There were many paths leading to the capital. It was located in the central plains of the dynasty and contained all the auspicious fortunes due to its location at the dragon vein.
Divine Capital was the official name. It used to be called Jin Capital but four thousand years ago, a 1,874-meter tall divine statue was erected by the shore of the Jin River and shocked the world. Thus, the capital’s name was changed in accordance with the heaven’s wish.
This statue was majestic as it looked down on the world and the heaven. At that point, a princess from the family decided to become a nun and started nunnery around the statue with the name, “Faith Convent.” [1]
What used to be a grass hut has grown into a sacred ground for the Buddhists.
Feiyun was learning all of this from Wan Xiangcen.
“One more day and we’ll reach the Faith Convent, then we’ll only be half a day from the capital using a water route.” Xiangcen sat under a lamp with her jade-like face. Her pretty eyes were especially clear as if they were made from glass.
One could hear the sound of waves hitting the hulls outside while the night mist invaded through the windows.
They were traveling on a red ivory warship on top of the Jin River for almost half a month now to reach Central Royal.
This ship could travel thirty thousand miles each day, faster than the flying speed of a Heaven’s Mandate cultivator. A grand blacksmithing master would need several hundred years and an insane amount of materials in order to build one.
Cultivators needed to use these warships if they wanted to across the prefectures.
The warship absorbed the sun rays for energy so it traveled the quickest during the day and slowed down considerably at night. It was only the beginning of nighttime right now so the passengers were cultivating. Only a few young ones during their first journey would be hanging out by the deck.
Feiyun said: “Such a tall divine statue excavated from the river? I must take a look.”
Wan Xiangcen smiled back: “Most cultivators visiting the capital would go visit it. There are quite a few prodigies coming recently. If you go tomorrow, I’m sure you will meet many of the top ones.”
“That has nothing to do with me.” Feiyun only came to complete Feng Mo’s mission while checking out the most prosperous city. He didn’t care about anything else.
Xiangcen left for her room to rest. She couldn’t be as carefree as Feiyun since she needed to personally take care of many arrangements.
“That’s the ex-Seventh Lord for you, to be able to talk to her rapist so casually. Ordinary women can’t exactly do this.” Feiyun stared as she was leaving with a smile. He took a deep breath; the air still had her enchanting fragrance.
After being raped, other women, if they chose not to commit suicide, still wouldn’t dare to look at their rapists. However, Xiangcen didn’t have any problem in this regard.
She was much more frightening in this aspect compared to Ji Cangyue, Lu Liwei, and Bai Ruxue. She didn’t reveal her emotions and wasn’t blinded by vengeance.
He became much more vigilant of her and reminded himself that this was a heretical lord, not just a weak girl restraining herself.
After leaving the southern prefecture, Feiyun trained every day, wishing to break through to the second level. However, he couldn’t focus tonight as if something was interfering with his mind.
In the end, he left the room and stood by a red, winding corridor on the sixth floor. He looked up and could see a taiji diagram floating in the sky with a spirit board in the middle. It was gathering energy for the ship on top of acting as the directional compass.
Under the corridor was the deck nearly spanning for one thousand meters long. This was a behemoth made out of steel.
“Tomorrow, a girl from the Beauty’s Smile Pavilion will go pray at the convent. The master has given us orders to capture her and secretly take her back to the capital.” A quiet voice came from one of the rooms.
Even though there was a separating barrier, Feiyun’s hearing was good enough to faintly hear it, especially the words, “Beauty’s Smile Pavilion”. He became even more attentive after and thought to himself about Hongyan’s sister who was sold to this pavilion, the ultimate playground in the world.
With that, he focused even more to listen.
A different voice came about: “Master is talking about the pan-pipes beauty and musical maestro, Ye Xiaoxiang.”
“Hmph! Only a prostitute, what is this about a musical maestro? It’s putting a slut on a pedestal.”
The quiet voice came again: “You better not say this in front of outsiders. She has many fans and geniuses who consider her to be a musical fairy, including some Grand Historical Geniuses.”
Feiyun had heard that the capital was the place where all the nobles come together. The imperial court had more than six thousand years of history so there were quite a few noble clans. The leaders were the three Grand Officials and the eighteen marquises. Below them were smaller clans that number in the ten thousand, too many to really count.
These nobles were influential in the court on top of being quite powerful. They cultivated many experts; some of the low-key ones could even destroy a cultivation sect.
Everyone needed to be low-key and reasonable at the capital. Just a random person on the street could have a top position in the court and shouldn’t be offended.
These nobles were divided into many factions. The most popular was the scholarly and elegant faction. These nobles cared for their reputation and external appearances. The girls among them were even more elegant with a fanatic love for music and literature.
This was something not found outside of the capitals. All the other sects were breaking heads just to gain more resources to become even stronger. Who would have time for literature and music?
Because of this love for arts due to the nobility, talented musicians and poets were called maestros. Many royal youths didn’t mind offering a fortune or even fight to the death just to hear a single tune.
Some older cultivators at the Giant level have even fought before are an argument about which maestro was the best singer. This eventually spread to the young generation as well; the fans supported their own musical fairies. This wasn’t a rare sight at the capital.
Meanwhile, Ye Xiaoxiang was the hot maestro at the moment at the capital. The combination of a pretty singer with a sad song made many people cry.
Even a few famous Historical Geniuses were her guests. If anyone dared to badmouth her, a group of geniuses would make mincemeat out of them.
“Master might be a fan of Maestro Ye so when you go capture her, do not hurt her in the slightest or master won’t be happy.” The quiet voice eventually disappeared.
Feiyun smirked at this fun show even before he got to the capital. This so-called “master” must be a big shot at the capital, wanting to take his fairy for his own but was afraid of others finding out so he hired outsiders.
“The atmosphere of the capital is outrageously extravagant with no respect for cultivation. A decline was inevitable, no wonder why people in the world want to rebel. Looks like it’s not just because of the astronomical phenomenon.” Feiyun lamented.
On the second day, the warship has finally made it to the Faith Convent. There were many ships stopping here with geniuses coming out.
There were wild warriors from the Ancient Jing Prefecture and students from Earthchild. Corpse controllers were here as well. All of these prodigies came from all over the world. They left their ship and climbed the up the stone steps with many thousand years of history to light an incense at the convent.
“The divine statue was taken out from the river ahead. It’s blocked by that mountain right now. You just need to climb up to see it.” Xiangcen said.
Feiyun was right behind her with the twin maids and four armored guards.
After climbing up the mountain and staring at the gigantic statue, Feiyun seemed to be petrified and struck by lightning at the same time. There was an indescribable shock in his mind with surging emotions.
“How, how can this be? It’s her statue, why was it under the Jin River? What is going on?” Feiyun murmured while staring at the statue.
Xiangcen could see his strange expression that was pale to a scary level. Sweat beads ran down his forehead as well. Was the poisonous blood attacking again?
“Are you alright?” She asked.
Feiyun grabber her arm and said: “Are you sure this statue was excavated from the river four thousand years ago?”
Xiangcen was taken aback by the question.
A young cultivator that was here to worship the statue answered instead: “Of course, there are clear records about the excavation inside the convent. If you don’t believe it, brother, you can go have a look.”
His friend was wearing a beautiful embroidered robe. The guy spoke: “Ye Xiaoxiang is coming to pray today so many geniuses are already waiting at the Ask Buddha Platform. I think Dongfang Jingshui, a historical genius, will be there too.”
Feiyun didn’t really listen. He looked at the statue again before sighing. His face was still as pale as before.