The morning mist hung heavily over the central plaza of the Abyssal Lotus Pavilion, but the area was already vibrating with a restless, chaotic energy. The early dawn sun cast a sharp, golden glare across the vast, white spiritual marble floor, illuminating a scene of absolute, historic scale.
Thousands of young cultivators, independent scholars, and noble geniuses from every corner of the central province had officially gathered for the grand Stage 1 Written Examination. The air itself felt thick, heavily perfumed with the dense, lingering aroma of boiling herbs and the metallic scent of fresh, high-grade spiritual inks.
The sheer visual layout of the plaza resembled a massive, highly disciplined sea of intellect. Thousands of examinees stood tightly arranged in neat, orderly rows, each meticulously dressed in pristine, scholarly robes that signified their respective clans or academies.
