[{"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-830":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},1240630,1667,"Chapter 829","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-830",830,"\u003Cp>“It’s poisoned.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King spoke as he firmly gripped the mouth of the teapot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside was the steaming hot tea that the attendant had brought, and he was holding it barehanded without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had to be scorching, but as a martial artist at the Hwagyeong level, the Poison King wouldn’t even flinch at such heat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more important detail, however, was the look in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know who’s responsible for this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze burned with fury, a murderous intent swirling in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed nervously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He sensed it that fast?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I only noticed the poison after smelling the aroma of the tea. But the Poison King had picked up on it even before it was poured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering he hadn’t reached the Invulnerable to All Poisons level like me, his sensitivity to poison detection was astounding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is it purely a matter of experience?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That seemed to be the most reasonable explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I was immune to poisons, detecting them was another matter entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘To think his senses are this sharp.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t expected him to identify the poison so quickly, especially since the amount in the teapot wasn’t even that significant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Setting the teapot upright again, the Poison King locked eyes with me, repeating his earlier question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know who’s behind this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yes, I do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I answered without hesitation, expecting him to be shocked or demand an explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that so? Then we’ll track the bastard down and make them pay immediately. Who is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was the one caught off guard this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn’t he supposed to ask how I knew? Or why I hadn’t done anything about it yet?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was he so quick to trust me and jump straight to punishment?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at him in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who the hell dares….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King clenched his fist, standing up with a terrifying presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To turn my precious daughter into a widow?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Wait. Hold on, Clan Leader?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hurriedly grabbed his arm before he could storm out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had I reacted even a second later, I wouldn’t have been able to stop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A widow? What…? And where are you going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Obviously, I’m going to melt the culprit into nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Melt—? No! Please, just stop for a second. At least listen to what I have to say first!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I forced the Poison King to sit back down, though he still looked ready to explode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he really this furious just because someone tried to poison me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear his rage was for Tang So-yeol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Turning her into a widow,’ huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I decided not to press the issue. Bringing it up would only give me a headache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least I’d managed to make him sit down. I let out a sigh and began explaining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can’t just charge off like that….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you already know who did it, don’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I do, but still—shouldn’t we at least go over the details first? Like how I know and why I haven’t acted yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s irrelevant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His firm response left me momentarily speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did he mean, irrelevant?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head in confusion, and he elaborated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You clearly have a plan. That’s why you’re so calm about this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe this situation is even part of your plan. I don’t know for sure, but it’s obvious you’ve already thought this through.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was this unshakable faith?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing such words from the Poison King felt surreal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was still one problem—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why are you still trying to leave?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he believed I had everything under control, shouldn’t he just stay put?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked the question directly, and he replied without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s your plan. My anger is separate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unbelievable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So even if I had a plan, he still needed to vent his frustration?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This man has quite a temper.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed and pleaded with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Could you please hold back for now? I’ve put a lot of effort into setting this up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This situation was far too important to let him ruin it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had spent days preparing for this moment, and I wasn’t about to let the Poison King charge in and wreck it all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He furrowed his brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So this setup involves getting poisoned?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on. Of course not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waved my hand dismissively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know as well as I do that this poison can’t kill me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t even a lethal poison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew it—and so did he.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I gave it to them.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This poison was one I had personally provided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was designed to slow bodily functions and induce temporary paralysis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Expensive, rare, and difficult to obtain, it could be mixed with tea without leaving any obvious traces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its effects were most potent when absorbed over multiple doses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King’s eyes narrowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Wait a second.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed to realize something and turned to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this the one you requested before?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I answered with a sheepish smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was, in fact, the poison I had secretly requested from Tang So-yeol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by his reaction, it seemed she hadn’t kept the request hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I was wondering what you needed it for, but I didn’t expect you to drink it yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told her to keep it a secret, but I guess that didn’t happen….