Monarch Of Time

Chapter 16 - 16 Inside the Imperial Palace

The outline of the imperial city was slowly getting bigger in their eyes as the carriage was slowly getting closer and closer.

After 3 more hours they had arrived in front of the gates and Shun Long could see that the city gates and the walls were even higher than the Blue Forest-cityʼs walls.

There were guards standing on the front collecting a fee from everyone who wished to enter.

Each person needed to pay 1 gold coin, while each carriage had to pay an extra 10.

1 gold coin could feed a family of 3 for half a year in the imperial city but this was a paltry amount to a formation master like Shun Fang.

The driver paid the city guards and as soon as Shun Longʼs group entered the imperial city Shun Long and Shun Fang left the carriage.

ʼʼGo and book us 2 large courtyards in the ʼimperial innʼ to spend the next 2 nightsʼʼ Shun Fang ordered the driver, who bowed and left to go to the best inn of the city.

The ʼimperial innʼ was under the imperial family, the prices in the inn were more than 10 times higher compared to any other inn in the ʼSky Fortune Kingdomʼ but their service and courtyards were the best in the entire kingdom.

However it wasnʼt just anyone that could enter the inn, only people with status like Shun Fang and their families could spend their night here.

Shun Long and Shun Fang, spent their next 2 days touring the imperial capital since it was Shun Longʼs first time arriving here. They tasted the best foods and wines of every well-known restaurant in the city during the day and Shun Long cultivated during the night.

His focus was on refining the already created qi balls and bringing their quality on par with the 55th ball he had created. It was a process that required a lot of sweat and effort, but in these 2 nights, Shun Long had further refined 6 more balls of qi. His cultivation didnʼt advance with this but his strength was advancing really fast.

Shun Long estimated that when he finished refining all the balls of qi and entered the 7th rank of qi circulation, he could probably even beat a middle stage rank 9 qi cultivator.

The morning came as the sun slowly rose from the east and revealed a city that was bustling since very early in the morning.

The guards were on tight alert around the perimeter of the palace.

Commoners and nobles alike would all have to wait outside today, as special guests from a famous sect had arrived for a selection test to choose outer disciples for their sect.

Shun Fang and Shun Long arrived in front of the entrance of the imperial palace where a guard stopped them and said

ʼʼUnless you are participating in the selection process, entry in the imperial palace is forbidden!ʼʼ

It looked like he had already said that line more than 100 times today.

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Shun Long ignored the guard and turned to face Shun Fang as he said

ʼʼFather, Iʼm goingʼʼ

Shun Fangʼs eyes were proud inside but also slightly red

ʼʼWhat are you waiting for? Just go!ʼʼ he said in an impatient tone that was trying to hide his embarassment.

Shun Long smiled as he turned around and walked towards the guard.

ʼʼIʼm here for the selection test of the ʼfloating cloud sectʼ, lead the wayʼʼ

The guard was astonished and a bit angry at the same time that a kid dared to be rude to him, an imperial guard, especially a kid with a much lower cultivation than him when he himself was at the early rank9 of qi condensation..... but he couldnʼt do anything about it.

The orders were that anyone who wished to participate in the selection process and met the requirements of the ʼfloating cloud sectʼ, had to be brought to the palace hall.

The guard brought Shun Long inside the palace and from there through a mass of complicated corridors, they went straight to the palace hall.

On the way Shun Long could see plenty of other guards making it obvious that the security was very tight today.

There were even a few earth grade guards that were holding their positions when they headed deeper inside the palace.

When Shun Long and the guard finally reached the end of the corridor the guard said in an impatient tone

ʼʼHere, at the end of this corridor is the palace hall. I am not allowed inside so Iʼm returning to my post.ʼʼ

Shun Long ignored the guard for the second time today, who felt as if he had just swallowed a fly.

ʼHow is this kid so hateful ?ʼ he thought as he turned to return to his post.

Shun Long arrived at the end of the corridor and pushed open the large door in front of him.

21 young men and women were in the room in front of Shun Long.

The room was decorated with many jewels and stones, golden tables and luxurious chairs along with many couches and sofas.

When Shun Long entered, all the young men and women inside turned their eyes to look at him.

Most of these people seemed younger than 20 years old but there were also a few that seemed older than 20.

Shun Long then heard a familiar voice speaking to him

ʼʼWow little brother Shun I didnʼt think that we would meet hereʼʼ

A smilling young man dressed in white, approached Shun Long.

Shun Longʼs blue robes and his handsome face, along with the young man dressed in white created a scene so dazzling that made all the young ladies in the room blush.

Lu Wen walked towards Shun Longʼs side and patted his shoulder as he said

ʼʼHahaha who would believe it that in such a short amount of time you would advance so much, this is practically unbelievableʼʼ

Then he whispered and asked

ʼʼIs it because of the pill that expert gave you?ʼʼ

Lu Wen knew that although he couldnʼt sense Shun Longʼs cultivation, he must definitely be at the 6th stage of the qi condensation, or he couldnʼt enter the palace.

In reality Lu Wen was an arrogant person deep inside, but he had benefited a lot from the cauldron that Shun Fang had gifted him back at the Shun estate, so his opinion of the Shun family was especially good.

Lu Wenʼs mindset was actually extremely simple: ʼif you help me then I treat you as a friend, but if you donʼt, donʼt expect me to give you any face, after all Iʼm a talented grade 2 alchemistʼ

And thatʼs why he was so warm towards Shun Long this time.

Shun Long nodded at Lu Wen and as they were both ready to find a place to sit, the voice of an unfamiliar man that was oozing hatred came from behind them

ʼʼSo you are Shun Long?ʼʼ