Hua Yunfei and Xia Qiuer's province was called Qingzhou. It lay at the easternmost edge of the Imperial Court's celestial territory, far off the beaten path.
The two set out from Tianmo Ridge in Qingzhou's Heavenly Human Immortal Kingdom. They admired the scenery along the way, losing themselves in it.
Walking shoulder to shoulder, they chatted and laughed, admired the moon together, and lay back among a sea of flowers to gaze up at the bright blue sky.
In just one day, they passed through one immortal kingdom after another, taking in the sights of different lands.
They arrived at the Tianqing Immortal Dynasty.
The Tianqing Immortal Dynasty was one of Qingzhou's foremost imperial powers, with more than one Immortal King stationed there.
Before they had even entered Tianqing Ancient City, Hua Yunfei saw how lively the roads were. Streams of travelers came and went, most of them young talents, many with remarkable gifts.
"At this time of year, the Myriad Nations Grand Competition is about to begin."
Xia Qiuer knew why so many young talents had gathered in Tianqing Ancient City, and patiently explained, "Once every hundred years, each province holds a Myriad Nations Grand Competition. People from above come to inspect the contestants, and anyone outstanding is taken away on the spot."
Hua Yunfei nodded. "No wonder all the young talents we've seen along the way have been so restless. They have a chance to soar to the heavens in a single leap."
Xia Qiuer smiled. "That's not wrong. Each province has a Provincial Prefecture, and each region has a Regional Prefecture. Those who perform well at the Myriad Nations Grand Competition will catch the Provincial Prefecture's eye and receive its support. Only the truly exceptional will be chosen by a Regional Prefecture, and they may later be