Light Fortress Chapter 1710 - 378: Humanoid Black Hole

After the precise location of Frost Iron Mountain within Qinghe District was identified, Gu Shen opted not to immediately journey south.

The repair of the "Goddess of Destiny's Sanctuary" was slated for a completion time of one week.

As fate would have it, a message arrived concurrently from Mu Wanqiu.

Her estimated arrival was also approximately a week away.

She was occupied with numerous administrative duties across the Northern Continent before proceeding south to Changye.

With his most trusted Angel Envoy making a personal visit to Changye, Gu Shen found himself with no option but to accept, unable to evade the encounter.

Regarding Mu Wanqiu's purported "duel challenge."

He could only steel himself and prepare to confront it.

......

During this intervening week, Gu Shen kept Shen Li occupied, entrusting him with various tasks.

Having just assumed the role of Grand Judge, Gu Shen needed to oversee numerous responsibilities at the headquarters.

After all, he had been absent from Changye for a span of six years.

With Shen Li, the "Judge," by his side, managing these affairs became considerably more manageable for Gu Shen.

It was understood that the three major institutions operated in concert as a cohesive entity.

Upon first hearing the news, the young "Little Iron Man" promptly arrived, eager to offer his services to the newly appointed Grand Judge, Gu Shen.

Had the regulations allowed, he would have gladly transferred his allegiance to the Judgement Institute.

A deeply rooted tree offered significant shelter and support.

Mr. Shan had treated him with considerable kindness.

However, how could that possibly compare to the stature of Gu Shen?

The Grand Judge position had remained vacant for seven to eight years. The former interim Grand Judge, Zhu Wang, who had briefly held the authority, was unseated by Gu Shen not long after assuming the role.

The sheer volume of accumulated case files for this particular position was staggering.

For years, the Judgement Institute had managed to function solely because both the Grand Judge and the Great Commander voluntarily took on additional duties... Mr. Gu was now in retirement. Mr. Shan, too, offered only minimal assistance, intervening only on rare occasions.

The bulk of the Judgement Institute's case files had been diligently managed by Zhou E and Jin Yun. These two were top-tier Fourth-order Transcendents, on the cusp of achieving a title, and were undeniably capable of resolving the majority of issues.

However, they lacked the ultimate authority of a title.

The "Deep Sea" alone had generated nearly ten high-risk tasks specifically designated for the Grand Judge's attention.

Some of these tasks had already been undertaken and resolved by other titled individuals within Changye.

Despite this, the responsibility for subsequent "reinspections" fell squarely upon the Judgement Institute.

For the initial three days, Gu Shen, astride the "Truth" iron sword, traversed the Jiangbei District. Shen Li accompanied him, filled with anticipation. After assisting Gu Shen in resolving two "S-level case files," he began to sense that something was amiss...

The case files typically handled by the Grand Judge were known to involve exceptionally high-risk scenarios concerning "out-of-control entities," "sealed items," and "Disaster Realms."

Changye could not possibly permit "out-of-control entities" within its borders.

The titled individuals who had accepted and processed these cases were all involved with situations that would immediately escalate if left uncontained.

Consequently, the few accumulated case files primarily pertained to "sealed items" and "Disaster Realms."

Predominantly the latter.

Thanks to the expansive reach of the "Battle God Domain," Changye now stood as the most secure location on the East Continent, with no "black dots" appearing within its vicinity. However, observing the Jiangbei District, where the Grand Judge was required to address "Disaster Realms," these often correlated with the presence of "black dots"... Shen Li finally comprehended why these case files had accumulated.

This was fundamentally beyond the scope of what the Grand Judge was equipped to resolve.

Even other formidable titled powerhouses could only observe with a sense of helplessness.

They lacked the fundamental ability to contain "black dots;" individuals like Mr. Shan and Mr. Gu, and even more potent titled experts, could merely manage to limit the expansion of Disaster Realms.

As for outright elimination...

Only the Divine Throne and the Angel Envoy possessed the capability to achieve such a feat.

"Addressing this particular Disaster Realm would effectively complete over half of the backlog of accumulated case files..."

