Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 518



518

”’Chapter 519 – Just Give It to Me Once.

A memory from an unknown time.

A particularly red light flows. The air is thick with dampness and the body is cold enough to feel frostbite.

The trembling flesh and the stiffened breath circulate throughout the body.

In such uncomfortable sensations.

– Not bad at all.

A voice was heard.

A chilling voice mixed with an unknown laughter.

Within it a pungent scent of blood could be felt. I wanted to confirm what was happening but my head bowed low showed no signs of lifting.

It felt as if I shouldn’t dare to look up.

As I remained in that state seemingly frozen staring only at the ground.

Once again the voice came.

– Yes you will do just fine. Child of the Brain Heaven.

I felt a touch around my throat.

– From now on you are my servant. Be pleased.

Chuckle.

With the sound of a cold laugh the corrupted officials maintaining my consciousness were severed.

And then.

My closed eyes opened.

“…!….”

Suddenly.

An old man sprang up as soon as he regained his senses.

He hurriedly rose staggering and looked around.

“… Where is this…?”

Startled.

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Just as he was about to panic in the unfamiliar space a wave of pain hit him and he clutched his head.

What is this?

Why does my head hurt so much?

I forced myself to suppress a groan but even that was not easy.

“Ugh….”

As the old man endured the pain those around him finally reacted.

“Lord Cheonjon has awakened…!”

“… I will report to the Clan Head!”

“Physician! Bring the physician!”

It’s noisy.

The old man broke into a cold sweat as he looked at the bustling crowd around him.

Normally it wouldn’t have been such a loud noise.

For some reason it felt particularly overwhelming.

“Haah… Haah….”

He gasped for breath.

The pain was still there.

In a situation where it felt like his head would burst Cheonjon had to ponder.

Where is this place?

Why am I here?

He couldn’t understand anything.

Cheonjon clutched his head and closed his eyes.

It felt as if his memories had holes scattered throughout leaving him empty.

What on earth is happening?

Just as Cheonjon was filled with questions along with the pain.

“You have awakened.”

A familiar voice was heard.

Cheonjon lifted his head at the voice and looked up.

“You were making quite the fuss. Tsk tsk. What a sight to behold.”

“… You.”

Another old man looked down at the struggling Cheonjon with a disdainful gaze.

That was none other than.

Shin-ui.

**************

Right after making Nahyi aware that she had no choice.

I moved on leaving her trembling behind.

If it were up to me I would have liked to feed her the gem right there.

‘But the situation is a bit inconvenient right now.’

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I merely informed her of the situation. To be fully aware. You have work to do.

‘It would be a waste to just throw her away.’

The role of the Tang Clan is predetermined.

For now I am focused on taming her while keeping her close but later on she would also have her role to play.

In comparison Nahyi is not particularly useful.

She could be used as an informant but given the state of the Tang Clan there was no need to bother.

So where should she be used?

‘There’s really no need to use her.’

She’s not particularly necessary.

Skill level? Nahyi’s level is peak. If she progresses a bit further she would reach a perfected peak but that level is common in the Central Plains.

‘It’s not that it’s common… but there are many.’

If I utilize the fact that she is an assassin it could be better.

However if I were to find a use for her nothing comes to mind at the moment.

‘I already have someone in mind to use for that purpose.’

Since I had someone else in mind to use there was no need to keep Nahyi around.

For that reason originally…

‘I was thinking of using her moderately and then disposing of her.’

I never intended to keep Nahyi alive for long.

It meant that as soon as the schedule in the Tang Clan was over I planned to dispose of her.

Even if I didn’t kill her it meant I had no intention of giving her a significant role.

‘If it turns out like this she might be somewhat useful.’

The gem still rattled in my hand.

It would serve as a means to experiment with.

‘If it goes well great; if it fails it can’t be helped.’

If Nahyi absorbs this gem well with my help and thus finds a use that would be a good thing.

Even if the experiment fails it wouldn’t matter.

That was Nahyi’s current position.

‘Even if it succeeds I need to see what happens next.’

If her level rises how far will she go?

If her body changes how much will it change? I needed to see that.

‘It’s a bit bothersome to think about it.’

Having to observe each of these things was quite bothersome.

Should I just eat it and be done with it?

If my energy increases the work to manage this would increase but that could be solved by reducing my rest time.

As much as I would really like to do that.

“Ah this is really annoying.”

The fact that I couldn’t just do that was irritating.

There was a reason I was doing this.

“Why did I discover something like this?”

Besides the gem there was one more thing that was bothering me in my possession.

Another item obtained by interrogating an Elder with demonic qi.

Rustle.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.

It was an old letter neither too big nor too thick.

But the contents within it were the problem.

“… Hmm.”

The plan for the birth of the Cheonmu Body. The decades spent for this the most suitable materials and ratios found using that time.

Even the method for using the essence.

All of that was written in a secret manual and it was now in my hands.

[Are you really thinking of using that?]

In the voice of Noya asking the question there was for some reason a sharp emotion.

I understood the meaning behind that voice.

“Are you crazy…? To use this.”

Noya was afraid I would use this.

Just looking at what was written here this letter was an extremely cruel item for a human to use.

It was already difficult to gather.

Setting aside the fact that gathering demonic beasts with poison was a second issue.

‘I need to gather over a hundred humans.’

And those humans had to be underage.

This was written to extract and refine their blood and innate abilities transforming them into vessels and bodies.

The important materials were their bloodline and innate abilities.

