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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 8: The Challenge
"Master Jin," he said, without any politeness.
His identity and status commanded respect wherever he went, and the Peach Blossom Sect was no exception.
Countless people gathered around the Peach Blossom Sect, waiting for the Establishment ceremony, eager for the auction of Dragon Blood, Phoenix Blood, and Xuan Gui Blood. Some knowledgeable individuals awaited the arrival of the Soul Palace, anticipating an astonishing battle.
However, when the warship of the Fire Sect appeared and the banner of the Peach Blossom Sect came into view, all noise and commotion came to an abrupt halt. The clamor and even the fighting ceased in an instant.
It was simply because this was the Fire Sect, the premier Cloud Spirit Sect of the Soul World, a key force against the Soul Palace, a place revered and aspired to by all humanity.
Master Jin held the esteemed title of the foremost Formation Master in the Fire Sect; without a doubt, he was also recognized as the top Formation Master in the entire Soul World.
Although Han Mang had impressive skills in formations, he paled in comparison to Master Jin.
At best, Han Mang could barely be considered a Ninth-Rank Array Master. In contrast, Master Jin had already reached the rank of Tenth-Rank Formation Master.
The prowess of Master Jin was beyond what ordinary people could imagine.
At this moment, as Master Jin initiated a challenge, silence enveloped the crowd.
A multitude of astonished gazes turned toward Master Jin and Wei Chen.
"Is that person really Master Jin?"
"Of course it's Master Jin. Who else would be qualified to sit on the Fire Sect's Warship and raise the Fire Sect's flag?"
"I had the fortune of meeting Master Jin while at the Fire Sect; there's no doubt it's him."
"Since it's Master Jin, someone of his status would never challenge Wei Chen directly, right? No matter how impressive Wei Chen's Formation Assignment is, he can't possibly be a match for Master Jin."
"Who knows? Master Jin holds a high position and possesses formidable formation skills. If Wei Chen can compete with Master Jin, it would be a rare opportunity for him to gain experience. Having a top-tier Deity as a sparring partner offers unimaginable benefits."
"From this, it seems that the relationship between Thunder Sovereign and Wei Chen is quite special. Otherwise, such an event wouldn't occur."
"Do you think Master Jin challenged Wei Chen because of Thunder Sovereign? Ha! That's short-sighted! Let me tell you, someone with Master Jin's temperament wouldn't necessarily follow some orders from Thunder Sovereign. This must be Master Jin's own idea. Thunder Sovereign sent Master Jin to assist Peach Blossom Sect in setting up formations, and though he came reluctantly, he won't make it easy. His challenge to Wei Chen is essentially a test. If Wei Chen can't win, he won't step foot into Peach Blossom Sect."
"Truly worthy of Master Jin—proud and indeed capable."
Amidst the discussions and speculations, the voices did not affect Wei Chen and Master Jin, who stood at the eye of the storm.
Wei Chen hovered in the air, a hundred meters away, calmly gazing at Master Jin.
Master Jin stood on the Warship's deck, with the Fire Sect's flag billowing beside him, exuding an imposing presence.
The two locked eyes; Master Jin wore an indifferent expression with a hint of disdain, while Wei Chen's eyes sparkled with fervor.
"Master Jin, my skills are lacking and my understanding of formations is certainly not comparable to yours. If you wish to compete in formations, I might as well concede," Wei Chen said, staring at Master Jin before suddenly breaking into an easy smile.
At his words, the crowd erupted into chatter once again.
"What the hell is going on? Did Wei Chen just give up without even trying to fight?"
"Yeah, has Wei Chen lost his mind? This is such a rare opportunity; it's an understatement to call it a once-in-a-lifetime chance. What was he thinking, going up against Master Jin? There’s no downside for him."
"Hey, why are you all so anxious? The emperor isn't in a hurry, so why should we be? Who do you think Wei Chen is? His clever calculations are beyond our imagination. He probably just wants to negotiate with Master Jin."
...
Sure enough, Master Jin raised an eyebrow and said lightly, "Wei Chen, Old Man won't make things difficult for you. We will compare formations, not our skills in formation techniques. If Old Man isn't mistaken, your current strength should be at the Human Soul Realm Fifth Level, right? You’re already considered an Eighth-Rank Formation Master at your age, which is extremely rare—basically a once-in-a-millennium occurrence. When I was your age, I was only a Sixth-Rank Formation Master and didn’t have nearly as many legendary experiences as you."
At that moment, three figures swooped in and landed beside Wei Chen.
It was Han Mang, Han Che, and the Pharmaceutical Sovereign.
The three old fellows had received the news and rushed over in a panic to offer their help.
"What's going on, Wei Chen?" Han Mang whispered as he inquired.
Wei Chen recounted the situation, and Han Mang's expression turned serious. Master Jin had been famous for a long time; he was the top Formation Master of the Fire Sect and even the entire Soul World. Facing someone like that, Han Mang felt he had no confidence whatsoever. Who in the entire Soul World could match Master Jin in a formation battle?
Competing against Master Jin was like trying to win against Thunderstorm—who could possibly succeed?
