In principle, applications for residences in the Heavenly Court were governed by strict rules and regulations.
Under the Heavenly Court's provisions for immortals, a True Immortal's standard residence consisted of two courtyards arranged front to back. The front courtyard served for receiving guests and conducting official business, while the rear courtyard was for meditation and rest. Getting a courtyard with a Spirit Fruit tree already counted as a favor from colleagues at the Immortal Works Bureau, one that called for treating them to several rounds of Immortal Brew.
Of course, those were merely the principles on paper.
To actually obtain those two courtyards, one first had to submit an application to Tongming Hall. The Chief Official of one's own office had to sign the paperwork, which then went to the Immortal Works Bureau to verify one's rank, followed by the Immortal Register Bureau to check one's merits. Finally, one still had to join the queue for imperial approval.
How long was that queue?
Put it this way: the Heavenly Court had immortals enough to fill an ocean. It had long since been plagued by immortal overcrowding.
Never mind a mere True Immortal-even among Golden Immortals with illustrious military achievements, plenty were still waiting in line.
Of course, waiting was one thing. Golden Immortals had temporary residences.
Heavenly Immortals?
True Immortals?
Sorry. Just wait patiently for imperial approval.
Over time, owning a residence in the Heavenly Court had become a silent boast among immortals.
As for securing a standalone residence in the central district of the Thirty-Three Heavens, near a place as important as Tongming Hall, that was no longer something connections and a few magical treasures slipped into the right hands could accomplish.
The immortal estates on floating islands in the central district had always been one radish to one