Sleeping all the way into the latter half of the afternoon, Su Chen finally managed to wake up. Having gulped down nutrient fluid right before sleeping, he fundamentally felt bursting with energy at this moment.
His first action was to have Number Zero summarize the news.
As a result, he learned that the announcement regarding the ranking system had only been issued a short while ago, and all factions were currently in the midst of adapting to it.
Washing his face, Su Chen enthusiastically entered the gravity room once more.
"...Training to the point of complete exhaustion significantly extends the required resting time, ultimately resulting in more wasted time. Since I figured out my limits yesterday, I should decrease the intensity a bit today..."
"I wonder if there are any professions capable of rapidly recovering energy..."
......
Simultaneously, in another villa located not far away from here, Chu Yunze and the others had congregated together.
Compared to their lofty ambitions and grand aspirations upon first entering the Adjudication Court, they had already been beaten utterly dizzy by Chong Jingtian's combo routine.
"A challenge system..." While Chu Yunze smiled bitterly, a peculiar light faintly flickered within his eyes. "Our Chief Inquisitor truly possesses quite an abundance of methods."
"Rankings... Rankings..." Chu Xuan stared coldly at the virtual screen before him. Displayed upon it were six individuals lined up in sequence.
"For the time being, they are merely ranked according to our tiers. There's no need to pay it too much mind," Chu Yunze reminded him.
"Since it is based on tiers, why is Su Chen placed above me?" Chu Xuan looked at the very last person; it was precisely himself, while Su Chen was in fifth place.
"Uh..." Chu Yunze froze, muttering covertly in his heart: Are you truly not clear about the reason?
Of course, Chu Xuan was clear, which was precisely why his expression was so unsightly. This guy had practically become his inner demon. For the past two days, his dreams were filled exclusively with the moment Su Chen blasted the evaluation Inquisitors away, revealing his talent.
"You can only officially join the challenge rankings upon becoming a third-tier professional. There is no rush," Chu Yunze consoled him.
"Which means to say, before that happens, I will continuously be suppressed by him constantly." Chu Xuan's train of thought was peculiar, as he gnashed his teeth: "I want to switch my advancement profession. I will advance to [Night Butcher]!"
Chu Yunze's expression changed slightly. "That is a third-tier top-tier profession! Your accumulation is insufficient; the danger is far too high!"
"No, I must advance to it!" Chu Xuan's expression was chilling. He knew of Su Chen's formidable strength as well. If he merely advanced to a third-tier upper-tier methodically, step-by-step, he still wouldn't be Su Chen's match.
Furthermore, he also knew that the moment this challenge ranking system was introduced, the second he advanced to the third tier, awaiting him would inevitably be a swarm of Inner Court Seeds with green eyes.
"Why go this far?" Chu Yunze couldn't help but ask. Even if he failed to become the Chief Inquisitor, with Chu Xuan's talent, the baseline was still becoming a standard Chief Inquisitor.
But if he risked his life to advance to a third-tier top-tier profession and perished midway, everything would be finished.
"If you regret following me, you are welcome to leave." Tossing down a single sentence, Chu Xuan headed down to the basement.
Chu Yunze looked around. Aside from Meng Qi, who wore an utterly bewildered expression, everyone else's expressions varied. He breathed out a deep sigh.
Their unity had dispersed.
.........
While the winds and clouds shifted unceasingly within the Adjudication Court, the outside world wasn't idle either, as the chain reactions triggered by the eradication of the Pang family continued to ripple outwards.
Some exceptionally observant Inquisitors noticed a sharp increase in the number of Supervision Guards patrolling near the headquarters. Every single time a Supervision Guard saw those Inquisitors, they would stare maliciously, practically wishing they could eat them alive.
In the dark, a specific group of people had congregated due to the eradication of the Pang family.
In the basement of a certain building, intricate, densely packed symbols carved into the walls flickered with faint light from time to time. Located in the center were several figures.
Among them were someone with a face covered in jet-black patterns and a black vertical slit eye atop their head; someone with an ashen-yellow face devoid of any facial features; and a guy possessing scarlet-red pupils.
"The Pang family has been eradicated. Yingfeng has already taken notice of our covert operations."
"Exactly what happened? Extinguished without a single warning sign; how could they just be eradicated?"
