[{"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-721":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},1240768,1667,"Chapter 720","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-721",721,"\u003Cp>\"I have to ask something since I don’t know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Late at night, after the third round of the martial tournament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was watching Paejon, who was training alone in the practice grounds, and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you out of your damn mind?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What did you just say, punk?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon, who was lifting a boulder the size of a room, turned to look at me.His expression was more baffled than angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So now you're cussing at your master, huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, that’s not it...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stopped mid-sentence and swung my fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Whoosh!—Crash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shattered the boulder flying straight for my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My wrist throbbed.Damn it. That bastard had wrapped Qi around the boulder before throwing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your expression is hilarious.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does it look good?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s not bad. Didn’t I give you exactly what you wanted?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Hah...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not bad, huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed as I looked at the scattered debris littering the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's as bad as it gets.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mess.There was no other way to describe it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A complete mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thanks to you, the martial tournament couldn't even finish halfway.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the third round, they had only prepared a single fighting stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was built sturdy—strong enough to endure most impacts without a scratch.Even if cracks appeared, it was designed to be easily repaired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'But how are they supposed to repair that?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s a limit to everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the damage is so severe that you can’t even tell what it originally looked like,it’s no longer repairable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'That's not a repair job. It's rebuilding it from scratch.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could've expected this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would've thought that a single martial artist could completely destroy a stage reinforced with ten-thousand-year steel?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I narrowed my eyes slightly and looked at Paejon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He called it Shattering the Heavens.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fifth technique of Tua Pacheonmu—Shattering the Heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The technique Paejon used against the Blade King during this tournament.It was a power I had never witnessed before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'...Shattering the heavens, huh?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name sounded ridiculously arrogant for a martial technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He might actually be able to pull it off.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After witnessing its destructive force firsthand, I couldn't deny it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its sheer power had made my entire body tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What the hell was that destructive force?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn't shake the image of Paejon using Shattering the Heavens from my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A compressed, swirling mass of gray energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he detonated it, the resulting explosion was catastrophic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'How did he pull it off?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did it feel like at that moment?Where did his Qi flow, and how did he channel it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Obviously, the source was Tua Pacheonmu.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The technique drew its power from there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'But how did he apply it so precisely?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The essence of Tua Pacheonmu was destruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simply using it inflicted pain on the user.It harnessed raw, untamed power to amplify its destructive capabilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just difficult to control.It was even harder to master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Yet Paejon manipulated his Qi with astonishing precision.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How the hell did he manage that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enduring pain was one thing.But compressing such chaotic energy into a sphere and detonating it was another matter entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, something about it felt familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'It’s similar to Nine Flames Firewheel.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compression, rotation, and amplification—just like the Nine Flames Firewheel technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nine Flames Firewheel was rough and volatile too,but it wasn’t as completely unmanageable as Tua Pacheonmu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I can handle Nine Flames Firewheel, but not Tua Pacheonmu.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet Paejon had done it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking about it, it wasn’t so surprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I couldn’t, it made sense that Paejon could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He’s a Grandmaster, after all.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man who carved out his own path by creating martial techniques from scratch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many geniuses could master martial arts and refine their cultivation.But only a rare few could create techniques that others would follow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tua Pacheonmu was passed down through a single lineage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had barely existed for fifty years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, it stood alongside martial techniques that had been refined for centuries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How was that even possible?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'It’s not. But that old man made it possible.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An artificial rebirth achieved through sheer mastery.A technique capable of inducing a trance-like state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each one of those feats was enough to make history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon possessed both.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of monster was this man?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He’s definitely insane.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That much was certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'The real question is, how do I use the fifth technique...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’ve got a lot of nerve calling someone crazy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I snapped out of my thoughts when Paejon spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can’t focus, huh? That technique left quite an impression, didn’t it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d caught on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon could tell exactly what was occupying my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t get ahead of yourself. You’ll learn it all eventually.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You expect me not to get ahead of myself? That’s a contradiction.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew he showed it to me on purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man wanted this to happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He’s just waiting for me to rack my brains over it.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fifth technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had barely finished polishing the fourth one, and now he dangled the fifth right in front of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he even—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ended up injuring yourself, didn’t you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon didn’t answer. He just looked away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I followed his gaze to his arm—the one he’d been using to lift the boulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Seriously...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help but sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So much for being invincible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you really have to push yourself that far? Everything’s a mess because of it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The final match of the tournament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were supposed to be more matches after Paejon’s fight with the Blade King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the matches were canceled because there was no stage left to fight on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Honestly, they could just fight on the ground...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, this was Henan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just Henan, but the territory of the Martial Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would the Martial Alliance tolerate holding a tournament on bare dirt after destroying their own stage?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Not a chance.