No Hardship in the Assessment, Humiliation for the One Who Made Things Difficult (Part 2)

Seeing that they were only a hundred jin short, Zhang Er shot Luo Bucheng a meaningful look.

The latter immediately understood and moved his right hand toward the Golden Toad.

At once, the tenth golden pearl suddenly swelled.

Li Sancai, standing nearby, saw that little move clearly.

Yet he did not stop them, much less expose them.

Because afterward, he would receive a sum of hush money as well.

Zhang Er said with a smiling face, "Exactly one thousand jin. Congratulations, Junior Brother Zhao, on passing the assessment and becoming a formal disciple."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Zhang!" Zhao Ying wiped away the sweat that had seeped out from nervousness, then repeatedly bowed with clasped hands.

Now, only one person remained.

Who?

Naturally, Xu Changqing!

Originally, he could have undergone verification earlier.

But Zhang Er had deliberately dragged things out until the very end.

There was no other reason.

He wanted to humiliate this fellow who had rejected him time and again at the very end, killing the chicken to scare the monkeys.

Zhang Er asked with a mocking smile, "Junior Brother Xu, are you ready?"

"Of course." Xu Changqing nodded.

Zhang Er asked playfully, "How do you feel about your chances?"

"I think I'll succeed this time." Xu Changqing grinned.

"Heh." Zhang Er's tone dripped with sarcasm.

In his eyes, there was no way this guy could succeed.

After all, some of the Earth Qi in the Spirit Fields had been drained away.

And not many people currently knew about that.

Therefore, even if there were enough spirit seedlings, the lack of nutrients—

Would inevitably cause the yield to fall below one thousand jin. That was certain.

"Lord Golden!" Luo Bucheng called out.

Whoosh!

The Golden Toad opened its mouth and swept the Spirit Rice before it into its mouth with its tongue.

At once, the golden pearls on its back swelled one after another.

The speed was extremely fast.

Without the slightest pause, they reached ten pearls.

"It seems Junior Brother Xu's third assessment..." Zhang Er did not even look before preparing to sneer.

Luo Bucheng, beside him, announced loudly, "Ten golden pearls, a yield of one thousand jin. The assessment is successful!"

"What?" As soon as those words were spoken, Xu Changqing had yet to react, but Zhang Er's eyes widened.

He hurriedly looked at the Golden Toad.

Seeing all ten golden pearls swollen—

And sensing the extremely high concentration of spiritual energy in the rice—

His face instantly filled with disbelief.

"I did not disgrace your expectations, Senior Brother Zhang!" Xu Changqing said with a smile, cupping his hands.

Zhang Er's face darkened as he shouted, "You... that's absolutely impossible!"

"What?" Luo Bucheng narrowed his eyes upon hearing this and immediately said coldly, "Are you questioning whether there's something wrong with Lord Golden?"

"No." Zhang Er's expression changed slightly. He hurriedly waved his hands and explained, "It's because this mu of Spirit Fields couldn't possibly produce a thousand jin of spirit rice."

"But Lord Golden would never make a mistake." Luo Bucheng frowned.

"Tell me, did you cheat?" Zhang Er immediately glared viciously at Xu Changqing.

Xu Changqing said coldly, "Senior Brother Zhang, you can eat food carelessly, but you cannot speak carelessly."

"Your Spirit Fields simply can't yield a thousand jin, and you still say you didn't cheat?" After saying that, Zhang Er glanced at Li Sancai beside him. Though he did not know what deal the two had struck, he instinctively felt that this fellow was helping Xu Changqing.

"Xu Changqing cheated?"

"No way, right?"

"What exactly is going on?"

Everyone around them was stunned.

Facing the accusations, Xu Changqing asked in return, "You say it's impossible for it to yield a thousand jin. Where is your evidence?"

Zhang Er said viciously, "Last time, you didn't reach a thousand jin."

Xu Changqing replied righteously, "Last time, I lacked experience. What's wrong with that?"

Li Sancai reminded him, "Fellow Daoist Zhang, if you have no concrete evidence, don't speak recklessly."

