Chapter 1 An Encounter

"Achoo..."

"Achoo!"

Gu Shen sneezed twice in a row.

"One sneeze means someone is scolding you, two means someone is thinking of you... Someone's thinking about you."

Chu Ling's voice echoed in his mental link, followed by a timely addition, "And that someone isn't me."

Really?

Gu Shen's expression turned strange as he rubbed his nose.

He pushed open the courtyard gate, and a spring breeze caressed his face.

After several consecutive heavy snowfalls, Changye finally bid farewell to the harsh winter. The snow melted, willow trees sprouted, winter departed, and spring arrived. It was the perfect time for quiet cultivation. The Chunyu Temple had finally quieted down during this period. Surely, no one would be thinking of him, right?

The Snow Forbidden City had been bustling lately.

It was that time of year again for the Newcomer Tournament.

Due to a certain peerless genius's absence from the tournament, the young disciples of the three institutes and five great families had all rushed to register at the last minute... They should be fighting fiercely right now.

But the villa district was the opposite.

Luo Yu was busy investigating a case, Gu Nanfeng had taken Tsukumo Oni off to who knows where, and after the Newcomer Tournament began, the Chunyu Temple had no more challengers. Shen Li hadn't been around for the past few days either, so the entire villa district was empty, with only Senior Sister Lu from Fenglai Temple still practicing her saber techniques in seclusion.

Rare tranquility.

Gu Shen's mind was exceptionally clear.

He had recently traveled to the Tundra for a few days, and a thick layer of snow had accumulated in the Chunyu Temple courtyard. Gu Shen began to sweep away the snow, then took out the ancient Wen patterns of Qingzhong and quietly began to study them alone in the courtyard.

Unconsciously, time flew by.

Studying ancient Wen and deciphering array diagrams was the most mentally and time-consuming type of cultivation... One could easily lose track of time and spend half a day engrossed in it. Ordinary people wouldn't even qualify to study "ancient Wen." Without the support of powerful breathing techniques and mental strength, even with the determination to work tirelessly, they wouldn't have the physical stamina to stay up all night.

When he looked up again, it was already evening.

Much of the frozen snow in the courtyard had melted, and the earlier sunlight had given way to a slightly chilly, twilight sensation.

Gu Shen put on a light coat, preparing to continue his "late-night battle." If life could continue to be so peaceful... that would be a wonderful thing.

He enjoyed the quiet.

He also couldn't be bothered to pay attention to how the geniuses in Changye were fighting for their dreams of the Fire Seed.

"Gu Shen!"

A commotion.

A flurry of snow fell from the courtyard gate.

Along with the falling snow, a familiar female voice drifted into the courtyard.

The woman, draped in a black feather cloak, entered the courtyard without any pretense. She sat down across from Gu Shen's stone table, gritting her silver teeth, and said, "You clearly said I had a premonition of great misfortune... You... you were lying to me!"

Bai Lu's initial shout of Gu Shen as she entered the courtyard had been quite loud, but after catching sight of the wooden sword suspended in the air at Fenglai Temple, she lowered her voice, filled with anger, for the second half of her sentence.

"A premonition of great misfortune..."

Gu Shen was first stunned, then he sized up the other person before remembering his initial careless prophecy. He smiled slightly and said, "Miss Bai, why the need to be so angry?"

"I've been cultivating quietly in the clan hall for a long time... just worried about encountering bad luck."

Bai Lu, who was very wary of the word ominous, had been drinking tea and reading books under the Ginkgo tree in the clan hall for the past few days, quietly cultivating until today when she vaguely sensed that something was wrong.

She said coldly, "But I went out for a walk today and didn't encounter anything 'inauspicious'."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Gu Shen said calmly, "Fortune-telling is meant to seek good fortune and avoid misfortune. How can it accurately predict good or bad luck? Since you've been quietly cultivating in the clan hall these past few days, maybe that's why you avoided the misfortune that was originally supposed to happen."

Bai Lu glared at the young man in front of her resentfully.

Changye City had been peaceful these past few days. What misfortune could there be?

Now that she thought about it... all that talk about ominousness and great misfortune was just nonsense Gu Shen made up on the spot!

But since Gu Shen wouldn't admit it, there was nothing she could do.

"I presume your esteemed self didn't travel all this way just to demand an apology, did you?" Gu Shen dusted off the ancient Wen diagrams and said softly, "If there's nothing else, Miss Bai can go back now. I'm still busy."

Gu Shen was very experienced in dealing with Bai Lu.

He was always too lazy to say much.

