[{"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-510":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},1240336,1667,"Chapter 509","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-510",510,"\u003Cp>Drip...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a dark, hollow space, one could tell the air was damp just by breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drip… drip…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was so quiet that the faint sound of dripping water seemed overwhelmingly loud in the silence. Blood stains covered the floor, as if blood had been spilled there countless times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the wind blew, the chains hanging from the walls rattled, producing a grating noise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition, an unknown smoke filled the space, and anyone entering would soon understand its nature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The smoke was entirely made of toxic miasma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How deep underground…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And how long ago this place was created was anyone’s guess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this mysterious place, an old man faced someone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A brilliant blue silk robe, bearing the unmistakable character for \"Namgung,\" stretched across his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a rigidly straightened back and broad shoulders, his tied hair and the sword at his waist emphasized the dignified presence of the elder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This elder was known as the Celestial Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The foremost martial artist of the Namgung family, and one of the Three Celestial Lords of Zhongyuan, known as \"Beyond the Heavens.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master tilted his head as he looked straight ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The source of the chain’s irritating noise was right before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a figure bound by iron and nails, restrained in every possible way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one bound was, surprisingly, a person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though at this point, it was questionable whether they could still be called human, it was undoubtedly a person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Celestial Master observed the figure with his characteristically cold gaze—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Heh… heh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the chains rattled, and the sound of laughter emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The person who should have been dead was, astonishingly, still alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though they seemed on the verge of death, struggling to breathe, they were still clinging to life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps annoyed by the sound of the laughter, the Celestial Master’s brow furrowed slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s so funny?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master asked with a hint of irritation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How... could it not be amusing...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The person raised their head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their hair was matted with blood, sticking to their face, and their eyes barely opened, their gaze unfocused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the Celestial Master could understand the look in those eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Emptiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing inside. Just like this hollow space, desolate and void.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chilling sensation crept over the Celestial Master, and he clicked his tongue briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The one who once struggled so fiercely to become the heavens... has now fallen to guarding a mere kennel… How could that not be amusing…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed even speaking was painful, as blood dripped from the person’s mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh… hehe…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pool of blood on the floor grew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master, unfazed by the sight, stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he slowly bent down to meet their gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master’s blue eyes fixed on the person as he grabbed their face and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Black Dragon Sword… You were called that, weren’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Heh! For the great Celestial Master to remember me… What an honor…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, you are not the Black Dragon Sword.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master immediately denied the claim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had reason to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I distinctly remember recovering and burning your corpse back then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the Sword Master, known as the Gale Sword, annihilated the Black Dragon Corps,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the Martial Alliance had taken care of the aftermath. It was the Celestial Master himself who had confirmed the body of the Black Dragon Sword at the time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, there’s no way you could be alive like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For someone to suddenly appear, claiming to be the Black Dragon Sword, was unthinkable to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh… heh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the Celestial Master’s words, the Black Dragon Sword only chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“With such a limited perspective, that’s all you’re able to see… Truly pitiful…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am… the Black Dragon Sword… and also…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A trickle of black blood dripped from the Black Dragon Sword’s mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ugh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pain must have been severe, as he groaned with each word he forced out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…This burnt body given to me by that child… won’t heal… Why, I wonder…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That child?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh… hehe…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Burnt?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master pondered the words of the Black Dragon Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recalled that the one who had subdued the Black Dragon Sword was surprisingly a young prodigy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A child of the Gu family, wasn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a martial artist making waves recently—a young heir of the Gu family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone who had surpassed the level of a young prodigy and was now regarded as a full-fledged martial artist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They called him the Little Yama, I believe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no mistaking it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To quell the public outrage, the Martial Alliance had enlisted him, a decision by the Open Faction to stabilize the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s here, as I recall.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sichuan, within the Tang Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had heard that the Poison King had personally brought him to the Tang Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master hadn’t intended to meet him but now felt it might be worthwhile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It wouldn’t hurt to see him once.