Time passed swiftly. Soon enough, another black rain arrived.

Once people pushed themselves to the limit, they tended to not notice the passage of time. That was especially true for Ember craftsmen, who so enjoyed dealing with their peers. Whenever they had to keep a close eye on one another, they somehow managed to produce astonishing levels of efficiency and creativity. 

In a sense, they were advancing together. As Jiang Tongguang put it, the Association was truly thriving!

So when a chime finally rang out, quite a few lower-ranked participants secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally!

If it had taken any longer, they genuinely did not know whether they could have held out. On one hand, there was the tension and anxiety of the coming duel. On the other, there was the constant fear inspired by the environment itself. 

Ever since the last black rain, the deterioration of Leafway Island...