Bonding Banquet pt. 1

A month had passed by and in the sacred Sec of Mount Grace, things were being prepared for the four-day bonding banquet. Every clan had arrived a day prior and were already settled in except for the Kang clan.

"Do you suppose they won't show?" said Clan Leader Ba, holding his chin with his thumb and index finger.

"No matter if they do not show, we have done things without them this far." said Clan Leader Vu firmly.

"Clan Leader Kang has contributed cattle and currency in the past month, he has aided us quite a bit." Said Clan Leader Hai.

"They have kept to their word, making no foul moves in the past month as well; I suppose he is trust-worthy." said Clan Leader Ba.

"No foul moves that we are aware of!" Rudely added Clan Leader Vu.

"As long as they stay to the truce, whatever else the Kang Clan does is no concern of ours." said Clan Leader Hai.

"Pardon my intrusion Clan Leaders, but Clan Leader Kang has just arrived." said a servant. All of the Clan Leaders suddenly turned to the servant, surprise on all their faces.

"Speak of the devil." Said Clan Leader Ba.

"Hmm!" Clan Leader Vu complained, roughly flapping his sleeves behind his back.

Clan Leader Kang made an entrance, with his sword on his hip. He seemed to be gliding with his long strides and black robe flowing behind him. To his right, his son stayed two steps back, with several disciples and servants following behind them.

"Clan Leader Kang, I was starting to worry you wouldn't show." Said Clan Leader Hai, as he saluted.

Clan Leader Kang saluted, as did Clan Leader Ba and Clan Leader Vu, although he was hesitant. "Forgive me, for I had other matters to attend." Said Clan Leader Kang.

"It is no matter; you are here now. Allow my servants to show you to your stay." Said Clan Leader Hai. Clan Leader Kang nodded as a servant came over, leading the Kang Clan out of the main hall to their rooms.

Clan Leader Vu watched Clan leader Kang walk away with his brows furrowed, he dared not say anything with such an intimidating man close by.

"What a giant man, I have never seen anyone so…so large." said Clan Leader Ba.

"He will join us for the banquet soon, and you can ask him what they eat at the Unholy Sect to make them grow so tall." Clan Leader Hai chuckled as did Clan Leader Ba, but Clan Leader Vu remained quiet, still stunned by the sheer size and menacing look of Clan Leader Kang and his clan members.

Hours later, the main hall was set up for the first night of the banquet and prepared for all clans.

Each clan made their entrance, nodding or saluting to each other as they sat. The last Clan to enter was the Kang Clan with Clan Leader Kang leading and his son following close behind. As they made their way to their seats, eyes stared, and whispers sounded.

A servant poured Clan Leader Hai some wine as well as the other Clan Leaders. Clan Leader Hai held up his cup as did the other Clan Leaders, "And so there were four, may our unity be long lived." Said Clan Leader Hai and all the clan leaders drank in unison. After the toast everyone began to drink and eat to their hearts content, while dancers performed in the center of the hall.

Clan Leader Kang sipped his wine, cutting his eye at his son that moped beside him. "Look alive A-Lei, impressions speak louder than words." Said Clan Leader Kang. Pouting, Kang Lei sat up properly, "How are you not bothered by the number of eyes that keep looking this way?", he complained.

"You are a Kang, eyes will forever look your way, tough it out!" Clan Leader Kang said firmly enough to get his point across, but quiet enough not to draw attention. Kang Lei puffed out his cheeks and slowly allowed the air to escape from them, Clan Leader Kang was no help at all.

Clan Leader Hai observed the room noticing that quite a few people had kept directing their attention toward the Kang Clan. Seeing that Young Master Kang was uncomfortable, he leaned over to his son that sat behind him to his left, "A-Yin, do you see the young Master with Clan Leader Kang?"

Hai Yin looked over toward the Kang clan, seeing a young man in black pouting like a child although they were close in age. He wore a high ponytail with some hair down and his eyes were a light piercing blue, not anything Hai Yin had ever seen before. "Mn." He responded.

"Although Clan Leader Kang is too proud to show it, it must be hard for them to be here. Perhaps you could befriend the young Master to make his stay more comfortable, you two are about the same age." said Clan Leader Hai. Hai Yin glanced at his Father somewhat surprised and then back toward the young Master who was now conversing with his Father, or more like he was being scolded. "I will do my best." Hai Yin responded.

