Chapter 998: Chapter 998

"Did you... see it clearly?"

Gu Shen’s laughter echoed around Mu Wanqiu’s ears.

She was lost in thought for a long time.

She did see it clearly. Indeed, at the moment she closed in on him, Gu Shen became the "god" of the entire world. The domain he released was practically a complete world... Mu Wanqiu had never seen such a "Fourth-order Domain."

Even though Fourth-tier Experts are few in number, she had still encountered several of them.

Even the invincible captain among the Fourth-tier could only cover a few kilometers at most with their domain!

And Gu Shen... his domain was ten times, a hundred times larger than the captain’s!

Even a Titled wouldn’t have such a vast "domain," would they?

This scene left Mu Wanqiu stunned for a long time.

"Is this... the power of a triple transcender?"

Mu Wanqiu murmured, clutching her warblade.

Strangely, the frustration of defeat that had welled up in her heart slowly dissipated after personally experiencing Gu Shen’s "Pure Land"...

She didn’t even feel there was anything to be upset about losing to such a person.

Before visiting, Mu Wanqiu still harbored "wishful thinking," hoping to use Gu Shen’s power to push herself further. Perhaps, in the midst of battle, she might also achieve a "triple breakthrough"?

But now she understood.

This was simply nonsense.

A triple breakthrough isn’t something that can be achieved just because one has good talent.

"Don’t compare yourself to me, I’m an exception..." Gu Shen found a stone block to sit on and invited Mu Wanqiu to sit as well. He said seriously, "If it weren’t for the Bai Shu Divine Throne giving me the ’Spiritual Strainer,’ I might not have accomplished a triple breakthrough either."

"Spiritual Strainer?"

Mu Wanqiu’s eyes lit up slightly.

"If you have a chance to meet the Empress... you can also try asking for Her Majesty’s assistance." Gu Shen did not hold back, "If Her Majesty the Empress is willing to compress all your spiritual power back to the starting point, and you can break through under such circumstances, then theoretically, you could also achieve a ’third Super Realm.’"

Hearing this, Mu Wanqiu suddenly understood.

So that’s how it is... From the first time she met Gu Shen, she felt that this young man was unworthy of the "S-rank" title!

At that time, Gu Shen’s spiritual power was too weak.

The so-called S-rank ability "Chi Huo" could only display a faint wisp of flame.

Now it seems, all of Gu Shen’s Spirit was suppressed by the Battle God Throne.

Mu Wanqiu pondered carefully but couldn’t quite understand: "If Her Majesty compresses all of my spiritual power, how would I break through the constraints?"

This sounded like a paradox.

If she couldn’t even summon the [Judge], what power could she possibly have?

"Destroy to rebuild."

Gu Shen said calmly, "Opportunities, fortunes, fate... these are all unavoidable on the path of cultivation. Without Meng Xiao’s pursuit, no matter how hard I trained, I couldn’t have achieved a triple transcendence. Even someone as great as Her Majesty the Empress probably can’t point out a 100% guarantee way to a triple breakthrough—this, you have to figure out by yourself."

Back when Bai Shu Divine Throne bestowed the Golden Hoop, it was said—

He only believed that with the Golden Hoop’s support, Gu Shen might complete a triple breakthrough.

Whether to try, and the final result, all depended on Gu Shen himself.

As for the fortune after wearing the "Golden Hoop," that was something even Bai Shu Divine Throne couldn’t decide.

"It’s too difficult... really too difficult."

After hearing this, Mu Wanqiu pondered deeply for a long time.

She increasingly felt that Gu Shen was truly a monster.

Before leaving East Continent, if he had already been wearing the "Battle Golden Hoop," compressing all his spiritual power... how did he complete the Gu Castle task earlier?

Did he achieve that nightmare-like mission beyond the pass with just a wisp of spirit? Official source is noⅴelfire.net

Now Mu Wanqiu felt that her and Gu Shen’s "S-rank" ratings were not even in the same "S."

Looking at Gu Shen, a complex emotion arose in her heart.

"In fact... I’m not as powerful as you think."

Gu Shen let out a bitter laugh, confessing, "Due to an unspeakable reason, I began visualizing a domain early in my cultivation... As you’ve seen, I possessed a complete ’domain’ at the third order."

"But this fortune caused me to skip the insights of a ’Domain Embryo’ stage..." Gu Shen said with a headache, "making my actual breakthrough now quite difficult, having no clues at all."

"The ’unspeakable reason’ you mentioned... you mean the ’Four Seasons Wilderness,’ right?"

Mu Wanqiu’s words surprised Gu Shen a bit.

"East Continent’s ’Awakening of Insects,’ ’Grain Rain’... are the world’s best Open Scroll Breathing Methods. The combination of these two volumes is known as ’Spring Breathing.’" Mu Wanqiu explained slowly, "Don’t think all the Northern Continent people are fools, I know about this. Because you comprehended the ’Spring Breathing’ in advance, your Spiritual World condensed the ’Four Seasons Wilderness,’ a wisdom gift left by Mr. Gu Changzhi for the people of the Five Continents."

