[{"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-865":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},1240715,1667,"Chapter 864","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-865",865,"\u003Cp>The white flame crackled softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frowning as I stared at the slowly burning fire, I couldn’t help but question it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this even a flame?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was so unexpectedly white that calling it a flame felt strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pure white. It was so pale that it was hard to distinguish whether it was fire or snow. Even the way it flickered was unlike anything I’d seen before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, gently, it wavered as if it were alive. It was difficult to describe, but it was entirely different from the fierce and untamed flames I had always conjured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I call it soft and tranquil instead?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clenched my fist experimentally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a soft whoosh, the shimmering haze that had enveloped my body vanished. I understood now. If I wanted, I could let the flame ignite again, or I could keep my body in its original state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is this what they call mastery?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the pinnacle of the Nine Flames Firewheel Technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this the sensation my father described as becoming one with the flame?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s... an odd feeling.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Explaining it was difficult, but I understood one thing: the phrase \"becoming the flame\" wasn’t metaphorical. It was literal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white flame crackled again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I used the Flames Firewheel Technique in the past, I always thought of it as creating flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, I didn’t need to make any effort to ignite anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Hmm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sensation, from start to finish, was completely foreign. But it wasn’t unpleasant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, it was exhilarating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I barely managed to suppress a smile from creeping onto my face, but the overwhelming elation was hard to ignore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation I had failed to grasp before was now wholly within me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as though I could do anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why is it white?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had the flame’s color changed so suddenly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t make sense. My father’s flames were crimson, and I doubted this transformation was solely due to reaching mastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And just how strong have I become?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having achieved mastery, it was logical to assume that my level had advanced, but I couldn’t clearly gauge the extent of the change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now wasn’t the time to figure that out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I bent down to check on the two people lying prone on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them, Wi Seol-ah, was crying uncontrollably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you crying? What’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was she sobbing so much?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I tried to console her, she suddenly clung to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh... hngh...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Seriously.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was I supposed to do with her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some hesitation, I finally settled on one action: I gently raised my hand and stroked the back of her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Calm down for now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as I tried to soothe her, her trembling voice reached me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I... I can’t... hit you... I can’t...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hand froze mid-stroke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What couldn’t she do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the possibilities crossed my mind, an answer came quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is bad.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something must have happened while I was unconscious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shifted my gaze from Wi Seol-ah to Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike Wi Seol-ah, she wasn’t crying, but she seemed far more dazed than usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our eyes met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were no words exchanged, but her eyes told me everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Understanding her unspoken plea, I waved my hand slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, Namgung Bi-ah leaned into me, her fingers clutching my clothing tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I’m sorry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know what had happened, but I could tell it was my fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All I could do was offer an awkward apology as time passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two of them seemed to calm down a little, their grips loosening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did I finally take a proper look around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...What a mess.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surroundings were in total chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a distant corner, I spotted someone slumped over, gasping for air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Master of the Celestial Stream Sect?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The disfigured figure of the sect master sat against the wall, barely clinging to life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a miracle they were still breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...The others wouldn’t have done this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given their personalities, it wasn’t possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had to be my doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the hell did I do?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How much force would it take to twist someone’s body like that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only fortunate thing was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At least they’re not seriously injured.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to how they were before I lost consciousness, their physical states seemed almost unchanged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the most important thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I had woken up to see them hurt...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t want to imagine it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘For now...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were more pressing matters than examining my current state after reaching mastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I scanned my surroundings, something caught my eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is that?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the far end of the space stood a tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Was that always there?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I should have noticed it earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it possible that only I could see it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning to Namgung Bi-ah, I pointed toward it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you see that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She followed my gesture and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a hallucination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Has it always been there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, from the beginning.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it had been there all along, and I simply hadn’t noticed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How could I have overlooked something so unusual?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Getting to my feet, I ignored the disappointed looks from the two clinging to me and walked toward the tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was small, closer to a sapling than a full-grown tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the leaves...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They’re white.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leaves clinging to the bare branches were unnaturally white, reminiscent of the flame I had just conjured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They’re similar to Wi Seol-ah’s appearance... or the state of the sect master.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tree didn’t just appear odd—it radiated an unsettling otherness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I wasn’t particularly shocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ve seen this before.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t something I could forget.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, it had also been in Sichuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around the time when...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘We were searching for the Golden Stream Manor’s secret chamber.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wi Seol-ah had found a similar tree in my stead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that one had been enormous, more akin to an ancient tree than this sapling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is this thing?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That tree had disappeared along with the space it was in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what about this one?