After drawing lots, Liu Ming bid farewell to Yanming and Xueyun and made his way to the vicinity of the ninth platform, finding a secluded spot to sit cross-legged, and began meditating to gather his energy.
It wasn't long before the short and fat man who was one of the eight main courtyard masters of the outer door suddenly stopped his idle conversation with the person beside him, walked forward several steps, and began to announce loudly:
"The time has come, the preliminary contest of the grand competition officially begins. All disciples, please proceed to the respective platforms according to the lot you've drawn and begin the competition in the order of your number plates."
No sooner had the voice fallen than thousands of disciples below the stage erupted with a "boom" and, in less than ten breaths' time, split into ten groups, each surrounding a different platform.
