"On November 20th, it was cloudy. The second level trial in the Deep Water District has been passed, and the difficulty of the third level is not too great... Although there have been some twists and turns since coming to the city, overall it has been smooth. I hope everything is going well on your end."

During his time in the city, Gu Shen didn't have many sources of spiritual enjoyment. Half of it was spent on this diary.

But who writes a diary seriously?

Perhaps it's because he knows someone like Chu Ling exists that Gu Shen gave up the habit of recording important things in the deep sea... Who knows if what he writes online will be seen?

Recalling the past half month since joining the Judgement Bureau, Gu Shen couldn't help but feel the urge to flip off a certain irresponsible teacher more than once... After all, he was a big shot with the title of East Continents' Chief Judgement Officer. But after taking him under his wing, the teacher didn't care about him at all. He just gave him a link to the Transcendent in the deep sea and disappeared without a trace.

Is there any teacher more unreliable than this?

Senior Sister Luo and Senior Brother Zhong are both out on missions, and Nanjin also disappeared somewhere. Although the Tree Clan is united, they disperse after completing their tasks. Everyone is busy and there is no news.

Awakening, developing, and exploring Transcendent powers can only rely on oneself.

Fortunately, self-reliance is deeply ingrained in Gu Shen's genes... It was the same in the orphanage, and when he left Wulao Mountain for Dateng, no one helped, no one cared, and no one paid attention. It sounds free and good, but in reality, you have to consider the worst-case scenario for everything because no one will have your back. You can only rely on yourself.

It seems like the owner's emotions are being sensed.

The flickering flame on his forehead suddenly jumped out and turned into a small person, grabbing Gu Shen's finger and shaking it carefully and obsequiously.

Gu Shen couldn't help but laugh.

Is this little guy trying to amuse him?

"This little guy's growth speed... is really fast."

After swallowing the Transcendent Arche of Qu Shui, the flickering flame began its first transformation.

In the world of Transcendents, everyone must follow some basic laws... such as the conservation of Arche and the fact that Arche with an owner cannot be taken or absorbed.

But it seems like he is an exception.

The spiritual attribute that the flickering flame possesses seems to be different from ordinary spiritual powers... Gu Shen felt this when he captured the fine thread from Madame Mei's forehead.

He achieved something that even the tenth level of the deep sea couldn't do.

This small flame must have many unique qualities that he hasn't discovered yet.

There is another noteworthy point.

The Transcendent Arche of Qu Shui should have returned to the void after her death, but it was absorbed by him without any rejection. This "trait" that violates the basic laws is the real reason why Gu Shen decided to hide his flickering flame ability... If the Review Committee and the Judgement Bureau knew that he could absorb others' Arche through immersion, their attitude towards him would probably change significantly.

"Alright, don't worry." Gu Shen rubbed the flickering flame and said, "I'm doing well now... better than ever before."

Awakening as a Transcendent is a leap in the level of life.

Both the spirit and the physical body have a feeling of "evolution."

"Except for one small trouble that hasn't been resolved yet." Gu Shen murmured softly.

This trouble naturally refers to the Longevity Foundation.

After coming to the city, Gu Shen began to ponder a question... If he hadn't awakened the flickering flame, what exactly attracted Mr. Tree and made him determined to bring Gu Shen into the Judgement Bureau?

It all started with that light rail and the encounter with A-009.

The subsequent question is... What considerations did the Longevity Foundation have when they meticulously planned the arson case? At that time, Gu Shen was just an ordinary person. Was this assassination a coincidence?

Or... were all of these inevitable?

Gu Shen is more inclined to believe the latter.

"There may be clues on Shi Li's body."

He fell into contemplation. According to Cui Zhongcheng's intelligence, this strong offensive Transcendent is sincerely the leader of the Nantang Fifth Group, with a strength level around the fourth or fifth level of the deep sea, obviously stronger than himself.

If the first three levels are like a baby learning to walk.

Then from the fourth level onwards, it is a qualitative change... Even if he has the Truth Ruler, he cannot defeat this guy, let alone the fact that the Nantang Fifth Group is the territory of the "Chen San" senator.

Gu Shen did consider the possibility of "mental hypnosis." Although his current strength is weak, he has explored the spiritual attribute of the flickering flame quite thoroughly. If he directly performs a mental immersion when the opponent is unguarded, there is a possibility of success... But unfortunately, the minds of the Longevity Foundation's followers are implanted with self-destruct programs.

Once their minds lose control, they will detonate on their own.

"My flickering flame is so special... Is it possible to remove it before the program starts?" A bold idea emerged in Gu Shen's mind. Similar to removing a fine thread, this so-called self-destruct program is nothing more than a dormant spiritual imprint.

