Chapter 848: Same Exception

No one spoke.

Long Yao and Long Li waved toward the outside.

"Captain, up!"

Autumn wind swept fallen leaves, swirling gently.

Teta stepped forward, crushing two dry leaves underfoot, striding up to the stool with proud bearing, half-crouching on the table, pawing blindly inside the box, then pulling out a pale orange robe, one hand holding the box, the other raised high to show everyone—as if claiming a championship belt.

Liang Qu fell into thought.

The item had indeed been delivered; the Holy Emperor had ordered it, and the eunuchs' efficiency was top-notch—but the item didn't match the rumors at all.

"So the claim that the spirit robe appears based on beauty is false?"

"Maybe the captain's a beautiful otter?" Long Yao and Long Li giggled.

"You two are happy again?" Long Long Eying pinched their cheeks. "I never noticed—you're so vain, know you're not pretty, and act like the sky's falling."

"Oh come on! That's exaggerated!"

"Nonsense! Nonsense!"

As the group played, Xu Xu Shila emerged from her melancholy and sneered: "Master Spirit Robe, inventing gimmicks for your own spirit robe isn't surprising—whether true or not, the more people know, the higher the price you can charge."

The founder of Jiaoxiao felt deeply moved.

A good story, a good price.

When the spirit robe reappeared in the box and vanished again, he reached out, seized it, sensed its transformation, and instantly perceived the essence of its disappearance and manifestation.

"From nothing to something, from wind to robe… the myriad worlds hold all manner of wonders." In terms of combat utility, the Phoenix Cry Rainbow Robe was far inferior to the Cloud Thunder Robe—but in mystery, it surpassed it. Liang Qu turned. "Can the robe's color change?"

Long Long Eying nodded. "From white to bright red, it can shift through orange and pink—but not blue or green."

Liang Qu understood.

Unlike Long Dragon Lingxiao's full color spectrum, the Phoenix Cry Rainbow Robe belonged to the warm tones.

He groped at it, felt its softness, infused it with blood and qi, and the robe tightened naturally to his will—with considerable force.

This function alone was enough; binding and replacing the spirit robe's primary purpose could now be achieved.

To be fair, Ke Ko Wenbin had real taste.

"How's it? Like the one I got for you?" Liang Qu handed the treasure box to Long Long Eying.

"You know the answer."

Liang Qu feigned innocence. "I asked because I didn't know."

"I like it!"

"Eh?!" *2

"What are you 'eh'ing about?"

"What do you like? What's there to like? Is there food again?"

A child's voice rang out; the little Shen dragon floated in from behind the shadow wall, claws clutching a giant bamboo basket filled with food, steaming warmly in the cold wind.

The little river otters, smelling the scent, popped up from behind the walls, from the beams, from the shrubs—nearly from every direction—and gathered in the courtyard center, standing upright, waiting as the little Shen dragon released the basket. As it dropped, several otters shoved their rumps into the basket to fight over the food.

The little beaver arrived late—the basket had no space left.

"Again, going out to buy snacks?" Liang Qu grumbled. "Don't we feed you every day?"

These water beasts, especially the Third Prince, spent more than dozens of taels of silver each month on pocket money alone.

"Not so, not so," the little Shen dragon set down the basket, puffed out its belly, flicked its tail. "Boss, as they say, home flowers aren't as fragrant as wild ones; regular meals aren't as tasty as snacks. Besides, I'm not the only one eating—there are so many otters at home waiting for me to feed them."

"Ow! Why'd you hit me?"

"Home flowers, wild flowers—you're always picking up nonsense."

"Long Eying-sis!"

The little Shen dragon burst into white smoke and darted into Long Long Eying's hair.

"Third Prince…" Long Long Eying shook the treasure box. "There's a treasure here—only the beautiful can pull it out. Want to try?"

"Huh?" The little Shen dragon gasped, squirming shyly. "Is there a spirit robe made just for me?"

"Hahaha!"

Laughter filled the hall; the air inside and out brimmed with joy.

Bai Awei on Liang Qu's wrist opened and closed its mouthparts, clicking.

The little Shen dragon was embarrassed and annoyed.

"What's so funny? Why laugh?"

…

November sixteenth.

Light rain fell steadily.

Wangyue Tower.