The other party was the Bai family's young lady, with a noble status, so he still had to pay her some attention. However, after saying what needed to be said, Gu Shen directly issued an eviction order.

"Wait... wait!"

Bai Lu's expression changed instantly. She was originally the "Little Tyrant" who roamed Changye, and everyone in the Snow Forbidden City was afraid of her when they saw her. However, she had met Gu Shen, a "big tough guy" who wouldn't respond to either soft or hard tactics.

If they disagreed, he'd just ask her to leave.

A villain needs an even bigger villain to grind them down.

Her tone softened, and she said sincerely, "I was rude about what happened earlier. I apologize to you."

Gu Shen frowned.

He looked at Bai Lu, his expression a little strange.

Apologize?

He wouldn't be surprised to hear those words from anyone else... but hearing them from Bai Lu made Gu Shen a little uncomfortable.

"Has the sun risen in the west?"

Gu Shen put away the ancient Wen diagrams and glanced at the wooden sword suspended in the air above Fenglai Temple, saying calmly, "Get to the point."

"Okay." Bai Lu sighed softly, "The real reason I came all this way was to find out... what exactly happened in Qingzhong? Did you and Xiaosode meet?"

Xiaosode had had a very unpleasant experience with the Elders Council because of the assassination attempt.

Although this matter had been suppressed and hadn't spread in the Snow Forbidden City... the news that Bai Soude wasn't participating in the Newcomer Tournament had still caused a stir. Many people began to speculate whether Bai Soude had a rift with the Bai family.

After thinking it over, she decided to come and ask Gu Shen for the truth.

The rumors about Bai Soude in the Snow Forbidden City these past few days had also reached Gu Shen's ears. From the two names Qianye had pointed out, as well as the recent anomalies in the Bai clan hall, Gu Shen could roughly guess what Bai Soude had probably encountered, as well as the general situation within the Bai family.

Guessing was one thing, but this was a private matter of the Bai family, and Gu Shen had no interest in getting too involved.

"You should ask Bai Soude about this matter." He said with a faint smile, "I heard you two grew up together in the Snow Forbidden City. You could even be considered childhood sweethearts. Why ask me about the Bai family's affairs?"

Bai Lu squeezed her sleeve, speechless.

"Actually, nothing happened in Qingzhong." Gu Shen said frankly, "It was the first time Bai Soude and I had met. We chatted for a few words in Qingzhong, but didn't fight."

"I see..."

Bai Lu murmured softly, still squeezing her sleeve.

She was hesitating whether to continue speaking.

In fact, she also knew that it was impolite to suddenly come and ask Gu Shen about Bai Soude's affairs.

Now the entire Changye was discussing what exactly had happened in Qingzhong.

Most people were focused on... why Gu Shen and Bai Soude hadn't fought.

But in fact, Bai Lu wasn't concerned about this matter... or rather, she probably knew why the two hadn't fought.

It had only taken one day.

Xiaosode had found the identity of the life-giver and the mastermind behind the Tundra assassination... This was something the Elders Council hadn't been able to do. If anyone could do it.

Then, looking at Changye, it seemed that only the gravekeeper, Qianye, could foretell the future.

Taking a deep breath.

Bai Lu had been brewing for a long time, and finally made up her mind. She looked directly at Gu Shen and said slowly, "In the beginning, I just thought it was interesting, fun... The reason why I reached that deal with Han Dang wasn't because I really cared about those vulgar things, but just wanted to see what the so-called 'S-rank' was like."

Gu Shen raised his eyebrows slightly.

His expression was calm as he took a sip of water.

He quietly listened to Bai Lu's words.

"Thinking about what I did before... many things were very inappropriate. I apologize to you."

It was really not easy for Bai Lu to say these words.

But after saying them, she felt a sense of relief.

Bai Lu said seriously, "Thank you for helping Xiaosode."

Although she was a crazy woman.

She wasn't stupid.

Gu Shen knew that with Bai Soude's personality, she wouldn't say much.

Then Bai Lu should have guessed what roughly happened in Qingzhong.

"He's already expressed his gratitude for the Qingzhong incident."

Gu Shen didn't say anything, slowly got up, and after walking a few steps, turned his head and said, "As for your apology, I accept it. It's not necessary... I haven't taken your little tricks to heart."

Bai Lu was stunned.

Subconsciously, a hint of anger appeared on her pretty face.

Gu Shen turned around and went back into the house, saying calmly, "Miss Bai, it's getting late. Hurry back, lest others misunderstand. When you leave... remember to close the courtyard gate for me."

Bai Lu was silent, then silent again.

The anger in her eyes slowly disappeared, gradually becoming complicated.

