The Hidden Crisis

Gu Jianlin stared at the newly delivered beginner's gift pack and muttered to himself, "Investigator's Code of Conduct, General Knowledge for Ascenders, The Divine Priest's Self-Cultivation, a Spirit Potion redemption code, and a general Alchemy Armament redemption code?"

Taixu answered with a smile, "Aside from the Ascenders trained by Deep Sky Technology and those from the major Ascender families, most Ascenders don't know much about the extraordinary world. That's why we've included some relevant materials in the beginner's gift pack for you to consult. The Alchemy Armament and Spirit Potion redemption codes can be redeemed in the resource library on the Deep Sky website, and someone will deliver them to you."

"Very convenient."

Gu Jianlin gave a slight nod. "What's this trial mission about?"

Taixu explained considerately, "Even though Professor Gu Ci'an fell, no one can deny his contributions to the human world. You don't need to feel guilty about these killings. Some factions within the Ether Association are extremely displeased with your father's actions, after all. He was the one who single-handedly sabotaged the Kirin Immortal Palace excavation and survey plans, causing massive casualties."

She continued calmly, "The casualties in these incidents were all Fallen who had gone mad because of the Immortal Palace incident. Unfortunately, not all the Fallen were killed in the Blood Moon Massacre. Some are still at large."

Gu Jianlin considered this. "Li Changzhi was one of them."

Taixu smiled. "Joker is another particularly dangerous member of that group of Fallen. He may pose a threat to you and your family. The Ether Association has arranged a special security team to protect you and your family, but you still need to be careful. Good luck."

As the black lace maid's holographic image gradually faded, only the starry sky remained on the screen.

Gu Jianlin sat in front of the computer, hands clasped against his forehead, lost in thought.

After their brief exchange, he could already make out how the Ether Association operated.

Permissions.

Everything came down to permissions.

Without permission, nothing could be done.

Even the file Taixu had given him about the Gu Family was only a very brief summary.

He probably still didn't have clearance to access anything truly important.

He rummaged through his suitcase and pulled out a yellowed family genealogy.

The genealogy was truly ancient. The paper looked so brittle that it might crumble at a touch.

His father had left it to him. It was hard to imagine that all the names recorded in it belonged to Ascenders.

Every last one had died from a curse.

Gu Jianlin couldn't work out the logic behind the curse.

All he knew for now was that its effects were devastating.

It had wiped out the entire Ascender family, leaving him as its only surviving descendant.

And the curse wasn't even passed down through blood. It was bizarre.

That meant Gu Jianlin himself wouldn't escape it.

"If this curse only manifests in one way, then it's probably that bizarre monster I saw at the car accident scene that day. Does the monster kill every member of the Gu Family when they're between forty and fifty?"

Gu Jianlin murmured, "Has that monster been killing people for hundreds of years? And will it come for me, too?"

The thought was terrifying—and utterly absurd.

Honestly, he wasn't that afraid for himself. His life was already what it was.

Come and get me, then. Let's see which of us can kill the other.

But if the curse brought harm to his new family, he would never forgive himself.

Gu Jianlin's goal was simple.

He would find out the truth as best he could, without putting his family in danger.

Then he would settle every score.

If that terrifying monster really existed, Gu Jianlin would kill it at any cost.

Or be killed by it.

Either way, it was better than dying without knowing why.

"I should message Lu Zicheng first."

Gu Jianlin picked up his phone and sent him a message on WeChat.

Then he rubbed his eyes, went to the living room for a cup of coffee, and returned to his desk.

There was still so much to learn about the extraordinary world.

At three in the morning, the top floor of the Haizhou Hotel was still lit.

"What is spirituality? It's the source of an Ascender's power, a force that can only be sensed by those who have Ascended from the inherent world. Spirituality flows through our bodies like blood through our veins; it flows through our souls."

"A legacy path is the process of cultivating spirituality, elevating the mind and soul, and mastering immense power."

"As the ages have changed, the mainstream legacy paths in the East have remained largely the oldest ones."

"Ancient Martial Arts, Overlord, Sword Sect, Ghost Slayer, Celestial Master, Divine Priest, Diviner, and Alchemist."

"Of all the legacy paths, Alchemists are the most precious. They can create Spirit Potions to help us build up our spirituality. Without Alchemists, Ascenders would be thrown back into the chaos of primordial times. Advancement would become incredibly slow, civilization would stop progressing, and we would regress."

"Back then, you'd have to live like ancient ascetics, practicing breathing exercises, meditating, and spending endless hours sensing the residual spirituality from another dimension so you could make it your own."

"According to the records, even the Ancient Gods didn't use such a clumsy method."

"So remember: if you meet an Alchemist, suck up to them. Don't ever offend one."

"As for Alchemy Armaments and Mythic Armaments, there's plenty to discuss..."

Lu Zicheng's lively voice rang out.

On the laptop screen were the faces of fifty students, all with different skin tones and from different ethnicities.

He was giving a lesson to a group of eager newcomers.

As an A-rank investigator with the Ether Association and a fourth-order Ascender on the Ancient Martial Arts Path, he was qualified to teach.

Lu Zicheng had just turned twenty-three. He was still relatively inexperienced, but he came from a major family and was one of the best among his peers. This year, he was set to form his own team.

He would carry out secret missions in his assigned territory and train newcomers along the way.

