[{"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-56":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},1240032,1667,"Chapter 55: The Plum Blossom Dragon (5)","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-56",56,"\u003Cp>༺ The Plum Blossom Dragon (5) ༻\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first night since we started traveling together with the crew from Mount Hua.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had certainly been an unexpected accompaniment, but, thankfully, traveling with them hadn’t really affected things for us as they took care of their own food and lodgings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then again, traveling with us probably did them more harm than good because they had to match our pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the price they have to pay in order to keep the treasure safe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their behavior was understandable when one considered the priceless treasure we had in our possession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clans without their own wouldn’t know, but the clans in the Ten-Sect Alliance as well as the Four Noble Clans probably had at least one treasure of their own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And these treasures pretty much served as the symbols of their clans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And to lose such significant treasure in a drinking bet is just…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the old ghost had chosen to remain silent in the face of this situation when in other situations he would always choose to nag me whenever I talked badly about Mount Hua.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢Ahem…｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Betting such an item is one thing, actually accepting the item is another.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why would he actually accept such an item being offered in a bet?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, I could imagine the Second Elder happily accepting the offer with a wide grin on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Because of him, I even got this lowly ghost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢How dare you call me a lowly ghost!?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyways, you said you had something you wanted to ask me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d used my training as an excuse to step away from the camp at night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was even able to put up a weak sound barrier since my Qi had increased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After I was done with my preparation, the ghost-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh yeah, what should I call him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢You may address me as Elder Divine Sword of Mount Hua.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll call you Elder Shin for short.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢…You really don’t listen huh, you could’ve at least called me Shincheol, not Elder Shin. What kind of person calls someone like that?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then should I just call you old ghost?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢Just call me however you like…｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Shin let out a sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether he was really a hero of the past or the Divine Sword didn’t matter to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I just needto know whether or not he will bring me trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was what really mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was really uncomfortable with having to deal with another mind in my head while I only had one body to work with, and I didn’t want to have to worry about a scenario where he took over my body completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If possible, I wanted to be completely free of it, but it seemed like it wasn’t going to be that easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, he was able to control my Qi… This might be dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How can I deal with this situation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was such a hassle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I was mulling over my thoughts, Elder Shin interjected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢It seems like you have much to think about.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, it is problematic after all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he was able to read my mind even slightly, then he probably knew what I was worrying about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no use in hiding it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What can I do so you can leave my body?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢You think I would stick with you if I knew a way? There are so many kids from Mount Hua here that I’d rather take over.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Shin continued to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢Don’t worry about such a pointless thing, I have no interest in your body.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But it’s not like I can just believe that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢What will you do if you don’t believe it then? You got any other solution?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Maybe we can find one if we look for it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢It’s not that easy. You seemed to be worrying about how I was able to control your Qi, but hiding your Qi was my limit, so don’t worry about it.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Then how did you make me faint?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Elder Shin was being honest, then what about the interaction I’d had with the Sword Dragon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a disgusting sensation, feeling my Qi move around my body without my control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Shin responded to my thoughts as he was dumbfounded by it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢I didn’t do that, you little brat.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢Whether you believe me or not is your choice, but, in the first place, it’s weird that you expect everything to be fine while containing that thing.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Contain?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean by contain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Shin responded as if he hadn’t expected my question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢…Huh, so you don’t even know what you’re harboring within your own body.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can you at least explain first-”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢I think I’ve answered enough, it’s my turn. It’s only right to have a fair trade.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tsk…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like he had no intention of letting me know what I was ‘harboring’ within my own body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What an old man he was, there was no way that this guy was really the world-famous Divine Sword of Mount Hua.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His personality especially was completely different from what everyone said he was like and instead was a complete mess-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢I guess you don’t want to hear it.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I’m just joking with you. I think you have a very large and far-reaching mind which symbolizes the clan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For fucks sake… Why is this guy so narrow minded?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢…I can read your mind, you know.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Just ask what you wanted to ask already.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The conversation was, in the end, largely pointless; we had to get to the point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢I want to ask you something.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, ask away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢Do you know what generation the current lord of Mount Hua is from?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The generation of the current lord, huh… the current lord would be the Celestial Plum Blossom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was one of the few sword wielders comparable to the Sword Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, to me, he was just a man that sold his clan’s treasure after losing a drinking bet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, to answer what generation the Celestial Plum Blossom belonged to;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢…?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I mean, why would I be curious about the lord of some other clan let alone what generation they are from? I’ll ask the people from Mount Hua later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢You little br-, no, never mind. I’ll ask you something else.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Shin took on a serious tone, much unlike before, as he spoke;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢What happened to the Blood King?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blood King?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to stop at Elder Shin’s question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blood King? I had to think about what he meant when he asked that question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢I mean exactly what I asked. Do you not know the Blood King?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course I know him, I’ve heard the story of the Blood Disaster to the point of my ears bleeding.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢…Thankfully the story seems to have been passed down to the newer generation, but that’s not what I’m asking about. I want to know about what happened to the Blood King at the end.