Chapter 715: Second Exam Question
Despite the Li Jian Clan’s challenging situation, Mian Li Zang still could depend on his outstanding abilities and secretly reached an agreement with the Jing Xiang Clan Leader.
Very quickly, the Li Jian and Jing Xiang Clans dispatched clan members to the Ice Sculpture Capital to pay a visit to Hua Ni.
Hua Ni was a genuinely powerful elder of the Alchemy Guild and controlled the guild’s magic medicine sphere.
The Li Jian Clan and Jing Xiang Clansmen conveyed to Hua Ni that they wanted the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps’ Magician Yao Ma (Zi Di) eliminated.
And they brought with them heavy gifts and also made clear their sincerity to Hua Ni.
“Long Fu has saint level qualifications, compelling the Li Jian and Jing Xiang Clans to secretly reach some mutual understanding and have sought to negotiate with me. Hehehe.” Hua Ni naturally accepted the two heavy gifts on the spot, and replied she’d do her best to eliminate Yao Ma.
Zi Di had put out the mount potions and broken new ground in an uncontested part of the magic medicine market. At the beginning of this, Hua Ni knew how immense this business would be, but regretfully, she was up to her ears in work and had heavy responsibilities.
By the time she had free time and energy, Zi Di had come out with a second and a third potion, which had even more repercussions in the market.
Then, Elder Jiu Jin acted as envoy and was exploited by Zi Di, forcing the Alchemy Guild representative to sign a betting agreement with Zi Di.
So long as they won the bet, the Alchemy Guild would surpass these early birds, steal the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps’ early gains and jump ahead, possessing the greatest mount potion domestic market share.
Therefore, eliminating Yao Ma (Zi Di) was what Hua Ni wanted to do.
The first exam question was made substantially more difficult by Hua Ni’s directive.
The Li Jian and Jing Xiang Clansmen looking for her had strengthened Hua Ni’s feelings.
After thinking about it, she called over Elder Jiu Jin and told him to alter the second exam question.
After Elder Jiu Jin listened to her, he was stunned, “You want it to be the construction of an autonomous combat puppet? You also want that puppet to fight an ice sculpture guardian of the capital, and only by winning can they advance to the next round?”
He stared at Elder Hua Ni, “This is too hard! You’ll eliminate 99% of the competitors, and even if 1% is left, the winners would have just been extremely lucky.”
Although Elder Jiu Jin had the worst alchemy attainment of the elders, he was still knowledgeable.
Hua Ni’s exam question most crucially specified “autonomous combat”.
This implied that no matter what the size of the puppet was, it would absolutely be an enormous engineering undertaking and an immense challenge.
Then it had to defeat an ice sculpture guardian, that skyrocketed the difficulty!
Hua Ni smiled, “I know how difficult it is.”
“Therefore, this alchemy question is a collaborative project, the competitors can make up to groups of three.”
“So, it’s collaborative alchemy, in that case, the alchemy workload will be drastically reduced, and it is acceptable.” Elder Jiu Jin sighed.
He was still worried, “In that case, what is the standard for the examination-use ice sculpture guardian?”
Hua Ni replied, “Silver level.”
Elder Jiu Jin’s brows tightened, and after lowering his head in reflection, he still shook his head, “Even so, this exam question is too difficult. I am worried the pass rate will be less than 30%.”
“If we conduct such an exam, then the spectacle will be quite unsightly.”
“Outsiders will say that our Ice Sculpture Kingdom are sore losers who deliberately raised the difficulty to open a back door to our own.”
Hua Ni contemplated for a moment, “Then let’s ease the restrictions a bit and allow the competing magicians to use an external material.”
When Elder Jiu Jin heard that, his brows relaxed a bit but still shook his head.
However, Hua Ni raised a hand and overrode him, “Stop talking, this is how we’re doing it.”
Jiu Jin forced a smile, “Elder Hua Ni, if you’re going to alter the exam by so much, shouldn’t you at least inform the Lord President? If he has differing ideas, we will be hard pressed to accomplish this.”
Hua Ni replied, “I will do that.”
Elder Jiu Jin said his goodbyes, then looked for Zi Di, deeply worried and sick at heart.
When Zi Di heard this information, she bitterly exclaimed, “I didn’t expect Great Master Hua Ni to be so determined to deal with me!”
Jiu Jin anxiously looked at her, “Your Lord Commander Long Fu revealed saint level qualifications, that should be the main factor that prompted Elder Hua Ni’s decision.”
“Furthermore, I also asked around, the Li Jian and Jing Xiang Clans’ envoys paid Elder Hua Ni a visit.”
With Elder Jiu Jin on her side, Zi Di easily acquired inside information.
Zi Di suddenly turned apprehensive, “Have those two clans unexpectedly joined hands secretly?”
Of course, the Jing Xiang Clan and the Li Jian Clan should be rivals, but now they were working together behind the scenes.
At least, they reached some mutual understanding.
Elder Jiu Jin was being blackmailed by Zi Di, so he had no choice but to give advice, “Magician Yao Ma, it will be very difficult to pass the second examination.”
“Working just by yourself, you have no chance.”
“The examination will allow up to three people in a group, actually just pairing up is untenable.”
“Therefore, you need to find at least two competitors and ensure they are not clan or guild spies.”
