Chapter 1 Very Slight Breaking Sound

"Buzz—"

A very slight sound of something cutting through the air.

Like the buzzing of mosquitoes, the sound was so weak it was almost imperceptible. A drone advanced slowly in the high sky, fulfilling its mission of patrolling the borders of the old city every day. In this era of rapid economic development in East Continent, the council was already considering the comprehensive construction of the Deep Sea network. It wouldn't be long before the old city was also covered by Sky Eye.

It was only a matter of time.

However, this drone stopped before the pitch-black night.

The high-speed recording lens captured the inconsistency in the colors of the world before it... a pitch-black domain shrouded the world. According to the algorithms running in Deep Sea, it should have recorded everything and waited for a response from the mainframe.

If the Extraordinary Anomaly alarm was triggered, all the transcendents of the Third Division would receive a notification.

But today was an exception.

The drone hovered before the night of Sumeru, paused for a few seconds, and received feedback from the Deep Sea mainframe.

It began to "turn back," completing its mission for the day ahead of schedule, and automatically deleted the captured and frozen images from the database.

The silent "return" of this drone attracted the attention of someone on the ground who looked up.

"Mr. Cui, the matter of the Apostles is far more serious than you and I imagined."

Gu Nanyi, draped in a round-shouldered cloak, watched the Deep Sea-controlled drone choose to condone everything. His voice became solemn and serious. "The permissions that the Highest Seat enjoys in Deep Sea break the balance between the Five Continents. If the bill passes, what will happen on this land next... I'm afraid it will be beyond our control."

Cui Zhongcheng and Gu Nanyi stood before the pitch-black domain.

"...I will report to the councilor truthfully." Cui Zhongcheng stared deeply at the drone as it flew away, and said softly, "As for the bill, I can only do so much. After all, I am just a 'councilor's assistant.'"

Gu Nanyi felt some regret but understood.

He smiled. "It's more dangerous ahead. You should wait here."

This young man, who had been stationed in North Continent for many years, carried a long saber. Gu Nanfeng extended a hand and placed it before the Sumeru domain. Invisible ripples swayed.

The next moment.

He took a step forward and disappeared.

...

...

The wind sweeping through the ruins of Lion Alley was mixed with the scent of blood and rust.

The iron sword that had pierced his chest was clenched by five blood-soaked fingers, slowly pulled out, and then crushed.

After completing this action, the owner of that arm had exhausted all his strength... He lay on the ground, and the arm he had just raised fell heavily. In the silent world, there was an extremely weak sound of a heartbeat, still echoing.

Song Ci opened his eyes, his vision blurred... He couldn't see anything, and there was no need to see, so he slowly closed them again.

He felt as if his "consciousness" had already shattered.

Being alive was already a great miracle.

Tie Wu thought so too... According to common sense, no one in this world should be able to survive such an attack.

Perhaps there were always exceptions.

This man's vitality was indeed tenacious, but such a foolish action was meaningless. If he wanted to "live on," he should have waited for the storm to subside and then crawled out of the ruins. That way, he might have been able to escape with his life.

Since he wasn't dead, he might as well add another sword.

He frowned, not thinking too much.

He raised his hand.

With a "whoosh," the iron sword that had been pulled out instantly rose from the ground, aiming at Song Ci's head, and fell heavily again.

A few seconds later.

Tie Wu, who was facing away from Song Ci and riding on pieces of iron, suddenly stopped after taking a few steps.

The sound of the falling sword stopped abruptly. This feeling was very uncomfortable... It was as if someone had taken off a boot in the attic, but the sound of the second one never came.

Tie Wu narrowed his eyes and slowly turned his head.

His falling sword was suspended above Song Ci's face, the tip of the sword only a tiny distance from his closed eyes.

A silent wind blew through the pit, through the iron sword, through Song Ci's dry hair.

In the wind that blew through everything, a snow-white and powerful palm extended.

This palm clenched the iron sword.

And so, the iron sword was completely erased from Tie Wu's senses... He lost his connection to it and could no longer control this piece of iron. The man in the round-shouldered cloak slowly released his palm, and the iron sword fell along Song Ci's cheek, piercing into the earth.

The clanging of the sword vibrated Song Ci's eardrums.

He struggled to open his eyes and saw a blurred face.

He couldn't see clearly... He should have never seen him before... But deep down, he felt inexplicably reliable...

Song Ci uttered two words with great difficulty: "Thank you."

Gu Nanfeng also responded gently with two words: "You're welcome."

In the tense battlefield, in the wind filled with blood and rust, the two men's casual conversation... sounded like old friends who hadn't seen each other for many years.

This scene was inevitably somewhat ironic in Tie Wu's eyes.

As an Apostle, his intuition was extremely keen... Tie Wu knew very well, without using his tokens, which people he could fight and which people he was definitely not a match for.

If there was enough time.

Then this thick-skinned brute... he should be able to beat.

But this handsome man who appeared like a ghost, he was very likely... not a match for.

This was a strong intuition.

Even though the man in front of him had a faint smile on his face, looking gentle, peaceful, and harmless... Tie Wu simply hadn't detected his arrival.

He was too fast, much faster than Song Ci.

"Changye, Gu Nanfeng."

The round-shouldered cloak man said softly. These words were spoken to Tie Wu, but in fact, he was introducing himself to Crow.

Changye?

Tie Wu's pupils contracted. He realized the strangeness of this place name.

Crow, on the other hand, looked puzzled.

He knew very well that he had never left the Great Capital since he was born.

He had no connection with Changye at all.

"The Undying who bears all tribulations, the Chosen One who has experienced suffering... I have come for you." Gu Nanfeng slowly squatted down. These words were said to the Apostle of the Source Tower in front of him. As he spoke, he took out the token from his bosom.

Unlike Tie Wu's grape emblem.

This emblem was carved with a soaring eagle.

Song Ci's confused and scattered gaze gradually focused. After Gu Nanfeng released his palm, the emblem hovered above the withered man's forehead, changing from dim to bright, and emitting bursts of radiance.

The wind around Gu Nanyi, carrying a healing aura, began to diffuse.

This was a wind of revival.

"God...damn..."

Tie Wu's face suddenly turned pale.

This guy from Changye City, was he here to deliver Gu Changzhi's token?

Gu Changzhi wasn't dead?!