CHAPTER 66: CHAPTER 66: HEAD TO CAPITAL CITY

The afternoon sun blazed high above the sky, spreading its golden light across the sprawling Sanatan Flame Sect. The sky was crystal clear, endless and vast, as though the heavens themselves were watching over the sect grounds. A faint warmth lingered in the air, while the courtyard shimmered with sunlight, reflecting against the polished tiles and marble statues of legendary warriors that decorated the sect’s entrance.

Shaurya stood there in the heart of the courtyard, gazing upward. His sharp eyes narrowed slightly at the brilliance of the sun, as though he were measuring his own brilliance against it. Then, in a dramatic motion, he reached into his robe and pulled out a pair of sleek black sunglasses. With a casual flick, he wore them, the lenses catching the sunlight and flashing faintly.

He turned slowly. The sect members were already assembled in the courtyard—outer disciples, inner, disciples, elders, and even the core disciples—standing straight and attentive. Their robes fluttered gently in the breeze, and a hush fell upon them as their master began to walk forward.

Shaurya’s footsteps echoed softly as he approached the line of elders who stood to greet him. From within his robe, he produced an elegantly sealed scroll, its surface marked with a golden emblem of two dragons circling a flaming pearl. Without a word, he tossed it lightly toward Elder Lin Shu. She caught it with practiced grace, her brows knitting with curiosity.

Shaurya’s lips curled into a bright, confident smirk.

"This is the invitation of the Sect-Clan Tournament," he declared, his voice ringing with authority across the courtyard. "The tournament will begin after three days, in the Capital City. The rules are simple: it will be a five-on-five battle. But listen carefully—there is no limit that we can only register five. We can register our entire sect. However, in each battle, only five disciples may fight. And in the next battle, we may change them. That means most of you will have the chance to enter the battlefield."

The disciples erupted into whispers, their excitement already bubbling. Elder Wu, however, stepped forward, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Whoa... Last time, in the Fifty Cities Disciples’ Tournament, we were only able to register three disciples. But this time, the whole sect... This tournament is truly going to be grand."

Shaurya nodded firmly, his sunglasses glinting.

"Yes, it is. But remember, every round is an elimination round. The competition will be divided into four groups. We must win all of our group stage matches, then proceed to the semi-finals, and finally, the grand finals. It will be a four-day tournament—three days for group stages and semi-finals, and the last, the fourth day, will be the finals."

Every disciple and elder listened with unwavering concentration, not daring to miss a single word. The courtyard was alive with tension and anticipation.

Elder Wu thought for a moment, then leaned slightly forward, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

"Then, Master, which disciples have you selected for this competition?"

Shaurya let out a hearty laugh that resounded through the courtyard.

"Well... for the group stage, let us give the outer disciples—those who rarely had the chance to perform—the opportunity to shine. Then, for the semi-finals, our inner disciples will take the stage. And for the finals... our core disciples."

A wave of cheer erupted from the crowd. Disciples jumped with excitement, their whispers turning into joyous chatter.

"I guess I will finally get the chance to perform!" one exclaimed.

"Yeah, who knows—maybe some beauty will be impressed by me..." another said with a grin.

"I am super excited!"

"Hah, now my parents will not think I am a waste anymore..."

Shaurya looked at them with a warm, almost fatherly smile. Inwardly, he whispered to himself, My disciples are very cute and innocent.

Then, raising his hand for silence, he spoke firmly.

"Okay, get yourselves ready. We are heading out now—for a whole week trip."

The sect cheered again, their voices rising like a roaring tide.

Lin Shu stepped forward, her brows furrowed slightly. She turned to him and asked,

"Why today? The competition is after three days."

Shaurya’s lips curved into a sly smile.

"Well, I have to increase our sect’s rank. And besides, the disciples will enjoy themselves before the tournament."

Lin Shu nodded in understanding, her expression softening.