"Evidence?" Zhang Er had already lost his head. Pointing at the Spirit Fields below, he said, "This Spirit Fields lacks Earth Qi, so the soil lacks nutrients. It simply cannot yield a thousand jin!"

Xu Changqing questioned, "You don't have an Earth Spirit Root, so how do you know the Earth Qi is insufficient?"

"I..." Zhang Er was instantly left speechless.

Some things were publicly acknowledged, sure.

But they could not be openly admitted.

Otherwise, they would offend a great many formal disciples.

Even those lofty "immortal masters."

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, what is going on with you?" Luo Bucheng was greatly surprised.

"I think this guy cheated." Zhang Er still refused to give up.

Xu Changqing declared loudly, "Everyone, since Senior Brother Zhang says I cheated, why not find someone who has awakened an Earth Spirit Root to inspect these Spirit Fields and see whether the Earth Qi is lacking? Wouldn't that settle it?"

"That's right." Luo Bucheng's eyes lit up.

"Hm?" Seeing how fearless Xu Changqing was, Zhang Er's heart skipped a beat.

"Junior Brother Lin, you happen to know someone. Can you bring him here?" Li Sancai appeared to be asking, but in truth left no room for refusal.

"Alright." Lin An hurriedly turned and left.

Then he brought Han Su over.

When Han Su saw the Spirit Fields surrounded by people, with even formal disciples among them—

He was completely dumbfounded.

He had no idea what was going on.

At this time, it seemed he was not needed to loosen the soil, was he?

Lin An hurriedly said, "Senior Brother Li, I've brought him."

"Greetings, three Senior Brothers!" Han Su was extremely nervous.

Li Sancai looked him over. "Han Su, correct?"

"Yes, that's me." Han Su hurriedly nodded.

Li Sancai pointed behind where Xu Changqing stood. "Come inspect whether the Earth Qi in these Spirit Fields is sufficient."

"You must inspect it carefully. You absolutely cannot be careless." Zhang Er glared with fierce intensity.

Han Su scratched his head. "This... doesn't need inspecting!"

Luo Bucheng and Zhang Er exchanged a look, unable to stop themselves from asking, "Why?"

Han Su said rather proudly, "Three months ago, I was the one who restored the Earth Qi in these Spirit Fields!"

In his eyes, this was a perfect chance to show off.

So his voice was as loud as it could be.

Everyone heard him loud and clear.

"What?" Zhang Er was completely dumbfounded.

No wonder Xu Changqing had been so fearless.

He had already found someone to restore the Earth Qi in the Spirit Fields.

Who had leaked this secret?!

"Senior Brother Zhang, did you hear that clearly?

Do you still think I cheated?

Are you going to keep pestering me?" Xu Changqing delivered a triple blow to the soul.

Zhang Er suppressed his displeasure and forced out a dry laugh. "A misunderstanding. It was all a misunderstanding."

Xu Changqing asked again, "Then Senior Brother Luo, have I completed the assessment?"

"Since there's no problem, of course it counts as completed!" Luo Bucheng nodded vigorously.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Xu!"

"No, we should call him Senior Brother Xu now!"

"Congratulations, Senior Brother Xu, on becoming formal!"

The people around them had originally come to watch the show.

They had thought Xu Changqing would fail the assessment this time.

Yet unexpectedly, he had successfully become a formal disciple.

The attitudes of those around him changed, and they began offering congratulations one after another.

"Same to you, same to you!" Xu Changqing cupped his hands toward everyone.

However, that was not why he was happy.

The true reason was:

[Xu Changqing]

[Male]

[18 years old]

[Wood Spirit Root]

(Effect One: Affinity with Vegetation)

[Middle Qi Refining]

(Effect One: Enhanced Stamina)

(Effect Two: Enhanced Vitality)

[Evergreen Formula (Third Layer)]

(Effect One: Cultivation Speed +30%)

(Effect Two: Yield Increase +20%)

(Effect Three: Can Predict and Diagnose Growth Problems in Spirit Plants)

[Remaining Lifespan: 16,814 days]

Converted into years, that was a full forty-six additional years of lifespan!!!