[{"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-630":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},1240480,1667,"Chapter 629","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-630",630,"\u003Cp>Huuuk—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hallway was filled with a chilling cold.Tududuk—!The sound of the palace collapsing echoed amidst the aftermath of a fierce battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While silence prevailed, faint and subtle noises reverberated within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At some point, even those faint sounds stopped.A stillness had descended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, all noise ceased.Even the raging cold was no longer felt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t panic.I simply stared at the woman in my grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her lips, streaming blackened blood.Her rolled-back eyes exposed as she lay unconscious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it was clear she had lost consciousness—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[How did you know?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—she spoke to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was peculiar was that it wasn’t the voice of the woman, whose tone I’d always thought elegant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, a deep, gruff male voice reached my ears.Hearing it, I smirked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, yeah. Nice to meet you too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entity went silent for a moment at my greeting.Her frozen expression gave no hint of her thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that it mattered to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seconds passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I’ll ask again.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It questioned me once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The ninth pureblood.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[How did you know I was within the Apostle’s body?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I furrowed my brows at those words.There was already a wealth of information packed into that brief sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apostle.Ninth Pureblood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to consciously suppress the corners of my mouth from curling upwards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spoke to the entity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“An Apostle, huh… So this woman is your Apostle?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Haha-.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thing let out a short laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I know you’re not surprised. Are you really going to play this ridiculous charade?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, I’ve been caught.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, as it said, I wasn’t particularly shocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d experienced so much in life that events like this hardly fazed me anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, this was something I had somewhat anticipated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know about the Apostle or the Ninth Pureblood part, though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My assumption had simply been that there was something inside Yuseon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had noticed that it was related to the Ice Essence, but beyond that, I knew nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Do you intend to not answer my question?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the words, I tilted my head slightly.What a terribly impatient personality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It wasn’t exactly a groundbreaking mystery.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even what I had deduced wasn’t hard to figure out.The reason was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This woman.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuseon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She doesn’t cut it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was too weak to be a dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Cut it?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right. She doesn’t cut it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I’m not in a position to say, Yuseon lacked too much to be called a dragon.That was my first suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, I might not have known.But after several bouts and battles with her, I realized it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t know the principle or effect of her Authority,but Yuseon, when wielding it, was strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, compared to when she wasn’t using it, the difference in her level was stark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Not bad, but not outstanding either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t that strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, of course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering her age, she might be considered extraordinary.But compared to me, she was lacking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While she had reached the Hwagyeong level, compared to the superhuman standard of a dragon, she was feeble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without her Authority, she wasn’t much different from a regular martial artist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though calling someone at Hwagyeong a regular martial artist sounds odd.Regardless, that’s how it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calling her a dragon felt like a stretch.The recent battle confirmed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She’s not cut out to be a dragon.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Yuseon undoubtedly possessed exceptional talent as a human,she didn’t seem qualified to become a dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That led me to think:What happened to make Yuseon a dragon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason she overcame the barrier and became a dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, though she’s called a Pureblood,Yuseon isn’t a Pureblood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to know why.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Writhing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Greed briefly consumed her Authority, I finally noticed something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s something inside her.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuseon was harboring something.Just like me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could it be that she harbored?What made it so faint, yet so vivid?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was certain—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s this thing that made her a dragon.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That much was clear.And with that certainty, I didn’t have to ponder long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Greed had already made me familiar with its energy.I couldn’t not recognize what I’d sensed just moments ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ice Essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuseon carried the aura of the Ice Essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wasn’t unusual.After all, the bloodline of the Ice Palace inherently wielded ice arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carrying an aura similar to the Ice Essence was natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Palace Lord mentioned—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘While the Ice Essence’s curse lingers in the bloodline, its aura is expected.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what I felt in Yuseon was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was far more twisted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far denser.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could it be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had been curious for so long, but now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Meeting like this is refreshing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[…Heh.