After the Nine-Palace Eight-Trigram Formation was restored, its knowledge gradually spread among the people.
Back when Chen Sanshi had spare time, he had often studied it with Xu Wencai. By now, he had mastered it completely. The only reason he'd never practiced it in full was simple—he'd never had enough troops to form the array himself.
In real combat, the so-called "Life Gate" didn't exist. Once a formation was deployed, its Life Gate would be heavily guarded by elite forces and instantly turned into a true Death Gate. The only way to break through was through brute strength—killing until the formation itself collapsed from within.
But this was just a mock battle, and since it required speed, there was bound to be a Life Gate. The test wasn't about brute force but about the commander's understanding of formations and their ability to adapt under pressure.
As soon as Chen Sanshi charged in, countless blades, hooks, and axes slashed toward him from every direction—all aimed at his horse's legs.
In such a situation, losing one's horse was like losing both legs. Once dismounted, he'd be surrounded and pinned instantly, with no way to escape.
Fortunately, the soldiers within the formation weren't killing in earnest. They aimed to capture, not to kill.
Still, an incense stick's time—about thirty minutes—was far too little to cross a formation of forty thousand men. Even walking across would take longer, let alone fighting through elite formation grunts of the Eight Great Camps. Although all commanders above Tempering Organ had been excluded, the remaining Bone Tempering soldiers were powerful enough that brute-forcing through was impossible. The only way was to find the hidden Life Gate.
"Northwest Qian Palace—Element of Metal—Open Gate."
Chen Sanshi parried attacks from every side while quickly gauging his position amid the sea of soldiers. Within moments, he pinpointed the only path of life.
On his left lay one of the three Dire Gates—the Gate of Wounds. It looked lightly guarded but was a trap; once inside, he'd be entangled and unable to retreat. On his right was the Gate of Shock, where truth and illusion blended—most likely concealing a Death Gate behind it.
Only the Gate of Rest directly ahead radiated faint auspicious energy. But a wall of eight-foot-high black-iron shields blocked it, solid and unmoving like a fortress.
'Fake weakness!'
"Hyah!"
Chen Sanshi roared. His unsharpened spear slammed down like a siege hammer. With a thunderous crack, both shield and shield-bearers were hurled backward, opening a gap in the formation.
Horse and rider surged through like a fish diving into open water, unhindered and unstoppable, cutting straight toward the front lines.
"Good!"
On the city wall, the officials watching from above burst into applause.
"Impressive, Lord Chen!"
General Zhao praised sincerely. "So far, he's been the fastest to find the Life Gate! Even Xie Sishu, the one with the Innate Martial Saint Body, stumbled several times before finding the right path—ended up only with a Grade B."
Inspector Hou nodded approvingly. "When General Fang first deciphered the Nine-Palace Formation, even I spent three years studying it before understanding its workings. Lord Chen's been in the army for what—barely a few years? Yet his grasp of formations nearly rivals the top strategists of the capital. His martial path may be young, but his tactical mastery is already formidable."
"Hmm, not bad."
Sun Xiangzong's lips curved slightly as he leaned back, sipping his tea while watching the field.
"Pretty good, I'd say."
The bald-headed Meng Guangxin craned his neck. "Old Fourth, this fancy circle of yours just looks like a bunch of spinning loops to me—but that kid? He broke it wide open in one go!"
"Otherwise," Fang Qingyun said calmly, "how do you think he led just over a thousand battered survivors to defeat six thousand barbarian troops? Then escorted tens of thousands of refugees across the river afterward? Strength alone wouldn't be enough—he understands formation theory and how to use it flexibly."
"I know formations too."
Meng Guangxin rubbed his smooth head. "It's simple—if you can win, fight. If not, run!"
"The first Grade A of this round—no need to wait for confirmation," Sun Buqi declared confidently.
Even the women among the spectators, who didn't understand military tactics, could tell. Only this young general had entered the formation and not been trapped.
"Sun Li, this is that Chen Sanshi you mentioned, right?"
A few noble ladies sat together behind a silk canopy, whispering as they watched with interest.
