[{"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-402":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},1239878,1667,"Chapter 402","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-402",402,"\u003Cp>Gu Jeol-yeop isn't joining us for the trip to Sichuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing about it brought a thought to mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is probably…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like I’d guessed before, it must be because of issues with the Gu Sun Moon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Could it be a problem with Muyeon?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first sword master and others from Gu Sun Moon had already decided to back Muyeon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it made sense that Gu Jeol-yeop chose to return to the main family upon hearing that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Understanding my thoughts, Elder Il sighed softly and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s what he wanted. The head of the family also agreed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My father probably wouldn’t care about Gu Jeol-yeop's choice, but it was a bit disappointing for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If he’s really going back to the main family…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wondered if that was truly the right choice for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though following me wouldn’t necessarily be a better option, something about it didn’t sit well with me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just leaves a bitter taste, that’s all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That lingering unease and his sullen expression kept bothering me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced away from Gu Jeol-yeop's face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If that’s your choice, I won’t interfere.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, if Gu Jeol-yeop decided it was best to return to Gu Sun Moon, I wouldn’t argue. If he’d come to me and asked what he should do, I might’ve given him a different answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he hadn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He probably believed that leaving was the right decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing him, a faint feeling of concern bubbled up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the future, I hoped he wouldn’t look back on this decision with regret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After bidding my farewells, I climbed into the carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was riding in one of the Gu family carriages, with no servants accompanying me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tang family prioritized secure transportation, so having too many people would’ve been a hindrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Pa family had agreed with the Tang family to focus on providing security.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aside from that…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced toward the Pa family's carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon was probably sitting there with Pa Woo-cheol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to know more about him, too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The detour to the Tang family has delayed us a bit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Changing our route to ensure safe transportation to Sichuan had created some issues that needed addressing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still so many things to consider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how much I organized, there were always more issues to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My headache, which had been calming down lately, seemed to return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I let out a weary sigh, I felt a cold touch on my forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasNamgung Bia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I opened my eyes slightly to meet her worried blue gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She asked softly,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you… okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was she asking about?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled slightly and responded,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm fine. Nothing to worry about.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I probably smell, so you should keep your distance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t had a chance to wash properly, and I boarded the carriage in a mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I considered walking outside, but both Wi Seol-ah and Namgung Bia insisted I stay in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I really could’ve just walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, as I gently pushedNamgung Biaaway to warn her not to touch my unkempt self, she pulled me down into her lap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A soft sensation followed, and I realized it was her knee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I was about to sit up,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're tired… It's okay to rest…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing her gentle voice, I relaxed against her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How did she know I was tired?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d adjusted my energy so my exhaustion wouldn’t show.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kept my breathing steady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it was my ragged appearance that gave me away. Namgung Bia seemed to notice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Troublesome.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Laying my head on her knee, I felt comforted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came a sense of waste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time felt precious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time spent sleeping felt like a waste. I had other things to focus on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I really be sleeping now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now that I think of it, what about Moyong Heea…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recently, there hadn’t been any updates from Moyong Heea, but she’d sent a letter saying she’d join the trip to Sichuan later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d said she’d catch up with us within a few days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I recalled this, a strange thought occurred to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lucky…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did I feel relieved that Moyong Heea was joining us for the trip?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe I wasn’t thinking straight due to exhaustion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…I should focus on what’s waiting in Sichuan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I forced myself to clear my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were many reasons I chose Sichuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond matters like Baek Ma-seok or the Yeon family, there was something else I was focused on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just as I thought, he’s there.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d thought a lot about building a force to prevent the bloodshed that would come in the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the people I had in mind was based in Sichuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was expected to make a name for himself in a year or two, but I planned to reach him sooner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If my information from the previous life is accurate, it won’t be hard to find him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on what I remembered, he was hiding somewhere on the tallest mountain in Sichuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Establishing my force started with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In my previous life, he was a demonic being, one of those I’d feel no remorse about corrupting in this life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I recalled his face,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt a gentle hand caressing my hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it Namgung Bia?