The next day, a crisp, invigorating breeze swept through the Imperial Academy, carrying with it the subtle fragrance of morning dew and the electric tension of an impending grand event.
The sky above was a vast expanse of unblemished azure, though the high-altitude atmosphere occasionally rippled with the immense power of hidden monitoring arrays.
Imperial Academy was buzzing with unprecedented energy as all students were gathered on a massive plaza, where four portals can be seen.
The plaza itself was a colossal structure carved from ancient, white spirit-stone, sprawling across several miles to easily accommodate the thousands of young cultivators who comprised the current generation of elites.
The ground beneath their feet was etched with countless glowing golden runes that hummed in perfect unison.
At the center of this plaza, floating several feet above the stone floor, stood the four massive portals.
