[{"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-400":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},1239876,1667,"Chapter 400","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-400",400,"\u003Cp>\"To surpass the limits of humanity.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I heard those words, my face filled with confusion. It was difficult to fully grasp what he meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To take the first step towards that, one must reshape the vessel. You are undergoing that process now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had already sensed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could feel my body changing, as well as the transformation in my movements that came along with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just asPaejonsaid, my body was experiencing an intense and painful metamorphosis, so much so that I had thought of it as an artificial rebirth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The second step is the fusion of the mind and body.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mind and body...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Once you have prepared the vessel, you must fully infuse it with your martial essence, no?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I remembered whatPaejonhad mentioned before about the state ofTranscendence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had described it as a realm where martial arts and martial artist become one. Was the fusion of mind and body different from that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you’re wondering about the difference with Transcendence—there is none.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In fact, I designed it with that very purpose in mind. However, because it is artificially induced, its value is much lower.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, on top of this artificial rebirth, he aimed to artificially reach the higher realm as well?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How did he even create such a martial art?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listening to him, I could somewhat understand whyPaejonreferred to his martial art as something made to surpass human limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a way, it seemed he had crafted his martial arts to touch upon the domain of the divine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reaching a state of selflessness can be a double-edged sword.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A state of selflessness may sound appealing, but it’s simply intense focus. Losing control of the body comes with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With one’s flow ofqimoving chaotically, a poorly taken hit could disrupt all the vital points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"However, that’s also why it’s ideal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Entrusting all senses to instinct creates a state best suited for martial arts. Moreover, if you can fully control that sensation, there’s nothing better.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To think of controlling a state of selflessness completely—how absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It may be a great state for enlightenment, but selflessness is called so because one forgets oneself and focuses solely on martial arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How could you possibly control that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I wanted to refute his words rationally, I felt thatPaejon, being who he was, might actually make it possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, since he said the sensation I experienced was due toTu A Pa Cheon Gong, there was credibility to his claim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...That sensation, then…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The world felt blurred, with only my movements sharply in focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without deliberate effort, the motions flowed precisely as I intended. That sensation held an immense thrill for a martial artist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your expression has changed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I understand the feeling, but don’t be hasty. Whether you want it or not, as my disciple, you will eventually reach that place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejonburst into laughter at my response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Didn’t you once say that you’re not particularly talented in martial arts?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then and now, I still can’t agree with you on that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he gestured behind me. I turned to follow his gaze and saw the wall I had been mindlessly breaking during my selfless state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, where the wall had been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sunlight streamed through the gaping hole that had taken its place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t sell yourself short. At least when it comes to my martial art, you’re exceptional.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After five days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Days spent training tirelessly in the cave, I finally completed the taskPaejonhad set for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I confirmed this, then collapsed to the ground, fatigue crashing over my already weary body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I seemed ready to pass out,Paejonspoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Congratulations. Now you’re ready to learn the First Fist (Il-gwon, 一拳).\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I didn’t really registerPaejon's congratulations; I just wanted to collapse and rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Closing my eyes, I was about to drift into sleep when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s time to go. Do you intend to lie there?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words made my eyes fly open. I pushed myself up, despite my exhaustion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...How much time…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I realized there was no time to waste. Five days had passed, and with daylight streaming in, it was likely the day of departure for Sichuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I hastily asked,Paejoncocked his head to the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who knows? You could just run now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Ah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I closed my eyes in resignation at his response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He meant I’d have to go like this, drenched in sweat and covered in dust, with my disheveled appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hurriedly, I left the cave and arrived at the predetermined location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, everyone else had already gathered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From a distance, I spotted my father and halted for a moment, turning to askPaejona question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the way, what did you discuss with my father?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You mentioned you met with him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejonnodded at my whisper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I met him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What happened?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean? We met, that’s all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at him in disbelief at his overly simple answer.Paejonpursed his lips and spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t worry too much. I received your father’s permission.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Permission?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. He didn’t seem to mind, contrary to expectations.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I raised an eyebrow at that. Had my father really allowed me to learnPaejon's martial arts?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It would have been troublesome if he’d refused, but thankfully, it didn’t come to that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Troublesome?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I would have had to use force, which isn’t ideal at the moment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My face twisted at his casual mention of using force. Was he really planning to handle things so crudely?