Chapter 1 A Gathering in Central City

In a small courtyard in Central City, a dozen soldiers were drinking heartily.

Gu Shen and Mu Wanqiu were among them.

They were drinking, laughing, and lost in revelry. The Northern Continent warriors were all heavy drinkers. Back in the small courtyard on Suspended Mountain, Gu Shen had drunk with them for days and nights. Now, after many years apart, they met again. Fortunately, most of the old faces were still there, and even those who couldn't make it were safe and sound.

Zhong Yuan, whom he had briefly met at the Ice Sea Ruins, had also arrived at the courtyard.

The first thing this guy did upon seeing Gu Shen was to punch him hard.

After a few rounds of drinks, Zhong Yuan lowered his voice and said, "Actually, when I saw the Oni, I suspected that it was you."

In fact, Zhong Yuan had guessed it back at the ruins – that the person wearing the Oni mask was Gu Shen.

But he was smart enough to quickly realize that Gu Shen was hiding his identity… so he didn't directly voice his guess.

Gu Shen smiled.

He knew Zhong Yuan had seen through him.

Back when he was fighting the Giant Lù Tortoise, Zhong Yuan's reaction had been a little off.

"Especially after seeing you heal Wei Cheng's [Jade Carving Hand]."

Zhong Yuan laughed, with a hint of drunkenness, "I was already seventy percent sure that you didn't die in the Sang Continent cave. The reason you were deliberately hiding your identity… was that you didn't want the Northern and Eastern Continent fleets to stay in the Ice Sea Ruins."

And then.

The bombardment of the Black Silver cannonballs further confirmed Zhong Yuan's suspicion!

Only one of their own could do such a thing.

But Zhong Yuan knew almost all the higher-ups of the Eastern and Northern Continents. A young powerhouse who could kill two titled experts with his own strength couldn't have just appeared out of thin air… Once he connected the Oni with Gu Shen, everything made sense as long as he explained it with "Gu Shen didn't die."

"I guessed that you were hiding your identity to do something very important."

Zhong Yuan sighed, "But I didn't expect… it was to kill Jia Wei."

"At that time, it wasn't convenient to meet in my true form."

Gu Shen said apologetically.

"It doesn't matter."

Zhong Yuan shook his head. "True face or not, it doesn't matter. Knowing you're still alive is enough."

……

……

Years had passed. Those old friends from the Northern Continent, who had been so young back then, had mostly become well-known pillars of society.

As for those who were already famous, they were now important figures on the frontier.

Being able to gather in Central City and have a couple of drinks was already an extravagant affair.

As for drinking continuously, day and night, like they used to, that was out of the question.

The gathering only lasted half the night. The next morning, as the sunlight shone down, the courtyard was empty…

Gu Shen had been drinking all night, but he was still full of energy.

He watched these "former comrades" leave one by one, until he was once again surrounded by emptiness.

Even Mu Wanqiu had left.

"The Second Legion is stationed on the northwestern frontier. I've already spoken to Silver Fox. You can go there at any time."

At sunrise, Zi Yu's message reached Gu Shen's mind.

The Legion Commander had contacted the Second Legion for Gu Shen. Besides that, there was other news.

"After hearing that you were heading north to Central City, Rustbone and White Lizard contacted me one after another. They are all very interested in you."

Zi Yu suggested, "If you want to pursue the 'ultimate' of transcendent cultivation, you might as well visit these three generals one by one. They are all beings who stand at the pinnacle of transcendent cultivation."

Gu Shen politely replied, "Thank you, Legion Commander."

Gu Shen stayed in Central City for a few more days. He visited Duke Duanyang and Duke Xiangchen, whom he knew well back then.

Back then, Gu Shen was just a small figure with no power or fame, at most someone favored by the Empress.

Now, he held the title of [Guang Ming Bi Lei] and was the Grand Arbiter of the Eastern Continent. His trip to the north, with a little extra socializing, would help the Merge go more smoothly.

After Duke Zhenyue died, the Empress revoked the title, and now there were only three dukes left in the Northern Continent.

As for Zhuxue, who was the most familiar to him, Gu Shen didn't visit him, because Lin Chou handled countless trivial matters in Central City, and the duke was extremely busy.

Duanyang and Xiangchen were also quite important figures in the Merge.

Gu Shen deliberately mentioned the names of Li Qingsui and Mu Qingyang, asking the two to take extra care of them.

After finishing the trivial matters in the Northern Continent, Gu Shen finally set off. He boarded an origin-energy boat and headed straight for the northwestern frontier.

……

……

The Cicada Wing City Fortress was located on the western edge of the Northern Continent. Like the Gubu Fortress, it was an outwardly protruding turning point on the frontier and the most important "throat" of the entire line of defense.

