Murim's Weakest Princess
Chapter 179: Hidden Palace

Chapter 179: Hidden Palace

Anji entered the portal last. She was already craving Aunt Wine’s sesame balls, but it was still too early for a snack. Thankfully, everyone arrived directly at the old academic central without incident. Instead of allowing them to roam freely in the entirety of the inner courtyard, which might be full of dangerous things, it was Yan Ping’s idea to create an isolated ground for them. Anji remembered the Academic Central as a very complicated place. After the renovation, it was as huge as a palace, although not any less complicated.

The man-made waterfall and lotus pond had to be the highlight of this place. Truthfully, it was hastily built to hide the old traces of the slum city that remain sunk at the bottom of this huge lake. There was only so much rubble they could scatter around. However, none of the guests suspected a thing. They praised the newly built pavilions and many bridges connecting them in a complicated maze.

"This is the Lotus Lake," Anji explained while guiding them on a needlessly long walk to the main establishment. "As the lake is specially built for viewing, please refrain from drinking, washing or swimming. We have a private well and hot spring bath for that purpose included in the establishment provided for your stay."

That part was not a lie. The well was an original structure, and the hot spring bath was constructed with water redirected from the heated spring deep within the mountains, which was used for cultivation and medical therapy. Thanks to the convenient use of spells, no digging was involved to transport the water. Anji thought the idea was too lavish when her shifu first mentioned it. However, her teacher was far-sighted enough to include as many luxuries within the enclosed area as possible to entertain guests. An entertained guest is less likely to go snooping around forbidden areas.

Although many people were surprised by how much the humble Mystical Qilin Sect splurged for the combat training program, they were still thrilled at the idea of having a private hot spring bath experience in the comfort of their room. Nobody knew how the sect could dig and construct such complicated structures, but the ladies were over the moon when Anji dropped hints about how hot spring baths were known to have many health benefits that might also improve skin complexion.

"I didn’t know the Mystical Qilin Sect was rich," Shao Yin mused. "How much did it cost to build this place?"

Chuckling soullessly, Anji replied without any hint of humour.

"Only three hundred forcefully recruited slaves, high stakes robbery, and mass eviction of a slum-like city. There’s nothing a little force won’t resolve."

Staring at the child of not over ten, nobody knew if Anji was joking. She did not look like she was telling a joke. Not even Zhao Wanting knew what her daughter was thinking. Zhao Mingshen studied his younger sister. There was a dark cloud on her forehead when she mentioned that. How much had she suffered in the few months here? On the other hand, Zhao Ruiting blinked twice and simply thought nothing more of it.

"Good work," she praised her younger sister. "It must not have been easy managing that many people. The Mystical Qilin Sect did a good job building this place. It doesn’t look like it was built dangerously. Although it is not the work of master craftsmen, I can see that many safety measures were implemented."

Tapping on the pillar that held the bridge up, Ruiting smiled. Most bridges were built on only one main support. If that structure broke, the entire bridge would collapse. However, the Mystical Qilin Sect employed several unique crafting techniques throughout the extensive training ground. As the lake provided a lot of humidity, they made sure to plaster every structure with fire-proof and water-proof lime. The white paint was not merely an aesthetic decision. Moreover, the sect opted for many geometrically interesting designs, such as arch bridges and roofing. Building arches required a lot of skill and patience. However, it was one of the most long-lasting designs that would survive dynasties.

Although Anji did not mention specifically how this place was constructed, someone had already seen through everything as expected of her older sister, who would succeed the Celestial Dragon Sect! On the other hand, Anji’s older brother must have also seen why the walkway was so complicated. However, the rest of the guest would soon figure out why the pavillions and bridges were constructed in such a way once they were up in their respective rooms in the tower.

Truthfully, this was an idea that Anji borrowed from her brother. She remembered the mirrors used in the Golden Halo Inn and proposed this idea to her shifu. It was not only aesthetically appealing but also worked as a very strong array foundation. Although it was not as strong as the founder’s barrier, it was strong enough to withstand all attacks from cultivators below a Radiant Core.

Passing through all eight gates, Anji stopped at every pavilion, each with its own unique feature. At the sixth pavilion, someone from the Vermillion Bird Sect finally stopped Anji and asked if Lotus Lake was an array circuit.

Grinning brightly, Anji’s eyes twinkled.

"It’s a shame someone figured it out so soon. I wanted to wait until I showed you to your rooms and had you look outside the window for a better view. However, it’s probably a good time to acknowledge it. This is an array formation using Bagua as its foundation. Few people can enter or exit this isolated space without the token. Fewer people can break the isolating barriers. We built this specifically for the cross-training program, so nobody has to hold back. Of course, this is not the only countermeasure. You’ll see more of such things in the special cultivation halls and training grounds."

Turning around, Anji bowed once more to the group.

"Welcome to the Hidden Palace of the Mystical Qilin Sect. I am Ci Wang, the ninth successor. Please do not be too surprised when we arrive at your accommodation. What you see here is merely the tip of the iceberg. Naturally, you will not be able to access any of our forbidden areas with these many safety measures. However, I would caution guests not to pry too deeply into our affairs. You can ask any of our sect disciples questions if you are curious. They have been tasked to satisfy your curiosity without putting you in danger. My shifu likes to say that curiosity is a good thing. The Mystical Qilin Sect would not be where it is today without an immense curiosity and thirst for knowledge. However, when staring at the abyss, the abyss also stares back. It would be in everyone’s best interest to only gaze at it from a distance."

Those who had only previously thought of Anji as a sweet child now heavily reconsidered their impressions of her. While Anji was a very adorable child, her knowledge and demeanour were unbefitting her age. The person who fell into the deepest shock while following the rest of the entourage had to be no other than Zhao Wanting.

Looking at the small back walking ahead of everyone else, she wondered when her youngest daughter had grown up so quickly. It seemed like just yesterday when Anji had been born.