Chapter 185: Eve of the Trial

Ye Tinglan had taken up a nominal position at the Alchemy Institute this year, so Meng Li naturally arranged an office for her. However, she didn't come often, teaching only a few classes a month.

Luckily, she was there today.

Anu quickly pushed Lu Xingzhou into the office. Ye Tinglan looked up from a pile of alchemy research materials and regarded the pale Lu Xingzhou with some surprise: "What's wrong with him? He usually acts so high and mighty. Did he take a laxative today?"

Anu quickly said, "I don't know! Master has been in pain all morning. I couldn't find anything wrong with his pulse. Please, Master, take a look..."

Ye Tinglan squinted at her. "Not calling me old woman anymore?"

Anu forced a smile, "Master, you are the only master I acknowledge at the Alchemy Institute!"

Ye Tinglan continued to examine Lu Xingzhou. "Why didn't you let the teacher who lectures you take a look on site?"

Anu replied, "Because my master also only acknowledges you as the Master!"

"I still preferred your arrogant and unruly demeanor from before." Ye Tinglan leisurely reached out and took Lu Xingzhou's wrist to check his pulse.

A moment later, her expression changed. "There's no illness."

Anu hesitated, about to speak but stopping herself.

*Just bear with it. If she still can't figure it out later, it won't be too late to call her an old woman.*

Ye Tinglan asked, "How does it hurt? Tell me."

How could Lu Xingzhou say it directly? He could only carefully phrase it: "It feels like someone is casting a spell on me remotely, continuously attacking me from a distance."

"No, there are no signs of a spell." Ye Tinglan thought for a moment. "Let me try to temporarily isolate the effect of materials that were once separated from your body on yourself."

After speaking, she lightly flicked her slender finger. A soft light shield seemed to flash by, and Lu Xingzhou blinked his eyes, then suddenly sat upright.

"It's gone?"

"It's gone," Lu Xingzhou said, overjoyed. "Madam is truly a top-tier Grandmaster, it was effortless!"

Ye Tinglan was silent for a moment, her gaze full of suspicion. "If you're using this as an excuse to see me, it's quite a failed attempt."

Lu Xingzhou was indeed not under a spell. Ye Tinglan hadn't considered that he was being affected by her own technique, which was caused by her obedient disciple's repeated practice in the room.

"An excuse..." Lu Xingzhou listened, astonished. "Madam, why would you think that?"

Sheng Yuanyao had said so... Ye Tinglan didn't say that, but merely sneered, "Everyone else knows to call me 'Master,' so why are you still calling me 'Madam'?"

"Don't you women generally dislike being called 'Master'?"

"What kind of ignorant people are those?"

"I can't explain this to you..."

Ye Tinglan coldly said, "Alright, since you're fine, go back to your class."

"Um..." Lu Xingzhou hesitated.

"What is it?"

"Since I'm already here, Madam, could you at least pretend to heal my leg?"

Ye Tinglan asked, "Are you finally tired of sitting in that wheelchair?"

"In class today, the teacher mentioned an intention to organize a trial in a few days. I just feel that at such a time, with everyone watching, there's a high risk of my legs being exposed as healed. I need to prepare in advance."

Ye Tinglan was silent for a moment, then nodded. "You seem unreliable, but your thinking is actually meticulous and cautious. Your previous achievements are understandable. You just need to focus more on the right path..."

"How is my mind not on the right path? I was reading alchemy books until midnight last night." *Actually, he was too drained to sleep.*

"But before that, weren't you on a date with the Pei family girl? Dugu Qingli directly exposed it during her challenge, and many people saw it."

Lu Xingzhou remained silent.

When Ye Tinglan mentioned this, she truly felt disappointed and frustrated: "With your talent and boundless future, how can you engage in such messy affairs just a few days after entering the academy? Seduced by female charm at such a young age, what future prospects could you possibly have!"

Although Lu Xingzhou was being scolded, he felt no resistance in his heart. Instead, he felt a rare sense of sentimentality.

It was truly the feeling of an elder heartbroken for him... something he had never experienced in this life.

He finally sighed, "Master..."

Ye Tinglan was startled. Hadn't he refused to call her Master? Why did he suddenly start calling her that after a few criticisms?

But then Lu Xingzhou continued, "Anu and I both wish for you to be our mentor. Would you be willing to accept us?"

"No, get out."

The master and disciple duo were bewildered.

Hadn't this Master previously offered to take them as disciples? Why were they being thrown out now that he had proposed it?

Playing hard to get?

Ye Tinglan coldly said, "I am a First-Rank Alchemist. There are countless people who wish to choose me as their mentor. Do you think you're indispensable? If you wish to further your studies with me, then perform well in this trial, and I will consider accepting you."

Of course, it was a tactic of playing hard to get. She came to their door to accept them as disciples, but these two were still playing coy. Now that she was testing them in return, they would finally appreciate it, right?

Lu Xingzhou asked, "May I ask about the nature of this trial?"

"Most alchemists simply sit and refine pills, with little practical experience, which is actually very biased." Ye Tinglan continued, "It's fine for those below the top three ranks; what they lack is simply control, flame temperature, and understanding of medicinal properties... But the higher one goes, the more unique the challenges become. For example, when refining certain pills, inner demons may arise; or malevolent spirits might materialize, attempting to snatch the pill from the furnace; or venomous insects and fierce beasts might be attracted, attacking the alchemist... The list goes on and on."

Lu Xingzhou understood. "So, some environmental trials are needed to allow alchemists to become familiar with these situations in advance?"

