Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 441 Arrogant Reception Clash
Chen Mo waited a little while, but the other party still didn't introduce himself.

There are roughly two possibilities in this situation.

One scenario is that the other person is unwilling to introduce themselves, which is tantamount to saying, "You are not worthy to know who I am."

However, judging from this grand welcoming ceremony, it doesn't seem to be the case.

Another possibility is that the other person feels that everyone should know him.

If you don't recognize it, then you're in the wrong.

Judging from the other person's expression and demeanor, Chen Mo felt that it was probably the latter.

Although the other party's reception etiquette was impeccable, Chen Mo had a very off feeling. The other party's attitude was like that of an elder meeting a junior, or a boss meeting a subordinate. The polite demeanor revealed a sense of condescension from the inside out.

The commotion behind him immediately confirmed Chen Mo's guess.

Despite being dozens of steps behind, the group of Sky Officials, led by Chen Wangdong and Chen Ye, knelt down the moment they saw the young man.

"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Neat and uniform, filled with awe!
Wow! I see!

The Crown Prince of the Sky Empire, the future successor of the vast empire, personally came to the port to welcome Chen Mo. On the surface, this respect can be described as extremely high, even exceeding the usual standards.

Chen Mo followed suit and bowed slightly: "Thank you for the kind invitation from Tianqiong. I am very honored to be able to come to this magical and beautiful land!"

For a fleeting moment, Chen Mo seemed to see the other person's left eyebrow twitch slightly.

"Lord of the Vast Ocean, you have come from afar. You must be tired from your journey."

The Crown Prince's voice was clear and pleasant, seemingly possessing a trained magnetism, "The Empire has long awaited your visit. My father is too busy to attend, so I have had to go in your stead. And indeed, Your Excellency is truly remarkable!"

After exchanging a few more polite words like "I've long admired your name" and "You must be tired from your journey," which were not very meaningful, a complicated and lengthy welcoming ceremony ensued.

The entire process took nearly an hour before the ceremony ended amidst melodious music. Under the watchful eyes of the honor guard, the Crown Prince invited Chen Mo to board the carriage. With the host in front and the guest behind, they slowly made their way into the depths of the continent.

The carriage was specially made, spacious as a three-bedroom apartment, with dark gold reliefs inlaid on the exterior walls, depicting the sun, moon, stars, and celestial myths. The four horses pulling the carriage were pure white, without a single stray hair, their manes braided into exquisite plaits and tied with tiny silver bells, which made a crisp tinkling sound with each movement.

When the Crown Prince comes out to greet someone, he should naturally have the grandeur befitting a Crown Prince.

The road stretched as far as the eye could see, covered with a dark velvet carpet. The carpet was extremely thick and soft in texture. When a car drove over it, one could clearly see the deep dents left by the wheels, which would then slowly recover.

The sounds of horses' hooves, wheels, and the ground were swallowed up by the velvet carpet, making the whole procession seem as if it were gliding on fluffy clouds.

This velvet carpet wasn't just tens of meters, hundreds of meters, or even thousands of meters long; it stretched from the dock where the ship disembarked all the way to Guanhai City, a major city in the empire. According to the later estimates of the engineers who accompanied Han Hai, the entire route was over 110 kilometers.

Along both sides of this extra-long velvet avenue, rows of trees stand in neat rows like a ceremonial guard, each tree's branches meticulously trimmed, making them appear almost identical in height and size.

The treetops were adorned with ribbons made of some kind of translucent silk, their colors gradually transitioning from light to dark, and interspersed with many fine pieces of gold and silver foil and gemstone particles. A gentle breeze blew by, producing a series of delicate and crisp tinkling sounds, which blended faintly with the melodious welcoming music and the jingling of carriage bells.

That's not all. Every so often, a giant archway made of piled flowers spans this carpeted corridor. The flowers are so bright and clear that they don't look like they grew naturally, and they faintly shimmer with the glow of psychic energy.

The colors of the flowers were carefully matched; one archway was red, the next was yellow, and none of them were the same. On both sides of the archway stood tall imperial guards, their armor polished to a mirror shine. What was particularly thoughtful was that the color of the armor of the guards next to each flower archway was almost exactly the same as the color of the flowers there.

Yellow gates are guarded by yellow armor, while red gates house Red Guards.

Even though the Lord of the Vast Ocean was wealthy and knowledgeable enough, he still couldn't help but gasp in astonishment at this sight.

The arrangements along the road don't stop there.

Because the journey was so long, the sky had already darkened when the car had traveled more than halfway through.

Then, suspended magic lights rose into the sky above the entire carpet avenue, forming a long ribbon of light, like a galaxy falling overhead.