Out of the hundreds of newcomers this year, he would choose a handful to join his team.

He already had some candidates in mind.

Lu Zicheng checked the time. It was nearly four. Things should be about settled.

Sure enough, about five minutes later, a message arrived on WeChat.

"I've officially become an Ascender. My legacy path is the Divine Priest Path."

The message was calm. He didn't seem emotionally overwhelmed by his extraordinary experience.

His overall qualities were impressive.

Lu Zicheng narrowed his eyes and muttered, "Interesting."

Chen Qing came in carrying an iced latte and set it on his desk.

"Divine Priest?"

She looked astonished, clearly surprised. "He actually chose one of the hardest paths to master. From a genetic perspective, I thought he'd follow his father onto the Celestial Master Path."

"From a genetic perspective, if this kid didn't look so much like his father, I'd have told him to get a paternity test. How are those two alike at all? Their personalities are worlds apart, too."

Lu Zicheng grumbled, "You saw him swinging a chair and trying to beat Li Changzhi to death."

Chen Qing recalled the refined and scholarly Professor Gu, then thought of the raging boy swinging a chair.

She could still vividly picture him pointing a gun at her.

"All right."

She nodded. "Given his personality, Ancient Martial Arts and Overlord would've suited him better."

Lu Zicheng shrugged. "Who knows? It's all about compatibility and luck. He probably didn't have much choice."

The Divine Priest Path was indeed the oldest legacy path, but no one could say whether it was better or worse than the others.

You could call it weak, and there was some truth to that.

There were so few known Divine Priests, and most of them were underwhelming.

But call it strong, and no one would challenge you.

The strongest Ascender of the past century came from the Divine Priest Path.

And that person was still alive.

The Divine Priest Path held the secrets of life, and its practitioners gained unimaginable power by communicating with the natural world.

Fairly speaking, it was the most well-rounded legacy path.

It had almost no weaknesses.

The only problem was that it was hard.

Harder than reaching the heavens.

"Chen Qing, do you know much about the Divine Priest Path?"

Lu Zicheng asked casually.

Chen Qing shook her head and said softly, "I've taught only three first-order Life Controllers and one second-order Junior Life Controller. I've never even met a Grand Life Controller. I remember your father had a friend who was a fourth-order Lord of the Clouds."

"Really?"

Lu Zicheng hesitated for a second, then took out his phone. "I'll call and ask."

Chen Qing said calmly, "It's probably too late."

Lu Zicheng glanced at the time. "You're right. Is he in the country?"

Chen Qing shook her head again. "No. He just died yesterday. He should be lying in a funeral home by now."

The green-feathered parrot in the cage by the window squawked:

"Pah, what shitty luck!"

Lu Zicheng rubbed his face hard and sighed. "What a shame. I wanted to show off in front of that kid, but it looks like I can't help him for now. Not one of my students is a Divine Priest."

He thought for a moment, fiddled with his phone, and sent a message.

"How's it going? Did Taixu dig the study materials out of your computer?"

Ding!

Gu Jianlin: "There aren't any study materials on my computer. She sent me a bunch of materials, though."

Lu Zicheng toyed with his phone and replied, "Then you know about the Gu Family curse and the Blood Moon Massacre, right?"

His phone vibrated with a new message.

Gu Jianlin: "Yes. I joined the Kirin Immortal Palace project, and Taixu gave me an assessment mission."

Lu Zicheng sighed. "I knew he'd join."

Chen Qing said softly, "That kid's very determined."

Lu Zicheng logged into the Deep Sky Network and brought up the boy's assessment mission.

"High-risk mission: participate in the hunt for a first-order Fallen, codename Joker."

Lu Zicheng pondered for a moment. "So it really is Joker."

Chen Qing said quietly, "Joker is only a first-order Fallen, but he possesses an extremely dangerous Mythic Armament. Ever since he stole an ancient relic from the vault and defected, Deep Sky hasn't been able to pinpoint his whereabouts..."

The most troublesome part of this mission was the Mythic Armament.

It was dangerous enough to send a newcomer on this mission.

Especially Little Gu.

Joker was one of the survivors of the Blood Moon Massacre and might come after him for revenge.

"Are we pushing him too hard?"

Chen Qing looked worried. "What if something happens?"

"No, this has to be done. As long as those Fallen are still around, Little Gu and his family will remain in danger."

Lu Zicheng swirled the coffee in his cup, his gaze resolute. "No one can protect the Gu family forever, so I say we strike first. I knew it. Just as I expected, the Tribunal must have handed over this mission."

Chen Qing sat on the sofa, crossing her legs in black stockings. "The Tribunal? Could they be trying to use Little Gu?"

"Yes. The Tribunal has always wanted to wipe out those Fallen, but they refuse to show themselves."

Lu Zicheng lowered his voice. "After what Professor Gu did, the Tribunal and several of Feng City's prominent families suffered heavy losses. I knew they wouldn't let it go. The moment Little Gu became an Ascender, they'd use him as bait."

A look of understanding flashed in Chen Qing's eyes. "That works out perfectly for you, since you're planning to cheat."

"Right. Special circumstances call for special measures."

Lu Zicheng snorted. "I'll protect Little Gu in secret and take the opportunity to have a word with the Tribunal."

Please read on! Please read on!