By dusk, the entire city was seething with excitement.
Everyone could clearly see a mountain-sized city slowly flying toward them from the east of Peacock City.
In the Twelve Towers and Five Cities, the twelve towers came before the five cities; naturally, they could not be mere little buildings.
The Pearl-Retaining Tower alone stood five hundred zhang high and spanned two hundred li. It was smaller than Peacock City, but far taller. The entire tower formed a seamless whole, and the people inside looked smaller than ants. Looking up at it was even more breathtaking than looking at Peacock City.
As the Pearl-Retaining Tower drew near, dazzling spiritual light burst from formations on both colossal structures. Their respective protective formations flashed only briefly before fading, and the Pearl-Retaining Tower slowly drew alongside Peacock City.
Even craning their necks, the people in Peacock City could not see the top of the Pearl-Retaining Tower.
A figure flew out from the center of Peacock City. He wore a tall crown and magnificent robes, and auspicious colors and rosy light welled up in the air wherever he stood. They heard him say,
"Brother Shanshou! At long last, you're here!"
"Hahaha, Brother Boya, I was burning with impatience myself. When I left, Brother Rusu held me back and wouldn't let me go. I finally managed to get away, only to encounter a flock of Mysterious Swallows returning north when I reached land from the Eastern Sea. I had to give way to them, which was why I arrived late."
Accompanied by hearty laughter, a white-robed man flew out of the Pearl-Retaining Tower.
His face was as handsome as polished jade, his long beard flowed freely, and his bearing was striking. A longsword was slung diagonally across his back.
The magnificently robed man laughed and scolded,