The Ceremony Hall Cultivator silently led Urijin and Li Shuidao down the mountain path toward the valley below.
Along the way...
The people locked in the cells gathered at their doors, preparing to watch the fight.
Though everyone participating in the trial would have to fight at least once, they still planned to watch for a while before taking their turn.
Most had arrived early, but, like Li Shuilong, they had stayed crouched behind the iron doors, their White Cards hanging there as they passively waited for someone to flip them.
After all, this was truly a fight to the death...
Just as the two men were heading down, another white-robed female disciple led three more cultivators into the valley to participate in the trial.
More and more people were arriving...
Li Shuidao looked around, observing his surroundings. He saw cultivators in all kinds of clothing standing atop the valley, watching from above. They were too far away, though, and even with his sharp eyesight, he couldn't make them out...
Before long...
Li Shuidao and Urijin reached the bottom of the valley, which resembled a natural arena.
A broad stretch of level ground was enclosed on one side by a curving stream, and on the other by towering rocks.
The ground was hard stone, damp to the touch, and cool beneath their feet.
The flat ground had long since been stained dark red with blood.
Steep cliffs surrounded the valley, their faces riddled with man-made cells. Li Shuidao had just come down from one of them.
Outside the area where the two would fight stood a sundial. When its shadow fell on the next marking, their duel would begin.
The tall Ceremony Hall Cultivator stood atop the rocks, staring intently at the sundial as he waited for the moment of