[{"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-329":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},1240305,1667,"Chapter 329: The Abyss (4)","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-329",329,"\u003Cp>Though there wasn’t much smoke, but the smell was disgusting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle, crackle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The noise gradually grew clearer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the sound of wood getting burned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I muttered under my breath as I watched the flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lame.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap, tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I brushed against the discarded clothing, and a dark smear stained my fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was unsettling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nudged the object on the ground with the tip of my feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The body that had once writhed in agony was silent now, its screams nothing but a memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unlike your mouth that refused to speak, but you weren’t as resilient.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spoke to him, knowing full well I wouldn’t get a reply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gazed at what had once been a living person, then extinguished my flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the flames faded, the charred figure of the man emerged, blackened by fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked fragile, as if it would crumble at the slightest touch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I crouched, quietly staring at the remains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave him a slow painful death that I so desired,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t feel anything… which is unexpected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn’t as satisfying as I had imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a bastard I’d wanted to kill for ages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the first target ever since my regression, and it was something I wanted to do in my past life as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had wanted to see the bastard scream, to see him collapse in despair beneath my feet, but the reality left me hollow, not filled with the joy I had envisioned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nudged what remained of Jang Seonyeon with my foot, and he crumbled to dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been dead for some time now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had planned to drag out his death over three stages, but he was gone before I even reached the second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chill settled inside me as I stood there, motionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It wasn’t as satisfying as I’d imagined, and it wasn’t even amusing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was all I felt from Jang Seonyeon’s death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shouldn’t I feel joy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d wanted this for so long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is it because youweren’tthe Meteor Sword from back then?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jang Seonyeon wasn’t the Meteor Sword I remembered from my past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man in my memories was different from the one I killed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had killed him now only to prevent him from becoming a threat in the future. That explained the lack of satisfaction—only unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clicked my tongue at the realization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I didn’t even get the information I needed from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had many things I wanted to hear from Jang Seonyeon, but I got less than I expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew he’d have a Shackle on him, and there wasn’t much I could do about it, but it still left me unsatisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it would have been smarter to turn him into a Demonic Human and exploit him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that would have been too disgusting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given how uneasy I felt about Namgung Cheonjun, there was no way I could do the same to Jang Seonyeon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Useful or not, I didn’t want that bastard alive in the same world as me, breathing the same air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One thing did catch my attention, though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While torturing Jang Seonyeon, he said something that stood out to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Aghhhh…! Ughhhh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-How were you going to kill me with all of those instructors around?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Hughhh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as I slowly burned away his body with my flames, he didn’t answer my question. Not that I expected him to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given how advanced Shackles were in this era, it was nearly impossible to extract information from people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Clan  and a few others specialized in breaking Shackles through torture, but even they weren’t flawless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In my days as a Demonic Human, the Heavenly Demon could shatter a mere Shackle with a single hand gesture—it was a different world back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, if I wanted information, I’d either have to learn to break Shackles or turn them into Demonic Humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lacked the refined Qi control needed to break Shackles, nor did I have any experience in doing so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I couldn’t let him become a Demonic Human, so in the end, I chose to inflict pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Ugh… he… he…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amidst Jang Seonyeon’s screams, he suddenly started giggling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Are you crazy? What’s so funny all of a sudden?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-He… hehe… Why did I do such a thing…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Oh? Are you going to tell me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Even if… you manage to escape this place by heaven’s luck… it’ll be too late. In the end, you won’t be able to… Urgh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I narrowed my eyes, hearing Jang Seonyeon’s curse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like he never acted without a plan, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He must’ve prepared something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-What did you do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Do you think… I’ll die in a place like this…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-So what did you do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept spewing nonsense, so I twisted the part of his body already burning in flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Squeeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Ufgh…!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes widened as he resumed screaming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spoke over his screams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Keep this up, and your last words will be you begging for death. Let’s speed this up, unless you’d prefer that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I intensified the flames as I spoke, but in the end, I couldn’t follow through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bastard screamed until the very end, but never begged for death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wouldn’t have pushed this far if he had just begged for mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t tell if it was the Shackle that silenced him or his pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, I stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seems like he did something behind the scenes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But unfortunately, there was something the bastard didn’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was going to return, and no matter what, I wouldn’t be late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time I returned to the real world, only a few days would have passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s how it was in my past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When hundreds of Young Prodigies disappeared and were consumed by the Abyss, the clans and sects panicked, but they returned just a few days later, as if nothing had ever happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They reappeared