481-485

Chapter 481: Challenging the Sea of Formations

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"Perfect formation?" Seeing his old friend losing his composure, Hall Master Sai was baffled.

He had heard of Confinement Formation, Illusion Formation, Beguilement Formation, Spirit Gathering Formation... But he had never heard of a perfect formation before.

"Just like with painting and pills, there are different tiers to a completed formation as well. Even when setting up the same formation, how can the might of a formation set up 2-star formation master compare to that of a 5-star formation master?"

Suppressing his confusion, Guild Leader Zheng began to explain.

Hall Master Sai was taken aback.

Even with formation plates of the same grade, everyone hoped to buy one inscribed by a higher ranked formation master as their craft tended to be more stable and powerful.

The same applied for pills as well. Those forged by higher ranked apothecaries tended to be of higher quality and thus, possessed greater medicinal effectiveness.

"The difference between formations mainly lies in how much they complement the environment and how much energy they can borrow from the surroundings!"

Seeing the incomprehension on Hall Master Sai's face, Guild Leader Zheng explained, "Formations that reach a synchronization rate of twenty percent with the environment are termed as Initiate. A formation of this level can be successfully activated to do whatever it is intended to do. Only when one can prepare a formation of this level can one be considered an official formation master.

"At a synchronization rate of forty percent, the formation will be able to borrow a portion of the energy from the surroundings to augment the might of the formation. At this level, one's understanding of the formation can be considered to have reached intermediate-tier. As a 4-star formation master, I can still easily reach this level when setting up a grade-2 formation.

"Going on, at a synchronization rate of sixty percent, the environment and formation can be considered to be complementing one another already. This is also what we call a high-tier formation. Occasionally, while I am setting up a grade-1 formation, I can reach this level...

"Then, at a synchronization rate of eighty percent, it wouldn't be wrong to say that the environment is what that is driving the formation. Just like conscious Spirit tools, a formation of this level is able to tap into the natural energy contained in the surroundings to create hurricanes, storm, trap beings, and leave them in distress."

After saying that, Guild Leader Zheng's lips turned pale. "Even if you can break out of a formation, can you break out of your environment?"

Hall Master Sai was stunned.

One can walk out of a formation, a room, a courtyard... But everywhere one stood was the environment, so how could one walk out of it? How could one overcome it?

Upon comprehending this level, even formation masters would find it hard to break out of the formation once trapped

"Wait a moment..."

Upon recalling something, Hall Master Sai's body trembled and his eyes widened in round circles. He stared at Guild Leader Zheng in disbelief and asked, "That's just a synchronization rate of eighty percent... What about a hundred percent?"

"Indeed, it's exactly what you're thinking. It's known as the... perfect formation!"

There was a slight quiver to Guild Leader Zheng's voice as he said, "It perfectly harmonizes with one's environment such that when it's in a dormant state, it won't cause any disturbances to the surroundings, thus giving rise to the term 'Absence of Ripples'. However, the moment it is triggered, the environment will be completely changed. The formation will become the environment, and the environment is the formation... Try thinking about it, how can cultivating in a Spirit Gathering Formation compare up to cultivating in a natural environment?"

It was just like an air-conditioner. No matter how comfortable the temperature was, it still couldn't compare to the warmth of spring.

"Using just formation flags and core to change the environment, legend has it that only formation masters of 6-star and above are capable of such a feat..."

At this point, even Guild Leader Zheng himself was in disbelief.

A while ago, this fellow before him didn't even know that Spirit Gathering Formation plates didn't exist in the Formation Master Guild and yet, in the next moment, he set up a formation that only 6-star formation masters were capable of, a perfect formation...

Am I insane or is the world going mad?

There had never been such a happening in the history of the guild!

Perplexed, the voice of the young man sounded, "You can sell the Spirit Gathering Formation flags, core, and blueprint to me now, right?"

The formation that Zhang Xuan had just prepared was the most basic type of Spirit Gathering Formation. It wasn't capable of extracting spiritual energy from the spirit stones to fuel his consumption. To do so, a formation of at least grade-4 was required.

"Of course..."

Guild Leader Zheng nodded his head stiffly.

If a person who was capable of forging a perfect formation was unqualified to purchase those items, then wasn't him even more unqualified?

"May I know... what is Zhang shi's formation master rank?" After agreeing to the matter, Guild Leader Zheng hesitated for a short moment before asking.

While it was a known fact that only 6-star formation masters were capable of preparing a perfect grade-2 formation, some of the top-notch geniuses were able to do so as well. The person before him hadn't even reached Transcendent Mortal realm yet so clearly, it was impossible for his to rank to be too high. Even so, he wanted to know the other party's exact ranking so as to determine how he should treat him.

"Formation master? I've never taken the examination before so I can't be considered as one..." Zhang Xuan shook his head.

It was just a moment ago that he started learning about it so naturally, he had never taken any examination of that sort before.

"You aren't a formation master?" Guild Leader Zheng's mouth twitched and his body swayed feebly.

Putting aside how other party was able to set up the formation so swiftly, the formation even reached such a high tier... And yet, the other party wasn't even an official formation master? Where in the world did this monster come from?

He was a 4-star pinnacle formation master, but in terms of speed, he couldn't match up to the other party at all. And naturally, he couldn't prepare a perfect formation either.

"May I know if... Zhang shi is willing to participate in our guild's examination?"

A thought flashed through Guild Leader Zheng's mind and his eyes lit up in desire.

There were countless branches under a headquarters. If the other party were to take the examination here, he would be considered as a genius of Honghai City. If the headquarters were to hear of it, they would definitely reward the Honghai City Formation Master Guild handsomely.

"Sure!" Zhang Xuan nodded in agreement.

It didn't matter to him where he took the examination. In any case, to advance through the ranks of a master teacher, he needed more supporting occupations. Formation master was considered as one of the most influential occupations of the Upper Nine Paths. It would be for the best if he could become an official member of this group.

"Great! I'll make preparations now then..."

Upon hearing the other party agree to it, Guild Leader Zheng smiled in excitement. "As for the Spirit Gathering Formation's formation flags, core, and blueprint, once you pass the examination, there will be no need for you to buy them. I can simply give you a set!"

The Formation Master Guild operated in a similar manner to the Apothecary Guild — it was extremely difficult for a low-ranked member to access content beyond their level. He would have to clear many authorizations first.

However, if one's rank had reached the prerequisite, one could take it away straight even without payment.

"Alright!" Upon hearing that he could be spared from his expenses, Zhang Xuan hurriedly nodded his head.

Even though he wasn't lacking in spirit stones now, he felt that he should save as much as possible especially since he would require a humongous amount of spirit stone to achieve breakthroughs. Several ten thousand spirit stones might be a huge fortune to other cultivators, but to him, it might not even be sufficient for him to reach Transcendent Mortal 2-dan.

Thus, he felt that he should save as much of it as possible.

"What is the format of the formation master examination?" Zhang Xuan asked.

He felt that he should at least ask properly before taking the examination.

Just like the master teacher examination, there were many variations to the formation master examination. Depending on the branch itself, the requirements may differ.

It was just like how in Tianwu Kingdom, the examination content to becoming a 1-star formation master was to successfully set up a grade-1 formation. As a prosperous city of the Myriad Kingdom Alliance, the examination here might be slightly different.

"The examination of our branch is indeed slightly unique as compared to the other branch. It is slightly more difficult, and it is known as the... Sea of Formations!" Guild Leader Zheng said.

"Sea of Formations?" Zhang Xuan frowned.

"Un. The Sea of Formations refers to the multitude of formation that countless formation masters of the guild have left behind throughout the years. Upon entering it, one could meet with a formation of any kind. The condition for success is to break out of the formation one is trapped in. There is a total of four stages and each stage corresponds to formations of grade-1 to grade-4 respectively. If one passes the first stage, one will be qualified as a 1-star formation master, and if one passes the second stage, one will be qualified as a 2-star formation master... so on and so forth!" Guild Leader Zheng explained.

"I see, that's indeed more difficult than setting up formations!" Zhang Xuan nodded his head.

Setting up a formation and breaking out a formation was just like ascending and descending from a mountain.

It was easy to ascend a mountain, but descending a mountain was fraught with many difficulties.

