[{"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-958":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},1240384,1667,"Chapter 957","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-958",958,"\u003Cp>\"Everything, huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The turtle laughed upon hearing my declaration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not a laugh of admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If anything, it was closer to mockery—or sheer disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re certainly full of confidence. But do you truly believe that’s possible?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whether it’s possible or not isn’t important. There’s something an old man I know once told me. Do you know what he said?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What did he say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"'Make the impossible possible.' That was one of the few things that idiot said that I actually liked.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no such thing as impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would make it possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I needed something, I had to obtain it, no matter what it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the life I had to live now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Teach me. I have to do everything I can.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words left my mouth as simply as stating a fact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The turtle, still expressionless, stared at me in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t about to refuse now, was he?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought made me slightly uneasy, but I waited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You,\" he finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you think sorcery is?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sorcery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The word alone made my eyes twitch slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So they call it sorcery here too.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time the turtle had ever directly mentioned sorcery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, this was the first time I’d even heard the word here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made me feel… slightly unsettled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is sorcery not just a term used in Zhongyuan?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is the turtle’s language simply being translated to something I can understand?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing in this world followed the logic I was used to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sorcery itself was an enigma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I was told sorcery is a power brought by dragons.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A long time ago, it was said that dragons left behind the power of sorcery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the turtle didn’t feel like a dragon at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, when it came to sorcery, he spoke as if he knew everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Maybe sorcery itself isn’t a power created by dragons…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But rather, something they also acquired?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought lingered for a moment before I returned my focus to his question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What do I think sorcery is?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gave it some thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had already considered this before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s transformation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Transformation?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The turtle reacted to my answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Transformation, you say…? Why do you think that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t know. It just feels that way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning falsehoods into reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creating and altering things beyond normal comprehension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That, to me, was sorcery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Just look at what’s happening now.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This very situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing in the middle of a vast plain out of nowhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The teahouse disappearing as if it never existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the feats the turtle had shown me so far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everything was transformation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I needed that power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Especially for mastering Cheonma Divine Art.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power to do the impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was nothing I needed more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Combining two martial arts and forcing them to harmonize—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, that would be unimaginable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But sorcery could make the abnormal possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only problem was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s not perfect.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many times I tried, my attempts were still incomplete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only was I missing theoretical understanding—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My knowledge was far too shallow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This isn’t enough.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not nearly enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To achieve my goal, I needed to go deeper. To reach higher.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some might argue that a martial artist shouldn’t rely on something like sorcery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had considered that thought before, too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Screw that.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since when was I just a martial artist?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Martial arts were nothing more than a means to an end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some might find enlightenment through it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some might find meaning in their pursuit of mastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s not me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t a martial artist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That title was more fitting for someone like Paejon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, more than ever, I was certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was not a martial artist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I didn’t need to be.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If it helps me achieve my goal, I’ll do anything.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hesitating over meaningless titles would only hold me back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had people to protect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had things to accomplish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And right now, this was just another step toward that goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Transformation, huh… Not a bad answer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So it’s not the right answer?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The turtle moved his staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As its tip rippled through the air, the space itself seemed to stir like water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"First, let’s correct that part.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The staff lightly struck the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoooosh—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strong gust of wind surged across the plains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And suddenly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blossoms bloomed everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flowers that hadn’t existed before now filled the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There is no ‘right answer’ in sorcery.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The turtle looked at me, his voice steady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you believe sorcery is transformation, then that is true. If you come to believe something else in the future, then that is also true.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words were vague.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No right answer?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then… what am I supposed to pursue?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A martial artist pursued enlightenment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They followed the path toward cultivation and mastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then what was the path of sorcery?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt too uncertain to simply call it \"transformation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I asked—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his response was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is for you to find out. Even the pursuit itself is something you must determine on your own.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had enough things to figure out already.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This just made things even more complicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at least—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The things I’m about to teach you… They won’t show you a path. They’ll let you find your own.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least he was willing to teach me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Show me your rings.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My rings?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, your rings.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By rings, he must mean—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The ones bound to my heart?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The coils wrapped tightly around my heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That must be what he was referring to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…How do I show you that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How the hell was I supposed to do that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the first time, the turtle looked genuinely baffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you telling me… you’ve never done it before?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nope.