Dragon Emperor Pavilion stood in the north-central part of Dragon Emperor City. The four great avenues of Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise all led directly to it. Riding a flying lizard all the way from Apricot Blossom Village, Zhang Tie had barely needed to ask anyone for directions. At eight in the morning, he arrived at Dragon Emperor Pavilion along Vermilion Bird Avenue right on time.
Dragon Emperor Pavilion covered over three hundred mu. Though it was called a pavilion, it resembled a small palace more than anything else. A moat encircled it, with willow trees planted thickly along both banks. Emerald waves rippled across the water, aquatic grasses swayed gently beneath the surface, and fish occasionally leaped from the water. The scenery was quite pleasant. From the opposite bank, one could see the golden glazed tiles atop the buildings within Dragon Emperor Pavilion, as well as its towering trees.
"Who goes there? Halt!"
The moment Zhang Tie, riding his flying lizard, crossed a stone bridge over the moat, a squad of brightly armored guards stationed at the far end of the bridge immediately stopped him.
Zhang Tie said nothing, merely taking out his jade plaque and showing it. Before the squad that had stopped him could speak, a man dressed in armor who looked like a military commander, along with an elderly man wearing Dragon Emperor Temple robes with only two silver dragon patterns on his cuffs, hurried over from the entrance of Dragon Emperor Pavilion, where they had been waiting.
From the moment Zhang Tie stepped onto the bridge, the two had practically fixed their eyes on him. Once they saw him take out the jade plaque and confirmed his identity, they no longer dared wait at a distance and hurried over to pay