Immortality Through Array Formations

He had deliberately chosen this to be the exam question.

If Mr. Zhuang's young disciple had learned it, then there was nothing to be done, it would simply mean his Formation experience was indeed vast.

Everyone competed using Formations, to decide victory or defeat.

But if he did not know it, then he was almost certain to lose without a doubt.

Two hours, including both learning and Drawing Formation, was simply not enough time.

The Chief Elder snorted coldly.

Originally, choosing this Formation as the test was somewhat "winning without honor."

But now that Mr. Zhuang was so arrogant, making such bold statements, it was no longer unfair for him to take advantage of this unconventional question, given the circumstances.

Mo Hua and the blue-robed Sect Disciple from the Five Elements Sect went to the center of the field, each sitting at a desk, several yards apart, shielded by a Formation. They could neither see each other clearly nor spy with their Divine Sense.

Of course, with three Golden Core Cultivators and around ten at the Foundation Establishment level present, there was no chance for any foul play.

After a while, the Formation Diagrams were distributed.

Upon receiving the Formation Diagram, Mo Hua frowned.

Heavy Water Formation...

He truly had never learned it.

The Formation Patterns were somewhat rare; the Formation Pivot was rather simple; the demand for Divine Sense was a bit higher than usual, with more than nine Patterns but less than ten.

The overall difficulty was about the same as the first rank Melting Fire Formation.

Mo Hua assessed it for a moment and then felt a surge of relief—and a bit of excitement.

He hadn't expected to learn a new Formation during a competition...

What a gain!

Mo Hua then started to concentrate intensely, staring at the Heavy Water Formation Diagram, memorizing the Formation Pivot and Patterns, while calculating the trajectory of the Spiritual Power in his mind.

Meanwhile, the blue-robed disciple had already started drawing.

The Heavy Water Formation was one of the treasured Formations of the Five Elements Sect. He had learned it long ago, and these past few days, under the Chief Elder's mentoring, he had practiced it over and over, knowing it like the back of his hand.

It was as if the examiner had leaked the questions before the test and allowed him to memorize the answers more than ten times.

So right now, he drew the Heavy Water Formation with ease and skill.

Mo Hua was examining the Formation Diagram while the blue-robed disciple was Drawing Formation.

The Chief Elder could see everything clearly from above and nodded slightly.

He was now sure that this young Formation Master had never learned the Heavy Water Formation!

Good!

The Chief Elder was inwardly thrilled.

A swift and first victory.

This first match, they should have won.

Once this young Formation Master lost, it would be his Senior Brothers' and Senior Sisters' turn.

He was curious to see just how skilled Mr. Zhuang's prized disciples truly were in Formations.

...

Time trickled by, second after second...

An hour later.

The blue-robed disciple had already completed the majority of the Formation.

Mo Hua had at last finished looking over the Heavy Water Formation.

And after studying, he began to draw.

The moment Mo Hua made his move, the Chief Elder noticed and mused to himself,

"Does he know he doesn't have enough time and has to bite the bullet and draw it?"

The Chief Elder understood all too well.

When he had taken his Formation Master Grading and encountered unknown Formations, he had acted the same way.

As the time was nearly up, he couldn't leave a blank paper.

He had to draw as much as he could.

Perhaps he could even guess a few Formation Patterns correctly...

The experienced Chief Elder felt he understood thoroughly.

But as he watched, a flicker of surprise crossed his mind:

"This young Formation Master... Not to mention anything else, at least the way he moves his pen and the momentum of his Formation Painting are quite professional..."

Another half-hour passed.

The blue-robed disciple had finished and carefully checked his work once more, nodding in satisfaction.

The Formation was complete, the Patterns smooth.

Everything that should be there was there.

Though there were minor imperfections, they were like trivial flaws on white jade, not significant.

He had outperformed himself, living up to the Chief Elder's expectations!

The blue-robed disciple was filled with pride.

On the other side, Mo Hua had also finished drawing, and after inspecting it once, he shook his head slightly.

It was his first time drawing it, and while his pen technique wasn't skilled enough, he drew strictly according to the Formation Diagram, with excessive precision but lacking in artistic spirit; it was missing something.

But it was passable.

He might as well submit it and see.

The two of them sealed their Formations and handed in their papers.

The two sealed Formations were then placed in front of the three Elders, including the Chief Elder.

The Chief Elder glanced at Mr. Zhuang.

Mr. Zhuang said, "Please have a look."

The Chief Elder nodded and first examined the Formation submitted by his Sect's Disciple.

After just a glance, he was reassured.

Well drawn!

Even better than when he was teaching it.

He had indeed put in a lot of effort.

Then he eagerly opened Mo Hua's Formation.

But after a glance, he frowned.

Where was the Formation?

Why was there only the Formation Diagram?

He flipped through it and was taken aback again.

Two identical Formation Diagrams?

Upon careful examination, the Chief Elder realized that one of them was freshly inked, the ink was different, and while the penmanship was extremely meticulous, the Patterns were exactly the same without a hair's breadth of difference, as if carved from the same mold. At first glance, it looked like there were just two Formation Diagrams.

A tremor went through the Chief Elder's heart.

Could the young Formation Master have painted a Formation exactly identical to the sample Formation Diagram?

Cheating?

But how could he cheat in the presence of three Golden Core Cultivators?

The Chief Elder looked carefully again and, after a thorough confirmation, had to admit that these precise and meticulous Patterns were indeed hand-drawn by the young Cultivator...

The Chief Elder took a deep breath and looked at Mo Hua with a more solemn gaze.

To draw to this extent, he must have practiced this Formation countless times.

And to be able to master such an obscure Formation to this level of proficiency...

He was truly worthy of being Mr. Zhuang's disciple; he had some real skills.

But then he thought of what had happened earlier and felt displeased.

"This cunning kid, staring at the Formation Diagram earlier, pretending not to know it all this time—was he playing me?"

"Mocking me?"

Such a nasty character!

Though talented, he lacks virtue!

The Chief Elder internally assessed.