Chapter 347 (1/2)

”That's one… four to go…”

Zhang Dong was looking at a little white bead that he received after being first at the Appraisal competition. Thanks to his system he was able to instantly know what the items on display were, even the ones that had a hidden function.

After he had filled out the participation form he had to pay quite a hefty sum to take part in all of the competitions. The person he gave his paper to looked at him in bewilderment and he had to convince him to let him participate.

After taking care of the formalities he had two days of free time. This he used to locate the outer sect library. Even though he was confident in winning everything, this didn't mean that he wouldn't do any research.

As a trial disciple, he had no way of entering this large building. This did not pose a problem for someone with an immortal level disguising technique. He just needed to find one of the elders and shadow him back to his home. Taking out a late stage Martial Master wasn't hard for him.

The old man was put to sleep before he could even realize what was happening. He had enough time to raid the library and gather even more knowledge by tapping the scriptures. The techniques were really mostly following the lightning Dao but they were all inferior to even the basic ones that he came to this world in.

If he had his old cultivation level, this Thunderball hall would probably salivate over making him their grand elder.

Now armed with more knowledge he took part in the Appraisal competition which he won. The main judge after being given that pendant was quick to give him this bead while he himself left the rest of the competition up to the side judge.

'They sure are greedy in this empire… but not like that's any different than my own.'

While thinking about how that elder was trying to hide the core formation level item he moved towards the next competition. This one would be about formations.

Being a formation master was a sought-after position. Together with Pill makers and blacksmiths they made up the three most important crafting professions. Without possessing a large protective formation a sect could not function correctly.

Formations were very similar to magic circles. A formation master needed to draw them out in specific locations while also placing some formation flags at the focal points. Their Qi would also be utilized to somewhat etch the symbols into the earth. After it was done, the formation circles would become hidden.

'I guess I'm already gaining some notoriety…'

Zhang Dong didn't turn around but he could feel that some people were following him. After he won the appraisal competition some of the elders and disciples decided to shadow him.

There weren't that many behind him as the competition that he took place in wasn't that popular. Appraisal was mostly a side profession for people that liked to identify items than to make them by themselves.

”I welcome you to the yearly outer sect formation guild competition.”

Zhang Dong moved together with a large group of disciples while another elder in a white robe showed up. He started discussing how this trial would go down.

It looked to be some type of course that everyone would have to go through. There would be several challenges that the young formation disciples would need to pass.

There would be illusion formations, imprisoning formations, and even slaughtering formations. The contestants would move in groups and the one that arrived at the end with the best time would win.

Zhang Dong being a trial disciple that had to actually pay to get in here, would need to wait. He was dead last with all of the inner sect disciples that had less than stellar backing. This also meant that probably no one would be paying attention to his run.

'I guess this will give me an opportunity to see how the competition was doing.'

There was one entrance through which the participants would go in and also one exit. That was right next to the entrance, the many corridors would lead them here and the first one to come out would be treated as the victor.

There were about three hundred participants here and they would be assigned to groups of thirty people. This smaller group would then compete.

He already knew that with rules like this, it meant that on the inside some young masters would probably use some underhanded methods to get ahead. Deaths and injuries did happen from time to time but everyone could always attribute it to the slaughtering formations.

After a set time, if not all of the disciples made it out an elder would go through the labyrinth to fetch them. At that time they would sometimes find bloodied bodies, or youngsters with broken legs or trapped in an illusion they can't break.