"Oh, I see." She then turned and left with Elder Liya, both of them appearing happy as they conversed quietly.

Meanwhile, Luo Chen leaned close to Wang Tian and whispered,

"We should take all our money with us."

Wang Tian blinked in confusion. "Why?"

Luo Chen rolled his shoulder casually.

"We’re going there three days early. That means... three days to enjoy. Which also means three days of shopping—for girls."

Wang Tian tilted his head, then suddenly his eyes widened in realization.

"Oh yeah, you’re right! Let’s go prepare!"

The two of them rushed off in excitement.

Behind them, Sheng Lu and Lu Fang had overheard their conversation. Sheng Lu turned to his companion, his expression amused.

"They’re right. I guess you should also prepare your money—so that something like last time doesn’t happen."

Lu Fang smirked.

"Don’t worry. After that incident, I always carry money with me."

Sheng Lu tilted his head. "Do you have enough, though? You and Jun Hua often go to the city together."

Lu Fang laughed proudly.

"Don’t worry. I have no shortage of money. When we defeated my father, the previous king, Master gave me fifty percent of the treasure. I sold everything except the gold, and earned even more in gold tales."

Sheng Lu’s curiosity deepened.

"Then how much gold do you have currently?"

Lu Fang thought for a moment, then said casually,

"I guess something around fifty million gold tales."(Note: That’s about nineteen point three four trillion Indian rupees... or two hundred and nineteen point seven billion dollars).

Sheng Lu’s jaw dropped.

"What the hell! You could buy this entire city with that much money!"

Lu Fang simply laughed, chest swelling with pride.

An hour passed.

The elders began assembling at the great Dark Pearl Ship, its black hull gleaming with mystic inscriptions that pulsed faintly with spiritual energy. The disciples gathered slowly, their robes fluttering in the breeze as they climbed aboard.

Wang Tian and Luo Chen arrived alongside Su Quan and Muo Qian, descending onto the deck near Lu Fang and Jun Hua. Xiao Rui, Lee Bie, and Zong Bu were already seated comfortably on a thick mattress, eating food from steaming trays.

Lin Shu appeared next with Elder Liya. She wore a beautiful gold necklace and matching earrings that sparkled under the sun, making her look radiant. Elder Wan’s cheeks flushed the instant his eyes fell upon Elder Liya.

"You are looking beautiful, Elder Liya," he said nervously.

She blushed softly. Lin Shu chuckled and leaned closer, whispering into Elder Liya’s ear,

"You two enjoy."

Her face turned even redder as Lin Shu walked away, heading toward the front of the ship where the sect awaited their master.

Suddenly—dark clouds began to swirl above the Sanatan Flame Sect, covering the once-clear sky. The disciples froze, staring upward in confusion. The winds howled, carrying with them an unnatural chill.

Then, without warning, a golden flash burst forth in front of them, blinding their eyes. Lin Shu, standing at the front, quickly raised her hand to shield herself. Through the blinding light, she dared to glance slightly—and saw a figure floating within the golden radiance.

The light began to dim. Slowly, everyone opened their eyes—and gasped in shock.

Shaurya was floating before them, smiling brightly. He was no longer in his usual attire, but dressed in a luxurious black Italian tuxedo suit. His black tie floated with the wind, and his hands rested casually in his pockets. Behind him, golden light radiated majestically, painting him as though he were descended from the heavens.

Everyone’s jaws dropped in astonishment.

Shaurya winked at them, then vanished in an instant, reappearing at the front edge of the Dark Pearl Ship. He adjusted his tie, took out his round sunglasses, and slid them onto his face. With a dazzling smile, he said,

"So, should we leave?"

The crowd was still frozen in disbelief.

Xiao Rui whispered, "Master... he is looking..."

Lee Bie replied breathlessly, "Handsome..."

Zong Bu blinked rapidly, adding, "Stunning..."

Shaurya shrugged casually.

