[{"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-725":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},1240775,1667,"Chapter 724","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-725",725,"\u003Cp>TL Notes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In keeping with the fandom, from now and forever, I will use the following in reference to the character Yung Pung: TitlesPrevious TimelinePlum Blossom Sword Emperor\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Current TimelineSword Dragon\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>__________________________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why leave out the Emei Sect’s betrayal?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My words struck a nerve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes widened, her breathing quickened, and her heartbeat pounded audibly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It all pointed to a single conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her reaction, I let the corners of my lips curl up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Honestly, I was just fishing.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But her response nearly confirmed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A creeping sense of discomfort stirred within me as I sorted out my thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And from that process, my conclusion was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tightened my grip on Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal’s cheek.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Most of what you’ve said doesn’t add up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emei Sect was supposedly looking for Bong Soon—no, Pi Yeon-yeon—to clear the Sword Queen’s name?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded nice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps the previous Sword Queen had her reasons for leaving the Emei Sect and acting independently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that were the case, then yes—clearing her name would be a noble cause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was a glaring problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If that were true, you should’ve acted sooner.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why now, after all this time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s been at least twenty years since the war ended.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Great Conflict between the righteous and unorthodox sects had ended decades ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So what had the Emei Sect been doing all this time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Absolutely nothing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a damn thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they had known the Sword Queen had been framed, they should have done something—anything—before now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re just making excuses because Bong—no, Pi Yeon-yeon—has appeared.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They needed more than excuses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, right, there was something.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already knew what the Emei Sect had been up to for the past couple of decades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I looked into it the moment Bong Soon was linked to them.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t exactly secret information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t take much digging, but tying it to this situation painted an unsettling picture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The sect’s activities surged over the last twenty years. New buildings, expanded lands—even festivals.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal flinched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pressed on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re supposedly Sichuan’s protector now, but that wasn’t always the case, was it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after the Tang Clan’s fall did the Emei Sect step in as Sichuan’s guardian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before that, the Tang Clan had dominated the region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their influence and wealth were unmatched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They controlled most of Sichuan—its businesses, merchants, and even the defense against Magyeong Gate threats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the Emei Sect had been barely scraping by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yet you rebuilt structures, expanded territories, and even held festivals. Where did the money come from?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal’s shoulders trembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You weren’t even active in the Martial Alliance’s events.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their disciples barely participated in tournaments like the Yongbong Gathering, and even when they did, their results were unimpressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet their numbers had grown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"More disciples mean more costs—training, housing, resources.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With minimal backing from merchants and no significant support from the Martial Alliance, how had they managed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'No ties to the Alliance, few sponsors, and yet they not only sustained themselves but expanded.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did the sect suddenly discover hidden treasures?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Maybe they found an ancient vault.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And perhaps they only recently discovered Pi Yeon-yeon and learned the truth about the Sword Queen’s accusations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s not it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t believe in miracles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ggh…! Ngh…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You knew the Sword Queen was framed. Whether you learned after the war or even before it—I don’t care. What matters is you knew.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emei Sect likely knew the truth all along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And you stayed silent. Why? Because you struck a deal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the Tang Clan’s dominance, the Emei Sect had maintained its position as one of the Nine Great Sects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What did you get from the Martial Alliance?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Money? Promises? Or something else to secure your future?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal’s eyes wavered, her fear beginning to show.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You took their offer, didn’t you? And you call yourself a sect leader?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to be careful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I pressed any harder, I might crush her skull.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is why I can’t stand you people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My voice trembled slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You disgust me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ground beneath us cracked as my rage seeped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re all the same. Pathetic hypocrites.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d come back to life and struggled to keep myself under control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And look at me now—I was still keeping this senile old woman alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ggh… cough… cough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth, seeping through my fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heat radiated from my palm, but my mind remained ice cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s sum this up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emei Sect had taken money and favors while staying silent for decades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now they’d suddenly emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it really because of Pi Yeon-yeon’s appearance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They only found her after arriving in Hanan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant they hadn’t known about her before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So why now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the circumstances, the answer was obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because the Tang Clan fell.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tang Clan’s collapse had shifted the power dynamics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their influence dwindled, leaving a vacuum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, the Emei Sect’s position rose to fill that space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They likely took on more responsibility for defending against Magyeong Gate threats, attracting new sponsorships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'And with that came power.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was predictable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Humans, given more than they deserve, tend to forget their place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They forget where they came from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d seen it too many times to be surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Humans are just like that.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no illusions about people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was exactly why my expectations of humanity were always low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I hate those who deny what they know.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who believe they’re not at fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever I see people like that, I want to burn them alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that why you showed yourself?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason the Emei Sect had surfaced in Hanan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Feeling bold now that you’ve regained some power? Or maybe your past mistakes started haunting you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a warning to the Martial Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A declaration that they hadn’t forgotten what the Alliance had done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already knew the Emei Sect had plans to interfere with the participants of the Martial Arts Festival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know the exact intent, but one thing was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you feel the need to come crawling out now that your head’s gotten bigger?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swung my arm, hurling Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud—! Roll!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her frail body rolled across the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cough… urgh…!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stomped down on her as she struggled to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Urgh… agh…!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re no better than an insect. You’re an old woman, yet you’re no adult.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal had never grown up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'She ended up being toyed with by her disciples.