Gao Tianfang walked straight to the edge of the Reviewing Platform and raised his hand slightly.
At once, the soldiers throughout the square slammed their weapons against the ground three times in unison, following with three resounding roars:
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
Their voices rang out, perfectly synchronized and stirring the soul.
After the roars, the entire square fell utterly silent.
The people from the Desolate Ruins were once again shaken by the sight.
Gao Tianfang cleared his throat. "The dynasty has chosen our Desolate Suppression City to host this Gathering of Heroes. This is an honor for our city, and an honor for me, Gao Tianfang.
"Today, on behalf of the Sacred Martial Dynasty, I welcome all our friends who have traveled so far from the Desolate Ruins."
At this, he cupped his hands slightly toward the Desolate Ruins' stands.
In the stands, the leaders of the various strongholds of the Desolate Ruins hurriedly rose and respectfully returned the salute.
Gao Tianfang smiled faintly and continued, "One of the dynasty's primary aims in holding this Gathering of Heroes is to promote exchanges between our dynasty and the Desolate Ruins.
"On this land, our Sacred Martial Dynasty and the Desolate Ruins share a common enemy: the demons of the Ten Thousand Barbarian Mountains.
"Our friends from the Desolate Ruins hold the front lines, while our Sacred Martial Dynasty stands as their steadfast support.
"For every contestant who reaches the top hundred in this Gathering of Heroes, our dynasty will grant their stronghold substantial military supplies and cultivation resources, strengthening them so they can better resist the demons."
Hearing this, the leaders from the Desolate Ruins rose once again to express their thanks to Gao Tianyuan.
Gao Tianyuan continued his impassioned speech, then took the seat at the very center of the