[{"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-385":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},1239861,1667,"Chapter 385","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-385",385,"\u003Cp>An unfamiliar ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the first thought that came to mind as I opened my eyes. Sunlight was streaming through the window, and judging by the brightness, it felt like it was just past noon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I immediately sat up. I needed to assess the situation. But as I braced myself against the bed to get up—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to clutch my forehead as a throbbing pain shot through it. What’s going on? Why does it hurt so much?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...This feeling.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked around the room while holding my forehead. It was an unfamiliar room. It seemed to be an inn, but it wasn’t the Baeklim Tavern where I was staying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I took in my surroundings, I began to remember the events right before I lost consciousness. Specifically, when I saw my father’s fist in front of my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did I pass out from that hit?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If that’s true… that’s incredibly embarrassing, isn’t it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had activated Dual Heaven Piercing Technique and was ready to give it my all, only to be knocked out by a single punch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all that bravado, I got knocked out cold. To make matters worse…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I lost… and that means I won’t get the answer, will I?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire purpose of that duel had been to find out where my mother was. All I needed to do was land one successful hit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I failed. And my father even agreed to fight with one arm restricted. In the end, the difference in our abilities was too great for me to overcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s not like I expected to win.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I never thought I could win, but I didn’t expect to lose this miserably. It only meant that my father was much stronger than I had anticipated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With some difficulty, I managed to lift my upper body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, I needed to figure out how long I’d been out and what happened after I fainted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stretched out my hand, I felt something unusual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone was lying on the small bed next to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Startled, I quickly pulled my hand back. Who was it? Who was in my bed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mind raced, rapidly cooling down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were only two—no, maybe three people who would sneak into my bed while I was sleeping. Among them, the most likely candidate was…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Namgung Bi-ah?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had snuck in before, though she hadn’t done it recently. If anyone would do it now, it would be her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hesitantly lifted the blanket with a cautious hand. If it really was Namgung Bi-ah, what then?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could I do? I’d probably scold her a bit, then we’d go eat together as usual…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Contrary to my expectations of seeing blue hair, what greeted me was black hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black hair? Who else had black hair?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The groaning voice was deep. At least, it didn’t sound like a woman’s voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was I hearing things because I had just woken up?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stood there in bewilderment, the person sensed my presence and started to get up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh… Morning… Ahk!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as I saw who it was, I kicked him reflexively. He tumbled off the bed from the unexpected strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ouch! Who kicks a monk, you bastard!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holding his stomach and yelling in pain was Woo Hyuk, the Sleeping Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What the hell are you doing here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was he here? And why was he shirtless? That annoyingly well-built physique was right in front of my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How did I feel? Well, it was downright unpleasant to wake up and see a half-naked guy first thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing my disgust, I started talking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I guess I had become more tolerant over time. In the past, I would’ve thrown a punch without a second thought. Now I was asking questions first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think someone is doing in a bed? I was sleeping… Put your hand down. Why are you clenching your fist?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, my patience was wearing thin. I was barely holding back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m counting to three.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s with the numbers?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It means I’ll give you three chances to explain yourself before I beat you up. So talk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a vague and suspiciously quick judgment, don’t you think? What kind of rule is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing him complain about arbitrary rules was ironic, considering he was the king of arbitrary decisions. I ignored his protests and extended one finger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, hold on. Why are we doing this? Can’t we just talk this out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey! At least give me a weapon so I can defend myself! This is unfair!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woo Hyuk looked around frantically for something to defend himself with, but there was nothing useful in sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We should resolve this with words, not fists…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Three. Now, you’re gonna—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I ran away from home!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze just as I was about to grab his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did he say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Ran away?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I ran away from home. I left… Ouch!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help but smack him across the head. He glared at me with a wounded look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why’d you hit me when I told you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry, but it’s hard not to hit someone spouting nonsense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Running away? What nonsense is that? For someone who technically lives with the Wudang Sect, not at his family estate, “running away” doesn’t even make sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially considering I know his real name, it made even less sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Run away from what? Where did you go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Put down your fist, and I’ll explain. Where did I run away from? Obviously, I left the sect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t even mention his actual family. It made sense since he hated that place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, are you saying you left the Wudang Sect?