Finally, the long-awaited day of the open lecture arrived.
Mystic City buzzed with an energy it had not seen in years.
From rchants to scholars, from wandering cultivators to curious commoners, people from every walk of life poured into the city.
Many had traveled thousands of miles simply to attend what was said to be the first open lecture of its kind.
Rumors had spread like wildfire over the past week.
So dismissed the entire open lecture as a waste of ti, claiming it would only tarnish the already fragile reputation of the Array Masters’ Association.
Others, however, believed this was a rare chance to witness a breakthrough in knowledge, perhaps even to glimpse secrets that could not be found anywhere.
In front of the massive Array Formation Auditorium, a sea of people gathered, pressing forward in a restless tide as they waited their turn to enter.
The building had never hosted such numbers before.
For safety’s sake, the City Lord had dispatched an entire team of guards to maintain order.
Yet, even their stern presence could not completely suppress the scuffles that occasionally broke out in the crowd.
Standing at the entrance, several elders from the Array Association gazed at the swelling numbers in open disbelief.
"Why are they still increasing?" one muttered, his eyes wide.
Elder Shen exchanged a glance with the others and saw the sa shock mirrored in their faces.
Days ago, they had been bombarded with criticism—most claiming that allowing Jun Wu to host such a significant event was an embarrassnt.
Yet here they were, watching thousands of people arrive with each passing hour.
If this continued, the auditorium would be filled to the brim before noon.
"We must report this to the president," Elder Shen declared, her tone urgent. She turned at once, striding away with haste.
The other elders nodded in quick agreent, their hearts pounding with a mixture of relief and excitent.
The auditorium had been open less than two hours, and already it was close to full.
With such montum, who would dare call this event a failure?
....
Inside the president’s office, Elder Shen had already delivered the news.
"President, what should we do?" she asked. Her voice carried both urgency and caution.
The president rubbed his temples, a heavy sigh escaping him.
He had been bracing for trouble, but this level of attendance had far exceeded all expectations.
His brow furrowed deeply as he considered the problem.
Should they drive people away?
No, that would be disastrous.
Such an act would stir resentnt and paint the association as arrogant.
Right now, when they sought to elevate their status above other associations, they could not afford to alienate the public.
Finally, he admitted, "I... I don’t know."
Elder Shen did not look surprised.
She herself had tried to imagine a solution to the overcrowding, but there was no solution.
The turnout was simply beyond their planning.
"There is no helping it," the president said at last, his voice firr. "Those who are fortunate enough to arrive on ti will be allowed into the venue. The rest will simply have to wait outside."
Elder Shen inclined her head. "Understood."
"Send word to the guards," he continued, his tone hardening.
"Increase the security within the venue. I don’t want any unforeseen incidents."
"I will see to it imdiately." With a respectful bow, she departed to carry out his orders.
Left alone, the president leaned back in his chair, his brows knitted tightly together.
Word had already reached him that so people might attempt to disrupt the lecture.
If Jun Wu were openly challenged in front of such a vast audience, the results could be disastrous.
"What should I do?" he muttered, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the desk. "Should I forbid any interruptions... or let events unfold naturally?"
After a mont of hesitation, he exhaled slowly.
"Let’s see how everything plays out."
.....
Back at the entrance, another wave of movent rippled through the crowd as students and teachers from the Mystic Path Academy arrived.
With heads held high and steps filled with pride, they marched into the auditorium, their academy robes fluttering as though announcing their superiority to the world.
The guards did not stop them.
No one dared.
Watching their confident figures vanish into the auditorium, those waiting in line clenched their fists in silent envy.
To be a student of the Mystic Path Academy was the dream of countless youths, but only a rare few ever passed their difficult selection.
Minutes later, a stir ran through the crowd once more.
The Gong Clan had arrived.
At once, all chatter quieted, and countless eyes turned to watch.
News of the destruction of their store had already spread across the city, igniting endless speculation.
Yet the clan had remained curiously silent, offering no public response to the insult.
So believed the Gong Clan already knew the culprit but were too scared to retaliate.
Others scoffed at the idea, insisting the once-prestigious clan had simply grown weak.
Whatever the truth, the fact that their store had been burned to the ground without retaliation had turned them into a laughingstock among the other clans.
Gong Tao was accompanied by three clan elders.
Behind them trailed the younger generation, each one tight-lipped, their eyes fixed forward.
Despite the stares that bore into them from every side, they moved without pause, ignoring the whispers and smirks that followed them.
Soon after, other clans began arriving, one after another, until the streets outside the auditorium.
Among them ca the Xie Clan.
The mont they appeared; murmurs spread like ripples across water.
From the clan master down to the youngest elder, each bore heavy dark circles beneath their eyes, their expressions grim and drawn.
It was as though none of them had slept for days.
And in truth, they had not.
Ever since sending their n to infiltrate the Blazing Sun Pavilion, they had lived in tornt.
Day after day, they waited for news that never ca.
It was as if their hired n had simply vanished into thin air.
That silence weighed heavier on them than anything else.
Though the crowd whispered and stared, the Xie clansn paid little attention.
Their thoughts were consud by dread, their steps chanical.
But soon, the focus shifted.
A new group approached, and their very presence silenced the noise of the street.
The Jun Clan.
At their head walked two elders clad in plain gray robes.
They looked unremarkable, almost like wandering commoners.
Yet the younger generation of the clan walked behind them with visible respect, their eyes lowered, their postures deferential.
When the elders of the Array Association themselves stepped forward to welco the two gray-robed figures, the onlookers realized the truth.
These two were far from ordinary.
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