The two left the secluded courtyard and, led by a Martial Arts Academy attendant, boarded a palace carriage that had long been prepared.
The carriage was drawn by four entirely snow-white, exceptionally majestic dragon horses. Its compartment was crafted from purple sandalwood, carved with dragons and phoenixes, lined with soft snow-marten fur cushions, and scented with elegant sandalwood incense.
This was a four-horse palace carriage specially used to receive distinguished guests. None but princes, marquises, high ministers, or those who had rendered outstanding service could ride in it.
The carriage left the Martial Arts Academy, passed through the broad, straight imperial avenues of Imperial Capital Jade Capital City, and headed toward the imperial city.
Seeing the carriage's specifications and the palace guards escorting it, the commoners along the way stepped aside and bowed, their gazes filled with reverence.
About a quarter-hour later, the towering walls of the imperial city came into view.
The palace walls, twenty zhang high, were built from whole blocks of Blue Granite, their surfaces polished smooth as mirrors and gleaming with a cold, hard azure light beneath the sun.
Arrow embrasures lined the ramparts, armored imperial guards stood with halberds in hand, banners fluttered in the wind, and a killing chill rushed toward them.
After passing inspections at three palace gates, the carriage finally entered the inner palace.
Palaces stood row upon row here, their soaring eaves and bracketed arches layered one upon another, glazed tiles flowing with dazzling golden radiance beneath the daylight.
Chen Qing drew his divine sense inward like a cocoon, not daring to let it extend even a fraction to probe the surroundings.
This was the center of Yan Kingdom's power, where crouching tigers and hidden dragons abounded. If he casually peered about with his divine sense, it would not only be