Chapter 347 (2/2)

This was also the first time Zhang Dong could see female cultivators. The formation master profession didn't require a tough exterior so it was suited for women with high amounts of Qi. Women in this world tended to be less brash and also better at concentrating. They also showed more promise at learning tough formation diagrams than their more rowdy male counterparts.

Thus about a third of the competitors here were young girls between the ages of thirty and twenty. The sect still had a lot more male cultivators so they had the number advantage.

With the genders mixed it brought some more drama to the table. The young men started showing off while using this as a chance. The world of cultivation was mostly one of seclusion which caused the relationsh.i.p.s between the two genders to be somewhat rare.

Thus, most of the young men had no idea how to approach the fairy-like jade-like beauties that only got more beautiful as their cultivation increased. Cultivation was a process of bettering oneself and the women of this world focused on the external appearance over pure power.

”This Lai Zhenya will win this contest, beautiful fairy please join me for some tea after the competition is over!”

The woman just looked at him without replying but Zhang Dong could spot a little smile hidden under that pale face. Another youth joined in on the conversations soon after.”

”No, I will be the one to take the fairy out for some tea!”

Soon the two started fighting and only did they stop when an elder appeared. Zhang Dong gave out a sigh while standing up against the wall. He would need to wait till these idiots were done with their runs. He was unable to do anything besides waiting.

Time continued to fly and as he had thought there were some injuries. Sometimes some of the kids had to be carried out by the elders with many bruises on their bodies. The competition was harsh and there was minimal help even from the a.d.u.l.ts. Unless they could gain something in return, it was hard to find a carrying one around.

This all reminded him of the cultivators before he took over. Luckily with him in the driving seat, his sect had stared into a more gentle direction. There was some infighting but not this bad, or at least this was what he hoped.

He mostly took on a hands-off approach, Zhang Dong was not really aware of what was happening in the outer sect area. He only created the merit system that would allow everyone to get into the inner sect. If they worked hard if they used underhanded tactics was unknown to him.

There was the part where the sect scanners didn't allow any evil people in but there were certain ones that would try to gain the system. They were not outright evil but looking out for yourself wasn't really considered evil.

”Okay, you are the last ones left, please go in.”

'Finally…'

With the group of thirty he entered through the corridor while staying a bit to the side of everyone else. After going through the threshold of the passage he could already feel it, he found himself in a large illusory formation.

This was quite the basic one, it kept the people that were affected from seeing the correct path. What the young participants saw was a cavern with three paths but there was a fourth one. It didn't seem that any one of them could tell as they all headed into one of the other three while he waited and took the correct one.

Little did he know that this was not actually an easy nut to crack. His actions were spotted by the elders outside. They could tell that someone was able to get through one of the more difficult formations that kept all the hidden paths away from the disciples.

These paths were there so that the elders could use them as shortcuts. Only when having a specially crafted item and previous knowledge would they be able to tell the way. Zhang Dong was a special case as he was fully immune to something like mind control due to his oversized soul.

This was also why he found himself at the exit after about only five minutes of walking. He successfully managed to use all the hidden corridors.

”How could this be…”

The main judge called out in surprise after he saw a slightly confused Zhang Dong reach the exit.

'Did I make myself look a bit too competent with this one…'

He could only shrug while looking at the previous winners, not being able to comprehend how an unknown person like him had managed to beat everyone else. The record set by some formation ancestors from many millennia ago was not this fast.

”Oh, greetings elders, is there a problem?”

He asked while smiling, now all he had to do was beat the other young masters that were resting from their previous run. They all started to whisper, all looked at him and they all couldn't believe it. It was time to play it up and become the number one prospect that this sect had ever had.