Chapter 29: The Competition Conference
In the blink of an eye, three days have passed and the two-yearly Refining Equipment Assessment of the sect has officially come to an end. However, for each new disciple, things are far from over, because the moment that will decide their fate is only just beginning today.
Today is the day when Huoyun Hall holds its assessment conference, during which the top thirty entry-level disciples with the highest level of alchemy will be promoted to inner disciples. This is a grand occasion for all entry-level disciples, and as such, countless people have gathered at the mountain peak where Huoyun Hall is located.
In these three days, Kong Fang had been staying in his small hut and hadn't come out at all. Before becoming an inner disciple, Kong Fang couldn't cultivate his magical powers to avoid arousing the elder's suspicion, and without magical powers, he also couldn't cultivate Taoist magic. However, Kong Fang didn't idle around either; these three days he had been studying the Array Dao Thousand Methods.
Array method is not only used in the enlightenment of weapons, but also in the establishment of mountain gates and caves.
The uses of formations are numerous, but good formations are extremely precious and difficult to obtain. Even in the ancient artifacts that have stood for 20,000 years without falling, it is impossible to easily acquire a formation, let alone a better one.
To get a better formation, you must accumulate a large amount of sect contribution to exchange for it.
However, Kong Fang no longer thought about exchanging for the array methods within the sect. Could the array methods in the Qizong be better than the Array Dao Thousand Methods in his hands? The Array Dao Thousand Methods was a collection of countless array methods by a strong array master, and even the owner of the Huatie Secret Mansion thought it was very good. Its preciousness was not comparable to the array methods that could be exchanged in the Qizong, and even the array methods treasured by the Sect Master and Elders of the Qizong were not necessarily as precious as the Array Dao Thousand Methods.
With such a precious array of thousand methods in his hands, Kong Fang naturally wouldn't waste time and spent the entire three days studying the formation method. These three days were spent by Kong Fang as if he was drunk, completely immersed in the vast world of formations. However, what made Kong Fang slightly regretful was that during these three days, he hadn't even thoroughly studied one of the eight hundred basic formation methods, which somewhat shook his confidence.
He just didn't understand one thing, that these 800 basic formations were classified by a strong formation master. What is considered the most basic formation in the eyes of a strong formation master may not be so in his eyes. He spent only three days to make such progress, which was already quite remarkable.
However, this is also due to the lack of comparison, Kong Fang does not know about other people's situations, and naturally thinks that he has not done well enough.
Although Kong Fang was very unwilling to waste time attending the evaluation conference, he would rather study the Array Thousand Methods during this time. However, this is after all the biennial evaluation conference of the Qizong, and it also concerns his future fate, so Kong Fang had no choice but to rush to the mountain peak where Huoyun Hall was located.
The richest outer disciple in Qizong, Kong Fang, still wore that tattered and blood-stained clothes when he went out. This wasn't because Kong Fang didn't want to change into better clothes, the problem was that he had nowhere to find new clothes now, so he could only make do with this for now. Fortunately, everything would be different once he became an inner disciple.
Kong Fang glanced at the small mound directly opposite the mountain valley, and a hint of regret reappeared on his face.
"It's been three days, Zhao Yong, and you still haven't received any news from those two followers. How can you remain so calm? Why not come directly to question me? That way, I can take you outside the sect to have a good talk." Kong Fang muttered discontentedly, then shook his head and walked away.
An ordinary follower is not worth Kong Fang's risk of taking action in the instrument sect.
Yan Guang came out from behind the mound after Kong Fang had walked far away.
Watching Kong Fang's distant back, Yan Guang's face was full of doubts.
"It's been three days, and Qian Ziguo and Wang Hao still haven't made a sound. They must have really met with an accident. But since they weren't monitoring Kong Fang, why did they suddenly leave?" This question had been on Jing Guang's mind for three days, but he still couldn't figure it out.
Three nights ago, Zhao Yong didn't see Qian Ziguang and Wang Huan return, so he felt something was wrong. He then asked Yan Guang to come here quickly to check if Kong Fang was still there.
However, Kong Fang had already returned at that time, and Yan Guang naturally did not find anything unusual.
"Over the past three days of observation, Kong Fang's behavior has not changed in the slightest from before. He should still be unaware that we are monitoring him, and with his frail body, it is impossible for him to lure away Qian Ziguo and Wang Hua, let alone kill both of them at the same time. It can't be Kong Fang... but then who is it?" Yan Guang was searching for the person who killed Qian Ziguo and Wang Hua on this side, but he just couldn't think of the person he was monitoring, Kong Fang.
It's not just Yan Guang, but also Zhao Yong doesn't believe that Kong Fang can do it. Both of them are secretly searching for a nonexistent opponent, yet they both ignore their real opponent.
But it's no wonder, with Kong Fang looking so thin and frail, who would have thought that he possessed such terrifying strength.
……
The mountain peak where Huoyuntang is located
Thousands of people gathered at the foot of the mountain, including nearly a thousand outer disciples and many miscellaneous workers. These miscellaneous workers were not just here to watch the excitement, but also had other purposes in mind. They could be seen chatting with the outer disciples next to them, while secretly hoping that the outer disciple in front of them would be one of the thirty who would become inner disciples.
Once the people they befriend become inner disciples, they may have the opportunity to become their followers, and from then on, their status will be turned upside down, and they can embark on the long-awaited path of cultivation.
Along the mountain path, some inner disciples stood in twos and threes chatting casually, while others stood alone far away, their eyes scanning the people below. In fact, the inner disciples didn't need to attend the assessment conference, but every time there were always some who came to join in the excitement, as for their purpose only they themselves knew clearly.
Huoyun Hall entrance, several elderly people who hosted this evaluation conference sat together, chatting and laughing with each other. At this time, it was not yet the start of the evaluation conference, and many people had not arrived yet, so the elderly people were not in a hurry either.
Before long, Kong Fang arrived at the foot of the mountain. His gaze first swept over the thousands of people gathered below, then shifted upwards to look towards the top of the mountain.
When he saw those inner disciples, Kong Fang's heart suddenly became somewhat eager.
"Very soon I will also become one of them, and at that time I can cultivate openly and honestly, without having to be afraid of being discovered by others like now. Moreover, I have the secret method of cultivation given by the master of the secret mansion, which is a thousand-star level, so the speed of cultivating and transforming my power will definitely be faster than any inner disciple, and my strength will also become stronger more quickly." Kong Fang's heart was excited at the same time, and he looked forward to that moment even more.
