Chapter 1 The Icy Sea

In the skies above the Ice Sea, two medium-sized source-energy boats cruised side-by-side, moving slowly.

After the merger of the two continents, Changye secretly gifted several Sky Sheath weapons to the Northern Continent, while Central City reciprocated with source-energy boats.

This southward mission was extremely urgent.

The two continents set off one after the other, converging over the Ice Sea airspace, planning to continue south after completing the rendezvous.

"Brother Zhongyuan, the names on the East Continent list... are all unfamiliar faces."

In the control room of the Northern Continent's source-energy boat, a handsome-looking officer spoke with a smile.

"Brother Wei, have you ever considered that we're just getting old?"

Zhongyuan had just finished his gravity training and was doing the final stretches, testing whether the source armor toughness newly developed by the underground research institute was up to par.

For this mission.

Central City dispatched the captain of the Second Team of the Investigation Corps.

The other was Wei Cheng, the deputy of the Silver Fox Legion, who had participated in the Sang Continent Cave rescue mission.

Five years had passed, and Zhongyuan had made some breakthroughs in his cultivation, but unfortunately, he didn't continue to advance... Fourth Order was the end of the road for most geniuses.

It wasn't that he wasn't strong enough.

But "Titles" were not something everyone could reach.

Some geniuses only needed ten years to reach Fourth Order.

Then they could spend their entire lives without making any progress.

That was reality.

"We are indeed getting old..." Wei Cheng smiled and said, "The future of the Northern Continent belongs to young people, and I imagine it's the same for the Eastern Continent."

Zhongyuan just smiled.

The Silver Fox deputy leaned back, resting against the chair, quite sentimental. "If you didn't say so, I wouldn't have realized that time has passed so quickly... We first met more than ten years ago, right?"

Zhongyuan also sighed. "It's been more than ten years."

"At that time, we were both full of vigor. Before long, I took the 'deputy position' in the Second Legion, and you became the captain of the Second Team of the Investigation Corps..."

Wei Cheng said leisurely, "It's just a pity that our positions haven't moved since then. I'm fine, being a deputy for the rest of my life is no problem. After all, the only person in the legion who has more say than me is 'that one'."

"I'm fine too."

Zhongyuan said helplessly, "Being the captain of the Second Team of the Investigation Corps... isn't bad."

"Tsk, really?"

Wei Cheng teased, "These past five years haven't been easy, have they? Lu Zhe was just transferred away, and Xiao Qiu broke through to Fourth Order. Being surpassed by a newcomer, that doesn't feel good, does it?"

"What are you talking about? Xiao Qiu's advancement is a good thing!" Zhongyuan said unhappily, "Stop talking nonsense, if you keep saying these things, I'll complain about you to the Silver Fox when we get back."

"I'm really afraid of you."

Wei Cheng gave a wry smile, quickly admitting defeat.

However, he didn't stop for long, and soon he asked curiously, "Since Xiao Qiu advanced... what's her Title? Do you have any inside information?"

"Xiao Qiu's Title..."

Zhongyuan raised his eyebrows, his expression clearly showing that he knew some inside information, but he kept it a secret. "I won't tell you."

Wei Cheng scoffed, reaching out to grab the blonde man, his mental power instantly spreading out.

Buzz!

Unexpectedly, Zhongyuan didn't move at all.

He looked at Wei Cheng, also using his mental power to entangle the other, and asked with a smile, "Is that all the strength the Silver Fox deputy has? Are you really getting old?"

Wei Cheng became interested.

The people of the Northern Continent were born to be combative and good at fighting.

The high-level members of the major legions, as well as those strong individuals, mostly had good relationships in private. These kinds of competitions often occurred and wouldn't affect their feelings. On the contrary, they would promote friendship.

However, the competition in the control room didn't last long. Soon, an adjutant came in to report that guests had arrived.

So the two immediately returned to their calm demeanor, acting as if nothing had happened.

The automatic door of the control room slowly opened. Before entering, two black-haired young men bowed, adopting a very humble attitude. They said in unison.

"Zhong Fan, Adjudicator of Changye, East Continent, greets the two seniors."

"Li Yuanci, Judicator of Changye, East Continent, greets the two seniors."

This scene made Wei Cheng and Zhongyuan feel somewhat out of place. The Northern Continent had always been rough and uninhibited, but Changye was an ancient capital of etiquette, especially the young people cultivated by the five great families, each with many formalities.

"Don't be so polite."

Wei Cheng waved his hand and smiled, "Seniors, nothing but a few years older... Call me Old Wei, call him Brother Zhong, anything is fine. Just be a little more casual with the titles."

This time, the East Continent's list of those going out to sea did indeed make Wei Cheng and Zhongyuan feel unfamiliar.

The merger and development in the past two years had been very smooth, and the young people of the two continents often interacted with each other.

Central City had some understanding of the young talents of Changye, as well as some outstanding geniuses. It was no longer like it was five years ago, when they only knew a few names like "Gu Shen" and "Bai Xiu".

"Seniors, the mission hasn't started yet. We came to visit and explain the situation."

Zhong Fan said politely, "This southward voyage is a serious mission, and the forces of each continent dare not hold back... Originally, Elder Gu wanted to assign Mister Gong Zi of the Gong family and Mister Mu Qingyang of the Mu family as leaders."

"Gong Zi, Mu Qingyang, I know them well."

As soon as Zhongyuan heard the names, he couldn't help but laugh.

During the merger of the two continents, he had a lot of dealings with these two... Everyone was friends with Gu Shen, and they became acquainted after going back and forth, and became good friends. Even during their free time, they contacted each other a lot.

Zhongyuan sized them up.

These two young men were also quite strong, but only quite strong... They were probably around the tenth level of the Deep Sea, less than thirty years old, and already at the Fourth Order, which was considered quite excellent for talented individuals.

