The Southern Sky Hunting Garden's hunting gambling battles had begun on the eleventh day. According to Chu's traditional rules, that was considered a day early.
The reason they had started a day early was also intentional on the part of the Twenty-Seven Sects of Chu.
The martial artists of the Twenty-Seven Sects of Chu formed an alliance. After carefully considering the situation, they realized that if they followed the usual schedule and waited until the twelfth day to begin the gambling battles, then once the Holy Sons of the Five Great Families and Seven Sects arrived, they would have no chance of winning at all.
After much deliberation, they decided to begin the gambling battles on the eleventh day, taking a share first from the Twenty-Seven Sects of Chu, Chu's mid-sized lineages, and Chu's small lineages.
At the same time, this would allow these little-known prodigies and Holy Sons to show their faces before the martial artists of the Ascension Celestial Palace.
After a day of bitter fighting, the Twenty-Seven Sects of Chu, Chu's mid-sized lineages, and Chu's small lineages had all gained something.
Some had made a killing in the gambling battles, while others had lost everything.
Yet no martial artist had died. At most, they had suffered severe injuries.
They all understood that the elders of the martial artists who had come to participate in the gambling battles were watching from inside the Ascension Celestial Palace.
If anyone killed them, it would inevitably trigger a storm that shook the heavens. Thus, everyone followed the rules: they fought only to determine victory and defeat, without taking lives.
Even if you truly had a grudge against your opponent, at most you could use heavy-handed force and leave them grievously injured.
Very soon.
The eleventh day passed, and the twelfth day