Chapter 424: Tumu Customs, Continuous Offensive

As the second round of the military certification exam officially began, drawing after drawing appeared before Zhang Yu, transmitted into his eye sockets. In addition, of course, this round's competition process and specific rules were also provided.

If Zhang Yu were to summarize, it was that after 15 minutes, enemies would attack from all directions. Zhang Yu's task was to protect the formation core in front of him from destruction by enemies. The assault would last for one hour. During this time, in addition to fighting with his own strength, he could also use the provided blueprints and nearby construction materials to build defensive lines capable of withstanding the attack. This could involve expanding the formation beneath his feet to enhance its effect and range, or constructing fortifications such as the Scorched Earth Platform, Soul Condensing Tower, or Demon Locking Pagoda.

Zhang Yu quickly scanned the blueprints provided for the exam, but instead of rushing to begin construction, he first surveyed his surroundings. A metal cylinder, half a meter thick and over a meter tall, stood on the ground before him. Its surface was covered with numerous spiritual energy circuits, resembling wires glowing with a faint light, extending into the earth. This was the formation core Zhang Yu needed to protect. As he looked at it, a line of text appeared in his eye sockets: "Formation Core Integrity: 100%." Then, Zhang Yu glanced around again, thinking, "The surroundings are all plains. Building a defense line here will heavily rely on individual performance and imagination!"

"Before knowing what these 'enemies' truly are, I should construct the most adaptable defensive system possible, one that can handle various situations!"

Meanwhile, the countdown floating in the air nearby had already reached 14 minutes and 52 seconds.

On the flying boat, the three judges and other guests were together observing the candidates' performance, discussing the crucial aspects of this round of the exam. With a thought, True Monarch Qiyun directed the camera to focus on Su Yan Yang's situation. Amidst a series of roars, accompanied by large amounts of mud and sand flying skyward, Su Yan Yang had already submerged underground along with the formation core!

However, all the live exam cameras were connected to the eye sockets of the five candidates. Even though Su Yan Yang had drilled deep underground, the judges and guests on site could still observe his status. Watching Su Yan Yang begin to expand the formation, construct a tomb, and draw in spirit veins, True Monarch Qiyun immediately understood his intentions.

"Is he planning to establish an underground tomb to strengthen the formation and build fortifications, while he himself remains at the core?"

True Monarch Tianxiang, who was nearby, commented, "This is a conventional approach, similar to how many underground tombs are built with commercial buildings above ground. Although old-fashioned, it's very effective!"

"However, he hasn't prepared living sacrifices to create life-piles, has he?"

Hearing True Monarch Tianxiang's comment, Duke Geng Chen Yi, a Fifth-Rank True God, chuckled, "True Monarch Tianxiang, qualified life-piles aren't cheap. I reckon Su Yan Yang probably intends to use himself for a blood sacrifice!"

True Monarch Tianxiang shook his head and said, "Still, your human race's building material management methods are too strict. As long as the price of these life-piles doesn't come down, how can the civil engineering industry develop and grow?"

"Even if you're unwilling to relax regulations yourselves, you could simply lower tariffs and import our Sky Demon University's life-piles!"

Geng Chen Yi smiled faintly, "The civil engineering community at Myriad Law University has always emphasized self-sacrifice in construction and striving for excellence! The saying here is 'one person bears the blood sacrifice, three generations use the ashes' – that's the civil engineering custom here!"

Hearing this, True Monarch Tianxiang shook his head, clearly unimpressed by the statement. At the same time, True Monarch Qiyun looked towards Xiao Yunji. Amidst surging qi sweeping through the area, large expanses of rubble and vegetation were cleared away. Then, Xiao Yunji began constructing circular roads, centered around the formation core!

True Monarch Tianxiang asked curiously, "She's building roads in a road-building exam? What is she trying to do?"

True Monarch Qiyun, looking through Xiao Yunji's data, had already guessed her objective and smiled faintly, "She's building primordial magnetic channels. She's not sticking to convention or limited by the fortifications provided in the blueprints, but rather adopting the tactics most suitable for herself!"

At the same time, Ping Han's actions also attracted the attention of more guests. The Level 20 Xuanhuang Suppressing Mountain Seal, Level 20 Great Barren Mountain Shifting Force, and Level 20 Earth Control Divine Transformation – three Level 20 cultivation techniques were simultaneously activated, pushing the minor trinity technique that Ping Han had mastered to its limit! But that wasn't all. As the magical bones on his body repeatedly enhanced, the control range of the minor trinity technique expanded even further! As the earth undulated, tall towers rose from the ground within a radius of several hundred meters! Immediately after, magical artifacts soared into the sky, beginning construction under the control of soul cultivators!

One guest exclaimed in surprise, "That's Golden Core Blood! He's using Golden Core Blood to draw spiritual energy circuits?"

Another guest checked the data of the soul cultivators under Ping Han, and sighed, "They're all elite soul cultivators with profound Yin energy. What an extravagant foundation-building student!"

Director Gao was also examining the data of the soul cultivators under Ping Han. He knew that many well-prepared soul cultivators would pay for death services before their physical bodies could no longer extend their lifespans and their flesh and blood succumbed to death. The more money spent, the more luxurious the death, the more high-end the ritual arrangements, and the stronger the soul cultivator they would become after death. One could say they "died at the starting line," gaining a step ahead of others the moment they died! The soul cultivators Ping Han hired this time were all such post-mortem elites. As for "soul dregs" who died from old age, illness, or accidents, they were all eliminated by him. Such continuous heavy investment led to a significant leap in construction efficiency! Everyone seemed to see that as the Ambrosia Coins on Ping Han's chest continuously increased, with a grand wave of his hand, he unleashed earth-shattering power, accelerating the construction site beneath his feet again and again.

Watching this scene, Director Gao secretly resolved that he must not let such an excellent talent as Ping Han fall. Then he looked at another student he was concerned about. He saw Zhang Yu in the camera clapped his hands together, activating his minor trinity power! Amidst the shaking of the earth, a giant made of earth and stone slowly rose from underground! Then, as more and more earth and stone gathered, the giant's size rapidly swelled after absorbing a large amount of mud and sand, growing from five meters to 10 meters, then 15 meters, and finally 20 meters!

Director Gao, watching this scene, nodded slightly, thinking, "Zhang Yu's foundation is currently not as deep as other candidates'. Using his martial arts aptitude and the power of his minor trinity technique to manifest martial arts through this earth and stone giant is indeed the best way to leverage his own strength and cope with various situations!"

In a flash, the preparation time had passed. The moment the final countdown ended, the entire examination area, inside and out, was calm and still, as if nothing had happened. But all the candidates remained vigilant, nervously observing all directions, waiting for the impending attack. Over ten seconds later, violent tremors emanated from the ground!

Zhang Yu stood on top of the 30-plus-meter-tall earth giant. Looking towards the horizon, he could see large numbers of Yellow Turban Warriors surging towards him like a tide from all directions!

"They're puppets!"

"So many puppets!"

Zhang Yu thought in surprise, "How much money would this cost? Is this exam really that extravagant?"

In the sky, Deng Bingding, overseeing the examination area, his consciousness traversing both the spiritual and material realms, constantly checked the number of puppets around the five candidates! Deng Bingding thought to himself, "Hmph, the price for this batch of puppets was several times higher than the market price!"

"And they're all outdated, bottom-shelf stock. Are they treating the exam venue as a junkyard?"

"To say there's nothing fishy about this, who would believe it?"