While setting up a formation, one just had to identify the correct attributes and position the formation accurately in order to succeed. But to break out of a formation... considering that one would be within the formation, it would be hard for one to get an overview of the situation to discern the type of formation. If one were to make a lapse of judgement, it would be extremely easy for one to make a fatal mistake.

"It's indeed a little difficult. However, if one possesses a deep understanding of formations, it won't be a problem at all!" Guild Leader Zheng chuckled.

"Oh?"

"Even though there are innumerable formations contained within the Sea of Formations, if one can accurately determine the type, name, and life gate of the formation quickly, breaking out of it would be much easier than setting up a formation. But regardless of which examination it is, be it the setting up of a formation or the Sea of Formations, one has to possess an in-depth understanding of formations first. Otherwise, it will be impossible for one to pass the tests!"

After explaining, Guild Leader Zheng looked at the young man before him and said, "Since Zhang shi has never taken the formation master examination before, you should start from the grade-1 formations to get used to it first. This way, you can accumulate some experience such that you won't panic when meeting with formations of higher grades."

Zhang Xuan nodded. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he asked, "But before that, I would like to pay a visit to the library!"

Even the most formidable formation that he had gathered via the Library of Heaven's Path was only of grade-2 at the moment. If he wanted to go further in the examination, he would have to browse through more books.

"You wish to browse through some books? That's fine as well. Xiaowu, take Zhang shi to the library. It has been long since anyone has challenged the fourth stage of the Sea of Formations so it'll require some preparation time anyway!"

Guild Leader Zheng chuckled.

He didn't think about the other party's request to browse through books much.

It was natural for formation masters to request for access to books to enhance their knowledge. He also frequented the library himself to look up unique formations so as to expand his horizons.

"Yes!" The young man Xiaowu nodded.

"Zhang shi..."

Zhang Xuan was led away by the young man, leaving Hall Master Sai standing in a daze on the spot with widened eyes.

Weren't you here to buy formation plates? How did it turn into you taking the formation master examination?

That was an Upper Nine Paths occupation, one of the top occupations of the continent. To take the examination so abruptly... It was almost like how he challenged the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets previously...

"Old Zheng, how far do you think... Zhang shi can go in the examination?"

He couldn't help but turn to Guild Leader Zheng.

"I have no idea how many stages he can clear but given how he's able to set up a perfect 2-star Spirit Gathering Formation so easily, his understanding of formations can only be above mine. In other words, even at worst, he's at least of 4-star pinnacle or perhaps... even 5-star!" Guild Leader Zheng said with a grim expression.

"4-star pinnacle? 5-star?" Hall Master Sai was shocked.

When he first met Zhang shi, he only thought that the other party was formidable in appraising, but even so, that was more than sufficient to awe him. Never in his dreams did he expect the other party to be so knowledgeable in formations as well, to the extent of surpassing even his old friend.

To possess such knowledge and capability at his age... How in the world did he manage to do it?

"That's right. However, the Sea of Formations isn't easy. It'll be hard for those inexperienced to pass the examination. All I hope is for him to clear more stages so that another genius can rise from our branch!"

Guild Leader Zheng nodded his head.

"Clear more stages..."

As he replied, Hall Master Sai's mouth suddenly twitched. A thought popped into his mind.

If this fellow were to challenge the Sea of Formations, would it end up... just like the Appraiser Hall? Would he cause chaos in the Formation Master Guild as well?

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Chapter 482: The Fearsome Illusion Formation

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

The books in the Formation Master Guild were significantly fewer than that of the Appraiser Hall. Almost seventy percent of the books were for 2-star formation masters and below. Having completely comprehended that level, there was no need for Zhang Xuan to go through those books once more.

As such, it didn't take him long to collect the books. In just two hours, he already had all of them duplicated in the Library of Heaven's Path.

With this collection, he had sufficient books to form Heaven's Path Formation Art 3-dan and 4-dan.

Another two hours passed, and he finally managed to master them. Rubbing his glabella wearily, he exhaled a mouthful of turbid air.

Having collected so many books and cultivated 2 dans of the Heaven's Path Formation Art, even though his cultivation had already reached Half-Transcension, he still felt slightly faint-headed and his face was ghastly pale.

But still, his hard work had brought him great benefits.

In terms of knowledge on formation, he still might not be a match for Guild Leader Zheng, but in terms of setting up formations, the latter was definitely far from a match for him.

More importantly...

"So, this is what inscribing a formation plate means. Inscribing a Spirit Gathering Formation sure isn't easy..."

With a deep understanding of formation plates, Zhang Xuan finally understood why Guild Leader Zheng flew into a rage when he told him to finish it within two hours.

Crafting a formation plate was equivalent to carving a massive formation onto a place the size of a palm. Furthermore, it had to be aligned with the environment. As such, the difficulty of the matter was extremely great.

This was especially so for Spirit Gathering Formations. The timing of half a month that the other party gave was actually truly the fastest speed possible already.

"It's true that using ordinary means to inscribe a formation plate will be difficult. However, if I were to use the Heaven's Path Formation Art to do so, it would be much easier!"

Ordinary formations had to follow the blueprint strictly and ensure that the layout was aligned with the environment, thus making the process incredibly complex and troublesome. A single wrong mark could potentially result in the formation being ruined.

On the other hand, the Heaven's Path Formation Art emphasized on continuity and smooth flow instead. There was more flexibility in it.

Thus, using the Heaven's Path Formation Art to inscribe the same blueprint would be many times simpler than using ordinary means.

"The preparation of the Sea of Formations should be ready by now. I should go over and take a look!"

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan decided to put aside the matter regarding the formation plate for the moment and walked out of the library.

Now that he had assimilated the books within the library, his understanding of formations had deepened. It was time for him to try out the Sea of Formations and become an official formation master.

...

"The Sea of Formations is just a name. Rather than an actual sea, it's just a long corridor. It is located at the third floor of the Formation Master Guild, and countless formations are set up in the area. As long as one walks into the area, one will be at risk of being confined, beguiled, and even... dying!

"That is because... there are all kinds of formation in there, and that includes Slaughter Formations as well.

"But there's no need for you to worry. Every single examinee will be given a formation amulet. When you meet with true danger, you just have to crush it and the formation will immediately come to a halt!"

At the long corridor of the Sea of Formations, a young man gestured to the surroundings as he explained the entire proceedings to his two juniors.

The three of them had come from the same teacher. It was the first time the two juniors behind was taking the formation master examination whereas the senior in front was here to take his 2-star examination.

At this moment, the two juniors were slightly nervous. Their lips had turned white and their palms were soaked with sweat.

"There's no need to worry. I'll pass the first stage later on to give you all a demonstration of the happenings inside. Remember, the formation which one will undergo is completely random so my experience is only for reference purposes. You mustn't deal with it the exact same way as I did... Do you understand?" the senior said.

"Senior, rest assured. We'll pay some attention to it!"

"Let's pass the examination so as to not let teacher down!"

The two juniors behind clenched their fists tightly.

"Good. I'll demonstrate the examination to you all now. Take note, regardless of which formation you meet with, don't be too anxious to get through with it. You must analyze it calmly as only then will you find the life gate and break out from it!"

Seeing the humility of his juniors, the senior nodded his head in satisfaction. After which, he turned around and began walking over to the long corridor of the Sea of Formations.

Weng!

As soon as he stepped in, mist immediately appeared. A formation had been activated, trapping the senior entirely.

The first stage of the Sea of Formations, a grade-1 formation!

"That wall..." The duo turned to look at the wall by the side.

By the side of the corridor, there was a wall made of special crystal which showed the situation of the one challenging the examination clearly.

Their senior's figure was currently reflected on the wall, and at this moment, he was observing the situation around him with his eyebrows knitted together.

In order to break out of the formation, one had to decipher the formation first. One had to know what kind of formation it was, where the 'life gate', 'death gate', and weakest link were... If one couldn't find these, one would never be able to break out of the formation regardless of how strong one was.

Hu!

A compass appeared in the senior's palm and he studied it intently with a lowered gaze. After which, he took three steps left and three steps right, trying to test the formation's reaction.

A short period of time later, his eyes suddenly lit up, as though having discovered something. Chuckling lightly, he started walking toward a direction at which he had decided upon.

