The Desire to Be Eternal

Chapter 42: The Promotion Test

The Apothecary Journeyman Hall is located on the southern face of Fragrant Cloud Peak. It was surrounded by lush trees and vegetation, and could only be accessed by a narrow limestone pathway that meandered from one of the main roads that flowed up and down the mountain. Unless there is an ongoing promotional test, some people will walk along that path. However, when the time came for the exam, it would be crowded.

In addition to the students who came to take the test, there were also friends who came to support the test takers, or even people who are not confident enough to take the test without first observing it are held several times.

From a distance, the Journeyman Apothecary Hall actually looked like one sitting cross-legged in meditation. In front of that person was a pill furnace, underneath which was a passageway leading to the square.

Arranged in the main square were twenty pill furnaces, all of which looked exactly the same. Next to each pill furnace was a bag containing various types of plants and herbs that could be used in concocting medicine.

It was dawn, and Bai Xiaochun, worried about getting lost, came very early. However, when he arrived, he discovered that there were people who had come earlier than him. There were dozens of people standing in groups of two or three, chatting calmly, and even some people who stood apart from the others alone, waiting cross-legged in meditation.

Bai Xiaochun was not the type to sit around like a meditating fool. After looking around, he looked at Xu Baocai and walked over. When Xu Baocai saw him approaching, he clasped his hands to give his greetings, and the two of them started chatting. It quickly became clear that almost nothing had happened in the sect without Xu Baocai knowing it.

“Older Brother Bai,” said, “did you hear that about half a year ago, Chen Fei and his friends were mysteriously beaten into bloody pulp? From then on, they've been bedridden, and for some reason, won't talk at all about what happened. " Even as he spoke, he looked at Bai Xiaochun carefully to see his reaction.

Bai Xiaochun yawned dramatically, and was just about to start bragging about what had happened when suddenly, a buzz of conversation appeared among the crowd. At the same time, Bai Xiaochun felt as if someone had suddenly looked towards him. When he turned his head, he saw a young woman walking towards him.

He was wearing the long clothes of an Outer Sect disciple, but it did nothing to hide his plump figure. She had a slender waist like a willow tree, which only served to accentuate her curves, and make her look extremely beautiful. He had long legs, and a cheerful backside, and when he approached, one could not stop staring.

With her beautiful face, and clear white skin that seemed so delicate that it might be broken by a weak wind, she let out an attraction that could easily prove fatal to almost all men.

Bai Xiaochun was somewhat disgusted to hear people gulp dramatically, even Xu Baocai.

Xu Baocai licked his lips, and his eyes shone with an infatuated feeling, "That's .. Elder Sister Du, Du Lingfei!" he whispered excitedly. "She's one of the five hottest women on the south bank! She is the eternal beauty of my heart …. Oh my God, he just looked at me !! ”

"He's looking at me!" Bai Xiaochun said mockingly. He just watched as Du Lingfei got closer. Suddenly, his phoenix-like eyes flickered with a murderous aura as he stared straight at Bai Xiaochun. He had long since acknowledged that Bai Xiaochun's skills with plants and herbs exceeded his abilities. However, she was still filled with complete and total disgust for him. With a slight grunt, he walked to the side.

Xu Baocai looked at him in a daze, completely unaware of Bai Xiaochun's ridicule. In fact, he seemed even more infatuated than before.

"So Du Lingfei will take the test as well …." Bai Xiaochun thought. After looking at the twenty pill furnaces, he calmed down and focused. “Ah, whatever, it doesn't matter. I'm not here to compete with him. This was a test organized by the sect, not a contest. Everyone has a chance to get promoted. ”

Immediately, Chen Ziang appeared, and when he saw Bai Xiaochun, he hesitated for a moment, then grinned and called out a greeting. Bai Xiaochun smiled and held hands in response, after which Chen Zi'ang sat down by the side to wait.

Eventually, even Zhao Yiduo appeared, whom Bai Xiaochun had first encountered outside the Mission Office. Then, more and more people started popping up, and a sizable crowd of people built up.

Before too much time passed, the main door of the Journeyman Apothecary Hall opened wide, and an old man walked out. He had white hair full of heads, and sharp eyes, and as soon as he appeared, everyone fell silent.

The old man's expression was calm as he stepped forward with his hands clasped behind his back. He stopped in front of the square, looked around at all the Outer Sect disciples, then nodded and began to speak.

“i am surnamed Xu, and I will lead this exam for the promotion from apprentice apothecary to day worker apothecary.

“Tes will consist of one section regarding plants and vegetation, and another about concocting medicine. To pass through the section about plants and vegetation, it is enough to walk through the hallway. " Older Xu did not seem to want to give any further explanation. After speaking only three sentences, he simply closed his eyes and ignored everyone.