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clearly no ordinary tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why does it emit this kind of energy?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aura it gave off wasn’t something a tree should have.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Divine? Awe-inspiring?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those were the only words I could use to describe it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And this feeling...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to look at Wi Seol-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s faint, but it’s similar to what I sense from her.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it just be a misunderstanding? I didn’t think so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, I didn’t understand. But now, I know. I understand how Wi Seol-ah located the secret chamber and why this tree gives off a similar feeling to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s some connection.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wi Seol-ah and this tree are linked for reasons I can’t yet fathom. And that means...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Could Wi Seol-ah also be connected to Yeon Ilcheon?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, this situation makes no sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But how?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they are connected, what is the nature of that connection? And beyond that...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is this place?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was the Master of the Celestial Stream Sect planning here? And what on earth was that grotesque transformation of his? There was so much to uncover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, I decided to examine the tree. Reaching out, I aimed to gently touch one of its leaves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the moment my fingers brushed against it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whhooooshhh---!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The previously still tree began to move. Its branches swayed as if dancing, causing its leaves to flutter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no wind. This place was underground, a sealed space. There was no reason for anything to stir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is this now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had I triggered something? I stepped back instinctively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single leaf detached itself from the branch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I widened my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t unusual for a leaf to fall, but this one wasn’t heading toward the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, it floated toward me, circling in the air around my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it wasn’t alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More leaves detached themselves, forming a ring that spun around me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...What the...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was about to curse when the leaves suddenly froze midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leaves disintegrated, scattering into fine dust that shimmered like fireflies in the dim light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What were they trying to do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I watched cautiously, preparing myself for the unexpected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whhooooshhh---!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The glowing fragments surged toward me, piercing into my body before I could react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It happened so quickly I didn’t have time to resist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time I realized what was happening, all the glowing fragments had been absorbed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...This is insane.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frantically, I checked my body. Why was this happening?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as if something had been forcefully crammed into me. What sort of change would this bring?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I was still assessing the situation, a voice erupted from behind me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[No... No... NO!!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning my head, I saw the Celestial Stream Sect’s Master, the figure who had been on the brink of death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Somehow, he had regenerated enough to scream at me with bloodshot eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You... You dare... to claim the miracle meant for Him?!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was this old man suddenly throwing a fit?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though his body was still regenerating, he forced himself to his feet, shaking with rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Unforgivable... UNFORGIVABLE! Our plan—ruined—!!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a deafening roar, he stomped the ground and lunged at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Narrowing my eyes, I moved faster than Wi Seol-ah and Namgung Bi-ah, who had reacted at the same moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This worked out perfectly. I had intended to kill him anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clenching my fist, I felt my body transform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>White flames enveloped my hand, their heat pulsing through me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I threw my punch, my heart gave an unfamiliar jolt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation was different from anything I had felt before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, I didn’t hesitate. My shoulder aligned, and my fist extended straight ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The technique felt the same as always—Conflagrating Flame Fang Wolf in its purest form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh---!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white flame surged with overwhelming intensity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Conflagrating Flame Fang Wolf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>KWAHHHHHH---!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white flames engulfed the Celestial Stream Sect’s Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[AARGHHHH!!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His agonized screams echoed through the chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames pierced through his body, continuing toward the wall behind him. Their heat was so immense that the stone itself began to melt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sheer force of the flames was terrifying, enough to dissolve bones entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whooooshhh---!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the flames subsided, I frowned at the sight before me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fire had melted a large hole in the wall, but the Celestial Stream Sect’s Master was unscathed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not a single wound marred his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s impossible.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power of the flames had shocked even me. The energy surge after absorbing the White Demon Stone was undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no way he could have survived unscathed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stared at him, confused, the Celestial Stream Sect’s Master staggered and fell to his knees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[No... No... This can’t be...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crrrack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The transformation began.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crrk, crrack---!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grotesque figure began to shrink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His white hair darkened to black, and the scales on his skin vanished. Even his eyes reverted to their original state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster was turning back into a human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crrrack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could count to ten, he was fully human again, his expression etched with despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This can’t... How could this happen... No, this isn’t right...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He touched his face in disbelief, then began crawling toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Give it back... Give it... Please, return it...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The madness in his eyes was evident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He screamed at me to give back what he had lost, as though it were the most precious thing in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Ha.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a dry laugh—not because of his pathetic state but because of what had just happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Stream Sect’s Master was no longer important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I raised my hand, staring at the white flames still burning there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So this was the change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This power...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I realized what it was, a shiver ran through me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was similar to...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Pama.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The divine force wielded by the Sacred Sword in her battle against Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power that had saved the world now seemed to reside within me.\u003C\u002Fp>",2022,"2026-06-05T15:10:20.656Z",1,"novelbin.me","a4aa177059b940ee82e9a1199dd4f56be48b0f72ca82002ba9c630c691dfc837","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-866","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-864",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]