The gentlemen in passing wore impeccably tailored tailcoats and top hats, nodding gracefully in greeting, while the ladies adorned themselves in layered, billowing gowns with delicate parasols, their faces bearing courteous smiles.
Despite only a street apart, the area before him seemed like a completely different world from the industrial district.
Indeed, this was the Central District of Oranck, home to the true upper crust, where dropping a brick might land on a nobleman or a rising capitalist.
The architectural style here differed vastly from the industrial district.
The buildings were predominantly made of creamy white limestone, studded with classical columns and elaborate carvings. Broad glass windows shone brightly, reflecting the brilliant sunlight.
In the fountain square, water splashed while several luxuriously dressed children frolicked in play, devoid of the precociousness and fatigue seen in children from the industrial area.
Recalling his memory, Lu Yan walked towards the row of neatly parked carriages on the street corner.
He chose a pitch-black, gleaming four-wheeled carriage, drawn by two robust chestnut horses. Intricate golden patterns decorated the sides of the carriage, with a shining bronze plate set into the door.
As Lu Yan approached, the middle-aged coachman in a dark blue suit immediately noticed him. The coachman was tall and slender, with a stern face and meticulously trimmed gray-white sideburns. He maintained a professional smile and bowed slightly, asking, "Sir, where would you like to go?"
Lu Yan retrieved a shiny gold sovereign from his pocket and gently spun it between his fingers, the golden glow shimmering in the sunlight. He handed the coin to the coachman, speaking steadily, "Violet Manor."
The coachman accepted the gold sovereign, a flash of surprise in his eyes that quickly returned to professional composure. He bowed again, opening the carriage door for Lu Yan: "Please get in, sir. The journey is a bit long, but I assure you, I'll get you there as quickly as possible."
Lu Yan stepped onto the small ladder and entered the carriage lined with deep red velvet. The interior was exquisitely furnished, with fine carvings on wooden panels and soft, comfortable seats.
With a faint whistle from the coachman, the carriage slowly began moving, heading onto the broad streets of Oranck, making its way towards the distant outskirts to Violet Manor.
Through the carriage window, Lu Yan gazed at this divided city, lost in numerous thoughts.
In this enigmatic version, Extraordinary Power was strictly prohibited by the Church.
Partly to maintain social stability, but primarily because Extraordinary Power was far too uncontrollable.
As introduced in the text of this enigmatic version, once one steps onto the Extraordinary Path, madness and loss of control lurk ever-present with all Transcendents.
Even a lowest-level Ninth Rank Transcendent going out of control could potentially harm hundreds of ordinary people.
Particularly those flawed Extraordinary Paths created by crude methods, carrying many hidden dangers.
Yet the more it is prohibited, the more people desire to try contacting Extraordinary Power.
Among them are commoners, scholars, and possibly... nobles.
Those ancient, long-standing nobles naturally hold complete Extraordinary Paths, but some emerging nobles and capitalists, arising from the dawn of the industrial age, find it difficult to access Extraordinary Power.
The grand nobles intentionally limited these new noble capitalists' control over Extraordinary Power, while the newcomers did not have the status to access the transcendent from the Church's domain.
Helplessly, these new nobles could only start gathering extraordinary powers from the populace, gradually forming several extraordinary gatherings.
Violet Manor is the estate of Oranck's renowned banker, the Count of Violet, and one of the known locations for extraordinary gatherings as far as Sain is aware.
However, due to the high status of the Count of Violet, he was able to engage with notable levels of transcendent aspects, making someone like Sain, who followed a flawed Extraordinary Path at the Seventh Rank, unqualified to participate in the extraordinary gathering at Violet Manor.
Lu Yan aimed to attend this extraordinary gathering when he went to Violet Manor.
The carriage came to a gentle stop outside Violet Manor, with the wheels making a faint friction sound on the cobblestone path. Lu Yan stepped out, with sunlight filtering through the high branches of oak trees, casting mottled shadows on the ground.
The mansion at Violet Manor was magnificent, constructed of pale purple stone, with lofty Gothic spires pierce into the clouds, and elegant wings extending from the building's grand central structure. Surrounding the estate was a carefully trimmed hedge maze and a garden bursting with vibrant flowers; in the distance lay an artificial lake, its surface shimmering with light.
Lu Yan observed that numerous carriages had already parked outside, some more luxurious than the one he arrived in, adorned with various family crests denoting the esteemed identity of their owners.
The coachmen gathered in small groups, conversing, occasionally glancing over with curious eyes.
By now, it was midday, the gates of Violet Manor were closed, with a few uniformed guards standing outside, their expressions stern.
The closed gates indicated that the extraordinary gathering had begun and that no disturbances were allowed within.
As Lu Yan alighted, a servant in a purple tailcoat and white gloves swiftly came up to greet him. The servant's face was upright, his demeanor proper, but there was a trace of polite detachment in his eyes.
"Sir, the banquet has already begun; please make sure to arrive on time next time," the servant said with a slight bow, his voice carrying an unyielding firmness.
Lu Yan did not speak, only slowly raising his hand towards the void.
His fingers made a slight motion through the air, Creation and Transformation probing into Sain's memory, and through the mighty power of creating something from nothing, an invitation existing within Sain's memory found its way into Lu Yan's hand.
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