An hour later, it was already late in the Shen hour.
The autumn sun over Mount Hua cast a faint golden glow across the mountain. The fall breeze darted through the woods like a nimble sprite, carrying a hint of chill as it gently stirred people's hair and sent the yellow leaves of the deciduous trees fluttering overhead.
At that moment, the Mount Hua Sect's training grounds were filled with a tense yet excited atmosphere.
Over a hundred disciples from the Sword and Qi Sects, along with the servants, had gathered in two clearly divided groups, talking among themselves and passionately discussing the upcoming spar between the Sword and Qi Sects.
Some disciples couldn't help rubbing their hands together, as if they couldn't wait to take the field and show off their skills.
Others wore solemn expressions, silently considering the possible consequences of the match.
The dozens of ancient pines standing around the training grounds seemed to be murmuring something, too. As the mountain breeze swept through, golden leaves of unknown origin and pine needles rustled softly as they drifted to the ground, lending the solemn training grounds a touch of poetry.
"..."
(￣~￣) Crunch!
On a rise beside the training grounds, Annie was happily stuffing her face.
As the referee, she had found a spot on slightly higher ground and set up an elegant canopy. Beneath it, a small table was laden with all kinds of dried fruits and pastries: crisp almonds, sweet raisins, beef jerky, and beautifully shaped pastries such as hibiscus cakes, mung bean cakes, and the layered sweets from the Western Regions.
Under the worried, complicated gaze of Yilin, the long-haired young nun from the Mount Heng Sect, Annie lounged comfortably beneath the canopy, one leg crossed over the other. She chewed on an almond, occasionally