Even when Bai Xiaochun blinked in response, a long-faced young man walked out of the crowd. After clasping his hands and bowing to Elder Xu, he walked towards the passageway that led under the giant pill furnace.

Upon entering the hallway door, a beam of light appeared, which surrounded him, then disappeared. A moment later, the pill furnace trembled, then let out five muffled echoes.

Xu Baocai bowed and whispered, "Five echoes means that his expertise with plants and herbs covers the fifth volume …." He clearly deserved his reputation for knowing everything in the sect.

Bai Xiaochun blinked again. Before coming, he had no idea how exactly the exam would be conducted. After hearing Xu Baocai's explanation, he inspected the huge stone pill furnace, and suddenly felt that it should be connected to the stone inscriptions outside the 10,000 Medicine pavilion.

"What am I doing now…?" thought doubtful. "Fans of Zhou Xinqi are still combing the mountain for me."

Soon, more and more people approached, most of whom received five echoes. However, one of them only received four echoes, where Elder Xu flicked his sleeve, sending the disciple away.

"Older Xu!" exclaimed the disciple, his face flickering. "i think the volume of four plants and vegetation is the minimum requirement to be able to take the test!"

“The rules have changed. This is the fifth volume. "

"But…." The young man stared in shock, then bitterly clasped his hand and bowed. Not daring to say anything more, he left.

This turn of events caused the sound of whispering conversations to swell. Xu Baocai's eyes flickered in surprise, and he suddenly produced a small notebook, in which he began to make notes. Bai Xiaochun looked up and saw a page filled with handwritten lines, each character as small as the head of a fly. Apparently it was a record of all matters relating to the sect, large as well as small. Bai Xiaochun could not help but marvel at how seriously Xu Baocai took this entire matter.

It was at this point that Zhao Yiduo stood up and entered the passageway. Echoes echoed six times, after which Elder Xu opened his eyes and slightly nodded. Zhao Yiduo clasped his hands and then stepped out of the passageway.

Chen Ziang's eyes blinked. He and Zhao Yiduo never got along, so he gave a cold snort and walked into the hall, after which six echoes could be heard.

After giving Zhao Yiduo a meaningful look, and sitting cross-legged to the side.

The fact that both Zhao Yiduo and Chen Zi'ang had received six echoes caused the turmoil of the envious conversation to appear. At the same time, Du Lingfei's eyes flickered, and he walked through the passageway. When he did, six echoes could be heard, which caused even more envious rays to appear in the eyes of the spectators.

The murmuring conversation instantly happened.

"Chen Ziang, Zhao Yiduo, and Du Lingfei were people with extraordinary talent in the Outer Sect. Not only did they master the five volumes of plants and herbs, but they also had the command of the first volume of spirit beings. I would say that they have a seventy to eighty percent chance of passing the test and being promoted to a day-worker pharmacist. "

"Historically, anyone who took the daily worker apothecary test who had mastered six stone inscriptions would pass, as long as the disciple's performance in concocting medicine was not lacking."

“aku, Han Jianye, has spent seven years in secluded meditation, and has finally made a major breakthrough in my skills with plants and herbs. Finally, I appeared once again to the world, not only promoted to a day-worker apothecary, but also to be the best day-worker apothecary in the entire exam! ” Seemed extremely proud and tall, he flickered in the air towards the hallway of the giant pill furnace.

Elder Xu did not pay attention to the man, not even willing to open his eyes. However, everyone in the crowd looked astonished to have heard Han Jianye's name.

“Han Jianye? Who'sis that? I've never heard of him before. "

"Given how old he was, he should have been an Outer Sect disciple from seven or eight years ago .. He wanted to become a top-tier day-worker apothecary, which was not an easy thing to do. "

Even when everyone expressed their shock, Han Jianye stepped into the hallway, looking extremely proud and confident. Almost immediately, a powerful echo began to reverberate into the air.

One echo, two echoes .. five, six, seven .. before anyone among the crowd could even react, eight echoes echoed out from within the pill furnace.

Elder Xu's eyes snapped open, and he looked at the middle-aged man, a wide smile praising his face.

"Five volumes of plants and herbs, and three volumes of spirit beings," he said. "That's amazing!"

Looking extremely excited, Han Jianye clasped her hands and bowed to Elder Xu. Then he turned around, and when he saw Du Lingfei and the others, the pride in his eyes was very clear. Swinging his sleeves, he sat confidently in front of the center-most of the pill furnace.

Finally, panting could be heard from the crowd, as well as the sound of conversation.

“Eight echoes! Not only did he master everything about plants and herbs, he was even able to break through three volumes of spirit beasts! ”

"It seems like he might be able to do exactly as he said and become a top day-worker apothecary!"

When Bai Xiaochun witnessed what had happened, he left with quite a lacking feeling. Therefore, when everyone in the crowd started to get excited, he could barely believe it.

