Chapter 248 Zhou Jiren…

“Zhou Jiren…”

Of course, Mu Wanqiu remembered those three respectable extraordinary beings who had disappeared in the disaster zone of Pi Yue City. The Northern Continent had held onto the fortress for them for more than a year, but later the Third Legion abandoned it.

Because the Central City had released the footage captured by the "Traveler."

That Grand Arbiter and his two disciples were submerged in the snow tide of the [Old World].

This was almost equivalent to announcing their "death."

Mu Wanqiu carefully phrased her words, "Weren't the three of them already… killed?"

"Yes."

Gu Shen nodded and said, "But I don't believe they're dead… so I'm going to keep looking, either find the bodies or find the coordinates."

Mu Wanqiu's eyes were complex, and she didn't say anything more, just nodded gently to show that she understood.

After becoming an Apostle, many things, the causes and consequences, were connected.

She had never quite understood why Gu Shen was willing to come to the Northern Continent in the first place, willing to risk his life beyond the border…

It turned out that it was all to find the missing Mr. Shu.

"Alright, there's not much time left, the people outside must be getting anxious… I'll send you 'back'."

Gu Shen smiled and said, "If you have any questions in the future, you can contact me with 'Netherfire' at any time."

He stretched out his finger.

Blazing fire swirled and landed on Mu Wanqiu's brow.

The latter closed her eyes.

At the same time, Gu Shen unfolded the Pure Land Domain, enveloping all the other thirteen wisps of souls in the array box… The blazing fire split into thirteen wisps, successively touching the souls of Mu Qingyang and the others.

"Drip."

Like a drop of water falling, splashing on the soul lake.

The mental sea of the array box rippled.

…

…

In the real world, about an hour had passed.

The fourteen law enforcers lying in the wooden house slowly opened their eyes.

Their memories were still stuck at the moment they were "banished," and they felt a bit uncomfortable opening their eyes now. It wasn't until the memories from the depths of Frozen Lake surged into their minds that they realized… they seemed to have experienced a lot, a lot.

It was a wonderful journey of the soul.

These past two weeks of being banished.

Some people had very long dreams, some people felt like they had just blinked.

Some people were trapped in nightmares and couldn't get out.

And some people felt like they had just taken a nap, a very comfortable nap, but waking up now was a bit early, not enough sleep.

"Ah…"

Mu Qingyang yawned widely. Due to the discontinuity of consciousness, he subconsciously stretched and rubbed his eyes after waking up. When he clearly saw the situation in the wooden house, he instantly realized that he should be in the middle of a battle with Zhu Wang.

Mu Qingyang immediately became nervous.

However, all around was silent.

Several pairs of puzzled eyes fell on him.

"Captain, you're awake."

"Captain, where is this?"

Faced with these confusions, Mu Qingyang was also a little dumbfounded.

Fortunately, the dim wooden house shrouded in the Li Clan's Shrines barrier still radiated a soft light. Gu Shen gently tapped the table, attracting everyone's attention.

"Brother Gu?!" Mu Qingyang was overjoyed, but before he could speak.

Gu Shen interrupted him, "Don't be nervous… the battle of Frozen Lake is over."

He exchanged a subtle glance with Mu Wanqiu.

The two understood each other without speaking, pretending that nothing had just happened.

Next.

Gu Shen simply told them what had happened at Frozen Lake…

"Spiritual exile… even the [Veil Spring] didn't save us…"

A law enforcer from the Northern Continent said with a pale expression, "Mr. Gu, you actually did it. You're too amazing, you're simply a divine being…"

"You guys were lucky, and I was pretty lucky too."

Gu Shen smiled and said, "Being able to retrieve your spirits after being lost for so many days… it's mainly thanks to the 'Divination Art'."

Everyone suddenly understood, only then belatedly realizing that Mr. Gu was a disciple of Grandmaster Chino.

"Alright."