"In any case, I have to find an opportunity to try to contact Shi Li."

In fact, when Gu Shen learned that the Longevity Foundation implanted self-destruct programs in the minds of their pawns, he didn't feel so downhearted.

The secrecy measures of the Longevity Foundation have become his only hope for countermeasures.

No matter how strong Shi Li is... Gu Shen is not planning to listen to Cui Zhongcheng's advice and let this dangerous guy, who has already exposed his identity, live.

Although he is just a small fish, he is still a fish after all.

Only those who have experienced assassination will understand this feeling. Assassinations in the dark, one after another, never stopping until the target is dead.

If there must be someone who dies.

Then, please go and die.Shi Li silently reviewed his journey and realized that he hadn't attracted anyone's attention along the way. He walked through blind spots of surveillance cameras, and there was no one following him. So it must have been his imagination. As he continued walking, he arrived at the residence where the person he was supposed to meet lived. After leaving the secluded alley, he entered an abandoned factory in the old city area. The dilapidated iron door was thin and peeling, making a loud noise when the wind blew. Unfortunately, today was a windy day.

In the dark night with strong winds, the surface of the iron gate made a series of small cracking sounds.

He bent down and walked through the iron gate, slowly entering the factory. At the moment he looked up, his expression froze.

A hunting rifle barrel, burning with a faint light, was pressed against his forehead. The person holding the gun was an old man dressed as a cowboy. He didn't use much force, but the pressure from the barrel was terrifying, causing Shi Li to raise his hands and lean against the wall.

"12-gauge, red-silver alloy bullets," the man said casually. "Don't move, or I'll blow your brains out."

Shi Li's expression turned gloomy. At this moment, he finally understood where the sneeze had come from earlier. It was indeed a friendly reminder from the goddess of fate. There wouldn't be anything good happening next.

Veins bulged uncontrollably on his forehead. The pressure from the gun was too strong, and he could almost hear the roar of the red-silver alloy under the influence of Transcendent Arche... If the bullet made of strong logical material entered his body, it would cause irreversible damage to his Transcendent Arche system.

When chaos and order collide, there can usually only be one survivor.

And even if he was the survivor, the fate that awaited him would most likely be "losing control."

Although he didn't care about dying or losing control... his life currently had a more important purpose.

"Zhao Gongzi, this is my person," came a light laughter from the factory.

In this huge abandoned factory, apart from a few load-bearing columns, there was almost nothing else. Therefore, the two figures sitting ten meters apart in the empty space were extremely eye-catching.

Zhao Qi waved his hand. "Leave."

After hearing Zhao Qi's words, the cowboy old man with a cigar in his mouth narrowed his eyes and slowly released the gun barrel.

The terrifying pressure finally disappeared... Shi Li obediently moved his head and body aside, silently passing by, but he couldn't help but glance at the hunting rifle with lingering fear.

What level of Transcendent was this old guy? The seventh level or the eighth level?

The "Zhao Gongzi" who was negotiating with his legs crossed had several Transcendents with different levels of aura standing beside him, while the other side of the negotiation seemed quite lonely.

There was only one person.

A man who came alone to negotiate, his face shrouded in darkness. The gun barrel and the light from the pipe couldn't illuminate his face. Apart from Zhao Qi... no one knew who this man was.

Shi Li obediently stood behind the man and explained with a straight face, "Sir, there's something I can't get away from... I've been delayed for a while."

"It's good that you're here."

Unfortunately, this man's attitude was quite gentle. He wasn't angry at all, just smiled and waved his hand, gesturing for Shi Li to step back.

"Yes, sir."

At this moment, all the uneasiness and anxiety in Shi Li's heart disappeared. He respectfully stepped back, feeling as if there was a towering mountain in front of him, blocking the pressure released by the high-level Transcendents on the other side of the "negotiation table."

The man chuckled softly, "Zhao Gongzi, our casual contact... is not a good thing."

"There's something important."

Zhao Qi said softly, "The spiritual imprint on Lu Nanzhi has been removed."

"Oh?" The man continued to smile, still shrouded in shadows. "Has any title-level spiritual Transcendent visited the city recently?"

"No," Zhao Qi said coldly. "That's why I came to find you... Your previous guarantee was that once this imprint was planted, no one would notice except for title-level Transcendents. But the current situation is not what you said."

The man's face, covered in shadows, seemed to be lost in thought.

"In fact... removing the imprint doesn't necessarily require title-level strength..."

