"Swish!"

A paper-cut sword shot through the air!

No one expected that Lian Zhou would choose to launch a surprise attack at the last moment!

The outcome had already been decided.

If Gong Zi hadn't held back... that punch just now would have exploded his head!

Gong Zi's face was somewhat pale.

He looked at the paper-cut sword piercing towards his brow.

The paper-cut sword was simply too fast.

Even the void was being torn apart!

...

...

However.

Someone was faster than the paper-cut sword.

The moment the Paper-Cut trembled and disappeared, the expressions of the Gong family's high-level transcendents changed drastically, and they instantly stood up.

By the time they moved and arrived at the center of the arena, the crisp sound of metal clashing had already rung out.

The Paper-Cut flew out violently and stuck into the roof of the dojo.

Zhou Wei maintained the gesture of raising his hand and flicking his sleeve.

He was faster than everyone else.

In just an instant, he had knocked away the Paper-Cut!

Even the most powerful sealed item... depends on the user.

Lian Zhou's strength was far from that of a true top-tier magnate.

After Old Zhou knocked away the Paper-Cut, he slowly looked towards Lian Zhou, who had launched the surprise attack, his gaze completely turning cold.

He then backhanded with another slap.

"Thwack!"

This slap was merciless, sending Lian Zhou spinning in the air like a sandbag!

This slap also landed on Zhu Wang's face!

Zhu Wang, who had ascended to the position of Grand Arbiter, had a hint of anger flowing in his eyes. He clenched his fingers, and the Paper-Cut that had been inserted into the dojo's ceiling instantly flew back into his palm.

This time, the Paper-Cut's speed was hundreds or thousands of times faster than before!

Only a few people truly saw the specific trajectory of that shadow.

The moment Zhu Wang grasped the Paper-Cut.

Gu Qilin also stood up. He was expressionless, waiting for Zhu Wang's next move, with the Boundless Scale domain behind him ready to be released, enveloping the entire dojo.

This movement.

The entire dojo tensed up... the Grand Arbiter and the Grand Commander were facing off!

This was the biggest news of this year's rookie competition!

If these two really fought... then the subsequent development of events would overshadow all the news from Snow Forbidden City!

Zhou Wei stood between the two.

He retracted his slap, stood with his hands behind his back, and looked at Lian Zhou, who had been knocked unconscious by the slap.

The moment Lian Zhou attacked.

Zhou Wei felt something was amiss... unless he was a madman, it was impossible to choose to attack in that situation. With so many top-tier transcendents present, plus himself right next to Gong Zi.

An assassination?

Too foolish!

It was simply impossible to succeed!

And when he fanned out that slap, and his mental power came into contact with Lian Zhou... Zhou Wei had an answer in his heart. The Security Committee's initial suspicion was completely correct. This kid's mental power was already in a state of失控(shīkòng, out of control).

Perhaps because of the sect's "mental suggestion," Lian Zhou's heart was only left with the thought of winning.

Defeat Gong Zi... at all costs! By any means necessary!

When a transcendent's reason is swallowed up, then it's not an exaggeration to do anything crazy.

"Thud!"

The cane heavily struck the ground, and a wisp of powerful and profound mental power enveloped the entire dojo.

"I now announce..."

The Federation Security Committee Chairman coldly opened his mouth, "The Arbitration Court, the temporary Grand Arbiter Zhu Wang's disciple, Lian Zhou, is suspected of using prohibited Federation methods to obtain forbidden power... leading to mental失控(shīkòng, out of control) and launching a sealed item to attack Federation personnel. Numerous crimes, not yet clear, or may be supplemented, he will now be taken into custody for interrogation."

Mental失控(shīkòng, out of control), attacking Federation personnel.

This charge was actually quite serious.

Because Lian Zhou originally wanted to attack... his opponent in the finals, Gong Zi.

But the one who fanned away the Paper-Cut with the final slap was the Security Committee Chairman Zhou Wei... from this point of view, it was hard to say whether this paper-cut sword was intended to attack Gong Zi or Zhou Wei.

"Someone, take him down!"

Zhou Wei coldly spoke.

