[{"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-671":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},1240421,1667,"Chapter 670","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-671",671,"\u003Cp>I stopped in my tracks, my expression dazed as I processed Gu Heebi's words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Grandfather?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was such an unexpected figure to be brought up that my thoughts ground to a halt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grandfather.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the meaning was as I thought, it referred to the former head of the Gu family, my father’s father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But who is that?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be precise, I had never even heard of him.Not in this life, and not in my previous one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I only knew that he’d died before I was born.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Gu family, unlike other clans, didn’t practice ancestral worship or ceremonies for the deceased. So I’d naturally assumed he was long dead and never gave it a second thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, out of nowhere—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Does this mean he’s alive?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d heard rumors before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Shadow King had mentioned him once, though I hadn’t dwelled on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Grandfather entrusted Cheonma to Gu Heebi?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was absurd—beyond absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean, Grandfather?” I asked, my voice laced with doubt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could react further, Gu Heebi flicked my forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could have avoided it, but I didn’t bother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rubbing my throbbing forehead, I glared at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, what’s with calling Grandfather just ‘Grandfather’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what else am I supposed to call him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have some respect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I never thought I’d hear the word ‘respect’ from you, of all people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was laughable that the person infamous across Zhongyuan for her foul temper would lecture me about respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve never even seen the man’s face or heard his name. Why should I care? Is what you’re saying true?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether or not Grandfather was alive didn’t matter to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d never met him, so his existence was irrelevant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you seriously saying Grandfather entrustedthatto you? Is it true?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had truly entrusted Cheonma to her, the story changed entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would make this a family matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why would I lie to you, Brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sure I could think of a reason.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s hurtful. Is that all the trust we have? After everything I did for you as a child—cleaning up your messes, playing with you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cut her off before she could go on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not joking around.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The conversation was dragging on, and my patience was wearing thin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it really true that Grandfather appeared and entrusted it to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I repeated my question with suspicion, Gu Heebi extended her hand instead of answering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take my hand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew what she intended and grasped her hand without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Buzz.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qi stirred between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her Qi intertwined with mine, resonating with my Nine Flames Firewheel Technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m going to tell you the truth, starting now,” she said as her Qi flowed, binding us together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a restriction—a self-imposed vow tied to my Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Starting with your earlier question.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t waste time asking why she was going to such lengths. We both knew this was the simplest way to resolve the matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Grandfather entrusted that child to me,” she said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qi remained steady. No disruptions in her pulse or breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then… since when—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, that’s not fair,” she interrupted with a sly smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One question at a time, remember? Don’t be so petty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could she possibly want to ask me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go on,” she urged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frowning, I replied monotonously, “I’ll answer your questions truthfully, starting now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good,” she said, smiling in satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, she asked her question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That child. Are you going to kill her?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her straightforwardness caught me off guard, but I nodded slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no use dodging the question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Depends,” I replied flatly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a firm answer, but my resolve had been made long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Why?” she pressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because it’s something I need to do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the simple truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You need to kill her? That’s what you have to do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, stop calling her a child. She’s not one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m tolerating this because I know you don’t understand. Don’t make me lose my patience with nonsense,” I snapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing my irritation, I stared at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You’ve changed, Brother,” she said softly, her eyes filled with an odd sadness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze struck me painfully, but I ignored it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have. I had to change.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And so have you, Sister. Why are you defending her?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She chuckled lightly, her answer evasive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I believe that if you got to know her, you’d understand. So—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t want to know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was ridiculous. I didn’t need to hear any more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How much more is there to know?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d endured enough of this in my previous life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no reason to dig deeper or bear the consequences.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Cheonma is nothing like Namgung Bi-ah or Jegal Hyuk.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People could change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was something I’d come to understand in this life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Cheonma… she was on a different level entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could she change? Perhaps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How can you be so sure?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if she didn’t? Could I bear the consequences of such a failure?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without that certainty, it was better to end things before they began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you really think this is the right thing to do?” she asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right or wrong doesn’t matter anymore. I told you before—it’s something I have to do. Now answer me,” I demanded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My frustration began to bleed into my Qi, and the air around us grew heavier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did Grandfather entrust her to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old table between us trembled under the weight of the turbulent Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t trying to intimidate her—it was simply the result of my unstable emotions leaking out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our eyes locked, both of us unwavering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time stretched, though it was only a fleeting moment. Finally, Gu Heebi broke the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought she was about to answer, but instead—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not going to tell you,” she said calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words made my already tense expression contort further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze for a moment, staring blankly at Gu Heebi after hearing her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What kind of nonsense is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’ve already decided what to do, Brother, then there’s nothing more to say. Isn’t that right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her meaning was clear—she wouldn’t budge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glared at her, but Gu Heebi’s demeanor remained unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That left me with only one option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do as you like,” I said flatly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she didn’t want to talk, I wouldn’t force her. The restriction she placed on herself only ensured she wouldn’t lie—it didn’t compel her to answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because I’ll just do as I like, too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Family business? A request from Grandfather?