The training ground was packed with people, banners fluttering in the wind with the names of various sects written upon them. Wansong Villa naturally occupied the center, flanked by Bai Family Fortress, Seven Stars Hall, Ruyi Tower, Ironclad Gate, Jiujiang Gang, Heavenly Dragon Gate, Five Phoenix Saber Gate, Divine Fist Gate, Eagle Claw Gate, and many others—some twenty or thirty in all—surrounding the grounds.
Those were merely the ones with banners. There were also plenty of minor sects with only two or three people, not even possessing a banner of their own. Like Jiang Hao and his group, they could only sit around the outer ring on a long bench, with tea out of the question.
Xiaoxiao and Ping'er sat on either side of Jiang Hao. The three of them shared a single bench and were pressed close together. Xiaoxiao held Jiang Hao's longsword against her chest, while Ping'er held a Purple Bamboo dongxiao. Since they were from the Flower Between Sect, they naturally had to appear refined and elegant.
"Young Master, are these people really Martial Arts experts? Why do they all look so ugly and strange?" Xiaoxiao whispered into Jiang Hao's ear.
"Do you think everyone is as handsome as your Young Master?" Jiang Hao replied with a smile.
Just then, a man in white robes stepped onto the raised platform and clasped his hands toward the crowd. In a clear voice, he said, "Everyone, I am Liu Yucheng, master of Wansong Villa. This grand gathering of martial artists was jointly organized by Wansong Villa, Bai Family Fortress, Seven Stars Hall, Ruyi Tower, and Ironclad Gate. Its purpose is to secure benefits for our fellow martial artists."
"Isn't this supposed to be a martial arts competition?" someone below asked.
Those who had come to participate in the tournament