Today was an extraordinary day. Shops hummed with energy, and the streets brimmed with onlookers and supporters. Crucible City vibrated with thousands marching like the entire South had converged here. For one day, nobles and commoners mingled, each striving to outshine the other.
The Clan and Sect cultivators were on the lookout for recruits, often intimidating newcomers to showcase their strength, especially the Clans. Among the Clans, cultivators viewed one another with suspicion. The youngest members kept watch in the area, aiming to settle past disputes and build new alliances.
A striking figure emerged from the Rising Star Inn, drawing the eyes of those around him. Tall and muscular, his long black hair was styled in a northern braid. His face, marked by rugged resilience rather than classical beauty, featured fierce golden eyes that radiated strength, resembling a wolf on the hunt as they scanned the passerby. Dressed in dark battle leathers that accentuated his physique, he wore a pristine white arctic timber wolf pelt gracefully draped over his broad shoulders.
Next to him stood a young woman clad in a cerulean robe decorated with golden dragons. Her gracefully styled white hair was tidily arranged in a bun, held in place by a crystal rose accentuating her icy, frost-colored eyes. Her striking features were complemented by her bronze skin and notable beak-like nose. As she linked arms with the male cultivator, they exuded the aura of a refined couple from a faraway realm.
Behind them were six women in maid outfits and six cultivators dressed in dark leather. Whispers and gossip circulated as they moved forward. At the front of the group was Hen Ri, who had defeated a young master from the Hua clan the night before, alongside a daughter from the esteemed Li clan. Many hostile glares shot through the crowd as they approached the tournament venue.
Numerous Clan cultivators glared and muttered derogatory remarks. Yet, Hen Ri stood unaffected by their hostility. With Guan Li beside him, her radiant smile felt like sunshine, filling him with a sense of invincibility.
“You can’t keep looking at me like that; dear people will start to talk,” Guan Li said lightly as she swatted his arm.
“They are just jealous because I got the belle of the ball,” he said as he gave her a light peek on the cheek.
Guan Li felt heat creep across her cheeks; she wasn't used to public displays of affection. Although she had seen men fawn over her sisters, she had never received anything like that.
As Henry approached the arena, he noticed the pathway crowded with cultivators. His recollections of this esteemed location were limited to the tales he had been told. The massive arena was built to hold the entire South within its marble borders. Enchantments to expand the space allowed the officials of Crucible City to cram it with onlookers and fighters. Armed guards lined the entrance, providing all competitors with a basic sash indicating their participation in this week-long event.
----------------------------------------
Henry stood in line, just like everyone else. Cutting in line was heavily discouraged, and the high-ranking guards ensured no one violated this rule. When a burly clan cultivator attempted to break this unwritten law, he was seized and taken away, bloodied and beaten, by a city guard. Henry couldn’t help but laugh; no matter where he went, jerks would always be jerks.
Henry noticed two individuals approaching his group with an air of arrogance. They were the two Hua Clan cultivators from the previous evening. Dressed in white robes adorned with pink cherry blossoms, the man carried a sword at his side, while the woman had a pair of fans clipped to each hip. Henry had to admit they appeared pretty intimidating, especially with the other Hua Clan members standing behind them.
They stopped an arm's length before him, and he was ready to throw down. Of course, it was never that easy in this messed up xianxia world.
“We extend our greetings to you, Hen Ri, Scion of the North, and your companion, Lady Guan Li,” the man said, bowing deeply.
All of the cultivators behind the Hua cultivator bowed.
Henry felt a wave of discomfort wash over him. Why were all these people bowing to him? He looked at Guan Li, who gently squeezed his arm.
“Oh, there's no need for such deference, Sir Jui. We're all competitors today,” Guan Li said warmly.
“Lady Li is eloquent and gracious, yet her choice of allies is questionable. We are all competitors today, brother, and there's no need to submit to someone like him,” the woman beside Jui Hua remarked petulantly.
“Rui, I won’t have you speak like that to an honored guest.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Henry felt like he was part of some crappy daytime drama. What did these two want?
“Now, if you will excuse my dear sister, we just wanted to thank you for exchanging pointers with our dear brother.”
Jui Hua’s eyes hardened as he said those words. Henry was simple, but he was no fool.
