Chapter 57: The Formation Alliance

Tang Yi was not the least bit worried about the challenge from the Array Alliance; in fact, he was somewhat looking forward to it. One thing was certain: this challenge would significantly elevate the reputation of Profound Island across the planet Menglan. Thus, Tang Yi continued his development of specialized storage equipment for the planet. Zhang Sanfeng, however, found this matter a source of immense headache, as the whole affair was being conducted under his name. Tang Yi simply tossed him a large jade slip and paid him no further mind.

Zhang Sanfeng was a man of extraordinary talent. The jade slip contained a vast array of formations, ranging from theoretical foundations and traditional techniques to new arrays created based on Tang Yi’s own insights. It took Zhang Sanfeng less than ten days to firmly commit the massive amount of information to memory. Another fifteen days were sufficient for him to successfully deploy ninety percent of the formations recorded within. Naturally, this was also due to Tang Yi’s abundant resources; since the deployment of formations requires spiritual energy to function, having a massive supply of spirit stones for practice made the work twice as effective with half the effort. The remaining five days were just enough for Zhang Sanfeng to leisurely make his way to the capital of the Great Zhou Kingdom. Given his current mastery, it could be said that no one on planet Menglan could rival his skill in arrays. Meanwhile, Tang Yi continued his grand research projects and intensive studies.

At the Emperor’s Plaza in Golden Light City, the authorities had constructed stands on the east and west sides, capable of accommodating nearly ten thousand spectators. On the north side, a luxurious VIP section with three hundred seats had been erected, priced at more than ten times that of a regular seat. Naturally, even the general seating had varying price tiers. The south side was left open for the entry and exit of the participants.

The weather was perfect, with a gentle breeze and clear skies, making for a truly pleasant day. Long before the sun had even fully crested the horizon, the general spectator stands at the Emperor’s Plaza were already packed. Shortly after sunrise, the VIPs began to arrive one after another.

Before long, the delegation from the Array Alliance appeared in the plaza. At first, they remained composed, but as the sun climbed higher, there was still no sign of the Profound Island party. Just as the crowd was on the verge of losing their patience, a powerful aura suddenly manifested in the plaza without warning. The subtle pressure of this aura made it difficult for those present to breathe, and ordinary people began to sweat profusely.

The Array Alliance was no slouch, however. Four members of their group immediately took positions at the cardinal directions and simultaneously performed a set of hand seals. "Hah!" they shouted in unison. A massive barrier formed around the perimeter of the plaza. The pressure on the crowd instantly lifted, and everyone began to breathe deeply again.

"Not bad, not bad. It seems this is worth my effort," a voice sounded, followed by the gentle sound of clapping. A white-bearded elder appeared in the plaza, accompanied by three beautiful women, each cradling a magical beast. These were Hua Ruoxue and her companions. The others were currently very busy; with the opening of branches across the Central Continent, even with the convenience of light-based teleportation, Hua Shaojie and the others were dizzy with work. Even Zhang Cuishan and Lei Zhenzi had been roped into managing the shops. Thus, these three young women were the most idle and had accompanied Zhang Sanfeng to the challenge. As for Tang Yi’s avatar, it continued its relentless study of the three professions, while his true self, having altered his appearance, sat in the east stands to watch the spectacle.

In truth, the moment Zhang Sanfeng appeared, the Array Alliance members began to have second thoughts. They were well aware of the immense power of the aura they had just felt—a strength perhaps only possessed by those reclusive masters. Furthermore, they were certain that the pressure Zhang Sanfeng had emitted was but a mere fraction of his true power, yet even that had required four of them to work together just to maintain their barrier.

Seeing the four members of the Array Alliance standing their ground, their leader stepped forward, bowed to Zhang Sanfeng, and said, "I am Zhao Duo, the current leader of the Array Alliance. It is an honor to meet you."

"Leader Zhao, no need for formalities. My name is Zhang Sanfeng. I look forward to your guidance," Zhang Sanfeng replied calmly.

"Uh, Senior Zhang, as you can see, everyone has been waiting for a long time. Shall we begin the match?" Zhao Duo did not waste any time, requesting an immediate start.

"Very well, let us begin," Zhang Sanfeng replied. He had no desire for small talk; he wanted to get this over with quickly so he could return to his seclusion and cultivation.

The rules of the competition were clearly stated in the challenge letter. There were three segments in total. The first involved comparing who could set up a superior or more advanced array using identical materials. The second required each side to deploy an array for the other to break, testing their respective proficiency in dismantling formations. The final and most critical segment required both sides to engage in a battle of offense and defense, seeing which party remained uncaptured within the formation. Furthermore, it was strictly forbidden to use killing arrays; only containment and illusion arrays were permitted.

Nominally, this match was an exchange of knowledge, so no judges were appointed. This was a clever move by the Array Alliance; without judges, the determination of victory or defeat was left to the individual perception of the spectators. In reality, the Array Alliance did not hold a high reputation in the Central Continent, and they were attempting to use this event to boost their own fame.

As the first segment began, the plaza fell silent. Zhao Duo produced two sets of prepared materials: ten medium-grade spirit stones and fifty low-grade spirit stones. On Menglan, they were referred to differently as "Energy Stones"—low-grade were "One-Star Energy Stones," medium-grade were "Two-Star Energy Stones," and so on.

Zhang Sanfeng accepted his set and signaled for Hua Ruoxue and the others to step back, clearing the space. Zhao Duo had another man named He Dong take over, indicating a refined division of labor. It was clear that each of them had different specialties, making them more professional.

To ensure fairness, the Array Alliance had invited Mei Gelin, the Grand Commander of the Great Zhou Kingdom’s Mighty Legion, to oversee the event. Mei Gelin was a Level 25 warrior, arguably the highest-ranked martial expert currently active in the Great Zhou Kingdom. He held the authority to manage and deploy the entire legion, one of the five great legions of the kingdom.

After Mei Gelin loudly announced the start, Zhang Sanfeng and He Dong began. He Dong’s hands moved with lightning speed, placing each spirit stone in its designated position; his technique made it clear that he practiced this frequently. In contrast, while He Dong was frantically busy, Zhang Sanfeng was merely strolling around the arena at a leisurely pace.