After a moment of silence, he slowly smiled, "Generally speaking, only after passing the trial of the Deep Sea's twelfth level, will a spiritual Transcendent undergo a qualitative change... The vast amount of spiritual power begins to become subtle. Before that, the spiritual Transcendent can only capture limited anomalies. But in reality, there are always some naturally talented geniuses who possess more delicate qualities from birth. In such a large metropolitan area, it's not surprising to have such an exception."

"I'm not here to listen to your explanations or boast about whether someone is a genius or not..."

Obviously, Zhao Qi had no patience. He said coldly, "Do you know how troublesome it is to plant a spiritual imprint on that woman? Those earrings are the top-grade A-level seals!"

The man, on the other hand, showed a completely opposite attitude.

He listened with interest to Zhao Qi's words, calmly accepting his anger. He even extended two slender fingers from the hand resting on his thigh and lightly tapped the back of his other hand.

"It's because I believed in your seamless plan," Zhao Qi gritted his teeth, cold sweat gradually forming on his forehead. "Now that the spiritual imprint has been removed... she will definitely start to suspect me."

In the metropolitan area, there were still many idiots who believed that this woman only relied on her appearance and the power of the Zhao family to stand in a high position... Only those who had fought against her knew how terrifying she was.

Like Zhao Qi.

This forced marriage was actually a "battlefield" led solely by Lu Nanzhi. In these years of marital warfare, he had lost miserably, with no say and no status. In the end, he was left with only the empty title of the heir of the Zhao family... Lu Nanzhi's performance had won the recognition of everyone, especially the old man.

"Zhao Gongzi... don't underestimate yourself."

The man, who had been quietly listening, finally broke the silence.He earnestly cheered for the other person, his tone sincere, "You are the heir of the Zhao family, the only son... that old man won't favor outsiders... right?"

As he spoke, he noticed that Zhao Qi's expression changed, so he had to add the words "right" to the last comforting statement.

"The original will... has been abolished."

Zhao Qi's voice was hoarse, "The new will has not been posted... this matter will soon be known to the entire city."

The man sitting across from him opened his mouth in surprise, forming an "o" shape.

Even though he remained calm in the face of any situation, he was still shocked to hear this news.

This was truly an unexpected turn of events. That old man Zhao... would actually make such a move. Although the new will has not been established, the abolition of the old will is already a clear indication.

"Well, this is... bad."

He sighed in astonishment and regret, but no matter how you listened, it sounded like an indifferent tone, saying lightly, "But I still believe that the old man will not make a decision to change the Zhao family's surname... Young Master Zhao doesn't need to be too nervous."

"I can't let that woman continue like this..."

Zhao Qi took a deep breath and said calmly, "You need to help me. Otherwise, we will both die."

"..."

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A blatant threat.

But the man still just smiled lightly, not getting angry at all. "Young Master Zhao overestimates me. What I'm doing can't be considered helping. The only one who can deal with Lu Nanzhi is yourself. In fact, I'm only responsible for providing... methods."

Zhao Qi said calmly.

"The original mark is no longer there, what else can you do?"

"Two methods."

The man performed a magic trick and took out a black jade bead. He smiled softly, "The original mark was actually just a test... Although Lu Nanzhi has a strong will, she doesn't possess transcendent abilities, so her mental power is limited. No matter how powerful those two earrings are, they are still just external objects. There will always be a time when she takes them off. Since Young Master Zhao was able to leave a mark once, he can leave a mark a second time."

Zhao Qi frowned.

"With the experience from the previous time, this 'mental mark' can be bolder... It won't just make Lu Nanzhi lose sleep, but completely make this woman submit to you." The man said calmly, "This mental mark is sealed within the bead, and there is still only one chance. When Lu Nanzhi takes off the earrings, leave another mark. The esteemed Lady of the city will listen to Young Master Zhao from then on."

Zhao Qi took the black jade bead and carefully examined it, asking in a low voice.

"What are the side effects?"

"Side effects... well..."

The man calmly responded, "This mental mark will directly absorb the soul, causing the person to have a hazy consciousness and extremely slow reaction speed... In a sense, she will no longer be a Lady, but slowly become... an idiot."

Zhao Qi fell silent, and he silently accepted the black jade bead.

"Why... is Young Master Zhao worried about what will happen to the Zhao family if Lu Nanzhi becomes an idiot?" The man smiled and said, "The Zhao family has almost been completely taken over by Lu Nanzhi. You still care about the love between husband and wife, you are truly a compassionate person. By then, you will be a penniless beggar."

"No need for you to remind me." Zhao Qi said coldly, "Is there another method?"

"The second method is simple..."

