Chapter 207 The End of the Nightmare

After the church dream shattered…

Mu Wanqiu's heart-devil reached its end.

The final part of this memory was her return to her hometown to pay respects to the deceased in that small town.

The awakening of the [Judge] made her the most talented extraordinary being in the Northern Continent in nearly twenty years, without exception.

But the price she paid was also extremely heavy.

"Ding ding dang dang."

Mu Wanqiu looked up.

She gazed at the oak tree with its swaying snow flowers, her eyes no longer as dazed as before.

The wishing papers and wind chimes swaying all over the tree were still shaking, and Aunt Ai and the passersby offering prayers and blessings beside her gradually disappeared.

A figure sat beneath the tree.

“…Gu Shen.”

Mu Wanqiu paused.

"It's me."

Gu Shen smiled softly and said, "This nightmare has trapped you for many years, hasn't it?"

"Uh…"

The girl painfully reached out and pressed her forehead. The scenes around her began to flash back, and countless rays of light began to shatter—

The surroundings were no longer the oak tree and snow of Chaxike Mountain.

Instead, it was the real spirit sea of the array box.

At the same time.

The details of the Frozen Lake mission, and the scenes of the attack, gradually emerged. The memories suppressed by the "heart-devil" surged like a tide…

After a moment, Mu Wanqiu reopened her eyes.

The little girl had grown into an adult overnight.

"This is…"

She murmured.

"This is the 'array box' sea. You are now communicating with me in spiritual form."

Mu Wanqiu was momentarily lost. "The Frozen Lake mission, is it over? Am I already dead?"

"The Frozen Lake mission is over, but you are not dead."

Gu Shen said with a smile, "You will soon return to the real world. Before that, I need to ask you a question…"

"Do you still remember my identity?"

These words were like a thunderbolt.

Mu Wanqiu's expression suddenly froze.

She looked at Gu Shen, and a more violent wave than the previous memories swept through her spirit sea!

Mr. Bai Shu had taken action to modify Mu Wanqiu's cognition—

And Gu Shen's "Scorching Fire" had completed the dialogue between the god's seat and the [Apostle] within her heart-devil. The massive amount of information had been modified, and all she had to do now was accept it.

Artillery fire.

Shattered glass.

A church.

A figure with outstretched arms.

"You are…Hades?"

Mu Wanqiu's expression was pale. Her cognition had been reconnected, and the explosive secret left her in shock for a long time.

Due to the "cognitive modification," images of her previous interactions with Gu Shen appeared in her mind.

Those sparring sessions, those fights, those defeats…

Those difficult questions she had pondered without finding answers, now had answers!

"Yes."

Gu Shen said calmly, "I was the one who truly saved you in the River of the Underworld. The previous Hades died twenty years ago… I am the new owner of the fire seed, and this is my 'Nether Fire.'"

He raised his palm.

In the clear Scorching Fire, there was a trace of black.

And this wisp of black flame was the true "divine spark."

"What I said in the dream is eternally valid."

Gu Shen said, "Regardless of whether you are willing to become my [Apostle] in the future… I will help you kill those who escaped from the church case back then. This is not a transaction. This is my unilateral promise."

"…"

Mu Wanqiu took a deep breath.

She said in a deep voice, "Some people have already escaped to Light City."

"Kill them all."

Gu Shen said indifferently, "Don't forget, I am 'Hades.' What's the use of those people escaping to Light City?"

He divided the extremely thin strand of fire into two halves.

Although the quantity was too small…

The power of this strand was not to be underestimated.

Gu Shen had given away half of his "authority." This half of his "authority" was enough to take Mu Wanqiu's [Judge] domain one step further… This was exactly what she was pursuing when she entered the River of the Underworld.

"You are about to advance to the fourth order, and there may be no hope for three transcendences."

"But this wisp of 'Nether Fire' can take you one step further. This is not an advance overdraft… This is the good fortune you deserve."

If Gu Shen didn't exist in this world, then Mu Wanqiu, who possessed the [Judge], should have been the first choice of the Nether Fire.

Unfortunately.

There was already a Hades in the world.

"Would you like to consider it?"

Gu Shen pushed half of the Nether Fire in front of Mu Wanqiu.

Mu Wanqiu glanced at Gu Shen.

"No need to consider."

She directly stretched out her palm and held the "Nether Fire" in her palm. "I am willing to become an 'Apostle,' but I have one condition… When the time is right, I want to personally deal with those involved in the church case back then."

"Okay." Gu Shen smiled.

The contract was reached.

In an instant, the Nether Fire, which was so weak that it could be ignored, burst into dazzling brilliance in Mu Wanqiu's palm.

Her spirit and the Nether Fire directly merged!

Endless ripples rippled in the array box spirit sea!

"Rumble rumble…"

Mu Wanqiu's spiritual aura began to rise after merging with this wisp of Nether Fire.

She glanced at Gu Shen, and a rare smile appeared on her cold face.

"It's really… a generous gift."

