Chapter 48: A Special Answer Sheet

The Celestial Master Hall — Council Chamber.

All the elders responsible for this year’s registration exam had gathered. Each was a formidable figure in the mystic world, the weakest among them a Seven-Flower Celestial Master; even an Earth-rank Three-Moon Celestial Master sat among them. Presiding at the head was the Hall Master, Xu Qingfeng, who had arrived early and now watched the room in grave silence.

But the room was filled with confusion. On the left, First-Moon Celestial Master Chen Daoyuan, supervisor of the second round of testing, frowned and spoke impatiently:

“Hall Master, the second exam hasn’t even begun. Why summon us so urgently? This is my busiest time.”

Other elders murmured agreement.

“Indeed, Hall Master — normally we wait until all three rounds are complete before gathering to grade ranks. Why meet now?”

The registration exam had three rounds. Anyone passing the first two would at least be recorded as a One-Coin Celestial Master. True rank was decided in the third, practical round. It was unheard of to call a council meeting before that.

Xu Qingfeng lifted his gaze, expression growing more serious. “I did not call you to discuss rankings.”

“Not to set grades?” The room stilled; puzzled glances darted around.

The Hall Master rose. His calm voice carried weight.

“This is about an unusual matter. In the first exam, Steward Qi submitted a particular answer sheet — one so remarkable I felt compelled to consult you.”

“What kind of paper could warrant this?” Chen Daoyuan asked, curiosity overtaking his irritation.

“You will understand once you see it.” Xu Qingfeng lifted a thick bundle of papers from the tea table beside him. The stack had caught everyone’s eye the moment they entered — over a dozen pages — but none had guessed it was a single exam script.

“This candidate,” Xu said gravely, “solved every question in dozens of ways — each correct. Especially the final question: a simple formation identification. The test only asked to name its purpose, yet she wrote the construction method, applications, counters, and full methods to dismantle it.”

Murmurs rippled through the room. Formation theory was notoriously difficult; even Earth-rank Celestial Masters often struggled. The final question was normally a throwaway — few ever answered it correctly, even formation specialists.

“And more…” Xu Qingfeng pulled out the last page. “She drew extensions — related formations I cannot fully recognize myself.”

“Let me see!” A deep voice cut in. A man in teal stepped forward.

“Elder Jiao,” Xu greeted with relief. Jiao Hengyi was one of the rare masters who specialized in formations, and the only Three-Moon Celestial Master present. If anyone could decipher this, it was him. Xu handed over the page. “Can you identify this?”

Jiao took the paper casually — then his eyes widened. He leaned closer, scanning every symbol. His breath quickened. Finally he looked up, incredulous.

“This… impossible… could it be the Five-Element Demon-Subduing Array?!”

“What?!” The chamber erupted. Every elder stared, stunned.

“The Five-Element Demon-Subduing Array — wasn’t that lost centuries ago?”

“Elder Jiao, could you be mistaken? No one alive has seen the true pattern.”

“The question’s base formation was just a low-level Evil-Binding Array. One can derive higher forms, yes, but to push it this far?”

“Legend says the Five-Element Array can exorcise and destroy even millennia-old demons. How could a mere examinee know it?”

Skepticism and awe mixed. Yet Jiao Hengyi’s hands trembled with excitement.

“No mistake. Look — every symbol carries demon-slaying and banishing sigils. I know what I see. However…” He pointed at calculation notes sketched in the margins. “This looks freshly deduced. Some layering diagrams are incomplete, suggesting more derivation sheets exist.”

Xu Qingfeng blinked, then quickly pulled additional pages from the stack. “You mean these?”

Jiao snatched them eagerly, eyes scanning, growing ever wider. Pure delight lit his face.

“Yes — yes! Brilliant! See here — each step refines the previous, layer upon layer!”

He spread the pages across a table, muttering and slapping his thigh. “So that’s it — this is how you evolve a low Evil-Binding Array into a Five-Element Demon-Subduing formation. Marvelous! Marvelous!”

“Elder Jiao!” Xu Qingfeng finally cut through his enthusiasm. “So you confirm — this truly is the lost Five-Element Demon-Subduing Array?”

“Without doubt!” Jiao declared, eyes still glued to the diagrams. “I swear on my name — this is it. I never dreamed I would behold an Earth-rank formation long thought vanished!”

The room fell into shocked silence. For a thousand years, since the Zuoqiu clan of formation masters was annihilated by demons, nearly all Earth- and Heaven-grade arrays had been lost. Only a few mid-grade ones lingered. Yet here lay one of the greats.

“Quickly — who wrote this?” Jiao suddenly demanded, clutching the papers. “Find this person! I must discuss formations with them for at least three days — no, longer!”

Formation masters were so rare that Jiao’s own progress had long been stalled. To meet someone who could derive a lost Earth-rank array? He could not let them slip away.

(End of chapter)