Chapter 1 After Leaving the Li Clan Hall

Chu Ling's voice sounded.

"For all these years, Qing Sui has been taking care of Shrine Mountain."

Gu Shen paused.

After Li Qingci's death, Shrine Mountain no longer had a protector... but after all, this was an important place for the Li Clan, and it was always inconvenient to hand it over to outsiders. So Li Qingsui often came here herself. Only half of the black flowers covering the mountains and fields could be cleaned up. After the appearance of the Goddess, this area would not experience the backlash of originium reversal. Therefore, the small white flowers in the flower garden were well protected.

"She has also kept my secret."

Chu Ling said, "Qing Sui has changed a lot in the past few years."

"I can see that."

Gu Shen said with relief, "She deserves the title of Li Clan Head."

Back when Li Quhu was seriously ill, he had entrusted Gu Shen to take good care of the little girl. Now it seems that although he had failed in his duty, the final result was good.

...

...

The Snow Forbidden City's party tonight was very lively.

Because of the merger, the relationship between the two continents was unprecedentedly close, and many important figures were present.

This kind of high-level banquet was very strictly managed, and no one without an invitation was allowed in.

But for the current Gu Shen... this so-called "management" was just a formality.

He had the [Cloak of Invisibility]. With his spirit deliberately concealed, none of the titled ones in Changye could detect his arrival.

Gu Shen sat in a corner of the party, watching the "celebrities and nobles" chat with each other.

He disguised himself as an inconspicuous character, so that he wouldn't be mistaken for a waiter, nor would he be noticed.

He had come this time just to see his old friends.

Gong Zi had successfully inherited the position of Clan Head, and the Gong family was also responsible for a very important part of the merger project. The Northern Continent established a new Duke, but the titles of "Casting Snow" and "Forging Sun" remained strong.

Gong Zi and the Grand Duke of Forging Sun were on intimate terms.

Years ago, the Gong family and the Grand Duke of Forging Sun had a "marriage agreement," which troubled Gong Zi for many years. In the end, he used the excuse of traveling north to break off the engagement.

The matter had many twists and turns, but fortunately, the final result was good.

The children of both sides didn't like each other, and the marriage contract was peacefully terminated... but the relationship between the two families didn't break down because of this.

Because of his daughter's willfulness, the Grand Duke of Forging Sun had always felt guilty, feeling that he owed the Gong family. So this time, the Grand Duke of Forging Sun personally came forward to help the Gong family connect and solve many troubles.

This party was very important, and the Grand Duke of Forging Sun personally came to meet this Gong Clan Head whom he hadn't seen for a long time.

The two talked very happily.

On the other side, Mu Qingyang was chatting intimately with a strange person with a fishbowl on his head.

Gu Shen recognized Fisher at a glance.

There was no other reason.

Fisher's image was really too eye-catching.

Fisher had been stuck on the "Domain Unification" step for the past six years... it wasn't that he wasn't talented enough, but that the title step was indeed too difficult. The more gifted a person was, the more powerful the domain they comprehended, and the more difficult it was to "unify."

However, although [Living Fish] was stuck at Tier 4.

It wasn't without progress.

This party was full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Gu Shen didn't dare to release [Blazing Fire], so he could only make a simple estimate... He felt that Fisher had probably reached the level of "Tier 4 Transcendent Realm." Although he hadn't successfully unified, he had still completed a very remarkable breakthrough.

He heard that Captain Lu Zhe had been promoted to titled, and Xiao Qiu had also completed her promotion.

In this way.

The Northern Continent really needed a "Tier 4 Transcendent Realm."

Gu Shen had met Zhong Yuan in the Ice Sea... The strength of this Second Team Captain was certainly strong, but he was still a bit short of the "Tier 4 Transcendent Realm." It seemed that the Northern Continent wouldn't have let Lu Zhe and Mu Wanqiu advance so easily without a "Tier 4 Transcendent Realm."

If he guessed correctly.

The "Tier 4 Transcendent Realm" that the Northern Continent was hiding under the table was Fisher!

On the other side, Mu Qingyang's realm had also greatly improved.

This guy had successfully comprehended the second domain, and the next stage was "unification."

In terms of talent, Mu Qingyang had never been the top-tier kind of genius, but he must be the most hardworking and stable kind of genius. Once he identified a direction, he would never retreat, and he could really risk his life when encountering problems.

It was easier for this kind of person to become titled than for those geniuses who had smoothly advanced all the way.

The Mu Clan Head's decision to place the Mu family's future on Mu Qingyang, a non-direct descendant of the Jiu Ning District, was actually a very wise choice.

Before his death, Gu Shen had finalized two important candidates to be responsible for the merger plan.

Li Qingsui, Mu Qingyang.

Although the "Five Great Families" of Changye were all giants, there were also strengths and weaknesses among them.

The Gu and Bai families didn't need to be mentioned, as they were each in a league of their own.

The Gong family had consolidated its position through its alliance with the Grand Duke of Forging Sun.

The weakest of the remaining families were the Li and Mu families.

Because of the will of the two Thrones, the merger was facilitated, and the selection of people for these two important positions directly revitalized the Li and Mu families. It could be said that the protagonists of tonight's party were Li Qingsui and Mu Qingyang.

...

...

Gu Shen didn't listen to the details of the merger plan.

He knew that Mu Qingyang was looking for Fisher to discuss the joint development of the latest originium energy boat. The Flower Banner side had already mastered relatively complete originium energy boat technology. This was a huge project costing countless resources. The Underground Research Institute and half of the Flower Banner Group's assets were bet on it. If a war broke out between the continents in the future, this was necessary to counter the Sky Citadel's cloudship fleet!

As for Li Qingsui's side, there were even more things to handle.