The man took out a necklace and said lightly, "This is an ordinary-looking necklace that no one, whether in the city or Nagano, except for a few extraordinary transcendent individuals, can feel... the true essence contained within this necklace."

"True essence?"

"The reason why we can have a pleasant conversation here is because our spirits are wandering in the void without any hindrance. As a result, our bodies can still receive signals and be inspired..." The man's voice became louder, ignoring Zhao Qi's gloomy gaze, and he began to explain in a vague, lengthy, and tedious manner. His fingers lightly tapped on the back of his hand, like a pianist immersed in playing, "And if the spirit is severed, the body will sink. No one knows where the spirit will go..."

"You mean... death?" Zhao Qi frowned as he expressed his understanding.

"Oh... an interesting metaphor, but that's not accurate."

The man laughed, "You can understand it as falling asleep, falling asleep without a time limit... just like Gu Changzhi, everyone can only say that he is asleep, no one dares to say that he is already dead. This necklace contains such power, it can exile a person's spirit, of course, it is limited to ordinary people like the Lady."

Zhao Qi accepted the necklace with great trepidation.

"How do I use it?"

"Just let her wear it, that's all... It will only take twenty minutes, maybe a little longer, but it won't exceed an hour." The man seemed to see a beautiful picture and sighed softly, "Ah... the esteemed Lady of the city will fall into a peaceful slumber, just like a hibernating butterfly wrapped in a thick cocoon."

Zhao Qi remained silent.

He thought with a headache that this necklace was indeed decent-looking, and the craftsmanship was passable, but why would Lu Nanzhi be interested in it... It was just an ordinary necklace.

That woman had all sorts of high-ranking transcendent seals on her.

The necklace that Lu Nanzhi always wore was the strongest protective item that could be found in the city. Even if it encountered a level 12 earthquake, it could protect her and keep her unharmed.

"Put it on her yourself. You are her husband, she shouldn't refuse... right?" The man smiled and instigated, "Give it a try, it's better than nothing."

Zhao Qi neither nodded nor shook his head.

He accepted the necklace, just like he accepted the jade before. No one knew what decision this man, who was forced into a desperate situation, would make next.

"There is one more thing."He calmly said, "It's about the Chengxin Society. Chen Jingtan was beaten, and the business I was brokering fell through. I messed up... Whether it's Cui Zhongcheng or the old man, they will only look down on me more. If I want to get the business back on track, I need to give Chen San an explanation. I can't handle this matter myself, I need your help."

The man sighed, somewhat helpless.

"Master Zhao, we agreed at the beginning, I would only help you plant a spiritual brand to deal with the lady." He rubbed his brow and slowly said, "The last brand was removed... It's understandable that you came to me, the necklace and jade beads are my compensation to you."

"But you brought up the Chengxin Society again... What is this?"

The last few words, each word was emphasized. After they fell, the air in the empty factory suddenly swept up, with invisible shockwaves hitting the old lime walls and the broken iron gates. In an instant, the walls and iron gates cracked like spider webs.

It was as if an ancient deity had awakened, merely speaking was like a divine decree, stirring up a rolling tornado.

The few Transcendents around Zhao Qi instantly became serious.

Looking at the man sitting majestically in front of them, they felt that this thin and frail figure was like a mountain or an abyss, too overwhelming to look directly at... and faintly exuding bloody flames.

They all broke out in a cold sweat.

At this point, they realized why the other party dared to come alone.

If a real fight broke out... the other party only needed one person, that would be enough.

Interestingly, when the high-ranking Transcendents were no longer calm, the most composed was Zhao Qi.

"One glory, all glory; one loss, all loss."

Zhao Qi casually uttered these words.

"They all say I'm a hopeless case, only you always tell me not to belittle myself..."

Zhao Qi laughed at himself, "In fact, I know they're right. I'm just a hopeless case. I'm grateful that you think highly of me and are willing to help me."

He said indifferently, "There's a term called 'sunk cost'... You've helped me so much, you wouldn't want me to fall now, would you? This small hurdle, which can't stop others, but I can't get over it, so I can only ask for your help."

The storm swept through.

The man sitting in the chair coldly stared at Zhao Qi.

"You help me, I help you. I don't care what the city will eventually become, I only care about myself... Even if I'm a hopeless case, at least I should have a wall that can cover me." Zhao Qi smiled, "What do you think?"

The Transcendents present all felt a vague sense of palpitation.

The storm echoed.

The ancient god whispered.

"Zhao Qi... you really are a complete bastard."

The man stared straight into those frank and composed eyes, and after a long time, he uttered two words.

"Just this once... Deal."