Beneath towering mountains shrouded in mist, beside vast waters flowing gently.

Eight hundred miles outside the Dianchuan Provincial Capital lies a vast, level area, vibrant and smoothly contoured, encircled by high mountains, like a giant, suspended bell.

This place, with its spacious and lofty hall, is grand and vast, its converging waters reminiscent of the dignity and martial might of a king enthroned, receiving the obeisance of a hundred officials.

Foreground mountains sharply defined, a bright and open central court, waters meandering!

Even a novice in the art of geomancy would exclaim in wonder upon arriving here.

What an imperial treasure of a land!

And on this auspicious site, abundant in imperial favor and responsive to royal inclination,

A powerful clan stood like a towering tree, its branches lush and roots deeply entrenched in this fertile land.

This family's mansion occupied an extensive area.

From afar, the undulating ridges and flying eaves of the rooftops formed a majestic picture.

Underneath the grayish-blue glazed tiles, the splendor shone brightly, its radiance brilliant, its divine charisma dazzling, fully displaying a wealth and grandeur that inspired awe.

Within the walls, every finely carved beam and painted rafter spoke of exquisite craftsmanship and opulence.

Whether it was the ordinary gate handles made of inlaid white jade, or the small goldfish ponds with their gently rippling water and the artificial mountains with their serene pavilions found every three steps in the garden—all of it demonstrated the profound heritage and lofty elegance of this family.

At the grand entrance of this expansive mansion, eight majestic, lifelike stone lions stood proud, as if carved from white jade.

By the laws of Great Xuan:

Officials below the sixth rank were entitled to two lions at their gates.

From the sixth rank to the second rank, four lions were permitted.

For the highest officials, dukes, and other high-ranking nobles, six lions could stand guard.

Only those of princely rank were allowed eight lions before their gateway.

However, apart from princes,

Within the entire Great Xuan Dynasty, there was but one other station:

Not of princely rank, yet entitled to place eight lions before their mansion.

That was none other than the Military Governor of one of the twelve provinces of the Great Xuan Dynasty!

In the distance, a procession of carriages carrying locked wooden chests, each approximately a zhang in length and width, trundled down the straight and broad imperial road, slowly making their way toward this Military Governor's mansion. These chests contained official documents from various regions, to be presented and forwarded to the County Yamen.

The carriages stopped outside the side entrance of the Military Governor's mansion.

Groups of tall and powerful soldiers from the Military Governor's mansion flowed out, moving the official documents from the carriages into the building.

After entering the mansion, these documents were first sorted according to the rank of the various yamen at the prefecture, county, and township levels, their department, and the urgency of the matters. Then, the mansion's administrators would perform an initial review, excerpt key points, and submit them for reporting. Lastly, they were compiled and brought into the Mingzheng Building for the Military Governor's review.

Upon the Mingzheng Building, standing majestic with its red pillars and azure tiles at the very center of the Military Governor's mansion, documents continuously transported in via teleportation arrays were delivered by attendants clad in variously colored attire to different rooms on different floors. Inside these rooms, diligently working officials, personally appointed by the Military Governor, were responsible for reviewing the documents and, to some extent, providing annotations.

The Mingzheng Building had a total of nine levels. These represented the urgency of the documents; very few actually made it to the ninth floor for the Military Governor's personal review.

"Thirteenth Master, don't you want to take a break? You haven't been downstairs in two months," a maid, clad in bright clothes and emanating a faint fragrance, said as she offered a spoonful of nourishing, spirit-soothing soup to the young man before her.

"It's alright. It has only been two months. My Seventh Brother and Third Brother haven't been downstairs in over a year."

Sipping the spirit soup gently, the young man composed himself and then resumed reviewing the documents before him.

"After Great-Uncle's death, undercurrents within the Gao Residence have begun to surge. Each branch is eager to vie for the position of Dianchuan Festival Envoy. Our fifth branch is the weakest, so we must be all the more diligent to secure our footing. Otherwise, during the upcoming succession disputes, without sufficient strength, we risk being swept out of the family entirely."

The death of Gao Tianxiong was a monumental shock for Dianchuan Province, like the collapse of a pillar holding up the heavens. For the Gao Family internally, it was an even more significant upheaval, sending tumultuous waves through the entire residence.

As the Gao Family head and the leader of the main branch, Gao Tianxiong originally had one legitimate son, who tragically died young. The son's mother, grief-stricken by the loss of her child, also passed away early. After the successive departures of his wife and child, Gao Tianxiong never remarried before his death, thus leaving no descendants.

Now that he had passed away, the positions of both family head and Dianchuan Festival Envoy were left vacant. Which individual from the branches of the Gao Family would follow in Gao Tianxiong's footsteps and take up these roles had become the question driving their ambitions.

DONG—

Just as this diligent Thirteenth Master was meticulously reviewing the documents, seeking to garner more opportunities to distinguish himself, a resonant and profound toll of a bell suddenly echoed throughout the Gao Residence.

Startled, the young man stood up, surprise etched on his face. "Eternal Spirit Bell? This is the highest form of honor! Has a Prince graced our Gao Family with his visit?"

The Eternal Spirit Bell was one of the ritual instruments permanently kept in the Gao Residence, of which there were three types: Light Spirit, Long Spirit, and Eternal Spirit. It was sounded only when distinguished guests visited the household. The Eternal Spirit Bell, being the most prestigious, was usually struck only when individuals of princely rank or higher arrived. The last time the Eternal Spirit Bell had sounded was during the visit of the Grand Protector of the Great Xuan Dynasty!

