40: An invitation from the imperial city, to the imperial family on earth!

The next morning, Tianjing City awoke from its slumber, and the streets were once again bustling with people.

Inside a private room at Tianxia Tower, Chu Xuanjin and his three Disciples had already finished breakfast.

"Revered Master, are we heading to the Central Continent Sacred Domain now?"

Wang Duojin asked excitedly while tidying his precious satchel. He couldn't wait to see the legendary continent's center.

"No rush."

Chu Xuanjin picked up his teacup, but his gaze wasn't on the tea. Instead, he looked through the window's gap towards the street below.

His expression remained lazy, but his fingertips silently tapped the table.

Wang Duojin was startled. He also peered downstairs, and his expression immediately turned strange.

"Revered Master, it seems we're... surrounded."

Indeed, in the teahouse opposite Tianxia Tower, the cloth shop diagonally across, and even by the small steamed bun stall at the street corner, several seemingly ordinary individuals had appeared. However, their steady aura and prominent temples revealed them to be seasoned practitioners.

Their gazes, intentionally or unintentionally, were always fixed on the entrance of Tianxia Tower.

These people harbored no ill will, no Killing Intent; they merely stood guard quietly, like an invisible net.

Su Linger's brows furrowed slightly; she disliked the feeling of being watched.

Ye Chenfeng paused his sword-wiping motion for a moment, then resumed his original rhythm.

"A bunch of flies, much more patient than those from the Blazing Fire Sect."

Chu Xuanjin put down his teacup and stood up.

"Let's go."

"Revered Master, are we just going out like this?" Wang Duojin asked, a little worried. "They're numerous; what if..."

"No matter."

Chu Xuanjin led the three, slowly walking down the stairs.

The moment their four figures appeared at the entrance of Tianxia Tower,

the seemingly casual faces on the street all turned their gazes towards them in unison.

The air seemed to solidify.

Just as Wang Duojin thought a fierce battle was about to ensue, all the surveillance personnel simultaneously took a step back, clearing a path.

Immediately after, an official dressed in brocade robes quickly emerged from the street corner, followed by two teams of royal guards clad in golden armor and exuding monstrous Evil Qi.

The guards parted, and a handsome figure in a four-clawed golden Dragon robe appeared before everyone.

It was none other than the Great Zhao Crown Prince, Zhao Wuji.

Behind him was the black-robed old man, Eunuch Fu, whose aura was profound and whose expression was respectful.

"Junior Zhao Wuji greets Senior Chu and Fellow Daoist Ye."

Zhao Wuji showed no trace of imperial arrogance. He quickly stepped forward, stopping three paces from Chu Xuanjin, and bowed deeply to the four of them.

His posture was extremely humble, and his eyes were sincere, devoid of the haughty air he displayed yesterday at the Sacrificial Altar Square.

Chu Xuanjin looked at him but said nothing.

Wang Duojin pouted and muttered softly, "This Crown Prince certainly has some breadth of vision."

Zhao Wuji seemed not to hear. He straightened up, a hint of apology on his face.

"Yesterday, Junior presumptuously invited you; it was indeed abrupt of me."

"However, Senior and Fellow Daoist Ye's demeanor truly filled Junior with admiration, keeping me awake at night. Today, I boldly come again to invite you, only seeking to guide Senior and show you the sights of Tianjing, fulfilling a host's duty, with absolutely no other intentions."

He spoke with extreme sincerity, leaving no room for fault.

He both stated his purpose and lowered his posture to the absolute minimum, making it impossible for anyone to feel ill will towards him.

Chu Xuanjin had originally intended to refuse directly.

He disliked trouble, and even more so, getting too entangled with these royal descendants who carried the Luck of a Dynasty.

He was about to speak.

But the words "Imperial Palace" flashed through his mind.

A thought, without warning, popped up.

The Imperial Palace, huh...

Before his Transmigration, he could only see it on his phone and TV.

What did the Imperial Palace of this cultivation world look like?

Would there be three palaces and six courtyards? Would there be resplendent treasuries? Would there be...

Once this thought arose, it grew wildly like weeds.

His Transmigrator's heart, which loved to join in the fun and see new things, actually couldn't be restrained.

He looked at Zhao Wuji, who was sincere and even a little nervous, and suddenly felt that leaving just like that would be a bit of a loss.

He cleared his throat, and his lazy expression gained a few hints of profound inscrutability.

"The Imperial Palace, you say..."

He drew out his words.

Zhao Wuji's heart instantly leaped to his throat.

"Very well."

Chu Xuanjin's gaze swept over the three Disciples before him.

"Let's go take a look."

"Consider it me taking you to witness what the pinnacle of worldly power looks like. It will also benefit your Dao Heart."

Upon hearing this.

Zhao Wuji's face instantly erupted with wild joy.

"Senior agreed? That's wonderful!"

Wang Duojin and Su Linger, however, looked bewildered.

They hadn't expected Revered Master to actually agree.