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Acting slightly (?) more assertive had finally paid off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What should I call you? Ice Essence? Will that suffice?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*[Call me whatever you want. That’s not the point.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kwoooooom—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ice spikes erupted from the ground, forcing me to leap back just in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thuk, thuk, thuk—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spikes tore through the ceiling, forming a barrier-like structure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s this now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*[The distance felt a little too close for a conversation.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As it spoke, Yuseon’s body began to change.Her twisted form was forcefully regenerating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ripped skin healed.Shattered bones mended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a crude, violent spectacle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*[Pleased to meet you, Ninth. I am the Third Pureblood.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even her previously crushed torso was fully restored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I am called Mang (망).]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing its words, I recalled Yuseon’s use of her Authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Mang…!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d uttered something like that when using her Authority.That must’ve been its name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And also—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Third Pureblood.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Referring to me as the Ninth while numbering itself suggested—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So there are seven others besides you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Excluding Yuseon, who isn’t a Pureblood,there must be more who bear the title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To my query, Mang responded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[There were, long ago.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A past-tense answer, accompanied by affirmation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, they’re gone now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*[Haha.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang chuckled briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Gone. Except for one… no, two now.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The number increasing to two likely referred to me.But who was the other one?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There were eight Purebloods. Seven disappeared, and one remained.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That seemed to sum up the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such ancient matters aside,what mattered now was the thing standing before me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This thing—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Isn’t the Blood Demon.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t the Blood Demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having faced the Blood Demon before, I could tell.The aura felt similar yet distinctly different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was that a problem?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Ice Essence was supposedly left by the Blood Demon.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The so-called Dragon King they mentioned was, in my view, the Blood Demon.He had left the Ice Essence in the North Sea, triggering the eternal cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if this thing wasn’t the Blood Demon—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Then what the hell is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a perplexing situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you? What are you doing in her body? And what is a Pureblood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ninth Pureblood.I still didn’t fully understand what a dragon was, let alone what Purebloods were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Palace Lord said dragons broke their vessels and rose above.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a cryptic statement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The idea that only eight, excluding me, had undergone such a process was remarkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To this, Mang replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[An odd thing, Ninth. You seem mistaken about something.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang’s voice carried a chill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Why would I answer such questions for you?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had no intention of answering me.Hearing that, I couldn’t help but scoff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re prickly, aren’t you? You could share a little.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Do you think I hold goodwill toward you?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re a Pureblood too, aren’t you? Can’t we help each other out a bit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I spoke, I glanced at the ice barrier in front of me.Could I break it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was just debating whether to try when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Alike? How absurd.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang continued.Its voice was thick with an inscrutable chill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You are a distortion. An existence that should never have been.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned at Mang’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An existence that shouldn’t have been?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean by that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[We were meant to be eight from the beginning. That was the rule established by the world.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only eight were meant to exist.This was supposedly a rule? It made no sense to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You say that, but seven are already dead. Wouldn’t that mean the numbers naturally get filled?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang let out a laugh, as if my response was utterly absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The fact that you fail to understand this is proof that you are a distortion.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t reply this time.Instead, I adjusted my posture and threw a punch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a burst of energy, my fist slammed into the barrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang—! Crack—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The punch sent cracks running through the wall, scattering fragments.A few more hits, and it would likely shatter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Such violence...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Keep talking. I’ll keep doing what I need to do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a threat.I simply thought this was something I had to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, what’s your point?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clenched my fist again and asked,“If you’re not going to tell me what I am, then shut up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t frustrated or annoyed as I had been in the past,wondering why I wasn’t getting answers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you’re not going to say anything, then fine.“I’ll figure it out myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if that meant taking cruel and violent measures,I was more than willing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barrier shook violently.My fist had sunk deeper, and the cracks had grown wider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just one more hit.This time, I decided to put in a bit more strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I concentrated my energy for a heavier strike when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Stop.