All the palaces were surrounded by mystical energies in Tiantai and celestial Qi.
Mu Chen went in front of the crowd. He was one of the nine emperors' direct disciples, now he had 362 new fellow disciples, half of the first batch, half of the second.
"Everybody, there's no forbidden place for you in Tiantai. You can go anywhere you wish. However, there are some palaces which can be dangerous for you. You have to be careful because you could die in there."
Everybody listened calmly. Mu Chen continued, "Our teachers are emperors, they usually don't show up. Even though you've become imperial cultivation disciples, whether you can receive their direct teachings or not will be determined by your capacity to study and your progress. It's not because you're in Tiantai that you're going to become incredible cultivators, you have to rely on yourself to study. The path of cultivation isn't easy. The emperors won't get involved in your life either, whether it is related to your family or yourselves. Even if we fight against Tian Long Divine Castle's people, they won't show up. They would only show up if Emperor Tian Long himself showed up."
The crowd listened calmly. Emperors were dignified in Ba Huang Province. They don't intervene in ordinary people's lives. Some emperors have millions of disciples, getting involved in each disciple's life was impossible. Unless a disciple drew the emperor's attention, the emperor wouldn't get involved. Therefore, after becoming imperial cultivation disciples, their next goal was to become the emperors' direct disciples.
Mu Chen showed palaces on two sides and said, "There are 18,000 cultivation courtyards, those at the front have a more concentrated pure Qi. You, 362 people, can choose the ones you want yourselves. Therefore, there might be conflicts between you when choosing a place to practice. However, I'm warning you, we're in Tiantai so there can't be any bloodshed here. Otherwise, you will be considered a rebel and we'll kill you!"
"Roger, brother!" everybody nodded. Even though Mu Chen was talking in a relaxed way, he sounded firm. Hou Qing Lin dared go to other people's territories and kill them and Mu Chen had brought him back afterward. They could be as aggressive and firm as they wanted.
Besides, Hou Qing Lin respected Mu Chen a lot. Therefore, everybody obeyed Mu Chen and respected him.
"He's not that easy to deal with, hehe!" whispered Yuan Fei to Lin Feng. Lin Feng rolled his eyes. He was fearless. Mu Chen was saying those things with a purpose.
Everybody understood that nobody could fight, they were all part of the same group now. It was the same as in Tian Chi with the seven snowy peaks, there was no competition between them.
Mu Chen didn't pay attention to Yuan Fei as he brought the disciples to another place. The area seemed endless as it was impossible to count all the palaces.
However, Mu Chen had brought them to a specific road where they arrived in front of 81 palaces, the palaces there were the palaces the disciples had seen the last time. These were the palaces where they were going to live.
Those palaces were vast and lofty.
"One of those palaces is going to be mine." thought the crowd. They were impatient to see what there was inside.
"Brother." said someone at that moment. The crowd saw the Sadhu arrive in the air.
He shook his hand and a flight of stairs appeared. It was a flight of stairs with 9 groups of 9 steps.
"That was the last group of steps during the exam!" the crowd was surprised. 81 steps divided into nine groups.
"You're right, that's the same. The only thing is that you can see it properly now," said Mu Chen smiling. The flight of stairs twinkled and materialized into an actual flight of stairs.
The crowd was staring at the flight of stairs wondering what was going to happen.
Behind the flight of stairs, some roads appeared which looked like illusions.
There was a different world behind each group of steps.
The 81 palaces were after the second group of steps.
"Only those who can make it further than the first group of stairs can get a palace." remembered the crowd. After the ninth one, there were some hidden treasures.
"Back then, you passed that test. You obtained different keys. Thanks to your keys, you can easily reach the level you reached back then and enter a palace to practice cultivation. Those different levels offer different treasures." explained Mu Chen smiling indifferently.
"Brother, if I only have the key of the second group of steps, will I never have the opportunity to get to the third one?" asked someone.
"You will. Besides, you can do that anytime. You can go to the third group of steps at any time, to the extent that you can even move to a palace of the third level. You can even move your palace with you. For example, Lin Feng climbed up nine groups of steps, therefore, he can benefit from all the advantages of the ninth group of steps, he can even move his palace there." explained Mu Chen.
Suddenly, everybody had the urge to get to the highest level possible to benefit from the best advantages.
Lin Feng could go there directly.
"Buddy, can I have some fun too?" said Yuan Fei laughing.
Mu Chen looked at him, shook his head smiling, and said, "You're insane, buddy. Your grandfather gave you a great place to practice, it's a winner's kind-of place. Even though our cultivation places aren't bad, they can't be compared with yours, but do as you wish!"
"What winner are you talking about? If I don't leave my cultivation place, how can I become stronger?" said Yuan Fei scratching and shaking his head as if he had thought of something unpleasant.
"You're wealthy, but you just don't know it. Many people could only dream of having your life. The Great Ape Emperor wouldn't be so happy to hear that!" said Mu Chen.
"Let's not talk about it. How come I see nothing after the ninth group of steps, isn't it where you live?" said Yuan Fei gazing into the distance.
"Your eyes are quite good," said Mu Chen laughing indifferently. When people looked there, it was like an illusion.
"Tenth group of steps is where the emperors' direct disciples practice cultivation and where the emperors lived. If you manage to make it there, you'll become direct disciples." Mu Chen explained further.
In a flash, people's hearts started pounding violently. If they managed to make it there, they'd become direct disciples!
That was also where the emperors lived!