As an "S-class" extraordinary being, plus two transcendences, Mu Wanqiu was almost invincible among the ninth-level extraordinary beings!

Gu Shen was right.

It was impossible for her to become a "three-time transcender."

Some opportunities, some good fortune, could not be obtained just by having talent and working hard!

Once missed, they would never come again—

But at this moment, the "Nether Fire Authority" allowed her to achieve another leap in the current stage!

Mu Wanqiu deeply exhaled a mouthful of turbid air. She felt her spirit sea expanding again. If she advanced again and successfully became a fourth-order, then the scale of her spirit sea should be among the best in the fourth-order.

Even if it couldn't compare to the top fourth-order like "Zhong Yuan," it wouldn't be too far off!

In this situation, she looked at Gu Shen with some curiosity in her eyes.

Since ancient times, there had never been an apostle stronger than the god's seat.

Having given himself this part of the "authority," and being one realm lower than himself, was Gu Shen stronger than herself now?

"I know what you're thinking…"

Gu Shen smiled and said, "You are indeed very strong now, but if you were to fight, you still wouldn't have a chance of winning. Putting aside the sealed objects, you should be able to last a little longer, that's all."

If you use sealed items…

As soon as the [Truth] is activated, the battle is over.

"Want to try?"

There was fighting spirit surging in Mu Wanqiu's eyes.

She was naturally warlike. Having taken the divine fire and become an apostle, she would probably not use it when she returned to the Northern Continent… This was the best opportunity to use it.

That wisp of black flame burned between the eyebrows of the judge's ghost behind her.

The judge holding the big flag suddenly swelled in size, becoming as towering as a mountain in a few seconds. This extremely small wisp of "Nether Fire" was worth a lifetime of hard work for many people.

Almost no god's seat would be as generous as Gu Shen, directly giving away half of his authority!

No apostle would have such a power that was so compatible with the "fire seed" like Mu Wanqiu!

The "Judge" directly ushered in a qualitative change!

"…"

Gu Shen looked at the towering ghost and raised his hand with a smile.

Rumble!

The array box spirit sea instantly boiled, and endless blazing light rose in this spiritual space. In an instant, ten thousand zhang of barriers rose to the sky. Gu Shen's eyebrows burned with the other half of the Nether Fire authority. He sat back, and layers of black mist wrapped him. The Dark Throne rose from the ground, higher than the mountains.

What a joke.

This is the spiritual world—

Fighting in this kind of place.

He had never lost.

The array box sea was almost shrouded by the throne and the huge divine shadow above the throne.

At this moment, Mu Wanqiu saw the "Hades phantom" in the River of the Underworld dream again, towering in the sky, overlooking all living beings.

The scene was almost exactly the same as before.

The array box sea had turned into the River of the Underworld, prostrating at Gu Shen's feet.

All living beings are ants.

Her judge was a little bigger.

How to fight this?

Mu Wanqiu raised her head and found that she couldn't see the end of Gu Shen's "soul spirit body" at a glance, so she silently withdrew the ghost shadow. The next moment, Gu Shen also withdrew the god's seat.

This battle ended before it even started.

The array box sea, which was originally surging with undercurrents, instantly returned to calm.

"Do you want to try again when you return to the real world?"

Gu Shen pointed to the souls floating at the end of the spirit sea and asked, "While Mu Qingyang and the others haven't woken up, if you want to try your hand, there's still a chance."

"…No."

Mu Wanqiu refused directly without thinking.

Remembering the scene just now, she was silent for a moment, and then said seriously, "After the River of the Underworld, it's meaningless to fight with you…"

"I will find a chance to practice the power of the Nether Fire slowly."

"In necessary stages, such as near-death situations…you can use the 'authority' without worrying about being exposed."

Gu Shen smiled.

He said magnanimously, "But remember, even if the identity of 'Apostle' is exposed, you must maintain mystery. The less information there is, the more people will believe that 'Hades' is still alive… He does need an apostle, and you are indeed the best candidate."

"I understand."

Mu Wanqiu nodded seriously.

…

…

Next, Gu Shen transmitted the existence of "Pure Land" and the existence of "Golden穗花(Jin Sui Hua)" through the spiritual link to Mu Wanqiu's spirit sea… Of course, he still retained most of the secrets.

These two things were related to the Northern Continent.

After obtaining the "authority," Mu Wanqiu was considered the first apostle under the command of Pure Land.

"The maze mission… so that's how it is…"

After digesting this information, Mu Wanqiu's expression towards Gu Shen became more complicated.

Cognitive cleansing was a miracle that only "gods" could accomplish!

A month ago, her original impression of Gu Shen was still at the level of "like-minded," "partner," and "trustworthy."

But after Bai Shu's modification and the heart-devil dream just now…

Her impression of Gu Shen had gradually changed.

"Nether Fire" would affect the mind.

In her view of some things, she unconsciously placed Gu Shen at a higher level.

After learning the truth about the maze mission.

On the one hand, she was shocked, realizing that the "intelligence" that Hong Zhong had passed back was not just a dream.

