Swordsman the Wanderer
Ch. 495 - Laughing at Zhang En
Master Kun revealed a rare appreciative smile, “Good! How domineering, heroic, arrogant, mighty, and like an emperor you are my disciple.. I'm proud of you.!"
Zhang En rolled his eyes looking at Master Kun, "Old man, you're talking too much nonsense!"
"Ha haha!" Lie Hue who had been sitting quietly from earlier, smiled broadly listening to the conversation between this teacher and disciple.
"Well, all right, let's get the guys drinking all over now!" Master Kun urged, "After this, we still need to travel to the Alchemist Association."
"To the Alchemist Association?" Zhang En was confused.
Master Kun pretended to be annoyed, “You didn't pay the slightest attention to the Alchemist Competition? In order to participate in the competition, the first and foremost requirement was to have an alchemist identity registered with the association. How are you going to participate without an alchemist identity?
Zhang En showed a shy smile, he really did not pay much attention to matters relating to the Alchemy Competition, most of his time was spent at the God Peak over 3 Decades. Other than cultivating, he had only trained his alchemy skills. Therefore, he really did not know that there was such a requirement to participate in the Alchemist Grandmaster Competition. Only now did he know the reason why the old man wanted to bring him to the association.
With a limited quota to order Wine Pills, it was destined that they would not be able to drink as much.
After finishing the wine brought by restaurant owner Kai Zhi, Master Kun then stood up while patting his stomach, hoping for more. The three of them then left the restaurant, but not before taking out two jugs of wine each of them.
Of course, the payment was paid off by Zhang En.
Soon, they arrived at the headquarters of the Alchemist Association. Zhang En and Lie Hue walked into the Association area, following behind Master Kun.
Looking at the extremely majestic and elegant building before him, Master Kun's gaze was filled with complex gazes, there was nostalgia, happiness, excitement, yet there was also a hint of regret...?
“It has been several tens of thousands of years since I last time here ..” Master Kun sighed. “I wonder if the inside has changed. Come on, let's go in.” With that said, Master Kun took the first step through the entrance. Since there were no guards stationed at the entrance, their actions were not hindered by anyone. This was because the Alchemist Association believed that no one dared to make trouble of their headquarters.
Zhang En and Lie Hue continued to follow behind Master Kun.
Stepping across the doorway, they arrived at a large hall. In the four corners of the hall was an old furnace that exuded an ancient aura and a mild medicinal scent.
What Zhang En did not expect was when he was the crowd inside. People from all four galaxies rushed to participate in the Alchemist Competition, and like Zhang En, some of them did not yet have their alchemist identities, either, while others accompanied their friends to witness what was happening inside.
Although Master Kun was a Great Elder of the Association of Alchemist Grandmasters, he did not reveal his identity. Instead, he told Zhang En to line up, take the number, and honestly wait for his turn.
...
Right now, Chu Lihan who had returned to his residence was in a sorry state hearing his subordinate's report that Zhang En went to the Alchemist Grandmaster Association to take the alchemist assessment. Chu Lihan could not help but laugh when he heard this, “Take the alchemist judgment? Bastard, wait and see how this Young Master will play you to death!” He immediately led a group of his subordinates, heading to the headquarters of the Alchemist Association.
Although he was not an Elder like his father, he was an Assumption Assailant in the Overseas Hall of the Association. Moreover, in the Supervisory Hall, he ranked middle rank within the Alchemist Whether Zhang En could pass the assessment or not, a single word from him could affect the outcome.
While Chu Lihan was leading a group of subordinates all the way to the Alchemist Association while emitting a fierce killing aura, Zhang En was currently sitting in a corner of the hall, with Master Kun and Lie Hue for his turn.
Sitting there, watching the disciples of the various clans display their alchemy refining techniques one after another, Zhang En inwardly shook his head. These disciples became arrogant after passing the appraisal, in fact, possessed terrifying techniques. Some of them look terrible to see. Not only were their techniques terrifying, their fire control abilities and knowledge of potions were similarly terrifying.