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Isn’t it weirder that youdon’tknow? You are the Divine Sword, after all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the hero that had stopped the Blood King and returned light to the world while also strengthening his clan even further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he was asking about the Blood King that he himself defeated?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢Just answer my question. What happened to the Blood King?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to the history, the Blood King perished. It was none other than you guys that stopped him after all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢‘You guys’?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was referring to the five masters that fought in the Blood Demon war which included the Divine Sword himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After I listed the names of the masters, Elder Shin responded in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢…Thankfully, I am also included in that group.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At this point, I’m more curious than you are. Why are you asking me this? Are you really the Divine Sword of Mount Hua?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢I am indeed the Divine Sword, Shincheol. However,｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Shin paused for a bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢The last battle I had with the Blood King is something I don’t remember…｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What do you mean by that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He doesn’t remember?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢I can tell that a long time has passed, judging by the title Shinhyun is being called. I can also tell that I was still alive after stopping the Blood King by reading your mind.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢But, after that… I can’t remember anything else.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you don’t even know why you were trapped inside the treasure?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢You think I’d be going through all this hassle with you if I knew why?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At least you are not completely stupi-… At least you know it’s a hassle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t call him stupid, so I said it in a nicer way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Elder Shin’s words, it seemed like he’d lost parts of his memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this some side effect of him being trapped inside the treasure?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why do I always come across a problem whenever I do something?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Is it karma?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was karma, then I couldn’t say much about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was my fault for living the way I did in my past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt like someone was whispering those words in my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢I don’t remember…｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyways, isn’t it all fine since the Blood King died and Mount Hua maintained their position?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢Your simple-minded way of thinking is the reason why you are lacking, but I envy that right now.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you talking shit like a smartass?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢…So you knew.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now it’s your turn to answer my question.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢About what?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The thing I am containing, what do you mean by it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was something I’d been concerned about the whole time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What is it that I am containing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man laughed as he found my nervousness entertaining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you laughing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢What would change if you hear it from me when you don’t even believe me in the first place?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But it’s better to hear it first, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢What a shameless fellow you are.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No point in hiding it since you can read my mind already.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was much more comfortable when I didn’t have to act.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elder Shin spoke while I was making a tired face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢I do not know the thing that you are containing inside of you.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…What?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was talking as if he knew all about it earlier?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He really is a fraud-\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢Oh my, let me finish.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢I’m honestly more astounded that you are not even able to feel it.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢You really don’t feel anything when you have that reckless thing inside you?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reckless? Was he referring to the destructive flame arts?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no problem with him calling that as it indeed was a Qi with a very violent flow, but it sounded more like Elder Shin was describing a beast rather than martial arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢It wasn’t happy with me entering your body and it tried to act recklessly on its own, so I put it to sleep. Be grateful, you little shit.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Put it to sleep?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢Even now, if I let go of the leash, it will act recklessly. Do you want me to test it?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Elder Shin finished talking, I felt the same disgusting sensation I’d felt earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation that felt like Qi with spikes was moving around my body while stabbing every part of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oufgh…!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t even breathe while my knees fell to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just when I was about to lose my consciousness,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢You see now?｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pain disappeared along with Elder Shin’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I was finally able to breathe again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff, huff… What… is this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart was beating much faster than before because of the sudden pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢It seems like the Qi you absorbed from the treasure has woken up the beast you had inside. That’s why I told you not to overeat.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told you, I didn’t do it on purpose…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if my body wasn’t used to the pain, the fact that it was able to make me faint in just a few seconds,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a huge problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because of my own qi, my demonic ability, or something completely different?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or it could be possible that Elder Shin was lying too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I still had a long way to go to reach Mount Hua, and now I had to deal with this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, I started to think that maybe it was my fault that I kept getting into trouble whenever I tried to do something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢I can feel the sense of doubt you have, and I’m honestly impressed how you can even think that way after coming this far.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, stop reading my mind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢You only have yourself to blame for being so easy to read. You should know that by now.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I got rid of the sound barrier I had previously set up earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I stayed here any longer, the escorts would come to look for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢It’s not completely bad for me to be in your mind, and it’s not like I enjoy being inside you, but I’m enduring it, so stop your whining and think about how you can solve this situation.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢You said you are going to Mount Hua, and since both the treasure and I originate from that place, maybe you can find the answer there.｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could I really find the answer in Mount Hua?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hoped that I could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Especially because I didn’t want to stay with this annoying old man any longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>｢You little brat!｣\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ignored Elder Shin and started making my way back to the camp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both the beast that was inside me and the old man that was somehow able to put that beast to sleep…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both things were questionable,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…But in the end, there was nothing I could do here to find a solution, so I had to go to Mount Hua.\u003C\u002Fp>",2307,"2026-06-05T15:09:38.751Z",1,"novelbin.me","f1ef25b9109ddd69db444344c6672e78460fbeacb5120ef37da7805a1284dc12","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-57","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-55",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]