Chapter 74 - Black Crane Sect

Cassius peeked through the curtain from his seat in the rocking carriage. The road was flanked on both sides by carpets of green fields dotted with colorful flowers that smelled faintly of spring. A gently sloping terrain with pale white buildings and the occasional silhouettes of people could be seen up ahead. They were in a small and simple town. He could see a tall building with a spire that reflected faintly in the sun a little further ahead; it was probably the manor.

As the convoy entered the town, a young man in a blue uniform approached. There were many others like him, all in identical uniforms, in front of the manor and guiding people; he was clearly a staff member for the exchange tournament. With the young man leading the way, the convoy drove up the gentle slope.

Halfway there, Cassius spotted uniformed policemen patrolling the roadside where nearly a hundred people were meandering over to the manor. The exchange tournament was quite a large-scale event. It seemed that part of the Cloud Dog Sect’s group took the lead in organizing the event, together with the help of some local martial arts sects and the Beiliu County Government.

Soon after, the convoy arrived in front of the manor.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Tall black walls surrounded the entire manor. The dark wrought iron gate opened to reveal a road that led straight inside. Bronze cast-iron oil lamps hung on the stone pillars that stood on both sides of the gate. It was quite an old manor.

After giving a cursory glance at the invitation, the guards at the gate immediately cleared the way for the convoy from the Wind Elephant Sect to drive in. They stopped at an open area with a white canopy.

Cassius stepped out of the carriage and looked around. It wasn't the old-fashioned historical building he imagined but a very exquisite and beautiful manor. To his right was a large area that had short grass that had been deliberately planted. He could see people in the distance playing a trendy sport that had been recently introduced from abroad called "golf." Just a little past the grass, sunlight reflected on an artificial lake, creating a canvas of white and green.

"Everyone, please follow me," said the young man beside them.

The group immediately followed him to the left, stepping on solid, clean, white stone slabs. The scent of fresh grass lingered in the air. Every few meters, there were black lamp holders similar to candlesticks lighting up the night.

Two more staff members joined them at an intersection and from there, the Wind Elephant Sect team temporarily split into three groups: the elders, the ordinary disciples, and the core disciples. Each group went their separate paths and into different buildings.

A minute later, Cassius followed the group into the corridor, glancing at the vast white building beside him. They climbed up the spiral staircase to the fourth floor, then walked through a corridor, taking several turns before they reached their destination.

It was a hall over thirty meters long and wide with dark brown wooden floors. One side had large grid floor-to-ceiling windows, where sunlight could shine in and illuminate the room. Crammed full of seats and tables that were organized into roughly twenty separate areas, more than half of the chairs were already occupied by formidable Covert Martial Artists.

"The Wind Elephant Sect is here!"

Numerous pairs of eyes swiveled around to look. It didn't matter what their original personalities were; in that moment, the five core disciples all showed a cold and dignified front. Their expressions were serious and calm, and they gave off the aura of the strong. They sat down by a window. Some people were still talking about them.

"That's One-Armed Hykal. He's back from East Sea County."

"Who's the one built like a bear?"

"There are two unfamiliar faces..."

"Doesn't the Wind Elephant Sect only have one female core desciple? Why are there two? Was the information wrong? Or did they..."

As one of the largest Covert Martial Arts forces in Beiliu County, it was natural for there to be so many eyes on the Wind Elephant Sect. Plus, this exchange tournament was held only in Beiliu County. If it were the Eastern Exchange Tournament, there probably wouldn't be this much attention.

"Atmosphere's not bad," Moses said, leaning back in his chair, staring through the nearby window at the grass below.

"They obviously had to make it a huge spectacle for their reputation's sake since this is the inaugural event," Cassius chimed in.

Teams from various Covert Martial Arts sects, led by the staff, strolled in in continuous streams through the hall's many entrances. Many robust men in gray uniforms walked back and forth in the hall, either talking to the sect heads or bringing them food and water.

Hykal also requested five cups of brewed tea for them. They sipped their tea to pass the time as they waited for everyone else to arrive. Ten minutes later, there was a commotion on the right side of the hall.

"The Black Crane Sect is here."

"It's Mendi!"

"..."

Hearing the commotion, the disciples from the Wind Elephant Sect looked over, not out of curiosity, but because they held a small grudge.

As major sects within Beiliu County, the headquarters of the Wind Elephant Sect and the Black Crane Sect were relatively close, like they were neighboring cities. As such, the two frequently clashed due to overlapping territories. When the Wind Elephant Sect discovered the Lanxin Grass site, they poured their investments into expanding their influence in Black Sand City. This happened to be the location of the Black Crane Sect's largest branch. Therefore, conflicts were inevitable.

The group from the Black Crane Sect hurried along the path between the segmented areas. Leading them was a young man with a pale complexion and short black hair that was long enough to cover his eyebrows. His sharp, cold eyes gave the impression of a bird of prey examining its prey. He wore black gloves and had an unapproachable air.

The man immediately noticed Senior Brother Hykal. "Hykal."

"Mendi." Hykal smiled faintly and sipped his tea.

The black-haired youth glanced at the other members of the Wind Elephant Sect in turn before finally pausing on Cassius. "Your Wind Elephant Sect has managed to gather five core disciples? And a newly promoted little guy..."

"Who are you calling little?

Shorty

." Cassius jumped to his feet, his 1.90 meter frame towering over his opponent and his large build stretching his clothes. He emanated a cold and powerful feel. Cassius didn't look kindly on those who were so blatantly unfriendly.

"

Hehe

. You wanna die?" Sneering, a tall, skinny man behind Mendi made to step forward.

"Fifth Brother, the exchange tournament hasn't started yet." Mendi stopped him and then glanced casually at Cassius. "Let's sit down first."

The Black Crane Sect's five disciples turned and found their area, each taking the seat with their name on it.

In the sunlight, Cassius grinned coldly, eyes were locked on the tall, skinny youth. His white teeth sent chills down one's spine.

"The fifth core disciple of the Black Crane Sect, Guro Kisinia..."