Chapter 148: An Evaluation Higher Than Excellent
“Move these wheat grains to the cave warehouse for storage.”
After thinking for a while, Xilutiya made a decision.
The harvested 17000 jin of ‘rare’ grade wheat, with 15000 jin moved to the cave warehouse for storage, where it is relatively cool, and the sun-dried wheat grains are not prone to mold.
Wheat, if not husked, can last 3-5 years at room temperature, or 5-8 years if below （15°）, this while ensuring eating texture; if not minding slight texture change, it can last even longer.
The remaining 2000 jin of ‘rare’ grade wheat is placed in the warehouse next to the windmill for grinding into flour, preparing for sale or consumption.
As for the remaining 3000 jin of ‘perfect’ quality wheat, Xilutiya plans to first store it in the cellar next to her small house, where the environment is safe, and the ‘castle’ nature magic array isolates it, preventing the ’emerald honey’ nature aura from leaking.
After arranging properly, these toads began transporting the harvested wheat grains, and carefully divided areas for stacking, making it convenient for future inspection and processing.
After finishing the harvest, a large amount of straw remained in the field; Xilutiya had the toads keep the straw from the ‘perfect’ quality wheat for storage, while the straw from other wheat was used with intact parts as bedding material for the toads, and another part woven into straw mats or hats and other daily items.
As for the remaining scattered straw, it was burned together with the turned soil, which not only kills the insect eggs inside but also adds some fertility to the land.
After handling these, Xilutiya once again made the alfalfa in the deep soil sprout and grow, occupying the entire field, with lush green tender alfalfa blooming purple flower petals piece by piece.
It’s time to go to the city to report, Xilutiya thought.
She brought some wheat of various qualities, then set off for White Stone Fortress.
……
The horse carriage traveled through the early autumn wilderness, with clear skies and crisp air; lying on the tall straw stack, Xilutiya gazed at the distant blue sky, thinking about future matters.
This past half year on Golden Plain could be said to have brought her leaping progress in the gardener profession; indeed, practice is the best teacher.
Now in gardening, she has reached a relatively stable stage; it’s also time to explore other fields.
For example, learning 1-2 combat abilities, observing how bakers turn wheat flour into higher quality food, how those skilled blacksmiths craft items, and how adventures in the border are conducted and what gains they bring, etc.
Thinking that she has been in Shadow World for over half a year, always limited to the valley and White Stone Fortress areas, it’s time to travel to other places.
Right, she previously promised Agrun to craft a saber; now she should not be short on money, so she can help Agrun with this.
Additionally, she needs to write a letter to Florera, telling her about her recent situation, etc., not knowing how this elf girl is doing lately.
Unfortunately, Shadow World and the surface are still hard to communicate with; even if she writes to Madam Fran or Scholar Heide, it would probably arrive half a year later.
At noon, Xilutiya, as before, had the carriage stop at the post station in the city, and left about ten toads there to guard and live.
Afterward, she brought a small package of wheat grains and flour to the Woodland Association.
“Hello, Miss Xilutiya.” The receptionist seemed to recognize her and welcomed her with a smile.
“Hello, I want to apply for the half-year assessment.”
“Okay, let me check your number and records.” The receptionist flipped through the roster and records, then found Xilutiya’s page.
“You arrived at Golden Plain half a year ago; since it’s your first assessment, reaching 70% of the target is passing, but if you want ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ evaluations, the standards remain the same as before.”
“I understand.” The maiden nodded slightly, then continued to ask.
“Is ‘excellent’ evaluation the highest? If the results are better, what rewards are there?”
“‘Excellent’ evaluation is indeed not the highest; above it is ‘outstanding’, but this evaluation has no exact standard; it’s applied for by the teacher during assessment based on the situation, and then appraised by five or more reviewers to obtain.”
“Learners who get ‘outstanding’ evaluation are rare, about 3-5 per session, all having achieved extremely brilliant results during their learner period.”
“I see, then what benefits come after obtaining it?” She wondered if she should try for this.
“There are of course many benefits, like higher supply standards, more permissions opened, and more attention, etc.”
“Every learner who gets ‘outstanding’ evaluation will be granted a ‘Third Order·Excellent’ quality crafted item by the association, and allowed to select one mid-tier secret art to be taught for free.”
“Additionally, learners with ‘outstanding’ evaluation can use the teleportation magic array without limit to go to various stations; this is generally a permission for Third Order professionals.”
“For ordinary Second Order learners, they can only use the teleportation magic array once every three months to travel between different branch stations.”
Originally, Xilutiya was quite yearning for a leisurely natural pastoral life, but the other side offered too much; the right to freely go to different stations, this ‘freedom’, instantly tipped the scales, making her decide.
Well, becoming famous on Golden Plain, she can just travel to other places; not everyone recognizes her anyway, the maiden thought to herself.
“Thank you for telling me this.” The maiden slightly bowed, expressing thanks, then took out the wheat grains she carried.
“This is the ‘perfect’ quality wheat I cultivated; I wonder if it can impress the teachers.”
