Chapter 1168: Chapter 1168: Total Defeat
The old man in the red robe had already set up the formation, waiting for Shi Hao to come and break it.
Shi Hao had two ways to respond. First, he could set up a formation for defense. If the old man in the red robe couldn’t break through, the match would end in a draw, and they would swap offense and defense roles.
Second, he could set up a formation for direct confrontation. If he could break the formation with another formation, it would be a decisive victory, with no need to switch roles, and Shi Hao would win outright.
The elderly men and women all looked at Shi Hao, wanting to know if he would adopt a defensive stance or choose to counter-attack.
Shi Hao held Shen Rong in one arm and planted a flag with the other hand. He was using a red flag, making it clear and unmistakable against the white.
"I’ve set up the Earth Evil Formation," he said indifferently.
In this kind of formation contest, if I set up a two-star formation, you cannot use a three-star formation to defend or attack. That would make no sense; formations of the same level should be used to engage.
The Earth Evil Formation is an offensive formation.
Everyone was startled; an offensive against another offense meant the one who could break the other’s formation would be the winner.
The array plate functions to simulate formations. Although it doesn’t have any power, in a formation contest, it can evolve both sides’ formations for confrontation, making the outcome clear at a glance.
Although Shi Hao’s hands were moving, it was actually the Purple Gold Rat that was directing him.
——He did know a bit about formations, but certainly not enough to be proficient. However, the Purple Gold Rat was different; it could even set up an incredible formation to blow up mines, showcasing its formidable array mastery skills.
So, Shi Hao just needed to act like a puppet, directed by the Purple Gold Rat.
In the clash of formations, since both were two-star levels, neither could overwhelm the other, relying solely on the formation masters’ adaptability.
The old man’s offensive was aggressive, hoping to overwhelm Shi Hao, but the Purple Gold Rat, despite its usual unreliability, had terrifying array mastery, quickly seizing on the old man’s mistakes and relentlessly pursuing him.
Soon enough, the silver flags the old man had planted were completely devoured by the array plate, the result of its evolution of the two sides’ formations.
In contrast, Shi Hao only lost three red flags, making it an overwhelmingly one-sided massacre.
The old men and women all wore solemn expressions; a true expert would not cross the river without reason. This old fellow was formidable.
But, where did he come from? How come they’ve never heard of him before?
"Wow, Grandpa Shi is amazing!" Shen Rong exclaimed, "Ghost Grandpa is our seventh-ranked expert here. You defeated him, so you should at least rank seventh."
Hearing the little girl paltrily praising an outsider, the elderly men and women grimaced. This little girl was too attached to Shi Hao; otherwise, people had kicked up trouble before, and she hadn’t reacted like this.
The old man in the red robe awkwardly touched his nose and said, "Your Ghost Grandpa was just careless; otherwise, he wouldn’t have lost."
Everyone laughed, but in their hearts, they were filled with vigilance towards Shi Hao.
If it were just a small loss for the red-robed old man, he could have been careless, being only slightly inferior to Shi Hao. However, this was a major defeat, indicating the difference in their formation mastery levels was worlds apart.
"The next match, let it be me." An old lady stepped up to the array plate, replacing the red-robed old man.
"That’s Granny Hua, our fourth-ranked expert here," the little girl instantly sold out the old lady.
Granny Hua didn’t mind; her ranking as the fourth expert in the guild was no secret. Shi Hao, coming to stir things up, would surely have found out beforehand.
"Bring it on!"
She set up her formation first, and then Shi Hao also chose confrontation.
With the Purple Gold Rat’s guidance, Shi Hao swept the field. Any slight mistake from Granny Hua would be magnified, leading directly to her crushing defeat.
This time, everyone frowned.
Even the fourth-ranked Granny Hua lost, leaving only three more defenders. Should they lose three more matches, this Formation Dao Master Guild would be utterly trampled.
Damn it, where did this expert pop out from?
"Go invite Rong Yamei’s mother."
"Really, bringing her out already?"
"Shen Yuexin is the second-ranked expert in our guild, and in terms of array plate confrontations, she’s even stronger than the guild leader."
"Having her in action could decide victory in one match."
After some discussion among the elderly, they quickly went to bring in a woman.
A gracefully elegant woman.
"Mother!" Shen Rong immediately called out.
This woman was indeed Shen Yuexin. She looked at her beloved daughter in surprise, filled with perplexity.
She knew her daughter well; despite her young age, she was quite the clever child, never getting close to strangers. Yet now, even upon seeing her mother, she was still hugging Shi Hao’s neck—way too close for comfort.
What enchantment does this old man possess?
She scrutinized Shi Hao carefully, only to find this old man quite appealing. Although he seemed aged, there was a mature, wise aura about him that made him easy on the eyes.
"Daughter, come here." She reached out to her child.
"No, Rongie likes Grandpa Shi." Unexpectedly, the little girl turned on her.
Oh?
Shen Yuexin wasn’t worried that Shi Hao would abduct her daughter; she began setting up her array on the plate: "One match with the elder."
Shi Hao also took a moment to examine this woman, finding her pure and refined, exuding an academic air. However, having given birth, her figure had inevitably grown more voluptuous, with such pronounced curves it was almost embarrassing.
He promptly averted his gaze and began the duel with Shen Yuexin.
Indeed, Shen Yuexin’s formation mastery was extremely strong, especially adept at these array plate battles. However, her opponent was simply too formidable.
The Purple Gold Rat was truly a master among masters of formation paths. Under its relentless pressure, Shen Yuexin soon broke into a sweat, barely managing to resist for a short while before conceding defeat.
Everyone fell silent; the gap in capabilities was undeniable, leaving no room for excuses.
Defeated.
"Grandpa Shi is amazing, even beat Mommy!" Only the little girl clapped for Shi Hao.
Shen Yuexin also shook her head: "The master’s expertise in formations is truly profound; I am in awe!"
"May I ask, which Formation Path Guild does the gentleman belong to?" the old man in the red robe inquired.
Shi Hao smiled faintly: "I am but a wandering cultivator, roaming the world, with no affiliation to any guild."
Upon hearing this, everyone was overjoyed.
It turns out... Shi Hao was not here to stir trouble but was genuinely seeking martial pursuits.
Instantly, their hostility toward him vanished like smoke.
Since he was a loose cultivator, they could assimilate him, and at the very least, it wouldn’t affect the guild’s reputation.
"Grandmaster Shi, our guild is eager for talented members. Would you be willing to join us?" Granny Hua directly extended the invitation.
Shi Hao feigned contemplation, nodding slightly: "I’ve been journeying for so long that I’m a bit weary. I might as well stay here for a while."