[{"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-342":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},1240318,1667,"Chapter 342: Comeback (2)","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-342",342,"\u003Cp>A strange sound could be heard, and it was rather aggressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn’t just the sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My entire body felt as though it was being compressed, squeezed relentlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ughhhh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressure intensified, bringing waves of pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t able to open my mouth, so all I could do was scream internally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How long has it been, I wonder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t sure, as I hadn’t been keeping track of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For fucks sake, seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entering had made me feel nauseous, but leaving brought a whole new level of agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was incomparable to anything I’d felt in my past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, entering and leaving only made me feel sick, but this time was completely different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe  I’d underestimated the warning I’d received before leaving?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>- Apostle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The World Tree said this to me after finishing the story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>- You will experience great pain upon returning. Be prepared for that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>- I’ve alreadybeen through it once. That much is nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d replied smugly, but I definitely came to regret those words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Experienced, my ass…!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a whole new level of torture compared to back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And why was it taking so long to return?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as that thought crossed my mind, I shook my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe this is the weight of all my burdens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought I understood why, based on what the World Tree had told me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The World Tree had said that the world it resided in was a false one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an Abyss created to punish the World Tree, and no one should’ve been able to enter and leave freely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I didn’t know that myself…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless, I’d gone there to uncover hidden truths and deal with Jang Seonyeon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crucial part was that time flowed differently in that Abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few years there equated to only days in the normal world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, I had to make the most of my time there, as I wouldn’t be able to return once I left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This extra time was crucial since I was struggling to overcome my limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simply put, I needed time to train.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After my conversation with the World Tree, I’d made a request.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d asked for time to train within that world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With everything I consumed, the experience I had from my past life, and the body I rebuilt from scratch, I was fully prepared but for some reason, I still couldn’t overcome my next wall. And I had to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt training was my only answer, so I turned to the Abyss as a last resort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I intended to brute-force my way to the next level, using the Abyss’s time distortion as my advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The World Tree accepted my request, and I began training immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it was a false world, all my senses were intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could still feel hunger and pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost everything felt as real as the normal world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation of my fist striking out, Qi flowing from my Dantian, and the control over my body heat all felt the same, allowing me to train as usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many thoughts occupied my mind, but having ample time eased some of the pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it became a problem when I gave up counting days after some time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know how I managed to work so hard, given that I’d spent most of my life without any real motivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One day passed. Then another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, an entire year had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d stopped counting after about half a year, but the World Tree informed me that a year had gone by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t feel anything from it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I only felt disappointed that, despite a full year, I hadn’t broken through my limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thrust my arm out again, figuring it was better to get in another round of training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One difference in the Abyss was that my body aged more slowly than in the real world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My body wasn’t the important part, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gained muscle, but I didn’t grow any taller.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did that mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did it mean this was as tall as I’d ever be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was possible, but I didn’t think that was the case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t been particularly tall in my past life, but I knew I’d been taller than I was now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering how quickly I’d grown after my regression, I hoped I might eventually surpass my past height.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, that wasn’t the important part.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to train my mind to break through my limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More time passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The World Tree stopped telling me how much time had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Day turned to night, over and over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No Demons interfered, as I was training close to the World Tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was simply fascinated by it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What were the Demons doing in this false world?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was curious, but I got rid of the thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, I focused on training my Qi and refining my breathing technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The compression of Qi and using that to enhance my body was a technique I learned from Elder Shin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I also worked on minimizing my Qi usage for greater efficiency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pushed aside all complex thoughts and focused solely on my Qi, my movement, and clearing my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surprisingly, this made my Qi feel like it was flowing more efficiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could that be the reason?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I honestly believed I was close to breaking through my wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought I’d be able to break through in a few months, to finally overcome it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or so I thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few months, my ass. I’d been foolish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reality hit me as I repeated the endless cycle of training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had only reached Peak Realm thanks to everything I’d consumed and the experience from my past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its power was no different from other martial artists at Peak Realm, but I hadn’t reached it through talent alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, now I had to use my Qi sparingly, unlike in the past when I could unleash it freely, so my past-life experience didn’t help much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because to that,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It took a very long time to reach the level I desired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t counted the days, but judging by the time, it must have been several days in the real world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d been in that false world longer than I’d expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I’d achieved my goal, so it was time to return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, in the present, I struggled with searing pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fuck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as though my body was being folded in on itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a reason for this pain upon returning to this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything achieved in that world couldn’t be brought back into the real world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In my past life, that’s what happened to everyone: their memories were wiped, and their bodies returned to their original state before being drawn into the false world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I alone had returned with my memories intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, what was this pain I was feeling now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a way, it was a kind of recoil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was returning to the normal world with the body and strength I gained from my training in the false world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hurts so much, seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pain was excruciating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as if I were being repeatedly struck by a blunt weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t even open my mouth to scream, fearing my body would tear apart if I moved too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All I could do was endure it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to endure it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stood for what felt like ages, enduring the sensation of fire and lightning tearing through my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After barely withstanding that hellish pain for what seemed an eternity,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Accompanied by a crunching sound,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Patter…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt my feet touch solid ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, I felt the breeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been a long time since I’d felt a breeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that sensation, I finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow, fuck.