"Greetings, Senior Brother Fang!"
"President Fang!"
A wave of greetings rippled through the crowd, each one deliberately hushed.
The entire training ground instantly fell so quiet you could hear your own heartbeat.
A man walked to the center of the field.
His gaze slowly swept over everyone present.
Anyone his eyes fell upon felt a chill run down their spine, their bodies tensing involuntarily.
This was Fan Jian.
The vice-president of the Sharp Sword Society, nicknamed "Mad Dog."
"Welcome, everyone, to the preliminary assessment for the Sharp Sword Society."
Fan Jian's voice was steady, devoid of any emotional inflection, but every word reached their ears with perfect clarity.
"I will reiterate our guiding principle just once."
"The Society doesn't care about your background or connections. We only recognize strength."
"Your every action will be recorded, analyzed, and evaluated."
"Show us what you're capable of. Prove you have the right to stand here."