With no time to tidy up the documents he had knocked over, the young man hurriedly walked outside. With the patriarch deceased, the arrival of a noble guest of such high rank at this time must signify urgent business. Showing one's face on such an occasion would be far more effective than poring over thousands of documents inside the Mingzheng Building.

At this moment, at the main entrance of the Gao Residence, the sky was growing dark. The afterglow of twilight scattered across the ancient road, stirring up dust as a troop of elite soldiers clad in iron armor stood in formation. Their armor reflected a cold metallic luster under the setting sun. Each soldier had a solemn expression, their eyes as resolute as knives, as they escorted a magnificent sedan.

This sedan was exquisitely carved, its body black as lacquer and embroidered with a colossal mystical bird. The bird was a dark cyan all over, its feathers depicted so vividly it seemed poised to take flight at any moment. Its eyes glittered with golden sparks, as if imbued with the power to pierce the void and illuminate the Milky Way.

The sedan was shouldered by sixteen burly men of exceptional strength, who moved with steady, orderly steps. Each man wore a thick rattan belt around his waist; this helped distribute the weight, allowing them to carry the heavy and valuable sedan with ease while ensuring stability during their march. The surrounding elite soldiers held long spears or had curved sabers hanging at their sides. Their vigilance was so intense it seemed any slight movement could provoke a thunderous counterattack. Red tassels, hanging from the sides of their helmets, swayed in the wind, reflecting their high morale.

At the entrance of the Gao Residence, the guards spotted the sedan approaching with imposing grandeur, like a yellow dragon, and subconsciously grasped the long swords at their waists. But when they caught sight of the mystical bird embroidered on the sedan, their expressions changed instantly.

The leading guard hurried back and rang the Eternal Spirit Bell hanging above the Inner Sect.

The emblem of the mystical bird! That was the exclusive motif of the Great Profound Royal Family! Sitting inside that magnificent sedan was none other than a member of the Great Profound Royal Family!

As the deep and resonant toll of the bell echoed throughout the Gao Residence, soon every member, senior and junior, gathered at the entrance, chattering curiously.

"All of you, stand back! Such a clamor! What decorum is this!"

As the people of the Gao Residence looked on eagerly, wondering which member of the Great Profound Royal Family had arrived, a deep, weighty voice suddenly came from within the residence.

He was a middle-aged man, perhaps in his forties. His face was etched with the traces of time; the lines on his forehead held the wisdom of countless experiences and a sharpness forged by harsh years. He was dressed in a dark, long robe, wide and comfortable without losing its grandeur. The fine embroidery on the robe revealed his extraordinary status without being ostentatious. A jade ornament hung quietly at his waist, emitting a subdued and serene tinkle as he walked. It was proof of both his authority and cultivation. Despite his refined appearance, which gave him the air of a delicate scholar, he possessed a hidden, unknown strength. His fingers were long and strong, accustomed to wielding both the pen and power. Each movement revealed composure and confidence.

With just a sentence, he brought silence to the surroundings, a testament to his authority within the Gao Residence.

"Second Master."

Seeing the man appear, everyone at the door bowed respectfully.

This middle-aged man, who seemed like a learned scholar, was none other than Gao Tianxiong's biological younger brother—Gao Tianzhen!

After the death of his elder brother, Gao Tianzhen had been designated to temporarily assume the position of head of the Gao Family. In fact, even when Gao Tianxiong was alive, the affairs of the clan, both large and small, had always been handled by Gao Tianzhen. After all, as the Dianchuan Festival Envoy, Gao Tianxiong had paid little attention to the affairs of his own family.

Gao Tianzhen had just arrived at the entrance of the residence when the grand sedan, carried by sixteen men, was steadily set down.

Suddenly, all sounds were suppressed into silence. The only sound, starkly clear in the silence, was the metallic scrape of bronze sedan rings being slowly lifted.

A boot stepped out. It landed with a solid, decisive thud, a sound that spoke of its owner's undeniable authority and resolution. Then, a pair of slender and powerful hands, adorned with mystical bird rings, braced themselves on the edge. Immediately after, a figure rose gracefully and steadily from the high sedan, emerging from behind the curtains.

He wore a crimson robe embroidered with the gold threads of a mystical bird, shimmering in the sunlight. An agate buckle fastened his waist, and cyan jade ornaments at his belt jingled delicately with his steps. A black jade crown upon his head symbolized his supreme status.

Upon seeing the person step out of the sedan, Gao Tianzhen moved forward a few steps. When his gaze rose from the man's crimson robe to his face, his pupils suddenly trembled.

"Your servant, Gao Tianzhen, pays respects to His Highness the Crown Prince!"

The Crown Prince of the Great Xuan Dynasty!

A series of thuds and rustles erupted from behind him, among the Gao Residence members at the gate, as people fell to their knees in prostration.

Perhaps the crowd had thought the visitor would be a venerable member of the royal family. But they had never imagined it would be the current Crown Prince himself!

Watching the prostrate crowd in silence, the Crown Prince slowly stepped forward. He advanced with an undeniable air of authority, each step seemingly conveying a mighty pressure capable of steadying the mountains and rivers of the world. The air around him seemed to liquefy, forming visible ripples in his vicinity. For a moment, the onlookers felt as if they were bearing the weight of several mountains on their backs, leaving them gasping for air, their faces red, and veins bulging.

Reaching the front of the Gao Residence gates, the Crown Prince looked up slightly at the black plaque with its gold characters, a fleeting light passing through his eyes.

"Rise."

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