Chapter 202

The judges were all stunned.

"This..."

Originally, in each hundred-person melee match, ten people would advance; now Yuan Yao eliminated all ninety-nine participants.

Seeing this, Shen Jing said to the judge, "Announce the result."

The judge immediately understood Shen Jing's meaning and then announced, "In the third hundred-person melee match, Yuan Yao alone advances."

"Junior sister has advanced!" the watching Carefree Sect disciples exclaimed excitedly.

At this moment, the formation masters' gazes at Yuan Yao showed a hint of apprehension and fear.

Di Qingye generously raised his hand to applaud Yuan Yao, laughing, "Daoist Yuan, truly silent until a stunning burst!"

Yuan Yao withdrew all her formation barriers, heard the surrounding sounds, and noticed many more spectators in the formation competition area.

She suddenly sensed someone staring at her; she sharply looked over and saw a blue-robed man about thirty sitting on the judges' seat.

The three formation masters sat around him; they also noticed Yuan Yao's gaze and immediately waved at her.

Signaling her to come over to them.

Yuan Yao, puzzled, glanced at her senior brothers and sisters, then stepped down from the platform and walked toward the judges' seat under everyone's gaze.

She raised her hands in a salute.

Shen Jing sized her up, finding her quite polite, a stark contrast to her demeanor on the platform just moments before.

Shen Jing spoke, "Whose lineage does your formation study come from?"

He knew she was a disciple of Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord, but Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord is a sword cultivator and has no research in formations.

"Self-taught," Yuan Yao replied honestly.

Shen Jing and the others hearing this showed doubtful expressions.

Shen Jing: "How did you self-study?"

Yuan Yao said: "I learned from formation books."

Shen Jing was shocked inside, raised an eyebrow, "Oh? Then which formation text do you study?"

"I'm afraid I cannot truthfully tell you," Yuan Yao said, looking embarrassed, shaking her head.

She had no connection with them; why should she reveal her formation techniques to them?

Shen Jing also realized his question was somewhat offensive, so he smiled and asked, "Would you be willing to take me as your master?"

As soon as he said that, everyone present was shocked.

Shen Jing is one of only two formation grandmasters in the Ninth Province, his status there is extremely high, and moreover he has never taken a disciple before.

Yet now he wants to take Yuan Yao as a disciple!

"Unwilling."

Yuan Yao's answer was decisive and resolute, causing many to show shocked expressions.

Shen Jing's face twitched slightly; he had never been refused so bluntly by a junior in front of everyone.

"Yuan Yao, the person before you is a formation grandmaster! He is Shen Jing, the renowned formation grandmaster of the Ninth Province, the lifelong pursuit of countless young formation masters—do you really intend to refuse?" The three formation masters beside him were anxious.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao looked toward Shen Jing.

She clasped her hands, "Disciple is grateful for Master Shen's favor. However, I will have only one master in my life, and that is Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord!"

Shen Jing's face darkened a little.

The atmosphere on site also became tense, everyone watching Shen Jing and Yuan Yao.

Just as they thought Shen Jing would turn hostile toward Yuan Yao, Shen Jing suddenly laughed.

"If that's the case, then forget it."

"If I lose to Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord, I won't lose face."

Shen Jing rose and said to Yuan Yao, "You self-taught and reached this level—truly eye-opening. However, on the path of formations, the further one advances, the easier it is to suffer deviation from a single mistake. Although we cannot become master and disciple, I feel a karmic link with you; take this jade tablet, and if you ever have any questions about formations, feel free to come ask me."

Shen Jing handed over a jade tablet engraved with the character "Shen" to Yuan Yao.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao smiled and accepted it, "Thank you, Master Shen!"

Seeing her relax, Shen Jing felt both amused and exasperated, and a little disappointed; he had finally seen a formation prodigy, thinking he could take her as a disciple, but didn't expect this young lady to refuse apprenticeship.

He said, "I still have one question I want to ask you."

"Master Shen, please speak."

"Why do you make these participants confess to you?"

She lightly coughed, then said solemnly, "I like hearing others recount their past mistakes; that way I can better avoid making mistakes myself in the future."

Shen Jing was momentarily speechless.

He gazed at her bright eyes, for a moment unable to tell whether her words were true or false.

The onlookers' mouths twitched, thinking secretly: "A quirk is a quirk, yet she puts it so righteously!"

…

The seven formation hundred-person melee matches quickly ended.

The number of those who advanced was only sixty-one.

Subsequently, these sixty-one began drawing lots for one-on-one duels.

A formation master drew Yuan Yao and immediately panicked.

With encouragement from those around, this formation master mustered courage and went onto the platform; seeing the smiling girl before him, he instantly felt his legs tremble.

After the judge announced the start—

Yuan Yao immediately set up a sound-isolating formation barrier!

The spectators: "……" Oh dear.

Soon, this formation master began kneeling to confess to Yuan Yao.

After the match ended, the formation master covered his face, crying as he ran down the stage.

Yuan Yao calmly walked down the stage.

Another round of lots.

As a result, before Yuan Yao even stepped onto the stage, the referee informed her with a complex expression: "Your opponent remembered that today is his grandfather's memorial day; he has already forfeited and returned home to pay respects to his grandfather."

Yuan Yao: "?"

In this way, each opponent Yuan Yao drew next either had an issue and forfeited, or, as soon as the referee announced the start, loudly shouted: "I concede!"

Yuan Yao sat for a long time, finally discovering she had become the leader of the Formation Grand Competition.

As the Carefree Sect's disciples excitedly gathered around her to celebrate, Yuan Yao's expression remained somewhat dazed.

She felt she had gotten there through a back door to top the Formation Grand Competition.

"Junior sister! You're incredibly strong! Those participants are all afraid of you, one after another voluntarily forfeiting and conceding!"

Yuan Yao gave a dry laugh a few times: "Feels a bit hasty."

Among the five major competitions, only the Formation Grand Competition ended earlier than in previous years.

The reward for winning the Formation Grand Competition is a high-level formation manual.

After receiving the reward, Yuan Yao headed with her senior brothers and sisters toward the Pill Refining Competition area.

Now, Cang Li is refining pills.

The Pill Refining Competition area was wafted with waves of medicinal fragrance, but mixed in was a distinct bitter fresh scent.

When Yuan Yao and her group arrived at the spectator area, many young disciples frequently glanced at her, whispering:

"This is this year's Formation Grand Competition top ranker, Yuan Yao!"

"I heard she's perverse, tormenting those formation competitors until they don't want to share the stage with her, causing them to forfeit one after another!"

"Really?"

"Really, I saw the whole process!"

"Master Shen wanted to take her as a disciple, but she refused!"

"Wow, is Master Shen Shen Jing?"

"Yes!"

"The Repentance Immortal is looking over here; quickly, avert your gaze from her!"

Yuan Yao: "..."