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you crazy? If I did that, I’d lose my martial arts and my core would be shattered. I just mean I left temporarily… I’ll go back eventually.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed, processing what he was saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, out of the blue, you decided to run away?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh, you’re so impatient.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spit it out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Annoyed by my persistent questioning, Woo Hyuk hesitated, licking his lips. He seemed reluctant to talk. Normally, I wouldn’t press him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I was irritated enough to insist on an answer. I began channeling my energy into my hand, causing Woo Hyuk to flinch and respond quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a protest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A protest?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes… a protest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who are you protesting against?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A protest? Out of nowhere? Running away to make a statement?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woo Hyuk just wore an awkward smile in response. I knew that look. It meant he wouldn’t say anything more, no matter what.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, no amount of beating would get anything out of him. I clicked my tongue and moved on to another question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, whatever. Protest or not, why are you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The personal stuff aside, what mattered to me was why Woo Hyuk was here, in my bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He broke into a bright smile as if he’d been waiting for that question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That grin was somehow even more annoying, especially coming from someone with such a handsome face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, that. I ran away, so I needed somewhere to stay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not like I’ll be gone for just a day or two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woo Hyuk grinned at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So I thought I’d crash at your place for a bit. Just kidding! Kidding! Put out the fire! The whole place will burn down!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the flames rise around me as I smiled, he quickly waved his hands in panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right? You were just joking? Good thing I stopped, or I might’ve burned you alive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re seriously intense…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woo Hyuk groaned, seemingly exhausted by my reaction. Was he really planning on freeloading at my place?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing my sour expression, he chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry, it was half a joke. I do have a place to stay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a relief.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not even curious about where? I’m a little hurt here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’d tell me even if I didn’t ask.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My nonchalant answer made him blink in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know, it’s always surprising how well you know me. Were we close friends as kids or something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re spouting nonsense again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s just that most people don’t know me this well. But you always seem to get it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hurry up and talk. Stop with the roundabout nonsense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing I wasn’t amused, Woo Hyuk scrunched his nose in frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard you’re headed to Sichuan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to raise my eyebrows at that one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did you know that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Iron Prince told me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woo Hyuk casually revealed the source of his information—Iron Ji-sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Just wait until I see him again.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ji-sun, that loudmouth! I’ll make him regret that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I seethed inwardly, Woo Hyuk continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, my master happens to be in that area right now. Why don’t we travel together? I’m planning to stay there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A master? This piqued my interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Does he actually have a master?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had assumed he trained under someone from the previous generation, like Yeongpung. Maybe he was connected to someone like Gu Ryun or the Demon Sword Empress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d never heard about a master for the Sleeping Dragon before. But in Sichuan?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My master travels around often, but he’s in Sichuan this time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have a master?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. I didn’t learn too much from him, but you’d know him if I mentioned him. He’s pretty famous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone famous enough for me to recognize? That would be unusual. With curiosity, I looked at Woo Hyuk as he sat up to answer me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kyu-do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head, unfamiliar with the name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded like a name, but I hadn’t heard of it. If he was famous, I should have known him by now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His nickname.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woo Hyuk added, and my eyes widened in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wudang’s Demon Immortal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s my master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A well-known figure, indeed, in every sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wudang Demon Immortal, Kyu-do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the most prominent masters of Wudang Sect, yet also one of the most notorious figures. He was a treasured relic of the Namgung Family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the future wielder of the Ghost Blade,Thunder Fang, once wielded by the Demon Sword Empress herself.\u003C\u002Fp>",1688,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.031Z",1,"novelbin.me","5eedba10cc0abdfd52362d9feda47631d0229f8ad48974e2fa5b974663d74420","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-386","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-384",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]