[{"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-463":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},1239989,1667,"Chapter 462","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-463",463,"\u003Cp>Crack--!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive vessel shattered, and the water that poured from within began to engulf Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The endless darkness of the space he was in started to fill with that water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Water rising up to his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing as if atop a calm lake, Shin Cheol stood firmly on the water’s surface, completely unshaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shattered fragments of the vessel sank to the bottom, and somewhere down there, Gu Yangcheon would be sinking as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing this, Shin Cheol lifted his head calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t see the sky; all he could see was utter darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the inner space of Gu Yangcheon’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That endless darkness reflected his emotional state, while the water filling up symbolized his regrets and unresolved attachments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What a foolish lad,\" Shin Cheol muttered softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trying to move forward despite not overcoming a single one of his challenges—this space revealed the mind of a young man who simply bore the weight of it all in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at this pathetic, chaotic scene, Shin Cheol let out a hollow laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze turned downwards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The water continued to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked for Gu Yangcheon, who was surely submerged somewhere in its depths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes scanned here and there, but there was nothing to see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy’s regrets and attachments ran that deep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Cheol shook his head as he took in the sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he respected the boy’s choice, he had no idea where it would ultimately lead him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether that child would ever open his eyes again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even if he did, would he still be himself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And, should Gu Yangcheon awaken as himself—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would he be able to properly deal with the countless remnants of energy and regret left behind?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Shin Cheol couldn’t be certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the very idea of becoming something other than oneself was beyond Shin Cheol’s understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he stood quietly, watching the water—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kuooo-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt the space shake suddenly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang--!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Splash—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something massive fell onto the surface of the water, creating an immense wave. As the water cascaded back down, it looked almost like rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Cheol looked at the colossal figure writhing atop the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was truly enormous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Large enough to fill this entire space, it was black as pitch and dwarfed any creature Shin Cheol had ever seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That monstrous being—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huff… huff…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lay on the water, its exhausted breaths audible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ve done well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the hunched figure, Shin Cheol offered words of comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t fully make out its features; all he could see was its size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The difference in presence between them was too vast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like the perceptual divide between martial artists of vastly different levels, Shin Cheol had initially felt fear toward it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, though, he felt only a faint connection, as they were both toiling for the sake of a pitiful fool who knew nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To wedge that huge body into such a tiny frame and fight… you must have suffered.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Growl… growl…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure trembled and exhaled, almost as if in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Cheol gave a small nod as he observed its labored breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Rest now,\" he said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed that what remained was his responsibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dammit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Cheol let out a thick curse and then laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in death, he couldn’t escape this infernal hardship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So much for a peaceful death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that resigned thought, Shin Cheol began to unleash his plum blossoms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You look like you’re just asking to get beaten.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the playful tone, Heavenly Lord frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did this creature just say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…What did you say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heh, just like him—you heard it all but need to ask again. Tsk, tsk. Your hearing’s already gone bad, old man?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You insolent wretch!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite Heavenly Lord’s fury, the figure simply let out a chuckle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Keep your voice down. I see you still have the lungs of a youngster.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you know who I am to be acting so disrespectfully?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How could I not? With that arrogant face, there’s only one place in the Central Plains you could be from.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crrk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A harsh sound came from Heavenly Lord’s hand as he gripped his sword tighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A moth to a flame. I showed you mercy, and yet you don’t know your place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bizarre creature seemed to have regained its senses, but it was apparently half-mad, or else it wouldn’t dare speak to him this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Heavenly Lord took a step forward, lightning once again began to gather around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lightning in the air took shape, transforming into sharp points, each one deadly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky was filled with these bolts, so numerous they were impossible to count.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was magnificent—truly a sight to behold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure, or rather, Shin Cheol, watching it all—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tsk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let out a short click of his tongue, clearly displeased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If Myeong saw this, he’d be spitting blood in his grave.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Cheol himself harbored many grudges against the Namgung clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mostly because of what happened to the Moyong family. And because of what happened with the Moyong family. And then, there was the incident with the Moyong family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Shin Cheol acknowledged the Namgung swordsmanship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More precisely, he acknowledged the swordsmanship of Namgung Myeong, the Thunderclap Sword of Namgung, rather than the Namgung family as a whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He examined the lightning energy around him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each bolt of lightning held a considerable amount of power and insight, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Foolish people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a disgrace to Namgung’s legacy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Losing the meaning wasn’t enough; they even shattered the very form.