"Who knows what kind of sudden stroke hit Black Buddha's side. They insisted on making a move against Xia Hanshi's student, that Core Seed of the Adjudication Court. Perhaps that was what attracted their attention..."
Raising his head, the believer of Black Buddha suppressed his urge to correct the other party's form of address, stating in a deep voice: "The invitation was sent on the first day, and the family was eradicated the very next day. No matter how fast they were, it is impossible to be this fast. Yingfeng clearly possessed preparations long ago; it has nothing to do with that Su Chen."
"Regardless, we must inform those outside that operations need to be accelerated. Additionally, Black Buddha's Divine Blood was also lost. What should we do regarding the plan to corrupt Wei Yinshuo..."
"I will recover it," the Black Buddha believer stated solemnly. This wasn't merely because of the plan, but even more so because the loss of the Divine Blood was an act of blasphemy.
"Not many people took action that night. If we investigate them one by one, we will eventually discover clues."
"If you guys want to court death, do not drag us into it. Are you afraid that Yingfeng won't discover us?" The other Evil God believers launched a unified offensive simultaneously. "The plan has yet to be completed!"
"Our operations within Yingfeng City are also meant to draw attention away from the outside. Move cautiously. As for the low-tier Adjudication Guards, a minor bewitchment is all it takes to make them spill everything. Start with them first."
“Furthermore, regardless of whether we want this outcome or not, from here onward, Yingfeng will absolutely commence large-scale screening operations both openly and covertly. Instead of sitting around waiting to die, we might as well take the initiative to strike.”
The numerous Evil God believers fell into deep contemplation. They did not fear death; they only feared a death devoid of value.
Very quickly, they ultimately agreed with the believer of Black Buddha's thoughts.
"Then let's do it like this. Find some things for Yingfeng to occupy themselves with."
......
Training deep into the night once more, the gravity room buzzed open. Su Chen's lean and muscular body was slathered in sweat, refracting the surrounding light.
"Holy fuck!"
The moment he stepped out, he jumped in massive fright. A hunched figure was standing sinisterly within the shadows.
"Teacher?"
Looking closely, only then did Su Chen recognize that this was Xia Hanshi. He couldn't help but complain: "You are truly far too terrifying. At least make some sound."
"Such minuscule courage." Xia Hanshi shot him a glance.
With an aura like yours, while standing within the shadows, who wouldn't be afraid? Su Chen muttered in his heart, though on the surface he merely chuckled.
"In a couple of days, I will be leaving Yingfeng." Xia Hanshi turned to head upstairs.
"What happened?" Su Chen's expression froze, inexplicably thinking of Yuan Chenyang.
"A multitude of things were uncovered from the Pang family. A major incident is brewing, one even more massive than we anticipated. At least five Evil Gods are collaborating," Xia Hanshi's expression was grave.
"The matters they planned have been progressing for at least two to three years. Only recently, when their movements grew too massive, did we finally discover them."
Ultimately, being isolated by the mist resulted in lacking and unsmooth communication between the cities; the impact was simply far too immense.
"Five Evil Gods?" Even Su Chen jumped in fright. Putting aside everything else, merely forcefully summoning their vessels simultaneously was enough to give Yingfeng a massive headache.
Simultaneously, he also thought of the information regarding the "Blood Sacrifice of Ten Cities".
"Where are you preparing to head to?" Su Chen couldn't help but inquire.
"There are a few confirmed locations, but I don't wish to visit any of them..."
Arriving on the first floor, Xia Hanshi suddenly drew his steps to a halt.
"What do you mean?" Su Chen only saw the old man turn around. His deeply sunken eyes stared completely straight at him; it was horrifyingly creepy.
"Therefore, I wanted to seek an opinion from a certain person." Xia Hanshi revealed an unsightly smile. "That person with a heart overflowing with righteousness."
Su Chen's expression shifted slightly. He had no clue exactly what kind of thoughts Xia Hanshi harbored; it could be a probing strike whether there was a goal or not.
Or perhaps the incident regarding the Pang family sparked profound suspicions within him, even allowing him to guess that Black Buddha's investments within Nanfeng City were strictly targeted at Su Chen.
