Chapter 1 The Wind and Snow Are Heavy

The wind and snow were heavy.

A small airship hovered above the giant walls of the Lost Silver City fortress. Inside the control cabin, Wild Dog looked at the floating projection screen in front of him, quietly awaiting a response... After a long while, arcs of light slowly pieced together an image of a man at a desk.

"Lord Zhuxue."

The man before the desk was handsome in an effeminate way, draped in a cloak, recording something with a quill pen... This was, of course, a relic of the old era, but anything used by Duke Zhuxue was certainly no ordinary object.

"The matter has been settled."

Wild Dog said, "The fellow you instructed me about has been thrown into the Lost Silver City fortress... To ensure his safety, I will personally look after him for a while."

Upon hearing this, the man sitting at the desk merely hummed softly.

Duke Zhuxue didn't even lift his head. "That won't be necessary."

Wild Dog was slightly taken aback.

He was responsible for guarding the Lost Silver City fortress, a heavyweight fortress among the top three on the western wing of the Northern Continent front, with many matters to handle every day... So Wild Dog didn't know much about matters outside the Northern Continent, partly due to his personality, and partly because he was simply too busy.

But even so, he still knew... the identity of this guy who had been brought back from the Eastern Continent after traveling a thousand miles.

The only son of the Zhao family of Huazhi.

A first-rate young master in the entire Five Continents.

Perhaps because of his noble birth and pampered upbringing, this guy didn't seem to know what kind of living environment he was about to face. He asked many questions and made many requests along the way, such as for food, water, and accommodation... Because Duke Zhuxue had specifically instructed him to bring this "person" back to the Northern Continent, Wild Dog, though brief and rough, had put some thought into it, giving the other party enough patience on the journey north until he threw Zhao Qi into the Lost Silver City fortress, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Bringing a person was more troublesome than fighting a battle.

"Just throw him anywhere." Duke Zhuxue was still in a position at the desk, softly repeating, "Don't waste your time, and don't give him any help... or even attention."

Wild Dog never expected that Lord Zhuxue would have such an attitude.

"What... did you think I invited him here for a vacation?" Zhuxue slowly raised his head, looking calmly at Wild Dog in the airship, and said, "I do owe Zhao Xilai a favor... but after Huazhi violated the agreement with the Lin family, we no longer owe each other anything. Accepting Zhao Qi is considered him paying me a favor. It's just a pity that the dead cannot repay favors. I have no obligation to take care of his son."

"But... what should we have him do?" Wild Dog was a little troubled, saying, "Lord Zhuxue, he's a complete good-for-nothing."

"There are too many things he can do... guard the gate, sweep the latrines, collect garbage."

Zhuxue said expressionlessly, "Just arrange it as you see fit. In short, the Northern Continent doesn't support useless people, nor does it accept mud that can't be plastered on the wall... If he can't stand it, let him roll back to the Great Capital, but no one will pick him up. He needs to walk back from the Northern Continent step by step."

Wild Dog's expression was somewhat complicated.

He rubbed his brow, and said with a wry smile, "Your arrangement... suddenly reminds me of a certain fellow."

Identity code Cn021... Many people in the fortress had heard of this code, and the corresponding title "Mountain Wind."

In the Northern Continent fortress defense line, very few people had seen Mountain Wind.

Even fewer people had not heard of Mountain Wind.

In the Northern Continent... this was a living legend, who had started from the very bottom and worked his way up step by step over eight years, eventually becoming the adjutant of General Rustbone, who had said that this would be an even more powerful great leader than himself.

Cn021, the number of people within the fortress who knew his true identity did not exceed five fingers.

And Wild Dog had only heard of his name, but had not seen his face, which was a real regret.

But he knew that Cn021's entry into the Northern Continent had also been arranged by Duke Zhuxue himself... except that the one responsible for receiving him back then was not himself, but the leader of the Three Dogs, "Tengu."

"You're thinking too much."

On the other side of the screen.

Duke Zhuxue narrowed his eyes, knowing that his subordinate might have some misunderstandings.

"Compared to Cn021, the other geniuses in the fortress are like stars compared to the bright moon..." Duke Zhuxue said softly, "In just eight years, that guy proved his talent and his efforts. But the one you brought back is probably dog shit on the ground. Don't compare him to Cn021, it would be laughable."

Wild Dog silently shut his mouth.

He rarely heard such unrefined words from Lord Zhuxue.

