A few days later.
The morning sun broke over the horizon, bathing the absolute center of the world in a wash of pure gold.
The Imperial City of the Tian Yuan Empire stood as a monumental testament to human achievement and immortal influence, its towering stone battlements stretching so high into the stratosphere that they occasionally snagged passing clouds.
At this moment, outside the grand, unyielding gates of the Imperial Academy, the atmosphere was charged with a heavy, electric tension that caused the surrounding ambient spiritual energy to violently ripple.
Countless youths originating from every single corner of the continent had already gathered, numbering in the tens of thousands.
They formed a sea of vibrant silks, heavy armor, and sharp weapons, all standing in an anxious, tight proximity as they waited with bated breath for the primary formation of the academy's massive gates to officially open.