"Yes, most alchemists require a protector, and this is precisely why. It's not just for guarding against external enemies. But we believe that one cannot rely entirely on others for protection; one must also possess the ability to cope."

"I understand."

"Furthermore, low-rank alchemists can refine pills using ordinary flame arts and techniques, or by borrowing earth fire if that isn't enough. However, the higher the rank required, the harder it becomes to find suitable earth fire. If you rely on your own flame, what capabilities would it have? It might not even be able to melt the medicinal properties. Therefore, it is necessary to study special flame arts, or seek out special fire seeds, and refine your own unique flames."

"Can these be obtained in this trial ground?"

"Perhaps yes, perhaps no. It depends on destiny and wisdom." Ye Tinglan said indifferently, "Even sects that cultivate their own disciples would offer trial benefits. Since you've entered the Royal Academy, you naturally won't just be attending lectures. But as these are royal assets, they certainly won't be given away for free, nor will they be equally distributed. Whether you can obtain them depends entirely on your own abilities."

"Understood. Thank you for the guidance, Master." Lu Xingzhou bowed.

This Lady Ye was also stubborn. She said, "No, get out," but in reality, she was very much looking forward to it. These are words a mentor would only say to their own students; who else would tell you so much in such detail?

In any case, whatever the trial, he no longer felt pain, so he was fearless.

Ye Tinglan said blandly, "I need to inform you in advance that no teachers will be accompanying you during this trial, lest you become reliant and lose the original intention of the experience. At most, there will be some hidden guards, dispatched from the Demon Suppressing Division or the Holy Land. They may not be able to fully guarantee your safety, so accidents are not uncommon."

Lu Xingzhou smiled casually, "I, Lu, am not merely an alchemist."

Ye Tinglan looked deeply at Lu Xingzhou. A few days ago, when he killed Ye Wufeng, he had just broken through to the Fifth Rank. Now, his lower Fifth Rank is extremely stable, almost ready to advance to the middle Fifth Rank stage. How many days has it been?

Even with Ye Tinglan's extensive experience, she had never seen cultivation of this efficiency. Unless he was relying on pills, but Lu Xingzhou clearly wasn't; his foundation was extremely solid. Where did this efficiency come from?

Lu Xingzhou, of course, knew how his cultivation came about.

First, the energy reserves from his water and fire legs, which he gradually absorbed and released more of as his cultivation limit increased. Second, it was the result of his shameless intimacy with Pei Chuyun. Although the dual cultivation effect was generally ordinary, with enough frequency, it still benefited both parties.

Otherwise, no matter how passionate Pei Chuyun was, she wouldn't have just finished a tryst by the pond at noon and then gone for a wheelchair stroll in the treelined avenue that evening...

Apart from the pleasure of indulging in it, it was, of course, for cultivation.

"The Alchemy Institute is about to hold its first trial." In a secret chamber, Huo Qi, the eldest son of the Huo family, was asking the Xuanqing Daoist in front of him, "Do you have confidence?"

The Xuanqing Daoist's expression was somewhat crestfallen. "These past few days, I've been studying Lu Xingzhou and his disciple's exam papers and the pills they refined that day... I am indeed no match for them."

"Idiot, the trial isn't comparing alchemy ability!" Huo Qi sneered. "First, it's about the ability to handle various special situations; second, it's about finding opportunities like unique fire seeds, and there might even be other rare treasures! That's the Demon Subduing Domain! Even if you gain nothing yourself, can you ensure that Lu Xingzhou gains nothing in the trial? Do you have confidence in that?"

A hint of malevolence appeared on the Xuanqing Daoist's face. "I don't know about confidence, but I like this task."

Huo Qi glanced at him, finding it somewhat amusing.

Jealousy distorts a person's features; it was indeed true.

The Xuanqing Daoist continued, "However, the Fifth Young Master's attempt to hire assassins to kill Lu Xingzhou failed last time, and His Majesty was enraged. Does Young Master still dare to plot against him? And as for your esteemed father..."

"Naturally, I wouldn't dare in ordinary times." Huo Qi calmly said, "But in a trial ground, accidents happen frequently. Whatever occurs will have nothing to do with us. As for my father..."

He paused, then sneered, "They've finally discarded their unrealistic fantasies."

Originally, from Huo Liancheng and Huo Xingyuan's perspective, there was still some possibility of Huo Shang returning to the family fold. Coupled with Shen Tang's influence being a factor, they had hesitated to go to extremes before. Only Huo Qi and his brothers had absolutely no desire for Huo Shang to return from the beginning. The previous hired assassination was carried out by Huo Qi and Huo Jin, unbeknownst to their elders.

But under successive setbacks, the entire Huo family had come to realize that Lu Xingzhou would not compromise. This time, it wasn't Huo Qi acting on his own; the entire family's consensus stood behind him.

The Xuanqing Daoist whispered, "Since it's your esteemed father's intention, then..."

Huo Qi knew what he wanted to ask. "Of course, you won't be fighting alone. Others will cooperate when the time comes. Ensuring Lu Xingzhou gains nothing is only the minimum goal. If possible..."

As he spoke, he made a cutting gesture.

The Xuanqing Daoist took a deep breath. Killing someone during an Alchemy Institute trial would be a serious political incident; just thinking about it made his heart pound.

Huo Qi continued, "There will be no teachers or elders present during the trial. Even if there are, we will take care of them. As for the rest, do you dare?"

The Xuanqing Daoist's face, which could originally be described as handsome, was twisted by jealousy into something somewhat horrifying. "Of course I dare."