But after spending time with Zhao Qi, he thought the word was very appropriate.

"Let him guard the gate of the Lost Silver City fortress. From today on, don't report any news about this guy to me... In eight years, if he can rise one rank in this position, Zhao Xilai should be able to laugh in the afterlife." Duke Zhuxue waved his hand, and then asked, "How is the other matter I entrusted to you going?"

Wild Dog was dejected for a second. He had thought that Duke Zhuxue had mobilized him to go all the way to the Eastern Continent to bring back a prodigy with extraordinary talent, similar to Cn021. Even if he was a lump of mud now, as long as the Duke believed he had potential, he would accept it. But he never expected that he had really brought back garbage.

Tengu brought back Cn021.

He brought back Zhao Qi.

This was truly a sad thing!

The next second, Wild Dog composed himself and said solemnly, "The hair of [Heavenly Eye] has been handed over to the Grand Arbiter of the Eastern Continent. Judging from Zhou Jiren's posture, he should have already set off for Pi Yue City."

"The wondrous realm outside Pi Yue City... is more complex than imagined..."

Duke Zhuxue put down his quill pen.

He rubbed his brow wearily, and muttered, "The Northern Continent's currently available forces are limited. If we can use Zhou Jiren and his disciples to resolve the wondrous realm... that would be the best outcome. I'm just afraid..."

Wild Dog listened with bated breath.

Duke Zhuxue didn't hide anything.

He paused slightly and then said, "I'm just afraid that this wondrous realm is larger than expected... Her Majesty had a premonition that a large-scale collapse of order is about to occur, which may be the spread of turmoil from the [Old World]. This time, the sudden appearance of the Pi Yue City wondrous realm completely contradicts the Northern Continent's research on the patterns of 'black spots'... I have an ominous premonition about this."

Wild Dog asked anxiously, as if facing a formidable enemy, "Lord Zhuxue, General Rustbone seems to be not far from Pi Yue City. With him as the foundation..."

"If the worst really happens, Rustbone alone won't be able to solve it." Duke Zhuxue shook his head, "Zhou Jiren is the most survivable transcendental among the Five Continents... I hope that this trip to the wondrous realm will give him some detailed information. If it's just the advent of some ancient sealed item, then it's okay. We can avoid the risk by detecting the extent of the wondrous realm's coverage."

"If it's related to the [Old World]... then things are probably serious. It may require Her Majesty to personally come forward to investigate, and if it's even more troublesome, it will be the turn of those guys in the highest seat to come forward."

As Duke Zhuxue spoke, a hint of disgust flashed between his brows, and he said, "I hope things don't get that bad... You go to Pi Yue City, assist Rustbone, stabilize the situation, and watch what happens. Before clarifying the information about the wondrous realm, don't act rashly. Just wait for Zhou Jiren's news and be ready to provide support at any time."

"... Yes." Wild Dog said respectfully.

...

...

"Zhou Jiren went to the Northern Continent?"

"Yes."

"His student came to Changye?"

"Yes."

"Including that new S-class... Gu..."

"Gu Shen."

In front of the floor-to-ceiling window, a large chair slowly rotated.

A middle-aged man wearing the Arbiter's cloak sat at a long table, with snow and moonlight behind him. The night was already late, but he was still deep in thought.

Sitting across from him was a young man in a gray-black suit with a refined face.

The mentor and disciple looked at each other for a moment.

"Some problems have occurred at the Pi Yue City fortress in the Northern Continent. [Heavenly Eye] should be trapped in the wondrous realm, waiting for rescue." Han Dang said softly, "Fresh news... Not many people know about it yet."

"After the last impeachment, I have been waiting for Zhou Jiren to return to Changye." The man who had been pondering for a long time said coldly, "The facts prove that he simply doesn't have the courage to return. I guess he went to the Northern Continent fortress just to avoid the second round of impeachment. The Grand Arbiter of the Eastern Continent is actually such a character, which is really disappointing."

Zhu Wang added, "Your previous mission in Qinghe was also very disappointing."

Han Dang remained silent, simply lowering his head.

His fingers dug deeply into his flesh, and his expression became more and more painful.

After the last mission in Qinghe, a seed had been planted in his heart, and then it took root and sprouted, growing bigger and bigger.

This seed was called "guilt"... The reason for the guilt was not the failure to carry out the mission, but because Han Dang sincerely believed that his investigation was inaccurate and a very serious mistake.

