Chapter 90: The Assessment Arrives
“Brother Jieluo, are you all heading out on a task?” After school, Mike curiously looked at the group that was fully geared up and ready to depart.
“Yeah, this time you probably can’t go. It’s quite far from Jiaoshi City, over by Water Gutter Town.”
During the recent holiday, Mike had joined a task with Jie Luo’s adventurer team again. His significant improvement in strength surprised the team members.
In the task, whether it was combat, detection, analysis, or planning, he had greatly improved.
“As expected of someone who studied under Scholar Heide.” Everyone evaluated him like that.
With the task reward from the holiday, Mike successfully exchanged for a new sword and saved up a sum of money.
‘Unfortunately, I’m still short quite a bit for crafting a sword made of black steel material.’ He felt some regret that the holiday was too short. If there had been enough time, he could have gone to Water Gutter Town with Jie Luo.
“What kind of task is it over by Water Gutter Town?” Before they left, Mike casually inquired.
“Actually, it was posted last year too. It seems there was a monster of unknown name that attacked a merchant caravan.” A team member packing rope and net answered.
“There were adventurer teams that took the task and went there at the time, but that monster didn’t appear afterward, so they came back empty-handed.”
“After several months, it’s appeared again now. We happened to have time this time, so Jie Luo took it.”
“Is that guy strong?” Mike leaned against the wall, resting his head as he asked.
“Who knows, but judging from the scene with no traces of intense destruction, it shouldn’t be too strong.” After saying that, the others had also finished packing.
“Alright, we’re heading out. During this time, Mike, you just keep staying with Scholar Heide and study hard, haha.”
Although they were missing Mike, an important combatant, there were fewer people to split the money with, so everyone wasn’t too hung up on it. It was just like heading out for a simple ordinary task.
“Mm, come back early, you all.” Mike smelled the faint tobacco scent from Jie Luo’s backpack and couldn’t help but remind him.
“Smoke less of that stuff. I heard the lord at the inn say before that using too much is very harmful.” This tobacco called Shaking Sun Grass becomes addictive if used for a long time.
“Heh, you little brat, mind your own business and scram.” Jie Luo waved his hand, shooing him away.
In response, Mike could only shrug his shoulders and walk to the side. He planned to practice sword technique again, recalling the ‘Leaping Footwork’ he had recently obtained from Scholar Heide.
……
At Madam Fran’s mansion, the madam who had been out for several days returned again.
“Tiya, how is your progress with the Flower Blooming Technique?” After returning, she had Lining bring the maiden and inquired about her progress.
“I’ve preliminarily learned it.” Xilutiya answered honestly. There was no point in hiding it now.
“Oh?” Madam Fran raised her eyebrow, slightly disbelieving.
She had always trusted Xilutiya’s talent, but regarding the Flower Blooming Technique, it was still hard to believe that this maiden could learn it so quickly.
Actually, there were some things she hadn’t told Tiya. Generally speaking, gardeners can only cultivate plants of the same tier as their own rank, meaning a first order gardener apprentice can at most cultivate first order, second order cultivates second order, and so on. For Xilutiya to cultivate a first order ‘Swan Orchid’ at zero tier was completely beyond expectations, which surprised her greatly.
So later, when teaching Xilutiya, she deliberately sped up the pace and progress, because she couldn’t treat this maiden as an ordinary student, but as a genius on the same level as herself.
As for the Flower Blooming Technique, this ability is generally only encountered by second order gardeners. Even if learned, it takes a lot of effort, and occasionally other materials are needed to assist in casting to achieve the ideal effect.
Having Xilutiya learn it early was, on one hand, trust in her talent, and on the other, trust in her own teaching ability.
Even so, this maiden’s progress still exceeded her imagination.
Even if she had practiced it before winter break, but later delayed by retaking courses, learning it now had taken less than two months at most.
“Let’s go to the flower room and take a look.” She and Xilutiya arrived at that greenhouse flower room, which was where Xilutiya kept the plants she cultivated.
“Place your hand on the nearby ‘White Camellia’ and try the effect.” Let’s see first. If it’s not right, it won’t damage other more valuable plants.
“Okay.” Xilutiya did as told and came before the small camellia seedling, lightly pinching a treetop with her hand, then closed her eyes to sense.
After about a few seconds, she found the rhythm of the ‘White Camellia’, then channeled the power of ‘Emerald Honey’ from her body into it.
New buds sprouted on this camellia tree that hadn’t fully grown yet, then unfolded tender leaves. Afterward, a small flower bud appeared and slowly bloomed, revealing pure white flower petals.
After blooming, a faint fresh fragrance overflowed, filling the entire flower room, growing increasingly rich.
“Good, that’s enough.” Madam Fran nodded.
It seemed Xilutiya had truly learned it, not just bragging.
“Since that’s the case, it’s also time to hand that thing over to you.”
“In the time after, focus fully on cultivating ‘Fire Cloud Orchid’ to prepare for the assessment in the Secluded Forest. Don’t neglect sword technique either.” The folding fan in her hand turned, as if thinking about what else needed to be prepared or reminded.
“That’s it for now.”
“Yes, Teacher.”
……
Beyond the distant mountains, a black horse carriage moved slowly through the mountain forest. The carriage body was similar to iron-made, painted black, with edges shaped like twisting vines, quite elegant, but also unusually ancient-looking, as if it had been used for centuries.
Pulling the carriage was a black horse with beautiful mane and red eyes that occasionally swept around, keeping many forest animals away.
“An ogre’s aura? This is getting interesting.” A lazy yet magnetically charming voice came from inside the carriage.
“Since there’s an ogre here, let’s set the assessment location here.”
After saying that, the carriage stopped. A snow-white wrist like a spirit snake extended from the carriage window. That slender finger pointed toward the distant mountain forest, as if tearing open a curtain. The trees and grassland of the entire mountain began to deform and twist. Some large trees even tore into twisted facial features, transforming into terrifying shapes.
……
A black stork flew into Jiaoshi City, its blood-red long beak knocking on the viscount’s bedroom window.
Several days later, Viscount Xue Feng gathered all the students at the training ground, with Scholar Heide accompanying him today.
“The assessment to the Secluded Forest has been set, near Water Gutter Town three days from now. There’s a dangerous forest there that will serve as your trial ground.”
“The trial has three stages, that is, three objectives. If you complete the first objective, I will reward you with a handy fine steel weapon, worth around 100 silver.”
“If you complete the second objective, I will have a craftsman custom-make a suit of armor or uniform for you, worth around 600 silver coins.” This was also quite a nice item.
“If you complete the third objective.” His gaze swept over everyone, pausing for a moment.
“I will grant you a special badge and gift you a residence in the West City District.” This was an asset many commoners couldn’t earn in a lifetime, and more importantly, a symbol of status, because only the rich and noble lived in the West City District.
After Viscount Xue Feng finished, Scholar Heide took the stage and gave a few pointers, meaning to act within one’s abilities, life safety first, and finally told the students to go back and prepare, departing together for Water Gutter Town tomorrow.
“It’s finally coming.” Countless students rubbed their fists, full of ambition.
Suolin glanced at Mike and made a provoking gesture, while Mike responded without showing weakness.
On the other side, Iona looked at the black-haired maiden in the distance, then returned to the castle residence with Viscount Xue Feng.
It’s about to begin, Tiya. I hope you don’t disappoint me. She secretly steeled her determination to use this opportunity to prove herself and firmly grasp the key to the door leading to the future.
