On that day, turbulence swept through Longevity Heaven as large numbers of powerful cultivators gathered near Konoha. They were not there to join the battle, but to witness the greatest battle of recent decades.
One side was Konoha, which had recently been enjoying the spotlight. Though it had only just been established, it had drawn the attention of many people because of how quickly the city had developed. Other cities generally grew step by step from Rank Five cities, but Konoha was different. It had been built on the scale of a Rank Three city from the outset, and its recent moves had been aggressive, poaching talent from all kinds of other cities. If Konoha had not been closest to Nine Heavens City—and if it had not offended Nine Heavens City—other cities would likely have already made a move against it.
The other side was naturally Nine Heavens City.
There was no need to say much about it. An old, powerful city of Longevity Heaven, it had once suppressed even Primordial Beginning City and claimed the number one spot for a time. Although its strength had declined somewhat in recent years, a starving camel was still bigger than a horse. It remained the third-ranked among Rank Three cities, on an entirely different level from Konoha.
Thus, although there were many spectators, everyone more or less knew the outcome. No one had much disagreement over the result of this war. They had come only to watch the spectacle and see just how powerful Nine Heavens City truly was.
There were even rumors that underground casinos had already opened betting pools, wagering on how long Konoha could hold out—from the time it took to burn an incense stick to one or two hours. The betting was said to be extremely lively, with