[{"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-964":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},1240390,1667,"Chapter 963","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-964",964,"\u003Cp>I was heading to Yahwol with Shin Noya.Something about that felt strangely off.And it was obvious why.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…This old man could leave all along…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had always assumed that Shin Noya never set foot outside Mount Hua Sect.Even though Mount Hua Sect was treated like trash in Yahwol, Noya had never stepped in to intervene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps the disciples had deliberately chosen not to tell him about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘You saw this coming, didn’t you?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noya had already been vaguely aware of the situation. That’s why he had asked me for a favor in the first place.But if he had been willing to ask me for help without going himself…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I thought it meant he couldn’t leave.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, out of nowhere, he had decided to go?Then why had he not done so until now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that question lingering in my mind, I stepped outside my quarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Shin Noya and I emerged together, Gubong stared at him with an odd expression.Then, Noya turned to him and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I will take a short trip to Yahwol.”“Wha…? S-Sect Leader! What do you mean…?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gubong’s eyes widened in shock.Judging by his reaction, it was clear that Noya personally going to Yahwol was far from ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why do this yourself…! Please, allow me to go in your place…!”“There is no need. Just an old man going out for a walk—pay it no mind.”“But…!”“Enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Shin Noya furrowed his brow and spoke, Gubong finally shut his mouth, his lips pressing tightly together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Then allow me to accompany you. Please, at least grant me that much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice was filled with desperation.Hearing him, Shin Noya let out a chuckle and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine. It has been a while since I have taken a trip outside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Gubong exhale deeply, releasing a heavy sigh.Watching that, I narrowed my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did he seem so unwilling?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was curious, but I chose not to ask.One look at Noya’s expression was enough to tell me that no matter how I phrased the question, he wouldn’t answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Tch.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clicking my tongue, I moved forward again.For now, reaching Yahwol took priority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving Mount Hua Sect, we set out on the road to Yahwol.Having traveled this path numerous times, I had long since committed it to memory.But this time, there was a place I needed to stop by first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A vast open field.A site of devastation, its surroundings left in complete ruin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the battlefield where Yarang and Cheonma had clashed not long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the scene, Noya let out a quiet murmur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They fought like complete savages.”“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I said nothing, but inwardly, I agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How much power did they throw around for the traces of it to still linger like this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noya let out a dry chuckle as he stared into the air.I knew exactly why he reacted this way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though some time had passed since the battle, Qi still remained in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, it would have dissipated long ago.For this much to linger—just how much power had been unleashed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Unbelievable.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no right to criticize excessive firepower, but Cheonma’s Qi was beyond absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This isn’t just a lack of control—it’s outright negligence.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No compression. No restraint. Nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The power of Internal Energy lay in how much of it a martial artist could generate and how fast they could circulate it through their body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I had grasped the concepts of rotation and pressure, my firepower had increased explosively.The more Internal Energy I accumulated, the stronger I became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rotation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Friction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If these three principles determined the efficiency of a martial artist’s techniques—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Then what the hell is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aftershocks left by Cheonma had none of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She used none of these methods and still produced that level of destruction.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma had not rotated, compressed, or even controlled her Qi.She had fought using nothing but sheer volume and force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How does that even make sense?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like preparing an arrow to hit a target, only to throw it by hand instead of using the bow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How inefficient could one get?This wasn’t power that should have been viable, and yet Cheonma had used it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which raised another question—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Was the Cheonma of my past life like this as well?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had she fought in such a crude, reckless manner back then?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought back carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had rarely seen Cheonma fight in person.Most of what I knew came from victory reports.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing the Three Elders.Slaughtering another grandmaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweeping through battlefields and leading victories.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all I had ever heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Now that I think about it, I never saw her fight that often.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not never.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had caught a glimpse of her killing Maehwa-seon in Mount Hua Sect.And there were other battles I had partially witnessed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even so—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She didn’t fight like this back then.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her Qi had never faltered.She had wielded her vast Qi with complete mastery, endlessly adapting and maximizing its strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better than anyone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, she had to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘You don’t kill the Three Elders without that level of control.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how powerful Cheonma was, that alone wasn’t enough.She had been proficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Cheonma I had known wasn’t just skilled—she had surpassed everyone in every conceivable way.I couldn’t even imagine a human killing her. She had been so overwhelmingly strong that the mere thought of her defeat had been laughable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Everything is sloppy.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her movements.The vast Qi she possessed, yet had no idea how to utilize.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this truly the Cheonma I had once feared?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My perception of her was beginning to collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Even if the true emergence of Cheonma is still a few years away in this life…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could she truly become the Cheonma I had known in such a short span of time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Logically, it seemed impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, logic had already been thrown out the window long ago.But even then, this was strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the hell is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who exactly was this Cheonma?I couldn’t understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, you’re not bringing that girl with you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Noya suddenly asked about Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, I bit my lip slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…No. Even if I brought her, she wouldn’t be of much use….