Chapter 1 Fortress Gubao Training Grounds

The cold wind blew in gusts.

Eighteen transcendents from the Investigation Corps were engaged in live combat drills. These warriors were physically strong enough that several of them had removed their shirts and exposed their upper bodies to the biting wind.

Paired off, they were dueling using only physical techniques, without employing their "abilities."

Gales swept across the open ground, not from the cold wind, but from the gales stirred up by high-speed movements.

"These people are indeed elites."

Standing on a high platform in Fortress Gubao, Zou Hai watched the drills in the distance and said softly, "Almost all of them are Tier 3 transcendents. The weakest are at the sixth level of the Deep Sea, about to break through. This time, Zhong Yuan has given half of the core members of the Second Team to Yuan Yuan."

This configuration was truly astonishing.

Lin Lin silently overlooked the scene.

His expression remained unchanged.

"However... this is likely an arrangement by the Corps Commander."

Vice Officer Zou continued to mutter to himself, "Perhaps the Corps Commander has been planning this maze mission for a long time."

Come to think of it, Yuan Yuan brought such a group of elites, and they had no intention of leaving after entering Fortress Gubao. Shortly after, the Corps Commander personally called to arrange the twentieth mission for "Maze Thirty-Eight."

"However..."

Zou Hai asked seriously, "Brigadier General, are you sure that kid is going to join the 'Maze Mission'?"

On the open ground, there was another figure.

Gu Shen.

Unlike the eighteen transcendents... he was alone, watching the Investigation Corps' daily drills. No one partnered with him for practice.

Yuan Yuan, the task leader in charge of training the team members, didn't even glance at him.

He was a "guest from Dongzhou" who had come from afar, out of place in Fortress Gubao and unable to integrate into the Investigation Corps.

……

……

Gu Shen didn't feel awkward.

He sat on the high wall beside the training ground, dangling his legs, silently munching on rye bread in the wind. Hmm... today's breakfast tasted good. Vice Officer Zou had specially heated the rye bread for him, making the hard bread soft, and the taste after spreading butter on it could be called excellent.

He watched every move of the Investigation Corps' transcendents.

Watching nine battles at the same time.

He had to admit that the physical skills of transcendents in Beizhou were much higher than those in Dongzhou at the same realm... there was a reason why these guys were called "elites."

Among the eighteen transcendents led by Yuan Yuan, fourteen were Tier 3.

The remaining four were also around the sixth level of the Deep Sea.

A very powerful configuration.

However, did they need to bring so many transcendents for this trip north from Fortress Gubao? If he remembered correctly, Hong Zhong's elite team only had six members. Without figuring out the route, sending too many transcendents from the Investigation Corps wasn't a good thing.

"Yuan Yuan!"

A cold voice echoed through the wind and snow.

The people who were training all stopped when they heard the voice.

Yuan Yuan looked towards the howling wind in the distance, where a silver-haired woman was walking. He quickly bowed and saluted.

"Lord A’liuer."

All the members of the Investigation Corps saluted with the vice-captain.

The person in front of them was the Empress's Apostle. It was an honor just to see her.

A’liuer's expression was obviously not good. She frowned and scolded, "You should know that Mr. Gu is also a member of the mission. As the action captain of this mission, how can you leave him all alone?"

Yuan Yuan looked towards the high wall.

He sighed helplessly and said, "Lord A’liuer... our daily training may not be suitable for this Mr. Gu."

The news of a young guest from Dongzhou arriving at the fortress had already spread throughout Gubao.

That young guest had also received special treatment from the Brigadier General.

After witnessing the fireworks show that danced between source energy artillery fire, the Gubao garrison had somewhat recognized the strength of this young guest... This so-called special treatment was partly out of respect for the Empress, and partly out of the young man's courage.

However, the Investigation Corps didn't care about these things...

"Beizhou has no precedent of inserting outsiders into exploration teams. The members of this elite team are all veterans, and their cooperation is perfect. It's impossible to coordinate with outsiders in just a few days."

"Lord A’liuer, I also can't understand the Corps Commander's order," he said calmly, "I think Mr. Gu should be joining the investigation team as a technician. So, as long as we can ensure his safety during this mission... that should be enough to fulfill the Corps Commander's order."