Tonight's party, for those "entrants," was about discussing cooperation and the future.

But for Gu Shen.

It was just about seeing old friends.

Seeing that these old friends from the past were all living well, Gu Shen felt happy from the bottom of his heart.

He also saw the Bai family's witch, Bai Lu. This old nemesis, who had always been at odds with him, was no longer the arrogant and domineering person she used to be. She was wearing an extremely simple and elegant dress, sitting in the corner of the party like him, quietly drinking, and not looking for anyone to talk to.

The Bai family now had a Throne sitting in town, and their status was extremely transcendent... moreover, their good fortune had exploded. In this era, the Bai clan had several powerful titles.

Bai Xiu, Bai Chen, Bai Xiaochi.

With these three around, Bai Lu had almost no burden on her shoulders. The family head and her elder brother's favoritism allowed her to do whatever she wanted, but she no longer had the same thoughts as before.

Most of the time, Bai Lu was quietly reading scrolls in the clan hall.

In the past few years, she had also participated in the investigation team's external actions with the family head, saying that the Snow Forbidden City was too boring and she wanted to find some fun.

Gu Shen knew all these things.

It wasn't that he deliberately investigated Bai Lu, but that Chen Li had told him... The Little Iron Man was one of the few people Bai Lu would still actively contact, and the relationship between the two had been somewhat subtle in recent years.

In Chen Li's words, "That crazy woman doesn't know what's wrong with her, she's always coming to me for no reason."

Gu Shen just smiled knowingly when he heard that.

Some things, Chen Li hadn't figured out yet.

"Miss Bai, I'm Du Fang, a garrison commander from the Su Xue Fortress. I'd like to buy you a drink."

"Miss Bai..."

Although Bai Lu was sitting in the corner, there were still many people who would come to chat with her. Most of them were fortress officers. As the merger progressed, the people of the Northern Continent increasingly understood the legendary Five Great Families of Changye, and the reputation of the "Thorns of Changye" also spread far and wide in the Northern Continent. Many people were very interested in this Bai family's young miss.

Part of the reason was to climb the social ladder, and another part of the reason... the people of the Northern Continent liked women with Bai Lu's personality.

The thornier the rose, the more it could stimulate the desire to conquer in people's hearts.

After several fortress garrison commanders were rejected in a row, a very "persevering" guy appeared, wanting to invite Bai Lu to dance. But because his personality was too direct and his attitude was somewhat tough, this guy was slapped twice by Bai Lu and scurried away with his tail between his legs.

Leaving aside her two older brothers, Bai Lu herself was already at Tier 4, and her second domain was being comprehended.

She was the Grand Proctor's close disciple!

This strength... if placed in the Northwest Frontier, she would be a garrison commander of a medium-sized fortress at the very least. None of the people who came to chat tonight really had the qualifications to dance with her.

Seeing this scene.

Gu Shen couldn't help but laugh.

However, this laugh attracted Bai Lu's attention. Even though he restrained his smile, she still came over.

Bai Lu had no reservations and just sat opposite Gu Shen. She stared straight into Gu Shen's eyes...

With the [Ghost Mask] and [Cloak of Invisibility].

Gu Shen was calm and composed.

The supernatural aura on his body had been completely concealed. This was a perfect concealment that even Mr. Bai Shu couldn't detect... Bai Lu couldn't possibly see through his disguise.

"Madam, is there anything I can do for you?"

After being stared at for ten seconds, Gu Shen slowly put down his glass.

"Are you from the Northern Continent?"

Bai Lu asked suspiciously.

"...Yes." Gu Shen smiled and said, "A nobody from the Xin Yang Fortress in the Northern Continent, not comparable to those garrison commanders."

He could come up with this kind of lie easily.

The scale of tonight's party was very large, and there were all kinds of people. He didn't believe that anyone would check them one by one.

"You don't recognize me?" Bai Lu raised an eyebrow.

Gu Shen smiled and asked, "Should I?"

"But I feel like I should recognize you!"

Bai Lu was still staring into Gu Shen's eyes. She said seriously, "Your eyes... are very similar to those of an old friend of mine."

"..."

Gu Shen was silent. He didn't quite believe in women's intuition.

Sure enough, just after Bai Lu finished speaking, a Northern Continent fortress garrison commander who had just been rejected came over. A large hand was placed on Gu Shen's shoulder. The burly garrison commander pretended to be intimate and put his arm around Gu Shen, smiling and joking.

"Miss Bai, could it be that you like this type? The kind that will fall over in the wind?"

Although Gu Shen had changed his appearance, it was difficult to change his figure.

He had been trapped in the Ice Sea for six years.

The Flame of Life had only nourished him for less than a month.

This body... it was appropriate to describe it as falling over in the wind.

"Don't say that about your people."

Bai Lu smiled and showed her white teeth. She said, "Which fortress did you say you were the garrison commander of just now?"

For some reason, she felt a long-lost sense of familiarity when she saw this guy sitting in the corner. She felt much lighter in her heart now that she had diverted the trouble to him.

Gu Shen sighed softly.

Sure enough, Bai Lu was still the same Bai Lu. No matter how many books the Bai family's witch read, she would still be a crazy woman.

Chen Li was right about that.

"With this appearance, he can be a fortress garrison commander?"

The strong man patted Gu Shen's shoulder, afraid that if he used any more force, he would scatter the skinny guy in front of him. He didn't hide the mockery in his voice at all and asked with a smile, "Little guy, which fortress are you from... I don't think you look like you're from the Northern Continent!"

Gu Shen helplessly raised his head, grinned, and said, "If you want to know the answer... then come out with me."

He pointed to outside the party venue and made a classic Northern Continent gesture.

A duel.

Several fortress garrison commanders burst into laughter.