Before long, he arrived outside a towering, solemn great hall that radiated an invisible, oppressive majesty.
The hall doors were engraved with intricate formation runes, with Spirit Light faintly flowing across them.
The Golden Core steward drew a deep breath, as though trying to gather enough courage. He stopped, forced his ragged breathing to calm, carefully straightened his slightly wrinkled robes and cap, and thought to himself:
If I want to live, my attitude must be sincere.
Right. I need to change how I address him too—I can't call him Deputy Alliance Leader.
It has to be Alliance Leader.
After silently arranging his words, the Golden Core steward finally bowed deeply before the tightly shut, heavy hall doors that seemed to divide two separate worlds. In a voice as steady as he could make it, though unable to conceal its tremor, he said:
"This junior, Zhao Ming, steward of the Law Enforcement Hall, requests an audience with the Alliance Leader..."
Before his words had faded, Spirit Light flashed across the doors. Accompanied by the low groan of mechanisms, the two heavy doors slowly opened inward without a sound, as though pushed apart by an invisible hand.
Zhao Ming's heart tightened. He hurriedly composed himself and stepped cautiously into the hall.
The light inside was somewhat dim. The lofty dome seemed connected to the starry sky, while Night-Shining Pearls embedded in the surrounding walls gave off a soft yet icy radiance.
Deep within the hall, atop a high platform carved from a single block of cold jade, sat a figure.
He wore a purple-and-gold robe patterned with clouds. His face appeared middle-aged, yet carried the majesty of one who had weathered countless vicissitudes. As his eyes opened and closed, stars seemed to be born and extinguished within them. Even without anger,