"As for these daily training sessions..."

Yuan Yuan said slowly, "Mr. Gu doesn't need to join. I'm afraid my team members will accidentally injure him."

From beginning to end, Yuan Yuan didn't lower his voice.

His voice floated across the training ground.

And also drifted to the high wall not far away.

This was intentionally done for everyone to hear.

Zou Hai narrowed his eyes and said in a low voice, "Is this kid... provoking us?"

Immediately afterward.

His expression became worried, "However, Yuan Yuan is indeed qualified to say these words."

Gu Shen's physical skill level should be that of an ordinary seventh-level Deep Sea cultivator.

This young man, who was able to tame the vicious dog under Lord Lin Lin, should possess a very strong mental force.

Generally, mental-type transcendents are not very strong in physical skills, and even less so when compared to Beizhou's transcendents of the same realm.

Lin Lin didn't say anything about Vice Officer Zou's concerns, but just smiled lightly.

……

……

With a "whoosh," a figure landed from the high wall.

Gu Shen finished eating the rye bread, clapped his hands, and brushed off the bread crumbs from his body.

Of course he had heard the previous words.

Beizhou has never really approved of transcendents from other continents... but in reality, this isn't really discrimination. This frigid and remote continent is even more warlike than Nagano. This is a place that truly embodies the principle that "might makes right."

Even Beizhou natives won't be respected if they aren't strong enough.

"Vice-Captain Yuan."

Gu Shen smiled and said gently, "I'm new here, and I don't know much about the Investigation Corps and exploration missions... to be safe, let's practice a little."

Yuan Yuan also smiled.

He looked at this not-so-tall young man, sighed, and asked, "Mr. Gu, do you want to participate in sparring training?"

Gu Shen looked towards the open ground.

He nodded, "I've been watching just now... the rules don't seem difficult."

Several large circles were drawn on the open ground.

The sparring training would take place within the circles, without using transcendent abilities, but only using physical skills for close combat.

The conditions for victory were also very simple.

Either knock the person down, or knock the person out of the circle...

"Although it's called 'sparring training'..." Yuan Yuan said calmly, "Injuries are common in actual combat. Are you sure you want to participate?"

Gu Shen hummed in agreement. He rotated his arms, loosened his muscles, and entered one of the circles.

He was no longer looking at Yuan Yuan.

Instead, he looked at the elites of the Investigation Corps.

Gu Shen smiled and asked, "You... who's coming?"

The transcendents of the Investigation Corps exchanged glances with each other, and then fell silent.

No one stepped forward because they hadn't received an order.

"Alright." Yuan Yuan smiled helplessly at A’liuer, "Since our guest insists so much... Chen Jun, step forward. Go easy on him."

Yuan Yuan cast his gaze on one of the young transcendents.

That young transcendent received the order, slowly left his position, and came to Gu Shen's circle.

This was a transcendent with the strength of the sixth level of the Deep Sea.

Gu Shen saw it and said nothing.

The two bowed to each other.

The battle began. Chen Jun's figure instantly turned into a sharp arrow, pouncing towards Gu Shen.

In an instant.

The two figures in the circle began to chase and dodge rapidly.

Moving within a very small range.

Yuan Yuan was absent-minded, watching while turning his head to A’liuer and saying, "Lord Apostle, due to the high risk of the Old World, only twelve people can go out this time. This is the configuration of two small teams, and seven of the eighteen people I brought will be staying at Fortress Gubao to be responsible for the follow-up, and because of Gu Shen's arrival... we need to squeeze out another person's position."

A’liuer knew that this was a complaint.

Yuan Yuan believed that "inharmonious elements" had been mixed into his elite Investigation Corps.

"So..." Yuan Yuan paused.

He was just about to speak.

With a "bang!"

A slight muffled groan erupted in the circle.

The sparring training in the circle ended at this moment... the chasing and dodging shadows shattered in an instant, and only one figure remained in the large circle.

Gu Shen's outstretched palm was pressed against Chen Jun's chest.

No one saw how he exerted his strength. In the blink of an eye, Chen Jun had been sent flying more than ten meters.

Gu Shen's five fingers, which were pressing down gently, still had a chilling air swirling around his fingertips.

Yuan Yuan's pupils contracted.