Gu Shen smiled and said, "Remember, take a good rest for a while after you go back, after all, your spirits were exiled outside…"

He didn't mention Bai Shu.

The spirits of these people had actually been repaired by Mr. Bai Shu.

Everyone thanked him one by one, and then left the wooden house.

The extraordinary beings of the Li Clan were waiting outside the wooden house.

The Gu family and the Mu family had also come.

The news of Gu Shen's return to Nagano spread throughout Snowfall Forbidden City in no time. Mu Yi learned the news and immediately rushed to the Li Clan's ancestral hall. He didn't disturb Gu Shen's spellcasting, so he stood patiently in front of the [Shrine] barrier.

At this moment, seeing Mu Qingyang walk out safe and sound, the Mu Clan Head breathed a long sigh of relief.

For this "Frozen Lake Mission," all five great clans had sent their absolute elites.

Although this Mu Qingyang was performing missions in Jiangbei Jiuning all year round, once his training was completed, he would most likely return to Nagano to inherit the clan's authority… The direct descendants of the Mu Clan were no match for him in terms of strength.

Two years after the end of the Frozen Lake Mission.

He would become the Young Clan Head of the Mu Clan.

A Fourth Order at the age of twenty-something, this achievement was enough to convince the public.

Not everyone was Gu Nanfeng, able to inherit the position of Young Clan Head with a "Title"…

Being able to become a Title, standing at the pinnacle of the extraordinary world, was something that countless geniuses could never achieve in their lifetime.

For Mu Qingyang, it was only a matter of time before he became a Title.

On the other side, the envoy of the Northern Continent stationed in Nagano was also waiting in the ancestral hall.

Mu Wanqiu was the "absolute core" of the Investigation Legion, and her position was among the top three among her peers.

The envoy felt very strange.

Many people in Nagano were anxiously waiting, but it seemed that Duke Zhu Xue wasn't too worried about the "rescue" of this spiritual exile… He actually just handed over the "reception" task to himself and went home.

Lord Zhu Xue… seemed certain that Gu Shen would be able to retrieve the lost souls of these law enforcers.

In any case, the law enforcers were safe and sound now.

He only needed to send the news back, and he would have completed his mission.

…

…

"Little Gu, thank you so much this time…"

The Li Clan's ancestral hall gradually returned to silence.

The crowd dispersed, and Mu Yi stayed behind to be alone with Gu Shen.

As the Clan Head of the five great families of Nagano.

Although he was the weakest, he still held great "power." This part of the power of the five great families was enough to leverage the situation in Eastern Continent, and even the Five Continents.

"You're too polite, this is what I should do."

Gu Shen smiled and said, "With great power comes great responsibility."

"I have always felt sorry for what happened back then."

Mu Yi walked with Gu Shen in the deep alley of Snowfall Forbidden City, and he said softly, "Nagano is merging with Central City, and the five great families and the three major divisions have jointly nominated you to be the most important 'hub' in the merger… Although the general trend supports it, when you truly become that 'hub,' you will find that you will always encounter some troubles, and you will need some helpers."

Gu Shen raised his eyebrows.

Mu Yi said in a calm tone, "If it's for the 'merger'… the Mu Clan is willing to do some dirty work."

This sentence was already very blatant.

Rather than saying it was for the merger, it was better to say it was… for Gu Shen.

As long as Gu Shen needed it.

Then the Mu Clan could "step forward."

"Clan Head, you don't need to feel guilty, the things of the past are long gone."

Gu Shen shook his head with a smile and said, "If the merger of the two continents encounters trouble, I have my own means to deal with it. You don't need to worry about such small things."

The Mu Clan had offered to help.

And it was the Clan Head who personally offered it, which was actually very tempting.

You should know that the words "dirty work" came from Mu Yi's mouth…

However, Gu Shen didn't want his relationship with the Mu family to deteriorate.

He had a close personal friendship with Mu Nan and Gong Zi.

