Zhu Wang asked himself, having been stationed in Nagano for twenty years, he had experienced thousands of supernatural events, both big and small.

Not a single one had ever caused him to panic.

But at this moment...

His state of mind was indeed somewhat unsettled.

He took a deep breath.

"I don't seem to be able to refuse..."

Zhu Wang looked at Bacchus in the darkness and spoke softly.

No one could refuse a god.

He knew very well that the words just spoken had left him no room for refusal.

The young man simply looked at Zhu Wang calmly.

Bacchus had no intention of replying.

Zhu Wang used a great deal of strength for his next words.

"However, Nagano is a place that places great emphasis on rules..."

"As the Grand Adjudicator, every action I take must have a reason, not only to others, but also to myself."

"So, I would like to hear the reason for taking him as a disciple."

Bai Zesheng, who had been bowing and remaining silent, looked at this "old friend" whom he had known for decades with astonishment.

At this moment, he felt that Zhu Wang was the real madman, daring to act in such a way in front of Bacchus.

Was he asking Bacchus for an answer?

In the darkness, there was a brief moment of silence.

Then, the sound of Bacchus chuckling came.

"I admire people like you."

Bacchus was not angry, but said leisurely, "Every place needs rules, needs order... otherwise, wouldn't it become a garbage dump like Southern Continent?"

"Look up."

In the narrow wooden house, fine black ashes floated, the mental powder after the [Tian Tong] (Heavenly Pupil) hypnotic seed had been crushed.

Everything was self-evident.

When Bai Zesheng came to visit, he had already made his intentions very clear.

Help Han Dang remove the hypnotic seed.

Take Xu Yan as a disciple.

This was a transaction.

And Bacchus had completed the first half of the transaction... Zhu Wang had to complete the second half.

It was just that Zhu Wang agreed too readily, because in his opinion, there was nothing unacceptable about this transaction... but he had not considered that the other party was a Seat of the Source Tower.

If he agreed to this transaction, then many more things would happen next, many things...

Like a tsunami.

Often, it was just a wave stirred up by a single drop of water, then one wave after another, one wave after another, eventually overwhelming everything, and no one could stop it.

Zhu Wang bit his teeth.

A character like him had long reached the "peak" of his supernatural strength. Except when facing Gu Changzhi, he had never felt such tremendous mental pressure as he did today.

Bacchus did not use any power.

He just sat there.

And made people want to obey.

After Zhu Wang received Bacchus's approval, he did not take the opportunity to step down, but continued to speak.

He struggled to resist the urge to kneel in his heart and said with difficulty, "Excuse me for speaking frankly... your arrival in Snow Forbidden City does not seem to be in accordance with the rules."

Bai Zesheng quickly reached out and tugged at Zhu Wang's sleeve.

Zhu Wang brushed his sleeve away.

He stared straight at the young man in the darkness and did not regret what he had said.

"Rules... are made by people."

Bacchus said softly, "It's just that the rules made by people are different from the rules made by me."

This was the best answer.

Mortals, do not interfere with gods!

Zhu Wang had already exhausted a great deal of mental strength just by raising the first question. Now that he had received a clear answer, even if he wanted to say something more, the willpower in his heart was not enough to continue.

His expression was pale, and he gave up questioning.

In fact, he had another question in his heart.

You dare to come to Snow Forbidden City... are you not afraid of Gu Changzhi?

Or perhaps, this question did not need to be asked.

Bacchus sitting here at this moment was the answer.

"I want you to take Xu Yan as a disciple... and summon the review team to hold a capability rating test." Bacchus said softly, "He will get an 'S' rating."

The wooden house was silent.

Zhu Wang looked at the young man beside him who was smiling respectfully.

S-level...

From the first moment he saw Xu Yan, he vaguely felt the other party's "extraordinary talent," but no matter how strong he was, there should still be a gap from the rumored "S-level," right?

But.

The words of a god seat were not to be questioned.