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I decided to brush aside my suspicions about how this information had leaked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re seriously drinking it yourself? Not using it on someone else?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s better this way, don’t you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what’s the point of poison?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Good question.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no response to that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had a point—most people wouldn’t drink poison unless they planned to harm someone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, poisons like this had non-lethal applications.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Anyway, I had a use for it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry about it. Like I said, this poison won’t kill me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, no poison could kill me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I wasn’t about to reveal my Invulnerable to All Poisons ability to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was far too useful to let others find out about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s the best bait.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could lure out anyone who tried to poison me and turn the tables on them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today’s incident was proof of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Thank you for this gift, Tang Clan predecessors.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I silently thanked the Tang Clan’s founders, whose legacy had given me such an advantage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gone were the days when I had to fear every meal, worrying about poison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seriously, there’s nothing to worry about.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Worry? Who’s worried about you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rather than worrying about me, perhaps you should be concerned about Lady Tang instead… I’m simply saying there won’t be any issues.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever the case, it seemed there wouldn’t be a problem. I spoke firmly, as if to reassure him. The Poison King let out a slight breath through his nose and then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Is my daughter doing well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He abruptly changed the topic to something completely different. It was his way of signaling that he was willing to let the previous matter slide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. She’s working very hard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Working hard isn’t what matters. What’s important is whether she’s doing well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She seems satisfied, but… I don’t know the details. You might want to ask her yourself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He averted his gaze at my suggestion to speak to her directly. Judging by his reaction, it seemed he didn’t want her to know he was here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…But she’s going to find out anyway, isn’t she?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King hadn’t exactly come in secret. He was standing out in the open like this, so it was only a matter of time before Tang So-yeol heard about his visit. There was no way the Poison King wasn’t aware of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So he’s fine with being found out later, just not right away?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That seemed to be the case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Whatever. It doesn’t really matter.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t the time to dwell on that. We’d already moved past the issue of the poison, so it was time to get back to the main topic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, why are you here? I’m not sure if you’ve read the letter, but I was planning to visit you tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked about the reason the Poison King had come all the way to the alliance’s branch to see me. After a brief hesitation, he finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I read it. And I already knew.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was going to try to endure it if possible, but… I just couldn’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though I’d planned to visit the Tang Clan tomorrow, he had chosen to come today. That meant this was something extremely urgent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had a hunch about what it might be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, you’re saying…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The manufacturing of the Dokcheon Pill is nearly complete.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Oh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it was about that after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was something I’d already heard about through letters while I was in Henan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Congratulations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Thank you. It’s all thanks to you, Young Master Gu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King responded to my congratulations with genuine gratitude.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t surprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dokcheon Pill was a part of the Tang Clan’s long-lost history—a legendary pill rivaling Shaolin’s Great Rejuvenation Pill. After losing it for hundreds of years, they had finally managed to recreate it. It must have felt like a dream come true for the Poison King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the current state of the Tang Clan, which was far from glorious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I figured it was already finished, but… nearly complete, huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it wasn’t fully done yet. And yet, he had come here like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He must have something important to tell me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear he had something crucial to discuss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waited silently for him to speak. After a brief moment, he continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Most of the ingredients are prepared. Some were difficult to acquire, but handling them was more troublesome than actually obtaining them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From what I’d seen, most of the ingredients weren’t that hard to get.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the more challenging ones could be acquired with enough money. Despite their reclusive reputation, the Tang Clan still had considerable wealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I hadn’t expected any major issues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What’s the problem, then?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was about to voice my question when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“However.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“However?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The final ingredient is a problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The final ingredient….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I paused mid-sentence. I already had a feeling about what it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The recipe I’d provided for the Dokcheon Pill—was he talking about that last ingredient?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you saying the problem is the Mana Stone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mana Stone—specifically, a red one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dokcheon Pill recipe required powdered red Mana Stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What exactly went wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I don’t know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We followed the recipe exactly. But no matter how many times we tried, we couldn’t complete the Dokcheon Pill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned at his words and waited for him to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We prepared a red Mana Stone before it lost its color and ground it into powder, just like the recipe stated….