Old Yu and Xu Fang, seated far away in the audience, were in a tense state of anticipation, feeling conflicted and apprehensive upon seeing Xie Zheng and Qi He begin their battle.

No matter how Liu Quan hides his strength, he is still a disciple they brought out.

If he is sent to the Security Committee, the mild consequence would be an investigation and the harsh one might be monitoring and imprisonment.

Seeing a Judge willing to stand up for Liu Quan, they breathed a sigh of relief.

But unexpectedly, a Judge stepping forward not only failed to calm the situation but made it escalate even further.

Due to a "Taboo Seal," it involved the Vice President of the Security Committee and even drew out the First Judge... Can this matter end well?

The two held their breath nervously.

Meanwhile, they noticed that Mr. Xiao Gu beside them seemed calm all the time.

Though Old Yu and Xu Fang were outsiders, they were not fools.

The young man with the Gu surname beside them accurately guessed the direction of the "Recruitment Trial" several times, obviously possessing far superior insight and level, plus this surname... can his identity be ordinary?

Both were brimming with bold speculation in their hearts, perhaps Mr. Xiao Gu was a Transcendent recruited by the Gu Family from an affiliated family in Qing River, with some background, or maybe he held an official position at one of the other two headquarters?

In any case...

The boldest speculation persisted in their minds, but they dared not guess.

Because it was simply too grand.

Noticing the sudden appearance of a figure on the arena stage, the two subconsciously turned their heads... the seat beside them was empty.

Mr. Xiao Gu was gone.

To be precise, Mr. Xiao Gu was on the stage.

...

...

Above the dojo, the Water Sword gathered into ice, the flames around the stage ceased to overturn.

A figure appeared at the center of the dojo at an unknown time.

The intertwining collision of ice and fire produced a large amount of fog, which not only obstructed everyone’s view but also isolated spiritual perception.

The powerful pressure that previously enveloped Xie Zheng disappeared completely.

He looked dazedly at the fog-covered figure before him.

Who is this?

How did they get here?

His spiritual power couldn’t capture anything!

The Transcendents in the audience of the dojo were even more clueless about what had happened.

Judge Zhou E... hadn’t he already intervened?

Why did the stage become silent after those Water Swords formed into Ice Swords?

The dojo suddenly became quiet, so quiet one could hear the sound of heartbeat.

"Thump."

"Thump."

Zhou E silently lowered his head.

Looking at the azure frost spreading beneath his feet, his heart nearly skipped a beat.

Qi He’s expression was worse than crying at this moment, for he already guessed the identity of the person within the fog.

How coincidental.

And so inconvenient.

Such are the ways of the world, some things have very little chance yet inexplicably happen.

No Transcendent who has not experienced the intertwining of the Great Achievement Domains of [Chi Huo] and [Pure Land] can truly feel what this pressure is like...

The figure within the fog slowly opened his mouth.

But he wasn’t speaking to Zhou E, nor to Qi He.

Instead, he looked toward Huyan Bo not far from the stage.

"Will the Huyan Family become the most valued affiliated family of the Gu Family in Jiuning District?"

His voice wasn’t loud.

But it was very clear.

Clearly conveyed to everyone’s ears, not just Huyan Bo, Zhou E, Qi He, and Du Wei, but also everyone in the spectator seats.

"I think not necessarily."

The Huyan Family is large, but not that large.

In Jiuning District, the Huyan Family ranks among the top ten families, even in Changye, the Huyan Family Master is considered a figure of influence...

But in this world, there are people who can decide the fate of such a family with just a few words, though they are rare.

One such rare person is Mr. Gu Qilin.

This is why Huyan Bo dared to say those previous words to Du Wei; with Mr. Gu’s willingness to support, even a word, an attitude, is enough to allow the Huyan Family to achieve a historic "leap."

Unfortunately.

The word rare means not the only one.

A great figure like this, one word can make a family flourish, one word can also cause it to decay and fall into oblivion.

"You..."

Huyan Bo looked at the shadow shrouded in fog within the dojo, his throat rolling once, then he used a respectful term.

"You... came?"

"I’ve always been here."

Gu Shen spoke softly, then waved his sleeve dispelling the fog, this time he no longer hid his face with the [Ghost Veil] but appeared in person.

The fog scattered, revealing that familiar face known to all.

"Gu Shen!"

"Gu Shen!!"

Exclamations rang out in succession within the dojo.

Old Yu and Xu Fang’s expressions were exceedingly dramatic. The latter’s mouth opened wide enough to swallow a cow.

Recalling the previous lively conversations.

And himself smilingly patting "Gu Shen" on the shoulder, playfully teasing.

Xu Fang felt like he was dreaming... so the Mr. Xiao Gu who had been sitting beside him all along was actually the legendary Mr. Xiao Gu?!

"I’ve always been here..."

Huyan Bo’s smile had frozen on his face, and he could no longer laugh.

The meaning of the four words "I’ve always been here" was that every event that took place in this dojo from beginning to end was witnessed by Mr. Xiao Gu.

Huyan Bo knew it too.

Though his previous conversation with Du Wei was very secretive, it couldn’t escape the perception of Transcendents of this level.

"The Huyan family... has disappointed me greatly."

After Gu Shen spoke, he no longer looked at Huyan Bo, instead turning his gaze towards the First Judge opposite him.

