CHAPTER 67: CHAPTER 67: RISING TENSION

The wooden house stood proudly in the middle of the royal capital’s bustling street, its walls carved from strong timber, polished by years of care yet carrying the weight of time. The faint fragrance of cedar drifted in the warm air, mixing with the distant aromas of roasted meat and fresh bread coming from nearby shops. A faint golden glow from the setting sun slanted across its surface, highlighting the large signboard hanging above the entrance. Bold characters were etched on it: Sect Administration Office

Shaurya stood at the front, his sharp gaze fixed on the building. Behind him were his three disciples—Xiao Rui, Lee Bie, and Zong Bu. All three stared at the office with curiosity, their expressions a mixture of awe and uncertainty.

Shaurya smirked. With a casual snap of his fingers, his entire appearance shifted. The black Italian tuxedo that wrapped his frame shimmered for a moment before vanishing, replaced by his flowing, traditional robe.

The three disciples’ jaws dropped.

They blinked at their master, utterly speechless.

Then Shaurya’s calm voice broke their silence.

"Let’s go."

The disciples quickly shook off their daze and straightened up.

"Yes, Master," they answered in unison.

Xiao Rui stepped forward and pushed open the single black wooden door. It creaked softly, revealing the dim but orderly interior of the Sect Administration Office. Shaurya entered first, his hands casually resting in his pockets, his steps confident and unhurried.

Inside, the air smelled faintly of parchment and ink. A single wooden table stood in the center of the room, stacked high with scrolls, old records, and thick leather-bound books. Behind the desk sat an elderly man, his white beard neatly combed, his face marked with wrinkles carved by both time and bureaucracy.

The old man looked up from his work, his tired eyes narrowing slightly as they landed on Shaurya. His tone was dry, almost dismissive, as he asked,

"Who are you?"

Shaurya’s lips curled into a dramatic smile. He straightened his posture and declared with confidence,

"I am the Sect Master of the Sanatan Flame Sect. The strongest sect in this kingdom—and soon to be the strongest in the world."

The old man blinked, confused by the grand introduction.

"Then... what should I do? Whoever you are, just speak plainly—why are you here?"

Shaurya chuckled. Then the chuckle grew into a laugh, echoing within the office.

"I am here to increase my sect’s ranking."

With a flick of his hand, Shaurya retrieved an iron badge from his storage ring. The emblem glinted faintly as he placed it before the old man.

The old man picked it up and inspected it carefully. His brows furrowed as he stared back at Shaurya.

"Rank twelve sect... and you still dare to speak so big?"

Shaurya laughed again, his confidence unshaken.

"Do your work. Increase the ranking."

With another movement of his hand, a neatly rolled form appeared from his storage ring. He placed it on the desk.

"Here are the details of my disciples and their levels. I hope we’ve cleared the criteria."

Before the old man could respond, Shaurya pulled out another parchment.

"This," he said, "is the letter of recommendation from King Tian Long."

The old man’s eyes widened as he read the letter. Beads of sweat instantly formed on his forehead. He quickly rose from his seat, his back now bent with respect.

"I... I am sorry if I offended you."

Behind Shaurya, his disciples burst into laughter.

Lee Bie crossed his arms and sneered.

"Next time, watch your tone, old man."

The administrator nodded nervously, his hands trembling as he quickly began shuffling through scrolls and forms. His quill scratched hastily over parchment as he prepared the paperwork.

Shaurya glanced at his disciples and winked, earning more laughter from the three.

Finally, the old man opened his drawer, pulling out a bronze badge. The symbol of Rank 9 was engraved upon it. With both hands, he offered it to Shaurya.

Shaurya casually tossed the badge into the air, caught it, and then made it vanish into his storage ring. His laughter filled the room again.

"Thank you for your help, old man. And behave rightly with everyone."

The old man nodded furiously, still sweating, as Shaurya and his disciples turned and walked out of the office, their laughter echoing down the street.

Scene Shift

A golden necklace glittered under the light of the marketplace. Muo Qian held it delicately in her hands, showing it to Su Quan and Jun Hua. Both girls leaned closer, their eyes sparkling, and nodded in agreement as they admired its beauty.

Behind them, Wang Tian, Luo Chen, and Lu Fang stood buried under piles of shopping bags. The weight bent their arms, but their faces carried faint, weary smiles.

Luo Chen leaned slightly toward Wang Tian and whispered under his breath,

"At this rate, I guess I’ll have to beg on the streets."

