Clan Hua was a big deal, Henry thought. Their suite was a whole floor to itself. Guards stood at the entrance and stopped him. Li and Lu stepped forward to introduce them, but Henry shook his head.

Two big, imposing Hua clan cultivators stood in his way. Sharp and glistening in the light, Halberds held firm to block his way, and they gave him the dirtiest, meanest mug possible.

“State your name and purpose,” the guard with the unibrow said curtly.

“Oh, don’t be like that, buddy. I want to pop in to chat with your boss a little. How about you and your friend over there to get a drink on me?”

Henry revealed a handful of gold coins devoid of potential energy. Gram Gram had gifted him a war chest that may not be useful for cultivation but proved invaluable in situations like this.

“Do you think this can buy you passage? We are incorruptible,” the bald guard said.

Henry brought out another handful of gold.

The two guards were now sweating. As low-ranking clansmen, they seldom received money like this. This cultivator must have had remarkable connections.

The bald guard nodded to his uni-browed friend, who gave him the same nod.

“Well, I mean, if the young master is so gracious with his offer, who are we to refuse,” said the unibrow as he took the proffered gold before leaving discreetly with his friend.

Henry smiled as he turned to the stunned Lu and Yi.

“Hey, I know what it’s like to be a grunt in the system. Your boss just never pays you enough,” Henry said before walking forward and knocking on the door to the suite.

“What did we say? We did not want to be disturbed, " said an imperious voice.

Henry sent a trickle of ki to his vocal chord.

“Young master, we have some female fans of yours that wish to meet the next champion of the rookie tournament,” Henry said, rolling his eyes.

“You sound very strange, Wang; what is going on?” the voice asked accusingly.

“I think I caught something from the rabble young master,” Henry said, affecting a cough to try to sell his lie.

“Disgusting. You may send the ladies in and get out of my sight; I don’t want you dirtying my air.”

Henry learned from talking to Mui that one of the young masters of the Hua clan was a horn dog.

Although he was the youngest son, he had the good fortune to be born into a powerful clan and was treated royally from birth. He was the epitome of a spoiled young master.

He was there with two older siblings of middling talent. Because he had the talent, he held the power.

Henry strode into the suite as if he owned the place.

Sitting at a resplendent table was a very handsome man with a very ugly scowl. Two female cultivators sat on either side of him, looking bored.

Ti Hua would have been handsome had it not been for his cruelty. He was raised as the hope for the younger generation of his clan. Being blessed with a rare spiritual root and a strong ki core, he had never wanted for anything. Being told that you were the best at everything and never having any boundaries made for a very demented youth.

Ti Hua had crushed all the youths in the clan with his skill and was further raised to a favored position. Usually, you would punish a child for bad behavior. Instead, it was encouraged in the clans. His ruthlessness and lack of remorse were commended. His lack of empathy and sadistic glee had been rewarded with cultivation regents and spirit weapons.

The rotten seed had grown to a fetid sapling. Ti Hua had developed sicker, more repugnant habits that were whispered in the whore houses of the South.

Of course, the madams were always handsomely compensated for their losses, but no one said much when Clan Hua cultivators came around with their silken purses. Everyone knew the game. The girls always shook with fear when the young master of the Hua clan visited them. They knew they would see their ancestors soon enough if their names were called.

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This man stared at the two women next to Henry lasciviously. He gazed at these exotic beauties like a ravenous wolf staring at two plump lambs.

“I don’t know who you are, but you may leave those two fine creatures here, and I will allow you to go unharmed.”

The two female cultivators sitting next to Ti Hua looked at Henry appraisingly before whispering something to each other. A look of realization dawned on one of their faces. Then, they shared a capricious grin.

“Well, speak up. I don’t like waiting, or are you as stupid as you look,” Ti said as he got up.

Henry threw his head back and laughed gregariously.

“These two would snap you in half, big boy. I’m here to pick a fight.”

Ti Hua glared at Henry, outraged by his insolence. He had never had someone talk to him in such a manner before. This insignificant insect dared to act so arrogantly. Ti Hua would peel his women layer by layer in front of this fool. He would make him watch as he broke their bodies and then their minds. Only when he was satisfied would he allow them all to die.

