Chapter 367: Chapter 11: First of All, I Don’t Have a Preference for the Youthful (Part 2)

The entire Land of Thousand Lakes and Melody was the Divine Ancestor’s Treasure Tool. Mortals under Its blessing could use this gift as laid out by the system.

It was precisely because of the unique nature of the Path of Resonance that they had adopted an isolationist policy. Within the Land of Rhythm, the Thousand Laws Royal Court was nigh-invincible. Even the Azure Sky Mecha of the Celestial Vault Kingdom would struggle to defeat the Royal Court Warriors in the atmosphere of the Grand Ensemble.

The drawback, however, was that the Royal Court could hardly expand its territory. Once those on the Path of Resonance left the Land of Rhythm, without the enhancement of the [Thousand Laws Ceremony], they could only be described as utterly pathetic.

Now, they couldn’t even handle the rampaging Demons. After all, when it came to their connection to the Celestial God, these expelled Celestial God’s Shadows were far more profound than any mortal’s. The Grand Ensemble, which the Tuners regarded as sacred, was being torn apart at will by the Demons. Once the absolute control the Thousand Laws Royal Court prided itself on in its homeland was hard-countered by the Demons, they were left utterly helpless!

In short, they were growing anxious. This explained why some in the Royal Court were so sensitive about seeking help—they were truly as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

As Westheid pondered this, he subconsciously reached out, his fingertips twitching lightly as if plucking invisible strings.

"Hm? Duke Qinghui, are you sensing the Melody?"

Seeing this, Valendorf’s eyes lit up and he said: 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"To be able to pluck the strings immediately shows you have a great Talent for being a Tuner. Truly worthy of the name Duke Qinghui. I wonder what kind of Melody you’re sensing... but I suppose it doesn’t matter, since it’s not like you’d actually become a Tuner."

"Hm? So this is Tuning? That’s somewhat interesting."

Hearing Valendorf’s words, Westheid raised an eyebrow.

The moment he entered the domain of the Thousand Laws Royal Court, he felt a certain pressure on his body and soul, as if he were wrapped in a web of countless threads. A calm, gentle ensemble played in his ears, seemingly without end.

’So this is what it feels like to be within the Ceremony. Truly wondrous.’

Focusing his senses, Westheid could indeed perceive that these invisible strings were connected to many phenomena. It seemed that by following its patterns, one could operate this intricate instrument.

Unfortunately, Westheid couldn’t manipulate them. When he tried to consciously pluck the strings, he was met with intense backlash. Even a Legendary Powerhouse could hardly meddle with a Celestial God’s miracle.

But just by scratching the surface, Westheid could feel the vastness contained within, and it ignited a fire within him.

’Inclusivity, benevolence, freedom... If I could make these elements my own.’

Westheid suddenly realized that his own Path had a surprising similarity to that of [Emperor Qianlu].

’No... It would be more accurate to say that my subconscious has craved this from the very beginning. Of the three elements I’m preparing for my Ascension, [A Peerless, World-Shaking Great Enterprise] and [An Anchored in the Mortal World’s Fanatic Realm] are both proceeding smoothly. The remaining element, the [Path], is the easiest of the three to complete, so I haven’t put much thought into it, but it’s something I have to do.’

Westheid’s current idea was to use his [Bright Radiance Manifested in the World] Talent as a foundation to stitch together a brand new Path. It didn’t need to be very powerful; being usable was enough.

A Wave-Breaking Ship was, after all, no match for a Floating Battleship. Even just to reach the Central Royal Court, the fleet had to travel for several days and nights along the riverways before finally arriving at its destination.

The Central Royal Court’s silhouette appeared on the horizon. Compared to an ordinary City in the Lake, the Central Royal Court was clearly more magnificent. Its buildings, mostly constructed from azure, white, and emerald jade, were each masterpieces of Elven architecture—exquisitely intricate and beautiful.

’So beautiful...’

Westheid couldn’t help but compare it to the Purity Forest, only to find that his own Holy Land actually paled in comparison!

That was a fairytale paradise created by the Pure Holy Spirit at all costs. For it to be outdone by a Capital maintained and built up by mortals over thousands of years was, while understandable, still rather astonishing.