At the same moment, he gathered strength in his palm and struck out.

Hu!

A buzzing sound echoed and the mist disappeared. A figure appeared before the duo again—it was their senior.

"Did you see that? This is the first stage. As long as you analyze it carefully and determine the origin of the flow of spiritual energy, as well as the various changes that occurs with your movements, you'll be able to deduce what kind of formation it is, confirm your current location and find the life gate... And just like that, you'll be able to break out of the formation!"

After clearing the first stage, the senior didn't proceed straight on to the second stage. Instead, he turned around and explained the various happenings to the duo.

He was here to take the 2-star formation master examination. The 1-star examination didn't pose much of a challenge to him anymore, and the only reason he took it was just to give a demonstration to his juniors, as well as to calm their nerves.

"Yes!"

The two juniors nodded their heads.

There wasn't anything wrong with the words of their senior, but the situation was very different when one was trapped in a formation. The surroundings would be completely different — there would be no point of reference and it would be extremely easy for one to get lost. The most one could do was to analyze the flow of spiritual energy. Determining what kind of formation one was trapped in and where one was positioned within the formation would be extremely difficult.

There were more than several thousand types of grade-1 Confinement Formation. The same type of formation could be divided into several hundreds of sub-types. If one didn't possess vast understanding of formations, deciphering and escaping from it would be nigh impossible.

"Alright, I'm going to challenge the second stage now. Regardless of whether I succeed or not, you all should try to look properly and learn from my experience!"

Saying so, the senior took a deep breath and his gaze turned grave.

As a 1-star pinnacle formation master, he was more than confident in clearing the first stage. However, the second stage would be difficult for him.

Hu!

Stepping forward, the formation within the second stage was immediately activated. Just like before, a figure appeared on the wall by the side.

"Why isn't senior moving at all?"

Turning their gazes over, the two juniors soon realized that the movements of their senior had been peculiar ever since he stepped into the second stage.

Previously, he immediately took out the compass and began walking around to analyze the formation. But now, it seemed as though he was in a daze, not moving at all.

The white-robed junior suddenly thought of something and asked, "Crap, it couldn't be an Illusion Formation, could it?"

"Illusion Formation?" The green-robed junior's eyes widened in shock.

An Illusion Formation interfered with one's psyche directly. As soon as the formation was triggered, those within would be plunged into a scenario that the formation master had prepared beforehand, leaving them unable to collect themselves. As such, it was more feared than Confinement Formations.

Confinement Formations were similar to a cage in the sense that even though one might be unable to escape, one was at least able to retain their thoughts and consciousness. However, in an Illusion Formation, one's thoughts would be forced to wander, and at that moment, one would forget even one's own name and purpose. Under such circumstances, there wasn't the slightest possibility of escape.

Hu hu hu!

Just as the duo was in doubt, the pale face of their senior in the formation gradually grew more and more savage. His zhenqi grew erratic, and he randomly struck out at thin air, as though a lunatic.

Pu!

After a period of time, it seemed like his zhenqi had been fully expended and he spewed a mouthful of blood. Only then did he regain his consciousness and hurriedly crush the jade token in his hand.

The mist disappeared and he appeared before his two juniors once more. However, this time, his face was withered.

The second stage, failed!

"Senior..."

The senior's confident disposition from before had disappeared without a trace. Instead, as he walked over, he looked like a defeated rooster. His two juniors felt even more flustered.

"It's normal to fail when challenging the Sea of Formations. I can only say my luck is bad for having triggered an Illusion Formation..."

Swallowing a pill, the senior's complexion improved slightly. Turning to his two juniors, he smiled awkwardly.

"Indeed, Illusion Formations are simply too difficult..." the green-robed junior said.

"If only it was a Confinement Formation, senior would have definitely passed and become a 2-star formation master..." The white-robed junior said.

"Indeed! If it was a Confinement Formation, I'm confident that I would have cleared the stage!"

Seeing that the admiration his two juniors had for him didn't falter in the least, the senior heaved a sigh of relief. "I've done some research on the matter, and for the past decade, there was a total of 88 challengers for the 2-star formation master examination. Of that, there were 22 times that an Illusion Formation was triggered... but there wasn't a single person who cleared the stage in those 22 times! Those who cleared the examination were mainly those who faced Confinement Formation and Beguilement Formation."

"What about Slaughter Foramtion?"

"Slaugher Formation?" The senior shook his head. "That's even more impossible to clear. A single wrong move would spell death. It is already a blessing if one can survive within it, lest be said, escape from it..."

"It's that difficult?"

Upon learning how scary Slaughter Formations were, the two juniors began to tense up once more.

"Let me tell you honestly, no one has ever succeeded with an Illusion Formation or a Slaughter Formation before. Later on, when you enter, as soon as you realize that something is amiss, it's best that you crush the jade token immediately. There's no point struggling needlessly!"

The senior instructed grimly.

"Yes!"

The two juniors nodded their heads. "Rest assured, senior. If we encounter an Illusion Formation or a Slaughter Formation, we'll give up immediately! Since even you are unable to clear them, how could others possibly succeed? At the very least, I doubt that anyone in this guild would be able to do it..."

Just as the duo was complimenting their talented senior, at the entrance of the corridor of the Sea of Formations, a young man walked over lazily.

The young man looked younger than them, probably below twenty. His eyes were reddened with blood vessels, and it looked as though he hadn't slept for several days consecutively. Exhaustion was the only thing one could see from his face.

"Who is this fellow? Why haven't I seen him before?"

The trio was taken aback.

They had been in the Formation Master Guild for a minimum five years by now, and there wasn't a single apprentice or formation master that they didn't recognize. But that young man in front was completely unfamiliar to them.

"He's probably some apprentice who have just joined... With just one look, it's clear that his mental fortitude is lacking. He probably hasn't slept for several days due to anxiety for the examination, that's why he's in such a state!"

"Indeed! Even his eyes are red. To think that the Sea of Formations could scare someone to this extent!"

The two juniors sneered.

They were embarrassed over their previous anxiety, but this fellow topped them on it. His clothes were unkempt and his posture was slackened. With just one look, it was clear that he hadn't slept for several nights out fear.

"What's wrong with the guild? Isn't there a limited number of slots every year for those taking the examination? How can a person like him challenge the Sea of Formations as well?"

The senior frowned as well.

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Chapter 483: Kick (1)

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

Clearing the Sea of Formations would make one an official formation master, but not everyone was qualified to challenge it. One had to make a request beforehand and the guild leader had to approve it personally. After which, it had to be discussed upon during the conference of the elders, and a selection process would be conducted... And on top of that, one had to pay an exorbitant fee as well.

Since this fellow was here, he must have obtained an approval beforehand. When did the guild fall to such a level... that even a person with such poor mental fortitude could take on the examination as well?

It was one thing for him to be deprived of sleep, but more importantly, what that displeased him was the attitude of this fellow when facing the Sea of Formations!

There wasn't a single person who came to take the examination that didn't carry fear and respect for it. In a sense, this could be considered as one's respect for the occupation as well. Yet, this fellow was behaving so casually here. Was he that confident in the examination?

Disgusted, the senior instructed, "Let him go first. You can learn from his counter example when he fails!"

"Yes!" The two juniors nodded their head with a gleeful expression on their faces.

They didn't carry any doubt that this fellow would definitely fail.

The young man who had left the trio speechless was Zhang Xuan, who had rushed here from the library.

After reading books for such a long period of time and mastering two dans of the Heaven's Path Formation Art, it would be a miracle if he wasn't slightly withered.

Thus, as he walked over to the Sea of Formations, he adjusted his breathing to rid himself of his fatigue. Before long, he arrived before the trio.

Noticing that the gazes of the trio were on him, Zhang Xuan asked them doubtfully, "Are you all here to challenge the Sea of Formations as well?"

"We're still conditioning ourselves. If you wish to go first, feel free!"

Seeing how that fellow didn't carry the slightest respect in his tone when facing an official formation master, the senior flung his sleeves and harrumphed.

"Oh. Since you all aren't in a hurry, I won't stand on ceremony then!"