"What happened? Why are your jaws dropped?" He then turned toward Lin Shu, tilting his head playfully.

"Am I looking that handsome?"

Her mouth remained open. She slowly nodded, answering,

"Yes." Then, realizing, she shook her head quickly, blushing deeply.

"I mean..."

Shaurya lowered his sunglasses slightly, revealing his sharp eyes, and winked at her. Her face turned completely red.

Turning away, Shaurya raised his right fist high toward the sky.

"Repeat what I say!" he commanded.

Then he screamed with a powerful voice that shook the air:

"Ganpati Bappa Morya!"

The sect members stared in confusion for a moment. But then, as one, they repeated his words in unison, their voices rising like thunder.

"Ganpati Bappa Morya!"

The Dark Pearl Ship began to move, slowly lifting into the skies. Two guards standing at the sect’s entrance watched as their people departed. They waved with proud smiles.

Scene Shift to Capital City

The Capital’s new grand stadium loomed like a titan. It was massive—three to four times the size of the largest football stadiums in existence. At its center was a colossal battle arena, its marble tiles reinforced with spiritual arrays. Around it, towering stands rose high, with a seating capacity of over nine hundred thousand spectators.

Above the crowd seats, special VIP chambers floated like miniature palaces, reserved for royals, sect masters, and powerful figures. At the very center of these chambers, a grand room stood, lavishly adorned with crimson drapes and golden pillars.

King Tian Long stood there, gazing over the magnificent stadium. Behind him loomed his throne, decorated with dragon motifs. He chuckled heartily, then turned his gaze to a man dressed in black robes like a shadowy ninja. The man’s face was hidden beneath a dark veil.

"The tournament is about to begin," Tian Long said warmly. "I did not expect you to accept my invitation, Li Dong."

Li Dong sighed, his voice carrying faint irritation.

"How could I ignore my beloved friend’s invitation?"

Tian Long laughed.

"Most of the time, you reject my invitations."

"Yeah, because you always invite me to your useless parties and talk nonsense," Li Dong snapped. "Especially when we are separated by thousands of miles. Rarely do you invite me to something worth my time."

Tian Long chuckled awkwardly.

"Well, you think my parties useless. Besides, it is great to have you here."

Li Dong tilted his head.

"Yeah, because you lied to me—telling me I would get the chance to fight many challenging opponents. But in fact, I cannot even take part in the tournament."

Tian Long placed a hand over his shoulder with a friendly smile.

"Don’t be mad. Many sects and clans will join this tournament. Who knows, perhaps someone might attract your attention."

Li Dong narrowed his eyes.

"You have someone to recommend?"

Tian Long’s laughter echoed in the chamber.

"You will know when the time comes."

Scene Comes back to Shaurya

Shaurya suddenly felt a hiccup.

"Huh... Seems like someone is talking about me. Forget it."

By then, he had already arrived at the Capital City with his sect.

Lin Shu and Elder Liya approached him gracefully. Lin Shu said,

"Hey, Shaurya."

He turned his head. "Yeah, what happened?"

"I am going shopping with Elder Liya."

Shaurya smiled warmly. "Okay, enjoy."

Then he turned toward the rest of the disciples and raised his voice.

"You all can also go have some fun. We will meet later at the most prestigious restaurant of this city."

The disciples erupted in joy, cheering loudly, their voices echoing through the bustling streets.

"Yes, Master!" they shouted before vanishing like gusts of wind, rushing off toward the marketplaces.

Only Xiao Rui, Lee Bie, and Zong Bu remained beside Shaurya. He looked at them with mild confusion.

"You three are not going?"

Xiao Rui placed his hands casually behind his head.

"Nah. We’ll just wander with you."

Lee Bie nodded. "Yeah."

Shaurya laughed.

"So, let’s go then—to the Sect Administration Office."

The three nodded with excitement, and together, they walked forward with Shaurya into the heart of the Capital.

To be continued...