Five days earlier. March 21, 1152. Thursday.
Nervously, Grand Elder Gu bowed his head, intimidated by the dominant aura emitted by the Knight. Despite being at the peak of the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul Realm, he knew not to underestimate the Tier 1 Knight in front of him!
Why does a powerful Tier 1 Knight need to lead me to the Templar? Am I in trouble? Grand Elder Gu couldn't help but consider running away, but he wasn't sure if he would be able to escape.
Grand Elder Gu knew about the Tier order of the Knights protecting the Tower City.
There were rumors that the Tier 1 Knights, who had never been seen since the city was established said to be just for show to help maintain the Tower's reputation and power.
Many believed that the Tier 1 Knight was just a myth.
He recognized the figure in front of him as a rumored Tier 1 Knight based on the color and material of his body armor.
Tier 1 Knight armor was made of platinum metal dyed in a silvery white color.
He never expected to encounter a Tier 1 Knight capable of effortlessly killing a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator as he had witnessed a Tier 2 Knight ruthlessly eliminate a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator in the past.
Grand Elder Gu nervously followed the Tier 1 Knight in silence. As they entered the Outer Gate, they were met with a spacious garden filled with lush greenery.
Knights of various Tiers patrolled the area, while people in gray robes with books and scrolls walked among them.
It was the first time Grand Elder Gu had seen ordinary people allowed into the outer garden of the Tower.
Grand Elder Gu fixed his gaze on the towering walls of the Tower, which reached up into the clouds.
The walls were a dark gray color and were adorned with windows and a balcony.
Throughout history, there had been no record of anyone foolish enough to attempt an attack on these walls, except, for examples of failed attempts by other cultivators to find what was at the peak.
As impressive as the walls were, Grand Elder Gu knew that they were just the beginning of the Tower's remarkable structure.
The Tier 1 Knight led him to the Inner Gate, and upon entering, he felt like he had stepped into a different dimension.
In addition to the vast inner garden where flowers grow in dense clusters, he was greeted by three magnificent towering structures at the heart of the garden.
The two parallel structures had different architectural styles.
As someone familiar with the Tower's ever-expanding knowledge, he recognized the tower on his right as Spires Tower. This was where cultivators could pay a fee to cultivate under the Templar's permission. He had been inside the Spires Tower many times in the past.
The Spires Tower is known for its vertical proportions, pointed arches, and external buttressing. The building consists of a long nave running on an East-West axis with a transept.
It has double aisles, an ambulatory with apsidal chevet, and numerous steeples, influenced by the cultivator's sect's traditional crypt.
Lastly, the front façade of the Spires Order is adorned with scenes depicting the Tower's victory in the war against Heaven and the Underworld. The sculptures, arranged in a traditional naturalistic style, feature ornate decorations, and images from the Great Catastrophe, each serving as a symbol.
The tower parallel to the Spires Tower is known as the Order Tower, named after its distinctive architectural style.
While the Spires Tower features vertical, pointed arches, the Order Tower is known for its round arches and columns. The Order Tower also includes a dome, which is supported by a continuous wall and inspired by a large circular structure.
The central dome would be surrounded by four smaller domes at the diagonal axes. The chancel, nave, and transept arms were each planned to be of two bays ending in an apse.
At each corner of the building, a tower was to stand, creating a square overall plan with the apses projecting at the cardinal points. Each apse was designed to have two large radial buttresses, which squared off its semi-circular shape.
The structural tower between Spires Tower and Order Tower is known as the Templum.
It has a courtyard surrounded by walls, and at its center stands a towering structure built with intricate carvings and adorned with red brocade embroidery and gilded characters.
The Templum has multiple floors, each with a balustrade and a tile xieshan roof.
The Templum features wall paintings, carved tile walls, and a pavilion adorned with wood carvings, murals, and plaster moldings. Even the exterior of the Pavilion is often decorated with stone walls featuring simple carvings.
Among these three impressive structures, the Templum was the tallest and served as the residence of the Grand Maester and the Templars.
It is well protected and hailed as the most important among the three.
On the contrary, the walls of the tower were the highest as they enclosed these three magnificent structures.
What baffled him was how sunlight could be seen in this enclosed space, and how the moon and stars were visible at night.
It seemed illogical, but the Grand Maester who built this Tower was rumored to be an Immortal if not a Divine Immortal, a cultivator who could almost perfectly utilize the Law at his bidding.
However, no one was able to prove it, as the Grand Maester rarely showed himself except during the most anticipated tournament that occurred every 5 years.
Grand Elder Gu couldn't help but compare their Sects to the Tower.
As he sighed he noticed the same thing happening in the outside garden. The inside garden was filled with knights clad in body armor of different colors - gold, silver, and a bit of brown.
He was surprised to see ordinary people with white cloak robes and scrolls and thick books in their arms walking around.
Most of them were on the high podium of the prominent entrance of the Order Tower, freely entering and leaving without the knights stopping them.
It had been a long time since he was here, so he was baffled.
"It never gets old, does it? The sophisticated beauty and intricate design of these magnificent structures is truly remarkable, and never cease to amaze," an elderly voice remarked.