The Committee members who had been lying in ambush around the dojo, densely deployed even on the ceiling, immediately swarmed in. They had received instructions from the Chairman last night and had come to the dojo early to prepare... because there was no clear evidence for the arrest, and there wasn't even a contingency plan. The Committee members had already prepared to return empty-handed.

They excitedly burst through the door and, in full view of everyone, took Lian Zhou away in handcuffs.

This was the thing that Security Committee members liked to do the most, without exception!

And watching his disciple being taken away with his own eyes.

Zhu Wang didn't say a word.

"Temporary Grand Arbiter, sir."

Zhou Wei insisted on calling Zhu Wang by the full title. He was expressionless, maintaining impeccable basic etiquette, and said word by word, "This matter may involve your abuse of authority... I currently have no authority to detain you, but I have the right to notify you in front of everyone that if the subsequent investigation reveals evidence that you are related to your disciple Lian Zhou's 'mental失控(shīkòng, out of control)', then the Security Committee will file a lawsuit with the East Continent Federation. At that time, you will need to come with me."

Zhu Wang narrowed his eyes.

The reason why he bestowed the Paper-Cut...

The reason why he let Lian Zhou break through just before the battle...

It was because the unexpected joy of temporarily taking the position of "Grand Arbiter" allowed him to see a glimmer of hope that was about to be extinguished. He needed greater prestige, better "results," and more convincing authority to grasp these things that didn't belong to him.

And now it seemed... he had made some wrong decisions.

Taking one wrong step required paying a huge price.

"Congratulations to the Gong family's young master."

Although there was no congratulatory expression on Zhu Wang's face, he still offered his congratulations. This was considered a dignified way to maintain friendly relations with the Gong family... and it was also considered personally acknowledging the final result of the rookie competition.

After saying a word of congratulations, Zhu Wang didn't stay for another second. Amidst the noisy discussions in the dojo, he left this "place of right and wrong" with his disciple Han Dang.

Gong Zi was surrounded by several of his family's transcendents, who were checking his body. When he heard this congratulation... he raised his eyes and saw that Zhu Wang had already left.

He was stunned for a moment before he realized.

Oh, the battle seemed to be over.

His opponent had been beaten half to death and carried off the stage.

Although he wasn't the one who did the beating, judging from the situation, he should be considered to have won the rookie competition finals?

Gong Zi cautiously looked towards the old man Zhou Wei.

Zhou Wei softly said, "Congratulations on winning this year's rookie competition... Lord God's wisp of Fire Seed Dream will be delivered to your hands later."

The arena erupted in enthusiastic applause.

Gong Zi touched his brow.

The remaining pressure of the Paper-Cut was still gathered at his brow, making him feel lingering fear.

This fight... was a narrow escape.

Gong Zi slowly raised his head, looked towards Gu Shen, and revealed a grateful expression.

...

...

The duel was over, but no one left the dojo.

Because next was the comprehension of the Fire Seed Dream.

In fact, "mental comprehension" was a very private matter... but when Lord God left the Fire Seed Dream, he also left a divine decree that these Fire Seed Dreams would only be given to the champion of the rookie competition.

In addition to this.

Comprehending the Fire Seed Dream had to be done immediately after the competition...

Short breaks to adjust one's condition were allowed.

But this was the "first stage" of the Fire Seed spiritual experience. Lord God hoped that the process of "spiritual comprehension" could be witnessed by many people... as for the true intention of this arrangement, it had actually been proven by predecessors in past years.

Comprehending the Fire Seed Dream in front of everyone actually brought a lot of pressure.

Winning the rookie competition and taking the championship was already enough to prove a person's "genius."

The higher one stood, the more unbearable the pain of "falling" became.

Being witnessed by countless people during one's "ascent" and then being witnessed during one's "fall"... many geniuses couldn't accept the huge contrast and remained in a state of painful doubt, unable to extricate themselves.

But the path to becoming a god was this cruel.

If one didn't have the courage to climb all the way to the top, then it was better to choose to give up from the very beginning!

Gong Zi sat cross-legged on the ground of the dojo arena. He took off his iron armor, removed the Phoenix Bell, adjusted his breathing, and his torn black clothes swayed in the breeze.

