Not long after the latest issue of Heavenly Dao Review went on sale, Heavenly Dao in Action and Buddha Heir Speaks published rebuttals simultaneously.
Heavenly Dao in Action argued that Heavenly Dao Review's assessment of True Person Zhou Zu was entirely one-sided, based on nothing but imagination and conjecture. In the Prodigy Tournament a thousand years ago, Ancestor Zhou Zu had rightfully claimed first place in the world. There had never been any private duel outside the tournament, and the claim that he had nearly converted to Buddhism was pure fabrication.
Ancestor Zhou Zu had volunteered for this expedition against Lin Bai. He had not stolen anyone's place...
Buddha Heir Speaks followed with a defense of its own Zen Master. Master Wuwang's Buddhist heart was steadfast, and he had never cared about winning or losing. The Prodigy Tournament was already smoke drifting past the eyes and should not be dredged up again. He and True Person Zhou Zu were close friends in private.
Although Heavenly Dao Review had ranked him first, deep down, he believed True Person Zhou Zu was the rightful leader of the twelve. He urged everyone not to be misled by Heavenly Dao Review, as rankings meant nothing.
Sacred Journal published an article saying that rankings were just for a bit of fun. Devil Ancestor Ye Song ranked at the bottom of the Sacred Ultimate Sect in strength, yet he had somehow placed third among the twelve. That alone showed how inflated the rankings were...
Flower Moon Magazine published an article stating that Heavenly Dao Review had not ranked people by strength, but had placed Fairy Cen Qing last solely because of the Moon Spirit Sect's cultivation techniques. This was unfair.
The hype rapidly gathered steam.
In modern terms, the twelve Mahayana Stage experts dispatched by