Wang Tian nodded with a tired sigh.

"I’ll be with you."

Lu Fang glanced at the two of them, his lips curling into a smile. Inwardly, he thought, I’m glad I have more than enough money. Otherwise, how humiliating would it be if the former prince of this kingdom had to beg on the streets? Oh no... no, no.

He sighed heavily, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all.

Scene Shift.

As dusk deepened, the sun lowered beyond the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and crimson. The disciples began gathering at the Royal Restaurant.

Standing proudly beside the restaurant were two towering royal hotels, each a grand structure of luxury. With 200 rooms each, their tall windows reflected the last glow of sunset. Silk curtains swayed gently, and golden lanterns began to light up along the carved balconies.

Each hotel could accommodate three or four disciples per room. These establishments, directly owned by the royal family, radiated prestige.

Wang Tian, Luo Chen, and Lu Fang arrived with their companions. Su Quan, Muo Qian, and Jun Hua walked hand in hand with them, laughter spilling from their lips.

Su Quan stretched and sighed.

"Oh girls, I’m hungry."

Jun Hua giggled.

"Yeah, me too. It’s a royal hotel, so the food is going to be delicious."

Muo Qian nodded eagerly.

"Then hurry, let’s eat something."

The boys tucked away the shopping bags into their storage pouches and followed the girls inside.

Within the restaurant, the warm light of golden chandeliers spread across polished marble floors. Lin Shu and Elder Liya were already seated at a long table, sipping tea.

The girls immediately spotted them and hurried forward with cheerful greetings.

Meanwhile, Lu Fang’s gaze drifted across the hall until he noticed Elder Wu, Jian Fan, and Elder Wan at another table. He smiled and nudged Wang Tian and Luo Chen.

"Hey, look there."

The three of them walked over. Elder Wan took a sip of water and looked at them with a sly smile.

"So, how was shopping with your girls?"

The three men sighed in unison.

Lu Fang muttered, "No comments."

Luo Chen groaned, "We want to live."

Wang Tian and Lu Fang both nodded in grim agreement.

Their eyes shifted toward Lin Shu and Elder Liya, who were now deep in conversation with the three girls. Soon, chatter filled the table.

Just then, the restaurant doors swung open.

Cheng Fang stepped inside, accompanied by Xu Ran. Xu Ran spotted the girls immediately. Her eyes lit up as she smiled warmly, waving her hand before walking toward them. Cheng Fang watched her go, smiling faintly.

A voice interrupted him.

"Hey, Cheng Fang."

He turned his head. Luo Chen was waving him over, calling him with a grin.

Cheng Fang walked toward them, his smile growing as he joined their corner table.

One by one, more disciples arrived, filling the restaurant with chatter and laughter. Some had already retired to the hotel, while others stayed to enjoy the royal meal.

Scene Shift — Outside the Restaurant

The night had almost settled when Shaurya approached the restaurant with Xiao Rui, Lee Bie, and Zong Bu. They were laughing together, the atmosphere between them not like a master with his disciples, but like an older brother joking with his younger siblings.

Shaurya said casually,

"King Tian Long personally arranged this royal hotel for us. Because we are VIPs. The royal restaurant too—it’s very expensive, but we get the chance to eat here and stay in the royal hotel. Of course, I could have bought this with my money, but recommendation and VIP treatment feel different."

The others nodded in agreement as they walked.

Suddenly, Xiao Rui froze. His eyes widened as his steps halted.

Lee Bie turned to him, puzzled.

"Hey, Xiao Rui, why did you suddenly stop?"

Zong Bu and Shaurya also looked at him with confusion. Xiao Rui’s body trembled slightly.

The sound of approaching footsteps echoed.

Shaurya turned his head. A young man emerged from the shadows—his hair a deep shade of purple, his pupils glowing the same hue. A long scar marked his right eye. His robe was dark purple on the outside, with light purple lining within. His smile was vicious, wide, and devilish.

He tilted his head, his gaze locking onto Xiao Rui. With a casual wave of his hand, he greeted,

"Long time no see, Xiao Rui."

Zong Bu glanced at Xiao Rui.

"Hey Rui, do you know him?"

But Xiao Rui’s face had darkened, his expression grave.

The man’s devilish smile deepened.

"Long time no see, Xiao Rui."

Shaurya quickly looked at his disciple, shocked by the sudden change in his demeanor.

"Is everything okay?"

