July 31, early morning.
On the outskirts of the Imperial Capital's old urban district stood the Gu family's old residence, in the rear courtyard.
The exquisite garden, once filled with rare stones and blooming flowers that never withered through the seasons, had changed beyond recognition.
The valuable flowers and trees had all been removed, replaced by neatly arranged vegetable plots. The lush, dewy vegetables grew vigorously, filling the air with the freshness of earth and plants.
At the center of the garden, the ornamental pond fed by diverted running water had also been widened and deepened, becoming a fishpond.
Beside the pond, an old man and a young man each held a fishing rod and sat quietly, angling.
Gu Jinzhi wore a short, black martial arts uniform, which made his tall, slender figure look even more striking.
Beneath his sleeves, the edges of bandages could be faintly seen around his wrists and arms.
Nearly two days had passed, yet his handsome face still bore a trace of weariness. Only his eyes remained tranquil, deep as an abyss.
The old man beside him was none other than his grandfather—the pillar of the previous generation of the Gu Family, the Grandmaster, Gu Litong.
The old man wore a loose, front-fastened short shirt. His hair was sparse and grizzled, and his face was covered in deep wrinkles.
At that moment, he had his eyes half narrowed, staring at the float on the water. For a long while, there had been no movement.
He turned his head to glance at the fish basket beside his grandson. Inside were already four or five lively crucian carp.
Gu Litong began to feel rather uncomfortable. The fishing rod in his hand unconsciously edged a little closer toward Gu Jinzhi.
"Cough." Gu Litong cleared his throat, breaking the