[{"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-475":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},1240001,1667,"Chapter 474","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-475",475,"\u003Cp>A deep rumbling filled the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Magyeong Gate that had swallowed Gu Yangcheon slowly vanished, and even the remnants of the rift disappeared completely. Cheonma stood silently, staring into the void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silence lingered, heavy in the surrounding air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haa… Haa…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eyes turned here and there, searching for the suddenly vanished Gu Yangcheon. In response, Cheonma’s gaze fell upon Mageomhu (Demon Sword Queen).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mageomhu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Cheonma's call, Mageomhu, who was kneeling, lifted her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma could see the regret plainly reflected in Mageomhu’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you regret it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…No….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a lie. Mageomhu clearly felt regret. Still, Cheonma didn’t scold her for this falsehood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mageomhu had always been this way in the countless lives Cheonma had experienced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Additionally, there was a layer of repentance in Mageomhu’s gaze—remorse for not having saved her own life, even if the need required it. Cheonma couldn’t help but find it mildly irritating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, just this once, Cheonma decided to show mercy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If that’s what you want, speak up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With those words, Cheonma gestured with her hand into the empty space before them. Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackling—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Space began to tear at Cheonma’s outstretched fingertips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you desire, I can send you there as well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As her hand moved, the rift grew in size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the white rift that had swallowed Gu Yangcheon, this rift shimmered with a deep purple light, born of Cheonma’s power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, Mageomhu understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she went there, she would be able to see Gu Yangcheon again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sect Leader—Cheonma—was not one to lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she truly entered that rift, could she see him once more?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought crossed Mageomhu’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were still so many questions left unanswered. Remembering the way Gu Yangcheon had looked at her just before he vanished, Mageomhu was flooded with emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wanted to see those eyes again. She wanted to know why he had looked at her that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The feel of his hands reaching for her in those fleeting moments came rushing back. It was brief, but every moment had left a deep impression on Mageomhu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I won’t go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mageomhu had no intention of going to find him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this resolute response, Cheonma tilted her head, asking,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘My’ Gu Yangcheon is… here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma raised her brows and looked away, a faint smirk on her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What a laughable answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The look in Mageomhu’s eyes was clear. Cheonma mused silently as she observed her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘My…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The subtly possessive words Mageomhu had spoken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Gu Yangcheon who had just disappeared was certainly Gu Yangcheon, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Gu Yangcheon who remained in this era held more significance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed to mean something like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the possessive way she claimed him, “my” Gu Yangcheon, seemed directed at her opposite half—and perhaps uttered intentionally for Cheonma’s ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How annoying.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a murderous intent surged within her. For the first time in a while, Cheonma felt a fierce emotion bubbling up, though she barely managed to suppress it with a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wanted nothing more than to rip out Mageomhu’s heart right then and there, but she held back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mageomhu still had a role to play in this life, and her answer had been satisfactory enough to temper her fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma withdrew her hand, which had been keeping the rift open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rift promptly sealed itself and disappeared without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll let this slide, since I liked your answer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Cheonma’s words, Mageomhu lowered her head, and a chuckle slipped from Cheonma’s lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that reaction, it was clear her answer had been directed at Cheonma after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, she would have punished such insolence, but Mageomhu’s intentions aligned enough with her own for her to let it go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now that I know where I must go….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After countless cycles—hundreds, maybe even thousands of repetitions—she had finally found the answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps, she had always known it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe she had simply delayed the inevitable, holding on to the foolish desire to see a bit more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had wandered all this time, unable to let go of that lingering attachment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘In the end…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, she could not avoid it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had tried every possible means, every conceivable effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I have to let you go.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the only way. She only felt certain of this after witnessing it with her own eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did she feel relieved?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, only a hollow sense of regret remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mageomhu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yes, Sect Leader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Return to your station.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Cheonma’s words, Mageomhu looked up in surprise, but no words escaped her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For in Cheonma’s eyes was a chilling coldness, sinking deeply within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a step, Cheonma moved forward, heading in the direction of Namgung Bi-ah, known as the Little Sword Star.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the wake of Gu Yangcheon’s disappearance, the Little Sword Star stood aimlessly, staring blankly into the void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I would end this now and start anew if I could.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A firm grip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Urgh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma approached the Little Sword Star and grabbed a fistful of her hair. The once silver hair had reverted to a golden hue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I have a reason to wait a little longer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t like you. I would tear you apart right now if I could.