Read Novel Full Chapter 541: Guild Dinner
Chapter 541: Guild Dinner
The wide gates of Tianlan opened slowly as Liang led the way forward.
The groups followed behind him in a long line, each force keeping close to their own members while still watching the others. Guards stood on both sides of the gate, their posture straight, their eyes sharp as they observed every outsider stepping into their city.
Gabriel walked with ChaosKnight, his steps calm and unhurried.
The moment they passed through the gates, the view inside changed.
The city was not like Stellar City.
Tall buildings stood side by side with traditional structures. Stone paths ran between areas where wooden halls and training grounds were placed carefully. Some rooftops curved upward in old styles, while others had modern glass and metal mixed into their design. Mountains rose inside the city walls, not natural, but shaped and preserved as part of the environment.
Several people looked around with clear interest.
Ragnarok99 slowed his steps slightly and looked upward. "This place..."
Cassie glanced around as well, her eyes moving from the buildings to the mountains. "It feels different."
Bunny nodded quickly. "It’s not fully modern."
Unlike the others, Gabriel was not that impressed.
In his past life, Tianlan had always kept this balance. It was not just for appearance. It was a choice.
Liang walked ahead and spoke as if he expected the reactions.
"Tianlan preserves its heritage. We do not discard what came before us. The next generation must see it, train with it, and understand it. Strength here is not only gained through systems or tools. It is built through discipline and repetition."
He glanced back once.
"If the foundation is weak, nothing built on top will last. That is what we teach."
The group continued moving deeper into the city, but the atmosphere slowly shifted.
People began to notice them. Citizens stood along the streets, some carrying weapons, others wearing simple training clothes. Their eyes moved over the outsiders with open judgment.
One man wrinkled his nose slightly. "What is that smell?"
Another muttered under his breath. "Outsiders."
A woman standing near a shop looked at one of the ChaosKnight members and shook her head. "Weak."
The words were not hidden. They were said openly.
Even some players who had chosen Tianlan as their starting location stood among the locals, their posture matching the same attitude. They looked at non cultivators with the same clear disdain, as if they had already adopted the same mindset.
Ragnarok99’s expression darkened. His jaw tightened, and his hands clenched at his sides.
"What did he say?" he muttered.
Bunny stepped forward half a step. "Ignore it."
"I’m not ignoring that," Ragnarok99 replied, his voice low.
One of the Tianlan locals laughed softly when he saw the reaction. "You are in our city. Act properly."
Ragnarok99 took another step forward, clearly fuming, his face red.
Before he could move further, Sophie raised one hand slightly.
"Stop."
Her voice was calm, but it carried enough weight.
Ragnarok99 froze, his shoulders still tense, but he did not move again. His eyes stayed on the locals for a second longer before he exhaled and stepped back.
"We are guests," Sophie said quietly, lowering her hand. "Do not cause trouble before the mission begins."
Ragnarok99 only nodded, but one could see his anger was barely masked.
As they continued walking, the looks from the citizens did not stop, but no one stepped forward again. The tension remained, lingering in the air as they passed through the streets.
After some time, Liang led them to a large building.
It stood taller than the surrounding structures, built with a mix of stone and polished material. The design followed the same pattern as the rest of the city, a traditional structure with modern finishing. Guards stood at the entrance, and the space around it was clean and quiet.
"A temporary residence," Liang said. "You will stay here during your time in Tianlan."
He gestured toward the entrance.
"Rest, and make yourselves feel at home, but do not wander too far. Tianlan is not a place outsiders should move carelessly."
The groups entered one after another.
Inside, the hall was wide. Reception desks stood at the front, and attendants waited calmly. Everything was organized, clean, and clearly prepared for their arrival.
Check in began immediately as each group stepped forward in turn, placing gold coins on the desk while the attendants counted in silence before handing over keys and room assignments.
Gabriel watched the exchange quietly as a brief thought crossed his mind about New Dawn, with Damien currently in charge of their first camp. He had found a chest full of gold and given it to him. Gabriel wondered if Damien had already converted those coins into treasures or usable currency.
But it was a brief thought, and he quickly filed it away, trusting Damien to know what to do.
After the process ended, he took his key and moved toward his assigned room without speaking.
Time passed quietly.
Later, he stood near a higher point inside the building, looking out over the city. The view stretched far into the distance, showing a mix of buildings, training grounds, and mountains while people moved below. Some were training, some walking, others sparring openly.
Without anyone noticing, Gabriel’s perception spread outward, moving slowly at first as it passed through nearby streets, over rooftops, and across training grounds.
"Not bad... they are all strong," he muttered, slightly impressed.
The people here were stronger. Not just one or two, but many. The average level of power in Tianlan was higher than in Stellar City, and the difference was not small.
A faint narrowing of his eyes followed.
The reason was rather simple. Stellar City had focused on modernization, technology, systems, fast growth, while Tianlan followed tradition through training, discipline, and repetition. One built fast, the other built solid.
Gabriel’s perception pulled back slowly after searching for what he was looking for.
Just as he turned away from the view, a knock sounded at the door. He walked over and opened it.
ChaosCleric stood outside with a nervous expression, as usual. He always looked uneasy when standing before Gabriel.
"Dinner is ready," he managed to say.
"Hmm, I’ll be there," Gabriel nodded faintly.
ChaosCleric hesitated, then added, "But we won’t be alone."
"What do you mean?"
"All the other groups are there as well."