It had been awhile since he had arrived at the Formation Master Guild, and Zhang Xuan was in a hurry. Since the other party was willing to allow him to go first, Zhang Xuan chose to not turn the offer down. With a smile, he nodded his head and walked in.

"To go in without any preparation... Isn't he taking this too lightly?"

Seeing how the other party didn't try to push the offer or even look at them before rushing straight into the Sea of Formations, the trio felt as though their vision was spinning.

That was the Sea of Formations! There was no formation master who didn't feel fear for it! To charge right in without even claiming the jade token to stop the formation, wasn't he being too brazen?

"He's just asking for trouble! Even senior was unable to clear it easily and yet this fellow dares to charge in without preparation. What else can this be other than courting death!"

The green-robed junior harrumphed.

"Indeed. I bet that he'll be trapped in the first stage. By then, he will understand how fearsome formations are..."

The white-robed junior smirked.

Weng!

At that moment, the young man walked into the corridor, triggering the formations.

A mist slowly rose, shrouding his figure. At the same time, the young man's figure appeared on the wall beside.

Wuwuwuwu!

Spiritual energy flowed in the surroundings of the young man as though billowing clouds, sealing off his five senses entirely, leaving him incapable of discerning directions at all.

"It's a Confinement Formation! Given how concentrated the white mist of spiritual energy is and how fast it is flowing, if I'm not mistaken, he must have activated the [Cloud Ocean Confinement Formation]!" The senior recognized the formation.

When one was trapped in a formation, one had to use a compass to determine one's location and analyze the spiritual energy flow to determine the type of formation. But when spectating from the outside, one could easily deduce the type of the formation through its physical properties. This was much more efficient and accurate than the former.

As the saying goes, 'it is the passersby who sees things clearly.'

"Cloud Ocean Confinement Ocean? That is the most complex formation among the grade-1 formations, and it is the hardest to deal with as well!"

"That formation seals all of one's senses, leaving one unable to determine anything at all. Even if one could use a compass to discern one's location, if one can't accurately decipher the formation, it'll be hard to escape from it!"

They didn't expect this fellow's luck to be that bad. To think that he would meet with such a formidable Confinement Formation as soon as he entered. The two juniors shook their heads in sympathy.

Even if he was lacking in capability, if he were to meet with an easy formation, he might still be able to clear it. However, having encountered such a formidable Confinement Formation, he could only raise his hands to surrender.

"See. Even if you meet with a Confinement Formation, it doesn't necessarily mean that you can break out of it. Thus, you must be on your toes at all times and, by no means, should you underestimate the formation you are in. You mustn't be like this arrogant and ignorant fellow. He's just looking for trouble..."

Seeing how that fellow inside didn't even bother taking out a compass, the senior shook his head, turned to his two juniors, and advised them.

However, before he could finish his words, his two juniors widened their eyes simultaneously, and their faces starting twitching violently.

"What's wrong?"

Seeing the two of them lose their composure, the senior frowned, "Teacher has already told you that before challenging the Sea of Formations, you must focus your attention and avoid getting arrogant or anxious. Look at what state you are in, how do you expect to succeed like that?"

"That's not it, senior. Look..."

With a reddened face, the green-robed junior hurriedly pointed to the front.

"What's there to make a fuss about? Isn't he just trapped in the Confinement Formation? Don't worry, if he isn't out within two hours, the formation will dispel itself automatically. This is just a Confinement Formation; his life isn't at risk..."

Harrumphing, the senior turned around and his latter words immediately jammed in his throat. His body stiffened and his lower jaw fell to the ground. "What?"

He thought that what he would see was a helpless young man trapped in a Confinement Formation, but contrary to his expectation, the young man was standing quietly not too far away, shaking his head calmly.

And the mist that had shrouded around him had disappeared without a trace. In other words, the Cloud Ocean Confinement Formation which had left him fearful... had already been broken!

To stop the formation entirely...

I thought you wouldn't be able to overcome it?

Even if you have the capability to do so, surely you don't have to be so fast?

You didn't even bother taking out the compass or discern the flow of spiritual energy, and yet, in the time that I was lecturing my two juniors, the formation was already gone...

Do you need to be so extreme?

"What just happened?" Frenzied, the senior hurriedly asked.

"We also... didn't see it carefully. We only saw him kicking the formation... the-then... it simply disappeared!" the green-robed junior said.

"It disappeared with a kick? What in the world are you talking about?" The senior's face darkened.

I'm asking you how the other party overcame the formation and you're telling me that he kicked it?

Kick your head!

Do you think that a formation is a living being that will stop with a single kick? If that is true, then we, formation masters, would have long gone out of business!

This occupation wouldn't have been the dreams and fears of so many people.

"It was really just a kick..."

With his mouth twitching violently, the green-robed junior protested. He was already nearly on the verge of tears.

He had seen with his own eyes that the other party sent a kick at the formation and it immediately stopped...

But how could a grade-1 pinnacle Cloud Ocean Confinement Formation be broken so easily?

"It was indeed just one kick..." The white-robed junior nodded his head in a daze.

"Even he saw it, I'm not mistaken..." Upon seeing his fellow peer confirming his words, the green-robed junior ascertained that he wasn't insane and hurriedly nodded his head.

"Kick?" The senior felt frenzied.

Your heads must be the one that was kicked for you all to say such ridiculous words!

Formations are intangible... Do you think it makes sense for them to be kicked?

"Enough. Regardless of whatever method he used, it's just the first stage so it's still within an acceptable difficulty range. I don't think he'll be able to do it as easily for the latter stages!"

Seeing that his two juniors were getting incoherent, the senior waved his hands and looked at the young man in front intently.

Since he missed it previously, he was determined not to miss the other party's actions this time. He had to get to the bottom of the matter and see what method that fellow used to break out of the formation.

After all, it hadn't been too long since his juniors started learning about formations. It was possible that they were deceived by some bizarre method used by the other party, thus missing the true way.

Hu!

Thus, he gathered his attention to look at the young man. As expected, the young man who just escaped from the Cloud Ocean Confinement Formation didn't just stop right there. He proceeded on to the next stage.

Weng!

Soon, he came into contact with the formations of the second stage and a white mist rose up, shrouding the young man once more.

"It's an... Illusion Formation!" The senior narrowed his eyes.

After being plunged into an Illusion Formation a moment ago, he was already rather fearful of it. Judging from the type of mist and the movement of the spiritual energy, he immediately deduced that the fellow had met with one, and from the looks of it, it didn't seem at all inferior to the Illusion Formation he encountered previously!

"Illusion Formation?"

His two juniors were stunned. Sympathy immediately appeared on their faces.

Honestly speaking, this fellow was truly unlucky. He met with such a formidable Confinement Formation in his very first stage so they thought that perhaps, his luck might be better in the second stage. Yet, he met with the Illusion Formation which their senior failed at.

"That's right. In the formation, the clear air is rising while the turbid air is sinking. The collision of the two produces a unique moaning sound which will cause those hearing it to suffer from hallucinations! That was precisely how I unwittingly fell under the illusion previously!" the senior said with a grim expression.

Even now, when he recalled the experience from before, he couldn't help but feel fearful.

As soon as he stepped into the formation, before he could even react, the unique sound reached his ear and assaulted his psyche, causing his consciousness to become fuzzy.

For a moment, he was completely helpless and defenseless.

If not for his body being jolted due to the depletion of his zhenqi, he would've probably been unable to pull himself out from the illusions.

"It's that fearsome?"

The white-robed junior narrowed his eyes. "Doesn't that mean that... he has no chance of succeeding at all?"

"Breaking out of an Illusion Formation requires one to have high mental fortitude. If one's mental fortitude doesn't reach a certain level, it'll be very difficult to escape from it. Given how he isn't even twenty, even if he started cultivating from a very young age, how strong can his mental fortitude be? Even I have failed, lest be said, him!"

The senior shook his head.

He didn't see how that fellow had passed, but it showed that the other party possessed a certain level of aptitude in formations. However... Illusion Formations were simply too difficult.

It wasn't just about one's comprehension of formations. More importantly, it was about one's mental fortitude.

If one couldn't maintain a calm and impervious mind, it was very easy for to get confused and lost, thus resulting in one's inability to pull out from the illusions.

