[{"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-827":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},1240627,1667,"Chapter 826","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-827",827,"\u003Cp>Crash—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ceiling split apart, and blades rained down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly counted—five swords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five blades aimed straight for my neck, yet I didn’t bother moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already knew they would stop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just as expected, the swords froze mid-air, halting just before my throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strange part?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no one holding them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five swords floated in the air, their tips pointed directly at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aerial Swordsmanship?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even experienced martial artists struggled to control a single floating sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But here he was—manipulating five with ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a subtle glimpse of the Celestial Stream Sect Lord’s strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at the razor-sharp blades, as if ready to pierce my throat, and spoke—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seriously? I just asked a question, and this is your reaction?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shrugging, I met his icy gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of question was that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I responded casually,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you need me to introduce myself again? A bit of a hassle, but I guess I can, for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tsk—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was offering a proper introduction, and this old man was grinding his teeth?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rude bastard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Don’t like it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you planning to keep joking around?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Joking? If this is funny to you, then great. I’m glad I could help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Hah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing intent burst out of him, flooding the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressure was thick—so heavy it even pushed against the barrier I’d set up earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you asking to die here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words dripped with malice, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old man.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop acting tough. Keep it up, and I might just rip your damn mouth open.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You arrogant little—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The five swords trembled in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching them, I added—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t believe me? Wanna try it? See what happens?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You think being hailed as the Star King in the Martial Alliance makes you invincible? I warned you before—what you see isn’t all there is to this world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What you see isn’t all there is—he was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For me, though?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That truth applied even more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which is why this was so damn funny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, you’ve got a point.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clenched my thumb inside my fist—not to hit harder, but to keep myself from acting on impulse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if you know so much, why the hell are you pushing your luck?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re so perceptive, right? So why are you burning away what’s left of your life with your own damn hands?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I leaned forward, closing the distance between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the blades pressed against my neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sect Lord’s eyes widened in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tip of the sword nicked my skin, and I felt a thin line of blood trickle down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It stung.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just enough to be annoying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You think I can’t see anything? With those sharp eyes of yours? That’s a joke.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You bastard….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you really think you can kill me? That’s rich.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t hold back my laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Power surged from within, creeping outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do I look that weak to you? Weak enough for you to try this shit?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face twisted, and the swords trembled again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt them shift—ready to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Think carefully, old man.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blades hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Keep pushing your pride, and I’ll have no choice but to tear this place apart. Should I dance for you? Cut loose?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You think I’ll flinch at that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go ahead, then. Try it. I’ll slaughter every single one of those bastards you brought with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression stiffened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think I mean, you son of a bitch?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he seriously trying to play dumb?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scoffed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Keep pissing me off, and it won’t just be you—I’ll kill all six of the guys you brought along too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes twitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t expected me to know the exact number.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You thought I wouldn’t notice? That’s disappointing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I leaned back slightly and added,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And don’t worry. I’m not going to scold you for bringing backup.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d told him to come alone, but I never expected him to actually follow through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d already detected the presences outside—every last one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just me—Amwang had them all locked down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, I could’ve sensed them without him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Shadow King was always more precise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So don’t waste time pulling this crap. You didn’t come here just to show off, did you? We’re working together because we have a common goal—right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood trickled down my neck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cross the line again, and everything would come crashing down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I meant it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he pushed me any further, I’d kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, he was useful, but not enough to justify keeping him if he couldn’t be controlled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no idea that Amwang was already behind him—ready to strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sect Lord hadn’t even noticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I wanted, I could end this right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what kind of miracle he thought he’d stumbled upon, he clearly wasn’t sharp enough to sense Amwang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I saw the hesitation flicker in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So… how about we stop this stupid game and put the swords away? Or do you really want to see how far this goes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tightened my core, gathering Qi into my meridians.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Energy rippled outward as my muscles tensed, preparing for a real fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword tip pressed against my throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I didn’t care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he wanted a fight, I’d give him one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was ready to tear him apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What do you want to know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sect Lord finally relented.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smirked and leaned back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What I’m curious about? I already asked.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ilcheon Cult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had clearly brought it up earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Lord of the Celestial Stream Sect frowned deeply at the mention of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How the hell do you even know about that…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words cut off midway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face tensed, as though something had suddenly come to mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… could it be—?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head, feigning ignorance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, I already knew what he was thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sect Lord hesitated, unable to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was probably recalling a certain incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The recent destruction of one of their outposts—the one linked to the Celestial Stream Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>News of that was likely to have reached his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, with someone standing in front of him casually bringing up the Ilcheon Cult, he’d naturally start to suspect—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this bastard the one behind the attack?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to be thinking that, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All he had was suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No proof.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amwang wouldn’t have left behind any evidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there were, the Sect Lord wouldn’t be reacting like this—he’d have acted already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That uncertainty was exactly why he couldn’t make a move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got something to say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tossed out the question, and he finally managed to respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…How do you know about the Ilcheon Cult?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He clearly wanted to ask if I was the culprit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he swallowed it back—for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the answer to his question?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why does it matter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I already told you—my eyes reach farther and deeper than you think.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pointed at my eyes as I spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But that’s not what’s important, is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The important part wasn’t how I knew—it was the fact that I knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d told him that before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s a flaw in your logic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A flaw?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If your eyes are so sharp, then why bother asking me about the Ilcheon Cult in the first place?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Look at this old man.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sharp as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had a point—if my network was so reliable, why would I need to ask him anything?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was what he was digging into.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Now he’s convinced.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was starting to believe I’d been involved in the incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was that a slip-up on my part?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not quite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re right. I didn’t need to ask.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why did you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because now I’ve confirmed something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That you’re definitely connected to the Ilcheon Cult.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can you deny it? I don’t think so.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His brow twitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strictly speaking, this was just wordplay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d already known about his ties to the Ilcheon Cult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My memories from the past life might’ve seemed shallow, but they ran far deeper than he realized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if I don’t know everything about the Ilcheon Cult, I know you’re linked to them. That’s enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. Enough reason to ask you about it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His beard quivered, and faint killing intent began to seep out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tension thickened, the atmosphere simmering—ready to explode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, I was the first to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pulled back, widening the distance between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blade at my neck moved away as I did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Sect Lord’s expression shifted, clearly unsure what to make of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I noticed the change and said—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Honestly? It doesn’t matter if you don’t answer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blinked in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After pressing him so hard, stepping back like this clearly caught him off guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that was the reaction I wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was curious, sure—but I really just wanted to see how you’d react. If you don’t want to answer, fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t actually need him to talk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were other ways to dig up information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was just a formality—a pretense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, are you going to tell me or not?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Judging by your face, I guess not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I fully stepped back and relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seems like I got what I needed. We’re both busy, so you can go. I just wanted to make sure you were doing what I asked.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I reached out and patted his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The floating swords still hung in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It must’ve been a pain to come all this way. I don’t have anything to give you, so just—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you ask what the Ilcheon Cult is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice cut me off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I paused mid-sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? You’re going to talk now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you have any idea what the righteous sects are like these days?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was with this sudden shift?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Righteous sects?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned slightly, and he continued as if waiting for that reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“People don’t seem to realize it, but the righteous sects today are…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rotten to the core.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words trailed off as I finished his sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smirked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry. It just came to me, so I couldn’t help myself. Go on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he didn’t continue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I might’ve gone a bit too far this time.\u003C\u002Fp>",1728,"2026-06-05T15:10:19.687Z",1,"novelbin.me","48403f1c2c0c8c8639521d4e61d12aaa390ad33aacaf095f965f305b955d8660","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-828","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-826",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]