The Ancient Castle

It was night time when Arthur finally returned to his room in the guest house after all the day's ordeals. The night was peaceful and serene like an old well inside a forest, the beautiful moonlight illuminated the city more then a million candles could ever wish to. It was beautiful, Arthur was still admiring the scenery from his bedside window, yawning and contemplating on the information given by the old warden when he heard someone knocking on his door.

Arthur's POV

*Knock-Knock*

'Who could it be this late into the night? ' I wondered and called out just to be sure

"Who is it? "

"It's me, Yang." A beautiful and magnetic voice answered me.

"Jiang li? " I asked perplexed as I was wondering why did she came looking for me this late into the night?

As I open my door, the moonlight revealed to me the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my life, it was as if the moon itself had come down on earth in the disguise of a woman just to tempt me.

Jiang li was standing in front of me wearing a simple purple coloured night gown yet somehow that simple gown looked like the most beautiful pice of clothing once she wore it.

Her slightly wet hair coupled with her pearly white skin that was shyly revealing itself from her night gown along with the moonlight which covered her in a thin veil of mystery truly made her an other wordly beauty.

So much lost in my own stupor was I that I didn't even notice that I was staring at her in a daze.

"Master Yang? " Jiang li's beautiful voice brought me back to my senses as I just stood there in embarrassment at my own behavior, clearly my exhaustion was catching up to me as I felt dizzy and let my guards down which lead me to this embarrassing situation.

'But still how could I be in a daze from just a mere sight of her?' I ridiculed myself and my naive behavior.

Seeing my embarrassing state, Jiang li smile playfully and teased "What? never seen a beautiful woman before? "

'Never seen a handsome man before?' I laughed remembering my previous words to her and she giggled triumphantly as she manage to cleverly use my very own words against me and just like that, the awkwardness inside me vanished in the form of a smile

[AN: You dare use my own spell against me porter! ]

'Jiang li have a beautiful gift of bringing out the good side of people. ' I thought.

"So what brings you here? " I asked and sat down on my bed.

"Not even going to invite me inside?" She replied pouting as she barge into my room nevertheless.

"Here" She handed me a beautiful golden laced envelope as I watched it in confusion.

"What's this? " I asked even though my hand started to open the envelope.

"An invitation to our clan's annual meeting, you are coming with me and I won't take no as an answer! " She was adamant in her reply as she didn't even let me finish my own sentence.

"But-" I said

"No buts! " And she cut me off.

"I mean " I tried once more

"Shhhh" But she cut me off again and this time she put a finger on her lips as if I was a little kid.

"I mean why give me this at this time of the night?" I finally mange to say something.

"A valid question only if you didn't had the habit of vanishing into thin air every now and then while leaving a clone as a decoy! " She said annoyed.

"I mean what if I didn't give you this right now and somehow you manage to vanish again in the morning? What will I do then! " She sounded annoyed but I know she was only acting to be annoyed because that's how Jiang li is. Playful and sweet.

"Fine-fine I will be there" I forcefully shut her up and drag her outside of my room.

"You promise? " But she still kept on jabbering so I closed the door on her.

"OI YOU PROMISE!? " She shouted again.

"Yes... " I replied defeated by her antics as she happily trod away at her triumphant victory.

"Oh boy she is handful" I said and crash into my bed. Simultaneously using uchiha flame barrier and master key took it's toll on my stamina as I was clearly exhausted and soon started snoring like my clone.

....

Morning arrived as the butler surname li destroyed my sleep by waking me up at 5 AM.

*Knock-Knock*

"MASTER YANG!" Someone shouted so loudly in front of my room that I could even hear it in my sleep.

"Master yang! "

"I am awake! " I shouted in reply as I wonder who was this dimwit who was waking me up so early in the morning.

"Sir Feng li and Lady Jiang li are awaiting your presence master yang. " The butler said in utmost fineness, the complete opposite to how he was shouting before although I would say he probably shouted because I wasn't waking up.

I freshen up and walk outside towards the courtyard where Jiang li and feng li were waiting for me for breakfast.

"Not an early bird ain't you master yang? " Jiang li teased in her usual tone and feng li smiled upon hearing it.

"Would have been better if you could have informed me earlier that I have to woke up at 5" I complained, slightly annoyed because I just had a battle yesterday and I couldn't even sleep past 6. I was getting spoiled here.

"Didn't you properly inform master yang dear? " Feng li asked apologetically.

"I did hand him the invitation which had every detail necessary in there but I guess master yang didn't read it cause he was too 'stun' yesterday. " Jiang li teased and wink playfully at me which confused feng li.

"What are you talking about? " He asked innocently and I coughed hard and tried to divert the topic.

"So what do we have in store for today? " I asked out of nowhere and luckily Jiang li didn't continued.

"A lot actually." Feng li answered in a good mood.

"First we will all gather in the Clan's golden Pavillion and welcome the guest of honor. Then we will pay respect to our ancestors and our founder through a prayer then after a while, the Junior martial arts competition will begin in which I will be participating. "

"Seems a very important event for the clan. " I commented.

"Indeed, that's why I had specially asked my uncle for an invitation just for my dear friend and savior. " feng li smiled at me.