In order to deal with illusions, he had undergone tough training for countless months but even so, he still failed in an instant. He found it hard to believe that a young lad who wasn't even twenty yet could do better than him.

"Look, he's starting to kick around randomly as well... The heck!"

Previously, when he succumbed to the Illusion Formation, he also began striking out randomly. This fellow was starting to show the same symptoms as well.

However, before he could finish his words, his body suddenly trembled violently.

As soon as the young man's leg kicked out, the corridor which was filled with mist suddenly cleared up.

The formation... had been broken again!

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Chapter 484: Kick (2) [2in1]

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

That was a grade-2 Illusion Formation! When he was within it, he found it hard to even discern reality from illusion. That was how fearsome it was... And yet, this fellow's random kick actually cleared away the formation?

Are you messing with me?

He had said that the juniors' claim that the other party had broken through the formation with a single kick was nonsense previously, but this time... he had witnessed it personally.

With a single kick, the Illusion Formation came to a halt...

The overwhelming incongruity between reality and expectations left him on the verge of going mad.

Possessing outstanding aptitude in formations, he had always been envied by his fellow classmates, and he managed to become a 1-star formation master at a very young age. After driving himself to the core for many years to toughen up his mental fortitude... he still ended up losing himself as soon as he stepped into a grade-2 Illusion Formation.

Yet, this fellow simply did a single kick... and the formation came to a halt!

Did reality have to be so harsh?

Did you collude with the formation to pull one over us?

While he was on the verge of a mental breakdown, the anxious voice of the green-robed junior beside him sounded, "Senior, do you think that it's calculated, or is he simply just randomly kicking around?"

"Randomly kicking around? Have you seen anyone successfully breaking out of a formation by randomly kicking around?" The senior's mouth twitched as his vision turned dark.

He had seen people randomly kicking around to incapacitate an opponent, he had also seen people randomly kicking around and causing damage to their meridians, but he had never ever heard of a person destroying a formation with just a single kick!

Formations were positioned to be aligned with the essence of the world. They were an unsubstantial existence, reminiscent to one's environment...

Have you seen anyone destroying their environment through a kick?

Thus...

It was impossible for this kick to be of random nature. It was a purposeful, well thought-out, responsible, and decisive kick! It was a kick made after seeing through the facade, peering into the very essence, and determining the fundamental flaws!

Otherwise, how could a single kick break a formation?

"It was intentional? Then... how strong must his grasp of formations be?" The white-robed junior's lips went dry. "Even teacher would find it hard to do the same!"

Their teacher was a famous 4-star formation master even within the guild, but even he was incapable of breaking a formation so easily.

"I have no idea either. However, as long as he continues attempting the examination, we might be able to see through something!" the senior said, suppressing his shock.

There was a limit to his eye of discernment, and as such, he failed to understand how the other party broke the formation. However, if he were to continue analyzing the other party's action, he might be able to notice something.

Perhaps, he might even be able to learn a thing or two from the other party and in the future, when meeting these types of formation, he would be able to break them easily.

"Continues attempting the examination? You mean that he would challenge the third stage?"

"Given how easily he broke through a grade-2 Illusion Formation, he must be at least a 3-star formation master. Naturally, there's no reason for him to stop here..."

"That's true!"

The trio hurriedly turned their gazes forward. Indeed, just like what they guessed, that exhausted-looking young man who seemed as though he would crumble at any moment continued advancing forward after clearing that Illusion Formation.

"At grade-3, a formation will require more than spiritual energy from the surroundings to drive it. Often, spirit stones will be placed at the formation core to power it. As such, the might of grade-3 formations is many times greater than that of grade-2, and with greater energy, there is more flexibility in the design as well. He won't be able to clear it as easily as he did before." the senior said gravely.

All formations, regardless of the type or design, required energy to drive it. It was just like how cows eat grass and humans eat rice to move. There was nothing that could move without energy fuelling it.

As grade-1 and grade-2 formations were of low tier, they could be driven just by the absorbing spiritual energy from the surroundings.

However, it was impossible for grade-3 formation to do the same.

Even though formations could absorb spiritual energy from the surroundings, a grade-3 formation would still require an accumulation of several months before it could be used once. Taking the Great Xuanyuan Formation for example, it had gathered an immense amount of energy over a thousand years but it was sapped dry just with a single usage.

As the Sea of Formations was the examination criteria for formation masters in Honghai City, there were innumerable people who were waiting to challenge it every year. They couldn't expect it to recharge itself just by absorbing spiritual energy from the surroundings. Thus, often, spirit stones would be placed at the formation core to drive it.

With energy from the spirit stones, the formations would be able to display much greater might than what they were normally capable of, thus making them harder to escape from.

This young man had managed to overcome grade-1 and grade-2 formations easily but in face of a grade-3 formation powered by spirit stones, he probably wouldn't be able to overcome it as easily as before.

Hu!

In the short time which the trio spent chatting, the grade-3 formation was triggered and the young man suddenly disappeared amidst a white veil.

In an instant, the figure on the wall seemed to have fallen into a treacherous trap. Descending flower petals alongside sharp glints of aura filled the surroundings, creating an extremely bizarre sight.

"The descending flower petals and sharp spiritual energy... Could this be the [Qinghong Falling Petal Formation]?"

The senior's lips quivered and he nearly fell to the ground from shock.

"Qinghong Falling Petal Formation? What kind of formation is that?"

The two juniors turned to look at him.

They were only apprentices and they were here for the 1-star formation master examination. As such, they weren't well-versed in some of the higher tiered formations.

"I-it's a... Slaughter Formation!"

The senior's voice quivered.

"Slaughter Formation?"

The two juniors shuddered and they nearly bit their tongues from shock.

Of all the formations, Illusion Formation and Slaughter Formation were the most feared of all. Yet, this fellow managed to meet with the both of them. Wasn't his luck a little too bad?

Illusion Formations were already an exceedingly scary adversary—even their senior was almost unable to free himself from it—so one can imagine how frightening Slaughter Formations are. This fellow didn't take the jade token before taking the examination, he couldn't possibly die inside, right?

Suppressing his shock, the white-robed junior asked, "Is this Slaughter Formation... formidable?"

"The Qinghong Falling Petal Formation is a grade-3 pinnacle Slaughter Formation. It's said to be created by a man named Shen Qinghong 1500 years ago. The entire ground serves as a trap in itself, leaving one with nowhere to escape to. One will find himself dying tragically in the beautiful scenery... This formation has once killed a Transcendent Mortal 2-dan expert, and it's known as the strongest among grade-3 formations... Could anyone say it's not formidable?"

It was hard to tell whether the senior was nervous or scared but his voice was slightly hoarse.

"Killed a Transcendent Mortal 2-dan expert? This is already comparable to a grade-4 formation!"

The duo's eyes went wide in shock.

Grade-1 formations were capable of killing Tongxuan realm cultivators; grade-2 formations were capable of eliminating Zongshi realm cultivators; grade-3 formations were capable of subduing Zhizun realm, Half-Transcension, and even Prolonged Longevity cultivators.

And this Slaughter Formation actually managed to kill a Transcendent Mortal 2-dan! That was already comparable to the strength of some grade-4 formations... This formation wasn't to be trifled with!

Even though they were hearing it with their own ears, they still found it hard to believe.

The green-robed junior couldn't help but ask, "Then... Will he meet with any danger?"

"That'll be hard to say. It'll depend on his strength and his defensive measures. If he has nothing up his sleeves, only one conclusion remains for him... death!"

Shaking his head, the senior was about to continue speaking when he frowned, "Look, the formation is getting into action now!"

As he said those words, the sharp glints made of spiritual energy suddenly showed their ferocious side. As though arrows, they suddenly shot toward the young man from all directions.

The might of every single glint was fearsome. Even a Zhizun realm expert would be easily impaled by them.

"It depends on how he deals with the situation now. If I were in his position, I would try to dodge those glints before looking for a plausible escape route..."

Putting himself in the other party's shoes, the senior began to analyze how the other party could escape from this calamity. But at that moment, that ordinary 'leg' was lifted up once again.

Hu!

Facing the rain of flower petals, he kicked.

"That... Isn't that courting death?"

Seeing that the fellow was still using the same move, the trio was frenzied.

