The Central Tiered hall of the Continental Domain Conclave rose like a grey dark rock colosseum from the bedrock of the main floating platform.
Tiers of carved stone seating swept upward in forty nested rings, accommodating ten thousand high-tier fighters, royal ministers, and sect patriarchs from across the nine mortal empires.
The air was heavy with the pressure of hundreds of Transcendent Mortal cores. It cast a shimmering dome of golden light over the arena floor.
High above the arena, seated upon a raised dais carved from a single piece of dark royal dark wood, sat the head trial.
At its center was Chief Arbiter Yan Baichuan.
Yan Baichuan was a Mortal Tier 8 Domain Saint whose presence bent the light around his high-backed throne. His hair was pure silver, his eyes looked like cold, unblinking stars. Across his lap rested the Great Land-wide Seal of the Master Teacher Pavilion.
Flanking him were the Grandmasters of the three main backup arts: Grandmaster Yue Feng of the Music Guild, Grandmaster Mo Chen of the Calligraphy Guild, and Grandmaster Dan Qing of the Painting Guild.
Each wore robes stitched with five golden stars, streaming the cultural power of the civilized world.