“You have a really gross look on your face there, buddy. You should fix that before I fix it for you,” Henry said as he approached him.

“You trash, how dare you speak to me like that? I am a member of the Hua Clan. I demand you tell me your clan name so I might wipe it off the face of this world.”

Ti Hua was on his feet now, simmering with rage as ki leaked out of him.

The two female cultivators stood and walked next to Ti Hua.

The one with white hair spoke first.

“Brother, this is Hen Ri, Scion of the North, First Disciple of the Northern Sky Breaker.”

The one with black hair spoke next.

“The woman next to him is Yi the Thunder’s Echo, eldest daughter of the Northern Sky Breaker.”

“We do not know who the maid is, but she is also quite strong,” the two cultivators said in unison.

“I don’t give a damn. Do you think I’m scared of someone that can’t even leave the North,” he said, advancing on Henry.

“Wait a second there, bud. You must be scared if you want to fight me behind doors. I thought you Clan people liked to flex how much better you are than the rest of us normal folks. Too chickenshit to fight me in the arena?”

Ti Hua was enraged. This swine dared call him a coward. He had men flayed, and families burned for less.

“I'll be in the arena. Don’t keep me waiting fuck boy,” Henry said before turning on his heel and leaving.

Ti Hua dove at Henry but was intercepted by Lu, who brushed him off lightly with one hand, sending him flying into the wall.

“Young master wishes to make an example of you; please, for your sake, do not keep him waiting,” Lu said icily before turning around and crisply exiting the room.

Ti Hua spat blood out of his mouth and, for once in his life, felt a hint of doubt as he watched the demure woman walk away.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was about to get fleeced somehow.

The Rising Star Inn was at maximum capacity, which was saying something for a place that was known to have an expanding capacity enchantment. Word had gotten out that the Scion of the North had challenged the young master of the Hua clan. This was a match for the ages, and the rafters were full of onlookers. The bloodlust was palpable, with the Rookie Tournament starting the next day.

All of the clans were in their private suites gossiping like mother hens. How had this Northern barbarian gotten into a fight with the Hua clan? Everyone knew Ti Hua was a lecherous monster, but he was still a son of the Hua clan. To challenge him like this was paramount to declaring war on the Hua clan itself.

Guan Li sat there scanning the crowd for Hen Ri. After their kiss in the suite, her sisters mocked her mercilessly. She didn’t care; they were all used to men fawning over them, so Hen Ri’s dismissal must have stung. She was worried for him; Ti Hua was no pushover. She knew that Hen Ri had a powerful backer, but he was in the North, and the Hua clan was here. She knew that Hen Ri could handle himself, but that didn’t make her worry any less. It was crazy why she cared like this, it was only a kiss why did he make her feel this way.

Mui Mu was talking to a group of bookies, trying to determine the odds of the bookmaking that was happening. Cultivators did not necessarily need mortal coinage, but most did not cultivate to the point where its value was meaningless. Besides, everyone likes to gamble. Hen Ri gave him ten gold coins and told him to work magic. Mui had asked for more, but Hen Ri had cryptically said these were the only coins that mattered. Mui was sowing seeds of discord regarding Hen Ri’s chances. Being one of his opponents, people believed Mui’s words regarding Hen Ri’s skills.

The maids were crammed into a section of tables on the ground floor. They had cut loose and were drinking raucously without a care in the world. They knew about Hen Ri’s skills and were waiting to get him drunk after even the siblings had fun. They might not like Hen Ri but respected his power and knew they were in for a show.

With a sudden blaring of horns, two faces appeared on the blank screen displaying the next match. It was Henry’s and Ti Hua's. The crowd went nuts. Hooting and hollering ensued as the two cultivators entered the ring's center.

Henry being ever the gentleman, flipped Ti Hua off before calling him a motherfucker.

Ti Hua was at a loss for words at this strange behavior. He was about to say something when the Northern bastard threw a handful of dirt in his face.