The annual Binghuo Day period was roughly fixed, occurring in two or three segments, and the times for switching cultivation chambers began and ended like scheduled batches.

The first batch was nearing its end; many noble youths came personally to scout the spots. Had overnight stays been allowed, they'd have pitched tents right outside the door.

But compared to those who secured spots in the first batch, the second batch's quality was inferior—after all, months had passed since Binghuo Day, and even the lingering aura inside Wangyue Tower had faded considerably.

"Twenty-fifth floor, Yi Six, vacant."

"Twenty-fifth floor, Yi Twelve, vacant."

"I got here first! I got here first!"

As names were called, the youths rushed forward to "purchase," afraid someone else would snatch the spot.

Wangyue Tower had cultivation chambers on floors seventeen through twenty-five, but they differed greatly—higher floors were better, and each floor was divided into three grades: Jia, Yi, Bing—with Jia the finest.

Thus, a single major merit earned only the shortest stay on the twenty-fifth floor's Jia grade—roughly two days, just right for this batch to exit.

Who would waste a hundred days when sixty days would suffice?

Time is opportunity!

Twenty-fifth floor, Jia Three.

The bell rang.

Half a quarter-hour remained; the time was nearly up.

Huo Huo Jinghui opened his eyes, stretched his neck, and heard his bones crackle. He felt the vigorous growth of his divine seed within, satisfied—three major merits, over a hundred days—worth every moment!

Just a few months' cultivation equaled years, even decades, of slow nurturing!

Too bad.

Time to leave.

He packed his things simply, stepped out of the chamber, and faced a tall young man standing with hands behind his back, every gesture elegant and natural.

The youth wore plain robes—white with blue trim, a few waist tokens and incense pouches, a white jade crown atop his head.

The only unusual thing was the half-human-sized river otter beside him, arms full of brand-new reed mats and bedding.

The moment Huo Huo Jinghui stepped out, the otter slipped into the chamber, opened the window for ventilation, replaced the mats, swept the small bed—utterly Lingxing.

"Strange…"

Huo Huo Jinghui puzzled—he hadn't yet checked out, so logically, the chamber shouldn't have been rented to someone else.

Yet the young man's demeanor suggested Jia Three was already his?

He refrained from confronting him directly, to avoid conflict.

Huo Huo Jinghui went downstairs.

"Check out Jia Three."

The waiting crowd's eyes lit up—another vacant room, and a Jia-grade one!

But as Huo Huo Jinghui handed over the room token, they surged forward.

"Apologies, everyone—Jia Three is already taken. Please wait for another chamber."

Already taken?

How could it be taken?

The crowd exchanged glances; Huo Huo Jinghui froze.

"Who? Who rented it?"

"How's that possible? The previous tenant just left—how could it be rented already? Does the new tenant have an invisibility technique?"

The speaker pointed at Huo Huo Jinghui.

"Apologies, it has indeed been used," the Registrar bowed.

Huo Huo Jinghui immediately thought of the young man earlier.

Could it be…?

The thought filled him with resentment. No matter their status, everyone had to compete fairly—why should someone bypass the process?

The Holy Emperor himself had set the rules—how could Wangyue Tower dare to ignore them?

With numbers on his side and no fear of offending, Huo Huo Jinghui's anger flared—he blurted out the young man's situation.

The truth revealed, the crowd erupted!

No wonder—someone had cut the line!

"Why?"

"Is there no justice? The Holy Emperor's rules, and Wangyue Tower's owner can break them? Who's greater—the Holy Emperor or the tower's owner?"

"Exactly—who's greater?"

The Registrar's head throbbed; he pressed his hands down, trying to calm the uproar.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen, this man is different."

"What's different? Is he an imperial prince? Even princes must line up with us! Give us an explanation!"

"Yes! Give us an explanation! If someone can go in first, so should we!"

"An explanation? There is no explanation. The guest who reserved this room is the Marquis of Baron Xingyi; he is entering seclusion to attain the Zhen Xiang realm. This is the only such exception in the Da Shun Jiazi era. Should any of you break the Marquis of Baron Xingyi's record in the future, Wangyue Tower will make the same exception for you!"

On the landing between the first and second floors.

The landlord of the first floor spoke calmly.

The grand hall echoed with silence.

(End of Chapter)