The message he left for him back then definitely didn't mention anything about a person "with a heart overflowing with righteousness".
This sudden sneak attack did indeed startle him, but fright was merely fright, he didn't panic.
Su Chen firmly believed that a certain degree of tacit understanding and trust existed between himself and Old Xia.
"Actually, he truly did send me a letter." Su Chen walked over to the coffee table at the side, simply sliding open a drawer to retrieve an envelope.
Su Chen naturally intended to inform Old Xia about the blood sacrifice from the start; the letter had been prepared long since.
Xia Hanshi's gaze abruptly turned profound, mixed with traces of bewildered astonishment. This... couldn't be some kind of innate prophetic profession, right?
Flicking his finger casually, the letter floated over. Upon opening it, it was still filled with disgust: "Such utterly atrocious handwriting. Will he not practice an inkling bit?"
Su Chen harbored severe suspicions that this old man was using public office to avenge private grudges.
Yet upon taking a closer look at the contents within, Xia Hanshi's expression slowly restrained, his bewildered astonishment growing increasingly severe.
"...White Crane City, Zixiao City, Biyue City... There might be Evil God activities. The information gathered from the Pang family only pointed to several general vicinities. This guy actually knows the specific cities, and even pinpointed exactly what might occur."
"He couldn't possibly possess precognition, right?" Xia Hanshi asked tentatively.
As long as someone wasn't affiliated with the Evil God Cults, and didn't attempt to stop him from exterminating the Evil God Cults, his tolerance toward a great multitude of things was actually extremely high. If someone could assist him in exterminating the Evil God Cults, then that would be for the best.
There were a few cities listed on this letter that perfectly matched the information gathered from the Pang family, filling him with even greater curiosity.
However, this kid Su Chen's vigilance was far too high. If a total showdown was initiated, he feared it might backfire.
"I don't know, possibly." Su Chen remained ambiguous; he truly had no way of explaining these matters.
Right now, he wasn't overly afraid of Xia Hanshi getting to the bottom of the matter. At worst, he would simply act ignorant to every single question raised. Besides, the information was accurate anyway.
Furthermore, his identity as a Core Seed, in a certain sense, made it not that simple for Xia Hanshi to make a move against him even if he wanted to.
Moreover, Old Xia still had matters that required him in the future.
Consolidating all these various reasons, this was precisely the crucial foundation emboldening him to play riddles.
"I understand." Xia Hanshi pondered for a moment, not pursuing the inquiry further. Changing the subject, he said: "Quite a number of Chief Inquisitors are leaving this time. Wei Yinshuo is currently among them; you can rest at ease."
That guy is leaving too?
Only then did Su Chen truly breathe a sigh of relief. On the surface, the only person harboring hostility toward him and with an ability he found difficult to resist against was currently Wei Yinshuo alone.
"For small troubles, seek Bu Siqi. For slightly heavier troubles, seek Teng Liang. If the trouble surpasses that, then go seek out Chong Jingtian." Xia Hanshi stored the envelope away before advising deeply:
"As for this challenge ranking system, there is no need to pay it too much mind. Those guys possess abundant experience, so facing defeat is extremely normal. Over something as minor as this, absolutely do not risk advancing to a third-tier top-tier profession."
To think Old Xia actually knew how to console people. Startled, Su Chen knew that in truth, he had never genuinely placed any heavy emphasis upon this so-called challenge ranking system.
Perceiving the astonishment in Su Chen's eyes, Xia Hanshi snorted coldly before departing.
"A major incident requiring the entirety of Yingfeng to treat with the utmost caution... A blood sacrifice..." Seeing Xia Hanshi off, Su Chen's expression turned extremely heavy as well. He could only place his hopes on Yingfeng being able to strangle the threat in its cradle.
He inevitably felt a sense of urgency surging within him, but elevating one's strength wasn't something that could be achieved overnight. Gulping down a vial of nutrient fluid, he headed to rest.
However, the changes spawned by the Adjudication Court's internal reforms were far more rapid than Su Chen had anticipated.
On the very next day, someone challenged the Core Seed ranked number three—Fang Yan.
It wasn't a person from his own camp, but originated from the subordinates of another Core Seed.