Liu Shuang looked up for a long time and said, "Chen Mo, Chen Mo, this... must cost a lot of money!"

"That's right, the air here is thick with the smell of money! I reckon even if you laid silver coins all the way from the docks, it still wouldn't be enough to cover the cost of this road!"

"But I always felt that they didn't really like us."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo couldn't help but laugh.

"Your feeling is correct!"

"This is a welcome, but also a demonstration, or you could say a deterrent!"

"Just like what you felt at the Royal Psionic Academy of the Qiyue Dynasty, what they wanted to say was, 'Little country girl, take a good look, this is a great nation with a long history!'"

Liu Shuang nodded, as if she suddenly remembered something, and raised her little head to look towards the direction of the Dragon's Spine Mountains in the northeast.

"If I were to go back to Qiyue now, those guys who don't even know how to bully people would be terrified!"

“Haha,” Chen Mo was amused by her words, “Don’t worry, just wait a little longer. I think it won’t be long before Qiyue invites us to visit. When that happens, be sure to ask them to arrange for you to give a speech as an outstanding alumnus at the Royal Central Psionic Academy.”

"Really...really? But I can't speak..."

"Say whatever you want, whatever you say, they have to applaud!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

After a three-and-a-half-hour journey, the welcoming procession entered Guanhai City.

From this point on, the crowd of onlookers suddenly grew larger.

The innermost circle consisted of imperial guards, wielding long halberds and with expressionless faces, forming an impenetrable human wall. Beyond that were well-dressed scions of noble families and wealthy merchants and scholars, most of them with reserved expressions, scrutinizing the caravan with a mixture of curiosity and scrutiny.

Further out, there were ordinary people dressed in simple clothes, standing on tiptoe to look around, their faces showing a mixture of awe and excitement. And on the outermost edge of the crowd were laborers and farmers in tattered clothes and with dark skin, who stretched their necks and stood on tiptoe, trying to get past the layers of heads in front of them to catch a glimpse of this rare and grand scene.

Within the crowd, the distinctions were clear.

The Crown Prince's carriage, adorned with the royal crest of the moon, slowly passed by. The whispers among the crowd turned into a tidal wave of clamor, and the people on both sides lay down in neat rows, like wheat fields felled by a combine harvester.

That silent, overwhelming, absolute obedience and awe to power creates a tremendous psychological pressure field, making those within it, whether they like it or not, feel their hearts pound and find it hard to breathe.

Just as Chen Mo was observing the local customs and culture of this important foreign town with great interest, His Highness the Crown Prince in the front carriage was discreetly watching Chen Mo's every move in the back carriage through a magical water mirror embedded in the carriage wall.

In the magic mirror, Chen Mo was pointing to a tall building outside the city, talking to the little girl beside him.

"Do you think this guy is just naturally uncouth and lacks manners, or is he deliberately being disrespectful to me?"

The hearts of the imperial officials accompanying them in the carriage jumped into their throats. The Right Director of the Imperial Bureau of Explanations, sitting on the side seat, dressed in a dark purple official robe and with gray hair, hurriedly knelt up on the soft carpet of the carriage, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

"Your Highness, please calm your anger!"

"This Lord Chen Mo may have come from a humble background and suffered oppression in his early years. Psychologically, he is somewhat different from ordinary people. He has always favored the common people and disliked the nobles. Moreover, he detests the act of kneeling!"

“In his territory, even the lowest slaves are not allowed to kneel. I believe this is not an intentional disrespect to His Highness the Crown Prince’s authority. Please calm your anger, Your Highness!”

The young crown prince smiled slightly and said, "Get up. Mr. Feng is a high-ranking official of the Heavenly Palace and a pillar of the nation. I have no intention of blaming you. I just had a sudden thought."

“I think this Lord of the Vast Sea is about my age. He has accomplished so much. Logically speaking, he shouldn’t be an unreasonable person.”

The Crown Prince's gaze fell upon the dark mass of people kneeling outside the window, and his voice clearly betrayed his displeasure.

"I've already given him plenty of face in today's meeting. He only needs to put on a show; I will never make him kneel down. He shouldn't be unaware of this..."

"He can't even bend over!"

The accompanying staff and officials all silently held their breath.

How could they not understand? This proud and arrogant Crown Prince, who had been groomed as the future sun of the empire since childhood, came with enthusiasm and expectations, and took the initiative to humble himself and befriend others. Perhaps deep down he still harbored some thoughts of winning over heroes.

At this moment, however, he was truly hurt by the other party's ungrateful attitude and felt a sense of regret for having given his heart to the wrong person.

