294: First visit to the capital

The carriage drove onto the official road. The Cloud-Treading Steed's four hooves moved like the wind, covering a hundred miles in just two hours.

When that majestic city appeared on the horizon, even though they were mentally prepared, everyone in the carriage couldn't help but gasp.

The Imperial Capital.

The heart of the Qian Kingdom, the world's number one majestic city.

The city walls towered into the clouds, built entirely of an unknown black stone that shimmered with a cold, hard metallic luster under the sunlight. The walls were thirty zhang high and wide enough for ten carriages to pass side-by-side. Every hundred zhang, there was an arrow tower, and at the top of these towers, one could faintly see runes flowing—those were the nodes of the city's protective Formation.

Even more shocking was that above the city walls, a translucent film of light could be seen with the naked eye, enveloping the entire city. Dragon-shaped phantoms roamed across the film, emitting a heart-palpitating pressure. That was the Imperial Capital's ultimate defense—the "Nine Dragons Nation-Protecting Array," which was said to be able to withstand a full-power strike from a Martial Saint-Grade powerhouse.

Two years ago, a Saint-Grade powerhouse of the Barbarians led an army of three hundred thousand to the city gates and besieged it for a month. Countless families and old monsters took action, and ultimately, the Barbarian elites suffered heavy losses, their Origin Qi severely damaged as they retreated. This array was their greatest reliance.

This battle also let all factions know that even if the Great Qian was gradually declining, the Imperial Capital of the Great Qian remained as solid as a rock.

"It's truly... magnificent," Xia Ya murmured to herself, leaning against the carriage window.

Qin Feng was also deeply shaken. In his past life, he had seen the skyscrapers of modern cities, but the coldness of that steel forest was far inferior to the sense of weight and majesty brought by this ancient city before him. This was a man-made miracle that integrated the Peak of martial arts civilization, with every brick and stone steeped in a thousand years of national destiny.

As the carriage drew closer, the official road was filled with a constant stream of carriages and people. There were children of noble families surrounded by luxury carriages, travel-worn merchant caravans and escort masters, Sect Cultivators with steady Auras, and government officials wearing various colored robes. Martial Masters and Grand Martial Masters could be seen everywhere, and as for Martial King-grade powerhouses, Qin Feng sensed no fewer than twenty along the way!

"The Imperial Capital truly hides dragons and crouching tigers," Tao Yuanyi said in a low voice.

At the city gate, the line of people waiting to enter stretched for three miles. However, He Qingwan's carriage did not stop; instead, guided by a Hundred Flowers Pavilion Disciple, it drove straight toward a dedicated side passage.

At the entrance of the passage, a squad of the Mysterious Armor Army blocked the way.

The leader was a cold-faced middle-aged general in black heavy armor, his Aura surprisingly that of a Peak Martial King! Behind him were twenty soldiers, all of whom were Late-stage Grand Martial Masters, each with sharp eyes and restrained Killing Intent.

"Halt," the general's voice was cold. "Anyone entering the Imperial Capital, regardless of identity, must register and be inspected.

He Qingwan lifted the carriage curtain and said gently, "Commander Liu, it's me, He Qingwan of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion. On the carriage are honored guests of our Hundred Flowers Pavilion, please make it convenient."

Commander Liu's expression softened slightly, but he still acted officially: "Pavilion Master He, please forgive me. Rules are rules; even if the Master of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion came in person, they would still need to register. Recently, the Imperial Capital has been under martial law. Orders from above state that any Martial Artist of the Martial King level or above entering the city must record their identity, purpose, and length of stay in detail."

His gaze swept over Qin Feng and the others, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes—these seven people were all Martial Kings! Moreover, they were all young and had refined Auras, clearly not ordinary Loose Cultivators.

"Everyone, please get off the carriage to register," Commander Liu's tone brooked no argument.

Qin Feng and the others got off the carriage. He Qingwan frowned slightly and was about to speak again, but Qin Feng stepped forward and took something from his robe.

It was a dark gold token with a five-clawed golden dragon soaring through the clouds engraved on the front, and a vigorous character "Li" on the back.

The Dragon Soaring Token! Gifted by the City Lord of Xingnan, Li Ju!

When Commander Liu saw the token, his pupils shrank, and for the first time, a ripple appeared on his cold face. He took the token with both hands, inspected it carefully, then looked at Qin Feng, his tone becoming three parts more respectful: "So it is a distinguished guest of General Li. My apologies."

He returned the token with both hands and stepped aside to clear the path: "Please, everyone."

Qin Feng took back the token and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you, Commander Liu."

