The flying vessel descended.
The black-scaled cloud flood dragon retracted its chains, its body shrinking in midair back to the thickness of an arm before wrapping itself around Shen Qingci's shoulders, one head on each side.
Its two heads poked out from the sides of her neck, four eyes scanning left and right, sizing up the city below.
The city gate was a hundred zhang tall, constructed entirely from green jade stones. Rows of halberd-wielding Golden Core cultivators stood atop the city walls.
In front of the gate lay a straight, black-patterned rock avenue, flanked by eight stone beasts that bore a passing resemblance to ancient Desolate Ruin Beasts.
A live Ember-Spine Fiend crouched at the feet of each stone beast.
Hearing the flood dragon's roar, the Ember-Spine Fiends sprang up, raising their heads to look at the double-headed flood dragon high in the sky, then at the banner bearing the Shen family crest on the flying vessel.
The instructions of their Young Patriarch immediately popped into their heads: When you see the Shen family crest, pull out the little flags.
“Sisters, don't embarrass our Gu family.”
The Ember-Spine Fiends pulled out little flags from their storage bags and roared three times...
The halberd-wielding cultivators on the city walls also swapped their long halberds for little flags, which read: “A Grand Welcome to the Eldest Young Lady.”
Seeing how accommodating the Gu family was being, the black-scaled cloud flood dragon leaned its heads close to Shen Qingci's ears. “Eldest Young Lady, should we announce our arrival?”
“In those storybooks, the big shots always roar first when they make an entrance.”
Before Shen Qingci could stop them, the two heads raised their voices and roared, “The Northern Region Shen Family has arrived—”
A flood dragon's voice was naturally resonant. With both throats exerting force at the same time, the soundwaves bounced back and forth through the valley several times.
With a heavy scrape, the massive city gates swung wide open. Standing on either side were the welcoming members of the Gu family and the young geniuses from the first- and second-rate forces of various regions.
Gu Qingyi was among them.
Seeing Senior Sister Shen arrive, she nudged the Young Patriarch beside her with her elbow.
Receiving her cousin's reminder, Gu Shen, the Young Patriarch of the Gu family, performed a traditional wanfu bow and said, “Gu Shen of the Southern Region's Cangwu Gu family welcomes the Eldest Young Lady.”
The other young geniuses stepped forward one after another...
“Liu Yuan of the Southern Region's Liu family welcomes the Eldest Young Lady.”
“Fu Wanjiang of the Western Region's Chishui Fu family welcomes the Eldest Young Lady.”
Just as Yun Miao of the Eastern Region's Qinglan Yun family was about to speak, Ji Lingshu, the chief disciple of the Wangchuan Sect, took a step forward ahead of them.
“Ji Lingshu, chief disciple of the Eastern Region's Wangchuan Sect, welcomes the Eldest Young Lady.”
“Pei Lingwei of the Western Region's Baimo Pei family welcomes the Eldest Young Lady.”
“...”
It took a full fifteen minutes for everyone to introduce themselves.
Standing on the deck of the flying vessel, Shen Qingci's toes curled so hard they nearly dug holes through the soles of her boots.
She had been wondering why Junior Sister Gu hadn't sent any news lately. It turned out she had been holding back this massive surprise for her.
If this grand display wasn't Gu Qingyi's idea, she would do a handstand.
The welcome feast hadn't even begun, yet Shen Qingci already wanted to turn around and fly back to Qinghe County.
Shen Tinglan let out a chuckle from inside the cabin. “A-Ci, it seems your popularity among the younger generation is even greater than your aunt's back in the day.”
With an expressionless face, Shen Qingci raised her hand and flicked the horns of the flood dragon heads on both sides.
The double-headed flood dragon clutched its horns, looking aggrieved. “Was our shout not majestic enough?”
“Shut up.”
“Oh.” The two flood dragon heads turned away dejectedly, not daring to make another sound.
Shen Qingci remained on the deck, waiting out the endless self-introductions below.
Only when the commotion had subsided did she turn back into the cabin to help her aunt disembark.
Gu Shen led the crowd of young geniuses to greet them, nearly filling half the avenue.