Zhou Wei personally brought him the Fire Seed Dream.

In a special container made of strong logical material, there was a wisp of 青灿(qīngcàn, azure and brilliant) flame. That wisp of azure flame seemed to contain endless magic, making people unable to resist wanting to immerse themselves in it with just one glance, endlessly staring at it.

"Are you ready?"

Zhou Wei seriously asked, "During the process of 'spiritual comprehension,' you can call a stop at any time if you sense any discomfort. I will guide your spirit out."

Gong Zi slowly opened his eyes.

He had waited too long for this moment...

So many years of磨砺(mólì, training), one improvement after another, was not only to chase after Bai Xiu, this great mountain, but also to be able to obtain his own Fire Seed Dream with his own strength.

This era had given birth to incomparably dazzling stars.

But he believed... as long as he worked hard enough, other stars wouldn't be able to obscure his light!

Gong Zi raised his head, looked around the arena, and his gaze lingered especially on two people.

Gu Shen.

Bai Xiu.

The former smiled at him slightly.

The latter was calmly staring at him, just silently waiting for the results of this comprehension.

Gong Zi looked towards the old man Zhou Wei and firmly said, "I... am ready."

That wisp of azure flame was taken out of the strong logical material by Zhou Wei and placed at Gong Zi's brow.

He took a deep breath.

Slowly pressed this wisp of Fire Seed Dream into his brow.

The azure flame slowly began to burn at Gong Zi's forehead.

There were quiet whispering sounds in the arena, but none of them reached the center of the dojo. The Security Committee's "protective measures" were extremely well done. No one was able to disturb Gong Zi's comprehension at this moment.

Everyone was staring at this wisp of flame...

The fire burning meant that the spiritual comprehension was proceeding normally.

The fire extinguishing meant that the comprehension had failed.

For so many years, no rookie competition champion had been able to successfully comprehend the Fire Seed Dream. It wasn't until Bai Xiu's appearance that the young transcendents of Snow Forbidden City saw hope.

They firmly believed that the threshold that had blocked countless geniuses would definitely not be able to stop Bai Xiu.

But what about others?

Could it be... that this threshold was really that big?

This was the highest quality rookie competition in nearly ten years. Even if you disregarded the two pseudo-[S-Rank] sealed items, the strongest contenders had reached the seventh level of the Deep Sea Zone!

The rookie competition had seen third-stage transcendents, which would have been absolutely dominant in the past!

Perhaps...

Perhaps Gong Zi could successfully comprehend the "first stage" left behind by Lord God?

...

...

"Do you think Gong Zi... can do it..."

Shen Li nervously transmitted his voice to Gu Shen.

During the battle just now, although he was sitting in a position a little further back and couldn't see as clearly... he was still genuinely sweating for Gong Zi. This final was purely a competition of resources.

The Gong family and the Arbitration Court had almost bestowed the best treasures they could currently wield to the two young men.

Under this kind of confrontation, the individual's "ability" had become very small in terms of affecting the outcome...

Although Shen Li was warlike, he was also clear that if he, with his weak resources, were to take the stage, he would probably be torn to pieces by Lian Zhou's first burst of attack with the Paper-Cut.

Unless... Gu Shen was willing to lend him the iron armor.

"Nineteen minutes have passed," Gu Shen transmitted his voice, slowly saying, "That flame is still burning. The current situation is still stable."

This was actually good news.

Because the Fire Seed Dream's spiritual comprehension was completely public. Chu Ling had compiled the comprehension data of past geniuses. The average duration was fourteen minutes. The fastest genius to extinguish the Fire Seed Dream only lasted nine minutes before being defeated. And the one who lasted the longest had comprehended in the dream for nearly twenty-five minutes.

Nineteen minutes... Judging from the burning momentum of the flame, the current dream was still smooth.

Regardless of success or failure, Gong Zi should have no problem tying the highest record.

"I see that the fire is getting smaller and smaller... I have a bad feeling..." Shen Li slightly gritted his teeth.

Twenty minutes passed.