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s… uncomfortable.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, I found it difficult to face Cheonma.Strangely so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, that’s how it is….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I brushed off the topic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since I didn’t fully explain myself, Shin Noya gave me an odd look.I ignored it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had seen everything I needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t come to examine Cheonma’s traces anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had come to sense what remained of Yarang’s power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But there’s nothing left.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt nothing at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike Cheonma, Yarang had controlled their Qi perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Tsk.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a little disappointing, but it didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I am certain.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had already come to believe that Yarang was the Divine Sword.This was merely a way to solidify that certainty even further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I found nothing here, it wouldn’t change my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I repeated my words. At that, Shin Noya began to move, and I followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As we walked, Gubong looked at the two of us with a somewhat worried expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We arrived at Yahwol Palace after some time had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As we approached the gates, the scenery remained the same as before. However, I could feel that the level of vigilance had increased compared to our last visit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as we were about to proceed—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I suddenly remembered something and turned to Noya.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Noya.”“Hmm?”“That. What are you going to do about the ears and tail?”“Hm? Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing my question, Noya finally realized the problem.Now that I thought about it, Noya had neither ears nor a tail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, damn it. I forgot. I should’ve stopped by that damn turtle first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scratching his head in mild frustration, Noya looked troubled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching him, I offered,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“\"Should I do this for you?\"“Hm? What do you mean?”“I learned how to do it.”“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing my words, Noya’s eyes narrowed.Was it so hard to believe that I had learned it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smirked and reached out my hand.My palm pressed against Noya’s chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saaaah—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, ears and a tail appeared on Noya’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his own transformed appearance, Noya let out a breath of astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kid… When did you learn this?”“I watched last time and copied it. It wasn’t that hard.”“…Copied it just from watching?”“Yeah. You should try it sometime, Noya. It’s actually pretty simple.”“…Uh. Sure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noya half-heartedly nodded, looking somewhat unsettled by my words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lately, I had been seeing that expression on his face more and more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it just my imagination?No, it didn’t feel like an illusion.It definitely wasn’t just my imagination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That aside—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, at least putting it on Noya was easy.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to how disgustingly difficult it had been to place a curse on Cheonma, doing the same for Noya was effortless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was the difference?For a moment, I was curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Proceed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for now, getting inside the fortress was the priority, so I pushed the thought aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gatekeeper gave us permission to enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His wariness was obvious, but the token I carried made it easy to dispel any suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A near-invincible pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…That…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sensed Gubong flinch slightly as he caught sight of my token.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That guy… He was the son of that household.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had momentarily forgotten.Feigning ignorance, I tucked the token back into my robes and continued walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As we entered, Noya glanced around at the surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This place hasn’t changed much.”“…You’ve been here before?”“Of course. What do you take me for?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noya frowned as he looked at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The last time was… what, ten years ago?”“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Wasn’t that way too long ago?Ten years was long enough for mountains to shift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shaking my head, I refocused on the path ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘First.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Obviously, I would go to the Black House first.I needed to gather any useful information there and wait until nightfall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Where is Yusa?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had some business with Yusa as well.But whether that bastard would actually show up was another matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I had to guess, he probably would.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, it was just a guess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Let’s go.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Solidifying my plan, I moved toward the Black House.My pace was slightly faster than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to get closer to Yarang and Mother as soon as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought was driving my steps forward when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone passed by me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces were obscured by cloth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment they walked past, my body moved instinctively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eyes widened like a lit lantern as I turned toward them.At the same time, I reached out to grab one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dry, aged hand seized my wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Calm yourself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Noya.Noya had stopped me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But…!”“If you don’t want everyone here to die, stay put. Now is not the time.”“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shin Noya was staring at me, his face devoid of emotion, his voice pressing down on me with undeniable weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sheer presence in his words and the energy radiating from his arm were enough to halt my movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But my trembling breath refused to steady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That was definitely…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two figures who had just passed me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t seen their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in that brief glimpse, my heart had nearly burst out of my chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Mother…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like Mother had walked past me.\u003C\u002Fp>",1896,"2026-06-05T15:10:22.035Z",1,"novelbin.me","9bc35440a72261ceb96c4a7cf2ebe970526841b63dd8cfa4bd65144eb5499d69","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-965","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-963",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]