Arrival

A giant grey mountain stretched throughout an extensive valley. Up to its middle, a splendid emerald-green forest grew full of vigor. A myriad of exuberant trees and sylvan spirit lotuses grew all around, untouched by humanity's hands. In between the thick logs, wild spirit beasts roamed freely, living their lives in peace. And at night, when looked from afar, a thick white mist occupied that mountainside. All of that fog was nothing less than the purest condensed spirit Qi!

The mountain was so high that from the forest's border above, white snow began to form in its smaller peaks. It was like a great pillar of stone that went up without end, piercing through the lower clouds in the Heavens. Yet, after traversing that first thin layer of fluffy clouds, an unexpected scene revealed itself: that great mountain did not have a peak!

Right above the clouds, the mountain suddenly transformed into a plane terrace cut out of the grey cobblestone! Yet, the most eye-catching thing up there was not the missing peak, but what occupied its former spot: a colossal palace wholly made out of light-purple jade!

Located right in the middle of the borderless stone platform, it was like the center of the Heavens. Its glorious purple walls inlaid with beautiful lotuses made out of Divine Black Gold took all the splendor of sight. Yet, it was not alone. Multiple structures built out of snow-white marble spammed across its surroundings in perfect symmetry.

Walkways pavemented with tiny bricks of gold and silver interconnected all the buildings to each other. Still, while proceeding among them, beautiful green gardens filled the sideways. Some had crystal-clear ponds, while others had stunning water springs carved out of Blue Ethereal Ice. And around them, alive Holy Fairy sculptures embellish the view as they sang their angelical songs and danced throughout the flowers and pink cherry blossoms.

That magnificent view was forever undisturbed, except for some casual fairy who walked around in delight, or a silent daoist that sat in complete silence by a pond while holding a yellow-bamboo rod. Also, every then and now, a duo of heaven-shaking beauties vested in white silk dresses would patrol around, disciplining some over-spirited child or just standing around in peace.

Then, right at the limits of the top-mountain field, there was a semi-transparent layer of energy surrounding it completely. It was gold in color and had the shape of a dome, engulfing the whole territory around the breathtaking purple palace.

That mountain was broadly known throughout the whole Celestial Realm as Heaven Floor Firmament. It was where the Celestial Royal Clan's headquarter was located. And that exuberant palace was the Celestial Palace!

It was the residence of the all-powerful Celestial Empress. Legends said that right after ascending to the Great Saint Daoist Realm a thousand years ago, she flew all her way to that mountain and singlehanded disintegrated its peak. Obviously, those rumors where extravagated, yet that palace really was the symbol of her boundless might.

To have prospered for a thousand years without never falling, it was the true embodiment of what the Celestial Empress represented in the Celestial Realm. And with it, all kinds of unique talents and powerful beings gathered up there over time, only magnifying its glory.

Multiple tiny dots were flying above the clouds in its direction right now, though. Some of them were figures who rode exquisite flying swords, while other ones mounted eye-catching flying spirit beasts. And right in the middle of all those people heading to the Celestial Palace flew a light-green carriage pulled by two noble flood Dragons.

Inside it, there was a spacious room with a bluestone bed in the middle. Seated above was a handsome teenager closed-eye in meditation. He had a serene expression, lowly chanting some unrecognizable ancient words while holding a simple-looking sword in his hands. Then, from time to time, an azure haze would exit his body and integrate itself with the sword in a slow process.

That young man was Yi Jiang!

Enjoying such a great environment and plentiful resources for cultivation, he had been in a state of meditation for two months already. Although most people of his current body age would not even last three days straight in meditation, he was different! Two months of meditation? It was like a good night of sleep for him!

Even when his master was still around, and they roamed through the Realm as the Two Handsome Sword Gods, he would stay the minimal time possible away from his cozy cultivation chamber! Hum, the spirit stones ran out? I shall cultivate with the Heavens! Hum, a peak Saint Daoist wants to marry me? Begone, woman! My marriage is with the Heavenly Dao! So, there is a fellow sword daoist trashing my reputation? Let the Heavens deal with him as my reputation is nothing before my pursuit of the DAO!

HEY, WAIT! Are his words implying that master is not the best teacher in the Heavens!? My handsome sword shall have your head!

As he was recultivating his Handsome Sword God chant, his aura was a bit weaker than two months ago. To do so, he had shattered his progress in that Bright Jade Body chant and was using the accumulated spirit Qi to recultivate. As so, his cultivation realm fell all the way from peak Master Daoist to early Daoist.

Yet, with his superior talents, mountains of Top-tier spirit stones, and two unperturbed months of peace, he was already in the peak Daoist realm. As for his sword, although it was still a Common-tier magical treasure, it was not too far away from the next level.

That double body-sword cultivation was one of the motives he was yet to break through the Master Daoist realm up until now. However, the robust foundation he was building now would be worth it! Just like his master used to say: "Yi'er, never forget! The path to the Heavens is long but steady! There is no rush, as even tortoises reach the Heavenly Dao!"

