The Imperial Training Grounds, on the eastern outskirts of the Ming Capital.
The thin morning mist had yet to disperse, but the heavy black iron gates were already open.
Representatives of the various sects arrived one after another at the spacious bluestone square, taking their seats in their assigned sections.
The Body Sect made the most eye-catching entrance.
Du Busi led the way, his unruly dark green hair whipping in the wind. His loose robes could not conceal his surging vitality-or perhaps he was deliberately letting it show.
Without so much as glancing around, he led his sect members straight to the foremost seats on the left and sat down, treating everyone else as beneath his notice.
The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Heavenly Dragon Sect, Earth Dragon Sect, Dark Underworld Sect, Proud Sword Sect, Heavenly Armor Sect, and other established major sects followed. Their leaders all wore solemn expressions. They exchanged few words, but constantly sized up their opponents' lineups in secret.
The atmosphere was coldest in the front rows on the right.
Clad in black robes, Zhongli Wu sat there representing the Holy Spirit Sect. Even the air around him seemed several degrees colder than elsewhere. People from the other sects avoided that section, whether consciously or not, unwilling to come into contact with that chilling evil aura.
The supervisors' platform at the northern end of the training grounds stood high above the field, offering an unobstructed view.
Xuan Zi leaned against the back of his chair, a wine gourd in hand, taking an occasional sip.
Yan Shaozhe, Qian Duoduo, and Zhang Lexuan sat beside him. The four represented Shrek Academy's supervisory authority. At the farthest corner of the platform, several gray-robed elders from the Clear Sky Sect sat quietly.
Their eyes were half closed, and they resembled