Three days later, at the Martial Arts Arena in the True Martial Platform's Cangnan Headquarters.
Dawn had barely broken, and the thin mist still clung to the mountains, yet crowds were already gathering outside the Martial Arts Arena.
Martial artists from across Cangnan Province had assembled to await this grand event, held only once every twenty years.
For most, even without a chance to step onto the platform, witnessing a clash between Grandmasters firsthand was a rare opportunity.
The Martial Arts Arena stood halfway up the mountain and covered a vast area. Its bluestone platform was smooth as a mirror, with Formations and Seals arranged around it to keep the force of the matches from spilling out.
Facing the platform was a row of seats for honored guests, occupied by the elders of the True Martial Platform's Cangnan Headquarters.
Zhou Yunhe sat in the center, eyes half-closed and aura withdrawn, as still as a statue.
On either side of the honored seats were sections for the various sects and Lineages.
The Yellow Martial Sect's seats were near the front on the left. Zhao Gongnian had arrived early with Li Yun and the others.
Qiao Meng had not come. She had stayed in Sand City to continue her training.
But the Grandmasters and Spirit Condensation Realm martial artists Zhao Gongnian had brought all looked tense, their anticipation mingled with worries only they could understand.
"Sect Master, I heard more than two hundred Grandmasters are taking part in this selection?"
"How can there be so many?"
Zhao Gongnian nodded. "Two hundred and twenty-six, to be exact. Quite a few experts have emerged in Cangnan's Martial Dao world over the past twenty years."
"Two hundred and twenty-six Grandmasters in the selection... Hiss!"
The man sucked in a sharp breath.
"That's fierce competition."
"I