Chapter 1 The Brightening

"Zzzzt."

The dim screen gradually lit up.

The sound of broken electricity flowed around the ears of everyone in the conference room.

Besides that, there was no more sound.

In the center of the screen were rows upon rows of opened nutrient capsules, with figures sitting and lying inside that were all too familiar to everyone… their states of consciousness were all in a coma.

Fourteen people in total.

Every "viewer" before the image at this moment had a gloomy and livid expression.

Gu Qilin, Gu Nanfeng, Zi Yu, Zhu Xue…

In the conference room, the highest levels of law enforcement from both continents were gathered here.

Today, after completing the "search" of the Frozen Lake area, only a few scattered corpses were found, as well as this—

An old-fashioned one-way communication projector.

The law enforcement team responsible for searching the western district of Frozen Lake had completely lost contact.

The "image" in this one-way communication projector answered all the confusion.

"My mental power is attached to Mu Qingyang,"

Gao Tian said coldly, "If they encountered a 'Sealed Title', I should have sensed it… How could this situation have occurred?"

Gu Qilin frowned, "Either it's a power higher than Sealed Title. Or it's some kind of special rule that屏蔽 (pingbi) your mental induction."

Higher than Sealed Title?

The others exchanged glances…

The meaning of higher than Sealed Title was related to "God."

The group from Frozen Lake shouldn't possess this kind of power…

"Don't forget, Han Dang extracted the Sky Sheath." Zhu Xue added calmly, "No one knows exactly how he used the Sky Sheath. This substance can break down transcendent source matter… In my opinion, this is a forbidden power on the same level as 'God'."

"Zzzzt."

The communicator began to emit smoke.

It was indeed very old, so old that no one knew when its image would be interrupted.

The high-level officials in the conference room stopped speaking.

In the picture, it could be seen that most of the law enforcers in the nutrient capsules did not have too serious injuries, but the two who "fought head-on" were seriously injured.

Blood was still flowing from Mu Qingyang's forehead.

This joint law enforcement operation was nearing its end.

The law enforcers of both continents knew that Mu Qingyang was a truly desperate and ruthless man, the kind who would give his all if he had it. Not to mention encountering a Sealed Title during the battle, even if he encountered a Divine Throne, he would not retreat half a step.

His injuries were very serious, and his cyan source armor was almost completely shattered.

Obviously, he had put up "fierce resistance."

Beside Mu Qingyang, there was another person who was very seriously injured.

Mu Wanqiu, her red source armor had been stripped off, revealing a black bodysuit close to her skin. Large areas of this bodysuit were exposed, and her skin was also scarlet, constantly bleeding.

Her injuries were even more serious than Mu Qingyang's.

The picture was dim, and after only a few seconds, it began to shake. An invisible force was manipulating the recorder, aiming at "the recorder himself"... One dim star after another flashed past in the darkness.

Just as Gu Shen had seen in his divination—

The area where the [Azure King Authority Domain] was submerged was filled with a large number of nutrient capsules. These nutrient capsules still had energy to burn, so they emitted a faint light.

But if the "submergence" reached the target depth.

These nutrient capsules, and the "sleepers" inside, would become the energy to maintain the domain.

"Everyone… I want to talk to you."

At the end of the darkness.

Was a young man with his arms crossed, sitting elegantly on a throne of tides.

Han Dang?

This scene was beyond everyone's expectations. Logically speaking, Jing Shanyan or Zhu Wang should have come forward for this level of negotiation…

"What do you want to talk about?" Old Master Gu opened his mouth.

He looked at Han Dang expressionlessly and said, "If you want a pardon, that thing is being approved…"

"Old Master, please don't treat me like a fool."

Han Dang interrupted with a smile, "Does a pardon like that still have any meaning at this point?"

"…" Gu Qilin could only remain silent.

"You want them to live, no problem. As long as you are willing to meet my conditions, they can all live."

Han Dang said calmly, "My exchange condition is very simple. I don't expect to save my own life, because I know you won't agree…"

"What do you want?"

Gu Qilin suppressed his anger.

"I want to see someone."

Han Dang smiled and said, "Gu Shen."

In the conference room… Gu Shen was the only one missing.

"Don't rush to refuse. You can consider it. Anyway, the ones who need time more now are you, aren't they?"

Han Dang said softly, "The way I meet Gu Shen is also very simple… Let him step onto 'Frozen Lake' alone, and I will naturally pull him into the [Azure King Authority Domain]."

That was how Mu Wanqiu and Mu Qingyang disappeared.

Even with the imprint left by a Mental-type Sealed Title, Han Dang still had the means to take away his target.

Today's events meant…

The search of Frozen Lake needed to be suspended.

The enemy was in the dark, and they were in the light.

Besides the Sealed Titles personally searching Frozen Lake… all the teams could encounter the exact same "incident." This kind of search would only give Han Dang more and more bargaining chips.

If the previous negotiation was a feint.

Now… it was more like a provocation.

Han Dang knew that Central City and Nagano had not yet locked down his location, so he even took the initiative to attack!

"Three days."

"If I don't see Gu Shen after three days, the safety of these transcendents will not be guaranteed."

