Inside the jade hall, Spirit Gathering Arrays of all sizes devoured spirit stones at a furious pace, gathering abundant spiritual energy and adding an otherworldly aura to the already ethereal palace.
Once he had steadied himself and looked around carefully, Xu Yi found the furnishings of Yufu Palace surprisingly crude, so sparse that even essential household items were lacking.
After entering the hall, over a thousand people were guided by red-robed attendants to form two great camps on either side of the golden throne at the center of the jade hall.
As soon as everyone had taken their places, their attention was drawn to an ivory-white plaque, a foot long and a palm wide, set upon the golden throne.
Just then, a thin, scholarly-looking elder in a hemp robe came before the throne and spoke in a clear voice. "Honored guests, this jade plaque upon the throne is the ancestral tablet of the Yun Household. It bears a wisp of soul-thought from each of our Yun Household's successive heads and elders, and symbolizes the ancestors of our Household. Since this sacred tablet was established, it has never been shown to outsiders."
"Today was meant to be a joyous day for the Yun Household, so summoning the sacred tablet here may seem somewhat out of place. Unfortunately, our head, King Yun, received an urgent summons from the Holy Court and had to depart at once. With the head away, we can only ask this tablet to preside over the ceremony in his stead. When the newlyweds complete their rites, this tablet will represent the entire Yun Household in receiving the wedding bows. Please forgive us for any discourtesy."
The elder in the hemp robe was the Yun Household's Seventh Elder. The most shrewd and capable of them all, he excelled at