Light Fortress Chapter 1718 - 381: Frost Iron Mountain

Perhaps...

This matter might be linked to a distant future.

Mu Wanqiu contemplated the Empress’s affairs for a considerable time, yet enlightenment remained elusive; however, these thoughts were no longer of consequence.

The Empress’s disposition towards Gu Shen was evident to all.

Given that her standing as the Crown Bearer was, in the Empress’s view, akin to a strategically placed pawn, there was no need for restraint—she would proceed as necessary.

"By the way... what precisely is that silver bracelet adorning your wrist?"

Gu Shen’s gaze once again fell upon Mu Wanqiu’s wrist.

Even during their encounter in the Spiritual Wilderness, he had sensed an anomaly.

A band of silver light had been coiled around Mu Wanqiu’s arm.

He had not anticipated that this luminous silver manifestation would solidify into a bracelet in the actual world.

"Tsk."

Upon Mu Wanqiu’s normally impassive visage, a rare, teasing smirk surfaced. "You mean to tell me you genuinely did not recognize it?"

Gu Shen was momentarily taken aback.

This cascade of silver light, the last time he witnessed it, had already evoked a feeling...

within him that the aura was exceedingly familiar.

"This is the 'golden spike flower.'"

Mu Wanqiu lifted her wrist, her tone laced with a stern admonishment, "To be precise, it is a unique sealing artifact imbued with the Spirit of the 'golden spike flower'... Be truthful, have you forgotten about it?"

"I..."

Gu Shen found himself utterly speechless.

Following his escape from Gu Castle Fortress and subsequent return to the Five Continents, after confirming the unbroken Spiritual Link with the 'golden spike flower,' Gu Shen had effectively ceased focusing on it.

The golden spike flower was remarkably accommodating. It had been assigned two crucial directives: the first, to "unveil the map of the Old World," and the second, to "seek out Zhou Jiren's aura."

Both objectives presented formidable challenges.

The former was an endeavor without end or defined conclusion; it quietly persisted in its spiritual imprinting.

As for the latter... there had been absolutely no discernible progress over the years.

Due to the absence of any requirement for periodic updates, the golden spike flower seldom initiated contact by descending into the Pure Land in its "spiritual form."

With the passage of time, Gu Shen had almost lost remembrance of this "pet's" very existence.

"I have truly failed it..."

Gu Shen offered a soft apology and, of his own volition, dispatched a thread of his Divine Thought, directing it towards the distant reaches of the Old World.

Swiftly, a joyful spiritual resonance emanated back from the golden spike flower.

This entity could rightfully be described as the epitome of "carefree and detached."

Perhaps having remained dormant within the labyrinth for several decades, the isolation and frigid conditions of subsequent years barely registered for the golden spike flower. Now, unexpectedly graced with its master's "favor," the Great Serpent was overcome with elation, transmitting a Soul Thought brimming with unbridled happiness.

This, in turn, only deepened Gu Shen's sense of shame.

"You were truly born to be a hands-off manager."

Mu Wanqiu remarked with a hint of exasperation, "After you were presumed 'dead,' I journeyed to the Old World on several occasions and personally encountered the Great Serpent."

As the Crown Bearer, she wielded half of the Netherfire Authority.

The golden spike flower harbored no animosity towards Mu Wanqiu.

It also perceived her as a "master," though naturally, her standing could not compare to Gu Shen's.

"Throughout these years, it has traversed the Old World. Despite enduring numerous injuries, its physical form and Soul have steadily strengthened, reaching what is now considered its 'prime' moment... I did not disclose your survival to it. It voluntarily offered a portion of its Spirit to be fashioned into a sealing object, serving to enhance sensory perception within a defined radius and, more crucially, as a symbolic marker of the 'master-servant pact.'"

Mu Wanqiu utilized her spiritual power to project an image.

Depicted was a vast Snowfield.

An immense serpent, stretching for hundreds of meters, lay coiled atop a colossal glacier, its head bowed.

Mu Wanqiu, resplendent in crimson Source Armor, extended a hand, gently patting the flat, triangular head of the golden spike flower, an action reminiscent of stroking a miniature mountain.

"In truth, I never truly believed the reports of your demise."

Mu Wanqiu stated with quiet conviction, "Even though the Gu family issued a death pronouncement, professing your fall in the Ice Sea, the Netherfire Authority exhibited no sign of faltering. Such an anomaly was profoundly unusual..."

"Had you genuinely perished, then either the Netherfire Authority that accompanied me would have vanished with your passing..."

She continued, "Or, as the designated Crown Bearer, I would have been acknowledged by the Netherfire as the subsequent inheritor and received the entirety of its Authority. Yet, neither of these eventualities occurred."

"Thus, all I can remark is, what a pity—truly, misfortune has a long life."

Mu Wanqiu's playful jab left Gu Shen utterly without words.

His thoughts drifted back to their encounter in the Spiritual Wilderness; Mu Wanqiu had undeniably made significant strides in recent years. At the very least, her acting prowess and capacity for scheming had flourished considerably… It was evident she harbored no concern whatsoever regarding his supposed ‘demise.’ The instant she discovered he was still alive, she swiftly devised a scheme, successfully extracting three crucial ‘promises’ from him.

"As a walking calamity, it stands to reason that I must endure and live well," Gu Shen chuckled with feigned nonchalance. "It's actually a positive development that the Golden Spike Flower willingly offers its 'Spirit' to you and accepts you as its master. You should keep this bracelet; there's no need to return it to me."

Should he wish to summon the Golden Spike Flower, a mere utterance within his Pure Land would suffice.

Regardless of the spatial distance separating them.

The Netherworld King Authority possessed the capability to directly transmit his voice into the Heart Lake of the Golden Spike Flower.

The most profound significance of this silver bracelet resided in the concept of 'trust.'

The Golden Spike Flower's willingness to submit to Gu Shen, and by extension, to extend this contractual bond to Mu Wanqiu, the Crown Bearer, served as a tacit acknowledgment of Mu Wanqiu's capabilities and standing.

"I never intended to give it to you in the first place," Mu Wanqiu retorted with a cold snort. "The Golden Spike Flower bestowed it upon me. If you desire it, you'll have to retrieve it from the flower itself."

Gu Shen found himself caught between amusement and exasperation.

...

...

By the time the small boat docked in Qinghe District, night had already descended.

A damp, biting wind had begun to stir.