Besides the guards sent by the Imperial Court, every academy appointed one person to specially protect their own students.

Along the way, everyone got along harmoniously.

Everyone was quite friendly.

The only person with a bit of an attitude was the guard from the Mountain Sea Academy.

Whenever he saw students from other academies, he always carried an air of superiority.

Although he didn't speak, his expression betrayed a bit of disdain.

The journey took a total of three days, and along the way, everyone they met would bow to the officials' entourage.

Shen Han looked outside through the curtains, ordinary people in simple clothes were also bowing.

Just like he used to be.

The Great Wei is vast and prosperous, but it has little to do with ordinary people.

They still live hard lives...

May 20th.

The further south they traveled, the hotter the weather got, and it was far more humid than in the Capital City.

After crossing the boundary stone, the entire entourage officially stepped into the territory of Yexuan Country.

The roads visibly showed a difference.

The official road on the Great Wei side was wide and flat.

Even three carriages could ride side by side without feeling crowded.

But the official road in Yexuan Country was vastly different...

Because of the humidity, there was even some sludge on the road.

The leading guards saw this, waved their hands helplessly.

Immediately the carriages behind lifted into the air, controlling the sky.

Logically, carriages should touch the ground as a sign of respect.

But with roads so filthy, the guards were really unwilling to let the carriages get muddy landing.

Entering Yexuan Country, Shen Han also looked at the surrounding scenery.

The town was still quite a distance away, and there were not many scattered houses.

The houses in Yexuan Country were all built on raised foundations, the entire building not touching the ground.

This was presumably because Yexuan Country was in the south, with a humid climate and many mosquitoes.

Thus houses were built this way.

However, in the Great Wei, this was a big taboo.

Whether in practicing Martial Path or for scholars, being grounded is important.

Having a house that didn't touch the ground symbolically meant not being grounded.

It also had the meaning of not being down-to-earth.

Under the Great Wei culture, citizens would be reluctant to live in such houses.

Shen Han glanced at his companions, who also frowned at the sight.

As they neared the city, the guards finally landed all the carriages.

Everyone disembarked and walked on foot.

The Great Wei is a country of etiquette, and they needed to do things properly in terms of ceremonies.

In front of the city gates, decorations were hung everywhere.

It seemed that Yexuan Country was also preparing to welcome guests.

As the group reached the city gates, a team from Yexuan Country was already there to greet them.

"Honored guests from afar, please come in quickly. We in Yexuan have already prepared a feast to welcome our friendly guests."

The one standing at the front was a middle-aged man, his face full of smiles and very enthusiastic.

The people of Yexuan Country dressed with distinctive style. The material was gauzy, looking thin and breathable yet capable of blocking mosquito bites.

However, because of this, the clothing appeared somewhat sheer.

Especially among the welcoming crowd, several women dressed this way, making it...

At least from Great Wei's perspective, quite improper.

The accommodations were arranged on the west side of the city.

This was a very large garden, and from the outside, it seemed to be one of the better courtyards in Yexuan Country.

After settling in, they stayed for the time being.

The people who first came out to welcome them seemed to be from the city's high rank.

Since this visit was for the younger generation's exchange, it was naturally impossible for the high-ranking person to accompany them entirely.

After organizing, Shen Han wandered around to observe in the garden.

Soon, several of his companions also finished organizing themselves.

They looked around in the garden.

Due to the cultural differences between the two countries, the overall appearance of the garden felt completely different.

The gardens of the Great Wei always have an eternal theme, harmony.

The various flowerbeds and trees, though uneven in height, appear exceptionally harmonious to the eye.

But in Yexuan Country, the difference was stark; the garden seemed rather randomly arranged.

Although surrounded by abundant vegetation, it just didn't look aesthetically pleasing.

After a while, a man and a woman approached Shen Han and his companions.

Their faces were adorned with smiles, very courteous and polite.

"Are you all the young talents from the Wei Country?"

As they spoke, the two approached and presented a gift.

Seeing this, Shen Han and his companions quickly expressed their gratitude to the pair.

"Entrusted by the City Lord Mansion, my younger sister and I, are to take you five honorable guests on a tour of our Yexuan.

My name is Quan Youzhi, and my younger sister is Quan Xueli."

Their tone and attitude were very courteous and polite.

At least it made a great impression.

Only upon starting the tour did it feel rather peculiar...

After leaving the garden, compared to the Great Wei, the city of Yexuan Country felt much more barren.

In the Great Wei's cities, there was a dazzling array of goods, and there was always a lively atmosphere of trade.

But in this city, the low buildings were one thing, but even the shops were limited.

About a quarter of an hour was enough to explore them all.

"Everyone, on your first visit to our Yexuan, what are your impressions?"

Everyone fell silent, their eyes fell on Shen Han.

After a moment, Shen Han reluctantly replied, "Very hospitable, quite nice..."

This was about all he could say; any more praise would be insincere.

The siblings before them seemed unaware of any underlying meaning.

As they walked forward, they finally saw a slightly decent building, about three stories high.

"Do you, in the Wei Country, have such tall palaces?"

Quan Youzhi's sudden question left the five of them a bit awkward, looking at each other.

He had used the word 'palace' to describe it...

Even in the Capital City, casually in any city in the Great Wei, there were many such buildings.

And they were just some taverns anyway.

"No worries, it's okay if you don't have them.

This is our Yelan City's City Lord Mansion, such palace residences aren't for ordinary people to live in."

Shen Han and his companions were at a loss, not knowing how to respond.

They could only choose to remain silent and continue walking forward.

Quan Youzhi and his sister continued to speak.

"With this visit, in two days you'll attend the cultivation exchange at our Imperial City.

If you wish to ask anything about our Yexuan's cultivation, you can ask me.

This cultivation exchange is also for the sake of a future alliance between the two countries, to foster more mutual trust and understanding."

Hearing the word 'alliance', Shen Han and his companions frowned.

Wasn't it supposed to be about submission?

Why had it turned into talk of an alliance?

They didn't say much on this matter.

A friend by Shen Han's side, seeing the siblings were a bit overly confident, couldn't help but ask a question.

"Pardon us, but in Yexuan Country, what is the strength of your cultivation based on?"

Upon hearing this, the siblings were a bit surprised.

"It's well known that the Sword Dao of the world originated from Yexuan.

The moves in the swordsmanship you all practice derive from what spread and evolved from our Yexuan.

This... haven't you ever known?"

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