[{"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-608":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},1240458,1667,"Chapter 607","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-608",608,"\u003Cp>I tilted my head slightly at his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Supreme Ruler?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold I had been feeling faded momentarily.The statement was that surprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he just called someone the Supreme Ruler of Zhongyuan?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What does that even mean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stood there, dumbfounded by his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Supreme Ruler (至尊)?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Supreme Ruler of Zhongyuan.No faces came to mind upon hearing those words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The term referred to the one hailed as the greatest under heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But no one in Zhongyuan holds such a title right now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Currently, there wasn’t a martial artist in Zhongyuan who fit that role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Three Supremes at the edge ofCheonoecheonwere just that—three individuals.The Wudang Sword Saint, as the Alliance Leader, stood beneath even them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heads of the three great families—or rather, the current three great families—were merely in their physical primes as martial artists.They were far from being called the strongest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So who could this person be referring to as the Supreme Ruler?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Could it be the Sword Sovereign?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former Alliance Leader and one of the Three Supremes who led the Alliance during its golden age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While not the supreme under heaven,he was renowned as theGreatest Sword Under Heaven (天下第一劍).Could he mean the Sword Sovereign?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wouldn’t be strange.With Cheonma absent, the Sword Sovereign was often brought up as a contender for the title of the greatest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This man might have ties to the Sword Sovereign.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man before me could have a connection to him.He might have met him in person.Or simply heard of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I decided to ask directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you referring to the Sword Sovereign?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Hmm…?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I mentioned the Sword Sovereign, the man’s eyes flickered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching him, my brow furrowed slightly.Those eyes were unsettling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His breath, his gaze—everything about him was irritating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The Sword Sovereign, yes… there was someone like that.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From his words, it seemed the Sword Sovereign wasn’t who he was referring to.Then who was it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t know, and now’s not the time to care about this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Supreme Ruler or not, what difference did it make?What mattered was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Are you the Lord of the Ice Palace?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was this person in front of me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, there wasn’t much to deliberate on.I already knew who had summoned me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just from the aura emanating from him, I could guess his identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shiver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My fingertips trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold pierced through my internal heat and dug into my skin.The pressure from his aura bore down heavily on my shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was powerful.Far stronger than the Black Lion or White Lion who guarded the door earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, this is the ruler of the North Sea.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond Zhongyuan, in the savage outer martial world.The master of this frigid land where snow fell across the skies of the Four Seasons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord of the North Sea Ice Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the man before me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To my question, the man responded immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Though I’m hardly in a presentable state, yes, that’s the role I held.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You speak in the past tense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Heh…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord chuckled at my comment.Every exhale released a wave of icy air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[In this fallen state, how could I claim otherwise?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I studied him carefully as he spoke.Starting from his right jawline, ice crystals had spread across his shoulder and encased half of his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shifted slightly, looking down.The ice extending from him had not only covered the floor but also climbed the surrounding walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How had this come to be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was the ice emanating from him?Or was it the other way around, with the ice binding him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stared at the ice in fascination,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Once again, I must ask—do you truly have no connection to the Supreme Ruler?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord’s voice cut through my thoughts.It was the same question as before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is this ‘Supreme Ruler’ supposed to be?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My reply carried a hint of annoyance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Answering these tedious questions felt like a waste of time.And suppressing the hostility I felt toward him was exhausting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frowning deeply, I fixed my gaze on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Gu Cheolwoon.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The Supreme Ruler’s name is indeed Gu Cheolwoon.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Excuse me…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the familiar name, I nearly lost my composure.Why was my father’s name coming up here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if the strange dreams I’d had about him weren’t enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, the Lord of the Ice Palace was casually mentioning his name.And worse—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Supreme Ruler?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was with that terrifying nickname?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The discomfort I’d felt earlier melted away, leaving only bewilderment in its place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord seemed to notice my reaction and continued speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Judging by your response, it seems you’re connected. Perhaps…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he about to realize I was his son?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had pieced together enough of the situation, it wouldn’t be surprising—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Are you perhaps a nephew or from his maternal family line? You don’t seem to be a direct descendant…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m his son.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ah, I thought you bore a resemblance.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t lie.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[No, really…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord trailed off briefly, choosing his next words carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I just thought the resemblance was… unfortunate.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please stop talking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Hmph.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt my mood sour further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[In any case…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord moved on, seeming to realize he had touched a nerve.Though I was annoyed, I decided not to pursue it for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[So, you are indeed the son of the Supreme Ruler.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why do you keep calling him that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked with a mix of confusion and irritation.The title felt absurdly overdramatic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my question, the Lord raised an eyebrow, as if I were the strange one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What else would I call the Supreme Ruler, if not by his rightful title?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many times I heard it, I couldn’t get used to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While it might have been meant as praise for my father,it only left me with a peculiar sense of discomfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Fascinating.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord chuckled softly, clicking his tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[To think I’d live to see the day I met his son.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What is your relationship with my father, exactly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked cautiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he and my father had been on bad terms, this situation could become even more troublesome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord’s answer was short.