10 The clan meeting (1/2)

With a heavy heart Bai Yun was about to start on the return journey when he stopped. After spending a moment in contemplation, he went back inside the clan library.

An hour later Bai Yun left the library. But this time he had taken three other books with him:A Historyof the Howling Wind continent, Geography of the Howling Wind continent, and Dangerous places and how to avoid them.

After finding these books, Bai Yun started on his way back. This time no one called out to him, so he was able to travel with no problem. As he started walking, he once again drew his attention back to the Moonlight Sword. With his understanding of the sword he quickly saw through the key points of the Moonlight Sword. He continued to read in order to remember it properly as well use the book in order to modify it in order better integrate with his swordplay.

Suddenly he asked. ”What is the annual clan meeting.” There was no one next to him, and he looked like an idiot, talking to himself. If anyone had heard him, they would have thought that he was crazy.

”Old butler I know that you are here. Just stop hiding and tell me.” He said once again.

After a moment an old man appeared next to him. He was clad in a strange suit. A servant's badge was on his chest, but its gold color indicated that it was of a very high rank.

”How did you notice.” The butler asked.

Bai Yun realized his mistake. The old butler as at the soul tribulation stage. He had followed him while hiding, without informing him. It should not have been possible for Bai Yun to notice him.

”I knew that mother and father would not let me travel by myself. It was highly likely that they would sent someone to watch over me. So I was always on the lookout. I sensed your presence during the fight.” Bai Yun said.

The butler nodded. ”The clan is a large place. Its rules are strict, but fair. It gives the resources to people by considering their age and cultivation, disregarding their standing or their families power in the family. But it also highly regards talent and hard work and tries to reward them. Talent is not too important in the first step for a clan as powerful as the Bai clan, and isn't taken into consideration when giving out resources. But cultivation as well as the combat ability of each person is also important and needs to be tested. That is what the annual clan meeting is for.”

”During every year during the clan meeting the most outstanding people are awarded. The clan meeting is divided into four. The people of the qi condensation, foundation establishment, core formation and nascent soul stages all fight against people in their own cultivation stages. The winner of the tournament and the top rankers all get more resources.”

”All the cultivators of a single stage are to fight against each other. Isn't that unfair? People can't show their true strength if their if their cultivation is low.” Bai Yun asked.

”True. But its not like the clan can make it extremely fair. It will take too much time and resources. Besides only the people in the top stages will actually register. People with lower cultivation only register to have fun.”

”Okay. So its just a fighting tournament.” Bai Yun said.

”Yes, basically.” The butler replied.

Even though he had never participated in a tournament. He had seen a few when growing up, while visiting as guests along with his parents. He had also heard about them from the people in the Grand War.

”When is the next tournament?” Bai Yun asked.

”Seven months from now.” the butler replied.

”So if I want to win, I need to be able to match up against top qi condensation cultivators in seven months.”

”You would think so, but no.”

”What do you mean?”

”Last year all the top one thousand in the qi condensation stage exam was in the foundation establishment stage.”

Bai Yun stopped dead in his tracks. He looked up at the butler in astonishment. ”What the hell? How is that possible?”

”The qi cultivation tournament is a seven day event. For the clan meeting the cultivation is measured onthe first day. After that your cultivation doesn't matter. And the battles only begin from the second day onward. So many people use this time to break through in the night. And then participate in the meeting as foundation establishment cultivators to increase their chance of getting to the top.”

”But even then isn't a thousand too many.”

”This is the headquarters of the Bai clan. Consider just how many people there are here. And how many of them are young. Consider the number of people in the required age. Many people spend years in the qi condensation stage. And a lot of them suppress their cultivation in order to breakthrough after registering. In fact even though there were only a little more than a thousand foundation establishment cultivators last year, it is estimated that around three thousand people tried to breakthrough after registering.”

When Bai Yun thought about it, he realized that the butler was right. ”How many people register for the tournament?” He asked.

”Oven ten thousand people register each year.”

This seemed reasonable to Bai Yun. Thinking about fighting the foundation establishment cultivators, he wasn't sure if only seven moths were enough for him to do so. Even with his knowledge, and the completely broken Simple Sword, he wasn't sure if he could do so unless he reached at least the eighth stage of the qi realm, and a similar stage in body also. After all the people at the top weren't going to be morons like the idiot from earlier. Suddenly Bai Yun remembered a question he forgot to ask.

” Who was the brat from earlier?” He asked.

”His name is Bai Shun. He is the great grandson of the ninth elder. The one who stepped in in the middle was his older brother Bai Song.”

”Why did he attack me?”

Suddenly the butler started to laugh. ”You truly have no idea.” He asked.