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Alliance cared too much about appearances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They couldn’t afford such a disgraceful scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—The tournament will resume once the stage is rebuilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was their official decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Tch.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It threw off my plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'My plans are ruined.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My plans were perfectly timed for this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But now, it'll take at least two days—maybe three—just to rebuild the stage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only possible to set that timeframe because they had prepared spare materials.If they hadn’t, who knows how long it would have taken?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Crazy bastards. Who the hell decided to mix ten-thousand-year steel into the stage?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because they added that expensive material, the construction time dragged out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'They probably thought it wouldn’t break.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did they expect it to be completely destroyed and have to build a new one?Even I wouldn’t have guessed that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could’ve seen it coming?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'That Paejon would be here at the tournament.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if it wasn’t enough that the old man reversed his aging,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>who could have predicted he’d unleash his ultimate technique at the martial tournament?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Seriously… This is absurd.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one saw it coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now all of Henan was buzzing with Paejon’s name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Paejon’s disciple, Twin Dragon Bi Eejin, demonstrated overwhelming strength against the Blade King before forfeiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—A shocking victory—was it an insult aimed at the Blade King?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—A hidden late-stage master—just how valuable is the Twin Dragon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—The Divine Dragon versus the Twin Dragon. Who is stronger?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumors were flying everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, you couldn’t walk down the street without hearing about Paejon and his disciple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the Six Seats.The Guardian of Hebei—the head of the Peng Clan—was utterly humiliated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And by none other than Bi Eejin of the Seoan Bi Clan, a late-stage master still climbing the ranks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he was Paejon’s disciple, the fact that the Blade King lost was simply unbelievable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'No... It wasn’t a loss, was it?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a win.A completely disgraceful win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could still remember the look on the Blade King’s face when Bi Eejin declared his forfeit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t mock me!” he had screamed, demanding death instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That expression—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Pathetic.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For someone considered a king-level martial artist, it had been utterly pitiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And thanks to that, the upper echelons of the merchant guilds were scrambling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Blade King’s reputation had plummeted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now the shifting power dynamics in Zhongyuan had the guild masters moving at breakneck speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One duel had caused all of this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A year of preparation, and everything had changed in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People were saying that Bi Eejin’s forfeit was a deliberate challenge to the Blade King’s authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That it was both a display of power and a move to elevate Paejon’s reputation while proving his own worth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s what they thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The forfeit. That was real, wasn’t it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Hmph.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon’s body was in terrible condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t even need to check closely.With my insight, I could see it clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘His flow is completely tangled.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The smooth flow of Qi in his body was all twisted.On the surface, he looked fine, but his insides were a mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the reason was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The aftereffects of Shattering the Heavens.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The immense power he had used in the tournament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its backlash had taken a toll on his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing him in such a fragile state… What can I say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...I could take him down right now. Should I hit him a few times?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, my bad. I meant it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon burst out laughing.Did he think I was joking? I wasn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I really could beat him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, taking down Paejon wouldn’t be hard.That’s how weakened he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Shattering the Heavens wasn’t easy for him either.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The backlash forced him to forfeit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'And because he acted like nothing was wrong, everyone saw it differently.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They thought it was meant to humiliate the Blade King.A disgraceful victory that would go down in history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A defeat at the hands of a late-stage master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of that, people in Henan were calling the Blade King every name under the sun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Did he plan this from the start?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anyone could pull off such a scheme, it’d be that unreadable old man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, why do you keep nitpicking?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a sigh at Paejon’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I just mean, did you really have to go that far? You could’ve won without doing all that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then what’s the point of entering? I wanted to have a little fun.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You nearly died looking for fun.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I die, you’d probably be the happiest one here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s… Okay, fair point—wait, no! That was a joke!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I dodged another boulder flying at my head.Can’t even joke around this guy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I was planning to win, you know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon suddenly added, as if explaining himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But then I saw an opportunity to show you something good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Something good? That fifth technique?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He threw the match just to use Shattering the Heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, I was left speechless for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the hell…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shattering the Heavens wasn’t originally like this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I perked up at his sudden comment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It was originally a simpler technique—a burst of energy from the fist. But this time, I had a good feeling, so I tried modifying it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Modifying it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eyes widened. He modified it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since it was his own technique, it wasn’t strange that he could change it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still, suddenly deciding to modify it during the match—it left me baffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at Paejon, fascinated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I got the idea from your technique.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was completely stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon had modified his technique based on mine?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Wait a minute.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s when it hit me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The technique he drew inspiration from—was it…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nine Flames Firewheel?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason Shattering the Heavens had felt so similar to Nine Flames Firewheel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'That explains it.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had wondered why they seemed so alike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shattering the Heavens had been derived from Nine Flames Firewheel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now the real question was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How did you pull it off?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Specifically, what caused Shattering the Heavens’s explosion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Nine Flames Firewheel uses fire Qi.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It compresses heat and creates friction through rotation,then detonates it to unleash destructive power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Tua Pacheonmu didn’t rely on fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So how did it work?