The two continued to wander around talking about various quirks of the city as well as things they wanted to see once they achieved a high enough stage to be allowed some more freedom. When they heard trumpets and other horns.

Sienna cheered. “They’re already here! Come, you’re going to want to see this.”

The parade of instruments grew louder and louder as they approached. Performers and tamed Shou flew down the street hovering on scripted platforms only a few meters from the ground. Sparks of light and fire shot out of scripted cannons and powders of every color flew all over the street, dusting everything in bright colors.

"Ah! I knew it!" Sienna cheered. "It's the Primordial Resonance sect! They always have to put on a show wherever they arrive." She hopped in place.

"Yeah, I read about them on my way here. They're an alliance of schools split into different factions based on the elemental Laws, right?" Kamadra asked.

"Yeah! My clan focuses on strength and skill but we tend to lean towards earth users. Though I heard their earth users can swim through stone once they're advanced enough." She replied.

They watched as the performances passed by one platform at a time. "Just you wait until nightfall." Sienna said. "Each faction has at least one powerful clan and they bring out their elemental masters to do the final performances."

"Really? I can't wait!" Kamadra smiled.

They found somewhere comfortable and watched the lower ranked sect members display their routines as the sky grew darker.

Tamers showed off the infant Shou they brought. Some simply displayed a powerful looking beast while others had a simple trick they performed over and over. But as far as tamers went Sienna thought it was pretty average.

Truly impressive tamers would have either humanoid Shou, like the Ren Shou, or Anima from a more submissive bloodline. Something like a Wyrm or Celestial Panda.

With the light disappearing behind the mountains, the crowd grew and murmurs slowly filled the street. Of course the early displays would still be impressive to the average citizens.

When the drums began those murmurs erupted into a wave of cheers that washed down the street all the way from the docks to the empty fields. Before the spectators could see anyone, orbs of lake blue drifted down the street and through the crowd. Ranging in every size from that of a marble all the way to large enough for children to swim in, it turned the street into some other worldly scene. A lone child dressed up in blue silk and gravity defying ribbons stepped out onto the street.

“Citizens of Tianshan, I present to you the first of six schools of the ever miraculous Primordial Resonance sect. Crystal Abyss!”

On cue the floating balls of water shot towards the child announcer and spun around them in a torrent before launching into the sky and slowly raining back down. With the new weather dozens of high level practitioners appeared on the main road. Some twirled and danced around with weapons and enchanted staffs that guided the rain, while others tumbled and weaved around the crowds gliding on the waves. As the troupe moved further down the street, another floating platform appeared and three sages stood in a circle directing a tsunami around the buildings and crashing it down towards the crowd. And at the last second they blew a chilling air at the crashing wave and it exploded into a flurry of snow that immediately started coating everything.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“I can’t believe they have so many experts in the Law realm. My sect only has a handful of elders who are capable of using Law.” Kamadra’s eyes sparkled as the streams passed only inches away from them.

“It’s a common tactic actually. You see the three up there?” She pointed at the sages directing everything. “I’d bet they’re the only ones that can manipulate Law. And if you look carefully none of them are actually generating it.”

Sienna quickly glanced around the street until she found what she was looking for and pointed it out for Kamadra.

“Look in that alley. I bet some of the performers earlier set up scripted barrels to use ambient energy to collect nearby water.”

She internally patted herself on her back. Sienna wasn’t the best student when it came to theory and lectures, but she had picked up a thing or two.

“Oh! I see!”

Kamadra watched as the first school finished and another youth, this time wearing open style green and yellow robes, came to announce the next school.

“Though you have to admit, these schools really do know how to put on a show.” They smiled.

This time, the show started with several people landing and shaking the whole street. They wrapped their torsos and wore clay green sarong in an attempt to appear uniform despite the vast differences in their sizes and shapes.

“The experts are probably off to the side and shifting the ground after everyone landed.” Sienna said with a proud stance.

“Hush up!” Kamadra said without taking their eyes off the performance. “Everything is well thought out and beautiful. I know they’re using tricks but it’s still amazing.”

Sienna rubbed the back of her head and awkwardly laughed. Perhaps she was trying too hard to show off.

The demonstration was dying down and a pair of twins came out to announce the next school, Gryphon’s Radiance. It was a wind school, so naturally everyone had a streamlined look to them.

Their performance wasn’t as aggressive as the other two. Instead of extravagant use of Law, they had performers dancing through the air with scripted boots and instruments floating around them, seemingly playing themselves. The constant breeze through the street allowed loose ribbons to dance around in colorful whirlwinds.

“They’re not bad.” Sienna yawned. “It’s just I wished they had more of an... Impact?” She looked like that wasn’t quite the word she was looking for, but it’d have to do.

“I understand what you mean. In order to follow up the first schools, it’d be better if they were more like a tornado rather than a summer breeze.”

Apparently everyone else felt the same way, their yawns imitating a wave down the street.

Not long after the performers were out of sight an older woman’s voice could be heard cursing. “What could these simple minded fools know!” The woman screamed, “All they focus on are grotesque displays of strength! They wouldn’t understand true art even if some ancient expert were to create it in front of them! I can’t believe I have to put up with this…” Her voice trailed off, presumably from someone escorting her off.

Sienna laughed, “I’ve never heard of such a wrinkled child throwing a tantrum before.”

Kamadra tried to hide their laughter behind their sleeve. Despite the attempt their melodic giggle was able to catch the attention of a few neighboring attendees.

“Ehem, after that previous display. I hope you are all prepared to witness the prowess of my fire school. Pemelé!”