in the exact spot they had vanished from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I once claimed to be the only survivor of the Abyss, but in truth, everyone returned to the real world—every last one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They all died, yet somehow, they all returned alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>spent years in the Abyss, but everyone came back without aging a day and with no memory of what transpired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a mystery how such a thing could happen, and it led me to give this place its name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A world of lies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A false world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name explained everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know why, but time in this world didn’t sync with the real one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t precise, but I assumed a few years here equaled just a day in the Central Plains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, it could even be longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no idea how many years had truly passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seven years in this world, I gave up counting the days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt pointless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though countless events and memories happened here, I was the only one who remembered them. That’s why I wanted to forget—it was too painful to hold onto them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That damned memory of mine served as a shackle, never letting me forget anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the red sky, wind blew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint scent of blood drifted on the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a characteristic of this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing was normal here—neither the sights, sounds, nor smells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned around, the foul stench still in my nostrils.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But since I came here, I must do what I came here for.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I came here with a purpose, taking advantage of both Jang Seonyeon and Cheol Jiseon to achieve it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing Jang Seonyeon and extracting information was part of it, but it wasn’t my main objective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was only a part of the process, and my main goal here was to go see the damned tree that I saw in my past life, which led me to be associated with the Heavenly Demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s probably watching me, yet it hasn’t shown itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As far as I knew, this entire world was the creation of that bastard of a tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s what the bastard claimed, though it could have been lying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was sure the tree was watching me even now, but considering how it wasn’t appearing,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is it expecting me to come to it instead?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the same back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tree only revealed itself after most of the Young Prodigies had been devoured by Demons, and just before I was about to be eaten after being used as bait by my group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, you’re not going to be easy, huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine, let’s see who wins then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We both have all the time in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I brushed the remaining ashes from my clothes and began to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, I turned back to where Jang Seonyeon’s body lay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remains of his body were still on the ground, not moving one bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course it would be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had burned it down to ashes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even then, I was holding back my strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had tried to weaken the flames as much as possible, but it was still too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After giving his body one last glance, I turned away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting you was a filthy experience. Let’s hope it never happens again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting that bastard twice was more than enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could only hope that this was truly the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that final thought, I continued forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced around after taking a step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to figure out which direction to go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took another stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I enveloped myself in Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I considered leaping ahead with speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Demons roamed everywhere in this Abyss, but fear was not something I felt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I prepared to leap after taking my final step,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woong…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I instantly turned at the uneasy sensation creeping up behind me. Something told me I had to look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All that remained were Jang Seonyeon’s charred remains on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woong-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I heard a strange sound in my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a strange resonating sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it even a sound? It felt odd to label it as such.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I realized its source when I felt the vibrations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was his Dantian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deeper part of it at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Blood Qi?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was where he stored his Blood Qi. Suddenly, it began to boil, reacting to something invisible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought Blood Qi was unusable in this world, yet here it was, resonating with a will of its own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jang Seonyeon’s blackened, burnt body, now barely human in appearance, began to move slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With every movement, ashes crumbled from his form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet despite this, it kept moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sss… Sss…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The body slowly stood upright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jang Seonyeon’s body no longer had any life in it, let alone the ability to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, it somehow stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How was this even possible?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what was this unsettling feeling creeping over me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I considered whether to destroy the body further, Jang Seonyeon fully stood and slowly turned his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shouldn’t have been able to see, not with his face completely burnt, yet he seemed to be scanning his surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His movements were stiff and robotic, far from natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Jang Seonyeon’s head snapped in my direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instinctively, I flinched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although his face could no longer form expressions, I had the unsettling sense that he was somehow smiling at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[ Ah… ]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I began to hear a voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt more like a telepathic connection than an actual sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[ I wondered why the connection was severed. Now I see the problem. ]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I recognized the voice immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But where had I heard it before?