After breakfast, Li Luo and his team eagerly followed their mentor, Chi Chan, out of the building, heading for the Tree of Resonant Power.

They saw a slow convergence of people all headed the same way, a majestic exodus drawn to the locus of power.

Clearly, all the students were headed for the tree, although it was big enough that everyone was headed for separate zones.

Finally, they reached the One Star Hall designated climbing area after 20 minutes.

Here, they could feel the overpowering immensity of the tree. The main trunk's girth was astounding, a pillar of wood that reached up into the heavens.

The branches were so thick that light barely filtered...