Outside the alley.

Cars were parked densely.

For the young people in the old street alley, tonight's dinner was a relaxing gathering.

But for the Five Families... it was a major event.

Inside and outside the cars, the extraordinary individuals responsible for the families' security passed cigarettes to each other, silently smoking... They were under a lot of pressure tonight.

These young people in the alley were basically the "helmsmen" who would decide the direction of Nagano's future.

If something happened to them...

That would truly be... a catastrophe.

Except for the Li family, who sent no one, the other families had arranged considerable security.

The Li family only sent one person, but that one was enough to handle any unexpected situation.

...

...

The banquet ended.

The alley door opened, and wisps of warm air and snowy air diffused together.

Those extraordinary individuals who had been waiting outside the alley breathed a sigh of relief; it was finally over.

"Little Gu, I heard that after tonight, you and Miss Chu are going on a long journey?"

Gong Zi put his arm around Gu Shen's shoulders and stepped out of the courtyard gate first, saying, "I wish you both a happy honeymoon in advance!"

"Thanks."

Gu Shen smiled and said, "But why are you stealing my line?"

He smiled and looked at Mu Ya, who looked at her slightly tipsy fiancé with a helpless shake of her head.

He said he wouldn't touch a drop, but in the end, he still drank a little.

Just a little.

The Mountaintop Cemetery incident ended.

The original "rift" between the Gong and Mu families disappeared after Mu Yi blocked an attack for Gong Qing and the Zhaoxue Mirror shattered. The marriage between Gong Zi and Mu Ya was naturally settled.

The whole process was thrilling but without real danger.

Gong Zi lowered his voice, taking advantage of his drunkenness, and said slowly, "Brother Gu... I owe you too much. If there's anything you need help with, don't hesitate to ask."

On the way from North Continent to East Continent, he heard about Xu Yan's matter.

He only regretted that he couldn't grow wings.

But... thank goodness for Gu Shen!

Otherwise, by the time he returned to Nagano, he didn't know what the situation between the two families would have become. Besides, saving his father in the Mountaintop Cemetery, saving the innocent people of the Five Families... He knew that Gu Shen was now "famous and accomplished." Leaving aside his identity as a disciple of the Tribunal's Grand Arbitrator and an S-level, he was also the "gravekeeper" chosen by Master Chino and the "young leader" appointed by Grandpa Gu.

These layers of identity, added together, were no less than that of the future head of his Gong family.

Even more important, perhaps.

Now, Gu Shen lacked nothing.

At this moment, Gong Zi once again sighed that his vision back then was correct... He guessed that Gu Shen, who came to Nagano, would one day have fame and fortune, but he didn't expect it to come so quickly.

One year.

It only took one year.

"You're too kind."

Gu Shen said softly, "According to Brother Gong, I only have one wish."

"Please speak," Gong Zi said with a solemn expression, listening attentively.

"May you two grow old together, in peace and happiness."

Gu Shen smiled and made a roundabout turn, offering his blessing.

He and Chu Ling sent Gong Zi and Mu Ya away from the alley... The current himself was indeed different from a year ago, but it wasn't because of a change in identity or situation.

It was a change in state of mind.

This year, his biggest change was his state of mind.

A hundred years of life are like small waves, while Nagano's thousand years... are like big waves. Big waves and small waves are all waves.

Looking down on the long river of history for thousands of years, every wave rises and falls. Every wave, every person, is a passerby.

Everything in this world, in the final analysis, is dust.

With this "spectator's heart," Gu Shen would not feel lost when he was unknown, nor would he become inflated when he gained power. He could always maintain an ordinary heart to see the world and see himself.

One friend after another said goodbye to each other on the streets of Snow Forbidden City.

"Miss Chu, I admire you, I admire you."

Mu Nan, who had eaten twelve portions full, said with emotion, prostrating himself.

This was the first time he had been defeated in the matter of eating.

He stuck out his round belly, like a woman pregnant for ten months. His already Buddha-like figure seemed even more "plump." This was the first time Mu Nan had eaten to this extent, and he could only walk with difficulty, holding onto the wall... At this moment, those extraordinary individuals from the Mu family who were arranged outside the alley finally came in handy. Several heroes and heroines emerged from the night, but it took the combined efforts of everyone to barely stabilize him.

On the other side.

Chu Ling was graceful and elegant.

Her abdomen was still flat, without the slightest bulge, and there was no difference from before she ate... This body was not ordinary; after tasting the food, it was directly digested by the Source Quality.

In a sense.

She would neither be hungry nor full.

At first, she continued to eat because of curiosity and deliciousness, but later on, it was purely in response to Mu Nan's challenge.

Comparing who could eat more with Chu Ling was actually like inviting Gu Shen to drink.

With Cinders, Gu Shen could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk.

Born from the Divine Embryo, Chu Ling could eat until dawn.

Mu Nan looked at Miss Chu with a complicated expression and wanted to say something, but a burp choked him back.

Then came Little Iron Man.

Gong Zi made an exception and drank a little, so he was no exception.

However, Shen Li had a very poor alcohol tolerance and would fall over as soon as he touched it. At this moment, he was tipsy, hugging Luo Yu's arm and muttering, "I'm not drunk... I can still drink..."

