Crucible City was a hive of activity as preparation for the rookie tournament was in full swing. The combatants and visitors swelled the city to capacity like a too-full waterskin bursting at the seams.

Vendors brought out their best wares and put on their newest coat of paint. The blacksmiths showed off their most masterful works, hoping to attract a wealthy patron. The alchemists brewed their most potent elixirs and gave live demonstrations to a battle-crazed public. The city hummed with excitement, all except for one place.

Deep in the heart of Crucible City, one very stressed-out-looking administrator scribbled frantically while his aids and clerks prattled on. Here, we find the High Lord of Crucible City, but right about now, Nu is more like a prisoner, and these letters are his chains. The rookie tournament was why Crucible City had been built, yet the city seemed to scramble to host it yearly. The sheer immensity of the event made it a logistical nightmare.

Nu had been High Lord for fifty years and accounted for himself admirably. That was until this year. Something had thrown a rock into his well-oiled machine. More accurately, someone had thrown that rock.

The city was still gossiping about what happened at the Rising Star Inn that night. After centuries of seclusion, the mysterious proprietor Pale Moon was seen presenting a plaque to a middling young master of the clans and one utterly unknown cultivator. The boy was no longer unknown.

The Northern Sky Breaker had come personally, breaking god knows how many pacts and non-aggression treaties to collect the boy. Word was the boy was an illegitimate son who had been using his father's name to get his way. Whatever the reason, the Northern Lord had left with the boy, which spoke volumes.

Nu prided himself on keeping apprised of everything that went on in his city, so he began digging immediately. What he found greatly disturbed him.

The boy was called Hen Ri, a bizarre name he assumed was normal in the North. They were a strange breed after all the Northerners. He seemed weird even by northern standards.

This Hen Ri was first spotted at the Dividing Heaven Sword Sect, where he accosted two young masters of the Tai and Weng clans. Nu had the two boys interviewed. It was the same boastful nonsense that he assumed would happen. They did mention when they met him that Hen Ri was completely nude when he attacked them.

There was also a third cultivator with them—a girl from the Li clan who had a different tale about Hen Ri. She claimed that he had beaten both of the male cultivators and forced them to strip all their clothes off. He was deviant, Nu mused as he signed another document.

The deviant Hen Ri then accosted two guards and claimed that the Northern Sky Breaker was his teacher before booking it to Crucible City. This was news to Nu; he had known that the Old North, as some called him, had children, but never had he ever announced that he had a disciple. He had asked around some of his contacts, and the Li clan head had all but confirmed Nu’s suspicions. Hen Ri was an illegitimate child of the Northern Sky Breaker.

To make matters worse, his spies suddenly disappeared while investigating this boy. A few days after the disappearance, a letter with the seal of the Dragon’s Horde Syndicate was sent to Nu's home. The letter was concise, stop digging or start digging his own grave. He had heard about the Dragon’s Horde, the biggest gambling house in the South with enough wealth to crush most sects. Why did they care about this boy?

Nu had lost many nights of sleep deciding whether to ban the boy from competing. He knew that doing so would save him many future headaches.

Unfortunately, that was when the Martial Alliance stepped in. The sect elders insisted that Hen Ri be allowed to compete. They even went so far as to say he would be there with his retinue for protection. They hinted strongly that they didn’t trust the security he had in place and didn’t want to start any incident if this boy was hurt outside of the fights.

This Hen Ri was too much trouble. The more people talked about this boy, the more Nu wanted him to be as far away from the tournament as possible. However, he couldn’t even do that now with the Martial Alliance butting their head into his business. Maybe he could eliminate him early and quickly to save the collateral damage that would inevitably come.

Nu finished signing a requisition for more spirit wine to be imported before getting up and sending all his helpers away. A plan was forming in his head. It might work or not, but either way, it would never be traced back to him.

****

The time was drawing closer to the day of the Rookie Tournament. Crucible City was now littered with cultivators of all shapes and sizes. Some brandished large swords and axes while others walked with their spirit beast unleashed. Everywhere you looked, there was something to see. This was a people-watcher’s wet dream. There were rogue cultivators as well as affiliated ones from the clans. The clans came in force and bought out whole inns rather than share them with anyone else.

Guan Li had been there for a day and could finally break away from her sisters and the watchers her mother had sent with them. She had wandered the streets looking for a particular golden-eyed cultivator. Maybe he wasn’t going to come. The gossip on the streets was that his name was Hen Ri, and he was the bastard son of the Northern Sky Breaker. What a strange name, she thought, but everything about him was strange.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Her sisters had teased her mercilessly about her crush. Guan just glared at them before storming off. What would those harpies know about crushes? You would have to understand what liking someone other than yourself was like before you could have a crush. Deep down, she knew their statements had a kernel of truth. She was hoping that he would attend the tournament.