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anyway, it’s taken care of, so focus on your tasks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Understood.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I felt uneasy, I decided to let it go sincePaejonhad said everything was fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, I was more concerned about my appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What am I going to do about this state?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t managed to clean up properly, so my condition was far from good. Though I’d changed clothes, there were still visible traces of my rough training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I usually didn’t care much about my appearance, but given the circumstances, I needed to make a presentable impression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The selfless state left me in this mess. I could suppress the smell with myqi, but I couldn’t hide the disheveled look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I hesitantly approached, the gathered people turned their gaze towards me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them were a few unfamiliar faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both were middle-aged men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I tried to identify them,Paejonsuddenly bowed to one of them and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My apologies for being late.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man on the left, a stranger, visibly flinched atPaejon's greeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I realized who he was. That man was likely the head of the Moyong family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejonlifted his head and looked at the man, who then managed a forced smile and spoke,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes… please be more punctual next time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, father.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I hadn’t knownPaejon's identity as Moyong Biyeon’s father, the scene might have seemed odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing the situation, however, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of sympathy for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How should I put it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>GivenPaejon's status as the highest-ranking person in the Moyong family, he was pretending to be the man’s son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It couldn’t be an easy position for that poor man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And the other man?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one was the Moyong family head, then the other middle-aged man must be the head of the Pa family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see… He looks just like Pa Woo-cheol.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a large, imposing figure, even bigger than Pa Woo-cheol, and exuded a powerful presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he was indeed the Pa family head, then I recognized him vaguely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a martial artist who had achieved a high rank similar to my father’s within the central plains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I looked between them, I bowed to my father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My apologies for being late.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Understood.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He responded curtly, ending it there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While things seemed to have thawed between us since last time, it was clear his personality hadn’t changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he merely raised an eyebrow at my state before looking away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I awkwardly stepped back, I suddenly heard a voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yangcheon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Yes?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Miapproached and addressed me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I heard your training was grueling, but it’s unfortunate that you’re not presenting yourself properly before important people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I… apologize.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her unexpected reprimand took me by surprise. She rarely spoke to me in such a manner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oddly enough, I didn’t find it unpleasant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I apologized,Lady Mireached out and touched my hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your hair is quite damaged.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lady Mi… My condition isn’t great right now. Your hands might get dirty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I warned her, concerned about the dust clinging to me, but she continued to smooth down my hair without a care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seemed intent on tidying me up a bit, though it wasn’t an easy task.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she fussed over my hair, she continued to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll send you some good medicine. Make sure you take it regularly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Yes? Yes, ma’am.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Tang family head will treat you well, but if you encounter any problems, seek out the Baekhwa Merchant Group in Sichuan... And...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could feel her words stretching on, and I noticed my father beginning to look weary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring him,Lady Micontinued her advice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lastly…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt like I had heard that “lastly” multiple times now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t get hurt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You don’t have to follow all my advice, but do keep this one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words resonated strangely with me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Understood…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling a strange warmth, I let out a cough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could I describe this feeling?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally breaking away fromLady Mi,Paejonapproached me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Finished your conversation?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good, good. That’s a relief.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps due to the number of people,Paejonhad reverted to usingBi Jin’smannerisms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was astonishing how he could change his demeanor so completely, as if he were a different person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I watched him, I suddenly noticed a person standing behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was something off about one of the attendants behindPaejon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the attendants, one man caught my attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who is he?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was an ordinary-looking man with a face full of freckles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, I felt an odd vibration in my right arm as I looked at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why? What was it about this man?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ve got a keen sense.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice whispered in my ear, making me suppress a gasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice carried a familiar, ominous air, along with a faint sensation in my arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had felt this before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staring at the attendant, I swallowed hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one in the guise of an ordinary attendant was none other than the man known as the King of Assassins—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Shadow King.\u003C\u002Fp>",1746,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.031Z",1,"novelbin.me","25b61d0ddb4a819091049ee0666fce03b707c588c2a9501c990dbf19e181a4aa","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-401","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-399",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]