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t even realize how far things had gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that I intended to enlighten her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any lingering pity I might have felt had long since vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My words no longer carried even a trace of respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Respect was reserved for true adults.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal was no adult in my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All I felt toward her was contempt and disgust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you want?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huff… w-what are you…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you plan to do with Pi Yeon-yeon?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aghhh!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pressed down harder with my foot. Snap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her ribs cracked under the pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How does her existence benefit you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave her time to think.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I thought as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a cold, calculating mind, I was already closing in on the answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It doesn’t matter anymore.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of it mattered now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lifted my foot and reached out my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her limp body floated up before being caught in my grip by the throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ack… urgh….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve seen enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no point in continuing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re no longer human to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was my judgment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal was no longer worth considering as a person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"W-what are you… talking about…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She struggled weakly, her eyes filled with confusion and disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you seriously planning to kill me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, now that’s a scary thought.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I doubt you came here without letting someone know where you’d be. Killing you now would only make things unnecessarily messy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, it was just a nuisance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who knew how troublesome it might get later?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Besides, I can’t kill someone so important, can I?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finished speaking and sent a pulse through my heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A heavy beat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My demonic energy surged, spreading through my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sssshhh—! Heat flared in my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon-Splitting Fist Immortal’s eyes widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"W-what… urgh!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She froze mid-sentence, paralyzed by the overwhelming force invading her body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Guhhh…! Aghhhh!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her frail body began to tremble violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared down at her with calm, indifferent eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'If only.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there had been even a shred of decency in her, I wouldn’t have done this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then I laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Who am I kidding?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew this would happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d known from the moment she appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'It probably started that day at the Martial Arts Festival.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The day I killed the Emei Sect disciple who tried to run away after seeing Bong Soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I was being honest, I’d known this was inevitable even then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'The real problem is that I let myself hope.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hope that she might be different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That she might not be completely rotten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What a joke.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What an absurd, pathetic hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve got issues too. Ever since this body got younger, I’ve been too sentimental.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I laughed at myself, remembering how I’d scolded Cheol Ji-seon not too long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But at least now I’m sure, thanks to you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I erased the last remnants of my expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll use you well before throwing you away. You’ve got a lot of work ahead of you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t bother explaining what I meant by “throwing away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She would figure it out soon enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled as I spoke to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ahhh—!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes darkened, sinking into despair as my words sank in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four days had passed since the third main round ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been delayed after the Twin Dragons destroyed the arena, and now, the repairs were finally complete. The announcement of the fourth main round’s start had spread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since it was an unprecedented situation, there were a few changes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unfinished matches from the third round—those who hadn’t fought—were now mixed into the fourth round.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although there weren’t many matches left to begin with, the addition of more participants caused adjustments in the matchups.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most people didn’t seem too concerned about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s with that look on your face?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to the person next to me and couldn’t help but scoff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re completely different from last time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one speaking to me was Seong Yul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same Seong Yul who had looked like he was about to drop dead from anxiety just a few days ago. Now, he seemed oddly at ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'It must be because of the changed matchups.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, Seong Yul had been set to face a martial artist from Kunlun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the adjustments in the lineup had given him a new opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That alone seemed to put his mind completely at ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you that happy about it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t know what you’re talking about.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shook my head at his blatant lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was it about that Kunlun martial artist that made him so uneasy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I hadn’t been curious before, I was starting to wonder now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I investigate?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beating him until he talked seemed like it would work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I considered it briefly but pushed the thought aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'It’s not the time to be celebrating a reshuffled bracket.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul’s misplaced relief felt almost pitiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning my gaze to the matchups, I scanned the list.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>- Jin Im-seok of Gwangju Jin Clan vs. Peng Woo-jin of Hebei Peng Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seriously?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when the matchups changed, they still ended up facing each other?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed, glancing at Seong Yul, who was trying to look calm and unbothered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'He’ll figure it out on his own.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For reference, the Kunlun martial artist originally set to fight Seong Yul was now matched against Tang So-yeol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We were down to only a few participants now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was natural for familiar names to start appearing more frequently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the matchups reflected that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>- Pi Yeon-yeon of Seoan Pi Clan vs. Yung Pung of Mount Hua Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bong Soon, surprisingly, was matched against Yung Pung.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Who will win?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was genuinely curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by their styles, Bong Soon seemed to have the advantage—but then again…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'You never know.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yung Pung might have grown stronger since the last time I saw him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was something I couldn’t be sure about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond that, I spotted several martial artists I’d already identified as being at the Hwagyeong level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And among them were a few who seemed to be hiding their true strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ha.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a dry laugh after spotting my own name at the bottom of the bracket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So this is why they changed the matchups.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, I couldn’t understand why they bothered reshuffling instead of just adding the remaining matches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now it made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed as I looked at the name listed as my opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>- Gu Yangcheon of Shanxi Gu Clan vs. Yu Yeon of Shaolin Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My opponent was the Shaolin Sect’s greatest hope.\u003C\u002Fp>",2214,"2026-06-05T15:10:16.200Z",1,"novelbin.me","b5c5953722dfdc8add5e99de12fcdb59943a56c6118de2a36b32a3952b65d4e5","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-726","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-900",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]