There were no threats on his life in a Confinement Formation and Illusion Formation so his attempt to stop the formation with a kick could still be overlooked. However, this was a Slaughter Formation! Every single glint was a small dagger threatening to reap his life, there was no one who could possibly withstand their assault. And yet, he was kicking against them with his leg...

May I ask, what in the world are you thinking?

Frenzied, they were thinking that even if this fellow didn't die, his legs would also be sliced into innumerable pieces when the entire formation suddenly froze.

Hu!

With a buzzing sound, the sharp glints in the air suddenly dissipated. The incomparably powerful formation, which would tear the young man apart at any moment, suddenly faded away as though snow melting in the presence of spring.

The young man's figure appeared before the crowd once more.

"He broke the formation?"

"H-he... succeeded again?"

The trio looked at one another and they could see the disbelief in their eyes. For a moment, it felt as though they were struck by a bolt of lightning.

"He broke the formation with a kick once again. What in the world is going on..."

The senior's body twitched. He felt a stifling sensation on his chest which made it hard for him to breathe.

He thought that the other party had simply acted too quickly for him to properly discern what had happened, and as long as he could see it again, he would surely be able to determine the technique the other party used to break the formation and learn a thing or two from him. But from the looks of it now... it seemed like he was overthinking it!

Breaking a formation with a kick... It was futile no matter how many times he saw such an eccentric move!

How was he supposed to learn that?

"It's not over yet, look... Am I mistaken or does it seem like he's going to challenge the fourth stage?" the green-robed junior asked.

Hearing those words, the other two immediately turned their gazes over. The young man who had just appeared in their sights shook his head, as though lamenting the formation's weakness, and started walking toward the fourth stage.

If he were to pass the fourth stage, it would mean that he would be qualified as a 4-star formation master...

A fellow who wasn't even twenty yet becoming a 4-star formation master?

Who was the one who said that he wouldn't even pass the first stage? Who was the one who looked down on him just now?

The trio felt their body stiffened, and they were on the verge of going mad.

...

While the trio was about to lose their sanity, outside the corridor where the Sea of Formations was located, four incense sticks were lit in an incense pot. The smoke danced in the air, creating a tranquil atmosphere.

"Guild Leader Zheng, what do you mean by that? You know that my three students are challenging the Sea of Formations today and yet you still allowed that fellow to enter. Is this a personal attack?"

In front of the incense pot, a white-bearded elder lashed out furiously.

4-star Formation Master Wang Haoxun, an elder of the Formation Master Guild.

He was the teacher of the 'senior' and 'juniors' in the corridor.

His three students were challenging the Sea of Formations today, this was something that had been decided upon one month ago. And yet, the guild leader simply came over and insisted on slotting someone in. He thought that the other party would be slotting his student, Xiaowu, in as that fellow seemed ready to take on the 3-star formation master examination already...

Yet, it turned out to be a young lad whom he had never even met before.

Even if he didn't meet the other party before, if the other party possessed true capability, he would have nothing to say. However, look at that casual and lazy attitude, the other party seemed like he would fall asleep at any moment...

Such a person was qualified to challenge the Sea of Formations as well?

If he were to succeed, it wouldn't be too long before the sun starts rising from the west!

"Elder Wang, there's no need to be so infuriated. It'll help your students if another person were to challenge the Sea of Formations as well!" Guild Leader Zheng shook his head.

"If he is able to pass, that will of course be something good. However, look at his attitude, do you think that he'll be able to pass? If he were to fail, won't he simply cause additional stress to my students? If they were to lose their composure, how are they supposed to take the examination?" Wang Haoxun harrumphed.

Challenging the Sea of Formation wasn't just about one's understanding of formations and skills, mental fortitude also played an extremely important role. Otherwise, if one were to meet with an Illusion Formation, one would lose one's composure swiftly and this could potentially result in failure.

If those who challenged the examination along with them were to produce good results, it could serve as an encouragement for his own students to do well. But on the contrary, if the results were poor, it might leave his students feeling apprehensive and this would prevent them from doing well.

"Don't worry. The reason why I slotted him into the examination is because I am confident in his ability. There's no need to worry..."

While consoling the other party, the fire on the first incense stick suddenly flickered and extinguished.

This incense stick was known as the [Incense of the Formation Sea]. It was forged alongside the Sea of Formations, and it would light itself as soon as someone challenged it.

It would take exactly two hours for each incense stick to burn all the way down. If the incense doesn't extinguish by itself during this period of time, it would mean that the challenger had failed to clear the stage and vice-versa.

If the fire on the incense stick were to extinguish, the formation inside would automatically shut down.

This was the reason why the senior said that even if one were to be trapped in the formation, there was nothing to worry about.

Thus, the Incense of the Formation Sea served both as a timer and a switch. The four incense sticks represented the four stages in the Sea of Formations respectively.

Since the fire on the first incense stick was extinguished, it meant that someone had cleared the first stage.

"How about it? He has successfully passed the first stage, what else do you have to say?" Upon seeing the sight, Guild Leader Zheng chuckled.

"Hmph, my students entered much earlier than him. Who knows, what if one of them is be the one challenging the examination?" Wang Haoxun harrumphed.

Even though the extinguishing of the incense stick's fire meant that someone had successfully cleared the stage, there was no way of telling who it was.

It had only been around two minutes since that fellow who was on the verge of knocking out had only just entered so how could it be him? It must be his students.

"That... is possible as well!"

Taken aback, Guild Leader Zheng soon nodded his head in agreement.

Even though he had witnessed Zhang Xuan's astonishing speed in setting up formations, he had no idea about his ability in breaking formations so he didn't dare to jump into conclusions.

Even though the first stage was just a grade-1 formation, he knew that even he would be unable to clear it so swiftly. Thus, he also found it hard to accept that Zhang Xuan was the one who cleared the challenge.

"Since it's your student who cleared the stage, there's even less need for you to worry..."

Shaking his head, Guild Leader Zheng smiled. However, before he could finish his words, the fire on the second incense stick flickered and abruptly extinguished.

"The second stage has been cleared?"

Shocked.

It hadn't even been a minute since the first stage was cleared, and the second stage was already cleared?

How could anyone be that fast?

With a perplexed expression, Guild Leader Zheng asked, "This... is your student?"

"..." Wang Haoxun's face froze.

He knew the capability of his students very well. It would at least take ten to twenty minutes or even longer for them to clear a single stage.

To break out of a formation in less than a minute...

That was way too fast!

Kacha!

Just as they were overwhelmed with shock, they saw the fire of the third incense stick flicker and extinguish.

"The third stage has been cleared as well?"

Wang Haoxun nearly burst into tears.

No matter how great his expectations for his students were, he knew that this was an impossible feat for the three of them.

Of those three, one was intending to take on the 2-star formation master examination while the other two was challenging the 1-star examination. Since the one challenging the examination cleared even the third stage so swiftly, it could only mean that it was someone else.

"It's that fellow from before?"

With widened eyes, Wang Haoxun exchanged glances with Guild Leader Zheng and the two of them fell into a frenzy.

They weren't surprised by the other party's feat of clearing the third stage but that... he was simply too fast!

They could still accept it if the other party was able to clear the first and second stage easily. However, the formations in the third stage were driven by spirit stones, and even they would be slightly troubled to break out of them. To do it so quickly... how in the world did he accomplish it?

"Since he cleared the three stages so quickly... Do you think he'll pass the fourth one as well?"

Recovering from the shock, the group immediately turned their eyes onto the final incense stick.

This incense stick represented the fourth stage, as well as a grade-4 formation. If the other party succeeded in clearing the fourth stage as well, that would truly be fearsome.

A 4-star formation master who wasn't even twenty yet? More importantly, for him to break out of all those formation so swiftly, exactly how deep was his understanding of formations?

This was something they dared not imagine in the past.

Weng...

Just as they were harboring such thoughts, the fire on the fourth incense stick suddenly flickered, and for a moment, it looked as though it would extinguish at any moment. However, in the end, it stabilized and was reignited again.

"It didn't extinguish... It seems like that fellow didn't pass the fourth stage. I guess it's to be expected. After all, grade-4 formations aren't that easy to overcome!"

Seeing the flame on the fourth incense stick, it was clear that the person inside had failed to clear the challenge. Thus, Wang Haoxun shook his head.