Driven by curiosity, Su Chen also went to observe the so-called Challenger's Arena. Positioned within a specialized venue, it occupied a substantial area. The base was exceedingly thick and heavy, leaning overall towards black. It was unknown what kind of materials were utilized to forge it.
On that day, an immense crowd congregated. Bearing an utterly unsightly expression, Fang Yan accepted the challenge.
The challenger was third-tier. The moment Fang Yan stepped onto the arena, he was immediately suppressed to the third tier, his aura withering away significantly.
Locked in a bitter struggle for over twenty minutes, Fang Yan finally emerged victorious. Yet as he walked away, his expression remained extremely unsightly.
He was the first Core Seed to be challenged. This was equivalent to an outward declaration indicating that someone believed he was very weak.
"It's only to this degree? Exerting all his efforts for over twenty minutes purely to grasp a victory... Far inferior to that Su Chen from this year's evaluations..."
Hearing someone mention his name, Su Chen glanced over his shoulder. The other party actually flashed him a friendly and amiable smile, clearly having recognized him to purposefully speak in such a manner.
"Indeed, fighting tooth and nail for over twenty minutes, and even nearly overturning the car."
Battling on equal tiers, the filter placed upon Core Seeds had ultimately been shattered. Many people birthed the notion that Core Seeds were nothing more than so-so. As this notion continued to spread, the number of people stepping forward to strike would only increase.
"Looking lively... I truly wonder who will temporarily snatch the position of Chief Seed."
For the time being, these affairs were of no concern to him. After watching the excitement, Su Chen returned to continue his training.
Over the following few days, excluding him and Chu Xuan, the two Core Seeds temporarily excluded from the rankings, the other four Core Seeds were comprehensively challenged.
Without exception, all of them successfully safeguarded their positions. Yet the most agonizing battle amongst them actually lasted for a total of forty arduous minutes.
The fastest amongst them was Ming Lin, clenching a victory within a mere ten-odd minutes.
Consequently, immersed within this increasingly scorching atmosphere, more than half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
The gravity room hissed open and Su Chen walked out, his breathing still rather rapid. As usual, he checked his panel——
【Wind and Thunder Adept: 65%】
【Psionic Adept: 70%】
【E-rank Thunder Brilliance Body Forging Method —— Proficient: 30%】
【E-rank Heart-Burning Meditation Method —— Proficient: 55%】
Because his talent had been elevated, coupled with the piling up of multiple robust abilities, his current training speed was even faster than the initial half of his professional development.
Checking the time, it was already 7 AM in the morning. He had purposely refrained from training for too long today.
"Mm... that deciphering basically ought to be finished today." Showering and changing clothes, Su Chen mused, "I wonder if I can exchange it for Weapon Nurturer."
During this period of time, he hadn't merely devoted himself to single-minded training. He took a trip to the Class Decoding Department to assist in deciphering the Saint Word Stone every two or three days. Under his deliberate control, the intervals between his resonances with the Saint Word Stone had visibly prolonged.
"Are you..."
The moment he opened the door, Su Chen saw a guy with his back facing him, currently standing at the bottom of the steps.
"Finally caught you." The other party turned around. His pair of exceedingly black eyebrows drooped downwards; his entire face looked exactly like the '囧' character.
"He Kang?" Su Chen called out his name right out of the gate. This was one of the Inner Court Seeds, bearing an innate Red Gold talent.
During this period of time, Su Chen had already practically memorized everyone with a notable name within the Adjudication Court.
But to be able to call out his name right away was fundamentally due to those iconic "囧" eyebrows.
"Just as I expected..." He Kang smiled bitterly, which caused his face to resemble the '囧' character even further. "Everyone can recognize me at first glance, even an individual like yourself, a reclusive Core Seed residing deep within his quarters."
Recently, the Inner Court had been extraordinarily lively; the Core Seeds would clash in a battle every two or three days. Yet none of these events involved Su Chen. Furthermore, he had yet to reach the requisite stage to participate in the challenge system, meaning observing him in the outside world was nearly an impossibility.
This kind of comical face inherently possessed a sense of amiability. Su Chen smiled, asking: "Why is Senior Brother He standing by my door?"
"I've already been standing here for more than half the day." He Kang pointed to the 'Do Not Disturb' violently hung on Su Chen's door.
(End of this chapter)