1072 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 1072: Northern Rabbit - Web Novel Resource Center A shroud of darkness persisted. A seemingly unending void, filled with suffocating blackness. The sensation of being trapped within was overwhelming. As the frustration built and built, a flicker of irritation began to rise from within. Snap. A crack formed in the darkness. Much like when the master struck against the abyssal barrier, the fissure began to widen like a spider’s web, spreading across the entire field of vision. Before long, the fragments shattered, restoring sight. Crunch. Just as one might crush embers or shatter eggs, light seeped through the broken fragments. “Ugh…” The light was blinding. So intense it forced his eyes to close instinctively from discomfort. “What on earth…?” With a struggle, he managed to gather his senses, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand as he propped himself up with his forearm. When he pressed his other hand against the ground to rise, he felt an unfamiliar sensation. Looking down, he saw weeds and grass. Upon confirming this, his dulled senses began to awaken. The smell of grass from every direction. The touch of the weeds on the ground. The faint aroma of the forest, the sound of birds, and the sunlight streaming down from the sky. The scene felt so peaceful that it was disconcerting. “What is…?” What on earth is this situation? To suddenly find oneself in a forest. What’s going on here? ‘Where is this place?’ I was certainly confronting the Master of the Abyss, my mother. I was on the verge of having my throat pierced by her hand. And now, upon opening my eyes, here I am in a forest. Moreover… ‘This isn’t the Abyssal Forest, is it?’ It was a forest, but not like those strange trees and plants from the Abyss. It seemed like an ordinary forest, akin to those in the Middle Kingdom. ‘An illusion?’ Or perhaps a flash of my past life before my eyes. That was certainly a possibility. If that wasn’t the case, then… ‘Something must have occurred, as the ancestor mentioned.’ I recalled the words spoken by the ancestor before my vision was enveloped by darkness. ‘Preparation.’ That’s what my mother prepared for me. ‘I thought seeking the Divine Trees was the preparation?’ The situation was baffling. Regardless of my confusion, I couldn’t remain stagnant. First, I needed to rise fully to assess the situation. ‘First and foremost, my body.’ As I tried to circulate my energy to check my body’s state. ‘Huh?!’ A strange sensation coursed through me. I couldn’t feel a considerable amount of the energy that thrived within me. Most of the energies seemed intact, but… ‘The energy of the Divine Trees is gone.’ The aura known as divine was gone, and... ‘…even my body feels different.’ There was a discernible difference in my physical state. After clenching and unclenching my fists a few times, I concluded, ‘I’ve weakened.’ My body’s definitely weakened. The only solace was that my cultivation stage remained the same. Wuuuung. ‘The powers are intact.’ The powers I possessed held their ground. Even those acquired upon becoming a dragon were retained. ‘…How absurd.’ What on earth is this ridiculous situation? As I was about to investigate further. Crumple-! “……!” I sensed a presence. Immediately, I suppressed my aura and concealed myself. Before long. "Is this the right place?” “Yes. According to what I’ve heard, it’s supposed to be around here.” Voices echoed. Moreover... ‘The language of the Middle Kingdom?’ It wasn’t the language from the Abyss but the language of the Middle Kingdom that I understood. As I sharpened my senses to perceive the approaching figures. ‘Huh?’ Surprisingly, they were human. “……Nothing here.” “But… weren’t we told someone was found collapsed nearby?” What’s more, they weren’t just any humans. Those clothes… ‘The attire of the Martial Alliance?’ The familiar colors and designs of the Martial Alliance’s uniform were unmistakable. Did this mean... ‘Could this be the Middle Kingdom?’ Did I suddenly return to the Middle Kingdom? It made no sense. As I stared at the men with wide eyes, they continued their conversation while inspecting the area where I had fallen. “There’s nothing.” “……Something’s off.” “Yet another false alarm, I bet. Ugh, dealing with phantom reports while worrying about monsters recently…” The man who was grumbling turned away first. “Let’s go. Delaying our return will only harm us.” “But… sir.” “Enough, let’s hurry back. Have you forgotten what’s happening today? What if the unit leader finds out?” “…Understood.” One of them, who seemed reluctant to leave, glanced back at me but both soon left. “……” Only once their presence completely faded did I finally reveal myself from hiding. “What the hell…” What kind of ridiculous situation is this? Did I just return to the Middle Kingdom suddenly? ‘Then what about the Abyss?’ What about what was left behind in the Abyss? ‘The Heavenly Demon, Elder Shin… and then there’s the Divine Sword event.’ Am I just supposed to return like this? I frowned in thought. ‘No, this can’t be right.’ It can’t be. Things wouldn’t unravel like this out of nowhere. That’s what I thought. I rolled my eyes to where the men had exited. If this is how things are, then first and foremost… I need to fully understand this situation. That seemed to be the priority task at hand. * * * I emerged from the forest. Despite my weakened state, having reached transcendence made it less of a challenge. As I moved out of the forest, following the human presence, I identified a city in the distance. Seeing it, I realized my whereabouts. ‘Hanan.’ The place where the Main Headquarters reside. It was Hanan County. I knew then that this was truly the Middle Kingdom. Yet… ‘Something’s different.’ Upon entering the county and observing the surroundings, there were significant differences. ‘The buildings are completely different.’ While it matched the county I knew, it was remarkably different. This was the county that had once been ravaged by an ambush from the Zhuge clan. After the destruction, everything had been painstakingly restored, and new buildings had been erected. But this place... ‘This is...’ The scene before me mirrored the ancient version of the county, filled with structures that seemed even older than before. “Try some of this!” “Why don’t you stop by and take a look?” The atmosphere was also different. Hanan County was known for its bustling streets, yet there was an additional layer of tranquility that was unfamiliar. There were too many differences from what I remembered. ‘...Could this be...’ Like the stories shared by Senior Tang, had I crossed into an alternate timeline? There was a high possibility. If this place was entirely different from what I knew, it logically followed that I was in a version of the Middle Kingdom previously unknown to me. ‘So what now?’ If that were the case, what role was I supposed to play here? My mother’s arrangement had brought me to a place where perhaps something needed to be gained. The thought creased my brow in frustration. ‘Ssss.’ As I surveyed my surroundings... ‘Hm?’ A familiar aroma wafted past my nose. ‘Oh, is that…?’ I sharpened my senses. It was a scent I knew all too well. Turning my head, an inn came into view. ‘Whoa.’ It was an inn I recognized. It was the very place known for its dumplings that I frequently visited in the Middle Kingdom. “It's here too, even in this timeline?” Could this establishment exist in an alternate world as well? Strangely comforted amidst this chaotic situation, my feet carried me towards it as if by their own volition. I wasn't particularly hungry. I wasn't exactly starving, and in this predicament, hunger was the least of my concerns. Yet, drawn by nostalgia, I found myself at the inn’s threshold. “Welcome, young hero!” A cheerful attendant greeted me at the entrance with a wide smile. Before I knew it, I was guided to a table and seated. The attendant approached soon after, asking, “What will you have?” “...Do you have dumplings?” “Of course! Our dumplings are the most popular here.” “Please bring me an order of those.” “I’ll have them right out for you!” With a bright smile, the attendant left to fetch the dumplings. Sitting there, I let my thoughts meander aimlessly. ‘What am I doing?’ Was I a fool? Did I really just stroll in here for dumplings? Even if it was instinctive, I couldn’t rationalize it to myself. ‘...Is this right?’ It couldn’t be. No matter how I wrapped my head around it, this wasn’t how things should be. There were too many pressing matters to investigate rather than sitting here for dumplings. Just as I resolved to get up and leave. “Did you hear about it? The Divine Dragon has become a deputy leader.” “Oh, the Divine Dragon?” I paused in motion at the conversation filtering through the inn. ‘Divine Dragon?’ It was a nickname I knew all too well. The mention of the Divine Dragon could only mean... ‘Has that bald monk become a deputy leader?’ Shaolin's Divine Dragon. It had to be him, so I listened closely with interest. Even though this was a different world, hearing tales of someone familiar captivated me. “They say he's the youngest deputy leader ever.” “Haha, entering the Azure Dragon Squad at that age, and now a deputy leader? Who knows, he might become head of the Divine Dragon Squad someday.” “That might indeed come true.” Deputy leader of the Azure Dragon Squad? It was a curious piece of news. ‘Why would he join them?’ If it were the Divine Dragon, naturally, he would join the Divine Dragon Squad, yet it seemed he joined the Azure Dragon Squad? The conversation implied the existence of a Divine Dragon Squad too. ‘Does this world not have such distinctions?’ Given that it was a different world, I tried to accept it as simply as possible. “And truly, it's nothing short of a miracle. Such a talent emerging from a lesser-known place.” “...?” The statement was even stranger. If the Nine Lesser Schools were not legendary, then what was? “Lesser-known? That place is rather famous.” Fortuitously, another chimed in, appearing just as perplexed as I was. “In Shanxi, it holds a significant stance, doesn’t it?” ‘...Huh?’ The moment I heard that, I stared at the man. ...What did he just say?