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang’s words made me pause, and I turned to look at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Do you have something to say now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he finally ready to speak?I tilted my head and waited, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Cease this pointless behavior. We don’t need to do this.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s still not an answer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swung my fist again without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A larger shockwave rippled through the corridor this time.Watching the scattering debris, I glanced sideways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s not counterattacking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after all this, there was no retaliation.What could that mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because it wasn’t worth it?Or—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe he’s in no position to counterattack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be either.But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d find out if I kept punching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, I decided to useHeart Fist (심권)and stirred my soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssshhh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint vibration rippled through my soul as I prepared to strike the barrier again when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[We share the same enemy.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze.Mang’s words made me stop mid-motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Keep talking. I’m listening.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kept my energy charged, ready to break through the barrier at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Do you not intend to confront the Dragon King?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that was interesting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That statement implied several things:First, the Dragon King wasn’t him.Second, he knew I was preparing to face the Blood Demon, not Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And lastly, it subtly hinted that his enemy was also the Blood Demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Dragon King was truly the Blood Demon, that is.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feigning ignorance, I asked,“The Dragon King? I heard he left you here. What’s your connection to him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang remained silent.Seeing this, I shifted my elbow slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The reason the Purebloods went from eight to seven was because of him.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, that was valuable information.The reason the number of Pureblood dragons had dwindled—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was because of the Blood Demon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Explain. What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[He devoured the other Purebloods for his own greed.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I furrowed my brow.That statement could only mean one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blood Demon was one of the Purebloods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The being who first appeared as a calamity in Zhongyuan,who had been lurking in secret for centuries,even planting blood energy in me—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same dragon—‘Devoured the other Purebloods?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, he had left this thing, Mang, here.Why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did he leave you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he devoured the others, why spare this one?That was the critical question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Ice Essence... it’s your heart, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang fell silent at my words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Palace Lord had described it as the Dragon King’s egg or heart.But I had said it was only half-correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s not the Dragon King’s heart.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was infused with immense energy, a power so vast I couldn’t fully grasp it.But its essence was fundamentally different from the Blood Demon’s power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, whose energy was it?Looking at Mang as I pondered the mystery, I realized the answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It was all this guy’s power.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy within the Ice Essence belonged to Mang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why the Blood Demon had left it here, I didn’t know.But one thing was certain—it wasn’t his power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I decided to ask,“Why do you think we share the same enemy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[It’s simple...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The Dragon King intends to devour all the Purebloods. He will come for you, too. Thus, he is your enemy as well.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A straightforward reason, indeed.Yet it was enough to pique my interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why? Why is he devouring the other Purebloods?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dragons were said to be arrogant beings.Seeing their kin often bred hostility, leading to inevitable clashes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the fact that Mang specifically referred toPurebloodssuggested there was more to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[To grow stronger. To achieve what he desires... he needs power.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it he desires?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I cannot say.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOM—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My fist shattered the barrier further.One more hit—just one more strike, and it would crumble completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then keep your mouth shut.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Truly, you are incorrigible...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve lived a rough life. Patience isn’t my strong suit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I’ve already told you—we don’t need to fight like this...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you want to act like an ally, you should’ve just explained properly.The way you’re going about this, it’s like you’re asking for a fight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half-answers were exhausting.If he wouldn’t talk, I’d simply get rid of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And honestly...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at Mang, I thought to myself,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He doesn’t feel trustworthy.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I paid attention to what he said about the Blood Demon and Purebloods,I wasn’t particularly attached to his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing about the Ninth and Third Purebloods was interesting, sure.But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s unsettling.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he was truly desperate, he would’ve said something concrete by now.Instead, he seemed to be playing his own game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t blatant, but there was a sense of manipulation.That made any curiosity I had dissipate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What a hassle.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was tired of this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Repeating these meaningless questions.So I decided to keep things simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The simplest solution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I beat him, maybe he’ll start talking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d make him talk until he spilled everything.That was usually the most effective approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huuuk—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surrounding my fist with fiery energy, I prepared for a final blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You truly are an obstinate one.