On the west side of the training grounds, in a section of the spectator stands.

This area was partitioned off by a light purple gauze curtain, creating a tranquil, private space.

When some of the dignitaries and influential figures of Yuhe County saw the Lu Family’s banner next to the curtain, a flicker of apprehension couldn’t help but cross their eyes. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Inside the light purple gauze curtain.

Miss Jinlian reclined on a cushioned Grandmaster’s Chair. A silk dress the color of lotus root made her skin seem fairer than snow. A lotus flower crafted from pearls was pinned by her temple, swaying gently as she lifted her hand.

A handmaiden beside her carefully refilled her tea. The Biluochun tea in the Cyan Porcelain Tea Cup had a clear, bright color, and the steam rising from it gently obscured the expression in her eyes.

She had been watching the field casually, her fingertips toying idly with the lid of her teacup. Suddenly, her gaze fell upon a group of people walking toward the enclosure.

At first, she paid them no mind, but when she got a clear look at one of the figures, the hand holding her teacup paused slightly. The lid tapped against the rim of the cup, making a crisp "CLINK."

"Him?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Miss Jinlian’s eyes, and she couldn’t help but sit up straight to get a better look.

The figure was dressed in a clean, black martial arts uniform. His posture was upright and his steps were steady. It was the same young man she had seen before at the Liu Family Medical Hall.

Jinlian still remembered the young man’s name. He was Yang Jing, a junior martial brother to Liu Maolin, the Young Hall Master of the Liu Family Medical Hall, and a Dark Energy expert.

At the time, she had only thought of him as an ordinary Dark Energy Martial Artist. She had heard from Liu Maolin that this Yang Jing hadn’t broken through to the Dark Energy realm that long ago. She never expected...

Miss Jinlian watched him walk into the enclosure and stand with the other seven arena winners. His bearing and aura were not the least bit inferior, and she couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

"To be able to take first place in the arena preliminaries, his Dark Energy cultivation must be thoroughly refined. I imagine that even among Dark Energy experts, he’d be considered one of the best."

"He’s not simple. Not simple at all. It seems I underestimated him before."

She murmured, her voice tinged with a hint of wistful admiration.

There weren’t many young Martial Artists in Yuhe County who could boast such an achievement.

Seeing the change in her expression, the handmaiden asked softly, "My Lady, do you know that gentleman?"

Miss Jinlian withdrew her gaze and picked up her teacup again. She took a delicate sip, letting the tea’s fragrance spread across her tongue before she slowly said, "Not really. We’ve only met once."

She gazed toward the enclosure, the surprise in her eyes gradually giving way to a flicker of keen interest.

’A character who hides his true strength so well... Today’s ranking battle on the training grounds should be worth watching.’

Sunlight filtered through the gauze curtain, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow on her. The Biluochun in her cup was still steaming, just like the gentle turmoil in her heart.

...

The Silver Armor Captain stepped onto the main arena stage. His armor glinted coldly in the sunlight. He swept his gaze over the eight arena winners inside the enclosure and announced in a loud voice, "You are all the top experts from your respective arenas. The rules for today’s ranking battle are simple—"

He took an ebony lot tube from a soldier behind him and shook it. The bamboo lots inside rattled with a crisp sound. "There are eight lots in this tube, marked with the four characters ’Jia,’ ’Yi,’ ’Bing,’ and ’Ding.’ There are two of each. Those who draw the same character will be opponents in the first round, starting with Jia."

The Captain stepped down from the stage, placed the lot tube on a wooden table, took two steps back, and gestured. "In order of your arena numbers, step forward one by one to draw your lots."

The area below the stage fell silent in an instant. Eight pairs of eyes fell in unison upon the ebony lot tube.

Sunlight shone on the tube’s smooth surface, reflecting the contestants’ grave or expectant expressions. The air seemed to tighten with an invisible tension, and even the wind seemed to pause for a moment.

Everyone knew that this single draw would decide their fate in the first round.

Following the Captain’s signal, the eight of them stepped forward in order of their arena numbers.

The first was Zhou Tong from Arena One. He walked up to the wooden table, took a deep breath, and drew a bamboo lot from the tube. After a quick glance at what he’d drawn, he stepped aside with a blank expression, but his fingertips unconsciously traced the character on the lot.

Afterward, Xu Guangwei, Lin Yue, Yang Jing, and the others stepped forward in succession.

When Yang Jing reached the lot tube, his fingertips brushed against the cool bamboo wall. Only two lots remained inside.

He paused for a moment, then casually drew one out.

The lot was made of ordinary green bamboo, its top shaved smooth and round. On it was a single character written in cinnabar: "Yi."

He clenched the lot in his palm without a word and silently returned to his spot. His gaze swept impassively over the other seven, but he couldn’t tell who had drawn the same character as him.

A scribe in the uniform of a Junior Official, holding a register, stepped forward. He went to each of the eight men, politely checked the characters on their lots, and recorded their names and corresponding lot numbers, his brush tip scratching across the paper.

His movements were deft, and he finished transcribing in no time. He bowed to the group with hands clasped, then turned and strode quickly toward the high platform, presenting the records to the chief examiner with both hands.

The chief examiner took the register and conferred in low voices with the examiners beside him, occasionally glancing up toward the enclosure.

Inside the enclosure, the eight Martial Artists stood in their own spots, maintaining a careful distance from one another.

No one spoke. Only the faint sounds of breathing and rustling cloth floated in the air.

Yang Jing could feel the medicinal power still circulating within his body as he secretly adjusted his breathing.

’No matter who his opponent was, this tough fight was unavoidable. All he could do was give it his all.’

The sun grew brighter, shining down on the arena stage and reflecting a dazzling glare.

Everyone was waiting—waiting for the announcement of the first-round matchups, waiting for a head-to-head clash to begin.

The sound of footsteps was exceptionally clear in the silent enclosure. A soldier in a short, gray cloth tunic was approaching, a thin sheen of sweat on his temples. He had clearly jogged all the way here.