Chapter 75: Assessment Passed |
Elder Bai nodded and said,
“Indeed, it’s that one. A few days ago, when I was clearing the Demonic Beasts that invaded the Fang Market, I found this Black Kite.”
“Seeing how intelligent it was, completely unlike other Demonic Beasts, I couldn’t bear to kill it. Instead, I thought of a way to tame it and give it to my niece as a pet.”
Lin Jing gave a wry smile and said, “So that’s how it is…”
“That explains it.”
Elder Bai asked with curiosity, “What, do you know this Black Kite?”
“Elder Bai, it’s like this. In the outer Fang Market, this Black Kite once attacked me.”
“However, it was blocked by the Formation that Elder Yu lent me. I suppose it’s because it suffered a loss at my hands and felt unwilling to let it stand.”
“So it was like that.”
“Indeed, the Black Kite has a strong vindictive nature, it’s not strange that it would act this way.”
After saying this, Elder Bai began to impart lessons to the girl:
“Qing Ling, you must discipline this Black Kite well in the future, don’t let it attack others again.”
“Understood, Old Man Bai…” the girl named Qing Ling pouted and responded.
At this moment, Lin Jing was also looking at the girl in amazement, she had actually called Elder Bai ‘Old Man Bail directly. “Right, Elder Bai just mentioned that she’s his niece.” Thinking this, Lin Jing felt relieved.
Elder Yu noticed Lin Jing’s reaction and explained,
“This is Elder Bai’s niece, Huang Qingling.”
“Greetings, Fellow Daoist Qing Ling,” greeted Lin Jing to Huang Qingling. “What’s your name?” Huang Qingling asked Lin Jing, her bright eyes twinkling.
“Lin Jing,” Lin Jing answered.
“Lin Jing…”
“Alright, I’ll remember you. If someone bullies you later on, just come to me,” said Huang Qingling, looking at Lin Jing.
Lin Jing:
Lin Jing was speechless, at a loss for how to respond.
As for Elder Bai and Elder Yu, they seemed to be already used to it.
After a moment, Elder Bai spoke again,
“Lin boy, how are you feeling? Do you still want to continue with the assessment? If you feel it’s not going well, we can stop the assessment.”
“Of course, even if we stop the assessment, I will consider you to have passed, as I’m also responsible for this unexpected incident.”
Lin Jing shook his head and said,
“Elder Bai, there’s no need…”
“I am unharmed and can continue with the assessment.”
“Are you sure?” Elder Bai asked skeptically.
“Even if I pass without the assessment, it’s not certain whether I would pass if we continue. You have to think this through!”
Elder Bai was like an old fox, gently persuading, as if he wanted Lin Jing to give up the assessment.
But Lin Jing was very clear that this was likely a test. Everyone knew that his injuries were minor and not serious.
If he really chose to give up the assessment, then he might truly miss the chance of entering the Inner Fang Market.
Moreover, even if not for himself, to not disappoint Elder Yu’s expectations, he could not give up on the assessment like this.
With these thoughts, Lin Jing nodded and said, “Yes, I have made up my mind.”
“Good,”
Elder Bai, twiddling with the beard that hung in front of his chest, then said,
“Then let’s continue with the assessment.”
“We should step back a bit, so as not to disturb him.”
After speaking, the three of them retreated, stopping only when they were near the door.
Lin Jing took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.
Next, he began by dumping out the remnants of the failed alchemy, and then took out the prepared materials.
Just like before, from processing the materials to finally sealing the Pill Furnace…
Throughout the process, he remained completely calm.
This time, perhaps with the experience of being watched for the first time, he wasn’t as flustered.
He carefully controlled the flame while observing the reaction inside the pill furnace with his Divine Sense.
A quarter of an hour, half an hour, three-quarters of an hour…
Time slowly passed…
The medicinal liquid inside the furnace began to condense, forming elixir medicine, at this stage it was more crucial than ever not to be distracted; Lin Jing carefully increased the flame, which sped up the condensation of the liquid…
Before long, a fragrance wafted out from the pill furnace,
At this point, the elixir was refined.
“I smell it, this alchemy session has definitely produced a supreme elixir.”
As an alchemist of the third rank, Elder Yu had an abundance of experience, and even before the elixir was out of the furnace, he was the first to speak up with assurance.
Lin Jing already had a fine sheen of sweat on his forehead by now.
Of course, this wasn’t all due to exertion; there was also some nervousness involved, after all, this was an assessment.
Lin Jing was very clear that this elixir had been successfully created, and, just as Elder Yu said, it was a supreme one.
After waiting a while for the furnace to cool down, Lin Jing opened the lid and took out five Energy Gathering Pills.
This batch contained one supreme-grade, one superior-grade, two medium-grade, and one low-grade pill.
After extracting the elixir medicines, Lin Jing went directly in front of the three individuals and presented the elixirs to Elder Bai and Elder Yu.
“Elder Bai, Elder Yu, please inspect them.”
The two of them took the elixirs, and at this moment, Elder Yu was exceedingly excited, even more than if he had refined a supreme elixir himself.
He didn’t say it, but he felt incredibly proud, especially in front of Elder Bai.
Elder Bai looked at the supreme elixir for a moment and then nodded. At that moment, Elder Yu, with eyes narrowed in a smile, asked,
“Elder Bai, what do you think? Is there more to assess?”
Elder Bai gave Elder Yu a look, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly before he responded,
“Hmm… No need, this one elixir is sufficient.”
“Next, you take him to handle all the necessary paperwork, and then find him a courtyard.”
“From now on, he will be a pill master, serving as an offering priest for our
Yuebaolou.”
“Thank you, Elder Bai.”
Elder Bai waved a hand, no need to thank me, you passed the assessment on your own merit.
At this moment, Huang Qingling suddenly said,
“Old Man Bai, there’s an empty courtyard next to mine. Why not let him live next to me?”
Elder Bai nodded, “That’s fine, just make sure not to disturb him often, he is an offering priest after all, and will have alchemy duties in the future.”
“Rest assured, Old Man Bai,” Huang Qingling said.
Afterward, Elder Bai left.
Elder Yu then told Huang Qingling, “Qing Ling, I’m going to take this young man Lin to handle the offering priest credentialing. We’ll take our leave now.”
Huang Qingling nodded, “Elder Yu, I’ll be off then. Bring him by my place in the afternoon, and we’ll go look at the courtyard together.”
With that, Huang Qingling also left.
Once Huang Qingling was gone, Elder Yu spoke up, “Young man Lin, let’s go too, there is still much to do.”
“Alright,” Lin Jing responded.
Afterward, the two of them returned to Yuebaolou, and along the way, Elder Yu shared some information about Huang Qingling with Lin Jing.
It turned out that Huang Qingling was a genius with a Dual Attribute Spirit Root, possessing both wind and fire attributes.
Having a Dual Attribute Spirit Root, one of which was an Exotic Spirit Root, her cultivation talent was incredibly profound.
No wonder Elder Bai was so doting on her.
“But, aren’t such geniuses usually taken in to cultivate by top-notch sects?
How come she is here?”
When Lin Jing asked Elder Yu, he also expressed ignorance, only knowing that Huang Qingling arrived here three years ago and had been here ever since.
In that time, there was never any talk of her family matters.
“Perhaps, everyone has their own untold hardships…”
Elder Yu commented at last.
“Yeah, perhaps that’s it,” Lin Jing agreed with a nod and asked no further..