Awakening of Insects

"Transcendents... appeared a long time ago.

"To preserve order, the Council chose to hide the truth from the public. But as times changed, concealing it became increasingly difficult."

"After Deep Sea connected the entire world, the Adjudication Court was officially established on the Eastern Continent. The authorities began taking in unaffiliated Transcendents... Due to clearance restrictions, I won't go into detail about that."

"Senior Sister?"

"There are some things you'd be better off not knowing yet. You only need to know that the Adjudication Court has two duties. First, imprison those who are Transcendent Out of Control. Second, contain Transcendent Sealed Items."

Luo Er extended one hand.

Above her palm, invisible currents of wind swirled, turning into dispersing vapor before gathering again. The repeated motion produced a pleasant, paper-tearing whistle.

"Even now, we still cannot explain what Transcendent power truly is... Nature has its Iron Laws and rules, while this power is an unruly force that 'destroys,' 'ignores,' and 'oversteps' them."

"Because of this power, many truths are no longer truths."

"For example... a broken mirror cannot be restored."

Luo Er looked to one side.

"Crash—"

A massive glass mirror at the end of the Training Field shattered in an instant, spilling across the floor like mercury. Yet the moment Senior Sister finished speaking, countless fragments flowed backward, fitting themselves neatly together to restore the enormous mirror.

"Another example... spilled water cannot be gathered again."

A water pipe suddenly burst, and water sprayed from underground like a fountain.

The next moment.

It was as if time had reversed. The droplets scattered everywhere converged into a column of water, then compressed inch by inch. In the end, the ruptured pipe was restored to its original state, swallowing every splashing drop. All noise vanished, leaving only the quiet yet surging sound of water beneath the ground.

A miracle.

This was already a supernatural phenomenon beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

Yet its creator had merely moved a finger and spoken a few words, as casually as if she were having tea.

Everything had happened.

And yet, it seemed as though nothing had happened.

"According to current data, anyone of any age may undergo a Transcendent awakening. Those who awaken gain powerful abilities, but they also face the risk of losing control... This is also the greatest danger you will face during this assessment." Senior Apprentice Sister Luo paused. "Because of the Fire Disaster Case, your danger rating is extremely high. The Council will not allow a monster like you to have any possibility of losing control."

Those who lost control...

Gu Shen suddenly thought of his first encounter.

A-009 had been someone who lost control. According to Mr. Shu's information, she had once been an ordinary Ancient Text Society employee many years ago.

Because he had come into contact with A-009, and because of the Fire Disaster Case, they believed he was highly likely to lose control?

"So, the first lesson you need to learn is control."

Control Transcendent power?!

He was just an ordinary person. How was he supposed to control a power that did not even exist?

Upon hearing this, Gu Shen grew deeply worried... The Adjudication Court did not know that the scene of his Transcendent awakening had actually been created by the Truth Ruler. Based on what Senior Apprentice Sister Luo had said earlier, that should have been a Transcendent Sealed Item.

The Adjudication Court was responsible for imprisoning those who lost control and containing Sealed Items... They were likely wary of the destruction either could cause if left loose. If the Truth Ruler fell into the hands of a bad person, it could very likely bring about a great disaster.

"Mr. Gu Changzhi, the Council's Highest Seat, once said that the relationship between the mind and the body is the foundation of all cultivation. The two are like water and a bowl. If one grows stronger, the other must keep pace; neither can be absent. Those who lose control do so because the two become unbalanced, causing them to collapse. To eliminate this at its root... one must begin with the body."

Gu Changzhi... a name that still resounded like thunder even today.

Twenty years ago, he had been a hero revered and worshipped by many people on the Eastern Continent. He had become famous across the world at a young age and accumulated tremendous Merit Points, but he had not appeared in public for a very long time.

Gu Shen asked, "Is he also connected to the Adjudication Court?"

"Of course. Mr. Gu Changzhi played a major role in the establishment of the Adjudication Court." Senior Apprentice Sister Luo said softly, "Teacher received a great deal of support from him, including one very important... thing that can help you control Transcendent power."

She seemed to be considering how to describe it.

The word "thing" was not quite appropriate.

But there was no more fitting word.

"Is it... a Sealed Item?" Gu Shen asked curiously.

"No." Senior Apprentice Sister Luo shook her head.

"You'll understand once you see it." She extended a finger and pressed it against Gu Shen's brow.

Buzz—

The entire Training Field fell silent in an instant.

The sound of wind, water, and insects' fluttering wings was magnified countless times. The entire world existed in the contradictory extremes of absolute silence and utter clamor. Gu Shen only felt a tidal wave of drowsiness sweep over him. In an instant, his eyelids became as heavy as lead, carrying the weight of ten thousand pounds. His whole body fell downward, yet he sank into soft clouds.