If Bacchus said that Xu Yan could get an "S-level," then Xu Yan would definitely get an "S-level."

"I have heard about the proposal you submitted to the Eastern Continent Council."

Bacchus said softly, "At last year's rookie battle, you did not hesitate to use your authority to raise the mental realm of your disciples, just to win the championship... the hidden dangers of this matter have not been completely eliminated, right?"

Zhu Wang's expression changed.

Last year's rookie battle, Lian Zhou's matter caused an uproar. After the competition ended, the Security Committee immediately set up a special task force to investigate... The results of the subsequent investigation showed that Lian Zhou was indeed not a "regular promotion," but used "special means," which was related to the powerful permissions of the Deep Water Zone.

The investigation pointed very clearly here.

However, Lian Zhou insisted that this was his personal behavior and had nothing to do with his master, forcibly interrupting the clues, which made it impossible for the Security Committee to continue the investigation.

But Zhu Wang knew clearly that even now, Zhou Wei, the chairman of the Federal Security Committee, was still staring at him.

Some people hoped that he would become a true "Grand Adjudicator."

Some people also hoped that he would fall as soon as possible.

He had countless "allies" whom he had won over by his side. Similarly, there were countless enemies standing opposite him.

The higher he was, the more he felt like he was walking on thin ice. One wrong step could cause a huge backlash.

"You have all the permissions of the Eastern Continent Tribunal... you can be regarded as a giant in the connection range of the Deep Water Zone. The evidence that Lian Zhou borrowed permissions to advance to the seventh floor of the Deep Water Zone should be well hidden, right?" Bacchus said softly, "It's a pity that the permissions I have cover the entire Five Continents, far beyond your imagination. If you don't want to complete the follow-up transaction... I will ask someone to personally present the evidence that the Security Committee is most interested in to Zhou Wei's hands."

As he said this, he "looked" at Bai Zesheng.

The young man with his eyes closed could not cast his gaze, but the "watched" could still feel the transmission of his spiritual will.

Bai Zesheng's expression was ugly. It seemed that Bacchus had considered everything. If it really came to that time... all the dirty and tiring work would need to be done by him.

On the other side, Zhu Wang's face was filled with disbelief.

He could not imagine that these would be the words spoken by a god seat?

Even more unacceptable was the fact that the step he had taken wrong on a whim had turned around to become a fatal threat that he could not refuse.

"If you agree to this transaction... you will gain an S-level disciple, and your influence will be further enhanced. The Source Tower will support your many actions in the Eastern Continent, and the attitude of the Central Council will change significantly in the handling of many matters." Bacchus said slowly, "For example... the Security Committee will withdraw its investigation of you, in all senses of the word."

This was not a transaction.

But two great gifts sent free of charge...

He did not pay anything, but just gained.

But it was precisely the "gain" of doing nothing that made people struggle inwardly, because at the moment of "gain," he would also "lose" something.

Losing the bottom line he had set for himself when he became the Grand Adjudicator.

This was colluding with Outer Continent.

Or rather... this was a kind of betrayal.

"I know you want to become the new Grand Adjudicator of the Eastern Continent. This is a long road, with countless thorns, setbacks, and prejudices... I also know that you are prepared to face all of this, but have you ever thought that the greatest opportunity is right in front of you at this moment?"

Bacchus smiled.

He said softly, "Just reach out... grab it... and you will have everything..."

Zhu Wang did not realize it.

The "people" around him had disappeared.

The entire wooden house was left with only him and the young man, alone together.

This was a complete and tranquil spiritual domain.

At this moment, Zhu Wang was fighting fiercely in his heart.

He was too eager for the beautiful future outlined by Bacchus. It was not until today that he realized that the power of a mortal resident was so small. Even if he became the "Grand Adjudicator," there were still many things he could not do.

He could not remove the hypnotic seed for his beloved disciple Han Dang.

Nor could he truly sway the wind and rain in the council.

He was always one step away from his dream "wish."

