[{"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-748":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},1240798,1667,"Chapter 747","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-748",748,"\u003Cp>The time was just past noon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun hung high in the sky, yet it wasn’t particularly hot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps because the season had already shifted to autumn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A breeze blew by, ruffling my hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t bothered to take care of it, so it should’ve felt rough, but thanks to my transformation, my skin and hair always stayed in good condition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Maybe that’s why it feels so annoying.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grabbed my long hair and tied it back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, it felt a bit less bothersome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that I’d roughly fixed it, the strands that had been blocking my view were cleared away, and my vision opened up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first thing that came into sight was the cracked sparring stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The traces of battles between Hwagyeong-level martial artists were clearly etched into the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d supposedly reinforced the sparring stage after reaching the Eight Directions, yet I couldn’t help but wonder where all their money was going.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What a pointless waste, I thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lightly rolled my wrist and looked up. This time, it wasn’t the stage I saw but people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them was the referee, visibly tense to the extreme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason for that was probably mostly my fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It must be the aftermath of the last match.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t caused too much of a commotion during my fight with Sword Dragon, but the match against Divine Dragon had stirred up quite the incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was likely why the referee was so nervous now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I do feel a bit bad.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what could I do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you’re getting paid, you have to earn it somehow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And from my experience, the Murim Alliance didn’t exactly pay poorly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by his armband, he seemed to be close to a vice-captain level, so he was probably earning a decent amount.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He should earn his keep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was another reason why the referee was so on edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shifted my gaze slightly to see the cause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There stood a towering figure, nearly eight feet tall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Broad shoulders and muscles so thick they seemed to burst from his frame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Blade King, Peng Zhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, staring at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I could clearly sense the difference from before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That old man isn’t playing around with his Qi this time, huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Last time, he’d flared his energy everywhere, pulling all sorts of ridiculous stunts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, he was completely still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The subtle aura of a strong opponent still emanated from him, but that was unavoidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wild and overflowing Qi from before had been reined in, sealed tightly within his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah. He looked much better this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was far more pleasing to see him not wasting his energy on useless displays.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Who’s going to win this time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Who knows? It’s still Blade King, after all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Come on, So Yeomra defeated Divine Dragon. You think he’ll lose to Blade King?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“But Blade King is one of the Six Seats. It’d be a bit much for him to lose to someone at the late-stage of youth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Then are you saying Twin Dragon wasn’t at the late-stage level?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“…That’s because Twin Dragon was trained by Paejon…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flood of noise pricked at my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing all that nonsense almost made me laugh out loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What a mess.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How had Blade King fallen to this point?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People were actually debating whether he could beat me or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, my value had skyrocketed recently, but Blade King’s had plummeted just as much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Tsk.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe that’s why his expression was so twisted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I did feel a little sorry for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what could I do? He should blame Paejon for beating him so badly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, if I was being honest, people’s real interest wasn’t in the outcome of this match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What they were truly curious about was who would win if I fought Twin Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twin Dragon had beaten Blade King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I, So Yeomra, had defeated Divine Dragon, the youngest Hwagyeong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the match between us had been interrupted and we never got to fight, the speculation only grew stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was stronger?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was the true ruler of the late-stage level?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hah.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The obsession with rankings was tiresome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did it even matter?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn old man.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned in irritation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that people were so fixated on this nonsense only proved how shocking Paejon’s display had been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And it’s made things more complicated for me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paejon’s overwhelming performance had made my position a lot more troublesome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he’d forfeited due to internal injuries, his sudden withdrawal only fanned the flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now no one would ever know the answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was stronger between So Yeomra and Twin Dragon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one would ever find out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that meant all the attention had shifted here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I found that frustrating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I should’ve wrapped this up properly.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like I’d split the attention with Paejon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Don’t tell me… he planned this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twin Dragon, withdrawing while still being praised and celebrated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could Paejon have anticipated all this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…You never know.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was unexpectedly sly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe he’d calculated this outcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was, I had no way of finding out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s frustrating, but what can I do?