Chapter 116 - 105: Passing the Assessment

Chapter 116: Chapter 105: Passing the Assessment

Li Yuanjun sighed again. Sighing was like a catchphrase for him. No matter what he was about to say, he’d let out a sigh first before speaking his mind.

However, the barely concealed doubt in his eyes proved he didn’t believe for a second that Zhao Zuo could pass the assessment.

"Sigh... Younger Brother Zhao, to be honest, back when I was teaching you, I wanted to talk you out of this profession..."

Back then, Li Yuanjun had been the top dog among the Artifact Refining Apprentices. He often taught the new recruits and had trained dozens of apprentices over the years. Zhao Zuo was, without a doubt, one of the least talented among them.

"..." Zhao Zuo looked at Li Yuanjun’s square face. The man was speaking with a completely straight face and a tone of immense concern, yet his words were absolutely crushing. Zhao Zuo could only turn his head away and ignore him.

The five people at the front of the line drew their numbers and entered their respective passageways for the assessment. Before long, the sound of Spirit Iron being forged rang out, a dense and chaotic clamor.

Bored with the wait, Zhao Zuo closed his eyes and mentally reviewed the techniques for forging Spirit Iron, aiming for a perfect performance in the assessment.

About half an hour later, people began to emerge from the passageways, their assessments complete. Some looked overjoyed and relieved, while others had red-rimmed eyes, their expressions full of indignation. Still, they had to keep their emotions in check.

They left the hall with their heads bowed and fists clenched. Perhaps they would try again next year, but a full year had been wasted. Gradually, more and more people walked out with their heads hung low. The number of people who had passed was still in the single digits. Seeing this, Zhao Zuo couldn’t help but grow nervous.

Finally, it was Zhao Zuo’s turn. He reached into an iron box and drew an assessment number.

"Number three."

Drawing on his memory, Zhao Zuo found Forging Chamber number three.

The familiar Earth Fire Furnace was already blazing. The ambient temperature rose rapidly as he drew closer. Standing beside it, in heat that an ordinary person would find unbearable, was a white-haired old man who looked perfectly relaxed.

He appeared to be around seventy, tall and rather unkempt. His clothes were riddled with holes from stray embers, revealing bronze skin and thick muscles beneath. His eyes were bright, and as he looked at Zhao Zuo, his gaze was subtly scrutinizing, heavy as a mountain.

"I am a Steward of the Moyun Sect’s Earth Fire Hall. Your assessment result will be decided by me."

He had said "decided," not "ascertained," meaning he had total authority over the outcome.

When disciples of the Moyun Sect grew too old, they naturally left the disciple ranks. The talented ones could pass an assessment to become a sect Steward, and Stewards were divided between the Inner Sect and the Outer Sect.

The old man before him must be an Outer Sect Steward.

"How should I address you, Senior?" Zhao Zuo asked.

"My surname is Chen, my given name is Luowen."

"So it’s Steward Chen." Zhao Zuo bowed politely, hoping to make a good impression.

"Enough with the pleasantries. Begin. Imbue the Refined Iron with spirit."

"Alright."

Zhao Zuo had expected the assessment to have clear-cut rules. He never imagined that his chance to become an Outer Sect disciple would be decided by the sole judgment of the supervising Steward.

He first used a pair of tongs to move the block of Refined Iron over the Earth Fire Furnace and waited patiently.

At the same time, he did his best to regulate his breathing.

Once the Refined Iron was glowing a fiery orange, Zhao Zuo plunged it into the Spirit Powder Barrel to coat it, then immediately began striking the nearly molten block with a Forging Hammer.

Determined to pass the assessment, Zhao Zuo forged with intense concentration, gradually forgetting even Steward Chen’s presence as he became completely immersed in the process of forging the Spirit Iron.

At that moment, his mind became calm and clear. He struck the iron, one blow after another. When the block began to cool, he would return it to the Earth Fire Furnace to reheat.

His movements weren’t choreographed, yet they possessed a fluid, beautiful grace.

Sparks erupted from the furnace, flying through the air and illuminating Zhao Zuo’s face. He was so utterly focused that he had tuned out everything around him.

In that instant, his mind held nothing but Artifact Refining, nothing but the rhythm of the forge.

His heart was utterly pure, his focus absolute.