Sun Li was among them.
Unlike her usual martial attire, today she wore a white silk high-collared jacket over a pale-pink inner layer, paired with a floral bird-patterned skirt. Her hair was elegantly coiled, softening her usual sharp aura with a trace of gentleness.
"Mm."
Sun Li nodded lightly. "That's him."
"He's quite capable," one of her companions said with a teasing smile, "but I heard his talent isn't great. Everyone says this year's top three will definitely be between Cao Fan, Yan Changqing, and Lu Shuhua. By the way, Sun Li, has your father ever considered a marriage alliance with the royal family?"
Though they were women, they were daughters of high officials—accustomed to hearing court gossip and understanding power.
To them, the Sun family's influence was too vast. The safest way to protect such power was to tie themselves to the throne.
"No."
Sun Li's answer was calm.
And it was the truth.
Neither she nor her father had ever considered it. Unlike other powerful families, they didn't seek to secure their position through marriage.
Besides, the Sun family's circumstances were too complex for an alliance to solve anything.
It wasn't her concern anyway.
All she could do was keep training, sharpening her blade, and growing stronger.
"I'm heading back."
With that thought, Sun Li rose to leave.
But just then, a cry of shock erupted from the crowd.
"His spear broke!"
"…"
Everyone on the city wall froze in disbelief.
Down below, the young general's spear had shattered after smashing through several shield walls—only a wooden shaft remained in his hand, the metal tip gone.
…
"His weapon's broken! Don't let him grab another one!"
"…"
Inside the formation, the soldiers of the Eight Great Camps began relaying orders rapidly.
"Cao Fan's doing?"
Chen Sanshi stared at the broken edge of his weapon. He wasn't surprised—he'd half-expected something like this. If anything, it confirmed his suspicion that this wasn't the end; there'd be more traps waiting.
But it hardly mattered.
Every spear technique, without its tip, became staff technique. And if the staff was gone, then it became bare-handed combat.
That's why the spear was called the king of all weapons—difficult to learn, harder to master.
And now, he would prove that even without a spear tip… one could still kill.
He had originally thought about seizing a spear from one of the soldiers, but the men of the Eight Great Camps had clearly been prepared. They quickly pulled back, leaving him no opening. If he stopped even for three to five seconds, he'd be surrounded by pursuers before he could act.
The Nine-Palace Eight-Trigram Formation wasn't a dead formation—it was alive, constantly shifting. That was what made it truly formidable.
A path that was the "Way of Life" one second could become the "Gate of Death" the next.
At this point, Chen Sanshi was only one step away from breaking through the final "Gate of Restraint." Once past it, the road ahead would open directly to the Life Gate, and he'd clear the trial. But the sandalwood incense was already more than halfway burned—he couldn't afford to waste even a second.
Besides, no one in this entire formation was above the Tempering Organ realm. The soldiers only aimed for his horse and carried no killing intent. To him, the formation was nothing more than a moving wall of bodies—a maze made of men. And mazes could be broken.
"Hyah!"
Chen Sanshi gave no thought to retreat. He spurred his horse and charged straight into the line of cavalry guarding the Gate of Restraint.
"Boom—!"
The wooden shaft in his hands seemed to merge with his body, turning into a weapon of pure will. Though it was only wood, it struck like steel. Every swing sent men and horses flying, their blades shattered before they could even cross with his weapon.
This was the final wave.
"Buzz—"
Just as Chen Sanshi was about to smash through it, something unexpected happened.
From both flanks, several cavalrymen with long sabers suddenly surged out, blocking his path.
The Gate of Restraint was considered a minor ill-omened gate—difficult but not deadly. Having to fight here was normal.
What felt wrong was the strength he sensed among them.
These weren't ordinary Bone Tempering soldiers. There were Tempering Organ cultivators hiding within!
According to the rules, the formation wasn't supposed to contain anyone above Bone Tempering. So why were Tempering Organ fighters here—and why did they carry killing intent?
Their blades no longer aimed only for his horse but for his throat and heart.
