Hartley stood 100 m south of the spot that had just been destroyed, he stood still, everything was ghost-quiet.....
Clap! Clap! Clap!
The silence was broken by slow applause from the attacker. Hartley squinted his eyes into two slits as a out of shape elder person emerged from the dust that was settling. The person was about 1.8 meters tall and had a somewhat round belly, dressed in blue robes with the insignia of the Lou clan which was a black rose, printed on the his breast area. He had a tinge of white hairs growing through his bushy beard, he held his head back and guffawed.
"Hartley, do you know who I am" asked the elder.
Hartley was momentarily taken aback and remained silent, he thought he had been long forgotten and maligned by the clan of his origins, he simple had no attachment or feeling of belonging to the Lou clan, but to hear the elder use his name so casually gave Hartley a uncomfortable feeling in his stomach.
"I am Lou Chingham a cousin of your late father, and that attack was a test of you abilities, did you think turning up town with a fortune in fierce beast pelts and beast cores would go unnoticed in the clan especially when that person is using such a unique name. I have been assigned to bring you back to the clan so you can be cultivated as a future pillar of the clan."
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Hartley remained quiet being extra vigilant, he did not have any particular care for the Lou clan and did not intend to be a tool for their development.
Lou Chingham kept a smile plastered across his face and then said
"You are a talented young man I have to admit, not many elites in the clan would be able to dodge my spinning fire sword technique, but you have been at the foot of this mountain for so long, Do you know what country you are in? do you know apart of which continent? do you know the political climate? The Lou clan has always respected and treasured strength the most and with your talents you will not be mistreated and at the same time learn the things you can't in this remote area."
Hartley himself knew that the knowledge he had gained was only about this small territory. He had not been interested in the wider workings of his surroundings but now things were different because he was about to step foot on his journey of domination, The Lou clan wanted to use him.. But he also realized he was a frog in a well looking at the sky. He needed a foundation of knowledge as well, he wanted to see how others cultivated as well as the relationship between the elements and cultivation. Hartley decided to return the the Lou clan.
The clan of his father!
Standing there looking majestic in his yellow robe, Hartley cupped his fist and bowed from the wasit and said "Elder has convinced me, I will turn up 3 days later I still have things that needs taken care of." Lou Chingham was over the moon with happiness, he too respectfully bowed from the waist and said "then so it shall be"