Gu Shen chuckled and said, "...Yes."

He certainly wouldn’t tell Mu Wanqiu that the Four Seasons Wilderness was personally gifted by Mr. Gu Changzhi.

Very well... With such a vast domain, it can now be explained... Mu Wanqiu nodded, though she still felt something was strange.

Is it possible for comprehending the Spring Breathing alone to condense such a vast Four Seasons Wilderness?

Gu Shen should only be an exception; surely not everyone who comprehends Spring Breathing is as extraordinary as him?

These thoughts swept through her mind quickly.

"I just saw your domain... Hmm, quite spectacular, I saw a huge tree."

Mu Wanqiu thought for a moment, running out of words, she simply described it.

She seriously asked, "Have you noticed a problem, this domain seems to have no direct connection with your ability."

Gu Shen’s eyes brightened.

The moment Mu Wanqiu finished speaking, he understood her point.

Whether it’s the Four Seasons Wilderness or the Pure Land, they are gifts of "creation" bestowed by external conditions... It is because of this creation that his "domain" developed exceedingly well, yet in truth, this is not his own domain.

The Four Seasons Wilderness is a gift from Mr. Gu Changzhi.

As for the Pure Land, it owes thanks to the cultivation by the Netherworld King.

"According to the ’guidance’ of the deep water area, as long as you condense a domain, you can ascend to the next stage through the corresponding rank challenges... so no matter how you cultivate in the deep water area, it won’t help you." Mu Wanqiu slowly stated, "But if you follow the North Continent’s traditional cultivation technique, your domain embryo should be condensed from ’Chi Huo’..."

"So... Essentially, I haven’t yet condensed my own ’Domain Embryo’..."

Gu Shen identified the crux of the issue.

He is Transcendent, he surpasses realms, he is invincible, because of the "Pure Land"!

While his inherent ability is "Chi Huo"!

"Exactly." Mu Wanqiu nodded, her tone somewhat elusive, "So I speculate that if you want to address the problem of elevating to the Extraordinary Realm, then comprehending the domain embryo... needs to start from ’Chi Huo’, rather than continuing to cultivate... hmm, that intimidating large tree..."

How could I not have thought of this "simple" truth earlier?

The knot in Gu Shen’s heart unraveled.

He looked gratefully at Mu Wanqiu and said solemnly, "I have learned much."

Mu Wanqiu couldn’t help but laugh softly.

Upon hearing this, she felt quite pleased inside and remarked with complex emotions, "I certainly didn’t expect a monster like you to be stuck at this step..."

Just after saying this, Mu Wanqiu shook her head herself.

"You don’t need to thank me; even if I didn’t say it, you would soon figure it out on your own."

How long could the cultivation of a third tier trap Gu Shen?

It would just be... sooner or later.

On the contrary, even knowing the method to ’Breakthrough Thrice’, I may still be unable to cross that chasm.

She was quite aware of the difficulty gap between these two "checkpoints".

"If you wish to attempt ’Breaking through Thrice’, try engaging in battles with more young strong experts..." Gu Shen also began to strategize for his own Angel Envoy, stating seriously, "If the legion leader agrees, perhaps you can visit the East Continent."

Mu Wanqiu raised her eyebrows.

"I can ask the Battle God Throne to give you another ’Golden Hoop’, thus saving you a request for help from Her Majesty the Empress." Gu Shen stated earnestly, "After all, attempting Breaking through Thrice is just an experiment for you. If it succeeds, great; if not, it would be a waste of Her Majesty’s intervention."

For someone like Mu Wanqiu, an S-level, the North Continent Army would naturally place great importance on her.

If she were determined to try ’Breaking through Thrice’, using Gu Shen’s provided methods to seek an audience, the Empress would likely find it hard to refuse.

It would indeed be a wasted opportunity.

Such an opportunity, Gu Shen felt, was best saved for later, when Mu Wanqiu breaks through to the fourth tier, using it to leap towards becoming a Fourth-Order Transcender like Lu Zhe and Jia Wei... or achieving the Title, to then further advance with the Empress’s help.

Although Mu Wanqiu is his Angel Envoy, he himself was still like a "false Divine Throne" without substantial power, having not yet fused with his core... Every bit of assistance was valuable.

Strategizing for Mu Wanqiu was strategizing for himself.

"Brother Gu, do you have a good relationship with the Battle God Throne? If we go to the East Continent, shouldn’t we ask for help from the Netherworld King?" Mu Wanqiu keenly noticed something odd and asked perplexedly.

Gu Shen gave a casual laugh, "After all, I’m more familiar with the Bai Shu Divine Throne. That’s how I succeeded. If you truly wish to attempt ’Breaking through Thrice’, perhaps no other Throne’s intervention would be as effective as the Bai Shu Divine Throne."

Mu Wanqiu didn’t think too much of it but instead fell into contemplation, nodding with deep significance.

"Additionally, there’s an ’S-level’ in the East Continent too."

Gu Shen smiled and said, "His name is Bai Xiu, a very powerful, very formidable opponent. If you come to the East Continent, be sure to challenge him."