Chapter 32: Hidden Dragon Courtyard
The heavenly spirit mountain deer was combined with the blessing of the Strong Wind talisman, so it could travel for more than eight thousand miles each day. During the sunset of the seventh day, a black mountain range was in front of their eyes.
This black mountain range blocked the views of others, it was seemingly deep and resounding.
No, this was not a mountain range. This was simply part of the walls of Violet Firmament Ancient City. This wall was built by boulders, that weighed ten thousand Jin and towered at several hundred zhang, like a coarse and wild mountain range that reclined horizontally.
“Rumble!”
In the far distance, one could hear the roaring sound of the city moats. The flow of the water was lively, and its mist was high, not unlike the clouds in the sea — vast to the extreme.
At one end of the city moat, one had to look really far before seeing the city gate on the other side. The city guards were only as big as ants.
Finally, they had reached Violet Firmament Ancient City!
Even though it was just a city wall and a river moat, it was enough for others to feel a boundless atmosphere.
Feng Feiyun jumped down from the ancient bronze carriage, and he stood next to the city protecting river. His two eyes gave off a fiery light that looked at the far distance ahead. He could see that, inside Violet Firmament Ancient City, there were strands of moving dragon energy as well as mythical horse vapors that traveled quickly — it was indeed extremely shocking for others.
Currently, he was using the “Phoenix Heavenly Gaze”. He could see the hopes of the people, see through all things, understand the void, appraise different items… Et cetera. This was the spirit power he had cultivated in the last few traveling days.
Once the early Immortal Foundation was reached, one could begin to practice all types of spirit powers. The “Phoenix Heavenly Gaze” was his first spirit power; compared to the “Thousand Miles Seeing Eyes”, it was superior by countless times.
Even though he was only at the early level of the Phoenix Heavenly Gaze, he could see the fortunes of others easily. In addition, he was able to analyze the rise and fall of a region, and even his naked gaze was able to observe the underground mineral deposits.
What was the most important thing in the cultivation world?
Of course, the answer was natural resources. Regardless of whether one was a clan or an immortal sect, without a huge amount of resources backing them up, they would soon reach declination.
This was the reason why Feng Feiyun had to cultivate the Phoenix Heavenly Gaze first. Once successful, he could personally go into the wild to find mineral deposits, then he no longer had to care about the face of the clan’s upper echelon.
This was the advantage of the Phoenix Heavenly Gaze!
“Bam Bam!”
In the middle of the river moat, there was suddenly a blinding bright light. The turbulent river suddenly flashed many runeword formations which exposed a freezing pressure and caused the river to become ice crystals.
This was the power of a magical formation. It could directly cause the thousand mile wide river to become frozen!
“Feiyun, get back to the carriage, we can cross the river now!”
Feng Wanli yelled from inside the carriage.
“Coming!”
Feng Feiyun, step by step, entered the bronze carriage and sat down again. The mountain deer had already pulled the ancient carriage on top of the frozen river, and it quickly headed forward.
It sped rapidly to Violet Firmament Ancient City’s gate. Because there was the word “Feng” engraved on the bronze carriage, the city guards naturally did not dare to question them; they directly let them through.
Once inside the city, the sunlight had already dimmed down. However, because Feng Feiyun had the Phoenix Heavenly Gaze, the black sky curtain couldn’t affect his vision.
“Second Uncle, we are going to the main mansion of the Feng Clan now?”
Feng Feiyun asked.
The steps of the mountain deer had clearly slowed down after they entered the city. It comfortably ran on the ancient street that was filled with bypassers, and it crossed each colorful architecture that seemingly was without an end path.
Feng Wanli bent his knees while sitting down; he smilingly shook his head:
“The main clan house is located in the Vermillion Bird Inner City. If we want to go there, we would have to go through eight different city gates and cross three hundred to four hundred miles. Right now, we certainly aren’t going there.”
“Then where are we going right now?”
Feng Suiyu couldn’t help but to ask.
“The Hidden Dragon Courtyard, it is one of the largest courtyards of the Feng Clan in Violet Firmament Ancient City. It specialized in housing the younger generation of the clan before each Hidden Dragon War. You guys are going to stay there and focus on cultivation; of course, there will be servants to specially watch over you guys.”
Feng Feiyun’s thoughts were hidden. He lightly furrowed his brows:
“I heard that the immediate branch’s younger generation of the Feng Clan exceeds thirty thousand people, not counting the children of the forty-eight side branches. How could one Hidden Dragon Courtyard be enough to accommodate so many people?”
Feng Wanli smiled lightly, and he said:
“Feiyun, you can’t use the same perspective that you did in Spirit State City now for Violet Firmament Ancient City. Your second uncle has been here for a total of forty years, but I had only traveled to some corners of the ancient city; there are plenty of mysterious and unknown things that even I had only heard other people talk about.”
“Take the Hidden Dragon Courtyard for example, it occupies more than three thousand mu. There are countless numbers of pavilions, and even just the servants were around a few ten thousands. However, our courtyard was just another pavilion; in Violet Firmament Ancient City, there are at least one hundred courtyards like this, and this was only a small corner of the city.”
The extravagance and wealth of a grand clan would cause others to be tongue-tied; their amount of resources was a terrible figure. Even just moving such a monstrous amount would cost so many resources that it would terrify anyone.
No wonder these grand families had always robbed resources from everywhere, and they didn’t mind ruthlessly killing other living beings; it seems like it was for the sake of survival as well!
