Azure Dragon Society was a martial force whose origins no one could explain. It seemed to have appeared overnight.
Cang Mountain's roads were rugged, and before this, few had been willing to establish a sect headquarters there. Azure Dragon Society was the first in many years.
Even after establishing its sect on the mountain, it had remained little known and gone largely unnoticed. Only with the recent martial arts tournament had Azure Dragon Society's reputation begun to spread throughout Yunze Prefecture.
As Ning Xiu climbed the stone steps and looked toward the mountaintop, he could make out the outlines of countless pavilions and towers atop Cang Mountain, along with the silhouettes of tall pagodas and grand halls. Even from a distance, the place looked imposing.
To build something on this scale atop Cang Mountain took no small amount of wealth and ambition.
As he neared Azure Dragon Society's mountain gate, Ning Xiu spotted a crowd of young martial artists standing along both sides of the stone stairs, all wearing the society's uniform.
They were there to welcome guests, calling out greetings whenever someone approached.
Behind each young martial artist stood a large banner. The banners came in all sorts of colors, but every one bore the same name: Azure Dragon Society.
Quite a grand display, Ning Xiu praised inwardly.
He didn't know much else about Azure Dragon Society, but they certainly knew how to welcome guests.
"Welcome, honored guest!" As Ning Xiu drew near, all the young martial artists called out in unison.
Beyond the mountain gate lay a vast circular plaza paved entirely with white bricks. Stone railings carved in the shape of dragons lined its edges.
At the center of the plaza stood a white-stone dragon-tortoise statue in a pool, water spurting from its mouth. Lotus leaves and