[{"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-693":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},1240443,1667,"Chapter 692","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-693",693,"\u003Cp>After parting ways with Wi Seol-ah, half a shichen had passed.I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of regret as I took in the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This was a mistake.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason wasn’t anything extraordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The line was just too long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It hadn’t looked that long at first glance, but I must’ve been late because now I had to stand in it for what felt like forever.I should’ve gotten in line earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, I’d been idly gawking and ended up in this mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the line started growing rapidly, I should’ve joined in right then. But because I’d been a little late, I had to spend half a shichen just standing in line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gu from the Gu family… Gu Yangcheon. Verified.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Murim Alliance staff member inspecting my identification token froze momentarily.Why does everyone pause like this whenever they see my name?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This feels oddly unsettling.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I haven’t even done anythingbadyet.\" So what exactly was the problem?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After standing in line for half a shichen, I finally got my identification token verified and followed the signs ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon entering the gate, I was met with a vast field, artificially leveled and organized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time I arrived, a large crowd had already gathered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, it made sense. I’d spent so much time in line, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with a quick glance, I could see there were over a hundred people present.Considering this was just one of the groups, with the participants divided over three days and further segmented by colors, the total number of participants must be staggering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On top of that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What exactly are they planning to do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they split us into smaller groups, could they really filter through this many people in a single day?Sure, there were supposed to be second and third rounds of preliminaries, but I couldn’t help but feel curious about how they intended to pull this off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the people inside were already lining up, I joined the queue as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After waiting for a bit longer—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The White Group. A total of 172 participants. Everyone is accounted for.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice of one of the sword unit members reached my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…That’s a ridiculous number.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearly 200 martial artists gathered in a single group.Just looking at it made me chuckle dryly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How exactly were they planning to handle this?Were they just going to make us all fight each other?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’d be the simplest way, honestly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a method I’d seen used frequently, both in my previous life and now.The easiest way to cut down numbers, though…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They wouldn’t use such a barbaric approach. Not these self-righteous folks.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, they wouldn’t resort to such \"violent\" methods under the guise of being a righteous faction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And, unsurprisingly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creeeeak—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of something being dragged filled the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Something’s coming this way!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The martial artists craned their necks toward the direction of the sound, their eyes widening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several sword unit members were carrying something massive toward us.Seeing it made me widen my eyes as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why is that here…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t something I’d expected to see here of all places.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While most people seemed confused about what it was, I recognized it instantly. How could I not?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s something I brought here myself. Of course, I’d know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d traveled all the way down to Guangdong to painstakingly procure and sell it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to that thing, my pockets had overflowed with wealth, so there was no way I wouldn’t recognize it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The item was none other than—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Everlasting Cold Iron.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hardest metal in Zhongyuan, said to surpass all others.A legendary material believed to have vanished long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everlasting Cold Iron?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone else must’ve recognized it too because I heard exclamations of surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are they saying that pillar is made of Everlasting Cold Iron?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Something that massive?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Surely, it’s just a regular iron alloy with a small amount of Cold Iron mixed in.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pillar stood at least fifteen feet tall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone assumed it couldn’t possibly be entirely made of Cold Iron.It was an understandable conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If that whole thing were Cold Iron, how much would it be worth?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold Iron was exceedingly rare in this era.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Tang Clan, renowned as the Iron Clan, only used small amounts of it to craft their finest weapons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one could believe the entire pillar was pure Cold Iron.As everyone speculated—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is Everlasting Cold Iron, though about half of it is mixed with other metals,\" the sword unit member explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A collective gasp escaped the crowd.Just as expected, it wasn’t pure Cold Iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Half? You’re sayinghalfof that massive thing is Cold Iron?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even at half, the quantity was staggering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where in the world did they get that much?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did they find a hidden mine somewhere?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Ahem.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cleared my throat at that last comment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d already received word from the sellers about someone buying a massive quantity. So it was the Murim Alliance, huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’d wondered why they bought so much….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What I sold was only about a third of what I’d discovered.The rest was still safely stored away elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Selling all of it might’ve lined my pockets even more, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cold Iron has its uses.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a material too valuable to sell entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Murim Alliance must be making some serious preparations.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It seems they’ve got high hopes for this martial competition.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mere presence of the Cold Iron was enough to ignite excitement among the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps this was all part of the Alliance’s strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Most likely.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were masters at capturing attention and solidifying their political dominance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As everyone remained fixated on the Cold Iron, a voice suddenly echoed through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you all for gathering here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice, imbued with an unmistakable aura, drew everyone’s attention in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Captain! The Alliance Captain!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man clad in the signature white robes symbolizing the Murim Alliance Captain appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his face was obscured by a mask, it was immediately clear he was no ordinary martial artist.He had not only surpassed Hwagyeong but had also firmly established his mastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His presence was undeniable, carrying a distinct weight and authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am Song Yu, the Captain of the Red Dragon Unit under the Murim Alliance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the introduction, I immediately remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Deadly Bow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Red Dragon Unit was one of the eight specialized units within the Alliance, composed of those skilled in wielding unique weaponry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its Captain, Song Yu, was a master archer, known for never missing a target—even in absolute darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We didn’t have much of a connection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I think he died when Cheonma appeared.