And that one step might be a chasm.

"I just need to take Xu Yan as a disciple..." Zhu Wang said with difficulty, "Just need to do that, right?"

"What do you think?"

There was no smile in Bacchus's voice.

He said indifferently, "I want you to sincerely accept this disciple and cultivate him as your successor. The Source Tower has provided you with support, so you must, of course, reciprocate."

Zhu Wang took a deep breath.

He finally made up his mind and asked through gritted teeth, "So, what else do I need to do?"

"Make Xu Yan... the most famous person in Snow Forbidden City, without exception."

Bacchus said calmly, "Squeeze out Gu Shen and Bai Xiu."

Zhu Wang stared blankly at the young man in front of him.

He realized... he was making a deal with the devil.

Once he agreed, there would be no turning back from everything that followed.

Zhu Wang noticed the changes in the surrounding scenery.

He did not know when, but he had come to this spiritual domain.

And the voices in his heart were amplified invisibly... only at this moment did he wake up.

"I... don't understand..."

"I really don't understand..."

Zhu Wang slowly sat down.

He looked at the god seat in the distance and said wearily, "If you have already come here, why do you need to do such a thing... if you have some greater purpose, just do it directly, wouldn't that be better?"

This place was less than a hundred kilometers away from Qingzhong.

Why go to so much trouble...

He could not see the young man's face, only a shadow shrouded the small figure at the end of the wooden house.

He could not see even more that at this moment, Bacchus was closing his eyes, and after hearing these words, his expression suddenly turned gloomy.

The pressure in the spiritual domain suddenly increased.

Zhu Wang knew that he had asked a question he should not have asked... and then fell silent.

He was just a mortal.

He thought of "gods" as too great, too high above.

So, of course, he could not understand... the true thoughts of gods.

Even more, he could not guess that even gods would feel fear.

Fear was a very magical thing.

The greatest force that made a person give up and retreat was "fear."

And the greatest force that drove a person to act and work hard was also "fear."

Apart from the Sky God Seat, no one would know... why "Bacchus" would personally come to Snow Forbidden City half a year ago.

One of the most fundamental driving forces was "fear."

He was too afraid of Gu Changzhi.

If there were no oath constraints that "he could not open his eyes," perhaps he could be like those god seats in Outer Continent, just ignoring it and quietly waiting for the final result.

And now, he had come to Eastern Continent, to Snow Forbidden City.

It was the touch of some opportunity that made him want to face the "fear" in the depths of his heart.

"Qingzhong... of course I will go."

Bacchus said coldly, "But not now."

...

...

After completing the spiritual link between Chu Ling and Shenci Mountain, Gu Shen did not feel a real sense of relaxation.

This should have been a matter worthy of celebration.

But on the contrary.

A large stone fell in his heart, but he did not truly feel the taste of "relief."

This feeling was like... one wave falling, and another rising.

Gu Shen was very confident in his intuition.

If his intuition told him that something bad was about to happen, then it could only be worse than he imagined.

He stayed awake all night in the Spring Rain Temple, always feeling that something bad was about to happen.

The "spectator" mentality that had been maintained for a year seemed to have been completely broken by the death of the Li Family head. No matter how hard he cultivated, he could not find it back.

Gu Shen also knew that such a state of mind was hard to come by, just like a mirror. Once it was broken, it would be difficult to piece it back together.

So, was something about to happen?

He went to Qingzhong again.

This was the first time Gu Shen had seen that Master Qianye was not staying in the inner mausoleum wilderness but had left the wilderness and come to the cemetery.

The moment he stepped into the inner mausoleum.

Gu Shen saw the swaying robe figure on the small mountain.

The grave keeper was standing on a small mountain in the Qingzhong inner mausoleum. The strong wind blew her robe, and the expressionless cat mask looked down from a high position, overlooking the south.

In her sleeves, a pair of withered hands that were only bones were wrapped with strands of gold thread, as if she was calculating something.

"Master?"