Commander Liu said in a deep voice, "Since Your Excellency was recommended by General Li, I will offer a word of advice—the Imperial Capital is different from other places. A Martial King cultivation might allow one to act like a king or a tyrant in a border city, but here..."

He paused and pointed to the constant stream of people inside the city gate: "Do you see those people? Those in blue robes are the Chiefs of the Six Ministries, rank five, starting at the Early Stage Martial King level; those in purple robes are the Directors of Departments, rank four, at least at the Mid-stage Martial King level; those riding horses in silver armor are the Imperial Guard Centurions, a position that can only be held by someone at the Late Stage Martial King level."

His gaze swept over Qin Feng and the others, his tone meaningful: "In the Imperial Capital, Martial Kings really can only... watch the gates."

Qin Feng's heart jolted, remembering a saying he had heard in his past life: A division-level official is already a high-ranking official in the local regions, but in the capital, if a brick falls, it can hit three division chiefs.

The world of martial arts was actually the same.

The Imperial Capital was truly a place where the world's carps gathered.

He took a deep breath and solemnly cupped his hands: "Thank you for the reminder, Commander. I will keep it in mind."

Commander Liu nodded, said no more, and waved them through.

The carriage started again and drove through the city gate.

Passing through the ten-zhang-thick city gate tunnel, the view suddenly opened up.

The prosperity of the Imperial Capital unfolded like a scroll at this moment.

The street was twenty zhang wide, paved with smooth green jade stone slabs, wide enough for ten carriages to drive side-by-side. The buildings on both sides were lined up closely, with upturned eaves and bracket sets, carved beams and painted rafters; the tall ones reached seven or eight stories, while the shorter ones were three or four stories. Restaurants, tea houses, inns, shops, banks, auction houses... all kinds of signs and banners fluttered, a dazzling array.

People on the street were rubbing shoulders, wearing different styles of clothing and speaking a mix of languages. There were noble Young Masters in fine silk traveling with beauties, travel-worn vendors carrying shoulder poles and hawking their wares, Daoist priests holding compasses walking slowly, and Martial Artists carrying sabers and swords hurrying along. From time to time, luxury carriages drove by, and the creatures pulling them were actually Earth Rank Yao Beasts like "Crimson Flame Steeds" and "Cloud-Treading Beasts"!

The air was filled with various scents—the fragrance of Medicinal Pills, the sharpness of weapons, the fluctuations of spiritual materials, and the True Yuan pressure emitted by countless Martial Artists. Qin Feng roughly sensed that within a hundred-zhang radius, there were no fewer than thirty Martial King-level Auras! Grand Martial Masters were even more common than hair on a cow.

"My god..." Xia Ya's eyes widened. "That old man selling candied haws over there is actually at the Peak Grand Martial Master level?!"

Xiao Chun also said in shock, "That waiter in the restaurant actually has a Late Martial Master cultivation..."

Yan Chi's eyes were sharp, staring at several young Martial Artists sparring by the roadside: "Those people are at most twenty years old, yet they are all Grand Martial Masters! Their Moves are exquisite and their Foundations are solid; they would be considered geniuses in the Northern Border!"

Seeing everyone's shock, He Qingwan smiled and said, "The Imperial Capital gathers the world's talents, has abundant resources, complete Cultivation Techniques, and guidance from famous teachers. The cultivation of the younger generation is generally higher than in other places. You were all top-tier in the Northern Border, but here... you still need to adapt."

Qin Feng nodded silently. This was the gap in platforms. In Juyan City, reaching Grand Martial Master at twenty was already a Genius; in the Imperial Capital, it might only be an average level.

The carriage continued forward, passing through several busy streets before turning into a relatively quiet street.

This street was called "Hundred Flowers Alley." The buildings on both sides were mostly light blue, elegant in style, and the air was filled with a faint floral fragrance. Most of the pedestrians were women, and most were beautiful with gentle Auras, clearly Disciples of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

At the end of the street, a seven-story tower stood majestically. The tower was built of green jade stone, with wind chimes hanging from the eaves that made a crisp and pleasant sound when the breeze blew. A plaque hung over the lintel with three elegant characters written on it—Hundred Flowers Tower.

In front of the tower was a small plaza filled with various exotic flowers and rare plants. It was currently the flowering season, and the colors were vibrant while the fragrance was intoxicating. There were many women on the plaza practicing swordplay, sparring, or sitting quietly to regulate their breathing. Seeing the carriage arrive, they all stopped their actions and looked over curiously.

