Chapter 3 (1/2)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Fang Lin took a seat under a tree and leaned his back against the trunk lazily. With his eyes half-squinted, he enjoyed the beautiful scenery before him. He took a bite of the apple in his hand. It was an extremely splendid scene.

At present, it had already been a month since Fang Lin’s initiation. He was already acquainted with the basics of the Purple Glow Sect.

The Purple Glow Sect was divided into two divisions: alchemy and martial arts. One of the divisions was focused on cultivating alchemy while the other cultivated martial arts.

Fang Lin was a disciple of the alchemy sect naturally. However, he was not an official disciple but a junior alchemy disciple.

What was a junior alchemy disciple?

In reality, a newly-initiated alchemy disciple would begin their journey as a junior alchemy disciple. They could only become true alchemy disciples after passing the promotion examination successfully.

During the five years as a junior alchemy disciple, one would be able to take part in the promotion examination that was held once annually. If the person failed to pass the examination for five years continuously, then the person would be expelled from the Purple Glow Sect and transferred to all sorts of estates under the Purple Glow Sect’s reign.

In other words, every junior alchemy disciple would have five opportunities for promotion. One could become an official disciple after passing the examination and taking part in the alchemist ranking examination to gain more resources and guidance from the sect.

Fang Lin had almost accomplished nothing since his initiation a month ago, other than spending his days sunbathing.

The people that were initiated as junior alchemy disciples on the same day as Fang Lin were learning about medicinal herbs in the Herb Garden. With their effort, they could be described as learning day and night tirelessly. Only Fang Lin had never visited the Herb Garden for the entire month after taking a stroll through it on the first day.

Fang Lin’s noteworthy conduct and independent character gained a reputation among the three thousand junior alchemy disciples. However, the reputation basically comprised of mockery and disdain. They assumed that he was a lazy slob without the slightest initiative for improvement and that he was destined to be expelled.

On the contrary, Fang Lin appeared to be carefree without the slightest care for the others’ perceptions and ideologies. He spent every day strolling and exploring different places besides sleeping in until midday.

He was not a lazy slob, but there was simply no need for him to learn anymore. It was truly unworthy to mention junior alchemy discipleship with Fang Lin’s alchemy attainments in his past life. As for the Herb Garden, he had already identified all the herbs in the garden after strolling around the place on that single day, so there was no need for him to visit it twice.

In Fang Lin’s perception, it would be enough for him to wait for the promotion examination obediently.

“Fang Lin, why are you taking a nap over here again?” A clear female voice was heard. It was a young maiden dressed in a simple junior alchemy disciple’s uniform.

The young maiden was one of the junior alchemy disciples that were initiated on the same day as Fang Lin. Her name was Lu Xiaoqing and she was considered the few junior alchemy disciples who had an amicable relationship with Fang Lin.

Lu Xiaoqing made her way to his front. She felt anger rise in her chest as she studied his lazy behavior. Her expression was unkind as she nagged him with good intentions, “Fang Lin, you’re not going to pass the examination for sure if you continue to do this every day. In these five years of being a junior alchemy disciple, is it possible that you’re just going to idle away and wait for death?” She was extremely displeased with his current behavior.

Fang Lin’s interest was piqued upon seeing Lu Xiaoqing’s anxious look. He said amusedly, “Why are you anxious? We’ve only been initiated for a month, haven’t we? We still have plenty of time.”

Lu Xiaoqing wished that she could pull Fang Lin up from the ground badly.

“Do you know how difficult the promotion examination is? Many of our seniors have failed twice or thrice. Never mind the five opportunities, but I don’t think that you’ll be able to pass even after ten attempts!” said Lu Xiaoqing in exasperation.

Fang Lin stood up and patted away the dirt on his shirt. He said casually, “My fellow disciple, Xiaoqing, you must put in more effort and work hard. I don’t want to see you remaining as a junior alchemy disciple by the time I’ve become an official disciple.”

Lu Xiaoqing widened her eyes in surprise. She looked at Fang Lin with a strange gaze in confusion. How was this boy so confident of himself?

She was truly frustrated. In fact, she was even feeling rather disappointed in Fang Lin. She thought inwardly, ‘Even if you’re naturally gifted, I don’t believe that you can pass the examination if you’re this lazy to learn about medicinal herbs.’

“Suit yourself. I won’t be bothered then.” Lu Xiaoqing stamped her foot in rage and left.

Fang Lin smiled. He was about to continue his nap when he suddenly noticed Elder Meng Wuyou was walking over from a close distance.

“Fang Lin, you’re doing a disservice to your Withered Tree Revived in the Spring by being so dispirited!” Elder Meng Wuyou had yet to arrive, but his lament could already be heard.

Fang Lin stiffened. Since when was he dispirited? He was so cheerful and joyous. He did not look dispirited at all, did he?

As Meng Wuyou approached, he looked at Fang Lin with an expression of regret and helplessness. In Meng Wuyou’s perception, Fang Lin’s current behavior was partially due to his doing. After all, Fang Lin had discovered his talent by himself, yet he was initially mistreated, so Meng Wuyou could not blame him for being so dispirited.

In Meng Wuyou’s eyes, Fang Lin’s act of relaxing and doing as he wished was a display of his dejection.

He wanted to take Fang Lin to meet the first elder back in the beginning in hopes that the latter would make an exception for the young man to become an official disciple. However, the first elder had not approved. He thought that no special exception should be given no matter how gifted a person was. Since Fang Lin was gifted, then starting off as a junior alchemy disciple was excellent practice for him.