However, the Gubu Fortress was located directly north. In comparison, the Cicada Wing City Fortress had to bear much less pressure.

Of course.

There was another very important reason why Cicada Wing City had less pressure.

That was because the headquarters of the Second Legion was located here, and "Silver Fox," one of the three great generals of the Northern Continent, was stationed in Cicada Wing City all year round.

The man in the silver cloak was standing on the giant wall, the wind and snow howling, the cold wind biting.

Silver Fox looked out over the "Umbrella Defense Line" outside Cicada Wing City.

Compared to Rustbone, he wasn't nearly as towering and huge, but even among those awakened powerhouses with strength-based abilities, he wasn't small. After the turmoil of the Red Emperor War, he had a wound across his face, running from his lower eyelid to his neck. The scar wasn't hideous.

Silver Fox didn't hide the scar on his face, but rather showed it off generously.

Because of this scar, his temperament seemed even more dignified and steady.

"Your progress is faster than I expected."

Beside Silver Fox sat a young figure, also wearing a silver-white cloak, but in comparison, the young man's figure seemed much lighter.

"You've reached the 'Mind Flow' state in less than a month since arriving at Cicada Wing City."

Bai Xiu slowly opened his eyes.

"Mind Flow… is it very powerful?"

He shook his head and said, "Lord Silver Fox, I always feel that reaching the 'Mind Flow' state is nothing. It only shows that my mind wasn't calm enough before."

"This is already very powerful."

Silver Fox raised an eyebrow and said, "Most transcendents pursue the power that cultivation brings, but often ignore the connection between mind and body. If the mind is not enough, it will be permanently blocked, let alone advancing further… Transcendents who enter the 'Mind Flow' state are in perfect harmony of mind and spirit, and can close their spiritual world at any time to resist distractions. Even titled experts, not many can do this."

Mind cultivation has nothing to do with strength.

The increase in combat power from the Mind Flow state is very limited.

But it is a symbol of "mental stability."

Bai Xiu was silent for a moment and asked, "So, entering 'Mind Flow' is actually quite amazing?"

"Of course."

Silver Fox smiled and said, "Among the three great generals, I am best at mental cultivation. Rustbone is good at close combat, and White Lizard is good at defense and survival. I have the most say in the matter of mind cultivation."

"Is that so?"

There wasn't much joy on Bai Xiu's face. He couldn't help but sigh, sighing, "If I'm not mistaken, Gu Shen entered 'Mind Flow' seven or eight years ago…"

Bai Xiu recalled the scene when he entered Qingzhong Cemetery back then.

Although his realm was much higher than Gu Shen's at that time.

But in terms of spirit, Bai Xiu always felt that Gu Shen was different from others he knew.

Now that he entered "Mind Flow," he suddenly realized that Gu Shen had already reached the Mind Flow stage of spiritual world harmony at that time.

"Gu Shen reached Mind Flow seven or eight years ago?"

Silver Fox was a little shocked by this news, and his eyebrows rose even higher. "At that time, Gu Shen shouldn't have reached the third stage yet, right? This is too amazing."

Although mind cultivation has nothing to do with one's own transcendent realm.

But reaching Mind Flow just two or three years after stepping into the path of transcendence, what an amazing talent for the mind?

"It is indeed amazing."

Bai Xiu couldn't help but laugh. "Being able to meet such a person in this era is actually a kind of luck."

After he showed his talent and was brought back to Nagano, he was held in the palm of the Bai family's hands and forced to accept this life of being surrounded by stars.

Bai Shu took away all the [Dao Liu] bloodline of the Bai family.

The second-ranked great family in Nagano almost collapsed.

Only after Bai Chen and Bai Xiu appeared one after another did this second great family usher in the feedback of luck.

As Bai Xiu cultivated, his potential was revealed more and more, and his strength became stronger and stronger.

The Bai family saw in him a hope that was no less than Bai Shu's.

Sweeping across his peers and crushing the same rank.

Bai Xiu pushed forward all the way like this. In fact, there wasn't much meaning in this kind of cultivation, which is why his mind cultivation was a little worse than other sections.

Standing too high makes it difficult to reflect and see oneself.

It wasn't until he met Gu Shen that Bai Xiu felt that the stone hanging in his heart had fallen to the ground.

Sometimes, opponents don't have to be divided into victory or defeat, life or death.

Transcendent cultivation is like climbing a mountain.

He was on the road, and Gu Shen was also on the road.

Bai Xiu knew that he was the one being chased, so he didn't dare to stop, even in the six years when Gu Shen "fell."

Because he didn't believe that Gu Shen died in the Sang Continent cave.