The carriage stopped in front of the tower. He Qingwan got out first, gave a few instructions to the female Disciples who came to meet her, then turned to Qin Feng and the others with a smile: "We're here. This is the Imperial Capital branch of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion. Please come in; the rooms are ready."

Everyone got off the carriage and followed He Qingwan into the Hundred Flowers Tower.

The interior was elegantly decorated. The first floor was a hall with tables, chairs, and tea sets, famous paintings and calligraphy on the walls, and a zither stand and writing desk in the corner. Several female Disciples were brewing tea, playing the zither, or talking in low voices. Seeing people arrive, they all stood up and bowed.

"Pavilion Master."

"The Pavilion Master is back."

He Qingwan nodded in acknowledgment and led everyone straight to the third floor.

This floor was the VIP area, with four Quiet Rooms on each side of the corridor, each with a number and Formation runes on the door.

"These four Quiet Rooms are prepared for you," He Qingwan pointed to the four on the left. "Each has an independent Spirit-Gathering Array, soundproofing array, and protective array, suitable for both cultivation and rest. If you need anything, you can pull the bell in the room, and a Disciple will bring it."

She took out a green jade token and handed it to Qin Feng: "This is a VIP token. With this, you can Move freely within the Hundred Flowers Tower and enjoy some resource discounts. In addition..."

He Qingwan's expression became more serious: "The Imperial Capital has indeed not been peaceful recently. There are undercurrents surging within the Imperial Family, between Sects, and in the struggles of noble families. Since you have just arrived, try to go out as little as possible if it's not necessary, and don't easily get into conflicts with others. If there's anything important, you can discuss it with me first."

Qin Feng took the jade token, feeling the warm spiritual energy fluctuations within it, and nodded: "Thank you, Pavilion Master He. We have just arrived in the Imperial Capital and indeed need time to understand the situation."

"That's good," He Qingwan smiled. "Everyone, rest first. Later this evening, I will host a welcome banquet for you. Also... Young Master Qin, Disciple-Niece Xiao Chun, the Sect Master has instructions for you to come to my study once you've settled in."

Qin Feng and Xiao Chun looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

He Qingwan gave a few more instructions and then left first.

Everyone chose their rooms. Qin Feng had one, Xiao Chun and Ji Ruxue shared one, Xia Ya and Yan Chi shared one, and Tao Yuanyi and Cold Peach Blossom shared one.

Entering the room, Qin Feng looked around carefully.

The Quiet Room was about thirty square meters, the furnishings simple but exquisite. By the window was a writing desk with all the necessary writing tools; inside was a sandalwood bed with soft bedding; in the corner was a small Spirit-Gathering Array, currently operating slowly, with a spiritual energy concentration five times that of the outside; on the wall hung several landscape paintings with profound artistic Concepts, clearly the work of famous artists.

Qin Feng walked to the window and pushed it open.

Outside the window was the street view of Hundred Flowers Alley. In the distance, the majestic buildings of the Imperial Capital's central area were faintly visible—the Imperial Palace, the Martial Academy, the headquarters of major Sects, the manors of noble families... lined up in a grand and imposing manner.

Further away, a giant tower reaching for the sky pierced the clouds, its body shimmering with golden light. Even from dozens of miles away, one could feel the pressure that suppressed heaven and earth.

"Is that... the Nation-Suppressing Tower?" Qin Feng murmured to himself.

It was said to have been built by the founding Martial God of the Qian Kingdom. The tower enshrined the national artifacts and was also the core of the Imperial Capital's array. The tower was ninety-nine stories high, symbolizing the Ninety-Nine Supreme, and was the symbol of the Imperial Capital and the entire Qian Kingdom.

Looking at the prosperous scene before him, Qin Feng felt a surge of complex emotions.

Shock, excitement, vigilance, and a trace of... insignificance.

In this majestic city that gathered the world's talents, he, a Mid-stage Martial King, really wasn't much.

But soon, this sense of insignificance was replaced by determination.

"So what?" Qin Feng clenched his fists, a sharp light flashing in his eyes. "The path of martial arts is inherently a journey from insignificance to greatness. No matter how big the Imperial Capital is, it cannot be bigger than a Martial Artist's heart."

He had the daily intelligence system, the Xuanyuan Dragon Slaying Art, the Four Symbols Battle Array, and these companions who shared life and death with him.

Let the winds and clouds of the Imperial Capital blow and rain as they might.

He must obtain the lower volume of the Daoist Primordial Chaos Art.

He would surely find the middle and lower parts of the Xuanyuan Dragon Slaying Art.

And all of this would begin from this Hundred Flowers Tower.