CHAPTER 31: SHUTTING UP EVERYONE.

"For this last round, each apprentice will try to set up a formation," Elder Feng announced, shocking everyone.

How could an apprentice set a formation? If they could set up an array formation, they would no longer be apprentices but bona fide Array Formation Masters.

"This is insane!"

"It’s impossible! This is a test that only applies to Grade 1 Array Formation Masters. How could they ask them to do this?"

"Even Ma Long and Yuan Lan will fail. How could the association do this?"

The arena descended into a cacophony of noise. Everyone voiced their annoyance and discontentment with the last round.

Inside the VIP area, the elders sat calmly, waiting for Elder Feng to complete his announcement. They knew there was more to it.

Standing on the podium, Elder Feng’s expression did not change. He waited for the crowd to voice their thoughts before he continued calmly.

"We are not asking them to set up a complete working array formation. Of course, we know they can’t do that yet. This is a competition, and we want to see their level in setting up an array formation."

"The closer the array formation is to completion, the higher their points and ranks."

When the audience heard his explanation, they smiled, and a look of realization appeared on their faces.

So, they only wanted to see their level in setting up an array formation. They did not want a complete array formation but to assess their skill level.

Quickly, the atmosphere inside the arena changed as the people began to praise the Array Formation Association for its ingenuity.

From this test, they could all see the person who was closest to becoming a Grade 1 Array Formation Master.

An array formation master who could not set up an array formation was no array master. Thus, this was the best test.

Inside the VIP area, the Yuan clan elder looked at Elder Kai, who had a confident smile on his face.

"Elder Kai, what do you think of this round?" one of the elders asked.

"Hahaha. Do you need to ask? My disciples will come out first." Elder Kai turned and looked at them.

In the last round, he had lost a lot of face, but that did not deter him from bragging about his disciples.

This was no mere bragging. His disciple lacked only experience, and soon, he would become a Grade 1 Array Formation Master.

What could their little Miss compare to his disciple?

"Really?!" The only woman among the Yuan elders sneered. "Last time, you do remember what happened?"

"That means nothing. I’m too lazy to speak with you. Open your eyes and see the level of my disciple." Elder Kai smirked and averted his gaze.

Everyone inside the room looked at the two groups, and a light smile crept up their faces.

As for the Mystic Academy elders, they were enjoying the show. No matter who won, as long as they could join their academy, they had won.

In the Mystic Academy, there were many associate professors teaching without being official members of the academy.

Coming to this competition was to find any talented apprentices to join them and increase the prestige of their academy.

And among the apprentices, one person had already caught their eye.

With a look of anticipation, they gazed at the field, waiting for the last round to start.

Back on the field, Elder Feng looked at the few remaining apprentices and said, "You will come out according to your position in the last test."

"At this side, anything you need for the formation can be found here."

Beside the entrance, a big box had been placed, filled with all the materials needed for setting up an array formation.

"You can start," he declared.

Instantly, all eyes fell on Jun Wu. In the last round, he had come first, barely spending a minute in the Illusory Array Formation.

With such a feat, his presence had garnered many people’s interest. Many believed he was just lucky to find the flaw in the Illusory Array Formation.

But the five supervising elders knew better.

This wasn’t luck but something much more.

"What do you think his performance will be?"

"I don’t know, but I don’t expect anything extraordinary."

"Don’t forget, he is the only dark horse in this competition."

"So what?! Look at how young he is; do you think he has a solid foundation to set up a formation?"

While the audience debated, Jun Wu approached the box and began picking all the materials he needed to set up an array formation.

Watching him, Ma Long couldn’t help but sneer.

"Humph! Now, you have nowhere to hide. Everyone will know your little trick!"

Although his voice was not loud, all the apprentices could hear him. A slight frown appeared on Yuan Lan’s face, but she chose to remain quiet.

She was not as delusional as him to believe a person who could reach the last round was relying on a little trick.

Meanwhile, Jun Wu was already back on the field and had begun setting up the array formation.

Watching him work, the arena fell silent. Even a fool could see something was different about the way he set up the formation.

His movements were fast and decisive. He did not pause to think before acting. Many even had the illusion he was not an apprentice but an Array Formation Master.

On the podium, Elder Feng could not hide his disbelief.

’This means nothing. This might all be a show,’ he thought, shaking his head.

Elder Shen thought differently. ’Why do I have a feeling he is a Grade 1 Array Formation Master already?’

Inside the VIP section, the Mystic Academy elders looked at Elder Kai and the Yuan clan elders and asked,

"What do you think of this boy?"

"Humph! What’s there? It’s nothing. The boy is only putting on a show," Elder Kai snorted in disdain. "I can bet everything he’s doing is full of flaws."

They did not respond and turned to look at the Yuan clan elders, waiting for their thoughts.

"He seems to know what he’s doing... but we can only wait for the final result to know," the woman responded.

They nodded, accepting the explanation, which displeased Elder Kai.

’Humph! You just wait...’

Back on the field, Jun Wu had already completed setting up the formation and was merely connecting the nodes.

This was where many apprentices failed.

Done with connecting the nodes, he activated it and left the array formation.

"Are you done?" Elder Feng asked, unable to hide his disdain.

He had barely spent five minutes setting up the array formation. What did this mean?

That he knew nothing about Array Formation. Even a Grade 1 Array Formation Master wouldn’t complete it in five minutes.

"Stay to the side and let us evaluate it," he said and left the podium.

Behind him, Elder Shen and Elder Kang looked at Jun Wu with puzzled expressions.

Still, they followed Elder Feng to evaluate the formation.

"Hahaha. I knew it!" Ma Long laughed in mockery. "What could a kid know about setting up an array formation?"

Inside the VIP section, Elder Kai looked at the Mystic Academy elders and the Yuan clan elders with a look that said, ’I told you so...’

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, a voice shouted,

"What is that?"

Over the field, a sudden black cloud gathered, shocking everyone. The weather was clear and the sun was shining brightly. How could a black cloud gather over the field?

More so, the black cloud did not spread anywhere; it was only at the center of the field.

The phenomenon shocked everyone. However, Mao Yun and Zhang Wei had bright smiles on their faces.

This was the work of their young master.

Before anyone could react, a drop of rain fell from the sky. Quickly, soft rain began to pour, leaving everyone flabbergasted.

Jun Wu, with his calm and indifferent expression, walked to the edge of the field and touched the rain.

"With this, I don’t think you need to evaluate my work."