In the eyes of this future leader of the empire, this is the only way to make sense: I may not allow it, but you shouldn't refuse to do it!

This way of thinking is not difficult to understand, even on Earth. For some superiors, I may not drink alcohol, but you cannot not show respect; I may not accept gifts, but you cannot not give them!
Whether you can do it or not is an objective question; whether you choose to do it or not is a subjective question!
Moreover, etiquette is a truly extraordinary matter in the heavens.

The young crown prince humbled himself and took the initiative to bow, and was fully prepared to help the other party when he paid a full bow, showing respect and deference. He even carefully considered his words many times. However, the other party just bowed casually, and the degree of his bow was even smaller than that of the crown prince.

Not only him, but even the little girl beside him, and the row of Han Hai's entourage behind him, not a single one of them knelt down to pay their respects!
This is no longer just a breach of etiquette; in the eyes of His Highness the Crown Prince, it is nothing short of an insult!
The fact that His Highness the Crown Prince can still maintain his current demeanor already shows his magnanimity.

Seeing the apprehensive expressions of the people around him, the Crown Prince smiled and waved his hand. "Alright, alright, just a minor lord from the East, not someone I need to worry about too much."

"Originally, the report sent by the Chen family described him as someone rare in the world and unparalleled in the world. I thought that if that were true, I should befriend him and perhaps help him in the future. That's why I asked my father for permission to come and welcome him in person."

"But now it seems that this kind of person who doesn't know etiquette, even if he has some ability, is ultimately lacking in virtue. His future achievements will definitely not be very high. It's a waste of all my efforts and a lot of national funds!"

"Seeing is believing!"

The Crown Prince's magnanimity brought a sigh of relief to his entourage.

"Your Highness...Your Highness is wise!" Old Feng quickly echoed.

"Yeah, yeah, this guy is just lucky. I don't know why he won the favor of an extraterrestrial evil god. He doesn't have any real skills!"

"This is just the Chen family trying to embellish their image and curry favor with His Majesty. They've exaggerated their claims!"

A small-headed civil official glanced behind him and deliberately lowered his voice: "I also heard that this lord surnamed Chen always offers some worthless things when he makes sacrifices to that evil god. Some astrologers privately speculate that he must have sent some other things to that evil god as well."

"It's either lifespan or spirit!"

"Yes, yes, I've heard that too. They say this guy has completely sacrificed his body and is incapable of having sex, so he has no interest in women and just uses a young, blonde girl as a cover."

"Is that really true? No wonder he's averse to women!"

"Then, should we still send over those girls that Rouyuan Pavilion prepared?"

"To waste such resources is a waste; it's better to use them yourself..."

Despite the considerable distance between the front and rear carriages, and despite the soundproofing arrays operating on the seats, these men couldn't help but glance at the young lord, who was looking around with curiosity, in the rear carriage a dozen meters away during their private conversation.

It would also occasionally draw a thoughtful look from Chen Mo.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

That evening, at the Moon Palace in Guanhai City, His Highness the Crown Prince warmly entertained the entourage of the Lord of Hanhai who had traveled from afar.

Yes, no matter how much the Crown Prince disliked Chen Mo, he still showed him sufficient respect in terms of etiquette.

Why are there so many countries named after the moon across the entire Starry Continent? One widely circulated explanation is that it stems from the moon worship that the Sky Empire cultivated when it controlled the Eastern Continent.

According to Tianqiong, whether it is Qiyue, Wuyue, or Xiyue, their founders all have Tianqiong's blood in their bones.

Of course, no country recognizes this claim.

And going back further, why does the heavens have this custom?

According to the Elven race, the foundation of the Sky Kingdom was built upon stolen Elven cultivation techniques from the Silvermoon Forest.

Logically it fits perfectly, but coincidentally, the heavens don't acknowledge it either.

Regardless, the Sky Empire reveres the moon, and the Moon Palace is the most prestigious venue, reserved for guests only princes and nobles.

Even though he had already been amazed by the floating city outside the first time, and by the hundred-kilometer-long jeweled carpet corridor a second time, Chen Mo still felt somewhat dazzled after entering the "Moon Palace".

This palace is clearly a work of art.

Above the dome, which resembled the night sky, countless miniature stars and celestial bodies, some real and some not, some projections and some actual, moved and rotated slowly within it, their starlight twinkling and sometimes appearing and sometimes disappearing.

At the very center of this "sea of ​​stars" is a huge "bright moon," its light like mercury spilling onto the ground, illuminating the entire hall thoroughly, making it smooth and lustrous.

At the banquet, the Crown Prince was incredibly enthusiastic and witty.