Mui Wu had grown dramatically from his stay at the Rising Star Inn. He fought every night. Sometimes, he would lose, and sometimes, he would win, but he learned from each of his fights. He walked around now with his clansmen, looking for a particular hulking northern cultivator. Ever since that night when the Northern Sky Breaker came to the South, he realized how lucky he was to have a rival like Hen Ri.

Word had spread about his fight to a draw with the Scion. Father was impressed that he could hold his own against someone who was the direct disciple of an old monster like the Northern Sky Breaker. Other families had sent out letters of engagement to marry off their daughters to him. People were calling him a star of his generation. All these things were fine, but Mui wanted a rematch. He wanted to see how he matched up with Hen Ri now.

****

The day before the opening of the Rookie Tournament, all the young talent gathered at the Rising Star Inn. Admission was waived; if you were competing, you could eat and drink for free. This made for a rowdy atmosphere. It was the place to be if you wanted to scope out the potential talent. With the space expansion enchantments that the Inn had in place, it could hold a truly astronomical amount of people.

People were gossiping and shooting the shit. Wine and ale were being poured and consumed at a mind-numbing rate. Amongst the rabble were the Clans. They all sat in their private suites, glaring at each other. Allies would venture over and offer their greetings before heading quickly back to their suites. The clan cultivators knew not to loiter too long; clan allegiances can be fickle, and you never knew when you would need to turn an enemy into an ally.

The Clans were here to flex their power and influence and even scout out a promising rogue cultivator. They all scanned the crowd, looking for any promising young talent.

It was during this time that there was a commotion at the door. A man burst in out of breath and with a manic look on his face. He was white as a sheet and could barely get a word out. Some threw water in his face and slapped him.

“What’s the matter, man? Spit it out.”

The harried man took a deep breath to try and center himself before saying.

“The North is here; they have come for us all.”

With those words leaving his mouth, his heart stopped, and he keeled over dead.

There was a lull in the noise, not from the man dying; everyone here could care less.

It was what he said: “The North is here.”

What did he mean by that?

Was it the Northern Sky Breaker?

He had come here once before, and maybe he was back to wipe them all out.

People started to grab their weapons nervously. One man took off running to the door, where he slammed face-first into a muscular chest, sending him tumbling to the floor.

In walked a broad-shouldered cultivator with long black hair braided in the fashion of the Northern barbarians. He was wearing a suit of battle leather, and on his shoulder was the

pelt of some gray timberwolf.

By his side were two women who radiated power. One had blonde hair and piercing green eyes. She wore a skin-tight gray suit accentuating her toned body and ample curves. The other woman had green hair and wore a full-on maid outfit. They both stood defensively beside their lord.

Filing in after the trio were five other maids with different colored hair and five cultivators, all dressed in battle leather like the man.

They made for an imposing sight.

The different clan suites were ablaze with activity as they furiously alerted their spymasters for more information. They did not have to wait long before they got their answer.

Lady Pale Moon herself, in all her mysterious allure, was appearing in the space before them. Men and women alike felt their cheeks redden as she walked sensually over to the man.

She smiles at him and offers one dainty hand. He takes it and, with textbook grace, kisses.

“You look well, dear boy; tell me if your father is here with you. I would very much like to share a drink with him,” Lady Pale Moon says, her voice twinkling in delight.

“Father sends his best wishes to Lady Pale Moon, but unfortunately, he has to maintain his defense of the North.”

“Did he say his father,” Guan Li’s second sister said aloud.

“Yes, sister, he did,” Guan Li said, feeling a particular emotion stir in her breast.

“Lady Pale Moon, if you could house us during our stay here, Father would greatly appreciate it.”

“Nonsense, you will stay in the VIP suites. Old North is a friend, and I will treat his family like my family,” Lady Pale Moon says as she flags over a well-dressed man.

“Please indulge in some libations while your suite is being made presentable; you may use one of the clan suites to rest for now.”

The man quirks one eyebrow, understanding her meaning.

Several of the Clan cultivators also catch her meaning and grab their weapons.

The Lady Pale Moon had always been as bloodthirsty as she was beautiful, and everyone knew this.

She was the same as her Inn; there was no free dinner. If you wanted the best, you had better be ready to bleed for it.