From time to time, he would fall into a state of "repentance."

And this "guilt" made Han Dang feel more and more terrified.

He wasn't some great philanthropist.

The Qinghe mission was originally intended to prevent Zhou Jiren's newly accepted disciple from passing the audit... How did he end up like this in the end?

He wasn't someone who felt guilty!

Everything about the Qinghe mission had become blurred in his memory. He seemed to have slept in a daze, and then woke up and didn't remember anything.

But Han Dang clearly remembered what happened afterwards.

Not long after, Luo Er was granted the title of [Heavenly Eye]!

This was a big news that shook the entire Eastern Continent Council... The impeachment against Zhou Jiren and the suppression of the Tree Master faction completely disappeared with the advent of [Heavenly Eye].

It was also from that day that Han Dang began to suspect that in the Qinghe District, he had been planted with a hypnotic suggestion seed by [Heavenly Eye].

The most terrifying thing about spiritual-type transcendents was this.

Even though Han Dang had reached the peak of the eleventh layer of the Deep Sea, he couldn't find any evidence that he had been hypnotized... And the only way to deal with it was to apply reverse hypnosis to himself from another angle, enough to offset the suggestion.

And Han Dang could think of only one person who could help him alleviate this symptom...

His teacher.

During this period, he had been staying in Changye to recuperate, fighting the nightmare in his heart with the help of his teacher.

Seeing Han Dang's painful expression at this moment.

Zhu Wang knew... his disciple had fallen into the painful state of guilt again.

"... Raise your head and look directly into my eyes."

A majestic voice rang out in the room.

In Zhu Wang's eyes, it seemed as if a reversed petal was blooming and closing.

He said word by word in a low voice, "My beloved disciple, do not doubt yourself. You are the most outstanding spiritual-type transcendent in the Tribunal in the past twenty years... Uphold the path of your heart and continue to move forward. Do not bow your head. One day, you will definitely reach the realm of title, be able to see through illusions, and ignore shackles."

These words were like a stone falling into a lake.

Each word stirred up thousands of ripples.

Han Dang's expression became fiercely struggling.

His facial expression began to twist uncontrollably, and veins bulged on his forehead. The well-fitting suit was completely soaked with sweat. In just a moment, all the strength in his body seemed to have been extracted and squeezed dry.

"Look at what Zhou Jiren and the others have done to you..."

Zhu Wang said angrily, "How can we forgive them? How can we pardon them?"

While saying these words, the petals in Zhu Wang's eyes rotated faster and faster in reverse.

Han Dang let out a low roar.

He closed his eyes.

In his mind, those fragmented, fleeting memories seemed to reappear, but they were only torn apart again in a flash.

As if returning to the moment before the memory loss.

Vaguely, countless strands of hair swarmed towards him, and that spirit power like a black tide seemed to engulf him completely.

After leaving Qinghe.

This "feeling of guilt" had been缠绕 him,缠绕 tighter and tighter. Now it had vaguely begun to develop into a "nightmare"... For no reason, even the circulation of his breathing technique had become difficult. ノ亅丶說壹2З

The more he complied, the more he repented from the bottom of his heart, the more comfortable he felt.

But the more he opposed, the more he rejected guilt, the more painful he was!

To be the master of his own spirit... How could he bow his head?

This hypnosis lasted for a full ten minutes.

Zhu Wang, wearing the Arbiter's cloak, looked at his "beloved disciple" with an equally ugly expression. It was easy to tie a bell, but difficult to untie it. He was sure that the "hypnotic seed" in Han Dang's heart at this moment was from the hand of a title-level spiritual transcendent... In the Eastern Continent, there were only a handful of transcendents with this level of strength.

Who else could it be besides Heavenly Eye?

He had tried his best, but had only managed to "slightly alleviate" it.

There were only three ways to break free from the seed.

First, rely on himself. From the looks of it, this was almost impossible.

Second, have the person who planted the seed personally解除 it. If this "nightmare" was really planted by Heavenly Eye, she would not admit it, let alone解除 it.

Finally... find a spiritual transcendent who was much stronger than Heavenly Eye and forcibly解除 this hypnosis.

The three methods were all more difficult than the last.

Especially the third one... It was too difficult for spiritual transcendents to cultivate to the title level. After reaching the twelfth layer, no one dared to say they could win against anyone with certainty. It was too difficult to find a strong person who could forcibly remove Heavenly Eye's hypnosis.