Naturally, as the griffin flew beneath the humble light of the moon and distant stars, there would be very little for the passengers to view of the landscape as they soared overhead and that is when the clouds were not creating a distinct separation between earth and heavens. So it was that the greater majority of its passengers would sleep throughout the flight and if not, they might cultivate.
This far into the year and being not far away from Winter's midpoint, the nights in the north stretched on greatly and the sun chose to begin its climb after lazily peering above the horizon late into the morning. And it was a little more than an hour after dawn had cast its hazy colours over the previously dark sky than when the city of Cenapar appeared in the distance. At this point in time, Jin Li and Leon were awake and bickering softly;
"So where is this Lord's morning kiss?"
"J-Jin Li, we're in p-public!"
"So? Tch. Then this Lord expects you to make it up to me later."
Leon refused to ask just how.
"What is for breakfast?"
"You ate it, last n-night."
There was a slight pause in the conversation. "You expect this Lord to go without sustenance?"
"I only h-have one steamed b-bun left! Hey!" Leon fought with Jin Li over his interspacial bag, but due to his lack of strength, naturally he lost the fight and had to watch as the breakfast he had painstakingly hidden for himself was snatched away. He pouted as the springy bread entered the mouth of the bottomless pit lying beneath him. Half, a small half, was torn off and offered back to him, which he could only accept with reluctant gratitude.
Sun had long since tired of wearing out his eyes seeing the two youths play and had wandered out onto the deck that wrapped around the bottom carriage and was protected by magic from the rushing winds, insects and dust. He watched as a myriad of green shades flowed into the distance beneath them. These low hills and plans were occasionally intersected by skinny, rambling yellow roads and split in two by a wide winding river. And ahead of them, in between the huge forelegs of the gliding griffin, was Cenapar.
The heart of Cenapar was built upon an island surrounded by the meeting of the rivers that served it. The eastern kings palaces could mostly be found here, as well as the palaces of many important clans stationed here. The city then stretched via a series of bridges to other lands around it, the rivers themselves creating distinct borders between merchants, lords and commoners, between places of commerce, places of stunning beauty and the hidden slums, between several branches of local Sects and the mortals who could only dream of immortality. Bridges connected the segments, arching over the wide rivers and covering newly built canals that intersected those rivers in various locations, bridges even hopping over natural streams that did the same. Any land between water had been tamed, for use as property or garden, park or road, none escaped the city's sights. And even then, the city continued to sprawl outwards as new palaces were built, new market shops and commoner housing and new walls to indicate its current boundaries.
A griffin this size could only land in one of these border areas, just inside the lowest built wall, that seemed to have been thrown up without concern of bandits nor wild beasts destroying it. This griffin nest was home to five massive beasts, all of which could journey to other cities or notable towns. There were also some smaller adults and cubs for more local flights.
Of course, the griffins were not the only way to travel, many cities had long ranged transport portals and it was said that those in the largest cities could even transport one to another realm. However, it was highly expensive and far reaching portals tended to leave a mark on mortals, making them feel dizzy and nauseous amongst other symptoms. Spiritual energies could abate these in the long run, so mostly Cultivators, nobles or messengers with urgent news would spend the money to use them and the latter would purchase special talismans to weaken the side effects. It was a moot point for the youths; there were no portals located in Julip town.
Sun, Jin Li and Leon left the undercarriage in an unhurried manner, due to the fact that the former was dragging his feet and the other two and their beasts could only follow. By the time they had left the range of the griffin nest, most of the passengers had dispersed, either on carriages sent by their families, by wagon or on foot. The paved street was actually relatively empty at this point in time.
Sun gritted his teeth and swallowed some bitterness. His family knew he was returning this morning, he'd sent a letter ahead, and yet despite their home being quite the distance away from the griffin nests, not a carriage was not in sight. He didn't assume this was on purpose, he knew full well it was. This was one of the many reasons he hadn't wanted to come back here!
"Um," Sun looked over at his friends and chuckled despondently. "Let's look for a public carriage over there."
Fortunately, where one could find one travellers, one could find transport willing to shorten their journey's for a price and Sun handed over two silver pieces without question to the carriage driver, who ushered them in the plain wooden vehicle before leading his two horses up the street. Li Ming lie at Leon's feet, purring heavily as its human scratched the fur beneath its ears. Wu Ye padded along side the carriage, content to stretch its legs.