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he was engaged to someone from the Namgung family, giving ample reason to visit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s also that child I should see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was time to visit the child who was said to be his great-granddaughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the Sword King had personally sent him a letter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master slowly rose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any further conversation would be pointless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King and the Tang Clan members had subjected him to prolonged torture, yet the Black Dragon Sword had remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How he had survived, his purpose in attacking the Divine Dragon Pavilion, or what he had been up to all this time—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even under the brutal torture inflicted by the Tang Clan, the Black Dragon Sword had kept his mouth shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost as if someone was preventing him from speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no point in continuing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that conclusion, the Celestial Master looked away from the dying Black Dragon Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gazed at what appeared to be a blank wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he reached out to it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clank-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a mechanical sound,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a passageway opened up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond it, a staircase descended into darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master glanced at it for a moment, then began to walk down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To do so, he had to pass by the Black Dragon Sword, yet he didn’t look at him again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if he had no interest, he passed by with a cold and indifferent demeanor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the Celestial Master disappeared through the door—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door closed tightly, returning to its former appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once again, silence filled the space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that quiet, the Black Dragon Sword slowly raised his head to gaze ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the pitch darkness, devoid of even a single light,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“O Heavenly One… I pray to you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Black Dragon Sword quietly offered a prayer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master walked down the long staircase, descending for quite a while. He was moving through a narrow passage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vrrrr.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The further he went, the thicker the miasma became. The Celestial Master gathered his energy to block it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was denser than expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The miasma was strong enough to make even him uneasy—not merely an irritation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Splash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stairs felt damp underfoot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did this mean he was almost there?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling an inexplicable disgust, the Celestial Master quickened his pace, and soon, he reached his destination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The place he entered was different from the dark upper floor; lamps affixed to the walls illuminated the surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Tsk.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air was thick with the stench of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dampness he had sensed earlier was undoubtedly blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Human blood, perhaps?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master looked down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The color of the pungent-smelling blood was blue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t human blood but rather that of beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even so, the sheer volume…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it wasn’t human blood, the sight alone was sickening, and the Celestial Master waved his hand in disgust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A gust of wind swept across the floor, clearing away the blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The floor, now relatively clean, revealed itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master stood there, looking toward something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, that’s where all the blood came from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a pile of something—an indistinguishable mass of creatures, tangled together, from which blood trickled down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master immediately recognized them as the corpses of beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stench of decay filled the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just looking at it was revolting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Observing this loathsome scene, the Celestial Master spoke in a curt tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you summon me just to show me this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words echoed through the space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, someone behind him stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course not… I would never call such an esteemed guest here for just that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who emerged with a smile was the Elder Il of the Tang Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I had hoped to meet you in a far better place. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible, and I apologize, Celestial Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Spare me the tedious formalities. I’m already in a foul mood from what happened upstairs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Celestial Master’s cold words, the Elder chuckled awkwardly and continued walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A short distance past the line of beast corpses, a small table came into view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a place where blood had particularly pooled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Elder approached, the Celestial Master observed with a questioning expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was something on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could it be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master stepped closer to examine the object.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He instinctively took a step back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The object was a small gemstone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A round, radiant jade-green stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing its brilliant glow, one might think it beautiful, but that wasn’t why the Celestial Master had stepped back; the miasma and energy emanating from the gemstone were overwhelmingly potent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder, noticing the Celestial Master’s reaction, spoke with a hint of satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Is this the finished product?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is. This is… the culmination of the Tang Clan’s ideals, created by none other than the Poison King.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King was the moniker of the current Tang Clan leader’s grandfather, who was now deceased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master wanted to touch the gemstone but refrained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with his energy blocking the miasma, it was not something for anyone without immunity to poison to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How much energy had been infused into it to emit such a potent aura?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They actually managed to create something like this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How exactly did they create it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just from looking at the result, the Celestial Master could imagine the brutal and intense process it must have taken to produce it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The beast corpses piled up behind him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was likely just a part of it. Such a small amount wouldn’t be nearly enough to gather this much energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he looked at the gemstone with a calm gaze, the Elder continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As per our agreement with the Alliance… I’ll send you the recipe and materials separately.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The usage method as well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no particular method.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder reached out and picked up the gemstone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You simply swallow it. Doing so will…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Allow one to attain the Celestial Martial Body…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s the expectation, but it’s not confirmed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In response to the Celestial Master’s question, the Elder smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We haven’t yet confirmed its effects after ingestion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then it’s not a finished product.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it hadn’t been tested, it wasn’t complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was contrary to their agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Celestial Master narrowed his eyes, the Elder hastily continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The proportions are correct, and as long as the conditions are met, it should certainly work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Conditions?