Chapter 139 - 118: Dayong Imperial City

Chapter 139: Chapter 118: Dayong Imperial City

The journey from the Western Border to the Imperial City was quite long; it took Lu Yuan a full two months to arrive.

When he laid eyes on the colossal city, which had stood for several thousand years, for the first time,

he was overcome with shock.

The immense city stretched beyond sight, its towering walls seeming to pierce the clouds.

Flashes of runic light flickered across them—the city’s protective Array.

Patrols of the city’s Imperial Guard walked by from time to time. They wore shimmering golden armor and carried exceptionally well-made weapons.

Every one of them had a cultivation level above Tendon Refining.

There were even Organ Refining masters hidden among their ranks.

And these were just the regular Imperial Guard.

At that moment, Lu Yuan finally understood why, despite the immense pressure from the imperial court, the Border Army dared not make a single move.

With strength like this, who would dare to speak of rebellion?

No one knew just how many Imperial Guards of this caliber there were.

Lu Yuan rode his warhorse toward the city center. At the gate, he presented his Passage Document.

After being allowed to pass, he rode into the Imperial City proper. His first impression upon looking around was its sheer size.

On roads hundreds of meters wide, bustling horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians were kept separate.

Vendors hawked their wares from designated stalls.

The Spiritual Qi was denser than anything Lu Yuan had ever experienced.

It was more than ten times richer than in the outside world.

The citizens here were well-dressed, and a large portion of them were surprisingly masters at the Entry Level.

At a glance, this massive capital city was home to well over ten million people.

As he continued further in, he saw a general’s manor that was as large as a county town in the outer territories.

It housed all of the general’s clansmen.

And this was merely the residence of an Imperial Army Garrison General.

"Is this the true power of Dayong?" Lu Yuan murmured to himself.

It was too strong—so strong that even he found it unbelievable.

After asking for directions from several people along the way, he finally arrived outside the Ministry of War.

A guard from the Imperial Guard stepped forward, his eyes scanning Lu Yuan. "State your business. This is a restricted military area. No unauthorized entry."

The man’s aura was formidable, radiating an aggressive energy.

’His cultivation is likely at the Organ Refining realm.’

He showed not the slightest intimidation, despite Lu Yuan’s cultivation being higher than his own.

A hundred men of the Imperial Guard could suppress a typical Gang Qi Realm expert.

They had always looked down upon the Border Army from the outer territories.

Even if a State General were to arrive, they would be made to wait if necessary.

Lu Yuan looked up and said, neither servile nor overbearing, "I am here to report to the Ministry of War, by order of Lord Xiao, Duke Zhenyuan."

After speaking, he produced his command token.

The Imperial Guard glanced at it, and his expression softened slightly. He looked at Lu Yuan and said, "Wait here!"

Then he ran inside.

A short while later, an official walked out.

He appeared to be in his forties, with a cultivation around the Gang Qi Realm. He looked at Lu Yuan and asked, "Do you have a letter of recommendation?"

Lu Yuan didn’t hesitate, immediately taking it out and handing it to the Ministry of War official.

"It really does have Lord Xiao’s seal. It seems you have some skill, to be recommended by Master Xiao. Your timing is perfect. Come with me, I’ll get you settled in your quarters first."

After speaking, the Ministry of War official led the way, with Lu Yuan following behind.

After walking for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, they arrived outside a large courtyard. "The people living here have all been selected from various regions. Someone will take you to the palace tomorrow morning.

When you fight the Xirong People in the tournament, don’t hold back.

Perform well. His Majesty will be there to watch. If you can truly distinguish yourself, it will be a great fortune."

The Ministry of War official chattered on, and a moment later, he brought Lu Yuan to the entrance of a courtyard: C-5 Courtyard.

He opened the door to reveal a small, single-entry courtyard.

There were three rooms inside.

"Everything you need has been prepared. If you want anything to eat, just tell the servant waiting at the entrance. I’ll send someone over in a bit." After settling Lu Yuan in, the official turned and left.