"Bang!"
Chen Sanshi brought the wooden shaft down in a brutal vertical swing, smashing one of the cavalrymen's heads along with his helmet into pulp. "Tempering Organ?" he barked coldly. "You're breaking the rules."
"Bullshit! I'm Bone Tempering!"
The one-eyed officer snarled as he swung his saber, shadows flashing through the air.
At least four of them—each at Minor Achievement of Tempering Organ!
And they were cunning. They deliberately suppressed their explosive power, using only their surging qi and blood, making it hard for those watching from the city wall to notice their true cultivation. Only someone fighting them head-on could feel the difference.
Among the Eight Great Camps, there were many at high levels. An Tempering Organ Minor Achievement cultivator wasn't necessarily a Thousand-Household. The examiners watching from above were far too high-ranked to recognize every face. It was a perfect trap—insidious and hidden.
Even if they couldn't kill him outright, they could delay him long enough for the pursuing cavalry to encircle him, ensuring his elimination.
They looked down on him for being only at Tempering Organ, yet still plotted against him. That was true tactical hypocrisy—despising the enemy in strategy but respecting him in combat.
Unfortunately for them...
Tempering Organ Minor Achievement couldn't stop him.
And he had no intention of sparing them.
"This formation trial forbids killing your comrades," he said flatly, "but since you've broken the rules, you're no longer comrades."
His voice was calm and cold, devoid of emotion. "You have two choices—confess your crime, or die here."
"What proof do you have we broke any rules?"
The one-eyed officer sneered. They would switch back to their original units before the next exam began, leaving no trace behind.
"As for death…" the one-eyed man smirked. "We're about the same level. You don't even have a spear tip left—who can you possibly kill?"
"Who said you need a spear tip… to kill?"
"Puchi—"
Before the sneer faded, the blunt wooden shaft in Chen Sanshi's hands thrust forward like lightning, piercing straight through the man's throat. It was so fast that no one even saw when he'd moved.
"Don't hold back now," Chen Sanshi said coldly. "Show me your true Tempering Organ strength. Maybe then you'll last a few more breaths."
"Puchi—"
Another Tempering Organ officer fell, his throat run through by the same blunt shaft.
The remaining two went pale with fear. Realizing what they were up against, they finally unleashed their full strength, their movements exploding with speed as they slashed from both sides.
But even at full force—they weren't his match.
The weapon in Chen Sanshi's hands dripped thick, red blood. To the two terrified men, it looked like a blood-mad serpent writhing in the air—a crimson python of death.
Unified Spear Technique—Unstoppable Fury!
They tried to retreat—but there was no time.
"Puchi—Puchi—"
Two more throats burst open. Both riders tumbled from their saddles, their hearts silent before they hit the ground.
With their leaders dead, the remaining soldiers panicked and scattered, only to be trapped again—surrounded by their own comrades from the Eight Great Camps, who had seen everything.
No one could escape.
Chen Sanshi began his counterattack—a ruthless, efficient slaughter.
"This general's doing the right thing," one of the watching officials murmured. "If they really broke the rules, killing them is justified."
"Just leave one alive," another said grimly. "We'll question him later."
…
"Why is he going on a killing spree?!"
On the city wall, Governor Liu frowned at the bloody scene below. "They couldn't even stop him. Why didn't he just break through and finish the trial? Why stay and kill them?"
"Are you pretending to be blind or truly that stupid?"
Inspector Hou's voice was sharp and cold. "Didn't you see? Those men were Tempering Organ! Who would dare manipulate the Elite Selection like this? Outrageous!"
"They're really Tempering Organ!"
Even Sun Buqi's eyes darkened. "Fourth Brother," he said solemnly, "what's going on here?"
"His spear technique is fine," Sun Xiangzong said evenly, his expression unreadable. But his tone made the entire platform go still, the air turning heavy.
"I must be getting useless," he said softly, "if they think they can deceive me—pretending I've gone deaf and blind."
"Fifth Brother," he added coldly, "go down there. Find out who did this… and bring them all here."