Rewards (Part One)

Eight days later...

By the Clear Water River near Listening Sword Valley.

The river lay still as a mirror, reflecting the flawless blue of the sky.

At the center of the river stood a round white stone platform like a chessboard. Several dozen yellow-clad disciples stood neatly upon it, swords held in one hand, gazing toward a mountainside platform across the river.

There, a tongue-like gray stone cliff jutted out. Three white-haired, white-bearded elders sat upon it, attended by several young servants.

The elders all had their eyes closed in quiet repose. Their white robes and beards stirred faintly in the breeze, framed by green mountains and emerald pines, while wisps of white mist drifted hazily before them. They seemed steeped in immortal air, no longer of this mortal world.

"Reporting to the elders, all trial participants qualified by bone fragments have arrived. Please instruct us, Elders!"

On the circular stone platform in the middle of the river, He Tianhe stepped forward and called out loudly.

His voice buzzed across the distance, crossing dozens of meters without losing the slightest bit of force.

Whoosh!

In an instant, three figures sprang and flipped into the air from the opposite bank. They crossed dozens of meters in the blink of an eye, landing lightly upon the river surface before the stone platform.

Their toes touched down gently on the mirror-like water as though they stood on solid ground.

The three consisted of two men and one woman. The woman stepped forward and raised a scroll of silvery-white silk in her hand.

"Now, the rankings and results shall be announced, along with the rewards related to this trial!"

Her voice was bright and clear, carrying through every corner of the area so that no one could fail to hear it.

Standing among the