After leaving the Heavenly Strategy Academy, Qin Bailian led Lu Chen straight to the Skyreach Sword Arena in the western part of Yun Prefecture City.
Qin Bailian had come prepared. Before heading out, he had changed out of his Divine Armament Academy disciple robes into an unremarkable gray-black martial outfit and put on a hood.
Lu Chen followed his example and disguised himself, altering his appearance with the Thousand-Face Shadowless Technique to present himself as the Jade-Faced Flying Dragon.
After walking for roughly an hour, Lu Chen spotted a towering black-stone building in the middle of the street.
The building stood six or seven stories tall and covered an immense area. Two sword-bearing stone statues stood before its entrance, their bases worn glossy by passing pedestrians. Above the main doors hung a reddish-gold plaque some ten feet wide, bearing five bold, powerful characters-
Skyreach Sword Arena.
Even before entering, Lu Chen heard waves of cheers roaring like mountains crying out and seas crashing, punctuated by the dull thuds of fists and feet colliding and the occasional clear clang of clashing weapons.
People streamed through the entrance: wealthy young men in brocade, wandering martial artists with weapons at their waists, and even plenty of merchant-looking folk gathered in small groups, discussing the outcomes of earlier matches.
The air was thick with the smells of alcohol, sweat, and a faint trace of blood.
Qin Bailian led Lu Chen over the threshold, clearly long accustomed to such scenes.
He threaded through the crowd with practiced ease and headed deeper inside along a side corridor.
Lu Chen glanced at him. "Senior Brother Qin, did you used to come here often?"
Qin Bailian kept up his brisk pace and merely chuckled. "Junior Brother Lu, this is a great place."
"There are fights to be had