Of course, even their discussions were not conducted openly. Everyone communicated through secret voice transmissions, whispering their opinions amongst themselves.
The reason was simple — they feared the Linghu Heavenly Clan.
"Cough, cough."
Suddenly, a light cough echoed through the air.
The moment that cough sounded, every face in the crowd turned solemn. Even those who had been conversing in secret immediately fell silent.
Because the person who had coughed was someone of truly extraordinary standing.
He was a tall man, strikingly handsome, with a sharp and heroic air between his brows that radiated martial vigor.
Moreover, an imposing, king-like dominance emanated from his entire being — the kind of commanding presence that ordinary people rarely possessed.
He sat there, and the aura of a monarch surveying his realm naturally unfurled from him. He was the lord, and all others were his subjects.
His face, cold as frost, seemed to conceal some unknown threat, giving those around him an overwhelming sense of oppression.
This man was called Linghu Iron Mask.
The name was somewhat strange, and why he bore it was something only his parents would know. Still, it had to be said that the name "Linghu Iron Mask" paired rather fittingly with his ice-cold visage.
But names were not important. For martial cultivators, strength was what truly mattered.
Linghu Iron Mask was universally acknowledged as the strongest individual within the current Ancestral Martial Cultivation Realm — a figure who held absolute sway over everything beneath the heavens.
Within the Ancestral Martial Cultivation Realm, he was the true king!
In truth, his reputation extended far beyond the Ancestral Martial Cultivation Realm. He was a well-known figure throughout the entire Ancestral Martial Star Domain.
That was because Linghu Iron Mask was one of the current Ancestral Martial Ten Stars, ranked third among them.
He was a genuine, once-in-a-generation prodigy. Even in a place like the Ancestral Martial Cultivation Realm, where geniuses gathered in droves, he stood tall above the rest like a crane among chickens — his brilliance dazzling, unreachable by anyone else.
Naturally, Linghu Iron Mask also served as the leader of the Linghu Heavenly Clan's contingent within the Ancestral Martial Cultivation Realm.
Though he was technically a junior in terms of generational rank, the world of martial cultivators operated by its own rules — seniority meant nothing, and strength was all that mattered.
"The entrance to the Light Formation is about to open. Go fetch the newcomers," Linghu Iron Mask said.
The moment his words fell, someone immediately departed, presumably to call the newcomers over.
At this, people from all four regions — East, South, West, and North — grew restless, their anticipation mounting.
What they were looking forward to, of course, were the newcomers the Linghu Heavenly Clan had sent in this year.
Although they had already been gathered at the plaza for some time, they had yet to see the newcomers from the Linghu Heavenly Clan, the Nightmare Spirit Clan, and the Heaven reaching Beast Clan.
Everyone was curious — what kind of newcomers had these three powerful clans produced this year?
After all, whether it was the Linghu Heavenly Clan, the Nightmare Spirit Clan, or the Heaven reaching Beast Clan, none of them ever lacked fresh blood or formidable geniuses.
Dongguo Bingyu, more than anyone else, was especially eager to see this year's newcomers from the three clans.
She knew that a certain Chu Feng had appeared in the Eastern Region, and Chu Feng desperately needed worthy opponents. Only powerful adversaries could bring out his true capabilities.
Before long, a group of newcomers appeared within everyone's sight.
The moment these young cultivators came into view, the entire plaza erupted with excitement.
Because the newcomers who had entered this year were, without question, extraordinary.