Perhaps because he was absent-minded... he hadn't even seen Gu Shen's move just now?

A’liuer said lightly, "So... what were you going to say just now?"

Yuan Yuan suddenly fell silent. All the words he had wanted to say were swallowed back at this moment.

He frowned.

If he remembered correctly, this young man should be a mental-type transcendent...

Do mental-type transcendents also possess this level of physical skill?

……

……

"This kid's speed... is very fast."

On the training ground, a middle-aged man with a bare upper body squinted at Gu Shen in the circle.

The scene of Chen Jun being knocked flying was quite impactful.

However, Gu Shen didn't show an "overwhelming" victory. The entire battle was very simple: chase, dodge, and then find a flaw.

In fact, close combat doesn't need to be complicated.

Overwhelming strength, or extremely fast speed, either one is enough to take the victory.

Gu Shen's victory just now seemed to be due to his "speed advantage."

"Brother Su He..."

"This matter... I'm afraid it's not that simple..."

The lean, buzz-cut man who was sparring with the naked man was the youngest member of the Investigation Corps, named Li Chen, in his early twenties.

There were only eleven slots for this mission.

Li Chen had already secured one... His strength was only at the sixth level of the Deep Sea. A transcendent who wasn't at the third stage could secure a slot, and the reason was simple: his ability was very important for the mission.

B-grade ability, Eye of Source!

The Deep Sea's rating of transcendent abilities is based on their danger coefficient. Because Eye of Source's actual combat ability is not strong, its rating is only B-grade... In fact, this is a very powerful auxiliary ability.

In multi-person missions, Eye of Source can have a powerful and unique effect!

It can detect source energy changes around it, and can build temporary "mental links," enhancing the "mental perception" of teammates in the link by sacrificing their own "mental power."

This is a fairly reliable mental-type auxiliary ability.

On Li Chen's brow, a faint, illusory eye opened.

When Gu Shen and Chen Jun were fighting.

He opened his Eye of Source. Strangely... Eye of Source couldn't capture Gu Shen's trail. The other party's mental aura was almost annihilated in Eye of Source's sensing.

This was an unprecedented situation.

Almost all transcendents habitually release a wisp of mental aura.

Just like mortals open their eyes.

Even beginner transcendents who have only cultivated to the introductory stage know a truth... mental power is more effective than the naked eye.

But Eye of Source didn't sense anything, which very likely indicated a terrifying thing.

Gu Shen had abandoned the habit of "mental sensing," which was inherent to transcendents.

A mental-type transcendent abandoning mental sensing?

What Li Chen dared not believe even more was that in the previous urgent battle... Gu Shen even glanced in his direction.

How did a guy who abandoned mental sensing detect his "probing"?

Entirely by... intuition?

And it was just that one glance.

Eye of Source seemed to "see" something terrifying, vaguely showing an uncontrollable tendency to forcibly close.

Fortunately, it was only for an instant, and Gu Shen moved his gaze away.

The pressure also disappeared with it.

The battle ended.

Chen Jun was cleanly knocked flying. Gu Shen didn't use too much strength. The last palm strike was just a leverage technique, and the transcendent from the Investigation Corps didn't have too much hostility towards him, so he only suffered some minor abrasions that would heal in a few days.

He stood still in the circle.

In the duel just now, Gu Shen had sealed off the Blazing Fire.

And in different directions outside the circle, many "mental senses" were indeed cast over. Gu Shen used his intuition to find several of them... The elite transcendents in the Investigation Corps were all quite strong, and several mental probes almost triggered a Blazing Fire counterattack.

However.

What caught his attention the most... was the direction of the high platform of Fortress Gubao.

There was a mental aura there.

For some reason... it felt a little familiar, and he felt like he had seen it somewhere.

Gu Shen cast his gaze towards the high platform of Fortress Gubao.

"Is that it?"

Zou Hai啧啧 sighed, still not satisfied, "Sir, your insight is still accurate... This kid's physical skill strength is surprisingly good."

"Mm..."

Lin Lin quietly hummed.

He pressed his hands on the stone railing of the high platform, looked at Gu Shen, who was casting his gaze towards him in the distance, and slightly frowned.

This young man... has sealed off his mental aura.

But why do I feel...

A little familiar?