After Gu Jianlin posed this question, the three people opposite him uncharacteristically fell silent.

This squad, without exception, were all members of Ascender Families.

In terms of information, they naturally had the upper hand compared to him.

"Well, it's a long story, and it's something taboo, so I'll make it short."

Cheng Youyu glanced around furtively and said in a sneaky tone, "You might not believe it, but the Little Princess's biological parents—who are the President's son and daughter-in-law—were personally killed by the President himself. Legend has it, it was related to a shift in power within the Ether Association. The President once faced a coup.

"Roughly two months after Vice President Guangming's death, some people tried to do something but ultimately failed. The Little Princess's parents were collateral damage in the process."

He lowered his voice: "I went back and asked my family elder about this. Brother Lin, do you know? Uncle Mu was demoted back then because he was involved in that matter too. However, the President is someone who values talent, so he survived; otherwise, who knows when he would've been done in."

Nie Xiangsi nodded slightly, speaking softly: "My uncle also mentioned this incident. Back then, it wasn't just Uncle Mu involved… most of the Night Watcher Department took part."

Zhang Cheng inhaled sharply: "If you two get killed by the President tomorrow, I'll pretend I don't know you."

Gu Jianlin thought to himself, So that's what happened. "This poor kid doesn't have parents. Truly unfortunate."

The three of them nodded repeatedly: "Yes, while she's detestable, she's also pitiable."

"Indeed. Violence can only make her temporarily submit. To really subdue her, kindness and love are needed."

Gu Jianlin said earnestly.

"Kindness and love?"

"Yes."

Out of nowhere, Gu Jianlin pulled out a folding chair: "This is kindness and love."

The three of them: "…"

"Wait a minute."

Gu Jianlin suddenly realized something: "The thing you mentioned earlier—my dad wasn't involved in that, was he?"

"Of course he was! Professor Gu's name is legendary in the Ether Association. Even the Judgement Court sees him as a thorn in their side because he was just too brilliant," Cheng Youyu said. "At the Sixth Rank, he could already challenge the Holy Land, and he was highly skilled in profiling, capable of deducing true historical facts from remnants of ruins. The key point is, why do you think discerning folks don't believe he fell? Go ask Director Chen, Instructor Wan, or even the Night Watchers."

Zhang Cheng chimed in: "That's because Professor Gu faced Ancient Gods head-on in battle! He fought them directly and didn't get corrupted—how the hell could anything have corrupted him? The Judgement Court are just a bunch of idiots!"

Originally, Nie Xiangsi, being part of the metaphorical "wide-impact area" of their ridicule, would likely have been offended, but she responded seriously: "My uncle and his crew really do seem a bit crazy sometimes… sorry."

What bad luck.

No wonder the Judgement Court now holds absolute power.

If Old Gu hadn't been reckless back then, maybe the path before him would've been much smoother.

Gu Jianlin waved dismissively: "I get it now. The Judgement Court isn't a bunch of lunatics; they're brilliant. The whole 'eliminate the Unclean and the Fallen on sight' policy is just a facade—to get rid of those who threaten their interests. Thanks for the explanation; I've got some things to handle, so I'll take off."

Just then, the darkened base erupted with firecracker sounds!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Fireworks and crackers ignited simultaneously.

The blasts of fire illuminated the seaside base.

A crowd beat drums and gongs, shouting celebratory cheers that pierced the silence of the night.

Among them were nano warriors and investigators.

There were even several Omega Sequence members in the mix.

Zhang Cheng, with his Eagle Eye, immediately spotted a banner in the night: "Warm congratulations on the Absolute Poison King being taken out by the Chair-Killer! A beach party is held to commemorate this historic moment… Holy crap!"

"I knew there'd be a party!"

Cheng Youyu checked his phone: "Hahaha! It's so satisfying today! Ever since the Little Princess got disciplined, both the winners and losers have been laughing hysterically! I'm joining in, hahaha!"

With that, the two of them bolted off.

Nie Xiangsi gave an apologetic smile and left a note before hurrying after them.

Gu Jianlin stood there in silence.

"What kind of sins must one commit for people to set off fireworks to celebrate when they're strung up on a lamppost?"

The parrot cawed from the cage.

Gu Jianlin shook his head, picked up the birdcage, and left.

Before departing, he glanced at a document, his pupils narrowing.

"Earlier, I snooped into my uncle's archive files. There's a record of the mission Uncle Mu carried out seven years ago. Apparently, after descending to the seafloor, they entered the first layer of the Immortal Palace—specifically, the Living Burial Pit. However, since the Dawn Combat Sequence had already explored it once, and a number of people had accidentally entered the Immortal Palace over the years, there's no way to confirm if the clues from back then are intact. Nevertheless, it's still the only lead we have right now."

Staring at the note, Gu Jianlin fell deep into thought.

Now, the question is, what exactly is the Living Burial Pit?

At this moment, a vital realization struck him.

Unlike the others, he had the least understanding of the Qilin Immortal Palace.

Most people had, in one way or another, experienced it through their consciousness.

And many Independent Awakened had even ventured inside physically.

Although Gu Jianlin was also an Independent Traverser, he had been imprisoned by a certain vixen-like creature.

Ridiculous, as he hadn't even gotten the chance to make a proper outing!

In other words, as the Second Generation Qilin Venerable, he knew pathetically little about the Immortal Palace.