Only when a streak of Golden Light entered his body did Zhao Zuo reluctantly stop. On the anvil, the block of Refined Iron now emitted a faint Spiritual Light, illuminating the surrounding darkness.

"Not bad. Extremely proficient, excellent control over your strength, and impeccable timing," Chen Luowen praised without reservation, his tone full of approval for Zhao Zuo.

"Congratulations, you’ve passed." Chen Luowen casually tossed Zhao Zuo a cyan Token. On its face was the word "Moyun" encircled by auspicious clouds, and on its back was a carving of a burning sea of fire.

Zhao Zuo quickly caught the provisional disciple Token.

"Remember to register before this evening. If you miss the deadline, you’ll forfeit your spot," Chen Luowen instructed. The scrutiny in his eyes had been replaced by a hint of warmth and admiration. It had been many years since he’d seen such a pure, budding talent for Artifact Refining.

During the forging, he was completely absorbed, with no distracting thoughts whatsoever.

"Thank you, Steward," Zhao Zuo said, bowing again.

Zhao Zuo first took his provisional disciple Token to a grey-robed attendant to register his name. He also had to leave a Mana Seal as a mark of authenticity, preventing anyone from selling the Token for profit.

As he walked out of the Earth Fire Hall, he saw Li Yuanjun leaning against a wall. His gaze was tilted up at a forty-five-degree angle, staring at... the distant clouds.

His eyes seemed to hold countless stories, and the wrinkles on his face were scrunched together, forming deep ravines or miniature mountain ranges.

In short, this middle-aged man with the face of an old one looked utterly dejected.

"Sigh... I’m just old and useless now," Li Yuanjun lamented. He had thumped his chest and promised his wife he would absolutely pass the assessment to save up some of the Moyun Sect’s exclusive Cultivation resources for their son... but he had failed.

’How can I face my family now? How can I even bear to hold my son?’

"Sigh... No point, no passion, no pleasure! This world is truly pointless!" Li Yuanjun clenched his fists and shouted, venting his frustration. The failure had clearly hit him hard; after all, he used to be the leader of the Artifact Refining Apprentices!

After venting for a moment, Li Yuanjun managed to calm down. ’My skills should be fine. The assessment this year was just too strict. I’ll definitely pass next year!’

Having rationalized it this way, the pressure in his heart vanished. He turned to look at Zhao Zuo.

"Come on, Younger Brother Zhao, have a drink with me. Failing once is no big deal. We’ll try again next year!"

"Well..." Zhao Zuo hesitated. Li Yuanjun may not have had much faith in him, but he wasn’t malicious. He really didn’t have the heart to pull out that provisional... disciple Token and crush the man’s spirits.

"Don’t have any Spirit Stones? No problem, it’s on me!" Li Yuanjun said magnanimously. Right now, all he wanted was to get drunk and escape this ridiculous world for a while.

"Well..."

"Stop dithering! I said it’s my treat!" Li Yuanjun said, slightly annoyed. He considered them friends, so why all the hesitation over a simple meal?

"Well... Brother Li, I passed," Zhao Zuo said quietly. In case Li Yuanjun didn’t believe him, he even took out the disciple Token and waved it in front of his face.

The words died in Li Yuanjun’s throat. He froze as if struck by lightning, staring at the provisional disciple Token, his expression shifting through a dozen emotions.

’I can’t make any more excuses.’

’It wasn’t that the assessment was harder this year... My Spirit Iron forging technique is just not what it used to be!’

"Congratulations... to you," Li Yuanjun said, his voice flat.

"Uh... Brother Li, don’t be too upset. There’s always next year," Zhao Zuo said, trying to console him in earnest.

"Yeah... there’s always next year."

Li Yuanjun lowered his head and repeated the words, his voice trailing off as he seemed to sink further into dejection.

"It’s alright. You’re not that old, Brother Li. This one failure is nothing. You still have a chance..."

Zhao Zuo continued his consolations, his tone earnest.

"Even if you fail a few more times, I’m sure your wife won’t blame you..."

"She’s such a good wife, after all."

But a moment later, Li Yuanjun snapped his head up. He glared at Zhao Zuo, the whites of his eyes shot through with a dense web of red veins. He snarled viciously.

"You don’t actually think... you’re comforting me, do you?"

....

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