"Zhou E, you have also disappointed me."

[Pure Land] enveloped the dojo, Zhou E’s Great Achievement Domain of water elements was completely covered, his legs frozen in green frost, but what truly sent him into an icy abyss was Gu Shen’s words at this moment.

Gu Shen calmly eyed this First Judge.

He decided to give Zhou E a chance: "I heard what you said earlier, but I wasn’t very clear... Now that there are more people here, can you say it again?"

On Divine Temple Mountain, Uncle Gao had told Gu Shen that the Judgement Institute had been discussing the matter of the "Grand Judge" over the past few years.

Gu Shen had felt a bit of comfort at that time.

Because the Judgement Institute indeed needed a Grand Judge.

As for who that person might be, Gu Shen didn’t care, he only cared whether the future "Grand Judge" possessed the ability, courage, and quality for that position.

In Changye, is might greater than reason, or is it the other way around?

This question has no answer.

Reason is dead, but people are alive. According to the regulations of the Security Committee, after awakening, I should have been "supervised" and "isolated."

It was because of Mr. Shu’s strong support.

That I have what I have today.

The world of the Transcendents needs those who follow the rules and those who dare to challenge them.

So today’s "Qi He" and "Xie Zheng" were not wrong.

As for Zhou E...

Taking a biased stand was expected and understandable.

If this guy really was impartial to the extent of ignoring his junior being beaten up, Gu Shen would feel "admiration" instead.

What Gu Shen is doing now is essentially the same as Zhou E.

This is also why he’s willing to give Zhou E a chance; striving to be on top, wanting to become the Grand Judge, is not wrong... If Zhou E truly desires to be the Grand Judge with strong willpower, it’s actually a good thing.

Gu Shen spoke with a calm expression, encouraging Zhou E to speak.

"...Speak."

This plain voice fell into Zhou E’s heart like a thunderclap.

"..."

Zhou E’s Judge coat was soaked with sweat, which then condensed into dense ice chips.

He felt as if his whole body was like iron, beyond his control.

He used all his might to barely control his gaze, moving it upwards bit by bit.

He wanted to stare at the figure at the center of frost and snow.

But the immense pressure from his heart made even the simplest act of looking impossible.

The battle between Gu Shen and Jia Wei at Red Lake was hailed as the closest fight to "divine."

Just through the footage, most Transcendents could only see the radiant arcs filling the lake—

Only true strong ones knew where the real terror of this fight lay.

But the feeling from footage and actual personal experience are two different things.

Zhou E suddenly felt despair.

It turns out that encountering a Transcendent of this level, even "looking directly" is impossible.

The pressure Zhou E felt wasn’t heavy.

His feeling was not wrong.

The snowstorms of the [Pure Land] domain seemed chaotic and whirling, yet Gu Shen had not intentionally pressured Zhou E at all.

His "encouragement" was genuinely encouraging in every sense.

But Zhou E, unfortunately, wasn’t up to the task, as his adam’s apple moved but ultimately no sound came out.

He actually wanted to repeat what he wanted to say.

But he just couldn’t open his mouth.

Not even a word could come out.

"If you can’t even accomplish this, then the position of Grand Judge... well, forget about it."

Gu Shen shook his head in disappointment.

This scene left Xie Zheng dumbfounded.

Just from a brief exchange with Zhou E, he knew he wasn’t a match... between the fourth ranks, there are several chasms, Zhou E has consistently ranked first among the eighteen Judges for years, not without reason; his strength is second only to a Titled Transcendent.

Just...

This kind of person like Zhou E, can’t even "speak" in front of Gu Shen?

Regarding that final battle at the Red Lake, Xie Zheng had certainly watched it too.

Although he constantly honed and crafted seal items in seclusion, the grand event in Light City was known to everyone in the entire world.

The entire dojo was under the cover of snow.

Yet Xie Zheng felt that the oppression on his heart didn’t seem that intense.

He slowly descended next to Gu Shen and then, mustering his courage, spoke: "Are you... that legendary Mr. Xiao Gu?"

Gu Shen looked at Xie Zheng with a smile.

"There’s something, I’m not sure if I should say or not..."

Xie Zheng took a deep breath, eyes filled with hope; he suddenly understood why an intense premonition had surged in his heart today, insisting that he visit the dojo’s recruit trial.

And why the child Liu Quan exerted an "attraction" towards him.

Perhaps, it was to lead to this moment, this "meeting" with Gu Shen.

Gu Shen chuckled and spoke, using those two words again: "...Speak."

"Mu Qingyang told me, I must come to Changye and must join the Judgement Institute, and if there was a chance to meet you... I should definitely ask to become your disciple."

Xie Zheng wasn’t that young, but he also wasn’t that old.

Gu Shen was taken aback for a moment, eyeing this young man only a few years younger than himself.

He knew Xie Zheng had been brought over from the Tundra by Mu Qingyang, but he never imagined Mu Qingyang had told Xie Zheng such words.

To take him as a disciple?

Xie Zheng lifted his head, mustering up the courage to speak, word by word: "So... I want to be your disciple."

...

...

(PS: 1. There’s another major Chapter tonight; I assure you there won’t be any interruptions this time. 2. The Jian Gu anime is out today, those interested can check it out on iQIYI.)