Unfazed by the familiar voice and feeling a sense of security, he turned around and respectfully bowed his head. "Indeed, what Templar Topp says is true. The beauty of the Tower is unparalleled," he said, pausing to acknowledge the man's benign smile.
Templar Topp was dressed in a pale yellow Tang Suit, without his usual half-black shoulder cape. Typically, Templars also wear a half-black shoulder cape.
"I apologize for my tardiness, Templar Topp. You didn't have to come to find me, and I feel embarrassed about it," said Grand Elder Gu.
Templar Topp chuckles softly. "You're overthinking it. I just wanted a change of scenery, so I stepped out and accidentally saw you on my way back to the Templum."
Grand Elder Gu smiles wryly. "I can't help but notice that regular people wearing cloaks are now allowed inside. May I ask about this change?"
Templar Topp acknowledged the question.
Ever since Grand Elder Gu's last visit to the Templum. The Grand Maester had initiated a search for individuals with exceptional intellect, who now worked under the supervision of the Arch Templar.
The people in white cloaks were known as Savants, similar to Scholars but with a different title. The people in gray cloaks were called Savant's Apprentices and were only allowed in the outside garden, waiting for orders from the Savants.
The Savants resided in the Order Tower, while the Knights who were the original occupants of the Order Tower either carried out their duties in the garden, or city, or dwelled inside the Spires Tower, whereas the Savant's Apprentices still slept in their homes outside the Tower.
Although the Spires Tower was intended for cultivators, it had numerous vacant rooms for accommodating the Knights.
Grand Elder Gu inquired if cultivators with great intellect were eligible to apply, to which Templar Topp replied that they were not, but joked about suggesting asking the Arch Templar for permission.
"Even if you manage to persuade Arch Templar Saphira, the Grand Maester emphasized that only ordinary people can be allowed in."
"Understood," Grand Elder Gu replied with a wry smile.
The Tower was really designed as a home for ordinary people, thought Grand Elder Gu.
"Alright, stop dillydallying, let's head to the piece de resistance structure," he said to Templar Topp.
"Piece de resistance? What's that?"
Templar Topp laughed amiably. "It's a new term discovered by the Savants. It means the most important. Fancy, right?"
Templar Topp was in the lead, with the Tier 1 Knight close behind, and Grand Elder Gu following silently.
He occasionally marveled at the small structures they passed, which served as a welcoming hall for guests.
Occasionally, he would encounter Nascent Soul Realm and Golden Cultivators leaving the several welcoming halls, puzzled by his escort, a knight in platinum armor.
The more knowledgeable Nascent Soul Realm cultivators would envy him, recognizing the high tier of his escort, while others below his realm assumed the knight was simply a new tier in the hierarchy.
This boosted his pride.
This also showed Tier 1 Knights are not a myth; they do exist.
Grand Elder Gu held his breath as he stood before the Templum, the residence of the Grand Maester and Templars. It was his first time setting foot in the prestigious structure, and he couldn't help but entertain the wild thought that he might be the first cultivator to achieve this feat.
As he entered the Templum, he gasped at the magnificent interior.
The exterior design paled in comparison to the intricate interior. The attention to detail in color and adornments, from the overall layout to specific elements, was unmatched.
The interiors were adorned with carved beams, painted rafters, inscribed boards, and wall paintings were created beautifully. While couplets and colorful paintings were used to designate specific hall functions.
Once a person becomes a cultivator, they must cut off their worldly attachments as part of their path to immortality. However, in front of this otherworldly beauty, he felt as though he had returned to his humble beginnings.
"Let's keep moving. We need to go to my private Terrace Tai and talk before we head to the Templar's Ta," Templar Topp said, his eyes sharp and serious.
Grand Elder Gu felt nervous as he considered the various factors at play. The implications of the destruction of two powerful Sects had prompted the Tower to invite him to the Templum.
He knew that his priority was to defend the innocence of his Sect, regardless of the cost.
The Templum houses several function halls, with three being particularly revered.
The Gong Palace, located at the peak of the Templum, serves as the private residence of the Grand Maester and is accessible only to a select few permitted by the Grand Maester.
Below the Gong Palace is the Templar's Ta, which functions as the residence of the Leader of the Templars and as an assembly place for the Templars.
Finally, Terrace Tai is the home of the Templars.
Each function has an intricate design and is adorned with wood carvings, murals, and red brocade embroidery.
Meanwhile,
At the peak of Templar's Ta, a beautiful woman wearing a pale blue Cheongsam Dress was at a rectangular table made of pale blue stone, reading scrolls and parchment of documents.
She heard a knock on the door and allowed the person to enter without averting her gaze from the scroll.
A woman in a white cloak with gold embroidery around the cloak's neck enters the room.
The four Tier 1 knights guarding outside close the door.
"Greetings, Arch Templar Saphira. I have confirmed the presence of Grand Elder Gu from the Snake Devouring Sect inside the Templum. He is currently being led by Templar Topp to his private Terrace Tai."
Templar Saphira sets the scroll down on the table and gazes at the woman.
"Excellent work, Arch Savant Li. Make sure to monitor Templar Topp from a safe distance."