[{"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-268":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},1240094,1667,"Chapter 268: Winter Is Coming (2)","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-268",268,"\u003Cp>Since I had been there since morning, I knew exactly how much time had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to that crazy man eating up all my time by spacing out the whole day, my time was also wasted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ugh, I should’ve just left him there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And of course, she had to come at the worst possible time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah crouched beside me, watching Namgung Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was considering leaving just now, but I couldn’t anymore since she came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be fair, if I didn’t say that I was standing by his side as a guard, then this wouldn’t have happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This mouth of mine is the problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the sun continued to set,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Jin finally woke up from his deep focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aura I felt from his eyes was light but clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It became denser.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a Fusion Realm martial artist, it was unrealistic for him to transcend to a new level with a single enlightenment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d have to assume Namgung Jin was feeling more at ease now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I didn’t know how big that felt to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I looked at Namgung Jin with a blank expression, Namgung Jin closed his eyes and lowered his head to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Thank you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words were sincere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he not caring that Namgung Bi-ah was next to me right now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps he was so absorbed in his enlightenment that he didn't notice her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ah, yes. Congratulations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the only response I could give him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This all happened by lucky chance, and all I did was just say what the Demonic Sword in the past told me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, I achieved what I wanted and could leave now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But is this much enough?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew that I didn’t fully solve his issues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew that the flawed sword of Namgung Clan didn’t come back to its full power just because I or Elder Shin gave Namgung Jin a few enlightenments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was impossible to find the sword art that was lost a few centuries ago this easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Though of course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of Namgung Bi-ah next to me, that didn't seem too impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know what she went through, but the sword I saw from the Demonic Sword was the same as the sword that Namgung Jin was trying to achieve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at her, I spoke to Namgung Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Just don’t forget about our promise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing my words, Namgung Jin made a surprised expression after finally noticing Namgung Bi-ah next to me, but he nodded in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Promise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To teach Namgung Bi-ah what you’ve learned himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the deal I made with Namgung Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I will not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned around after hearing Namgung Jin’s response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt glad that everything had turned out somewhat fine,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tsk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clicked my tongue due to the sudden pain I felt from my Dantian from time to time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed it would take longer than I expected for my empty Dantian to refill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To put it more accurately,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would be better for me to say that I lost my Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I used too much back when I turned Namgung Cheonjun into a Demonic Human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning around, I asked Namgung Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I presume that you will continue training with your sword, my Lord?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Jin gave me an affirmation in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was as I expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m sure he wanted to see the difference in his sword after his recent enlightenment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I shall be taking my leave first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I left after saying those words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like I expected, the sun was already setting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It meant that this took a long time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh, right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that I think about it, I told Namgung Cheonjun something before Namgung Jin dragged me away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Does it matter?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It shouldn’t matter since it wasn’t important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I continued walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I noticed Namgung Bi-ah following me out of the training ground, still glancing behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked her,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she interested because her father had gained enlightenment?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’s not asking me any questions either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m sure she noticed that Namgung Jin gained enlightenment through my help, but Namgung Bi-ah didn’t ask me anything for some reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seemed to think it wasn't important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing my question, Namgung Bi-ah shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No… It’s nothing…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After her response, Namgung Bi-ah started to walk with me once again, but her eyes were still aimed in the direction Namgung Jin was in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I returned to my place after that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I returned after telling Namgung Bi-ah to go back to her house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would’ve had to train originally, but it was still very difficult right now because my Dantian hadn’t filled up yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How long will it take?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t feel like it was going to take a long time until I healed fully, but loss of Qi for a martial artist was still a huge deal even if it lasted for only a few days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It meant I couldn't do anything if a problem arose during that time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I didn't think anything while I was in Namgung Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…Grr… rr.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bastard that kept whining ever since earlier was also a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed to be whining out of hunger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stop whining, I’m already conflicted enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it was hungry, I had no solution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't obtain a Demonic Stone, nor could I hunt Demons right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Clan may have been rotting away, but because it was still a noble clan, they had many martial artists lined up as guards so Anhui had great safety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would have to go extremely far to hunt Demons since there weren't any nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So just wait a few days. I’ll feed you once I’m able to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Grr…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring the beast’s whining, I came back to my place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hongwa asked me if I wanted to eat as soon as I entered, but I told her I’d eat later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You didn’t go inside the room, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, yes. I did as you ordered.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After confirming, I sent Hongwa away and entered my room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as I entered, I set up a Qi barrier around my room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My Dantian screamed in pain as I squeezed out the little Qi I had left, but I had no other choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh… Ough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, I saw a man groaning in pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man, head on the floor and sweating buckets, was none other than Namgung Cheonjun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing him, I smiled awkwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry, I forgot about you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ugh… You… fucking…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a light clap, Namgung Cheonjun’s body loosened and collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I went up to the bastard that was struggling in pain on the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How was I supposed to know that your father will suddenly come to me and drag me away?