Beside him, Master Kun closed his eyes, not showing the slightest bit of what he was thinking on his thin but calm face, as if the sounds and activity around him had nothing to do with him.
While Lie Hue watched these disciples with interest with her beautiful eyes. It was because his own alchemy techniques were not very high, therefore, to him, some of these disciple techniques were good enough to look at.
After waiting for some time, it was finally Zhang En's turn to advance. He stood up and walked forward.
"How long have you been practicing alchemy?" The elder named Jia Liang, the person in charge of judging Zhang En asked casually. Before the assessment takes place, usually the elders ask some questions, to have a basic understanding of the person to be judged.
Zhang En thought for a while before replying, "Less than 35y years."
Ever since he started learning from Master Kun until now, it had not even been thirty-five years.
The answer to that ordinary question shocked Elder Jia Liang as well as the other disciples who remained in the hall after passing their judgment.
The next second, the disciples who had graduated, and were already recognized as an alchemist burst into laughter.
“This kid must have a problem with his head. Only thirty-five years of studying alchemists, yet he dared to come to the Alchemist Association to take an alchemist assessment! ”
“Still, this kid doesn't look stupid in my eyes. Who knows, he might really surprise us so speechless during his assessment, haha. ”
“Surpring us so speechless? It was likely that he would not even be able to refine a common middle grade pill. A good bundle of potions turned into dirt! ”
Everyone around laughed even harder.
Who among them had not practiced alchemy for several hundred years? For them, without several hundred years of hard work, it was impossible to touch a single corner of the alchemy threshold.
In this vast world, there were thousands of herbs and potions used in pill refining, and just remembering the long list of ingredient names, medicinal properties, common usage, had already spent many years of effort.
A person who only spent less than thirty-five years might not even have finished studying the ingredients. How good was one's alchemy refining technique like this?
That was what was on the minds of the laughing disciple in that hall.
Alchemist Elder Jia Liang frowned as he looked at Zhang En, "Are you sure you're here for the alchemist assessment?"
Zhang En replied calmly as usual, "YES."
The frown on Jia Liang's brows deepened, “Does your master know that you are here to take the assessment? Is he here?"
Zhang En nodded, "He knows, and he's here." While pointing to a corner of the hall, towards Master Kun who was currently closing his eyes.
Looking at the old man who was seen sleeping in the corner of the hall, everyone around laughed out loud.
“The old man is the teacher of this boy? More like a beggar from one street corner of Pill City!”
"Is that why I feel like I've seen this old man before?"
"Could he be from the Beggar Association?"
Another wave of mocking laughter sounded in the hall.
The Beggar Association was quite a powerful force, their reputation reaching all four galaxies. The reason for this great reputation was because all the disciples of the association were beggars.
Jia Liang glanced at the Old Man Zhang En pointed at before turning to look at Zhang En again, saying, "You can leave now."
This meant that Zhang En did not need to take judgment, as the end result would be the same.
Zhang En raised his brows doubtfully and thought, 'It seems like most people's brains have some problems, measuring one's achievements based on the time they spend in cultivation.'
"Who said one cannot become an alchemist with thirty-five years of practice?" Zhang En's feet did not budge, asking back. “Just because they have been practicing alchemy techniques for over a hundred years, do you think their skills will surpass mine?”
Zhang En's reply immediately angered every student who had just passed the assessment.
“Bags, what did you say barudan?! You think you are qualified to be compared to us ?! ”
"That's right, what qualifications should one compare to someone who has only practiced alchemy for approximately thirty-five years with us?"
At this stage, these disciples still stubbornly believed that they were better than Zhang En just because they had practiced alchemy for a longer time.
Jia Liang's face turned grim looking at Zhang En daring to question him, “Well, as long as you can use these alchemy ingredients to refine a high-tier spirit pill, regardless of its quality, you will pass. But, if you fail, I will assume you came to make trouble, so don't blame me when I banish you and your beggar Master from this hall!”