"What's your h-home like?" Leon asked Sun in passing conversation.
"Oh, you know," he replied, offhandedly. "It's pretty much like any house. Wall, floors, a roof. It's a small courtyard... really." At least his was, anyway. He had three rooms in all, not including the servant rooms and small kitchen. One of those rooms, he used to use as his study, before replacing most of the books and shelves with swords. It happened to also contain a small cot bed and he'd asked his big brother if he could add a second cot in there so his friends could stay over. He didn't receive a reply, but his big brother was a reliable sort. They didn't get on well, but that didn't mean his brother would do him wrong either. The missing carriage, for example, would not have anything to do with him.
"Oh," Leon scratched his head for something else to say. "H-how about your family?"
"Normal... normal..." Sun said quickly. "There's my father and my mother and big brother... older sisters... though they've all married out now. And there's my grandparents, some uncles and aunties... cousins too." Sun's voice seemed to be becoming quieter with each word and his face looked a little pale and green. He tugged at Leon's sleeve, suddenly, almost setting off the fury of the alchemist's big husband, but given pause as Sun whispered; "Thank you for accompanying me."
Leon was startled at Sun's lack of spirit and demure attitude, while Jin Li's eyes narrowed in contemplation. Although Sun had never mentioned anything to him, though he likely wouldn't have been listening even if he had, he knew of some of the inner workings of a wealthy, influential family. While indeed Sun was a Young Master and had the temperament of one, did not mean that he was happy existing in a flight of dragons and phoenixes. Jin Li had witnessed the schemes of his many, many aunts and his numerous cousins both di and shu and the fall out of those battles. Thankfully, he rather got on well with his own older brothers and while they were also arrogant, they were not insufferably so.
Still Jin Li was not completely about to let Sun off for touching his small alchemist and grabbed Leon about the waist to pull him into his lap, claiming ownership.
When people are away from that which makes them unhappy, it is easy to form an illusion of self, of perhaps an untainted nature, when one is feeling shameful, or of an aloof existence, when one is usually quaking in one's boots. For a petite youth like Sun, it is easy to form a persona of sunny, energetic youth, when reality had once drained his spirit listless. His sister's friend's little shu sibling wanting to make him be her husband so she could enjoy this not entirely favoured son's family's status was actually the last straw that sent him fleeing to the Ascending Mountain Institute.
Sun's family pursued Martial Arts, but not every Martial Artist in the family had been fortunate enough to be born with roots in which to cultivate and gain strength. So when the second son of the second son of General Ramas happened to naturally awaken his root, there was some celebration, but also there was envy. This envy turned to scorn as time passed and this 'natural' protege failed to break through the boundary of Secondary cultivation. Not only his cultivation, but his height and stature were inherited from his mother, considerably lacking compared to other men in the family. So what that he had awoken his root without pills, not only was his a mere minor root, he clearly was a failure, a short, insignificant failure.
His grandfather became increasingly displeased with this grandchild, who looked feeble in comparison to even his third son's small shu son, who had just had his root forced to awaken and it was a major root. Many of the resources that once were Sun's were redirected to the illegitimate child. And then the Iondis family matchmaker came to call...
Sun shook away his despondent thoughts. He was not the same now, he'd broken through that barrier, reached Secondary stage. They could no longer claim he was a waste, without anymore use than to form a connection with another family for money.
The carriage pulled up outside a gargantuan estate.
Leon glanced outside, his jaw dropping as his eyes fell upon the imposing stone walls, in which a few tree tops could just be seen peering above the heights. Two stone columns rose either side of a large wooden gate, each topped with a stone dragon with fierce expressions. Guards stood at the gate, broad of chest and dressed in leathers and wearing swords. A plaque upon the column stated that this was the Ramas estate.
"This is your h-house?" Leon whispered in disbelief, while Jin Li shook his head with indulgent eyes over his small alchemists naivety.
Sun sighed, head sagging to his chest as he mumbled. "No, this is my family's palace. My courtyard is just a small part of it."
As the three and two beasts left the carriage, one of the guards eyes widened in recognition and he nodded to the other and slipped inside the gates for a moment. Not even had the other guard completed his greeting than did a tall man, with similar colouring to Sun and more mature of appearance, stepped outside to welcome him.
"Little brother," Mond greeted him. His expression was quite stoic, but his eyes were curved with genuine happiness. Sun was startled, he's thought that Mond didn't care for him very much.
