Julu, ancestral home of the Gu Clan.
Inside the hall, elders of the clan stood solemnly, their expressions grave, as an almost palpable solemnity lingered in the air.
Gu Xiuyuan stood at the forefront, his posture straight like a pine tree.
His gaze calmly swept over the ancestral tablets in the shrine, then he took the lead in burning incense and performing the rituals. The clansmen followed suit, kneeling in unison, their movements solemn and aligned, completing a silent sacrificial ceremony amidst swirling incense smoke.
After the ceremony, everyone stood up, but the tension in the atmosphere only intensified.
All eyes inevitably turned to Gu Hui, who stood in the center. His figure was lean but stood straight, calmly accepting the scrutiny from everyone.
An elder of the clan was the first to break the silence, tightly holding a scroll, his knuckles slightly white from exertion, his voice trembling with incredulity: "Gu Hui...is this truly written by you?"
