[{"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-829":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},1240629,1667,"Chapter 828","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-829",829,"\u003Cp>Sichuan Province.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A location somewhat removed from the main city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was known as nothing more than a quiet village. While it wasn’t completely devoid of people, it was far from bustling like the central areas—an ambiguous position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dae Hwan, the Celestial Stream Sect’s leader, strode purposefully toward a certain residence in the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the sun was out, the place seemed oddly dim, and the further he walked, the fewer people he encountered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a hardened expression, the Celestial Stream Sect’s leader finally arrived at the residence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he stood in front of the door, it creaked open as if they had been waiting for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man appeared through the narrow opening and bowed to Dae Hwan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Greetings, Sect Leader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dae Hwan stepped inside and spoke without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s the status of the search?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jin, the Guardian, has deployed teams to investigate, but… nothing has been found yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not even a trace?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…No, my apologies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gritting his teeth, Dae Hwan pressed forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The interior of the house looked like a simple inn, but as he passed a bookshelf, he casually brushed against it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clang—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the left wall slid open, revealing a staircase leading underground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately began descending the stairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sect Leader… Guardian Jin is thorough. We’ll find information soon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man followed closely behind, trying to gauge Dae Hwan’s mood. The recent ambush had created enough problems, leaving the sect leader on edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Pardon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The abrupt response left the man flustered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I believe we’ve already found the culprit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The culprit? Where had this sudden certainty come from?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dae Hwan, however, continued without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s most likely the Star King.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the name, the man’s eyes widened in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“T-The Star King?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. It’s him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Did something happen when you met him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling the meeting with the Star King, Dae Hwan’s face twisted into a scowl. It was an encounter he didn’t even want to remember.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every exchange during their conversation had been a struggle to suppress his murderous intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Star King’s smug expressions, the condescending tone of his voice—everything about him provoked anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Do I look like a pushover to you?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The memory of those words, spoken with that infuriating look, made Dae Hwan clench his fists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He asked me… if I knew about Ilcheon Cult.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ilcheon Cult…! How does he know about that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He claimed he has eyes everywhere. Whether that’s true or not, his demeanor left no doubt. I’m certain it’s him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mention of Ilcheon Cult and the Star King’s expression at the time solidified Dae Hwan’s suspicions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the real problem was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How had it come to this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how much he thought about it, Dae Hwan couldn’t figure it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How could he possibly know?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Star King was an enigma. The more Dae Hwan examined him, the more questions arose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dae Hwan had already anticipated the Martial Alliance would take action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, he had deliberately leaked information to Mok Ri-seon, expecting the Alliance to respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even predicted that high-ranking officials might be sent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I didn’t expect two of them.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had assumed the operation would begin with reconnaissance. Instead, two division leaders had shown up—completely disrupting his plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The timing of the leaked information reaching Hanan and the subsequent events in the region had created complications.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of this, Dae Hwan had to deal with the sudden presence of Star Dragon Division and its leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet at the time, he thought—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This might be better.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Star King leading the Star Dragon Division?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By all accounts, the Star King was just a young man who had barely passed twenty, with no real experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite his reputation as the youngest to reach king-level strength, it didn’t seem to matter much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Dae Hwan’s view, he was just a child with raw power and no real ability to lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I was wrong.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they met in person, the Star King was nothing like Dae Hwan had imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only had he located the disguised inn, but his presence alone didn’t feel like that of a young martial artist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How do I even describe it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was hard to put into words, but one thing was certain—he didn’t carry the aura of someone from the righteous sects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when he subdued Dae Hwan’s men—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He intended to kill them.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There had been no hesitation in his actions. If anything, it seemed like he was barely restraining himself from finishing the job.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t something one would expect from a righteous martial artist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Just how many lives has he taken?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kind of presence he carried was something only those who had faced death repeatedly could have.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a state reached by warriors who had long since stopped assigning meaning to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Star King embodied that perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…I don’t understand.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made no sense. Had he somehow lived another life?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not—then how?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is getting troublesome.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Star King clearly knew something. It was impossible to tell how much, but he definitely held critical information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not everything.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t seem like he knew the whole picture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was aware of Ilcheon Cult and the sect’s existence, but beyond that, he appeared uncertain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He could be pretending.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a guarantee. He might have been feigning ignorance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘His goal doesn’t seem to be us or Ilcheon Cult.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Star King’s focus appeared to lie elsewhere. From the moment he arrived, he had mentioned one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Work with Ilcheon Sword.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—help Ilcheon Sword kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the Star King’s request.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why would he push Ilcheon Sword—the Azure Dragon Division leader—to kill him? Weren’t they allies?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The question didn’t linger for long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, it was about justification.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Star King needed a reason—an excuse that would arise from Ilcheon Sword’s involvement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Dae Hwan had agreed to cooperate under the guise of a deal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, it served his interests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he later observed Ilcheon Sword, it became even clearer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ilcheon Sword was moving exactly as the Star King intended—as if they had planned it together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If this is staged, that’s actually reassuring.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because if it wasn’t—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘We’re all dancing to that kid’s tune.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dae Hwan couldn’t shake the growing unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Sect Leader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man beside him spoke up, looking anxious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Should we report this to Chief Mok?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To Mok?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, about the Star King’s actions—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Excuse me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man stared in confusion, but Dae Hwan’s expression remained cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reporting to Mok Ri-seon? That was out of the question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He already knows Mok is one of ours.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And more troubling—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Can Mok still be trusted?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mok Ri-seon had already betrayed the Alliance once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had done it for personal gain before, what was stopping him from doing it again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, Dae Hwan decided to wait. And if it came down to it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’ll be the first to go.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dae Hwan’s eyes hardened as he resolved himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For now, we’ll do as the Star King said.