Light Fortress
Chapter 558 - 133 Bell Ringer

Chapter 558: Chapter 133 Bell Ringer

Everyone in Snow Forbidden City knew.

Zhu Wang’s greatest wish in life was to become a "Grand Judge," and everything he had done over the past twenty years was aimed at achieving that ultimate goal.

However.

For all those years, there had always been someone at the summit, firmly holding him down.

But a year ago, he finally achieved his greatest "heart’s desire."

He had finally become the Grand Judge of the Judgement Institute.

Although... it was only "temporary."

Since taking office, Changye’s Judgement Institute had been tightly controlled by his iron-fist, solidifying into a single block. In fact, Zhu Wang had been able to sit in the political center of Changye for twenty years precisely because he excelled at "networking." The major forces within Changye joined together, ensuring he had a place in the council and could form a balancing force against "Mr. Shu."

No one liked a "unrestrained" Titled powerhouse.

Under the system of the three Institutes, the big shots preferred to sit down together and agree upon the rules.

So Mr. Shu was destined to roam the East Continent.

After Zhu Wang took office, he immediately deployed his greatest strength to push for the proposal to add a Grand Judge office, a proposal that was actually for his own consideration... If Zhou Jiren ever "returned in triumph" from the Moon City Fortress, then no matter whether he really discovered the so-called "Old World Route" or not, the contribution and merit he made to the human world were incomparable to his own.

In that case.

He would have no chance of holding onto the Grand Judge position.

Therefore, he needed the council to add an another Grand Judge!

But that was no easy task.

First of all... The reason he had become the current Grand Judge was not because the previous one resigned or died, but because of force majeure, a sudden situation, that led to the selection of a "temporary" replacement to take over, granting him the highest authority of the Judgement Institute.

But if the proposal passed, it would mean that the council agreed with Zhu Wang’s suggestion.

The Judgement Institute would need two Grand Judges.

What if... Zhou Jiren never came back?

Then, besides Zhu Wang, would they need to find another "temporary Grand Judge"?

Of course, Zhu Wang’s proposal took into account various possibilities for the council, and he strongly recommended his favored apprentice Han Dang.

Han Dang, who was only one step away from being "Titled," did not possess the strength to sit in the position of Grand Judge.

But he certainly was the one closest to that position.

Bai Chen, before being Titled, had already served as the "Acting Grand Judge" of the prison institute; this was considered a form of encouragement, as well as a signal... This case set a precedent; it’s just that Zhu Wang’s proposal was too purpose-driven, and the council had not given a response.

Everyone was waiting for news of Zhou Jiren.

A year went by.

The enchanting realm of Moon City continued to expand, nearly reaching the city walls, causing the rust-boned Fourth Legion to retreat time and again... It seemed that the patience of the North Continent was running out. If Her Majesty the Empress took action to crush the enchanting realm, and Zhou Jiren was still without news, perhaps the council would consider reshuffling the interior of the Judgement Institute.

At that time, the Judgement Institute would need a strong "leader."

And Zhu Wang was the prime candidate.

As payback for the support... the chances of his proposal passing would greatly increase.

Yet no one knew.

That beneath Zhu Wang’s seemingly "perfect" proposal, there was actually a very big problem.

That is, the state of his "protege" Han Dang’s cultivation had been getting worse over the year.

To become "Titled," it would probably take a very, very long time.

...

...

"Crack!"

The mirror in the washroom was smashed with a heavy punch.

Han Dang looked at his fragmented reflection in the mirror, one hand covering his forehead, his delicate and handsome face gradually twisting into a grimace... The Spiritual Seed of "Heaven’s Eye" kept erupting over and over.

The more he tried to resist,

the deeper he sank into the mire.

The truth was... the hypnosis of this Spirit Seed was not that powerful.

When Luo Er applied the hypnosis, he only hoped Han Dang would feel remorse for his actions.

The most painful thing in the world is not weakness.

It’s "not being strong enough."

If Han Dang had been too weak, too far away from "Heaven’s Eye," then he would never have even noticed the Spirit Seed’s presence. He would have obediently followed the hypnotic sound of the Seed, feeling guilt and remorse from the depths of his heart, and then the Hypnosis Seed would dissipate on its own.

As if... nothing had ever happened.

Everything would vanish like smoke into thin air.

But the problem was that he had strength, yet it was not enough.

So he became aware of the hypnosis guiding him to "guilt," constantly resisting, constantly failing.

This was the true source of pain.

Over the past year.

Han Dang’s spirit was tortured to the verge of collapse... He tried many methods, even sought out a Spiritual Titled expert of the East Continent, but the responses he received were unanimous.

They could not remove the Seed.

The bell’s ringer must untie the bell.

Either "Heaven’s Eye" itself must come to lift the hypnosis,

or... the Caster’s power far exceeds "Heaven’s Eye."

But where could he find such a person?

Broken pieces of mirror in the bathroom slowly restored themselves, sticking together, reassembling into one complete mirror... The throbbing pain in his mind receded like the tide, and Han Dang stared at the face in the mirror that was breathing heavily, feeling an oddly calm sensation in his heart.

Sometimes, he felt like fate was mocking him.

The pain he experienced seemed to be prearranged by the heavens a long time ago.

If "Heaven’s Eye" had not disappeared in the Moon City Fortress... then the continuous mental torture he had undergone this past year would have probably made him lower his proud head to search for that sole "bell ringer" to release the hypnosis.