...

...

Good things don't last.

The days of quiet cultivation didn't last long.

The day after Gu Shen returned to Changye, the Chunyu Temple immediately had visitors, but it was no longer the "ill-intentioned" scene from yesterday.

This time, it was old acquaintances.

Gong Zi, Shen Li, and Mu Nan had somehow mixed together... The three of them appeared in front of the Chunyu Temple with great tacit understanding, and then habitually opened the door, drank tea, and basked in the sun.

Gu Shen looked at the three who had become the hosts instead of the guests, and for a moment didn't know what to say.

"Little Gu, it's a pity you didn't go to the Snow Forbidden City yesterday." Mu Nan was radiant with joy, exaggerating, "You didn't see it, Old Gong defeated many opponents all the way, sweeping through the three institutes and five great families... That dream of the Fire Seed is definitely his."

"Preliminary rounds, preliminary rounds, nothing worth mentioning..."

Gong Zi smiled slightly, then said angrily, "How many times have I said, don't call me Old Gong!"

Shen Li drank tea on the side, earnestly saying to Gu Shen, "Although it sounds a bit exaggerated, this guy really has some skill. If there are no accidents... he'll be the champion of this Newcomer Tournament."

Gong Zi seemed unreliable in ordinary times, but in reality, his strength was not bad.

It was just that he was born at the wrong time.

The appearance of Bai Soude made all the geniuses in the Snow Forbidden City feel suffocated.

"There are still several rounds left. This time there are fewer opponents because Bai Soude isn't participating, so it's much easier... However, winning the championship won't be easy either." Gong Zi shook his head, his expression serious, and said, "There's a guy under Zhu Wang of the Tribunal named 'Lian Zhou' who has considerable strength. He's already at the seventh level of the Deep Water Zone, so he shouldn't be underestimated."

"There's a third-stage transcendent in this Newcomer Tournament?" Gu Shen was a little surprised.

Having just finished a fight in the Tundra, he was very clear about how big the gap between those two levels of transcendents was.

This was almost an insurmountable boundary.

The Newcomer Tournament was a "ring match", with many rules and restrictions. It was enough to stop when a point was scored, and determine the winner.

Under such conditions, even some "forbidden techniques" couldn't be fully unleashed. If he were to fight against a so-called seventh-level transcendent now... he would most likely be at a disadvantage.

"In the past, reaching the peak of the sixth level was enough to win."

Gong Zi said solemnly, "It's just that because of Bai Soude... the geniuses of the Snow Forbidden City have also become extraordinarily hardworking. Several transcendents at the seventh level have appeared in this Newcomer Tournament."

This was the truth.

The appearance of Bai Soude made all the geniuses in the Snow Forbidden City feel the pressure.

This was a "brilliant" era. In addition to Bai Soude, who was shining brightly on the mountaintop, many people were also heating up and shining.

"As far as I know, in addition to that 'Lian Zhou', there's also a third-stage transcendent in the Headquarters." Gong Zi's expression was grave. "If I want to win the 'Dream of the Fire Seed', I must defeat them."

Gu Shen also found something else rather surprising.

That was Gong Zi's strength... had actually also reached the seventh level.

Chihuo's investigative ability was always very strong. He hadn't been able to see the depth of Gong Zi's strength in their several meetings. He hadn't expected that the twenty-year-old young master of the Gong family could cultivate to such a level.

"Although the biggest boss isn't participating, it's not easy to win the Dream of the Fire Seed."

Gong Zi took a deep breath and smiled, "I still want to try... if there's a chance to comprehend the dream left by the Throne, what if I succeed?"

In recent years, the level of the Newcomer Tournament had been getting higher and higher, and the overall cultivation strength of the younger generation in the entire Snow Forbidden City had also been getting stronger.

But even so, none of the champions of the Newcomer Tournament had been able to successfully comprehend the Dream of the Fire Seed.

All had failed.

Some had even felt frustrated and discouraged after failing to comprehend it.

The Dream of the Fire Seed that Gu Changzhi had left for Changye before falling into a coma was more of a cruel reality than "hope."

Wanting to become a Throne was truly difficult beyond measure.

Even the first stage, it was unlikely that even one person out of thousands or tens of thousands could step forward.

"Keep a level head. Whether it's winning the championship or comprehending the dream, neither is as important as your own cultivation." Gu Shen patted Gong Zi on the shoulder and said, "You just mentioned... that Zhu Wang has a disciple named 'Lian Zhou'."

Young Master Gong smiled.

"I knew you'd notice this guy..." He had thoroughly investigated Gu Shen's file, so he naturally knew some of the troubles the latter had encountered after coming to Changye.