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hollow laugh escaped his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ideals Namgung Myeong had once risked his life to protect were nowhere to be found.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Cheol turned his gaze to Heavenly Lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavenly Lord furrowed his brows as if he’d misheard. Young one? That was an utterly demeaning term for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you think the Namgung sword truly is?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Hah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavenly Lord’s face twisted in anger at Shin Cheol’s question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Namgung sword? Did this man dare to ask him about the essence of the Namgung sword?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To him, the number one sword of the Namgung clan?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Struggling to keep his expression composed, Heavenly Lord responded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If provoking me was your goal, consider it achieved.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle--!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lightning hovering in the air crackled loudly, as if ready to strike Shin Cheol at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A heavy pressure settled over the entire forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sovereign Sword Form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pinnacle of the Namgung techniques erupted from Heavenly Lord’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an intimidating sight, enough to instill fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, Shin Cheol’s eyes remained calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How crude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Shin Cheol’s view, it was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far too crude and unrefined to be considered the work of a later generation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he felt discomfort and tension, he was more disappointed than impressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was nothing but a counterfeit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The true Sovereign Sword Form was not something so crudely constructed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not simply about spreading an oppressive aura to hold one’s enemy in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this what you fought so hard to preserve?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Remembering his friend who had shed blood to preserve a single blade, his heart grew heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was true that the display of lightning was dazzling, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When it came to the essence of the Namgung sword, it simply wasn’t supposed to be this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Namgung sword isn’t about grandeur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Myeong’s martial prowess had never been grandiose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything, it was rigid and unadorned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Martial arts devoid of purpose hold no future.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling the words of an old sect leader, Shin Cheol began to walk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze remained fixed on Heavenly Lord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Namgung sword technique was never about lightning.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Shin Cheol’s words, Heavenly Lord’s fury grew darker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, you dare teach me about the Namgung sword now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavenly Lord found the notion absurd. He no longer wanted to have anything to do with this man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your hollow grandeur hides the loss of what should be solid and unbreakable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In today’s world, lightning was synonymous with the Namgung family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Shin Cheol, who had lived through the age of conflict, remembered differently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lightning was just a byproduct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Thunderclap Sword may have controlled lightning and dominated the heavens—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Namgung Myeong had never considered lightning to be important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he pursued was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unyielding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To remain unbreakable, undefeated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To wield the fastest sword while maintaining an unbreakable stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To protect those he cherished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the essence of the Namgung sword and the ideal he sought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Shin Cheol despised his smug face and irritating personality—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That ideal was one he wanted to emulate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Myeong’s words weren’t lies; they were conveyed through his blade, one that moved faster than anyone else’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your sword lacks that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An empty shell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword that this so-called Sword Lord wielded and the one wielded by this Heavenly Lord—they were empty shells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To be revered as a Lord, you certainly lack the qualifications.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…You wretch!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Cheol’s words finally snapped Heavenly Lord’s patience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a furious roar, lightning poured from all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From afar, it looked like a rainstorm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s how much lightning there was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It came crashing down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy and insight Heavenly Lord had poured into his lightning struck swiftly toward Shin Cheol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it struck him head-on, his bones would be pulverized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I already told you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke calmly, a single leaf floated up from beneath Shin Cheol’s feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single, blue leaf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it was a flame, it resembled a petal more than fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Martial arts without meaning are meaningless.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lone leaf floated upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then split into two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle… rustle…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, it split again, becoming four.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just before the lightning struck Shin Cheol, the countless leaves multiplied—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until they finally obscured the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavenly Lord gaped, unable to comprehend the sight before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack--!