Gu Shen was a little surprised.

He knew that the grave keeper sat upside down at the center of the tomb mausoleum array because these inverted array patterns needed someone to control them.

And once she left... the Qingzhong's great array would be disordered.

Looking up.

The flowing clouds in the dome indeed had some signs of "disorder." The heavy rain clouds were like lead, dense and oppressive, making it difficult to breathe. The majestic supernatural source essence flowed slowly in the Qingzhong cemetery. There were thousands of whispers from the dead souls here. Once the order was out of balance, then no one knew what this "miracle place" would become.

Putting aside special existences like Shenci Mountain.

In the past twenty years in Nagano, there had not been a single new black spot.

The grave keeper certainly saw Gu Shen.

She pointed to the center of the tomb mausoleum in the distance and then pointed to Gu Shen.

Without saying a word.

But the meaning was already very clear.

You... go sit there.

After a year of cultivating the array patterns, Gu Shen had mastered most of the Qingzhong's array pattern operation rules. The inner mausoleum world in his eyes was only left with a light mist... Outsiders who stepped into the inner mausoleum could only see a vast fog, but he could see a light.

In other words, Gu Shen had unknowingly possessed the characteristics of a "grave keeper."

Gu Shen came to the Four Seasons Wilderness.

When he stretched out his palm to touch the ancient tree, countless array patterns seemed to appear in front of him. He recognized most of them... but there were still some that he had not mastered.

In an instant.

The whole world seemed to be turned upside down.

Gu Shen became the "grave keeper." He seemed to have thousands of eyes, able to see every corner of the huge mausoleum. Those array patterns that he had comprehended began to operate slowly. The lead clouds pressing down on the dome scattered little by little, and the crowded supernatural source essences also returned to "order." The chaotic scene did not last long, it was very short.

The reason was very simple.

His arrival was within the grave keeper's expectations.

The entire great array should only be out of control for a short ten minutes.

This was the first time Gu Shen had tried to "control" Qingzhong. He could clearly feel that... the array pattern construction over the past year had been effective. Those array patterns that he had refurbished were obviously more efficient.

And those array patterns that he had not mastered were already somewhat unable to control the flow of "supernatural source essence."

Not long after.

Master Qianye came back from outside.

She stood in front of Gu Shen, and the two of them were still looking at each other upside down... but this time, Gu Shen was in the tree, and she was under the tree.

"How does it feel?" Master Qianye asked calmly.

Gu Shen said slowly, "It feels... like becoming the sky. You only need to lower your head to see a big world."

"Is that so? You saw a big world..." The grave keeper asked, "How big?"

Gu Shen was slightly stunned.

The array patterns that he had mastered had already enveloped the edge outline of Qingzhong...

So he replied, "The entire Qingzhong, all in sight."

The grave keeper continued, "Look again... in the place where you can see, there is a bigger world."

Gu Shen immersed himself.

His mental power swept through every corner of Qingzhong.

Almost every place where the array patterns spread... was taken into his eyes...

A bigger world?

Gu Shen suddenly noticed... in the Four Seasons Wilderness of the inner mausoleum, there seemed to be a small ball of light. Compared with the entire vast Qingzhong, it was too small, only the size of a palm.

However, that ball of light was slowly propping up, ignoring his array patterns and absorbing the supernatural source essence in Qingzhong.

He released a wisp of mental power, wanting to see the world inside that wisp of light ball.

However, the moment it swept out, it was instantly swallowed.

"This is?" Gu Shen vaguely felt that something was wrong.

"You saw it."

The grave keeper smiled: "For so many years... I have been waiting for 'it' to appear."

She said softly: "This is Gu Changzhi's [Divine Domain], if I'm not mistaken, inside is the [Fire Seed]. For so many years, the [Fire Seed] has always existed on the shore that the wilderness cannot reach, I don't know when it appeared here, but it is now absorbing the supernatural source essence of Qingzhong, which means..."

"It's growing."