Shen Tinglan had traveled across the four regions for many years, and her Void Refining cultivation was clear for all to see. None of the juniors present dared to act insolent; they all gathered their robes, lowered their heads, and bowed respectfully.
Shen Qingci stood by her aunt's side, maintaining the dignified poise of a great family's eldest young lady as she nodded in return with a polite smile :).
Ji Lingshu took half a step forward from the crowd and performed a Daoist bow to Shen Tinglan. “Good day, Ancestor!”
“My master often speaks of you, Ancestor, and has tasked me with asking when you might be free.”
Shen Tinglan's heart skipped a beat.
【Oh no, I laughed too early. Now it's my turn.】
She glanced at Ji Lingshu and gave a perfunctory reply. “Mm, Lingshu's cultivation has progressed. How has your master been lately?”
Ji Lingshu replied, “My master is well, only...”
Shen Tinglan did not dare let her finish.
While the others did not notice anything amiss, Shen Qingci stood right beside her aunt, their sleeves touching.
She could clearly feel her aunt's forearm stiffening slightly under her sleeve.
She had no idea who Ji Lingshu's master was.
But within the four regions, there were probably fewer than three people who could make her aunt freeze up just by having their name mentioned.
Shen Tinglan steadied her voice. “Your master is indeed sentimental. Give her my regards and tell her that things have been hectic lately. We will speak when I am free.”
Ji Lingshu complied, lowered her head, and stepped back into the crowd.
Shen Qingci was burning with curiosity, but she did not let it show on her face at all.
A woman whom even her aunt wanted to avoid???
She silently made a mental note of this, resolved not to ask a single question.
Even if she were given ten times her current courage, she wouldn't dare pry into her aunt's private affairs!
Gu Shen turned and gestured toward the city gates.
Eight Wind-Gliding Carriages slid swiftly out from the beast pens.
The carriages were crafted from spiritual sandalwood, their wheels suspended three feet off the ground.
They were pulled by a flock of Silver-Plume Wind Cranes, whose bodies were covered in silver-gray feathers, with a trace of pale gold on the tips of their wings.
Of the eight carriages, the Shen family occupied the first, while the remaining seven were prepared for the other young geniuses who had come to offer their birthday congratulations.
The Gu family never gave anyone room to complain about their hospitality. Even the branches of second- and third-rate forces were assigned seats.
Liu Yuan and Fu Wanjiang boarded one carriage, Yun Miao and Pei Lingwei shared another, Ji Lingshu boarded alone, and the rest of the disciples divided themselves among the remaining carriages.
No one complained, and no one cast lingering glances.
When major forces interacted, everyone knew exactly who should go first and who should get what.
Shen Qingci helped her aunt into the lead carriage and then boarded herself.
Shen Tinglan leaned back against the cushions and closed her eyes to rest.
Shen Qingci lifted the carriage window curtain to look outside. The carriage convoy rose into the air, flying forward just beneath the clouds.
The city below occasionally peeked through the gaps in the clouds. The passing cultivators wore all kinds of attire, but their sleeves were uniformly embroidered with the blue patterns of the Gu family.
Every single person living in this city belonged to the branch families of the Gu clan!
The convoy flew deep into the mountains for about fifteen minutes.
A steep cliff loomed ahead. After verifying the token in the Young Patriarch's hand, the guarding cultivators chanted a spell.
The cliff face parted down the middle, revealing a wide passage inside the mountain.
As the Wind-Gliding Carriages entered, Shen Qingci turned to look back. The moment the last carriage passed through, the cliff face closed shut.
“A-Ci, this is the Gu family's Triple-Absolute Phantom Heart Array,” Shen Tinglan said, opening her eyes.
“An Earth-grade Mid-rank array, reportedly set up by three High-rank Formation Masters working together. Its array node is integrated with the mountain itself. Even if a Void Refining cultivator were to attack, it would take a massive amount of effort to break through.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the surrounding scenery shifted instantly.
The positions of the mountains inverted. The road beneath the carriage became a stone bridge suspended in midair, with thick clouds rolling and churning below.
At the end of the bridge stood a white jade archway, with the two large characters “Gu Family” carved onto the plaque.
Rate on N.U.