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The falling lightning struck the petals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each petal it touched, the lightning exploded, bursting in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pop—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound resounded in the sky as the petals triggered each bolt of lightning to explode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the remaining sparks looked like fireworks in the night sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, they were exploding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavenly Lord’s accumulated insight—his lightning, unleashed with such might, was being defused by these mere petals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…This is impossible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavenly Lord couldn’t believe what he was seeing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he fought that creature, he could at least comprehend it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its regenerative abilities and relentless attacks—those were things he could attribute to a monster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s as if…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My insight is being devoured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The insight he had achieved was being undone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recalled the sight of his lightning dissipating effortlessly against these shallow petals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only possible because the opponent’s insight was deeper than his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Impossible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To trample upon him so easily, not even the Sword Lord could accomplish this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps the Heavenly Demon could, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t facing someone equal to the Heavenly Demon, was he?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an inconceivable and unacceptable situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is he really surpassing me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavenly Lord?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grind—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clenched his teeth tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the pride of Namgung, its sovereign. He couldn’t lose to an unknown figure like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if his clan had been destroyed, he was still their last remaining pillar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had to be that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had to be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Heavenly Lord struggled to hold himself together—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Blinded by demonic madness, even the once-clear mind darkens,\" Shin Cheol spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even without it…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment his lightning made contact, Shin Cheol understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavenly Lord wouldn’t have reached his destination, even without the madness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young one, you would have never reached where you were trying to go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…You insolent—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you’re going to curse the ancestors who failed to protect it, then do so. I’d like to have some words with them as well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom--!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Shin Cheol’s taunt echoed, the heavens opened, and a beam of light began to coalesce.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Cheol instantly recognized it for what it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Heart Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pinnacle of a swordmaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sword technique accessible only to those who had reached perfect unity between body and blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sword born from one’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was said that with the Heart Sword, one could cut anything with pure intent alone, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heart Sword was not that simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While it was certainly possible to perform such feats with it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heart Sword was very much real, and the light in the air was that very sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A martial technique that mimicked the swordmaster’s heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing it, Shin Cheol nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite his hollow, derivative martial arts, Heavenly Lord had reached this level, and Shin Cheol acknowledged his effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not bad.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The profound insight of a true martial artist was always commendable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if that artist was lost in anger, frustration, and resentment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The years he had endured were real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed to be shown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This body’s already stuffed with so much, there’s no problem in displaying it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, whenever he borrowed this body, he’d been annoyed by how inadequate it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, it was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The body had been trained, and its internal energy was beyond imagination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the shattered vessel left a sense of emptiness—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enough to show that young fool another world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Cheol stretched out his hand, speaking quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Perhaps this, too, was fate.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something twitched in his left arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling that familiar movement, Shin Cheol couldn’t help but smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Cheol was a swordmaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To fully execute his martial arts, he needed a sword, but right now, he had none.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This body’s original owner was not skilled in swordsmanship, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shhh—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandage wrapped around his left arm unwrapped itself and shifted into Shin Cheol’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its crimson hue had turned to a soft blue, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Cheol paid no mind to the change. A shift in color did not change its essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply looked at the bandage with a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, he spoke its name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s been a long time, Guijeong.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle, rustle—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandage responded to his call, transforming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, it layered upon itself, taking the form of a sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its name was Guijeong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally a treasured artifact of the Hwasan Sect and Shin Cheol’s beloved sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That brat thought it was just a bandage… tsk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought of how many times he had cursed about that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Granted, it was his own fault for failing to explain its significance before he left. But in the end, perhaps it was better that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom--!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the light began to descend toward the ground, Shin Cheol tightened his grip on Guijeong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flash--!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky above Shin Cheol opened, revealing countless beams of light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing it, Heavenly Lord couldn’t hide his shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just one sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked like at least three Heart Swords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with such overwhelming numbers, Heavenly Lord was speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, Shin Cheol’s voice reached Heavenly Lord’s ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In my day—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a faint hint of laughter in that voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his face was obscured by shadow, Heavenly Lord could tell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing Heavenly Lord’s bewilderment, Shin Cheol spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To be called a swordmaster, you needed to summon at least two or three of these with ease.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The era of war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such was the time Shin Cheol had lived in.\u003C\u002Fp>",2567,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.032Z",1,"novelbin.me","f12d5eb4891cba0c1c0db20f27e6a87aeaf9394e3e4ef59b63649e8bb47dd4e5","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-464","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-462",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]