Had he been hypnotized? He could not just fall asleep like this!

In that flash of lightning, Gu Shen struggled. He tried to force himself awake.

But... it was useless.

The force dragging him into the dream was too powerful to resist.

"He entered the dream."

At the critical moment, Nan Jin reached out and steadily caught the youth as he fell headfirst toward the ground. She supported him and placed him on a chair at the edge of the Training Field. Gu Shen lowered his head and fell into a deep sleep, his breathing long and even.

"He really isn't simple. He actually struggled for a moment."

Senior Apprentice Sister Luo smiled. "Looks like the boy has some secrets. But... I have no interest in his little secrets."

"Do you remember? When I first joined the Adjudication Court, I only received an A-grade evaluation."

Luo Er sank into memory and smiled softly. "As consolation, Teacher showed me 'Awakening of Insects,' and I actually slept for a full eight hours in that dream... That year, the fastest person only took two and a half hours."

"Senior Sister..."

"The person you're talking about is Han Dang, right? He can't compare to you—"

Zhong Wei spoke solemnly. "In that dream, you not only finished 'Awakening of Insects,' but also copied it down in its entirety. To this day, no second person in the entire Adjudication Court has accomplished such a thing."

The Mental Dreamscape containing "Awakening of Insects" could not be described with words, nor could it be replicated through technical means.

To comprehend it, one could only borrow the original rubbing Gu Changzhi had left at the Adjudication Court. Applying to view it required a certain level of clearance, qualifications, and contributions.

But there were always exceptions.

"So... our 'Awakening of Insects' was taught through Senior Sister's Dream Weaving. Teacher has not used the Adjudication Court's original rubbing again."

Nan Jin revealed an enlightened expression.

Senior Apprentice Sister Luo had actually replicated the Awakening of Insects Dream Realm in its entirety.

She frowned. "Han Dang... that name sounds familiar. I feel like I've heard it somewhere before."

"Zhu Wang's prized disciple. He is called the Smiling Tiger, and his temperament is perverse and unpredictable. His master, Zhu Wang, has always coveted Teacher's position as Chief Tribunal Officer." Zhong Wei said irritably, "They were the ones who initiated the meeting to impeach Teacher this time. Only if Teacher steps down can Zhu Wang take his place. They seized upon the matter of using the Amnesty Decree... If nothing unexpected happens, they will keep a very close eye on Gu Shen's assessment."

Nan Jin fell into thought.

In terms of seniority, reputation, and strength, Zhu Wang was one of the few major figures within the Adjudication Court who could stand against Teacher. However, the two had never gotten along. They never met, much less worked together, and even their disciples seemed faintly divided into opposing camps.

Mr. Shu's faction had Senior Apprentice Sister Luo as its public face.

The leader of Zhu Wang's faction was Han Dang.

"Last night's online meeting was intense."

"Gu Shen's matter has drawn too much attention. Some people are full of bad intentions and were just looking for somewhere to vent them." Zhong Wei sighed. "Last night's meeting decided to conduct Gu Shen's assessment in Da Teng City. Who knows whether Han Dang will try to interfere."

"Soldiers come, generals stop them; water comes, earth blocks it."

Senior Apprentice Sister Luo waved a hand. "Han Dang is nothing. Don't tell Gu Shen about him. We shouldn't put too much pressure on him."

"Mm..."

Both of them nodded in agreement.

"By the way," Nan Jin asked curiously, "how long did Senior Brother take to finish 'Awakening of Insects'?"

"Four hours and nine minutes, ten minutes slower than you." Zhong Wei said with a smile, "Those in the Adjudication Court qualified to read 'Awakening of Insects' can all be considered geniuses. For Transcendents without Mental Affinity, finishing it and leaving the dream within twelve hours counts as success."

"For you two, four hours is already an excellent result."

Senior Apprentice Sister Luo sank into memory and sighed softly. "Later, I learned that the reading time for 'Awakening of Insects' is related to one's mental potential. Reading it was also a test back then. If someone could finish it within two hours, Teacher would have the Adjudication Court grant them an additional S-Rank evaluation... If I had not chosen to copy it, I would have already met the requirement."

"Senior Sister has always been someone comparable to an S-Rank powerhouse in my eyes." Zhong Wei smiled broadly. "I'm not flattering you. I mean it!"

"S-Rank or not... those evaluations are no longer important."

Luo Er smiled and looked at the youth slumped on the bench. "What do you think? How long will Gu Shen need to finish 'Awakening of Insects'?"