Most of them were from Tree's "opponent" faction.

"Zhu Wang is now a prominent figure in Changye City. His disciples are talented, with Han Dang before and Lian Zhou after. Although they aren't top geniuses like you and Bai Soude, they're still powerful enough."

Gong Zi said slowly.

"The East Continent Federation has already announced the matter of Tree to the three institutes. Tree and Tiantong, these two titled ones, have embarked on the 'new route' in the Piyue City calamity, and it's unlikely that any news will come out in a year or two... In view of the emergency situation, the council decided to grant Zhu Wang the title of Interim Grand Adjudicator."

"Although it's the Interim Grand Adjudicator, he does have real power after all. I heard that Zhu Wang is planning to add a motion to add a Grand Adjudicator position... If this motion is passed, the Tribunal will have more than one Grand Adjudicator."

Gu Shen understood at this point: "... then Zhu Wang's interim position will completely become a formal position."

"That's right."

Gong Zi said calmly, "If Lian Zhou wins the Newcomer Tournament, then Zhu Wang's reputation will reach its peak, and he will be able to sit in the Grand Adjudicator position more firmly. The significance of the Newcomer Tournament is not just the Dream of the Fire Seed. Although this is a year that Bai Soude is not participating in, it is the most valuable year to date... Everyone wants to compete for a ranking, the higher the better."

Gu Shen narrowed his eyes and slowly asked, "Are you confident you can win?"

"Of course, there's no problem with a head-on confrontation."

Gong Zi smiled. "If I don't even have the confidence to win against this kind of guy... why would I bother trying to grab the Dream of the Fire Seed?"

"Head-on confrontation..."

Gu Shen keenly grasped the key point in these words.

"I've collected all the duel videos of Lian Zhou in this Newcomer Tournament." Gong Zi summoned a mental image, and he said in a deep voice, "This guy's strength is indeed very strong... but I always feel like something is strange..."

Gu Shen began to watch these videos.

Because it was a ring match, the venue was limited, and the recorded shots were stable and clear. These duels were very clear to see.

The strength of Lian Zhou's opponents varied.

There were rogue cultivators at the third level of the Deep Sea Zone, with limited talent. They had reached the final age limit for registration and were forced to participate in the Newcomer Tournament, wanting to try their luck and see if they could go a few more rounds and be noticed by the three institutes and five great families. As a result, they encountered Lian Zhou and were unsurprisingly eliminated in the first round.

There were also young geniuses whose strength had reached the fifth level of the Deep Water Zone, which was quite remarkable.

All of these people were defeated by Lian Zhou within a minute!

And what Lian Zhou did... was very simple. He just bowed before the fight, and after the referee announced the start of the battle, he maintained a distance and stood in place.

Then the video froze... After a brief few seconds or tens of seconds, the combatant's clothes were instantly torn apart, and hundreds of wounds burst open, spraying blood.

This was actually quite a bloody scene.

Facing Lian Zhou, no matter what the level of the opponent... the outcome was the same.

They were eventually carried off in a hurry to be treated.

Because Lian Zhou's methods were too cruel... there had been dropouts. As long as he stepped onto the ring, his opponent would announce their surrender.

Gu Shen's expression became even more solemn as he watched these videos.

"This is the reason why I came to Chunyu Temple today." Gong Zi let out a gentle breath and asked seriously, "I want to ask you to take a look and see what means Lian Zhou is using... Is it a mental attack, or a domain?"

Although he had the belief that he would win, seeing these images, Gong Zi always felt something strange in his heart.

Gu Shen was a mental-type expert. Perhaps he could see something.

"It doesn't seem like mental strength..."

Gu Shen watched it repeatedly several times, and with Chu Ling, slowed it down, but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary...

If it was a domain or ability, then there should be a precursor to its activation.

As for mental attacks... his own Chihuo needed a medium to ignite the body.

"It's more like... a sealed item, a very powerful sealed item, the kind that can directly tear apart the flesh." Gu Shen frowned and said, "Do you have a countermeasure?"

"Only one sealed item is allowed to be brought to this competition." Gong Zi hesitated, "Maybe I can ask the family for a protective treasure."

"Like this..."

Gu Shen thought for a while and said seriously, "I'll lend you a treasure. It's not considered a sealed item... You can wear it on your body. If it's a physical attack, it can definitely withstand it."

"Treasure?" Gong Zi was stunned and a little disbelieving, "A treasure that's not considered a sealed item?"

Gu Shen went into the house.

When he came out again, he was holding a suit of shimmering iron armor.