"Although the Dragon's Spine Mountains stand as a natural barrier between the eastern and western continents, Lord Chen's deeds in the Vast Sea have already become widely known and spread far and wide. I have heard many legends about him even in the deep palace."

"It is truly admirable that they were able to establish such a foundation in the desolate and barren desert!"

The translator was a middle-aged scholar with his hair meticulously combed. He sat upright between the two VIPs, translating the Crown Prince's enthusiastic speech in clear and steady Qiyue common language.

Unfortunately, Chen Mo didn't seem to appreciate it.

Upon landing, out of respect for the heavens, Chen Mo did not use his high-tech products. However, when he discovered that some members of the opposing team were showing some inexplicable hostility towards him, Chen Mo immediately and without hesitation put on the [Micro-expression Analyzer] and [In-ear Translator].

At this moment, watching this superb performance, Chen Mo decided to use this crown prince as a training material in the future.

The Crown Prince, seated in the main seat, seemed oblivious, his face still bearing an impeccable, gentle smile as he frequently raised his glass to toast Chen Mo.

"Our heavens are vast and rich in resources, and full of outstanding talents. They are the perfect stage for heroes and great men to display their talents and make great achievements. If we can cooperate deeply and learn from each other's strengths, we will surely create a legendary story."

After pretending to listen to the on-site interpreter's retelling, Chen Mo adjusted his glasses slightly and gradually lost the desire to continue wasting time with the other party.

"Your Highness, thank you very much for your hospitality. The Han Hai is a small place, not comparable to the Tianqiong Shangbang, with its magnificent scenery. It has truly broadened the horizons of me and my companions."

"However, I think Your Highness and I both have valuable time, so let's skip the formalities. What do you want to cooperate on? Just tell me directly!"

Upon hearing the words "Your Highness," the Crown Prince's eyebrows twitched slightly once more.

It was obvious that the other party could understand Chen Mo's words without needing a translator.

This translation is truly a complete failure.

He didn't respond to Chen Mo's words immediately, but instead tilted his head slightly to admire the brilliance of the bright moon in the sky. Then, his lips moved slightly, uttering a few light, airy syllables.

"Grosh-Tal!"

The music at the banquet seemed to pause for a moment, the expressions of the two accompanying celestial officials changed slightly, and the translator trembled several times.

This is a classical aristocratic phrase from the heavens. Even in the heavens, not many people can understand it. It expresses a rather intense meaning. Even in the most elegant way, it can probably only be translated as: Damn bastard!

The translator, of course, dared not translate.

It must be said that the Crown Prince's expression management was perfect. He kept smiling throughout and did not make things difficult for the translator. He then uttered a long string of Celestial Language.

"Lord Chen is indeed a man of few words. Since that's the case, I will be frank with you as well."

He leaned forward slightly, adopting a sincere and open posture, "Difference engines, the latest, fully functional difference engines, I wonder how many the lord can provide me?"

"Also, we're very interested in those large ships that the lord used to fight the orcs in the White Deer Plains, the kind that can go into inland rivers. Could you sell me a few?"

"Regarding the price, Lord Chen can rest assured. My Sky Empire will never let our friends suffer a loss!"

Chen Mo adjusted his glasses again as he listened to the replay.

The people in the Sky Dome thought that no one on their side could understand them, and that was indeed the case. However, this did not prevent the micro-expression analyzer from providing semantic analysis from the expressions of everyone on the field, while the translation machine completed the matching of approximate word etymology and part of speech.

There's a 95% or higher chance that this bastard just cursed.

"Grass!"

Of course, Chen Mo said it with a smile, but the word he uttered was something no one could understand.

The "Morning Star" education system, used to popularize the Dongxia language, would not teach this.

"Difference engine? No problem, but this thing is a gift from the gods. I can't set the price; it depends on the gods' will!"

"As for the boats on the inland rivers, as you can see, I only have a mere three myself. I can't even keep a close watch on the Illusion Flame River. The northern orcs are eyeing me covetously. We'll have to deal with that later!"

The translator stammered as he listened patiently, tilting his head. The slight gloom between his brows was quickly dispelled by his hearty laughter.

"Alright, let's settle on the difference engine cooperation first, and we can work on the rest another day!"

"Yes, yes, there's plenty of time!"

The two looked at each other and smiled, raising their glasses in the distance. One's smile was gentle and warm, as if encompassing the whole world; the other's smile was cheerful and straightforward, seemingly without any guile.

At first glance, the two seem like old friends who have been separated for a long time, or like partners who appreciate each other.

Above the dome, the moonlight was like water; in the first round of the battle, the outcome was still uncertain.

(End of this chapter)