Outside the assembly hall of Jiuli Mansion, the crowd's clamor gradually dissipated.
Chen Sheng carefully placed the Jade Token given by Dharma Master Hong Jue close to him and walked with measured steps through the painted corridors toward his personal Cultivation Palace.
The hall's furnishings were extremely simple, with a centrally placed Cold Jade Cultivation Platform, its surface densely inscribed with Spirit Gathering Array Patterns.
In the corner, a Bronze Cauldron burned with "Forgetful Fragrance," its smoke as fine as threads, forming a semi-transparent light screen under the glow of the Luminous Bead hanging from the dome.
Chen Sheng closed the hall doors with a backward swing of his hand, and with a casual spell, activated the protective array outside the hall.
