The next day.
Royal Capital, Mingfeng District.
A great river ran through Mingfeng District. In the middle of the river stood an enormous pavilion called Di He Building, built atop the water to serve in place of a bridge.
Its lower sides were open, allowing pedestrians and carriages to pass through.
The floors above, meanwhile, had become a famous sightseeing destination.
At that moment, traffic and crowds surged beneath the pavilion, while the second floor and above had all been temporarily sealed off.
Soldiers stood guard at every entrance leading upstairs.
At the top of the five-story pavilion, more than ten martial artists of differing attire and bearing had gathered, awaiting the arrival of the trial's appointed time.
An elderly white-haired man wearing a black gauze eunuch's hat and black fish-scale purple robes sat at one end of the top floor, guarded by several burly giants. He held a cup of hot tea and slowly took a sip from time to time.
The old man had no beard on his chin, his face was covered in wrinkles, and his body was likewise knotted with muscle. Yet he was not particularly tall, just shy of two meters.
Still, an aloof, sharp, and cold presence emanated from him.
Wherever his gaze passed, he seemed to look down upon everyone with an inexplicable air of condescension.
"This man is Cao Yanxu, chief commander of the Inner Palace Guards, and one of His Majesty's closest people."
At the other end of the pavilion, among the dozen or so martial artists, one man was lowering his head and speaking quietly to a woman beside him.
Most of these people had elders at their sides, drilling instructions into their ears.
This man was no exception.
He raised his head and glanced toward Cao Yanxu. Yet he