[{"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-496":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},1240022,1667,"Chapter 495","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-496",496,"\u003Cp>Otherwise, I would have died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words spoken by the Divine Doctor momentarily caused my mind to waver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took that to mean they had an unusually large \"vessel\" compared to others. Normally, having a vast aura meant something like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Doctor refuted my interpretation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could that mean? I couldn’t understand the Divine Doctor's words. Not only warriors but even humans require a vessel as the source of their power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could that even make sense?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, and that’s precisely the issue. The fact that they possess such a vast aura without a vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You, on the other hand, are experiencing a problem because your aura is too great for your vessel, causing it to begin cracking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for that child… the problem was that they didn’t even have something that could be called a vessel to begin with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that they were completely empty inside. It was just so vast that it couldn’t be grasped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know. I had never heard of someone having only aura without a vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t provide an answer. I didn’t know the state Wi Seol-ah was in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All I could do was suppress the pounding of my heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either their physical form will disperse, or it will collapse entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I estimated that this would occur in about three years. Even that might be generous; truthfully, no one knows how long they’ll hold out. It’s a mystery as to how their aura has endured up to this point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why the Sword Master asked me to create a vessel for the child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I continued listening, a particular phrase caught my attention, prompting me to raise my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke of creating a vessel. Could it really be possible to make one? If that were the case, it seemed somewhat contradictory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Doctor had clearly told me there was no way to repair or replace my vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, the same Divine Doctor who had given me a terminal diagnosis was now saying he’d been asked by the Sword Master to make a vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Confused, I questioned him further, and the Divine Doctor, with a somewhat somber expression, continued speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creating a vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, what was the purpose of the Sealing Stone?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sealing Stone was intended to create a vessel? Was it used to seal Wi Seol-ah's aura?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then what could it be? What was being sealed? The Divine Doctor answered my question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, it wasn’t used to seal Wi Seol-ah’s aura but to secure the form of a vessel. This implied that the vessel Wi Seol-ah currently possessed was an artificial one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could it be? To hold such a vast amount of energy… there was one possibility that came to mind, but I hoped it wasn’t that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was, it would be a monumental issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, my guess was correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Divine Doctor's grim words, I bit my lip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the possibility I dreaded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, that meant they used a human’s innate energy to create the vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But who…? Whose innate energy was used?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without realizing it, I furrowed my brow as I looked at the Divine Doctor. He sighed before speaking to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, who was it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked the Divine Doctor, and he replied with a somewhat indifferent expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could he mean…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed dryly at the Divine Doctor’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, my mouth fell open slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t imagined the Sword Master would go that far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the vessel is the source of a human’s power, then innate energy is the source of life itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sword Master had extracted his own innate energy and poured it into Wi Seol-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, what condition was the Sword Master in now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had survived even the Celestial Demon War in his past life, so he wouldn’t die immediately, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No doubt, the Sword Master's power had weakened considerably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, if he used such innate energy to create a vessel, would that vessel be stable?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, the Divine Doctor didn’t think so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if he doesn’t?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a harsh truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wi Seol-ah remained in a precarious state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t certainty, but suspicion. Still, this didn’t improve the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…What should I do?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pondered as I walked quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing the conversation with the Divine Doctor, I stepped outside. He said he’d examine my condition and give me the White Demon Stone later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that I knew Wi Seol-ah had been secretly taking medicine, and I was aware of her condition, there was no way to help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps she might experience changes similar to the breaking of my own vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Could an artificial vessel be included in this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The question was whether this applied to Wi Seol-ah, who initially had no vessel at all. I didn’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was the Divine Sword in my past life also in this kind of situation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That bastard, Jang Seon-yeon, must’ve used this against me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grinding my teeth, I remembered how he had threatened me by bringing up Wi Seol-ah’s condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was infuriating. Even after going through regression and becoming stronger, the fundamental issues remained the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was incredibly frustrating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I need to push myself harder.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to push myself beyond my limits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grinding away, somehow, I’d produce results. I had to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Calm down. Your temper’s flaring too much.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Noya cautioned me. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he said, I felt how overheated I’d become. I cooled my emotions by focusing inward, keeping the situation from spiraling out of control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It helped me feel a bit more grounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Thank you.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After expressing my gratitude to Noya, I glanced back at those following me. There were so many tasks to handle one by one; it was overwhelming to think of everything at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the moment, I was traveling with others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to Woo-hyuk and asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What’s that you’re carrying?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woo-hyuk, who was using his light-footed technique, was carrying something on his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking closely, it appeared to be a wild boar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing my question, Woo-hyuk grinned at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, this? It’s a gift for Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…A wild boar?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master loves wild boar meat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aren’t you supposed to be a Taoist? Why do you keep eating meat…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to yell that out but managed to hold back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That crazy guy had done strange things before, so it wasn’t surprising if his master was odd as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better to just give up. It was easier that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed lightly and looked beside Woo-hyuk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was another person, Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to the ever-drowsy-looking Namgung Bi-ah who was following us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you even coming along?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah met my gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Am I not allowed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her characteristic drowsy voice reached my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, it’s not that… I’m not even sure if it’s allowed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried to say it wasn’t prohibited, but I changed my words, uncertain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was currently on my way to meet the Hermit with Woo-hyuk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hermit had invited me to meet, and we hadn’t yet finished our conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But was it okay to bring Namgung Bi-ah along?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I was preparing to meet the Hermit, Namgung Bi-ah decided to accompany me, saying she wanted to come too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking about it, I hadn’t even asked Woo-hyuk if he was okay with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On this topic, Woo-hyuk replied nonchalantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It should be fine. Master doesn’t concern himself with those things.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s a relief…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It did cross my mind that the Hermit was originally from the Namgung family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had there been no issues with his family, he wouldn’t have left and joined Wudang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He told me himself not to worry too much. It should be fine, right?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the Hermit had mentioned it before, I decided to believe it would be fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As always,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing ever went as I expected.\u003C\u002Fp>",1316,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.032Z",1,"novelbin.me","b8fbae0fe40184bc7a4e855bf2b77397eed961266855d669b87dc492cf81d1d5","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-497","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-495",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]