Chapter 1338: Chapter 56: Spirit Born from Stone Faces Calamity, Eagle Wings Ferry Travelers Across the Barrier City
After Wei Daoist deserted, there were no more disturbances within Divine House Mountain. Zhang Yan entrusted all the sect’s matters to his senior brother Chu Muran and the other two brothers, while he sealed his Cave Mansion and diligently practiced the Five Elements Escape Technique.
In the blink of an eye, eight years passed.
Only a few months remained until the Dragon Pillar Meeting. Zhang Yan felt that he had achieved minor success in the Five Elements Escape Technique. To advance further wasn’t something that could be rushed now, so he swept his sleeve, removed the prohibition from the entrance, and stepped out of the retreat.
Jing You, who was guarding outside the entrance daily, noticed and hurried over, bowing and saying: "I humbly welcome the master from his retreat."
Zhang Yan sat on the Jade Couch and asked: "Have Caiwei and Cai Ting returned to the mountain?"
Jing You replied: "Not yet, but a letter has arrived." He took a letter from his bosom and presented it with both hands.
After taking the letter and opening it for a glance, Zhang Yan understood the situation. He flicked his fingers lightly, turning the letter into flying ashes, then said: "Go and invite Daoist Zhang here."
Shortly, Zhang Boyant entered the Cave Mansion, and greeted upon reaching the seat.
After returning the greeting, Zhang Yan invited him to sit and then said: "Daoist Zhang, I intend to set out for the Chu Kingdom soon to attend the Dragon Pillar Meeting. You may accompany me."
Zhang Boyant, being previously aware of Zhang Yan’s intentions, wasn’t surprised and laughed: "The Sixth Prince of Chu has sent several letters requesting the Pavilion Master’s visit, this time his wish will be fulfilled."
Zhang Yan nodded, saying: "The Sixth Prince previously sent quite a few Spiritual Medicines, and I am indebted to him. Daoist, perhaps you could write a letter informing him of this matter."
Zhang Boyant replied: "This is easy."
He slightly turned and, with folded hands, said: "I wish to bring my disciple Zhao Yang along this time to broaden his knowledge. Might the Pavilion Master permit this?"
Zhang Yan smiled and said: "Why not."
The two discussed further details, and Zhang Boyant then took his leave.
In the following days, Zhang Yan took the time to manage mundane affairs accumulated over the years. Once everything was arranged properly, he was ready to set out on his journey. Strangely though, by this time, there had been no response from the Sixth Prince.
Zhang Yan suspected some changes might have occurred, but he thought nothing of it, knowing that the nobles of Zhongtai were nominally disciples of the sect, yet most were fond of indulging in entertainment and could not endure the quiet of cultivation, nor had patience for meditation and contemplation. Therefore, they merely held the title of disciple and had little real connection with serious cultivators.
He had previously sent a courteous letter due to the Spiritual Medicines, but now with no response, he saw no need to pursue the matter.
On the tenth day after exiting retreat, he summoned Zhang Boyant, Song Chuyuan, the Limping Daoist, and others, set forth on the tunneling light, and headed towards the Chu Kingdom.
Since there was no rush to travel, none of the four ascended to Extreme Sky to borrow the Gang Wind. After traveling for about ten days, they still had over a thousand miles to Da Yang City, the capital of the Chu Kingdom.
The Chu Kingdom’s capital, Da Yang, with a population of millions, is one of the largest municipalities in East Victory Continent. Surrounded by three rivers and lined with willows, the five travelers looked down from Heaven’s height, observing vendors outside the city calling out and selling, continuous traffic of travelers and merchants with horses and carriages, sweating and shouting.
To the east and south, large ponds had been excavated, named Yi Pond and De Pond, where two National Guardian Golden City Dragon Boats were moored, each six hundred yards long, covered with twelve-tiered pavilions. On each floor, jade altars were set in the four directions, incense burned wafting like steam, forming clouds.
The view outside the city was clear, but the city itself was shrouded in a thin mist, making it difficult to discern the details even with fully extended eyesight.
Song Chuyuan pointed towards the location and said: "That is the Suoqian Forbidden Array. If we fly past it, we’ll surely be barred, and we’ll need a genealogy pass to proceed."
Zhang Boyant, who had previously only visited the immortal city and not the Human Realm State City, glanced over, seeing the prohibition as crude, far inferior to the great array of Han Yuan Mountain Gate. Considering their Daoist cultivation, breaking through wouldn’t be impossible, so he chuckled coldly and said: "A mere forbidden array barely deters ordinary folk and is no threat to us."
Zhang Yan replied: "Zhongtai is the host, we are the guests, there’s no need to force our way through. Daoist Song, how does one obtain the genealogy pass?"
Song Chuyuan responded respectfully: "The Zhongtai Sect has set up a Dao Palace outside the State City, and one can request the genealogy pass there."
The Limping Daoist focused his gaze, scanned, and pointed to a spot: "That’s it."
Zhang Yan turned to look in the direction pointed, seeing beyond the Mountain Ridge was a pen rack shaped ridge with a palace atop it, the tiled roofs emitting a smoky mist that didn’t disperse with the wind and shot straight to the sky, evidently created by a cultivator’s spell.
At the foot of the mountain were more than ten huts, surrounded by a stream with a flat road leading to the village entrance, beside which was a small pond and a large rock half the height of a man.