Xiao Rui’s right hand trembled violently. He clenched his fist, lightning crackling around it. Sparks of thunder danced across his body. His teeth gritted tightly as he opened his eyes, releasing an aura that burst outward like a storm.

Shaurya, Lee Bie, and Zong Bu instinctively stepped back.

Inside the restaurant, Wang Tian suddenly froze. He felt the aura.

"Is this Xiao Rui’s aura?" he asked with confusion.

Others at the table also turned their heads, sensing it.

Elder Wu’s face grew solemn.

"Yes... but there’s also strong killing intent."

Luo Chen stood, his expression tense.

"We should check."

Together with Wang Tian and Lu Fang, he left the restaurant.

Outside, the purple-haired boy sneered.

"It seems like you’re not happy to see your old friend."

Xiao Rui’s voice was cold, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Zang Han, I will never forget what you did to me and my sister. I swore then—I will definitely take revenge."

Zang Han’s laughter echoed through the night.

"Oh Xiao Rui, after so many years, you’re still dumb. Do you really think joining a sect makes you someone? You’re still that pathetic loser I used to beat whenever I wanted. But tell me—where is your sister, Xiao Lian? I want to meet her. It’s been four years... she must have grown a little."

Xiao Rui’s rage exploded. He screamed,

"Bastard! How dare you—"

He lunged forward, but Zong Bu and Lee Bie grabbed him in time, holding him back.

Zang Han laughed cruelly.

"Listen to your pathetic friends if you don’t want to get beaten like the past times."

Suddenly, a voice whispered from behind him.

"Whom are you calling pathetic?"

Zang Han stiffened, his smirk vanishing. He leapt forward, turning back sharply—but there was no one.

Confused, he turned again—only to find Luo Chen, Lu Fang, and Wang Tian standing there. Behind them, Lu Fang had already knocked out Xiao Rui, rendering him unconscious.

Zang Han’s eyes widened. His voice shook in disbelief.

"When did these three arrive? I didn’t even sense them..."

At that moment, Shaurya stepped forward, hands in his pockets. His calm eyes studied Zang Han.

"You boy. Which sect are you from?"

Zang Han quickly regained his arrogance.

"I am from the strongest sect of this kingdom."

Shaurya tilted his head, feigning confusion. Turning toward his disciples, he asked seriously,

"Hey, when did this guy join our sect?"

Wang Tian frowned, scratching his head.

"I don’t remember."

Luo Chen nodded.

"Yeah. I know everyone in the sect."

Zang Han screamed in frustration.

"Hey! Who said I’m in your loser sect?"

Shaurya straightened, his tone calm.

"Just now you said you are in the strongest sect of this kingdom. But now you’re saying you’re not in our sect. First, clear your thoughts."

Zang Han sneered.

"So, you think your sect is the strongest? What a joke. I am from Jade Phoenix Sect—the strongest sect in this kingdom. The only rank six sect here!"

Shaurya turned to his disciples again.

"Have you heard of it?"

They all shook their heads.

Shaurya shrugged.

"We don’t know."

Zang Han’s face twisted with rage.

"How dare you disrespect my sect! My sect is a hidden sect. We don’t appear unless it’s necessary. And this time, we’re here to win the Sect-Clan Tournament."

Shaurya chuckled.

"I feel bad for you. Your sect has zero chance of winning this time—because of us."

Zang Han smirked.

"I know you. You’re from Sanatan Flame Sect. I heard your leader killed the previous king of this kingdom. That’s why you think your sect is some big shot. Don’t worry. You’ll soon meet your end."

With that, he turned and soared into the night sky, vanishing from sight.

Shaurya tilted his head, unimpressed.

"I am the leader, not a disciple."

Then he looked at Xiao Rui, still unconscious.

"Is he awake?"

Lee Bie lifted Xiao Rui onto his back.

"No, he isn’t."

Shaurya smirked.

"Xiao Rui, you owe me a piggyback ride."

Wang Tian frowned.

"Who was that idiot?"

Shaurya replied calmly,

"We don’t know. But one thing is certain—Xiao Rui holds pure hatred toward him. I’ve never seen him like this."

Lee Bie and Zong Bu nodded in agreement.

Shaurya’s voice lowered with finality.

"Let’s go to the restaurant. We’ll hear Xiao Rui’s story once he wakes up."

With that, they all turned toward the royal restaurant, their steps heavy with both curiosity and anticipation.

To be continued...