[{"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-675":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},1240425,1667,"Chapter 674","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-675",675,"\u003Cp>Seven weeks and nights passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hanam was still bustling with people.Summer had arrived, bringing with it the hottest days of the year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the crowds outside, I stayed in my quarters most of the time.Even when I did go out, it was only at night, so I had no idea what was changing in the world beyond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All I could do was immerse myself in training and wait for time to pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud—! Thud, thud—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heavy iron bars dropped to the floor, echoing with a loud crash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My body was drenched in sweat, and my breathing was ragged and uneven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff... huff...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I calmed my breath and stretched my body.As the weight disappeared, I felt significantly lighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sssss...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The iron bars on the ground turned to mist in an instant and vanished.Surprisingly, the bars had been created using myAuthority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The duration has improved slightly.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the past few days, I’d made notable progress through repeated practice withAuthority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could now maintain simple shapes like iron bars for about half asihun(an hour).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, more complex shapes or those with multiple colors still had drastically shorter durations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Still, this is good enough.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Objects created withAuthoritywere nearly indistinguishable from the real thing.That alone made them incredibly useful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The condition is... I have to know the object in detail.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t create anything I didn’t know well or wasn’t certain about.The more information I had, the more precise the creation would be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is quite a useful power.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though I’d lost my regenerative abilities, it was a relief to have gained this instead.Without it, I would’ve been furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from my body.It had been a while since I’d trained this intensely, and the heat was unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I wiped myself down, I waved my hand lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssshhh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint energy emanated from my fingertips, filling the room.It was a cold energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lingering frost I’d absorbed from the Ice Crystal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It spread through the room, lowering the temperature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t particularly useful in combat, but for cooling down like this, it worked well enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the cold energy refreshed my body, I turned my gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were others besides me in the room, both looking equally exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woo Hyuk and Seong Yul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul was staggering as if he might drop dead any moment,while Woo Hyuk was also panting heavily but seemed more stable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at them, I spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s end the morning training here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Morning training? Does that mean there’s afternoon training too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul answered as if used to this routine, but Woo Hyuk looked at me in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why? Should we call it a day?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Your training has increased, hasn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course. My level has advanced.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t understand why he looked so surprised.Wasn’t it obvious that more training was needed as one’s level rose?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, right. You’re aDaoist. You might not get it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Come to think of it, I’d heard that Daoists, unlike ordinary martial artists, were more focused on enlightenment than physical training.After reaching a certain level, they pursued spiritual insight rather than bodily refinement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I don’t think that’s necessarily wrong.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone has their own path.Though I wasn’t sure if Woo Hyuk himself adhered to that philosophy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I dragged you out of your hiding place because it was getting annoying. Starting tomorrow, do whatever you want.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Follow along or don’t—it’s up to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woo Hyuk didn’t reply but gave a small nod.Would he show up tomorrow?Judging by his expression, it seemed likely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was about to say something else to Woo Hyuk when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never mind. We’ll talk later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t seem like the right time to bring it up.I’d address it before the martial arts competition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been about ten days since we returned to Hanam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woo Hyuk had rarely been seen outside his quarters.He hadn’t returned to Wudang and spent most of his time in near-isolation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason for this lay with Goeseon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, more specifically, hisAuthority.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>TheRegenerationability I had taken from Mang and given to Woo Hyuk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woo Hyuk had been trying to use it to heal Goeseon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This stemmed from something I had subtly hinted at:thatRegenerationcould heal not only oneself but also others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Woo Hyuk immediately sought out Goeseon to try and heal his arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it wasn’t going as smoothly as he had hoped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by Woo Hyuk’s expression, it was clear he was struggling.Still, he seemed determined to keep trying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I hope he succeeds.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t out of kindness or a desire to see Goeseon healed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Woo Hyuk succeeded in healing Goeseon, it would provide me with valuable insights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If he pulls it off... it would prove thatAuthoritygrows stronger with use.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I had become more adept withWind,if Woo Hyuk could advanceRegeneration, it would confirm thatAuthorityimproves with experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Additionally—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I need to see if there are any side effects to transferringAuthority.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had turned Woo Hyuk into aDemonto give himRegeneration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So far, he hadn’t shown any adverse reactions to the demonic energy,but since this was a new method, I needed to monitor him closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If this works without issue...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, as Cheonma had done before, I might be able to distributeAuthorityto others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Actually, seeing Woo Hyuk, I’ve already proven it’s possible.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only problem was that I didn’t currently have any additionalAuthorityto give.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So how did Cheonma manage it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the powers she granted the demons were indeedAuthorities,and if she transferred them in the same way I did,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She must have had over a hundredAuthorities.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Setting aside how she contained so many within her small body—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How did she gather them?