Only Ye Chenfeng remained calm, as if any decision Revered Master made was perfectly reasonable.

"Senior, this way please!"

Zhao Wuji was overjoyed and immediately personally led the way.

The two teams of golden-armored guards automatically dispersed, clearing an absolutely safe path around them.

The common people on both sides of the street were stunned to see His Royal Highness the Crown Prince so respectful to a young man, and they began to discuss animatedly.

The group, under a multitude of reverent gazes, majestically headed towards the Imperial City.

"Revered Master." Wang Duojin leaned closer to Chu Xuanjin, lowering his voice.

"This Crown Prince has an extremely noble fate, the mark of a Human Emperor. However, within his Luck, there's a trace of black Qi, indicating internal strife among brothers and a bloody calamity. This trip might not be peaceful."

Chu Xuanjin glanced at him.

"Your abacus is getting sharper."

He didn't say anything more.

Peaceful?

If it were peaceful, wouldn't this play lose a lot of its fun?

...

The Zhao Kingdom Imperial City is located in the very center of Tianjing City.

The city walls are a hundred zhang high, built from a hard obsidian, inscribed with profound Formation patterns that shimmer with a faint glow under the sunlight.

On the city walls, there's a guard every three steps and a sentry every five, all elite soldiers in heavy armor.

An invisible Dragon Qi, formed by the faith of the populace and the longevity of the Dynasty, enveloped the entire Imperial City like a canopy.

Ordinary Cultivators here would likely have their cultivation suppressed by more than thirty percent.

"Good heavens!"

Wang Duojin looked up at the majestic city walls, feeling the invisible pressure, and clicked his tongue in wonder.

"Revered Master, this Dragon Qi is even more overbearing than our Qingyun Branch's mountain-protecting grand Formation! Fighting here, Cultivators probably won't gain any advantage!"

"The Dao of a Dynasty is different from that of a Sect," Chu Xuanjin casually explained.

"Sects cultivate individual might, seeking transcendence. Dynasties cultivate collective Luck, seeking suppression."

"Both have their own marvels."

Under Zhao Wuji's personal guidance, the group passed through several checkpoints unimpeded and entered the depths of the Imperial City.

Pavilions and towers, carved beams and painted rafters, resplendent and magnificent.

Exotic flowers and rare grasses, vying for beauty, brimming with Spiritual Qi.

Palace maids in luxurious palace attire and steady-aura inner court guards were seen everywhere.

The extravagance here was completely different from the immortal aura of the Myriad Dao Divine Mountain.

It was the ultimate wealth and power belonging to the human world.

"Senior, this is the 'Imperial Garden.' All the exotic flowers and rare grasses planted here were collected by my Imperial Father from various places," Zhao Wuji said with a smile, leading the way and introducing.

He pointed to a small tree with seven-colored flowers not far away.

"For example, that 'Seven Treasures Glazed Tree' is said to bloom only once every ten thousand years, and its pollen has the effect of calming the mind and concentrating the spirit."

Wang Duojin's eyes almost turned into the shape of Spirit Stones.

"Revered Master, can that tree... be dug up?"

Chu Xuanjin glared at him.

Wang Duojin immediately shrank his neck.

Su Linger, meanwhile, looked at the beautiful flowers, a hint of fondness in her eyes.

Passing through the Imperial Garden, they entered the main palace area of the Imperial City.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Palace of Earthly Tranquility...

Grand palaces sat on the central axis, exuding supreme majesty that commanded the world.

Chu Xuanjin's Heavenly Dao Dharma Eye had been quietly active.

He observed the invisible Dragon Qi coiling above the Imperial City and the powerful protective Formations hidden beneath each palace.

He nodded secretly in his heart.

This Mortal Dynasty indeed possessed some profound heritage.

Just as they were passing a side hall named "Scripture Pavilion," Chu Xuanjin's footsteps suddenly halted.

He raised his head, his gaze seemingly penetrating the thick palace doors and looking into the depths of the pavilion.

"Senior, what's wrong?" Zhao Wuji asked hastily when he saw him stop.

"Nothing."

Chu Xuanjin retracted his gaze, his expression normal.

However, in his Sea of Consciousness, a line of golden text clearly emerged.

[Location: Third floor of the Great Zhao Imperial Scripture Pavilion]

[Detecting special energy fluctuations...]

[Discovered unactivated special Physique: ??? (Suppressed by Ancient Dragon Soul Bloodline)]

[Hidden Talent: ??? (Archaic Dragon God Body!)]

[Hidden Identity: ??? (Third Prince of the Great Zhao Dynasty, Zhao Wuyou, imprisoned in the Scripture Pavilion due to congenital idiocy, ostensibly as a caretaker, but in reality, under house arrest.)]

A flash of imperceptible brilliance flickered in Chu Xuanjin's eyes.

He had searched high and low for it.

And found it without any effort.

He had originally thought this trip to the Imperial Palace was merely to satisfy his curiosity.

But he hadn't expected.

He had actually found a true Dragon that had yet to emerge from its abyss.