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June 15, Heaven Dou Grand Arena.
The overall layout of this enormous venue closely resembled the Heavenly Spirit Arena, but its scale was far grander.
On the north side stood elevated stands reserved for the imperial family and officials. To the south was the viewing area for academy teachers, with a semicircular referee platform suspended beneath it.
At the center of the grounds lay a circular arena 250 meters in diameter, surrounded by a moat three meters wide and five meters deep.
The east and west sides housed the competitors' entrance passages and the coaches' seating areas respectively.
Unlike the Heavenly Spirit Arena, which held only fifty thousand people, the Heaven Dou Grand Arena could accommodate one hundred and twenty thousand spectators across three tiers of stands.
It was only just past nine in the morning, yet the stands were already packed with a sea of heads, not a single seat empty. Flags of every color fluttered in the wind.
As Heaven Dou Emperor Xue Yingtao announced the official opening of the tournament, thunderous applause and cheers erupted throughout the venue, instantly setting the atmosphere ablaze.
Emperor Xue Yingtao sat upright in the seat of honor at the center of the elevated platform.
His hair was jet-black. Although he was actually over sixty, the vitality bestowed by his Titled Douluo cultivation made him look like a man in his prime, barely past thirty.
His expression commanded respect without any display of anger, naturally radiating an emperor's authority.
Seated on either side of him were a succession of distinguished guests:
Xue Jiqing, prince and imperial Grand Marshal.
Shui Rong, Duke of Northern Defense.
Tang Yue, Sect Master of the Clear Sky Sect.
Ning Ruiting, Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect,