Thus ended a spectacular battle, and a daring rescue.

Then, on an island of peach blossoms in the middle of the East Sea, fifteen people swore oaths to live and die together. Yang Qi was quite pleased with how it all turned out. Now he had sworn siblings from all corners of the lands. Having lots of good friends would always prove to be an advantage. And he would be reuniting with those friends sooner rather than later, at the big martial arts competition between the four institutes.

The fact that experts from all sorts of orthodox organizations would be invited to be spectators at the competition meant that it was a grand occasion involving the entire continent.

The Sage Ancestor Dynasty, which officially ruled over all the lands, would send representatives to oversee the occasion. Sometimes, the emperor himself would come to demonstrate his energy arts as a way of underscoring his majesty and might.

It was also an occasion in which the big institutes could show off their top geniuses.

Furthermore, it was a way for the institutes to identify their top talents, the individuals who would lead...