Chapter 13 (1/2)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Fang Lin was calm and composed. In fact, he was even smiling ever so slightly. He clenched his fists and said, “What a coincidence. I know how to answer this question.”

Zhao Dengming frowned. “Do you really know the answer? If you give a nonsensical answer, I’ll never forgive your mistake!”

Fang Lin sniggered, completely disregarding Zhao Dengming’s threat. “The medicinal herb you mentioned should be the Golden Blast Fruit, isn’t it?”

As soon as those words were spoken, Zhao Dengming immediately revealed a tinge of shock on his face. On the other hand, many of the junior alchemy disciples below the stone platform were enlightened by Fang Lin’s answer.

“The Golden Blast Fruit? Oh! So, it turned out to be the Golden Blast Fruit! How did I not think of that?”

“It’s all yellow in color, is warm to the touch, and has a pungent scent. It blooms during the dawn and wilts by dusk and it repeats the cycle every day until it matures in ten years. It is the Golden Blast Fruit!”

“Fang Lin figured out that it’s the Golden Blast Fruit so quickly. That’s truly impressive!”

…

Lu Xiaoqing’s expression was a combination of surprise and happiness. She pondered for a long time but did not manage to think of the Golden Blast Fruit. Yet, Fang Lin managed to answer the question in a single attempt, truly surpassing her expectation.

Sun Hao clenched his teeth tightly in rage. He had been planning to watch Fang Lin embarrass himself, yet he was disappointed once again.

Meanwhile, Kang Lu’s face was dull and gloomy. The junior alchemy disciples by his side were glancing at one another without uttering a word.

“Senior Brother Disciple Kang, do you think that Fang Lin got it right by guessing it luckily?” queried a junior alchemy disciple cautiously.

Kang Lu took a glance at him. He grunted once but did not reply.

“I’m absolutely sure that he got it right by luck. Even experienced junior alchemy disciples like us can’t figure out that it’s the Golden Blast Fruit. How else could Fang Lin have done it then?”

“That’s right. He has never even visited the Herb Garden before. How could he possibly answer the question? He got it right by luck for certain.”

“What a lucky boy. However, he’s not going to be so lucky the next time.”

…

All of Kang Lu’s supporters refused to believe the heresy. They firmly believed that Fang Lin guessed it correctly by luck. Only Kang Lu’s expression was extremely sour because he had a feeling that Fang Lin did not answer it correctly by luck.

The shock on Zhao Dengming’s expression faded quickly. He was an elder after all. Despite the remaining shock he felt in his heart, he refused to reveal it on his face.

“Very well. You truly deserve the reputation of being the outstanding disciple amongst the newly-initiated disciples. Listen to my second question. It will not be as simple as the first one,” said Zhao Dengming while nodding. His tone of speech showed his approval of Fang Lin.

Fang Lin sneered coldly in his heart, but the kind smile remained on his face. “Please ask away, Elder.”

Zhao Dengming paused for a moment before he spoke, “The second question is related to the Herb Garden just as before. There is a species of herb in the Herb Garden that is pale red in color, odorless, rigid hard, and icy cold to the touch. What is it?”

At once, numerous junior alchemy disciples looked toward Fang Lin in an attempt to see if he could still manage to answer correctly once again. However, the majority of them did not think that he could do that. After all, the second question sounded even more ambiguous than the first. Perhaps it would be difficult to find this herb at once even if the person was standing in the Herb Garden.

Meanwhile, even a junior alchemy disciple that was slower than most could tell that Zhao Dengming was deliberately making things difficult for Fang Lin. Otherwise, there was utterly no point for him to propose such a difficult question to a disciple.

“Senior Brother Disciple Kang, Fang Lin isn’t going to answer correctly by luck this time,” said the person by Kang Lu’s side while sneering.

Kang Lu’s expression appeared much more relaxed than before. He nodded then turned around to take a glance at Fang Lin. ‘Fang Lin, I’m going to destroy your reputation of being a genius this time!’ he said ferociously in his heart.

Fang Lin’s gaze swept across the entire space and the numerous junior alchemy disciples. He was scanning through the people’s expressions. ‘Hmph, so do you think that you’re going to watch me embarrass myself? I’m sorry to disappoint all of you,’ he said inwardly.

“Fang Lin, do you not know the answer?” said Zhao Dengming. His voice carried a tinge of coldness and indifference.

“I was just pondering earlier, but I’ve already figured out the answer now. The herb you mentioned should be the Red Horn Branch.”

Zhao Dengming’s expression transformed for a moment. Despite his best efforts to conceal his shock, his expression exposed his emotions.

Every single person including Kang Lu, Sun Hao, and the junior alchemy disciples waiting to see Fang Lin embarrass himself had very irritated expressions, especially Kang Lu. He was so angry that he almost vomited blood.

On the other hand, the rest of the junior alchemy disciples considered it and realized that Fang Lin’s answer matched Zhao Dengming’s description perfectly. The characteristics of the Red Horn Branch matched Fang Lin’s answer flawlessly.

At once, many junior alchemy disciples studied Fang Li in a different light. It was utterly impossible for him to answer these two difficult questions correctly and consecutively by sheer luck. The word ‘genius’ emerged in their minds involuntarily.

Zhao Dengming’s level of astonishment was no less than the junior alchemy disciples below the stone platform. As an elder, he was well aware of the difficulty of those two questions earlier. Let alone a junior alchemy disciple, even some official disciples could not necessarily answer so quickly.