Morning.
The dawn had passed, and the sun was just beginning to rise into the sky.
A cool breeze blew, signaling the end of summer's heat.
The wind brushed past the heavens and beneath it was a crowd of countless people.
âThose with wooden plaques, please line up over here!â
A loud voice rang out, infused with Qi, making it resonate sharply in my ears.
âThose with green gemstones, please come this way!â
âBlue gemstones, over here!â
Following the announcements, countless individuals moved toward their designated areas.
At a glance, the crowd numbered in the hundreds, if not thousands, but the air around them felt particularly heavy.
âThe amount of Qi in the air is no joke.â
The concentration of Qi mixed in the atmosphere was almost overwhelming.
When was the last time I felt something like this?
âWas it during the war?â
This kind of density could only be compared to the Great War between the Righteous and Demonic factions.
But to encounter this level of Qi within the Murim Alliance's grounds?
âIt just means that so many strong individuals have gathered here.â
At the very least, the weakest participants were at the end of the second-rate tier.
The martial artists gathered here were intense, to say the least.
From young warriors around my age to elderly ones with graying hair,
every single person here was a martial artist.
There wasnât a single ordinary person among them.
âQuite the turnout.â
I couldnât help but marvel at the sheer number of people.
Even for a Bi-mu-je hosted by the Alliance, I hadnât expected this scale.
As I glanced around, a thought struck me.
âShaolin's active involvement mustâve helped boost attendance.â
Perhaps that was true.
I sighed lightly, running a hand through my hair.
âSo, itâs finally here.â
The day of the Bi-mu-je had arrived.
Specifically, it was the day of the preliminaries,
and I stood at the entrance constructed by the Murim Alliance.