After night one of the bonding banquet concluded, everyone retired to their rooms, for tomorrow the games would begin.

The next day had come and today was a show of strength, archery and cultivation skills would be showed amongst the future Clan heirs and disciples.

Most of the clan heirs and disciples stood in two rows opposite of each other while the Clan Leaders watched from their own section of the stands. Speaking with his Father, Kang Lei was the last to stand in line.

"Look at them, how dare they make us wait? What evil are they plotting?" said Vu Zhan, the heir of the Vu Clan.

The disciples nearby Vu Zhan giggled, Hai Yin simply cut his eye at Vu Zhan not saying anything. Like his Father, if there was an insult to be made, Vu Zhan had to make sure it was said.

After speaking with his Father, a moment more, Kang Lei, skipped down, getting into the horizontal line, positioning himself across from the Hai heir. Hai Yin eyed Kang Lei's expression carefully as he stared at the ground with his brows furrowed, whatever his Father said to him must have been upsetting.

The game master stood, quickly making hand signs for a barrier in the sky, he then opened multiple cages, releasing different sizes and multiple birds into the sky. "You goal is to hit the moving target; it must fall to count! Young Master's prepare your bows, let the contest began!" The game master called out. The largest birds flew high into the sky, going only as far as the barrier allowed them to go and the smaller ones flew as high as they could.

The young masters and disciples from each clan got into position. "Me first!" Vu Zhan stepped up. Vu Zhan aimed into the sky, nocked his bow, pausing for a minute as he eyed his target and release his arrow. Shooting at the speed of light, Vu Zhan's arrow sprang up into the sky, just missing one of the birds that were flying furthest away from the barrier. Even though he missed, the spectators clapped, showing support to the young Master.

"Dammit!" Vu Zhan yelled. "How could I have missed?! Whose idea was it to shoot birds this year anyway?"

"It is fine young Master Vu, there will be plenty of time to show off your skill." Said one of the Vu disciples.

"Hmm!" Vu Zhan responded, getting out of the way and stepping back in line.

Hai Yin stepped forward, a Hai disciple handing him a white bow and feathered arrows. Hai Yin positioned himself aiming into the sky and for only a moment he paused, before releasing his arrow. It flew straight into the air, going past the birds that were flying the lowest, piercing through the body of one of the birds flying the highest. The large bird suddenly stopped, plummeting to the ground and the crowd cheered loudly. Hai Yin turned toward the direction of his Father in the stands and saluted before stepping back into the line. Clan Leader Hai nodded with a smile on his face, quite proud of his son. Kang Lei eyed Hai Yin as he stepped back in line. As Hai Yin looked his direction, Kang Lei turned his head, the Kang heir seemed quite impressed.

Next a disciple from the Vu clan went, securing a target, Vu Zhan rolled his eyes as the crowd cheered. Afterwards, Ba Chen, heir to the Ba Clan stepped forward. He flipped his long green sleeves trimmed in gold, holding up his bow. Not taking the time to secure a target that long, he released his bow, his arrow piercing a bird that flew farthest from the barrier. As the bird fell to the ground the crowed cheered. Ba Chen raised his arms with his bow in hand and shrugged making his way back to the line, leaving the mixture of clan disciples laughing.

Kang Lei looked up as he felt his Father's eyes on him, Clan Leader Kang nodded as did Kang Lei and he stepped forward. As he moved into position, whispers began to sound, but Kang Lei didn't let it bother him so much this time around. One of the Kang clan disciples handed him his bow, it being all black trimmed in red, the tip and the tail of the arrow resembling the wings of a bat. Kang Lei drew his bow into the sky, closing one eye and he aimed, locking on his target.

"Have you ever seen eyes like those Vu Zhan, how extraordinary." Ba Chen whispered loudly to Vu Zhan.

"Only beast have eyes like those, but it's no surprise being that he's from the sacrilegious Kang clan. As the spawn of the devil and eyes of a demon, surely, he will not miss!" said Vu Zhan in a condescending tone, not bothering to whisper.

Hearing the senseless gossip, a smirk made its way onto Kang Lei's face. He suddenly released his arrow, it flying straight into the air, piercing not one, or two, but three of the largest birds flying closest to the barrier.

"Wow!" Ba Chen suddenly yelled, amazed by what he had just witnessed.

