NOVEL NEXT Chapter 231: The Conference Begins
Chang'an.
Martial Arts Village.
To host the Martial Arts Tournament, the court had transformed a large examination hall into a guild hall, complete with accommodations and dining; all invited sects could stay free of charge.
Tomorrow would be the day of the Martial Arts Tournament, and except for the Sanqing Sect and the Shu Mountain, all invited sects had already arrived in Chang'an.
For many of the sects, this journey had not been smooth sailing.
It wasn't that they encountered mishaps on the road, but problems arose after they reached Chang'an.
The Sect Leader of the Sky Eagle Sect, on his first day in Chang'an, was taken away by the Imperial Guard for spitting on the street, and was only released after officials from the Ministry of Rites pleaded on his behalf.
This incident caused him to be the butt of jokes for several days.
There were also people from the Silver Spear Sect.
The Ministry of Rites kindly offered them fruits cultivated by the Agricultural School, but after enjoying them, they carelessly threw the peels and pits everywhere and were caught red-handed by the Imperial Guard.
In Chang'an, littering and damaging the environment were offenses punishable by law.
The Mad Blade Sect and the Mysterious Sword Sect were even more outrageous; their disciples actually engaged in armed fights within Chang'an City, and not only were they punished, but their Sect Leaders and Grandmasters were also implicated and locked up in the prison together.
Last night, there was even an incident where the Grandmasters of the Five Mountains Sword Sect were all captured in one fell swoop.
Drinking was prohibited within the guild hall.
But martial artists were accustomed to drinking heavily, especially when old friends reunited, and if they didn't have a few hearty drinks, something seemed amiss.
Thus, the Grandmasters from the Five Mountains Sword Sect, including several Sect Leaders, agreed to meet at a tavern in Chang'an for a drinking spree, but afterwards, they accidentally lost track of time, stayed out past curfew, and were caught on the spot by patrolling Imperial Guards.
Even though they could easily have escaped those Imperial Guards, they could not afford to oppose the Da Xia Court in the capital of Daxia Country, so they honestly stayed in the Imperial Guard Prison overnight, waiting until morning for the Imperial Guard to inform the Ministry of Rites to come and retrieve them.
These martial arts sects, in their own territories, were each a law unto themselves.
As long as they didn't commit arson or robbery, the government wouldn't bother them too much.
But Chang'an was the capital of Daxia Country, and the capital had its own rules; not only was fighting forbidden within the city walls, but even spitting on the ground, littering, and loitering on the streets after dark were not allowed.
Accustomed to their freedom, they easily broke the rules upon arriving in Chang'an.
These past few days, that junior official from the Ministry of Rites truly had been putting out fires everywhere.
This situation left many sects feeling somewhat embarrassed; they had been invited to participate in the Martial Arts Tournament, yet all they did was create chaos…
After escorting the Grandmasters of the Five Mountains Sword Sect back to Martial Arts Village, these old men, with a blush of shame on their faces, the Hua Mountain Sect Leader said with great embarrassment, "I apologize for the trouble we've caused, young friend…"
Li Nuo waved his hand and said, "Elders need not blame themselves; it's my fault for not informing you of the rules in Chang'an earlier. After the third quarter of the 9 p.m. hour, one cannot wander the streets at will. I should have recommended a tavern closer by…"
Yesterday, the Five Mountains Sword Sect had gathered, but Li Nuo had established a rule against drinking in Martial Arts Village.
Therefore, he recommended a tavern outside the guild hall for these Grandmasters.
The wine of the Drunken Moon Building was a marvel of Chang'an, and the grain and fruit used to brew it all came from the Agricultural School. Normally, without any real influence or background, it was impossible to book a spot at Drunken Moon Building.
Hence, Li Nuo used his influence to secure a private room reservation for them at the Drunken Moon Building at the last minute.
However, they drank too late into the night yesterday, and Drunken Moon Building was not close to the guild hall. Not knowing the curfew rules in Chang'an, and still wandering the streets near the time of curfew, they were caught on the spot by patrolling Imperial Guards.
Li Nuo learned of this in the morning and was able to lead them back.
Fortunately, the Imperial Guards knew the identities of these men and did not make things difficult for them.
Although Li Nuo took the blame upon himself, the Grandmasters of the Five Mountains Sword Sect certainly could not see it that way.