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pant… pant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to Namgung Jin appearing in the morning, Namgung Cheonjun was supposed to be kicked out of my place, but I gave him an order right before I left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stay here and put your head on the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Cheonjun had been following that order all along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it feels a bit annoying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I might have given the order, but thinking about how he sweated all over my room pissed me off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pow-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kicked Namgung Cheonjun’s leg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Agh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry, I was a bit pissed off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You… fucker…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your spirit still hasn't died huh. Want to try that again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Cheonjun’s mouth became shut after hearing my response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that, I smirked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get up if you’re done resting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I-It still hasn’t even been a few minu- Ough!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Cheonjun's exhausted body was forced to rise, whether he wanted to or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spoke with a smile after seeing him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We might as well do some testing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing my cheerful words, Namgung Cheonjun’s expression began to rot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************I called it testing, but we didn’t really do much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I only tested if Namgung Cheonjun truly became a Demonic Human, what happened to him after turning, and how much control I had of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body’s potential rose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Cheonjun’s body was slightly more enhanced than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It might have been due to the Blood Qi enhancement, but more likely, the Demonic Qi had boosted his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I must also see the side effects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The side effect of Demonic Qi was madness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In exchange for gaining power that transcends one’s original strength, they are consumed by madness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, they could prevent such a thing from happening if they reached a certain level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that level was at least over Fusion Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then what about Blood Qi?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What were the side effects of Blood Qi?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All types of given power required an exchange of something else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi and one’s level was achievable through time and effort. Demonic Qi ate away one’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So what was the cost of Blood QI?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt exhaustion and pain when I used it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by the recoil that felt like a crack inside my Dantian, I believed the side effect of Blood Qi was,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The use of one’s life energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was what I thought of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it didn’t affect one’s mind, then it must affect something more fundamental.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A person's life energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t an energy that could be increased through time and effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it’s also not something that decreases forever just because it’s been used once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a type of Qi, so it restores itself if a person uses it with control, but considering that this was a person’s life energy, they couldn’t afford to use it recklessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, a low-level martial artist couldn't use this energy even if they wanted to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if Blood Qi used such an energy as a side effect,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It meant that Blood Qi consumed a martial artist’s life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which is why Blood Qi was able to achieve greater strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This crazy fucker had possession of such power in his body.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tapped the almost unconscious bastard on the ground with the tip of my foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Namgung Cheonjun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tsk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pushed him through a few tests until he collapsed, but I learned many things in the process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, Namgung Cheonjun was able to use Demonic Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It affected his Lightning Qi directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I noticed his Qi was mixed with a bit of Demonic Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Qi became more powerful, denser, and covered more range, but its color changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter who looked at it, it didn’t look like an ordinary aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thankfully, he could also choose not to use it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That he could control it himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I ordered Namgung Cheonjun to use Demonic Qi, he was shocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like he knew himself of how much stronger his Lightning Qi became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though of course, I ordered him not to use it, so he wasn’t able to use it on his own will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t power that he could afford to use wherever he wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This immature bastard didn’t seem to understand that though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the amount of control that I have…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He followed my commands and did what I ordered him to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wondered how far I was able to take this, so I ordered Namgung Cheonjun to die, and he tried to end his own life by choking himself to death without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it wasn’t on his own will judging by his expression afterwards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he does listen to everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing this much was enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I hadn't stopped him midway, he would have really died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My control of him was real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thing that made all of this possible was the consumption of Demonic Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Making him obey my commands or enhancing his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All of this was possible because I put my own power into him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I told him to kill himself, I saw that Demonic Qi was being consumed at a rapid rate, so the consumption rate must be different depending on what I ask of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Demonic Qi consumed whenever I gave him an order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was also consumed when Namgung Cheonjun tried to use Demonic Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How annoying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was what I felt after confirming many things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It really was rather annoying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t want to learn such things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I never expected to learn these things in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clicked my tongue, looking at the unconscious Namgung Cheonjun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He may have been a dumbass, but Namgung Cheonjun was a Peak Realm martial artist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I broke into his fairly solid Dantian, put a ton of Demonic Qi into him to turn him into a Demonic Human, and seeing such a thing made me think that it wasn’t impossible for me to corrupt a person at a higher level than I was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would they also be devoured by madness, as I saw in my past life?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know that part yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The important part was that Namgung Cheonjun turned into a Demonic Human, and that I was able to make such a thing happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made me wonder if this was no different from the Heavenly Demon in my past life, and what the world wanted from me to grant me such powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to ask anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To learn this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew that the beast wouldn't respond to me even if I asked, and how could I find the Heavenly Demon when I didn’t even know where it was?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which was why I had to go to the bastard that I was able to ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thankfully, that one bastard came to mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was one guy I believed knew about this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I met them in my past life as well, and I may have been able to keep my life thanks to that meeting, but it also brought destruction and hell into my life as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a huge tree that called itself the world tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to find the tree that waited for someone in the false Abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt like the bastard knew everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In order to do that,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to go to that location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant that I had to find a way to open a way into Abyss as soon as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thankfully, I knew a guy who knew how to do that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t know where they were currently,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But we will meet soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If things went as expected, he would enter the Heavenly Dragon Academy, and we would meet then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant that I had another reason to enter the Heavenly Dragon Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>",2399,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.031Z",1,"novelbin.me","eae61a18c1bd8db93731077aca1bff6938d3f5a2357feecabf91c56e19c5e959","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-269","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-267",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]