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[We were friends.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Friends?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, my eyes widened slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Friends…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I blinked in surprise before blurting out:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My father had friends?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze after speaking.That didn’t come out right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Haha.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord laughed at my slip-up.As he laughed, something flaked off his cheek—was it a scale? That’s how it seemed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[At least, that’s how I considered it. Who knows what he thought?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What does that mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[If not a friend, then you could call him my benefactor.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Benefactor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only had the Lord of the Ice Palace referred to my father as a friend, but also as a benefactor.Hearing that, I thought,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What on earth did he get up to in his youth?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every person who knew my father seemed to react this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some feared him.Others spoke of him with reverence and gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed clear he had been extraordinary in his prime.But no one seemed to know exactly what he had done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps, more accurately, they just wouldn’t tell me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[So the Crimson Feather is his son… though you don’t resemble him much—]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pardon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ah, nothing.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I narrowed my eyes at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clearly muttered something at the end, but now he was just smiling innocently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is with this man?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was so different from what I had imagined. Completely so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What a curious twist of fate, wouldn’t you say?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even changed the subject smoothly. His evasiveness was maddeningly skillful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yuri said he was a terrifying man.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stoic, and… something else.I couldn’t remember all the rumors, but they didn’t match this person at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[My father received help from yours, and now I receive help from you.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord spoke lightly, but his words carried weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did I just hear something incredible?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had mentioned that his father—likely the previous Lord—had received help from my father.Now I was burning with curiosity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I might have caused my fair share of trouble in my time.But what kind of chaos had my father stirred up in his youth?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That explains why he let my antics slide so easily.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although, in my previous life, I had been the disgrace of the Gu family.That wasn’t the case in this life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps my father’s lenience was because he had caused just as much trouble in his own time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Haha.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord’s laughter grew louder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Buzz…!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether by coincidence or not, the cave trembled with his deepening laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ah, forgive me. It’s been so long since I reminisced, I couldn’t help myself.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chill in the air intensified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was noticeably colder now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cold, huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I chuckled bitterly to myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been so long since I felt something like this.Not since the early days of my regression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I brushed my arm, rediscovering the sensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Now that I’ve asked my most pressing question, shall we move on to the main topic? Are you ready?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his words, I straightened my posture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the main topic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[First… what should I call you?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Call me whatever you like. It doesn’t really—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Then I’ll just stick with Crimson Fea—]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My name is Gu Yangcheon, Lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Very well, Young Master Gu.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That damned “Crimson Feather.”I swear, I’ll pluck every feather of the fool who started that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I quietly ground my teeth in frustration,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Young Master Gu.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze at his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere shifted dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chill turned razor-sharp, as though it pressed against my throat.That’s how it felt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Can you truly lift this curse?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Curse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his words, I scrutinized the Lord of the Ice Palace more closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A body encased in ice.Skin covered in scales.Vertically slit pupils.Not only was his appearance far from ordinary, but it was hard to even call him \"human.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking all this in, I asked the Lord,“By ‘curse,’ are you referring to your current condition?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Indeed.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold emanating from his body was intense.And that’s precisely why it was puzzling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If this is what he calls a curse…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be similar to what Moyong Hee-ah endured in my past life?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But hers was nowhere near this extreme.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The affliction Moyong Hee-ah suffered from, though severe, paled in comparison.While her body had slowly frozen from within, unable to withstand the cold energy,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord’s condition went far beyond that.The cold not only escaped his body but actively formed chunks of ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even his physical form was undergoing changes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that were the case for Moyong Hee-ah as well,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Did she end up dying in a state like this in my past life?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a thought I wanted to entertain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know how her life ended.At some point, Seolbong had vanished without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were no details about how she died,or in what condition she passed away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Moyong family had only formally announced her death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord’s words brought many thoughts to my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Curse of Frozen Purity.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why call it a “curse”?The choice of word was difficult to ignore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Shadow King used similar language.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Curse of Dragon’s Blood.The Shadow King had referred to his own body as such,stating that only I, who had become a dragon, could lift it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord’s current state bore a resemblance to that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it really be a coincidence?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t believe it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This Curse of Frozen Purity… is it, like the Shadow King, also tied to dragons?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought crossed my mind.The pieces fit too well to dismiss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that were the case,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Then the reason I could cure Moyong Hee-ah’s affliction…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it have been because I was tied to dragons as well?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just a result of my body being altered by the fusion of theMado CheonheupgongandGuyeomhwaryungong,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but a deeper anomaly stemming from the change in my very existence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could that have been the key to healing Moyong Hee-ah’s illness?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, it would explain a lot.The lingering mysteries that had troubled me were beginning to fall into place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the more things made sense, the more unsettled I felt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This means I was never truly meant to be human, doesn’t it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where did it all begin?