"This year's Clan Assembly, Grandfather Huang Qide even invited Li Mu, Li Family's Old Patriarch over, he truly spent a lot of effort and thought." Huang Xiaolong thinks to himself.
He believes the reason Grandfather invited the Old Patriarch of the Li Family over is not that simple.
Along the path heading to the Eastern Courtyard's hall were decorated with lanterns and colored banners, when the busy guards and maids saw Huang Xiaolong passing by they immediately stopped to salute: "Young Lord Xiaolong!"
Huang Xiaolong nodded as he walked by.
However, along the way he was able to feel the weird gazes of the guards and maids behind him, seems like Huang Wei's intention of crippling Huang Xiaolong's arms have reached the ears of the guards and maids.
Huang Xiaolong reached the Eastern Courtyard.
Inside the main hall, both Huang Peng and Su Yan were present.
'Dad, Mom." Huang Xiaolong cried out as he entered the main hall.
"Xiaolong, you're here." Su Yan pulled Huang Xiaolong to sit next to her then asked: "Tomorrow's the Clan Assembly, how's your practice coming along?"
Huang Peng on the other side also stares at Huang Xiaolong.
Letting out a small laugh, Huang Xiaolong said: "Dad, Mom, don't worry. Tomorrow I surely will not let you down."
Unexpectedly, the moment his sentence ends, Su Yan almost shouted out loud in surprise: "Xiaolong, did you breakthrough to mid-First Order?" Su Yan thought his confidence came from him breakthrough to mid-First Order.
Huang Peng burst out laughing at this moment: "Good, my son, you really did not disappoint Dad."
When Huang Xiaolong heard his parents' words, he reined his smile within, could advancing to mid-First Order before the annual Clan Assembly is the highest expectation his parents have of him?
"Dad, I heard from the guards this year's annual Clan Assembly, the Old Patriarch of Li Family, Li Mu is coming?" Huang Xiaolong asked, changing the topic.
Huang Peng nodded: "This time, other than the Li Family Old Patriarch himself, he also brought his granddaughter Li Lu over."
"His granddaughter, Li Lu?" Huang Xiaolong was a little bewildered then jokingly said: "Old Patriarch Li couldn't be bringing over his granddaughter for a matchmaking right?"
But Huang Peng answered seriously: "That is the purpose of your Grandfather and Old Patriarch Li, after the Clan Assembly is over, Huang Wei and Li Lu to be engaged and in the future, Li Family and Huang Clan will be in-laws."
Huang Xiaolong went blank.
"Hearsay that Li Lu's talent is quite good, hers is a top grade nine martial spirit, the Divine Dark Sword." Su Yan added.
Top amongst grade nine martial spirits, Divine Dark Sword!
Huang Xiaolong was shocked for a moment for it was unexpected that Li Mu's granddaughter Li Lu's martial spirit is the Divine Dark Sword.
In Martial Spirit World, there are different forms of martial spirits - beasts, weapons, plants and there are even people with nature martial spirits such as lightning, wind, water and fire.
And the Divine Dark Sword is one many types of weapon martial spirits.
Of course, the majority of martial spirits in Martial Spirits World exists in beast form, for instance Huang Wei's Three-eyed Black Tiger, Huang Qide's Six-winged Golden Ape and Huang Xiaolong's variant double-headed serpent.
A short while later Huang Xiaolong returned to his small courtyard and continued to practice Asura Tactics.
Slowly, night descended.
Huang Xiaolong stood on a hilltop at the back mountain, not moving an inch but he wasn't practicing, he was instead looking at the vast sea in front of him. In truth with regards to Huang Wei, Huang Xiaolong truly is not bothered.
Releasing the double-headed serpent martial spirits floating behind him, Huang Xiaolong can clearly sense how powerful his martial spirits are after advancing to Third Order and him being the only person able to sense it.
"Looks like I need to make a trip to the library to see if I can find out about my martial spirits." Huang Xiaolong muttered to himself.
However, Huang Clan Manor's library only allows those who had reached Fourth Order to enter that's why he needs to breakthrough to Fourth Order as soon as possible.
The moonlight stretches Huang Xiaolong's small shadow on the ground.
Darkness gradually fades as the light brightens the sky, Huang Xiaolong's figure dashed, heading back to Huang Clan Manor.