The wisp of fire at Gong Zi's brow had shrunk by half compared to when it was first taken out... Although he didn't know what was happening in the dream comprehension, Shen Li wasn't stupid. He knew that the flame shrinking was definitely not a good thing.

The Gong family's elders were all clenching their fists, anxiously waiting.

Gong Zi was the eldest son, the heir to the future family head... and the "hope" that the Gong family had poured everything into cultivating. No one hoped more than them to see their young master be able to comprehend this wisp of flame.

You should know.

Bai Xiu didn't participate this year! Which was the same as handing over a great opportunity!

If Gong Zi could successfully comprehend... then the entire Snow Forbidden City would be boiling! This would be the first successful comprehender in twenty years!

Twenty-five minutes passed...

These elders breathed a slight sigh of relief, but the stone hanging in their hearts didn't fall. They just wiped away some sweat and continued to anxiously wait.

Supporting to this time meant that their young master had tied the previous highest record.

In a way, their young master was already the strongest transcendent in Snow Forbidden City who had comprehended the Fire Seed Dream.

But... the further they went, the greater the possibility of successful comprehension!

Thirty minutes.

Some of the Gong family's elders already had a look of pessimism in their eyes.

Because the wisp of flame at their young master's brow was now almost reduced to a mere spark.

They didn't even dare to breathe loudly, fearing that the slightest movement would extinguish that spark.

But what was gratifying was... it was precisely this tiny flame that persisted in burning, without extinguishing.

...

...

Another ten minutes passed.

That tiny flame completely extinguished.

The Gong family elders who had been waiting for a long time saw this scene, their expressions complex, unable to accept it.

The spectators in the arena had experienced forty minutes of silent but thrilling events. After Gong Zi broke the record... everyone held their breath, hoping to see a miracle.

But... this miracle didn't seem to appear.

Zhou Wei had been quietly standing next to Gong Zi.

He heard the subtle noise in the arena and immediately raised his hand, signaling everyone not to make a sound.

Those noisy sounds immediately disappeared.

The azure flame slowly dissipated, but Gong Zi didn't open his eyes... Could it be that he was still immersed in the "spiritual comprehension" state?

The spectators looked at each other in confusion.

They didn't know what this meant, because there had never been a "genius" who had comprehended for forty minutes in history.

Just as the crowd was silent.

A gust of wind suddenly blew——

A strong wind blew across the arena!

Gong Zi suddenly opened his eyes, and a wisp of 青灿(qīngcàn, azure and brilliant) blazing light bloomed in his eyes, as if it were tangible. At the same time, at his brow, the extinguished spark fiercely burned against the wind!

He stood up, his torn black shirt fluttering in the wind.

The Fire Seed Dream's comprehension had taken his mental power to the next level... It was an indescribable powerful aura. Just from the blazing eyes, one could feel that Gong Zi's willpower was several times more tenacious than before!

"Young master... succeeded!"

At this moment, some of the Gong family's elders were moved to tears.

The Gong family had waited too long.

No... it should be said that Snow Forbidden City, Nagano, had waited too long.

Zhou Wei had a gratified expression, looking at this young man whose body was burning with spiritual fire. At this moment... he seemed to feel the vigor of Lord God when he was young.

Shen Li sat blankly in his seat, listening to the tide-like cheers and encouragement.

He couldn't believe it.

He really... succeeded?

In the past twenty years, countless transcendents in Nagano had gone forward one after another, all of them failing... Countless geniuses had their dreams shattered on a tiny azure spark. After failing, everyone found it difficult to believe that it was just the first checkpoint that Lord God had left for the world.

Wanting to become a god was so difficult.

But now... someone had actually done it.

Gong Zi.

The first successful comprehender of the Fire Seed Dream in twenty years.

When all eyes were focused on this "rookie competition champion," people discovered that the burning light in Gong Zi's eyes hadn't dissipated. He seemed to be brewing something, and the aura on his body was accumulating and rising little by little.

Finally...

Gong Zi said a sentence that had been suppressed in his heart for a long time and was about to become a shadow!

He took a deep breath and turned his gaze to the white-clothed youth sitting in the first row of seats in the arena.

"Bai Xiu, I invite you to fight me!"