Slapping Faces and Throwing Punches
The Grey-robed Old Woman's almost manic shrieks and mockery caused Deacon Han Li, who had emerged from the "Heaven" level room with Lin Ming, to frown deeply. His face showed utter disgust as he stared at the seemingly insane Cao Ying, his icy voice like a bucket of cold water:
"Cao Ying, aren't you being a little too happy...?"
Although Han Li's voice was calm, it carried an undeniable authority, which immediately silenced Cao Ying's shrill laughter, making it come to an abrupt halt like a duck being choked!
Her expression shifted rapidly, like a palette of colors, before she forced a cold laugh and said, "Deacon Han, things have come to this point, so you don't need to try to save face for Ye Zhong by covering for him anymore, do you? If this kid really passed the test, why isn't he wearing the Grade Badge? It's clear he failed the test and is too ashamed to wear it!"
She thought she had grasped the most compelling evidence, and her tone became confident and sarcastic once again.
Upon hearing this, Deacon Han Li glanced at the unreasonable and self-righteous old woman with an almost pitying look, shook his head, and said slowly with a calm tone that conveyed the statement of fact:
"Who told you he didn't pass the test? Young friend Lin Ming has passed all the tests for the Seventh Grade Intermediate completely and smoothly. His performance is perfect, even far exceeding the standard."
He paused, and amidst the sudden stiffness on Cao Ying's and the others' faces, continued, "The reason I haven't immediately bestowed upon him the Grade Badge is that I believe... given the Soul Power Control and alchemy skills that young friend Lin Ming has demonstrated, he is likely far more than just Seventh Grade Intermediate expert! He is fully capable of obtaining a higher-level certification! Therefore, I am still considering whether I should make an exception and personally write a letter of recommendation, allowing him to go directly to the Pill Tower Headquarters for a higher-level test and certification. The testing ceiling there far exceeds that of my branch tower."
Deacon Han Li's calm yet thunderous words undoubtedly exploded in the small testing room!
It instantly froze the expressions on everyone's faces in the room, as if a spell had been cast on them!
A series of shocked and incredulous gazes first turned to the serious-looking Deacon Han Li, and then abruptly shifted to Lin Ming, who remained calm and indifferent as if it were none of his business!
Seventh Grade Intermediate... passed it all smoothly?!
Even... Deacon Han Li believes he still has the strength to challenge even higher levels?!
This... how is this possible?!
Especially the aloof and beautiful Cao Xue in Red Robe, whose delicate face, which was originally filled with arrogance and mockery, now displayed an expression that was truly fascinating!
First came a moment of bewilderment and shock, as if she couldn't understand what Han Li was saying; then came intense doubt and disbelief; finally, when her gaze met Han Li's serious face, which held no hint of a joke, and Lin Ming's calm, unwavering eyes, an indescribable sense of horror and profound defeat poured over her like ice water, causing her delicate body to tremble slightly, and the color draining from her cheeks, leaving them somewhat pale.
All her previous pride and disdain now seemed to have become the most ridiculous self-inflicted slap in the face!
"Let's forget about testing at headquarters, Deacon Han." Lin Ming seemed oblivious to the series of faces that instantly froze and displayed a variety of emotions.
At this moment, Lin Ming looked at Han Li in front of him and said in a calm tone, "The main reason I came here today is to obtain the qualification to participate in the Pill Gathering. The Seventh Grade Intermediate is enough. We can talk about the higher-level test in the future if there is an opportunity."
Upon hearing this, Deacon Han Li was visibly taken aback, a deep sense of regret flashing across his eyes. He could tell that Lin Ming wasn't intimidated, but rather genuinely didn't care about such empty fame.
So he could only nod helplessly and sigh, "Since you insist, then so be it."
As he spoke, Han Li solemnly took out a badge from his Storage Ring.
This badge has a noble dark gold color throughout, and is made of extraordinary material.
On the badge, lifelike flame patterns swirl and coil, and at the center of the flames, a majestic tower that seems to pierce the sky is supported! On the tower, seven purple-gold stars are arranged like the Big Dipper, emitting a dazzling starlight that is too dazzling to look at directly!
Seventh Grade Intermediate Alchemist Badge!
The only slight difference between this and a perfect Seventh Grade Intermediate is that the light of the seventh star is slightly dimmer than the previous six. But this does not diminish its lofty status and supreme glory!
Deacon Han Li, with a touch of politeness, handed the heavy, gleaming badge to Lin Ming, smiling slightly, "This is what you deserve. However, if you have time in the future, I still advise you to go to the Pill Tower Headquarters for a test. I believe you definitely possess the ability and potential to reach a higher level."
Lin Ming took the badge; it felt slightly heavy and cool to the touch. He casually flipped it over in his hand to examine it, then looked at it no longer, as if it were just an insignificant little object.
However, inside the room, all eyes were fixed intently on the dazzling badge in Lin Ming's hand, which constantly reflected dark gold and purple-gold light. For a moment, the entire room became deathly silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop!
Seventh Grade Intermediate!
This is Rank 7 Intermediate Alchemist!
Even the arrogant Grey-robed Old Woman, Cao Ying, the elder from the collateral branch of the Cao Family led the team, and even Deacon Han Li himself, who presided over the test, had never reached this level!
However, now... this badge, symbolizing the highest achievement and supreme glory in alchemy, has fallen into the hands of Lin Ming, a young man who looks several years younger than Cao Xue...
This scene, like the heaviest hammer, slammed into the hearts of every member of the Cao Family, shattering all their pride, sarcasm, and disdain, slapping them hard across the face.
Ye Zhong's face was practically blooming with joy as he stroked his beard, his smile so wide it was almost impossible to see his eyes.