The fact that extracting this was already astonishing. To refine it and mix it with the blood of a demonic beast?

It was an insane method.

I frowned as I looked at the gem in my hand.

“Those orthodox sects just to make something like this.”

While I said it was nothing I thought differently inside.

A potion that could turn you into a Cheonmu Body just by consuming it.

This was undoubtedly a highly valuable item historically.

It was just that the method of production was far removed from human ethics.

‘… If I were to spread this secret manual to the world it would be enough to cause chaos.’

There were many humans in this world who would throw away such ethics.

Knowing that well this was something that should not be easily revealed to the world.

[Is that truly the only reason?]

‘… It can’t be.’

I shook my head at Noya’s words laced with mockery.

Of course that wasn’t the only reason.

Since when did I have such a sense of chivalry that I would care about such things?

The reason I was concerned was simple.

If I could transform an appropriate body of a mediocre person into the nonsensical Cheonmu Body that would be of immense value.

Thus.

‘If I can use it I want to use it.’

Rather than giving it to someone else or burning it I wanted to find a way to use it myself.

[… You little brat.]

‘I know.’

I couldn’t help but chuckle at Noya’s dark voice.

‘Don’t worry. I have no intention of doing what you’re worried about.’

Noya must have been worried that I would use the method written in this secret manual.

I felt a bit strange wondering if I looked that much like trash to her.

But from Noya’s perspective it was something to worry about so I decided not to say much.

In reality….

‘I wasn’t without my doubts.’

If I were to create several of these and feed them to trustworthy individuals to help them grow I had thought it would be beneficial for future wars.

‘But that crosses the line.’

I didn’t want to go that far.

That would be an act that crosses the ‘line’ I had set. I couldn’t go that far.

That line was one I could still recognize as human.

‘Even if my body is no longer human.’

Even if my body changes and the situation changes.

The line where I could still think of myself as human this act would cross that line.

‘So I need to find another way.’

I couldn’t use the secret manual as it was written.

The reason for adding poison to the medicine was solely for the sake of the Tang Clan’s bloodline so excluding this.

If I assume that there is something to replace human blood and innate abilities.

‘… I might be able to use it a bit differently.’

Even if the power of the elixir diminishes.

I might be able to create something with a similar effect.

That was the thought I was pondering.

If I could achieve that it would surely be beneficial for the blood calamity in the future.

[That’s a dangerous thought.]

‘Yes I know that too.’

I nodded at Noya’s warning.

I know how dangerous this thought is.

Still.

‘Isn’t it worth a try?’

[…]

‘I think it’s better to try than not to. It’s better to try everything before giving up.’

[Yeah… that belief is both your flaw and your strength.]

Try until it doesn’t work.

I couldn’t do that in my previous life so I vowed to change in this life.

‘Right now I’m not saying I will do this.’

Excluding gathering humans even excluding searching for demonic beasts.

There were still plenty of other materials.

There were also many herbs that cost a pretty penny.

Gathering all of this would definitely take some time.

‘Even if I gather the herbs refining them is of course…’

I needed materials to replace humans and demonic beasts. It would be a priority to determine if there are such things not herbs.

‘Whether or not they exist is uncertain.’

If I could find them it would provide significant advantages for my future plans.

‘It would be something far superior to the elixirs of Shaolin or the volcano.’

If I could make it it would be superior to the Great Cycle Pill or the Jaso Dan. Or even the Dokkyeondan.

Since it would be something that fundamentally changes the human body and expands the vessel it would be an extraordinary item.

Moreover.

‘… It’s just a guess.’

I don’t know about human blood but there was something that could replace innate abilities.

That thought came to mind.

Whether it would work or not was uncertain.

‘For now I’ll deal with Nahyi first.’

After confirming whether this elixir truly works and if it does what state it reaches.

If I determine it’s useful I would start from there.

‘… Before I turn into an adult I need to set my path.’

There isn’t much time.

I have three years until I become an adult.

Within that time I need to establish a direction to head towards and solidify my plans.

This is also related to that.

“Haah….”

As I walked while lost in complicated thoughts I soon arrived at my quarters.

My father was probably handling the request from the Poison King and the entire Tang Clan would be in an uproar.

So my quarters should be relatively quiet.

‘Then what I need to do inside is.’

What I need to do today.

‘… What to do about the brain.’

The brain that I had shoved into the drawer due to the noise. The person who was likely Namgung Myung inside it…

I hadn’t finished the conversation regarding that yet.

So I needed to wrap that up before my father arrives.

As I thought that and entered my quarters.

“… Huh?”

I felt a presence in what should have been a quiet space.

– No! You crazy bastard!

Along with that I heard a loud noise without any delay.

That sharp voice…?

‘Is that Baekryeon-geom?’

It was the voice of that lady Baekryeon-geom.

… Why is that lady’s voice coming from my quarters?

‘What is she up to now?’

I was already scared.

Every time that lady came here she made strange noises so I was extremely anxious.

“Ugh….”

Right after letting out a big sigh I stepped into my quarters.

And as expected I had to gasp at the unexpected sound that came again.

“… What did you say?”

The problem was that the one who made that unexpected sound was not Baekryeon-geom.

“Where are you going…?”

“…”

With wide eyes I looked at the woman in front of me as she answered.

“… To the North Sea….”

With long silver-white hair.

A woman with beautifully fair skin.

My fiancée the one who died for me in my previous life.

Namgung Bia looked at me and spoke again.

“… I’m going to the North Sea….””’