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were specific conditions for using it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder, licking his dry lips, replied to the Celestial Master’s question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…First, the subject must be a woman under the age of thirty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And why is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All other test subjects experienced side effects and died in explosive bursts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just how many experiments had they conducted?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder’s tone was distasteful, but the Celestial Master refrained from pressing the issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If there’s a first condition, I assume there’s a second?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed. The second condition is… the subject must possess a vessel capable of withstanding transformative energy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A vague answer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, the subject must be able to withstand the gemstone’s energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would need the necessary talent and physique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a rather ambiguous explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There is a fair degree of certainty. Conveniently, we have a suitable test subject. The situation has simply become a bit complicated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After listening to the Elder’s explanation, the Celestial Master looked between the gemstone and the Elder before nodding slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s proceed with our agreement once the results are conclusive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, it wasn’t yet a complete product.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master’s response implied they would continue only after matters were finalized, as he couldn’t rely solely on the Elder’s assurances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder cautiously spoke up again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…On that note, may I request something of you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master’s brows furrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s just that, with one final step remaining, an unnecessary interference has arisen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Annoyance faded for a moment, replaced by curiosity at the mention of interference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the Elder felt relieved and continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Somehow, a nobody from the Gu family has interfered…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hold on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master abruptly stopped the Elder mid-sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder hesitated, surprised by the interruption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the matter…? Did I say something displeasing…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Silence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master silenced the Elder, looking intently at something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment of focus, he spoke with a deeply furrowed brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Something is coming.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder’s eyes widened momentarily at the Celestial Master’s words, then he chuckled dismissively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s impossible. There are multiple formations and mechanisms layered over this place… I would have been alerted if someone approached.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder had placed various devices around the entrance to detect intruders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, multiple layers of formations were arranged to obscure the location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In such a situation, finding the entrance should have been impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Believing the Celestial Master was mistaken, the Elder laughed, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not the entrance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master’s tone was firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean, ‘not the entrance’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder asked, puzzled, but the Celestial Master said nothing more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply stared at a particular spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though perplexed, the Elder followed his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Master was looking at the solidly built ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the Elder’s gaze reached it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Crash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thunderous roar echoed in the Elder’s ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far above, something was breaking and shattering, sending vibrations through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What… what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Elder voiced his alarm, the sound grew closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speed was impossibly fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it just his imagination?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each crash, the surrounding area grew hotter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What in the world was happening?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could fully grasp the situation, the roaring sound was practically upon them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kaboom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ceiling exploded, collapsing in on itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder leapt to avoid the sudden blast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ceiling crumbled, scattering debris everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something was falling with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder frowned as he looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is… that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something sluggishly oozed down through the gap in the shattered ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder finally realized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ceiling was melting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh…!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air grew hotter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a suffocating heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…What is this…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder realized that his hands were shaking uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only his hands—his entire body was trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was he shaking so much? Amidst the unexpected situation, tension filled the Elder’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A footstep echoed through the swirling dust. The Elder turned his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the thick dust, a pair of eyes stared back at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eyes so red they seemed capable of burning everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body, which had been shaking just a moment ago, froze rigid upon meeting that gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why am I…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried to force his body to move, to no avail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, a gust blew away the dust, clearing the view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the obstruction gone, the Elder could finally see the owner of those eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like the red eyes, his hair was a fiery shade of red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man wore martial attire adorned with gold patterns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his expression seemed calm, the Elder could feel the overwhelming fury emanating from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was this man who had appeared so suddenly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As thoughts raced through the Elder’s mind,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the man looked directly at the petrified Elder and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve found you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with those words—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Elder’s legs were torn from his body.\u003C\u002Fp>",2716,"2026-06-05T15:10:08.481Z",1,"novelbin.me","08934d613f422a36a14fadbd43a90d4a8c63c164fdc82ec83e33342b8be469d8","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-511","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-509",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]