Lord of the Court

As the atmosphere grew tense and pressure focused, the earth cracked, the air shattered, and intense pressure waves emanated from Fan and Sheng. Fan was fixated on Sheng, black and white auras spreading around him like whips, breaking the air.

Everyone watching was fearful, holding looks of caution and dread.

Sheng smiled, gripping his sword tightly and pressing his feet into the ground. A mighty dark green aura radiated from his sword, then he launched forward with unseen speed, destroying everything around him.

Fan took a defensive stance, gripping Sheng's sword with his bare hands, black and white lines emerging from both his palms.

Sheng wore an expression of intense excitement, then lifted the sword away from Fan's hands.

Mighty strikes from Sheng's sword launched towards Fan, and Fan parried every blow, creating great, beautiful waves and lines. It was as if Sheng's sword was an ancient dragon yearning for battle, and Fan's energy was its twin opposite, forced into harmony.

The air intensified and the energy became stronger with every clash between Fan and Sheng. Due to the intense aura, Hao Lin grabbed his mother and pulled her away from the battle, followed by Teen Teen and Sina.

Sheng pushed Fan back and took a combat stance, as if preparing for a powerful strike. As the green aura grew stronger and fiercer, without warning, Fan appeared before Sheng and struck him with a fist enveloped in black and white energy, sending him flying back into a wall, causing all the aura Sheng had gathered to dissipate.

Sheng stood up again from the rubble and smoke, charging his sword once more.

Suddenly, the First Elder of the Namgong family appeared on a rooftop, sensing the intense aura. He was a tall man with a sharp long beard, thinning hair, and a white robe with gray lines. He noticed that the Court Lord was fighting the Family Lord.

First Elder: "What is happening, Sword Servant One?"

A masked man in white clothes with green lines appeared.

Sword Servant One: "The Family Lord is having a friendly spar with the Third Young Master's friend."

The First Elder fell silent and continued to watch.

The battle raged between Sheng's blade and Fan's fists. Blood dripped from Sheng's head due to Fan's previous blow, which only made him more eager for the fight.

Sheng stood a little distance from Fan, raising his sword to the sky and placing his hand on his chest. Then an aura appeared, mightier and fiercer than before, as if dragons were emerging from the Namgong Family Lord's body. The barrier created by the First Elder shattered, and the clouds in the sky above began to vanish and fragment. The sky above the family mansion began to turn green, creating a grand and terrifying sight, as if a mighty beast was preparing to descend from the heavens.

Fan raised his head to the sky to witness the terrifying spectacle created by Sheng, then said, "Beautiful..."

Fan raised his hand to the sky, and a black orb with some white lines around it appeared.

Sheng gripped his sword firmly and took a charging stance, destroying everything behind him—trees and walls—and launching forward like a green comet falling from the sky.

Fan parried Sheng's sword with the orb he had created, causing a tremendous shockwave that utterly destroyed the inner courtyard. Great, destructive lines, a fusion of green and black and white, erupted from the Namgong mansion, turning the sky into a mixture of green, black, and white, making it look like a battlefield between two mighty dragons.

Sword Servant One fell to the ground, unconscious from the sheer force.

The First Elder stood watching the majestic scene between two beasts, among the strongest humans and perhaps the strongest creatures.

Sheng was smiling intensely with excitement, while Fan appeared to be enjoying himself even with his mask on.

Suddenly, Sheng noticed the destruction in the Namgong mansion, which made him lose focus on the fight, allowing Fan's energy to overpower Sheng's sword energy, sending him flying away.

The Third Elder, a short man with a short beard, sharp eyes, and baldness, appeared. The Fourth, with a serious face, a scar on his cheek, a very light beard, and long hair. And even the Fifth, with a strong muscular build and a youthful face appearing in his thirties, stood beside the First Elder.

The First Elder, with a look of disappointment: "You fools are late!"

The Fourth Elder shouted: "What is happening here, First Elder?"

The First Elder replied in a cold tone, turning slightly: "Just a momentary burst of enthusiasm from the Family Lord..."

The Fifth Elder shouted, addressing him: "First Elder, I hope you explain well."

The First Elder paused, then turned his face slightly while maintaining his steady posture: "I said it was just a whim... Move from here." He said it as a deep blue aura emanated from him and his sheath, even as his hands remained behind his back.

The Fifth and Fourth Elders tensed and obeyed the First Elder's command, leaving. The Third Elder cast one last deep look at Fan and said, "What a pitiful boy..." Then he left with the First Elder.

The scene shifted to Fan and Sheng sitting on the ground, with some blood flowing from Sheng's body, and both their clothes covered in ash and dust.

Sheng said, "As expected from the Court Lord, it was truly a great fight."

Fan remained silent without expression, then said, "You too."

Sheng laughed a little then said, "Haha, don't you have any shame complimenting an old man like me?"

Fan stood up and stepped forward slightly, then said, "Then sharpen your sword more."

Sheng remained silent and smiling, looking at Fan who continued on his way.

Sheng got up and wiped the dust off himself, saying, "I was starting to like him, but unfortunately..." He then heard his wife's scream: "Sheng, you idiot!! You destroyed the house!!!"

Sheng trembled as he saw the ruined house around him and said, "Damn it...."

After that, Sina agreed that Sheng could represent their family, saying, "Being able to fight Lord Namgong for a few minutes makes him more than qualified to participate, perhaps even to honor us with victory."

Unfortunately, it was announced that Lord Namgong was the winner, as everyone thought Fan was just a young man. The announcement of the true result was avoided to preserve the honor of Family Lord Sheng and the reputation of the Namgong family as the strongest family in the Central Plains.

The next morning...

Hao Lin and Fan were preparing to set off for Blue City, the center of the Mooring Alliance, to participate in the Phoenix and Dragon Tournament, amidst farewells from the Namgong family, especially from the Lady of the Family and Hao Lin's sister, Sina.

Unfortunately, the Family Lord was not present due to what he had done to the house and had to take responsibility for it.

Hao Lin and Fan set off, walking through Green Sword City, heading to the Eastern Gate to depart for the Mooring Alliance's center, Blue City, the second-largest city in the continent and the greatest in martial arts.

Hao Lin said, "I hope you don't cause trouble, my lord..." Then he continued, "Why do you want to participate in this fight? If you love fighting this much, go fight the three Elders or the Demonic Sect Master."

Fan fell silent, then said with a very, very serious expression, "Since I came out, I've only met old people... I want to meet my peers."

Hao Lin thought to himself: (Damn this troublesome fellow with strange whims...)

Then Fan hit Hao Lin, saying, "I heard that, you rascal."

Hao Lin held his head in pain, saying, "I forgot this basterd can read minds."

Fan hit Hao Lin again.

And here, Fan and Hao Lin set off for a greater and fiercer place, the center of the Mooring Alliance, Blue City, the second-largest and most formidable city in martial arts on the continent.