Chapter 88 “Testing the Spirit Force” (Part Two)
Towards this assessment test, Ling Yue was also quite excited and looking forward to it. As far as she’s concerned, the only thing she’s ever controlled solely with her spirit force was that flying dagger and transporting some goods into her dimensional space, hardly a test of her skills.
Coming in front of the nine blotchy looking cauldrons, she inhaled deeply to remove any distractions from her mind.
Slowly, her spirit force seeps out of her body at her command.
Though compared to the president’s massive wave of energy upon release, her form can only be called weak beyond words.
Very soon, the very first of the nine cauldrons were up in the air.
Nodding at the sight, President Liao was pleased by this outcome. It’s as he expected, the girl’s spirit force was well past the entry level.
“Second one now.” Ling Yue’s gaze was focused intently on the second cauldron in the lineup.
Wrapping her spirit force around the cauldron, she slowly lifts the second one up too without much difficulty.
Aside from a trace of sweat coming down the corner of her face, there’s not much else to indicate her accomplishment.
Now it was the third cauldron’s turn. Weighing over sixty Jins, if she can lift this one too, then adding in the last two that’s up in the air already, she would have raised over a hundred Jin.
Focusing her gaze again, “Eh?”
Upon her attempt to raise the third cauldron, Ling Yue found that the consumption of her spirit force nearly doubled in that instant.
Like her surprise, the first two cauldrons in the air also began to sway back and forth like they are about to fall at any time.
Could it be she’s already at the limit?
Then again, to do this much after only a few days of practice is already quite good.
President Liao murmurs this to himself on the side.
Unwilling to accept this, Ling Yue’s focused stare turned into an angry glare, is this all I’m able to do?
No…… I won’t accept this.
At this moment, Ling Yue’s stubbornness once again comes to light.
Clenching her fist, the cauldron mark on her right hand suddenly issued out a bleak ray of light and infused itself into Ling Yue’s body. Like an energy boost, the spirit force inside her began to swell up without her control.
In this instant, the dangling third cauldron immediately swooped into the air like a cat having its tail stepped on.
To think the cauldron’s spirit smoke had this magical effect and can be transformed into energy reserves at the critical moment.
This unexpected discovery caused Ling Yue to be pleasantly surprised inside.
Pondering for a while, she figured this extra reserve of energy created by her spirit smoke would be enough to lift the fourth cauldron too. But in the end, she knew better because three was already more than enough for this simple test.
Now that she’s going to join the Alchemist Association, it’s a wise to be on the cautious side. If she threw everything out now, she won’t have any secret card to play in the future if trouble comes knocking.
During this period where Ling Yue was fighting her urge to wow the crowd, President Liao on the other hand was very much surprised by her achievement.
Just now he clearly felt it, the near exhausted state of the girl here, but in the next moment her spirit force suddenly rose without indication.
Can it be she has some sort of method to restore her spirit reserve?
Unlike Yuan energy where one can consume some elixir or pill to restore, the recovery of the spirit force was much harder.
“President Liao, three cauldron is already my limit.” Ling Yue puts on a fake disappointment and retracts her spirit force.
“My little friend, you’ve done well already.” Although the president still had doubts inside, but it’s not right for him to pursue the issue. After all, every alchemist has their own special way to restore their spirit force.
Besides, the birth of a three cauldron alchemist was good news for Glass City regardless. Aside from himself, the president, the total number of members at this branch was no more than twenty, and those higher than three cauldrons didn’t exceed five or six. So, a thirteen-year-old girl that was also a three-cauldron alchemist was undoubtedly a record breaker in this city.
After determining the level of Ling Yue’s spirit force, President Liao then took her back to the main chamber hall to register her name and to issue her an alchemist robe and a small wooden badge.
Embroidered on the robe was a cauldron emblem with a number three at the center. As for the small wooden badge, only her name was carved on it.
“With this wooden badge alone, you are free access any city in Da Xia without inspection. In addition, you are prone to receive a thirty percent discount on all of your purchases in any of the branches belonging to the association.” The president kindly explains.
In Da Xia, a three cauldron alchemist was already quite high up there. In terms of status symbol, Ling Yue was now no different from a ninth rank public official of the court by this point.
(ninth rank officials are the lowest that watches over a small town or village.)
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Seems the benefits of joining the Alchemist Association is quite considerable.
“However, a three cauldron alchemist must pay ten blue patterned Dan pills to the association each month after joining. Also, when staying at a branch, they must answer the call of the association when called upon.” President Liao also informs her of the various rules pertaining to her membership.
Every month she only needs to offer up ten blue patterned Dan pills, that’s no big deal. One use of her cauldron and she can easily concoct a dozen or so in one go.
“Oh yes, my little friend, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you. A while ago the Profit House was selling a bunch of blue patterned Dan pills through their auction, are those made by your hands?” Since the day where the vice president informed him of the incident, he’s been secretly investigating who was the owner of those pills.
Now that he’s got a clearer picture at Ling Yue’s spirit force level, it’s not hard for him to figure out the girl can also create Dan pills.
“As expected of the president, I can’t hide anything from you.” Making a frank smile, Ling Yue didn’t intend to conceal anything and directly answered the old man because she’s going to be a part of the Alchemist Association anyways.
President Liao’s mood today was very good. Not only did he receive a fine talent like Ling Yue, the two Zhang brothers also came out positive on the test and could train in the use of their spirit force.
The meaning of this was simple, the Alchemist Association branch in Glass City all of sudden just got three new recruits.
“By the way my little friend, do you know the background of that alchemist siding with that Song Guang Zhi and the rest?” When Ling Yue was just about to take her leave, the president chases in with this question.
“The person is surnamed Lian, a quasi-alchemist. Isn’t he a member of the branch here?” She’s always thought that Master Lian was a member of the branch here, but based on the president’s expression, it seems she’s mistaken.
“No, that man should be a man of a different branch from afar. But I am quite surprised though that he can make a Yuan Iron of eighty percent quality. Also, his spirit force level is even higher than yours. This person is not simple and I don’t believe he’s coming with good intent. Now that you beat him today, he’s not going to let things slide so easily. Do be careful in the future.” President Liao kindly reminded Ling Yue of the danger ahead.
Giving her thanks, Ling Yue then took off from the building to leave behind the pondering President Liao in the background.
Something’s been bother this old man for a while now. Ever since he saw Master Lian forge out that Yuan Iron today, he’s been getting an uncomfortable feeling all this time but couldn’t figure out why.
Not long after leaving the Alchemist Association, Ling Yue’s mind was already occupied by what happened during the test earlier and how her spirit smoke suddenly changed on its own.
Rechecking her body again, she’s found that everything’s returned to normal again.
It seems the effects of the spirit smoke giving her a boost can only be maintained for a short period.
Meaning she can become a four cauldron alchemist for a brief period before reverting back to a three cauldron.
Four cauldron, plus her eighth rank in the constitution domain, this should be enough for her to challenge any master of the lower celestial realm or a four cauldron alchemist.
While she muses over her findings as she walked through the streets, the sky was already turning dark without her realization. By the time she came to again, she was in an empty street with no pedestrian nearby.