"Even if you have an invitation, you can’t go up now," the person who had sneered at Song Changsheng mumbled, even after seeing him produce the invitation.

An invitation itself wasn’t all that special. Any renowned influence or Cultivator could get one. You could even buy one for a hefty price and simply conceal your true identity.

But not all invitations were equal. The most prestigious, naturally, were those for the two Major Sects, personally delivered by the Second City Lord, Zhan Tianxia, several years in advance. They were always the first group invited up the mountain.

Next came the Purple Mansion Level Influences and renowned Purple Mansion Cultivators. Their invitations were presented by the Great City Lord’s Direct Disciples more than a year beforehand, allowing them to ascend the mountain several months early.

Ascending the mountain months in advance might seem strange, but it actually signified that they were qualified to listen to the Great City Lord’s lecture on the Dao!

For one Purple Mansion Cultivator to claim they would "lecture on the Dao" to a group of their peers would normally be cause for ridicule. Anyone else saying such a thing would be seen as a self-important buffoon who didn’t know their own limits.

But Muu Guibai was an exception. As the foremost expert below the Golden Core realm, he naturally possessed qualities far beyond those of ordinary people. This wasn’t merely reflected in his strength and talent; it also extended to his profound insights into the Dao.

He had once spent months discussing the Dao with the Golden Core Masters of the two Major Sects, with both sides addressing each other as "Fellow Daoist."

A discussion of the Dao was inherently a process of mutual verification and growth. Regardless of one’s power, participants had to be at a similar level of comprehension. If the gap was too wide, it wasn’t a discussion; it was a one-sided lecture.

Therefore, the very fact that Muu Guibai could discuss the Dao with Golden Core Masters qualified him to lecture this group of Purple Mansion Cultivators. This was an opportunity they normally couldn’t get even if they begged for it.

The series of lectures would begin as soon as the Cultivators from the two Major Sects arrived and continue until the start of the banquet. Of course, during these few months, it wouldn’t just be the Great City Lord performing a one-man show; other Purple Mansion Cultivators would also take the stage to give lectures.

This was an incredibly rare opportunity, so many people would spend a fortune to purchase an early-access invitation, or even a spot as an "attendant."

Each invitation allowed the holder to bring one or two people with them up the mountain, who would then naturally be able to audit the lectures as well.

Beyond those were the most common invitations, distributed by disciples of the City Lord’s Mansion. These only permitted entry on the day of the banquet or the day before, with no privilege of attending the lectures.

Those who could ascend early had already done so; after all, no one wanted to waste such a precious opportunity. Those who couldn’t simply had to wait patiently for the banquet to begin.

There was still a month until the banquet—an awkward length of time, neither long nor short. But by all logic, anyone who hadn’t yet ascended the mountain at this point most likely held a common invitation. That was why the man had said Song Changsheng couldn’t go up even if he had one.

The man wasn’t just being stubborn; his assumption was based on solid reasoning.

Song Qingluo was genuinely irritated by the man’s comment. If Song Changsheng hadn’t instructed him not to cause a scene, he would have gone down there and dragged those guys out himself!

Song Changsheng, however, remained perfectly calm. ’I don’t know why the date on my invitation is a month before the banquet, but as long as I haven’t gotten the time wrong, it should be fine.’

’As for those people down there, the facts will shut them up.’

The two Cultivators guarding the mountain were clearly a bit suspicious as well. After all, without exception, those allowed to ascend early were either of noble status or were powerful Purple Mansion Cultivators. Song Changsheng, despite his handsome appearance, didn’t seem to fit the criteria in any way.

One of them took Song Changsheng’s invitation. As he opened it, his pupils constricted, and the way he looked at Song Changsheng changed instantly.

Seeing his partner’s reaction, the other guard took the invitation for a look. His attitude did a complete one-eighty. He respectfully cupped his hands toward Song Changsheng and said, "So you are an honored guest of the Song Clan. Forgive our rudeness. Please, follow me up the mountain."

"I appreciate it." ’I knew there was nothing wrong with my invitation,’ Song Changsheng thought, ’but seeing their respectful attitude still surprised me a little.’

A century ago, the Song Clan might have deserved to be called "honored." As for now... well, few in the Daqi Cultivation World even knew the name of the Song Clan of Moon Viewing anymore.

Suppressing his confusion, he decided he would ask Zhuang Yuechan about it once he met with her...

"Hey, he’s going up."

"He really is. Which family’s young master is he, showing up this late?"

"I think I heard them say ’Song Clan’."

"’Song Clan’? The one from Ling Province?"

"There isn’t a second ’Song Clan’ in the Daqi Cultivation World, is there?"

The crowd buzzed with discussion, but the two who had spoken out earlier had vanished without a trace.

For Song Changsheng, this was just a minor incident. He followed the guiding Cultivator up toward the summit, and along the way, he saw countless sights that were impossible to behold outside the mountain—both the miraculous artistry of nature and the ingenious work of master craftsmen.

Along the path, he occasionally spotted scattered courtyards and waterside pavilions. These were the cultivation residences of the Great City Lord’s disciples. The faint, pleasing sound of string and wind instruments drifted through the air, soothing the soul.

Upon reaching the mountainside, Song Changsheng suddenly asked the Cultivator leading the way, "Excuse me, Fellow Daoist. Do you happen to know where Fellow Daoist Zhuang Yuechan’s residence is?"

The Cultivator instantly grew wary upon hearing the question. He frowned slightly and said, "Fellow Daoist, although you are a guest, many of the residents on Celestial Sound Mountain are women. I must ask you not to wander about freely, lest there be any misunderstandings."