It turned out that the "spiritual toxin" that almost put the entire Gu Fort Fortress in a desperate situation… originated from the big snake in the maze! !

On the other hand.

Mu Wanqiu also felt "amazement" and "admiration."

This kind of thing.

If it were her… she would probably die.

The infectiousness of the fire seed was very terrible. The emotions that Mu Wanqiu felt at this moment… were still the result of Gu Shen's deliberate control.

If the previous Hades had not died.

Mu Wanqiu would have already prostrated and surrendered in the River of the Underworld, willing to follow him.

Gu Shen had seen many apostles.

The previous Qin Ye, Tie Wu… and the later Miss A'lier, in fact, the relationship between these people and the god's seat was already a complete "upper and lower differentiation," a complete "follow" and "obedience."

The reason was simple.

When they followed the god's seat, the god's seat had already become the god's seat, invincible in the world.

But Mu Wanqiu's situation was different from theirs…

The current Gu Shen was far from being a god's seat.

As for his willingness to give away a wisp of Nether Fire, his willingness to give away half of his "authority," and even his willingness to ask Bai Shu to modify his cognition, it was all because Mu Wanqiu was strong enough.

Gu Shen believed that Mu Wanqiu had the opportunity to become the second "Bai Shu."

The number one person under the future Seven Gods.

Gu Shen would naturally not be stingy with such an "arm."

"Golden穗花(Jin Sui Hua) has been exploring the [Old World] for a long time. I will give you this map, and its information will also be transmitted to your spirit sea in the future… As for the map information of the [Old World], you can decide for yourself when to give it to the Investigation Corps, depending on the situation."

Gu Shen paused and said, "If you give it, think carefully… how to explain this information to the outside world."

Mu Wanqiu was thoughtful.

She frowned and said worriedly, "What about Her Majesty the Queen…"

"You don't have to worry about this."

Gu Shen said, "Her Majesty the Queen knows my secret. Think about why Central City allied with Changye, and why Her Majesty values me so much… Some things can't be exposed to the light, but there must always be a reasonable explanation on the surface."

Gu Shen directly locked Mu Wanqiu as an apostle.

As long as this happened, the Queen would definitely see through it.

With Gu Shen's understanding of the person in the attic, his encounter and relationship with Mu Wanqiu might even be personally promoted by the highest will of Central City.

Everything… was the result of divination.

"Her Majesty the Queen… already knows?"

Mu Wanqiu was slightly startled. She always felt a little strange.

When she joined the Investigation Corps, she had already sworn an oath to be loyal to the Queen.

But she accepted the Nether Fire.

At this moment, she became an apostle of Hades.

What if Gu Shen asked her to do something that violated her oath?

"The Five Continents are about to be in chaos, the Seven Gods are at odds, and a god war… is inevitable." Gu Shen said solemnly, "Under the general trend, Changye and Central City can only survive by hugging each other. So Her Majesty the Queen will not care about these details. You can rest assured and be your 'Apostle,' hide your identity, and cultivate desperately. When the war in the Northern Continent breaks out in the future, only if you are strong enough will you have the ability to protect your homeland. Think about 'Chaxike' during the Crimson伐(Fa) War… Do you want the tragedy to repeat itself?"

Mu Wanqiu's expression was stern.

"When you return to the real world, I will connect the spirit of 'Golden穗花(Jin Sui Hua)' to your heart lake."

Gu Shen nodded lightly, and then changed the subject.

He said seriously, "After returning to the Northern Continent, you can use the information advantage of the Investigation Corps to let it return to the correct course. You can use this to obtain the information you want, explore the life-forbidden areas that Northern Continent explorers were inconvenient to set foot in back then, and constantly complete the misty map of the [Old World]."

Letting Mu Wanqiu become an apostle, Gu Shen did not expect her to do anything earth-shattering at this time.

He was not even a legitimate god's seat.

Mu Wanqiu, this apostle, could only be regarded as taking the lead and "reserving" a false name.

"Completing the map… This is completely your unilateral gift."

Mu Wanqiu murmured, "Without revealing the identity of 'Hades,' it's difficult for the Investigation Corps to accept such a big gift…"

"Then investigate first, and hold the information in your hands." Gu Shen smiled and said, "When the time is right, release the map to the Investigation Corps. You already have enough voice and status in the Corps. The places that Golden穗花(Jin Sui Hua) has been to, and the places it will go, can avoid 'exploration missions.' As for how to persuade, that's not a problem at all. After you return to the Northern Continent, Her Majesty the Queen will naturally let the Corps Leader pave the way for you. She knows better than anyone what we want to do."

"You want to investigate the map just to eliminate the fog for the Northern Continent?" Mu Wanqiu raised her eyebrows.

"Serving mankind is certainly one of the reasons."

Gu Shen smiled slightly when he heard this question.

He said frankly, "I only have one final appeal for this mission…"

"Find the last coordinates where Grand Arbiter Zhou Jiren of the Eastern Continent and his disciples disappeared."

…

…

(ps: There will be another chapter tonight! Seeking monthly tickets!)