Luo Yu said angrily, "You still say you're not drunk? Your saliva is dripping on my hand!"

"Gu Shen... I can still fight you for three hundred rounds!"

Shen Li shouted and then bit down on Luo Yu's iron hand.

The night sky in the alley was filled with angry curses and laughter.

...

...

Finally, the sounds floating in the sky above the alley all dissipated.

Gu Nanfeng supported Song Ci, while Lu Nanjin stood by with his blade, watching coldly.

"Gu Shen, I'm not in good condition this time... I'll beat you next time!"

Crow cursed, as stubborn as ever.

Most of his body was covered in bandages. After experiencing the impact of the Netherworld aura from the Golden Door, it was an amazing feat to recover to this state in just a few days.

The one responsible for treating him was Lin Beizhu, the saintly physician of Nagano. Old Lin advised him to be patient and recuperate well, but this guy secretly sneaked out of the hospital bed to drink with Gu Shen.

In his words, he had come all the way from the Dadu District. It would be meaningless if he didn't have a drink with his brothers.

"I'm always waiting for you."

Gu Shen smiled and patted Song Ci on the shoulder.

"Hiss... Don't, don't, don't pat, it hurts!"

Crow grimaced.

This pat felt like all the bones in his body were sore.

"You should drink less during this time," Gu Shen said with a helpless shake of his head.

"Who would drink if it weren't with you?!" Song Ci rolled his eyes.

But... although this pat made his bones sore, he felt that his shoulders were not so heavy.

Just now.

Gu Shen sent a small wisp of faint Cinders energy, which circulated in Song Ci's body and performed a simple check.

After all, he had been hit by the Netherworld Fire Seed.

He was worried that Song Ci, as an apostle of the Light Divine Seat, would have some adverse reaction in his body... However, Song Ci's injuries were better than he had imagined. As expected of the Undying One, the meridians that had been hit head-on by the huge impact had been restored to their original state.

Cinders merely cleared away some negative energy and then dissipated.

This was all he could do.

Gu Nanfeng propped up Song Ci.

"Little Gu, during this time... Nagano is here with me. You and Miss Chu can leave with peace of mind."

Gu Nanfeng smiled, "Have fun."

For some reason, Gu Shen felt that the smile on Gu Nanfeng's face was a little lonely.

Was he thinking of a certain old friend from the North Continent?

...

...

After saying goodbye to his old friends in Nagano.

Gu Shen and Chu Ling left Nagano.

They rejected the Gu family's kindness, did not borrow a helicopter, but chose to leave by car.

The off-road vehicle crossed high mountains, and dust rolled. Looking back, this first city north of the Yangtze River in East Continent was square and square, especially neat under the reflection of flying snow. Hundreds of years of history lit up swaying lights in the long night of Snow Forbidden City, and each lantern reflected the ancient charm left in the old era.

The night was dark.

The lights were luxuriant.

"I never thought that Nagano would be so beautiful..."

Chu Ling opened the car window, looked at the square "small city" reflected in the rearview mirror getting farther and farther away, and said with a soft sigh.

In the world of the Abyss, there were thousands of photos of Nagano.

Spring, summer, autumn, winter, southeast, northwest.

Every angle of Nagano was in her memory, but no photo could compare with the scene in front of her... That was the beauty that the Wind Eye could not capture, and it was also the scene that could only be kept in her mind.

This ancient city did not seem like a product of this era.

Seeing it in photos and seeing it in person was really different.

Moreover, there was too much difference.

"Actually, many people who live in Nagano think so too."

Gu Shen smiled and said, "The closer you are, the easier it is to ignore the beauty in front of you."

He glanced at the ancient city getting farther and farther away behind him.

More attention was paid to the girl beside him.

However... there were exceptions.

Chu Ling was an exception.

Such a woman, born from the Divine Embryo, whether in front of her or on the horizon, was a stunning landscape.

Gu Shen watched for a long time.

Until Chu Ling's voice broke his thoughts.

Chu Ling looked at the world in the rearview mirror getting farther and farther away, and she also looked lost in thought. She gently asked, "Where are we going?"

This world was actually very small to her.

When living in the Deep Sea, it was so small that she could see every piece of soil in the Five Continents in an instant.

This world was actually very big.

So big that every piece of land she touched after leaving Nagano was fresh and unknown.

"Go south along the Qinghe River."

Gu Shen narrowed his eyes, turned on the car stereo, and said with a gentle smile, "Without a destination, just go south all the way, to the place where the wind and snow melt, to the place where the sun shines brightly."

Go south.

Just... go south all the way.

Chu Ling brushed her hair and was lost in thought.

Subconsciously, pictures of the Qinghe River appeared in her mind, and then she threw these pictures behind her. People living in the real world did not need to rely on Deep Sea photos to tell them what the Qinghe River looked like.

Now.

She had her own eyes.

She could go and see for herself.

"What do you... think?"

After waiting for a while and not getting a response, Gu Shen asked cautiously.

Chu Ling recovered from her daze.

A smile appeared on her face.

"Meow~"

Before Chu Ling could speak, a certain orange cat lying in her arms lazily called out, as if responding in advance.