The Pavilions were silent, their gauze curtains fluttering amid hazy, drifting light. Clouds and mist curled across the floor, all billowing white vapor outward.
Perhaps because a spirit array had sealed this place off, it had been preserved remarkably well, without any sign of decay.
The furnishings within were lavish, a dazzling array of treasures gleaming in every direction. An enormous Immortal Seat stood at the head of the hall, its back and armrests lustrous as jade, with long tables arranged to the east and west below it.
A row of meditation cushions beside the tables offered places to kneel and sit. Golden goblets, silver cups, wine vessels, and fruit platters covered the tables. Presumably, these Pavilions in the Blessed Land had once been used specifically for banquets.
Yet something unknown had happened here. The long tables on either side were a complete mess, their fruit platters overturned and wine cups tipped over, everything lying askew.
Dongmen Shu stepped into the mist, his footing uneven. Rich spirit vigor surrounded him, and even a casual breath filled his lungs with luxuriant fragrance.
"Senior Brother Dongmen..."
The junior brother behind him could no longer tear his eyes away. He stared fixedly at the spirit treasures at the head of the hall and reached out to tug Dongmen Shu's sleeve.
Dongmen Shu followed his junior brother's gaze. Though both sides were in disarray, the spirit treasures before the Immortal Seat were arranged neatly, without the slightest sign of having been disturbed.
The arrangement before the Immortal Seat was simple: a gong-shaped jade wine vessel with an oval belly, a carrying handle above, a ring foot beneath, and a beast-headed lid; beside it stood a Glazed Glass Cup, bright yellow and crystal clear, with glaze around its rim.
Both shone with spiritual light in