Perched upon his iron sword, Gu Shen's gaze was fixed on the distant crimson mountains.

The Redwood District lay in close proximity.

He observed Shen Li, seated on the iron sword beside him, succumbing to repeated bouts of sleepiness.

Fourth-order Transcendents, with their mastery over their respective domains and a focus on offensive capabilities, possessed the mental fortitude to achieve a state of "sleeplessness."

Shen Li, however, was utterly exhausted.

As the Netherworld King's "Angel Envoy," he had received only a minuscule fraction of authority... practically negligible.

Yet, this faint thread of authority was undeniably real.

By grasping this authority, he had gained the perilous ability to "eliminate black dots."

To expedite Shen Li's adaptation to the responsibilities befitting an Angel Envoy, Gu Shen had intentionally brought him along to eradicate disorderly source matter from Disaster Realms continuously for three days.

This was an exceptionally draining undertaking for the spirit.

Gu Shen, witnessing the "Little Iron Man's" head bobbing rhythmically like a pecking chicken, found the sight amusing. He let out a sigh and subtly channeled a wisp of Chi Huo towards him.

"Shen Li is truly a resilient and promising individual,"

Chu Ling offered high commendation for the "Little Iron Man."

"He possesses remarkable endurance,"

These days, even while cleansing Disaster Realms, Shen Li never showed outward signs of fatigue, despite being utterly exhausted.

Gu Shen mused, his voice measured, "I am contemplating whether to task him with eradicating the sinister black flowers on Divine Temple Mountain..."

"Isn't that a bit much?"

Through the Spirit Sea, Chu Ling felt a wave of sympathy wash over Shen Li.

The black flowers on Divine Temple Mountain were alarmingly numerous. For over six centuries, the Li Family, with the relentless efforts of countless Protectors, had struggled to contain them.

This was unlike other Disaster Realms.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Li Family's Divine Temple presented no imminent danger to the wider world.

"As an Angel Envoy, one must embrace such a responsibility..."

Gu Shen paused, a moment of silence stretching between them, before stating, "Eventually, I will not always remain in the East Continent. He will need to learn to handle tasks independently."

Currently, the rate at which source matter was proliferating across the Five Continents was accelerating dramatically.

The frequency of emerging Disaster Realms, marked by dark anomalies, was also on the rise...

Gu Shen harbored anxieties about the future destiny of the Five Continents, which was precisely why, despite his concern for Shen Li, he remained resolute in pushing him through continued trials.

In times of crisis, duty is paramount.

Mr. Bai Shu had single-handedly steered the East Continent through perilous times. As the inheritor of the Netherworld Fire, he was bound to act within his capabilities.

Yet, Gu Shen perceived the truth of the situation clearly.

After consecutive days of confronting and managing Disaster Realms, Shen Li had undeniably reached his breaking point.

This time, Gu Shen would not awaken him.

Halting [Truth] just outside the threshold of the Disaster Realm, Gu Shen employed "Chi Huo" to shield Shen Li's slumber, ensuring his rest was undisturbed. He then proceeded alone into the heart of the danger.

The Disaster Realm within the Redwood District was nestled in a mountainous expanse, its influence contained within a radius of approximately one kilometer.

The Judgement Institute had already established a perimeter, fortified with sealing artifacts and intricate barriers.

As for the precise location of the "black spot," Green Silver had been employed to implement restrictive measures and safeguards.

The Titled Transcendent who had taken charge of this particular anomaly in the past was Bai Chen, the second-in-command to the Grand Judge of the adjacent penal facility.

These measures represented the most robust containment methods Changye could devise—

Gu Shen stepped beyond the erected barrier.

He moved directly towards the epicenter of the "black spot." Over five years, subjected to successive layers of Green Silver's confinement, this "black spot" had expanded exponentially. Once no larger than a clenched fist, it was now on the verge of coalescing into a humanoid form.

Such a scale was already approaching the magnitude of a singularity.

The very concept of a singularity implies a concentration of "chaos," making its formation into any semblance of shape unsurprising. Gu Shen observed the strained Green Silver and calmly extended his hand.

"Crack!"

He shattered the Green Silver's containment from the exterior.

