In the grey light of a winter's day in the Wawrika province Hartley stepped forward to meet the man's fist glowing with a golden light, Hartley's hand hidden under his dark fluttering robe transformed blue, with precision Hartley's punch careened into the incoming punch, the snowflecked air roiled and wriggled as the two opposing pressure collided..

BAM!

The golden glow around the man's hand dimmed visible, he took a step backward just as his after-images faded away like smoke in the wind, Hartley's feet sank ankle deep into the hard snow with a crunching sound, Qin Li held Zhi Ruo who had her pair of black daggers drawn and ready and backed up ten meters as the snow swirled around both men in a cyclone-like pattern reducing the his visibility of the scene to zero, he took no chances and protected Zhi Ruo, who of course would not go willingly..

The man looked at Hartley and smiled. It wasn't a vicious murderous smile but a smile that radiated how impressed the man was that Hartley had pushed him back. The man's eyes shone with excitement and a boyish thirst for competition that defied his age.

"You fat bastard!" screamed Zhi Ruo as she broke loose from Qin Li's grasp and rushed forward flanking to the left ready to assault the lone man.

Qin Li rushed forward summoning his axe but he was concentrating more on the armored soldiers instead, ready to defend their own flanks in the event of a sneak attack.

As the swirling snow drifted away and visibility was restored Hartley held up is right fist "it's o.k. Ruo." her graceful movements came to a halt, she huffed in frustration and stepped back to guard the flanks with Qin Li.

Knowing now that the man didn't have murderous intentions Hartley too got riled up with competitiveness, his eyes shone bright with anticipation. Having been disappointed countless times sparring with Qin Li Hartley looked forward to this exchange.

The plump man waved his right hand signalling for Hartley to join him in the middle of the street, Hartley didn't need a second invitation, he strode out with long steps facing the man in the middle of the street with unbridled confidence.

A subtle signal from the plump man and the organized soldiers moved like clockwork and separated into two equal forces and blocked off each end of the normally bustling street not allowing any one to interrupt, heads could be seen peeping through windows as people who recognized the plump well dressed man informed the less knowledgeable. "That's Viscount Sanzu" the name was uttered in hushed tones throughout the buildings.

Two opponents stood on a mock battlefield of hard packed snow. The plump man dressed in his lavish clothing circled left and right adopting the side on stance of a classic boxer keeping his left foot in front at all times, moving like a crab on the beach. With his left hand held against his left jaw plastering half of his face in a golden glow, his right hand dangled loosely by his waist.

The man's smooth movement defied belief for one so out of shape. Hartley stood with shoulders square on, facing the plump man who had made himself as small a target as possible.

Small snow flakes landed on their shoulders in silence, the two exchanged no words.

Tap! Tap! The man took two exquisite steps forward across the ice leaving after images, even Zhi Ruo was impressed with the grace of the man's movement. His left hand held by his left jaw catapulted into a forward jab, the blurred golden glow came cannoning towards Hartley's face, Hartley used minute movement dodging technique stepping outside the jab to the left.

Viscount Sanzu took two small steps to his right cutting off the angle of retreat and at the same time bombed a right hook as he was pulling back the jab, The man was definitely experienced. Hartley threw out an efficient left straight with the least wasted movement possible an met the man's glowing hook.

Boom! golden sparks erupted, the force of the two fist colliding swept clean the snow underfoot exposing the original brown road, Hartley stumbled back, he was fighting with only his 3rd layer xiantian physique and star fist technique.

Viscount Sanzu stumbled back as well then rushed forward with lithe graceful steps laughing with wild glee as if he were a child on his name day. The viscount fired back with a three hit combo, giving Hartley no room for rest.

Right hook, left hook then a right uppercut aiming at the gut, these punches were executed so fast the viscount's hands left glowing gold after-images in the cold air. Hartley squinted in concentration, taking the Viscount a little more serious and pushed his minute movement techniques to the limit stepping through the punches as if he was a ghost, countering with a simple straight right hand at the viscount's face, the viscount gasped in surprise and as the punch was about to land on his jaw he used one of his special techniques..

The viscount's left hand changed trajectory and stretched like elastic and landed a golden punch to Hartley's midriff at the exact moment Hartley's right fist landed on his jaw.

The ground rattled and they both went sprawling across the snow imprinting a long trail twenty meters apart.

