Returning to the Mysterious Era

Chapter 75 - Enchanting Star

"Of course." Cassius dragged his gaze away.

"I’ll take this opportunity to tell you guys about a few notable opponents in this Beiliu County Exchange Tournament," Hykal suddenly spoke up. "First, there's the Black Crane Sect. Comparable to our sect in terms of strength, they excel in the crane technique. That means they'll be striking extremely fast and will have strong finger techniques, so be careful.

"Second, the Golden Fist Sect," Hykal jabbed a finger diagonally behind them. Cassius looked over to find five burly men, all with tanned skin and terrifyingly strong muscles. Three of them were bald just like Moses.

"Their sect specializes in physical training to the point where their muscles, bones, and skin can even withstand cold weapons. Just look at Moses and you’ll know what I’m talking about. When you're up against these types of enemies, don't prolong the fight. Find a weak spot and immediately go for the kill."

Hykal paused before continuing, "Another sect that has yet to arrive is the Singing Water Sect. They're more powerful than the Black Crane Sect, Golden Fist Sect—even our's. Some say that they're the top Covert Martial Arts sect in Beiliu County. Needless to say, their Singing Water Covert Martial Arts are incredibly powerful.

"Their area of expertise lies in using gentleness to overcome strength, similar to jiujitsu. They specialize in close combat. I once fought their senior sister and she had the ability to concentrate most of her strength on her opponent's specific weak spots, forcing them to fight with only a fraction of their power. In such cases, their opponent could be incapacitated if they continue to exert strength."

"Did you win, Senior Brother?" Lance asked curiously.

"No." Hykal smiled. "But I didn't lose either.

"In recent years, the Singing Water Sect has produced a top genius who has already realized the second stage of the Singing Water Covert Martial Arts although her physique hasn't reached the pugilist level yet. She may act as the Singing Water Sect's representative in this competition for combat experience so we may encounter her later."

"Is that her?" Moses suddenly turned his head to the ruckus happening at the entrance. The others imitated him.

A group of five, dressed in identical blue combat attires, walked over. Composed of two men and three women who all looked serene, there was a girl noticeably shorter than the others near the back of the group. She had delicate features and fair skin, but her facial features hadn't fully matured yet so she still possessed a youthful cuteness. Her big, watery eyes scanned her surroundings curiously.

"Is that Heidi, the first prodigy of the Singing Water Sect in a hundred years?"

"She's said to be only fifteen this year. Such talent..."

"She'll probably reach the pugilist stage by next year. I'm really envious. I might not ever reach that level in my lifetime, yet this little girl has a chance of doing it by the time she's sixteen..."

The hall was momentarily filled with chatter.

Hykal then shared with his four junior brothers and sister information and the current affairs of the Covert Martial Arts world. He had traveled far and wide these past few years and experienced all sorts of things. Cassius found it very enlightening.

Additionally, Hykal reminded the four of them that although it was called an exchange tournament, it was possible for combat to sometimes get out of hand. If they couldn't defeat their opponents in the ring, they shouldn't stubbornly hold on, and instead, surrender immediately.

After all, everyone at the tournament was a Covert Martial Arts practitioner; many were pugilists with physiques beyond the human limit. The damage caused by a heavy blow to a vital area was no less than being shot. It would not be easy making the other side pay if someone ended up crippled or dead.

Cassius understood what Hykal meant. The Wind Elephant Sect's real opponents would be the other three sects who were at the same level as them. How could they make the other sects' precious core disciples pay if there were casualties? The most likely scenario was that it would end inconclusively unless the sects were ruthless enough to start a war with each other directly.

By the time the morning passed, most of the Covert Martial Arts sects had arrived. Only about a fifth were still missing.

Due to how inconvenient transportation was in Li Wei’s era, the gathering time for the exchange tournament was stretched to an entire day to accommodate the sects who were traveling from remote areas.

At noon, Cassius and the others went to a large dining room in the manor to eat. More than twenty people from the Wind Elephant Sect sat at a long white table filled with rich and delicious delicacies.

After lunch, some chose to return to the hall to continue chatting while they waited. Cassius, Moses, and Lance, on the other hand, decided to stroll around the manor, and even tried their hand at the newly popular sport of golf. The game ended up being not much of a challenge. After they got the hang of the feeling, the three people with superior muscle control and vision often won within two strokes. Sometimes, they would even hit a hole in one.

Everyone finally arrived at around eight in the evening. It turned out that the original plan outlined in the invitation about a morning opening ceremony and afternoon competition was wholly idealistic.

After dinner, all the participants were taken to a luxurious hall in the manor. It was set up like an opera house, with a red curtain blocking everyone's view. The crowd sat on the tiered steps that stretched upward in a spiral.

After a while, the host of the exchange competition appeared to give a speech. Like any other official talk, the whole process was tedious and boring. After half an hour, the speaker finally stepped down.

Suddenly, the lights dimmed. When they came back on, the curtain on the stage had been pulled open from both sides revealing a large group of vibrant, young, and sexy girls in tight dresses that accentuated their curvy figures. Instantly, they attracted the attention of many Covert Martial Artists.

The beautiful figure leading the group of dancers seemed familiar. After a moment of pondering, Cassius remembered the large poster he had seen when he first arrived in Beiliu City.

She seemed to be an opera star who had recently risen in popularity. The organizers of the exchange tournament had surprisingly invited her to perform. Cassius recalled that a junior brother at the Wind Elephant Martial Arts Hall was especially fond of the dignified and elegant actress.

There was nothing dignified about the star tap-dancing onstage with makeup caked on her face and moving suggestively. Cassius scratched his head helplessly. It turned out that the goddess of elegance and aloofness in the young man's eyes had a gaudy side.

Someone that was cold to one yesterday, but turn into a sycophant the next day... All he could say was, having power, influence, and strength was truly great.