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King’s expression darkened, showing just how serious the issue was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But as soon as we added the powder to the prepared ingredients, everything rotted away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the powder touched the other ingredients, the pill began to decay. Hearing this, the cause immediately came to mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had to be—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is it the demonic energy?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Demonic energy. That must have been the cause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mana Stones contained traces of demonic energy. The act of grinding one into powder and adding it to the mixture likely triggered some kind of reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That raised another question. If the Mana Stone was causing this much trouble—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Should we even be using Mana Stones in the first place?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was strange no matter how I looked at it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mana Stones were essentially worthless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were pretty to look at, but within a few days, their color would fade, leaving nothing more than an ordinary rock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless someone had a technique like mine, which absorbed demonic energy, there was no real reason to use them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, a few sects and clans had recently begun researching Mana Stones, especially after red Mana Stones had reappeared in recent years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I don’t see what they expect to learn, though.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t fault them for trying, but it felt pointless to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this situation was no different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why would a Mana Stone even be part of the recipe for the Dokcheon Pill?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the recipe clearly stated that it should be lightly ground and added to the mixture. I had thought it was odd, but since the instructions called for it, I hadn’t questioned it too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, any pill containing powdered Mana Stone would inevitably contain traces of demonic energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it succeeded, it would mean the pill couldn’t be consumed by ordinary martial artists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Was there a flaw in the recipe from the beginning?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following the recipe should have neutralized the energy or incorporated the poison into the elixir. But if the elixir was rotting, it could only mean one of two things:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Either the recipe itself was wrong, or….’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or we had misunderstood the instructions. It had to be one of the two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From what I could tell, the answer was the latter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s no way Senior Tang would’ve handed over false information.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no way the great and noble Senior Tang would’ve done something like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nor would they have misunderstood the recipe. That meant the problem most likely—no, definitely—lay with those making the pill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So what exactly was the issue?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I racked my brain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Dokcheon Pill can’t be delayed any longer.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what, it had to be completed as soon as possible—ideally before the year ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make that happen, we needed a solution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Now I see why he came straight to me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finally understood why the Poison King had come personally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was the one who provided the recipe, and since the issue arose at the final stage, he must have thought I’d have some insight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But how was I supposed to know?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d only pretended to return the recipe to the Tang Clan because I couldn’t make it myself. Wasn’t that supposed to mean this wasn’t my problem anymore?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the demonic energy in the Mana Stone was the issue, then what were we supposed to do about it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It rots the ingredients as soon as it’s added…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did that mean we had to remove all the demonic energy from the Mana Stone first?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clan Leader Tang, have you tried using a Mana Stone after it lost its color…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We already tried that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Of course you did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, obviously they would have.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the Mana Stone loses its color, it’s no different from an ordinary rock. Adding it wouldn’t have any effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if the Mana Stone wasn’t included, the recipe wouldn’t be followed correctly, and the pill couldn’t be completed. It was almost as if—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Mana Stone needed to contain something else….’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An idea struck me like a bolt of lightning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grinding up a Mana Stone filled with demonic energy would cause the ingredients to rot. So adding it as it was wouldn’t work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Could it be…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With my mind racing, I turned to the Poison King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clan Leader Tang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You remember I said I’d be visiting the Tang Clan tomorrow?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I remember you saying so. Though I haven’t actually agreed to it yet—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think I might have an idea for a possible solution.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King, who’d been about to nitpick, fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I need to see the manufacturing process in person at the Tang Clan. Would that be all right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of answering, the Poison King nodded firmly. He wasn’t the kind of man to let pride get in the way when the Dokcheon Pill was at stake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real issue now was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Will it work?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would the idea I just came up with actually work? That was the real question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Failure wouldn’t be a huge problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it didn’t work, we could simply try something else. But if it did work, that would be the real issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Because if I’m right.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would mean that the first person to successfully create the Dokcheon Pill wasn’t from the Tang Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>",2682,"2026-06-05T15:10:19.687Z",1,"novelbin.me","497e7a6a5512d0dc605bbcb9f99f70c5c520d4ee4fde1d8199d4884c731b528a","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-831","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-829",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]