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Sect Leader. But—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“However, siding with only one faction may not be the wisest course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Stream Sect’s leader focused his energy as he turned to the subordinate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We should also support Ilcheon Sword, just as he desires.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You mean—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ll give Ilcheon Sword even more strength than what the Star King requested.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their intentions were clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were both preparing to drive a blade into each other’s throats to secure their respective domains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling this, the Celestial Stream Sect’s leader let out a bitter laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…As expected, the so-called righteous sects are rotten to the core.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing each other for personal gain—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What honor or virtue could possibly exist in such actions? And yet, these were the division leaders of the Martial Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And they still dare to call themselves righteous?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was meaningless. Completely hollow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not much time remains. Watch carefully.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The day to unveil his plans was approaching fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The end of being treated as a scapegoat—a disposable pawn labeled as an unorthodox sect—was near.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘You are not righteous.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their roots had long since rotted, their convictions lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, they had abandoned their roots so completely that there was no foundation left to claim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The true roots of righteousness lay in Ilcheon Cult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the so-called righteous sects had discarded, Ilcheon Cult preserved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And soon, many would see it for themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The true foundation of righteousness—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The legacy of Yeon Ilcheon, the Iron Fist King of Gold and Steel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who carried his will would rise again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who burst through the door so suddenly was none other than the head of the Tang Clan—the Poison King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at him, my expression frozen in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Wait. Clan Leader?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why on earth was he here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was beyond unexpected—so much so that it was almost absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make matters worse, he looked furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Lord Gu….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King scowled and turned his gaze to the side—where Yeon Hong, or rather, Amwang, was seated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Another woman?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A woman?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of nonsense was that? I stared at him, completely lost, but he continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re already making our precious So-yeol suffer, and now there are two more?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t take long to figure out what had caused his reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently, he had mistaken Shadow King, disguised as Yeon Hong, for yet another woman in my company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Wait a second.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned. But why two?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something didn’t add up. If Amwang was the only one he mistook for a woman, it should’ve been one, not two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt odd, but before digging into it, I needed to calm the Poison King down first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clan Leader, I think you’re misunderstanding something…. It’s not like that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not like that, you say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really! Do you think I have the time or status to surround myself with women like that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly! That’s what I’m saying!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not particularly remarkable, so why are so many women following you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to argue, but nothing came to mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They say even heroes are drawn to beauty, so I tried to overlook it, but… isn’t this too much?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, seriously, this is all a misunderstanding—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was hard to explain. Even calling it a misunderstanding felt like a half-truth, and guilt gnawed at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How was I supposed to justify this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn’t find an answer. My mouth felt dry as I struggled for words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But, Clan Leader…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, a thought hit me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Is that really why you’re here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had the Poison King come all the way here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the real question. I had actually been planning to visit the Tang Clan today or tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So seeing him suddenly appear here was disorienting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My question made him pause for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His reaction suggested that this wasn’t the real reason for his visit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Clan Leader?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I prompted him again, and this time, the Poison King coughed awkwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahem….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waited in silence, staring at him until he finally avoided my gaze and spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I had something urgent to discuss, so I came to find you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So that’s it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So… you weren’t actually here to scold me. You had another reason but decided to vent first?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked away again, clearly caught.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scratched my cheek, suppressing a sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Fine. Got it. Let’s save the scolding for later. Now, what did you need to talk about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t bother trying to defend myself further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though I wanted to clear up the misunderstanding, I couldn’t deny that there was some truth behind it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still—why had the Poison King come all the way here, bypassing the sealed area?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I pressed him, he coughed awkwardly again before shifting his gaze toward Yeon Hong—or rather, Amwang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…This isn’t the best place to discuss it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it was something important, then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the effort he’d made to come here personally, it had to be serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, then… Let’s head to my quarters for now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I decided to take the Poison King back to my place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as we arrived at my quarters, I gave the Poison King an awkward smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I… apologize for this. I was supposed to visit you instead….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…No need.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King’s expression still bore traces of the anger he had shown earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is troublesome.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sucked in a breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Um… does the Vice-Leader—no, does Lady Tang know that you’re here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So she doesn’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he hadn’t told Tang So-yeol that he was coming here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Am I supposed to keep quiet about this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ahem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right. I’ll stay silent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I appreciate it….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by his reaction, he was well aware that Tang So-yeol would be furious if she found out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But more importantly, he had still come here despite knowing that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From that, I could make one guess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is this about the Dokcheon Pill?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Tang Clan had been working on restoring the Dokcheon Pill ever since I provided them with the formula.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recently, however, their attempts had failed due to problems with ingredients and timing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could they have made progress at last?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And was the Poison King here because he was upset with me for keeping him waiting?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I speculated as much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I mulled it over as I poured tea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I briefly considered skipping the tea altogether, but then I noticed the Poison King’s slightly dry lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I figured he could at least use something to drink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I reached for the tea that my attendant had prepared in advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as I was about to pour it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King suddenly slammed his hand over the mouth of the teapot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tea had been steaming hot, yet he had grabbed it without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What’s going on?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was about to ask when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clan Le—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stopped mid-sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had just felt it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Invulnerable to All Poisons (Mandokbulchim) technique in my body reacted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That alone told me everything I needed to know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King leaned in and whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s poisoned.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tea had been laced with poison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And for me, this was a moment I had been anticipating.\u003C\u002Fp>",2387,"2026-06-05T15:10:19.687Z",1,"novelbin.me","ba18292d027ba366ff4911a33f7ad597bb1a56e68b99850c28e97abf1e8fefa7","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-830","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-828",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]