[{"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-826":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},1240626,1667,"Chapter 825","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-826",826,"\u003Cp>BANG—! THUD, THUD—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lodging prepared for the Azure Dragon Division at the branch headquarters—inside, the training hall rang with violent echoes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the sound, I turned my head. The tip of a sword grazed my cheek.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took a step forward, lowering my upper body. Another sword sliced through the spot I had just occupied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I threw a punch into empty air. As if it had been lying in wait, a blade aura came flying toward me, only to shatter as it met my fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the short exchange, relentless attacks kept pouring in, and my body moved ceaselessly in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rolling my eyes, I lightly expanded my senses. Murderous intent flared from all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Twisting my waist slightly, I wrapped my arm in Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘One first.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shifted my gaze—not to the closest one, but to the farthest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pushing off with my foot, I picked up speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I reached my target in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked momentarily startled—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tsk!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—but quickly adjusted his grip, shifting his stance from offense to defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smirked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than struggling in vain, he was trying to minimize the damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘For a defensive stance, his form’s lacking.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d focused too much on offense during training. His posture was crude—no, calling it crude wasn’t quite right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At least, not by ordinary standards.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But to me, it is.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As an opponent? That’s how it looked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>THUD—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My fist struck his solar plexus in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Landing the blow wasn’t difficult. Like I said—his stance was full of holes for someone at his level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Qi surrounding my fist crushed his protective aura and pierced straight through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who took my punch—one of the Ten Battle Swords—collapsed, gagging on the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His pale face briefly caught my eye, but now wasn’t the time for sympathy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I immediately turned away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An attack had already arrived behind me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, it was a punch—a massive one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The compressed Qi surrounding it was thick. Blocking it carelessly would hurt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I dodge? Or counter?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought barely lingered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRASH—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My smaller fist collided with the larger one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clash of Qi sent a massive shockwave rippling outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the other guy flinched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who had charged in while radiating Qi reeled back, clutching his arm, while I remained perfectly fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at him and said—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You focused too much on one area. You should’ve expected a counter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Qi was stronger, but the outcome wasn’t surprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d concentrated too much energy at the surface of his fist, weakening the structure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An attack like that? It was just asking to snap his wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man, hit by my counter, flinched momentarily but quickly prepared to leap back and widen the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a bad call.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>STOMP—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had already stepped on his foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his lower body pinned, his movements froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt his panic as he tried to pull free, gathering Qi to force it loose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I was already swinging my other leg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My shin, boosted by speed, slammed into his ribs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, I released his foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“ARGH—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>THUD—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before his scream even ended, he smashed into the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I muttered under my breath as killing intent flared from both sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two streaks of light shot toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They exploited my focus and targeted my blind spots. Smart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their positioning was solid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an attack I couldn’t dodge upward or downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The coordination was tight, almost practiced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starting out, they’d been sloppy, but a few beatings had shaped them up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What should I do?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I let them hit? Or handle this differently?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Letting them land a few strikes wouldn’t be terrible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d earned at least that much respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>FWOOSH—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shit!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the—?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wasn’t my style.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames erupted across my body in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The approaching men flinched, their movements faltering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Already mid-charge, they couldn’t stop themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, they braced themselves with reinforced Qi to endure the flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave them credit for guts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>FWOOOM—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames surged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men gritted their teeth and pushed forward, ignoring the burns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell—?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes widened in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d prepared themselves to endure the heat and pain, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames weren’t hot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course they weren’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were never meant to burn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a trick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I wanted, I could have turned them into real flames and burned them alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I didn’t need to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All I wanted was hesitation—and I got it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flinch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the smallest hesitation created an opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t miss it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CLANG—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I dealt with the closer one first, aiming to knock his sword away—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Oh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blade dipped but didn’t fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though I hadn’t held back, he’d managed to endure it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I liked that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What was his name?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Hyuk-jin?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d done well in sparring matches and fought alongside me during the Crimson-Rank Beast incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kuh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Breaking my focus, I drove my knee into his jaw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hit landed clean, and he staggered before collapsing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Three.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Counting under my breath, I snapped my fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snap—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sparks flared, growing quickly into a thicker, heavier flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not too strong—but just enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Enough to block a sword.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SCREECH—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shit!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who tried to cut through the fire grimaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it burned, it resisted being cleaved, slowing the strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to force more strength into it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of flame—?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too focused on the fire, he didn’t notice—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Too slow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hup—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grabbed him by the collar and flung him backward—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Argh!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Straight into another man, knocking them both down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just like that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cough… cough…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sparring session had ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men who had been fighting their hearts out were now sprawled on the ground, exhausted. I stood in the center, looking down at them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Groans of pain echoed around me. Watching their pitiful state, I gave a slight nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They pass.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not bad. Actually—pretty good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had shown better teamwork than expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a little more pushing, they’d shape up fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haaah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it… How could the difference be this huge?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their expressions were grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought I’d held back enough, but maybe it was too overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had been careful to control myself, yet their confidence was completely shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a shame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I give them some praise to lift their spirits?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But judging by their current state, that wouldn’t help much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe insults would be better—call them out for acting like weaklings after just a little sparring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Yeah, that’s probably better.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Praise? What a joke. If anything, chewing them out was the right call.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I opened my mouth—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master—! That was amazing!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sickeningly sweet voice cut through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men, still collapsed on the ground, immediately turned to look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the entrance of the training hall stood a captivating beauty—Yeon Hong—beaming as she cheered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My face immediately twisted in disgust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“L-Lady….