68 Chapter 67: Examination results (1/2)
”Time's up! Whether you've passed the examination or not should be pretty clear by now.”
While walking to the front, Elder Zhao issued that announcement, causing a flurry of panicked movements as examinees hastily improvised to finish their half-forged armaments or something. He glanced at the digital clock at the front of the cavern, and nodded.
”Just stay where you are and don't move. I'll come to each of you personally.”
And now, the excruciating wait part where we sat down and idled, nervously watching Elder Zhao as he assessed the artifacts we had just forged. Beginning with Liang Shao Yang, Elder Zhao would pick up an artifact and examine it using his qi senses. You know, that spiritual bullshit thing where he felt for the inside using spiritual senses to ensure there was spiritual cohesion or a harmony between yin and yang and all that.
After spending a few seconds sensing the artifact, Elder Zhao would then make a decision whether or not he was satisfied with the forged item. If he was, he would record the examinee's candidate number in his tablet. Otherwise…nope.
Those poor dudes who didn't get their numbers recorded in the tablet were then approached by the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect disciples, who had the ignominious duty of informing them that they had failed and guiding them outside the cavern.
Needless to say, Liang Shao Yang passed. I might add that Yin Jing Jing passed as well. Tong Xue, who was right at the front, also passed without any difficulties, Elder Zhao clearly recording their numbers in his tablet after observing their artifacts. If someone like me could see that from so far away, they could too.
I gulped. The tension was getting to me and I had to clench my hands into fists to stop my fingers from fiddling anxiously. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to relax even as Elder Zhao drew closer and closer.
To be honest, I needn't be so nervous. After all, I couldn't care less if I failed or not. I never intended to join the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect to begin with. And given the hostility emanating from some of the other candidates (while a few remained grateful to me for helping them during the second stage of the examination), I wasn't sure I would be comfortable entering the sect with them.
It would be so awkward.
Unfortunately, while I was half-distracted by my thoughts, Elder Zhao eventually reached my position. He picked up my rifle, tested its weight and probed it with his qi senses, and his eyes widened at the relatively complex mechanisms within it. He marveled over it, instinctively understanding what its purpose was, and nodded in approval.
Without saying anything, he recorded my number in his tablet and moved on to the next candidate.
I breathed a sigh of relief, not realizing that I had been holding my breath this entire time. Wiping the perspiration from my forehead, I sagged back, the tension seeping out of me in one go. Closing my eyes, I smiled.
Before I knew it, an hour had passed and only twenty-four people remained standing within the cavern. The rest of the examinees had been guided out of the furnace room by the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect disciples, having been informed of their failure. I couldn't help but feel sorry for them, and simultaneously relieved that I avoided such an unfortunate fate.
”All right, all of you remaining in the room have passed the examination,” Elder Zhao declared with a grin. ”Tomorrow, inner sect disciples will meet you and choose their assistants from your batch. If any of you are chosen, you'll have the chance to learn authentic forging methods from them. Make sure you watch and learn carefully!”
”Yes…”
The remaining twenty-four candidates chorused in unison. Elder Zhao's smile widened and he nodded in approval.
”But becoming an inner sect disciple's assistant is a tough job too. You're required to help them grind and sort their spirit materials, or help them while they forge spirit armaments. Of course, such experiences will aid you greatly in developing your own forging methods, so I truly hope that most of you will benefit from being selected.”
He then consulted his tablet and a mischievous glint lit up in his eyes. Clearing his throat, he glanced at me and Tong Xue.
”Tong Xue and Fei Wu, was it? You've both already been selected. I'm sure you already know who you are assistants for.”
We did indeed, and thus we officially became the assistants of Lian Rou and Tang Qi Hong.
What I didn't know, however, was some sort of weird drama unfolding behind the scenes…
*
”WHAT?!”
Hu Mei Er shrieked when she heard the news. Apparently she had tried to book me as her assistant, but her plan failed miserably when she learned that Tang Qi Hong had long booked me in advance.
”I knew it! Number two hundred and forty-four…you have some kind of relationship with Tang Qi Hong!”