This was an action fraught with significant peril. Mature chaotic source materials possess the inherent ability to spontaneously generate diverse laws. Should they escape the restriction of sufficiently potent logical materials, they can unleash devastating lethality.

However, as fate would have it.

The entity confronting the singularity at this critical juncture was none other than the inheritor of Netherworld Fire.

"Boom——"

The instant the Green Silver fractured, the humanoid singularity seemed to awaken, its form twisting as it lunged towards Gu Shen with outstretched arms.

In a flash, a brilliant inferno erupted from Gu Shen's brow!

Wherever Chi Huo's flames reached, all chaotic laws were consumed and fundamentally transformed—

Chaos yielded to order!

"Woo woo woo!"

A howling wind accompanied the humanoid singularity's transformation; it shrieked with sharp, almost human-like agony as it was enveloped by Chi Huo's searing power. Abruptly abandoning its attempt to engulf Gu Shen, it turned and fled towards the outer reaches of the Disaster Realm.

Gu Shen's brow furrowed.

He had journeyed to the Northern Continent Border, set foot in the Old World, and witnessed a myriad of bizarrely shaped "singularities." However, this awakened singularity, imbued with a semblance of human consciousness, was an unprecedented encounter.

If it originated from a concentration of chaos,

then any conceivable law could potentially emerge from it.

Gu Shen rapidly moved to intercept the fleeing "humanoid singularity," his expression unreadable as he casually swatted it aside!

Bam!

This strike, infused with the unique, order-imposing characteristic of "Chi Huo," obliterated half of the singularity's form. A torrent of flames engulfed the entire redwood forest, trapping the "entity" within its fiery embrace.

The partially disintegrated humanoid singularity writhed and bellowed on the ground.

"..."

Gu Shen observed it silently for a moment, remarking on its disconcerting resemblance to human behavior.

Much like a human infant!

"This is highly irregular."

Chu Ling, too, observed the spectacle and questioned in bewilderment, "A black hole is a concentration of chaos, and for it to birth consciousness is akin to chaos becoming order... Is this humanoid black hole merely mimicking human actions? It has been sealed within Green Silver; how could it possibly receive information from human society?"

"It truly defies logic."

Gu Shen stated frigidly, "Theoretically, given an infinite number of monkeys and keyboards, they could potentially compose the source code for [Deep Sea]... However, if monkeys actually succeeded in typing out the [source code], I would sooner believe a higher form of existence was orchestrating them."

"I concur with your perspective."

Chu Ling paused briefly before elaborating, "In my understanding, a monkey typing out [source code] transcends mere probability... If cognitive capacity does not reach a certain threshold, the probability of birthing [source code] will perpetually remain zero. Even quadrillions of monkeys would never produce the [source code], as the very characters comprising it cannot be generated by a keyboard."

Thus, black holes... operate under a similar principle.

"Perhaps, behind the inherent chaos of a black hole, there lies a profoundly vast order governed by 'laws.'"

"But neither humans, nor Transcendents, nor even Divine Thrones possess the capability to interact with this underlying order."

"Their levels are simply insufficient."

Gu Shen advanced.

He granted the humanoid black hole no quarter, striking down once more and obliterating the remaining half of its form.

The howling, swirling black hole dissolved, consumed entirely by Chi Huo.

Despite its apparent lack of life, it bore the semblance of life, and before its final disintegration, it cast a fleeting gaze towards Gu Shen.

Had this been a living being,

that look would likely have conveyed "venomous resentment" or "profound hatred."

Gu Shen remained unfazed.

He knelt on the ground, diligently absorbing the essence of the black hole.

The sea of flames surged, and the tempestuous Chi Huo raged, leaving no trace behind.

At present, his Chi Huo was undergoing an evolution, progressing towards a second domain.

Much like his prior state when contemplating the [Flame of Vitality], Gu Shen aimed to forge a second domain centered on combat and destruction; the general framework was established, now requiring only the transformation of its foundational essence!

He needed to absorb a substantial volume of chaotic source material.

Following the resolution of this case from the Grand Judge, he felt even prepared to tackle the high-priority cases accumulating within the other two divisions.

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