“Yes, it seems like the Hua clan are very lackadaisical regarding their education; I merely saw a misbehaving child and had to set them straight.”
“You dare,” Rui Hua said, reaching for her fans.
Jui Hua raised one hand, and she stopped mid-draw.
Lu and Yi had started to flex their cultivation, and the maids and Northerners looked ready to throw down.
Onlooking cultivators started to back away slowly, not wanting to get caught in what was potentially going to be a brawl.
Henry didn’t want to start a fight, but he wouldn’t back down from one.
----------------------------------------
Before the two sides could fight, an old cultivator appeared between the two groups.
“Now, it is against tournament rules to fight in non-sanctioned fights. If you two have any grievances, settle them in the ring.”
Jui Hua backed away and respectfully bowed to the elderly cultivator.
“Grand Master Xiao Feng, I apologize for the disrespect. We merely wanted to greet our fellow cultivator from the North; I will make my leave now.”
Jui Hua swept his robe with a flourish and walked away. He reminded Henry of a peacock puffed-up peacock.
This old man was someone to watch out for. Henry primed up his ass-kissing protocols.
“I apologize, esteemed elder, for the inconvenience; I was minding my own business, and the Hua clan ran up on me,” Henry said, not knowing how to suck up to this old man.
Xiao Feng looked at Henry up and down, taking in the stranger before him. He had been doing this for years and had seen many talented and promising rookies. The buzz about this boy was astronomical. Already, he had seen many sect elders almost coming to blows trying to poach him early. Xiao Feng would have taken him for himself if it had not been frowned upon by the committee.
“Oh dear, it is completely fine; everyone is raring to go. Besides, a little blood feud is good for everyone,” the old man said, clapping Henry on the back.
"Thank you, Esteemed Elder, for your understanding. If you’ll excuse me, I need to return to the line to get my armband,” Henry said, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the Elder's kindness.
"No need to queue, silly boy; come with me, and we’ll get you sorted."
The crowd parted as the old man guided Henry to the front. At this moment, everyone was pointing and whispering about his group. Henry was determined to convey a message, but he began to worry that it appeared he was just a spoiled brat.
The attendant at the front of the line was sweating as he saw this group of cultivators slowly approaching his little wooden desk.
“Please not me, please not me,” the man mumbled.
“You clerk, help this young master here,” Xiao Feng said imperiously as he flashed Henry a dazzling smile.
“Thank you sir I think I got it from here.”
“I'll watch for you, dear boy. I hope you surpass my expectations,” Xiao Feng said, winking at Henry before vanishing.
He needed to figure out how all these old monsters could poof in and out of existence like that.
Henry looked at the shaken clerk and put on his friendliest smile.
"Hey, take a breath; you seem like you're about to pass out. Just treat me like anyone else, alright? I’m not here to complicate your life, so please don’t complicate mine. Are we good?”
Henry let the man take in everything that he just told him. He was in no rush. Guan Li was speaking into a crystal shard to someone. She told him she was checking up on her sisters, who had also decided to join the tournament. Even though they had no intention of joining any sects, there was still a pool of treasures and cultivation aids up for grabs. Even the cultivators who did not want to join the sects could enter as long they passed the initial test.
"Thank you for your kind words, sir. I have regained my faculties. Could you please state your name into this recording crystal?"
The clerk pulled out a small blue crystal and pointed it at Henry’s.
“Henry.”
The crystal glowed momentarily before beeping loudly, and a sash with the number 69 materialized in the air.
The clerk grabbed the sash and jotted down some notes on a piece of paper.
“Will you be entering solo or as a duo,” the clerk said, nodding to Guan Li.
Henry didn’t know there was an option for a duo entry.
“What does entering as a duo entail?”
Guan Li stepped in and answered.
“We would fight as a team against other duos a little less prestigious than fighting solo, but many people enter as a pair because it increases their chances of surviving the later rounds.”
Henry thought about it for a second. Having a partner who would watch his back during the fight made sense. He didn’t want her to come into any harm either.
“What do you think about being my partner?” Henry asked, flashing her his most charming smile.
She brought a finger to her chin as if deep in thought.
“To borrow from your parlance Hen Ri dear, fuck yes.”