Meanwhile.
Two figures rose from their seats in two sections of the inner viewing area atop Moonwatch Mountain.
They were the other two contestants in this group: Chen Zhou of Clearwind Valley and Lin Wanchen of the Setting Sun Sect.
Both were elite talents painstakingly nurtured by their respective sects. Their cultivation stood firmly at the peak Qi-Devouring Realm, and their foundations were solid. Having reached the second round, they possessed formidable combat abilities. Anyone who could distinguish themselves in the first preliminary round was no mediocrity.
They simply came from small sects with limited resources and reserves.
Within moments.
All five ascended the Bluestone Arena and took their positions in the prescribed order.
The five bowed together, respectfully saluting the Core-Realm Experts before them as they awaited the start of the trial.
Once they had taken their places, Yang Jing stood near the center of the arena.
The person specifically responsible for observing his entire fight and giving his final assessment was Commandant Tan, who presided over the whole tournament and oversaw the arena.
As a high-ranking government official and the host of this tournament, Commandant Tan possessed exceptional discernment and had witnessed countless battles.
Once all five contestants were ready.
Steady footsteps and the rumbling scrape of iron cages sounded again from the mountain path leading to the Back Mountain.
Five great True Qi Realm masters strode onto the platform, each carrying a heavy, pitch-black cage of refined iron, and set the five cages directly opposite the five warriors.
The beast-suppressing runes on the cages flickered faintly, containing the savage exotic beasts within. Yet waves of feral, baleful energy continued to seep out, making the air around the arena taut with murderous tension.
The five True Qi Realm masters simultaneously raised their hands to unlock the seals, then