Clenching her fists angrily, Hu Mei Er glared into the distance.
”No wonder he was able to resist my charms! He was already used to being around such beauties, having a relationship with Tang Qi Hong and all that!”
She narrowed her eyes as she pondered over what she had learned for a moment, and a sinister smile slipped over her face.
”Junior Tang…you might have gotten yourself someone who seems to be a decent man…but as your sworn rival, I'll definitely take everything away from you. Even your man. I don't believe I'll be able to seduce him away from you!'
That girl…she evidently loved to waste her time on such nonsense. While it wasn't as if I was completely immune to her charm, I feared Tang Qi Hong's rage even more, and was sensible enough not to involve myself with Hu Mei Er.
However, Hu Mei Er's grudge against me lay deeper than merely my association with Tang Qi Hong.
”Moreover, that bastard humiliated me in front of everyone…I'll never forgive him! I'll definitely have my revenge! Once I succeed in seducing him, I'll then dump him in front of everyone and drive him out of the sect! I'll definitely ensure that you'll get expelled from the sect in the most shameful manner possible!”
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, indeed…
On the other hand, I had to roll my eyes. The girl was already assuming that she would succeed in her schemes. It wasn't as if I knew or overheard what she was saying back then, but thanks to hindsight and my protagonist's privilege, I guessed there was no harm in chronologically fishing out this little instance for the amusement of the existences beyond the fourth wall.
”I swear, I'll make him suffer and kick him out of the sect!”
For the rest of the night, the people in the Tushan Residence belonging to the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect heard a series of terrifying, hysterical laughter echoing creepily from within one of their most vaunted rooms.
*
Of course, I was blissfully unaware of this at that time. I was still paying attention to whatever Elder Zhao was saying.
”Number eighty-seven, Tong Xue, and number two hundred and forty-four, Fei Wu. The two of you can go ahead and leave first. There is no longer any need for both of you to remain here…for now, anyway.” Elder Zhao's smile was slightly ominous and I felt a chill run down my spine for some reason. ”Return to Tushan City in three days' time. Pack whatever clothing and necessities you require, and bring them to Tushan City. Before the New Year holidays, and also before the semester begins, you'll be staying in the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect's outer sect residence. And you're to return here even after the semester begins, for after-school training.”
So this was where the Traditionalists come to everyday after school. Having been an Experimentalist previously, I had never experienced having a sect to return to after school everyday. Many people chose to stay in the residences provided by their sects but a significant portion of students returned to the Wu Ling Academy dormitories during the evenings so that they wouldn't need to travel too far to get to classes in the morning.
While Tong Xue and I made to move, I couldn't help but glance back at the rest of the dudes who had passed the examination along with us. Elder Zhao had turned to address them, that sinister smile having disappeared from his wrinkled face.
”The rest of you, however, will have to remain here until tomorrow, at least. You will need to wait for the inner sect assistant selection tomorrow. When the results are released, then only would you also be given three days to prepare before returning here.”
Without anything else to talk about, Elder Zhao then dismissed the rest of the people in the courtyard where we were led to after the third stage of the exam was completed. The outer sect disciples brought the newly initiated to the temporary dormitories where they would stay for the night. Unfortunately, neither Tong Xue nor I had any place to stay, since we had been instructed by Elder Zhao to return home to prepare.
”Let's go,” I told Tong Xue and he nodded. The both of us exited the courtyard together and headed home. This would be the last time I would see my parents before the New Year holidays, so I had best make the best of my time.
”We passed the entrance exam!” Tong Xue exclaimed in joy. I shrugged nonchalantly. Truthfully, I had never thought that I would be able to pass the entrance exam, especially since my knowledge in forging spirit armaments was lacking so much. Hell, I only knew one type of Spirit Engraving. The one I learned while cultivating Heaven and Earth Formula, and I used that to stabilize, however briefly, the ice swords that I froze from thin air.
I had been aware that this particular Spirit Engraving would have much greater effects on actual spirit armaments that weren't just hastily forged from the air, having experimented with it before and practiced countless of times during my training. Even then, I had mostly practiced on inscribing the Spirit Engraving onto ice weapons that I froze out of thin air and rarely touched real spirit materials. It couldn't be helped.
