The Legendary Master’s Wife - Chap 95

Chapter 95: Assessment (II)

The stone platforms were half a meter wide and a meter high. Much like the stone platforms that You XiaoMo saw in the stone room of the Hall of Magic Herbs.

The stone platforms here were a little higher and nine stone platforms meant nine people would be tested each time. Adding up the three major peaks was seventy two people, exactly eight rounds, not more, not less.

Then that Senior started to call out the numbers. Each one that got called would have to go stand in front of a stone platform. Since there were only nine stone platforms, each peak had three people going up at a time.

The first group of people got called up very quickly and the three Capital Peak disciples stood in front of the three rightmost stone platforms. You XiaoMo didn’t recognize the other six but it was very easy to figure out the ones from Heaven Peak. They were the ones with their heads held very high looking rather arrogant.

Then a young man brought a hourglass and placed it in front of everyone.

The hourglass was filled with fine sand and the young man turned it over and put it on the table. The fine sand started to trickle down bit by bit. This was something the Tian Xin Sect used to mark the passage of time. When all the fine sand went to the bottom, that meant the time for the first group was over.

You XiaoMo only found out now that there was a time limit to the assessment. Luckily his preparations were relatively thorough. Otherwise, his state of mind would probably be affected by the hourglass. He could see that a few disciples were already eyeing the hourglass nervously.

With the start of the assessment, the nine disciples started to pick up the magic herbs that had been prepared for them on the stone platform.

Refining magic pills was a dull and uninteresting process but refining one level two magic pill didn’t require much time.

When the last grain of sand fell, the first round was over. Nine magic pills were brought up one by one for inspection because not every fully-formed magic pill was good. Some magic pills could have suffered some errors during the blending step making them worthless so it was necessary to check if the magic pills were effective.

You XiaoMo was standing at the back so he couldn’t see clearly what was happening up front. So he has no choice but to stand on tiptoe but by the time he could see clearly, the inspection was already over. Among the nine disciples, some were in high spirits, some were dejected, some even looked like they were about to cry. The one that was about to cry was a disciple from Capital Peak.

When the three disciples came back, Kong Wen indifferently said some words of consolation and encouragement. Up front, the second round started.

Looking at other people refining magic pills was a very boring matter. But there were some benefits. One could observe the techniques and actions others used when refining magic pills. Learning from this experience was also quite beneficial so You XiaoMo stuck his head out and looked around with keen interest.

After the second group was the third group, that was the number seven to nine group.

You XiaoMo confirmed the number on the tablet in his hand and hearing the Senior call out number seven, he calmed down his heart and walked up together with the other two disciples. He stood in front of the seventh stone platform and from up close, he could now see what was on it.

There was a black cauldron in the middle of the stone platform. In front of the cauldron were three types of magic herbs for one magic pill. Altogether, there was enough for two pills of the same type. The implication was that if both portions were used up and no magic pill was produced, that meant it was a failure. You XiaoMo picked up the magic herbs and looked at them. These magic herbs were actually magic herbs used to refine the Reserve Energy magic pill.

During his three month closed-door cultivation, he refined many types of magic pills. One of them was the Reserve Energy magic pill but he didn’t refine many. On top of that, three days ago, when he got magic herbs from Zhao-shishu, there were also materials for the Reserve Energy magic pill. So his impression of this magic pill was quite strong.

Reserve Energy magic pills were the most distinctive level two magic pill. It was a magic pill used to help low level practitioners have a breakthrough. Some practitioners failed when it came to having a breakthrough because they lacked sufficient spiritual energy. This was the time when the Reserve Energy magic pill was needed because the magic power in the magic pill could be transformed into a burst of spiritual energy, helping the practitioner breakthrough to the next level.

But that was not its most definitive characteristic. Its uniqueness was that it demanded more of the mage than other ordinary level two magic pills. The number of distillations could only be more, not less. The magic pill’s energy must be pure. If there were too many impurities, that magic pill would be considered worthless.

Of course this difficulty was nothing to You XiaoMo because his distillation technique was excellent. He would distill each magic pill at least twice before being satisfied, except for when he was practicing for the first time.

But when he looked at what the other two disciples got, he found out that they got very simple level two magic pills. Before, he did see the Senior let someone distribute the magic herbs. It seemed to be random so maybe he was just unlucky so he was given the relatively difficult magic pill. You XiaoMo looked at the hourglass at the front. It was just beginning to start flowing so he calmly dropped the magic herbs into the cauldron.

After sitting through the first two rounds, he already figured out roughly the time it took for the hourglass to empty. It was actually half an hour. One magic pill in an hour. This duration was too excessive for him. With his current speed, he could almost refine ten magic pills in an hour.

