Chapter 2698 - 550:
Within the range of the Eastern Wilderness Sect, there are a few relatively powerful sects, whose senior members personally led their teams to the Eastern Wilderness Sect.
At this moment, the high-ranking members of these sects were gathered with the experts of the Eastern Wilderness Sect, observing the situation below.
One of the elder senior members, with graying hair and beard, scanned the area below before turning to the people of the Eastern Wilderness Sect and genuinely praised: "The Dao Companions of the Eastern Wilderness Sect have been very considerate.
Each arena platform below looks incredibly fair, at least in terms of the number of participants. If there are disciples from the Eastern Wilderness Sect present, either their numbers are equal to the loose cultivators and disciples from other sects or the entire platform consists solely of Eastern Wilderness Sect disciples."
The current rule states that only one person can advance from each platform. If there are six Eastern Wilderness Sect disciples and four from other sects on one platform, the six Eastern Wilderness Sect disciples would surely unite, which would be quite unfair to disciples from other sects.
But such a situation has not occurred on the platforms below.
The cultivators of the Eastern Wilderness Sect still uphold martial virtue.
Wu Jianzi, upon hearing this, chuckled lightly and said, "This is as it should be. Our Clan Leader has always emphasized ensuring fairness to the utmost in everything, and naturally, we must ensure fairness in such matters."
Over the years, he has advanced from the Golden Core Stage to the Immortality Regainment Realm, although he still falls one step short of the True Immortal Realm.
His cultivation to this point is due to his talent, and also related to Star Lord Hao Yue, who has considerably aided many talented cultivators like him.
In comparison to those geniuses who participated with him in the Guardian Immortal Imperial Dynasty’s grand martial arts tournament, especially the geniuses from the Hundred Peaks Sect, he has fallen behind.
Beside him, a handsome cultivator dressed in a white robe, upon hearing Wu Jianzi speak, chuckled lightly and said, "Thinking back, the first time I met Venerable Wu Jianzi was during the Golden Core Stage. Although we participated in the grand martial arts competition, nearly all the participants were Golden Core Stage cultivators.
It’s unexpected that, after so many years, we once again witness a martial arts tournament, still a Golden Core Stage tournament."
"Dao Companion, you are mistaken." Wu Jianzi slightly shook his head and corrected, "Back then, Chief Cao was only at the Core Formation Stage, yet many Golden Core Stage cultivators fell to Chief Cao’s hands."
"That’s incomparable."
"Indeed, how could we ever compare ourselves to Chief Cao."
"Speaking of which, I wonder what talents the Hundred Peaks Sect has today."
"The talents of the Hundred Peaks Sect are ever-emerging. Of course, most of the heavenly prides of the Hundred Peaks Sect are from the Four Treasures Peak. However, this time, it seems there are no disciples from Four Treasures Peak participating, given that their disciples have already reached the True Immortal Realm."
"Dao Companion, you are mistaken." Fairy Qin Yao gently shook her head and said, "Chief Cao accepted a disciple named Xingchen Zi a few years back. Considering the time, Xingchen Zi should now be at the Golden Core Stage."
She is in contact with many from the Hundred Peaks Sect and is aware that Cao Zhen had previously taken a disciple.
"Oh? A disciple of Chief Cao, then they must be exceptionally outstanding."
"Indeed, the disciples of the Four Treasures Peak have all advanced to the True Immortal Realm, so that disciple should be no exception."
"Fellow Daoists, let’s not speak of the Hundred Peaks Sect anymore; our tournament has already begun."
Below, there are a total of one hundred arena platforms, each overseen by an Earth Immortal Realm observer, sufficient to ensure the safety of the platform disciples.
With the command from the referee, one thousand Golden Core Stage cultivators on the one hundred arena platforms took action almost simultaneously.
The platform grounds are paved with sturdy great stones, smooth and flat, absolutely capable of withstanding any fierce attacks below the Earth Immortal Realm.
On each platform, the Golden Core Stage cultivators swung their respective Divine Weapons, attacking towards the opposite side.
Some cultivators, with agile movement techniques, dodged enemy attacks like dexterous monkeys and then counterattacked with lightning speed; some, relying on formidable physique and strength, like majestic great beasts, suppressed their opponents; others displayed divine skills...
On the mountain ridges, a group of cultivators watched the battles below with intense focus.
On the platform where Xingchen Zi stood, as the competition started,
next to him, a young cultivator in black robes suddenly had seven Golden Cores emerge behind him, five of which were anomaly Golden Cores.
This, at the Golden Core Stage, is already quite impressive, and having five anomaly Golden Cores among seven shows an exceptional talent.
Though he faced five disciples from Great Teachings, he stepped forward with confidence and determination gleaming in his eyes.
The next moment, a red longsword in his hand swept through the air, the sword light like a rainbow, creating a majestic momentum as if thousands of troops charged forth, thrusting towards an opponent also wielding a longsword.
In front of him, the Eastern Wilderness Sect cultivator had Golden Cores appear behind him as well, one more than Xingchen Zi’s, totaling eight, but only half were anomaly Golden Cores.
His movement technique was exceptionally agile, and seeing the descending sharp sword, he deftly dodged the opponent’s attack, then countered with a sharp sword Qi aimed straight at the opponent’s throat.