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because they looked so similar? Or because he had given this half of himself over to her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any of these reasons could be true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the real reason was a little different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was simply because she reminded her of something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman with those same eyes, once so filled with hope, clinging desperately to foolish dreams of walking beside someone dear to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was what enraged her so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If only I could just kill you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Silence. That is not something you should dare say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least in her presence, Namgung Bi-ah would not dare to beg for death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma, still holding her by her hair, glanced back at Mageomhu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Return to your station and relay this message to the Great Master. I will be visiting in a few days, so he should be prepared to see me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t wait for Mageomhu’s response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And as for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma continued with her own work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take me to that damned father of ours. I have things I want to say to him in person.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah’s eyes widened. Noticing this reaction, Cheonma controlled her emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many more times?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many tens of times would she have to repeat this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had already made up her mind, and she could deal with it now if she truly wanted to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not yet. Cheonma needed to wait a bit longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a little longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She needed to prepare the path just a bit more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After enduring all this time, setting an end now felt unexpectedly heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was only one thing she could wish for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘When all this is over.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When she had done all she needed to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For him to hold her close just once, as he had done long ago, and tell her she had done well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though she entertained this notion, she knew, bitterly, that it would never come to pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation was surreal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as though my body was floating, drifting somewhere. A sense of calmness, a strangely pleasant feeling, washed over me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where... am I?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it was because of this unfamiliar lightness, but even my thoughts seemed to blur. I clutched my head, struggling to pull myself together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought back to just before I lost consciousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That snap of memory brought me back in a flash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment when I was killed by the Heavenly Lord... the fierce clash with that bloodthirsty energy... and that breaking of boundaries, becoming something beyond human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Cheonma.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meeting her—that thought alone jolted my eyes open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haaah…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as I regained consciousness, I sprang up, recalling those recent events.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Magyeong Gate…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, that white gate that had engulfed me—that was the last thing I remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced around immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could it be…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it really be that I had returned to my original world, as Cheonma had implied? I hadn’t completed anything that could be considered a “trial” in that realm. Returning this helplessly couldn’t be right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I looked around, something felt… off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t the barren plains of Sichuan, nor was it the bleak dimension I’d encountered before shifting between realms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was… neither.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What… is this place?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Contrary to what Cheonma had suggested, I wasn’t in the original world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strange, starkly white world, stretching in all directions with no clear sense of walls or ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sense of familiarity crept in, as though I’d been to a place like this before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could this mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was just about to stand up and assess the situation when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I noticed something strange. A figure had appeared directly in front of me, though they hadn’t been there a moment ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The identity was unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the distance, someone was there. I narrowed my eyes and focused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It became clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A woman was sitting quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was seated at a table that seemed out of place in this peculiar space, with three teacups neatly arranged before her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her green hair cascaded down to her waist, and her hands were gently folded as she sat with her eyes half-closed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cautiously, I called out to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Lady… No, Senior.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman lifted her gaze toward me. As her face came into clear view, my suspicion was confirmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, she was none other than Tang Jemoon, the very one who had sent me here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s been a long time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice was gentle, yet hearing it made my brow furrow. Just the sight of her brought a surge of anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, countless questions sprang to mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What… exactly did you want from me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve been waiting, hoping we’d meet again… but it took so much longer than I expected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, listen—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried to speak, pressing her for answers, but I stopped, noticing her gaze wasn’t focused on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where… was she looking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I followed her gaze and turned my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone was standing there—a figure I hadn’t noticed in my earlier glances around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An old man, tall and thin, dressed in a white martial robe, with snowy white eyebrows knitted tightly together, stood with his hands behind his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flower petal insignia adorned his chest, a sight that felt eerily familiar, like something I had seen within my own subconscious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Noya…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, he was unmistakably Shin Noya.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at Noya, my eyes wide in disbelief, but his gaze wasn’t directed at me—it was fixed upon Tang Jemoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps because it had been such an unexpected reunion, Noya looked genuinely astonished. And when he finally spoke, his words left me dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pardon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What…\u003C\u002Fp>",1817,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.032Z",1,"novelbin.me","5f2245e3e09c142c5ff7f915d6ea6a9f935cfc28501c1e270a9ba87dcd21b2be","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-476","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-474",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]