Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Henam’s Prefecture.

A thriving city and the very heart of the martial world—home to both the Main Alliance Headquarters and Shaolin, one of the Nine Great Sects.

With its bustling crowds and an overwhelming number of martial artists, it was often regarded as the safest region in all of Zhongyuan.

As such, it stood as the epicenter of the righteous factions, the foundation of orthodoxy.@@novelbin@@

Being the so-called symbol of peace, Henam’s prefecture was always filled with an endless stream of visitors.

But today, the number of people was far greater than usual.

A martial artist stationed at the gates let out a deep sigh as he gazed at the approaching waves of people.

“...This is too much.”

At his lament, the senior guard beside him patted his shoulder.

“Nothing we can do. Of all times, it had to be now.”
“That’s exactly it! Why did I have to get assigned to duty on a day like this?”

His exhaustion was evident—he had been standing guard since dawn without a single break.

“Come on, it’s not like this is the first time. We go through this every year. You hate it that much?”
“...This isn’t just another typical year, is it?”
“...That’s true.”

The senior nodded as he looked at the crowd.

Every year, the Main Alliance Entrance Exam was held.

Since the Martial Alliance constantly sought to recruit new talents, hordes of applicants would flood into Henam during this period.

But even considering that—this year’s crowd was absurdly massive.

What had caused such an unprecedented surge?

“...It’s all because of the Divine Dragon.”

It was the recent news—one that had shaken not only Henam but all of Zhongyuan.

The Divine Dragon.

The greatest martial prodigy of this era, surpassing all other Young Dragons.

Personally appointed by the Martial Alliance, he was expected to rise as one of Zhongyuan’s most influential figures in the future.

Of course, a Divine Dragon existed in every generation, so under normal circumstances, the emergence of a new one wouldn’t have been that extraordinary.

“...But this time, it’s different.”

This Divine Dragon was nothing like the ones before.

The title itself carried special prestige, but this time, the weight of it was entirely different.

“It wasn’t someone from the Four Noble Clans or the Nine Great Sects. Who would’ve thought such a monster would come from a quiet, mid-tier family?”
“Mid-tier? It’s still a prestigious house, you know.”

It wasn’t exactly a small family.