The entire sect is obsessed with love, but I'm the only one who's truly insane.

Yan Qing's Core Formation was equally earth-shattering. At that time, Lin Du and Yuan Ye had just come out of Jun Ding Mansion and saw the Supreme Sect's Xuan Lei tearing through the sky, shining brightly.

Lin Du exclaimed, crossing his arms, "It's raining knives from the sky!"

Yuan Ye wholeheartedly agreed. He had witnessed Lin Du's Core Formation Tribulation, which was incredibly winding and complex, with sparks flying everywhere. Just like his junior uncle's heart, it could take many twists and turns.

But now, Yan Qing's tribulation of forming his core is like a bright, broad blade, piercing through heaven and earth from top to bottom.

As Yuan Ye watched, he couldn't help but sigh, "It must hurt so much if that hit someone."

Lin Du glanced at him sideways. "What, scared?"

Yuan Ye shook his head, "I experienced the Heavenly Tribulation last time. It was similar to getting a beating in the palace. The pain would subside once it went numb."

Lin Du chuckled, "Then you should hurry up and form your core. I've seen you stuck at the Great Perfection stage for a year or two now."

Yuan Ye suddenly let out a long sigh, his round face, which had gradually become thinner over the years, showing a weathered expression like Tang Sanzang leaning against a door. "I'm so desperate, Junior Uncle."

Lin Du: ? Can you elaborate?

"Ever since Yan Qing went into seclusion, my master has complained that I'm in the way on the mountain, but I haven't really encountered that barrier yet. What can I do? I can only go to the warehouse to saw wood."

Lin Du narrowed his eyes. Was his second senior brother's obsessive-compulsive disorder a bit too severe? Wouldn't this really hinder his cultivation?

She patted Yuan Ye's shoulder reassuringly, "It's alright, playing the xiqin is the same as sawing wood, there's no difference."

Yuan Ye: ...That makes sense!

Lin Du patted his head, "The team competition of the Central Plains Grand Tournament tests one's skills in alchemy, talisman techniques, formations, weapon crafting, as well as mental and physical skills. A few days ago, my master gave me a challenge, asking me to design a complex training formation..."

Yuan Ye suddenly realized something was wrong. "Wait a minute, Junior Uncle, you said you designed it yourself, not...learning?"

The two were queuing in front of the pastry shop, completely unaware of what was going on. "Hmm? What's wrong?"

Yuan Ye took a step back. "You can even design formations now?"

"I learned the 108 basic formations five years ago. After that, I also learned Feng Shui and Qimen Dunjia, which allows me to create most of the basic formations we see in daily life. For example, our sect's mountain-protecting formation is a complex formation made up of many overlapping formations. The secret realm we're using for this Central Plains Grand Competition was also created through the joint efforts of formation masters and weapon refiners. Is there anything wrong with me designing a training formation diagram?"

Yuan Ye was utterly shocked by Lin Du's matter-of-fact attitude. While others were going to secret realms for training, his junior uncle was already building his own training secret realm.

Isn't this exactly what the junior uncle described in the storybook—a dimensional reduction attack?

What is a true dimensional reduction attack? This is the real dimensional reduction attack!

After finishing speaking, Lin Du smiled and walked to the front of the shop, giving the shopkeeper thirty spirit stones.

The boss chuckled, "Young master, the usual?"

"The same as always." Lin Du nodded.

Yuan Ye stared in disbelief, then watched as the boss handed Lin Du five large bags of pastries. "We've come up with some new products. Let the young master try them. You've come all this way down the mountain, so eat more."

The people behind Lin Du were indignant. Just by looking at their robes, they could tell that the two people in front of them were disciples from wealthy families. Why were the people from Qilinzhai treating people differently based on their social status?

"Didn't they just give me thirty spirit stones? Last time I got three small packets for thirty spirit stones."

Lin Du smiled and thanked him, then casually stuffed a plum blossom cake, which was almost falling out of the pile, into Yuan Ye's mouth, praising, "Your Qilinzhai pastries are really delicious. I think about them every time I'm on the mountain."

The two turned and left together, their faces appearing before the person behind them.

Both were people from wealthy and powerful families. One was a nobleman, exuding nobility, while the other was elegant, refined, and unrestrained. Both still carried the unbridled spirit of youth, and even among ordinary people, they could be seen as free-spirited and unconventional.

The group was speechless for a moment, then whispered, "Being good-looking doesn't put food on the table!"