As soon as the words fell, the image went out.

A wisp of green smoke rose, and this old-fashioned one-way projector was completely destroyed.

The conference room fell into silence.

…

…

"Han Dang wants to see me?"

Gu Shen, who had just arrived in Nagano, received the news from the Tundra. Old Master Gu had called him personally.

Mu Wanqiu and Mu Qingyang were controlled—

If he wasn't mistaken, it should be Zhu Wang who had taken action.

"Yes."

The Old Master's voice was hoarse, "Han Dang gave a deadline for consideration, we have three days left."

"Three days…"

Gu Shen said calmly, "If I determine the location of the [Azure King Authority Domain], does the Gu Family have a way to conduct a deep strike?"

"Deep strike…"

Gu Qilin frowned and said, "The Gu Family does have this kind of large-scale strike weapon… But now, there are still our people in the [Azure King Authority Domain]."

According to estimates, the depth of the [Azure King Authority Domain] may have reached 500 meters underground.

Gu Shen said decisively, "Sky Sheath weapon."

The Old Master was stunned.

"The development of the Sky Sheath weapon is not that fast, the refining of those fragments still requires repeated experiments…"

Luo Yu spoke from the side, his voice helpless.

Gu Shen asked, "Where is the experimental base for the Sky Sheath weapon?"

This should be considered confidential, Luo Yu hesitated for a moment, but didn't speak.

But Gu Nanfeng didn't hesitate and said directly, "The experimental base is in the Tundra. The Gu Family's research project has always been conducted in the Tundra."

"Let Zhong Gui go over."

Gu Shen said calmly, "With him there, three days is enough."

"Zhong Gui… Is he related to the Sky Sheath weapon?" Now it was Gu Nanfeng's turn to be puzzled.

Zhong Gui was an ancient text translator.

Most importantly, he had lost his previous memories in the last Sky Sheath explosion incident.

Now, the Gu Family Night Watcher would regularly perform mental疏通 (shutong, dredging) on him to help him recall, but with little effect. The "fortunate" part of the misfortune was that Zhong Gui still retained the relevant memories of ancient text translation.

"…"

Gu Shen was silent for two seconds.

He didn't explain the real reason why he said that, but slowly said, "This is the result of divination."

Divination.

No matter when, this was a very good "reason", and also a "reason" worthy of convincing.

The phone hung up.

Gu Shen slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

He stood before Highway 447, with a gray mist ahead.

Taking a step forward would enter the "Shrine of Miracles."

Gu Shen remembered very clearly the "reminders" about the Bracelet of Calamity… One of the pictures was related to Shrine Mountain. This time he returned to Nagano, he went straight to Shrine Mountain.

He was now a little worried that the "ominousness" of the Bracelet of Calamity had already been fulfilled.

The mist gradually dissipated.

He saw the top of Shrine Mountain. In a dark and gloomy area, only a wisp of pure snow air remained, entwined with "white."

He breathed a sigh of relief.

Future calamities could be discussed in the future, at least today… the calamity of Shrine Mountain had not occurred.

…

…

Mountain streams flowed, gurgling by.

Waterfalls were reborn, white flowers swaying.

Before the small wooden house on the mountaintop, a woman in white clothes, as white as snow, was diligently painting at her desk. She wrote slowly, her spirit focused… what she was painting was the ancient text decomposition of the "Longevity Technique."

In the days when Gu Shen was away.

Li Qingci dismantled ancient texts every day, which could also be regarded as a kind of cultivation.

Li Qingci's spirit was very focused. It was only after a long time when she raised her head and glanced casually that she realized someone had climbed to the top of the mountain.

"Little Gu?"

Li Qingci's eyes showed surprise.

As far as she knew… Qing Sui and Gu Shen had gone to the Tundra this time to join Central City in exterminating the [Snow Cage] criminals.

This was a very long-term task.

If the mission ended, Qing Sui would definitely return to the mountain with Gu Shen.

Now… only Gu Shen was alone?

"Girl Qingci, I have a request."

Gu Shen had been climbing the mountain for a while, and he had been waiting quietly for Li Qingci to finish her cultivation and carving of ancient texts, not allowing outsiders to interrupt.

At this moment, he finally waited.

"Little Gu, you have something to ask of me?"

Li Qingci's mind went blank, but she quickly reacted. In her eyes, there was both surprise and joy.

She quickly got up.

Li Qingci was a smart person. With Gu Shen's current status, to use the word "request," he was probably going to use the "Wish Art."

Sure enough.

Gu Shen slowly said, "I want to use the Wish Art…"

"Easy to say."

Before Gu Shen could finish, Li Qingci's eyes bloomed with a smile, and she said softly, "What does Sir want to wish for? I will perform the technique."

Since Gu Shen came.

The "Wish Art" of this Shrine Mountain had not been used much.

"There's no need for you to perform the technique."

Gu Shen shook his head and cast his gaze toward the small house on the top of Shrine Mountain.

"I want to find someone…"

He said word by word, "That person is hidden 500 meters underground in the Tundra. No matter what the cost…"

"I will make the wish."