From what Li Nuo heard from a few younger brothers like Yue Yang Liu Feng, this Martial Arts Tournament was entirely organized by him. That a Martial Arts Grandmaster received recognition from the Da Xia Court and obtained special privileges was also promoted by him alone.
Moreover, the tavern's wine was indeed mellow and fragrant, and a rich and lavish feast had been reserved in advance for them; they hadn't spent a single tael of silver from start to finish.
It was clearly a kind gesture from someone else, and if they blamed him for their own mistake, then at their advanced age, they would truly have lived in vain.
After sending the Grandmasters back to Martial Arts Village, Li Nuo returned to the Li Family.
He had not made his months of scheming in vain; the Martial Arts Tournament had not yet begun, and his objective had already been reached by a small margin.
There were seventeen Grandmasters from the Five Mountains Sword Sect, plus those from the scattered smaller sects. The portraits of the Grandmasters in the Law Code now numbered nearly thirty.
There were also many sects that, upon arriving in Chang'an, were very well-behaved, and Li Nuo could not catch them in any wrongdoing.
What surprised him was that even with so many Grandmasters' portraits, there were still no signs of fusion.
However, the problem was not significant—it would merely consume some of his lifespan to light up the portraits.
Now, he could afford the complete expenditure.
Sanqing Sect and Shu Mountain were the last two sects to arrive in Chang'an City.
It was normal for sects with Sixth Realm experts to carry themselves with a bit of pride.
Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m., the first Martial Arts Tournament hosted by the court would hold its opening ceremony in Furong Garden.
Furong Garden was the highest standard Royal Garden in Daxia, where many grand ceremonies and rituals were held.
Early the following day, officials from the Ministry of Rites led people from various sects to Furong Garden.
On the lake within the garden were moored tall boats with multiple levels.
The second level of the boat was a platform for appreciating the scenery.
Upon this platform, rows upon rows of desks were arranged, covered with fine wines, dishes, and all sorts of cakes.
From the second level of the boat, one had a clear view, allowing them to see a square beside the lake distinctly.
The Ministry of Rites had arranged ten acts, including drama, song and dance, and music,... all performed by top talents from the court and following court etiquette. One act would often have hundreds of participants, performances ordinary people would never have a chance to witness in their lifetimes.
Sitting leisurely on the boat, enjoying delicious food while appreciating the scenery and watching these brilliant performances.
Elegant, it was truly so elegant...
It was said that martial artists were uncouth, yet humans share a common appreciation for the arts.
They might not be able to articulate why the music played so well, or how beautifully the dance was performed.
Yet everyone could deeply feel the joy that such scenes brought to their hearts.
Compared to the Martial Arts Tournament organized by the court, the Martial Arts Tournament held by the Sanqing Sect seemed particularly shabby.
Such splendor greatly satisfied the vanity of the Grandmasters.
Those younger disciples would also have stories to boast about to their fellow disciples when they returned.
The opening ceremony lasted for two hours, and after it concluded, there was a performance show by various sects.
Disciples from different sects took turns performing the Martial Arts of their own sects, an occasion for major sects to showcase their strength and for the smaller sects to have the rare opportunity to make an appearance before the greater sects.
The cakes on the boat were only the prelude to the meal.
After the opening ceremony and the performance show, everyone moved to the grand hall behind the square to dine.
The banquet, prepared by Imperial Chefs, provided dishes far more lavish and refined than what one would find in Martial Arts Village. Several times, the Grandmasters reminded their own disciples to mind their manners at the table and not to bring disgrace to their sect.
Throughout the banquet, Li Nuo moved from seat to seat, mingling and conversing merrily with the Sect Leaders.
The Ministry of Rites excelled at these formalities, and having been sent straight to the Imperial Guard Prison upon arrival, the honor they had lost, of course, needed to be recovered afterward.
Once the first day's opening ceremony and welcome banquet were over, everyone was free to do as they pleased.
Learning from previous lessons, the various sects' disciples became more cautious.
Walking on the clean, orderly streets of Chang'an, no one dared to spit or litter, and they even refrained from wandering about to avoid accidentally violating any laws, which would not only embarrass themselves but also their sect.
Li Mansion.
Li Nuo looked at the chart of human meridians and acupoints before him, where some hazy things seemed within reach but separated by a thin layer, as thin as a cicada's wing. Yet, it was this very layer that remained impenetrably in the way.
He withdrew his gaze from the portrait. The number of Grandmasters was still not enough...