Feng Feiyun was emotional, but he was also happy. This gigantic Violet Firmament Ancient City, even if that damned old grandma Dongfang Jingyue came here, it was not certain that she would be able to find him.
However, another headache-inducing matter appeared.
“Second Uncle, Little Sister Jianxue wouldn’t be staying at the Hidden Dragon Courtyard as well, would she?”
Feng Feiyun was still worried about Feng Jianxue.
Feng Wanli smilingly nodded, and he said:
“You don’t have to worry too much about this. Ninth Great Grandfather had already warned her; before your participation of the Military Strategy Iron Council, if she really did break your legs, then Ninth Great Grandfather will personally cut off her legs.”
“What about after the Military Strategy Iron Council?”
Feng Feiyun wryly smiled.
Feng Wanli laughed. After this one sentence, he turned his head away. He didn’t look at Feng Feiyun again; it was as if this matter had nothing to do with him.
Feng Suiyu was sitting to the side didn’t say anything from beginning to end, but he had many thoughts inside his head:
‘If Feng Feiyun truly shines at the Iron Council, then the upper echelon will definitely pay attention to him; will there be a place for this Feng Suiyu to stand? Plus, if he could marry Little Sister Jianxue… With her talents so high… if she truly became Feng Feiyun’s wife, then wouldn’t he be a tiger with wings?’
“No, I’ll never let Feng Feiyun succeed! When necessary…”
Feng Suiyu’s eyes contained a hidden killing intent, but he suppressed it quickly. The corners of his mouth twisted into an enigmatic smile. At this time, it was unknown what he was thinking about.
The Hidden Dragon Courtyard had six main gates. The mountain deer bronze carriage slowly stopped by one of the six main gates. Feng Wanli, Feng Feiyun, and Feng Suiyu came down from the carriage one after another.
A servant came out from the gate and took the ancient carriage away, and he also led the way to enter the Hidden Dragon Courtyard.
The children of the Feng Clan’s fifth generation had already come back in waves. There was a scene of martial practicing in the courtyard. In the surroundings, there were many bright torches; currently, there was a male teenager that was testing his techniques.
Next to a pond, there were a dozen handsome and talented teenagers; all of them wore white robes and sat in the cultivation pose. Their bodies radiated glimmering light; when they saw Feng Feiyun’s group of three, they only gave them a short glance, and then they retracted their gaze to continue their cultivation.
Along the eroding trail, one did not know how long it took before they got to a red lacquered pavilion. Inside, were five rooms together; they were connected, and they were also isolated from each other. The rooftops were decorated with glazed tiles, the red pillar stood straight, and even the stairs were made from white jade marbles.
This was only the most ordinary place in the Hidden Dragon Courtyard, but its appearance was already extravagant.
Feng Wanli pointed to a house to the far right, and he smilingly said:
“That place is the current living place of Xian Jue.”
Feng Feiyun’s heart jumped. From the direction of the finger, he could see a room with its door closed tightly; it didn’t allow any light to penetrate inside of the room. This caused the atmosphere to be frightening. It was easy to tell that Feng Jianxue was currently not in the room.
As long as she didn’t suddenly rush out, then it was a good thing. Feiyun let out a sigh of relief. However, the night had already fallen, where could she go? How come she still hadn’t returned?
“The room adjacent to hers, I specially prepared it for you.”
Feng Wanli clapped Feng Feiyun’s shoulder, and he smilingly said:
“Feiyun, take good advantage of this opportunity; use this two-month period to nurture your relationship with each other.”
Nurture my ass, ah! Nurturing a romantic relationship with such a violent woman; I’m better off embracing a mother pig if I want to sleep safely!
Feng Feiyun, to this point, clearly remembered each of her fists – the fists that broke the bones in his entire body. At that time, if Feng Wanli didn’t bring a one thousand year Duan Xu herb for Feng Feiyun, then maybe it wouldn’t have ended with him simply being stuck on the bed for half a month.
“You don’t need to feel so much pressure inside here like this. Jianxue’s temperament in these recent years has lessened. Plus, there is also the order from our Ninth Great Grandfather, so she wouldn’t actually cripple you.”
Feng Wanli actually wasn’t sure in his heart. In the end, no one else understood his foster daughter more than him. She was the type of person who didn’t care to give anyone face; she was extremely gifted, but she was also very proud. The entire younger generation of the Feng Clan couldn’t get into her sight. The three or five individuals capable of being looked upon by her were all heaven-defying and outstanding talents.
Even though Feng Feiyun was a bit bothered by Feng Jianxue, he wasn’t afraid of her. In the end, his current cultivation was at the early Immortal Foundation, and his actual battle power was equal to an intermediate Immortal Foundation expert. His battle prowess was stronger than her; why would he need to be afraid of her?
“Second Uncle, will I stay in the room over there?”
Feng Suiyu’s eyes stared at the remaining room of the three, with a slight smile on his face.
“You… You are only a child from the side branch and are not qualified to stay at that place.”
Feng Wanli’s face didn’t show any emotion; he turned and walked towards a different direction, and he waved his hand:
“Come with me!”
“Not qualified…”
Feng Suiyu gripped his hands tightly, and he forcibly suppressed his own resentment. Wasn’t Feng Jianxue also from a side branch? He coldly glanced at Feng Feiyun once, and then he left in anger.
Feng Feiyun smiled as he watched Feng Suiyu’s back during his departure. His heart felt a little pleasure; Feng Suiyu, this day has finally happened to you?
He stopped thinking too much, and he strode towards the pavilion. He wanted to settle down first before he planned his next move.