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of it mattered to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d simply do what I had to. With that thought, I began to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of a sword being unsheathed echoed through the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vrrrm!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A heavy, ominous resonance filled the air, and the chilling intent made my gaze harden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister,” I said without turning around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who had drawn her sword was Gu Heebi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was pointing its tip at my back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames ignited from her hand and enveloped her blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heat radiated outward as the flames swirled and intensified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though there was no hostility, the resistance was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Heebi’s sword spoke for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is this supposed to mean?” I asked coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly what it looks like,” she replied with a bitter smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As long as your intentions remain the same, I can’t let you go near her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And what? Are you going to fight me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fight? Do you think this sister of yours is that delusional?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames flared brighter, the heat almost palpable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’d probably lose in an instant. You’re strong, Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her matter-of-fact statement left me momentarily speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The proud Gu Heebi, admitting defeat so readily?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, her expression didn’t waver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were the Gu Heebi of old, she’d have stubbornly refused to acknowledge my strength. Yet here she was, sword drawn despite accepting the disparity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Did reaching Hwagyeong bring about some inner change?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t be sure. Whatever transformation she’d undergone in recent years was beyond my understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know that and yet you still won’t let me pass? Sister, have you gone insane?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The anger in my voice was unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is she really that important to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Important enough to point your sword at me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words caught in my throat as another thought surfaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though we shared the same father, we had never been close enough to truly call ourselves family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t bring myself to say it aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could I, when I was the one responsible for her end in our previous life?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Be happy.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as she bled and her eyes closed, Gu Heebi had asked me to be happy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The memory made me feel sick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cursed inwardly, letting out a long sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vrrrm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I circulated my Qi to calm myself. I couldn’t let emotions cloud my judgment now—not at this critical moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister, you’re misunderstanding something. This isn’t about winning or losing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Heebi was remarkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know how, but she’d reached Hwagyeong at her age, making her a strong candidate for the title of Sword Queen someday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even so—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It doesn’t matter. I just have to finish this quickly and move on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For someone at my level, three seconds would be enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that time, I could incapacitate her and proceed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pushed off the ground and charged at Gu Heebi, determined to end this swiftly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes widened in surprise as I closed the distance in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as I was about to reach her—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The roof of the hut collapsed as something crashed through it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!Rumble!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blast of turbulent Qi swept through the air, scattering debris in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old hut was obliterated, leaving only a chaotic mess of dirt and shattered wood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the cloud of dust, a figure emerged, blocking my path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their aura was an inky black, absorbing all light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This figure controlled the wild Qi around them, locking their sharp gaze onto me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You. What are you?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you bothering my sister?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt my chest tighten as I stared at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stood protectively in front of Gu Heebi, her sharp, violet eyes glaring at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her violet-tinged black hair shimmered like starlit skies, and her presence radiated an otherworldly beauty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The appearance was unmistakably that of the Cheonma I remembered from my past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t bother my sister,” she said, her tone firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ha,” I let out a laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could I not laugh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, this can’t be happening.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At the very least, you shouldn’t be standing there,” I said, my voice laced with incredulity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was too absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In what world could I have imagined Cheonma standing there, blocking me to protect Gu Heebi?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight was so contradictory it made my emotions churn violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fear and unease I’d felt dissipated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their place, guilt turned cold and hardened into fury.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a position neither I nor you should ever take,” I said coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t matter who stood there—but it couldn’t be us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially not her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You, of all people, should never be in that place,” I said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma furrowed her brow and tilted her head slightly, as if confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t understand what you’re saying. Just stop bothering my sister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeon-ah, wait…” Gu Heebi tried to intervene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you keep bothering her,” Cheonma continued, cutting her off, “then even if it’syou,I won’t forgive you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words reverberated within me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forgive?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did Cheonma talk about forgiveness?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How dare you say that to me?” I asked, my voice low and filled with disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The audacity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neither she nor I could ever deserve forgiveness, yet she spoke as if it were so simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at her, a phrase floated to the surface of my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Forgetfulness is a blessing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t remember where or when I’d heard it, but it resonated now more than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, forgetfulness was a blessing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the only explanation for how she could say such things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No, even if you remembered, you’d still be the same.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because she was Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She felt no guilt, and she would inevitably bring chaos and bloodshed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was who she was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I began to draw my Qi inward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starting from my heart, it coursed through my meridians, saturating every part of my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hiss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hair darkened further, and blood vessels appeared around my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black Qi coiled around my hand, intensifying in color.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re right. I’ve been overthinking this. I’ll just end it here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Br—” Gu Heebi tried to stop me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was already in front of Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grab!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wrapped my hand around her throat and unleashed my Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a leap, I propelled us both into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had made my decision long ago: I would stop her at all costs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that moment was now.\u003C\u002Fp>",2179,"2026-06-05T15:10:12.585Z",1,"novelbin.me","9ef9ecedfe0bda324e995ae16b130af88ecabb9745dc20572f8a5daeebf82867","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-672","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-670",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]