Mond was truly Sun's first idol and hero and his heart still recalled the warmth of affection from before his big brother went to train with the army. Mond did not have a inner root, but this never detracted from the strength he exuded, nor his talent with standard Martial Arts. It was just that, when Sun continuously failed to breakthrough, Mond's eyes held the most obvious of disappointment, breaking his heart and damaging the bond between them. Perhaps it had been his own perception that was wrong all along? "Big brother, I'm back," Sun smiled more brightly than before.
Mond nodded in recognition, before his eyes settled upon Jin Li and Leon behind him. He also showed some appreciation for the two eye-catching Coeurl beasts accompanying them. "These are the friends you mentioned?" Mond queried.
"En," Sun replied and indicated one after the other. "This is Jin Li, my room mate and fellow Martial Artist and this is Leon, his alchemist. The two Coeurl's belong to them."
Mond gave both a nod in greeting, before indicating that they should continue on inside. "Grandfather has been waiting for you, little brother." Sun almost crumbled at the thought, but took his best step forward into the walls that suddenly felt more like a prison.
Walking through those guarded, tall walls was not too dissimilar to stepping into a transmigrator slipping through the cracks in one world and into another without the need of death's flesh-less hand guiding them. Leaving behind them the wide, yellow paved street, the world around them became almost ethereal, in a man-made sort of way. Four steps in and they came to see something Cenapar was famous for; a bridge.
The bridge was made of painted wood and solid of construction with just a hint of embellishment as dragons wound their way up the first and last posts of the structural feature. The bridge itself arched over a large lotus pond which was fed by a small stream that trailed off into the distance. Visitors would not know this, but it was a fact that this water came from one of the great rivers and the pond was not artificial in its creation. Although the path beneath their feet lead off to the left and right, the two brothers guided them towards the bridge, only pausing to glance at the two Coeurl before looking towards a passing servant.
"Take the beasts to the stable and ensure their comfort completely," Mond instructed the man, who nervously looked at the two beasts. Wu Ye yawned, revealing all of his sharp teeth telling one side that he could indeed do with a nap, while warning the other that he was no kitten. Li Ming was less inclined to be stabled.
Leon reached out for the Coeurl with one hand and picked out a solid wood carving of a dream hare, with long upright ears from his pouch with the other, before waving it before the beast. "B-be g-good," Leon smiled and the Coeurl yowled softly then snatched away the gift proudly. He followed Wu Ye quietly after this. The latter rolled his eyes before staring at the servant who had no choice but to try still his trembling body as he lead the way.
After this, the brothers lead them over the bridge of the lotus pond, which was decorated in bare willow trees and sweeping shrubs. Small rockeries created fake mountains either side of the bridges end as it curved a hidden corner and returned to the path on the other side. In late spring and summer, the garden would have been even more impressive, with large, rare flowers and colourful blossoms to highlight the greenery. At the moment, it just seemed cold.
Beyond the rockeries, the path opened up and split into two, both which lead through large moongates in white walls. The brothers took one at lead deeper into the grounds, the other would have lead to a Hall and courtyard meant for waiting guests, but Sun was too nervous to voice this in passing. Beyond this moon gate was yet another garden, this one filled with sizeable canals that were straight and long. These canals also were staggered, the bottom most length horizontal and across their path, whereas the next length was coming towards them before tipping its contents into the lower canal. And there was a third staged higher up, built upon a wall and tipping its waters into the second canal.
The lowest canal had a bridge in which the brothers wandered over before the path lead them to travel along the length of the canal. There was even a pleasure boat floating in its waters, though Sun was relieved to know there was no one aboard right now. This pathway lasted quite the while before they came to a cross section of paths and finally walked away from the canals and towards another wall and moongate. This one lead into a large and structured courtyard with a very imposing building wrapped about most of it. The courtyard itself was mostly unadorned, with the exception of another pair of dragon statues in the middle.
The brothers approached the rear section of the building, which had a length of fixed wooden awning, stretching from wing to wing, providing a little shelter from the elements without needing to enter the building itself. Posts held up the covering adding to the structural feel it emanated. A manservant stood outside of the door and greeted both brothers, before requesting their patience as he went inside to announce their presence. It wasn't long before the two brothers went in, however, Jin Li and Leon were forced to wait outside.
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