As the fleet neared the Central Royal Court, it slowed down. Only the flagship carrying Westheid sped up, heading for the great lake where the Central Royal Court was located.

A moment later, Xavier came to Westheid’s side and said:

"Duke Qinghui, the Royal Court has prepared berths for your legion. You may proceed there directly. Her Majesty the Queen, the Grand Law Officer, and the others from the Royal Court are already waiting in the palace to hold a reception for you."

"They’re being that welcoming?"

Westheid was slightly surprised. As far as he knew, Elves were generally quite proud. Though not as arrogant as the Celestial Vault People, who practically walked with their noses in the air, they still held a sense of superiority over other mortals.

For them to adopt such a humble posture now truly made Westheid see them in a new light.

’I suppose I’ll have to return the courtesy.’

"Well, it’s actually because..."

Xavier found it a bit difficult to explain. The Grand Law Officer had not wanted to appear so solicitous, as it would feel like they were begging for a favor. It was at the Wind Law Queen’s insistence that they came out to greet him.

However, seeing Westheid summon his trusted aides and prepare their attire, Xavier decided it wasn’t the right time to divulge the details.

The flagship slowly entered the waterways of the City in the Lake. Within the Central Royal Court, where palace buildings stood everywhere, two colossal statues flanked the largest dock. On a laid-out carpet stood a group of splendidly dressed members of the Elf Royal Family.

"Welcome to the Central Royal Court."

As Xavier and the others finished speaking, Westheid officially descended from the deck, with Yolanda and Mephit following closely a step behind him.

Westheid’s first appearance was met with surprise from the Elf Royal Family. Murmurs immediately broke out from the crowd.

"So that’s Duke Qinghui..."

"He’s even more handsome than in the recordings."

"Tsk, tsk. To think a human could be so handsome."

"I think I’m falling for him."

"..."

These whispers reached Westheid’s ears, much to his satisfaction—he had done it on purpose.

At this moment, Westheid’s charm was on full display. He had specifically donned a suit of Light Armor that offered no practical combat value, existing purely for appearances.

The Qinghui-style Armor was less a piece of protective gear and more a work of art designed to accentuate his bearing and figure. Beneath the Light Armor, a form-fitting underlayer revealed the contours of his powerful yet well-proportioned muscles, but not excessively so.

A pauldron and cape emphasized his heroic bearing. With one hand resting on the sheath of [Shadow-Born], his straight back gave off a favorable impression of vitality and ambition.

Not to mention that handsome face, certified by the Pure Holy Spirit herself to rival that of the greatest Succubus in the Mortal World. What Westheid projected was an unparalleled sex appeal.

In other words, Westheid had planned from the very beginning to overwhelm the Royal Court with his ridiculously high Charm Attribute. This was just a subtle show of dominance.

In Westheid’s eyes, the members of the Elf Royal Family were clearly shaken by his arrival.

’Very good. It seems these blessed descendants of [Emperor Qianlu] are, in essence, no different from Enchanters.’

Then, Duke Qinghui heard a gentle voice of greeting:

"Good day, Duke Qinghui. I hope the scenery of the Land of Rhythm has been a pleasant experience for you on your journey."

The voice came from a petite Elf Maiden standing directly in front of Westheid.

She was surrounded by numerous attendants, and on her beautiful forehead rested a silver and emerald crown. One look was all it took to identify her as the Wind Law Queen.

Her brilliant golden hair was styled with a few braids hanging down, while the rest cascaded down her back like a waterfall, shimmering under the sun as if forged from pure Gold.

The noble and elegant dress she wore was magnificent, yet it did not diminish her own pure, radiant beauty. The Elf girl tiptoed over to the black-haired, purple-eyed man and raised a flawless, innocent face to him. Her sacred cyan eyes held a certain clarity, so profound that it left even Westheid momentarily dazed.

Westheid had heard that the Wind Law Queen was quite young, but he never expected her to be *this* young. ’Considering the long lifespans of Elves,’ he wondered, ’is she even considered an adult?’

’First things first! I am not attracted to the juvenile type!’