It was an overcast day, the dark clouds looming on the horizon gave the mountain a dreary grey atmosphere. The gentle wind continuously pushed dried leaves along the craggy ground.
For the past month on the Stellar Mountain, Hartley had made intermittent trips to the main building at the foot of the mountain.
He wasn't expecting it to be as peaceful as it had been, but that was mainly because he was on a secluded part of the mountain.
He had not yet fully explored the surrounding, giving him little chance of running into the other 5 core disciples stationed there.
He made his way down the mountain wearing his red robe, his hair was loose, framing his handsome face in an unkempt manner, evidence of his dedication to his cultivation in the past week.
Entering the main three-story building, he headed up the staircase towards the 2nd floor.
On the second floor there was a mission board, from here core disciples could choose a mission to undertake, earning clan points and gaining real world experience in the process.
There he met the inner disciple girl that had poured him tea when he had arrived , her name was Zhang Shisu and she was somewhat of an assistant to Lou Chang, she had a curvy body and her robe seem to hug her body showing them more vividly, she had hair the color of straw, dark obsidian eyes, and an almost perfectly white smile.
From what Hartley could tell she was around 20 and at the peak of the houtian realm, one step away from the xiantian realm, if someone didn't reach the peak of houtian realm before 22 it was unlikely for that person to ever move into the xiantian realm. It has been done before but it was very rare.
The houtian realm was the preparatory stage on the journey to immortality.
This was where one would make their physical body a vessel for elemental essence.
Hartley had only recently learned these things on his regular trips to the library.
Zhang Shisu made a habit of staring at him whenever he came to the building, her eyes losing focus as if she was in a day dream.
Hartley being someone with no prior experience of female relations made nothing of it. Hartley greeted her politely and addressed her as Sister Shisu which made her blush and look away in shyness.
There was another person on the second floor looking at missions on the board, he couldn't help but frown when he saw the ineraction between Hartley and Zhang Shisu.
He was one of the five core disciples on Stellar mountain and he too was in his twenties.
Green eyes, dark hair and a mouth full of donkey-like teeth, even with his lips completely closed his teeth would protrude out visibly.
Being a 3rd layer xiantian realm expert with strong wind elemental affinity he rarely put people of his age-group in his eyes.
But right now the handsome stranger strolling around was a real eye sore, Zhang Shisu was giving him stares, not even noticing him paying attention to her actions.
His name was Lou Lee and ever since Zhang Shisu has been assisting Lou Chang, he had made regular trips to this building to have conversations with her. In her mind these were just innocent conversations, in his mind he was on the road to a happy marriage.
Lou Lee made his way over visibly annoyed and grinding his overgrown teeth, his blood boiling inside.
"Are you the new provisional disciple?" He barked in an aggressive manner. Deep down jealous of the stranger's good looks.
"Yes, so what?" Hartley answered casually.
Lou Lee pointed his finger at Hartley then said.
"You haven't earned your spot on this mountain, you haven't been tested, no one knows what rock you crawled from under, on this mountain strength is king. How about a duel on the Martial Stage to prove you are more than a dolled up warrior."
Hartley waved his hand dismissively, his face disinterested like he hadn't taken anything said by Lou Lee seriously, then he answered.
"I have no time for petty squabbling with shallow people, if it is not a life and death battle then what's the point, just be on your way."
Lou Lee's face went red with rage, this no-name guy was not putting him in his eyes, he looked at Hartley viciously and said.
"Good, good good." repeating himself thrice before continuing,
"I challenge you to a life and death battle seven days from today, do you dare accept?"
"What's there not to accept?"
Hartley replied nonchalantly as if life and death meant nothing, which in turn got Lou Lee even more riled up. He then turned around after glancing at Zhang Shisu who was looking at her toes and left fuming with even more anger.
Hartley wasn't planning on making any friends or staying on Stellar mountain for the long term, he also had no interest in becoming an official core disciple of the Lou clan, he would slit the necks of those who opposed him regardless.
He had read many books in the library which was the most important thing to him, now he had a foundation of informational knowledge he didn't have before, he couldn't care less about what happens in the Lou clan...
Hartley stayed around a while longer looking at the mission board but nothing peaked his interest, he said his goodbyes and left a guilty looking Zhang Shisu standing looking at her toes.
Hartely rented a horse at the stables inside the Luo clan and made his way to town, the most common method of travel for the people in Aidonia was by horse or carriages drawn by strong wild beast, which were slower than horses but were suited for travelling longer distances.
Soon Hartley left the vicinity of the Luo clan and retracted his aura.
On an unknown mountain in the Luo clan, 2 elders in dark robes were having a conversation:
"What do you think about him?"
asked one of the elders, this was the elder who had appeared in the apothecary shop when Hartley first went to sell his beastcores.
"I don't see anything special about him, to me he's average at best,"
replied the second elder.
"Hmm, I don't know, there is something about him that intrigues me that's why I had Lou Chingham bring him back,"
said the first elder.
The second elder responded with a frustrating look
"But he has been under close surveillance for a month and has yet to show any outstanding abilities."
The first elder leaned back in his chair and said, "patience, remember his mother is from that place, he has her blood running through his veins.
Send a team to test him out, if he dies so be it."