Those golden wheat grains spread on the black stone slab of the counter; even separated from the growth environment, these grains still contained vitality, as if weakly breathing, emitting a faint glow.
Seeing this bag of golden wheat, the woman behind the counter was full of surprise; she carefully picked up a few grains, observed them in her palm, then asked the maiden to wait a moment.
“Please wait a moment, Miss Xilutiya; I’ll go invite the association’s appraiser over.”
Appraiser, a professional specialized in appraising items, often carrying a large box of lenses, mostly Transcendents of ‘brilliant moon’ or ‘secret word’ nature.
Soon, an appraiser arrived hurriedly led by this woman; he approached the counter, glanced briefly at this silver-haired maiden, then his gaze was drawn to the wheat grains on the table.
This appraiser, with neatly combed hair and a sharp appearance, opened his waist pouch, took out a lens, fitted it into the monocle frame on his nose bridge, then aimed at the wheat grains on the counter.
【Appraisal Lens（Wheat Grain）】（Excellent）: A lens specialized for appraising wheat grain quality, inscribed with many precise detection magic arrays; when the wheat grain data meets standards, different light silk textures appear on the lens.
At this time, the magic array on the lens activated; fine light rays passed through the lens to illuminate the wheat grains, then partially reflected back, bringing various information.
Nutrient level data feedback……
Freshness level data feedback……
Integrity level data feedback……
Natural texture data feedback……
……
‘Passing’（gray light silk……lit）
‘Good’（light green light silk……lit）
‘Excellent’（cyan light silk……lit）
‘Outstanding’（bright blue light silk……lit）
‘Rare’（purple light silk……lit）
……
‘Perfect’（golden light silk……lit）
That golden manifestation turned the spreading purple light silk into light gold, bright gold.
Finally, the bright golden light silk outlined a complete golden ear of wheat pattern on the lens, incomparably clear and beautiful, like an astonishing work of art.
“Oh——simply unbelievable, this is a work from a Second Order learner!”
“I mean, even some Third Order gardeners don’t have such ‘flawless perfection’.” This appraiser reluctantly put down the lens, taking a good while to shift his gaze from these wheat grains.
“Can you tell me your name, this beautiful miss.”
“Tiya, you can call me Xilutiya.”
This silver-haired maiden, with her clear voice answering at this moment, displayed etiquette and temperament that made one understand how to describe ‘perfect’; the faint doubt that had arisen in his heart was also cut off here.
Indeed, such geniuses are existences that are obvious at a glance, impossible to ignore.
Afterward, Xilutiya’s bag of wheat grains and ears were passed up layer by layer, arriving at the desks of high-level figures in White Stone Fortress.
Originally the few had some doubts, but soon a Four Seasons Alliance gardener arrived, telling everyone that he had seen this maiden before, and that she should be a genuine genius, which dispelled some suspicions.
“In other words, our safe, steady, unremarkable central inland station has produced a shining new star that’s rare even in border danger zones.” A knight wearing sturdy armor sat at the head of the long table, his gauntleted fingers tapping the hardwood surface, making thumping sounds.
“Always saying dangerous places temper people and should get more resource tilt, so over these years, funding and supplies to Golden Plain have been cut, while we’re made to provide more grain and products to support other stations.”
“Now, can we slap the faces of those association old stubborns?” A wizard dressed in bright yellow-based attire with vine flower decorations paced with hands behind his back, standing by the window, looking down at the city below.
“Heh, I don’t understand that talk, ignore it, but if that little girl wants some reward, call me to craft it for her.” A blacksmith with a thick beard sat by the table; his build was burly, muscles like cast copper, solid and strong.
These three respectively represented the three major organizations dominating Golden Plain: Holy White Knights Hall, Four Seasons Alliance, Forging Gold Hammer; these three were also the earliest to invest and establish the Golden Plain station, of course these are branches here, while the organization headquarters are on the surface continent.
“First send people to the valley for actual inspection and verification; if the situation is really true, we also need to prepare.” The leading tall knight finalized the resolution, and the other two sides agreed.
“Rewarding talent is certainly necessary, and we can even use this chance to strive for some policy adjustments from association headquarters; after all, we really produced a ‘genius new star’ here, while those stations taking massive resources and losing money yearly haven’t produced any shining achievements.”
“Both emotionally and rationally, headquarters must make some concessions to us.”
After the few discussed, the wizard dressed in bright yellow attire with emerald color branches and leaves flower decorations at the cuffs stood up.
“This time I’ll personally lead the team for the assessment and inspection.” He revealed the badge on the side of his collar, the identity symbol given by Four Seasons Alliance to specific Fifth Order Transcendents.
Golden and emerald branches and leaves encircled it, with vibrant three-color flowers blooming: golden ‘sunflower’, pink-white ‘clematis’, blue-purple ‘sage’.
‘Spring Badge’, granted to ‘Kuran Deqiu’, to reward his rescue from the disaster brought by ‘Lost Earth’ in Covenant Epoch 2107.