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at me for a moment, sighed, then moved his staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wooong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something emerged from his staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eight rings, glowing with a faint golden light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They floated around his staff, shimmering softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I focused my gaze on them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How had he done that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What was the flow of energy?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strange sensation crept over me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The world around me blurred, and I could see nothing except—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The turtle’s staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the rings hovering above it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation and flow that accompanied their manifestation—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I observed it as clearly as I could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I focused my heart energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…It’s not difficult. You just need to move your energy and—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"—guide it…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Done.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A brilliant glow erupted from my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the turtle’s golden rings—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mine shone with a deep blue light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four rings coiled around my arms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So this is how it works.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was easier than I expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why hadn’t I figured this out before?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I absorbed the sensation into my body and spoke to the turtle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, he had gone completely silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression twisted into something oddly unreadable as he glanced between my arm and my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Damn it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Excuse me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Never mind. I’ve half given up at this point.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was I not supposed to do it like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, that couldn’t be it. Judging by his reaction, I had done it correctly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I moved my left hand experimentally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rings shifted along my arm, but they didn’t jingle or rattle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The turtle observed them for a while before speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Four rings, huh? Not bad.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that a good thing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. The quality looks decent too. It seems like you put in some effort.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn’t put in that much effort.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then… how long did it take you? Ten years, perhaps—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t know. Less than a year, I think.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Oh, I see.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The turtle paused mid-sentence before simply accepting it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had clearly been about to say something else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah, I’m not even surprised anymore. At this point, whatever.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elder?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s fine. You asked me to teach you everything, but let’s start with what you need most right now. What is it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What I needed most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I answered without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I need a way to contain an explosion before it detonates.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was related to Cheonma Divine Art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed a method to control explosive energy and maintain stability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sorcery might have a solution for that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was my reasoning for coming to the turtle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm… A power to prevent something from exploding.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The turtle fell into deep thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A brief moment passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see what you’re after. You want to use it for what you tried earlier, don’t you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power I had attempted to use at his teahouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still remembered it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lightly struck the ground with his staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two books floated out of thin air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One stopped in front of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other flew toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I caught it, the turtle spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You will learn Absolute Retention from now on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Absolute Retention?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. The power to preserve form without allowing change.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The book opened on its own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pages turned by themselves before stopping at a specific section.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight alone made me frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The book was packed with dense text.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the script…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was completely unfamiliar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can read it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Somehow, I understood it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no idea what language it was, yet the meaning flowed naturally into my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stared at the book, the turtle’s voice reached me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will not repeat myself. You’d best pay attention.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke with certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t worry. Even if you don’t understand it immediately, it will make sense in time. This is a difficult concept.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed completely confident about that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he began explaining the contents of the book.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that it was difficult worried me a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I focused and listened carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***********************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some Time Later\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the sun began to set and the sky turned red—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whoa…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small breath of admiration escaped my lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So this is how it works.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing the turtle’s lesson, I could feel a noticeable change in my heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The threads of sorcery that I had previously formed were now denser and far more numerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant they would hold much longer when I tried to bind energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was still far from mastering it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the fact that there was already a change was satisfying enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As expected…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coming here was the right decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The material had been complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lessons had been difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But where else would I find something like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smirking, I spoke to the turtle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s definitely hard to grasp, but it’s worth trying. Maybe your teaching is just that good?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling good, I threw in some flattery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The turtle gave no reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Huh?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elder?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I carefully called out to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…You damn brat…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hm?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You… damn brat…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The turtle muttered lowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had I misheard?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was about to call out to him again when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You little—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The turtle slammed his staff into the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At least struggle a little, will you?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you have any idea how long this took me?! A year! I got beaten half to death learning this, and you— half a day?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"U-Uh… Calm down, Elder. Please take a deep breath—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Calm down?! Get out! Get out of my sight!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait, what? But I’ve only learned one thing—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wooong—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air trembled, and a crushing force pressed down on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time I realized it—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was already outside the teahouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Assessing the situation, I blinked in utter disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the hell…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He just randomly snapped and threw me out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Seriously, what just happened?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stood there, staring blankly at the turtle’s teahouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I noticed something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four rings I had before—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had now become five.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And they were shining brilliantly in my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>",1980,"2026-06-05T15:10:22.035Z",1,"novelbin.me","fca3f78e33811d741cb96e005f8d9f8ef076b32a166b9ec090ec12ae4cac0b98","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-959","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-957",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]