"Ridiculous..."
Someone questioned intermittently, "When did he bring this formation inside?"
"The rules of the Sword Discussion Conference are strict, and everything brought into the arena is personally checked by the elders. Itâs impossible for any form of cheating to be allowed."
"Did Taixu Gate... bribe the elders of the Mount of Tao?"
"Is Taixu Gate that capable?"
...
Outside the battlefield, the elders of the Mount of Tao were even more agitated than the spectators.
Generally, those who could become elders at the Mount of Tao were of older age, senior in rank, possessed of reputation, and they acted fairly.
This position was both respectable and leisurely.
Originally, they were sitting drinking tea, leisurely watching the Sword Discussion Conference.
When the High-Rank Formation appeared, some elders were genuinely startled, crushing the cups in their hands.
"Somethingâs wrong!"
"Itâs over; how did this child manage to bring a High-Rank Formation inside?"
"The ancestorsâ rules are ruined..."
"Who checked him?"
"Really muddleheaded..."
An elder stiffened his neck and said, "Donât talk nonsense, when he was entering, I checked exactly, there was no High-Rank Formation."
"Then where did he get this formation from?"
"Quick, investigate..."
So someone began to play the scenes backwards from the beginning of the Sword Discussion Conference, one frame after another, to see what exactly Mo Hua had done.
To avoid suspicion and ensure fairness and lack of secret manipulation.
This played-back scene was also viewable by the cultivating spectators outside.
On the Fang Tian Hua Ying, a small image screen popped up, replaying all Mo Huaâs actions since entering.
Everyone, having stopped watching the Sword Discussion, widened their eyes and concentrated to watch the "replay" of Mo Hua.
The scenes quickly replayed once and soon paused at the most "suspicious" moment.
Mo Hua squatted in the corner, back to the crowd, sneakily doing something or other.
"Quick, change the angle," ordered an elder from Mount of Tao.
The scene shifted, revealing Mo Huaâs face.
What he was doing with his hands was clearly visible.
Everyone at the Mount of Tao was momentarily stunned.
Then the whole place erupted.
At this moment, they finally saw clearly what Mo Hua was sneakily doing while squatting in the corner...
Indeed, he was "manipulating" formations.
But he wasnât setting them up.
He was drawing formations!
In the Sword Discussion Conference, amidst the clash of prodigies, he personally drew a formation on the spot!
The Sword Discussion Conference does not allow carrying Second Grade High-Level Formations.
So he did it himself, drawing a high-level formation on site!
Everyone was speechless for a moment, not knowing what to say.
After a silent moment, someone wondered, "No... if he drew a Second Grade High-Level Formation, where did he get the formation media?"
Someone realized, "He temporarily dismantled it from other formations he had brought in."
"..."
"Then whereâs his Formation Pen?"
"The Sword Discussion allows carrying spiritual artifacts, he didnât bring any weapons, just a Formation Pen."
"A Formation Pen is a Formation Masterâs weapon..."
"Then what about Spiritual Ink? Where did he get the ink?"
"I donât know..."
Someone shook their head, and most cultivators were rather puzzled.
But some who had participated in the Sword Discussion and were familiar with the rules explained:
"Sword Discussion disciples can choose to bring in some âmiscellaneous itemsâ, and Spiritual Ink counts as one of those."
"No..." someone was baffled, "Why would they place Spiritual Ink in miscellaneous items? How can Spiritual Ink be considered miscellaneous? Who made these rules, donât they have any common sense?"
"The ancestor of Mount of Tao set these rules..."
The previous cultivator slapped his own mouth: "Sorry, I spoke out of turn. The ancestor was right... Spiritual Ink should indeed be placed with miscellaneous items."
Someone summarized, "So... this kid Mo Hua, dismantled the formation media, brought his own Formation Pen, and then used the Spiritual Ink from the miscellaneous items to draw a Second Grade High-Level Formation and arranged it on the city gate?"
"Can it really be done like this?"
"Is this reasonable?"