"I'm a little curious about what kind of person Gu Shen is now."

Silver Fox smiled and said, "Your cultivation talent is higher than anyone I've ever seen, except for Gu Changzhi… What kind of evildoer is the guy you regard as your arch-enemy? It's not easy for others to live in the same era as Gu Shen."

"Me too. No matter how much I climb, I can't get rid of Gu Shen."

Bai Xiu said softly, "It wasn't until today that I felt that six years was so short, it seemed like only a blink of an eye had passed, and he had caught up."

"Catching up is actually nothing."

Bai Xiu stood up, squeezed his palm, exhaled nervously, and asked with a smile, "I'm very curious, will he surpass me next?"

"It's not easy to surpass you."

Silver Fox crossed his arms and said indifferently, "You have already reached the limit of the mortal world. If you want to surpass you, it means touching the 'origin'. Only the Gods and a very few lucky ones can do this."

Bai Xiu looked at the boundless snow outside the giant wall and gently spat out two words.

"Origin…"

The end point of transcendents is actually touching the ethereal origin.

Principles have sizes, and abilities have levels.

But all paths lead to the same destination. The abilities recorded in the transcendent genealogy will eventually merge into the so-called "origin."

If you want to touch the origin, you can only melt the fire and use the authority of the Gods to help you understand.

Bai Xiu's trip north to visit the generals was certainly not to pursue a breakthrough in "mind cultivation."

He wanted to pursue the ultimate.

The so-called ultimate is the origin!

As far as he knows, the reason why the three great generals of the Northern Continent are so extraordinary and stand out from other titled experts is because they have touched the origin that mortals cannot touch!

"Touching the origin is too difficult."

Bai Xiu said frankly, "I have been in closed-door training with you for nearly a month, and I haven't even noticed a trace of the origin's aura."

"You want to see the origin in just one month?"

Silver Fox shook his head with a smile. "If there is no opportunity, it is not surprising that you will sit for a year without any gain."

On the path of transcendent cultivation, high talent can indeed do whatever you want.

There is also an S-class in the Northern Continent.

[Judge] Mu Wanqiu's cultivation along the way was also like opening a cheat, cutting melons and vegetables, and directly ascending to the title.

It's just that the road after the title can't be considered "cultivation."

The leap in the level of life.

It has little to do with talent or effort.

"The reason why I, Rustbone, and White Lizard can touch the 'origin'… is because of the Red Emperor War back then."

Silver Fox put his hands behind his back, his expression a little complicated, and he said in a hoarse voice, "A mortal body touching the origin requires a great price."

"What price?" Bai Xiu held his breath.

Silver Fox was silent for a moment.

He stretched out a hand, and that arm was full of pitch-black color.

Countless pitch-black mottled dark auras were wrapped around his fingers and arms. He lightly and casually grabbed towards Bai Xiu.

At the same time, a voice echoed in Bai Xiu's mind.

"Don't let me catch you."

Whoosh!

Bai Xiu reacted extremely quickly. He didn't even need Silver Fox to remind him. At the moment when the pitch-black hand grabbed, he had already reacted. A thunderous sound rang out on the giant wall, and the [Thunder Realm Walker] instantly descended and attached to his body. The elementalized and condensed Thunder Realm domain spread out.

Bai Xiu's robe was instantly dyed pale white by the lightning.

His entire speed also increased to the extreme.

In just a moment, Bai Xiu went around behind Silver Fox. His speed was so fast that the afterimages hadn't disappeared yet, and the combat instinct generated by years of cultivation made him subconsciously raise his fist after going around.

A punch from the [Thunder Realm Walker] was enough to punch a hole through the giant wall.

"Rumble—"

This huge momentum attracted the attention of many night patrolmen in Cicada Wing City.

However, they just glanced at it and retracted their gazes…

Because the general was on the giant wall.

Therefore, there was nothing to be shocked about with all the anomalies.

……

……

"Do you… now understand what the 'origin' means?"

Silver Fox's calm questioning voice rippled in Bai Xiu's mind.

Countless thunders roared.

Bai Xiu, who was blessed by the [Thunder Realm Walker], was stunned and kept his punching posture, but the Silver Fox in front of him was gone.

The voice came from behind.

His collar, which was dyed white by the lightning, was now grabbed by a pitch-black hand.

Silver Fox had not moved a step from beginning to end.

He didn't dodge.

So… he was "caught" here.

In Bai Xiu's eyes, a look of confusion rarely appeared.

He couldn't understand this phenomenon.

This was a bit like…

The law of causality?

Silver Fox's palm seemed to contain the power of the origin in the legend. As long as he wanted to grab himself, he would definitely be grabbed no matter how he escaped.