Lin Du brushed past them. Sorry, being good-looking really can put food on the table.

At least when you buy something, they'll give you two extra big bags of snacks.

Yuan Ye puffed out his cheeks and ate the pastry with great satisfaction. "This plum blossom cake is delicious no matter how many times I eat it."

The two quickly headed to their next stop, Fu Man Lou, where they bought six roast ducks to take home, and then went to buy roast chicken, braised duck, and fish head stew with flatbread.

Even if you achieve the Golden Core stage, you still need to eat.

The two leisurely bought all the food and returned to the sect, and Yan Qing's tribulation finally came to an end, marking the most significant moment of his ordeal.

The rain pattered down on the mountains, and Lin Du promptly opened an umbrella.

That was close! I almost spilled all the pastries I was holding.

She popped a butterfly pastry into her mouth, then kicked Yuan Ye, who was rubbing against the umbrella, away. "I can let it go, but God has already showered the earth with the sweet rain of wisdom. If you hold up an umbrella, you'll only make your brain look dumber."

"If you get soaked in the spiritual rain a little longer, you might just achieve enlightenment and form your core."

Yuan Ye obediently let the rain soak him, his head and face were completely drenched, but his waterproof robe rolled down to the ground.

The two of them, one holding an umbrella and the other getting soaked in the rain, landed in front of the dining hall.

Yuan Ye said he was going to see Yan Qing, and immediately saw a burly, shirtless man standing in the rain.

Yan Qing turned around, the scars on his body gradually receding, seemingly extending an invitation, "Don't waste it, brother, would you like to take a bath together?"

Yuan Ye took a step back, turned around and walked towards the dining hall. How terrifying! This scholar, who had been soaked by the rain of wisdom, looked like his brain had been ruined. He should use an umbrella.

When the rain stopped and the sky cleared, revealing a radiant glow, the group of people were already sitting neatly in the dining hall, looking at the table full of dishes and listening to their junior uncle's exam preparation plan.

"In this Central Plains Grand Competition, our team consists of five people. The names and information we have submitted are: Tian Wu is a healer, I am a formation cultivator, Yan Qing is a sword cultivator, Yuan Ye is a sound cultivator, and Jin Xuan is a body cultivator."

Lin Du smiled and said, "I've looked at the plans for the previous Secret Realm events and I've noticed a pattern. They usually consist of five to seven levels, requiring teamwork to clear. And the five levels often involve healing, formations, talismans, weapons, mental skills, and a final fixed event: a team flag-planting battle."

As she spoke, she was wrapping lotus leaf cakes in her hands. The group of people kept eating with their chopsticks, but their ears were all perked up, listening to Lin Du analyze examples from various checkpoints in recent years.

"So, actually, the more different types of cultivators the better, not necessarily the stronger the better," Lin Du said with a smile. "But, coincidentally, we are all all-rounders."

In reality, what the five of them had learned was far more than what they had reported. Yuan Ye was one of the few practitioners of the Lu Ban Book in the present world, Yan Qing was the true direct disciple of Cang Li's weapon-refining technique, and Ni Jinxuan was raised by her senior sister. Their talisman cultivation methods were all of the purest kind.

"So this time, our goal is..."

"Team first."

The four obedient students raised their hands in unison, shouting, "Let's win first place!"

Lin Du tilted his head and smiled, when suddenly a rather solemn female voice came from behind him, "I told you to tell them the rules of the Central Plains Grand Competition and the list of participants. Do everything within your ability. Rankings are never important, as long as you gain something. Are you just going to pretend to comply while secretly disagreeing?"

"Is this how you, the junior master, teach your junior apprentice?"

Lin Du's body trembled, and he lowered his head to stuff a piece of roast duck wrapped in a lotus leaf pancake into his mouth. He then turned to look at Feng Chao, his eyes clearly revealing a pure innocence.

Feng Chao: ...I'll just shut you up. Where did you get such a strong competitive spirit?

She cleared her throat. "Rankings aren't important. You know, the youngest disciples from the Guiyuan Sect and Jishi Sect next door are at least thirty years old."

Apart from Xia Tianwu, this group of people were all still a bunch of young rascals in their early twenties.

The group of people were so bewildered by the scolding that by the time they came to their senses, the salt and pepper duck rack had gone cold.

Finally, Feng Chao left. The group looked at each other, each holding a duck leg rack, and bumped them together.

"First!"