After all, actual spirit materials were incredibly expensive and difficult to get my hands on. They weren't something I could simply procure solely to practice on.
Fortunately, regardless of the medium, the method of inscribing the Spirit Engraving was the same. Thanks to that, I was able to make use of my experience of countlessly practicing the Spirit Engraving on ice weapons and applied it to actual spirit materials. I had to admit, even I was slightly impressed by the result, and very pleasantly surprised.
However, that was as far as my knowledge of Spirit Engraving went. Unless I learned other Spirit Engravings and methods, I would remain a one-trick pony. It would be incredibly difficult for me to catch up with the other aspiring blacksmiths and Spirit Engravers if I relied solely on my Heaven and Earth Spirit Engraving.
Little did I know, it was precisely this Heaven and Earth Spirit Engraving that had caught the eye of both Elder Zhao and Hu Mei Er, because it was extremely valuable and rare. I didn't know it at that time, but apparently just my knowledge of this Spirit Engraving alone rendered me someone who was highly precious to the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect, regardless of whether I actually had any knowledge of other Spirit Engravings or not.
Additionally, my Heaven and Earth qi sense allowed me to be very sensitive to the different kinds of Spirit Engravings, allowing me to read them more easily than other people. It was this ability that also made me vital in the eyes of the senior and professional Spirit Engravers.
Of course, I knew none of this, and to be frank, I couldn't care less about Spirit Engraving. It was fun, a little hobby that allowed me to fight on even ground by freezing ice swords for my Ghost Shadow Sword techniques, nothing more. I had never entertained the notion of ever becoming a blacksmith or Spirit Engraver.
”Still, Fei Wu, you're really amazing.”
”Huh?”
I turned and stared at Tong Xue, puzzled by his sudden statement. What the hell was he talking about?
”To be able to draw the attention of that Hu Mei Er….even a girl as challenging as her has been completely tamed by you.”
”Tamed by me?” I repeated incredulously. ”More like she's harboring some sort of grudge against me, especially after what I accidentally did to her.”
Tong Xue stared at me in mock horror and surprise. ”You mean all of that was just an accident?”
”Dude…”
I shook my head, too weary to argue. Besides, I knew Tong Xue long enough to be aware that he was only joking.
”Seriously, though, you have to be careful.” The humor in Tong Xue's expression vanished as he stared at me gravely. ”Hu Mei Er is certainly someone who does hold a grudge. Now that you're in the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect as well, she'll find all sorts of ways to make your life difficult.”
”Is it possible for me to reject the offer and leave the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect now?” I wondered out loud, honestly not wanting to deal with all that trouble. Tong Xue laughed.
”Come on now, you shouldn't be giving up so easily.” Tong Xue patted me in the back. ”What are you so worried about? You have Tang Qi Hong to look after you. She'll definitely not allow Hu Mei Er to bully you.”
I nodded in agreement. Tong Xue had a point, and I was suddenly reminded of why I even bothered to put in effort in the exam. I didn't want to disappoint Tang Qi Hong, after all. And I didn't want to see her hurt if I quit right after she chose me as her assistant. I needed to repay her faith in me somehow.
”Speaking of which, you really have quite the thick skin, confessing to Lian Rou in front of everyone like that.” I pushed my glasses up my nose to peer curiously at Tong Xue from behind my thick lenses. ”To think that you actually came all the way to the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect just for a woman. You're quite the romantic.”
”Ha ha, it's worth it, though!” Tong Xue grinned happily. ”But Lian Rou is nothing compared to Tang Qi Hong. Tang Qi Hong is the most beautiful princess in the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect. her beauty is famed throughout even the eight major sects, rivaled only by Hu Mei Er and Bai Ning Xue. Countless men dream of her. You should know that there are many young men who try to join the Nine-Tailed Fox Sect to get close to her, to attempt becoming her assistant. Yet she has rejected every single person before. I think she's pretty happy when she saw that you've participated in this entrance exam.”