"I can't explain to you what the origin is. You can understand it as the essence of reason, the source of transcendence."

"But what I can tell you clearly is that as long as you come into contact with the origin, even if it's only a tiny bit, it's enough to change the level of life."

"This means that battles with other transcendents are basically equivalent to 'dimensional reduction strikes'."

Silver Fox said indifferently, "This is also why the Gods look down on all living beings, because the origin power they master is dozens or hundreds of times mine."

He let go of his palm.

Clatter!

Bai Xiu fell down. He gently touched the ground with both hands and jumped up lightly.

"I… want to do it again."

Bai Xiu took a deep breath, calmed down from the shock just now, and looked at General Silver Fox seriously.

Silver Fox smiled.

"Okay, this time… it's still the same, don't let me catch you."

Just as he was about to attack.

Bai Xiu asked, "Can I go all out?"

After being caught last time, Bai Xiu didn't cancel the [Thunder Realm Walker], which meant that he didn't need time to spread the domain at this moment. Even if it was only a very short moment, perhaps there would be a "miracle."

"Feel free to attack."

Silver Fox's expression was very calm.

He stretched out his palm towards Bai Xiu again. Bai Xiu was facing a formidable enemy, while Silver Fox was in an extremely relaxed state.

He moved very slowly.

But the pitch-black aura on his arm was churning, and Bai Xiu felt a powerful force shrouding him!

The power of the origin descended!

This time, he didn't dodge, but suddenly pulled out two thunder knives from the [Thunder Realm] domain and stabbed them at Silver Fox!

Go all out!

Silver Fox narrowed his eyes, and the relaxed smile in his eyes disappeared.

This was a very clever idea.

Bai Xiu had already recognized that the power of the origin was the evolution of some supreme rule. As long as he attacked, he would definitely be caught.

So instead of running away and dodging, it's better to fight head-on…

Pull out the knife and attack!

"Boom boom!"

On the giant wall of Cicada Wing City, two extremely bright and gorgeous thunder lights erupted. Bai Xiu held two knives and chopped all the way, while Silver Fox carried one hand behind his back and blocked and resisted with the other hand. The two advanced and retreated, and in just a few seconds, they chopped out hundreds of meters of thunder light trajectory on the giant wall. This time, the violent sound caused attracted the attention of many garrisoned troops in the fortress.

Because this scene was indeed very beautiful.

Countless thunder lights were shattered and flew out like butterflies.

The majestic origin energy was dancing on the city wall. Many transcendents stopped and watched. They knew that the outcome of this battle would not change, but even so, they were still shocked by the strength shown by the young man named Bai Xiu.

Such powerful origin energy and spirit.

I'm afraid that apart from the generals, there are really not many people in this world who can resist such a violent attack.

At this moment, the thunder light erupting on the giant wall was so gorgeous and amazing that it could almost be compared to the Red Lake battle between Gu Shen and Jia Wei.

But…

It only lasted for less than ten seconds.

Silver Fox stopped the trend of retreating, not because he was exhausted or for other reasons… but because he was deliberately defending and letting Bai Xiu attack, but by this point, Bai Xiu's [Thunder Realm Walker] had completely used up all his energy.

In fact, fighting is about doing it in one go.

Weaken again, and exhaust the third time.

Since Bai Xiu went all out, he would naturally not deliberately hold back.

Silver Fox seized a momentary opportunity and stretched his hand into the [Thunder Realm] domain in the face of the thunder light. Suddenly, countless concentrated lightning struck this black hand.

But…

All useless.

This arm containing the aura of the origin ignored the attacks of the [Thunder Realm].

The five fingers closed.

A slight and subtle shock force spread out, directly rushing out of the giant wall and shattering the thunder in the sky.

The two refined thunder knives in Bai Xiu's hands were also shattered.

The power of the origin was activated.

Bai Xiu flew forward uncontrollably, and his front was instantly hit by Silver Fox's palm.

The gale stopped at this moment.

"Rumble—"

But the violent roar reverberated in Bai Xiu's ears and in his mind!

Silver Fox was no longer in the posture of carrying one hand behind his back. He took out the hand he had been holding behind his back.

Xiao Xiu's expression was pale.

He looked up at the world in front of him.

The entire vision was pitch black, leaving only a pitch-black fist.

And finally.

This fist hovered an inch away from Bai Xiu, fading away from the pitch-black color of the origin.

"Pa, pa…"

Silver Fox's black hand that was grabbing Bai Xiu also returned to the color of a normal arm. He patted the young man's clothes and said softly, "Xiao Xiu, I know you are very strong."

"But only transcendents who have come into contact with the 'origin' are qualified to be called 'near-gods'."