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that I was able to cure Moyong Hee-ah’s illness in this life,when it had been impossible in my previous one,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>suggested that some anomaly occurred in this life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An anomaly involving me…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…There are too many to count.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were countless possibilities.So many that it was overwhelming to even begin pinpointing one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the end, it all came down to one:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Regression.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The act of turning back time and returning here.Could that have been the root cause?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was something I couldn’t confirm. It was only the most plausible explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The one thing I’m certain of right now is…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord’s Curse of Frozen Purity was likely connected to dragons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that were true,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does the Lord know about dragons?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if so, how much were the people of the Ice Palace connected to them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they were aware, did they view them as enemies?Or something else entirely?These were things I needed to approach carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As my thoughts multiplied,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You seem to be deep in thought.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord’s voice interrupted me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Take your time. I can wait while you ponder.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right.I had been asked a question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What did he ask again?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, whether I could lift the curse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To answer that…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave a deliberately vague response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You don’t know?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, the Lord expressed his doubts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I elaborated quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have treated someone I believed was afflicted with a similar ‘curse,’ but I can’t say for sure if their condition was the same as yours. Additionally…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I paused to steady my breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if it is similar, I can’t guarantee I’d be able to cure your body.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Hmm.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the best answer I could give.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scale of the Lord’s condition was far beyond what Moyong Hee-ah had suffered.If I rashly claimed I could heal him and failed, the consequences would fall squarely on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I chose my words carefully, expressing my uncertainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I see. That is understandable.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[It means you would need to confirm first.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t know just from looking.Could I really heal such a condition?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As that question lingered in my mind, I decided to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May I ask a question now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord nodded his permission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Go ahead.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did things get to this point?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, I threw the question out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your condition, this situation—everything is a complete mess.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t bother holding back my words.At this point, I was long past worrying about etiquette.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I imagine the princess explained it to you already. Are you asking for more details from me?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She did. But…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her explanation wasn’t enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From what I’ve seen, the situation is far worse than what I was told.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord’s health had deteriorated, and the family responsible for their military strength had rebelled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was told they wanted me to heal the Lord before it was too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But this is beyond that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t just an ordinary rebellion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasThe Bloodline Rebellion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a mere family uprising, but a revolt by blood relatives aiming to claim the throne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you really not know this, my Lord?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord fell silent at my question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his expression gave it away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew. Of course, he knew.He wasn’t a fool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sure I’ll hear more once I’m outside, but I need you to explain this part to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kept my gaze steady on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew recalling a rebellion led by his own blood must be painful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I needed the information.I had to gather as much as possible. Only then could I—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go after them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Find them and kill them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did my physical state matter?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if my body were to break, I would go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that resolve, I was about to press further when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Indeed.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[This rebellion was led by my bloodline.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t surprised by his answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was predictable.What I wasn’t expecting was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[However, I don’t know who initiated it.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pardon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His next words left me stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rebellion led by his bloodline, and yet he didn’t know who was behind it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What on earth…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did someone within the bloodline conceal their identity while instigating this rebellion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I frowned in confusion, the Lord continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[From the information I’ve recently uncovered, it seems the rebellion was started by the Blue Wolf’s child—Vioe-gun. He led the rebellion with the support of certain bloodline members.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[However, I’ve yet to uncover which bloodline gave him legitimacy.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ice Palace—specifically the family tasked with military power—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t the family head who started the rebellion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It was the child of the family head?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was strange.Was their family management so terrible that something like this happened?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt similar to…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait, isn’t this somewhat like my situation?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fleeting thought crossed my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a perfect parallel, but the similarities were enough to make me pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pushed the irrelevant thought aside and focused back on the conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Given the situation with Vioe-gun, I have a question for you as well.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord’s words caught my attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The traitor, Vioe-gun.What could he have to do with me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I’ve heard…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[That Vioe-gun was a close friend of yours.]*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord’s words baffled me. A friend? That was nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A friend? I don’t know anyone like that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You truly don’t?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, how would I know someone from the North Sea?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The youngest son of the Blue Wolf, Vioe-gun. In Zhongyuan, he is known by another name.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord’s gaze fixed on me as he spoke his final words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Dormant Dragon Woo Hyuk.]*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, my mind went completely blank.\u003C\u002Fp>",2990,"2026-06-05T15:10:11.188Z",1,"novelbin.me","cb3a1c9f1ca716e71eb70962a234f7df6966e9844ddf35be4a020708a2d34717","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-609","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-607",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]