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden gust of icy wind forced me to leap backward.It was an overwhelming cold, incomparable to anything Yuseon had emitted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After putting some distance between us, I looked at Mang again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Just as you interest me, I too find you intriguing.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang, in Yuseon’s body, began to speak again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[A Pureblood born in defiance of the rules. A power that devours Authority itself. How could I not be interested?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, I’m quite the anomaly, huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[More than just an anomaly. Your power far transcends logic. It’s as if...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang, still in Yuseon’s form, pointed a finger at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...you were chosen to stop the Dragon King.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A power designed to face another dragon.The implication was so clear, I couldn’t help but laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If what he said was true, then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What does the world want from me?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did this world desire from someone like me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blood Demon, a calamity unleashed upon the world.If he had survived and sought to fulfill his will again,wouldn’t the world have to support him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*[I will tear his throat out and devour him.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...not only devoured me, but crushed my heart and abandoned me in this land. I will make sure he pays.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang’s voice carried seething rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[So, I can align with you. We can help each other achieve our goals.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You called me a deviation from the rules. Can we really work together despite that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Regardless, you are still a Pureblood.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang shifted his posture, no longer pointing at me.Instead, it extended its hand as if to offer a handshake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*[Ninth. Join hands with me. Together, we can overcome the Dragon King.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I feigned contemplation, pretending to mull over the idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Join hands?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And how do you plan to help when you’re sealed inside the Ice Essence?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked, voice laden with doubt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The Dragon King made one mistake when leaving me here.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang spoke as if to reassure me, dismissing my concerns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What mistake?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Though he sealed my body and energy within the Ice Essence, he didn’t realize...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...that I would have the opportunity to recover my energy over time.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang’s words made me frown.Its body and energy had been split and sealed?That explained the overwhelming energy I’d sensed within the Ice Essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So that’s why.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The immense power within the Ice Essence was Mang’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s more, this sounded oddly familiar.In the past, an old hero of Shaolin, Cheolyeong, had mentioned something similar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Blood Demon’s senses, body, and energy were torn apart and sealed separately.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The parallels were uncanny.Could it really be a coincidence?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Maybe, or maybe not.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could just be a coincidence,or perhaps it was all connected in some way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what bothered me more was something else—something far more significant.I looked at Mang and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Ice Essence is supposed to prevent the eternal cold, right? But I’ve heard the other half is causing the cold. Is that your doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Huh?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang tilted its head slightly, seemingly amused by my question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[A strange thing to ask.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its expression suggested it thought my question was nonsensical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Of course. It was necessary for me to recover my energy.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing its response, I wiped all emotion from my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, the eternal cold caused by the Ice Essence?The Ice Palace clan’s life force being drained to maintain the balance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all intentional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[That was his greatest mistake.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Perhaps the Dragon King intended to retrieve me once I’d fully recovered, but he couldn’t have known he’d seal himself as well. Thanks to that, I’ve had time to recover.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Now, only a little remains. I will resurrect soon. So join hands with me, and we can...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No thanks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Hmm?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shook my head.That was all I needed to hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ninth...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s enough. I wasn’t planning on working with you anyway, but now I’m certain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smirked.“It’s because you’re such a piece of shit. You make me sick. Get lost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang let out a hollow laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You truly intend to go about this the hard way...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang trailed off mid-sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You... what are you doing?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had likely noticed my actions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoooosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of heat surged around me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I formed a swirling sphere of flames above my hand, preparing to hurl it at my target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But my focus wasn’t on Mang, who inhabited Yuseon’s body.It was on the ground below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, on the distant depths where immense energy emanated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That had to be it.The location of the Ice Essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You can’t be—!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mang reacted with a harsh tone, seemingly realizing my intentions.I met its gaze and gave a sly smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m coming to meet you now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, I hurled the blazing sphere at the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>KABOOM—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An explosion ripped through the earth, leaving behind a massive crater.\u003C\u002Fp>",3179,"2026-06-05T15:10:11.188Z",1,"novelbin.me","24c453692cf690dd0b2940c2ab30cdf5432edc0aba54d32bdedf5bd747098f76","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-631","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-629",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]