The result of the draw left everyone present looking ready to enjoy a good show.
Although the Five Great Sects were branches of the same tree, there was naturally scheming and even discord among them. The Mad Blade Sect and the Northern Peak Sword Sect, for instance, were natural rivals, with one devoted mainly to sabers and the other to swords.
The same held true for the Eight Extremes Gate and the Nine Yang Gate. Both focused on unarmed combat, and both their internal cultivation manuals and fighting styles leaned toward the extreme of yang, making them natural rivals as well.
There was no deep, bitter feud between them, but they routinely traded barbs and veiled insults. With the Nine Yang Gate having declined for so many years, its disciples had endured no shortage of mockery from those of the Eight Extremes Gate.
Thus, the moment the draw was announced, everyone settled in to watch the show.
The first match of the first round pitted the Mad Blade Sect against the Northern Peak Sword Sect.
"The Mad Blade Sect has really been gathering momentum lately. Jiang Chen made Great Yan's Dragon-Tiger Ranking. Think about it-the Nine Provinces of Great Yan produce talented people in droves. Anyone who makes the Dragon-Tiger Ranking is surely a dragon or phoenix among men."
"Exactly. By comparison, no one from the Northern Peak Sword Sect has made the Dragon-Tiger Ranking. Jiang Chen is the one to watch in this match."
Up in the viewing stands, almost every spectator eagerly anticipated Jiang Chen's performance.
"Yun Shu, it's the height of summer, yet your eyes look frozen in place. Has our little girl's heart begun to stir?" Wu Yue teased when she saw Tang Yunshu staring fixedly at Jiang Chen.
"Sister Yue, what are you talking about?"