"What kind of brain does this kid have, to exploit the loophole to such an extent?"
"This isnât a loophole, this is clearly cheating, isnât it?"
"Using a high-level formation in the Sword Discussion Conference, how is anyone supposed to compete? If this isnât cheating, what is?"
"Itâs not up to us to decide."
"At least on the surface, he does comply with the rules."
"Letâs discuss it later, for now, letâs just watch the Sword Discussion... although the high-level formation is powerful, itâs facing five prodigies of the Heavenly Sword Sect, who will win or lose is still uncertain?"
"Donât exploit the loophole, use a high-level formation, only to end up losing in the end, that would be embarrassing..." someone sneered.
Some were unconvinced, "Youâre underestimating the high-level formation too much. Itâs a high-level formation, and it was created by Mo Hua, surely itâs a top-tier nineteen-pattern formation. Do you think itâs a joke?"
...
As everyone was discussing heatedly.
Inside the Sword Discussion arena, the disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect also sensed something was wrong.
"A High-Rank Formation?"
A tall leader of the Heavenly Sword Sect prodigies frowned, then said in a deep voice, "So what if itâs a High-Rank Formation? Today I will see whether your formation is sturdier, or our Heavenly Sword Sectâs Sword Qi is sharper?"
"Kill!"
The other four responded in unison, "Kill!!"
The five no longer hesitated, no longer held back at all, as spiritual power surged to the maximum, unleashing all their Sword Qi.
Blades of even more intense Sky Star Sword Qi struck the city gate.
Even with the High-Rank Formation augmenting it, the city gate began to show slight cracks, vibrated, and dust fell down.
But Mo Hua remained unhurried.
Linghu Xiao and the others merely followed Mo Huaâs instructions, occasionally going out to harass the opposition.
Before, they had to block the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples and protect the city gate.
But now, with the High-Rank Formation on the city gate, it could withstand the attacks of the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples, allowing them merely to harass occasionally, reducing the pressure on the city gate.
This was much easier.
Amid the entanglement of both sides, one after another, the Sky Star Sword Qi struck the city gate and was absorbed by the High-Rank Gold Stone Formation.
Though the defense of the High-Rank Gold Stone Formation was strong, it couldnât hold out too long under the relentless attack by the Four Great Sectsâ prodigies.
With the persistent Sword Qi slashing from the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples.
The cracks in the formation increased gradually.
The city gate seemed to be on the verge of collapse.
Seeing the formation on the brink of shattering, the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples were greatly encouraged, "Quick, attack together, break the formation, and breach the city gate!"
"Yes!"
They united in effort, stimulated their Sword Qi, and continued to attack the city gate.
Indeed, Heaven does not disappoint the diligent.
After multiple assaults with Sword Qi, the glow on the city gate dimmed, and the formation patterns broke.
The High-Rank Gold Stone Formation was indeed breached by the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples.
The Heavenly Sword Sect disciples were delighted.
The spectators nodded and praised:
"As expected of the Heavenly Sword Sectâs prodigies, a high-level formation can hardly trouble them..."
But just as the formation on the city gate dimmed, seemingly about to disappear, Mo Hua calmly reached out and slapped the wall.
In an instant, a brilliant light flared.
A new High-Rank Gold Stone Formation was activated.
The previously teetering city gate, under the power of the formation, suddenly became "indestructible" again.
The audience who had just praised the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples felt a lump in their chests.
The joy that had just sparkled in the hearts of the Heavenly Sword Sect prodigies was instantly extinguished.
Looking at the "city gate" shimmering with golden light, their faces turned pale, and their mouths tasted bitter.
One high-level formation indeed hadnât stopped them.
But what about two?
Are there really only two?
Who knows how many high-level formations Mo Hua still has up his sleeve?
How many layers of high-level Gold Stone Formation did he actually stack on this city gate?
At this point, the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples all felt a hint of despair in their hearts.
At this very moment, they finally remembered Mo Huaâs initial identity clearly:
Qianxue... Formation Leader.