"He only mastered three volumes of spirit beasts, right?" he asked about Xu Baocai. "Why is everyone making such a big fuss?" If he remembered correctly, when it came to the stone inscription of the three spirit beasts, over a thousand people registered had passed through it. Even the tenth stone inscription had been passed by hundreds of people.

Xu Baocai rolled his eyes, feeling even more contemptuous than Bai Xiaochun before. Of course, he did not dare to voice that humiliation, and instead cleared his throat and said, “ Elder Brother Bai, you do not understand. Mastering all five volumes of plants and herbs is quite difficult as such. The volume of spirit beasts was even more difficult! Even mastering one of them is enough to make you a subject that many envy. Clearly, mastering three was even more shocking. Do you think everyone can be perfectly chosen like Zhou Xinqi or the little turtle? Look, forget about both. On all of Fragrant Cloud Peak, there were probably less than fifty people who had passed through the stone inscriptions of all five volumes of plants and vegetation plus all five volumes of spirit beasts!

“Each of them is a dragon and a phoenix among humans. Think about it! There were many names on the stone inscription, but the list of names was thousands of years old. Plus, many of those people had moved to the Inner Sect, leaving only their names in the Outer Sect!

“More, you only need to master five volumes to take this test. This guy has eight! As he said, he would definitely become a top day-worker apothecary, who would reward him with 5,000 points. "

Although Xu Baocai's words were actually a little insulting if you pay close attention, Bai Xiaochun didn't really notice. With eyes gleaming with excitement, he looked at Xu Baocai and said, "Did you just say that Zhou Xinqi and the little turtle were the perfect choice? Are they really great? ”

"of course! Especially the little turtle. He's really surprising. He was the first person in a thousand years to obtain the first place in the tenth stone inscription. Elder Brother Bai, I must say, you shouldn't aim too high. " Even as the humiliation in Xu Baocai's heart rose to new heights, Bai Xiaochun burst into laughter. The more he was around Xu Baocai, the more he liked her. Clapping his shoulders, he suddenly stepped forward.

Xu Baocai gaped in shock as Bai Xiaochun walked towards the passageway. Of course, Bai Xiaochun was somewhat famous for his skill with plants and vegetation, given that he had defeated Du Lingfei. It was certain that he would finally take this test.

However, what happened next caused Xu Baocai's eyes to enlarge. Bai Xiaochun walked proudly into the hallway, after which a flash of light could be seen, and a muffled echo began.

One, two, three .. six, seven, eight!

Everyone became quiet. However, the echo did not stop. The ninth echo resounded and then ... one tenth!

THE RUMBLING!

When the tenth echo resounded, Elder Xu's eyes opened, and they shone with unprecedented brightness. He looked at Bai Xiaochun, completely shocked.

It should be stated that it would be rare enough for one of the thousands of Outer Sect disciples at the Peak of Fragrant Clouds to master all ten volumes, including five for plants and herbs, to master, and five for spirit beings. They all took this test. For someone to be patient waiting until they mastered the tenth was something Elder Xu had never seen, to this day.

Even Zhou Xinqi had taken the test after only mastering nine.

Du Lingfei's eyes widened as he looked at Bai Xiaochun who was standing there in the hallway. Although he already knew that he was much more advanced than he was in his skills with plants and herbs, he never imagined that he would reach such an astonishing level. Not only did he completely master plants and herbs, he also possessed surprising skills with spirit beasts.

His mind was spinning, and he could do nothing but gawk blankly. He could not help but recall how he demanded to compete with her in skill with plants and herbs, and how he carefully and even nervously asked about her rank. Then he thought about how anxious he was when he agreed to compete.

At this moment he realized that Bai Xiaochun's anxiety back then was a front, hiding the wide smile that had developed in his heart.

"May. The xiao's. CHUN !! ” she thinks, gnashing her teeth.

Chen Ziang and Zhao Yiduo also gasped and looked at Bai Xiaochun in astonishment.

As for Han Jianye, who had spent so many years in secluded meditation, he began to tremble. He glared at Bai Xiaochun, his mind spinning, a shockwave hitting him as he realized that Bai Xiaochun must be his sworn enemy for life.

"The most important part of the daily worker apothecary test is concocting medicines!" he thinks. “He may be strong, but I refuse to believe that he can defeat me in concocting medicine.I spent seven years in secluded meditation just to grab the top spot in this exam !! ”

At the same time, the outer Sect disciples around him were panting and even crying out in surprise.

"That's .. ten echoes! That meant he mastered all five volumes of spirit beasts as well! He passed through all the stone inscriptions outside the 10,000 Medicine Pavilion! Not even fifty disciples in the entire Outer Sect could do that! "

“This guy has incredible patience! He waited to pass the ten stone inscriptions before taking the promotion test! "