During this Frozen Lake mission, he also sincerely admired Mu Qingyang's drive. This was a "blockhead" that was hard to come by in a century. He never flinched when he encountered trouble, and he was fearless… After the turmoil in the cemetery, Nagano now needed such people.

"That's good… that's good…"

Hearing this, the Mu Clan Head's expression didn't change much, but his eyes became more complex.

He knew.

He had been rejected.

When he first entered Snowfall Forbidden City—

Gu Shen was still a young man with only a title and no strength, "unworthy of his position."

But now.

A well-deserved S-rank, the heir to the Tribunal, the Chosen One of Frozen Lake, the true inheritance of Divination Art, the only trusted person of Douzhan, the hub of the two continents… These titles were more frightening than the last.

The Mu Clan wanted to stick to him, but it was too late.

The two walked to the exit of the long alley.

Gu Shen suddenly said with a smile, "I think it's a very good thing for the future Mu Clan to have someone like Mu Qingyang…"

Mu Yi was stunned for a moment.

"During the Frozen Lake extermination, he was on the same team as me."

Gu Shen said slowly, "Brother Qingyang has ideals and ambitions, strength and courage… What he lacks a little is strategy and composure. He regards Mr. Gu Changzhi as the goal he is pursuing in his life. Such a person should have a place in Nagano. What do you think?"

"…"

Mu Yi was silent for two seconds, and said seriously, "After the end of the Frozen Lake mission, he still needs to go back to Jiuning to deal with some personal affairs. Next month… next week, he will be transferred back to Nagano."

"Really? That's great."

Gu Shen smiled and said, "Regarding the 'merger' of the two continents, there will inevitably be many trivial matters in the future. If Nagano finalizes the election of me as the 'hub,' then I will also need left and right assistants… If Brother Qingyang comes back, you might as well ask him if he is willing to handle the docking mission with the Central City envoy for Nagano. These shouldn't be considered dirty work, but they must be tiring work."

"No need to ask, he is willing. This kid has always been diligent and doesn't mind being tired."

Mu Yi said seriously, "In this way, I will tell him not to go back to Frozen Lake… It just so happens that the Central City envoy is here, and the docking mission can start tomorrow."

"There's no need to be so anxious."

Gu Shen couldn't help but laugh, a little helplessly, "The election of the 'hub' shouldn't be finalized yet, right?"

"Although some things haven't been decided yet, everyone knows the result in their hearts…"

Mu Yi asked with a smile, "This election is a vote of the three divisions and the five great families. Who among them will not vote for you?"

The Gu family, the Bai family, the Gong family, the Li family, the Mu family.

The Tribunal, the Prison Division, the Command Division.

After Mu Yi said this, Gu Shen was a little dazed. It turned out that everyone here… was on his side.

There was no need to say much about the Gu family. Gu Nanfeng and the Old Master would each cast two votes.

There was also no suspense about the Bai family. Xiao Xiu Zi was not interested in the "hub" at all. He only cared about personal cultivation.

As for the others… the same was true.

Therefore, the Mu Clan Head's "condescending" visit today was not just to express gratitude.

In the future situation of the Five Continents, Gu Shen was the spokesperson of the God Seat, holding the rudder of the merger of the two continents—

As the last of the five families, the Mu family felt that their personal relationship with Gu Shen was far less close than that of the Li family.

So Mu Yi personally came forward.

He hoped that in the future turbulent situation, he could seek a ray of light for the Mu Clan.

Standing at the exit of the alley.

Gu Shen said softly, "Mr. Mu, you don't need to think about some things too complicatedly. Although I can't be the second Gu Changzhi, I am not the second Gu Lushen either."

Mu Yi fell silent.

"You don't need to deliberately arrange Brother Qingyang, and don't be anxious. Let him go back to Jiuning and arrange those trivial matters before returning to Nagano."