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She was watching us…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You were so impressive! And you all worked so hard—good job!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Hah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With just a few words of encouragement and a smile, the men’s faces lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just from that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…What the fuck.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since I knew exactly what Yeon Hong was hiding under that disguise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How the hell does he pull this off?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Amwang—the Shadow King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same man who wouldn’t flinch even if his arm was torn off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, dressed like a woman, he had transformed completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many times I saw it, it was baffling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice? Fine. But the way he talked and acted—it was impossible to get used to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You worked so hard…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“N-No, it was just part of training.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. As martial artists, we must focus on training and never lose heart from failure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Commander, thank you for your hard work! Now, let’s move on to the next session. You’re not tired, are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course not!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The men practically ran off, eager to show off even more in front of Yeon Hong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was left staring at them, my face twisted like I’d bitten into shit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What a fucking joke.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ran a hand through my hair and sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As ridiculous as it was, the results spoke for themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So this is what he meant by easier to manage.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I recalled what Amwang had said before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this was what he’d meant—had he really predicted even this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, he was even scarier than I’d thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And honestly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No wonder his identity stayed hidden.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a disguise this flawless, how could anyone suspect him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just the appearance—he’d completely erased any trace of masculinity or danger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I happened to meet Yeon Hong’s gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment our eyes locked, she flashed a dazzling smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I flinched before quickly looking away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Glancing at the men gawking at her like idiots, I barked—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of them visibly flinched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They hesitated, clearly reluctant to step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I narrowed my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not coming? Hurry up. I don’t have all day—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I started to push them, a voice echoed in my ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Commander. A guest has arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Tang So-yeol’s voice, sent through sound transmission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They’re early.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d expected them closer to noon—not this early in the morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Should I tell them you’re in training and to wait?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—No. I’ll head there now. Wait for me in the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ending the transmission, I clicked my tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were still more guys I needed to beat into shape, but this threw a wrench in my plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Something’s come up. Train on your own for now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces brightened immediately, thinking the session was over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll continue right after, so be ready.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my firm tone, their smiles shattered instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smirking, I turned and walked off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ll remember those faces.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d make sure to give them hell later—especially the ones who’d dared to relax too soon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I headed straight for the VIP room in the branch headquarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, I opened the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door swung open roughly, and the old man waiting inside frowned at my entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his reaction, I smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Been a while, hasn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s with the look? Can’t you at least try to greet me properly? Don’t make it so awkward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring his unpleasant expression, I pulled out a chair and sat down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t need tea, do you? Not that I prepared any. I can get you some water if you want.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man scoffed, as if my words were absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You really are out of your mind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, don’t be like that. I’m just trying to be considerate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not just your mind—your actions too. You’ve completely lost it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man scowled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the Lord of the Celestial Stream Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at me and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You think calling me here proves you’re sane?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Stream Sect Lord, treated as part of the unorthodox factions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially given the current situation, summoning him openly to a branch under the Martial Alliance was absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha. You’re kidding me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And what about you? Coming here after being summoned—how sane does that make you? Besides—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scattered my Qi, creating a barrier around us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The branch master here is probably one of your people anyway, right? So what’s the big deal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes widened the moment I mentioned Mok Ri-seon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How… do you know that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t deny it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No excuses, either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it was because I spoke like I was completely sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His reaction actually made things easier for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Like I said before, how I know doesn’t matter. And I have no intention of telling you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even knowing that, you’re still staying here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where else would someone from the Martial Alliance go? They give me food and a roof over my head. It’s comfortable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry about trivial things. If you’re curious, figure it out yourself. What matters isn’t how I knew—it’s the fact that you came here. Isn’t that right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You little—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How’s Ilcheon Sword?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cut straight to the point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did he listen to you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sect Lord let out another dry laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You never even considered the possibility that I didn’t go meet him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, don’t mess with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you implying?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t bother playing mind games. You went to see him and got a reaction. That’s why you’re here. So just answer the question. I don’t like overthinking things.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sect Lord narrowed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze held a strange doubt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you really with the righteous sects?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes said it all—not a chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t bother denying it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d never considered myself part of the righteous sects anyway—and I didn’t want to be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I kept staring back until he finally furrowed his brow and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ilcheon Sword was exactly as you described.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he was getting straight to the point now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I relayed your words exactly. And his reaction was just as you predicted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. That’s nice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nice? It felt like the two of you planned this just to mess with me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahahaha.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We both laughed, though his was mixed with suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you really doubted me, you wouldn’t have come here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I had something to confirm for myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you confirm it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And if you don’t?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you want to find out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clatter—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The longer we spoke, the more the objects around us began to tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at him and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You sure it’s a good idea to act this bold in enemy territory? What if you end up dead?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t you say it yourself? The branch master is on my side. You think I came here without a plan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he’d prepared something before coming here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I considered it for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I just kill him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought crossed my mind—quick and sharp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No. Not yet.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I forced it down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was still too much to gain from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing him now would be a waste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very least—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Fine. I get it. You’re prepared. But I’ve got a question for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not letting this go that easily—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ilcheon Cult.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cut him off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sect Lord froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old man, what do you know about the Ilcheon Cult?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRASH—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swords rained down from the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>",2428,"2026-06-05T15:10:19.687Z",1,"novelbin.me","02d7bb8fbe912924f2e7c60b7c9d6aefe38760045446569829192a60960eb27b","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-827","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-825",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]