"My lord!" an armored soldier dismounted from his horse and was about to rush towards the viscount. Viscount Sanzu sat up with a swollen and bruised jaw, blood running down his nose and he billowed with laughter while raising his hands stopping the soldier. Hartley also sat on his butt looking at the crazy middle aged man laughing, serves me right for fighting on his terms he thought as he winced holding his ribs, the same rib injured while fighting the scar face man. I must protect my midriff better he thought as he got to his feet.

A translucent glow appeared around the man's face as he walked towards Hartley, the swelling and bruising disappeared from his face leaving it looking like he hadn't been sparring, he approached Hartley.

"Young man I have been looking for you" a translucent water-like ball appeared in his right palm when he reached next to Hartley and he pushed it into Hartley's midriff, the pain instantly disappeared and Hartley felt strangely comfortable.

"Sorry....I cheated," the man said with a sheepish mischievous look, "forgive me I'm old" he said and burst into another fit of laughter.

Hartley just looked at the man who was a 4th layer xiantian expert with wood elemental affinity and shook his head.

Viscount Sanzu pointed towards the restaurant and said "lets eat, it would be a shame to come all this way and not have some delicacies." Hartley nodded and walked towards the restaurant, Qin Li and Zhi Ruo rushed over checking Hartley's body as if it was her treasure.

"Who is this fine young miss?" the viscount asked. "This is my wife to be," Hartley answered not missing a single moment to butter up Zhi Ruo after what happened between him and Biyu Jie, she blushed not saying anything.

The restaurant was soon cleared of all patrons and people who had taken refuge from the fight, the only people left inside were the waitresses, the chefs and the manager. They took a seat in the empty dining hall and soon all the dishes began to be placed on the table.

"Why are you looking for me?" asked Hartley while gobbling down some food. Taking a sip from the hot beverage in front of him, for the first time the viscount put on a serious face.

"I had reports of a major incident in the province involving someone," he looked around and lowered his voice and continued "someone who was close to a dark arts user, when your descriptions came through I thought you might just be lucky to survive that encounter, then we had rumors of major movement in the underground crime world and guess whose description came along with that report?"

Viscount Sanzu sipped his tea again. "I came personally to see if you three are just always lucky or do you have some substantial strength?" "What if its the latter?" asked Hartley. Viscount Sanzu placed his steaming cup on the table and looked at Hartley " I want you to become one of my knights."

"A glorified lackey you mean?" the man tilted his head back and guffawed his chin wriggling. "no you misunderstand" the man said he took another sip of the boiling contents in his cup and said "I will be totally honest, I am using you."

Hartley reacted with a frown, the man held up a hand, palm facing forward suggesting forHartley to calm down, he then continued.

"You are on the way to the capital right?" Hartley nodded, "I can see you are going to make great waves and by the way you introduced yourself and your friends, I can tell you are not nobles even though you look the part."

Hartley impatiently waited for the punchline to the man's argument and it showed visible on his face. The man sighed then mumbled under his breath "Aww the young always seem to be so impatient nowadays" his head jerked as he snapped back to his original argument.

"My suggestion is for you to become an honorary knight in my service, you won't be bound to my will you will only hold a title of knight of the Sanzu house. That will make you a real noble and will protect you from other nobles in the capital because they won't be able to order you to do anything, the etiquette of the aristocrats means that one noble cannot order the knights of another, a knight is only obligated to carry out the orders of his lord not even the king could give you an order directly, he would have to find me and only I could give you a direct order, but you would only be one of my honorary knights free to roam, so in essence you would be a freelance noble.

The only down side to you would be that you are required to carry the token of the Sanzu house to identify yourself." the man then let out a long breath and had another sip of tea.

Hartley looked to Qin Li who now was his trusted strategist, Qin Li nodded his head and said "That does solve the problem of us getting into the lower ranks of nobility for the time being, we could raise a small squad and have our own manor in the capital as genuine nobles, but whats in it for you?" Qin Li looked at the man sipping his tea without a care in the world.

The man revealed a broad smile from ear to ear, "Your achievements!.... they will get me back on the map" he said, "I have been banished to this part of the country for a long time now." he sighed which sounded more like a groan of pain this time. "If you make the waves I am expecting you to make in the capital then naturally I will be called back and might even get promoted to a higher title based on the strength of my supposed subordinate, but of course you will only be a honorary knight, we'll just say you are some long lost distant cousin of mine, that way you won't be bound under any of my transgressions and I in turn can ride on your coat tail back into prominence. If I get conferred the title of count or higher then I will automatically make you a Baron or a viscount if there is enough lands to grant in the capital."