Sunlight glinted off the surface of the big sturdy double gate.
Made of metal, this gate was approximately 15 meters high and 10 meters wide.
A group of busy guards were moving around at the far left side of the gate, located behind them was a smaller human sized gateway cut into the big gate, most likely used for conveniently moving back and forth without having to open the massive contraption.
A little further to the left of the guards was a well built outpost building, looking like a concrete hut outside the gates, most likely holding supplies and providing shelter in case of an attack.
Guards in white robes with the black rose insignia embroidered on their chests, milled about the area talking and laughing, most of these guards looked relatively mature, not like students or disciples.
It was relatively early in the day, the sunshine was cascading across the hut-like building, spreading golden splotches out onto the big red metal gate.
Hartley, dressed in yellow, approached the gate at a casual pace, a couple guards holding long red spears with silver spearheads pointed at the sky, quickly finished their conversation and moved towards him.
Soon all the jovial banter between the guards went quiet, A stone-faced man alighted from the outpost building and sternly shouted,
"stop, who goes there? What business have you got inside the Lou clan?"
Hartley stood there in his exquisite yellow custom robe, the gentle morning wind moving loose strands of his hair around the side of his face.
His shiny raven hair was tied back with a simple string, showing off his delicate looking facial features, accentuating his saphire eyes as deep as any tropical ocean.
Hartley bent at the waist, cupped his fist and respectfully replied, "I'm Lou Hartley, here at the request of elder Lou Chingham."
The guard that had spoken was a tall and sturdy mature man, almost pushing a height of 2 meters, he looked Hartley up and down with a frown, squinting his small beady eyes.
A pang of jealousy surged through his intestines, he had never seen or heard of this young man claiming to be apart of the Lou clan and could not hold himself back from uttering "Imposter!"
With a menacing face he commanded,
"break both of your hands and legs and crawl away from here and you will be allowed to keep your life," he snorted coldly with a righteous look on his face, his chin pointed to the sky.
Before Hartley could make any remark, he finished by saying, "impersonating a member of the Lou clan is a serious offence, I'm letting you off lightly today."
A look of surprise flashed on Hartley's face then quickly disappeared, his first interaction with the Lou clan in so many years was like this.
It didn't bode well as to what was lying in wait behind the big metallic gate, if guards were behaving this rampant, even when he had requested with the name of an elder, how would the behavior of the prideful young lords be?
He had planned on keeping a low profile during his short stay with the clan, just to gain access to the educational facilities and enlighten himself, but this guard had forced him to change to his plan "B" as soon as he had arrived.
Yes he would rather keep a low profile, but he would not live under the foot of another human being.
Hartley waved his hand like he was shooing away an annoying fly, then said in a discontented voice, "Just go and get the elder, my affairs has nothing to do with you... and be quick about it too."
The burly guard's face lit up like a Christmas tree, now was his chance to teach this pretty boy a harsh lesson in pain.
He made a side-on stance with his left leg forward and his right leg back, his spear pointed forward, assisted by the wind elements in the air.
His spear moved as if it had a mind of its own, diving at Hartley in a flash like an uncoiled serpent, the wooden shaft contorting and curving with the whooshing wind.
Hartley's stoic face didn't change expression, he too was delighted at this outcome, he had switched to his plan "B" which was to subdue all stumbling blocks with absolute strength.
All petty schemes and squabbles shall be washed aside with absolute dominance.
Hartley did not use state of focus, he simply stepped forward into the range of the spear and used his minute movement dodging technique to evade the first 3 stabs of the lightning fast silver spearhead.
Still walking forward casually, the fourth move of the spear was a wide arcing horizontal slash, designed to split it's target in two halves.
Hartley's quick movement produced a puff of dust beneath his feet, he quickly moved back one step, then to the side a little.
The spear passed harmlessly, fluttering his robe with the wind it produced, now the guard was wide open..
Hartley took one forward step and appeared right in front of the guard whose eyes went wide with disbelief, grunting with effort as he tried to bring his spear back on its return arc faster.
But he was already too late.
Pah!
Hartley casually slapped the guard with his open right palm.
The sound of the impact between palm and jaw echoed out like thunder, the guard spun around like a top, flying out and colliding with a clang as he crashed into the metal gate, the sound ringing out like the first stroke of the morning bells.
The guard fell to the ground and half the teeth on the left side of his face turned to powder, he spat out blood while shouting "Schill shim, Schill shim" with a hysterical look on his face.
Pointing and beckoning at his partners at the outpost building.... Unfortunately, no one could understand a thing he was saying.
Silence ensued.
Most guards backed away with caution, one of their most accomplished colleague had been dispatched so brutally within mere seconds, there was no brotherhood in cultivation, only benefits or losses. No one wanted to be next, the young man was obviously a wolf acting like sheep.
After witnessing the confrontation the other guards wanted none of it and sprinted through the mini gate cut into the big gate, they had heard when Hartley mentioned the name of Lou Chingham so the smart guard went straight to get him.
When Lou Chingham appeared at the gates after a short while, the leader of the guards was hunched beside the big metal gate in the fetal position, bloodied and sprouting the unrecognizable ramblings of a mad man.
Lou Chingham looked at Hartley, then the frantic guard, frowned and kicked the man almost twenty meters away where he landed in some bushes and passed out.
Lou Chingham smiled at Hartley, bowed respectfully and said "sorry this elder was not here to receive you"
Hartley also smiled then bowed from the waist respectfully and replied
"no worries."
By now a small crowd had gathered, watching and mermering among themselves.
Lou Chingham ordered the main metal gate to be opened, the whole contraption slowly creaked open like a monster about devour it's prey, then they both walked into the abyss and entered the Lou Clan