He had won the second round by a good margin, but he felt that his swordsmanship was lacking. Despite his victory, his face was somewhat sullen. He knew he would have to dominate everyone here if he wanted to match Daven's skill level, not to mention Daven had a crazy system too.
"Hah, I could have done better," he sighed as he sat on the edge of his fluffy bed.
Well he didn't to dwell on his shortcomings, he picked up his sword and left his room. He made his way to the public training ground inside the hotel.
*slide*
The gate of the training ground slid open with a soft hiss. Although the smell was unfamiliar, the appearance and size of the training ground were comparable to what they had at home. The sight of it stirred a mix of nostalgia within him.
"Wait, you—"
He saw a slender figure with daggers, diamond-like blue eyes, and bluish hair, reminding him of a very familiar figure he saw in the morning. The sight stopped him in his tracks.
"Viper?"
The figure was covered in sweat, with drops raining from his body and clothes sticking to him like glue. The intensity of his training was evident.
"…"
The figure was equally surprised, seeing Lloyd again after their fight. He was clearly training hard because of his loss today. This was evident from his rough and quick breathing as his body tried to replenish its energy. The scene was almost a mirror of Lloyd's own feelings, reflecting the shared drive to improve and overcome their limits.
"Are you Viper from today's tournament?" Lloyd asked, breaking the awkward silence and the prolonged staring.
It didn't take much time for Viper to realize that Lloyd couldn't be avoided. He nodded in response.
*whoosh*
Lloyd dashed right in front of him and extended his hand. "Hi, I am Lloyd. Nice to meet you."
'What! I couldn't follow his movement! I was definitely able to see his movements in the arena, but now what happened? I wasn't even aware!'
Viper was left flabbergasted when he couldn't detect Lloyd's movements, which he could trace in the arena.
'Was he hiding his strength?'
Nevertheless, he stretched out his hand and shook Lloyd's, feeling a mix of curiosity and respect. "Hi, I am Li Tang," he said with a slightly shaky, innocent-sounding tone.
"Tang? Are you from that famous Tang clan?" Lloyd asked, his interest piqued.
He nodded.
"Wait, I have heard your name!" Lloyd gasped, the pieces starting to fall into place.
"Oh, I remember! Are you the second son of the Tang Clan Patriarch?" he asked.
'Tang clan… this is the same clan that supported Daven wholeheartedly in the novel because of the Demon Cave Incident. Because of that incident, the Tang clan leader took Daven as a godson, giving him all his backing. If I could befriend him, it would mean I could befriend almost the whole Tang clan since he's the direct son of the Tang clan patriarch. Even though he's second in line, it still means a lot.'
The Tang Clan, just like in wuxia novels, was notorious for its poison and hidden arts. They made poisons so potent that nobody except the Tang clan itself had the antidote. Poison being their specialty didn't mean it was the only thing they had. Their hidden arts were second to none; nobody truly knew the extent of their power.
However, they lost a significant part of their power after the attack of the 3rd demon wave 50 years ago, which caused them heavy losses. Their position as a top clan diminished, and they went into seclusion to recover.
The current Patriarch's father and almost all the elders of the clan died fending off the wave, protecting the clan. Not to mention the thousands of high and low-class disciples of the clan that were slaughtered by the demons.
And those who survived by hiding and fleeing bore the scars of their ordeal, including the current patriarch, whose guts were nearly ripped out by the Demon Marquise, leaving him with a permanent injury for life. The image of their suffering was haunting, a testament to the brutality they had endured.
'Daven really helped the Tang clan rise from shambles to the top again,' Lloyd reflected.
In the novel, it was mentioned that Daven had made a promise to someone from his first life to help the Tang clan rise again. This person had saved Daven's life in the Dungeon of Doom and sacrificed himself in the process. Although the novel didn't specify who that person was, it mentioned that Daven had been given an artefact from the Tang clan as a parting gift by that person before his death. In return for saving his life, Daven fulfilled the promise and helped the Tang clan regain its former glory, forging a strong relationship with them.
You could even say that he was controlling the Tang clan. Daven's influence was so profound that it extended beyond mere alliances. He had become the invisible leader of the Tang Clan where his command had become absolute.
"Well, Li, what were you doing here participating in this tournament? Shouldn't you be with your clan?" Lloyd asked, curiosity evident in his voice.
"Well, I'm training independently. I decided to explore and become stronger by fighting different types of people," Li answered honestly, his tone straightforward and sincere.
"Oh, I see. I guess you were training just now before I arrived and interrupted you. I apologize for that," Lloyd said, a hint of embarrassment in his voice.
"No, it's alright. It must be fate meeting you again," Li said, a small smile forming on his lips.
"Thanks, I also came to train now that you are here would you like do spar with me? It would help both us," Lloyd proposed.
"Sure," Li nodded nonchalantly.
Well, LI knew that missing on this chance would be stupid as he would benefit more from this than Lloyd.
"Let's spar outside, this training ground won't be able to handle it," Li said.
*****
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