He gathered his thoughts and led his three female disciples toward the Imperial Palace.
They crossed the bustling streets of Azure Tide Port, passed through the Uchiha Clan Grounds, and arrived before the towering gates of the Imperial Palace.
He pushed the doors open, revealing a long corridor ahead.
Exquisite karesansui gardens flanked the corridor, their grounds covered in white sand and dotted with carefully arranged rocks.
Beyond the corridor, the main hall opened into view.
The main hall faced the sea. When he slid open the lattice doors leading to the veranda, a salty, damp sea breeze washed over them.
In the distance, where the sea met the sky, ships from Azure Tide Port slowly made their way across the water.
The view of sea and sky meeting was particularly pleasing.
All three were astonished by Xuandou's Imperial Palace.
"Th-this is Lord Xuandou's home?"
Ino's mouth fell open, her eyes fixed in a stare.
Sakura was dumbstruck too.
Her gaze wandered over the exquisite screens, towering pillars, and spacious gardens.
Although Hinata had been born into the Hyuga Clan and had seen considerably more of the world,
she was now so nervous that she did not even dare raise her head.
Her fingers twisted the hem of her clothes, and she did not know where to put her feet.
Xuandou led them through the main hall to a side hall.
He opened a door to reveal a spacious, bright room laid with brand-new tatami mats that gave off the faint scent of rush grass.
The paper windows faced the garden, where carefully trimmed pines and cypresses stood beside a small pond, its koi swimming leisurely.
He recalled that the news of Hidden Xuan Village possessing a tailed beast had already leaked.
The village was very likely to become Obito's