Always taking the words of his beloved master in his heart, Yi Jiang just sat there in cultivation, oblivious to the rest of the world. However, today something out of his daily routine happened: that old ghost who conducted the carriage finally gave some signs of life.

"Young Master Yi! We're about to enter the Celestial Palace's domain, so please prepare yourself for the incoming meeting with the other young masters of the Realm and the Celestial Royal Clan's people!" the aged man said in a hoarse voice.

"Certainly, Elder Mu!" Yi Jiang responded in a similar dry tone.

"Hum, I just hope you don't embarrass our Four Divine Beasts Celestial Sect before the Celestial Empress's people!"

A few moments later, the light-green carriage landed right in front of a tall marble building. It was the Celestial Palace's Visitor Hall, responsible for receiving any daoist who was not part of the palace. On the spacious entrance right in front of it, a thousand young daoists were already waiting. Some tried to befriend other young masters, while others just sat secretively inside their carriages and magical treasure rides.

Just like Yi Jiang, all those young male daoists there were the best their sect or clan could offer. Was in it terms of looks, talent, or wealth, each and every one of them was the cream of the crop back from where they came. An air of dominance surrounded each one of them, with their eyes fill with unshakable determination. It was like everyone was saying they were there to stay!

As for Yi Jiang, he did not give a sh*t about things like status and reputation. For him, those were stupid things weakling daoist ancestors invented to cover up their lack of determination to struggle with the Heavens! Hum, reputation? Can you eat that? Can it make me a super daoist? No? Then just keep that useless thing to yourself!

Therefore, as almost all the other young masters were happily talking about their lives, how many concubines they had, how rich they were, and so on, Yi Jiang just sat in his carriage in meditation. Yet, a low chatter coming from the side of his carriage surprisingly caught his attention. Apparently, two young daoists were discussing something in cautious whispers. A bit interested, Yi Jiang concentrated some spirit Qi in his ears.

"Hey, hey... fellow daoist. I saw that peculiar ring of yours... and I had the urge to ask. Are you a member of the "you-know-which" trading club?" one of the voices murmured.

"Yes.. yes. May I know if fellow daoist also knows about the club? Oh, you have a ring too! So, what's your rank? I'm just a humble external member."

"Me too, my friend, me too." *depressed tone*

"But let me ask you, did you ever put your hands in a good?"

"Hehehe. Yes! Around five years ago, while secretly exploring my father's occult treasure room, I found a rare one! It was an nº 24 of the spring collection. Back then, my father was an inner member, you know."

"Spring collection!? What a lucky fellow you are! Can... can you let me see it?"

"Hum! That painting is my most precious treasure! I would not dare carry it on me! Back then, my father cried for three days and three nights after discovering it was gone! I particularly think I wouldn't be capable of living on if I lost it!"

"I understand you, my brother! Once, I had the privilege to see, for a split second, painting nº 13 of the winter collection. It was the most beautiful thing I ever saw in my life!"

Meanwhile, Yi Jiang had a disgusted expression inside the carriage. Paintings!? I thought those guys were talking about something serious, like a precious pill, or a divine-tier spirit spring! Paintings! Back at my days, any random thing I painted would be much better than any other divine frame out there!

Back then, Yi Jiang met a bottleneck in his cultivation of the Handsome Sword God chant. Searching his master for guidance, he discovered that sword daoists needed to refine their skills through other Daos, other things of life.

Yet, before he could think about the matter, his master's eyes flashed in enlightenment as he proposed Yi Jiang should become a painter! The catch was that the great master also said he needed to "paint the most beautiful things" to become fulfilled, implying he had to have "contact" with the other s*x.

However, to his master's frustration, Yi Jiang got the message wrong. In his head, he just needed to roam the Realm painting any beautiful fairy he could find and any forbidden sacred cultivation site he came across. Just like that, the plane became filled with multiple masterpieces he casually painted.

It turned out he had a peerless talent for painting, and after some time, Yi Jiang discovered that wealthy old daoists would pay him fortunes for his paintings. So from then on, he never lacked spirit stones for cultivation! His master was really a wise man, to propose such a great idea to aid him in his pursuit of the Dao!

Yet moments later, Yi Jiang's daydreams about his missing master were interrupted by a powerful, loud voice coming from outside his carriage. The moment the voice sounded throughout the crowd, everyone turned their attention to the entrance of the Visitor Hall. Right in front of it, there was now a beautiful mid-aged woman clothed in a white dress.

"Greetings, young masters from all over the Realm! You can refer to me as Elder Bao, and I'm here to receive you all! Now please, present yourselves in my presence!"

After those words, all the young daoists who were still in their carriages, including Yi Jiang, existed in a rush and gazed at the woman's direction.

"Good! Now please, lift a hand those of you who already have a Dao Companion or concubines! And remember, there is no use in lying!" the woman said in a solemn tone.