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The water was already spilled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I do have a way to fix this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was at least some consolation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I was thinking that and tilting my head slightly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are you looking?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blade King’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you really thinking about something else while standing in front of me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, my apologies. I got distracted for a moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I apologized honestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Blade King’s frown didn’t ease up in the slightest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You really are insufferably arrogant. I suppose it’s natural, being that man’s son.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quietly repeated two words to myself and replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Children taking after their parents is natural, I suppose. But in that sense, Lord Peng should be relieved.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your son doesn’t resemble you at all, does he? In more ways than one. Isn’t that truly fortunate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, I thought Peng Woojin was slightly better, but that wasn’t the point here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I said that with a smile, the old man’s brow furrowed even further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems I’ll need to tear that mouth of yours apart to shut you up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a frightening thing to say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The world’s praises have gone to your head, haven’t they? You’re insufferable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blade King’s composure hit rock bottom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even upon closer inspection, his size remained overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t delude yourself. I may have made a mistake against Twin Dragon, but there will be no such miracle for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scratched my cheek as I listened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Peng, you keep pretending not to know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pretending not to know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why do you keep calling it a miracle? You, of all people, should know the truth better than anyone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I noticed a faint tremor in Blade King’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed he’d caught on to what I was implying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why keep dressing up what was clearly a one-sided beating? Does calling it a miracle make you feel better?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rough grinding sound came from Blade King’s mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You got your ass handed to you, plain and simple. Did you hit your head too hard back then? Is that why you keep spouting nonsense?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I spoke, I casually scanned my surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, I layered Qi into my voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a sound transmission technique—just enough to prevent my words from carrying too far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop acting tough and just hold your sword properly. Weaklings who run their mouths tend to end up getting beaten even harder.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You bastard…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blade King’s muscles tensed, swelling as if he’d lunge at me at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even then, my eyes continued scanning the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Roughly 15 minutes.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was about how much time I had left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let the thought settle as I glanced toward the rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was the hall where the Central Plains’ envoys and the highest-ranking figures had gathered to watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave it a quick look and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not bad.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was acceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Satisfied with my assessment, I turned to the referee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think we’re ready. Shall we get started?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Pardon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The referee looked startled by my words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clearly knew that something was wrong with Blade King’s state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s fine. Go ahead and start.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waved him off dismissively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as I said that, Blade King’s killing intent grew heavier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I swear on my name.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly fed up with my attitude, Blade King gripped his sword, and the weapon groaned under the pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I will crush you here and now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, I smirked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s one of the most common lines I’ve heard. Funny how not a single person who said it ever succeeded.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who uttered such words to me always ended up one of two ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either groveling beneath my feet…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or with their heads ripped off by my hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So which one would Blade King be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t get my hopes up. I just humbly ask for one thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I flexed my fingers a few times before tightening my grip into a fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“15 minutes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clenched my fist even harder and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just hold out for that long.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all I expected of Blade King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>****************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was during Blade King’s early days as a late-stage prodigy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was back when he wasn’t called Blade King but was instead known as Black Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, they were referred to as the Six Dragons and Three Phoenixes, but back then, there were only two phoenixes and five dragons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five Dragons, Two Phoenixes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a story from the days when Peng Zhou was part of that group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not autumn, but winter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the peak of the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that time, Black Dragon was far more hot-tempered than he is now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was still immature, pampered excessively by the Blade King of that era, and carried a sense of inferiority about his talent, making him especially rebellious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Backed by one of the Four Great Clans, he had the skills to rise as a dragon, but he’d only barely managed to secure that position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pushed from behind by the rising stars of smaller families.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blocked in front by the untouchable bloodlines of noble clans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything seemed to be cornering Peng Zhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And to make matters worse, this particular story took place the day after he suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Namgung Jin, the Sword Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“You son of a bitch…!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou spewed curses and smashed the table to pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“I… I lost to that damn pretty boy—!