Except for Ba Chen's outburst and the Kang disciples praising their young Master, a moment of silence passed before awkward claps sounded and cheers began. Flipping his black robe behind him, Kang Lei spun around, bowing slightly. He stood up eyeing Vu Zhan, and the young master eyed him back, his brows furrowed with disbelief on his face. Kang Lei made his way back to the line, first stopping in front of Vu Zhan. "Young Master Vu, I thank you for the unparalleled faith that you have in me. Because of your confidence, I surely did not miss!" said Kang Lei with a wide grin, his voice sounding quite animated. The surrounding young masters and disciples giggled as Vu Zhan quickly turned his head the opposite direction, having nothing to say. Hai Yin glanced at Kang Lei who stood on his opposite. The frown that was once on Kang Lei's face was now replaced by a proud smirk, and even Hai Yin could not help but to smile, not many people could silence young Master Vu.

After the archery games had come to an end, night two of the banquet had started. Clan Leaders sat in their prepared areas while the disciples and young Masters conversed in one area.

Kang Lei sat alone, sipping his wine and stabbing his food over and over.

"I dare you to sit with him." said Wang Ni, a minor clan heir.

"I will not be cursed; you sit with him!" a disciple responded.

"Is he really that scary? He seems like a normal person to me." Ba Chen added.

"What do you mean he is normal? If your stare at him for too long you will become possessed! Where is your mind?" said Vu Zhan rudely.

Giggles surrounded the group of young Masters, and Hai Yin furrowed his brows, growing tired of Vu Zhan's mouth. Kang Lei lowered his head, he didn't mind so much that people talked but being forced to sit through it was another thing. He closed his eyes, sipping his wine again until he heard a thud next to him. Kang Lei's eyes snapped open to see an off white rob, perfect skin and a sharp nose. The crown of this person's hair top knotted with jewels and the rest flowing onto his back, the Hai Clan heir had brought his food and sat beside him. Hai Yin leaned over close to Kang Lei; his face quite close without expression. The two stared at each other for a moment before Kang Lei nervously looked away, unsure why he had suddenly gotten so close. The group of young master's and disciples stared with mouths open and wide eyes, surprised at Hai Yin for his boldness. After a few whispers' Ba Chen grabbed his tray, suddenly getting up and joined the two, sitting on the other side of Kang Lei.

"Ba Chen!?" Vu Zhan said outraged that his long-time friend had abandoned him.

"Hai-ge has beaten him in a staring contest and is not possessed, the Kang heir is normal after all.", said Ba Chen with a smile on his face. Kang Lei looked up at Ba Chen, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Hmm!" Vu Zhan complained, turning his head away from the now group of three.

"I am Hai Yin." Heir to the Hai clan suddenly spoke, nodding his head.

Kang Lei turned to Hai Yin, also nodding, "I am Kang Lei."

"And I am Ba Chen!" Ba Chen suddenly budded in loudly. The three of them smiled and continued eating. "Kang-ge, you are quite the master with that bow, do share your secrets!" Ba Chen added.

A small smile graced Kang Lei's lips, "Just practice, there's nothing special to it."

"You should not downplay your skill, no one else marked three birds, not even I." said Hai Yin as he sipped his wine.

"Right! Hai-ge is the best I've seen!" said Ba Chen, shaking his head.

Kang Lei smirked, "Hmmm, I suppose being the clan leaders heir has something to do with always trying to be the best."

"This is true! I am not that skilled, but I at least had to hit something to honor my Father." said Ba Chen ending his statement with a giggle.

"Yes, every clan leader heir did hit a mark, everyone except for one." said Hai Yin, ensuring that his words were loud enough to reach the other group of young master's and disciples. A hiss suddenly sounded in the other group and Ba Chen snorted, holding back his laughter, as did Kang Lei.

The three sat for a while longer before a shadow suddenly towered over them, when they all looked up, Kang Lei suddenly jumped up, greeting his Father. Hai Yin and Ba Chen too stood also saluting Clan Leader Kang.

"Young Master's." Clan Leader Kang nodded, eyeing his son, and walked away. Kang Lei suddenly turned to Hai Yin and Ba Chen, nodding, "Thank you for accompanying me, I will see you tomorrow.", he said following his Father.

"Woaw, Hai-ge, Clan leader Kang has such a threatening demeanor, I am glad he is not my Father." said Ba Chen.

"Mn, being a Clan Leader's heir is troublesome indeed.", he said as he watched Kang Lei leave the main hall.