Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Fang Lin did not mind the order of the examination. Anyhow, it would not affect him regardless of whether he took the examination earlier or later.
The three thousand disciples drew their order numbers. The alchemy altar was deadly silent as every individual looked at the number which they had drawn with an obvious nervous expression on their faces. On the other hand, some people were sitting in a daze while some were devoting every effort to calm themselves.
Fang Lin looked over at Lu Xiaoqing and found that she was rather anxious as well. He smiled and said, “Don’t be nervous. Look at me. I’m not nervous at all.”
Lu Xiaoqing rolled her eyes at Fang Lin in disgust. “So, you think that everyone is as inattentive as you, huh?”
Fang Lin sniggered and said, “It’s actually better to be inattentive at times. Besides, you’re not going to pass the examination this time. Why bother being so serious anyway?”
Lu Xiaoqing smacked him in rage. How could anyone have the audacity to speak like that? Even though she was well aware that she was hopeless in this round of examinations, she allowed herself to indulge in a scant fantasy. What if she did pass?
Nonetheless, Fang Lin chatted leisurely and softly to her just to soothe her tense emotions.
In the nearby distance, Sun Hao stared at both of them with an exceedingly hateful gaze. His fists were tightly clenched in rage. Ever since he made a fool of himself that night, he was tormented by the mockery of the junior alchemy disciples. In fact, even the people that were quite close to him in the past had also distanced themselves away from him.
They had no choice. After all, Sun Hao had busted the door of a female disciple’s residence in the middle of the night and was then pinned to the ground and beaten up by Fang Lin. It was tremendously embarrassing for him, so why would anyone want to befriend him anymore?
Sun Hao remembered the incident that took place that night like it was yesterday. His heart was drowned in enmity. He hated not just Fang Lin but also Lu Xiaoqing. As for Kang Lu that provoked him to kick Lu Xiaoqing’s door down, unfortunately, he lacked the courage to hate him.
Near the alchemy altar, a woman watched the people milling around the altar with a gloomy, bitter gaze. She was Cao Ying, the disciple that had been punished by Meng Wuyou, resulting in her opportunity to take the examination being stripped.
Cao Ying was the only person whose opportunity was stripped this year amongst the three thousand disciples. Since she was disqualified from the examination, she could only watch from afar.
Her charming face was filled with hatred and a wisp of regret. She would never have ended up where she was now had she not provoked Sun Hao in an attempt to please Kang Lu. However, her heart was filled with even more enmity. She loathed Fang Lin, Lu Xiaoqing, and Meng Wuyou.
The supporters around Kang Lu spoke in succession, “Senior Brother Disciple Kang, I wish to congratulate you in advance. I hope that you’ll attain good results in this examination and become an official disciple smoothly.”
“I hope that you will ascend to success easily, Senior Brother Disciple.”
“I hope that you will attain the top score, Senior Brother Disciple!”
…
Kang Lu was feeling rather smug after listening to his supporters’ wishes. However, a look of concern flashed in his eyes when he suddenly thought about Fang Lin’s presence.
A junior alchemy disciple noticed Kang Lu’s change of expression and daringly asked, “Senior Brother Disciple, are you worried about Fang Lin?”
Kang Lin nodded. He was genuinely concerned that Fang Lin would affect his status in this examination.
The junior alchemy disciple chuckled. “Don’t worry, Senior Brother Disciple. Even if Fang Lin was a genius, it’s still his first time taking part in the examination. Even if he can get rather good results, he can’t possibly become an official disciple. If I were to speak conservatively, you stand a 90% chance of becoming an official disciple. By the time you become an official disciple, would you still care about a pathetic character like Fang Lin anymore?”
Upon listening to that, the concern in Kang Lu’s heart dispersed. He was well aware of this theory, but he could not help feeling restless every time he thought about Fang Lin’s genius performance.
‘Even if you’re a genius, you can’t possibly become an official disciple after one trial examination. Fang Lin, you’re always going to end up beneath my feet. You’ll be under my control forever!’ Kang Lu sneered in his heart.
Old Man Zhou’s gaze swept past the entire scene. He coughed twice before saying, “All the disciples have received their numbers. The examination shall begin. Disciples numbers 1 to 100, please bring along your order number and enter the corresponding private room for the examination.”
Upon listening to his words, a hundred disciples stood up and followed Zhao Dengming to the private rooms for the examination. Lu Xiaoqing was one of them because her order number was 73.
“All the best!” Fang Lin cheered.
Lu Xiaoqing smiled, then followed the rest of the crowd.
An hour later, they returned. Other than a few people with slight anticipation and excitement, the rest of the people appeared dejected and depressed.
Lu Xiaoqing pouted and appeared to be in a bad mood. At a glance, Fang Lin could tell that she was frustrated by the examination.
After returning to her spot, he consoled her, “It’s okay. You’ll pass after two more attempts.”
Lu Xiaoqing heaved a sigh in response, appearing to be in low spirits.
Soon, the results for the first hundred participants were tabulated. The person that managed to score the highest had only attained 240 points while the person with the lowest score attained less than a hundred points. Lu Xiaoqing’s score was neither high nor low. She scored 190 points which was considered medium grade.
Of course, none of the hundred people managed to achieve the passing score, so all of them failed the examination. Earlier, a few of them still felt like they could possibly achieve the passing score. However, they were dumbstruck after seeing the published results.
Kang Lu’s lips curved into a disdainful smile. He had experienced the examination twice and was considered a veteran amongst the junior alchemy disciples. He was well aware of the difficulty of the examination. It was simply a fool’s dream to become an official disciple after just one or two trials.
In the entire history of the junior alchemy disciples, the person who became an official disciple the fastest had also sat through two examinations. Three attempts to become an official disciple was considered a feat.
“The next batch of disciples numbered 101 to 200, please enter the private rooms,” said Old Man Zhou.
Another one hundred disciples stood up, including Sun Hao. Sun Hao was not a young disciple. He had experienced the examination once and this was his second attempt. However, one could tell that his examination results this year would possibly be worse than the previous year judging from his absentminded appearance.
Just as expected, the results were tabulated in half an hour. Sun Hao had only scored 100 points. He fared worse than Lu Xiaoqing who had only been initiated a year ago.
Batches upon batches of disciples entered the private rooms to sit for the examination. Kang Lu was among the disciples in the sixth batch.
“I think that Kang Lu should be able to become an official disciple this year,” Zhao Dengming stated while nodding.
Mu Yan and Meng Wuyou did not reply while Old Man Zhou chuckled aloud. Zhao Dengming harrumphed with a dismal expression after realizing that no one agreed with his opinion.
By the time Kang Lu’s batch of disciples exited the rooms, everyone could see the wide smile on Kang Lu’s face and the excitement seeping from his brows. Upon seeing that, the people could tell that he was very confident in his examination results this time.
When the results were announced, everyone stole an envious look at Kang Lu. He had scored 280 surprisingly, hence passing the examination and being on his way to becoming an official disciple.
“Impressive!” Zhao Dengming could not refrain himself from applauding while Mu Yan rolled her eyes in disgust.
“Congratulations, Senior Brother Disciple Kang!” Kang Lu’s supporters congratulated him in unison as everyone was brimming with joy.