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Cheonma descended upon the Murim Alliance’s headquarters, four of its unit captains had perished, including the Deadly Bow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will oversee the preliminaries for the White Group. I ask for your cooperation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu’s explanation was met with murmurs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Captain himself overseeing the preliminaries?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With Cold Iron as well? The Alliance must be going all out this time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eight Captains who upheld the Alliance were seen as symbols of honor and prestige within the righteous factions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be a Captain, one had to not only be among the greatest martial artists—ranked within the Top 100 Masters of Zhongyuan—but also wield significant influence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a Captain to personally oversee the preliminaries… What were they planning?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As everyone focused on Song Yu, he opened his mouth to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The first test is simple, as expected of a preliminary round.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a few light taps, he gestured toward the Cold Iron pillar in front of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Each of you will come forward and leave a mark on this Cold Iron.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned slightly at his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If the depth of your mark exceeds the set threshold, you will pass.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing his explanation, I smirked inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Recycled, huh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a test I’d encountered before at the Divine Dragon Pavilion.The only difference was that, back then, only a small amount of Cold Iron had been mixed in, and there had been enough for the iron to be replaced regularly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But with only that single pillar prepared…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed they were confident the Cold Iron wouldn’t break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With Everlasting Cold Iron, that makes sense.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even mixed with other metals, it was still Cold Iron.It would take a significant amount of power to leave even a scratch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I thought we’d start off with a proper fight, but they’re keeping it simple.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than directly testing martial skills, they were filtering participants based on their inner Qi and cultivation level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The preliminaries for the Divine Dragon Martial Tournament will now begin. Please come forward one by one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Song Yu’s declaration, the Cold Iron test began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Crack—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just past noon, and the vast plain echoed with thunderous sounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Arghhh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A burly man swung his fist with all his might.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An explosive noise burst forth, accompanied by a shockwave. Judging by the power of his Qi, it could have easily shattered boulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Disqualified. Next.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The evaluation was as sharp as a blade.There wasn’t even a scratch on the surface of the Cold Iron where his fist had landed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This… this can’t be…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s face twisted in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There must have been a mistake! P-Please, just one more chance…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Refusing to accept the outcome, the man pleaded desperately with the examiner, Song Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve made myself clear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu’s voice was as cold as ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You only get one attempt. The moment you touch the Cold Iron, there is no second chance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his firm words, the man’s face turned red with rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of ridiculous rule is that?! I won’t accept this! There’s no way someone like me, Palgodon, can fail the preliminaries—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could finish his outburst, the man suddenly collapsed unconscious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spectators flinched, startled.In the blink of an eye, Song Yu had struck the man’s jaw and knocked him out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most people hadn’t even registered his movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fallen man was promptly carried away by members of the Murim Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next. Number ninety-one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without sparing a glance at the unconscious man, Song Yu called out indifferently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A martial artist stepped forward with a stiff expression, while the faces of those still in line grew tense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Palgodon… Isn’t he the sub-sect leader of the Guangdong Mukchal Sect?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They say he was on the verge of reaching the Pinnacle Stage… And yet he couldn’t even leave a mark?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s already been over ninety participants, and fewer than twenty have passed. Is that really Everlasting Cold Iron?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An hour into the preliminaries, nearly a hundred participants had tried their luck, but only nineteen had succeeded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Less than half had made it through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Two close to Hwagyeong, six fully at Pinnacle, eight nearing Pinnacle, and three at the peak of First-Rate.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the three First-Rate martial artists, all used condensed Qi techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their martial arts focused their Qi at a single point, allowing them to barely pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this, it was clear—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The benchmark is set at Pinnacle.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The test was designed to gauge Qi control and proficiency at the Pinnacle level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Let’s see.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing around, I quickly calculated in my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘With 172 participants in total…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on their cultivation levels—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘About fifty will pass.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang—! Crunch—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp sound rang out. Feeling the energy from a distance, I nodded to myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That one passed.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing the sound, I looked at the Cold Iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A lean man stood poised with his sword, which radiated a concentrated aura of Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the surface of the Cold Iron, a thin sword mark about five inches deep could be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Song Yu announced, “Number ninety-six. Passed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man bowed respectfully at Song Yu’s confirmation and moved to the area for the successful candidates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As expected of theSeoncheon Mugwang Sword. I knew he’d make it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Talented individuals really are different. What a sharp sword strike!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the man’s nickname, I tilted my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Where have I heard that before? Ah.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a nickname I’d heard while registering for the competition.Apparently, he was a famous martial artist from Cheonghae.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nickname was absurdly long, so it stuck with me. It seemed we’d ended up in the same group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Looks like he’s firmly at Pinnacle.