Chapter 50: Free-For-All Rumble (1)

Chapter 50 – Free-For-All Rumble (1)

Xu Miao and other outer disciples didn't know. There were changes in this exam.

Jia Shan and Xu Xiuying were aware of the deals under the table. To prevent favoritism and unfair advantage, they arranged multiple safe zones instead of one, but they made these areas smaller. Then, the arrays randomized the destination, sending all disciples to a different location.

With this setup, they couldn't band together and took advantage of others like previous tests.

Wei Yuan, Qing Zhong, and all candidates were shocked that everyone would be separated during the test. Moreover, the safe zones were too small for a large group.

Everyone paid attention to how all separated outer disciples fared in the alternate world.

Kang Yan and the Virgin Yin disciples began exploring the outer perimeter and cut down woods with their abilities, trying to secure resources to build make-shift weapons.

Wei Feng, Nie Ping, and mountain goose disciples were all hot-blood youths. They rushed into the wild and hunted nearby monster beasts right away.

But Xu Miao's cowardice tactic attracted all attention from the crowd. His actions revealed an exploitable loophole of the safe zone, which made hunting easy and safe.

Some noble clansmen scoffed as they were disgusted by Xu Miao's slyness. Yet, small families and weak candidates appreciated the hints. Many people admired his intelligence and shrewdness.

"As expected of a genius. This is how you think outside of the box."

"Outside the box, my ass! Xu Miao is a coward!"

"Intelligence is one of a cultivator's skills. You can't look down on his because of his wits."

"But that's totally cheating! There's no honor in that!"

"Honor can't bring food to the table! True cultivators lie, cheat, steal, and kill to make a living!"

Opinions polarized, but the majority of experienced cultivators approved of Xu Miao's way. In real combats and real life, a trivial insight like this could make a difference between life and death.

While they were talking and commenting on Xu Miao's actions, the latter pulled a magic saber out of nowhere and beheaded the wolf monster.

"Huh?"

"I thought spatial rings are prohibited in the test."

"He also snuck in a spatial ring? He's cheating again?"

"So cheating, much hax, 10/10, wow!"

Not only the spectators were astonished by Xu Miao's cheats, Jian Meng, Jia Shan, Wei Huang, and other elders were baffled how this young master managed to smuggle a weapon in that realm.

Aside from the Mountain Goose elders, nobody was aware that the arrays on the stage could also detect hidden items, such as spatial rings, small weapons, and miscellaneous objects in the clothes of the cultivators inside the formation. It would only teleport test-takers, their clothes, and their armors to the alternate realm. Even if they hid any foreign items inside their pockets or their cavities, none of them could smuggle them into that world.

Jia Shan frowned while he watched Xu Miao's screen.

'That's clearly a low-graded magic weapon. The array didn't detect a spatial ring in his clothes, then how did he smuggle it to that world?'

Even the 7th stage grandmaster didn't know how Xu Miao brought in a weapon. He glanced at Xu Xiuying, who might know something about it.

Xu Xiuying peered at Jia Shan and shook her head. She, too, didn't expect her adopted son to be this capable.

Jia Shan sighed and turned to the screens. Since Xu Miao was capable of smuggling a foreign item into that realm, he couldn't help but consider it as one of the disciple's skills.

'Exploiting the rules, laws, and restrictions is one of a cultivator's skills. It seems that I can't blame him.'

The grandmaster ignored the blatant cheat and continued watching the others.

Since Jia Shan and Xu Xiuying didn't act against Xu Miao's action, the crowd assumed that everything was legal. Everyone tried to find a way to sneak in items, hidden weapons, and spatial rings into the realm.

…

An hour passed.

Jian Meng announced that all candidates could enter the alternate realm now. All contestants got on the stage. Their smiling face revealed their confidence, but their bulk clothes gave away their hidden motives. Everyone carried secret weapons and supplies in their clothes.

When Jian Meng told them to leave their spatial rings and weapons behind, they didn't deposit everything to the staff. Everyone smuggled at least 2 or 3 things, planning to bring them to the other side.

The elders didn't stop them even though their intention was so obvious. They allowed the candidates to try their luck since the arrays would filter out unauthorized items.

Everyone got on the arrays, and they got teleported to the monster realm.

*WHOOSH*

*CLANK* *CLANK*

Several items were left behind after the teleportation. Bags of food, hidden weapons, spatial rings, and mysterious artifacts dropped on the ground.

Seeing the items, Jia Shan shouted, "Confiscate those items! We've told everyone that test-takers must deposit all items and spatial rings before entering the realm. Violators will be punished, and that punishment is item confiscation!"

Sect disciples grinned as they proceeded to collect the leftover items.

The families of the test-takers booed and protested right away.

"Hey! That's my clan's artifact! Leave it or else!"

"Those are my son's items! You have no right to claim it!"

"Return them to me, or I'll kill you!"

"Xu Miao can cheat, but my children can't!? This test is rigged! I demand our items back!"

