At first, there were only some blurry outlines and light and shadow, but as Tianlong released a trace of power to guide it, Xiao Shisan gradually perceived that everything in the courtyard was becoming clearer and clearer.

The trajectory of the falling rain, the texture of the bluestone slabs, and even the exact number of raindrops can be clearly observed.

"Wow! That's amazing!" Little Thirteen exclaimed repeatedly, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"This is an introduction to the subtle observation technique," Tianlong said earnestly, looking at Xiao Shisan's excited face.

"From now on, you must come here often to practice on this rock, from the wind and rain of a pavilion, the breath of a city, and then to... the lifeline of a nation."

Tianlong's hand brushed across Xiao Shisan's brow, and Xiao Shisan's vision suddenly rose and widened!

The entire outline of Jincheng unfolded instantly in his "eyes"!

Houses, people, and the various energy fluctuations surging deep within the city... though blurry, they are presented with unparalleled realism!

Tianlong's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible expectation:

"This is a powerful ability to perceive things with the help of external objects. This rock is the medium for perceiving the heavens and the earth, and it will be of great help to your future growth. You may be more suitable to use it than I am."

Little Thirteen nodded vigorously, then, in his excitement, suddenly remembered something and cautiously looked up to ask:

"Brother Tianlong, do you mean I can still come into Tianlong Mansion after you leave?"

He had been visiting Tianlong Mansion often since he could remember, and he was somewhat reluctant to be unable to enter.

Tianlong's lips curved into a gentle smile, but a complex, indescribable emotion flickered in his eyes:

"Of course you can come in. This will be your home from now on. You can come anytime after I leave, and you can even stay here..."

As he spoke, Tianlong glanced at the Tianlong Mansion before him, letting out a barely audible sigh, his whisper drifting by like a gentle breeze:

"As long as you don't feel like it's a cage, it's fine."

Little Thirteen didn't hear the second half of the sentence clearly, but upon receiving permission, he immediately cheered and eagerly pressed his little hand on the rock again, trying it repeatedly, like a child who had received a new toy.

Curious, he adjusted his position and began to perceive the actions of the people in Jincheng.

Through the black rock, the expressions, movements, and demeanor of those people were clearly presented in his perception.

"I can see it so clearly." Little Thirteen murmured to himself, immersed in this wonderful world of perception.

As he watched, Little Thirteen suddenly exclaimed:

"Wow! My God! Brother Tianlong, look!"

Tianlong immediately leaned over and saw Xiao Shisan pointing to an inconspicuous corner of Jincheng on the sand table, shouting loudly:

"There...there's someone kissing a monster!"

"Wow—!!" Little Thirteen's eyes widened.

Even with Tianlong's unwavering composure and steadfast mindset, his eyes twitched almost imperceptibly at this moment.

The very next second that Xiao Shisan continued to observe, Tianlong made a lightning-fast move, pulling Xiao Shisan away from the rock and interrupting his real-time perception.

Little Thirteen stumbled, somewhat bewildered by Tianlong's sudden action, his big eyes filled with lingering surprise and confusion:

"Brother Tianlong, what's wrong? Aren't you going to watch anymore?"

Tianlong's expression was more serious than ever before: "This is too early for you. There are some things you are not yet ready to know."

Little Thirteen nodded as if he understood, but his eyes were still filled with curiosity about what had just happened.

A gentle breeze blew by, and the falling rain suddenly changed direction.

Tianlong's mind stirred slightly, as if sensing something, so he told Xiao Shisan to leave first.

The courtyard returned to tranquility, with only the sound of rain pattering down.

He stood with his hands behind his back beside the rock, his gaze deep, as if piercing through the city walls and looking towards a bustling street in Jincheng.

At this moment, the scene on Shuiyuan Road in Jincheng was quite "lively".

A group of blond-haired, blue-eyed foreign missionaries slowly advanced, with the leading priest speaking fluent Central Asian, passionately expounding their doctrines, his words highly infectious.

A large number of people from Zhongzhou gathered around, and many of them came forward to pray with devout expressions.

The central state government adopted a somewhat laissez-faire attitude toward such missionary activities.

Without the forceful intervention of the Central Plains authorities, the influence of various religious sects within the vast territory of the Central Plains grew rapidly.

Some people believed in Buddhism, some believed in Taoism, and naturally many others believed in foreign missionaries and chose to join the papacy.

These foreigners seemed to be saving the world through their actions, and their active missionary work led to a growing number of believers.

The number of papal temples established in major cities of Central China is increasing rapidly, even surpassing the number of popular temples and Taoist monasteries at one point.

Having lived in Jincheng for a long time, Tianlong was not unaware of this phenomenon.

He himself had no prejudice against faith itself, but he had mentioned his concerns about it to the security bureau.

However, for reasons unknown, the central government officials have not taken any corresponding measures, but have simply assigned a department to manage it uniformly.

At this moment, Tianlong sensed the sizable missionary team, marveling at the sheer size of the Holy See in Zhongzhou.

This made him sigh inwardly, realizing that these foreign missionaries were truly capable, managing to recruit many people from the Central Plains as believers from Buddhism and Taoism.

As the missionary team made its way unimpeded and drew ever closer to Tianlong Mansion, a cold glint flashed in Tianlong's eyes.

He had already explained the matter of the dragon vein in advance, and the Thunder Bureau and the law enforcement team had clearly sealed off this place, prohibiting all personnel from entering, yet these missionaries were still able to enter the core area so smoothly.

"Heh..." Tianlong sneered inwardly, his aura as piercing as ice needles.

"It seems that some people in Jincheng are giving up their good life and getting involved."

A murderous glint flashed in Tianlong's eyes. According to the old ironclad law of Zhongzhou, such an act of inviting a wolf into the house and secretly colluding with others would be considered a light punishment, even if it meant beheading the person in the street!

Inclusivity is so prevalent these days, it's really thorough!

At this moment, the missionary team slowly arrived outside Tianlong Mansion and stopped at a distance.

The priest straightened his spotless holy robes, gestured for the others to wait where they were, and then walked alone toward the Heavenly Dragon Palace.

Upon reaching the gate and seeing the imposing figure in the courtyard, the priest immediately bowed deeply according to the etiquette of Central China, his voice carrying just the right amount of respect and a hint of barely perceptible excitement:

"Missionary Noel, in the glory of the Lord, pays homage to Lord Celestial Dragon."

"Enter." A single word, calm and even, yet it seemed to carry immense power.

Father Noel then carefully stepped over the high threshold.

His gaze swept discreetly over the black boulder in the courtyard of Tianlong Mansion, then he quickly walked a few steps to Tianlong, cupped his hands in a gesture of extreme humility, and bowed again.

"May the Lord's peace be with you, Your Majesty the most noble celestial dragon."

Tianlong turned around, his vertical pupils flashing, calmly gazing at the foreigner performing the Central Plains etiquette, a subtle, enigmatic smile playing on his lips:

"What do you want with me?"