Thunderstorm and Ji Pokong were recognized as the strongest, and Master Jin was also acknowledged as the greatest Formation Master!
Han Che and the Pharmaceutical Sovereign wore equally grave expressions.
If Master Jin could help establish the formation for the Peach Blossom Sect, it would be ideal. However, even without Master Jin's assistance, with the blood of spatial beasts and the rewards from Dragon Blood, countless people would still offer their help. The formation of the Peach Blossom Sect could be established without any weakness.
The only difference with or without Master Jin would be whether they could obtain a protective grand formation like that of the Fire Sect.
For the Peach Blossom Sect, others did not hold much regard.
But now that Master Jin had arrived, things had become quite troublesome.
This was no longer just a matter of arranging formations; it was also about the reputation of the Peach Blossom Sect.
The Peach Blossom Sect had gained significant fame, even showing signs of approaching the Fire Sect, earning admiration from many. Once the grand formation was established and they truly became an established sect, the Peach Blossom Sect would rise to become a top-tier Cloud Spirit Sect.
At such a critical moment, with Master Jin's appearance, if the Peach Blossom Sect were to lose, the damage to its reputation would be immeasurable.
Whether Wei Chen could defeat Master Jin was not a concern for Han Mang, Han Che, or Pharmaceutical Sovereign. However, if Wei Chen were to lose, the decline in reputation for the Peach Blossom Sect would be unacceptable to those three elders.
To them, Master Jin was no longer just a master; he had become a genuine disruptor.
A disruptor who played a good game, and most importantly, the Peach Blossom Sect had no way to respond to Master Jin's challenge.
No matter how much Wei Chen tried to decline, he could not refuse.
If they did not compete in formations, it would mean defeat.
Defeat in both personnel and formation.
The Peach Blossom Sect found itself in a dilemma, one that could only be truly understood by those who were present. Outsiders merely watched the spectacle, completely unaware of the grave crisis facing the Peach Blossom Sect.
Master Jin had presented a formidable challenge to everyone in the sect.
"Master Jin, I must admit, when it comes to formations, I am no match for you. However, since you have called me out for a duel, I assume you have devised a fair method for this contest?" Wei Chen said, gazing at Master Jin calmly.
Master Jin scoffed, "In this world, there has never been such a thing as fairness or justice. Even if you were to face an Old Man with experience surpassing that of a Sixth Rank or Seventh Rank Formation, you would still be no match."
"Haha, that’s fine. After all, I am but a junior. Losing to you is hardly a disgrace," Wei Chen replied, his eyes fixed on Master Jin. He then added seriously, "Master Jin, how shall we compete? With so many watching, representatives from the entire Central Domain are here. Surely you wouldn’t want to make things too difficult for me?"
"Hmph, it's quite simple. We will each set up our formations within one hour. You may arrange any formation below Seventh Rank as you wish. After an hour has passed, we will enter each other's formations and attempt to break them. Furthermore, the methods used to break the formations—whether through formation attacks or brute force Soul Techniques—must not exceed Seventh Rank. As an Eighth-Rank Formation Master, setting up a Seventh-Rank Formation should pose no challenge for you. This is the utmost concession I can offer," Master Jin declared provocatively as he looked at Wei Chen.
"Well then," Wei Chen replied with a relieved smile, "since Master Jin has been so gracious, it would be rude of me not to accept your challenge."
"Very well then. We shall begin in one hour," Master Jin said as he flew out on his Warship into an open area in the sky. A flash of white light enveloped him, and soon his figure was obscured within the White Radiance.
As everyone witnessed Master Jin instantly set up a formation that concealed his presence, they were left in awe; indeed, Master Jin's reputation was well-deserved.
But in the next moment, a scene that left them dumbfounded unfolded before their eyes. They saw Wei Chen standing quietly two hundred meters away on the opposite side of Master Jin's White Radiance area, smiling as he watched the glowing orb of White Radiance.
"What is he doing?"
"Has he lost his mind? An hour is incredibly precious; how can he just stand there watching?"
"Who knows? Wei Chen's thoughts are beyond our comprehension. If we could understand what he was thinking, we would be the ones standing above him."
"Don't overestimate Wei Chen. In terms of formation skills, Master Jin is recognized as the best in Soul World. Who could possibly be his opponent? Wei Chen must have strategically given up."
"Tsk, losing is losing; where does this strategic giving up come from?"
Amidst the heated discussions, Wei Chen remained unfazed, still quietly observing Master Jin's White Radiance.
Han Che and Pharmaceutical Sovereign grew anxious and turned to Han Mang for answers.
Han Mang replied, "I don't know what he's thinking either. This is serious; Wei Chen wouldn't joke about it. He must have found a good way to deal with Master Jin. Don't just think about how Wei Chen might lose; consider what happens if he wins. If he defeats Master Jin, it would bring immense prestige to our Peach Blossom Sect!"
"Brother, it's not that we look down on Wei Chen, but isn't it a bit arrogant for him to remain motionless and waste time? Even someone as formidable as Master Jin understands that an hour isn't long and needs to be seized. Is Wei Chen really that confident?"
It wasn't just outsiders; even his own people were skeptical of Wei Chen.
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