There were many onlookers but more than half of them were looking at You XiaoMo.

But You XiaoMo’s attention was on the stone platform so he didn’t notice that so many people were looking at him. Among them, most of them are waiting to see him mess up. He simply didn’t know that he himself was so famous.

***

Among the group of people, a pretty girl was sneering coldly at You XiaoMo.

That girl was none other than Tang YunQi. Tang YunQi was a level three mage so she has no business being there. But since she was the Grand Master’s daughter, the guards didn’t stop her and let her in with the crowd.

“Tang-shimei, I think this is definitely the end for You XiaoMo.”

“He has only been a disciple for six months. He definitely couldn’t refine a Reserve Energy magic pill. Even if he produces one, that magic pill would be a dead one. It must be said that the Reserve Energy magic pill demands a lot of a mage.”

A dead magic pill meant a useless magic pill.

Tang YunQi twitched her bright red lips, sneering coldly, “I don’t just want him to be unable to refine a magic pill. I want him to embarrass himself in front of everybody. Only then can I get rid of this hatred in my heart.”

“That’s right. Dare to cause Tang-shimei to get…” Before the Shijie could finish her words, Tang YunQi glared at her coldly and hatefully, immediately making her too afraid to finish her words.

Looking at Shimei’s icy expression, everyone else also didn’t dare to say anything. Although they didn’t say it, they were very clear about it in their hearts. That was three months ago, Tang-shimei was given a tight slap by that topmost Elder.

At that time, the people that were there also saw how Tang-shimei’s face quickly got red and swollen. That appearance was as ugly as could be imagined. There were quite a few that were secretly happy at her misfortune but not a single one dared to say so in front of her face. There was a Shimei that had a slip of the tongue in front of her and what happened later was that Tang YunQi ruined her face.

The matter didn’t cause an uproar because that Shimei was too terrified that Tang YunQi would punish her so she didn’t tell her shifu. But a lot of people knew about the matter. Those people began to start fearing Tang YunQi more and more. Everyone felt that since that incident, Tang-shimei was becoming more and more ruthless and sinister.

“Da Shixiong, from what I can see, your Xiao Shidi is not in a good position.” At the edge of the crowd of people, a tall handsome man moved his eyes from Tang YunQi and her group of people, and spoke softly to the chiseled handsome man at his side.

“Zhou Peng, when did you learn to talk so much?” Ling Xiao shot a glance at him.

The man was actually the one that had come out of closed-door cultivation two months ago, Zhou Peng. After coming out of closed-door cultivation, it was hard not to notice his imposing manner. Before, his always somewhat simple and honest expression now showed signs of shrewdness, especially the occasional gleam in his eyes.

Hearing Ling Xiao’s words, Zhou Peng scratched his head. The smile on his face looked especially honest and straightforward, not the least bit shrewd, “Da Shixiong, I’m just worried for Xiao Shidi. Looking at Tang-shimei’s expression, and with her character, it looked like she must be up to some tricks.”

“Tricks? Hmph!” Ling Xiao snorted. His gaze fell on You XiaoMo who was completely absorbed in refining magic pills, his expression becoming much gentler, “I believe in Xiao Shidi’s ability. He won’t let me down.”

This belief was not without reason. He watched You XiaoMo grow in his abilities and with his current capabilities, a level two magic pill was not difficult for him. Unless Tang YunQi substituted a level three magic pill in place of the level two magic pill. But he expected that she would not dare to do that because if it got exposed, it was not just her that would lose face. It would affect Heaven Peak and even her father.

Zhou Peng wanted to say ‘You have too much confidence in him’, but looking at his unwavering expression, he restrained himself and kept quiet.

Right at this moment, You XiaoMo was stumped by the problem in front of his eyes.

The reason was that after going halfway through the process of refining the magic pill, he suddenly discovered that there was a crack at the bottom of the cauldron.

In the beginning the crack was not big. But after pouring in the soul force the crack got bigger and bigger as if slowly spreading outwards at the bottom of the cauldron. He only discovered that when he had just about to start blending the magic pill. This was not the first time he had come across this but this time the crack was too big. If he used a little too much force, the cauldron may blow up completely.

You XiaoMo hesitated a little but still took out his hand in the end.

This action attracted the attention of a lot of people.

Before, he was about to start blending the magic pill. Everyone was surprised because his actions were very quick. Other people were still at the distilling stage and he already progressed to the blending stage. Now seeing that he had given up, everyone felt that it was only to be expected thinking that he was acting with undue haste, thus causing him to fail.

You XiaoMo quietly raised his hand towards the Senior, “Elder, my cauldron is damaged.”