Chapter 1 The Top of Little Barren Mountain

The memorial service concluded.

Lu Nanzhi was surrounded by many people. The Eastern Continent Council was currently facing enormous external pressure... Fortunately, Huazhi and Nanwan had confirmed their alliance, and today was a rare day when both councilors were present.

"About the bill... let's stop here for today..."

Madam caught sight of a figure arriving and quickly beckoned, "Gu Shen... you've come at the right time."

Gu Shen's name was now quite well-known in the Great Capital.

The Tribunal's famous S-Class.

The rising star of the Eastern Continent.

Besides... since this young man arrived in the Great Capital District, several major cases had occurred, all inextricably linked to him. A simple review of the case files would reveal that this was a name that appeared with considerable frequency in supernatural cases in the Great Capital.

The Fog Incident on Yuandan Street, the Zhou Yu case, the Free Auditorium incident... the exposure, defeat, and clearing out of the Everlasting Foundation, and the Apostle assassination that caused a huge shock not long ago... this young man had participated in all of them.

And, he had made significant contributions.

This was even with Zhou Jiren and Gu Zhi suppressing the Free Auditorium case... such achievements were already astonishing. It was hard to imagine that this was just a newcomer who had awakened his supernatural ability for only half a year.

As Gu Shen's name spread among the surrounding crowd, people subconsciously made way for him and carefully observed the appearance of this "genius"... This rumored S-Class looked quite handsome, but he was neither tall nor burly, just exuded a restrained aura, like a newly lit flame, not dazzling, but full of power.

Earlier during the memorial.

Gu Shen did not directly mourn in the crowd.

The Tribunal needed to maintain order at the scene... He stood in the most remote corner of the mountaintop, so no one noticed this "shining star."

The young man walked through the scrutinizing gazes with neither humility nor arrogance, and came to Madam's side... Indeed, if Madam hadn't mentioned it, just walking in the crowd like that, his was not a face that would attract much attention.

"It's getting late, take me away from here..."

Lu Nanzhi said in a low voice.

"Sorry, everyone... I still have important matters to attend to." At the same time, she raised her voice a little, slightly apologetic, and said to Chen San, "Thank you for your hard work, I'll have to trouble you with things here."

"You're welcome."

Chen San smiled and said, "Everyone... let's continue our previous topic... about the future development of the Great Capital District economic community..."

Gu Shen stood in front of the crowd, clearing the way for Madam.

The two left together.

...

...

"Actually, I don't like dealing with these kinds of situations..."

Lu Nanzhi sat in the car and said softly, "Old Lu didn't like crowds, this was supposed to be a quiet memorial service..."

Zhao Xilai's original intention in burying himself on this Little Barren Mountain was to die quietly, like Lu Cheng.

Just like he gave up his struggle with Lu Nanzhi.

Life's events were like fleeting clouds.

After closing his eyes, everything would dissipate.

Unfortunately, the change of ownership of Huazhi was too big, and the news spread too fast, so that the memorial service eventually turned into this...

How ironic.

Gu Shen recalled half an hour ago when he saw someone at the ceremony wiping away tears with his sleeve, looking very sad. It seemed genuine, but he wondered if they could squeeze out this tear when attending their own parents' funeral.

"It doesn't matter... anyway, they won't come here again after today."

In the back seat of the extended car, two other people were already sitting.

Lu Nanjin, who had come down the mountain early and closed her eyes to rest in the car for a while, spoke quietly at this moment.

Gu Nanfeng, holding a wooden sword, looked at the scenery outside the car window and said softly with emotion, "That's not necessarily true... If I live in the Great Capital for a long time, I will definitely come often. Besides visiting those two, the scenery of this little mountain is actually quite good."

After the winter rain.

The mountain was bleak.

There was no scenery to speak of... but its advantage was its genuineness. Although the north wind was bleak, it was at least a "real mountain." The artificial rockeries in the Great Capital District, evergreen all year round, with winding streams, were too perfect and flawless, making them seem fake.

Real mountains and fake mountains, real people and fake people, just like the bleak wind in the coming of the dead of winter, or that tear at the memorial service... no matter how well disguised, in the end, one cannot deceive oneself.

"There is only one Gu Nanfeng in this world."

Gu Shen also looked out the window and said lightly, "Most of these people will not come here again... They didn't come for the mountain scenery, nor did they come for the memorial, so they can't see this kind of scenery."

If there were no accidents... after the two councilors left.

Little Barren Mountain would still be Little Barren Mountain.

Here stood two lonely but interdependent wooden monuments, exposed to wind, sun, frost, and snow. For those who attended the funeral without any heartfelt mourning... the world had not changed, only one "once great" soul was missing.

In fact, for those who sincerely mourned, nothing had changed either... only the world had gained a "once great" soul.

"Madam Lu... I plan to leave for Nagano tomorrow."

Gu Nanfeng hesitated for a moment and finally spoke.

Lu Nanjin slowly opened her eyes and said softly, "I will go with you too."

Lu Nanzhi nodded without any surprise.

In the past few days, Nanjin had found Gu Nanfeng dozens of times under the pretext of "sparring with swordsmanship", each time demanding that he go all out... The result goes without saying, the swordsmanship levels of the two users of the *Lanqie* were vastly different.

A wooden sword shattering a steel sword.

It only took one move.

And Lu Nanjin fought repeatedly despite repeated defeats. Her intention to spar with Gu Nanfeng was very obvious... She actually just wanted to go to Nagano together to hone her swordsmanship.

And this young master of the Gu family agreed very readily.

This was the reason he stayed in the Great Capital District—

After Master Zhao passed away, he patiently waited for the handover ceremony of the alternate councilors to be completed.

He was waiting for Lu Nanzhi to officially become a councilor of the Great Capital District, and then take over the Huazhi Building.

"Having spent these days together, I believe Madam already knows Gu's character, temperament, and sincerity." Gu Nanfeng spoke very reservedly.

From the day he arrived in the Great Capital, he had been "giving."

That Divine Throne token.

And the life-saving slash that turned the tide in the Apostle War.

It was enough to make Lu Nanzhi believe that this was an ally she could rely on.

"Indeed." Lu Nanzhi waited patiently for the rest.

"This trip to Nagano... is not easy." Gu Nanfeng said softly, "The factional struggles in Nagano City are no less intense than in the Great Capital. If I return home, I will definitely break the balance."

"So... you need some help." Lu Nanjin smiled.

Having said that, Gu Nanfeng no longer hid anything. He smiled and said, "I hope to ask Madam for a person."

"Gu Shen?" Madam narrowed her phoenix eyes.

"Little Gu must come... the tombkeeper master wants to see him by name." Gu Nanfeng smiled, "But the person I want to ask from Madam is..."

He said seriously, "The tomb ghoul, Xing Yun."