"Thanks a lot. " I also smiled at him which made the atmosphere awkward as both of us smiled at each other without uttering a single sentence for a half a minute. Both of us were dunce at conversation even though I made fun of the conversation skills of the head warden.

"Ok that's enough smiling for now, let gets going now, we have a big day in front of us! " Jiang li broke the awkward situation.

"Indeed." Feng li bumped his fists enthusiastically.

"Seems like a fun day. " I matched his enthusiasm but my plan was something else entirely.

"By the way you should meet my uncle today as he is very insistent on meeting you. " Feng li brought it up as the waiter and maids bring in our breakfast.

*crisp*

"Sure do. " I reassure as I took the first bite.

After our breakfast, we dress up for the event as the carriage arrived.

Slowly riding our way into the Clan's inner compound. The richness of qi in the air kept on increasing dramatically as the Flaming white horses neigh in delight.

The size and design of buildings kept on getting fancier and exquisite as even the roads were ladden with precious gems.

'Too fancy for my taste' I thought as the carriage enter a broad roadway, the roads were not paved with jewel this time and instead of fancy buildings, beautiful trees grew in the side of the road but still the road carried a pristine and mysterious aura as if it was created in the ancient times.

Our carriage continued moving forward and soon a collosal castle of ancient architect was standing tall and proud in all of it's glory.

From afar one can make out that the castle was a enormous circular structure with hexagonal towers surrounding it and a fancy castle situated on top of the circular structure with an elongated tip like the Eiffel Tower's.

"We are here. " Feng li said full of awe and respect.

Our carriage stopped in what I suppose is the parking area equivalent of this world.

A person whom I assume is the chauffeur open our carriage door and soon we started making our way towards the enormous castle.

The entrance was grand is an understatement of a compliment. The gate was guarded by 8 guards of the golden core realm and the castle walls were as tall as 10 storey building which were made out of ancient materials and filled with exquisite designs which heavily radiated a different kind of qi which was clashing with my chakra.

"It's the air attribute qi, you will get use to it soon. " Feng li comforted me after seeing my uncomfortable expression.

I nodded and I kept on admiring the entrance which branch out into a enormous hallway with torches the size of a car shinning with pristine golden flames.

We soon reached a spot which was either a waiting area or the ball room and assuming this world's civilisation is similar to ancient china, both of my guesses could be wrong but nonetheless, it was a giant hall built completely with regal gold and the finest craftsmanship partnered with the most precious crystals and gems and numerous priceless chandeliers.

There was a painting on the circular ceiling, the painting of a monarch with golden flames adorned on his regal robe, wielding a divine sword and a immortal army behind him, fighting bravely with what appears to be a Pheonix.

"That's the founder of our clan. The sun monarch and his royal army.

and this is The Golden Pavillion. " Feng li explained seeing my gaze at the painting and what could I say? this was truly fitting of it's name. The Golden Pavillion or a hall technically?

It was beautiful up to bafflement but a little weird because it was filled with countless butlers and maids who were rushing from place to place carrying trays and other utensils like the wallmart shoplifters of my world.

"What's happening? " I asked in bewilderment.

"They are preparing to welcome the guests. " Jiang li replied with a smile.

"We just arrived a bit too early. " She continued seeing my confused expression and giggled.

"So why are we here so early? " I asked, noticing that I was talking a lot compared to my previous monotone self. Maybe it's the influence of these 2 and especially that talkative Jiang li.

Feng li remained silent this whole time as his gaze was fixated on a single door. It was a giant bronze door which was as thick as my fat aunty next door which is a lot.

Without uttering a single word, he started walking towards that bronze door as if he was possessed.

Both Jiang li and I silently followed him as we also wanted to see what was beyond that door.

The bronze gate was slowly opened and what meet my eyes was a giant battle arena like the Rome's Colosseum but unlike the Colosseum the arena was slightly elevated and in the shape of a square created by a special tiles which were radiating strong qi energy and a formation around the arena which is for the protection of the audience I presume.

'So that's why cultivation battle arena are so strong.. ' I thought.

Feng li slowly walked up to the arena, taking every step on the stair case carefully like a sportsman on his first debut. His shallow breath taking in the smell of the arena. Was he nervous or happy? All of his hard work and dedication finally leads him to this point, will he get the result for which he had worked so earnestly for? Sacrificing his sleep and training day and night all for this moment.

Such thoughts were running rampant on my mind as feng li continued climbing the staircase, his steps slow yet heavy. Were his steps fill with pride or were they filled with the heavy responsibility which he carries on his shoulder not just his own but of his entire branch clan.

Feng li climbed the staircase and was a mere inch away from the battle arena when bam!

The formation below his feet lit up and revealed a protection barrier around the arena which threw Feng li off the arena and onto the ground.

With a thud he fell onto the ground, unconscious as Jiang li rushed to his aid.

'Maybe the formation isn't only there to protect the audience' I wondered.

[AN: Hi readers! as you noticed, I try something new here by telling the story from the perspective of Arthur as a pov. Comment whether you like it or not or should I continue writing it as a third person pov?

Thanks for reading and keep following this story as the story is getting ready to set in motion and if you have read my previous arc then you will know that I deliver when I said that the story is getting ready to pick up its pace!

once again thank to all the loyal readers for following this story 🙏]