The crowd was in an uproar, trying to climb the stage and get their items back.

But Jia Shan and Xu Xiuying were there.

*BOOM*

The two masters activated their aura. Their presence terrified the protesting crowd.

In an instant, everything was silent.

Using this opportunity, Jia Shan declared, "Although cheating is one of a cultivator's skills, it also poses risks. Once caught, one should expect a dire consequence. I know that you're upset because Xu Miao could smuggle an item inside the realm, but your children couldn't. Since Xu Miao managed to avoid the array's detection, he earned the right to cheat. As for your children, they got caught by the arrays. Therefore, you should obediently accept the consequences, or I will trap your children in that realm forever."

Like a tyrant, Jia Shan threatened the families and friends of the test-takers.

The threat worked like magic. Everyone was scared of Jia Shan's strength, and they didn't want to lose their children in the monster realm. After all, they sent their children here, hoping to have a connection with Jia Shan's sect or Xu Xiuying's sect. As illogical as it might be, everyone yielded.

The mindset of the local people was different than the modern world's citizens. As long as a cultivator held enough power, no matter how absurd the cultivator demand or lies, the weaker ones had to comply and believe in it. Or else, their lives would perish.

Xu Miao had finished draining the dead wolf's blood and dissecting it, securing a mysterious red crystal, a monster core. Like other disciples from the same sect, Xu Miao also started cutting woods to make a shelter.

As Xu Miao had the magic dadao, he easily cut down dead trees. Three giant trees had been chopped into smaller pieces and piled inside the safe zone.

The cheating young master wiped his sweat. Crafting skills in real life was harder than games as it drained his stamina, especially when he processed the giant trees into usable lumber.

*WHOOSH*

While Xu Miao was busy, fifty test-takers appeared in Xu Miao's safe zone. They collapsed on the ground at first, but they regained their consciousness in a minute.

"Blech! The teleport is always nauseous!"

"So, this is the safe zone. Wait, Xu Miao?"

"Wow, I'm in the same zone as Xu Miao. This test will be easy!"

Everyone was happy when they saw Xu Miao's face. On the other hand, the latter's expression distorted as if they had invaded his privacy.

Xu Miao ignored them and continued what he was doing. After all, he needed a proper shelter to sleep, so he could enter the Isolation Training Space in peace.

Unfortunately, the newcomers created a lot of noise and commotion.

"Hey! My items are gone!"

"Huh? Shit! My treasure sword is gone, too!"

"I-I thought I've brought food with me. Where is it!?"

"No! M-My artifact! My family's heirloom!!"

The safe zone got noisy. At first, the commotion only involved the newcomers. Soon, the trouble reached Xu Miao.

A group of five men walked to Xu Miao. They showed respect to Xu Miao by cupping their fists to greet him.

"Young master Xu Miao. My name is Yu Lin, and these people are my friends. I've seen your impressive skills and talent in the previous tests, and I would like to form an alliance with you during these 3 days."

Yu Lin was a thin young man in his early 20s. His clean robes, kemp tied hair, lanky stature, and smooth skin belonged to a scholar rather than a cultivator. Yet, he exuded the air of a 2nd stage cultivator at level 7.

This young scholar was also short as his height was merely 165cm. As for his weight, Xu Miao guessed that it shouldn't be over 50kg. Yu Lin's face was on the ugly side as his ill proportion round nose and red zits ruined his face and charisma.

The four friends behind him were burly men in their late 20s. As the test only allowed people under the age of 30 to enter, Yu Lin's parents sent three hundred young bodyguards to take the same exam and protect him, preparing for this kind of joint test. Unfortunately, only four managed to regroup with their boss. Their cultivation base was level 10 of the 2nd stage.

Xu Miao peered at them for a moment and shrugged, "Suit yourself."

Yu Lin laughed, "Thank you very much for your understanding! Then, let us help you build your new resident…"

"No need. I'm about to finish making my camp. You should focus on building yours instead of mine."

"Oh, of course. But we would like to ask you for a favor."

"What?" Xu Miao didn't look at them anymore. He only concentrated on making pillars with his lumber.

"We would like to borrow your weapon for a moment. You see, we tried to smuggle items to this realm, but none of them was teleported here with us."

Xu Miao waved his hand, chasing the people away, "Can't do that. I'm still using it to cut wood. Use your skill to cut those trees yourself, can't you?"

Yu Lin frowned. He turned toward his bodyguards and gestured them with his hand.

The four bodyguards immediately surrounded Xu Miao. As they had learned of the safe zone's loophole, they activated their inner Qi and strengthened their bodies, preparing for combat.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice, young master Xu. When I say that I want to borrow your weapon, a weakling 1st stage trash like you should obediently hand it over."

"Oh?"

Xu Miao stopped what he was doing. He turned toward the group.

The murderous spark in Xu Miao's pupils which he had been suppressing since the bar fight appeared again along with the evil crescent smiling face.

"Excuse me, what did you say again?"