When the disciple seated under Ling Daoyi, Yu Jing'an, actually rose into the air, another wave of murmurs swept through the crowd.
"The Tiandao Sect actually has a second Golden Core Great Grandmaster besides Senior Ling Daoyi! That's truly unexpected..."
"Indeed. I'd never heard that Yu Jing'an had broken through into the Golden Core Realm. Wasn't he rumored to have been stuck at the ninth level of the Forming Yuan Stage? It seems the Tiandao Sect has been hiding its strength well!"
"Exactly. It seems Ling Daoyi really does deserve to be spoken of in the same breath as Refining Soul Old Ancestor and Master Zhishang Chan. Not only is his own cultivation impressive, but he's just as outstanding at cultivating his disciples."
"Quite right. Each of the three has cultivated a Golden Core Great Grandmaster disciple. They're truly evenly matched!"
As everyone marveled, Refining Soul Old Ancestor and Master Zhishang Chan sat calmly to one side with their respective disciples. Judging by their bearing, neither seemed in a hurry to enter the contest personally.
That was only to be expected. After all, the first to take the stage was merely a disciple of Ling Daoyi's. This was clearly just meant to "warm things up" for the later contest between the three of them and liven up the atmosphere.
In the eyes of Refining Soul Old Ancestor, Master Zhishang Chan, and Ling Daoyi himself, only one another could be considered worthy opponents.
As for everyone else... they didn't merit their attention. Not for now, at least.
Of course, neither Refining Soul Old Ancestor nor Master Zhishang Chan intended to send their disciples out to challenge Yu Jing'an—not yet, anyway.
Just then, a figure suddenly leaped out from the crowd.
He, too, hovered in midair, then called out in a clear