The speed at which that fellow had cleared the stages had frightened him. He thought that the other party might be able to clear a grade-4 formation easily as well. However, from the looks of it, the other party hadn't reached such a level yet.

But that was to be expected. After all, even he couldn't guarantee that he could break every single kind of grade-4 formation, needless to say, a young fellow who wasn't even twenty yet.

If he were to succeed, that would be truly a miracle.

"But in any case, it is already formidable for him to become a 3-star formation master in his first examination..."

Guild Leader Zheng was slightly disappointed.

From the speed and acuity at which that fellow set up the grade-2 Spirit Gathering Formation, he thought that the other party's comprehension of formations wasn't beneath him. But it seemed like there was still some disaparity between them after all.

Even so, given how he was able to reach 3-star at such a young age, as long as he were to work hard, it would just be a matter of time before he becomes a 4-star or even 5-star formation master.

"He didn't clear the fourth stage? Seems like... Zhang shi isn't omnipotent as well..."

Hall Master Sai stood behind the duo. After seeing that the fourth incense stick wasn't extinguished, he shook his head as well.

He thought that this fellow would cause a great chaos in the midst of challenging the Sea of Formations, just like how the other party did when he challenged the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets. However, it seemed like he was just worrying excessively.

At his age, it was already extremely incredible for the other party to be a master teacher and a 5-star appraiser. If the other party were to be a 4-star formation master on top of that, he might have to start doubting the meaning of life already...

Heaving a sigh of relief, he was just about to go to the corridor to wait for the young man when the ground suddenly shook.

Hong long long!

The sound of a millstone being turned reverberated in the air as though an earthquake.

"What happened?"

A grave expression immediately appeared on everyone's faces, and even Guild Leader Zheng's eyebrows were knitted together. The group started looking around warily.

Hu!

Suddenly, the warmth in the room vanished and a bone-chilling breeze of air blew in.

Kacha!

At that moment, the flame on the fourth incense stick suddenly extinguished... And soon afterward, with a crisp sound, the pot cracked open.

"This... The guild's Eternal Spring Formation which is sustaining the Sea of Formations has been... broken?"

Upon realizing something, Guild Leader Zheng's vision darkened and he nearly spurted a mouthful of blood.

Given that there were innumerable formations in the Sea of Formations, naturally, a larger formation had to be set up to control and manage them.

And this formation happened to be the Eternal Spring Formation which regulated the interior conditions of the Formation Master Guild.

Since the warmth had suddenly disappeared from the air and the incense pot suddenly cracked... There could only be one possibility. That was that the formation... had been stopped. In other words, someone had broken it!

But that was a grade- 5 formation... Back then, the headquarters had sent specially sent an expert down here to set it up. Who could be possibly of achieving such a feat?

In an instant, a frenzied expression appeared on everyone's faces.

"Could it be... Zhang shi?"

With trembling bodies, a thought suddenly popped in Guild Leader Zheng and Hall Master Sai's minds.

The core of the formation was located in the depths of the Sea of Formations. At the current moment, that fellow, who was challenging the fourth stage of the Sea of Formations, was the closest to it... Other than him, they couldn't think of any other culprit.

"But if it was really him... How in the world did he manage to stop the formation?"

Guild Leader Zheng had a dazed expression on his face.

There were specific tricks to breaking a formation. What kind of trick did the other party use to be able to clear the stages so quickly, going to the extent as to be able to... break even a grade-5 formation?

Just as the group was overwhelmed with shock, a few figures walked out from the corridor. They were the three students who were supposed to challenge the Sea of Formations.

Given that the formation operating the corridor had been broken, there was no way for the examination go continue on. Thus, there was no point for them to remain there and so, they came out.

"What happened?" Wang Haoxun walked up and asked.

"That person who just entered... broke all of the formations..."

The senior shuddered as he spoke.

"Broke all of the formations? So fast?"

Guild Leader Zheng walked forward and asked, "How did he do it? Did he use Grandmaster Hong Bei's [Celestial Chasing Formation Breaking Art], Grandmaster Nan Yang's [Energy Seeking Formation Breaking Art], or the Five Element Formation Master Senior Sai Yang's [Force Accruing Formation Breaking Art]? Of all techniques I know, only these three can achieve such speed..."

"Ah... Guild leader!"

Seeing that the most authoritative person in the entire guild was questioning him personally, the senior was taken aback and his face paled. "Reporting to the guild leader, h-he didn't use any of the three techniques..."

"He didn't? Then what technique did he use? To the extent of my knowledge, these three are already the strongest and most formidable formation breaking techniques already

Guild Leader Zheng frowned.

Were there even stronger techniques that he was unaware of?

"What he used was..."

The senior's face distorted in frenzy and disbelief.

"... a kick!"

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Chapter 485: Quasi 4-Star Formation Master

Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97

"A kick?"

Guild Leader Zheng and Wang Haoxun were taken aback. They were baffled. What kind of formation breaking technique was called 'a kick?"

"That's right. From the first stage to the fourth stage, before all of the formations, he simply kicked, and then... then... the formation simply stopped!" the senior said.

"A kick each? You mean that... he used a kick to break the formation?" Guild Leader Zheng and Wang Haoxun nearly spewed blood.

"Yes!"

The senior nodded his head.

The two great 4-star formation masters stared at one another.

"Yes? Yes your head!

What kind of formation breaking technique is that? Do you think that makes sense?

"Senior is right! He simply kicked each of them to overcome the formations. The both of us saw it ourselves too..." Seeing the disbelief in the guild leader and their teacher's eyes, the two juniors immediately stepped forward to testify.

"Could it be that he was lucky such that the formations he met were some of the more basic and simpler?"

Since there were three people saying the same words, Wang Haoxun knew that it was unlikely to be a lie. Thus, he tried asking from another perspective.

In the Sea of Formations, the formation one triggered was completely random and so, luck played an important role in the examination. For the other party to pass all four stages so swiftly, could he have met with the weakest formations of each grade?

"Lucky?"

The trio's mouths twitched, "We've never met a person who is as unlucky as he is! In the first stage, he encountered the Cloud Ocean Confinement Formation, in the second, an Illusion Formation, in the third, the Qinghong Falling Petal Formation..."

"Cloud Ocean Confinement Formation? Illusion Formation?"

"Qinghong Falling Petal Formation?"

Just by hearing the formations the other party encountered in the first three stages, the two 4-star formation masters nearly fell to the ground.

Those were formations unparalleled in their respective grade! For a person to meet all of them in a single examination…

Are you for real? How unlucky must one be for that to happen?

...

More importantly, even though he met with those formations, he still managed to clear the stages so quickly? He even went to the extent of breaking the great formation sustaining the guild...

"What was the formation for the fourth stage then?" Guild Leader Zheng hurriedly asked.

Could the formation for the fourth stage be relatively easier?

"If I'm not wrong, it seemed to be the... [Drunken Heart Beguilement Slaughter Formation]!" the senior said.

"Drunken Heart Beguilement Slaughter Formation... The grade-4 pinnacle formation which fuses Beguilement Formation and Slaughter Formation together?" Guild Leader Zheng exclaimed in shock.

He thought that after the fellow was unlucky for the first three stages, his luck might get better in the fourth one. Who knew that he would meet with the worst of the lot!

That was definitely the most fearsome formation within the Sea of Formations.

Ordinary formations only took on one type—they were either Illusion Formation, Slaughter Formation, Beguilement Formation, or Confinement Formation... Under normal circumstances, there would be no overlap between the two. But this formation had complemented the two together in a very profound manner.

In other words, if one were to be trapped in it, one would first be beguiled before being... slaughtered.

Even Guild Leader Zheng had to admit that it would be difficult for him to survive if he were trapped in it. Yet, not only was the other party fine, he even broke the formation and went ahead... to get rid of the guild's main formation...

Did you have to be so extreme?

"Indeed. After stepping into the formation, his eyes were dazed for a moment so I thought that his mind might have succumbed to the formation. But in the end... with two consecutive kicks, the Drunken Heart Beguilement Slaughter Formation broke down and soon afterward... the great formation of the guild was stopped as well. Seeing that there was no way for the examination to continue on, we decided to just step out of the corridor..." the senior explained.