Wei Cheng asked with a smile, "You just mentioned Gong Zi and Mu Qingyang, why didn't they come?"

"Mister Gong Zi gave his spot to me." Zhong Fan bowed again.

"Mister Mu Qingyang also gave me his spot." Li Yuanci also bowed, saying respectfully, "The Li and Mu families of Changye have had many marriages in recent years, which may have something to do with it... Please forgive us, seniors."

Wei Cheng and Zhongyuan exchanged glances and couldn't help but laugh.

People who got in through connections?

"You two young men are quite interesting. Relax a little, don't be so nervous and reserved."

Zhongyuan said seriously, "I've met Elder Gu several times. That old man is farsighted. If you don't have the strength, even the greatest connections won't help... Don't worry, we won't look down on you just because you're young. If you want to learn something, join us in this joint mission."

"Yes."

The two were still very polite, "Please give us your guidance, seniors."

"Speaking of which, you should really learn from those little cubs in the Northern Continent..."

Wei Cheng joked, "Those bastards are so arrogant in the legion, always shouting about overthrowing the older generation. They replaced them, and compared to you, they're like wild dogs."

"..."

Zhong Fan and Li Yuanci exchanged glances, smiled shyly, and said nothing.

"Alright, you guys go back quickly... The destination is just ahead, and the mission is about to begin."

The two polite young men from the East Continent quickly left, not forgetting to bow three times before leaving.

After they left.

Wei Cheng in the control room let out a long sigh, "I say, Old Zhong, the mission leaders Changye sent this time are too polite, is this some kind of test?"

Zhongyuan was silent for two seconds.

Wei Cheng's previous remarks reminded him of the first time he met Gu Shen many years ago.

The people of the East Continent were generally more steady and introverted.

When Gu Shen first arrived at the training camp in Gubu Fortress, he didn't take the initiative to provoke anyone...

Not to mention Gu Nanfeng.

He smiled and said, "Let's see what happens when the mission starts. Maybe these two young men are different from what we imagined."

As soon as he finished speaking, a prompt sounded on the control channel.

"Unknown transcendent aura detected in the target sea area."

On the main screen, the image of the distant scene was projected. The outline of the Ice Sea Relic appeared in the mist. It seemed to be a towering and continuous snow mountain like the spine of a giant whale, but what was noteworthy was not the Relic, but the golden light that flickered on the sea surface.

"Unknown transcendent aura?"

Wei Cheng narrowed his eyes, and almost instantly, he recognized it.

This golden light was the transcendent aura of Guang Ming Bi Lei! (Guang Ming Bi Lei)

"Guang Ming Bi Lei... It's a transcendent from the Church of Light!"

Zhongyuan also realized it.

"Damn it, we encountered Guang Ming Bi Lei ahead of time. Fire, fire!" Wei Cheng instantly became excited.

Before the two could issue instructions, the East Continent's ship had already opened fire, and countless bullets roared out, firing in unison!

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"

"Boom boom boom!"

The golden light was instantly shattered, and the entire sea area where the transcendent aura appeared was blasted to smithereens--

Countless seawater soared into the sky.

The East Continent's source-energy boat suddenly descended, intensified its sweeping fire at an extremely low altitude, and at the same time performed a high-difficulty turn, returning to carry out two bombardments.

This operation left Wei Cheng stunned in place.

"Transcendent aura has disappeared..."

"Repeating, transcendent aura has disappeared..."

The control room of the Northern Continent's source-energy boat was silent, with only the cold mechanical broadcast sound remaining.

At the same time, in the closed network linking the four highest commanders, Zhong Fan and Li Yuanci's calm and restrained apology sounded.

"Sorry, seniors, Elder Gu instructed us that if we encounter transcendents from 'Guang Ming Bi Lei,' don't ask questions, just open fire directly."

"No... you did very well..."

Wei Cheng gave a highly affirmative response with a complicated expression.

"Thank you."

The other party's reply was still very polite.

After the closed link call was hung up, the Silver Fox deputy lit a cigarette and took a deep puff.

He looked at his old friend of many years with some suspicion, "Old Zhong, are we really getting old?"

The two source-energy boats resumed their side-by-side sailing posture, slowly entering the mist-shrouded area of the Ice Sea Relic, gradually disappearing until they were gone without a trace.

The golden light on the sea surface did not reappear.

But before long, a huge ice floe drifted over.

A long-haired man sitting cross-legged on the ice floe slowly opened his eyes.

"Chi Huo just detected an anomaly here, like someone was fighting..."

Gu Shen stroked his chin, muttering, "Why is there no movement now? Is it over?"

His mind spread out, carefully searching the debris in the seawater.

Seconds later, a pile of bullets broke out of the sea and floated in front of Gu Shen.

"Northern Continent source-energy boat armor-piercing bullets..."

Chu Ling carefully identified them and quickly gave the answer, "And special red-silver bullets with flower crest patterns carved on them. This is the basic configuration of the East Continent's source-energy boats. The party that just opened fire was likely the East Continent's source-energy boat... Judging from the inspection of the debris falling into the sea, the source-energy boat should have won a complete victory, and the party that was attacked had no power to fight back."

"Interesting, what did those guys from the East Continent encounter? They fought so fiercely?"

Gu Shen smiled, "I wonder which unlucky guy was beaten up so badly..."

He waved his hand, and the bullets fell back down with a crash.

The ice floe gradually stopped moving.

Gu Shen supported himself on his knees and stood up, looking at the "Sea Boundary" shrouded in a vast mist before him.

The source-energy boat had finally sailed into this place.

Obviously, this was the final destination.

"Finally arrived..."

"Ice Sea Relic."

……

……

(Five chapters completed! There will be another single chapter later!)