Especially when he saw the Grey-robed Old Woman Cao Ying and the Cao Family members' faces contorted in a spectacular display of red and blue as if they had swallowed flies, an indescribable sense of exhilaration and relief welled up inside him!
Since the Ye Family's decline, he hadn't seen such a ridiculous expression of frustration, shock, and disbelief on the faces of these arrogant Cao Family members for a very, very long time!
The Grey-robed Old Woman Cao Ying, stared intently at the badge in Lin Ming's hand, which shimmered with dazzling golden light, her expression shifting between anger and uncertainty, as if she wanted to pierce through it.
After a moment, she finally couldn't accept this reality that shattered her understanding, and couldn't help but raise a shrill voice to question, "Deacon Han! Issuing Grade Badge, especially high-level badges like the Seventh Grade Intermediate, is no child's play! Are you... are you sure there was no problem with the testing process just now? Or... is there some mistake somewhere?"
Upon hearing this, Deacon Han Li's face immediately darkened, as if shrouded in frost. He looked sharply at Cao Ying, his voice carrying an undeniable authority. "Cao Ying! What do you mean by that? Are you implying that I have engaged in favoritism and malpractice, or that I have secretly sabotaged things?!"
Seeing Han Li's truly angry and sullen face, the Grey-robed Old Woman trembled inwardly and quickly forced out a smile that looked more like a grimace as she tried to explain.
"No, no, how could this old woman dare to doubt Deacon Han's impartiality? It's just... it's really hard to believe that a Ye Family that has fallen to such a state could... how could they possibly still cultivate such a young Rank 7 Intermediate Alchemist? This... this is simply unbelievable!"
Her words were filled with bitterness and resentment.
"Hey, what's there to be so proud of!"
Seeing Ye Zhong's almost overflowing, smug smile, the Grey-robed Old Woman felt as if she'd been pricked by a needle. She couldn't help but sneer again, "Just Rank 7 Intermediate Alchemist! The Pill Region is vast, full of hidden talents; Seventh Grade Intermediate isn't even considered top-tier! I don't believe that he alone can Defying Fate and save your Ye Family from its inevitable decline!"
But anyone could tell from her words that she was displaying an extremely strong, almost tangible, sour grapes mentality, making her completely unconvincing.
Completely humiliated and humiliated by that genuine Seventh Grade Intermediate badge, the Grey-robed Old Woman was utterly ashamed and could no longer stay.
Her face was ashen, like the bottom of a pot. She coldly shouted, "Let's go!" and turned around abruptly, intending to lead the Cao Family members away in a disheveled manner, wanting only to escape this place that had made her lose face as soon as possible.
"Etc..."
However, just as the Grey-robed Old Woman turned around and before she could take a step, a calm and even-tempered voice suddenly rang out from behind her, clearly reaching everyone's ears.
The Grey-robed Old Woman stopped abruptly, turned around abruptly, and stared at Lin Ming, who had spoken, with a cold and venomous gaze. She sneered, "Boy, you've got the badge, and you've stolen the show. What? You want to send this old woman on her way?"
Lin Ming still wore a faint smile on his face, his gaze calmly fixed on the blustering but cowardly old woman, and said softly, "Just now, it was you who kept calling her... 'useless,' wasn't it?"
The Grey-robed Old Woman suddenly narrowed her eyes, a chilling glint flashing in her cloudy pupils. Her tone grew even colder. "So what if it is? Youngster, you're afraid of what people will say if you've done it? It seems the Ye Family's upbringing is indeed getting worse and worse; they've even forgotten the difference between superiors and inferiors!"
Lin Ming slowly shook his head, seemingly too lazy to waste any more words on this unreasonable old woman.
The next second, Lin Ming simply took a light step forward—
"Boom!"
A deep, muffled rumble of thunder suddenly exploded in the room without warning.
In an instant, Lin Ming's figure vanished from everyone's sight! It wasn't invisibility, but rather that his speed had reached its limit, exceeding the limits of most people's naked eye!
The moment Lin Ming disappeared, the Grey-robed Old Woman Cao Ying's expression changed drastically! A strong sense of crisis was like ice water poured over her head, making the hairs on her body stand on end! Almost without thinking, she suddenly waved her dry sleeves, and a vast expanse of deep blue Dou Qi surged out of her body without reservation, forming a thick defensive water curtain around her!
At the same time, her sinister gaze, filled with fear, rapidly scanned the surrounding space, trying to catch a glimpse of Lin Ming.
"Bang!"
Just as the Grey-robed Old Woman instinctively retreated, a low, sharp sound of wind breaking suddenly rang out from very close behind her, like a ghost!
Her face turned deathly pale instantly. Without thinking, relying on her years of combat instinct, she whirled around, concentrating all her immense Dou Qi into her right fist, unleashing a powerful punch that distorted space! She held nothing back with this punch, intending to kill!
However, just as she threw her fist, a slight ripple appeared in the space in front of her.
An ordinary-looking fist, devoid of any dazzling Dou Qi, seemed to pierce through the distance of space, arriving first despite being later, and directly colliding with her powerful punch, without any deviation!
"Boom--!!!"
The two fists clashed, but the stalemate didn't happen as expected!
A powerful gust of wind, far exceeding everyone's expectations, surged out like a storm! The solid, crimson rock floor inside the room was shaken, and tiny cracks appeared in it! The powerful shockwave made everyone else present, including Cao Xue and the two men from the Cao Family, turn pale and stagger backward, their eyes filled with horror.
"Pfft!"
The instant their fists made contact, the Grey-robed Old Woman Cao Ying's face turned from white to gold, and an extreme look of horror and disbelief appeared on her face! She felt an indescribable, terrifying force, as if containing the power of thunder, ruthlessly shatter all her Dou Qi defenses and crash into her body!