Chapter 50：Free-For-All Rumble (1) (1/2)
Chapter 50 – Free-For-All Rumble (1)
Xu Miao and other outer disciples didn't know. There were changes in this exam.
Jia Shan and Xu Xiuying were aware of the deals under the table. To prevent favoritism and unfair advantage, they arranged multiple safe zones instead of one, but they made these areas smaller. Then, the arrays randomized the destination, sending all disciples to a different location.
With this setup, they couldn't band together and took advantage of others like previous tests.
Wei Yuan, Qing Zhong, and all candidates were shocked that everyone would be separated during the test. Moreover, the safe zones were too small for a large group.
Everyone paid attention to how all separated outer disciples fared in the alternate world.
Kang Yan and the Virgin Yin disciples began exploring the outer perimeter and cut down woods with their abilities, trying to secure resources to build make-shift weapons.
Wei Feng, Nie Ping, and mountain goose disciples were all hot-blood youths. They rushed into the wild and hunted nearby monster beasts right away.
But Xu Miao's cowardice tactic attracted all attention from the crowd. His actions revealed an exploitable loophole of the safe zone, which made hunting easy and safe.
Some noble clansmen scoffed as they were disgusted by Xu Miao's slyness. Yet, small families and weak candidates appreciated the hints. Many people admired his intelligence and shrewdness.
”As expected of a genius. This is how you think outside of the box.”
”Outside the box, my ass! Xu Miao is a coward!”
”Intelligence is one of a cultivator's skills. You can't look down on his because of his wits.”
”But that's totally cheating! There's no honor in that!”
”Honor can't bring food to the table! True cultivators lie, cheat, steal, and kill to make a living!”
Opinions polarized, but the majority of experienced cultivators approved of Xu Miao's way. In real combats and real life, a trivial insight like this could make a difference between life and death.
While they were talking and commenting on Xu Miao's actions, the latter pulled a magic saber out of nowhere and beheaded the wolf monster.
”Huh?”
”I thought spatial rings are prohibited in the test.”
”He also snuck in a spatial ring? He's cheating again?”
”So cheating, much hax, 10/10, wow!”
Not only the spectators were astonished by Xu Miao's cheats, Jian Meng, Jia Shan, Wei Huang, and other elders were baffled how this young master managed to smuggle a weapon in that realm.
Aside from the Mountain Goose elders, nobody was aware that the arrays on the stage could also detect hidden items, such as spatial rings, small weapons, and miscellaneous objects in the clothes of the cultivators inside the formation. It would only teleport test-takers, their clothes, and their armors to the alternate realm. Even if they hid any foreign items inside their pockets or their cavities, none of them could smuggle them into that world.
Jia Shan frowned while he watched Xu Miao's screen.
'That's clearly a low-graded magic weapon. The array didn't detect a spatial ring in his clothes, then how did he smuggle it to that world?'
Even the 7th stage grandmaster didn't know how Xu Miao brought in a weapon. He glanced at Xu Xiuying, who might know something about it.
Xu Xiuying peered at Jia Shan and shook her head. She, too, didn't expect her adopted son to be this capable.
Jia Shan sighed and turned to the screens. Since Xu Miao was capable of smuggling a foreign item into that realm, he couldn't help but consider it as one of the disciple's skills.
'Exploiting the rules, laws, and restrictions is one of a cultivator's skills. It seems that I can't blame him.'
The grandmaster ignored the blatant cheat and continued watching the others.
Since Jia Shan and Xu Xiuying didn't act against Xu Miao's action, the crowd assumed that everything was legal. Everyone tried to find a way to sneak in items, hidden weapons, and spatial rings into the realm.
…
An hour passed.
Jian Meng announced that all candidates could enter the alternate realm now. All contestants got on the stage. Their smiling face revealed their confidence, but their bulk clothes gave away their hidden motives. Everyone carried secret weapons and supplies in their clothes.
When Jian Meng told them to leave their spatial rings and weapons behind, they didn't deposit everything to the staff. Everyone smuggled at least 2 or 3 things, planning to bring them to the other side.
The elders didn't stop them even though their intention was so obvious. They allowed the candidates to try their luck since the arrays would filter out unauthorized items.
Everyone got on the arrays, and they got teleported to the monster realm.
*WHOOSH*
*CLANK* *CLANK*
Several items were left behind after the teleportation. Bags of food, hidden weapons, spatial rings, and mysterious artifacts dropped on the ground.
Seeing the items, Jia Shan shouted, ”Confiscate those items! We've told everyone that test-takers must deposit all items and spatial rings before entering the realm. Violators will be punished, and that punishment is item confiscation!”
Sect disciples grinned as they proceeded to collect the leftover items.
The families of the test-takers booed and protested right away.
”Hey! That's my clan's artifact! Leave it or else!”
”Those are my son's items! You have no right to claim it!”
”Return them to me, or I'll kill you!”
”Xu Miao can cheat, but my children can't!? This test is rigged! I demand our items back!”
The crowd was in an uproar, trying to climb the stage and get their items back.