenly felt chills down his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hurriedly charged his inner Qi and turned around,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Kughh…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But a hand came out in an instant and choked Namgung Cheonjun’s neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I asked, what response?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Cheonjun struggled, but it felt like his whole body was immobilized despite only his neck being grabbed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Namgung Cheonjun looked, unable to breathe,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aren’t you going to respond?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Radiant red eyes glared up at him with killing intent, illuminating the dark \u002Fgenesisforsaken\u003C\u002Fp>",2367,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.031Z",1,"novelbin.me","814cd939c8251b48f3e637faf61a53e34ed45782ffe9b5c4eb7d60bc18cd28e2","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-265","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-263",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]