The furnishings inside were not bad, but they had a very standardized feel.

Shortly after Lu Yuan went inside, a man in gray robes knocked and entered, carrying a kettle of hot water.

"Milord, I am the one assigned to serve you. My name is Chen Er. Please let me know if you need anything." After speaking, he carefully brewed a pot of tea for Lu Yuan.

"Alright. There’s nothing for now. You may leave." The man in gray acknowledged the dismissal and left.

Lu Yuan wasn’t hungry; he had already eaten before going to the Ministry of War.

He then took out an Elixir and prepared to cultivate. He could feel that the Spiritual Qi in this courtyard was even denser than elsewhere in the Imperial City.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

But just then, a knock came from the courtyard gate.

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. ’Who would be visiting at this hour?’

Still, he walked out of his room and opened the gate, where he saw two young men standing outside.

They were slightly older than him and both exuded the aura of a martial artist. Their strength was likely not to be underestimated.

One of them, a man in white martial attire, said with a cheerful smile, "I heard a new brother moved into Courtyard Five. My brother Wang and I came to take a look. Hope we’re not disturbing you?"

As the saying goes, you don’t hit a smiling face. Since the visitors were so polite, Lu Yuan couldn’t say no. He nodded. "I just arrived, so I’m not busy. Please, come in for some tea."

"Haha, that’s exactly what we were hoping for!" The man in white said, making himself right at home as he walked in.

The man in black following him simply nodded at Lu Yuan before entering as well.

Once they were in the sitting room, Lu Yuan poured each of them a cup of tea.

The man in white spoke first. "My name is Li Cheng. I’m from the Left Martial Guard of the Imperial Guard, currently serving as a Captain. Which unit are you from, brother?"

Now that young masters from Imperial Guard units across the land were gathered here, it was natural that some would want to make more friends to pave the way for their futures. After all, no one who made it here was simple.

If nothing else, their talent was certainly top-notch.

Otherwise, if one were to get on the tournament stage only to be knocked off, it could be more than just embarrassing.

More importantly, for those chosen from the Imperial Guard at such a young age, one could only imagine the depth of their family backgrounds.

"I am Lu Yuan, from the Northern Border Army. I also hold the rank of Captain," Lu Yuan said directly, not trying to hide anything.

Hearing this, Li Cheng’s smile froze for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "To be recommended from the Border Army, your strength must be extraordinary, Lu."

The man in black beside him said, "I am Wang Xiao, a Celestial Martial Guard Captain."

He was a man of few words, but Lu Yuan could sense that his strength was immense.

Li Cheng added with a smile, "He’s the son of the Marquis of Liecheng. Wang’s strength is quite formidable."

The three of them chatted for a little while longer.

Then, Li Cheng and Wang Xiao took their leave.

Lu Yuan clearly felt that after learning his identity, although Li Cheng kept the smile on his face, the initial warmth he had shown was gone.

’But he didn’t mind. I’m just a soldier from the Border Army, after all.’

The other party clearly looked down on his status.

’The fact that he could even exchange a few more pleasantries showed he had some good upbringing.’

As for Wang Xiao...

’That’s probably just his personality. It wasn’t that he looked down on me.’

After seeing the two of them off,

Lu Yuan was finally ready to attempt his breakthrough. During his two-month journey, he had completely reached the Perfection level of the Gang Qi Realm.

Today, he planned to officially break through to the Innate realm.

He then took out the Three-Striped Purple Ginseng he had purchased and consumed it.

Meanwhile, after leaving Lu Yuan’s courtyard, Li Cheng said to Wang Xiao, "How could someone from the Border Army get involved in something this important? This selection process is a joke."

"Perhaps there’s something different about him that we don’t know," Wang Xiao said in his usual reserved tone.

"What kind of powerhouse could come from the Border Army?" After saying this, Li Cheng headed toward the next courtyard, where another newcomer who had just arrived today was staying.

As he approached, the gentle smile returned to his face.