Gu Shen said with a smile, "My attitude is here, and it will never change. Perhaps Brother Qingyang has no way to achieve as much as Mr. Gu Changzhi, but in my heart, he is also a sun, a sun that Nagano cannot lack. Therefore… the future merger cannot be without him, even if he wants to leave, I will not agree."

…

…

After seeing off the Mu Clan Head.

Gu Shen walked out of the alley alone. People came and went in Snowfall Forbidden City. He came to the Ning River Bridge and looked at his face reflected in the river.

"What are you thinking now."

In the sea of consciousness, Chu Ling's voice sounded.

The Ning River was turbulent.

As if reflecting a second face.

Gu Shen smiled and said, "Try to guess?"

"You are thinking about what Mr. Bai Shu said to you." Chu Ling said, "If the Seven Gods will fight, what should you do, what should Nagano do…"

"Did you really guess that?"

Gu Shen sighed, his tone already indicating the answer.

"Theoretically speaking, it can be considered 'guessed'."

Chu Ling said calmly, "You successfully recruited Miss Mu to become an Apostle, and also arranged for Mu Qingyang to enter the 'merger' project in the future… The Northern Continent and the Eastern Continent are about to be twisted into a single iron plate, and you are the most important 'hub'. At this moment, you can only think about these things in your mind, and you still need to do many, many things."

"…"

Gu Shen no longer argued.

He lay on the bridgehead, quietly watching the water, and then suddenly asked, "Do you think it was too rash for me to divide half of the authority and give it to Mu Wanqiu, and directly finalize the first [Apostle]…?"

After a brief silence.

"I cannot predict the future of 'Fireseed'."

Chu Ling said sincerely, "But I don't think you did anything wrong. Mu Wanqiu and Mu Qingyang are both very good 'candidates'…"

"Candidates?"

"Yes. A crown-bearer, a sun."

Chu Ling said calmly, "Just talking about the selection of 'Apostles,' if you want to climb to the highest God Seat, you are destined to crush countless thorns. And on the day of the coronation of the Underworld King, someone needs to cut through thorns and help you hold the crown. After thousands of choices, you can't find a 'crown-bearer' more suitable than Mu Wanqiu."

After a moment of pause.

"As for the sun… as the name suggests, burn yourself out and burst into light."

"After Gu Changzhi's death, no one could bear this title. Judging from Mu Qingyang's performance in the Frozen Lake mission… he can be called the next 'sun'."

Gu Shen smiled, "How did you come up with these two words? Is this also the storage of [Source Code]?"

"Basically, every generation of God Seats has a crown-bearer… In a sense, the crown-bearer will be the most suitable candidate for 'Fireseed' other than the Lord of the God Seat." Chu Ling said, "Although this word was invented by me, it is historically based, such as the previous Douzhan God Seat, Gu Changzhi."

"Gu Changzhi's crown-bearer…"

Gu Shen was stunned, and then murmured, "Bai Shu?"

"Yes." Chu Ling smiled and said, "Without Bai Shu, there would be no Gu Changzhi. A crown-bearer can sometimes be the strongest opponent."

So after Gu Changzhi's death, Bai Shu inherited the Fireseed.

And without the slightest hindrance.

The Fireseed completely accepted him.

"Then… what about the sun?"

"This wasn't invented by me." Chu Ling was a little guilty, she explained in a soft voice, "I looked through Mu Qingyang's spiritual network… He had already thought about his future Title a long time ago, and secretly hid it in the deep water area, and often took it out to look at it."

"I examine myself three times a day…"

"The Title he chose for himself is the Sun."

…

…

(ps: Three chapters have been updated today, which is also close to 17,000 words. If there are no accidents, there will still be this amount of updates tomorrow. This is probably the limit for me to guarantee quality~ It is not easy for newcomers, and this type of text is not easy, so I want to exchange diligent updates for the monthly tickets in your hands. I hope everyone can support me more~)