"A grade-4 pinnacle formation and a grade-5 formation can be broken with a single kick?"

Guild Leader Zheng and Wang Haoxun felt as though their worldly horizons were crumbling down.

By the side, Hall Master Sai slapped his forehead.

He thought that Zhang shi would at least a little more reasonable here... But it seemed like he was too naive.

That fellow was just intent on causing trouble wherever he went!

While the crowd was overwhelmed with shock, the main character of the entire saga walked out from the corridor.

In truth, the current Zhang Xuan was slightly nervous.

The first three stages were extremely easy to him. Even without using the Library of Heaven's Path, with just a glance using the Eye of Insight, he could easily find the core of the formation and kick them to a stop. However, the final stage wasn't that easy.

A grade-4 pinnacle Beguilement and Slaughter Formation. If not for his Soul Depth having reached 12.0, the level equivalent to a 4-star master teacher, he would have surely lost his ability to think rationally as soon as he stepped in and died from the formation.

At the crucial moment, he activated the strength of the Library of Heaven's Path and found a few flaws.

Knowing that it was too dangerous then, he didn't have the time to analyze the consequences of his actions so he immediately kicked the two formations to a halt.

"Seems like it'll be best for me not to trifle with grade-4 formations in the future..."

Remembering the previous experience, Zhang Xuan still felt a little fearful.

If not for his high Soul Depth, he would have been dead by now.

Since even a grade-4 formation was that scary, it was difficult to imagine how fearsome the higher tiered ones were.

Zhang Xuan thought that formations were nothing but a decoration to him especially since he could determine their flaws via the Eye of Insight and Library of Heaven's Path. However, he had just realized that his thinking was too naive.

The truly formidable formations would kill one before one could even react. No matter how capable one was and how many flaws in the formation one knew of, it would be for naught.

"Zhang shi, you... managed to break through all of the formations?"

Just as Zhang shi was preparing himself, he saw Guild Leader Zheng and Hall Master Sai walking over with a look of awe.

"I only stopped them temporarily!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

Breaking a formation meant destroying the formation core. Under such circumstances, it would be difficult for the formation to work again. On the other hand, stopping a formation was different. A formation which had its operation stopped was just a formation that had been 'switched off'. One could still reactivate it after that.

To summarize, it was just the difference of whether the formation core had been destroyed or not.

Breaking a formation meant destroying the entire formation while stopping a formation meant using a unique method to stop its operation. Even though the effects were similar on the surface, there was a huge difference between the two.

"Stop?" Hearing those words, Guild Leader Zheng and the others heaved a long sigh of relief.

If he had really destroyed the Sea of Formations' strongest grade-4 formation and the guild's main formation, then he, as the guild leader, would surely be held accountable.

After explaining the matter, Zhang Xuan asked, "Since I've managed to clear the Sea of Formations, can I be considered as an official formation master now?"

"May I know what cultivation realm is Zhang shi at..." Guild Leader Zheng asked.

"I'm at Half-Transcension... However, I should be able to reach Transcendent Mortal 1-dan within the next two days." Zhang Xuan replied.

Having compiled the Transcendent Mortal 1-dan of the Heaven's Path Divine Art, as long as he managed to find a Spirit Gathering Formation, he should be able to achieve a breakthrough very quickly.

"One has to possess at least the strength of a Transcendent Mortal 3-dan to apply for the rank of a 4-star formation master. Your cultivation is still lacking..."

Guild Leader Zheng frowned.

Just as he had deduced before, the young man before him hadn't even reached the Transcendent Mortal realm yet. Bestowing him the rank of a 4-star formation master wasn't quite possible.

As one of the occupations of the Upper Nine Paths, one of the promotion criteria involved one's level of cultivation.

Without a sufficiently high cultivation realm to match up with the rank, it wasn't possible for the rank to be bestowed to one.

A moment later, Guild Leader Zheng said, "How about this? Zhang shi, I'll give you a quasi 4-star formation master emblem for the time being. At the same time, I'll report the matter to the headquarter and if they give their approval, there will be no problems giving you the rank of a 4-star formation master! But even if they do not approve the request, given your talents, you should be able to easily reach Transcendent Mortal 3-dan before thirty. By then, you will be automatically given the rank without having to take the examination again!"

"Quasi 4-star formation master?" Zhang Xuan was perplexed.

There was such a rank?

"Indeed. This is how the guild deals with individuals who were able to pass the 4-star formation master examination when their cultivation hasn't reached the required level yet! It's the same for most guilds as well. There are some occupations that don't have a requirement on one's cultivation realm and an emblem is bestowed straight after the candidate passes the examination, but those number in the minority," Guild Leader Zheng said.

Take the appraiser occupation for example. Right after Zhang Xuan passed the examination, he was given a 5-star emblem.

"Quasi 4-star formation master works for me too. Then... Can you give me the formation blueprint, flag, and core of a grade-4 Spirit Gathering Formation?"

The main reason why he took the formation master examination was for this. Since he was already a quasi 4-star formation master, he should be qualified to obtain them.

"Un, wait a moment!"

Seeing that the other party was asking for the items, Guild Leader Zheng shook his head with a bitter smile. He turned around to instruct Xiaowu and the latter left the room. Not too long later, the latter returned wiht a jade token, formation core, and flag in hand.

"This is the formation blueprint for a grade-4 Spirit Gathering Formation. You can record it down but make sure not to leak it out!"

Saying so, Guild Leader Zheng passed the jade token over.

Nodding his head, Zhang Xuan took the jade token and immersed his consciousness into it. A formation blueprint appeared in his mind, and it even described the various ways of setting it up when on the differing geographical terrain.

"Hm? Wait, this Spirit Gathering Formation can only extract spiritual energy from ten spirit stones at once?"

After reading the content and the introduction within, Zhang Xuan's expression showed slight disappointment.

The Spirit Gathering Formation was formidable, but it could only extract spiritual energy from ten spirit stones at once.

Ten was a huge number for others, but to Zhang Xuan... it was far too insufficient.

A single spirit stone would break within two breaths of his cultivation. Even though ten spirit stones could sustain him for a little longer, all in all, it was only twenty breaths. That wasn't really much of a difference from before.

In the end, he still had to keep switching spirit stones in the formation while attempting to achieve a breakthrough in his cultivation.

"To be capable of extracting spiritual energy from ten spirit stone at a once, this is already the most efficient Spirit Gathering Formation in our guild. It is enough to sustain even the cultivation of a Transcendent Mortal 4-dan expert. Is it still insufficient for Zhang shi?"

Guild Leader Zheng frowned.

A grade-4 Spirit Gathering Formation could already be considered as top-notch within Myriad Kingdom Alliance. If one's cultivation hadn't reached the corresponding level, it would be very hard to set it up. If the other party still thought that it was insufficient, there was nothing he could do about it.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhang Xuan carefully asked, "Is there a formation… which can extract the spiritual energy from all of the spirit stones placed within, regardless of the quantity?"

He needed to expend an ocean worth of spirit stone to reach Transcendent Mortal 1-dan. If he could only use ten of them at once, he would surely waste a lot of time.

It would be best if he could put in all of the required spirit stones at a single go. In this way, he could focus his attention on cultivating.

It was just like the petrol tank of a car. If it was the size of a teacup, regardless of how many petrol stations there were on the way, one would be terribly inconvenienced. On the other hand, it would be much convenient if it was the size of a fish tank.

"No limits on the quantity?" Guild Leader Zheng's mouth twitched. "There is one but... that is a grade-5 Spirit Gathering Formation. Furthermore... I only have the formation blueprint. I don't have the formation flags and core!"

In Honghai City Formation Guild, the highest rank formation master, Guild Leader Zheng, was only at 4-star pinnacle. He wasn't capable of preparing a grade-5 formation so naturally, he didn't possess the materials required to set it up.

Besides, these items were exorbitant, and if one's rank hadn't reached the level yet, it would be difficult to obtain the items.

"Only the formation blueprint..."

A deep frown was etched on Zhang Xuan's forehead.

He'd spent the entire day reading books and taking the formation master examination. Did he really have no choice but to accept this insignificant Spirit Gathering Formation and cultivate slowly?

If that was really the case, then it was really darned!