Don't Think Talent Makes You Amazing

The brighter the light of the Spirit Pearl, the higher the aptitude and talent.

That high-grade alchemist from the Jingyun Sect, a figure who rarely showed his face.

It was said that back then, he had caused the Spirit Pearl to glow more than halfway, and the light had persisted for a full thirteen seconds without fading.

It had shaken the entire Southern Region.

Facing the various gazes of the crowd.

Lin Cheng reached out and touched the Spirit Pearl with his palm.

The entire space went quiet for a split second, and in the next instant, a light as blinding as the scorching sun erupted outward.

A white pillar of light shot straight into the sky!

The crowd was nearly blinded!

They couldn't help but shout, "What the hell!"

The several alchemists in charge of the examination stood up with a bang, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets!

It was as if they had seen something utterly unbelievable.

"This..."

The crowd looked at one another, and before anyone knew who started it, the sound of people swallowing hard rose one after another.

Someone sighed, "A monster."

These words drew nods of agreement from everyone else; such talent was truly terrifying.

More than just a monster, it was simply ridiculous!

"Bang, crack!"

The Spirit Pearl could not withstand it; after lasting less than three seconds, it burst into a sky full of light particles with a loud bang.

This won't make me pay for it, will it...

Lin Cheng's outstretched hand stiffened for a moment before he retracted it nonchalantly, acting as if nothing had happened.

The scene was silent for a second.

"Hahahaha!"

Suddenly, the several alchemists exchanged glances and burst into loud, hearty laughter, filled with intense excitement!

Someone even shouted, "Shattered well, shattered well indeed!"

"That's right, shattered well!"

"My Jingyun Sect has produced a genius of alchemy; our sect has had one happy event after another lately, it's truly refreshing!"

Some laughed heartily, full of joy.

The laughter lasted for a full half-stick of incense before it gradually subsided, and the alchemy room returned to normal.

However, the joyful smiles in the eyes of the three alchemist elders remained clearly visible.

"Lin Cheng, is it? You are excellent!"

"Truly excellent!"

Although he was used to a quiet life and felt a bit unaccustomed to being praised so enthusiastically, Lin Cheng still smiled with satisfaction.

This wave was perfect.

"Shouldn't we proceed with the rest of the examination? There's still the Q&A session and..." someone reminded them.

"Hey!"

A cheerful alchemist waved his hand, glared unhappily at the person who spoke, and waved his hand dismissively, saying, "What's the point of further examination? Pass, pass everything! With this talent, he's a natural-born alchemist!"

"Seconded!"

"Seconded!"

The remaining two alchemist elders also waved their hands, immediately granting Lin Cheng an excellent evaluation and the status of alchemy apprentice.

To become an alchemist, one must first become an apprentice.

Only when one could truly refine low-grade pills would they be considered a low-grade alchemist, and so on.

Alchemist ranks were generally determined directly by the sect.

No one would bother to fake this; it was meaningless.

It would be exposed instantly, cause loss of face, and offend people.

Even among the top ten sects, no one was idle enough to do such a thankless task.

Many people looked at Lin Cheng with envy.

This outer sect disciple had truly ascended to the heavens in one step; with such talent, his future achievements would be unimaginable.

The sect would surely cultivate him heavily and treat him like an ancestor.

Originally, everyone thought that becoming an alchemy apprentice right off the bat was already shocking enough.

Unexpectedly, Lin Cheng's next move left everyone's jaws on the floor.

"Honored Elders, I wish to proceed with the assessment for a low-grade alchemist."

Lin Cheng stated this directly.

"What did you say?"

One of the low-grade alchemist elders couldn't help but pick at his ear, nearly convinced he had misheard.

Lin Cheng rubbed his chin and nodded. "I said, I want to proceed with the assessment for a low-grade alchemist."

Once these words were out, the elder heard him perfectly clearly.

He immediately gaped in disbelief, and the others wore expressions much the same.

Gradually, the entire venue erupted in an uproar.

Someone remarked with displeasure, "This person is pushing his luck too far. He has no self-awareness. Even if he truly tested with high talent, he shouldn't be making a mockery of the elders like this. Asking to assess for a low-grade alchemist? Heh, the audacity to even say it."

The crowd deeply agreed.

Indeed, if Lin Cheng had waited even ten days or half a month before asking to assess for a low-grade alchemist, they wouldn't have reacted so strongly.

After all, his talent was plain to see.

But for him to bring it up immediately? Did he really think a low-grade alchemist was like a roadside cabbage, something one could just casually pass an exam for?

It was simply child's play!

In an instant, many people's impressions of Lin Cheng soured significantly.

Their gazes gradually filled with a touch of contempt and disdain.

He was nothing but a lucky blockhead. If nothing else, wasn't this a direct slap in the face to the elders present?

The two elders had spent decades of painstaking research to finally become glorious low-grade alchemists, yet he stood there and declared he wanted to assess too?

Did he even know how to refine pills?

Did he know the properties of medicinal herbs, or how to balance the attributes between ingredients?

Who couldn't talk big?

Sure enough, upon hearing Lin Cheng's words, the previously smiling alchemist elder's expression slowly turned cold.

However, considering Lin Cheng's talent and the possibility that he was just a naive newcomer who didn't know any better, he suppressed his anger and offered a stiff, insincere smile.

"Heh, Lin Cheng, having ambition is a good thing, but everything must be done step by step. You must eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time... Alchemy is an incredibly profound discipline; even a tiny fraction of it is enough for us to study for a lifetime..."

After finishing his lecture, he had thoroughly scolded Lin Cheng.

In short, it boiled down to one sentence.

Young man, don't you have any idea what your own level is?

Stop messing around. When it comes to alchemy, you're still green. Go home and play in the mud!

Facing the crowd's utter lack of trust, Lin Cheng found himself in a difficult position.

Every word he said was true, spoken from the heart, and he was extremely aware of his own standing.

After all, while others relied on talent and hard work for alchemy, he relied on the system and hard work.

It was an entirely different concept.

Applying the standard of an ordinary person to him was clearly not the right way to look at it.

Lin Cheng weighed his words, pondering how to be more tactful and create a win-win outcome.

After all, he was truly in a rush.

His cultivation progress had been stagnant for two whole days!

He needed pills—a large quantity of high-grade pills—and before that, he had to raise his alchemy level.

And that required constant practice.

But the other party clearly wanted him to "wait ten days or half a month," which was something Lin Cheng couldn't tolerate.

If it weren't for the fact that they had no ill intentions and were all elders of the Jingyun Sect—essentially his own employees—he would have already slapped them against the wall, unable to be peeled off.

Lin Cheng opened his mouth, then closed it again.

He felt that, as a dignified Foundation Establishment expert, he was actually rendered speechless at this moment. It was simply preposterous!

Just as the two sides were at a stalemate, a bright and charming figure walked over from out of nowhere. At the same time, she called out loudly with a joyful expression: "Yo, Junior Brother, I was wondering why I couldn't find you. You aren't staying in the Library Pavilion, so why are you running over to the Alchemy Hall for no reason? If you're short on pills, just tell your Senior Sister! I'll give you some!"

The person who arrived was none other than the current treasure of the Jingyun Sect.

His own disciple.

The Young Sect Master, Meng Tangtang.

The moment Lin Cheng saw Meng Tangtang, his eyes lit up. His savior had arrived!