Light Fortress Chapter 1998 - 51: Gu Shen: I’m Here to Negotiate

The massive Source Material Storm instantly snuffed out the flames, like the second half of a firework plummeting from high in the sky.

"Boom!!!"

The Initial collided head-on with it.

Amid the earth-shaking roar of the explosion, that Source Material Storm, which could be called a "cataclysm," was smashed to pieces just like that.

But Turing knew...

The reason this collision could succeed was not because the Initial was sturdy enough, but because Gu Shen’s Fire Extinguishing Sword was too strong, too monstrous.

All chaotic forces in this world would be annihilated by this sword.

On the other side, Alf, who was seated in the main control room, finally came back to his senses.

When that Source Material Storm had just swept toward them, he had almost been scared out of his wits; after guarding the Ice Sea for a thousand years, he had barely left when he ran into such a calamity...

If the Initial had been shattered just like that, he would have blamed himself for a lifetime.

"Alert lifted—"

The calmest person was Chu Ling. Her Spirit condensed at the mountain peak of the snowy range in the form of a three-dimensional projection, appearing beside Gu Shen and Turing.

When the Source Material Storm descended, she had followed protocol and activated all of the Initial’s defenses.

Except the Snowfield Skytop.

According to regulations, when encountering such a major danger, the Initial’s Source Energy Shield needed to cover every corner. Opening a "gap" in this simulated-ecosystem Heavenly Curtain was in fact a violation of procedure.

At least Alf would never have done such a thing.

But Chu Ling made this choice without even hesitating for a second.

Because she knew.

To neutralize this Source Material Storm, relying solely on the Initial’s "Energy Shield" was not enough.

The crucial part was still getting Gu Shen to act.

"So this is... the legendary Sword of Extinguishing?"

Turing clicked his tongue in amazement. Looking at the insubstantial long sword in Gu Shen’s palm, thin as a cicada’s wing, he couldn’t help wanting to reach out and touch it.

"This sword will destroy all Extraordinary Power."

Gu Shen smiled and reminded him, "You should know, the so-called Ancient Language Power is included in that..."

Turing hurriedly stopped himself.

He had no desire to end up exploding like that Source Material Storm just now after touching it.

"Gu Shen... does this count as venturing beyond the border?"

Alf had also come to the Snowfield.

He watched the "meteors" streaking past the Initial outside the virtual Heavenly Curtain.

Though born of the Starship Civilization, Alf had never truly entered the Old World... This was his first time seeing the desolation "beyond the pass": vast tracts of land shattered and ravaged by Source Material Storms floating in the void, a sight of devastation everywhere, miserable beyond words; the conditions for survival here were simply too harsh.

It was hard to imagine that back then, humans had to complete their "migration" in such an environment, seeking a new home.

Alf asked curiously, "Where do we go next? You said you’d take me to search for the legacy our master left behind."

"We’re going to find Extinguishing Candle."

Gu Shen clasped his hands behind his back, looked at the cube-shaped robot beside him, and smiled. "Does that count as searching for the legacy left by the Lord of Melting Iron?"

Alf’s eyes lit up.

"It counts, it definitely counts!"

Extinguishing Candle was the most powerful weapon of the Starship Civilization back then... It was the Ultimate Divine Artifact the master had forged for the Hunter God!

Turing’s expression suddenly turned grave.

"You... know where Extinguishing Candle is?"

A hundred years ago, this divine bow had once appeared in the Five Continents like a brief blossom in the night.

The previous wielder of Extinguishing Candle had used this bow to wound Qinglong, leaving a deep psychological shadow on this Divine Throne reputed to be the "strongest" in the Five Continents.

Although Extinguishing Candle’s wielder had won his duel with Qinglong...

The last one laughing was not him.

No one knew where this peerlessly brilliant yet short-lived Transcendent had gone after his battle with Qinglong ended.

Nor did anyone know where the divine bow Extinguishing Candle was now.

"Of course..."

Gu Shen paused for a moment, then shrugged. "I don’t know."

"..." Turing fell silent on the spot.

Alf was so angry his teeth itched. "Gu, are you messing with me?"

The Old World was this vast; how hard would it be to find Extinguishing Candle!

For a sealed object of this level, any scrap of information would draw countless people to pursue it. In just these past twenty years, the North Continent Investigation Corps had carried out who knew how many venturing-beyond-the-border missions for this very matter.

"Relax, I’ve got a way."

Gu Shen smiled and said, "Next you two need to get ready for battle... If it comes down to a fight, I might not be able to look after things here."

Turing and Alf exchanged a glance.

A vague sense of foreboding rose in their hearts.

...

...

The Initial’s first stop after leaving the Ice Sea was the Calamity Barrier left behind by the former Netherworld King!

That place had already become the habitat of the Traveler Tribe!

That’s right...

Gu Shen had detonated Chi Huo and triggered the third reboot in order to carry out a solo mission, to come once more to this desolate land and meet the Black Snow Mountain Giant.

Last time, he had only comprehended half of the stele inscriptions.

In the unseen currents of fate, he had a premonition that if he could fully comprehend the stele inscriptions... then not only could he master the Traveler Clan’s secret art, the Gate Ancient Text, he could also track down the trail of Extinguishing Candle.

In the eyes of the world, the last time Extinguishing Candle "appeared" was nearly a hundred years ago.

Back then, Qinglong had still been in his youth.

But the "arrow marks" on that stone wall were clearly left within the past thirty years... After the former Netherworld King concluded his deal with the travelers, Extinguishing Candle had emerged once more!

A moment later.

The Initial had stopped right above the Calamity Barrier. Seeing the mass of black clouds, that ominous premonition in Turing and Alf’s hearts grew even thicker.