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or Wi Seol-ah beside her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All I knew was that this soft touch brought a surprising calm to my weary mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I thought of getting up,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My exhausted body wouldn’t allow it. Finally, I decided to give in and rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gui Moon Mountain (鬼文山) of Sichuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s one of the towering mountains, the largest in Sichuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With its massive size, eerie atmosphere, and the cold air surrounding it, people called it a haunted mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stories about the mountain were equally terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They said if you walked up Tai Mountain at night, you’d encounter ghosts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who visited alone never returned alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gui Moon Mountain was famous for such grim rumors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from that, other ridiculous stories surrounded the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One thing people didn’t know was that Gui Moon Mountain had no ghosts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ghosts might exist, but stories of them haunting Gui Moon Mountain were just rumors spread by those who had claimed the mountain as their territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tales of people disappearing weren’t due to ghosts; it was human action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was all because of the people who had settled in the mountain, spreading stories to keep others away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the martial arts world, they were known as the Green Forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Ma Gyeong Moon rose and monsters started appearing across mountains and seas,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the number of Green Forest bandits dwindled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some said bandit blood had dried up entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t far from the truth. Reports of bandits were almost non-existent in Central Plains. As monster threats rose, organizations like the escort agencies bolstered their security, reducing the Green Forest’s reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In such times, those occupying Gui Moon Mountain were often called the ‘Last Green Forest.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a shabby cabin on the mountainside,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud-thud-thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, bottles rolled around in a room so chaotic it was hard to see the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With trash scattered everywhere and unfinished food covered in flies,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a few men, looking like they hadn’t bathed in days, were snoring loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the tranquil forest outside, their snoring echoed across the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, someone burst through the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Chief!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man with a scruffy beard kicked the door open and yelled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those snoring stirred and groaned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ugh… my head…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Water…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bleugh!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Argh! You bastard…! Don’t puke here!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Grab him!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As chaos erupted, the man who shouted frantically looked around and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where’s the Chief?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who’s this? Oh, it’s the youngest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, kid… fetch some water.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite his urgency, the others barely reacted, their voices rising above the alcohol stench filling the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man continued asking for the Chief, but no one answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, he snapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You idiots! Where’s the Chief?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, the room fell eerily silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man flinched as everyone turned their eyes on him, and none of them looked pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This brat…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did he lose his senses? Shouting at us like that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Spit!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creaaak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men who had been lying around rose, revealing their imposing frames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their heads nearly touched the ceiling, and they carried an air of danger that made the man step back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look, guys… it’s not that…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He needs some discipline.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shall we straighten him out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thick hand reached toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man shut his eyes, bracing for pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But oddly enough, the pain didn’t come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Confused, he peeked through his lashes and saw the others had pulled back, standing up straight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He frowned, wondering why they stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice from behind froze him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned, struggling to face the towering figure behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man was even taller than the ones in the room, a mountain of muscle covered in scars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His presence alone was terrifying, his sharp gaze sending a chill down the man’s spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man managed to croak,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"C-Chief…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chief grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing a full-grown man hoisted in the air like that was an unsettling sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s so important that you’d bother me this morning?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I-it’s… uh…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If your answer doesn’t please me, you’ll die. Understand?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The murderous aura in his voice made the man tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That smile, those words—they were terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man managed to gasp out,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tang… Tang Moon…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chief’s eyes widened slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He released him, and the man collapsed, gasping for air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gasp… gasp…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could finally breathe, but just barely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could recover, the Chief crouched, getting face-to-face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about Tang Moon? Speak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a frightening smile, the Chief stared him down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man, known as the Chief, was the leader of the last Green Forest stronghold on Gui Moon Mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In time, he would join the Heavenly Demon’s ranks and become known as the Green King.\u003C\u002Fp>",1646,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.032Z",1,"novelbin.me","e8a6e8d2fb99852dbb594b7e4fbf320acf655625f5f9f58a42d2bd1966b155cb","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-403","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-401",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]