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The curse slipped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I couldn’t help it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I seriously almost died…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt like I was really going to die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was far different from my past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One wrong breath, and I might have been torn apart right there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isn’t that crazy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never doing that bullshit again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d used this method because I was short on time, but if I’d known it would be this dangerous, I wouldn’t have attempted it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I brushed my hair aside with one hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My body felt unusually heavy as I moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt this heavy even with a simple motion like moving my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Setting that aside,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to focus on what mattered first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, I had to look for Jang Seonyeon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he’d been killed by flames and reduced to ashes, that was only in the Abyss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d asked the World Tree if it could keep him dead, but it said that would break the rules.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant there was a high chance that Jang Seonyeon had returned alive too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d expected that, though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he was back, I’d just have to kill him again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There would likely be plenty of Demons around, too…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that in mind, I looked around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now where am I- …What the, what’s going on here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d assumed I’d be sent back to where I’d entered the Abyss, but instead, I was standing in front of a building instead of a forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, I knew where I was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though it had been a long time, I recognized the building of the Heavenly Dragon Academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But its state seemed… odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did it become a mess?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The once-sturdy building now looked as though it might collapse at the slightest touch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A horrifying thought struck me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d assumed only a few days had passed in this world, but there was no way this building could have deteriorated like this in just a few days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it’s been a long time in this world as well?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait, then I’m really screwed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that were true, all my training and plans from that world would be pointless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would mean I’d returned to an incredibly dire situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I was lost in thought, I sensed a presence nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, a familiar old man knelt, bleeding, while a large figure with a great sword stood before him, looking in my direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned, wondering what was going on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flinch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man with the great sword flinched in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why is he shocked by my face?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s insulting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Setting that aside, I looked at the old man who was missing an arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…The Qinghai Sword?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I recognized him instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It took a moment to register since it had been a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s going on?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why is that old man in such a state?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My five senses then came back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did I smell the thick scent of blood all around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I also sensed the foul Qi of the Unorthodox Faction around me, along with their killing intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I began to understand what was happening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems like something happened here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t sure what exactly had happened, but it was clear there was trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I then fixed my gaze on the old man in black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was clearly not from the Orthodox Faction, and he didn’t seem normal either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man seemed interested in me, too; his pupils trembled as he spoke first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How should I respond to that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took a step toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let my Qi flow through my body; the sensation was familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation of me struggling to overcome my wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took another step forward and charged my Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I channeled my Qi into my middle Dantian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It filled up instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What would you do if you knew? You obviously don’t seem like a welcomed guest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You should watch your words, child.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man’s gaze stayed fixed on me, his eyes nervous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because he didn’t get a grasp of my level yet?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He should just swing his sword at that time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took a third step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I directed my Qi from my middle Dantian to my top Dantian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man’s expression shifted instantly, as if he’d realized something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You bastard…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He must be shocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To him, it must seem like I’m breaking through to a new level right here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Obstacles rose each time I moved my Qi, but they weren’t as problematic as before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I controlled my Qi, breaking through each obstacle in my path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is what I endured the Abyss for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d trained my mind and body relentlessly to reach this point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wall shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tip of my Qi, once a small fang, became a massive spike, piercing the wall to my top Dantian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swooosh-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The quality of my Qi began to change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It grew denser, making my previous Peak Realm Qi feel like a joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simultaneously, I spread it throughout my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As my top Dantian opened, my perception shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound I heard felt different, and the flow of my Qi changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d finally broken past the grave of most martial artists—the Peak Realm—and reached the Fusion Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an entirely new sensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch my words?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But, of course, there was no time to waste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could sense something happening here, and I needed to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve never respected the scum of the Unorthodox Faction. After all, I’m true Orthodox blood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man clearly didn’t like it, as he began to raise his great sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew that the opponent in front of me was extremely powerful, but with my Qi reaching my top Dantian, I felt braver than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And why is the sky like that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought it might be night, but that wasn’t it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I looked up, I sensed the old man moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I also felt his Qi move as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I didn’t react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, I looked down, met his gaze, and channeled my Qi from my top Dantian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t night, but I didn’t like how the sky had turned black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, I decided to brighten it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoooosh-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man stepped back as heat radiated from my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shouldn’t have done that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He should’ve kept advancing, fear or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching him hesitate, I whispered softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Red Heaven.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with that, I shattered the night.\u003C\u002Fp>",2372,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.031Z",1,"novelbin.me","6b936c90f4dadf75fc0e5afd240444eb9bafb89e242f509a97c883bcab16b559","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-343","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-341",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]