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, in a flash, I remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last day of the tournament of Dragons and Phoenixes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This voice had spoken to me before, while using that bastard’s body as a vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jang Seonyeon’s lifeless form nodded, staring directly at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, I couldn’t even call that thing Jang Seonyeon anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It definitely had a different name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[ It has been a while. Do you remember me? ]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing the question, I quietly muttered the name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Blood Demon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[ Hehehe. ]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if the voice was satisfied, it started to giggle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>**************The Qinghai Sword, one of the Five Great Swordsmen of the world, and a Leader of one of the Ten Sect Alliances, was watching the forest that was outside of his window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qinghai Sword let out a sigh as he watched, but he still had a curious expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was where Gu Yangcheon had allegedly found the secret vault, yet the Qinghai Sword could sense nothing out of the ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sleeping Dragon claimed a door had appeared when he broke the surrounding Formation, but not a trace remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If someone of his level couldn’t detect anything, it either meant that the Sleeping Dragon and Gu Yangcheon lied to him, or that the secret vault disappeared completely without leaving a single trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former seemed more likely, yet the Qinghai Sword doubted those children would lie to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A secret vault huh… But why here, of all places?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Murim Alliance might provide more details, but he doubted they would give him the full story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if the vault existed, I can’t believe it was that child who discovered it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon was a child the Qinghai Sword had been thinking about often lately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His talent was extraordinary compared to others, but that wasn’t the reason for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heclaimed the Beggar’s Sect provided the information. Could they be involved*?*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That part seemed difficult to believe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qinghai Sword knew the Leader of Beggar’s Sect very well, which made it harder to believe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then…Whatabout the First-Class Beggar’s Pass he had?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qinghai Sword was aware that Gu Yangcheon was full of secrets, and none of them were easy to unravel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like father, like son, huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I told him I’d call on him again. I’ll have to be more direct next time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qinghai Sword sighed once more, and brushed his beard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed to him that he sighed more with age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the instructors out proctoring the test, the academy was quiet, and the Qinghai Sword thought a walk might do him good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he considered a walk to clear his mind,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cggkkk-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qinghai Sword’s senses stretched over the entire academy and caught something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, he drew his sword, Qi surging through it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation alone made him feel uneasy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He detected the unmistakable stench of the Unorthodox Arts, the kind the Unorthodox Faction wielded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing it, he let out a disbelieving chuckle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I must really be getting old.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was standing guard himself, yet these nobodies from the Unorthodox Faction dared to barge in, brazenly revealing their intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his younger days, no one would have dared such insolence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the Qinghai Sword prepared to leap toward the source of the disturbance,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pardon me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He heard a sound from nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you perhaps the Qinghai Sword?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the question, the Qinghai Sword’s sharp Qi flared out around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t even sensed a presence until they were right behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His senses covered the entire Heavenly Dragon Academy, yet the intruder had slipped past them and approached him from behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Combat Qi surging, the Qinghai Sword addressed the voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sized up his opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were an extreme giant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They wore a black outfit, and they also had a strange beast leather as a garment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deep scar ran down their neck, and just looking at them sent a chill through the Qinghai Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qinghai Sword knew instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t sure if he could defeat this opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just who is this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His level of power was undeniable, yet his identity remained a mystery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold sweat ran down the Qinghai Sword’s spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he was full of tension,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought so. Nice to meet you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The giant smiled, staring directly at the Qinghai Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yellowed teeth showed as he opened his wide mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qinghai Sword watched his opponent warily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His only thought was escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Martial pride didn’t matter at this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that someone like this had infiltrated the Academy meant only one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The students are in danger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The students’ lives were at risk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than finding a way to win, the Qinghai Sword had to find an escape route.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to protect the students.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You  seem distracted, Qinghai Sword. Your eyes are trembling.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m glad. It means that I’m still dangerous to you, and I’ll take that as a compliment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I will ask again… who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The giant smiled, clearly satisfied by the Qinghai Sword’s question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, it’s pretty exciting since it’s been a while.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swooosh-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rough, ominous aura began to pour from his massive frame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I hope you remember who I am.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the ominous aura engulfed the area, the giant drew his great sword and drove it into the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am the Black Dragon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems like you know who I am judging by your expression.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qinghai Sword’s eyes widened after hearing the giant’s title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a name he knew all too well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, it was said that the man with that title had died long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The giant chuckled, clearly savoring the Qinghai Sword’s shock, before pointing his great sword at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shall we have a dance of swords?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Black Dragon’s ominous smile widened, eager for his first sword dance in ages.\u003C\u002Fp>",2914,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.031Z",1,"novelbin.me","960339404603d48121be44a3c3a4614652a054f780b0d701116c2eabfe0ed4e8","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-330","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-328",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]