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The questions started piling up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re curious, aren’t you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I want you to figure it out yourself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh? Figure it out?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s right. Since it’s based on techniques from your family’s martial arts, it shouldn’t be too hard. Go ahead and find it. That’s your assignment this time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You’re just telling me to figure it out? It’s not as easy as you make it sound.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When has any of my assignments been easy?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had a point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man’s assignments were always ridiculously difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This one will help you too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how absurd his assignments were, they always ended up being useful.To the point where I couldn’t even argue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s about time you tried something like this. Especially...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon paused for a moment before continuing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For what you’re trying to accomplish.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed hard at his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My lips instinctively pressed together as I stared at him with trembling eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'This man...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just how much does he know?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words carried a weight that struck me to the core.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like every sentence was a dagger aimed straight at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’s like a goddamn ghost.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t handle him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His martial arts, his unreadable expressions—everything about him felt more otherworldly than any Taoist master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t the aura of kindness or wisdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He doesn’t feel human.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon lacked that fundamental humanness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He always gave off that kind of vibe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I stood there frozen, struggling to steady myself—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I won’t stop you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon continued speaking as if he’d read my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s dangerous, but I know you wouldn’t stop even if I told you to. And besides, you’re the only one who can do it. I’ll be watching with interest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, his eyes turned sharp, and a chilling aura washed over me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shiver—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment our eyes met, a cold shiver ran down my spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t throw your life away. Remember, you have a place you must reach.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...I understand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His obsession with passing down his martial arts—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That fixation was everything to Paejon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man consumed by martial arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just looking at him was enough to take my breath away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you’re done asking questions, get out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing the conversation was over, Paejon immediately dismissed me.Basically, he was telling me to scram.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at him and asked one last thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are we not sparring today?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...I can see right through you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s a shame... Really...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I usually did everything I could to avoid sparring with him, but today was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When else would I get a chance to beat Paejon while he was this weak?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought lingered, but it didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon clearly had no intention of sparring today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clicking my tongue, I turned around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had already asked what I needed to, and thanks to him, I now had more homework to deal with.I had to move quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, I couldn’t get his words out of my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—\"For what you’re trying to accomplish.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What I was trying to accomplish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that Paejon had caught on was unnerving,but since he’d basically given me permission, I felt a little more at ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'...At least now I won’t have to hide it.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What I had been working on lately—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Combining Tua Pacheonmu and Nine Flames Firewheel.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was trying to merge the two ultimate techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A day had passed since the main tournament ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a short time—barely a single night—but Henan had already undergone countless changes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a small exclamation as I looked out the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since morning, the area around our quarters had been bustling with people eager to catch a glimpse of the Twin Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make matters worse, word had spread that the Twin Dragon didn’t have a fiancée, prompting some of the noble families to start making moves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Paejon brushed them all off without a second thought, but there were still plenty of persistent ones refusing to give up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t surprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He might very well become the strongest under the heavens.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The title of the Strongest Under Heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A lofty and dazzling title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only one person per generation could claim that extraordinary position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, with a young man who seemed closer to that title than anyone else appearing, it was only natural that people were desperate to secure a connection with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the other candidate, the Divine Dragon, who was untouchable as a member of the Shaolin Sect, the Twin Dragon was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He came from the Seoan Bi Clan, a family with a much lower standing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t the eldest son, nor was he engaged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who wouldn’t be tempted?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve become quite the popular man overnight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smirked as I sipped my tea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon was probably completely indifferent to all of it, but seeing him deal with the hassle made me feel a bit better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was it people said again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'The Divine Dragon and the Twin Dragon will push each other to grow stronger.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was hilarious how people were already spinning tales of an epic rivalry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The duel of the century or whatever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shuddered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was enough to give me goosebumps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing how quickly the Beggar’s Sect had made their move, it was obvious the Martial Alliance was behind it all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'They made such a big spectacle of it that cleaning up the aftermath would be too much trouble. So now they’re trying to turn it to their advantage instead.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, it wasn’t a bad approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only one who got screwed over was that Blade King guy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Thanks to all this, I’m stuck dealing with this mess too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Blade King’s reputation in shambles, the plans I had carefully laid out were starting to unravel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now I had to send Cheol Ji-seon and Je Gal-hyuk to assess the situation immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since morning, I had been tied down dealing with visitors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Hmm...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I set my teacup down and turned to look straight ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A guest who had come to see me early in the morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at her and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman looked back at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her neatly arranged white hair, pinned up with a silver ornament, caught my eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite her age, her skin showed few wrinkles, and the light makeup she wore gave her a dignified presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was none other than—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What brings the Sect Leader of Mount Emei to someone like me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the identity of the woman who had come to see me.\u003C\u002Fp>",3105,"2026-06-05T15:10:16.200Z",1,"novelbin.me","230ed7bb2137fd3af0f3bafbcfd163c9ded0025cbf5e5a004ab422427966279f","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-898","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-897",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]