Zi Di looked grave, this kind of alchemy exam question really targeted outsiders like them.
Zi Di sank into vexation.
In so short a time, how could she find people worthy of trust?
Ten Millenia Ice Lake.
Millennium ice layer.
An alchemy laboratory was set up above the ice layer.
Through the alchemy laboratory window, Cang Xu’s eyes were bright, he could admire the ice lake’s distinctive ecology as much as he liked.
Suddenly, a ray of light flashed in the pale lake water.
The golden light flowed just like a blue dragon, seeming to flow and meander in the seemingly boundless white fog.
The golden light emitted an intense and vast aura that made Cang Xu incessantly apprehensive.
Teacher Si Ling appeared behind him at this moment, extending a hand on Cang Xu’s shoulder, placating him, “Don’t worry, the Millenium Dragon Formation has just been built, it currently isn’t a threat to us yet.”
Teacher Si Ling had teleported Cang Xu and Jian Gui from White Hair Trench and secretly infiltrated the Ice Sculpture Kingdom.
They had moved stealthily the whole journey and teleported many times to arrive under the Ice Sculpture Capital.
The Ice Sculpture Capital’s Ten Millenia Ice Lake’s ice layer had many alchemy laboratories, shrines, and even magician towers built here.
It was because the Ice Sculpture Capital did not block teleportation that Cang Xu was able to effortlessly get into the ice lake.
After getting some information about the situation from Teacher Si Ling, Cang Xu learned that Teacher Si Ling had been impersonating someone for a long time and was able to successfully petition the capital for the construction of his own alchemy laboratory in the ice lake.
But this was the first time Cang Xu had heard of the [Millennium Dragon Formation], and he asked for more details at once.
Teacher Si Ling was willing to instruct Cang Xu and with a sigh, he explained, “The Millenium Dragon Formation is an ultra-formation, secretly built a long time ago at the orders of the royal family.”
“By the time of this generation’s king, they finally built the initial formation. What you just saw was the formation being activated.”
“The royal family primarily built this formation to control the Ten Millenia Ice Lake.”
“The Ice Sculpture Kingdom’s national policy on the ice lake is that it should be the core of the nation’s alchemy policy. This national policy had a large effect on the kingdom possessing such a top quality alchemy level.”
“But as time passed, the systemic problems of this national policy gradually accumulated and grew more severe.”
“Take us for example, it was very easy to get here. It goes without saying, in the buildings across the Ten Millenia Ice Lake, there exists many dark powers that greatly threaten the Ice Sculpture Royal Family’s control.”
“On the other hand, speaking in terms of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom’s domestic political structure, the royal family urgently needs to gain total control over the Ten Millenia Ice Lake, this super-resource point, to hold dominance and coerce the Han Yu Clan and other great noble powers.”
Teacher Si Ling had a very clear understanding of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom and explained it in a very frank manner.
Cang Xu asked, “What kind of powers does the Millenium Dragon Formation have?”
Teacher Si Ling exposed a rarely seen serious look, “This is a god level super-formation! Because the main material it uses is the Ten Millenia Ice Lake’s water, and it possesses immense power over the aspect of time.”
“According to my current investigation, it contains a magic rune combination that forms at least 80 different types of time magic.”
“The Ice Sculpture Royal Family has finally achieved this after generations of hard work.”
“With it, the Ice Sculpture Royal Family can confidently contend with gods.”
“But right now, the Millenium Dragon Formation has just been built, and is still in its testing phase, it hasn’t been completely activated yet.”
“We are still safe as of now.”
“After this National Ceremony, we will no longer be able to come back to this alchemy laboratory.”
Cang Xu pondered, offhandedly said, “How will the Ice Sculpture Kingdom’s domestic great nobles respond to the royal family wanting control over the Ten Millenia Ice Lake?”
“Hehehe.” Teacher Si Ling clapped Cang Xu’s shoulder, “That is an interesting topic.”
The Alchemy Guild President was exhausted in both body and mind, and after quietly leaving the Millenium Dragon Formation control hub, he teleported back to the Alchemy Guild.
The super-formation testing workload was growing larger, and he sensed it was getting more difficult to manage.
The Alchemy Guild President did not have outstanding individual talent; his most outstanding characteristic was his loyalty!
As a result, the royal family appointed him many times and made him an important member of the testing team.
Just as he sat down, the study doorbell rang.
The guild president sighed, “Please come in.”
Elder Hua Ni walked in, and got right to the point, “It’s about the Warm Snow Cup’s second exam, I think I should change it somewhat.”
After saying that, Hua Ni handed over a plan document.
The president quickly skimmed it, his brows creasing, he looked at Hua Ni, “There has never been such a large change before. Is it worth making such a big fuss over the insignificant Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps?”
Hua Ni simply said, “Think about Long Fu, he has saint level qualifications.”
The president took a deep breath, and put down the plan document, “I approve.”
He continued, “Not long ago, the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps petitioned the guild for a large amount of alchemy laboratories, I have done my best to delay that.”
Hua Ni laughed, “They are in the process of cutting ties with the Li Jian Clan. They are likely applying for capital alchemy laboratories to produce magic medicine.”
These people are ambitious, we must pinch their attempts in the Warm Snow Cup, and by winning this bet, we can control them in the future.”
The president nodded, “You are right.”