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having lost to Sword Dragon and been knocked out of the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering, Peng Zhou was seething with rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere in the inn was frigid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other patrons shrank back in fear, and even the martial artists present didn’t dare to intervene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Peng Zhou wasn’t just a late-stage prodigy; he was also the next head of the Peng Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anyone laid a hand on him, there was no telling how the Blade King would respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone knew how much the Blade King cherished Peng Zhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“What the hell am I lacking—!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash! Clatter—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The memories haunted him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The number of empty bottles scattered around was uncountable, but as a martial artist, he barely felt drunk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shards of glass littered the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou’s thoughts were as chaotic as those broken bottles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept replaying the moment he was overpowered and thrown to the ground by Sword Dragon’s Monarch Blade Form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Aaaaaah—!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang! Crash—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Peng Zhou rampaged and smashed everything in sight, something caught his eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The women who had been clinging to him earlier had already fled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other patrons were cowering against the walls, avoiding eye contact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was one exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just one person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One person in the entire inn who continued eating as if nothing was happening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bowl of plain noodles in front of him, eating silently without attracting attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was so quiet that Peng Zhou hadn’t even noticed him until now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gulp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The faint sound of swallowing rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“…Who the hell are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unsettled, Peng Zhou picked a fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“How can you eat at a time like this? Does that food even go down?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He shouted, then hurled a bottle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—! Clink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man casually caught the flying bottle and set it down on his table as if nothing had happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was such a natural movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou’s expression twisted as he watched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, the man looked up at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou flinched, his body stiffening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know why, but the moment he saw the man’s eyes, his body locked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man looked about his age, with black hair and eerily crimson eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A familiar face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Hah… Of all people, it’s you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he remembered correctly, the man was a member of the Gu Clan’s bloodline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A newcomer to the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering who had performed well in the friendly sparring matches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumor had it he’d even defeated the Little Dragon of Wudang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was his name again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Gu Cheol… Gu Cheol-something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Gu Cheolwoon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s voice was low and weighty, making Peng Zhou click his tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Yeah, Gu Cheolwoon. That bastard. What the hell are you doing here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Annoyed, Peng Zhou snapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Cheolwoon casually tilted his head and raised his chopsticks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Isn’t it obvious? I’m eating.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Do I look like I’m asking about that?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang! Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou stormed toward Gu Cheolwoon and grabbed the table, intending to flip it over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“…?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the table wouldn’t budge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, Peng Zhou’s hand trembled as he exerted force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou’s eyes darted around and finally noticed something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Cheolwoon’s hand was resting lightly on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could that really be the reason?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That would mean Peng Zhou, who prided himself on being the strongest among late-stage prodigies, was losing in raw strength to this guy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t make sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He refused to believe it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flash—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Ugh?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the table shot into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The recoil threw Peng Zhou off balance, making him stumble backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noodles rained down on Peng Zhou’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash—! Crack—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The table crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“What a shame.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Cheolwoon muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“It’s rare to find something that suits my taste, and now it’s wasted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all he said, as if disappointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“…Ha… Hahaha…!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou burst into laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound sent chills down the spines of everyone in the inn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear he wasn’t in his right mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“You bastard… Do you even know who I am?! Are you trying to die?! I’m from the Peng Clan of Hebei—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Not interested.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Cheolwoon’s cold reply cut Peng Zhou off mid-sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“You son of a bitch!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Cheolwoon slowly rose to his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou’s eyes widened as he took in the sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was massive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps even larger than Peng Zhou himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“I have no interest in your name.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou’s heart pounded loudly in his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It started the moment he locked eyes with Gu Cheolwoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those crimson eyes bore down on him from above.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with that gaze, Peng Zhou felt his body instinctively shrink back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“W-what… did you just say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No interest?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“You arrogant bastard… How dare you—!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grab—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Ack!