"What the hell is this place?"

On the main system’s screen, several alarms had already popped up in succession.

The "ominous aura" the Netherworld King left behind was just too浓郁! The Initial’s Source Energy Shield had already begun to suffer "erosion"!

Alf frowned. "We’re not actually going to land in a place like this, are we?"

"This... is the barrier created by the previous Netherworld King?"

Turing gave Gu Shen a meaningful look.

He and the former Netherworld King had once been close friends... but after the latter was driven mad by [Truth], their relationship had gradually been severed. So the existence of this patch of territory was something Turing had only just learned about. The ominous clouds shrouding this barrier were far too "obvious"—the Netherworld King’s scent could be felt from dozens of miles away, a classic "whoever comes here is screwed."

"That’s right."

Gu Shen said calmly, "This is a ’nice place’ the previous Netherworld King left behind. There’s a ’big surprise’ inside."

Turing felt a headache coming on and couldn’t help offering a warning: "From what I know of that guy, anyone who has anything to do with him never ends well... Are you sure you want to land here?"

"Sure. Of course I’m sure."

Gu Shen looked relaxed on the surface, but in truth he quietly tightened his grip on the Fire Extinguishing Sword.

He didn’t know whether the second negotiation he’d carefully prepared would succeed...

But he did know.

Given Chi Huo’s current level of awakening, even if the negotiation collapsed, he still had the strength to "resist." With this Fire Extinguishing Sword on top of that... maybe he could consider solving the problem through violence.

This was also why he insisted on having the Initial land inside the Calamity Barrier.

With the technology of the Five Continents Civilization, the "airships" they produced simply could not withstand the Black Snow Mountain Giant’s attacks. Once they descended into the interior of the barrier, they could easily be destroyed.

This time he was going in alone to negotiate. If something unexpected happened, he’d have the Initial to pull him out.

That would give everything some room for "maneuvering"!

Amidst the roaring air currents, the Initial slowly docked before the distant, towering black snow mountain. When Alf saw the "layers of white bones" hidden beneath the snow, illuminated by blazing waves, he couldn’t help crying out in shock and asking in astonishment, "What’s buried under the ground?!"

Low-level Travelers slept huddled together, their bodies condensed into one cocoon after another.

Turing’s expression grew heavy, and he muttered, "Travelers... From the looks of it, they should already be dead."

"Even though these ones are already ’dead,’ in places you can’t see, there are still dozens or even hundreds of times more ’living’ ones."

Gu Shen said evenly, "If nothing unexpected happens, we’re already ’surrounded’ right now."

"???"

Anyone seeing this scene and hearing those words would feel a chill down their spine.

Alf murmured, "Don’t tell me the next thing is going to be a battle?"

"Take care of yourselves."

Gu Shen didn’t answer it. Instead, he lifted the Fire Extinguishing Sword, pushed open the Initial’s hatch, and looked toward the distant black snow mountain that rose up to prop the heavens.

Every step he took landed on the Travelers’ "corpses."

Each step made a crisp sound, like treading on snow.

Crunch, crunch!

A moment later, Gu Shen stood at the foot of the black snow mountain.

Holding the Fire Extinguishing Sword, thin as a cicada’s wing, he sent out his intent.

"I’m here to negotiate."

...

...

The slumbering Black Snow Mountain Giant slowly awoke.

As the snow mountain rose and fell, the entire landmass drifting in the void seemed to be trembling!

"Negotiate?"

The Black Snow Mountain Giant looked at the young man before it, the Spirit it projected carrying a clear "anger" and "mockery."

"Keep it short."

Having dealt with it once before, Gu Shen knew this big guy’s "level of intelligence."

He spoke quickly: "Even though I carry the aura of the Netherworld Fire, I’m not the previous Netherworld King... I came to see you today to make good on a promise that guy once made to the Traveler Tribe. I’ll ’freely’ tell you the coordinates of the Five Continents and help you rescue the Traveler God Seat trapped within the boundaries of the Five Continents."

The last negotiation had broken down because Gu Shen had "asked" this big guy in front of him for an exchange price.

But this time.

The "negotiation" he proposed was a gift given free of charge—at least on the surface.

"..."

And so the scene very smoothly fell silent for over ten seconds.

Gu Shen quietly watched the big guy in front of him.

The big guy quietly watched Gu Shen.

"Well, say it."

A moment later, the Black Snow Mountain Giant asked impatiently, "What are the coordinates of the Five Continents?"

"Compared to the Traveler God Seat’s ’life or death,’ are the Five Continents’ coordinates really more important?"

Gu Shen held up two fingers and pointed at the stone stele behind the Black Snow Mountain Giant. Smiling, he said, "What’s the rush? I’ve already come all the way to stand in front of you... You think I can stiff you on the coordinates now? Aren’t you the least bit curious who used [Extinguishing Candle] to kill your master, forcing him to the point he couldn’t even return to his physical body and had to split off his Soul just to scrape by?"

"...?"

The Black Snow Mountain Giant’s pupils widened.

"Let me go up and take a look at the ’ancient text’ on the stele. I’ll tell you the answer."

Gu Shen said solemnly, "And while I’m at it, I’ll get rid of the villain who wielded [Extinguishing Candle]. I can swear on my Soul that I’ll do this beautifully and get to the bottom of everything."

This time.

The scene was no longer quiet.

In front of Gu Shen, the giant that could at least still stay calm at first slowly opened its lips.

The next moment, it roared in fury.

That familiar line, carried on surging airwaves, washed over Gu Shen’s face.

"Netherworld King!"

"This is what you owe us!!!"