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His skill was worthy of his reputation.The steadiness of his stance showed he’d undergone rigorous training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not bad.I was satisfied with theSeoncheon Something-or-other’sperformance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next, number one hundred and one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Song Yu called out the next number, he hesitated slightly.So did the rest of the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To think we’d be in the same group as him…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the next participant stepped in front of the Cold Iron, voices filled with fear and reverence began to murmur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasBlade King Peng Zhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was also in my group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And, as fate would have it, his number was directly before mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was one hundred and one.I was one hundred and two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching his broad back, I heard a voice from behind me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re quite unlucky.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to see a sly-looking man of average build.It was the person with the number after mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Having to follow the Blade King, of all people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head at his comment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man eagerly elaborated, as if waiting for the question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mean, it’s the Blade King! He’s likely to shatter that Cold Iron to pieces.Following someone like him means you’ll be compared to him in every possible way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You look young. Even if you fail the test, just think of it as a good show. You’ll at least get to witness something amazing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tone made it clear he was certain I’d fail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Compared to you, I’m lucky. At least I won’t be humiliated,” he added with a smug grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s this guy’s deal?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You must be pretty skilled yourself, huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha. Do you not know who I am?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know who I am?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Annoyed by my tone, his expression soured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re quite rude, aren’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re just as rude.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s because I’m clearly your senior. Naturally—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough. Do you even know who I am?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…No, I don’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why would I know you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s face twitched, but he finally introduced himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am theLong Road Righteous Sword, active in Xi’an.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, okay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What? Are you pretending not to know, even after I’ve given my nickname?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I really don’t know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long Road… what now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I honestly had no idea who he was.The man’s expression darkened as my lack of recognition became evident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This kid really has no manners…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could finish grumbling—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gasp!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A surge of overwhelming energy swept through the area.It was coming from Peng Zhou, who stood before the Cold Iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hoo.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exhaling deeply, Peng Zhou gripped his massive blade and assumed a stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whuuuuuu—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A torrent of Qi flowed into his blade, theMuktaedo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh… The pressure is incredible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the Blade King’s Qi…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air trembled with his aura, a clear testament to his mastery of Hwagyeong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hup!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou swung his blade with tremendous force toward the Cold Iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Crack—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The concentrated Qi struck the Cold Iron, creating an explosive impact that shook the surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud—!! Boom—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A violent gust of wind swept through the crowd, sending some of the weaker martial artists flying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the dust settled—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No way… The Cold Iron…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s a dent in it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deep, horizontal blade mark marred the Cold Iron—by far the most significant damage anyone had caused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu stared at the mark in silence for a moment before announcing, “…Passed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if it were the most natural outcome, Peng Zhou nodded and walked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after he left, the crowd’s excitement didn’t subside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Such a clear mark from his Blade Qi… Truly worthy of a master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like the winner is decided. It has to be the Blade King.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m satisfied just witnessing such a display. The world is vast, indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The martial artists were abuzz, as if they’d seen a miracle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s about time.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the perfect opportunity, I stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next, number one hundred and two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time Song Yu called my number, I was already standing before the Cold Iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd behind me was still chattering noisily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Peng family’s influence is undeniable…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the Blade King wins, then the Shenlong Corps…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring the commotion, I reached out slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My fingertips touched the Cold Iron, its surface icy to the touch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu reacted immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Number one hundred and two. Your hand touched the Cold Iron.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chatter behind me paused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told you earlier, didn’t I? Once you touch it, it’s over.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you touched the Cold Iron, that was it. No second chances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the rule Song Yu had laid out, yet here I was, hand resting on the Cold Iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s with this guy? Did he lose his nerve?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Making such a blunder… Tsk, tsk. He wasted his turn.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, after seeing that performance earlier, who could stay calm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young warrior, it’s okay! We understand!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha ha ha!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sympathy and ridicule filled the air, but I didn’t feel a thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reactions like these were something I’d endured countless times in my previous life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I was the type to falter from this, I’d have died long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unfortunately, rules are rules. Number one hundred and two, you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Song Yu could finish disqualifying me—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gathered Qi into my hand and exerted strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Disqual—?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My fingers pierced into the Cold Iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just my fingers, but my entire palm sank into it.A cold, solid sensation filled my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch—! Crack—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gripped the Cold Iron tightly and pulled my hand free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chunks of Cold Iron fell to the ground as my hand emerged, holding a solid piece.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In my palm was a handful of Cold Iron.On the surface of the Everlasting Cold Iron, there was a deep hole, the size of a fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The noise stopped.No one said a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even breathing seemed cautious in the profound silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing the atmosphere, I turned to Song Yu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does this count as a pass?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song Yu didn’t respond, but the result was already clear.\u003C\u002Fp>",3053,"2026-06-05T15:10:12.585Z",1,"novelbin.me","ce65bc88399624ed8b97fa34de929cd4ae18f514361244c69c94e46c11fde241","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-694","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-692",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]