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou flinched, trying to lunge forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before he could react, a massive hand shot out and grabbed both of his cheeks, forcing his mouth open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hand easily encompassed Peng Zhou’s large face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other hand reached into his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, Peng Zhou struggled to resist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But strangely, his body wouldn’t move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t that his pressure points had been sealed—he’d merely been grabbed by the face, yet his entire body felt frozen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, he would realize it was the killing intent crushing down on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But by then, it was already too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Peng Zhou—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could do nothing against the bloodlust radiating from Gu Cheolwoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Ghhhk…!? Ghhhh!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His molar were ripped out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even then, he couldn’t resist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hand brushed over the exposed socket where the tooth had been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sizzle—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Aaaaargh!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A burning heat seared the wound shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou screamed in agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unable to fight back, he writhed in pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after he had flailed for a long while did Gu Cheolwoon finally let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh! Thud—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tossed the extracted tooth back at Peng Zhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, wiping his saliva-covered hand casually on his clothes, Gu Cheolwoon spoke with an indifferent expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“I’ll consider this payment for the noodles.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words were calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing them, Peng Zhou’s body convulsed in rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Hrrg… y-you… you bastard…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Struggling to form words, Peng Zhou cursed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Cheolwoon stepped closer, staring into his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Got more to say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Gh… guh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Go ahead. I’m listening.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou wanted to scream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To shout, “Do you know who I am?! I’m Peng Zhou of the Hebei Peng Clan!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to assert his dominance over this bastard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“I said, speak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His instincts screamed at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he said another word, he’d die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, he would absolutely die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou’s instincts and Gu Cheolwoon’s eyes told him that much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Hhh… gghk…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pride and fury filled Peng Zhou to the brim, but in the end, he shut his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His pride wasn’t worth his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Hah… ha…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou let out a shuddering breath instead of speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Cheolwoon watched him silently for a moment before turning away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Good thing I didn’t bother learning your name.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as he slowly walked away, Peng Zhou heard his parting words loud and clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“You’re not worth remembering.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Cheolwoon’s voice sliced into him like a blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou gritted his teeth, humiliated beyond belief, but even as Gu Cheolwoon exited the inn, he couldn’t bring himself to say a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clenched his fists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He made a vow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would kill that bastard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what it took, he’d kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he had to beg his clan master for help or handle it himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would never forget this humiliation and would one day see Gu Cheolwoon destroyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou’s ambition was never realized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because not long after, Gu Cheolwoon soared far beyond his reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Gu Cheolwoon…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grudge that festered in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It grew to the point where he even tried to use his daughter as a pawn in an engagement scheme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That, too, fell apart, but Peng Zhou had never once forgotten that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that’s why—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Peng Zhou of the Hebei Peng Clan versus Gu Yangcheon of the Shanxi Gu Clan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could see it now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That damned brat who resembled Gu Cheolwoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one with those same cursed eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bastard who inherited his father’s monstrous talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the boy’s appearance wasn’t an exact match,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something about his presence reminded Peng Zhou far too much of Gu Cheolwoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If he’d just shown an ounce of submission, I might’ve let it slide.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was just as arrogant and insufferable as his father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brazen enough to stand up to the head of the Peng Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou hated him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twin Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this brat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clench.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Begin!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would destroy them both.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d tear them apart no matter what.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black Iron.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whirr—!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dark Qi surged and enveloped his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blade King gripped it tightly and launched forward with all his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the distance between them closed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the full weight of Peng Zhou’s emotions bore down on Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Peng Zhou blinked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something felt off—his hand felt too light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes darted around frantically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at his right hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blade that should have been firmly in his grasp was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where the hell did it go?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When did it—?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Ah, fuck. Seriously.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The curse pierced his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blade King’s vision spun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Guhh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face was stomped into the sparring stage, smashing through the surface and burying him in debris.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—“Aaaaaah!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A scream ripped from Blade King as searing pain overwhelmed him.\u003C\u002Fp>",3367,"2026-06-05T15:10:16.200Z",1,"novelbin.me","734b36224b31cfbf53f4004b3c19dfc702518cacbd5cbe739ab2861ee59aa0c9","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-749","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-747",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]