Before stepping down, the youth swept his gaze over the grounds. The scene was already vastly different from when he had first arrived.
The erected stands were almost completely full, and people kept streaming in, becoming yet another head in the jostling crowd. Farther out, silk banners and flowers surrounded the entire square, while overhead, a hundred and twenty-eight lengths of colored silk spanned the sky above it.
Below stood Bai Sibing in his tall ceremonial hat and broad sash, holding a golden document in silence. This was what set the Golden Autumn Martial Contest apart from ordinary martial gatherings-an edict from the Great Tang's Ministry of War.
Behind him stood twenty-four people in sacrificial robes and ribbons, waiting to offer sacrifices to Heaven and pay homage to Kuixing. Zhao Zhang led the assembled officials in a solemn wait to one side.
On the stands surrounding them, ten thousand people sat watching as a hundred and twenty-eight competitors slowly descended from all four sides toward the platform built for them alone, each carrying different convictions.
Who would reign among a thousand talents and a hundred heroes? Today would tell. With swords in hand, they descended to the martial pass.
The martial artists descending did not gather in one place, but flowed toward four separate arenas. Throughout the Golden Autumn Martial Contest, they would remain bound to the arena they initially selected, following it as arenas were combined.
Of course, their choices were not entirely unrestricted. The Prefectural Office had to ensure equal numbers in each arena, so adjustments would always be made at the end.
There were also a few people who could not choose for themselves from the outset. The Prefectural Office had already assigned their arenas.
Shang Huaitong, arena one.
Pei Ye, arena two.
Li Piaoqing, arena