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And more importantly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why did she distribute them?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Questions about Cheonma’s actions and her true nature lingered in my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Cheonma...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clenched my teeth, recalling what had happened seven weeks ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since then, I hadn’t sought out either Gu Heebi or Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had assigned people to keep an eye on Cheonma regularly, but I hadn’t visited her myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From what I heard, she was already aware of their presence,but she deliberately chose not to react or care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently, her daily activities were mundane—doing household chores, hunting, and preparing meals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the hell?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma doing household chores?The thought alone was absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is she even doing?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was her intention?Why had Gu Heebi—or rather—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why did Grandfather just toss Cheonma at us and leave?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Heebi claimed that the former head of the Gu family entrusted Cheonma to her.Was that really true?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t be sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man who was supposedly dead turning out to be alive was strange enough.That he entrusted Cheonma to a Gu family member was even more baffling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d planned to ask Father about this after meeting Gu Heebi,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...But Father still hasn’t arrived in Hanam.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Gu family members who left with him had arrived earlier, yet Father was nowhere to be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Where did Father go?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I was wondering if he’d gone missing, Lady Mi handed me a letter, saying it was from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single sheet of neatly folded paper.Inside, in Father’s rough but tidy handwriting, were just two words:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I’m delayed.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help but let out a disbelieving laugh as soon as I read it.It was undoubtedly from Father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He told me to come quickly, yet he’s the one who’s late.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, I wondered if something had happened to him...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...But I’m not particularly worried.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking about Father’s martial strength, there wasn’t much to be concerned about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed and ruffled my hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s already enough to worry about, and now this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just the matter of Cheonma and Grandfather,but the immediate issue at hand was also pressing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s only a few days left.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason I had come to Hanam in the first place—The martial arts tournament hosted by the Murim Alliance was only days away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Nahi mentioned it before.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had heard that the construction of the arena within the Murim Alliance had been completed just yesterday.It was time to start preparing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that the moment I had been planning for was approaching, I felt strangely calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, it wasn’t calmness—it was emptiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was completely different from the heightened tension I had felt just days ago.Why was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already knew the answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s because of Cheonma.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Cheonma I had met a few days ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps, the person who might not even remain asCheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If, by some chance,Cheonma could change like Jegal Hyuk or Namgung Bi-ah had...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What would I fight for then?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The question left a blackened void in my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the likely reason for this emptiness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah... what an idiot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed deeply, mixing self-reproach with my breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the one who would cause rivers of blood disappeared, I should be relieved.Yet here I was, feeling... disappointed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not disappointed... just empty.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a sensation difficult to put into words.Perhaps this was what it felt like to lose a sense of urgency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I slapped myself across the face.Woo Hyuk and Seong Yul flinched in surprise, but I ignored them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Pull yourself together.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what happens, the situation doesn’t change—or rather, it shouldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Cheonma disappearing doesn’t mean it’s over.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps I thought that way in the past.But not anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s still the Blood Demon.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A being suspected to be one of the pureblooded dragons, known as the Dragon Emperor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who caused theBlood Demon Warcenturies ago was still out there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had yet to grasp his plans or his motives.Even if Cheonma changed, my task remained the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Even knowing that...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emptiness inside me refused to be filled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Tsk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clicking my tongue, I grabbed my discarded martial robes and put them on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m heading out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I informed Woo Hyuk and Seong Yul before walking away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was about time for lunch.Today, I had plans to eat with Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah, so I needed to get moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Tang So-yeol said she had something to do.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moyong Hee-ah was always busy and rarely joined us for meals,but it was unusual for Tang So-yeol to disappear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lately, she had been going out frequently.What was she doing alone?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She’s supposed to be back by evening. She’ll manage.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t a child. Worrying about a grown woman, especially one like Tang So-yeol, was ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, Tang So-yeol was a martial artist of theHwagyeonglevel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, I made my way to Wi Seol-ah’s quarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I approached the door, I sensed someone nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I greet you, my lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I opened the door to the training hall slightly, I saw Nahi waiting for me outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the matter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There is a guest waiting to see you, my lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned at her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A guest? And now of all times?Why did things always seem to come up before a meal?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Annoying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Who is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked, suppressing my irritation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It is Commander Bumdong of the Flying Dragon Unit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name Nahi mentioned only added to my annoyance.\u003C\u002Fp>",1842,"2026-06-05T15:10:12.585Z",1,"novelbin.me","333b676d3785a586de3641f1581099c92f09de5dece2ff9c3a43564e2ad7d58f","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-676","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-674",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]