Chen Yan raised his head, turning his gaze toward the Cloud Prince Manor standing imposingly before him.
Truly magnificent.
The three-zhang tall vermilion lacquered gate was embedded with nine rows and nine columns of gilded door studs, declaring this residence to be of royal lineage. The two white jade Qingque statues before the main gate further symbolized the Qin family.
The walls extending from the main gate to both sides were constructed from entire blocks of green granite, each several zhang high. Green granite of this size was considered precious even in the eyes of immortals.
The immortal masters from Kongshan Sect were undoubtedly honored guests for the prince's manor.
Therefore, Cloud Prince had long dispatched household servants to wait at the gate, respectfully welcoming Lu Li and the others.
"Respectfully welcoming all immortal masters from Kongshan Sect visiting the prince's manor!"
As the group approached, the chief steward standing at the forefront of the manor spoke with resonant vigor. Immediately after, the dozens of servants and maids standing in two rows behind him hurriedly bowed:
"Respectfully welcoming immortal masters from Kongshan Sect visiting the prince's manor!"
"Good heavens, the prince's manor's display..."
Zheng Fei muttered quietly:
"Cloud Prince is truly impressive. It makes me not want to cultivate on the mountain anymore, but come down and establish my own kingdom."
Zheng Fei nearby whispered such admiration.
"You think too well of yourself. When some passing great power casually erases you, you'll come to your senses."
Then, Li Xiuxiu spoke up to mock Zheng Fei's unrealistic idea.
His idea was indeed unrealistic.
This world had never established any cultivator dynasty, because cultivators ruling over mortals was the greatest taboo of all taboos in any era.
They would be attacked by all cultivators under heaven.
That cultivators must not interfere in worldly affairs was a consensus throughout the world.
"Several immortal masters."
The chief steward standing before the prince's manor gate welcomed them with a beaming smile. After bowing to Lu Li at the front, he began speaking:
"His Highness Cloud Prince has been awaiting your esteemed arrival for quite some time within the manor. May I now lead you immortal masters to meet His Highness Cloud Prince?"
"Thank you for your trouble."
Lu Li said.
Immediately, everyone followed the chief steward into the prince's manor. They saw the courtyard filled with blooming flowers, exotic plants and rare herbs vying in splendor, with rich floral fragrance permeating the air, refreshing both mind and spirit. The bluestone path underfoot wound circuitously, dotted on both sides with uniquely shaped lake stones, each seemingly carefully selected with distinctive charm.
Walking further, a grand hall of imposing majesty came into view. The hall had upturned eaves and bracket sets, carved beams and painted rafters, with golden glazed tiles shining brilliantly under the sunlight. Before the hall door stood two more Qingque statues, though these two Qingque statues were somewhat smaller than the two white jade statues at the manor's main gate.
But they were carved even more vividly.
Especially the eyes of these two Qingques, emitting faint golden light as if they could come alive at any moment.
Only when Chen Yan approached and looked closely did he discover that the eyes of these two Qingque statues were inlaid with high-grade spirit stones.
"...Spirit stones?"
Not just Chen Yan, Zheng Fei nearby also seemed to notice the unusual aspect of these Qingque statues.
"Country bumpkin."
Qian Xun, following at the back of the group walking last, let out a contemptuous sneer.
Zheng Fei frowned but didn't bother with Qian Xun, only lowering his voice to complain quietly to Chen Yan:
"Senior Brother Chen, what's that guy's problem? Why has he been picking fights since we came down the mountain today?"
"Brain damage."
Chen Yan replied indifferently.
Beyond that, he couldn't think of any other conclusion.
"Immortal masters have arrived!"
The guard stationed before the hall door shouted.
The chief steward stopped before the great hall, respectfully bowing with hands clasped:
"Several immortal masters, His Highness Cloud Prince awaits inside the hall."
Lu Li nodded, straightened the Daoist robe draped over his body, and was the first to enter the great hall.
The hall was spacious and bright, with exquisitely beautiful calligraphy and paintings hanging on the surrounding walls, all works by famous masters.
Of course, the preciousness of these artworks only held value within mortal dynasties.
Mortal calligraphy and paintings were practically worthless to cultivators.
In the center of the great hall, positioned directly above, was the Cloud Prince Manor's royal throne, though the throne was empty.
Because Cloud Prince stood below the steps before the throne.
He was a middle-aged man dressed in magnificent robes, with an authoritative face, composed and unhurried.
"Honored immortal masters coming from afar, this prince failed to greet you properly. Please forgive my discourtesy."
Seeing Lu Li and the others enter the hall, Cloud Prince Qin Ming hurried forward several steps.
"Kongshan Sect's Lu Li, greets Your Highness."
Lu Li bowed toward Qin Ming's direction.
Although Qingque Kingdom completely depended on Kongshan Sect, and one could even say Qingque Kingdom was Kongshan Sect's lackey in the mortal world, the surface-level etiquette that cultivators should maintain still had to be observed.
At the very least, superficial propriety had to be maintained.
"Kongshan Sect disciple Chen Yan, greets Your Highness."
"Kongshan Sect disciple Zheng Fei, greets Your Highness."
"Kongshan Sect disciple Li Xiuxiu, greets Your Highness."
...
"Kongshan Sect, Yuanhua Mountain inner disciple Qian Xun, greets Your Highness!"
Only Qian Xun stood at the back, suddenly raising his voice.
"Steward Yang."
Qin Ming said with a smile.
"Present."
The steward who had just brought Lu Li's group to the hall responded.
"Where is Yue'er?"
"Replying to Your Highness, I have already sent someone to the courtyard chambers to request the princess come to the main hall."
Steward Yang answered.
"Hmm."
Cloud Prince Qin Ming nodded.
His words had barely faded when, not long after, light footsteps sounded from outside the hall. A petite young girl wearing a light blue gauze dress slowly entered the great hall, appearing somewhat ill at ease as she stood beside Cloud Prince.
"Yue'er."
Cloud Prince slightly emphasized his tone, calling the girl's name.
"Your humble daughter Qin Yue, greets all immortal masters."
Qin Yue bowed thus.
She raised her eyes, secretly observing Lu Li's group standing in the hall.
Finally, her gaze settled on the gilded cloud crane patterns on Chen Yan's sleeve, seemingly curious why only this young immortal master's attire differed from the others.
Of course, as a Yuanhua Mountain disciple, Qian Xun's Daoist robe also had slight differences from the outer sect disciples, though not very noticeable.
The collar of Yuanhua Mountain's Daoist robe had several thin light blue wave patterns extending to where the robe opened.
Compared to Kongyuan Mountain's gilded cloud cranes, they were indeed less conspicuous.
Then Qin Yue lifted her head, her gaze quietly meeting Chen Yan's for a moment before hurriedly looking away.
"Yue'er, what is it?"
Cloud Prince asked.
"Nothing, daughter was just curious why only that immortal master's Daoist robe is somewhat different from the other immortal masters."
Qin Yue answered.
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Cloud Prince looked toward Chen Yan's direction, also noticing the gilded cloud crane patterns painted on his sleeve, then slightly raised his eyebrows:
"This immortal master, could you be from Kongyuan Mountain?"
"Indeed."
Chen Yan bowed toward Cloud Prince's direction, then spoke.
"Might this immortal master know another immortal master also from Kongyuan Mountain, named Zhao Bin?"
Cloud Prince asked.