Unbelievable!

Ding!

The Deep Space Network pinged with a notification: "Dear Omega Sequence member, the second-team training will commence this Thursday at 2 PM in the first layer of the Qilin Immortal Palace. Please prepare accordingly and do not miss it."

Seeing this message, Gu Jianlin felt reassured.

He had already proven his strength,

and with this battle, firmly secured his place in the second tier.

What he needed to focus on next was continuing to "be kind to others" by using goodness and love to convert his adversaries.

His ultimate goal: to become the strongest Omega Sequence of his generation.

Time was running out. Waiting for the next opportunity wasn't an option.

He had to acquire the Ghost Valley Secret Treasure and uncover the Qilin Immortal Palace's hidden truth.

"I have a hunch that both Old Gu and Uncle Mu, and even Fu Qingxuan and his son, might have issues tied to the Nightmare Master. But still, how could a mere Nightmare Master have such far-reaching influence?"

The Soul Comforting Bell that Gu Jianlin carried still held a spirit.

Hasegawa Shinichi.

Time to interrogate him upon returning.

Gu Jianlin packed up and left the empty library.

The exhilarating seaside breeze hit him as radiant fireworks bloomed in the night sky.

Everything seemed to be steadily moving in the right direction.

Gu Jianlin felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation.

That was when a thought popped into his head.

Now that the naughty Little Princess had been subdued, this battle had gone viral, pinned at the top of the forum.

His infamy should've improved a bit by now.

Spreading goodness and eradicating evil!

Pure, unadulterated goodness!

However, just then, a young mother carrying her toddler walked by.

"Stop crying! Your dad is still on duty and can't come back to deal with your tantrums. Look around—you're here by the seaside, enjoying the breeze and fireworks. Everyone here is an Ascender; this is the safest, happiest place in the world."

She paused momentarily: "Don't push me to spank you!"

The toddler continued bawling uncontrollably: "I don't care, I don't care—I want my dad!"

Having no other choice, the mother angrily said, "If you keep crying, I'll summon the Chair-Killer to blow your head off! Even the Little Princess got punished by him—what chance do you stand?"

The toddler instantly fell silent.

The sea breeze howled.

"..."

Gu Jianlin stood there wordlessly, his hair tousled by the wind.

How did things come to this?

"Be kind to others,"

the parrot sighed. "Always remember to be kind."

·

·

At 11:30 PM, Gu Jianlin originally wanted to find an apartment to get some rest.

However, most of the apartments were already fully occupied.

His own apartment had been destroyed, leaving only the neighboring unit empty.

The problem was, the Little Princess continued to hang from the lamppost defiantly. Even after being so tormented, her donkey-like cries still disturbed the entire neighborhood.

Every time Gu Jianlin tried to meditate in his apartment nearby, her wailing would interrupt him.

Lights were turning on in every surrounding unit, as residents were all visibly irritated and restless.

But releasing her? Clearly not an option.

Setting aside the deterrent of the Golden Phoenix Feather.

If they released the Little Princess now, she might blow the entire base sky-high.

Grabbing the folding chair, Gu Jianlin headed downstairs.

However, the moment he descended, the crying ceased.

Ji Xiaoyu hung from the lamppost, flailing and making guttural noises, glaring at him fiercely.

Gu Jianlin locked eyes with her for a few seconds before turning back upstairs.

The moment he went upstairs, her donkey-like cries resumed once more.

Gu Jianlin descended again, and the cries abruptly halted.

For some reason, he suddenly felt a strong sense of déjà vu.

He could somehow empathize with how the Candle Dragon Venerable might have felt, watching him repeatedly bounce back and forth between the Immortal Palace and reality back then.

Fine.

If he couldn't outmatch her, he'd just avoid her.

It's not like he had to stay at the base.

After all, his residential area was only fifteen minutes away, and with a supercar, the round trip was even faster.

Gu Jianlin made a call, waking up Lin Wanqiu, who had been snuggled up for her beauty sleep.

Since he didn't have a driver's license, he urgently needed a chauffeur.

Despite being annoyed by the interruption, Lin Wanqiu's irritation quickly melted away when she saw the call was from him. She did a swift "face-change" like a Sichuan opera master, got ready in an instant, and drove him home.

Late at night, the roads were relatively empty, as is common in northern cities.

Once it's past 10:30 PM, the streets are practically deserted.

It's a different vibe in many parts of the south, where younger crowds fill the streets until the early hours.

"Do you need me to walk you upstairs?"

Asked Lin Wanqiu from the driver's seat, her smile radiant and goddess-like.

Gu Jianlin shook his head: "No need, thank you."

He grabbed his birdcage and headed upstairs.

The lights in the home were dark; the girl had likely already left.

Butcher had once mentioned how unpredictable Moon Princess could be. No one ever knew what she was doing from day to day.

However, the moment he turned the key to his door, the room snapped to life with bright lighting.

"Still remember you live here?"

The living room lit up, revealing Moon Princess sprawled across the couch in a red spaghetti-strap nightgown. She glared at him, annoyance etched on her face. "I thought some vixen had already ensnared you."

Gu Jianlin looked utterly baffled.

[PS: This book debuts exclusively on the Qidian Reading App. See you tomorrow night at 8:30 PM. Transition chapter.]