At one end of the plaza, standing before the ranks of several thousand disciples, were several dozen figures whose presence was impossible to miss.
Seven or eight cultivators at the front were all at Core Formation or above, their bearing calm and composed. Behind them stood several dozen men and women, every one of them at Foundation Establishment or higher.
They were precisely the various Hall Masters, Elders, and numerous stewards bearing different responsibilities of the Hundred Skills Courtyard.
"There they come!" Some sharp-eyed disciple spotted something in the distance and called out in excitement.
Instantly, all the low-level cultivators raised their heads to look.
In the distant sky, lights flickered, and then a large swarm of multicolored points of light flew toward them from afar, drawing ever closer.
"That's the Ancient Sword Gate — they all ride swords to fly!" someone else shouted.
At the sound of this, the crowd grew even more restless. Many people pointed at those lights of color, their expressions varying widely.
"Silence! What sort of spectacle is this? Do you want the other two sects to laugh at our Hundred Skills Courtyard?" An elderly, burly man standing at the front of the crowd darkened his expression and spoke coldly.
His voice boomed across the entire plaza, and those disciples who had gotten carried away instantly fell silent. The enormous plaza quieted in an instant.
Seeing this, the burly elder's expression eased slightly with satisfaction.
The other Core Formation cultivators exchanged glances and smiles, as if this scene were nothing new to them.
By now, the cultivators of the Ancient Sword Gate had flown above the plaza. While it couldn't be said that every one of them rode a sword, those who didn't were only a scant handful.
"I didn't expect that Brother Fu and the others would personally come out to welcome us. I, Jiang, am truly flattered!" Among the Ancient Sword Gate cultivators, a small, stocky elder in his fifties or sixties flew at the front. He laughed heartily, then was the first to descend.
Beside him were a scholar in green robes and a young woman in white, both wearing smiles as they landed side by side. From the looks of it, they were a refined couple.
Following them, the remaining low-level cultivators of the Ancient Sword Gate — who all appeared quite young — descended one after another on their respective artifacts.
"This time, Brother Jiang Yun has led the delegation, so naturally Brother Fu and the rest had to come out and pay our respects. Moreover, we have the renowned White Jade Twin Swords couple gracing us with their presence." The burly elder maintained his composed expression and clasped his fists toward the three.
"Enough. Let's not flatter each other any further — we'll give the juniors something to laugh about. But it seems the people from the Falling Cloud Sect haven't arrived yet. This sect seems to have less and less interest in the Sword Testing Assembly. Could it be that finishing last so many times has made them lose their nerve?" The cultivator surnamed Jiang seemed to hold some disdain for the Falling Cloud Sect, his tone carrying a note of schadenfreude.
Elder Fu heard these words, and a hint of bitterness flickered across his face.
Their Hundred Skills Courtyard was nothing like the Ancient Sword Gate — he didn't dare respond carelessly to such a remark. If word reached the upper echelons of the Falling Cloud Sect, it would certainly stir up a storm.
So, before Elder Fu could even think of how to reply, a middle-aged man in emerald-green robes standing behind the elder suddenly grinned and interjected: "Friend Jiang, there's no need to be so impatient! I've heard that the one leading the Falling Cloud Sect's delegation this time is Immortal Song of White Phoenix Peak. She's a great beauty that's rarely seen even among our three sects. It's a pity that in the past, this Immortal Song always kept herself hidden, and few from our two sects have ever laid eyes on her. Now, we can finally fulfill a long-held wish!"
"Brother Shi, you must be referring to the Fairy of White Phoenix. I've long heard that this woman is stunningly beautiful. If she truly leads their delegation, then waiting a while is perfectly fine." A look of interest appeared in Jiang Yun's eyes, and he nodded.
The scholar and young woman of the Ancient Sword Gate heard this and looked visibly surprised. The scholar in green robes spoke in astonishment: "I've heard that this Fairy of White Phoenix possesses a Heavenly Spirit Root, and she successfully formed her Core in less than a hundred years — a prodigy of immortal cultivation seen only once in a millennium. To catch a glimpse of her at this Sword Testing Assembly truly exceeds all expectations."
"Exactly! Even as a woman myself, I'm quite curious about this famous Immortal Song. If we can see her today, that would be a wonderful thing!" The young woman in white, though plain in appearance, had a smooth and pleasant voice that was delightful to hear.
"Well now... Oh! It seems the Falling Cloud Sect's people have arrived." Elder Fu smiled and was about to say something when he suddenly looked up at the sky and blurted out.
At these words, everyone nearby raised their heads in unison. In the direction of the east, a massive dark speck was gradually drawing closer.
"What is that?" The Ancient Sword Gate cultivator surnamed Jiang stirred, seeming to know what it was.
As it drew nearer, the others finally made it out clearly — it was an enormous and bizarre bird of extraordinary size, hurtling toward them at a staggering speed.
Numerous figures stood on the bird's back, seemingly a great many cultivators.
"Hmph! The Falling Cloud Sect only has this strange Green Light Eagle to show off, and this creature can merely change the size of its body. It's only a fifth-level spirit beast!" The cultivator surnamed Jiang eyed the great bird with a slightly sour tone.
Elder Fu and the other Core Formation cultivators of the Hundred Skills Courtyard turned a blind eye, pretending not to have heard.
However, the young disciples present had clearly never seen a spirit beast of such immense size. Gasps of astonishment rang out one after another. Everyone stared wide-eyed at the colossal bird's imposing form, their faces filled with awe.
The giant bird's speed was truly remarkable — after just a few beats of its enormous, light-emitting wings, it arrived above the crowd in the blink of an eye.
The eagle's vast wingspan cast a tremendous shadow that blanketed a large portion of the plaza. At the same time, a foul wind swept across them in a violent gust, leaving many low-level disciples unable to stand steady. Their faces turned pale.
"Halt!" A man's voice rang out abruptly from atop the bird. The great eagle folded its wings and hovered motionless in midair.
Only then did the numerous cultivators on its back begin descending on their artifacts.
"Well now, isn't that Brother Duan of Fire Cloud Peak? What a rare guest!" Elder Fu spotted the red-robed elder at the head of the group at a glance. His eyes lit up and he hurried forward to greet him.
"Not at all! Since we parted in Yun Prefecture last time, I've been thinking of you as well, Brother Fu!" The red-robed elder laughed amiably, his face wreathed in smiles, while his gaze swept across the people standing behind his counterpart.
"Brother Duan must be looking for Elder Chang Zheng. What unfortunate timing — Junior Brother Chang has gone out on business. However, he should be able to make it back by the later stages of the assembly." Elder Fu replied without the slightest concern.