"The Clan's Annual Assembly finally begins!"
Clan's Annual Assembly is about to begin.
Back to Huang Clan Manor, he moved straight towards the Eastern Courtyard. When his parents, Huang Peng and Su Yan saw him coming did not say much, the three of them then walked to the main foyer.
The Main Foyer is double the size of Martial Temple easily accommodating a thousand people. In front of the Main Foyer is a martial stage, and chairs lined the perimeter of the martial stage for the Huang Clan Manors' elders and housekeepers whereas the disciples can only stand at the back area's open space.
When Huang Peng and Su Yan came in along with Huang Xiaolong, many of the elders and housekeepers were already there.
"Second Manor Lord."
"Second Manor Lord."
The group of elders, housekeepers and disciples immediately greeted Huang Peng.
Huang Peng nodded. Su Yan and Huang Xiaolong followed from behind him arriving in front of a table and chairs and sat down. Sitting down, Huang Xiaolong sense there is a cold gaze staring at him, raising his head to find the source, he saw Huang Wei who was sitting opposite.
At this moment, their eyes met – Huang Wei's gaze was arrogant, condescending, provoking and complacent.
Sitting beside Huang Wei is Huang Ming, forever with his deadpan expressionless face. As Huang Peng sat down, he did not greet Huang Ming. Since the Northern Courtyard incident the two of them no longer speak to each other, from brothers to strangers traveling on the same path.
Not long after the three of them arrived, from the outer hall a hearty laugh rang out, hearing the sound of laughter everyone inside the hall quickly stand up. Looking over Huang Xiaolong saw his Grandfather Huang Qide, walking into the hall with a face full of laughter and next to his grandfather is a high-spirited old man with a head full of silvery white hair about the same age Huang Xiaolong immediately knows this is Old Patriarch Li, Li Mu. Following closely behind Li Mu is a lovely girl with two braids and bright round eyes curiously spinning around.
"Old Manor Lord."
"Old Patriarch Li."
Everyone present quickly greeted, and after that Huang Ming, Huang Peng and Su Yan went up: "Dad, Old Patriarch Li."
"Grandfather, Old Patriarch Li." Huang Wei and Huang Xiaolong too went up, following from behind.
Huang Qide gave a chuckle and nodded, then said to Li Mu while pointing at Huang Wei: "This is my grandson, Huang Wei." But he only introduced Huang Wei without mentioning Huang Xiaolong.
Li Mu looked at Huang Wei up and down, with a look of appreciation said: "Not Bad. Good. Brother Qide, I heard that your grandson practice less than two months already successfully breakthrough First Order warrior, when it was my time to breakthrough First Order I used more than five months ah."
Huang Qide laughed boisterously when he heard this: "Li Mu Brother, please do advise and look after him in the future."
"In the future, that is of course." Li Mu laughed.
Awhile later, everyone returned to their seats.
Then, Chief Housekeeper Chen Ying stood up begin going through the Annual Assembly's program, after finishing he turned over to looked at Huang Qide, seeing Huang Qide nodding his head, he declared in a loud voice: "Annual Clan Assembly begins!"
Chen Ying's declaration met with a silent hall.
Following the rules of previous years, the first to get up on the stage are usually the ones who awakened their martial spirits this year.
Everyone couldn't resist but to look at Huang Wei, everyone knows the purpose Old Manor Lord attends this year's clan assembly, Huang Wei is destined to be the main focus of attention.
"Huang Wei, go and show the result of your five months effort, let everyone see your achievement." Huang Qide said to his grandson Huang Wei, eyes full of encouragement.
"Yes, Grandfather." Huang Wei stood up and cried loudly he then leaped up onto the center of the martial stage.
Landing atop the martial stage, Huang Wei runs the exercise law, fully releasing his battle qi and his martial spirits, the Three-Eyed Black Tiger floated out behind him emanating quite a powerful aura.
"Peak late-First Order!"
Sensing the battle qi aura released by Huang Wei, elders of Huang Clan Manor, housekeepers and disciples were greatly shocked creating a ruckus. Just five short months of practicing battle qi and yet Huang Wei has reached the peak of late-First Order!
Note:
From brothers to strangers traveling on the same path – from a close/intimate relationship to being strangers traveling on the same road where you do not speak to each other unless necessary.