Chapter 2977 - 2980: Zhu Qian’s Deal

Chapter 2977: Chapter 2980: Zhu Qian’s Deal

"A Dao formation!?"

"There’s a Dao formation set up here?!"

Hei Chong and the others cried out in astonishment, while Si Huang’er and the rest instinctively turned to look at Jiang Chen.

Fu Zhujiang and the other chancellors exchanged glances and all revealed faint smiles.

Looks like this bunch isn’t very proficient in formation Dao. Seems the power here will be kept safe once again this time!

Taiyuan Chancellor, however, looked toward Jiang Chen, a trace of anticipation appearing in his eyes.

"The Dao formation is the first trial for you entering the Dao Source Land."

Ignoring everyone’s reactions, Qiu Wenqing continued, "The second trial is that, after you enter this Dao Source Land, the twenty-four cultivators who just fought you will also enter to hunt you down. For every one of you they capture, four cultivators of the same realm as you will gain entry to cultivate in the Dao Source Land. While you’re cultivating, you’ll have to evade their capture!"

"We even have to dodge being hunted? How are we supposed to cultivate like that?!"

"Exactly, isn’t this basically stopping us from absorbing the power inside on purpose?"

"You call this a reward? This is just disguised harassment, isn’t it?"

Faces changed all around as everyone frowned and stared at the six chancellors.

During cultivation one basically can’t move, much less dodge capture. With twenty-four people hunting inside, if the domain inside isn’t very large, they’d practically have no time to cultivate at all.

Jiang Chen’s eyes turned slightly, but there wasn’t much worry in his expression.

"Enough. The chance has been given to you. Whether you can obtain any benefit depends on your own ability. In this world, there is no such thing as a free opportunity."

Qiu Wenqing called out softly, "From now on, the clock starts: one month. You only have this one month. When time is up, regardless of whether you’ve gained anything, you must leave this place."

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Hearing this, Hei Chong and several others grew anxious and rushed into the mountain range.

Hum!

As Hei Chong and the others stepped into the area where the mountains stood, the space rippled slightly, and everyone’s figures vanished in an instant.

Ren Cangsheng frowned slightly. He was just about to leap up and follow them in when he suddenly noticed that Tang Jie and the others were still unmoving, and turned his head toward them in puzzlement.

Hm?

Seeing Tang Jie and the others all looking at Jiang Chen, a trace of speculation rose in Ren Cangsheng’s heart. He halted his steps and quietly waited.

After listening to Qiu Wenqing’s explanation, Jiang Chen understood.

Coming here to cultivate might be called a reward, but the two checkpoints attached to this reward are also a form of trial. This should be some agreement reached between Void Nether Academy and the various super powers: the super powers can obtain quotas to enter Void Nether Academy, but they must first defeat the preparatory students.

And for the preparatory students to enter their cultivation holy lands, they must pass the trials set by the various super powers. This itself is a form of cultivation.

No wonder Tang Jie and the others felt they couldn’t clear all of Void Nether Academy’s assessments yet still chose to come. The cultivation they experience along the way is already a great opportunity. Even if they fail to enter Void Nether Academy in the end, as long as they persist, they’ll still gain tremendously!

Noticing all the gazes on him, Jiang Chen smiled faintly and slowly closed his eyes.

Hum!

A mysterious vibration spread from Jiang Chen’s body. His glabella lit up, and a substantial strand of Divine Sense probed out. Wrapped in that mysterious vibration, it extended into the mountains ahead.

"Formation Dao aura!?"

"Jiang Chen’s proficient in formation Dao too?"

The several chancellors looked at Jiang Chen in surprise.

"Jiang Chen... is this Jiang Chen the one who took first place in the formation Dao grand competition held beneath the Dao formation?"

Zhu Qian suddenly recalled something and spoke in astonishment.

"It’s him."

Tai Yuan nodded lightly, a trace of expectation hidden in his gaze toward Jiang Chen.

Zhu Qian and the others’ expressions subtly shifted, their eyes fixing on Jiang Chen, becoming somewhat grave.

They had set up these two layers of checkpoints precisely because they didn’t want these Void Nether Academy preparatory students to take away opportunities that belonged to the Six Great Academies. Even though the Academy Alliance’s students were a bit weaker in combat power compared to those from the super powers...

Their checkpoint, however, was comparatively difficult. In past Void Nether Academy challenges, almost no one had managed to take opportunities from them.

After all, cultivators like Jiang Chen, who possess overwhelming talent and can reach Integration Realm Peak or even the Saint Realm before the age of fifty, rarely spend time delving deeply into formation Dao. The vast majority of cultivators only study formations or alchemy Dao when stuck at a bottleneck, hoping to gain insight through related paths and seek a breakthrough in realm.

But now, with the variable that is Jiang Chen, they were feeling a bit uneasy.

Hum, hum, hum!

As Jiang Chen’s Divine Sense penetrated the mountain range, the peaks seemed to turn illusory, and his Divine Sense abruptly slipped beyond everyone else’s perception, vanishing.

Tang Jie and the others’ eyes shifted slightly, watching Jiang Chen with anticipation.

When Jiang Chen sent out his Divine Sense, each of them had extended a strand of their own Divine Sense to cling to his, intending to help probe this Dao formation.

Yet the moment their Divine Sense approached within a hundred meters of the mountains, it was scattered by the formation’s fluctuations. They couldn’t investigate at all and could only rely on Jiang Chen.

Rumble, rumble!

Swish, swish!

Series of thunderous booms echoed from within the mountains. Rays of Great Dao Divine Light emerged one after another, and waves of Domain fluctuations spread out.

It seemed that Hei Chong and the others, who had entered the Dao formation earlier, had encountered enemies and were now engaged in fierce battle.

Hum!

Jiang Chen’s substantial Divine Sense, linked to the grand formation, suddenly trembled, then slowly dissipated.

"This..."

"Did he fail?"

Tang Jie and the others’ expressions shifted, and they turned to look at the mountain range, a heavy look appearing in their eyes.

If even Jiang Chen couldn’t see through the grand formation, then we’ll just have to force our way in!

"Jiang Chen, if you agree to one condition of mine, I can use my academy’s quota to send you inside. How about it?"

Zhu Qian chuckled softly and called out.

Tai Yuan and the others were slightly taken aback, looking at Zhu Qian in puzzlement.

Fu Zhujiang’s eyes changed slightly. He gave Zhu Qian a deep look, a hint of warning in his gaze.

Zhu Qian responded with a "calm down" look, then turned back, brimming with confidence as he faced Jiang Chen. "Inside, there is the Power of the Great Dao left behind by all the Academy Alliance experts Above Saint who have fallen. Among them are five Supreme Realm experts, over thirty Saint Monarch Realm experts, and hundreds of Saint Realm experts.

All of this was left to support the Academy Alliance, hoping that more outstanding students would emerge. We’ve all heard of your talent; it is nothing short of peerless.

If you can enter, your improvement will undoubtedly be extraordinary. It’s just a small condition—what do you say?"

Tai Yuan and the others frowned slightly, a trace of displeasure in their eyes. The Dao Source Land was a Secret Realm jointly managed by the Six Great Academies, not something Canghai Academy owned alone. To disclose information about the Secret Realm like this was somewhat overstepping.

Even so, none of them spoke up. There was no need to reprimand Zhu Qian over such a small matter. They were merely puzzled—what was with Zhu Qian today? Was he looking favorably upon Jiang Chen and trying to build a good relationship?