Chapter 180: Common Sense
Unlike the others, Gu Ying lived in the Mystical Qilin Sect for a few months. She had long grown used to the ridiculous luxury the sect provided. Seeing everyone’s reaction to the humble overstatement of power in the hidden palace was a refreshing change of pace. At least Gu Ying still had some semblance of common sense left in her. Living in the Mystical Qilin Sect for too long could easily alter someone’s perspective of what ’normal’ was.
Anji demonstrated how everything in each guest room operated. There were hidden talismans everywhere and subtly hidden spells in intricate carving designs that blended well. The guests were full of awe for one of the most powerful sects. Even if nobody had witnessed these elusive cultivators in action, they were thoroughly convinced that the disciples of the Mystical Qilin Sect were tougher than they appeared.
"As for lights, we do not use candles. Instead, we have lanterns imbued with light talismans. Should you need light, imbue some energy in it. It would remain lit for about four hours with one breath of qi. However, if you need the light to go out sooner than it expires, put it on this lantern holder by the bed. The stand has spells to discharge stored qi back safely to the environment."
Everything from the bed to the bath was fused with life-changing talismans and spells. Even the walls were soundproof. Clothes could be washed and dried in a machine, dirty bath water could be drained by activating a talisman, and most importantly, every guest room had an acceleration chamber used to speed up cultivation training without needing a qi-dense environment.
"That’s all for standard guest rooms," Anji turned to the guests. "If you require any assistance, please approach any disciples on hospitality duty on the first floor. The first floor is also where you can find the scheduled cleaning crew to write your room number into a journal on a calendar. Someone will do the housekeeping for you during that time and date. Most importantly, the canteen for guests is located there. Shall we head down now?"
The guests followed numbly, mind-blown and still coming to terms with the luxuriously different facilities in their assigned rooms. Although the hidden palace was not lavishly decorated with gems and gold, it did not lack grandeur. Some of the guests had taken a peek from the window to confirm if the Lotus Lake was truly an array. The obvious Bagua formation from a higher ground destroyed any doubts they had. While generous to open their doors for a nobler cause, the Mystical Qilin Sect was still rather strict with discipline. Their secrecy did not diminish even with the revelation of their cards. Common sense did not exist on this mountain. These cultivators were definitely from the future. How else could they explain the modern conveniences nobody else batted an eye at?
On the ground floor by Lotus Lake was a huge recreational area with a reading lounge, tea room and even some musical instruments. Not that many cultivators bothered to learn refined arts. Mingshen appreciated the culture, but everyone else only cared about the housekeeping administration and cafeteria. It made sense. Anji expected as much. After this, there was only one more place to show the guests before she concluded her tour and made her exit. The walk was the longest part of the tour. Thankfully, the end was near.
The kitchen and cafeteria were separated so the cultivators could have meals in more privacy. Those who needed meals delivered to their rooms could inform the administrative personnel on duty. Anji pointed out that the Mystical Qilin Sect followed a strict schedule, and guests could not request customised menus. Those with dietary restrictions may inform the administrative department, which will inform the kitchen to prepare those meals specially.
"If you would like to have a meal not from the menu, the kitchen for outer disciples can cater for them. For guests’ comfort, these amenities will be available around the clock during your stay. Should you encounter any problems, please get in touch with the administrative staff on duty. If there are no further questions about your accommodation arrangements, shall we visit where the actual combat training will be held?"
Nobody was happier than those from the Azure Dragon and White Tiger Sect to hear they were finally going to witness the venue where all the action would take place. Fortunately, now that they were familiar with the entry and exit methods used in the Mystical Qilin Sect, there was no fuss about going through another portal located behind the recreational area.
Anji had not seen the training venue in person. Her shifu mentioned in the passing how it was located far from the main sect buildings for safety reasons. The training could be explosive, and the arrays would not withstand a beating. However, she was not expecting to see such a barren location being assigned to them for the training venue.
"This is... a jungle?" Zhao Wanting asked in confusion.